Pharisaisme and Christianity compared and set forth in a sermon at Pauls Crosse, May 1. 1608. By I.H. Vpon Matth. 5.20. Hall, Joseph, 1574-1656. 1608 Approx. 153 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 109 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2007-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A02571 STC 12699 ESTC S116595 99851811 99851811 17103

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A02571) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 17103) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1104:4a) Pharisaisme and Christianity compared and set forth in a sermon at Pauls Crosse, May 1. 1608. By I.H. Vpon Matth. 5.20. Hall, Joseph, 1574-1656. [4], 63, [1] p. Printed by Melchisedech Bradwood for Samuel Macham, and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Bul-head, London : Anno 1608. I.H. = Joseph Hall. Bound and filmed with STC 12693.7 (formerly STC 12695). Reproduction of the original in the Library of Congress.

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PHARISAISME AND CHRISTIANITY: Compared and ſet forth in a Sermon at Pauls Croſſe, May 1. 1608. By I. H. Vpon MATTH. 5.20. Except your righteouſneſſe exceed the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſeis, you ſhall not enter into the kingdome of heauen.

LONDON, Printed by Melchiſedech Bradwood for Samuel Macham, and are to be ſold at his ſhop in Pauls Churchyard at the ſigne of the Bul-head. ANNO 1608.

TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER in God, and my very good Lord, THOMAS Lord Biſhop of LONDON, I. H. wiſheth all grace and happineſſe. RIGHT REVEREND and HONORABLE,

I Know there is ſtore of Sermons extant; The pulpit ſcarce affordeth more than the Preſſe. I adde to the number, and complaine not: In all good things abundance is an eaſie burden. If the ſoule may feed it ſelfe with varietie, both by the eare, and by the eie, it hath no reaſon to finde fault with choice. But if any weaker ſtomack (as in our bodily Tables) ſhall feare to ſurfet at the ſight of too much, it is eaſie for that man to looke off, and to confine his eies to ſome few: who cannot much ſooner abate to himſelfe, than multiplie to another? Let not his nice ſullenneſſe preiudice that delight and profit which may ariſe to others from this number. For mee, I dare not bee ſo enuious, as not to bleſſe God for this plentie, and ſeriouſly to reioice that Gods people may thus liberally feaſt themſelues by both their ſenſes: neither know I for whether more; The ſound of the word ſpoken pierceth more, the letter written endureth longer; the eare is taught more ſuddenly, more ſtirringly: the eie with leaſure and continuance. According to my poore ability I haue deſired to doe good both waies, not ſo much fearing cenſures, as caring to edifie. This little labour ſubmiſſelie offers it ſelfe to your Lordſhip, as iuſtlie yours: being both Preached at your call, and (as it were) in your charge, and by one vnder the charge of your fatherly iuriſdiction, who vnfainedlie deſires by all meanes to ſhew his true heart to Gods Church, together with his humble thankefulneſſe to your Lordſhip; and profeſſeth ſtill to continue

Your Lordſhips in all humble duty and obſeruance IOS. HALL.
MATTH. chap. 5. verſ. 20.

Except your righteouſneſſe exceed the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſeis, yee ſhall not enter into the kingdome of Heauen.

THE curious Doctors

Petr. Galatin. de arcan. fidei Cath. ad finem.

Ex gloſ. Rab. Sh lom h.

of the Iews had reduced all Gods ſtatute-law to ſixe hundred and thirteene precepts; ſo many as there are daies in the yeere, and members in the body. It was an honeſt & (which were ſtrange) a Chriſtian conceit of one of their Rabbins, that Dauid abridges all theſe to eleuen in his Pſal. 15. Eſay to ſixe, in his 33.15. Micha yet lower to three, in his 6.8. Eſay yet againe to two, in his 56 1. Habacue to one, The iuſt man ſhal liue by faith. Lex eſt Euā gelium praedictum: Euangelium lex completa. So yee ſee, the Law ends in the Goſpell; and that Father ſaid not a miſſe, The Law is the Goſpell foretold and the Goſpell is the Law fulfilled. Theſe two are the free-hold of a Chriſtian; and what but they?

The Iewes of theſe times peruerted the Law, reiected the Goſpell. Our Sauior therfore that great Prophet of the World (as it was high time) cleares the Law, deliuers and ſettles the Goſpell: well approuing in both theſe, that hee came not to conſume, but to conſummate the Law.1. Cor. 16.9 Wherein (as Paul to his Corinths) he had a great dore, but many aduerſaries: Ioh. 3. Art thou a Maſter in Iſrael? amongſt theſe were the great maſters of Iſrael (ſo our Sauior termes the Phariſeis) and their fellowes, and yet their riuals, the Scribes: both ſo much harder to oppoſe, by how much their authority was greater.

Truth hath no roome till falſhood bee remooued; Our Sauior therefore (as behoued) firſt ſhewes the falſhood of their Gloſſes, and the hollowneſſe of their profeſſion; and if both their life and Doctrine be naught; what free part is there in them? And loe both of theſe ſo faulty, that Except your righteouſneſſe exceed the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſeis, yee ſhall not enter into the kingdome of Heauen.

What were the men? What was their righteouſnes? What wanted it? Follow mee, I beſeech you, in theſe three, and if my diſcourſe ſhall ſeeme for a while, more thornie and perplexed, remedie it with your attention.

Thoſe things which are out of the ken of ſenſe or memory, muſt bee fetch't from Story. The Sect (or order whether) of the Phariſeis ceaſſed with the Temple; ſince that, no man reads of a Phariſie; and now is growne ſo farre out of knowledge, that the moderne Iewes are more ready to learne of vs who they were: There is no point, wherein it is more difficult, to auoid variety, yea oſtentation of reading; without any curious trauerſing of opinions, I ſtudy for ſimple truth, as one that will not lead you out of the rode-way to ſhew you the turnings. Scribes were ancient;Eſr. 6.7. Eſra is called (Sopher mahir) a prompt Scribe. As long before him, ſoeuer ſince they continued till Chriſts time; but in two rankes; ſome were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : others 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : Some popular, others legall: Some the peoples, others, Gods: The one Secretaries, Recorders, Notaries, as 2. Chron. 24.11. (Sopher hamelec) the Kings Scribe: The other Doctours of the Law of God:Ier. 8.8. The Law of the Lord is with vs, in vaine made hee it, the pen of the Scribe is in vaine.

As the Phariſeis were ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ;) Law-maſters: ſo theſe are the ſame which Luc. 11.45. are called ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) interpreters of the Law. Tho to ſome not meane Critickes, it ſeems theſe ſhould be a third ſort; which conſider not, that our Sauiour on purpoſe addreſſing his ſpeech to the Phariſeis, fell by the way vpon the Scribes, and being admoniſhed by one of them, as of an ouer-ſight, now auerres right downe of the Scribes, what before he had but indifferently glanced at.Neh. 8.4. Matt. 23.2. Cleric: Iudaeorum: ſaith Ierome. What they were, is plaine by Ezraes pulpit; and Moſes his chaire. Theſe and Phariſeis differed not much; they agreed in ſome good, but in more euill. But the profeſſion of Phariſeis, becauſe it is more obſcure, you ſhall giue mee leaue to fetch ſomewhat further.

Euſeb. eccl. hiſt. l. 4 c. 22 Erāt in circūciſione diuerſae ſentē tiae qua maximè tribui Iudae aduerſabantur, &c.There were, ſaith old Egeſippus (as Euſebius cites him) diuers opinions in the Circumciſion; which all croſſed the tribe of Iuda: Eſſens, Galileans, Emerobaptiſts, Masbutheans, Samaritans, Phariſeis, Sadduces. It were eaſie to helpe him with more,Vid Ioſ. Scalig reſp. ad Serarium. Sebuaeans, Cannaeans, Sampſaeans; and if need were, yet more. Where are thoſe wauerers, that ſtagger in their truſt to the Church, becauſe of different opinions, receiuing that rotten argument of profane Celſus againſt the Chriſtians?Orig. lib. 5. aduerſ. Celſ. Chriſtian s non habere veram Religionem, quòd in varias ſectas diuiſi eſſent. Sayes the Papiſts, One ſaith I am Caluins, another, I am Luthers. We diſclaime, we defie theſe titles, theſe diuiſions: we are one in truth: would God we were yet more one: It is the lace and fringe of Chriſts garment, that is queſtioned amongſt vs, the cloth is ſound. But what? Was the Iewiſh Church before Chriſt, Gods true Church, or not? If it were not, which was it? If it were: lo that heere rent in more than eight parts,Domus Sā mai & Hillel. Ar. Mont. in Euang. and one of them differing from it ſelfe in eighteene opinions; and yet as Irenaeus well obſerues,Ante aduē tum Chriſti, non tot & tam blaſphemae hareſes Irem. lib. 5. before Chriſt, there were neither ſo many hereſies, nor ſo blaſphemous.

Shew me a Church on earth without theſe wrinkles of diuiſion, and I will neuer ſeeke for it in heauen: although to ſome Phariſaiſme ſeemes rather a ſeuerall order, than a ſect: but S. Luke that knew it better, hath ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) the Sect of the Phariſeis. Act. 15.5. When the profeſſion began, no hiſtory recordeth. Some would faine fetch them from Eſay 65.5. Touch mee not, for I am holier than thou. But theſe ſtraine too farre; for in the verſe before, the ſame men eat ſwines-fleſh; which to the Phariſeis is more then piacular. Heare briefly, their name, their originall, their office. Their name (tho it might admit of other probable deriuations,Jn eam conſentiunt omnes Hebraei, teſte Bahal Haruch, Pagnin. in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 yet) by conſent of all Hebrew Doctors (I haue a great Author for it) is fetch't from ſeparation; tho vpon what grounds, all agree not; doubtleſſe for the perfection of their doctrin, and auſteritie of life. Their originall is more intricate; which after ſome ſcanning, I haue thus learned of ſome great Maſters of Iewiſh Antiquities.Ar. Montanus. Ioſ. Seal. I. Druſ •• , &c. Before there was any open breach in the old Iewiſh Church; there were two generall, and diuers conceits about Gods ſeruice: One, that tooke vp only with the Law of God; and if they could keepe that, thought they needed no more; neither would they ſapere ſupra ſcriptum; be wiſer then their maker; Theſe were called (Karraim) of which ſort there are diuers at this day in Conſtantinople, and other where, at deadly feode with the other Iewes, which they now call Rabbinistes.

The other, that thought it ſmall thanks to doe only what they were bidden; Gods Law was too ſtrait for their holineſſe: It was nothing, vnleſſe they did more then content God, earne him (for theſe were Popiſh Iewes) and ſupererogate of him. Theſe were therefore called (Chaſidim) Holy: aboue the Law: they plied God with vnbidden oblations, gaue more then needed, did more then was commanded: Yet ſo, as both parts pleaſed themſelues, reſiſted not the other: The more franke ſort vpbraided not the other, with too much niggardlineſſe; neither did the ſtraiter-handed enuie the other for too much lauiſhneſſe. Would God we could doe thus; They agreed tho they differ'd: But now, when theſe voluntary ſeruices began to be drawne into Canons, (as Scaliger ſpeaketh) and that which was before but arbitrary, was impoſed as neceſſarie, (neceſſary for beleefe, neceſſary for action) queſtions aroſe, and the rent began in the Iews: Thoſe dogmaticall Doctors which ſtond for ſupererogation, and traditions aboue Law, were called (Peruſchim) Phariſeis; ſeparate from the other in ſtrict iudgement, in ſuperfluous holineſſe: Theſe as they were the broode of thoſe (Chaſidim) whom we finde firſt mentioned in the Machabees by the corrupt name of Aſideans; ſo from them againe,1. Mac. 2.47 in a ſecond ſucceſſion proceeded (as their more refined iſſue) the Eſſens, both Collegiate and Eremiticall: Theſe Phariſeis then, were a fraternitie or Colledge of extraordinarie deuotion; whoſe rule was Tradition, whoſe practiſe voluntarie auſtereneſſe: To them the Scribes ioyned themſelues, as the purer Iewes, Act. 26.5. Eruditius caeteris legem 〈◊〉 Pher. Ioſ •• . de bello Iud. c. 4. for Paul cals them [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] the moſt exquiſite ſect; yea, and (as Ioſephus) the beſt expoſitors; willingly expounding the Law according to their Traditions: and countenancing their Traditions by the forced ſenſes of the Law. Both which profeſſions were greatly inlarged and graced, by two famous Doctours Sammai and Hillel (whom ſome, though falſlie, would haue the founders of them) not long before Chriſts time; for old Hillel of 120. yeares, protracted his daies by likely computation, to ten yeares after Chriſts birth. How Hierome fetcheth their names with more wittineſſe, An old ſaying, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Deſcipuli Sammai occidebant deſcipulos Hillel. than probabilitie, from Diſsipating & Profaning the Law; and what bickerings and deadly quarrels were euen amongſt themſelues in thoſe two famous houſes; & what were the foure expoſitions of the Law which they followed,Epiphan. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 4. Jn nomen Moſi , Aciba, Anna, Filiorum Aſſamonai. I liſt not now to diſcourſe. Their imploiment was expounding the Law and vrging Traditions; therefore their auditors had wont to ſay, when they called one another to Church (as S.Hier Algaſiae de 11. quaeſtionib. Hierome tels vs) [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] The wiſe, that is, the Phariſeis, expound to day. Whence perhaps, that may bee interpreted of S.1. Cor. 1.20 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Paul to the Corinths, Where is the wiſe? where is the Scribe? So did the Scribes too;Scriba lectionarij quaſi Scripturarij vel Textuarij; Phariſaei 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Druſ. but the difference was, that the Scribes were more Textuall; the Phariſeis more Traditionall: therefore obſerue, that the Scribe findes fault with the ſuſpicion of blaſphemie;Matth. 9. the Phariſe with vnwaſhen hands: the Scribes (their Doctours) exceld for learning, the Phariſeis for piety. Their attire was the ſame,Eodem habitis cum Scribis muliebri paſſio, latis crepidis, & calceamentorum ligulis procedentes. Epiphan. and their faſhions, but the Phariſeis had [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] more ſway; and were more ſtrict & Cappucine-like; profeſſed more yeeres continencie; and in a word, tooke more pains to go to hell. Theſe did ſo carie away the hearts of the Iewes, that there was no holy man, which was not termed a Phariſe; and therefore among the ſeuen kinds of Phariſeis in their Talmud, they make Abraham a Phariſei of Loue;Meahauah. Iob a Phariſe of Feare. And if from the men you caſt your eies vpon their righteouſneſſe, you cannot but wonder at the curioſity of their zeale. Wherein looke (I beſeech you) firſt at their deuotion, then their holy carriage, laſtly their ſtrict obſeruation of the Law.

Such was their deuotion that they praied [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] as a Father ſaith: Oft and long,Epiph. thrice a day was ordinarie: at nine, twelue, and three a clocke:Chaſidim. yea their progenitors (whom they would ſcorne not to match) diuided the day into three parts: whereof one was beſtowed on Praier, the next on the Law, the third on their worke: See heere: God had 2. parts of 3. thēſelus but one: beſides at their meals what ſtrictnes?Prac. Moſaica cum ex poſ. Rabbinorum à Munſter. ed Their verie diſciples were taught (to ſhame vs Chriſtians) if they had forgotten to giue thanks, to return from the field to the boord to ſay grace. For diuine ſeruice; the Decalogue muſt bee read once a day of euery mā;Ibid. the Scribes ſay the firſt watch, the Phariſeis, any houre of the night: Others, twice; without mouing eie, hand, foot; in a cleane place, free from any excrement, & foure cubits diſtant from any ſepulcher. For-faſting, they did it twice a weeke; not Popiſhlie (which Wickleffe iuſtlie calles Foole-faſting) but in earneſt; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Epiphā. on Munday & Thurſday. Beſides (to omit their alms, which were euery way proportionable to the reſt) what miſerable penance did they wilfullie? they beat their heads againſt the wals, as they went, till blood came: whence one of their ſeuen Phariſeis is called (Kizai) a Phariſe drawblood:Hier. in Mat. 23. Acutiſſimas in eis ſpinas ligabant, vt amb lantes & ſedentes pungerentur & admonerentur officij. Joſephus. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . &c. they put thornes in their skirts, to ſting themſelues; they lay on planks, on ſtones, on thornes: and Banus that Heremiticall Phariſe drencht himſelfe oft, night and day in cold water [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] for chaſtity; or (if you read it without an aſpiration) it ſignifies for follie rather: what could that apiſh and ſtigmaticall Friar haue done either more or worſe . This was their deuotion. The holineſſe of their carriage was ſuch, that they auoided euery thing that might carrie any doubt of pollution; they would not therefore conuerſe with any different religion; and this law went currant amongſt them: He that eats a Samaritans bread, Qui comedit panem ſamariticū a ſt omederet ſui •• am. P aecept. Moſ. cum expoſ. Rab. be as hee that eats ſwines-fleſh: An Hebrew midwife might not help a Gentile; not books, not wax, not incenſe might bee ſold to them. Yea no familiaritie might bee ſuffered with their owne vulgar. For whereas there were three rankes among the Iewes; the wiſe, (thoſe were the Phariſeis) their Diſciples, and the (populus terrae) as they called them,

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : in the new Teſtament, the common people.

Vnum ex ſex opprobrijs vitandis à diſcipulis ſa ientum, Comeſſatio cum populo terrae. Ar. Mont. in Euang. Epiphan.

this was one of the ſix reproches to a nouice of the Phariſeis, To eat with the vulgar ſort: and leſt (when they had beene abroad) they ſhould haue been toucht by any, contrarie to the warning of their phylacteries, they ſcoure themſelues at their return; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Mar. 7.3. and eat not vnleſſe they haue waſht [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] that is, accurately, as the Syriac; oft, as Eraſmus; or with the grip't fiſt, as Beza following Hierome. Prae. Moſ. cum expoſ. Rab. And not with euery water (marke the niceneſſe) but with that onely which they had drawen vp with their owne labour: and to make vp the meaſure of their pretended ſanctimonie, they vowed continencie,Epiphan. l. 1. not perpetuall (as our Romaniſts vrge) but for eight or ten yeers. Thus they did vnbidden; how ſtrictly did they perform what was enioined? no men ſo exact in their tithes. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Epiph. Montan. in locum. I pay tithes of all, ſaith the boaſting Phariſe: Of all (as a great Doctour noteth) it was more than hee needed: God would haue a Sabbath kept; they ouer-keep it.Prae. Moſ. cum expoſ. They would not on that day ſtop a running veſſell, not lay an apple to the fire, not quench a burning, not knocke on a Table to ſtill a child; what ſhould I note more?Vox Egypti ca. Verſus quidam ex lege Moſis in pergameno ſcripti. ſcz. 14. priores. 13 Exod. 4.5.6.7.8.9. 6. Deut. Pag . not rub or ſcratch in publike. God commands them to weare (Totaphoth) phylacteries: they doe (which our Sauiour reprooues) [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] enlarge them: and theſe muſt bee written with right lines in a whole parchment of the hide of a cleane beaſt God commands to celebrate and roſt the Paſſeouer, they will haue it done (in an exceſſe of care) not with an iron but a woodden ſpit,Quòd ferrū vim aſſandi habet. Prat. Moſ. cum Expoſ. and curiouſlie chooſe the woode of Pomegranate: God commanded to auoid Idolatrie; they taught their Diſciples,Ibid. if an image were in the way, to fetch about ſome other; if they muſt needs go that way to runne: and if a thorne ſhould light in their foot (neer the place) not to kneele, but ſit downe to pull it out, leſt they ſhould ſeeme to giue it reuerence. I weary you with theſe Iewiſh niceties. Conſider then how deuout, how liberal, how continent, how true-dealing, how zealous, how ſcrupulous, how auſtere theſe men were, and ſee if it be not a woonder, that our Sauior thus brandeth them; Except your righteouſneſſe exceed the righteouſnes of the Scribes and Phariſeis, ye ſhall not enter into the kingdome of Heauen: That is, If your doctrine bee not more righteous, you ſhall not be entred of the Church: if your holineſſe be not more perfect, you ſhal not enter into heauen: behold, Gods kingdome below and aboue is ſhut vpon them.

The poore Iews were ſo beſotted with the admiration of theſe two, that they would haue thought if but two men muſt goe to heauen, the one ſhould be a Scribe, the other a Phariſe. What ſtrange news was this from hm that kept the keies of Dauid, that neither of them ſhould come there? It was not the perſon of theſe men, not their learning, not wit, not eloquence, not honour they admired ſo much, but their righteouſneſſe: and lo nothing but their righteouſneſſe is cenſured Heerein they ſeemed to exceed all men: heerein al that would be ſaued muſt exceed them. Doe but thinke how the amazed multitude ſtared vpon our Sauiour, when they heard this Paradox. Exceed the Phariſeis in righteouſneſſe? It were much for an Angell from Heauen. What ſhal the poor ſons of the earth doe if theſe woorthies be turned away with a repulſe? yea perhaps, your ſelues al that heare me this day, receiue this not without aſtoniſhment and feare, whiles your conſciences ſecretly comparing your holines with theirs, find it to come as much ſhort of theirs, as theirs of perfection. And would to God you could feare more, & bee more amazed with this compariſon; for (to ſet you forward) muſt we exceed them or elſe not bee ſaued? if wee let them exceed vs, what hope, what poſſibility is there of our Saluation? Ere wee therefore ſhew how farre wee muſt goe before them, looke backe with me (I beſeech you) a little, and ſee how farre wee are behind them.

Mat. 23.3.They taught diligently, and kept Moſes his chaire warme: How many are there of vs, whom the great maſter of the Vineyard may finde loytering in this publike market-place, and ſhake vs by the ſhoulder with a Quid ſtatis otioſi? VVhy ſtand you heere idle?

They compaſt ſea and land (Satans walke) to make a proſelyte: vve ſit ſtill and freeze in our zeale, and loſe proſelytes vvith our dul and vvilfull neglect. They ſpent one quarter of the day in praier: How many are there of vs that would not think this an vnreaſonable ſeruice of God: we are ſo farre from this extreme deuotion of the old Euchitae, Correcti à Concilio Toletan. Bellar that we are rather worthy of a cenſure with thoſe Spaniſh Prieſts for our negligence: how many of you citizens can get leaue of Mammon to beſtow one houre of the day in a ſet courſe vpon God? How many of you Lawyers, are firſt clients to God, ere you admit others, clients to you: how many of you haue your thoughts fixed in Heauen, ere they bee in Weſtminſter? Alas, what dulneſſe is this? what iniuſtice; all thy houres are his, and thou wilt not lend him one of his owne for thine owne good. They read, they recited the Law, (ſome) twice a day; neuer went without ſome parts of it about them;Quilibet noſtrûm de lege interr gatus facilius quàm nomen ſuum reſpondet. Ioſ. contr. App. l. 2. But to what effect? There is not one of our people (ſaith Ioſephus) but anſwers to any queſtion of the Law as readily as his own name; how ſhall their diligence vpbraid yea condemne vs 〈◊〉 Alas how doe our Bibles gather duſt for want of vſe, while our Chronicle, or our Statute-booke, yea perhaps our idle and ſ •• rrilous play-bookes are worne with turning. Oh how happy were our fore-fathers, (whoſe memory is bleſſed for euer) if they could with much coſt and more danger get but one of Pauls Epiſtles in their boſomes; how did they hugge it in their armes, hide it in their cheſt, yea in their heart! How did they eat, walke, ſleepe, with that ſweet companion, & in ſpight of all perſecutiō neuer thought themſelues wel, but when they conuerſed with it in ſecret! Lo now theſe ſhops are all open we buie them not; theſe books are open wee read them not, and wee will bee ignorant becauſe we will. The Sun ſhines and we ſhut our windowes. It is enough for the miſerable Popiſh laity to be thus darke, that liue in the perpetual night of Inquiſition; ſhall this be the onely difference betwixt them and vs; that they would read theſe holy leaues, and may not, we may and will not? There is no ignorance to the wilfull. I ſtand not vpon a formall and verball knowledge, that was neuer more frequent, more flouriſhing. But if the maine grounds of Chriſtianitie were thorowly ſetled in the hearts of the multitude, wee ſhould not haue ſo much cauſe of ſhame and ſorrow, nor our aduerſaries of triumph and inſultation: ſhew leſſe therfore for Gods ſake, and learne more; & ballace your wauering harts with the ſound truth of godlineſſe, that you may flie ſteddilie thorow all the tempeſts of errors: Make Gods Law of your learned counſell with Dauid, and be happie. Elſe if you will needs loue darkneſſe, you ſhall haue enough of it: you haue heere inward darkeneſſe, there outward ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .Mat. 8.12.) This is your owne darkneſſe,Choſhec Aphelah: Tenebra cal ginis. that his of whom the Pſalmiſt; He ſent darkneſſe and it was darke: Darke indeed: A thicke and terrible darkneſſe, ioined with weeping and gnaſhing. I vrge not their awfull reuerence in their deuotion, our ſleepie or wilde careleſneſſe; their auſtere and rough diſcipline of the body, our wanton pampering of the fleſh; tho who can abide to thinke of a chaſte Phariſe and a filithy Chriſtian: a temperate Phariſe, and a drunken Chriſtian? How ſhamefully is this latter vice (eſpeciallie) growne vpon vs with time? we knew it once in our ordinarie ſpeech appropriated to beggars, now gallants fight for it. This beaſtlineſſe had wont be baſhfull, now it is impudent; once children were wont to ſhout at a drunkard (as ſome ſoule wonder) now not to bee drunke is quarrell enough among men, among friends: Thoſe knees that wee were woont to bow to the God of Heauen, are now bent to Bacchus in a Paganiſh, beſtiall, diuelliſh deuotion. To leaue the title of Chriſtians, for ſhame let vs be either men or beaſts. My ſpeech haſtens to their holy and wiſe ſtrictneſſe of carriage; wherin I can neuer complaine enough of our inequalitie: They hated the preſence, the fire, the faſhion, the bookes of a Gentile,In aquam ſe cum veſtibus •• mergunt hi contigerint auquem xa ia gen e: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. Epiph. of a Samaritane; neither was there any hatred loſt on the Samaritans part; for if he had but toucht a Iew, hee would haue throwne himſelfe into the water clothes and all: both of them equally ſicke of a Noli me tangere: Touch me not, for I am holier. Eſay 65.

Our Romiſh Samaritanes haunt our tables, our cloſets, our eares; we frowne not, wee diſlike not: We match, conuerſe, conferre, conſult with them careleſly, as if it were come to the old ſtay of that indifferent Appelles in Euſebius; Sat eſt credere in crucifixum: but that which I moſt lament, and yee, Fathers and Brethren, if my voice may reach to any whom it concerneth, in the bowels of Chriſt let me boldly (tho moſt vnworthy) mooue your wiſdomes, your care to redreſſe it. Our yong ſtudents (the hope of poſteritie) newly crept out of the ſhell of Philoſophie, ſpend their firſt houres in the great Doctours of Popiſh controuerſies; Bellarmine is next to Ariſtotle: yea our very vngrounded Artizans, yong Gentlemen, fraile Women, buie, read, trauerſe promiſcuouſly the dā gerous Writings of our ſubtileſt Ieſuites. What is the iſſue? Many of them haue taken poiſon, ere they know what milke is & when they haue once taſted this bane, they muſt drink and die. Oh what pity, what vexation is it to a true heart, to ſee us thus ob'd of our hopes; them of their ſoules! I haue heard, yea I haue ſeene and enuied the cautelous ſeuerity of our Aduerſaries, vvhich vpon tho deepeſt paines forbid the ſale, yea the ſight of thoſe Authours, which they terme infectious; vvhere vvas euer Caluin publikely bought in one of their Church-yards? Where euer read vvithout licence, vvithout ſecuritie? I cenſure not this as the peculiar fault of this place; vvould God this open remiſneſſe vvere not a common euill, and had not ſpred it ſelfe vvide thorow all thoſe Churches that are gone out of Babylon. Let no man tel me of the diſtinction of that old Canoniſt:Barthol. fixienſis. Somethings (ſaith he) we read, leſt they ſhould bee neglected, as the Bible; ſome leſt they ſhould bee vnknowen, as Arts and Philoſophie; ſome that they may bee reiected, as Hereticall bookes. T ue But let them read that can 〈◊〉 , that can confute; wee diſtruſt not our cauſe, but their weake iudgements. A good Apothecarie 〈◊〉 make a good medicine of a ſtrong poiſon; muſt children therefore bee allowed that box? I knovv hovv vnvvorthie I am to aduiſe; only I throvv dovvne my ſelfe at your feet and beſeech you; that our loſſes and their examples may make vs no leſſe vviſe in our generation.

Mat. 23.23.I follovv the compariſon; They paid tithes of all they had, not a potherbe, but they tithed it. Heare this ye ſacrilegious patrons, the merchants of ſoules, the pyrats of the Church, the enemies of religion; they tithed all, you nothing; they paid to their Leuites, your Leuites muſt pay to you: Your cures muſt bee purchaſed, your tithes abated or compounded for: O the ſhame of religion! How too iuſtlie may I vſurpe of you that of Seneca: Pettie ſacriledges are puniſhed, while great ones ride in triumph? Neuer excuſe it with pretence of Ceremonie; Moſes neuer gaue ſo ſtrict a charge for this as Paul;Gal. 6.6. [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] Communicate all thy goods with thy teacher; All, with an emphaſis. Welfare yet the honeſt Phariſeis, whoſe rule was: (Decima vt Diues fias) Tithe and be rich: If euer thou be the fatter for this grauell, or the richer with that thou ſtealeſt from God, let me come to begge at thy doore.

Woe to you ſpirituall robbers. Our blinde forefathers clothed the Church, you deſpoile it: their ignorant deuotion ſhall riſe in iudgement againſt your rauening couetouſneſſe. If robberie, ſimony, periury will not carrie you to hell: hope ſtil that you may be ſaued. They gaue plentifull alms to the poore we in ſtead of filling their bellies, grinde their faces. What excellent Lawes had wee lately enacted that there ſhould bee no begger in Iſrael? Let our ſtreets, waies, hedges witneſſe the execution. Thy liberality relieues ſome poore. It is well. But hath not thy oppreſſion made more? Thy vſurie, extorting, racking, incloſing, hath wounded whole Villages, and now thou befriendeſt two or three with the plaiſters of thy bountie. The mercies of the wicked are cruell. They were preciſe in their Sabbath, we ſo looſe in ours, as if God had no day: See whether our Tauernes, ſtreetes, hy-waies deſcry anie great difference. Theſe things I vowed in my ſelfe to reproue; if too bitterly, (as you thinke) pardon (I beſeech you) this holie impatience: and blame the fouleneſſe of theſe vices, not my iuſt vehemencie. And you (Chriſtian hearers) than which no name can be dearer be perſwaded to ranſack your ſecure hearts; and if there bee any of you whoſe awaked conſcience ſtrikes him for theſe ſins, and places him below theſe Iews in this vnrighteouſneſſe, if you wiſh or care to bee ſaued, thinke it hie time, as you would euer hope for entrance into Gods kingdome, to ſtrike your ſelues on the thigh, and with amazement and indignation to ſay, What haue I done? to abandon your wicked courſes; to reſolue, to vow, to ſtriue vnto a Chriſtian and conſcionable reformation. Paul a Phariſe was according to the righteouſneſſe of the Law vnreprooueable yet if Paul had not gone from Gamaliels feet,Phil. 3.6. to Chriſts, he had neuer been ſaued: vnreprooueable and yet reiected Alas, my brethren, what ſhall become of our gluttony, drunkenneſſe, pride, oppreſſion, bribing, coſenages, adulteries, blaſphemies, and our ſelues for them? God and men reprooue vs for theſe: what ſhall become of vs? If the ciuillie righteous ſhall not bee ſaued, where ſhall the notorious ſinner appeare? A Chriſtian below a Iew? For ſhame, where are we? where is our emulation? Heauen is our gole, we all run loe the Scribes and Phariſeis are before thee; what ſafety cā it be to come ſhort of thoſe that come ſhort of heauen? Except your righteouſnes, &c.

You haue ſeene theſe Scribes and Phariſeis; their righteouſneſſe and our vnrighteouſneſſe. See now with like patience, their vnrighteouſneſſe that was, and our righteouſneſſe that muſt bee, wherein they failed, and wee muſt exceed. They failed then in their Traditions and Practiſe. May I ſay they failed, when they exceeded? Their Traditions exceeded in number and proſecution, faultie in matter.

To run well, but out of the way (according to the Greeke prouerbe) is not better than to ſtand ſtill. Fire is an excellent thing, but if it be in the top of the chimney, it doth miſchiefe rather. It is good to be zealous in ſpight of all ſcoffes,Gal. 4.18. but ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) In a good thing. If they had beene as hot for God, as they were for themſelues, it had beene happie: but now in vaine they worſhip mee (ſaith our Sauiour) teaching for doctrines the Traditions of men. Hence was that axiome receiued currantly amongſt their Iewiſh followers:Pl •• eſt in verbis ſapiē tum quam in verbis legis. Galatin. There is more in the words of the wiſe, than in the wordes of the law: More; that is, more matter, more authority: and from this principally ariſes and continues that mortall quarrell betwixt them and their (Karraim) and (Minim) vnto this day.Serarius. A great Ieſuite (at leſt that thinks himſelfe ſo) writes thus in great earneſt:Non mali comparari Phariſaeos Catholicis. The Phariſeis (ſaith he) may not vnfitly bee compared to our Catholikes. Some mē ſpeak truth ignorantly, ſome vnwillinglie; Caiphas neuer ſpake truer, when hee meant it not: one egge is not liker to another, than the Tridentine fathers to theſe Phariſeis in this point, beſides that of free-will, merit, full performance of the Law, which they abſolutely receiued from them: For marke; VVith the ſame reuerence & deuotion do we receiue and reſpect Traditions, Pari pietatis affectu & reuerentia Traditiones vnà cum libris veteris & noui Teſtamenti ſuſtipimus & veneramur: Decr. 1. Seſſ. 4. that we do the bookes of the Old and New Teſtament, ſay thoſe fathers in their fourth ſeſſion: Heare both of theſe ſpeake and ſee neither, if thou canſt diſcerne whether is the Phariſe, refuſe me in a greater truth. Not that we did euer ſay with that Arrian in Hilary: Nolo verba qu ſcripta non ſunt legi VVe debar all words that are not written or would thinke fit with thoſe phanatical Anabaptiſts of Munſter, that all bookes ſhould be burnt beſides the Bible: ſome Traditions muſt haue place in euery Church; but their place: they may not take wall of Scripture: Subſtance may not in our valuation giue way to circumſtance. God forbid. If any man expect that my ſpeech on this opportunitie ſhould deſcend to the diſcourſe of our contradicted ceremonies, let him know that I had rather mourne for this breach than meddle with it. God knowes how willingly I would ſpend my ſelfe into perſwaſions if thoſe would auaile any thing: but I well ſee that teares are fitter for this theme than words. The name of our Mother is ſacred and her peace pretious. As it was a true ſpeech cited from that father by Bellarmine: Bellum Haeresicorum pax eſt Eccleſiae ex Hilario Bellar The warre of Heretikes is the peace of the Church: ſo would God our experience did not inuert it vpon vs The warre of the Church is the peace of Heretikes. Our diſcord is their muſicke; our ruine their glory: Oh what a fight is this, Brethren ſtriue while the enemie ſtands ſtill, and laughs and triumphs. If wee deſired the griefe of our common mother, the languiſhing of the Goſpell, the extirpation of religion, the loſſe of poſterity, the aduantage of our aduerſaries, which way could theſe bee better effected than by our diſſenſions.Eſconedo. That Spaniſh Prophet in our age (for ſo I finde him ſtiled) when King Philip asked him how he might become maſter of the Low-Countries, anſwered; If he could diuide them from themſelues. According to that old Machiauellian principle of our Ieſuites, Diuide and Rule. Concordiâ res parua creſcunt, &c. And indeed it is concord only (as the Poſie or Mot of the vnited States runnes) which hath vpheld them in a rich and flouriſhing eſtate againſt ſo great and potent enemies. Our Aduerſaries already bragge of their victories; and what good heart can but bleed to ſee what they haue gained ſince wee diſſented, to foreſee what they will gaine?Noſtrâ miſeriâ tu es magnus. de Pomp. mi ••• They are our mutuall ſpoiles that haue made them proud and rich. If you euer therfore look to ſee the good daies of the Goſpell, the vnhorſing and confuſion of that ſtrumpet of Rome, for Gods ſake, for the Churches ſake, for our owne ſoules ſake, let vs all compoſe our ſelues to peace and loue: Oh pray for the peace of Ieruſalem; that peace may be within her walles, and proſperitie within her palaces.

For the matter of their Traditions our Sauiour hath taxed them in many particulars; about waſhings, oaths, offerings, retribution: whereof he hath ſaid enough whē he hath termed their doctrine, the Leauen of the Phariſeis, that is, ſowre and ſwelling.Jn Mar. 23. S. Hierome reduces them to two heads: They were Turpia, anilia; ſome ſo ſhamefull that they might not be ſpoken; others idle & dotiſh; both ſo numerous that they cannot be reckned. Take a taſte for all; and to omit their reall traditions, heare ſome of their interpretatiue. The Law was, that no Leper might come into the Temple; their Tradition was, that if he were let downe thorow the roofe, this were no irregularity.Prae. Moſ. cum expoſ. Rab. The Law was, a man might not carry a burden on the Sabbath; their Traditional gloſſe; if he carried ought on one ſhoulder it was a burden;Ibid. if on both, none. If ſhooes alone, no burden; if with nails, not tolerable.Ibid. Their ſtint of a Sabbaths iourney was a thouſand cubites; their gloſſe was, That this is to bee vnderſtood without the wals, but if a man ſhould walke all day thorow a city as bigge as Nineuie, he offends not. The Church of Rome ſhall vie ſtrange gloſſems and ceremonious obſeruations with them, whether for number or for ridiculouſneſſe. The day would faile mee if I ſhould either epitomize the volume of their holy rites, or gather vp thoſe which it hath omitted.Sacrarū C remoniarum lib. 1. accipit de gremi Camerarij pecuniam, vbi nihil tamē eſt argenti; ſpargenſ que in populo d cit: Aurum & argentū non est mihi, quod antem habeo hoc tibido. Can n. P nitential. pag. 1. Num. 12 Ezec. 4. The new elected Pope in his ſolemne Lateran proceſſion muſt take copper money out of his Chamberlaines lap, and ſcatter it among the people, and ſay; Gold and ſiluer haue I none. Seuen yeares penance is inioined to a deadly ſin; becauſe Miriam was ſeparated ſeuen daies for her Leproſie; and God ſaies to Ezekiel, I haue giuen thee a day for a yeere. Chriſt ſaid to Peter, Lanch foorth into the deepe: Luc. 5. Otho Friſtugenſis in praf •• . therefore hee meant that Peters ſucceſſour ſhould catch the great fiſh of Conſtantines donation. But I fauour your eares. That one I may not omit, how S. Hierome, whom they fondly terme their Cardinall, compares ſome Popiſh faſhions of his time with the Phariſaicall; who when hee had ſpoken of their purple fringes in the foure corners of their (Tallin) and the thornes which theſe Rabbins tie in their skirts, for penance, and admonition of their duty:In Mat. 23. Hoc apud nos (ſaith hee) ſuperſtitioſae mulierculae in paruulis Euangelijs, in crucis ligno & iſtiuſmodi rebus factitant: that is, Thus ſuperſtitious old wiues doe amongst vs with little Goſpels of Iohn, with the wood of the Croſſe, and the like. Thus that father directly taxeth this Romiſh vſe, who if he were now aliue, and ſhould heare their Church groning vnder the number of Ceremonies more then the Iewiſh, would (beſides holy Auſtens complaint) redouble that cenſure of our Sauiour,Mat. 23.4. Wo to you Scribes, Phariſeis, hypocrites, for ye binde heauy burthens, and greeuous to bee borne, and lay them on mens ſhoulders. I forbeare to ſpeake of the erroneous opinions of theſe Iewiſh maſters concerning that Pythagorean Vide Drufinus de tribus ſectis Jud.tranſanimatiō or paſſage of the ſoule from one body to another (a point which the Iewes had learned from them: Mat. 16.14.) concerning the not-riſing vp of the wicked Aſtronomicall deſtiny, freewill, merit of works, perfection of obedience; in euery of which it were eaſie to loſe my ſelfe and my ſpeech. I haſte to their maine vnrighteouſneſſe; which was not ſo much the planting of theſe ſtocks, which God neuer ſet, as the graffing of all holineſſe and Gods ſeruice vpon them;Alia doctrina Phariſa rum qua eſt niſi legis ſecundum carnem obſeruatio? Hier. in Gal. 1. a faſhionable obſeruation of the outward letter, with neglect of the true ſubſtance of the Law; a vaine-glorious oſtentation of piety and perfection; and more care to be thought thā to be good; a greater deſire to be great, thā good; cruelty and oppreſſion coloured with deuotion. My ſpeech now towards the cloſure ſhal draw it ſelfe vp within theſe two liſts; of their Hypocriſie, their VVorldlines: Hypocriſie in Faſhionableneſſe and Oſtentation; Worldlineſſe in Couetouſneſſe, Ambition. Onely ſtirre vp your ſelues a while and ſuffer not your Chriſtian attention to faile in this laſt act.

Some of their Rabbins ſay well, that God requires two things concerning his Law, Cuſtody and Worke. Cuſtody in the heart; worke in the execution; Theſe vnſound and ouerly Phariſeis did neither. It was enough if they kept the Law in their hands; ſo they had a formall ſhew of godlineſſe it was enough:2. Tim. 3.5. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . if the outſide of the platter were cleane they cared for no more. God had charged them to bind the Law to their hand, and before their eies, Deut. 6. wherein, as Ierome and Theophylact well interpret it, he meant the meditation and practiſe of his Law: they, like vnto the fooliſh patient, which when the phyſitian bids him take that preſcript, eats vp the paper; if they could get but a liſt of parchment vpon their left arme next their heart, and another ſcroll to tie vpon their fore-head, and foure corners of fringe,Si haec prohibea tur, fil •• 〈◊〉 p nent in man . Praec. Moſ. cum expoſ. or (if theſe bee denied) ••• ved threed in their hand, thought they might ſay with Saul, Bleſſed be thou of the Lord, I haue done the commandement of the Lord. That Opus operatum of the Papiſts (for I ſtill parallele them) is not more falſe Latin than falſe Diuinity it is not the out-ſide of thy obedience that God cares for, it neuer ſo holy, neuer ſo glorious; it is enough that men are coſened with theſe flouriſhes: the heart and the reines are thoſe that God lookes after what cares a good market-man how good the fleece be, when the liuer is rotten. God doth not regard faſhion ſo much as ſtuffe. Thou deceiueſt thy ſelfe if thou think thoſe ſhewes that blear'd the eies of the world, can deceiue him. God ſhal ſmite thee thou whited wall, God ſhall ſmite thee. Doeſt thou thinke hee ſees not how ſmoothly thou haſt daubed on thine whoriſh complexion? Hee ſees thee a farre off, and hates thee while thy paraſites applaud thy beauty. I ſpeake not of this carrion-fleſh which thou wantonlie infecteſt with the falſe colours of thy pride, which God ſhall once waſh off with riuers of brimſtone. I ſpeake of thy painted ſoule, and thy counterfet obedience. Giue me leaue, (yea let mee take it) to complaine that wee are fallen into a cold and hollow age wherein the religion of manie is but faſhion, and their pietie gilded ſuperſtition; Men care onely to ſeeme Chriſtians; If they can get Gods liuery on their backes, and his name in their mouthes, they out-face all reproofes. How many are there which if they can keepe their Church, giue an almes, bow their knee, ſay their praiers, pay their tithes, and once a yeere receiue the Sacrament (it matters not how corrupt hearts, how filthie tongues, how falſe hands they beare) can ſay in their hearts with Eſau, I haue enough my Brother? As if God cared for this thy vaine formalitie; as if hee hated thee not ſo much more than a Pagan, by how much thou wouldeſt ſeeme more good. Bee not deceiued; If long deuotions, ſad lookes, hard penances, bountifull almes would haue carried it (without the ſolid ſubſtance of godlineſſe) theſe Scribes and Phariſeis had neuer beene ſhut out of Heauen. Conſider this therefore (deare Brethren) none but your owne eies can looke into your hearts: we ſee your faces, the world ſees your liues, your ſelues ſee your ſoules: if your liues be not holie, your hearts ſound, tho your faces were like Angels, you ſhall haue your portion with Diuels. Tell not me thou heareſt, praieſt, talkeſt, beleeueſt: how liueſt thou? what doeſt thou? Shew mee thy faith by thy workes, ſaith Iames. It was an excellent anſwer that good Moſes gaue to Lucius in the Church-ſtory:Socrates eccl. hiſt. The faith that is ſeene is better than the faith that is heard; and that of Luther not inferiour, that faith doth pingueſcere operibus? grow fat and well liking with good workes: it is a leane ſtarued carkaſe of faith thou pretendeſt without theſe. If profeſſion be all, the Scribes and Phariſeis are before thee; ranſacke thy heart, and finde ſound affection to God, firme reſolutions to goodneſſe, true hatred of ſin; ranſacke thy life, and finde the truth of workes, the life of obedience; Then alone thy righteouſneſſe exceeds the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſeis, and thou ſhalt enter into Heauen. Their oſtentation followes; wherein it is ſtrange to conſider, how thoſe that cared not to be good ſhould deſire yet to ſeeme good: ſo did theſe Phariſeis: They would not faſt without a ſmeared face; not giue an alms without a trumpet; not pray without witneſſes, Scribes, Phariſeis, hypocrites, they did act a religious part, but play deuotion. They were nothing beſide the ſtage: all for ſight, nothing for ſubſtance. Would God this vice of hypocriſy had either died with them, or had only hereditarily deſcended to their ſucceſſours: Satan will not let vs be thus happie. I ſee no mans heart, but I dare boldly ſay the world is full of hypocriſie. By their fruits you ſhall know them (ſaith our Sauiour:) By their fruits; not by the bloſſomes of good purpoſes, nor the leaues of good profeſſion, but by the fruits of their actions. Not to ſpeake, how our mint and ummin hath incroched vpon iudgement and iuſtice. Search your ſelues (ye Citizens:) Now, you draw neere to God with your lips, with your eares, where is your heart? Heere your deuour attention ſeemes to crie, The Lord is God: how many are there of you, that haue any God at home? how many that haue a falſe God? God at Church: Mammon in your ſhops? I ſpeake not of all; God forbid. This famous City hath in the darkeſt, in the wantoneſt times, affoorded (and ſo doth) many, that haue done God honour, honeſty to the Goſpell: but how many are there of you that vnder ſmooth faces haue foule conſciences? faire words, falſe meaſures, forſworne valuations, adulterate wares, griping vſuries haue fild many of your coffers, and feſtered your ſoules: you know this, & yet like Salomons curtizan you wipe your mouths, and it was not you: Your alms are written in Church-windowes, your defraudings in the ſand; all is good ſaue that which appeares not; how many are there euery where, that ſhame religion by profeſſing it? whoſe beaſtly life makes Gods truth ſuſpected; for as, howſoeuer the Samaritan, not the Iew, releeued the diſtreſſed traueller, yet the Iews religion was true, not the Samaritans; ſo in others, truth of cauſes muſt not bee iudged by acts of perſons; yet, as hee ſaid, It must needes bee good that Nero perſecutes; ſo who is not ready to ſay; It cannot bee good that ſuch a miſ-creant profeſſes? Woe to thee Hypocrite; thou canſt not touch, not name goodneſſe, but thou defileſt it; God will plague thee for acting ſo hie a part: See what thou art, and hate thy ſelfe; or (if not that) yet ſee how God hates thee; hee that made the heart, ſaies thou art no better than an handſome tombe; the houſe of death. Behold heere a green turfe or ſmooth marble, or ingrauen braſſe, and a commending Epitaph; all ſightly: but what is within? an vnſauorie, rotten carcaſe. Tho thou wert wrapt in gold and perfumed with neuer ſo loud praiers, holy ſemblances, honeſt proteſtations; yet thou art but noiſome carrion to God: Of all earthly things God cannot abide thee; and if thou wouldeſt ſee how much lower yet his deteſtation reacheth, know that when hee would deſcribe the torments of hell, hee cals them (as their worſt title) but the portion of Hypocrites. Wherfore clenſe your hands yee ſinners, and purge your hearts yee double-minded:Iam. 4.8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . For vnleſſe your righteouſneſſe exceed the hypocriticall righteouſnes of the Scribes and Phariſeis, ye ſhall not enter into the kingdome of Heauen.

My ſpeech muſt end in their Couetouſneſſe and Ambition: A paire of hainous vices I ioine them together: for they are not only brethren, but twins; yet ſo as the elder heere alſo ſerues the yonger. It is ambition that blowes the fire of Couetouſneſſe. Oppreſſion gets wealth; that wealth may procure honour. Why doe men labour to be rich, but that they may be great? Their Couetouſneſſe was ſuch, that their throte (an open ſepulchre) ſwallowed vp whole houſes of Widowes. Whence their goods are called by our Sauiour ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 :Luc. 11.41. as if they were already in their bowels: and which was worſt of all, while their lips ſeemed to pray, they were but chewing of that morſell. Their Ambition ſuch, that they womaniſhly brawled and ſhouldred for the beſt ſeat; the higheſt piew: A title, a wall, a chaire, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Mat. 23.6. a cap, a knee, theſe were goodly cares for them that profeſſed grauitie, humilitie, mortification. Let me boldly ſay, Ieruſalem neuer yeelded ſo verie Phariſeis as Rome. Theſe old diſciples of Sammai and Hillel were not Phariſeis in compariſon of our Ieſuits. From iudgement (you ſee) I am deſcended to practiſe, wherein it no leſſe eaſily made good that theſe are more kindely Phariſeis, than the ancient. A poore Widowes Cottage fild the panch of an old Phariſe; How many faire Patrimonies of deuout yong Gentlemen

A word which the Seminaries report (in their Quodlibet) vſuall amongſt thē, to ſignifie Beguiled & wip't of their inheritance; from the example of M. Henry Drury of Law ſhall in Suffolke ſo defeated by the Ieſuites.

As at Winno -berg in Flāders neer Dunkerk, where a rich legacie giuen by a charitable Lady for the building of an Hoſpital, was cunningly turned to the maintenance of Ieſuites.

Druryed by them (pardon the word, it is their own; the thing I know and can witneſſe) haue gone down the throte of theſe Loyoliſts, let their owne Quodlibet & Catechiſme report. What ſpeak I of ſecular inheritances? theſe eies haue ſeene no meane houſes of deuotion and charity ſwallowed vp by them. As for their ambitious inſinuations, not only all their own religious enuiouſly crie downe, but the whole world ſees and rings of. What oare of State can ſtir without their rowing? What kingdome either ſtands or fals without their intermedling? What noble family complains not of their proling and ſtealth? And all this with a face of ſad piety and ſterne mortification. Yea what other is their great Maſter but the king of Phariſeis? who vnder a pretence of ſimple piety, challenges without ſhame to haue deuoured the whole Chriſtian world, the naturall inheritances of ſecular Princes, by the foiſted name of Peters Patrimonie, and now in moſt infamous and ſhameleſſe ambition calles great Emperours to his ſtirrup,Sacr. cerem l. 1. de Conſe Benedict. & Coron Pontif. Poſtea imperator ſ praeſaeus eſt ſtapha equi Papalis tenet, & dein ducit equum per fraenum aliquantuiū. And afterward: Dum Imperator haec officia praſtat, debet Papa modeſté recuſare, tandem cum aliquibus bonis verbis recipiendo permittit, aliquantul ••• progredi, &c. That is, while the Emperour doth theſe ſeruices to the Pope of holding his ſtirrup, and leading his horſe by the bridle the Pope ought modeſtly to refuſe, but at laſt with ſome good words, hee ſuffers him to goe on a while; and then at laſt ſtaies himſelfe, &c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Act. 8.9. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . yea to his foot-ſtoole. But what wander wee ſo farre from home? Vae nobis miſeris (ſaith S. Hierome) ad quos Phariſaeorum vitia tranfierunt; (VVo to vs wretched men to whom the Phariſeis vices are deriued.) The great Doctor of the Gentiles long ago ſaid, All ſeeke their owne, and not the things of God; and is the world mended with age? would God wee did not find it a ſure rule; that (as it is in this little world) the older it growes, the more diſeaſed, the more couetous: we are all too much the true ſons of our great Grandmother; and haue each of vs an Eues ſweet tooth in our heads, we would be more than we are; and euery man would be either ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) or ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 :) either the man, or ſome-body. If a number of your conſciences were rip't, o ye that would be Chriſtian Gentlemen, Lawyers, Citizens, what doe wee thinke would be found in your maws? Heere the deuoured patrimonie of poore Orphans; there the Cōmons of whole Townſhips: heere the impropriate goods of the Church; there piles of vſurie: heere bribes, and vnlawfull fees; there the raw and indigeſted gobbets of ſimonie: yea would God I might not ſay, but I muſt ſay it with feare, with ſorrow, euen of our ſacred and diuine profeſſion, that which our Sauior of his twelue, Yee are cleane, but not all. The multitude of our vnregarded charges, and ſouls dying and ſtarued, for want of ſpiritual prouiſion, (while they giue vs bodily) would condemne my ſilence for too partiall. In all conditions of men (for particulars are ſubiect to enuie & exception) the daughters of the horſe-leech had neuer ſuch a fruitfull generation: They crie ſtill, Giue, Giue: Not giue alone, that is, the bread of ſufficiencie, but giue, giue; that is, more than enough. But what is more than enough? What is but enough? What is not too little for the inſatiable gulfe of humane deſires? Euery man wold ingroſſe the whole world to himſelfe, and with that ambitious conqueror feares it will be too little:Giue me not pouerty nor riches. Prou. 30.8. and how few Agurs are there, that pray againſt too much? From hence it is, that yee Courtiers grate vpon poore trades with hard Monopolies. Hence ye Merchants lode them with deep and vnreaſonable prices, and make thē pay deare for daies. Hence ye great men wring the poore ſponges of the Commonaltie into your priuate purſes; for the maintenance of pride and exceſſe. Hence ye cormorant corne-mongers hatch vp a dearth in the time of plenty. God ſends graine, but many times the Diuell ſends garners. The earth hath beene no niggard in yeelding: but you haue beene lauiſh in tranſporting, and cloſe in concealing. Neuer talke of our extreame froſts: we ſee Gods hand, and kiſſe the rod; but if your hearts, your charity were not more frozen than euer the earth was, meane houſe-keepers ſhould not need to beg, nor the meaneſt to ſtarue for wāt of bread. Hence laſtly, our loud oppreſſions of all ſorts cry to heauen, and are anſwered with threats, yea with variety of vengeances. Take this with thee yet, o thou worldling, which haſt the greedy-worm vnder thy tong with Eſaies dogs, and neuer haſt enough. Thou ſhalt meet with two things as vnſatiable as thy ſelfe; the Graue and Hell; and thou, whom all the world could not ſatisfie, there be two things wherof thou ſhalt haue enough: Enough mold in the graue, enough fire in hell.

I loue not to end with a iudgement; and as it were to let my Sun ſet in a cloud. We are all Chriſtians, wee ſhould know the World, what it is, how vaine, how tranſitory, how worthleſſe. Wee know where there are better things, which wee profeſſe our ſelues made for, and aſpiring to: Let vs vſe the world like it ſelfe, and leaue this importunate wooing of it to Heathens and Infidels, that knew no other heauen, no other God; Or if you like that counſell better; Bee Couetous: Be Ambitious. Couet ſpirituall gifts. 1. Cor. 14.1. Neuer thinke you haue grace enough; deſire more, ſeeke for more: this alone is worth your affections, worth your cares: Be ſtill poore in this, that you may bee rich; be rich that you may be ful; be ful that you may be glorious. Be Ambitious, of fauour, of honour, of a kingdome; of Gods fauour, of the honour of Saints, of the Kingdome of glory. Whither, hee that hath bought it for vs, and redeemed vs to it, in his good time, ſafely and happily bring vs. To that bleſſed Sauiour of ours, together with the Father, and his good Spirit: the God of all the world, our Father, Redeemer, and Comforter, be giuen all praiſe, honour and glorie now and for euer. Amen.

THE PASSION-SERMON, PREACHED AT PAVLES-CROSSE, on Good-friday. Apr. 14. 1609.

By I. H.

AT LONDON Printed by H. I. for Eleanor Edgar, and Samuell Macham: and are to bee ſolde at the ſhops in Paules-Churchyard. ANNO 1609.

Errata. Page 17. li: 8. Chriſtian Read Chriſtians Page 42. li: 1. life Read light Page 47. li: 5. in agonie Read in agone. Latine. Page 50. li: 6. ſuffer, ſo long Read ſuffer: ſo long P: 74. l: 9. forbeareth to be ſhort Read forbeareth: To be ſho •• Page 92 li: 18 my men. Read by men.

TO THE ONLY HONOVR AND GLORY OF GOD MY DEAR AND BLESSED SAVIOVR (WHICH HATH DONE AND SVFFERED ALL THESE THINGS FOR MY SOVLE) HIS WEAKE AND VNWORTHY SERVANT HVMBLIE DESIRES TO CONSECRATE HIMSELFE AND HIS POOR LABOVRS: BESEECHING HIM TO ACCEPT AND BLESSE THEM TO THE PVBLIQVE good; and to the praiſe of his owne glorious NAME.

To the READER.

I Deſire not to make any Apologie for the edition of this my Sermon: It is motiue enough, that herein I affect a more publike, and more induring good, Spirituall niceneſs is the next degree to vnfaithfullneſs: This point cannot be too much vrged, either by the tongue, or preſſe. Religion and our ſoules depend vpon it; yet are our thoughts too much beſide it. The Church of Rome ſo fixes her-ſelfe (in her adoration) vpon the croſſe of Chriſt, as if ſhee forgat his glorie: Many of vs ſo conceiue of 〈◊〉 glorious, that wee neglect the meditation of his Croſſe, the way to his glory, and ours. If wee would proceede aright, we muſt paſſe frō his Golgotha, to the mount of Oliues, and from thence to heauen; and there ſeeke and ſettle our reſt. According to my weake abilitie, I haue led this way in my ſpeech; beſeeching my Readers to follow mee with their hearts, that wee may ouer-take him which is entred into the true ſanctuarie, euen the higheſt heauens, to appeare now in the ſight of God for vs.

IOHN. 19. verſe 30.

When Ieſus therefore had receiued the Vineger, he ſaid; It is finiſhed: and bowing the head, hee gaue vp the ghoſt.

THE bitter and yet victorious paſſion of the ſonne of GOD (right honourable and beloued Chriſtians) as it was the ſtrangeſt thing that euer befell the Earth: So, is both of moſt ſoueraigne vſe, & looks for the moſt frequent & careful meditation. It is one of thoſe thinges which was once done, that it might be thought of for euer. Euery day therfore muſt be the Good-friday of a Chriſtian: who, with that great Doctor of the Gentiles, muſt deſire to know nothing but Ieſus Chriſt, and him crucified.

There is no branch or circū ſtance in this wonderfull buſineſſe, which yieldes not infinite matter of diſcourſe. Acc •• ding to the ſolemnity of this 〈◊〉 & place, I haue choſen to commend vnto your Chriſtian attention, our Sauiours Farevvell to Nature (for his reuiuing was aboue it) in his laſt word, in his laſt act. His laſt word, Jt is finiſhed; his laſt act, Hee gaue vp the ghost: That which hee ſaid, hee did. If there be any Theme that may challenge and commaund our eares & harts, this is it: for, behold; the ſweeteſt word that euer Chriſt ſpake, and the moſt ••••• ious act that euer hee 〈◊〉 met together in this his laſt breath. In the one, yee ſhall ſee him triumphing; yielding in the other, yet ſo as hee ouerco ••• Imagine therefore, that 〈◊〉 Chriſt Ieſus, in this day of his paſſion (who is euery day heere crucified before your eyes) aduaunced vpon the chariot of his Croſſe; and now, after a weary conflict, cheerefully ouer-looking the deſpight and ſhame of men, the wrath of his Father, the law, ſin, death, hell; which all lie gaſping at his foot: & then you ſhall conceiue with what ſpirit hee faith Conſummatumest; It is finiſhed. What is finiſhed? Shortly; All the prophecies that were of 〈…〉 legall obſeruations, that pre ••• gured him; His owne ſufferings; Our ſaluation. The prophecies are accompliſht; The ceremonies aboliſht; His ſufferings ended; Our ſal •• tion wrought. Theſe foure heads ſhall limit this firſt part of my ſpeech: onely let them find & leaue you attentiue.

Euen this very word is prophecied of: All things that are written of me, haue an end, ſaith Chriſt. What end? this, Jt is finiſhed: This very end hath his end heere. What therefore is finiſhed? Not this prediction onely of his laſt draught; as Auguſtine: that were too particular. Let our Sauiour himſelfe ſay; All things that are written of me by the Prophets. It is a ſure and conuertible rule; Nothing was done by Chriſt which vvas not foretold; nothing was euer fore-told by the Prophets of Chriſt, which was not done. It wold take vp a life, to compare the Prophets and Euangeliſts; the predictions and the hiſtory; & largely to diſcourſe, how the one fore-tells, and the other anſwers: let it ſuffice to looke at them, running. Of all the Euangeliſts, S. Mathew hath bin moſt ſtudious, in making theſe references and correſpondences: with whom, the burden or vnderſong of euerie euent, is ſtill (vt impleretur.) That it might be fulfilled. Thus hath he noted (if I haue reckoned thē aright) two and thirty ſeueral prophecies cōcerning Chriſt; fulfilled in his birth, life, death:

Eſay 7.14. Mat. 1.23. Zach. 9.9. Mat. Ibid. Mic. 5.2. Mat. 2.6. Iere. 7.11. Mat. 21.13. Eſay 11.1. Mat. 2.25. Pſalm. 8.2. Mat. 21.16. Ier. 31.15. Mat. 2.18. Eſay 5.8. Mat. 21.33. Iudg. 13.5. Mat. 2. vlt. Pſa. 118.22. Mat. 21.44. Eſa. 40.3. Mat. 3.2. Pſal. 110.1. Mat. 22.44. Eſay 9.1. Mat. 4.15 Eſay 8.14. Mat. 21.44. Leu. 14.4. Mat. 8.4. Pſal. 41.9. Mat. 26.31. Eſay 53.4. Mat. 8.17 Eſa. 53.10 Mat. 26.54. Eſay 61.1. Mat. 11.4 Zach. 13.7. Mat. 26.31. Eſay 42.1. Mat. 12.17. Lam. 4.20. Mat. 26.56. Iona 1.17. Mat. 12.40. Eſay. 50.6 Mat. 26.67. Eſay 6.9. Mat. 13.14 Zac. 11.13. Mat. 27.9. Pſal. 78.2. Mat. 13.35 Pſal. 22.18. Mat. 27.35. Eſ. 35.5.6. Mat. 15.30. Pſal. 22.2. Mat. 27.46. Eſ. 62.11. Mat. 21.5. Pſal. 69.22. Mat. 27.48.

To which, S. Iohn adds many more. Our ſpeech muſt bee directed to his Paſsion: omitting the reſt, let vs inſiſt in thoſe. He muſt be apprehended: it vvas fore-prophecied; The Anointed of the Lord was taken in their nets, ſaith Ieremy: But how? He muſt be ſold; for what? thirtie ſiluer peeces: and what muſt thoſe do? Buy a field: all foretold; And they tooke thirty ſiluer peeces, the price of him that was valued, & gaue them for the Potters field, ſaith Zachary (miſwritten Ieremy; by one letter miſtaken in the abbreuiation). By whom? that child of perdition, that the Scripture might bee fulfilled. Which was hee? It is fore-told; He that eateth bread with me, ſaith the Pſalmiſt. And what ſhall his diſciples do? Run away; ſo ſaith the prophecie: J will ſmite the Shepheard, and the ſheepe ſhall be ſcattered, ſaith Zachary. What ſhall bee done to him? He muſt be ſcourged and ſpit vpon: behold, not thoſe filthy excremēts could haue light vpon his ſacred face without a prophecie; J hid not my face frō ſhame and ſpitting, ſaith Eſay. What ſhal be the iſſue? In ſhort; he ſhall be led to death: it is the prophecie; The Meſsias ſhal be ſlaine, ſaith Daniel. What death? He muſt be lift vp; Like as Moſes lift vp the Serpent in the wilderneſſe: ſo ſhall the ſonne of man bee lift vp. Chryſoſtome ſaith well, that ſome actions are parables; ſo may I ſay, ſome actions are prophecies: ſuch are all types of Chriſt: & this with the formoſt. Lift vp? Whither? To the Croſſe: it is the prophecie; Hanging vpon a tree, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . ſaith Moſes. How lift vp? Nayled to it: ſo is the prophecie; Foderunt manus, they haue pierced my hāds and my feet, ſaith the Pſalmiſt. with what cōpany? two thieues; With the wicked was hee nūbred, ſaith Eſay: Where? without the gates, ſaith the prophecie. What becomes of his garments? they cannot ſo much as caſt the dice for his coate, but it is prophecied; They diuided my garments, and on my veſtures caſt lots, ſaith the Pſalmiſt. He muſt die then on the Croſſe: but how? voluntarilie. Not a bone of him ſhall be brokē. What hinders it? lo, there he hangs, as it were neglected, & at mercy; yet all the raging Iewes, no, all the deuils in hell, cannot ſtirre one bone in his bleſſed body: It was prophecied in the Eaſter-Lambe, and it muſt be fulfilled in him that is the true Paſſeouer, in ſpight of fiends and men. How then? hee muſt bee thruſt in the ſide: behold, not the very ſpeare could touch his precious ſide beeing dead, but it muſt be guided by a prophecie; They ſhall ſee him whom they haue thruſt-thorough, ſaith Zacharie. What ſhal he ſay the while? Not his very words but are foreſpoken: his complaint, Eli Eli lamma ſabactani, as the Chalde; or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as the Hebrew, Pſalme 22, 2. His reſignation; In manus tuas, Juto thy hands J commend my ſpirit; Pſalm 31, 5. His requeſt; Father, forgiue them: Hee prayed for the tranſgreſſours, ſaith Eſay. And now, when he ſaw all theſe prophecies were fulfilled; knowing that one remained, hee ſaid, J thirst. Domine, quid ſatis? faith one; O LORD, vvhat thirſteſt thou for? A ſtrange hearing; that a man, yea, that GOD and MAN, dying, ſhould complaine of thirſt.

Could hee indure the ſcorching flames of the wrath of his Father, the curſe of our ſinnes, thoſe tortures of body, thoſe horrours of ſoule; and doth he ſhrinke at his thirſt? No, no: he could haue borne his drought; hee could not beare the Scripture not fulfilled. It was not neceſſity of Nature, but the neceſſity of his Fathers decree, that drew foorth this word, I thirſt. They offered it before: hee refuſed it. Whether it were an ordinary potion for the cō demned, to haſten death (as in the ſtory of M. Antony) which is the moſt receiued conſtruction: or whether it were that Iewiſh potion, wherof the Rabbines ſpeake; whoſe tradition was, that the malefactor to be executed, ſhould after ſome good counſell frō two of their Teachers, be taught to ſay;Sit mors mea in remiſſionem omnium iniquitatum mearum. Let my death be to the remiſsion of all my ſinnes; and then, that hee ſhould haue giuen him a boule of mixt wine,Vt vſ •• rationis tollatur. with a graine of Frankincenſe, to bereaue him both of reaſon and paine.

I durſt bee confident in this later; the rather, for that Saint Marke calls this draught 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : Myrrhe-wine; mingled (as is like) with other ingredients. And Montanus agrees with me in the end, ad ſtuporem & mentis alienationem A faſhiō which Galatine obſerues out of the Sanhedrim, to bee grounded vpon Prouerbs 31, 6. Giue ſtrong drinke to him that is readie to periſh. I leaue it modeſtly in the midſt; let the learneder iudge. What-ſoeuer it were, hee would not die till he had complained of thirſt, and in his thirſt taſted it: Neither wold he haue thirſted for, or taſted any but this bitter draught; that the Scripture might bee fulfilled; They gaue mee Vineger to drinke: And loe, novv, Conſummatum est; All is finiſhed.

If there be any Iew amongſt you, that like one of Iohns vnſeaſonable Diſciples, ſhal aske, Art thou he, or ſhall we looke for another? hee hath his anſwere; Yee men of Iſraell, why ſtand you gazing and gaping for another Meſſias? In this alone, all the prophecies are finiſhed; & of him alone, all was prophecied that was finiſhed. Paul's old rule holds ſtill, To the Jewes a ſtumbling blocke; and that more anciēt curſe of Dauid, Let their table be made a ſnare; And Steuens two brands ſticke ſtill in the fleſhe of theſe vvretched men: One in their neck; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . ſtiffenecked: the other in their hart; vncircumciſed: the one, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Obstinacie; the other, Vnbeliefe: ſtiffenecks indeede, that vvill not ſtoop and relent with the yoke of ſixteen hundred yeers iudgement and ſeruilitie: vncircumciſed harts, the filme of whoſe vnbeliefe, would not be cut off with ſo infinite cōuictions. Oh mad & miſerable Nation! Let them ſhew vs one prophecie that is not fulfilled; let thē ſhew vs one other, in whom all the prophecies can be fulfilled, & we wil mix pitty with our hate: If they cannot, and yet reſiſt; their doome is paſt; Thoſe mine enemies, that would not haue me to raigne ouer them, bring them hither, and ſlay them before mee. So let thine enemies periſh, O Lord.

But what goe I ſo farre? euen amongſt vs (to our ſhame) this riotous age hath bred a monſtrous generation;Aug. ad Hier Dū volunt & Iudaei eſſe & Chriſtiani, nec Iudaei ſunt, ne Chriſtiani. (I pray God I bee not now in ſome of your boſomes that heare mee this day) compounded, much like to the Turkiſh religion; of one part, Chriſtian; another, Iew; a third, worldling; a fourth, Atheiſt: a Chriſtian face, a Iewes hart, a worldlings life, & therefore Atheous in the whole; that acknowledge a God, & knowe him not; that profeſſe a Chriſt, but doubt of him; yea, belieue him not: The foole hath ſaid in his hart there is no Chriſt. What ſhall I ſay of the ſemen? they are worſe then deuils that yielding euill ſpirit, could ſay, Ieſus I know; and theſe miſcreants are ſtil in the old tune of that tempting deuill; Si tu es filius Dei, if thou be the Christ. Oh God, that after ſo cleer a Goſpell, ſo many miraculous confirmations, ſo many thouſand martyrdōs, ſo many glorious victories of truth, ſo many open confeſſions of Angels, men, diuells, friends; enemies; ſuch conſpirations of heauen & earth, ſuch vniuerſall conteſtations of all ages and people; there ſhould be left any ſparke of this damnable infidelitie in the falſe harts of men! Behold then, yee deſpiſers, and wonder, and vaniſh away: whom haue all the Prophets fore-told? or vvhat haue the prophecies of ſo many hundreds, yea, thouſands of yeers fore-ſaid, that is not with this word finiſhed? Who could fore-tell theſe things, but the ſpirit of God? Who could accompliſh them, but the ſonne of God? Hee ſpake by the mouth of his holy Prophets, ſaith Zacharie: he hath ſpoken, & hee hath done; one true GOD in both. No other ſpirit could fore-ſay theſe things ſhould bee done; none other power could doe theſe things, thus fore-ſhewed: this word therfore, can fit none but the mouth of God our Sauiour, It is finiſhed. Wee knowe whom we haue belieued; Thou art the Chriſt, the ſonne of the liuing GOD. Let him that loues not the Lord Ieſus, be accurſed to the death.

Thus the prophecies are finiſhed: Of the legall Obſeruations, with more breuity Christ is the end of the law: What law? Ceremoniall; Morall. Of the morall; it was kept perfectly by himſelfe, ſatisfied fully for vs: of the ceremoniall; it was referred to him, obſerued of him, fulfilled in him, aboliſht by him. There were nothing more eaſie then to ſhew you how all thoſe Iewiſh ceremonies lookt at Chriſt: how Circumciſion, Paſſouer, the Tabernacle, both outer and inner, the Temple, the Lauer, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . both the Altars, the Tables of Shew-breade, the candleſticks, the Vaile, the Holy of holies, the Arke, the Propitiatory, the pot of Manna, Aarons rodde, the high Prieſt, his order and line, his habites, his inaugurations, his waſhings, annointings, ſprinklings, offerings, the ſacrifices 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and what euer Iewiſh rite; had their vertue from Chriſt, relation to him, and their end in him. This was then their laſt gaſpe; for, now ſtraight they died with Chriſt: now the vaile of the Temple rent:Ex quo apparet, tunc ſciſsū eſſe cùm Chriſtus emiſit ſpiritum. As Auſten well notes, out of Mathew's order; It tore then, when Chriſts laſt breath paſſed. That conceit of Theophylact is witty; that as the Iewes were wont to rend their garments whē they heard blaſphemy: ſo the Temple, not induring theſe execrable blaſphemies againſt the Sonne of God, tore his vaile in peeces. But that is not all: the vaile rent, is the obligation of the rituall lawe cancelled; the way into the heauenly Sanctuarie opened; the ſhadow giuing roome to the ſubſtance: in a word, it dooth that which Chriſt ſaith; Conſummatū eſt. Euen now then the law of ceremonies died:Ceremoniae ſicut defuncta corpora a neceſſariorū officijs deducenda erant ad ſepulturā, non ſimulatè, ſed religiosè, nec deſerenda continuò. Auguſtin. It had a long and ſolemne buriall, as Auguſtine ſaith wel; perhaps figured in Moſes, who died not lingringly, but was thirty daies mourned for. What meanes the Church of Rome, to dig them vp, now rotten in their graues? and that, not as if they had been buried, but ſowen, with a plentifull increaſe: yea, vvith the inuerted vſury of too many of you Cittizens; ten for one. It is a graue and deepe cenſure of that reſolute Hierome; Ego è contrario loquar, &c. J ſay, Ego è cōtrario loquar, & reclamāte mūdo liberâ voce pro nūciē, ceremonias Iudaeorū pernicioſas eſſe, et mortiferas, & quicunque eas obſeruauerit ſiue ex Iudaeis, ſiue ex Gētibus, in barathrū diaboli deuolutū. Hier. ſaith he, and in ſpight of all the vvorld dare maintain, that now the Iewiſh ceremonies are pernicious, and deadly: & whoſoeuer ſhal obſerue them, whether he be Jew or Gentile, in barathrū diaboli deuolutum; ſhall fry in hell for it. Still Altars? ſtill Prieſts? ſacrifices ſtill? ſtill waſhings? ſtill vnctions? ſprinkling, ſhauing, purifying? ſtill all, and more then all? Let them heare but Auguſtines cenſure;Quiſquis nunc ea celebrare voluerit, tanquā ſopitos cineres eruens, nō erit pius &c. Quiſquis nunc, &c. Whoſoeuer ſhall now vſe thē, as it were raking them vp out of their duſt; he ſhall not be pius deductor corporis, ſed impius ſepulturae violator: an impious & ſacrilegious wretch, that ranſacks the quiet tombes of the dead.

I ſay not that all ceremonies are dead; but the Law of ceremonies, and of Iewiſh. It is a ſound diſtinction of them, that profound Peter Martyr hath in his Epiſtle, to that worthy Martyr, Father, Biſhoppe, Hooper: Some are typicall, fore-ſignifying Chriſt to come: ſome, of order and decencie. Thoſe are abrogated, not theſe. The Iewes had a faſhion of prophecying in the Churches; ſo the Chriſtians from them, as Ambroſe: the Iewes had an eminent pulpit of wood; ſo wee: they gaue names at their circumciſion; ſo we at Baptiſme: they ſung pſalmes melodiouſly in Churches; ſo do we: they paid & receiued tithes; ſo do we: they wrapt their dead in linnen, with odors; ſo wee: the Iewes had ſureties at their admiſsiō into the church; ſo we. Theſe inſtances might be infinite, the Spouſe of Chriſt cannot be without her laces, & chaines, and borders. Chriſt came not to diſſolue order. But thou Lorde, how long? how long ſhall thy poore Church find her ornamēts, her ſorowes? and ſee the deare ſonnes of her wombe, bleeding about theſe apples of ſtrife? let me ſo name them, not for their value (euen ſmal things, whē they are commaunded, looke for no ſmal reſpect) but for their euent: the enemy is at the gates of our Syracuſe; how long will we ſuffer our ſelues, taken vp with angles and circles in the duſt Yemen, brethren, fathers, helpe; for Gods ſake put to your hands, to the quenching of this common flame: The one ſide by humilitie, and obedience; the other, by compaſſion; both by prayers and teares. Who am I, that I ſhould reuiue to you the ſweet ſpirit of that diuine Auguſtine? who, when hee heard & ſaw the bitter contentions betwixt two graue and famous Diuines, Ierome, and Ruffine; Heu mihi, ſaith he, qui vos alicubi ſimul inuenire non poſſum! Alas, that J ſhall neuer find you two together! how J would fall at your feet, how J would imbrace them, and weepe vpon them, and beſeech you; either of you for other, and each for himſelf; both of you for the church of GOD; but eſpecially, for the weake, for whō Chriſt died: who, not without their own great danger, ſee you two fighting in this Theater of the world. Yet let me doe, what he ſaid he would do; begge for peace, as for life: by your filiall pietie to the Church of GOD, whoſe ruines follow vpon our diuiſions; by your loue of Gods truth; by the graces of that one bleſſed Spirit, whereby we are all informed & quickened by the precious blood of that ſonne of GOD, which this day, and this howre, was ſhed for our redemption, be inclined to peace and loue: & tho our braines be different, yet let our harts be one. It was, as I heard, the dying ſpeech of our late reuerend, worthy, and gracious Dioceſan, Modò me moriēte viuat ac floreat Eccleſia; Oh! yet if, when J am dead, the Church may liue and flouriſh.

What a ſpirit was heere? what a ſpeech? how worthy neuer to die? how worthy of a ſoule ſo neere to his heauen? how worthy of ſo happy a ſucceſſion? Ye whom God hath made inheritors of this bleſſed care, which do no leſſe long for the proſperitie of Sion, liue you to effect, what he did but liue to wiſh all peace with our ſelues, and war with none but Rome and Hell. And if there bee any weyward Separatiſt, whoſe ſoule profeſſeth to hate peace; I feare to tell him Paules meſſage, yet I muſt: Would to God thoſe were out off that trouble you. How cut off? As good Theodoſius ſaid to Demophilus, a contentious Prelate; Situ pacem fugis, &c. Si tu pacē fugis, ego te ab Eccleſia fuger mando. of thou flie peace, I wil make thee flie the Church. Alas! they doe flie it: that which ſhould bee their puniſhment, they make their cōtentment: how are they worthy of pitty? As Optatus, of his Donatiſts, they are brethren, might be companions, and will not. Oh wilfull men! vvhither doe they run? from one Chriſt to another? Is Chriſt diuided? We haue him; thanks be to our good God: and wee heare him daily; and whither ſhall we goe from thee? thou haſt the words of eternall life.

Thus the Ceremonies are finiſhed: Now heare the end of his ſufferings, vvith like patience and deuotion. His death is heere included; it was ſo neere, that hee ſpake of it as done; and when it was done, all was done. How eaſie is it to loſe our ſelues in this diſcourſe how hard, not to be ouer-whelmed vvith matter of wonder; and to find either beginning, or end! His ſufferings found an end; our thoughts cannot. Lo; with this word, he is happilie waded out of thoſe deepes of ſorowes, wherof our conceits can find no bottome: yet let vs, with Peter, gird our coa e, and caſt our ſelues a little into this ſea.

All his life was but a perpetuall Paſſion: In that he becam man, he ſuffered more then we can doe, either while wee are men, or when wee ceaſe to be men: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . he humbled, yea, he emptied himſelfe. Wee, when vvee ceaſe to be heere, are clothed vpon. 2. Cor. 5 Wee both win by our beeing, & gaine by our leſſe; hee loſt, by taking our more or leſſe to himſelfe, that is, manhood. For, tho euer as God, I and my Father are one; yet as man, My Father is greater then J. That man ſhould be turned into a beaſt, into a worme, into duſt, into nothing; is not ſo great a diſparagemēt, as that GOD ſhould become man and yet it is not finiſhed; it is but begun. But what man? If, as the abſolute Monarch of the world, he had commanded the vaſſalage of all Emperours and Princes, & had trod on nothing but Crownes and Scepters, and the necks of Kings, and bidden all the Potentates of the earth to attend his train; this had caried ſome port with it, ſutable to the heroicall maieſtie of Gods Sonne. No ſuch matter: heere is neither forme nor beautie; vnleſſe perhaps ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) the forme of a ſeruaunt: you haue made mee to ſerue, with your ſinnes. Behold he is a man to God; a ſeruaunt to man; and, be it ſpoken with holy reuerence, a drudge to his ſeruants. He is deſpiſed and reiected of men; yea (as himſelf, of himſelfe) a worme, and no man, the ſhame of men, & contempt of the people. Who is the King of glory? Pſal. 24, 10 the Lord of hoſtes hee is the King of glory. Set theſe two together; the King of glory; the ſhame of men: the more honour, the more abaſement. Looke back to his cradle; there you find him reiected of the Bethlemites; borne & laid alas how homely, how vnworthily: ſought for by Herod, exiled to Egypt, obſcurely brought vp in the cottage of a poore foſterfather, tranſported & tempted by Satan, derided of his kindred, blaſphemouſly traduced by the Iewes, pinched with hunger, reſtleſſe, harbourleſſe, ſorrowfull, perſecuted, by the Elders and Phariſees, ſold by his owne ſeruant, apprehended, arraigned, ſcourged, condemned; & yet it is not finiſhed. Let vs, with that Diſciple, follow him a farre off; & paſſing ouer all his contemptuous vſage in the way, ſee him brought to his Croſſe. Still the further wee looke, the more wonder; euery thing ads to this ignominy of ſuffering, and triumph of ouercomming. Where was it? not in a corner, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Acts. 26.27. as Paule ſaith to Feſtus: but in Ieruſalem; the eye, the hart of the world. Obſcuritie abateth ſhame; publique notice heightens it: Before all Iſraell, & before this ſun, ſaith GOD to Dauid, when he would throughlie ſhame him: In Ieruſalem, which hee had honoured with his preſence, taught with his preachings, aſtoniſht with his miracles, bewailed with his teares; O Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem, how oft would J, and thou wouldeſt not! O yet if in this thy daie! Crueltie and vnkindneſſe, after good deſert, afflict ſo much more, as our merit hath beene greater. VVhere-abouts? vvithout the gates: in Caluary; among the ſtinking bones of execrable malefactors. Before, the glory of the place bred ſhame; novv, the vileneſs of it. When? but in the Paſſeouer; a time of greateſt frequence, and concourſe of all Iewes and proſelites: An holy time: whē they ſhould receiue the figure, they reiect the ſubſtance: when they ſhould kil & eate the ſacramental Lambe, in faith, in thankfulnes, they kill the Lambe of GOD, our true Paſſeouer, in crueltie and contempt. With whom?& In medio latronū tanquā latronū imma iſſimus. Luther. The qualitie of our company, either increaſes or leſſens ſhame. In the midſt of thieues (ſaith one) as the Prince of thieues. There vvas no guile in his mouth, much leſſe in his hands: Yet behold, he that thought it no robberie to bee equall with Go , is made equall to robbers and murderers; yea, ſuperiour in euill. What ſuffered hee? As all liues are not alike pleaſant: ſo al deathes are not equally fearfull: there is not more differēce betwixt ſome life & death, then betwixt one death & another. See the Apoſtles gradation: He was made obedient to the death, euē the death of the Croſſe. The Croſſe, a lingering, tormenting, ignominious death. The Iewes had foure kindes of death for malefactors; the towell, the ſword, fire, ſtones; each of theſe aboue other in extreamitie. Strangling with the towell, they accounted eaſieſt: the ſword worſe then the towel: the fire worſe then the ſword: ſtoning worſe then the fire: but this Romaine death was worſt of all. Curſed is euery one that hangeth on tree. Yet (as Ierome well) he is not therefore accurſed, becauſe hee hangeth; but therfore he hangeth, becauſe he is accurſed. He was made ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) a curſe for vs. The curſe was more then the ſhame: yet the ſhame is vnſpeakeable; and yet not more then the paine. Yet all that die the ſame death, are not equally miſerable: the very Thieues fared better in their death, then he. I heare of no irriſion, no inſcription, no taunts, no inſultation on thē: they had nothing but paine to incounter; hee, paine and ſcorne. An ingenuous & noble nature, can worſe brooke this thē the other; any thing rather then diſdainefulneſſe, and deriſion: eſpecially, from a baſe enemy. I remē ber, that learned Father begins Iſraels affliction, with Iſmaels perſecuting laughter. The Iews, the ſouldiours, yea, the very thieues flouted him, and triumpht ouer his miſerie: his blood cannot ſatisfie thē, without his reproach. Which of his ſenſes now was not a window to let in ſorrow? His eyes ſaw the teares of his Mother and friends, the vnthankful demeanure of mankind, the cruell deſpight of his enemies: his eares heard the reuilings & blaſphemies of the multitude: & (whether the place were noiſome to his ſent) his touch felt the nailes; his taſte, the gall. Looke vp, O all yee beholders, looke vpon this precious body, & ſee what part ye can find free?Caput angelicis ſpiritibus tremebūdū ſpinis coronatur. &c. Bernard. That head which is adored, and trembled at by the Angelicall ſpirits, is all raked, & harrowed with thorns: that face, of whom is ſaid, Thou art fa rer then the children of men, is all beſmeared with the filthy ſpettle of the Iewes, and furrowed with his teares: thoſe eyes, clearer then the ſun, are darkened with the ſhadow of death: thoſe eares, that hear the heauenly conſorts of Angels, now are filled with the curſed ſpeakings and ſcoffes of wretched men: thoſe lips that ſpake as neuer man ſpake, that commaund the ſpirits both of life & darkneſſe, are ſcornfully wet with vineger & gall: thoſe feet that trample on all the powers of hell (his enemies are made his footſtoole) are now nailed to the footſtoole of the Croſſe: thoſe hands that freely ſway the ſcepter of the Heauens, now carrie the reed of reproach, and are nailed to the tree of reproach: that whole body, which was cō ceiued by the holy Ghoſt, was all ſcourged, wounded, mangled: This is the out-ſide of his ſufferings. Was his heart free? Oh no: the inner part, or ſoule of this pain, which was vnſeen, is as far beyond theſe outward and ſenſible, as the ſoule is beyond the body; Gods vvrath beyond the malice of mē: theſe were but lo e ticks to what his ſoule indured! O all ye that paſſe by the way, behold and ſee, if there bee any ſorrow like to my ſorrow: Alas! Lord, what can we ſee of thy ſorrowes? we cannot conceiue ſo much as the ainouſneſſe and deſert of one of thoſe ſinnes which thou bareſt: wee can no more ſee thy paine, then wee could vnder-goe it, onely this wee ſee, that what the infinite ſins of almoſt infinite men, committed againſt an infinite Maieſtie, deſerued in infinite continuance; all this thou in the ſhort time of thy Paſſion haſt ſuſtained. We may behold and ſee; but all the glorious ſpirits in heauen cannot looke into the depth of this ſuffering. Do but looke yet a little into the paſſions of this his Paſſion: for, by the manner of his ſufferings, we ſhall beſt ſee what hee ſuffered. Wiſe and reſolute men, do not complaine of a little: holy Martyrs haue bin racked, & would not be looſed; what ſhall we ſay if the Author of their ſtrength, God and man, be wray paſſions? what wold haue ouerwhelmed men, wold not haue made him ſhrinke; and what made him complaine, could neuer haue been ſuſtained by men. What ſhal we then think, if he were affrighted with terrors, perplexed with ſorrowes, and diſtracted with both theſe? And lo, he was all theſe: for, firſt, heere was an amazed feare; for millions of men to deſpaire, was not ſo much as for him to feare: and yet it was no ſlight feare; hee began 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to be aſtoniſhed with terrour Which in the daies of his fleſh, offered vp prayers, & ſupplications, with ſtrong cries and teares, to him that was able to helpe him; and was heard in that hee feared. Neuer man was ſo afraid of the torments of hell, as Chriſt (ſtanding in our roome) of his Fathers vvrath. Feare is ſtill ſutable to apprehenſion: Neuer man could ſo perfectlie apprehende this cauſe of feare. He felt the chaſtiſements of our peace: yea, the curſe of our ſinnes; & therfore might well ſay with Dauid; J ſuffer thy terrors with a troubled mind: yea, with Iob, The arrowes of God are in me; & the terrors of God fight againſt mee. With feare; there was a deiecting ſorow 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 My ſoule is on all ſides heauy to the death. His ſtrong cries, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . his many tears, are witneſſes of this Paſſion. He had formerly ſhed teares of pitie, and teares of loue; but now of anguiſh: he had before ſent forth cries of mercie; neuer of complaint till now. When the ſonne of God weeps and cries, what ſhall we ſay or thinke? yet further, betwixt both theſe and his loue, what a conflict vvas there? It is not amiſſe diſtinguiſhed, that hee was alwaies in agonie; but now in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in a ſtruggling paſſion of mixed griefe. Behold: this field was not without ſweat and blood; yea, a ſweat of blood O what man or Angell, can conceiue the taking of that heart, that without all outward violence, meerely, out of the extreamity of his owne Paſſion, bled (thorough the fleſh and skinne) not ſom faint deaw, but ſolid drops of blood? No thornes, no nailes fetcht blood from him, with ſo much pain as his own thoughts. Hee ſaw the fierce wrath of his Father, and therfore feared he ſawe the heauie burden of our ſinnes to bee vndertaken; and therevpon, beſides feare, iuſtlie grieued: he ſaw the neceſſity of our eternall damnation, if hee ſuffered not; if he did ſuffer, of our redemption: and therfore his loue incountred both griefe and feare. In it ſelfe, he would not drinke of that cuppe: in reſpect of our good, and his decree, hee would and did; and while he thus ſtriueth, he ſweats and bleedes. There was neuer ſuch a combatte, neuer ſuch a bloodſhed; and yet it is not finiſhed. I dare not ſay with ſome Schoolemen that the ſorrow of his Paſſion, was not ſo great as the ſorow of his compaſſion: yet that vvas ſurely exceeding great. To ſee the vngracious careleſneſſe of mankind, the ſlender fruite of his ſufferings, the ſorrowes of his mother, diſciples, friends; to fore-ſee frō this watch-towre of his Croſſe, the future temptations of his children, deſolations of his Church; all theſe muſt needs ſtrike deepe into a tender hart. Theſe he ſtill ſees & pitties, but without paſsion; then, he ſuffered, in ſeeing them.

Can wee yet ſay any more? Lo, all theſe ſufferings are aggrauated by his fulnes of knowledge, & want of comfort: for, he did not ſhut his eyes, as one ſaith, when hee drunk this cup he ſaw how dreggiſh, and knew how bitter it was. Sodaine euils afflict, if not leſſe, ſhorter. He fore-ſaw and fore-ſaid euerie particular he ſhould ſuffer, ſo long as he fore-ſaw he ſuffered: the expectation of euill, is not leſſe then the ſenſe to looke long for good, is a puniſhment; but for euill, is a torment. No paſſion works vpō an vnknown obiect: as no loue, ſo no fear is of what we know not Hence men fear not hell, becauſe they fore-ſee it not: if we could ſee that pit open before wee come at it, it would make vs tremble at our ſinnes, and our knees to knock together, as Baltaſars; & perhaps, without faith, to run mad at the horror of iudgemēt. He ſaw the burdē of all particular ſins to be laid vpon him: euery dram of his fathers wrath, was meaſured out to him, ere he touch this potion: this cup was full; & he knew that it muſt be wringd, not a drop left: it muſt be finiſhed. O yet, if as he fore-ſaw all his ſorrowes, ſo he could haue ſeene ſome mixture of refreſhing! But J found none to comfort me; no, none to pitie me. And yet, it is a poore cō fort that ariſes from pittie. Euen ſo, O Lord, thou treadeſt this wine-preſſe alone; none to accompany, none to aſſiſt thee. I remember, Ruffinus in his Eccleſiaſticall ſtorie reports, that one Theodorus, a Martyr, told him, that when he was hanging ten houres vpō the rack, for religion, vnder Iulians perſecution, his ioynts diſtended and diſtorted, his body exquiſitelie tortured vvith change of executioners; ſo as neuer age, ſaith he,Vt nulla vnquam aetas ſimilem memi erit. could remember the like: he felt no paine at all, but continued indeed all the while in the ſight of all men, ſinging & ſmiling. For, there ſtood a comlie young man by him on his Iibbet (an Angell rather, in forme of a man) which with a cleane towel, ſtill wip't off his ſweat, & poured coole vvater vpon his racked limbs: wherwith he was ſo refreſhed, that it grieued him to be let downe. Euen the greateſt torments are eaſie, whē they •• ue aunſwerable cōforts: but a wounded & comfortleſſe ſpirit, who can beare? If yet but the ſame meſſenger of GOD, might haue attended his Croſs, that appeared in his agonie; & might haue giuen eaſe to their Lord, as he did to his ſeruant! And yet, what can the Angels help, where God will ſmite? Againſt the violence of men, againſt the furie of Satan, they haue preuailed in the Cauſe of GOD, for men: they dare not, they cannot cōfort where God will afflict. When our Sauiour had been wreſtling with Satan, in the end of his Lent, then they appeared to him, and ſerued but now, while about the ſame time, hee is wreſtling with the wrath of his Father for vs, not an Angell dare bee ſeene, to looke out of the windowes of heauē to relieue him: for men; much leſſe could they if they would; but what did they? Miſerable comforters are yee all; the ſouldiours; they ſtript him, ſcorned him with his purple, crown, reed; ſpat on him, ſmote him: the paſſengers; they reuiled him; and inſulting, wagg'd their heads and hands at him; Hey, thou that deſtroieſt the temple, come downe, &c. The Elders and Scribes alas! they haue bought his blood, ſuborned witneſſes, incenſed Pilate, preferred Barabbas, vndertook the guilt of his death, cri'd out, Crucifie, crucifie; Ho! thou that ſauedſt others. His diſciples; alas! they forſooke him: one of them forſweares him; another runs away naked, rather then he will ſtay and confeſſe him. His mother, and other friends: they looke on indeede, and ſorrovv with him; but, to his diſcomfort. Where the griefe is extreame, and reſpects neere, partnerſhip doth but increaſe ſorrovv. Paul chides this loue: What doe you weeping, and breaking my heart? The teares of thoſe we loue, do either ſlacken our hearts, or wound them. Who then ſhall comfort him? Himſelfe? Somtimes our own thoughts find a way to ſuccour vs, vnknown to others: no, not himſelf. Doubtleſſe (as Aquinas) the influence of the higher part of the ſoule, was reſtrained from the aide of the inferiour; My ſoule is filled with euills. Pſalm. 87, 4. VVho then? his Father? Heere, heere was his hope: Jf the Lord had not holpen me, Pſalm 94.17. my ſoule had almoſt dwelt in ſilence J and my Father are one. But now (alas!) he, euen he, deliuers him into the hands of his enemies; when hee hath done, turnes his back vpon him as a ſtranger; yea, he woundeth him as an enemy. The Lord wold breake him. Eſay, 53, 10. Yet any thing is light to the ſoule, whiles the comforts of God ſuſtaine it: who can diſmay, where God will relieue? But here, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken mee? VVhat a word was heere, to come from the mouth of the Sonne of GOD? My diſciples are men, weak & fearefull; no maruell if they forſake me. The Iewes are themſelues, cruell and obſtinate. Men are men, graceleſſe, and vnthankfull. Diuels are, according to their nature, ſpightful and malicious. All theſe doe but their kind, and let them doe it: but thou, O Father, thou that haſt ſaid; This is my wel-beloued ſon, in whom J am well pleaſed: thou of whō I haue ſaid, Jt is my Father that glorifies me: what? forſaken mee? Not onely brought me to this ſhame, ſmitten mee, vnregarded me; but, as it were, forgotten, yea, forſaken mee? What, euen mee, my Father? How many of thy conſtant ſeruaunts haue ſuffered heauie things! yet in the multitudes of the ſorrowes of their harts, thy preſence and comforts haue refreſhed their ſoule. Haſt thou relieued them, and dooſt thou forſake mee mee, thine onelie, deere, naturall, eternall ſonne! O yee heauens & earth, how could you ſtand, whiles the Maker of you thus cōplained! Yee ſtood; but, partaking after a ſort of his Paſſion: the earth trembled & ſhooke, her rocks tore, her graues opened, the heauens withdrew their light; as not daring to behold this ſad and fearefull ſpectacle.

Oh deere Chriſtians! how ſhould theſe earthen and rocky harts of ours ſhake, and re d in peeces at this meditation? how ſhould our faces bee couered with darkneſſe, and our ioy be turned into heauineſs? Al theſe voices, and teares, and ſweats, and pangs, are for vs; yea, frō vs. Shall the Sonne of God thus ſmart for our ſinnes, yea, with our ſinnes; and ſhall not wee grieue for our owne? ſhall ee weepe to vs in this Market-place, and ſhal not we mourne? Nay, ſhall hee ſweat and bleed for vs, and ſhall not wee weepe for our ſelues? Shall he thus lamentably ſhrieke-out, vnder his Fathers wrath, and ſhall not we tremble? Shall the heauens and earth ſuffer with him, & we ſuffer nothing? I call you not to a weake & idle pitty of our glorious Sauior: to what purpoſe? His iniury, was our glory. No, no; Ye daughters of Jeruſalem, weepe not for mee: but weepe for your ſelues: For our ſinnes, that haue done this; not for his ſorrow that ſuffered it: not for his pangs, that were; but for our owne that ſhould haue been, & (if we repent not) ſhall be. Oh how grieuous, how deadly are our ſinnes, that coſt the ſonne of God (beſides blood) ſo much tormēt? How far are our ſoules gone, that could not be ranſomed with any eaſier price? That that tooke ſo much of this infinite Redeemer of men, God & man, how can it chuſe but ſwallow vp & confound thy ſoule, which is but finite and ſinfull? If thy ſoule had been in his ſoules ſtead, what had become of it: it ſhal be, if his were not in ſtead of thine. This weight, that lies thus heauy on the Son of God, & wrung from him theſe teares, ſweat, blood, and theſe vnconceiueable grones of his afflicted ſpirit, how ſhall it chuſe but preſſe downe thy ſoule to the bottom of hell? & ſo it will do: if hee haue not ſuffered it for thee, thou muſt and ſhalt ſuffer it for thy ſelfe. Goe now thou leud man, and make thy ſelfe merry with thy ſinnes; laugh at the vncleaneneſſes, or bloodineſſe of thy youth: thou little knoweſt the price of a ſin: thy ſoule ſhall do; thy Sauiour did, whē he cried out, to the amazement of Angels, and horror of men; My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken mee. But now no more of this; It is finiſhed: the greater conflict, the more happy victory. Well doth hee find and feele of his Father, what his type ſaid before, Hee will not chide alwaies, nor keepe his anger for euer. It is fearefull; but in him, ſhort: eternall to ſinners; ſhort to his Sonne, in whom the God-head dwelt bodily. Behold: this ſtorme, where-with al the powers of the world were ſhaken, is now ouer. The Elders, Phariſees, Iudas, the ſouldiers, prieſts, witneſſes, Iudges, thieues, executioners, diuells, haue al tired thēſelues in vaine, with their owne malice; and he triumphs ouer them all, vpon this throne of his Croſſe: His enemies are vanquiſht, his Father ſatisfied, his ſoule with this word, at reſt and glory; Jt is finiſhed. Now there is no more betraying, agonies, arraignmēts, ſcourgings, ſcoffing, crucifying, conflicts, terrors, all is finiſhed. Alas beloued, and will we not yet let the Son of God be at reſt? doe wee now againe goe about to fetch him out of his glorie, to ſcorne and crucifie him? I feare to ſay it: Gods ſpirit dare, and doth; They crucifie againe to themſelues the Son of God, and make a mock of him. To themſelues; not in himſelf: that they cannot, it is no thanke to them; they would doe it. See and conſider: the notoriouſly-ſinfull conuerſations of thoſe that ſhould be Chriſtians, offer violence vnto our glorified Sauiour: they ſtretch their hands to heauen, and pull him downe from his Throne, to his Croſſe: they teare him vvith thornes, pearce him with nailes, loade him with reproaches. Thou hateſt the Iewes, ſpetteſt at the name of Iudas, raileſt on Pilate, condemneſt the cruel butchers of Chriſt: yet, thou canſt blaſpheme, & ſweare him quite ouer; curſe, ſwagger, lie, oppreſſe, boile with luſt, ſcoffe, riot, and liueſt like a debauched man; yea, like an humane beaſt; yea, like an vncleane diuel. Cry Hoſanna as long as thou vvilt; thou art a Pilate, a Iew, a Iudas, an executioner of the Lord of life: and ſo much greater ſhall thy iudgemēt be, by how much thy light, & his glory, is more. Oh, beloued, is it not enough that he died once for vs? Were thoſe paines ſo light, that vve ſhould euery day redouble thē? Is this the entertainement, that ſo gracious a Sauiour hath deſerued of vs by dying? Is this the recompence of that infinite loue of his, that thou ſhouldeſt thus cruelly vexe and vvound him with thy ſinnes? Euerie of our ſins is a thorne, and naile, and ſpeare to him. While thou poureſt down thy drunken carowſes, thou giueſt thy Sauiour a potion of gall: while thou deſpiſeſt his poore ſeruants, thou ſpett'ſt in his face: while thou putteſt on thy proud dreſſes, & lifteſt vp thy vaine heart vvith high conceits, thou ſetteſt a Crowne of thornes on his head: while thou wringeſt and oppreſſeſt his poore children, thou whippeſt him, & draweſt blood of his hands and feet. Thou hypocrite, how dareſt thou offer to receiue the Sacrament of God, with that hand, which is thus imbrued with the bloud of him whō thou receiueſt? In euery Ordinary, thy profane tong walkes, in the diſgrace of the religious & cōſcionable. Thou makeſt no ſcruple of thine own ſinnes, and ſcorneſt thoſe that doe: Not to be wicked, is crime enough. Heare him that ſaith, Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou mee? Saul ſtrikes, at Damaſcus: Chriſt ſuffers in heauen. Thou ſtrikeſt: Chriſt Ieſus ſmarteth, & will reuenge. Theſe are the ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) af erings of Chriſts ſufferings: in himſelfe it is finiſhed; in his members it is not, till the world be finiſhed. We muſt toile, and grone, and bleed; that wee may raigne: if he had not done ſo, It had not been finiſhed. This is our warfare: this is the region of our ſorrow and death. Now are we ſet vpō the ſandy pauement of our Theater, and are matched with all ſorts of euills; euill men, euill ſpirits, euill accidēts; & (which are worſt) our owne euill hearts: tentations, croſſes, perſecutions, ſickneſſes, wants, infamies; death; all theſe muſt, in our courſes, be incoūtred by the law of our profeſſion. What ſhould we do but ſtriue and ſuffer, as our Generall hath done, that wee may raigne as he doth, and once triumph in our Conſummatū est? God & his Angels ſit vpon the Scaffolds of Heauen, & behold vs: our Crowne is ready; our day of deliuerance ſhall come; yea, our redemption is neere vvhen all teares ſhall bee wip't from our eyes; & wee that haue ſowen in teares, ſhall reape in ioy. In the meane time, let vs poſſeſſe our ſoules, not in patience onely, but in comfort: let vs adore and magnifie our Sauiour in his ſufferings, and imitate him in our owne our ſorrowes ſhall haue an end; our ioyes ſhall not: our paines ſhall ſoone be finiſhed; our glory ſhal be finiſhed, but neuer ended.

Thus his ſufferings are finiſhed; now together with them, Mans ſaluation. Who knowes not, that man had made himſelf a deepe debter, a bankrupt, an out-law to GOD? Our ſins are our debts; and by ſins, death. Now, in this word and act, our ſinnes are diſcharged, death indured, and therefore wee cleared. The debt is paid, the ſcore is croſſed, the Creditor ſatisfied, the Debters acquitted; and, ſince there was no other quarrell, ſaued. We are all ſick, and that mortally: Sin is the diſeaſe of the ſoule. Quot vitia, tot febres, faith Chryſoſtome; ſo many ſinnes, ſo many Feauers, & thoſe peſtilent. What wonder is it that we haue ſo much plague, while we haue ſo much ſin? Our Sauiour is the Phyſician; The vvhole neede not the Phyſician, but the ſicke. Wherein? He healeth all our infirmities: hee healeth thē after a miraculous maner; not by giuing vs receits, but by taking our receits for vs. A wonderfull Phyſician; a wonderful courſe of cure. One while he would cure vs by abſtinence; our ſuperfluity, by his forty daies emptineſſe: according to that old rule Hunger cures the diſeaſes of Gluttony. Another while, by exerciſe: He went vp and downe from Citty to Cittie; and in the day was preaching in the Temple; in the night, praying in the Mount. Then, by diet; Take, eate, this is my body: and, Let this cup paſſe. After that yet, by ſweat: ſuch a ſweat as neuer was a bloudy one: yet more by inciſion; they pearced his hands, feet, ſide: and yet againe by potion; a bitter potion, of vineger and gall. And laſtly, which is both the ſtrangeſt and ſtrongeſt receit of all, by dying; Which died for vs; that whether we wake or ſleep, we ſhould liue together with him. 1. Theſ. 5.10. We need no more, wee can goe no further; there can bee no more phyſick of this kind: there are cordialls after theſe, of his Reſurrection and Aſcenſion; no more penall receits. By this bloud wee haue Redemption, Epheſ. 1, 7. Iuſtification, Rom. 3, 24. Reconciliation, Coloſ. 1, 20. Sanctification, 1. Pet. 1, 2. Entrance into glory, Hebr. 10, 19. Is it not now finiſhed Wo were vs, if he had left but one mite of ſatisfaction vpon our ſcore, to bee diſcharged by our ſoules: and wo bee to them that derogate from Chriſt, that they may charge themſelues; that botch vp theſe alſufficiently meritorious ſufferings of Chriſt, as imperfect, with the ſuperfluities of fleſh and bloud. Maledictus homo, qui ſpem ponit in homine We may not with patiēce ſee Chriſt wrongd by his falſe friends: As that heroicall Luther ſaid in the like Maledictū ſilentium, quod hîc conniuet. Curſed bee the ſilence that heer forbeareth to be free & ſhort. Heere be two iniuries intolerable; both giue Chriſt the lye vpon his Croſſe: Jt is finiſhed. No; ſomewhat remaines: the fault is diſcharged, not the puniſhment. Of puniſhments, the eternall is quit, not the temporall It is finiſhed by Chriſt: No, there wants yet much; the ſatisfactions of Saints applied by his Vicar: adde mens ſufferings to Chriſts, thē the treaſure is ful; till then it is not finiſhed.

Two qualities ſtriue for the firſt place in theſe two opinions; Impietie, and Abſurditie: I know not whether to prefer. For Impietie; heere is GOD taxed of iniuſtice, vnmercifulneſſe, inſufficiencie, falshood. Of iniuſtice; that he forgiues a ſin, and yet puniſhes for that which he hath forgiuen: vnmercifulneſſe; that he forgiues not while hee forgiues, but doth it by halues: inſufficiencie; that his raunſome muſt be ſupplied by men: falshood; in that hee ſaith, Jt is finiſhed, when it is not. For Abſurdity; how groſſe & monſtrous are theſe Poſitions? that at once the ſame ſin ſhould bee remitted & retained; that there ſhould be a puniſhment, where there is no fault; that vvhat could ſtrike off our eternall puniſhment, did not wipe off the temporall; that hee which paid our pounds, ſticks at our far things; that GOD will retaine what man may diſcharge; that it is, and is not finiſhed.

If there bee anie opinions whoſe mention confutes them, theſe are they. None can bee more vaine; none had more neede of ſoliditie: for, this proppe beares-vp alone, the vveight of all thoſe millions of Indulgences which Rome creates and ſells to the vvorld. That Strumpet would well-neere goe naked, if this vvere not. Theſe ſpirituall treaſures, fetch in the temporall: vvhich yet our reuerend and learned Fulke, iuſtlie calls a moſt blaſphemous and beggerly principle: it brings in vvhole Cheſts, yea Mines of Golde (like the Popes Indies); and hath not ſo much as a ragge of proofe to couer it; whether of Antiquitie, of Reaſon, of Scripture. Not of Antiquitie; for, theſe Iubilie Proclamations beganne but about three hundred yeers agoe. Not of Reaſon: hovv ſhould one meere man pay for another, diſpēſe with another, to another, by another? Not of Scripture: which hath flatly ſaid; The bloud of Jeſus Chriſt, his ſon, purgeth vs from all ſin: and yet I remember, that acute Sadeel hath taught mee, that this practice is according to Scripture: What Scripture? He caſt the money-changers out of the Temple, and ſaid; Negotiatores terrae ſunt ipſi Sacerdotes, qui vendunt orationes & miſſas pro denarijs: acientes domū orationis, apothecam negotiationis. In Reuel. l. 10. p. 5. Ye haue made my houſe a denne of thieues. Which alſo Ioachim, their propheticall Abbot, well applies to this purpoſe. Some modeſt Doctors of Louan, wold faine haue minced this Antichriſtian blaſphemie: who began to teach, that the paſſions of the Saints are not ſo by Indulgences applied, that they become true ſatisfactions; but that they onely ſerue to moue God, by the ſight of them, to apply vnto vs Chriſts ſatisfaction. But theſe meal-mouthed Diuines, were ſoone charmed; foure ſeuerall Popes (as their Cardinall confeſſeth) fell vpon the neck of them,Bellar. l. 1. d Indulgent. and their opinion; Leo the tenth, Pius the fift, Gregory the thirteenth, and Clemens the ſixt: & with their furious Bulles, bellow out threats againſt them, and toſſe them in the ayre for hereticks; and teach them, vpon paine of a curſe, to ſpeake home with Bellarmine; Paſſionibus ſanctorum expiari delicta: and ſtraight, Applicari nobis ſanctorum paſſiones ad redimendas poenas, quas pro peccatis Deo debemus: that by the ſufferings of Saints, our ſinnes are expiate; and that, by them applied, wee are redeemed from thoſe puniſhments which we yet owe to GOD. Blaſphemy, vvorthie the tearing of garments: how is it finiſhed by Chriſt, if men muſt ſupply? Oh bleſſed Sauiour! was euery droppe of thy bloud enough to redeeme a world, and doe we yet need the help of men? How art thou a perfect Sauiour, if our brethren alſo muſt bee our redeemers? Oh ye bleſſed Saints, how wold you abhorre this ſacrilegious glory! and with thoſe holie Apoſtles, yea, that glorious Angell, ſay; Vide ne ſeceris; and with thoſe wiſe Virgins; Least there will not be enough for vs & you got to them that ſell, and buy for your ſelues. For vs, w enu e not their multitude; Let them h ue as many Sauiors as Saints, and as many Saints us men we kno e with Ambroſe; Chriſt preſſ •• tore non eguit; Chriſts paſſion needs no helper: & therefore, with that worthy Martyr, dare ſay; None but Chriſt; one but Chriſt Let our Toules die, if hee cannot ſaue them; let them not fear their 〈…〉 or 〈◊〉 , if he haue finiſhed He 〈…〉 , thou languiſhing and afflicted ſo •• e to There is 〈◊〉 one of thy ſinne but it is paid for; not one o •• thy debt in the 〈◊〉 of God but it had ffect; not one farthing of all thine infinite ra ſome is vnpaid Alas! thy ſinnes (thou ſai'ſt) are euer before thee, and Gods indignation goes ſtill ouer thee; & thou goeſt mourning all the day long and with that patterne of diſtreſſe, crieſt out in the bitterneſſe of thy ſoule, I haue ſinned, what ſhall J doe to thee O thou preſeruer of men? What ſhould'ſt thou doe? Turne, and belieue. Now thou art ſtung in thy conſcience with this fierie ſerpent, looke vp with the eyes of 〈◊〉 to this b azen ſerpent, Chriſt Ieſus, & behealed. Behold, his head is hūbly bowed downe in a gracious reſpect to thee, his a ms are ſtretched out louingly to imbrace thee yea, o precious ſide is opē to receiue thee, and his tongue interpre •• all theſe to thee for thine endleſſe cōfort; Jt is finiſhed. There is no more accuſation, iudgement, death, hell for thee: all theſe are no more to thee, then if they were not. Who ſhall condemne? it is Chriſt which is de d. I knowe, how ready euery man is to reach foorth his hand to this d le of grace, and how angry to e beaten frō this doo of mercy. We are all eaſily perſu ded to hope well, becauſe we loue our ſelues well Which of all vs in this gr •• t congregation take exceptions to himſelfe, and think I knowe there 〈◊〉 want in my Sauiour, there is want in me He hath finiſhed; but I belieue not, I repent not. Euery preſumptuous and hard 〈◊〉 , ſo 〈◊〉 at Chriſt, as if he had finiſh for 〈◊〉 , as if hee had broken downe the gates of hel, and looſed the bands of death, and had made forgiueneſſe as 〈◊〉 as life; Proſper ••• 〈…〉 ſaith wiſe Salomon, Eaſt 〈◊〉 the fooliſh, and the proſperitie, of fooles 〈◊〉 them, you, 〈…〉 proſperitie. Thou ſa 'ſt, God 〈◊〉 mercifull, thy 〈…〉 b ous, 〈◊〉 Paſſion abſolute All theſe, & ye thou maiſt be condemned. Mercifull, not ni ſ ; bountifull, not lauiſh, abſolutely ſufficiēt for all, not effe ••• all to all. Whatſoeuer God is, what are 〈◊〉 i Hee 〈◊〉 i the doubts 〈◊〉 fa ſt-well; Christ is 〈◊〉 good Shepheard; Wherein H •• giues his l fe; but fo whom? 〈◊〉 his ſheepe. What is this to 〈…〉 while thou ar ſecure, profane, impe itent th a 〈…〉 a 〈◊〉 My ſheep he re my voice; What is his voice but his p ecep ••• where is thine obediēce to his cōmaundements If t wilt not heard his Law, n not arken o his Goſpell 〈…〉 no more mercy for thee, he i there were no Sauior. He ha •• finiſhed; for thoſe in 〈…〉 hath begun. If thou haue to beginnings of gra •• as yet, hope not for euer finiſhing of ſaluation; Come to me, all yee that are he uie lade •• , ſaith Chriſt hou ſhalt get nothing, if thou come when he calls thee not. Thou art not called, and canſt not bee refreſhed, vnleſſe thou bee laden: not with ſinne (this alone keepes thee away from God) but with conſcience of ſinnes A broken and a co •• rite hear , O God, thou wilt not deſpiſe. Is thy heart wounded with thy ſinne doth griefe and hatred ſtriue within thee, whether ſhall bee more? are the deſires of thy ſoule with God? doſt thou long for holineſſe, complaine of thy imperfections, ſtruggle againſt thy corruptions Thou art the man, feare not. Jt is finiſhed. That law which thou wouldeſt haue kept, & couldeſt not; thy Sauiour could, and did keepe for thee: that ſaluation vvhich thou couldeſt neuer work-out alone (alas poore impotent creatures what can we doe towards heauen vvithout him, which cannot mooue on earth but in him?) hee alone for thee hath finiſhed. Looke vp therefore boldly to the throne of GOD; and, vpon the truth of thy repentance & faith, knows, that there is no quarrel againſt thee in heauen nothing but peace and ioy; All is finiſhed. He would be ſpetted on, that he might waſh thee; hee would be couered with ſcornfull robes, that thy ſinnes might be couered; he would be whipped, that thy ſoule might not bee ſcourged eternally; he would thirſt, that thy ſoule might be ſatisfied; hee would beare all his Fathers wrath, that thou might'ſt beate none; he would yield to death, that thou might'ſt neuer taſte of it; he would be in ſenſe for a time as forſaken of his Father, that thou might'ſt bee receiued for euer.

Now bid thy ſoule returne to her reſt; and inioyne it Dauids taske; Praiſe the Lord, O my ſoule , and, What ſhall J render to the Lord for all his benefites? J will take the Cup of ſaluation, and call vpon the name of the Lord. And, as rauiſhe from thy ſelfe with the ſweet apprehenſion of this mercy, cal al the other creatures to the fellowſhip of this ioy, with that diuine Eſay; Reioyce, O ye heauens, for the Lord hath done it; ſhout yea lower 〈◊〉 of the ea th, 〈…〉 into praiſes ye mountaines, for the Lord hath 〈…〉 Jacob, and will be glorified in Jſraell. And, euen now beginne that heauenly ſong, which ſhall neuer e d, with thoſe glorified Saints; Praiſe, and 〈◊〉 , and glory, and power, Reuel. 5. bee to him that ſ •• eth vpon the throne, 〈◊〉 the Lambe for euermore.

Thus, our ſpeech of Chriſts last words, is finiſhed. His laſt act accōpanied his words; our ſpeech muſt follow it: let it not want your deuout and carefull attention; Hee bowed, and gaue vp the Ghoſt.

The Croſſe was a ſlowe death, and had more paine thē ſpeed; whence, a ſecond violēce muſt diſpatch the crucified; their bones muſt be brokē, that their hearts might break. Our Sauiour ſtaies not Deaths leiſure, but willingly and couragiouſlie meets him in the way: and like a Champion that ſcornes to be ouercome, yea, knowes he cannot be, yieldeth in the midſt of his ſtrength, that hee might by dying vāquiſh death. He bowed, and gaue vp Not bowing, becauſe hee had giuen vp, but becauſe he would. He cried with a loud voice, ſaith Matthew. Nature was ſtrong, he might haue liued; but he gaue vp the Ghoſt, and would die, to ſhew himſelfe. Lord of Life and Death. Oh wondrous example! hee that gaue life to his enemies, gaue vp his owne: he giues them to liue, that perſecute and hate him; and himſelfe will die the whiles, for thoſe that hate him. He bowed, & gaue vp: not they. They might crowne his head; they could not bow it: they might vex his ſpirit; not take it away: they could not doe that without leaue; this they could not doe, becauſe they had no lea e. He alone would bow his head, and giue vp his Ghoſt; 〈◊〉 haue power to lay downe my life: Man gaue him not his life, man could not bereaue it: No man takes it frō me. Alas who could? The High-prieſts forces, when they came againſt him armed; he ſaid but I am he ; they ſt fall backward How eaſie 〈◊〉 breath diſperſt his enemies! whom he might as eaſily haue bidden the earth, yea, hell to ſwallow, or fire from heauen to deuoure. Who cōmanded the diuels, & they obei'd; could not haue bin attached my men. He muſt giue not onely leaue, but power to apprehend himſelfe; elſe they had not liu'd to take him. Hee is laid hold of; Peter ight St Pu ••• ; ſaith Chriſt, Thinkest thou that J cannot pray to my Father, and hee will giue mee more then 12 legions of Angels? What an Army were heer? more thē three-ſcore & twelue thouſand Angels; and euery Angel able to ſubdue a world of men. Hee could, but would not bee reſcued, hee is ledde by his owne power, not by his enemies: and ſtands now before Pilate, like the ſcorne of men, crowned, robbed, ſcourged, vvith an Ec e Homo: Yet thou couldest haue no power against mee, 〈◊〉 i vvere giuen thee from aboue.

Behold; he himſelfe muſt giue Pilate power againſt himſelfe; elſe hee could not be condemned. Hee will be condemned, lifted vp, nailed; yet no death without himſelfe. Hee ſhall giue his ſoule an offering for ſinne Eſay Quod emitti ur voluntariū eſt: quod amit itur neceſſarium. Ambro. 53, 10. No action, that fauours of conſtraint, can be meritorious: hee would deſerue, therefore he would ſuffer and die. He bowed his head, and gaue vp the Ghost, O gracious and bountifull Sauiour! hee might haue kept his ſoule within his eeth, in ſpight of all the world; the weakeneſs of God, is ſtronger then men: and if he had but ſpoken the word, the heauens and earth ſhould haue vaniſht away before him; but, he wold not. Behold; when he ſaw, that impotent man could not take away his ſoule, he gaue it vp, 〈◊〉 would die, that wee might liue. See heere a Sauiour, that can contemne his ovvne life for ours, and cares not to bee diſſolued in himſelf that we might be vnited to his Father. Ski •• e for ski •• e, ſaith the diuell, 〈◊〉 all that he hath, a man will giue for his life. Lo, heere, to proue Satan a lyer, skin, and life and all, hath Chriſt Ieſus giuen for vs. We are beſotted with the earth. & make baſe ſhifts to liue; one with a mai ed bodie, another vvith a perfu •• d ſoule, a third with a rotten name: and how many had 〈…〉 neglect their ſoul then their life and 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 then die It is a ſhame it tells many of vs Chriſtians 〈◊〉 op n life, and ••••• ble and a h and ſhe 〈◊〉 ſolue so 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 exceſſe of loue, o ard 〈◊〉 〈…〉 as Peter denies Chriſt i , & forſweares him 〈…〉 graines of incenſe nto the Idols ire E ius, 〈…〉 thrice; Spir 〈…〉 , a deſpa •• es; de me liue aith the 〈…〉 Whith •• d ſt thou 〈◊〉 hy ſelfe 〈…〉 and do us 〈…〉 w ld'ſt thou 〈◊〉 with thy ſelfe 〈◊〉 Thou haſt not thus learned Chriſt 〈…〉 voluntarilie for thee, thou wilt not bee forced to die for him: hee gaue vp the Ghoſt for thee; thou wilt not let others take it from thee for him: thou wilt not let him take it for himſelfe.

When I looke back to the firſt Chriſtians, and compare their zealous cōtempt of death, with our backwardneſs; I am at once amazed & aſhamed: I ſee there euen women (the feebler ſex) running with their little ones in their armes, for the preferment of martyrdome; and ambitiouſlie ſtriuing for the next blowe. I ſee holy & tender virgins, chuſing rather a ſore and ſhamefull death, then honourable eſpouſalls. I hear the bleſſed Martyrs, intreating their Tyrants and tormentors for the honour of dying:Quod ſi venire noluerint, ego vim faciam vt deuorer. Ignatius, amongſt the reſt, fearing leaſt the beaſts wil not deuoure him, and vowing the firſt violence to them, that he might be diſpatched. And, what leſſe courage was there, in our memorable & glorious fore-fathers of the laſt, of this age? and doe vvee, their cold and feeble ofspring, looke pale at the face of a faire and naturall death; abhor the violent, tho for Chriſt? Alas! how haue we gathered ruſt with our long peace? Our vnwillingneſſe, is from inconſideration, from diſtruſt. Looke but vp to Chriſt Ieſus vpon his Croſſe, and ſee him bowing his head, and breathing out his ſoule; and theſe feares ſhall vaniſh. He died, & wouldeſt thou liue? He gaue vp the ghoſt, and wouldeſt thou keep it? Whom vvouldeſt thou follow, if not thy Redeemer If thou die not, if not vvillingly, thou goeſt contrarie to him,Si per ſingulos dies pro eo moreremur qui nos dilexit, non ſic debitum exolueremus. Chryſoſt. and ſhalt neuer meet him. Tho thou ſhouldeſt euery day die a death for him, thou couldeſt neuer requite his one death: and dooſt thou ſticke at one? Euery word hath his force, both to him and thee. He died, which is Lord of Life, and cōmaunder of Death; thou art but a tenant of life, a ſubiect of death. And yet it was not a dying, but a giuing vp; not of a vaniſhing and aery breath, but of a ſpirituall ſoule, which after ſeparation, hath an entire life in it ſelfe. He gaue vp the Ghost. Hee died, that hath both ouercome and ſanctified, and ſweetned death. What feareſt thou? he hath puld out the ſting and malignity of death 〈◊〉 thou bee a Chriſtian, cary it in thy boſome, it hurts thee not Dar'ſt thou not truſt thy Redeemer? If hee had not died, death had been a Tyrant; now he is a ſlaue. O Death, where is thy ſting? O Graue, where is thy victorie? Yet the Spirit of God ſaith not hee died, but gaue vp the Ghost. The very heathen Poet ſaith; He durst not ſay that a good man dies. It is worth the noting (me thinks) that vvhen S. Luke would deſcribe to vs the death of Ananias and Sapphira, Acts. 5.5. he ſaith ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) hee expired: but when S. Iohn vvould deſcribe Chriſts death, he ſaith ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) he gaue vp the Ghost. How gaue he it vp and whither? How? ſo as after a ſort he retained it: his ſoule parted from his body; his Godhead was neuer diſtracted, either frō ſoule or body. This vnion is not in nature; but in perſon. If the natures of Chriſt could be diuided each would haue his ſubſiſtence; ſo there ſhould bee more perſons. God forbid: one of the natures therefore, may haue a ſeparation in it ſelfe; the ſoule from the body: one nature cannot bee ſeparate from other, or either nature from the perſon. If you cannot conceiue, wonder: the Sonne of GOD hath wedded vnto himſelfe our humanitie, without all poſſibilitie of diuorce; the body hangs on the Croſſe, the ſoule is yielded; the Godhead is euiternally vnited to them both; acknowledges, ſuſtaines them both. The ſoule in his agony feeles not the preſence of the Godhead the body, vpon the Croſſe, feeles not the preſence of the ſoule. Yet, as the Fathers of Chalcedon ſay truly ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) indiuiſibly, inſeparably is the Godhead, with both of theſe, ſtill and euer, one and the ſame perſon. The Paſſion of Chriſt (as Auguſtine) was the ſleep of his Diuinitie: ſo, I may ſay; The death of Chriſt, was the ſleep of his Humanitie. Jf hee ſleepe, hee ſhall doe well; ſaid that diſciple, of Lazarus. Death vvas too weake to diſſolue the eternall bonds of this heauenly coniunction. Let not vs Chriſtians goe too much by ſenſe; we may be firmely knit to God, & not feele it. Thou canſt not hope to be ſo neer to thy God as Chriſt was, vnited perſonally:Quantūcūqute deieceris, humilior non eris Chriſt. Hieron. thou canſt not fear, that God ſhould ſeeme more abſent from thee, then he did from his own Son; yet was hee ſtill one with both body & ſoule, when they were diuided from thēſelues. When he was abſent to ſenſe, hee was preſent to faith when abſent in viſion, yet in vnion one and the ſame: ſo will he be to thy ſoule when it is at worſt. Hee is thine, and thou art his: if thy hold ſeeme looſened, his is not Whē temptations will not let thee ſee him, hee ſees thee, and poſſeſſes thee; onely belieue thou againſt ſenſe, aboue hope: and tho he kil thee, yet truſt in him. Whither gaue hee it vp? Himſelfe expreſſes; Father, into thy hands: and, This day thou ſhalt be with mee in Paradiſe. It is iuſtice to reſtore whence wee receiue; Jnto thy hands. He knew where it ſhould be both ſafe & happie: true; he might be bold (thou ſaiſt) as the Son with the Father. The ſeruants haue done ſo; Dauid before him, Steuen after him. And leaſt we ſhould not think it our common right, Father, ſaith hee, J vvill that thoſe thou haſt giuen mee, may be with me, euen where I am: hee willes it; therefore it muſt be. It is not preſumption, but faith to charge God with thy ſpirit, neither can there euer be any belieuing ſoule ſo meane, that he ſhould refuſe it: all the feare is in thy ſelf; how canſt thou truſt thy iewell with a ſtranger? What ſuddaine familiaritie is this? God hath been with thee, and gone by thee; thou haſt not ſaluted him: and now in all the haſt thou bequeatheſt thy ſoule to him. On what acquaintance? How deſperate is this careleſneſſe

If thou haue but a little money, whether thou keepe it, thou lay'ſt it vp in the Temple of Truſt; or whether thou let it; thou art ſure of good aſſurance, ſound bonds. If but a little land, how carefully dooſt thou make firme conueyances to thy deſired heires? If goods, thy wil hath taken ſecure order vvho ſhall enioy them; we need not teach you Cittizens to make ſure worke for your eſtates If children, thou diſpoſeſt of them in trades, with portions: onelie of thy ſoule (which is thy ſelfe) thou knoweſt not what ſhal become. The world muſt haue it no more; thy ſelf would'ſt keep it, but thou know'ſt thou canſt not: Satan would haue it; and thou know'ſt not whether hee ſhall: thou wouldeſt haue God haue it; and thou knoweſt not whether hee will: yea, thy hart is now ready with Pharaoh, to ſay; Who is the Lorde? O the fearefull and miſerable eſtate of that man, that muſt part with his ſoule, hee knowes not whither! Which, if thou wouldeſt auoide (as this very vvarning ſhall iudge thee if thou do not) bee acquainted vvith GOD in thy life, that thou maiſt make him the Gardian of thy ſoule, in thy death. Giuen vp it muſt needs be; but to him that hath gouern'd it if thou haue giuen it to Satan in thy life; hovv canſt thou hope God will in thy death entertaine it? Did you not hate me, and expell mee out of my fathers houſe; how then come ye to me now in this time of your tribulation; ſaid Ieptha, to the men of Gilead. No, no: either giue vp thy ſoule to God while he calls for it in his word, in the prouocations of his loue, in his afflictions, in the holy motions of his ſpirit to thine: or elſe whē thou wouldeſt giue it, hee vvill none of it, but as a Iudge, to deliuer it to the Tormentor.

What ſhould God do, with an vncleane, drunken, profane, proud, couetous ſoule? Without holineſſe, it is no ſeeing of GOD: Depart from me, yee wicked; J know yee not; goe to the Gods you haue ſerued. See how GOD is euen with men: they had in the time of the Goſpell, ſaid to the holy one of Iſraell; Depart from vs: now in the time of iudgement, he ſaith to them; Depart from me. They would not knowe God when they might; now God will not knowe them when they would. Novv therefore (beloued) if thou would'ſt not haue GOD ſcorne the offer of thy death-bed, fit thy ſoule for him in thy health; furniſh it with grace; inure it to a ſweet conuerſation with the God of heauen: then maiſt thou boldly giue it vp; & he ſhall as graciouſly receiue it, yea, fetch it by his Angels to his glory.

Hee gaue vp the Ghoſt. Wee muſt doe as hee did; not all with the ſame ſucceſſe. Giuing vp, ſuppoſes a receiuing, a returning. This in-mate that vve haue in our boſome, is ſent to lodge heer for a time; may not dwell heere alwaies. The right of this tenure, is the Lords, not ours. As hee ſaid of the hatchet; It is but lent, it muſt be reſtored: It is ours to keepe; his to diſpoſe and require. See and conſider both our priuiledge and charge; It is not with vs as vvith brute Creatures: vvee haue a liuing Ghoſt to informe vs, vvhich yet is not ours, (and, alas, what is ours, if our ſoules be not?) but muſt bee giuen vp; to him that gaue it.

VVhy doe wee liue, as thoſe that tooke no keepe of ſo glorious a gueſt? as thoſe that ſhould neuer part vvith it; as thoſe that thinke it giuen them to ſpend; not to returne with a reckoning?

If thou hadſt no ſoule, if a mortall one, if thine owne, if neuer to bee required, hovv couldeſt thou liue but ſenſuallie? Oh remember but vvho thou art, what thou haſt, and whither thou muſt; and thou ſhalt liue like thy ſelfe vvhile thou art, and giue vp thy Ghoſt confidently vvhen thou ſhalt ceaſe to bee Neither is there heere more certaintie of our departure then comfort. Carie this with thee to thy death-bed; and ſee if it can refreſh thee, when all the world cannot giue thee one dramme of comfort. Our ſpirit is our deereſt riches: if wee ſhould loſe it, here were iuſt cauſe of griefe. Howle and lament, if thou thinkeſt thy ſoule periſheth: it is not forfeited, but ſurrendred. How ſafely doth our ſoule paſſe through the gates of death, without any impeachment, while it is in the hands of the Almightie? Woe were vs, if he did not keep it while we haue it; much more when we reſtore it. Wee giue it vp to the ſame hands that created, infuſed, redeemed, renewed, that doe protect, preſerue, eſtabliſh, and will crowne it: J knowe vvhom J haue belieued; and J am perſvvaded, that he is able to keepe that vvhich J haue committed to him againſt that day. O ſecure and happy eſtate of the godly! O bleſſed exchange of our condition: while our ſoule dwells in our breaſt, how is it ſubiect to infinite miſeries? diſtempred vvith paſſions, charged with ſinnes, vexed with tentations; aboue, none of theſe: how ſhould it bee otherwiſe? This is our pilgrimage, that our home: this our wilderneſſe, that our land of promiſe: this our bondage, that our kingdom. Our impotency cauſeth this our ſorrow.

VVhen our ſoule is once giuen vppe, vvhat euill ſhall reach vnto heauen, and wreſtle with the Almightie? Our loathneſſe to giue vp, comes from our ignorance and infidelitie. No man goes vnwillinglie to a certaine preferment; J defute to be diſſolued, ſaith Paule: J haue ſerued thee, J haue beleeued thee, and now: J come to thee, ſaith Luther: The voices of Saints, not of men. If thine heart can ſay thus, thou ſhalt not need to intreat with old Hilarion, Egredere me anima, egredere; quid i as? Go thy waies forth my ſoule, goe forth: what feareſt thou but it ſhall flie vp alone cheerefully from thee; and giue vp it ſelfe, into the armes of GOD, as a faithfull Creator and Redeemer. This earth is not the element of thy ſoule; it is not where it ſhould be: It ſhal be no leſſe thine, when it is more the owners. Thinke now ſeriouſlie of this point; Gods Angell is abroad, and ſtrikes on all ſides, wee knowe not which of urtur •• es ſhall be the next: we are ſure wee carie deathes en v within vs. If wee be readie, our day cannot come too ſoone. Stir vp thy ſoule to an heauenlie cheerfulneſſe, like thy Sauiour: Know but whither thou art going; and thou canſt not but with diuine Paule, ſay from our Sauiours mouth, euen in this ſenſe; Jt is a more bleſſed thing to giue, Vt contra: Nullam animā recipio, quae 〈◊〉 nolente ſeparatur à corpore. Hieron. then to receiue. GOD cannot abide an vnwilling gueſt. Giue vp that ſpirit to him, which hee hath giuen thee; and hee will both receiue what thou giueſt, and giue it thee againe, with that glorie and happineſſe vvhich can neuer bee conceiued, and ſhall neuer bee ended. Euen ſo, Lord IESVS, Come quicklie.

Gloria in excelſis Deo.