Deuout contemplations expressed in two and fortie sermons vpon all ye quadragesimall Gospells written in Spanish by Fr. Ch. de Fonseca Englished by. I. M. of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford

THE ELEVENTH SERMON, VP∣ON THE SATVRDAY AFTER THE FIRST SONDAY IN LENT: AND VPON THE SECOND SONDAY IN LENT. (Book 11)

MAT. 17. MARC. 9. LVC. 9.

Assumpsit Iesus, Petrum, & Iacobum, & Iohannem.

Iesus tooke vnto him Peter, and Iames, and Iohn.

OVr Mother Church solemnizing once a yeare the Mysteries of our Sauiour Christ;* 1.1 this, it solemniseth twice, one day after another; giuing vs thereby a sauour of that glorie which is represented in this Mysterie, on these two accu∣stomed festiuall dayes. Here in this world they are ended the verie selfe same day they are celebrated; and the ending of that dayes pleasure, is the beginning of our next dayes labour. But in that other world (saith Esay) Erit mensis, ex mense; & Sabathum, ex Sabatho,* 1.2 From moneth to moneth, and from Sabboth to Sabboth, shall all Flesh come to worship before me. Amongst your Iewes, the first day of your moneths and your Sabboths were verie solemne things. And Esay taking the moneth for the first day, saith, In that glorie which we looke for, one moneth shall ouertake another, and there shal be Sabboth vpon Sabboth. He might haue said (without vsing any kind of figure) a perpetuall Feast, a perpetuall Sabboth, and a perpetuall Rest. Mans happines

in this life, is like to a Rose that is beset round about with Thorns, which to day costs vs deere to get, and tomorrow is withered away: But that supreame hap∣pinesse shall not onely be eternall and perdurable, but without any the least pric∣kle of sinne to offend our tender Soules.

He tooke vnto him Peter, &c. First of all, Damascene saith, That our Sauiour did not carrie all his Apostles with him vp to the Mount; for it was not fit that Iudas should enioy so great a blessing, in whom that prophecie of Esay was ful∣filled, In terra sanctorum iniquè gessit, & non videbit gloriam Dei. Hee who in so holy a companie committed such a vile treacherous act, as to betray and sell his Master, for the loue of a little money, did not deserue to enioy the glory of Ta∣bor. So that to the end Iudas might not complaine, That Christ had discarded him, and quite shut him out from this blessing; this holy Saint saith, That those other good & holy men were for his sake debard of that good: whence we may gather, what hurt many an honest man receiues by keeping a lewd knaue compa∣nie. But because it might haue seemed a scandalous piece of businesse, to haue left Iudas all alone by himselfe, the rest remained with him; Iudas his companie being no lesse dangerous to the Colledge of Iesus his Disciples, than it was te∣dious and wearisome to our Sauiour himselfe. Insomuch that when Iudas was gone out of the house where Christ supt with his Disciples, (which he did pre∣sently vpon the receiuing of the sop) he said, Nunc glorificatus est Filius hominis, Now is the Sonne of man glorified. When Christ multiplied his miracles,* 1.3 Saint Iohn saith, Non erat Spirit{us} datus, quia Christus nondū erat glorificatus, The holy Ghost was not yet giuen, because that Iesus was not yet glorified. Why Christ, being neere vnto his death, should hold himselfe to be glorified, and in the working of miracles not to be glorified? For the decision of that point, I shal referre you vnto Saint Au∣gustine. You see here how the wind was come about, Iudas was no sooner gone out, but he saith, hee is glorified; but before, knowing who should betray him, hee told Peter, Vos mundi estis, sed non omnes, (i.) Yee are cleane, but not all. The Cockle was taken away, and the Wheate now pure and cleane; and our Sa∣uiour tooke it for a great glorie vnto him, to see himselfe thus wholly rid of his companie.

Secondly, Gregory Nazianzen sayth, That hee tooke those three along with him, because he alwayes loued them best. Showing thereby,* 1.4 that Princes may lawfully haue their Priuadoes, and Fauourites, to whome they may giue more grace and countenance, than to others; but withall, that they ought to bee such, as should bee disinterressed, and not desire any more for themselues than their Princes grace, leauing the rest of his fauours to bee communicated to o∣thers, as well as themselues. Saint Iude once askt of our Sauiour Christ, How comes it to passe, that thou shouldst manifest thy selfe vnto vs, and not vnto the World? Hee thought, that the Sunne should inlighten all. But because he did first bestow his light on the mountaine tops, it was fit, that the grace, which they receiued, they should gratis confer vpon others, Like good Stewards. The Euangelist cals Saint Peter foole, because hee would haue all for himselfe, and those that were there with him. And if Elias, and Moses, were admitted to mount Tabor, it was, because they were louers of the common good. Moses once disired of God, that he would let him see his face; but God told him, hee could not see his face and liue. It seemeth, that here Moses shewed himselfe to bee but a co∣ward; What, to inioy a poore life for the present, wouldst thou forgoe so great a happinesse? But it was not the loue of his owne life; but the loue that he bare to his people, who would haue had a great misse of him. Whereof there was

afterwards verie good proofe, when God sayd vnto him, Let me make an end of this people at once, and I will make thee a mightier and a better Nation. Whereunto hee answered, I am so farre from giuing way to this, That I shall beseech thee either to pardon them, or to blot me out of the Booke of life; for I had rather not liue, than liue without them. Doost thou offer to lay down thy life for thy people? And wilt thou not loose it to see God face to face? The one, was a particuler, the other a common good.

Thirdly, Hee tooke onely three along with him; manifesting thereby, that hee was as sparing of his Glorie in this life, as he was liberall of his Crosse. Ter∣tullian sayth, That hee tooke those three with him, not so much to make them partakers of this his Glorie, as to beare witnesse thereof. And therefore carryed three, because they are a full and sufficient testimonie. And this was a great comfort to those that were left behind; not that they did dismerit the like fa∣uor; but that there was a necessitie in it, that some should abide with Iudas. For, if hee should haue beene left alone, hee would haue tooke it for a great disgrace. But those other, did not therefore merit lesse, by beeing left behind; For if the fauour, t••wards those that went vp, seemed to bee the greater, yet the deserts of those that were left, were not inferrior to those that were admitted. For af∣terwards some of those suffered for the Glorie, which they had seene, and most of these for the Glorie they had not seene.

To this purpose there are two Stories in the Scripture, one of Eldad and Me∣dad;* 1.5 which (according to the Scholasticall Historie) were halfe-brothers to Moses; and beeing nominated amongst the seuentie for the gouernement of the people, came not at all to the Tabernacle where God did communicate part of Moses his spirit to the rest: But though they stayd behind in their Tents, yet did they not loose this blessing, but did prophecie as well as the rest. The other is of Dauid, who pursuing those that had burned Ziklag, two hundred souldiers were left behinde with the baggage; but when they had got the victorie, the spoiles were equally deuided, as well betweene those that had ventured their liues in the battaile, as those that guarded the stuffe. As his part is that goeth down to the battaile,* 1.6 so shall his part bee that tarrieth by the stuffe.

Fourthly, Onely three; Because amongst few, all kind of obseruance and vertue is better conserued. Howbeit the Church doth dayly pray, that the number of the Iust may be increased. Which the greater it is, the more graci∣ous it is, and more comely in Gods sight. But as it is commonly taken, the greater the number, the greater the harme. In the beginning of the world, when there were few people, the harme was not much. But then the number of men in∣creasing,* 1.7 sinne so increased in the world, that God repented himselfe that he•• had made it. He was sorrie in his heart, that hee had made both it, and man. That beeing verified of them,* 1.8 which Esay sayd vnto God; Thou hast multiplyed the Na∣tions, but not their Ioy. The Church beginning to flourish, What followed? there were many Foxes, that did it much mischiefe. As the wheat increaseth, so in∣creaseth the tares. So, that much prosperitie (in Senecas opinion) sometimes pro∣duceth much pouertie. Augustine in his booke De Ciuit. Dei, prooueth this truth, out of the Romane Histories; Romes owne greatnesse, beeing it's owne ruine. Suis Roma viribus ruit. No sword could cut her throat, but her owne.

Lastly, Onely three; A number (Aristotle following the opinion of Pytha∣goras) which containeth in it a vniuersitie of things. And for that it is so full of mysterie, sufficeth, That it is consecrated to the most sacred and bles∣sed Trinitie.

To him that shal ask me,* 1.9 why Christ caried not his mother with him to mount Tabor, as well as he did to mount Caluerie? I answere, That all that,* 1.10 which he suffered in mount Caluerie, was in respect of his mother, in so much that this her sonne complained, that God had forsaken him. But that Glorie, which hee inioyed in mount Tabor, he had that from his father; So that the seeing there∣of, did nothing at all belong to his mother.

Some man may doubt, why these three descending from the Mount,* 1.11 should aduise the rest, of the fauour which they inioyed,* 1.12 beeing they had an interdicti∣on to the contrary from our Sauiour, Nemini dixeritis visionem, Tell no man, what you haue seene. I answere, That the interdiction was not for the disciples, but for the people onely.

But some one may reply;* 1.13 Why Enuy did not possesse their hearts that stayd behind; and Pride puffe vp theirs that went vp to the Mount?* 1.14 Especially such a bloudie quarrell beeing like to haue growne amongst them, who should be grea∣test in that their hoped for Kingdome? They beeing all incensed against Iames and Iohn, for desiring to be in neerest place to our Sauiour. I answer;* 1.15 That this their striuing who should be greatest, and this their chaires of Ambition, sup∣pose a most base opinion of the Kingdome of our Sauiour Christ: for that they imagined it (as before hath beene prooued) to be terrestriall and temporall. And touching these goods of the earth, not onely secular Kings and Princes, are rea∣die to goe together by the eares for them; but also your Ecclesiasticall persons, those that are the holiest and honestest Church-men, labor to defend them with all their might and maine. For they fall so short of those other, that are heauen∣ly, that they beeing deuided amongst so many, they all thinke, they haue too lit∣tle. Pallium breue est, vtrumque operire non potest, The cloake is short, and cannot couer twaine. And for that the glorie of Tabor, was meant of that other life, and for that it did discouer those that had beene dead for so many yeares before, and for that it left euerie one so well satisfied, and made them to acknowledge it as an immense and infinite blessing; it could not bee vnto them a matter of Pride, or Enuy: Whence it commeth to passe, that in spirituall goods, these vices are not found. Thou thy selfe obseruest, that such a neighbour of thyne prayes deuout∣ly, bestowes his almes liberally, fasts often, repents heartily, and performes all other Christian duties willingly, and thou bearest him no enuie at all: but if thou seest he is richer than thy selfe, thriues better in the world, or is more esteemed amongst men than thy selfe, his prosperitie is thy torment. Those that were the Spouses companions did neuer enuie her happinesse, Viderunt eum filiae Syon, &c. The Daughters of Syon saw her, and proclaimed her blessed. These were goods of the Soule, wherein if there were any enuie at all, it was in regard of that estimation which followes the bodie. Thou wilt happely enuie the ver∣tuous, in seeing him rewarded for his vertue, but not enuie vertue.

Et duxit illos in Montem excelsum.

And he brought them into a high Mountaine.* 1.16 Tabor was a verie famous Moun∣taine, as well for those riches which God had placed in it, of sports for hunting, Trees, Fountaines, and pleasant Walkes, as also for those rare accidents which had beene seene and knowne to haue happened there: There was that encounter of Melchisadec with Abraham, when he returned so glad and cheereful, vpon that victorie which he had gotten against those fiue Kings. And being there was no other way to passe from Galile to Ierusalem, but by the skirts of this moun∣taine, Ieroboam hauing set vp two Idolls, one in Dan, and another in Bethel, for

to diuert those Tribes from going vp to the Temple to adore God, fearing lest they might passe ouer to Rehoboam, he had placed Watch-towers on this moun∣taine.* 1.17 Suting with that of the Prophet Osee, O yee Priests, heare this, Iudgement is towards yee, because yee haue beene a snare vpon Mizpah, and a net spred vpon Tabor: The Priests and Princes catching the poore people in their snares, as the Fow∣lers doe the birds, in these two high Mountaines. In a word, This Mountaine is famous for verie many things, but for none more than that it was honoured by our Sauiour with his presence, and inriched with his glorie. And for this cause Saint Bernard calls it Montem Spei, The Mountaine of our hopes: For he that leads a godly life here vpon earth, may well hope to receiue a glorified life in Heauen.

Et transfiguratus est ante eos.

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

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

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

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

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

Touching the proofe of the first Truth, notable is that place of Saint Iohn, No man hath seene God at any time;* 1.18 that onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father, he hath declared him: The Glosse hath it, Who is neerest to his father, not onely in respect of his loue towards him, but by the bond of nature, and for the vnion or one-nesse that is betweene them, whereby the Father and the Son are one. God reuealed him and shewed him vnto vs; whereas before, hee was vnder the shadowes of the Law, so that the quickenesse of the sight of our mind was not able to perceiue him: for whosoeuer seeth him, seeth the Father also. The Euangelist pretendeth here to prooue, that onely our Sauiour Christ is the author of Grace and of Truth, and that neither Moses, nor any of the Patriarks could see God as he was himselfe, which is Truth it selfe by essence; but as he is the Sonne: and therefore he onely can be the author thereof. Men may see God in his creatures,* 1.19 and know many of his perfections: And in this sence Iob said, All men see him and behold him afarre off. Saint Gregorie and Saint Paul implie as much, For the inuisible things of him, that is, his eternall power and Godhead, are seene by the creation of the world, considered in his workes. Men may likewise see him in some image or figure, sometimes of a man, sometimes of an Angell, sometimes of Fire, representing himselfe in those formes; sometimes by the eyes of the Soule, and sometimes those of the Bodie. So Esay saw him, I saw the Lord sitting vpon an high Throne. And Iacob, I saw the Lord face to face. Thirdly, God may be seene by Faith,* 1.20 as the Faithfull now see him, Now, we see through a glasse darkely. Fourthly, in his humanitie, Afterward he was seene vpon earth, (saith Buruch) and dwelt among men. Fiftly, in himselfe, and in his essence, not in his creatures, not in his image, not in his humanitie, but in himselfe, Sicuti est, As hee is. This sight is so farre aboue all the rest, that it makes men happie, as also the Angels. Moreouer,* 1.21 Saint Iohn saith, That with a cleere sight (at least comprehensible) no man euer yet saw God, but by the Sonne. And being, that God is our happines, when he is cleerely seene, it followeth, that our Sauiour Christ is happie. The selfe same argument our Sauiour vsed to Nicodemus, No man ascended to Heauen,

but he which descended from Heauen, the Sonne of Man, who is in Heauen. Ye will not giue credit to these earthly things, how will yee credit those then that are heauenly: And condemning this their incredulitie, he saith, No man ascended vp into Heauen. There is not any man that can make true report of the things that are there, because no man hath ascended thither to see them: only I, who liued in Heauen, and descended downe from Heauen, am able to tell ye the things that are in Heauen. Our being in Heauen then being all one with the seeing of God, and the seeing of God beeing our happinesse, it followeth that our Sauiour Christ is happie.

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

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

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

Et transfiguratus est.

And he was transfigured. We haue elsewhere set downe the causes of our Sauiours transfiguration; but none so often repeated by the Saints and Doctors, as his discouering thereby the hidden treasures of his glorie, as the reward that calls vnto vs, and stayes for vs, haling as it were our thoughts and hopes after it. Such is the condition of man, that commonly he makes interest and priuat gain, the North-starre of his labours and endeauours; this he thinkes on, dreames of, and adores. But as to the Worldling the worlds wealth is his North-starre; so the North-starre of the Sonne of God, is the glorie of God. Now our Sauiour Christ discouereth vnto vs a streake or a line, as it were, of that happinesse, which though it doth not fully expresse vnto vs what God is, yet it remooueth from vs all those difficulties which might diuert vs from his seruice. And therfore Saint Ambrose saith, Ne quis frangatur, &c. He allureth our mind with this so soueraign a good, that the troubles of this life may not disquiet it, nor driue it to despaire. So furious are the tempests of this Sea, so raging the waues and tossings too and fro of this life, that if God did not temper the distasts thereof with the hope of another life, our life were but a Hell. Saint Bernard saith, That the end which our Sauiour had in transfiguring himselfe, was, that we might settle our thoughts and our hopes on that glorie whereunto he inuiteth vs; for that, mans happinesse wholly consisteth in enioying the presence of God. Saint Basil expounding that place of Saint Mathew, Estote perfecti, &c. Be yee perfect euen as your Father is perfect; saith, That the plainest way to enioy God, is, to thinke so continually on him, that our Soules should be translated, as it were, into himselfe; wee playing

therein the Painters, who for to take a picture perfectly, neuer haue their eye from off the originall. Saint Cyprian saith, That there is not any thing that doth so much glad the eyes of God, as our thinking on the reward which is set be∣fore vs. Many Saints turmoyled with a thousand miseries, did euermore liue me∣rily, by being onely cheered vp with these good thoughts and hopes. Salomon tells vs, A reward is as a stone pleasant in the eyes of them that haue it: Nor is there any pretious stone that so gladdeth his possessour,* 1.22 as hope cheereth the Righteous. Gregorie Nissen calleth Affliction, the Floure of Glorie; Fructu∣um, qui sperantur flos, As he that is to eat of the fruit, takes pleasure in the floure, for that neighbouring hope which is neere at hand; so, the Righteous through hope reioyce in Affliction. Our Sauiour therefore being desirous that we should liue in hope, vnfolded part of that Glorie which he retained in his Soule, that placing our eyes and hearts thereupon, all troubles whatsoeuer, though neuer so great, might seeme little in regard of our hoped-for reward.

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

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

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

* 1.23Saint Gregorie, opening that place of Ieremie, Patres nostri &c. Our fathers eat•• sowre grapes, and our teeth were set on edge; He st••les the pleasures of this life to be sowre grapes, and fruits that are not yet come to their true ripenesse, which are good for nothing else but to set our teeth on edge. Philon calls them, F••ri••

Coeli. For pleasures, are not for the earth; hee that inioyes them, steales them from Heauen. And as hee that steales, inioyes what he hath so got, with a great deale of feare and iealousie; so may wee be sayd to inioy these humane feasts and pastimes. That sacrifice of Abrahams, was held the most acceptable, that euer any man in the old Testament offered vnto God. For, in sacrificing his son Isaac, hee did sacrifice all the ioy and content of this his life. For Isaac by inter∣pretation signifies laughter. Risum fecit mihi Dominus. The like may bee consi∣dered in his casting Agar out of his house, which signifies a stranger. Resoluing with himselfe (beeing but as a stranger in this world) not to ioy in the contents of this life. Ieremie, whose ordinarie occupation, was weeping, sayd,* 1.24 Diem hominis non desideraui, That is, the day of prosperitie, and of pleasure haue I not desired. And Saint Bernard hath this note vpon it; That hee might haue sayd, That he did neither desire it, nor inioy it. Dauid grew wearie of his passe-times and pleasures. Renuit consolari anima mea. If any thing can affoord mee comfort, it is the meditation of euerlasting ioy. Base is that minde, that liues merrie and contented with the inioying of the goods of this life. Base are the thoughts of that Prince, who keeping himselfe close in a Sheapheards cottage, shall deeme himselfe happie in that poore estate, not so much as once thinking on that crown, which he ought to hope for. Saint Austen declaring that place of Saint Iames, Fratres sufferentiam Iob audistis, & finem Domini vidistis, Yee haue heard Brethren of Iob's suffering, and yee haue seene the end of the Lord. God sets before vs, as pat∣ternes of patience, the life of Iob, and the death of Christ; where it is to be ob∣serued, that he doth not set before vs the end of Iob; because God giuing him a larger increase of wealth, of children, and other contents in this life, his end was not by him to bee desired. But that of our Sauiour was most paine∣full vnto him. And therefore it is sayd, Learne of Iob to suffer in this life, and of our Sauiour in his death. Leauing our hopes to relye vpon that other life.

Et transfiguratus est.

And hee was transfigured. It was likewise fit, that our Sauiour should be trans∣figured for the confirmation of our Faith. For, if these our humane eyes did see in Christ our Sauiour, onely the course cassocke of our basenesse, and the scorne and contempt of his owne person, as Esay paints it forth, Who will beleeue the gold of his Diuinitie? Saint Augustine in his bookes De Ciuitate Deipunc; saith,* 1.25 That all the transformations of those gods which the Gentiles did celebrate in Birds, Bulls, Stones, Trees, Fountaines, Fires, and graines of Gold, were directed to this end, that the World should beleeue, that vnder the forme of mortall men, & this our own proper matter, lay hid some power supernaturall. Who would beleeue that Christ was God, if he had not giuen some glimpse of his Riches? Who would haue relied vpon his protection? Without some particular reuelation, who would haue dreamt of his omnipotencie? In a subiect so weake, who would sur∣mise it? Imagine an Angell in the shape and figure of an Ant; none will be∣leeue that this was an Angell, vnlesse hee should at some time or other discouer some part of his brightnesse.

It was also fitting that Christ should discouer vnto vs some of those his hid∣den treasures, to the end that those that were his, might be persuaded that they might safely sleepe vnder the shadow of his wings. Moses beeing employed in that businesse of Aegypt, O Lord (saith he) whom shall I say hath sent me?* 1.26 Ego sum qu•• sum, I am that I am: And anon after, Ego sum Deus Abraham, & Deus Isaac, & Deus Iacob, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob; Tel

Pharaoh, that I am that I am; He that cannot, not be; That I am he that haue pro∣spered & protected Abraham, Isaac, & Iacob. Which was not only a making of himselfe known what he was, but were likewise pledges to his people, that they should lay their confidence, libertie, liues, & their persons vpon him: I am that I am by my essence; I am he that alwayes was, and euer shall be; it is I that haue power ouer euerie thing, and beg nothing of any man. The Princes of the earth, because they are to day, tomorrow, and are no more, they cannot giue vs any as∣surance of our hopes; and because they haue no pledges of their own, but what they borrow from others, their fauours cannot be secured vnto vs: For (as Saint Augustine saith) Remota jactantia, quid sunt homines, nisi homines? When Princes will shew themselues in their pompe and state, they borrow here, and they bor∣row there; they are no bodie, vnlesse they bee accompanied with the great Lords of the Kingdome, vnlesse they be attended on by a Gard of Halberdiers, vnlesse they be rich and gloriously apparelled, and brauely mounted. In a word, these are externall transfigurations, and of such things as are more others than our owne; but that of our Sauiour Christ was of his owne proper goods, with∣out beeing beholding to any.

Et resplenduit facies eius sicut Sol.

* 1.27And his face did shine like the Sunne. In the beginning of the world God did handsell his Word with the Light; for before, darkenesse had ouerspread the face of this confused Chaos, Tenebrae erant super faciem, &c. And as hee that di∣ueth into the bottome of the sea for Pearle, as he goes spurtling the oyle out of his mouth, goes, as it were, thereby ingendering light; so God by venting this word out of his mouth, fiat Lux, created the Light, discouering thereby the es∣sence and nature of things. Some haue not stickt to say, that the Light gaue the red colour to the Rubie, the Greene to the Emerald, and the Skie colour to the Iacinth, &c. And though this be not so, yet so it is, that without this Light these colours could not haue beene distinguished, nor could we haue enioyed that hu∣mane beautie and beautifull splendor which now we doe. In the Spheare of the Spirit God made another Light, which was Christ our Sauiour, [Ego sum Lux mundi] this Light doth as farre exceed the former, as the Spirit doth the Body. Dauid makes mention of these two Lights, in that Psalme of his, Coeli enarrant, &c. The Heauens declare thy, &c. Of that of the Sunne he saith, Tanquam Sponsus procedens de thalamo suo, This is the Bridegroome of Nature, and comes forth of his Chamber cloathed all in Gold; Bur that Spirituall Light is more fayre, and more beautifull by farre: Lex Domini immaculata, id est, immaculatior, &c. The Law of the Lord is pure, that is, purer, &c. The beames of the Sunne neuer yet had the power to pierce so far as to inlighten the Soule; but those of the Sun of Righteousnesse doth both inlighten it & conuert it. He that tooke the day from the night, and the light from darkenesse, made light to breake forth from out the darkenesse of our hearts, to the end that Gods fauourable countenance shining vpon vs through his Sonne, we may come to the fuller knowledge of him.

For this Light did ont only eclipse and darken that of the Sun, as that of many Torches doth a poore sorrie Candle; nor onely inrich the aire with the beames of his brightnesse, nor onely made a Heauen of this Mountaine, by gilding the stemmes, the barke, the boughes, and leaues of the trees, as also the stones there∣of, with it's glorious rayes; but it did likewise illumine the soules of the Disci∣ples, who from that verie instant, by the euidence of such diuine demonstrations, remained conuinced, and euer after acknowledged him to be both God & Man:

For albeit God cannot be seene by the eyes of the Flesh, yet such signes and tokens may be seen of God, that we may verie wel say, that God himself is seen.

Physiognomie is a Science, which by the signes and markes of the face, doth prognosticate the inclination and propension of the Soule. One that was skilled in that Art, looking steadily on the face of Socrates, told his Schollers, That hee had the markes of a man that was ill giuen. Whereunto he answered, That hee said true in regard of the Starres; but withall, that Sapiens dominabitur Astris. Looke vpon Christ our Sauiour, and you shall see first of all, that he hath a great inclination to our good, and that hee made especiall manifestation thereof in Mount Tabor; for as the angrie looke of a King is the Messenger of Death, so the cheerefulnesse of his countenance declareth clemencie and life. The roa∣ring of a Lyon makes the Beasts of the Forrest affraid;* 1.28 and the indignation of a King maketh his Vassalls to quake and tremble: but his fauour is like the dew vpon the grasse. Saint Ambrose saith, That our Sauiour Christs appearing here like Sunne and Snow, were true pledges of the great desire that he hath of our good: for there is not any thing that doth make the earth so fruitfull, as the Sun with his heat, and the Snow with it's moysture.

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

His face shined like the Sunne. Who would haue thought,* 1.29 that behind so poore a vaile there should bee found such great treasure? But it passeth so likewise in this world, that he that seemeth most poore, is oftentimes most rich; and he that seemeth most rich, is most poore. The greatnesse of Rome Saint Iohn painteth forth in the forme of a woman clothed in Purple, bedecked with pretious stones, and in her hand a sprig of Gold; but that which did not appeare to the eyes, was all abhomination, filthinesse, and beastlinesse. The Altars of Aegypt were euery one of them a Treasure-house of Pearles, pretious Stones, Gold, Iewells, and Silkes; but in euerie one of these their Altars they had a Toad or a Serpent. The Mezquita or Turkish Temple that honoureth the bones or Reliques of Maho∣met, is stored with that infinite riches, that you would take him to be some great God, whereas indeed he is but vn çancarron de vn puerco, but the withered leg of a Hog, a base borne fellow, and of no worth in the world. The Idols of the Gen∣tiles, though neuer so much gilded ouer with Gold, are no better than stockes and stones. One said in the Apocalyps, I am rich, and stand in need of nothing: But it was answered him from Heauen, Thou art poore, and much to be pittied. These are ordinarily the stampes of your powerfull persons and great Princes of this world, that seeming to be as bright as the Sunne in their bodies, are as blacke as a cole in their soules. But those that are the Saints of God, carrying a besmee∣red countenance, and a patcht garment, beare in their soules the Sunne, Sicut Ta∣bernacula Cedar, sicut pellis Salomonis, Rich within, though poore without.

Et ecce, aparuerunt Moses & Elias.

And behold, Moses and Elias appeared. On Moses his part there is a strong rea∣son. Amongst the Assei, it was a receiued opinion, (which those now follow, whom wee call Atheists) That the Soules did die together with the bodies: And it seemeth that Cicero did fauour the same, when he said in his Amicitia, Si∣cut in morte nihil est boni, sic certè nihil est mali, As there is no good, so there is no hurt in death. That couetous rich man in the Gospell was surely of this opinion in

his life time; but being put out of this his errour, in that other life, he present∣ly desired Abraham to send one in all hast from the dead, to preach vnto his kin∣dred, that they might forsake this their errour: but hee receiued this short an∣swer, Habent Moysen & Prophetas, They haue Moses and the Prophets. Where there is Scripture, there is no need of miracles: And Saint Peter saith, That Prophe∣cie hath more assurance in it than the euidence of miracles. This is a truth hard to be vnderstood.

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

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

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

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

* 1.30Thirdly, It is an vsuall fashion with God, to discouer the reward, and to con∣ceale the chastisement, for that man would bee ashamed that others should see him punished. God did shut the port of Noahs Arke without, and hung the key at his owne girdle, because hee should not haue any desire to see that lamentable deluge, and generall destruction of mankind. He charged Lots wife, that shee should not so much as looke towards Sodome, that she might not behold those flames which did voice out Gods vengeance. At the end of the world, at that dreadfull day of judgement, when God shall shew himselfe most angrie, the Sun and the Moone shall be darkened, because God will haue his chastisements infli∣cted in the darke.

* 1.31Fourthly, Hope doth worke more generous effects in our brests, than Feare. It cannot be denied, but that Feare hath verie powerfull effects: Herod for feare of loosing his Kingdome, made that butcherly slaughter of so many innocent Babes, not sparing his owne children. For feare of loosing his Citie, the King of Moab was his owne sonnes hangman, quitting him of his life vpon the wall. For feare of dying by the cruell hands of hunger, many mothers haue eaten the birth of their owne bowells. For feare least they should be made captiues, and

led in triumph by their enemies, many valiant men haue made an end of them∣selues. And for that Feare doth not onely extend it selfe to an absent good, as well as Hope, but likewise to a present; and for that to loose the present good which a man possesseth, causeth a greater sorrow, than to loose the good which we doe but hope for; it seemeth, that Feare is more powerfull than Hope.

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

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

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

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

Saint Ambrose saith, That hee made choice of Elias and Moses, to shew,* 1.32 That in Gods House the Poore is as much respected as the Rich. Moses in his yonger yeares was a Prince of Aegypt; afterwards, the chiefe Commander and Leader of Gods People: Elias was alwayes poore, and halfe hunger-starued, cloathed with Goats haire; yet both these did enioy the glorie of Tabor. The like judgement may be made of Elizeus and Dauid, of Lazarus, and of Abraham, and of diuers others.

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

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

Loquebantur de excessu. They spake of his departure.

Touching that death which our Sauiour Christ was to suffer in Hierusalem,

there could not bee any conuersation more conformable to that estate and con∣dition of his. For, beeing that our Sauiour was to merit the glorie of the body by his death, he could not so much reioyce in any thing, as in the brauenesse of that noble and renowned Action, and the worthinesse thereof. In Gods house, good seruices are much more esteemed, than recompence or reward: And more reckoning is made of deseruing honour, than inioying it. When those his Disciples desired such and such seates of honour, our Sauiour sayd vnto them; Potestis bibere calicem, &c. In my Kingdome, more honourable is the Cuppe that I drinke of, than the chaire that ye would sit in. In our Sauiours Ascension, when hee came to Heauen-gates, the Angells beganne to wonder at his bloudie gar∣ments.* 1.33 Quis est iste, qui venit de Edom, tinctis vestibus de Bosra? In a place so free from sorrow and torment, such a deale of bloud, and woundes? But that which made their admiration the more, was, that hee should make this his Gala, the on∣ly gallant clothes, that he could put on. Formosus, in stola sua. And for that this his bloud, had beene the meanes of his taking possession of this glorie, both for himselfe, and for vs; he could not cloth himselfe richer, nor doe himselfe more honour, than to weare this bloudy roabe, that had beene dyed in the winepresse of his Passion. Saint Austen sayth, That the Prouidence of God had so dispo∣sed it, that the markes of the Martyres torments should not bee blotted out in Heauen. For albeit that happy estate doth repaire all manner of maimes, take away all deformities, and cleare all the spots, and blemishes of our body; and though they shall appeare much more glorious than the Sun; yet notwithstan∣ding, those stigmata, and markes of their martyrdome, shall adde an accidentall glorie vnto them, as those colours that are gained in warre, beautifies his Coat who weares them in his scutchion.

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

* 1.34Three manner of wayes may it bee taken, that this Excesse of our Sauiour Christ, is Glorie.

The first, That his passion, and death, and the rest of those Excesses, which he did for our saluation, (for all these may bee termed Excesses) Christ did take them to be a glorie vnto him. Adam sinning, hee seemed to make little account of God, and his creatures, which in him was a great Excesse. But God did re∣medie this Excesse with other infinite Excesses. Saint Bernard obserueth, That our Sauiour Christ would not enioy the Balme which the three Maries brought to annoint him after he was dead, but did reserue it for his liuing bodie: For in

Christ, wee are to consider two bodies: the one Naturall; the other Mystical▪ which is the Church: And as hee left the first nayled and fastned to the Crosse for the second; so he left this Balsamum, for the annointing and curing of it: Which was a great Excesse. Dauid called him a Worme, a Scoffe, a Taunt, and the Reproch of the People; for that whilest he liued in the world, he tooke vp∣on him all the affronts and contempts that man could cast vpon him. And be∣cause there is not any loue comparable to that of our Sauiour Christ, nor all the loues in the world put together, can make vp such a perfect loue; as also for that there was not any affront like vnto his, nor all the affronts of the world could equall the affronts that were offered vnto him; that on the one side hee should loue so much; on the other, suffer so much, this was a great Excesse. Nazian∣zen seeing vs swallowed vp in this sea of miseries, vseth a kind of Alchimie, by ioyning his greatnesse with our littlenesse; his powerfulnesse, with our weake∣nesse; his fairenesse, with our foulenesse; his beautie, with our deformitie; his riches, with our pouertie; the gold of his Diuinitie, with the durt of our Flesh: And as the greater drawes the lesser after it; so our basenesse did ascend to an heigth of honour. And this was a great Excesse; but farre greater, to esteeme this Excesse as a Glorie: whence the Saints of God haue learned to stile Tribu∣lation, and the Crosse, Glorie.

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

Thirdly, It may be said to be Glorie, because that by this his death a thousand Glories are to follow thereupon: Propter qoud & Deus exaltauit illum, &c.* 1.35 Where∣fore God hath highly exalted him, and giuen him a name aboue euerie name; that at the name of Iesus should euerie knee bow, both of things in heauen, and things in earth, and things vnder the earth: And this was the reward of his obedience and of his death. And the reason thereof was, that the World seeing it selfe captiuated by so singular a benefit, men should make little reckoning either of their goods or their liues, for this his exceeding loue towards them, but desire in all that they can, to shew themselues thankefull. And therefore Esay cries out, O,* 1.36 that thou wouldest breake the Heauens and come downe, and that the Mountaines might melt at thy presence, &c. What a great change and alteration wouldest thou see in the world? thou wouldst see Mountaines (that is, hearts that are puffed vp with pride) humbled and laid leuell with the ground: Thou wouldst see Waters, that is, brests that are cold and frozen, boyle with the fire of Zeale, and wholly em∣ploy themselues in thy seruice. And in his sixtieth Chapter,* 1.37 treating of the pro∣fits and benefits which we shall receiue by Christs comming, he saith, For brasse will I bring gold, and for yron will I bring siluer, and for wood, brasse, and for stones, yron; I will also make thy gouernment, peace, and thine exactours, righteousnesse; Violence shall no more be heard of in thy Land, neither desolation nor destruction within thy Borders; but thou shalt call Saluation, thy Walls; and praise, thy Gates. The Lord shal bee thine euerlasting Light, and thy God, thy Glorie.

Bonum est nos hic esse, &c.

It is better being here, than in Ierusalem; let vs therefore make here three Tabernacles, &c. Saint Gregorie calls Honour, Tempestatem intellectus, (i.) The vnderstandings Storme, or Tempest, in regard of the danger it driues man into, and the easinesse

wherewith in that course he runnes on to his destruction.* 1.38 Si dederit mihi Dominus panem ad vescendum, &c. It was Iacobs speech vnto God, after that he had done that great fauour of shewing a Ladder vpon earth, whose top reached vp to Hea∣uen; you know the Storie: but the vow that hee vowed vnto God was this, If God will be with me, and will keepe me in this journey that I goe, and will giue me bread to eat, and cloathes to put on, then shall the Lord be my God, and I shall neuer forget this his kindnesse towards me. More loue (a man would haue thought) he might haue shewn towards God, if he had promised to serue, though he had giuen him neither bread to eat, nor cloathes to put on. But Saint Chryso∣stome saith, That he seeing in this vision of his, the prosperitie that God was wil∣ling to throw vpon him, did acknowledge the thankefull remembrance of this his promised & hoped for happines: For Prosperitie is euermore the comparison of Obliuion. Saint Bernard expounding that place of Dauid, Man being in ho∣nour,* 1.39 hath no vnderstanding, saith, That the prosperitie wherein God placed man, robbed him of his vnderstanding, and made him like vnto the Beasts, that perish. And here now doth Saint Peter loose his memorie. Nor is this a thing so much to be wondred at; for if there be such riches here vpon earth, that they robbe a man of his vnderstanding, and alienate him from himselfe; if the sonne that is borne of a mother who hath suffered great paines in the bringing of him forth, Iam non meminit praessurae, hath forgotten his mothers throwes, and thinkes not on the wombe that bore him; if the great loue of this world, and the prosperi∣tie thereof, can make vs so farre to forget our selues; it is no strange thing, that we should be farre more transported and carried away with heauenly things. Da∣uid following the pursuit of his pleasures, amidst all the delights of this life, he cries out, Onely thy glorie can fill me, that only can satisfie me. Remigius vnfolds this verse, of the glorie of the Transfiguration; and it may be that this Kingly Pro∣phet did see it by the light of Prophecie. And if so fortunate a King as he was, did forget all those other goods that he enioyed, and saith, That hee desires no other good, nor no other fulnesse; What meruaile is it, that a poore Fisherman should bee forgetfull of good or ill? And as hee that is full fed likes nothing but what is the cause of this his fulnesse, reckoning all other meats soure, though they be neuer so sweet; so he that shall once come to tast of that good, will say, No ma•• bien,* 1.40 I desire no other good but this. What sayth Saint Paul, Sed & no••, &c. But we also which haue the first fruits of the Spirit, euen wee doe sigh in our selues, waiting for the adoption, euen the redemption of our bodie, &c. Though Paul enioyed the first fruits of the Spirit, and extraordinarie regalos and fauours; yet hee groa∣ned and trauelled in paine for Heauen. What, saith Saint Chrysostome, Is thy soule become a Heauen, and doost thou yet groane for Heauen? Do not thou meruaile that I groan,* 1.41 hauing seene that in Heauen which I haue seen; Quoniā raptus fui•••• Paradisum: I see the good which the world wanteth; and the ill which the Pro∣digall endured; he did groane and sigh in the Pigge-stie, when he called to mind his fathers goodly houses. Saint Hierome treating of the raptures of his Spirit, saith, That he found himselfe many times among Quires of Angells; hee saith, That he liued a whole weeke without any sence of bodily necessitie: nor was it much, he enioying the conuersation of Angells, and the fellowship of God, Diuinae visionis intuitu: but when I came againe to my selfe, I did bewaile the good that I had lost. But that Peter may not groane with Saint Paul, nor weepe with Saint Hierome; knowing how the world went here beneath, said, Let vs not leaue that place which we may haue cause to weepe for, when we are once gone from it: For, what good is there vpon earth, be it neuer so good, which hath not

some ill with it's good? Obtaine (if thou canst) of God, that hee will but once giue thee leaue to tast of the goods of Heauen, and thou wilt soone forget what∣soeuer is on earth. The reason why these fraile & transitorie goods are so much desired, and sought after with so great thirst and couetousnesse, is, because those eternall goods which call continually vnto vs, stand in so farre a distance from our hearts and our thoughts: for if thou shouldst but taste one drop of the water of that coelestiall Fountain, or but one crumme of that diuine Table, thou wouldst say with a full and resolute purpose, No mas mundo, Let the world goe, I will no more of it. The Hound when he neither sees nor sents his Game, goes slow and soft, diuerting himselfe here and there, as if hee had no life in him; but he no sooner spies the Hare, but he flies with the wind. Robbed of the con∣tent of Heauen, I said, All, whatsoeuer is in the earth is a Lye.* 1.42 Peter was rob'd of himselfe, and therefore he desired to stay still there. The first that tasted Wine, though he were so graue a man as Noah, it made him commit a great ex∣cesse, insomuch that it gaue occasion to his owne sonne to mocke him. And how should not the first that tasted of the glorie which our Sauiour Christ had mani∣fested in Tabor, (though so graue a one as Peter) be so drunken therewith, that he should vtter so great an excesse? But whatsoeuer was taken from himselfe, hee did adde it all (whatsoeuer it were, more or lesse) to the glorie of Christ.

Non enim sciebat, quid diceret.

For he knew not what he said. Erras Petre, (saith Saint Hierome) Peter,* 1.43 thou art in a mightie errour: First, In iudging that for a happinesse that was so short and transitorie; there being no felicitie but in things that are permanent. Immagine all possible happinesse, measure it with the duration of Ages, and with that time which in the end must end; and when it is ended, thou wilt hold it an vnhappi∣nesse and infelicitie. Peter, thou desirest to inioy glorie here in this world, which is to end toomorrow: And for that the glorie which thou desirest, is not to last so long as the world, nay scarce an houre in this world, thou art in a mightie errour, Peter. Saint Luke saith, That to the hungry bellie the remembrance of his forepassed fulnesse shal be a torment vnto him; and to the sorrowful, his former laughters and contentments shal but the more augment his griefe, &c.

Secondly; Peter did erre, in preferring a particular, before a publicke good;* 1.44 especially, beeing a Prelat and Pastor of the Church. The hand and the foot, renouncing their proper right, offer themselues to incounter with any danger, for to defend the head, and saue the life. Amongst the Elements, the Water, the Earth, and the Ayre, forsake their Center for to assist common necessitie. A good Citisen must bee wanting to his owne house and person, for to further the com∣mon good. Saint Austen sayth, That Prelates must make profession of a double obligation: One, of Sheapheards, for their sheepe; another, of Christians, for themselues. For the first, they must haue recourse to the necessitie of their sub∣iects, with a great deale of care and vigilancie. For the second, they are to ex∣ercise themselues in all kind of vertue, and holinesse. But many of them, pra∣ctise the contrary. They are Christians for others, willing them to exercise themselues in vertue and holynesse; and Pastors for themselues, caring too much for their owne pleasures, and profit. The King of Sodome sayd vnto Abraham, Giue mee the persons, take the goods to thy selfe. Hee regarded more the freedome and libertie of his subiects, than the ransoming of his treasures. And howbeit hee was a bad man, yet hee shewed himselfe a good sheapheard. Dauid cried out vnto God, Lord keepe my soule, and deliuer Israel out of all his trou∣bles.

Hee ioyned his owne, and the common cau••e together, that God might be the better pleased therewith, and the sooner graunt his request.

Thirdly, Peter erred in his too too cold commendation of this Glorie, for the which a greater praise had beene insufficient.* 1.45 Thou desirest a Painter to show thee a picture; He takes out one; thou desirest a better, hee takes out ano∣ther, that contents thee not: At last he shewes thee the best that he hath; Thou coldly commendst it, and sayst, it is a pretie good peece, so, so: He growes wea∣rie of thee, and takes it away from thee. God made in the world diuers pictures, euery one of them beeing good apart; and all of them put together, exceeding good. Thou sayst, ô Lord, these doe not satisfie my desire; I would see the best peece that euer past through thy hands. He carryes thee vp to mount Tabor, hee there showes thee his master-peece, his Glorie? Peter giues it onely this cold commendation, Master it is good. Peter thou errest, sayth the Euangelist; For hee knew not what hee sayd.

Fourthly, Peter did erre, in debasing so much that glorie, which had no need at all of any Tabernacles, or houses to defend them from the Sunne, &c. For, as he did not thinke then vpon eating, so he might haue had as little mind of slee∣ping. Saint Ambrose defines Happinesse, to bee, Omnia bona, in omni bono. Hee need not desire a Sunne to giue him light, because he inioyeth another Sunne, that neuer setteth; and another Moone, which neuer is in it's wane, or increase. Thou shalt haue no more Sunne, to shine by day (saith Esay) neither shall the lightnesse of the Moone shine vnto thee.* 1.46 Thy Sunne shall neuer goe downe, neither shall thy Moone be hid. For the Lord shall bee thine euerlasting light, and the dayes of thy sorrow shall be ended. But here, our felicitie, is in the wane, and our happi∣nesse suffers an eclipse. Neither is our light cleare, saith Saint Bernard, nor our ref••∣ction full, nor our mansion safe: Cloudes, obscure it's light; hunger, marres it's fulnesse; and alterations, it's firmenesse, and security. Gregorie Nissen sayth, That, Necessitie brought in Rule and Dominion. For that there should bee a Lord and Ruler, there is a necessitie in it; And that there should be a greater Lord, there is a greater necessitie in it. For Man, had neede of the creatures, and God made him Lord ouer them. If a man could runne as fast as a horse, hee were not Lord ouer the horse; if he had the clawes, and strength of a lyon, hee were not Lord ouer the lyon; But in Heauen, there is not any the least signe of necessitie: for there both the Sunne, the Moone, the Creatures, Fountaines, Plants, Fruits, Flowers, and Houses are all superfluous. So that Peter when hee talkt of buil∣ding Tabernacles, he knew not what he sayd.

Adhuc eo loquente, eccè nubes lucida.

* 1.47And as he yet spake, behold a bright Cloud. Scarce had Peter ended his speech, when a bright shining cloud, like a glorious Curtaine, ouerspred them all. Tho∣mas sayth, That in this cloud the holy Ghost descended downe, as hee did in that Baptisme, in the forme of a Doue. Theophilact, That in the old Testament God appeared in darke clouds, which strooke terrour, and amasement; but now he comes in a bright cloud, because he came to teach, and to giue light. The ho∣ly Ghost, is the Author of the light of our soules. Wisedome cals him, Spiri∣tum intelligentiae, The spirit of vnderstanding; And the Church dayly begges of him, that hee will lighten our darkenesse, and illuminate our sences. Accend•• lumen sensibus.

From the cloud, there went out a voice, like vnto thunder, which sayd, This is my beloued Sonne, heare him. And Saint Chrysostome hath noted it, That Moses,

and Elias disappeared, and were not to bee seene; to the end that the Disciples might vnderstand, that this voice was onely directed to our Sauiour Christ. Howbeit, hauing seene beefore in his face that treasure of glorie, and Peter ha∣uing acknowledged him to bee the Sonne of the euerliuing God, in the name of the whole Colledge and Societie of the Apostles; it could not bee presumed otherwise.

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

Ipsum audite, Heare him.

Here the World did receiue so great a good,* 1.48 that the Father did giue vs his Sonne, to be our Master and Law-giuer. So that it lyes vpon him to teach vs, and vpon vs to obey him. Tertullian sayth, That the presence of Moses and Elias, made much for that present purpose, but more now their absence; for that it gaue vs thereby to vnderstand, That this supreame Master and Lawgiuer did far out∣strip the office of Moses, and the zeale which Elias had of the Law [Quasi jam off••cio, & honore perfunctis.] For in this best beloued sonne of God, Iesus Christ, two things are to be seene; the one, as he was a Lawgiuer, the aduantage that he had of the Law; the other, That Moses was now put to silence, and that we were

onely to hearken to our Sauiour Christ.

At his Baptisme that verie selfe same voice was heard, This is my beloued sonne; but we find not there an Ipsum audite, Heare him. Not notifying him then to the World for a Master; so that it seemeth that this was reserued for our Sauiour Christ, against he had past ouer the rigour of Fasting and Pennance: signifying, That God placeth not him in the office of a Preacher, who hath not run through these strict courses.* 1.49 Bene patientes erunt, vt annuntient, Christ had no need to doe pennance, but thou hast great need to doe so, Locus est communis.

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

Secondly, He inioyned them silence, for that the fauours and regalos which thou shalt receiue from God in priuate, thou art not to bring them vpon the stage in publique, or to proclaime them (as we say) at the Crosse. Leaue this care to God, for he will bring them to light in their due time, when they shal make for thy honour, and his glorie. Elias was verie carefull, that no man should know of his departure; nay, he sought to hide it from Elisha, saying vnto him in Gilgall, Sede hic, &c. Tarrie here, I pray thee, for the Lord hath sent me to Bethel: But Elisha said, As the Lord liueth, and as thy soule liueth, I will not leaue thee. And hee was scarce come to Bethell,* 1.50 but the childeren of the Prophets that were at Bethell came out to Elisha, and said vnto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take thy master from thine head this day? Noui, silete, Yea, I know it, (said he) hold yee your peace. Elias afterwards departed for Ierico, intreating Elisha that hee would tarrie behind, promising him, that he would presently returne vnto him, but he could not per∣suade Elisha vnto it. They were scarce come to Ierico, but the sonnes of the Pro∣phets acquainted him with the like newes; to whom he answered as before, No∣ui, silete. In the end, going for Iordan, Elisha still followed him, and fifty of the sonnes of the Prophets: so that the more Elias sought to conceale this businesse, the more God made it knowne, by reuealing it (as Tostatus hath obserued) to the sons of the Prophets. And Elias desiring that they should not see this his Cha∣riot of fire, and his Triumph, one only God made many witnesses of his glorie.

Neminem viderunt, nisi solum Iesum.

Onely in Christ Iesus are our hopes secured. Men will accompany you whilest the glorie of your prosperitie lasteth; but that beeing ended, you shall find no man that will sticke vnto you; Woe vnto him that is alone, for if he fall, hee shall haue none to helpe him vp:* 1.51 And this is truly verified of those who trust on the world, or haue any confidence in man. Weigh and consider with thy selfe, what a number of friends Ierusalem had in it's prosperitie, how readie to seru•• her, and to court her loue; but when Ierusalem began to fall, and when she had most need of her friends, Ieremie complaineth, Shee had not so much as one friend to be her comforter. The God of all comfort vphold vs with his euerlasting loue, that we may not perish in this wrold, nor in the world to come.

Notes

• * 1.1

  This lifes happines a Rose enui∣••oned with Thornes.
• * 1.2

  Esay 66.
• * 1.3

  Iohn 1••. Iohn 7.
• * 1.4

  The publicke to be preferred before the p••iuate.
• * 1.5

  Num. 11.
• * 1.6

  1. Kings 30.
• * 1.7

  Prosperity al∣waies enuied.
• * 1.8

  Gen. 6.
• * 1.9

  Ob.
• * 1.10

  Sol.
• * 1.11

  Ob.
• * 1.12

  Sol.
• * 1.13

  Ob.
• * 1.14

  Earthly things more enuied than Spirituall.
• * 1.15

  Sol.
• * 1.16

  The dignity of Mount Tabor.
• * 1.17

  Ose 5.
• * 1.18

  Iohn 1.
• * 1.19

  Iob 36. Romans 1.
• * 1.20

  Esay 6. Gen. 29. 1. Cor. 13.
• * 1.21

  Iohn 3.
• * 1.22

  Prou. 17.
• * 1.23

  The pleasures of this life are altogether Vanitie.
• * 1.24

  Ier. 17.
• * 1.25

  Esay 53.2.
• * 1.26

  Exod. 3. Exod. 9.
• * 1.27

  A twofold Light, the one temperal, the other spi∣rituall.
• * 1.28

  Prou. 16. Prou. 19.
• * 1.29

  The richest minds are v∣sually where the poorest meanes.
• * 1.30

  God labors to conceale, both his re∣wards and pu∣nishments.
• * 1.31

  Hope more Preuailent with man than Feare.
• * 1.32

  Zach. 9.
• * 1.33

  Esay 63.
• * 1.34

  Christ glorri∣ous in his pas∣sion three mā∣ner of waies.
• * 1.35

  Phil. 2. Christ•• passi∣on the foun∣taine of our Glorie.
• * 1.36

  Esay 64.
• * 1.37

  Esay 60.
• * 1.38

  Gen. 2••.
• * 1.39

  Psal. 49.
• * 1.40

  Rom. 8.
• * 1.41

  2. Cor. 12.
• * 1.42

  Psal. 106.
• * 1.43

  Saint Pe••ers error in his ad∣miration of Mount Tabor
• * 1.44

  Publicke Good, euer to be preferred before the priuate.
• * 1.45

  To commend coldly that which is excel¦lent, shewes a weake iudg∣ment.
• * 1.46

  Esay 60.
• * 1.47

  Blind Clouds were for the Law, bright for the Gospel.
• * 1.48

  Christ ap∣pointed to be our Teacher but when.
• * 1.49

  Psal 91.
• * 1.50

  4. Kings 2.
• * 1.51

  Prosperitie findes alwaies Freinds, ad∣uersity none.