First of Mary, who heere cryes Rabboni.

The winged Quiristers of Heauen, the Birds, vnto whom God has granted the large pa­tent of the whole aire, as his glo­rious Chappell, to sing their sweet notes & anthymnes, their shrill praises vnto God Almigh­ty in: In winter time, in drizling clowdy weather, and when the day is shut in, they, silly soules, as all disconsolate and drowzy, doe sit within their bowres and eaues, and on their branches. But when the winter is past,Cant. 2.11. the raine is changed, and is gone a­way, when the flowers appeare [Page 13] in the earth, when the time of singing of Birds is come, when the cheerefull spring arises, to ap­parrell the earth with such orna­ture, as that Salomon, in all his royalty and princely paluda­ments, may not compare with it; and when the glorious Sunne vnlockes the doore of the mor­ning, to run his race like a Gyant, then they begin to prune and picke themselues, and in their circling turnes doe mount and soare aloft, and chirp and caroll out their praises to God Al­mighty, as rendring their duti­full deuotions and thankes vnto the Lord, who thus reflects the beames of the Sun vpon them.

Loe heere (Beloued in our Lord) a hainous sinner, that was aye, and yet is; for this viper can neuer be shaken off from S. Pauls hand,Ios. 15. this Iebusite will needs re­maine [...] [Page 16] wonted sluces, her eyes, the dai­ly-dropping Conduit-pipes of her greefe. Shee goes wringing her myrrh-dropping fingers, be­ing robbed by the Sabeans, the cursed Iewes, of her prizelesse pearle, the signet of her owne right hand, Iesus her Sauiour, whom she tendred and loued as the apple of her eye, she is grown Extaticall, intranced, in a deli­quium, a swound, ready to fall, ready to dye.

After her running to and fro, her timorous heart, throbbing & panting within her, with her iourneying and greeuing, her seeking and sighing, she at length takes vp her Inne, at the tombe of Iesus, the Hoast of the house of Israel, and there thinkes to refresh and recouer her pining consumed soule with her restau­ratiue wonted Manna, the bread [Page 17] that came downe from heauen: But out alas, the childrens bread was gone, no crums were left for the silly whelps that wait at their Masters table: She, no lost sheep, seekes the lost shepheard of her soule, she disburses many a bri­nish siluer drop, many a salt teare that drilled downe her cheekes, into the lap of the earth.

Was it I pray you, to mollifie the earth, which, as she thought, was growne obdurate, hard-hearted, in so soone deliuering vp her Lord, in retaining and keeping him no longer? or else did she, trow yee, bedeaw the earth in thankfulnesse, as hauing carried these hallowed feet of his, and hauing borne her owne defiled feet vnto the sacred Temple,Recedentibus discipulis Ma­ria non recede­bat: she stayd and wept, vt propheticum. the presence-chamber of the King of Kings, where Ie­sus powerfully preached, and [Page 18] she her selfe was happily conuer­ted? No,Teares were her meat day and night, whiles they sayd, Where is now thy God? See Bonauent: lig. vit. cap. Iesus intumula­tus. no: Rachel mourned for her lost Lord, and would not bee comforted, because hee was not. And thus she mones.

Aye mee, poore forlorne wretch, I haue lost my Lord, my most louing Lord, the crowne of my head, of my hopes; the Shrine of my blisse; the Sanctua­rie of my disconsolate soule; the Graue of all my greefes; the Rock where I, the Doue, did make my nest; whose fiue wounds were as them fiue Cities of refuge vn­to mee, who so often fled from his sacred presence to doe the works of darknesse, whose Sun­shine brightnesse neuer yet could brooke any impiety or impurity.

O wish I now rather to dye, then to liue; for thus dying, I may liue, so dying, I may happi­ly finde him, whom I see, I can­not [Page 19] finde liuing, therefore ‘Viuere cùm ne queam, sit mihi posse mori.’

O Let me dye,1 Reg. 19.4. Lord now let thy seruant depart in peace, it is now enough, ô Lord, take my soule: so shall I haue a full frui­tion of thee, ô Lord, in Heauen, the City and Colledge of decea­sed Saints. Alas, what good can I enioy on earth without thee? and what good shall I not enioy in Heauen with thee? For with thee is the well-spring of life,Psal. 36.9. & in thy light shall we see light, the light of that Celestiall Goshen. O call me no more Naomi, no more Mary, but Marah, Bitternesse: Lam. 3.15.Lam. 3.15. Hee hath filled mee with bitternesse, and made my soule drunke with wormewood. Yet heere is the benefit of bitternes; Marcus Heremite, Marcus Here­mita 2. lib. in his booke De Lege spirituali, Wormewood is [Page 20] good for ill stomacks, [...]. (and so for good no question) it will stir vp still a farre more eager appetite in mee to desire Christ Iesus, the hidden manna, Ioh. 6.34. [...], Lord giue vs euermore of this bread, ‘Praeda canum lepus est,Mart. vastos non implet hiatus.’ Wee put on sable weedes, and mourne for our ordinary ac­quaintance departed,Corpo­ris factu­ra. Corpo­ris fractu­ra. and yet we know that they were but earthen vessels, as there is a moulding, so there is a marring of the body, as there is a Genesis, so an Exodus, a comming in, so a going out, they are our Harbingers sent be­fore vs,S. Cyprian. lib. de mortalitate praemittuntur non amittun­tur. we haue onely left them for a time, not lost them. But Mary Magdalens sorrowfull ma­drigals, in a higher key, they ayme at another farre more emi­nent and glorious obiect: shee wept not with those indiscreet [Page 21] women,Exech. 8.14. for Thammyz, which, as some write, was a brazen Image with leaden eyes, which being molten with heat, seemed to weepe, and then the women, in sympathy, did weepe too, and mourne for their Goddesse,Rabbi Dauid, and Rab. Shel. [...] which was thought to bee Ado­nis: no, shee mournes not for Adonis; but for Adonai, her Lord, her sole Mediatour, Lord of Lords, shee deplores his ab­sence, in whose presence is fulnesse of ioy, and at his right hand, plea­sures for euermore.

Shee complaines, [...] Ioh. 20 2. [...]. Verse 13. They haue taken away the Lord, first; but after, she betters her stile, They haue taken away my Lord: And this is sutable to that of Christ, in calling her first [...],Ioh. 20.15. Verse 16. woman, then after that, Mary.

See, I beseech you, her vnpa­rallel'd and vntraced loue. First, [Page 22] 1 she ran thither before the Disci­ples. 2 Secondly, she ran back for them, and no question, though they ran hard, and Iohn out-ran Peter, yet she ran very hard too, almost as soone there as they. 3 Thirdly, shee stayed there after they were gone. Peter, the Disci­ple that is said to loue Christ best, the accounted Primate of the Apostles;Theophylact. [...]. and Iohn, the Disciple who is sayd to be the best belo­ued of the Lord, Cubicularius Domini, Cyp. lib. de ab­lutione pedum. the Chamberlaine of Ie­sus, as S. Cyprian sayth, to whom Christ commended, Thalamum humanitatis the Bed-chamber of his humanity; his mother; Mary Magdalen, was not much behinde them in expedition. Triplex hic funiculus amoris: Loue is as strong as death, and ought to be for him, especially of whom it may rightly bee sayd, as in that [Page 23] riddle of Sampson, out of the strong came sweet, for hee alone was able to saue. Mary stayd af­ter them: the weaker sex, but stronger in affection. They ran, but their deuotion was sooner spent, was sooner out of breath, they stayed not: shee stood still and blubbred out many a teare, when as shee saw that Iesus her Rabboni was gone.

Stetit, she stood still, and stood to it: not like Peter, a flincher, a reuolter, an abiurer of Christ, for he cowardly went out and wept.

Stetit, she stood: oportet Ma­riam stantem flere, stantem mori, It behooues Mary to stand to her teares, I (as Vespasian sayd at his death of an Emperour) to dye standing.

Stetit, shee stood: shee had no prop, no pallet, no ease for her greefe, no bed of downe, to cast [Page 24] her sorrow asleepe on, as Dauid had his couch, Euery night wash I my bed, and water my couch with my teares.

Stetit, she stood: A positure of the body, ready still for to re­mooue, as if she would neuer lin seeking, vntill shee had found him, whom her soule loued, and so much desired.

[...]. ver. 1. Mary comes first, earely, while yet it was darke, like a Manna-gatherer, very earely, [...], Septuagint. to finde him happily out, whom her soule, [...] Entre le ch [...]n & le loup. I say, affected and embra­ced so much. In that time shee came vnto the Sepulcher, Iohn 20.1. when she by course of na­ture should haue beene in bed, and fast asleep. But her eyes are like the morning watch, that watch for the morning: shee takes away from Nature, to giue to Grace. Peraduenture, in the [Page 25] whole circuit of that night, shee gaue no sleep vnto her eyes, nor any slumber to her eye lids, in musing of him, who is the Kee­per of Israel, that neither slumbreth nor sleepeth, but watcheth ouer hers and all our soules.

Thus with the Spouse in the Canticles,Cant. 3.1, 2, 3. shee may well say, In my bed I sought him, Si non inuenit amor quando inuen [...]et tepor? Gilbert. Abbas sir. vicant. whom my soule loued, I sought him, but I found him not: and so shee rises earely, and sought him, but found him not. The watch-men can tell her no tydings of him, she askt the two Angels in lin­nen,Ioh. 20.12. the one sitting at the head, the other at the feet, where the body of Iesus had layen. Those Nightingales, Pausanias in Baeoti [...]s. that were making of their nests, and singing at the Sepulcher of Orpheus, that hea­uenly Orpheus, our Sauiour Iesus. The Angels she sought not, but [...] [Page 28] all our hearts:Cant. 4.15. O fountaine o [...] these gardens, ô well of liuing waters, ô the springs of Lebanon water and moysten, ô Lord, with thy speciall grace, these gifts and heauenly vertues of thine owne plantation.Cant. 4.16. Thus let my beloued come to his garden, and taste of his pleasant apples, his delicacies his sweetnesses. [...] Of Meged de­licatum dulce pomum. So Meged shammaijm is the deaw, the excellent gift of Heauen. So peri mega [...] thau signifies. This word in the plurall number denotes out vnto vs, both the multiplicity and ex­cellency of Gods graces, where­with from his heauenly Exche­quer, hee in mercy and bounty doth inrich vs.

Well, Mary enquires of Iesus himself, whether he knew where Iesus was, and shee cals him [...], Lord, which S. Hierom seemes to tax in way of dispute, for that she cals the Gardiner, Lord; & Iesus but Rabboni, Master.

[Page 29]But heere, Beloued in our Lord, was her feruent and long­ing desire, much more exprest, in giuing such a title to the Gardi­ner, as whereby to woe and to win him, to tell her the sooner, as being impatient to brooke the least delay:S. August. in Serm. 133. or else, as S. Augu­gustine, Prophêtat & nescit quan­do dicit Domine, This was in a prophetike straine, by a heauenly Enthousiasme, calling him Lord, who was Lord indeed, who hath vpon his garment, and on his thigh,Reuel. 19.16. a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. But sure it is no more then thus, [...], Cyr, or Sir, write it as you list: as if on this manner. O my deere and gentle Sir, good Gardiner, Thou seemest to bee the Keeper of this garden, where the loue of my soule was laid, where he was interred, Petra in petra, nouus in [...]

[Page 32]Nor was she like to timorous Nicodemus, that came to see our Sauiour by night, no beameling of heauenly boldnes illustrating his too too darkned soule. Nor was she like to Ioseph of Arima­thia, [...],Ioh. 19.38. the Counsellour, who secretly, for feare of the Iewes, begged of Pilate the body of Iesus: but she, like an heroyke spirit, steeled and maled with a manly resolution, she feares not death it selfe, maugre the breards of all them that may stand in op­position, in despite of al affronts, Ego illum tollam, I will take him away, and will neuer basely beg any other helpe, but his alone, of whom our help standeth in the name of the Lord, who hath made both heauen and earth: Ego illum tollam. Loe here a reso­lute new S. Christopher. ‘Lucan. lib. 6.Quam non mille modi mortis, &c,’ [Page 33] As Lucan of Scaeua, that valiant Souldier of Caesar, so wee may say of her, She feared not a thou­sand sorts of death, to lose her dearest life for him, in whom she liu'd, and moou'd, and had her cheefest being.

And thus Mary speakes, and mournes, and pines within her selfe, and weepes. No man, but would rather haue imagined Mary her selfe had been the Gar­diner, who with the full bottles of her heart, the water pots of her head, her eyes, did all to be-water that garden.

O heauenly showres, such sweet riuers make glad the City of God.

Thus while shee, with a lan­guid, dead, and longing eye, a heart full heauy, big with greefe, was sighing, and sobbing, and blubbring, and crying, O stay [Page 34] me with flagons, and comfort me with apples, for I am sicke of loue,S. Augustin. cap. 35. medit. Quia te Domine Iesu prae caeteris dilexit Maria ideo meruit, &c. Because Mary loued thee, ô Lord, aboue all, therefore shee obtained to bee both seene of thee first, to bee called of thee so louingly, Mary, and to call thee so loyally, Rabboni.

Iesus our gracious Lord speakes to Mary in a passionate straine of affection, no obiurga­tion and chiding, as some doe write:S. Chrysostom. Homil. 28. & S. Cyrill. 10.45 But as S. Chrysostome saith, out of a singular and deepe affe­ction, and compassion, he vtters out this one word, Mary. The onely Electuary and Cordiall, the Ros Solis, to recouer her drowping and dying soule: Ma­ry. Vnto whom shee turning with an open and a nimble eare, for the touch of such a heauenly [Page 35] string, with a liuely alacrity and cheerefulnesse of spirit, hauing thus heard his sweet and graci­ous voyce, in terming her Mary, she out of a singular, dutifull, & strict obligation of her loue to him, ecchoes backe this one and sole reciprocall word of her low­ly loue, and most humble respect vnto him, Rabboni.

Non nouit ex vultu, Oraculo non oculo credebat. fides ex auditu. She knew him not at first by his outward lineaments: faith comes by hearing. Shee heard him, and then beleeued in him. Thy rough garment shewes thee to be the Gardiner; but thy voyce is Iacobs voyce: I, Iacob in­deed, the true supplanter, the true wrastler, supplanting the old Adam, thy elder brother, for thou hast got the birth-right, and the blessing, for thou art the First-begotten,Reuel. 1.8. Alpha & Omega, [Page 36] the Beginning and the Ending,Rom. 1.25. and God blessed for euermore. Thou art Iacob the true Hunts­man, Gen. 27. who hast brought the true venison, the pleasant and sauou­ry meat, the saluation of thy be­loued brethren, vnto thine euer­lasting Father, that celestiall Isaac; for God would in no wise the death of a sinner:S. Bernard. For this, ô thou heauenly Iacob, thou didst put on our sinnes, these were thy rough skins, ô Lord, wherewith thou wast arrayed: But in meere mercy thou hast got the blessing, not for thy selfe (with old Iacob) but for me, ô Lord, and so for all, who claime an interest in thy prizelesse drops of bloud,Heb 9.14. the true Purgatory, that purges our consciences from dead workes, to serue the liuing God. I there­fore, and let vs all therefore, with the golden Censors of the San­ctuary [Page 37] in our hands, and in our hearts burne deuotion as in­cense vnto thee, and with the 24 Elders wee fall downe before him,Reuel. 4.10, 11. that sits on the Throne, and worship him who liues for euer­more, and wee will cast our crownes before the Throne, say­ing, Thou art worthy, ô Lord, to receiue glory, and honor, and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy wils sake, they are and haue been created: but more, and much more, for thy deare loues sake, thou hast redeemed vs by that thy dearest bloud-shed, powred out for our saluation.

What? doe I heare the sweet voyce of my heauenly Iacob? cal­ling me Mary, out of his mercy? ô then let mee returne backe the drops of my deerest loue and dutifulnesse, and acknowledge [...] [Page 40] we may in this respect of Maries: Few or none at all such Maries, nay, hardly euer such a Mary, saue Mary Theotôcos, the mother of our Lord. Mary Magdalen, much louing, and much beloued of Christ, stiles him Rabboni,

O well-deseruing duty vnto an all-meriting loue, garded with Gods especiall grace, vshered on by faith, attended with singular affection, deuotion, admiration: she is as out of her selfe, her selfe being wholly in Christ, her more then second selfe: for shee esti­mates and prizes him far aboue her selfe: shee beleeues it is her Lord, and Master, and Sauiour, yet stands she agashed and ama­zed first, at this so sudden, happy end inexpected sight.

O heauenly change, a blessed Conuert, a true Penitentiary: Thus, Beloued, thus shee was [Page 41] not; she that is now Christ Iesus his Follower, his Retainer, was erewhile Satans seruitour, the daughter of darknesse, very loth to haue beene seene in commit­ting the deedes of darknesse, but now with Henoch, Gen. 5. shee walkes with God, as in the presence of God: with S. Basils Virgin, shee dreaded the sight of holy An­gels, and the soules of Saints de­parted, who (if they see) might mourne at her vnchaste and lewd misdemeanor:Marcus Dru­sus in Velleius Paterculus. she, with Drusus, now desires her house may be so built of the Architectours, if there be any skill in them, as that euery one passing by, might see what was done within. Shee paints not out, with the men of Crête, Melancthon. Iupiter without eyes: For hee that made the eye, shall not he see? shee knowes of it, shee thinkes on it, that it cannot bee [...] [Page 44] and hard to bee sit, who will often cast Reason, I and Grace too (the Riders) did carry her a­way a ho-gallop, euen to the brinke of death, the suburbs of Hell. O blessed, and euermore blessed be God, in that like Mar­cus Curtius, shee was not hurried head-long into the gulfe, the bot­tomelesse pit, Tsalmâueth Beer­shacatb, the shadow of death, the fountaine of destruction, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Beloued in our Lord, they runne farre that neuer turne: God hath his owne times, and houres, and moments, for the conuersion of a sinner, though his soule bee litted in a crimson die of sinne, the bloud of Iesus shall lauer and rinse it, as white as that snow in Salmon, if wee re­turne to him by weeping Crosse, [Page 45] and bathe our selues in Bethesda, the teares of true repentance, the sacred poole that God delights to see a sinner swim in.

Mary Magdalen, while she was plunged in the midst of mare mortuum, the dead sea of her mis­deedes, acknowledged not this blessed Rabboni. But after her heauenly retired thoughts, her deepe and serious consideration of that Legion, wherwith she had been possessed, the talent of lead wherewith her soule was bur­thened, her infinite sins she had committed▪ her good and graci­ous God she had displeased, the terrors of eternall death she had deserued, and with all his re­markable mercies,Esa. 55. who is multus ad misericordiam, of much mer­cy, and very ready to forgiue, as the Prophet termes him:Fulgent. ad Venantiam fi­liam. And as Fulgentius well sayth, In hoc [Page 46] multo nihil deest in quo est omni­potens misericordia & misericors omnipotentia. In this [much] is nothing wanting, wherin is both omnipotent mercy, and merci­full omnipotency, shee thinking to despaire of mercy, was most impious, and sacrilegious, and derogatory to the sufferings of her sweet Sauiour, shee then was big-bellyed with sorrow for her sinne, and brought forth like an Hebrew woman without Mid­wife, such a faire off-spring, such an issue as is acceptable to the Lord of Hosts, euen her relen­ting teares, the sweetest Wine and Hypocras of Angels, the sad and drery drops that peirce the Fol­lowing Rocke, 1 Cor. 10.4. CHRIST IESVS, which make him supple, and milde, and gentle, and mooue him vnto mercy. And thus, as Dionysius & Egesippus record, she [Page 47] betook her self solitary & seque­stred from all the world, and the pleasures therof, vnto the moun­taine Balma, Dionys. in Matth. 20. full thirty yeeres, to meditation, fasting and prayer (for which, as also for sitting at Iesus his feet, and hearing him preach, she might be truly said of Christ to haue chosen the good or better part:Luk. 10.42.) And, as Iosephus reports, after Christs ascension from the Mount of Oliues into Heauen, she neuer could endure any company.

See now how this new Con­uert puts on now a new liuery, she that before stood in defiance of Iesus, and scorned to haue the title and name of any of his meane, despised Followers, now happily challenges him to bee her Master, and Lord, and cals him by the name of Rabboni: Isa. 63.1. lo heere is the sauing power of him [Page 48] who is mighty to saue.

O doe but ponder the diffi­culty of her and our turning af­ter so much sinning, it will make vs much more admire, and stand in a deepe amazement at the ex­uberant loue and mercy of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus. In the prime act at our first entrance into conuersion, when we begin to forsake Satan, and neuer till then, ô Lord, to feele the plun­ges, and pangs, and convulsions, and apoplexies, and swounds, that the soule hath with Satan: now is the time for Satan, the most of all to bestirre himselfe, to labor tooth and naile,Dum à Deo a­uertimur ludit. Dum ad Deum conuertimur laedit Satan. to con­tinue his long challenged inte­rest in a sinner: now hee fomes, and rores, and rages, and rends, and teares (as much as is permit­ted him from God) a poore sin­ner in peeces, like a sauage, fierce [Page 49] and hungry Lyon, so long as his prey, the silly Lambe, is vnder his paw, so long will hee play with it, and licke it with his tongue, & dandle it ouer with an easie gentle tallon; but if it once seeke to struggle, and to make an euasion and escape out of his clawes, timorously to crawle a­way, then begins hee to yell and rore, and with his cruell clut­ches, and mercilesse teeth, to seaze vpon it, and so to deuoure it. So long as Iacob stayed in La­bans house, he was at quiet; but when he departed to his fathers house, then was he pursued.

And thus, in the very begin­nings of turning to God, it fares with Mary, and all the Elect of God: see then, how vigilant, and busie, and furious, Satan is, swea­ting and toyling, by all possible meanes, to scrue a sinner on to [...] [Page 52] Deliuerer, our soules often escape, as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler, the snare is broke, and we are deliuered.

We will sing an [...], a song of victory and triumph vnto God, All glory vnto him, who curbs in and martingales Iobs proud Horse,Iob 39.22. so that hee cannot fling and yerke out at his plea­sure: who bindes the strong man, who rebates and duls the edge of Satans fury, who stints his malice, who limits his power, who cancels this huge Ocean, with a Gnadth po, [...] huc vs (que). hitherto shalt thou come, and no further, heere lay downe thy proud waues. [...] Iob 38.11. Ierem. 5.22. Theodoret. ser. 4. pag. 66.

As Theodoret of the sea, so we of him, [...]. Satan cannot range beyond his tethe­ring. The heauenly Xerxes giues more then three hundred stripes [Page 53] vnto this sea: hee will trample ouer this Hellespont, [...]. Herodotus. as hee plea­ses: for this is that omnipotent Lord, whom the windes and seas doe obey. Loe heere Nico­creon the Tyrants head is laid in­deede in a platter;Diogen. Laert. in vita Anax. archi. Anaxarchus, the Christian Philosopher, I meane, needs not feare his poun­ses. Loe, all that hee hath is in thy hands, but saue his soule or life, meddle not with that, Iob 2 6. Satan cannot enter into a silly heard of swine, except Iesus, like the Centurion to his seruant, bid him goe: nay more, without the Diuine Prouidence & Permissi­on, he hath not so much power, as ouer the bristle of a Swine, Porcorum setae, Tertullian. the very bristles of Hogs, are numbred to God, that heauenly Arithmetician, how much more your haires, and all your members, are they [...] [Page 56] [...], euen besides himselfe, and as it were, strucke with an astounding thunder-clap. Satan onely bruized her heele: This blessed woman being of the seed of that more blessed woman, or of that man, who is God blessed for euermore (Cuius sanguis prius profuit quam fuit) by a power­full faith did,S. Bernard. hom. de Coena Domini. as it were, break his head, did stop the mouth of this roring Lyon,Heb. 11. Heb. 11.33. Shee, though once a publike and no­torious sinner, a stigmaticke, branded, a marked sinner with murderous Cain, she now shakes hands with all her old and swee­test embracements: shee giues a bill of diuorce to wantonnesse, vnto the which she had beene so long wedded: she refuses to bee called the darling daughter of the world, chusing rather to suf­fer a short affliction, to endure a [Page 57] hard penance with the children of God, then to enioy the plea­sures of sin for a season: she dis­robes and strips her selfe of all her princely paludaments, her rich aray, her courtly acoutre­ments, her sumptuous weedes, and puts on the comely attire of a true Penitentiary: shee bathes her soule in a full sea of teares, which neuer shall haue ebbe: she comes with all expedition, ma­king all haste to God, to kisse the Sonne least that hee should bee angry: No lingring now, no de­laying, no putting off from day to day, lest too late shee should come and knock at Mercies gate: so shee being very sensible of the lothsome sauour of her owne sinnes,Amos 8.2. that Basket of Summer fruit, a whole haruest ripe and ready for the sickle; shee takes an Alabaster box, of very costly [Page 58] and odoriferous oyntments, whose sweet perfume and flow­ry sent, might happily confound, and take away the rancknesse and rottennesse of her sins, from the sacred nostrils of her Saui­our Iesus, shee comes to Simon the Pharisies house, who had en­uited Iesus, as a guest, to take re­past with him, shee comes trem­bling, and blushing, and crou­ching, and blubbring, to the ta­ble where Iesus was sit downe, she came quiuering behinde that Lord, that saw her well enough, shee did her decent obeysance, she bowing downe her selfe, be­gan to kisse the feet of her deare Sauiour, and to wash them with her teares (the liuely expression of her penitence and penance) and shee wipes them cleane with her disheueld locks, that she had layd out before for lewd entice­ments: [Page 59] Quod membra tot olocau­sta: S. Gregory. Euery limbe that shee had lent before to sinne, now shee makes an Holocaust, a sweet burnt Sacrifice to Christ: Her Teares are her best Aduocates and Proctours, to plead for mer­cy and remission before the Throne of grace. O Taciturnitas clamosissima: A silence that spoke much in the eares of. Almighty God, who though the euerliuing Word respects sad and sighing thoughts, as well as words: this, sutable to Abels bloud, that vo­call bloud, that was so loud and shrill an Orator, to Heauen, for to declaime against the massa­cring and assasining hand of that his guilty brother: Neuer a word she spake, for shee knew it was vnto the Word, who knew her speech that was retired into her inner Cabinet, the priuate [Page 60] with-drawing chamber of her heart. And more, lest the sacred feet of Iesus, should seeme vnto the dissembling Pharisies, to take a taint, to receiue the least pollu­tion by her sinnefull teares, the pudled water of her infected heart, her soule that had the crimson graine and dye of all iniquity, and so her action might be vnpleasing and distastefull vn­to that Iesus, who did refuse to drink the vineger and gall; ther­fore Mary, to take away that stench, annoyleth his hallowed feet with a sumptuous oyle,Of Spikenard. a precious balme, and in another place, she powred oyntment on his sacred head, an oyntment of so much worth, that Iudas the Treasurer, the Bearer of the burse, repined (but in an easily-detected policy) with a Quanto melius, How much better had [Page 61] this been sold for three hundred pence, and the price thereof em­ployed to the behoofe of the poore? which Iudas spoke not out of loue vnto the poore, but for enriching of himselfe, by vn­lawfully detaining the almes of the poore, for hee carryed the bagge,Ioh. 12.6. [...], the purse, or tongue (the word of the Euange­list) for that was it, hee thought would alway speake for him: well, Mary came and annoynted Christ her Sauiours feet, not be­cause, by that she could adde any sweetnesse, but more liuely to expresse her thankfulnesse, for he was he, of whom the Spouse speaketh Cant. 5.16. vecullo ma­comaddim, Canc. 5.16. [...], and [...]. Nazianz. hee is wholly delecta­ble, nothing but sweetnesse it selfe. In which her weeping, and then annoyling of Iesus his feet, wee may by the way essentially [...] [Page 64] tent Beleeuer) is sufficient to wash away the magnitude and multitude of all thy sinnes, bee they neuer so mighty, bee they neuer so many: For great sinnes, he is a God of great mercy, and for many sinnes, hee is a God of much mercy, of manifold com­passion. One grape of the clu­sters of the vine of Engaddi, is a­ble to cheere and reuiue thy swounding and dying heart. One glance of fauor, one glimpse of mercy is enough.An Ephah, a Gomer full. Mercy is like Manna, hee that gathered much, had nothing ouer, and he that gathered little, had no lack: Misericordia est miserorum chor­da, Vrbanus quar­tus in exposit. 51. Psalmi. Qua, de lacu facis & miseriae extrahuntur. sayth Vrbanus, Mercy is the line or cord, by which wretched soules are haled vp (with Ieremy) out of the dungeon of iniquity and misery; this is the three-fold cord of Gods mercy in Iesus [Page 65] Christ, which cannot easily, nay, which neuer can be broken, for whom the Lord loues once, hee loues to the end, the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against them, the deare Elect of God shall stand fast for euer, like the Mount Sion, which cannot bee remooued: O Peter, Peter, Satan hath desired to fan, and sift, and winnow thee, but I haue prayed that thy faith faile not.Reuel. 7. And there were sealed vnto the Lambe, an hundred and foure and forty thousand, of all the Tribes of the children of Israel: and a great num­ber besides, which no man could number, of all nations, and kinreds, and people, and languages, stood be­fore the Throne, and before the Lambe, clothed with long white robes, and palmes in their hands: And these are they that came out of great tribulation, and haue wa­shed [...] [Page 68] their soules, to be Anathema's, as being forsaken of their God, no God of mercies now to them, nor Father of consolations, the Lord standing (as Dauid expo­stulates with God) a farre off:Psal. 10.1. no gleame of comfort, no beame­ling of blisse, but all dismall and shady night vpon the surface of the soule: yet at the length, as plants that seemed withered and dead, [...]. Naz Orat. in Laud. Cypriani. in that dull and downe-looke of winter, (as that Father termes it) haue new life infused into them, by the blessed rayes of the Sunne, when the quick­ning spring doth once put in: so the deare Elect, they haue their blessed spring and sun-shine of grace, to reuiue (as it were) their drooping & languishing soules, to make them flourish, and blos­some, and bud in faith againe. And that poore remainder, that [Page 69] small sparke of faith couered in cold embers, interred (as it were) in the Sepulcher of their hearts, shall once bee raked vp againe▪ and kindled, and grow to a big flame, the blessed Spirit of God, that breatheth where it lusteth, [...], with heauenly bel­lowes, blowing it vp againe: and so it prooues the sacred fire of Gods Altar, that neuer goes out: For needes must Gods eternall determination (in whom there is no shadow of change) stand sure and immutable, of sauing his Elect.

Faith, in the chosen Sons of God, may haue a pang, a spasme and convulsion, [...], non [...]. Faith may looke all for­lorne, and pine, and win [...]le away, but sure it wi­thereth not. a qualme, a swound; but it shall not dye: It may bee remota, but not amota; percussa, not excussa; it may haue remissionem, not amissionem; it may haue a slip, a fall, but no fal­ling [...] [Page 72] on into Maries heart, from em­bracing the holy seruice of this Rabboni, from turning vnto him with teares of true contrition: In one of the premises, the Ma­ior of his counterfet Syllogisme, he puts in all her sinnes; in the o­ther, which is no Minor, he layes before her, her long dwelling in the tents of Kedar, her continu­ance in sinning, and withall, the rigour of the Law, the iudge­ments of her God, and so windes vp a weake conclusion, other­wise then that in S. Paul, Rom. 11.32. Rom. 11. for that is a conclusion of mer­cy, Conclusit Deus omnes in incre­dulitate, vt omnium misereatur: He hath shut vp all in vnbeleefe, that he might haue mercy on all: For this tels her, & so all the dis­comforted (not discomfited) children of God, that now there is no balme in Gilead; that the [Page 73] good Samaritane is passed by: That the Prophets spotted Leo­pard and vgly Black-more can ne­uer bee rinsed white:Ierem. 13.23. That her name was Legion, and that El­gibbor, or Gabriel himselfe, the God of strength and power, was vnable to dispossesse Zabûlus, that subtill Serpent, who was more subtill then all the beasts of the field: Gen. 3.1. That they that rise not early, can gather not so much as one gomer full of manna: That the vnwise Virgins come too late to knocke at mercies gate: That her sinne, with Cains, was grea­ter then God could forgiue: That the childrens bread is not to be throwne to dogs, who are not worthy of the crums of mercy, that fall from the table of the Lord: S. Cyprian: but Hierome saith 2. ag. Io­uinian, it was Montanus his heresie be­fore Nouatus: for Montanus was in Com­modus his time, but No­uatus in Deci­us, &c. That Nouatus was no Heretike, for denying all vertue of repentance, vnto them that [Page 74] sinned after baptisme, who, if they once fell, could neuer rise againe: That Hels Nabuchadono­sors fiery furnace is the guerdon and wages of sinne, whose fer­uent flame made by naptha, and pitch, and tow, and faggots, doth licke vp and deuoure all rebelli­ous transgressours.

Thus formes he from hence a sophisticall inference, a cunning conclusion, derogatory to true Diuinity, that notorious sinners are neuer to expect for mercy. But as S. Ambrose, Ambrosius Coriolanus. seeing S. Au­gustine to bee too nimble a Di­sputant, and too much skild in sophistry, caused this to bee sung in the Letanies, A logica Augu­stini libera nos Domine: So let vs all pray, From this Logicke of that grand Sophister, Satan, Good Lord deliuer vs. See, I beseech you, how with this Lo­gicke, [Page 75] this great Enginer of ar­guments, accosts and sets vpon the soule of deuout S. Bernard, when the agony and pangs of death were on him, a little before his soule and body, these two frends of long acquaintance, did take their last leaue one of ano­ther, (yet not last, if wee haue an eye to the resurrection, at the lat­ter day.) Thus the Diuell, the great Iempter, appearing to him, did accuse him, saying, Hee had no title nor interest, hee could make no plea nor challenge to the Kingdome of eternall blisse.In vita Sancti Bernard.

This holy Father being no­thing appalled, or cast downe with Lucifer (who was indeede himselfe cast downe like light­ning) made this present reply. I confesse with that faithfull Cen­turion, that I am not worthy to enter vnder the heauenly roofe [Page 76] of my deare Lord, except the Word do say the word: nor can I challenge it by any merit; I build no such Babel, which will come tumbling downe vpon my owne head, but Iesus my Sauiour (whose diuine power, the true Vbiquitary, is now present with, and assistant vnto me) hath taken possession of Heauen by a dou­ble right, Iure hereditatis, and Iu­re redemptionis, by right of inhe­ritance, and by right of redemp­tion: by the first, hee hath got possession for himselfe, as the e­ternall Sonne of that eternall Fa­ther: and by the other, in regard of his death & passion, & of his redemption, he hath purchased and obtained Heauen for mee, and for euery penitent Beleeuer: At which words Satan departed. And thus, thankes bee to the Lord, S. Bernards soule, (as no [Page 77] question, Mary Magdalens) esca­ped, as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler,Psal. 124.6. the snare is broken, and it was deliuered: And thus hee peaceably resigne [...] his soule into the hands of him that crea­ted it, like Babilas the Martyr, he vttering these his last words, the vp-shot of his life, them words of that Negnim zemiroth, 2 Sam. 23.1. the sweet Singer of Israel. Now, ô my Soule, Psal. 56.13. returne vnto thy rest, for the Lord hath blessed thee, hee hath deliuered thy soule from death, thine eyes from teares, and thy feet from falling, henceforth shall I walke with the Lord in the land of the li­uing. Thus, Psal. 57.11. ô Lord, thy mercy rea­cheth vnto the Heauens, and thy truth vnto the clowds: wherefore we will praise thy name: yea, our soules shall bee satisfied with mar­row and fatnesse, Psal. 63.6. when our mouths praise thee with ioyfull lips: These [Page 78] are the golden Cymbals, that so much delight thy skilfull eares, ô Lord Almighty.

O let vs all returne with Mary Magdalen, with penitential tears, vnto this blessed Rabboni, who cries to vs for to returne,Can [...]. 6.12. Shuui, shuui, hashullammith, shuui, shuui: Returne, returne, ô Shulamite, returne, returne. Foure times Returne: for God the Fathers sake returne, for God the Sonnes sake returne, for God the Holy Ghost his sake returne, for the whole and holy Trinities sake re­turne.

And if so bee wee turne vnto the Lord, hee will accept of our penitency, (for he bottles vp all our teares) and hee will receiue vs into mercy, the mercies of our God shall embrace vs on e­uery side. Maryes penitency, and so the repentance of vs all, is the [Page 79] Asylum, the Sanctuary of euery sinnefull soule; the Birth-day of our regeneration, the Super-se­deas of all our spirituall debts, the heauenly Iordan, to bathe and wash the leprosie of our soules and bodyes; it is the red sea wherin the hoast of our spi­rituall Pharaoh and himselfe are drowned; it is the swelling waters of the deluge, that carries the Arke of the soule aloft, and keepes it from drowning in per­dition; it is the casting out of the old leauen of maliciousnesse, and the eating of the sweet bread of sincerity and holinesse; it is the [...],S. Chrysostom. Homil. 15. vp­on 2 Corinth. an house of phy­sicke for euery sicke soule, the Hospitall or Inne of the good Sa­maritane, the Physician of our soules, where the wine and oyle of consolation is; it is the source and spring, the draw-well of [Page 80] Gods fathomlesse and infinite mercies; one drop of which, one mite, one crumme is suf­ficient to wash away our crim­son sinnes, to feede our starued discontented soules withall: O Lord, thou Celestiall▪ Al­moner, giue vs of the broken meat of thy mercies, which thou hast layd vp in more then twelue baskets full, for them that turne to thee, & turne vs, ô good Lord, with Mary Magdalen, so shall we be turned vnto thee, ô Rabboni: for wee perswade our soules, that if our sinnes were more in number by millions, then those of Mary Magdalens, yet thou in mercy wouldest race them all out of thy booke of Items. Fulgent. B. of Rusp. in Africa lib. de poenitud. & retributi­one. And for this, I beseech you read that heauenly & com­fortable booke of Fulgentius fore-mentioned, to Venantia of [Page 81] penitence and retribution: wher­in hee hath bundled vp the pla­ces of the Scripture, pregnant for this purpose, saying, Non est per­fecta bonitas, à qua non omnis ma­litia vincitur: nec est perfecta me­dicina, cui morbus aliquis incurabi­lis inuenitur: There is no abso­lute goodnesse, that ouercomes not all maliciousnesse, nor per­fect drug, or true skill in phy­sicke, that leaues any malady vn­cured. And hee shewes more­ouer, that if Iudas, as hee legally repented, had trusted in Gods mercy, he surely had been saued: The Lord hath his owne pecu­liar times and places, of gathe­ring together that which was scattered, of bringing home the lost sheep vpon his owne shoul­ders, to the heauenly fold: of running to meet, of falling on the neck, and kissing the riotous [Page 82] Prodigall. Hee hath a — Tolle lege, S. Aug. with Tull Horten­sius in his hand, found the Bible vn­der a fig-tree. lib. confess. — vnder the tree, Take vp and read, [the 13. to the Ro­manes, the three last verses: For S. Augustine — Not in surfetting and drunkennesse &c. He hath a shining light from Heauen, both to darken and illumine Pauls, or Sauls eyes, as hee tra­uelled to Damascus, Acts 9. breathing out threatnings and slaughter a­gainst the Disciples of the Lord; was their not a heauenly trap layd, by this Rabboni, our Lord and Sauiour Iesus, to catch this Courtier in? to make a Courtier a true Conuert? (A thing, some will say, something rare:) Yet surely, there be many Courtiers very holy, religious, and deuout, and God encrease the number of them: But sure, a chaine is soo­ner and fairer made of purest gold, then of impurer mettall [Page 83] mixt with earth. Christ Iesus, with his heauenly gospelling, his powerfull preaching, caught this notorious sinner, Mary Magda­len.

Penalty alwayes followes not immediately, nor fals vpon the necke of impiety: Thus many, by the vnspeakable mercies of him that wholly is composed of mercy, who, in their April and prime of youth, haue greeuously sinned; in their yeeres of more maturity, were happily reclai­med: of Apostata's, became Apo­stles: of Sauls, persecuting; were made Pauls, diuinely preaching: of Succisores, were made Succes­sores, to vse Bullingers words: of Cutters, and Swash-bucklers, and prophane persons, were made Captaines ouer the Host of Israel, Successours of that [...],1 Pet. 5.4. the cheefe Shepheard [...]

RABBONNI.

[...]; &c Who hath measured the waters in his fist,Esa. 40 12. and counted Heauen with his span, and comprehen­ded the dust of the earth in mea, sure, waighed the mountaines in a waight, and the little hils in a ballance? Esay 40.

O sweet Iesu, my braine is a broken cisterne, to contain thee, the water of life, the euer-flow­ing springs of Lebanon: Cant. 4.15. my car­nall reason, but like a blinde Bar­timae: my tongue, like dumbe Zacharies, locked vp in my mouth, when I should runne de­scant on thee, ô Rabboni.

O let my tongue be the pen of a ready writer, to treat of thy wisdome, thy mercy, thy great­nesse, [Page 87] thy goodnesse: my pen, that like a cursed Israelite, rang­ing like a poore pilgrim, in a wil­dernesse of secular obiects, of­ten, nay too often, lothing that Celestiall Manna, surfetting on pleasancies, calling rather for the cucummers, the onions, the gar­licke, the flesh-pots of Aegypt, wherein is naught, but Mors in olla, Death in the pot, ô thou man of God, I say my pen is too vnfit a pensill, to limbe forth thy praise, to describe thy glory, ex­cellency, and perfection: [...]. Nazianz. O nei­ther is it safe for pollution, to en­ter into the holy Tabernacle, without washing at the golden lauer: no more then a weake, blemisht, sore eye may gaze vp­on the Sun-beames: O therfore purge me, ô Lord, with hysope, that my hand, my heart, my tongue may appeare before thy [Page 88] glorious presence, as white as snow in Salmon, that so thou gra­ciously mayest accept of this my meaner sacrifice, in my thought and speech of thee O Lord Rab­boni, wishing my very heart and soule were made an Holocaust, burnt in feruent deuotion vnto thy most sacred seruice.

Rabboni.

O my deare Lord and Ma­ster, En amo te, S. Aug. lib. meditation. cap. 18. & si hoc parum est, amem validius: Loe, I loue thee, and if this my loue be too little, ô giue mee power to loue thee more.Cant. 2.16. Dothi li vaani lo. And, Ani ledothi vedothi li harogneh bashoshannim. Cant. 6.2. I am my Well-beloueds, and my Well-beloued is mine, who feedeth among the lillies, full of all redolency, and full of all purity. Mary payes [Page 89] tribute of thankfulnesse vnto her Lord, for his deare loue exhibi­ted vnto her. As the water sour­ces and springs in her heart, so it bubbleth vp in her religious tongue: for, ex abundantia, out of the abundance of the heart,Matth. 12.34. the mouth speaketh.

The tongue is either [...], or [...], cauod, or chalon, either a mans glory, his grace, or his greefe, either his renowne, or his reproch.

Heere Mary awakes her glo­ry; Awake my glory, awake my lute and harpe; Glory, that is the tongue,See Moll [...]rus on that Psalme. the sweetest tuned in­strument of musike, to rauish the eares of the Almighty.

The Poet saith of Menelaus, for his curt and excellent speech,

Hee spoke very concisely, but [Page 90] sweetly and shrilly, for hee was not addicted to the descant of many words, neither to erre, and go astray from the scope he first aimed at. Heere is no battologie, no vaine babbling, but very few words: nay, but one sole word, and that is not ociosum verbum, Mat. 12.36. an idle word, shee shall giue no account thereof: she had learnt the first verse of the 39. Psalme, which Pambo was nineteen years a learning; I sayd I will take heed vnto my wayes, that I offend not with my tongue. Shee spake this one word to the Word, Eccl. hist. who himselfe vsed not many words; for his [...], was his opus; his [...], was his res; his fiat, was his fuit. Psal. 148.5. He spoke [but] the word, and they were made, Heauen, and Earth, and Sea, and Hell, and all that in them is.

Thus this Rabboni saith; I will, [Page 91] be thou whole: bee it as thou belee­uest: so thy faith hath saued thee. Hee vses no faire flourish of the ignorant Empericke, who brings his Patient into a trance, by needlesse words of Art: Thus hee sayes,Mark 5.41. To the Ruler of the Syna­gogues daughter. Ioh. 11.43. Matth. 27.11. And being accused, he answered no­thing. ver. 12. Talitha Coumt, to the Damosell, and [...], to Laza­rus, Iazarus come forth. Thus, when the cheefe Ruler askt him, Art thou Iesus, the King of the Iewes? Hee answers neuer a word, but [...], Thou sayest it: And thus this Rabboni cals her by one word, Mary.

This is the dropping of the word,Ezech. 20.46. Ezech. 20. And thus sayes Iob, Iob 29.22. super illos stillabat elo­quium meum, my talke dropped vpon them, Iob 29. Thus Mary becomes an excellent Scholler of so worthy a Tutor, she speaks but one word, but this one word comprized a great deale [Page 92] more then what shee spake: as that of Caesar in the Senate, when he saw Brutus, his own adopted Heire, to stab him, [...], saies he, Etiam tu, mi fili? What, and thou my sonne Brutus? So that of Eliah vnto Naaman, 2 King. 5. lech le shalom, 2 Reg. 5.19. Goe in peace. Heere Mary vtters but one sole word, Rabboni. And, ô thou blessed Rabboni, set a watch (ô Lord) before our lips, that we offend not with our tongues.

Rabboni.

List, ô list, vnto her heauenly tang, her sweetest straine, see how diuinely she runs descant, heere is the curious Diapasωn of her soule, which harmony fals not vnder the censure of euery vul­gar vntutoured eare; for this heauenly name comprizeth all [Page 93] the names of Christ, as hee is Ie­sus a Sauior, Christ the Annoyn­ted, Gnimmanuel, God with vs, &c. In all these is he Maries, and our Rabboni, S. Bernard. Mel in ore, melos in aure, Iubilus in corde; Hony to the mouth, melody and harmo­ny to the eare, and a Iubile to the heart: He it is, who after the striking with the diuine finger of affliction, begets true concord and reconciliation betweene God and vs. Harken, I pray, at­tentiuely to her insinuated diui­sion.

O my deare Lord and sweet Sauiour, my Master, the loue of my soule, whom I haue sought thus long sorrowing: Where hast thou harboured and lodged all this while? O thou precious Balme of Gilead, why wast thou thus long locked vp from thy true Loue, from my sad soule, all [Page 94] all forlorne and wounded, and gashed with greefe? Thou, whose liuely Idaea, diuine character, and faire feature, my soule hath co­pied out of my senses, that were the first Pen-men of thy perfe­ctions (blessed in that they haue seen thee, and heard thee) whose exact pourtraiture, and liuely li­neaments of face, are there more fairely limbed forth, then that which thine owne pure hands did reach vnto Agbarus King of Edessa, impressed on the hand­kerchiffe, (if credence may bee giuen vnto that:) O my Lord, whom I haue euer set as a seale vpon my heart, and as a signet on my right hand; for whose sake I haue payed vnto the Aire many a sigh, and many a sob, the subsidies of mine indebted soule, and vnto the earth many a brinish and salt teare, the tribute [Page 95] due vnto my deare Lord.

Where wast thou, ô good Lord? Whither wandredst thou out of thy new Sepulcher? What sacrilegious impious hands did steale thee away? Or didst thou, by thy Diuinity, steale thy selfe away? For sure I deeme it an omnipotent, diuine, no humane hand tooke thee away.

O my Lord, my Rabbi, my Rabboni, my Teacher, my Prea­cher, my Conuerter, my Sauior, I cannot, I will not forget thee, though thou wert a great while longer absent: still my memory shall bee the Register of all thy benefits, the true Recapitulatour and Treasurer vp of all thy kind­nesse. My tongue sent in Em­bassie from my princely heart, shal euer send forth such streams of thankfulnesse, as it first recei­ued frō thy sacred flow; ô thou [Page 96] Ocean of all blisse. Thou art the Manna, Angels food, the food I fed vpon, I feed vpon, my dai­ly bread, my supersubstantiall bread,Lachmam dim. har: in the Syriack Lords Prayer. my To morrow bread, my bread that lasts for euer, the bread which I most now hunger after, for man liueth not by other bread onely, but by thy word, ô thou euer-blessed Word.

What, haue I once more hap­pily set eye on thee? whose glori­ous face, the Angels, Seraphims, and Cherubims (those watchfull Sentinels of Heauen) desire euer to behold, and are neuer glutted with thy glorious presence, and sweet resemblance. And haue I once more heard thy pleasant voyce? who hast the words of eternall life, and neuer any man spoke like this man? O thy face is comely, & thy voyce is sweet. Thy lips drop down pure myrrh: [Page 97] thy loue, ô Lord, to me is better then wine: henceforward will I neuer serue other Master, I will euerlastingly serue thee: I'le ne­uer weare any other liuery, but Christ Iesus our Sauiours crim­son one, for hee it is that came from Edom, with red garments from Bozrah, Esa. 63. who treads the wine-presse of Gods wrath a­lone: I will euer follow thee, ô Lord, —per tesqua, vepres, du­meta, praecipitia: thorow all the craggy, thorny, steepy places of this world, thorow thicke and thin, I will be another Ionathan, whose soule shall euer bee soul­dred and glued vnto thee, ô thou the eternall Dauid; I will follow the Lambe, where euer he goeth; I will account all as drosse and dung, to win thee, the onely lu­cre of my soule; the Kingdome of Heauen shall suffer violence [Page 98] by mee; I will esteeme all the afflictions of this life, nothing worthy of that waight of glory, that shall bee happily reuealed vnto me in the hiest Heauens.

O my Prince, my Preist, my Pastour, my Master, my Physi­cian, my Redeemer, my Sauiour, my Protectour, my Tutour and Guardian, still be thou present, ô Lord with mee, and when thou art taken away, ô let mee bee ga­thered vnto thee, who euer ga­therest together, and neuer scat­terest thine Elect: ‘Sic mihi contingat viuere sic (que) mori.’ O let me thus liue, ô let me thus dye. Lo, I haue begun to serue thee, a meere vassall vnto Legion before, a vessell of dishonour, a true Haemeroissa, who had had an euerlasting bloudy issue,The bloud­stone. but for thee the truest Haematites, whom [Page 99] I but touching by the hand of faith (euen the hemme onely of thy garment) must acknowledge to be my Raphael, my medicinall curing God.

O thou Solace of my discon­solate soule, thou great Preser­uer of men, thou Easer of the fretting yoke of all bondage, thou Master, thou Frend, thou Father vnto all seruants, for thou thy selfe tookest on thee the shape of a poore seruant, for vs who are no sonnes, but slaues, for mee the Gally slaue of sinne and Satan once, still, ô still, let me be thy seruant, thy Mary, and and still and euer shalt thou bee my Rabboni.

And this is the Quintessence, the Balme, the Pith and Marrow, the Heart of the Text.

Rabboni.

Rabboni is a Syriacke word. As the Souldiers of Solon forgat the purity of the Athenian lan­guage; wherupon, as the Histo­ries record, [...]. Soloecisme had its first name: So that the Iewes, in the Captiuity, forgat their owne na­tiue Hebrew tongue, & brought in another tongue into Palestina, the Chaldaean and Syriacke tongue, which was much vsed in Christs time: In which tongue some Thargums of the Mosaicall Law were made by Onkelus, the sisters sonne of Titus the Empe­rour.

From hence in the new Testa­ment (as there be many Greeke words coined from the Latine, as [...], [...]. and the like) these words [Page 101] vsed in Christs time were meere Syriac: Raca, Mammona, Bariona, Golgotha: Reco, Momouno, Bariau­na, Gogoultho, for which the He brewes doe vse Rich, Gnosher, Benionah Golgoleth: Golgotha. So Christs word vpon the Altar of the Crosse Sabactani, hast thou for­saken mee, Mat. 27. was Syriac: which Dauid in the 22. Psal. hath Gnasabtani: and thus Abba, Ha­caldemo, Moranetho, or Marana­tha, in Hebrew, Adonenu bo our Lord comes, so Bethcasdo, Be­thesda, the house of Gods mer­cie: And thus Rabbouni. Rab, and Rabbi, Hebr: Ribbon, Calde: Rabbon, & Rabboni, Syriac. The Calde and Hebrew [I] is turned into [a] in the Syriac: as Miriam into Mariam, Migdal into Mag­dal, Ribbon into Rabbon.

This which Marie vses is a Sy­riac word, saluting him by this [Page 102] which is as much as Master, or as some with an affix, my Master, or my Lord, by this acknowledg­ing Christ to be God.

Before Christs death none termed him Rabboni, but Rabbi. Mar and Maran also is the Lord, but Rabbon is [...]: Maran is [...]: the first is a Lord, Fa­ther of his Family, or Children, hauing sole true iust dominion ouer all. (From whence that word is deriu'd and fet,1 Pet. vers. 5. [...] to be dominêring Lords ouer Gods Inheritance, to vsurpe au­thority and domination ouer the flocke of Christ:Ezech. 34 4. as it is Ezek. 34. to rule with cruelty and rigour, beparech.)

The latter is master ouer his seruants onely. S. Pauls word Maranatha, comes of Mar, or Maran, Dominus, a Lord, and a­tha venit, commeth, that is, the [Page 103] Lord comes (whose seruants we either are or should bee) and brings a malediction or curse vp­on vs.Maranatha dominus venit. It is a word of cursing and Imprecation, as if thus,—If this bee so, or if it be not so, so Christ iudge mee now, or at his second comming to iudge both quicke and dead.

Rab, Rabbi, Rabbon, Rabboni, a man of mickle worth, Honou­rable, a Doctour, a Teacher of much skil and repute for his ma­nifold gifts, and great and mul­tiplicious knowledge, as Theodo­ret calls Plutarch, [...]: of much learning and manifold experience. Thus were the learned Iewes called Rabbies, or Rabbins, Esay 19.20. Esa. 19. Veijslach la­chem moshiang varau. He shall send the Aegyptians a Sauiour, a great man, and shall deliuer them: where the Septuagints doe not tran­slate [Page 104] slate [...] onely [...]. Ier. 50.Ierem. 50.29. Call vp the Archers against Babell, the word for Archers is there Rabbim, [...] that is, they that haue a great deale of knowledge and singular skill to shoot, as he in Pindarus with his dart — [...].Olymp. Ode 10. (As wee say at an inch, or at a haires breadth) that none escape; for so it follows in that verse. I passe o­uer with contempt that contēpti­ble name that that scoffer Iulian calls Christ by, in his Misopogωn. Chi. I leaue him to this his Iudge.

[...]. Clemens 1 Paedago. 2. Christ our blessed Sauiour is [...], He hath many names giuen vnto him. Clemens calls him the Paeonian or Apollinean Physition, to cure the imbecilli­ties of man, and the sacred In­chaunter of all diseases of the soule. O let vs runne and hie to him for cure alone, for all the [Page 105] world in regard of him are mise­rable comforters, and Physiti­ons of no value,Iob 16.2. Iob 16.2. and Iob. He it is that forgiueth all thy sinnes, and healeth all thine in­firmities, Psal. 103.3. Psal. 103.3. a Psalme of vnspeakable comfort. Here is our heauenly Aesculapius, ther­fore Ecclus 38.9.Ecclus. 38.9. My sonne faile not in thy sicknesse, but pray vnto the Lord, and hee will make thee whole. He, as S. Bernard saith, hath both pretiosas & speciosas medicinas, S. Bern. Ser. 4. in vigil. Natal. Domini. both good and good­ly, costly and cordiall physicke, profitable for sanity, delectable for sight, sweet for the taste.

S. Cyrill according to the Scripture cals him the scape Goat according to his diuinity,S Cyril 9. con­tra Iulianum. [...] Leuit. 16. as hee is the Goat for oblation accor­ding to his humanity. O let vs pray vnto God in his name, and pray to him, who is our Media­tour [Page 106] and onely Sauiour, God and Man, and so let vs liue that wee be not separated with the Goats on the left hand.Math. 25.

Iustin. Mart. in dialog. cum Tryphon p. 255. S. Iustin Martyr calls him the stone knife, for spirituall circum­cision: Lord giue vs this true circumcision of the heart, in the spirit, (not in the letter) whose praise is not of men, but of God, Rom. 2.29. [...].

Hee is called in Bonauent. lib. de ligno vitae superessentialis radi­us, Bonauent. li. de lig. vi [...]oe, cap. last but one. & radius fontalis. The Head­spring Beame whose being is a­boue all being. Lord illustrate now euery darke corner of our soules sitting in Ignorancy.

Damascenus.Hee is termed of Damascen [...] the wonder-worker: nor wrought he miracles by the helpe of Belzebub, but by his owne omnipotent power he cast out Deuills, for a kingdome di­uided [Page 107] against it selfe cannot stand, Si nos non credamus Chri­sti miraculis en nos facti sumus mi­raculum, If we beleeue not the miracles of Christ, though wee see them not, loe we are become a miracle to Gath and Askelon: Blessed are they that see not, and yet beleeue.

He is called by Sibylla [...] the Fish,Sybilla. in a riddle and darke saying, according to the fiue let­ters [...], Iesus Christ the Sonne of God the Sauiour: on this fish, broyled on the Altar of the Crosse, by the heate of passion, and his own feruent affection, we doe all feed vpon by faith.

He is the Fish taken in the net In vndis passionum, in the waters of his sufferings, out of whose mouth we pay our Tribute of satisfaction to our God. For, [Page 108] but for him the blessed Ramme that so happily was caught in the bush, all we the sinnefull seed of Adam should with Isaac haue been immolated, and offered vp by our heauenly Abraham, the Father of all Nations.

Archangelus Burgonouensis Minoritanus. lib. Cabal. dog­mat. pag. 109.119.120.The Cabalists doe call him Vau, a coniunction copulatiue, because hee doth combine and ioyne together God and man: and Cochmah the wisedome of Cheter, God the Father; for so the Thargum Hierosolimitan be­ginnes at the beginning of Gene­sis, Becochmah Breshith Barah E­lohim: In wisedome God crea­ted at the beginning, &c. accor­ding vnto that of the Psalmist, In wisedome hast thou made them all.

Vid. Theologicae Orphicae lib. se­cundū, cap. 12.The Mahumetans call him in the Alchoran Ruhella: animā, spiritum, soule, spirit, breath, fla­tum, [Page 109] verbum Dei, word of God; and much there is in Alchoran writ in honour of Christ.

He is termed also of the afore mentioned Iustin Martyr: wise­dome, the day-star, the staffe of Iacob, and the like.

Hee is called Messiah, [...]. Ioh. 10. the an­noynted King, Priest, Prophet. In S. Iohn, the Dore, no entrance into the heauenly Holy of Holies, but by him.

The Vine whereinto (let vs all pray) we may by faith as liue­ly branches be inoculated and ingraffed;Ioh 15. [...]. so shall wee surely bring forth fruite worthy of re­pentance: Lord grant wee may euer abide in thee. [...]. The good Shepheard, Lord grant that wee thy Flocke may euer be fed by thee.Ioh. 1.29. The Lambe of God, Ioh. 1. [...], Anagram: [...]. Thou art that sheepe, that Lambe. The [Page 110] pascall Lambe on earth: that Lambe to whose supper we shal be inuited to in heauen, Reuelat. 19.1.

Hee is called [...] the cheefe Shepheard of the sheepe in 1 Pet. 5.4. The Bishop of our soules,1 Pet. 5.4. [...]. 1 Pet. 2.25. Gen. 49.10. 1 Pet. 2. and the last.

Hee is that fore-prophesied Shiloh, that is a Sauiour.

He is in that courtly Prophet Esay called Peleh, Esay 9.6. wonderfull, Counsellour, the mighty God, the euerlasting Father, the Prince of peace: wonderfull in his conception, birth, and acti­ons: In his conception, by the spirits ouer-shadowing of the pure Virgin Marie: who can de­clare his His genera­tion is [...]. Iust. Mart. qu. ad orthod. 67. Damsc. 4.14. Generation? Borne [...], of the purest & inculpable bloud of the Virgin Mary: if, that his title be not too great. Thy name is great, won­derfull, and holy, Psa. 99 3 Wonder­full, [Page 111] in being borne,Borne. Nouo ordine. Inuisibi [...]is mon­stratur visibilis. Noua natiuita­te—Virgo in­tacta est soe­cunda. Vid. Toletanū consi­lium. [...]. Damasc. 4.14. and yet im­mortall, neuer dying according to his Godhead: Baptized, and yet washing away of sins: pay­ing tribute, but yet out of the mouth of a Fish: weeping, and yet wiping all teares from our eyes. Counsailour, for his vn­speakable wisedome: Euerla­sting Father, being Alpha and O­mega, the first and the last: The mighty God, being mighty to saue, Esay 63. the first: The Prince of peace, Sar shalom, who leades our feete in the way of peace, who giues vs peace of conscience, who brings vs to e­uerlasting peace.Amongst all his glorious names Marie termes him here Rabboni. So here Rab­boni. O thou that art wonder­full in all thy workes, worke thine owne good worke in vs, make vs to be borne againe, to liue in thee, and euerlastingly to with liue thee: O Counsailer ad­uise [Page 112] and direct vs: O mighty God saue vs: O euerlasting Fa­ther, let vs bee euerlastingly thy sonnes: O Prince of peace, rule vs in peace, and conduct vs safe­ly to thy endlesse peace: Finally, ô thou Rabboni, grant that wee may euer serue thee, in righteous­nesse and holinesse, all the dayes of our life, and after this our wretched life, wherein wee too much are seruants vnto Sinne and Satan, draw vs after thee, (for to that end, thou, ô Lord, art lifted vp) grant that we may fol­low thee our Master, follow thee the Lambe, where euer thou go­est, euen to those Celestiall ma­ny Mansions in thy Fathers house, to sing that new song of Halliluiah, vnto the blessed Tri­nity for euermore.

Rabboni; Master.

Magister, Master; some will haue of Magis, as Minister of Mi­nus: some of - [...], skild in wisdome: for Magus and Ma­gia, among the old Persians, were names and words of ho­nour, and of wisdome, and knowledge.

Some will haue Magister of [...], the greatest, so your emi­nent personages and Magistrates are called [...], the Great Ones. In all these regards Christ may be called Master.

CHRIST is Maries Master, [...]. 1. As her Lord and Ru­ler, she being of his house, of the houshold of Faith. 2. As her Builder, Creatour, and Maker. 3. As her gracious and tender-hearted [Page 114] Father, her Abrech, Fa­ther and King, or tender Father, which word was cryed before Ioseph, Gen. 41.43. Gen. 41. 4. And lastly, as he is her Schoole-master, Tea­cher, Doctor, and thus Rabboni; for his wisdome and knowledge, the hidden treasures therof,Coloss. 2.3: [...]. Ioh. 7.46. Col. 2. And, neuer man spoke like this man: for by his powerfull preaching, Mary was conuerted. Thus Iesus, by his words, and by his speciall grace, came and rested vnder her blessed Bowre & Vine, the hallowed and conse­crated Tabernacle of her soule, as hee doth to all his holy Elect, [...],Reuel. 7.15. Reuel. 7. he shall dwell, or take vp his tabernacle in them:Ioh. 14.23. [...], Ioh. 14.23. [...],1 Ioh. 3.24. 1 Ioh. Ep. 3.24. So the 1 Ep. of S. Iohn 4. the 12 and 15 ver­ses:1 Ioh. 4.12. & 15 he shall make his abode and dwelling, with his Chosen. A­gaine, [Page 115] - [...], Hee will come in and sup with them,Reuel. 3.20. Reuel. 3.20. I, and more then this, [...], he will wait at the table of eternity on them, serue them, bee their Minister,Luke 12.38. their Seruant, Luk. 12. Hee will bee a Seruant vnto his seruants; not as Cham, a seruant of seruants,Gen. 9.25. Gen 9. But (as Gre­gory that Pope was stiled) Seruus seruorum Dei: Polydor. Virg. lib. 8 cap. 2. de Inven. re. The seruant of the seruants of God.

And thus hee is both Maries and our Rabbi and Rabboni, our Master to teach vs all. Hee is a Prince and Master to the people. Esa. 55.Esa. 55.4. Yee call mee Master and Lord, and yee say well, for so I am.Ioh. 13.13. Ioh. 13. I sate daily in the Temple teaching.Matth. 26.55. Matth. 26. Teaching as one that had power and authority.Matth. 7.29. Matth. 7.29. If a­ny therefore want wisdome, let him aske it of God, of this Rab­boni, [Page 116] who is the wisdome of his Father,Iames 1.5. Cyprian of Tertullian. who was euer wise.

Thus, Da Magistrum may right­ly be spoke of this Rabboni. Thus S. Augustine in that Tractate of the Master,S. Aug lib. de Magistro. a Dialogue betweene himselfe and Adeodatus, where hee teaches him the elements of learning, for signes, syllables, words, at length in the close of that booke he concludes, that in vaine he teaches his sonne Adeo­datus, except he be instructed & taught of the Lord. There is no Rabbi, or Master, to teach a man true wisedome, but God, accor­ding to that in the Gospell, one is your Master, Christ. Who, I say, was euer wise, Siue latens in vtero, siue vagiens in praesepio: Siue iam grandiusculus, interro­gans Doctores in templo, non minus sapientia fuit conceptus, quàm na­tus, paruus quàm magnus: As [Page 117] wise at the cratch, as among the learned Doctors; as wise concei­ued, as being borne; great in wisdome, as well when little, as great; as wise, when hee was suckled with Mary his mothers milke, as when hee was of more maturity of yeeres: They be the words of eloquent S. Bernard;S. Bernard. 2. Homil. supra missus est. Let not that place, saies he, in the 2. of Luke, mooue vs to thinke or speake the contrary,Luke 2.52. Hee grew in wisdome, and stature, and fauor, with God and men. Which is to be vnderstood, saith hee, — non secundùm quod erat, sed secundùm quod apparebat: not as he was in­deede, but as appeared to bee. For which wee may fitly say, as S. Damascen of the Creation;Damascen. in libro de Tri­sagio. [...]. I wonder, and a­gaine I wonder, that these things [Page 118] should bee so, and I wonder a­gaine if these things were not so.

Sure it is, that yeeres make not wise, as Anacreon speakes of one,Anacreon. [...], His haires were gray, but his soule was greene: so, nor want of yeeres make men vnwise: as Ignatius, Ignatius in Epistola ad Magnesianos. the Alpha of the Fa­thers, hath excellently set down in an Epistle: commending vnto the Church of Magnesium, that young Teacher, yet of rare and almost vnparralleld worth, Da­maeus, or Damas: Instancing a great wisdome to bee in Daniel, Histor. Susan. vers. 45. detecting at twelue yeeres of age, the vnlawfull lust and plot of the two Seniours: In Samuel, who very young,1 Sam. 2. taxed olde Eli, being ninety yeeres of age, for winking at the wickednesse and outrage of his two vngracious sonnes, Hophni and Phineas: he [Page 119] but remissely taxing them. In Salomon, 1 Reg. 3. young, who decided the controuersie of the two har­lots. In Iosiah, who at eight yeeres, ruined and burnt downe the altars of Idolatry, and the Groues.2 Tim. 3.15. Thus Timothy did learne the Scriptures, [...], from a childe.1 Tim. 4.12. And S. Paul sayes, Let no man contemne thy youth.

But a little for the Schoole. The science or knowledge in Christ, Thomas de Aquino. which was in his soule, had not omniscience: if so, then the Creature were equall with the Creatour. For, for that day and that howre,Mark. 13.32. Matth. 24.36. For this, see S. Ambrose de fide 5.7. And futably, for the bloudy sweat, and Angels com­forting▪ in Hilar. 10. de Trinit. no man knowes, no not the Angels of Heauen, nor the Sonne himselfe, saue the Father: though this particle [the Son] be not in the 24 of S. Matthew.

Of that day the Son knowes not. First, hee hath no commission [Page 120] to reueale it, say some. Second­ly, S. Thomas of Aquine, — Dici­tur nescire quia non facit scire: He is sayd not to know, because he maketh not vs to know. So S. Augustine, — Nescit, scilicet vt a­lijs esset reuelaturus.

Christus s [...]mpi­ternali scientia ex parte diuini­tatis nouit om­nia. See Bona­uent in Centi­loquijs. cap. 29. There hee shewes fiue manners of knowledge to be in Christ.But the truest is, Christ hath nes­ciency of this, according to his bare humanity; to know this howre, is without the pale of hu­mane capacity: And this ought to be the barre, cancell and li­mit of our too scrutinous na­ture, which often will assay to plummet the fathomlesse and bottomlesse sea of Gods most secret and hidden actions, inten­tions, presciences, predestinati­ons, reprobations, determinati­ons, and daily iudgements: whereas wee should say with S. Ambrose, S. Ambr. de vo­cation. Gent. 5. Speaking of the penny, and the Labourers in the vine­yard. — diuinely treating of these needlesse scrutinies, — Tu­tum [Page 121] est nescire quod tegitur, non intelligimus iudicantem, sed vide­mus operantem: Professed igno­rance is the best sapience for concealed mysteries: wee can­not diue into the depth of the Lords secret wisdome, in iudg­ing, yet we may plainly discerne him working.

Knowledge and wisdome in that Rabboni, In Christo inte­gralitèr perma­nentèr. In ho­mine diminutè transeunter. [...]. Nazian. Christ, was perfect and permanent, in man b [...]ken and fleeting: as in Salomon him­selfe, who was sayd to bee habi­tuated with wisdome in one night; and who had, as Nazian­zene speakes, largenesse of heart, more copious then the sand of the sea-shore, yet hee confesseth of himselfe, that hee was — See the mea­ning of this in Naz. Orat. de dogmate & Theologia. Prou. 30.2. [...], more foolish then any man, and not to haue the vnderstanding of a man in him, Prou. 30.2.

[Page 122]Diminutely, and by a defalca­tion, wisdome is in man, when there is no absolute perfection, but there may be euer some ob­liquity, defect, or redundancy, seene and found by serious dis­quisition, and so by this, this wisdome is compassed by study and painefull search: thus no meere man euer yet did reach vnto the eminency of wisdome a [...] knowledge in this life, not Salomon himselfe, nay nor A­dam, who farre out-stripped Sa­lomon in the knowledge of all creatures.

But to goe a thought further: wisdome and knowledge may be in man, not onely in part, but at the breathing times of the Holy Ghost, who breatheth where, and when it lusteth, euen Integrally, by diuine infusion, without admixtion of errour, as [Page 123] in Salomon, when hee writ the books of Misthle, The books of Prouerbes, Canticles, and the Preacher. Shir-ha-shirim, and Cohêleth, and so in all the sa­cred Pen-men of the Scriptures, who were the Amanuenses, the Secretaries of the Holy Ghost. But there is another Integrally, not onely by diuine infusion, but by inhabitation and coniunction of Diuinity, and this Integrall knowledge and wisdome is in Christ, and thus in Christ dwells the fulnesse of wisdome (as the God-head dwels in him bodily) beyond the orbe and reach of the wisest that euer liued: yet because nothing worketh (as we say) beyond the actiuity of its owne spheare;Theodor. [...]. And, as Theodo­ret speakes, The beames of Di­uinity in Christ, were dimmed and rebated, by that [...], That mantle of the flesh, as ap­peared in his bloudy sweat, his [Page 124] praying against that cup of pas­sion.Luke 22.44. Math. 26.39. Iohn 18.11. Ioh. 18.11. and Matt. 26.39. and in that dolefull crie, of - My God, my God, why hast, &c. ther­fore in a sutable manner, wis­dome and knowledge in Christ, had his cancels and lifts (as being not infinite) in regard of his hu­mane flesh, he being like vnto vs in all things, sinne onely excep­ted: and yet onely like in quali­ty, not equality. And thus Christ knew not that day, and that howre, though he were that Rabboni.

Rabboni. Mary knew this well, that one is your Master, and that is Christ. And bee not called Rabbi: it is Pharisaicall. And S. Iames: Be not called many Ma­sters: It is a blur and ineluible staine in the Pharisies, to affect the prime seats in the Syna­gogues, and at Feasts, and to [Page 125] bee called Rabbi, Math. 23.7. Rabbi.

In the Schoole — aliud est —

• Esse, vel fieri, Magistri.
• Aliud vocari, Magistri.
• Aliud velle esse, & vocari, Magistri.

1. One thing to bee a Master, Rabbi, or Doctor, and to bee made one.

2. Another thing to bee so vulgarly called Master, or Do­ctor.

3. And a third thing, to de­sire to be, and to bee called Ma­ster.

The first two may bee good, but the last is ill; and yet not simply ill: for if any of eminent parts doe desire and affect regi­ment, magistery, power, autho­rity, and degree competent for the managing of any place of eminency, wherein the rule of wisdome is required, and bee it [Page 126] the more to giue grace and coun­tenance to his wisdome in that titular place, if hee bee sensible (without eleuation or haughti­nesse of spirit) of his owne (yet vn-valued) worth, and ayming at the future common good, in no wise at his owne priuate pro­fit, like the Tyrant in Synaesius, Synaesius de Regno. to say, [...], Thine is mine: He surely is not peccant in this, in thus desiring Magistery and Rabbi ship; if, I say, the Iebusite-pride of heart bee extermined and banished out of his borders.

To desire Rabbi-ship, a degree or honor solely, is, as the Schole speakes, — Appetere consequens sine Antecedente, As if an inferior ignorant person should affect to make a leap with Elizeus, from the plow to be a Prophet; with Peter, from being a Fisher-man, to bee a Fisher of men; with [Page 127] Dauid, from the sheep-fold, fol­lowing the Ewes great with young, to feed Iacob Gods Cho­sen, and Israel his Inheritance. If hee lay his leuel at sinister re­spects, as at esteeme, with tin­seld Herod, to be heard and seen, and admired at, it is [...], vaine-glory: if at gaine, it is [...], loue of lucre: if at ease, and rest, and voluptuousnesse, and luxury, then is it [...], loue of pleasure:Prou. 30.15. Lagnalucath shette Banoth? Nay more: wee haue descryed the Horse-leech to haue three daughters; all of them the Limbes and Brats of Abaddon.

The sinne lies three wayes.

• First, in desiring of honour, a 1 testimony and garland of excel­lency and merit, which he neuer had, nor hath, and this is an affe­ctation beyond proportion.
• Secondly, in so affecting ho­nour,2 [Page 128] that we referre and ascribe it not vnto Gods honour:
  Aqui. ad Regem Cypri.
  & all dependancy is from Superiour Dominion.
• Thirdly, in not employing and plating out that honour vn­to a publike good.

S. Iames forbids to bee called many Masters, that is to vnder­goe the danger and burthen without cause, when there is no vrgency. Thus where there is a competent number of Iustici­ary Magistrates, for the mana­ging of any peculiar place, City, Common-wealth, a requisite number of Captaines and Colo­nells, for the conducting of a Campe; a sufficient number of Doctors, graue, wise, learned, religious (hauing both Vrim and Thummim ingrauen on their brests.) In the Church of Iesus Christ, so many Mosesses and [Page 129] Aarons, Leaders to the Land of promise. It is a fault to be desi­rous for honor and repute sake, that we our selues should make a needlesse addition to that number, not considering this, that to whom much is giuen, of him much shall bee required. Rulers are not so thin sowne, that there is neede of our grow­ing vp.

There was a definite number of Seuenty Elders.Exod. 18. A sutable Assembly and Company of Officers and Iudges to ayde Moses, by Iethro, his father in lawes aduise, as a set multitude of the Athanatoi in Herodotus: Herod. in Polyhymnia. No infinity of Apostles, and of the Disciples of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus.

Vnicus est Rabbi vester, One is your Master, Christ: One cheefe, prime, celestiall Master, who tea­cheth [Page 130] and is not taught himselfe, howsoeuer he learned vs obedi­ence by that which he suffered: but there bee many subordinate Masters, who teach, & are them­selue taught of God, of Angells, of men. As there is one Moses, for matters of moment, of grand decision; but many selected El­ders, for causes of lesse impor­tance, for triuiall occurrents.

This speech, of— one, is your Master, denyes not regulated Dominion, Superiority, Rabbi ­ship, as the Anabaptists, and Iu­das Galilaeus would haue it; from whom those Galilaeans were de­nominated, whose bloud Pilate mixed with their sacrifice. By the way, these Galilaeans were a kinde of Catharists, who follow­ed the sect and decree of Iudas the Galilaean:Iosephus Iud. hist. And his decree, as Iosephus, in the last booke of the [Page 131] Iewish Antiquity,See Anasta­sius Bishop of Nice, in his Quest. vpon the Script. sayes,— It had a great pretext and shew of pie­ty: for hee auerred, that no man ought to call any one Lord, ei­ther in honour or ciuility: wher­upon many of these Galilaeans Secters of him, rather then they would call Caesar Lord, did vn­dergoe very greeuous torments: And whiles they were in the midst of their Mosaicall sacrifi­ces, to which onely they held themselues, abandoning and ab­rogating all others, Pilate mixed their bloud with their owne sa­crifice.

This speech — one, is your Master, brings not in new Pope­domes, new Elderships, disanul­ling all other authority, and dis­abling all wiser Regiment, lea­uing onely Iothams bramble, to be annoynted King. It denyes not Kings Supreme Gouernors, [Page 132] Counsailours, Lords, Bishops, the reuerend Rabbies of the Church, Iudges, Magistrates, nor inferiour Masters and Rabbies: It brings not in the Rabbi of Romes primacy, as if thus, — Vnicus est Rabbi Romanus: It brings not in Viretus and Caluins Presbytery and new Papacy: [...], Iude 8 verse. [...], 2 Pet. 2 verse. They despise authority. It brings not in Beza's Parity, no Hierarchy, but a Gauel-kinde among all the Clergy: no vnmated purity, nay impurity. It is the base speech of Edom, Downe with it, downe with it, euen to the ground.

[...].These, in the Scripture, are ter­med Whisperers, Raylers, Murmu­rers, Male-contents for their owne meane fortunes, Mockers, Makers of Sects, Schismes and Dissentions, And as S. Paul, Rom. 16.17. he first bids vs [...], to look about vs, then [...], to auoyd them. Now, I beseech you Brethren, [Page 133] marke them diligently,Rom. 16.17, 17. which cause dissention and offences, contrary to the doctrine which yee haue receiued, and auoyd them: the reason is in the suc­ceeding verse; For they that are such, serue not the Lord Iesus Christ, but their owne bellies, and with faire speech and flatte­ring, deceiue the hearts of the simple. These and such like can­not rightly call with Mary, our Sauiour Iesus Rabboni.

Excellently Nazianzene, whose sweet lines I cannot for­get, [...], The surfet of hony breedes and procures a vomit. Where a Prince is most gracious, benigne, flexible to good motions, loth to take forfeit of euery offence, nay where hee grants a Toleration, if not of Indulgency, yet of Con­niuency, there the Schismaticke, [Page 134] there the turbulent male-conten­ted spirit, (who is like Quick-siluer, euer tumbling vp and downe, till hee bee imprisoned within such wals, as possibly he cannot eat thorow.) There the men of thy hand ô Lord, the sonnes of Belial, belk out and vo­mit their impostumations, their virulency most, against Principa­lity, Hierarchy, all Oeconomy, and Authority. There the Mint­master of Hell bestirres him, the Powder-plotter, the God of Flyes, - Beelzebub, to cause those Flyes that came flickering out of the bottomlesse pit, that came humming out of Hells Larder, to seeke to ouershade the Sunne with an Aegyptian darknesse; these Cymmerian Cyclopses with gun powder barrells, which lur­king vnder faggots, and billets, and bars of iron, like close priso­ners, [Page 135] should haue broke their prison-wals, or haue had a Gaol-deliuery, by the match of a blou­dy Boute-feu (match-lesse for his villany) Faux, or Fax Infernalis, the Titio, the Fire-brand of Hell, at one-sudden blow, to haue blowne vp all. But thankes bee vnto the Lord, who, with the bellowes of his breath, and feare­full indignation hath blowne them all downe to Hades, — [...],Acts 1.25. to Iudas his owne proper vault and place, to whom is reserued the mist of darknesse for euer. Thus the Diggers and Pioners for others, doe be­come their owne Sextons, to dig their owne graues, and are fallen into the same pit they delved for others.

Thus Haman is hanged by the crag on Mardoche's gibbet: And thus those Stygian Sheolits, that [Page 136] thought with the damp of their powder mine, to haue put out all the lustring and glorious Lights of Israel, to haue huft vp so high, the Annoynted Cherubes, the Ce­dars of Libanon, with all the sa­cred Sciences, the goodly Ches­nut-trees in the garden of God, the Flowre of Nobility, the graue Senatory, the vncorrupted Iudges, the Reuerend Ephod-wea­rers, the Chariots of Israel, and the Horse-men thereof, the wise Rabbies, nay Rabboni himselfe: some of their hairy scalps, which God hath wounded, are without honour, staked vp higher then e­uer they dreamed, (they dream­ing of height of honour) their brainelesse sculs are made gazing stocks to God, to Angels, and to Men: their braines (which euer were at a dead low ebb for wis­dome) are long agoe dropt out [Page 137] of their too fiery sockets, and haue left a nasty noysome stench behinde them.

So let thine enemies perish,Iudg. 5.31. ô Lord; doe vnto all such as haue ill will to Sion, Iudg 7. doe vnto them as vnto the Midianites, Iudg. 8. as vnto Si­sera, and to Iabin at the riuer, that ancient riuer Kishon, Psal. 83.9, 10, 11, 12. which peri­shed at Endor, and became as the dung of the earth: make them and their Princes like Oreb and Zeb, Vide Psal. 83. from the 9 verse to the end. like Zebah and Zalmanah, [the foure Kings of Midian] which say, Let vs take our selues the houses of God in possession, &c. And Lord protect and blesse the shield of this our Island,So are Prin­ces, Psal. 47.9. our most gracious and Soueraigne Lord the King, Iames the first of that name, from all forraigne in­uasion, and from all viperine and inbred domesticke conspiracy and treason: smite through the [Page 138] loynes of all his enemies, but on him let his crowne florish, and the good will of him that dwelt in the Bush, bee vpon his sacred head, the thrice-noble Prince Charles.

Vntill the second comming of Shiloh our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, and let all loyall & true-hearted Subiects say, A­men.

And now let our streames of deuotion and thanksgiuing re­turne vnto the fathomlesse Oce­an of all mercies, from whence they were first deriued and had their flow.And sing with all deuotion of soule, the 124 Psalme. Thanks be vnto the Lord, who hath shewed vs mer­uailous great kindnes in a strong Cittie, whose strength was from the Lord: O pray for the peace of our Ierusalem, they shall pro­sper that loue thee, peace be within thy walls, and plenteous­nesse [Page 139] within thy Palaces: And blessed be Rabboni our Lord and Master, the Lord God of Israel, world without end, and let all the people say, Amen, Amen.

RABBONI.

Note here an admirable ex­tract: Christ Iesus hee first calls Mary, before Mary can call him Rabboni. All our vtterance, all our action, all our power and a­bility proceeds from the sacred spirit, the blast to the organ pipe, the hand that moues the golden Cymball, here we may cry Gel­gel, ô wheele:Ezech. and [...], ô profundity, the depth of the power of God, his wayes are past finding out, we loue him because he loued vs first, 1 Ioh. 4.19. 1 Iohn 4. The spi­rit helpeth our infirmities,Rom. 8.26. Rō. 8. Draw me, and we will runne af­ter [Page 140] thee,Cant. 1.3. Cant. 1. First, there must be a drawing, then a running: Prayer is premised, the action is performed, but Grace presuppo­sed. No man (saith Christ) comes to me, Iohn 6.44. except the Father that sent me, [...], do draw him, yet not violentèr, but volentèr, not haled by constraint, but readily led by a mercifull manuduction. Arise, ô North, and come, ô South, and blow vpon my Gar­den, let my Beloued (heere shee corrects her owne stile) come to his Garden, and taste of his plea­sances: first, she cals it Ganni, and then Ganno, Cant. 4.16. my Garden, and then his Garden: As though all the fragrant flowres of Gods graces in her, were of his plantation and setting.

So, worke out your saluation with feare and trembling: and then immediatly, as reuersing & [Page 141] reclaiming his owne errour, hee saith, For it is God that worketh in you both, [...], both to wi [...] and to effect.

First, in the Psalme, Seeke yee my face: and then is ecchoed backe, Thy face, ô Lord, will I seeke. Esay 40.6. Esay 40. The Spirit sayd, cry: and he answered, what shall I cry? The Holy Spirit must first dictate, then can wee make repe­tition: It giues vs Hindes feet be fore wee can run, or so much as stand:Ezech. 1.2. Ezech. 2. The Spirit saith, Son of man, stand vpon thy feet, and in the next verse, the Spirit set mee vpon my feet. Hashi­uenu, Iehouah Eleca venashuna. [...] Turne vs, Lament. 5.21. ô Lord, and so shall wee be turned.

First, there was a — flauit Spi­ritus, then a — fleuit Maria. The Spirit first breathed, and then [Page 142] this blast begot the showre, Mary mourned. Rabboni heere first calls Mary, before Mary is a­ble to cry Rabboni. Therefore, S. Aug last words 18. chap. of the Soliloquies. Da Domine quod iubes, & iube quod vis, Lord giue vs power to performe what thou comman­dest, and then command what thou wilt.

O good Iesu, in the attracting odour of thy sweet oyntments, we will run after thee, for words, for works. For words, thou hast the words of eternall life, and neuer any man spake like thee. For workes,Iohn▪ 7.46. Thou didst not re­iect the penitentiary Theefe con­fessing; the woman of Canaan imploring; the Adulteresse de­ploring; nor the Euangelist at the receipt of custom sitting and sinning; not the poore Publican suppliantly praying; not the Di­sciple Peter reuolting; nay, nor [Page 143] thy very enemies smiting thee, scourging thee, mocking thee, crowning thee, crucifying thee, with a — Father forgiue them, for they know not what they doe.

If I, ô Lord, bee poore and bankrupt in merit, hauing the palsie of spirituall imbecility, my sinnewes resolued by surfet of sin, the blindnesse of internall ignorance, the bloudy issue and flux of concupiscence, the deaf­nesse, and dulnesse, and stupidity of heauenly vnderstanding, if I cannot call thee Rabboni, ô then thou blessed Rabboni, the Totall Summe of all my blisse, the true Treasury and Exchequer it selfe of all my happinesse; Lord en­rich me with thy mercies, giue mee a firme and steddy hand to all holy actions, make with thy spirituall spittle and clay, the scales of mine eyes to fall, that I [Page 144] may see the wonders of thy Law, ô thou bright Morning Star, thou Star of Iacob, Lord lighten mine eyes, that I sleepe not in death: O let mee, poore wretch, but touch the hem of thy wedding garment, thou bles­sed Bridegroome: Thou Son of righteousnesse, touch my char­med eares with the finger of thine omnipotent mercy, and cry but Ephthata, bee thou ope­ned, and I shall euer acknow­ledge, that it was Digitus Dei, the hallowed finger of my God, that opened the doore of en­trance into my soule, and so shall I heare of ioy and gladnesse, that the bones that thou hast broken may reioyce; and so shall I bee sure to heare the sweet concent, the heauenly harmony, the new song of those blessed Saints, these shrill-voyc'd Quiristers, in [Page 145] that Triumphant Church, in the new Ierusalem, the Mother of vs all: O call me, ô Lord, as thou didst the Shulamite, Returne, re­turne, ô Shulamite, returne, re­turne: O rouze me out of my slumber, my dead sleepe of sin, euen by my name, so shall I call thee, ô Lord, with Mary, by thy sweet name, Rabboni, my Lord, my Master, my onely Lord and Sauiour.

Rabboni.

O Rabboni, ô Lord God of Hoasts, who is like vnto thee? Thou rulest the raging of the sea,Psal. 89. and stillest the waues therof, when they arise, the Heauens are thine, and the earth is thine: thou hast layd the foundation of the round world, and all that is ther­in: Thou hast created the North [Page 146] and the South, Tabor and Hermon shall reioyce in thy name, ô Rab­boni: Thou that hast filled the basket of my soule, not with the broken meat of thine incompa­rable mercies onely, (I being not worthy to gather vp the crums vnder thy bounteous table) but with thy better Manna, the hid­den Manna, euen thy sacred selfe, the bread of life: And this Manna haue I hid in the golden pitcher, in the middest of the Arke of my true and faithfull heart (by cele­stiall meditation and deeper con­templation) which neuer shall be transported, or depart from thee, ô Lord, vnto Ashdod of the Philistims, except it bee to cause Dagon, 1 Sam. 5.3. that Idolatrous God, to fall downe vpon his face, to breake off his head, and the palmes of his hands. There will I coffin vp, intomb, and inshrine [Page 147] my Lord, Rabboni: Thou that gauest mee what thou didst not owe to mee, and forgauest what I did owe to thee. O great is thy obligation, ô my soule, wher­in thou standest bound for this, vnto this thy Rabboni, thy Re­deemer.

Shall I say,As Seneca lib. 8 Epist. 63. to Lucilius. Vbicun (que) sum, mea sum, where euer I am, I am mine owne? no, no, where euer I am, thine,S Ambr. in Offic. ô sweet Iesu, I am: Tota sum tua, I am wholly thine, and will bee euerlastingly.Ruth 1 16. As Ruth vnto Naomi, so I to thee: Intreat me not, ô Lord, to leaue thee, where thou goest, I will goe, where thou dwellest, I will dwel, where thou dyest, I will dye, and there will I be buried: the Lord doe so to mee, and more also if ought but death, nay if death it selfe part thee and mee.

I haue begun well to serue my [Page 148] Lord and Master, Rabboni, & so will I perseuere vnto the end, I neuer will end ill: that holy and deuout Father bids me flye this, vt daemonium meridianum.

How haue I, poore, wretched, silly soule, wept and lamented for thy losse? Now will I weepe no more: yes, but I will weepe for ioy: The ore-flowing Sea of thy gracious fauour, did first so inrich, and fill the cisterne of my heart, and so followed with his pressing and pursuing waight, that it hath caused the water to ascend vp to my head, the spring­head, from whence, as out of Paradise, foure channels and streames of teares are happily deriued, three streames of sad sorrow, and but one of ioy, and that one running with a brim­mer eddie, then all the other three. The first, for thy passion: [Page 149] the second, for my sin, the pully of thy passion: the third, for thy absence, being dead and buried, and for thy remooue out of the Sepulcher, I deeming thy sacred body, to haue beene vnworthily pilfered away: the fourth, no streame of sorrow, but a shed­ding of teares for exceeding ioy, for enioying once againe thy blessed presence, and hauing by thee my reconciliation assured me, and being of thee so louing­ly called by my name: No word of taxation to my soule, as some may dreame & descant, (though to thy immense glory, I cannot deny, but I much deserue it for the Chenograph, the hand-writing of sins, that was Item'd against me) but a word of assured singu­lar consolation.

Out of which this blessed bal­same may be extracted: That if [Page 150] Mary were so much delighted, and euen transported with see­ing her Sauiour heere, and hea­ring him speake but one sole word to her, in calling her Mary: Then sure in Heauen, both shee and we shall ten thousand times more reioyce there, to enioy his presence, in whose presence is all fulnesse of ioy, and there to heare him speake in the language of Canaan, much sweeter words of endlesse comfort to our soules, that there by meanes of him (the riuer of the water of eternall life) shall bathe and drench them­selues in streames of blisse.

But list, I pray you, still to Mary.

O deare Lord, the loue of my soule, what an invaluable losse is it to lose thee here? O then what a lamentable losse haue they that lose thine euerlasting presence, ô [Page 151] thou heauenly Beniamin, thou Son of the right hand, sitting in glory at the right hand of thy Father. I cannot bee sated nor filled sufficiently with the pre­sence of my Lord Rabboni, nor with thinking and meditating on thee. A heauenly dropsie hath possest my soule: the more I taste, the more I thirst after thee; the Fountaine of the Gardens: the Well of liuing waters: and the Springs of Lebanon. I know what wisdome sayes,Ecclus. 24.24. Ecclus. 24. they that eat me shall haue more hunger, and they that drinke of me shall thirst the more.

O let me cling to thee euerla­stingly, my Rabboni, my Master, my Lord, my God, the best and sweetest meeter, for Deus is Meus, my God, my Lord, my Master: In whom Ego credo, I beleeue, for personall and [Page 152] particular faith must saue.

O my dearely Beloued, in him that loued vs most, our Lord and Sauiour Iesus. Be no more, I beseech you, seruants to Sinne and Satan: 1 Pet. 2.11. I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soule: especially in them that are in the bud and prime of their age, who auricu­larly and iustly may reueale and bewray vnto the Great Confessor of Heauen and earth, with S. Augustine in his youth,S. August. li. 2. confess. that they doe — syluescere varijs & vmbro sis amoribus, that they lurke with Adam, and are tapisht in the sha­dy Thicket of diuerse darling and minion sins. For which they had neede to cry with Dauid, O remember not the sins and offences of my youth, Psal 25.6. but according to thy mercy thinke thou vpon mee (ô [Page 153] Lord) for thy goodnesse. Eph. 4.24. O bee yee renewed in your spirit, put yee on the new man, who after God is crea­ted in righteousnesse and true ho­linesse,

If you haue beene Retainers to Apollyon, the Generall of Ge­benhinnom, of Hell it selfe, if you haue beene Followers and At­tendants vnto many, nay, to any Masters, saue with Mary to Rab­boni himselfe, ô cast and rend off their liueries, shake hands with their seruice, diuorce your affe­ctions from this cerus'd Iezabel-world, vnto which you haue beene so long wedded, on which so much enamoured. With Ia­cob the heauenly Pilgrim, passe ouer Iordane, the troublesome waters of this wretched, dolefull and wearisome life, wherin there is no Road, no Harbour, no Port or Hauen of blisse, but many [Page 154] Euroclydons, many strugling blasts, and contrary-pointed gusts of all anxiety: and you shall eat the true Passouer, the right Paschall Lambe in Heauen: not with sowre hearbes of sor­row, but with all solace and e­uerlasting ioy: Take nothing in your iourney with you, but your staffe and scrip, abiuring all hu­mane helpe, all earthly meanes and perishing prouision; better things are there prouided for you in your owne Countrey: clamber vp with that good old Patriarch, by the ladder of bles­sed and sanctified thoughts, euen to that Starry Temple (wherin no darke and dismall night shall frowne) whose Builder, and Ma­ker, and eternall Priest for euer, after the order of Melchisedech, is Rabboni himselfe.

Yea, with Elias, cast away the [Page 155] crimson mantle of thy flesh by martyrdome (if so required) and soare vp to the Habitations of the Highest, of him that is I AM THAT I AM, in the fiery Chariot of all feruent and regulated zeale.Theophrastus in charactêre de Impur. Tender no more seruice euer vnto Satan, hee is that [...] of Theophrastus, who is wont to giue to his Followers, insupportable great burthens, [...], and but little meat: great sorrow of soule, and small comfort: or if any comfort at all, it is no more but a seeming solace, meere Alchymie for pure mettal, glow-wormes fire for true warmth: foule Leah, 1 Sam. 19.13. for faire Rachel: Mi­chals image, & stuffing of the pil­low with goats haire, for Dauid himselfe. But serue yee Rabboni, Iesus our Sauiour, who giues to his Followers, his Seruants, light [Page 156] burthens, and a plenteous table: for his yoke is easie,Matth. 11. [...]. Matth. 5.12. [...]. Matth. 11. and his reward is great, a great reward in Heauen. Matth. 5. As S. Paul termes an euerlasting waight of glory, and most excel­lent, — [...],2 Cor. 4.17. 2 Cor. 4.

Mesech and Kedar, of the posterity of Iaphe [...] and Ismael.O the cursed, damned, and deplored dayes wherein wee liue, and woe is mee that I am constrained to dwell in Mesech, and to haue my habitations in the tents of Kedar: wherein the most, God knowes, haue sworne fealty and homage, and taken the Oath of Allegeance vnto Lucifer, Prince of vtter dark­nesse.

The Flood-gates of sinne are set ope, the full spring-tide wher­of flowes in our very channels.

The great Ship of the whole Vniuerse leaketh, and drinketh [Page 157] vp all iniquity like water: it nee­deth much carining, especially for that soule insinuating sinne of Pride, no Nouice, no Puny, but an aged Sinne:S. Bernard. that subtill Euill, that secret Poyson, a hid­den Plague, the Grand-mother of Hypocrisie, the Parent of En­uy, the Spawne and Source of all Impiety, the Touch-wood of ill Concupiscence, the Canker and Rust of all Vertue, the Moth of Sanctity, the Hood-winker of the Heart, the Begetter of all Maladies without all Remedies, except it be by meere mercy: A Sinne that now beares rule and cheefe dominion.

Iustin sayes of Ninus, sonne of Semiramis, that hee did change his owne sex with his mother; for as his mother, for her man­keenesse, was more like a man then a woman; so hee, for his [Page 158] effeminatenesse, was more like a woman then a man. Are not the dayes farre worse, then those that were in Isay the Pro­phets time? Isa. 3. Are not sexes altered? Contrary to that in Deut. 22.5. The woman shall not weare what pertaineth to man, nor man put on the attire of women. Contrary to that, 1 Cor. 11.6, 15. Lord bring vs all to conformity and decency.

Irenaeus frag­ment. epist. ad Florinum.The dayes were ill in Polycar­pus his time, when as hee cryes, O bone Deus, in quae me tempora reseruasti, vt ista patiar? O good God, to what sinfull and tainted times hast thou reserued me, that I should be burthened with hea­ring and seeing such things.

What hee exclaimed against pernicious heresies broched in his dayes, wee may very well a­gainst all impiety.

[Page 159]The dayes I feare mee, for them, and all other sinnes, now are growne far worse.

S. Chrysostome powres out his complaint of that great City Antioch, S. Chrys [...]stom. 40 Homel ad Pop. Antioch. in med. Homil. Q [...]òd non o­porteat lapsum de seipso dispe­rare. saying, How many, I be­seech you, thinke ye, of all this City, this spacious City, shall bee saued? It is (saith hee) a fearefull thing to speake, yet with greefe of heart I must needes vtter it, among so ma­ny millions there cannot a hundred scarce be found, — & de illis e [...]iam dubito; and I doubt of them too. If in that City, so well tutoured and taught, by so worthy a Rabbi, such a Son of Thunder, as Saint Chrysostome was, what shall be­come of other Countries, Cities, Townes, Villages, Houses, the Sinks of all Impiety? Lord Iesus amend all that is amisse, both in this populous City, and in vs all, and call not our sins vnto ac­count, [Page 160] for if thou Lord shouldst look straitly what is done amisse, who is able to abide it?

I wish the most, the greatest part of the multitude and fry of men, were not of that impious and irreligious minde,Or Ratholdus: See Theodori­cus de N [...]em. 3 de priuilegijs imperij See also Gual­ter vpon S. Luke hath the same. Rabod. Verste­gan. Raboldus the President and Prince of the Frizons was of, who comming to the Font to bee baptized, and so to imbrace the Christian Faith, askt where all his Ance­stors were, that were dead: the answer being made, that they were all in Hell, then sayes hee, Thither will I goe too.

Ah poore distressed and dam­ned soule, vnhappy Prince, who hauing one foot in Christ Iesus his poore Fisher-boat, that car­ried nought, but holy fraught to Heauen, pluckt backe his vncir­cumcised foot out of the Font, and stept desperately into the [Page 161] Wherry and Barge of Satan, so to be ferried into Mare mortuum, the dead Sea and Lake of Hell, Tophet, Esay 30. vlt. the burning whereof is fire and much wood, the breath of the Lord, as a riuer of brimstone kind­leth it: From whence the Lord of his infinite mercy deliuer vs.

O yee holy and blessed Che­rubims, that euer behold the Mercy-seat, yee that are clad in Sables, Ermins, scarlet and pur­ple robes, that sit at the feet of so many learned Gamaliels, the great Expositours of the Law and Gospell too, yee that feede on the myrrh-drops that fall from the lips of Salomon him­selfe: Nay, ô all yee Holy and Elect of God, let mee become e­uen a Begger for your sakes, to beg on you for Christ Iesus sake, to consider what I say, and the Lord Iesus grant you vnderstan­ding [Page 162] in all things, haue a care of Christs coyne, that—Moneta Dei, your own souls so dearly boght. Couch not with Issachar, like an Asse betweene two burthens, cast off these hampers of Iniqui­ty, that heauy Zach. 5.7. Talent of lead, as the Prophet Zachary termeth sin. Be no more slaues to Satha­nas, Satah. Aposta. Nas. serp. Iustin Martyr. in dialog. ad Tryphon. Ind. that Apostaticall Serpent (for so his name implyes) that Destroyer of your soules. Serue Rabboni, our Lord and Master Christ, be true S. Christophers, as Athanasius calls Beleeuers, carry Christ Iesus, — [...], In your hand, and in your heart. In your hand, by outward professi­on: In your hart, by inward per­swasion, holy conuersation, dai­ly imitation, nay, by the sealing of this your profession, by con­fession, by effusion of your own dearest heart-bloud, by blessed [Page 163] Martyrdome, the Guerdoner of constant holy Confessors, which for a piercing crowne of thornes heere, impalls and girts our head with the golden wreath, the flowry garland of Immortality. For he that loseth his life for my sake (saith Christ) and for the Gospels sake, he shall saue it: if we taste here of the bitter cup of his passion, we shall then quench our thirst, in the full streames of his endlesse consolation. If wee suffer with him, wee shall also raigne with him.

O let vs all imbrace and loue this Rabboni, Iesus our Master, the Sauiour of our soules. And let euery one of vs thus Apostro­phize, in priuate retire vnto him­selfe with Mary: Araris and Ty­gris, Ister and Isis, the bitter waters of Marah, and the sweet and still waters of Siloam, [Page 164] shall sooner meet together, ‘Quam nostro Illius, labatur pe­ctore vultus.’ Then mine ingratefull want of memory, and my dearest Lord Rabboni. He is engrauen and en­ameld in my soule, in neuer-dy­ing golden characters: ‘Nam (que) erit ille mihi semper Deus —’ He, euen He, shall bee my God for euer: to him will I sacrifice my heart, my truest Holocaust, burnt with fire of due deuotion. As Artemisia did Mausolus his hart, who pounced & macerated it to poulder, after this her deare Husband was deceased, and e­uery day did eat it like salt, to season her repast withall, saying with sobs and teares, that her owne brest was the fittest and choysest tombe to interre him in: so will I euery day, or at least, [Page 165] as often as I can, feede vpon my sweet Sauiour, in the Eucharist: and bury him in the new Sepul­cher of my soule.

My loue to him shall bee like the Bow of Ionathan, 2 Sam. 1.22. that neuer turned back from wounding the enemies of my Lord.

If I forget thee, ô Rabboni, ô sweet Iesu, then let my right hand forget her best cunning in apprehending the mercies and promises of my God, which are in Iesus Christ, Yea and Amen: sure to come to passe: yea, let my Tongue, the Timbrell, the sweet Cymball of thy praise, cleaue in silence to the roofe of mine vnhallowed mouth: If all memories doe turne Apostata's, yet will I (ô Lord) neuer forget thee.

Though Israel play the Har­lot,Hos. 4.15. yet my little Iuda shall neuer [Page 166] doe so: Let the Impenitent Theefe reuile and raile on Christ, Luk 23. I will beg for a Memento, Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome: Let those ido­latrous Mamzers serue and wor­ship other Gods,Deut. 23.2. the Gods of the Ammonites, the Gods beyond the flood, I and my house will serue the Lord Rabboni. Iosu. 24.15.

Let the ten Tribes follow Ie­roboam son of Nebat, &c. offer incense to the golden Calfe at Bethel and Gilgal, adore Dagon, bow downe to Rimmon, and in this, God bee mercifull vnto them: I know what the Angell sayd vnto S. Iohn, Reuel. 19. [...],Reuel. 19.10. worship thou God: what Nabucadonosor sayd, Blessed bee the God of Shadrach,Dan. 3.28. Mesach, and Abednego, who hath sent his Angell, and hath deliuered his seruants that put their trust in [Page 167] him: what S. Paul saith, There is none other God but one: 1 Cor. 8.4, 5, 6. For though there be that are called Gods, whe­ther in Heauen or earth, as there be many Gods and many Lords, [...]. yet vnto vs there is but one God, which is the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him, and one Lord Iesus Christ, by whom are all things, and wee by him, &c. one Lord, one Master, one Rabboni.

Of whose greatnesse and glo­rious Maiesty, that — [...],Damascen. in Trisagio, e [...] Cyrillo in lib. de spir. ad Her­meium quem non legi. that astounding glorious vision, to bee trembled at, not to bee imagined, much lesse imaged; I can say nothing at all, but as Nazianzene speaks, so will I,Nazianz. in Apologetico. — [...]. Victus sum, & me victum esse fa­teor: I am at a non-plus, and in­genuously doe confesse I am at a non-plus.S. Ambros. de fide ad Arrian. cap. 6. And with S. Am­brose, — Hic est de quo cùm dicitur, [Page 168] non potest dici. This is hee, of whom, when we haue spoke all that wee can of him, wee haue spoke nothing at all of him. Nei­ther Henoch translated; nor Elias carried vp to Heauen in a fiery Charriot; nor Paul rapt vp into the third Heauens, who heard things inutterable; nor Salomon, whose wisdome was as the sand of the sea-shore, so much admi­red of the Queene of Saba; nor Moses, skild in all the learning of the Aegyptians; nor the Disciples who did receiue the Holy Ghost in a visible shape; nor the Che­rubims and Seraphins, that daily doe minister at the high Altar; nor the whole Quire and Hierar­chy of Heauen can diue into the Essence of this God, either by their matutine or vespertine knowledge, to limb forth rightly this Rabboni.

[Page 169]To conclude, with the woman of Samaria, Hydriam non habeo, [...]:Iohn 4. I haue no buc­ket, and if I had, the Well is too deepe.

To this God, to this Iesus, to this Rabboni, I will euerlastingly cleaue vnto: As the soule of Io­nathan was knit, and glued, and souldred vnto Dauid, hee louing him as his owne soule, so shall e­uer mine vnto this heauenly Da­uid, for so the Holy Ghost ter­meth him,Ezech. 37.24. Ose 3.5. Ezech. 34.23. Ezech. 37.24. Iesus Christ, our Rabboni, was this Da­uid: for Dauid was dead long be­fore Ezechiel prophesied.

Though I bee cauteriz'd and sear'd with hot irons, my ioynts strappado'd, and puld, and rackt in sunder with wilde Horses: my flesh nipt off with hot burning pincers: mine eies, the cazements of my soule, the lamps of my [Page 170] body, bored and wombled out: Though I walke on hot burning coles bare-foot, with Tiburcius, I will say with him, I am videor mihimetipsi super rosas incedere: Now me thinkes I walke vpon a bed of roses: Though with S. Agnes in S. Ambrose, I be cast in­to the flaming fornace, I will cry with her,S. Ambrose Serm. 91. — Ecce nunc rore coelesti perfusus, per Spiritum Sanctum, focus iuxta me moritur, flamma diuiditur, & ardor incendij, &c. Now the raging flame is as be­sprinckled with celestiall deaw, by the Holy Ghost it is extingui­shed, &c. It shall in no wise touch me; as indeede it did not, for they were to put her other­wayes to death.

Eusebius.Though with Polycarpus, I be put to the sword, and first to bee burned, I will neuer cry, Domine Caesar, but Domine Rabboni.

[Page 171]Though with Ignatius, I bee giuen vp to bee grinded in the iawes and tearing teeth of sauage beasts, as the Lesbian woman in Plutarch sang,Plutarchus in symposi [...]. so wil I, [...] Grinde mill grinde, so that I may bee made by kneading, mundus panis Christo, Eusebius. qui mihi panis est vitae: pure manchet for the table of the great King Christ Iesus, who was, and is to mee the Bread of life, and euer shall be.Ignatius in Epistola ad Trallianos. Opto ad Bestias pugnare, I doe thirst and long to fight, and grapple with wilde beasts, be it at Ephesus, or elsewhere.

Though I see with Irenaeus on the two hils,The Collects of Francis Feu­ardentius vpon his life. the idoll of the Ty­rant on one, and the Crosse of our Lord Iesus on the other, I will chuse rather the ignominy and curse of this, then the grea­test glory of that.

Though with Cyprian, that [Page 172] holy Saint and happy Martyr,Serm S Au­gustin. de S. Cypr. martyr. in Secund. vol. Cypr. in fine. I heare that decree of Galerius, Thacius Cyprianus gladio fodiatur: Now Cyprian to the sword: I will answer, Amen ô Lord, and Deo gratias, thankes be to the Lord Iesus Christ,

Though I bee pounc't and brayed in a morter with iron pe­stles, as was Anaxarchus the Phi­losopher, I will cry vnto the Ty­rant-Tormentour, to Nicocreon, [...]:Theodoret. in Serm. de Mar­tiribus. Bray, bray the sa­chell of Anaxarchus his soule, [his body] Anaxarchus himselfe thou neuer canst bray.

Though with Vincentius I bee rackt and torne with wilde hor­ses, I will with courage crye — Insurge ô Daciane, &c. Bri­stle vp thy selfe ô Dacianus thou Tyrant against mee, and vomit out all thy virulency and bitter­nesse [Page 173] of spirit, thou shalt see that I can do more who am tormen­ted, then thou possibly canst doe that doest torment me.

Though with Ieremie I bee sawne in pieces of Manasses my owne Cosin-germane: with A­mos bee killed with a wooden beame: bee boyled as S. Iohn should haue beene in a hote cal­dron of scalding oyle: broyled on a Grid-iron with S. Laurance: my soule it selfe diuorced from my trembling, panting & throb­bing limmes: I will neuer whiles I breath be diuorced in my loue to thee, since thy loue ô Lord was neuer diuorced from me.

I stand in awe of no torment whatsoeuer: for I know Wise­dome 16.Wisd. 16.24. The creature that ser­ueth thee which art the maker, is fierce in punishing the vnrighte­ous, but is easie and gentle to [Page 174] doe good vnto such as put their trust in thee.

O Lord maile and arme vs with heauenly and manly reso­lution to lay downe our dearest liues for thee: being well assu­red that although the Alabaster boxes of our bodies bee broken all to peeces for thee, the preci­ous spikenard of our soules, be­sides the anoyling of thee our sa­cred Head, (a sacrifice of our best deuotion) shall cast forth a redolent and sweet perfume o­uer all the House, the whole V­niuerse, thy habitation and foot­stoole, and be an incitation vnto many, to suffer martyrdome it selfe with all alacrity, & vndaun­tednesse of spirit, for the confes­sion of thy holy name, and with­all shall strike thy heauenly no­strils with all acceptable fragran­cy,The sweet sa­uour of rest. like to that sweet smelling sa­crifice [Page 175] of Noah, Gen. 8.21. a sauour of di­uine rest. And so (Lord) let this our due deuotion bee. Let this erect another new Sabboth, a sa­cred memoriall of thy rest from those dissoluing workes of Iu­stice and Indignation.

And thus the sound of my lit­tle Saints-Bell is ended.

The Lord grant that this Bell may ring vs All-In to glorifie God in the great Congregation, in this Church Militant, that so wee may be glorified of God in that Church Triumphant, in the new Ierusalem, the Citty of thrice-blessed soules, where is our happy Incorporation, our right Infranchisement, our truest Denization.

And now my breath and spi­rits are spent: but sure that's wel spent which is expended & layd out for the seruice of this great [Page 176] Rabboni: yet haue I so much spi­rit in-bosom'd in my humblest heart, by Gods Eternall Spirit, the right and sole Incumbent in this Temple, or rather his vn­worthy Synagogue; that by it I can (and so Ile winde vp all) sing that sacred Hymne of Halliluiah heere on Earth (and so I hope I shall in Heauen) which those de­uout, and holy, and euer-blessed Saints, with long white Robes, and Palmes in their hands, doe caroll out, in that Heauenly Quire, to that Rabboni, our sweet Sauiour, in whom all blessednes doth hiue.

Glory bee to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the Begin­ning, is now and euer shall bee, world without end. Amen.