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 XXXVI. SERMON, VPON THE THVRSEDAY AFTER PASSION SVNDAY.

LVC. 7.

Rogabat Iesum quidam Pharisaeus, vt manducaret cum illo, &c.

A certaine Pharisee requested Iesus, That he would eat with him, &c.

ROgabat Iesum, &c. And one of the Pharisees desired Iesus, that he would eat with him. The whole Historie of Marie Mag∣dalen is reduced to these three estates:

Of a Sinner; Of a Penitent; Of a Saint.

For all which she was most famous.

In that her first estate of her ••ewd course of life, she obtained a plenarie pardon, and full remission of her sinnes. Were she either Widow (as

Saint Hierome would haue it) or one that was neuer married, (as common opinion cries it) Petrus Chrysologus saith, That she had made the Citie so infamous, that she might more fitly be called, Peccatum Hierosolimae, quam Peccatrix, The Sinne of Ierusalem, than a Sinner; because by reason of the bad fame and euill report that went of her, the whole Citie did suffer therein, and was in a manner spoyled and vndone; some being taken with her beautie, others with her gracefull behaui∣our, not a few with the pleasantnesse of her wit and liberall language; but most with her ill example, occasioning murmuration in some, & obduration in other∣some, causing them not onely to speake ill, but also to doe ill: In a word, shee was Pestis generalis, A generall plague, and Commune scandalum, A common scan∣dall to all.

The circumstances of her perdition were strange:

First, In that her sinne was a sinne of dishonestie; wherein wee vsually see these two effects:

(1.)The one, That it clings like bird-lime to our soules. Thomas saith, That it is Peccatum maximae inhaerentiae, That it is a sinne of all other that cleaueth closest vnto vs, and stickes longest by vs. Saint Hierome, That it much resembleth the Bird called the Phoenix, which doth reuiue and renew her selfe with the fire which she kindleth with the motion of her wings. Thou mournest, thou bewai∣lest and repentest thee of the dishonest sinne which thou hast committed, and de∣sirest to giue it ouer, & that it may dy in thee; but with the wings of thy thoughts thou blowest those coles afresh, and makest them flame more than before, so that thinking to kill the lusts of the flesh, thou doost quicken them & giue them new life; so that what thou bewailedst before for dead, thou now embracest as liuing, and huggest it in thy bosome, as a man claspes his deerest friend in his armes, that after some long swoune recouers againe. A holy Hermit that led a deuour and solitarie life, talking one day with the Deuill, demanded of him, Which amongst the Sinnes, was the greatest? He told him, Dishonestie. And he replying, What, are not Blasphemie, Murther, and Swearing, far greater sinnes? Whereun••o he answered, In point of Diuinitie these are the greatest; but the Rents and In-comes of the sinnes of the flesh are farre greater: and this is the reason why I doe not tempt any with blasphemie or murther, but some one de∣sperate person or other; but with dishonestie, all sorts of men; the Merchant im∣ployes his Stocke in that kind of trading which shall turne most to his commodi∣tie, the Vsurer puts forth his moneys where he may haue most profit, and best securitie. There is not any other sinne that like a plague hath spred it selfe so ge∣nerally ouer the world, as that of the Flesh; and this was the cause that God re∣pented himself that he had made man: and if at any time in the world there hath been any one that hath shewed himselfe so valiant as to resist the assaults of hell, yet in the end the verie same partie hath beene shrewdly encountred with the concupiscence of the flesh, as Saint Gregorie hath noted it of Salomon, Et non cu∣stodiuit quae mandauit ei Dominus, It made him breake Gods command.

(2.)The other effect is, that it blinds the Vnderstanding, as wee shall shew you hereaf••er.

The second circumstance is, That it is an impudent and shamelesse sinne; Marie Magdalen by this meanes losing all feare of God, and shame of the world. When a Riuer runnes betweene two banks well planted with trees which serue as wals to hedge it in, the waters thereof doe no harme; but if these Riuers breake their bankes, and make their way ouer those walls, they ouerflow and spoyle all that is in their way. Whilest our life shall bee bounded in betwixt shame and feare,

no great harme can come of i••▪ but when a Soule shall liue deuoyd of shame or feare, Lord haue mercie vpon it. Our Sauiour Christ, taking it to be the extre∣mitie and vtmost of all euill, said of a Iudge, I neither feare God nor Man: He that shall cast vp his accounts with Heauen aboue, and with his Honour here beneath, and when he hath made this reckoning, shall thinke with himselfe, that hee hath nothing to lose, What bridle can rest••aine him? One of the reasons why God commanded, That a man should not defame his neighbour, was, That he should not make his sinne perdurable. Saint Hierome saith, That we should rather pri∣uatly admonish, than publiquely punish, Lest if such a one should once lose shame, he should dwell in his sinne for euer. Amongst noble Natures, Honour is the bridle of Vice; and in case they should not professe Vertue, yet will they haue a care to vphold their credit. Saint Augustine saith, That God did not augment the Mo∣narchie of the Romans for their vertue, because whilest they adored false gods they could hardly professe it; but because hauing set Honour before their eyes, it was a great bridle to curbe in their vices.

The third circumstance is, That she should purchase her selfe the name of a Sinneresse in so populous a Citie. This was it that made the Euangelist say, Be∣hold, a woman in the Citie which was a Sinner, (this of Saint Luke was a great endee∣ring of the offence) De qua septem Daemonia eiecerat, Out of whom hee had cast seuen Deuils. Now by these seuen Deuils is to bee vnderstood the manifoldnesse of her sinnes; this is Saint Gregories opinion: but Saint Ambrose will haue thereby to be vnderstood seuen reall Deuils indeed, He dried vp the issue of bloud in Mar∣tha, and droue out the Deuils in Marie; and it is no small proofe thereof, that two Euangelists should expresse the same in plain and ful words: for when one Euan∣gelist sets downe a thing in darke and obscure termes, another vsually explaines the same; but Saint Marke and Saint Luke both, herein agree and say, Out of whom he had cast seuen Deuils; and Saint Hierome in the life of H••lar••on and Prosper like∣wise affirmeth, That this was a chastisement which God did often vse in great sinnes.

The fourth circumstance is, The great hurt which she occasioned to the souls and bodies of men, a great cause whereof was her extreame beautie.

Sambucus, amongst some of his Emblemes which hee hath made of humane beautie, he paints forth in one of them, a Lyon, a Hare, a Fowle, and a Fish; for there is not any creature more couragious than a Lyon, nor any more cowardly than a Hare; nor any creature higher than the Fowle, nor lower in his mansion than the Fish; all which, render and yeeld themselues prisoners to beautie. Balac liued in great feare of Gods People, and when he could not get Balaam to curse them, aduising with his Councell, (Balaam being the first proiector) he sent (as Lyra noteth it) a squadron of the fairest women that his Countrie could affoord, amongst the Israelites, who did beare in their Banner for their Deuice the Image of Belphegor; and they who before did seeme to that King to be inuinci∣ble, rendred themselues captiues to the beautie of those Moabitish women; Et initiati sunt Belphegor, & comederunt sacrificia mortuorum, They married them, and adored their Idoll; and (as Iosephus sets it downe) it was not onely the common people, but many of the chiefest amongst them, that offended in this kind. For the flesh being not onely baited, but blinded with this outward beautie, it hath no eyes to behold the light of the Sunne, Supercecidit ignis, (that is) The fire of Con∣cupiscence fell downe, and they saw not the Sunne: The light of myne eyes is not with me; thus Dauid discoursed with himselfe, treating of his adulterie. Osee compareth Adulterie, to a heated Ouen, whence comes forth the flame which burnes, and

the smoke which blindes. Seest thou a man besotted with the loue of this or that woman, and of that doting affection towards her, that hauing ••uffered for her sake, in his honor, his estate, and his health; if he do not take vp himselfe in time, and looke out some remedy for this sore, you may boldly say he is blind. Saint Iohn painting foorth the fall of Lucifer, saith, That the bottom lesse pit was ope∣ned with a key; (for Lucifer, according to Rupertus, had the first handsell of hell) and from forth that infernall pit, there went out such a thicke smoke, that it darkened the Sun and the Starres. And this is the stampe and figure of him that shall throw himselfe downe headlong into the bottomlesse pit of dishonestie, whence commeth forth so much smoke, that it blindeth the Sun of the vnder∣standing, and darkneth those starres of the faculties of the soule.

From these circumstances do I draw the difficulty of Mary Magdalens Con∣uersion; grounding my supposition vpon these three truths.

The first, That for God to iustifie a soule, is a farre greater matter than to cre∣ate heauen and earth, and all that therein is. This hath beene prooued else∣where. And Iob exprest as much, when he said, The creating of me was the least of thy mercies towards me, Exaltare (saith Dauid) Exalt thy selfe ô God aboue the heauens, and let thy glory be vpon all the earth, that thy beloued may bee deliuered. So that if we should put into the one hand of God, the world created; and into the other, a soule conuerted; the glory of this hand is the greater. And there are two very good reasons for it:

The one, For that in the creating of the world, God had no repugnancie or resi∣stance; but in the conuerting of a soule, he may meet with opposition, by reason of mans peruerse will, Et qui creauit te sine te, non saluabit te sine te, For though bee created thee without thy will, he will not saue thee w••thout thy will. God takes more plea∣sure in conuerting a soule, than in all the rest of those wonders which he wrought with his hands, Auerte oculos tuos à me, quia ipsi me auolare fecerunt, Turne away thine eyes from me; for euen they haue made me flye away. Auolare is the same in that place, as Superbire, inflare. Rabby Salomon renders it, Insolentior factus sum animo. To see thy eyes heretofore so withdrawne from me, and now so busie in behol∣ding ••e. So great is the contention, which is betwixt the loue of God, and the loue of the world, betweene the desires of the flesh, and of the Spirit, That the one doth striue to take the sword out of the others hand:

—Alterius vires, subtrahit alter amor.

Plotinus calls Loue a Painter: Diuine Loue, that paints; and humane Loue, that paints: This painteth forth our felicitie in riches, beauty, and feasting; That, in pouerty, teares, and fasting. For, to ingraue such an image as this in our hearts, to paint such a picture, we must blot out all those colours, which any other loue hath drawne there.

The other, For that in creating the world, God did not shew himselfe to bee weary, but made it as it were a kind of entertainment, and passe-time, Ludens in orbe terrarum: But in redeeming mankind, he was wearied out, euen to the shed∣ding of his blood, and the loosing of his life.

The second truth is, That it is the easiest thing in the world with God, to in∣rich a sinner with his grace. God sent Ieremy to the Potters house, who begin∣ning to worke vpon a peece of clay, it not fadging to his mind, he tore it in sun∣der, and molding it anew, fashioned it afterwards to his owne good liking and content. Cānot I deale by you as the potter doth with his clay? Is my power lesse than his? Noah kept a Lyon in the Arke, but he continued still a Lyon. But our Sauiour Christ in his Church turnes the Lyon into a Lambe, The pots in the Lords

house shall be like the bolls before the Altar. Saint Ierome saith, That he did prophe∣tically decypher the time of the new Law, wherein the black-souted Caldrons, should bee so bright and beautifull, that they should serue for flagons full of flowres, and bolls of sweet and pretious odours. Esay treating of the facilitie wherewith God doth worke this change and alteration, draweth his compari∣son from a little cloud, which a contrary wind taketh, and makes it disappeare in a moment, I shall put away thy transgressions like a cloud, and thy sinnes as a myst. Ec∣clesiasticus compares it vnto yce, which the Sunne no sooner shines vpon, but it is melted, Thy sinnes shall melt away as the yce in the faire weather. Dauid borrow∣eth his comparison from a frozen Torrent, set vpon by a furious South-west wind, and letting loose those waters, causeth them to leape out of their beds. For your frost and yce are the waters fetters which keepe them close prisoners, Hi∣bernis vinculis soluta, saith Nazianzene. And Niuale compede vinctum, saith Horace of the riuer Iberus. But all these comparisons are too large and spatious in respect of Gods least breath, which in an instant doth banish sinne from our breasts, and inricheth it with grace.

The third, That in regard of Man, it is a thing of great difficulty; especial∣ly, if the foule fiend hath got the masterie and possession of our will. When a man hath hyred a house for terme of life, with the liking and consent of it's ow∣ner, for to put such a one out, we must necessarily haue the absolute Posse and po∣wer of the king, we must haue his authority to turne him out. The diuell hauing taken a long lease of the house of thy soule, with thy good liking and consent, thou must haue Gods absolute power to eiect him, and thrust him out: Not that the diuell is so powerfull as some make him, howbeit the Scripture tearmeth him, Vectem concludentem, a strong bolt which goes athwart a doore; and Serpentem tortuosum, a winding serpent which clewes himselfe vp close, and vpon the least aduantage takes hold (like the Cuttle-fish) with his clawes; but because God, howbeit he can doe whatsoeuer he will, is now and then content to giue him leaue to worke vpon our will.

This difficultie is somewhat the more increased, in regard that Mary Mag∣dalen was a woman, which is the Hyerogliph of weakenes, There be three things (saith Salomon) hidden from me, yea foure that I know not. The Hebrew letter saith, Three or foure things are too hard for me. The Hebrew renders the word, Admirabi∣les. The Seuentie, Impossibiles, Impossible for him to know. On the one side, be∣cause they are wreathing and winding too and fro; on the other, because they leaue no signe or print behind thē: the one is of an Eagle in the aire; the other of a Serpent vpon a stone; the third, of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the fourth, of a young man in his youth (being so mutable a creature, and so full of foolish longings.) Euen such is the way of an adulterous woman, Which eateth and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I haue not done ill. When a woman is greedy in deuouring good morsells in secret behind the doore, and wiping her lips, tells the world she hath fasted and eaten nothing all that day; when shee commits folly in a corner, and boasts her selfe in publike to be honest, saying, There is not that woman liuing that liues more honestly than I doe; the diuell hauing taken such possession of her soule, it is a desperate peece of businesse.

All these circumstances of difficultie, and many more which wee omit to set downe, are to be found in this storie. But in those things that to vs seeme impos∣sible, God is wont to shew his wisedome and his power, Great is the Lord, and great is his power. And as a Physition (saith Saint Augustine) doth take pleasure sometimes to light vpon an incurable infirmitie, not so much for his gaine as his

fame; Non quaerens mercedem, sed commendans artem; So was Christ well conten∣ted with this occasion, Ad informationem eorum, qui credituri sunt, For the bet∣ter informing of those that were to beleeue. To giue knowledge (saith the Apostle) to all sinners, That there is in God a power, a wisedome, and a will, for to heale them of their infirmities, be they neuer so foule and enormious. So that this conuersion is the bayte of humane hopes, and the reparation of our despera∣tion. Had we none other to cast our eyes vpon in the Church, but the Virgin Mary, and Iohn Baptist; where were our hopes? The Church therefore doth set two Maries before vs. The one free from sinne, the other full of sinne. The one takes away Vaine-glory from all the righteous, and the other banisheth Co∣wardise and despaire from all sorts of sinners. At the presence of the Sunne, all the lights of heauen withdraw themselues, and hide their heads in a cowardly kind of fashion; but when the Moone once begins to shine, they recouer their former boldnes and libertie. The Sunne presideth ouer the sonnes of the day; the Moone ouer the children of the night. Hee that cannot come to be a Sunne, let him liue in hope to be a Moone, or a Starre. What sayes Hosee? I will giue her the valley of Achor, for the doore of Hope. The Prophet there touching vpon the Historie of Achan, who in the spoyles of Ierico hid the golden wedge, contra∣ry to Ioshuas proclamation, wherewithall God was so offended, That the Army marching to a City called Ay, was ouerthrowne, and the Israelites turning their backs like so many hares, it seemed the doore of Hope was shut against them for entring into the Land of Promise. But the delinquent being conuin∣ced, and stoned to death in the valley of Achor, and all his familie, God foorth∣with gaue them victorie ouer their enemies. And therefore he saith, I will giue them the Valley of Achor for a doore of Hope. Saint Ierome renders it in another let∣ter, I will giue to my Church the valley of peruersenesse, or of the peruerse, for to raise vp the hopes of deiected hearts, as a Paul, a Mary Magdalen, &c. All this concerneth that her condition and state of sinne wherein she stood; which Saint Luke painteth forth in those his first words, Behold a woman in the City which was a sinner.

That we may the better treat of the second State, touching her Repentance, it is to be supposed, that Mary Magdalen had heard some sermons of our Sauio••r Christ (as heretofore hath beene prooued) and that our Lord did direct his dis∣course to a soule that had sustained so many losses, one while proposing the short∣nesse of this our life; another while, the fearefull horrours of death, together with the bitternesse of sinne, the terrour of iudgement, the torments of hell, &c. Why shouldst thou so highly prize thy beauty, that thou shouldst adore it? Why, being the Image of God in thy soule and thy body, shouldst thou be so much affected to the foulenesse of sinne? What was it that made the Angels so foule? &c. smelling so sweet of Amber, Muske, and Ciuet, how canst thou en∣dure the euill sauour of hell? Pro sua in odore, foetor, Thy soft bed is wearisome vnto thee, and being not able to abide in it all night long, thou shiftest thy bed, and canst thou then endure the bed of eternall flames, moth-eaten mattresses, sheetes of snakes, and bolster and pillowes of wormes gnawing continually on thy conscience? Thou changest thy gownes and thy dressings twice or thrice a day, and canst thou suffer the euerlasting rayment of hell fire? The daintiest di∣shes are set before thee to feed on; and canst thou endure that hunger, where tongues are bitten off and fed on? Fame pascentur, vt canes manducauerunt lin∣guas suas prae dolore. Thou canst not abide in thy house, no not one houre; and canst thou liue clapt vp in the dungeon of eternall death and damnation? O how

many lye there in endlesse paines and torments, neuer to be released, for far les∣ser sinnes than thine! What canst thou hope for, what canst thou expect? Is it that the earth should swallow thee vp aliue, as it did Dathan and Abiram? Or that fire should come downe from heauen and consume thee, as it did Sodom? or that God should showre downe lightning and thunder vpon thee, as he did vpon Sisera? what can such a mad foolish woman thinke will become of her, when she growes thus bold and presumptuous? Oh, if thou wouldest but weigh with thy selfe what thou loosest, and that which thou mightest gaine! as also the hurt that thou doest vnto thy selfe! Oh, if thou didst but see the miseries whereunto thy sinnes haue brought thee! Thou hast beene so haled and pulled by that in∣fernall Wolfe, that thou hast scarce an eare left to heare thy Shepheards whistle. And yet for all this I come through the bushes and bryars, and those steepe and dangerous rocks of thy sins, to look thee out, and like a sheep that hath been long lost and found againe, I desire to bring thee backe againe to the fold vpon my shoulders. Oh, if thou didst but see the inward loue of my bowels; or if thou didst but know the great danger thou art in; or if thou couldest but loath this thy lewd and euill life! &c.

With this threatning sermon, expressing so many and such terrible hellish hor∣rours, Mary Magdalen was mightily mooued, her heart melted within her, and Gods Iustice did beat so strongly at the doore of her brest, that at last she let him in. For in a word, his words are that fire which warmeth soules, that ham∣mer which breakes the hardnesse of our hearts, that shaft which pierceth the bones and marrow, that sword which diuideth the reynes in sunder, and that in∣duction which gaue an accomplishment and final conclusion to the rarest Repen∣tance that euer was seene.

And when she knew, &c. God gaue her knowledge.

First, of her sinne.

Secondly, of the danger of her soule.

Thirdly, of the misery of her estate.

The Law entred in by giuing her this knowledge, Wee had not knowne sinne, but by the Law. And Saint Paul saith, Death raigned from Adam to Moses, it ended in Moses. For the written Law gaue vs some light; but that of Grace, much more.

Now besides this generall help, God did inlighten Mary Magdalen, by disco∣uering the foulenesse of those vices which she loued, and the fairenesse of that vertue which she hated.

Touching their foulenesse, notable is that place of Dauid, Illuminans mirabi∣liter à montibus aeternis, turbati sunt omnes insipientes corde, God doth inlighten the sinner, that he may see the face of his sinnes, from the which hee will flye the more, if he shall but behold those foule fiends of hell. This is a remedy where∣with God cureth the greatest infirmities. Where by the way it is to bee noted, that the rule for the griefes of the body, is farre different from those of the soule: In those, the sicke patient hath a breathing time of ease, and by degrees growes better till the danger be past; but in these he growes worse and worse. The hus∣band is sicke; his wife sayes vnto him, Por mi vida, que no es nada, My life for yours, it is a thing of nothing; his daughter, Man̄ana se po••ra V. M. leuantar. To morrow Sir, by the grace of God you shall be able to rise, and be as well as euer you were; the neighbors Regalo de••e Ser, This is a Ladies fit, a gentle visitation. The Physitians they with∣draw themselues out of the roome, and consult in secret, that they may not dis∣hearten their patient. And that this should be so, it importeth much for the bo∣dy:

but for the soule, that which is fittest for it, is to notifie vnto it, that it is either at Heauens doore, or Hells gate. Saint Augustine confesseth, that his conuersion was by these steps, Tu autem retorquebas me ad meipsum, vt viderem quam vlcerosus essem, Thou hast notified vnto me (ô Lord) my danger, by making mee to turne mine eyes vpon my selfe, that I might see my sores: aduising me of that which Ieremy vttereth, Thy wound is incurable.

God likewise did Mary Magdalen a great fauour, in discouering vnto her the faire and beautiful face of Vertue, kindling in her brest those hot coles of Loue. A sinner in his vices and vaine pleasures, is like vnto a horse, of whom Iob saith, That in hearing the noyse of the trumpet sounding to warre, hee enters into the battaile with great courage, scorning all kind of feare whatsoeuer. Vertue (me thinks) should not be of worse condition. And the iust knowing his own strength, and how faire and beautifull he is in Gods sight, it is not much that hee should couragiously enter the listes, laying aside all feare.

Secondly, she knew the season of this her happinesse, That Iesus sat at Table in the house of Simon the Leper, and shee would not loose so faire an opportunitie; which being once lost is hardly recouered. The vocations and inspirations of God, are euery dayes example, The waters saw thee and were afraid, the depths trem∣bled, the cloudes powred out water, the heauens gaue a sound, thy arrowes went abroad, the voyce of thy thunder was round about, the lightnings lightned the world, &c. Saint Augustine saith, That the Prophet here treateth of the effect of Gods word, and compares it to those things which passe and quickly disappeare, as the noyse of a rushing of waters, or of some greatwhirle-wind, or arrowes shot with a strong arme, or of thunder and lightning. These are things whilest they last, which doe much amase, mooue, and disquiet vs, The earth saw it and was mooued at it. But these things doe not long continue, but quickly passe away. And therefore our good consisting in it's good effect, it were a great lasinesse and foule slothfulnesse in vs not to take occasion by the foretop. What sayes Lucan? Semper nocuit dif∣ferre paratis? Sophonias? Coruus super liminari, Cras, cras. Saint Ierome hath obser∣ued that the Hebrew letter signifies a knife; In token that the deferring of a good occasion, is the knife that cuts our soules, and the sword that kills them. The damned doe eternally bewaile their lost occasion, Desideria occidunt pigrum, For the sluggard desires, and desires, and holds one hand vpon another, but neuer sets his hand to any thing; but Mary Magdalen, vt cognouit, As soone as shee knew that Iesus was in Simons house, &c. The Euangelist saith not, That she stayed to take her Mantle with her, nor that she opened any coffer, or tooke any Balsamum out of such or such a boxe, but, vt cognouit, as soone as she knew where he was, she bestir∣red her stumpes, and made all the hast she could. And when she knew that hee sat at Table in the house of Simon the Leaper, it was a watchword vnto her, that this was now a fit time for her to come vnto him. For hee that would not loath the company of a Leper, and pardon those faults which that Table might afford, would not be queasie stomackt towards a sinner, &c. My welbeloued put in his hand by the hole of the doore, and mine heart was affectioned towards him. My welbeloued his putting in of his hand, is my calling of me. And therefore our Sauiour Christ when he saw Mary Magdalens modestie, and that out of bashful∣nesse she forbore to presse too neere vpon him, he made signes vnto her, imbold∣ning her thereb•• to come vnto him.

She brought a boxe of oyntment, &c. This was a certaine signe and assured to∣ken of her generall change and alteration. In the old Law, those women that did wholy giue ouer the world, and did consecrate themselues to the Temple, did

offer vp those glasses, wherein they before beheld themselues, being a iewell of great esteeme amongst women, as being a meanes to preserue their beauties, and repaire those wrongs that any spot of foulenesse should doe the face: And Moses made a Lauatorie of Copper, for the Priests to wash themselues in, adorning the same with these kind of glasses. For she that shall forgo the world, and strip her selfe of all euen to her very glasse, wherein she was wont to looke, the holi∣est Priests may looke that woman in the face without sinning.

There are certaine sinners which will not let slip any occasion that offers it selfe vnto them. Petrus Chrysologus likens these vnto diuells. Amongst the Ger∣gesenes, our Sauiour Christ commanding the diuells that they should come out of those men that liued in the fields in the Sepulchres and graues of the dead, as if they were houses of peace and pleasure, they besought him that he would suf∣fer them to goe into the heard of Swine, to wit, out of one filthy place into ano∣ther; and so in like manner from sinne to sinne. Others there are, that all their life long, haue tyde themselues fast to Occasions girdle, & haue as it were sworn and made a vow, neuer to forsake her: These two sorts of sinners Ieremie poin∣ted at; If the Blackemore can change his skinne, or the Leopard his spots; Now, which will first change his skinne and condition, either the tanned Negro, or the spotted Tygar? The sinner which lyes at racke and manger, and is chained fast to the ring of the cratch, or he that accustomes and vses himselfe to change and alter euery houre; and like the Cameleon, puts on as many colours as come neere him; Which of these two Estates I say is the more dangerous? I answer, That amongst Reprobat people there is not a pin to chuse: But amongst those sinners that hope for heauen, That of the Cameleon seemeth to bee the more dange∣rous; because it may be presumed from his ordinary reincidencie, that in the confession of his sinnes, he neuer truely repents himselfe of them; whence great Sacriledges are wont to succeede. But for the other, it may so fall out, That hee may be as constant in good, as he hath beene before in ill.

And she stood at his feet behind him. Retrò, at his backe; Whence we may con∣sider a wonderfull and strange kind of change▪ When Mary Magdalen did cast her sinnes behind her backe, God did set them before his eyes: but when Ma∣ry Magdalen did set them before her eyes, and grew fearefull and timerous to looke him in the face, and had not the heart to presse into his presence that was to be her soules best Physician, God did cast her sinnes behind his backe. Saint Augustine touches vpon this string, vpon those words of Dauid; Auerte faciem tu∣am à peccatis meis, Turne aside thy eyes ô Lord from my sinnes. Oh thou sinner (saith the same Father) I shall giue thee a good remedy for this, Tu inde non auertas, Doe not thou turne thine eyes from off thy sinnes, and God will turne away his: but if thou shalt cast them behind thy backe, Gods eye will be still vpon them, and punish them seuerely in thee.

Standing behind. In that looking-glasse of Christ, she saw the foulenesse of her soule, and she startled at it, Statuam contra te faciem tuam. In a glasse that which is faire, seemeth more faire; and that which is foule, more foule. There are some glasses which makes all those appeare faire which fall within the view of them. A glasse standing in a window, makes the opposite wall glitter and shine the more. The Raine-bow leaues that fairest, which leaneth neerest to it. The Sunne setting vpon a darke cloud, makes him become as bright as gold. In like manner our Sauiour Christ layd open to Mary Magdalen the foulenesse of her sinnes, that he might leaue her more faire and more beautifull than shee was before.

Standing behind. Petrus Chrysologus cryes out, Mary Magdalen what meanest thou by this? Commest thou as one that is sicke to seeke a Physition, and when thou shouldst come to him, doest thou flye from him? Whereunto he answers, That as one vnworthy to looke him in the face, she made choise to stand behind him; and if it possibly could haue beene, she would not that he should haue seen her; though such was her wretched case, That she was driuen to desire his fa∣uour and best furtherance. The sick Patient cannot flye from the Physition which is willing to cure him. In this perplexitie and anguish of her soule, shee resolued with her selfe to shunne the sight of our Sauiour Christ, though not vtterly put her selfe out from his presence. Dauid did desire of God, that he would not for∣sake him in his anger, nor go away from him in his displeasure: Which seemeth cōtrary to that rule of S. Paul, Giue place to wrath; and contrary to Iobs desire, Quis mihi det, vt in Inferno protegas me, & abscondas me, donec transeat furor tuus, &c. Saint Augustine saith, That if it were possible for a sinner to flye from God, it were not the worst remedie to hide himselfe whilest his furie be ouerpast and his anger quite gone. But it being of necessitie, that he must fall into Gods hands, and that a sinner can no where hide himselfe from his all-seeing eye, the best counsell were to aduise him, That to escape Gods hands, hee should put him∣selfe into Gods hands, and prostrate himselfe at his feet. Ionas flying from God, told the Marriners, I feare the Lord God of heauen, which made the sea, and the dry land. If God then be the God both of sea and land, Why didst thou seeke to flye from him by going to sea?

By or neere vnto his feet. When a Huntsman woundeth a Deere with a for∣ked arrow that is sent from a strong bow, though the Deere may bound and stand vp for a while, yet at last he sinkes and falls downe at the Keepers foot. Our Sauiour Christ had wounded Mary Magdalen with the arrow of his word, he strooke her to the very heart, the barbes thereof sticking in the sides of her soule, Sagittae potentis acutae cum carbonibus dissolatorijs. This Deere of his was so sorely wounded, That she was forced to fall downe at his feet in the house of Simon the Leaper. One of the greatest glories that was prophesied of our Sauiour Christ, was, That he should make his enemies his foot-stoole. And in another place, His enemies shall bow themselues downe before him, and licke the earth. And this is one of the greatest happinesses that can befall Gods enemie.

And she fell a weeping. Pliny saith, That one of the Offices which Nature be∣stowed on the eyes, was, That they might serue as a Limbeck or Stillatorie to the heart; from whence it might distill it's sadnesse and sorrow, and easing it selfe of so heauy a load, it might thereby inioy some comfort. Saint Gregory expoun∣ding that place of the Lamentations, Mine eye casteth out water, because the com∣forter that should refresh my soule, is farre from me, saith, That as the Gardi∣ner doth deriue the water from the Estanque or poole where it is kept, and con∣ueyes it to the borders in the garden, or the plants in the orchard: so a true Pe∣nitent ought to direct the teares of his eyes to euery one of those sinnes which he hath committed. And because Mary Magdalens teares were many, the Euange∣list saith, That she did Rigare lachrymis, Showre downe teares. Saint Bernard saith, That teares worke two effects:

The one, To water the heart.

The other, To wash it.

And therefore he that doth not gutter downe teares, hath commonly a hard and a foule heart. Hard, because teares are they that soften and mollifie the

heart, as Water doth the earth: And as in a ground that is destitute of water, howbeit Fruit may grow therein, yet doth it neuer come to it's perfect ripenesse, It withered as soone as it came vp, because it wanted moysture. In like sort, the Soule which is not made tender with teares, although it may bud forth some flowers and leaues of good intentions, yet it neuer comes to beare fruit. Foule, because there is not that Collyrium or medicine which can so clense and cleere the eyes of the Soule, as Teares, though the eyes of the bodie should waxe blind with weeping.

She began to fall a weeping. We know the beginning of these teares, but not the end; for that fountaine of teares which had it's Well-head and spring at the feet of our Sauiour Christ, did neuer grow emptie or drie in the eyes of Marie Magdalen. Saint Basil askes the question, How it comes to passe that teares some∣times should come vpon vs without desiring them, and at other times, though we desire them neuer so much, we are not able to shed a teare? And his reason is, That we haue them now & then, God being willing to giue vs a taste of them; for the Soule that once tasteth of the sweetnesse of teares, will not leaue them for a world: for, as those vapors that are exhaled from those salt and bitter wa∣ters of the sea, being conuerted into clouds, are afterwards resolued into a sweet and sauorie water; so those sighes and sobbs arising from a sad and sorrowfull Soule for hauing offended the Maiestie of God, beeing conuerted into Clouds of feare, resolue themselues at last into most sweet & most sauorie teares. Other∣whiles God denies them vnto vs, though we seeke after them neuer so much, in punishment of our forepassed negligence: for it is no reason that hee should on the sudden inioy so great a good, who by long exercise hath not deserued them.

Saint Augustine after that he was conuerted, saith, That his eyes were two Fountaines, and that he was verie well pleased they should bee so; Fluebant la∣chrymae, & bene mihi erat cum illis. Dauid after that he had sayd, That euery night he washed his couch with teares; that is, Per singulas noctes, Night after night; (according to Saint Chrysostome) he addeth, Amplius laua me, he calleth for more and more teares still: for weeping must haue a beginning, but neuer haue an en∣ding. In Heauen God onely dries vp our teares once and no more. God shall wipe away euerie teare from their eyes. But Marie Magdalens teares, many a time and oft did hee wipe; for enioying through her teares so great a good, shee then tooke most pleasure when she wept most. Iacob had put on a purpose, neuer to leaue off weeping as long as he liued; Surely I will goe downe vnto the Graue to my sonne mourning, I shall neuer haue drie eyes till I see my sonne Ioseph. If he did desire to shed such eternall teares of sorow, it is not much, that Mary Mag∣dalen should desire to shed eternall teares of joy.

She fell a weeping. Chrysologus cites to this purpose that verse of Dauid, Praise yee the Lord yee Waters that be aboue the Heauens. Some vnderstand by these waters that are aboue the Heauens, the Angells; some, the Crystalline Heauen; others, the waters of the Clouds which are aboue the aire, which the Scripture calleth Heauen: But I (saith Chrysologus) considering these teares that were poured forth vpon our Sauiours feet, cannot but confesse, That these are those Waters that be aboue the Heauens. The Historie of the Kings maketh mention of the gifts which the Queene of Sheba brought to King Salomon, and that none in all the world had at any time brought such rich Presents, nor so pretious in their qualitie, nor so many in their quantitie: The like may be sayd of Marie Magda∣lens teares, neuer was there that woman in the world that shed so many, and such rich and pretious teares, as she, nor that presentedthe like from her eyes, to the

true Salomon. Zachary sets forth Dauid for an example of the penitent, Et erit, qui offenderit ex eis in illa die, sicut Dauid. In the new Law it is said, That sinners shall rise vp with that zeale and earnest feruour from their sinues, as did Dauid: But the Prophet had not then the example of Mary Magdalen; if he had, hee would haue preferd her before him in that deluge of teares. God treating of clensing the world of it's sins, he rayned down more & more water; but that was not a suffici∣ent or effectuall remedy: on Sodom he rayned down more & more fire; but that likewise would doe no good. Sithence that neither water of it selfe, nor fire of it selfe, wil do the deed, let a Lee be made of fire and water together, for there is not that spot or staine, which that will not take out. This Lee, is the teares which come from the vapours of the braine, and the fire of the heart. Saint Augustine weighing how mute Mary Magdalen stood, sayes vnto her, Quid quaeris? Quid dicis Maria? What wouldst thou haue? What doest thou seeke after? What, nothing but weepe? Why doest thou not speake? She had found too much sor∣row to find a tongue. They grieue but little that can expresse their griefe: No maruell then if she were dumbe-strucken, that was so heart-strucken. The sweet songs of the Syrens haue been turned into sorrowfull sighes; the pleasing and delight fullest voyce, being altered by the heat of the blood, hath admitted of a change, and beene turned into sad howlings and dolefull notes. And as at the death of some great Captaine, the drums beat harsh and dead, and render a dole∣full sound; and in stead of shrill and cheerefull flourishes, the trumpets sound hoarse; so now in this our Mary Magdalens death (who was the chiefe Captaine and Ring-leader of the vices of that Citie) a hollow sound of sighes was heard, and a grieuous noyse of confused grones and broken throbs, breathing out these wofull words: ô my good Lord, I haue beene like vnto the Serpent, for on the one side I sustained my selfe by the earth, without once offering to lift mine eyes from the earth; on the other side, I did prostrate my selfe, laying traps and snares for thy feet, soliciting the men of this City to tread thy Lawes vnder their feet. Oh Lord, since I haue thus playd the Serpent, tread thou vpon mee, crush me in the head, and bruise out all the venome that is in me. O sweet Iesus, the Serpent vseth to enter in betweene the rocks, and rub off her old skinne, and leauing it there behind her, to renew her selfe againe: I much desire to cast off my old skinne, and to leaue it in the wounds of these thy feet, and on my strong rocke Christ Iesus. I wot well ô Lord, that so vile and lewd a woman as I am, is to be made no more reckoning of, than the durt that is trod vnder foot in the streetes, Mulier fornicaria, quasi stercus in via conculcabitur. But many times the dung of the earth doth serue for the rootes of trees and other plants: and be∣cause thou art that Diuine plant, whose branches reach vp as high as heauen, per∣mit ô Lord, that I though but durt and dung, may lye at thy feet. The Cananitish woman did shew a great deale of humility, when she tearmed her selfe a dogge: but Mary Magdalen much more, ••earming her selfe dung.

And she wiped his feet with the haires of her head. S. Ambrose asketh the question, Why some of his Apostles did not wash our Sauiours feet, either before or after that he had washt all theirs? He renders two reasons:

The one, for that Mary Magdalen had washt them, and hee would not that this lustre which those her tears had giuen them, should be lost by washing them with ordinarie and common water. And the comparison is good, For he that is washed with the water of Angels, will refuse to be washed with any other water.

The other (saith Saint Ambrose) for that we should wash those his diuine feet, with the teares of our eyes. That mysticall lauing of the Apostles feet, which

was directed to the cleansing of their soules, could not fit with our Sauiour Christ, who was free from the least filth of sinne: If any Lauatorie likes him, it is that of our teares, because in them the heart is softned Besides, Those eyes and hayres which were so well imployed, did expresse her good desire and thoughts. And there is not any Sacrifice so acceptable vnto God, as to see the desires and thoughts of our hearts to be offered vp at his feet. Chrysologus saith, That after God had seene the resolution and courage of Abraham in the sacri∣ficing of his sonne, he cared not a rush for all the rest; and therefore cryed vnto him, Lay not thine hand vpon the child, neyther doe any thing vnto him; for now I know thou fearest God, &c. For I take no pleasure in the death of the Innocent, nor in the shedding of blood, my delight is, to see thy will submit it selfe at my feet, My sister, my spouse, thou hast wounded mine heart: Thou hast wounded my heart with one of thine eyes, and with a hayre of thy necke. Following the selfe-same Metaphor, to wit, That the hayres are the thoughts, and the eyes, the desires. As if her belo∣ued should haue said vnto her, One desire, one thought my spouse, one resolute determination, one firme purpose, hath quite robd me of my heart. And he that shall indeere the delight that he takes in one single hayre, will take much more pleasure in that whole skayne of gold. Bonauenture sayes, That shee did behold our Sauiour by stealth, and peeping through the lattice of her hayres, did euer and anon snatch a sight of him; But after that she had once inioyed the brightnes of his face, and the sweetnes of his eyes, whence he shot forth such sweet shafts of loue, and that did light so right vpon her, that her heart was taken therewith; It seeming vnto her, That the skie was now cleere, and the weather very faire and prosperous, she did vnruffle the sides of her haires, and spred them abroad to the wind, finding so good a gale. And as he that hath escaped many dange∣rous fits of death at sea, is neuer satisfied with kissing the earth when hee comes ashoare: so Mary Magdalen thought shee could neuer haue her fill of kissing the blessed earth, of those her Sauiours most holy feet. And as the Traueller that hath passed through the deserts of Arabia, his mouth being as dry as those san∣die grounds, or as tinder that is ready to take fire, being driuen to drinke of foule and vnsauourie puddles, no sooner comes to a cleere fountaine, but hee rushes hastily to the water, and neuer makes an end of drinking; so did it fare with Mary Magdalen, &c.

With her hayres. Absalons hayre was Absalons halter; Sampsons lockes serued as bands to bind him fast; the Philistims by those hayres haling him to prison. My hayres haue been no lesse cruell to me, than theirs were to them. God, he is said to haue a head of gold, but hayres as blacke as the Rauen. But I, being a Ra∣uen in my soule for blacknesse, had my hayres of gold, &c.

And annoynted them with oyntment. Saint Gregorie saith, That Mary Mag∣dalen entertained our Sauiour Christ at this feast, with two great regalos, or dainties.

The one, That it was she that made him the feast. For albeit the Pharisee had inuited him, he had not set before him one sauourie morsell: For what could sa∣uour well in the house of a proud scorner that is giuen to mocke and scoffe? And howbeit for the body, the cheere was good enough, yet if it had not beene for Mary Magdalen, the soule might haue fasted. But she did supply that defect, by affording matter to our Sauiour, to taxe the Pharisee of discourtesie, &c. Seest thou this woman? I entred into thy house, and thou gauest me no water to my feete: but she hath washed my feet with teares. Thou gauest me no kisse: But shee since the time that I came in, hath not ceased to kisse my feet. Mine head with oyle thou didst not annoynt,

but she hath annoynted my feet with oyntment, &c.

The other, That at the feet of our Sauiour she made a generall sacrifice of all those things, wherewith she had before offended him; as of her eyes, mouth, hayres, hands, heart, and soule, not leauing out so much as that her oyntment, which is that which women are loathest to leaue, and doe latest and hardliest part withall. Saint Bernard saith▪ That Mary Magdalen did climbe vp to heauen by the same rounds, by which she went downe to hell. Wee make a rope of our vices, and a ladder of our sinnes, by which we descend to hell. In some, their eyes are the instruments of their destruction, in others their hayres, in others their dainties and delicacies in; Mary Magdalen, all whatsoeuer she possessed: Shee was the net that swept all the vices vnto her; and all those good blessings which God had bestowed vpon her, she had made them weapons wherewith to offend him. And as the souldier that yeelds himselfe, holding his weapon by the point, offers it to the Conqueror; so did Mary Magdalen, ô Lord (said she) with these weapons haue I offended thee, but now I here lay them downe at thy feet.

If this man were a Prophet, he would surely haue known who, &c. God doth so kind∣ly and so louingly entertaine all those that are penitent sinners, that it would make a man thinke that he had not knowne them. He that hath kild thy brother, if thou know him not, thou welcommest him to thy house, and settest him at thy table: behold heere the immensiue Loue of God, for that which thou doest out of meere ignorance, God doth here doe it out of cleere knowledge. If thou shalt bewayle thy sinnes and offences, thou shalt finde God after that manner, as if either he had not knowne thy faults at all, or if hee did know them, that hee had quite forgot them. In a word, here the boord of a sinner is made the chaire of holinesse, and of vertue.

If this man were a Prophet. Your Hypocrites which desire no more but the bare name of Prophets, and to be onely esteemed for such, are commonly seuere and sharpe: but those which professe to be so indeed, will rather offend through mildnesse and softnesse, than roughnesse and austeritie. Saint Chrisostome sayth, Melius est Deo, de misericordia rationem reddere, quam de austeritate. It better agrees with God to render an account of his mercy, than of his seueritie. If God bee naturally kind, Why should a Prophet be cruell? One of the reasons, Why the day of iudgement ought to be desired, is, That wee may see the faces of those who being very well satisfied of their owne sanctitie, are out of a loathing of other folkes sinnes, ready forsooth to turne vp the stomacke. Your Vultures are all femalls, (according to the opinion of your Naturalists) and conceiuing by the Aire, they are the stampe and Embleme of your Murmurers, which teare and rend the flesh aliue, as your Vultures doe dead carcasses: and if thou wouldest know whereupon they ground this, thou shalt find it is in the ayre.

If he but knew who, and what manner of woman this were which toucheth him. The iudgements that are most preiudiciall to a Common-wealth, and most contrarie to Gods nature and condition, are the discrediting and disgracing of present ver∣tues, with the reprochfull remembrance of forepassed vices: some doe this out of zeale forsooth; but true zeale neuer disheartneth or discourageth those that are weake. How can that be zeale which persuades it selfe, Que el sap••, siempre es sapo, That once a toad and euer a toad. This kind of zeale I should hardly giue credit vnto, though it should descend downe from heauen; especially when I consi∣der with my selfe, Que del sapo, puede hazer dios Perdiz, That God of a toad can make a Partridge. What saith Ieremy? Orietur sicut mane Iustitia, Consider the thicke duskinesse of darknesse, and then againe the glorious brightnesse of the light, be∣ing

on the one side such neere neighbours, and trenching one vpon the other; on the other so contrary, and so farre asunder, that there is nothing more diffe∣ring, than light from darknesse, nothing in that extreame distance. A bird passes in an instant ouer fields, mountaines, valleys, riuers, and seas, and flyes from ex∣treame to extreame, Quis mihi dabit pennas sicut columbae, &c. Who will giue mee the wings of a Doue? What wonder is it then that God should passe from the foule∣nesse of sinne, to the fairenesse of grace. The hardest thing in the world, is to vnteach a man that which he hath learned: and therefore the Philosopher did demand a double Salarie for teaching those schollers that had beene read too before by some other Philosopher. But this shewes the force and power of Gods Spirit, for that which humane industrie cannot end in many dayes, grace will end in an instant. Your aqua fortis will eat out any written character, and cleanse those blots and blurs of inke, which the dashing of the pen or any the like accident hath occasioned, but you shall neuer be able to write any letter well againe in the said paper. But your eye-water, that of teares, is far more for∣cible and strong than your aqua fortis, for it doth not onely cleanse the soule of it's former blots and blurs, but there may be written therein anew very faire let∣ters, and handsome Characters. Aristotle saith, That your Plants are watered with the water of the earth, and with the water of heauen; but affirmeth with all, That that of heauen worketh the more wonderfull effects: So likewise are there teares of the earth, and teares of heauen; but these worke heauenly ef∣fects. The Historie of Elias in that contention and opposition which he had with the false Prophets, ••alls out very pat for this purpose: Hee powred water on the Sacrifice, and fild the trenches full therewith, fire descended downe from hea∣uen, and lickt vp the water, till there was not one drop left. The comparison is not much amisse of him, Who after that he had fed vpon many dishes, fals round∣ly to that which was serued in last, because he findes it more sauourie and plea∣sing to his palat, than any of the former. As this fire that came downe from hea∣uen, consumed the beasts that were sacrificed; with them the wood, the stones, and at last the very water: so was it with this Sacrifice which Mary Magdalen of∣fered to our Sauiour Christ; He fed vpon all those dainties shee had set be∣fore him, her boxe of Alablaster filled with costly oyntment, her disheuelled hayres, her pretty mouth, her faire hands, her sweet kisses, her modest lookes, her blushings and her bashfulnesse; but most of all on her teares, Lambebat, hee did licke them vp, they were so sweet and sauourie to his taste, and left so pleasant a rellish behind them.

Iesus answered and said vnto him, Seest thou this woman? Petrus Chrisologus saith, That our Sauiour in this his answer shewes vnto vs, that he was first of all desi∣rous to cure him who had least feeling of his griefe, not thinking that hee was sicke, because he felt no paine. And that these open and publike teares of Ma∣rie Magdalen, should discouer the secret & hidden sores of the Pharisee, making the same serue as a medicine for his maladie, and a meanes to open his eyes, who as yet had them blinded with selfe-loue. Vides hanc mulierem? See∣est thou this Woman? No, Simon thou doest not see her; For thou doest imagine her to be a sinner, whereas indeed she is a Saint, Many sinnes are forgiuen her. That the sinnes of Mary Magdalen were many, the reasons before alledged, the seuen diuels driuen out of her, (deliuered by Saint Marke and Saint Luke) and the name of Sinneresse in so populous a City, are sufficient testimonies of this truth. But a stronger proofe thereof are those words vttered by our Sauior Christ, Ma∣ny sinnes are forgiuen her. Wherein we are to consider his franknesse and freenesse

in forgiuing: Shewing his power and omnipotencie in nothing more, than in pittying our infirmities, and pardoning our offences. For, that so great a forgiuer of sinnes should say, Many sinnes are forgiuen thee, doth argue, that her sinnes were many. And would to God, That those many deuotos▪ or seruants, that are de∣uoted to Mary Magdalen, be not more for those many sinnes which she had before she was conuerted, than those many deseruings which she afterwards had. For we haue reason to be iealous of our selues, that we are more affected to sins than teares, to carelesnesse than repentance. For we daily see in our liues and conuer∣sations many sinnes like vnto hers, but little or no repentance like hers. Many comfort themselues with the teares of this holy woman, this blessed Saint of God; it seeming vnto them, that they haue a kind of confidence in their brests, that they likewise shall bewaile their sins as she did. It is no wonder to see them sinne at euery step, but it were a wonder to find them euery foot weeping. They will follow her in her faults, but not in her amendment; in her sins, but not in her teares. Nazianzen saith of himselfe, Diutius viuendo, nihil aliud assequor, quam vt maiorem vitiorum aceruum colligam, By liuing long, I get no other good, than make the heape of my sinnes the bigger. The child of God weepes, and it grieues him to the heart that he cannot amend as he would; and that the longer his life lasteth, the more sinne he treasureth vp: but the sinner doth treasure vp venge∣ance for the day of vengeance, but neuer sheds a teare to wash away his sins, and to quench those flames of hell, which without them, his soule may eternally suf∣fer. O Lord graunt vs the grace, that as we haue sinned with Mary Magdalen, so with her we may returne againe vnto thee; and that hauing t••e like repentance, we may find the like forgiuenesse of our sinnes. Grant this (sweet Iesus) for thy mercies sake, &c.

Notes

• The Circum∣stances of Maries perdi∣tion.
• The sin of dis∣honest••e hath two p••operties
• (1.)

  It sticks of all others the clo∣sest to the Soule.
• Gen. 6.
• 3. Reg. 11.
• (2.)

  It bli••••s the Vnderstāding.
• The force of Beautie.
• ••osea 7.
• Adultry com∣pared to a heated Ouen.
• Gods glorie greater in our conuersion than creation.
• Psal. 108.
• To conuert a sinner, is a worke of won∣drous difficul∣tie in regard of mans per∣uersnesse.
• Zachar. 14.
• The iustifica∣tion of a sin∣ner, set out by diuers apt si∣militudes.
• Esay 44.
• Eccles. 3.16.
• Prou. 30.
• Woman the hieroglyphike of weaknes. Prou. 30.
• Maries con∣uersion affor∣deth hope to the most des∣perate sinners▪
• Osee 2.
• Of Maries repentance.
• The foulenes of sinne.
• We may dally with the sick∣nes of the bo∣di••, not of the soule.
• The fairenes of vertue.
• Psal. 78.
• Good occasi∣ons must be embraced with speed.
• Cant. 5.4.
• Ier. 3.
• Relapses into sin are dan∣gerous.
• God will ne∣uer e••e our sins, if we wil eye them our selues.
• The way to flie from God, is to flie vnto him.
• The office of the Eye.
• Tea••es worke two effe••••s.
• Teares some∣times denied vs for our pu∣nishment.
• Teares for sin must neuer haue an end.
• Teares the de∣light of a Pe∣nitent.
• Psal. 14••.
• What is meant by wa∣ters aboue the heauens.
• 3. Reg. 10.
• Deepe sorrow wants a tongue.
• Why Christ should not suffer his Apo∣stles to wash his feet, when he had wa∣shed theirs.
• Gen. 22.
• Cont. 9.4.
• The Haire hurtfull vnto many.
• Maries enter∣tainement of our Sauiour, expressed in two things.
• The nature of a Prophet should be ra∣ther sweet than sharp••▪
• True zeale ne∣uer disheart∣neth, but en∣courageth the weake.
• God in a mo∣ment can make of a sin∣ner a Saint.
• The efficacie of penitentiall teares.
• 2. Reg. 19.
• To Christ they are more sauourie than wine.
• The reason of the demand.
• Christ euer ready to for∣giue sinners.