KIng Dauid, though for inno­cency not onely a Doue,PRAEFACE. but the Phaenix of Doues, and so a notable Type of Christ, vpon whom the Holy Ghost descen­ded in the shape of a Doue;Matt: 3: 16. () yet was his whole life no­thing else, but Bellum sine indu­cijs, a perpetual persecution without intermission.

Such was also the portion of Christ the Lord of Dauid: And such, to the world's end, will euer bee the lott of those that are the heritage of Christ.

My Text import's no less; which, taken Histori­cally, is the voice of Dauid pursüed by his enemies; Prophetically, the voice of Christ, at his passion; My­stically, [Page] [Page 1] [...] [Page 2] the voice of that Mystical Doue, the innocent Soule, surrounded and invironed with the snares of Death; Euen Generalis quaedam querela, (saith Pel­lican) a general complaint of the malice of the wicked persecuting the righteous.Pellican: in loc:

For (ahlas that so it should bee! yet so it is)

Non rete accipitri tenditur,Ter: Ph [...]. ne (que) miluio, Qui malè faciunt nobis; illis qui nil faciunt, tenditur. The net is not pitched for ravenous birds, as are the hauke, and the kyte, but for poore harmeles birds, that neuer meditate mischiefe. And,

Dat veniam corvis,Iuvenal: vexat censura columbas. The Doue shall surely be shott at, when the carrion Crow shall go shot-free.

It will then be no newes vnto you, that here the faithfull Soule, the Spouse, the Loue, the Doue of Christ, when trouble and heavines take holde vpon her, and the flouds of Belial compass her about, Tan­quam avis è cave â liberari cupit,Austin: de opere Monach: (as S^t Austin speakes of the cloyster'd Monkes in his time) Desireth like a Bird to be loosed out of her cage. Or, that, as Ionas (by interpretation a Doue) after three dayes and three nights imprisonment in the whales belly, could not but long after his enlargement; Ion: 1: 17: () So the Doue-like Soule of man, when not three, but many dayes, and moneths, and yeares, she hath ben imprisoned in the body, hath a longing desire to be enlarged, and to fly vnto God that made her; And so mourning like a Dove in devoute supplication, and mounting like a Dove in diuine speculation, breake's forth into these sad elegies; Oh that I had wings! and, Ahlas, that I [Page 3]have not wings! Wo is me,Psal: 120: 4. that I am constrein'd to dwel with Mesech, and to have myne habitation a­mong the tents of Kedar.Psal: 42: 1. Like as the Hart desires the water-brooke, so longeth my soule to be with thee, O God. I desire to be dissolued, and to be with Christ.Phil: 1: 23.

Who will giue me wings, &c.

Which is, as if the poore distressed Soule;PARAPHRASE pathetically bemoaning her forlorne estate of pilgrimage, should thus more plentifully enlarge herself. My Spouse is al­ready ascēded higher than the winds, than the clouds, than the highest heavens; and I (poore Soule!) as a husbandles widow, as a tutorles Orphan, as a comfort­les exile, am left desolate and disconsolate in this valley of teares; none to care for mee, none to com­fort mee, till I have regained him whome I love, and in whome I liue. Nay, (which worse is) this myne owne familiar friend, this nearest and dearest compa­nion of myne, my body, is euen a burden vnto mee. The weight of it, and of the sins that hang so fast on it, doth so clogg and shackle mee, so glew and nayle mee to the earth, that I cannot raise, or reare vp my selfe towards heaven. Or let him therefore descend to relieue mee, being Filia, Sponsa, Scror, his Daugh­ter, and Spouse, and Sister; Or let him giue me wings, wherewith I may ascend to him, Psal. 91: 4. vnder the shadow of whose wings I shall surely rest in safety.

I must confess, it was the very bitternes of extre­mity that first compell'd me to love him, though of himselfe no less lovely than Love it selfe. It was the sharpe sauce of afflictions that gaue edge to myne af­fections, and sharpen'd myne appetite to that sweete [Page 2] [...] [Page 3] [...] [Page 4]meate that endureth to euerlasting life. But now, ha­ving had some litle fore-taste of him, I am euen in an holy extasy,Plaut: so ravished, so transported with a fer­vent desire of him, and of his presence, that, Vbi sum, ibi non sum; vbi non sum, ibi animus est, Where I am, there I am not; and where I am not, there am I. For, Anima est vbi amat, non vbi animat,Erasm: The soule is where it loueth, not where it liueth. Now sigh I not so much for the praesent dangers I would decline, as because of my absent Loue, whom I most desire.

Who will giue me wings! &c.

In the scanning of which verse, ye will obserue with mee

• 1 The Efficient,
  PARTITION.
  or Author of these wings, God. Who will giue mee? Who? that is, who but God?
• 2 The Matter of the wish; Wings. Who will giue mee wings?
• 3 The Forme of those wings; Doue-like. Who will giue mee wings like vnto a Doue?
• 4 The End Mediate; Flying. Then would I fly away.
• 5 The End Vltimate; Resting. And be at rest.
  • 1 Who will giue mee? There's Christian Humi­lity.
  • 2 Who will giue mee wings? There's prudent Ce­lerity.
  • 3 Wings like vnto a Done? There's innocent Sim­plicity.
  • 4 Then would I fly away. There's devoute Sub­limity.
  • 5 And be at rest. There's permanent Security.

1 Who will giue mee?) Rogat potius, quam inter­rogat,1 Quis det For, Quia dabit mi­hi▪ It's rather a Request, than a Quaestion; an Op­tatiue, than an Interrogatiue phrase of speach. A phrase very frequent in the Old Testament. But I will not loade you with instances. I will quote you one­ly two. The one, Exod: 16: 3. out of Exod. 16.3. Quis det mortui essemus! say the Israelites, murmuring against Mo­ses and Aaron in the wildernes. Where the Septua­gint reade it [...], vtinam!2 Sam: 18: 33. Oh that we had dyed by the hand of the Lord, in the land of Aegypt! The other, out of 2 Sam. 18.33. where Dauid lamenting the death of his son Absolon, cryeth out, Quis det mi­hi, ut pro te moriar! Oh that I had ben so happy, as to dy for thee!

1 First then for his phrase, (Quis det!) It's worth the observing, that he speakes of God with a Quis. Not with a Quis of curious inquisition after his Es­sence, which is vnsearchable; but with a Quis of pious admiration, in reguard of his Power, which is vn­speakable. And because there is nothing that he can­not; but he can whatsoeuer he will, therefore my Pro­phet saith not, Who can? but who will giue? God, whose Name is WONDERIVL, () Admiratione,Esa: 9: 6. non ratione excipiendus est: His Essence, and his Power would be admired, rather than inquired; ado­red, rather than discussed; lest soaring too-buisily in­to so high mysteries with the wings of praesumption, it fare with vs, as with the fly about the cup, or the moath about the candle; the fate of the one being to be drown'd; of the other, to be burn'd.

2^ly, If any shall aske me, Quis est Quis? Who is this [Page 4] [...] [Page 5] [...] [Page 6]Who?Iob: 21: 15. which is all one with that Atheistical de­maund, Quis est Omnipotens? who is the Almighty? I will turne him to Dauid's Psalme of Qui's for his answere. Qui facit mirabilia magna solus. Qui fecit caelos in intellectu. Qui firmavit terram super aquas; with a number of Qui's besides. Psal: 135. Chrysost: in Psal: 53. () That Qui is the Quis that is here meant. S^t Chrysostome writing vpon those words, Psalm: 53: Quis exurget mecum contra iniustos? saith, it is Quasi perlustrâsset omnes creatu­ras, as if my Prophet had taken a diligent survey of all the creatures of the world, and finding among them all, none to assist him, is thereupon faine to fly vnto God vnder the name of Quis.

And in like sort doth Ruffinus paraphrase my Text (though applying it to the resurrection of Christ) O father (saith he) raise me vp againe by thyne almighty power;Ruffin: in l [...]c: Nam quis alius praeter te, &c. For who but thou alone is able to giue mee wings?

3ly. My Prophet, in this Option, or wish, (Quis det!) reade's vs an excellent Lecture of Humility; to learne vs whence these wings are to be had; that they are not Natiuae, but Donatiuae; we haue them not of our selues, but are to beg them of God by prayer, from whom euery good giuing, and euery per­fit gift cometh.Iac: 1: 17: Aust: l: de vit: innocent: () Semper enim petitur, quod semper optatur; For a Christian wish (saith Austin) doth euer include a prayer. And, Incassum laborat, qui ali­unde virtutes acquirendas putet, quàm à domino vir­tutum,Gregor: He looseth his labour (saith Gregory) who thinkes to haue the wings of virtues, vnless he haue them from the Lord of hosts, the Lord of all virtues. [Page 7]He it was, that when the Dragon stood before the wo­man, ready to devoure her childe, so soone as shee should be delivered, gaue wings to the woman to fly from him into the wildernes.Apoc: 12: 14: () The fowles of the aër (I graunt) are by an Hebraisme call'd Domini a­larum, Maisters of the wings;Ecclesiastes 10: vlt: () But Dominus ala­rum, dominus exercituum, the true Lord and Maister of the wings, is the Lord of hosts;Psal: 60: 10. () Our winged hosts. For, armies also are said to haue Alas, wings; because the side-parts thereof were so marshalled of olde, Vt similitudinem volantis tota acies haberet, that the whole army had the resemblance of a flying bird. Insomuch that the Prophet Esay,Esa: 8: 8: () speaking of the mighty army of the Kings of Assyria, de­scribes it by this metaphor, Extensio alarum, the stretching out of his wings shal fill the breadth of thy land, ô Immanüel; that is, the breadth of the land of Iuda. He (I say) that is the Lord of hosts, & so of the wings of hosts, he it is, & none but he, that is the Lord of the wings, the Doue-like wings of the Soule. Nay more, Idem dator, & redditor, he is both the giuer, & the restorer of them. S^t Austin will make it plaine; () Quia, si desunt, dat: si ligatae sunt, soluit: because if the soule want wings, he giue's her wings:Aust: in Psal: if her wings he tyed, he looseth her wings. For, he that loo­seth the wings of a bird, that are tyed; Aut dat, aut reddit illi pennas suas, He either giue's, or restore's her wings. For, albeit she had wings, yet after a sort she had them not, while she could not command the vse of them. But wings (I am sure) the Soule hath none, nor none can haue, either fast, or loose, vnless [Page 6] [...] [Page 7] [...] [Page 8]they be first giuen her by this Quis, the Lord of the wings. And so, from the Author of the wings, (God) I come to the Matter of the wish, wings. Who will giue me wings?

The righteous man being in a wonderful streight, 2 PENNAS. not knowing how, or which way to turne himselfe, what doth he? Doth he grow so male-content with­in himselfe, as in a desperate moode to say, Who will giue me a knife, and I will stab my selfe? Or, so furi­ously enraged against his enemies, as in a bitter pang of impatience, to cry out, Who will giue me the horne of an Vnicorne, that I may goare them? Or, the teeth of a Tygre, that I may teare them? Or, the pawes of a Lyon, that I may rend them? Or, the Ey of a Basiliske, that I may slay them? Or, the Head of a Serpent, that I may malitiously plott against them? No such matter. But, who will giue mee wings like a Doue, wherewith I may rid and expedite my selfe from them?

For, Laert: l: 6: in vit: Diogen: albeit Plato defined Man, to be Animal bi­pes, implume, () a two-footed creature, without fea­thers; yet may wee truly affirme of the devout man, that he is Animal bipes, bipenne, a two-footed, and a two-winged creature: Two-footed, in respect of his body; two-winged, in respect of his soule. And in this sense doth Theodorite terme him Animal alatum,Theodorie: a winged creature; Quia quum in terris vt animal versetur, vt avis tamen in sublime volat, because though his body soiourne here on earth, yet doth his soule,Pie: Mirandul: Orat: like a bird, soare vp to heauen. So doth Zoro­astes (in Picus Mirandula) instruct his Scholars, [Page 9]Animam esse alatam, that the Soule of man is winged; and that, when those wings fall off, Praeceps fertur in corpus, then shee pitcheth downe headlong into the body: but Illis succrescentibus, ad superos revolat: when they grow out againe, then she flyeth vp againe. And for the better growth of their wings, he wisheth them, to water them with the waters of life, which (he tell's them) must be drawne out of the foure ri­uers in Paradise; Pishon, Gihon, Hiddekel, and Pe­rath,Gen: 2: 11. by his interpretation, Rectum, Expiatio, Lumen, Pietas: Rectitude of will, Expiation of worke, Light of knowledge, and Piety of devotion.

Mons Dei, mons excelsus;Psalt 68: 15. () The mount of heauen is a high mount. Vel scalis, vel alis opus est, The soule must either mount vp a Iacob's ladder,Gen: 28: 12. or else shee must haue wings to mount her vp thither. Wings; whose extension must be in the longitude of hope; whose expansion in the latitude of loue; whose ele­vation in the altitude of faith. Wings; ad erigen­dum, to raise her vp to take her flight: and Ad diri­gendum, to direct her flight to the marke: and lastly, Ad regendum, to steere and guide her course in the way to the marke.

But I shall tell you a wonder. The soule hath not 1 pare of wings onely, as haue birds; nor 3 pare as haue the Seraphins; but 6 pare,Esa: 6.2: if we will belieue the learned.

1 One pare I finde in Viegas, () to be Praeterito­rum Dolor, & Cautio futurorum:Viegas in Apoc: 12. a godly sorow for sinnes past, and a wise praevention of future sinnes; the two parts of Repentance, which cover the na­kednes of the soule, as wings do the nakednes [Page 8] [...] [Page 9] [...] [Page 10] of a bird's body.

2 Another pare I finde in Gerson () to be Spes,Gerson. ser. 58. & Timor; Hope, and Feare. The right wing, Hope; be­cause of the mercy, and fauour, and bounty of God: the left wing, Feare; because of the misery, and frail­ty, and necessity of man. And as a bird (saith he) by her wings is kept from falling to the ground: so the soule, while with these two wings shee is lifted aloft in prayer, is kept from falling into sin.

3 A third pare I finde in (that greate Platonick,Marsil. Fici [...]. l. de Christian. Relig. praefat, sub i [...]t.) Ficinus, to be Intellectus voluntatem illuminans, & voluntas intellectum accendens: Vnderstanding, or Reason illightening the will; and will inflaming the vnderstanding:Bernard. de verb. Esa. Proph. ser. 4. Which by devoute Bernard, (the Fa­ther of devotion,) are otherwise termed Agnitio, & Devotio, Knowledge, and Devotion: Neither of them can sublimate the soule without the other. Devotion, without Knowledge, being but blinde zeale: and Knowledge, without Devotion, but learned impiety. Both therfore must Pari gressis in Deum tendere, be yoake-fellowes as it were in the way to God. For, where the light of intellect is quite put out, as in the Romish Liturgy, which (forsooth) must be read in an vnknowne tongue, there what warmth of zeale can be imparted to the cold affection of the ignorant I­diot? And on the other side, where there is know­ledge without zeale, (which is not the least blemish of our English Professours) there may that olde taunt be fitly taken vp; Praevolat intellectus, & sequitur tardus, aut nullus affectus: The vnderstanding flyeth before, but the affection cometh limping a long way [Page 11]after, if at all.

4 A fourth pare I find in Parisiensis,Gul: Paris: ser: in Aseens: Dom: () to be Con­temptus Mundi, & Amor Caelestis regni: a contempt of the world, and worldly things, and a desire of heauen, and heauenly things. For, neither can we be fully wea­ned frō this world, vnless we be truly enamoured with that other world, nor truly enamoured with that o­ther world, vnless we be fully weaned frō this world.

5 A sift pare I finde in Hugo de S ^to Victore,Hug: de S: Vict: Iustit: Monast: ser: 97: () to be Gemina Charitas, a two-fold Loue; In Deum: In Proximum, the one, towards God: the other, towards our Neighbour: because, as a bird is covered with her wings, so doth Loue couer a multitude of sinnes.Iac: 5: 20: Aust: praefat: in Psal: 140: () But, Haec charitas non qualiscun (que) est, (saith Austin) It's not euery sick feather of loue, that is fitt to be stuck in these wings. For first, our loue to God must be such as is God's to vs; Voluntary, not Mercenary: & then, our loue to our Neighbours, such as we would wish our Neighbour's should bee to vs; sincere, without hypocrisy: Permanent, without vncertainty: and (which must be the ground of both) Religious, with­out impiety. For, euen the wicked are leagued and linked together in the streightest bonds of a streined conscience: and they are said entirely to loue one a­nother, impatiently to beare the absence one of ano­ther, exceedingly to delight in the company and conference one of another. But, Amor iste Tartare­us est, This loue (saith Austin) is a hellish, divelish loue.Aust: ibid: Viscum habet, quo deijciat in profundum, non pennas, quibus levet in caelum: It hath in it bird-lime, to catch and cast vs into hell, not wings, wherewith to [Page 10] [...] [Page 11] [...] [Page 12]elevate and lift vs vp to heauen.

6 The sixt and last pare I finde in Petrus Blesen­sis,Petr: Blesens: ser. 51. () to be Actio, & Contemplatio, Action, and Con­templations. For, in both these must a Christian man enterchangeably buisy himselfe. His whole life must be as a Iacob's Ladder:Gen: 28:12. () The foote of it fixed on the earth by Action, but the top reaching vp to heauen by Contemplation. One while he must be Angelus as­cendens, an Angel ascending to the service of God by Contemplation: An other while, Angelus descendens, an Angel descending to the helpe of his Neighbour by Action.

The two Maister-feathers, in the wing of Action, are; Obedience in the heart, to obey what God com­maundeth; Psal: 57: 8. () and Execution in the hand, to performe what he enioyneth. Psal: 40: 10. ()

The two Maister-feathers, in the wing of Contem­plation, are; A Persuasion of God's Power, to make vs [...],Luc: 20: 36. 1 Tim: 2: 4. aequall with the Angels: and a Confidence in his Mercy, that he will haue all men to be saued. ()

Lo; the soule of the righteous hath sixe pare of wings. The first pare, A godly sorow for sinnes past, and a wise praevention of future sinnes. The second, Hope, and Feare. The third, Knowledge, & Devotion. The fourth, a Contempt of the world, and worldly things; and a Desire of heauen, and heauenly things. The fift, the Loue of God, and the Loue of our Neigh­bour. The sixt, and last, Action, and Contemplation.

Do ye wonder at this? Aust: in Psal: S^t Austin make's this won­der yet more wonderfull. For he saith plainely, that Pennae sunt virtutes, the wings of the soule, are the [Page 13]virtues of the Soule; and so consequently, the soule hath so many wings, as shee hath virtues. For, it is not with the soule, as with other winged creatures; of which the Naturalists observe, that Volatilia im­perfecta plures habent alas, quàm perfecta: Such as are imperfit haue more wings than the perfit; as, we see, there are certeine imperfit insect flyes, that haue foure, or sixe wings, whereas birds which are perfit creatures, haue but two. No; the multiplicity of the soule's wings is no argument of the imperfection, but rather of the perfection of the soule, which the more virtuous it is, the more perfit it is, and the more per­fit it is, the more eager it is to atteine to the highest pitch of perfection,

But, because Properanti etiam celerit as mora est: He that hasteneth, think's quicknes it selfe to be but slacknes; therefore the devoute soule hying and haste­ning forward in the way to God, content's not her­selfe with leggs; hardly with wings. For, it's not euery wing that will serue her turne: but shee must haue ei­ther Pennas aurorae, the wings of the morning;Psal: 139.8. () whose winged light flyeth from East to West in an instant, and filleth the whole Hemispheare with her brightnes: or else Fennas Columbae, the wings of a Doue; which are Pernicissimae, vt eam accipiter asse­qui non possit; () so admirably swift,Pellicaa: & Emman: Sa: that she infinite­ly out-flye's the hawke. So, shee summe's not vp her wish with wings; but (in the third place) shee must haue wings like vnto a Doue.3 SICVT CO­LVMBAE.)

As God, of all the fowles of Heauen, hath chosen to himselfe but one Doue; () so the faithfull soule,2 Esdr: 5: 26. of [Page 12] [...] [Page 13] [...] [Page 14]all the fowles wings, hath chosen onely the Doues wings. For, not birds of euery feather can reach so high, as Heauen. The soule that will fly thither, must haue not onely Pennas, wings; but Pennas, Sicut Co­lumbae, Doue-like wings: And Sicut, not onely Simili­tudinis, but Aequiparantiae, like them not for shew onely, but for vse too.

There's a great family of Sicut's in the world. Many that are onely Sicut collum Columbae, like the Doue in nothing, but in her neck. As that hath in it Colores Iri­dis, all the colours of the raine-bow: so haue they co­lores veritatis, all the colours of truth & honesty that may bee. But, veritas sine fuco est, true honesty, as it feareth, so it loueth no colours; because the more co­lours, the less honesty.

Sayde I, in nothing like her, but in her neek? Yes, in her voice too. For, so is the Church of Rome; ha­uing vocem columbinam,but vitam corvinam;Numfred: confut: Campian: rat: 3. () the voice of a Doue, praetending nothing but simplicity but the life of a crow, vivens cadaveribus, liuing by the death, and downefall of Princes.

Againe, There are many that haue Pennas, and Pen­nas Sicut, wings, and wings like: hut like to what? Not Sicut columbae, like vnto a Doue: but

1 Sicut Cicadae, like vnto a Grasshopper: Pennas, quibus à terrâ elevari non possunt,Gerson: medit: 70: circa Ascens: Dam: () Wings that can­not lift them vp from the earth. Or, if they do, it is but Per saltum, not Per volatum; they onely serue them to hop, not to fly with. No sooner vp from the earth, but by and by downe againe. Such are they, whose de­votion is soone hott, soone colde againe. They could [Page 15]like it well, to go to heauen Per saltum, as it were at one iump, without more adoo: but Per volatum, by flying, (by a cōstant course of well-doing), that's too-laborious for them: they cannot, they will not en­dure it.

2 Or, Sicut Milui, like vnto a Kyte, Quisursum vo­lat, ut praedam in terrâ commodiùs despiciat; Which mount's high, that he may the better espy a prey below; vpon which he praesently dismount's againe, and liue's vpon spoile and rapine, either of liue pullen, or of dead carrion. Such are they that make a goodly shew of mortification, of holines, of retirednes from the world, euen as if they were rapt vp into S^t Paul's third heauen; Yet none, whose Ey, and whose heart is more firmely fixed vpon the world, than theirs.

3 Or, Sicut Falconis, like vnto a Falcon; which can finde no rest for his wings, because he is euer buisy in pursuite of a prey. Such are they that gree­dily rise by others ruine; of whom the Lord com­plaineth, Ier: 2: 34: by a metaphor taken from birds that steine their wings with prey;Ier: 2: 34: In alis tuis inventus est sanguis: In thy wings is found the bloude of the soules of the poore innocents.

Or, Sicut Struthionis, like vnto an Ostrich, which is a bird-beast; () halfe a bird of the aër,Calvin: in Iob: 39: 16: & A­quin 12a: q. 102: art: 6. and halfe a beast of the earth: and he hath such a weighty body, that he cannot mount vp to fly aloft; but flickereth in such-wise, as he cannot be out gone. Such are those holy-vnholy worldlings, that will needes mingle hea­uen and earth together; that will seeme to haue their conversation in heauen, when yet their affections [Page 14] [...] [Page 15] [...] [Page 16]weigh them downe to the earth; that (contrary to the Apostle's rule, 2 Tim: 2: 4: 2 Tim: 2:) will Deo militare, & saeculo se implicare: be God's souldiours, and the world's solici­tours. Nay, Matt: 6: 24. (contrary to our Sauiour's rule, Mat. 6: will Deo & Mammonae servire, diuide their seruice betwint God and Mammon.

5 Or, Sicut Pavonis, like vnto a Peacock, whose pleasant wings,Iob: 39: 16. (as the holy man Iob call's them) more pleasant to others, than profitable to himselfe, are more for ostentation, than for vse. Et dumpluma [...] ostentat,Fulgent: Mythol: posteriora turpitèr nudaet, saith Fulgentius; and whiles he spreade's out his gaudy plumes, he dis­playe's the ouglines of his hinder-parts. Such are our Angelicall Gospellers at this day; who yet differ from the Peacock in this, that whereas the Peacock is saide to houe Argus his Eyes in his tayle, they (it should seeme) haue them in their heads. Else, how could they espy so many superstitious obliquities in our Church, where our Eagle-eyed Praelates can see none? These men, while they spreade out their gay plumes, (Iactantiam in verbis, arrogantiam in factis) while they simper it devoutly, and yet raile Iesuitically a­gainst Church, and State; while they heare Sermons, pray, giue almes, make a sowre Lenten-face (all, to be seene of men,Matt: 6: 5. Matt: 6: onely, they loue not to be seene to fast, but with full bellies) what do they but shew the ouglines of their hinder-parts? bewray the fearefulnes of their later end?

6 Or, Sicut Sturni, like vnto a Stare; which first suck's vp the pigeon's eggs, and then flyeth away. Such were the thieuish Monkes in S^t Austin's time, whome [Page 17]he thus derideth; () O si illis Dominus pennas daret,Austin: de opere Monach: c: 23. vt tanquā sturni fugarentur! O that they had wings, that they might be chased away like stares! And such are the thieuish Iesuites and Seminaries at this day, who creepe into widow's housen, and leade captiue simple women laden with sin, as the Apostle speake's, 2 Tim: 3: 6. 2 Tim: 3: and when they haue so done, they are gone; like that olde Seminary (euen the Father of Seminaries) the Diuel, Qui super seminavit, & abijt: () who,Matt: 13: 25. when he had sowed tares among the good corne, went his way. Of them I will not say, as S^t Austin of the Monkes, O si illis Dominus pennas daret! but, Praised be the Lord: for he hath heard the voice of my humble petiti­ons, Psa: 28: 7. Iunij 14: 1624. O si illi Domino Regi paenas darent, ut tanquam sturni fu­garentur! O that my Lord the King would giue yet (if it may be) some stricter order, for the banishing of these egg-sucking stares out of the Doue-coate of our Church! otherwise likely, within a while, to become a Cage of vncleane birds; a place for Zijm and Ohim,Apoc: 18.2. Esa: 34: 11. the Satyres, and the Scritche-owles of Rome to lodge in.

7 Or, Sicut Anseris, like vnto a Goose; whose wings are but of litle vse, saue onely to make pennes with. Such are that rabulous rabble of Romish Rab­sakehs: (Stapleton, Parsons, Becanus, Tortus, and o­ther birds of the same feather) set to keepe the Capi­tol of the Church of Rome, and with the gaggling noise of their scribbling Goose-quills, to giue warning of whatsoeuer hostile impressions. With them they daily make flying bookes; like Zacharie's Volumen volans; his flying booke of curses, Zach: 5.) Flying?Zach: 5: 1. I might haue said, Lying bookes, that spare neither [Page 16] [...] [Page 17] [...] [Page 18]King, nor Kaesar, that is against them.

8 Or, Sicut Vespertilionis, like vnto a Batt; which (with the adulterous ey,Prou: 7: 9: Prou: 7:) watcheth for the twi-light. Such are our Aequivocal Prote­stants, who loue the twi-light of truth, better than the noone-light; whose Religion may well enough be declined with the article (Hoc) for it is of the Neu­ter gender;Pli: l: 35: 6: 9. Not much vnlike him (in Pliny) whose picture was so ambiguously drawne by Polygnotus Thasius a c [...]nning Painter, that it was doubted, As­cendentemnè cumclypeo depinxisset, an descendentem: whither he had painted him climbing vpward, or go­ing downeward with his shield. For, so cunningly do these Vtrinquet aries cary theire shield of faith, (as the Apostle call's it, Eph: 6.16: Ephes: 6:) that it iustly may be doubted, whither it be to defend Vs, or our Aduersa­ries. They haue one foote within thy gates, O Ieru­salem! another within the gates of Babylon: One, within thy Church, O England! another within the Church of Rome: One wing to fly to vs: and ano­ther, to fly from vs.

9 Or, lastly, Sicut Icari, like vnto Icarus in the Fable; who for want of better, got him Alas cereas, wexen wings, which so soone as they were melted with the heate of the Sunne,

Icarus Icareis nomina fecit aquis;Ovid. Downe come's Icarus into the Icarean Sea, and becomes (if I may so speake) a God-father to the Sea that Christen'd him. Such are those Mountebanke-Diuines, who some­times fly aloft to high place, not Alis scientiarum, with the wings of knowledge; but, Alis diuitiarum, [Page 19]with the wexen wings of their riches: For, as riches make themselues wings, and fly away, [...]rou: 23: 5. ()so do they also make wings for those that haue them (Icarean, wexen wings; euen of the wexe of the King's Broade Seale) wherewith they mount them aloft to praeferment.

But, (beloued) it's none of these SICVT'S will serue the turne; Nor Sicut Cicadae, wings like a Grass-hopper; or like a Kyte; or like a Falcon; or like an Ostritch; or like a Peacock; or like a Stare; or like a Goose; or like Icarus; (these are Ala malae, sory wings to soare with;) but Sicut Columbae, wings like an innocent Doue, wherewith to fly from such wings as these. They, they be the wings, which the righte­ous soule somuch desireth. For, wisdome (with her retinue of graces and virtues) will not enter In ma­levolam animam; into any but an innocent soule. () It's therfore our Sauiour's aduise to his Disciples, Sap: 1: 4: Matt: 10: 16. () Be ye wise as Serpents, and innocent as Doues: Wise as Serpents, Vt antiquo Serpenti resistatis; that ye may be able to resist that olde Serpent, the Diuel, and innocent as Doues, Vt Columbae, spiritui Sancto, placeatis; that ye may please the holy Ghost, who came downe in the forme of a Doue. He would haue them to be Vt Columbae sine felle,Matt: 3: 16: as Doues without gall or bitternes; but not like Ephraim,Ruffin: in loc: Ose: 7: 11. Ose: 7: Vt Columba si­ne corde: as a Doue deceiued, without heart. The Diuel is a winged Serpent, swift to make after you. It is then but needefull, that ye be winged Doues, swift to fly from him. [...]: The wings of the Doue (saith Suidas) are the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost; the wings, Suidas. that make the [Page 18] [...] [Page 19] [...] [Page 20] godly (yea, though they haue lyen among the potts, as being black with afflictions) to be Sicut pennae Co­lumbae deargentatae,Psal. 68.13: Psal: 68: as the wings of a Doue that is covered with syluer, and whose feathers are like yelow gold; that is, right deare and pretious in the sight of God. These wings till we haue obteined of God by prayer, fly we cannot: but when once wee haue obteined them, then we may, & must fly; which is my fourth point. 4 TVNC VO­LABO. TVNC VOLABO, then would I fly away.

No sooner were the creples leggs restored vnto him by Peter,Act: 3: 8. but he walked; () So; no sooner must we haue wings giuen vs by God, but we must fly. For, what are we the better to haue wings, if we vse them not? Or, how do we vse them, if we fly not with them? For, a wing, (say the Greekes) is call'd [...], quasi [...], of [...], to fly. And [...],Plato. saith Plato, the vse and office of a wing, is to heaue vp that which is heauy towards heauen.

The Soule then that wilbee Avis Paradisi a bird of that heauenly Paradise, must be not onely Pennata, but Volatilis too, shee must not onely haue wings, but shee must fly. So shall shee be sure to haue the com­fortable gale of God's Spirit to further her, as birds fly best, when they haue the winde with them. I say, shee must haue wings, not onely Ad velandum, to couer her nakednes, but Ad volandum too, to lift vp her sin-bred weightines; Wings, Quibus le­vet se supra se (as Bernard speake's) wherewith shee may lift vp her selfe aboue her selfe;Bern: Austin: de verb: Apost: ser. 24. Wings, Quas dum portat, portatur: which while shee carieth here on [Page 21] earth, herselfe is by them caried vp to heauen; Wings; that shee may Volare, not Conniti; [...], not [...], fly, not flicker, and flutter to no purpose; like yong calow chickens, whose wings are not yet growne. And againe; Shee must Volare, not Humi reptare: fly, not creepe vpon the ground, by setting her heart v­pon earthly things; like wormes, and serpents, which go vpon their brest and belly. Gen: 3: 14.()

But, as our wings are not material wings: so nei­ther must our flight be a bodily flight; lest it fare with vs, as with King Bladud the builder of Bath, who (as our English Chronicler report's) after many yeares study at Athens, St [...]nw Chronic: and 20 yeares reigne here in Eng­land, brake his necke, Egesup: l: 3: destr: Hieros: c: 2. while (Simon Magus-like) he at­tempted to fly in the aër.

No; our flight must be a spiritual, not a bodily flight. But, whence? and whither must we fly? Whence? but à solicitudine saeculi? from the turbulent cares of this world? Whither? but Ad solitudinem cali? to the sweete repose of a better world? Whence? but Ab ho­minibus abhominabilibus? Psal: 57: 5. Psal: 18: 2. from men that are abhomi­nable in their doings? Whither? but vnto God, who is fugientibus refugium? a refuge for all them that fly vnto him? And wisdome it shalbe for vs to fly vnto him, sith from him fly we cannot,Psal: 139: 8: whithersoeuer we fly.

This (beloved) should teach vs sublimity in our flight; not to fly low & close to the ground, like swallows a­gainst a storme; but to raise our flight to a high pitch, euen as high, as the most High; as did Moses when he saw him who is invisible. For,Heb: 11: 17. Mens quavis ave levi­or, cùm Deus pennas aptârit, praetervolat montes, Chrisest. saith [Page 20] [...] [Page 21] [...] [Page 22] Chrysost: The soule, when God hath once furnished her with wings, flye's, lighter than any bird, ouer the high­est mountaines. Idem hom: 16: in ep: ad Heb: And so (as the same Father sweetely elsewhere) Vt Deus in caelo dicitur, & tamen est in terris; ita nos in terrâ, & tamen in caelo sumus: As God is saide to bee in heauen, and yet is also here on earth; so we that are here on earth, are yet also in hea­uen.

But, as the Fowler hath many wiles, wherewith he beguile's the seely bird: so the Diuel, who is Au­eeps, & proditor animae; a cunning fowler, and a pe­stilent traytour to the soule, hath many meanes to hin­der her flight to heauen.

1 Now he raiseth vp a tempest of tribulation a­gainst her, which so clott's, and clogg's, and praegra­vate's her wings, that shee becomes (as Gerson speake's) Similis passerculo compluto; Gerson. like a weather-beaten sparow, whose wings are so wett, he cannot fly.

2 Now hee lure's her vnto him, with the sweete baites of the flesh.

3 Now he seeke's to catch her in the pitfall of con­cupiscence.

4 Now to entangle her with the curious net­worke of pride.

5 Now to inviscate her with the bird-lime of couetousnes. For, Amor rerum terrenarum, viscum est spiritualium pennarum: The loue of earthly things (saith Austin) is as bird-lime to our spiritual wings. Aust: de verb: Dom: ser: 33. Behold, no sooner canst thou couet, but thou art caught. Ibid: Quando volabis, vbi verè requiescas, quando hìc, vbi malè haesisti, requiescere voluisti? O when [Page 23]wilt thou fly thither, where thou may'st rest indeede, seeing thou desirest to rest here, where thy feathers are thy fetters? For, Ligatae pennae onus faciunt, as the same Austin elsewhere;Aust: in Psal: Though as good no wings, as lame wings, yet as good lame wings, as li­med wings; because the wings of a bird, when they are bird-limed, are euen a burden vnto her; which yet, otherwise, serue Ad elevandum, ad alleviandum; not onely: to lift her vp, but to lighten her.

6 Now he lett's fly at her with his feathered bird-bolts of vanity; and with them indeede, most com­monly, he kill's the bird in the Ey. Ier: 9: 21.

7 Now he privily shoote's at her with the hand-gun of: Atheisme; and so,Tit: 1: 16. Psal: 14: 1. plott's as it were a powder-treason against her, and against her Maker, to blow them vp (if it might be) at one blow.

8 Now he compasseth her about with the snares of death; and laye's them so thicke,Psal; 18: 3. she can hardly escape them. snares of prosperity, and snares of ad­versity; snares by foes, and snares by friends; snares in bed, and snares at board; snares at home, and snares abroade; as if the whole world were nothing but snares.

Pighius in Themide.9 Nay, what will ye say, if as the Romanes painted [...], victory without wings; () so the Diuel would haue [...], the soule to be without wings? If, as they clipt the wings of victory, that she might neuer fly from them to their enemies; so he clip the wings of the soule, that shee may neuer fly from him to God, his greatest enemy?

All these (ye will grant mee) are strong impedi­ments [Page 22] [...] [Page 23] [...] [Page 24] to our flying. Yet from all these shall wee ea­sily fly, if we pray, Quis det! who will giue me wings, that I may fly! Or, if, being ensnared, we pray againe, Quis det! that is, Quis reddat! Who will loose mee! who will render me my wings, that I may fly! Fly, & exercise my selfe in flying! because (as the Proverb is) Avis volans non timet retia: The flying bird feare's not the net. It's neither ginne, nor gunne, nor bird-bolt can reach vs, if we fly so high as heauen: Which, what is it, but to fly from danger to safety? from do­lour to ioy? from labour to rest? To REST; which is my fift, and last point; being the end of the former end of our wings, which was flying; and shalbee the end and vp-shot of my praesent discourse. 5 ET REQVIESCAM. And that both you, and I may the sooner be at rest, ye shall seeme make such haste to fly ouer it, as if I were Ali­pes, wing-footed, with Mercury; nay, as if I had Mer­cury, or quick-syluer in my wings. Et requiescam, and be at rest.

1 The Method (ye see) is; first VOLABO, and then REQVIESCAM; Flying, first; and then Resting; the labour of flying being the high-way to rest; and rest the vndoubted reward of that labour. For, as in Natural Philosophy; Motûs meta, quies; Rest is the end of motion; And, in Ciuil affaires; Motion, the way to promotion: So, in Diuinity, S^t Paul must Sequi, be­fore he can Assequi; follow, before he can comprehend, Phil. 3. And here, Phil: 3: 12. we must Volare, before Requiescere; fly,Austin. before we can rest. For, (as S^t Austin saith well) Cùm audis Deum requievisse post opera, frustrà speras requiem, nisi post labores: Seeing ye heare, that God [Page 25]rested not, till after his six dayes works, in vaine shall ye hope for rest, but after labour.

Here then must we haue [...] poenitentiae, our six-dayes worke of Repentance, which is our flying to God, if hereafter we will haue [...], a Sabbath of rest. () Nay, here must we haue our Quadragesima,Hebr: 4: 9, our Lent of Sorow for our sinnes, if hereafter we will haue a Quinquagesima, a Pentecost, a Iubilee of ioy, and rest. To be short; here must we haue, as hath the Doue, and as had Doue-like Ezechias,Esa: 38: 14. () Gemitum pro can­tu, mourning in sted of singing, if hereafter we will haue, as haue the Seraphins, () Cantum pro gemitu,Esa: 6: 3. singing in sted of mourning.

2 Againe; In that the afflicted soule here prayeth vnto God, for wings, wherewith she may fly vnto him, and rest; we are taught, that there is no true rest, but in God. It's a lesson, which our Sauiour himselfe teacheth; Io. 16.33. In me pacem, in mundo pressuram;Io: 16: 33. In me ye shal haue peace, in the world ye shall haue af­fliction: There is Tempestas in imo, tranquillitas in summo; All storme here beneath, all calme there a­boue. Whither then (thinke yel) is better, or more optable, to liue in perpetual stormes here beneaths or in a perpetual calme there aboue? To rest in continual feare of manifold dangers and distresses? or, to rest secure vnder the wings of God's protection, vnder which there is health? Malach: 4: 2. In a word, Malach: 4: 2. with Noah's crow, to glutt our selues with the carrion-de­lightes of the flesh, floating in the deluge of this world, euen till we drowne our selues in perdition, neuer caring to returne againe to the Arke? Or, [Page 24] [...] [Page 25] [...] [Page 26]with Noah's Doue,Gen: 8: 8. tyred with fluttering abroad ou [...] of the Arke, and finding no rest for the sole of h [...] foote elsewhere, to retire back into the Arke of heauen? Fly we then to the windowes of heauen, as did Noah's Doue to the window of the Arke; the God, the true Noah (which signifieth Rest) may put forth his hand to take vs in: And, with the Doue [...] Cant: 2: frequent we Poramina petrae,Cant: 2: 14. the hoale [...] [...] the rock, by the frequent meditation of the bleeding wounds of our blessed Sauiour, the Rock of our sal [...] ­tion. Then may we sweetely sing with our Princl [...] Prophet, Psal: 124: 6. Psal: 124: Our soule is escaped, euen as a bi [...] out of the snare of the fowler; the snare is broken as we are deliuered. Yea, then, and neuer till then [...] we merily sing a Requiem to our soule,Psal: 116: 7. Psal: 116: [...] vertere in requiem tuam, anima mea; Turne again t [...] thy rest, ô my soule, for the Lord hath rewarded the [...] He hath already in part rewarded thee with a spir [...] ­tual rest, by giuing thee wings to fly from sorow [...] heavines, and shall hereafter reward thee to the [...] with an aeternal Rest,Matt: 8: 11.when thou shalt [...] sit downe with Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob in the [...] ­dome of God; where sorow and heauines shall fly fro [...] thee; and where thou shalt for euer celebrate a Sa [...] ­bath of rest;Esa: 66: 23. euen Sabbathum ex Sabbatho () Sabbath after Sabbath, Sabbath vpon Sabbath, to the Lord [...] that Sabbath, Euen to God the Father, God the Son and God the holy Ghost, one thrice holy, blesse [...] and vndiuided Trinity, To whome in persons [...] in essence one, be a scribed all Might, Maiesty; and Dominion both now and for euermore, AMEN