A sermon preached at Paules-Crosse the second day of Iune, being the last Sunday in Easter terme. 1622. By Thomas Ailesbury student in diuinitie

A SERMON PREACHED AT PAƲLES-CROSSE the second day of June, be∣ing the last Sunday in EASTER Terme. 1622.

BY THOMAS AILESBVRY Student in Diuinitie.

HIERON. in MATTH.

Quoties diem illum cogito, toto corpore contre∣misco.

LONDON, Printed by George Eld for Leonard Becket and Robert Wilson, and are to be sold neere the Temple Church, and at Graies Inne new Gate. 1623.

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE LORD, AND REVEREND FATHER in God, IOHN, by diuine prouidence Bishop of LINCOLNE, Lord Keeper of the Great Seale of ENGLAND.

OF all created things (Right Honorable) which doe in their kinde set forth the Creators greatnesse, Coeli enarrant, &c: And in the firmament the Heauens glory; the Sunne, In Sole posuit tabernaculum suum: And in the Sunne these three, The glorious light, piercing beames, and refreshing

heat thereof draw with them most admi∣ration.

Man an earthly Sunne, amazeth man to consider what is in man: But when these three, Learning, Vertue, and Honour, meet in one man, as in one Center, who can but ad∣mire, who can but to such a man owe, and tender all obseruancie?

From hence is that Scitum of a knowing man; Honorem esse escam, Doctrinam hamum, Virtutem rete amorís.

But quorsum ista? Say that all these (as all must say who will speake the truth) not onely are, but doe after a goodly propor∣tion shine in your Lordship; shall it not be said presumption in me (who am as yet but a twig of the Leviticall Tree,) to offer my fruits (which may seem perhaps but leaues,) and that first of all to your Selfe, who are so firme, so fruitfull, and so profitable a root, both in our Church, & Common-wealth?

Yet because both Church, and Common-wealth doe truly say that of You, which St. Bernard hoped he might say of his Eu∣genius,

In te facta est mutatio, non de te; nec priori statui tuo successit promotio, sed accessit: I repaire to your Lordship, though I bring no more to you then Noahs Doue did to him; A little branch in my mouth; being very sensible, that seeing it sprang from a tree in Gods garden, that the onely putting forth of your hand may not onely take me that bring it into the Arke; but giue to it growth with a plenteous blessing; which being all my suit to your Lordship;

I humbly beseech the God of heauen, to assist you with his grace, foeliciter currere, ac foeliciùs in Christi pietate consummare, to the great good of Church, and Common-wealth here, and to the vnspeakable good of your owne soule, and body hereafter.

Your Honours vnfainedly devoted in all obseruance, and dutie, THOMAS AILESBVRY.

TO MY MOST worthy Friend.

SIR:

GRati est cui multum debes, ei plurimum velle de∣bere: All that know me, know that I owe you much more then my selfe: And God the searcher of the heart, is priuie to my gratefull acknowledgement thereof.

I dare not expresse your kindnesse, nor your name: for I am well acquainted how pleasing it is to you to doe well, and vnpleasing to heare thereof: hauing learn't with Seneca: That, Qui dedit beneficium, taceat; narret qui accepit.

The knowledge of the ill successe of hiding Talents in the Earth, and your especiall desire to read, as∣well as to heare; haue moved me to suffer this Ser∣mon to be printed. The good therein is Gods, and his grace working in me: The perfection is his, the

imperfection mine owne: For wee haue this trea∣sure in earthen vessells.

My chiefe intention was to please God, and to ayme at his glory: But I know not how, an affection of humane affectation hath interserted it selfe: As that man thinking to satisfie nature with food, vn∣awares offendeth in gluttony. Per expositionem patefeci dona; per confessionem detego vulnera: In my Sermon I layd open what Christians are to practise; and in this confession what in me they are to pardon. God giue a blessing to mine indeauours, and a pardon to mine infirmities, and multiply his grace vpon you, and yours in this world; that when these temporary meanes faile, you may bee receiued into the euerlasting habitation.

Your Seruant in Christ Iesus, Thomas Ailesbury.

Faults escaped in printing, which the Printer prayeth the courteous Reader to correct with his Pen; the Author being absent.

Fol.	Lin.	Fault.	Correction.
5.	23.	pasturing	pastoring.
9.	22.	arescet	arescit.
25.	1.	And the	and that the.
29.	5.	caught into	caught vp into.
29.	27.	Ea-	Eagles.
36.	18.	*	••
34.	1.	but speciall	but by speciall

A SERMON PREACHED AT Paules-Crosse.

LVKE 17. verse 37.

Vbicunque fuerit corpus, illuc congregabuntur & Aquilae.

Wheresoeuer the body is, thither will the Eagles be gathered together.

THAT Adam did eat of the fruit of the forbidden tree, by faith we constantly be∣leeue it, by experience we wofully lament it. But thea species, or kinde of fruit that he did eat; if it were a Pomegranate, or a Fig; if it were a Grape, or an Apple, holy Scripture hath not expressed. The substance of his fault,

that he did eat, is recorded; but the circumstance, what kinde of fruit he did eat, is not at all reuea∣led. That lawlesse eating hath occasioned a law∣full iudgement; which Christ in the Gospell hath positiuely declared; but the time when, and place where that iudgement shall be, is not by him in any place disclosed: And therefore when his Disciples would haue pressed him to it, by a bold, and curious question, Where shall it be Lord? our Sauiour in my Text shapeth such an answer, that needs an explication: Intimating thereby Gods counsels to be as deepe waters, which mortall men may not thinke to draine in the hollow of their hands. Vbicunque fuerit corpus (saith hee) wheresoeuer the body is, thither will the Eagles be gathered together.

Dauid prophesied of Christ,b Aperiam in para∣bolis os meum: that his lips should distill parables. In this Text in part his prophesie is fulfilled: And parables haue in them what Fulgentius ge∣nerally applyeth to the Scriptures;c Et quod ro∣bustus comedat, & quod parvulus sugat: Meat for the great ones, milke for the weake ones: And that ofd Gregory agreeth with euery parable; That which may nourish the little ones, habet in publico; That which suspendeth with admiration the profoundest wits, seruat in secreto: It is a deepe, and yet a shallow Ford: vbi Agnus ambu∣let, vbi Elephas natet; where the Lambe may wade, the Elephant may swim: Therein are my∣steries to exercise the prudent, and histories to giue vnderstanding to the simple.

Some parables the holy Ghoste in the Scripture hath written within, and without: expressed, and expounded; and that partly by Christ himselfe: as that of the seed, and some others; and partly by the Apostles, but chiefly by Saint Iohn; who was both scriptor, and interpres, (as learnedf Tonstall styles him) he thought not fit to passe ouer the sayings of our Lord surda aure; but recorded what our Sauiour spake; expounded what he re∣corded: For a view whereof take these ensuing particulars.

expressed.	expounded.
Ioh. 2.19. Destroy this Temple, and in three dayes I will raise it.	Ioh. 2.22. This hee spake of the Temple of his body.
Ioh. 6.55. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drinke indeed.	Ioh. 6.63. It is the spi∣rit that quickneth, the flesh profiteth no∣thing.
Ioh. 7.38. He that be∣leeueth on me, out of his belly shall flow riuers of running water.	Ioh. 7.39. This hee spake of the Spirit, which the beleeuers should receiue.
Ioh. 12.32. And I, if I be lifted vp, will draw all after me.	Ioh. 12.33. This he spake, signifying what death he should die.

Now as we are happy in these infallible expo∣sitions of Christ, and his Eagle: so hence are our teares; that this Text (a parabolicall prouerbe)

hath deserued that worth, twice to be recorded by two seuerall Euangelists; and yet not once to be illuminated by any diuine exp••sition. Inso∣much that theg bread thereof, that is, the mea∣ning, is to be eaten in the sweat of our studies. I may say of it, whath Hierome did of the seuen short Epistles of the foure Apostles; tis mysticall, and succinct: brevis pariter, & longa; short, and yet long: brevis in verbis, longa in sententijs; short in words, long in the diuers, but not aduerse expositions thereof: And of them I shall deliuer none other then those, which the ancient E••gles of the Church haue deliuered; and which may methodically be reduced to foure generall Expo∣sitions: In the progresse whereof, O God my Redeemer, that hast the key of Dauid, openest where no man shutteth; shuttest where no man ope∣neth: Thou that openedst thy mouth in parables, open the mouth of mee the speaker; that this parable may at this time be opened to this Assembly.

The first Exposition.

[ I] THe first that occurres vnto me (and for the Authors antiquitie first to be discus∣sed) isi Origens, who hath sensed the bo∣die to be the Church; the Eagles the Doctors; the gathering together, sensus, and consensus; the harmonie, vnitie, and consent in points of faith. And to that ink Matthew, this is very probable:

where Christ premonisheth his Disciples; Take heed that no man deceiue you, vers. 4. Many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall de∣ceiue many, vers. 5. Many false Prophets shall arise, and deceiue many, vers. 11. Then our Lord pre∣scribes rules how to auoyd them: If any man shall say, Loe here is Christ, or there is Christ, beleeue it not, vers. 23. If they shall say, Ecce in deserto; behold he is in the desart, Goe not forth: behold he is in the secret chambers; beleeue it not, vers. 26. Then hee demonstrates as it were with a finger, where he is, that is, where the Eagles are: marke their flight, it guides you to the light: for vbi∣cunque fuerit corpus, &c.

Secretae Scripturae rectè Solitudines appellantur: Scripture secretly expounded is a secret wilder∣nesse. Basilides (saith Origen) tells me Christ is here: Marcion, he is in the secret chambers: Va∣lentinus, behold he is in the desart: and bring Scripture with solitarie expositions to confirme their singular opinions. But I beleeue them not,s and repaire for the Catholike veritie to the Church, where the pasturing Eagles are.

No Scripture (saitht S. Peter) is of a priuate interpretation; which is to be vnderstood, not ratione personae, but ratione modi: A priuate man may expound, but not in a priuate manner; by stamping new expositions vpon holy writ, diuers ab Ecclesiae consortiou. It is profane to eat the Paschall Lambe out of this house; to gather the flowers of interpretation without the limits of the Churches garden. If any Father, or Doctor,

shall broach any solitarie exposition against the Torrent of the Church; we reiect it;x it being the property of the faithfull, to receiue the Eagles with the body; the Doctors with the Church; and not to forsake the faith of the Church with the Doctors.

Ex personis probamus fidem, an ex fide personas? Doth the faith depend vpon the persons; or the credit of the persons vpon the faith? We ought therefore to embrace, what the Church holdeth; The Church to hold, what the Apostles haue de∣liuered; The Apostles hauing deliuered, what Christ taught; who taught nothing but what he receiued of the Father; asy Tertullian iustly prescribes.

Origen himselfe, whose house was illustrata martyrio, famous for martyrdome, himselfe ador∣ned totius doctrinae magnificentia, with all the magnificence of learning; yet when hee began to set on foot priuate Tenets, and Glosses:z As, that the paines of the damned should not be eternall; and that Christ should be crucified in the ayre againe for the deuils; as he was on earth for man; herein we reiect this Eagle, because hee was not gathered to the body.

Tertullian a worthy Ancient, famous for his Apologies for the Christians; for his writings for the Christian faith; whom S. Cyprian reuerently esteemed as his master; yet when this Eagle be∣gan to doate in his old age vpon the dreames of Montanus, and his associates; who held them∣selues equall to the Apostles in diuine reuelati∣ons;

we say; Hic magister non tenetur; and here∣in reiect this Eagle, as gone out from the body.

But when the lightning shall shine from the East vnto the West, when the West and Easterne Eagles, the Doctors of the Greeke, and Latine Church shall meet in one harmonicall center of agreement; as they did in the foure first Generall Councels; we thinke it more then common in∣solencie to dissent from them: But when the lightning hath shone in the West, and darknesse vpon the face of the East: and when the Westerne Eagles shall decline from the Church, wee leaue those, and cleaue to them that are gathered to the bodie.

S. Hierome in his time complaines to Dama∣sus, how thea Eagles of the East had degenerated: nothing but weeds, sowre grapes, thornes, and thistles growing in their garden: therefore hee had his recourse to the Sunne, that then shone in the Westerne Church: not the depth of the seas, not the length of the earth, could separate him from this light, for sayes he, Wheresoeuer the body is, thither will the Eagles be gathered together.

But as his complaint was of the corruption of the East; we iustly resume it, bewayling the now declined estate of the Westerne Church: That the Eagle of Rome, the Patriarke of the Occiden∣tall Church, hath taken her flight from her body; lamentably musing with the Prophet; How is the faithfull Citie become a harlot. Rome, ancient Rome,b famoused more for thy religion, then conquests: sacked thou art of thy pretious mar∣garite

of faith, and veritie: That thy Pope isc alius à Christo, another from Christ, we doubt not: But if alius ab Antichristo, another from Antichrist, we deseruedly call it into question.

The like complaint make we of the inferiour Eagles of Rome, of their new deuised expositi∣ons to vphold their drooping, and dying cause: To instance but in one, (who is in stead of all) Cardinall Bellarmine, who hath translated Christ into the Pope: That Stone, that corner Stone, that pretious corner Stone, and sure found••tion, whichd Esay the Prophet foretold: ande Peter the Eagle applyed vnto Christ,f Bellarmine hath squared it for the Pope: He can conuert omnes into solos: Christ saith of the Chalice,g Drinke you all of this; that is, (saith hee)h the Priests alone: and manducationem in Monarchiam;i Peter kill and eat, ergo Peter was Head of the Church: Therefore wee reiect this, and such Eagles; be∣cause they haue not kept them to the body.

And hereby we descry the Brownists, and Se∣paratists to be no Eagles: those erring starres that haue no fixed motion in the Churches orbe; who in stead of reso••ting to the body, doe cut off themselues from vs by a schismaticall rent.

kS. Chrysostome obserueth, that our Sauiour saith not, exite; but nolite credere: goe you out; but beleeue them not: But like an expert Cap∣taine, prohibites all excursions from the Chur∣ches bounds, nolite exire, goe not out: Beleeue them not, auoid heresie: Goe not out, take heed of schisme: Say our Church be deformed, yet

shee is not infectious: Say the chaffe is mingled with the wheat; Do we for the chaffes-sake for∣sake the threshing floore of the Lord? Saintl Gregory notes, that our Lord in the Gospell ioynes salt, and peace together; Haue salt with your selues, and peace one with another: Sal sinc pace, non virtutis est donum, sed damnationis argu∣mentum. Let your salt of doctrine season the Church with a peacefull vnion: for the one with∣out the other, is not virtuous, but vitious.

But most of all that Father, Bishop, Martyr, S. Cyprian, in th••t admirable Treatise of his, De vnitate Ecclesiae, h••th battered this forlorne er∣ror:m The vnitie of the Church he that holdeth not, doth he thinke he holdeth the faith? Many beames issue from the Sunne, yet but one Sunne: diuers Riuers streame from the fountaine, yet but one head: many branches arise from one root, yet but one tree; breake off a branch, fractus ger∣minare non potest, it withereth, it dyeth: sepa∣rate a Riuer from the fountaine, praecisus are∣scet, it dryeth vp: and so no hauing of God for our Father, vnlesse we take the Church for our Mother.

Let not Novatian a Separatist boast of his morall gifts, and rectitude of faith, which other∣wise may be in him: Christianus non est, qui in Ecclesia Christi non inest: He is no Christian, that is not in the Church of Christ: He may giue all his goods to the poore, and his body to be bur∣ned, yet occidi potest, coronari non potest: If he die without the Churches limits, killed he may

be, crowned with martyrdome he cannot be. Hitherto Cyprian. Certes this sequestration shew∣eth them to be no Eagles, who are not gathered to the body. All this while haue I fought vn∣der Origens banner; I leaue him now, and pro∣ceed to the second exposition.

The second Exposition.

ANd thats ofn Hierome, ando Theophylact, who conceiue by the bodie to be meant Christ suffering, and dead vpon the Crosse: by the Eagles the Saints, whose gar∣ments are washed in the blood of the Lambe: and by the gathering together, the efficacie of his pas∣sions: Wheresoeuer the dead body is, as S. Matthew hath it; and in Iob, Wheresoeuer the wounded, or slaine is; which reading Th••ophylact keepeth, not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; to which alsop Beza doth assent, not the body, but the carcasse, to which the Eagles are gathered.

Holy Scripture proclaymeth that Christ suffe∣red, that Christ died for vs vpon the Crosse: witnesse theq Tormentors, that abstained from breaking of his leggs, because he was dead alrea∣dy; witnesse Ioseph ofr Arimathea, that petitio∣ned to Pilate for his body, wownde it in linnen cloathes, laid it in a graue, which was signed with the common signet, where it abode three dayes till the resurrection: witnesse himselfe, he bowed his head,s (saith the Scripture) and gaue vp the

Ghost: He bowed himselfe, whom the Crucifiers could not bowe; and gaue vp the Ghost, gaue it vnto his Father, who gaue it vnto him. Quod amittitur necessarium est, quod emittitur volunta∣rium: In amission the act is necessarie, in emissi∣on voluntary: Quis ita dormit quando voluerit, sicut Iesus mortuus est quando voluit? Who could euer fall asleepe so when he would; as Christ died when he would?t Quis ita vestem deponit, quan∣do voluerit, sicut Iesus mortuus est quando voluit? Who euer laid aside his garment so, when hee would, as Christ stript himselfe out of his flesh, when he had a will so to doe? Quis ita cum vo∣luerit abijt, quomodo Christus cùm voluerit, obijt? Who so willingly departed any whither, as Christ out of this world, when he saw his time? according to that prediction of Esay, Oblatus est, quia voluit: whereof S. Bernard giues the reason; Ipse oblatio, & offerens; He was the Priest, and the Host; the sacrifice and the Sacrificer: Natus est, and datus est, passus est, and mortuus est: no rea∣son of his birth, and death, but his charity that made him will; his will answerable to his cha∣ritie.

In theu 40 Psalme: Sacrifice, and burnt offering thou wouldst not haue, but a body hast thou ordayned me: which latter clause though it answer not the Originall; yet the Septuagint so translate it; the Apostle to thex Hebrewes so quotes it; andy S. Augustine so reads it.

A body hast thou ordayned me: a true body, not a phantasticall, as Manicheus; a terrestriall, not

a celestiall body, against Valentinus; a body that might really suffer, and not appeare to suffer, against Hilary; a body like vnto our body, be∣cause the Host of our redemption was to be, & nostri generis socia, & nostrae contaminationis alie∣na, sayesa Leo; like vnto vs in nature, for whom he suffered; vnlike vnto vs in sinfull nature, for which he suffered.

The Deity was impatible; no passion, no sor∣row, no griefe, could fasten vpon the Godhead: the sting of death could not pierce the diuine substance: God could not suffer, could not be wounded, could not be nayled to the Crosse, could not dye;b therefore suscepit ex nobis, quod possit offerre pro nobis; He tooke that of vs, that hee might offer for vs: a body capable of the Crosse, of the passions vpon the Crosse, of the death of the Crosse.

He tooke it, and he offered it, like vnto the Moone, acceptam refero, all the light receiued from the Sunne by reflection, shee communicates vnto vs inferiour creatures: Verbum caro factum est, the Word was made flesh, there he tooke it; and that fl••sh w••nt the way of all fl••sh, for hee died; and so offered a body, that might, and did suffer; a body that might and did dye vpon the Crosse: His natiuitie was praeludium passionis, a passage to his passion: Borne hee was, that hee might liue; liue that he might worke; worke that he might suffer; suffer that he might die; die that we might liue, and be borne againe: and so came he from heauen to the wombe, from the

wombe to the Cratch, from the Cratch to the Crosse, from the Crosse to the graue: And thus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 was turned into 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; a body into a dead body, He died for vs.

And though by death Christs body was with∣out soule; yet not without God. The soule for a time was parted from the body; The Godhead neuer was distracted either from soule or body: The dissolution was in one of the natures, not of the natures: for if the natures had beene diuided, there had beene a double subsistence; and so by consequence a double person, which was the He∣resie of Nestorius: The Godhead is wedded to the Humanitie without all possibilitie of diuorce: Our Sauiours soule in his Agonie, felt not the presence of the Godhead; yet non soluit vnionem, though subtraxit visionem; the vision was eclip∣sed, the diuine vnion was not dissolued: The bo∣die in the graue enioyes not the soule; yet though the soule departed, the vnion was not parted: The passion of Christ (saith S. Austen) was the sleepe of his Diuinitie: and by the like propor∣tion may I say, The death of Christ was the sleep of his Humanitie: yet heres the difference; In the passion, the Humanitie was forsaken of the Deity, but apparently; the body of the soule re∣ally: Life was separated, yet the Hypostasis remai∣ned. So great is the vnion betwixt God, and man, Vt nec supplicio possit dirimi, nec morte distingui; That neither death, nor passions could breake it asunder.

The Schoolemen obserue, that there is Vnum

per vnitatem, and vnum per vnionem, The Father and the Sonne are one by consubstantiall vnitie: God and man are one by Hypostaticall vnion; In the Father, and the Son there is alius, & alius, not aliud, and aliud, a personall difference, but a naturall vnity: In Christ there is aliud, and aliud, not alius, and alius, a naturall distinction, but a personall vnion. The Godhead in one act assu∣med the Manhood both soule, and body, and as vna est assumptio, so vna est vnio, the vnion is but one; by vertue whereof he is vnited to soule, and body. For a demonstration hereof, Bonauenturec obserues in that vnion three things; 1. Actio vnibilis; 2. passio vnibilis; and 3. relatio vnibilis: the first is whereby God assumed man; so the Word was made flesh: the second, whereby the humanity subsisteth in the Deity: the third, as there is a double relation had to soule, and body: So Christ is vnited by one act, but yet by a double relation to soule, and body: double in power, in the assumption of the humanity: double in act, in the dissolution of the humane nature.

Thus we see the body without a soule by death, but not without the Godhead: disiointed, not disunited: dissolued in nature, not diuorced in person: So we haue seene the body made a car∣kas, let vs now see the collection, the gathering together.

Foure things in Christ to vs are very obser∣uant: 1. his calling; 2. his inuiting; 3. his ga∣thering; 4. and his drawing of vs: For the first he saith,d Venite ad me, &c. Come vnto me all

ye that are weary, and heauy laden, &c. For the second;e He sent his seruant at supper time, to in∣uite the guests, &c. For the third,f Ierusalem, Ierusalem, how often would I haue gathered thee together, &c. And for the fourth,g If I be lifted vp, will draw all after me. Oh the peruers∣nesse of man! Christ calleth; we stop our eares at the voyce of this celestiall Charmer: he inuiteth, but we make excuses: hee would gather vs, but wee would not: yet when these will not serue, (O rare mercy!) he draweth; Trahit inuitos, & facit voluntarios: He draweth vs vnwilling, that he might make vs willing to be gathered.

I am now speaking of his gathering together, and see with what passion, and compassion hee speakes to Ierusalem: Ierusalem, and O Ierusa∣lem, I would gather; and how often would I ga∣ther thee; gather thee as a Hen, and as a Hen her Chickens; her Chickens vnder her wings: The damnable obstinacy of the Citizens that did re∣fuse it.

See how opposite Christ is vnto Sathan: Christ he gathereth, the deuill disperseth: Christ gathereth as a Hen, the deuill disperseth as a Lyon; Christ vnder his wings, the deuill within his jawes.

The Prophet Dauids prayer was,h Protect me vnder the shadow of thy wings: then were Christs wings displayed, when his armes were stretched out vpon the Crosse; then were his armes, and body open to embrace thee; opened indeed, by the nailes, by the speare, by the thornes; and so

he did both cor, and brachia, and latus aperire, saithi Stella: opened all for thee, that heauen might be opened to thee; see the gathering to∣gether.

The Eagles then, the Saints must, and doe re∣sort to this body, and let it be our practice, to re∣sort vnto it, by a commemoration of his death, by an application of his merits.

[ 1] Let vs remember him who hath remembred, and thus remembred vs, as to call, to inuite vs, to draw, and to gather vs together. Domine quid est homo? Lord what is man? that thou shouldest thus remember him? Man, forlorne man: man, rebellious man: man, sinfull man: And, homo, quid est Deus? Man, what is the Lord? that hee should remember thee: the Lord that made thee, re-made thee: the Lord that gaue thee life, died for thee, &c. It was Opus sine exemplo, gratia sine merito, donum sine pretio, charitas sine modo, saies mellisluent Bernard: A worke not to be sampled, grace not to be merited, a gift not to be prised, charity not to bee measured: While the first A∣damk slept in the garden, Eue was framed: while the second Adam slept in the graue, the Church was formed: when the body was a carkas, were the Eagles gathered together.

[ 2] Let vs gather together his merits to vs, to make them efficacious; That Iesus would be to vs a Iesus. This it is to build our nests in the clefts of the Rocke: The Rocke is Christ, the clefts are the wounds of Christ: to build our nests, is by interesting our selues through faith in his merits:

Vt illel sit salus in te, qui suscepit vulnera propter te: That he might be a plaister, an Antidote to thee, that was wounded for thee: and remember,m Non itur ad Christum, nisi per Christum: no flying to Christ but by Christ: therefore he saith,n I am the way, the life, and the truth. I am the way which leadeth to the truth; I am the truth that promise life; I am the life which I lay downe for the life of the world: Clamat errantibus, Ego sum via; clamat dubitantibus, Ego sum veritas: clamat lacescentibus, Ego sum vita: Christ is the way for vs to walke, truth vs to direct, life vs to refresh.

These things considered, let vs take our Ea∣gles wings, that we may be safe vnder the prote∣ction of his wings; and flye vnto the body: So where the body is, shall the Eagles be gathered to∣gether: And thus much for the second expo∣sition.

The third Exposition.

THe third generall Exposition, wherein the major part of Interpreters agree. That in these words an adumbration of the last iudgement is contained: For in the precedent verse, Christ speakes of theo day, and that day and his day, whenp the Sonne shall be reuealed. And compares itq to Noahs time, the old world, and the flood; Tor Lots time, Sodom, fire, and brimstone: & tels vs, how some shall be acquitted,

and others condemned; Two men labouring in the field; the one shall be receiued, the other re∣fused:s Two women grinding at a mill, the one shall be accepted, the other reiected: And then shuts vp all with this Epiphonema; Vbicun{que} fa∣erit corpus, &c. and so here is vbicun{que} for vbi, corpus for Christus, Aquilae for animae; nothing expressed, yet all prefigured: an answer that needs an answer: a resolution that needs an explication: with a, Lord shew vs this parable: Wheresoeuer the body shall be, &c. there is the Cortex, the husk: but wheresoeuer Christ shall be, &c. there is the Medulla, the sap. The body then is Christ the Iudge, the Eagles are the Saints, the gathering to∣gether is the generall Iudgement: This is the Center, whereunto the Circumference of my me∣ditations is to be gathered together.

The body is Christ, Christ is the Iudge: as hu∣miliauit scipsum, to dye for man, to be iudged by man; so exaltauit cum Deus, to iudge his Iudges: and so is fulfilled that of the Apostle, The stone which the builders not onely improbauerunt, but reprobauerunt, not disliked, but vtterly refused, is become the head stone in the corner.

In thet fifth of Iohn, the Father iudgeth no man, but hath committed all iudgement to the Sonne: the Father hath surrendred, and resigned all iudgement into the hands of his Sonne: And therefore hee saith, The Father iudgeth no man, but the Sonne. Before it seemed by Christs words the Father did, what the Sonne doth not; the Father loueth the Sonne, and sheweth him all

things that he doth: tanquam Pater faciebat, & Filius videbat, (saith Augustine) as if the Father were the Worker, the Sonne the Spectator: there I beheld Patrem facientem, Filium expectantem: the Father the doer, the Son the looker on: here I see Patrem vacantem, Filiū iudicantē: the Father at leasure, in vacation; the Sonne iudging in a full Court,u (Lord) thou art the profound word of the Father, I am shallow man, & vnderstand thee not: (Blessed Sauiour) I heare thee speaking of thy selfe; I iudge no man, there is another that see∣keth, & iudgeth: ille quaerit iniurias tuas, ille iudicat de iniuriis tuis; who so meet to seeke after thy wrongs, and to iudge them that haue wronged thee, as thy Father? How can it bee then that the Father iudgeth no man, but hath committed all iudgement to the Sonne? turbamur hic, tur∣bati desudemus, desudantes purgemur: we are trou∣bled here, being troubled, we sweat to enucleate the mystery, and in descrying thereof we are pur∣ged. All iudgement is therefore giuen to the Son, not that the Father will cease to iudge: But be∣cause Pater occultus erit, Filius manifestus: The Father shall iudge, but not be seene to iudge; the Sonne shall iudge, and be seene to iudge: because he shall iudge in the habit of a man.

Him, saith the Apostle, hath God ordained to be Iudge of the quick, & dead: where you may see his commission, & his circuit: his commission, deri∣ued from the King of Kings: Constitutus à Deo: him hath God ordained: his circuit, the largest that euer was; Iudge of quicke and dead: that is,

of the iust, and vniust: so Lyranus. Of the immor∣tall soules, and mortall bodies, so Ruffinus. Of the dead before, and of those that are found aliue at the resurrection; for we shall not all die, but shall be changed; so Caietan. Large it must then needs bee, that is extended vnto all.

We see then by this time, what we are to an∣swer to that Question discussed in the Schooles: If Christ in forma humana, shall iudge the world: out of doubt hee shall come againe in the same manner, that he went from vs into heauen:x Ve∣niet, & sic veniet, wi••h a body, with the same bo∣die, the s••me body, with the same skarres: as Chrysostome teacheth.

He hath giuen all iudgement vnto the Sonne: the Father could not giue it to the Sonne as God, which was his owne by nature; neither could Christ receiue that, which as God he neuer wan∣ted:y But the Father hath giuen, and th•• Sonne receiued as man: as man shall hee come in the Clouds; as man shall he sit vpon the throne; as man sh••ll he denounce the sentence; as man shall he be seene of all: the Godhead shall bee perspi∣cuous to the godly onely: But Christ as man, shall lye open to all mens eyes; to the faithfull, to the vnfaithfull, confusis, & confisis, to the confes∣sors, to the crucifiers: according to that of the Prophet,z They shall looke on him whom they haue pierced.

Christ as God,a iudgeth with the Father in common; as man, alone: some workes there be which Christ doth in carne, and yet cooperateth

with the Father: Some workes which he doth per carnem, wherein he worketh alone, and the Father by him: as we say truly Maries Sonne created the world, Christ in carne created the world, but not per carnem, by the flesh. So Christ in the flesh, raised Lazarus; but not by the flesh. So Christ suffered by the flesh, (for the Deity could not be touched with passion) but trium∣phed in the flesh: So the Father and He as one God shall iudge together in the flesh; but not by the flesh: in which respect as man he shall iudge alone.

bAquinas giues three reasons for it.

[ 1] First, for the conueniency, most sutable to man, to be iudged by man.

[ 2] Secondly, for the equitie: Good reason Christ should iudge man, who for man, was iudged by man: Sedebit Iudex, qui stetit sub Iudice, damnabit reos, qui falso factus est reus: There shall he sit to iudge, who stood here to be iudged; & condemne the guilty, who falsly was accused to be guilty.

[ 3] Thirdly, because good, and bad are to be iud∣ged: Now the wicked were not to behold the Godhead, in the presence whereof there is ful∣nesse of ioy; therefore was Christ to iudge as man.

This question in Schooles begets another, viz. whether, this iudiciall power were giuen to Christ, as man, freely, or purchased by his merits? The Schoole-men answer, that it was giuen to him, gratia capitis, by the grace of personall vni∣on: For when God assumed man, he infused in∣to

the Humane nature all those graces the Huma∣nitie was capable of; and yet they say it was me∣rited by him too. He humbled himselfe to the lowest; therefore God hath exalted him to the highest. What hindreth (saith Tho. Aquin•••• but that one and the same thing may be due by a dou∣ble title; of gift, and purchase? Christ on earth was both viator, and comprehe••sor: extra••er••¦num, and in termino; abroad and yet at home: therefore being in a meritorious estate, and his merits of an infinite value what was it that hee could not m••rit?d Bonaue••ture makes a twofold merit: 1. Whereby a thing is due which was not due before. 2. Whereby it is due more wayes then it was before. The praemium substantiale, though it were giuen him by grace, and so due: yet he might purchase it by his merits, and so make it more wayes due then it was before.

Thus we see all things plead for Christ to be the Iudge: It belongs vnto him essentially, as God: personally, as giuen from the Father: and meritoriously, whereby Christ, by vertue of his merits may deseruedly claime it. So haue wee seene the body, Christ the Iudge: I proceed to th•• ••••gles, the parties to be iudged.

By 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Eagl••s are meant the Saints: And of those Saints there is a fourefold exposition rela∣ted by Maldonatus.

[ 1] The first is the blessed Soules, which en••oy Christ now in heauen, of whom S. Iohn speaketh, They follow the Lambe whither-soeuer he goeth. The Lambe is the body: The following is the ga∣thering

together: These are they, that haue washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lambe; hee that sitteth on the throne dwelleth among•••• them, and the lambe shall feed them for euermore in the midst of the throne: Their P••stor the Lambe: The place of pasture, in the midst of the throne.

[ 2] The second, the Saints that then shall be found aliue at the R••surrection: g Then we which are aliue, and remaine, shall be caught ••p together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the ayre, and so shall we be euer with the Lord. And againe;h We shall not all sleepe, but shall be changed in a mo∣ment, in the twinckling of an eye. Hereupon many of thei Ancient haue thought, that some at that day shall passe without death to life; though Da∣uid say, Lord, who is that man, that shall not see death? Shall he deliuer himselfe from the power of the graue? And the Apostle tells vs, that it is a statute agreed vpon in the Parliament of heauen; Statutum est omnibus mori, all to die, and so to iudgement. But S. Paul seemeth to determine this doubt; though a sleepe shall not be, yet a change shall be in stead of sleeping: Shall not sleep; that is, so long as others that haue lyon long buried; so Occumenius. ••tà dormitio breuissi∣••na, non tamen nulla; so Anselmus; Shall not all sleepe, that is, continually, but shall be awaked, so Lorinus; to meet in the clouds the Lord of glory.

[ 3] The third is of the attendance of the Angels, Saints, and Martyrs, vpon the Lord of glory. m Then shall you see the Sonne of man come in glory,

and the holy Angels with him, in the clouds, in ma∣iestie, and great glory. For qualis Rex, talis praepa∣ratio Regis, sayes the Author of the imperfect perfect worke vpon Matthew: and Dignitate do∣mini honorata sit conditio serui; The glory of the Iudge shall be eminent in his followers, and the Saints shall be glorified in attending vpon the Lord of glory. Of this saith the Apostle,n When Christ who is our life shall appeare, then shall we appeare also with him in glory.

[ 4] The fourth, that by the Eagles are meant all the Saints, from the first day of the world till the last day:o for they without vs shall not be made perfect. These elect Eagles shall come from the foure quarters of the world, and shall sit downe with the Patriarkes in the kingdome of heauen.

Thus we see all agree, that by the Eagles are meant the Saints only: therefore he saith not the Vultures, or such foule Fowles, though it be their property likewise; but the Eagles are gathe∣red: In them to note the regalitie of the Saints. And this thep Glosse obserueth; duo quaerentibus vnum respondet; of the two labourers in the field, the Disciples demand, where the one, and the other shall be: Christ he answers for his, that they shall be gathered; and leaues them to vnder∣stand what shall become of them which are none of his; they shall be reiected.

Tis true, the Eagles doe not rise alone, but they shall be gathered alone. The Vultures shall ap∣peare, the wicked shall arise, but to condemnation. Damnable is that Rabbinicall conceit; that none

shall rise, but those that shall be saued. And the wicked by this corporall death shall be vtterly ex∣tinct in soule, and body; grounding themselues vpon those mistaken words of theq Psalme, The wicked shall not rise in iudgement: non, quod non resurgant; sed quod in iudicio non resurgant: he saith not, that the wicked shall not rise; but in iudgement they shall not rise, saithr S. Hierome: they sh••ll nots rise 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, saith Cyrill of Hierusalem: As Felons, whose fact be∣ing euident, are placed at the barre; not so much to be conuicted as to be condemned: Their sins, their conscience, &c. shall so accuse, that the Lord Iudge will not make any great inquisition to find out their fault, but presently proceede to sen∣tence.

tS. Gregory obserues, that of the wicked and the godly, the Eagles and the Vultures, there shall be a fourefold manner of proceeding in iudgement.

[ 1] First of the wicked: Quidam iudicantur, & pe∣reunt; some are iudged, and condemned, perish by iudgement: such as haue drawne neere vnto God with their lips; but are farre from him in their hearts:u Professionem fidei retinentes, opera professionis non habentes: Hold ng a profession of the faith, but not works of that prof••ssion. These mens cause shall be heard, I was hungry, but you fed me not, &c. Such men shall be weighed in the scales, and shall be found to be light; shall pe∣rish in iudgement.

[ 2] Secondly, of the wicked: Quidam non iudican∣tur,

& pereunt: Are not iudged, and condemned; perish without iudgement: Notorious sinners, that would not be curbed vpon any termes: Of them the Apostle speaketh, As many as haue sinned without the Law, shall perish without the Law.x Neque enim necesse est lege perimi, qui lege nun∣quam potuit teneri: No nec ssitie that the law∣lesse liuer should be tryed by a l••w; as his life knew no law, so his death shall be without law; shall perish without iudgement.

[ 3] Thirdly, of the godly, whereof Quidam iudi∣cantur, & regnant, are iudged, and quitted, saued by iudgement. Secular men that vse the world, are often foyled in the world, and recouer by re∣pentance. Their cause is heard; Esuriu••, & ded••∣stis mihi; I was hungry, and you fed me &c and the sentence pronounced for them; Come yee blessed of my Father, &c.

[ 4] Fourthly, of the godly, Quidam non iudicantur, & regnant are not iudged and raigne, saued with∣out iudgement. Saints that haue transcended or∣dinarie holinesse, hauing abstained from things lawfull, because not expedient; that they might be the more at liberty to serue the Lord. Such were the Apostles:y Peter to Christ; Ecce reliqui∣mus omnia; Behold we haue left all, and followed thee: Christ to Peter; You (••o many as haue thus followed mee) shall sit vpon twelue Thrones, and iudge the twelue Tribes of Israel. Thus wee see the Saints shall not rise alone, but shall be saued alone: The Eagles onely to the body shall be ga∣thered together.

It is not amisse in the next place, to consider, wherein the Eagles doe resemble the Saints; and that's in fiue properties ensuingz.

[ 1] The first is: The Eagles moolt off their old fea∣thers, and so become bald: The Saints of God doe so plucke off their sinfull feath rs from the soule, that they become bald like vnto the Eagle: They crucifie the old man with the lusts; weed out sinne by the roots. The Prophet Micah ex∣horting the people to repentance, bids thema to inlarge their baldnesse like the Eagle: Mary Mag∣dalen did more then cast her feathers, when shee conuerted her eyes, her haire, her lips, feathers of wantonnesse, into pledges of Repentance: Her eyes that allured in my, distild riuers of teares: Her haire that insnared many, serues her for a Towell to wipe her Sauiours feet: Her lips which had inticed many, serues her to kisse, & not cease to kisse the same feet, her teares had washt, her haire had wip'd: And so, Quot oblectamenta, tot holocausta, saith Gregory: The baits to vanitie, are conuerted into Holocausts of Repentance.

[ 2] The second resemblance is in the new birth;b Who reneweth thy youth like vnto the Eagle. The E••gles breake their bills vpon a stone, and so are renewed in their age: The rocke is Christ, vpon whom the Saints breake their hearts by repen∣tance, and so in their soules are renewed. Paul had c••st his bill, and feathers too, when he said,c Now I liue not, but it is Christ that liueth in me. Extinctus fuit saeuus persecutor; & viuere cepit pius Praedicator, saithd Gregory. The sword is

turned to the word, persecuting into preaching; and he that breathed out threatnings against the men of God, breathes out Gods threatnings against the men of this world: and so was re∣newed like vnto the Eagle.

[ 3] The third is in the clearenesse of vision: The Eagles can looke vpon the Sunne: The pure in heart can see God: but the light shineth in dark∣nesse, and the darknesse comprehendeth it not. Our Lord pronounceth the Disciples eyes to be h••pp••, Bl••••••ed are the ••yes that se•• the things that you see, &c. A speciall prerogatiue that hath beene d••n••••d to Kings, and Kings desiring to see: to Prophets, and many Prophets, which hau•• not seene them.f Beat••••on quia diuites, &c. Blessed, not because you are rich, you are great, you are mighty: but because you haue seene; haue seene Adam and his lost by sinne; Adam and his recou••red by Christ; haue seene God become your Sauiour; and shall see your Sauiour come to iudgement.

[ 4] The fourth resemblance is in their lofty flight:g Doth not the Eagle mount vp, and make her n•••••• on high, saith Iob. So is it with the S••ints, as their conuersation, so their contemplation is as high as heauen: Humble hearts, yet lofty thoughts, that reach the skies.h S. Bernard ob∣serues, that in the glasse of contemplation there are three steps to the diuine vision: 1. Ascensus: 2. Excessus: 3. Raptus: The first naturall, where∣by the Philosophers in the Glasse of the Crea∣tures haue ascended to the knowledge of one

Creator. The second of grace, whereby the faith∣full in the glasse of the Scriptures, know God as their Creator, and Redeemer. The third of glory, when the Saints shall see him face to face, as Paul that was caught into the third heauens, and there heard words not to be expressed. Prima visio optat: Secunda odorat: Tertia gustat. The vision of nature wisheth for that of grace: That of grace doth but salute that of glory: But in that of glory shall we see and taste how gratious the Lord is.

[ 5] The last resemblance is in the secrecy of the way: One of those things which the Wise-man admi∣red, wasi the way of the Eagle in the ayre: See them flie we may; discerne their way we cannot. The Saints, their good workes are seene of men, but their intention, with what minde they doe them, is not discerned.k S. Gregory notes, that our Sauiour saith; Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good workes, &c. yet he ad∣deth againe, Take heed that you doe not righteous∣nesse to be seene of men; which he reconcileth, sic opus fiat in publico, vt intentio maneat in secreto: Let your good workes shine, but not your inten∣tion. Seeke not your owne glory; but that the spectators may glorifie your Father which is in heauen. Thus haue we viewed these fainted Ea-Nothing letteth but that now we may passe to the gathering together.

[ 3] In the vnfolded parable of the Sower, the rea∣pers are the Angels, which shall gather the wheat into his garner, that is, the elect into his kingdome;

and in another place, thel Elect shall be gathered from the foure corners of the world: The world, the corners, the vtmost coasts thereof shall be searched, that the Saints may be collected. The Eagle of a most swift slight, this gathering shall be speedy; In a moment, in the tw••nckling of an eye, at the last trumpe. And the Apostle,m Rapte∣mur in nubibus, we shall be caught together in the clouds: as the lightning that cutteth the He∣misphaere from the East to the West in a moment; so shall the comming of the Iudge be, such shall the gathering together of the Eagles be.

Here by the way, I may not scatter, whatn Fe∣rus hath gathered: How the godly are said in holy Scripture to be gathered, and the wicked to be dispersed. Gather thy Saints together, (saith the Prophet.)o Let God arise, and his enemies shall be dispersed, saith the same Prophet. The wicked are as chaffe which the winde shall scat∣ter. The godly are as the Eagles which shall be gathered together: The memory of the wicked is likened vnto ashes, because of their dispersion: but the iust shall be had in perpetuall remem∣brance.

But the place. The place is that the Disciples most desired to know, in which they are least re∣solued; no set place set downe where these Assi∣ses shall be holden, but generally intimated, Vbi∣cunque &c.

pS. Hilaries opinion is; That he shall there iudge the world, where he suffered for the world. Illic claritatis adventus expectabitur &c: Most fit

that his glory should be there splendent; where it was most dazled with ignominie: where hee dyed as a malefactor, thereto iudge malefactors: where the Crosse was, there the Tribunall to be. Therefore he saith, Where the dead body is, there shall be this gathering, this assembly.

The Schoole-men generally affirme, That the place shall be the valley of Iehoshaphat, grounding themselues vpon that of Ioel;q I will gather all na∣tions together, and will bring them downe into the valley of Iehoshaphat, will plead their cause &c. Andr Ribera is so vehement for this opinion, that he demands, Qua fronte? With what a face any can reiect it? It being so sutable to the letter, that we shall haue no certainty in the Scripture, if we forsake it.

That there is such a valley knowne by that name, on the Nor••h-side of Hierusalem, and at the foot of Mount Oliuet, Historians relate. But why it hath that denomination, seeing Iehosaphat was not there buried, but in the Citie of Dauid, none of them declar••.

sAquinas after he had said what the Iesuite out of him hath repeated, and somewhat more; yet doth not certainly determine, but probably con∣iecture that to be the place.

And with Riberaes leaue, it is more consonant to the literall sense; That God will deliuer his people from the hands of the Assyrians, to whom they were now captiuated: And that hee might comfort them the more, he doth allude to that miraculous victoriet that God gaue to Iehosaphat.

For listen Ribera, as the Lord did then cause a ci∣uill discord, and mutinie to arise in the Enemies campe, wherein the children of Ammon de∣stroyed those of Mount Seir, therefore the place was called the valley of Beracah, or blessing: So is the Lord able to deliuer you out of the Assy∣rian yoke, and to gather you from among the Nations.

Therefore whether Christ shall iudge in the ayre, or on the earth, in Mount Caluary, or in the Valley of I••hosaphat, we place it inter scita Scholae, to be discussed in School••s, not inter articulos fi∣dei, to be imbraced as an Article of our beleefe.

The circumstance of the place, where, m••kes me call to minde the time when the day of iudge∣ment shall be, which is ••s much or more vncer∣taine then the former, so sealed vp, thatu of that day, and houre knoweth no man, no not the Ang••ls (saith our Lord) but my Father onely: It transcen∣deth the knowl••dge of man: It transcendeth the knowledge of Angels; and (as it seemeth by Saint Mark•• of the Sonne too; who addes, not the Sonne, but the Father. Of man there is no mar∣uaile, who is ignorant of many things he is bound to know: Neither is there any great scruple of th•• Angels; for though they see him that seeth all things, yet in him they doe not see all things, but thos•• obiects that concurre to their Beatitude; as thex Schoole-men haue bounded that too too large spe••ch of Gregory.

All th•• doubt, all the scruple, and difficultie lyeth in Christ, how he should be said not to

know the day of iudgement: Some haue thought this clause (neque filius) to haue beene crowded into the Text by the Arrians, and Agnoaetae.

yS. Gregory ad Eulogium layeth downe three expositions of the Fathers.

[ 1] The first is, that it is not to be referred to Christ the head, but vnto vs the body; as in the Scripture by reason of the mysticall vnion things are; viz. Whatsoeuer you doe vnto these, you doe it vnto me. So it will be, Christ knew it not in his members, that is, the Church knew it not. But this is iustly discarded byz Bellarmine: for if Christ had not knowne it but in his members; why doth hee adde no man, no not the Angels; seeing men, and Angels are members of the my∣sticall body.

[ 2] Secondly, he knew it not, because he hath not made vs to know it: As God said to Abraham;a Now I know thou fearest me; that is, I haue made thee, and all that know thee, for to know it: As we say, now the Sunne shineth clearely, now it is darkned: not that euer claritie is separated from the body of the Sunne; but that sometimes his light, and beames are withdrawne from vs. So we say, it is a ioyfull, or sorrowfull day: not in it selfe, but because it is to vs either ioyfull, or sor∣rowfull. So our Sauiour knew not th••s day, be∣cause he hath not made vs to know it.

[ 3] Thirdly, Christ knew this day in natura huma∣nitatis, but not ex natura humanitatis: The man-Christ knew it; but not as man: in ipsa, but not ex ipsa; in the manhood, but not by the man∣hood;

but speciall priuiledge of reuelation.

Theb Schoole-men tell vs of a twofold know∣ledge in Christ; in verbo, and in genere proprio: The first, whereby he seeth all things in the eter∣nall Word: The second, whereby he seeth them in themselues: And this againe is twofold; either infused, or acquisite: His infused knowledge was powred into his manhood in the act of his con∣ception, when all knowledge the finite creature could be capabl•• of, was granted vnto him, wh••reby he discerned all things. But besides this, he had an acquisite, and experimentall knowledge; whereby experience acquainted him with many things that practically he knew not before. And in this respect (if in any) may he be said not to know the day of iudgement.

One thing more occurres vnto mee: Christ saith not, Vbique corpus; but Vbicunque; not that his body is euery where, but wheresoeuer: As he tooke on him the nature of man, so that nature was finite, had all the properties of a created na∣tur••; therefore had an vbi, was contained within the limits, the superficies, and bounds of place. Therefore locall motions are ascribed vnto him in the Scripture; where he is said to descend, and ascend, and goe vnto the Father. And after his resurrection; Surrexit, non est hic; He is risen he is not here; therefore he is not euery where.

The monstrous and new sprung error of Vbi quitie (asc Bellarmine excellently obserueth) euer∣teth all the Articles of our Creed, that we be∣leeue touching the manhood of our Sauiour: of

his conception, how could he be contained with∣in the straites of blessed Maries wombe, if hee be in all places? how was he nayled to the Crosse, if euery where? how wrapped in linnen cloathes? how intombed in a Sepulchre? if his body be so spacious that it knoweth no limits, how ascen∣ded he into heauen? andd how doe the heauens containe him? if hee bee not contained in any compasse.

It is true, we acknowledge a Communication of properties, and that not Rationall, but Reall; yet not of the natures, but personall vnion; not inhe∣rently in the natur••s, but personally in the person of the Sonne of God: So wee say that Christ is euery where, and that the Virgins Sonne created the world, not by the propriety of natures, but by the communication of properties: ase Bonauenture acutely. Neither are we ignorant of that of the Apostle, In him dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily: yet it is one thing to dwell, and another thing to bee communicated: because of a mans dwelling in a house, the house cannot bee said to goe, to speake, &c. but the man dwelling in the house: so not the body euery where, but the Godhead dwelling in the body.

There is a being of Essence, and a being of Subsistence: the Essence of the Humanity is fi∣nite, because a creature. But the being of subsi∣stence hauing none of it owne, because it subsi∣steth in the person of the Sonne of God is infinit; so the finite humanity doth infinitely subsist in the Godhead; and in a sense may be sayd to bee

euery where: This with Zanchy doe I conceiue to be the mind of some of the Germane Diuines, and especially that learned Chemnitiusf.

Christs body then is locally in one place, but personally in al places, Salua vtriusque naturae pro∣prietate, saith the great Councellg of Calcedon, it hath his vbi, not vbique, not euery where, but wheresoeuer: so saith my Text; Vbicunque fuerit corpus, &c. Wheresoeuer the body is, thither will the Eagles be gathered together.

Thus haue I now done with the absolute, and Theoreticall explications of this Text: passe I now vnto those more respectiue, and passionate applications, wherein I shall implore for Heauens assistance, and your patience for the continuance thereof.

[Obser. 1] The Eagles are gathered to the dead body, but for food: Christ, saith Gorran, is the prey of Eagles: The Eagle (saith Iobh) seeketh her prey, her eyes behold it afarre off, her young ones also sucke the blood; and where the slaine is, there is he. The im∣maculate Body that was slaine, the precious blood that was spilt, the Eagles and the young ones, the fa••thfull, and the faithfull branches, doe eate the one, sucke the other, and are refreshed.

In thei sixt of Iohn, I am (saith Christ) the bread of life, he that commeth vnto me shall neuer hunger, and hee that beleeueth on mee shall neuer thirst. The Iewes did eate of that food, the like to which no Nation did euer eate; yet they loa∣thed this spirituall Manna, the like to which they

neuer tasted. This bread (saithk S. Augustine) is the bread of righteousnesse: and accordingly doth our Sauiour speak, Blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse: and to come home to Christ, this righteousnesse is Christ,l who is made vnto vs righteousnesse, saith the Apostle: And this righteousnesse is Manna from Heauen, Quam dat Deus, non quam sibi facit homo; which God giueth, not which man doeth. This bread then is Righteousnesse; this Righteousnesse is Christ; this Christ is the Body; this Body is a dead Body; on which the holy Eagles feed, and are refreshed.

Ifm any man shall eate of this bread, he shall liue for euer: the bread that I will giue is my flesh, which I giue for the life of the world. If any man eate of it; not qui premit dente, but qui credit mente; not orally by the body, but mentally by faith; the ef∣ficacy of it, he shall liue for euer.

The womann of Samaria, when Christ told her of the water, that hee would giue, which should so quench her thirst, that she should neuer thirst againe: Lord (saith she) giue me of this wa∣ter that I neuer thirst: She had but a carnall con∣ceit. Let vs lift vp our soules, our hearts, our af∣fections, our all, to feed on this bread of life. Christ saith, non in solo pane, &c. Man liueth not by bread alone, but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Diues fared delicately, but his soule was starued; one drop of the water of grace would haue yeelded more comfort to his tormented soule, then all the variety wherewith

here he was satiated. How many of vs glut the body with pompous fare, and in the interim suf∣fer the soule to perish for want of spirituall food. Oh suffer not your soules, your selues to perish: here is refreshing, Qui vult viuere, habet vbi vi∣uat, habet vnde viuat: Hee that would see, and liue many good dayes; he hath where he might liue, wherewith he might liue. Labour (saith our Lord) not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat which perisheth not. Sic homo laboret in terra, vt postea regnet in Coelo: Oh man so labour in this world, that thou maist liue in the world to come: Behold a Creator become a Redeemer; a Redeemer tooke a body; that body made a dead body, for the Saints to feed on, and bee refreshed.

[Obser. 2] This property of resorting to the carkas, ••s communicated to the Rauens, and others; yet none named but the Eagles: The Eagleo al••a pe∣tit, humilia de••clinquit: Ap Princely bird, of a piercing sight, a swift, and lofty flight: vnder∣standing the Saints; who are Kings ouer their affections; rule their passions; contemne the world; and mount aloft after heauenly things.

[ 1] Learne of the Eagle two things: first, to con∣temne the world, she is euer mounting vpwards, and sets light by the things that are below: She neuer condescendeth to any of these inferiour things, but when necessity compels, not when su∣perfluity lures her: Iust so is it with the Saints of God, that vse this world as if they vsed it not:

wherewith to supply their necessary wants, and no farther.

Such Eagles were, Zacheus, that left his extor∣tion, Matthew his toll-gathering, Peter all: Nec invtilis commutatio omnia relinquere proco qui su∣pra omnia, saith blessedq Bernard. A happy change to leaue all, for him who is worth more then all: for what fruit, or profit is there in coue∣ting those things that will away. Quae etsi non deserant, deserenda sunt; saithr Leo. Say they leaue not vs, yet we must take our leaue of them.

The Eagles catch not at flyes; the Saints catch not at the flies of this world, that flie away, and leaue nothing behinde them, but remorse of con∣science; Quod tangit, the thing that did touch them with pleasure passeth: Quod angit, the sting that pricks them still remayneth. How much doe many, that would be accounted Eagles, degene∣rate from these celestiall Eagles, that are so graf∣ted, so linked to the world; so screwed, so glewed to their riches: When they are awake, they sigh how to come by riches; when they are a-sleepe, they dreame how to preserue them securely: And so nec vigiliae laetae, nec somnus securus, saith Saints Chrysostome; neither quiet when they are awake, nor well at ease when they are a sleepe.

Contemne, contemne this world: If riches in∣crease, set not thy heart vpon them:t S. Bernard hoped of his scholler Eugenius, (though he were aduanced from a poore Monke to be Bishop of Rome:) that In se facta est mutatio, non de se: In that change, he was not changed. The Saints

though their estates be changed, yet they are not changed: Their desire is not to be rich vnto this world, but vnto God. He is truly rich that aboun∣deth more in mercy, then in substance: In giuing, then in taking: In commending his riches to heauen, rather then to this world. Qui ad hoc viuit vt operetur, ad hoc operatur, vt in aeteruum viuere mereatur: That liueth to worke, worketh to merit; merit, that he might liue for euer. Hi∣therto Chrysostome. And hitherto of the first pro∣pertie, wherein we are to imitate the Eagles.

[ 2] Le••rne secondly of them a Sursum corda, to mount with the Eagles. The spirituall man hath his eleuations, whereby he is eleuated aboue him∣selfe: so Dauid,u I lift my heart vnto thee: and in another place, I haue lifted vp mine eyes vnto the mountaines: Some lift vp their eyes without their hearts, as the Pharisie, that drew neere with his lips, &c. Others, their hearts without their eyes, as Annah, that prayed in her heart, without any vocall sound: Some lift vp their hearts, hands, and eyes, inward integrity, and outward profession; of whom the Apostle speaketh, our conuersation is in heauen. And vere clati, quorum conuersatio in coelis, saies Gregorie. Such a one was S. Paul; In terra positus, à terra extraneus: Liued here, yet a stranger while he liued here. The Saints liue here, but haue their conuersation in heauen: Corpore ambulamus in terra, corde habi∣tamus in coelo, saiesx Anselme: Their bodies here, their hearts in heauen; such is their eleuation.

The Saints as they haue their elevation, so haue

they their ascensions. Esay inuites vs to it: Come let vs ascend into the Mountaine of the Lord. Andy Dauid demandeth, Lord who shall ascend into thy holy Mountaine, or who shall dwell in thy holy hill? Heauen is a hill; therefore we must climbe: Hea∣uen is a mountaine; therefore we must ascend. Faith, and good workes, prayer, and giuing of almes ascend; Let my prayer be directed into thy sight as the Incense: And to Cornelius, Thy prayer, and thy almes-deeds haue ascended, or come vp be∣fore me.

We are grafted (saithz the Apostle) into the si∣militude of his resurrection: So by the same Ana∣logie, are we inserted into the likenesse of his Ascension: ( The F••ast of the Ascension st••ll bleeds in our mindes.) Let vs therefore erect the eyes of our hearts to that height, whither Christ is ascended. It is the Apostles own Reason;a Seeke those things that a••e aboue, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God: Thither direct your thoughts, whither Christ is ascended: Ad aeterna praedectos, peritura non occup••nt: Let not mo∣mentary affaires possesse your soules, that from eternitie are elected to eternitie: Let not deceit∣full snares make vs slacke our pace: And those va∣nities, and sinnes, that may seeme faire and profitable to intice vs: Non amplect••nda nequiter, sed transcunda sunt fortiter, (saithb Leo:) Let vs not wickedly embrace th••m, but valiantly let them goe:c Let vs lay aside euery weight, and sin that doth so easily beset vs, and runne with patience the race that is set before vs. Let vs shake off the

fetters of sinne from the feet of our affections; the dust of vanity from our wings, and flie vnto the Lord like vnto the Eagles.

[ 3] In the third place: Let vs gather all the powers of our soule together, to call to minde this gathe∣ring together. A generall assembly, the greatest Assises that euer were holden, where and when all of vs must make our personall appearance: for we must all appeare before the tribunall throne, saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 5. When the Lord of heauen shall send forth his processe, no Non est inuentus, shall be then returned; no appearing by Attour∣ney; no pleading by an Aduocate; but corpus cum cousa shall be then produced.

This mysterie was reuealed vnto S. Iohn:d And I saw all both great, and small, stand before the Throne, and the bookes were opened, &c. Though neuer so great, yet they shall appeare before this great one; neither shall the smal ones be excluded: Great in grace, great in dignity, great in worldly preferment, great in sinnes, howsoeuer great: Small in the worlds eye, small in humble thoughts, how small soeuer, they shall appeare. No exem∣ption, no exception, no priuiledge, all within the compasse of the Lords Iurisdiction, all of vs owe suit and seruice to this Court: For we must all appeare.

And there wee must be accountable for the things we doe here in the body. The workes that we now doe shall giue in euidence; if good, for vs; if bad, they speake against vs. The tree shall be knowne, and iudged by his fruit; and as it

now falleth, so it lyeth. No adding to what we haue not done; no retracting that we haue done: Too late to goe buy oyle when the Bridegroome is come; or to get a wedding garment, when we haue set footing within the wedding house; no place for teares, no time for repentance: Poenite∣bit, sed frustra poenitebit; The wicked shall be pensiue, but their repentance comes too late.

Call to minde our incorruptible Iudge, who will not be imbraced with gifts, allured by fa∣uours, withdrawne by promises, deceiued by ignorance; to whom all things are naked. Say not (saith Bernard) the walls are round about vs, we will sinne: Esto quod nemo te videat, non tamen nullus; Be it that no man see thee, yet he seeth thee, who is both testis, and Index:e Neque enim tunc ouina pellis lupum; Our sheep-skins shall not then couer our wooluish affections: Neque se∣pulchri dealbatio internam coinquinationem; nor the outward painting, our inward rottenesse;f for then the Lord will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse, and will make manifest the coun∣sels of the heart.

Consider also, that our case is life, and death, and that not temporall, but eternall; all is at the stake: If the sentence make for vs, then are we most happy; if against vs, most miserable. In the sentence of consolation,g euery word hath his efficacie of comfort: theres a louing call, Come ye; a diuine blessing, Come yee blessed; a fatherly affe∣ction, Come yee blessed of my Father; a retribution of reward, receiue yee; an assignment of a king∣dome,

Receiue you the kingdome; a preparation of glory, prepared for you; eternall predestination, from the beginning of the world: I haue chosen you from the beginning of the world, therefore haue prepared you glory: haue prepared glory, there∣fore haue assigned you a kingdome: haue assigned you a kingdome, for you are my sonnes, and I am your Father: I am your Father, therefore you are blessed: you are blessed, therefore come yee: What a Iubilee of ioy will this cause in their bles∣sed hearts? They cannot but say within them∣selues, Thy word, O Lord, is sweeter vnto vs, then the honie, or the honie combe.

And in the sentence of condemnation, euery word striketh dead vnto the heart: First a separa∣tion from God, Goe yee: a malediction, Goe yee cursed: a prison, Goe yee cursed into: the sharpnes of the paine, Goe yee cursed into fire: The durance of the same, into eternall fire: the grim societie, with the deuill and his angels. This is durus sermo, a hard speech, who can endure it? No repealing of this sentence, no appealing from this Iudge▪ Now the Lambe speakes in mercy, who will not heare it? Then the Lyon shall roare in iustice, who will not feare it?

Remember this, remember thine end, and thou wilt not sinne. Dauid made Gods iudgements his obiect, his eyes were neuer off them;h all his iudgements are in my sight: And Solomon the sonne trode his fathers footsteps;i I said in my heart, God shall iudge the righteous, and the wicked: So all the Saints with S. Hierome, seeme to heare

alwayes the trump to sound, with arise yee dead, and come to iudgement.

Here is a memento for all; great, and small shall arise; great, and small are to remember it: to both of which I am a debtor, and now with Gods per∣mission my debt I will discharge.

First, you whom the Lord hath made great, by communicating a parcell of his Regiment, looke vpon him who is vnto you, author, & ex∣emplum: he that did erect you, is a patterne to direct you: your authority is great, your place eminent, your charge is great, and let me speake it with your fauour, your account shall bee great.

Cum crescunt dona, crescunt rationes donorum: when our talents are enlarged, our account is in∣creased: the beasts and such vnreasonable crea∣tures, non iudicantur, quia non iudicant: They are not iudged, because they cannot iudge: it is not so with man, whom he hath indowed with rea∣son to discerne, and so made euery priuate man a priuate Iudge: much lesse with those whom hee hath set apart to be Iudges. S. Bernard tok Eu∣genius Papa, Blanditur cathedra? sonat tibi offici∣um, non otium: doth the chaire flatter thee? it cals to mind thy duty, not idlenes. What though thou art seated in an eminent place, where thou ouerlookest all? Enim vero prospectus iste procin∣ctum parit, non somnium: it tels thee thou hadst need to looke about thee; what place left for re∣tired thoughts, where causes, and cases; non leges, sed lites; Solicitudes, and vexations of minds, and

spirits are still before you: Et finis horum quid nisi aranearum telae?

The same Father demands of the same man, when art thou free? Vbi tutus? Vbi tuus? where art thou safe? where art thou thy selfe? Are not you alwaies possessed with cares, troubles, tu∣mults: whither will you turne you from them;l pernoctant vobiscum, peregrinantur, rusticantur: day, and night, at home and abroad, they euer at∣tend you: Certainly to a man that soberly con∣sidereth these things, Your Honours are rather to be pittied, then enuied. And he rather com∣miserateth your daily incumbrances; then repi∣neth at your splendent dignities.

My Reuerend Lords, though these cares conti∣nually beat at your doores, yet let contemplation of spirituall things modestly prompt you; That withdrawing your selues from the sea of worldly affaires, you may with the Israelitesm stand still vpon the shoare, and see the saluation of the Lord.

St. Agustine spends a noble Chaptern of a no∣ble worke wholly vpon this subiect: Though many are tyed so to attend worldly affaires, that in neglect thereof, they should neglect their duty to Prince, and Countrey; yet none are so to bee oppressed with businesse, as to forget their duty to God. He is not worthy to bee a Bishop qui praeesse dilexerit, non prodesse: that loueth more to command, then to be commodious. He is not worthy to be a Iudge, that loueth more the prae∣heminence of his place, then to doe good in his place. Wherefore Ocium sanctum quaerit charitas

veritatis: Loue of heauens truth desires a holy leisure: Negotium iustum suscipit necessitas chari∣tatis: necessity of earths charity vndertakes iust affaires. So carry your selues betwixt contempla∣tion, and action, Vt nec subtrahatur ista suauitas, nec opprimat illa necessitas: that the necessity of your actions doe not eclipse the sweetnesse of your meditations; nor your meditations cause you to slacke your iust occasions.

Giue me leaue to commend vnto your thoughts two things: [ 1] The first, the greatnesse of your au∣thority, as God hath lent you part of his power, so part of his title;o I haue said you are gods: and hee hath an eye after you, for it is in the same Psalme, He iudgeth in the midst of gods; or in the middle he iudgeth the gods, as Hierome reades it, and the Originall Hebrew will beare it: Awake then ye men of God, that are placed in the pre∣sence of God: how dares corruption approach, bribery draw neere, peruerting of iustice enter in∣to the presence of the all-seeing eye? thinke on this; The Lord doth behold your actions.

[ 2] The 2. thing to be remembred is, that you haue this treasure in earthen vessels: A strange, and true Epithite, you are mortall gods: Be not puffed vp with your high authority, and title: you shall dye like men, you shall rise like men, you shall giue an account like men, you shall bee iudged like men; your now ouer-seer shall be then your Iudge; and who is present at your actions, shall sentence you accordingly: Remember; you amongst these Eagles shall be gathered together.

Secondly to the small, to all: remember that of Saint Peter,p When the heauens shall passe a∣way with a great noise, the elements shall melt with feruent heat, and the earth burne vp: what man∣ner of men ought you to be in holy conuersation and godlinesse? Suppose now you should see (as God knoweth how soone you shall see) the heauens to vanish with a great noise; The Elements with feruent heat to be dissolued, and the earth in a fie∣rie flame: Tell mee, what holy thoughts, and chast conuersation would then possesse you. Saintq Augustine expounding those words of the Psalme, Our God shall come, fire shall goe before him, and in his presence a mighty tempest. Doth (saith he) the fire, and tempest fright vs? let vs be changed, and there is no cause of feare: ignem palea timet, auro quid facit? The Chaffe of sinne shall be consumed, the gold of piety shall be refined: stipulas ad te congeris? veniet ignis. Why heapest thou to thy selfe combustible mat∣ter? Cast away thy sin, the fire hath not where∣on to burne, wherewith to worke.

Tis very obseruable Christ neuer treats of this subiect, but he addes a speciall caueat; In Saint Mathew hee concludeth with the good,r and bad seruant, the one expecteth his Masters comming, and is blessed; Th'other, smites his fellows, eates, and drinkes with the drunken, and is accursed. And in this Chapter, Remembers Lots wife, de∣sist not in doing good, lest in looking backe to So∣dome. Thou art intercepted; thy affections meta∣morphosed; and thou neuer turne from Sodom.

Forget not the sodainnesse of his comming, as a thiefe in the night, nothing more vnexpe∣cted; as the Lightning, nothing more swift; as the twinckling of an eye, nothing more speedy.t As it was in the daies of Noah, so shall it be in the daies of the sonne of man. Noahs time, and ours alike in sinne, alike in eating, drinking, alike in chambering, and wantonnesse: The Preachers tongue would be defiled, Christian eares would be offended, at the nomination of those things that are done in secret. The face of the world in Noahs time was growne so filthy with sin, that the Lord was constrained to wash it with a flood: The drosse of sinne in our time doth so abound, that it must be purified with fire; And as then the vnexpected flood came and swept them all away, so the vnlooked for fire shall come when many least dreame thereof.

Noahs Fabricke was a reall Sermon, therefore Saint Peter stiles him the Righteous Preacher: How many Noahs, and Iohn the Baptists cry vnto vs, Now is the axe laid &c. Me thinkes I heare the sons of Lamech scoffing at Noah, and his Arke, saying, what meaneth this fellow to saile on drie land: yet they could not laugh him out of his faith: we daily heare the scoffes of the insensible wicked at religious exercises; but Woe vnto you that laugh now, for you shall howle, and lament. Me thinkes I see the sonnes of Lamech, how they came wading to the Arke middle-deepe, crauing admittance, but were denied; Methinkes I fore∣see the Hic-scorners of this age, knocking at Hea∣uen

gate, crauing an entrance, but are repelled; with a Depart from me ye workers of iniquity.

Is then the houre so sodaine? and nigh at hand? what meaneth sinne thus to flourish? still glutto∣nie, still carnality, sensuality still, still pride, still vsury, oppression, grinding of the poore; still all, and more then all: I say no more, but with Iohn the Baptist, Repent, and amend, for the king∣dome of God is at hand, When these Eagles shall be gathered together.

The fourth Exposition.

THere is yet the fourth sense of these words, which I haue reserued for a con∣clusion of all: and that is Gregories anago∣gicall sense; who interpreteth them of the life to come: Christ with his body is corporally ascen∣ded into heauen; thither shall the Eagles bee gatheredv: Hee is enthronized in the heauenly seat, thither will he lift vp his chosen also. This is that which hee speaketh inx Iohn; Where I am, there shall my seruant be: and in the Apocalyps, To him thaty ouercommeth, will I giue to sit with mee in my throne: Our throne Christs, and Christs the Fathers throne; where we shall sit; not with∣out him, but with him; with me in my throne: None shall bee with him, but his seruant; none shall sit on his throne, but he that ouercommeth: none shall be gathered, but the Eagles.

There shall our Eagles eyes behold him face to face, The Angels see him, and yet desire to see him: Satiantes desiderant, desiderantes satiantur: they behold him their fill, yet stil desire to behold him, and in his sight there is fulnesse of Ioy. This Pomgranate without dead seeds, this Rose with∣out prickles, this wine not mingled with water: In Gods presence the Seraphims burne with cha∣rity, the Cherubims are splendent with know∣ledge. The Quire of Saints and Angels sing Lauds, Hymnes, and spirituall songs. Peter at a glimpse of this glory in the holy Mount cryeth out, Bonum est, it is good for vs to be here: then Ecce quam bonum, how good a thing it is to bee here for euermore.

Philip by a heauenly instinct, saith, Lord shew vs the Father, and it sufficeth; God is all-sufficient to suffice. Honours, riches, &c. are insufficient. They that haue mounted to the top of thē thinke still vnum deest, one thing is wanting to perfecti∣on: Oh miserable men how gape we after transi∣tory and insufficient glory, and neglect that onely which is immortall.

You haue your fruit in holinesse saith the Apo∣stle, but the end is eternall life: Bonus finis vita aeterna, quae finem non habet; a good end indeed, of whose goodnesse there is no end; there ioy without sorrow, clarity without obscurity, se∣curitie without wauering, plenty without surfet: Who will not mount with the Eagles to bee ga∣thered to this glory? Infuse, infuse into our hearts thy grace (ô Lord) that with the wings

of Faith, Hope, and Charity, we may flie vnto thee, that we with all thy Eagles may be gathered to thy Kingdome, with thy Sonne; there to liue for euermore. To whom, and vnto thee, (ô Father) with thy blessed Spirit, three persons, one inuisible, and indiuisible God be praise, and glory for euermore, AMEN.

Laus Deo qui dedit velle, & perficere.

FINIS.