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 XXXV. SERMON, VPON THE WEDNESDAY AFTER PASSION SVNDAY. (Book 35)

IOHN. 10.

Facta sunt enzenia Hierosolymis.

The Feast of the Dedication was celebrated at Ierusalem.

THe Feast de las Enzenias, or of the Dedication, was celebrated in Ierusalem: The Greeke word signifieth, Renouation.* 1.1 The Iews had three Feasts of this name:

The first, in remembrance of the great solemnitie made by Salomon when he had finished the Fabrick of the Temple, which was one of the Myracles of the world.

The second, in memoriall of the re-edification thereof,* 1.2 done by Zorobabel and the Princes of Iuda, hauing Cyrus his Warrant for it, who restored the gold and siluer which Nebuchadnezzar robbed the Temple of.

The third, in remembrance of that Altar which Iudas Machabeus built anew, which Antiochus had prophaned by placing thereon the Statue of Iupiter Olym∣pus,* 1.3 and offering thereon costly and sumptuous Sacrifices. And this is that Feast whereof the Gospell makes mention; it was celebrated on the twentie fifth of Nouember, which in the Iewish account was the ninth moneth, about the be∣ginning of Winter; and therefore it is sayd, It was Winter. Now our Sauiour Christ passing along through the porch of the Temple, the Iewes flocked about him, both Nobles and Plebeians, and sayd vnto him, How long doost thou make vs doubt? How long wilt thou hold vs in suspence? if thou be the Christ, tell vs so plainly without any more adoo. But Iesus gaue them so vnsauorie an answer to this their vnmannerly demand, that they tooke vp stones to stone him.

The feast of the Dedication was at Ierusalem. It is the language of the Scrip∣ture,* 1.4 and especially of the Apostle Saint Paul, to call our Brest, Heart, or Bosome, Gods Temple; as in that to the Corinthians, Yee are the Temples of the liuing God: And he citeth that place of Leuiticus, As God hath said, I will dwell among them,* 1.5 and walke there. And Saint Ambrose further addeth, That as in a materiall tem∣ple made with hands, there are Porches, Floores, and Altars, &c. so within vs

we haue all these things. Phylon saith, That an honest, a holy, and deuout Soule, is the Altar whereon God is adored.

But here we are to consider, That our heart, or the soule of a Christian man, is a higher rooft Temple, and farre more spacious. After that Salomon had made an end of building his Temple, he sayd, O Lord, I haue built thee an House to dwell in, but it is too little for thy greatnesse; for if the Heauens, and the Hea∣uens of Heauens are not able to containe thee, how much more vnable is this House that I haue built, it being but a Thimble as it were, in comparison of thee, for that thou art higher than the highest Heauens, and deeper than the profoun∣dest Depth. What House is that (saith Esay, in a sleighting kind of manner) which yee haue built for me, and what is that place of my rest? Were not all things made by my hand? If then a Temple made by such powerfull hands, be so small a House for God to dwell in, (for which cause Saint Paul sayd, He dwelleth not in Temples made with hands) How great a one will that be, which man shall make for him? So that t••e least vnworthie, and the least narrow house, is our brest; Greater yet is God than our heart, and yet God saith, If any shall open, I w••ll come in vnto him, and wil sup with him.

This is that Temple which God desires should bee renewed. After that the Temple was prophaned by Ant••ochus, the Text saith, They did wisely consider with themselues, That that Altar should be destroyed, and a new one built: for they thought it not fit to offer Sacrifice vnto God vpon that Altar, where••n Antio∣chus (whom the Scripture stileth, The Root of all wickednesse) had performed so many abhominations. They therefore built a new Altar, and did insti••ute a Feast in memoriall of it's re-edification; wherein they gaue thankes vnto God, That he had giuen them a time wherein they might truly serue him, as they had done heretofore.

Now as the councell was good in the Machabees, To build a new Alter (for had they made the old one neuer so cleane,* 1.6 yet the forepassed abhominations would haue caused a continuall horrour) so will it be verie good councell, vtter∣ly to destroy a foule Soule, which hath been an Inne for Vice, and an habitation for Deuils, and to create it anew, that there might not remaine any relish of it's former ill: And Dauid seemeth to desire as much of God in those words of his, Create in me,* 1.7 ô Lord, a new heart. When Liquor hath layne a long time in a Ves∣••ell, though you wash and rynse it neuer so much, it retaineth somewhat of it's ••ld odour. The adulterie of Bershabe, and the murther of Vriah, hath layne a ••ong time in my brest, and though I haue washed and rynsed it with I know not how many ••ees and Sopes, yet haue I no hope to make it as cleane as it was be∣fore: and therefore, ô Lord, I beseech thee, that thou wilt create a new heart in me, wherewith I may loue thee for euer. But if this cannot be, because the soule is immortall, perdurable, and incorruptible, Renew a right spirit within me, that there may not remaine any sent or sauour of my former foulnes; establish such a spirit in me, that I may neuer fal from thy seruice; a spirit that may repaire those wrongs I did before: and if that were an occasion that many did blaspheme thy Name, let this be such a one, that it may conuert many vnto thee, and that they may truly serue thee. The glorious Doctor Saint Ambrose touched vpon this string, Dauid (saith he) did desire of God, That he would create him a new heart, not that he should create it anew, but that he should so renew it, that it might seeme to be created anew; for to clense it, was all one as to create it.

* 1.8It is the resolution of a man that is truly penitent, to desire to leaue a lewd life, and to auoyd all occasions thereof. Anselme saith, That the first renouation

which God effecteth in our soules, is in Babtisme: This is the foundation of our Christian building, so saith the glorious Apostle Saint Paul. Afterwards the eyes of our Reason being cleered, one layeth his foundation on Gold, another on Siluer, a third on pretious Stones, a fourth on Wood, a fift on Hay, a sixt on Straw: and though Hay and Straw be sometimes taken for Gold, the fire will trie the finenesse of it, and purifie all.

The second renouation is by Repentance: When thou hast an old beastly tatterd garment, thou makest thee a new one; thy soule is all to be rent & torne, exceeding foule and filthie, cloath it anew. The first regalo or kindnesse which the father shewed to the prodigall child, was, his new apparelling of him, A••∣ferte stolam primam. This is the greatest kindnesse thou canst doe to thy soule; and that thou maist not doe as little children vse to doe, which are well clad to day, and a few dayes after are nothing but ragges and totters; doe not yee make your garments of paper, which the least blast of aire rents asunder, but put on Iesus Christ our Sauiour and Redeemer, which is a Rayment that will last for euer.

And it was Winter. Saint Gregorie saith, That the Scripture sometimes set∣teth downe the circumstances of time and place, to signifie by them,* 1.9 that which is not expressed by word of mouth. And that this circumstance of Hyems erat, It was Winter, though it may be referred to our Sauiour Christs walking from place to place, yet doth it declare the frostinesse and ycie coldnesse of the Iews hearts. By coldnesse, the Scripture vnderstandeth the malice of sinne; whence it is to bee noted, That the Historie of the Machabees calleth this Solemnitie,* 1.10 The Feast of Fire; Whereas we are now purposed to keepe the Purification of the Temple vpon the twentie fifth day of the moneth Chasleu, wee thought it necessarie to certifie you thereof,* 1.11 that yee also might keepe the Feast of the Ta∣bernacles and of the Fire, which was giuen vs when Nehemias offered Sacrifice, after that he had built the Temple and the Altar, &c. It appeareth by the sixth Chapter of Leuiticus, That God did conserue a perpetuall fire in his presence, The Fire shall euermore burne vpon the Altar, and neuer goe out.* 1.12 At their departure into Babylon, they hid their fire in a deepe pit, and at their returne they found it turned into a thick water like a gellie; Nehemias he takes it forth and setteth it in the Sunne, and presently it became fire: the drops that remained, they did sprinc∣kle or bedew the Altar therewith, and they forthwith tooke fire; so that it was fitly called the Feast of Fire. But that they who solemnise this Feast should bee all Frost and Ice, is a thing verie worthie our consideration.

This is our ruine and perdition, That the verie same day that wee treat of re∣newing our soules, which is the feast of the Fire of our Spirit, there should bee such a great coldnesse in vs, &c. Take heed your flight be not in the Winter, nor vpon the Sabboth: Our Sauior hauing reuealed vnto his Disciples, whether it were the euils that should befall Ierusalem, or the insuing miseries of this world, or those that should threaten the Soule at each particular mans death, or all of them ioint∣ly together; and supposing that none would be able to abide them, but that they would be forced to flie from the euill to come; hee giues them this auiso, Take heed your flight, &c. Our Sauiour would not haue them to betake themselues to flight, neither on the Sabboth day, nor in the Winter.

Not on the Sabboth day, because their Law did not giue them leaue to go any more than a thousand paces, a matter of a mile. But say some one should haue ventured to breake this Law, and to haue gone further, he could not haue ligh∣ted on an Inne-keeper to bid him welcome, got no meat, no fire to dresse it, nor

haue met with any companie on the way, but haue trauelled all alone in a feare∣full kind of solitude.

Not in the Winter, in regard of innumerable inconueniences, as raine, durt, boggs, yce, frost, snow, rising of riuers, and dayes short and darke. Saint Gre∣gorie expoundeth this place of those euills which threaten vs at our death; but be it in our death or in our life, the world hath not any creature that is more threatned and terrified than a Sinner. Who can looke Sinne in the face? our best course is to flie from it, and to haue recourse to the Sanctuarie of Repentance; but we must take heed that we doe not flie on the Sabboth, or in Winter. In die illa (saith Zacharie) non erit lux,* 1.13 sed frigus & gelu, In that day there shall bee no cleere light, but darke. Saint Hierome saith, That the Prophet speaketh of the destructi∣on of Ierusalem by Titus and Vespasian: and because the miserie and calamitie thereof would fall out to be so terrible and so fearefull, that no man durst abide it, they treated of their flying from it. But that time shall prooue vnto them to be extreame cold, and exceeding darke; as if he should haue sayd, If they should haue fled for Gods seruice,* 1.14 the Pillar of fire should haue gone before them and directed them in their way; but when they shall flie to his disgrace and disho∣nour, the dayes shall be cold, and the wayes darke, &c.

Here are condemned your cold and frozen Confessions, your slacke & slow restitutions,* 1.15 your luke-warme intentions; being like vnto those of the Sluggard, of whom Salomon saith, Vult & non vult, He will and he will not: and these are ve∣rie hurtfull to the soule, for they cause more securitie than saluation; These being a generation that are pure in their owne conceits, and yet are not washed from their filthi∣nesse. Caesarius Arelatensis compareth Penitence to a Storme or Tempest, where the winds, thunders, and lightnings play their parts: the wind at sea rents sailes, splits Masts, crackes Cables, teareth vp Anchors, and breaketh the Oares in pie∣ces: Penitence must rent the sailes wherewith thou sailest in this world with the wind in the poupe, it must cracke asunder the strong Cables of thy wilfull affe∣ctions, it must teare vp the Anchors of thy ill fastned hopes, and breake those Oares of false and deceitfull Court-fauours, which thou falsly supposest shall row thee ashore to some safe Harbour. On land, the wind turneth vp the tallest Cedars and hugest Okes, though they haue taken neuer such deepe rooting. There are men in the World that haue taken deeper rooting in worldly riches, in their honours and their pleasures, than either the tall Cedar, or the sturdie Oke; and there is nothing that can rent them vp by the roots, and make them stoupe, but the stiffe wind of Penitence. These men must haue the Waters of Grace to quench the flames of their couetous desires, and of the fierie lusts of the flesh; Euerie night (saith Dauid) I will wash my bed. The fire of Concupis∣cence which is kindled in this bed, must be quenched with the watrie teares of the eys; and in stead of that fire, take vnto thee the fire of Zeale, of Charitie, and of Loue, that may inflame the Soule, kindle the Will, and inlighten the Vnder∣standing; Ignem veni mittere in terram, &c. Thou must likewise haue the thun∣der of Gods iudgements in thyne eares, to strike a terrour into thee of Gods Ma∣iestie, to make thee fearefull to offend, and keep thee in a continuall aw of keeping his commandements, &c.

And Iesus walked in the porch of Salomon. There is no Falcon that flieth so high, giues so many wrenches to the Herne, or makes more stoopings with de∣sire to seise on his prey; no enamoured Gallant, that halfe so much rounds the dores of her he adoreth; no Sheepheard so trudgeth through the Mountaines, seeking after his lost Sheepe; no poore Soule more seekes after the house of

some rich and well deuoted Almes-giuer; nor doth the Sunne fetch so many turnes through the world, as the Sonne of righteousnesse doth to recouer a lost soule. Saint Augustine before he had got out of his errour, said, Circumuoli∣tabat â longe misericordia tua, Thy mercy did flye about afarre off. Sinne doth separate vs from God, and remooues vs farre from him. Longè à peccatoribus Salus, Salua∣tion is farre from the wicked. But his mercy though it stood aloofe off, yet his eye did still watch ouer me, which is a great argument of Gods loue towards mee. And from hence it ariseth, That there is great feasts and ioy made in heauen for one soule that is conuerted; like vnto those congratulations, and fellow-feelings which the Shepheard desireth others should entertaine him withall, when hee hath found his lost sheepe. Great is the Shepheards ioy when he findes his lost sheepe. But this is more especially verified in God, it being his Delitiae, esse cum filijs hominum. Then dost thou walk with great delight and contentment through thy soules Temple, when thou doest contemplate the high mysteries thereof; Then doest thou walke through thy vnderstanding, when thou art zealous in the loue thereof; Then doest thou walke through thy will, when thou doest call to mind the great blessings from Gods bountifull hand, with a desire to be thanke∣full and seruiceable vnto him; Then doest thou walke through thy memorie, when thou doest occupie thy selfe in holy thinges; Then doest thou walke through thy eyes, when thou doest exercise thy selfe in workes of pittie; Then doest thou walke through thy hands, when thou doest make a bed for the poore, and bind vp the wounds of the wounded; Then doest thou walke through thy tongue, when thou giuest wholesome counsell to thy brother. In a word, then doth thy soule take her ease & rest, sitting as it were on a Throne, and on a liuing Altar, farre better than that which is made of stone; for one single sigh offered vp vpon this Altar, is able to preuaile more than many on any other Altar.

Iesus walked.* 1.16 That our Sauiour Christ should vse so many diligences for a soule that is predestinated for heauen, it is well and good; but for such a repro∣bate people as this, that he should take such paines, it is but lost labour. God called vnto Moses, saying, Goe and speake vnto Pharaoh, that he let my people goe; But I know that hee will not let them goe. What sayes Clemens Alexandrinus? O Lord, if thou knowest so much, Why doest thou put thy selfe to so vnnecessary a trouble? Why doest thou loose so much time? Wherunto there is giuen a two∣fold answer.

First, That he that is of a pittifull nature and kind condition, doth not content himselfe with the iustifying of his cause, but vseth all possible meanes to remedy what is amisse, and to set all things right. S. Bernard did labour as it were with might and maine, as no Gally-slaue could tugge more at an Oare, to reduce a Monke that had violated his Orders and gone astray; and when a friend of his told him, What meane you to meddle in so thanklesse and hopelesse an Office, and a case so desperate, where there is no good to bee done? This man is flowne out so farre to checke, that he will neuer be reclaimed. To whom Saint Bernard mildly answered, Non recipio consolationem, vbi fratris video desolationem, I take no consolation, where I see my brothers desolation. A tender hearted mother takes care of her sonne in a desperate disease, vsing all kind of diligences, though they prooue vnprofitable.

Secondly, Saint Barnard saith, That God doth not oblige Prelats, that they cure sinners, but that they procure to cure them. He doth not reward a Preacher according to the good that he hath done, but according to the paines that hee hath taken; and he cites that place of Saint Paul, I haue laboured more than ye all.* 1.17

He doth not say, I haue done more good than any of you all; for the reward is not gi∣uen according to the measure of the profit, but the paines; not for the sauing of Soules, but for his sweating to saue them. And for the better instructing vs in this truth, our Sauiour Christ after so many myracles done, so many Sermons preached, and all to no end, doth not for all this forsake this people, and giue them ouer, but comes here vnto this great Feast, to direct them in the right way, Et deambulabat, &c.

Then came the Iewes round about him. The Woolfes heere come about the Lambe, as your Dogs about a poore Beggar, as your bigger Vessels about a smal Fisher boat, or as your Sodomites about Lots house, or Sauls soldiers about Da∣uid; In modum coronae, They had shut him in on all sides, as a band of souldiers beset a Castle, or as the Wicked, the Iust; which is as much to say, In circuitu Impij ambulabant, The Wicked walked in a Circle: And they learned this of the Deuill; of whom Saint Peter saith, He goes about seeking whom hee may deuoure. They came about him: Vpon so good a day, a day of good workes, and on the day of the re∣nouation of the Temple, when they were to treat of the renouation of their soules; Circumdederunt, They came athwart two walls, which would haue made euen the Deuills of Hell to haue turned cowards.

The one was, The respect to this so solemne a Feast.

The other, To the Temple, and the sacred Pledges thereunto belonging.

None but Reprobates will store vp iniuries, reuenge, treasons, gaming, ban∣queting, whoring, and the like villanous actions, for the Sabboth day. Nazian∣zen saith, That the principall end of this or the like Feast, is a remembring of God, and a gratefull acknowledgement of those many fauours wee haue recei∣ued from him: but that which was then, and is now a dayes most practised, is, a forgetfulnesse of God, and an vnthankefulnesse for benefits receiued. Where I would haue you to obserue,* 1.18 (nor is it vnworthy your noting) that God did on the Sabboth day do the greatest works that euer hee did; he rewarded the Angels, crowning them with glorie, he threw the Dragon & his followers down from Heauen, hee freed his people from Aegypts captiuitie, hee was borne into the world, after so many sighes hee rose againe, he sent his holy Spirit, he ouercame the vnbeleefe of Thomas; & on the Sabboth day he shall iudge the Quicke & the Dead. In a word, all your festiuall dayes whatsoeuer, were instituted in memo∣riall of extraordinarie fauours conferred vpon vs: and all these, the Ingratefull repay with new offences.

* 1.19Touching the Temple or Church, wherein God is to bee honoured, Nilus saith, That a Christian should beare no lesse respect to this his holy place, than if he were in Heauen. Ieremie maketh a fearefull threatning against Babylon, ap∣plying it against her, and against her King and the Medes, Acuite sagittas, implete pharetras, arma, arma: And why so? Vltio Domini, & vltio Templi. He weigheth there the wrongs which Nebuchadnezzar had done to Ierusalem, by dishonoring Matrons, deflouring Virgins, killing little children, tormenting old folkes, bur∣ning houses, their robberies and their spoyles; and yet all these he passeth ouer in silence; the Prophet (as one that found himselfe thereat much agrieued) pres∣sing onely the prophanation of the Temple, and that he had made it a stable for his Horses.

They came about him. Amongst many other things that they layd to our Sa∣uiour Christs charge, one was, I can destroy the Temple; wherein they did not on∣ly accuse him of blasphemie, for making himselfe of the same omnipotencie with God; but for his irreuerence also, and disrespect to the Temple. Saint

Augustine in his booke de Ciuit. Dei, reporteth, That the Goths hauing sackt Rome, as many as betooke themselues to the Churches of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, remained free; so much could the respect of sacred places preuaile with these cruell Barbarians: but it would not serue our Sauiour Christs turne with the Iewes, though he had made a Law touching the immunitie of the Temple.

They came about him. Here was that prophecie of Dauid fulfilled,* 1.20 Many calues encompassed me about, and the fat Buls besieged me. Euthymius saith, That by your Calues he meanes the common people; and by your Buls, the Noble men.

And he saith, That they all came about him, and compassed him round in forme of a ring; and that they roared like Lyons, and snarled at him like so ma∣ny dogges: when in a Common-wealth the bulls are confederat with the dogs, when the Lyons take part with the wolfes; When your Patritij ioyne with your Pleybeians, your Nobilitie with the Communaltie, and all to doe mischiefe, giue that Common-wealth for lost and vndone; when your Gouernador and his Alguazil; when your Alcalde, and his Procurador; when your Oydor, and his Es∣criuano; when your Secritario and his Oficial, do goe hand in hand together, it is all one. Chrysostome expounding those words of Saint Luke, Dimitte nobis Barrabam,* 1.21 Loose Barrabas, He saith, That they that were theeues, did desire a theeues liber∣tie. And if they sought so earnestly to saue a theefe, it was not much that they should condemne the innocent. Esay bewayling Ierusalems ill hap, who hauing heretofore beene holy, had now turned whore, entertaining all sorts of men, one while theeues, another while murderers, &c. Rendring anon after the reason; Principies infideles, socij furum. It is no maruaile that Princes should strike hands with theeues, being that they are willing to share with them in their thefts. Here∣tofore Princes were wont to fauour the good, and punish the bad. Dauid saith of himselfe, That when he did bethinke himselfe a mornings, hee propounded to himselfe not to pardon any notorious offender, nor to spare the life of the wick∣ed, nor those that were ill members of the Common-wealth. In matutino inter∣ficiebam omnes operantes iniquitatem, Oh what a happy estate of a Common-wealth was here for a Prince? hating the wicked so much, he could not chuse but fauour the good. But now the world was growen to that passe, That your Herods, your Pilats, your High-Priests, and your Pharisees, in stead of doing of this, when they bethinke themselues in the morning, they call their Page vn∣to them, and say, Goe to such a one, remember my seruice vnto him, and know how he hath slept to night, &c. Now adayes your Gouernors are adored in their Ministers: because they serue them with the hands of Iudas, and bring bribes vn∣to them, strangling Iustice with this close couetousnesse.

They came about me. They did fill and shut vp the doore through which hee was to passe, thinking there to make an end of him: but when either God,* 1.22 or a man whom God fauours, is thus inclosed on euery side, this hedging of him in will not serue their turne; for he hath wings to flye from them. To this purpose Dauid being persecuted by Saul, composed some of his Psalmes. The Kings Souldiers had once compassed him in round, In modum Coronae, Vowing, that he should not escape their fingers, vnlesse hee had the wings of a bird to flye from them. In the Lord put I my trust, Why say you then vnto my soule that she should flye like a Sparrow to the Mountaines, &c. But hauing God for my shield and my defence, I may safely lay me downe to sleepe and take my rest. O Lord, a great squadron may affright a very good man, when he shall see they haue beset him: But why should I feare as long as thou doest gard and protect me? Thou art my refuge in tribulation, &c. Saul sent some to apprehend Dauid; Michal saued his life by let∣ting

him out a window, Why did they not follow in pursuit of him, being so much offended as they were at this tricke, which Mich••l had put vpon them? Some Hebrewes make answer hereunto, That God had damd vp the window, or cast a myst before their eyess that they could not perceiue the manner of his escape.* 1.23 Ecclesiasticus saith, The congregation of the wicked, is like tow wrapped toge∣ther: Their end is a flame of fire to destroy them. An Armie of Reprobates can no more stand against the godly, than bundles of Towe or Flaxe before a fla∣ming fire.

How long, &c. The Iewes comming round about our Sauiour, they said vn∣to him, Quousque, &c. How long doest thou make vs doubt? As Loue transformeth a man, so doth Hate, Vulnerasti cor meum soror mea, said the Bridegroome to his Spouse. Another letter hath it, Excordasti: Which alludeth vnto that which the Spouse answered, Ego Dormio, & cor meum vigilat. But how can the Spouse sleepe, and her heart wake? yes, her husband had stolne away her heart, and that waked with him when she was asleepe. Now Hate, no lesse transformeth than Loue. Saul did not liue in himselfe, but in Dauid; Haman not in himselfe, but in Mardochee; the Pharisees not in themselues, but in Christ. And therfore they say, Thou causest our soules to doubt, Thou hast robd vs of our soules, we are not our selues, but as bodies without a soule.

* 1.24And in token that the cause of this their suspension, was Enuie, they confesse these their so many distractions, vexations, and torments of the mind. All other kind of sinnes bring paine and torment with them, but it is after they haue tasted of their sinnes; but Enuie torments before hand. The Pharisees had scarce seen Christs Miracles, and the applause which his doctrine had in the world, when they began to suffer, and to be grieued. And this is the reason why this Vice is harder to be cured than any other. Good doth ordinarily quench ill, as water quencheth fire. But Enuie, because it makes another mans good his ill, that which to other vices is death, is to Enuy, life. It is the fire of brimstone, which the more water you throw on it, the more it burneth. They came about mee like so many Bees who are exasperated and grow angry with those that doe them no harme but good. They waxed hot like fire among thornes, which no water can quench.

Animam nostram tollis. Where I would haue thee to weigh the word Tollis, Thou takest away our soule,* 1.25 thou makest vs to doubt, &c. Thou art in fault, that we liue in this paine and passion. It is the common course of your greatest sinners to lay the blame of their sinne vpon God, O Lord, Why hast thou made vs to erre from thy wayes (saith Esay) and hardned our heart from thy feare? It is a sin inherited from Adam, who laid the fault of eating the apple vpon God, The woman which thou gauest me to be with me,* 1.26 &c. She that thou gauest me to be my companion, to be my cherisher, and my comforter, Who would haue thought, that she would haue intreated any thing at my hands, that should not haue beene very lawfull and honest? The sicke man is wont to lay the fault on the Clymat wherein hee liueth, and on those meates wherewith hee is nourished. Seneca tells a tale of a certaine Shee-slaue, who one morning when she awaked, finding her selfe blind, laid the fault that she could not see, vpon the house, desiring that she might be re∣mooued to another. The cause of your Eclypses is the earth, which interposes it selfe betweene the Sunne and the Moone: Whereas hee that shall impute the fault to the Sun, shall but betray his ignorance. Of the Eclipses of these Iewes, the cause thereof was their passions, their couetousnesse, and their enuie. If our Sauiour Christ preached vnto them, they desired Miracles; if he wrought Mi∣racles,

they desired Doctrine; from his workes they appealed to his words, and from his words to his workes; and laying the fault on the Sun, they said, Ani∣mam nostram tollis, Thou makest vs to doubt.

If thou be the Christ, tell vs plainly. In three words they vttered three notori∣ous lies:* 1.27

The first, Dic nobis palam, Tell vs plainly; for all that thou hast hitherto sayd vnto vs, is as nothing.

The second, Dic nobis palam, and we will beleeue thee.

The third, Dic nobis palam; for that is the reason why wee haue not hitherto beleeued thee. Saint Augustine and Saint Chrysostome haue both obserued, that in these their lies there was a great deale of craft & subtletie; which was this, That the Iewes did still presume, that our Sauiour Christ would boast himselfe to bee King of the Iewes, and that he was temporally to sit in Dauids Throne; & they went about to draw this from him, that they might haue some ground of accusa∣tion against him; and therefore they thus cried out vnto him, Dic nobis palam, Tel vs plainly: for in all the rest that they desired of him, our Sauiour Christ had gi∣uen them full satisfaction. For if Palam be to publish a thing openly, and not to doe it in hugger-mugger, or in some by-corner or other, I haue alwayes prea∣ched publiquely in your Synagogues, and in the middest of your Market-pla∣ces, And I sayd nothing in secret. If Palam shall carrie with it a kind of boldnesse and libertie, yee may call to mind my whipping of you out of the Temple, the seueritie of my reprehensions, and that I called yee the children of the Deuill, that I might publish your euill thoughts to the world, &c. If Palam shall sig∣nifie, Cleerely or Manifestly, what more cleere or manifest truth could ye heare, than that which I haue preached vnto you? Wil you that I shal tel you in a word, who I am, I and the father am one. Of the materiall Sunne a man may complaine, That an earnest eying of it, and a steadie fixed looking thereupon, may make vs blind; but on the Sunne of Righteousnesse no man can lay this fault, for hee him∣selfe giues that light whereby our eyes are inabled to see;* 1.28 The commandement of the Lord is pure, and giueth light vnto the eyes. And therefore Saint Paul calls the old Law, Night; and the Law of Grace, Day: In that Law the Sunne had not shewed it selfe, all was clouds and darkenesse; and albeit they did inioy some light, it was but a glimpse, or as the light of a candle through some little chinke; but when the Sonne of God appeared in the flesh, that darkenesse of the night was driuen away, and the day appeared, &c.

I told yee and yee beleeue not; the workes that I doe in my fathers name, they beare witnesse of me.* 1.29 Our Sauiour Christ had prooued himselfe to be both God and Man, by such conuenient meanes, that it had beene follie, if not meere madnesse, to haue desired better proofs thereof: strong were his reasons, strange his myra∣cles, profound his discourse. In a word, his words & workes were such, that they made Admiration stand amased, and Wonder it selfe, to wonder. Your not be∣leeuing me (saith our Sauiour) cannot arise from my not speaking vnto you, but from your wilfulnesse; but if yee will not beleeue in my words, giue credit to my workes.

Where by the way it is to be noted, That our Sauiour Christ hauing innu∣merable testimonies to alledge in his behalfe, those shall first be represented vnto you, which are set downe by Saint Iohn, Tres. sunt qui testimonium dant in Coelo, &c. There are three which beare Record in Heauen, the Father, the Word,* 1.30 and the Holy-Ghost: and there are three which beare record in the earth, the Spirit, the Water, and the Bloud. Which we haue treated of at large elsewhere.

* 1.31The second is, That of the Prophets and Prophecies, Search the Scriptures; and they (saith our Sauiour Christ) are they that testifie of mee. And Saint Peter hee auerreth as much, Omnes Prophetae testimonium perhibent, To him also giue all the Prophets witnesse, &c.

And here we may more especially consider with our selues, one great and sin∣gular wonder, That these the Prophets liuing in diuers times and places, & pro∣phecying different things that should befal our Sauior Christ; as one, his stripes; another, his buffetings; a third, his patience; a fourth, his silence, &c. All of them did compose an excellent peece, & did set forth a most absolute and perfect picture of the Messias, for it was the hand of the Holy-Ghost that directed the pensill: and, that the seuentie Interpreters without seeing one another, without conuersing or communicating their minds, should all of them jumpe and agree so well together, and extract one and the same originall, was a great wonder. That the Statuaries of Greece, liuing asunder in different Cities, should frame a figure in seuerall pieces, one making the leg, another the arme, a third the head, and all of them meet in handsomenesse, shape, feature, and proportion, as heart could wish; this likewise (if it be true) was a great wonder. But in the Prophets the circumstances were farre greater; as that of time, for that they were in dif∣ferent ages, and of different estates, conditions, and qualities, &c.

The third is, The testimonie of his owne myracles; for (as Athanasius and Iu∣stine Martyr haue noted) by an especiall Diuine prouidence it was so ordered, that none of the Saints that were either before or after, could doe any of those same myracles which were prophecyed of our Sauiour Christ. And this did he himselfe deliuer to the Disciples of Iohn Baptist, Tell him (saith he) from me, The Blind receiue sight,* 1.32 the Hault goe, the Leapers are clensed, the Deafe heare, and the Dead are raised vp, &c.

The Common people also did testifie of him, Testimonium perhibebat turba. In conclusion, hauing so many and sundrie testimonies, he would not here make vse of any other, than the testimonie of his workes.

* 1.33First, because such of vs as remaine here as his Agents vpon earth, may by this testimonie prooue his Diuinitie.

Secondly, To the end that no man should pretend to hold himselfe to bee the Sonne of God by Grace, vnlesse hee giue testimonie thereof by his workes. There is no great heed to be giuen to words, Quid verba audiam, cum facta non vi∣deam? Our Sauiour Christ would take no notice of those Virgins who in good words proffered their seruice to the Spouse, but performed nothing lesse in their deeds, because they had not their Lampes lighted and readie at hand; Shew me thy faith by thy workes. Clemens Alexandrinus expounding that place of Saint Mathew,* 1.34 Regnum Coelorum vim patitur, The Kingdome of Heauen suffers violence; saith, That this force or violence is not to be done, Contentiosis orationibus, sed re∣ctae vitae assiduitate.

* 1.35And hence was it that many of Gods Saints did not rest contented with the doing onely of good workes, but by shewing also some open euidence of them. Nemo mihi molestus ••it, (saith Saint Paul) ego enim stigmata Domini Iesu in cor∣pore meo porto; Let no man trouble himselfe in enquiring after me, or to aske, Who I am? the print of the yrons wherewith I am branded in the face, doth plainly speake my name, and publish to the world my profession and condition. Hee borrowed this metaphore from your branded slaues, or as Anselmus will haue it, from some deuice born by the soldiers of the Roman Empire. Saint Chrysostome ponders the word Porto; a Slaue may beare a marke in his face, but

makes no great braggs of it, nor indeed hath any great reason so to do: but Saint Paul he boasts thereof, as an Ensigne doth of the Colours which hee carries; suting with that of the Bridegroome, Weare me in thy heart, as a Spouse doth her ring on her finger, or as a Louer doth his Mistresse fauour on his arme.

But yee beleeue not, for yee are not of my Sheepe. Saint Augustine vnderstands by these Sheepe, the Preachers of Gods Word, because they heare the voyce of their Sheepheard; but this his opinion may not stand as a generall sentence.

First of all, Because many not predestinated, doe beleeue, heare, and obey, as Iudas, and others that were not of Christs Sheepe.

And many againe of the Predestinated, did not as then beleeue, (as S. August. hath noted it) which afterwards came to beleeue. Now the Sheepe is a fitting figure or symbole of him that is predestinated to saluation; and touching those in particular to whom our Sauiour sayd, That they were not of his Sheep, who notwithstanding had enioyed such powerfull and plentifull meanes to beleeue, if they had beene in the number of Christs Sheepe, doubtlesse they would haue beleeued: and therefore we are diligently to weigh these words, Yee beleeue not, &c.

Next, we are to consider the conueniences which are betwixt the Sheep and the Predestinated.

The first is, They heare my voyce. There is no liuing creature more obedient to what he heares, or more apt to heare; the least whistle of the Sheepheard is the Sheepes North Starre. When God reprehended Elias at the mouth of the Caue, there came first a great wind, And God was not in the wind: then anon af∣ter came an earthquake, And God was not in the earthquake: after that, a flaming fire, And God was not in the fire: at last there came a soft whistling sound, and then God passed by. But why should he make his appearance in a whistle, or a soft noyse?* 1.36 Marrie therein he plainly told the Prophet, You, out of the aboundance of your zeale and hot fierie spirit, would haue all to be winds, earthquakes, and light∣nings, thundering out nothing but damnation and vengeance; and howbeit I hold this to be a fitting course to be taken with an idolatrous People, and such as are Rebells to my House, yet for those that are my Sheep, a whistle or a milde word is enough.

The second is, The meekenesse, softnesse, and euennesse of their nature and condition: Beati mites, B••essed are the Meeke in spirit; your Reprobates are soure, vnsauorie, and vnquiet: In a word, they are like Goats, you shall scarce meet with a Reprobate but leads a troubled life, like a Theefe that lookes euery houre when he shall be hanged,* 1.37 or in such a distraction or deiection as Cain liued in; Cur concidit facies tua? Why is thy countenance falne downe? And as it is in Deu∣tronomie, The Lord shall giue thee a trembling heart, and a sorrowfull mind, and thy life shall hang before thee, and thou shalt feare both day and night,* 1.38 and shalt haue none assu∣rance of thy life: in the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were euening; and at eue∣ning thou shalt say, Would God it were morning; for the feare of thyne heart which thou shalt feare, and for the sight of thyne eyes which thou shalt see. The heart of the Wic∣ked is fearefull, and euerie bush represents a Dog vnto him that bites him. In the middest of all his pleasures Hell represents it selfe to the Reprobate, his soule is consumed with sorrow, & quasi pendens ante se, He lookes like one that is con∣demned to be hanged. But the Iust doth enioy an inward comfort, a heauenly ioy, singing cherefully with Dauid that sweet Anthem,* 1.39 Inhabitat gloria in terra nostra, &c. Surely his saluation is neere to them that feare him, that Glorie may dwell in our Land.

The third is, the point of profit. For in the Sheepe (which signifies the E∣lect) there is wooll, milke, butter, cheese, and flesh: But it is not so in the Goat, (whereby are noted the Reprobate) as hath beene obserued by Saint Hilary and Saint Chrysostome.

The fourth is, The sheepe walkes in wayes that are plaine, quiet, and secure: But the goat goes clambring on the tops of dangerous rocks, browzing amongst bushes and thornes; and at last waxing weary, falls down headlong to hell. Ambu∣lauimus vias difficiles, lassati sumus via iniquitatis, Wee haue walked through craggie paths, and haue tyred our selues in the way of iniquitie.

* 1.40Many good workes haue I shewed yee: for which of these workes doe yee stone mee? They tooke vp stones for to stone him, and wh••n they had them in their hands ready to fling at him, he forced their attention, and made them whether they would or no to hearken vnto him. Many good workes haue I shewed you; for which of these workes doe ye stone me? It is an easier thing for a man to grow vnthankfull and forgetfull of a great number of benefits, than one single good turne. One or two courtesies, men vsually rest thankfull for them, and beare them still in memorie; But (as the Spaniard sayes) Los muchos, se vienen por mu∣chos, à oluidar, Many, for that they are many, are forgotten by many. Their much∣nesse,* 1.41 lessens their remembrance. There are foure faire mothers that bring forth very foule children: As Truth, enimies; Familiaritie, contempt; Hope, de∣spaire; and Muchnesse of benefits, muchnesse of obliuion; Incontinently they for∣gat his workes. Dauid doth there treat of the adoration of the golden calfe, and his meditation thereupon is, That the many fauours that that people had recei∣ued from Gods hands, being so fresh as they were in their memories, as the flyes, (which for their sakes he sent to afflict the Aegyptians) frogges, gnats, water tur∣ned into blood, darknesse, the death of their first-borne, the Israelites passing safe through the red sea, the drowning of Pharaoh and all his charriots and horsemen, and the Law giuen them on the Mountaine: yet notwithstanding these great and singular fauours, these wondrous signes and tokens, as the like were neuer done, that yet for all this, they should like a broken bow so sodainely start aside, and fall so quickly into so foule a sinne, as none could be more derogatory from Gods honour, They sodainely forgot his workes. The greater were Gods benefits, the more was their obliuion. And the reason of it is, That laying more vpon a mans shoulders than he is well able to beare, it is a thousand to one that his load and he doe not fall both to the ground. The lesse the benefits are, the more cheerefully a man receiues them. And why so? Marry I shall tell you why: Because then there is some hope that a man may liue to requite them, and to dis∣charge that debt, for the which (in thankfulnesse) he stands bound. But when they are so great, that we are not able to make satisfaction, such extraordinarie curtesies, are repayd oftentimes with vnkindnes, if not with hatred. Thou ow∣est thy neighbour a summe of money, be it more or lesse, nor does it grieue and afflict thee to see this thy Crediter, or to looke him in the face, but rather takest pleasure and comfort in his companie; yet if all that thou art worth, shouldst thou sell thy selfe to thy very shirt, be not able to discharge that debt, thou hadst as liefe see the diuell, as him. Quintus Curtius reporteth, that Alexander grew to hate Antipater, and for no other reason in the world, but that he had obtained so many victories, and reduced so many nations to his obedience, that hee did ta∣citely demand that requitall of him, which he was not able to make him: and conferring many fauours on those souldiers which had done him but little ser∣uice, he neglected Antipater that had done him most. The same reason is to bee

rendred of Hannibal and Carthage▪ of Lycurgus and Lacedemonia, and of Saul and Dauid: but there is no example to that of a woman in this kind; serue her ne∣uer so faithfully, entertaine her neuer so royally, court her day and night, feede her humorous disposition, wast both thy purse and thy bodie, and consume all that thou hast to giue her content, yet in the end will she grow to hate thee; and that which thou thinkest should be the meanes of winning her, will be the cause of losing her: she will like a Lymbeck, draw whatsoeuer is good from thee, first by drops, then by drams, afterwards by ounces, & lastly by pounds, till she haue suckt thee drie, & that thou hast wholly spent & vndone thy selfe in her seruice. In a word, (that I may grow to an end) the Iews in those former times were euer∣more wonderfully beholding vnto God for those many benefits & fauors which he had throwne vpon them; but now his grace and mercie (like a Riuer rising from forth it's bed) extending it selfe so farre, that he came himselfe in person to visit them, and in such an especiall manner, as none could bee more, saying parti∣cularly vnto them, Non sum missus nisi ad Oues Israel, I am not sent but to the Sheepe of Israel; Why this was so great a fauour, that it ouercommeth mans imaginati∣on, the weight whereof prest both it and them to the ground. But God so sup∣port vs with his grace, that we may thankefully beare in our hearts the remem∣brance of his manifold benefits. To whom, with the Father, the Sonne, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Three Feasts of dedication among the Iewes. 3. Reg. 8.
• * 1.2

  Esdr. ••.
• * 1.3

  1 Mach. 1.
• * 1.4

  Mans Heart, Gods Temple.
• * 1.5

  2. Cor. 6. Leuit 26.
• * 1.6

  Mans Soule must bee re∣newed, to make it a fit habitation for God.
• * 1.7

  Psal. 51.
• * 1.8

  Baptisme the fou••dat••on of Christian building.
• * 1.9

  Circumstan∣ces of Time and Place in Holy Writ, of great signifi∣cancie.
• * 1.10

  Ierem. 6. 2. Mac. 1.18.
• * 1.11

  The feast of Fire.
• * 1.12

  Leuit. 6.13.
• * 1.13

  Zach. 14 6.
• * 1.14

  God wil helpe those that flie for him, but not from him.
• * 1.15

  Penitēce com∣pared to a Storme. Prou. 30.
• * 1.16

  Christ omits no meanes e∣uen to reclaim the Reprobat•• if it might be, Exod. 3.
• * 1.17

  1. Cor. 15.
• * 1.18

  God did his greatest works always on the Sunday.
• * 1.19

  God will haue his Temples honoured.
• * 1.20

  Lost is that Common-wealth, in which Magi∣strates and their Ministers are both faulty
• * 1.21

  Luk. 23.
• * 1.22

  God will not suffer his chil∣dren to fall in∣to the hands of the vngodly.
• * 1.23

  Eccl. 21.9.
• * 1.24

  Entry of all sin the worst, and hardest to be cared.
• * 1.25

  Men are euer ready to vn∣burthen them∣selues of their miseries. Esay 63.
• * 1.26

  Gen. 3.
• * 1.27

  The subteltie of the Iewes in circumuen∣ting our Saui∣our.
• * 1.28

  Psal. 19.
• * 1.29

  The Iewes wanted no∣thing to make them beleeue, but a willing∣nes to beleeue.
• * 1.30

  1. Iohn 5.7.
• * 1.31

  Io••. ••.39. Act. 10.43.
• * 1.32

  Mat. 11.
• * 1.33

  Why our Sa∣uiour would prooue his Di∣uinitie by no other testimo∣nie than his works.
• * 1.34

  Mat. ••1.
• * 1.35

  A true Chri∣stian glorieth in nothing more, than in his sufferings for Christ.
• * 1.36

  Hot fierie Spi∣rits vnfit for the Ministery.
• * 1.37

  Gen. 4. Deut. 28.65, 66, 67.
• * 1.38

  No torture to a guilty con∣science.
• * 1.39

  Psal. 85.
• * 1.40

  The vngrate∣fulnesse of mans nature.
• * 1.41

  Foure faire mothers that euer bring forth foule children. Psal. 106.