Clavis mystica a key opening divers difficult and mysterious texts of Holy Scripture; handled in seventy sermons, preached at solemn and most celebrious assemblies, upon speciall occasions, in England and France. By Daniel Featley, D.D.

SERMONS PREACHED IN LAMBETH PARISH CHURCH.

THE WATCHFULL SENTINELL. A Sermon preached the fifth of November. THE LXI. SERMON.

PSAL. 121.4.

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleepe.

THe more the enemies of the Gospel endevour to blot out this feast out of our Calender, and raze it out of the memory of all men, by giving it out where they see the coast cleare, and none to encounter their falshood, that the ground of this dayes devotion was a fiction of ours, not a designe of theirs; a stratagem of state to scanda∣lize them, not a plot of treason to ruine our King and State: by so much the more all that love the truth in sinceritie ought to keep it with more fervencie of devotion, celebrity of publique meeting, and so∣lemnity of all corresponding rites and ceremonies, that the voyce of our thanksgiving, and the sound of Gods praise for so great a deliverance, may ring to the ends of the earth, and the children yet unborne may heare it. O∣ther feasts we celebrate by faith, this by experience and sense: other deli∣verances we beleeve, this we feele: the ground of other festivities are Gods benefits upon his people indeed, but of other countreyes and other times, but of this is, the preservation of our owne Countrey, in our owne time. And therefore what S. Bernard spake of the feast of Dedication, we may say of this:a 1.1 We ought the more religiously to keepe this feast, by how much the more neare it concernes us; for other solemnities wee have common with other Churches, this is so proper to us, that if wee celebrate it not, none will. This wee ought in speciall to owne, because it presenteth to all thankfull hearts, a speciall act of Gods watchfull care over our Church, our Nation,

yea and this place. For this monster of all treasons, which no age can pa∣rallel, was conceived within our precincts, and so it should have brought forth ruine and destruction in our eyes, if God had not crushed it in the shell: we should have seen on the sudden the citie over against us all in a light fire, all the skie in a cloud of brimstone, and the river died with bloud: wee should have heard nothing after the cracke of thunder, but out-cries and voyces in Ramah, weeping and mourning, and exceeding great lamentation, our Rachel mourning for her children, and shee would not have beene comfor∣ted, because they should not have beene. The lowder the cry of our sorrow would then have beene, the lowder ought now to be the shouts of our joy. To which purpose I have made choyce of this verse for my text, taken out of a Psalme of degrees, that I might thereby raise my meditations and your affections to the height of this feast. The words may serve as a motto, and the worke of this day for an image to make a perfect embleme of Gods watchfull care over his people, and the peoples safetie under the wings of his providence.

But before I enter upon the parts of this Psalme, it will be requisite that I cleare the title, a Song of degrees. If the meaning be as some translate the words, Shur hamagnaloth, Canticum excellentissimum, an excellent song,* 1.2 as we read, Adam hamagnaloth, a man of eminent degree; are not all the other Psalmes likewise excellent songs? Why then hath this onely, with some few that follow it, the garland set upon it? Some will have these fif∣teene Psalmes beginning from the 120. to have the name of songs of de∣grees, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from the history, others from the ceremony, a third sort from the musicke, and the fourth from the matter and speciall contents of them.

1. They who fetch it from the history, affirme that these Psalmes were penned, or at least repeated, and sung by theb 1.3 Jewes Hamagnaloth, in their ascending or comming up from Babylon into their owne Countrey: and this conceit is the more probable, because some of the Psalmes speake ex∣pressely of their returne from captivitie, and most of them of Gods delive∣rance of his people from great dangers and troubles.

2. They who deduce it from the sacred rite or ceremony used in the singing of them, relate that the Priest sang these Psalmes Hamagnaloth, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, upon the staires or steps, as they marched up into the house of the Lord.

3. They who derive the name from the musicke, report that these Psalmes were sung hamagnaloth, that is, with ascensions, or raising up the voyce by degrees, as it is said that the Levites praised God with a great voyce, or a voyce on high.

4. They who take it from the speciall contents of thesec 1.4 Psalmes, con∣tend that the verses of this Psalme are like the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, rounds of Jacobs ladder, on which we may ascend up to heaven, as the Angels did upon that.

These reasons are in a kinde of sequence like notes in musick: for be∣cause they are Psalmes full of speciall matter for instruction and comfort, it is likely that the chiefe Musitian set them to an higher cliffe; and because both tune as well as ditty were excellent, it is probable that these were selected, both to be sung by the Jewes in their ascending from Babylon,

as also by the Priests in their going up usually into the Temple.

Thus the title is cleared on all hands: now the song it selfe admitteth a like partition to that of the Musitians in their pricked lessons; which con∣sist of,

• 1. A ground.
• 2. Running in division upon it.

Here the ground containes but three notes:

• 1. The person, he.
• 2. The attribute, watchfull providence or protection.
• 3. The object, his people Israel.

The division upon the first note is Jehovah, vers. 1. which was, and which is, and which is to come; maker of heaven and earth, vers. 2.

Upon the second, thy keeper, vers. 3. thy preserver, vers. 7, 8. thy pro∣tectour in danger, vers. 5. from danger, vers. 7. for the time present and fu∣ture, verse the last.

Upon the third, Israel in generall, vers. 4. every one of Israel in particu∣lar, vers. 5. in body and soule, vers. 7. at home and abroad, vers. 8.

Behold, let your eye be upon him, whose eye never sleepeth nor slum∣breth, observe your observer and preserver. Behold in hee, sovereigne majestie and omnipotent power: in keepeth, his gracious protection: in Is∣rael, his peculiar affection: in neither slumbreth nor sleepeth, his continuall watchfulnesse.

Behold, we have rung this larum bell heretofore, to awake your attenti∣on and affection, and now it giveth no uncertaine sound: but what or whom are we to behold?

Hee. In the next verse the Prophet nameth him; Jehovah is thy keeper. Of all names of God this may seeme to challenge a kinde of precedencie: for it is taken from the essence of God, and never in Scripture is attributed to any creature; this is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Greekes Tetragram∣maton, the Latines Jove, the Jewes Dread and Feare; who when they meet with it in the old Testament, adore it with silence, or fill up the sentence with Adonai, Lord: onely as wee read in the Talmud, the high Priest in his holy vestments, when he entred into the Sanctum Sanctorum, in the sa∣cred action of blessing the people, might pronounce it. Every syllable in it is a mystery; Je hath relation to the time future, ho to the present, vah to that which is past, as some of the Rabbins observe. And some Christian In∣terpreters conceive, that S. John alludes thereunto in the description of God, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,d 1.5 Hee which was, and is, and is to come. The verb from whence the name is derived signifieth to be, either to teach us that all beeing is from him, or that he alone may simply & absolutely be said to be, who was from all eternity what hee is, and shall be to all eternity what he was and is; or to give use 1.6 assurance of the performance of all his promises. How shall wee doubt of any word that proceeds from his mouth, whose name carrieth in it existence or performance of all his words? or to insinuate in this name the best definition of his nature, which is this; an infinite spi∣rit, who is his owne being; or, who hath being from himselfe, in himselfe, and for himselfe. All creatures were of him, are in him, and must bee for him: God alone is of himselfe, in himselfe, and for himselfe. Some wierdraw

farther, and make so small a line, that it will scarce hold, viz. that all the letters in this name are quiescent, to intimate quietem in solo deo esse, that the rest of the soule is onely in God; according to that divine speech of S. Austine, Domine, fecisti nos ad te, & inquietum est cor nostrum donec perve∣niat ad te: O Lord, thou hast made us to or for thee, and our heart will never be at rest till we come to thee.

That keepeth. God keepeth us both immediately by himselfe, and medi∣ately by Angels & men. His Angels are our guardians in all our wayes: Ma∣gistrates both ecclesiasticall and civill, Parents, Tutors, and Masters, kee∣pers in time of peace; and Generals, Captaines and Souldiers in time of warre. And if you demand with the Poet, Quis custodes custodiet ipsos? Who shall looke to the overseers of others? who shall watch our watch∣men, and guard our guardians? I answer, this Custos Israelis in my text. There are two sorts of keepers,

• 1. Some keepe from suffering evill, as a Guardian doth his Ward.
• 2. Others keep from doing evill, as the Lievtenant of the Tower, or a Messenger to whose custody a prisoner is committed.

God is our keeper in both senses; for he is both Custos protectionis, and Custos conversationis: he keepeth us from suffering evill, by his protecting power; and from doing evill, by his restraining grace: hee keepes us in prosperity, that it corrupt us not; in adversity, that it conquer us not: hee keepeth us in our conception from abortion, in our birth from hurt, in our life from manifold dangers, in our death from eternall terrours.

Israel. Israel, as the learned distinguish, is sometimes taken for Israel,

• 1. According to the flesh only, as unbeleeving Jewes.
• 2. According to the spirit only, as beleeving Gentiles.
• 3. According to the flesh and spirit, as the beleeving posterity of Jacob.

For as Tertullian spake of Christian Souldiers and Panims,f 1.7 a faithfull Pagan is as well a Souldier in Gods account, as an unfaithfull Souldier is a Pagan: so we may truly say, that an unbeleeving Israelite is a Gentile, and a beleeving Gentile is a true Israelite. Howbeit the former division is not adequate: a more complete may be this; Israel is taken in holy Scripture,

• 1. For the root, to wit, Jacob himselfe, to whom first the name of Israel was given upon a speciall occasion.
• 2. For the stocke or trunke, the whole posteritie of Jacob.
• 3. For the branch, to wit, the ten Tribes divided from the other two in Rehoboams time.
• 4. For the whole tree as it were, that is, the whole number of the elect, who because they prevaile with God, are tearmed Israe∣lites, and of Israel: in this last and largest sense the words of S. Paul are to bee understood,g 1.8 All Israel shall be saved.

Here Israel is taken primarily for the Church and Common-wealth of the Jewes: but secondarily and consequently, for all Kingdomes and States professing the true worship of God, and commending themselves to his protection. As God is the Saviour of all, but especially the elect: so he is the keeper of all his creatures, but of man above all, and of Israel above all men.

Hee keepeth all,

• 1. Creatures in their state.
• 2. Men in their wayes and callings.
• 3. Israel in his favour.

• 1. All creatures by his power.
• 2. All men by his providence.
• 3. Israel by his grace.

• 1. All creatures from disorder and utter confusion.
• 2. All men from manifold calamities and miseries.
• 3. Israel from the power of sinne and death.

Hee keepeth Israel,

• 1. As his chiefe treasure, most watchfully.
• 2. As his dearest spouse, most tenderly.
• 3. As the apple of his eye, most charily and warily.

Hee keepeth every faithfull soule,

• 1. As his chiefe treasure, that the Divell steale it not.
• 2. As his chaste spouse, that the flesh abuse it not.
• 3. As the apple of his eye, that the world hurt it not.

In this respect, as Israel is elsewhere called hish 1.9 peculiar people; so here his peculiar charge: he maketh more account of Israel than all the world besides, he keepeth Israel above all, nay he keepeth all for his Israels sake, that is, the elect. As he preserved the Arke for Noahs sake, and Goshen for the ancient Israelites sake, and all that were in the ship for S. Pauls sake, and all that were in the bath for S. Johns sake, and all that fled to the tombs of the Martyrs in Rome, when the Goths sacked the citie, for the Christians sake: so at this day hee supporteth all Kingdomes and States, for the Churches sake. The world is as an hop-yard, the Church as the hops, King∣domes, States, and Common-wealths as the poles: and as the owner of the hop-yard preserveth the poles and stakes carefully, not for themselves, but that the hops may grow upon them: so God preserveth all states and societies of men, that they may be a support to his Church. We may take this note higher, and truly affirme that he keepeth heaven and earth for her sake; the earth to be as a nursery for her children, to grow a while; and the Heaven for his garden and celestiall Paradise, whither hee will transplant them all in the end. Wherefore although the world never so much scorne, and contemne, and maligne, and persecute Gods chosen; yet it is indebted to them for its being and continuance: for God keepeth the heavens for the earth, the earth for living creatures, other living creatures for men, men for Israel, and Israel for the elect sake. For their sake it is, that the heavens move, the sunne, moone, and starres shine, the winds blow, the springs flow, the rivers run, the plants grow, the earth fructifieth, the beasts, fowles, and fishes multiply: for as soone as grace hath finished her worke, and the whole number of the elect is accomplished, nature shall utterly cease, and this world shall give place to a better, in which righteousnesse shalli 1.10 dwell. Yet when heaven and earth shall passe, this word of God shall not passe: for he that now keepeth militant Israel in the bosome of the earth, shall then keepe triumphant Israel in Abrahams bosome.

Shall neither slumber nor sleepe. What the Roman Oratour spake plea∣santly

of Caninius his Consulship, that set with the sunne, and lasted but for one day,k 1.11 Vigilantissimum habuimus Consulem, qui toto Consulatu suo somnum non cepit; there was never so vigilant a Consul as Caninius, who during all the time of his Consulship never tooke a nap; may truly be said of the keeper of Israel, that he never suffereth his eyes to sleepe, nor his eye-lids to slumber.

Rejoyce, O daughter of Sion, for the keeper of Israel continually wat∣cheth over thee for good: but tremble, O thou whore of Babylon, for hee continually watcheth over thee for evill. Ne time à malo externo, fi∣delis anima, quia non dormit custos qui te conservat; time tibi à peccato & malo interno, quia non dormit custos qui te observat: O faithfull soule, feare not outward evils, because hee sleepeth not who conserveth thee; but bee afraid of sin and inward evill, because hee sleepeth not who observeth thee. God receiveth Israel into his speciall protection, and there is no safetie out of it: Israel is now confined within the bounds of the Church, and que∣stionlesse out of it there is no safety. While the Souldiers are within the leaguer, they may sleepe all night securely, because they know the Senti∣nels keepe their watches: but if they wander abroad, and sleepe overtake them, they are every houre in danger to have their throats cut.

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleepe. What the Apostle S. Paul professeth of himselfe (l 1.12 non mentientis astu, sed compati∣entis affectu)m 1.13 I am made all things to all men, that I may by all meanes win some; may in a true and pious sense be applyed to God himselfe, who to turne us, and gaine us to himselfe, turneth himselfe (after a sort) into all formes and natures. To allure the hungry, hee becomes bread; to excite the thirsty, a fountaine of living water; to draw to him the naked, a wedding garment; to bring in them that are astray, the way; to revive the dead, the resurrection and the life. This accordeth withn 1.14 Origen his note on the Canticles: Christ becommeth to everie sense a most delectable object; light, that the eyes of the soule may have wherewith to be enlightened; the word, that the eares may have wherewith to be filled or rounded; the bread of life, that the taste may have to please it, and stomacke to satisfie it; spicknard, to delight the smell of the soule; lastly, flesh, that the hands of the soule may handle the word of life. (1 Joh. 1.1.) O how should this enflame our love to God, that hee should become to our soule whatsoever shee can desire! And not this onely, but that he should condescend in love to take upon him all cal∣lings and offices, for the safetie, well-fare, and comfort of his Church. To give her contentment in himselfe, he weddeth her, and becomes her hus∣band: to dresse her vines, and ripen her fruits, her husband-man: to in∣struct her in the doctrine of salvation, her Schoole-master: to cure her dis∣eases, her Physitian: to plead her title to the kingdome of heaven, her Advocate: and lastly, to keepe her from all ghostly and bodily enemies, her Guardian and Watch-man. That which Cain refused to bee to his owne brother, God is to his Church, that is, her keeper; and so watchfull and carefull a keeper is hee, that his eye is never off her day nor night. The point of speciall observation in the whole text is, the watchfull eye of Gods providence over his Church, which never closeth, nor so much as win∣keth. The parts are,

• 1. The person, who tendeth and tendreth Israel, hee.
• 2. The office he undertaketh and performeth, keepeth.
• 3. His charge, that is, the object of his care, Israel.
• 4. His vigilancie over his charge, neither slumbreth nor sleepeth.

The enemies of the Church are either bodily or ghostly: against the former he fenceth her with his power, against the latter with his grace.

To keepe, is to looke to, preserve and protect, save and defend from all violence or injurie, waste or spoyle, hurt or destruction: as an husband doth his wife, a guardian his ward, a tutour his pupill, a Centurion his band, a watchman his quarter, a shepherd his flocke, a keeper his parke. And all these relations the Church hath to Christ, in regard of the kinde offices which he continually performeth to her in greatest love. For shee is his spouse, and he her husband: she his ward, and he her guardian: she his pu∣pill, and he her tutour: she his band, and he her Sentinell: shee his citie, and he her watch-man: she his flocke, and he her shepherd: she his parke, or rather deere, and he her keeper.

In the verse immediately going before, the Prophet spake in the singu∣lar number, he shall keepe thee: but here in the plurall, extending the care of God to the Church in generall, to teach us that our heavenly father holdeth such a watchfullo 1.15 eye of providence over every one of his faithfull children, as if he tended him onely, and yet taketh such a care of all in ge∣nerall, as of every one in particular.

Shall neither slumber nor sleepe.p 1.16 Somnus est ligatio sensuum: Sleepe is the tying of the senses: which if they be heart-bound, wee are said to sleepe; if slacke, or loose, to slumber. The senses of our body are the windowes of the soule, which in a slumber are as it were shut to, but barred and bolted when we are fast asleepe. Like as we see sometimes there ariseth out of the earth a thin mist, which the sunne easily pierceth with his beames, and di∣sperseth it with his heat; sometimes a thicke vapour mounteth up to the middle region of the aire, where by the temper of the place it is turned into a dark cloud that obscureth the skie for many houres: in like manner, when a thin fume ascendeth from the stomacke into the braine, it causeth but a slumber, out of which wee easily rouze up our selves; but when a grosse vapour climbeth up thither, it overcasteth the cleare skie of our fancie, and in the fall stoppeth all the passages of our senses, and then we sleepe sound∣ly. But I need not discourse of the nature of sleepe and slumber, there be few here but too accurately distinguish them: for though they count it a foule shame to sleepe out a Sermon, yet they make no scruple of conscience to slumber, and sometimes nod; who shall not need withq 1.17 Aristotle to hold a brazen ball in their hand over a bason, to awake them if sleepe chance to surprize them: if the words of our Saviour continually ring in their eares,r 1.18 Can yee not watch with me one houre? Out of this briefe representation of the nature of sleepe, it appeareth that it is a matter of much more difficul∣tie to abstaine from slumbring, than from sleeping: therefore the mem∣bers of this sentence may seeme to be displaced; and therefores 1.19 Calvin andt 1.20 Bucer thus translate the words, Non dormitat, nedum dormit; hee that keepeth Israel never slumbreth, much lesse sleepeth: or wee may paraphrase the words thus, Hee that keepeth Israel, neither suffereth his eye-lids to

slumber by day, nor his eyes to sleepe by night; but keepeth a continuall watch over his people. The words thus illustrated, present to our serious thoughts these most important considerations:

• 1. That God himselfe is the Churches keeper.
• 2. That how many, or how great enemies soever lye in wait for her, ye she is kept.

Israel is an impregnable castle, not by reason of the nature of the place or situation, nor in regard of the great store of men and munition in it: but because he that keepeth it doth neither slumber nor sleepe. Ecclesia oppug∣natur saepe, expugnatur nunquam. Many times have theyu 1.21 fought against me from my youth up, may Israel now say: Many a time have they afflicted mee from my youth up, yet they have not prevailed against mee. There can be no State, Societie, Kingdome, or Common-wealth, so strongly built and fen∣ced, but if the flouds of sedition arise, and the raging tempest of forraine forces beat upon it, it may be ruinated, because it is founded upon sand, that is, men who are but sand and dust: but let the flouds of persecution arise, and the wind of heresie blow never so furiously upon the Church, yet it will stand, because it is built upon the rocke Christ Jesus. What speake wee of clouds, which are the windowes of heaven? the gates of* 1.22 hell shall never be able to prevaile against it. By the gates of hell, many learned Interpre∣ters understand the counsels, projects, plots, and designes of wicked men; be∣cause, for the most part, the counsell among the Jewes, for their better se∣curity, sate in their gate-houses, which in all strong cities are best fenced by nature or art. For which cause the spirit of God describeth the strength of any citie or countrey by the gates thereof. He shallx 1.23 make fast the barres of thy gates: and, Thyy 1.24 seed shall possesse the gate of the enemie, that is, thy seed shall take their garrisons, and occupy their strongest holds. If we like of the former interpretation, Now Israel, now England may say, the gates of hell, that is, the deepe projects and counsels, plots and machinations of the Miners of Antichrist, as deepe as hell, have not prevailed against mee: Or if yee please, yee may take the barrels of gun-powder laid in the vault of destruction, and chambers of death, for the gates of hell; and the massie peeces of iron and wood, for the barres of these gates, which if the Divell or his instruments could have then broken open in a moment, in the twinck∣ling of an eye, our King and Parliament, Nobles and Commons, Clergie and Gentrie, with the chiefe records and monuments of this Kingdome, had beene blowne up with the breath of Satan, in a cloud of fire and brim∣stone into the aire. That blast, in all likelyhood, would have proved the last gasp of our Church and Common-wealth. If he that keepeth Israel, first God, next the King, had slept or slumbred that night: it is to be feared, wee all here present had long ere this slept our last sleepe in the dust of the earth. But blessed be the God of Israel, who hath saved and redeemed his people from the paw of the Divell and jawes of death, and hath raised up a mightie salvation for us in the hand of his servant James. The Divell and his instruments doe not watch so narrowly to destroy us, as God and his Angels to save and protect us. Hee that saveth our life, in effect giveth it; and therefore Aristotle moveth a question, whom wee are more bound to rescue, though it bee with the perill of our lives, our father, or such a

friend who hath ventured his life for us, and saved us from certaine death. The decision whereof may be this, That we owe our life to both; but it being impossible that we should pay it to both, in all reason we are to lay it downe for him first, to whom it was first due, and that is our father: Whereupon it ensueth, that we owe God many lives if we had them, be∣cause he not only gave us our life, but also saveth us from manifold deaths, both by ordinary and extradinary meanes, both by generall and speciall providence. His providence in generall looketh to all men good and bad, yea to all creatures whatsoever; which could not subsist for a moment, if he kept them not in the course of their nature. But above all creatures in speci∣all he is thez 1.25 preserver of men; among men, the children of* 1.26 Israel were his portion, the lot of his inheritance, whom he kept as the apple of his eye. As an Eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings; so the Lord led Israel. Wee must goe yet farther; there is an Israel of Israel, to wit, the Elect in Israel, which are as a Diamond in the ring on his finger, & as thea 1.27 apple of his eye: He that toucheth you (saith he) toucheth the apple of mine eye. To them hee vouchsafeth more speciall favours; for them he blesseth the people where they are, as he blessed Labans house for Jacobs sake, and Pharaohs for Jo∣sephs sake. To this Israel belong the promises: He shall cover thee with hisb 1.28 feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. There shall no evill befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes. They shall keep thee up in their hands, that thou dash not thy foot a∣gainst a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the Lion and the Adder: the young Lion and the Dragon shalt thou trample under feet. And it is the keeper of this Is∣rael which neither slumbereth nor sleepeth.

Ye may here object, If he that keepeth Israel never slumbereth nor sleep∣eth, what meane those expostulations and calling up (if I may so speak) of Almighty God? Up,c 1.29 Lord, why sleepest thou? arise, cast us not off for ever: arise for our helpe, and redeeme us for thy mercies sake. If God hath need to be awaked, he must needs be at least in a slumber: If the loud cries of his afflicted children awake him, and he standeth up like a Giant refreshed with wine to fight for them, it should seem before he was asleep. It may seeme so indeed, because (according to outward appearance and semblance) hee was so. When a man is asleep, though any miscall him, or make mouthes at him, or put any indignity upon him, he stirreth not, nor hath any sense of any thing that is done to him. Upon this ground the sweet singer of Israel runnes in descant; Rise up,d 1.30 Lord, let not man prevaile, let the Heathen bee judged in thy sight. Whye 1.31 standest thou afarre off, O Lord? Whyf 1.32 hidest thou thy face in time of trouble? Awake, Og 1.33 Lord, why makest thou as if thou hearest not? Awake to my judgement, awake, why sleepest thou? Awake to my help: and, Behold, let God arise, and let hish 1.34 enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him, &c. The slumber of Almighty God is nothing else but the connivency of his justice for a time, and it is mercy which casteth him into this sweet sleep, which yet doth not so surprise his powers, or any way bind his senses, but that hee seeth the deepest plots of his enemies, he heareth their secretest consultations, and is sensible of the

least wrong offered to his chosen. Oculi ejus vident, palpebrae ejus explorant filios hominum; he looketh through his eye-lids, and markes well enough, though hee seem to neglect it. As a fisher seeth a fish come to his hooke, nibble at the bait, bite it, and swallow it downe, and then he giveth a jerke with his angle-rod; so Almighty God permits wicked purposes and enter∣prises to hold on in a straight course, till they are even at the goale, and then he turnes and overturneth them: In foribus Hydriam; he breaketh the pitcher at the doore, cutteth downe the eare when it is full, launceth the sore when it is ripe. How did he suffer an invincible Navie, as they termed it, to be built and furnished for the invasion and utter subversion of our Israel, and so great a designe to be carried so close, that the Fleet was in sight of the haven before it was discovered? but then in the height of their swelling pride, when in hope and almost in sight they had devoured the whole kingdome:

i 1.35—militat aether, Et conjurati veniunt ad classica venti.

Partly a tempest dispersed, partly wild-fire burned, partly the sea with open mouth swallowed downe their shipping.

But this day presenteth afresh to our memory a stranger example of di∣vine providence, and a prodigious designe of Sathans malice, who put into the heart of that caitiffe Catesby, the most hellish project and plot of treason that ever entred into the heart of man or Divell, to offer up our King, Queen, Prince, Nobles, Prelates, Judges, and all States assembled in Par∣liament for a holocaust, or whole burnt offering to the Moloch of Rome. The keeper of Israel seemed for a long time to slumber, nay rather to be fast a∣sleep. The plot is contrived, the actors designed, the enginers provided, the mine digged, the wall pierced, the seller hired, the powder bought, the murdering artillery amassed, the traine laid, and the incendiary ready with match and touch-wood.

O preserver of mankind, save us now, or we are all but a blaze. O keeper of Israel, O sentinell of Jacob sleepest thou now when our destruction sleepeth not?

But, Ecce non dormitat, neque dormit custos Israelis; be of good cheare, the keeper of Israel doth neither slumber nor sleep. By this keeper the Pro∣phet meaneth Almighty God, whom hee nameth in the verses following, The Lord himselfe is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand: the Lord shall preserve thee from all evill: the Lord shall preserve thy soule: the Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy comming in from this time forth for evermore. and, Except thek 1.36 Lord keep the City, the watchman waketh but in vaine. Yet in a second place we may entitle his majesty to this office of Lord-keeper: for he next under God watcheth over all Gods Israel in his kingdomes, and ecce non dormitat, neque dormit hic custos Israelis, the Lord keepeth this keeper of Israel awake, and in the dead time of the night disco∣vereth unto him the snares of death laid for him and his people. His Ma∣jesty receiveth the word from Almighty God, though spoken softly in his eare, and scarce audibly, & gave it to his faithfull servants, who by the dark light he gave them of some blow by powder, searched the place, and found thel 1.37 fire-brand of Hell, and chop of the Divell, Guido Faux, with a darke lanterne, making his traines, and sowing (if I may so speake) the seeds of all

our destruction. How many miracles have wee here of divine providence, and mirrours of his justice? Wonderfull strange it was, that the arch plotter Catesby should for many moneths keep within him that monstrous and prodigious designe, like strongest poyson, and never breake. Wonderfull strange it was, that so horrible and damnable a conspiracy should be after∣wards imparted by him to so many, noised abroad so far, brought to that maturity, that the successe thereof was prophesied by some inm 1.38 scattered papers, prayed for almost by all of the Jesuites faction, at least in generall; and yet Argus with his hundred eyes, the great Counsellers of State, who have eyes and eares in all places, should have no notice of it till neere the houre in which it should have been acted: and most strange of all, that his Majesty by a violent and unnaturall construction of a phrase in a letter should find out the violent and unnaturall intendment of the authors of this treason, to destroy the state in asn 1.39 little a time, as the letter would be burnt in the fire.

Yee have heard the miracles of Gods providence in discovery of this powder plot: behold now the mirrour of his justice. Of destruction it selfe there is good construction to be made, and order to be observed in confusi∣on it selfe, which most justly fell upon the unjust authors thereof. The first contriver of the fire-workes first feeleth the flame, his powder sin upbraids him, and flieth in his* 1.40 face. Their heads are lifted up above the house of Parliament, who would have blowne up the heads and peeres of our Realm thither. The quarters of the Black-birds of Hell, and Vultures of Anti∣christ, that would have preyed upon the barbarously murdered and cruelly quartered and dismembred corpses of our Church and Common-wealth, are set up for a prey for the fowles of heaven; and according to the letter of our daily prayer, the eyes that waited for the destruction of our King and State, are pecked out by the Ravens of the valley, and the birds of the aire have eaten them. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,o 1.41 So let thine and our im∣placable enemies, O Lord, perish, but let them that love thee, be as the Sunne when hee goeth forth in his strength. Deo Patri, & Filio, & Spi∣ritui sancto sit laus, &c.

ABRAHAM HIS PURCHASE. A Sermon preached at the Consecration of the Church-yard inclosed within the new wall at Lambeth. THE LXII. SERMON.

ACTS 7.16.

And were carried over into Sechem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abra∣ham bought for a summe of mony of the sons of Emor, of Sechem.

UPon the hearing of my Text read, I suppose many looke for a Funerall Sermon, and have already so christened my future discourse in their preconceits. For here is the carrying of the dead, and the interring, together with a place for buriall,a 1.42 pur∣chased by Abraham for him and his heires for ever. But as Isaac said to his father Abraham, Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the Lambe for a burnt offering? so they may reason with themselves, Behold the bearers, and a sepulchre, and the ground, but where is the corps to be laid in it? My answer hereunto must be a thanksgiving to God, whose mer∣cy hath altered the case with us, because his compassions faile not. It stood lately thus with us, when the waies of Sion mourned, because none walked in them; and the gates of the Sanctuary lamented, because almost none, specially of the better ranke, who left us desolate, entred at them. Wee saw with weeping eyes and bleeding hearts a presse as it were of dead corpses, and many suing for a reversion of a void roome in our dormitory; but now (God be blessed) we have a place given for buriall, and no corpses at this present to take reall and corporall possession thereof. Howbeit, because what hath be fallen us heretofore, may also hereafter, and if death should strike any at this present without a writ of removall, which cannot bee sued out of any court for ought I know against the dead, wee know not where to bestow

them: wee could doe no lesse in Christian charity and providence, than procure the bounds of our Golgotha to be enlarged. For though other houses and tenements stand void with us, the grave shall never want guests, nor the Church-yard and vaults under ground tenants against their will. All men and women are flowers, and all flowers will fall, and when they are ready to fall, we shall have slips (I feare) but too many to plant this parcell of ground which wee have gained in by the gift of the father of this Si∣chem.

But hereof hereafter, when I shall have opened my Text, and the sepul∣chre in it, and who were interred there, and how they came thither. If in any Text almost of the whole Scripture, surely in this the coherence need∣eth to be handled. For at the first sight this relation of the buriall of the Pa∣triarchs seemeth to have no affinity at all with Saint Stephens apologie for himselfe against the Jewes, who charged him with blasphemy against Mo∣ses, and against the Law. Now as in a shooting match a stander by can hardly discerne the flight of an arrow, unlesse he marke the Archers aime, and observe the flight-shaft as soon as it is delivered out of the bow; so un∣lesse ye marke Saint Stephens aime, and observe how he entereth into this story of the Old Testament, ye can hardly discerne how direct it is to his maine scope and purpose. But so it is, that as he that shooteth farre draw∣eth his arrow backward up to the head; and as hee that leapeth forward fetcheth his feeze a great way backe: so doth Saint Stephen here seem to give ground, and recoile a great way backward; but it is to come on with more force, and powerfully to confound the Jewes, who began not now to persecute the Saints of God, and Witnesses of Jesus Christ, but in all ages had done the like. Fabius Maximus (asb 1.43 Livie writeth) kept aloofe off from the Carthaginian army upon a high hill, till hee saw that Hannibal had foiled Minutius in the plaine; but then hee falleth upon him, and routs all his troupes: whereupon Hannibal uttered that memorable speech, I ever feared that the cloud which hovered so long upon the hills would in the end powre downe, and give us a sad showre. Saint Stephen like Fabius for a great while keepeth aloof off from the Jewes, and his discourse resembleth a darke cloud hovering on the top of a hill, which on the sudden in the end rained downe upon them, and caused a bitter storme, for killing first all the servants sent to them by the Master of the Vineyard, and last of all his Sonne. The Jewes bragged much of their fathers; Saint Stephen by epitomizing the story of the Old Testament, sheweth unto them that they ought ra∣ther to be ashamed of them, in whose wicked steps notwithstanding they trod, and were now (as their fathers ever had bin) a stiffe-necked people, of un∣circumcised eares and hearts, resisting the spirit of God, and cruelly persecu∣ting those to death, who shewed before of the comming of the just One, of whom (saith he) ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: who have received the Law by the disposition of Angels, and have not kept it.

The accusers of Saint Stephen articled against him, that hee had uttered blasphemy against the Law of Moses, and against the Temple, because hee taught that the ceremonies of the Law were fulfilled in Christ, and that the shadow ought to vanish, the body being come in place. Saint Stephen an∣swereth for himselfe, that the doctrine of the Gospel was ancienter than

the Law or the Temple, and that all the furniture of the Temple and Arke were made according to the patterne in the Mount, and had a reference to heavenly and spirituall things revealed in the Gospel: that God was now to be worshipped in spirit and truth, by faith in Christ now come, as hee had been by the fathers before the Law in Christ to come, who by faith gave charge that their bones should be carried out of Egypt, and buried in the land of Canaan, beleeving that God would certainly performe his promise made unto their posterity, first of the reall possession of the earthly, & after that of the heavenly inheritance by the seed of Abraham, in whom all Nati∣ons are blessed, Christ Jesus, that should be born in that land. What they gave in charge was accordingly performed, as ye heare in the words of my Text, So Jacob went into Egypt and dyed, he and our fathers, and were car∣ried over into Sichem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought, &c.

Ye see the coherence, but ye cannot yet discerne the truth of the relati∣on, because there is a mist on the words, which hath caused many to misse their way; and it cannot bee otherwise dispelled, than by cleering this whole relation of Saint Stephen, and comparing it with the narration of Moses.

1. It is evident out of Genes. 23.16, 20. that Abraham for foure hundreds shekels of silver bought the field of Ephron the Hittite, which was in Machpelah, and therein a cave to bury the dead.

2. It is evident out of Genes. 33.19. that Jacob bought a parcell of a field where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor Sechems father, for a hundred peeces of mony.

3. It is evident likewise out of Genes. 50.13. that Jacobs sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field in Mach∣pelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a burying place of Ephron the Hittite before Mamre.

4. It is evident out of Jos. 24.32. that the children of Israel brought the bones of Joseph out of Egypt, and buried them in Sechem in a parcell of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Sechem for a hundred peeces of silver, and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.

Now the points of difficulty are three:

1. Whether all the Patriarchs were buried in Sechem, or only Joseph. For in the booke of Josuah there is mention made of none buried there but Joseph; yet Saint Stephen here speaketh in the plurall number, Our fathers dyed, and were carried over into Sechem. And Saint Jerome, who lived in those parts writeth, that in his time the sepulchre of the twelve Patriarchs was to be seen in Sechem.

2. Whether Abraham or Jacob bought this field wherein they were buried. For both bought ground for buriall, but not at the same rate, nor in the same place, nor from the same Landlords. For Abraham paid for his purchase foure hundred peeces of silver, Jacob an hundred: Abrahams lay in the country of Heth, Jacobs of Sechem: Abraham bought it of Ephron the Hittite, Jacob of Hamor the Sechemite. If the Patriarchs were laid in a se∣pulchre at Sechem, it could not be that which Abraham bought: for that was not in the tenure and occupation of the Sechemites, but of the Hittites.

3. Whether Hamor were the father or sonne of Sechem. For in Genesis we reade, that he was the father of Sechem: but in the Acts many translate 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the son of Sechem.

1. The first doubt may be thus cleared. Joseph alone was buried in Se∣chem, and rested there: but the other Patriarchs were at the first buried at Sechem, but afterwards removed from thence to Ephron, and were buried all in Abrahams vault or cave: thus Josephus & S. Jerome are easily reconci∣led. For though the bones of them all lay in Ephron, yet at Sechem there might be some monument of them remaining, as empty tombes with some inscription.

2. The second difficulty is much more intricate, and those who have stroven to get out of it have more intangled themselves and others in it. Calvins answer is somewhat too peremptory, that there is an errour in all our copies of the New Testament, and ought to be corrected: and though Beza goe about to excuse the matter by a semblance of some like misno∣mer in the Gospel, yet this his observation, unlesse he could produce some ancient copies, wherein such mistakes were not to be found, openeth a dan∣gerous gap to Infidels and Heretickes, who hereby will be apt to take oc∣casion to question the infallible truth of the holy Writ. Canus in going a∣bout to take out the blot, maketh it bigger, saying, that Saint Luke erred not in relating Saint Stephens speech, but that Saint Stephens memory fai∣led him, and that through errour or inadvertency hee confounded Jacobs purchase with Abrahams. This answer commeth neere to blasphemy: for no man doubteth but that Saint Stephen in his speech spake as hee was inspired by the holy Ghost. Therefore Lyranus, Lorinus, and many others, think to salve all by putting two names upon the same man, whom they will have sometimes to be called Ephron, sometimes Hamor: but they bring no good proofe out of Scripture for it; and though they could make Ephron and Hamor the same man, yet they can never make the cave in the land of the Hittites, and that in the land of the Sechemites to be one and the same parcell of ground.

With submission to more learned judgements (quia hic Delio opus est na∣tatore) I take it that either 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 should be rendred by, & joyned to the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and a comma at 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and so the sense is, That the Patriarchs were translated into Sechem by the Sechemites, and laid in Abrahams sepulchre which he bought for mony: or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to be understood, and then the meaning will be this, That some of the Patriarchs were laid in Abrahams sepul∣chre, some in the field that Jacob bought. Thus then (according to the originall) wee may render this verse, And they were carried over into Se∣chem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought, besides that which Ja∣cob bought of Hamor, that is: Jacob dyed, and our fathers, and some of them were bestowed in Sechem in the cave which Jacob bought, and some of them in that which Abraham bought.

3. The third doubt is easily resolved. For Hamor was the father of Se∣chem, as we reade Genes. 33.19. neither doth S. Stephen gain-say it: for his words are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, of Sechem, which should have been translated the father of Sechem, as Herodotus in Clio saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and in Thalia, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.44 and Saint Mark, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Adrastus of Mydas, to wit, the fa∣ther

of Mydas; Cyrus of Cambyses, that is, the father of Cambyses; Mary of James, that is, Mary the mother of James.

The mist being thus dispelled, we may cleerly see our way, and readily follow the Patriarchs in the funerall procession from Egypt, first to Se∣chem, and afterwards to Ephron.

And they were carried over, &c. This transportation offereth to our re∣ligious thoughts two acts:

• 1. Of Piety,
• 2. Of Charity.

both significative and mysticall. For the carrying the Patriarchs bones from Egypt to Canaan, shadoweth our removall after death from Egyptian dark∣nesse to the inheritance of Saints in light; and the laying them by the bones of Abraham may represent unto us how the soules of all the faithfull im∣mediately after they were severed from their bodies, are carried by Angels into the bosome of Abraham. The first I call an act of piety or religion, be∣cause the Patriarchs before their death by faith gave charge of their bones; and their posterity executed their last Will in this point, to professe their faith in Gods promise, which was to give the land of Canaan to their seed for an inheritance, and accordingly by their dead bodies they tooke a kind of reall possession thereof.

And they. As by a Synecdoche the soule is put for the man, Anima cu∣jusque is est quisque; so by the same figure the corpses of the Patriarchs are called the Patriarchs. Poole elegantly called his dead body his deposi∣tum: Scaliger his relique: Saint Paul the tent-maker agreeable to his pro∣fession, called it an earthly tabernacle. And although indeed it bee but the casket which containes in it the precious ring, our immortall spirit, yet in regard of the union of it to the soule, and because it concurreth with the soule to the physicall constitution of a man, it may by a figure be called a man.

Yea, but had the Patriarchs no priviledge, but must they goe the way of all flesh? They must: for earth is in their composition, and into the earth must be their resolution. As the world is a circle, so all things in the world in this are like a circle, that they end where, or as they began. The vapours that are drawne up from the earth, fall downe againe upon the earth in rain. The fire that descended at the first from the region of fire in theg 1.45 hollow of the Moone, ascends up thither againe. The waters that flow from the sea returne backe to the sea: in like manner the soule of man, which was infu∣sed by God, returneth to God that gave it; but the body, which was made of red earth, returneth to dust as it was. We need not inquire of Scripture where reason speaketh so plaine, nor interrogate reason where sense giveth daily testimony to the truth. Every passing bell rings this lesson in our eares: Omnis loculus locus est; every coffin is a topicke to prove it: every grave layes it open to us: every speechlesse man on his death-bed cries out to us, Memento mori, quod tueris eris.

Were carried over into Sechem. The life of man is a double pilgri∣mage:

• 1. Of the outward man.
• 2. Of the inward man.

The outward travelleth from the cradle to the coffin, the inward from earth to heaven. Of all creatures man only is properly a pilgrim on earth; because he alone is borne, and liveth all his time here out of his own coun∣try: of all men the Patriarchs were the greatest pilgrims, both in life and death; for they spent all their life in wearisome and dangerous peregrina∣tions, and after their death their bodies went as it were in pilgrimage, and there visited first Sechem, and then Machpelah, where they tooke up their rest. It is the usuall wish and proverbiall speech of men, Though I toile and moile here, yet I hope one day I shall rest in my grave. No man can promise himselfe so much: for not only the bodies of men accursed of God have been digged out of their graves, to teach us, that there is no sanctuary for a wicked person living or dying; but even Gods servants have been often∣times removed out of their earthly beds, some in honour to them, and o∣thers out of malice again•• ••••em, to dishonour and disgrace them. The bodies of Gervasius and Protasius, Martyrs, were translated from a blind and obscure place in Millaine where they lay, to a more celebrious and il∣lustrous Church, to doe them the greater honour: on the contrary, Euse∣bius writeth, that divers Martyrs in France were by the Gentiles plucked out of their graves, and burnt to ashes, and their ashes cast into the river Roan: and the Papists, as if they would make it knowne to the world that no Painims or Gentiles should out-do them, in wreaking their malice against the professors of the truth, both digged up Wickliffes and Peter Martyrs wives, and Paulus Fagius their bones after they had been long interred:

Nec livor post fata quievit.

The Tombe-stone is said to be the bound of malice, and death a supersedeas for envie and all uncharitable proceedings: yet blind zeale in persecuting the members of Christ Jesus exceeds these bounds, and all termes of com∣mon humanity. O unheard of cruelty, saith the blessed Martyr Sainth 1.46 Cy∣prian, Their rage falleth upon the stripes of Gods servants, and they now tor∣ture not so much their members as their wounds. We may goe on further, because Popish cruelty hath gone on further, and say: Saevitum est in ca∣davera, saevitum est in ossa, saevitum est in cineres, saevitum est in manes: the rage and malice of Papists against Protestants is not satisfied with their bloud, nor expireth with their life; they fall like savage Jackals upon their carkasses, they digge up their graves, they rifle their coffins, they burne their bones, they persecute their ghosts; and this is their charity which they so much bragge of. But I leave them, and come to the sepulchre which A∣braham bought, where the Patriarchs were laid.

And were laid in the sepulchre. Though it little import the soules of Gods Saints in heaven what becommeth of their dead corpse on earth, no more than it concerneth a newly elected King, when hee hath his Princely robes on him, what becomes of his old cast suits of apparrell: in which regard Sainti 1.47 Monica told her sonne at her death, that shee tooke no care where shee was interred; yeelding this for a reason, It is no∣thing to mee (saith shee) whether I lye farre from home, or from any Church; I am sure nothing is farre from God: neither doe I feare but that hee will find mee at the last day, and raise up my corpse wheresoever it lies. Yet because the bodies of Gods Saints were temples of the holy Ghost, and

served as instruments in the performance of all duties of piety and chari∣ty; our piety and charity in some respect extendeth to them: piety I say, not to worship them, for that is idolatrie; not to pray to them, for that at the best is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, will-worship, and unwarrantable devotion; not to pray for them, for that is superstition: but to give God thankes for them, and to expect their and our joyfull resurrection: charity to preserve their good name alive, and to bury their dead corpses, although I grant with Saintk 1.48 Austine, that the care of funeralls, and pompe of herses, and rites of buriall are rather comforts of the living, than helpes of the dead: yet with the same Austine I cannot but acknowledge that the bodies of our parents or friends may challenge more affection and respect to them, than the appar∣rell ring, or jewell they wore, which yet wee make great account of, and carefully keep for their sake. Doth not Nature her selfe teach us this worke of mercy to the dead? Doe not some birds that are loving to man, if they spy a dead corpse in the wood, cover it over with leaves? Doth the young Phenix (asl 1.49 Tacitus writeth) as soone as ever it hath life, take care of burying the parent, carrying his corpse with a quantity of Myrrhe, and laying it in the Temple of the Sunne? and shall not men endued with reason and understanding doe the like not onely to their parents and friends, but even to strangers and their very enemies, especially if there bee worth in them? Alexander the great opening Cyrus Tombe, set a crowne upon his Herse, and carefully shut it a∣gaine. Hannibal gave Marcellus the Romane Consull an honourable buriall, put his ashes in a silver pot, and crowned it with a crowne of gold, and sent it to his sonne to interre it. (To speake nothing of Cannibals, man-eaters, and other savages) all civill people in the world bury their dead, though in a different manner, and with severall rites. The Jewes washed, the Egyptians embalmed the corpse, the Ro∣manes burnt them with sweet perfumes, and kept the ashes in an urne or pot: the Ethiopians curiously paint them, and lay them in a gla∣zed coffin: the most common and most agreeable to Scripture is inter∣ring the corpse. Moses alludeth to it:m 1.50 Dust thou art, and to dust shalt thou returne: and Solomon,n 1.51 Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was: and David,o 1.52 What profit is there then in my bloud when I goe downe to the pit? shall the dust praise thee? or shall it declare thy truth? The Greekes for the most part, and other Nations also, excepting those above named, interred their dead: and thereforep 1.53 Pliny calleth the earth our tender mother, which receiveth us into her bosome, when wee are excluded as it were out of the world, and covereth our nakednesse and shame, and guardeth us from beasts and fowles, that they offer no in∣dignity to our carkasses.

Now because it is to small purpose to bestow the dead in roomes un∣der ground, if they may not keep them, Abraham wisely provided for this: for hee laid downe a valuable consideration for the field where the cave was.

Were laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a summe of money. As Abraham here bought a field out-right, and thereby assured the pos∣session thereof to his posterity; so by his example the Synagogue un∣der

the Law, and the Catholike Church under the Gospel, especially in dayes of peace, secured certaine places for the buriall of the dead, either purchased for money, or received by deed of gift: and after they were possessed of them, sequestred them from all other, and appropiated them to this use onely; by which sequestration and appropriation all such parcells of ground became holy, in such sort that none might otherwise use or imploy them, than for the buriall of the dead, without sacriledge or profanation. As the holy oyle ran from Aarons head to his body, and the skirts of his garments, so holinesse stayeth not in the Chancell as the head, but descendeth to the whole body of the Church and the Church-yard as the skirt thereof.

Mistake mee not, brethren, I say not that one clod of earth is holier than another, or any one place or day absolutely, but relatively only. For as it is superstition to attribute formall or inherent holinesse to times, places, parcells of ground, fruits of the earth, vessell, or vestments; so it is pro∣fanenesse to deny them some kind of relative sanctity, which the holy Ghost attributeth unto them in Scripture, where wee reade expresly of holy ground, holy daies, holy oyle, and the like. To cleare the point wee are to distinguish of holinesse yet more particularly, which belongeth

• 1. To God the Father, Sonne, and Spirit by essence.
• 2. To Angels and men by participation of the divine nature or grace.
• 3. To the Word and Oracles of God by inspiration.
• 4. To types, figures, sacraments, rites and ceremonies by divine institution.
• 5. To places, lands, and fruits of the earth, as also sacred utensils, by use and dedication: as
  • 1. Temples with their furniture consecrated to the ser∣vice of God.
  • 2. Tithes and glebe lands to the maintenance of the Priests.
  • 3. Church-yards to the buriall of the dead.

Others come off shorter, and dichotomize holy things, which say they are

• 1. Sanctified, because they are holy, as God his name and attri∣butes, &c.
• 2. Holy, because they are sanctified,
  • 1. Either by God to man, as the Word and Sacraments.
  • 2. Or by man to God, as Priests, Temples, Altars, Ta∣bles, &c.

Of this last kind of holy things by dedication, some are dedicated to him

• 1. Immediately, as all things used in his service.
• 2. Mediately, as all such things without which his service cannot be conveniently done; and here come in Church-yards, without which, some religious workes of charity cannot be done with such conveniency or decency as they ought.

The Church is as Gods house, and the yard is as the court before his doore: how then dare any defile it, or alienate it, or imploy it to any secu∣lar use for profit or pleasure?

To conclude, all Church-yards by the Ancients are termed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, dormitories, or dortories, wherein they lye that sleep in Jesus. Now it is most uncivill to presse into, or any way abuse the bed-chamber of the li∣ving, and much more of the dead. What are graves in this dormitory but sacred vestries, wherein we lay up our old garments for a time, and after take them out, and resume them new dressed and trimmed, and gloriously adorned, and made shining, ands 1.54 exceeding white as snow (so as no Ful∣ler on earth can white them?) These shining raiments God be∣stow upon us all at the last day, for the merits of the death and buriall of our Lord and Saviour. Cui, &c.

THE FEAST OF PENTECOST. A Sermon preached on Whitsunday. THE LXIII. SERMON.

ATCS 2.1.

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all together with one accord in one place.

SAinta 1.55 Chrysostome, comparing the works of redemption with the works of creation, observeth, that as the Fa∣ther finished the former, so the Sonne the later, in six dayes especially: in memorie whereof his dearest Spouse, the Catholique Church, hath appointed six solemnities to be kept by all Christians, with greatest fervour of devotion, and highest elevation of religi∣ous affections. These are Christ his

• 1. Virgin birth.
• 2. Illustrious Epiphanie.
• 3. Ignominious death.
• 4. His powerfull resurrection.
• 5. His glorious ascension.
• 6. His gracious sending downe of the holy Ghost.

The day of

• 1. His incarnation, by which he entred into the world.
• 2. His manifestation, on which he entred upon his office of Mediatour.
• 3. His passion, on which he expiated our sinnes.
• 4. His resuscitation, by w^ch he conquered death & the grave.
• 5. His triumphant returne into heaven, on which hee tooke seizin and possession of that kingdome for us.
• 6. His visible mission of the holy Ghost, in the similitude of fiery cloven tongues, on which he sealed all his former benefits to us, and us to the day of redemption.

This last festivall in order of time was yet the first and chiefest in order of dignity. For on Christs birth day hee was made partaker of our nature, but on this wee were made partakers after a sort of his: in the Epiphany one starre onely stood over the house where hee lay, on this twelve fiery tongues, like so many celestiall lights, appeared in the roome where the Apostles were assembled: on the day of his passion he rendred his humane spirit to God his father, on this hee sent downe his divine spirit upon us: on the resurrection his spirit quickened his naturall body, on this it quic∣kened his mysticall, the Catholique Church: on the ascension he tooke a pledge from us, viz. our flesh, and carried it into heaven, on this hee sent us his pledge, viz. his spirit in the likenesse of fiery tongues, with the sound of a mighty rushing wind. After which the Spouse, as Gorrhan conceiveth, pan∣ted, saying,b 1.56 Awake, O North wind, and come thou South, blow upon my gar∣den, that the spices therof may flow out; let my Beloved come into his garden, & eat his pleasant fruits. The wind she gasped for, what was it but the spirit? and what are the fragrant spices shee wishes may flow, but the graces of the holy Ghost, which David calleth gifts for men in the eighteenth verse of the 68. Psalme? the former part whereof may furnish the feast we lately celebrated, with a fit antheme, Thou hast ascended up on high, thou hast led captivitie captive: the later may supply this present, thou hast received gifts for men, yea for the rebellious also, that the Lord God may dwell among them. Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation: for on this day Christ received gifts for his Church, the gifts of faith, hope and charitie, the gift of prayer and supplication, the gift of healing and miracles, the gift of prophecie, the gift of tongues, and the in∣terpretation thereof. Verily, so many and so great are the benefits, which the anniversary returne of this day presenteth to us, that as if all the tongues upon the earth had not beene sufficient to utter them, a supply of new tongues was sent from heaven to declare them in all languages. The new Testament was drawne before, and signed with Christs bloud on good Friday; butc 1.57 sealed first on this day by the holy spirit of God. Christ made his last Will upon the crosse, and thereby bequeathed unto us many faire legacies: but this Will was notd 1.58 administred till this day; for thee 1.59 mi∣nistration is of the spirit.

Yea, but had not the Apostles the spirit before this day? did not our

Lord breathe on them, (John 20.22.) the day he rose at evening, being the first day of the weeke, saying, Receive yee the holy Ghost?

The learned answer, that they had indeed the spirit before, but not in such a measure: the holy Ghost was given before according to some ghostly power and invisible grace; but was never sent before in a visible manner: before they received him in breath, now in fire: before hee wasf 1.60 sprinkled, but now powred on them: before they received 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but now 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: before authority to discharge their function, but now power to worke wonders: before they had the smell, now the substanceg 1.61 of the celestiall oyntment was shed on them: they heard of him before, but now they saw and felt him

• 1. In their minds, by infallible direction:
• 2. In their tongues, by the multiplicity of languages:
• 3. In their hands, by miraculous cures.

S. Austine truly observeth, that before the Apostles on this day were indued with power from above, they never strove for the Christian faith unto bloud: when Satan winnowed them at Christs passion they all flew away like chaffe. And though S. Peters faith failed not, because it was sup∣ported by our Lords prayer, Luke 22.32. yet his courage failed him in such sort, that he was foyled by a silly damsell: but after the holy Ghost descended upon him and the rest of the Apostles, in the sound of a mightie rushing wind, and in the likenesse of fierie cloven tongues, they were filled with grace, and enflamed with zeale, and they mightily opposed all the enemies of the truth, and made an open and noble profession thereof before the greatest Potentates of the world, and sealed it with their bloud, all of them save S. John; who had that priviledge that hee should stay till Christ came, glorifying the Lord of life by their valiant suffering of death for his names sake. In regard of which manifold and powerfull eff••cts of sending the spirit on this day, which were no lesse seene in the flames of the Mar∣tyrs, than in the fiery tongues that lighted on the Apostles, the Church of Christ, even from the beginning, celebrated this festivity in most solemne manner; and not so onely, but within 300. yeares after Christs death, the Fathers in the Councels ofh 1.62 Eliberis mounted a canon, thundring out the paine of heresie to all such as religiously kept it not. If the Jewes celebrated an high feast in memory of the Law, on this day first proclaimed on mount Sinai; ought not we much more to solemnize it in memory of the Gospel now promulgated on mount Sion by new tongues sent from heaven? If we dedi•••••• peculiar festivals to God the Father the Creatour, and God the Sonne the Redeemer; why should not God the holy Ghost the Sancti∣fier have a peculiar interest in our devotion? S.i 1.63 Bernard addeth another twist to this cord, If we deservedly honour Saints with festivals, how much more ought wee to honour him, who maketh them Saints? especially having so good a ground for it, as is laid downe in this chapter and verse:

And when the day of Pentecost was come. As a prologue to an act, or an eeve to an holy day, or the Parascheve to the Passeover, or the beautifull gate to the Temple; so is this preface to the ensuing narration: it presen∣teth to our religious thoughts a three-fold concurrence:

• 1. Of time.
• 2. Of place.
• 3. Of affections.

Upon one and the selfe same day, when all the Apostles were met in one place, and were of one minde, the spirit of unity and love descendeth upon them. Complementum legis Christus, Evangelii spiritus; As the descending of the Sonne was the complement of the Law, so the sending of the spirit is the complement of the Gospel: and as God sent his Sonne in the fulnesse of time, so he sent the spirit, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in the fulnesse of the fiftieth day. When the Apostles number was full, and their desire and expectations full, then the spirit came downe, and filled their hearts with joy, and their tongues with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Magnifica Dei facta, the wonderfull works of God, vers. 11.

That your thoughts rove not at uncertainties, may it please you to pitch them upon foure circumstances.

• 1. The time, when.
• 2. The persons who, They.
• 3. The affection or disposition, were with one accord.
• 4. The place, in one place.

• 1. The time was solemne, the day of Pentecost.
• 2. The persons eminent, the Apostles.
• 3. Their disposition agreeable, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• 4. The place convenient, in an upper roome at Jerusalem, where Christ appointed them to wait for thek 1.64 promise of the father.

1. Of the time. In the Syriacke and Latine wee read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or dies, dayes, in the plurall number: but in the originall, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the day in the singular. The Syriacke and the Latine had an eye to the whole number of dayes, which now amounted unto fiftie: the origi∣nall designeth in the singular the precise day which made it up fiftie, the day by the accesse whereof to the 49. the number of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or fiftie, was made complete. Word for word according to the originall wee should thus reade my text, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in or upon the fulfilling of the fiftieth day from the feast of first fruits. Metall upon metall is no good He∣raldrie; yet feast upon feast is good Divinitie: especially when the one is the type, the other the truth. For this reasonl 1.65 Severianus conceiveth that our Saviour was offered up for our sinnes on the crosse, the day and time of the day when the Paschall Lamb, according to the Law, was to be killed, to set the face to the picture, the truth to the type, that the body might as it were drive out the shadow, and occupie the space thereof. And in like mannerm 1.66 Theophylact imagineth that hee sent the spirit fiftie dayes after, when the Jewes kept a feast for the Law, to shew that as then the holy Ghost proclaimed the Law, so now also: then the law and covenant of works, now the law of faith and covenant of grace. S.o 1.67 Austine giveth another rellish of his owne; As (saith he) fiftie dayes after Easter the Law was given, writ∣ten by the finger of God in tables of stone: so the spirit, whose office it is to write it in the hearts of men, just so many dayes after Christs resurrection, who

is our Passover, fulfilled that which was figured in the publishing of the Law. S.p 1.68 Chrysostome striketh upon a different string, yet maketh good musicke: others fetched the congruitie from the Law, hee from nature. What, saith he, is Pentecost? It signifieth that season of the yeare, wherein the Jewes thrust their sickle into the corne-harvest. In like sort the Lord of the harvest disposed that now the Apostles should put their sickle (the sickle of the Word) into the harvest of the world and reape it. I shall not need to straine farther for con∣gruities, S. Cyrill and S. Ambrose give me the hint of another synchronisme; for they affirme that on this day the Angell descended into the poole of Be∣thesda, and after the troubling the water cured the sicke whatsoever the disease was. And what fitter day could have beene thought upon for the holy Ghost to descend, to bestow the gift of miraculous cures, than upon this day of healing? I could tell you of the Jubilee, which fell upon the fiftieth yeare, in which all possessions returned to their former owners, and acquit∣tances were given for all debts: but because the best stomacks rather desire solid than sweet meats, I therefore content my selfe at this present withq 1.69 Calvin his observation upon the circumstance of time. This solemnitie being next to that of the Passover, was the fittest time to make the miracle wrought upon it more illustrious. For this reason Christ came up so often to Jerusalem at their solemne feasts, and S. Paul made haste in his journey that he might be there at the feast of Pentecost, to win more soules by the preaching of the Gospel, in a time of so great confluence of people from all parts. There is no fishing to the sea, and now it was full sea at Jerusalem, all the cities in Palestine like so many rivers emptying themselves into it. The gift of tongues could not at any time so fitly have been bestowed as at this, when there were present at Jerusalem men of everie nation under heaven, Acts 2.5, 6. To convince all gaine-sayers of the miracle, What are these (say they) that speak? Are they not Galileans? How then heare we every one speake in our owne tongue where wee were borne? Parthians, and Medes, and Ela∣mites, and they that dwell in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Bithynia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Aegypt, and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jewes and Proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we doe heare them speake in our tongues the wonderfull works of God, vers. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, As we read in the 19. Psalme, vers. 2. Dies ad diem eructat sermonem, & nox ad noctem ostendit scientiam; Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge, or giveth in∣telligence: so here, Lingua ad linguam eructat sermonem: the tongues of men of all nations gave testimony to the miraculous gift of tongues in the Apostles. It is the wisdome of State, to appoint beacons to be set up on the highest hils, to give notice to all the Countrey. And Christ himselfe com∣mandeth us not to hide a candle under a bushell, but to set it on a candlesticke, that it may give light to all that are in the house. And in this consideration those Preachers of the glad tidings of salvation, who have had the best foyle of modestie to set off the lustre of their knowledge, have yet been de∣sirous to deliver their Embassage from God to men in the fullest assem∣blies: not to gaine thereby more applause to themselves, but more soules to God. When the eares stand thicke in a corne-field, not a drop of raine falleth besides them on the ground. And this is a principall end of our

celebration of Christian feasts, to draw multitudes together to heare Christ preaching by his Ministers, and working still miraculous cures upon the soules of men, by the Sacraments administred in the Church. And so from the holy day, I proceed to the sacred persons assembled on it, viz. the Apostles.

They were all together. Beza telleth us of an ancient manuscript, in which he found the substantive added to the adjective omnes, viz. Apostoli, which words though I finde not in our copies, yet by comparing this verse with the last of the former chapter, it appeareth that the all here must bee re∣strained to the Apostles, or principally meant of them; for they were, as S. Austine setteth themr 1.70 forth, twelve beames of the sunne of righteousnesse, or twelve great torches of the truth enlightening the whole world. They were as the twelve Patriarks of the new Testament, to be consecrated as oecu∣menicall Pastours throughout all the earth: they were as thes 1.71 twelve Wels of water in Elim, from whence the chrystall streames of the water of life were to be derived into all parts: they were as the twelvet 1.72 starres in the crowne of the woman which was cloathed with the sunne, and the moone under her feet: and as the twelveu 1.73 pretious stones in the foundation of the celestiall Jerusalem.

The present assembly in this upper roome was no other than a sacred Synod; and in truth there can be no Synod where the Apostles or their suc∣cessours are not present, and Presidents. For all assemblies, how great soe∣ver, of Lay-persons, called together about ordering ecclesiasticall affaires, without Bishops and Pastours, are like to Polyphemus his vast body with∣out an eye:

Monstrum horrendum informe ingens cui lumen ademptum.

But when the Apostles and their successours, Bishops, and Prelates, and Doctours of the Church are assembled, and all are of one accord, and bend their endevours one way, to settle peace and define truth, Christ will make good his promise, to be in the* 1.74 middest of them, and by his spirit to lead them intox 1.75 all truth.

With one accord. All the ancient and later Interpreters accord in their note upon the word accord, that Animorum unio & concordia est optima dispositio ad recipiendum Spiritum sanctum: that Unitie and concord is the best disposition of the minde, & preparation for the receiving of the holy Ghost. The bones in Ezekiel werey 1.76 joyned one to another and tyed with sinewes, before the wind blew upon them and revived them: so the members of Christ must bee joyned in love, and coupled with the sinewes of charita∣ble affections one towards another, before the holy Spirit will enlive them. Marke (saith S.z 1.77 Austine) in the naturall body, how if a member bee cut off, the soule presently leaveth it; while it was united to the rest of the mem∣bers it lived, but as soone as ever it was severed, it became a dead peece of flesh: so it is in the mysticall body of Christ; those who sever themselves by schisme or faction from the body and their fellow-members, deprive them∣selves of the influence of the holy Spirit. Peruse the records of the Church, and you shall finde for the most part that faction hath bred heresie. When discontented Church-men of eminent parts sided against their Bishops and Superiours, Gods spirit left them, and they became authours of damnable

heresies. This was Novatus his case after hee made a faction against Cy∣prian: Donatus after hee made a faction against Meltiades: Aerius after hee made a schisme against Eustatius: and doe we not see it daily in our Se∣paratists, who no sooner leave our Church, but the spirit of God quite leaveth them, and they fall from Brownisme to Anabaptisme, from Ana∣baptisme to Familisme, and into what not? The Church and Common-wealth, like the* 1.78 Lapis Tyrrhenus, while they are whole swimme in all wa∣ters; but if they be broken into factions, or crumbled into sects & schismes, they will soone sinke, if not drowne. And so I passe, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from their unanimitie of affection, to their concurrence in place.

In one place. The last circumstance is the place, which was an upper chamber in Jerusalem. The Apostles and Disciples stayed at Jerusalem after the ascension of our Lord, partly in obedience to hisa 1.79 command, which was not to depart out of Jerusalem till they were indued with power from above: partly to fulfill the prophecie, theb 1.80 Law shall goe out of Sion, and the word of God out of Jerusalem. They kept all together out of love, and for more safetie; and they tooke an upper chamber that they might bee more private and retired, or because in regard of the great confluence of people at this feast, they could not hire the whole house: or as Bernar∣dinus conceiveth, to teach us that the spirit ofc 1.81 God is given to such as raise up themselves from the earth, and give themselves to the contemplation of high and heavenly mysteries.

Now to descend from this higher chamber, and to come neare to you by some application of this text: It will be to little purpose to heare of the Apostles preparation this day, if wee prepare not our selves accor∣dingly: to discourse of their entertainment, and receiving the holy Spirit, if wee receive him not into our hearts. It is a mockerie, as Fulgentius hath it, Ejus diem celebrare, cujus lucem oderimus, To keepe the day of the Spirit, if wee hate his light. If wee desire to celebrate the feast of the Spirit, and by his grace worthily receive the Sacrament of Christ his flesh, wee must imitate the Apostles and Disciples in each circumstance.

1. Rely upon Gods promises by a lively faith, of sending the spirit of his Sonne into our hearts, and patiently expect the accomplishment of it many dayes as they did.

2. Ascend into an upper chamber, that is, remove our selves as farre as wee can from the earth, and set our affections upon those things that are above.

3. Meet in one place, that is the Church; to frequent the house of God, and when we are bid, not to make excuses, but to present our selves at the Lords boord.

4. Not onely meet in one place, but as the Apostles did with one ac∣cord, to reconcile all differences among our selves, and to purge out all gall of malice, and in an holy sympathy of devotion, to joyne sighs with sighs, and hearts with hearts, and hands with hands, and lifting up all to∣gether with one accord, sing, Come holy Ghost: so as this day is Pentecost, in like manner this place shall be as the upper roome where they were as∣sembled, and we as the Apostles and Disciples, and the Word which hath now beene preached unto us, as the sound of that mightie rushing wind which

filled that roome: and after wee have worthily celebrated the feast of the Spirit, and administred the Sacrament of our Lords body and bloud, wee shall feele the effects of both in us: viz. more light in our understanding, more warmth in our affections, more fervour in our devotions, more com∣fort in our afflictions, more strength in temptations, more growth in grace, more settled peace of conscience, and unspeakable joy in the holy Ghost: To whom with the Father and the Sonne bee ascribed, &c.

THE SYMBOLE OF THE SPIRIT. THE LXIV. SERMON.

ACTS 2.2.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

SAint Luke in the precedent verse giveth us the name, & in this the ground of the solemne feast we are now come to celebrate, with such religious rites as our Church hath prescribed, according to the presidents of the first and best ages. The name is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the feast of the fiftieth day from Easter; the ground thereof the miraculous apparition, and (if I may so speake) the Epiphany of the holy Spirit in the sound of a mighty rushing wind, & the light of fiery clo∣ven tongues shining on the heads of the Apostles, who stayed at Jerusalem, according to our Lords command, in expectation of the promise of the holy Ghost, which was fulfilled then in their eyes, and now in our eares, and I hope also in our hearts. After God the Father had manifested himselfe by the worlds creation, and the workes of nature, and God the Sonne by his incarnation, and the workes of grace; it was most convenient, that in the third place the third person should manifest himselfe, as he did this day by visible descension, and workes of wonder. Before in the third of Matthew at the Epiphany of our Saviour, the Spirit appeared in the likenesse of a dove; but here (as yee heare) in the similitude of fiery cloven tongues, to teach us, that we ought to be like doves, without gall in prosecution of injury done to our selves; but like Seraphins, all fire, in vindicating Gods honour. This morall interpretation Sainta 1.82 Gregory makes of these mysticall appari∣tions:

All whom the spirit fills he maketh meeke by the simplicity of doves, and yet burning with the fire of zeale. Just of this temper was Moses, who took somewhat of the dove from the spirit, and somewhat of the fire. For being warme within with the fire of love, and kindling without with the zeale of severity, he pleaded the cause of the people before God with teares, but the cause of God before the people with swords. Sed sufficit diei suum o∣pus, sufficient for the day will be the worke thereof: sufficient for this au∣dience will be the interpretation of the sound: the mysticall exposition of the wind which filled the house where the Apostles sate, will fill up this time. And lest my meditations upon this wind should passe away like wind, I will fasten upon two points of speciall observation,

• 1. The object vehement, the sound of a mighty rushing wind.
• 2. The effect correspondent, filled the whole house.

Each part is accompanied with circumstances:

• 1. With the circumstance of
  • 1. The manner, suddenly.
  • 2. The sourse or terminus à quo, from heaven.
• 2. With the circumstance of
  • 1. The place, the house where:
  • 2. The persons, they:
  • 3. Their posture, were sitting.

• 1. Hearken suddenly, there came on the sudden.
• 2. To what? a sound.
• 3. From whence? from heaven.
• 4. What manner of sound? as of a mighty rushing wind.
• 5. Where? filling the roome where they were sitting.

That suddenly when they were all quiet there should come a sound or noise, and that from heaven, and that such a vehement sound as of a mighty rushing wind, and that it should fill the whole roome where they were, and no place else, seemes to mee a kind of sequence of miracles. Every word in this Text is like a cocke, which being turned, yeeldeth abundance of the water of life, of which we shall taste hereafter.

I observe first in generall, that the Spirit presented himselfe both to the eyes and to the eares of the Apostles: to the eares, in a noise like a trumpet to proclaime him: to the eyes, in the shape of tongues like lights to shew him.

Next I observe, that as there were two sacred signes of Christs body,

• 1. Bread,
• 2. Wine.

so there are two symboles, and (if I may so speake) sacraments of the Spirit:

• 1. Wind,
• 2. Fire.

Behold the correspondency between them; the spirit is of a nobler and more celestiall nature than a body: in like manner, the elements of wind and fire come neerer the nature of heaven than bread and wine, which are of a more materiall and earthly nature. And as the elements sort with the my∣steries they represent, so also with our senses to which they are presented.

For the grosser and more materiall elements, bread and wine, are exhibited to our grosser and more carnall senses, the taste and touch: but the subtiler and lesse materiall, wind and fire, to our subtiler and more spirituall senses, the eyes and eares. Of the holy formes of bread and wine, their significan∣cie and efficacy, I have heretofore discoursed at large; at this present by the assistance of the holy Spirit I will spend my breath upon the sacred wind in my Text; and hereafter, when God shall touch my tongue with a fiery coale from his Altar, explicate the mystery of the fiery cloven tongues.

After the nature and number of the symboles, their order in the third place commeth to be considered: first, the Apostles heare a sound, and then they see the fiery cloven tongues. And answerable hereunto in the fourth verse we reade, that they were filled with the holy Ghost, and then they began to speake with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Forb 1.83 out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. With thec 1.84 heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse, and then with the tongue he confesseth unto salvation. Myd 1.85 heart (saith David) is enditing a good matter, and my tongue is the pen of a ready writer: first the heart enditeth, and then the tongue writeth. They who stay not at Jerusalem till they are endued with power from above, and receive the promise of the Father, but presently will open their mouthes, and try to loosen the strings of their fiery tongues; I meane, they who continue not in the schooles of the Prophets, till they have learned the languages and arts, and have used the ordinary meanes to obtaine the gifts and graces of the holy Spirit, and yet will open their mouthes in the Pulpit, and exer∣cise the gift of their tongues, doe but fill the eares of their auditors with a sound, and their zealous fiery cloven tongues serve but to put fire, and make a rent in the Church of God. The organ pipes must bee filled with wind before the instrument give any sound: our mouthes, lips, and tongues are the instruments and organs of God, and before they are filled with the wind in my Text, they cannot sound out 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, his wonderous workes, whereof this is one, as followeth:

And suddenly, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Every circumstance, like graines in gold scales, ad∣deth to the weight.e 1.86 Oecumenicus conceiveth that this sound came on the sudden to scare the Apostles, and out of feare or amazement to draw them to∣gether. And indeed this sudden noise in this upper roome, the Apostles sit∣ting still, and there being no wind abroad stirring, seemeth not lesse strange than the sudden calme after Christ rebuked thef 1.87 wind and the sea. Windes are not raised to the height on the sudden, but grow more and more blu∣stering by degrees: this became blustering on the sudden, and, which is more strange, it was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, quasi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 privative, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, appareo, without any cause appearing. To heare a thunder clap in summer, when we see a blacke cloud overcasting the whole skie; or a report, where we know there is a canon mounted, no way amazeth us: but to heare thundering in a cleere sun-shine, when there is no cloud to be seen in all the skie; or the re∣port like that of a canon, where there is no peece of ordnance; or a sudden light in a darke roome, without lamp, candle, torch, or fire, somewhat af∣frighteth and amazeth us: so it was here, a noise is heard as of a mighty ru∣shing wind, yet no wind; or if a wind, a wind created of nothing, without any cause or prejacent matter. There is a great controversie among the

Philosophers about the causes of winds. Some, as Democritus imagined, that many atomes, that is, such small bodies and motes as wee see in the beames of the Sunne meeting together, and striving for place, stirred the aire, and thereby made winds: others, as Agrippa, that the evill spirits ru∣ling in the aire, as they raise tempests, so also they cause winds. Aristotle en∣deavoureth to demonstrate that the rising up of dry exhalations from the earth generateth the winds, which so long rage as the matter continueth, after that faileth the wind lies. The Divines resolve withg 1.88 David, that God draweth them out of his hidden treasures. To which our Saviour seemeth to have reference: Theh 1.89 wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but knowest not whence it commeth, that is, originally:

There came a sound. Some will have this sound to bee an eccho, or a sound at second hand, because so it will bee a fitter embleme of the Apo∣stles preaching to the people, and ours to you. For first, the sound of the Gospel comes from God to us, and then it rebounds from us to you: but the word in the originall is not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, an eccho, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a sound: besides, the eccho comes by reverberation from below, but this sound came from a∣bove.

From heaven. Lorinus and other Commentatours are of opinion, that heaven here, as in many other Texts of Scripture, is put for the aire: as God is said toi 1.90 open the windowes of heaven, and to raine fire andk 1.91 brimstone from heaven. But I see no reason why 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here may not signifie the efficient cause, and heaven bee taken properly. For though the sense of hearing judged it, that the sound began but in the aire, yet it was there made with∣out any apparent cause: and why may not this sound be as well from hea∣ven properly, as we reade of a voice from heaven, saying,l 1.92 This is my well be∣loved Sonne in whom I am well pleased: and another voice from heaven, say∣ing,m 1.93 I have both glorified it (my name) and will glorifie it againe: and yet a third voice from heaven, saying, Blessed are then 1.94 dead which dye in the Lord? But what manner of sound was this?

As of a rushing mighty wind, or rather a rushing blast. For in the origi∣nall it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ruentis flatus, not venti. As our breath dif∣fereth from our spirit and breathing parts, so the spirit which the Apostles received, was not the holy Ghost himselfe the third person, but some ex∣traordinary gifts and graces of the spirit. Though Peter Lumbard the great Master of the sentences seemed to encline to that opinion, that the Apo∣stles received the very person of the holy Ghost; yet this conceit of his is pricked through with an obelisque, and à magistro hic non tenetur by the later Schoolmen, who rightly distinguish between the substance of the spi∣rit and the gifts. The infinite substance neither is nor can bee imparted to any creature, but the finite graces, whereof they were only capable. The Law & the Gospel both came to the eares of men by a sound, the one from Sinai, the other from Sion; that was delivered in thundering & lightening, with darknesse and an earth-quake, this in a sound of a gale of wind, and in the likenesse of shining tongues, the Apostles sitting still, the place being filled, but not shooke with the blast. As in lessons skilfully pricked, the musicall notes answer to the matter of the ditty; so the manner of the pub∣lishing of the Law and Gospel was correspondent to the matter contained

in them; that was proclaimed in a dreadfull manner, this in a comfortable. For theo 1.95 Law worketh wrath, but the Gospel peace: the Law feare, the Go∣spel hope: the Law an obscure, the Gospel a more cleere and evident knowledge: according to that sacred aphorisme of Saint Ambrose, Umbra in Lege, imago in Evangelio, veritas in coelo; there was a shadow in the Law, an image in the Gospel, the truth it selfe in heaven. Moses himselfe quaked at the giving of the Law, but we reade not that the Apostles were terrified, but exceedingly comforted at the receiving of the Gospel: as the roome was filled with the blast, so their hearts with joy.

And it filled the place where they were sitting. The Apostles expected the fulfilling of Christs promise, and it is very likely that they were pray∣ing on their knees: yet they might be truly said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which our tran∣slators render sitting. For the word in the originall importeth only a settled abode, as it is taken in the verse following, There appeared cloven tongues like fire, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and it sate upon each of them. Sitting (as the word is taken in our language) is a kind of posture of mans body, which cannot be imagined either in fire, or tongues: the meaning therefore is no more, than it abode or rested on them.

Thus have I peeled the barke, let us now sucke the juice: we have viewed the engraving on the outside of the cup, let us now drinke the celestiall li∣quor, and rellish the spirituall meaning couched under the letter. The la∣ter Commentatours for the most part (like Apothecaries boyes) gather the broad leaves and white flowers that are found on the top of the water; but the ancient (like skilfull Indians) dive deep to the bottome, and from thence take up pearles.

1. They observe that God useth signes to strike our senses, thereby to stirre us up, that we may give more heed to that which he then fore-warn∣eth us of, or at the present worketh in us. Of signes in Scripture wee find three sorts:

• 1. Irae, of Gods anger, as extraordinary earth-quakes, fire and brimstone falling from heaven, and other prodigious events.
• 2. Potentiae, of his power, or rather omnipotency, as miracles.
• 3. Gratiae, of grace and favour, and these were
  • 1. Significantia tantum, such as signified, or prefigured grace only, as types.
  • 2. Obsignantia, such as seale unto us, and actually exhi∣bit grace, as sacraments.

The first sort are praeter naturam, the second contra naturam, the third supra naturam.

The signes here were transeunt only, as the burningp 1.96 bush, & theq 1.97 dove in the likenesse whereof the spirit descended; and therefore could not be sa∣craments in the proper acception of the word: yet are they to be reduced to the third kind of signes, signa gratiae. Strange accidents for the most part fore-shew strange events: and as many signes are miraculous, so many miracles are significant. In Sicilie the sea water began to sweeten a little be∣fore the deposing the cruell tyrantr 1.98 Dionysius: in like manner Domitian drea∣med that he saw a head of gold rise up upon the nape of his necke, which fore-shewed that a better head of that Monarchy should succeed him. Be∣fore

the civill war between Caesar & Pompey, there were seen twos 1.99 moun∣taines running one at the other in the field of Mutina; and to shew that Cae∣sar should have the better at the beginning of the warre, there grew in the Capitoll on the sudden a laurell tree at the foot of his statue. Before the destruction of Jerusalem, there was seen a starre in the skie liket 1.100 a drawne sword, perpendicularly hanging over the City. And not to build upon the sandy foundation of humane Histories, the sacred Story affordeth the like. Before the true bread descended from heaven, Manna rained from heaven upon the Israelites. The water issuing out of the rocke that was strucke, fore-shewed the fountaine for sinne and uncleannesse, which was opened, when the side of Christ the true rocke was struck and pierced by the speare of the souldier: the drowning of Pharaoh and all his host in the red sea, the destruction of the Divell and all our ghostly enemies in the bloud of our Redeemer: the going backe of the Sunne in the diall of Ahaz, the set∣ting backe the finger in the diall of Hezekiahs life: the appearing of a new starre to the Sages, the rising of a new light in the world, to lighten the Gen∣tiles, and to be the glory of the people Israel: the eclipse of the Sunne at Christs death, the obscuration of the divine majesty in the Sonne of God for a time: the great draught of fish which Saint Peter tooke after Christs resurrection, the happy successe of him and the rest of the Apostles, who were fishers of men, and caught many thousands at one draught in the net of the Gospel. There fell scales from S. Pauls eyes, before God drew from the eyes of his understanding the filme of ignorance and blind zeale: and here, before the Apostles were filled with the holy Ghost, and spake with di∣vers tongues, the roome where they aboad was filled with a mighty rushing wind, and there appeared in the aire fiery cloven tongues.

But what did the suddennesse of it betoken?

Suddenly. The Fathers read three lectures upon this circumstance, teach∣ing that the motions and operations of the Spirit are

• 1. Speedy,
• 2. Free,
• 3. Come and gone in an instant.

The first is read us by St. Ambrose, Spiritus nescit tarda molimina, the Spi∣rit is quicke in operation. As the lightening passeth in an instant from East to West, because it findeth no resistance; so the worke of grace in the heart is suddenly done, especially for the reason given by St. Austine, Because no hard heart can repell or refuse it: for the first worke of grace is to take away the stone out of the heart; which being taken away, it presently receiveth the Spi∣rits impressions. Who more averse from the Christian faith than St. Paul? yet in an instant by a vision from heaven he is changed from persecuting Saul to preaching Paul. At one Sermon of St. Peter many thousand soules were gained. And in Dioclesians time, after the edict set up in the market place for the utter extirpation of the Christian Religion, the whole world on the sudden turned Christian. When God knocketh by effectuall grace, the iron gates of the hardest heart flie open on the sudden.

The second lesson is read by St. Gregorie, That grace is free, and not pro∣cured by any merit of ours. Here was no matter of this winde, nor natu∣rall cause of this sound; no more can there be assigned any meritorious cause

in us of supernaturall grace. Who can cause the sunne to rise, or the wind to blow, or the deaw to fall? much lesse can any procure by his merits ei∣ther the beames of the sunne of righteousnesse to shine, or the gales of the spi∣rit to blow, or the deaw of grace to fall upon him. Therefore the Synod at Diospolis condemnes them for Heretickes, who affirmed Gratiam Dei se∣cundum merita hominum dari; that the grace of God is given according to mans merits. And the Synod at Arausica pronounced an Anathema a∣gainst such as teach, that man beginneth, and God perfects: Whosoever (say they) teach, that to him that asketh, seeketh, & knocketh, &c.u 1.101 grace is given, and not that by the infusion and inspiration of the holy Spirit this is wrought in us, that we beleeve, aske, or knocke, gain-sayeth the Apostle demanding, what hast thou that thou hast not received?

The third lesson is Origens, That good motions are as suddenly gone as they come. The Spouse in the Canticles on the sudden findeth her husband, & on the sudden loseth him; which I call God to witnesse (saithx 1.102 Origen) I my selfe have sensible experience in my meditations upon this book. And who of us in his private devotions findeth not the like? Sometimes in our di∣vine conceptions, contemplations, and prayers, we are as it were on float, sometimes on the sudden at an ebbe; sometimes wee are carried with full saile, sometimes we sticke as it were in the haven. The use we are to make hereof is, when we heare the gales of the Spirit rise, to hoise up our sailes; to listen to the sound when we first heare it, because it will be soon blown over; to cherish the sparkes of grace, because if they be not cherished, they will soone dye.

There came a sound. Death entred in at the windowes, that is, the eyes (saith Origen) but life at the eares.z 1.103 For the just shall live by faith, and faith com∣meth by hearing. The sound is not without the wind; for the Spirit ordina∣rily accompanieth the preaching of the Word: neither is the wind without the sound. Away then with Anabaptisticall Enthustiasts, try the spirits whether they be of God or no by the Word of God: To they 1.104 Law and to the te∣stimony (saith the Prophet Esay) If they speake not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them: And if we (saith the Apostle) or an An∣gel from heaven preach unto you any other Gospel than what ye have received, that is, (saith St.* 1.105 Austine) than what is contained in the Propheticall and A∣postolicall writings, let him be accursed.

From heaven. This circumstance affordeth us a threefold doctrine:

1. That the Spirit hath a dependance on the Son, and proceedeth from him: for the Spirit descended not till after the Son ascended, who both commanded his Disciples to stay at Jerusalem, and wait for the promise of the Father, which yee havea 1.106 heard (saith he) from mee: and promised after his departure to send theb 1.107 spirit, and accordingly sent him ten dayes after his ascension with the sound of a mighty wind in the likenesse of fiery cloven tongues.

2. That the Gospel is of divine authority. As the Law came from hea∣ven, so the Gospel; and so long as we preach Gods word, ye still heare so∣num de coelo, a sound from heaven. Thusc 1.108 Lactantius concludes in the end of his third booke of divine institutions, How long shall we stay (saith he) till Socrates will know any thing, or Anaxagoras find light in darknesse, or De∣mocritus

draw up the truth from the bottome of a deep Well, or Empedocles enlarge the narrow pathes of his senses, or Arcesilas and Carneades, accor∣ding to their sceptick doctrine, see, feele, or perceive any thing? Behold a voice from heaven teaching us the truth, and discovering unto us a light brighter than the sunne.

3. That the doctrine of the Gospel is not earthly, but of a heavenly na∣ture, that it teacheth us to frame our lives to a heavenly conversation, that it mortifieth our fleshly lusts, stifleth ambitious desires, raiseth our mind from the earth, and maketh us heavenly in our thoughts, heavenly in our af∣fections, heavenly in our hopes and desires. For albeit there are excellent morall and politicke precepts in it, directing us to manage our earthly af∣faires; yet the maine scope and principall end thereof is, to bring the King∣dome of heaven unto us by grace, and us into it by glory. This a meer sound cannot doe: therefore it is added,

As of a rushing mighty wind. This blast or wind is a sacred symbole of the Spirit, and there is such a manifold resemblance between them, that the same word, (in Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in Latine spiritus) signifieth both: what so like as wind to the Spirit?

1. As the wind bloweth where itd 1.109 listeth, so the Spirit inspireth whom he pleaseth.

2. As wee feele the wind, and heare it, yet see it not; so wee heare of the Spirit in the word, and feele him in our hearts, yet see him not.

3. As breath commeth from the heat of our bowells; so the third per∣son, as the Schooles determine, proceedeth from the heat of love in the Fa∣ther and the Son.

4. As the wind purgeth the floore, and cleanseth the aire, so the Spirit purifieth the heart.

5. As in a hot summers day nothing so refresheth a traveller as a coole blast of wind; so in the heat of persecutions, and heart burning sorrow of afflictions, nothing so refresheth the soule as the comfort of the Spirit, who is therefore stiled Paracletus, the Comforter.

6. As the wind in an instant blowes downe the strongest towers and highest trees; so the Spirit overthrowes the strongest holds of Sathan, and humbleth the haughtiest spirit.

7. As the wind blowing upon a garden, carrieth a sweet smell to all parts whither it goeth; so the Spirit bloweth upon, and openeth the flowers of Paradise, and diffuseth the savour of life unto life through the whole Church.

8. As the wind driveth the ship through the waves of the sea, & carrieth it to land; so the gales of Gods Spirit carrie us through the troublesome waves of this world, and bring us into the haven where wee would bee. Cui cum Patre, & Filio sit laus, &c.

THE MYSTERIE OF THE FIERY CLOVEN TONGUES. THE LXV. SERMON.

ACTS 2.3.

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sate upon each of them.

AMong the golden rules ofa 1.110 Pythagoras so much admired by antiquity, this was one, that we ought not to speake of God without light: the meaning of which precept was not, that we ought not to pray to God, or speake of him in the night, or the darke; but that the nature of God is dark to us, and that we may not presume to speak thereof without some divine light from heaven. Nothing may be confidently or safely spoken of him, which hath not been spoken by him. In which regardb 1.111 Salvianus professeth, that hee wrote in defence of the true religion in feare and trembling. To the end therefore that the A∣postles, who were appointed to be Pastores pastorum, Pastors of pastors, and Doctors of Divinity through the whole world, might not speake of him who dwelleth in a light which none can approach unto, without light; the holy Ghost on this day cast his beames upon them, shining in the fiery cloven tongues. The tongues appeared cloven (saith Saintc 1.112 Bernard) to represent the multiplicity of thoughts, yet the multiplicity of them shined in one light of truth, and one fervour of charity, as it were one fire. There appeared

new lightnings (saithd 1.113 Chrysologus) in the aire, and the lustre of shining tongues: shining to give them light that they might know what they spake, and tongues to give them eloquence, whereby they might utter what they knew. This apparition as it was very strange, so to outward appearance also most dreadfull; for it was an apparition of a spirit, and that in fire, and this fire cast it selfe into the shape of tongues, and these tongues were cloven. Of all sights, apparitions of spirits most affright us: of all apparitions of spirits, those in fire most dazle our eyes: and never fire before seene in these shapes sitting upon the heads of any. Yet was it a most comfortable apparition, because it was the manifestation of the Comforter himselfe. The Spirit was no evill spirit, but the holy Ghost: the fire was no consuming, but only an enlightening flame: the tongues proclaimed not warre, but spake peace to the Apostles: neither did the cleaving of them in sunder betoken the spi∣rit of contradiction or division amongst them, but the diversitie of langua∣ges wherewith they were furnished: neither did the fire sitting on them, singe their haire, but rather crowne their heads with gifts and graces befit∣ting the teachers of the whole world. Let the seeming and outward ter∣rour then of the signes serve to stirre up your attention, to listen to what the tongues speake unto you, and yee shall finde the fire of the spirit at your hearts, to enlighten your thoughts, and enflame your affections, and purge out the drosse of your naturall corruptions.

Lo here

• 1. An apparition of tongues.
• 2. Tongues of fire.
• 3. Fire sitting.

• 1. Tongues cloven and floating in the aire, a strange sight.
• 2. Tongues as of fire, a strange matter.
• 3. Fire sitting, a strange posture.

Of which before I can freely discourse, I must loosen three knots which I finde tyed upon the words of my text:

• 1. By Grammarians.
• 2. By Philosophers.
• 3. By Divines.

The first is, how doth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or sedit in the singular number, agree with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or linguae in the plurall?

The second, whether was the miracle in the tongues of the Apostles, or in the eares of the hearers? For either way it might come to passe, that men of severall languages might heare them speake in their severall tongues the wonderfull works of God.

The third, how was the holy Ghost united to these tongues? hyposta∣tically or sacramentally?

The first knot is thus untyed; either that there is an errour in our copies, vitio scriptoris, writing 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for α, or that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is to bee construed with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ignis, not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and it sate, that is the fire, upon each of them.

The second is thus dissolved; the miracle was in the tongues of the Apostles: fore 1.114 Christ promised that they should speake with new tongues, not that their hearers should heare with new eares. Yee (saithf 1.115 Christ) shall be baptized with the holy Ghost, and with fire, not many dayes hence: and ac∣cordingly

the Apostles saw fierie cloven togues, not cloven eares; and the fireg 1.116sate upon them, it licked not the eares of their auditours. More∣over, it is evident out of the Epistle to the Corinthians, that many who were endued with the gift of tongues, might and did use it in the assembly of the faithfull, when they that heard them understood them not, which could not be if the miraculous gift had beene in their eares, and not in their tea∣chers tongues.

The third knot is thus loosened: the holy Ghost was united to these tongues, neither hypostatically nor sacramentally, but symbolically only. If hee had beene united to them hypostatically, the Apostles might and ought to adore the Spirit in them, and the fire might as truely have beene said the holy Ghost, as the man Christ to be God. Neither were the wind and fire Sacraments, because no seales of the covenant, no conduits of sa∣ving grace, of no permanent or perpetuall use. S.i 1.117 Austine thus resolveth, This fire cut out as it were into severall portions like tongues, was no otherwise united to the holy Ghost than the Dove, Matth. 3. neither of which was so assumed, as that of it and God one person consisted: the Spirit in these apparitions useth the creature, but united not himselfe unto it personally or substantially.

And there appeared. In the originall 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, there were seene: for it was no delusion of sense, but a true and reall apparition: the Apostles with their eyes beheld them, and with their tongues testified the truth of this apparition of tongues. False religions, such as the Pagan and Popish, make use of false apparitions and lying wonders, whereby they bleare the eyes, and seduce the soules of the simple: but the true religion, as it disalloweth all sophisticall arguments and false shewes of reason, so also it disavoweth all false apparitions and deceivable signes. The witch at Endor raised up a man, or rather a spirit, in the likenesse of Samuel, who never was seene after that day he communed with Saul: but those whom our Saviour rai∣sed lived many dayes if not yeeres after. Conjurers and Inchanters set be∣fore their guests daintie dishes in shew and appearance, but their greater hunger after them is an evident demonstration, that the Divell all the while fed their fancies with Idaeas and resemblances, and not their stomacks with solid meats: but our Lord when heek 1.118 multiplyed the loaves and fishes, hee gave this sensible and undeniable proofe of the truth of this miracle, both by saturitie in the stomacks of the people, and by substantiall remnants thereof in the baskets. When they were filled (saith the Evangelist) hee said to his disciples, Gather the fragments that remaine, that nothing be lost. There∣fore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above to them that had eaten.

Cloven tongues. The holy Ghost which now first appeared in the like∣nesse of tongues, moved the tongues of all the Prophets that have spoken since the world began. For thel 1.119 prophecie came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost. Of all the parts of the body God especially requireth two, the heart & the tongue; the heart wherebym 1.120 man beleeveth unto righteousnesse, and the tongue where∣by he maketh confession unto salvation: the heart to love God, the tongue

to praise him. Out of which consideration the Heathen, as Plutarch obser∣veth, dedicated the Peach-tree to the Deitie, because the fruit thereof re∣sembleth the heart of man, and the leafe his tongue. And to teach us that the principall use of our tongue is to sound out the praises of our maker, the Hebrew calleth the tongue, Cobod, that is, glory, as, My heart was glad,n 1.121 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, my tongue also (Hebrew my glory also) rejoyceth. They who glori∣fie not God with their tongue, may be truly said to have no tongue in the Hebrew language: and verily they deserve no tongues, who make them not silver trumpets to sound out the glory of God. And if such forfeit their tongues, how much more doe they who whet them against God and his truth; whose mouths are full of cursing and bitternesse, direfull imprecations and blasphemous oathes? These have fierie tongues, but not kindled from heaven; but rather, as S.o 1.122 James speaketh, set on fire of hell: and their tongues also are cloven by schisme, faction, and contention, not as these in my text for a mysticall signification.

Cloven. Some by cloven understand linguas bifidas, two-forked tongues, and they will have them to be an embleme of discretion and serpentine wis∣dome: others linguas dissectas, slit tongues, like the tongues of such birds as are taught to speake; and these conceive them to have beene an embleme of eloquence. For such kinde of tonguesp 1.123 Pierius affirmeth, that the Hea∣then offered in sacrifice to Mercurie their god of eloquence; and they made them after a sort fierie, by casting them into the fire, ad expurgandas perperam dictorum labes, to purge out the drosse of vain discourses: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. In the originall it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, tongues parted at the top, but joyned at the roote: and they represented (saithq 1.124 Gorrhan) the dispersion of the Apostles, which after ensued, into all countries. These tongues were not of fire, but

As it were of fire. The matter of which these tongues consisted was not grosse and earthly, but aeriall, or rather heavenly, like the fire whichr 1.125 Moses saw in the bush: for as that, so this had the light, but not the burning heat of fire. It is not said of fires in the plurall, but of fire in the singular number, because as the silver trumpets were made all of one piece, so these twelve tongues were made of one fierie matter, to illustrate the diversitie of gifts proceeding from the same spirit.

And it sate. Sitting in the proper sense is a bodily gesture, and agreeth not to tongues or fire; yet because it is a gesture of permanencie or con∣tinuance, the word is generally used in the originall for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,s 1.126 signifying to abide or reside: and so it may expresse unto us the continuance of these gifts of the Spirit in the Apostles, and may put us in minde of our dutie, which is to sit to our preaching, and continue in the labours of the mini∣strie. Givet 1.127 attendance (saith the Apostle) to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecie, with the laying on of the hands of the presbyterie. Meditate upon these things, give thy selfe wholly to them, that thy profiting may appeare to all.

Upon each of them. Whether these tongues entred into the mouths of the Apostles, as Amphilochius writeth of S. Basil, or rested upon their heads, as S. Cyril imagined; whence some derive the custome ofu 1.128 impo∣sition of hands upon the heads of those who are consecrated Bishops, or

ordained Priests, it is not evident out of the text; but this is certaine and evident that it sate upon each of them. It sate not upon Peter onely, but upon the rest as well as him: S. Chrysostome saith, upon the* 1.129 hundred and twentie that were assembled in that upper roome: those who say least, af∣firme that it rested upon all the Apostles. For howsoever the Papists take all occasions to advance S. Peter above the rest of the Apostles, that the Roman See might be advanced through him, (as Hortensius the Oratour extolled eloquence to the skies, that hee might bee lifted up thither with her:) yet the Scripture giveth him no preheminence here or elsewhere: for Christ delivereth the keyes of heaven (with the power of binding and loo∣sing) into allx 1.130 of their hands: he breathes vpon them all, John 20.21, 22. and sendeth them with as full commission as his Father sent him. All their names shine in they 1.131 foundation and gates of the heavenly Jerusalem: and here in my text fierie cloven tongues sate upon each of them.

And there appeared unto them, &c. As in the Sacrament of Christs bo∣dy, so in these symbols of the spirit we are to consider two things.

• 1. The signes, or outward elements.
• 2. The thing signified by them.

Of the signes yee have heard heretofore: hold out, I beseech you, your religious attention to the remainder of the time, and yee shall heare in briefe of the thing signified by them. Miracles for the most part in holy Scripture are significant: the cloudie pillar signified the obscure know∣ledge of Christ under the Law, the pillar of fire the brighter knowledge of him in the Gospell; the renting of the veile at the death of our Saviour the opening of the way to the Sanctum Sanctorum, into which our high Priest Christ Jesus entred after his death, and there appeareth for us; the curing of all bodily diseases by the word of Christ, the healing of all spiri∣tuall maladies by his word preached. Now if other miracles were signifi∣cant and enunciative, how much more this of tongues? Verily he hath little sight of celestiall mysteries, who cannot discerne divine eloquence in these tongues, diversitie of languages in the cleaving of them, and knowledge and zeale in the fire. As S. John Baptist was, so all the dispensers of Gods my∣steries ought toz 1.132 bee, burning and shining lamps; shining in knowledge, burning in zeale.

There are three reasons assigned by learned Commentators, why the Spirit manifested himselfe in the likenesse of fierie tongues.

1. To shew his affinitie with the Word, such as is between fire and light: the Word is the true light, that enlighteneth everie one that commeth into the world; and here the Spirit descended in the likenesse of fire.

2. To shew that as by the tongue wee taste all corporall meats, drinks, and medicinall potions: so by the Spirit wee have a taste of all spirituall things.

3. To teach us that as by the tongue wee speake, so by the Spirit wee are enabled to utter magnalia Dei, the wonderfull works of God, and the mysteries of his kingdome: It is not yee thata 1.133 speake (saith our Saviour) but the Spirit which speaketh in you, which Spirit spake by the month of the Pro∣phets that have beene since the world began. Our mouthes and tongues are but like organ-pipes, the breath which maketh them sound out Gods

praises is the Spirit. And those that have their spirituall senses exercised, can distinguish betweene the sound of the golden bels of Aaron, and of the tincklingb 1.134 Cymball S. Paul speaketh of: for sacred eloquence consisteth not in the enticing words of mans wisdome, but in demonstration of the Spirit and power. The fire by which these tongues were enlightened was not earthly, but heavenly, and therefore it is said,

As of fire. Christ three severall times powred out his spirit upon his Apostles; first,c 1.135 Matthew the tenth, at their election and first mission: the second isd 1.136 John the twentieth, when he breathed on them, and said, Receive yee the holy Ghost: and thirdly, in this place. At the first they received the spirit of wisdome and knowledge: at the second, the spirit of power and authority: at the third, the spirit of zeale and courage.

As many proprieties as the naturall Philosophers observe in fire, so ma∣ny vertues the Divines will have us note in the Spirit given to the faithfull: they are specially eight; Illuminandi, of enlightening: 2. Inflammandi, of heating: 3. Purgandi, of purifying: 4. Absumendi, of consuming: 5. Li∣quefaciendi, of melting: 6. Penetrandi, of piercing: 7. Elevandi, of lif∣ting up, or causing to ascend: 8. Convertendi, of turning. For darknesse is dispelled, cold expelled, hardnesse mollified, metall purified, combusti∣ble matter consumed, the pores of solid bodies penetrated, smoake raised up, and all fuell turned into flame or coale by fire.

• 1. Of enlightening, this Leo applyeth to the Spirit:
• 2. Of enflaming, this Gregory worketh upon:
• 3. Of purifying, this Nazianzen noteth:
• 4. Of consuming, this Chrysostome reckons upon:
• 5. Of melting, this Calvin buildeth upon:
• 6. Of penetrating, this S. Paule 1.137 pointeth to:
• 7. Of elevating, this Dionysius toucheth upon:
• 8. Of converting, and this Origen and many of our later writers run upon.
  • 1. Fire enlighteneth the aire, the Spirit the heart:
  • 2. Fire heateth the body, the Spirit the soule:
  • 3. Fire purgeth out drosse, the Spirit our sinnes:
  • 4. Fire consumeth the stubble, the Spirit our lusts:
  • 5. Fire melteth metals, the Spirit the hardest heart:
  • 6. Fire pierceth into the bones, the Spirit into the inmost thoughts:
  • 7. Fire elevateth water and fumes, the Spirit carrieth up our medi∣tations with our penitent teares also to heaven.
  • 8. Fire turneth all things into its owne nature, the Spirit converteth all sorts of men, and of carnall maketh them spirituall.

These operations of the Spirit, God grant wee may feele in our soules, so shall we be worthy partakers of Christ his body, and by him be sancti∣fied in body and soule here, and glorified in both hereafter. To whom, &c.

CHRIST HIS LASTING MONUMENT, A Sermon preached on Maundy Thursday, THE LXVI. SERMON.

1 CORINTH. 11.26.

As often as yee eate of this bread, and drinke of this cup, yee doe shew the Lords death till he come.

WHen our Saviour was lifted up from the earth to draw all to him, and his armes were stretched out at full length to compasse in and embrace all true beleevers: after he had bowed his head, as it were to take leave of the world, and so given up the ghost, a souldier with aa 1.138 speare pierced his side, and forthwith came there out water and bloud. Which was done to fulfill two prophecies, the one ofb 1.139 Moses, A bone of him shall not be broken; the other ofc 1.140 Zechary, They shall looke on him whom they pierced: as also to institute twod 1.141 Sacraments, the one in the water, the other in the bloud that ran from him; the one to wash away the filth of originall sinne, the other to purge the guilt of all actuall: The hole in Christs side is the source and spring of both these Wells of salvation in the Church, which are continually filled with that which then issued out of our Lords side. For albeit he dyed but once actu, yet he dyeth continually virtute: and although his bloud was shed but once really on the crosse, yet it is shed figuratively and mystically both at the font, and at the Lords board, when the dispenser of the sacred mysteries powreth water on the childe, or wine into the chalice, and by consecrating the bread apart from the wine, severeth the bloud of Christ from his body. In relation to

which lively representation of his sufferings the Apostle affirmeth, that as oft as we eate of that bread, and drinke of that cup, wee shew the Lords death till he come.

In the Tabernacle there was sanctum, & sanctum sanctorum, a holy place, & a place most holy; so in the Church Calendar there is a holy time, all the time of Lent, and the most holy this weeke, wherein our blessed Saviour made sixe steps to the Crosse, and having in sixe dayes accomplished the workes of mans redemption, as his Father in the like number of dayes had finished the workes of creation, the seventh day kept hise 1.142 Sabbaths rest in the grave. Now above all the dayes of this holiest weeke, this hath one pri∣viledge, that in it Christ made his last will and testament, and instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist, and administred it in his owne person, delive∣ring both the consecrated bread and cup of blessing to his Apostles with his owne hand. Which mysterious actions of his were presidents in all suc∣ceeding ages, and rules for the administration of that sacrament to the worlds end. For, Primum in unoquoque genere mensura est reliquorum, the first action in any sacred or civill institution in respect of those that succeed, is like the originall to all after-draughts, and the copy to all that write by it. Such was the first institution of marriage in Paradise, of circumcision in A∣brahams family, of the passover in Egypt, of all the other types and figures of the Law on Mount Sinai, and of the Lords Supper in this upper roome; wherein all Christs speeches and actions may not unfitly bee termed Ru∣bricks, to direct the Christian Church in these mysterious rites. For be∣fore the end of the next day they were all coloured in bloud. What was done now in effigie, was then done in personâ: he that now tooke bread, was ta∣ken himselfe: he that brake it, was broken on the crosse: he that gave it to his Disciples, was given up for our sinnes: he who tooke the cup, received from his Father a cup of trembling: he who powred out the wine, shed his owne bloud; in memory of which reall effusion thereof unto death, we ce∣lebrate this sacramentall effusion unto life. For so he commanded us, saying,f 1.143 Doe this in remembrance of mee: and his faithfull Apostle fully declareth his meaning in the words of my Text, As often, &c. As Christg 1.144 came to us not by water only, but by water and bloud; so wee must come to him not by water only, the water of regeneration in baptisme, but also by the bloud of redemption, which is drunke by us in this sacrament, in obedience to his commandement, and in acknowledgement of his love to us even to death, and in death it selfe. As ah 1.145 man taking a long journie, leaveth a pledge with his friend, that whensoever he looketh upon it, he should thinke upon him in his absence; so Christ being to depart out of this world, left these sacred elements of bread and wine with his Church, to the end that as often as she seeth them, she should thinke of him and his sufferings for her. When Ae∣neas plucked a twigge of the tree under which Polydorus was buried, the bough dropped bloud:

i 1.146—cruor de stipite manat.

so as soone as we plucke but a twigge of the tree of Christs crosse, it will bleed a fresh in our thoughts, shewing us to be guilty of the death of the Lord of life. For though we never consulted with the chiefe Priests, nor drave the bargaine with Judas, nor pronounced sentence against him with Pi∣late,

nor touched his hand or foot with a naile: yet sith hee was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities, and thek 1.147 chastisement of our peace was upon him, and the Lord laid on him the sinnes of us all, we cannot plead not guilty, inasmuch as our sinnes were the causes of all his sufferings. The Passover by the Law was to be eaten with sowre herbes: and in like manner the Christian passover, which wee are now met to eate, must bee eaten with sowre herbes, that is, pensive thoughts, and a sad re∣membrance both of our sinfull actions, and our Saviours bloudy passion. For as oft as yee eate, &c.

The coherence, or rather consequence of this verse to the former, is like to that of the Eccho to the voice: the words of institution rehearsed in the former verses are as the voice, the inference of the Apostle in this verse as the Eccho. For as the Eccho soundeth out the last words of the voice, so the Apostle here repeateth the last words of Christs institution, Doe this in remembrance of mee: and in effect explaineth them, saying, to do it in remembrance of Christ, that is, as oft as ye do it, ye shew forth his death.

1. We are but once born, and therefore but once receive the sacrament of Baptism, which is the seale of our regeneration; but we feed often, & con∣sequently are often to receive the sacrament, which is the seale of our spirituall nourishment & growth in Christ: and therfore the Apostle saith, As often as.

2. Whensoever wee communicate wee must make an entire meale and refection thereof: therefore he addeth, Ye eate and drinke.

3. In making this spirituall refection, wee must thinke upon Christ his bloudy passion, and declare it to others: therefore he addeth, Yee shew the Lords death.

4. This commemoration of his death must continue till hee hath fully revenged his death, and abolished death it selfe in all his mysticall mem∣bers: therefore he addeth, Till he come.

As oft as ye are bid to the Lords Table, and come prepared, eate of this bread; and as oft as ye eate of this bread, drinke of this cup: and when yee eate and drinke, shew forth the Lords death; and let this annuntiation conti∣nue till he come. If ye take away this band of connexion, the parts falling asunder will be these:

• 1. The time when.
• 2. The manner how.
• 3. The end why.
• 4. The terme how long wee are to celebrate this supper.

• 1. The time frequent, As often.
• 2. The manner entire, Eate and drinke.
• 3. The end demonstrative, Shew forth.
• 4. The terme perpetuall, Till he come, that is, to the end of the world.

As often. Wee never reade of any (saithl 1.148 Calvin) that were blamed for drawing too much water out of the Wells of salvation: neither doe we find ever any taxed for too often, but for too seldome communicating; which is utterly a fault among many at this day, who are bid (shall I say) thrice, nay twelve times, every moneth once, before they come to the Lords Table; and

then they come (it is to be feared) more out of feare of the Law, than love of the Gospel. Surely as when the appetite of the stomach to wholsome meat faileth, as in the disease called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the body pines, and there is a sensible decay in all parts; so it falleth out in the spirituall 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, when the soule hath no appetite to this bread of life, and food of Angels, the inward man pineth away, and all the graces of the spirit sensibly decay in us. This malady the Apostle suspected not to be in his Corinthians: and therefore he imposeth not here a law of often receiving, but supposeth they did so: for he imagined not that any would be so carelesse of their life & safety, as not often to exemplifie the copy of their pardon. He conceived that he needed not to bid any to drink freely of the wine that maketh glad the heart of every communicant, or to eate frequently of the food that perisheth not: therefore taking that for granted, he prescribeth the manner how, and the end why they were often to celebrate this sacrament, saying, As oft

As ye eate. There are three kinds of eating:

• 1. Spiritually only.
• 2. Sacramentally only.
• 3. Sacramentally and spiritually.

1. They eate Christ spiritually only who beleeve the incarnation & passi∣on of our Lord and Saviour, yet dye before they are called to his Table.

2. They eate sacramentally only, who are bid to the marriage feast, and come thither also and eate of the Brides cake, & drink of her wine, but have not on the wedding garment: such were the Jewes, who ate manna in them 1.149 wildernesse, and dyed in their sins: and Judas at Christs last supper, and all infidels and hypocrites, who receive at the Sacrament panem Domini, not panem Dominum, the Lords bread, but not the Lord himselfe, who is that bread ofn 1.150 life.

3. They eate Christ both sacramentally and spiritually, who beleeving in Christs incarnation and passion, according to his command, come with pre∣paration unto this Table, and with their mouth feed upon the outward ele∣ment: which may be considered three wayes,

• 1. In substance, so it is bread, or wine.
• 2. In use, so it is a sacrament.
• 3. In significancy and efficacy to all beleevers, so it is the bo∣dy and bloud of Christ.

And drinke. It is worth your observation, that our adversaries the Pa∣pists, who are so much against a figure in the words used in the consecra∣tion of the bread, This is my body, yet are forced to admit of a double figure in the words used in the consecration of the cup, This is the new Testament in my bloud. If they cast not here a double figure, they are lost: for first, there is continens pro contento, the cup put for the liquor contained in it. Se∣condly, in those words, as likewise in the words of my Text, they must di∣gest a Metonymie, or swallow downe flagons and cups.

This cup. The sacrament is called a cup in a double respect:

• 1. Quia potus, drinke to nourish and refresh the soule.
• 2. Quia potio, because a medicinall potion to purge the conscience.

o 1.151Gorrhan findeth out foure sorts of cups, and engraveth upon each of them a severall poesie.

1. The materiall or ordinary cup, which (saith hee) ought to be taken sparingly, but given liberally.

2. The sacramentall, which ought to be taken innocently, and touched reverently.

3. The spirituall, which ought to bee taken willingly, and borne joy∣fully.

4. The abominable and execrable cup, which ought to be refused abso∣lutely, or shed wholly.

But although this fourth cup bee mentioned (Apoc. 17.4.) yet wee will content our selves at this time with these three cups:

• 1. Calix consolationis, the cup of mirth and spirituall conso∣lation.
• 2. Calix afflictionis, the cup of affliction.
• 3. Calix benedictionis, the cup of blessing.
  • Of the firstp 1.152 David dranke freely.
  • Of the secondq 1.153 Jeremy sorrowfully.
  • Of the third ther 1.154 Corinthians holily.

If this cup in my text be calix benedictionis, the cup of blessing, then cer∣tainely the Romish Priests deserve calicem maledictionis, a cup of cursing, who deprive the laity of this cup. They cannot say in their congregation to the people, As oft as yee drinke of this cup; for they never drinke of it. To whom belongeth the commandement of eating, Take, eate? to the Priests onely? Why then doe the Laity among them eat? To the Laity also? Why then doe they not drink, sith it is most evident in the text that Christ said,s 1.155 Drinke ye all of this, to whom before he gave the bread, saying, Take, eate?t 1.156 Those things which God hath joyned together let no man put asunder. If the cup were not needfull, why did Christ adde it to his Supper? If it were needfull, why doe they take it away? Doubtlesse as halfe a meale is no meale, nor halfe a hand a hand, nor halfe a ship a ship; so neither is their halfe communion a Sacrament: si dividis perdis. This is the cup of the New Testament, saith Christ, which is shed for* 1.157 many for the remission of sinnes. Are these many onely Priests? Had the Laity no sinnes, or no remission of sinnes by Christs bloud? If they have, as they all professe, why doe they forbid them that which Christ expressely commandeth them? Drink ye all of this, for it is shed for you, and for many. But to go no farther than this chap∣ter: when St. Paul requireth, ver. 28. Let a man examine himselfe, I would willingly examine our Adversaries, whether this precept concerneth the lay people or no? They will say it doth especially, because they most need exa∣mination, that they may confesse their sinnes, and receive absolution for them, before they presume to come to the Lords Table: let them then reade what followeth in the same verse, and so let them eate of that bread and drink of that cup.

Ye doe shew the Lords death. The Apostle doth not hereby exclude o∣ther ends of receiving the Sacrament, but sheweth this to be the chiefest. God never set so many remarkeable accidents upon any thing as on his Sonnes death, at which the Sun was eclipsed, the rockes were cloven, the

vaile of the Temple rent from the top to the bottome, the graves opened, and the dead arose. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints, but most precious the death of his holy One: for this Sacrament was prin∣cipally instituted to keepe in remembrance that his precious death. Wee shew forth Christs death three manner of wayes;

• 1 In verbo.
• 2 In signo.
• 3 In opere.

• 1 By commemoration of the historie of his passion.
• 2 By representation thereof in the sacred Symboles.
• 3 By expression thereof in our death to sinne.

And as it is more to shew forth Christs death in signo, by administring or participating the Sacrament thereof, than in verbo, by discoursing of his passion: so it is much more to shew it forth in opere, in mortifying our mem∣bers upon earth, and crucifying the lusts of the flesh, than in verbo or signo. After these three wayes we must all shew forth the Lords death

Till he come. To wit, either to each particular man at the houre of his death, or to all men and the whole Church on earth at the day of judgement. This Sacrament is called by the auncient Fathers viaticum morientium, the dying mans provision for the long journey he is to take. Every faithfull Chri∣stian therefore is to communicate as long as he is able, and can worthily pre∣pare himselfe, even to the day of his dissolution; and all congregations pro∣fessing the Christian religion, must continue the celebration of this holy Sa∣crament till the day of the worlds consummation.

As often. The seldomer we come to the table of some men the welcomer we are: but on the contrary, wee are the better welcome the oftener wee come to the Lords Table with due preparation. There are two reasons espe∣cially why wee ought oft to eate of this bread, and drinke of this cup; the first is drawne from God and his glory: the second from our selves and our benefit. The oftener we partake of these holy mysteries, being qualified thereunto, the more we illustrate Gods glory, and confirme our faith. If any demand further how oft ye ought to communicate, I answer

1. In generall, as oft as yee need it, and are fit for it. Thex 1.158 Martyrs in the Primitive Church received every day, because looking every houre to be called to signe the truth of their religion with their bloud, they held it needfull by communicating to arme themselves against the feare of death. Others in the time of peace received either daily, or at least every Lords day. The former Saint Austine neither liketh nor disliketh, the latter he ex∣horteth all unto.

2. I answer in particular out of Fabianus, the Synod of Agatha, and the Rubrick of our Communion booke, that every one at least ought to com∣municate thrice a yeere, at Christmas, Easter, and Whitsontide: howbeit we are not so much to regard the season of the yeere, as the disposition of our mind in going forward, or drawing backe from this holy Table. The sacrament is fit for us at all times, but wee are not fit for it:y 1.159 wherefore let

every man examine his owne conscience, how hee standeth in favour with God, and peace with men: how it is with him in his spirituall estate, whe∣ther he groweth or decayeth in grace: whether the Flesh get the hand of the Spirit, or the Spirt of the Flesh; whether our ghostly strength against all temptations be increased or diminished; and accordingly (as the Spirit of God shall incline our hearts) let us either out of sense of our owne un∣worthinesse, and reverence to this most holy ordinance forbeare, or with due preparation and renewed faith and repentance approach to this Table, either to receive a supply of those graces we want, or an increase of those we have; and when we come, let us

Eate of this bread, and drinke of this cup. For as both eyes are requisite to the perfection of sight, so both Elements to the perfection of the Sacrament. This the Schooles roundly confesse: Two things (saithz 1.160 Aquinas) concurre to the integrity of the Sacrament, viz. spirituall meate and drinke: and againe, It is requisite in regard of the Sacrament that we receive both kindes, the body and the bloud, because in both consisteth the perfection of the Sacrament. And* 1.161 Bonaventure, A perfect refection or re∣past is not in bread only, but in bread and drinke: therefore Christ is not per∣fectly signified as feeding our soules in one kind, but in both. Anda 1.162 Soto, The Sacrament, as concerning the entire signification thereof, is not perfect but in both kindes. Doubtlesse, if the Sacrament be a banquet or a supper, there must be drinke in it as well as meate. The Popish communion, be it what it may be, to the Laity cannot be a supper in which the Laity sup nothing; neither can they fulfill the precept of the Apostle of shewing forth the Lords death: for the effusion of the wine representeth the shedding of Christs bloud out of the veines, and the parting of his soule from his body. If we should grant unto our adversaries, which they can never evict, that the bloud of Christ might be received in the bread, yet by such receiving Christs death by the effusion of his bloud for us, could in no wise bee represented or shewen forth; which the Apostle here teacheth to be the principall end of receiving this Sacrament: As oft, saith he, as yee eate of this bread and drinke of this cup

Yee shew forth Christs death. In Christs death all Christianity is briefly summed: for in it we may observe the justice of God satisfied, the love of Christ manifested, the power of Sathan vanquished, the liberty of man from the slavery of sinne and death purchased, all figures of the Old Testa∣ment verified, all promises of the New ratified, all prophecies fulfilled, all debts discharged, all things requisite for the redemption of mankind, and to the worlds restoration accomplished. Therein we have a patterne of obe∣dience to the last breath, of humility descending as low as hell, of meeknesse putting up insufferable wrongs, of patience enduring mercilesse torments; compassion weeping and praying for bloudy persecuters; constancy hold∣ing out to the end: to which vertues of his person, if ye lay the benefits of his passion redounding to his Church, which hee hath comforted by his agony, quit by his taking, justified by his condemnation, healed by his stripes, cleansed by his bloud, quickened by his death, and crowned by his crosse; if you take a full sight of all the vertues wherewith his crosse is be∣set as with so many jewells, I make no doubt but that you will resolve with

the Apostle, to desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ, and him crucified. Let Israel hope in the Lord (saith theb 1.163 Psalmist) for with the Lord there is mecrcy, and with him is plenteous redemption. Plenteous, for what store of bloud shed he in his agony, in his crowning with thornes, in his whipping, in his nailing, and lastly in the piercing of his side! whereas one drop of his bloud, in regard of the infinite dignity of his person, might have served for the ransome of many worlds: one drop of his bloud was more worth than all the precious things in the world. As Pliny writeth of the herbec 1.164 Scorpius, that it is a remedy against the poyson of a Scorpion; so Christs death and crosse is a soveraigne remedy against all manner of deaths and crosses. For all such crosses make a true beleever conformable to his Redeemers image, and every conformity to him is a perfection, and every such perfe∣ction shall adde a jewell to his crown of glory. This death of Christ so pre∣cious, so soveraigne, we shew forth in shadow as it were and adumbration, when either we discourse of the history of Christs passion, or administer the Sacrament of his death; but to the life, when as Saint Francis is said to have had the print of Christs five wounds on his body, so wee have the print of them in our soules: when we expresse his death in our mortifica∣tion, when we tye our selves to our good behaviour, and restraine our de∣sires and affections, as he was nailed to the crosse: when we thirst after righ∣teousnesse, as he thirsted on the crosse for our salvation: when we are pier∣ced with godly sorrow, as his soule was heavie unto death; and when as his flesh, so our carnall lusts are crucified: when as hee commended his soule to his Father, so we in our greatest extremities commit our soules to God, as our faithfull Creatour. Cui, &c.

THE SIGNE AT THE HEART. A Sermon preached on the first Sunday in Lent. THE LXVII. SERMON.

ACTS 2.37.

Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles; Men and brethren, What shall we do?

SInnes for repentance to worke upon, and repentance for sinne, take up in a manner our whole life. Not onely the wicked (in their endlesse mazes) in the rode to hell, but even the godly, who endeavour to make the streightest steps they can to heaven, Ambulant in circuitu, walke in a kind of circuit. From fasting to feasting, and from feast∣ing againe to fasting; from Mount Gerizin to Mount Hebal, and from Mount Hebal to Mount Gerizin; from sinnes to repen∣tance, and from repentance backe againe, though against their will, to sin. It is true, that grace in the regenerate never quits the field, but groweth more and more upon corrupt nature, and in the end conquereth her: yet so conquereth her (as Lucullus and other Romane Captaines dida 1.165 Mithrida∣tes) that nature still ruleth in the members, and often putteth the mind to the worst, alwaies to much trouble. Wherfore as the Sea-mew that maketh her nest on the sea shore, is forced daily to repaire it, because every day the violent assault of the sea waves moulter away some part thereof; so the re∣generate and sanctified soule hath need to renew the inward man daily, and repaire the conscience by repentance, because every day, nay almost every houre, by the violent assaults of tentation and sinnes, as they are termed, of ordinary incursion, some breach or other is made into it.

Now albeit private repentance hath no day set, nor time prefixed to it,

but is alwayes in season: yet now is the peculiar season of publike, when the practice of the primitive, and the sanction of the present Church calls us to watching and fasting, to weeping and mourning, to sackcloth and ashes, to humiliation and contrition; when in a manner the whole Christian world (I except only some few Heteroclites) accordeth with us in our groanes, and consorteth with our sighes, and keepeth stroake with us in the beating our breasts, and setteth open the sluces to make a floud of teares, and carry away the filth of the whole yeere past. Abyssus abyssum invocet, let this floud carry away the former deluge. Verily such is the overflowing of iniquity, and inundation of impurity in this last and worst age of the world, that the most righteous among us can hardly keep up their head, and hold out their hands above water, to call to God for mercy for themselves & o∣thers: hath not then the Church of God great reason to oppose the Eves, Embers, & Lent fasts, as so many floud-gates, if not quite to stay, yet some∣what to stop the current of sin? Anselme, sometimes Archbishop of Canter∣bury, whom the Church of Rome hath inserted into the Canon of Saints, (but he ranketh himselfe among the Apocrypha of sinners) recounting with hearts griefe and sorrow the whole course of his life, and finding the in∣fancy of sinne in the sinnes of his infancy, the youth and growth of sinne in the sinnes of his youth, and the maturity and ripenesse of all sinne in the sinnes of his ripe and perfect age, breaketh forth into this passionate speech, Quid restat tibi, O peccator, nisi ut totâ vitâ deploret totam vitam? What re∣maines for thee, wretched man, but that thou spend the remainder of thy whole life in bewailing thy whole life? What should wee (Beloved) in a manner doe else, considering that even when we pray against sin, wee sin in praying: when we have made holy vowes against sin, our vowes by the breach of them turne into sinne: after wee have repented of our sinnes, we repent of our repentance, and thereby increase our sinne? In which consi∣deration, if all the time that is given us should be ab 1.166 Lent of discipline, if all weekes Embers, if all daies of the weeke Ashwednesdayes, how much more ought we to keep Lent in Lent now, at least continually to call upon the name of God for our continuall blaspheming it? Now to fast for our sinnes in feasting, now to weep and mourne for our sinnes in laughing, sporting, and rioting in sinfull pleasures: to this end our tender mother the Spouse of Christ debarreth us of all other delights, that wee should make Gods sta∣tutes our delights: for this cause shee subtracteth our bodily refection, that wee may feast our soules: therefore shee taketh away or diminisheth our portion in the comforts of this life, that with holy David wee should take God for ourc 1.167 portion. This is a time, as the name importeth, Lent of God to examine our accounts, and cleere them: a holy tenth of the yeere to be offe∣red to him: the sacred Eve and Vigils to the great feast of our Chris••••an passover. Your humbling your bodies by watching and fasting, your sou••es by weeping and mourning, your rending your hearts with sighes, the resol∣ving your eyes into teares, your continuall prostration before the throne of grace, & offering up prayers with strong cryes, are at this time not only kind fruits of your devotion, speciall exercises of your mortification, neces∣sary parts of contrition, but also testimonies of obedience to the Law, and duties of conformity to Christs sufferings, and of preparation to

our most publique and solemne Communions at Easter.

To pricke you on forward in this most necessarie dutie, of pricking your hearts with godly sorrow for your sinnes, I have made choyce of this verse, wherein the Evangelist S. Luke relateth the effects of S. Peters Sermon in all his auditours.

• 1. Inward impression, they were pricked in heart.
• 2. Outward expression, men and brethren, what shall we doe?

What Eupolis sometimes spake of Pericles, that after his oration made to the people of Athens,d 1.168 he left certaine needles and stings in their mindes, may be more truly affirmed of this Sermon of the Apostle, which when the Jewes heard they were pricked at heart, and not able to endure the paine, cry out men and brethren, what shall we doe? The ancient painters, to set forth the power of eloquence, drewe 1.169 Hercules Celticus with an infinite number of chaines comming out of his mouth, and reaching to the eares of great mul∣titudes: much after which manner S. Luke describeth S. Peter in my text, with his words, as it were so many golden chaines, fastened first upon the eares, and after upon the hearts of three thousand, and drawing them up at once in the drag-net of the Gospell. Now our blessed Saviour made good his promise to him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, thou shalt catch live men; and this accesse of soules to the Church, and happie successe in his ministeriall function, see∣meth to have beene fore-shewed to him by that great draught of fish ta∣ken after Christs resurrection, the draught was anf 1.170 hundred fiftie and three great fishes; and for all there were so many, yet, saith the text, the net was not broken. The truth alwayes exceedeth the type, for here were three thousand great and small taken, and yet the net was not broken; there was no schisme nor rupture thereby: for all the converts were of one minde, they were all affected with the same malady, they feele the same paine at the heart, and seeke for ease and help at the hands of the same Physitians, Pe∣ter and the rest of the Apostles, saying, Men and brethren, what shall we doe?

Now when they heard these things they were pricked. Why, what touched them so neere? no doubt those words,g 1.171 Him being delivered by the deter∣minate counsell and fore-knowledge of God, yee have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slaine, whom God hath raised up, having loosened the paines of death, because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. This could not but touch the quickest veines in their heart, that they should be the death of the Lord of life, that they should slay their Messiah, that they should destroy the Saviour of the world. Of all sinnes murder cryeth the loudest in the eares of God and men; of all murders, the murder of an onely begotten sonne most enrageth a loving father, and extimulateth him unto revenge: in what wofull case then might they well suppose them∣selves to be, who after S. Peter had opened their eyes, saw that their hands 〈◊〉〈◊〉 beene deepe in the bloud of the Sonne of God? Now their blasphe∣mous words which they spake against him, are sharp swords wounding deeply their soules; the thornes wherewith they pricked his head, and the nailes wherewith they pierced his hands and feet, pricked and pierced their very heart.

They were pricked in heart: That is, they were pierced tho row with sorrow, they tooke on most grievously. Here lest wee mistake phrases of

like sound, though not of like sense, we must distinguish of spiritus compun∣ctionis, and compunctio spiritus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,h 1.172 a spirit of compunction reproved in the unbeleeving Jewes, and compunction of spirit, or of the heart, here noted by S. Luke: the former phrase signifieth slum∣ber, stupiditie, or obstinacie in sinne, this latter hearty sorrow for it: the former is a malady for the most part incurable, the latter is the cure of all our spirituall maladies. Now godly sorrow is termed compunction of the heart for three reasons, asi 1.173 Lorinus conceiveth.

• 1. Because thereby the corruption of the heart is discovered, as an aposteme is opened by the pricke of a sharp instrument.
• 2. Because thereby, like the Spouse in the Canticles, wee become sicke of love, as the least pricke at the heart causeth a present fit of sicknesse.
• 3. Because thereby the Divell is, as it were, wounded with indig∣nation and envie. When they heard these things they were pricked in heart: when they were pricked in heart

They said. As the stroakes in musicke answer the notes that are prickt in the rules: so the words of the mouth answerk 1.174 to the motions and affections of the heart. The Anatomists teach, that the heart & tongue hang upon one string. And hence it is, that as in a clocke or watch, when the first wheele is moved the hammer striketh: so when the heart is moved with any passion or perturbation, the hammer beats upon the bell, and the mouth soundeth: as we heard from David,l 1.175 My heart is enditing a good matter, and my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. And from S. Paul:m 1.176 With the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse, and with the tongue confession is made unto salvation. And from our Saviour:n 1.177 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things, and an evill man out of the evill treasure of his heart bringeth forth evill things; for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Many among us complaine that they are tongue-tied, that when they are at their private devotions, their words sticke in their mouths, and they cannot freely powre out their soules into the bosome of their Redeemer; but they looke not into the cause of it, they have not got a stocke of heavenly knowledge, and sanctified formes of words, their hearts are not filled with the holy spirit: for were they full, they would ea∣sily vent themselves. They cannot freely bring forth, because they have laid up nothing in the treasurie of their hearts.

To Peter and the rest of the Apostles. As those that were wounded with the darts of Achilles, could no otherwise bee cured than by his salves and plaisters: so the Jewes who were wounded by S. Peters sharp reprehension, could be by no other meanes cured, than by his owne salves and receipts which he prescribeth afterwards. Here ouro 1.178 adversaries, who will not let the least tittle fall to the ground that may serve any way to advance the ti∣tle and dignity of the Bishop of Rome, will have us take speciall notice, that here and elsewhere Peter is named before the rest of the Apostles: and that yee may know that all is fish that comes to Peters net, Bellarmine will

tell you that the Popes monarchy is proclaimed in those words in the Acts, Rise up Peter, kill and eat, (Acts 11.7.) I know not with what perspective the Cardinall readeth the Scriptures; but sure I am hee seeth more in this vision, than any of the ancient or later Commentators ever discerned; yet Baronius seeth more than he: Those were healed (saith hee) who came but within the shadow of Peter. Acts 5.15. They brought forth the sicke into the streets, and laid them on beds or couches, that at the least the shadow of Pe∣ter passing by, might over-shadow them. The same vertue is given to the sha∣dow of Peter, which is given to his body, that we might know that such store of grace was given to Peter, that God would have the same gifts derived to his successours, who represent his person. Thus as yee see, the Papists as men in danger of drowning, catch at every rotten stake to support their faith in the Popes supremacy. Lorinus catcheth at the placing of a word, Bellar∣mine at a mysticall apparition, andp 1.179Baronius at a shadow. What serveth this shadow to illustrate or confirme the Popes or Peters supremacie? It pleased God, for the manifestation of his power, and the performance of Christs promise to his disciples, that they in his name should worke greater miracles than some of those that he had done, to heale the sick by Pauls hand∣kerchiefes, and Peters shadow: Ergo, Peter was chiefe of all the Apostles, and the Pope the Monarch of the visible Church. Neither is there any clearer evidence in that vision which S. Peter saw of a sheet let downe from heaven, in which there were foure-footed beasts of the earth, and wilde beasts, and creeping things, and fowles of the aire. And hee heard a voyce saying unto him; Arise Peter, slay and eat. At manducare est capitis, saith the Cardi∣nall: but it is the head that eateth, the Pope therefore is the head. Hee should better have concluded, the Popes are the teeth: for S. Peter himselfe made no other interpretation of this vision, than that the Gentiles, whose hearts God had purified by faith, were not to bee accounted uncleane; and therefore he alledgeth this apparition in his apologie for going unto the un∣circumcised, and eating with them. As little maketh the setting of Peters name before the rest, for his authority over them. For here was a speciall reason why the Jewes directed their speech to Peter in the first place: be∣cause it was he who charged them so deepe, he put them in this perplexity; and therefore to him they addressed themselves for counsell and comfort. Elsewhere, where there is not the like occasion, others are named before him, asq 1.180 James, ands 1.181 Andrew, and ther 1.182 Disciples. Here I demand of Lori∣nus, doth the naming of Andrew before Peter, or of James, or the Disci∣ples, prove that any of these were superiours to Peter? If they were, what becomes of Peters supremacie? If they were not, what maketh the naming him before them for it? Without all question, if the setting of Peter after the rest of the Apostles & Disciples in the texts above alledged, maketh not against; the setting him here before them, maketh not for his supremacy.

Men and brethren what shall we doe? Seneca saith, Levis dolor est qui con∣silium capit, It is a light griefe which admitteth of consultation: but wee may say more truly, Sanus dolor est qui consilium capit; It is an healthfull malady and an happie griefe, which drives us to our spirituall Physitian, and exciteth us to a carefull use of the meanes of salvation. S.t 1.183 Paul rejoy∣ced at this symptome in his patients at Corinth: Now I rejoyce not that

yee were made sorrie, but that yee sorrowed to repentance: for behold this selfe same thing that yee sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulnesse it wrought in you, &c.

What shall we doe to satisfie the Father for the death of his Sonne, to ease our burthened consciences, to wash away the guilt of the effusion of innocent bloud? Behold here the effects of soule-ravishing eloquence, at∣tention, compunction, and a sollicitous enquiry after the meanes of ever∣lasting salvation: or if yee like better of an allegoricall partition, see here,

• 1. The weapon wherewith they were wounded, the Word prea∣ched, when they heard, &c.
• 2. The wound, which was a pricke at the heart.
• 3. The cure, not words but deeds, they said, what shall we doe?

Here yee have a patterne, both of a faithfull teacher and religious hea∣rers; a faithfull teacher tickleth not the eares, but pricketh the heart; his words are not like bodkins to curle the haire, but like goads and nailes that pricke the heart; though the goads goe not so deepe that pierce but the skin, the nailes goe farther, for they are driven to the very heart of the au∣ditors up to the head. The religious hearer, when he is reproved for his sin, spurneth not at the Minister of God, but receiving the words with meek∣nesse, communeth with his owne heart whether the reproofe were just or no, and finding it just, confesseth his sinne, and seeketh for pardon and for∣givenesse. The Jewes here when they were charged by S. Peter with the murder of the sonne of God, say not, Quid hic? sed quid nos? not what hath this man to meddle with us? but who can give us good counsell? not what shall we say? but what shall wee doe? for words are too light a recom∣pence for deeds.

1. A word of the duty of faithfull teachers, that with the cocke, by clap∣ping my wings upon my breast, I may awake my selfe as well as others. The salvation of the hearers much dependeth upon the gifts of the Preacher, and the gifts of the Preacher much depend upon his sincere intention, not to gaine profit oru 1.184 applause to himselfe, but soules to God: not to tickle their eares, but to pricke their hearts. Such a Preacher* 1.185 S. Bernard ever wished to heare, at whose Sermon the people hemmed not, but sighed; clapped not their hands as at a play, but knocked their breasts as at a funerall. Ac∣cording to which patternex 1.186 S. Jerome endevoureth to frame Nepotian his scholar, When thou teachest in the Church (saith hee) let there bee heard no shouts of admiration, but sobs of contrition: let the fluencie of thy eloquence be seene in the cheekes of thy hearers. This is not done by ostentation of art, but by evidence of the spirit. A painted fire heateth not, nor doe the ge∣stures and motions of an artificiall man, destitute of soule and life, any whit move our affections: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, they are the graces of sanctification shining in the countenance, gesture, & life of the Preacher (and not the beauty and ornaments of speech) which insinuate into the heart, and multiply themselves there: without which, though wee speake with the tongues of men and Angels, wee are but like sounding brasse or tinckling cym∣bals: except the Lord touch the heart and the tongue of the Preacher with a coale from his Altar, all the lustre of rhetoricall arguments, and blaze of words, will yeeld no more warmth to the conscience than a glow-worme.

Yee have heard briefly of the duty of Pastours, reserve (I pray you) one eare to listen to your owne duty as hearers.

2. It was the manner of the Jewes to bore thorow the eares of those ser∣vants that meant not to leave them till death: and if yee desire to be in the lists of Gods servants, yee must have your eares bored, and the pearles of the Gospel hanging at them. All shepherds set a marke upon their sheepe; and so doth the good Shepherd that gave his life for his sheepe: and this marke is in the eare,y 1.187 My sheepe heare my voyce. There is no doctrine in the word wee heare of more often, than of hearing the word and keeping it. We heare that we ought to heare the Father;z 1.188 Heare O heaven, and hearken O earth, for the Lord hath spoken: we heare that we ought to heare the Son;* 1.189 He that hath eares to heare let him heare: and, This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, heare yee him: we heare that wee ought to heare the Spirit;a 1.190 Let him that hath an eare to heare, heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches. All the venturers in the great ship called Argonavis, bound for Colchis to fetch the golden fleece, when they were assaulted by the Sy∣rens, endevouring to enchant them with their songs, found no such help in any thing against them, as in Orpheus his pipe: wee are all venturers for a golden crowne in heaven, and as the Grecians, so wee are way-laid by Sy∣rens, evill spirits, and their incantations, from which we cannot be safe, but by listening to the Preachers of the Gospel, who when they pipe unto us out of the word, our hearts dance for joy. In that golden chaine of the Apo∣stle, the first linke is hung at the eare, Faith commeth byb 1.191 hearing, and hea∣ring by the word of God. How shall they call on him, on whom they have not be∣leeved? and how shall they beleeve in him, of whom they have not heard? and how shall they heare without a Preacher? Doe we think that God will heare us in our prayers, if wee heare not him speaking to us in his Word? The Prophetc 1.192 Zacharie assureth us hee will not: When I cried they would not heare, so they cried and I would not heare them, saith the Lord of hosts. If yee desire with S. Paul to heare in heaven, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, thed 1.193 words that cannot be uttered, ye must on earth be attentive hearers to the words ut∣tered by our Peters and Pauls. None was cured with more difficulty (as it seemeth) than the man that had a deafe and dumb spirit: such are our ob∣stinate Recusants and Seperatists, who have not an eare to heare what God speaketh to them by the Ministers of the Word. Religion is not unfitly compared to the Weasell,e 1.194 which, as Adrianus Junius writeth, conceiveth at the eare, and brings forth her young ones at her mouth: for the seed of Gods word is cast in at the eare, and there having conceived divine thoughts and meditations, she bringeth forth the fruit of devotion at her mouth, praises and thanksgivings, godly admonitions, exhortations, reprehensions and consolations. Marke your Jaylers, they often suffer their prisoners to have their hands and feet free; neither are they in any feare that they will make an escape, so long as the prison doores and gates are sure lockt and fast bar∣red: so dealeth Satan with those whom hee holdeth in captivity, hee let∣teth them sometimes have their hands at liberty to reach out an almes to the poore, and sometimes their feet to goe to Church to heare prayers; but he will be sure to keepe the eares, which are the gates and doores of their soule, fast: which he locks up with these or the like suggestions. Christ

saith that his house is Domus orationis, not orationum, an house of prayer, not of sermons. Few there are but know enough, the greatest defect is in the practice of religious duties: What can they heare which they have not often heard before, which no sooner entreth in at one eare, but runneth out at the other? Give mee leave a little to lift these Adders from the ground, whereby they stop the right eare, and plucke their taile from the head, whereby they stop the left, that they may be charmed both by the word and by the voyce of reason it selfe.

Christ saith his house is an house of prayer: but where spake hee this? spake he it not in the Temple? and were not these very words part of a sermon which hee preached to the buyers and sellers there? Hee hath but little skill in the language of Canaan, who knoweth not that prayer and invocation of Gods name, is in Scripture by a Synecdoche taken for the wholef 1.195 worship of God: yet admit that our Saviour should in that place take prayers strictly, for that part of Gods worship which consisteth in lifting up our hands, to preferre our petitions and supplications unto him; S. Paul furnisheth us with a direct answer to this objection, even by those questions he propoundeth,g 1.196 How then shall they call on him, on whom they have not beleveed? how shall they beleeve on him, of whom they have not heard? and how shall they heare without a preacher? As there is no powerfull prea∣ching without prayer to God for a blessing upon it: so no good prayer without preaching, to direct both in the matter and forme, and to enflame our hearts with zeale. There being three parts of prayer, humble confes∣sion, confident invocation, and hearty thanksgiving; how can they make a full confession of their sinnes, who learne not what are sinnes from the mouth of the Preacher? How can they bee humbled in such sort as they ought, before whom the Preacher out of the word setteth not God his ter∣rible name, glorious Majestie, all-seeing eye, infinite purity, strict justice, fierce wrath against sin, together with man his vilenesse, wretchednesse, sin∣fulnesse, wants and infirmities? How can they call upon God with confi∣dence, who are not perswaded out of the Word by the Preacher, of God his love to man, mercie and long-suffering, gratious promises, omnipo∣tent goodnesse; as also of Christ his perfect obedience, plenary satisfa∣ction, and perpetuall intercession? How can they recount Gods blessings, both spirituall and temporall, who never have beene told them by the Preacher?

Yea but they will say they know enough of these things: nihil est dictum quod non sit dictum prius. This very objection of theirs bewrayes their ig∣norance and want of knowledge in divine things. For were they rightly in∣structed as they ought to be, they could not but know that the Scripture is like a plentifull mine, in which the deeper we digge, the veine of heavenly truthes proves still the richer; they would know that all the Saints of God in all ages have complained of, and confessed their ignorance, and continu∣ally praied with David, Doce me viam statutorum tuorum, O teach me the way of thy statutes, and open mine eyes, that I may see the wonderfull things of thy law. Lastly, that it is the duty of every good Christian toh 1.197 improve his ta∣lent of wisedome and spirituall understanding, toi 1.198 meditate on those things he readeth and heareth, that his profiting may appeare unto all; and tok 1.199 grow

in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Admit they should learne no new thing in divers Sermons, yet will not this any way excuse their neglect of this duty of hearing; neither ought it to be a∣ny cause at all to keepe them from Sermons: because instruction of ignorance is not the onely end of preaching, there are many others; as, to glorifie God, to countenance the ministerie of his word by their presence, to en∣courage others to the diligent and constant hearing of the word by their ex∣ample, who perhaps may more need instruction than themselves; to testifie their obedience to Gods ordinance, who commandeth all his servants, as well to heare him when he speaketh to them in his Word, as to speake un∣to him in their prayers; to have religious affections stirred up in them, some∣times hope, sometimes feare, sometimes godly sorrow, sometimes spiritu∣all joy, alwayes zeale for Gods glorie, fervour in their devotion, and watch∣fulnesse over all their wayes: to be put in minde of those things which in∣deed they knew before, but either forgot, or made as little use of them as if they had never knowne them: to be awaked out of their spirituall lethargie: to be admonished of divers dangers they are like to incurre: to be convin∣ced of divers errours which they count to be none till the powerfull mini∣stry of the Word hath demonstrated them to be such: to reprove them of the sins they daily commit, as well of ignorance as against their conscience: and to pricke their hearts deep with godly compunction, that with weeping eyes and bleeding hearts they may seek to God in time for pardon. Lastly, to prepare them to performe all religious duties in a better maner, that they may for the future receive more comfort in their private devotions, and more benefit by the publike ministry of the Word and Sacraments. The grand enemie of our soules, partly by immediate suggestions and thoughts ingested into our mindes, and partly by the mouthes or pennes of Atheists, Infidels, Heretickes and Schismatickes, layeth new batteries against our most holy faith: and is it not then most needfull to learne from the most able and experienced Souldiers of Christ how to beat them off, and fortifie against them? And if their memorie be so brittle and pertuse, as they pretend, that it will hold nothing, there is a greater necessitie for them to heare oftener than others, that the frequent inculcation of the same doctrine may imprint that in their mindes which others receive by the first hearing. And to an∣swer them in their owne metaphor; albeit the bucket be so full of holes that all the water they take up in it runneth out, yet certainely the often dipping it into the Well, and filling it with water, will make it moister than other∣wise it would have beene. And so I passe from the eare marke of Christs sheepe, to the marke in their heart.

They were pricked in heart. This pricke in the heart may be considered two manner of wayes:

• 1 In a reference to the cause, and so it is an effect.
• 2 In a reference to the subject, and so it is an affection.

If wee consider it as an effect, it sheweth unto us the efficacie of Gods Word in the mind of the hearers, which is far greater than any force of hu∣mane art or eloquence. Art and humane eloquence may move affection, but it is the powerfull preaching of the Word only that can remove corruption; as we read, Lex Jehovae convertens animas,l 1.200 The law of the Lord is perfect,

converting the soule. The word of man my tickle the eare, but it is the word of God onely which pricketh deepe the heart. Hence it is compared to a goad,m 1.201 or naile fastened by the masters of the assemblies: nay to an 1.202 two-edged sword, piercing to the dividing asunder of soule, and spirit, and joynts, and marrow: nay to thunder, which breaketh the bones, not hurting the yeel∣ding flesh; at the sound whereofo 1.203 Satan fals like lightening from heaven. This efficacie of the word of God proves the Divinitie thereof: as it could not be divine, but it must needs be effectuall; so it could not be so effectuall as it is, if it were not divine. As the demolishing the wals of Jericho pro∣ved that there was something more in the sounding of the Rams hornes, than the violent expulsion or percussion of the aire; so the conquering all the eloquence, and power, and wealth, and wisdome of the world, and sub∣duing it to the Gospel by the preaching of the Apostles, poore, simple, and illiterate men, of no more account (in comparison of the Oratours and Philosophers of the heathen) than the Rams hornes in comparison of sil∣ver trumpets, demonstrateth that their words were not the words of men, but the words of God.p 1.204 Zabarel treating of nutrition in the stomacke, and perfect concoction, propoundeth this question; How commeth it to passe, that heat being but an accident and a simple qualitie, can digest our meat, sever the thicker parts from the thinner, turne the chylus into chymus, and chymus into bloud, and disperse this bloud into all parts? resolveth it thus, that Heat may be considered two wayes; either as it is a meere qualitie and accident, and so it hath but one simple operation; or as it is an instrument of the soule, and so it produceth all the effects above mentioned. In like man∣ner, if it be demanded how the word preached instructeth, correcteth, and comforteth, and maketh the man of Godq 1.205 perfect, and thorowly furnished to everie good worke: how it frameth and mouldeth the heart, how it prin∣teth it like a stamp, melteth it like fire, bruizeth it like a hammer, pricketh it like a naile, and cutteth it asunder like a sword: the ready answer is, that it produceth these effects, Non ut sonus, sed ut instrumentum Dei; not as it is a sound or a collision of the aire, but as it is an instrument of God: Or, to use the phrase of the Apostle, as it is ther 1.206 power of God unto salvation, to everie one that beleeveth. This power wee may easily beleeve to bee in the whole, when wee see such efficacie in one text.s 1.207 Junius was reclaimed from Atheisme by casting his eye on the new Testament lying open in his study, and reading the first words of S. Johns Gospel; In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. These words which strucke such a reverence in the hearts of the heathenish Pla∣tonicks, that they wrote them in golden letters in their Churches, so ama∣zed him with the strange majestie of the stile, and profoundnesse of the mysteries therein contained, that hee never after entertained the least thought of his former atheisticall conceit. As Antony passing in his jour∣ney, and comming to a Chappell, heard the Priest read those words in the Gospel,t 1.208 If thou wilt be perfect, goe sell all that thou hast, and give to the poore, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: hee tooke the words as spoken to himselfe in particular, and fulfilling the precept of Christ accordingly, of a covetous worldling became a most holy recluse. What should I speake of S. Austine, who was strangely converted by hearing a voyce, saying;

Tolle, lege: & fastening his eies upon the first passage of Scripture he lighted upon, which was this,u 1.209 Let us walke honestly as in the day, not in gluttonie and drunkennesse, not in chambering and wantonnesse, not in strife and envy∣ing; but put yee on the Lord Jesus, and make no provision for the flesh, to ful∣fill the lusts thereof. No sooner was the verse read, than the worke of his conversion was finished, and a pious resolution for amendment of life set∣led in him.* 1.210 Alypius certified hereof, desireth to peruse the place, and falleth upon the verse immediately following; Him that is weake in the faith receive you, (Rom. 14.1.) which he applying to himselfe, besought S. Au∣stine to strengthen him in the truth, according to the command of Christ to Peter, Luke 22.32. Tu conversus, confirma fratres, When thou art conver∣ted, confirme thy brethren: which taske he so well performed, that with a lit∣tle travell, in a short space two twins were brought forth to Christ at one birth. To fasten the truth of this observation, concerning the efficacie of Scripture texts seasonably applyed, I will borrow a golden naile from S. Chrysostome: It is not so in the Church where the Word is powerfully taught, as it was in the Arke of Noah: for there the beast that entred into the Arke, received no change nor alteration at all by the imbarking there during the de∣luge: if they were cleane at their comming in, they were so at their going out; if they came in uncleane, they went out uncleane; if they came in wilde, they went out wilde: but it is not so here: we come in uncleane, but we goe out cleane; we come in wild, we goe out tame; wee come in wolves, wee goe out lambs; we come in lions, we goe out deere; we come in vultures, wee goe out doves; we come in beasts, we goe out men; or, to speake more pro∣perly, regenerate Christians. And thus much concerning compunction in reference to the cause, as it is an effect of the word preached: now let us consider it in a reference to the subject, as it is an affection in the sinner.

The locusts are described byx 1.211 S. John with faces like men, but stings in their tailes like scorpions: not to disparage any mysticall interpretation, a morall may be this: Sinnes, especially of pleasure, like these locusts, have beautifull faces, and a delightfull appearance at the first: but those that deale and dally with them, shall finde that they have stings in their tailes, and leave pricks and venomous wounds in the conscience in the end; for after the act of sinne is committed, there is felt in all that have not seared consciences, remorse, sorrow, feare, and shame: sorrow for the losse of Gods favour, & the jewels of his grace, & the comforts of the Spirit; feare for the guilt of sinne, and shame for the filthinesse and turpitude thereof. Of these three consisteth compunction; whichy 1.212 S. Isidore defineth to be a dejection of the minde, with teares caused by the remembrance of sinne, and feare of judgement. Byz 1.213 S. Gregorie thus, A dejection of the mind full of anxietie, betweene feare and hope, annihilating or destroying sinne. For as the worme which breedeth in the wood consumeth it, so (saith S^t Chrysostome) the sorrow which ariseth from sinne consumeth and destroyeth it. Pia proles hoc ipso quod devoret matrem, An happie issue in this onely, that it eateth out the heart of the parent.

Thus I have pricked you out (to use the phrase of the Musitians) a lesson

of compunction; which though it be a sad pavin to the outward man, yet it is a merrie galliard to the inward. The physicke which kindly worketh, and maketh the patient heart-sicke for the present, yet much comforteth him out of assured hope, that the present pain will bring future ease & help. The smarting plaister is the most wholsome: such is that I have spread by the amplification of my Text, and now I am to lay it to by the application thereof. If compunction of the heart be the true marke of a penitent, let the eye of our soule look into our heart, and see whether we can find it there. If we find it, we may take comfort in it; if we find it not, we may be sure we are no true converts. There is no vertue in the physick, if it paine us not: no force in the plaister, if it smart not: the dis-located bone is not brought to his place, if we felt no pain in the setting it. As the colours and shapes which are burnt in glass, cannot be obliterated unless the glass be broken all to pieces; so neither can the ougly shapes of vices & images of Sathan be razed out of the soule, unlesse the heart be broken with true contrition. Spices when they are bruised and pownded in a mortar yeeld a most fragrant smell: O then let us bruise our hearts with true contrition,* 1.214 that our zealous meditations may be like fragrant spices in the nostrils of God. If the Jewes were pricked in heart at the remembrance of Christs suffering, if their hearts bled for once crucifying the Lord of life, how much more ought ours for crucifying him daily? O thinke upon this (dearly beloved) seriously both in the day and in the night, and let it make your beds to swim with teares. As often as ye sweare by the wounds of Christ, ye teare them wider: as often as ye belch out bla∣sphemy against God, ye spit upon your Saviours face: as often as ye distem∣per your selves with strong wines, ye give him vinegar to drink: as often as ye grieve the holy spirit, ye pricke his very heart: as often as yee unworthily receive the sacrament, ye tread his bloud under your feet. Me thinks I hear you sobbing and sighing out the words of the Jewes in my Text: If these things are so, if those sins are so hainous and grievous which we have made so light of, Men and brethren, what shall we doe? I answer you in the words of Saint Peter following: Repent, and be baptized every one of you; not in the font of sweet water in the Church, but in the salt water of your teares: let youra 1.215 sorrow be answerable to your sinfull pleasures, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance. The wound is deep, thrust the tent to the bottome of it; your sins have been many and grievous, let your teares bee abundant, and your sighes many. Yee have had a long time of sinning, give not over pre∣sently your exercises of mortification: hold on your strict abstinence, your devout prayers, your frequent watchings, your humble confessions, and sad meditations, the whole time which the Church hath prescribed you: by your sorrow here, prevent eternallb 1.216 lamentations and woe: by your re∣morse of conscience here, prevent weeping and gnashing of teeth hereafter: by your temporall affliction in this world, prevent eternall malediction and endlesse torments of body and soule in hell: the lesse you spare your selves in this kind, God will spare you so much the more, and so much the sooner and easier be reconciled unto you. To whom, &c.

CHRISTIAN BROTHER-HOOD. A Sermon preached on the second Sunday in Lent. THE LXVIII. SERMON.

ACTS 2.37.

And they said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles; Men and brethren.

MAny of the ancients write, that S. Luke was an excellent limmer, and drew the blessed Virgin to the life: how true it is that he tooke the picture of the mother of God, I know not (for the first relaters were Apocryphall writers) but sure I am, in this text as a table hee setteth forth the children of God in their colours, and describeth them by their proper marks: which are three;

• 1. In the eare.
• 2. In the heart.
• 3. In the hand.

• 1. The eare-marke is carefull attention, when they heard.
• 2. The heart-marke is deepe compunction, they were pricked in heart.
• 3. The hand-marke is sollicitous action, Men and brethren, what shall we doe?

Wee have already viewed the eares of these converts, and found them bored thorow for the perpetuall service of God, and hung with the jewels of the Gospel: next we searched into their hearts, and found them pierced with sorrow for being some way accessarie (at least by consent) to the death of the Lord of life: and now wee are to looke to their hands, and see what they will doe, or rather what they will not bee willing to doe, to make their peace with God, and wash away the guilt of spilling his Sonnes bloud.

Men and brethren, what shall we doe? Ye heare (men and brethren) in this close of the verse

• 1. A courteous compellation, which savoureth of
  • 1. Humanity, Men. Now they hold the Apostles men,* 1.217 whom a little before they esteemed no better of than drunken beasts.
  • 2. Charity, Brethren. Not aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel, not strangers.
• 2. An important question, which is a question of
  • 1. Feare, What shall we doe to escape the wrath to come for that we have done?
  • 2. Care, What shall we doe to make some part of amends for our crimson sinne, in shedding the bloud of that righteous and holy One?
  • 3. Piety, What shall we doe that we may reape benefit by his death, whom ignorantly we slew with wicked hands?

Thus have I chalked unto you the way of my present and future dis∣courses upon this Scripture, wherein I intreat your attention and devotion to goe along with mee, that I and you may first know in the speculative part what wee are to doe, and then in the practicke doe what wee know to be necessary for the obtaining the remission of our sins.

Men. Is there not a Pleonasmus or redundancy in the words Men and Brethren? Is not this appellative men rather a burthen than an ornament to the sentence? Are there any brethren that are not men? Yes, if we will be∣leeve the Legend of Saint Francis: for he found a new alliance and brother∣hood amongst beasts, ordinarily saluting them in this manner when he met them, Brother Oxe, brother Beare, brother Wolfe (and it is marvell that the chronicles of his life related not that some of them resaluted him againe by the title of brother Asse for his labour.) But this is a note beneath Gammoth, and a degree below lowlinesse it selfe: for humility will admit none to be of her kinred and brotherhood, that beare not the image of God our Father. The beasts of the field are indeed fellow-creatures with us, but they are our juments and servants, no way our brethren. Was then the word men ad∣ded to intimate that such is the inhumanity or unmanlinesse of many, that a man may meet with many brethren by bloud, by alliance, by profession, by country, who yet deserve not the stile of men, because brethren without all humanity, and so no men: without heart or courage, and so no men: effe∣minate in their speech, habit, carriage, trim and dresse, and so no men? Nei∣ther can this be the meaning of the words. For the Jewes were not now in a Satyricall veine, but like men that had been newly let bloud by a deep in∣cision, they speake faintly, and in an humble manner beseech their Physici∣ans to prescribe what they must doe to recover their health. We are there∣fore to understand that in the originall there is no pleonasme, nor bitter sar∣casme, but an elegancie and an emphasis in our tongue: there is but one name for men of the better sort & inferiour ranke: but in greeke there are two, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the word here used, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and they differ as much as ayre and earth, or christall and glasse, or pearle and stone: for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth an ordinary man of the vulgar sort, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a man of parts, a man of worth,

a man of note, a man full of humanity, pity, and compassion: and herein they secretly couch an argument, to induce the Apostles to take some care of their soules; as if they should say, Though ye are men of God, yet ye are men as we are: the divine graces in you bereave you not of humane passi∣ons. Suffer then not men as you are to be cast away, bring not the bloud of this righteous man upon us, pity us in this our perplexity, pray to God for us, advise us what we are to doe, stretch a hand of charity to us, to plucke us out of the chops of Sathan, and flames of hell fire.

Me thinkes I should passe this note in so Christian an auditory, and not stand to prove that we ought to be men, not like beasts without reason, not like monsters without all bowels, without naturall affection and compas∣sion: yet were many that call themselves brethren men, could they grind the faces of the poore as they doe? could they not only tondere, but deglu∣bere, not only sheare, but flea Christs sheep? were they men, would they use men like beasts? would they make themselves beasts, and expresse the condition of the worst of beasts, by returning with the dogge to their vomit, and with the sow to their wallowing in the mire? are they men, who take greatest delight in drowning their reason, and extinguishing that light of understanding in them which maketh them men? are they men? have they hearts of flesh? have they eyes consisting of an aqueous humour, who suf∣fer men made after Gods image to pine away before their eyes for want of a crumme of their store, a graine of their magazine, a drop of their ocean, a mite of their treasury, a cluster of grapes of their vintage, a gleaning of their harvest? are they men, that never remember the affliction of Joseph, that ne∣ver thinke of the besieged in Rochel, of the persecuted in Bohemia and the Palatinate, and almost all parts of Germany, as good men as themselves, and better Christians, who endure either the violence of oppression, or the shame of infamy, or the servitude of captivity, or the insolency of tiranny, or the griping of famine, or the terrours of sundry kinds of death? It grieved the Oratour to proclaime 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, O my friends, there is no true friend among you: but it much more grieveth those that are to give an account of your soules, to be enforced to complaine, Men and brethren, there are few men or brethren among you, but few that deserve the name of men, and fewer of

Brethren. They call the Apostles brethren, either in a kind of corre∣spondency of courtesie, because the Apostles so stiled them before (Men and brethren,* 1.218 let mee freely speake unto you of the Patriarch David) or to insinuate themselves into their love; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 quasi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, co-uterini, sprigs issuing out of the same root, men issuing out of the same wombe,

• 1. Either of flesh, as brothers that have the same mother.
• 2. Or of the Church, as all that are new borne in it.
• 3. Or of the earth, as all men.

Some who delight more in the sound of words than soundnesse of matter, make their cimbals thus tinckle in our eares: There are brethren (say they) of three sorts, either by race, as all of the same linage: or by place, as all of the same country or city: or by grace, as all of the same religion. But I like better of St.a 1.219 Jeromes distinction of brethren: 1. by nature or bloud: 2. by

cognation or affinity: 3. by nation or country: 4. by love & affection: 1. com∣mon, to all men, the sons of Adam our father: 2. speciall, to all Christians, the sons of the same mother the Church.

• 1. Nature made Jacob and Esau brethren.
• 2. Affinity our Lord and James brethren.
• 3. Nation or country Peter and the Jewes brethren.
• 4. Affection and obligation
  • 1. Spirituall, all Christians,
  • 2. Carnall and common, all men brethren.

Thus the significations of brother in Scripture, like the circles made by a stone cast into the water, not only multiply, but much enlarge themselves: the first is a narrow circle about the stone, the next fetcheth a bigger com∣passe, the third a greater & more capacious than it, the fourth so large that it toucheth the bankes of the river: in like manner, the first signification of brethren is confined to one house, nay to one bed and wombe, the second extendeth it selfe to all of one family or linage, the third to the whole nati∣on or country, the fourth and last to the utmost bounds of the earth. No name so frequently occurreth in Scripture as this of brethren, no love more often enforced than brotherly. We need not goe farre for emblemes there∣of,b 1.220 Plutarch hath found many in our body: for wee have two eyes, two eares, two nostrills, two hands, two feet, which are, as hee termeth them, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, brethren and twinne members, formed out of like matter, be∣ing of one shape, one bignesse, and serving to one and the selfe same use. Nature her selfe kindleth the fire of brotherly love in our hearts, and God by the blasts of his Spirit, and the breath of his Ministers bloweth it conti∣nually: yet in many it waxeth cold, and in some it seemeth to bee quite ex∣tinguished. Saint Paul prayed that the Philippiansc 1.221 love might abound more and more. Hee exhorteth the Hebrewes, Let brotherlyd 1.222 love continue: but we need now-adaies to cast our exhortation into a new mold, and say, Let brotherly love begin in you. For were it begun, so many quarrells, so many factions, so many sects, so many broiles, so many law-suites would not be begun as we see every day, set on foot. Did we looke upon the badge of our livery, which is mutualle 1.223 love, we would cry shame of our selves for that which we see and heare every day, such out-cries, such railing, such cur∣sing, such threatning, such banding opprobrious speeches, such challenges into the field, and spilling the bloud of those for whom Christ shed his most precious bloud. Is it not strange that they should fall foule one upon another, who have bin both washed in the same laver of regeneration? that they should thirst after one anothers bloud, who drinke of the same cup of benediction? that they should lift their hands up one against another, for whom Christ spread his hands upon the crosse? Let there be nof 1.224 falling out between mee and thee (saith Abraham to Lot) for wee are brethren. Let mee presse you further, & touch you neerer to the quick▪ Let there be no strife among you; for you are members one of another: nay, which is more, Yee are all members of Christ Jesus. What? members of Christ, and spurne one at another? members of Christ, and buffet one another? members of Christ, and supplant one another? members of Christ, and devoure one another? members of Christ, and destroy one another? It is true as

Plutarch observeth, that the neerer the tye is the fouler the breach. As bodies that are but glewed together, if they be severed or rent asunder, they may be glewed as fast as ever they were; but corpora continua, as flesh and sinewes, if any cut or rupture be made in them, they cannot bee so joyned together againe, but a scarre will remaine: so those who are onely glewed together by some civill respects, may fall out and fall in againe, without a∣ny great impeachment to their reputation or former friendship; but they who are tied together by nerves and sinewes of naturall or spirituall obli∣gation, and made one flesh or spirit together, if there fall any breach be∣tween them, it cannot be so fairely made up, but that like the putting a new peece of cloth into an old garment, the going about to piece or reconcile them maketh the rent worse. Wheng 1.225 Tully understood of a suit in law commenced between Quintus and M. Fabius, hee earnestly wrote to Papirius to take up the matter:g 1.226 Suffer not (saith hee) brethren to implead one another. For though suits about title of lands seem to be the fairest of any, yet even these are foule among brethren: wherefore (my beloved brethren) let us

1. Prevent all occasions of difference: let there be no tindar of malice in our hearts ready to take fire upon the flying of the least sparke into it: let us so root and ground our selves in love, that no small offence may stirre us: let us endeavour by all friendly offices so to endeare our selves to our bre∣thren, and so fasten all naturall and civill ties by religious obligations, that we alwaies keep theh 1.227 unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

2. If it cannot be but that offences will come and distract us, if the Divell or his agents cast a fire-brand among us, let us all runne presently to quench it: let us imitate wise Mariners, who as soone as they spie a leake spring in the ship, stop it with all speed, before it grow wider, and endanger the drowning of the vessell.

3. After the breach is made up, and the wound closed and healed, let us not rub upon the old sore, according to the rule ofi 1.228 Pythagoras, Ignem gla∣dio ne fodias, let us not rake into the ashes or embers of the fire of contention lately put out. As we pray that God may cast our sinnes, so let us cast our brothers trespasses against us into thek 1.229 bottome of the sea. The Athenians (asl 1.230 Plutarch writeth) tooke one day from the moneth of May, and razed it out of all their Calenders, because on that day Neptune and Minerva fell out one with another; even so let us Christians much more bury those daies in perpetuall oblivion, & strike them out of our Almanacks, in which any bloudy fray or bitter contention hath fallen among us. For our Father is the God of peace: our Saviour is the Prince of peace: our Comforter is the Spirit of peace and love. God who ism 1.231 love, and of his love hath begot us, loveth nothing more in the children of his love, than the mutuall love of his children one to another.n 1.232 Ye are all brethren: love therefore as brethren, be pitifull, be courteous, not rendering evill for evill, nor railing for railing; but contrariwiseo 1.233 blessing, knowing that yee are thereunto called, that yee should inherit a blessing. As beames of the same sunne, let us meet in the center of light: as rivelets of the same spring, joyne in the source of grace: as sprigs on the same root, or twins on the same stalke, sticke alwaies toge∣ther. Such was the love of the Saints of God in old time, that their hearts were knit one to the other: yea, which is more, All the beleevers had butp 1.234 one

heart. But such love is not now to be found in our bookes, much lesse in our conversations: we hardly beleeve there can be such love in beleevers; we seem not to be of their race, wee seem rather to be descended many of us from Coelius, who could not be quiet if he were not in quarrells; who was angry if he were not provoked to anger: whose motto was, Dic ali∣quid, ut duo simus; Say or doe something, that we may be two: or from Syl∣la, of whom Valerius Maximus writeth, that it was a great question whe∣ther he or his malice first expired: for he died railing, and railed dying: or of Eteocles and Polynices, who as they warred all their life, so after a sort they expressed their discord and dissention after their death: for at their fu∣nerals the flame of the dead corpses parted asunder when they were burned. When the Son of man commeth, shall hee findq 1.235 faith on the earth (saith our Saviour?) I feare we may demand rather, shall he find charity on the earth? All the true family of love may seem to be extinct: for the greater part of men, as if they had been baptized in the waters of strife, from the font to their tomb-stone are in continuall frettings, vexings, quarrells, schisme and faction.

Turba gravis paci placidaeque inimica quieti.

But let these Salamanders, which live perpetually in the fire of contention, take heed, lest without speedy repentance they be cast into the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone forever. Ifr 1.236 blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God; cursed are all make-bates, for they shall be called the children of the wicked one. If the fruits ofs 1.237 righte∣ousnesse are sowne in peace of them that make peace, certainly the fruits of ini∣quity are sowne in contention by them that stirre up strife and contention. If they that sowt 1.238 discord among brethren are an abomination to the Lord, they that plant love and set concord are his chiefe delight. Whatu 1.239 Silenus spake of the life of man, The best thing was not to be borne, the next to dye as soone as might be, may bee fitly applyed to all quarrells and contentions a∣mong Christian brethren; it is the happiest thing of all that such dissenti∣ons never see light: the next is, if they arise and come into the Christian world, that they dye suddenly after their birth; at the most let them be but like those 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, small creatures Aristotle speaketh of, whose life ex∣ceedeth not a summers day. Let not the* 1.240 sun goe down upon our wrath. How can we long be at odds and distance, if we consider that we are all brethren by both sides? For as we call one God our Father, so we acknowledge one Church our Mother: wee have all sucked the same breasts, the Old and New Testaments: we are all bred up in the same schoole, the schoole of the crosse: we are all fed at the same table, the Lords board: we are all in∣corporated into one society, the communion of Saints; and made joynt-heires with our elder brother Christ Jesus of one Kingdome in Heaven. If these and the like considerations cannot knit our hearts together in love, which is the bond of perfection, the Heathen shall rise up in judgement and condemne us.x 1.241 Martial writeth of two brothers, between whom there was never any contention but this, who should die one for the other:

Nobilis haec esset pietatis rixa duobus, Quod pro fratre mori vellet uterque prior.

The speech also of Pollux to Castor his brother is remarkable,

y 1.242Vive tuo, frater, tempore, vive meo.

I cannot let passe Antiochus, who when he heard that his brother Seleu∣chus, who had been up in armes against him, died at Galata, commanded all the Court to mourne for him; but when afterwards hee was more cer∣tainly enformed that he was alive, and levied a great army against him, he commanded all his Commanders and chiefe Captaines to sacrifice to their gods, & crown themselves with garlands for joy that his brother was alive. But above all,z 1.243 Euclid shewed in himselfe the true symptomes of brotherly affection, who when his brother in his rage made a rash vow, Let me not live if I be not revenged of my brother, Euclid turnes the speech the contrary way, Nay, let me not live if I be not reconciled to my brother; let me not live if we be not made as good friends as ever before. Shall nature be stronger than grace? bonds of flesh tie surer than the bonds of the spirit? one tie knit hearts together faster than many? Thea 1.244 Oratour saith, Omnes omnium cha∣ritates patria complectitur; but we may say more truly, Omnes omnium cha∣ritates Christus complectitur, all bonds of love, friendship, affinity and con∣sanguinity, all neernesse and dearnesse, all that can make increase or continue love, is in Christ Jesus, into whose spirit we are all baptized, into whose body we are incorporated, who in his love sacrificed himselfe to his Fathers ju∣stice for us, who giveth his body and bloud to us in this sacrament to nou∣rish Christian love in us. For therefore we all eate of one bread, that we may be made one bread; therefore wee are made partakers of his naturall body, that wee may be all made one mysticall body, and all quickned with one spirit, that spirit which raised up our head Christ Jesus from the dead. Cui, cum Patre, &c.

THE PERPLEXED SOULES QUAERE. A Sermon preached on the third Sunday in Lent. THE LXIX. SERMON.

ACTS 2.37.

What shall we doe?

THe words of the wise (saitha 1.245 Solomon the mirrour of wisedome) are like to goades, and to nailes fastned by the masters of the assemblies, which are given from one shepheard. Marke, I beseech you, what he saith, and the Lord give you a right understanding in all things: hee saith not, verba sapientum sunt calamistri, but stimuli: notb 1.246 lenocinia, sed remedia; not sweet powders, but medicines: not crisping pins to curle the lockes, or set the haires in equipage, but like goades piercing through the thicke skinne, and like nailes pricking the live flesh, yea the very heart roote, and drawing from thence teares, sanguinem animae, thec 1.247 blood of the wounded soule. Such were the words of Saint Peter in this Sermon, where∣with he tickleth not the eares of the Jewes with numerous elocution, but pricked their hearts with godly compunction. Which effects of his di∣vine and soule-ravishing eloquence, Saint Luke punctually noteth (as M^rd 1.248 Calvin judiciously hath observed) that we might not thinke that the holy Ghost, which came downe upon the Apostles in the likenesse of fierie tongues, and enabled them to speake divers languages which they had never learned, resided in the tongue, but descended lower into the heart, and wrought there a won∣derfull alteration, of stony making them fleshie; of obdurate, relenting; of

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obstinate, yeelding; of frozen, melting. Tully doth but flatter his mistresse eloquence in proclaiming her flexanimam, Queene regent of the affections of the mind. That style is due to the power of the word and the grace of the spirit, which boweth and bendeth, frameth and moldeth the heart at pleasure. It is the sworde 1.249 of the spirit which is mightie in operation, & carnem mortificat, & Deo in sacrificium offert; killeth the flesh in us, and sacrificeth it unto God. It is the point of this sword which openeth the Aposteme of cor∣rupt nature, and letteth out all the impure matter of lust and luxurie, by pricking the quickest veines in the heart. Wherefore that wanton and crank dame, who blushed not to professe that she was more moved at a play than at a Sermon, either by that profane speech of hers bewrayed that she play∣ed at Sermons, & never fastened her eares to the Preacher, that he might fa∣sten his goads and nailes in her heart; orf 1.250 intus apparens prohibuit extrane∣um, the evill spirit had before taken up her heart, as he did a like gallants in Rome, who, asg 1.251 Tertullian writeth, when he was adjured by a Saint of God, and demanded how hee durst seize upon any that professed the Christian faith, answered, In meo reperi, I caught her in my owne ground, I found her at the Theater, she came within my walke, and therefore I tooke her as a lawfull prize: or lastly, shee never came prepared to the hearing of the Word as she ought, she never laid her heart asoake in teares to make it ten∣der, she never prayed to God to direct the penknife in the hand of the spi∣rituall Chirurgian, to pricke the right veine by a seasonable reprehension like to this of Saint Peters in my text, which when the Jewes heard,

They were pricked in heart, &c. See (saith Sainth 1.252 Chrysostome) what meek∣nesse is, and how it pierceth the heart deeper than rigour and severitie of re∣proofe. It is not the storme of haile and raine that ratleth upon the tiles, and maketh such a noise, but the still kinde shower that sinketh deepe into the earth; the soft drops pierce the hard stones.

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The Surgeon who intends to pricke a veine deepe, first stroakes the flesh, and gently rubbeth it to make the veine swell. He that maketh an incision in the body of a patient that hath tough and hard flesh, putteth him to little or no paine at all: but if hee mollifie the flesh first, and then apply his sharpe instrument unto it, the party shrinketh at it: even so saith the skilfull Surgeon of the mind sores, If we would doe good upon our patients, wee must first make the heart tender, and then pricke it: now that which mollifieth the heart, and maketh it tender, is not rage, nor heate of passion, nor vehement ac∣cusation, much lesse bitter taunts and reproaches, but thei 1.253 spirit of meeknesse; in which Saint Peter sought to restore his countrimen the Jews. For though they had murdered his and our Lord and Master, and much injured his fel∣low servants the Apostles, yet he speaketh unto them as a father or a carefull master; he telleth them indeed of their fault, yet aggravateth it not, that he might not drive them to desperate courses; but excusing it by their igno∣rance, he offereth them grace and pardon upon very easie termes, that grie∣ving for their sinnes of a deeper die, they would looke upon him by faith whom they had pierced, and with wicked hands nailed to a tree. By which sweet insinuation, though he brought them not so farre as to justifying faith

and repentance unto life, yet they came on a good way; for they were pric∣ked with remorse for that they had done, and they expresse a desire to make amends, if it might be, and referre themselves to the Apostles farther dire∣ction and instruction, saying, Men and brethren

What shall we doe?

I may say of this question, as Tully of Brutus hisk 1.254 laconicall epistle, quàm multa quàm paucis? how much in how little? but two words in thel 1.255 origi∣nall, yet issuing from three affections, feare, sorrow, and hope.

• 1 Feare saith, What shall we doe to flie from the wrath to come?
• 2 Sorrow saith, What shall we doe to undoe that we have done?
• 3 Hope saith, What shall we doe to purchase a pardon for our bloudy mindes, if not hands, and to obtaine the promise that you tell us is made to us, and to our children?

First of these words as they are a question of feare. The tree of forbidden sinne beareth three fruits, and all bitter,

• 1 Guilt.
• 2 Losse.
• 3 Turpitude.

And these fruits breed in the sto∣macke of the soule three maladies,

• 1 Shame.
• 2 Sorrow.
• 3 Feare.

• 1 The turpitude in it or deformity breedeth shame.
• 2 The losse by it breedeth hearts-griefe and sorrow.
• 3 The guilt of it breedeth terrours and feares.

Peradventure some man may be found so armed with proofe of impuden∣cie, that he cannot be wounded with shame: and wee see many so intoxica∣ted with the present delight of sinne, and so insensible of the losse by it, that they take no griefe or thought for it. But I never yet read or heard of any that sinned with a high hand, but his owne heart smote him with feare. For where sinne is of a deepe die, not washed out with penitent teares, there is guilt; where guilt is, there must needs be an expectation of condigne pu∣nishment; and where this expectation is, continuall feare. The sinners con∣science tells him that his fact is unjust, and God is just, and therefore in ju∣stice will give injustice his just reward, either in this life, or in that which is to come. As Antipho through a disease in his eye, thought that he had his owne Image alwayes before him: so he that hath charged his conscience with any abominable, or very foule and bloudy crime, seeth alwayes before him the ougly image of his sinne, and hideous shape of his deserved pu∣nishment. Hae sunt impiis assiduae domesticaeque furiae:m 1.256 these are the ghosts that haunt wicked men, these are the furies that follow them with torches, and scorch them with flashes of hell fire: these suffer them not, non modo sine cura quiescere, sed ne spirare quidem sine metu: these make them flie when no man pursueth them, cry when no man smiteth-them, quake when no man threatneth them, languish in a cold sweat when no fit is upon them.

n 1.257—frigidamens est Criminibus, tacitâ sudant praecordia culpâ.

Wheno 1.258 they are alone and quiet, out of all other noise, they heare their

sinne cry for vengeance. At which huy and cry they are so startled, that though many be sometimes free from the cause of their feare, yet they are never free from feare of danger. Every shadow they take for a man, every man for a spie, every spie for an accuser. As in a fever, the greater the fit is, the more vehement the shaking: so the more horrid the sinne is, the more horrible the dread. The sinne of the Jewes in giving consent to the saving of a murderer and the murther of the Saviour, is beyond comparison, and therefore their feare beyond measure. As a child that hath committed some great fault, and expecteth to bee fleaed for it, cryeth to his master, What shall I doe? Or a passenger suddenly benighted, when he perceiveth that he is riding downe a steepe rocke, cryeth to all within hearing, Oh what shall I doe? Or a patient that is in a desperate case feeleth unsufferable paine, and apprehendeth no meanes of ease, cryeth to his physician, What shall I doe? Or a seafaring man in a storme in the night, when he heareth the water roare, and feareth every moment to be swallowed up in the sea, cry∣eth to the Pilot, What shall we doe? In this perplexitie, in this fright, in this agonie are the Jewes in my text; and from hence is this speech of distracted men, What shall we doe?

This their feare ought to strike a terrour in us all, who have our part in their guilt; for we by our sinnes have and doe provoke the Father, grieve the Spirit, and even crucifie againe the Sonne: how can wee then but feare when we heare Gods threats against sinne? when we see daily his judge∣ments upon sinne? when wee remember our Saviours sufferings to satisfie Gods justice for sinne? How dare we draw iniquity with cords, and sinne with cart-ropes? How dare we kicke against the pricks? How dare we make a covenant with death, and league with hell? How dare wee hatch the cockatrice egge? How dare wee lie at the mouth of the Lions den? Let no man say in his heart when he plotteth wickednesse, or committeth filthi∣nesse in the darke, no eye seeth mee, and therefore what need I feare? for hee that hath eyes like a flame of fire, pierceth the thickest darknesse, and disco∣vereth every hidden roome in thy house, and corner in thy heart: hee seeth thee in secret, and will reward thee openly, if thou by smiting thine owne heart prevent not his blowes, as the Jewes did in my text, saying, What shall we doe? This interrogation riseth from three springs or heads:

• 1 Feare of punishment.
• 2 Sorrow for sinne.
• 3 Hope of pardon.

A man in feare driven to an exigent, being now at his wits end saith with himselfe, What shall I doe? likewise, a man overwhelmed with cares, and ready to be drowned in sorrow, as hee is sinking cries, Oh! what shall I doe, or what will become of mee? The fruit of sin is sweete in the mouth, but bitter in the stomacke: like poison given in a sugred cup it goeth downe sweetly, but it kindleth a fire in the bowels: it tickleth the heart in the be∣ginning, but it prickes it in the end: it is pleasure in doing, it is sorrow when it is done. Saint Bernard speaketh feelingly, Sinne after it is perpetrated leaves in the soule a sad farewell: amara & foeda vestigia, where the divell hath set his foote there remaines after he is gone a foule print, and a stinking sent. Though the sinner use all meanes to dead the flesh of his heart, though

he make it as hard as flint, or the nether milstone, yet conscience writeth in it, as with the point of a Diamond, this sentence of the eternall Judge of quick and dead,p 1.259 Tribulation and anguish upon every soule that sinneth. They that stabbed Caesar, afterwards turned the point of the same dagger upon themselves: so it is certaine that no man by sin grieveth Gods Spirit, but he woundeth himselfe with sorrow. If the sprayning a veine, or dis-locating a bone, or putting a member out of joynt, or distempering the bloud, be a pain to the body: how much more is the distorting the will, the disordering the affections, the quenching the light of reason by sinne, a torment to the soule? There is no man that hath not lost his senses, but hath sense of great losses: & what losse comparable to the losse of Gods favour and love, the comforts of the spirit, and the treasures of his grace? Though a sinner should gaine the whole world by his sinne, yet would hee be a loser: for at the present he hazzardeth, and without mature repentance he loseth his owne soule. To speake nothing of losse of time by idlenesse, of wit by drunken∣nesse, of strength by incontinencie, of health by intemperancie, of estate by prodigality, of credit and reputation by lewdnesse and dishonestie: besides the guilt of sinne, and losse by it, there is great folly in it, which vexeth the mind, and discontenteth the spirit of a man: his thoughts perpetually ac∣cusing him in this manner:

This thou mightest have done, and here thou befooledst thy selfe, and thou hast brought trouble and shame upon thee: thou mayst thanke thy selfe for all the mischiefes that have befalne thee.

Yea, but ye may object, Are sinne and sorrow such individuall compani∣ons? is there no sorrow but for sinne, and the effects of it? no sinne with∣out sorrow? What say you then to them that have their conscienceq 1.260 seared as with an hot iron? they surely feele no paine. What sense have they of the guilt of sinne, of Gods wrath, who are cast into a reprobate sense? I would the case were as rare as the answer unto it is easie and expedite. Admit a seared conscience feeleth no paine, was not the searing of it thinke you a paine? The heart that is like the anvile, and now hardened for the purpose, felt many a blow, and endured many fearfull stroaks before it came to be so. Although Mithridates in the end felt little hurt or pain by drinking poyson: yet before he brought his body to that temper, he never tooke any draught of poyson, but it was both painfull and perillous to him. A man must needs have many conflicts within him, many terrours and unsufferable troubles of minde, before he be utterly deprived of all sense by the frequencie and ve∣hemencie of his torments: and though those that are cast into a reprobate sense never after come to repentance, yet God oftentimes restoreth them to their sense of sorrow, and sight of the uglinesse of their sinne, and hor∣rour of their punishment, that even in this life they might tast of eternall death. As he did to Nero, when in a fit of desperation he cryed out, Have I no friend nor enemy to rid me out of my paine? And Julian the Apostata, who tare his bowels, and flung them into the aire, saying, Vicisti Galilee. Brutusr 1.261 his malus genius, the ghost that haunted him at Rome, though for the present it left him, yet it met with him againe at Philippi a little before his death. So those terrours and consternations of minde which possessed the wicked before their consciences were seared, though for many yeares they leave them, yet a little before, or at the time of their death they returne

againe in more violent manner, and so they passe from death to death, from sorrow to sorrow: nay, I may say truly, from hell to hell.

But why do I stand so long upon this sorrow, which may be without repentance? because repentance cannot be without it? Compunction doth not alwaies end in godly sorrow, but godly ever begins in it. This com∣punction of pricking the heart deepe, is like the digging the earth to set the seeds of faith and repentance, and all the slippes of the flowers of Paradise: or the needles making a hole in the cloth or stuffe; the needle fils not up the bracke or rent, but the threed or silke, but onely it maketh entrance for them. So the pricking the heart with the needle ofs 1.262 compunction maketh way for the graces of faith and true repentance, which make up the rent and mend our lives. Beloved, if ye are pricked in heart for your sinnes, I cannot say it is well with you; but if ye have never beene pricked for them, I must say it is very ill with you. The Philosophers distinguish of a double heate,

• 1 Inward and naturall, which preserveth life.
• 2 Outward or ambient, which disposeth mist bodies to putre∣faction by drawing the other heatt 1.263 out of them.

In like manner there is a double sorrow for sinne.

• 1 A sorrow arising from an inward cause, the consideration of the goodnesse of God, and the malignancie of sinne: the equity of the law, the iniquity of our transgressions: and this is a seed of, or degree unto repentance unto life.
• 2 A sorrow for sinne arising from an outward cause, the expectation of dreadfull punishments for sinne, both in this life, and the life to come, both temporall and eternall: and this, if it be not asswaged with some hope disposeth a sinner to desperation, as wee see in Cain, Esau, and Judas, whose sorrowes were not any way medici∣nall, but penall.

No meanes to prevent, but rather to assure hellish torments, being a kind of earnest of them. Cain was pricked in heart for the murther of his brother Abel, in such sort that hee filled the aire wheresoever he fled with this lamentable cry, Myu 1.264 punishment is greater than I can beare. Esau would have redeemed his birthright with a large cup of* 1.265 teares, which he sold for a small messe of pottage: but his teares were spilt upon the ground, not put into the Lords bottle. Judas had sorrow enough, if that would have helped him; for to stifle his hearts griefe hee strangled himselfe: and no doubt he long swelled with paine before he burst asunderx 1.266 in the midst, and his bowels gushed out. Wherefore as the Apostle Saint Paul in another case exhorteth the Thessalonians, so let mee exhort you, to weepe for your sins, but noty 1.267 as those that have no hope. Sorrow for your sinfull joyes, humble your selves for your pride, fast for your luxurie, watch for your drowsinesse, howle and crie for your crying sinnes; yet not as those that are without hope. For if the Jewes here, who spilt the blood of the Sonne of God, were quickned by it, how much more shall they that wash Christs wounds and their owne with their teares, find in his bloud the balme of Gi∣lead to cure their pricked hearts, and wounded consciences?

But then, as the Jewes here, they must bee solicitous after the meanes.

They must enquire of the Apostles or their successours, Quid faciemus? What shall wee doe? if not to undoe what wee have done, yet to make some part of amends, so much as wee can, and which through Gods goodnesse shall so be taken of us, that our sinnes shall not be imputed to us. And they said,

What shall wee doe? Saint Chrysostome well observeth, that they aske not, How shall we bee saved? but, What shall wee doe? It is presumptuous folly to enquire of, or hope for the end if wee neglect the meanes. If a man might goe to heaven with a sigh, many a Balaam would be found there, for hee fetched a deepe sigh, saying, Let mee die the death of the righteous. If crying, The Temple of the Lord, or saying, Lord, Lord, al∣most at every word, would without any more adoe make a man free of the heavenly Jerusalem, all the Pharisees among the Jewes, and hypo∣crites among Christians should bee denisons there. But Christ himselfe assureth us to the contrary, not every one that saith Lord, Lord,z 1.268 shall en∣ter into the Kingdome of Heaven, but hee that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven. Doing and life, working and salvation, running and obtaining, winning and wearing, overcomming and reigning, in holy Scripture follow one the other. Wherefore the young man puts the que∣stion to our Saviour, Whata 1.269 thing shall I doe that I may attaine evelasting life? and the people likewise, and the Publicans, and the Souldiers tob 1.270 S. John, and the keepers of the prison toc 1.271 Saint Paul, and the Jewes in my text to Saint Peter, and the rest of the Apostles, What shall wee doe? not, What shall wee say? or, What shall wee beleeve? but, What shall wee doe? This is the tenour of the Law, Doe this and thou shalt live. Whosoever doth these things shall never fall. And the Gospel also carryeth the same tune full:d 1.272 If ye know these things happie are yee of yee doe them. Hee that heareth and doeth buildeth upon a rocke. Not the hearers, but the doers of thee 1.273 Law shall bee justified. Why are the Cherubims described with the hands of a man under their wings, but to teach us that none shall see God, who under the wings of faith and hope (whereby they fl••e to heaven) have not the hand of charity to doe good workes? As Darius used the Macedonian souldiers, whom hee tooke prisoners; so the divell doth those over whom hee hath any power: hee cutts off their hands that they may be able to do no service. The heathen Philo∣sopher observed, that of three of the best things in the world, through the wickednesse of men, three of the worst things proceeded and grew:

• 1 Of vertue, envie.
• 2 Of truth, hatred.
• 3 Of familiarity, contempt.

Wee Christians may adde a fourth, viz. of the doctrine of free justifi∣cation carnall liberty. The catholike doctrine of justification by faith a∣lone is the true Nectar of the soule, so called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because it keepeth from death: yet this sweetest Wine in the Spouses Flagons proves no better than Vinegar, or rather poyson in their stomackes, who turne grace into wantonnesse, and liberty into licence.

—fit Nectar acetum, Et vaticam perfida vappa cadi.

But let no man adulterate the truth nor impose upon Christs mer∣cy what it will not beare; nor endeavour to sever faith from good workes, lest hee sever his soule from life. For though faith justifie our workes before God; yet our workes justifie our faith before men: though the just shallg 1.274 live by his faith, yet this his faith must live byh 1.275 charity: as never man any dyed with a living faith, so never any man lived by a dead faith. I grant, when we have all done wee may, nay wee must say,i 1.276 Wee are unprofitable servants: yet while we have timek 1.277 we must doe good unto all, especially to those of the houshold of faith. None may trust in their owne righteousnesse; but on the contrary, all ought to pray that they may be found in Christ,l 1.278 not having their owne righteousnesse: yet their righteousnesse must exceed them 1.279 righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees, or else they shall never enter into the kingdome of heaven. It is evi∣dent unto all, except they be blinde, that the eye alone seeth in the body, yet the eye which seeth, is not alone in the body without the other senses: the forefinger alone pointeth, yet that finger is not alone on the hand: the hammer alone striketh the bell, yet the hammer which striketh is not alone in the clocke: the heate alone in the fire burneth, and not the light, yet that heate is not alone without light: the helme alone guideth the ship, and not the tackling, yet the helme is not alone, nor without the tackling: in a compound electuarie Rubarb alone purgeth choler, yet the Rubarb is not alone there without other ingredients. Thus wee are to conceive, that though faith alone doth justifie, yet that faith which justifieth is not alone, but joyned with charity and good workes. Many please themselves with a resem∣blance of Castor and Pollux, two lights appearing on shippes, sometimes severally, sometimes joyntly. If either appeareth by it selfe, it presageth a storme; if both together, a suddaine calme: yet (with their good leave be it spoken) this their simile is dissimile. For those lights may be severed & actu∣ally are often, but justifying faith cannot be severed from charity, nor cha∣rity from it. Thus farre onely it holdeth, that unlesse we have a sense and feeling of both in our soules, we may well feare a storme. S. Bernards di∣stinction of via regni, and causa regnandi, cleareth the truth in this point: Though good workes are not the cause why God crowneth us, yet we must take them in our way to heaven, or else we shall never come there. It is as impious to deny the necessity, as to maintaine the merit of good workes.

—sed Cynthius aurem Vellit.

The time calleth mee off: and therefore that it may not exclude mee, I will conclude with it. In this holy time of Lent three duties are required, Prayer, Fasting, and Almes: prayer is the bird of Paradise; fasting and almes are her two wings, the lighter is fasting, but the stronger is almes; use both to carry your prayers to heaven, that you may bring from thence a blessing upon you, through the merits and intercession of Jesus Christ. Cui, &c.

THE LAST OFFER OF PEACE. A Sermon preached at a publike Fast. THE LXX. SERMON.

LUK 19.41, 42.

41. And when he was come neere, he beheld the City, and wept over it,

42. Saying, If thou hadst knowne, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace: but now they are hid from thine eyes.

WHen the Romans fought a pitched field, after the rankes of their prime Leaders and chiefe Souldiers (which they called Principes) had charged valiantly, if the enemy still kept his ground, the Triarii (containing the whole shock of the army) put on, and upon their prowesse and valour depended the fortune of the day and chance (if I may so speake) of the bloudy die of war. Whereupon it grew to be a proverb,a 1.280 Res rediit ad Triarios, it now stands upon the Triarii: as if you would say, it is now put to the last plunge. And is it not so now, my Christian brethren? We have taken to us the proper weapons of Christi∣ans, fasting, prayers, and teares, to fight against the fearfull combinations of powerfull & vigilant enemies. The rank of our Principes, the King himself, the Princes, Nobles, and Peeres have already watered this field with their teares, and put on with all their force of zealous praiers: how far they have prevailed, God only knowes. Jam ad Triarios res rediit, now the whole shock of the army, and the maine battell is to advance, and upon the sinceri∣tie of the humiliation, and fervency of devotion, and strength of our united praiers & sighes this day, dependeth much the safety and life of our State, and in it of our Church, and in it of our true and incorrupt Religion.

Let no man goe about with Mercuries inchanted rod to close the eyes of our Argus's; let no man sow pillowes under the elbowes of our true Patriots, to make them sleep in security, lest destruction steale upon us at unawares. It is certaine our enemies sleep not, and it is most certaine that our crying sinnes have awaked Gods justice: it standeth us therefore upon to watch and pray. Judgement is already begun at the house of God, the Angel hath poured out his viall of red wine upon the Churches of Bohemia, and their fields are thicke sowne with the blood of Martyrs: the same Angel hath emptied another viall upon the Churches in the Palatinate, and the sweet Rhenish grape yeelds in a manner now no liquor but blood: a third viall runneth out at this houre upon the reformed Churches in France, and our sinnes as it were holloe to him to stretch his hand over the narrow sea, and cast the dregges of it on us, who have beene long settled upon our lees: and undoubtedly this will bee our potion to drinke, if wee stretch not our hands to heaven, that God may command his Angel to stay his hand. If hee have already turned his viall, and wee see drops of bloud hanging in the ayre; yet the strong wind of our prayers may blow them away and dispell them, in such sort that they shall not fall upon us: a gale of our sighes may cleare the skie. Moses praiers manicled the hands of Almighty God, and shall not the united devotions of this whole Land either stay or turne his Angels hand? Away with all confidence in the arme of flesh, away with all hope in man, away with all cloakes of sinne, and vizzards of hypocrisie, there is no dissembling with God, no fighting against him. Albeit our land bee com∣passed with the sea as with a moat, and environed with ships furnished with ordnance, as with brazen and iron walls: though the most puissant Princes on earth should send us innumerable troupes to succour and aide us, yet we have no fence: for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 we lye open to heaven, wee are naked to the ar∣rowes of the Almighty, and no carnall weapons for succours can stand us in any stead; onely the helmet of salvation, and the buckler of faith, and the powder of a contrite heart, and the shot of pious ejaculations may doe us some good. It is our pride (Beloved) that hath throwne us downe, and it is hu∣mility which must raise us: our divisions have weakened us, and it is union that can strengthen us: our luxury hath imbezelled us, and now nothing but fasting and abstinence can recover us: our sinnes have made a breach, and nothing but repentance can make it up: our profane oathes, our sinfull plea∣sures, our carnall security and sensuality hath driven away the Spirit of grace and comfort from us, and nothing can wooe him to returne backe a∣gaine but our vowes of amendment, unfeigned teares and sorrowfull sighes. Let us therefore ply sighes andb 1.281 prayers: for these are the spirituall weapons we alone can trust to, through the intercession of Christs bloud, which spea∣keth better things for us than the bloud of Abel. These weapons our Lord himselfe made tryall of in my Text, and sanctified them to our use, viz. pas∣sionate teares, and compassionate prayers.

When hee drew neere to Jerusalem, and fore-saw in spirit that shee drew neere to her ruine, his eyes melted with teares (he beheld the City, and wept) and his heart breaketh out into sighes (Oh that thou knewest.) Teares trickle

not down in order, neither are sighes fetched by method. Expect not there∣fore from mee any accurate division, or methodicall handling of this pas∣sionate Text: only in the first place fasten the eye of your observation upon the eyes of our Saviour, and you shall discerne in them,

• 1. Beames of love, He beheld.
• 2. Teares of compassion, He wept over it.

In the next place bow the eares of your religious attention towards his mouth, and ye shall heare from him,

• 1. Sighes of desire, Oh (or if) that thou knewest.
• 2. Plaints of sorrow, But now they are hid from thine eyes.

I have pitched (as you see) upon ac 1.282 moist plat, or fenny ground; wherein that your devotion may walke more steadily, I have laid out for you five knolls or steps to rest upon and pawse.

• 1. Venit, He came.
• 2. Vidit, He beheld.
• 3. Flevit, He wept.
• 4. Ingemuit, He sighed.
• 5. Oravit, He prayed.

1. Venit or appropinquavit, he drew neere. The end of our Saviours life here was the sacrifice of his death: he was borne that he might die for us, and by one oblation of himselfe on the crosse, satisfie for the sinnes of the whole world. Now all sacrifices by the Law were to be offered at Jerusa∣lem; to Jerusalem therefore hee comes up to finish the worke of our re∣demption: and he maketh the more haste, because Easter was neere at hand, when he was to eate the Paschall Lambe with his Disciples, and to be eaten of them in the mysterious rite of the Sacrament: to kill the passover in the type, but to be killed himselfe in the truth. Oh, how farre hath our Savi∣our left us behind him in his love? He came with a swift foot to us, we re∣turne with a slow foot to him: he made more haste to give himselfe, than we make to receive him. After hee received the commandement from his Father to lay downe his life for his sheep, he rode more cheerfully into Jeru∣salem, and was led more willingly to the altar of the crosse, where hee lost his life, than we repaire to his holy table, there to be partakers of the bread of eternall life. He came neere to the City, that he might view it: he viewed it, that hee might weep over it: hee wept over it, that hee might testifie a threefold truth,

• 1. Naturae, of his Nature,
• 2. Amoris, of his Love,
• 3. Doctrinae. of his Doctrine or prophesie.

1. Veritatem naturae, the truth of his humane nature. He must needs be a true man, who out of compassion sheds teares, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, sic fatur la∣chrymans. Cold stone or metall relenteth not, a phantasme grieves not, a pi∣cture weepeth not: these teares then of our Saviour may serve as haile-shot to wound all such Heretickes as imagined that Christ had but an imagina∣ry body.

2. Veritatem amoris, the truth of his love. It is true love which resol∣veth it selfe into teares upon the sight or apprehension of anothers losse, griefe, or danger. When Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus, the Jewes

said, Behold how hed 1.283 loved him: and when the Disciples and whole multitude saw Christ weepe as soone as he came in sight of Jerusalem, they could not but say within themselves, Behold how he loveth this city.

3. Veritatem prophetiae, the truth of his prophecie concerning the de∣struction of Jerusalem, and all the calamities that shortly after befell the Jewish nation: they must needs be true evils and judgements certainly to come upon the city, which the Sonne of God foretelleth with wet eyes.

Quum appropinquavit, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, when he came neere. If Christ in his humane body could have beene present in many places at once, as the Trent Fathers teach, and oure 1.284 Romanists set their faith upon the tenters to beleeve; he then might have spared many a wearisome journey, he needed not to have travelled as he did from country to country, and city to city: all the progresses which he made through Judea, and Galile, and Samaria, and the coasts of Tyrus and Sidon, might have beene saved. For without stirring his foote, by this doctrine, he might have presented himselfe at the same time in Nazareth, and Bethlehem, and Corazin, Bethsaida, and Caper∣naum, and Nain, and Jerusalem: as, if we may beleevef 1.285 Aelian, Pythagoras at the same time was seene in divers cities, and there shewed his golden thigh (a fit miracle for aurea legenda, the golden legend) sed quia non legimus non cre∣dimus, but because we find no such thing in Scripture we beleeve it not. We are so farre from finding it there that we find the direct contrary:g 1.286 He is not here, for he is risen. If there be any force at all in this reason of the Angel, the humane body of Christ cannot be in more places at once: for could it be in more places at once, it might have beene in the grave and risen out of it at the same time, which the Angels for supposeth to be impossible.

Hector adest, secúmque deos in praelia ducit.

In this battell against the Trent faith we have men and Angels on our side; for as the Angel argueth here from the impossibility of the existence of Christs body in more places at once, so do the ancient fathers.h 1.287 Vigilius, Christs body, when it was upon earth, was not at the same time in heaven: and now because 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is in heaven, it is not therefore upon earth: and Sainti 1.288 Austine, When ye Manichees teach that Christ was at the same time in the Sun and in the Moone, & upon the Crosse, what meane ye by presence? his divine & spirituall? that is nothing to your purpose; for according to that hee could not suffer. Do you mean corporall? according to that he could not be together in more places, and consequently not (as ye suppose) in the sunne, and in the moone, and upon the crosse at once. As the Poets faigne of Hercules, that in his cradle, with one graspe of his hand hee killed two serpents: so by the handling of this one circumstance (if the time, and this present occasion would permit mee) I might kill two monsters of heresies, the former of tran∣substantiation, which you see lieth halfe dead before you; the latter of con∣substantiation: the former holdeth a multi-presence, and the latter an omni∣presence, or ubiquity of Christs body. The word appropinquavit, he came neere, reacheth a blow home to both these. For comming neere a place is a locall motion. Now every locall motion must have a terminus à quo, and a terminus ad quem; a place or point to bee left, and another to be got: which cannot be verified in a body, which in the same time is in utroque termino, in the terme from which, and the tearme to which it is to move:

much lesse can an infinite or omnipresent body move locally: because such a body, according to their supposition, filleth all places, and consequently cannot goe from one to another: i•• ••••nnot lose any place it had, or acquire any it had not. This comming heere then of our Saviour to Jerusalem, proveth that the Lutherans and all ubiquitaries are as farre out of the way (in this point) as Papists: they that hold this errour, must blot out all Christs gests recorded by the Evangelists, and reverse all his progresses from Judea to Galile, and from Galile to Judea: from Jerusalem to Nazareth, and from Nazareth to Jerusalem: from land to sea, and from sea to land. Moreover, to entitle a creature to ubiquity is to deifie it, and to attribute this incommunicable property of the deitie to the humane nature of Christ, is to confound his two natures. Thus heresies unnaturally engender, the later with the former, and Lutheranisme begets Eutychianisme: at which monstrous error, though the Romanists are startled; yet the heresie of tran∣substantiation which they foster at this day is of the same cast. Admit once that Christs body may be at the same time in heaven at the right hand of his Father, & on the Altar in the right hand of the Priest: why may it not be in milions of places? if it may be wheresoever masses are said, why may it not also by divine power be where they are not said? why not then every where? if it may stand with the unity of an individuall body to be in two di∣stinct and distant places at once, it may as well be in two hundred places; and if in two hundred, in two thousand; and if in two thousand, every where. The nature of an individuall body, which is to be indivisum in se, & divisum â caeteris omnibus, is as well destroyed by putting it in two places at once, as in two millions. Wherefore, as wood cleavers drive out one wedge by another, and conjurers cast out one spirit by another as bad; and as Plato tooke downe Diogenes, trampling upon his rich carpet,k 1.289 and saying, I tread Platoes pride under my feete: Calcas fastum, sed alio fastu; thou treadest upon my pride (saith he) but out of as great or greater pride: so our adversaries the Papists may be justly taxed for exterminating one er∣rour, the errour of consubstantiation, by bringing in another as bad, the errour of transubstantiation, which putteth accidents without subjects, quantity without dimensions, bodies without place, and what not?l 1.290 Cali∣gula wished that all his enemies had but one necke, that hee might cut them all off at one blow: the three heresies now mentioned have all but one necke, I will therefore smite off all their heads at once with the sword of the Spirit. Christ was like unto us in all things, sinne onely excepted: if so, then was hee circumscribed with quantity, and confined to one place at once: then not in many places, as the Papists teach; and much lesse in all places, as the Eutychians and Lutherans beare us in hand he is.

But to leave the confutation of these heresies, and draw neere unto our present occasion. Christ never came to any place but hee left behinde him some print of his Majestie, or pledge of his love: he touched no where, but he wrought some miracle, or shewed some mercy. If the presence of the Arke, which was but a type or shadow, brought a blessing to Obed Edome: how much more shall the presence of the body, & the truth himself, make the place happie wheresoever he resideth? Jesus never commeth without sal∣vation with him: and therefore when he entred into the house of Zaccheus,

he laid, Hodie huic domui salus contigit, this day salvationm 1.291 is come to this house. The approach of the Sunne is the spring and joy of the yeare: even so the approach of Christ is the blo••••oming of the trees, and opening the flowers of Paradise: it crowneth ••oth the Church and Common∣wealth with spirituall and temporall blessings, as it were garlands, one upon the other.

Yea, but how may his approach be obtained? who can intreat him to come neare us? what load-stone can draw his love to us? I answer, Our love, our faith, our hope, our devotion.

n 1.292Draw neere unto God, and hee will draw neere unto you. Draw neere unto him by faith, accedit qui credit, faith layeth hold on him. Draw neere un∣to him by hope, hope relieth upon him: Draw neere unto him by love, love embraceth him, ando 1.293 adhereth to him: Draw neere untop 1.294 him with your lippes by prayer, with yourq 1.295 eares by listening to his Word: draw neare with your whole body by presenting your selves at his table, and worthi∣ly participating the holy Sacrament. Thus if ye draw neere to him, he will draw neere to you, and comming neere to you as he did to Jerusalem, hee will fixe his eyes on you. And so I passe to the second step:

2. Vidit, he beheld it. There is comfort when the Physician commeth to visit his patient: there is hope when an expert Chirurgeon vieweth a dan∣gerous wound. David thought it enough to say, Looker 1.296 upon mine affliction and miserie: and,s 1.297 Looke upon the face of thine annointed: and, Lord liftt 1.298 thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. God never casteth his eye upon a∣ny, but he settleth his affection upon him: and hee never settleth affecti∣on upon any without an intention of blessing them. As Christ cured mens bodies with a word, so their soules with a looke. Hee looked upon Peter, and presently he repented: he looked upon Zaccheus, and presently he was justified: hee looked upon Saint Matthew, and presently hee was called: Why then was Jerusalem no better for this gracious aspect? because she shut her eyes against the true light. When Christ looked to her, she turned away from him: when he wept for her, she laught at him: when hee sought to save her, shee plotted his death and destruction. Yet were not the beams of Christs eye cast in vaine upon this City; for the spirituall Jerusalem, as Saintu 1.299 Origen telleth us, that is, the faithfull in Jerusalem were the better for them: for they observed our Saviours eye, and kept his teares in a bottle, and laid up his words in their heart; and being fully perswaded of the truth of his prediction concerning the destruction of the City and Temple, when forty years after Titus began to lay siege to it, they left it, and fled to Pella, and thereby escaped all those miseries and troubles which our Savi∣our could not foretell with drie eyes. The Philosophers and Physicians are not yet agreed utrum visio fiat extramittendo vel intromittendo, whether in the act of seeing the eye casteth out beames upon the object, or recei∣veth species from it. The question is easily resolved here: for Christ both cast out a beame of his affection out of his eye on the City, and received also the species or image of it into his eye: at once he looked upon her with a twofold eye,

• 1 The eye of sense.
• 2 The eye of Prophesie.

To the eye of sense Jerusalem appeared most beautifull, glorious, and happy, environed with strong walls, adorned with magnificent buildings, stored with people abounding in wealth, and furnished with all sort of mu∣nition: but to the eye of prophesie shee appeared in another hiew, with her walls sacked, her houses burnt, her turrets demolished, her young men slaine, her virgins defloured, her priests sacrificed, her streets piled with carkasses, and her channels running with gore bloud.

u 1.300—Quis talia fando Temperet à lachrymis?

This most lamentable spectacle, though a farre off, drew teares from our Saviours eyes. And so I passe to the third step, which is the wettest of all:

3. Flevit super eam. He wept over it. In the water of Christs teares we may see after a sort the face both of his humane and divine nature. In that they were teares issuing from the troubled fountain of sorrow in his heart, they prove him to be a true man: but in that they represented the weeping and mourning that should ensue after his death in Jerusalem, they demon∣strate him to be true God: forx 1.301 argumentum divinitatis veritas divinationis, the certainty of divination is an argument of divinity. Neither were these teares onely indices naturae, evidences of his nature, but pledges of his love, and (asy 1.302 Origen noteth) instances of his doctrine touching the blessednesse of mourners. Christ exemplified every point of his doctrine in himselfe: he taught that the poore in spirit are blessed, and none so humble in heart as hee: hee taught that peace-makers were blessed, & who so great a peace-maker as he, who is our peace, and reconciled heaven and earth? hee taught, blessed are they that suffer for righteousnesse sake, and none ever suffered so much as he: he taught, blessed are they that mourne, and he wept himselfe, sanctifying thereby tears, and assuring all godly mourners here, of comforts hereafter.z 1.303 Gorrhan observed that Christ shed teares foure times, first at his birth, next in the raising of Lazarus, a third time in his surveigh of Jerusalem, and a fourth time on the crosse: and these foure, saith he, are spiritually the foure rivers of Paradise, which serve 1. to purge: 2. to coole and refresh: 3. to water and make fruitfull: 4. to quench the thirst of the world of beleevers. Not∣withstanding I find in the Gospel but two leaves onely wet with our Savi∣ours teares, Joh. 11. and here. It is likely he cried at his birth after the man∣ner of other children; and it is certaine that hee offered up prayers upon the crosse with strong cries: yet we reade not of any teares shed by him but here on Mount Olivet, and at Lazarus his grave, and both teares were teares of compassion, and both also funerall teares. There he wept for the death of Lazarus, and here for the finall period, and, if I may so speake, funerals of Jerusalem, to be solemnized with desolation, and exceeding great mourning, like that of Hadradrimmon in the valley of Megiddo, within a few yeeres af∣ter his passion. It was the manner of the Prophets, when they fore-told the calamities that were to fall upon any people or nation, to expresse them as well by signes as by words, to make a deeper impression in their hearers. Ahiah* 1.304 cut Jeroboams cloake, Jeremy breaketh hisa 1.305 bottle, Ezekielb 1.306 shaveth his beard, Agabusc 1.307 bindeth himselfe. In like manner, Christ prophesying the finall overthrow of the City and Temple, repre∣senteth the great sorrow, mourning and lamentation of the inhabitants of

Jerusalem by his owne teares. Theodoret yeeldeth another reason: Alii flent ex passione, Christus ex compassione: Others weep (saith he) out of pas∣sion, Christ out of compassion: Ut ostenderet qualia haberet erga ingrates vi∣scera; to shew what bowels hee had toward the ungratefull though they least deserve teares, who have no sense at all of their owne misery, yet they most of all need them. It grieveth mee (saith S.d 1.308 Cyprian) that thou grievest not for thy selfe: mine eyes are wet because thine are alwaies dry: I have lit∣tle comfort, because there is little or no hope of grace in thee. Ea fletus ma∣joris causa est, cùm rideant qui flere debeant; wee have the greater cause to mourne, when they laugh who ought to weep. Jerusalem was now in a fit of frenzy, shee laughed, and feasted, and revelled, even now when shee was neere utter ruine and confusion: and this more opened the salt springs in our Saviours eyes; hee shed teares the more abundantly by reason of the carnall security, obstinacy, and senslesse stupidity of the Jewes his Countri∣men, and especially the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who killed the Prophets, and stoned them who were sent unto them to fore-warne them of Gods feare∣full judgements hanging over their heads.

I told you before that this was a wet step, and many here have slipt: For this objection offereth it self to every mans conceit: Was not Christ God, and consequently omnipotent? could not he have prevented their finall o∣verthrow? could not hee have given those Jewes beleeving and relenting hearts? could he not have converted them all miraculously by a vision from heaven, as hee did St. Paul, who before that powerfull change wrought in him, was as much enraged against the professours of the Gospel as any of these? nay more? Did not Christ foresee and decree the destruction of Jerusa∣lem? how then doth he bemoane it with teares?e 1.309 Calvin reacheth us a hand to helpe us off of this wet knoll: As (saith he) Christ descended from heaven clad with humane flesh, that he might bee a witnesse and minister of divine sal∣vation, he truly put upon him also humane affections, so far as it was requisite for the discharge of his function: therefore as being sent as a minister for the salvation of that people, in the faithfull execution of his office hee forewarned them of their danger, and bewailed their overthrow, which could not but en∣sue upon their obstinacy and impenitency. Hee was God I acknowledge, and most certainly fore-saw what would befall the City, according to his eternall decree; but whilest hee performed the office of a teacher, the deity rested as it were, and hid it selfe. That yee may take faster hold upon this stay, which this learned Interpreter reacheth unto you, ye are to consider Christ three manner of waies:

• 1. As God,
• 2. As man,
• 3. As Mediatour betweene God and man.

As God he most justly sentenced that bloody City to utter ruine and de∣solation; as man he could not but bee touched with griefe and sorrow for those heavie judgements which hung over the city and people, they taking no course at all to prevent or avert them; as Mediatour betwixt God and man, he might and ought ex officio, both bewaile what hee fore-told, and fore-tell what hee now bewailed: and that most seriously. For pro quibus

nunc lachrymas, postea effudit sanguinem; for hee shed his bloud for those for whom he now shed teares: and it was their owne fault, that this death was not effectuall to them for their redemption and salvation. An all-suffici∣ent remedy was tendered unto them, but they would none of it; and even this also, as it aggravated their sinne, and consequently their punishment, so it increased their spirituall Physicians griefe, and drew more teares from his eyes: Utinam, Domine, ut verbum caro factum est, sic cor meum carneum fiat; Oh that as the word was made flesh, so my heart were made fleshly and tender, to receive a deep impression of my brethrens griefe. Such a heart was Jeremies, which evaporated into these sighes,f 1.310 Oh that my head were wa∣ters, and mine eyes fountaines of teares, that I might weep day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my people. Such was Saint Pauls,g 1.311 Besides those things that are without, that which commeth upon mee daily, the care of all the Churches: who is weake, and I am not weake? who is offended, and I burne not? Of the same temper was Saint Cyprian, Ih 1.312 sympathize and condole with you for those of our brethren, whom the cruelty of persecution hath over∣throwne, and laid upon their backs: the wounds which they have received no lesse paine mee, than if part of my bowells had been plucked out of my body. And againe, I mourne with them that mourne, and weep with them that weep, and am cast downe with them that are fallen. This sympathy is a more no∣ble worke of mercy and charity towards our afflicted brethren, than boun∣ty it selfe: he that spendeth his affection upon his brother in his distresse, doth more than hee that reacheth unto him an almes: for the one giveth somewhat out of his purse, the other out of his bowells: on the contrary, want of naturall affection is ranked with the worst of all vices,i 1.313 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, being filled with all unrighteousnesse, wic∣kednesse, covetousnesse, maliciousnesse, full of envie, murder, debate, back-bi∣ters, haters of God, disobedient to parents, covenant breakers, without natu∣rall affection, implacable, unmercifull. Doubtlesse they are monsters in na∣ture that want bowells: nothing more provoked God, ink 1.314 Salvianus his judgement, to double his stroaks upon the French, when the Goths came in upon them, than that they had no sense or feeling of their brethrens calami∣ties. The voice of the dying could hardly be distinguished from the clamours of those that were drunk; at the same time when the people without the City cried out for feare of the enemy, the people within the City shouted at their sports. It is not safe for any to feast, when God calleth to fast; to sing, when God calleth to sigh; to brave it in gorgeous apparrell, when God calleth to sack∣cloth. Whose heart quaketh not at that thunder-clap in the Prophet Esay?l 1.315 And in that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping, and mourning, and to baldnesse, and to girding with sackcloth. And behold joy and gladnes, slay∣ing oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine. And it was revea∣led in my eares by the Lord of hosts; surely this iniquity shall not bee purged from you till you die. The sinne wherewith God charged the old world be∣fore it was over-flowne with a deluge of water, and Christ in the Gospel chargeth the new, which shall be over-flowne with a deluge of fire, is the same wherewith hee here chargeth the Jewes, that they knew not, that is, tooke not notice of the time of their visitation:m 1.316 As it was in the dayes of Noah: so shall it be also in the daies of the Son of man. They did eate, they

dranke, they married wives, they were given in marriage, ntill the day that Noah entred into the Arke, and the floud came and destroyed them all. Like∣wise also as it was in the daies of Lot, they did eate, they dranke, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodome, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all: E∣ven so shall it be in the day when the Sonne of man shall be revealed. The meaning is, they went on in the ordinary tract of their businesse, as if there had been no judgement toward, as also did the inhabitants of Jerusalem at this time, whom when Jesus saw so neere the brink of destruction, and yet so carelesse, he wept; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, when he considered what he was to suffer for that City, and what that City afterwards was to suffer because of him, his griefe ran over the naturall bankes his eies.

The same organ is ordained for seeing and weeping, to teach us, that weeping should not be without seeing, nor sorrowing without understan∣ding. The cause why we weep not for the desolation of our Jerusalem neere at hand (if this our present fasting and repenting in dust and ashes remove it not) is, because wee see not the evills that hang over our heads: wee see them not, because we put them farre from us, or hide them from our eies. The infant, while it lieth in the darke prison of the mothers wombe, never quatcheth nor weepeth; but as soone as ever it commeth out of the womb into the light, it knits the browes, and wrings the eyes, and cries, & taketh on: even so the childe of God, whilest he is yet kept in the darke of igno∣rance, in his unregenerate estate, never crieth to his Father, nor weepeth for his sinne; but as soone as the light of grace shineth upon him, hee be∣waileth his grievous misery, and never thinketh that he hath filled his cup of teares full enough. The spouts will not runne currently, if we pump not deep. If then wee would have the spouts which nature hath placed in our heads run aboundantly with teares of repentance, we must pump deep, we must dive deep into the springs of godly sorrow, which are the considera∣tion of our owne sinnes, and the afflictions of Gods people. Were Jesus now upon earth in his mortall body, and should behold this Kingdome as he did the City of Jerusalem, and take a survay of all the evills we doe, and are like to suffer, could he (thinke you) refraine from teares? would he not second his teares with groanes? And so I passe to the fourth step:

4. Ingemuit, he sighed, saying, If thou knewest, or, Oh that thou hadst knowne. The Greekes in their Proverbe give it for a character of a good man, that he is much subject to sighing, and free of his teares:

n 1.317〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

I am sure the best man that ever was, as hee wept more than once, so hee sighed often. When he opened the eares of the deafe and dumbe, and when the Pharisees seeking of him a signe tempted him, heo 1.318 sighed deeply in his spirit: and when he raisedp 1.319 Lazarus stinking in the grave; and againe in my Text. And this he doth not as God (for immunity from passion is a pre∣rogative of the divine nature) but, as Calvin teacheth, quia minister huic po∣pulo in salutem datus, as a minister of salvation to this people. Here then I cannot but reflect upon mine owne calling, and preach to Preachers and all Ministers of the Gospel, that by the example of our Lord and Master, the

high Priest and Bishop of our soules, we take chiefly and in a speciall man¦ner to heart the calamities of Gods people, and ruine of his Church. The eyes of our Saviour here, as likewise ofq 1.320 Esay,r 1.321 Jeremy, ands 1.322 Ezra, glazed with teares, are looking-glasses, wherein wee may see the duty enjoyned to us by the Prophet Joel,t 1.323 Let the Priests, the Ministers of God, weep between the porch and the altar. For in the spoiling of the country, and demolishing the Churches, and the houses of Prophets and Prophets children, Gods honour suffereth, whereof we ought to be most jealous: the soules of men are in no lesse danger than their bodies and estates, whereof we are to ren∣der an account; and as we are Gods mouth to the people, to declare his will to them, so we are their mouth to God, to present their supplications to him. All the measures of the Sanctuary were double to the common. As the measure of our knowledge is greater, so the measure of our g••iefe and sorrow in the affliction of Gods people ought to be corresponding. The same proportion holds in sorrow and joy. And therefore as in the common joy Saintu 1.324 Cyprian allotteth the Bishop a greater portion; so also in the com∣mon griefe our portion must needs bee the greatest. Wee stand upon the watch-towers of Sion, and the people take notice of dangers from the fiering of our beacons: we are as the praecentores chori, to give them the tune: we are as Trumpeters in Gods army; and if the Trumpet bee cracked, or give an uncertaine sound, how shall the souldiers prepare themselves to fight the Lords battels? If we (like Epaminondas) ought to fast, that the people may feast the more securely: watch, that they may sleep with more safety: weep, that they may rejoyce more freely; how much more ought we, being the Asaphs in this sad quire, accord with you in your groanes and cries, when we are strucke with the same griefes and feares, when the enemy aimeth not so much at the Common-wealth as at the Church, and not so much at the body as at the soule of the Church, the Religion wee pro∣fesse, and our most holy faith? O ubi estis fontes lachrymarum! O where are you fountaines of tears! where are gales of such sighes! such as love and devotion, and sympathy breathes out in my Text, If thou knewest. And so I passe to the last step:

5. Oravit, he prayed, saying, O that thou knewest, or, If thou knewest. In this prayer of our Saviour, our thoughts may find themselves holy im∣ployment, in seriously considering,

• 1. The manner or forme of speech, which is
  • 1. Figurative,
  • 2. Abrupt,
  • 3. Passionate.
• 2. The matter, which presenteth to our spirituall view
  • 1. The intimation of a desire, O that, or, If.
  • 2. The exprobration of Ignorance, Thou knewest.
  • 3. The aggravation upon the person, Thou, even thou.
  • 4. The designation of a time, In this thy day.

The sentence riseth by degrees, and Christ in every word groweth more and more upon Jerusalem. It is sinne and shame to be ignorant, most of all for Jerusalem, and that in the day of her visitation, especially of those things that belong to her peace. If other Cities might plead ignorance, yet

not thou: if thou mightst plead ignorance at another time, yet not in this thy day: if in this thy day thou mightst plead ignorance of other things, yet not of those things that belong to thy peace.

To begin with the forme and manner, which the more imperfect it is, the more perfectly it expresseth the passion, or rather compassion of the speaker. As a cracked pipe or bell giveth a harsh or uncertaine sound, so a broken heart for the most part uttereth broken speeches, interrupted with sighes. Constantine kissed the empty holes where Paphnutius eyes were plucked out; and we cannot but reverence the seeming emptinesse and va∣cuity in Scripture sentences, where the omission of something is more sig∣nificant than the supply (if the speech had been filled up) would have been. Those which have bin transported with passion, utter halfex 1.325 sentences, and faulter in the midst of a period, as the father in the Poet, who lost his only sonne, beginning to vent his griefe, and saying, Filius meus pollens ingenio, My sonne of rare parts, my sonne of great hope, there stops, and before he could say mortuus est, is dead, became himselfe speechlesse. Christ was here seized on by a double passion,

• 1. Of Commiseration,
• 2. Of Indignation.

Commiseration out of the apprehension of the overthrow of Jerusa∣lem, the Queen of all Cities, and the Sanctuary of the whole earth.

Indignation at the obstinacy, ingratitude and bloud-thirsty cruelty, and desperate madnesse of the present inhabitants, who wilfully refusing the meanes of their salvation, runne headlong to their owne perdition. I have been the briefer in handling the forme, that I might enlarge my selfe in the matter.

Thou knewest. Ignorance of Gods judgements draweth them upon a state: for the Lord hath a controversie with the land (saithy 1.326 Hosea) because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land: My people perish for lack of knowledge. The Schooles rightly distinguish of a double ignorance:

• 1. Facti, of the fact.
• 2. Juris, of the Law.

Ignorance of the fact in some case excuseth, but not of the law, which all are bound to take notice of: for Lex datur vigilantibus, non dormientibus; The law is given to men that are awake, and may and ought to heare it, not to men when they are asleep. The law, for the violation whereof the greatest part are condemned, is written in the tables of their hearts, to exclude all plea of ignorance: and certainly of all the errours of Popery, one of the grossest is their entitling ignorance the mother of devotion: for so farre is ignorance from being the mother of any vertue, that it is both

• 1. Peccatum,
• 2. Mater peccati,
• 3. Poena peccati.

It is sinne, and the punishment of sinne, and the parent of sinne. First it is sinne; for God in the Law appointed az 1.327 sacrifice for a trespasse by ignorance: and the servant in the Gospel, which knew not his Masters will, and there∣fore did it not, shall be beaten with fewera 1.328 stripes indeed than the other, who knew his Masters will, and did it not, yet with some. Secondly, it is the pa∣rent

of sinne, viz. of many errours in matter of faith, which, are sinnes: Thisb 1.329 people (saith God) hath erred in their heart, because they have not knowne my waies. And Christ imputeth the grosse errour of the Pharisees concer∣ning the resurrection to their ignorance of the Scriptures:c 1.330 Ye doe erre, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. And it is also the punishment of sinne, as we reade, Because they did not like to retaine God in theird 1.331 know∣ledge, God gave them over to a reprobate sense, and their foolish heart was darkened. Even this is a sin of ignorance, not to know that ignorance is a sin. I speake not only of ignorantia pravae dispositionis, of wilfull ignorance, but also of nescience, which they call simple ignorance: why else doth the Pro∣phet pray, Effunde aestum tuum in gentes quae te ignorant; Poure downe thine indignation upon thee 1.332 nations that know thee not, and upon the people that call not upon thy Name? Why doth the Apostle threatenf 1.333 flaming fire to all that know not God? I would S.g 1.334 Austines censure might upon good ground from Scripture be qualified, where he passeth the sentence of damnation to eter∣nall fire, even upon those who never had knowledge of the means of salvati∣on, and not only upon those who might have known them if they would.

Yea, but we have all knowledge, our ignorance will not cast us, the clea∣rest beames of the Gospel have for these many yeers shined in our climate; we should be most unthankful to him that dwelleth in an unaccessible light, if we should not acknowledge as much. It is most true in these parts, as in the part of heaven over our heads, we see continually many goodly starres, yea many constellations of starres; but as about the South pole, so in divers re∣mote parts of this Kingdome there is scarce any starre to be discerned, or if any, but a blinking starre of the sixth magnitude. Yet to yeeld us a greater knowledge than other nations, I feare that this plea will rather hurt us than help us; if we could say truly we were blind, we should not have so much to answer for: buth 1.335 now, because we say we see, our sinne remaineth, if we so perfectly know our Masters will, and doe it so imperfectly, a few stripes will not serve our turne:i 1.336 Doe ye thinke (saith Salvianus) that the heathen so much dishonour God when they forsweare themselves by their false gods, as you when you forsweare your selves by the true? Doe you thinke a Jew, or a Pagan, or a Papist by his profane or loose life causeth the truth to be so e∣vill spoken of, as we that have the word taught among us most purely, yet live impurely, who know better, yet doe worse? As we presume of our knowledge, so did Jerusalem, which is by interpretation thek 1.337 vision of peace, much more; yet our Saviour upbraideth her with ignorance, saying,

Thou, even thou. Our Saviour strikes twice upon the same string, he rub∣beth againe and againe upon the same sore: Thou, even thou. Thou which carriest peace in thy name, thinkest not thou of those things that belong to thy peace? Jerusalem was once the light of the world, and yet behold she is darknesse. From Moses to the daies of John Baptist, and from the daies of John Baptist till this present she was instructed by Seers sent from God, and directed to the way of peace, yet she seeth it not. Let those who assume to themselves most knowledge, take heed lest they be like Pentheus, Sapientes in omnibus praeterquam in iis in quibus sapientem esse convenit; wise in all things save those where wisedome might stead them.l 1.338 He is not to be accoun∣ted a wise man (saith the wisel 1.339 Poet) who knoweth simply most things, but who

knoweth things of most use. Is Jerusalem ignorant of the maine point of all, of the comming of the Messias, notwithstanding all the light she might have taken from the Law of Moses, & from the visions of the Prophets, & from the doctrine and miracles of our Saviour? how grosse then is that errour of all the rest in the Romish Church, by which shee maintaineth and holdeth, that she cannot erre? Was Jerusalem seated upon so high a hill, so neer hea∣ven, obscured with the fumes arising from the bottomlesse pit? and may not the City situated on seven hills have a thicke mist cast over her? What can shee plead for her immunity from errour in matter of faith more than Jerusalem could? that faith was planted in her by S. Peter? the Christian faith was planted in Jerusalem by Christ himselfe: that it was watered in her with the bloud of the Apostles? Jerusalem was watered with the bloud of Christ himselfe. If Rome can alledge any one promise made to her, Jeru∣salem can many. But to leave Rome, and come with a Nathans application to our selves, mee thinks, I heare Christ saying to us and our Church:

If thou, even thou, if thou which art the Queen of all the reformed Churches; if thou which hast enjoyed the sun-shine of the Gospel without any e∣clipse by persecution for more than 60. yeers; if thou who hast had line up∣on line, precept upon precept, admonition after admonition, & exhortation after exhortation; if thou whom God hath miraculously preserved from imminent destruction by defeating the invincible Armado in eighty eight, & since discovering the matchlesse powder plot; if thou, even thou, who sittest quietly under thine own vine, when all thy neighbour vines are plucked up by the roots, or trampled under foot; if thou, even thou knowest not, or wilt not take notice of the things that belong to thy peace,

At least in this thy day, that is, the day of thy visitation, the day of grace, a day given thee for this end, to provide for thy peace, to call thy selfe to an account, to consider how deeply thou hast engaged Gods justice to poure down the vialls of his vengeance upon thee, for thy rebellion against his or∣dinances, thy corporall and spirituall fornication, thy resisting the spirit of grace, thy peremptory refusing of the meanes of salvation, thy persecuting the truth, even to the death, and imbruing thy hands in the bloud of Gods dearest servants sent to thee early and late for thy peace.

Jerusalem had a day, and every City, every Nation, every Church, every congregation, every man hath a day of grace, if he have grace to take notice of it; hath an accepted time, if he accept of it: and he may find God, if he seek him in time. It was day at Jerusalem in Christs time, at Ephesus in S. Johns time, at Corinth, Philippi, &c. in S. Pauls time, at Creet in Titus time, at Alexandria in S. Markes time, at Smyrna in Polycarps time, at Per∣gamus in Antipas time, at Antiochia in Evodius and Ignatius time, at Con∣stantinople in S. Andrew and Chrysostomes time, at Hippo in Saint Austines time; now in most of these it is night, it is yet day with us: O let us worke out ourn 1.340 salvation with feare and trembling, whilest it iso 1.341 called to day; if the Sun of righteousnesse goe downe upon us, we must looke for nothing but perpetuall darknesse, and the shadow of death. Although Ninevehs day la∣sted forty daies, and Jerusalems forty yeers, and the old worlds 120. yeers, and although God should prolong our daies to many hundred yeeres, yet we should find our day short enough to finish our intricate accounts. That

day in the language of the holy Ghost is called our day, wherein wee either doe our own will and pleasure, or which God giveth us of speciall grace to cleare our accounts, and make our peace with him; but that is called the Lords day, either which he challengeth to himselfe for his speciall service, or which he hath appointed for all men to appeare before his Tribunall, to give an account of their own workes. A wicked man maketh Gods day his owne, by following his owne pleasures, and doing his own will upon it, and li∣ving wholly to himselfe, and not to God; but the godly maketh his owne daies Gods daies, by imploying them in Gods service, and devoting them as farre as his necessary occasion will permit wholly to him. Wherefore it is just with God to take away from the wicked part of his owne daies, by shortening his life upon earth, and to give to the godly part of his day, which is eternity in heaven.

I noted before a flaw and breach in the sentence, as it were a bracke in a rich cloth of Tissu. If thou knewest in this thy day: what then? thou wouldst weep, saith S.p 1.342 Gregory: thou wouldest not neglect so great salvation, saithq 1.343 Euthyrtius: it would bee better with thee, saith Titus Bostrensis: thou wouldst repent in sackcloth and ashes, saithr 1.344 Brugensis. But I will not pre∣sume to adde a line to a draugh•• from which such a workman hath taken off his pensill, and for the print I should make after the pattern in my Text, and now in the application lay it close to your devout affections, I may spare my farther labour and your trouble: for it is made by authority, which hath commanded us to take notice of those things that belong to our peace, viz. to walke humbly with our God by fasting and prayer: wherefore junga∣mus fletibus fletus, lachrymas lachrymis misceamus; let us conspire in our sighes, let us accord in our groanes, let us mingle our teares, let us send up our joynt praiers as a vollie of shot to batter the walls of heaven: let all our hearts consort with our tongues, and our soules with our bodies: what wee doe or suffer in our humiliation, let it be willingly, and not by constrant; & let our praiers and strong cries in publike be ecchoed by the voice of our weeping in private: who knoweth whether God may not send us an issue out of our present troubles by meanes unexpected? who knoweth not whether he may not have calicem benedictionis, a cup of blessing in store for those his servants beyond the sea, who have drank deep of the cup of trem∣bling? Christ his bowells are not streightened, but our sins are enlarged, else it would be otherwise with them and with us. I have given you a generall prescription, will ye yet have more particular recipe's? take then an electu∣ary of foure simples:

The first I gather from our Saviours garden, Let yours 1.345 loines be girt, and your lamps in your hands. Let your loines be girt, that is, your lusts be curbed & restrained; and your lamps burning, that is, your devotions enflamed. Gird up your loines by mortification & discipline, and have your lamps burning, both the light of faith in your hearts, and of good workes in your hands.

The second I gather from S. John Baptists garden,t 1.346 Bring forth fruits meet for repentance, or worthy amendment of life: let your sorrowes be* 1.347 answe∣rable to your sinfull joyes, let the fruit of your repentance equall, if not ex∣ceed the forbidden fruit of your sin; wherein ye have most displeased God, seek most to please him. Have ye offended him in your tongue by oathes?

please him now by lauding and praising his dreadfull name, and reproving swearing in others. Have ye offended in your eies by beholding vanity and casting lascivious glances upon fading beauty enticing to folly? make a co∣venant from henceforth with your eies, that they cast not a look upon the world, or the flesh's baits, imploy them especially from henceforth in reading holy Scriptures, and weeping for your sins. Have ye offended in thought? sanctifie now all your meditations unto him. Have ye offended in your sports? let now your delight beu 1.348 in the Law of God, let the Scriptures bee your* 1.349 delicacies with S. Austine, meditate upon them day and night, make the Lords holy-day your delight, Esay 58.15. and honour him thereon, not fol∣lowing your owne waies, nor finding your owne pleasure, nor speaking your owne words.

The third I gather from S. James his garden,x 1.350 Cast down your selves be∣fore the Lord, and he will lift you up. The Lion contenteth himselfe with ca∣sting downe a man: if he couch under him, and make no resistance, he offe∣reth no more violence.

Corpora magnanimo satis est prostrâsse Leoni.

It is most true, if we speake of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah: for hee will not break a bruised reed, much lesse grind to powder a contrite heart. If A∣habs outward humiliation (who notwithstanding had sold himselfe to worke wickednes) in some degree appeased Gods wrath: how much will inward & outward humiliation of the redeemed of God prevaile with him to remove his heavie judgements from us, which he inflicteth on us, especially to hum∣ble us? and if he find us humbled already, hee will doubtlesse lay no more load upon us.

The last I gather from King Davids garden:y 1.351 Kisse the Son. God hath a controversie with us as he had with the Israelites in the daies of* 1.352 Hosea, and no man can plead for us, but ourz 1.353 Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. We have so far provoked the Almighty, some by profanenesse, some by superstition, some by indifferency in point of Religion, some by covetousnesse and extortion, some by fraud and falshood, some by quarrel∣ling and contention, some by swearing and blaspheming, some by gluttony and drunkennesse, some by chambering and wantonnesse, that he hath alrea∣dy taken hold of his glittering sword, and who in heaven or in earth can or dare treat for our peace, but Christ our peace-maker, who hath signed a league of amity between God & all beleevers with his own bloud? Where∣fore, as Themistocles, understanding that King Admetus was highly dis∣pleased with him, took up his young sonne into his armes, and treated with the father holding that his darling in his bosome, and thereby appeased the Kings wrath; so let us come to the Father, with Christ in our armes: let us present our suites by him, He is oura 1.354 eye with which we see God, our hand by which we offer to him, he is our mouth by which we speake to him. By this eye we look upon thee, O thou that dwellest in the heavens; by this hand we of∣fer unto thee the incense of our zealous affections; by this mouth we send up our prayers with our sighes unto thee.

O Lord turne thy face from our sins, and looke on thy well beloved Son in thy bosome: consider not our actions, but his passions: weigh not our transgressions, but his merits: regard not our sinfull pleasures, but his

painfull torments: respect not our wicked life, but his most innocent death: heale us by his stripes, cure us by his wounds, free us by his bonds, ease us by his torments, comfort us by his agony, and revive us by his death. To whom, with the Father, &c.

Notes

• a 1.1

  In fest. dedic. Tantò nobis debet esse de∣votior, quanto est familiarior. Nam caeteras quidem solem∣nitates cum a∣liis ecclesiis habemus com∣munes, haec nobis est pro∣pria, ut necesse sit à nobis vel à nemine cele∣brari.
• * 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• b 1.3

  Ezra 7.4.
• c 1.4

  Chrysost. in Psal. 20.
• d 1.5

  Apoc. 1.8.
• e 1.6

  Exod. 6.3.
• f 1.7

  De coron. mil. Ap d Deum tam mi∣les est Paga∣nus fidelis, quam Paganus est miles infi∣delis.
• g 1.8

  Rom. 11.26.
• h 1.9

  Exod. 19.5. Deut. 14.2.
• i 1.10

  2 Pet. 3.13.
• k 1.11

  Erasm. in Apoph. Cic.
• l 1.12

  Aug. ep. ad Hieron.
• m 1.13

  1 Cor. 9.22.
• n 1.14

  Hom. 1. in. Cant. Singulis quibusque sen∣sibus animae singula quae{que} Christus effi∣citur: idcirco verum lumen, ut habeant a∣nimae quo il∣luminentur: idcirco verbū, ut habeant aures quod audiant: id∣circo panis vi∣tae, ut habeat gustus quod degustet: id∣circo unguen∣tum & nardus, ut habeat odo∣ratus animae fragrantiam verbi: idcirco & palpabilis & verbum caro dicitur, ut pos∣sit interioris animae manus contingere de verbo vitae.
• o 1.15

  August. confess. Sic curas unum∣quemque tanquam solú cures, & sic omnes tan∣quam singu∣los.
• p 1.16

  Aristot. de som. & vigil.
• q 1.17

  Aristot. vit. praefix. op.
• r 1.18

  Mark. 14.37.
• s 1.19

  Calvin in Psal. 121.
• t 1.20

  Bucer in Psal. 121.
• u 1.21

  Psal. 129.1, 2.
• * 1.22

  Matt. 16.18.
• x 1.23

  Psal. 147.13.
• y 1.24

  Gen. 22.17.
• z 1.25

  Job 7.20.
• * 1.26

  Deut. 32.11.
• a 1.27

  Zach. 2.8.
• b 1.28

  Psal. 91.4, 10, 11, 12, 13.
• c 1.29

  Psal. 44.23, 26.
• d 1.30

  Psal. 9.19.
• e 1.31

  Psal. 35.23.
• f 1.32

  Psal. 44.23.
• g 1.33

  Psal. 59 4.
• h 1.34

  Psal. 68.1.
• i 1.35

  Claud. de Theodos.
• k 1.36

  Psal. 127.1.
• l 1.37

  Fax signifieth a torch or brand, Faux a chop.
• m 1.38

  Novelties shall passe with a cracke, and he shall give them a blow, &c.
• n 1.39

  See a dis∣course of the Powder trea∣son in the sup∣plement of Foxe his Mar∣tyrologie.
• * 1.40

  This last yeere 1635. the house where Catesby plotted this treason in Lambeth, was casually burnt downe to the ground by powder.
• o 1.41

  Judg. 7.31
• a 1.42

  Gen. 22.7.
• b 1.43

  Liv. dec. 3. l. 2.
• * 1.44

  Mar. 15.40.
• g 1.45

  Pickolom. Phys.
• h 1.46

  Cyp. de laps. Saevitum est in plagas, & jam in servis Dei non tor∣quebantur membra, sed vulnera.
• i 1.47

  Aug. confes. l. 9. c. 11. Nihil longé est à Deo, nec ti∣mendum mihi ille ne ag∣noscat in fine saeculi unde resuscitet.
• k 1.48

  Lib. 1. de ci¦vit. Dei, c. 12. Omnia ista curatio funeris, conditio se∣pultu••ae pom∣pa exequia∣••um m••gis sun•• solatia vivorum quàm subsidia mor∣tuorum. Et c. 13. Si enim paterna vestis & annulus tan∣tò charior est posteris, quan∣tò erga paren∣tes major est affectus, nullo modo spernan∣da sunt corpo∣ra, quae utique multo familia∣rius atque con∣junctius quàm quaelibet indu∣menta gesta∣mus.
• l 1.49

  Annal. l. 10. Phoenici cura primo sepeli∣endi patris, sublato myr∣rhae pondere subit patrium corpus, & in Solis templum perfert.
• m 1.50

  Gen 3.19.
• n 1.51

  Eccles. 12.7.
• o 1.52

  Psal. 30.9.
• p 1.53

  Plin nat. hist. l. 2. c. 63. Haec nascentes exci∣pit, natos alit novissimè complexa gre∣mio jam reli∣quà naturà ab∣dicatos, tum maximé ut mater operi∣ens, nomen prorogat ti••u∣lis, &c.
• s 1.54

  Mar. 9.3.
• a 1.55

  Hom. in die ascens. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• b 1.56

  Cant. 4.16.
• c 1.57

  Ephes. 4.30. Grieve not the holy spirit of God, where∣by yee are sea∣led to the day of redemption.
• d 1.58

  1 Cor. 12.4, 5, 8. There are differences of administrations, but the same Lord: and diversitie of gifts, but the same spirit. For to one is gi∣ven by the same spirit, the word of wisdome, unto another the word of knowledge, by the same spirit.
• e 1.59

  And 2 Cor. 3.8. How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
• f 1.60

  Calv. in Act Anteà respersi erant, nunc plenè imbuti.
• g 1.61

  Aug. hom. de Pent. Nunc ipsa substantia sacri defluxit unguenti, cujus fragrantia to∣tius orbis lati∣tudo implere∣tur; & iterum adfuit hoc die fidelibus, non per gratiam visitationis & operationis, sed per praesen∣tiam majesta∣tis.
• h 1.62

  Concil. Elib. c. 43. Cuncti diem Penteco∣stes celebrent, qui non fece∣rit quasi no∣vam heresem induxerit pu∣matur.
• i 1.63

  Serm. in die Pent. Si cele∣bramus san∣ctorum solen∣nia, quanto magis ejus à quo habue∣runt ut sancti essent, quot∣quot fuerunt sancti? si vene∣ramur sanctifi∣catos, quanto magis sanctifi∣catorem?
• k 1.64

  Act. 1.4.
• l 1.65

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• m 1.66

  In haec ver∣ba, ut ostende∣ret & tum spi∣ritum sanctum legem tulisse, & nunc legem ferre.
• o 1.67

  Aug. hom. de Pent Sicut 50. post pascha die lex lata fuit manu Dei scripta in tabulis lapideis: ita spiritus, cujus officium erat eam cordibus inscribere, condem diebus post resurrectio∣nem Christi, qui est pascha nostrum, implevit, quod in legis promulgatione figuratum erat.
• p 1.68

  Chrys. hom. de Pent. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c.
• q 1.69

  Calv. com. in Act. 2. Festo die quo ingens multitudo Hierosolymae confluere so∣lebat, editum est miraculum quo illustrius redderetur.
• r 1.70

  Aug. serm. de Pent. Tan∣quam duode∣cim radii solis, seu totidem lampades veri∣tatis totum mundum illu∣minantes.
• s 1.71

  Exod. 15.27.
• t 1.72

  Apoc. 12.1.
• u 1.73

  Apoc. 21.14.
• * 1.74

  Matt. 18.20. When two or three are ga∣thered toge∣ther in my name, there am I in the middest of them. And,
• x 1.75

  John 16.13. When the spi∣rit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth.
• y 1.76

  Ezek. 37.7, 8.
• z 1.77

  Serm. de Temp. Mem∣brum amputa∣tum non se∣quitur spiritus: cùm in corpo∣re erat vive∣bat, precisum amittit spiri∣tum.
• * 1.78

  Plin. l. 2. nat. hist. c. 105. Lapis Tyr∣rhenus grandis innatat, com∣minutus mer∣gitur.
• a 1.79

  Acts 1.4.
• b 1.80

  Esay 2.3.
• c 1.81

  Com. in Act. Ut discamus quod datur spiritus iis qui se ab imis at∣tollunt, & rerū sublimium contemplati∣one ut cibo se oblectant.
• a 1.82

  Greg. tert. pas. Omnes quos implet, & columbae sim∣plicitate man∣suetos, & igne zeli ardentes exhibet. Et ib. Intus arsit ignibus amoris, & foras accensus est zelo severitatis: causam populi apud Deum lachrymis, causam Dei apud populum gladiis allegabat, &c.
• b 1.83

  Mat. 12.34.
• c 1.84

  Rom. 10.10.
• d 1.85

  Psal. 45.1.
• e 1.86

  Oecumen. in Act. c. 2 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• f 1.87

  Mat. 8.26.
• g 1.88

  Psal. 135.7.
• h 1.89

  John 3.8.
• i 1.90

  Gen. 7.11.
• k 1.91

  Gen. 19.24.
• l 1.92

  Mat. 3.17.
• m 1.93

  John 12.28.
• n 1.94

  Rev. 14 13.
• o 1.95

  Rom. 4.15.
• p 1.96

  Exod. 3.2.
• q 1.97

  Mat. 3.16.
• r 1.98

  Plin. nat. hist. l. 2. c. 97. Eo die quo pulsus est Dionysius regno, mare dulcescebat in portu.
• s 1.99

  Plin. l. 2. nat. hist. c. 83. In agro Muti∣nensi duo montes inter se concurre∣bant crepitu maximo assul∣tantes.
• t 1.100

  Joseph. de bel. Jud. l. 7. c. 12. Supra civita∣tem stetit sy∣dus simile gladio, & per annum perse∣veravit.
• u 1.101

  Concil. Arau∣sic. c. 6. Si quis sine gratiâ Dei credentibus, volentibus, pulsantibus, &c.
• x 1.102

  Orig. in Cant. Conspicit Sponsa Spon∣sum, qui con∣spectus statim abscessit, & frequenter hoc in toto carmi∣ne facit, quod nisi quis patia∣tur non potest intelligere: sae∣pe, Deus est te∣stis, Sponsum mihi adventa∣te conspexi, & mecum esse, & subitò rece∣dentem inve∣nire non po∣tui.
• z 1.103

  Gal. 1.8.
• y 1.104

  Esay 8.20.
• * 1.105

  Aug. contr. lit. Petil. l. 3. c. 6. Praeter∣quam quod in Scripturis lega∣libus, & Evan∣gelicis acce∣pistis, Anathe∣ma sit.
• a 1.106

  Act. 1.4.
• b 1.107

  John 15.26. When the com∣forter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Fa∣ther. Act. 1.5. Yee shall be bapti∣zed with the holy Ghost, not many dayes hence.
• c 1.108

  Lactan. instit. l. 3. c. 30. Ecce vox de coelo veritatem do∣cens, & sole ipso clarius lu∣men osten∣dens.
• d 1.109

  John 3.8.
• a 1.110

  Cael. Rodig. lib. antiq. lect. Nunquam de Deo sine lu∣mine loquen∣dum.
• b 1.111

  Salv. de gu∣bern. lib. 1. Tanta est Ma∣jestatis sacrae, & tam tre∣menda reve∣rentia, ut non solùm illa quae contra re∣ligionem no∣stram dicun∣tur horrete, sed etiam quae pro religione ipsi dicimus cum grandi metu dicere debeamus.
• c 1.112

  Bernard. serm. de Pent. Sunt dispertitae linguae propter multiplices cogitationes, sed earum multiplicitas, & uno lumine veritatis, & uno charitatis fervore fit tanquam ignis.
• d 1.113

  C••rysol. serm. de Pent. No∣va lucis fulgu∣ra corusc••runt, & micantium splendor lin∣guarū: igneae ut scirent quod loquerentur, linguae ut lo∣querentur quod scirent.
• e 1.114

  Mark. 16.17.
• f 1.115

  Act. 1.5.
• g 1.116

  1 Cor. 14.2.
• i 1.117

  Tract. 99. in Johan. Non magis ad unitatem personae spi∣ritui sancto hic ignis fuit conjunctus, ut ex illo & Deo una persona constaret, quam colum∣ba, Matth. 3. ista enim fa∣cta sunt de creaturâ servi∣ente, non de ipsâ dominan∣te naturà.
• k 1.118

  Joh. 6.10, 11, 12, 13.
• l 1.119

  2 Pet. 1.21.
• m 1.120

  Rom. 10.10.
• n 1.121

  Psal. 16.9. & 30.13 & 57.9. Buxtorph. E∣pit. radic.
• o 1.122

  Chap. 3.6.
• p 1.123

  Hieroglyph. l. 33.
• q 1.124

  In Act. Quia in proximo debebant di∣vidi in omnes terras.
• r 1.125

  Exod. 3.2.
• s 1.126

  Chrys. in Act. 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• t 1.127

  1 Tim. 4.13, 14, 15.
• u 1.128

  Lorinus in Act. c. 2.
• * 1.129

  Chrys. in act. c. 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• x 1.130

  Matt. 18.18. Whatsoever ye binde on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever yee loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
• y 1.131

  Apoc. 21.14.
• z 1.132

  Bernard. in verb. Christi. Ille erat lu∣cerna ardens, & lucens; lu∣cere vanum est, ardere parum, lucere, & ar∣dere perfe∣ctum.
• a 1.133

  Matt. 10.20.
• b 1.134

  1 Cor. 13.1.
• c 1.135

  Vers. 1.16.
• d 1.136

  Vers. 22.
• e 1.137

  1 Cor. 2.10. The Spirit searcheth all things.
• a 1.138

  John 19.34.
• b 1.139

  Exod. 12.46.
• c 1.140

  Zech. 12.10.
• d 1.141

  Chrysost. Cy∣rillus, Theophi∣lact. in hunc locum, Dama∣scenus lib. 4. de fid. c. 10. Aug. l. 2. de Symb. c. 6. & tract. 9. in Johan.
• e 1.142

  Bernard. in dic Pasch. Fe∣ria sexta rede∣mit hominem, ipso die, quo fecerat, sequen∣ti die sabbati∣zavit in mo∣numento.
• f 1.143

  Luke 22.19.
• g 1.144

  1 John 5 6.
• h 1.145

  Hieron. in hunc locum. Quem••dmo∣dum si quis peregre profi∣cis••••ns aliquid pignoris ei quem diligit derelinquit, ut quoti••scunque illud vid ••t, possit ejus be∣neficia & ami∣citias memo∣rare, quod ille si perf••ctè di∣lexit, non po∣test sine ingen∣te desid••rio vi∣dere vel ••etu.
• i 1.146

  V••rg Aen 3.
• k 1.147

  Esa. 53.5, 6.
• l 1.148

  Praef. institut. Nusquam legi∣mus reprehen∣sos qui nimium de fonte aquae vitae hauserint.
• m 1.149

  John 6.49.
• n 1.150

  John 6.48.
• o 1.151

  In ep. ad Cor. 1. c. 11. Materi∣alis, qui debet sumi parcè, da∣ri largè: sacra∣mentalis, qui debet sumi in∣nocenter, tra∣ctari reveren∣tèr: spiritualis, scilicet passio∣nis vel poeni∣tentiae, qui de∣bet sumi liben∣ter, sustineri lae∣tanter: vitupe∣rabilis, qui de∣bet estundi sim∣plicitèr.
• p 1.152

  Psal. 23.5.
• q 1.153

  Jer. 16.7. Lam. 4.21. Ezek. 23.33.
• r 1.154

  1 Cor. 10.6.
• s 1.155

  Mat 26.27.
• t 1.156

  Mat. 19.6.
• * 1.157

  Mat. 26.28.
• x 1.158

  Cypr. ep. 54. Quomodo provocamus eos in confes∣sione nominis Christi sangui∣nem suum fun∣dere, si iis mi∣litaturis Chri∣sti sanguinem denegamus? aut quomodo ad Martyrii poculum ido∣neos facimus, si non eos pri∣us ad biben∣dum in Eccle∣siâ poculum jure communi∣cationis admittimus?
• y 1.159

  Gratian. de consecrat. distinct. 2. Quotidié Eucharistiam dominicam accipere, nec laudo, nec vitupero; omnibus tamen dominicis communicandum hortor Ibid. Qui in natali Domini Paschate & Pentecoste non communicaverint, catholici non credantur, nec inter catholicos habeantur.
• z 1.160

  Part. 3. q. 63. art. 1. Ideò ad Sacramenti hujus integri∣tatem duo concurrunt, scilicet, spiritu∣alis cibus & potus. Et q. 80. art. 12. Ex par∣te ipsius Sacra∣menti conve∣nit, quod u∣trumque suma∣tur, corpus scilicet & san∣guis, quia in utroque consi∣stit perfectio Sacramenti.
• * 1.161

  Bonavent. in 4. sent. dist. 11. part. 2. art. 1. Perfecta re∣fectio non est in parte tan∣tùm, sed in u∣troque: ideò non in uno tantùm per∣fectè signatur Christus ut reficiens, sed in utroque.
• a 1.162

  Soto in 12. distinct. q. 1. art. 12. Sacra∣mentum non nisi in utrâque specie, quan∣tum ad inte∣gram signifi∣cation em per∣ficitur.
• b 1.163

  Psal. 130 7.
• c 1.164

  Plin. l. 22. c. 15. Scorpius herba v••let adversus ani∣mal sui nomi∣nis.
• a 1.165

  Cic. de leg. Manil. Ita ta∣men supera∣runt, ut ille pulsus supera∣tusque regna∣ret.
• b 1.166

  Hier. ep. 7. In quadragesima abstinentiae vela pandenda sunt & tota au∣rigae retinacula laxanda.
• c 1.167

  Psal. 119.57.
• d 1.168

  Cic. de clar. orat. In animis auditorum a∣culeos reli∣quit.
• e 1.169

  Bodin. l. 4. de rep. c. 7. Majo∣res Herculem Celticum se∣nem effinge∣bant, ex cujus ore catenarum maxima vis ad aures infinitae multitudinis perveniret, &c.
• f 1.170

  John 21.11.
• g 1.171

  Ver. 23, 24.
• h 1.172

  Rom. 11.8.
• i 1.173

  Lorin. in Act. c. 2. Dicitur dolor de pec∣cato admisso, quod est com∣punctio, vel quia aperitur cordis aposte∣ma, vel quia vulneratur cor amore Dei, vel quia daemon dolore & in∣vidiâ saucia∣tur.
• k 1.174

  Cic. 3. de Ora. Totum corpus hominis, & omnes ejus vultus, omnes∣que voces, ut nervi infidibus ita sonant, & à motu quoque animi sint pulsae.
• l 1.175

  Psal. 45.1.
• m 1.176

  Rom. 10.10.
• n 1.177

  Luke 6.45.
• o 1.178

  Lorin. com∣ment. in Act. c. 2. Aliàs no∣tatum est quo∣ties Petri cum aliis Apostolis mentio fit, Pe∣trum primo loco poni tan∣quam ducem, ideoque nunc Judaei omnes ad illum se convertunt. & in c. 1. v. 13. Facit ad Petri primatum non mediocriter, quod tum Lucas in isto capite, sicut in Evangelio, texens Apostolorum catalogum, ut etiam Matthaeus & Marcus, pri∣mum ante omnes nominant.
• p 1.179

  Baron. ad an. 34. p. 303. Eadem virtus umbrae corpo∣ris Petri tra∣dita, quae & corpori, ut cognoscamus tantam gratia∣rū copiā Petro collatam, ut eadem dona in successoribus, qui referunt personam Pe∣tri, propagari Deus voluerit.
• q 1.180

  Gal. 2.9. James, Cephas, and John, who seemed pillars.
• s 1.181

  Marke 16.7. Tell the disci∣ples and Peter.
• r 1.182

  John 4.2. the citie of Andrew and Peter.
• t 1.183

  2 Cor. 7.9, 11.
• u 1.184

  Salvianus de gubernat. Dei, lib. 1. Utilia magis quam plausibilia se∣ctari, nec le∣nocinia quae∣rere sed reme∣dia.
• * 1.185

  Bern. in Cant. Illius doctoris vo∣cem libentiùs audio, non qui sibi plausum, sed qui mihi planctum mo∣vet.
• x 1.186

  Hieron. Ne∣pot. Te docen∣te in ecclesiâ, non clamor populi, sed gemitus susci∣piatur; lachry∣mae auditorum tuae laudes sint.
• y 1.187

  Joh. 10.3, 27.
• z 1.188

  Esay 1.1.
• * 1.189

  Mat. 13.43. Mat. 17.5.
• a 1.190

  Apoc. 2.7.
• b 1.191

  Rom. 10.14, 17.
• c 1.192

  Zach. 7.13.
• d 1.193

  2 Cor. 12.4.
• e 1.194

  Adrian. Jun. emblem. Mu∣stella concipit aure, parit ore.
• f 1.195

  Acts 2.21. Rom. 10.13. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, &c.
• g 1.196

  Rom. 10.14.
• h 1.197

  Ambros. de Offic. l. 1. Et quantumvis quisque profe∣cerit, nemo est qui doceri non queat donec vivit.
• i 1.198

  1 Tim. 4.15.
• k 1.199

  2 Pet. 3.18.
• l 1.200

  Psal. 19.7.
• m 1.201

  Eccles. 12.11.
• n 1.202

  Heb. 4.12.
• o 1.203

  Luke 10.18.
• p 1.204

  Zab. Phys.
• q 1.205

  2 Tim. 3.17.
• r 1.206

  Rom. 1.16.
• s 1.207

  Junius in vita.
• t 1.208

  Luke 18.22.
• u 1.209

  Rom. 13.13, 14.
• * 1.210

  Aug. conf. l. 8. c. 12. Surgens ab Alypio ut flerem, de vici∣nâ domo audi∣vi vocem, Tol∣le, lege: tum cogitabam pue∣rine solebant tale aliquid cantare, nec occurrebat au∣divisse me. Us∣piam represso impetu lachry∣marū, surrexi, interpretans me divinitùs doceri codi∣cem aperire & legere. Itaque reversus ad lo∣cum ubi sede∣bat Alypius, ibi enim posu∣cram codicem, aperui & le∣gi in caput quo conjecti sunt oculi mei, Rom. 13. Non in comessati∣onibus, &c. Rem Alypio indicavi, petit videre quod legissem, & ostendit ultrà quàm ego lege∣ram quod se∣quitur, Infirmū in fide assumi∣te, quod ille ad se retulit.
• x 1.211

  Apoc. 9.7, 10.
• y 1.212

  In verbo com∣punct. Com∣punctio est humilitas mentis cum la∣chrymis, veni∣ens de recor∣datione pecca∣ti, & timore judicii.
• z 1.213

  Ex Aquinate in supplement. Humilitas mentis inter spem & timorem annihilans peccatum: nam ut vermis qui nascitur in ligno lig∣num exest, ita dolor ex peccato peccatum ipsum absumit.
• * 1.214

  Tertul. de poenitent. Mi∣serum est secu∣ri & cauterio exuri, & pulvo∣ris alicujus mordacitate cruciari; atta∣men quae per insuaviem medentur, & emolumento curationis of∣fensam sui ex∣cusant, & prae∣sentem injuri∣am superveni∣entis utilitatis gratia com∣mendat.
• a 1.215

  Cypr. de laps. Alto vulneri diligens, & longa medici∣na ne desit poenitentia crimine minor non sit.
• b 1.216

  Tertul. de poenit. Fletu fletum, tem∣porali afflicti∣one aeterna supplicia ex∣pungite: in quantum non peperceritis vobis, in tan∣tum vobis par∣cet Deus.
• * 1.217

  Ver. 13.
• * 1.218

  Ver. 29.
• a 1.219

  Cont. Helvid. c. 7. Scriptura divina dicit fratres, 1. natu∣râ, 2. gente, 3. cognatione, 4 affectu: quod postremum di∣viditur in spi∣rituale & com∣mune: spiri∣tuale, quo om∣nes Christiani fratres vocantur; commune, quo omnes homines ex uno patre nati pari inter se germanitate conjunguntur.
• b 1.220

  Plut. de a∣mor. fratr.
• c 1.221

  Phil. 1.9.
• d 1.222

  Heb. 13.1.
• e 1.223

  John 13.35. By this all men shall know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one an∣ther.
• f 1.224

  Gen. 13.8.
• g 1.225

  Cic. famil. ep. l. 9. Noli pati litig••re fra∣tres, & judiciis turpi••us con∣flictari.
• g 1.226

  Cic. famil. ep. l. 9. Noli pati litig••re fra∣tres, & judiciis turpi••us con∣flictari.
• h 1.227

  Ephes. 4.3.
• i 1.228

  Coel. Rodig. antiq. lect. l. 16. & 19.
• k 1.229

  Micah 7.19
• l 1.230

  Plut. lib. de fraterno amo∣••e.
• m 1.231

  John 4.8.
• n 1.232

  Mat. 23.8.
• o 1.233

  1 Pet 3.8, 9.
• p 1.234

  Acts 4.32. The multitude of them that beleeved, were of one heart, & of one soule.
• q 1.235

  Luke 18.8.
• r 1.236

  Mat. 5.9.
• s 1.237

  Jam. 3.18.
• t 1.238

  Pro. 6.16, 19. These sixe things doth the Lord hate, yea seven are abo∣mination unto him: a false witnesse that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among bre∣thren.
• u 1.239

  Cic. tusc. 1. Optimum non nasci, proxi∣mum quàm ci∣tissimè mori.
• * 1.240

  Ephes. 4.26.
• x 1.241

  Mart. epig. lib. 1. Si Lucane ti∣bi, vel si tibi, Tulle, daren∣tur, Qualia Le∣daei fata Laco∣nes habent, &c.
• y 1.242

  Mart. epig. lib. 1.
• z 1.243

  Plut. de fra∣terno amore.
• a 1.244

  Cic. offic. l. 1.
• a 1.245

  Eccles. 12.11.
• b 1.246

  Salvianus de prov. l. 1. cap. 1.
• c 1.247

  Aug. Serm. de temp. Lachry∣mae sanguis animae.
• d 1.248

  In. Act. c. 2. Concionis fru∣ctum refert Lucas, ut scra∣mus non modo in lingu••rum varietate ex••r∣tam fuisse spi∣ritus sancti vir∣tutem, sed in eorum etiam cordibus qui credebant.
• e 1.249

  Heb. 4.12.
• f 1.250

  Mercenar. phys. dilucid. obscus. dict. Aristot.
• g 1.251

  Li. despectac.
• h 1.252

  Chrys. in Act. Homil. 5. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. ib. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c.
• i 1.253

  Gal. 6.1.
• k 1.254

  Cic. famil. epist.
• l 1.255

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• m 1.256

  Cic pro Rose. Amer.
• n 1.257

  Juvenal sat. 17.
• o 1.258

  Cic. ib. Sua quem{que} fraus, & suus terror maxime vexar: suum quemque sc••lus agitat, suae mal•• cogi∣tationes con∣s••ientiaeque a∣nimi terrent.
• p 1.259

  Rom. 2.9.
• q 1.260

  1 Tim. 4.2.
• r 1.261

  Plutar. in vit. Brut. Iterum me Philippis videbis.
• s 1.262

  Calv. in Act. Hoc poeniten∣tiae initium est, imo ad pieta∣tem ingressus, tristitiam ex peccatis nostris concipere, ac malorum no∣strorum sensu vulnerari: quā∣diù enim secu∣ri sunt homi∣nes, fieri non potest ut seriò animum at∣tendant ad do¦ctrinam; sed compunctioni accedere debet promptitudo ad parendum. Compuncti fu∣erunt Cain & Judas, sed ob∣stitit despera∣tio, quo minùs se Deo subjice∣rent; nam mens horrore occu∣pata, nihil ali∣ud quam fuge∣re Deum po∣test.
• t 1.263

  Mercenar. l. de Putred. cont. Erast. Putredo est eductio ca∣loris naturalis à calore ambi∣ente.
• u 1.264

  Gen. 4.13.
• * 1.265

  Heb. 12.17.
• x 1.266

  Act. 4.18.
• y 1.267

  1 Thes. 4.13.
• z 1.268

  Mat. 7.21.
• a 1.269

  Mark. 10.17.
• b 1.270

  Luk 3.10.12.14.
• c 1.271

  Act. 16.30.
• d 1.272

  Mat. 7.24.
• e 1.273

  James 1.22. Ezek. 1.8.
• g 1.274

  Habac. 2.4. Rom. 1.17.
• h 1.275

  James 2.20.
• i 1.276

  Luk. 17.10.
• k 1.277

  Gal. 6.10.
• l 1.278

  Phil. 3.9.
• m 1.279

  Mat. 5.20.
• a 1.280

  Eras. chil.
• b 1.281

  Cyp. ep. 1. Incumbamus igitur gemiti∣bus assiduis, & deprecationi∣bus crebris: haec enim sunt arma coelestia, quae stare & perseverare for∣titer faciunt; haec sunt muni∣menta spiritua∣lia & tela divina, quae protegunt nos. Et serm. de laps. Oportet transigere vigiliis noctes, tempus omne lachrymosis lamentationibus occupare stratos solo adhaerere cineri, in cilicio volutari & sordibus.
• c 1.282

  Hom. Il. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• d 1.283

  Joh. 11.36.
• e 1.284

  Bell. lib. 3. de sacr. Euch. c. 3. & 4.
• f 1.285

  Aelian. de Var. hist. lib. 4. Pythagoras eo∣dem die & ho∣râ visus est in Metapentio, & Crotona, & in Olympo femur aureum osten∣dit.
• g 1.286

  Math. 28.6.
• h 1.287

  Lib. 4. contr. Eutic. Christi corpus quando in terra fuit, non erat utique in coelo: & nunc quia est in coelo, non est utique in terra.
• i 1.288

  Aug. l. 20. cont. Faust. Manic. c. 11. Secun∣dum praesenti∣am spiritualē? nullo modo pati illa possit secundum prae∣sentiam cor∣poralem? si∣mul in sole, & luna, & cruce esse non possit.
• k 1.289

  Eras. Apoph.
• l 1.290

  Sueton in Ca∣lig. Utinam po∣pulus Roma∣nus haberet u∣nicam cervi∣cem.
• m 1.291

  Luk. 19.9.
• n 1.292

  James 4.8.
• o 1.293

  Psal. 73.28.
• p 1.294

  Esa. 29.3.
• q 1.295

  Eccles. 5.1.
• r 1.296

  Psal. 25.18.
• s 1.297

  Psal. 84.9.
• t 1.298

  Psal. 4.8.
• u 1.299

  Orig. in hunc locum.
• u 1.300

  Vir. Aenead. 2
• x 1.301

  Tertul. apol.
• y 1.302

  Orig. in Mat. Omnes be••ti∣tudines quas in Evangelio lo∣cutus est, suo firmavit ex∣emplo.
• z 1.303

  Gor. in Luc. c. 19. Christus quater flevit, 1. in nativitate, Sap. 7. Primam vocem nobis similem emi∣sit plorans. 2. In Laza∣ri suscitatio∣ne, Joh. 11. La∣crymatus est Je∣sus. 3. in hac so∣lenni processi∣one, flevit su∣per eam. 4. in passione, Heb. 5. Haec sunt quatuor flumi∣na quae de Pa∣radiso prodie∣runt, Gen. 2. ad totius mundi, 1. ablutionem. 2. refrigeratio∣nem. 3. foecun∣dationem. 4. potationem.
• * 1.304

  1 Kings 11.30.
• a 1.305

  Jer. 19.10.
• b 1.306

  Ezek. 5.1.
• c 1.307

  Act. 21.11.
• d 1.308

  Cypr. de laps. Plango quia te non plangis.
• e 1.309

  Calv. harm. in evang. Sicut è coelo descendit Christus car∣ne humanâ in∣dutus, ut di∣vinae salutis te∣stis esset, & minister, vere humanos in∣duit affectus; quatenus sus∣ceptae functio∣ni intererat, quatenus datus erat huic po∣pulo minister in salutem, pro officii sui ra∣tione illius ex∣itium deplora∣vit. Deus erat fateor, sed quoties opor∣tuit doctoris officio fungi, quievit, ac se quodammodo abscondidit deitas.
• f 1.310

  Jer. 9.1.
• g 1.311

  2 Cor 11.29.
• h 1.312

  Cypr. ep. 16. Compatior & condoleo fra∣tribus nostris, qui lapsi & p••r∣secutionis infe∣statione pro∣strati, & par∣tem nostro∣rum viscerum secum trahen∣tes acrem do∣lorem suis vul∣neribus intu∣lerunt. Et l. de laps. Cum plangen∣tibus plango, cum deflenti∣bus d••fleo, cum prostratis f••atribus me quoque pro∣stravit affectus.
• i 1.313

  Rom. 1 31.
• k 1.314

  Salvian de Dei gubern. l. 6. Confundeba∣tur vox mori∣entium, & vox bacch••nti••••m, & vix discerni poterat plebis ejulatus qui fiebat in bello, & sonus popu∣li qui clamabat in circo.
• l 1.315

  Esay 22.12, 13, 14.
• m 1.316

  Luk 17.26, 27, 28, 29, 30.
• n 1.317

  Eras. chil.
• o 1.318

  Mar. 7.34. Looking up to heaven, he sigh∣ed, and saith unto him, Effa∣ta, be thou opened. Mar. 8.12.
• p 1.319

  John 11.38. Jesus therefore groaning in spi∣rit commeth to the grave.
• q 1.320

  Esay 22.4. I will weep bit∣terly: labour not to comfort mee, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people.
• r 1.321

  Jerem. 4.8. & 9.1.
• s 1.322

  Ezra 10.1.
• t 1.323

  Joel 2.17.
• u 1.324

  Cypr. ep. 1. Exprimi satis non potest quanta ista ex∣ultatio fuit. & quant•• laetitia cum de vobis prospera & fortia compe∣rissemus, du∣cem te illic conf••ssionis frat••ib••s exti∣tisse, sed & con∣fessionem du∣cis de consen∣sione fratrum creviss••, &c. Et Ep. 5. In com••uni g••u∣dio Ecclesiae Episcopi por∣tio m••jor est, Ecclesiae enim gloria Praepo∣siti gloria est.
• x 1.325

  Calv. in harm. Scimus in quibus ar∣dent vehemen∣tes affectus, non nisi dimi∣diatâ ex parte sensus suos ef∣fari.
• y 1.326

  Hos. 4.1.6.
• z 1.327

  Levit. 4.2. & 5.15.
• a 1.328

  Luke 12.48.
• b 1.329

  Psal. 95.10.
• c 1.330

  Mat. 22.29.
• d 1.331

  Rom. 1 21, 28.
• e 1.332

  Psal. 79.6.
• f 1.333

  2 Thes. 1.8
• g 1.334

  De gr••t. & lib arbitr. c. 3. Sed & ill•• ig∣norantia quae non est eorum qui scire no∣lunt, sed eorum qui tantum simpliciter ne∣sciunt, nemi∣nem sic excu∣sat ut sempiter∣no igne non ardeat.
• h 1.335

  John 9 41.
• i 1.336

  De gubern. Dei lib 4 Quanto mino∣re periculo illi per Daemonia p••jerant, quàm nos per Chri∣stum? Et nun∣quid tam cri∣minosa est Hunnorum impudi••itia, quam nostra? nunquid tam rep chensibilis Almanni e∣brietas, quam Christi••ni?
• k 1.337

  Rob. Steph. interpret no∣minum Heb. & Ch••ld. Visio pacis, seu visio perfecta.
• l 1.338

  Eurip 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• l 1.339

  Eurip 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• n 1.340

  Phil. 2.12.
• o 1.341

  Heb. 3.7, 13.
• p 1.342

  Homil. in E∣vang.
• q 1.343

  Comment. in Eva••g.
• r 1.344

  Brug. in E∣vang.
• s 1.345

  Luke 12.35.
• t 1.346

  Matth. 3.8.
• * 1.347

  Cyp de laps. Quam grandia peccavimus, tam granditer defleamus.
• u 1.348

  Psal. 1.2.
• * 1.349

  Aug. l. 11. confes. c. 2 Sint deliciae meae Scripturae tuae, nec fallar in iis, nec fallam ex iis.
• x 1.350

  Jam. 4.10.
• y 1.351

  Psal. 2.12.
• * 1.352

  H••sea 4.1.
• z 1.353

  1 Joh. 2.1.
• a 1.354

  Amb. l. 2. de Isaac. Ille ocu∣lus est per quem Deum videmus, ille dextera est per quam Deo of∣ferimus, ille os nostrum est per quod Pa∣trem alloqui∣mur.