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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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