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 EIGHTEENTH SERMON, VPON THE THIRD SVNDAY IN LENT. (Book 18)

LVC. II.

Erat Iesus eijciens Daemonium.

And Iesus was casting out a Deuill, &c.

IN this Gospell is contained that famous Miracle of one that was possessed with a Deuill, beeing deafe, blind, and dumbe. As also the applause of the People, the calumnie and slander of those Pharisees, who did attribute it to the power of Bel∣zebub. Our Sauiours defending himselfe with strong & for∣cible reasons. The good old woman who blessed the wombe that bore our Sauiour, and the Paps that gaue him sucke. Whose name was Marcella: With whom the fruit of this Miracle endeth.

Erat Iesus eijciens Daemonium.

To vnweaue the Deuills Webs, and vndoe his Nets,* 1.1 is a worke so sole and proper to Gods omnipotencie, that if the Deuills malice had not intangled the World therewith, Gods goodnesse had not come to vnknit it. And this I hold to be sound Diuinitie.

First, Because it is the opinion of the most antient and grauest Doctors.

Secondly, For those places of Scripture it hath in it's fauour. As that of Esay, Is it a small thing, that thou shouldest be my Seruant to raise vp the Tribes of Iacob,* 1.2 and to restore the desolations of Israel? But Saint Iohn doth expresse this more plain∣ly; Christ came into the world to this end, that he might destroy the workes of the Deuil,

Now Dissoluere is properly, to vndo a deceit that is wrought; Dissolue colligatio∣nes impietatis, Cancell those Obligations, Bonds, Schedules, & Acknowledgments, which thou hast vniustly drawne thy Creditours to set their hands thereunto. Omnem Cautionem fals••m (saith Symmachus) disrumpe: The Septuagint read it, Omnem Scripturam iniquam: Saint Hierome, Chirographa. And to the end that the drift of this Language may be the better vnderstood; it is to be noted, That a man when he sinnes, sells himselfe to the Deuill; making this sale good vnder his owne hand writing. The Deuill, hee buyes; and the Man, he sells; and the Damned confesse as much in Hell; Wee haue driuen a bargaine with Death, and haue made a couenant with Hell. And if the Deuill had proceeded herein fairely & ho∣nestly, and according to Law and Iustice, this knot would hardly haue beene vn∣knit: but for that he is a Father of falsehood, of deceit, and of cosinage, there are three great annullities to be found in this his Contract.

First, An enormious & excessiue losse; buying that Soule for little or nothing, which cost an infintte price; Gratis venundati estis.

Secondly, A notorious cosinage; in that he promised that which hee was not able to performe; Sicut Dij.

Thirdly, Mans being vnder yeares; it beeing a ruled Case, That any such sale, without the consent of the Guardian, is of no validitie in Law: And that too, must be for the benefit of the Ward.

Fourthly, That he that inhabits another mans house, if he vse the same amisse, the Law takes order that he bee turned out of it. Now, the Deuill inhabiting this house of man, makes a dunghill thereof, and besides, payes no rent for it: to the Bodie, Fastings are payable; to the Soule, Prayers; to the Goods, Almes: and these debts, are so many darts in the Deuills sides.

It did belong therefore to our Sauiour Christ, as being our elder brother, and the Guardian of our Soules, to disanull this sale. Saint Paul saith, That whatso∣euer act Adam had done, as the chiefe head and principall root of Mankind, our Sauiour Christ had now cancelled the same vpon the Crosse,* 1.3 Putting out the hand writing of Ordinances that was against vs; which was contrarie vnto vs, he euen tooke it out of the way, and fastned it vpon the Crosse. And for as much as euerie man through his manifold sinnes sells himselfe ouer and ouer to the Deuill, not once, but many times; it was fitting that our Sauiour Christ should as often blot and cancell this bill, and make it to be of none effect. And here saith our Euangelist, Erat Iesus eijciens Daemonium, Iesus was casting forth a Deuill. This word Erat im∣plying the difficultie of getting him out, as also the long time of his continuance there.

Erat Iesus eijciens Daemonium.

* 1.4Christ did not presently cast out this Deuil, but stayed and paused a while vp∣on the matter; shewing thereby, that it was not so easie a thing to bee done as some thought it to be, but rather full of difficultie. What, can there bee any dif∣ficultie for God to doe? Is it possible that any thing should seeme hard vnto him? The Saints of God, and learned Doctours of the Church, render some reasons thereof on our part, some on the Deuills, and some on our Sauiour Christs.

On our part, God hauing free and absolute power ouer our Will, Who is able to oppugne his omnipotency?(1.) 1.5 When Lucifer, & his followers playd the Rebels in Heauen, it seeming to God too base an Office to punish them by his owne person, he commanded Saint Michaell the Arch-Angell, that hee should throw

them thence like thunderbolts. These Deuills, beeing thus tumbled downe headlong from that so high a Tower, they sought out another stronger hold wherein to defend themselues, which was Man; and making themselues masters of this Fort, they made fast the Windowes, and the Doores, shutting close the Eyes, Eares, and Mouth of Man. God himselfe in our person, laboured to put them out. But Man, abusing that libertie which God hath left vnto him, & resig∣ning it vp into the Deuills hands, is the onely cause that they maintaine and de∣fend this Fort against God. Gregorie Nazianzen saith, That wee play the Traytors, and conspire against God, against his Crosse, and against his Bloud, by selling our selues dayly anew vnto the Deuill. Our Sauiour Christ had payd the ransome for all our sinnes vpon the Crosse, tearing that our handwriting & obli∣gation in pieces, which we had made ouer to the Deuil. But we, as if we repented our selues thereof, make him a new bond, and bind our selues anew vnto him; Which is a great basenesse in Man. Wilt thou receiue an Apostata, a Traitour, a Fugitiue, and one that is condemned for euer to the Gallies? There is no Inne halfe so vile, or so bad as thy Soule. For, if this harbour a theefe, or a murderer, or a robber on the highway-side, it is vpon hope of profit: But thou doost not onely giue him entertainement, but also spendest thy purse vpon him, and doost protect and abett him against God. So that God hath a great deale more to doe with poore silly Man, being but as a worme of the earth, than with the greatest Deuill in Hell.

There is also another reason on our part; To wit, The so often repeating of our sins ouer and ouer, their antient standing, and their spreading (like a Cancker) still farther & farther vpon our soules; Insomuch, that it will find God worke, & can∣not chuse but cost him much labor. And the sores of our sins may be in that des∣perat case, that he is not able to cure them by ordinary means, but must vse therin some great and strange Miracle. Thou puttest foorth to Sea, thou saylest in the same ship with another passenger, thy friend and acquaintance, ye Cabbin toge∣gether, eat together, and sleepe together, continuing in this louing league of friendship, some six moneths or more. Thou boordest thy selfe with thy neigh∣bour, liuest vnder the same roofe with him some thirty yeares and vpwards, and all this while ye continue verie good freinds. Sure it must be a very great occa∣sion that must part yee twaine, and either coole, or blot out this your so long grounded affection. But, if besides this tye of friendship, thou take extraordi∣nary contentment in it, there is no gaine-saying of it. Such a one, thou art wont to say; she is my Life, my Soule, my deere Heart, deerer vnto mee than mine owne eyes. Though thou hast liued thus and thus many yeares, and so much to thy content and delight in conuersation and friendship with the Deuil, & though I must confesse, it is a hard matter to come off handsomely from him, yet God hath wrought thy freedom, but at a great price, and hath brought thee off cleere but with much paine. But let me tell thee withall, that when thy demoniated soule, shall place all it's whole pleasure and delight in the Deuils company, make him her best beloued, & hug him in her armes, and spred out the lappet of her garment for him; then shal it be in my Letanie, Lord haue mercie vpon thee. For when sinne growes to that height, it is almost out of reach, to doe any good vp∣on it. Pope Clement saith of Simon Magus, that he could not be cu••ed, Quia vo∣luntarie agr••tabat, Because he was willing to be sicke. And that his soule had made such an inseperable knot with the Deuill, Que quien le apartara, le matara, That he that should pull him from him, must pull away life and soule together. Saint Marke tels vs, That his Disciples being not able to dispossesse a young man of the Deuill,

they brought him to our Sauiour Christ. And hee demaunding of them that brought him vnto him, how long he had beene tormented with him; They an∣swered, From his childhood. Our Sauiour healed him; But I remember the Text sayes, Factus est sicut mortuus, ita vt multi dicerent, quia iam mortuus est, Hee was as one dead, in so much that many sayd, He is dead. This young man was so wed∣ded to the Deuill, that many could not pull him from him; and being taken from the Deuill, he was as a dead man. He had kept him companie so long, that the Deuill was to him, as his life. And this is the marke of such persons as giue them∣selues ouer to the pleasures of this World: For liuing without them but three dayes in the Holy-weeke, they thinke themselues dead.

(2.) 1.6On the Deuils part, there are likewise many forcible reasons.

First of all, This foule Fiend leaues a Soule so blind, so deafe, and so dumbe, that he doth not feele the hurt of so infamous a dwelling. And therefore the Church vseth to pray against the Spirit of Fornication. Seneca calls a woman, The Sepulchre of Vice; and there is no dumbe man so dumbe, nor no blind man so blind, as hee that lies dead in the Graue; nor no lesse blind and dumbe, as hee that is buried in the fond affection of a woman: Melior est iniquitas viri, quam be∣nefaciens mulier. Thy enemie will doe thee lesse harme than thy Mistresse: The worst that he can doe, is to kill thee and take away thy life; but she will take from thee thy goods, thy life, and thy soule. Dauid giuing thankes vnto God for freeing him from his former troubles,* 1.7 sayd, Dirupisti Domine vincula mea, Thou hast bro∣ken, ô Lord, my bonds in sunder. What bonds were those? Ecclesiasticus answers, Vincula sunt manus illis, The embracements of a woman. And in another place hee saith, Eruisti animam meam ex inferno inferiori, Thou hast brought my soule out of the lowermost Hell.* 1.8 It seemeth that he stileth this lowermost Hel, his Adulterie: and that this should bee the sence of it, there is great reason for it; for that is the lowermost Hell from whence God (speaking according to our vnderstanding) can draw a man out with greatest difficultie. For though God could with a great deale of ease haue taken Iudas out of the Hell of the Damned, yet hee could nor but by some extraordinarie meanes, feteh him from the Hell of his treason. Iob jumping vpon this conceit, drawes his comparison from the hard labour of a woman in trauell; Obstetricante manu eius, eductus est coluber tortuosus. Wherein we are to consider the diligences which a Midwife vseth, when that which is to be borne, comes athwart, & crosses nature in it's common course: but what a doo would there be, if this birth should prooue to be a Snake or a Serpent?

Secondly, The difficultie lies not so much in the Deuills strength, as in his subtiltie.* 1.9 Erat Serpens calidior omnibus animalibus terrae. He doth not say he was stronger, but subtiler: For, to hunt in thicke and bushie Mountaines, we had need of more trickes and deuices, than if we did hunt in an open and champian Coun∣trie: We must haue good store of weapons, ginnes, nets, and Ferrets, which may creepe in without any noyse. Ipse liberauit me de laqueo venancium. The Apo∣calyps paints out the Deuill in the forme of a Locust,* 1.10 but armed, hauing the face of a man, the haires of a woman, and the mouth of a Lyon. Hee compares him to a Locust, because he deuoures and destroyes all: His meanes, he maketh, Mans deceiuing, Womans inticing, and the Lyons crueltie.

Thirdly, The difficultie likewise consisteth in the Deuills pertinacie and ob∣stinacie, who neuer ceaseth to plie and importune thee: And if at any time thou make thy peace with God, the Deuill will not suffer it to last long; and conuer∣ting it but into a truce for a time, he returnes backe againe to this cleane (as thou thinkest) swept house of thine: but the broome, through some default or other,

hath not swept away all the filth and the durt. The Deuill will leaue thee for a time, but like a fit of an Ague he will returne againe vnto thee. That Feauer is not perfectly cured that comes againe the third day; nor that house clean, where the durt stickes in the floore. He that onely ouercomes, and not kills his enemy, cannot rest secure, especially where there is an impossibilitie of peace. The De∣uill being ouercome, growes more fierce than before; What will hee doe then if he take thee vnprouided? That Soldier which whilest the warre lasts leaueth off his Armes, and carelessely walkes vp and downe; such occasions may offer themselues vnto him, that he may too late repent him of his follie. That vali∣ant Captaine Ehud, mentioned in the booke of Iudges, feigned that he had some∣thing to impart to King Eglon in priuate; and they withdrawing themselues into a Sommer Parlor where they sate all alone, (there being warres betweene them at that time) putting forth his left hand, and taking a dagger from his right thigh, he thrust it into his bellie, and the haft entring in after the blade, it was buried in the fat that was about it. Whereas this King, had he done well, hee should not (considerng there was warre betweene them) haue gone disarmed. What saith Saint Paul vnto thee, Accipite Armaturam Fidei. Those weapons of Faith,* 1.11 toge∣ther with it's Armour, are of more inchantment against Hell, than those which the Fables feigne to be wrought by Vulcan. That which imports a Christian, is neuer to goe without them, because he is in a continuall warfare.

On Christs part there is also some difficultie,(3) 1.12 because this Victorie must bee performed with triumph. Iob discoursing of the Deuill, in that metaphor of the great Leuiathan; God said vnto him, Canst thou draw out Leuiathan with a hooke, and with a line which thou shalt cast downe vnto his tongue? Canst thou cast a hooke into his nose, canst thou pierce his jawes with an Angle? &c. Thou wilt say, thou canst, but I hardly beleeue it. To conquer the Deuill thou wilt thinke it no great matter, and that the victorie is not so glorious as it makes shew for. Bee it so: but to fetter and manacle him in that manner that little children may play with him without any danger, this is something to the pur∣pose. Vniuersa arma eius aufer in quibus confidebat: This is a taking away of his sword, and bea••ing him with the scabberd; than the which, nothing can bee a greater scorne vnto him. The Roman Emperours, for the better celebration of their victories with Triumphs, did much grieue in the deaths of those whome they had conquered. Marcellus sorrowed for the death of Archimides; Caesar, for that of Cleopatra, because it seemed to be an eclipse to the glorie of their tri∣umphs. But it was fitting that our Sauiour Christ should bee partaker of this glorie, and enioy so glorious a Triumph; Expolians Principatus & potestates tra∣duxit confidenter; Palam triumphans illos in semetipso.

Et illud erat mutum, And that was dumbe.

Saint Luke makes him dumbe; Saint Mathew, blind:* 1.13 And from his dumbnesse those that comment thereupon inferre his deafnesse. Saint Chrysostome, Tertulli∣an, and Saint Hierome say, That the Hebrew word Cophos signifyeth Dumbe and deafe; and our Interpreter translates it in the seuenth of Marke, Surdum & mu∣tum. To Tytus Bostrensis, Lyra, and Euthimius, it seemeth that hee was not deafe, for that his dumbenesse not being naturall, the Deuill might make him dumbe, but not deafe, leauing him his hearing for his greater torment.

And that was dumbe. He being both blind, and deafe, Saint Luke makes men∣tion, that he was onely dumbe. Which he purposely did (as Saint Austen hath obserued) to signe out vnto vs the greatest ill that could befall him. For, as long

as a sinner hath a tongue, he need not to despaire. Iob beeing become as it were a Sieue vpon the dunghill, could yet make this boast, Derelicta sunt tantummodo labia circa dentes meos, Onely my lips are left about my teeth. This onely was enough to bring the Prodigall againe to prosperitie: When he had spent all, yet his tongue was left free vnto him, to say, I will goe vnto my Father. And this is suf∣ficient, for to repaire thy losses. Your dumbe men being desirous to speake, mul∣tiply signes and gestures, esteeming their dumbnesse their greatest vnhappinesse. A Christian being askt, Hearest thou Sermons, giuest thou almes, loosest thou those that are in bonds, clothest thou the naked, &c. He answered, Yes. But doost thou confesse thy sinnes? To that he said, No. This, of all other miseries is the greatest. O Lord (saith he) it were a great shame vnto me, that I should reueale that to Man, which I would (if I could) conceale from God. But Ecclesiastic•••• answereth hereunto, That there is a shame, that bringeth sinne with it; And there is a shame, which bringeth Grace and Glorie. The Theefe, hee confesses his offence, he is ashamed thereat, and curses the father that begot him. The re∣pentant sinner, he likewise confesses his faults, and is ashamed that hee should so offend his Creator; but withall, remaines comforted with the hope of his Grace and of his Glory.* 1.14 And no doubt, where there is a true confession of our sins, expe∣rience teacheth vs, that God there dwelleth and abideth in vs. For otherwise it were not possible that a sinner should bee at quiet in his conscience. And there∣fore the Counsell of Trent saith, that shame of our sinnes were a great confoun∣ding vnto vs, if it were not quickned and heartned vp with the comfort of Grace. Osee makes a comparison of an vntoward daughter, yet somewhat shamefac't withall, who couers her being with child, with the name of oppila∣tions and obstructions; but being put hard vnto it, and throughly examined by her Mother, shee confesseth the truth, that there may bee some course taken to salue her credit; swearing and forswearing before, that there was no such matter, and cursing her selfe to the pit of Hell: but the day comes at last, wherein the treading of her shooe awry, is discouered to those of the house, and without doores,* 1.15 so her credit is crackt euer after as long as she liues. The iniquitie of Ephra∣im is bound vp, his sinne is hid. The sorrowes of a trauelling woman shall come vpon him. What a deale of confusion and shame shall he be free from, that shall con∣fesse his fault? Saint Chrysostome saith, That God placeth shame, in sinne; and comfort, in confession. Whereas the Deuill, in sinne, placeth presumption; and and in confession, shame. Plutarch saith, That as a moderate shame, is a guard to innocencie, a wall to honestie, and a generall ornament to all the Vertues; so too much shame on the other side, is a spoile and ruine to them all. Saint Austen saith, That it is a foulenesse and weakenesse of our vnderstanding, that thou shouldst be ashamed to confesse that to one particular man in priuat, which perad∣uenture thou hast committed in the companie of many, and in the presence of a multitude. Amongst other imprecations which Iob hath against himselfe, this is one, Si abscondi peccatum, &c. If I haue concealed, or kept secret my sinne. When the Deuill opened Adams mouth to eate the Apple, hee did likewise shut it vp from the confessing of his fault. Pope Gregorie saith, That when God did aske Adam, Vbi es, Where art thou? he then pretended, had hee willingly and readily confest his fault, not only to haue pardoned him his offence, but to haue restored likewise all that good which he had lost, both to himselfe, and his posteritie. Saint Austen is of the same opinion. And Saint Bernard saith, That he did not hurt himselfe more by his disobedience, than by seeking to excuse his sin. For this his trans∣gression, had he dealt fairely and plainely with God, might perhaps haue beene

repaired. And Tostatus sticketh not to affirme,* 1.16 That if he had forthwith accused himselfe, he had freed all his succession: For albeit he afterwards repented him of what he had done,* 1.17 and that God had forgiuen him his sinne (Eduxit illum à delicto suo, For he brought him out of his offence, as we read in the first of Wisedome) yet did hee neither restore vnto him his originall innocencie, nor that Paradice wherein he had placed him. Your Schoole Diuines bring many strong Argu∣ments against this opinion; but the authoritie of such graue and holy fathers as we haue here aledged, may serue to make it probable.

And that was dumbe. God gaue Man a tongue, that therewith hee might praise his Creator; Lingua mea meditatur justiciam tota die, laudem tuam, My tongue doth meditate on thy righteousnesse and praise all the day long. Now the Deuill hee is so great an enemie to those praises & thankesgiuings which wee offer vnto God, that he studies to make that tongue dumbe which therein shall imploy it selfe. Dauid touching but his Harpe, forced that Deuill to take his heeles, that tormen∣ted Saul. And albeit Caietan saith, That this euill Spirit was but an excesse of melancholie, and that Dauids musicke did diminish it for the time, and gaue him ease; yet experience teacheth vs, that the sweetnesse of musicke doth as well in∣crease sorrow, as stirre vp joy. And therefore wee may take this for a most cer∣taine and vndoubted truth, That Dauids Harpe did serue as an Instrument wher∣with to praise God, by singing Hymnes and Psalmes vnto him; Confitebor tibi in cythera Deus, I will praise thee vpon the Harpe, ô Lord. This Harpe of Dauids is to the Deuill as vnpleasing to his eare, as Christs Crosse is to his eye; he cannot in∣dure the sound of the one, nor the sight of the other.

And that was dumbe. Mans Tongue is not onely bound to praise God,* 1.18 but likewise to benefit our Neighbour; one while by preaching in publique; ano∣ther while by aduising in secret. In this kind of sinne your Confessors are faul∣tie, who (as Osee saith of them) eat vp the sinnes of my people, and lift vp their minds in their iniquitie: making good those words that immediately follow; Like People, like Priest. So likewise are your Preachers who sow Cushions vn∣der Princes elbowes, and for feare of offending, refuse to reprehend sinne: And these Esay calls Dumbe Dogs. The Dog barkes at some, bites at other some, and heales others with his tongue, being in it selfe verie medicinable. Diogenes re∣prooued all his Citisens, laying before them their particular faults; hee repre∣hended the Poets, for that they railed in their Verses against other mens il man∣ners, and yet neuer amended their owne misdemeanors: Musitions, that beeing able to tune so well their Instruments, they could neuer as yet tune their Soules aright: Iudiciarie Astrologers, that diuining of other mens misfortunes, they could neuer diuine of their owne: Lewd liuers, that hauing so many good words in their mouthes, they should doe such bad deeds: Couetous Misers, that blaspheming money in publique, they adored it in priuate: Gluttons, that desi∣ring health of God, they did dayly ouerthrow their bodies by ouer-eating and ouerdrinking themselues till they fell a vomiting as they sate at boord: Of those that can be content to fare well themselues, and not bring good tydings to their brethren: The leaprous men in the fourth of the Kings could find fault therwith,* 1.19 when they said one to another, Wee doe not well; this day is a day of good ty∣dings, and we hold our peace.

And that was dumbe. It is strange, That the Deuil getting so much as he dayly doth by mans speech, should labour to make him dumbe; more harme grow∣ing to man by the former than the latter.

First, It is to bee prooued, That of a hundred that were possessed with De∣uills,

you shall finde but one onely that was dumbe; they are all of them exceeding great talkers, flatterers, and lyers: And that they might prate the more, they talke in diuers tongues, not onely in that which is their owne naturall Lan∣guage, but also in Latine, in Greeke, &c. Saint Ambrose hath noted it, That the Deuills downefall tooke it's beginning from his talking; Dicebat enim in corde suo, ascendam in Caelum, For he said in his heart, I will ascend vp into Heauen: And our destruction began with the conuersation that hee had with Eue. Iulian the Apo∣stata makes a jeast of it, That a Serpent should speake: Which Saint Ciril chose rather to proue by the testimonies of Phylosophers & Poets, than by Scripture, because this blasphemous wretch gaue more credit to them, than to the Word of God. Homer sayth, That Vlisses his Horse spake vnto him, forewarning him of his death. Porphyrius saith, that Caucasus spake; & that Pythagoras passing by, it sa∣luted him with a Salue Pythagora. Phylostratus saith, That Apollonius comming to the Gymnosophistae, an Elme (vnder whose shade being wearie he sate him downe) spake vnto him, and told him, That he was verie welcome. And Siginius repor∣teth of Iupiters Bull, That he spake like a man. If the Deuill then can speake by Horses, by Bulls, by Trees, and the like, hee may as well speake by a Serpent; And why not by that Serpent more than any other, that was to be the instrument to ouerthrow all Mankind?

Secondly, Out of many places of holy Scripture, obseruations of the Saints of God, and out of the opinions of many learned Doctors, Phylosophers, and Poets, in fauor of this point, two manifest truths are proued to arise from hence, and haue their first beginnings.

The one, That an euill tongue is the leauen of all our ill.

The other, That a good tongue is the summe of all our good.

The first, Experience at euerie turne teacheth it vnto vs. Whose are those blasphemies against God and his holy Saints, but of a sacrilegious tongue? Whose those inconsiderate iniuries, but of a rash and vnaduised tongue? Whose those infamies and detractions, but of a backbiting tongue? Whose, those dis∣honest words and lasciuious Songs, but of a filthie tongue? Whose, those sow∣ings of discord amongst brethren, those dissoluings of marriages, those blottings of mens good names, those soylings of your Clergies Coat, your Priests Surpli∣ces, your Bishops Rotchets, your Widowes decent dressing, your Maidens mo∣dest attyre, but of a durtie slabbering tongue? Saint Hierome saith, That the De∣uill left Iobs lips vntoucht, hoping that with them he would haue cursed God, as he promised to himselfe before hand; Stretch out thy hand and touch but his bones and his flesh,* 1.20 and then see if he will not blaspheme thee to thy face. Saint Ambrose saith, Plagam suam silentio vicit, He subdued his paine by silence. And the selfe same father saith, That if Eue had not spoken with the Serpent, or if shee had but eaten the Apple, & had said nothing therof to Adam▪ we had not come to that so great mi∣serie and misfortune whereinto we fel. The Deuill did not desire to make Eue so much a Glutton, as a Pratler: her talking with Adam did vndoe vs all. S. Iames qualifies both these tongues.

The one he termes a fire, that burns and consumes all that comes in it's way; and to be the onely maine cause of all mischiefe.

Of the other he saith, That man is perfect that offends not in his tongue. In our Booke De Amore, we haue a whole Chapter touching this ill, and this good. But how is it possible, that the Deuill should seeke to fauour the ill, and disfauor the good? Saint Augustine answeres this in one word; This man hauing beene here∣tofore a great talker, the Deuill made him dumbe, lest by confessing his faults,

he might repaire those losses which hee had runne into by ouerlashing with his tongue.

Dumbe, deafe, blind, and possessed with a Deuill. This massacre which the Deuill wrought vpon the bodie of this man, represents that cruell massacre which he dayly executes vpon mens soules: For though he takes pleasure in the possession of a mans bodie, yet his maine pretence is to preiudice the soule, and like a Worme in wood, to eat out the verie heart and pith thereof. Imagine a Horse prepared for the Kings owne riding, beautifull, and richly betrapt; let thy thought represent such a one vnto thee, and a Rogue that hath neuer a shoo to his foot, nor a rag to his tayle, mounted thereupon, and proudly bestriding him; Imagine a bed like that of Salomons, or that of the Spouse, cleane, neat, and strewed with Flowers, and an Oyle-man, a Collyer, or a Scullion put into it; so is it with the Soule possessed by the Deuill.

It is a common doubt, yet fit for this Storie, Why God permitteth that the Deuill should doe so much mischiefe to man? We know that this the Deuills rage towards man, began euer since that God purposed to make his Sonne, man; and holding himselfe affronted, that he was not an Angell, hee vowed and swore the death of man. And therefore it is said of him, Hee was a Murtherer from the beginning: And this made our Sauiour to say vnto the Pharisees, Yee are of your Father the Deuill, for that yee seeke to fulfill his will, Who putting Christ to death, did accomplish that which the Deuill had sworne. And hence ariseth that ha∣tred and emnitie which he beareth to man in generall, and the harme which hee either does or seekes to doe him; thinking with himselfe (as Tertullian noteth it) that the greater hurt hee doth vnto man, the greater stones hee throwes against God. But suppose, That without the will of God he cannot doe vs any harme,* 1.21 Why doth hee permit, that this his liuing Temple, consecrated with his holy oyle, being the habitation of his delight, should be made a Hogs-stie for Deuils? When Heliodorus prophaning the holy Temple of Ierusalem, entred thereinto, there met him an armed Knight in harnesse of gold, sitting vpon a fierce Horse richly barbed, who smote at Heliodorus with his fore-feet throwing him downe to the ground. This was no sooner done, but there presently appeared two young men, notable in strength, excellent in beautie, and comely in apparell, which stood by him on either side and scourged him continually, and gaue him many sore stripes till he was readie to giue vp the ghost: and all the People prai∣sed the Lord, that he had honoured his owne place with so great and strange a miracle. But Heliodorus escaped in the end with life, at the intercession of Onias the High-Priest: And the King asking Heliodorus afterwards, Who were meet to be sent yet once againe to Ierusalem? he said, If thou hast any enemie or trai∣tor, send him thither, and thou shalt receiue him well scourged, if he escape with his life: for in that place, no doubt there is an especiall power of God. But a more sweet & pleasing temple vnto God than Ierusalem, is the bodie & soule of man; Templum Dei, &c. The Temple of God is holy, which Temple yee be. He made a promise to Ierusalem, that no vncircumcised person should put his foot within it, much lesse doe any harme vnto it. How then doth God consent, that the de∣uils should lodge so long in man, and should trample and tread him vnder foot, and torment him in that extreame manner as they doe?

Saint Chrysostome in his bookes De Prouidentia, doth multiplie reasons heere∣vpon: and in his second part he setteth downe sixe; the chiefest whereof I take to be, The feare and terrour which God pretendeth to put man in with the sight of one possessed with a Deuill. There are many men in the world, whom God

must bring vnto him by ill; for good will doe no good vpon them. Saint Augu∣stine expounding that verse of Dauid, Descendant in infernum viuentes, Let them go downe aliue into the Pit; addeth, Ne descendant morientes, Let them not goe downe dead. Old wiues say, That wee must goe Saint Iames his way, either in our life or our death. But more truly may it be said of Hell, That to the end wee may not goe into it at our death, we must enter into it in our life: not like Dathan and Abiram, who went downe quicke into it, but with the consideration and ear∣nest thinking of him that is possessed with a Deuill. For if in this life, when as yet the finall sentence is not giuen, the Deuill doth vse a Sinner thus hardly; What will he doe vnto him when God shall seale his Warrant for Hell, and pro∣nounce condemnation againsthim? Origen noteth it, That there was not any kind of paine in the world, wherewith the Deuill did not torment Iob; afflicting him with the fires of Saint Anthonie, the sores of Lazarus, the Collicke, the Gout, the Canker, &c. Effudit viscera eius. Galen saith, It is impossible that many In∣firmities should meet together in one and the selfe same part of the bodie: But in Iob, in euerie part of his bodie the Deuill had put paine vpon paine, and sore vp∣on sore. Now if on him such rigour was shewne, who was appointed to bee the patterne of Patience; What cruell torments shall be executed on him that is to be made the example of Gods diuine justice.

The second reason is, That in the infancie of the Church, it was fitting that there should be some chastisements that should carrie a sound and a noyse with them; to the end that (as Dionysius hath noted it) the Wicked might be terrified therewith. In the Old Testament God tooke this course, Vae tibi cimbalo alarum. Esay speakes this of Aegypt, hee termes it a Bell with wings; for the seuere and many strokes which the bell with wings shall beat it withall. It is an excellent Symbole of Fame, because as it flyes, it sends foorth a shrill sound. Appian the historian cals the Emperor Tiberius, The Cimball of the world, because his fame did ring and sound through all the nations of the Earth. After many other plagues, God threatned the Aegyptians with a murren or pestilence; and anon after ren∣ders the reason of it, That his name might be declared throughout all the world. And as when the great Bell tolls in Arragon, the whole Kingdome is strucken into feare and amasement, (for that clapper neuer wags but vpon some strange and ex∣traordinarie occasion) so the whole world was strucken into a great feare of those rods and scourges wherewith the Aegyptians were so sorely beaten.* 1.22 Rahab said vnto the Spies which entred into Ierico, Our hearts did faint, and there remained no more courage in any, because of you; For I know that the Lord hath giuen you the Land, and that the feare of you is fallen vpon vs. And the Princes of the Philistines could say vnto their People, Be yee not rebellious and stiffe necked, lest it happen vn∣to you as it did vnto Aegypt. It remained for a Prouerbe to after Ages, The Plagues of Aegypt light vpon thee. To this end God permitted in the primitiue Church many demoniated persons; some, for forsaking the Faith; some, for abusing the Sacraments; others, for blasphemies, and the like: Himineus and Alexander were deliuered ouer vnto Sathan,* 1.23 that they might learne, not to blaspheme; others, for incest; others, for pride: so (according to Epiphan. & S. Hier.) Nebucad∣nezar was by the Deuil turned into a beast: others, for their enuie, [Spiritus Do∣mini mali vigebat Saul.] But that the Deuill should make a man deafe, blind, and dumbe, this of all other is the seuearest punishment: This is, To deliuer men o••••r to a reprobate sence, that they may doe those things which are not fitting for them. Tho∣mas saith, That God suffers this (yet not beeing the Author of so great an ill) by remoouing for a time his especiall fauour, & leauing the Vnderstanding to walke

a while in darkenesse. The Sunne is the vniuersall cause of the light; but if a man will shut vp his doores and his windowes close, it is his owne fault If hee abide in darkenesse. God is the vniuersall cause of the spirituall light of our Soules; but if any one shall despise this Light, he vseth to leaue him in the darke. And hence was it, that these three inconueniences did befall this man, to wit, Deafenesse, Blindnesse, and Dumbnesse, which was one of the greatest rigours of his Iustice. Esay saith, I saw the Lord sitting vpon a high Throne;* 1.24 like a Iudge that sits in state, the house full of smoke, and the Seraphins of fire, publish his furie, and the sent of their sinnes which had gone vp into his nosthrils. Those two Se∣raphins that couered Gods face, are a representation of his wrath; Though when the time of punishing is come, God vseth to open his eyes: but now the Seraphins couer his eyes, in token that he would strike this man with blindnesse. And therefore it is said, That the foundation of the Temple did shake. Then anon after followed the punishment; Excaeca cor populi huius, & aures eius aggraua. Other Interpreters vse the Imperatiue, vttering this sentence in a commanding kind of voyce; Excaecetur cor populi huius, &c. Let the heart of this people bee made blind, and their eares dull.

Cum ejecisset Daemonium, locutus est mutus.

When the Deuill was gone out, the Dumbe spake. The Deuill was first to be dri∣uen out, before the Dumbe could speake. First, The dore or the window is to be opened, that the light may come in: First, you must turne the cocke of the Con∣duit, or plucke out the stopple, before the water can gush out. The penitent man must first cast the Deuill out of his bosome, before hee can make any good Confession: First, the Preacher must cast him out of his heart, before hee can preach any sound Doctrine. What confession can a Sinner make, while the Deuill dwells in his soule? What sorrow or feeling can hee haue of his former faults? What purpose of amendment for the future? What acknowledgement of the heinousnesse of his crimes? What shame, or what feare of offending? Antiently men did confesse themselues only vnto God, to whom euery secret of the heart was so open, that mans thought and intention was sufficient; with the penitent, his condemning himselfe by his own mouth. Yet notwithstanding, Eze∣chias said, I will recount all my yeares in the bitternesse of my soule. And Dauid, Anni mei sicut araneae meditabuntur; With that care and melancholie wherewith the spi∣ders weaue their webs, drawing euery thred out of their owne bowells, so will I meditate on the yeares of my life, drawing out threds of sorrow and repen∣tance for euerie fault that I shall commit, from the bottome of my heart. If thou canst be content to imploy all thy sences for the good of thy bodie, & not do the like for thy soule, thou doost therein wrong thy soule, heauen, and God. Thou weepest and wailest for the losse of these earthly goods, but shedst not a teare for the losse of those rich treasures of heauen. Two things are inioyned the penitent:* 1.25

• The one, a full and intire Confession.
• The other, a strict examination of their owne conscience.

And that so strict as may befit so great and waighty a businesse as is the salua∣tion of the Soule; and then may the Dumbe speake, and the Preacher preach. For if the Deuill be still pulling him by the sleeue, what good crop can he ren∣der vnto God, of his Hearers? What light can hee giue to his Auditorie, who is himselfe possessed by the Prince of Darknes▪ Open thou my lips, o Lord, & I shal set forth thy praise; do thou pardon me my sins, & I shal sincerely preach thy Word. The Scribes & Pharisees, who were teachers, but not doers of the Law,

Ieremy cals them false Scribes, What they wrought with their pen, they blotted out with their works. The like kind of fault that partie committeth, who singeth Psalms vn∣to God in the Quire, and yet hath the Deuill in his brest: And then, how diffe∣rent must this mans thoughts be from his words? He can hardly say, Confitebor tibi Domine in toto corde meo, I will confesse vnto the Lord with my whole heart, as long as he hath giuen himselfe ouer vnto Sathan.

The Dumbe spake. This man prostrating himselfe at our Sauiours feet, might verie well say, Blesse the Lord, ô my Soule, and all that is in mee praise his holy Name: The Lord looseth them that are bound; the Lord inlightneth the Blind: Praise the Lord, ô my Soule, I will praise the Lord in my whole life. A Sinner that truly repents him∣selfe,* 1.26 and that sees himselfe freed from the Deuill, and from Hell, is neuer satis∣fied with giuing thankes vnto God, and in praising his holy Name, as oft as hee considers the great mercie which God hath shewed towards him. Saint Augu∣stine saith, That although the creating of Angells, and the justifying of Soules, doe equally argue Gods great power; yet the second is an act of farre greater mercie.

He casteth out Deuills through Beelzebub the chiefe of the Deuills. Origen, Saint Augustine, and Saint Ambrose say, That the Deuills haue their studies and their cares apart: This is their first Tenent; Some (say they) treat of Auarice; some, of Luxurie; others, of Ambition; others, of Reuenge; some perturbe mens minds, occasioning great sorrow; others, excesse of foolish joy and mirth.

Secondly, They hold, That in euerie one of these seuerall vices there is a su∣periour Deuill, which hath command ouer many that are inferiour vnto him; And he that is the Chiefetaine of one of these Legions, is not obedient to any Saint whatsoeuer, except him that excells in humilitie, whose lowlinesse of mind may be able to incounter with his pride of heart. S. Marke relateth, That our Sauiour deliuering one ouer that was possessed of a Deuill, to his Disci∣ples, to the end that they should make him whole; howbeit they had boasted, That Deuills also were subiect vnto them; yet they could not doe it. Afterwards asking Iesus the cause of their not curing him, hee answered, Such kind of Deuills as these, are not cast out but with Prayer and fasting. This Deuill should seeme to be a Prince of some Legion, and none could doe any good vpon him, saue such Saints of God as were wonderfull meeke and humble, and with Fastings did beat downe the bodie of sinne, and by frequent and feruent prayer, prostrate their Soules.

Thirdly, Many of these deuils do possesse diuers parts of the body which cor∣respond with that vice which they are subiect to: And as the soldier, who sealing a wall or a fort, stickes his dagger or his Pike in some part of the wall where hee meanes to get vp; so the Deuill seekes to pitch his standard there where hee may aduance it with most ease, and most to his honour and glorie. Alfegor that dishonest Deuill, domineeres most in the Loyns, (as it is noted by Saint Gregorie in his Exposition of that place vpon Iob,* 1.27 Virtus eius in lumbis eius, His strength lies in his loynes.) Pluto the Prince of Couetousnesse raignes most in the hands: Our Sauiour Christ healed a hand that was withered;* 1.28 signifying thereby, That it was a couetous hand, and yeelded not the fruit of good workes. Beelzebub, who is the Prince of Pride, rules principally in the head. This Beelzebub, by inter∣pretation, is the Prince of Flies; whither it were or no, that they gaue him this name in regard of those many Flies which his Sacrifices did breed; or whither it were because the Acharonitae did presume that he had freed them from certaine filthie and loathsome Flies; or for that the Flies are alwayes buzzing about the

head and face; or because the Deuill and these Flies are much alike in their euil disposition, [According to that of Salomon, Muscu morientes, perdunt suauitatem ••••guenti, Dead Flies doe marre the sweetnesse of the Oyntment;] or for that the Flie is the Emblem of a proud Deuill; Ipse est Rex super omnes filios superbiae. This De∣uill is a proud daring Deuill: proud in his Motto, Similis ero Altissimo, I will bee like to the most High: and proud in that his proffer, To haue the King of Kings our Sauiour Christ to doe him homage; H••c omnia tibi dabo, si cadens adoraueris me, All these things will I giue thee, if thou wilt fall downe and worship me. Or whi∣ther he were so called for that other attribute of his, to wit, his daringnesse and his audaciousnesse; Nihil audacius musca, Nothing bolder than a Flie: And for this cause (saith Homer) did the Lacedemonians beare Flies for their Deuice in their Shields; which is confirmed by Pierius. The Deuill occupieth the North, I will set in the sides of the North. From the North commeth all euill;* 1.29 Your Flies they doe the like. Plinie saith, That your Bees are forced to forsake their hiues, and to flie out of your Northerne parts, for the trouble that the Flies there giue them. The Deuill is importunate, impudent, neuer ceaseth, neuer growes wearie with tempting vs: And no lesse vexatiue and troublesome are your Flies. Saint Gre∣gorie calls these our sensuall imaginations, Flies. Pierius reporteth, That to the importunate man they gaue the name of Flie; And there is no such busie bodie as the Deuill. Lastly, Your Flies doe abound most in the Dog dayes; and the greater is the heat of our sensualities, the greater store of Deuills it hatcheth. Of Marie Magdalen Saint Luke saith, That our Sauiour Christ cast out of her seuen Deuills.

And howbeit there were other great Gods amongst the Gentiles, (according to Vatablus his report) as one Balberid; that is, Dominus Fideus, that presideth in al kind of dealing and contractations in Innes and Victualling houses; and was so rich an Idoll, by reason of the great Almes and deuotions which your Traders and dealers in the world did offer vnto him, that by the helpe thereof, Abimelech killing seuentie of his brethren, carried away the Kingdome of Israell. There was likewise one Belfegor, who did command in Chiefe in Gluttonie; and was a verie poore Idoll, in regard that they who were deuoted vnto him, spent all that they could rape and wring, in bellie-cheere and gourmandizing. Notwithstan∣ding all these, Beelzebub, whom they likewise called the God of Acharon, was more famous than all the rest of that rabble. And the Prophets for to diuert the People from the adoration of these Idolls, did impose infamous names vpon them, as Beelzebub God of the Flies.

And the People wondred. Acknowledging, That they had neuer seen so prodi∣gious a miracle in Israel [Nunquam apparuit sic in Israel;] Insomuch that some of them whispered amongst themselues, That he was the Sonne of God;* 1.30 Nunquid ••ic est Filius Dei? others did desire signes from Heauen; others said, In Beelzebub, &c. Saint Hierome saith, That this was that Deuill which deceiued Eue; as also he that tempted our Sauiour Iesus Christ. But here is to be seene a greater mira∣cle than this, That Christ giuing sight to this one blind man, should leaue so ma∣ny others more blind than he: Which made Esay crie out, Obstupescite,* 1.31 & admira∣••ini, Stay your selues, and wonder, they are blind, and make you blind. It were able to strike a man into amasement, to see that a poore sillie old woman should see the light of Heauen, and the blind likewise that is borne blind; and that the Scribes and Pharisees should continue so blind as they doe. The heart that is hardned is like vnto the Anuile, which the more you beat vpon it, the harder it waxeth: Or like vnto sand, which the more the waters wash it, the closer it settles,

and growes the tougher.* 1.32 Of Nabals heart, the Scripture saith, Mortuum est cor eius, & factum est quasi lapis, That his heart dyed within him, and that he was like a stone. Saint Bernard giues vs fiue markes, by which wee may know the hard∣nesse of a mans heart.

The first, Neque compunctione scinditur, It is not toucht with compunction, It hath no feeling of it's hurt, and perdition. Our Sauiour healing one that was possest with a Deuill, Suspiciens Caelum, ingemuit, Casting his eyes vp to Hea∣uen, he wep't and lamented; mourning for him, that mourned not for himselfe. Alexander would haue killed himselfe, for hauing killed his friend Clitus▪ L••••cretia stab'd her selfe, when she saw she had lost her honesty. But the sinner, is not sencible of farre greater losses than these.

The second, Nec pietate mollitur. It is not mollified with Gods Pitie and Mer∣cie towards it. The clemencie which he showeth towards it, ought to reduce it to repentance;* 1.33 But it despiseth (as Saint Paul saith) the riches of his goodnesse, and longanimitie. And these are riches, that are treasured vp to their owners condemnation. God treasures vp Mercie for thee, and thou treasurest vp Wrath against the day of Vengeance. All which shall turne to thine owne hurt.

The third, Nec mouetur precibus. It is not mooued with prayers and intreaties. Tota die (sayth Esay) &c.* 1.34 I haue spred out mine hand all the day long to a rebellious peo∣ple. The selfe same words, are repeated againe by Saint Paul. To begge with hands lifted vp, is a ceremony which men vse with God; & God sayth, that he vseth the like with men, as if he were Man, and Man God.

The fourth, Flagellis induratur. Like that of Pharaoh; The more hee is pu∣nished, the more his heart is hardned. According to that of Iob, Cor eius indurabi∣tur quasi lapis, & stringetur quasi malleatoris incus. His heart shall be hardned as a stone, or as the anuile, that is hammered on by the Smith. Whereunto, suteth that of Ieremy, Indurauerunt facies suas super Petram, They haue made their faces harder than a stone.

The fifth, Inhumanum, propter res humanas. Inhumane to it selfe for humane commodities, Who like Narcissus, being in loue with their owne beautie, will rather dye, than forsake so vaine a shadow. Of these men, it may bee sayd, Wee haue made a league with Death, and a couenant with Hell. The appointed time shall ouertake these men, or some disperat sickenesse shall cease vpon them. Thou shalt preach to one of these obstinat sinners, That he confesse himselfe, & make his peace with God, by acknowledging his sinnes, by being hartily sorry for the same, and by crauing pardon and forgiuenesse of God: But his answere will be, What, Shall men thinke that I doe it out of feare? No, I am no such co∣ward, &c. All these conditions are summed vp in those which our Sauiour vt∣tered of the euill judge. Nec Deum timeo, nec homines Vereor, I feare neither God nor Man.

Others tempted him, seeking a signe from Heauen. From this varietie of opinions, Saint Austen inferreth the little reckoning that we are to make as well of mens iudgements,* 1.35 as their iniuries. For mine owne part, leauing Saint Austen herein to your good likings, Let not mine owne conscience condemne mee before God; all the rest I account as nothing. What sayth Esay? Nolite timere opprobrium hominum, Feare not the affronts and calumnies of men. And Christ giues you a verie good reason for it; If the master of the family were called by the name of Belzeebu••, what name will they giue to those of his house? Gregorie Nazianzen, treating of certaine Heretickes, who made the diuine persons disequall; sayth, In bona•• partem hoc accipe Sancta Trinitas, nec tu stultorum linguas prorsus effugisti, O blessed Tri∣nitie,

receiue my words with that good intention which I deliuer them, thou hast not esca∣ped cleere from the tongues of fooles. It ought therefore to bee a great comfort vn∣to thee, that those fooles should mutter against thee, that spake ill of God. The Athenians, sentenced one Iupido, a base fellow, to bee put to death in Phocions company, who was a famous man: and Iupido, weeping, as he went along to ex∣ecution; Phocion sayd vnto him, Why doost thou weepe? Thinkst thou it a small happinesse, that thou must dye in my company? The like words doth Na∣zianzen vse to those that are iniured by the tongues of fooles; Thinkest thou it a small happines, that thou shouldst suffer therein with God? Saint Chrysostome sayth, That an euill tongue, is worse than a dogge: for hee onely teares a mans cloaths and his flesh; but an ill tongue, mens honours, liues, and soules. Saint Bernard sayth, That it is worse than that piercing of our Sauiours side with the speare, For that speare did but wound the dead bodie of our Sauiour Christ; but this sting of the tongue, our Sauiour beeing aliue; the one therein, beeing lesse cruell than the other. Dauid sayth; That an ill tongue differs but little from Hell. From the depth of Hels wombe, and from a foule tongue, good Lord de∣liuer vs. Where you see he makes it a peece of his Letanie. Many doe murmure by intimating a secret; This is onely committed to thy brest, whence it neuer ought to goe out. They doe not consider who commit a secret to a man, that therein they inioyne him, not to keepe it: It is a great foolerie to thinke, that another will keepe that secret, which thou thy selfe couldst not conceale. And as great a folly is it that thou shouldst hold him vnfaithful, who reuealeth thy se∣cret, and take thy selfe to be loyall, when as thou wast vnfaithfull to thy selfe. Thou doost not keepe that secret, which God and his Law commands thee; and thou holdst him disloyall, that breakes but the Lawes of the World. Thou defa∣mest thy neighbour by reuealing his defects to thy friend, and yet wouldst faine make show that thou art very tender of his honour.

But Iesus knew their thoughts, and sayd, Euery Kingdome deuided against it selfe, shal be desolate. Mathew, recounting another Miracle of a dumbe Deuill;* 1.36 the Scribes & the Pharisees sayd, In principe daemoniorū, &c. Our Sauior at that time did dis∣semble their blasphemie, hoping (as S. Chrysostome sayth) that the splendor of that Miracle, should by little and little ouercome them. But perceiuing in this Miracle, that they perseuered in their malice, and that his silence gaue occasion vnto them, to increase their suspition, hee made a short and cutted Sermon vnto them. For, there are occasions wherein a man ought to bee silent, and wherein he ought to speake. And so those two places in the Prouerbs, which seeme quite contrarie, are well reconciled. Answere not a foole, according to his foolish∣nesse, least thou also be like him; And againe,* 1.37 Answere a foole according to his foo∣lishnesse, least he be wise in his owne conceit. To reply sometimes to the fooleries of a foole, is to be a foole. And not to reply vnto him, is to giue him occasion to take himselfe to be wiser than he is. These two places Saint Cyprian quoteth in that his Tract which he made against Demerianus, Who grew so shamelesse and so impudent, in commending Paganisme, and condemning Christianitie, that af∣ter a long silence, he brake out and sayd, Vltra tacere non oportet, I may no lon∣ger hold my peace. The like course did our Sauiour here take with the Scribes and Pharisees. And for the better conuincing of them, he made answer to their inward thoughts, which is a propertie onely belonging to God. Not, because they did not blaspheme him with their mouths; for the word, Dixerunt, proues that sufficiently; but because, they did either blaspheme him between their teeth, (as Saint Chrysostom will haue it) or because some did vtter this blasphemie

with their mouth, and other some with their heart.

* 1.38Euery Kingdome diuided in it selfe. Although the Deuils are at a continuall dis∣cord amongst themselues, yet against Man they euermore ioyne their forces to∣gether; according to that of Esay, Et discurrent daemonia Onocentaurus, & Bilosus, & clamauit alter ad alterum. Make a squadron of Deuills, and of your Birds of rapine, and you shall find that they will combine themselues together for our hurt. Aristotle hath obserued, that your tamer sorts of fowles, as Pigeons, Geese, Cranes, and Thrushes, goe together in flockes, and keepe companie and friend∣ship one with another; But your Birds of Rapine, as your Eagles, Kytes, Vul∣tures, and the like, go still alone by themselues: So the Deuils, neuer keepe com∣panie amongst themselues, but against Man they lincke and combine themselues. Iob compares them,* 1.39 to strong shields that are sure scaled, being set so close one to another that no winde can come betweene them, nor any the least ayre pierce through them. One is ioyned to another. They sticke so together, that they cannot be sundred. This is a stampe of that strict vnion which is betwixt the Deuill and his Members. For the reprobate (according to Saint Gregorie) set themselues against Man. Saint Luke sayth of the Faithfull of the Primitiue Church, They were all of one mind, and of one heart: For though euery one in par∣ticular was the Sonne of his Father, and the sonne of his Mother, yet Charitie made them all sonnes of one Soule, and one Heart. And as the children of God linke themselues together in loue; so the Deuils, and the wicked ones, ioyne together in malice.

And here by the way, we may in the Church, take one case into our conside∣ration, which is a great dishonour to Christianitie, and a great glorie vnto Hell, to wit, That the Deuills beeing such enemies amongst themselues, should yet confederate themselues for our hurt; And that Christians, tied by so many great and glorious titles to bee louing friends each to other, should euerie foot disa∣gree, not onely in point of their owne priuat profit, but in causes appertaining to God. That King with King, and Prince with Prince, should wage war about the partition of their Kingdomes, it is not much; But that Prelate with Prelate, Diuine with Diuine, and Preacher with Preacher, should bee at difference, this is somewhat strange. Vnde bella, & lites in vobis? (Saith Saint Iames) Form whence are warres,* 1.40 and contentions amongst you? is it not onely from your owne lusts, that fight in your members? But Sathan that sower of discord, doth also sollicite and incite thereunto euen the holiest and best sort of people. Ecce Satanas expeti••it vos, vt cribraret sicut triticum, Lo Satan seekes to sift ye, as one would sift and winnow Wheat. The graines of Wheat continue close together as long as they are in the garner, but when they come to be sifted, they are sundred and seperated one from ano∣ther. According to that of Iob, Feruescere faciet quasi ollam profundum maris. He will diuide the Sea in sunder with dissentions, with the same rage & fury, as oyle boyleth vnder a great fire.

* 1.41If Satan be deuided against himselfe, how shall his Kingdome stand? Satan, is a com∣mon name, which signifieth many Deuills. For, if it were a proper name, as that of Belzeebub, it could not haue so conueniently beene said, In se diuisus est. This word implyeth any aduersarie whatsoeuer; As it appeareth by many places of Scripture. Non est Satan, neque occursus mal••s, said Dauid. And our Sauiour Christ, Vade post me Satan, Sathan get thee behind mee. But by a kind of excel∣lencie,* 1.42 it is more particularly appropriated vnto the Deuill, because he is the greatest aduersarie we haue.

But if Sathan be diuided in him selfe, how shall his Kingdome stand? This seemeth

to be no good consequence; being that a superiour Deuill, may cast out an infe∣riour. I answere, That our Sauiour Christ doth not denie this: nay, many of the Sinagogue, by coniurations, and vnlawfull exorcismes, beeing the Deuills mini∣sters, did cast foorth other Deuills. But if this were euery foote put in practise, and that many superiour Deuill, or their ministers, should infest and hinder one another; of force there must grow dissention among them, diuision must needs follow vpon it; and vpon this diuision, the dissolution of their Kingdome, as Athanasius, hath noted it. But our Sauiour Christ did cast out innumerable De∣uills, to their great griefe and torment, Crying and saying, Why art thou come to tor∣ment vs before our time? Where Saint Luke sayth, In digito Dei eijcio daemonia, In the finger of God I cast out Deuils. Saint Austen reads it, Si in Belzeebub, &c. If I cast out Deuills by the power of Belzeebub, then is his Empire diuided, and cannot stand. But his Kingdome not being to be at an end, till that God commeth into the World, as is made apparant by many prophecies, Peruenit in vos regnum Dei, The Kingdome of God doth come vnto you.

When a strong man armed, keepeth his pallace, the things that he possesseth are in peace. Seneca extends this name of Tyrant to a King that lawfully possesseth a King∣dome, but is now in his hands, who by force, or subtiltie, vsurpeth that which is none of his own; or in his, who gouerns that which is his own, but with tyran∣nie and cruelty. Saint Austen looking narrowly into those the primarie begin∣nings of the Kingdomes and Empires of the World, cals them, Magna latrocinia, Great and famous robberies. When Rome was Queen of the World, Titus Liuius sayth, That all the spoiles of other nations, were there deposited. Alexander reprehending a Pyrat, for robbing at Sea with two poore ships; Hee told him, Thou robbest the whole world; and doost thou find fault with mee for those petty thefts that I commit? And euen thus doe things passe at this day, in your great commonwealths. They whip a young theefe for stealing but ten Royals, and let a greater scape scot-free. What thinke you (if they were well exami∣ned) of a Treasurer, of a Iudge, of an Admirall, and the like great officers of a State, are not these great Theeues? And yet for greatnesse sake, we adore them. Your mice are prettie little Theeues, who in a Larder lye nibbling at a Pastie; Thou puttest in a Cat to kill them, or to feare them away; the cat falls vpon the Pye, and at times eates it all vp. Which I pray you is the greater Theefe of the two?

The greatest Tyrant and Theefe that euer was in the World, is the Deuill.* 1.43 Not onely for hauing made himselfe so much Lord and Master of the World, whereunto hee had no right, by stiling himselfe Prince and Lord thereof; but also for his exercising therein such strange and tyrannous cruelties, as hee dayly dooth. Our Sauiour Christ called him Theefe. He that comes not in at the right doore, is a Theefe and a Robber. Esay tearmes him a Tyrant. But I cannot let it passe without admiration, that our Sauiour should say, That hee should possesse all these things peaceably; being that no Theefe, nor Tyrant, can long inioy that which he holdeth by violence.

First of all, Great is the feare which he must liue in,* 1.44 whether it be out of his owne guiltie conscience (that continuall tormenter of the Soule) or in regard of those perils and dangers wherin his life stands. Helyes in waite for other mens liues, & there are thousands that lye in waite to take away his. It is an antient Pro∣uerbe amongst vs, Que los tyranos, nunca ••legauam a viejos, That Tyrants neuer liued to be old men. Phalaris was one of the greatest that euer the World had, who sayd, That Man would neuer haue beene borne, If he had but knowne be∣forehand

those miseries whereunto hee is borne; Nor a Tyrant desire to beare rule, knew hee but the troubles and misfortunes, that attend commands; where∣of, one is Feare: For, though he bee feared of all men, yet greater is his, than their feare. Caine was the first Tyrant that euer was in the World, and did liue in that terrible feare, that the wagging of a leafe would startle him, and make him turne coward. This his feare, made him to say, Whosoeuer findeth me, will slay mee. Macrobius, painting forth the pains & torments of Hell, sayth, That your Tyrants haue a great rocke hanging ouer their heads, which is euermore threat∣ning to fall vpon them. This picture in that other life, dooth well answere to that which they suffer in this. Aelian compares them to hogs, who are no sooner toucht, but they grunt, fearing their liues shal be taken from them. Nor is the de∣uil himself lesse affraid than they, euer since that God sayd, Ipse conteret caput ••••∣um, He shall bruise thy head. There was neuer yet that man borne into the world, that was a Saint, or whom the prophecies did prefigure for a Saint, but that the Deuill was still affraid that hee would cracke his skull, or (to vse the Scripture phrase) would bruise his head.

Secondly, For the better auoiding of feare, a Tyrant out of feare commits many cruelties. Herod out of this feare, slew so many innocent Babes. Pharaoh out of this feare, would haue all the male children of the Hebrews put to death. Athalia, out of this feare, destroyed all the stocke Royal that she could come by. For all (sayth Seneca) that are either powerfull, or popular, or next of bloud to the Crowne, whether they be friends or enemies, are alike suspected of him that is a Tyrant. And Iob remembers the reason of this iealousie, Hee takes away the liues of the valiant because he is affraid they will cut his throat. There was neuer yet any Saint of God, to whome the Deuill, out of this feare, was not cruell. He in∣censed Caine▪ against Abell; Ismael, against Isaac; Esau against Iacob; and his owne naturall Brethren, against Ioseph. But when our Sauiour Christ came into the World, what a roaring, and what a hidious bellowing did the Deuill make? And as the Hieronshaw (when the fawlkoner lets his hawke flye from fist, which must get vp aboue him and take away his life) fals a shrieking, and makes a most pittifull and fearefull noyse; so the Deuill made most lamentable mone when our Sauiour Christ appeared to the World, Crying out, Why art thou come to trouble vs before the time.

The Deuill then, suffring so many affrights and feares, and multiplying so ma∣ny cruelties as he dayly doth; what peace or quietnesse can hee inioy, that our Sauiour should say of him, In pace sunt omnia, quae possidet? All that he possessech is in peace. Three reasons may be rendred for it.

* 1.45The one, in regard of his pride; who was so presumptuous as to say, I will as∣cend &c. He that did hope to inioy a seat in Heauen; it is not much that hee should looke to inioy peace on earth. For though feare disquiet him, yet pride assureth him, flattering himselfe, that hee shall ascend the throne of the Highest without any disturbance.

The other, in regard of the miserie of those whom he tyrannizeth ouer. Redu∣cing them to that feare, that they dare notonce quack, or offer to stir against him, to such a wretched an estate hath he brought them. And therefore it is no mar∣uaile that he should make no doubt of keeping sure possession of this dumbe, deafe, and blind man.

The third, in regard that man hath made a base ad dishonourable peace with the Deuill, yeelding himselfe to be his slaue, and by resting well contented with this his seruitude. Plutarch reporteth of Appius Claudius, that Rome being about

to make peace with King Pirrhus, causing himselfe to be led to the Senat▪ for that he was blind. He no sooner came into the Senat-house, but he said vnto them, My Lords, and yee the rest of the noble Senators of Rome, I am informed, that you are concluding a peace with Pirrhus, that antient enemy of your bloud, and this renowmed commonwealth: I should take it for a great fauour from the Gods, that as I am blind, so I were deafe likewise, that my eares might not heare so great an infamie and reproach to Rome. The Moores take a cowardly Spa∣niard captiue, they carry him to Te••uan, from thence to Manuecos, from thence to some poore Farme, vsing him more like a dogge than a man, he makes peace with his Master, and turnes Moore: Iust so doth it succeed betwixt Man and the Deuill; He leads him from one sinne into another, from a lesser to a greater mi∣serie; His vsage is such, that he makes his peace with him, and in the end turnes Deuill. This is the Sheepes making peace with the Wolfe, the Chickins with the Kyte, the Mouse with the Cat, and the Hare with the Grey-hound, &c. Not to complaine of this so great a misery, is to bee dumbe, and blind. Os ha∣bent, &c. A mouth they haue and speake not, eyes and see not, neither doe they cry with their throat. Caietan renders it, Non mussitabunt, They will not so much as mut∣ter at it.

He that is not with me, is against mee. As if hee should say, if I shall free this man out of the Deuils clutches, the Deuill will not helpe me in it. For this is one of the greatest iniuries and distasts, which the Deuill can receiue, in regard of that great competition which the Deuill hath therein with God. And one of the greatest wrongs that God can receiue, is, That the Deuill should winne a Soule from his seruice, which he hath purchased at so great a price as his most pretious blood. And one of the things that the deuil takes most offence at, is, that God should cast him out of that soule, which hee hath so long possessed by his subtiltie and his tyrannie.* 1.46 Some Doctors doe doubt why God should punish the Serpent, being he was not in the fault. And the answere thereunto, is, That he deserued to be punished, for becomming Sathans instrument.* 1.47 Which may serue for a fearefull warning vnto Bawds, and the like vnhonest Solicitors, who woo other folkes affections to commit vnlawfull Actions, as elsewhere wee haue deliuered.

He that is not with mee, is against me. In such a profest warre as this, none may be Neutralls. Many can play with both hands;* 1.48 but here no daubing will serue the turne. Alciate stileth such Neutralls by the name of Bats, neither good Mice nor good Birds. And oftentimes they haue the worst of it: for if the other two make peace, they are hated on both sides. In the warres of Italy, those of Sona stood à la mira, at the gaze, taking part with neither partie, but looking for their aduantage where the blow would light. But they that waged warre thus be∣tweene themselues, ioyned afterwards together, that they might the better set vpon them, and ••ake reuenge of this their Neutralitie and double dealing. Solon made a Law, That whosoeuer, when the commonwealth should be at ciuile wars within it selfe, should show himselfe a Neutrall, should loose both life & goods. And the reason thereof might be grounded vpon this, That one of them must needes be the juster side, and then it were a ••oule fault not to adhere therunto. In Kingdomes that are at odds, there are woont to be double spies, and these haue their signes and counter-signes, which they often change & alter as occasion ser∣ueth. But in this difference betweene God and the Deuill, it is not possible to doe so. For the Deuill hath for his signe, the Character of that beast which is spoken of in the Apocalips; And God 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for his signe, Signum Dei 〈◊〉〈◊〉,* 1.49 The

signe of the liuing God. But God is not contented onely with this, but that by word of mouth thou declare whose thou art. Saint Ambrose expounding that place of the Canticles, Pone me vt signaculum supra cor ••uum, Set me as a seale vp∣on thy heart, saith, That God will haue this signe set vpon thy forehead, vpon thyne arme, and vpon thy heart; vpon thy forehead, by confessing him; vpon thine arm, by seruing him; & vpon thy heart, by louing him: So that, Quinon est mecum, contra me est; hee that gathereth not, scattereth; he that buildeth not vp, pulleth downe; and he that planteth not, rooteth vp what is planted.

If I by the finger of God cast out Deuils, doubtlesse the Kingdome of God is come vn∣to you. Saint Mathew hath it, If in the Spirit of God I cast out, &c. Making the finger of God to be Gods Spirit. In which opinion agreeth S. Hierome, S. Chri∣sostome, S. Ambrose, Gregorie Nazianzen, and Athanasius. And if any man shall aske me, What is then to be vnderstood by the Spirit of God? S. Gregorie, S. Ambrose, and S. Austen answer, The Holy-Ghost. And rendring the reason thereof, they say, That the repartition of gifts is by the fingers, & the Holy-Ghost is that per∣son in the Trinity, which doth distribute these gifts both to men and Angels. Athanasius and S. Hierome giue another reason; The Son, in the Scripture is called the Arme of God, as also the Hand of God; and as the arme and the hand pro∣ceed from the bodie, and the finger from both, so the Sonne of God proceedeth from the Father, and the Holy-Ghost from them both.

Euthimius saith, That the finger of God and the spirit of God signifie Gods power. The Magi of Pharaoh not beeing able to make those Gnats which troubled the Aegyptians, or (as Rabbi Salomon and some latter Writers will haue it) those Lice which were sent to plague them; said, Digitus Dei est hic, This is the finger of God; that is, the vertue and power of God: whereby his po∣wer is pointed at as it were with the finger. Of this opinion is Tertullian: and further addeth, That God calls his finger, his power; for that the least part in God, which is his finger, expresseth Gods omnipotencie. And that hee might not wrong this his greatnesse, in this action of his, of casting Deuills out of mens bodies, he vseth this phrase, If I by the finger of God, &c.

* 1.50Saint Chrysostome doubts of this consequence; Si in digito Dei eijcio Daemonia, perueniet in vos regnum Dei, If I cast out Deuils by the finger of God, the Kingdome of God shall come vnto you. Before that God did incarnate his Sonne, there were some Exorcists amongst the Iewes, which in Gods name, and by his vertue and power did cast out Deuils. And in the 19 of the Acts it is said, That there were certaine sons of Scena a Iew (the Priest) which did this. And Iosephus makes men∣tion of one Eleazar, who before Vespasian and his whole Army did cast out many Deuils. And of Salomon it is said, That he left some exorcismes behind him, in which the name of God was called vpon, when as yet the Kingdome of God was not come. By which S. Ierome vnderstands the comming of our Sauiour Christ, in his Exposition of that place of S. Luke, Regnum Dei intra vos est. Here∣vnto I answer, That one of the tokens of the time of our Sauior Christ, was, his casting out of Deuils; as well as those other, That the Blind should see, the Deafe heare, the Dead arise, &c.

But because this Prophecie is not so fully expressed in the Scripture as the rest are, it is sufficient, that our Sauiour Christ wrought this miracle amongst the rest, in confirmation that he was that promised Christ and Messias, as also that he was the Sonne of God. Whence it followeth, The Kingdome of God is come vn∣to you.

When a strong man armed keepeth his Pallace. Saint Mathew and Saint 〈◊〉〈◊〉

make this sentence somewhat cleerer. How shall any one enter into the house of the strong man, vnlesse he first bind the strong man? And presently Saint Luke giues the reason of it, When a strong man armed keepeth his Pallace, &c. Our Sauiour Christ compares this strong man to Beelzebub. And so S. Chaysostome and S. Augustine stile him.

First, because his power is absolutely great; as we say, a great Mountaine, or a strong Tower. Iob indeeres this his power in diuers and sundrie places.

Secondly, In regard of our weakenesse the Deuill is said to be strong, as wel in his offensiue, as his defensiue armes.

Humane goods, whereon men commonly place their hearts, Saint Ba••il com∣pares them to an highway Robber, who hides himselfe in some bush or thicket, that before the Traueller be aware of him, he may the better set vpon him. So the Deuill comes masked and disguised with an apparance of earthly blessings, and baiting our tastes therewith, he playes vpon vs. And therefore it is sayd in Wisedome, That God created these goods for a snare to catch fooles.* 1.51 If the Deuil should tempt vs, and go plainly to worke with vs, discouering his foulenesse vn∣to vs, Who would looke after him, or haue any thing to doe with him? But because those euills which worke vpon the Soule are not seene, and those of the bodie do much afright vs; we stand more in feare of the Deuil, than of sinning, suffering our selues basely to bee subdued by our owne proper affections. Saint Bernard saith, That three enemies do continually assault vs, but that none of them without our consent can doe vs any harme. So that the greatest enemie which each man hath, is himselfe; and for to worke his owne ruine, hee need no other helpe but himselfe. All hells power were too weake, if thou didst not put the weapons of thy consent into his hands; thou thy selfe giuest him the cords wherewith to binde thee, and the sword wherewith to cut thyne owne throat. His own iniquities shal take the Wicked, & he shal be holden with the cords of his own sin.* 1.52

Armed with these weapons,* 1.53 he becomes Master of the house of our soule (as it seemeth to Saint Hierome,) or of the world (as Irenaeus expounds it.) And there∣fore Saint Iohn calls him the Prince of the world. So that it was necessarie that our Sauior Christ should come, & should manacle him, & take these his weapons from him, wherein he so much trusted.

And that we way the better vnderstand how this imprisonment past; First of all, it is to be noted, That God neuer consents to the Deuills tempting of a good man, beyond his power of resistance and subduing of him. God is faithfull,* 1.54 which will not suffer yee to be tempted aboue that yee be able; for if hee should haue libertie without limitation, there should not be that holy man whom (like Iob) he would not bring to the dunghill.

Secondly, By our Sauior Christs comming into the world, the power of this tyrant was much lessened; not that his prison is lesse strict and hard than before, but because God communicating his grace to the Faithfull, makes them more strong and valiant in their resistance.

Thirdly, Since his tempting of our Sauior, his hands are bound, & his force & power hath failed him (as Hilarie & Irenaeus hath obserued) for when he saw him∣self so shamefully ouercome, he turned coward, & grew so feareful, as wel by the vertue of his diuinitie, as the force of his command, Vade retro Satana; that he ne∣uer after durst attempt to tempt our Sauior Christ in any visible forme, nor doe either him or those that follow him, that hurt which hee willingly would. And as in the Garden, saying but onely Ego sum, I am ••ee, hee made the Roman soldiers so afraid, that they flew back & fel to the ground; so by saying Vade retro

Satana, Goe behind me Sathan, hee made the Deuills so affraid and put such cowar∣dise into them, that trembling and crying out, they made hast to forsake those bodies they possessed. Saint Ierome saith, That our Sauiour Christ speaketh here of this imprisonment, How can any one enter into the strong mans, &c.

Fourthly, By our Sauiour Christs death, did the Deuill seeke to shake off this his feare and cowardise, by mustring vp all the rest of his forces; God so permitting it, that the Victorie might bee the more glorious and the more fa∣mous. This is that which our Sauiour Christ sayd vnto the Pharisees, as mini∣sters of Hell, This is your very houre, and the power of darkenesse. But after this hee remained in straighter imprisonment than before,* 1.55 As you may read in the Apo∣calips. I saw an Angell come downe from Heauen, hauing the key of the bottomelesse-pit and a great chaine in his hand;* 1.56 And hee tooke the Dragon, that old Serpent, which is the Deuill and Satan, and he bound him a thousand yeares. And cast him into the bot∣tomelesse-pit, and sealed the doore vpon him, that he should deceiue the people no more, til the thousand yeares were fulfilled, for after that he must be loosed for a little season. By these thousand yeares, the Saints doe vnderstand that space or terme of time which is to be before the comming of Antechrist; and those effects, which did succeed after the death of our Sauiour Christ, prooue, that till then his impri∣sonment was to be more straight, and that the Angell did not onely tye a chaine to his feete, but also put a barnacle about his rongue, and a ring in his nosthrils, that not onely the strongest men should escape his snares, but those that were lit∣tle children, and tender infants.

* 1.57When the vncleane spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through drie places, seeking rest, and when he findeth none, he sayth, &c. Euthimius hath obserued, That our Saui∣our Christs casting out of the Deuills, the Euangelists call it, a going or com∣ming foorth. Exibant ab eo daemonia, clamantia per loca in aquosa, The Deuils went out crying in watrie places. S. Mathew vseth the word, Arida, Drie places. The Greeke word, signifies both these. Origen by these places, vnderstandeth Hell. But since those Deuills, which entred into the swine of Gennezaret, did desire of our Sa∣uiour Christ, that he would giue them that mansion, it is not to be beleeued, that when they goe out of mens bodies they would for their pleasure make choyce of the bottomlesse pit;* 1.58 Saint Ierome declares the same in the word, Solitudines. And your Exorcists doe coniure them, to get them to the mountaines and the woods; pretending to excuse the hurt which they do, remaining among the con∣course or presse of people. The Angell which accompanied yong Tobias, impri∣soned the Deuil called Asmodeus, who had killed Saras seuen husbands, in the de∣sarts of Aegypt. And further sayth, That the deuill could not there find any rest; because he should not there meet with any people to deceiue them. Not that the deuill can haue any rest; but in doing mischiefe hee feeles the lesse torment. Cheering himself (like the enuious man) with other mens miseries. I will returne (sayth hee) vnto mine house whence I came out. Not that he can freely returne thither when he listeth, but because he striues and indeuours to doe it: And for that his experience teacheth him, that he there suffers least paine.

He taketh to him seuen other spirits, worse than himselfe. He lights vpon a house, whence all Vertue is banished; Well fitted for such a guest, and seuen more such companions as himselfe.

There are three sorts of persons possessed with Deuills.

* 1.59One sort of them, are spiritually possessed, by reason of their mortal & dead∣ly sinnes; For he that commiteth sinne, makes himselfe the seruant of sinne, and willingly puts himselfe into the power of the deuill.

Others are corporally possessed, as the Energumeni, and such as are Lunatick· And Saint Austen reporteth, that many young children beeing baptized, suffer this torment. And Cassianus sayth, That many Saints of God haue suffered the like, God so permitting it, that they might bee refined and purified, as gold in the crisole.

The third, consisteth of both those kinds.

Now, which of these three doe you take to be the worst? Saint Crysostome, and Gregorie Nazianzen doe affirme, That the partie that is spiritually possessed, is in the worst and most dangerous estate: And the reasons are as strong, as they are cleare. Which indeed are most cleere.

The first is, That the deuill can doe vs little harme, vnlesse we fall into sinne. For without the helpe of sin the deuill cannot destroy both soule & bodie. For though the deuill doe put it into the fire, it is our owne heart that must forge the worke. Saint Paul doth defie all the creatures both of Heauen, Earth, and Hell. And why? For I am persuaded (saith he) that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angells,* 1.60 nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things Present, nor things to Come, nor Heigth, nor Depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to seperate vs from the Loue of God, which is in Iesus Christ, yet he durst not defie sinne. For that alone is more powerfull to doe vs hurt than all other creatures put together.* 1.61 Saint Chrysostome askes the que∣stion, Why the deuill persuaded Iosephs brethren to put him first into a pit, and then afterwards to sell him? And he answeres, that it was the enuie and hatred which they bare vnto him for his dreames sake. And that other weapons, the deuill needed none. And in that Parable of the Tares, where the deuill sow'd his Tares amongst the Wheat,* 1.62 it is said, That although he had not sowne them, yet the good seed would haue beene lost through the carelesnesse & negligence of the husbandmen, For negligence in things so necessarie is a greater deuil, than that of Hell. In this sence Saint Gregorie Nazianzen sayd of Arrius, Satius illi esset a daemonio vexari, It had bin better for him to haue beene tormented by a Deuill.

The second is, For that the goods of the bodie, are not comparable to those of the soule, Tange cuncta quae possidet, Touch all that he hath, Sayd the Deuill to God, when he talked with him concerning Iob. In a word touching the goods of the soule, the least thereof is of more worth than all the world. And the goods not beeing able to bee compared one with another, neither can their ill. Nay, rather to loose these goods of the bodie, turnes oftentimes to our greater gaine. Perieramus, nisi perijssemus, We had perished, if we had not perished, It was the saying of a Philosopher in a storme, when the throwing of his goods ouerboord, was the sauing of his life. But that Soule that shall cast his sinnes ouerboord, and drowne them in the bottome of the Sea, that they may neuer be able to rise vp in iudgement against him; is a happinesse beyond all happinesse, and not to bee exchanged for the whole Empire of the World. What booteth it a man, to gaine all the world, and to loose his owne soule? Therefore it is a lesse ill, to be posses∣sed in Bodie than in Soule. For sinne onely is that true euill, which depriueth vs of true good.

Likewise, He that is spiritually possessed, is in worse case than he that hath a deuill in soule and body: And of this truth there are two euident reasons.

The one, that to haue a Deuill in the bodie, is no small occasion whereby the Soule is saued. Saint Paul said of the incestuous person, Let him be deliuered vnto Sathan, for the destruction of the Flesh,* 1.63 that the Spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus. Whither it were by way of excommunication, (as it seemeth good vnto Thomas) the Deuills tormenting him, following his excommunication, (as Ca∣ietan

will haue it) or whither he did deliuer him ouer to the Deuill, as to Gods Executioner, without excommunicating him, (as Saint Hierome is of opinion) or whither the Apostles had licence to doe all or any of these at their pleasure; sure I am, that Saint Ambrose saith, That the deliuering ouer of these Sinners vnto the Deuill, was a putting of them into some paine or griefe of body by the hands of the Deuill, as he tormented Iob, to the end that they might be drawne to repentance for their sinnes. And this agrees with that of Saint Chrysostome, That Saint Paul did deliuer the incestuous man ouer to the Deuill, tanquam pe∣dagogo aperiens ei poenitentiae ianuam, As to a Schoolemaster, opening to him the doore of Repentance. Saint Hierome saith, Tanquam Quaestionario, as to an Informer or Baylife: But they differ in this, That when the Informers accuse, & the Baylifes attach, it is commonly for others good; but when the Deuill accuseth or layes hold of a man, it is for hurt. Saint Ambrose saith, That when the Deuill had got leaue to tempt Iob, hee got it for to worke his destruction. Wilt thou take the Deuill with a hooke like a Fish, or with a string like a Bird? Yes, thou shalt lay that poyson for him as a bait, wherewith he thought to destroy thee. Wherein is to be seene the wisedome and omnipotencie of God, in that hee turnes these trickes and subtilties of the Deuill against Man, to Mans benefit; who being wil∣ling to swallow him vp at a bit, choakes himselfe, and doth rather benefit than hurt him. Wherein is plainely to be seene, the good hap which this dumbe man had in suffering in his bodie; for if his hurt had layne onely in his soule, they would neuer haue brought him to our Sauiour Christ, and it might haue so fal∣len out, that he might haue remained for euer in this his miserie: so that the tor∣ment of his bodie, was the occasion whereby he remained sound both in bodie and in soule; as commonly those did whom our Sauiour cured.

The second reason is, That there is no Christian can bee supposed to bee so wicked, that it being put to his choice to chuse one of these two, either to be dumbe, deafe, and blind, or to be one of those blasphemous Iewes, who said, In Beelzebub eijcit Daemonia, In Beelzebub he casteth out Deuills? would not rather make choyce of this mans misfortune, than of the Iewes hardnesse of heart.

He brings seuen Diuils worse than himselfe. When this foule Fiend enters into a man, he makes way for a great many more of his fellowes. For the Deuil be∣ing rather the Soules Bawd, than it's Bridegroome, he beares no loue thereun∣to; but God, because she is his true Spouse, is tender of her, and will not suffer the least wind of sinne to blow vpon her, but will looke louingly and carefully vnto her. But of this we haue treated heretofore.

And it came to passe while he spake, a certaine woman amidst the multitude, lifting vp her voyce, &c. Our Sauiour Christs Sermon did not make the least gap in the hard hearts of the Scribes and Pharisees, but it wrought such great admira∣tion in the brest of a certaine woman called Marcella, that lifting vp her voyce amidst the Doctours, and praising our Sauiour Christ, she cried out aloud, Bles∣sed is the wombe that bare thee, and the paps that gaue thee sucke. These Pharisees condemns thee for one that hath made a couenant with Beelzebub; but I say, that from the verie instant of thy conception thou wast a holy man, and that there∣fore blessed was the wombe that bare thee, &c. and that the leaprosie of origi∣nall sinne did not worke vpon thee, as it did vpon all the rest of Mankind. And that those paps which thou suckedst being likewise blessed, they could not giue milke to a Sinner. And because thy conception and thy birth were both holy, Gods blessing bee with that mother which conceiued and brought forth such a sonne. Saint Augustine saith, That it was not onely Marcella that vttered

these praises of our Sauiour, but that many others also beeing taken with the strangenesse of this miracle, fell into an extraordinarie commendation of him. But if the Gospell make mention of one only, it may be vnderstood, that Mar∣cella was the first that sung in that tune, and that many others followed on, and bore a part therein. And this sutes well with that of Saint Luke, They glorified him, saying, A great Prophet is risen vp amongst vs: One while confessing him to be God, another while, the Messias.

Of this applause and commendation of our Sauiour, wee haue two forcible reasons,

The one, That generall good which Christ did here vpon earth, and more particularly that which he did to this poore miserable man: For, to doe good, but especially to the Poore, is a powerful motiue of praise. Confitebor Domino ni∣misin ore meo, in medio multorū laudabo eum, qui astitit a dextris pauperis, I wil acknow∣ledge God with a loud voice; in the middest of many will I praise him who stood at the right hand of the Poore: This doth that phrase (as Saint Augustine hath noted it) inferre, of Nimis in ore meo: not betweene the teeth, nor in some by-corner, but in medio Multorum, in the middest of the Congregation. And therefore saith Eccles. Splendidum in panibus benedicent labia multorum: He that succoureth the poore, he that slaketh hunger, all the World shall ring of his praise, and thousands of bles∣sings shall be throwne vpon him. All Nations of the earth did euermore cele∣brate and honour those that were publike benefactors to the Commonwealth; and the Citisens thereof, by erecting Statues vnto them, that there might remain an eternall memorie and immortall fame of their noble actions: As Pliny repor∣teth of Athens; Plutarch, of Lacedemonia; and many Historiographers, of Rome. Leo the tenth did bring downe the price of salt; for the which Rome thought themselues so much bound vnto him, that they did set vp his Statue in the Capitoll, with a motto that spake thus, Optimi liberalissimique Pontificis memoriae. But your Kings and Princes now a dayes, doe make such a common practise of pilling and polling the Commonwealth, that to see any good come from them, may be held as great a miracle as that we haue now in hand. Ephra∣im is an Heifar vsed to delight in threshing. Now to thresh,* 1.64 is taken oftentimes in Scripture, to rule with tyrannie and oppression. Arise, ô thou daughter of Syon, and fall a threshing. For in this mountaine shall the hand of the Lord rest, and Moab shall be threshed vnder him, euen as straw is threshed in Madmenah. The proportion of the comparison holds in this, That as your heifers do tread the corne vnderneath their feet, till it be troad all out of the eare; so your Princes trample vpon their Subiects, till they haue drawne from them the greater part of their goods: and if here and there an eare escape him, and goe away whole, hee may crie, Goda∣mercie good lucke; Princeps postulat, & Iudex in reddendo est. The Prince, hee will haue some strange taxe or new imposition layd vpon the Subiect; your re∣uerend Iudges they will inuent a way to do it, and say, There is good law for it; and euer after it shall be a President, or a ruled Case. And whence doth this arise? Marry from this, That the one is a thorne in the Subiects sides, and the other are brambles. And for this cause, in that Fable of the Trees, none did de∣sire to be King, saue the Bramble. And this is the reason why Princes are soo∣thed vp by their Flatterers, and Cushion-sowing Courtiers vnder Kings elbows; but these Earewigs, howsoeuer their Prince may affect them, I am sure they are neither esteemed nor applauded by the People. And if these Flatterers grow fat and full, the Commons haue poore commons, and are poore and hungerstarued. But because this King of Heauen did good vnto his People, hee was praised and

commended by them. So saith Saint Mathew, The Multitudes wondred; and seeing the Dumbe to speake, the Blind to see, the Lame to walke, they magnified the God of Israell.

The other, The force of our Sauiour Christs words. Ecclesiasticus saith, That the words of a wise man are like so many nayles that strike the soule through, and wedge it fast. If a wise mans words haue that force, what efficacie shall Gods words carrie with them?

* 1.65A certaine woman lifting vp her voice, &c. Esay called our Sauiour Christ, The hidden God, Verè tu es Deus absconditus; Hidden in the Heauens. And for this cause some do deriue the name of Coelum, à Coelando. Iob he saith, Nubes latibu∣lum eius. He was likewise hidden in his mothers womb; Quē coeli capere non pote∣rant, tuo gremio contulisti. Who would thinke that this immensitie which the Heauens could not containe, should bee shut vp in so streight a roome? Hee hid himselfe also vnder his humanitie, insomuch that the Deuills eyes, beeing so sharpe sighted, and able to discerne things afarre off, could not know him, when his Diuinitie was hidden vnder those paines and torments which hee endured. Esay saith, Quasi absconditus vultus eius, It was hidden from the Worlds knowledge; Quis cognouit sensum Domini? Who knew the meaning of the Lord? The greatest Clerkes in Ierusalem said, In Beelzebub eijcit Daemonia, Through Bel∣zebub hee casts out Deuills. And if any man shall presse mee with that place of Saint Paul, That hee was manifested and made knowne to the World; I answer, That he did hide himselfe, but the Father did manifest him in the Cratch; hee hid himselfe in the manger, but his swathing cloathes driueled on by the Oxe and the Asse, and the reares that trickled downe his cheekes, did discouer him to be Man; the Kings sought to conceale him, but the Sheepheards did reueale him in the Temple; his mother, bearing him as a Sinner in her bellie, who was to redeeme the World, did hide and couer him, but Simeon and Anna the Pro∣phetesse did proclaime him to the world; his kneeling downe in Iordan before he was baptised, did hide his worth; but the opening of Heauen, and the voyce of the Father did declare him to be his Sonne; and the Holy-Ghost descending downe vpon his head in the forme of a Doue, did manifest his Maiestie. Vpon the Crosse, the Nayles, the Gall, the Vinegar, his wounds, his stripes, his shame, and his being forsaken of his Father, did hide his glorie; but the Centurion, the Theefe, his Executioners, the Sunne, Moone, Stones, and Sepulchres rendring vp their Dead, did manifest his power. And here the Scribes and Pharisees cal∣ling him the Minister of Beelzebub, seeke to hide him; but Marcella and her companions with a loud voyce, make him to be knowne what he was.

A certaine woman, &c. In the weakenesse of this woman God did discouer the greatnesse of his power.* 1.66 Of Iudith it is said, That a woman of the Iewes did confound the pride of Nebucadnezar: And here it is said, That a Iewish woman gaue the lie to all the power and wisedome of Ierusalem; striking the Scribes and Pharisees dumbe, confounding their vnderstanding, and making them asha∣med. For Marcella ••eeing them thus conuinced by the reasons of our Sauiour Christ, she lifted vp her voyce aloud, in token of victorie, and to shew that our Sauiour had the better of them. King Balthazar in the middest of all his mirth and jollitie, was with a hand that he espied vpon the wall, strucken as dead as a doore nayle. Pharaoh with a blast of Gods mouth was drowned in the Deepe; Flauit Spiritus eius, &c. These were strange things, but much more strange was it, That a poore sillie old woman should with two or three words confute the wisedome of Ierusalem, and put them to such a nonplus that they had not a

word to say.

Blessed is the wombe that bare thee. Shee reckons it heere as a great blessing to the Virgin Marie, that she was the mother of such a Son; which is an epitome of all her praises and excellencies. The Euangelist say no more, because all that may be said of her, is contained in this one word, Mother. And because some blasphemous persons had taken this name from her, in the generall Ephesine Councell, celebrated in the time of Pope Celestine and Theodosius the Emperor, whereat were present two hundered Bishops; it was concluded, That the most blessed Virgin should be called Theotocos, that is, The mother of God; for that our Sauiour was both Gods Sonne and hers, hauing his filiation from them both. The same was likewise defined in the Calcedonian Councell, vnder Leo the twelfth. So that the same Holy-Ghost which assisted these Councells, had prompted also this womans tongue. Saint Bernard saith, That this great name Theotocos is the greatest this diuine ladie hath, or can haue. And because the name of Mother of God, may seem to detract somthing from the sole omnipotencie of God, from his goodnesse, from his wisedome, & all other his excellent and singular attributes; left men might sinne in ouerpraising her, & giuing too much vnto her in that kind, Epiphanius saith, It was fit that Heauen should put a taske and a tye vpon this our tongue, least it should lash out too farre. And therefore her Sonne when he was vpon the Crosse, and tooke his last farewell of his mo∣ther, he said vnto her, Woman, behold thy sonne, giuing her that name, rather than of Mother, least some superstitious people might attribute the Diuine nature vn∣to her, and so rob God of his honour.

And the brests which thou hast suckt. She praiseth her wombe and her brests.* 1.67 There are two things entertaine a sweet correspondencie; a womans concepti∣on in her wombe, and the manifestation thereof in her brests. Iust so doth it succeed with the Soule, in it's conception of God, and the brest of the iust man, who thereupon doth manifest the guest that lodgeth there. Betweene the Vine and the Wine there is that good correspondencie, that the floures of the Grape participating of it's sweetnesse, sends forth a most pleasant odour. So likewise when the floures of Christ beginne to bud in the Soule, the brest of Man doth streightway thereupon breath forth a most sweet and redolent odour.

Beatus venter, Blessed is the wombe.

This was Mans first Heauen; the first place wherein God bestowed this his greatest happinesse and blessing vpon Man. It is a happinesse to Man, when his Vnderstanding sees God, and when his Will loues him, taking pleasure therein as in his chiefest good. Now, the first eyes that saw God, and the first will that loued God, and placed his ioy & delight therein, was that of our Sauior Christ; and Maries wombe being the receptacle of this happinesse, it came to bee mans first Heauen. The first Adam was earthly, because formed of earth; the second, heauen∣ly, because formed of Heauen. Before this time he had no set habitation, For hee dwelt not in any house from the day that he brought the Children of Israel out of Aegypt, &c. His glorie was represented in Tabernacles & Tents, poore Pallaces, ywisse, for God: Salomon did better it with his Temple, which Fabrick was the worlds wonder; but not so worthie God, that our eyes could see him; well might our will be good. But this most blessed Virgin had fitted and prepared so rich a temple for him in her womb, that God himself came down to dwel there. Some seeme to doubt, or rather wonder, why God should so long deferre his com∣ming in the flesh. He stayd so long, that the Holy-Ghost might prepare and

dresse vp this Temple of the Virgins Wombe, Vt dignum filij tui habitaculum of∣fici mereretur, spiritu sancto cooperante, praeparasti, Thou didst trim vp, ô Lord, the bo∣die and soule of this blessed Virgine, and didst furnish her with thy cheese Graces, that shee might be made a fit and worthy pallace for thy Sonne.

Blessed is the Wombe. This commending of the Sonne, was a great honor to the Mother. The common currant is, That children doe battle much vpon their parents worth. And therefore they doe so vsually blazon forth the noble acti∣ons of their Ancestors. And by how much the more antient they are, the more glorious is their coat of Armes. True it is, that fathers doe sometimes partici∣pate of the glorie of their sonnes; according to that of Ecclesiasticus, Hee that teacheth his sonne,* 1.68 greeueth the enemy, and before his friends he shall reioyce of him. Of meane men, they many times come to be famous and renowned throughout the World. Homer relates of Hylacius, that the valour of his sonnes did giue him (a∣mongst the Cretenses) the name of God. And when the Senate of Rome did crown any of their Citisens, their fathers were innobled thereby. And Ioseph, ha∣uing incurred the hatred and displeasure of his brethren, because he dreamt that the Sunne, the Moone, and the twelue starres did adore him, the sacred Text sayth, That the father, Rem tacitus considerabat, did lay it vp in his heart; as one that did imagine, that from the prosperitie of the sonne, there might some ho∣nour redound to the father. Cornelius Tacitus relateth in his Annals, that the Em∣perour Tiberius beeing importuned by many, that amongst other his surnames, he would assume some one of his Mothers, for his greater honour; made an∣swere, That the Mother was not to honour the Emperour, but the Emperour the Mother.

* 1.69But this their glorie is so short, that looking backe whence they came, they can make it scarce reach so farre, as their great Grandfathers. But the glorie of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, our Redeemer, did reach as farre as vnto King Dauid, and could draw his Pedegree from the Patriarch Abraham. Whome, that hee might honour them the more, he stiles himselfe in the Gospell to be their sonne, Filij Dauid, filij Abraham: where it is to be noted, that after so many ages, so many changes and alterations both of the times and the people, of Kings, Iudges, and Captaines, in the end, there being an interuention of two and fortie generations, the glorie of Christ attained to the hundred Grandfather. And by calling him∣selfe the sonne of Dauid and of Abraham, hee reuiued their remembrance, and made them thereby more famous. And if in so large a distance of time, it wrought so noble an effect, treading so neer vpon the tract of these latter times, that there was no wall now betweene the Mother and the Sonne, her blessed Wombe, and his most happie Birth; what a glorie must it be vnto her, & what a happines vnto vs? Emisenus treating in a Sermon of his, touching the assump∣tion of our Lady, and with what honour shee was receiued into Heauen, sayth, Those great riuers of glorie which the Sonne had gained both in Heauen and in Earth, returned backe againe that day, imploying their best & speediest course in the honoring of his Mother. Saint Ambrose stiles her the forme of God; Either because shee was the forme or mold through which God did thus transforme himselfe, by taking our humane shape vpon him; or else, because the graces of God, though not in so great a measure, were translated or transferred ouer vnto her. A mould made of earth, is not bettered by the mettall which it receiueth, though it be neuer so good gold: But by the gold of Christs Diuinitie, the V••∣gines Wombe was much the better and the purer by it. And therefore it is sayd, Beata, quae credidisti, Blessed art thou that didst beleeue; For all &c. the types & figures

and promises of God, remained more compleat and perfect in thee, than in any other creature.

Quin imo, beati qui audiunt Verbum Dei, & custodiunt illud.

But hee sayd, yea, rather blessed are they that heare the Word of God, and keepe it. These words may carrie with them a threefold sence:

The one, That the word Quin imo may be aduersatiua, implying a kind of re∣pugnancie or contradiction; and that correcting, as it were, what Marcella sayd, he doth mend and better her speech. Doost thou (saith hee) terme my mother blessed? Thou art deceiued; for shee is not blessed for that shee bare mee, but because she heard my word. And this sence is taken out of two places of Saint Augustine.

The one, in his tenth tract vpon Saint Iohn; where he saith, Mater quam appel∣las foelicem, non inde foelix, quia in ea verbum caro factum est, sed quia Verba Dei custo∣dit; That mother of myne whom thou callest blessed, was not therefore bles∣sed, because in her, the Word was made Flesh, but because she layd vp the word of God in her heart.

The other, in his thirtie eight Epistle, which he writes to a Gentleman called Letus; who being newly conuerted, was shrewdly layd at by his mother (per∣suading him all that she possibly could, that he should not proceed in this his de∣termination:) And proouing vnto him, That in this cause he ought to denie and hate that mother that had brought him forth according to the flesh, and to fol∣low the Church, by which he was regenerated & borne anew according to the Spirit. Amongst many other weightie reasons to mooue him thereunto, hee vr∣geth this amongst the rest; Thy King and thy Emperour Christ (saith he) had a mother, and such a mother as neuer man had the like: and being one day busie in preaching, (which was Heauens businesse) they told him, That his mother and his brethren were without at the doore, expecting that he should come forth vn∣to them. But he stretching out his hand to his Disciples, said, Quae mater? Et qui fratres mei? Who is my mother, and who my bretheren? My mother and my brethren are they who doe the will of my Father; as for any other Kindred or bloud I acknowledge none. Summing vp (saith Saint Augustine) in this num∣ber, etiam ipsam Virginem Mariam, euen the Virgin Marie her selfe. For the name of Mother is terrestriall, temporall, and transitorie; but that kindred which is contracted by hearing Gods Word, is celestiall and euerlasting. If this doubt had had it's occasion thus, or that the case stood so, that this good and holy wo∣man Marcella had not knowne and acknowledged our Sauiour Iesus Christ to be God, nor the blessed Virgin to be his mother, this ••ence had then beene verie plaine, and no scruple to be made of it: for the dignitie of mother should not haue come to a lesser degree of grace, than that which the Virgin inioyed.

The second sence or meaning is, That this particle Quin imo is comparatiua,* 1.70 comparatiuely spoken, or by way of comparison. Thou callest my mother bles∣sed, for that she is my mother; thou sayest well: but more blessed is shee in that she heares my Word. This sence is likewise taken out of Saint Augustine, Li∣bro de sancta Virginitatepunc; Where he saith, Beatior suit Maria concipiendo ••ente, quam ventre, Marie was happier in the conception of her mind, than of her wombe. And anon after, Foelicius gestauit corde, quam car••e, She bore him more happily in the Spirit, than the Flesh. This opinion is followed by Saint Cyprian, Iustine Martyr, and general∣ly by all the moderne Doctours; and this of all other is the plainest, and that which doth best open o••r Sauiour Christs intention and purpose.

First, Because the Greeke word, which answereth to Quin imo, is neither a Negatiue, nor an Affirmatiue.

Secondly, because this happinesse beeing granted vnto those who saw and beheld our Sauior Christ with their eyes; it is not to be supposed, that it should bee denyed to his Mother that had brought him foorth, and bred him vp. Be∣sides, the Virgine said of her selfe, All nations shall call me blessed, Not only for that aboundance of grace which God had bestowed vpon her, but also for that he had inriched her with so many great priuiledges, whereof the dignitie of a Mother was not the least. Saint Austen indeering the greatnesse thereof saith, That the heart could not conceiue it, nor the tongue expresse it: And Anselmus, That next to the greatnesse of the Son, there was not any greatnesse either in Heauen or in Earth, which was any way comparable to that of the Mother: And S. Bernard, That by how much the more was her vicinitie with the word; by so much the more was her excellencie in Heauen. Whence some Schoolemen inferre, that this dignitie doth exceed al those other treasures of grace which were to be found in the Vir∣gine. Iustine sayth of Olimpia, that howbeit she might boast herselfe much of the Kingdome of Troy, from whence she was descended, & from other kingdomes which she might claime from her father, her brother, and her husband, who was Philip King of Macedon; yet could she glorie in no one thing more, than that she was Mother to Alexander the Great, who was Emperor of the world. How much more strongly doth this reason hold in the most blessed Virgine?

* 1.71Yet notwithstanding all this, nothing comparable is the dignitie of a Mother to that of a daughter or a wife. And if it had bin left to this our most blessed Vir∣gins choice, whether she had rather haue been the Mother of God, or his Spouse and best Beloued, shee would questionlesse haue rather chosen to haue beene his Beloued. And the same is implyed by those seueral imployments of Martha and Mary. As the Virgin was a Mother, she did Marthas office, affoording her bre••••s to our Sauior Christ, wrapping him vp in his swadling clouts, breeding him and attending vpon him: But as she was a Daughter and a Spouse, she did Maries du∣tie, hauing her eare still eyed to his mouth, and diligently listening to those hea∣uenly words that proceeded from thence. And there arising a quarrell betwix•• these two sisters, which of them loued our Sauior best; our Sauior soon decided the controuersie, when he sayd, Mary hath chosen the better part. And this is made cleere in the example of the Queene Mother, and the Prince that is heire to his Fathers Kingdome. The Queene no doubt hath a great part in the King and Kingdome; But the Prince more, who must one day commaund all. King S••∣lomon honoured his Mother much, and as soone as he had taken possession of the Kingdome, he offered his seruice vnto her, and that he and all that he had was at her commaund, but in conclusion he left that to his sonne Rehoboam. Of his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 will (saith Saint Iames) begot he vs with the word of truth, that we should be at the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fruits of his creatures. Vt Simus initium, One Commentator hath it, Vt principa∣••um habeamus, that we may haue principalitie. The Greeke, That wee may bee the Majorasgos, The elder sonnes and heires of his Kingdome. In the Stockes and Linages of men, there are innumerable differences of more, and of lesse; of higher, and lower: But that which doth aduance and aduantage vs most, is the hearing of Gods word.

The glorious Doctor Saint Austen say••h▪ That which passeth amongst Na••••∣ons, passeth likewise amongst Men. God preferred the Iewes before all other Nations, Non fecit taliter ••••ni nationi, &c. He had not dealt so with any other Na∣tion, &c. Nor had they that oddes and aduantage of others, in regard onely of

those great and many wonders that he had wrought for them, but because hee had reuealed his heart and bosome vnto them. The finenesse of friendship, and the pure alloy thereof, doth not consist in this, that my purse is open vnto thee, and that thou share with me in my wealth and riches, but that there is not that se∣cret in my heart, which I doe not communicate vnto thee. I haue termed yee my friends, for whatsouer was deliuered vnto me of my Father, the same haue I made known vnto you. The Apostle Saint Paul askes the question, What aduantage the Iew had of the Gentiles? And what Circumcision did benefit them more than others? And his answer is, A great deale; First, because God hath more particularly reuealed himselfe vnto them, &c. Many wore the fauours which God had done them; but the greatest that euer he did them, was the reuealing of his Word vn∣to them, the imparting of his secrets vnto them, and trusting them therewith∣all. And so it passeth likewise betwixt man and man, where there is true loue and friendship indeed. It is said in the third of Saint Iohn, He that hath the Bride,* 1.72 is the Bridegroome; but the friend of the Bridegroome reioyce••h greatly because of the Bridegroomes voyce. The Euangelist here treateth of Saint Iohn Baptist, and saith, That to the Husband of the Church, which is our Sauiour Iesus Christ, the Spouse meerly belongeth; but for the office of a friend, such a one as was Saint Iohn Baptist, it appertained vnto him, to assist this louing Couple, and to keepe the Bridegroome and the Bride companie, and to hearken vnto them with a great deale of contentment and pleasure. Si Verbum Dei, (saith Saint Augustine) &c. If the Word of God which is preached in the Church, thou shalt receiue it with fulnesse of Faith, and trunesse of deuotion; that Word shall become whatsoeuer thou wilt haue it to be: It shall be vnto thee like Manna, which fitted it selfe to all mens ta••tes, there being not that palate and appetite which it did not please and affect, according to it's owne relish.

The third sence and meaning, which is no lesse literall than the former, pre∣supposeth two things:

The one, That this woman was strucken into a double amazement or asto∣nishment.

First, Of the strangenesse of the miracle.

Secondly, Of the incredulitie and obstinacie of the Pharisees.

The other, That these words are more directed to the praise and commen∣dation of the Sonne, than the Mother. And therefore when as here Marcella lifted vp her voyce and said, Blessed was that mother that brought thee forth, and the paps that gaue thee sucke; her maine and principall intent was, the commendation of her sonne, and inclusiuely an honouring likewise of the mother. But our Sa∣uiour Christ was willing thereupon to shew and make knowne to the World, how vnequal an estimation this is, which we make of these kind of goods; for, to cast out Deuils, and the doing besides of strange and wonderfull miracles, worldly men, and those that looke onely on the outside of things▪ preferre them vsually before the iustification of their soules. And this woman crying out, oc∣casioned by the greatnesse and strangenesse of this miracle, Blessed bee the wombe that bare thee, & the brests that thou didst sucke: He presently addes thereupon, Nay rather blessed are they which heare the Word of God and keepe it. If thou doost so much admire and wonder to see Deuills throwne out of mens bodies, thou wilt meruaile much more, to see them cast out of their soules. And being that my Word is so powerfull, as to free soules from this seruitude and tyrannie; more happie ought yee to hold mee, for those famous and renowned miracles which by my Word I worke in your soules, than for those which by my workes I

doe vpon your bodies. Thou therefore who preseruest both bodie and soule, bring vs to euerla∣sting life.

Notes

• * 1.1

  God alo••e must vntie the Deuills knots▪
• * 1.2

  Esay 49.
• * 1.3

  Coloss. 2.14.
• * 1.4

  Diuersrea∣sons, why Christ paused vpon the ca∣sting out of this Deuill.
• (1.) 1.5

  On our part.
• (2.) 1.6

  Reasons on the Deuils part.
• * 1.7

  Psal. 126.
• * 1.8

  Psal. 86.
• * 1.9

  Gen. 3.
• * 1.10

  Apoc. 9.
• * 1.11

  Ephes. 6.
• (3) 1.12

  Reasons on Christs part. Iob 40.20.
• * 1.13

  Luc. 11. Mat. 12.
• * 1.14

  Without con∣fession no true comfort.
• * 1.15

  Osee. 13. The Deuils craft is to shut vp our mouths from Con∣fession.
• * 1.16

  Gen. 39.
• * 1.17

  Wis. 10.1.
• * 1.18

  Dumb mini∣sters the De∣uills best agents. Ose. 4.8.
• * 1.19

  4. Kings 7.9.
• * 1.20

  Iob. 2.5.
• * 1.21

  Why God per∣mits him to be so mischie∣uous. 2. Mac. 3.
• * 1.22

  Iosh. 2.9.11.
• * 1.23

  1. Tim. 1.20.
• * 1.24

  Esay 6.
• * 1.25

  Two things required in euery true Pe∣nitent.
• * 1.26

  The iustifying of Soules a greater act of mercie, than the creating of Angells.
• * 1.27

  Iob. 3.
• * 1.28

  Luk. 16.
• * 1.29

  Ierem. 1. Esay 14.
• * 1.30

  Mat. 9. Mat. 12.
• * 1.31

  Esay 29.
• * 1.32

  1. Reg. 2.5.
• * 1.33

  Rom. 2.
• * 1.34

  Esay. 65.2. Rom. 10.
• * 1.35

  No scourge to that of the Tongue.
• * 1.36

  Mat. 9.
• * 1.37

  Prou. 26.4.5.
• * 1.38

  The Deuills though at dis∣cord amongst themselues do yet vnite their forces against Man.
• * 1.39

  Iob. 41.
• * 1.40

  Iam. 4 1.
• * 1.41

  The word Sa¦than, what it implyeth.
• * 1.42

  Mat. 1 ••.
• * 1.43

  No Theefe nor Tyrant to the Deuill.
• * 1.44

  Tyrants are euer their own torturest.
• * 1.45

  Reasons by which the de∣uill assures himselfe of peaceably pos∣sessing his spoiles.
• * 1.46

  Ob.
• * 1.47

  Sol.
• * 1.48

  Ill must betide all neutralls betwixt God and Sathan.
• * 1.49

  Apoc. 3.
• * 1.50

  The casting out of Deuills not alwaies a signe of the comming of Gods King∣dome. Acts 19.14.
• * 1.51

  Wisd. 14.
• * 1.52

  Prou. 5.22.
• * 1.53

  Why Sathan is stiled the Prince of the world.
• * 1.54

  1. Cor. 10.
• * 1.55

  Luke. 22.53.
• * 1.56

  Apoc. 20.
• * 1.57

  Luke. 8.
• * 1.58

  The Deuill finds no rest but where he may doe mis∣chiefe.
• * 1.59

  Three sorts of persons pos∣sessed with Deuills.
• * 1.60

  Rom. 8.38.
• * 1.61

  No creature so hurtfull to man as sinne.
• * 1.62

  A lesser ill to be possessed in bodie than in soule.
• * 1.63

  1. Cor. 5.5. 1. Tim. ••.20.
• * 1.64

  Ose. 10 11. To th••esh, in Scripture, is to rule with ty∣ranny. Isa. 25.10.
• * 1.65

  Esay 45.15.
• * 1.66

  God is woont by weake means to con∣found the Mightie.
• * 1.67

  Christs con∣ception in the heart, is pre∣sently disco∣uered.
• * 1.68

  Eccle. 30.3.
• * 1.69

  Christs pedi∣gree the no∣blest, & of longest con∣tinuance.
• * 1.70

  The Virgin not blessed for bearing Christ but beleeuing in him.
• * 1.71

  To bee the wife or daugh∣ter of a King a greater ho∣nour, than to be his Mother.
• * 1.72

  Iohn 3.29.