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 XXII. SERMON, VP∣ON THE THVRSEDAY AFTER THE THIRD SONDAY IN LENT. (Book 22)

LVC. 4.

When he was come into Symons House, his mother in Law was held with a great Feuer.

OVr Sauiour Christ hauing throwne out that talking Deuill in Capernaum, and inioyned him silence,* 1.1 Saint Luke here re∣counteth his entring into Peters house; not into that which Peter and Andrew had in Bethsaida, being Naturalls of that Countrie; for neither that protinùs of the Euangelist, nor the Sabboth, wherein they were to walke but a mile, will giue way thereunto. And though Peter had not a house in Capernaum, yet his mother in Law might haue had one there, or hee might haue bestowed one on her daughter in dower. And albeit Peter had made a re∣nunciation of the proprietie, yet might he haue a reseruation of the vse therof, as he had of the Nets & fishing Rods. S. Marke saith, That he went into the house of Symon and Andrew; whither it were because it belonged to them both, or whi∣ther or no because it might haue been Peters fathers house, and the fathers house we vse commonly to call it likewise the sonnes house. And though the house was poore and meane, yet was it no such great wonder, that he who had left the Pallaces of Heauen, and made choice to bee borne in so poore a thing as Beth∣lem, should for one day make so mean a house his Inne, especially the wil of the partie that entertained him, being so rich as it was to doe him seruice.

And Symons wiues mother. Saint Ambrose in his booke De Viduis, reckons this mother in law of Peters amongst many other that were most famoused and renowned in the world. And from this name of Socrus, which signifies our wiues mother, or a mother in Law, Tertullian and Saint Hierome doth inferre that Peter was married; for Mother in Law signifieth, an affinitie deriued from mar∣riage. And howbeit it seemeth vnto Saint Hierome, That the wife of Saint Peter was alreadie dead, yet Clemens Alexandrinus affirmeth that she was aliue, and that she afterwards suffered martyrdome for maintaining the Faith of our Sauiour Christ. But in fine, it is a plaine case that he had a wife.

Iesus rose vp and came out of the Synagogue, &c. Our Sauiour Christ diuided his whole life into these two stations:

From the Synagogue to the Sicke;

And from the Sicke to the Synagogue.

Where (as Saint Luke reporteth it) he preached the Law.* 1.2

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In Hierusalem (saith Genebrard) there was a principall Temple, which had in it foure hundred and eighty Synagogues, some more honourable than the other, and some lesse; and in all the Cities of that Kingdome there was great store of them, which occasioned our Sauiour to say, They affect the chiefe places in the Sy∣nagogues. There, with a strange kind of silence did the people hearken vnto them, and it was counted a great punishment, to depriue any Citisen of this so great a good. In these Synagogues our Sauiour Christ spent the greatest part of his life, and when he went out of them it was to cure the Sicke, or to relieue others necessi••ies. And though now a dayes a Preacher comes sweating out of the Pul∣pit, and goes to a friends house where hee hath warme Napkins clapt about his necke, and is much made of; yet our Sauiour Christ goes here from Maries bu∣sinesse to that of Martha's, and from that againe of Martha, to that of Maries; from the Synagogue to the house of Peter, because Peters wiues mother was sick. Chry∣sologus saith, That it was easie to bee seene, what was the motion that carried him along to Peters house, Vtique non discumbendi voluptas, sed iacentis infirmitas, Not so much for his owne ease, as to case the Sicke.

He entred into Symons house, and Symons wiues mother, &c. Our Sauiour Christ had a great desire to cure her, and this good Widdow had as great a care to wel∣come him and to serue him; and her Feuer did more grieue her out of the hin∣derance of her seruice, than the cause of her torment: And Christ on the other side, did accept of this inuitation more for to recouer the Sicke, than to recreate hims••lfe. The Sicke did desire more to giue him kind entertainment, for to ma∣nifest her loue, than to receiue health for to mitigate her paine. Both their de∣sires rested well satisfied; that of Christ, in healing the Sicke; and that of the Sicke, in seruing of Christ. And though the Angells might enuie this her care, yet did she seeke to outstrip the Angels in her desire to serue her Lord. Here may we see the practise of that which Ecclesiasticus recommendeth vnto vs,* 1.3 Let no•• the portion of thy good desires ouerpasse thee, giue and take, and sanctifie thy soule, &c. Giue away the goods of the earth, and thou shalt receiue those of Heauen: Ac∣cording to that of S. Paule,* 1.4 Let your aboundance supply their wants, that their aboun∣dance may supplie yours; for by this chopping and changing of pouertie for plen∣tie, and of plentie for pouertie, neither of both haue cause to complaine. That embleme of Alciat is well knowne vnto you; A lame man and a blind man met bo••h by chance at a riuer, the lame man guided the blind man, and the blind man carried the lame man on his shoulders. In like manner (saith Chrysostome) wee must succor one another; the whole must cure the Sicke, and the Sicke must giue the whole louing and friendly entertainment.

* 1.5The whole house was inriched by this reception of our Sauiour; the mother and the daughter, by being not onely made whole, but holy. If giuing enter∣tainment to an earthly Prince inricheth the whole house that receiues him, with earthly blessings; How much more shal their happinesse be, who feast the king of Heauen? God hath often notified vnto vs the great content that he takes in hos∣pitalitie, especially towards the poore & the stranger. That thou shouldst lodge and feast a King, thou countest it a great fortune and happinesse vnto thee, for ho∣nours, fauours, & rewards follow thereupon; but in entertaining the poore, thou doost him this kindnesse for no other respect in the world, but because he is the Image of God. Hosp••talitatis nolite obliuisci, quidam enim, &c. Alluding to that hos∣pitage of Abraham▪ who thinking he had entertained strangers in his house, enter∣tained Angels. And S. Austen and S. Gregory, Some men (say they) thinking that they only feed the Poore, they are mistaken, for therein they feast our Sauiour

himselfe. Chrysologus saith, That in the brest of the Blessed it is not possible there should be any desire or longing; but if it were possible to haue any, sure it would be that of relieuing the poore. The Sonne of God hath not a pillow whereon to leane his head. Why did Christ take pleasure in such a strange kind of pouerty? Because thou shouldest take pleasure in giuing him entertainment. When Abra∣ham went forth to meet the three men from out his Tent, bowing himself down to the ground before him who he thought was the chiefest among them, he said, Lord, if I haue now found fauour in thy sight, goe not I pray thee from thy seruant;* 1.6 let a little water I pray you be brought and wash your feet, and rest your selues vnder the shaddow of this Tree, and I will bring a morcell of bread that you may comfort your hearts, afterward yee shal goe your wayes. They accepted of his kindnesse, and thanked the good old man; but he vsing none of these court∣ly complements, in his plaine countrie fashion assured them that they were hear∣tily welcome, and that hee thought himselfe beholding vnto them, that they would take such as they found. Abraham he runnes me to the beasts, & takes me a tender and good Calfe, kills it, giues it to his seruant, who hasted to make it readie; then he hies him in to Sarah, & wils her presently to make readie at once three measures of fine meale, to knead it quickely, and make Cakes vpon the hearth. The cloath is now layd, bread, butter, milke, and the Calfe which hee had prepared, is set before them; they fall too, & Abraham he in the mean while stands by, and waits vpon them. When they had eaten, they tooke their leaue and went on their way, and hee likewise went with them to bring them on the way. This vertue Lot had learned from him: Saint Paul commends him highly for it: And Peter stiles him, Iust, He was righteous both in seeing and hearing. Chrysost.* 1.7 saith, That he staid waiting for these strangers in the street, & at the gates of the Citie, till it was late in the night, that they might not light into the vncleanly conuersation of these wicked Citisens. So that it was late ere hee met with these Angels and adoring them as Abraham had done before, he said vnto them, My Lords, I pray you turne in now into your seruants house:* 1.8 And the Angells making shew that they would abide in the Street all night, hee pressed vpon them ear∣nestly, and in a manner pulled them in by force; Coegit illos, Hee was wonderfull instant vpon them. This inforced courtesie of his, they afterwards fully requited, by notifying vnto him, How that Sodome was to bee destroyed with fire from Heauen. And although the Angells made hast to be gone, and to haue Lot to get him packing out of the Citie; yet they deferred the punishment a while, that he might haue time to warne his sonnes in Law to bee gone. Lot thereupon went out and spake vnto his sonnes in Law which had married his daughters, & sayd, Arise, get you out of this place, for the Lord will destroy the Citie; but he see∣med vnto his sonnes in Law as though he had mocked. Then the Angels hasted Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife and thy two daughters which are here, left thou be destroyed in the punishment of the Citie. And as hee prolonged the time, the Angels caught both him and his wife, and his two daughters, by the hands, and brought him as it were forth by force, and set him without the Citie; so he was saued, and the rest were burned. In this vertue of Hospitalitie there are ma∣nie famous women much renowned in the Old Testament; as the Shunamite that entertained Elisha, and the widdow that harboured Elias; Rahab who recei∣ued the Spies that were sent to Ierico: All of them being so happie in this their hospitality, that it seemeth God sent them such good guests, more for the good of those that gaue them this friendly entertainement, than that of those who were entertained by them. And if a man shall pay so well for his Lodging,

how much more will God requite it?

Symons wiues mother was taken with a great Feuer. Many of the Saints haue beene at a stand, immagining with themselues, That being there is so great a dif∣ference betweene the Old Law and the New, betweene God and God, a God of Vengeance and a God of Mercie, betweene a Lyon and a Lambe; that Christs friends should haue had a priuiledge, and that scarce a house of theirs should haue knowne what sickenesse, danger, or death had meant. In the Floud, Noahs house was preserued; in the flames of Sodome, that of Lot; and in that gene∣rall massacre of the First-borne of Aegypt, the houses of the Hebrewes were vntoucht:* 1.9 And God sending the man cloathed with Linnen, which had the wri∣ters Inkehorne by his side, to take notice of the people of Hierusalem, hee com∣manded them to set a marke vpon the forehead of his friends, that hee might ouerskip them, and not touch them in the day of destruction. But here now, a friends house is not priuiledged, no not the house of Peter. What should be the reason of it? There are many; but the main reason is this, With God, tribulation was euermore a greater token of his loue & fauor, than prosperity: what said Iob when he sate scraping his sores vpon the Dunghill? In my prosperitie I onely heard thee; but now in my affliction I see thee. S. Chrysostome saith, That Cain in killing Abel, thought that Heauen would doe him those fauours which it did his brother; but he was deceiued, for God did better loue a dead Abel, than a liuing Cain; Non extraxisti, sed incendisti. Philon saith, That the fire in the bush was so far from con∣suming or burning it, that it left it fresher and greener than it was before. But for all this, our miseries in the Old Law were neuer seene to be so honourable as af∣terwards, when God had clapt the thornes (which were the fruit of our sinnes) vpon his owne head,* 1.10 then did they recouer so high a Being, and grew to that worth, that the heauier God layes his hand vpon vs, the more is his loue toward vs. The marke of our happinesse is the Sonne of God, not glorified, but scour∣ged, spit vpon, crowned with thorns, torne with whips, and nailed to the Crosse; and therefore to bee conformed to the Image of his Sonne, is fitting for vs. In the Apocalyps,* 1.11 his feet are put into a hot firie Ouen. This was a ritratto or pi∣cture of his many troubles: and though this Ouen or firie Furnace speake them much; yet sure they were farre greater, and beyond the tongues expression. The Angells did scatter the coles of Gods wrath abroad in the World, sometimes lighting in one place, and sometimes in another; but whose coles could bee hotter than his, whose feet, like vnto fine Brasse, lay burning as in a Furnace?

She was taken with a great Feuer. The Euangelist heere amendeth our vsuall manner of speech:* 1.12 for with vs it is commonly said, Tengo grandes calenturas, I haue a great Feuer, whenas indeed the Feuer hath thee. God often afflicts the soule in the sence, that the soule thereby may be made sencible. God, like the Bridegroome to the Spouse, speakes a thousand sweet words to the Soule, hee courts her & wooes her with an Aperi mihi, soror mea, &c. Open to me, my sister, &c. but this makes her the more to shut the doore against him. The Soule when it is in prosperitie, growes proud, it is deafe, and will not heare; she must bee wrought vpon inter angustias, she must feele the rod before she will haue any feeling. Ionas in the Whales bellie,* 1.13 the Prodigall in the pig-stie, the Sicke in his Feuer, thinks and calls vpon God: we listen vnto the Deuill when wee are in the middest of our Feasts▪ our Banquets, our Maskings, our sports and pastimes; but onely hear∣ken vnto God inter angustias, when we are afflicted and in miserie. God being wil∣l••ng to cure those that were stung with the Serpents, made a Serpent of brasse, and caused it to be set vp, that by looking theron they might be healed. Gregorie

Nissen askes the question, Whither it had not beene a shorter cut, and a more speedie and effectuall remedie, to haue made an end of all these Serpents at once? But he answers thereunto, If he should haue freed them from those Ser∣pents, Which of them would haue lifted vp his eyes to Heauen? And therefore let those Serpents continue still, and those wounds of the bodie, seeing they cure those of the Soule. According to that of Salomon,* 1.14 The blewnesse of the wound serueth to purge the euill. Saint Gregorie the Pope saith, That the wound of the Soule is taken away by making another wound of repentance and true sorrow. Euthymius citeth to this purpose that verse of Dauid, Qui dat niuem sicut lanam, Snow to the earth is as wooll, because it keepes it warme, and giues heat there∣vnto, for to bring forth floures and fruits wherwith to glad the Spring and beau∣tifie the Sommer: An̄o de nieues, an̄o de bienes, (saith the Spanish Prouerbe) A yere of snow, a yeare of ioy. The snow of sickenesse and of affliction, in stead of coo∣ling the Soule, it giues it heat and fruitfulnesse, that it may bring forth floures and fruits of good life.

She was taken with a great Feauer. The Phisitions call a Calenture or burning Feuer, Calorem extraordinarium, An extraordinarie heat, or calidam intemperiem, a hot distemperature, which being kindled in the heart, and taking fire, disperseth it selfe through all the parts of the bodie, catcheth hold of them, offends them, and discomposeth that harmonie of the humors, wherein our health consisteth. Saint Isidore deriues it from Feruor, or that hast and speed wherewith it runneth and disperseth it selfe through our bodies. Valerius Maximus sayth, That in antient time they did offer sacrifice thereunto, as to a Goddesse, because of all other sicknesses, a Feuer is that which commonly comes to make an end of our liues. For as heat well tempered giues life; so beeing distempered it brings death. But if we shall goe philosophising from the infirmities of the bodie, by way of analogie, or proportioning them to the soule; Loue to the soule, is as Heat to the bodie. And when it doth not exceede the Laws of God, which is the life of our soule, it inioyes perfect health; but when it growes once to an excesse, it falls into a Calenture, or burning Feuer. And this excesse succeedeth two ma∣ner of wayes.

Either by louing that more, which ought to be loued lesse.

Or by not louing that enough, which ought to be loued most.

The Spouse sayd of her Bridgroome, Ordinauit in me charitatem,* 1.15 He showed his Loue vnto mee, He made exceeding much of mee, He brought me into the wine celler, and Loue was his banner ouer me: He stayd me with flaggons, and comforted me with apples, when I was sicke of Loue: His left hand was vnder my head, and his right hand did embrace mee. Extraordinarie was this Loue of the Bridegroome to his Spouse, preferring her before all other things whatsoe∣uer. God likewise beeing the greatest in Nature and Essence, ought to bee the greatest in our Loue and Affection.* 1.16 Next vnder God enter those goods of Hea∣uen & of Earth. And Good, being the marke whereat our Loue shoots, our grea∣test Loue should direct it selfe to the greatest good. And this is to obserue an or∣der and good temper in our Loue. Now touching the disorder of our Loue, our Sauiour sayd, Hee that loues Father or Mother more than mee, is not wor∣thie of mee.

Againe, In not louing God, to whom wee owe so much loue, this excesse in the contrarie may turne to immodestie and impudencie; And make vs breake out with those Cast-awayes in Iob, into these desperate termes, Get thee farre from v••, we will haue no knowledge of thy wayes.

Besides, In imploying our loue so wholely vpon the Creatures, we may chance to choake that loue which we owe to the Creator. Saint Austen expounding that place of Iohn, Loue not the World, neither the things that are in the world, saith, That our heart is like vnto a vessell,* 1.17 which if it be filled full with the World, it cannot receiue God; beeing like to that peece of ground, where the Tares did choake the Wheate: So that of force wee must emptie the vessell, and weede well the ground of our hearts, that the loue of God may fructifie in vs. This in∣ordinate loue doth set the heart, like a Calenture, on fire. From the heart come all our euill thoughts,* 1.18 and goe festring through the faculties of the soule. And ••inne, when it is finished, bringeth foorth death, saith Saint Iames.

She was taken with a great Feuer. As there are diuers kinds of Feuers, so haue they a correspondencie with the diuers infirmities of the soule; your young men are soone rid of their Feuers, especially if their fits bee not violent: but an old woman that is taken with a great Feuer, wil hardly recouer her health. A prisoner will easily shake off slight and slender shakles, but those that are double chained and double bolted, he will hardly free himselfe from them. One single stick is easily broken; but more beeing bound together, verie hardly. A threefold cord is hardly broken. The like reason may be giuen of old sinnes, vpon which, custome hath drawne a necessitie. Saint Austen treating of the State of his owne sinnes, sayth, That he was fast fettered with three strong chaines:

The one, of his owne Will.

The other, of an ill Custome that he had gotten.

The third, of a kind of necessitie, which did keepe him as it were by force in this so hard and cruell slauerie, Tenebat me, dura seruitus.

They besought him for her. The motiues of this intercession, were:

* 1.19First, For that this good old woman, was of so sweet a disposition, and so lo∣uing a nature: Which was much in so old a woman; and no small matter, con∣sidering shee was a Mother in Law. It may be, Mothers in lawe in those dayes, were more louing, and better beloued than they are now. And one great argu∣ment thereof is, That our Sauiour Christ should put the loue of the Mother in law and Daughter in law, in one and the same degree with that of the Children & Parents, as it appeareth in that place of S. Mathew. I came to set a man at variance against his Father,* 1.20 & the Daughter against her Mother, and the Daughter in law against her Mother in law. Where you see he links them together all in one chaine. And so it ought to be: For, if the Husband and the Wife, by Matrimony remaine one flesh; the Daughter in law ought likwise to be so with the Mother in law, though not in the selfe same degree, wholly and altogether.

The second motiue, was the intreatie of the Apostles, who (as Saint Marke maketh mention) interceded for her. And such pittifull hearts, and tender bow∣els as theirs were, beeing sought vnto by so good an Hostesse, who desired so much as she did, to serue them, could not chuse but take pittie of her, and speake a good word for her. Besides, the miserable paine she was in might haue moued the hardest heart to compassion, much more theirs, whose eyes had seene in what an ill taking she was in. And kind hearts are soone sencible of those sorrowes which the eyes shall impart vnto them.

* 1.21They b••sought him for her. In the intercession of Holy men, God attends two things;

The one, That we persuade our selues that they are preuailent with God, and that they can effect much with his diuine Maiestie.

The other, That he is well pleased that we should make vse of them, for the

honour that hee receiues thereby, & the good that we reape by it. A King is well pleased that men should haue recourse to his Fauorit, the more to honor him. It was a great honour to Christ (saith Gregory Nazianzen) that he was the Mediator betwixt God and Man. Saint Cyril giues the same attribute to the Apostles; and Deutronomie, to Moses, Medius fui inter Deum & vos,* 1.22 I stood betweene the Lord and you. But here is the difference, That the Saints haue need that others should intercede for them, but our Sauiour hath no such need, sed accedit per teipsum, ad interpellandum pro nobis. Al other Mediators are through our Sauior Christ; & that prayer which hath not this mediation, Saint Augustine saith, That in stead of re∣moouing sinne, it reneweth sinne. And Saint Ambrose, That Christ ought to be the Mouth by which we are to speake, the Eyes by which wee are to looke, and the Hands by which wee are to offer. In a word, The Saints of God are verie powerful with God, through Christ our Lord. And therefore it is said, Whatso∣euer yee shall aske the Father in my name shall be granted vnto you.

Some make a doubt, Whither this be to be vnderstood of the Saints that are liuing, or those that are dead? That it is meant of the liuing, there are many proofes thereof in Scripture. To Iobs friends God said, Goe to my seruant Iob,* 1.23 and my seruant Iob shall pray for you; for I will accept him, &c. Abimilecke hauing ta∣ken away Sarah, and God threatning him with death, and the King pleading ig∣norance in his excuse; God said vnto him, Giue Abraham his wife againe, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt liue.* 1.24 Moses by his intercession procured the pardon of sixe hundred thousand persons. The People said vnto Samuel,* 1.25 Doe not thou cease to pray for vs. Saint Stephen prayed for those that stoned him to death; And by his prayer (saith Saint Augustine) Paul was reduced to the Church. In the Ship, the same Apostle by prayer, preserued the liues of two hundred seuenty six persons. Saint Basil cites that place of Dauid,* 1.26 The eyes of the Lord are vpon the Righteous, & his eares are open vnto their crie. Those two sonnes which Ioseph had in Aegypt, Ephraim and Manasses, the one signifying forgetfulnesse, the other Pro∣speritie, Iacob adopted them for his owne, Sicut Reuben & Simeon reputabuntur mi∣hi. Rupertus askes the question, Why Iacob hauing so many sonnes, would adopt these two of Ioseph rather than the rest? And he answereth it thus, that Iosephs for∣getting of his former troubles, and the prosperitie which he now enioyed, was procured by the prayers and teares of Iacob.

He stood ouer her and rebuked the Feuer. Our Sauiour vsed this ceremonie,* 1.27 saith Saint Chrysostome, the better to couer and dissemble the miracle, to the end that he might not as then make his Diuinitie so manifest vnto them. And as your Physitians are woont stedily to behold the colour and complexion of the Sicke, looke on his tongue, and feele his pulse; so in a manner our Sauiour Christ vsed the like kind of ceremonies, hauing a vigilant eye ouer those that are soule-sick, and what course is to be taken for the curing of a penitent Sinner, and to know how to distinguish betwixt leaprosie and leaprosie. Many of the Saints did, the better to dissemble their miracles, vse ceremonies, though there was no necessi∣tie of them, nor were essentiall for that businesse: so the Apostles by laying their hands on the Sicke did heale them.

Secondly, Saint Mathew saith, Tetigit manum eius, The touch of the hand was enough to cure the sick: for the flesh of our Sauior Christ, for that it was the flesh of God, gaue life and health to all that toucht it, Virtus de illo exibat & sana∣bat omnes, A certaine vertue went out from him and cured all men. Our Flesh will in∣fect other flesh with it's sickenesse, but health and life was a priuiledge appertai∣ning onely to our Sauiour Christs flesh, which (as it is noted by Saint Augustine

and Saint Cyril) by the vnion with the Diuinitie did quicken and giue life. Spiri∣tus est qui viuificat, caro autem non prodest quidquam, It is the Spirit that quickneth, as for the Flesh, it profiteth nothing: as an yron being heated doth burne by it's vnion with the fire; so the Flesh of our Sauiour Christ, &c. And from this di∣uine Flesh, the vertue thereof did extend it selfe to his verie cloathes. Si tetige∣ro tātum fimbriam vestimenti eius, saluaero, said the woman that was troubled with the bloudie Flux, If I can but come to touch the hemme of his garment I shall be whole.* 1.28 Malachie prophecied thereof in these words, Sanitas in pennis eius, Health shall be vnder his wings; and as feathers are to birds, so to man are his cloathes.

Thirdly, When a sicke bodie is growne so weake that he can scarce put forth his voyce, the Physition leanes downe his head the better to heare him: and when he is so weake that he cannot rise of himselfe, the Physition lends him his hand, Apprehensa manu eius (saith Saint Marke) curauit eam. This burning Feuer had brought this good old woman so low, that Christ did bow downe his head to hearken vnto her, and tooke her by the hand to helpe her vp. Nor was it much that our Sauiour Christ should raise those that were fallen, for that hee came into the world for this end, and had so great a desire thereunto, that hee was willing to fall himselfe, for the raising vp of vs. Nay, it was a Precept of old, That if a Beast should take a fall, a man should not goe on vpon his way till he had holpe him vp. This desire of his is much indeered by the Prophets; He bowed the Heauens and came downe, he got vpon the Cherubins and flew, saith Dauid. And in another place, Stretch forth thine hand from on high, and deliuer me out of ma∣nie waters. The Sinner being almost drowned in the mud of his sinnes, cries out vnto God to lend him his hand to get him out; but hee weighed so heauie, that he pulled God after him.* 1.29 Zacharie saith, Thou also through the bloud of thy Coue∣nant hast loosed thy prisoners out of the pit, &c. Where wee are to weigh this same, Thou also; for though thou wert so great and powerfull a God, yet it cost thee the best bloud in thy veines, to take those out of the pit that were fallen thereinto.

* 1.30He rebuked the Feuer and it left her. He spake the word, and the Feuer obey∣ed; he commanded it to be gone, and it was gone in an instant. Origen saith, That one of the foulest and shamefullest things that the Creatures shall lay to Mans charge at the day of Iudgement, is, That all other creatures from the creation of the World hauing beene obedient to Gods Empire, without digressing in the least point or tittle, onely Man hath beene inobedient, impudent, & shamelesse. This is the generall opinion: but to reduce this to our present purpose, and to shew how obedient this Feuer was, we know that God vseth his Creatures as so many whips and scourges.

One while he makes vse of those that are without life, as of waters & darke∣nesse,* 1.31 in those plagues of Aegypt, &c.

Another while, of those that haue life, as the Serpents of the Wildernes, the Lyons which in Samaria slew the Assyrians, the Beares which killed the little children which mockt Elisha, &c. All do mooue and obey at the becke of Gods brow, at the cast of his eyes, as the second causes at the motion of the Primum mobile. The like succeedeth in the Angells; nor is it much, considering the great good which they enioy. But which is more, it succeedeth so in the De∣uills, who tugge at the Oare in Hells Galley. Our Sauiour Christ commanded some Deuills, That they should not speake a word, nor offer so much as to open their lips, when their hearts were readie to burst because they might not speake

their mind. But it is a lamentable case, that one man should serue to punish ano∣ther man, and be made the instrument of his hurt, or become his Hangman. Pi∣lat commanded the Roman Souldiers to whip Christ; and they might haue bin excused, had they not exceeded their Commission. It was decreed in Heauen, & foretold by the Prophets, That he was to be whipt; but the justice of God con∣tenting it self with a few stripes, these bloudy villains gaue him 5000. & but that his houre was not yet come, they would if it had been poss••ible haue whipt him to death. A common Hangman dare not exceed the order of the Iudge; but Man, when God makes him the Executioner of his wrath, breakes the bounds of his Commission, and runnes ryot. Man beeing set on by God, is like a Mastiffe that is set on by his Master, who is easily put on vpon Bull or Beare, but hardly taken off. Esay saith, That God made Zenacharib the rod of his wrath,* 1.32 and the staffe of his indignation; and that he commanded him to take the spoyle, and to take the prey, and to tread them vnder feet, like the mire in the street; but excee∣ding his Commission (Gods purpose being onely to humble his Children, and bring them to repentance) he afterwards scourged him soundly for it. Iudignatio mea in manu tua; God had put this chastisement into the hands of a tyrant (as his instrument) who had not the wit to carrie himselfe accordingly, & therefore he punished him according to his desarts.

He rebuked the Feuer and it left her. Saint Augustine deliuereth some mens opinions, who affirme, That things without life, as Sickenesse, Pestilence, & Fa∣mine, were occasioned by euill Angells, one while for our good, another while for our hurt; but alwayes for the seruice of God, and to shew themselues obe∣dient to his Empire. And this is the true sence and meaning of Imperauit febri, He rebuked the Feuer; and of Vocauit famem, He called a Famine.* 1.33 Not that a Feuer or Famine haue any eares to heare or vnderstand any thing, but because the An∣gell to whom the power is committed, doth heare and obey his will.

In this Article there are two manifest truths.

The one, That the Angells, as well good as bad, are many times ministers of our punishments, by famine, pestilence, barrennesse, tempests, sicknesse, & death. And this truth is made good by innumerable stories in Scripture; as in that of Iob, whose Corne the Deuill destroyed, threw downe his Houses, carried away his Cattell, and killed his Children; That of Sarah, who had seuen husbands slaine by Asmodeus the Deuill; Those plagues of Aegypt, whereof (saith Dauid) the Deuills were the Instruments; He cast vpon them the fiercenesse of his anger, in∣dignation, and wrath, and vexation, by the sending out of euill Angells,* 1.34 where God makes them his Hangmen or Executioners. And in another place, Fire and haile, snow and vapours, stormie winds, which execute his Word, &c.* 1.35 Of good Angels there are likewise many stories; as that of those that came to Sodom; and that of the Angell that slew the souldiers of Zenacherib.

The other, That to haue things without life to be obedient to the Empire of our Sauiour Christ,* 1.36 there is no such necessitie that they should bee mooued and gouerned by Angels, either good or bad, as Saint Hierome and Saint Augustine haue both obserued. For albeit towards vs, and in themselues they are insenci∣ble, yet towards God they are not so, He calls the things that are not, as if they were. Nor is it any thing strange, that the Heauens or the Earth should haue eares, or that those things should answer and obey at Gods call, whose end is Gods glo∣rie: the waters at Gods command gather themselues into heapes, and when he sayes but the word, they againe withdraw themselues: he prescribes bounds to the Sea, [Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further:] at his Word againe,* 1.37 the Sea is

made drie land: he layes his command vpon the fire to giue light, but not burn, curbing this his actiue qualitie, as it did in the ••irie Furnace, when the childeren came forth vntoucht. At this Word the waters gushed out of the hard Rocke; the Winds are at his command; death and life, sicknesse and health, and al things else whatsoeuer, doe truly and punctually obey his will; and so in this place, he had no sooner said the word, But her Feuer left her.

And rising vp, she presently ministred vnto them. In regard that shee was an old woman she might verie well haue excused her selfe from doing this seruice, but her health was so perfect, her recouerie so sound, and her strength so increased, that without further tarriance, She presently ministred vnto them. Your earthly Physicke is long a working, and the Cures prooue imperfect, but Gods physick workes contin••ò presently; for, All Gods workes are perfect. But it is not so in na∣ture. Pierius makes the Vulture the emblem of nature, Auolatus tarditate, being a kind of Tortoise in his flying.

First of all, it is intimated here vnto vs, What hast a Sinner ought to make to get vp. S. Peter being in prison, the Angell said vnto him, Surge velociter, Arise quickely;* 1.38 and without any more adoe, not staying vpon his gyues, chaines, the gates, or the guards, he presently riseth vp and gets him gone with all the speed he could. Noah puts the Crow out of the Arke, Dimisit Corvum, qui egredieba∣tur, & non reuertebatur: The Hebrew Text hath it, Exiuit, exeundo, & redeundo; He began to make wing, but seeing such a vastnesse of waters, fearing to faile in his flight, he returned backe againe: but being entred, carrying about him the sent of those dead carcasses which had perished by the Floud, he went to and fro so long, till at last he went his way and was neuer seene any more. Many there are that will put one foot forward, and pull two backeward, make you beleeue that they meane to goe on well in vertue and goodnesse, but beeing discouraged with the difficultie of getting vp that hill, and hauing a monthes mind to follow the sent of their former stinking (howsoeuer to them sweet seeming) sinnes, at last they are vtterly lost and neuer more heard of; so apt is sinfull man to leaue the best and take the worst.

* 1.39Secondly, By this her seruice this good deuout old woman made known her bodily health; and by the ioy and comfort shee tooke therein, shee manifested her soules health. At the verie first voyce of Ezechiel, the boughes began to mooue, but as yet they had not life in them, [Ossa arida, audite Verbum Domini] they were afterwards knit and ioyned together, and set in verie good order: but they had need of another kind of voice than Ezechiels to giue them spirit & life. Saint Augustine expounding that place of Saint Iohn, Verba mea, Spiritus, & vita sunt; saith, That this Spirit and life is in himselfe, and not in thee. For that Poeni∣tent which doth not giue some signe or token of life, hath not yet obtained life; and that, He that in his seruice and attendance doth not make shew that he is free of his former Sickenesse, his health may iustly be suspected. Saint Paul giues vs this Lesson, He that steales, let him steale no more, but, &c. Hee must not onely con∣tent himselfe with not stealing, or with working for his liuing, and that it is enough for him to haue laboured hard; but of that which hee hath got by the sweat of his browes, hee must giue part thereof to the Poore, if not for the sa∣tisfaction of his former thefts, yet to shew himselfe a good Christian by obser∣uing the rules of charitie. Zacheus did performe both these; the one, in making a fourefold restitution to those whom he had defrauded by forged cauillation, the other,* 1.40 by giuing to the Poore the one halfe of his goods. Let all bitternesse, and anger, and wrath, crying and euill speaking (saith the Apostle) bee put away from

you, with all maliciousnesse. First of all, there must not abide in your brests the least smacke of bitternesse, anger, wrath, euill speaking, nor any other malicious∣nesse. But because it is not enough to shun euill, vnlesse wee doe also: he thing that is good; he addeth in the second place that which followeth anon after, Be yee courteous one toward another, and tender hearted. For a good Surgeon ought no•• only to take away the paine in the leg, but also to inable it to go.

Thirdly, She did discouer this beginning of her amendment and recouerie, by imploying this her health in the seruice of our Sauior Christ; and by laying it downe at our Sauiours feet, she shewed that she was not ill bred. If he that is recouered of a sicknesse, when hee is able to set foot on ground, and to walke vp and downe his chamber, shall haue recourse vnto God, and giue him thanks for this his restored health, it is a signe that God gaue it him. Thankes slowly gi∣uen (saith Seneca) lessens the benefit receiued. Aristotle tells vs, That the Athe∣nians admitted no other Temple, saue that of Thankefulnesse, to the end that they might not be slacke and dull in making their acknowledgement. And if he be blamed that is idle and slow in rendring of thanks, What shall we say to him that neuer comes to offer his seruice, but is carelesse in committing of sinne, and offends dayly more and more?* 1.41 The Moone may serue for an embleme to these kind of vnthankefull persons; who receiuing all her light from the Sunne, in re∣quitall of this so great a kindnesse, seekes to cloud him by her of••en eclipses. Being herein like vnto him who sets himselfe downe vnder the shadow of some Tree, and afterwards pluckes off the Fruit thereof, and teares downe it's boughes.

Now when the Sunne was downe, all they that had sicke folke of diuers diseases, brought them vnto him, and he layd his hand on euery o••e of them and healed them. They stay∣ed till the Sunne set, for the obseruation of the Sabboth was so strict with them, that they held it not lawfull on that day to cure the Sicke, much lesse to bring them abroad in a bed or a chaire: And therefore said the Priests vnto the Peo∣ple, There are six days in which men ought to work, in them therfore come and be healed,* 1.42 and not on the Sabboth day.

Amongst those Sicke which receiued health, Saint Mathew saith,* 1.43 That there were some possessed with Deuills, and that the Deuills did rore and crie, notify∣ing the force where with they were driuen forth their bodies, and withall con∣fessing him to be the Sonne of God: First, That he might let them alone (saith Saint Augustine;) Secondly out of a pride of heart, to the end that none might presume, that any man (as being but man) was able to cast them out of their ha∣bitation, and depriue them both of their power and pleasure. But our Sauiour Christ, He s••ffred ••hem not to speake, because they knew him to be Christ. This proposi∣tion may admit a double sence.

The one, That this particle Quia, Because, is declaratiue: nor would hee suffer them to speake, Quae? What? T••a•• our Sauiour was the promised Christ.

The other, That this particle is causall; he would not permit them to speake, And why? Because they knew he was the promised Christ. And as when Pe∣ter confest him to be Iesus Christ the Sonne of the euer-liuing God,* 1.44 He charged his Disciples, that they should tell no man that he was Iesus Christ; so here he inioyneth the like silence to the Deuills, &c.

In this second sence, this sequell may be made, That the Deuils knew Christ; but is not to be gathred from the former: for they might speak this, either mēti∣end••, or adulando, in a lyin••, or flattering manner, though they had not any know∣ledge of him: so that which of these two is most probable, it is yet depending

to be prooued, whither they knew him or knew him not?

In fauour of the former, to wit, that they knew him, we read in the Gospell, That the Deuils had thrice confessed Christ, To be the holy one of God, to be the Sonne of God, and the Sonne of the most Highest. In this verie Chapter one of these foule Fiends said vnto him, What haue we to doe with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth?* 1.45 Art thou come to destroy vs? I know who thou art, euen the holy One of God. And now here, The Deuils came out of many, crying and saying, Thou art the Christ the Sonne of God. In the first Chapter of Saint Marke many Deuils said the like: And in the eigth Chapter of Saint Mathew, they called him the Sonne of the Highest.

Where it is to be noted, That albeit our Sauiour Christ permitted the Deuils to take the name in their mouthes, of the holy One of God, and of the Sonne of the Highest; yet did he neuer suffer them to preach, that he was the Christ. For although the name of Messias and of Christ be all one; yet the names of Christ and of the Messias, were the most notorious amongst the Iewes. Both the Wise and the Ignorant did expect him and beleeued in him; but all of them did not know that he was to be the Sonne of God. And therefore our Sauiour Christ put this question to the greatest Doctors amongst them, pretending to proue the diuinitie of the Messias: What thinke yee of Christ? Whose sonne is he?

* 1.46Againe, The name of Sonne of God, of Holy, and of Highest, may be attri∣buted to any holy Prophet whosoeuer, that is the Sonne of God by Grace; but the name of Christ was the name of their Messias, and of their King whom they looked for, and that he should come to redeeme Israell. And if the Deuills did publish him, they did withall put in the hearts of the Iews a great hatred against Christ; as well by seeing the glorie of their Messias placed vpon so meane and poore a man; as also by seeing him thus applauded and proclaimed to the World by the Deuills, presuming thereupon, that hee had made some Coue∣nant and confederation with them. Before Pilate they layd two things to his charge:

The one, That he made himselfe the Sonne of God; and of this they made least reckoning.

The other, That he proclaimed himselfe King of the Iewes. And this they held the heynouser crime.* 1.47 And Pilat hearing that hee was the Sonne of God, began to be affraid; And would not take this for a sufficient cause to put him to death. But when he heard that he tooke vpon him the title of King of the Iewes, he presently pronounced sentence against him. And the Romane souldiers, flou∣ting at his Kingdome, put vpon him the ensignes of a King; a purple roab on his backe, a scepter in his hand, and a crowne on his head. So that the thing which did most trouble them, was, The name of Christ. And therefore they sayd vn∣to him, Si tu es Christus, dic nobis palam, If thou be Christ, declare it here openly before the people, and tell vs plainely of it. But because hee would not prouoke them nor giue them occasion before hand, least they might accuse him in the Tribunal of Rome, he would not make answer vnto them, nor giue them any farther know∣ledge that he was the Christ.

In fauour of the second, to wit, That they did not know him; wee haue on our side the temptation of our Sauiour Iesus Christ: for if the Deuils had known him, they would not haue tempted him.

Secondly, They knowing him to bee the Christ and the Messias, they must likewise know him to bee the naturall Sonne of God: for the Deuils could not be ignorant of that in Hel, which the most learned in Iudaisme had attained to

here on earth.

Thirdly, (and it is the reason of that glorious Doctor Saint Hierome) No man hath known the Father but the Sonne, and he to whom the Sonne was willing to reueale it. If the Father then did not reueale his Sonne to the Deuills, nor the Sonne him∣selfe reueale the same, why then surely they could not know him. But some one will say, That the Sonne did reueale himselfe to the Deuils, not by infusing any light of Faith into them, as hee did into those three Kings that came vnto him from the East, and to the Prophets that were before them; nor the light of Glo∣rie, as hee hath to the Blessed▪ but by the light of his miracles and prophecies, and by some secret and hidden signes of his presence, (for that is S. Austens opi∣nion) which the Deuils might better attaine vnto than men.

And this reason sufficiently proueth, That they knew him before they temp∣ted him; yea, that they knew him euen from his birth; for then did they pre∣sently perceiue in Iesus Christ our Sa••ior and Redeemer, Miracles, Prophecies, and great signes of God. And albeit the miracles were not then so many as those which he wrought afterwards, when he had vnfolded and spred abroad the sailes of his Omnipotencie; yet a few were enough to make the Deuill, who hath so great an insight into naturall causes, to conceiue and see how farre short Nature came in this great businesse.

Fourthly,* 1.48 The glorious Apostle Saint Paul treating of our Sauiour Christ by the name of Wisedome, saith, That none of the Princes of this World knew him; for had they knowne him, they would neuer haue crucified him. And this may likewise be vnderstood of the Deuill, whom our Sauiour stiles the Prince of the world: but in case it be vnderstood of men, the Earth not comming to the knowledge thereof, to whom God might haue reuealed it, hell could hardly know it.

In this doubt there are (me thinkes) two truths that are most certaine.

The one, That the Deuill had not a full and assured knowledge, that our Saui∣our Christ was the naturall Son of God: for his knowledge was not the know∣ledge of Faith, nor any cleere vision, but onely opinion. And as a man of verie great vnderstanding being without the light of Faith, howbeit by the miracles and prophecies of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, he might happely beleeue that hee was the Sonne of God; yet some one doubt or other will be stil remaining, that he may not be that promised Sonne. So the Deuil, euer since our Sauior Christ was borne, had many, and those strong suspitions, that God was become Man: These jealousies and suspitions were dayly by so much the more increased in the Deuill, by how much the more our Sauiour Christ went dayly discouering the signes and tokens of his Diuinitie; till at last, seeing himselfe as it were con∣uinced by the euidence thereof, that he might put himselfe out of this perplex∣itie, he first goes about to tempt him, and afterwards to solicite his death. And this is the opinion of that glorious Doctor Saint Hierome, vpon the eigth Chap∣ter of Saint Mathew, where he saith, That all the Deuils did beat vpon this ha••••••, went nosing and winding of it out, and were wonderfull both fearefull & iealous of the same, but that none of them did assuredly know so much. And Saint Au∣gustine in his bookes De Ciuitate Dei, saith, That our Sauiour and Redeemer Ie∣sus Christ manifested himselfe so far forth to the deuils, as himself was willing, and he would no more than what was fitting, & thought that fitting, which was sufficient to daunt and terrifie them, & to free those that were predestinated, from his tyrannie. And this was the tracke that they did tre••d in, and all that they could gather out of his miracles and former prophecies. Gregorie Nazia••••••••

saith, That the Deuils had a great deale of knowledge of the paines & torments which they did feele when our Sauiour Christ did cast them forth of the bodies which they had possessed. And of this knowledge, that is to bee vnderstood which is here deliuered by Saint Luke, Because they knew him to be Christ.

The other, That God did hold this their knowledge in suspence & in doubt, by taking flesh in the wombe of an espoused Virgine: Which was purposely done (as Ignatius saith) that hee might bee concealed from the Deuill; for otherwise, the Deuils could hardly be ignorant that he was the Sonne of the Virgine Marie, and not the Sonne of Ioseph.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Christ refu∣seth no house, where there is a will to en∣tertaine him.
• * 1.2

  Acts 15.
• * 1.3

  Eccl. 14.
• * 1.4

  2. Cor. 8.14.
• * 1.5

  Chr••st brings heal••han ho∣linesse where∣soeuer hee comes.
• * 1.6

  Gen. 18.
• * 1.7

  2. Peter. 2.
• * 1.8

  Gen. 19.
• * 1.9

  Ezec••. 9 4.
• * 1.10

  The thornes of Christ are the triumph of our troub••••s
• * 1.11

  Apoc. 1.15.
• * 1.12

  Prosperitie the soules bane.
• * 1.13

  God is sel∣dome thought vpon but in our miserie.
• * 1.14

  Prou. 20.
• * 1.15

  Cant. 2.4. Two things cause a feuer in the soule.
• * 1.16

  How God ought to be loued.
• * 1.17

  1. Iohn. 2.
• * 1.18

  Mat. 25.
• * 1.19

  Pittie hath al∣waies a prayer in readinesse for those that neede it.
• * 1.20

  Mat. 10.
• * 1.21

  Two things required, that our intercessi∣on may be ef∣••••ctuall.
• * 1.22

  Deut. 5.
• * 1.23

  Iob 42. Gen. 20.
• * 1.24

  Exod. 32.
• * 1.25

  1. Reg. 7.
• * 1.26

  Psal. 34.
• * 1.27

  Vaine-glorie euermore to be auoyded.
• * 1.28

  Malach. 4.
• * 1.29

  Zach. 9.
• * 1.30

  Man for diso∣bedience shal be condemned by the crea∣tures.
• * 1.31

  No creature but is pliable to the will of God.
• * 1.32

  Esay 10.
• * 1.33

  Psal. 10••.
• * 1.34

  Psal. 78.49.
• * 1.35

  Psal. 148.
• * 1.36

  Euen things without sence are obedient vnto God.
• * 1.37

  Psal. 106.
• * 1.38

  Acts. 12.
• * 1.39

  He that hath receiued a be∣nefit, must ex∣presse his thankfullnes.
• * 1.40

  Ep••. 4.
• * 1.41

  The embleme of ingratitude
• * 1.42

  L••c. 13.14.
• * 1.43

  Why the De∣uils ro••ed whē our Sauior cast them out.
• * 1.44

  Mat. 16.20.
• * 1.45

  Luke 4.34.
• * 1.46

  Math. 22.
• * 1.47

  Two things Whereof the Iewes accused Christ. Luke 23.
• * 1.48

  1. Cor. 1.