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 NINETEENTH SERMON, VPON THE MONDAY AFTER THE THIRD SONDAY IN LENT. (Book 19)

LVC. 4.23.

Medice, cura teipsum; Quanta audiuimus in Capernaum facta?

Physition, heale thy selfe, &c.

* 1.1THe Argument of this piece of Scripture, is a Plesto or Suit in law betweene our Sauiour Christ and the Townesmen of Nazareth, where our Sauiour Christ had beene bred vp. A wofull case, not onely because it was with an Incorporation, but with an ig∣norant companie of Townesmen, that were enuious, and apt to mutine, A tribus timuit cor meum, (saith Ecclesiasticus) There bee three things that myne heart feareth;* 1.2 Treason in a Citie; the Tumultuous assembly of the People; and False accusation. Homer said of Pallas the Goddesse of War and Discord, That she delighted much in three things:

The Owle.

The Dragon.

And, the common People.

The Owle is the emblem of Ignorance.

The Dragon, of Enuie.

The common People, of Furie.

These three Beasts did conspire against our Sauiour Christ; laying to his charge, That he contemned his owne Countrie, because hee had not wrought such miracles there, as he had in Capernaum.

Entring one day into the Synagogue, and sitting him downe in the Chaire, he opened the booke of the Prophets, and the Law; where hee lighted vpon that place of Esay,* 1.3 The Spirit of the Lord God is vpon me, therefore hath the Lord annoyn∣ted

me. And expounding that place of himselfe, he said, Vtique dicetis,* 1.4 &c. Yee will surely say vnto me this Prouerb, Physition, ••eale thy selfe: Whatsoeuer we haue heard done in Capernaum, doe it here likewise in thyne owne Countrie. That Physition doth amisse, who is forgetfull of his owne house, and does famous Cures in other mens houses. We haue heard that thou hast done great miracles and strange wonders in Capernaum; Fac & hic in patria tua, Let vs see if thou canst do the like in thyne owne. And this is the Charge, the Complaint, and the Accusation which they make against him.

Quanta audiuimus facta in Capernaum?

The occasion of this Complaint, were needlesse jealousies. Generally, the whole Nation of the Iewes were jealous of their owne profit, and enuious of other mens prosperitie. Esay cals them Zelantes Populos, A jealous People.* 1.5 And the Nazarites did the rather picke this quarrell with our Sauiour, by reason of the neighbouring occasion that was giuen them.

Capernaum was a most faire & beautifull Citie, as well in regard of the goods of Fortune, as of the nature of the Seat; it was scituated neere vnto the Sea, vp∣on the riuer of Iordan, in that most fertile and pleasant soyle of the Prouince of Galilee; her buildings were stately and sumptuous, excellent was the commo∣diousnesse & conueniencie of it's scituation, for Hauens, for Shipping, for Traf∣fique, & for it's number of rich and wealthie Citisens: but was made much more glorious by many other particulars, some whereof we shall repeat vnto you.

First, It pleased our Sauiour Christ to make choice of this place for his habi∣tation;* 1.6 whence it came to passe, that they called it his Countrie, and his Citie.

Secondly, Because he there first began to preach the Gospel; fulfilling there∣in (saith Saint Mathew) that Prophecie of Esay, The darkenesse shall not be ac∣cording to the affliction that it had when at the first he touched lightly the land of Zebulon, and the land of Nepthalie; nor afterwards,* 1.7 when he was more grie∣uous by the way of the sea beyond Iordan in Galilee, of the Gentiles; The peo∣ple that walked in darkenesse haue seen a great light; they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, vpon them hath the light shined.

Thirdly, For those many miracles which he wrought therein; as that of him that was sicke of the Palsey, and let downe from the house top; that of the dumbe man that was possessed with a Deuill; that of the Centurions Ser∣uant; that of the woman, who touching the hemme of his garment was cu∣red of her bloudie Fluxe, which shee had beene sicke of so many yeares before. Heere did he raise vp the daughter of the Archisynagoguian; and heere did hee giue sight vnto the Blinde; besides many other, vnmentioned by the Euangelists.

Fourthly, After his Resurrection hee threw a thousand fauours vpon that Countrie. A few paces from that Citie he appeared to Peter, Thomas,* 1.8 and Natha∣niel, who had fisht all night and caught nothing; willing them to cast the Net out vpon the right side of the Ship. And, as Brocardus reporteth it, vpon a stone of that riuer he left the print of the soles of his feet three seuerall times. With these his fauours he had stirred vp such enuies and jealousies in those of his own Countrie, that they said vnto him, Physition, heale thy selfe. But our Sauior Christ directed all these to the Nazarites good, to the end that these their jealousies might master their incredulitie and rebellion, and put spurres to their desires. A father hath two sonnes, one much made of, the other neglected and disgraced; this kind vsage makes the better beloued of the two, obstinate, churlish, and

vnquiet: And because that jealousies and enuie may breake this his hardnesse of nature, and mollifie this his stubborne condition, he calls this slouenly, tat∣ter'd, and despised child of his, and sayes vnto him, Thou art my sonne and my beloued. This faire kind of course did God first take with the Iewes. For his loue to them did he plague Aegypt, diuide the sea, drowne Pharaoh, rob the Ae∣gyptians of their Iewells, suffered not their garments to grow old, nor their shooes on their feet to weare out, fed them with bread from Heauen, gaue them water out of the rocke, a Piller seruing them by night for a Torch, by day for a Tent: In conclusion, these his ouer great fauours and courtesies toward them, made them so hard hearted and so vnthankfull, that they prouoked God by a Calfe, giuing thereunto the glorie of their deliuerance out of Aegypt. This their adoring of a Beast was a strange kind of beastlinesse. God hereupon cal∣led this ragged child vnto him, and threw his loue vpon the Gentiles, who liued before in disfauour and disgrace; and said vnto the Gentile, Thou art my sonne. You see him now cast off,* 1.9 that was yesterday a Fauourite, and carries that thom in his bosome, which doth continually pricke him: And therefore it is sayd, I will giue them a Spirit that shall sting them; a worme that shall still lie gnawing at the verie heart of them. Yesterday God had his house & his habitation among the Iewes, his name was called vpon by them; but now you see them cast off, trodden vnder foot, trampled on, hated, abhorred, infamous, without honour, without a Citie, without a Temple, without Prophets. The calling of the Gen∣tiles, the miracles that are wrought amongst them, the many fauours that are af∣foorded them, are so many nayls driuen through their soules, & with tears gut∣tring downe their cheekes, they now crie out with Ieremie, Our Inheritance is tur∣ned vnto strangers. Saint Ambrose saith, That God did doe this of purpose, that through an emulation of zeale, the Iewes might bee conuerted vnto Christ. Which is all one with that of Saint Paul,* 1.10 Through their fall, saluation commeth vnto the Gentiles, to prouoke them to follow them. In a word, To be thrust out of fa∣uour, and to haue another come in grace in his roome, cannot but be a great tor∣ment and affliction to the partie disgraced.

Quanta audiuimus? What great things haue wee heard?

* 1.11The reasons which they may alledge for themselues are these:

First of all, Amongst those good seeds which God hath sowne in our brest, one is, The loue of our Countrie: Many haue preferred it before the loue of friends, kindred, parents, nay, before themselues, their estates, and liues. Thomas saith, That next vnto God we ought not to beare so much loue to anything, as to our Countrie: he prooues it to be an heroicall vertue, to enioy that name, for the which we respect God, to wit, Pittie. And they that denie this loue vnto their Countrie, we hold them to be men deuoyd of pittie, barbarous, and cru∣ell. Saint Augustine in his Bookes De Ciuitate Dei, Thomas, and Valerius Maxi∣mus, quote many examples of men most famous in their loue to their Country: As of one Codrus, whose enemies hauing receiued answer from the Oracle, That if Codrus should be slaine in the battell, they should lose the victorie; entred in disguise, of purpose to be killed. Of Curtius, who for Romes safetie desperat∣ly leaped into that deepe pit. Of Sylla's Host in Praeneste, who taking that city by force of Armes, and making Proclamation, That all the Citisens should be put to the sword, saue his host; said, I wil not receiue my life from him that is the de∣stroyer of my Countrie. Of one Thrasibulus, whom the Athenians went forth to receiue with so many Crownes as they were Citisens. Numberlesse are those examples which wee find in prophane stories. And in those that are sa∣cred

we meet with that one of Dauid, and that other of Iudith, who aduentured their liues for their Countrie. In a word, Nature (as Saint Hierome saith) plan∣ted this loue with that deepe rooting in our brests, that Lucian said, That the smoke of our owne Chimnies was farre better than the fire of other mens. And Plutarch affirmeth, That euerie man commends the ayre of his owne Country. Hierocles stiles this loue, a new God, and our first and greatest father. Silius Itali∣cus introduceth a father notifying to his sonne, That not any fouler sinne did descend vnto Hell, than a mans opposing himselfe against his owne Countrie.

This loue being so due a debt, and so deseruing our pittie, it causeth no small admiration, that Christ our Sauior should grow so cold toward his owne Coun∣trie, and multiplie such a companie of miracles vpon other the Cities of Iudea and Israell, and performe so few in Nazareth, where he was bred.

Secondly, This difficultie is increased by the Nazarites iust request; alled∣ging, That since he had preached in his owne Citie such a new and strange kind of Doctrine, there was a great deale of reason that he should confirme the same by miracles: For, put case that this had not beene his owne natiue Country, yet was it a generall debt, which he had paid to other Cities.

Thirdly, because in expounding that place of Esay,* 1.12 The Spirit of the Lord is vp∣on me, because he hath annointed me, that I should preach the Gospell to the poore, he said, That that prophecie was fulfilled in himself, being that annointed Messias there spoken of: Which being so, it was fit that hee should prooue it by those signes and miracles which were prophecied of the Messias.

Fourthly,* 1.13 This difficultie is indeered by that which the Euangelist S. Marke reporteth of our Sauiour Christ; to wit, That hee could doe no great workes in Nazareth: As if his vertue and power had beene hindered and debarred of doing them; insomuch that it made our Sauiour Christ to meruaile much at it.

Fiftly, If the sinnes of Nazareth did thus bind his hands, more were those of Capernaum, which he compared to Sodome;* 1.14 For if the miracles had beene done in Tyrus and Sydon which haue beene done in you, they had a great while a goe repented, sitting in Sackcloth and Ashes. Therefare it shall be easier for Tyrus and Sydon at the Iudgement, than for you. Greater were those of Bethsaida and Chorazin; Vae tibi Bethsayda, vae tibi Chorazin &c. And greater were those of Ierusalem;* 1.15 whereof Ezechiel said, Samaria dimidium peccatorum tuorum non peccauit, vicisti eas sceleri∣bus tuis.

Sixtly, He had done other greater honours to Nazareth; there he was incar∣nated in the wombe of the Virgin Marie, which of all other miracles was the greatest. He tooke his name from Nazareth, as it appeareth by that his title vp∣on the Crosse; by that which the Deuills roared forth; and by that which our Sauiour himselfe said to Saint Paul, I am Iesus of Nazareth, Ego sum Iesus Nazare∣nus, &c. And therefore hauing giuen the more, it was not much hee should giue the lesse.

Seuenthly, Miracles were that milke which the Iews were bred vp with, and had beene antiently accustomed vnto, Iudea signa petunt, &c. The Iewes demand a signe. Esay importuned King Achab, That he would aske signes from Heauen, Earth, or Hell; Pete tibi signum à Domino, &c. Moses and Gideon desired signes, and therefore his children should haue beene bettered thereby, and more espe∣cially those of his owne Countrie. After that Ioseph had furnished Aegypt with corne, he set open Granaries to the neighbouring Prouinces.

Lastly, It was prophecied of the Messias, That hee should bee no accepter of persons: He was Lord of al, & to al (in al reason) he should shew himselfe equall

and indifferent: so that it seemeth to carrie a great shew of sorrow and resent∣ment with it, which those of Nazareth obiected vnto him; We haue heard what thou hast done in Capernaum, doe it here likewise in thine owne Countrie.

But for the better vnderstanding of that which our Sauior Christ did answer to this complaint and accusation of theirs;

First of all, we must suppose, That our Sauiour Christ shewed himselfe with his most blessed Mother, in foure occasions: For albeit it bee a holy thing for the children to honour their parents; yet this honour is to be done them when Gods cause interposeth not it selfe, who is the vniuersall Father of vs all. But when there shall be an incounter of our liking and loue towards two seueral fa∣thers, he that created me, and he that begot mee; wee are to haue recourse vnto our heauenly Father, in regard of whom, all the other fathers in the world are but Stepfathers. In this sence Saint Gregorie doth expound that place of Saint Luke,* 1.16 He that forsaketh not father and mother to follow me, is not worthie of me. Which is to be vnderstood in such things which appertaine to our spiritual saluation; as it is noted by the said Doctor, and Clemens Alexandrinus.

* 1.17Secondly, Saint Austen noteth, That in our Sauiour Christ two kind of works may be considered:

The one, Of a pure Man.

The other, Of a Redeemer and heauenly Master.

In the first, he was subiect to his mother, and his father Ioseph: so saith S. Luke, Et erat subditus illis.

In the second, he was to haue recourse vnto his heauenly Father; And there∣fore he said, Nesciabitis, quod in his quae patris mei sunt, oportet me esse? He was at the Wedding by his mothers appointment; but when hee came to the working of the miracle, he said, Quid mihi & tibi Mulier? Woman, what haue I to doe with thee? And when they aduised him whilest he was preaching, That his mother and his Kinsefolkes were waiting there for him; hee answered, Quae est M••∣ter mea, &c.

Thirdly, We haue two Countries:

Earth the one.

Heauen the other.

In that, our Bodies were borne.

In this, our Soules.

Now, when the desires of the Earth incounter with those of Heauen, our re∣course must be to Heauen: following therein the aduice of Dauid, Audi Fili••, & vide, obliuiscere populum tuum, & domus patris tui, Heare ô Daughter, and see, for∣get thy owne people, and the house of thy father. Our Sauiours naturall Countrie was Heauen; but here on earth, Nazareth. Now this Countrie did not desire miracles for to increase their beleefe, but for other respects, which wee will de∣clare hereafter: And therefore Christ would not worke any miracles amongst them.

* 1.18And assuming those reasons which Christ might alledge for himselfe:

The first is prooued by that Prouerbe which our Sauiour cited, No Prophet is accepted in his owne Countrie. Or as Saint Mathew and Saint Marke haue it There is no Prophet that is honoured in his owne Countrie, nay rather doth not suffer dis∣honour.

And this is made good both by diuine and humane learning; and there are more instances thereof, than there are sands in the sea. Moses being but a child, his parents put him into the riuer, leauing him to his venture, to sinke or swim.

Exposito autem illo; which the Syriacke reads, Cumque fuisset expositus à populo suo. When he came to be a man, one of his own Nation put him in danger of his life,* 1.19 Pharaoh sending after him to haue him apprehended. Afterward, being Captaine and Commander of the People, they did often mutinie,* 1.20 and not onely did mur∣mure in secret against him, but with open throat did publiquely blaspheme.* 1.21 Aa∣ron and Marie that were so neere allyed vnto him, vsed him like a Turke or a Moore, because he had married an Aethyopian woman. Dathan and Abiram vp∣braided him to his face, asking him,* 1.22 Whither hee meant tyrannously to vsurpe the Gouernment? Ioseph was so honoured by the Aegyptians, that they accoun∣ted him as a second King; Vno tantum regni solio te praecedam. His brethren put him downe into a pit, and sould him for a Slaue. Dauid was beloued and hono∣red of the people, and of all the whole land besides; but his father in law,* 1.23 and his owne sonne sought to take away his life and kingdome from him.* 1.24 Esay was spit at by the people, and ill intreated by them. Ieremie was mockt, scoffed at,* 1.25 and di••esteemed; and at last they set him in a paire of Stockes. Pashur the High-Priest smote Ieremiah the Prophet, and put him in the Stockes which were in the high gate of Beniamin, that was by the house of the Lord: And (as Tertullian reporteth it) was lastly stoned to death. At the Prophet Elisha, the boyes did hoot in the streets, crying out Bald-pate, bald pate. Elias,* 1.26 was persecuted by King Ahab and his Queene. Michah, was continually clapt vp in prison, Et alij ludibria & verbera experti, &c.

In humane Stories we read, that Hannibal was banished from Carthage after he had triumphed ouer so many Romane Emperours. Lycurgus, was pelted out of Lacedemonia with stones, the Oracles hauing as it were celebrated him for a god. Solon, was thrust out of Athens after he had giuen them such wholsome Lawes. Themistocles, after hee had innobled his Commonwealth with sundrie honourable seruices, was forced to flye to the Persians, where King Xerxes recei∣ued him with a great deale of honour. Bookes are so full of these examples, that it were an endlesse labour to relate them. That glorious Doctor Saint Ierome giues it as an aduice, That he who desires to bee famous, must forsake his owne Countrie. He that goes to Flanders, or to the Indies, after hee comes home is the better respected. Clement the Pope reporteth, That in the Primitiue Church the people would flock to the Sermon of a stranger. The fourth Carthaginian Councell made a Decree, that it the Bishops did passe through any Townes that were not within their own Iurisdiction, that the Gouernors of those places should inuite them to bestow a Sermon on them. In a word, The first in whose nose Lazarus stunke, was Martha. For there is no Prophet that is esteemed in his owne Countrey.

Some man may chance to aske me, vpon what this monstrousnesse in nature is grounded? Saint Ambrose, Saint Ierome, and Saint Chrysostome are all of opinion,* 1.27 That Enuie is the leauen of this ill, as it was of all other euills in the World. Saint Chrysostome askes the question, what hurt a Prophet doth, that Enuie should thus bite him with her venimous teeth? And I answer, Because she doth not en∣uie the bad, but the good. Caine (sayth Saint Iude) did therefore kill his brother because his workes were good.

Thomas sayth, That Enuy is a sorrowing or repining at another mans good;* 1.28 for that it is presumed, that it doth lessen and diminish their own honor. For the hurt which a man may do to himself and others, our wishes against that man proceeds not so much of Enuy as of Zeale. And so is it noted by S. Gregorie. A Tyrant goes foorth with the Vare of an Alcalde de corte; it greeues me, and I am heartily sorry

for the harme that hee doth to the Commonwealth, and his owne conscience. Saint Augustine prooues, That it is charitie to desire the hurt of a mans bodie, for the good of his soule. According to that of Dauid, Imple facies eorum igno∣minia, & confundentur, Fill their faces with shame, and they will bee confounded. Nei∣ther is that sorrow which I receiue for myne enemies good fortune, to bee ter∣med so much enuie, as enmitie. Saint Augustine saith, That euerie equal, enuies his equall, because he hath got the start of him, and is crept before him. And this is the most vsuall and ordinarie kind of enuie, as it is deliuered by Aristotle in his Rhethorickes. The Inferiour enuieth the Superior, because he is not equal vnto him; the Superiour, the Inferiour, lest he should come to equall him.

The principall harmes of this vice are three:

The first, It p••ts great incredultie into the brest of him that enuies the fel••ci∣tie of the Enuied. And this it easily effecteth: for, whatsoeuer is first soured by the Will, is euer ill receiued by the Vnderstanding.

The second, If the prosperitie be verie notorious indeed, it torments the ve∣rie heart of the Enuious, for that it is an eclipsing and obscuring of his reputati∣on and honour.

The third, When the Enuious can no other way doe him hurt, he endeauors to take away the life of him that is enuied; as Caine did Abels, and as Saul would haue done the like by Dauid. And for that those of Nazareth did behold our Sauiour Christ, when at most, to be their equall; and seeing that hee dispeopled Townes, and peopled dispeopled Deserts, they did so much enuie this his glo∣rie, that first of all they did not beleeue in him: secondly, they sought to dis∣credit him; and not being able otherwise to hurt him, they went about to breake his necke.

Some one perhaps will aske me, What aduantage the Naturall hath of the Stranger, for to set such an edge on our enuie? I answer, That too much familiari∣tie causeth contempt, and this our Sauiours conuersing with them, was the cause of their neglecting of him. To be Towne-borne children, to be bred vp from the cradle to the Schoole, and from the Schoole, to boyes sports and pastimes, is a great enemie to the future cōceiuing of a worthie opinion of that Prophet, Iudge, or Gouernour. And therefore it is well obserued by Saint Ierome, They doe not weigh his present worth, but haue an eye to his former infancie. They that are neerest Neighbours to a good Corrector or Inquisitor, are farthest off from con∣ceiuing a good opinion of him. Plutarch saith, That the spots in the Moone arise from the vapours of the earth, for that the earth is neerer to this than any other of the Planets. And, as it is in the Prouerbes, Laruin vezinzad, siempre man∣cha; None soyle and spot our name worse, than those that are our neerest neigh∣bours, especially being ill conditioned.

* 1.29Besides, Common things neuer cause admiration: according to that of Saint Augustine, touching the iustification of our soules. For though this bee a grea∣ter miracle than the casting of Deuills out of our bodies, yet we make no such wonder of it. And in another place he saith, That the motion of the Heauens, the influences of the Planets, the course of the Starres, the Waters, Winds, and Tempests, are meruailous miracles; for albeit that they keep on in their course by the order of nature, yet, that nature should conserue this order for so many Ages, it is a verie great miracle: yet wee make no such wonder of it. And be∣cause our Countrie, and al that good which it containeth (es pan casero de cada dis) is euerie day bred with vs, wee make no such wonder of it, it is not dainty vn∣to vs; and because it is common, we account not of it.

Againe, there is this difference betwixt secular and Ecclesiasticall Princes; That in them we loue the succession of bloud, & much esteem of this line all dis∣cent in nature; and for this cause we couet a naturall King, and abhorre the ele∣ction of a Crowne or Scepter. But in these other, we couet strangers, and ab∣horre our owne bloud, it seeming vnto vs, That Wisedome and Prudence is treasured vp in some more hidden and secret place: making vse of that saying of Iob, Sapientia de occultis.

The second reason why our Sauior did not doe those miracles the Nazarites desired, was, To teach both Prince and Prelate not to haue an eye to flesh and bloud, but to worth and desert. Iudas his Bishopricke being voyd, two worthie persons were in competition for it, Matthias and Ioseph, who being our Saui∣ours Kinseman, had the syrname of Iust: but the lot fell vpon Matthias, because no man should presume to thinke, that flesh and bloud should strike the stroke with God.* 1.30 The Iewes had the descendencie of Abraham for their refuge and defence, but Saint Iohn Baptist did aduise them, That the boasting of their pede∣gree would be no safe Sanctuarie for them to flie from Gods anger. For the af∣fection to flesh and bloud must not make a Prince to swarue from the way of ju∣stice, like those Kyne that carried the Arke to Beth shemesh. That there is a Melchisedech that neither acknowledgeth father nor mother, nor any genealo∣gie, it is a great priuiledge of diuine both fauour and power. Ismael pretended the birthright by the flesh; Isaac, by the Spirit: but when God came to sentence this businesse, he said, Eijce ancillam & filiumeius, Put them both out of house and home, mother and sonne. The mother was in no fault; but God would not that the sonne should gather heart by his mothers presence. By the same Plea did Abi∣meleck the sonne of Gideon pretend the Kingdome; Os vestrum & caro vestra sum,* 1.31 I am your bone and your flesh. In the Pallaces of your earthly Princes this poynt is much stood vpon; but the Prince of Heauen could not be drawne out of this respect to doe any miracles in Nazareth.

The third reason was,* 1.32 because the Nazarites seemed to claime these things of our Sauior, as it were by right, and as their due; when as God doth confer these his heauenly blessings vpon vs, meerely of grace: we can challenge nothing, it is his bountie that we must be beholding vnto. Saint Ambrose saith, That our Sauiour Christ cured strangers, and not those of Nazareth that were his Coun∣trimen, Because this medicine was of grace, not of place; not tyed to their Nation, but his inclination. Diuine blessings are conferred by creation, not transferred by propagation: it is like vnto your shoures in May, which go scudding and coa∣sting along, leauing (as Amos saith) one field wet, and another drie: and this is a kind of fortune or lot that falls vpon one that least thinkes of it; and this Lan∣guage of Lot is often vsed in Scripture. Those of Capernaum,* 1.33 those of Beth∣saida, those of Chorazin, and those of Ierusalem, were happely greater sinners than they; but God did not remooue from them neither his Miracles nor his Doctrine. But no farther reason hereof is to be required, than Gods owne wil, who may doe with his owne what he thinkes good.

The fourth reason for confirmation of what is past, may be the Nazarites cu∣riositie; Why more here, than there? Or why more to that man, than to mee? And other innumerable demands which the Flesh is woont to propose. It is a kind of rashnesse, not to submit our vnderstanding to Gods diuine prouidence: this is a smoke that blinds the eyes of Reason, it is a buzzing about the coelesti∣all flame, like the Butter-flie that flutters about the light of a candle, who, quae∣rendo lucem, inuenit lathum, seeking after light, scortches her wings, and procures her

death. The generall cause (aske thou neuer so many questions) is the will of God; this is causa causarum, the cause of causes. Why were more miracles wrought in Capernaum, than in Nazareth? Voluntas Dei est, (saith Saluianus) Why? God would haue it so. Now, to aske of God a reason of his wil, is, as if a slaue should aske the same of his Master, a Subiect of his Soueraigne, or the Clay of the Potter;* 1.34 Vae qui contradicit fictori suo testa de samijs, Woe be vnto him that striueth with his Maker, &c. And woe be vnto those that will seeke to know more than God, and that shall demand a reason of his actions. Shall the Clay say to the Potter, What doost thou doe? or, Why doost thou make me thus? Woe be vnto him that shall say vnto his father, What hast thou begotten? or to his mother, What hast thou brought forth? The best vnderstanding of man in things appertaining vnto God, is not to vnderstand; and the truest knowledge, not to know. Thou condemnest that stranger, who makes a foolish judgement of the Lawes of that Countrie which he doth not truely vnderstand; and darest thou be so rash, as to censure the De∣crees of Heauen?* 1.35 Canst thou by searching finde out vestigia Dei, the steps of God? Weigh well, I pray ye, the word Vestigia, and if too much curiositie in naturall causes, is counted a great fault, and that the soundest Phylosophie is that, which inquiring after the first causes, hath recourse vnto God; What are we then to do in those things that are supernaturall and diuine? Theodoret doubteth, Why Mo∣ses saying, That Tygris and Euphrates spring from Paradice; so many other Au∣thors should auouch, That their well-head is in the mountaines of Armenia▪ Whereunto I answer, That for as much as some Riuers are hid vnderneath the earth, and begin to rise and shew themselues some leagues farther off; so Tigris and Euphrates, hauing their springing from Paradice, are buried in the earth, and afterwards breake out againe into diuers parts; God so ordaining it, That he might cut off mans superfluous curiositie. For there might haue beene some so curi∣ous, that following the rising of these Riuers, would haue pretended to haue made a discouerie of Paradice. But God did shut vp the passage to this their humane curiositie, lest they should haue gone on in the pursuit of this their en∣tent, either through want of prouision in those sandie and desert places, or through the inaccessablenesse of those mountaines that interposed themselues; or through the barbarousnesse and crueltie of the people bordering there abouts.

* 1.36The fift reason is set downe by Saint Mathew, and Saint Marke; Hee wrought not many miracles there, by reason of their incredulitie: Not that he hated his owne Countrie, which he had so much honoured with his Conception, (saith the In∣terlinearie) but for Nazareths incredulitie. And this is made apparent by that Fac & hic in Patria tua: In other places they talke much of thy many and great miracles, but this Citie will not beleeue there is any such thing: and yet thou hast heere the same power thou hadst there; Therefore, Fac & hic in patria tu••, Medice, cura teipsum. How can we beleeue, that thou doost such famous Cures in other Countries, when as thou sufferest thyne owne Countrimen and thyne owne Kinsefolke to be sicke? The like argument was vsed by the Scribes and Pharisees at the foot of the Crosse, This man saued others, and cannot saue himselfe; How should we beleeue, that by his power he freed so many, beeing hee cannot free himselfe? Let him come downe from the Crosse, and saue himselfe, & then we will beleeue he is the Sonne of God.

Our Sauiour Christ prooued this their incredulitie by two examples:

The one, Of Elias, who when the Countrie was much oppressed with Fa∣mine, God sent him to a woman of Sydonia, to the end that she should sustaine

him. And this poore Widdow woman hauing in all her house nothing more in the world but a little meale, onely with one words speaking of the Prophets mouth, spent a great part thereof in making a Cake for him, baking it on the em∣bers; repairing Elias his present necessitie with the hazard of her owne life and her sonnes: and hauing so much reason as she had on her side, to doubt of the Prophets promise, That she should neither want meale nor oyle till it should rain in Israell. For Elias not being able to succour himselfe, shee might verie well suspect with her selfe, How he should be able to relieue others. This was a great and wonderfull excellencie of Faith; it is much celebrated by S. Ambrose and Saint Chrysostome; and our Sauiour Christ counterponeth it to the incredulitie of Nazareth.

The second example is of Naaman the Syrian, who beleeued that she-slaue of Israel, who told him, There was a Prophet in Samaria that could cure him of his Leaprosie: and crauing leaue of the King, because he was Captaine generall of all his men of Warre, he came to the Land of Israell to seeke out Elisha, bringing great gifts and rich presents along with him: and washing himselfe in Iordan seuen times, (though at first he beleeued, that with his word onely hee was able to cure him) he left with his disease, the errour of his Idolatrie. In a word, hee well deserued that the Prophet should heale him; but those Leapers of his owne Countrie did not deserue the like fauour, for their incredulitie. And other Cities receiuing the benefit of his miracles, these that were his owne Natiues missed of them. The word Audiuimus doth condemne them: For this alone was sufficient for their Faith, Fides ex auditu, Faith comes by hearing; and the Gen∣tiles had no other testimonies.

Besides, Nazareth was made partaker of many powerful testimonies; as that testimonie of S. Iohn, of that voyce from the Father; of the comming down of the Holy-Ghost in the likenesse of a Doue; as also those Testimonies of the Scripture, which were seene to be fulfilled in him; besides the testimonie of his Doctrine, For he taught them as one hauing authoritie, and not as the Scribes.* 1.37 And the testimonie of his life, that was so blamelesse, that (as Thomas saith) it did qualifie his Doctrine. So that his life was a greater testimonie than his Do∣ctrine; and his Doctrine, than his Miracles: And hee that will not beleeue the more, will hardly beleeue the lesse.

The sixt, In not shewing any miracles amongst them, hee shewed therein the more loue to his Countrie:* 1.38 For if these his miracles would haue done Naza∣reth any good, this their accusation might haue seemed somwhat iust; but being that they would haue turned to their hurt, and beeing that this their enuie to∣wards him, would from a great good haue drawne greater hurt, and from a great fauour, greater ingratitude, and more incredulitie; the lesse he did, the more was his loue. This did our Sauiour vtter by Saint Iohn, If I had not done those workes which none after euer did, they should haue no sinne.* 1.39 And by Saint Mathew our Saui∣our said the like of Iudas, It had beene good for him that hee had neuer beene borne. And Saint Peter saith of him that was conuerted,* 1.40 That for to put his hand to the Plough, and afterwards to looke backe, it had beene better for him, that he had neuer begun to walke in the way of godlinesse. S. Augustine saith, That God grants vs many things when he is angrie with vs, which when he is friends with vs he denies vs. So that he shewed himselfe a greater friend to the Nazarites, by denying them those miracles which they desired, than if he had granted their request; because they would haue serued but for their farther condemnation. The Seruant that knowes his Masters will, and doth it not,* 1.41 shall bee beaten with

many stripes; Vap••labit multis, saith S. Luke: but he that knows it not, and there∣fore does it not, Vapulab••t paucis, This mans punishment shall bee small in comparison of the others. Saint Chrysostome saith, That a bad Christian is like a treacherous Souldier, who being honoured and well payed by his King, turnes Traitour, and ioynes with his enemie. And Guaricus the Abbot saith, That to carrie a mans selfe in the Church like a Christian, and to talke like a Christian, but to liue like a Gentile, is, to march vnder Christs banner, and to take part with Antechrist And for these kind of men God hath stored vp treasures of his wrath.

The seuenth reason was, The Nazarits foolishnesse, in desiring miracles with∣out any profit vnto them at all.

Fiue sorts of persons required miracles, but got them not.

• 1 The Deuill, in that his temptation, Dic vt lapides isti panes fiant.
• 2 The Pharisees, Alij tentantes signum de Coelo quaerebant.
• 3 King Herod, Quis est iste de quo ego talia audio?
• 4 The rich Miser, Pater Abraham, mitte vnum ex mortuis, &c.
• 5 The Nazarites, Fac & hic in patria tua.

* 1.42Whatsoeuer Miracles he had bestowed on these, they had been all cast away. In antient times God wrought some miracles, where his Omnipotencie seemed most to appeare: As in making the Sunne stand still; and in diuiding the Sea in twaine. Others, wherein his Iustice seemed most to appeare; as in the Flood, the burning of Sodome, and the swallowing vp of Dathan and Abiram, &c. But when he came into the World, in all his miracles his Mercie seemed most to ap∣peare. For he wrought not any one miracle but was for mans benefit, respecting more others good than his owne fame. And in Capernaum, where he wrought so many miracles, Saint Basil and Saint Hillarie both affirme, that out of that Ci∣tie he chose many of his Apostles and Disciples. Beeing no more than what is declared in that verse of Dauid, Principes Zabulon, & Principes Nepthtalim; to whose Tribes Capernaum did appertaine: as appeareth out of that place of Saint Mathew, Leauing Nazareth he went and dwelt in Capernaum, which is neere the Sea,* 1.43 in the borders of Zabulon and Nephtalim, That it might be fulfilled which was spo∣ken by Esayas the Prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon and the land of Nep••htalim, by the way of the Sea beyond Iordan, Galile of the Gentiles, &c. Many more besides were conuerted in Capernaum: And he that promised Abraham to pardon Sodome, if hee could find but ten iust men therein; and he that left the ninetie nine sheep, to follow that one that was lost, and when he had found it, tooke it vp and kist it, and layd it on his necke; and he that swept his house cleane, to looke his lost groat; and he that suffred the tares to grow till reaping time was come, that hee might not hurt the wheat; it was not much, that he should doe miracles in Ca∣pernaum, where the Centurion and his Seruant were conuerted, as also hee that was sicke of the Palsey, besides the chiefe Ruler of the Synagogue, and his whole house.

Whence it is to be noted, That what the Deuill could not effect with our Sa∣uiour Christ, (to wit, That he should do miracles to a needlesse and vnprofitable end) the Nazarites went about to bring to passe, shewing themselues therein his true children. So that our Sauiour might verie well say that vnto them, which he said to the Pharisees, It is the nature of the Deuills sonnes, to fulfill the de∣sires of such a Father. God commanded Abraham, That he should sacrifice his sonne; and the Deuill being desirous to equall God, commanded the Gentiles to sacrifice their sonnes; They did sacrifice their sonnes and daughters to Deuils. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that wicked King of Israel, applying himselfe to the desires of the Deuill, the

Scripture giues this touch, That he did sacrifice his sonne to Moloch, Insuper & fi∣lium suum consecrauit, transferens per ignem, secundum Idola gentium.

The eighth reason is, That faintnesse and weakenesse, that lukewarmenesse, or rather coldnesse, wherewith the Nazarites did desire these miracles from Christ. And these their poore diligences, may sufficiently bee prooued by this, That they neuer went out of their own Citie, nor left their houses, for to heare our Sauior, or to see his miracles, as those of Iudea and Ierusalem did by troups, and others that flockt vnto him from the vtmost borders of Tyrus and Sydon. Neither did they send any embassage or message vnto him, entreating him to come vnto them; nor so much as bring any sicke bodie vnto him to bee cured. Whereas Capernaum did dispeople it selfe, to goe forth to heare his Word. The Centurion came forth likewise to seeke him, beseeching him humbly on his knee, That he would be pleased to make his Seruant whole. Others did vn∣tile their house, to let downe him vnto him that was sicke of the Palsey, &c. The comparison of one that followes a suit in Law of his owne, which imports him much; and of him that followes another mans cause, which concernes him little: the diligences of the one, and the carelesnesse of the other, are true em∣blems of the different conditions of Christians. Some follow the businesse of their saluation earnestly and industriously; other-some negligently,* 1.44 making a meere jeasting matter of it, and a thing of nothing. Herod desired to see our Sa∣uiour Christ, but he would not step a foot out of doores to looke after him: Whereas the Queen of Sheba came from the vtmost parts of the earth, to seeke after the wisedome of Salomon, onely vpon a bare report. But the Nazarits would not wagge a jot, to goe see our Sauiour Christ, hauing so short a journey as they had to make: And behold, a greater than Salomon heere. Quid, de nocte? (saith the Prophet) What, by night? The morning commeth, and the night; if yee seeke, seeke. Hee borroweth this Metaphor from one that stands Sentinell, who heares the word that is giuen afarre off, Ha de la vella, Que hora es? Ho, you of the Watch, What houre is it? And he presently makes answer, Quien da vozes sin para que? Who is be that calls without a cause? I say, That the morning comes, and the night; or ra∣ther, That the night succeeds the day, and the day the night. Who knowes not this▪ If thou wilt farther informe thy selfe, come where I am. Those that dwelt in the mountaine of Seir, beeing persecuted by the Chaldaeans, sent to know of Esay, When that persecution should cease? This is that Custos, Quid de nocte? Sentinell, What seest thou by night? It vexed the Prophet, and made him grow wearie of them, that sitting lazing on their tayles at home in their houses, they should send to know his mind. Onus d••ma ad me clamat de Seir, To Hierusa∣lem did the Idumaeans crie out vnto me: Si quaeritis, quaerite; Being in that great danger as thou art, doost thou stand off, doost thou hang taile, and wilt not make a little more hast to come vnto thy Sauiour? If there were nothing more, this were enough to condemne Nazareth.

The ninth; It might happely bee, That Nazareth did desire miracles, for the honour and glorie that might thereby redound vnto her; as that it might be noysed abroad in the world, That a Citisen of theirs, a Towne-borne child of their owne, had done these and these famous miracles, such and such singular wonders; and that she was to bee esteemed as Ladie and Mistresse of this so rare and rich a Treasure; and that our Sauiour being borne there, he was bound (as they thought) to keepe house there, and to make Nazareth the onely seat of his ordinarie residence. The loue of honour amongst Citisens, is so sauorie and so sweet a thing, that Cicero in many places stickes not to say, That there is not any

thing that Nature doth more couet: & that men are not so much to esteem the•••• liues for the present, as that fame which is to liue in their posteritie. Celebremus nomen nostrum, said those of the Tower of Babell, That wee may get vs a nam••. And to this end are directed your Scutchions, your Armes, your Coats, your Tombes, your Sepulchres, and stately monuments. And if such a poore City as Peleas, remained so famous by the birth of Alexander; if Ithaca, by Vlysses bee∣ing born there; it was not much, That Nazareth should boast her selfe, and think it a great glorie and honour vnto her, to haue the Sonne of God to bee he•• Citisen.

The Nazarites likewise might verie well desire miracles for temporall ends, as well for the Citie in generall, as themselues in particular. As those of I••••es∣cas desire, That the Virgin de la Charidad should do famous miracles, to the end that some might grow rich by entertaining of guests; others, by selling of fruits; others, by their seruice and attendance, &c. And so was it with these of Nazareth; but they tooke their mark amisse, in seeking to shut vp such great glo∣rie in so narrow and little a corner of the world, as that was, confining him to a Fac & hic in patria tua; When Peter would in Mount Tabor haue had Christs glorie coopt vp in so streight and small a compasse, comming vpon him with a Si vis, faciamus hic tria Tabernacula, and If thou wilt, let vs make three Tabernacles. Two Euangelists say,* 1.45 That he knew not what he said. And Origen addeth, That it was impulsu Diaboli, by the Deuils persuasion. The like may be said of Nazareths request, Fac & hic in patria tua. Christs glorie was to shew it selfe abroad to all the whole world, and to shine to al Nations; and wilt thou Nazareth make a Mo∣nopolie of it, and take it all into thyne owne hands?

The tenth and last, Because Miracles are neither necessarie, nor of themselues alone sufficient for our saluation.

Not necessarie, because many haue beene, and dayly are conuerted without them; as S. Mathew, the good Theefe, and they of Niniuie.

* 1.46Not sufficient, considering that so many and such strange miracles could not conuert a Pharaoh, a Iudas, or a Symon Magus, &c. Many do repeat in the church that Lesson of the Iewes, Signa nostra non vidimus. God doth not now work mi∣racles in his owne Countrie, nor in our Church, his owne Spouse and best belo∣ued. Those former times were much more happie, and farre more inriched, not onely with his miracles, but also with those of his Seruants: Peter did heale with his shadow; Stephen saw the Heauens opened; Philip in Samaria did cure by hundreds. There is no Arithmeticke that can summe vp the full number of those wonders that they wrought. And now it seemeth that the fountaine of his grace is drawne drie: But the truth is, That forasmuch as the Church then was in her infancie, and as it were but new crept out of the shell, there was a ne∣cessitie of the working of them; but after that the Church was well growne vp▪ & began to grow stronger & stronger in the Faith, there was no such great need of them. Saint Bernard saith, That the widdow of Sarepta had now no such great need to be relieued with Oyle and Meale. O (sayth one) if I could but once see a miracle, if an Angell should but speake to me, if a dead man should arise and speake vnto me, &c. What should I not then doe? But the truth of it is, That he that will not beleeue the Scriptures, will not beleeue an Angell that comes from Heauen, nor one that shall arise from the dead. Though God neuer yet was, no•• euer will be wanting to those that put their trust in him, by affoording them suf∣ficient meanes for their saluation.

Nemo Propheta acceptus in patria sua.

It is an antient complaint, That Prophets liue vnhonoured in their own Coun∣trey. Now (sweet Iesus) because thy Countrey does not honour thee, wilt not thou accomplish their desire? In all that whole discourse of thy life, thou didst flye from honour; When they sought to make thee King, thou didst shunne and auoyd it; From that Inscription on the Crosse, thou didst wry the necke and turne thy head aside from that glorious Title of, Iesus of Nazareth, King of the Iewes; Thou didst euer declare Humilitie, to be thy Daughter and Heire; Dis∣cite a me, quia mitis sum, & humilis corde, Learne of mee, for I am meeke and humble. Thou wast that Butte, gainst which the dishonours of the World did shoote their shaftes. Opprobrium hominum, & abiectio plebis, the reproach of men and the outcast of the people. Hereunto I answere, That our Sauior Christ did direct all his miracles to this end, that thereby they might be brought to beleeue that he was the Son of God, and the promised Messias; as it appeareth out of the tenth of Saint Iohn, Vt cognoscatis & credatis, quia pater in me est, &c. That ye may know and beleeue, that the Father is in me, &c. And in the eleuenth, Vt credant, quia tu me misisti, That they may beleeue, because thou hast sent me. And being thus receiued by vs,* 1.47 to bee the Sonne of God, it turned to our saluation, and the Fathers glorie. And as that fa∣mous Phisition who desires to bee knowne, for the recouerie of those that are sicke, and for the conseruation of the Commonwealth; and as that wise and learned Doctor who desires that his graue and good Instructions might be hark∣ned vnto, not for his owne glorie, but for the benefit of those that heare him; is not to be held an ambitious or vaineglorious fellow, but a verie honest man, and worthy much commendation: Euen so stood the Case with our Sauiour Christ. And Saint Gregorie doth prooue this Doctrine by Saint Pauls owne act;* 1.48 Who writing to the Corinthians, speakes much in his owne commendation, not so much out of an hope-glorious humour, to broach his owne praise, but to bring others therereby to beleeue the Truth. For it is an ordinarie thing with the World, not to esteeme of the Doctrine where the person is dis∣esteemed.

But I tell yee of a very truth, many widdowes were in Israell in the dayes of Elias, &c.* 1.49 He alledgeth these two examples, of the Widdow, and of Naaman, for to take away all suspition of partialitie. If thou shalt obiect that God was partiall to∣wards women; wee answere, That hee did likewise fauour Naaman. If towards great and noble persons, he did also sustaine the poore widow of Sarepta; If to∣wards the common and baser sort of people, Hee likewise cured Naaman that was a great Courtier; If the richer, he prouided also for the poore; If towards the poore, hee likewise cured Naaman that was rich▪ If towards young folkes, such as was Naaman, he had also a care of the widow, who was an old woman; If towards old folkes, Naaman was young, &c. In veritate Comperi, quia non est ac∣ceptor personarum Deus, &c. Of a truth I haue found, that God is no accepter of persons, &c.

Then al that were in the Synagogue were filled with wrath. Whether it were our Sa∣uiours zeale, in declaring himselfe to be the Messias out of the authoritie of the Prophet? Or whether it were for his comparing them to those of Tyre and Sy∣don? Or for that hee had equalled himselfe with Elias and Elisha, which were the two bright Suns of that commonwealth? Or that by the examples of Naman the Syrian, and the widow of Sarepta, hee did signifie vnto them, that the grace of the Iews was to be passed ouer to the Gentiles? Or, for that he had taxed them

of their incredulitie and vnthankefulnesse? Or whether their hearts through Enuie did swell and rise against him? Whether any one, or all of these together wrought vpon them? Sure I am, Repleti sunt ira, The men of Nazareth are grown wondrous angrie.

This place pointeth out two things vnto vs.

The one, The good requitall Truth findes vpon Earth. When they should haue held themselues happie in inioying so soueraigne a good, and when they should haue beene prowd of hauing so heauenly a Cittisen, and haue humbled themselues on their knees before him, & adored him; then, euen then, they grew hot and angrie with him: and transported with this rage, they would haue broken his necke by throwing him downe from a steepe rocke; fulfilling th•••• saying of Salomon,* 1.50 A scorner loueth not him that rebuketh him, neither will he goe vnto the wise.* 1.51 Agreeing with that of Amos, They haue hated him that rebuked in the gate, and they abhorred him that speaketh vprightly.

Another cause of this their cruell determination, for to throw him downe from the rock, was as wel their Enuie as their Anger. Enuie she sayd, Do not you see how this Carpenter boasts himselfe? Nonne hic est faber, & filius fabri? & sorores eius, apud nos sunt? Anger shee said, Cast him downe headlong from the Pulpit, or plucke him out of Moses Chaire, for a blaspheamer, by head and eares;* 1.52 for that he goes about to make himselfe our Messias, and our King. A brace of fierce beasts, I assure you; Enuie first opened the doore to all those euils that are in the world: By the Deuils enuie death entred into the world; and by death, a troupe of miseries. For although the Deuill were the Author thereof, yet did Enuy put spurs to his heeles. The Trojan Horse was not that which did so much harme to Troy, as that Graecian who inuented this stratagem. Onely this one good, Enuie bringeth with it, That it prooues it's owners Hangman. And for this reason Saint Augustine compares the Enuious to the Vipers, who gnaw out the bowells of those that bred them. And Saint Chrysostome, That it is a lesser euill to haue a Serpent in our bosome, than Enuie; for that was a curable hurt, but that of Enuie is not so. Ouid in his Metamorphosis paints forth Enuies house, and the qualities belonging to her person. Her house is seated in a very low bot∣tome, whereunto the beames of the Sunne neuer come, no light, no ayre, no wind: for the enuious man hath not any thing on earth, wherein to take com∣fort; being therin like vnto those that are condemned to the pit of hel. The qua∣lities appertaining to her person, is sadnes of countenance, heauines of the eyes, bitternesse of heart, venimousnesse of tongue, & veines without bloud; she loues solitude, shunnes the light, knowes no law, nor does no right, shee weepes when others laugh: In a word, she is Pestis mundi, porta mortis, the plague of the world, the doore of Death, the murtherer of Vertue, the pit of Ignorance, and the hell of the Soule.

* 1.53And Anger is no lesse fierce a beast, than Enuie: Of whom Ecclesiasticus saith, That as Mildenesse resideth in the bosome of the Wise, so Anger abideth in the brest of the Foole. Who but a Foole (saith Plutarch) can suffer a cole to lie in his bosome? Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath, neither giue place vnto the Deuill. He that goes to bed in anger, inuites the Deuill to be his bedfellow, There is not any vice that giues him so free an entrance, nor puts him into a more generall possession of our soules: for there is not that mischiefe which is not hammered and wrought in the forge of an angrie mans brest.* 1.54 A stone is heauie, and the sand weightie, but a fooles wrath is heauier than them both. Seneca saith, That as humane industrie doth tame the fiercest beasts, as the Lyon, the Tygre,

and the Elephant, so ought it to tame Anger.

Now to say, Which of these two furies is the fiercest? is not so easie a thing to be decided: For, if Enuie be kindled vpon light occasions, as that little short Song which the Dames of Hierusalem sung in Dauids commendation; if it be so large sighted, that our neighbours fields of Corne, and his flockes of Sheepe seeme better and bigger than our owne; Iosephs partie coloured Coate see∣ming better to his bretheren, than those Sheepeheards mantles wherewith themselues were clad: if it be the vice of little children, Parvulum occidi inuidia; What shall wee say then to the impetuousnesse of Anger, and the violence of Wrath? Or who is able to withstand it's rage? Anger is cruell, and wrath is ra∣ging,* 1.55 saith Salomon; but he concludes with this short come-off, Who can stand before Enuie? Who will oppose himselfe to the violent and swift torrent of a Riuer that sweepes all before it? Such a thing is Anger, for the time it lasteth: but that will slacke againe of it selfe, as your Spring-tydes fall backe againe into their owne beds. But Enuie will not so soone shift her foot, she wil abide by it, and neuer giue ouer. And Saint Cyprian renders the reason of it, Quia non habet terminum; it is not to be limitted, but like a Worme or a Canker, by little and lit∣tle rotteth and consumeth the bones; Salomon calls it, Putredo ossium. But An∣ger is a thunderbolt that strikes a man dead on the sudden; so sayth Seneca. And if Saint Augustine terme Enuie, a plague; and if another great Phylosopher call it Monstrum monstrorum, the Monster of monsters, and the most venimous Vi∣par vpon earth: Saint Chrysostome here on the other side saith, That the Deuill being in mans bosome, is lesse hurtfull than Anger. Much hath beene spoken of Enuie, and much of Anger; and that ill cannot be said of the one, which may not be affirmed of the other. So that this proposed doubt (Which is the worst Beast of the two?) may remaine for a probleme; which let others resolue, for I cannot. But (which makes fit for our purpose) beeing both such fierce Beasts as we haue deliuered vnto you, they did both conspire against our Sauiour Christ, leading him here to the edge of a hill whereon their Citie was built, to cast him downe headlong: and afterwards neuer leaft persecuting him til they had nailed him to the Crosse.

And they cast him out of the Synagogue. &c. Aristotle saith, That Man gouer∣ning himselfe according to the Lawes and rules of Reason, is of all other Crea∣tures the most perfect, or to speake more properly, the King of all other li∣uing Creatures: but if he shut his eyes, and wil not see reason, he is more fierce and cruell than all of them put together. The reason is, because other creatures neuer passe beyond the bounds of their fiercenesse and crueltie, receiue they ne∣uer so much wrong; Incursus suos, transire non queunt: Which (as Seneca saith) is for want of discourse. But man, who hath Vnderstanding for his weapon, is able to inuent such strange cruelties that may exceed the fiercenesse of the fier∣cest beasts. Nor is this any great indeering of the busines; for both Bede & Am∣brose say vpon this place, That the Nazarites were worse than the Deuil: the de∣uill lead our Sauiour Christ vp to the top of the pinacle of the Temple; those of Nazareth, to the edge of the hill on the side or skirt whereof their city was built. The Deuill did onely persuade him to cast himselfe downe from thence; but the Nazarites would haue done this by force. These (saith Ambrose) were the Deuills Disciples, but farre worse than their Master. Saint Paul saith, That there are some men that inuent new mischiefes, Inuentores malorum. And the de∣uill being the vniuersall Inuenter of all our ill, the Sinner that inuents new mis∣chiefes doth outreach the Deuill, and goes beyond him. And questionlesse, in

not passing the bounds of Gods diuine will and Empire, the Deuill is more mo∣derate than Man: For the Deuill askt leaue of God for to tempt Iob; but Man will not be so respectfull as to aske his leaue, but will not sticke to kill thousands of men without licence.

* 1.56Bonauenture saith, That they thrust him out of the Citie for a blas∣phemer, for proclaiming himselfe to bee the Messias. It is commanded in Leuiticus, That the Blasphemer should be carried forth of the Citie, and bee sto∣ned to death. And therefore our Sauiour Christ, extra portam passus est, suffred without the gate;* 1.57 and Saint Stephen was stoned without the Citie. And our Saui∣our had no sooner said in the presence of Caiphas, Amodo, &c. Henceforth shall yee see the Sonne of Man comming in the clouds of Heauen, but the Iewes presently cried out, Blasphemauit, He hath blasphemed. So likewise our Sauior expounding that prophecie of Esay, the Nazarites might also take occasion to say, Blasphe∣mauit. And this their offering to throw him downe from the edge of the hill, doth no way contradict their stoning of him; for they might haue done that after they had thrust him downe: dealing by him, as Saint Hierome reports Saint Iames (whom they call our Sauiours brother) was dealt withall; they first threw him downe from the Rocke, and afterwards cut off his head.

To cast him headlong downe, &c. Methinkes it seemeth somewhat strange vnto me, That our Sauiour should come down from Heauen to Nazareth, for to giue life vnto men, and that Nazareth should seeke to tumble him downe, thereby to worke his death: That with the losse of his owne life, and the price of his most pretious bloud, hee should redeeme them from death; and that they in this vn∣thankefull and vnciuile manner should goe about to take away his life. O, vn∣gratefull People! God was not willing to bestow any miracles on them, who would not entertaine so great a miracle. God vseth to requite the thankes of one fauour, with conferring another greater than the former. So doth Saint Ber∣nard expound that place of the Canticles, He made his left hand my pillow, and I doubt not but he will hug and embrace me with his right hand. For I shal shew my selfe so thankefull for the one, that my Spouse will vouchsafe to affoord me the other. But those courtesies which Nazareth had receiued, they so ill requited, that euen to the houre of his death none did our Sauior Christ greater iniurie.* 1.58 Nay, in some sort this their wrong was greater than that which Hierusalem did him; for this Citie treating of the death of our Sauiour, did obserue some forme of Iudgement, and onely the Ministers of Iustice had their hands in it: but Naza∣reth in a most furious manner, like the common people when they are in a muti∣nie, hasted vp to the edge of the hill, to throw him downe headlong, contrarie to all Law and Iustice. In Hierusalem there were some that did not consent vnto his death; but in Nazareth, all of them conspired against him: Omnes in Syna∣goga repleti suntira, All that were in the Synagogue were filled with anger; and that on the Sabboth day, when it was not lawfull for them to gather stickes and make a fire, &c.

* 1.59But he passed through the middest of them, and went his way. The common re∣ceiued opinion is, That he made himselfe inuisible to them, and so got from them, leauing their will and determination deluded. Saint Ambrose and Be•••• say, That he turned their hearts▪ Cor Regis in manu Domini, & quo voluerit, &c. The heart of the King is in the hand of the Lord, and hee turneth it, &c. Like vnto those Officers of the Scribes and Pharisees who went forth to apprehend him, who altering their purpose, returned saying, Nūquid sic loquutus, &c. Did euer any man speake thus? He might likewise take from them their force & their strength,

that they might not bee able to put forth a hand to hurt him; and leauing them like so many blockes, might passe through the middest of them, as beeing the Lord both of their soules and bodies. And as he once left the Iewes with their stones frozen in their hands, so now leauing the Nazarits astonished, Per medium illorum ibat.

This Ibat doth inforce a perseuerance and continuation, in token that God wil leaue his best beloued countrie, & that citie which was most graced and fauored by him, if it be so gracelesse as to prooue vngratefull. When God carried Eze∣chiel in spirit to the Temple, discouering great abhominations vnto him, and said vnto him, These things my People commit, Vt procul recedam à Sanctuario meo, They giue mee occasion thereby to forsake them, and to get mee farre enough from them. So hath he departed from Israell, from Asia, Affrica, & many other parts of Europ, forsaking so many cities & temples so much heretofore fauored by him, and so much made of. Nazareth signifies a Floure, a Crowne, or a Gar∣land; and the Nazarites were once the onely Floures in Gods Garden, that is, in his Church; they were religious persons that were consecrated to his seruice, and therefore Nazareth is by them more particularly called Christs own Coun∣trie, for that therein he had beene often spiritually conceiued. But because of the Nazarits, Ierem. doth lament, Thatthey being more white than milke, were become as blacke as a cole▪ by reason of their vnthankfulnesse. Therfore in Col∣ledges and religious places, with whom God communicates his fauours in a more large and ample manner, they ought of all other to shew themselues most gratefull: for the more a man receiues, and the more he professeth, the more he ought to doe. Cum enim crescunt dona, rationes etiam crescunt donorum Dei, so saith Saint Gregorie.

But he passed through the middest of them, and went his way.* 1.60 Howbeit death to the Iust is not sudden, nor can be said to take him hence vnawares [Though the Righ∣teous be preuented with death, yet shall hee be in rest,] The Church notwithstanding doth not vse this prayer in vaine, A subitanea & improuisa morte, libera nos Domi∣ne, From sudden death good Lord deliuer vs. Saint Augustine in his last sicke∣nesse prayed ouer the penitentiall Psalmes, and shedding many teares, sayd, That though a man were neuer so iust and righteous, yet was hee not to die without penitence. Saint Chrysostome tells vs, That when Feare at the houre of death doth set vpon the Soule, burning as it were with fire, all the goods of this life, she enforceth her with a deep and profound consideration, to meditate on those of that other life which is to come. And although a mans sinnes bee neuer so light, yet then they seeme so great and so heauie, that they oppresse the heart. And as a piece of timber whilest it is in the water, any the weakest arme is able to mooue it, but beeing brought to the shore hath need of greater strength; so sin whilest it floateth on the waters of this life, seemeth light vnto vs, but being brought to the brinke of death, it is verie weightie, and it will require a great deale of leisure, consideration, and grace, to land it well and handsomely, and to rid our hands of it. Of this good, sudden death depriueth vs: And although it is apparent in Scripture, That God doth sometimes permit the Iust to die a sud∣den death, as Origen, Saint Gregorie, and Athanasius Bishop of Nice affirmeth; as in Iobs children, on whom the house fell when they were making merrie▪ and in those who died with the fall of the Tower of Siloah; who according to our Sauiours testimonie, were no such notorious sinners, yet commonly this is sent by God as a punishment for their sinnes. Mors peccarorum, pessima, (i.) esse debet, An euill death was made for an euil man. And Theodoret expounding what Dauid

meant by this word Pessima, saith, That in the proprietie of the Greeke tongue, it is a kind of death, like vnto that of Zenacheribs Souldiers, who died suddenly. And Iob treating of him that tyranniseth ouer the world, saith, Auferetur Spirit•••• oris sui. Cajetan renders it, Recedet in Spiritu oris sui, He shal die before he be sicke, without any paine, in the middest of his mirth, when he is sound and lustie. Their life being a continuall pleasure, at their death they scarce feele any paine, because it is in puncto, in an instant. Sophonias requireth of them, That they will thinke on that day before it come,* 1.61 wherein God will scatter them like the dust. Esay threatning his People because they had put their trust in the succors of Aegypt, saith, This iniquitie shall be vnto you as a breach that salleth, or a swelling in an high wall, whose breaking commeth suddenly in a moment; and the breaking thereof shall be like the breaking of a Potters pot, and in the breaking thereof there shall not bee found a sheard to take fire out of the hearth, or to take water out of the pit. And the word Requisita mentioned by the Prophet, intimateth a strong wall that is vndermined, & rusheth downe on the sudden. How much their securitie is the more, so much the more is their danger, because it takes the soldiers vnawares. But if this so strong a wal should chance to fall vpon a Pitche•• of earth, it is a cleere case, that it would dash it into so many fitters & seuerall lit∣tle pieces, that there would not a sheard therof be left for to take vp so much as an handfull of water, or to fetch a little fire from our next Neighbours house. This effect doth sudden death worke, it is a desperat destruction to a sinner: And therefore Christ (though without sin) seeks to shun it, that he might teach thee that art a Sinner, to auoyd it.

Secondly, our Sauior sought to shun this violent death, because his death was reserued for the Crosse, as well because it was a kind of long and lingering death, as also for diuers other conueniencies, which wee haue deliuered else∣where.

* 1.62Passing through the midst of them, he went his way. Our Sauiour Christ might haue strooke them with blindnesse, if he would, as the Angell did those of So∣dome; or haue throwne them downe headlong from the Cliffe: but because they complained, That he wrought no miracles among them, as he had in other places, he was willing now at his departure from them, to shew them one of his greatest miracles, by taking their strength from them, hindring the force of their armes, and leauing them much astonished and dismayed. Though now and then God doth deferre his punishments, for that the sinnes of the Wicked are not yet come to their full growth; yet we see that he spared not his Angels, nor those whom he afterwards drowned in the Floud, nor those of Sodome, nor of others lesse sinnefull than they, nor his owne children of Israell, of all that huge number (being more in number than the sands of the sea) not suffering aboue two to enter into the land of Promise; how is it possible that hee should endure the petulancie of this peremptorie people, these grumbling Nazarites, who in such a rude and vnciuill fashion, in such an imperious and commanding voice, should presume to say vnto him, taking the matter in such deepe dudgeon, Fac & hic in Patria tua. But as when the Romane Cohorts came to take our Sauiour Christ, they fell backward on the ground at his Ego sum, I am hee; which was a fearefull Miracle; for no cannon vpon earth, nor any thunderbolt from Heauen, could haue wrought so powerfull an effect: so now passing through the midst of them with a graue and setled pace, leauing them troubled, angrie, & amased, hee prooued thereby vnto them, That he was the Lord and giuer both of life and death, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Nothing more fierce, than the fury of the people.
• * 1.2

  Eccle. 26.5.
• * 1.3

  Esay 61.7.
• * 1.4

  Luke. 4.
• * 1.5

  Esay 26.
• * 1.6

  The glory of Capernaum.
• * 1.7

  Esay 9.12.
• * 1.8

  Iohn 21.
• * 1.9

  Deut. 31.
• * 1.10

  Rom. 11.
• * 1.11

  Tis naturall in all men to loue their Country.
• * 1.12

  Esay 61.1.
• * 1.13

  Marc. 6.5.
• * 1.14

  Luc. 10.
• * 1.15

  Math. 11.
• * 1.16

  Luke 14.
• * 1.17

  Christs works of two sorts.
• * 1.18

  Why our Sa∣uiour would worke no mi∣racles in Caper¦naum.
• * 1.19

  Act. 7. Exod. 2.
• * 1.20

  Num 23.
• * 1.21

  Exod. 15. Num. 14.
• * 1.22

  Num. 16.
• * 1.23

  1. Kings 19.
• * 1.24

  Esay 65.
• * 1.25

  Hier. 20.
• * 1.26

  3. Reg. ca. vlt. Micah. 2.
• * 1.27

  Luke 4.
• * 1.28

  The nature of 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.29

  Admiration waits not, but on things that are rare.
• * 1.30

  Math. 4.
• * 1.31

  Iud. 9.
• * 1.32

  To chal••enge any thing frō God as due, is the way to go without it.
• * 1.33

  Psal. 30. Wisd. 1. Coloss. 1. Eph. 1
• * 1.34

  Esay 4••.
• * 1.35

  Iob 11.7.
• * 1.36

  Math. 13. Morc. 6. Incrudelity, a maine stop to Christs, Miracles.
• * 1.37

  Math. 7.29.
• * 1.38

  God somtimes neuer more our friend, than when he de∣nies vs our re¦quests.
• * 1.39

  Mat. 26.
• * 1.40

  ••. Pet. 2.
• * 1.41

  Luk. 12.
• * 1.42

  Miracles ne∣uer wrought, but where Good was likely to ensue
• * 1.43

  M••th. 4.
• * 1.44

  The seueral conditions of Christians, in seeking their Saluation.
• * 1.45

  Luke 9. Mark. 9.
• * 1.46

  Miracles not necessarie to Saluation, nor sufficient.
• * 1.47

  The desire of honour 〈◊〉〈◊〉 alwaies to condemned.
• * 1.48

  2. Cor. 11.
• * 1.49

  God, in the dis••ensing of his fauors, re∣spects no persons.
• * 1.50

  Prou. 15.12.
• * 1.51

  Amos 5.10.
• * 1.52

  Enuie a dan∣gerous beast.
• * 1.53

  Anger, a sin no lesse hurt∣full than Enuie.
• * 1.54

  Prou. 17.3.
• * 1.55

  Prou. 27.4.
• * 1.56

  The Nazarits base demeanor toward•• Christ
• * 1.57

  Ieuit. 4. Act. 7▪
• * 1.58

  Our Sauiour neuer any where so ill treated, as in Nazareth.
• * 1.59

  How Christ is sayd to ha••e passed tho∣rough them.
• * 1.60

  We ought to p••ay against sudden death. Sap. 4.
• * 1.61

  Esay 30.
• * 1.62

  God oft defers his punish∣ments, that our sins may grow to ma∣turity.