Puluis es, & in Puluerem reuerteris.

Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt returne. The end euer holds a corresponden­cie with it's beginning, Nudus egressus sum, & nudus reuertar illuc, so saith Iob. The riuers come from the sea, and thither againe they returne; so doth the Sunne from the East, and thither it retyres again. That Image of gold, siluer, brasse, & iron, that had it's feet of earth, must in the end turn to dust. Baruc asks,Baruc. 3. Vbi sunt Principes gentium? His answere is, Ad inferos descenderunt; the earth hath swal­lowed them vp all. S. Basil commenting vpon this place, makes the like question, and giues the same answer, Nonne omnia puluis? Nonne fabula? Nonne in paucis ossi­bus memoria eorum conseruatur? The greatest and famousest of vs all haue been and are but dust; and there is no memorial left of them, but a few rotten and stin­king bones. Vpon this point see Nazianzen Orat. de Humana natura: Epictetus in Sententijs; & in Euchiridion. cap. 22. &c.

Dust thou art, &c. The meditati­on of what we are, subdues in vs, From this Principle I will inferre three or foure conclusi­ons of great fruit and consequence: The first, If thou art ashes, Quid superbis terra & cinis, i. Whereof art thou proud ô thou dust and ashes? Of thy beginning? No: Of thy end? No: Of what then?Our Pride. August. de Verb. Dom. Serm. 10. Pride what manner of sinne. Psal. 19.13. If thou shouldest see thy selfe seated betweene the hornes of the Moone, De fundamento cogità humilitatis, Thinke on the base­nesse of thy beginning, and thou shalt then see, that pride was not borne for man, nor anger and pettishnesse appointed for womans condition; pride cannot sute with durt, nor curstnesse with womans softnesse. Ab occultis meis munda me Do­mine, & ab alienis parce seruo tuo, i. Lord clense me from my secret sinnes, and spare thy seruant for those that are strange. By alienis S. Hierome vnderstands those of pride, for it is a stranger, as it were, & another kind of thing, differing much from mans base and vile condition: and the Hebrew letter saith, A superbijs, parce seruo tuo. Whereupon Saint Chrysostome noteth,S. Chrysost. Ho­mils▪ in cap. primū Ioannis. That there is not any sinne more alien to mans condition, than pride, or that carries with it lesse excuse. Those fooles that Genesis painteth forth, going about to build a Tower that should ouertoppe the Clouds, did in their verie first word, Venite, faciamus lateres, i. Come, let vs make vs Brickes, bewray their foolishnesse: What, go about vpon earth to reare a founda­tion that should emulate Heauen? God said vnto Ezechiel, Take thou a tyle, & por­tray vpon it the Citie of Hierusalem, the walls, the ditches, the Towers, the Temple, Ezech. 4.1. and a great armie of men: Strange, yet true we see it is, that the strength of cities, the power of Armies, is contained in a poore brittle tile-stone.Esay 16. Pride what kind of sinne. Esay threatned those of Moab with whips & scourges, because they insulted and proudly triumphed vpon the walls and towers of his Citie; Loquimini plagas ijs, qui latātur super mu­n [...]s cocti lateris, i. Speake punishment to those that reioyce in walls that are made of brick. What, can earthen walls raise vp such pride in men? Samuel beeing to annoint Saul, God gaue him for a signe that he would haue him Prince ouer his People, That he should find two men as soone as he was gone from him, neere vnto Ra­chels Sepulchre. God might haue giuen him some other signe, but he chose ra­ther to giue him this, to quell the pride and haughtinesse of this his new honor; as if he should admonish and put thee in mind, That the ashes of so faire a crea­ture as Rachel should read a lecture vnto thee, what thou must be.

And this is the reason why the Church, though she might vse other metaphors to expresse the misery and shortnesse of mans life, as is often mentioned in Scrip­ture as by a leafe, a flower, a shaddow; yet it makes more particular choyce of Dust & Ashes: besides, those be metaphoricall, and these litterall;Earth the ba­sest element. for nothing more properly appertaineth vnto man than Dust, and therefore the Scripture [Page 8] termeth death a mans returning againe to the earth, from whence he came. Con­uertetur in terram suam, proiectus est in terram suam. The flower, the leafe, haue some good in them, though of short continuance, as colour, odor, beauty, vertue, and shade; and albeit not good in themselues, yet they are the image & represen­tation of good; but Dust & Ashes speake no other good. Amongst the elements, the Earth is the least noble, and the most weake: the fire, the water, and the ayre haue spirit and actitude; but the Earth is as it were a prisoner laden with weigh­tinesse, as with gyues. A certaine Poet stiles the Earth Bruta, not onely for that it hath an vnpleasant countenance, as Desarts, Quick-sands, Dens, and Caues; but also for that it is the Inne of Serpents, Tygres, Panthers, and the like. So that it is neither good to the tast nor the smell, nor the feeling, nor the hearing, nor the seeing; thou beeing therefore Earth, Quid superbis terra & cinis, i. Why art thou proud ô Dust and Ashes?

Our Volup­tuousnesse.The second conclusion is, If thou art Ashes, Quid vtilitatem saginando corpore? Why such a deale of care in pampering thy bodie, which the wormes are to de­uour tomorrow? Looke vpon that flesh which thy fathermade so much of, that (now) rotten & stinking carkasse; and this consideration will moderate thy desire of being ouer daintie and curious in cherishing thine owne. Isaac on the night of his nuptialls, placed his wifes bed in the chamber where his mother died: To­bias spent all the night with his Spouse in prayer, being mindfull of the harme which the Deuill had done to her former husbands; as being aduised from Hea­uen that he should temper with the remembrance of death, the delights & plea­sures of this short life of ours. The Cammomile, the worse you treat it, and the more you tread on it the better it thriues, other Plants require pruning and ten­ding to make them fruitfull: but this herbe hath a quite contrarie condition, that with ill vsage it growes the better. It is the pamper'd flesh that brings forth thistles and thorns, but the flesh that is trodden downe and humbled, that yeelds store of fruit.

Our Coue­tousnesse.The third, If thou art Dust, and must tomorrow become Dust, Why such a deale of coueting of honours and riches? Why such great and stately houses, & so richly furnished? Our forefathers liued eight hundred yeares and vpwards, and those seeming but few, they past ouer this life in poore Cabbins: now we liue but three dayes, (as it were) and we build houses as if we meant to liue for euer, they are so strong and durable. Esau sould his birthright for a messe of pottage, but he excused his so doing, for that he saw his death was so neere at hand, En, morior, quid proderunt mihi primogenita? i. Behold, I am readie to die, what will birthright profit me? Aug. q. super Exod. Cap. 5. Saint Austen puts a doubt, why the Aegyptians did so freely bestow their jewells, and their gold and siluer on the Hebrews? and the resolution is, That seeing their first begotten were all dead, they made light rec­koning of those things which before they so much esteemed. Abulensis moues a doubt, Why the Gyants of the promised land did not deuoure the Israelites, being but as grashoppers in comparison of their greatnesse? Whereunto is a twofold answer; The first, That they came in as strangers, from whom they pre­sumed they could receiue no hurt: The second, That God sent a consuming plague amongst them, Terra deuorat habitatores suo [...], i. The Earth deuoureth her In­habitants. And there is no man of what strength or mettall soeuer, that hath not Deaths dart sticking in his sides.

There is a great deale of difference made of honour and wealth, between the liuing and the dying man: the rich Miser, that would not giue Lazarus a crum, would vndoubtedly when he was a dying, haue beene contented he should haue [Page 9] had all the meat on his Table. And as Death doth mortifie andmake the flesh of Birds and Beasts more tender; so doth it soften in men their hard bowells, and causes pittie in their Soules, and is the Key that openeth their close-fistednesse. We read of certaine Fooles that said, To-morrow we shall die; let vs therefore laugh and be merrie, and inioy the pleasures of this world: for these thought there was no other life but this. But Paul, who was sorie to see this, made no such consequence, but the contrary; Death is neere at hand, let vs vse this world therefore as we vs'd it not, &c. Two things, saith Seneca, are the summe of our life, Nasci, & Mori, To be borne, and to die. Gregory Nissen treating of that place of Salomon, Omnia tempus habent, There is a time for all things, notes, That this wise man ioines our Nasci with a Mori, as being neere neighbors: and many times the time of death preuents that of our birth, &c.

There are two things to be considered in Repentance:

• 1 That it is alwaies good.
• 2 That it must be decent and discreete.

For the first, It subdues the flesh, & makes it willing to submit it selfe, & to be­come obedient to the spirit: Read Leo. Pap. Ser. 4, de Ieiun. Vide Cyp. Orat. de Ieiun. & de Tent. Christi. and Tho. 2.2. q. 15. Peccasti? (saith Saint Chrysostome) poenitere. Millies peccasti? millies poenitere, i. Hast thou sinned a thousand times? repent a thousand times. Saint Austen saith, That the Deuil being desirous that Man should not re­pent himselfe of his sinnes, is still whispering him in the eare, Why doest thou torment and afflict thy selfe?How Repen­tance is to be [...] formed. It is strange that God should take pleasure to see thy destruction. Bread suffers martyrdome till it be brought to the boord; Sil­uer the same, till it be wrought into a vessell of Plate; Stone till it be placed in the house for which it was hewen; the Sacrifice, till it be laid on the Altar; it is no maruell then that Christians should suffer much, who so much desire to bee the Bread, the Vessells, the Stones, and the Sacrifice for Gods House and his owne Table.

The second point is, That our Repentance should be decent and discreet. This may serue for a few, for there are but few that will exceede.Rom. 12.1. To whom wee prescribe Saint Pauls rule, Rationabile obsequium vestrum, Your seruice must be weighed in the Ballance of reason. A Slaue when he is stubborne and rebelli­ous deserueth the whip, but the correction must not bee so cruell as to occasion his death. Ecclesiasticus treating, That it is good to correct a seruant,Eccl. 33. [...]. doth put this in for a counterpoise, Verumtamen sine judicio nihil facias graue, i. Doe nothing without discretion: Nay, euen towards our Beast, malicious crueltie is condem­ned: Nouit justus jumentorum suorum animas, i. A rightuous man regardeth the life of his Beast; He will not lay more vpon them than they can beare:Prou. 12.10. Viscera autem impiorum crudelia, i. But the bowells of the wicked are cruell.

Two things are to bee considered in our Repentance: the one, The grieuous­nesse of the fault; for to make light repentance for great sinnes, is a great inequa­litie, as Saint Ambrose noteth it: And Saint Hierome saith, That the Repentance ought to exceede the fault, or at least equall it.Amb. lib. 2. d [...] P [...]nitent. Not that humane weaknesse can make full satisfaction for it's heinous sins; but that it be performed in some pro­portion. The councel of Agatha declareth the custome that was vsed in this kind in the Primitiue Church: to wit, That they that were publike & scandalous Sin­ners did present themselues in a kind of soutage or course Sacke-cloath be­fore the Bishop, accompanied with all the Clergie, who inioyned him pennance [Page 10] according to his offence, banishing him from the Church for some such time as they thought fit. But in a word, As the Flower is spoyled for want of water, so is it marr'd by too much. Our life is a tender Flower, and stands vpon a feeble stalke, Qui quasi flos egreditur & conteritur; and as it is spoyled with the ouer­much verdure of delights and humane pleasures; so likewise it is quite marr'd through the sterilitie of moderate recreation and honest pastimes,Moderate Re­creations law­full. and with the too much drought of torment. Columella in his booke of Husbandrie saith, That Hay must not be made when the grasse is too green, nor too dry. Our flesh is like grasse, & to haue it cut in a good s [...]ason, it must neither haue too much greenenesse of iollitie, nor too much drinesse of trouble; for the one doth rot and taint it, and the other doth wast and consume it.

Likewise there must be a care had to the season, for the cure: As often there­fore as a man shall find himselfe wounded by sinne, so often must hee apply the plaister of Repentance. And as to deferre the cure in a dangerous sicknes breeds great perill; so stands it with the putting off Repentance from day to day.

There are three differences of Time, Time past, present, and to come; that which is past is no more; that which is to come is in Gods hands, and that hee should bestow it vpon vs is his liberalitie and goodnesse; the present is but short, and for ought I know I may presently die. And herein is mans madnesse seene: for there is scarce that man to bee found, that thinkes it now to day a good time to repent him of his sinnes, but with the Crow cries Cras, Cras. Salo­mon saith of a bad paymaster, Tempore redditionis, postulauit tempus, i. Hee requireth time, when it is time to pay. Pharaoh hauing giuen his word to let Gods people go to day, he did still put it offtill to-morrow: S. Austen before he was conuerted, to those inspirations that daily called vpon him, his answer stil was to-morrow; til at last tyred out with so many delays, he cried out, How long shall I say to-mor­row? God complaineth of his People by Esay, That they did deferre from day to day to come vnto him.

The Church teacheth, that we should not procrastinate our Repentance: & the Lord saith vnto vs, Nunc conuertimini ad me, i. Now turne you vnto me. Wilt thou know which is the best season? It is to day: for although this day may be verified of all the dayes of the yeare, and of all the yeares of a mans life, none is compa­rable to that of to-day, as well in respect of God as thy selfe.

Saint Chrysostome saith, That the Lent is the Spring of the Church: wherein are to be found three fitting similitudes.Chrys. Hom. 1. in Genes. Ho­mil. 5. ad Popul. Bern. Serm. in Cap. Iei [...]nij.

The first, As Kings vse in the Spring to raise an Armie against their ene­mies, and to make graue and seuere exhortations vnto them to incourage them to victorie; so the Church at this time strikes vp her Drummes, spreds her co­lours, and exhorteth her faithfull souldiers to take Arms against the Deuill, the World, and the Flesh.

The second, As in the Spring those Trees that in the Winter haue been as it were dead, putting on greene apparell, giue testimonie of that life which was hid and concealed; so a Christian which hath been dead all the yeare long; stri­uing now to cloath himselfe anew with the leafes,Aug. Ser. 55. & 69. de Tempore. flowers, and fruits of good workes, discouers that life which lay wrapt vp in the roots of Faith.

The third, (which is Saint Austens) As the Sunne doth alwayes communi­cate his heat and influences (but they are more temperate and fruitfull in the Spring) so the Sonne of Righteousnesse, though hee euermore communicateth those fauours vnto vs which are necessarie for our saluation; yet at his holy time, appointed by the Church for the preparing of our soules against the day of [Page 11] Easter, they may be thought more prosperous and more aboundant, &c.

Lent is likewise called the August and Haruest of a Christian. Hee that in August prouides himselfe of Corne, comes not to suffer hunger: but hee that ouerpasseth the Haruest, it is no meruaile if he starue for want of bread; Transit mess [...]s (saith Ieremie) finita est aestas, & nos saluati non sumus, i. The Haruest passeth, the Sommer is at an end, and we are not saued.

Necessitie likewise driueth vs thereunto, Hee that is fallen striues to rise againe; the sicke to be whole; the blind to see; he that hath lost his way to re­turne into it againe, though it be through bushes and briars; hee that suffereth shipwracke to escape, if he can, vpon a planke: & last of all, he that loseth a thing of value will endeauour to find it out againe, though it cost him a great deale of paine and trouble: yet all these losses are farre lesse than those of a sinner. Hee is fallen into the mire of sinne, and findes no helpe in the earth to lift him vp; he is sicke, but no physicke of Hypocrates nor Galen can recouer him; he is blind, but yet cannot get his sight; he hath suffered shipwrack, and can take hold of no­thing in this sea of the world to saue him; he hath lost a jewell of that inestima­ble value, whose losse is a losse of losses, & the sum of all miserie. Now if to day at this time we may repaire these our grieuous losses, it is our fault if wee grow carelesse and drowsie therein, &c.

Cum jeiunatis, nolite fieri, &c. When yee fast, bee not, &c.

Here the Commentators make a stand. The Gospell indeering the poornesse of spirit, and other vertues of Fasting, speakes no word thereof, though it pre­suppose it, and prescribeth rules how it ought to be done. And the answere is, The greatnesse of the priuiledge of Fasting, whose noblenesse is so antient, that Christ supposeth the same, though hee speaketh not thereof. There are some Gentlemen in our State, of that antiquitie, that without shewing their Titles or their Priuiledges, no man will offer to question them. Others there are, howbeit noble, either through emulation, or that they are not so antient, are driuen to prooue their Gentilitie. Against some vertues, some Emulators haue not stucke to speake; but against Fasting no man euer opened his mouth. Mahomet him­selfe neuer denied the noblenesse of Fasting, but rather so much recommended it, that our fastings should be ashamed to stand in competition with theirs.

And therefore it is said, Cum jeiunatis, When yee fast, &c. And anon after, Tu au­tem cum jeiunas, But thou when thou fastest. There are such forcible and precise ar­guments vpon this point, that it were a superfluous labor to aduise whither it be to be done or no, when as it is aduised how it ought to be done. Heare S. Paul, 1. Cor. 10.31. Siue comedatis, siue bibatis▪ siue quid aliud facitis, omnia in gloriam Dei facite; i. Whi­ther yee eat or drinke, or whatsoeuer yee doe, let all be done to the glorie of God. He doth not aduise you vnto it, for that were a kind of force and constraint; but tells you how it ought to be done. As that it were a superfluous thing to aduise a man that is sore sicke, to obserue a dyet; or one whose house is on fire, to cast water thereon; or him that payeth money, to take an Acquittance; or him that enters the Church, to kneele when he comes in: so it were a needelesse thing to com­mand a man to fast, who from the beginning of the world tooke a furfet of ea­ting. Niniuie was saued by fasting. Ioel proposeth the like meanes, when he cri­eth vnto the people, Conuertimini ad me in ieiunio, Turne vnto me in fasting.

When the Law of Grace was first published through the world,The antiquit of Fasting. Fasting was proclaimed, Venit Iohannes non manducans nec bibens, i. Iohn came neither eating nor drinking. He is said not to come eating, for that he did eat but little: as wee say [Page 12] of him that is sicke, That he eats nothing, when he takes no more sustenance than will hold life and soule together. And the first step of our Sauiours penance for our sinnes, was fasting, in token that our first hurt came by eating. The first Law that God gaue man after that he had created him, was, That he should not eat of the Tree of knowledge of good and euill: wherein, tended the one, that man in this so great a happinesse should not forget that he had a Lord and Master; the other had an eye to the repairing of that his future fault, and that man might vn­derstand, that he should in fasting find a remedie for that hurt which came vnto him by eating. And as a wise Phisitian, feeling the sick mans pulse, finds out his il disposition, & perceiuing that his sicknes grew from that ill ripened fruit, which euen to this day is not yet fully digested; did prescribe this Recipe as a medicine to cure this our maladie: to the end, That as man did eate to sickenesse, so hee might fast to health; and as Gluttonie did banish vs from Paradice, so Fasting might recall vs thither againe.

Not Fasting the cause of all euill [...].Whence this note may bee gathered, That all those euils that are now in the world, are in recompence of that wrong which was done in Paradice vnto Fa­sting. So that not onely our first Parents smarted for it, but all their posteritie euen to this day; so that if any thing helpe this Surfet, it must be Fasting.

Take off the casement from your Studie window in a windie day, and it will hurle all your papers abroad: What's the remedie for this? you must set it vp again, & all will be wel. Chrisologus harped vpon this conceit in a Sermon of his vpon the prodigall child; where he cries out, Fame pereo, I die by hunger: Where­vpon this presently followeth, Surgā ibo ad patrem meum, I will rise and goe to my father: So that you see that Fasting and Hunger restor'd him presently to his for­mer happie estate. So that if our antient lost libertie could possibly be repaired, it were no waies better to be recouered than by Fasting. And if by Fasting, the ship of this our life takes in no water, and without it is ouerwhelmed and drow­ned; let vs lay the whole lading of all our il or good vpon our Fasting.

Amb. li. de Hel. & de Ieiunio, cap. 4.Saint Ambrose prooueth, That while fasting continued in the world, God did still better and inrich it with new things: The first day he created the Light; the second, Heauen; the third, Earth; the fourth, the Sunne, Moone, and Starres; the fifth, the Fishes of the sea, and the Fowles of the aire: and though hee gaue them his blessing, hee did not say vnto them, That they should eate. The sixth, Beasts of the field and Man: and giuing them licence to eat, the workes of God and the perfections of the world, were ended. Wherein God gaue man as it were a watch-word, that eating would be his vndoing. And (as Saint Chrysostome hath it) if in that so happie an estate Fasting was so necessarie, What shall it bee in this miserable condition of ours. Saint Iohns Disciples said vnto Christ, Master, why doe we and the Pharisees fast, and thy Disciples not? Hee answered, While the Bridegroome is present the children are not to weepe, but the time shall come wherein they shall not haue him with them, and then they shall fast & mourne. The presence of our Sauiour, and the enioying of his most sweet companie, did bridle their appetites, and keep their soules in subiection; but in his absence he inferreth, that this must be done by Fasting.

Saint Ciril saith, That Fasting is a greater Sacrifice than that of Abraham; for that Sacrifice was to be done vpon anothers bodie, this vpon our owne. Tertul­lian noteth, That God calling to Adam, asked him, Vbi es? Where art thou? But to Elias, Tertul. Tract. de Ieiunio. Quid agis, Helias? What do'st thou, Elias? And he saith, That the one was of anger and threatning, the other of softnesse and mildnesse, because he was emptie, and had fasted fortie dayes.

[Page 13]Saint Ambrose attributeth innumerable miraculous effects to Fasting; in­stancing in Niniuie, in Moses, in Elias, in Daniel, in Hester, in the mothers of Sampson and Samuel, in Iudith, &c. Besides, it giueth great light vnto knowledge and wisedome: for Gluttonie is an euill disposition for inquirie of truth; Reple­ti sunt, qui obscurati sunt terrae, saith Dauid, They are full fed, and blind. For this cause Ceres the Goddesse of Aboundance, is painted with Poppy in her hand, because those that are full fed quickely fall asleepe. Nothing so much ouerthroweth Man, as the ouercharging of his stomacke with meat; In multis escis erit infirmi­tas: Distemperature in dyet is that Nurse which giues milke vnto the Phy­sition. Dauid with fasting couered the faults of his whole life, Operui in jeiunio animam meam: Sola gula (saith Saint Bernard) peccauit, sola jeiunet, & sufficet, onely Gluttonie offended, let Gluttonie onely fast, and it sufficeth.

Our nature hath a twofold consideration, one corporall, another spirituall; Alterum commune cum Dijs, (saith Cicero) alterum cum Brutis, One common with the Gods, another with the Beasts. There is a twofold thirst, one false, the other true: there is likewise a twofold desire, one of wantonnes, another of necessity. Our Sauiour fasted, but when he was oppressed with hunger he did eat; the like may euerie good Christian doe: and therefore Saint Gregorie saith, That a man may denie that to desire, which he may grant to necessitie. I will conclude this point with this short saying, Carnis curam ne feceritis in desiderijs, Let the cockering of your flesh be no part of your desire.

Be not like the hypocrites, &c.

This little short clause doth affoord three or foure seuerall kinds of sences:What to bee obserued in Fasting. The first, That wee must not onely doe good, but shunne euill; and therefore aduiseth those that fast, not to be like vnto those Hypocrites, whom the wind of Vaine-glorie rob'd of all the good they did. It seemeth that the Church and the Gospell in this agree: The Church telles vs, That we are Dust; the Gos­pell, That wee should beware of wind, that wee bee not carried away there­with; withdraw thy selfe out of the Street, and from thy doore, where the wind whisketh and blowes hard, and retyre thy selfe into thy house, and Fast in thy priuate Chamber; let not thy right hand know what thy left doth: Do not like these Hypocrites, publish not thy Fastings, thy Prayers and thy Almes-deeds in the Streets and open Market place, lest the wind scatter them away, and they bee no more seene or heard of. Saint Gregorie saith,Greg. Mor. lib. 19. ca. 13. That Hy­pocrites die by the hands of those vices which they haue ouercome: they fast, and fasting kills them; they giue Almes, and their Almes-deeds are their destruction. Eleazar a most valiant Souldier slew an Elephant which bore vp­on his backe a Tower of wood, but the Elephant thus slaine chanced also to slay Eleazar: great pittie that so valiant a man should die, but more, that hee should die by the hands of the dead. Many Christian Souldiers there are, which doe braue and worthie deeds, ouercome great vices, yet die in the end by their hands.

The second, That your Fastings, and your Good-workes are more from God than your selues; Non possumus cogitare aliquid ex nobis, Of our selues wee cannot so much as thinke. Mans pouertie is so great, that hee cannot come to so much as a good thought, and therefore may not make merchandise of that wealth which is none of his owne. But God is so free in the workes of Ver­tue, and so bountifull, that being at all the charge himselfe, hee giues thee all the gaine; onely hee will that thou giue the glorie vnto him, and take the [Page 14] profit to thy selfe. That Workeman should doe ill, who hauing built a house with another mans Purse, should goe about to set vp his owne Armes vpon the Frontispeece. Iustinian made a Law, That no master-Workeman should set vp his name within the bodie of that building which hee made out of ano­thers cost. Christ sets thee aworke, and wills thee to Fast, to Pray, to giue Almes; but, Who is at the cost of this so good and great a worke? God; thou hast all thy materials from him, the building is his, it is his Purse that payes for all: giue the glo [...]ie therefore, and the honor thereof vnto him; Gloriam meam alteri non dabo, i. I will not giue my glorie to another. Content thy selfe with Heauen, which is promised vnto thee if thou doost well, which is a sufficient re­ward for any seruice that thou canst doe.

Hypocrisie in Fasting.The third, That Fasting, Praying, giuing of Almes, done onely for Gods sake, is of that great price and estimation, that it is ill employed on any other than God. And for that God weighes all things in his hand as in a ballance, and knowes the weight of euery good worke, and the true value therefore; it grieues him that thou shouldst doe these good things for so vile and base a price, and is sorrie to see thee so poore and foolish a Merchant, that thou wilt part wirh that which is as much worth as Heauen to thee, for that which is lesse than earth; to wit, onely that the World may say, Such a one fasteth; Why doost thou thus crucifie thy flesh? Why debarre thy bellie of food? Why be­ing readie to die for hunger, doost thou not eat? Why lift vp thy eyes to Hea­uen for so poore a thing as to winne applause vpon earth. Sterni lutum quasi au­rum, saith Iob: those works that are done for God, are gold; done for the world, durt.Iob. 41.30. They lay vp this their treasure in the tongues and eyes of men, which is a chest that hath neither locke nor key vnto it.

The fourth, That Fasting is a Plaister for our wounds, a Medicine for our griefes, a Salue for our sinnes, and a Defence against Gods wrath. But thou must take heed that thou doe not make this Plaister poison; this Medicine sick­nesse; this Salue a sore; and this Defence, our destruction. For where God hath a Church, there the Deuill hath a Chappell; and where hee throwes in seed, the other will sow tares. Naboth a Subiect of King Achab had a Vine­yard in Samaria neere vnto the Kings Palace; the King had a mind vnto it; Na­both will not part with it: the King growes sad, refuses his meat; Iezabel comes to see him, makes a jest of it; takes pen in hand, dispatches a Ticket to the Go­uernors of that Citie, sealed with the Kings Seale, to proclaime a Fast; sub­ornes two witnesses to sweare, That they heard Naboth blaspheme God & the King: the innocent Naboth is stoned to death, and his goods confiscated. In which action there are two things worthie our consideration: The one, That the circumstance of blaspheming God and the King vpon a solemne day of Fast, (as it is noted by Vatablus) was so grieuous, that of force hee must be con­demned to die for it, in so great veneration was Fasting in those dayes. The other, That it serued as a cloake for the taking away of the Vineyard, for the falsifying of witnesses, and injustice in the Iudges. Who should haue then seene the People to fast, would haue thought it had beene done out of zeale, Gods honour, and a desire to doe him seruice. But it was meerely a tricke of the Deuils, which hee had plotted with himselfe. Hee threw poyson vpon vertue, seeking to draw euill out of good. Wee must therefore beware, least these our good actions receiue hurt, by euill intentions.

Like Hypocrites.

Hypocrisie runnes a quite contrarie course to these foure points before spe­cified, and crosses the same three or foure manner of waies.

First, It feigneth the good which it hath not. As the proud Man, Humility; the Cholericke, Patience; the Wanton, Honestie; the Miser, Liberalitie. This leger-demaine is that which hath more generally spred it selfe through mens brests, being desirous that the bodie should serue for the soule, as painting for the face, which being blacke, makes it seeme white. The painted Image of di­uers colours (whereof Wisedome speaketh) stirreth vp in Fooles a kind of plea­sure and delight. This stampe, though it be there set vpon Idolaters, may bee truly set vpon Hypocrites, for the comparison will hold well in both. Hee that shall truly and steddily looke vpon the face of an Hypocrite, shall in him behold an Image flourished ouer with sundrie colours, but counterfeit and feigned; as the white of Chastitie, the watched of Zeale, the red of Loue. But this is but a dunghill couered ouer with snow: the Hypocrite sheweth teares in his eys, de­uotion in his mouth, sorrowfulnesse in his countenance, and mortification in his flesh. But he is not the man he seemes to be: for the Painter, though he giue the Varnish of the colour, he cannot giue heate, nor life; hee may giue the likenesse, but not the truth of a thing: he painteth snow which is not cold, fire which doth not burne, birds which doe not flie, beasts which doe not goe: hee will paint a S. Hierome with a stone, but it shall neuer hit him on the breast; he will paint a Saint Francis with a discipline or whip in his hand, which shall neuer giue him so much as one stripe or lash on the bodie: like vnto that Statue which Michol put into Dauids bed, clad with his cloathes, which cosined the King and those that came with him: Or like vnto a dead man, which being beheld afarre off, see­meth to be aliue; or vnto Ezechiels Temple, which was fairely painted without, but within full of abhominations. A Painter, or a Statuarie frameth a verie per­fect Image in the exterior parts, but the Picture doth not enter into the substance of the wood or marble. Nature beginneth with the inner parts,Wherein differing from Faith. it first fashioneth the heart, then it organeth & giueth life to the other parts of the bodie. Where­as feigned Repentance beginneth in the outward parts of the body; but true, in the inward parts of the soule. Our Sauiour in the Garden had first great sorrow in his soule, and from thence that sweat of bloud was deriued to his bodie. The Hypocrite hath the appearance of a Saint, the apparell of a Saint, the place of a Saint, the figure of a Saint, and nothing in him which is not Saint-like: but like those Assisters at Christs death, that had put on his cloathes: Hee that shall see a common Hangman with Christs seamelesse coate vpon his backe, wil take him to be a second Messias. When Iacob saw Iosephs coat dipt in bloud, thinking some wild beast had deuoured him, he cried out, Tunica filij mei est, fera pessima deuora­uit eum, i. 'Tis the garment of my son, some cruell beasts hath deuoured him. Excellent words befitting a Garment like to our Sauiors Robes: it is the Robe of a Saint, but there is no more but the Robe, the rest that Beast Hypocrisie hath deuou­red. Ieremie treating of the Gouernors of his people, saith, That they labored to seeme Saints, but their wings were full of the bloud of the Poore; In alis suis inuentus est sanguis Pauperum, i. The bloud of the Poore was found in his wings. Hier. 2.34. Now he vnderstandeth by those wings, the spreading of those venerable vales or cowls which the Pharisees vsed. Againe, hee alludes vnto those wings of the Eagle, a Bird of a beautifull wing, but when you come neere thereunto, you shall see it bespotted with the bloud of those birds which she hath preyed vpon. In [Page 14] [...] [Page 15] [...] [Page 16] an Hypocrite, you shall behold a venerable bonnet, a Saint-like looke, a frequen­ting of Prayer and Sermons with a great deale of seeming deuotion; but their bowels are mercilesse, festred within them, and besmeered with bloud; Nolumus spoliari, sed superuestiri, We wil not be stripped, but ouercloathed. Saint Paul there trea­teth of that vnwillingnes wherwith the soule is stript of the bodie. But as to put on a new shirt or doublet you must take off the old one; so, to apparel our selues for Heauen, we must put off these our earthly robes. We naturally desire to cast vpon our cloathes to our backe a cloake of glorie; this is the desire of the Hy­pocrite, vpon those outward raiments of ambition, of couetousnesse, of wanton­nesse (which he will not strip himselfe of) he would haue the cloake of his loue to God, of hearing Sermons, of frequenting the Communion, of contemplation, of Prayer, & Mortification. This is to sell a boxe of Ratsbane with a little anis­seed strow'd on the the top of it. In a word, As the Deuil doth transfigure him­selfe into an Angell of light, being but darkenesse it selfe; so the Hypocrite be­ing vice it selfe, would transforme himselfe into vertue and holinesse. But God hath sworne, that hee will plucke their maskes and visards from off their faces, and leaue them as naked as the Crow of other birds feathers, and that this dis­guise shall be laid open, and that the beames of his Sun of Iustice shal melt away this painting, as waxe melteth before the fire, and that euerie one shall appeare at last in his owne likenesse.

The second, and that which is most hurtfull, Is to make publique holinesse the stalking horse to effect the better their secret villanies. This Imposture is proper vnto Hereticks, immitating therein the Pharisees, professing great zeale, and outward sanctimonie in their words and behauiour, that they may the better bring to passe their euill purposes. These men (saith Chrysologus) make warre against the Church Mucrone Virtutis, With the sword of Vertue: beeing like vnto Pirates, who set vp the Flagges of their enemies, that they may the more safely set vpon them, and come aboord them vnsuspected.

The third is, To take away from good workes the good intention of them. They giue almes, but not with intent to relieue the Poore; they heare diuine Seruice, but not to complie with the Church; they fast, but not to mortifie their flesh, &c.

Nolite fieri sicut hypocritae tristes. Sad, like Hypocrites, &c.

The Author of the imperfect Worke hath this note vpon this word Fieri, That it forbids thee not to be sad, but to make thy selfe so. Thomas vpon the word Nolite, that we should not seeme sad. The widdow that entreated for Ab­salons life sought to shed feigned teares, and to looke with a sad and heauie coun­tenance: so do your Hypocrites, they are like your Stage-players; but as the Scepter and the Crowne is not the Actors that represents King Dauid; so that meagrenesse and leanenesse appertains not to the Hypocrite that represents the poenitent. Genua mea infirmata sunt à jeiunio, His legges grew weake with fasting, not with feigning to fast: but the Hypocrite desires to be fat, though he would make a shew of fasting.

Exterminant enim facies suas. They wryth their faces.

Saint Hierome translates it Demoliuntur; Saint Chrysostome, Corrumpunt: and as a woman vseth to martirise & soke her face for to seeme faire; so the Hypocrite to seeme poenitent doth lay great burthens on his backe, onely for vaine glorie. Saint Bernard calleth these the Churches Porters,S. Ber. Ser. S. Bon. Ventura. by reason of the great burdens [Page 17] that they beare; Vae, qui trahitis iniquitatem in funiculis vanitatis, Esay 5. v. 18. & quasi vinculum plaustri peccatum; There are those that draw the Chariot of Iniquitie with the cords of Vanitie: The weight of sinne lies heauie, & the vanitie of Hypocrites seeke to make it light and easie.Ric. lib. [...].12. Pa­tri, cap. 50. Richardot compares them to Prince Emors vas­sals, who did all of them circumcise themselues to please a vaine young man, who were so exceeding sorely pained, that a whole citie could not defend it self against a brace of brothers.

Thomas figures forth the Deuill vnto vs by Senacherib, who layes vpon vs three burthens.

The first, The grieuous yoke which he layeth vpon his seruants neckes.

The second, The Rod wherewith he scourgeth them.

The third, That Scepter and command wherewith he encreaseth his tributes and intollerable taxes.

All these our Sauiour Christ ouerthrew by his comming, [...]eauing him more tormented than euer heretofore; for to him there is no torment comparable to that, aswhen a man is freed from his torment. And therefore when Christ com­manded him to goe out of a man whom he tormented, he told him, Quid mihi & tibi Iesu Nazarene? Venisti ante tempus torquere nos? Mat. 8. v. 29. i.What hast thou to doe with vs Iesus of Nazareth? art thou come to torment vs before our time. The thrusting of the Deuil out tormented not the man, but him: it is Gods prouidence ouer vs, to seeke to draw vs to serue him truly without dissimulation; but Hypocrites,Popular ap­plause not to be affected. Ex­terminant facies suas, vt appareant hominibus jeiunantes, i. They put their faces out of fa­shion, that they may appeare vnto men to fast; it is a kind of Inchantment which wor­keth vpon them, to gaine the good opinion of men. Saul made light esteem of it, that Samuel should honour him before the People, ballancing this against Gods reprobation of him. Honour is a good thing, which though God be desirous to haue wholly to himselfe, yet is it not to bee condemned in man, but it hath it's restraint and its bridle; the danger is in making the bridle the spurre, and so to jerke out beyond our bounds. To vse it moderately and modestly, and to Gods glorie, it is good, and much good may it doe thee; but that thou shouldest liue vpon the depēdency of man, & become the captiue of common opinion, & only to esteem of popular applause, &c. this is vtterly vnlawfull, & meerely Pharasai­call. Saint Austen sheweth That Hypocrites fish with a golden hooke, where or­dinarily the profit doth not quit the cost.

Verily I say vnto you, they haue receiued their reward.

Petrus Chrisologus noteth, That Christ calles that a receiuing of a reward,Chrys. Serm. 7. which was the loosing of it. That Fasting which is rented forth to the eyes of man, is not to expectany payment from the hands of God. Thou doest either sel or hire out thy house, thou settest vp a bill, thou either mak'st sale of it, or rent'st it out for a thousand ducats to Iohn, it were madnesse in thee to pretend to reco­uer the same of Peter, who did neither hire nor buy it of thee. A woman de­sires to seeme faire, she seemeth so, and is so esteemed; her ambition is to please, she hath her wish: she hath already receiued the recompence of her desire, what can she expect more? God calls vpon thee to serue him, thou wilt not, but wilt serue the world, What canst thou then demand at his hands?Mat. 20. v. 13. Nonne ex denario conuenisti mecum? tolle quod tuum est, i. Didst thou not agree with me for a penny? take what is thy owne. You know whose saying it was, and vpon what occasion. The pay which the Hypocrite requireth, is, the applause of the world, he hath recei­ued that alreadie, and therefore can aske no more. Where by the way I would [Page 18] haue you to note, That if we make God the ayme of all our Workes, we there­by bind him so much vnto vs, that euen those which he hath not commanded vs, he will receiue in good part and reward them. Mary Magdalen poured forth a pretious box of oyntment vpon our Sauiours head. Now, if we should haue ask't of our Sauiour, whether he tooke much pleasure in this seruice that she did him, he would haue answered, No. But now that she had done it, fauo­ring her good intention, he defended her against those that murmured thereat, and commending this piece of seruice, he sayd, Ad sepeliendum me fecit, i. She did it to burie me; & caused this her liberalitie to be published to the whole World. Dauid had a purpose to haue built a temple vnto God, and God accepted of his good will;1. King. 8.19. but yet for some reasons, willed him not to doe it, Tu non aedificabis mihi domum, i. Thou shalt not build me an House, &c.

They haue receiued their Reward, i. Nothing, because the World it selfe must also come to nothing. The World is like a subtle beast, which makes little reckoning of him that feares him: Or like your In-keeper, who is more mindfull of those guests that pay him not, than those that haue truely payd him. The World esteemes more of one poore deuout Soule, that tramples all the honours there­of vnder his feet,Worldling [...] condemned of the World. and seemes to scorne the World; than of those Roman Em­perours which did serue and honour it with the vanitie of their triumphs.

Their Reward.

Diuers holy Saints, and graue Philosophers, haue vttered such Hyperboles of the shortnesse of our life, that without an Hyperbole, That which is to come, may in a manner bee counted as past. Seneca calls it a Point, and lesse than a Point. And a Point hath scarce any more being or duration, than what imagina­tion or a thought will giue it. A smoke, a shadow, a vapour, and the like, lasts but a little while; all which, are accommodated to our life: But a Point indureth much lesse. And therefore Iob sayth, That the ioy of an Hypocrite is but a Point. And if this bee their recompence, Receperunt mercedem suam.

Many infirmities in women, seeme greatnesse with childe, and promise chil­dren, but they prooue to be lyes and falshood; Like that birth of the Moun­taines which the Poets feigned, were deliuered in the end, of a Mouse. He that shall see an Hypocrite clothed with apparences, with outsides of holinesse and vertue, will thinke that hee carries Heauen in his brest: But it appeareth in the end, that it was not a conception, but an infirmitie. Heereunto Iob allu­deth, when hee sayth, Congregatio Hypocritae, sterilis, The posteritie and succession of an Hypocrite shall be barren; It shall conceiue in sorrow and bring foorth wicked­nesse. And as a woman after much paine in her trauaile, brings foorth a Mon­ster; so the Hypocrite, after hee hath martyred himselfe, shall find no other birth but Hell.

Their Reward.

The Hypo­crite hath no hope of Hea­uen.It is noted, that men much resent the losse of their great and tedious labours. As hee, that hauing spent thirtie yeares in the Indies in businesses as painefull, as base and vile, and with a great-deale of toile hauing heaped together a hundred thousand Ducats, when he is come euen to the hauen and readie to land, scapes onely with his life vpon a poore planke; The Souldier, which after so many yeares hauing wearied out his shoulders with carrying his musket, when hee comes home poore, hungrie, and vnrewarded, &c. Whence I doe note that euen these men haue some hope of Heauen; but the Hypocrite, who after [Page 19] threescore yeares of martyrdome hath tired himselfe, hath no hope of Heauen, but dyes desperate, breathing [...] at his last gaspe, Capiat omnia daemon.

Christ cursed the figge-tree, [...]ecause hee found it without fruit, what would he haue done if he had found it without leaues? That diuine Historiographer treating of the Locusts of Aegypt, sayth, That they left neither fruit nor leaues on the trees, Nihil omnino virens relictū est in lignis, & in herbis terrae. Ieremy com­plaines, that the sinnes of his people had made the Earth so barren, that there re­mained neither grape in their vineyards, figge on their fig-trees, nor leaues vpon their other plants; it is the badge of a bad Christian when his sins leaue neither fruit, bough, nor leafe to show there is hope of life in him. And therefore the Scripture in proofe of this point, doth in many places call an Hypocrite a Sinner.

Tu vero vnge caput tuum, & faciem tuam laua.

But doe thou annoint thy head and wash thy face. It was the fashion not only with the Hebrewes, but all the easterne people, to annoynt themselues on feastiuall dayes, & when any prosperous chaunce befell them: But it is both Saint Chriso­stomes, and Saint Hieroms note, That Christ doth not so much pretend, that we should annoynt the Head, or wash the Face, as that we should shun the ostentati­on of our fasting. This Tu vero, But thou, hath an emphasis with it. Thou, that de­sirest to please God with thy fasting; thou, that weighest what thy workes are, being fauoured and accepted of God; thou, that doest not esteeme the applause of the World, put away that sorrow which fasting bringeth with it with to­kens of ioy.

Annoynt thy Head.

There cannot any day bee more feastiuall and ioyfull vnto thee, than that wherein thou shalt offer vnto God the sacrifice of thy flesh.

First, because the weaker and feebler it is, by so much thy Spirit is the stron­ger. According to that of Saint Paul, When I am weake, then am I strong.

Secondly, because if at thy repentance, Heauen and the Angels reioyce, it is not much that thou also shouldest be glad.

Thirdly, because thereby thou ouer-comest thy enemy, and triumphest ouer him. Et nemo maestus triumphat. i. No man is sad when he triumpheth.

Fourthly, because the ioy of the Spirit is great, and maketh vs to continue in the seruice of God. For he that once tasteth the sweetnesse of louing him, hard­ly can forget him. Vt in eo crescatis in salutem, si tamen gustatis, quoniam suauis est Dominus. i. That yee may grow vp in him vnto saluation, Psal. 34.9. if so bee yee tast how sweet the Lord is. And this cheerefulnesse God will not haue in the Soule onely, but in the body also; for it is meant of both. Hilarem datorem diligit Deus. And the glory of the kings daughter, although Daui [...] saith, that it ought to be principally with­in, Gloria filiae regis ab intus, The glorie of the Kings daughter is within; yet is it like­wise to bee manifested outwardly: In fimbrijs aureis circumamicta varietate, i.Psal. 45.13. Her clothing is of wrought gold, and her rayment of needle worke. For God hauing created all, he will be serued with all. For this God respected Abell and his offering, and not Caine. And he was not pleased with him onely, for that hee had offe­red vp the best of his flocke, but for the willingnesse wherewith he did it, and cheerefulnesse of heart and countenance. And this put Cain quite out of counte­nance, and made him to hang the head. Who can offer the chaffe of his corne to God with a good face.

[Page 20] Annoint thy head. God wil that we shew our selues glad & cheerfull when we serue him.Leuit. 10.19. Aaron was sad for the death of his daughters; & Moses reprehending him because he had not eaten that day of the Sacrifice, hee told him, Quomodo potui comedere aut placere Deo in Ceremonijs mente lucubri? i. How could I eat or please God in the Ceremonies, with a mournefull mind? And the Text saith, That Moses re­sted satisfied.Baruc. 3.34. Baruc saith, That the Starres beeing called by their Creator, an­swered, Adsumus, We are here; and they did giue their light Cum jucunditate, With delight: God had no need of their light in Heauen, Lucerna eius est Agnus, His light is the Lambe; but because God commanded them to affoord man light, they did it cheerefully. If they without hope of reward serue thee with that ala­critie, thou whose hope is from God, Vnge caput tuum, Annoint thy head.

Annoint thy head. The Gospell aduertiseth thee to be merrie, the Church, to mourne; How are these two to be reconciled? I answer, That all thy felici­tie consisting in thy sorrow, thou mai'st verie well be merrie to see thy self sad. Greene wood being put vpon the fire, weepes and burnes; A deepe valley is cleere on the one side, and cloudie on the other. Mans brest is sad in one part, and ioyfull in the other: Saint Paul specifies two sorts of sorrow, one which growes from God,2. Cor. 7. the other from the world; that giues life, this, death. Saint Iohn sets down two sorts of death, one verie bad, the other verie good: so there are two sorts of sorrow,Baruc. 2. Leuit. 22. &c. Baruc saith, That the soule that sorroweth for his sinnes giues glorie vnto God. Leuiticus commandeth, That they should cele­brate with great solemnitie the day of expiation; Et affligetis animas vestras, And yee shall afflict your soules. It seemes not to sound well, That men should make a great Feast with afflicting their soules: but for Gods friend no Feast ought to be accounted so great, as to offer vnto him a sorrowfull and contrite heart. For as there is nothing more sad than sinne, so is there nothing so cheereful as to be­waile it.

Ne vidiaris hominibus jeiunans, i. That thou seeme not to men to fast. For herein is a great deale of danger. A Monke told the Abbot Macharius, I fast (quoth he) in the City in that sort, that it is not possible for a man to fast more in a Wilder­nesse: Whereunto he replied, For all that, I think there is lesse eaten in the wil­dernesse, though there be no eyes, as baits, to feed this thy vanitie. Our Sauior did marke out three sorts of Eunuchs; some by nature, some made so by the world, and some by God: so likewise are there three sorts of Fasters, some to preserue their Complexion, some for to please the World, others for Gods sake. Abulensis doubting, Why God permitted not vnto his Peo­ple those triumphs which other nations did so much glorie in? answe­reth, That he would not suffer them, because they should not fauour of them: for the People said in their heart, though they did not professe it with their mouth,Deut. 32.27. Psal. 1 [...]5. v. 1. Manus nostra excelsa, & non Dominus, fecit haec omnia, i. Our own high hand, and not the Lord, hath done all these things: Whereas they should say, Non nobis Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam, i. Not vnto vs, ô Lord, not vnto vs, but to thine owne name giue the glorie.

Pater tuus qui videt in abscondito, i. Your Father who sees in secret. On the one side the Church humbles thee by calling thee Dust; on the other, it raiseth thee vp, by confessing thy selfe to be the sonne of such a father; Pater tuus qui videt in abscondito: who is of that Maiestie, that mortal Man durst not presume to say he were the sonne of such a Father, vnlesse he himselfe had obliged vs to acknow­ledge him for our Father.Rupert. in Gen. c. 2. & 20. Rupertus saith, That all the Patriarkes of the old Te­stament had vsually in their mouth this humble confession, Tu Pater noster es, & [Page 21] nos Lutum, Thou art our Father, & we are Clay; as they that on their part had much whereof to be ashamed, but on Gods, much to glorie in, that he would giue the name of Sonne, to Durt; And who by his grace, of Durt, makes vs Gold. And so much concerning the word Father.

Who seeth in secret. He liues hid from thee, but not thou from him: for hee beholdeth with his eyes thy good seruices, and hath such an especial care of thy wants, as if his prouidence were only ouer thee: and he that tooke pitty of the beasts of Niniuie, and of Achabs humiliation, will not easily forget a son whome he so much loueth, &c.

Reddet tibi, i. Shall recompence thee. This word Reddet indeareth the worthines of Fasting; Fast for Gods sake, and he wil pay thee. What greater worthinesse, than to make God thy debtor? Shall he see thee fast for him, and shall not he re­ward thee? others runne ouer their debts as if they did not mind them, and per­haps neuer meane to pay them; but God, Reddet. And therefore reade in Esay, Esay 38. That certain that had fasted charged him with this debt, Ieiunauimus, & non aspe­xisti, humiliauimus animas nostras, & nescisti, We haue fasted, and thou hast not regarded vs, wee haue humbled our soules, and thou did'st not know it. True fasting. But he disingaged himselfe of this debt, saying, I did not tie my selfe to these Fasts; you continue in your wickednesse as before, and doe yee desire then a reward for your fasting? Sancti­ficate jeiunium, Sanctifie a Fast; accompanie your fasting with Prayer, Almes­deedes, and godlinesse, &c.Greg. in Euan. Chrys Hom. 1. de Ieiu nio. For in vaine (saith Saint Gregorie) doth the flesh for­sake meat, when the soule doth not forgoe sinne. Saint Chrysostome noteth, That Gods pardoning of the Niniuites, was not onely for their fasting, but their new­nesse of life: and the Text prooueth as much, Vidit Dominus opera eorum, quia conuersi sunt à vita sua mala, i. The Lord saw their workes, that they turned from their euill life. And in another place he saith,Chrys. Hom. 3. ad Popul. That the honour of Fasting consisteth more in flying sinne, than food; and that he that fasts, and sinnes, offers an affront to Fasting. Bernard saith, That if the Palate had onely sinned,Ber. Ser. 4. Bas. 1. inter Va­rias Hier. in c. 58. Esay. & Epist. ad Celan. Amb. Ser. 33. tempore. The vanity of worldly Trea­sure [...]. Hilar. Cant. 5. in Math. Chris. sup. Epist. ad Rom. ca. 10. the Palate should haue onely fasted; but being that all the Sences sinned, it is reason they should all fast. Saint Basil, Hierome, and Ambrose treat at large of this argument.

Nolite thesauriz are vobis thesauros in terra.

Treasure not vp treasures to your selues on earth. Because some men may doubt, why men may not treasure vp Treasures vpon earth; Saint Hilarie by these trea­sures vnderstandeth humane glorie, which hee stiled before by the name of Re­ward, Receperunt mercedem suam, they receiued their Reward. And it agreeth well with that of Saint Chrysostome, who saith, That the desire to treasure vp & grow rich, ariseth not so much from the daintinesse, the delight, commoditie, & other blessings which treasures represent vnto vs, as vaine-glorie. Why should a man make him beds of gold, mightie huge cupboords of massie plate, vnnecessarie rich wardropes, and Armies (as it were) of seruants, seeing these neither augment his health, nor inlarge his life, nor giue him much the more content? It is a fop­perie of pompe (saith Seneca) whose ioy onely consisteth in shewing it to the world. In a word, this idle foolish pompe,Senec. Ep. 110. is a sinne which leadeth many a noble prisoner away with him in triumph; Angells, Men, Kings, Prelates, High, and Low: and, as Thomas hath noted it, other vices carry away along with them the Deuills seruants; but this, Gods. S. Chrysostome cals it, The piracie of noble Per­sons, & the Mother of Hel, which she peopleth and inricheth with her children.

Likewise, this treasuring vp, may bee vnderstood of all manner of humane goods: For all men doe generally agree in a kind of Hypocrisie; to wit, to [Page 22] seeme that which they are not, & to promise that which they doe not performe: great Teasure promiseth to our immagination great felicitie; but the en­ioying thereof discouereth more deceites than content. And therefore Christ aduiseth,Mat. 13. That the hypocrisie of Riches should not steale away our hearts: he calls it Fallacia, Deceits, because all Riches are but lies and cosenage. Thomas expounding that place of Ecclesiasticus, Th. 1.2. Art. 1. ad 2. Pecuniae obediunt omnia, All things are obedient to Monie; sayes, Omnia corporalia, All corporall things; for spirituall goods are not taken with earthly riches. Againe, that it is the Idoll of Fooles, who know no other good, nor God.

Treasure not vp to your selues, &c. In the first place, A man is not here forbidden to encrease his wealth by lawfull meanes: for besides that this is that generall occupation of the men of this world, Christ our Sauiour condemned the sloth­full seruant that buried his Talent; and albeit all excesse in this kind is condem­ned, yet an honest meanes is not reprehended. Diuitias & paupertatem ne dederis mihi, i. Giue me neither Riches nor pouertie, said Salomon; & peraduenture the Lord said Thesauros in the plurall number, to intimate, What should a man do with such great Treasures for so short a life?

In the second, He doth not forbid fathers to treasure vp for their childeren; for Saint Paul licenceth them so to doe, Filij non debent thesaurizare parentibus, sed parentes filijs, i. Children are not to lay vp for the parents, but parents for the children. And God that ingraued in the brest of married men a desire of their Posteritie, ingraued likewise a desire of their thriuing, and augmentation of wealth. For it were a wofull case that a man should leaue his children to begge their bread at other mens doores: that which is forbidden, is a Thesaurizate vobis, a heaping vp of Treasure for thy selfe onely. For that good which God so freely communi­cateth vnto thee,Onely Coue­ [...]usnesse for­bidden. he doth not bestow it on thee for thy selfe onely: as God cre­ating creatures in the earth, did not create them for the earths sake; so he wil not that thou shouldest treasure vp for thy selfe. The couetous man would haue all to himselfe, in punishment whereof he enioyeth it least; Thesaurisat, & ignorat cui congregabit ea, i. He storeth vp, and knowes not for whom hee gathereth. The rich man hugg'd himselfe when he said, Habes multa bona reposita▪ in annos plurimos, i. Thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeares; but hee liued not to eat a bit of that aboundance. Sic est qui sibi thesaurisat, & non est diues in Deum, i. So it is with him that layeth vp for himselfe, and is not rich in God. Which agrees well with that of Seneca, Sen. de Remed­fort. That a couetous man is not a man, but the chest and bag that keeps monie in it for other men.

Of giuing Almes. But treasure vp to your selues treasure in Heauen, Thesaurizate vobis thesaurum in Coelo, &c. This language of treasuring in Heauen, though it bee common to all the vertues, yet the Scripture doth especially attribute it to Almes. Our Sauior said to the young man,Mat. 29. Giue all that thou hast to the Poore, and thou shalt find treasure in Heauen. And in another place, Facite vobis sacculos, qui non veterascunt, thesaurum non deficientem in coelis, Luc. 12.33. Make yee Bagges which waxe not old. And Tobias councelling his sonne, That he should giue Almes, either much or little, accor­ding to his meanes, addeth withall, Praemium enim bonum thesaurizas tibi in die ne­cessitatis, He layeth vp a good reward for himselfe against the time of neede. And it is noted by Saint Bernard, Faith hath two wings, Pra [...]e [...] and Almes, to lift he [...] vp to Heaue [...]. Tob. 12. That Fasting flies vp to Heauen, with the helpe of these two wings, Prayer and Alms; Bona est eleemosina cum jeiunio & oratione, i. Almes [...]s good with Fasting and with Prayer, saith Tobias. And Saint Gregorie, That it is not Fasting, to put that into thy purse which thou sparest, from thy mouth; but that, while thou fastest, the Poore may not starue. And this must be done with Praier [Page 23] and thankesgiuing to God.

Vbi thesaurus, ibi cor, i. Where our Treasure is, there is our heart. A wise man not thinking it safe to keepe monie in his house, for those many perills it may run, of theeues, fire, borrowing, & spending, puts it into some sure Bank: to hazard it by sea or land is as bad, if not worse, it is the prey of Pirats, & a dangerous port; Sta­tio male fida carinis, No trustie harbor for a ship, said the Poet, A mountain of theeus, a Citie without defence. That Farmer is a foole (saith Saint Austen) who put­teth his corne into moist Granaries, where it may rot, or bee deuoured and con­sumed by the Weesell. That which most importeth thee, is, To place thy Trea­sure vpon the Poore, for they are Christs owne Banke; for whatsoeuer they re­ceiue, our Sauiour accepts of it, and he secures it, and returnes it with vse. What saies Chrysologus? If thou wert to bee Ciuis perdurabilis, A durable Citizen vpon earth, it were wisely done in thee ro treasure vp vpon earth; but being that thou art to make a speedie journey for Heauen, Why wilt thou haue aboundance of that here, which shall occasion thy want there?

Puer meus jacet in domo Paraliticus.

[My child, or] my seruant lyeth at home sicke of the Palsey. The common say­ing is, Quot seruos, tot hostes, So many seruants, so many enemies. Iob complaineth,Of Seruants. Iob. 31. v. 31. That his seruants would haue eaten him piecemeale, Who shall giue vs of his flesh, that we may be filled. If they then that serue so good a Master be his enemies, who shal be his friend? Seneca seemeth to make the word Seruant to signifie Indiffe­rencie, and that it is in the Maisters choice to make him either his friend or foe.

In this matter there are some rules of prudence, nobilitie, and Christianitie.

The first on the Masters part; who are to treat their seruant with much loue and kindnesse, like a brother, saith Ecclesiasticus: Eccl. 33. Eccl. 7. and in another place indeering it more, Sit tibi quasi anima tua, Let him be vnto thee as thy soule; or as the Greeke hath it, Sicut tu, As thy selfe. Horace calls a mans friend, The one halfe of his soule: Sicut viscera mea suscipe, Receiue him as my owne bowells, saith Saint Paul, re­commending his seruant Onesimus to Philemon. No man is a seruant by nature, and being that God might haue made thee of a master a seruant, how oughtest thou to respect thy seruant being a master? This noblenesse of nature shewed it selfe apparently in this our Centurion; Puer meus jacet, My child lieth sicke: hee cals his seruant Child, a word of loue and of kindnesse, and signifies in the ori­ginall, a Sonne. And Saint Luke doth expresse it with a great deale of tender­nesse, Erat illi pretiosus, Hee was deere vnto him. Condemning those masters which vse their seruants as they doe their shooes, who when they waxe old, and are worne out, cast them out vpon the dunghill. Saint Paul calles these, [Page 26] Sine affectione, Men without compassion, who no sooner shall their seruant fal sick, but they presently bid away with him to the Hospitall: & if at the day of iudg­ment God will lay to our charge, That wee did not visit the sick in other mens houses, What will become of vs in that day, when wee be charged with casting them out of our owne.

The second, That all seruants are not so equall and alike, that they should deserue either like loue or vsage. Ecclesiasticus saith, That as fodder and the whip belong to the Asse; so doth meat and correction vnto a sloathful seruant: But euermore inclining more to lenitie than crueltie.

The third, That a Master bee not sharpe and bitter: for there are manie like vnto Spiders, which turne all into poyson, good, and bad seruice; foolish, and discreete words, are all alike vnto them. With some ma­sters (saith Macrobius) snorting and spitting are accounted discourtesies & in­ciuilitie.M [...]cr. li. 1. c. 11. Austen. lib. 1. de decem cord. Saint Austen sayes, That it is a pride vnworthie mans heart, to looke to be serued with more respect by thy seruant, than thou doost serue thy God. If euerie one of thy fooleries and misdemeanors God should punish them with the rod of his wrath,Senec. Epist. 47. what would become of thee? Seneca writing to Licinius, tells him, That it is a great deale of wisedome and discretion in a Master, to vse his seruants well.Alex. 3. Ped. 11. And Clemens Alexandrinus, That a Master must not vse his seruants like beasts: & that he that doth not now and then conuerse with them, and communicate his mind vnto them, doth not deserue to be a master.

The fourth, That hee bee franke and liberall, and a cheerefull rewarder of his seruants labours. For if the light of Nature teacheth vs, That wee should bee good vnto our Beasts, a greater Obligation lyes vpon vs towards our Ser­uants. Plutarch taxeth Cato Censorinus (amongst his many other vertues) of this one inhumane action, That hee sould away his Slaues when they were old and vnable to doe him seruice, as Gentlemen turne those Horses that were for their owne Saddle, to a Mill to grind, when they grow old and stiffe, and are not able to trauell as they were woont to doe. In a word, a Master must con­sider, That albeit the seruants bee the foot, yet the feet are as needfull to goe, as the eyes to see. And the aduantage that the master hath of the seruant, is not of Nature, but fortune; not by his birth, for both haue Adam for their father on earth, and God in Heauen: Both of them say, Pater noster qui es in Coelis; scien­tes quoniam illorum & vester Dominus est in Coelis, i. Our Father which art in heauen; knowing that both their and your Lord is in Heauen. Not in his bodie, for the Pope is made of no better dust than the poore Sexton; nor the King, than the Hang­man. Not in regard of the Soule, for the price of their redemption were both alike: Not of the vnderstanding, for many slaues haue that better than they; as Aesop, Epictetus, and Diogenes: Not of vertue, for many seruants there­in exceed their masters.

Duties of Ser­uants.But let vs descend now from the Masters, to the Seruants dutie, and what rules belong to them.

The first rule is, Faithfulnesse, and Loue. Salomon saith, He that keepeth the Fig-tree shall eat the fruit therof;Prou. 27.18. so, he that waiteth vpon his master shal come to honour, Instancing rather in the Fig-tree, than any other, for it's sweetnesse and great store of fruit; in token, that he that shall sow good seruices, shall reap good profit.

The second, That he do not serue principally for his own proper interest; for he that serueth for profit only, and meerly to make gain of his master, deser­ueth neither cherishment nor fauour. A master stands in stead of God; now we [Page 27] must not principally serue God for the good which he doth vnto vs, but as he is our God. The Scripture reporteth of Ioseph, That his Master hauing trusted him with the gouernment of his house, & all his wealth, he did not deceiue him of a farthing. There are some seruants like your Iuy, which suckes out the sap, & wi­thereth the Tree whereunto it leanes, it selfe remaining fresh and greene. They are those Spunges which soake vp their Masters wealth, making their Masters poore, and themselues rich.

The third, That a Seruant be solicitous, carefull, and painefull; for the slug­gard, Nature abhorreth and condemneth: Vidisti hominem velocem? stabit coram Rege, (i.) Seest thou a man diligent in his businesse? hee shall stand before Kings. Prou. 22. v. vlt. Dili­gence is pretious in all men, but most in a Seruant; Who can indure a lazie Ser­uant, or a dull Beast? The Ball was antiently the Symbole of a Ser­uant, according to Cartaneus, Cart. lib. de De­orum imagini­bus. The ball one while goes flying in the ayre ouer our heads, another, runnes as low as our feete, but neuer lies still, but is continually tossed too and fro. And Aristotle sayes, That a Seruant is Instrumentum viuum, A liuing Instrument: and as an Instrument hath not his owne will, but is directed by the hand of the Artificer; so a Seruant is not to bee at his owne will to doe what himselfe listeth, but as he is commanded and employed by his Master.

If Masters and Seruants would keepe these rules, it would bee a happinesse for the Master to haue such a Seruant, and for the Seruant to haue such a Master. It hath antiently beene doubted, Why amongst men so equall by nature, God hath permitted so great inequalitie as there is betweene him that serueth, and him that commandeth? And the reason of this doubt is the more indeered, for that seruitude is a thing so distastful, & held so great an ill, that many haue pre­ferred death before it. Theodoret answereth thereunto,Theod. lib. 2. de Prou. That Seruitude was the curse of Sinne, and that the first Seruant in the world was Cham, on whom his father threwt his seuere malediction, That he should be a Seruant to his brethe­ren, Because he discouered the nakednesse of his father. Aug. lib. 19. de Ciuit. cap. 15. S. Austen saith in his Books De Ciuit. Dei, That this penaltie began from the malediction of Eue; and that those words, Thou shalt be vnder the power of thy Husband, implyed subiection and serui­tude. Saint Ambrose in an Epistle which he writes to Simpliciarius, saith, That Seruing is sometimes taken for a blessing: and hee prooues it out of that which Isaac did to his elder sonne Esau, He blessed him, that he might serue his brother; ha­uing out of a particular prouidence and loue made Esau seruant to his brother, to the end that his harshnesse might bee gouerned by his discretion. So that wee see, that although the fortune of a Seruant (speaking generally) is verie bad; first, because libertie is a great good: secondly, because to serue a Tyrant is a great euil; yet he that hath the good hap to serue a good Master, is verie happie; for such a Master serues in stead of a Father, a Councellor, a Tutor. And this was this seruants happinesse, to haue so good a Master as this Centurion, heere spo­ken of, who saith, Puer meus jacet, &c.

In domo Paraliticus, At home sicke of the Palsie. Benefit of Af­fliction. It is a consideration as profi­table, as often repeated, That troubles and afflictions brings vs home to Gods House: They are like those officers that follow a fugitiue sonne or seruant, who bring him backe againe to his father or his master. Many meanes God vseth for to bring vs home vnto him, but by no meanes more than by affliction. Hun­ger draue the Prodigall home to his Father; Ioa [...]s burning of his corne made him come to Absalon;1. Reg. 14▪ the vntamed Heyfer is brought by the Goade to the Yoke. There is no Collirium that so opens the eyes of the soule, as miserie and trouble. The gall of the Fish recouered Tobias of his eye-sight; the darknesse [Page 28] of the Whales bellie, brought Ionas forth to the light; the stroke of an Arrow made Alexander know he was mortall; Wormes made great Antiochus confesse he was no God; and the threatning of Elias wrought repentance in Achab: In a word,Hier. 31. Vexatio dat intellectum, Castigasti me Domine & eruditus sum, Affliction cau­seth vnderstanding, thou didst correct me ô Lord, & I was instructed. O! how correcti­on opens those eyes which prosperitie kept shut? O! how often doth the pai­ning of the bodie worke the sauing of the soule? O! how often doe misfor­tunes, like the rounds in Iacobs ladder, serue to bring our soules vp to Heauen? God dealing with these afflicted soules, as the Gardner doth with the Buckets of his Well, who humbles them by emptying them, that hee may afterwards bring them vp full.Iob. [...]. v. 18. And so is that place of Iob to bee vnderstood, Hee woundeth, and hee healeth, (i.) hee healeth by wounding; like your cauteries, which cure by hur­ting. It is Gods owne voyce,Ose 6. v. 2. I will smite, and I will make whole: according to that of Ose, Percutiet, & curabit, he strikes the bodie with sicknesse, and with that wound he healeth the soule.

But here by the way it is to be noted, That there is a great difference betwixt one sinner and another: for he that is hardned in sinne, is made rather worse than better by correction. And this is that which Esay bewaileth, where hee crieth out,Esay 1.4.5. Woe to the sinnefull Nation, a People laden with Iniquitie; Why should yee be stric­ken any more, yee will reuolt more and more: All the fruit that such kind of wilfull sinners reape from their punishment, is, to adde sinne vnto sinne; like that Slaue, who being whipt for swearing, falls into blaspheming. I haue smitten (saith Ie­remie) your childeren in vaine,Ierem. 2. Ier. 6. they receiued no correction. And in another place he compares them to reprobate siluer, which being put into the Crisol of affliction to be refined and purified, remaines fouler than before. Others there are that are tender hearted, and are as sensible of other mens miseries, as if them­selues were in the same case; and iust so was it with this discreet Centurion.

Dignus est, vt illi praestes, (i.) He is worthie, for whom thou shouldst doe this. The Elders of the Iewes in Capernaum, which were sent by the Centurion vnto Christ, to beseech him to come and heale his seruant, acknowledged a power in our Sauior of working miracles, by that often experience they had made there­of, but they did not acknowledge his Diuinitie. And therefore they here notifie vnto Christ the great merit and deseruingnesse of this Centurion; which if it had beene meerely for Gods sake, they might the better haue pleaded it. They alledge two reasons to induce him thereunto.

The first, Diligit gentem nostram, He loueth our Nation; which hee hath many wayes manifested by those his good deeds and actions towards vs; and this his loue and kindnesse bindes vs to solicite his cause, which good will of his ought likewise to incline you to fauour this his suit.

The second, Synagogam aedificauit nobis, He hath built vs a Synagogue; whereby hee hath not onely shewed his good affection to the Iewes, but his religious­nesse also vnto God; Dignus est ergo, vt illi praestes, Hee therefore deserues this fauour at thy hands. Their reasons are both powerfull as well with man, as with God;Amb. lib. 2. de Off [...]. for Loue obligeth much. Saint Ambrose saith, That Nature did ingraue nothing so deepely in our hearts, as to loue him that loueth vs. Saint Austen saith,Aug. li de Cath. rudinus. c. 4. Marsil. in Com. Pl. c. 8. That it is a hard heart that repayes not loue with loue: agreeing with that of Marcilius Ficinus, That Loue is Tanti pretij, a thing so vnualuable, that nothing can recompence it but Loue.

First, From this ground we may gather the foulnesse of our dis-loue towards God: Ipse prior dilexit, saith Saint Iohn, He loued vs first, & if he had not vouch­safed [Page 29] to loue vs, mans brest had neuer had a stocke whereon to graft his loue towards him. Hauing therefore lou'd vs first, and out of his loue done vs such great and speciall fauours, it were extraordinarie basenesse and impietie in vs, not to loue him againe, hee beeing so willing to accept of our loue. Many there are which stand vpon it, as a point of honour, not to bestow their loue vpon euerie one that seekes their loue, but onely vpon those that haue giuen them some pledges of their loue. Now if thou doost esteeme thy loue at that rate, that thou wilt not conferre it vpon him to whom thou doost not owe it, yet oughtest thou haue the honesty to repay thy loue to him to whom thou doost owe it; especially being Nature abhorreth, that they that loue should not be be­loued. Moreouer, many times thou louest those that neuer loued thee, nay, euen those that haue hated thee. Is it much then that thou shouldst loue him that hath loued thee, neuer will leaue off to loue thee, and cannot but loue, though thou shouldst grow cold? S. Bernard saith, That we are wonderfully beholding vnto Christ for the treasures of his loue, because thereby he gaue vs matter to worke vpon, to repay this incomparable good of Loue, with Loue. No other of Gods fauours towards vs can we make repayment of in the same coyne, onely his loue is left vnto vs to be repaid with loue.

2 The second reason is no lesse powerfull, He hath built vs a Synagogue. For where some seruice hath preceded, it is as it were a pledge with God of fa­uours to bee receiued. Howbeit, in matter of giuing, we can gaine nothing by the hand. For, Quis prior dedid illi? Chrysost. Com▪ [...]. Serm. de Mart. s. Acts, 3. Saint Chrysostome treating of the miracle which Saint Peter and Saint Iohn did at the doore of the Temple called Beauti­full, vpon that poore Cripple which begged an almes for Gods sake; pondereth, how boldly and securely they entered to aske a fauour in Gods House, who had first exercised their charity vpon the Poore, strengthning and preuenting those prayers of the poore, with those that they were to make themselues vn­to God. To this end is it still in vse, that the poore lyes at the doore of the Temple, as the same Doctor obserueth, that the Faithfull entring to aske Mer­cie of God, for to secure their petition, that they should first shew Mercy. Sub­uenite oppresso (sayth Esay.) Before thou enterest into my House,Good seruice neuer vnre­warded with God. bestowe thine almes vpon some poore begger or other; For my stampe is ingrauen vpon him, hee is mine owne picture, and therefore see you releeue him. And then Venite, & arguite me, i. Come, and reason with mee: If I shall not then helpe thee, chal­lenge me for it. Saint Luke, recounting the resurrection of Dorcas (otherwise cal­led Tabitha) sayth, That the poore and the widowes came vnto Peter showing him those cloathes and shirts which shee had giuen them. Circumdederunt eum viduae flentes, & ostendentes tunicas, i. Widowes compassed him about, and showed him their coats, &c. One sayd, shee gaue mee this coate, another this smocke; and God hauing receiued so many seruices towards the poore, from the hands of this holy Woman, it is fit that she should find this fauour, and that you should not sticke much vpon it to restore her her life; and the Text sayth, That hee presently raised her vp aliue. No lesse to this purpose serues that raising againe to life of the Widows son, which nourished the Prophet Elias. Behold, ô Lord,Acts. 9. thou hast afflicted a poore Widow, that lodged mee and sustained mee for thy sake, and therfore thou art bound to repay her this seruice. It is one of the abu­ses of these times, that in the day of prosperity, thou neuer thinkest vpon the poore, bee he thy neighbour▪ or a stranger; or if thou dooest, it is but to quarrell with him, & to murmure against him: thou neuer giuest him any thing but sharpe words, but if thy house shall bee visited with any misfortune of fire or other­wise, [Page 30] or with sickenesse, thou lookest that hee should come vpon his knees to thee and offer thee his seruice.

The surer mo­tiue, his owne Loue.These reasons did the Elders of Capernaum alledge to our Sauiour, & might haue alledged greater than these, as his Faith, and his Deuotion. But it is noted by Saint Chrysostome, That they shewed themselues fooles in alledging the dig­nitie and worth of this Souldier, and forgetting the pitty and humanity of the Lord of Hosts. Martha and Mary were much more discreet, in pressing him with his Loue. For all other things whatsoeuer that we can alledge on our part, are to weake to bind him vnto vs.

Gods bountie towards his Suppliants. Ego veniam & curabo eum, i. I will come and cure him. 1. They could not haue desired a sweeter or a speedier answere. If a Captaine that hath beene maimed in the warres, come to one of our Princes heere of this World, to demand his pay, or some recompence for his seruice; hee shall dye a hundred deaths before they will giue him so much as one poore six-pence. But the Prince of Heauen, wee haue scarce represented our necessities vnto him, but hee presently answe­reth; Ego veniam & curabo eum, i. I will come and cure him. And euen then when hee sayd I will goe and heale him, euen then was his health restored vnto him:Cantic. 1.2. so hand in hand goes Gods Power with his Will. Meliora sunt vbera tua vino, i. Thy breasts are better than wine, sayd the Spouse to her Beloued. Where­in, wee are to weigh the facilitie and the easinesse wherewith the brest affoords it milke, and the paines and difficultie wherewith the grapes yeeld foorth their wine. For wee must first gather them, then tread them, then squiese them in the Presse, then poure them from one vessell into another, &c. And therefore is it sayd, Thy milke is of more worth, than all the wine in the World; not onely for it's pleasantnesse and sweetnesse, but for it's readinesse at hand. Esay pointing at this readinesse in God, sayth, Ad vocem clamoris, statim respondebit tibi, i. Hee will answere out of hand the voice of thy crie. Assure thy selfe hee is so pittifull, that he will not suffer thee to weepe and mourne. But thou shalt scarce haue cal­led vnto him, when straight thou shalt haue an answere. Whereas, to the Prin­ces of this World, thou shalt put vp a thousand memorials, and shalt haue so many more references, order vpon order, and yet no order taken for thee. But the Prince of Heauen, Statim respondebit tibi, i. Hee will answere out of hand.

I will come and heale him. Hee might haue recommended this businesse to Saint Peter, or Saint Iohn: But that which a Prince can performe in his own per­son, hee ought not to remit the same to his Ministers, though they should bee as faithfull vnto him as Peter. For the seruant many times carries not that soule a­long with him as his Master hath: and in case the seruant should blurre and soile his for his owne priuate gaine, this doth not excuse the Master. A Prince may well giue power in causa propria, i. in his owne cause, for a thousand things to his Minister; but for those particular obligations that concerne his conscience, hee cannot, nor ought not. Quodcunque potest facere manus tua instanter operari, i. What­soeuer thy hand findeth to doe, Eccl. 9.10. doe it with thy might. The word here to be weighed, is manus tua, not another mans, but thine owne.

2 It causeth no small admiration, that a King should call twice vpon him for his sonne,The poore more respe­cted of God many times than the rich. and yet hee excused himselfe; and that a Souldier should no sooner send vnto him to come vnto his seruant, but hee straight way answered, Ego ve­niam & curabo eum, i. I will come and heale him. Wee render two reasons of this doubt made vpon this place: The one, That with God, sometimes more honou­rable is the name of the poore than of the rich.Psal. 72.14. Honorabile nomen eorum coram illo, i. Their name is pretious in his sight. And albeit this honour grew vp from the [Page 31] beginning of the World: yet after that, God made himself poore for to make vs rich; pouertie is so exalted by him, and in that high esteeme, that men euer since haue lookt vpon it with other eyes than they did heretofore. Before that God came into the world and was made flesh, there was not that rich man which did not scorne and contemne the poore. Diues did lesse esteeme of Lazarus than of his dogges; But God making himselfe poore, and wrapping vp in ragges the treasure and richnesse of Heauen, the condition of the poore hath euer since beene better with God, than that of the rich; and therefore hee rather hasteth to relieue the Poore than the rich.

And therefore the Physitions of the bodie are much condemned,Phisitions taxed, that will not visit the poore. who being the Appollo's and Aesculapij of their times, disdaine to visit the poore men. And so likewise are the Physitions for the soule, who boast themselues to be Con­fessors to great kings & princes, the poore mans soule being no lesse pretious in Gods sight than those of the rich. Those Masters are also reproued,Masters like­wise, who neglect their Seruants, be­ing sicke. who scorne to visit their poore seruant in his sickenes, alledging (forsooth) that the chamber or the bed is readie to turne their stomacke, and makes them sicke with the loathsomenesse of the sent, when they can well enough indure the stinke of a Stable, or the nastinesse of a dogge-kennell.

Secondly, we are to consider, That Humilitie carries with it a kind of omni­potencie, because it subdueth the Omnipotent. Of the Sunne of the Earth the Poets write, That wrestling with Hercules, still as he toucht the ground he re­couered fresh strength. The humble minded man, who esteemes himselfe to be but the sonne of the Earth, and the off-spring of Dust and Ashes, by bowing himselfe in all lowlinesse to this his mother, hee shall bee able to wrestle with God himselfe.

Thirdly, This readinesse of Christs towards the Centurion, should stirre vs vp to compassion, and to take pittie of our neighbour. Fulgentius noteth,Fulgent. Epis. ad Eugippiū. That there is this difference betweene him that imployeth his loue vpon his Neigh­bour, and him that bestowes it on the goods of the earth, that This is the poo­rer, That the richer. Saint Chrysostome declaring that place of Saint Paul, Loue seeketh not her own things, saith, That the Apostle spake according to the Lawes and rules of the world, where euery one holds that particular wealth he posses­seth to be his owne; but according to the Lawes of God, Loue seekes the things that are her own; for shee reckons of that good that befalls another, as her owne. Our Sauiour treating of pardoning others, said on the Crosse,Luc. 23. v. 34. Mat. 27. v. 46▪ Father forgiue them, for they, &c. but speaking of his owne relinquishment, he said, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, &c. With more earnestnesse crauing pardon for those that crucified him; & for this cause cals him for their sakes Father, as if he should haue said, O my good God, I desire thou wouldst shew the bowels of a father towards them; as for mine owne life, be thou a seuere God vnto me, let me suffer, so as they may liue. And this is Spiritus Sanctorum, The Spirit of the Saints, the nature of those that are Gods children. Elizeus offered to goe to the Pallace, for his Hostesse, Vis vt loquar Regi? Wilt thou that I speak to the King? when he would not goe thither for himselfe. Thomas, who would not haue Cler­gie men to ouer-busie themselues in the world; yet he aduiseth them to speake vnto Princes and Councellors of State, in matters of pittie, when the poore are oppressed, and haue no bodie to speake for them, and that they should do it, Not out of coue [...]ousnesse, but charitie.

Iesus autem ibat cum illis; & cum jam longe esset à domo, misit Centurio amicos, dicens, Noli vexari.

Trouble not thy selfe. Presently after Christ had giuen the Elders so faire an answere, hee went along in their companie towards the Centurions house; some went before to aduise him of his comming, though the Euangelists doe not mention it; who found himselfe so hindered by the Maiestie and great­nesse of our Sauiour Christ (whom he beleeued to be God) that hee sent some friends of his that were Gentiles, in all hast to our Sauiour, with this message, Lord trouble not thy selfe.

Some man may doubt, Why he should say by these second Messengers, Do­mine noli vexari, hauing entreated by the former to come vnto him? I answer, That the same humilitie which the Centurion shewed afterwards, hee would haue shewne before that he said vnto him, Lord, trouble not thy selfe: For he that would not haue had him take the paines to come, would not haue sent vn­to him, to will him that he should come; for hee beleeuing him to bee God, it had beene an vnciuile Embassage. But the Elders of the Iewes setting a good face on the matter, and taking the authoritie vpon them, that they were of po­wer to bring our Sauiour to the Captaines house, shewed therein more vanitie than faith, for that they did not beleeue that our Sauiour could cure the sicke being absent; and so were the authors of this discourtesie. Besides, they pro­ceeded f [...]rther with him in a commanding kind of language; alledging, That the Centurion deserued this fauour at his hands, though hee himselfe acknow­ledged his owne vnworthinesse, not onely by these his second messengers, but by himselfe: For I assure my selfe, and hold it for certaine, That the Centurion in the end spake vnto Christ our Sauiour, repeating that lesson himselfe, which he had instructed his Embassadours in, when they said vnto him, Domine, noli vexari, i. Lord trouble not thy selfe. Saint Ambrose saith, That the name of (Lord) sometimes signifies honour, sometimes power; and that in men these two goe diuided, but in God they goe ioyntly together. Here we call him a Lord, that is so indeed, for that power and command that he hath ouer others; and some­times we call him Lord that is no Lord, but doe it out of courtesie, onely to honour him the more. Nor is this in the Scripture any strange kind of language. Rebecka called her Seruant, Sir, or Lord; and Marie Magdalen vsed the same stile to our Sauiour,Iohn. 20. taking him at that time for a Gardner. And although this name bee due vnto our Sauiour both manner of wayes, and may well challenge this double title, though some call him onely by the first, being desirous to ho­nour and respect him,Iohn. 4. Iohn 5. as Regulus; Lord, come downe before my sonne die: and as hee that lay at the Fish-poole, and could not help himselfe, Lord I haue no man, &c. Others,Iohn. 10. by both; as Saint Thomas, Domine mî, & Deus mî. And the Centurion beleeuing through Faith, that he was God and Man, on the one part passible and fatigable, and on the other, impassible, and indefatigable: the one way he stiles him Lord; the other, he entreats him, That he would spare himselfe that trou­ble, Noli vexari, or as the Greeke hath it, Ne vexeris; which is all one with Ne fatigeris, Wearie not thy selfe.

Gods Spirit the best Schoolmaster.Non enim sum dignus vt intres subtectum meum.

I am not worthie thou shouldst come vnder my roofe. Some wil aske, Who taught this Captaine so much Diuinitie in so short a time? [...]. Ser. 1. [...]. Pope Leo answers hereunto, That where God is the Master, the Scholler quickely apprehendeth what is [Page 32] taught him, Cito dicitur, quod docetur. Saint Gregorie telleth vs,Greg. Hom. 30. in E [...]ang. That the holy Ghost is such an excellent Artisan, that he hath no need of termes, and such and such times of standing, to create Doctors & Masters; as was to be seene in Saint Paul, and the good Theefe. Petrus Chrysologus saith,Chrys. Ser. 15. That the like did succeede with this Souldier; and that of being a Centurion of the Roman Souldiarie, he became on the sudden a Captaine of the Christian warfare, and began to teach before hee knew well how to beleeue: And that the greatest Lights of the Church, repeate still that Lesson which he read the first day of his Faith. In a word, How easie a thing is it with God, to inrich the poore in an instant with his grace? Facile est in oculis Dei, subitò honestare pauperem, It is an easie thing in the sight of the Lord, suddenly to make a poore man rich. E [...]cles. 11.21.

I am not worthie, &c. Before he said, Noli vexari, and now he giues the rea­son of it; telling our Sauiour, That his house is not worthie the entertaining of so great a Guest. Words of as great faith, as humilitie: Of great Faith, by ac­knowledging this his diuine Maiestie, vnder this vaile of his humane nature; Of great Humilitie, by confessing himselfe vnworthie to receiue into his house so much Vertue and Holinesse.

But here is to bee noted, That there is a twofold humilitie; one of the vn­derstanding, another of the will: that of the vnderstanding, whereby a man is brought to the true knowledge of his own vnworthines; that of the wil, where­vnto wee readily yeeld of our owne accords. To expresse this a little more plainely, There are some men that are humble, who are humbled by their own will; othersome become humble, beeing humbled by their fortune. That the humbled should bee humble it is no great vertue; the greater wonder were, that he should grow proud vpon it. But that Honour and Greatnesse should wil­lingly humble it selfe, and of it's owne accord, Hoc regium est, This is an heroicall vertue, and beseeming Kings. What a glorie was it vnto King Dauid, that being so powerfull and so rich a Prince as he was, that he should be more meeke and humble than a child? Si non humiliter sentiebam, &c. What a commendation in Iohn Baptist, so highly honoured both of Heauen and Earth, that hee should confesse himselfe vnworthie to vnlose the latchet of our Sauiors shooe? What shall we say of the Sonne of God, who being equall with his Father, willingly humbled himselfe to become his Seruant; teaching others this lesson, Learne of me, for I am meeke and humble of heart. What sayes the Preacher, The greater thou art, the lowlier be thy carriage. And for this is our Centurion heere com­mended, being so great a Commander as he was; For I also am a man vnder autho­ritie, and I say to one, Goe, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he commeth. Saint Austen saith of him, That by confessing himselfe vnworthie,Aug. Ser. 6. de Verb. Dom. he made himselfe more worthie: for there is no disposition so fit for the receiuing of God, as that which acknowledgeth and confesseth it's owne vnworthinesse.Amb. Ser. 89. And Saint Am­brose beating vpon the same point, saith, That those houses which seemed too streight and too narrow to receiue our Sauiour Christ, were made large enough by confessing their vnworthinesse to receiue him. But here doth that place of Saint Paul offer it selfe, He that shall eat of this Bread, and drinke this Cup vnworthi­ly, shall bee guiltie of the Bodie and Bloud of Christ. 1. Cor. 11. Now if hee that receiues Christ vnworthily shall be held guiltie of his bodie and bloud; Shall not hee much more be condemned, in confessing himselfe vnworthie to receiue him? I answer, That in the Communion there are two manner of dignities to be con­sidered; one of the person which receiueth Christ our Sauiour; the other of the disposition and preparation wherewith hee receiueth him. Touching the [Page 34] first dignitie, No man can receiue Christ worthily; for the holiest, bee hee ne­uer so holy, is but a creature, and there is an infinite distance betwixt him and his Creator. But touching that other dignitie, of preparation and disposition, a man may receiue him worthily, by doing that which God commandeth vs to doe for the better receiuing of him. A Husbandman can hardly receiue his King worthily, in respect of his house, and his person, by reason of the great disequalitie between them; but in respect of his preparation, doing that which he is commanded to doe on his part, as to see the house bee cleane, and euerie thing in good order; so may he receiue him worthily.

Sed tantum dic verbo, & sanabitur Puer meus.

Onely say the word, and my Seruant shall be whole. Sir, trouble not your selfe, in comming to a House vnworthie so great a fauour, But halfe a word from your mouth will be sufficient to cure my Seruant. Yet doth hee not hereby signifie that his word was necessarie, since that without his word, and without his com­ming, his will was sufficient: and all this did the Centurions Faith procure; but he would signifie thereby, that it was in his power to doe it, and that very easi­ly; and it is an ordinarie phrase amongst vs to say, It is but a word speaking. Saint Chrysostome indeereth the modestie, and curteous carriage of this Cap­taine, that he bearing that great loue to his Seruant, that hee was as sencible of this his sickenesse, and the danger he was in, as if the case had beene his owne: He did not desire any indecent thing of our Sauiour, nor lash out into passion, transported by his affection; but proceeded therein with great prudence and sobrietie, not onely hauing a care to that which was fitting for his seruant, but with what respect also, and reuerence, hee was to carrie himselfe towards our Sauiour Christ.

The Centuri­ons Faith. Onely say the word, &c. From hence Chrysostome proueth, That the Centurion did beleeue the Diuinitie of Christ: For if hee had thought him to bee but a Saint, and not a God, hee would haue said, I pray Sir speake a good word for me; but he vseth not that phrase of speech, but, That himselfe would command him to be whole. But it is to bee noted, That though all the antient Saints doe grant, That the Centurion beleeued that Christ was both God and man; yet Gregorie Nazianzen, Saint Chrysostome, and Saint Austen, doe note, That spea­king absolutely of doing a miracle, with empire and command, is not prenda, that is, a token of God onely; for any man may doe the like, to whom God shal giue the power. If thou hadst (saith our Sauior) but so much faith as a graine of mustard seed, thou mightst command mountaines to remooue, and they shal obey thee: But to worke a miracle, commanding the same to be done by his own proper power & vertue, that is a token of Gods power onely. And that the Centurion pretended this, it is prooued, first, by the great curtesie vsed by him, Lord, I am not worthie that thou shouldst come vnder my roofe; which was as maner­ly as any man could speake it. Secondly, because a Saint may verie well do mi­racles, and by commandement too, but so, that hee must haue this power from God: but withall, it shall not be lawfull for any man to craue them in that kind; for the power of doing miracles is neuer so tied to the will of any Saint, that he may worke miracles where and when he will himselfe. Thirdly, the compari­son vsed by the Centurion, prooueth the supreme power to reside in Christ our Sauiour.

Nam & ego homo sum, sub potestate constitulus, i. For I also am a man put in autho­ritie, &c. Thou Lord hast souldiers, so haue I; thou with absolute power, I [Page 35] with subordinate; these obey me punctually, who am but an Emperors Vice­gerent; what shall those thee,Hier. Mat. 8. Orig. Hom. 15. in diuers. Chrys. Hom. 27. who art aboue all the Kings and Emperors of the earth? Saint Hierome and Origen vnderstand by Gods souldiers, the Angells, (whom the Scripture calls his Ministers) by whom he works his miracles. Saint Chrysostome vnderstands by these souldiers, death, life, sickenesse, and health. Saint Luke sayes, Hee rebuked the Feuer: the words are short, but full; but it is cleere, that all the creatures of God whatsoeuer, are Gods Ministers. For as he hath command ouer the Angells, death, life, sickenesse, health, the seas, and the winds; Quis hic, quia venti & mare obediunt ei? Who is this, that the winds and the sea obey him? So he commandeth they should be called his soldiers, because they execute his will.

From these words, Sub potestate constitutus, this moralitie may bee drawne,No honor but hath it bur­then. That euerie subordinate dignitie implyeth subiection and heauinesse: I call it subordinate, being compared with a greater Monarch, vnder whose command the person subordinate liues; which Doctrine is so plaine, that it is prooued dayly by a thousand experiences: and the power of Christ himselfe was subor­dinate to that of his Father; so sayes Esay, Cuius imperium super humerum eius, Esay. [...]. i. Whose gouernment is vpon his shoulder: so that there is not any honour which hath not a burthen with it, which many times makes the heart of man to ake and groane vnder it.

Miratus est Iesus Fidem Centurionis.

Iesus admired the Centurions Faith. Aug. Epis. 101. ad Exod. Admiration (as Saint Austen saith) procee­deth either from the ignorance of the cause of a thing, or from the singularitie of it. In Christ could there neither be the one nor the other; for hee did not onely know the faith of the Centurion, but had also beene the author thereof; Quis fecerat ipsam fidem, (saith Saint Austen) nisi ipse qui mirabatur? i. Who had cau­sed that faith, but he that did admire it? So that it seemeth,Aug. li. 1. de gen. Cont. Manich. c. 8. that this admiration is a commendation which our Sauiour gaue of the Cap [...]aines faith. For to ad­mire a thing euen amongst prophane Authors, is an extraordinarie kind of com­mending it. For Christ had seene by a blessed and infused knowledge, that faith which was hidden in the heart of the Centurion; but because hee did manifest the same in his presence, admiring it, he commended it; and therefore it is said, Miratus est, He admired.

Saint Austen on the other side distinguisheth Admiration from Commendati­on. Some things (saith he) are commended, but not admired; others are both commended and admired. Christ perceiuing this his faith, by admiring it did commend it; not for any interior admiration that was in himselfe; but to con­firme and establish ours: For all the world might well wonder, to see so great faith in a Souldier. Suting with that which Saint Austen saith in another place,Aust. li. de gen. cont. Manich. cap. 8. That Christ had shewne some motions and signes of admiration, without per­turbation: being motions and signes of a Master, whereby he read a lecture vn­to vs, that we should doe the like.

Thomas puts vpon our Sauiour, Scientiam experimentalem, Th. 3. p. q. 1 [...]. an experimentall knowledge, and consequently, an experimentall admiration. And albeit by a blessed and infused kind of knowledge he did know all things, and that his wise­dome could not erre; yet it is said of him, That he encreased in knowledge, He went onwards in wisedome and in stature. So that his admiring of the Centurions faith, was not so much his knowing of any wonderful and singular thing, but an experimentall knowledge thereof; as that of the Astrologer, who knowes [Page 36] before hand that there shall bee such an eclipse; yet notwithstanding when it comes hee admires it. So that our Sauior hauing this experimental knowledge, the admiration could not be so great as otherwise it would haue beene, had hee not foreknowne it.

But some man perhaps will say, I doe not see any such rare circumstances in the Faith and words of the Centurion, as should cause in vs any great admirati­on; for I doe not see him shed teares with Marie Magdalen, nor adore him with the knee, with Regulus, nor clamour him with importunitie, with the Cananite, &c. I answer, Will yee expect this courtship from a souldier and a swordman? Let Ieremie and Daniel weepe; for a souldier, it sufficeth that he make a discreet, short, and full Prayer, stuft with so much loue, hope, and humilitie, as the Cen­turions was. Ioshuah that great Captaine, with a Ne mouearis lengthened out the Sunne, with those short words. From a Captaine transported with a holy zeale, will you looke for Eloquence? flowers of Rhetoricke? Are teares so soone drawne from a souldiers eyes? tendernesse from his heart? and bowing from his knees? let not these nicities and ceremonious curiosities preiudice our Cen­turions plaine language, and vnhewne behauiour; it was much to be commen­ded in him, that he could so much. In a delicate Garden, where Art hath shew­ed it's vtmost, yee shall meet with Roses, Gillyflowers, and Fountaines of A­labaster and Iasper; but thou wilt not so much admire this, as if thou shouldst light on these dainties in a Desert, or in some craggie Mountain, where the hand of nature shall ouerdoe that of art and Industrie.

Non inueni tantam fidem in Israel.

I haue not found so great Faith, no not in Israell. Christ turned about to the companie that were desirous to see the miracle, and said, I haue not found so great Faith, no not in Israell; not onely among the Gentiles, to whom the Captain be­longed, but to the Iewes, who expected a Messias. This was a great commen­dation of the Centurion,Aust. Ser. 74. de Temp. and a seuere reprehention to the Iewes, and no smal ex­hortation to those that were to succeed them. Tantam fidem, So much Faith; Saint Austen renders it, Tam magnam fidem, So great Faith.

Faith how said to be great.A mans Faith may bee said to bee great, or little; First in regard of beleeued truths, and so hee that beleeues the more truths, hath the more Faith. Secondly in respect of the difficultie: and so hee that beleeues things of a higher nature, and which exceede humane capacitie, ha's the greater Faith. Christ told his Disciples, That they were Modicae fidei, Men of little faith, because they thought he could better saue them waking,Mat. 8. than sleeping. And those seruants of the Archisinagogue, beleeuing our Sauiour could haue cured the maid while shee was yet aliue, but that he could not raise her vp being dead, said, Trouble not thy selfe, the maid is dead. Regulus had the like beleefe, Come downe before my sonne be dead. Thirdly, in consideration of the arguments and reasons for it: for Faith runnes a contrarie course to Knowledge: This is the greater and more perfect, the more it is strengthened by force of argument, and the more knowne de­monstrations are made of it: That, the lesser & weaker they are. And therfore Christ taxeth the Iewes, that they would not beleeue without miracles, Vnlesse yee see signes and wonders yee will not beleeue. Fourthly, because of it's firmenesse, and it's constancie; for that Faith which indureth most persecutions, temptati­ons, and contradictions, is so much the greater. To the Cananitish woman our Sauiour said, O woman, great is thy Faith: for beeing beaten with so many put­by's, & disgraces, like a rock she stood strongly to it, & could not bee remoued. [Page 37] But for those that beleeue at certaine times, but in time of temptation yeeld and giue off, of them our Sauiour saith, That they haue but small store of Faith.

In euerie one of these kinds so great was the Centurions Faith, That our Sa­uiour said of him, Non inueni tantam fidem, I haue not found so much Faith, &c.

First of all, he did beleeue, That he could heale his Seruant, who now lay at the point of death. Not like the Father, who hauing his sonne possessed with a Deuill, spake doubtingly to our Sauiour Christ, Si quid potes, adjuva me, Marke. 9. If thou canst do any thing, helpe me.

Secondly, he did beleeue, That he was able to cure him onely by his worde, or to speake better, by his Wil onely. Not like the Archisynagoguian, who de­sired him, That he would lay his hand vpon his daughter.

Thirdly, hee did beleeue, That hee could cure him though hee were absent.Math. 9. Not like Regulus, who was earnest with him, to make all the hast he could vnto his house, before his sonne were dead. Nor like Martha, who said, Domine, si fuisses hic frater meus non fuisset mortuus, Lord, if thou hadst beene here my brother had not died.

Fourthly, he did beleeue, That our Sauior was God and Man.Iohn. 5. Not like those that said, Homo cum sis, facis teipsum Deum, Thou art a man, & makest thy self a God.

Saint Hierome seemes to bee of opinion, That this his Faith did not reach so farre as the mysterie of the Trinitie: but it was much,Hiero. lib. ad­ [...]ers. Lusif. that such a freshwater Souldier should on the sudden attaine to the highest of that knowledge.

Great likewise was his Faith in regard of the difficultie. What greater diffi­cultie, than to beleeue, That that man, on the one side so passible and subiect to paine, was on the other side so powerfull and impassible? This was it that was foolishnesse to the Gentiles, and a scandall to the Iewes.

It was likewise great, in regard of those slender arguments and reasons to mooue him thereunto: For he had neither read the Scriptures, nor the Prophe­cies that were of him, nor did know Christ, but by the fame & report that went of him, nor had seene many of his miracles, for Christ had not then done many. As it is noted by Saint Chrysostome. Chrisost. Hom. 22. Imper [...].

It was also great, in regard of it's firmenesse and constancie, as Origen hath obserued; for our Sauiour proou'd and try'd him, as hee did Abraham, and as he did the woman of Canaan, when he said Ego veniam & curabo eum, I will come and heale him. This was a great proofe of his Faith, but hee was as firme as the Rocke; so that in euerie one of these respects his Faith was great.

If any man shall aske, How great (I pray) was this Faith of his? I answere, Greater than Christ found in the People of Israell, to whom he had preached, and for whose sake he had wrought so many miracles. Tertullian declareth this greatnesse of Faith in that manner, that the comparison cutteth not off the Pa­triarkes alreadie past, nor the Israelites to come; but extendeth it selfe onely to those that were present, whose Faith he had made triall of.

Secondly, for that it ranne greater difficultie than that of his Apostles and Disciples; in regard of those lesse forcible arguments and reasons to leade him thereunto; as also in respect of that small paines that had beene taken with him: For Christ sought after his Apostles and Disciples, and tooke them from their Trades and occupations, manifesting his glorie vnto them. According to that of Saint Iohn, Manifestauit gloriam suam, & crediderunt discipuli eius, He manifested his glorie, and his Disciples beleeued. But the Centurion was inuited onely by his Faith, to acknowledge Christ, and to beleeue truly in him.

Lastly, his Faith was greater in it's proportion; As our Sauiour said, That the [Page 38] mustard-plant was greater for it's proportion, than all the other trees of the field: so by the way of proportion was the Centurions faith, in regard that he was a souldier, an vnletter'd man, as also in respect of those few miracles which he had seene, in comparison of the Iewes.

Amen dieo vobis, quod multi ab Oriente venient.

The calling of the Gentiles. Verily I say vnto you, many shall come from the East. Here he foretelleth the con­uersion of the Gentiles, and the reprobation of the Iewes; many times forespe­cified by the Prophets, by fitting metaphors; as going out of drie Deserts, into Pooles & Riuers of water; from amidst bushes and thornes, into green fields & pleasing meadows. When the waters of Iordan were driuen back, twelue stones were taken out of the bed of that Riuer, for a memoriall of that so famous a miracle; and twelue other put there in their plae: so that the wet stones be­came drie, and the drie wet; which was a type and a figure, that many sonnes should be cast downe into the dungeon prepared for slaues, and many Slaues should enioy the libertie and freedome of children and sonnes: According to that of Deuteronomie, The Stranger shall come to be Lord, and the Lord become his seruant,Deut. 28. v. 43. Aduena erit sublimior, The Stranger shall be the nobler.

Sicut credidisti fiat tibi, & sanatus est puer ex illa hora.

Be it vnto thee as thou hast beleeued. To him that hath but so much Faith as a graine of mustard-seed, our Sauiour hath promised so much power, that he shall be able to remooue mountains:Mat. 1 [...]. Si habueritis tantam fidem sicut granum synapis, &c. instancing in mountains, for that to change & remoue them from place to place, is amongst the number of those things that are held to be impossible; Qui confi­dunt in Domino, sicut Mons Sion non commouebitur, Hee that trusteth in the Lord shall be like Mount Syon, which cannot be remooued. When one man will to another repre­sent an impossibilitie, he will say, Thou wilt as soone be able to remooue yon­der Mountaine. Now then, if to so small a Faith such great things are promised, to that the Centurions Faith, which was so great, it was not much, that our Sauiour Christ should grant him so small a courtesie, as the re­couerie of his sicke Seruant.

Dictum est Antiquis, It was said to them of Old.

The Law was euer to the Delinquent, as painefull as strict; and as they that find themselues curbed by some penaltie, seeke by all means either to breake it, or [...]o comment therupon, as may make best for their purpose, (a course too com­mon with Hereticks:) So againe is this course of theirs crossed by those names which the Scripture giues vnto the Law. Ecclesiasticus cals it Alligaturam salutis, The Ribond or bend of Saluation, wherewith the bloud is stanched, and the orifice closed and shut vp. But he that is thus let bloud, the more foolish he is, is euer the more impatient, complaining, That it wrings him too hard, & desires to slacken, if not vndo it. Salomon in his Prou. stiles it thus, A chain for thy neck. But the impatient man when the coller fits closer to his neck than he would haue it, [Page 40] thrusts in his fingers betweene, to stretch it wider and make it more easie; the Felon to get himselfe fre [...], fals to the filing off his Irons▪ and the Slaue, the ring of Iron that he bears about his neck. Moses cals it Testimonium, a Testimonie. Deut. saith, That the Booke of the Law was appointed to be put in one of the corners of the Arke of the Testament,Deut. 32. That it might remaine there as a Court [...]rol or euidence against thee, & as a Lieger-booke of Laws and Statutes, whereby to pronounce Sentence against thee. And as Moses, for the loue that he bare vnto the People brake those tables, as he came downe the Mountaine, wherein was the written Law, by the vertue and tenure wherof, there should not a man of them haue bin left aliue that had committed Idolatrie. So the antient Doctors, streightned by the rigour and strictnesse of the Law, did goe stretching and enlarging it at their pleasure. And there fore it is said, They haue scattered the Law; or (as another Translation hath it) They haue enlarged it. Deut. 33. The Law was of fire, In his right hand is a firie Law; and being burnt with the flames thereof, they went about to quench it with the water of their Glosses. The wine of the Law was strong, and there­fore they would mixe it with the water of their Comments and their Lies; Thy Wine is mingled with water. Saint Paul speaketh a little plainer, and sayes, Adul­terantes Verbum Dei, Esay 1. Adulterating the Word of God; the Greeke word is Caupo­nantes, Giuing it a dash ▪ a kind of Vintners, who by watring the Wine of Gods Word, take away it's strength and life.

And if Vzza, but for touching the Arke wherein the Law was, were sudden­ly death-strucken, What may they then expect, who deface & destroy the Law it self? Christ in defence of his Doctrine, said, I spake openly to the World; for the which he was buffetted & smitten on the face by a base rascal: our Sauior signi­fying thereby, That he puts into one & the selfe same ballance, the buffetting of his face, and the abusing of his Doctrine. Where by the way I would haue you consider, That the worst of this fault consists not in the defacing onely of the Law, but in making the Glosse the Text; and of meere naughtinesse, a Law.

God complaines by Ieremie, That they did offer their sonnes and daughters to Moloch, Hier. 7. in imitation of Abrahams Sacrifice; the circumstance of committing of so great a crueltie in his House, & in his Temple, made the case more foule: for this was to make God the cloake of their abhominations, and to baptize their Idolatrie with the name of his seruice.Sinne euer most odious when masked with Religion When Pilat was to pronounce Sentence of death against our Sauiour, he said, I find nothing in him that deserueth it, &c. But then the Iewes cried out, We haue a Law, and according to that Law hee ought to dy; though ther could be no law to take away the life of one that was in­nocent. Exceeding great was their wickednes in taking away of his life, but much more in making this their wickednesse a Law. It was a great sinne in Saul, to pre­serue out of couetousnesse the Heards and Flocks of Amalec; but a greater fault, to make of his couetousnes, Obedience & Sacrifice. The Hereticke foundeth his Heresie vpon the Scripture; the Lawyer his vniust sentence vpon the Law. And as a greene glasse, the beames of the Sunne passing through it, makes all to seem greene; so the Flesh turneth to it's own color the Laws of God, & prea­cheth as a Law from God, That we should hate our enemie. Whence Irenaus inferreth, That such Doctors as these are worse than the Deuill: for when the Deuill tempted our Sauiour Christ, he did not alledge a false Text, but a true, though ill interpreted; but these Doctors doe quote lies: Prophetae tui propheta­bant mendacium, & populus applaudebat manibus, Thy Prophets preached lies, and the people applauded them for it.

It was said to them of old. Antiquitie hath beene held the Fountaine of all [Page 41] good things, but more partcularly of Wisedome. And therefore God com­manded his People to take this for their guide and Master, viz. Thou shalt not passe the antient bounds; inquire of the dayes of old; Remember the times that were long agone. And the most antient were euer held as the treasuries of euidences,Deut. 32.33. and the Rolles of Records. The famousest men of the world haue sought out the antientest for their Instructors; for, In antiquis est sapientia, & multo tempore, prudentia. And for this cause could Salomon say, Doe not yee aske, why the former times were better; for this is a foolish question: First, because in respect of wisdome,Eccl. 7. that is not said in our times, which was not said before; Nothing can be said, which hath not beene said alreadie. The Comicke could say,Eccl. 1. There is no new thing vnder the Sunne: and Salomon, Nor is any man able to say, This is but now come forth. Se­condly, In regard of all other good things: for it is manifest, that the former times were the better; for there is no wise man that doth not bewaile the pre­sent. Deuteronomie complaineth, That the times were ill and peruerse, and the People foolish, and ill giuen. Saint Iohn, That wickednesse was grown to it's heigth, In maligno est omne, &c. In a word, there is not any Ecclesiasticall Histo­rian, nor Ciuile, which doth not lament the wickednesse of his Times.1. Ep. Ioh. ca. 2. Plautus commending Wit, compares it to Wine, which the older it is, the better it is. Many Authors are not now reckoned of, which shall grow famous two hundred yeres hence: & many Painters get not that commendation they deserue, & only because they are modern. Michael Angelo hid an Image in certaine antient buil­dings; for he knew if it were presently discouered, they would haue praised it for an excellent old piece of times past, till they had seene his name, which he had set thereunto.

This Doctrine is verie plaine, making the comparison from the time of eue­rie one of those Lawes, Naturall, Written, and that of Grace; wherein they were best in their beginnings. But if the comparison be generall for all times whatsoeuer; howbeit in the order naturall the former were the better, because all things grow old, and waxe worse and worse, as is to be seene in Plants, Beasts, & Men: yet in the order supernaturall, those times are the better, which Saint Paul calleth the latter: For although God did many great fauours in those former Ages, yet all of them put together did not come neere to the Incarnati­on and death of Christ, and those his blessed Sacraments. And therefore Esay said, Ne memineritis priorum, & antiqua, ne intuamini, (i.) Doe not so much admire those things that were done in former times; for they are all as it were clouded and obscured by these that we now presently enioy. And this is prooued now at this day by the perfection of the Law; for antiquitie did admit the Law of a mans righting of himselfe, when he was wronged; of louing his friend, and ha­ting his enemie: but this is now controlled and reformed.

Diliges amicum tuum. Thou shalt loue thy friend.

This is a part of that commandement, That wee should loue our neighbor; and may seeme to be taken out of the nineteenth of Leuiticus, where it is said, Thou shalt loue thy friend: Whence Lyra presumeth they drew that contrarie ar­gument of hating their enemie. This former part seemeth to be superfluous; First, because Nature left not any thing so deepely ingrauen in mans heart, as to loue him that loueth vs: And therefore a needlesse commandement to impose those things vpon vs, whereunto we haue a natural appetite. What need we will a man to loue himselfe, or a father to affect his children? And it being a naturall inclination in vs, to loue those that loue vs, why should this bee giuen [Page 42] vs in charge? Diliges amicum tuum.

Secondly, euery man naturally loues himselfe. Nemo vnquam carnem suam odio habuit. And therefore God doth not command that I should loue my selfe. And my friend is my second selfe;Aug. Epist. 14.4. Cons. c. 6. or (as Saint Austen hath it) Dimidium animae meae, i. The halfe of my Soule. And therefor it was no necessary commaund, Dili­ges amicum tuum.

Thirdly, those things that are most pretious, and most rare, which haue most reasons for amabilitie, as Profit, Honour, Delight, and Honesty, it is not needfull that we should bee willed to loue them. And as Laertius relates it from Socrates, The World hath not any thing more pretious and more louely than a Friend. Besides, our Sauiour sayth, Where our Treasure is, there is our Heart. And our Friend beeing so rich and pretious a Treasure, hee must of force steale away our Heart from vs, and therefore superfluous is that speech, Diliges ami­cum tuum.

Fourthly, the essence of friendship consisteth in reciprocal loue, as it is deter­mined by Thomas, Th. 1.2. q. 6. Art. 5. Dam. li. 2.3. paral. c. 105. and Damascene. And therefore loue is painted with two keys, in token that it did open and shut to two hearts. And therfore superfluous, Diliges amicum tuum.

Heereunto I answere, That mans heart beeing left to it's owne naturall incli­nation, it will doubtlesse render loue for loue. But since that the Deuill did roote out that good Seed and sowed Tares therein, wee see, that in the most naturall and strictest obligations, sometimes there growes dis-loue. As in bro­ther against brother, father against sonne, sonne against father, and in the wife against her husband, &c. What thing more naturall, than to giue our heart vnto God, for those generall benefits of Creator, Redeemer, and Conseruer; and for many other particulars, which cannot bee summed vp? And yet the Deuill doth blot them out of our hearts, and sowes in stead thereof so many ingrati­tudes, as Heauen stands astonished therat. Though therfore it be a naturall thing to loue our friend, Nam & Ethnici hoc faciunt, i. For euen the Heathens doe this, Yet the Deuill soweth a kind of hatred in our hearts, so abhorrible to nature, that feigned friendship, comes to bee doubled malice. And the world is so farre gone in this case, that it is now held as strange, as happy, that one friend should truely loue another. Hence is it, that the Scripture makes so many inuectiues against false friends.Eccl. 6.8. Prou. 16.29. Ecclesiasticus saith, There is a friend for his owne occasion, & will not abide in the day of thy trouble. Salomon saith, Vir iniquus tentat amicum suum, i. A violent man enticeth his neighbour. In that chapter of false and true friendship, so many things are there spoken touching false friends, as very well prooue, that commandement was not superfluous, Diliges amicum tuum. And that which Chrysostome sayes, doth much fauour this doctrine; for that one of the reasons why God commanded man to loue his enemie, was to affoord matter of loue to the Will, for friends are so rare and so few, that it would remaine idle and vaine, if wee should not loue our enemies.

Odio habebis inimicum tuum.

Thou shalt hate thy enemie. Irenaeus, Saint Basil, Saint Ambrose, Saint Chryso­stome, Ire [...]. li. 4. c. 27. Bas. Hom. in Psal. 14. Amb. Ser. 5. in Psal. 118. Chrys. Hom. 16 Hier. epist. ad H [...]t. Epiphanius, and Hilary, hold, That this Law was permissiue, like the libell of Diuorce, Ad duritiam cordis vestri, i. For the hardnesse of your heart. So that a lesse euill is permitted for the auoyding of a greater. And therefore Saint Austen sayth, That God neuer permitted that wee should hate our enemie, but his sin; As thou doost hate the shadow of a figge-tree, or the wall-nut, and yet regardest [Page 43] an image that is made of the wood thereof:Tertul. li. de Patient. Epiph. Her. 33. Hil. Can. 4. in Mat. Aug. li. 19. Contr. Fa [...]s. c. 24. Aug. S [...]r. 59. de Temp. to. 10. or as thou takest the ring of a fire-pan by that part which is cold, and fliest from that which is hot and will burne thy hands. In like sort thou must loue thy enemie, as hee is the image of God, and hate him as hee is a sinner. And in another place the same Doctor sayth, That God put it in the singular number, Odio habebis inimicum tuum, i. Thou shalt hate thy enemy; signifying thereby, that wee should hate the Deuill, but not our brother. And that wee erre in this our hate: for it is no wisedome in vs, to hate our enemy who doth vs so much good, but the Deuill who doth vs so much harme.

First then, I say, That this Law is not of God; for God is Loue,1. Iohn· 1. as Saint Iohn sayth; and Loue cannot make a Law of dis-Loue.

Secondly, it is not pleasing vnto God; for the Scripture being so full of those good things, that hee did for his enemies, only to stirre vp mans heart, to diuine Loue; hee would not command vs to hate them. Saint Paul sayth,Heb. 12. That the bloud of Christ speakes better things, than that of Abell. For this cryeth for vengeance, that for pardon and forgiuenesse. The bloud of a dead man is wont to discouer the murderer, his wounds bleeding afresh; one while it naturally calleth for reuenge; another, it boyles and breakes forth into flames at the very presence of the murderer; another, while the vitall spirits which the murderer left in the wounds, returne to their naturall place, and with great force gush foorth afresh. But bee it as it may bee, I am sure the bloud of Christ speaketh better things than that of Abell; for this discouereth the murderer; and that, in the presence of those that crucified him, prayed vnto God to forgiue them, as not knowing what they did.

Thirdly, that it was contrary to Gods intention. In Exodus, hee commanded, that he that should meet with an Oxe of his enemies that was like to perish, or an Asse that was haltered & intangled, he should helpe both the one, & the other. Now hee that wills vs to be thus friendly to a beast, what would he wee should doe to the owner thereof? Nunquid Deo est cura de bobus, Hath God care of Oxen? In Deut. God commanded,Deut. 2.3. Cle. Alex. lib. 2. Strom. that they should not hate the Idumean nor the Ae­giptian; who (according to Clemens Alexandrinus) were their notorious ene­mies. In the Prou. it is said, When thy enemy falleth, reioyce not at his ouerthrow: For God may exchange fortunes, and his teares may come to thy eyes, and thy ioy to his heart. And Eccl. tels vs, Hee that seeketh vengeance shall find vengeance. Prou. 24. Eccl. 28. Psal. 7. Tob. 4. And those that haue beene possessed with the Spirit of God, haue much indea­red this Theame, as Dauid, Iob, Tobias, and diuers others.

Fourthly, it is against the law of Nature: I aske thee, if thine enemie should bee appointed to bee thy iudge, thou hauing offended the Law, wouldest thou not hold it an vnreasonable thing? and wilt thou then bee iudge of thine owne wrongs? God is onely a competent judge In causis proprijs, i. In his owne matters. The rest, is force and violence.2. Reg. 21.5. The Gibeonites held themselues wronged by Saul, complained grieuously thereof vnto Dauid: Dauid demanded of them, Quid faciam vobis, i. What shall I doe vnto you? They replyed, Non est nobis super ar­gento & auro quaestio, i. Our question is not about Siluer and Gold. What is it then (sayd hee) that you would haue? Virum qui attriuit nos, & oppressit inique, ita de­leredebemus, vt neque vnus quidem residuus [...]it de stirpe eius in cunctis finibus Israel, i. The man that consumed vs, him would wee so destroy, that not one should bee left of his stocke in all the borders of Israell. Reuenge bee­longs onely to God. That there might not so much as a cat or a dogge bee left aliue of the house of Saul. But where reuenge is so full of rage, and runs madde as it were, it is good to take the sword out of their hand, and [Page 44] that no man may haue authoritie to reuenge his owne wrongs, be the cause ne­uer so iust and holy.3. Reg. 18. Elias slew foure hundred Prophets, it was Gods cause: but God did not giue him leaue to kill Iesabel, who had done himselfe such wrong. Saint Peter sentenced Ananias and Saphira, but not Herod, who impriso­ned him, and condemned him to death. Dauid did not take vengeance of Shi­mei, for feare he should haue exceeded therein, as also for that it was causa pro­pria, his owne cause. The Law of Nature tells vs, Quod tibi nonuis, alteri ne fe­ceris, Doe not that to another, which thou wouldst not haue done to thy selfe. Tobias no­tified the same to his sonne, Quod ab alio oderis, fieri tibi vide ne tu aliquando faci­as. Eccl. [...]1. And Ecclesiasticus, Learne from thy selfe what is fit for thy neighbour. Our Saui­our Christ hath set vs downe the same rule by Saint Mathew, and by Saint Luke: Innumerable Phylosophers haue repeated the like Lesson.Ma [...] ▪ 7. Laertius reporteth of Aristotle, That giuing an almes to one that had done him many iniuries, told him, Nature, not thy naughtinesse, makes me to pittie thee. There was amongst the Romans a Marcus Marcellus, that pleaded in the Senate for his Accusers; A Tiberius Gracchus, a mortall enemie of the Scipio's, who during that their emni­tie, defended them in the publique Theatre: A Marcus Bibulus, who hauing two of his sonnes slaine by the Gabiani, and Cleopatra sending the murtherers vnto him, returned them backe again without doing them any harm; In Athens a Plato, Plut. li. de Vtil­ab inimi. capi­enda. Senec. lib. 1. de Clem. Basil. Hom. ad Adolesc. Chrys. Hom. 80. in Mat. whom his scholler Xenocrates accusing of diuers scandalous things, said, It is not possible, That him whom I loue should not loue mee againe. A Pho­cion, who dying vniustly by poyson, and beeing asked when hee had the cup i [...] his hand, What seruice he would command them to his son? answered, That hee should neuer thinke more of this cup, but studie to forget it. Many the like are related by Plutarch, Seneca, Saint Basil, and Saint Chrysostome.

Lastly, This being no Law of God, neither as he is the Author of Grace, nor as the Author of Nature, it must needs bee of the Deuill, as Origen inferreth. For he seeing that God had engrauen in mans heart the law of loue, standing (out of his pride) in competition with God, he engraued dis-loue, and left it so im­printed in the hearts of many, that albeit for these many Ages, God hath ham­mered both Angells and Saints vpon this Anuile, he could neuer bring them to softnesse.

The occasion that might mooue those antient Doctors to this Law, was, ei­ther for that God had commanded Saul, that he should destroy Amalec; or the vengeance that he tooke of Pharaoh and his People; or that of Leuiticus, Pursue your enemies, and they shall fall before you: as if to enter into a iust warre, by order from God, might allow a man to doe the like to his brother out of his owne will and pleasure: Or, for that it is commanded in Leuiticus, Thou shalt loue thy friend as thy selfe: Or, as Nicholaus de Lyra hath notedit, That they draw this consequence from Aristotle, Arist. 1. Top. cap. 8. Si amicis bene faciendum est; consequens est, vt inimicis sit malefaciendum: If we must doe good to our friends, then consequently we must doe ill to our enemies.

Thou shalt hate thy enemie. Whence it is to be noted, That that Law which gaue them licence to hate their enemie, does not giue them leaue to kill him: though the Deuill many times likes better of a mortall hatred, and a desire of reuenge, than the death of a man. For Hatred is that Loadstone which drawes other sinnes along with it; but the killing of a man doth vsually bring repen­tance with it, for the many disasters that attend it. Iudas till he had dri­uen his bargaine for the betraying of his Master, had deliuered vp his heart to the Deuill; but that was no sooner performed, but hee repented himselfe of [Page 45] what he had done. Saint Chrysostome calls hatred Homicidium voluntarium. Some seeme to sinne meerely out of nature, (for custome is another nature) and these that thus sinne, sinne without a will or desire of sinning; but he that hates, must of force sinne with all his heart.

Ego autem dico vobís, Diligite inimicos vestros.

But I say vnto you, Loue your enemies. Crys. Serm. 65 Petrus Chrysologus treating of the pro­foundnesse of the Scripture, saith, That though a volume should be written vp­on euerie word, it were not able to containe all the mysteries belonging there­unto. What shall wee say then to this word Ego, whose extent and birth is so great, that none can qualifie it but God▪ None knows the Father but the Son, nor the Sonne, but the Father; he alone can tel what it is. The son for to repaire the affront and infamie of his death, said to his Father, Clarifica me Pater, Father glorifie me: And Saint Ambrose hath noted it;Ambr. 4. de fid. cap. 6. That the originall word there saith, Opinion & Credit, rather than Glorie; as if he should haue said, I haue gotten thee (ô Father) among men an opinion of being the true God, requite me ther­fore in gracing me to be thy Sonne, for onely thou canst doe me this honour. The mouthes of men and Angells shall talke of his praise, but are notable to expresse the greatnesse of this attribute, Ego. The immensiue greatnesse of the sea is to bee seene in this, that so many Riuers and Fountaines issuing out of it, they doe not onely not emptie it, and draw it drie, but doe not so much as lessen it or diminish it one jot. Ego, euer since the beginning of the world, hath been the Theame of the Angels, Prophets, Euangelists, & the Saints, but could neuer come to the depth of it. Damasus did shut vp in seuen verses fortie foure names belonging to this word, Ego.

From hence we will first of all draw the authoritie of the Law-giuer. If the authoritie of Kings and Emperours be so great, that their subiects at their com­mand aduenture vpon many foolish and desperate actions; How much greater is that of God? Fulgosus in his Booke de Rebus memorabilibus, reporteth,Fulg. li. 1. cap. 1. That a Prince of Syria indeering to Henrie Count of Campania (who was come thi­ther vpon an Embassage) the obedience of his souldiers; calling to one who was Sentinel to a Tower, that he should speedily come vnto him, presently leapt downe from off the battlements. If a Scipio's, Si ego iussero (If I shall command you) could preuaile so much with his men, What shall Gods Ego doe? who melteth the Mountaines like waxe, (The Mountaines did melt away like waxe, Psal. 58. before the face of the Lord) taketh away the breath of Princes, and commandeth the sea and the winds, and they obey: Quis est hic, quia venti & mare obediunt ei? Who is ihis, Mat. 8. that the winds and the sea obey him? who with an Ego sum draweth honie out of stones, and oyle out of the hard rocke.

But I say vnto you. I, that am the Master of the world, who came to reforme the Law, and to vnfold the darke places of Scripture; I, that am Via Veritatis & Vitae, The way of Truth and Life; I, that desire more your good than your selues: For I know how much it importeth you to loue your enemies; and that he that blotteth this loue out of your hearts, robbeth you of a wonderful rich treasure. I am the Lord that teacheth profitable things, and gouerns thee in the way: Esay 48. it is I (I say) that say vnto you, Loue your enemies.

Abraham did forget the bowells of a Father,Gen. 1 [...]. Quia Maiestatem praecipientis con­siderauit, Because he considered the Maiestie of him that commanded.

Christ our Sauiour doth counterpone his authoritie to that of the Law-gi­uers of this Law, Dictum est antiquis, Is was said to them of Old. You haue beleeued [Page 46] lying Law-giuers, who prescribe it vnto you as a Law, Thou shalt hate thy enemie. But giue you credit vnto me, for I am a true Law giuer? It is a hard case, that truth should be in lesse esteeme than lying▪ Heauen, than Earth; the true God, than false Gods. But though they lie neuer so much at thee to hate thyne enemie, I shall neuer leaue beating it into your brests, That you loue your enemie. Laban when he pursued Iacob came verie eagerly vpon him at the first, with a Valet ma­nus mea reddere malum pro malo, Gen. 31. & ibi. Pet. Comest [...]r. I am able to returne euill for euil; but his courage was quickely cooled, with a Caue, ne quidquam durius loquaris contra Iacob▪ [...]e­ware thou speake not hardly against Iacob; For the God of Iacobs father had charged him to the contrarie. Where it is to be noted out of the Text, That Laban did not say, My God, but, The God of his father. Whence I make this conclusion, That if he that doth not take me for his God (for Laban was, you know, an Ido­later) shall obey my command, and not be his owne caruer in his reuenge, What ought a Christian to do? S, Chrysostom seemeth to be much grieued, that in mat­ter of iniuries and reuenging of wrongs, the World, the Flesh, and the Deuill should doe more with vs than God, to whom onely vengeance belongeth. What will not the Purse doe with some? with other-some, the intreatie of a great Person? Dauids souldiers fingers itcht, & would faine haue set vpon Saul, when they had him cub'd vp in the caue: but Confregit illos sermonibus, He detained them, and wan them with good words, to let him alone; which they did not so much for Gods sake, as for Dauids.

But I say vnto you. Many presume so much on themselues, that they wil not sticke to suffer martyrdome, if occasion should be offered, and haue sometime euen sought after it: But that poore little valour which they experiment in them­selues in matter of suffering and pardoning of iniuries, may bewray this their errour vnto them. For, as Saint Gregorie saith, He that shall faint in suffering an iniurie, Quid faceret in dolore poenarum? What will he doe in the midst of tor­ment? can he suffer the straining of the Racke, or the rage of fire, that cannot indure a hard word,Simon. Met. Tom. 1. de S. Niceph. or brooke a slight iniurie? Symon Metaphrastes reporteth of Sapricius, That he would not pardon Nicephorus his enemie, no, though hee had oftentimes askt him forgiuenesse on his knees. He was not long after apprehen­ded in Antiochia for a Christian, hee was condemned, and carried forth to be martyred; and in the way Nicephorus returnes againe to entreat his pardon, but could not obtaine it. Being brought to the place of martyrdome, hee fainted and flew backe, causing therewith so great a sorrow in Nicephorus, that hee cried out aloud, I am a Christian▪ and will die in his place.

But I say vnto you. S. Ambr. expounding that place of S. Paul, Datus est mihi &c. A Goad was giuen me in the flesh, vnderstandeth by this pricke, the persecutions of his enemies; Carnis meae, that is, of mine owne Kindred and Countrie. And Caietane addeth, That this pricke was so necessarie for the Apostles saluation, that without it he had beene damned. When Saul vnderstood that Dauid had giuen him his life, said, I know now assuredly, that thou shalt raigne ouer Israel. And verie well doth that man deserue a Crowne, not only here on earth, but in hea­uen, who spareth his enemies life.

But I say vnto you. Antiently Lex Talionis was in vse with the Iewes and the Gentiles; Oculum pro oculo, dentem pro dente, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: Arist. Ethic. Aulus ca. 1. Alex. li. 6. c. 10. And this to many seemed a naturall and iust Law; as you may read in A­ristotle, Aulus Gellius, Alexander, and others. Iulius reporteth, That the first of the House of the Cornelij that was burned after his death, was Scilla, fearing the punishment of this same Lex Talionis, for that hee had before pul'd his enemie [Page 47] Marius out of his graue. But our Sauiour Christ crossing this Law, saith, This was the Law of Old, An Eye for an Eye, and a Tooth for a Tooth; but I say vnto you, That he that shall strike you on the one cheeke, to him shall you turne the other. Saint Austen expounding this place, obserueth these two things:Aust. li. de Ser. in mon. ca. 34. the one, That we are to answer an iniurie with two suffrings, or a double kind of suf­ferance; and that is, to turne the other cheeke. The other, That to him that shall strike vs on the one cheeke, we are to shew him a good countenance, not giuing him halfe a face, or ill face; and this is to turne the other cheeke. And Nazian­zen addeth, That if a man had ten cheekes, he should turne them all vnto him.

But I say vnto you. Nothing doth more greeue a Father, than to see discord amongst his children, Inimicitiae fratrum parentibus gra [...]issimae. Plut. de pietat. grat fra. Dauid when news was brought him, That Absalon had killed all the Kings sonnes, he grieued ex­ceedingly. Now if earthly fathers, who are but fathers in Law, haue so great a feeling thereof, What shall God then? Ego autem, I, who feele your hurtes; I, who loue euerie one of you, as if you were all but one; I, who preferre your wrongs before mine owne, and will sooner reuenge them, if you loue me; I say vnto you, D [...]ligite inimicos vestros, Loue your enemies.

And that this senciblenesse may be the better perceiued, two differences are to be noted.

The one, That earthly fathers doe ordinarily loue their children disequally,Reasons why there should be no diffe­rence among Christians. one better than another, I know not why nor wherefore; but God loueth all alike, and maketh as much of one as another. Philon asketh the question, Why the precepts of the Decalogue speake to euerie one in particular, as if they spake only to him alone Thou shalt not sweare, Thou shalt not steale, &c. & his answer is, That euerie particular person by himselfe is as deere vnto God, as all mankind put together: And he prooueth it by this, That he faith vnto euerie one, I am thy God; being the God of all.

The second, That earthly fathers loue themselues better than their children; but God loues his children better than himself; his punishmēts are likewise lesse seuere, as we may see in Adam, and in Caine. Againe, in the Law of Matrimonie, to marrie with an vnbeleeuing wife doth not dissolue that bond, if shee consent not thereunto; Non dimittat illam, Let him not put her away, it is S. Pauls; but if she afterwards become an Adulteresse, he might be diuorced from her, and shee be condemned to be stoned to death. Item, in that precept, Thou shalt not sweare; a lawfull oath is not prohibited, for composing of differences betwixt neighbour and neighbour: and if in matter of profit one man shall exact vpon another, and will not forgiue a mite, let him assure himselfe that God will loose nothing of his right; For three transgressions I will turne, Amos 2. v. [...]. (saith Amos) & for foure I will not turne. Those three, were Idolatrie, Fornication, and Matrimonie; in de­grees forbidden, offences belonging vnto God: The fourth were, the wrongs and iniuries done vnto our neighbour; and he saith, That he will pardon the one, but not the other. And therefore our Sauiour Christ being desirous to cut off all sedition and discord betwixt his beloued children, he saith, Ego autem dico vo­bis, diligite inimicos vestros, &c. But I say vnto you, Loue your Enemies.

But I say vnto you. Many light occasions end great enmities.

First, Time, which weares them out, and makes them to be quite forgotten.

Secondly, New aliances, by marrying the one with the other.

Thirdly, The great hurt that comes thereby. Two enemies at last perceiue, that thereby they diminish both their estates and honours; and in the end fal in­to this consideration, That if they bite one another, they shall be deuoured one [Page 48] of another: and as it is in the Prouerbe, El vencido, y el vencidor perdido, The con­quered i [...] crusht, and the conquerour vndone. In those differences betwixt Esau and Iacob, their mother said, Cur vtroque orbab [...]r filio in vna die, Why should I be depri­ued of both my sonnes in one day. Ge [...]. 27.

Fourthly the profit that followes thereupon. Plutarch hath a whole Tract De vtilitate ab inimicis capienda: and there is not any man, from the beginning of the world to this day, that hath receiued any hurt from his enemie, but from himselfe, as Saint Chrysostome prooueth at large.

Fifthly, Vmpires, to whom for their honesties and authorities such busines­ses are often referred. And if these humane respects shall sway with thee, Why not God much more? whose authoritie, whose power, whose loue, whose be­nefits haue bound thee fast vnto him in so many linkes and chaines of dutie.

And if God be not powerfull with thee, How darest thou presume to aske him dayly forgiuenesse of thy sinnes, when thou wilt not pardon thy enemie? Say thou wert without sinne, but alas, they are more than the haires of thy head; say thou wert exempted from punishment, or from Gods fauour; but in the one thou art miserable, and without the other thou canst not breath: And therefore seeing of necessitie thou must hourely flie vnto him for succour, and for his fa­uour, How canst thou looke him in the face? how speake thy selfe vnto him, or any one for thee?Eccle. 28. Quis exorauit pro delictis eius? Who entreateth for his offences? Thou wilt not haue God for thy second, how canst thou then hope to haue a second with God? For that seruant which owed his king ten thousand Talents, many of his seruants in meere pittie interceded for him at the first; but after the debt was forgiuen him, and that hee was readie to teare out his fellowes throat for a Piece of three pence, or the like trifling summe; those verie men that entreated for him, complained of his cruel dealing, Quis exorauit pro delictis eius, Who entreated for his offences? Besides, giue me leaue to aske thee this questi­on, For all the il that thou wishest to thine enemie, thou neuer praiest vnto God, that hee should wish him ill.

But I say vnto you. This word Vobis, Vnto you, carries also an emphasis with it, opposit to that emphasis of Ego. Thou that art nothing, against him that is euerie thing: thou that vanishest like a shaddow, against him that is, was, and shall be: thou that art weake, against him that is all power and Maiestie: thou that art ig­norant, against him that is infinitely wise.

Diligite inimicos vestros. Loue your enemies.

To loue our Enemies is against natureThis is the greatest temptation, and the strongest incounter that our flesh is put vnto. Saint Augustine, making a repetition of all the Commandements, none is harder to bee kept, than that of louing our Enemy, and brideling in the appetite of reuenge, against him that shall persecute, defame vs, and staine our good name, Quis enim cum inuenerit inimicum, dimittet eum in via bona, Who, when he findes his Enemie, will let him goe away in safetie? So sayd Saul: What a matter will it be then, to loue him, to cherish him, and to do him curtesies? Redime me a calumnijs hominum, vt custodiam mendata tua, (i.) Keep me from the slanders of men that I may keepe thy Commandements. Whereby it seemeth, that Dauid hauing set before him all the commandements of God, the slanders of his enemies did so cowe his resolution, that hee sayd; O Lord if thou doost not redeeme mee from this rod, I shal hardly be able to serue thee as I would.

Iob, being in all his afflictions a rock of constancie and patience, when slanders were throwne vpon him, hee was driuen quite beside his byas. Quae est fortitud [...] [Page 49] mea, vt sustineam? Nunquid bonum tibi videtur, si calumnieris, & opprimas me, Iob 6.11. & con­cilium impiorum adiuves? What is my strength, that I should hope, &c. Ananias was a holy man, and knowne so to be throughout all Iudea; yet when Christ our Sa­uiour willed him to receiue Saul into his house, he made a stop,Acts 9. and blessing him­selfe, said, Lord, doost not thou know that he is a Deuill, and an enemie to all that call vpon thy name? Hast thou forgot the ill he hath done in Hierusalem?Ieremie 6.53. Iere­mie saith, That the sword of the enemie striketh a terrour in vs, Gladius inimici pauor in circuitu. Wisedome, That the voice of an enemie is vnpleasing and harsh,Sap. 18. Inconueniens inimicorum vox. The eyes are light and quicke in their looking, but when they come to looke vpon their enemie, euerie lidde weighes an hundred weight. And if in Nature we see such great emnitie amongst things of a contra­rie disposition, as well with, as without life, as in cold and heate, moist and drie, heauie and light, white and blacke, the Sheep and the Wolfe, the Hare and the Greyhound, the Cocke and the Elephant, and the like; why should we make it so strange, that our flesh and bloud should not rise at an enemy that hateth vs.

Saint Basil discouering the reason of this difficultie, saith,Basil. Serm. de ira. That there are in our Soule two Potentiae, or Faculties.

The one Concupissibilis, and that desireth all that is good.

The other, Irascibilis, and that seeketh to shunne all that is ill.

This he compareth to a Sheepheards Curre,The causes why we can­not loue our enemies. that barketh at those hee abhor­reth, thinking thereby to fray them away. The said Doctor saith further, That it seemeth somewhat hard, that God hauing created man Creaturam irascibilem, A Creature subiect to anger, he should enioyne him not to be angrie; nay, which is more, to loue him that shall offend him. But as the Sheepeheard must keepe in his Dog, that he set not vpon all that he abhorreth; so Reason must bridle this irascible part in man, that it breake not out against his enemie. But so violent are the motions of the flesh, that the very Saints of God, if his hand had not forcibly held them backe, had run in this their fury headlong into Hell.Psalme 92. Paulo minus (sayth Dauid, vpon the same occasion) habitasset in inferno anima mea, A little more (saith Dauid) and my soule had dwelt in hell. Againe, The loue to our enemie must en­crease by the hate to our selues; and those iniuries that thou receiuest from his hand, must be vnto thee motiues to loue him; and from that wound that he giues thee, growes thy cure: As Saint Ambrose saith of that of our Sauiour Christ,Amb. Ser. 3. in Psal. 118. Vul­nus inflictum erat, & fluebat vnguentum, A wound was giuen, and the oyntment issued out. And this you will thinke a hard lesson, That a man must learne to ha [...]e him­selfe: The difficultie is plaine; but as heauie weights become light, when they are counterpoysed by greater; so that heauinesse which Nature suffereth in lo­uing her enemie, is made light and easie by the counterpoyse of Grace.

First, we are to confesse, That this performance is not to bee measured by any naturall force or power of ours; for it were great pride to presume, That man could naturally deserue so great a reward as is prepared for vs, our righteousnes being no better than a stained cloath, God not crowning the merits of our Na­ture,Exodus 31. but those his gifts of Grace that he conferreth vpon vs. Saint Austen saith, That God wrote the Law with his owne hand, in token, that our power of ful­filling it dependeth in the fauour of his hand. The shaft that flies so nimbly through the ayre, it is not it's owne lightnesse that causeth it's swiftnesse, but the arme that drawes and deliuers it. If thou shalt alledge, That God hath not his fauour so readie at hand, thou doost wrong God, who is alwaies so readie at hand, that thou canst blame no bodiebut thy selfe.

Secondly, It is so easie and so sweete, by those fauours that God affoordeth, [Page 50] that a man may verie well say, Iugum meum suaue est, & onus meum leue, My yoke is pleasing, and my burthen light. Si dicebam motus est pes meus, (saith Dauid) miseri­cordia tua adiuuabat, When I said my foot is moued, thy mercie helped me: He had scarce said, Lord fauour me, but his mercie presently followed him. Nunquid adhaeret tibi sedes iniquitatis, qui fingis laborem in praecepto? Art thou a tyrannicall Prince, that by making hard Lawes thou shouldest picke quarrells with thy Subiects, and so oppresse and vndoe them? No, Thou art pittyfull, franke, and libe­rall; for what thou commandest, thou accompaniest with a thousand sweete blessings.

On the other side againe, wee doubt, how the old Law, beeing so heauie a burthen, and our Sauiour Christ adding thereunto a new load vpon the necke of that load, it may be said Iugum meum suaue est? I answer, That there are two kinds of easing of a burden, either by lessening the weight, or by adding greater strength: For a poore weake beast, foure Arroba's [a certaine measure in Spaine, of some sixe ga [...]lons] will bee too great a load; but for a stronger, twelue Arro­ba's will bee but a light weight: And that to the poore beast the burthen may seeme the lighter, the better way is to make him fat, & to put him in heart, than wholly to quit him of his lading. To him that had beene eight and thirtie yeres benummed, our Sauiour sayd, Tolle grauatum tuum, Take vp thy bed; a sickenesse of so long continuance could not but be a great burden vnto him, & that lay hea­uily vpon him; but God giuing him strength to endure it, it seemed light: God euermore measures our burthens by his Spirit.

Diligite, benefacite, orate, Loue, do good, pray.

Here are three Beneficia set against three Damna: To wit, Of our Thoughts, our Words, and our Workes: And in the first place Loue is put. Some will not perhappes like so well of it, That he must submit himselfe so farre, as to do good vnto his enemie, and to pray for him. But it ought not to seeme ouer burthen­some to any: for it stands not with reason, that Grace should bee lesse powerfull than Sinne, in those, whose thoughts, words, and workes tend to what is good. Saint Basil compares those that receiue a wrong, to the eccho, which returns you word for word, in the verie same Language and tone as you your selfe shall speake vnto it. But heerein lies the difference; that in theeccho, though the voyce may goe encreasing, yet the wrong doth not: But in those that thinke themselues wronged, that still growes more or lesse, as occasion is offered vp­on replie of wordes. Your Bookes of Duell haue their eccho; the lye must be returned with a boxe on the eare; a boxe on the eare will require a bastona­doing; a bastonadoing the vnsheathing of the Sword; and the Sword death. God likewise hath his eccho; for a cursing, hee returnes a courtesie: Maledi­cimur, & b [...]efacimus, (i.) Wee are cursed, and yet doe good: for hate, loue; for an ill, a good turne. God doth not desire of thee, That thou shouldest doe more for his sake, than thou doost for the Deuills: Which mee thinkes is a verie fayre and mannerly kinde of proceeding, and such as thou canst not except against. If thou canst finde in thy heart to goe see a Comedie, mee­thinkes thou shouldest not refuse to goe heare a Sermon: If thou canst giue Li­ueries to thy Pages, it were not much for thee to cloath him that is naked: If thou giuest twentie Crownes when thou hast good lucke at play, to the stan­ders by, it is no great matter for thee (God hauing blest thee with wealth) to bestow foure vpon an Hospitall: If thou canst be content to spend two or three houres in idle and light conuersation, it is a small matter for thee to conuerse [Page 51] by Prayer halfe an houre with God; it is a thing of nothing.Chrys. ser. 12. Petrus Chrysolo­gus pursueth this Conceit a little further, to whom I shall referre you.

Benefacite his qui oderunt vos, orate pro persequentibus vos. Doe good to them that hate you, Pray for them that hurt you.

The offended that seekes meanes for his satisfaction, shewes hee hath a mind to he made friends; and God being willing to be friends with thee, hath inuented the meanes of Fasting, Prayer, & Almes; but more particularly recom­mends here vnto thee a Benefacite, and an Orate, a Good turne, and a Prayer. Na­ture teacheth thee to repell violence with violence, power by power, and the sword by the sword, with a Vim vi repellere licet: But Grace teacheth vs another Lesson, Benefacite his (saith she) qui oderunt vos, orate, &c. Doe good to them that hate you, and pray, &c. Ill is hardly ouercome with il; hatred, with malice; or bad, with worse dealing; but with goodnesse, and with loue, with a Vince in bono ma­lum, Ouercome euill with good. Plutarch reporteth, That the Wind and the Sunne did lay a wager, which of the two should first strip a man of his cloaths; for this challenge the field was appointed: the Wind stoutly bestirres himselfe, and furiously sets vpon his hat, cloake, jerken, and breeches, but he wrapping them close about him, with the helpe of his hands and teeth he kept himselfe vnstrip­ped by the Wind, who could doe no good vpon him; so he giues off. Then comes me forth the Sunne, who came so hot vpon him, that the man within a verie litttle while was faine to fling off all, and to strippe himselfe naked. The verie selfe same heat and courage did the Sunne of Righteousnesse vse, in that last eclipse of his life, when from the Crosse he did so heat & inflame the hearts of them that were present, that they did teare and rent their cloathes, Et Velum Templum scissum est. And as the barrennest ground is made fruitfull by the Hus­bandmans industrie; so goodnesse ouercommeth euill. Fortis vt mors dilectio, i. Loue is strong as Death: The stoutest, the valiantest, and the desperatest man aliue,Seneca lib. 3. de be [...]ef. cannot resist Death, no more can he Loue. Omnis natura bestiarum, domita est à na­tura, The nature of beasts is tamed by Nature. Against that harme which the Phi­listines receiued by Mice, the Princes made Mice of Gold; let thy enemie bee as troublesome to thee as they, mold him into Gold, and hee wil neuer hurt thee more. S. Chrysostome considereth the truth of this in Saul, C [...]rys. hom. 3. de Saul & Dauid. who bearing a deuelish hatred against Dauid; yet by Dauids twice pardoning him his life, made him as tractable as wax; and he captiuated by this his kindnesse, brake out into this ac­knowledgement, Iustior me est, He is iuster than I; for I returned thee il for good,A milde pro­ceeding pre­uaileth vpon the fiercest Persons. and thou me good for ill. S. Chrysostome concludes this Historie with a strange endeering; That Dauids drawing teares out of Sauls hard heart, did cause him more to wonder, than did Moses and Aaron, when he strucke the Rocke, and the waters gushed forth. We want not examples of this Doctrine, euen in those things that are inuisible: The toughest Impostumes are made tender by Vncti­ons. Plinie saith, That the roughest sea is made calme with oyle. In the Prouince of Namurca they burne stone in stead of wood, and that fire will bee quenched with Oyle. Against the Impostume of hatred, the raging sea of an angrie brest, and the flames of a furious enemie, there is no better remedie than Mildnesse; Sermo mollis frangit iram, A soft answer mitigates wrath.

Orate pro persequentibus vos.

Pray for them that persecute you. This Prayer may be grounded vpon two reasons

[Page 52]The one, That the hurt is so great to him that doth the wrong, that he that is wronged ought to take pittie and compassion of him: and beeing it is Damnum animae, The hurt of the soule, which the offended cannot repaire of himselfe, hee must pray vnto God for him, That he would be pleased to repaire it. Philon trea­ting of the death of Abel saith, that Cain killed himself, & non alterum, & not ano­ther; and that Abel was not dead, but aliue, because he kild but the bodie, which was none of his, and left him his soule, which was his. And of Caine, That his bodie remained aliue, which was none of his, and his soule slaine, which was his▪ and therefore Clamat sanguis Abel, The bloud of Abel cries, &c.

The other, That there are some such desperate enemies, that are made rather worse than better by benefits; being like therein vnto Paper, which the more you supple it with Oyle, the stiffer it growes; or like vnto sand, which the more it is wet, the harder it waxeth; or like vnto an anuile, which is not stirred with the stroke of the hammer; or like vnto Iudas, who comming from the washing of our Sauiors feet, went forth afterwards with a greater desire for to sel and be­tray him: whereas being in this desperate case, hee should rather haue had re­course vnto God. Prayer therefore is proposed vnto vs, as the greatest charme and powerfullest exorcisme against the obstinacie & rebellion of an enemie. For vpon such occasions as these, Prayer is woont to worke miracles. Saint Stephen prayd for those that stoned him to death; which wrought so powerfull an effect, that Saint Austen saith, That the Church is beholding in some sort, to this his Prayer, for the conuersion of Saint Paul. And Saint Luke, That the Heauens were opened hereupon vnto him, & he saw Christ standing in glorie at the right hand of his Father. And it is worth the noting, That the ordinarie Language of the Scripture is, That our Sauiour Christ is said to sit at the right hand of God the Father: but now here in this place the word Stantem, Standing, is vsed, as if Christ had stood vp of purpose to see so rare and strange an accident, and claue the Heauens in sunder, offering him all the good they did containe; or that he did seeme to offer him his Seate (as it were) as to a child of God; vt sitis filij patris vestri, That yee may be the children of your Father. And this grace and fauor which God shewes vnto those that pray for their enemies, was peraduenture a motiue to our Sauiour Christ, to make that pittifull moane vpon the Crosse, bewayling the Iewes cruell p [...]oceeding against him,The example of our sauiour to moue vs vnto it. and praying that his death might not be layd to their charge; Pater ignosce illis, Father forgiue them. Hee might haue hoped, that these his charitable prayers would haue opened the Gates of Hea­uen, for the Sonne of Glorie to enter in: But in stead thereof the Sunne was darkened, and a blacke mantle (as it were, in mourning) spred ouer all the earth, whilest he himselfe vttered these words of discomfort, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? The doores of Heauen are shut against me, & my God hath forsaken me. But the mysterie is, That Heauen was shut against him, that it might be opened vnto you; and euen then was it opened to the Theefe, and to many that returned from Mount Caluarie, percutientes pectora sua, i. Smiting their brests; as also to that Centurion that said, Verè filius Dei erat iste, This was truly the Sonne of God.

There may be rendred another reason of this our Sauiours praying vpon the Crosse: Which is this, That for to obtaine fauors from Gods hand, there is no meanes comparable to that of praying for our enemies. In me loquebantur, qui sedebant in Porta, Psal. 69.12 13. in me psallebant, qui bibebant vinum: ego autem orationem meam ad te Domine tempus beneplaciti Deus. Dauid speaking there as a figure of Christ, saith, That his enemies sate like judges in the Gates of the Citie, entertaining them­selues [Page 53] with stories of his life, and that they went from Tauerne to Tauern, and from one house to another, singing Songs in dirision of him, descanting and playing vpon him; but I, turning towards God, prayed heartily for them, as knowing there was not any time fitter than that, for the obtaining of my re­quest, Tempus beneplaciti, An acceptable time, &c. The like he saith in the 180 Psalm, Pro eo, vt me diligerent, detrahebant mihi; They repaid my loue with hate, my good actions with iniuries: Ego autem orabam; But I quitted their wrongs with my prayers. Saint Chrysostome saith,Serm. de Pro­ditor. Iuda. That God commanding me to pray for my enemie, attends therein more mine, than his good; for the prayer that I make for my enemie that hath done me wrongs, heapes coles vpon his head, but is a ple­narie indulgence for all those that I haue done against my God: nor shall any thing at the day of judgement plead harder for vs. Now in another place hee saith,Chris. Hom. li. 4. in Gen. That the pleasure that God doth take in the good that we do vnto our ene­mies, is not because they deserue it, but because we should not fal into so great a sinne as is hatred and malice.Imperf Hom. 4. in Mat. Hom. 27. ad populū. Two prayers (saith the same Father) wee must ne­uer be vnprouided of; one for our enemie, another for our owne soule: For if thou shalt pray for thy enemie, though thou beggest nothing for thy selfe, yet shalt thou obtaine of God what thine owne heart desireth▪ Saint Ambrose saith, That Dauid in taking care for the sauing of Absalons life,Ambr. in Apo [...]. Dauid. Seruate mihi puerum Ab­salon, Preserue me the young man Absalon, did assure himselfe of the victorie, and that Ioab and his souldiers would crie out, Kill the Traitor, runne him through, &c. O what a rich, though secret and hidden Mine, is the pardoning of our enemie. And hereupon hang two things: The one, how vnpleasing a Petition it would be in Gods eares, and how harsh it would sound, that we call vnto him for vengeance vpon our enemie; desiring, that Ioabs dart may strike him through the heart. The other is Saint Austens, who saith, That he that of God shall en­treat euill against euill, does himselfe that which is euill: and it comes by this meanes to be a double euill; two euills (I say) spring from thence, The one, that he does ill; the other, That he prayes ill. So that when hee that is wronged shall pray vnto God to destroy this ill man; God may verie well make him this an­swer, Which of the two doost thou meane? for in seeking to kill another, thou first killest thy selfe: Quando dicis, Deus, occide malum; respondebit, Quem ve­strum? When thou shalt say, Lord, kill the wicked one; he shall answer, Which of you?

Vt scitis filij Patris vestri.

That yee may bee the children of your Father. By louing, by doing good, by pray­ing and pardoning thy enemies, yee shal shew your selues to be the sons of God. But the reuengefull, the cruell, and the mercilesseman, is rather a monster than any child of Gods. God is Loue, and as Thomas prooues it out of Dyonisius, it is Gods essentiall name. Therefore he that would be the sonne of Loue, and yet is a hater of his brother, he is a monster, and no sonne. To those children that are like vnto their parents, wee vse to say, Gods blessing be with ye, and make ye like vnto your parents in goodnesse, as in fauour. Our Sauiour called the Phari­sees Filios Diaboli, The childeren of the Deuill, because they followed his hu­mours and desire; Ille autem homicida erat ab initio, And he was a murtherer from the beginning. If you will therefore be Gods children, yee must be like vnto God. Seneca tells, That hee did good to him that did him ill; and cries out withall, What shall I doe? What? Why that which God did and does for thee, who began to doe good to thee, when thou didst not know what good was, nor how to esteeme it; and now thou doost know it, and that he still continues good vnto [Page 54] thee, yet thou continuest vnthankefull vnto him by not acknowledging his goodnesse.

That ye may be the children of your Father. Saint Iohn sayth, That God gaue vs power to bee sonnes of God. This filiation wee first receiue in Baptisme, and is afterwards confirmed in vs, when God shall find this inscription ingrauen in our hearts,To be a child, and to exer­cise the duties of a child, not all one. Diligite, benefacite, orate, vt sitis filij patris vestri, i. Loue, Doe good, and Pray, that ye may be the children of your Father. I tell thee it is one thing to bee filius, a sonne; another, exercere filiationem, i. to performe the office of a sonne. A child hath vnderstanding before hee is ten yeares old, but he doth not put it in practise. But by pardoning, thou shalt show by thy workes, that thou art of those children of God, whom at thy baptisme hee endowed with Grace. All men desire to bee like vnto their King; Diodorus Siculus, reporteth of the Aethiopians, that if the King were lame,Diodor. de Fa­bulis, Antiquis. c. 4. disfigured, or blinck-ey'd, they would all striue to bee as like him as they could. Our Sauiour Christ prayed for his enemies on the Crosse; why should yee not imitate him, Vt sitis filij, i. that yee may bee his children, &c. The Crosse (sayth Nazianzene) is that bright pillar of fire in the wildernesse, which lights vs along in the night of this life, that it may teach vs the way, Pro inuidijs meis orationes fundere, i. to poure out a prayer against my owne Enuie.

That ye may bee the children, &c. Saint Paul hath it, Quod si filij, & haeredes per Deum, i. If children, then also heires. What? heires to so great a blessing, and will yee loose it for an enemie? It will ioy him much to see you suffer so much harme. There is nothing grieues a man more, than to see his labours lost, espe­cially hauing endured great and long toyle. Wee dayly see the truth of this in the souldier, on the one side his body broken, and his cloths torne and ragged; on the other readie to famish for want of food. In Virgils hall, some women are feigned to draw water in siues; a fruitlesse labour. In the parable of the Sower our Sauiour was verie sory to see three of the foure parts of seed to bee lost and cast away.Ezech. 24.12. Ezechiel paints out his people in the embleme of a pot, which was so fouly furred within that it was impossible to make it cleane. Multo labore suda­tum est, & non exibit de ea nimia rubigo, neque per ignem, i. Much labour hath beene be­stowed, and yet the scum of it is not gone out, no, not by the fire. Ieremy pictures Babilon sicke, and that many Phisitions going about to cure her, though they did apply vnto her many costly medicines, all their labour was in vaine, Curauimus Babi­lonem, & non est sanata. Multiply thy seruices toward God, treasure vp spirituall riches, vse all diligence for to keepe a cleane Conscience; apply as medicines for to cure thy Soule, Teares, Fastings, Prayers, Almes, yet if thou doost not for­giue and pardon thy enemie, thou doost nothing. The Scripture speaketh of Esau, that hee could find no place for repentance, no though he did seeke it with Teares, (purposely citing Teares, that wee might consider how powerfull they are) and the reason was, for that he had a purpose to be reuenged on his Bro­ther: Veniet dies luctus patris mei, i. My Father will dye ere long, and then I will be reuenged of him.

That ye may bee the children. That ye may show of what House you came, and what a noble Father you had.Gods omni­potencie seene most in his Mercie. Qui omnē potentiam suam parcendo maxime & mise­rando manifestat Deus iudex, fortis, & patiens, i. Who manifesteth his omnipotencie most of all by sparing, and shewing Pitie. Heare what Hugo de santo Victore tels you, Nobile vind [...]ctae genus, ignoscere victis, i. T'is a noble reuenge to forgiue the vanquished. In the genealogy of Christ,Hugo Vict. l. 6 de anima. onely Dauid is called King; and onely for his gene­rous mind in pardoning the wrongs that his Enemies did him. When he gaue Saul his life,3. Reg. 24. Nunc scio verè (sayd hee) quod regnaturus sis, i. Now know I truly, that [Page 55] thou shalt reigne. For such a greatnesse of minde could not bee repayed with lesse than a Crowne. Scitote quoniam mirificauit Dominus sanctum suum, i. Know that the Lord hath magnified his holy one. The Hebrew letter hath it, Elegit sibi do­minus misericordem, i. The Lord hath chosen to himselfe the mercifull man. The practise of Mercie brings with it the greatest glorie. No man will offer to take my Crowne from mee, because God hath giuen it mee, for shewing mercie to mine Enemies. Dauid composed his 56. Psal. vpon that Ac­cident which hapned vnto Saul at the mouth of the caue. And the title there­unto is, Ne disperdas insignia Dauid; or, aureolam Dauid, Doe not blot out the Armes of Dauid, nor take his Crowne from off his head. His souldiers importuned him to take away his life from him; telling him, that God had deliuered him into his hands. By which noble action of his (sayth Saint Chrysostome) hee got himselfe more glorie than when he ouercame the Philistine: For there hee got himselfe but the glorie of a valiant and venturous souldier; but here, [...]f a most holy, iust, and mercifull man; there, hee read onely a lecture of Fortitude; here, of meeke­nesse, which of all other is the chiefest vertue; there, the dames of Hierusalem did solemnise his victorie; here, the Angells of Heauen; there, God shewed him a great fauour in deliuering him from the sword of his Enemy; here, hee did God as acceptable a piece of seruice, for that it was the rarer of the two. And this was it, that made God say of him; Inueni virum secundum cor meum, i. I haue found a man according to my owne heart. That great Prince Moses, 1. Reg. 11. was so hot and chollericke, that in his anger hee killed an Aegiptian that misused an He­brew. Clemens Alexandrinus sayth, That hee dispatcht him at one blow. The day following, another Aegiptian standing in feare of him, sayd vnto him, Nunc occidere me vis, i. Wilt thou now kill me? But beeing afterwards trained vp in the schoole of God, neuer any man indured so many wrongs, of his friends, his enemies, and his brethren, as hee did. Who hath thus changed thee? Potentissi­mus faciem illius commutauit, i. The most m [...]ghtie had altered his face. And beeing thus moulded, God sayd vnto him, Ego te constituam Deum Pharaonis, i. I will make thee as a God to Pharaoh. Against such hardnesse, power, and tyranny, it is fit thou shouldest bee a God, and that to represent my person, thou doost put on my condition. The Deuill coniectured by many signes and tokens, that Christ at his birth was God: As by Angels, Sheapheards, Kings, & Prophesies: But tothis, his pouertie, his suffering cold, his shedding of teares, the thatch of the house, the cobwebs in the roome where he lay, & the hay in the cratch, left him more perplexed than before. Afterwards he was more amased, when he saw him fast fortie dayes, whereupon hee set himselfe to tempt him, saying Si filius Dei es, i.Christ patiēce more stagge­red the Deuill than all his miracles. If thou bee the sonne of God, &c. Then hee had greater staggerings, when hee saw his so many, so strange, and fearefull miracles, euen to the forcing of the Deuill himselfe to acknowledge him to be the sonne of God. And this did confound him more than all that went before. But when hee saw, hee pardoned so many iniuries that were dayly done vnto him, hee then began to shake and tremble, as if hee had beene toucht with quicksiluer. Hee beheld Iudas his selling of him, his kisse of false peace, his calling of him friend, and vnder that name betraying him; hee saw the night of his imprisonment in Cayphas his house, and the iniu­ries that they did him; persuading himselfe that no other but God, could poc­ket vp such wrongs.

The World cals the reuengfull man valiant; but the bloudy minded man, the Scripture stiles weake, effeminate, and womanish. When Ioab killed those noble p [...]ire of brothers Abner and Amasa, hauing dyed his belt and shooes with the bloud of Abner; Dauid sayd, Non defiiciet de domo Ioab fluxum seminis sustinens, 2. Reg. 3.29. & [Page 56] tenens fusum, & cade [...]s gladio, i. Let there not faile from the House of Ioab one that hath an issue, or is a Leaper, or that leaneth on a staffe, or falleth by the sword. God did pu­nish this weakenesse and cowardly act of Ioab, with the weakenesse and cowar­dise of all his posteritie.

Lastly, Being the Sonne of God, thou mayst be sure hee will be mindfull of thee, take care of thee, and loue thee. Esay brings in the Church, complaining, That God had forgotten her, Dominus oblitus est mei, The Lord hath forgotten mee. But he answereth, Nunquid obliuisci potest mulier▪ infantis operis sui? i. Can a woman forget the children of her wombe? But say she should, Ego (saith he) non obliuiscar tui, ecce in manibus meis descripsi te, (i.) I will not yet forget thee; behold, I haue engrauen thee in my Palmes. God cannot forget his children, if they will but acknowledge him to be their father; and they can in nothing be more like vnto him, than in being mercifull, as he is mercifull.

Estote ergo perfecti, sicut Pater vester perfectus est

Be yee therefore perfect, euen as your Father is perfect. He reduceth this perfecti­on to the loue of our enemie; for to a mans friend, the verie Heathens do this. Saint Austen and Saint Chrysostome say, it is Omnis virtutis Corona & vertex, The heigth and glorie of all vertue. Where he denieth not the reward to him that shal loue his friend for Gods sake; but to him that shal loue like a Gentile, or a Pub­lican, not for Gods loue, but either out of a naturall propension in himselfe, or for his owne pleasure, or commoditie and profit; and he that doth not loue his enemie, shewes plainly, that he loueth not his friend for his loue to God, but for his loue to himselfe: for if he should loue him for Gods loue, hee would no lesse loue his enemie, being that he is as wel the Image of God, as his friend. So that he that loues his friend, and not his enemie, ought not to expect a re­ward for louing of his friend: but he that doth not onely loue his friend, but his enemie also, hee shall be sure of a double reward, Introduxit me Rex in cellam vinariam, ordinauit in me charitatem, (i.) The King brought me into the Banquetting house, Cant. 2. v. 4. and his banner ouer me, was Loue. Origen notes, That that which the Soule desires of her Husband, is not to loue, or to hate; for this being a naturall perfe­ction, it is not possible it should faile: the will is neither idle, nor in vaine, for it must of force wish either well or ill.Our loue how it is to be or­dred and dis­posed. All the kindnesse that shee desires of her husband, is, his ordering of his loue; for in disorder intollerable errours arise. Of all the Predicaments, God is the highest, and hee ought to bee the princi­pall marke of our well ordered affection: Dilexi, quoniam audiuit Deus vocem orationis meae, (i.) I loued, because the Lord heard the voyce of my prayer: Loued? Whom hast thou loued? A prudent wil, which placeth it's felicitie in the obser­uance of the Law; wee must not aske of it, Whom it loueth? This is a question to be asked of a Reprobate, or Cast-away. In a word, He that man ought chief­ly to loue, is God; and next, man, for the loue of God, be he friend, or be he foe. And because when it doth not reach & extend it self to our enemie, it cannot be said to be perfect loue; it is said, Estote perfecti sicut Pater vester, Be ye perfect as your Father. The reason is, Because in the rest of the actions of vertue, humane re­spects may come athwart vs; one may fast, because abstinence importeth his health; another giue Almes, because he affecteth vaine-glorie; a third, not seeke to be reuenged, for feare of those inconueniences that follow after it; a fourth be chast, for the auoyding of shame, &c. But to loue a mans enemie, that must onely proceed from our loue to God, it must needs be done only for Gods sake, and God onely can requite it.

[Page 57]Secondly, he reduceth this perfection to the loue of our enemie, because it is a sure pledge for Heauen. When Elias and Baals Priests were both of them to offer Sacrifice in triall of the true God, it was conditioned, That that God that should send downe fire from Heauen vpon the Alter, should bee held to bee the true God. Baals Priests ball'd vpon him, but all would not doe: but Elias, when he had set vp his Alter with the wood vpon it, the beasts about it, and had poured water thereupon, to the filling vp of the Trench, he had no sooner pour'd forrh his Prayer, but such great store of fire descended from Heauen, that it burnt the flesh, the wood, the stones, and likewise wasted and consumed the water. That it should burne the beasts, the wood, and the stones, it was no such wonder; but that it should take hold on it's contrarie, which is water, it was a manifest signe, that it was the fire of Heauen. That your loue should cleaue to your owne flesh & bloud, it is not much;The perfecti­on of our loue how to be dis­couered. that it should take hold of the wood and stone, that likewise is no great wonder; but that it should worke on it's con­trarie, on one that desires to make an end of thee, & to consume thee, this is loue indeed, this is charitie, this is the fire of Heauen.

Thirdly, The loue to our enemie doth more discouer the perfection of our loue; because it is without any hope of temporall reward. Elisaeus filled the widdows emptie cruses with Oyle; and thou must replenish with thy loue and good workes, those emptie brests that haue nothing in them to deserue it. For where there is some deseruingnesse, and reason of merit, the Gentile & the Pub­lican doe the like.

Fourthly, It argueth more perfection; for that the loue of our enemie is that glosse which sets before our eyes our owne faults and offences. When Shimei reproched Dauid to his face, and gaue him such opprobrious language, that his Captaines and Commanders that were then about him were impatient of it, and would haue killed him; Dauid withstood it, and would not suffer them to take away his life; and the reason was, because it put him in mind of his own sinnes; and he that lookes well vpon his owne, takes no great notice of another mans. And this made him to say, Peccatum meum contra me est semper, Our Enemies are but Gods Instruments, who by them doth punish vs for our sins. My sinne warres more against me than mine enemie. Againe, though thy enemie doe persecute thee without a cause, it is not without cause, that thou doost thus suffer; for (as Tertul­lian hath it) Nullus iniustè patitur, No man suffers wrongfully: So that thou must not looke so much vpon him that iniures thee, as vpon thine owne sinnes, for the which God permits them to iniure thee. It is Ieremies; Who euer said, Let it bee done, though the Lord command it not? Let vs search our owne wayes: Take but thy life into examination, and thou wilt find, that thy sinnes deserue a thousand times more. Dauid would by no means consent, that his People should reuenge those disgracefull words which Shimei spake vnto him; and What was the reason? Onely for that he was Gods Instrument. S. Austen, vpon the 31 Psalme, pondering those words of Iob, Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit, The Lord hath giuen, and the Lord hath taken; noteth, That he did not say, Dominus dedit, Diabolus abstulit, The Lord gaue, and the Deuill tooke away: For those whips and scourges which God sendeth, though they be inflicted vpon vs by the hands of the Deuill, yet are we to account them to come from God.

Out of the whole drift of this Chapter, I will inferre one cleere and manifest consequence, which is this, If to hate our enemie be so much condemned both of Heauen and Earth, those excesses and exorbitances which fall out vpon this occasion (be it in respect of the time and place, or of the person, or the act it self, or our deepe disaffection) they are all of them here condemned.

[Page 58]Two kind of faults God doth extreamely hate and abhorre:

The one, Of those who haue no measure or moderation in their reuenge; saying with the Idumaeans, Exinanite, exinanite vsque ad fundamentum in ea, Raze, raze them to the verie foundation: They would not haue one stone left vpon ano­ther in Hierusalem; wishing that they might say, Etiam periere ruinae, The verie ruines are also perished. Wherby it seemeth, that mans cruelty would stand in com­petition with Gods clemencie. And that as God is not willing that any man should set a taxe and size vpon his mercie; so these men will haue no man to put a rate vpon their reuenge. Saint Peter asked our Sauiour Christ, How many times hee should forgiue his brother? Will seuen serue? (saith he.) Our Sa­uiour answered, I say not seuen times, but seuentie times seuen times. Whence Tertullian hath noted, That hee had an eye therein to mans excesse in reuenge. Lamech slew Caine and the yong man that waited vpon him; and the women go­ing about to be reuenged of him for the death of the young man, hee sayd vnto them, Hearken ô yee wiues of Lamech, Let it not once enter into your thoughts to take reuenge on my life: for though the vengeance which God appointed for the killing of Caine had a limitation; yet the reuenge of my death shall be with­out taxe, and without measure; Setuplum vltio dabitur de Cain, de Lamech autem sep­tuagies septies, Cain shall be reuenged seuen times, but Lamech seuentie times seuen times. Wherein he sets downe a finite number for an infinite. In a word, Lamech in this word Septuagies septies, shewes, That the reuenge that should bee taken thereof should be without terme, without limitation; wherein he seemes to make mans crueltie to contest with Gods mercie.

Hatred should not bee im­mortall.The other is, Of those that hate their enemies so to the death, that though they themselues die, yet they will not let their hatred die with them, but leaue it in their last Will and Testament to their heires, to take reuenge of their wrongs, and to prosecute their enemies vnto death: Being herein like vnto Dido, who throwing out her curses and maledictions on Aeneas, and desiring the Tygres and other wild beasts to reuenge her wrong, breathed her last with this inuocation,They that liue in hard­nes of hart are iustly suf­fered to dye in it. Hoc precor, hanc vocem extremā cum sanguine fundo, i. This is my prayer, I wish no other good, and this I poure forth with my latest bloud.

Whence I would haue you to note, That this hardnesse of mans heart at his death, is in punishment of his hardnesse of heart in his life. Hac anima aduersione (saith Saint Austen) punitur peccator, i. This is a sinners punishment. And in ano­ther place, Cor durum male habebit in nouissimo, It shall goe ill with a hard heart in the latter day. And Ieremie treating of those that persecuted him, Reddes eis Domine vicem iusti, & dabis eis scutum cordis, Thou shalt pay them in their owne coyne, thou shalt vse them as they vsed their enemies; thou shalt giue them a heart like a shield of Brasse, it shall be hard in their life time, and hard at their death. No prayers could mollifie them, nor shall their entreatie mooue thee: for only the merciful shall only find mercie.

Now for the reforming of both these excesses, Saint Paul saith, Sol non occidat super iracundiam vestram, Ephes. 4. Let not the Sunne goe downe before your wrath goe out, Let not the one set before the other be setled. Saint Chrysostome renders two reasons of this saying, Sol non occidat, &c.

The one, That the Sunne doth fauour and serue you with his light, and with his influences, cherishing your health and your life, and does not return home at night brawling and complayning, that he hath bestowed this his loue & seruice vpon an vngrateful & vnthankful person. There is no creature but wil grumble & repine to serue such a one; Ingemescit, It sighes and groanes, &c. (saith Saint Paul) but [Page 59] the Sunne does not grudge at his seruing of you.

The second, That the night is of it selfe sad, melancholly, and in a disposition to troublesome thoughts and immaginations. Now then, that your fantasie may not present you with an armie of fearefull cogitations, and the dismall represen­tations of reuenge, before that the night comes on, quiet that raging sea within thy brest, by throwing Oyle vpon it; become soft & gentle by clensing thy heart of all rancour and malice. If the beames of the Sunne cannot pierce through a thicke cloud, they will hardly make their way through the pitchie darkenesse of the night, being that they are naturally then in their augmentation. When the cheerefulnesse of the day, employment in businesses, and the companie and com­fort of our friends cannot remooue the clouds of our anger, the night will hard­ly scatter them, who is the mother of painefull thoughts. For, as the infirmi­ties of the bodie encrease by the absence of the Sunne; so in like sort doe the diseases of the soule. I know not whither Ioshuah were toucht or no with this Spirit, when hee willed the Sunne to stand still, when he was in the pursuit of his enemies.

It seemeth vnto some, That it is a verie hard matter, and more than flesh and bloud can beare, to pardon fresh iniuries, the bloud boyling then in our brest: But this is answer'd by that example of our Sauior Christ, who when his wounds did poure forth bloud on euerie side, yet his tongue cryde out, Ignosce illis, quia nesciunt quid faciunt, Forgiue them, for they know not what they doe. Where I would haue you to note, that the word faciunt is of the present Tense. When they were boring his feet with nailes, Saint Austen to this purpose saith, Is petebat veniam, Aug. Tractat. 31. in Ioan. à quibus adhuc accipiebat iniuriam, He craued pardon for those of whom euen then hee suf­fered wrong: For he did not so much weigh, that he died by them, as that he died for them. Cum esset in sanguine suo (saith Ezechiel) dixit, Viue, i. When he was in his owne bloud, he said, Liue. And Saint Bernard, That hee offered vp his life, Non in­terpellant [...]bus, sed repellentibus, non inuocantibus, sed prouocantibus, Not for those that inuoked him, but prouoked him.

The replies of the Flesh are infinite, and without number. Some say,The excuses of the flesh agāst this louing of our enemies, and their con­futation. Whilest wee liue in the world we must follow the fashions of the world, and liue accor­ding to it's Lawes: and that if a man put vp one iniurie, he shall haue a thousand put vpon him. I answer hereunto, That it is a fouler fault to seeke out reasons to defend and maintaine sinne, than to commit it. And if thou shalt tell mee, thou desirest to be reuenged because thou art weake, and canst not bridle thy anger; I shall the rather pittie thee, and shall withall councell and aduise thee to aske par­don of God, for this thy weakenesse and infirmitie. But that thou shouldst de­fend thy offence with reasons and force of argument, it is not a thing to bee im­magined: but more against reason it is, to reason against God. Let vs now leaue the Gospell and the sacred Scriptures, and let vs bring this businesse within the spheare of reason: I say then, That it is the Language of him that knowes not what reason is, as if it were possible there could be any reason against God. The Clowne rests so well contented with his poore Cottage, that he wil not change it for the Kings Pallace: And the worldly man likes so well of the lawes and fashions of the world, that he sticks not to preferre them before those of God.

Others stand vpon their honour, alledging, How can a man liue in the world, without the vpholding of his honour and repution? I answere, It is not to bee found in the Scripture, That Christ doth councell any man to suffer in his honor for him, or to loose his reputation; Marry,Mathew 16. hee hath promised a reward vnto him that for his sake should lay downe his life, or leaue his goods, forsaking all [Page 60] to follow him: but to him that should loose his honour, or his reputation, hee neuer made the like promise. For, to obey and serue him, is all the honour that man ought to stand vpon;Mathew 19. Hoc est, omnis, &c. Gods seruice the greatest soueraignety. S. Ambrose saith,Amb. lib. 2 in Luc. That God would be borne of a married Virgine, out of a care that he had to the Virgines credit; yet therfore is it not meet, that a man should pro­cure his owne honour by doing dishonour to another.Luke 6. Cum maledixerint vobis homines, & dixerint omne malum aduersum vos mentientes propter me, When men shall curse you, and speake all euill against you. The World will say, Thou art a base fel­low if thou put vp a wrong, and doe not reuenge it to the full: But the World lies; for a man cannot doe himselfe a greater honour, than to pardon an iniurie. The World will say, Thou hast no worth in thee, and that thou doost degene­rate from thy noble Ancestors. But therein the world likewise lies; for there is nothing more noble, than to forgiue and forget a wrong.

Others wil say, I forgiue my enemie with all my heart, but I will neuer speake to him. I answer, This is a metaphisicall case, that thou wilt giue him thy heart, and denie him thy tongue. Me-thinkes that Fountaine that is faire within, should not be foule without: Shall God giue thee a heart to wish well, and wilt not thou find a tongue to speake wel? And words too, without a heart, are not worth God-a-mercie: Si salutaueritis fratres vestros tantùm, If yee shal onely salute your brethren, it is neither any great thing, nor yet thankes-worthie; but to say thou wilt giue him thy heart, and not so much as a word, thou doost giue him neither the one nor the other.

To be first in forgiuing is the greatest honour.Others say, Let him come and speake to me first; for as I am the more wron­ged, so I take my selfe to be the better man; and therefore I wil not offer my selfe vnto him, but let him come to me, if hee will, else I will neuer bee friends with him. I answer, That by thy yeelding first vnto him, thou wilt winne by the el­der hand, and get thy selfe the more credit. Abraham (thou knowest) gaue Lot leaue to chuse first, and being his Kinseman and his inferiour both in yeares and otherwise, did not reckon of his right, nor his reputation, that hee might not make a rent & breach of loue and amitie betweene them, Ne quaeso sit jurgium in­ter me & te, Let there be no strife betwixt thee and me, &c.

Others say, Mee-thinkes it is a hard case, that God should wish mee to loue and doe well vnto him that loues not me, and would reioyce in any il that should happen vnto me. I answer, That I am not bound to desire of God, that he would fulfill the desires of my enemie: for if he direct them to my hurt, and to my ru­ine, I am not bound to aske of God any ill to my selfe. When a Bell is drawne vp to the top of some Tower, or a Stone to some high Steeple, it is the naturall and common course of those that see it carried vp, to desire no mischance may befall it: But if any should be so maliciously foolish, as to say in his heart, O that I might now see it fall: the Stone might verie well replie, Let not thy desires prosper. The like may he say, who goes mounting vp to some heigth of good­nesse, to his enuious enemie, Let not thy ill wishes thriue against me.

Last of all, To him that shall thinke that this is too hard a Precept, I answer, That there is this difference betweene those that are the Saints of God,The true child of God thinks it no hard pre­cept to loue hi [...] enemies. & those that are not; that these striue to get Heauen at too cheape a rate, and stand a huc­king, to see if they can get thither with a little cost: But those that are Gods chil­dren seeke all occasions for to buy it at any price, be it neuer so high, nay, though it should cost them their life. Quotidiam morior propter vestram gloriam, I die daily for your glorie, 1. Cor. 18. saith Saint Paul. Whereupon Saint Chrisostome giues this note, That the Apostle was euen sorie, that he had no more but one life to lay downe [Page 61] for his God, and for the welfare of his brethren in the Lord: And that therefore he had scarce escaped one danger, but that he was desirous to enter into another.

Cùm serò esset factum. When it grew late, &c.

Saint Iohn saith, That the Feast being ended, our Sauior went vp to the Mount to pray, Ascendit solus orare, He went vp alone. Saint Marke, and Saint Mathew, That he forced his Disciples to go on shippe-boord. Nor doth this admit any contradiction; for before that he withdrew himselfe to pray, he might verie wel will them to make them readie to goe to sea: And happely they might stay wai­ting for him till it were towards the euening, and seeing he did not come, yet (ac­cording as he had commanded them) embarked themselues.

Of this his forcing them to goe aboord, the Doctors giue diuers reasons.

The first is taken out of Saint Iohn. Our Sauiour knew that the People had a purpose to make him King; which danger hee seeking to auoyd, hee withdrew himselfe aside to pray, beeing all alone; notifying to his Disciples, That they should in the meane while prouide to goe to sea.

The second, That our Sauior thereby might take occasion to work this won­derfull miracle: for if the Disciples had not embarked themselues, neither had our Sauiour walked vpon the sea, nor Peter aduentured himselfe vpon the waues, nor his Disciples endured such a terrible storme, nor had there been such cleere notice taken of his soueraignepower.

The third is Saint Chrysostomes; who saith, That when they were to go to sea, our Sauiour would that they should carrie along with them the remainder of such broken pieces of bread, and of the fishes that were left, to the end that they might thinke vpon the forepassed miracle. Wherein they were so dull sighted, that Saint Marke saith, Non enim intellexerunt de panibus, They vnderstood nothing about the Loaues. And therefore those whom Fullnesse and Prosperitie had thus blinded, God through troubles and afflictions cleereth their eye-sight.

The Society of Women, though de­uout, is dan­gerous.The fourth is Theophilacts; insinuating this for an especiall reason, That our Sauiour Christ seeing his Disciples in conuersation with some deuout women which were present at the Feast, hee willed them presently to embarke; concei­uing, that they would bee farre more safe in the sea amidst the waues, than in the companie of women, though neuer so deuout, neuer so holy. And the ground of this truth may be gathered from the Disciples vnwillingnesse to put forth to sea: but our Sauiour like a good Horseman, that claps his spurres close to the sides of his Ginnet, when he refuses to make his carreere, Coegit illos, He compelled them.

The fifth, For that the Shippe is a Type and figure of gouernment, of ho­nour, and of dignitie: And God will haue his friends to bee forced to ascend to those high places. And therefore it is said, Coegit illos vt ascenderent, He com­pelled them to ascend.

The last is Saint Hieromes; who alledgeth, That the content beeing so great which the Disciples tooke in the presence of their Master, it was a cleere case, that it would verie much grieue them to depart from him, and to bee forced to forgoe his companie. For he that hath once a truetast of God, will hardly bee withdrawne from him. A Dogge, be he beaten neuer so much, he will not leaue his Masters house, and all for the loue that he beareth him, and the pleasure and delight that hee taketh in his presence. And this was it that made Iob, when hee [Page 63] was most beaten with his afflictions, to vtter with a great deale of patience this humble language, Etiam, si occiderit, in illum sperabo, i. Though hee kill mee, yet will I trust in him. What shall they then doe, that haue sate at the same boord with their God, and eate of his meate? Shall not they the fuller they are fed, be still the more hungrie? yes doubtlesse. For as Ecclesiasticus sayth; Qui edunt me, Eccl. 24. adhuc esurient, i. They which eat me, shall yet hunger.

Et erat nauís in medio Maris.

And the Ship was in the midst of the Sea. It seemeth somewhat strange, that our Sauiour Christ, inforcing his Disciples to enter into the Sea, and they ha­uing punctually obey'd his command, that hee should punish them with such a dangerous and fearefull tempest. That Gods justice shoul ouertake Ionas in the ship, that the Mariners should bee as it were the Sergeants, the Whale the pri­son, the Sea the executioner, it was not much, for that hee sought to flie from Gods obeydience, and showed himselfe vnwilling to performe the seruice that was inioyned him: But that the Disciples, who left the Land, entred into the Sea, and consecrated their desires to their Sauiours Will; that these men should see themselues in danger of drowning and ready to perish, is more than much. And this difficultie is indeered the more, because it is sayd, That no ill shall happen vnto him, who shall keepe his commandements.Eccl. 1. Qui custodit prae­ceptum, non experietur quidquam mali. But ô Lord, if thou afflictest with tor­ments, those that loue and obey thee; What wilt thou doe vnto those that are renegates, and blasphemers, &c? This doubt requireth those reasons, which our Sauiour had for the miraculous allaying of this tempest.

The first is Saint Chrysostomes, The Disciples (sayth hee) might haue dwelt vpon that former miracle of the loaues of bread, and the fishes, and on that ful­nesse and saturitie wherewith such a multitude of guests were satisfied and con­tented, carrying great store thereof away with them in their bosomes, and their pockets. They might likewise haue argued from thence, the Omnipotency and Diuinitie of our Sauiour Christ, Et non intellexerunt de panibus: But they re­mained blind: God therefore doth so order the businesse, That those eyes, whome Good could not open, Ill should: And that the daunger of the tem­pest should aduise those, whome feasting and fulnesse of bread could not persuade.

The second, Let no man looke in Gods house to eate of his bread for no­thing. God perhaps will bid thee sit downe and eat, and say vnto thee, In die bonorum fruere bonis, i. In the day of wrath, be of good comfort: But withall,Eccl. 7.16. thou must looke to pay thy shot, For God will presently make triall in the furnace of tribulation, whether his bread bee well bestowed or no. There is no Saint in Heauen which hath not beene put to this proofe. And Ecclesiasticall per­sons of all other, haue a preciser obligation lying vpon them, who are the ho­nour of Gods house, who eat more especially at his Table, who gather vp the remainders of the feast, inioying the fruits of the earth in great aboun­dance, and in more plentifull measure than other men. And it is no great maruaile that they that possesse much, should be possessed with much feare.

The third, It is the ordinarie language of the Saints of God, to call this world a Sea, and this our life a sailing therein. This Origen prooueth, and Hy­larius, and Clemens Alexandrinus: and the proportions are many. Saint Austen ci­teth two, the one, That as the water of the Sea is generally bitter, and it is a wonder if euer it become fresh and sweete: So our life is so full of gall and [Page 64] worme-wood, that there is scarce to bee found in it any the least smack of con­tent or sweetnesse: Suting well with that other saying of this sacred Doctor, That the greatest ioy which we inioy in this life, is not ioy, but a kind of light­ning and easing of sorrow. The other (which is likewise noted by Saint Basil, and Clemens Alexandrinus) That as in the Sea,Basil. Hom. 7. in [...]am. Clem. lib. 1. [...]. A [...]a [...] 14. the greater Fishes deuour the lesser Fry, by a kind of tyrannicall violence; so the powerfull men of this world op­presse the poorer sort, and swallow them vp. According to that of Habacuc: Facies homines, sicut pisces maris, i. Thou makest men as the fishes of the Sea.

Gregorie Nazianzen putteth two other proportions. The one, That as he who saileth in the Sea,Nazianz. tract de vita [...] ne [...] ­bus & O [...]at. Sap. 14. leads a life very neere vnto death, hauing but a poore plancke betwixt him and it, Exiguo enim ligno, credunt homines animas suas, i. For men trust a small piece of wood with their liues; So hee that walkes in the dangerous wayes of this world, may say with Dauid, Vno tantum gradu ego, & mors diuidimur, i.1. Reg. 20. Ther's but one degree betwixt me and death. The other, that those, who take plea­sure in going to Sea, come to make the waues thereof their winding sheete: So those, that are wedded to the world, receiue their death at the worlds hands. The deceits of the world, are like those of the Sea. And for this cause per­haps the Scripture giues the S [...]a the name of Heart;Psal. 46.2. Transferentur montes in cor maris, i. The mountaines shall bee translated into the Heart of the Sea: And some­times,Psal. 104.25. of Hands, Mare magnum, & spatiosum manibus, i. The Sea hath wide and spa­cious Hands; Sometimes of Eyes and Feet, Mare vidit & fugit, i. the sea saw it and fled;Psal. 114.3. Sometimes of Tongue, Desolabit Dominus linguam maris, i. the Lord shall destroy the tongue of the sea. Esay. 11..15. Iob. 7.12. And last of all, Iob paints it foorth like a most fierce beast shut vp in an yron grate, or strong prison; Num quid mare ego sum quia cir­cumdedisti me in isto carcere? i. Am I a sea that thou shouldest keepe mee continu­ally in hold?

From hence followeth another proportion or conueniencie, which is a verie cleare one. For as the way of the Sea is full of dangers, of Pyrats, of Shelfes, and of Rockes; and as it is not possible, that mans wisdome and experience can preuaile against them; euen so is it with the world. The way by Land is of lesse difficultie: Euery man knowes how to make his necessary prouision; as a horse, a man, a cloake-bagge, and a good purse. And suppose some of these should faile vs, wee may furnish our selues afresh at the first good place wee come at. And if wee passe ouer mountaines, where there is suspition of theeues, we may perceiue the perill and preuent it; but for those that goe by Sea, the like pro­uision and preuention cannot be made, especially if fortune doe not fauour vs. Est via, qui videter homini recta nouissima autem eius ducunt ad mortem, i. There is a way which seemeth right to a man, Prou. 16. but the end of it leadeth to death. A ship shall goe sayling with the winde in the Poope of it, with a great deale of content and de­light, and on the suddaine it shall bee split in pieces, and no memoriall remayne thereof. The like successe befalleth men in this world, euery steppe that they tread. And therefore Saint Austen sayth, That it is as great a miracle for a man to walke vpon the waues of the World without sinking, as it was for Saint Peter to walke vpon the waues of the Sea. Many other conueniencies there are, which I omit to mention; this World beeing in conclusion a Sea, our life a say­ling therein, and euery particular man a ship. Sicut naues poma portantes, &c. and therefore subiect to stormes.Iob. 1 [...] ▪

Et nauis erat in medio maris. And the Ship was in the midst of the Sea.

[Page 65]This Shippe was a figure of the Church, which God permitteth to be perse­cuted,

• For his owne sake;
• For the Churches; and
• For those that looke thereupon.

For his owne sake; For should it haue no enemies to persecute it, & hotly to assaile her, Gods omnipotencie would not shew it's glorious splendor to the world. The force of fire is seene when the water cannot quench it; of light, when darkenesse cannot obscure it; of sweete odours, when the filthiest sents cannot ouercome their fragrancie; of power, when the whole strength of the world, nay the Deuill and Hell it selfe cannot preuaile against it. And this suc­ceedeth vnto God in the persecution of his Church: for the enemies thereof haue been maimed and put to flight, Gods Arme remaining still strong & sound. Pharaoh came brauely on with his Chariots and Horsemen; boasting as hee went, Persequor, & comprehendam illos, euaginabo gladium meum, interficiet eos manus mea, I will pursue them, and ouertake them, I will vnsheath my Sword, and my hand shall slay them: But God beckned vpon the waues, and they swallowed vp aliue both him and all his Host. And the Text saith, That the Hebrewes saw the powerfull hand of God charging vpon them, hauing planted there in that sea the ensigne of his power. Tertullian saith of Iob, That God made him a triumphant Chariot of the spoyles of Hell, and that he dragged thereat along in the durt, his enemies en­signes, to the greater dishonour of the Deuill. The like doth God doe in the Church, with Iewes, Moores, and Heretickes, himselfe remaining still firme against all their furious violences, like a rock in the midst of the sea. Some rocks are to be seene euen where the Seas are deepest; which it seemeth God placed there of purpose,The Church why likened to a Rocke. in scorne and contempt of that ouerswelling pride and furious raging of the sea: For though they haue beene lashed and beaten by them from the beginning of the world to this present day, they could neuer mooue, much lesse remooue them, because they haue sure rooting in the bottome of the Sea. And this is a Type of the Church, which God hath placed in the middest of this Sea of the World, for to make a mocke of as many as are her enemies.

But some one will say, How can the Church be called a Rocke, beeing figu­red here by this little Ship, which the waues thus tosse vp and down in the aire? I answer, That Ezechiel in his twentie seuenth Chapter, speaketh of Tyrus in the metaphor of an Isle, My beautie is perfect, and my abode is in the midst of the Sea. And presently changing that metaphor, he termes it a Galley; which is all one, as if he should haue said, That with Gods helpe a Galley may be an Isle, and without God an Isle may be a Galley. So likewise the Church, albeit it be a Ship in the middest of the tempestuous waues of the Sea, yet by the assistance of his holy Spirit it may bee a perdurable Rocke. And (as Saint Austen hath noted it) the Executioners haue often wanted strength and inuentions to torment, but there neuer wanted courage in the Martyrs for to suffer, by the diuine power and fauour of God. Howsoeuer therefore the waues shall beate against this Barke, they may want force to ouerturne her, but she will neuer want sides to make re­sistance.

For the Churches sake; because it makes for her good,The greatest persecution of the Church, is to want perse­cution. and for her greater encrease. This is expressed in that Parable, Nisi granum frumenti, Except a grain of Corne, &c. And in that other, Ego sum vitis vera, & vos palmites, I am the true Vine, yee are the Branches. The happinesse of Corne consisteth in this, in that it is sowen, and in that it dies; That of the Vine, in that it is pruned, and hath it's [Page 66] boughes and branches cut off: Many wilde Trees of vnsauorie Fruits, by the art of graffing are reduced to a pleasant relish. Of Saffron Pliny saith, That the more it is trodden on, the better it springeth: The graine of Mustard, the more it is bruised and broken, the greater strength it discouereth: And the Church, the more it is persecuted, the more it prospereth. And as Mariners are woont to say, that at sea the worst storme is a calme; so wee may say of the Church, that it's greatest persecution is to haue no persecution at all. Esay sets it downe for a threatning, That God will leaue off to prune and dresse his Vine any more, Di­mittam eam, Leo. papa. ser. 1. de pet. & Paul. Basil. Esay. 5. Crys. Psal. 71. & non putabitur, nec fodietur. For when a Vine is pruned, for one branch it putteth forth ten: And the Church, by one Martyr being cut off, giues a plentifull encrease of two hundred conuerted Christians. Pope Leo, Saint Basil, and Saint Chrysostome prosecute this Doctrine more at large, in the vnfol­ding of the aforesaid Parables.

Lastly, for their sakes that looke thereupon, and behold at full the persecu­tions of the Church. For as to the righteous, the prosperitie of the sinner is a stumbling blocke of offence; Hic labor est ante me: So to the sinner, the perse­cution of the just causeth great scandall. Both these are vndoubted truths, both hard to bee vnderstood, but harder farre to bee persuaded. But God afflicteth with persecutions the thing which he most loueth, which is his Church; and prospereth those her enemies, which hate her, to the end, that men might there­by learne and vnderstand, that neither those euils which the Church suffereth, are true euils; nor those blessings which the other inioy, true blessings. And this is prooued out of Saint Augustine in his Booke De Ciuit. Dei;Aug. lib. 1. de Ciuit. cap. 8. Seneca lib. qua­re bonis viris. cap. 5. and out of Seneca in that his Booke, Quare bonis viris. So that the wicked, though that hee inioy a great deale of prosperitie, wee are not to esteeme it as a blessing; nor for that the righteous suffer much aduersity, are we to account it a curse vnto them: But ought rather to apprehend, that persecution is for their good, in regard that our Sauiour Christ giues it vs as a reward for our great seruice. Et omnis qui re­liquerit patrem, matrem, &c. centuplum accipiet cum persecutionibus, i. And euerie one that shall haue left father or mother &c. Shall receiue a hundreth fold, with Persecuti­ons. Saint Marke, and Saint Cyprian, both affirme, that persecution putteth vs in a kind of possession of that glorie which wee hope for hereafter, at least it giues vs an assurance thereof. And this is made good by this comparison. The Good, the Scripture stileth by the name of Wheat; and the Wicked are tearmed Chaffe. Now, it is the Fanne of persecution, that doth seuer the Wheat from the Chaffe.

Vidit eos laborantes in remigando.

Hee saw them toyled in rowing. There are two things which steale away Gods eyes,Gods Eyes how to be drawn vnto vs. and filch them (if I may vse that phrase) from forth his head. The one is, an humble and prompt obedience: The other, the trouble and torment which we suffer for his sake. Touching the first, notable is that place of Abraham, whose obedience did so draw Gods eyes vnto him, that that place where he was resol­ued to performe the Sacrifice, remained with this name, Dominus videbit, The Lord will see. Touching the second, There is not any hunger nor humane mise­rie, whereon Gods mercie hath not his eye fixed, nay, I may boldly say, fast nai­led thereunto. To Moses God spake out of a Bush; O thou great God of hea­uen and earth, a bush is no fitting chaire for thy glorie, or thy Maiestie; Who made thee thus to alter thy Throne? Vidi afflictionem Populi mei in Aegypto, I haue seene the affliction of my People in Aegypt. Another Translation hath it, Videndo [Page 67] vidi, In se [...]ing I haue seene; and the repetition goes on in this descant, Qui tangit vos, tangit pupillam oculi mei, He toucheth the apple of Gods eye, that toucheth the Iust. And in another place, Et clamorem eius audiui, And I haue heard his crie: For our miserie toucheth not onely Gods eye, but his eare also. Tertullian reporteth in his Apologetico, That the Gentiles did murmure against the Christians, that they would not recommend the safetie and welfare of their kings to those their Gods, Iupiter and Mercurie. But Nazianzen answereth thereunto, That they did not al­low of this their councell, to recommend their safetie vnto Gods whose hands & feet were of Iead; but vnto that God who swiftly flies to heale them of their infirmities, and carries health in his wings, Et sanitas in pennis eius.

Vidit eos laborantes in remigando, He saw them labouring at the Oare. In another Tempest, no lesse fearefull than the former, Saint Luke [...]aith, That our Sauiour Christ fell asleepe, leaning his head on one of the boords of the Ship, in stead of a pillow. And here Saint Mathew saith, That hee beheld how his Disciples wrestled with the waues, seeking to ouercome their rage and their furie. The one Tempest God permitted, the other he sendeth. Of Pharaoh it is said by the Prophet, Ego excitaui eum, I raised him vp to be the instrument for the afflicting of my People, that I might afterwards grind him to pouder. And by Esayas he saith, That with his whistle he called the Flies from beyond the Seas. In all sorts of Tempests therefore the Iust may thinke themselues safe, because God is con­tinually at hand to helpe them: According to that of Dauid, Cum ipso sum in tri­bulatione, I am with thee in tribulation; And of Esay, Esay. 43. When thou passest through the waters I will bee with thee, and when thou walkest in the fire thou shalt not bee burnt. And of Ezechiell; Ero sicut Tunica prope corpus ipsorum, i. I will bee as a coat about their bodie. Saint Gregorie sayth, That God appeared vnto Iob, De turbine, i. Out of the whirlewind. For hauing permitted a whirle-winde of troubles to come vpon him, it would not haue suted so well that hee should haue spoke vnto him from that throne of Glorie, whence he spake vnto him when hee was in his per­fect health and prosperitie. The three children beeing in the Firie Furnace, the Sonne of God appeared amidst those flames, and the tyrant saw one,Sap. 10. Similem filio Dei, i. Like the sonne of God. Of Ioseph it is sayd, Descenditque cum illo in foueam, & in vinculis non derelinquit eum, i. He wont downe with him into the pit, and left him not in his bonds. God accompanied him in his yrons and his giues.Psal. 28. Dominus di­luuium inhabitare facit. Saint Ierome translates it, Dominus diluuium inhabitans. When God sent the Flood, hee put himselfe also in the midst of the waters.1. Reg. 27. Re­demisti tibi ex Aegipto gentem, & Deum eius, i. Thou hast redeemed a nation to thy selfe, euen out of Aegipt, and withall, their God. Vpon which place Vatablus hath noted, That God did redeeme himselfe, beeing captiuated as well as his people. And hee could not like of his owne libertie, as long as hee saw that they were kept in slauerie. In Aegiptum descendit populus meu [...], Esay 52. & Asur [...]ine causa calumniatus est eum; & nunc quid mihi est hic? My people is gone downe into Aegipt; Assur hath affli­cted them without a cause; and now what doe I here? My people captiue, and I at li­bertie? Quid mihi est hic? My people troden vnder feet, and I inioy the smoke of incence and sacrifice? Quid mihi est hic, i. What doe I here?

Erat enim ventus contrarius.

For the Wind was aganst them. All the misfortunes of nauigation, the Euan­gelist reduceth to the Winde. And following the Metaphore, That this World is a Sea, and our life a sayling therein; all that doth hinder the prospe­ritie and happinesse thereof, is Wind. Whilest the vse of reason stood faire and [Page 68] cleere with man, he put the prow of his desires into the Hauen of Saluation: for all doe naturally desire an estate that is full of happinesse, and free from euill; and that which makes their voyage vnhappie & vnfortunate, is Wind. Saint Iohn saith, That all things in this world, are either pleasures, couetousnesse, or ho­nours: And if we shall summe vp all the pleasures, riches, and honors, that haue beene enioyed in the world euen to this verie houre, we shall find that they are all but Wind. Salomon made an Annatomie of all humane felicitie, and in conclu­sion shewes it is all but vanitie, Vanitas vanitatum, & omnia vanitas. Zacharie saw a figure of foure Empires, the famousest that euer were in the world; the Assi­rians, Persians, Medes, and Graecians; and asking of the Angell, Qui sunt isti, Do­mine mi? He told him, isti sunt quatuor Venti, Those are the foure Winds. The most prosperous Scepters, and the most dreadfull Crownes are no better than ayre: And it were well if they were no worse, and did not crosse that good fortune which we desire in the nauigation of this our life; Hoc opus, hic labor.

Circa quartam vigiliam noctis.

Abac [...]. 2. About the fourth watch. What, so late? Gods helpe come it when it wil come, comes neuer too late; Veniens, veniet, & non tardabit. And God would that this truth should remaine so notorious and manifest to the world, that hee doth not onely call it a Vision, ex plana visum, which carrieth it's euidence along with it; but he commandeth the Prophet to write it downe with strange circumstances. The first is verie cleere, and hath not the least shaddow of darkenesse in it. The second circumstance, that this saying should bee grauen Vpon Boxe, for so the Septuagint read it; which kind of wood (according vnto Esay) conserueth what is written therein to the worlds end. The third, That it should bee written in capitall letters which may be read afarre off. The fourth, The assurance & cer­taintie thereof, implied in the repetition, Veniens, veniet, & non tardabit, Comming, he will come, vide cap. de re­ser [...]cum sero es­set. and will not tarrie. Saint Bernard argueth hereupon, Quomodo non tar­dabit, si moram fecerit? How can he but linger, if he vse delay? I answer, Gods helpe may happely come too late, in regard of our desire, but can neuer come too late in regard of our necessitie. And this his slownesse in succouring vs, may seeme painfull, if wee shall measure it according to the impatiencie of our desire; but profitable vnto vs, if wee will but thinke vpon the reward which is layd vp for those that suffer hoping.

Rom. 5.Saint Paul in the chaine which he recommendeth to the Romans, whose links are Tribulation, Patience, Triall, Hope, Charitie (which Saint Austen doth so much celebrate in his booke De Doct. Christiana) saith, Gloriamur in tribulationi­bus, scientes quoniam tribulatio patientiam operatur; patientia, probationem; probatio, vero spem, We reioyce in tribulation; knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience; patience, experience; and experience, hope. Wee draw glorie out of our tribulati­ons; for he that is in tribulation, doth not onely suffer, but in suffering worketh; which working causeth in vs an eternall weight of glorie. Cor. 17. The excellen­cie of Patience From Patience ariseth another linke, which is Probation, or Triall; whither it bee for that the Patient doth prooue how much he is able to suffer, being fauoured by Heauen, and hol­pen from aboue; or whither it be, that he should bee prooued as was Iob, to see whither he would sticke surely to his tackling. For Patience is a more assured testimonie of our triall, than Fasting, Prayer, Almes, or the like: for these are often subiect vnto falsehood. Againe, from this Triall, ariseth Hope; for hee that is wonderfull patient, cannot but haue a wonderfull good Hope. This was it that made God say to Abraham, Nunc cognoui quod timeas Deum, Now I know that [Page 69] thou fearest God. And S. Paul saith of himselfe, That he did hope beyond hope; that is, that he did euen then still hope, when all reason of hope did faile him. Besides, God is woont to permit that our tribulation should be great, to the end that our Patience might be made great, our Triall great, and our Hope great: and then doth he come in and helpe vs, when hee hath made sufficient proofe of our faith: to the trial wherof God puts vs a thousand manner of ways. The Peo­ple of Israel passed through the bed of Iordan, those waters sliding gently along towards the dead sea, and those other drouen backe, so that they passed through it as through the drie land. And yet this might perhaps seeme vnto God but a slender triall of their Faith; First, Because a great number ioyning in companie together, they take more courage vnto them in the vndergoing of any danger; for common calamities are euermore the lesse felt. Secondly, In regard of the Arkes being there, whereof those waters might seeme to be affraid, and so flie backe for feare, Iordanis conuersus est retrorsum. Thirdly, For that there were so many innocent little children amongst them, whom God (they might suppose) would not suffer to bee drowned, considering they had not yet offended him, as not knowing good from euill. And therefore he commanded that twelue of them, vpon whom the lots should fall, should goe backe & take out twelue great stones out of the bed of Iordan, to make a Pyramis or Alter to remaine as a memoriall of that miracle: whereunto they all of them readily offered themselues with a great deale of alacritie; and this was a great triall of their Faith: But it would haue beene greater, if God had commanded them to set their backes and shoul­ders against the waues, keeping them there, and deferring his succour till the thread of their hope were broken in twaine, and they readie to perish.

This deferring is vsually the vigill of Gods greater mercies.Greg. hom. [...]0. in Euang. Saint Gregorie declareth to this purpose that place of Esay, Ad punctum in modico dereliquisse, & in miserationibus magnis congregaui te, He deferred his helpe to the last push, but the greater the delay was, the greater was his mercie; As wee see, Gods deferring of his Iustice is oftentimes the occasion of the seuerer punishment.Chryst. hom. 55. in Math. Saint Chry­sostome saith, That Christs so long deferring to alay this storme, was to teach vs, that we are not at the first flaw of a Tempest, to call for present faire weather; but rather to crie out with Dauid, Non me derelinquas vsquequaque, Let not thy not relieuing of mee bee eternall, Forsake me not ô Lord for euer; but let thy succour come when it shall seeme best vnto thee: not my, but thy will be done.

God likewise refuseth sometimes to affoord his help,He delights to see his chil­dren wrestling with affli­ction. Seneca lib. quare viris cap. 2. out of the pleasure that hee taketh to see the Righteous row against the streame, and to tugge and wrestle with all the might they can, against the troubles and afflictions of this world. Seneca touching (though as a Heathen) vpon this straine, saith, That there is not in all the earth a spectacle more worthie Gods beholding, than to see a stout man wrestling against aduerse fortune. Saint Chrysostome dwelles much vpon the great care which God tooke in notifying to the Deuill, that hee should not touch Iob in his life; Veruntamen animam illius serua, But yet preserue his life. Not that Iob should haue receiued any hurt by the losse of his life, but because God would not loose the pleasure of seeing this stout combat fought out be­twixt him and his enemie. Si de medio tuleris Theatrum non plaudet amplius. And as your Heathen Emperours tooke great delight in seeing a Christian enter the Listes with a wild Beast; so the King of Heauen takes much pleasure in seeing one of his Saints maintaine fight against those fierce Beasts of Hell.

Et putauerunt Phantasma esse.

And they tooke him for an apparition. Here is one feare vpon another, & there­fore it was not much they should crie out. The wind and the waues had sorely affrighted them, and that which was to bee the remedie of their danger, made them to apphrehend a new danger, fearing now more their succour than their hurt: being herein like vnto many, who feare their good, but not their euil; the Glutton doth not feare drunkennesse,Men feare not the sinne, but the suffe­ring for sinne. and that fulnesse which lessens his health, and puts his life in danger; but feares those syrrops and purgations which he is to take for his recouerie. The bad Christian feareth not the fault he hath com­mitted, which is the greatest euill; but feareth to doe pennance for the same, which is for his greatest good. The Atheist feareth not death, nor the graue, but saith, We haue made a couenant with Death and Hell; yet he feareth pouerty & hun­ger, and the enemie that threatens him; but not God, who can swallow him vp quicke in the flames of Hell fire: He feares an earthly Iudge that may put him to torment; but not that Iudge of Heauen, that can condemne to endlesse paines which are neuer to haue end.

Ductus est Iesus a Spiritu in desertum vt tentaretur.

Hee was led by the Spirit into the Desart, that hee might bee tempted. The holy Ghost was a guide to all our Sauiours Actions: Hee was Dux & Comes (as Saint Cyprian saith) or as Esay hath it, Spiritus sanctus, ductor eius fuit, i. The holy Spirit was his Leader. But in none of our Actions makes the Scripture any mention that the holy Ghost leadeth vs vnto, but onely to Temptation. And this is expres­sed with wordes that carry a kind of force with them, though voluntary and sweet. Expulit, agebatur, ductus est, Hee drew him not, hee was chased, hee was led. And the mysterie thereof is, that no man ought to presume, considering his weake­nesse, so much vpon his owne securitie and confidence, that hee should enter in­to Temptation, vnlesse the holy Ghost take him vp as it were by the haire of the [Page 76] head, and set him into it. And the truth of this doctrine is deliuered vnto vs by Victor Antiochenus, Temporall victories got­ten by figh­ting, Sprituall by flying. Saint Iohn, Chrisostome, Gregorius Nissenus, Euthimius, & many other Saints of God. In corporall warre, it is greater courage to fight, than to flie; but in the spirituall warfare, the assurance of the Victorie consists in flying. And God would rather haue vs to bee cowards through feare, than couragious through presumption; and therefore hee first promiseth vs his Protection, that is, his Ayd, and his Fauour. Deus refugium & virtus, adiutor in opportunitatibus, & in tribulatione, i. God is a helper in due season, & in tribulation. Hee first sayes, he will bee our refuge, and afterwards our helper. Flye therefore from danger, and haue recourse vnto God, and beeing sheltred vnder the shadow of his wings, and vpheld by the strength of his Arme, thou needst not feare any harme that Hell can doe vnto thee. So that God is not bound to fauour thee in those temp­tations which thou doost thrust thy selfe into, but in those that thou seekest to shun. Saint Austen, aduising I know not whom, that they should not talke and conuerse with Women so familiarly as they did; they excused themselues vn­to him, telling him, that they onely did so, that they might meete with some Temptations wherewith to encounter. But this glorious Doctor plainely told them; Herein, you seeke nothing but dangers, and stumbling blockes to cause you to fall. And as it is fit to take from before the eyes of the franticke, all those images and pictures which may moue passion in him, for that they wil be an oc­casion to make him madder than euer he was before; so, ought a sinner to auoid all the vanities of this World.Psal. 54. Ecce elongaui fugiens, & mansi in solitudine. Saint Bernard hath well obserued, that for his better ease and quiet, this holy King, did not onely leaue his owne Citie, but fled farre from it. And hee that shall flie from the occasions of sinning, performes no small matter. But hee that shall flie a farre off from them, will find it to bee most for his ease. Temptation, as it is the Deuils acte, is ill; and God doth not will it positiuely, but permissiuely hee doth; so sayth Saint Chrisostome: Aduising vs, that wee should not seeke after them, but if they chance to set vpon vs, then are wee to stand to it, and valiantly to fight it out. This our Sauiour Christ would insinuate to his Disciples, in the garden, when hee sayd vnto them; Watch and pray that yee enter not into Tempta­tion. Mat. 28. For a man to sleepe, when hee is in daunger, and not to flie vnto God for succour, is to seeke after Temptation. Saint Austen, Saint Cyprian, Saint Grego­rie, and Saint Chrysostome, say, That this is the meaning of that prayer which [...] daily make, And lead vs not into Temptation. Which carries with it a double sence. The one, Lead vs not (ô Lord) into Temptation, for our weakenesse and frail­tie is exceeding great. So doth Petrus Chrisologus expound it. But because it is not a fitting language for a Souldier to desire of his Captaine, that hee should not send him foorth to fight; that other sence is more plaine, Suffer vs not (ô Lord) to fall into Temptation. Though wee ought to suf­fer for Christs sake, wee should not yet seeke it. But if thou wilt permit that wee must bee temp­ted, yet consent not (ô Lord) that wee bee ouercome. And this sence, Saint Austen seemeth to approue in that his sermon, de Monte. But in what sence soeuer you take it, it is very true, that no man ought rashly to run himselfe into danger; And Saint Cyprian sayth, That no man should presume to offer his throat to bee cut by a tyrants knife, out of a desire that he hath to suffer for our Sauiours sake, but that hee waight his time and tarry till they take him and put him vpon the racke. Lactantius Firmianus sayth, That hee that vnnecessarily ventures vpon danger, ought not to bee stiled valiant, nor indeed is, but ought rather to bee ac­counted rash and inconsiderate: For hee that is truely valiant, is neither rash in daring, nor imprudent in fearing, nor weake in suffering; as Saint Austen hath [Page 77] well noted. When the waues and windes of Temptation, blow, and beat hard against mans brest, and seeming to ouerwhelme him, hee remaineth firme as a Rocke, this is true fortitude indeed. In Dauids Tower (which is a Type of the Church) all the weapons of warre were defensiue, as Shields, and Targets, and Morrions; Mille clypei pendent ex ea. And it is further added, That these were the Armes and weapons of the strong and valiant men.

Some will say, That there is no worke of vertue which is not subiect to temptation. Who did euer begin to walke in the way of perfection, who did not meet with a thousand phantasies? Diabolus enim semper per primordia boni pul­sat, & tentat rudimenta virtutum, saith Chrysologus; it beeing therefore needefull that wee should flie from temptation, shall it not bee likewise necessarie, that wee flie from perfection. Hereunto Thomas answereth, That to follow perfe­ction is a worke of the holy Ghost, who is the Author thereof; and hauing him for our second, to bring vs into the Field, wee need not to feare. They that in the Primitiue Church did people the Deserts and solitarie places, did no doubt perceiue that they should be set vpon and tempted: But because their end was not to play bo-peepe with the Deuill, and to goe about to mocke him, but to serue their God, and to enioy his fauour, they did not care a fig for all his temp­tations. In a word, The temptations that wee are to flie from, are those which of their owne nature dispose vs vnto sinne; as vnlawfull games, offensiue con­uersations, ill companie, dancing, masking, and idle Enterludes: for he that tou­cheth Pitch shall be defiled therewith. Saint Paul writing to the Hebrews,Heb. 12. giues vs this good aduice, Deponentes omne pondus, & circumstans nos peccatum, Laying euery weight aside, and the sinne that stands about vs. Where the word Circumstans is much to be weighed: for there are many things, which albeit they bee not sin, yet are they verie neere vnto sinne. And (as Saint Austen saith) as Gods mer­cie doth round and gard the gates about the house of the Righteous, Circumuo­litabat à longè misericordia tua: So likewise the malice of the Deuill doth round our soules, and spreddeth his nets round about vs to intrap vs: and therfore we must continually fixe our eye vpon Christ Iesus our onely Sauiour; Aspicientes in authorem fidei: that when the Deuill shall come to tempt vs, he shall finde him­selfe so stript of all occasions to cause vs to sinne, that hee shall bee forced to be­take himselfe to stones, as he did against our Sauiour.

Vt tentaretur à Diabolo.

That he might be tempted of the Deuill. It hath beene treated of alreadie,Our Sauiour could not be tempted either by the World or the Flesh. That the temptation of the World and the Flesh could not take hold on Christ, in re­gard of that inward repugnance, and intrinsicall opposition which hee had with weakenesse and ignorance. And therefore it is commonly said, that the one is incident to the weake; the other proper vnto fooles. Of Thales Milesius they asked many questions, and to all he gaue conuenient & fitting answers; as, What is the most antient? God: What the fairest thing that he created? The world: What the lightest? Thought: What the strongest? Necessitie: What the easi­est, and yet the hardest? The knowledge of a mans selfe: What the foolishest? The heart of a man that is giuen to the world. There being therefore deposited in our Sauiours brest all the treasures of Gods wisedome, hee could not bee tempted by the World, and lesse by the Flesh. And I verily beleeue, that though it was impossible for him to be tempted; yet if it had beene possible, hee would not haue consented to these temptations, to the end that he might aduise vs, that when the Deuill should set vpon vs with these weapons, we may giue our selues [Page 78] almost for lost. Funiculus triplex difficile rumpitur, A threefold cord is not easily bro­ken. That a twine thread, or a single slender wand is soone broken; but a three­fold cord, or a bundle of stickes, had neede of a strong arme to cracke them in twaine. The ordinarie vse of fighting is, one against one: And the Prouerbe saith, Neque Hercules contra duos, Not Hercules against two. But when this Squa­dron of the world, the flesh, & the Deuil shal come against you, it shal be extream rashnesse to stay wiating for him. When Sodome was set on fire, the Angell said to Lot, Saue thy selfe in the Mountaine: he replied, Not so my Lord, There is a city here neere to flie vnto; Nunquid non modica est? Is it not a little one? ô let me escape thither, and my soule shall liue: As if hee should haue said, I know that in great Cities there is no hope of life and safetie; for if wee could in them be safe, the Scripture would not so often inculcate in our eares, Fugite de medio Babilonis.

Cum jeiunasset quadraginta diebus, & quadraginta noctibus, postea esurijt.

When he had fasted fortie dayes and fortie nights, he was afterwards hungrie. Saint Luke saith, That all this while our Sauiour had eaten nothing, Et nihil manduca­uit in diebus illis; Cannonizing by this act the sanctitiy of Fasting. S. Austen goes about to paralell this our Sauiours fasting with that of Moses, Our Sauiours Fast how dif­fering from that of Moses and Elias. who fasted twice fortie dayes; and with that of Elias, who fasted once in the same manner; signi­fying thereby, that the Gospell was not contrarie to the Law, nor the Prophe­cies foretold by those holy Prophets. But there was this diffrence betwixt theirs, and that of our Sauiors fasting; that Moses and Elias were not a hunger'd neither in, nor after their fasting; but Christ postea esurijt, he had no sooner ended his fa­sting, but hunger seised on his bowells: And the reason thereof was (as Maximu [...] renders it) that God to shew his greatnesse and his power, did inwardly sustaine and feede them; but our Sauiour Christ hauing in him on the one side the power of God, and on the other side the nature of man, When he had fasted fortie daies and fortie nights, he was afterwards an hungrie.

From those fortie dayes that Desert tooke his name, beeing called Quarenta­na. It is a rough and rugged Mountaine, some foure miles from Iordan, where our Sauiour was baptized, and two from Ierico. And because it was such a wild and solitarie place, Saint Marke addeth, Eratque cum bestijs, in token there was no better companie there. And they that make description of the Holy Land, re­port, That there are bred therein many blacke and fearefull Vipers.

When he had fasted fortie dayes. That voyce from Iordan, This is my beloued Son, made the Deuill the eagerer to set vpon him,Why our Sa­uiour would bee hungerie. and to challenge him the Field. But Saint Chrysostome saith, that this our Sauiours fasting kept him still aloofe off from him, and made him so cowardly, that he was affraid to venture vpon him: and therefore did our Sauiour of purpose submit himselfe vnto hunger, that the Deuill might thereby be encouraged to come on the more boldly. Thomas no­teth it, That Fasting is such a weapon, that the Deuill dares not to come within the reach of it; for it makes Men to be like vnto Angels: And euer since that Lu­cifer fell from Heauen, he hath liued stil in feare of his own shadow. Leo the Pope saith, That there are a certaine sort of terrible Deuills, against whom no coniu­rations nor exorcismes can preuaile, or doe any good; onely they cannot with­stand the force of Fasting. And of these our Sauiour Christ saith, This kind of Deuill is not cast out, but by Prayer and Fasting. Saint Basil saith, That our Sauiour Christ would not consent, that the Flesh which hee had taken of our nature [Page 79] vpon him, should bee tempted, till he had armed it with fasting: Not that hee could incurre any daunger, but onely to teach vs how to stand vpon our guard. Athanasius sayth, That the Deuill hath suborned many in this life, to make show of beeing zealous of your welfare, and that they should goe about to persuade you, that you doe your selfe wrong in fasting, and that it makes you looke leane, and yellow, and spoyles your complexion. And as in Paradise, hee persuaded our Mother, by the Serpents insinuation, to eat of the forbidden Fruit; so now by his factors doth he persuade many to feasting, but none to fasting. Notable to this purpose, is that Historie of the Prophet whome God sent to Bethel a­gainst King Ieroboam, giuing him in charge, that hee should neither eate nor drinke in that place. He boldly deliuered his message, but durst not receiue of the King, that entertainement which he offered him; but as he returned home­ward, a false Prorphet came foorth, & meeting him on the way, said vnto him, I pray ye depart not hence without seeing of your friends, & receiuing such poore cheere as wee can make you. He told him that he had order from God not to do it. Then sayd the false Prophet, I haue had a reuelation to thecontrarie. Inconclu­sion the true Prophet beeing deceiued by the false Prophet, did eate. But in his iourney home a Lyon met him, and killed him. God aduising him that had de­ceiued him, of this sad Accident.

Whence I inferre, That if it were a fault in the true Prophet to eat, by gi­uing too light credit to the false Prophet; the offence will bee no lesse in you,Motiues to induce vs to Fasting. by giuing too easie beleefe to Satans Agent, who aduiseth thee, that thou shouldst not fast.

Secondly, if hee that beeing deceiued, did eate, doth deserue the punish­ment of death, what shall hee deserue, that did deceiue him? And therefore God did notifie to the false Prophet the death of the true Prophet, to the end that the inequalitie of the sin, might persuade him, what kind of punishment hee did deserue.

Thirdly, the true Prophet payd the price of his sinne, with the losse of his life; but by repentance he saued his Soule. And one assured token thereof was, that the Lyon stood by him and guarded his Body, till they had giuen it buriall. But the false Prophet, had much more to answere for, and a greater reckoning to make. For if a light sinne, were so seuerely punished; how much more a greater? This Doctrine doth much concerne your cheu'rel-conscience Phisitions, who vpon euery light occasion giue licences for not fasting; & those cockering Mo­thers, who will not suffer their daughters to fast, fearing it would spoyle their colour, and marre their complexion; whereas in verie deed, nothing doth make the countenance so freshand so cleare as fasting doth; as those Histories of Iu­dith, and those Babilonian children sufficiently proue, whose fasting made their faces as faire, as if they had beene so many Angels.

Fortie dayes and fortie nights. To what end (will some say) serueth so much fasting? Wee are not able to imitate this act of our Sauiours. I answer, wee are to fast for two respects. The one, That many of our Sauiours miracles ought ra­ther to bee admired, than imitated. The other, that by this his fasting, he layd thereby a greater obligation vpon vs to serue him; and that wee may by those poore fasts that we keepe, show therby, that we much both approue and esteeme that long fast of his.

Hee was afterward hungrie. Theodoret sayth, That when the Deuill came to know that Christ began to grow hungrie, he did then certainly assure himself of victorie. Philon discoursing on the life of Moses, That for a man to suffer hunger [Page 80] and thirst, it is verie great torment, and not to be endured, Graue est Domine, sitis & fames. In the Desert God with-held the giuing of Manna for some few daies from his People; and the Text saith, That he did it for to proue them. And it is a great triall of our vertue, to suffer hunger for Gods cause; it is such a storme as is able to put a man besides his wits. When Ioseph dreamed of those seuen yeares of dearth, specified by those seuen leane Kyne, Theodoret hath noted, That he then foresaw, that the hunger of his brethren would force them to fall downe and worship him whom before they so much scorned and abhorred. The Deuill now thought himselfe cocke-sure, and thought to make his entrie at this little hole, and to get within him. Ecclesiasticus saith, That sinne is like the drop­ping of raine, which by little and little sokes through the wall, till at last both it, and the house whereon it stands, fall suddenly to the ground. God comman­ded Ezechiel, That he should take a tyle-stone, and paint thereon the holy Citie of Ierusalem,Ezech. 4. v. 1. drawing round about it a great Armie, Sume tibi laterem, &c. The like doth the Deuill; he desires no more of thee but a Tyle-stone, or the like toy, and out of that he will make Towers and walles, and bulwarkes, and armies of souldiers to besiege thee.

Accessit Tentator, The Tempter drew neere.

This word Tempter (as Rupertus hath noted it) containeth in it these two things:

The one, The Deuills malice.

The other, His craft and subtletie.

Touching the first, he hath no other occupation saue doing of ill, & working of mischiefe.The Deuills trade onely to doe Euill. The vnknowne Author expounding those words of Dauid, They meditated deceit all the day long, saith, That these are those Deuils which spend all the whole day in plotting of mischiefe, and in working deceit, as if this were gi­uen them to taske, and were hired so to doe. There is no day-labourer, bee hee neuer so hard a Workeman, but towards high noone doth rest himselfe a little: but the Deuill,His diligence in following it. Dolos, tota die meditabatur. It is said in the Reuelation, That cer­taine Locusts came out of a bottomlesse Pit, and that they had a King ouer them, which is the Angell of the bottomlesse Pit, whose name in the Hebrew Tongue is Abaddon; in the Greeke, Apollyon, and in the Latine, Exterminans. Here is like to like, such souldiers, such a Captaine. Your Locusts neuer do good, but hurt, and this is the Deuills office; and therfore is he termed Exterminans. Dauid calls him by the name of Dragon, who with his verie breath doth taint the aire, and kills therewith the Birds that flie to and fro therein: Exterminauit eum aper de sil­ua, The Boare of the Mountaine destroyeth the Lords Vineyard; he ouerthroweth Mo­nasteries; through sloath and idlenesse soliciting Religious men to be negligent in comming to Church, carelesse in preaching, and loose in their life. In the marriage bed he soweth tares, treacheries, and lightnesse. With wordly men he persuadeth, That he is no bodie that is not rich; and therefore, bee it by hooke or by crooke, by right, or by wrong, he would haue thee get to be wealthie. In a word, he is generally set vpon mischiefe; and therefore hath hee the name of Tempter. But it is to be noted, that he doth then most hurt, when hee is most prouoked. Petrus Chrysologus saith, Est quidem Diabolus per se nequam, fit tamen ne­quior, prouocatus. Like vnto your Dogge, who barkes out of custome, but if you throw stones at him he will barke the more: or like vnto the Bull in the Place, who beeing houted at, and galled, growes thereby more mad, and more fierce: or like vnto the Boare when he is wounded with the Speare; or the Beare, who [Page 81] enraged, sets more furiously vpon the Hunter that pursues him, and throwes his Darts at him. There was a voyce alreadie thundred out against him from Hea­uen, in the riuer of Iordan. Our Sauiours fasting was as stones throwne against a barking Curre; his being in the Desert was no fit place for him to worke his will, considering those good meditations wherein our Sauiour was then occu­pied: And therefore seeing himselfe thus crost, he would labour to make his ad­uantage, and trie what he could doe by the helpe of these other stones, as he had then a purpose to employ them.

Touching the second, to wit, His craft and his subtletie, notable is that place of Saint Paul, We are not to wrestle with flesh and bloud, but with the snare of the De­ill: The Apostle doth not say, against his force and his power,Ephes. 6.12. though that bee great; but against his craft & his subtletie, against his trickes & deuices, & against his plots and stratagems. Tertullian renders it, Machinationes; Saint Hierome, Adinuentiones; and the Reuelation, Altitudines Sathanae, The depth and profundi­tie of his policies and deepe reaches. Saint Chrysostome expounding that phrase of Principes tenebrarum, The Princes of darkenesse, saith, That they are not Noctis tenebrae, sed maliciae; the darkenesse of malice being greater than that of the night. Spiritualia nequitiae, cui nomina mille, mille nocendi artes, (i.) Spirituall wickednesses, Virgil. E [...]e. which haue a thousand names, and a thousand wayes to hurt, as the Poet hath it. A cer­taine Monke asked the Deuill, How he was called? He told him, Mille modis arti­fex vocor, I am called a cunning Workeman. And therefore the Scripture stiles him Serpent, and a winding Snake, that rolls vp himselfe as it were in a circle. Visi­tabit Dominus super Serpentem tortuosum, saith Esay. Eductus est coluber tortuosus, (saith Iob:) There is no Labyrinth so intricate, and so full of doublings & tur­nings, as is he. It is much doubt which of the two is most requisit in a Captaine, Virtus, an Dolus? Courage, or Craft? In the Deuill, if his power be incomparable, his subtletie is much more. Some of the antient Saints haue put it to question, Why the Deuill did appeare vnto our Mother Eue in the forme of a Serpent? Saint Chrysostom saith,Why the De­uill appeared to Eue in the forme of a Serpent. That God did giue him the libertie to make free choice of any one of the beasts of the Field, which soeuer he had most mind vnto; and, that he made choice of the Serpent, as of the wisest and subtillest, as the sacred Text deliuereth vnto vs. Saint Augustine, That it was not in his election to chuse any other; to the end that the deceit and subtletie of the Serpent might stirre vp a kind of jealousie and warinesse in our Mother: For craft and cunning haue euer done more hurt than open force. The Wolfe is then most to bee fea­red when he puts himselfe into Sheepes cloathing, or a Lyon in a Foxes skin; (which is the condition of your Heretickes.) Dauid speaking of those which fol­low the Deuils partie, saith, Partes Vulpium erunt. The Spouse calles them little Foxes, Vulpes paruulas, qui demoliuntur Vineas, Alluding in them, to the Deuills.

Vpon this craft and subtletie of the Deuill, Saint Gregorie and S. Ciril ground this conceit, That the Deuill is not like your foolish Physitions, who with one receit cure diuers diseases; but against euerie vertue, good inclination, and mo­tions of the Spirit, he hath such sundrie temptations, and so fit for euery mans humour, that if the tempted will but cast his eyes towards them, it is a thousand to one that he is not taken with them. God askt of Iob, Answer me, By what way the heat is parted vpon earth? Gregorie vnfoldeth this question,Iob 38.24. He hath a Hooke for euery humor. By those coles which the Deuill scat [...]ereth abroad amongst the People of this world; as those of co­uetousnesse, reuenge, and wantonnesse. Euerie one carries a cole in his bosome that burnes and consumes him; In via hac qua amb [...]labam absconderunt laqueum mihi, When I thought my selfe safest, walked securely, and followed my pleasures and de­lights [Page 82] without suspition of danger, then was the net laid for me, &c.

But for all the Deuills cunning shifts, and for all his sleights and subtleties, he can neuer so wholly disguise himselfe, but that he will alwaies leaue one clouen foot vncouered, whereby (which is no small comfort vnto vs) we may come to know him. Iob speaking of the Deuill, in that metaphore of the Leuiathan; amongst many other properties aboue specified, he mentioneth this one, Luce­bit post cum semita; He leaues behind him a white path in the sea, like vnto that froth which a great Ship causeth, when she hath a stiffe gale of wind in the poop of her. Whereby he signifieth vnto vs, That the Deuill which way soeuer he goes, leaues some signe behind him. At the feet of Saint Michael they paint the Deuill, with the faire bodie of an Angell, but with the foule taile of a Dragon. For albeit at the first sight he transfigure himselfe into an Angell of Light, yet in the end he will discouer himselfe to bee the Prince of Darkenesse. The Deuill hath beene seene to preach in the habit of a religious Frier, verie deuoutly, ap­pearing as an Angell of Light, persuading the People to repentance, and com­municating great comfort vnto them; but in the end, all his Sermons haue ended in melancholly passions. For the Deuills Reuelations runne a contrarie course to Gods▪ for these, although they somewhat trouble vs at the beginning, yet they end euermore in peace and comfort: but those of the Deuill, though they begin in joy, yet they end in sorrow.

Si filius Dei es, dic vt lapides isti panes fiant.

If thou be the Sonne of God, command that these stones be made bread. The first pas­sage of this temptation, was the Deuills seeming-pittie and compassion of the great hunger that our Sauiour suffered. I was present at thy Baptisme, and at that applause which Heauen did then giue thee; but now I see how weake and wanne thou art growne through thy too much fasting, which makes mee to doubt that thou art not the Sonne of God. The Deuill is a great prouoker to Gluttonie;The Deuill a great prouo­ker to Glutto­nie, and why. he doth solicite the pampering of the flesh, hee proposeth the gri­pings of the stomacke, and the aking of the head, through too much fasting: but all at the soules cost. Inimico non credas in aternum, (i.) Beleeue not thy enemie at all: Which phrase of speech is principally to be vnderstood of the Deuill; for hee neuer offers thee his seruice but to thy hurt. Saint Gregorie makes this note, That the Deuill taking from Iob his children, his houses, his heards of cattell, and his flockes of Sheepe, and in a word, all the good things that hee had; yet hee left him his wife, but onely that she might doe the Deuill seruice, Calidè cuncta diri­puit, Eccle. 11.33. calidius adjutricem reser [...]auit, It was his cunning to take away all; but it was a grea­ter p [...]ce of cunning to leaue him his Helpe. The Deuill did not doe this out of for­getfulnesse, nor carelesnesse, nor out of any desire that hee had to leaue Iob any comfort at all, for he did not wish him so much good, but that hee hoped shee would be a meanes to mooue him to impatiencie, and to driue him to despaire. True it is, that all his fauours tend to make the way easie (but at your cost) to bring vs to Hell. Hee offered our Sauiour bread of stones; but on condition, that he himselfe must take the paines to mold it. Attende tibi à pestifero, fabric [...] enim malum, Beware of a wicked man, for, &c.

Si filius es Dei, dic, &c.

If thou be the Sonne of God. If thou art the Sonne of God, command as a God. Thy Dicere is Facere; Dic vt sedeant, &c. Some graue Doctors are of opinion that this was the sinne of Moses, when hee drew water from out the Rocke, and not [Page 83] his want of Faith, as some other would enforce: For, Infide & [...]enitate san­ctum fecit illum: but his attributing of this miracle to himselfe, which was only Gods doing. A [...]dite rebelles, Nunquid p [...]terimus de petra educere v [...]bis aquam? Heare yee rebellious, Can we dr [...]w water for you out of the Rocke? Can Aaron and I, &c. This incredulous people said, Nunquid poterit D [...]us parare mensam in deserto ▪ i. Can God prepare a Table in the Desert? But Moses speaketh in his owne and his brothers name, Nunquid poterimus, Can we, &c.

Command that these stones. Thy Father calls thee Sonne, and yet reduceth thee to that miserie, that to keepe thy selfe from staruing, hee driues thee to that ne­cessitie, that thou must of force he compelled to make these stones bread. This difference is there betwixt the Sinner and the Righteous, That the Deuill per­suades the Sinner, that hee may make bread of stones▪ [...]nd Iudas, that hee may make money of Christ: But the Righteous will rather die for hunger, beeing well assured, that God euen in this his hunger is able to sustaine him.

Command that these stones. The Deuill tempts him with stones, with such things wherein are scarce to be found any signe of danger: For hee alwaies hol­deth the victorie to bee so much the more glorious, by how much the lesser is the occasion whereby he winnes it. Lot flies out of Sodome in the companie of his daughters, and hauing escaped that fearefull fire, the Deuil tempts the father by his daughters; whose raging lust, neither the fearefull example of their mo­ther, whom their eyes had so lately seene turned into a Piller of Salt, nor the Lawes of Reason, nor of Nature, could once bridle or restraine. But you will say they were women; and what will not a woman doe to satisfie her longing? but that Lot should consent to so vnlawfull an act, beeing a man, nay; and so just a man as the Scripture commends him to be, it seemeth somewhat strange. Alas, (good old man) his daughters had made him drunke; and being so wearie and heauie hearted as hee was, to see the lamentable destruction of Sodome, it was not much that he should drinke, being importuned thereunto; & they that could not find any water when hee called for it, could make a shift to fetch him wine. In all that fortie yeares peregrination of the children of Israell,Why God allowed the Israelites no Wine, till they came into the land of Promise. we do not read that euer God gaue them wine: Twice did he giue them water out of the rocke, and twelue Fountaines in Helim; hee gaue them likewise Manna and Quailes: but not a drop of wine that they saw till they came to the Land of Promise. And surely this was thus ordered by the Councell of Heauen; for if hauing but wa­ter they mutined so often, what would they haue done, had they had wine? When Abraham did thrust the bondwoman out of doores, he furnished her with bread and water: and Procopius saith, That he would not giue her any wine; for Agar signifies Suen̄a-fiestas, A Feast-dreamer: And this holy Father would not by giuing her wine, encrease the occasion, seeing shee dreamed thereon when shee dranke but water. But to returne to our purpose; Lots daughters tempted their father, there beeing in the caue wherin he was, no other either possible or imagi­nable occasion. To him that is desperatly minded, though ye put away from him and remooue out of his reach all manne [...] of halters and cords, for feare hee should hang himselfe therewith; yet if he be set vpon it, he wil make shift with a garter, a hat-band, a girdle, or some one thing or other, to worke his owne destruction.

If thou be the Sonne of God. It was a bold dis-respect of Satans, and a presump­tuous part in him, that hee should make any the least doubt, that Christ was the Sonne of God; but farre greater impudencie, that hee should dare in tempting him, to tel him, All the world shal be thine, if thou wilt but fall down & wor­ship [Page 82] [...] [Page 83] [...] [Page 84] me. King Ahabs Captaine came to the foot of the Mountaine where Elias then remained, and said vnto him, Come downe thou Seruant of God, for the King hath sent me for thee. If I am (said the Prophet) the Seruant of God, let fire come down from Heauen, and burne vp thee, and those that are come along with thee; for thou oughtst not to speake with that little respect as thou doost, to Gods Seruant. What irreuerence is it then in the Deuil, to doubt whither hee were the Sonne of God, or no? I answer, That he shewed therein a great deale of irreuerence, but verie little feare. The more you sauour of God, the more im­pudently will he presse you: Ecce Sathanas expetiuit vt cribaret vos, sicut triticum, Behold, Sathan hath desired to sift you euen as wheat. The word Vos, You, carries a great emphasis with it; And he compares them to wheat, for the Birds abide in the fields, and the Grapes are out in the Vines; but your wheat is housed and laid vp safe vnder locke and key: For you are they that I make my treasure, and will as charily looke vnto you. There are a great sort of people that walke now at this present houre vp and downe the streets, some in one place, and some in another, of whom the Deuill makes no reckoning at all, he will deale hereafter with them at better leisure: but for one of Gods Saints, that is guarded, prote­cted, and defended by God, and is fenced about as a Rose amongst Thornes; for this, he will turne and returne, and vse a thousand shifts to get it. Nunquid auis discolor hareditas mea mihi? Venite properate omnes bestiae, congregamini ad deuoran­dum, As Birds doe flie about a wall that is painted with diuers colours; so doe the Nations in persecuting the People that are consecrated to my seruice, and those that I fauour. In conclusion, Saint Hilarie saith, In sanctificatis maxime dia­boli tentamenta grassantur, (i.) The Deuills temptations are euer rifest among the Godly. And therefore Dauid said, Custodi me Domine, quia sanctus sum, Keepe me ô Lord, be­cause I am holy, &c.

If thou be the Sonne of God. It is no new thing with the Deuill, to helpe him­selfe by setting your selfe against your selfe; it is one of the best weapons, that he hath against you, and your selfe hath no greater enemie than your selfe. Keepe me ô Lord (saith Dauid) out of the hand of the sinner. Saint Bernard giues this glosse vpon it, Lord, I am hee, and therefore custodi me à meipso. If in thy Religion thou doe not guard thy selfe from thy selfe; if in the Desert thou die by thine owne hands, Ad quid venisti? Wherefore didst thou come?

If thou be the Sonne of God, command that these stones. If thou beest the Sonne of God, it comes to thee by inheritance to worke miracles vpon stones. Iacob had a stone for his pillow, and there thy father shewed him Heauen; and set vp a ladder, by which the Angells ascended and descended. To the Children of Is­raell he did by stones a thousand fauours, extracting from them Water, Oyle, and Honey, Eduxit mel de petra, olcumque desaxo durissimo. And therefore it is not much that thou shouldst of these stones make bread. Wherein canst thou more manifest thy selfe to be the Sonne of God, than in sauing thine owne life, and in supplying thine owne wants? But this is that language which the Iewes vsed to our Sauiour at the foot of the Crosse; If he be King of Israell, let him vnloose those nailes that haue fastned him to the Crosse, and let him free himselfe from the power of Rome, and then the world shall acknowledge him to bee the same himselfe professeth. As also of that bad theefe, Saue thy selfe and vs. These thought (it should seeme) That to be King of the Iewes, and the Sonne of God, consisted in the sauing of himselfe and them.

Sifilius Dei es. Petrus Chrysologus is of opinion, That the Deuill here played the foole egregiously; Cupis, ô Daemon tentare, sed nescis, Thou desirest to tempt, but [Page 85] but knowest not how. Foure thousand yeares and vpwards hadst thou exercised thy old trade, and yet thou now seemest to know lesse euery day than other. Is it possible, that thou shouldst bee such an Asse, as to offer stones to one that was now growne weake and readie to faint through too much fasting? Saint Ierome harpt vpon this string: Either hee was God, (sayth hee) or he was not God. If he were God, it was rashnesse in him to tempt him; if he were not God, he could not make bread of stones. But herein the Deuill shewed more malice than wit;His malice of­tentimes out­runs his wit. questionlesse he did vpon this occasion, as much as either he could, or knew. For others (as Saint Austen hath noted it) hee tempteth according to the measure of their strength, because God will not let out the rope to giue him any larger scope; but towards our Sauiour Christ, hee shewed the vtmost of his power and malice. And though hee did not greatly care, whether hee did eate or not eate, but had only a purpose to perplex and trouble our Sauiour, and to put him out of his holy Meditations, he did offer only that vnto him, which was precise­ly necessary for the preseruation of mans life; and which a wise man ought to accept of, if hee were not madde or foolish. How much more should a man that is hunger-staru'd, attempt any thing rather than famish for lacke of food. Iudas will rather make money of Christ than starue. The mother sell her daughter, the father kill his children, the wife forsake, if not dishonour the bed of her hus­band. And therefore the Deuill was not herein so verie a foole as some would make him.

Scriptum est, non in solo pane viuit homo.

T'is written, man liueth not by bread alone. Our Sauiour Christ would not doe this miracle at the Deuils intreatie; For his miracula, were beneficia, His miracles were benefits, they did alwayes tend to good, but this did not. For though he should haue turned all the stones in the Wildernesse into Bread, the Deuil would haue beene as very a Deuill as hee was before. Saint Austen sayth, That our Sauiour made Wine of Water, but not Bread of Stones; because from the for­mer miracle followed the Faith of his Disciples, Et crediderunt in eum, Discipuli eius: But no good could come of this. Hee restored to Malchus, the eare which Saint Peter had cut off; but before Herod, would not so much as open his mouth. Saint Paul cured the father of Publius of a hot burning Feauer, and many other that were sicke; but to his beloued Disciple Timothie, being very ill, he said vnto him, Vtere modico vino propter stomachū & frequētes tuas infirmitates, i. Vse a lit­tle wine for thy stomackes sake, and for thy other infirmities. S. Gregorie dwelling on this place sayth, O blessed Apostle, thou healest an Infidell with miracles, as a Saint, but curest thy disciple with receipts, as a Physitian. But hee answereth this, thus, That Timothy had no neede of miracles for the good of his soule. When I consider with my selfe, that God doth not now do so many miracles in his Church as hee was woont, it maketh me much to reioyce.Miracles why ordained and not now in vse. For miracles be­ing ordained for the confirmation of our Faith, since God doth no longer worke by them, it seemeth that our Faith hath now taken too deepe rooting to bee re­mooued. And though sinne doe much abound, and men are much subiect vnto vice, yet ought it to bee a great comfort to the faithfull, that God doth not vse miracles any more for the strengthening of the Gospell.

Man liueth not by Bread alone. Irenaeus hath noted, that the Deuill in stead of sifting into our Sauiour to know truely what hee was, remained more blind, and more astonished than before. For hee, demaunding of our Sauiour Christ, whether he were God, or no? Our Sauiour acknowledged himselfe to be a man, [Page 86] saying, Non in solo pane, viuit homo, Man shall not liue by bread alone.

Gods friend­ship to be pre­ferred before the greatest plenty. Not by Bread alone, &c. S. Chrysostom treating touching the care & prouision that ought to bee had of things necessarie for this life, sayth, That it is not so con­uenient a meanes to seeke after the aboundance of things, as to haue God to our friend; wherein he recommendeth vnto vs the wonderfull care of Gods diuine prouidence for our good, howbeit by the world, ill vnderstood, & worse execu­ted. Whereas indeed wee should consider with our selues, That the end of our sweates and our labours, being to enioy some sweetnesse and content in this life, they inioy it most, and most safely, who inioy least of the pleasures of this life. For they that abound in Riches,The more wealth the more woe. abound in Cares, and Wealth is the mother of Woe. The Princes of this world, and your great powerfull men, haue more gold than gylding in their beds, but yet they haue no golden sleepes; their braines haue too much Quicke-siluer in them to settle to any rest. They haue their fat Capons and their daintie Pheasants set before them in vessels of siluer, but they haue leaden stomackes, and haue no appetite to eate. Whereas your husbandman sleepes betweene furrow and furrow, and that soundly, hauing a clod of earth for his pillow, and fals as hungerly to a Pilchard, and a cloue of Garlicke, as if hee had all the choice dishes in the world: For, Non in solo pane viuit homo. The Childeren of Israell beeing thirtie yeares in the Wildernesse, God drew water for them out of the Rocke, and it seemed sweeter vnto them than Honey, that is, De petra melle saturauit eos. It is a great comfort to a man, to haue a God that is able to make vs to be better contented with hunger, than with all the dainties and curious fare that the world or sea can affoord. Esay pondring with himselfe, How richly & how happily a man doth liue vnder the shadow of Gods wing, and his diuine protection, saith, It is aboue all Glorie. The Prophet there treateth of those great fauours which God shewed to his People; As that Piller which serued them in the night as a Torch, and was as a Tent pitcht about them in the day time; that priuiledge which he gaue them, that neither the gra­uell nor the sand should weare out their shooes, nor time, nor the bushes in the Deserts wast their cloathes: making this in the end (as it were) a burthen of his Song, Super omnem gloriam protectio. Great were all those glories which that People did enioy; but aboue all, was Gods blessed protection towards them. The rich and mightie men of this world enioy much in this life; but I had ra­ther ô Lord, bee poore Sub tegmine alarum tuarum, Vnder the couering of thy wings; For Non in solo pane viuit homo, Man liueth not by, &c.

Sed in omni verbo quod procedit de ore Dei.

But by euerie word which proceedeth from out the mouth of God. Our Sauior Christ tooke this authoritie out of the eigth Chapter of Deutronomie. Those dainties wherewith God inriched the aire, the sea, and the earth, maintaine and sustaine man, and for this end God hath created them; but more especially is hee main­tained and sustained by the Word of God; Verbo Domini Coeli firmati sunt, & spi­ritu oris eius omnis virtus eorum. From the beginning of the world the Heauens were mooued with a most swift motion, & their influences & vertues are so effe­ctuall & so fresh, as if they had come but to day (as it were) out of Gods hands: nor is it to bee feared, that Heauen shall waxe old, or fall to decay, because Gods word doth vphold it. Is it much then, or seemeth it so strange a thing, that the same word should sustain man without bread? For to put life into man, no more was required than Gods breath, Spirauit in faciem eius spiraculum vitae: Therefore this, and lesse than this, will preserue his life. Yet doe I not pretend by this, to [Page 87] persuade any man that wee should still haue recourse to miracles; though in ca­ses of necessitie, where there is no other helpe or hope to bee looked for, it is lawfull to expect and desire them, and a kind of glorifying of God: Demand a signe of the Lord thy God, whither in the deepe below, or in the heigth aboue; It was the saying of Esay to King Ahab. But in ordinarie necessities we are to haue recourse to our labours, and the sweat of our owne browes, not expecting Manna to des­cend from Heauen, and to haue Quailes put into our mouthes: The Scripture euerie where condemning the sloathfull man, which folds one hand within ano­ther; Manus in manu, saith Salomon, aduising the Sluggard to goe and learne of the Ant, Vade piger ad formicam: setting this Lesson alwaies before our eyes, That God is neuer offended with vs for prouiding cloaths to our back, and meat for our bellies.

But by euerie word. With hunger thou maist fill thy selfe, with nakednesse thou maist cloath thy selfe, and euen with pouertie thou maist grow rich, That is, In omni verbo, By putting thy necessities into Gods hands: Lay it to his account, to relieue thee; for by euerie word of his mouth thou shalt remaine satisfied, and haue more than enough; howbeit to the world and to nature, the meanes seeme disagreeable and contrarie to that succour which thou desirest.God makes the Deuils practises the preseruatiues of his Ser­uants. The blind man that was borne blind he inlightned by durt, beeing a fitter meanes in mans iudg­ment, to marre, than mend the sight. Those afflictions which the Deuill vsed as meanes for to destroy and vndoe Iob, God vsed as meanes to inrich him, & make him more happie than before. The selling of Ioseph, the enuie of his brethren, were those rounds that made him mount to that heigth whereunto hee came, Si­cut tenebrae eius, ita & lumen eius: With thee, ô Lord, the darkenesse is as noone day; thou canst as well illuminate with darkenesse as with light. All the Land of Aegypt was couered ouer with darkenesse, as with a mantle, Factae sunt tenebrae horribiles in vniuersa terra Aegypti: but where the children of Israell dwelt, there was light, not onely because God can free those places where his people were, from that thicke darknes that oppressed the Aegyptians; but also for that he can make when he listeth, that very darknesse serue as a light vnto them; Forsitan te­nebrae conculcabunt me, & non illuminatio mea in dilicijs meis, It were madnesse in me ô Lord, to thinke that in the following of my pleasures I can hide my selfe out of thy sight; for though I should hide my selfe in the thickest and most pal­pable darkenesse that can be immagined, thou wilt make of them bright beames of light, which shall discouer me vnto thee; Nox illuminatio mea, in dilicijs meis: The Hebrew hath it, Circum me; I shall bee seene as easily in the night, as at noone day. In Genesis, Iacob saith, Lauabit in vino stolam suam, He shall wash my gar­ment in wine: It was his Prophecie on Iudas his fourth sonne, who was a Type and figure of our Sauiour Christ. But passing from the Type to the truth, hee saith, That comming into the world, he shall wash the Church, and those that are the Faithfull, with his bloud, Lauabit in vino stolam suam. And if any one shall aske me, How the Stole can remaine white, being washed in bloud, or in wine? Dio­dorus and Genadius, in Catena Lypomani, answer, That Gods power can doe this, working contrarie effects to common reason: As from death to draw life; from tribulation, comfort; and from shame, glorie. In tribulatione dilatasti mihi (saith Dauid) & gloriamur in tribulatione: So may a garment or linnen robe bee white, that is washed in the wine of his bloud. Qui dat niuem, sicu [...] lanam, & nebulam, sicut cinerem spargit; God can warme a man with snow, as with wooll, and make cold be vnto vs as a cloathing. From that fire of the Babilonian furnace, wherein­to Nebucadnezar commanded the three children to be cast, Sidrac, Misac, & Abed­nego, [Page 88] there issued forth a fresh winde, and a cooling breath, Quasi ventum, ror [...] flantem. God (saith Chrysostome) can take from fire it's burning, which is his proper effect, and make it to giue light, and to refresh his children, as with a dew.

Mitte te deorsum, scriptum est enim Angelis suis, &c.

Cast thy selfe downe, For it is written, He will giue his Angells charge ouer thee. The Deuill hauing now brought our Sauiour to the top of the Pinacle of the Tem­ple, beeing confident to get the conquest of him, making vse of that place of Scripture: first, wishing him to throw himselfe downe, and to relie vpon Gods preseruing of him; for it is written, Angelis suis Deus, &c. Saint Hierome, Saint Ambrose, Saint Bernard, and Saint Gregorie say, That the Deuill neuer desires to see any man climbe on high, vnlesse it bee for his greater destruction: For as he fell down like a thunder-bolt, so doth he desire to haue all men else to fall as he did, and that their sinnes may throw them headlong downe to Hell. Which is one especiall effect of his pride; according to that of Dauid, Dejecisti eos, dum eleuarentur; (or extollerentur, as Saint Austen readeth it.) Thou didst cast them downe, while they were lifted vp. Est aliquid humilitatis, &c. There is somewhat in humilitie, which in a wonderfull manner lifteth vp the heart; and there is somewhat in pride, which casteth it downe. It is a miracle, that Pride and Humilitie should euer meet. Saint Bernard saith, That at the foot of the Crosse the Deuill did repeat the same les­son againe, Si Rex Israel est, descendat de Cruce, If thou be King of Israell, come downe from the Crosse; As though he had forgot the shame that Christ had put him to before.

Cast thy selfe. Thou canst do nothing without thy selfe, against thy selfe: thou must put to thy helping hand; Non s [...]luabit te, sine te, nec perdet te, sine te. Whence it is to bee noted, That hee not onely pretendeth the holiest that is, should cast himselfe headlong from the Tower of Good-workes, but he that is seated on the Pinacle of the Temple, and in the highest dignitie in the Church. It is a lamen­table case, that the Prelate, the Priest, and the Preacher, should be put to this pe­rill. Quis medebitur Incantatori, à Serpente percusso? Who shall heale the Inchanter that is wounded by the Serpent?

He hath giuen his Angels charge ouer thee. The main drift of the deuil, is, to flatter and sooth vs vp, that he may facilitate our fall; to sing sweetly vnto vs, to inchant vs like the Syren: Ossa eius sicut fistula aeris. Iob saith, That his bones (by which he vnderstands his strength) are Flutes, not of Reede, like those of Mida's, but of Brasse, which sound more sweetly. With these he vpholds his Empire, and sowes the World with Heresies, Moorismes, and Paganismes; and Hell, with damned Soules. They are Pipes that make strange consonancies with our incli­nations, and worke more powerfull effects, than those tongues that are tipt with the eloquencies of all the Tullies, Demostheneses, and Quintilians in the world▪ Which is but an argument of the weaknes of their hands, when all their strength lies in their Tongues. Your weakest influences (say your Astrologers) insist vpon the Tongue. Woman (who is the embleme of weakenesse) hath her grea­test force and strength in her tongue: Your Ruffians, and such as are swaggering fellows, haue more tongue than hands; but they that are truly valiant, haue more hand than tongue, they know not what the tongue meanes. The Roman Souldi­ers drew a Hand for their Deuice. In the Scripture the Hand signifieth Fortitude, Manus eius adhuc extenta est, so sayes Esay of God. The Deuill therefore beeing all Tongue, it followeth, that he must necessarily be a verie weake creature. Saint Peter calls him a Lyon, not because he deuoureth, but because he roares: So that [Page 89] all our victorie consists in freeing our selues from his tongue.Iob 40. And it may be Iob alluded hereunto, when he speaketh of the Deuill in the metaphor of a Whale, Wilt thou bind his tongue with a cord? For the Deuill hauing all his strength in his tongue, see how that fish when the harping Irons hath caught hold on him, strug­gles on the sand, and beats himselfe vpon the beach, but all in vaine, to get loose, and at last swels & bursts with anger; so is it with the Deuill, when we haue tied a knot vpon his tongue.

His Angells. To those whom God loueth, and such as are his children, Saint Cyprian saith, That God hath giuen order to his Angells, to gard and protect them; if a tyle should fal towards them, to strike it aside; if stumble, to take hold on them that they should not fall: How then could a person so holy, so beloued of God, be affraid? God did his People a great fauour in giuing them an Angel to be their Guide. Precedet te Angelus meus, sending an Angell to Daniel to feed him; to Tobias, to accompanie him in his journey; to Samaria, when Zenacharib so streightly besieged it, one Angell slaying so many thousands of braue valiant Souldiers. But greater is that fauour which he promiseth here to the Iust, Ange­lis suis Deus mandauit de te. The Lyons garded Daniel in Babylon; the Whale, Ionas; the Arke of Bulrushes, Moses: In omnibus vijs tuis, In all thy ways, be it in the aire, in the earth, or in the sea, Gods Angels will so gard thee, that thou shalt not dash thy foot against a stone. Many Emperours and Kings haue scattered Gold on the ground, through which they haue gone; many haue beene drawne in their Chariots by Lyons and Elephants; but farre more pretious are the hands of Angells; and hee that hath them to helpe him, need not to touch theground with his feet.

Scriptum est enim, Angelis suis. The Deuill was euer a false interpre­ter of the Scripture▪ The first victorie that the Deuill got in the world, was by interpreting in a sinister sence, those words of God which he had deliuered to our first Parents: and this course doth hee continue here with our Sauiour; and the same doth his followers the Hereticks obserue to this day. Saint Peter calls them, vnlearned, and wauering, and saith of them, That they depraue and peruert the Scripture, to their owne ruine and destruction. Saint Cyril hand­leth this point verie elegantly, in one of his Epistles: And Origen saith, That as the children of Corah did put strange fire vpon the Alter; so your Hereticks by altering the Scripture, put strange fire to the Alter of Truth. Saint Chrysostome, That they immitate the Deuill, by citing Scripture falsely, as the Deuill did in this temptation, seeking (as it were) by a cleere and manifest truth, to persuade our Sauiour to entertaine a notorious lie, and to admit of a monstrous follie; se­curing him, that his person should be protected by Angells, from any ensuing harme, if hee would but throw himselfe downe from the Pinacle of the Tem­ple. I terme it follie; for, as Man, hee had no reason to doe any such rash and in­considerate action; and, as God, hee had no neede to play the Tumbler, and to flie in the aire.

Haec omnia tibi dabo.

All these things wil I giue thee. Saint Ambrose saith, That in these three temp­tations the Deuill had laid three ginnes, wherewith hee vseth to intrap man in those three Ages of his, to wit, his childhood, his manhood, and his elder age. The disorder of children consists in eating; they are ordinarily crauing,The Deuill hath 3. Ginns to intrap man, sutableto his three Ages. stil cry­ing out for more meat, little young Gluttons, and such syllie fooles, as to haue an Apple, they will part with a piece of Gold. That of our youthfuller yeres, when wee begin to write man, is to runne headlong into all desperate and vndi­screete [Page 90] actions. For the liuelihood of youth, hath euer hetherto beene impati­ent, humerous, and braine-sicke. That of old age, is all couetousnesse, storing vp for a deere yeare, and filling his Wallets then fullest, when his iourny is shortest; resembling herein those riuers, which the neerer they come to the Sea, which is their end, so much the more water they sucke and draw vnto them. Some may thinke that the Deuill playd the foole, in offering all to him that despised all. For Christ contemned the wealth and glorie of this World.Ambition such a temp­tation as few are able to withstand. For to offer bread to the Hungerie, honour to the Ambitious, and riches to the Couetous, the De­uil might haue had some good ground to worke vpon; But that he should offer al to him that scorned all hee could offer, this was great weakenesse in him: yet (deerely beloued) doe not you reckon this so slight a temptation, and so poore an onset, as you would make it. For all Hell hath not a more powerfull peece of Ordnance to batter our brests withall, than this, it is the only murdring peece that hee hath, and what man is able to resist it? Quis est hic, & la [...]danimus eum, Show me the man, that I may commend him. Thou shalt not find one amongst the Princes of the people, nor amongst the Ministers of Kings, nor amongst the seats of Iustice, nor amidst the honestie of Married-folkes, nor the modestie of Maidens, no, nor in the Monasteries of your Nunnes, nor the Cells of your Hermits in the Wildernesse. In old time, all the States of the the world, were in competition about the electing of an Emperor among the Gods. The Priests, chose Appollo for his Wisedome; the Souldiers, Mars for his Valour; the Merchants, Mercurie, for his negociating; the Phisitions, Aesculapius, for the emi­nencie of his Cures. But when it was brought to that passe that they must settle vpon some one to bee Emperour, by a ioynt consent they all made choice of Iupiter, because hee was the God that came downe into the World in a showre of Gold.

All these things will I giue thee. The Deuill, doth not here offer that which he is able to giue: But is rather so poore, That of all those Kingdomes, whereof he makes so large a profer, he hath not so much as one poore spike-hole in a wall. The richnesse of a Prince is to be seene in his Ward-robe and Richnesse of his prouision: There comes in before him a hundred Mules, Sumpter-Clothes on their backes, imbrodered with silke, siluer, and gold, with their goriets of mas­sie-plate, &c. Iob painting foorth the Deuils Ward-robe, sayth, Ante faciem [...] praecedat egestas, (i.) Want shall goe before his face. All his Ward-robe, is couered ouer with pouertie and want; all his treasures, are dissembled wares, counterfait stuffe. Lift vp his Sumpter-clothes, open his Trunckes, and you shall finde no­thing but stones, and apples, making show of the one to our Sauiour, of the other to Eue. So that hee is so poore, that hee hath not so much as one farthing of all those immense treasures which hee offers; But he offereth that which he would giue, if hee were (as he is not) Lord of all the World. Such was the perplexi­tie and anxietie of minde, that hee had, to know who was Christ our Sauiour, that if all the Kingdomes of the earth had beene his, hee would giue them all to see him humbled at his feet. Hee offers thee but little, because he makes little reckoning of thee; for thou art so base minded, that thou wilt sell thy selfe vn­to him at an easie rate.

But how could the Deuil hope, with these onely seeming and apparent goods to worke so great a Conquest on so valiant a Brest? I answer, That it is the De­uils policie, to bait our Wils and Affections with the apprehension of imagina­rie goods, rather than with the inioying of true and reall goods indeed. Nay, the glories of the World, once inioy'd, causeth a kind of surfet and loathing, which [Page 91] is often an occasion of our growing out of loue with them. [...], vanitatum, & omnia vanitas. Where the wise man did not tearme all things vaine,Imaginarie things worke more vpon man than reall. Why. as that the trees should not yeeld vs their fruites, the earth her food and riches, or that the Sunne should not shine. But because wee setting our whole delight vpon them, wee make them prooue vaine vnto vs. A clock is accounted a vaine thing when it strikes not true, but miscounts it's houres. The harmonie of this World is like a clocke, if a man imploy it wholly in his pleasures, it makes him become vaine. But Salomon spake not a word of these things, till hee had made triall of them. When the Prodigall went out of his Fathers house, Paradises of delights were presented vnto him, but when he was gone far from him, all was hunger, nakednesse, & miserie. This punishment inflicted vpon him, made him open his eies and see his errour. Amnon, enamoured of Th [...]m [...]r, was readie to dye for her loue, it seeming vnto him, that his life did consist in the inioying of her; nay hee counted it his heauen: But hee had no sooner had his pleasure of her, but he kicked her out of doores, and could not indure the sight of her. The possessing of riches, is not of it selfe either good or bad; onely the good vse of them, makes them good, the bad, bad. And therefore beeing desired by vs, Saint Paul stileth them, temptation, and Sathans snare, Qui volunt diuites fieri, in [...]i­dunt in tentationem, & in laqueum Diaboli, (i.) They that will bee rich fall into Temptation: and into the snare of the Deuill. So that your imaginarie goods, worke more vpon vs, and with more aduantage, than those which wee inioy and possesse. And the reason is, for that the Deuill doth represent more glorie to the imagination, in such an office, such a dignitie, such riches, such beautie, and such delights, than is true, Facinatio enim nugacitatis obscurat bona, & inconstantia concupiscentiae, transuertit sensum. His cunning witch-craft doth peruert the vnder­standing, and makes vs take Ill, for Good. This is that which our Sauiour Christ called, Crapulam & ebrietatem saeculi, A kind of drunkennes, wherwith the men of this World are ouertaken, Et inconstantiam concupiscentiae. And the Greeke text vseth the word Funda; For as that goes alwayes round, so doth concupiscence, euerie moment altering our desires. There are some kind of pictures, which if you looke one way vpon them seeme faire and beautifull, if another way, foule and ougly, and full of horror. Such doth the Deuill set before thee; Thou must haue therefore an eye to the one as to the other, looke as wel what is to come, as what is present before thee, least the Deuill chance to deceiue thee.

Si cadens adoraueris me.

If thou wilt fall downe and worship me. How earnest,Two kindes of tempta­tion. and how importunate is the Deuill? Saint Gregorie saith, That there are two kinds of temptation; one sudden, as that of Lucifer, who as soone as he saw the Sun of Grace begin to rise, presently opposed himselfe against him, sweeping away with him a third part of the Stars, as you may read in the Reuelation. And as that of Dauid in the case of Bershabe: and as that of Peter, when he was suddenly set vpon by the Maid in Cai­phas house. The other taking more leisure, as that of Iudas, whom the Deuil went by little and little importuning by his suggestions; as an enemie that ouercomes by lengthening out the warre; or as a Physition cures a disease, by prescribing a long and tedious dyet; or as a Moath imperceptibly mars the cloath;The Deuill alwayes as busie as a flie in haruest. and the Worme destroyes the wood. The Hebrewes call the Deuill Belzebub, which is as much to say as Deus Muscarum, The God of Flies. Now the World hath not a more busie or troublesome creature than your Flies and Gnats in Autumne, and in the time of Haruest: nor Man a more busie enemie than the Deuill, in the [Page 92] Autumne and Haruest of our Soules, when we should labour most for Heauen, and prouide for a deere yeare. Your Flie amongst the Aegyptians was a sym­bole of importuning; and therefore it is said by way of a [...]age, The wic­kednesse of the Flie. There are sinnes, which like the Cow we chew the cud vp­on, we ruminate vpon them, and our thoughts are neuer off from them. Iob did point out vnto vs these two kinds of temptations; the one, in the stone, that being rent from the top of an high hill, falls suddenly down, carrying away before it all that stands in it's way, it beeing impossible to preuent conueniently the danger thereof; Lapis transfertur de loco suo. The other, in the water, which beeing so soft as it is, yet by little and little hollowes the hardest stone; Homine [...] ergo similiter perdes, tota die impugnans tribulauit me. Onely Importunitie is the shrewdest temptation. Sampson yeelded vnto Dalila, tyred out with her re-itera­ted importunings: And there are a thousand Sampsons in these dayes, which doe not yeeld themselues so much to sinne by the batterie of temptation, as by im­portunate treaties.

Si cadens adoraueris me.

If falling downe thou worship me. This was a strange kind of impudencie in the Deuill: but he no sooner saw his maske taken away, and that our Sauiour had discouered him and his trickes, but he hid his head for shame.

Vade retro, Sathana.

Goe behind me, Sathan. Saint Hierome saith, That with this verie word, our Sa­uiour Christ tumbled him headlong downe to the bottomlesse pit of Hell; whereinto he entred howling, and making such a hideous noyse and lamentable out-crie, that hee strooke a great feare into all those infernall Spirits; The strong one was bound, and trodden in pieces with the foot of the Lord. Beda hath almost the verie same words. This imprisonment of his was enlarged afterwards by Christs death: according to that of the Apocalyps, He bound him for a thousand yeares. In a word, He was so ashamed, and so out of countenance with this answer of our Sa­uiours, that for many days he did not so much as once offer to peepe out of Hel. Where Pride is, Prou. 11. there will bee Reproch, so saith Salomon. That place of Deutronomie, whence our Sauior tooke this authoritie, doth not say, Adorabis, Thou shalt adore, but Time [...]is, Thou shalt feare; as if the truest way to worship God, were to feare him. The Scripture attributes two names vnto Christ; the one of Spouse; the other of Lord:True Loue neuer with­out feare. in the one he shewes his loue; in the other, the feare which is due vnto him: in the one, the securitie wherewith wee may come vnto him, and offer him our Petitions; in the other, the respect and reuerence which we owe to so great a Maiestie. They are things that are so cimen­ted and ioynted together, that he affectionatly loues, who humbly fears. But I feare I haue bn too long, and therefore I will here make an end.

Congregabuntur ante eum omnes Gentes.

All Nations shall be gathered before him. It is as true, as it is fearefull, That all men shall meet together in one,All shall ap­peare in iudgement. all that did enioy the light of this world; for so many Kindreds, nay, thousands of Ages, whither they perished in the element of Fire, and so turned to ashes; or whither they were deuoured by the Fowles of the aire, or the Beasts of the field; or whither they became the food of fishes in the Sea; or whither that their bodies remaine in their graues; or whither like rubbish they lie buried vnder ruinous buildings; or howsoeuer they haue pas­sed through diuers and sundrie transmutations; yet notwithstanding in the end all shall come and present themselues vpon this publique Stage; all those Nati­ons that are so differing in their manners and behauiour, in their Idiomes & their Languages, in their Rights and Ceremonies, in their Laws and their Customes, whither remaining in the maine Continent, or in the Islands enuironed with the Sea: And what wonder can be greater, or what sight so strange, as to see all the men in the world to appeare body and soule, before his diuine Maiestie, at the voyce of an Angell, when he shall trumpet forth this short summons vnto them, Surgite mortui, &c. But two other wonders more fearefull than this (I feare me) will be seene: The one, That all mens hearts shall be opened, & euerie man both inwardly and outwardly shall appeare so plaine and so cleere to our sight, that there shall not be any thought, though neuer so closely hid, nor any fault, though neuer so deepely buried, that shall not bee made open and manifest: According to that of Saint Paul to the Corinthians, Omnes manifestari oportet ante Tribunal Christi, 2. Cor. 5.10. We must all bee manifested before the Iudgement Seat of Christ. Whereupon Saint Theodoret weighing the word Manifestari, which in the originall is the same with Perlucidos esse, Transparent, and cleere as Chrystall; wherein those blacke spots and [...]oule staines that are in our Soules, will appeare the more vgly and loathsome, ô! How strange a spectacle will this be? How sole and singular in the world? ô! what a great feare will it strike into vs, not onely in regard of the innumerable number of such various and vncouth things, things heretofore neuer presumed, or once thought vpon; but also in respect of the heart of man, which being so inscrutable a thing, and for so many yeares of mans life, past sear­ching out, and not to bee discouered and set forth in it's true life and colours; that this heart, I say, of Man shall in an instant bee laid so open, that all maskes shall be vnpin'd, all disguises taken off, whose hollownesse and hypocrisie shall now appeare to God and the World. Immagine that God should shew this mi­racle in open Court, and that the hearts of all should lie open to the eyes of all, (as he did discouer to Ezechiel euerie forme of creeping things,Ezech. [...]. and abhomina­ble Beasts, and all the Idolls of the House of Israell portrayed vpon the wall of the Temple) How ashamed will the verie best of Gods children bee of their actions, but much more the wicked, to see their sinnes laid open to others view, and their owne confusion? Nor shall these our sinnes bee conspicuous onely to others, but euerie offendor shall see and plainely perceiue his owne particular sinnes: For there is no man that fully knowes his owne sinnes while hee liue [...] here in this world. And so doth Saint Basil interpret that place of the Psalmist, Arguam te, & statuam contra te faciem tuam; Euerie man shall then behold him­selfe as in a glasse. In a word, This day will be the summing vp of all those o [...] [Page 99] former dayes, wherein, as in a beadroll, wee shall read all the loose actions of our life, all our idle words, all our euill workes, all our lewd thoughts, or what­soeuer else of ill that our hearts haue conceiued, or our hands wrought. So doth a graue Author expound that place of Dauid, Dies formabuntur, & nemo in eis, In that day shall all dayes be formed and perfected, for then shall they bee cleerely knowne. Et nemo in eis; This is a short and cutted kind of speech, (idest) There shall not bee any thing in all the world which shall not bee knowne in that day.

The other wonder shall be, That all this businesse shall bee dispatcht in a mo­ment; In ictu oculi, saith Saint Paul, In the twinckling of an eye. The Greeke Text in stead of a moment, renders it Atomo, which is the least thing in nature: Con­cluding this point with that saying of Theophilact, Haec est res omnium mirabilissi­ma, This is the greatest wonder of all.

Statuet Oues à dextris eius, & Haedos à sinistris.

He shall place the Sheepe at his right hand, and the Goats at the left. Dayly experi­ence teacheth vs, That what is good for one, is naught for another; that which helpeth the Liuer, hurteth the Spleene; one and the selfe same Purge recouers one, and casts downe another; the Light refresheth the sound Eye, and offendeth the sore; Wisedome saith, That those Rods which wrought amendment in the Children of Israell, hardned the hearts of the Aegyptians; the one procured life, the other, death; darkenes to the one was light, & light to the other, dark­nesse. When Ioshuah pursued the Ammorites, God poured downe Hailestones, Lightning, and Thunder; to Gods enemies they were so many Arrowes to kill them; to his friends, so many Torches to light them. In the light of thy Arrowes, Abac. 3. saith Abacuc. Death to the Wicked is bitter, to the Good, sweete; Iudgement to the Goats is sad & heauie, but to the Sheep, glad & ioyfull; to the one a be­ginning of their torment, to the other, of their glorie. And therefore it is here said, He shall place the Sheepe at his right hand.

From this beginning, ariseth the Iust's earnest desiring of this our Sauiours comming, and the Wicked's seeking to shun it. Which is made good by Saint Au­sten, vpon that place of Haggie, Hee shall come, being wished for of all Nations: And his reason is, because our Sauiour Christ being desired, it is fit that he should be knowne; and for want of this knowledge, it seemeth vnto him, that this place doth not so much suit with his first, as his latter comming. Saint Paul writing to his Disciple Timothie, sayes, That the Iust doe long for this judgement;2. Tim. 4. Rom. 2. His qui diligunt aduentum eius; Agreeing with that of Saint Paul to the Romans, That the Iust passe ouer this life in sighs & tribulations, expecting that latter day, when their bodies shall bee free from corruption, and from death. Saint Iohn introdu­ceth in his Apocalyps the soules of the Iust, crying out, Vsque quò Domine, sanctus, & verax? Non judicas, & vindicas sanguinem nostrum, de his qui habitant in terra? Apoc. 6. How long, Lord, holy and true, &c. Saint Austen and Saint Ambrose both say, That they doe not here craue vengeance on their enemies, but that by his comming to judgement, the Kingdome of Sinne may haue an end. Which is the same with that which we dayly beg in those words of our Paternoster, Thy Kingdome come. And Saint Iohn in his last Chapter saith, The Spirit and the Spouse, say Come, Come Lord, come quickely, make no long tarrying.

That the Sinner should hate this his comming, is so notorious a truth, that many when things goe crosse with them, would violently lay hands on them­selues, and rid themselues out of this miserable world, if it were not for feare of this Iudgement. And this was the reason why Saint Paul in saying, It is decreed, [Page 100] that all men shall die once; presently addeth, After death, Iudgement: Other wise there would be many, as well discreet, as desperate persons, that would crie out, Let vs die, and make an end of our selues at once; for a speedie death is better than a long torment. This is that that keepes these fooles in awe, and quells the vaine confidence of man in generall.

Tunc dicet Rex his, qui à dextris eius erunt, vsque esuriui, &c.

Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, I was hungrie, &c. Hee begins with the rewarding of the Good; for euen in that day of justice, he will that his mercie goe before, as well for that it is Gods own proper worke, as also for that it is the fruit of his bloud and death.

Venite Benedicti Patris mei, [Come yee blessed of my Father,] (a most sweet word in so fearefull a season) possidete Regnum, Come yee, and take possession of an eter­nall Kingdome.

Quia esuriui, I was hungrie, &c. Some man may doubt, Why Christ at the day of judgement, being to examine all whatsoeuer actions of vertue, doth here onely make mention of mercie? I answer, For that Charitie is that Seale and Marke which differenceth the Children of God from those of the Deuill, the good Fis [...]es from the bad, and the Wheat from the Chaffe; Ecce, ego judico inter Pecus & Pecus, Ezech. 36. Rom. 13. so saith Ezechiel: and in summe, it is the summe of the Law, as Saint Paul writeth to the Romans.

Secondly, He maketh mention onely of the workes of mercie, for to expell that errour wherein many liue in this life; to wit, That this businesse of Almes-deeds is not giuen vs as a Precept whereby to bind vs, but by way of councel and aduice, whereby to admonish vs. And this is a great signe & token of this truth, for that there is scarce any man that accuseth himselfe for the not giuing of an Almes: But withall, it is a foule shame for vs to thinke that God should con­demne so many to eternal fire, for their not shewing pittie to the Poore, if it were no more but a bare councell and aduice. Gregorie Nazianzen, in an Oration which he makes of the care that ought to bee had of the Poore; proueth out of this place, That to relieue the poore and the needie, is not Negotium voluntarium, sed necessarium, not a voluntarie, but a necessarie businesse. And Saint Augustine and Thomas are of opinion, That we are bound to relieue the necessities of our neigh­bour, be it with food, or apparell, or councell, or our assistance, according to the measure of their necessitie, and our abilitie, gouerning our selues therein accor­ding to the rules of wisedome.

Hence it followeth, that the sinne of crueltie carries with it a kind of despe­ration. For (as Saint Augustine saith) he must be condemned to eternal fire, who hath not cloathed the naked, who hath not fed the hungrie; he that strips ano­ther man of his cloathes, and he that [...]natcheth a morcell of meat from the mouth of the hungrie: and what shall become of him in the end, Iudicium sine misericor­di [...] his, qui non faciunt misericordiam, Let not him (saith Saint Iames) looke for mer­cie in the world to come, Iames. 2. that shewes not mercie in this life. One of the reasons, why Hamon, King Assuerus his great Fauourit, found no pittie in Queen Esters, nor the Kings brest, though he besought it on his knees, and with teares in his eyes, was, for that he had plotted such a mercilesse tyrannie, as to destroy all the Iews both men, women, and children, at one blow; and therefore deserued no fauour. Na­than p [...]opounding to Dauid that Parable of him, That hauing many Sheepe of his owne, had robbed his Neighbour of his onely Sheepe, hauing no more be­sides in all the world; was so incensed against this so great an iniurie, that he held [Page 101] him for the present vnworthie of pardon; As the Lord liueth, he is the child of death. In a word, the Word of God cannot faile. And Amos in his fourth and sixth Chapter, threatneth those powerfull cruell ones with most seuere punishments. And Salomon saith, That the hard heart shall haue many a shrewd pang when he lies on his death bed.

This Doctrine hath in it's fauour three powerfull reasons.

The first, In the secular state; for the elder brother is bound to maintaine his younger brothers, and vpon this condition is hee made the heire of his house; otherwise he should be condemned for vnkind and cruell. God (saith Saint Basil) made the rich man the elder brother, that he might relieue his younger brother, the Poore. And Malachie saith, That the hungrie, the naked, and the maimed man, on whom the rich man bends his brow, is his brother; that they haue one and the same God to their Father, & one and the same Church to their Mother.

The second, Our Sauiour Christ is not contented that thou shouldst make ac­count that thou giuest thy brother an almes, but thy selfe: And he doth reueale this truth, and notifie it vnto thee, to the end that thou shouldst not despise the Poore; Haec requies mea, reficite lassum, hoc est meum refrigerium. How is it possi­ble (ô Lord) that the succouring of the Poore should be thy ease and thy refre­shing? Because I (saith our Sauiour) am that poore Man; and happie is hee, who vnder the ragges of the Poore, diuideth the riches of God.

The third, That this charitie towards the Poore giues vs an assurance of Hea­uen: Charitie affoords great confidence to all that practise it, Tob. 4. and will not suffer their soule to goe into darkenesse. Besides, Dauid calls that man happie, whose sinnes are co­uered; Beatus vir, cuius tecta sunt peccata. And Salomon, and Saint Peter affirme, That Charitie couers a multitude of sinnes, Vniuersa peccata operit Charitas.

Discedite in ignem eternum.

Goe into euerlasting fire. This is a most cruell punishment,A difference of punish­ment accor­ding to the difference of Sinnes. in regard of the despaire of any future comfort. Micheas treating of a punishment that God was to inflict vpon his People, saith, I will make a wailing like the Dragons, & mour­ning as the daughters of the Owle; Quia desperata est plaga eius, For her wound is incurable. O, with what teares, ô, with what hideous shreekes ought man to bewaile the desperate torments of Iudgement, and of Hell? This punishment all the damned shall equally suffer; nor there is not the immagination of any thing that can so much affright and dismay vs. But in those other punishments, some shall suffer more than other-some, their shame, confusion, and their hellish torments, being answerable to the nature of their offences.

The first sort that shall suffer the seuerest punishment, shall be the Iewes; who in crucifying our Sauiour Christ, committed the greatest sin, and the heinousest offence that euer was committed in the World▪ Who, when at the day of judge­ment they shall see and perceiue whom they so impudently abused, shamefully mocked, cruelly scourged, scornefully crowned, rigorously handled, spit vpon, buffeted, and crucified, and all vndeseruedly; beeing one that wisht them all good, hugg'd them vnder his wing, as the hen clocketh her chickens, wept ouer them, and mourned for them; they shall remaine so thunder-strucken, so astoni­shed, so daunted, and so dead with feare, and the horror of their punishment, that they shall cry vnto the mountaines, and call vnto the hills, with a Cadite super nos, Fall vpon vs. This lamentable and wretched condition of theirs,Zachar. 12. Zachary poin­teth at, in these words, Et aspicient ad me, quem confixerunt, They shall looke vpon mee whome they haue pierced. And Saint Iohn; Videbunt, in quem crucifixerunt, [Page 102] They shall see whom they haue crucified. And in the Apocalips, Videbit eum omnis oculus, Euery eye shall see him; But especially they, Qui eum pup [...]gerunt, That goard him. O what a cruell taking must they bee in, who are guilty to them­selues in that day, how cruelly they vsed the Sauiour of the World?

The second sort, are those cast-awayes, that haue made a couenant with Hell, whilest they liued here on Earth: Of whom Esay sayth, Percussimus foedus cum morte, Esay. 28. & cum inferno fecimus pactum (i.) Those desperate theeues that haue made a league with the Gallowes. And those vnworthie Communicants, of whome Saint Paul, That they eate and drinke their owne condemnation; Iudicium sibi mandu­cat & bibit. Of these, the sayd Esay asketh, Which of you can dwell with the deuou­ring Fire? Aut quis habitabit cum ardoribus sempiternis? Are ye of that mettall, that yee can suffer eternall fire, who are not able to indure temporall heate? Let the most desperat amongst you, he that imagines he is able to indure any torment, put but his finger awhile into the flame but of a candle, and hee will soone tell mee another tale.

The third sort, are those that professe a perpetuall and euerlasting hatred to Vertue and Goodnesse, follow tyranny with delight, and take a pleasure in sin­ning, thinking there is no life to that which is vicious: According to that of Esay, Hee that departeth from euill, maketh himselfe a prey; It is death to them, to doe o­therwise. And as Hosea hath it, Sanguis, sanguinem tetigit, Against these, God shall come armed with a corslet of Iustice, and with robes of Vengeance, and with a cloake of Zeale, and like a swift torrent, he shall sweepe away these reeds and bulrushes, &c.

The fourth sort, are those who deny God eyes to see the infinite summe and masse of those things that passe amongst men. First, because in themselues they are materiall; and God is a pure Spirit, and incorporeall, and therefore they dreame hee hath no eyes to see our actions. Secondly, because humane actions are oftentimes so nastie and so loathsome, that God will not vouchsafe to stoope so low,Psal. 93. as to looke vpon them. Et dixerunt, non videbit Dominus nec intelligit Deus Iacob. Against these men, sayth Dauid, Intelligite insipientes in populo. The Hebrew stiles them, Bestiales: Heare ô yee brute beasts, harken ô you beasts, and be wise. Et stulti aliquando sapite, O yee fooles when will yee vnderstand? Qui plantauit au­rem, non audiet? aut qui finxit oculum, non considerat? God gaue man eares, eyes, vnderstanding, and reason, and shall all these faculties be wanting to him? All the perfection of these effects are most eminent in the primary cause. And therfore, if God gaue man his hearing, his sight, & his vnderstanding, much more must hee inioy them, who was the Author and onely giuer of them. Qui corri­pit gentes, non arguet? Qui docet hominem scientiam, (i.) He that correcteth the Nati­ons shall he not reprooue? He that teacheth man knowledge, &c.

The fift sort, are those, who acknowledging in God his Prouidence, and his Iustice; yet will not bee persuaded, that it can be so seuere in that day. So saith the Psalmist; Secundum multitudinem irae suae non quaeret: And the cause is pre­sently rendred, Diuisi sunt ab ira, vultus eius. Sophonia, painting out certaine men vnto vs drowned in their vices, saith, Defixos in faecibus eius, They are drowned in the dregges of their sinnes. And by and by giueth a reason for it; Dicunt enim in cordibus suis, non faciet Dominus bene, non faciet Dominus male. On the one side, they make this reckoning with themselues, That God is good, liberall, mercifull, and that hee will not doe vs much harme: and that on the other side, as he is just, hee will not doe vs much good. In this sinne liue they, who hearing from the Prophets and the Preachers of Gods Word, the horrors and terrors of [Page 103] that day, say in their heart; In multos dies, & in longa tempora hic Prophetat; as Eze­chiel relates it vnto vs; Manda, remanda, expecta, reexpecta, As Esay complaines. What need these Prophets beate their brains & keep such a stir about the day of Iudgement? &c. And this fault, is by so much the greater,Ezech. 12. by how much God doth so often inculcate & reiterate in holy Scripture, the terrible [...]es of that day. For there is not that Prophet which doth not multiplie his meditations, & doth not indeere the horror of that day; vsing many fearefull comparisons, for to strike a dread & terrour vnto vs, in the woful expression of them. All which, Esay shuts vp in these few words, In nouissimis diebus, intelligetis ea. Peraduenture you that now heare me tell you this, do not persuade your selues that this is true, nor beleeue what I speake vnto you; but in the end (vnlesse God giue you the grace to be of another mind) yee will too late, and yet too soone to your owne griefe, acknowledge and confesse your errour.

The last sort are those, who beeing puffed vp with their prosperitie, doe dis­esteeme and despise those that wrestle with aduersitie, and grone vnder the bur­then of their miseries; thinking with themselues, That those blessings which God hath bestowed vpon them in this world, shall continue with them in that other. The Wicked liue, and are comforted with Riches, saith Iob; but in Hel (the Poore beeing in Paradise, and they in torment) they shal be forced to crie out and say of the Poore and Hungrie, and the Naked, These are they whom wee sometimes scorned. To whom Salomon makes this replie, Parata sunt derisoribus, judicia eius: Prou. 19. They shall be brought vpon that perdurable and eternall Stage of laughter and scorne, set vp by the Deuills of Hell, neuer to bee pulled downe; who shall represent themselues vnto these mocke-games now, that were once mockers and deriders of their poore brethren, in that formidable and gastly manner, as shall make their haire stand an end, whilest they shall heare (to aggrauate their griefs) that seuere Sentence, and that irreuocable Doome, pronoun­ced from the infinite Maiestie of an austere and angrie Iudge, Goe yee into euerlasting fire, &c. From which the Lord, &c.

Commota est vniuersa Ciuitas.

The whole Citie was mooued. Ierusalem had beene long settled in it's vices, Visitabo super viros defixos in sordibus suis, Moab requieuit in faecibus suis, I will search Ierusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees, &c. And as the wise Phisitions stirre and trouble the humours, cause loa­things and gripings in the stomacke; so our Sauiour Christ in the breast of eue­rie one causeth a squeamishnesse of the stomacke by moouing and stirring those foule dregges of sinne wherewith they were corrupted. Et commota est vniuersa Ciuitas. Hierem. 4. Many old diseases are woont to be cured with some sudden passion, as of sorrow, or feare, or by some great and violent vomit; for euerie one of these accidents make a pause in the humours, and detaine the spirits: An Ague hath been seen to be put out of his course, and quite taken away by the sudden draw­ing of a sword vpon the Patient: and a Palsey driuen away with the sight of a mans enemie. And Horace telleth vs, That a couetous Miser was recouered of a great Lethargie, by the Physitions feigning that his heires were carrying away his bagges of money, and the Chests wherein his Treasure lay. In like manner, in the infirmities of the Soule, one turbation, one disquieting, one breaking vp of those Chests wherein our sinnes are massed vp, may bee the recouerie of our perdition. This made Dauid to say of his Soule, Sana contritiones eius, quia com­mota est, O Lord, my Soule is troubled within me, when I consider the foule­nesse of my sinnes; it is sad and melancholy for the verie griefe thereof; it is much disquieted: And therefore (ô Lord) Sana contritiones eius, affoord me thy helping hand, for it is now high time to cure me of my sore.

Quis est hic? Who is this?

Gods maiesty not to bee described.This was a question of the enuious and appassionated Pharisees: Howbeit it seemeth to Origen, That it should proceed from some good honest people, &c. Howsoeuer, it was a question, whereunto no man could fully answer: put The­ologie, the sacred Scripture, the Doctors, the Saints, the Councells, the Arts, the Sciences, and all the Hierarchies of Angells, put them all (I say) together, and put this question vnto them, and after that they haue said all they can say, all will be too little to satisfie this demand of Quis est hic? Who is this? One of Iobs friends treating of the Maiestie and greatnesse of God, and how incomprehen­sible a thing it was, saith, Forsitan vestigia Dei comprehendes? Et vsque ad perfectum omnipotentem reperies? Iob. 11. Canst thou by searching find out Gods footsteps? Canst thou find out the Almightie vnto perfection? By the tracke of his footsteps, he vnderstandeth these inferior things that are guided and gouerned by his prouidence; And by perfection, which is the head of all, the highnesse of his Wisedome. In a word, In all, God is altogether inuestigable; in regard of his heigth, the Heauens come short of him, Excelsior Coelo est; see then if thou canst reach vnto him. Which consideration made Saint Austen to say, That God is not onely present in earth, which is his footstoole, and in Heauen, which is his Throne; but in those which are to be immagined elsewhere. How then canst thou reach vnto him, beeing [Page 107] more deepe than Hell, longer than the Earth, and broader than the Sea? God tharefore beeing on the one side so embowelled in and beneath the Earth; and on the other, so wholely out of the same, (as Saint Hilarie prooueth it, Intus & extra super omnia, & internus in omnia;) How can hee fully know all, that is in Heauen, in Hell, in the bowells of the Earth, or in the bottome of the Sea? Many perhaps cannot giue a full answer to this; but the Pharisees, had they not beene blinded with enuie, might haue contented themselues with that of Moses, For he hath written of me; or of Ezechiel, who did prophecie of him, That he was the King and Sheepheard of Israell; or of Iohn Baptist, who poin­ted him out vnto them as it were with the finger; or of his Workes and Mira­cles, For they beare witnesse of me; of the Father,Iohn. 5. who proclaimed him in Ior­dan to be his Sonne; of the Deuils of Hell, who with open voyce acknowled­ged him to be the Sonne of God; of the little children, who cried out, Hosan­na to the Sonne of Dauid, blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord.

Quis est hic? Who is this? Whether better a pub­lick life or a priuate. Diuers and sundrie times Christ had entred into Hierusalem, and they had neuer askt this question before: but now the triumph and the Maiestie of this King awakens the tongues of these enuious People, who now begin to aske, Quis est hic? It hath beene an antient question doubted of, of old, Which is the better life, that of a publique, or a priuate person▪ Seneca in an Epistle of his, seemeth to fauour the former; Miserable (saith he) is that mans fortune who hath no enemie to enuie him. And Persius saith, That it is a great glorie to haue men point with the finger, and to say, There goes the Kings Fa­uourite. But Iob, hee seemeth to like better of the latter, O, Iob 10.18.19. that I had gi­uen vp the ghost, and no eye had seene me: would I had beene as though I had not beene: and that I had beene carried from the wombe to the graue. Wishing himselfe to haue beene of that short continuance in the world, that no man might haue knowne whither he had died or liued. And Horace, Neque vixit malè, qui natus moriensque fefellit, His life let none bemone, who liu'd and di'd vnknowne. Both liues haue so much to be said on either side, that the question remaines yet vnresolued. But admit that a publike life be the more desired, yet it is not the safest; for alwayes the more honour, the more danger.

Who is this? Your great Persons, and those that prosper in the world, carrie wheresoeuer they goe, such a noyse with them, that they giue occasion to the People to aske, Quis est hic? Iohn Baptist when hee thundered out in the Desert, (clad in Camells haire) That the Kingdome of God was at hand; iudging him to be some coelestiall Monster, they sent out to enquire of him, with a Tu quis es? Who art thou? The Angells seeing our Sauiour Christ ascend vnto Heauen with such a deale of Maiestie and glorie as was neuer seene before; began to aske, Quis es iste qui venit de Edom? Who is he that commeth from Edom? And Esay spea­king of a great Tyrants comming downe to Hell, saith, Hell was troubled at thy comming. In a word, it is true in nature, That the loftie Cedars, and the highest and tallest Pine Trees make the greatest noyse when they are shaken with the wind; and the greatest Riuers the greatest roaring: And therefore it is no mer­uaile they should aske, Who is this? When a Merchant shall go apparelled and at­tended like a Knight, or some great Lord, and his wife and daughters like a great Ladie and her children; Who will not aske, Quis est hic? I knew his Grandfa­ther, &c. And for that the Pharisees were enuious, they did speake reprochful­ly of our Sauiour, euerie foot vpbraiding him, That he was a Carpenter, and the sonne of a Carpenter; and seeing him now enter Ierusalem like a King, they de­manded in scorne, Quis est hic?

Hic est Iesus Propheta à Nazareth Galileae.

Deut. 18. This is Iesus. By name a Sauiour, and by office a Prophet; Alluding to that promise made in Deutronomie, I will raise vp a Prophet of thine owne Nation: Bee­ing a plaine Prophesie of our Sauiour Christ, as appeareth in the third of the Acts; His Countrie, Nazareth, where he was bred, they not knowing that he was borne in Bethlem. Now these wise men of this World asking with this scorne, Who is this? and the foolish ones answering with that discretion, This is Iesus, &c. agrees well with those thankes which our Sauiour gaue vnto his father, Because thou hast hid these things from the Wise, and hast reuealed them to Babes. It is Gods fashion, to ouercome a Pharaoh with Flies; and by a sillie woman, to con­found the Learned, who said, In Belzebub the Prince of Deuills he casts out Deuills: by a blind man, the Iudges of Hierusalem; by a low Zacheus, a tall Gyant. The order of Grace is different from that of Nature: God, as a naturall Author, Me­dia per summa gubernat, Gouernes the meane things by the highest, saith Dionysius. First, he communicateth his vertue & his power to the supream causes; and by them, to the meaner and the lowest. The Sunne shines first vpon the Mountaines, and then shewes it selfe in the Vallies, &c. But Grace oftentimes doth first illuminate the lowest Bottoms, and shines oftner in them, than on the Mountaines: it cal­led the Sheepeheards before it called the Kings; it appeared vnto the Ignorant before the Wise; and shewed it selfe to Balaams Asse, before his Master tooke notice of it. And therefore Ecclesiasticus saith, That the Soule of a Iust man at­taineth to more truth, than those Watch-Towers that are reared on the highest Walls; vnderstanding thereby your greatest Clerkes. A just and vpright man will now and then affoord you better councell than many wise men; howbeit in matters of difficultie, and deepe points of knowledge, and of Faith, we must al­wayes haue recourse to the Wise.

Caepit eijcere omnes ementes & vendentes.

He began to cast out all the Buyers and the Sellers. Zacharie prophecying of this entrance, saith, Ecce, Rex tuus veniet tibi mansuetus, Behold, thy King shall come vnto thee, meeke. How can these two suit together, Mansuetus, and Triumphator, gen­tle, and yet a Conqueror? Teares in his eyes, and yet so angrie, that hee neuer shewed himself more? I haue giuen some reasons hereof in another place; those that now offer themselues are these:

The first, That Mercie and Iustice are the two Poles of Gods gouernment: By those teares in his eyes,Mer [...]e and Iustice the two Poles of Gods gouern­ment. and by those words of lamentation from his mouth, and by moouing the hearts of that hard hearted Citie, our Sauiour gaue notable proofes of his mercie. But finding this insufficient to make himselfe knowne amongst them, his Iustice then did display it's power, by whipping those Mer­chants, and in them, the Priests who had a share in their gaines: Giuing vs there­by to vnderstand, That hee that will not bee brought to know God by his soft hand, and those sweete fauours of his Mercie, shall be made to know him by the whips and scourges of his Iustice. God prospers thy house, thou doost not ac­knowledge it for a blessing; hee sends thee to an Hospitall laden with diseases, that thy miserie may teach thee to know him: He giues thee health, thou art not thankefull vnto him for it; hee casts thee downe on thy bed, and then thou giuest him thankes, not ceasing night and day to call vpon him, and to praise and blesse his hol [...] name.Ps [...]al. 32. And therefore it is truly said, The Lord shall bee knowne while hee worketh judgement. Our Sauioue (like a good Physition) tries vs first by his mild [Page 109] and gentle medicines, but they doe no good; hee therefore turnes ouer a new leafe, and applies those vnto vs that are more sharpe and tart, whereby we come to know as well his wisedome as his loue.

The second, He began to cast out the Buyers and the Sellers; Because no man should presume, that the glorious acclamations of a King, and of a Messias, should en­dure to permit in his Temple such a foule and vnseemely buying and selling: they had no sooner proclaimed him King, but he tooke the whip into his hand, to scourge them for their offences. In a Prince, in a Iudge, and in a Preacher, flat­teries and faire words are woont to abate the edge of the Sword of Iustice; wherefore to shew, That true praise ought the more to oblige a King to vnsheath his Sword, he betooke him to his Whip. That acclamation and applause of the little children, our Sauiour accounted it as perfect and good; [Ex ore Infantium & Lactantiū perfecisti laudē propter Inimicos tuos.] Yet, for that a Prince, a Iudge, or a Preacher, should not bee carried away with the praises of men; our Sauiour, though applauded in the highest manner that the thought of man could imma­gine, Coepit eijcere Ementes & vendentes, &c. Reges eos in virga ferrea, saith Dauid: In the name of the eternall Father, thou shalt (my Sonne) be their Ruler & their Iudge, thou shalt beare in thy hand a Rod of yron, which shall not be bowed as are those other limber wands of your earthly Iudges: theirs are like fishing rods, which when the fish bite not, continue strait & right, but if they nibble neuer so little at the bait, presently bow and bend. Esay called the Preachers of his time, Dumbe Dogges, not able to barke: And he presently renders the reason of this their dumbenesse, They knew no end of their bellie. To ear, and to talke, none can doe these two well and handsomely together; and because these Dogges haue such an hungrie appetite, that they neuer giue ouer eating, because nothing can fill their bellie, they are dumbe, and cannot barke, they know not how to open their mouths.

The third is of Saint Chrysostome and Theophilact; who say,Gods punish­ment different from those of Earthly Prin­ces. That it was a kind of prophecie or foretelling, that these legall Offerings and Sacrifices were al­most now at an end. When Kings and Princes expresse their hatred to any great Person in Court, it is a prognostication of that mans fall; The wrath of a King is the messenger of death. Our Sauiour Christ, the Prince of the Church, had twice whipt out those that had prouided Beasts for the Sacrifices of his temple; which was an vndoubted token of their short continuance, it beeing a great signe of death, that one, and such a one, should come twice in this manner to visit them with the Rod. This conceit is much strengthened by the words of our Sauiour Christ,Esay 56. ( [...]oretold by the Prophet Esay) The time shall come wherein my House shall bee called a House of Prayer, and not a Denne of Theeues, nor a common Market of buying and selling. So that hee tooke these Whips in­to his hands as a means to worke amendment in his Ministers, and to sweepe and make his House cleane. The Iudges of the earth (saith Saint Hierome) doe pu­nish a Delinquent, ad ruinampunc; but God, adcust gationem; the one, to his vtter vn­doing; the other, for his amendment: And therefore he vsed no other weapons to chastise them withall, but Rods and Whips, which worke our smart, but not our death; they paine vs▪ but they doe not kill vs. Tertullian is startled, and stan­deth much amased at that punishment which Saint Peter inflicted vpon Ananias and Saphyra, and saith, That to bereaue them so suddenly of their life, & to strike [...]hem in an instant dead at his foot, was the punish [...]ent of a man, & of one that had not long exercised, nor did well know what did belong on the office of a Bishop. But our Sauiour Christ being come into the world to giue men life, it would not [Page 110] haue suited with his goodnesse to giue them death.

The fourth reason (which all doe touch vpon) was, The disrespect and irreue­rence which was shewne to this his Temple; a sinne which God doth hardly par­don: And therefore it was said vnto Ieremie, Pray not therefore for this People. And hee presently giues the reason why, It hath committed many outrages in my House. Saint Iames aduiseth, That the Sicke should call vnto the Priests, to get them to pray vnto God for him; but for him that should commit wickednes in his Tem­ple, God willeth the Prophet Ieremie, that hee should not so much as pray for them. And Saint Paul saith, That those who shall violate the Temple of God, God shall destroy them.

Great is the respect which God requireth to be had to his Temple.

First, In regard of his especiall and particular presence there. Saint Austen saith, That Dauid did pray be fore the Arke, Quia ibi sacratior & commendatior praesentia Domini erat. For euermore God manifests himselfe more in his Tem­ple than any where else; that place beeing like Moses his Bush, or Iacobs ladder; being therefore so much the more holy, by how much the more he doth there manifest himselfe, &c.

Secondly, He shewes himselfe there more exorable, and more propitious to our prayers: According to that request of Salomon in the dedication of the tem­ple, That his eares may be there opened. And it was fit it should be so, as Saint Ba­sil hath noted it; for that, Prayer is a most noble act, and therefore as it requires a most noble place, so likewise the greater fauour appertaineth vnto it.

Thirdly, For that Christ is there present in his blessed Sacraments. And there­fore (as Saint Chrysostom hath obserued it) there must needs be there a great com­panie of coelestiall Spirits; for where the King is, there is the Court.

Fourthly, For to stirre vp our deuotion, by ioyning with the congregation of the Faithfull. And a learned man saith, That the Temples & Houses of God did put a new heart and new affections into mens brests. What then shall become of those who refuse these publique places of praying and praysing of God, and make it a Den of Theeues, working all impietie and wickednesse in these sacred Assemblies?

The last reason of our Sauiours being so angrie, was, To see the couetousnesse that was in his Ministers. Nothing mooues Gods patience more than the coue­tousnesse of Priests, especially when they shal make a benefit to their purse from the bloud of the Alter. Notable is that place of Balaam, when he went to curse the People of Israell, the Asse which carried him thither was willing to shew him his errour, God opening his mouth, and making his tongue to speake. And Saint Austen strucken into amasement at the rarenesse thereof, confesseth, Tha [...] he knows not what greater wonder than this could possibly be immagined, tha [...] that the Prophet should not bee affrighted, hearing an Asse to open his mouth and reprooue him. And he renders two reasons for it: The one, That Sorce­ries and Witcheries were so common in those dayes; for there was not any na­tion that had not it's Magicians and Sorcerers, as Trismegistus in Aegypt; Z [...]r [...] ­astes in Persia; Orpheus in Greece; besides many Sybels in diuers other countries. The other, That he was blinded with that good round summe of money which he was to receiue out of hand▪ [Habentes pretium diuinationis in manibus] king Ba­lack's Messengers had so greased his fists with good gold, that hee minded not that so great a miracle as the talking of his Beast. And this is a thing worthy the noting, That Saint Hierome and Saint Austen doe not onely make him a Prophet, but a holy Prophet, and that his couetousnesse had thus misseled him. And as [Page 111] Saint Peter saith, Through couetousnesse shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you, whose iudgement lingreth not, and whose damnation slum­breth not; which haue forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the sonne of Bozor, who loued the wayes of vnrighteousnes, but was rebuked for his iniquitie, the dumbe Asse forbidding him his madnesse, by speaking vnto him in a mans voyce.

He began to cast out all the Buyers. That one man should bee able to doe more than a whole Squadron, seemeth somwhat strange: but that none of those whom he whipt should dare to giue him so much as a word, is much more strange.

The first reason, saith Saint Hierome, (which is also repeated by Thomas) was, That the Maiestie of the Deitie shined in his face. Whither or no, that in our Saui­our Christ that Maiestie were ordinarie, or whither hee had then put it on, for that it is a common custome with God, in those disrespects done to his temple, to discouer his greatnesse the more. And so when he punished Heltodorus, who would haue rob'd the Treasurie of the Temple, (wherein were deposited those moneys which belonged vnto Widdowes and Orphans) the Text saith, Spiritus omnipotentis Dei magnam fecit suae ostentionis euidentiam, The Lord of Spirits, and the Prince of all power caused a great apparition, so that all that presumed to come in with him were astonished at the power of God, and fainted, and were sore affraid. A Lyon when hee waxeth angrie sparkeleth fire forth of his eyes, and with his roaring makes all the beasts of the Forrest affraid, & to flie from his anger. The Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda was angrie, his eys flamed forth fire; O culi eius tanquam flamma ignis, saith the Apocalyps. And Saint Hierome, That the beames of his wrath brake forth, & that he roared out with a loud voyce, What make these Theeues heere in my House, &c. Who is able to withstand him? Who can resist his rage? Seneca in the Tragedie of Hercules, represents him there in that mad and furious manner, that making towards his sonne, the verie sight of him strucke him dead. Whereunto suteth that which the Prophet Aba­cuc saith of God, Aspexit & dissoluit Gentes, He beheld and cloue asunder the Nations. Abac. 3. Iob. 25. This force and power of Gods eye forced Iob to say, Potestas & terror apud Deum est, Dominion and feare are with him.

The second is,Vice euer afraid of Vertue. That great cowardise which the face of Vertue casts on that of Vice; the Armies of Enemies, the sight of Deuills are not more fearefull to be­hold. There shall not in that finall day of Iudgement be any torment equall to that which the Damned shall feele when they shall see the face of our Sauiour Christ, whom they scorned, scoffed, and reuiled. Iosephs brethren were astoni­shed when they heard hi [...] say, Ego sum Ioseph, I am your brother Ioseph, Gen. 45. whome yee persecuted and sould into Aegypt, &c. To those eyes which haue alwayes li­ued in darkenesse, the light is most painefull vnto them. And of the damned in Hell Iob saith, Si subito aparuerit aurora, arbitrantur vmbram mortis, Iob 24. The morning is to them euen as the shadow of death. For this cause some Doctors for their greater punishment will haue the Damned that are in Hells Dungeon, lie with their faces vpward, looking towards Heauen. And Seneca in the Tragedie of Hercules saith, That when he dragg'd Cerberus out of that darke place, as soone as he saw the light he drew himselfe backe with that force, that hee had almost throwne that Conquerour to the ground. And in that rape of Proserpina by Pluto, it is feigned, That when his Coach Horses came to see the light, they striued with all their might and maine to returne backe againe to Hell. In like manner, those glittering beames of light which brake forth from the eyes of our Sauiour Christ, did dazle those of these Money-changers, and made them to rest as men amased.

[Page 112] Iosephus reporteth, That there were three Sects amongst the Iewes, the Essei, the Iebusei, and the Saducei; and besides these, they had certaine Scribes which were their Sages, or the wisest men amongst them: The Greeks called them Phi­losophers; the Chaldaeans, Magi; the Latines, Doctors. And of these there were some in euerie Tribe, and in euerie Sect, & in euerie State, as it passeth now amongst vs.

Epiphanius saith, That they had two Offices.

The one, To expound the Law, and to preach it to the People, who came euerie Sabboth to their Synagogues, as appeareth in the Acts. And as Iosephus and Philon hath it,Acts. 9. They were called Lectores, Readers, because they read vnto them; and Scribes, because they expounded the Scriptures. And Esdras termes them Scribes and Readers: And Saint Luke relateth, That Paul & Barnabas com­ming to Antiochia, and entring into the Synagogue, a Scribe read the Law, and Saint Paul preached vnto the People.Acts 13.

The second Office was, To be Iudges, He shall be deliuered to the Princes, and to the Scribes, and they shall condemne him to death, so saith Saint Mathew. And those that presented the Adulteresse to our Sauiour Christ, were the antientest of all the rest of the Sects; for it appeareth in Leuiticus, That they began with that Law that commanded them not to drinke wine, nor any thing that might distem­per them; That yee may haue knowledge to discerne betwixt that which is holy and pro­phane, and may teach the Children of Israell. They did vse likewise Philacteries, and other Hypocrisies:The Austeri­tie and Hypo­crisie of the Scribes. And therefore our Sauiour did no lesse reprehend them, than he did the Pharisees for their fringes, they would prick themselues with thorns, and their feet were commonly besmeered with bloud; they had the Law writ­ten in their forehead, and in other parts of their apparell: Alluding to that com­manded by God in Deutronomie, Deut. 6. Thou shalt bind my Precept in thy hand. Iosephus re­counteth, That Alexandra mother to Hircanus the High Priest, and to Aristob [...] ­lus, did greatly fauour them: & because after his mothers death he denied them this fauour, he was hated of the People. In a word, In diuine worship, and in publique prayer, they were most respected; not because they were more holy, but because they did striue to seeme so: wherewith they did cloake their aua­rice and their crueltie; and ioyning with the Merchants in their gaines, they had equal part with them also in their punishment: wherewith being offended, they afterwards said, By what power doost thou these things? But they may be wel enough answered with that of Saint Chrysostome, Yee will not heare; but though yee be silent, the little children shall speake forth his praise; and should they hold their peace, the verie Stones in the Street should voyce him to be the King, and Messias.

Generatio praua & adultera signum quaerit, &c.

A wicked and adulterous Generation seekes a signe. Though patience in our Saui­our Christ were a thing so naturall vnto him, yet may it well be wondred at, that to so many iniurious both workes and words, hee made so mild an answere. That Fire should burne, that Snow should coole, that what is heauie should tend downeward, and what is light ascend vpward; that the Sunne should giue light, that Heauen should glad the heart of man, that a Fountaine should flow, it is not much: But that the Sunne, rising for and to all, should denie his light to him that desires it; the Heauen, it's cheerefulnesse and influences; the Fountaine, water to the thirstie; and that our Sauiour Christ, the chiefest of Hierusalem comming vnto him, and with a great deale of respect crauing a signe and miracle of him, that he should make fooles of them, and rid them away for such, it is somewhat strange, and will require a Quaere, why and wherefore he did it.

And this difficultie is made the greater, for that it is an incomparable piece of seruice, to craue and beg any thing of God. The Scripture stileth Prayer, A sweet perfume: And the Church calls it, Scalam petitionum, The Ladder where­by our Prayers ascend vnto God: And hee that petitions God as he ought, the more hee askes, the more God holds him his friend. And King Ahaz, who would not require any miracle, the Prophet Esay offering him Heauen, Earth, and Hell, condemned him of ill manners, accusing him to haue dealt therein ve­rie discourteously with God. How comes it then to passe, that the most religi­ous and grauest kind of People that were in Hierusalem, comming to craue a mi­racle, our Sauiour should giue them this strange answer, A wicked and adulte­rous generation seekes a signe, and no signe shall be giuen it, &c.

Reasons why our Sauiour thus answe­red the Pha­rises. The benefits in hauing Christ our maister.The first reason is, for that they scornefully called him Master, when as they held him to be an Imposter, and one that was possessed with a Deuill. One of the greatest fauours that euer God shewed to his Church, was in giuing our Saui­our Christ to be it's Master; and the greatnesse of this good, hee particularly (amongst many other) discouered vnto vs in two effects:

The one, in dispelling the darkenesse of our ignorance; For as the light of this materiall Sunne, doth inrich and beautifie the day, bannishing from vs the pitchie darkenesse of the night, to the end, that these our corporall eyes may behold the beautie of the World; so the light of that spirituall Sunne, doth in­rich and beautifie the day of the new Law, driuing from vs the darkenesse of [Page 115] the old Law: And therefore those times of the old Testament, were called by the name of Night, Nox praecessit, (i.) The Night is p [...]st, &c.

The other, for that all Masters whatsoeuer in the World besides, doe not effectually persuade and moue the Will of man; But this Master of ours, doth penetrate with his words, the very innermost parts of the Soule, and the secret corners of the Heart; He mooues it, and persuades it by milde, yet powerfull meanes. Esay, making a promise on Gods behalfe to his people, this Doctor touched both these effects, Dabit tibi Deus panem a [...]ctum, & aquam breuem, (i.) God will giue thee a little water and a little bread, but much learning,Esay 30. for thou shalt behold thy Master with thine eyes, Erun [...] oculi tui videntes praec [...]p [...]rum. And with thy eares shalt thou heare his voice, Et aures tuae audient post ter [...]a monentis. Who shall bee still admonishing and persuading thee, Haec est via, ambulate in ea, This is the way, walke in it. A little water and a little bread, but much light of lear­ning; for towards those whom God best loueth, he carries a hard and straight hand, in those good things which concerne the bodie, but showes himself very franke and liberall in those blessings that belong to the Soule. And one dramme of Wisedome, is better than many quintals of Gold. God did applaud Salo­mons petition, because making slight account of riches, of lordships, and of re­uenging himselfe vpon his enemies, he did begge Wisedome at his hands: and therefore possessed with this diuine Spirit, hee sayd afterwards;Sap. 8. Wis [...]dome is bet­ter than the most precious Riches, and whatsoeuer is to bee desired, is not comparable to it. Saint Ierome noteth, that the Prophet sayth, Thou shalt see this thy Master with thy eyes, in regard of those just and right actions, which hee shall alwayes set before thine eyes: And, that thou shalt heare him with thy eares, in regard, that as thou art a sinner, hee shall be still calling thee to repentance, preaching and crying out vnto thee to returne backe from thy euill wayes, shewing thee, that This is the way, walke in it. It is a metaphore borrowed from a Trauailour that hath lost his way amongst woods and rockes, where hee is ready at euerie step to breake his neck; and therefore like a good sheapheard, greeuing to see him thus wilfully to runne on to his destruction, hee calleth out aloud vnto him, telling him, This is the way. In like manner, the World beeing as it were lost, and blinded in the true knowledge of God and his sonne Christ Iesus, set­ting before vs the way of the Gospell, hee cries out vnto vs, that wee might not goe astray; Haec est via, This is the way. This was a great, and extraordinarie fa­uour, and the Prophet Ioel giues the paralell thereof to the Church;Ioel 2. Filij Syon exaltate, & latamini in Domino D [...]o vestro, quia dedit vobis Doct [...]rem iustitiae, (1.) Ex­alt yee sonnes of Sion, and reioyce in the Lord your God, who hath giuen you a Teacher of Righteousnesse. The Greeke hath it Escas iustitiae, That God hath giuen yee a Ma­ster that shall bee vnto you, as the verie meate and nourishment of Righteous­nesse, to feed and preserue your soules; and will restore vnto you the yeares that the Locusts hath eaten, the canker-worme, and the catterpillar, and the pal­mer-worme, &c. And if in Commonwealths, to haue Masters, and wise and learned Teachers, bee of so inestimable a price, that Aristotle asking the reason, why they had no set stipend or reward, as many other Offices & States had? an­sweres it thus, Because there could bee no reward answerable to their desert. What then might this Master merit of the World, beeing so singular and lear­ned a Teacher, in whome were deposited all the treaseres of the Wisedome of God? In regard of this happinesse, our Sauiour Christ sayd, Beati oculi qu [...] vi­dent quae vos vide [...]is. The Scribes therfore and the Pharisees, comming vnto him, and in a flattering and scorneful manner calling him Master, it is no ma [...]aile that [Page 116] the mildenesse of this Lambe, should be turned into the furie of a Lyon, and that he sayd vnto them, Generatio mala, &c.

Saint Chrysostome sayes, That they went about to flatter him, as they had done at other times, when they spake vnto him by the same name; As when they said, Magister, Mat. 22. Luke 18. Luke 20. licet censum dare Caesari? Magister, quod est mandatum magnum in Lege? Magister, quid faciendo, vitam aeternam possidebo? Master, is it lawfull to giue tribute vnto Caesar? Master, which is the great Commandement in the Law? Master, What shall I doe to inherit eternall life? And that our Sauiour being offended, that they should flatter him with their mouths, whom they abhorred in their hearts (beeing like vnto those lewd women, who the lighter they are, the fuller of flatterie) he grew somewhat hot and angrie with them.

But I conceiue the fault of these Scribes and Pharisees was more foule than so: For flatterie vsually carryeth with it a desire to please, and is full of courtesie, which these kind of People neuer expressed towards our Sauiour. And this my suspition is the more augmented by that miracle of that blind man, whom the Scribes (as supreame Iudges) so strictly examined; asking him so often, Who is he that hath healed thee? To whom he answered, My Masters, I haue told yee alreadie, Why are yee so importunate with me? Are ye purposed peraduenture to bee his Disciples? This made my Gentlemen verie angrie; insomuch that they said, Tu Discipulus illius sis, Wee wish thee no worse plague, than that thou maist be his Disciple. So that holding this a kind of curse and malediction, and yet to stile him with the name of Master, must be a stuffe that is made of a cour­ser thred than Flatterie.Scorning, a Vice peculiar to the Iewes. Besides, mocking and scorning was a proper and pecu­liar vice annexed to the Iewes. And Saint Chrysostome doth not terme it onely flatterie, but adulation, and irrision; Verba (inquit) sunt plena adulatione & irrision [...]. And that Text of Saint Luke fauoureth this opinion, Alij tentantes eum, signum de coelo quaerebant, Others tempting him, required a signe from heauen. Where this word Tentantes implieth much more. And the Author of the imperfect Worke saith, That these Scribes and Pharisees vsed double dealing herein, desiring nothing more, than by this their soothing with him, to discredit our Sauiour Christ; al­ledging, That those miracles were not so sure and certaine, as to enforce beliefe, or to merit their vndoubted credence: And that they being (as it were) the Suns of that Commonwealth, whom the people did credit and respect next vnder God, they did labour to winne themselues credit in his presence, by disgracing those miracles which our Sauiour had wrought. But our Sauiour hauing re­course to the honour of his Father, and his owne reputation, could not hold▪ be­ing so iustly incensed against them, but must needs breake out into these termes with them, A wicked generation, &c. God complained by his Prophets, That the sinnes of his people had quite altered his naturall condition, Let Samaria pe­rish (saith Osee) because she hath prouoked her God. Ose 14. And anon after he saith the same, of Ephraim; Gods heart being so mild, so gentle, so louing, and so full of com­passion,Lament. 3. the sinnes of Samaria and of Ephraim had prouoked it to bitternes. Iere­mie in his Lamentations complaineth, Repleuit me amaritudinibus, & inebriauit me absynthio, He hath filled me with bitternesse, he hath made me drunken with Wormwood. Ezechiel stiles the people, Domus exasperans, A House which doth exasperate Gods nature,Acts 1. being so noble, so free, so pittifull. Of Iudas Saint Luke saith, Su­spensus crepuit medius, He burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowells gushed out. And this was not without some great mysterie, That his vitall spirit should not goe out at his throat, being streightned with the halter, nor through his mouth, for that therewith (though treacherously) he had kist his Sauiour; but out of the [Page 117] verie heart and bowells of him, for there it was that his hatred lay. And though in other outward things there may be feigning and dissembling; the heart can­not loue and hate at once. And therefore beeing so many monstrous mis-shapes in the rest of the parts of mans bodie, as two heads, two hands, two feet, and the like; yet did Nature neuer consent that there should be two hearts; onely it is vsed as an embleme to expresse a traitor, who loues with the one,Eccle. 2. and hates with the other. Woe to them that are of a double heart, saith Salomon. Simeon and Leui had double hearts when they dealt so deceitfully with the Prince of Sichem: And because we might not think that their father had a hand in it, and that they did it by his aduice; at the houre of his death he called them Instruments of cru­eltie. Ezechiel calls them Foxes, who deuoure the grapes of the Vine, and hide themselues vnder the leaues thereof; [Quafi Vulpes in Deserto, Prophetae tui.] Chrysologus, That they wage warre against Vertue, with Vertue; against Fasting, with Fasting; against Prayer, with Prayer; against Mercie, with Mercie; and against Miracles, by crauing other Miracles. And if it were abhominable before God, that a man should put on womans apparell, and a woman, mans, (as it is in Deutronomie) much worse will it seem in his sight, that the euill man should put on the disguise of him that is good, & that Vice should put on Vertue's cloathes. In Ecclesiasticus God threatneth the Hypocrites,Eccle. 2. That he wil pull off their maskes and disguises in the midst of all the People; Attende ne reuelet Deus absconsa tua, & in medio Synagogae elidat te. Our Sauiour had a faire occasion offered vnto him for to discredit and disgrace them, and therefore plucking their maskes from off their faces, he said, A wicked and adulterous Generation seeketh a signe, &c.

We would s [...]e a signe from thee. The second reason is, The insenciblenesse of this people, that amongst so many & such strange miracles, they should (as if all the rest were worth nothing) require other newer and greater miracles. Potest ne quisquam (saith Saint Chrysostome) adeo stolidus inueniri? The hardnes of a sinfull Heart. Can any man bee found so foolish? Nor is that particle Tunc (which is referred to a summe of miracles, which summe can hardly be reduced to a summe) of the least consideration in this place: Tunc, Then, when they should haue kneeled downe before him to haue kissed his feet, and acknowledged how much they were bound vnto him; Tunc, Then, when they should haue seemed to be astonished and wonder-strucken at his miracles; Tunc, Then, when they were to haue beene conuinced, and like Paul to haue fallen into a trance; Then do they obstinatly perseuer in their malice. This holy doctor saith, that Ionas was a type & figure of this so profound a sleep. The tem­pest driues the sea before it, seeming for feare to runne away from the furie of those fierce and terrible winds; and yet Ionas sleepeth: The waues couer the Clouds, and discouer the bottomlesse Gulfes, striking a terrour both in the Ma­riners and the passengers, and yet Ionas sleepeth: the sayles and tackling are all to-be rent and torne, the helme broken and lost, and none left to gouerne the Ship, and yet Ionas sleepeth; the maine-mast is split in sunder, a planke is sprung, the Pylots and the Mariners multiplie their prayers to their false Gods, which are painted in the prow of their ship, ‘Viridesque Deos, quibus aequora curae;’ and yet Ionas sleepeth; nay, hee routs and snoarts in securitie, and is not sencible of the great danger he is in. The like effect did Christs comming worke with his people: There was a generall hurrie both in Heauen and Earth, such an In­quietudo and turbation as was prophecied by the Prophet Haggie, Behold, Hagi. [...]. yet again I will mooue the Heauen and the Earth. And this people hauing with teares & with sighes desired, that they might be so happie as to see their Sauiour, is now fast [Page 118] asleep. The Dead liue, the Deafe heare, the Blind see, the Lame goe, the stones of the Temple are torne in sunder, the Graues open, the Sun is eclipsed, and the Moone darkened, and this great Ship of the World is tossed to and fro, with the furie of the winds, and yet this people sleepeth; and would to God they were but asleepe: for he that sleepeth, euerie little noyse will awaken him; but these men hauing the eyes of their bodie open, are as blind as any Beetle in those of their soule. They are in condition like vnto those Deuills of whom Iob spea­keth, Cor eius indurabitur quasi lapis, & extinguetur quasi malleatoris incus: He com­pares their heart to a stone, and thinking this too short a comparison, (for that the hardest stone is cut and hewne with the Cheesill and Hammer) he compares it to a Smiths Anuile, which the more it is beaten vpon, the harder it growes. And Saint Gregorie hath obserued, That on the Anuile all other mettalls are made soft, are wrought to bee plyable, and are reduced to diuers formes and shapes; but the Anuile it selfe continues still harder and harder. In the said chap­ter Iob saith, That the bodie of Leuiathan was ioyned and knit together, and that the mettall of his scales was like strong Shields, surely fastned together: Allu­ding (as it should seeme) to that which Ieremie speaketh of his Children, Dabis eis scutum cordis, &c. Thou shalt giue them, ô Lord, a heart like a shield of Brasse, which shall rebound backe vpon thine own bosome, those shafts that thou shalt shoot against them: for those fauours and those blessings which thou bestowest vpon them, make their hearts the harder; and they are so blinded through their sinnes, that their hearts are become as hard as a Target of yron, to the end that the inspirations of thy holy Spirit may not pierce them through. And if they that are hard de­serue to be hardly dealt withall, it is not amisse, that our Sauiour should say vnto them, Generatio mala & adultera signum quaerit, A wicked and adulterous genera­tion seekes after a signe▪ &c.

The third reason discouers it selfe in this word Volumus. What, Will they preferre their owne proper will in the presence of God; beeing, the summe of his Doctrine is, Qui vult venire post me, abneget semetipsum, He that will follow mee, must denie himselfe? Saint Augustine treateth at large, in his bookes De Ciuitate Dei, That the materialls of Babylon were, their owne proper will. And if these men had not beene too much wedded to their owne will, Ierusalem had flouri­shed more than al the Cities of the world besides. The greatest affront that for­mer or future Ages haue seene, or shall see, was that which the Iewes offered to our Sauiour Iesus Christ, judging him more worthie the Gallowes, than Bara­bas: All which, p [...]oceeded from their owne proper will. Whom will yee that I should let loose vnto you? It was Pilats proposition vnto them: and when it was left to their owne proper will, (saith Saint Bernard) and that it was left to their choyce, and that the power was now in their hands, In proprium desaeuit authorem, They rage against him that made them. Once when our Sauiour Christ made peti­tion to his Father in the name of that inferiour portion, Father, if it be possible, let this Cup depart; Mat. 26. (as beeing jealous of his owne proper will, he presently had re­course to his Fathers will) Yet not as I will, Iohn 6. but as thou wilt. And in another place, I came downe from heauen, not to doe my owne will, but the will of him that sent me. O sweet Iesu! Thy will conforming it selfe to the will of thy Father, Why shoul­dest thou bee affraid? It was to teach thee, That if our Sauiour Christ stood in feare of his owne will,Not more pernicious to himselfe. (it being impossible for him to will more than what stood with his Fathers will) thou, that doost not conforme thy selfe according to the will of God, it is not much, that thou shouldst be affraid thereof. Seneca saith in one of his Epistles, That the seuerest Rod that we can desire, is, to desire of God, [Page 119] that he wil fulfil our wil, & our seeking after that good, from which we ought to flie. Hence it commeth to passe, That our owne will is the Leuen of our owne hurt; as also of Gods wrath and displeasure towards vs. And Thomas renders the reason thereof; for, Voluntas in homine est Regina potentiarum h [...]manarum, Mans Will is the Queene of humane faculties: To whose charge is committed the treating and obtaining of our desired ends; and is so absolute a Soueraigne, that although the Vnderstanding be in it selfe so noble, as nothing more; it speaketh vnto it by memorialls, and representing thereunto the reason of that which shee propoundeth vnto it, in the end she comes to follow her owne liking. And for­asmuch as Diuine Will is that vniuersall Empresse, against whom none ought to display their Banner; she finds her selfe especially offended, and counts it a kind of high treason, that humane Will should rebel against her, there being no other Wil neither in heauen, nor in earth, more than the Wil of God: And this Lesson we are taught in our Pater noster, Thy Kingdome come; thy Will be done in earth, as it is in heauen. The earth is thy Kingdome, as well as the heauen; and therefore, thy Will be done in earth, as it is in heauen. Now the Scribes and Pharisees grow­ing into competition with the Will of God, saying Volumus; it is no meruaile, that our Sauiour should say vnto them, Generatio mala & adultera, &c. Gregorie Nissen saith, That as we are all wounded in Paradice, by our Father Adam ▪ by that sore poyson of Disobedience, and by the sword of our owne Selfe-will; so are we all healed by our obedience to the Will of God, which is the graue & sepul­chre (as Climachus hath it) of our proper Will; and this we dayly craue in these words, Thy Will be done. And Petrus Chrysologus doth bewaile the wretched estate of this World, for it's fulnesse of Selfe-loue.

We would see a signe from thee. What? Were not those miracles sufficient which our Sauiour had done alreadie? They might haue satisfied the Vnderstanding, but they could not satisfie the Will. S. Iohn was the Light,Iohn 5. and many were chee­red with it, [Exultauerunt in luce eius;] but the Will stood not affected there­vnto. And Deutronomie saith,Deut. 21. Nothing more profita­ble to Man, than the o­beying of Gods Will. That God wrought great signes and wonders in Aegypt, but the Children of Israell had not a heart to vnderstand them, Et non dedit vobis cor intelligens. Which is all one with that which Dauid deliuereth in somewhat darker words, V [...]x Domini intercidentis flammam ignis. For God is woont in the fire, to diuide the light from the flame, giuing light to the Vnder­standing, but not fire to the Will. That therefore now a dayes in the Church there should be so many Sermons, so many Preachers, so much Light, and so lit­tle Fruit thereof; the reason of it is, That the Vnderstanding is informed, but the Wil is not conformed; the former being contented, but the latter not conuinced. The Deuill did endeauour, that our Sauiour Christ should doe a miracle sine fru­ctu, to no good in the World, when he lay at him to turne the stones into bread; which might haue amased his Vnderstanding, but not haue abated his Will. And the Scribes and Pharisees, like the Sonnes of such a Father, taking this their Selfe-will from their Sire, place therein their chiefest foelicitie. Gregorie Nissen saith, That when that lasciuious Ladie tooke hold of Iosephs cloake, and kept it still in her hands, and would not let it goe▪ a man would haue thought, that hee might haue escaped from her to his lesse cost: But the Deuill, who had put that Will into her, had likewise put to his helping hand, in making her take hold on his cloake: And against two Deuills, one incarnate, and another spiritual, What can a holy young man doe lesse, than leaue his cloake behind him?

From whence I inferre a conclusion of no small consequence, That one of the greatest things that God had to doe in the World, was to affectionate our [Page 120] Will. All the actions of our Sauiours life and death had two intents: The one, To redeeme vs from the seruitude and slauerie of the Deuill: The other, To in­fuse loue into our hearts; I came to set fire on the earth, and what remaines but that it burne? With this double charge of his, which cost him no lesse than his life, and the shedding of his most pretious bloud, he left a free entrance for vs to get into Heauen. And if any man shall aske me, Which was the greater cost of the two? I answer, That our Sauiour found greater difficultie in affectionating vs for Heauen, than in purchasing Heauen for vs, or in conquering the Deuill and Hel: For one onely drop of his bloud was sufficient to do this; but for to affectionate our will, all his bloud in his bodie would scarce suffice. And therefore Saint Cyprian saith, That he was willing to suffer so much, though he might, and that in rigour, haue satisfied with so little. For, though a little might haue serued the turne, for to worke our redemption; yet a little was not enough for to in­flame our hearts with the fire of his loue. This sence may suit with that saying of Saint Paul, so diuersly commented, Gaudeo in passionibus meis, & adimpleo quae desunt passionum Christi in carne mea. Coloss. 1. I reioyce in my sufferings for you, and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ, in my Flesh. Why should the Apostle say so? For what can be wanting to those passions of Christ, which were so aboundant and all sufficient? Marry, That wee might make true benefit thereof, and that hee might infuse this affection into our hearts, the Apostle saith, I desire to be dissol­ued, and to be with Christ.

Volumus a te signum videre, (i.) We would haue a signe from thee, Saint Luke ad­deth,Hypocrites great fauorers of Miracles. De coelo, from Heauen; alij tentantes, signum de coelo quaerebant. It is the con­dition and nature of Hypocrites to be friends and fauourers of Miracles, which make a great noise in the world, but doe little or no good at all. They are Ad­mirationis magis, quam pietatis; things rather of admiration than pietie. An Hy­pocrite, will outwardly cloath himselfe with the Camels haire of a Iohn Baptist, with the mortification of a Saint Ierome, and with Penitence it selfe; but be­cause in the inward man, Charitie is wanting vnto him, his bowels haue no com­passion▪ but are full of extortion and crueltie. And therefore Saint Paul giueth this caueat vnto vs, and it is a good one, Nemo vos seducat, volens in humilitate, & religione Angelorum, Let no man deceiue you with feigned humilitie, nor a dis­sembled deuotion, reuealing vnto yee, that they haue had the vision of Angels, and that they appeared thus and thus vnto them; for, if to remooue mountaines from one place to another without Charitie, be but a beating of the Ayre, quasi aerem verberans, or like the sound of bels, which suddenly vanisheth; so likewise these their visions (without charitie) shall be but vaine and idle. Of Antechrist, the Apocalips saith, That hee shall cause fire to come downe from Heauen; and Saint Efrem, that hee shall remooue Islands and mountaines, and that hee shall walke vpon the waues of the Sea, as on drie Land, and that hee shall flie in the Ayre and take no harme; And Rabanus, That hee shall make the fields to brin [...] forth flowers in the heart of Winter as if it were in the midst of May; That he shall discouer the bottomelesse beds of the Sea; that hee shall raise vp the dead, and put Nature quite out of her course. But all these shall bee false and lying Prodigies▪ which shall be directed to a kind of vaine and deceitfull admiration. In prodigus, & signis mendacibus (as Saint Paul hath it.) So in like manner, the Hy­pocrite lyeth, with his countenance, his eyes, his feet, his hands, his mouth, and his apparell. Vendi [...] fumum (sayth Chrysologus) & emit applausum, Hee selleth smoake, and bu [...]es the applause and acclamation of men. Our Sauiour Christ was those waters of Shiloa, which did runne silently along, and did quench the thirst of [Page 121] those that were ready to die through drought. Which was meant of our Saui­our, as Epiphanius hath it in his exposition vpon that place of Esay, Esay 8. Pro eo quod abiecit populus iste aquas Siloe, quae currunt cum silentio, Because this people hath refused the waters of Shiloh, that runne softly; now therefore, &c. He was that tree of Life, whose verie leafes did affoord health to all those that were vnder the shaddow thereof. And peraduenture these Pharisees did require signes from Heauen, be­cause by that benefit which the people did receiue by his miracles here on earth, he carried all the world after him.

We would haue a signe from heauen. What, after so many miracles? These Pha­risees are the stampe and figure of certaine Consciences, which haue a continual conflict within themselues; or, to speake more properly, they are a Chancerie consisting of Iudges, guiltie persons, and Pleaders, Inuicem se accusantium, & defendentium, (as Saint Paul tels vs) Accusing and excusing one another:Rom. 2 Reason is the Iudge, Selfe-will is the guiltie person, and the Pleader is that Worme which accuseth and gnaweth their conscience. And when the guiltie person seeth that the Pleader accuseth him, and that the Iudge condemnes him, though miracles doe abound, yet hee appealeth to some other miracle; like vnto a bad debtour, who when his time of payment is come, craues a longer day. One findes him­selfe at Death's doore, and sees that he is like to die, and that in all likelihood he is to goe to Hell, for that his ill gotten wealth condemnes him; hee weeps, cries out, makes grieuous lamentation, purposeth, promiseth, and resolueth to amend his life, and to make restitution: God heares him, giues him life and health; and when he sees that he is sound & well, and that his Pleader presseth him to make restitution, he appeales to another miracle. Another findes, that he hath slipt a thousand times, vpon this or that occasion; he knowes his owne weakenesse, and that he cannot looke, but he must lust; and purposing without any ill intention in the world, to entertaine honest conuersation with this and that woman, re­turnes too day like the Swine, againe to his mire; and too morrow appeales to another miracle. Saint Austen reports in his Confessions, That hee had a great conflict within himselfe; his Will had a purpose to leaue these human delights and pastimes; and when the day of his purpose and promise was come, this Pleader puts him in mind of it, but he appeales to another day. This then was a great part of this peoples fault, that they did complaine, That God did not deale so kindly with them as he was woont, We haue not seene our signes, there is now no Prophet. The greatest of all the Prophets that euer were, or shall bee, came amongst them, and did more miracles than all of them put together; and when they should haue confest themselues to haue beene conuicted with so many mi­racles, they appeale to another miracle. The Pharisee which inuited our Saui­our, tooke him to be no Prophet, because he did not diue into the depth of that loathsome and sinnefull brest of Marie Magdalen: If (thought he) hee were a Prophet, hee could not chuse but know what kind of woman this was. But fin­ding afterwards, that he knew Magdalens heart, and that his own did not beleeue he was a Prophet, he appealed to another miracle.

We would see a signe, &c. To what end serue miracles from Heauen, if thou hast not eyes to behold those that are done on earth? It were better for thee, to craue eyes of God, than miracles. Agar beeing readie to die for thirst in the Desert, shee had water iust before her; but she was so blinded with passion, and her sto­macke did so swell against her mistresse, that shee did not see it: And God opened her eyes. Saint Chrysostome compareth the Pharisees to a sandie ground, which though it sucke in neuer so much water, yet it still remaines hard and drie. And [Page 122] albeit God had showred downe such store of miracles vpon them, yet all was as nothing, because they were not disposed to take notice of them, nor to make that good vse of them as they ought to haue done. Hee that goes on his way, musing on this or t'other thing; though many passe along by him, yet in this his melancholly humour, his thoughts being otherwise taken vp, he neither mindes nor sees any thing. Philon compares them to Statua's, because they see things as though they saw them not.The nature of Christs Miracles. Two qualities or especiall properties had those mi­racles of our Sauiour Christ, by which euerie man might haue knowne them. The first, That they all tended to the profit and benefit of man; Tunc appe­rientur oculi caecorum, Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, said Esay. Caeci vident, Claudi ambulant, Leprosi mundantur, The Blind see, the Lame walke, and the Lepers are clensed, saith Saint Mathew. Virtus de illo exibat, & sanabat omnes, Vertue went out of him, and healed all, saith Saint Luke. And in our Creed we confesse, Prop­ter nos, & propter nostram salutem, descendit de Coelis, For vs, and for our saluation, hee descended from Heauen. So that those miracles which hee was to shew heere vpon earth, is a condition and qualitie so notorious of those which were prophecied and foretold of the Messias, that to haue them to come from Heauen, was a thing vnknowne to the learned Doctors of those times. Thou sendest thy seruant on an errand, and saist vnto him, In such a walke thou shalt meet with a man clad in greene, wearing a hat with a feather in it of such and such colours, &c. Now if he should so farre mistake himselfe, as to goe to one that were cloathed all in blacke, and deliuer thy message vnto him, wouldst thou not hold him to be a foole? Saint Austen in his Exposition vpon those words of the seuentiese­uenth Psalme, The difference betwixt Christs mira­cles, and the Deuills. Immissiones per Angelos malos, saith, That commonly those signes which direct themselues to ill, are of the Deuill, as those which hee did in de­stroying Iobs Substance, [Ignis de Coelo cecidit;] as also those which shall bee wrought by Antechrist. But God alwaies directs his miracles to our good.

Those of Christ aime at our Good.But here by the way it is to be noted, That with the Ill, Ill can doe much, and Good, little. Theodoret in those his Questions vpon Genesis, saith, That when Pharaoh perceiued, that God began his Plagues with such poore things as Flies, he lost a great part of that feare which he had before: but that if he had begun where he left, (which was the death of al the first born) his heart would haue trē ­bled in his breast. The Philistines tooke Armes against the Israelites, thinking with themselues, That God had spent the greatest part of his power in Aegypt. In a word, with the Ill, ill is most powerfull. And, for all the miracles of our Sauiour Christ were directed vnto good,Mans wan­tounesse in matter of Re­ligion. Saint Ambrose saith, Luuriabantur i [...] Christo; Nothing would please their palate, but daintie morcells, like little chil­dren who are cockered vp vnder their mothers wing: or like Gluttons, who when their bellies are full, and cloyed with ordinarie dishes, seeke after nicer and choicer fare, to prouoke their appetite. The Scribes and Pharisees in like manner hauing taken a surfet of those miracles which our Sauior wrought vpo [...] earth, would needs out of daintinesse desire miracles from Heauen: which, if they would haue beene bettered by them, he would not haue stucke with them, to haue let them had them either from Heauen or Hell; but hee knew it was to no purpose.

And therefore God, one while as the Authour of Nature, another while as the Authour of Grace, doth euermore abhorre all excesse, except in cases of ne­cessitie. And he that created all things, In pondere, numero, & mensura, In weigh [...], number, and measure, cannot but abhorre all superfluous and vnprofitable things. And this may serue for an instruction to vs, to part with the superfluities of our [Page 123] House: Quod superest date pauperibus, Giue the remainder of that which is left to the poore. King Achaz [...]id ill, for that he would not aske a signe; and the Pharisees did worse, in demanding one from Heauen; the one offended in the lesse, the other, in the more; the one was too backeward, the other, too forward. For God hauing descended downe from Heauen in his owne person, they could not, than this, desire a greater miracle. But they were the sonnes of those fathers, who enioying the bread of Angells, were quickely wearie of it, and long'd for Quailes; insomuch that God was forced to take away their liues from them, be­cause he knew not how to satisfie their longings.

The second qualitie and propertie of our Sauiours miracles was,They are done imparitiuely and with a kind of empire and cōmand. That he did them with Empire and command; & ioyning this his Empire with his doctrine, they did cleerely prooue, that he was God, as it is noted by Thomas. Saint Chry­sostome brings in here a comparison which makes much to the purpose that wee haue in hand: Thou entrest (saith he) into a Pallace, thou knowest not the Prince or Lord thereof; thou espiest one, before whom all the rest stand bare, and rising vp from their seats, obey whatsoeuer hee commandeth: Now when thou seest this, thou canst not be so simple, but thou must needs know that this is their king and chiefe commander. In the Iewes it was not much, that they should doubt whither our Sauior Christ were Lord of heauen & earth, or no; but when they saw that the Winds did obey him, the Waues, the Dead, the Liuing, Heauen, and Earth, and that he did command all creatures with that supreame power and Empire, they might then verie well haue fallen into this reckoning, as to say, This is the Lord of all. The Centurions, though they had no learning, yet did they light vpon this truth, Verè Filius Dei erat iste, This was truly the Sonne of God. The one of them led thereunto, when he saw in what a strange manner the whole world was troubled: The other, when in good manners, with a Domine, Noli vexari, Lord, Trouble not thy selfe, he seemed loath to giue our Sauiour that trou­ble; saying vnto him, I am but a poore Captaine, an ordinarie Commander, and yet when I lay my commandment vpon my seruants, they obey me; much more reason then is it, that sickenesse should be subiect to thy Empire, &c. And if the inuisible things of God are manifested by the visible, [Sempiterna quoque virtus & diuinitas] and that they which may know him by them, will not glorifie him in them, they shall remaine inexcusable. This was the Scribes and Pharisees case, who saw so many miracles with their owne eyes, &c.

Volumus à te signum de Coelo videre, Wee woul [...] see a signe from Heauen. Why mira­cles should be desired. Here like­wise is their vaine curiositie to be condemned: Some would haue miracles, vt credant; some, vt videant; one, to strengthen his beleefe; another, to please his eye. In both Lawes, the Old, and the New, wee find that God did euermore with his friends shew those his signes and tokens, In rebus naturalibus, In things that were naturall; as in his sending down fire from Heauen vpon Abels Sacrifice, shewing thereby how well he accepted of it; in his promise to Noah, That there should not be a second Floud; Arcum meum ponam in Nubibus, I will put my Bow in the Clouds: To Abraham, when he past his word vnto him, That his posteritie should possesse the promised Land. In the old Testament we read of many signes and tokens: King Ahaz might haue made his choice of miracles,More fre­quent in the time of Grace than vnder the Law. Marke 8. either from Heauen, Earth, or Hell. But in the Law of Grace they were more in number, and greater in qualitie. But hese Pharisees comming vnto him, Saint Marke tells vs, That our Sauiour Christ sighed deepely in his Spirit, and said, Why doth this ge [...]neration seeke a signe &c. They do [...] not deserue it, neither shall it be giuen vnto them; for they doe not desire it for any loue to our Sauiour, or thereby to bee [Page 124] brought to serue him, but for to entertaine themselues. A royall Merchant wil vnpacke all his wares, & open whatsoeuer he hath in his shop, to him that comes to buy; but to him that shall come only out of curiositie, he will send him away packing,Luke 23. and not trouble himselfe with him. Herod did expect Videre signum ali­quod ab eo fieri, To see some signe wrought by him. And though our Sauiour might haue freed himselfe by any one miracle whatsoeuer, from a thousand calumnies and affronts; yet would he not bestow so much as a few words vpon him, for he knew it would haue beene but a casting of Pearles amongst Swine.1. Kings 6. The Phili­stines did much desire to know, whither or no the God of Israell were the Au­thor of their miseries; and by the aduice and councell of their Soothsayers, they made a new Cart, and taking two milch Kyne, on whom there had ne­uer come any yoke, tying the Kyne to the Cart, and setting the Arke of the Te­stament thereupon, they said, If they go fore-right, vp by the way of it's owne coast, to Bethshemish, it is he that did vs this great euill; but if not, and that they shall turne backe their heads at the lowing of their Calfes, wee shall know then that it was not his hand that smote vs, but it was a chance that hapned vnto vs. The Gouernours of the Philistines followed after them, they beheld with their owne eyes all the signes and tokens that they could desire; they were asto­nished thereat, yet for all this did they not forsake their Dagon; for they desired those signes more to see, than to beleeue. Saint Paul preaching in Athens, of our Sauiors Death and Resurrection; those that were the best Disputants in their Schooles, and the curiousest Schollers amongst them, came vnto him and told him, Wee much desire to heare and know this new Doctrine which thou prea­chest:Acts 17. And it is noted in the Text, That Ad nihil aliud vacabant, nisi aut dicere, aut audire aliquid noui, That they gaue themselues to nothing else, but either to tell or to heare some newes; desiring (as it should seeme) to heare and know them, but not to be­leeue them. Of this stampe are those who onely come to Sermons for curiosi­tie;Curious hea­rers reproued. some gaping for sharpe and wittie conceits; others, for elegancie of words; others, for the flower and creame (as it were) of the Scripture phrase, and it's prettie allusions and allegories; this is that which their eares itch after; nothing will down with them but quelques-choses, made dishes, and pleasing sauces for the Palate, refusing that wholesome food of Gods Word, and those substantiall morcells of sound Doctrine, which should feed their soules to euerlasting life. A veritate quidem auditum auertent. Saint Austen makes a comparison of a golden Key which opens ill, and of one of wood which opens well: Now to him that hath no other pretension but to open, it were meere follie in him, to seeke after the golden one, when that of wood will doe it better. And in another place, saith this sacred Doctor, That as Pharaoh commanded the male children of Gods People to be killed, but spared the females, that he might thereby weaken them, and bring them vnder; so those Preachers which bestow all their paines in the neat dressing of words,Sermons should be seasoned more with Salt, than Sugar. ornaments of wit, and fluentnesse of stile, (not regarding strong arguments, and sound reasons) doe weaken the force of the truth, and bring their Doctrine at last into contempt. Salt in a Preacher is more necessary than Sugar; that which shall season our Soules, rather than that which shal swee­ten our Palates; that which shall strike home to our hearts, than that which shall onely tickle our eares. And in another place, where he that treateth onely ofcu­riositie in Doctrine, he auowes him to be in danger of loosing the Faith; because Curiositie is the Mother of Heresie. And likewise in another place hee saith, That that the curious man is like the scripulous man; and that the Accessorie is the Principall, and the Principall the Accessorie; Curiosus ea requiret, quae nihil [Page 125] ad se pertinet, They afflict themselues with that which importeth them least. And if those that are scrupulous & ful of doubts are condemned for fooles, of force it must follow, that those that are curious inquirers must weare the same Liue­rie. Auerte oculos tuos à me, qui ipsi me auolar [...] fecerunt; Cant. 6. If thou shalt goe about to behold God with a curious eye, God will flie away from thee, and thou shalt loose the sight of him. Another Translation hath it, Superuire fecerunt. When men stand staring on the Sunne, the Sunne then growes proud, and shewes his power, blinding those eyes that presse too neere vpon him: And the most of the greatest heresies and errors that haue growne and sprung vp in the Church, haue proceeded from mans too subtle search into Gods secrets. This prying of ours dazeleth the eyes of our vnderstanding, as it had here blinded the judgement of the Scribes and Pharisees.

Volumus signum de Coelo videre, Wee would see a signe from heauen. These Scribes and Pharisees are like vnto those, who condemning Gods prouidence, thinke with themselues, That God hath not ordained conuenient meanes to bring them to Heauen; and therefore goe about to ordaine new Lawes. Iustificata est Sapien­tia à fi [...]ijs suis, Wisedome is iusti [...]ied by her children: Our Sauiour Christ renders it Condemnata, Condemned; The ignorance of the childeren condemneth the wise­dome of the father. There are some people in the world so querulous and com­plaining, that they will not sticke to taxe God, for hauing giuen them such an in­clination, such an estate, such a wife, such parents; and say in their thoughts, o, if God had giuen me another nature, other noblenesse of birth, other more prospe­rous fortune, How sure should I haue made my saluation? O, if God would haue beene but pleased to haue shewed me some one miracle, or other; This is but a requiring of new signes, and a condemning of those which they haue re­ceiued from the wisedome of God. Now the wisedome of God supposeth Faith; and Faith, Beleefe; [Oportet discentem credere, He that learneth must beleeue.] So that a heauenly wisedome supposeth a Faith from heauen. This is that light, wherewith in the beginning of the world God did dispell the darkenesse of the Deepe; this is that North-Starre, which discouereth vnto those that saile in the sea of this world, the Hauen of their happinesse; this is that Pillar, which to the children of Light, appeared light; to those of Darknesse, darke: it is that light which must shew you that cleere Sunne, the Son of God, which is light it selfe; in comparison of whose glorious light, the light of miracles is but like the glimpse of a candle.

Volumus à te signum videre, Wee would haue a signe from thee. This word à te, From thee, doth manifest their intention; which was, To reuiue the blasphemie which they had vented before; [In Belzebub Principe Daemoniorum, The Nature of Enuie. eijcit Daemo­nia, In Bulzebub the Prince of Deuils, he casts out Deuils.] Wee desire to see a mira­cle done by thine owne proper power, performed without the helpe of another, whereof we haue beene jealous, in those thy miracles shewne vpon the Blinde, the Deafe, and the Dumbe. We presume, that of thy selfe thou canst do little; but by the Prince of Deuils, much. This was a diminishing of our Sauiors pow­er, which is the nature of Enuie, flying, like the Eele, from the cleere water, and seeking after that which is troubled, and muddie. It was the fault of their fore­fathers, to lessen Gods power, Quoniam percussit petram, & fluxerunt aquae, nun­quid poterit Deus parare mensam in Deserto? Is it not all one for him, to take water out of the Rocke, and to giue vs bread? In this, his power shall be seene. We are like Martha's Chickens, we desire meat, & they giue vs water. But ô ye fooles, doe not yee know, that the stone beeing strucken, sendeth forth fire, and not [Page 126] water? And he that can giue you water out of a stone, is able to affoord you bread out of the Aire: But Enuie will draw Branne from the finest Floure. In a word, They were fully resolued not to beleeue in Christ, and yet they went see­king occasions to excuse their hardnesse of heart. They sought signes from hea­uen, which (as Saint Hierome hath well obserued) were more subiect to calum­nie, and easier to be cauelled at; and yet on the other side they did seeke to di­minish his power, and therefore they say, We would haue from thee, &c.

Of all that hath beene formerly said, I shall inferre this conclusion, and refer it to your Christian consideration; which is, That you would seeke after God with simplicitie and singlenesse of heart; In simplicitate cordis quaerite illum, (saith Wisedome) and then shalt thou alwaies find him propitious and fauourable vnto thee.P [...]al. 33. Et facies vestrae non confundentur; but a false heart shall euermore remaine confounded and ashamed. Bersheba comming to craue a fauour of her sonne Sa­lomon, she sought to preuent him, with a Non confundas faciem meam, Put me not to the blush. 3. K [...]ngs 2. In the Scribes and Pharisees God speakes vnto those sinnefull Chri­stians who immitate them in their workes; and as the thunders and lightnings of a great Tempest, smiting and wounding the tops of Mountaines, of Pallaces, and of the tallest Cedars; Chrysologus saith, That they abate and correct the cou­rages of the most desperate and prophanest persons: so, when our Sauior Christ did thunder out these his threatnings against the Pharisees, he sought thereby to reclaime his owne Flocke, to bring them within the Fold, and to saue those Sheepe which are readie to run astray, that they may not be vtterly lost.

Generatio mala & adultera [...]ignum quaerit.

A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh a signe. Christ neuer shewed him­selfe more fierce and angrie, than now; neuer behaued himselfe more stoutly, or shewed more courage, than at this present. Presenting thereby vnto vs, that vpon iust occasions, the mildenesse of a Prince, and the meekenesse of a Prelate, may lawfully let the bed of his Patience (like that of the Riuer) rise and swell, euen to the ouerflowing of the bankes. He that knowes not sometimes how to reprehend, and that sharpely too, shall not onely neglect his owne dutie, but shall wrong others in suffering them to run on in their wickednesse without reproofe. That father knowes ill how to gouerne, who, when his children shall commit any grosse faults, shall, like old Ely, shew himselfe too milde, and out of a foo­lish pirtie, scarce controll them for it. That Preacher, knowes not what belongs to his calling, who when sinne growes once to an heigth, and men waxe shame­lesse in committing euill, that doth not raise his hands and voice as high as Hea­uen, and lay Gods fearfull judgements before them. That Prince, who suffers his subiects to bee ouerbold and sawcie with him, giues them a tacite kind of libertie, to loose all respect and feare towards him. Quiescite ab homine, cuim Spiritus, Esay 2. in naribus est, Cease you from the man whose breath is in his nosthrils, for wher­in is hee to be esteemed? This is as it were the Epiphonema of all that Chapter of Esay; Where, hauing Prophecied many greatnesses of the Messias, hee aduiseth the Iewes, That they deceiue not themselues with the frailtie of his person; for, though hee shall come in the forme of a seruant, yet he shall bee the true God. And therefore hee concludes that Chapter with this saying: Quiescite ergo ab homine, cuius Spiritus in naribus est. Consider therefore (deerely beloued) that I admonish you, and require you, that when these prophesies shall bee fulfilled, and goe on in their accomplishment, you take heed how you bee offended with that man, whose life consisteth in the breath of his nosthrills; it beeing in that [Page 127] respect with our Sauiour, as with all other liuing creatures, howbeit in regard of his Diuinitie, He is high and mightie. In this sence, wee may also adde, that the nosthrills are the symbole of anger. And in the Spanish tongue, it is a vsuall phrase to say, Subirse el humo a las narizes, That the smoake went out at his nosthrils. And therefore it is sayd, Take heed of that man that hath his breath in his no­sthrills. Whereby it is signified, That if hee should once grow angrie with vs, hee would quickely make an end of vs. There was neuer yet any Prophet in the World so holy, nor so soft-spirited, but that somtime or other he did breake foorth into anger. Esay, called the Gouernours of his people, The Princes of Sodome; Saint Iohn Baptist, stiles them Vipers; Saint Chrysostome, Esay 1. the Empresse Eudoxia, Herodias. And our Sauiour Christ, these Scribes,Mat 3. Generatio mala & adultera, A wicked and adulterous generation, &c.

Generatio mala & adultera. An euill generation. Ill,Acts 7. for the ill and inueterated cu­stom of their Vices. Saint Stephen, Vos semper Spiritui sancto, resistitis; sicut patres ve­stri, ita & vos, Ye alwayes resist the high God, euen as your fathers, so yee. Dauid,Psal. 78. Genera­tio praua, atque exasperans. Moses, Generatio enim peruersa est, & infideles filij, An vn­thankefull, hard-hearted, and disloyall generation. Vae semini nequam filijs sceleratis, Woe to the wicked seed. Ezechiel, Generatio tua de terra Canaan, Esay 1. Ezech. 16. pater tuus Amorrhe­us, & mater tua Cethea, Thy ofspring is from the land of Canaan, thy Father was an Amorite, thy Mother a Hittite. All these places doe blazon foorth the ill race of that people. For, albeit the herencie of Vice and of Vertue, be not constringitiue, and that there is no such necessitie in it,Vertue is not Hereditarie. nor alwayes followes the order of Na­ture; (for wee see a Dwarfe, begot by a Gyant; a Hare of a Lyon:) nor likewise in the state of Grace; for of a holy Father, sometimes issues an vngracious Son, as Esau, of Isaac; and Absalon of Dauid; yet notwithstanding, if a man bee dis­cended of a bad race, it is a miracle if hee prooue good. Arbor mala, non potest bonos fructus facere, An euill tree cannot bring foorth good fruit. The Spanish Pro­uerbe sayth, Bien aya, quien a los suyos parece, Gods blessing be with him, hee is so like his parents; hee suckt his goodnesse with his milke, hee inherited his Fa­thers vertues. Transgressorem ex vtero vocaui te, (sayth Esay) Thou hast beene a trans­gressor from the Wombe. Alenhornar, se hazen los panes tuertos, The loaues went away from their first setting into the Ouen. All this is included in these words, Genera­tio mala, An euill generation.

Adultera. Hee does not note them in this world for children that had beene begotten in adulterie (for this had beene their parents fault and not theirs.) And Aristotle sayth, Ab his, quae a natura insunt, nec laudamur, nec vituperamur, (i.) What­soeuer is naturally in vs, redounds neither to our praise nor dispraise. Both the ill, & the well born do confesse, Ipse fecit nos, & non ipsi nos, It is God that hath made vs, and not we our selues. For if it had beene in our choice to chuse our owne fathers,Psal. 99. wee would haue beene all gentlemen.

Two things, did our Sauiour here pretend to notifie vnto vs.

1 The one, that they had degnerated from the vertue of their forefa­thers; and for this reason, Dauid calls them strange chldren;Psal. 49. Psal. 143. Filij alieni menti ti sunt mihi, filij alieni inueter ati sunt. And in another place, Libera me de manu filiorum alienorum, Deliuer mee out of the hands of strange children. Mat. 3. They did boast that they had Abraham to their father, Nos patrem habemus Abraham. But Christ giues them the lye, and tells them, Vos ex patre Diabolo estis; For the workes, the thoughts, and the desires, are not of Abraham, but the Deuill.

2 The other, because they had married now the second time with Vntruth, and made a match with false gods, hauing diuorced from them the truth of the [Page 128] true and euerliuing God. And for the better declaration of this Doctrine, it is to be noted,

First, That the vnderstanding and the truth, haue a kind of marriage between them; Quae sibi sponsam mihi assumere sapientiam, I desired to marry hir, such loue had I vnto hir beauty. And one that Comments vpon these words, sayth, That from the Vnderstanding, and Truth, well vnstorstood, there doth grow a greater vnitie, than there doth arise from betweene the matter and the forme.

Secondly, That betweene the Soule, and God, by the meanes of the Truth of Faith,Os [...]. 2. there is another kind of spirituall marriage made, whereof Ose sayth, De­sponsabo te mihi in fide, I will marrie thee vnto mee for euer, yea I wil marry thee vnto me in righteousnesse, and in iudgement, and in mercy, and in compassion. I will euen marrie thee (as if this were that wedding-ring, that made all sure) vnto mee in Faithful­nesse.Ezech. 16. Ier. 3. Esay. [...]7. And this knot is knit so fast, that Saint Paul could say, He that cleaueth vn­to God, is one spirit with him. And for that the people of the Iewes, had fallen some while into Heresie, another, into Idolatrie, falsely expounding the Law, and forsaking the Fath of God, to follow a Calfe, and Idols: whereof God taxes them euery foote in the Scriptures, stiling them adulterers, harlots children, workers of fornication; so here hee now sayth, Generatio adultera.

Mala & adultera. Euill and adulterous.

First, he sayes Mala, and then Adultera, Tearming them in the first place Ill, in the second, Adulterous. For the ordinarie way to loose faith, is an euill life. But as the vomitting vp of our meate, turneth sometime to our good: so is it now and then in the ridding of our stomacke of Vertue. And in this sence, Saint Ambrose sayd, Profuit mihi Domine quod peccaui, It was well for me ô Lord, that I sinned. For repentance may restore Grace, in a higher degree. But if this weake­nesse, shall take such violent hold vpon vs, that wee shall fall once to vomiting of bloud, it will goe hard with vs, if not cost vs our liues. In like manner a sinner perseuering in his sinnes, comes at last to loose his Faith. And this is one of the seuerest punishments of Gods Iustice; Whereof Ieremy sayd, Peruenit gladius vs­que ad animam. Sin vndermi­neth the Soule by degrees. Whence Saint Ierome gathereth, that then the sword pierceth to the Soule, when there is no signe of life left in it. In your buildings, the first dan­ger doth not consist in their sudden falling to ground, but they goe mouldring away by little and little, and decay by degrees: So likewise in this our Spiritual building, the first danger is not the losse of our Faith; nor our first demolishing, our falling into Heresies: but before we come to that, wee goe by little and lit­tle, first lessening, then loosing our vertues, and heaping sin vpon sin, till at last, Mole ruit sua, all comes tumbling down to our vtter destruction. Saint Paul doth much commend & earnestly recommend vnto vs a good conscience;1. Tim. 1. Quam qui­dem repellentes, naufragauerunt à fide, Faith grounded vpon an euill conscience, is like a house that is built vpon the sand, which when the waters rise, & the winds blow,Heb. 13. is suddenly throwne downe and carried away. Optimum est, gratia stabilire cor, It is an excellent thing, that the heart be established with grace; that when ye shall be set vpon with diuers and sundrie strange Doctrines, yee may stand immooua­ble, and not be shaken with euerie vaine blast of wind.

Signum non dabitur eis, nisi signum Ionae.

Christs resur­rection the greatest Mi­racle. A signe shall not bee giuen them, but that of Ionus. Now Ionas his signe was the death and resurrection of our Sauiour: which Austen calls, Signum signorum, & miraculum miraculorum, The signe of signes, and miracle of miracles. And hee that [Page 129] will not benefit himself by that, What other miracle or signe can he expect shall doe him good? It is much greater than any other vpon earth, by how much the harder it is for one to come out of the heart of the earth, and to bee restored to life after he is once dead; a greater miracle by farre, than that of Ionas his be­ing spewed out of the Whales bellie. And the said Saint prooueth, that our Sa­uiour Christ is God and man; man, because hee entred dead into the bowells of the earth; and God, because hee came forth from thence aliue. So that our Sa­uiour came to grant them much more than they desired: For if they desired mi­racles from Heauen, at our Sauiours death there appeared fearefull ones vnto them. Athanasius saith, That the Sunne was darkened, in token that all those great and noble acts which God had done, were eclipsed and darkened in this one of our Redemption. Theophilact saith, That our Sauiour after his Resurre­ction wrought no more miracles; for that to die and rise againe by his own pro­per power, was the vtmost both of his power and miracles. Iudaei signum petunt, 1. Cor. 1. &c. The Iewes require a signe, the Graecians seeke after wisedome; but I preach vnto you the greatest Signe, and the greatest Wisedome in the world, to wit, Christ crucified. Eusebius Emisenus dwelleth much vpon Iacobs wrestling with the Angell, In which conflict Iacob remaining Victor, craueth a blessing of the Conquered. And this is mystically meant of our Sauiour, who representing himselfe in the shape of an Angell, shewed himselfe vpon the Crosse, tortured, torne, and ouercome; yet grew thereby more powerfull and more free hearted for to blesse the world.

No signe shall be giuen them. It is not without a mysterie, that our Sauior saith, No signe shall be giuen. For that signe of his death and resurrection, hee knew would profit them so little, that it was needlesse to giue them any at all. Christ treating of his bloud, saith by Saint Luke, Which for you, Luke 22. Math. 26. and for many shall bee poured out. And by Saint Mathew, Which shall be poured out for all. But many shall not take the benefit of this effusion of his bloud: Some did wash their stoles in the bloud of the Lambe: others said, Sanguis eius super nos, (id est) Let his bloud be vpon vs; accusing themselues herein, to bee guiltie of the shedding of his bloud. And amongst the Faithfull there are many, of whom Saint Paul saith, Reus erit corporis & sanguinis Domini; who receiuing it vnworthily,1. Cor. 1 [...]. shall remaine guiltie of this so pretious a Treasure. And in another place, That they shall in­curre great punishment, which doe defile this bloud, Et sanguinem testamenti pol­lutum duxerit.

Signum non dabitur ei, nisi signum Ionae, No signe shal be giuen them but that of Ionas. For the miracle of Christs death and resurrection was not to bee denied to any. Saint Thomas protested, That he would not beleeue, vnlesse hee might see the prints of our Sauiours wounds; which being so strange a capitulation, and to outward seeming, so discourteous a proceeding, our Sauiour Christ yeelded vn­to his request, and made towards him, and made shewe thereof vnto him; for the signes of our Sauiours death and Crosse were neuer yet denied to any.Esay. 13. Esay saith, And in that day, the root of Ishai, which shall stand vp for a signe vnto the Peo­ple, the Nations shall seeke vnto it, and his rest shall be glorious. The Septuagint, and Saint Hierome, read, Et qui stat, The root of Iesse; that is to say, Ille qui stat in sig­num populorum, congregabit profugos Israel & dispersos Iuda, colligit à quatuor plagi [...] terra, He shall set vp a signe to the Nations, and assemble the dispersed of Israell, and ga­ther the scattered of Iuda from all the foure corners of the world. Hee borrowes the metaphore from a militarie Ensigne, and saith, That Christ our Sauior that suf­fered on the Crosse, and died for our sinnes, and rose againe for our saluation, [Page 130] shall gather together those that are dispersed through the foure corners of the earth. Which is all one with that of Saint Iohn, who said, That he was not on­ly to die for his People, Sed vt Filios Dei qui dispersi erant, congregaret in vnum, But that he might gather together into one, the children of God that were dispersed: Into one, that is, into one Church by Faith.

Signum non dabitur, nisi signum Ionae. God did not graunt vnto them that which they desired;God doth not alwaies grant our desires, and why. for God will not be propitious in yeelding to our desires, when they are to turne to our owne hurt. Moses desired, that he might see his face, but God told him, Faciem meam, videre non poteris. Hee will not giue, what thou wilt demand, one while because it may cost thee thy life; another while, because God shall no sooner turne his back, but like the children of Israell, thou wilt presently fall adoring the golden Calfe. Saint Paul, did desire freedom from his fetters & those torments which hee indured: But he was told, Thou knowest not what thou askest; for, Virtus, in infirmitate perficitur. In a word, God doth de­nie vs many things in his Mercie, which he will grant vnto vs in his Anger, as the imperfect Author noteth it.

In corde terrae, tribus diebus, & tribus noctibus.

In the Heart of the Earth, three days and three nights. Beda, and Euthimius, vn­derstand by the Heart of the earth, the Sepulchre, or Graue of our Sauiour Christ. And many of our Commentators, make this exposition; though others misinterpreting it, inferre from thence, that our Sauiour Christ did not descend to the lower-most partes of the earth (contrarie to that of Saint Paul) denying that Article of our Faith, Descendit ad inferos. Now, in that he ascended, what is it (sayth the same Apostle) but that hee had also descended first into the low­est parts of the Earth?Ephes. 4.9. yet those two interpretations may bee verie well accor­ded, forasmuch, as that the Bodie remained in the graue, and the Soule descen­ded Vsque ad inferos. And for the better proofe hereof, it is to bee noted, that it is not spoken of any other that dyed, saue onely of our Sauiour, that hee was in the Heart of the Earth. Besides, it is an vsuall phrase amongst the Hebrewes, to call the Heart the middle part, borowing that metaphore from all other liuing creatures, who haue their heart placed in the midst of the bodie.

Tribus ditbus, & tribus noctibus, Three dayes, and three nights. Our Sauiour Christ was buried about the sixth watch, in the Euening; and rose againe vpon Sun­day morning. According to which account hee remaineed onely two nights in the graue. Saint Austen, S. Ierome, Beda, and Theophilact, say, That by the figure Sy [...]ecdoche they are to be taken for three nights and three dayes, taking the part for the whole. But peraduenture the plainer exposition will be this, that wee should vnderstand by three dayes and three nights, three naturall dayes, consi­sting of twentie fou [...]e houres apiece: it being an ordinarie phrase amongst the Iewes, to confound the day and the night, making them all one; as it appeareth in Genesis, Gen. 7. Exod. 24. Deut. 9. 1. Reg. 30. [...]. Reg. 19. Exodus, Deutronomie, and in the booke of the Kings. For in very deed, our Sauiour Christ did not continue in the graue three nights, but abode there some part of three naturall dayes.

Viri Niniuitae surgent in Iudicio.

The Men of Niniuie shall rise vp in judgement. Some interpret this threatning to be an effect of justice; others, of mercie: of justice, by charging this people with the repentance of Niniuie. No man will spare his enemie, if he can catch him vpon the hip: The Groome of the Stable that shall play the Rogue and the [Page 131] Theefe with thee, thou wilt call him to a reckoning euen for his Curry-combe and his Apron, and afterwards turne him out of doores: But of a good Seruant, and one that hath beene faithfull vnto thee, thou wilt take no account at all, his honestie shall excuse him. O yee false Hypocrites, yee Scribes and Pharisees, Why would yee call vengeance vpon your selues, by saying, Let all the bloud of the Righteous come vpon vs; This will make yee pay at last, that which perhaps ye did not thinke yee did owe. To a Sinner, Omnia cooperantur in malum, All things turne to the worst; And therefore all creatures shall rise vp against these wicked and stiffe necked Iewes. The Heauens shall he call from aboue, and the earth, to iudge his People. The Scripture it selfe shall bring in euidence against them, for their in­gratitude. The Oxe knoweth his Owner; To him that shall not acknowledge Christ and his Church, the Asse shall beare witnesse against him: [Et Asinus pr [...]sepe do­mini sui.] To him that shall despise the inspirations of Heauen, the Kyte shall accuse him; C [...]gnouit miluus tempus suum. To him that shall be carelesse of his eternall good, he shall be tit in the teeth with the Ant, Vade piger ad formicam. To him that is disobedient, the Historie of Ionas shall be alledged against him: but as the Whale swallowed Ionas, but sent him forth again without any harm done vnto him; so our Sauiour Christ was swallowed vp by the Earth, but not to his hurt: and both it and all the Elements acknowledged him to be their Lord and Master; which was more than the Pharisees would doe.

To Saint Chrysostome, this threatning seemeth to be an effect of mercie. For, by proposing vnto them the example of Niniuie, he desires to draw them to re­pentance. It was another kind of threatning that God vsed towards his people, for worshipping the golden Calfe; Let me goe, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name. Theodoret is of opinion, That this was Gods great mercie towards them: For by that threatning, he set before Moses the wickednesse of the peo­ple; and did thereby aduise him, that he should make intercession for them, that he might not punish them in his wrath. After that generall deluge and inundati­on of waters which drowned the whole world, God did set a bow in heauen, and it may be he might haue tooke it in his hand, for to threaten the Earth; But Saint Ambrose hath noted, That to the end that the World should take it as a token of Gods mercie towards them, he made the points or ends of it to touch the earth, that the World might thereby be assured,Gen. 9. That Gods Iustice would not shoot any more Arrowes downe from heauen. Tertullian treating vpon that place of the Apocalips, Repent, or else I wil come against thee shortly, Apoc. 2. and wil remooue thy Candlesticke out of his place, except thou amend; he saith, That so great is the good­nesse of God, that though hee might with a great deale of reason denie vs his mercie, he doth not only not deny it vs, but he threatneth vs, and also intreateth for vs, to the end that we may accept of this his mercie: for no father can be im­magined to be halfe so pittifull as he is. Saint Austen crieth out, O Lord, what am I, that thou shouldst command me to loue thee? What am I, that thou shoul­dest be offended with me? And, Why doost thou threaten me with great mise­ries, if I doe not loue thee? I am much bound vnto thee for the one, but more for the other: In louing thee, I see how much I get by it; in threatning mee, I see how much reckoning thou makest of me. S. Ephrem discoursing of those of Niniuie, saith, That God had mercie of them, and that he forgaue them their sinnes, Et mendax potius haberi, quam crudelis t [...]dit, He would rather be held a lyar, than accounted [...]ruell. How the Ni­niuites shall rise vp in iudgement against vs.

The men of Niniuie shall rise vp in judgement. Some Diuines grant, That the Niniuites in that generall judgement shall be Iudges ouer many that shall be con­demned [Page 132] by a judgement of comparison; so, a Niniuite shall condemne a Phari­see. He did credit a stranger, one that was spewed out of a whales mouth; one that had neuer wrought any miracles, nor had any prophecies in his fauour: but thou (proud Pharisee) didst not beleeue thy naturall Lord, whom his Doctrine, his miracles, heauen, and earth, had declared to be thy Messias, and thy God. This Niniuite fasted, put on sack cloath and ashes; but thou didst not lay aside thy de­licacies and thy dainties. He made the Beasts of his house to fast; but thou didst not so much as will thy Seruants to abstaine. A Moore shall condemne (in a com­paratiue kind of judgement) a bad Christian: This Moore entred into his Mes­quitae with a great deale of respect & reuerence, humbling himselfe on his knee to a thing of nothing; but thou prophanest my Temples, and blasphemest mee to my face. In a word, If the fruits of repentance weigh downe the ballance of eternall punishment, Why should we preferre temporall pleasures before eter­nall happinesse? but because those Iudges are in that day to sit, Sedebitis super Se­des duodecim; and the Accusers to stand face to face to the Accused, the sence thereof in this place shall not be ill vnderstood, if we shall say, That they shall condemne them by accusing them: for we likewise commonly say, That the Accuser condemneth him that is guiltie, when by his testimonie hee doth conuince him.

The greatnes of Niniue. Viri Niniuitae. This Citie of Niniuie, Eusebius calls it, Eusebim; Herodo­tus, Ninus, for that it was bult by Ninus husband to Simiramis, stiled by another name, Assur. It was a Citie, not only the greatest in all the Kingdome of the As­syrians, but in the whole world. Moses giues it the name of great Citie, De terra inquit illa exiuit Assur, & aedificauit Niniuem, haec est Ciuitas magna: It's great­nesse appeareth no lesse by that relation which the Prophet maketh of it,Gen. 10. Itinere trium dierum; for the circuit of this Citie was a three dayes journey; and that there were in it onely of babes and sucklings, aboue a hundred and twenty thou­sand soules. The Histories make mention, That the walls thereof were a hun­dred foot broad, and were fenced with a hundred and twentie strong Towers: Sardanapalus was the last, & thirtie eigth King of that Monarchie, it hauing conti­nued a thousand three hundred and seuentie seuen yeares.

Ionas from whence des­cended. Ionas (according to some Hebrewes) was the sonne of the woman of Sarepta, whom the Prophet Elias raised vp to life: his fathers name was Amithay, of the Tribe of Asser. But more probable is that of Saint Hierome and Saint Austen, That he was of the Tribe of Zabulon, his Countrie Geth, or Pher, the court of one of those Kings whom Ioshuah subdued and slew.Iosh. 11.

God commanded him to goe and preach at Niniuie; for out of his especiall prouidence he had alwayes a care to prouide a Light not onely for the Iews, but also for the Gentiles. And therefore Athanasius saith, That the Law of Moses was a generall Schoole for all the world; and that the Prophets wrought their Reuelations for all the Nations vnder the cope of Heauen; and that to this end, they went themselues abroad in person, and likewise sent their Bookes into di­uers Kingdomes and Monarchies, as it appeareth by Esay, Ieremie, Ezechiel, Dani­el, Amos, Sidrac, Misac, and Abednego: out of whose Prophecies, those Phyloso­phers that were Gentiles stole many sentences: namely those complainers on Gods prouidence are condemned, who crie out in hell, The Sun of vnderstanding rose not vnto vs. Theophilact saith, That God, being the Master of the Gentiles, af­ter that he had by the light of the Gospel inlightned the world by his Sonne and his Apostles, and Disciples; he prooued thereby, that he was one and the selfe same God both of the Old and the New Testament.

Quia ascendit malitia eius coram me.

For the malice thereof is come vp before me. That which thou art to preach vn­to them, is, That their sinnes haue mightily mooued my patience. This is the office of a Prophet. To Esay God said, Declare vnto my People their iniquities. Esay 1. Hier. 1. To Ieremie, Behold, I haue put my words into thy mouth, that thou maist plucke vp, destroy, &c. To Ezechiel, They whom I send thee to, are stiffe necked, and hard hearted. In a word, God did notifie this Obligation to all the Prophets; whereby all they are condemned, who place their end altogether in curiosities: This is to go a­bout to seeke out for those that are thirstie, pretious waters, & wines cooled with snow, and put into copper flaggons; Cold water for a thirstie Soule (as Salomon saith.Prou. 25.) This is, to quench a fire that consumes a whole Citie, with bottles of Rosewa­ter; it is a going about to open the doore of our breasts with a Key of Gold, when one of Yron (according to that of Saint Austen) is more necessarie: It is as if a Souldier should goe forth to warre with his head curiously combed and cur­led, with his Ierken perfumed, and other effoeminate gallantries. Like vnto these is that Prophet or Preacher, who with glorious words, flaunting phrases, idle curiosities, and smooth-filed eloquences, shall goe to fight the Lords qua­rell, against the worlds sinfull Monsters.

That those of Niniuie were great and mightie sinners, it is prooued out of this word Malitia, which doth embrace all kind of sinnes; and much more in­forced by that word Ascendit; for in the Scripture it is still taken for a great ex­cesse. De cadaueribus ascendit faetor, The stinke shall come vp out of their bodies, Esay 34. 2. Kings 19. Esay saith it. Superbia tua (saith the booke of Kings) ascendit in aures meas, Come vp into my eares. And here he mentioneth all kind of wickednesse and abhomination; and this word Coram me, Before me, confirmeth as much: For when a sinne doth encrease to that heigth, that it ouertops the heauens, and that it comes to the sight of God, it is then so intollerable, that it is not to be endured.

Surrexit Iomas, vt fugeret.

Ionas rose vp, that he might flie away. Rabbi Rinchi (an Hebrew Doctor) saith, That Fugere doth here inferre, an acceleration, or making of hast; intimating, that Ionas made hast in going to the Hauen at Tharsis, to take his journie towards Niniuie: as also, that the Prophet to whom God speaketh,Reasons mouing Ionas to flie. is so great with child, as it were, and so full of that which God commaunds him, that if hee should withhold the reuelation which God hath put into him, hee would burst with keeping it in. That may be said of him, which Iob speaketh of himselfe, My bellie is like the wine which worketh and hath no vent; and like the new bot­tles that burst; Therefore will I speake, that I may take breath, &c. Ose complai­neth, and did sorrow exceedingly, that he had held his peace; Woe is me, that ha­uing seene the King and Lord of Hosts, I should hold my peace, because I was a man of polluted lips.

Ionas rose vp that he might flie. More plaine is that opinion of Saint Hierome, Nazianzen, Theodoret, Theophilact, and Methodius the Martyr, That Ionas was not so hastie as here before we haue made him; but that he pretended nothing lesse, but sought by all meanes possible, how he might auoyd this journey, and closely conueis his bodie (as it were) from this command of God, by shaping his course another way. Whither it were of dislike, that God should passe ouer his fauors to the Gentiles, and that his owne Countrie should remaine disgraced and rui­ned; and albeit he happely knew this was to come to passe hereafter: yet hee [Page 134] would not willingly haue seene it so to succeed in his time: or whither it were in point of honour in his owne person, thinking (if not foreknowing) that God being so mercifull, that he would pardon the Niniuites vpon their first teares, he should then suffer in his reputation, and should be taken for a braine-sicke foole, and that he had exceeded his Commission, and so be mocked and laughed at for his labour.

So that in the end he was fully resolued not to vndergoe the Embassage that was enioyned him; and therefore embarking himselfe, hee thought hee might then goe whither he wolud through the world. This is Saint Hieromes opinion, which the Chaldees Paraphrase doe likewise fauour. Surrexit vt fugeret ad Mare, antequam prophetaret in nomine Domini, He rose vp that he might flie vnto the sea, be­fore he should prophecie in the name of the Lord.

Some man wil doubt and say, How could so grosse an ignorance sinke into the Prophets brest, as to think to flie ou [...] of Gods reach? Confessing with Dauid that large extent of his power, Whither shall I goe from thy Spirit? and whither shall I flie from thy face? if I climbe vp into Heauen, thou art there; if I goe into Hell, thou art likewise there. I answer, That hee had no such kind of conceit in the world, nor any so foule a thought once entered into his immagination: But that which he presumed vpon, was, That in the land of the Gentiles, God would not reueale himselfe, nor communicate the Spirit of Prophecie to his Prophets; and therefore hee was minded to alter his former condition of life, and turne Merchant: For Tharsis was so famous a Port, in regard of the great concourse of Trading that was there, that those your great & huge merchants ships, made onely for burden, were called in the Scripture, by an Antonomasia, or pronomina­tion,Ier. 10. Ezech. 27. [...]. Kings 11. 2. Chron. 9. Esay 50. The Ships of Tharshish; whereof Ieremie maketh mention, Ezechiel, the third third booke of the Kings, and the second of Chronicles. The Spirit of Prophecie (it seemed) had not then captiuated his wil: The Lord God hath opened myne eare, and I was not rebellious, neither turned I backe: But might he then if he would? So doth this Ego non contradico seem to inferre. Saint Paul saith to those of Corinth, That the Spirit of Prophecie is subiect to the Prophets. And as Amasias said to the Prophet Amos, Amos 7.12. Get thee to the Land of Iuda, ô thou Seer, goe, flie thou thither, and there eat thy bread, and prophecie there: but prophecie no more at Betheb, for it is the Kings Chappell, and it is the Kings Court. Ionas there­fore seeing,The Deuills tyranny ouer his followers. that a Prophet was not accepted of in his owne Countrie, would needs turne Merchant.

He got him into a Ship of the Phoenicians, to flie into Tharshish from the presence of the Lord; Et dedit illis naulum, And he paid the fare thereof, and went downe into it. For the Deuill is not contented that a sinner should doe him ser­uice onely, but that he should giue him money also into the bargaine; which is a strange kind of tyrannie.

The Shippe had scarce beene a while vnder saile, when as a fearefull Tempest arose, which put those that were in the Shippe into extreame perill of their life. And albeit your Pilots, your Mariners, and Shippe-boyes, that are beaten and accustomed to these kind of chances, vsually loose all feare both of windes and waues, nay also of God himselfe; yet now, such was the tempestuousnesse of the weather, & the raging of the Sea, that they called vpon those their gods which were painted in their Ship; Timuerunt nautae, The Mariners feare encreased, iudging this Storme the strangest as euer they saw, accounting it as a miracle.

First of all, Because there was no preceding signe of it; for those that are ex­perienced Seafaring men, are not onely skilled in knowing those signes of a [Page 135] storme that are neere at hand, but those that are afarre off; as by the irruptions of the aire, which breaking forth from the concauities and hollow vaults of the Deepe, trouble the waters; the colluctation and wrestling of the winds, the cro­king of Rauens, the bellowing of Beasts, the playing of Porpeecies, which doe whisper in their eares the storme that is to come vpon them. But this Tempest here came so violently vpon them on the sudden, that there was no foregoing signe to foreshew it.

Secondly, Because (as Rabbi Salomon hath noted it, an Hebrew Doctor, from whom Theodoret and Theophilact had it) there were many ships that had gone out of Tharshish, which they might kenne not farre from them, that had verie faire and cleere weather, and sailed away smoothly, hauing (as they say) a Ladies pas­sage, so calme was the Sea, and so gentle and temperate their gale of wind. Whereupon they did discreetly argue amongst themselues, that there was some great and notorious sinner in their Ship, against whom the windes and the waues (by Gods especiall appointment) made such cruell warre. He that goes to sea, goes in danger, Qui nauigant mare, &c. Euripides was of opinion, That they could not be truly said to bee either dead or aliue; not dead, because they liue; not aliue, because there was only a poore planke betwixt their death and their life. And the Sinner haleth his halter after him, and if God did not defend him, the Sea would not endure him. The Slaue that flies from his Master, all the seruants of the house make hue and crie after him; they follow him, crying, Stop him, stop him: and if that will not serue the turne, his Master sends Horsemen after him, who pursue him, and apprehend him. All the whole house of Heauen make hue and crie after Ionas, Angells, Saints, Friends, holy inspirations, make pursuit after him, as they vse to doe after other rebellious sinners: But that will not serue the turn; whereupon he sends these his Horsmen after him, the winds, the waues, the ship-boyes, and mariners; they take him and cast him into the dungeon of the Whales bellie.

Miserunt vasa, They cast forth their Vessels, &c. This word Vasa is taken for the wares, the weapons, the Masts, the sailes, and other instruments belonging to a Ship; Vasa Domus, Vasa Bellica, Vasa Nauis, and the like. In that Tempest which Saint Luke mentioneth in the Acts of the Apostles, wherein Saint Paul suffered so many dayes, he saith,Acts 17. That the verie cords and tacklings in the ship were cast ouer boord, Armamenta Nauis proiecerunt: So now, whither it were to lighten the Ship, or to appease the anger of their Gods, whom they thought were to be appeased with gifts, or that they were subiect to these passions of choller and couetousnesse, &c. And as now the Faithfull haue recourse in their shipwracks to prayers and promises; so was it now with these Infidels, and not to this alone, but to the offering vp of Iewells of great price and value.

Ionas was got him down into the bottome of the Ship; whither he had with­drawne himselfe thither out of his sorrow, or to auoid the noyse of their shreeks and out-cries, or for feare of the thunder & lightning, or not to behold the fu­rie and rage of the waues and the winds, I cannot tel you: but because feare and heauinesse commonly causeth sleepe, Ionas was fallen now so sound asleepe, that neither his owne proper perill, nor the lamentable clamours of others, could [...]wake him.

Quid tu sopore deprimeris; Surge & inuoca Deum tuum.

What meanest thou, ô Sleeper, awake and call vpon thy God. They that came down [...]o the Pumpe, lighted vpon Ionas, and awaking him, said vnto him by way of [Page 136] admiration, Is it possible that a man should sleepe in the middest of such a terri­ble Tempest? The cries and lamentations of all seeke to appease the furie of the winds, and doost thou sleepe? The Sea-Gods are affraid, and the Fishes retyre themselues into their holes in the deepe, and doost thou sleep? Arise for shame, and call vpon thy God, since others call vpon theirs. Whither it were that they did presume that Ionas was some Saint, (which they might gather from his mo­destie, and his Prophet-like attyre) or whither they had heard of the great won­ders done by his God; (for many were the things that were spoken of him among the Gentiles, which were meruailous in their eyes) I leaue it to the con­struction of the Discreet.

Mittamu [...] sortes, Let vs cast lots. They whispered amongst themselues, That sure there was some notable villaine, some wicked person, among the passengers, for whose sake the gods had shewed themselues so angrie against this their ship, and those that went in her; for one euil man that is vpheld and maintained in his lewd courses, and is fauoured and protected by those with whom hee liues and conuerses, is able to destroy a Citie, and to corrupt a whole Commonaltie, if he bee not corrected and punished in time.Ezech. [...]0. According to that of Ezechiel, Corrue [...] fulcientes Aegyptum, They also that maintaine Aegypt shall fall, and the pride of her power shall come downe. Euerie one then said to his companion, Let vs cast Lots, Et sciamus quare hoc malum sit nobis, That we may know for whose cause this euill is vpon vs; or (as the Hebrew hath it) In cuius nam hoc malum nobis, Let vs know who is in the fault why we doe all thus suffer. They therefore cast lots, not once alone, but againe and againe; for the Lot falling still vpon one, it was an especial effect of Gods prouidence, and a great token, that hee would discouer him tha [...] was faultie.

It therefore falling still vpon Ionas, the Mariners and the rest that were in the ship, laid hands on him, and (as Saint Hierome hath noted it) made him this short, but discreet interrogation, What is thy occupation, and whence commest tho [...] ▪ Which is thy Countrie, and of what People art thou? Touching his Office, his voyage, and his Countrie, the Prophet of his owne accord, without beeing [...] to the torment, confessed all vnto them: he told them he was an Hebrew, and that he sought to flie from the God of Israel, who had made the Sea and the [...] Land; and that this was the cause of this their furious tempest, and fierce storme. Then said they vnto him, What shall we doe vnto thee, that the sea may be calme vnto vs? (for the sea wrought, and was troublous.)

Mittite me in mare, Take me and cast me into the sea, so shal the sea be calme vnto you: for I know, Why Ionas would be cast into the Sea. that for my sake this great tempest is vpon you. This was no desperation in Ionas, nor any desire to hasten his owne death; but that he might not pers [...] any longer in offending his God, whereof he was now sorie, and earnestly repe [...]ted him of the errour he had committed. If I liue (thought he with himselfe [...] shall fall tomorrow into the like follie againe. And therefore let no man pre [...]sume that it shall be better with him tomorrow,Long life an enlargement of Sinne. than it was yesterday, or the other day before: and though a man may purpose amendment to himselfe, [...] desire it, yet is it no wisedome to presume thereupon. Hence it ariseth, that [...] multiplication of yeares doth but multiplie our greater condemnation.

Remigabant viri, &c. The men rowed to bring the Ship to land. They sough [...] [...] saue the life of Ionas with the danger of their owne liues; and despising [...] owne proper perill, they tooke care of another mans good; which is the [...] most that a godly man can doe. The seuentie Interpreters indeere it [...] thing more, saying, Vi [...] facieba [...]t, They did (as it were) offer violence to the [...] [Page 137] and so, rowing and praying, remigando & [...]rando, they said, O Lord, if this man be so odious in thine eyes, thou maist strike him dead with a sudden plague, or with a blast of thy breath: and if thou art not willing that hee should not now die, doe not punish vs for him, saue not him, to kill vs. Ne pereamus in anima vi­ri istius, Let not vs perish for this mans life. But the more they stroue in rowing and in praying, the waues began to swell the more, and the winds grew stiffer and stiffer; Mare intumescebat super eos, The sea wrought exceeding high, and was troublous against them. Thereupon, they made a deuout prayer vnto God, entreating him that he would not impute vnto them the death of that Prophet: O Lord, (sayd they) thou hast made our armes the instruments of thy Iustice; and whereas it is thy pleasure, that wee should throw him into the Sea, thou mightest, if thou wouldst, haue giuen him some other kind of death: This iudgement which we execute vpon him, we haue done it out of his owne confession, & by the casting of Lots; but if perchance we haue herein erred,In casting a man away, no delay too long. by taking away the life of the Innocent, permit not his bloud to be vpon our heads, since thou mayst so easily (if thou wilt) manifest his innocencie. Well might our Sauiour Christ condemne the Pharisees, by these poore Mariners and Ship-boyes, since they did demurre so much, and cast so many doubts with themselues, concerning the offence of a Fugitiue, that had alreadie confest himselfe faultie: Whereas these Scribes and Pharisees did rashly and inconsiderately sentence him to death, whom the Hea­uen and the Earth had pronounced and published to be innocent; crying out with a full mouth, Sanguis eius super nos.

Tulerunt Ionam, So they tooke vp Ionas, &c. Saint Hierome doth much weigh the courtesie and respect wherewith they tooke vp Ionas, Quasi cum obsequio & honore portantes, Bearing him as it were with a great deale of obsequiousnesse and honour, vpon their shoulders, because he had made so humble a confession, by acknowlege­ment of his fault, and for that, that he had thus voluntarily offered himselfe vp vnto death: They did reuerence him as a Saint, and lifting vp that weight in their armes, which the sea could not beare, they had scarce throwne him ouer­boord, but the sea ceased from her raging, resting satisfied with this Sacrifice, and giuing it as a sure signe and token vnto them, that it did not pretend this it's furie, to any but Ionas. The Mariners after they had cast him into the Sea, sought (as an antient Doctor saith) to take him vp againe, and to saue his life; but then the waues began to rise and rage afresh, insomuch that they were forced to let him alone: it being a wonder, to see Seafaring men, who are generally pitti­lesse, to take such pittie and compassion of him.

Stetit Mare, The sea grew calme on the sudden, and the weather grew [...]aire and cleere: & as the tempest came suddenly vpon them, without any preuening dis­positions; so did this calme and faire weather at sea come vpon them in an in­stant, before euer they were aware of it; which was a notable proofe and argu­ment vnto them, that this Tempest was miraculous.

Gods prouidence had before hand prouided a Whale readie to receiue Ionas; and when as he thought he should haue beene swallowed vp in the Deepe, and that the waters should enter into his soule, crying out in his meditations, Pelagus [...]peruit me, vestes terr [...] concluserunt me, The [...]ouds compassed mee about, all thy surges and all thy waues passed ouer me, &c. Then did the Whale open his mouth, then when in his affliction he cried vnto the Lord: I am cast away out of thy sight, the waters compassed me about vnto the soule, the depth closed mee round about, and the weeds were wrapped about my head; then, euen then did the Whale open his mouth, and swallowing him vp whole into his bellie, defended [Page 138] him from the jawes of death. Ionas being herein like vnto a delinquent whom the Gaoler takes into his custodie,Iob. 7. to secure his person. Iob saith, That God hath girt in the sea on the one side with mountaines and valleys, Circumdedit illud ter­minis suis; and on the other side with sand, Posuit arenam terminum Maris. And as Ionas was shut vp in the Whales bellie, as in a prison; so was the Whale inclo­sed in that prison of the Sea. Nunquid Mare ego sum, aut Caete? Am I a Sea, or a Whale fish, that thou keepest mee in ward? Now if God had both before and behind, on this side, and that side, pitcht so many nets for Ionas, hee could ver [...]e hardly escape him, his flying could not saue him; but in this Whales maw, con­trarie to all the lawes of Nature, God maintaines and preserues his life. If the stomacke of a Whale will digest an anchor of Yron, (as Tertullian tells vs) it must then of force consume Ionas; and if instead of aire, he drawes in water, he must necessarily be choaked. But he that deliuered Daniel from the hungrie mouths of Lyons, and those three children from the flames of the firie Furnace; it is not much, that hee should conserue Ionas in the deepest and darkest dungeon that euer liuing man was clapt vp in. The wonder was, that though himself were prisoner, yet he had left vnto him so free an vnderstanding, that hee was able to make so elegant an oration to God, out of so foule a Pulpit.

The Prophet did dwell vpon this great miracle which God had vsed towards him, and did recouer so much strength and confidence, that he stucke not to say, Rursus videbo templum sanctum tuum, Yet will I looke againe toward thy holy temple, I liue in good hope, not onely to see my selfe freed out of this loathsome Gaole, but to humble my selfe on my knee in thy holy Temple, giuing thee thankes for the great mercie and fauour which thou hast shewed towards me: For the pre­sent I will make this sluttish corner my Oratorie, assuring my selfe, that from thence my prayers shall be acceptable vnto thee; who, like some great Prince or Monarch of the world, is respected in any place whatsoeuer of thy jurisdi­ction: so that there is no doubt, that any thy poorest vassall whatsoeuer, may bee heard by thee. The Children of Babylon were heard from the Furnace; Da­niel from the Lyons Den; Iob from the Dunghill; Dauid from amiddest the Thornes and Bushes: And so I make no question but I shall be, from the bow­ells of this Beast, In omni loco dominationis eius, benedic anima mea Domino, O my soule, blesse the Lord in euerie place of his power.

These three dayes Ionas spent in prayer, at the end whereof, God comman­ded the Whale to cast out Ionas vpon the Coast of Niniuy.In all aduer­sities our practice must be Prayer. And the Whale obay­ing his Empire, crost the Seas many Leagues, and there threw the Prophet forth vpon drie Land, though full of froathie slime, and vnctuous stuffe, free from the horror of that deepe and darkesome dungeon. From hence did the Gentiles faigne those their fabulous tales of Hercules beeing swallowed vp by another Whale; of Arion, playing on his harpe, riding on the backe of a Dolphine. For, (as it is noted by Clemens Alexandrinus, and Saint Basil) the Heathen Philo­sophers did steale these truths from vs; founding thereupon their falshoods: And giuing credit to their lyes, they did not beleeue our truths. Many of the Niniuites, comming downe to the shoare-side, were strucken with admiration, to see such a monstrous, strange, prodigious man; and the fame thereof flying to the Citie, before they were affrighted with the sad news that hee brought, they stood astonished at the strangenesse of the case; which questionlesse was a great cause; that they did afterwards harken vnto him, and giue creditto what he said. In the end, taking this for his Theame; Adhuc quadraginta dies, & Niniue s [...] ­uertetur; [...]et forty dayes, and Niniuie shall bee ouerthrowne. Not threatning onely [Page 139] the ruine of the Citie, but also of the Towers, Walls, Pallaces, Citizens, Children, Women, and Old men, euen to the very beasts of the field; so great was the feare that entred into all their breasts, that without any fur­ther Miracles, laying their beleefe vpon the Prophet, they presently gaue beginning to that their great repentance, which was the strangest that euer was yet heard of.

The King layd aside his purple roabes, and his rich and costly clothes, the throan of his Greatnesse & Maiestie, and couered himselfe with sacke-cloth, and [...]ate in ashes, causing his clothes of State to bee pulled downe, his walls of his pallace to be left naked of their hangings of cloth of Gold, and other pee­ces of Arras, beeing no lesse curious than glorious. For Sardanapalus, was one of the loosest, and most licentious men, that hee had not his like in all the World. The like did all the great Officers of his Pallace, the Princes, and Wealthyest men of his Citie, as also all the faire and beautifull Ladies. And there was a Proclamation presently made through all Niniuie, (by the Councell of the King, and his Nobles) with expresse charge, That neither man, nor beast, bul­locke, nor sheep, should tast any thing, neither feed, nor drinke water; but that man and beast should put on sack-cloth, and cry mightily vnto God. To the end, that the bellowing of their bulls, the bleating of their sheepe & goats, the how­ling of their dogs, the teares of their children, the sighes & lamentations of their mothers, might mooue Heauen to take pitie of them. And aboue all, they did cry out most grieuously for their sinnes. For albeit, they are offences towards God, yet are they miseries vnto man; and as, quatenus peccata, so farre foorth as they are sinnes, they prouoke and stirre vp Gods Iustice against vs; So, qua­tenus, they are miseriae, as they are miseries vnto vs, they incline and mooue our good God to take mercie & compassion of vs. The same reason which wrought God to destroy the World, the same likewise mooued him neuer to destroy it more. Cogitatio hominis prona est ad malum, Mans thoughts are pro [...]e vnto euill. One while hee considers it, as an offence vnto God; another while, as a miserie inci­dent to man. The word Zagar, signifies Vociferatio, A crying out aloude,The Nini­uites repen­tance. as when a Citie is set on fire, and in danger to be burnt. Some perhaps may con­ceiue that this was too strict a commaund, to inioyne this punishment vpon dumbe beasts, and poore little infants, that had not yet offended. But first of all, they did therein pretend to incline Gods mercy towards them. Secondly, to mooue the more repentance, by a common sorrow. Thirdly, as at the funeralls of Princes, and Generals, not onely the principall and meaner persons mourne in blackes, but their horses weare the like liuery of sorrow, their drummes beat hoarse, couered with blacke Cypres, their auncients are trailed along on the ground, their swords and their lances with their points the contrary way;Gen. 6. Gen. 8. in to­ken that both the horses, the drums, the auncients, and the armes, haue lost their Master: so likewise did the case stand with the Citie of Niniuie, &c.

Ionas put Niniuie to such a strict penance, and sorrow for their sinnes, that it did appease the wrath of God towards them. The Prophet presumed it should be destroyed; and therefore Ionas went out of the Citie, and sate on the East side thereof, and there made him a booth, and sate vnder it in the shadow, till he might see what should bee done in the Citie. Thinking perhaps with himselfe, that God would not now make an end of the Citie all at once, but that he would destroy a great part thereof; as he did in the adoration of the golden Calfe, when as pardoning the people, hee slew a great number of them. Now God had pre­pared a Gourd for Ionas, and made it to come vp ouer him, that it might bee a [Page 138] [...] [Page 139] [...] [Page 140] shadow ouer his head, and deliuer him from his griefe. Other Authors, giue it other names. But the strangenesse of it was, that it grew vp all in a day. The Prophet was exceeding glad to see himselfe so wel sheltred by this Gourd, from the heat of the Sunne, which did shrewdly scortch him; Laborauerat enim, It vexed him verie sore: So that before it went verie ill with him; and his ioy was so much the more encreased, for that he saw God had such a care to cherish and make much of him; Sure (thought he) he makes no small account of me, that vseth me thus kindly. But God shortly after prepared a worme, which smote the Gourd that it withered; Et percussit Sol super caput Iona, & astuabat, The Sunne beat vpon the head of Ionas, and he fainted. Who could haue the patience to endure this? Was it the Sun, or was it fire, that should thus prouoke him to cry out, Me­lius est mihi mori, quam viuere, It is better for me to die than to liue. But God repre­hended Ionas for this desperate speech of his; Putas ne bene irasceris Iona? How n [...]w Ionas, What's the matter with thee? Doost thou well to bee angrie for the Gourd? Doost thou find thy selfe grieued, that I haue made this Gourd to wither, which came vp in a night, and perished in a night; and wilt thou not suffer me to be sen­cible of the destruction of this so great a Citie, wherein there are sixescore thou­sand persons which cannot discerne betwixt the right hand and the left? Doth it touch thee, that thou art not esteemed in thine owne Countrie? And wilt thou not pittie Niniuie, whom thou hast drawne by thy preaching vnto them, to repentance? Niniuie yeelded vnto thee at the first words of thy voyce; but Iuda still stands out obstinately in her malice against my calling vpon her. And therefore at the day of judgement, the men of Niniuie shall condemne them for a stiffe necked generation, and a hard hearted People; seeing they without any miracles were conuerted, and turned vnto me at the preaching of one poore [...] ­nas, Et ecce plus quam Ionas hîc, And behold a greater than Ionas here. Hierusalem seeing so many miracles, perseuereth in her incredulitie; and therefore Niniuie shall stand, and Hierusalem shall be destroyed. At the day of judgement thou shalt stand confounded and ashamed, that a barbarous, ignorant, and vnbeleeuing Nation (which is a great disgrace to a man of honor) that one that is so farre in­feriour to thee, should come to be so farre preferred before thee: As those Ci­ties where most of our Sauiours great workes were done, were vpbraided by him, because they repented not; pronouncing a woe to Chorazin, and a woe to Bethsaida:Math. 11. For if (saith he) the great workes which were done in you, had been done in Tyrus and Sydon, they had repented long agone in Sacke-cloath and Ashes.

Regina Austri.

The Queene of the South shall rise in judgement, &c. Some man may say, The historie of Niniuie was sole, and without example in the world; it [...] not it's fellow. For which cause, he sets downe another example of the Queen of the South, of whom there is mention made in the third of the Kings, and in the second of Chronicles. 1. Kings 10. 2. Chron. 9. The Queene of the South came from Morol, (an Isl [...] of Aethyopia, as Origen, Saint Hierome, Saint Austen, Anselmus, and Iosephus, saith) and onely to heare the wisedome of Salomon; Et ecce, [...] quam Salomon hîc, And behold a greater here than Salomon. It was much, that the barbarous people of Niniuie should beleeue Ionas, who sought after them, and not they af­ter him: But much more is it, that an Aethyopian Queene should seeke after [...] King, to hir so great trouble and cost. Ecce plus quam Salomon hîc. When the Prea­cher is of that great power and authoritie, that he both sayes and does; the little [Page 141] fruit that they reap thereby, is euermore attributed to the hardnesse of the hea­rer. And that he might teach this People this lesson, he saith, Ecce, plus quam Sa­lomon hîc, Behold, a greater than Salomon is here. He was greater than Ionas; for if he were obeyed by the Niniuites, our Sauiour had obeysance done him by all the Elements: if Ionas had a grace in his deliuerie, and spake with a spirit, it was our Sauiour that gaue it him: if Ionas did inlighten a Citie, our Sauiour did illu­minate the whole world: if Ionas did preach bloud; threatnings, and death, our Sauiour did publish our saluation, life, and hope of Heauen. He was better than Salomon; for his wisedome was humane and earthly; but that of our Sauiour, diuine and heauenly: Salomon neuer wrought any miracles; but those of our Sauiour were without number. In a word, betweene the Queene of the South and the Pharisees, betweene our Sauiour and Salomon, there is a great antithesis and contrarietie: The Queene was a Barbarian, and ignorant; they, Doctours, and learned in the Lawes; she, wonderfull desirous to heare a man; they, loath to heare a God; she offered to Salomon great gifts; they to our Sauiour vinegar and gall; shee did so wonder at Salomons wisedome, that she said, Fame had be­lied him, and that Report came too short of his praise; but they made so slight account of our Sauiours words and workes, that they require new miracles at his hands: but this their cauelling with him, shal occasion their condemnation. To conclude, The principal things that Niniuie shal charge them with, are two.

The first, The speedinesse of their repentance, and the hast that they made to turne vnto God: For (as Saint Chrysostome hath noted it) in three dayes Ionas ef­fected that in Niniuie,Ionas effect­ed more in three dayes then our Sa­uiour did in thirty yeares. Repentance, not to be de­ferred. which our Sauiour could not bring to passe in thirty yeres and vpward. Saint Ambrose, That they who deferre their repentance till the houre of their death, ought not to bee denied the Sacraments, if they desire them; but I dare not be so bold (saith the said Father) to warrant them their sal­uation. Rahab had scarce put the Spies out of her window, but that she present­ly hung out that coloured string, the token that was giuen her for the safeguard of her life. Philon takes into consideration, that exceeding great hast which the Aegyptians made to rid their Countrie of the children of Israell; they held it no wisedome, to deferre their departure one minute of an houre longer, (if they could so soone haue freed themselues from them) considering in what great dan­ger they were of loosing their liues. Much lesse discretion is it, to defer the re­pentance of our sinnes from day to day, considering how dayly we are in perill of perishing in Hell.

The second, The greatnesse, sharpenesse, and rigour of their Repentance, not onely in the men, but in the women, children, and cattell: They thought with themselues, That fortie dayes of sorow were too little, and too few for so many yeares of sinning; and therefore they did striue all that they could, that the ex­tremitie of their punishment might make amends for that long time wherin they had offended. Lanabo per singulas noctes lectum meum, i. I will euerie night wash my Couch with my tears. Chrys. saith, Culpā fuisse vnius noctis, lachrimas multorum, That it was but one nights sinne, but many nights teares. Amplius laua me, O Lord, wash me yet a little more, that I may be cleane. Now was he clensed; but ill assured of this his cleannesse, &c. For the washing out of the staines and spots of our sinnes, one la [...]r, one rinsing, one bucking is not sufficient, no, though we haue neuer so much sope and ashes to scoure them cleane, and bear out our hearts vpon the blocke of our sencelesse soules: it must (ô Lord) be the water of that immense and migh­tie sea of thy Mercie; that, and nothing but that, can doe it. And therefore, Haue mercie vpon me, ô God, according to thy great mercie.

Egressus Iesus, secessit.

Some doe apply this word to the Sonne of Gods comming foorth into the World; Some, to the strength and vertue which our humane nature recouered by this his comming. Which is all one with that of Saint Austen; if God had not beene Man, Man had not beene free. The Scripture calleth Christ our Sa­uiour, The desire & hope of the Gentiles. And to him that shall doubt, How the Gentiles, not hauing knowledge of the Son of God, nor of his comming,Ob. could bee called their hope, and their desire?

First of all, I answere; That amongst the Gentiles God had some friends,Sol. as the Sybils, and many which beleeued in him; In the land of Hus, he had Iob. And if it shall be obiected, That so small a number of the Gentiles,Ob. were not suffici­ent to giue a name and beeing of this their hope and desire?

I must answere secondly, That all creatures did naturally desire,Sol. and long for him, as the dry ground doth gape for water;Psal. 142. or as the captiue doth desire his li­bertie, Sicut terra sine aqua tibi.

Thirdly, Saint Austen answeres, That the desired, ought first to bee knowne. But it is the fashion of the Prophets, to take Futurū, pro praeterito, The future, for the preterperfect Tence.

And here it is to bee noted, That with Tyrus and Sydon, that happened vn­to him in particular, which succeeded vnto him in the world in generall. He was long before offended with this Country as it appeareth in Ioel; Quid mihi, Ioel. 3. & vo­bis Tyrus & Sydon? What haue I to doe with you, ô Tyre and Sydon. In Ezechiel, Ezech. 27. Tu ergo fili hominis assume lamentum super Tyrum, Now therefore ô sonne of Man, take vp a lamentation for Tyre. In Esay Onus Tyri, vlulate naues maris, The burden of Tyre, Esay. 23. [...]owle ye ships of the Sea. How then did God make peace with the World by his Sonne? Gratificauit nos in dilecto filio suo. And hee offered the like kindnesse vnto Tyrus and Sydon. Memor ero Rahab Babilonis: Ecce alienigeni, & Tyrus hic fuerunt illic, &c. I will thinke vpon Rahab, and Babilon, the Morians, Psal. 87. and them of Tyre, &c.

Secessit in partes Tyri, & Sydonis, Hee went into the Coasts of Tyre and Sydon. He taxes this his people of their vnthankefulnes towards him; For he, that doth not only not acknowledge a good turn, but requites it with il, shuts the gates of Hea­uen against his owne Soule. And therefore, Signum non dabiter ei [...]. Rupertus hath obserued, That the first fault that was committed in the World, was Ingratitude; For God hauing created Adam in a perfect age, and sound in his judgement, ha­uing, for his recreation giuen him Paradise, and for his authoritie, the Seignio­rie of the World; yet did hee not giue him thankes for these his so great and many fauours towards him; whereupon the Deuill, (beeing a slye and subtill Merchant) tooke occasion to tempt him, persuading himselfe, That hee who had shewed himselfe ingratefull, would with a little labour bee easily brought to be disobedient. This Doctor doth soundly & throughly ponder these words, Serpens erat callidior, The serpent was more subtill. Like a craftie Huntsman, hee waited but for a time, that Adam by his vnthankefulnes should fall into the toile, whence afterwards hee should not so easily get out. Saint Ambrose sayth, That [Page 144] Noah, all that while that hee was building the Arke, did not any thing, though neuer so little, without some especiall order from God; but as soone as hee was gone out of the Arke, without further expecting aduise from Heauen, hee did prepare and make readie his sacrifice. For, that a Soule should shew it selfe thankefull to it's God, it is not necessary, that it should stay waighting & looking for reuelations; but rather hasten to expresse it as soone as it can, and to vse all preuention of being put in mind of it. And therfore in approbation of Noahs for­wardnesse, the Text sayth, Odoratus est Dominus odorem suauitatis, The Lord smel­led a sauour of rest. Gen. 8. And shewed himselfe so well pleased and appeased therwith that he sayd in his heart, he would thencefoorth curse the ground no more for mans cause.

There is another circumstance, touching Ingratitude, which is very conside­rable, & deserues our attention, which is this, That albeit God is woont some­times to dissemble other faults, and lets them runne on many yeares before he wil punish them, yet the sins of vnthankefulnesse, he will not suffer them to scape vnpunished, no no [...] so much as to graunt them the forbearance of a few houres. God sayth in Leuiticus; Qui maledixerit Deo suo, portab [...]t peccatum suum, Who­soeuer shall curse his God, Leuit. 24▪ or speake ill of him, shall beare his sin; no farther chastise­ment beeing there set downe for him. But hee that shall blaspheme the name of the Lord, Morte morietur, shall bee put to death: that is the Law. The second (questionlesse) is a lesser sinne than the former; And yet God dissembles the for­mer, and will by no meanes indure the second. And the reason thereof (rendred by Thomas) is, That those names, and attributes of God, doe shut vp as it were, and comprehend in them those benefits which hee so liberally bestowes vpon vs; and for that the blasphemer showes himselfe so vngratefull vnto God, hee cannot hope for any pardon of his punishment. Our Sauiour Christ then seeing, that Iudea did draw poyson out of treacle, and vnthankefulnesse and hardnesse of heart, from the many fauours and mercies that hee had shewed towards them, Secessit in partes Tyri & Sydonis, Went into the Coasts of Tyre and Sydon &c.

Ecce mulier Chananea.

The force of Prayer.Many, and great matters are spoken of the force and power of Prayer. Gree­uous is that saying of God vnto Ieromie; Noli orare pro populo isto, neque assumes pro eis laudem & orationem, Hier. 7. & non obsistas mihi, Thou shalt not pray for this people, nei­ther lift vp cry or prayer for them, neither intreat mee, least I should heare thee, and so diuert mine anger. Seest thou not what they doe, &c? Seeke not therefore to hin­der me in executing my vengeance against them. None (sayth Iob) is able to resist the wrath of God. But God aduiseth vs, how powerfull a thing Prayer is for the appeasing of it,Io [...] 9. by seeking to preuent the Prophet, by putting in this ca­ueat, Non obsistas mihi, Resist mee not. Greeuous is that saying of God, vnto Mo­ses, Desine, vt irascatur furor meus, Stand not betwixt mee and home, that I may destroy this people. O Lord, who can hold thy hand, when thou art willing to strike? Who, force thee against thy will, to be quiet? yes, The Prayer of such a friend as Moses, Orabat autem Moyses ad Dominum Deum suum. Beeing one, whom God so much respected. And as the loue of a friend doth tye the hands of some angry Lord, and keep him from striking; so Prayers binds Gods hands when hee is angry with vs, not suffering him to draw his sword. This was no small comfort to Dauid, which made him to sing the song of Thankesgiuing, Be­nedictus Deus, qui non amouit orationem meam, & misericordiam suam à me, Blessed be God, who hath not remooued either my prayer, or his owne mercie from mee. Saint [Page 145] Austen saith, That as long as God shall not take from out our mouthes and our hearts our praying vnto him, so long we may be well assured that he will not re­moue his mercie from vs, for he neuer denieth those that faithfully cal vpon him

But a matter of great consideration is that which we haue here in hand, Ecce mulier Cananea, Behold a Canaanitish woman, &c. What? a woman that is an Idola­tresse, can shee bee of that power that shee should ouercome God by prayer? When a weake arme cuts a man off by the wast at a blow, or hewes a bar of yron in sunder, this act is not attributed so much to the force of his arme, as the good­nesse of his sword; so, this dayes noble act is not to bee attributed to a Pagan woman, (who was descended of that accursed Cham) but to the power of Pray­er. To those three diuine persons, Prayers are not permitted: for, as Thomas no­teth it, Prayer is to be directed to a superiour power: And if the Sonne of God did pray, it was according to his humanitie, hauing recourse (as Saint Ambrose saith) to those two obligations of Priest and Aduocate: And if (Saint Paul saith) that the holy Ghost doth pray, Postulat pro nobis gemitibus in enarrabilibus, He ma­keth request for vs with grones that are vnspeakeable: It was, that he might teach vs how to pray, as Saint Augustine expoundeth it. The Deuills, and those that are damned, are not capable of prayer: Albeit the couetous rich man did desire a drop of water of Abraham to coole his tongue, & the Deuills entreated Christ,Luke 16. that he would giue them leaue to enter into the Swine. For to pray vnto God, is to turne vnto God, and with a sorowfull soule, and a contrite heart, humbly and earnestly to call vpon him, crauing pardon for our sinnes. Prayer therefore onely belongs vnto men, as well the Iust, as the Sinner; and that the Prayer of the Iust should preuaile with God, which begges and entreats of his diuine Ma­jestie, That he will beare with vs this yeare, and the next, and so from time to time (as is prooued by that Parable of the Figge tree, which the Lord of the Soyle caused to be hewne downe, because it bare no fruit) it is not much: But that the prayer of a Canaanitish woman should make God to yeeld vnto her, is more than much. The name of woman, in it's true and naturall element, notifi­eth a thousand imperfections: O pessima, & Mulier, saith Euripides, signifying thereby, That there is no mischiefe which she is not a Midwife vnto; the verie name of a Canaanitish woman doth blab out sin in hir, hatred towards God, and a measure full of miserie. Now if a subiect so weake and so imperfect, grew by Prayer to be so powerfull; What will not Prayer be able to do? Salomon askes the question, Mulierem fortem quis inueniet? Who shall meet with a valiant woman, that is full of mettall and courage? I answer, That naturally such a one is Rara auis in terris, a verie Phoenix, a white Crow, and a blacke Swan; but by the force of Prayer you shall thrice meet with such a one: in Tyrus and Sydon God sayes no; and yet in the end, the Canaanitish womans Yea goes further than our Saui­ours Nay; making God, as it were, to lay downe the Bucklers, and to yeeld vnto her. And to him that shall say, That this was a spirituall wrestling, neuer giuing ouer our Sauiour, but still pressing and importuning him more and more; and that a woman will be sometimes so earnest and so violent, that shee may as well wearie out God, as she doth Man, to make him yeeld ere she haue done with him: To this, a Doctor of our times verie well answers, by proposing another questi­on; to wit, Whither Iacobs wrestling with God were with the force of his arms, or with the armes of Prayer? Origen tells vs, That it was a spirituall strugling of teares and prayers; and Iacob hauing got the better, God said vnto him, Thou shalt no more be called Iacob, but Israel, because thou hast had power with God. The like may be said by our Sauior to this Canaanitish woman.

[Page 146] Ecce mulier Cananea, Behold a woman, &c. Ecce, in holy Scripture commonly signifieth some great matter of admiration. And this case of the Canaanitish woman is admirable, for two rare circumstances contained in it.

The one, For that strange change and alteration in her; in regard, that of a Canaanite in Occupatione, she became a Canaanite in Oratione, that is, a Negotiator in Heauen: for Cananea (according to Saint Hierome) is the same with Negotia­trix. Of a good huswife, that girdeth her loyns with strength, and strengthneth her armes, Salomon saith, Cingulum tradidit Cananeo; the Vulger hath it, Negotia­tori, Prou. 31. Luke 19. To the Merchant, or one that negotiates businesses; and Heauen is stored with such kind of People: Negociamini dum venio, Occupie till I come. And so great was the hast which this Canaanite made for the encreasing of her Talent, and in mannaging of her businesse, that the Church sets her before vs for an ex­ample, and for an excellent and happie Negotiant with God himselfe. As Abra­ham was put for a patterne of Faith; Isaac, of Obedience; Ioseph, of Chastitie; Iob, of Patience; Marie Magdalen, of Repentance; so this Canaanitish woman is proposed vnto vs as an example of well negotiating with God, shewing vs the readie way for a quicke dispatch.

The other, That a woman that was a Gentile should come out of Tyrus and Sydon,Vertue neuer more eminent, than when it shines among the Vicious. to be a Schoole to the Faithfull; as if a Moore should come from his Moorisme, to be a Christian, which is a rare thing, and seldome seene: that such a one should haue issued out of Ierusalem, that was well grounded in the Scrip­ture and Religion, it was not much; but from Tyrus and Sydon it was not a thing to be expected. To be of the houshold of Faith among the Gentiles, a Catholick among Hereticks, a Christian among Moores, a Saint amongst the Wicked, was eue [...] yet accounted strange and wonderfull. Saint Gregorie obserues this of Iob, liuing in the Land of Hus among the Barbarians; Socius fuit Draconum, Frater Stru [...]hionum, He was a companion of Dragons, and a brother to Ostriches, that is, he li­ued amongst the Vngodly. And Saint Peter saith of Lot, That he being righte­ous,2. Pet. [...]. and dwelling among the Sodomites, in seeing the vncleanly conuersation of the Wicked, and hearing of their abhominable sinnes, vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their vnlawful deeds; which is a great crosse and affliction to the Godly. Saint Iohn saith of the Bishop of Pergamus, Scio vbi habitas, vbi se [...]es est Sathanae, & tenes nomen meum, All thy actions are not praise-worthie; but this is greatly to be commended in thee, that amongst Deuills, where Sathan hath his Throne, thou keepest the faith, and confessest my name. Saint Paul, of the Philippians, That In medio nationis prauae. The Spouse, of his Beloued, That, Sicut Lilium inter spi­nas, without receiuing any harme. In a word, to enioy perfect health in the mid­dest of a great plague, is a great matter; but much greater is it, that out of a Pest­house one should come forth to giue helpe vnto others; that from amidst Here­tickes a Master should be brought to teach Catholickes; and that out of Tyrus and Sydon should step forth a Canaanitish woman to instruct the Church. And this is that which this word Ecce aimes at.

A finibus illis egressa, Come from out those Borders.

First, Christ; and then she: and though Christ had the longer and harder journey of it, and she the shorter and easier; yet you see shee was willing to put the best foot forward, and to take some paines her selfe in the businesse: she did not as many doe now adayes, sit still and doe nothing, laying the whole burthen of the justification vpon our Sauiour Christ. Supra dorsum meum (saith he, com­plaining by the Prophet) fabricauerunt peccatores, prolongauerunt iniquitatem sua [...], [Page 147] They threw all the whole burthen of their sinnes vpon my shoulders, taking no care themselues to worke out their saluation. Beloued, this is not the way; it is not enough, that yee haue your calling and vocation from God, but you must make sure this your vocation vnto you by good workes, Satagite per bona opera certam facere vocationem vestram; It is not enough, that Christ hath redeemed you, but you must seeke on your part to secure your redemption. In this sence said Paul, Adimpleo quae desunt passionum Christi in carne mea: Not that any thing can be wanting to the passion of Christ, on his part, but on thine. Faine wouldst thou goe to Heauen, but thou art loath to take any paines to get thither; thou wouldst be carried vp in a soft and easie chaire, but art loath to stretch thy legs. And for this cause the Scripture stiles the life of man, a Warfare, a Wrestling, a Race, a Combat, a Reward, a Crowne; things that are not atchieued with­out labour, trouble, seruice, sweats, and some deseruing in our selues. Vbi non sunt Boues, praesepe vacuum est, Where there are no Oxen, the Cratch is emptie; where no paines, no profit. Herculei auri celebrant labores, saith Boëtius, The Chronicles of Hercules were his Labours. And Plautus, Pars est fortuna laborum.

Come out of those Borders. We are not onely to leaue sinne, but also to remoue from vs all occasion of sinning. God said vnto Abraham, Eijce ancillam; Agar [...] his Slaue o [...] Bondwoman,Gen. 25. she was that Leuen which had sowred the sweet [...]ace of his house: God might as well haue commanded him to correct and punish her for her insolent behauiour; but because he would haue the occasion of any farther falling out taken away, he layes this command vpon him, Eijce an­cillam, & filium eius. Ismael, ô Lord, (might Abraham haue said) is but a child,All occasions of sinne must be auoyded. and in regard of his tender age disciplinable and corrigible, he can as yet do but little harme. But this would not serue his turne, there was no remedie but hee must be sent packing too, that all occasion may be taken away of his mothers re­turning backe to see him. Salua te in Monte, ne stes, &c. Get thee out of the Citie, Gen. 19. and escape into the Mountaine, lest thou be destroyed. It was the Angells aduice vnto Lot, lest so circumuicinant and neere neighbouring occasion might prooue dan­gerous vnto him: Quantum distat Ortus ab Occidente, longe fecit à nobis iniquitates nostras, Looke how wide the East is from the West, so farre hath he set our sinnes from vs. Psal. 103. In the Captiuitie of Babylon, the Children of Israell hid in a verie deepe pit, the holy Fire, as a man would hide Treasure, hoping hereafter they might come againe to the fetching of it out: but when this their Captiuitie was ended, when they came to seeke for it, they found in stead thereof, a coagulated and crudded kind of water, as when it is frozen; but when the beames of the Sunne began to touch vpon it, it turned againe to fire. So they that couer the fire of their affe­ction with the ashes of absence, with a hope to returne to reuiue that heat; how­beit it be more cold and more frozen than water, yet with the Sunne of their presence, and the heat of occasion, those coles of loue begin to kindle anew, and to breake forth into their woonted flames. Saint Augustine reports of Alipius, That hauing resolued with himselfe, neuer to looke vpon your Fencers Prizes, vpon a time, through the earnest importunitie of his friends hee was drawne along to the Theatre where those bloudie sports were performed; protesting that he would keepe his eyes all the while shut, and not so much as once open them: yet it so fell out, that vpon a sudden great shout of the People, he looked abroad to see what the matter was; Whereupon hee became another man, and altered his former purpose; so that his hatred to this sport, was turned into a loue and liking of it. Ecclesiasticus saith, That as a cleere Fountaine is to the thir­stie, and as the shade to him that is scortched with heat, such is occasion, to a [Page 148] man that is accustomed to ill. In filia non auertente se, firma custodiam, Giue her for lost, if thou quit not the occasion.

Clamabat, Miserere mei, She cried, Haue mercie vpon me.

Vocall Prayer is sometimes profitable, and sometimes necessarie; profitable, because it stirreth vp our inward deuotion, And is (as Saint Augustine hath obser­ued) that blast which bloweth and kindleth the fire that is within vs. Those that are more perfect than others, spend much time in meditation and contemplation of the Spirit: but those that are lesse perfect, because their inward heat quickly failes them, they must haue recourse to the breath of vocall Prayer, and call out aloud, with this Canaanitish woman; for the Heart and the Lips are an acceptable Sacrifice vnto God. Ex voluntate mea confitebor ei; Saint Paul calls it, The fruit of the Lips;Heb. 13. Ose. 14. Osee, A Sacrifice, Vituli Labiorum, The calfes of our Lips.

Miserere mei, Fili Dauid.

Haue mercie vpon me, thou Sonne of Dauid. Saint Augustine saith, That what­soeuer may be lawfully desired,What we are to demand in praier, & how may be lawfully required of God: And beeing there be three sorts of things; some so good, that it is impossible the vse of them should be bad, as Grace, Vertue, Glorie, and the necessarie sustenance of the bo­die, which we dayly beg of God: others so ill, that they can neuer be good, as Sinne and Wickednesse: and others indifferent, which of themselues are neither good nor euill, as Riches, and other the like temporall Goods. The first, wee may alwaies, and at all times begge of God without any condition or limitation: the second neuer: the third must euermore haue this reseruation; If it bee, ô Lord, for thy seruice, or thy honour and glorie, &c. Now this Canaanitish wo­man crauing mercie for her selfe and her daughter, it beeing so holy and pious a petition, she might absolutely preferre the same to our Sauiour.

Merits vtter­ly cryed downe. Haue mercie vpon me, thou Sonne of Dauid. Saint Basil pondereth the elegancie of this prayer, so wholly stript from any proper presumption in it selfe, and so cloathed throughout from top to toe, with the mercie of God. There is not any greater pouertie (saith Saint Bernard) than that of our owne merits; nor any fal­ser riches than that of our own presumption. And he preuailes most with God, who presumes least of himself; for the mercies of God are not occasioned from our deseruings, but from his own infinite goodnesse, as Leo the Pope sets it down vnto you more at large. Gods mercie is so infinite and so immense, that there is no comparison betwixt our merits and it; so short is our rightuousnesse of his goodnesse. Saint Chrysostome sayes, That mercie must bee like a free Port that opens vnto the sea, and affoords franke passage vpon all occasions, or whither so­euer we are bound, without paying so much for importation, or so much for ex­portation, &c.

O Sonne of Dauid. Although our Sauiour were of the Seed of Abraham, as well as of the House of Dauid; yet with this People, more preuailed this ap­pellatiue of Dauid; for that the promise which God had made to this King was fresher in remembrance, more especiall, and more honourable, as Saint Chryso­stome and Euthimius vpon this verie place haue noted it vnto vs: So that both the nobler, and the learneder sort among them, besides the People in generall, did not onely hold it as an Article of their Faith, but for a great glorie vnto them, that their Messias was to descend from the loynes of Dauid, Iohn 7. Mat. 2. Scriptum est; Quia de semine Dauid venit Christus. And our Sauiour asking of the Pharisees, Whose [Page 149] sonne their Messias should bee? they did all agree in this, That hee should come from the Stocke of Dauid.

Now whither it were, that this Cananitish woman by giuing him this attri­bute, thought with her selfe, That he had some obligation to fauour the Gen­tiles, (for the first Troupes that Dauid had, were of fugitiue Slaues and Forrei­ners, which came to his ayd, [Et factus est eorum Princeps] or whither the power that she saw he had in casting out Deuils, wrought thus vpon her; or whither the much honour that hee had alwaies shewne to women; or all of these together, were motiues of her pretension, I cannot tell you; but sure I am, that shee did beleeue, That our Sauiour Christ came into the world for to saue sinners, and for the generall good of all Mankind, for the Iew, and for the Gentile, and that the Deuills were subiect vnto him; (differing therein from the Pharisees, who made him Belzebubs Factor) and that there was no disease so incurable which this hea­uenly Physition was not able to cure; and that he had past his word to the grea­test Sinners, That if they should call vpon God for mercie, and beleeue in his sonne Christ Iesus, whom he had sent into the world, he would free them from forth the depth of their miseries.

Non respondit ei verbum.

He answered not a word. Origen, and almost all the rest of the Saints,Why God many times shewes him­selfe deafe and dumbe to our re­quests. judge this silence of our Sruiour to bee verie strange, in regard ofthe strangenesse of the circumstances. First of all, Because that Fountaine (saith Origen) which was alwaies woont to inuite and call vs to drinke, doth now denie water to the Thir­stie; the Physition that came to cure the Sicke, refuse to helpe his Patient; that Wisedome which cried out in the Market place with a loud voyce, Venite ad me, that it should now remaine dumbe, Who may not stand amased at it? O Lord, thou doost not onely accept of Prayer, but doost like of the bare desire to doe it; not onely of the lips, but of our willingnesse to mooue them. Et voluntate labiorum illius, non fraudasti eum, saith Dauid. And Wisedome, Optaui, & datus est mihi sensus, When I prayed, vnderstanding was giuen me; and when I called,Wisd. 7. the Spirit of Wisedome came vnto me.

Secondly, That those prayers & cries which come not from the heart, should notbe heard, it is not much. Aufer à me tumultum carminum tuorum, saith Amos, Amos. 5. Take thou away from me the multitude of thy Songs; for I will not heare the melodie of thy Viols; And all because they were not from the heart. And in another place, Populus hic labijs me honorat, corde autem longe est, They honour me (saith Esay) with their lips, but their heart is farre from me. But this Cananitish woman did by her voice expresse her hearts griefe: and most true it is, That parents many times louing their children better than themselues, are more sencible of their sorows than of their owne.

Thirdly, it being so pious a businesse, as the freeing of her daughter from the torment of the Deuill; and being sent besides, of God into the world, Vt dissoluat opera Diaboli; the Apostles as well pittying the daughters miserie, as the mothers sorow, besought our Sauiour in her behalfe, saying, Dimitte illam.

Fourthly, There must be some great matter in it, some extraordinarie reason, why Christ should bee now more dumbe, than at other times: But of that wee haue spoken elsewhere. Clamaui per diem, & non exaudies, & nocte, & non &c. (they are the words of the sonne of God to his eternall Father) What, ô Lord, (sayth hee) shall I call vpon thee night and day, and wilt thou not heare mee? Thy silence can bee no scandall vnto mee, because I know the secrets of thy heart; [Page 150] and thy loue towards mee; Marry vnto others, it may giue great offence.

In the former Chapter of this Storie, wee haue giuen some reasons of this silence. Of those which haue since offered themselues, let the first bee that of S. Chrisostome: If our Sauiour Christ (sayth he) should haue made present answer to the Canaanitish woman, her patience, her perseuerance, her prudence, her courage, and her faith, would not haue beene so much seene, nor manifested to the World. So that our Sauiour was not dumbe out of any scorne or contempt towards her, but because in the crysoll of these his put-byes, and disdaines, hee might discouer the treasure of her Vertues. And for this cause did Christ heape so many disgraces vpon her, one on the necke of another: one while, not seeming to take any notice of her griefs; another while stiling the Iews, children, and her selfe a dog. Wherewith this poore woman, was so far from being offen­ded or taking any exception at it, that humbly casting her self downe at his feet, shee did worship and adore him, allowing all that he sayd to be true, & that these disgraces were worthily throwne vpon her, confessing her selfe to bee no better than a dog, yet notwithstanding shee comes vpon him againe with an Etiam Do­mine, Yet the crums ô Lord, &c. That with kind words and faire promises, and other gratious fauours, God should incourage his souldiers, put strength and boldnesse into them, and winne their loue and affection, it is not much; but that with disdaines and disgraces, they should receiue augmentation, and increase, (like Anteus, who the oftner he was by Hercules throwne to the ground, the abler and stronger hee grew) it is more than much. Hee that is in Loue, hath his affe­ction rather inflamed than abated by disdaines: And this Canaanitish woman was falne so farre in loue with our Sauiour, that his neglecting of her could not quench the heat of her affection. In a word, because to fight against the disfa­uours of God, is one of the greatest proofes that a Soule can make of her prow­esse; that this womans valour might bee the more seene, Non respondit ei ver­bum, Hee answered not a word, &c.

The second is of Saint Gregorie: Many times (saith he) God doth defer this or that fauor which we beg at his hands,Psal. 7. and for no other cause, but that he would haue vs to perseuer in Prayer. God is so well pleased, that wee should pray and sue vnto him, that with him, hee is Magis importunus, qui importunat minus, Most troublesome, that is least troublesome. Saint Austen sayth, that out of the pleasure and delight that hee taketh therein, God will haue vs to intreat him euen for those things, which are alreadie decreed vpon in his diuine Councell. And as his prouidence giues vs the fruits of the Earth, by the meanes of trauell and tillage; so he giues vs many good things, & many rich blessings, by the means of prayer. Abrahams posteritie rested verie secure, in regard of the promise which God had made vnto them;Gen. 22. Gen. 28. And yet for all this, would hee haue Isaacs prayers to bee the meanes, that Rebecca of barren, should become fruitfull. There was great certaintie,3. Kings [...]8. that God would send raine after that great drought, for to com­fort the children of Israel, yet would hee haue the prayer of Elias to bee the meanes to procure it. The health of Tobias and Sarah his wife stood vpon sure tearmes of safetie,Tob. 3. yet was hee aduised by Raphaell to pray, that the Deuill might not haue the power to take his life from him, as hee had done from the rest of her husbands. This made Thomas to bee of opinion, that our predestina­tion is propped vp and strengthened with the prayers of the Saints. And Saint Chrysostome affirmeth; That as the hands of a man are naturally, not onely in­struments of all things else, but of the verie instruments themselues; so is Praier in that which is spirituall. Saint Ierome and Saint Basil, make mention of a cer­taine [Page 151] Hereticke, who said, Seeing God knowes what I stand in need of, why should I seeke to trouble and importune him? Whereunto their answer is, That with God we are not to make our selues, Relatores necessitatis nostrae, sed reos, Not re­porters, but petitioners. And as there is a great inequalitie betwixt Relatorem, Importunity in prayer plea­sing to God. and Reum; so is there likewise in their importunitie. Saint Augustine is of opinion, That he who is not importunate, shewes he hath no great mind to that thing hee sues for; and that God will not grant him his request, because he seemes to set so light by it.

The third is this, God doth not onely from thy prayers receiue pleasure,Difference betwixt the maker of the image & the worshipper. but honour. Martial treating of Idolaters, sayth, That there is this difference be­twixt the Artificer that makes the Idoll, and him that prayes vnto it and adores it; that the Artificer onely makes the Image; but that he that prayes vnto it, and adores it, makes (as much as in him lies) a God of it; for by praying thereto, and adoring it, he doth openly protest and manifestly declare it's Diuinitie, and for his part, doth willingly acknowledge all reuerence and worship due to the same.

Which kind of language is likewise vsed in Scripture. The Children of Israell cried out, Fac nobis Deos qui nos precedant, Make vs Gods to goe before vs ▪ but of Aaron it is said, That he made them a Calfe; it was Aaron that made the Calfe,Exod. 32. but they, that made the Calfe a God. Thou entrest into a Siluer-Smiths Shop, thou seest him at worke, thou askest him, What he is a doing? he tells thee, Hee is making the God Cupid; He speakes amisse, and does not say well in it; for it is he that bowes before him, prayes vnto him, and adores him, that makes him a God: for thou for thy part makest him neither worse nor better than an Idoll; it is he that sues vnto him, he that falls downe and worships him, equalling him in his seruice with God, that makes him a God. Of such Gods, God saith by Dauid, They that make them are like vnto them, and so are all such as put their trust in them. So that to beg or aske any thing of God, is to honour and praise him,Psal. 115. ma­king publique protestation, and open acknowledgement of his diuine power. Dignus est Agnus accipere dignitat [...]m, Apoc. 5. Worthie is the Lambe that was killed (Saint Iohn pointing at our Sauiour) to rec [...]iue power, and riches, and wisedome, and strength, and glorie, and praise; To whom all the creatures that are in Heauen, and on the Earth, and in the Sea, and all that is in them, shall sing praise, and honour, and glorie, and power, to him that sitteth vpon the Throne, and vnto the Lambe for euermore. God, (and so our Sauiour Christ) wheresoeuer he is, hath still his diuinitie with him: Thou doost not denie it; but God is not contented with this, but hee will haue thee on thy part to giue it him, by calling vpon him, crauing his helping hand, and by acknowledging him to be thy God. According to that prophecie of Esay, Ipsum Gentes deprecabunt [...]r, The Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, and the N [...]ions shall seeke vnto him. Esay 11. Dan. [...]. Daniel chose rather to be cast into the Lyons Denne, than to leaue off his praying vnto God. Darius would needes make himselfe a God for thirtie dayes, and gaue command, That none should dare to make any supplication to any other but himselfe: It was a rash and vnad­uised action in him to seeke to make himselfe a God; but it was no ill course in him, that he made this trouble of hearing their petitions, the meanes to remedy [Page 152] what he found was amisse; for by hearing his Peoples complaints, he knew the better how to helpe them. And therefore God complaining of his People, That they did not come and sue vnto him, nor make their moane vnto him, hee brands them in the forehead to their foule shame, with a Non me inuocasti, Thou hast not called vpon me.

The fourth is S. Austens; who saith, That God sometime denies, sometimes grants our requests; one while more slow, another, more speedie, in yeelding to our petitions. The Deuill craued his leaue to tempt Iob, and hee presently gaue way to it. Saint Paul did beg of him, that he might be freed from that euil An­gell which tormented him, and his suit was denied; yet the Deuils dispatch was nothing so good as Saint Pauls: to the one it was quicke, but to his farther shame and confusion: to the other more slow, but to his greater grace and glorie. The Spouse treating of her Beloued, saith, I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, Cant. 5.6. but he answered me not. Richardus de Sancto Victore saith, That God doth not presently replie to our Prayers, nor on the sudden grant our requests, to the end that he might make vs the better answer, and send vs away with the better dis­patch. It is a note of Saint Basils, That Salomons wisedome stayed so little a while with him, because God had so soone granted his request. And therefore it is commonly said, Que prestò se alcança se pierde, Soone got, soone lost.

The fift is of Victor Antiochenus. Our Sauiour Christ (saith he) threw so ma­nie disgraces vpon this woman of Tyrus and Sydon, and yet gaue her strength withall to continue so couragious and constant all the while, to the end that if the Iewes should either grow enuious or jealous of the fauour that our Sauiour shewed vnto her, by taking exception at his Fiat tibi sicut vis, Bee it vnto thee as thou wouldst haue it; and at that his extraordinarie commending of her, when he tells her, I haue not found such great Faith, no not in Israell: he might verie wel ex­cuse himselfe vnto them, by shewing vnto them, that this was violentiae magis, quam voluntatis, rather a violent, than a voluntarie action, and that whither hee would or no, he was in a manner forced and compelled to doe as he did: For it is not vnknowne vnto you, how scornefull I shewed my selfe vnto her, how ma­ny disgraces I put vpon her; yet all would not doe, but she is more importunate vpon me than before, so that her Faith did enforce me to yeeld. He that is truly in loue, auoyds the occasions that may bee offensiue to his Loue: Nor can that loue be too much indeered, which our Sauiour bare vnto the Iewes, which made him so loath to offend them: but neuer was there any woman so jealous of her husband, as the Iewes were of the Gentiles, as also of our Sauiours conuersing with them.

The sixt, That one of the noblest and most heroicall acts of our Faith, is, That a man should loue his Maker, cal to God for mercie and forgiuenesse of his sinnes, desire victorie ouer his temptations, and sue and beg, and that earnestly, not a yeare or two, but ten yeares together; and God all this while not retur­ning him any answer, that he should for all this still perseuer in these his constant courses of Prayer, is a thing, I know not whither more to be commended, than admired.Iob. 30.20. Clamo, & non exaudis me; sto, & non respicis me, saith Iob, I crie vnto thee, and thou do [...]st not heare me, neither regardest me when I stand vp; I crie by Prayer, I stand vp by perseuerance. Vatablus translates it, Sto, & nihil me curas, I stand vp, and th [...] takest no notice of it. Moses did desire of God, That he would doe him the fauour to let him see his face: that he should talke with God, and God speake again to him; this would not content him, he must see him, forsooth, else all the rest was as nothing: In what case would hee then haue beene, had hee neither seene nor [Page 153] heard of him? Of Baal the diuine Historian deliuereth,3. Kings 18. There was neither voice to be heard, nor one to answer, nor any that regarded. He was a false god; but that our God should be deafe at our cries, &c.

The seuenth, That a mother should breed vp her daughter so ill, that shee should fall into the Deuills hands, Male à Daemonio vexatur [the Greeke, Daemo­nizatur] it is not much, that Christ should not make her any answer; for al­though no man can liue free from the batterie of Hell, yet a mother that shall thrust her daughter into it, must hold her selfe an vnfortunate woman: For it is necessarie that scandalls should come; yet Christ did mourn for those through whose meanes they were occasioned.

The last, God doth deferre the fauours thou beggest of him, to the end thou maist esteeme the better of them when they come; for wee lightly esteeme of those things that cost vs but little labour. Elisha could haue healed Naaman the King of Syria's Fauourite, either by his word onely, or by laying his hands vp­on his leprosie, or by willing him to wash himselfe but once in Iordan; but hee would haue him to wash himselfe therein seuen times, because hee should not disesteeme of it. Speciosa mesericordia Dei quasi nubes in tempore siccitatis, O! how faire a thing is mercie in the time of anguish and trouble?Eccle. 35. It is like a Cloud of raine in the time of a drought. For these, and other the aforesaid reasons, our Sauiour Christ would not giue eare to this humble petition of this poore Canaa­nitish woman.

Dimitte cam, quia clamat post nos.

Dispatch her, for she crieth after vs. These were good Fauourites,Soft persons the fittest a­bout Princes. worthie to be about the person of Christ their King: your Courtyers haue not commonly such tender bowells; but these had compassion of other mens miseries and ne­cessities, they take part in the petitions of the poore, they plead the cause of the afflicted, they solicite their suit, and entreat hard for them. The Propitiatorie stood vpon the Arke of the Law, and on either side, it had two Cherubimes co­uering the Mercie seat with their wings, and their faces one towards another,Exod. 2 [...]. be­holding one another in that manner, that their eyes were neuer off each other. Saint Augustine will haue it, That God doth hereby aduise the Transgressours of his Law, that they should appeale from his rigour to his mercie, which was the neerest cut a sinner could make;Mercie, a sure motiue for mercie. Cant. 2.4. and that the best means to come to this his Mer­cie seat, was, to looke vpon our neighbor, & neuer to haue our eyes from off his wants and necessities. The Spouse did boast her selfe of those fauours which her Beloued did vnto her, Introduxit me Rex in cellam vinariam, &c. Hee brought me into the Wine sellar, and Loue was his banner ouer me; his left hand is vnder my head, and his right hand doth embrace me, &c. And her companions that kept her com­panie made answer, Exultabimu [...] & latabimur in te memores vberum tuor [...]m, Wee haue reioyced, and will be glad, &c. We take much ioy in this thy priuacie and in­wardnesse with him, because wee know that it will make much for our good. Thou alone (saith Saint Bernard) shalt enter into the Wine sellar; but thou alone shalt not be rich and happie therein, thou must share these thy blessings with thy neighbours, friends, and allyes, and all must tast of the milke of thy brests: for the brests were not made so much for those that haue them, as for those harm­lesse creatures that must sucke and draw from them. This loue and charitie shew­ed the Apostles, when they did solicite this womans dispatch, and said to our Sa­uiour, Dimitte illam, Send her away.

Non sum missus nisi ad Oues, quae perierunt domus Israel.

I am not sent but to the lost Sheepe of the House of Israell. Principally, personally, and by especiall precept, was our Sauiour sent to the People of Israell; which was testified by Saint Paul, The Word of God was to be spoken first to you: And this was the reason why he called them Children; and the Gentiles, Dogges. But by his Apostles he came to preach and do miracles for the whole world: so doth Saint Ambrose, Cyril Alexandrinus, Saint Hierome, and learned Bede declare it. Saint Augustine saith, That he employed his presence onely vpon the Iewes, in regard of Abraham [...] Faith, and for the promise sake which God had made of the Messias; so that though hee came to the borders of Tyrus and Sydon, it was more for to hide himselfe out of the way, than any thing else; and that though he wrought this miracle there, it was not much materiall, beeing wrested from him by importunitie; as one, who to still a bauling Curre, throwes him a mor­cell of bread to stop his mouth; or, to speake it in better termes, as one, from whom by chance a crumme had fallen from forth his fingers.

Non sum missus nisi ad Oues, &c. Amongst many other offices which our Sa­uiour Christ had, one was that of a Sheepheard, who was to gather together his scattered Sheepe, and to bring them all into one Fold. Et suscitabo super eos Pa­storem meum, Ezech. 34. qui pascat eos, so saith Ezechiel, I will set vp a Sheepheard ouer them, and he shall feed them. 2. Pet. Saint Peter calls him Principem pastorum; and he prooues him­selfe to be a Sheepheard, by his going forth to seeke after this lost Sheepe. And if we mean to haue our habitation in Heauen, & to be of the same Fold with the Saints, we must first be this Sheepheards Sheepe vpon earth, before wee can come to be his Saints in Heauen. For albeit the Iust beare the name of Sheepe, as is noted by Saint Hierome, Saint Augustine, Saint Gregorie, and Saint Cyprian; yet all that haue this name shall not come to Heauen; for many, of Sheepe shall become Wolfes.

First, The proportion of our Sauior Christs giuing to his, the name of Sheep and of Lambes, consists first of all in their innocencie and simplicitie; whereof the Sheepe and the Lambe are the true symbole and hieroglyphicke; as it is prooued by Saint Gregorie and Saint Cyprian in the place before alledged. Quid per Oues nisi [...]nnocentia designatur? What but innocencie is pointed at by Sheepe? saith Saint Gregorie. Oues nominat, vt innocentia Christiana Ouibus aequetur, He calls the [...] Sheep, to shew, that Christian innocencie should equall that of theirs, saith Saint Cyprian. When the Angel with that his naked Sword in his hand went making that feare­full slaughter amongst the Israelites, Dauid humbly kneeling on his knees makes his mones vnto God, and saith, Isti qui Oues sunt, quidfecerunt? What haue these poore Sheepe done, 2. Kings 24. these innocent Lambes? it is I that haue sinned, smite mee, and not them: Let thy hand, I pray, bee against mee and my fathers House; but spare these thy Sheepe, who syllie harmelesse Creatures haue no way offended thee.

Secondly, This proportion consists in that wonderfull obedience which the Sheepe carrie to the Sheepeheard, who with a word or a whistle bridleth their appetites, and keepes them within their bounds, not offering to stray into strange Pastures. This is that which Dauid said, His eare was obedient to me: And our Sa­uiour Christ, My Sheepe heare my voyce.

Thirdly, In that, those that are lost and gone astray, shew their discomfort, by bleating and following from hill to hill, from pasture to pasture, path to path, the steps of his Sheepheard, lifting vp his head, and bending his eare on the one [Page 155] side, and listning whither he can heare the sound of his voyce, and many times he will leane one eare to the ground, the better to helpe his attention. Saint Am­brose saith, That one of the greatest pledges that a Sinner can desire of his Pre­destination, is, to be like vnto the lost Sheepe, to shew himselfe sad and heauie, when he misseth his Sheepheard that should protect him, and looke well vnto him; to make his moane, send out sighes and sobs like so many blea [...]ings, to fol­low the tracke of his footsteps, to listen to his whistle, to hearken to his voyce, and to giue eare vnto his call: for that sinner that shal do so, it is an euident token that he was borne for Heauen.

Fourthly, There is nothing in a Sheepe, whatsoeuer it be, but is good & pro­fitable; (as the flesh, the bloud, the milke, the wooll, and the fell) but nothing that is hurtfull: besides, it is a most fruitfull creature, Oues fatosae abundantes in fae­tibus suis, Our Sheepe bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets. The just man is likewise full of goodnesse, and full of profit, in his words, and in his workes, in his thoughts, in his wealth, in his pouertie, in his health, and in his sickenesse: but nothing in him that is hurtf [...]ll. Saint Paul reckoning the conditi­ons and properties of Charitie, repeateth first the good that it doth, Patiens est, benigna est, &c. Loue suffereth long, it is bountifull, &c. And anon after, he enumera­teth the euills which it doth not, Non aemulatur, &c. Loue enuieth not, 1. Cor. 2 [...]. Loue doth not boast it selfe, it is not puffed vp, it doth no vncomely thing, it seeketh not her owne things, it is not prouoked to anger, it thinketh no euill, it reioyceth not in iniquitie, &c.

Fiftly, It's patience and gentlenesse when they sheere him and robbe him of his Fleece, turning him this way or that way, when they bind his legs, or other­wise vse him hardly, and put him to paine, he scarce offereth to bleat or open his mouth; he goes as willingly to the Butchers blocke, as to his greene pastures; and when the Butcher puts his knife to his throat, hee beholds him with a gentle and louely looke. In a word, Esay endeering the infinite patience of our Sauiour Christ, could not find any comparison fitter for him, than that of the Sheepe and the Lambe, Sicut Ouis ad occisionem ductus est, sicut Agnus coram tondente, se ob­mutuit, He went like a Sheepe to the slaughter, and like a Lambe before the shearer, hee opened not his mouth. This then is the nature and qualitie of the mysticall Sheep of the Church, Caeduntur gladijs, &c. They are smitten with swords, yet neither mur­mure nor complaine.

Sixtly, Saint Basil and Saint Ambrose both affirme, That the Sheepe ordinarily do eat and chew the cud, but then most of all (by a naturall instinct) when Win­ter drawes on, and then he feeds a great deale faster, and with more eagernesse, as diuining, that through the inclemencie of the Heauens, and the bitternesse of the cold, he shall not find feeding sufficient for him. And this is a lesson for vs, to teach vs what we are to doe: The Sheep of Christs flocke vsually are to seeke for their feeding in the pastures of Vertue, either by ruminating, meditating, or contemplating; but when they see death approching neere vpon them, they must fall more speedily and more earnestly to their meat; for when the Winter of death shall come vpon them, they will not find whereon to feed. And therefore worke righteousnesse before thou die; like vnto the Ant, who prouides in the Summer against the rigour of the Winter: Quoniam non est apud inferos, inuenire cibum, In hell there is no meat to be got for any money: and the hunger in Hell is so strange, that the Damned feed vpon their owne tongues.

For these his Sheep God came into the world, Quantum ad efficaciam, though he came also for all the whole world in generall: Quantum ad sufficientium, effe­ctually for His; but sufficiently forall. And it is a fearefull thing to thinke on, [Page 156] which is noted by Saint Bernard; to wit, That he that shal not be a sheepe in this life,Psal. 49. shall after death be damned to Hell; Sicut Oues in inferno positi sunt, They lie in Hell like sheepe, and death gnaweth vpon them. As here we take the fleece from off our Sheepe, and leaue them naked and poore; so there the Wolfe shall be flee­ced of his riches, and of all the pleasures and comforts that hee tooke in this world, and be left not only naked, but full likewise of paine and torment; Mors depascet eos, Death shall gnaw vpon them, and dying to life, they shall liue to death.

Venit & adorauit eum; dicens, Domine adiuua me.

Came and worshipped him; saying, Lord helpe me. As there are some kind of fires which recouer more force by throwing water vpon them; so the heart of this woman did recouer more courage by this our Sauiors disgrace, in not vouchsa­fing her an answer, thinking thereby to quench the heat of her zeale: And fal­ling downe prostrate before him, and adoring him as God, said vnto him, Lord, am I thy Sheepe, or not thy Sheepe? camest thou for me, or not for me? I dare not be so bold to dispute that with thee; yet giue mee leaue, considering the wretchednesse of my case, to call vnto thee for helpe, and to beat at the doores of thine eares, with a Domine adjuva me; with a Helpe me good Lord. Here are those hot, impatient, violent, and firie dispositions condemned, for whom those two louely Twinnes, Hope and Patience, were neuer borne: with whom, euerie lit­tle delaying of their desires, and deferring of their hopes, driues them to the depth of desperation, and is as a thousand deaths vnto them. They are like vnto your hired Horses, who come so hungrie to their Inne, that they will not stay the plucking off of their bridle, though thereby they should the better come at their meat. Osee compares them to a young Heyfer that hath been vsed to tread out corne, who is no sooner taken from the cart, or the Plough, before her yoke is taken off would faine runne to the threshing floore, Ephraim vitula est, doctā di­ligere trituram; So affected to her feeding, that she hath not the patience to put a meane betweene her treading and her eating.

Non est bonum sumere panem Filiorum, & mittere Canibus.

This was so cruell a blow, that any bodie else would hardly haue indured it; But God alwayes proportions his fauours and disfauours, according to the mea­sure of our capacitie: To thee, hee giues riches, because he distrusts thy weake­nesse; to another, pouertie, because hee knowes his strength. Fidelis Deus, qui non patietur vos tentare, 1. Cor. 11. vltra id quod potestis. God is so good a God, that hee will not suffer yee to bee tempted aboue your power. And this reason alone ought to make men rest contented with that state and condition of life, wherein­to God hath put them. Christ you see, carries himselfe scornefully to this wo­man, yet (poore soule) shee patiently suffers and indures all: Whether or no, for that it is an ordinarie thing with God, to be then most kind, when he seemes to bee most curst. How did he deale with Abraham touching his sonne Isaac? Hee makes him draw his sword, set an edge vpon it, and lift vp his arme to strike, but when hee was readie to giue the blow, hee holds his hand, and bestowes a blessing vpon him, for this his great faith and obedience.

Non est bonum, sumere panem filiorum.

It is not good to take the childrens bread. What? shall I giue the childrens bread vnto dogges? It is not fitting. My Miracles and my Doctrine were meant to [Page 157] the children (for so was Israel called) Filius meus primogenitus Israel. It was proui­ded, & principally promised vnto them,Exod. 4. vpon a pact or couenant which God had made with Abraham. In a well ordered house, the dogs are not allowed to eat the childrens bread, worser scraps will serue their turne; it is enough that they haue that which is necessarie to nourish their bodie. Oculi omnium, in te sperant Domi­ne, The eyes of all things wait vpon thee, ô Lord; Psal. 145. and thou giuest them their meate in due season, such as is fitting for them. But the choyce bread of his Law, and of his presence, this is reserued for his owne house and familie, those that are his children, and his owne people. Of whom Saint Paul sayth, Credita sunt illis elo­quia Dei. And Dauid; Non fecit taliter omni nationi; Psal. 147. Hee hath not dealt so with any nation besides. Your Turkes, the Moores, and the Negros, in a scorne and con­tempt of them, wee call them dogges. And wee inherit this name from the Moores, who when they were Lords of Spaine, bestowed that nick-name on vs. The Scripture giues this name of base minded men.2. Kings 3. 2. Kings 16. Nunquid caput canis ego sum? Am I a dogges head? It was Abuers saying to Ishbosheth. As if hee should haue sayd, shall I be so base as to pocket such a wrong. Againe,4. Kings 8. Shall I take off this dogges head that curseth my King? It was Abishays speech of Shimei; as making no more reckoning of him than of a dogge. Againe, Is thy seruant a dogge, that I should be so deuoyd of all pittie and humanitie? It was Hazaells answere to Elisha, when hee told him of the euill that he should doe vnto the children of Israell.Philip. 3. And Saint Paul aduiseth the Philippians to beware of dogges; alluding to Heretickes. And the Iewes gaue this attribute of dogge to the Gentiles.

Etiam Domine, nam & callite.

Yes Lord, for euen the Whelpes. Here this Canaanitish woman, taking her Cu,The least of Gods fauours no way to be valued. caught him at his word. She had him now, and (as Saint Chrisostome noteth) held herselfe now as good as alreadie dispatcht, and that her sute was at an end. Infer­ring hereupon; ô Lord, I account my selfe a most happy woman, that I may be admitted into thy house, though it be but in the nature of a dog. First, because that dogs beeing faithfull and louing, affectionate thereby their Masters vnto them. And none shall be more louing and loyall vnto you than I, who shall still wait vpon you, be neuer from your heeles, and follow you vnto death. And se­condly; for that to dogs, were neuer yet denyed the crums that fell from their Masters table. I would not (poore vnworthy creature,Discretion a maine motiue in our petiti­ons to God. as Theophilact makes her speake) desire any of those thy greater miracles, which thou keepest for thine own children, the least that thou hast will content me, be it but as a crum in com­parison of the whole loafe. O how humbly and discreetly did this Canaanitish woman goe to worke. How meane, and yet how great a courtesie did shee beg of our Sauiour? For in Gods house, the least crumme of his bread, is sufficient to make vs happy for euer, and neuer more to suffer hunger; as the least drop of his bloud, is able to cleanse thousands of soules from their sinnes. Elegi abiectus esse in d [...]mo Dei mei, I had rather bee a doore-keeper in the house of my God, &c. Ano­ther letter hath it, Ad limen Dei mei, At the threashold of my God. Psal. 84. I had rather bee a begger, and craue an Almes at the grouncell, or lowest greese in Gods house, than to triumph, and liue in pompe in the pallaces of Princes. Moses would ra­ther haue his scrip, with a morsell of bread and cheese in the seruice of God, than to bee a prince of Aegypt. It is a common prouerbe; Que vale mas migaia de Rey, [...]ue satico de cauallero; A crumme in a Kings Court, is more to bee estee­med than a shiue of bread in a Gentlemans Hall. The children of Israell were [Page 158] well enough contented with Pharaohs seruitude, as long as hee allowed them straw for their bricke. What little allowance would content them then in Gods house? The couetous rich Mizer in the Gospell beein [...] in Hell, beg'd but one drop of water, Mitte Lazarum vt intingat extremum digiti sui, Send Lazarus vnto mee, that hee may but dip his finger, &c. Hee was discreet in his desire, for one onely drop of water from Heauen will quench the flames of that vast burning lake of Hell. Abraham being but a particular man, God was willing to make him famous in the world; and for this end he added to his name but one only let­ter,Gen. 17. Non vltra vocaberis Abram, sed Abraham, Thy name shall be no more called Abram, but Abraham. This no nada, this thing as it were of nothing, which God bestow­ed vpon him, was enough to make him prosper and thriue in the world, & to be the stocke and root of such an illustrious Linage, as the world had neuer since the like.

O mulier, magna est Fides tua; fiat tibi sicut vis.

O woman, great is thy Faith. Our Sauiour might as well haue said, Thy hu­militie, thy perseuerance, thy wisedome, thy patience, the acknowledgement of thine owne miserie, & thy confessing thy selfe to be but a Dogge. But I acknow­ledge thee (saith Saint Augustine) to be so worthie a woman, that I much won­der at thy worth; and the more I thinke on it, the more I rest astonished: Thou didst knocke, call, and begge; well therefore didst thou deserue, that the doores of thy Sauiours bowells and tender compassion should bee opened vnto thee. They are, and he answeres to thy sute, Fiat tibi sicut vis, Bee it vnto thee as th [...] wouldst haue it, not limitting thee to a what, or a how, but as thou wilt thy selfe. Thou desirest, that I should free thy daughter from the torment of the Deuill, doe thou free thy daughter, I leaue it to thee to doe it, I assigne ouer my power and authoritie vnto thee. O my good Lord; how calme art thou now growne, how milde, how gentle to this poore silly woman? shee hath got the masterie of mee, shee hath quite ouercome mee, I was not able to beate her off, she came within me and forced me to yeeld, and what will threatnings or brauings auaile mee,Gods w [...]ath many times more violent than lasting. beeing thus vanquished? The Heauen is woont to show it selfe fearefull and terrible at the beginning of some great tempest, throwing out thunder and lightning, hideous to behold, but at last it ends in a milde shower, that makes the fields fertill, and inricheth the earth. Fulgura, in pluuiam fecit, Hee turnes the lightning and thunder into raine. Psal. 135. The horror of that dismall Deluge, ended in a beautifull Rainebow. Saint Austen sayth, That God dealeth sometimes so with sinners. Mortificat, & viuificat, deducit ad infernum, & reducit, Hee mortifi­eth, and he quickneth, he deduceth vs to Hell, and reduceth vs from Hell. Ioseph was in a great rage with his brethren at the first, and seemed to bee inexorale, noting them to be Spies and Theeues, but this was but dissembled displeasure, & more violent than lasting: And as water beeing repressed and restrained in it's course doth more impetuously rise and swell; so his great pittie that he had of them, and the loue that he bare vnto them, burst foorth at last into teares, and being not able any longer to conceale himselfe from them, hee telles them as well as his snobbing and sobbing would interruptingly giue him leaue, Ego sum frater vester, I am your brother, &c. So our Sauiour Christ, did dissemble himselfe in this b [...] ­sinesse, turning her off so often as he did, till beeing not able to hold out any lon­ger, he sayd vnto her, O mulier, magnae est fides tua, fiat tibi sicut vis? O wo [...] great is thy Faith, be it vnto thee as &c. Nunquid obliuiscitur misereri Deus, aut conti [...] ­bit [Page 159] in ira misericordias suas? He will sometimes withhold his mercies, as if he had quite forgotten them: it is an effect of his prouidence, now and then to defend them; but this still tendeth to our greater good.

Be it vnto thee as thou wouldst haue it. Our Sauiour was somewhat slow in dispatching this woman, but it was to better her dispatch. O thou Canaa­nite, thou maist thinke thy selfe well dispatcht with these crummes, now all is remitted to thyne owne good liking; Fiat tibi sicut vis, there is thy discharge: And though thou hast staid long for it, yet that is not to bee accounted long, which comes at last: he negotiates not ill, who endeth his negotiation before he depart from the presence of his King, obtaining not onely his suit, but withall, a dispatch.Earthly Prin­ces forward to grant, but slow to giue. The Kings and Princes of the earth will giue thee bread when thou hast no teeth to eat it; a bed, when thy bones cannot rest in it, they are so brui­sed and broken; and when they haue granted thee thy desire, thou shalt not haue that dispatch. Saul made an open Proclamation, That he that should kill Goliah, that gyant-l [...]ke Philistine, should marrie his daughter; the right was in Dauid, but this fauour was affoorded him out of season, and not in it's due time; for shee was married to another that neuer drew his sword in the quarell. Dauid finding himselfe herewith agrieued, and complaining, that he was not wel dealt withal, he receiued answer, That his reward was sure enough, and therefore he needed not to doubt of it; but that his businesse might be dispatcht, he must first kill a hundred Philistines: so that his promised reward cost him the killing of one, and his dispatch, the killing of a hundred. The world is the same now as it was then; the dispatch costs more than the thing wee pretend is worth. I see many Images of deuotion in the Court, as our Ladie of Pilgrims, our Ladie of Pains, and our Ladie of good Successe; but I know not why, or wherefore, there being more need a great deale, to erect and set vp a Ladie of good Dispatch.

Seneca saith, That those that are Pretenders,Delayes much practi­sed by Man. will more patiently endure the cutting off of the thread of their pretension, than to haue their hopes drawne out from day to day. Saint Ambrose vpon that place of Saint Luke, Statim Gallus cantauit, Presently the Cocke crew; noteth three Statims, or three Presently's; Pre­sently the Cocke crew; Presently Peter wept; and, Presently God forgaue him. But your Ministers of Iustice, as also in Court, doe now a days delay a man, as a Physition doth a Cure, that he may be honoured the more, and payed the bet­ter. Twentie yeares did Iacob serue his father in Law Laban, fourteene for his wiues, and sixe for their dowrie; and being so due a debt as it was, hee went so long deferring the payment thereof, that if God had not taken his part, he might haue returned home (for ought I know) with the staffe that he brought with him. Mutasti mercedem meam decem vicibu [...], Thou hast deceiued me, and changed my wages ten times: There is no honestie in such kind of dealing; there are too many of these now a dayes; but God amend them: And so I commend you to God.

Angelus autem Domini descendebat de Caelo.

But the Angell of the Lord came downe from Heauen. The Angell did descend at certaine times, and with onely touching the Water, hee did inrich it with so powerfull a vertue, that no infirmitie was incurable for it. This water doth much expresse that health which the Saints enioy in Heauen: that drop of water which the rich man desired, doth much expresse its comfort and happinesse, for that the tip of the least finger dipped therein, was powerful enough to quench those euer­lasting flames. It was much, that the water touched by the Angell should free all infirmities, and take away all the tormenting paines vpon earth; but how much (I pray) if this Angell were God? For the common receiued opinion is, (which is followed by Saint Austen) That God representing himselfe in the Old Testament in the forme of an Angell, or an Angell appearing in the person of God,Gen. 12. Gen. 15. Gen. 18. saith, Ego Deus, nomen meum Iehouah, I am God, my name is Iehouah. And he said vnto Iacob, Cur quaeris nomen meum, quod est mirabile? Why inquirest thou aft [...] my name, which is is Wonderfull? And in verie deed, hardly could an Angell by his owne proper vertue and power, leaue the waters of the Fish-poole so rich, not being able to doe or vndoe any thing in nature, nor suddenly either to take away or adde accidents to any thing. And Saint Ambrose saith, That this Angell did represent the Holy Ghost, to whom are attributed the effects of Sanctification.

But suppose that it were not God himsel [...]e, nor any Minister representing his person,Gods respect in comfor­ting the de­stressed. but one of those Angells which serue as Messengers to his Maiestie; this case is worth our consideration, if we will but looke vpon that which Go [...] doth, and the loue which he sheweth to a poore sicke man, without helpe, negl [...] ­cted, and forgotten: he sends a Prince of his Pallace to heale him, and to set hi [...] free from any disease whatsoeuer. God stileth the Angell, his Face, and his Countenance, [Praecedet te facies me [...], My Face shall goe before him;] the rest of the creatures he calleth Vestigi [...] Pedum suorum, The prints of his feet: And amongst these Vestigia, those that are benumm'd in their limmes, those that are sicke of the Palsey, and those that are Iame, seeme, sitting in their chaires, and vnable to goe, to be the verie dregs and off-scumme of the earth; now that God should com­mand his Angells, that they should take vpon them the care of the Poore, & such [Page 165] sillie wormes and poore snakes as they bee, is a great indeering of his loue to­wards them: which made Saint Paul to say, Omnes sunt administratorij Spiritus, They are all ministring Spirits. To those of the Spirit it might verie well be;Heb. 2. but that God should minister helpe to filthie, loathsome, and miserable flesh, God could not endure to doe such kindnesses, vnlesse hee had an especiall loue vnto them. The Scripture scarce any where makes mention of the righteous man that is afflicted here vpon earth, but, that an Angel comes from Heauen to com­fort him: And for this, may suffice that generall Proclamation, Quod vni ex mi­nimis meis fecistis, &c. What ye haue done to the least of mine, &c. This truth is made good vnto vs by many Histories; as that of Agar, Daniel, Tobias, Elias, and Io­seph: Nay, to God himselfe an Angell came to comfort him, when he was so ful of sorrow and heauinesse in the Garden. And this was it that mooued the A­postle to say, Gloriamur in tribulationibus, We glorie in tribulations: For there is no Loadstone that drawes the yron more vnto it, than Tribulation doth the Regalos and comforts of Heauen: And as the flame [...]worketh most vpon that wood which is trodden downe with the feet; so the glorie of God worketh most vpon that heart which is most oppressed, &c.

Mouebatur aqua, The water was mooued.

Saint Ambrose obserueth, That the moouing of the water did serue to ad­uise the comming of the Angell: for little would his comming haue imported them, if the noyse thereof had not giuen them notice of it; for hidden treasure, and concealed wisedome, are neither vsefull nor profitable. And of this mira­culous motion there may be rendred some naturall reason; for that wee see that your Lakes and your Pooles are more vnquiet, and naturally make more noyse, when there is much raine towards. Other literall and moral reasons are set down elsewhere vpon this place.

Sanabatur vnus, One was healed.

A Fish-poole, Porches, Angells, Water, Motion; What a do is here? Some men may thinke, that this is too large a circuit for so small a building. I answer,Ob. Sol. That with God it is as hard to heale one, as many; and he that can cure one man,Gods mercie not so plenti­full in the time of the Law, as since. who is a little world of himselfe, can with as much ease giue remedie to the greater. But those were barren yeares, and Gods mercie was yet in Heauen; [Misericordia Domini in Coelo, saith Dauid] and as before a great rain some few drops begin first to fall; so now at the stooping of the Heauens, at the breaking forth and showring vpon the earth the great mercies of God, it is no meruaile, that some small drops should precede. In barren yeres bread is giuen vs by oun­ces; but if the haruest be fruitfull, whole loaues lie in euerie corner of the house. Before that God had inriched the earth with his presence, all those former yeres were barren, Grace and Health were giuen vs by drammes; but that yeare came at last which crowned all the rest, that blessed yere of his Maiesties diuine boun­tie, Benedices coronae anni benignitatis tuae; then was Grace to the soule, and health to the bodie giuen vs, by Arrob's and by Quintalls; Quia virtus de illo exibat & sa­nabat omnes. Whilest the night lasteth, though it be cleere, and the Moone shine bright, yet the light is short; but when the day is come, and the beames of the Sunne appeare, they beautifie the whole world with their light. All that time was night, Nox praecessit, &c.

Secondly, The shadow still comes short of the substance.The Poole a figure of Bap­tisme. The Fish-poole was a figure of Baptisme; it cured one to day, and another tomorrow; but Bap­tisme [Page 166] healed one, two, nay three thousand sometimes in one day, &c.

Qui prior descendebat.

He that first went downe. God would hereby teach vs what a thing Diligence was for the obtaining of the gifts of Grace; for albeit God doth of his owne goodnesse and free gift conferre his Graces vpon vs, without any merits or de­seruings of our own (for else were it not Grace) yet doth he not bestow his bles­sings on those who are not willing to embrace them, which will not seeke after them, and striue for to winne the Garland, as those doe that runne in a race: and as he that makes most speed gaines the Crown; so in the Fish-poole, he that made most hast got his health.

He that first went downe. Vidisti hominem velocem stauit coram Reges, Kings neuer reward lazie seruants. The like course God taketh; his greatest fauors he throws vpon those his seruants who set not their feet on the ground; for those that serue him in Heauen, he will haue them to be Spirits, and Flames of [...]ire [Qui faci [...] Angelos suos Spiritus, Psal. 10.24. Esay 60. & Ministros suos Flammam ignis:] but those that serue him here vpon earth, he calls them Clouds, Qui sunt isti, qui sicut nubes volant?

He that first went downe, &c. This seemeth an vnequall Law, for that the dis­position of the Sicke was not equall:God dispen­ceth his fa­uours as he pleaseth. for how could he that was benumm'd and lame of his feet, preuent the diligence of that man that had the vse of his leggs? and he that was consumed & wasted with weaknesse, him that was sick of a sligh­ter disease? And those thirtie eight yeares of this poore sicke man, argue the great oddes that others had of him. Nor doe I know how this inequality may bee salued, vnlesse that the diligence of other folkes towards those that are thus grieuously afflicted, put to their helping hand, and seeke to ballance them (by their diligence) with those that haue lesse impediment: and therefore wan­ting those good meanes, this poore man told our Sauiour, Hominem non habeo, I haue not a man.

Some men will say, That God is the giuer of temporall blessings, of health, wealth, honour, and what not; and that he doth no wrong in giuing or taking them away as he shall thinke fit: Suting with that which he said to the Labourer in the Vineyard, Amice, non facio tibi iniuriam; An non licet mihi facere quod volo? Friend, I offer thee no wrong; May I not doe with myne owne what I will? So that hee might, you see, giue this man a disposition to regaine his health, and hee might likewise not giue it him. Saint Paul saith, Vnus accipit brauium, One receiued the prize. In those your Races which were vsed amongst your Graecians and your Romans, many hoped to beare away the Garland; but this hope did belie all of them saue one: But in that Race which we runne for Heauen, Omnes qui rectè cur­runt comprehendunt, All that runne well, doe gaine; it is Saint Augustines. And Saint Chrysostome declaring that place of Esay (Omnes sitientes, venite ad Aquas, All ye [...] that thirst, come vnto the Waters) sayes, That hee animates all the world to come and drinke their fill, neuer fearing that that Fountaine of Grace can euer bee drawne drie.

Et erat homo triginta & octo annos habens in infirmitate.

The man had beene diseased thirtie eight yeares. Hee declares the long continu­ance of his disease, to make the greatnesse of the miracle to appeare the more: as he said of Lazarus, Luke 8. when he had now beene foure dayes dead, Iam faetet, Hee doth alreadie stinke: and of the woman that had an Issue of bloud twelue yeares long, which had spent all her substance vpon Physitions, and could not be healed of [Page 167] any: and that other, which had a Spirit of infirmitie eighteene yeares, and was bowed together, and could not lift vp her selfe in any wise:Luke 13. Whom some inter­pret to be the Deuill, by those words of our Sauiour, This daughter of Abraham, whom Sathan hath bound.

Eight and thirtie yeares of sickenesse would require eight and thirtie yeares of meditation: And first of all, let vs consider, what a sad and miserable life this poore man led. Animus gaudens floridam vitam facit, spiritus tristis exsiccat ossa, A merrie life makes a cheerefull countenance▪ but that which is sad and mournfull withe­reth the flesh; and not onely consumes the outward beautie, but also rotteth the bones. Another Letter hath it, Animus gaudens benefacit medicina, Prou. 17. A ioyfull heart causeth good health; but a sorrowfull mind drieth the bones: A joccond mind dispo­seth the body as physicke; nor is there any physicke for man comparable to that of Ioy. According to that which the Wise man saith in another place, Nihil aliud sub Coelo, quam laetari & benefacere, To make a cheerefull countenance, there is no­thing vnder Heauen like to a ioyefull heart;Prou. 15. but by the sorrow of the heart the mind is heauie, In moerore animi deijcitur spiritus; another Letter giues it, Frangi­tur: a man is broken thereby, and grownd in pieces as corne vnder a millstone. Ecclesiasticus renders the reason of it, painting forth the condition of a heauy and sorrowfull soule; Sicut in percursura tritici permanebit stercus, &c. As when one sif­teth, the filthinesse remaineth in the sieue; so the filth of a man remaineth in his thought: Eccl. 27. For as the woman that winnoweth the corne, leaues nothing in the sieue but the chaffe; (which is as it were farinae stercus, The dung of the meale) so, if you will but sift the thought of a sorrowfull man, (which is as it were the sieue) and throughly winnow his good and euill dispositions, the good ones quickly runne from him, and the bad remaine behind. But what ioy can a man take that lieth bed-ridden eight and thirtie yeares?Sorrow, a sharpe sword. 3. Kings 19. A great griefe (though but short) will kill the strongest man aliue, [Multos enim occidit tristitia, Sorrow hath killed many] and though it doth not giue them present death, it giues them a heart to desire it. Elias found himselfe so out of heart when he sate him downe vnder the Iuniper tree in the Wildernesse, (flying from the furie of Iesabel, who sought after his life) that he desired in this his melancholly mood, that hee might die. What de­spaire then may not that sorrow driue a wretched poore soule into, whose griefe is as long, as great, and as great as it is long? Seneca tells vs, Melius est semel scindi, quam semper premi, Better is a short, than a lingering death. Iob passed ouer many a sorrowfull day, and many a mournfull night, Dies vacuos, & noctes laboriosas, Com­panilesse, and comfortlesse; and his wife thinking it the lesser ill, to die out of hand, than to liue in such perpetuall torment; said vnto him, pittying his grieuous paine, Benedic Deo, & morere; Play the Renegado once, curse God to his face, that thou maist oblige him thereby to take away thy life. But say that Iobs affli­ction was great, it was not of 38 yeares standing, as this poore mans was.

Eight and thirtie yeares. Here we are to consider, That this sicke man was at least fiftie yeares old: and we may make this coniecture, That hee lay in a little carre, with his bed vnder him, together with such ragges and clouts as were for his necessarie vse. Whence it followeth, that God had laid this long sickenesse of thirtie eight yeares vpon him for his sinnes, as Saint Chrysostome, Irenaeus, and many other Saints inferre, vpon that command which God laid vpon him, Noli amplius peccare, See thou sinne no more. It seemeth, that hee had committed these sinnes when he was but twelue yeares old; for many times [Praeuenit malicia pec­catum] it so falls out, that our wickednes outstrips our age, and that wee runne into great sinnes, before wee come to great yeares; young Youthes beeing [Page 168] herein like vnto Cakes that are baked vpon coles, which are burnt before they come to their baking.Ose. 7. According to that of Osee, Factus es Ephraim, subcineritius panis qui non reuersatur, (i.) Ephraim is as a Cake on the hearth, not turned. And this ought to be a warning-piece to those that are old and antient sinners, and haue not yet beene questioned for their lewd liues, nor neuer felt the lash of Gods wrath. They that keepe Lyons, vse to whip their young whelpes, that they may make the greater Lyons to feare, and liue in awe of them: Fewer are the faults, but more the stripes which the Poore feele; a bad signe for the Rich, that doe runne ryot. Aristotle saith, That punishments were inuented for the deterring of men from euill. Saint Chrysostome, That the marke which God set vpon Cain, was not so much for his particular defence, as for a forewarning to others: and therefore God granted him so long a life, that his example might adde terrour to posteri­tie. Some punishments are quickely past ouer, and therefore doe not so much good; and others are verie profitable, by reason of their length & continuance. Iob saith, That God had as it were nailed his shafts on his sides, they stucke so close to his ribs. Esay and Malachie take their comparison from the Siluer­smith, who sits long at his worke, Et sedebit constans, &c. Now God by these his long afflictions punisheth him whom he loueth, to the end that the sinner may take warning thereby, and learne to feare the Lord; Non videbit interitum, cu [...] viderit Sapientes morientes, (i.) He shall not see destruction, when he shall see that Wise­men die.

Eight and thirtie yeares. According to the common course which God ta­keth of punishing sinne in this life,Why God sometimes prolongs our paines here in this life. this of thirtie eight yeares seemeth some­what too rigorous a correction. Vpon this doubt diuers reasons are rendered, and one more principall than the rest, is, That this prolongation was not because God wished him ill, or loued him the lesse; but because there is not any Medi­cine that preserues a man more from the plague of vice and of sinne, than a long sickenesse. Prisons and Fetters (saith Vlpianus) were not so much inuented for the punishing of disorders, as the restraining of them: being as a great logge of wood to an vntamed and vnruly Hey far, a strap to the fleet Hound, or a bridle to a Horse. Iob calleth the Gout, a paire of Stockes, Posuisti in trunco pedem meum, Thou puttest my feet in the Stockes, and lookest narrowly to all my paths, and makest the print thereof in the heeles of my feet. And he stiles his dunghill, his prison, Nun­quid Caete ego sum, aut Mare, quia circumdedisti me in isto carcere? Am I a Sea, or a Whale-fish, that thou keepest me in ward? Our Sauiour Christ healing a woman that bowed her bodie so downward to the earth, that shee could not looke vp to hea­uen; said, Hanc filiā Abrahae quam, &c. Ought not this daughter of Abraham whom Sa­than hath bound eighteene yeares, be loosed from this bond? Salomon compares a Phy­sition to a Iaylor; for when God commits a delinquent to his couch, causing him there to remaine prisoner, hauing fettered, as it were, his feet to his sheets; the Physition lookes vnto him, and hath a care that hee stirre not from thence till God releaseth him of his sickenesse. Thus did hee deale with this poore man▪ who lay thirtie eight yeres, as it were, by the heeles, vnable to wagge either han [...] or foot, so strangely was he benumm'd in all his limmes. Some man will say, [...] haue a shrewd burning Feuer; but this is a more common, than proper phrase o [...] speech. And the Euangelist corrects it thus, Socrus autem Petri tenebatur mag [...] febribus. She had not the Feuer, but the Feuer had her. Infrenabo te, ne inter [...] ▪ With the bridle of Sickenesse he will hold thee backe, that thou maist not head­long r [...]n down the Rocke that leads to vtter destruction both of bodie & soule. Homer feignes, That the Goddesse Pallas, for the loue which she bare to Achilles, [Page 169] kept him backe, when he would haue encountred with Agamemnon King of the Greekes. Dauid gaue thankes to Abigal, because he beeing resolued to destroy Nabal and all his house, she had withheld him from it; Qu [...]a prohibuisti me, &c. So may we likewise giue thankes vnto sickenesse, because it detaines vs & turns vs aside from the forbidden paths of humane pleasures: so that these thirtie eight yeares are so farre from the rigour of Iustice, that it is rather an act of mer­cie and pittie.

But if we consider these thirtie eight yeares in reason of Iustice, it will not seeme rigorous to any: He is not to be accoun [...]ed an austere & seuere Iudge, who doth keepe a Delinquent long in prison; if when he is in prison hee returne to a relapse in his delicts: What hope can a Iudge haue, that such a one should proue good being set at liberty? or of a theef that shal fal a stealing while he is in prisō? Now this man that had neither hand nor foot to help himselfe, lying benum'd in his little cart, bore before him the cause of his griefe, by falling into those faults which he had formerly committed. And this is inferred out of these our Saui­ours words vnto him, Iam noli amplius peccare, Now see thou sinne no more. Ob. But if any man aske me, How can that man sinne that is bound hand and foot? I answer,Sol. That for all this, his desires and thoughts are not fettered. Iniquitatem medi­ [...]atus est in cubili suo, astitit omni viae non bonae, Hee that applies himselfe to euill thoughts, and hath a desire vnto them, there is not that wickednesse whereof he would not reap the fruits thereof. From whence I cannot but note out these two things vnto thee:

The one, That the sinnes of our thoughts and imaginations are of all other the easiest to be done. How many Kniues would a Cutler make in a day, if he could finish them without a Forge, an Anuile, or a Hammer? Questionlesse, [...]erie many. The like reason is to be rendred of the errors of our thoughts.

The other, That they are the harder to be seene or holpen: To be seene, for that they are so secret, Ab occultis meis munda me, Clense me, ô Lord, from my secret sinnes. To be holpen; for as he that is still kept hungrie and thirstie, hath neither his thirst nor his hunger satisfied, but encreaseth more and more vpon him; so [...]e that neuer enioyes those humane delights, neuer hath the hunger and thirst of his desires satisfied.

So that this poore sicke man perseuering in his sinne, it is not much that God should perseuer in his punishments: for our shorter sinnes, Gods chastisements [...]re also short, In momento indignationis auerte faciem meam parumper, Esay 54. Eccle. 23. (i.) For a mo­ment, in myne anger, I hid my face from thee for a little season. But for our longer, lon­ger; Vir multum jurans, à domo eius non recedet plaga, (i.) The Plague shall neuer depart [...]ō the house of him that sweareth much: whence it cōmeth to passe, that so many are [...]arr'd, and so few amended: Which is all one with that of Ieremie, Dissipati, ne­ [...]ue compuncti. These are the Deuils Martyrs, who suffer not onely without a re­ward, (as Saint Paul saith, Si peccantes suffertis, quid vobis est gratiae?) but treasure vp new torments vnto themselues.

But some one will aske, How comes it to passe, that this man being a sinner,Ob. which waited at the Fish-poole, our Sauiour should for his sake leaue other iust [...]nd good men, and make choice to come vnto him?

First, (as I haue told you alreadie) because Sicknesse preserueth the soule from [...]inne, and that it is a token of Gods mercie and goodnesse towards vs.Sol. A patient suffering ac­ceptable vnto God, & pro­fitable to our selues.

Secondly, Because this poore wretch did hope to be healed, his thoughts and [...]is hopes laying hold vpon Gods fauour towards him, with a strong and assured [...]iance: and this was that which this sicke man did purposely seeke after.

[Page 170] Euthimius doth much endeere his sufferance and his perseuerance, neuer de­spairing, but assuring himselfe, that Heauen would yet at last bee propitious and fauourable vnto him: and though yeare after yeare, nay, for so many yeres toge­ther, he found no good, (many contradictions offering themselues vnto him) yet his hopes did neuer faile him. His sinnes were rather accessorie and accidentall, than of any proposed malice, or in despight (as we say) of God; and such kind of faults as these, God sooner pardoneth and farre more easily forgiueth. The Scripture sometimes proposeth vnto vs Peccadores remitados, Notorious sinners, to whose account you cannot adde one sinne more than they haue charged them­selues withall: Who haue purposely departed from God: Of these Iob saith, Quasi de industria recesserunt à me. Esay, Pepigimus faedus cum m [...]rte, We haue made a couenant with Death. Malachie, Vanus est qui seruit Deo, He is vaine that serueth God. These are desperate resolutions.

2. Kings 6.Others there are who sinne by accident. In the Historie of the Kings it is said of Dauid, That he arose vp from his chaire, to walke vpon the Tarrasse of his Pallace, and that his eye lighted by chance vpon Bersheba, who was bathing her selfe in her garden: this was a businesse which fell out casually, and (as we say) by hap-hazard, though his plotting how to haue his pleasure of her was a thing pre­meditated; but his seeing and his coueting of her was, as it were, accidentally, and by chance. Whereas the desire that Dauid had to serue God, was euer pur­posed and determined by him [Iuraui & statui custodire iudicia justiciae tuae. 1. Kings 14.] So that his offending of his God was not wilful, but of weaknes & by meere hapha­zard. Saul made a Proclamation, That no man should eat till hee had gotten the victorie ouer the Philistines; but the souldiers were so hungrie with sighting and fasting, that their minds ran on nothing else saue the stanching of their hun­ger; Et comedit populus cum sanguine, The people tooke Sheepe, and Oxen, and Calues, and slew them on the ground, and did eat them, with the bloud, (which was contrarie to Gods commandement) not considering, that this their eating at this time, and vp­on such an occasion, was peccatum per accidens, an accidentall sinne. In a word, one of the surest pledges of our predestination, is, to make our seruing of God the Principall, and our offending him, the Accessorie.

Hunc cùm vidisset Dominus.

God pittieth when none else will. When the Lord had seene him. This his seeing of him was not by chance, nor is it so to be construed of Christ; but to shew that he was man, hee did many things as it were by chance: And therefore when he saw this mans miserie, and knew how long he had layne thus, and how he was forsaken of all the world, and that there was no bodie to helpe him, then, &c.

A weeping Eye causeth a bleeding heart.It is a great matter (I can assure you) for a man to cast his eyes vpon the wret­ched estate of the Poore; for from the eyes compassion, growes the hearts ten­dernesse; the one is no sooner toucht, but the other melts. Noli auertere faciem tuam ab vllo paupere, Turne not away thy face from the Poore. Tobias told his sonne, That if he should not turne his eye aside from the Poore, God would neuer turn away his face from him. The sores of the Poore (saith Saint Chrysostome) being beheld by vs, teach, aduise, and mooue vs. When Pilate presented our Sauiour Christ to the Iewes, wounded from head to foot, and all his bodie on a goa [...] bloud, he said vnto them, Ecce homo, Behold the man; but they shutting their eyes▪ and turning their faces away from him, cried out, Away with him, away with him: whereas if they had earnestly beheld him, and viewed him wel from top to toe, their hearts, had they beene of stone, (as they were little better) they would [Page 171] haue growne soft and tender with it. The reason why so little remedie now a dayes is giuen to humane miserie, is, because the Princes and Potentates of the earth doe not see them. Though God had sent downe one of his Angells, yet this diseased man continued vncured thirtie eight yeares, and if God had not come himselfe to helpe him, he might haue died of that sickenesse. When our necessities shew themselues, they speake, though we be silent: What need Laza­rus to beg, as long as his sores had so many tongues and mouths to sue for him? Domine vidisti, ne sileas, responde pro me, Why shouldst thou looke, ô Lord, that I should speake vnto thee? doost thou not see in what a wofull case I am? In mat­ter of prouisions or conferring of pensions, albeit that the persons that pretend say not a word for themselues, yet their merits and good deseruings will suffici­ently recommend their cause, and plead hard for them: which if it were other­wise, it were better to bee a cogging lying knaue, than a religious and modest Courtier; for he shall speed the better of the two. Two pretend one and the selfe same place; the one sues, extolls his seruices, and lyes; the other sayes no­thing, but lookes that his merits and good seruices should speake for him: In Babylon, which is a confusion of Tongues, it shall bee giuen to the loudest tal­ker; but in a wise and well gouerned Commonwealth, to him that shall hold his peace.

When the Lord had seene him. It is vsuall with Physitions and Surgeons, when they goe about to cure loathsome sores, Leaprosies, Scurfes, Cankers, and the like, to put their Patients to a great deale of pain: Eusebius and Gregorie Nazian­zen affirme, That our Sauiour Christ did farre exceed all other Physitions.

First, Because hee cured an infinite sort of sicke folkes of all manner of dis­eases.

Secondly, Because our Sauiours bowells of compassion were tendernes, mer­cie, and pittie it selfe.

Cum iam multum tempus haberet.

When he had beene there a long time. It is a great happinesse for a man, when hee shall suffer so long, that God himselfe shall come vnto him and say, It is enough. The paines here vpon earth are happie pains vnto vs, for that they end [...]n this, that God makes an end of them at last, and says vnto thee, No more, it [...]s enough. But that of Hell is a heauie torment, for that hee that is condemned must abide in prison, donec reddat nouissimum quadrantem, Till hee pay the vttermost [...]arthing: and because he hath not wherewithall to pay one onely Mite, he must [...]e forced to lie there for euer, and to endure eternall torment, without any hope of redemption. There are likewise punishments in this life, which are but intro­ductions, as it were, to those of Hell: there are some likewise that are Martyres Diaboli, The Deuils Martyrs, who suffer for his sake; and because they did desti­ [...]ate themselues rather to him than vnto God, God hath predestinated them to Hell. But here in this place, thirtie eight yeres seeming a great many vnto God, mooued with pittie, he sayes to this sicke man, Vis sanus fieri? &c. Wilt thou be made whole? &c.

Vis sanus fieri? Wilt thou be made whole?

Saint Cyril saith, That one of the greatest pledges of Gods mercie, is, To pre­ [...]ent the prayers of the Afflicted, giuing them ease of their griefes before they [...]ske his helpe: resembling that Fountaine which calls and inuites the thirstie to [...]rinke [Erit Fons patens domui Iacob;] like vnto the Pepin tree, which bowing [Page 172] downe his boughes, offers it's fruit vnto vs when it is ripe; Sicut malum inter lig­na syluarum, sic amicus meus, &c. So that on Heauens part, our desires shall not be frustrated, nor our hopes deluded.

Saint Augustine saith, That there is a great deale of difference betweene V [...] ­le, & velle fortitèr & integrè, Willing a thing, and willing it stoutly and entirely. The Sluggard (saith Salomon) will, and wil not, turning himselfe too and fro vpon his bed, as a doore vpon his hinge: now the doore, though it mooue a little, yet i [...] still keepes it's place. And in another place, the same Saint Austen saith, That he had made triall in himselfe of two contrarie wills; one which led him on to Vice; another, to Vertue: as one that is forced to rise, and yet would faine lie a bed; Vertue crying out to him on the one side, Surge, qui dormis, Arise thou that sleepest; & vice on the other, Ne surgas sed dormias, Arise not but sleep; for it is a sweet & a pleasing thing, to sleep. Illud placebat & vincebat, hoc libebat & vinciebat: faring with such as with those that are in loue, whose torments bid them leaue off, bu [...] the content they take therein, makes them fast fettered in Loues prison. Certain men asked of Thomas of Aquine, How we might goe to Heauen? His answere vnto them was,Patience the best Physike in all extremi­ties. By desiring to goe thither: but aduising withall, That this our desire must be a true and feruent desire. That Physition who knowes thy disea­ses grieuousnesse, and thy impatiencie, will not sticke to say vnto thee, Sir, if you haue a mind to be wel, you must haue a mind to be patient, you must not by your fretting fret your sore, and make it worse. Quis est homo qui vult vitam? Diligit dies habere bonos? Who is he that would not liue long? Who, that would not see good days? Many, rather than they will be tied to those conditions which Dauid in the next words following sets before them, Prohibe linguam tuam à malo, & labi [...] tu [...] ne l [...] ­quantur dolum; diuerte à malo, & fac bonum; inquire pacem, & persequere eam, &c. Keepe thy tongue from euill, and thy lips from speaking guile; turne from Iniquitie, and doe that which is good; enquire after Peace, and follow it: Many, that they may not passe through these balls of fire, had rather continue still sicke, than endure any the least paine, to be cured.

Old Sickenesses, and antient Customes, are a second kind of nature: & there­fore our Sauiour Christ, Cum cognouisset quod multum tempus haberet, When he kn [...] that he had beene long sicke, would now linger the time no longer. Your Moorish Slaue, after he hath endured many yeares of seruitude, is so farre from desiring his liberrie, that he scarce thinkes vpon it; the Oxe vsed to the yoke, willingly submits himselfe vnto it; an old Souldier will neuer goe without his Armes; and therefore Tullie calls them, Militum Membra, A Soldiers Limmes; for through vse, they are no more troublesome to him than a leg or an arme, for continuall trauell hardneth the hoofe: Et superatur omnis fortuna ferendo; so said the Poet▪ In a word, Custome makes things little lesse familiar vnto vs, than Nature. [...] treating of those which haue beene accustomed to sinne from their youth, saith▪ That they leaue not their vices till they leaue to liue, [Ossa eius replebuntur vi­cijs adolescentiae suae. Iob 20. & cum eo in pul [...]ere dormient, His bones are full of the sinnes of [...] Youth, and it shall lie downe with him in the dust:] And presently rendring the rea­son thereof, he further saith, That Custome made wickednesse seeme sweet [...] his mouth, and that he hid it vnder his tongue, like a Pastilla de boca; that hee fa­uoured it, and would not forsake it, but kept it close in his mouth. So that h [...] that hath once enured himselfe to tast much ill, it is not much that he should n [...] desire his health. Balaams Asse complained of his masters ill vsage; and (acco [...] ­ding to Saint Augustine) it was a seuere reprehension for the Prophet: but Bala [...] was not any whit amased to heare his beast speake, because his thoughts were [Page 173] carried away with couetousnesse; this is Saint Augustines opinion: but Lyra, he saith, That it was through his accustomation to Witcheries and Sorceries, Mon­strosis assuefactus ad vocem Asinae non expauit: For Custome makes things that are monstrous, familiar vnto vs. Euerie where we indeere Iobs sufferings, because they came vpon him on such a sudden an and vnequall fashion: I was in wealth (saith the Text) but he brought me to naught; he hath taken mee by the cheeke and beaten mee; hee cutteth my reynes,Iob 16. & 17. and poureth my gall on the ground, he hath broken me with one breaking vpon another, and runneth vpon me like a Gyant: myne eye is dimme for griefe, and my strength like a shadow; my dayes are past, myne enterprises broken, and the thoughts of my heart haue changed the night for the day, and the light hath approched for darkenesse; the graue must be my house, & I must make my bed in the darke; I must say to Cor­ruption, Thou art my father, and to the Worme, Thou art my mother and my sister, &c. These afflictions were as harsh to Iob, beeing not vsed and beaten to them, as Vice, through Custome, is pleasing to the Wicked. Voluptabar (saith Austen) in caeno Babilonis, tanquā in cinamonijs & vnguentis pretiosis, Babylons durt was as Amber, and the stench of her streets as pretious Oyntments vnto me. And after that he had in his Meditations endeered the euills of this present life, he bewailes the wretched condition of those that are bewitched with the loue of this life; who thereby following their pleasures, come to loose a thousand liues. Homer in his Odysses paints forth the deceits of Circes, and that Vlysses escaped them by beeing aduised thereof by Mercurie. The hearbe Moly, whose root is blacke, and the Floure white (the symbole of the knowledge of our selues) and those Syrens (of whom Esay maketh mention) vnder the names of Zim & Ohim, of Ostriches and Satyres that shall dance there;Esay 13. both which are figures of the delights of this world, whereunto many are so wedded, that the Prophet could terme them, Men setled on their Lees.

Wilt thou be made whole. Mans will [...] concurs not with Grace in our vprising from sinne. He first askes him (being as yet vnspoken vnto) whi­ther he were willing to be healed, or no? O, what a noble proceeding was this in our Sauiour, that hee would first aske our good will! All other humane goods God giues and takes away as hee sees fit, without asking our consent; but hee is willing to aske here of this sicke man, his good wil, for that there is nothing so much ours, as that. Fili praebe mihi cor tuum, My sonne giue me thy heart: alwaies considering this with himselfe, that for our condemnation, our owne wil is Cau­sa positiua, the positiue cause thereof; [Perditio tua ex te Israel] but for our justifica­tion, it is causa sine qua non, we cannot be saued without it. And to this purpose tend those remarkable words of Saint Augustine, Qui creauit te sine te, non salua­bit te sine te, He that made thee without thee, will not saue thee without thee: So that our will, though it be not the principall cause of our good, yet is it the chiefest cause of our ill. Two Moores that are Slaues, the one desires his libertie, the other, his captiuitie; the will of the latter is the positiue cause of his hurt, and the will of the former doth him no good, vnlesse his Redeemer ransome him.

Hominem non habeo, I haue not a man.

This (as Caietan hath noted) was a faire and mannerly answer. For so natural [...]s the desire of life, that it is a wonder to see any man wax weary thereof, though [...]e find himselfe neuer so vnhealthie. We read of those our antient fathers, that [...]ome of them liued nine hundred yeares; but wee read not of any of them that [...]hought them too many or too much. Pharaoh asking Iacob, how old hee was, he told him, That the whole time of his pilgrimage was an hundred and thirtie [Page 174] yeares; that few and euill had the dayes of his life beene; and that hee had not attained to the yeares of the life of his fathers, in the dayes of their pilgrima­ges. Elias fled from death, when hee saw how neere Iezabels hand was to take his life from him, howsoeuer vnder the Iuniper tree hee seemed much to desire it. Vpon Paradise God had put a strange gard, not onely a blade of a sword, sha­ken, to keepe the way of the Tree of Life; but many Cherubins also, that were like so many flames of fire. What, ô Lord, doost thou meane by this so power­ful a gard for so cowardly and feareful a creature as man? O sir, in Paradise there is a Tree that beares the fruit of Life, and out of the desire that man hath to liue, he will presse vpon the swords point, and rush through fire and water to get in: And though a lesse gard might happely serue turn in regard of man; yet wil it not suffice to keepe the Deuill out; and if he should chance to rob this tree of her fruit, he would carrie the whole world after him, out of the great loue and affection that they haue vnto Life. Saint Augustine greatly endeering this loue, saith, That it were a great happinesse for man, if he bore but that loue to life eter­nall, as he doth to this that is temporall; and that he would but labour as much to obtaine that, as he seeketh to conserue this. But this poore wretched man in­deeres it much more, who at the end of thirtie eight yeares, hauing led a life that was worse than death, should yet desire to liue longer.

God fauoreth whom the world forsa­keth. I haue not a man. This is the reason why God sets his eye vpon thee, & be­gins to looke towards thee; for the onely meanes to make God to fauor vs, is, when he sees the World hath forgot vs. The cause why so many suitors thriue no better, is, because they seeke more after the fauour of men, than of God: Where Nature casts vs off, there Grace takes vs vp; when the World abando­neth vs, then God embraceth vs. The Rauens young ones are forsaken by her, and God feedeth them. In the Indies there are no Physitions, yet are there whol­some Hearbes wherewith they cure their diseases. In like manner, where the World affoordeth few fauours, there Gods prouidence supplies vs with many. Chrysostome saith, Non habes hominem, sed Deum, Thou hast not man, but thou hast Go [...] to thy friend. The Aegyptian whom the Amalekites left behind them, because he was sicke of a Feuer, and could not follow them; Dauid finding him as he follo­wed the chase, tooke him vp and cherished him. Saint Gregorie noteth, That it is the fashion of the World, to forsake those that will not follow after it: where­as God runnes a contrarie course; for he cherisheth and fauoureth those whom the World forsaketh. Saint Austen ponders much vpon Iosephs two yeares be­ing in prison, expecting the fauour of Pharaohs seruant, to whom he had recom­mended his suit; so that as long as he depended vpon man, he was suspended by God: but when his hopes were that way vtterly lost, and was now able to say▪ Hominem non habeo, I haue not a man, God did worke his enlargement. Ioseph sai [...] to the Cup-bearer, Memento mei, Remember me; and he did not so much as onc [...] thinke of him in two yeares after: The Theefe said to Christ vpon the Crosse Memento mei, Remember me, and he was admitted into Paradise the verie sam [...] day. Domine, ante te omne desiderium meum, O Lord, my desires, my grones and my sighs are for and to thee,Psal. 34. Dan. 3. and my trust is in thee only, that thou wilt no [...] see me vnrewarded. Daniel being shut vp in the Lyons Den, and the doore sea [...]led with the Kings own Seale; when he could find no fauour amongst men, Go [...] presently extended his fauour towards him. The like fauor did he shew to tho [...] Children that were in the firie Furnace;Exod. 2. and to Moses in that Arke of Rush [...] floating vpon the waters. Seneca comforting Marcia concerning her sons death, amongst other reasons he alledgeth this, Comfort your selfe in this, that you [Page 175] liue in a Commonwealth, wherein you are thus farre happy, that you haue no sonnes to pretend for. Here wee may well bring in Pilats, Ecce homo. Though thou (sweet Iesu) hadst not a man to fauour thee, yet thou foundst a man that gaue his bloud, and his life for them. Ecce homo; Lo, thou wast the man, that show'dst such great kindnesse, to those that vsed thee so vnkindly. Thou (poore Soule) hast not an Angell to mooue the Fish-poole for thee; Ecce homo, behold the man, who makes more hast to helpe thee than an Angell.

Hominem non habeo. Why doost thou complaine, that thou hast not a man to helpe thee? Why doost thou not rather complaine that thou doost relye and trust vpon man? He does like himselfe in deceiuing thee; but thou doost not like thy selfe in presuming vpon him. Many complaine of the world, and the deceits therof; but doe not complaine of the foolish confidence which them­selues put in this false world. I complaine of Fortune, that she is mine enemie, but not of my selfe, who sue to so fickle a Dame, and so earnestly importune her. Night, is the embleme of the world, and of a false friend. In the day, all communicate and conuerse together, but at night, they take their leaue and get them gone. In prosperitie, all the whole world will fawne vpon thee, and keepe thee companie; but in aduersitie no man will looke vpon thee, but will shunne thee, and turne his face from thee. If thou wilt experiment, what power thou hast with the world, and how much thou canst preuaile with it, necessitie will in­struct thee. That friend which shall alwayes lye vnto thee, in whom thou neuer findest truth, it is thine owne folly that deceiues thee, if thou trust him, it is not he. And therefore he that now and then treateth truth, is the more dangerous of the two. In Deutronomie, God commaundeth,Deut. 13. That if there arise amongst his people a Prophet, or a Dreamer of dreames, and giue thee a signe or wonder, and the signe & the wonder which he hath told thee come to passe, that Prophet, or Dreamer of dreames shall bee slaine. But he doth not commaund, that hee shall be slaine if it doe not come to passe. For hee that alwaies lyes, doth no hurt at all; The world hath beene a notorious lyer these fiue thousand yeeres, and more; and therefore I doe not see, what reason thou hast to thinke, that it will now keepe it's word better with thee than it hath with others heretofore.

Hominem non habeo, I haue not a man. This is not onely a complaint of the poore, but of powerfull persons, and those that are riche, who because they haue not the happinesse to haue a man to sticke close vnto them, that may direct and counsaile them, passe ouer this their life in distraction, and perdition, & in the end loose both life and soule. Homo, homini Deus, homo homini lupus, Man is a God to man, Man is a wolfe to man. Expressing in the one, a prudent and vertu­ous man, one that is stayd and well settled: In the other, one that is light, incon­stant, and false-hearted.

Commonwealths vse likewise to complaine; as also those that are iealous of their goods, that they cannot meete with a man whom they may trust. Theodo­ret sayth, That hee offers a great, and a mightie wrong vnto Gods proui­dence, who complaineth hereof. For that Commonwelth that prouides it selfe of feete, should not leaue it selfe without a head: and stooping so low as mans brest, for those more painefull and base occupations, as the Scauinger, the Cob­ler, and the hangman; they should likewise haue a care of placing fit men in pla­ces of a higher na [...]ure, that are to order businesses of State, and to cleanse a Kingdome of those filthie dunghils and sinkes of sinne which annoy a Com­monwealth.

This hurt (I meane when base and vnworthie persons gouerne a State) ariseth [Page 176] from those two grounds; The one, The making choice of such men who by good and euill meanes (making no great difference of either) seeke for preferre­ment, and out of their ambition, would rather die than loose it. And when hee is thus preposterously preferred and put in place of authoritie, hee playes Rex, putting in one, and putting out another, & so as hee may raise himselfe to honor, cares not whom he disgraces and treads vnder foot, though they bee ten times better men, and worthier than himselfe. Moses by Gods appointment made choice of seuentie Elders of Israell to assist him in the gouernment of the Peo­ple; and they being one day to meet at a certaine houre before the Tabernacle, to the end that God in the presence of all the people might put his Spirit of pro­phecie vpon them, there remained two behind among the Host, to wit, Eldad and Medad; & because God is not confined to any set place, the Spirit likewise rested vpon them, and they prophecied in the Host. Ioshuah thought this was a disreputation to Moses, that these two should prophecie without especiall order from him, insomuch that he persuaded him that hee should forbid them to pro­phecie any more. This is a true picture of the course & fashion of this present World, which will by no meanes admit of any Ministers of State, but such as they themselues shall nominate, or (as if they were creatures of their making) shall wholly depend vpon them. But the Spirit of God made answer vnto Io­shuah by the mouth of Moses, Quid aemularis pro me? Enuiest thou for my sake? and addeth anon after, Would to God all the Lords people were Prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit vpon them. So that men are neuer wanting for to gouern a Commonwealth, but eys of charitie and discretion, to distinguish of those that are fit, and to make a good and iudicious choice.

Tolle grabatum tuum & ambula.

Take vp thy bed and walke. Our Sauiour here commands him, That he should shake off his former idlenesse and sloathfulnesse. Hora surgendi: My son (saith Ecclesiasticus) hast thou slept long in sinne,Eccle. 21. awake and rouse vp thy selfe, and doe so no more, but pray for thy foresinnes, that they may be forgiuen thee. The se­cond thing to be noted, is, That our Sauiour said vnto him, Arise, take vp thy bed and walke: one maine reason whereof was, That it might appeare that new strength was put into him, being growne able on the sudden to beare his bed vp­on his backe. The other, That none might presume that it was the Angell that had wrought this cure vpon him. Thirdly, To take all cauelling from the enui­ous, for the disauowing of this miracle; and that the World might praise and publish the same: Vt miraculum videretur (saith Saint Augustine) & nemo sim [...] ­latum opinaretur. For this cause he willed those baskets of broken bread & meat to be kept, when hee fed so many thousands with so little prouision. And him that he healed of his Leaprosie, that hee should go and present himselfe to the Priests: Taking the like course with diuers others, holding them as necessarie diligences for the auerring of these his miracles, considering what a captio [...] and incredulous kind of people he was to deale withall.

Et statim factus est sanus homo ille.

And presently the man was made whole. It is an easie thing with God, to in­rich him that is poore in an instant. Vpon one only Dixit in the creation, present­ly followed a Facta sunt. Creauit omnia simul, He created all things at once (saith Wis­dome;) so in the reparation of this poore man▪ it is said, Statìm sanus factus est ho­mo ille, He was presently made whole. He said vnto Martha, Resurget frater tuus, Thy [Page 177] brother shall rise againe; Whereunto she answered, I know that he shall rise againe in the resurrection at the last day. Christ might take this ill, as a wrong done vn­to the loue which he bare to Lazarus, That shee should thinke him so neglectfull of his friend, as to let his fauor towards him be so long in comming. Saint Chry­sostome saith, That your bad Physitions are the Butchers of a Commonwealth; and your good, the Botchers of mans life, who patch and mend it, making this fleshie cloathing of ours, and this our rotten carkasse, to hold out as long as it can. But God, who is his Arts-master, and a wondrous nimble Workman, made this sicke man so perfectly whole, and so instantly strong, that hee was able to take his bed vpon his backe and walke. And if by this he shewed, that hee did now fully enioy health of bodie; in his going streightway to the Temple, hee made good proofe of his Soules health. Which is no more than what S. Austen doth infer vpon those words which our Sauiour afterwards said vnto him, Now sinne no more, &c.

Saint Augustine vpon this our Sauiours healing of this man alone, saith,Ob. That herein he seemed somewhat too sparing and too niggardly to those other that had need of his helpe.

Wherunto I answer first of all, That for those things which our Sauior Christ did, or did not, the wit of man cannot be a competent Iudge.Sol.

Secondly, That this was a meere act of his mercie, and not to be questioned. Besides, health perhaps to the rest might haue proued hurtful vnto them, though not to their bodies, yet to their soules.

Thirdly, Tertullian saith, That the operation of the Fish-poole beeing now to cease and loose i [...]'s vertue, That our Sauiour by curing him who was the longest & the most sicke amongst them, gaue thereby an induction & entrance to all that were sicke, to come and repaire to him for helpe: As if hee should haue sayd, He that desires to be made whole, from hence forward let him goe no more to the Fish-poole, nor stay there expecting the Angells comming; for when hee comes he heals but one at once; but come you all vnto me, & I shal heale you al.

Tolle grabatum, Take vp thy bed. This would seeme to be too heauie a bur­then for him: A man would haue thought that it had beene enough for him to haue beene punished with thirtie eight yeres keeping of his bed, without being put now at last to beare it on his backe. But if God can giue such great strength to so weake a man, that the burthen of his bedding seemes no weightier than a straw; the heuier it is, the lighter it is, especially if God shall put but the least helpe of his little finger thereunto, Da quod jubes, & jube quod vis, Giue what thou commandest, and command what thou pleasest.

Secondly, Christ here sets before vs a modell and pattern of true repentance;A patterne for Repentance. before, with a Iacebat, He lay all forlorn; now, with a Surge, he walkes sound & vp­right: before, he was torpens & stupefactu [...], benumm'd and stupefied; now he was in his ambulare, walke: before, his bed did beare him; and now hee beares his bed, Tolle grabatum tuum. This was to signifie, That he was to run a contrary course to that he did before, and to tread out the prints of his forepassed sinnefull life: So that (according to Chrysologus) that which heretofore was a witnesse of his [...]nfirmitie, shall henceforth be a testimonie of his health. Vniuersum eius stratum [...]ersasti in infirmitate eius, Thou turnedst his bed topsituruie, first this way, then [...]hat way, till thou hadst made it more easie for him. Thou changest (saith Gene­ [...]rard) his weakenesse into strength, and his sicknesse into health; it was before, a [...]ick bed, now a sound one; before, a bed of sorrow, now of joy; before, a bed of sinne, now of teares.

[Page 178]This Miracle was the Fermentum & Leuen of the death of our Sauior Christ; for, picking a quarell with him vpon this occasion, they resolued to kill him, and this their intention dayly encreased, as oft as they called to mind this action of his. And therefore he afterwards said vnto them (as Saint Iohn reports it in his se­uenth Chapter) Vnum opus feci, Iohn 7. & omnes admiramini sanè, I haue done one worke, and yee all meruaile; I heale a poore sicke man on the Sabboth day, and yee all blesse your selues, as though I had a Deuill in me. This word Miramini is here taken in the worser sence; so Saint Chrysostome noteth it: For doing this so good a deed you take me to be a transgressour of the Law; but I shall prooue vnto you, that your accusation is vniust: Moyses dedit vobis Circumcisionem, non quia ex Moyses, sed ex patribus, &c. Moses gaue you Circumcision, not because it is of Moses, but of the Fathers;Iohn 7. and yee on the Sabboth day circumcise a man: Moses gaue it yee, but he was not the primarie and principall authour thereof; for before the Law of Moses was, was Circumcision. The Israelites had it ex patribus, of their fore­fathers; but because it ceased in the Desert, hee did afterwards restore it to it's former vse and vertue. The precept of the Sabboth was proper to the Law of Moses, he was the first that did institute it, till then it was not so strictly obser­ued. Now you your selues doe circumcise on the Sabboth day, (obseruing the precept of your antient Fathers) and yet for all this yee breake not the Law of Moses. If then a Ceremonie bee lawfull which is directed to the health of the Soule; Why shall not that be lawfull amongst you which cureth both soule and bodie? Yee are angrie with me, and seeke to kill me, because I haue made a man euerie whit whole vpon the Sabboth day, Quia totum hominem feci, &c.

Qui me sanum fecit.

He that made me whole, said vnto me, Take vp thy bed and walke. The Iewes be­ing mightily incensed against our Sauiour for that which he had done, it beeing the Sabboth day, and a great feast with them; asked the poore man in an hot and angrie fashion, Who it was that bid him take vp his bed and walke? hee told them, Qui me sanum fecit, That it was Iesus, that had made him whole: A disease of thirtie eight yeares old, which neither Nature, Art, nor my good fortune could rid away from me, did yeeld and render vp it selfe in an instant to the em­pire of him that healed me; That his long lost strength and health, after so long an absence, returned presently backe againe at the sound of his voice, and com­forting those his rotten bones, & causing his canker'd and withered flesh to wax young againe, had banished all aches and whatsoeuer other diseases from his bo­die; shall not I then obey him whom Sickenesse and Health doe thus obey? It seemeth this poore man had plaid the theefe, and stole this reason from Dauid, Nonnè Deo subiecta erit anima mea, quoniam ab ipso salutare meum▪ It is reason good, that I should subiect my selfe to God, because from his hand comes my saluation. Qui me sanum fecit, He that hath done me such a happinesse and such a blessing as none others can doe the like, but God, why should I not obey him as God?

Eccè, sanus factus es.

Behold, thou art made whole, &c. This man Christ afterwards met withall in the Temple,Things aboue the reach of reason ha [...]d to be beleeued. and said vnto him, Ecce, sanus factus es, Behold, thou art made whole. This word Ecce includes in it a thousand things: The first is, The greatnesse of this his fauour towards him; for there are some things so transcendent and be­yond the reach of our reason, that they who enioy them do scarce beleeue them, they are so astonished and amased at them. When the Angell freed Peter out of [Page 179] Herods prison, and had led him along by the hand, till he had brought him out of the Citie, the Text saith, Existimabat se visum videre, He thought it had beene some dreame, or had seene some vision or strange apparition; and it was a great while after ere he was come to himselfe, so wonder-strucken was he with this his strange de­liuerance. Secondly, This particle Ecce, expresseth the greatnesse of this poore mans obligation; as if it should bid him looke and behold how much hee was beholding vnto God, who had freed him from so desperate a disease. Cum enim augentur dona, rationes etiam crescunt donorum, (the saying is Saint Gregories) The greater kindnesses, the greater obligations. This therefore being so great a one, thou canst not chuse but thinke vpon this benefit, and continually beare it in mind. Homo cum in honore esset, non intellexit, Man when he was in honour vnderstood it not, [the Hebrew hath it, Non pernoctauit] hee did not consider well on the matter, he did not throughly weigh it, by meditating night and day on so great a good. Thirdly, This same Ecce serues him as a warning-piece, to put him in mind, that he is sound, but not secure; for if thou doost not looke well vnto thy selfe, and stand strongly vpon thy guard, thou maist fall from that health wherein now thou standest, and be worse than thou wert before.

Ne deterius tibi contingat.

Least a worse thing happen vnto thee. What can bee worse than thirtie eight yeares of sickenesse? Yes, Hell is worse. S. Gregorie saith, That God is woo [...]t to commense the chastisement of heinous and long continued sinnes, in this li [...], and continueth them in that other; so that they are, as it were, an entrance into Hell, as it hapned to Herod, who slew those innocent Babes; to Antiochus, and others: These seeme to lie as yet but in soke, and in a preparation (as I may so terme it) to those perpetuall torments. To others, Hell comes de golpe, it snatches them away on a sudden ere euer they be aware of it. Ducunt in bonis dies suos, & in puncto ad inferos descendunt, They lead a merrie life, they passe away their days in plea­sure, and in an instant they goe downe into Hell. And to these men it is so much the more grieuous and painefull, by how much the lesse they haue been acquainted with the miseries of a wretched life.

Least a worse thing, &c. Nor are the euills of this life euill,The Euils of this life are but seeming euills. nor the good things good. Saint Chrysostome saith, That God giues vs the good things of this life, to the end that in them we may see a shaddow, as it were of Heauen: The euill, That we may by them see the tracke of the cruell rigour of those hellish torments. Saint Paul treating of those euills that befall the Righteous, saith, Quasi morientes, quasi tristes, quasi, &c. As dying, as chastned, as sorrowing,2. Cor. 6. as poore, as hauing nothing: He there reckoneth vp a bead-roll of many seeming ills, but not euills in deed; for their dying was to them liuing, their sorrowing, reioycing; their pouertie, riches; and their hauing nothing, a possessing of all things, &c. Quasi flagellum. It is said of our Sauiour Christ, That he made a kind of whip, as it were, of those little cords wherewith the Sellers in the Tem­ple bound vp their fardles. For in respect of Hell-whips, the whips of this life are not whips, but quasi flagella, as it were whips. The Scripture christneth hu­mane troubles with the name of Waters, Emitte manum tuam, & libera me de aquis multis: Aquae multae non potuerunt extinguere charitatem. The proportions of this word Aqua, are two:

The one, That the troubles of the Godly doe passe away like waters.

That though the waters be now and then troubled, they afterwards grow cleere againe.

[Page 180]But Hell is stiled with the name of Stagnum, a standing Poole, [Missi sunt in Stagnum ignis] because it is a punishment that alwaies stands at one stay, and is stil the same, &c. The heart of the Godly finds this ease, that it liues in hope of re­couerie; and the euills of the Righteous are neuer so many, but that they haue some shadow of good. Adam did supplie his nakednesse with Figge leaues. Death, which is the greatest ill to mans life, dulleth the sence, which is a kind of good; but Hell giues no hope of ease, no shew of comfort. From which God of his mercie keepe vs, &c.

Et duxit illos in Montem excelsum.

And he brought them into a high Mountaine. The dignity of Mount Tabor. Tabor was a verie famous Moun­taine, as well for those riches which God had placed in it, of sports for hunting, Trees, Fountaines, and pleasant Walkes, as also for those rare accidents which had beene seene and knowne to haue happened there: There was that encounter of Melchisadec with Abraham, when he returned so glad and cheereful, vpon that victorie which he had gotten against those fiue Kings. And being there was no other way to passe from Galile to Ierusalem, but by the skirts of this moun­taine, Ieroboam hauing set vp two Idolls, one in Dan, and another in Bethel, for [Page 184] to diuert those Tribes from going vp to the Temple to adore God, fearing lest they might passe ouer to Rehoboam, he had placed Watch-towers on this moun­taine.Ose 5. Suting with that of the Prophet Osee, O yee Priests, heare this, Iudgement is towards yee, because yee haue beene a snare vpon Mizpah, and a net spred vpon Tabor: The Priests and Princes catching the poore people in their snares, as the Fow­lers doe the birds, in these two high Mountaines. In a word, This Mountaine is famous for verie many things, but for none more than that it was honoured by our Sauiour with his presence, and inriched with his glorie. And for this cause Saint Bernard calls it Montem Spei, The Mountaine of our hopes: For he that leads a godly life here vpon earth, may well hope to receiue a glorified life in Heauen.

Et transfiguratus est ante eos.

And he was transfigured before them. Let vs here expound foure truths which are acknowledged by the whole bodie of Diuinitie.

The one, That our Sauiour Christ liung amongst vs, was not onely seene of vs, himselfe seeing and knowing all things, but was happinesse it selfe.

The other, That he was so from the verie instant of his conception.

The third, That being happie in Soule, he must likewise be so in his body.

The fourth, That the glorie of his Soule remained after that he had left his bodie.

Touching the proofe of the first Truth, notable is that place of Saint Iohn, No man hath seene God at any time; Iohn 1. that onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father, he hath declared him: The Glosse hath it, Who is neerest to his father, not onely in respect of his loue towards him, but by the bond of nature, and for the vnion or one-nesse that is betweene them, whereby the Father and the Son are one. God reuealed him and shewed him vnto vs; whereas before, hee was vnder the shadowes of the Law, so that the quickenesse of the sight of our mind was not able to perceiue him: for whosoeuer seeth him, seeth the Father also. The Euangelist pretendeth here to prooue, that onely our Sauiour Christ is the author of Grace and of Truth, and that neither Moses, nor any of the Patriarks could see God as he was himselfe, which is Truth it selfe by essence; but as he is the Sonne: and therefore he onely can be the author thereof. Men may see God in his creatures,Iob 36. Romans 1. and know many of his perfections: And in this sence Iob said, All men see him and behold him afarre off. Saint Gregorie and Saint Paul implie as much, For the inuisible things of him, that is, his eternall power and Godhead, are seene by the creation of the world, considered in his workes. Men may likewise see him in some image or figure, sometimes of a man, sometimes of an Angell, sometimes of Fire, representing himselfe in those formes; sometimes by the eyes of the Soule, and sometimes those of the Bodie. So Esay saw him, I saw the Lord sitting vpon an high Throne. And Iacob, I saw the Lord face to face. Thirdly, God may be seene by Faith,Esay 6. Gen. 29. 1. Cor. 13. as the Faithfull now see him, Now, we see through a glasse darkely. Fourthly, in his humanitie, Afterward he was seene vpon earth, (saith Buruch) and dwelt among men. Fiftly, in himselfe, and in his essence, not in his creatures, not in his image, not in his humanitie, but in himselfe, Sicuti est, As hee is. This sight is so farre aboue all the rest, that it makes men happie, as also the Angels. Moreouer,Iohn 3. Saint Iohn saith, That with a cleere sight (at least comprehensible) no man euer yet saw God, but by the Sonne. And being, that God is our happines, when he is cleerely seene, it followeth, that our Sauiour Christ is happie. The selfe same argument our Sauiour vsed to Nicodemus, No man ascended to Heauen, [Page 185] but he which descended from Heauen, the Sonne of Man, who is in Heauen. Ye will not giue credit to these earthly things, how will yee credit those then that are heauenly: And condemning this their incredulitie, he saith, No man ascended vp into Heauen. There is not any man that can make true report of the things that are there, because no man hath ascended thither to see them: only I, who liued in Heauen, and descended downe from Heauen, am able to tell ye the things that are in Heauen. Our being in Heauen then being all one with the seeing of God, and the seeing of God beeing our happinesse, it followeth that our Sauiour Christ is happie.

The second Truth, That he was so from that verie time that hee first tooke our nature vpon him; Saint Augustine collects it out of the sixtie fift Psalm, Bles­sed is the Man whom thou chusest and receiuest vnto thee, he shall dwell in thy Court, and shall be satisfied with the pleasure of thy house, &c. The same Eusebius Caesariensis in­ferreth vpon the twentie second Psalme, Thou art hee that tooke me out of my mothers wombe; or (as the Chaldee letter hath it) Leuaui me in robore tuo, I got vp to bee ioyned equall with God. Which testimonies of Scripture are confirmed by all your Scholasticall Doctors.

The third Truth, That our Sauior Christ must needs be happie both in soule and in bodie. Iohannes Damascenus prooues it out of that strict vnion of the Di­uinitie, which Death it selfe cannot vndoe. Saint Augustine affirmes, That the glorie of the soule is naturally conueyed to the bodie, as the light of a candle to a paine of glasse.

The fourth Truth, That our Sauior Christ was transfigured by giuing licence to the glorie of his soule, that it should transferre it selfe to the bodie: not that glorie which he was able to giue it, but that which his Disciples eyes were able to endure; as it is noted by Saint Chrysostome treating on this point.

Et transfiguratus est.

And he was transfigured. We haue elsewhere set downe the causes of our Sauiours transfiguration; but none so often repeated by the Saints and Doctors, as his discouering thereby the hidden treasures of his glorie, as the reward that calls vnto vs, and stayes for vs, haling as it were our thoughts and hopes after it. Such is the condition of man, that commonly he makes interest and priuat gain, the North-starre of his labours and endeauours; this he thinkes on, dreames of, and adores. But as to the Worldling the worlds wealth is his North-starre; so the North-starre of the Sonne of God, is the glorie of God. Now our Sauiour Christ discouereth vnto vs a streake or a line, as it were, of that happinesse, which though it doth not fully expresse vnto vs what God is, yet it remooueth from vs all those difficulties which might diuert vs from his seruice. And therfore Saint Ambrose saith, Ne quis frangatur, &c. He allureth our mind with this so soueraign a good, that the troubles of this life may not disquiet it, nor driue it to despaire. So furious are the tempests of this Sea, so raging the waues and tossings too and fro of this life, that if God did not temper the distasts thereof with the hope of another life, our life were but a Hell. Saint Bernard saith, That the end which our Sauiour had in transfiguring himselfe, was, that we might settle our thoughts and our hopes on that glorie whereunto he inuiteth vs; for that, mans happinesse wholly consisteth in enioying the presence of God. Saint Basil expounding that place of Saint Mathew, Estote perfecti, &c. Be yee perfect euen as your Father is perfect; saith, That the plainest way to enioy God, is, to thinke so continually on him, that our Soules should be translated, as it were, into himselfe; wee playing [Page 186] therein the Painters, who for to take a picture perfectly, neuer haue their eye from off the originall. Saint Cyprian saith, That there is not any thing that doth so much glad the eyes of God, as our thinking on the reward which is set be­fore vs. Many Saints turmoyled with a thousand miseries, did euermore liue me­rily, by being onely cheered vp with these good thoughts and hopes. Salomon tells vs, A reward is as a stone pleasant in the eyes of them that haue it: Nor is there any pretious stone that so gladdeth his possessour,Prou. 17. as hope cheereth the Righteous. Gregorie Nissen calleth Affliction, the Floure of Glorie; Fructu­um, qui sperantur flos, As he that is to eat of the fruit, takes pleasure in the floure, for that neighbouring hope which is neere at hand; so, the Righteous through hope reioyce in Affliction. Our Sauiour therefore being desirous that we should liue in hope, vnfolded part of that Glorie which he retained in his Soule, that placing our eyes and hearts thereupon, all troubles whatsoeuer, though neuer so great, might seeme little in regard of our hoped-for reward.

Hence it followeth, how ill they proceed, and what a desperate and indirect course they take, to whom God hauing deputed the Earth for their hopes, and Heauen for their blisse, peruert this his order, by making the Earth their Heauen. It is an ordinarie phrase of speech in Scripture, to call our life, a Warrefare; now souldiers that are wise and valiant, reuerse their pleasures till the battell is en­ded and the victorie obtained. De torrente in via bibit, propterea exaltauit caput, He dranke of the torrent by the way, therefore hath hee lift vp his head. Saint Chryso­stome expoundeth this verse of our Sauiour, Qui non acquieuit in diebus carnis sua, Who rested not in the dayes of his flesh, vntill he had ouercome Death and Hel. Saint Ambrose declaring that place of the Apostle, Non est nobis colluctatio, &c. Wee fight (saith he) with the Princes of Darkenesse, for coelestiall goods, for they loosing them by our occasion, they are vnwilling that wee should enioy them. And because Reward is that which giues the Souldier both heart and hands, the last Sonday, we proposed the Warre; this; the Reward. The Deuill offered our Sauiour the glorie of the World; but our Sauiour offers vs the glorie of God: the hopes of this are better than the enioying of that. Saint Bernard saith, That the time of this life is the vigil of that feast which we hope for in glory: whence he inferreth these two things:

The one; That it were folly in vs, to make the Vigile, the Feast. Which is all one with that of S. Austen; Summa peruersitas est, vti fruendis, & frui vtendis. It is no good chop, considering the vnequalnesse of the tearmes. God gaue vs the Earth, that we might vse it; Heauen, that we might inioy it. And it is a beastly kind of ignorance, to make the Earth Heauen.

The other; That the Feast beeing so great, the fast of the Vigile, ought not to seeme so long vnto vs. Saint Paul, making a counter position ofthat, which may be suffered heere; and that which may be hoped for there: after that hee had sayd, that the one was light and momentary; the other weightie, & perdu­rable, he added, Supra modum in sublimitate. It is a highnes aboue all highnesse; the altitude thereof alone cannot be taken: Nor can the tongue of man indeare it so much, but it must fall short therof. This made Saint Gregorie to say, Qua lin­gua, &c. What tongue, or what vnderstanding is able to vtter the great and wonderfull ioyes of that coelestiall Citie?

The pleasures of this life are altogether Vanitie.Saint Gregorie, opening that place of Ieremie, Patres nostri &c. Our fathers eat [...] sowre grapes, and our teeth were set on edge; He st [...]les the pleasures of this life to be sowre grapes, and fruits that are not yet come to their true ripenesse, which are good for nothing else but to set our teeth on edge. Philon calls them, F [...]ri [...] [Page 187] Coeli. For pleasures, are not for the earth; hee that inioyes them, steales them from Heauen. And as hee that steales, inioyes what he hath so got, with a great deale of feare and iealousie; so may wee be sayd to inioy these humane feasts and pastimes. That sacrifice of Abrahams, was held the most acceptable, that euer any man in the old Testament offered vnto God. For, in sacrificing his son Isaac, hee did sacrifice all the ioy and content of this his life. For Isaac by inter­pretation signifies laughter. Risum fecit mihi Dominus. The like may bee consi­dered in his casting Agar out of his house, which signifies a stranger. Resoluing with himselfe (beeing but as a stranger in this world) not to ioy in the contents of this life. Ieremie, whose ordinarie occupation, was weeping, sayd,Ier. 17. Diem hominis non desideraui, That is, the day of prosperitie, and of pleasure haue I not desired. And Saint Bernard hath this note vpon it; That hee might haue sayd, That he did neither desire it, nor inioy it. Dauid grew wearie of his passe-times and pleasures. Renuit consolari anima mea. If any thing can affoord mee comfort, it is the meditation of euerlasting ioy. Base is that minde, that liues merrie and contented with the inioying of the goods of this life. Base are the thoughts of that Prince, who keeping himselfe close in a Sheapheards cottage, shall deeme himselfe happie in that poore estate, not so much as once thinking on that crown, which he ought to hope for. Saint Austen declaring that place of Saint Iames, Fratres sufferentiam Iob audistis, & finem Domini vidistis, Yee haue heard Brethren of Iob's suffering, and yee haue seene the end of the Lord. God sets before vs, as pat­ternes of patience, the life of Iob, and the death of Christ; where it is to be ob­serued, that he doth not set before vs the end of Iob; because God giuing him a larger increase of wealth, of children, and other contents in this life, his end was not by him to bee desired. But that of our Sauiour was most paine­full vnto him. And therefore it is sayd, Learne of Iob to suffer in this life, and of our Sauiour in his death. Leauing our hopes to relye vpon that other life.

Et transfiguratus est.

And hee was transfigured. It was likewise fit, that our Sauiour should be trans­figured for the confirmation of our Faith. For, if these our humane eyes did see in Christ our Sauiour, onely the course cassocke of our basenesse, and the scorne and contempt of his owne person, as Esay paints it forth, Who will beleeue the gold of his Diuinitie? Saint Augustine in his bookes De Ciuitate Deipunc; saith,Esay 53.2. That all the transformations of those gods which the Gentiles did celebrate in Birds, Bulls, Stones, Trees, Fountaines, Fires, and graines of Gold, were directed to this end, that the World should beleeue, that vnder the forme of mortall men, & this our own proper matter, lay hid some power supernaturall. Who would beleeue that Christ was God, if he had not giuen some glimpse of his Riches? Who would haue relied vpon his protection? Without some particular reuelation, who would haue dreamt of his omnipotencie? In a subiect so weake, who would sur­mise it? Imagine an Angell in the shape and figure of an Ant; none will be­leeue that this was an Angell, vnlesse hee should at some time or other discouer some part of his brightnesse.

It was also fitting that Christ should discouer vnto vs some of those his hid­den treasures, to the end that those that were his, might be persuaded that they might safely sleepe vnder the shadow of his wings. Moses beeing employed in that businesse of Aegypt, O Lord (saith he) whom shall I say hath sent me?Exod. 3. Exod. 9. Ego sum qu [...] sum, I am that I am: And anon after, Ego sum Deus Abraham, & Deus Isaac, & Deus Iacob, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob; Tel [Page 188] Pharaoh, that I am that I am; He that cannot, not be; That I am he that haue pro­spered & protected Abraham, Isaac, & Iacob. Which was not only a making of himselfe known what he was, but were likewise pledges to his people, that they should lay their confidence, libertie, liues, & their persons vpon him: I am that I am by my essence; I am he that alwayes was, and euer shall be; it is I that haue power ouer euerie thing, and beg nothing of any man. The Princes of the earth, because they are to day, tomorrow, and are no more, they cannot giue vs any as­surance of our hopes; and because they haue no pledges of their own, but what they borrow from others, their fauours cannot be secured vnto vs: For (as Saint Augustine saith) Remota jactantia, quid sunt homines, nisi homines? When Princes will shew themselues in their pompe and state, they borrow here, and they bor­row there; they are no bodie, vnlesse they bee accompanied with the great Lords of the Kingdome, vnlesse they be attended on by a Gard of Halberdiers, vnlesse they be rich and gloriously apparelled, and brauely mounted. In a word, these are externall transfigurations, and of such things as are more others than our owne; but that of our Sauiour Christ was of his owne proper goods, with­out beeing beholding to any.

Et resplenduit facies eius sicut Sol.

A twofold Light, the one temperal, the other spi­rituall. And his face did shine like the Sunne. In the beginning of the world God did handsell his Word with the Light; for before, darkenesse had ouerspread the face of this confused Chaos, Tenebrae erant super faciem, &c. And as hee that di­ueth into the bottome of the sea for Pearle, as he goes spurtling the oyle out of his mouth, goes, as it were, thereby ingendering light; so God by venting this word out of his mouth, fiat Lux, created the Light, discouering thereby the es­sence and nature of things. Some haue not stickt to say, that the Light gaue the red colour to the Rubie, the Greene to the Emerald, and the Skie colour to the Iacinth, &c. And though this be not so, yet so it is, that without this Light these colours could not haue beene distinguished, nor could we haue enioyed that hu­mane beautie and beautifull splendor which now we doe. In the Spheare of the Spirit God made another Light, which was Christ our Sauiour, [Ego sum Lux mundi] this Light doth as farre exceed the former, as the Spirit doth the Body. Dauid makes mention of these two Lights, in that Psalme of his, Coeli enarrant, &c. The Heauens declare thy, &c. Of that of the Sunne he saith, Tanquam Sponsus procedens de thalamo suo, This is the Bridegroome of Nature, and comes forth of his Chamber cloathed all in Gold; Bur that Spirituall Light is more fayre, and more beautifull by farre: Lex Domini immaculata, id est, immaculatior, &c. The Law of the Lord is pure, that is, purer, &c. The beames of the Sunne neuer yet had the power to pierce so far as to inlighten the Soule; but those of the Sun of Righteousnesse doth both inlighten it & conuert it. He that tooke the day from the night, and the light from darkenesse, made light to breake forth from out the darkenesse of our hearts, to the end that Gods fauourable countenance shining vpon vs through his Sonne, we may come to the fuller knowledge of him.

For this Light did ont only eclipse and darken that of the Sun, as that of many Torches doth a poore sorrie Candle; nor onely inrich the aire with the beames of his brightnesse, nor onely made a Heauen of this Mountaine, by gilding the stemmes, the barke, the boughes, and leaues of the trees, as also the stones there­of, with it's glorious rayes; but it did likewise illumine the soules of the Disci­ples, who from that verie instant, by the euidence of such diuine demonstrations, remained conuinced, and euer after acknowledged him to be both God & Man: [Page 189] For albeit God cannot be seene by the eyes of the Flesh, yet such signes and tokens may be seen of God, that we may verie wel say, that God himself is seen.

Physiognomie is a Science, which by the signes and markes of the face, doth prognosticate the inclination and propension of the Soule. One that was skilled in that Art, looking steadily on the face of Socrates, told his Schollers, That hee had the markes of a man that was ill giuen. Whereunto he answered, That hee said true in regard of the Starres; but withall, that Sapiens dominabitur Astris. Looke vpon Christ our Sauiour, and you shall see first of all, that he hath a great inclination to our good, and that hee made especiall manifestation thereof in Mount Tabor; for as the angrie looke of a King is the Messenger of Death, so the cheerefulnesse of his countenance declareth clemencie and life. The roa­ring of a Lyon makes the Beasts of the Forrest affraid;Prou. 16. Prou. 19. and the indignation of a King maketh his Vassalls to quake and tremble: but his fauour is like the dew vpon the grasse. Saint Ambrose saith, That our Sauiour Christs appearing here like Sunne and Snow, were true pledges of the great desire that he hath of our good: for there is not any thing that doth make the earth so fruitfull, as the Sun with his heat, and the Snow with it's moysture.

Saint Hierome in that Epistle of his to Palmachius, against the errors of Iohan­nes Hierosolimitanus, saith, That not onely his face did shine, but all his whole bo­die. Saint Austen, Quod caro illuminata, per vestimenta radiabat: For it was not fit (as Lyra hath it) that his garment should shine, and not his hands.

His face shined like the Sunne. Who would haue thought,The richest minds are v­sually where the poorest meanes. that behind so poore a vaile there should bee found such great treasure? But it passeth so likewise in this world, that he that seemeth most poore, is oftentimes most rich; and he that seemeth most rich, is most poore. The greatnesse of Rome Saint Iohn painteth forth in the forme of a woman clothed in Purple, bedecked with pretious stones, and in her hand a sprig of Gold; but that which did not appeare to the eyes, was all abhomination, filthinesse, and beastlinesse. The Altars of Aegypt were euery one of them a Treasure-house of Pearles, pretious Stones, Gold, Iewells, and Silkes; but in euerie one of these their Altars they had a Toad or a Serpent. The Mezquita or Turkish Temple that honoureth the bones or Reliques of Maho­met, is stored with that infinite riches, that you would take him to be some great God, whereas indeed he is but vn çancarron de vn puerco, but the withered leg of a Hog, a base borne fellow, and of no worth in the world. The Idols of the Gen­tiles, though neuer so much gilded ouer with Gold, are no better than stockes and stones. One said in the Apocalyps, I am rich, and stand in need of nothing: But it was answered him from Heauen, Thou art poore, and much to be pittied. These are ordinarily the stampes of your powerfull persons and great Princes of this world, that seeming to be as bright as the Sunne in their bodies, are as blacke as a cole in their soules. But those that are the Saints of God, carrying a besmee­red countenance, and a patcht garment, beare in their soules the Sunne, Sicut Ta­bernacula Cedar, sicut pellis Salomonis, Rich within, though poore without.

Et ecce, aparuerunt Moses & Elias.

And behold, Moses and Elias appeared. On Moses his part there is a strong rea­son. Amongst the Assei, it was a receiued opinion, (which those now follow, whom wee call Atheists) That the Soules did die together with the bodies: And it seemeth that Cicero did fauour the same, when he said in his Amicitia, Si­cut in morte nihil est boni, sic certè nihil est mali, As there is no good, so there is no hurt in death. That couetous rich man in the Gospell was surely of this opinion in [Page 190] his life time; but being put out of this his errour, in that other life, he present­ly desired Abraham to send one in all hast from the dead, to preach vnto his kin­dred, that they might forsake this their errour: but hee receiued this short an­swer, Habent Moysen & Prophetas, They haue Moses and the Prophets. Where there is Scripture, there is no need of miracles: And Saint Peter saith, That Prophe­cie hath more assurance in it than the euidence of miracles. This is a truth hard to be vnderstood.

First, Because a miracle (as Saint Hierome saith) is, as it were, the Apostoli­call Seale; and the Apostles did confirme their Faith by miracles: and those mi­racles that were prophecied of our Sauiour Christ heretofore, did declare him to be the Sonne of God. Saint Augustine treating at large vpon this place, saith, That Prophecies and Miracles haue one and the selfe same certitude, because they proceed from one and the selfe same God: but that Prophecie is the stron­ger and more forcible of the two; for a Miracle may bee found fault withall, as the Pharisees did with that Miracle of him that was possessed with a Deuil, tel­ling our Sauiour, In Belzebub the Prince of Deuills thou doost cast out Deuills. And that same Pythonisse, made the Deuill to appeare in the forme of Samuel: But Abraham tells Diues, They haue Moses and the Prophets. And no man can taxe the Scripture, or challenge it of any fault.

Saint Chrysostome askes the question, Why he did not fetch some of the Dam­ned out of Hell?

First of all, he answereth thereunto, That we haue many pictures of Hel in this life; but of Heauen, very few: For although that the World be, as it were, the Entresuelo, or middle roome of these two extreames, Heauen, and Hell; yet more are the fumes & vapours that ascend vp from beneath, than those gustos, & con­tents which descend from aboue. There were a sort of Heretickes that denied there was a Hell; it seeming vnto them, that the life of a Sinner was a Hell of it selfe, and that it stood not with Gods mercie, that there should be two Hels; al­ledging that of Nahum, Godiudgeth not one and the same thing twice.

Secondly, God to many of his friends discouered the torments of Hell, and many of his enemies haue beene visibly snatcht away thither. And those Aet­na's of fire which are in the world, though happely engendred by particular cau­ses, are, as it were, symboles, representing vnto vs that eternall fire.

God labors to conceale, both his re­wards and pu­nishments.Thirdly, It is an vsuall fashion with God, to discouer the reward, and to con­ceale the chastisement, for that man would bee ashamed that others should see him punished. God did shut the port of Noahs Arke without, and hung the key at his owne girdle, because hee should not haue any desire to see that lamentable deluge, and generall destruction of mankind. He charged Lots wife, that shee should not so much as looke towards Sodome, that she might not behold those flames which did voice out Gods vengeance. At the end of the world, at that dreadfull day of judgement, when God shall shew himselfe most angrie, the Sun and the Moone shall be darkened, because God will haue his chastisements infli­cted in the darke.

Hope more Preuailent with man than Feare.Fourthly, Hope doth worke more generous effects in our brests, than Feare. It cannot be denied, but that Feare hath verie powerfull effects: Herod for feare of loosing his Kingdome, made that butcherly slaughter of so many innocent Babes, not sparing his owne children. For feare of loosing his Citie, the King of Moab was his owne sonnes hangman, quitting him of his life vpon the wall. For feare of dying by the cruell hands of hunger, many mothers haue eaten the birth of their owne bowells. For feare least they should be made captiues, and [Page 191] led in triumph by their enemies, many valiant men haue made an end of them­selues. And for that Feare doth not onely extend it selfe to an absent good, as well as Hope, but likewise to a present; and for that to loose the present good which a man possesseth, causeth a greater sorrow, than to loose the good which we doe but hope for; it seemeth, that Feare is more powerfull than Hope.

Yet notwithstanding all this, Antiquitie hath giuen the Palme to Hope; and the reasons on that side are verie cleere.

The first, If Feare come to effect great things, it is by the helpe and fauor of Hope; for there cannot be any feare, without hope of escaping the ill or the dan­ger that is feared. Him whom the feare of some great hurt apprehendeth, ma­keth choice to kill himselfe, that he may escape that harme.

The second, Thomas and Aristotle both affirme, That Delight is the authour of noble deeds and difficult enterprises. Whence the Phylosopher inferreth, That that thing cannot long continue, which wee doe not take delight in. Delight then being the child of Hope; and Sorrow, the sonne of Feare, Feare is lesse noble than Hope.

The third, Loue and Hope carrie vs along as Prisoners, in their triumph, yet as free, vsing vs like noble persons. And as they lead vs along, so are we willing to goe with them: But Feare carrieth vs away Captiues, haling vs by the haire of the head, tugging and pulling vs as a Sergeant doth a poore Rogue, who goes with an ill will along with him, making all the resistance that he can. And for that Heauen consists wholly of noble persons, and that the condition of God is so noble, and the reward which he proposeth, so honourable, we should do him great wrong, to suffer our selues to be drawne by force to so superexcellent a good; howbeit, with those that haue hung backe, our Sauiour Christ hath vsed the threatnings and feares of Death, of Iudgement, and of Hell: And his Pro­phets & Preachers are therin to follow his example. Those that are his children he still desireth to lead them in the triumph of Hope: And for this cause Zacha­rie cals them the prisoners of Hope, Turne yee to the strong Hold, ye prisoners of Hope.

Saint Ambrose saith, That hee made choice of Elias and Moses, to shew,Zach. 9. That in Gods House the Poore is as much respected as the Rich. Moses in his yonger yeares was a Prince of Aegypt; afterwards, the chiefe Commander and Leader of Gods People: Elias was alwayes poore, and halfe hunger-starued, cloathed with Goats haire; yet both these did enioy the glorie of Tabor. The like judgement may be made of Elizeus and Dauid, of Lazarus, and of Abraham, and of diuers others.

Saint Luke addeth, Visi sunt in Maiestate, They were seene in State: For great was the Maiestie wherewith Elias and Moses appeared. And Tertullian saith, That they appeared glorious [In claritatis praerogati [...]a;] So that those new Disciples, Peter, Iames, and Iohn, might, by seeing these his antient followers so happie, bee thereby the better encouraged, and hope to enioy the like happinesse. Origen and Epiphanius are of the same opinion.

Saint Hierome, against Iouinianus; and Tertullian, in his booke De Iejunio, say, That Elias and Moses did fast fortie dayes, as well as our Sauiour Christ in the Wildernesse; and that therefore they seemed as glorious as himselfe. Whence they inferre, That hee that will bee transfigured with Christ, must fast with Christ.

Loquebantur de excessu. They spake of his departure.

Touching that death which our Sauiour Christ was to suffer in Hierusalem, [Page 192] there could not bee any conuersation more conformable to that estate and con­dition of his. For, beeing that our Sauiour was to merit the glorie of the body by his death, he could not so much reioyce in any thing, as in the brauenesse of that noble and renowned Action, and the worthinesse thereof. In Gods house, good seruices are much more esteemed, than recompence or reward: And more reckoning is made of deseruing honour, than inioying it. When those his Disciples desired such and such seates of honour, our Sauiour sayd vnto them; Potestis bibere calicem, &c. In my Kingdome, more honourable is the Cuppe that I drinke of, than the chaire that ye would sit in. In our Sauiours Ascension, when hee came to Heauen-gates, the Angells beganne to wonder at his bloudie gar­ments.Esay 63. Quis est iste, qui venit de Edom, tinctis vestibus de Bosra? In a place so free from sorrow and torment, such a deale of bloud, and woundes? But that which made their admiration the more, was, that hee should make this his Gala, the on­ly gallant clothes, that he could put on. Formosus, in stola sua. And for that this his bloud, had beene the meanes of his taking possession of this glorie, both for himselfe, and for vs; he could not cloth himselfe richer, nor doe himselfe more honour, than to weare this bloudy roabe, that had beene dyed in the winepresse of his Passion. Saint Austen sayth, That the Prouidence of God had so dispo­sed it, that the markes of the Martyres torments should not bee blotted out in Heauen. For albeit that happy estate doth repaire all manner of maimes, take away all deformities, and cleare all the spots, and blemishes of our body; and though they shall appeare much more glorious than the Sun; yet notwithstan­ding, those stigmata, and markes of their martyrdome, shall adde an accidentall glorie vnto them, as those colours that are gained in warre, beautifies his Coat who weares them in his scutchion.

The Greekes read, Loquebantur de gloria, quam completurus erat, They spake of the glorie which hee was to fulfill. Our Sauiour Christ being vpon the Crosse, the Sunne was darkened (Tenebrae factae sunt super vniuersam terram) in token, that when Iesus Christ was crucified for our sinnes, there was no need of seeing the Sunne any more, nor any more Heauen, or glorie to be desired. In mount Tabor, Christ did not discouer all his glorie to the eyes of Faith, and therefore it was necessarie, that the Heauens should be opened, that a cloud should come downe, and a voice be heard from his Father, saying, Hic est filius meus dilectus, This is my beloued sonne. Saint Chrysostome expounding that place of Saint Iohn, sayth, Vidi­mus gloriam eius, quasi vnigeniti à patre. Signifying, That this is to bee vnder­stood of that glorie, which our Sauiour Christ discouered on the Crosse; & that there hee shewed, whose sonne he was &c. Saint Paul seemeth somewhat to al­lude thereunto, when hee sayd, God forbid (sayth hee) that I should be so foo­lish as to glorie in any thing, saue the glorie of the Crosse. And the Spouse, His Crosse, and his Ensignes, are to me as a bundle of Myrrh, I will beare it betweene my brests, as my delight, and my treasure.

Christ glorri­ous in his pas­sion three mā ­ner of waies.Three manner of wayes may it bee taken, that this Excesse of our Sauiour Christ, is Glorie.

The first, That his passion, and death, and the rest of those Excesses, which he did for our saluation, (for all these may bee termed Excesses) Christ did take them to be a glorie vnto him. Adam sinning, hee seemed to make little account of God, and his creatures, which in him was a great Excesse. But God did re­medie this Excesse with other infinite Excesses. Saint Bernard obserueth, That our Sauiour Christ would not enioy the Balme which the three Maries brought to annoint him after he was dead, but did reserue it for his liuing bodie: For in [Page 193] Christ, wee are to consider two bodies: the one Naturall; the other Mystical▪ which is the Church: And as hee left the first nayled and fastned to the Crosse for the second; so he left this Balsamum, for the annointing and curing of it: Which was a great Excesse. Dauid called him a Worme, a Scoffe, a Taunt, and the Reproch of the People; for that whilest he liued in the world, he tooke vp­on him all the affronts and contempts that man could cast vpon him. And be­cause there is not any loue comparable to that of our Sauiour Christ, nor all the loues in the world put together, can make vp such a perfect loue; as also for that there was not any affront like vnto his, nor all the affronts of the world could equall the affronts that were offered vnto him; that on the one side hee should loue so much; on the other, suffer so much, this was a great Excesse. Nazian­zen seeing vs swallowed vp in this sea of miseries, vseth a kind of Alchimie, by ioyning his greatnesse with our littlenesse; his powerfulnesse, with our weake­nesse; his fairenesse, with our foulenesse; his beautie, with our deformitie; his riches, with our pouertie; the gold of his Diuinitie, with the durt of our Flesh: And as the greater drawes the lesser after it; so our basenesse did ascend to an heigth of honour. And this was a great Excesse; but farre greater, to esteeme this Excesse as a Glorie: whence the Saints of God haue learned to stile Tribu­lation, and the Crosse, Glorie.

Secondly, This Excesse may be termed Glorie, because it was the most glo­rious action that God euer did: For what could be greater, than to see Death subdued, Life restored, the Empire of sinne ouerthrowne, the Prince thereof dispossessed of his Throne, Iustice satisfied, the World redeemed, and Darknes made Light?

Thirdly, It may be said to be Glorie, because that by this his death a thousand Glories are to follow thereupon: Propter qoud & Deus exaltauit illum, &c. Phil. 2. Christ [...] passi­on the foun­taine of our Glorie. Where­fore God hath highly exalted him, and giuen him a name aboue euerie name; that at the name of Iesus should euerie knee bow, both of things in heauen, and things in earth, and things vnder the earth: And this was the reward of his obedience and of his death. And the reason thereof was, that the World seeing it selfe captiuated by so singular a benefit, men should make little reckoning either of their goods or their liues, for this his exceeding loue towards them, but desire in all that they can, to shew themselues thankefull. And therefore Esay cries out, O, Esay 64. that thou wouldest breake the Heauens and come downe, and that the Mountaines might melt at thy presence, &c. What a great change and alteration wouldest thou see in the world? thou wouldst see Mountaines (that is, hearts that are puffed vp with pride) humbled and laid leuell with the ground: Thou wouldst see Waters, that is, brests that are cold and frozen, boyle with the fire of Zeale, and wholly em­ploy themselues in thy seruice. And in his sixtieth Chapter,Esay 60. treating of the pro­fits and benefits which we shall receiue by Christs comming, he saith, For brasse will I bring gold, and for yron will I bring siluer, and for wood, brasse, and for stones, yron; I will also make thy gouernment, peace, and thine exactours, righteousnesse; Violence shall no more be heard of in thy Land, neither desolation nor destruction within thy Borders; but thou shalt call Saluation, thy Walls; and praise, thy Gates. The Lord shal bee thine euerlasting Light, and thy God, thy Glorie.

Bonum est nos hic esse, &c.

It is better being here, than in Ierusalem; let vs therefore make here three Tabernacles, &c. Saint Gregorie calls Honour, Tempestatem intellectus, (i.) The vnderstandings Storme, or Tempest, in regard of the danger it driues man into, and the easinesse [Page 194] wherewith in that course he runnes on to his destruction.Gen. 2 [...]. Si dederit mihi Dominus panem ad vescendum, &c. It was Iacobs speech vnto God, after that he had done that great fauour of shewing a Ladder vpon earth, whose top reached vp to Hea­uen; you know the Storie: but the vow that hee vowed vnto God was this, If God will be with me, and will keepe me in this journey that I goe, and will giue me bread to eat, and cloathes to put on, then shall the Lord be my God, and I shall neuer forget this his kindnesse towards me. More loue (a man would haue thought) he might haue shewn towards God, if he had promised to serue, though he had giuen him neither bread to eat, nor cloathes to put on. But Saint Chryso­stome saith, That he seeing in this vision of his, the prosperitie that God was wil­ling to throw vpon him, did acknowledge the thankefull remembrance of this his promised & hoped for happines: For Prosperitie is euermore the comparison of Obliuion. Saint Bernard expounding that place of Dauid, Man being in ho­nour, Psal. 49. hath no vnderstanding, saith, That the prosperitie wherein God placed man, robbed him of his vnderstanding, and made him like vnto the Beasts, that perish. And here now doth Saint Peter loose his memorie. Nor is this a thing so much to be wondred at; for if there be such riches here vpon earth, that they robbe a man of his vnderstanding, and alienate him from himselfe; if the sonne that is borne of a mother who hath suffered great paines in the bringing of him forth, Iam non meminit praessurae, hath forgotten his mothers throwes, and thinkes not on the wombe that bore him; if the great loue of this world, and the prosperi­tie thereof, can make vs so farre to forget our selues; it is no strange thing, that we should be farre more transported and carried away with heauenly things. Da­uid following the pursuit of his pleasures, amidst all the delights of this life, he cries out, Onely thy glorie can fill me, that only can satisfie me. Remigius vnfolds this verse, of the glorie of the Transfiguration; and it may be that this Kingly Pro­phet did see it by the light of Prophecie. And if so fortunate a King as he was, did forget all those other goods that he enioyed, and saith, That hee desires no other good, nor no other fulnesse; What meruaile is it, that a poore Fisherman should bee forgetfull of good or ill? And as hee that is full fed likes nothing but what is the cause of this his fulnesse, reckoning all other meats soure, though they be neuer so sweet; so he that shall once come to tast of that good, will say, No ma [...] bien, Rom. 8. I desire no other good but this. What sayth Saint Paul, Sed & no [...], &c. But we also which haue the first fruits of the Spirit, euen wee doe sigh in our selues, waiting for the adoption, euen the redemption of our bodie, &c. Though Paul enioyed the first fruits of the Spirit, and extraordinarie regalos and fauours; yet hee groa­ned and trauelled in paine for Heauen. What, saith Saint Chrysostome, Is thy soule become a Heauen, and doost thou yet groane for Heauen? Do not thou meruaile that I groan,2. Cor. 12. hauing seene that in Heauen which I haue seen; Quoniā raptus fui [...] Paradisum: I see the good which the world wanteth; and the ill which the Pro­digall endured; he did groane and sigh in the Pigge-stie, when he called to mind his fathers goodly houses. Saint Hierome treating of the raptures of his Spirit, saith, That he found himselfe many times among Quires of Angells; hee saith, That he liued a whole weeke without any sence of bodily necessitie: nor was it much, he enioying the conuersation of Angells, and the fellowship of God, Diuinae visionis intuitu: but when I came againe to my selfe, I did bewaile the good that I had lost. But that Peter may not groane with Saint Paul, nor weepe with Saint Hierome; knowing how the world went here beneath, said, Let vs not leaue that place which we may haue cause to weepe for, when we are once gone from it: For, what good is there vpon earth, be it neuer so good, which hath not [Page 195] some ill with it's good? Obtaine (if thou canst) of God, that hee will but once giue thee leaue to tast of the goods of Heauen, and thou wilt soone forget what­soeuer is on earth. The reason why these fraile & transitorie goods are so much desired, and sought after with so great thirst and couetousnesse, is, because those eternall goods which call continually vnto vs, stand in so farre a distance from our hearts and our thoughts: for if thou shouldst but taste one drop of the water of that coelestiall Fountain, or but one crumme of that diuine Table, thou wouldst say with a full and resolute purpose, No mas mundo, Let the world goe, I will no more of it. The Hound when he neither sees nor sents his Game, goes slow and soft, diuerting himselfe here and there, as if hee had no life in him; but he no sooner spies the Hare, but he flies with the wind. Robbed of the con­tent of Heauen, I said, All, whatsoeuer is in the earth is a Lye.Psal. 106. Peter was rob'd of himselfe, and therefore he desired to stay still there. The first that tasted Wine, though he were so graue a man as Noah, it made him commit a great ex­cesse, insomuch that it gaue occasion to his owne sonne to mocke him. And how should not the first that tasted of the glorie which our Sauiour Christ had mani­fested in Tabor, (though so graue a one as Peter) be so drunken therewith, that he should vtter so great an excesse? But whatsoeuer was taken from himselfe, hee did adde it all (whatsoeuer it were, more or lesse) to the glorie of Christ.

Non enim sciebat, quid diceret.

For he knew not what he said. Erras Petre, (saith Saint Hierome) Peter, Saint Pe [...]ers error in his ad­miration of Mount Tabor thou art in a mightie errour: First, In iudging that for a happinesse that was so short and transitorie; there being no felicitie but in things that are permanent. Immagine all possible happinesse, measure it with the duration of Ages, and with that time which in the end must end; and when it is ended, thou wilt hold it an vnhappi­nesse and infelicitie. Peter, thou desirest to inioy glorie here in this world, which is to end toomorrow: And for that the glorie which thou desirest, is not to last so long as the world, nay scarce an houre in this world, thou art in a mightie errour, Peter. Saint Luke saith, That to the hungry bellie the remembrance of his forepassed fulnesse shal be a torment vnto him; and to the sorrowful, his former laughters and contentments shal but the more augment his griefe, &c.

Secondly; Peter did erre, in preferring a particular, before a publicke good;Publicke Good, euer to be preferred before the priuate. especially, beeing a Prelat and Pastor of the Church. The hand and the foot, renouncing their proper right, offer themselues to incounter with any danger, for to defend the head, and saue the life. Amongst the Elements, the Water, the Earth, and the Ayre, forsake their Center for to assist common necessitie. A good Citisen must bee wanting to his owne house and person, for to further the com­mon good. Saint Austen sayth, That Prelates must make profession of a double obligation: One, of Sheapheards, for their sheepe; another, of Christians, for themselues. For the first, they must haue recourse to the necessitie of their sub­iects, with a great deale of care and vigilancie. For the second, they are to ex­ercise themselues in all kind of vertue, and holinesse. But many of them, pra­ctise the contrary. They are Christians for others, willing them to exercise themselues in vertue and holynesse; and Pastors for themselues, caring too much for their owne pleasures, and profit. The King of Sodome sayd vnto Abraham, Giue mee the persons, take the goods to thy selfe. Hee regarded more the freedome and libertie of his subiects, than the ransoming of his treasures. And howbeit hee was a bad man, yet hee shewed himselfe a good sheapheard. Dauid cried out vnto God, Lord keepe my soule, and deliuer Israel out of all his trou­bles. [Page 196] Hee ioyned his owne, and the common cau [...]e together, that God might be the better pleased therewith, and the sooner graunt his request.

Thirdly, Peter erred in his too too cold commendation of this Glorie, for the which a greater praise had beene insufficient.To commend coldly that which is excellent, shewes a weake iudg­ment. Thou desirest a Painter to show thee a picture; He takes out one; thou desirest a better, hee takes out ano­ther, that contents thee not: At last he shewes thee the best that he hath; Thou coldly commendst it, and sayst, it is a pretie good peece, so, so: He growes wea­rie of thee, and takes it away from thee. God made in the world diuers pictures, euery one of them beeing good apart; and all of them put together, exceeding good. Thou sayst, ô Lord, these doe not satisfie my desire; I would see the best peece that euer past through thy hands. He carryes thee vp to mount Tabor, hee there showes thee his master-peece, his Glorie? Peter giues it onely this cold commendation, Master it is good. Peter thou errest, sayth the Euangelist; For hee knew not what hee sayd.

Fourthly, Peter did erre, in debasing so much that glorie, which had no need at all of any Tabernacles, or houses to defend them from the Sunne, &c. For, as he did not thinke then vpon eating, so he might haue had as little mind of slee­ping. Saint Ambrose defines Happinesse, to bee, Omnia bona, in omni bono. Hee need not desire a Sunne to giue him light, because he inioyeth another Sunne, that neuer setteth; and another Moone, which neuer is in it's wane, or increase. Thou shalt haue no more Sunne, to shine by day (saith Esay) neither shall the lightnesse of the Moone shine vnto thee. Esay 60. Thy Sunne shall neuer goe downe, neither shall thy Moone be hid. For the Lord shall bee thine euerlasting light, and the dayes of thy sorrow shall be ended. But here, our felicitie, is in the wane, and our happi­nesse suffers an eclipse. Neither is our light cleare, saith Saint Bernard, nor our ref [...] ­ction full, nor our mansion safe: Cloudes, obscure it's light; hunger, marres it's fulnesse; and alterations, it's firmenesse, and security. Gregorie Nissen sayth, That, Necessitie brought in Rule and Dominion. For that there should bee a Lord and Ruler, there is a necessitie in it; And that there should be a greater Lord, there is a greater necessitie in it. For Man, had neede of the creatures, and God made him Lord ouer them. If a man could runne as fast as a horse, hee were not Lord ouer the horse; if he had the clawes, and strength of a lyon, hee were not Lord ouer the lyon; But in Heauen, there is not any the least signe of necessitie: for there both the Sunne, the Moone, the Creatures, Fountaines, Plants, Fruits, Flowers, and Houses are all superfluous. So that Peter when hee talkt of buil­ding Tabernacles, he knew not what he sayd.

Adhuc eo loquente, eccè nubes lucida.

Blind Clouds were for the Law, bright for the Gospel. And as he yet spake, behold a bright Cloud. Scarce had Peter ended his speech, when a bright shining cloud, like a glorious Curtaine, ouerspred them all. Tho­mas sayth, That in this cloud the holy Ghost descended downe, as hee did in that Baptisme, in the forme of a Doue. Theophilact, That in the old Testament God appeared in darke clouds, which strooke terrour, and amasement; but now he comes in a bright cloud, because he came to teach, and to giue light. The ho­ly Ghost, is the Author of the light of our soules. Wisedome cals him, Spiri­tum intelligentiae, The spirit of vnderstanding; And the Church dayly begges of him, that hee will lighten our darkenesse, and illuminate our sences. Accend [...] lumen sensibus.

From the cloud, there went out a voice, like vnto thunder, which sayd, This is my beloued Sonne, heare him. And Saint Chrysostome hath noted it, That Moses, [Page 197] and Elias disappeared, and were not to bee seene; to the end that the Disciples might vnderstand, that this voice was onely directed to our Sauiour Christ. Howbeit, hauing seene beefore in his face that treasure of glorie, and Peter ha­uing acknowledged him to bee the Sonne of the euerliuing God, in the name of the whole Colledge and Societie of the Apostles; it could not bee presumed otherwise.

The voice beeing past, the cloud vanished, and the Disciples remained as dead men. Our Sauiour Christ quit them of their feare, and comming againe to themselues, like those that are awakened from a heauie sleepe, they saw none but onely Iesus in the garden. They were falne all asleepe, and they slept so soundly, that our Sauiour Christ could hardly wake them. Heere likewise they failed; for they awaked with an earnest desire to enioy that glorie which they had seene, but they did not see it any more. First, because those eyes that shut themselues to labour, do not deserue to see such glorie; Secondly, because vpon earth, (though it be from Heauen) no good can continue long. Thomas saith, That the body of our Sauiour Christ did inioy this glorie, as it were by transiti­on, or a passing by; And that those glories, which are enioyed here on earth, are short & momentarie, they are no better than grasse and hay, which are soone cut down & withered, they are Winter Sun-shinesand Summer-Floods, soone gone. Mans dayes are like the grasse, and as the flowre of the field, so shall hee flourish. But that the glorie of God should stand vpon these ticklish tearmes, I cannot wel tell what to say to it; nor doe I know which is the greater miracle of the two, either that the glorie of the Earth should continue, or that of Heauen haue an end. But the truth is, those goods do not last long with vs, which Heauen it selfe commu­nicateth vnto vs. Saint Bernard sayth, That those pensions which God bestows on his friends, are verie good, but verie short. Saint Austen; That it is a sweete, but a short good, that God giues vs in this World. Hugo de Sancto Victore, That Gods Regalos, or Regales delitiae, haue two discountings, or diminutions of debt in this life: The one, that they are not full; the other, that they are not long, for a cloud presently comes and ouershadowes them. Saint Bernard treating of the cherishments and comforts of the Spouse, vnder the name of kisses, saith, Heu rara hora, & parua mora; One while he saith, that he suffered his thoughts to be carried away with the sweetnes of these daintie delights, conceiuing it to bee a great happinesse; but then hee sayth againe, O, si durasset. Those that trauell abroad, reserue all their content they take therin, for their Countrie; so that their ioy shal not only be ful, but permanent, They shal be drunke with the plentifulnes, &c. Of Nebridius, a friend of his, Saint Augustine saith (And he applieth his mouth to that Fountaine from whence he drew all his happinesse;) Pro jucunditate sua sine fine, foelix; Happie, for the pleasure of it without end.

Ipsum audite, Heare him.

Here the World did receiue so great a good,Christ ap­pointed to be our Teacher but when. that the Father did giue vs his Sonne, to be our Master and Law-giuer. So that it lyes vpon him to teach vs, and vpon vs to obey him. Tertullian sayth, That the presence of Moses and Elias, made much for that present purpose, but more now their absence; for that it gaue vs thereby to vnderstand, That this supreame Master and Lawgiuer did far out­strip the office of Moses, and the zeale which Elias had of the Law [Quasi jam off [...]cio, & honore perfunctis.] For in this best beloued sonne of God, Iesus Christ, two things are to be seene; the one, as he was a Lawgiuer, the aduantage that he had of the Law; the other, That Moses was now put to silence, and that we were [Page 198] onely to hearken to our Sauiour Christ.

At his Baptisme that verie selfe same voice was heard, This is my beloued sonne; but we find not there an Ipsum audite, Heare him. Not notifying him then to the World for a Master; so that it seemeth that this was reserued for our Sauiour Christ, against he had past ouer the rigour of Fasting and Pennance: signifying, That God placeth not him in the office of a Preacher, who hath not run through these strict courses.Psal 91. Bene patientes erunt, vt annuntient, Christ had no need to doe pennance, but thou hast great need to doe so, Locus est communis.

Descendentibus illis, &c. And when they came down from the Mount, he charged them to say nothing to any man. He inioyned them silence: First, (saith Saint Hierome) Ne incredibile videretur, lest the greatnesse and strangenesse thereof should make men to thinke it to be an old wiues tale. And if Christ said to Nicodemus, If when I tell yee earthly things yee beleeue not, how will yee be brought to beleeue those high and heauenly mysteries of the Kingdome of God? Here occasion may bee taken to taxe those, who comming from beyond the seas, are all in their Hyperboles, abusing others eares with their loud lyes, but giuing the lye most to their owne soules.

Secondly, He inioyned them silence, for that the fauours and regalos which thou shalt receiue from God in priuate, thou art not to bring them vpon the stage in publique, or to proclaime them (as we say) at the Crosse. Leaue this care to God, for he will bring them to light in their due time, when they shal make for thy honour, and his glorie. Elias was verie carefull, that no man should know of his departure; nay, he sought to hide it from Elisha, saying vnto him in Gilgall, Sede hic, &c. Tarrie here, I pray thee, for the Lord hath sent me to Bethel: But Elisha said, As the Lord liueth, and as thy soule liueth, I will not leaue thee. And hee was scarce come to Bethell,4. Kings 2. but the childeren of the Prophets that were at Bethell came out to Elisha, and said vnto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take thy master from thine head this day? Noui, silete, Yea, I know it, (said he) hold yee your peace. Elias afterwards departed for Ierico, intreating Elisha that hee would tarrie behind, promising him, that he would presently returne vnto him, but he could not per­suade Elisha vnto it. They were scarce come to Ierico, but the sonnes of the Pro­phets acquainted him with the like newes; to whom he answered as before, No­ui, silete. In the end, going for Iordan, Elisha still followed him, and fifty of the sonnes of the Prophets: so that the more Elias sought to conceale this businesse, the more God made it knowne, by reuealing it (as Tostatus hath obserued) to the sons of the Prophets. And Elias desiring that they should not see this his Cha­riot of fire, and his Triumph, one only God made many witnesses of his glorie.

Neminem viderunt, nisi solum Iesum.

Onely in Christ Iesus are our hopes secured. Men will accompany you whilest the glorie of your prosperitie lasteth; but that beeing ended, you shall find no man that will sticke vnto you; Woe vnto him that is alone, for if he fall, hee shall haue none to helpe him vp: Prosperitie findes alwaies Freinds, ad­uersity none. And this is truly verified of those who trust on the world, or haue any confidence in man. Weigh and consider with thy selfe, what a number of friends Ierusalem had in it's prosperitie, how readie to seru [...] her, and to court her loue; but when Ierusalem began to fall, and when she had most need of her friends, Ieremie complaineth, Shee had not so much as one friend to be her comforter. The God of all comfort vphold vs with his euerlasting loue, that we may not perish in this wrold, nor in the world to come.