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.

THE TREE OF LIFE SPRINGING OUT OF THE GRAVE: OR Primitiae Sepulchri. A Spitall Sermon preached on Munday in Easter weeke, April 22. THE THIRTEENTH SERMON.

1 COR. 15.20.

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.

Right Honourable, &c.

* 1.1PLiny the younger writeth of Egypt, that she was wont to boast how shee owed nothing to the clouds, or any for∣reine streames for her fertility, being abundantly wate∣red by the sole inundation of her owne river Nylus. A like or greater priviledge (it must bee confessed) this renow∣ned City hath for a long time enjoyed, in that she hath not beene indebted to any wandering clouds; nor needeth shee to fetch the water of life from any forreine river, or neighbour spring, being richly stored by the overflowing industry and learning of her most able and paine∣full Preachers within her selfe; filling not onely the lesser cisternes of private congregations, but the greater also of these most celebrious and solemne assemblies. And for mine owne part, so let the life blasts of the spirit refresh me in the sweat of my holy labours, and the dew of heavenly

benediction fall upon your religious eares, as I never sought this place, nor am come hither to make ostentation of any so much as conceived gifts in mee, nor to broach any new opinions of mine, or any other, nor to set before you any forbidden fruit though never so sweet, and to a well con∣ditioned stomacke wholesome; nor to smooth or levell the uneven wayes of any, who plow in the Lords field with an oxe and an asse, much lesse to gaine vulgar applause, or spring an hidden veyne of unknowne contributi∣on, by traducing the publicke proceedings in the State or Church; but onely in obedience to the call of lawfull authority, to build you in your most holy faith, and elevate your devotion to the due celebration of this high feast of our Lords resurrection; and by crying as loud as I am able to awake those that sleepe in sinfull security, that they may stand up from the dead, and Christ may give them and us all light of knowledge, joy, and comfort. Which that I may bee enabled to performe, I humbly entreat the concurrence of your patience, with your prayers to God for his assi∣stance in opening the scripture now read in your eares.

But now Christ is risen, &c. This is no sterill or barren text, you heare of fruits in it; and although the harvest thereof hath beene reaped by many Labourers before mee, yet there remaine good gleanings for mee also, and those that shall leaze after me, even till the Angels shall thrust their sickle into the large field of the ripe world, and reape the reapers them∣selves. The fruit is of two sorts:

• 1 Christs prerogative.
• 2 The deceased Saints priviledge, who in their degree participate with him.

Hee is above them, yet with them; hee is the first-fruits, and they are the rest of the heape: anda 1.2 if the first fruits bee holy, the whole heape is holy. The ground which beareth this fruit,* 1.3 is the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead, which the Apostle like a provident husbandman first fen∣ceth and maketh sure, and after breaketh and layeth it downe. Hee fenceth it from the beginning of this chapter to the 35. verse, by invincible argu∣ments confirming the truth of the resurrection: afterwards, to the end of the chapter he layeth it downe, by apt and lively similitudes declaring the manner thereof.

And this hee doth with much vehemency and contention of arguments, his zeale being kindled through blasts of contradiction by some in the Church of Corinth, who directly denyed the former, verse 12. and ob∣liquely carped at the latter, verse 35. Neither did these alone at Corinth (as much as in them lay) subvert this maine article of our faith,b 1.4 but Hyme∣neus and Philetus, with others at Ephesus perverted the sense of it, saying that the resurrection was past already.

[Obser. 1] Whence I first observe against Bellarmine, Parsons, and other Papists, that the Divell tyed not himselfe (as they have surmized) to any rule of method,* 1.5 in laying his batteries against the articles of the Creed in order. For the resurrection of the flesh is the last article save one, yet hereticall impiety (as you have heard) first ventured on it. Howbeit the Cardinal, that he might

more conveniently tye all whom hee supposeth Heretickes in one chaine, and thrust us into the lowest place,c 1.6 beareth his Reader in hand, that the enemy of mankinde, albeit in other things hee bee a disturber of order, yet in impeaching the Apostles creed hath kept a kind of order. 1 For within 200. yeeres after Christ hee assaulted the first article, concerning God the Father almighty maker of heaven and earth, by the Simonians, Menandri∣ans, Basilidians, Valentinians, Marcionites, Manichees, and severall kinde of Gnostickes.

2 After 200. yeeres hee set upon the second article, concerning the di∣vine nature of Christ by the Praxeans, Noetians, Sabellians, and Samose∣tanians.

3 In the next age he opposed the divine person of our Saviour, by the Photineans, Arrians, and Eunomians.

4 From 400. to 800. he impugned the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and se∣venth, concerning the incarnation, passion, resurrection, ascension of our Lord, and his comming to judgement, by the Nestorians, Theodorians, Eutychians, Acephali, Sergians, and Paulians.

5 From the yeere 800. to 1000. hee bid battell to the eighth article, concerning the holy Ghost, by the schisme and heresie of the Graecians.

6 Lastly, from the 1000. yeere to this present age hee hath oppugned the ninth and tenth articles, concerning the catholicke Church and remission of sinnes, by the Berengarians, Petrobrusians, Waldenses, Albigenses, Wicklefists, Hussites, Lutherans, Zuinglians, Confessionists, Hugonites, and Anabaptists.

* 1.7Were these calculations exact, and observations true, the Cardinall de∣served to bee made Master of ceremonies amongst heretickes, for so well ranking them. But upon examination of particulars it will appeare, that his skill in history is no better than his divinity. To begin where hee en∣deth. First, hee most falsly and wrongfully chargeth the worthy standard-bearers of the reformed religion before Luther, with the impeaching the ninth and tenth articles of the creede. They impeach neither of them, nor any other; nay, they will sooner part with the best limbe of their body, than any article of their creede: whereas on the contrary side, the Roma∣nists, as they impeach the article of Christs incarnation of the Virgin Ma∣ry, by teaching that his flesh is made daily by the Priests in the Masse; not of her blood, but of bread; and of his ascension, and sitting at the right hand of the Father, till hee come to judge the quicke and the dead, by tea∣ching that his body is at once in a Million of places on earth, even where∣soever Masses are said: so they most manifestly overthrow the articles he instanceth in, viz.

1 The ninth & tenth. The ninth by turning 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 into 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, univer∣sall into particular, and empaling the whole Church within the jurisdiction of Rome, as the Donatists did of old within the Provinces of Africa. The tenth by branding them with the markes of heretickes who believe the remission of their owne sinnes by speciall faith.

2 As the Cardinall is foulely mistaken in the point of divinity, so also in the matter of history both of former ages, and this present wherein wee live. For who knoweth not that other articles besides the ninth and tenth,

are at this day oppugned by the Servetians, Antitrinitarians, Sosinians, Vorstians, Anabaptists, Libertines, and Familists, whose heresies strike at the soveraigne attributes of God, the Trinity of persons, deity of Christ, his incarnation, satisfaction, second comming, and life everlasting?

3 Neither were these two articles (instanced in) first impugned in our age, or since the 1000. yeere, as hee accounteth; but long before in the third and fourth ages, by the Novatians, Donatists, Luciferians, Me∣letians, and Pelagians.

4 Neither was Sathan so long in setting heretickes on worke to under∣mine all the articles of the creede. If you peruse the bedroll of heresies in Irenaeus, Epiphanius, Philastrius, and Augustine, you shall finde that within the space of 400. yeeres the Divell so bestirred himselfe, that hee left no article of the Apostles creede untouched by them.

5 And lastly, neither had the enemy of mankinde any care at all of or∣der in employing heretickes to overthrow our christian beliefe, more than an enraged enemy, all set upon spoile in demolishing an house, thinketh of pulling downe every stone in order; for to what end serveth order when nothing but present confusion is sought? Therefore against the rule of me∣thod set downe by Bellarmine, Sathan in the second age called in question the last article of the creed, by Papius, and the Millenaries. In the third age hee called in question the eighth article concerning the holy Ghost, by the Macedonians and Pneumatomachi. In the first age hee called in question the second article concerning the divinity of Christ, by the Ebionites and Cerinthians: as also the eleventh by the Ephesians, and those Corinthians whom the Apostle taketh to taske in this chapter, and confuteth in my text.

[Obser. 2] My second observation from the occasion, is, that some heresies, as namely this of the Corinthians concerning the resurrection, against which the Apostle bendeth all his forces, have beene very auncient, and some he∣retickes contemporaries to the Apostles. As God is stiled 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉d 1.8 (that is, Auncient of dayes, or rather Auncient to dayes, as God speaketh of himselfe,e 1.9 Before the day was I am:) so the Divell is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the old Serpent; whose spawne are all heresies, as well old as new. No truth at the first delivery thereof could bee auncient, nor can any er∣rour after it hath long passed from hand to hand, bee new. Time is with∣out the essence of those things that are measured by it; and consequently cannot make that which is in it selfe evill, good; nor that which is good, evill. Antiquity can no more prescribe for falshood, than novelty preju∣dice the truth. Bare antiquity therefore is but a weake plea in matter of reli∣gion (f 1.10 quodcunque contra veritatem sapit haeresis est, etiam vetus consuetu∣do) whatsoever savoureth not of truth, or is against it, is heresie, yea although it be ancient, and plead custome. 1 It was the Samaritans plea against the Jewes,g 1.11 Our Father worshipped in this mount, &c. But it was rejected by our Saviour, saying, you worship you know not what.

2 It was the plea of the hereticks called Aquarii against the Catholicks, but disproved by Sainth 1.12 Cyprian, saying, Custome without truth is no better than inveterate errour.

3 It was the plea of Guitmundus against the practice of the Romane

Church in Gregory the great his dayes, but disparaged by him, saying, cu∣stome ought to give place to truth and right:i 1.13 for Christ said not, Ego sum consuetudo, I am custome or prescription, but, Ego sum veritas, I am truth.

Nay, it was the very plea of the Paynims against the Christians, and long agoe disabled by the ancient Fathers, Saint Ignatius, Arnobius, Ambrose, and Augustine. Ignatius thus puts it by, Some say they will not believe the truth of the Gospell, if wee produce not ancient records for it; to whom my answer is,k 1.14 Christ is my antiquity, his words are to mee in stead, or as good as all ancient records.l 1.15 Arnobius gravely determines the point, the authority, saith he, of Religion is to be weighed, not by time, but by the divine author there∣of; that which is true is not to be traduced as late or too new. Saintm 1.16 Ambrose seconds Arnobius, saying to the heathen, doe you finde fault with our Chri∣stian religion, because it is later than your heathenish superstition? you may by the same reason picke a quarrell with harvest, because it comes not till the end of summer, and with the vintage because it falls late in the yeere, and with the olive because hee beareth fruit after other trees. Lastly, Saintn 1.17 Austine returnes them a smart answer for this absurd plea, They say that that re∣ligion which is elder cannot bee false, as if antiquity or custome could doe the truth any prejudice at all; 'tis a divellish custome to vent falshood under the title of antiquity. Whereunto may be added, that in propriety of speech that is not antiquity which is so esteemed: the age wherein wee live is in∣deed the eldest, because nearest to the end of the world; and those times which wee reverence as elder, are by so much the younger by how much they were neerer to the beginning of the world, and the birth of time it selfe. The Catholike Christian Church was never so ancient as now shee is. For she was made so at Christs death, cum è terra sublatus fuero, omnes ad me traham: like Eve shee was formed out of the second Adams side, whence issued the two Christian Sacraments, the water of baptisme, and the blood of the holy Eucharist. At the first she was fed with the sincere milke of the word in the Apostles time, came to her perfect growth, strength, and full dimensions in the Fathers dayes, when shee valiantly en∣countred all persecutors abroad, and heretickes at home. After 600. yeeres she began apparently to breake, and in every latter age decayed more and more, and now in most parts of the Christian world (except onely where by reformation her age is renewed) shee is become decrepit, dimme in the sight of heavenly things, deafe in the hearing Gods word, stiffe in the knees of true devotion, disfigured in the face of order, weake in the sinewes of faith, cold in the heart of love, and stouping (after the manner of bowed old age) to graven Images. Wherefore it may bee doubted that Cardinal Bellarmine was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, participated somewhat of the infirmities of old age in his bookes of the notes of the Church, where hee would haveo 1.18 antiquity to be a proper marke of the true Church. He might as well have assigned old age to bee the proper note of a man, which neither agreeth to all men, nor to man alone, nor to any man at all times: no more doth anti∣quity to the Church. What neede I adde any more, sith the truth himselfe hath dashed through this marke againe and againe? Matth. 5.21.27.31.33.38.43. teaching us that the essayes of the auncients are not the touch-stone of truth, but his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, I say, you have heard that it was said by them of

old time, &c. But I say unto you, &c.

Yea, but say our adversaries of Rome, Christ himselfe elsewhere argueth from antiquity: both affirmatively,o 1.19 He which made them at the beginning, made them male and female; and negatively,p 1.20 From the beginning it was not so. And Saint John also,q 1.21 This is the message which ye heard from the begin∣ning. Andr 1.22 Tertullian, That is true which is first, that is counterfeit which is latter. And Saints 1.23 Cyprian, saying, If the pipe which before yeelded water abundantly faile suddenly, doe we not runne to the spring? And the coun∣cell of Calcedon crying with one voice, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, let the auncient rites and customes prevaile: and before them the Prophet Jeremy,t 1.24 aske for the old paths, and walke therein.

All which allegations make strongly for the prime and originall antiqui∣ty, not for any of later standing. The old pathes which the Prophet Je∣remy speaketh of, are the pathes of Gods commandements laid downe by Moses and the Prophets; there wee are to aske where is the good way, and to walke in it, not because it is the old way, but because it is the good way. For there are old wayes which are not good wayes, which God forbids us to walke in:* 1.25 Walke not in the statutes of your Fathers, nor observe their judgements; Andu 1.26 David forewarnes us of, He shall follow the generation of his Fathers, and shall never see light. A fit poesie to be written upon the doore of every obstinate recusant among us. The councell of Calcedon cry∣eth up ancient customes and ordinances, and so doe wee, such as are descen∣ded from the Apostles, or at least are not repugnant to their doctrine, and practice.

Saint Cyprians advice is good, If water faile in the pipe or conduit, or runne muddily, to have recourse to the spring; but what spring doth he there point unto? fontem dominicae traditionis, the fountaine of the Lords tra∣dition, that is, the scriptures. Tertullians observation is true, 'Tis good coyne that's first stampt, and afterward that which is counterfeited: the husbandman first sowed good seed, and then the envious man sowed tares. Let the Romanists prove their Trent doctrine to be Dominica, and to have in it the Kings stampe, wee will admit it for currant. After Christ and his Apostles had sowne the good seede, which wee yet retaine pure in our re∣formed Churches, they by their additions have sowne upon it tares. Saint John draweth an argument from the beginning of the preaching of the Gospell; and Christ from the beginning, that is, the first promulgation of the law in Paradise. Let the Romanists fetch an argument from antiquity so high, and we will soone joine issue with them.

And to this antiquity we might strictly tye our adversaries, as Saint Cy∣prian doth his opposites.u 1.27 Wee must not respect, saith hee, what any hath done before us (in the matter about which wee contend) but what Christ did which was before all. When they pleaded ancient tradition, hee demandsx 1.28 whence is that tradition? is it derived from the Gospel, or Acts of the Apo∣stles, or their Epistles? then let such a holy tradition bee religiously kept. And Saint Augustine* 1.29 standeth at this ward against the Donatists: whether concerning Christ, or concerning his Church, or concerning any thing that per∣taineth to our faith and life, wee will not say, if we, but as he going forward addeth, if an Angel from heaven shall preach unto you but what you have re∣ceived

in the Scriptures of the Law and Gospell, let him bee accursed. Yet wee give them a larger scope, even till the beginning of the seventh age, wherein Mahumetanisme began to spread in the East, and Antichristianisme in the West. For the first sixe hundred yeeres they cannot finde any King∣dome, Commonwealth, Country, Province, City, Village, or Hamlet under the cope of heaven professing their present Trent Faith. Wherefore as Phasis, while hee was highly extolling the Emperours proclamation for placing men of quality in the Theater according to their ranke, was by that very edict thrust out of the place hee had got there by Lectius the Mar∣shall:

x 1.30 Edictum domini dei{que} nostri Quo subsellia certiora fiunt Et puros eques ordines recepit Dum laudat modo Phasis in theatro, Phasis purpureis ruber lacernis, &c. Illas purpureas & arrogantes Jussit surgere Lectius lacernas.

So if the plea of antiquity should simply bee admitted in point of faith, our adversaries undoubtedly would bee cast by it. For although they father bastard-treatises upon ancient writers, and by an unnaturall and prodigi∣ous generation beget Fathers at their pleasure: yet they are not able to produce any Record, expresse and direct testimony, canon of Councell, or Ecclesiasticall constitution,

1 For their burning lights in the Church at noone day, before the de∣cree of Popey 1.31 Sabinianus in the yeere of our Lord 605.

2 Nor for Romez 1.32 to be the head of all Churches before Pope Boniface the third in the yeere 606.

3 Nor for the invocation of Saints in their publike liturgy, before* 1.33 Bo∣niface the fift in the yeere 618.

4 Nor for their Latine service thrust upon all Churches, before Popea 1.34 Vitalian in the yeereb 1.35 666. which is the very number of the name of the beast.

5 Nor for the cutting of the Hostec 1.36 into three parts, and offering one part for the soules in Purgatory before Pope Sergius in the yeere 688.

6 Nor for setting up images in Churches generally, and worshipping them, before Pope Adrian the first, and the secondd 1.37 Councell of Nice, in the yeere 787.

7 Nor fore 1.38 canonization of Saints departed, before Leo the third, a∣bout the yeere 800.

8 Nor for thef 1.39 orall manducation of Christs body in the Sacrament, before Pope Nicolas the second in the yeere 1053.

9 Nor for the entire number ofg 1.40 seven sacraments, before Peter Lom∣bard in the yeere 1140.

10 Nor for Indulgences before Eugenius the third in the yeere 1145.

11 Nor forh 1.41 transubstantiation of the bread into Christs body be∣fore the fourth Councell of Lateran in the yeere 1215.

12 Nor for the elevation of the Hoste that the people mighti 1.42 adore it, before Honorius the third, in the yeere 1216.

13 Nor for anyk 1.43 Jubile before Pope Boniface the eighth, in the yeere 1300.

14 Nor for the carrying the Sacrament in procession under a canopy, before Popel 1.44 Urban the fift, in the yeere 1262.

15 Nor for the dry and halfem 1.45 Communion before the Councell at Constance, in the yeere 1416.

16 Nor for the suspending then 1.46 efficacy of Sacramentall consecration upon the Priests intention, before the Councell at Florence, in the yeere 1439.

17 Nor for the Popeso 1.47 superiority to generall Councels, before the sixth Councell at Lateran under Leo the tenth, in the yeere 1517.

18 Nor for the Vulgar Latinep 1.48 translation to bee held for authenti∣call, and upon no pretended cause whatsoever to bee rejected, before the fourth Session of the Councell at Trent, in the yeere 1546.

19 Nor for the second booke of the Machabees, and the apocryphal additions to Hester and Daniel, with the history of Bel and the Dragon, which Saint Jerome termeth a fable, to bee received for Canonicall Scrip∣ture, before the said Session, in the yeere above named.

20 Nor for the twelve new articles which Pope Pius the fourth in∣joyned all professors to sweare unto, before the end of the Conventicle held at Trent, in the yeere 1564.

Thus by occasion of the occasion of my text, the old heresie sprang up in Corinth, against the eleventh article of our creede, I have cast a bone or two to those of the Synagogue of Rome to gnaw upon, who usually creepe in∣to these great assemblies to catch at our doctrine, and snarle at Gods Mi∣nister: and now I wholly addresse my selfe to give the children of the Church their bread, made of the first fruits in my text.

But now. The verse immedately going before is to this in hand as a darke foyle to a bright & precious stone, and thus it setteth it off.

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, then we Apostles, the chiefe labourers in the Lords harvest, are but as weeds, nay, no better than the world esteemes us, that is, very dung, and the off-scowring of all things. But now through hope in Christs resurrection, & by vertue thereof we are as fruits, yea ho∣ly fruits sanctified in the first fruits, which is Christ. If there be no resurre∣ction from the dead, all our hope is dead and withered at the root, all our preaching false, your faith vaine, your justification void, the dead in Christ utterly lost.

But now that Christ is risen from the dead, and so risen, that hee is be∣come the first fruits of all that sleepe in him, our hope is revived, our prea∣ching justified, your faith confirmed, your remission ratified, the dead but onely fallen asleepe, and our condition most desirable. For the grea∣ter persecution we suffer for Christs sake, the greater reward wee shall receive from him; the heavier our crosse is on earth, the weightier shall our crowne bee in heaven.

But the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or (but) is remarkable; for it turneth the streame of the Apo∣stles discourse towards Paradise, which before, like Jordan, was running apace into mare mortuum. If no resurrection, wee of all men most mi∣serable, But because there is a resurrection, wee most happy. The skie is darkest immediately before the breake of day; such was the face of the Church before the rising of the sunne of righteousnesse. All the starres save one were overcast, or rather darkened: Inq 1.49 memory whereof the Church of Rome on Easter Eeve puts out all the lights save one, to signifie that faith then remained onely in the blessed virgin; in all other, as well Apo∣stles as Disciples, it was eclipsed for the time. The life of their hope dyed with their Master, and all the hope of their life was buried in his grave. Which when they saw guarded, and a great stone rowled to the mouth of it, their hearts were as cold as a stone. But in the proper season of this now in my text, the Angel removed that stone from the sepulchre (and this from their heart) and sitting upon that, made it (as Chrysologus speaketh) a chaire of celestiall doctrine, and out of it preached the first part of my text, Christ is risen from the dead, upon which the Apostle paraphrasing, saith, is become the first fruits of them that slept: Christ is risen from the dead, there is the let∣ter of our Creed, and is become the first fruits of them that slept, there is, as it were, the flourishing about it, or if musicall termes sound sweeter in your eares, here is

• 1 Planus cantus, or the ground, Christ.
• 2 Discantus, or the division, is become the first fruits of them that slept.

The notes in the descant must answer those in the planus cantus, so they doe here:

• The first fruits to Christ:
• Is become to is risen:
• Them that slept to the dead.

The ditty hath three parts or sentences:

• 1 The doctrine of resurrection is certaine, for Christ is risen.
• 2 The prerogative of Christ is singular, is become the first fruits.
• 3 The condition of the dead is happy, they are them that slept, and rest now from their labours.

Now seemeth here to have more of the Conjunction than of the Ad∣verbe, and to bee rather a particle of connexion, than a note of time. For Christ was not newly risen when Saint Paul wrote this Epistle, but many yeeres before. The proper and precise (Now) of Christs resurrection, when hee might have beene said to bee now or new risen, was the third day after his passion, being the first day of the weeke. Whence I observe the a∣greement of the time with the truth, not in substance onely, but in circum∣stance also. The types were the Paschall Lambe, and the first fruits. Now as Christ our passover was slayne the very day in which the Paschall Lambe was to bee killed, so hee being also the first fruits (ver. 23.) rose a∣gaine the very day in which the first fruits were by the law to bee offered.

Saintr 1.50 Bernard a little varieth the note, yet maketh good harmony. On the sixth day on which hee made man hee redeemed him; the next day, being the Jewish sabbath, hee kept his sabbath rest in the grave; the third day, which was the first of the weeke-dayes, he appeared, The first fruits of them that slept. Of which day I neede say no more to kindle your devo∣tions, and stirre up your religious affections, thans 1.51 Maximus Taurinensis hath long ago in his meditations piously ejaculated. A blessed day, first dis∣covering unto us the light, not of this world but of the world to come; farre happier than that day in which man first saw the light of the sunne. For on that day man was made to travell, on this day to rest; on that day hee was sentenced to death, on this day freed from feare of death; on that day the sunne arose up∣on the just and unjust, this day the sunne of righteousnesse rose onely upon the just; (illius diei splendor etiam sepulchra illuminat) that day shined only up∣on the living, this also upon the dead, as it is written, Awake thou that slee∣pest, and stand up from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Christ,u 1.52 Lactantius interpreteth the King, Unctus nomen est imperii, a∣nointed is the name of soveraigne majesty. Saint* 1.53 Austine expoundeth it a Priest, others a Prophet; for Prophets were also anointed. Saint Bernard alluding to this name, maketh Christ a tender Chirurgian, curing our wounds, non ustione sed unctione, not by lancing or searing, but by anoin∣ting and plastering. The Heathen in Tertullians time expounded it,x 1.54 bo∣num & benignum, good and bountifull, & ne sic quidem malè, and not a∣misse, saith hee, if wee regard the sense and application of that attribute to our Saviour. For 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is indeed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 kinde, and gracious, and profitable to man, becausey 1.55 in life and death advantage: but amisse if wee respect the derivation. For Christ is derived from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ungo, and answereth to the Hebrew Messias, of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, signifying to anoint, and peculiarly it designeth the Sonne of God and Saviour of the world. For albeit others were anoin∣ted besides Christ, and called the Lords anointed, yet Christ alone was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Christ:

• 1 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. In verity.
• 2 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. After a singular manner.

1 In verity or truth: for all Kings & Priests that were anointed before him were but types of him, and that in part, how holy soever they were; hee is the onely true Christ anointed and appointed by God to save lost man.

2 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, According to excellency, or after a singular manner, he is the Christ: 1 Others were anointed by men, he immediatly by God.z 1.56 God even thy God hath anointed thee. 2 They with a lesse measure of graces, he with a greater, incomparably greater, with oyle of gladnesse above thy fellowes. 3 They to beare one office, or two at the most, he to beare three. Melchi∣sedech was a King and a Priest, but no Prophet: Samuel a Prophet and a Priest, but no King: David a King and a Prophet, but no Priest: Christ was all three, a Priestly King, as Melchisedeck, a Kingly Prophet, as Da∣vid, and a Propheticall Priest, as Samuel. I conceive the Apostle here made choice of this name Christ above others, because it best fitted his pur∣pose, and implyed some cause of his resurrection. For as anointing or em∣balming

dead corpses keeps them from putrefying; so Christ by the divine unction was preserved from corrupting in the grave: because there was no corruption in his soule, his body could not corrupt, or at least God would not suffer it, as the Prophet speaketh,* 1.57 thou wilt not suffer thy holy One to see cor∣ruption. Now if his body must not bee left, nor corrupt in the grave, be∣cause it wasa 1.58 impossible for him to be held with the sorrowes of death, he must undoubtedly have risen againe, as it followeth:

Is risen. In the originall it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 raysed (viz.) by the right hand of his Father; elsewhere 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 hee is risen of himselfe: neither is there yet any con∣tradiction. For the Father and the Sonne are one in nature, and consequent∣ly the power of the Father who is God, is the power of the Sonne, who is one God with him. Id resurgit quod prius cecidit, that is properly said to bee raised, or rise againe, which before fell, and that is the body, which is therefore called in Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in latine cadaver a cado.

Christs resurrection then, or resuscitation from the dead, must bee the enliving his dead corps, and lifting it up, and bringing it up out of the darke sepulchre into the light, which is a kinde of second birth, and not unlike to his first. For as that was his proceeding out of the Virgins wombe; so this was out of a Virgin tombe; the difference was onely in this, asb 1.59 Chrysolo∣gus acutely hath observed, the wombe of the virgin conceived Christ quicke, and accordingly brought him forth alive; the wombe of the earth conceived him dead, but brought him forth quicke: uteri nova forma concepit mortuum, parit vivum.

As we may behold the feature of a mans face either in the countenance it selfe, or in a glasse set before it, or in a picture drawne by it: so wee may contemplate the resurrection, either in the prophecies and types of the old law, as in glasses, or in the hystory of the new, as it were in the face it selfe, or in our spirituall resurrection from dead workes, as in the picture. A glasse sheweth the lineaments and proportion of a man, but at a distance; so wee may see Christ in the predictions, visions, and figures of the Old Testa∣ment, as so many glasses, but at a distance, according to the words of that Seer,c 1.60 I shall see him, but not neare. So Hosea saw him insulting over death and hell, and menacing them;d 1.61 O death I will bee thy death: so Esay saw him risen from the dead, and speaking to him sayd,e 1.62 Thy dead shall live, with my body shall they rise: awake and sing ye that sit in dust.

So David in the Spirit saw the day of the resurrection, and exceedingly rejoiced at it, saying,f 1.63 my heart was glad, my glory rejoyced, my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soule in hell, nor suffer thy holy One to see corruption. So Adam saw him conquering death, and triumphing over him that had the power of death, to wit, the Divell (though more obscure∣ly, because at the farthest distance) in the promise,g 1.64 it shall breake thy head, and thou shalt breake his heele, the death and resurrection of Christ are mystically involved. As the Poets fabled that Achilles after his Mother Thetis held him by the heele, and dipt the rest of his body into the sea, could bee hurt in no part but his heele: so in a divine sense it may bee said of our Saviour, that hee could be wounded by Sathan no where but in his heele, that is, in the lowest part of his humane nature, his flesh. This

the serpent stung at his death, but in his resurrection hee bruised the head thereof. The Devill, saithh 1.65 Nyssen, in his sermon upon the resurrection, going about to catch, was caught; for catching at the bait of Christs flesh, hee was caught fast himselfe, and wounded by the hooke of his divine nature. Besides these predictions and promises, wee have in the Old Testament the figure of our Lords resurrection in Adam, a type in the scape goat, a signe or embleme in Jonas, and a vision in Ezekiel. The figure may bee thus ex∣pounded, As Adam rose out of his dead sleepe in which Eve was formed out of his ribbe; so Christ after his slumber of death on the crosse, in which his spouse the Church was formed out of his side (as hath beene said) awoke againe. The type may bee thus exemplified: as the scape∣goate came neere to death, being within the cast of a lot to it, and yet avoi∣ding it, was presented alive to God to make an attonement; so Christ who see∣med to have beene conquered by death, and swallowed up of the grave, lying there three dayes and three nights, yet escaped it, and was presented on Easter day to his Father alive, to make an attonement for all his bre∣thren. To the embleme of Jonas Christ himselfe giveth the word or Mot∣to:i 1.66 As Jonas was three dayes and three nights in the whales belly, so shall the sonne of man be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth. Af∣ter three dayes Jonas came out of the bowels of the whale, Christ out of the heart of the earth. The vision of Ezekiel is so cleare, that he that run∣neth may see in it a praeludium of the resurrection.

k 1.67 The Prophet saw in a valley a number of dry bones moving one to the o∣ther; and suddenly they were tyed with sinewes, and covered with flesh, and the winde breathed into them the breath of life, and they stood up like an army.

Wee have viewed the resurrection in the prophecies and figures of the Old Testament, as so many severall glasses: let us now contemplate it in the history of the New, as it were in the face it selfe.

1 Early in the morning, while it was yet darke, the Angel removed the stone, that so Mary and the Apostles might looke into the sepulchre: and unlesse the angell of the covenant remove the stone from our hearts, wee can never looke into Christs sepulchre with an eye of faith, nor undoubtedly beleeve the resurrection.

2 Peter and John made hast to the sepulchre, but they stayed not there; Mary abideth there, shee therefore seeth a vision of Angels, the one stan∣ding at the head, the other at the feet where Jesus had lyen: either to signi∣fie that the Angels of God attend as well on Christs feet, the lowest mem∣bers of his mysticall body, as on his head, that is, the chiefest in the Church: or that the angels smell a sweet savour from our workes of charity, and therefore the one sate at the head, the other at the feete where Mary had an∣nointed our Lord.

3 A third Angell, whereof mention is made in the Gospell of Saintl 1.68 Marke, sitting on the right side appeared like a young man, to signifie that in the resurrection our age shall bee renewed, and our bodies shall bee in their full strenghth and vigor: his rayment shined like lightning, to represent the clarity and splendour of our bodies, that after death shall be made confor∣mable to Christs glorious body.

4 Mary Magdalene hath the honour first to see our Saviour, and to bee

the first Preacher of the resurrection, to the everlasting comfort of all true Penitents: and as by the woman death came first, so the first newes of life from death was brought by a woman.

5 Till Christ called Mary by name shee knew him not, but supposed him to have beene the Gardiner (who indeed is the Planter of the celestiall Paradise:) neither can we know Christ, till by a speciall and particular vo∣cation hee make himselfe knowne to us.

6 Christ appeared first to single witnesses, as Mary apart, and Peter apart, and James apart; then to double, Cleophas and that other disciple; after∣wards to the eleven Apostles; and last of all to more than 500. brethren at once. If Maries testimony might bee excepted at because shee was but a woman, what can they say to Saint Peter? what to Saint James, to whom Christ vouchsafed to shew himselfe in particular? If they except a∣gainst them as single witnesses, what will they say to Cleophas and Saint Luke, two contests of one and the selfe same apparition? If their paucity be cavelled at, what will they say to the eleven Apostles? or to more than five hundred brethren that saw him all at one time? nay, what to more than five millions of Confessors and Martyrs, signing the truth of it with their blood, and shewing the power of it as well by the wonders which they wrought in his name, as the invincible patience wherewith they en∣dured all sorts of torments, and death it selfe for his name? I might pro∣duce the testimony of Josephus the learned Jew, and tell you of Paschasi∣nus his holy Well, that fils of his owne accord every Easter day; and the annuall rising of certaine bodies of Martyrs in the sands of Egypt, and like∣wise of a Phoenix in the dayes of Tyberius, much about the time of our Lords resurrection, rising out of her owne ashes.

m 1.69Ipsa sibi proles suus & pater & suus haeres, Nutrix ipsa sui, semper alumna sibi Ipsa quidem, sed non eadem, quia & ipsa, nec ipsa Eternam vitam mortis adepta bono.

But because the authours of these relations and observations are not be∣yond exception, I will rather conclude this point with an argument of Saintn 1.70 Austines, to which our owne undoubted experience gives much strength. The same Spirit of God, saith hee, which foretold the resurrection of Christ, foretold also that the doctrine thereof should bee publickly professed and believed in the world; and the one was altogether as unlikely as the other. But the latter wee see in all ages since Christs death, and at this day accom∣plished in the celebration of this feast; why then should any man doubt of the former? The Apostles saw the head living, but not the mysticall body the Catholike Church of all places and ages. We have read in the histories of all ages since Christ, and at this day see the Catholike Church spread o∣ver the whole face of the earth, which is Christs body, how can wee then but believe the head to bee living which conveigheth life to all the mem∣bers? I have set before you the glasse of the resurrection in the figures of predictions of the Old Testament, and the face it selfe in the histo∣ry of the New: may it please you now to cast a glance of your eye upon the Image or picture thereof, in our rising from the death of sinne to the life

of grace. All Christs actions and passions, as they are meritorious for us, so they are some way exemplary unto us: and as none can bee assured of the benefit of Christs birth unlesse hee bee borne againe by water and the Spirit, nor of his death unlesse hee bee dead to sinne, nor of his buriall unlesse hee have buried his old Adam; so neither of his resurrection unlesse hee bee risen from dead workes, and continually walketh in newnesse of life. See you how the materiall colours in a glasse window, when the sun-beames passe through it, produce the like colours, but lesse materiall (and there∣fore called by the Philosophers intentionales & spiritales) on the next wall? no otherwise doth the corporall resurrection of Christ produce in all true believers a representation thereof in their spirituall, which Saint John calletho 1.71 the first resurrection: Saint Paul,p 1.72 repentance from dead workes. Sinnes, especially heinous and grievous, proceeding from an evill habit, are called dead workes, and such sinners dead men, because they are deprived of the life of God, have no sense of true Religion, they see not Gods workes, they heare not his Word, they savour not the things of God, they feele no pricke of conscience, they breath not out holy prayers to God, nor move towards heaven in their desires, but lye rotting in their owne filthinesse and corruption. The causes which moved the Jewes so much to abhorre dead corpses, ought to be more prevalent with us carefully to shunne and avoid those that are spiritually dead in sinnes and transgressions: they were foure;

• 1 Pollution.
• 2 Horrour.
• 3 Stench.
• 4 Haunting with evill spirits.

1 Pollution. That which touched a dead corpse was by the law uncleane; neither can any come nigh these men, much lesse embrace them in their bo∣some, without morall pollution, and taking infection in their soules from them.

2 Horrour. Nothing so ghastly as the sight of a dead corpse, the repre∣sentation whereof oft-times in the Theater appalleth not onely the specta∣tours but also the actours: and yet this sight is not so dreadfull to the car∣nall man, as the sight of those that are spiritually dead (I speake of foule, notorious, and scandalous offenders) to them that feare God. Saint John would not stay in the same bath with Cerinthus; and certainely 'tis a most fearefull thing to bee under the same roofe with blasphemous heretickes, and profane persons who have no feare of God before their eyes.

3 Stench. The smell of a carkasse is not so offensive to the nostrils, as the stench of gluttony, drunkennesse, and uncleannesse, in which wicked men wallow, is loathsome to God and all good men.

4 Haunting with evil spirits. We read in scriptures that the men that were possest of the divel cameq 1.73 out of the tombs and graves: and we find by dayly experience the like of these, rather carkasses than men, that the devill hanke∣reth about them, and entereth into their heart, as he did into Judas, filling them with all wickednesse and uncleannesse. After they have exhausted

their bodies with incontinency, their estate with riotous living; and have lost, first their conscience, and after their credit, they fall into the deepest melancholy, upon which Sathan works, and puts them into desperate cour∣ses.r 1.74 O how suddenly doe they consume, perish, and come to a fearefull end! Me thinkes I heare some say, wee heard of places haunted by evill spirits in time of popery, are there now any such? not such as then were, solitary houses, ruined pallaces or Churches, in which fearefull noyses are said to have beene heard, and walking spirits to have beene met. For at the thun∣der of the Gospell Sathan fell like lightning from heaven, and hath left those his old holds; but places of a contrary condition, such where is the greatest concourse of people, I meane profane Theaters, disorderly Ta∣vernes, Ale-houses, places of gaming and lewdnesse, yea prisons also which were intended for the restraint of wickednesse, and punishment of vice, are made refuges of Malefactors, and schooles of all impiety and wickednesse:

Quis custodes custodiet ipsos?

As in the hot sands of Africa, where wilde beasts of divers sorts meet to drinke, strange monsters are begotten, which gave occasion to that pro∣verbe,s 1.75 Semper Africa aliquid apportat novi, &c. so in the places of moist meetings monstrous sinnes are begotten, monstrous oaths, monstrous blas∣phemies, monstrous murders, monstrous uncleannesse; here Popery is fa∣miliarly broacht, nay Atheisme freely vented, Gods creatures abused, his Sabbath profaned, the actions of the State censured, the watchfull Magi∣gistrates, and the zealous Ministers of the Gospell, and all that make pro∣fession of Religion nick-named, jeared, and made a parable of reproach: here prophane Musicke and impure Songs are played and sung, even in time of divine Service; here's no difference of dayes holy or common, nay no difference of day or night, I had almost sayd nay nor of Sexes. If the hands of the religious Magistrates be not strengthened, and their zeale stir∣red up to take some course to abate the incredible number, and reforme the unsufferable abuses of these sinks of all impurity, especially about the skirts and suburbs of the city, we have cause to feare a worse fire than that which lately affrighted us, falling in that place where it might bee as a dreadfull beacon to warne both City, Borough, and Suburbs; I meane such a fire as fell upon Sodome and Gomorrha.t 1.76 Polycritus writeth of a Lake of trou∣bled water in Sicily, quam si quis ingrediatur in latum extenditur, into which the deeper a man wadeth the larger it doth extend it selfe. Such a lake my discourse is fallen into, the water is foule and troubled, and the deeper I sinke into it, the more it enlargeth it selfe: and lest it should over∣flow the bankes of the allotted time, I will suddenly leape out of it into my second part, which is Christs prerogative, whereby he is become the first fruits of them that slept.

Wee have surveyed the ground, let us now take a sample of the fruits; in the spreading whereof abroad I must handle two things:

• 1 The reference.
• 2 The inference.

1 The reference is to Leviticus 23.10. When you reape the harvest, you shall bring in a sheafe of the first fruits of the harvest unto the Priest (ver. 7.) and he shall wave it. And to Exod. 34.22. You shall observe the feast of weeks, the feast of the first fruits of wheat harvest. Now let us set the truth to the type. As the first fruits were reapt in the harvest, when the corne was ripe, so Christ was cut off by death in his ripe age.

2 As the sheafe that was offered was shaken before; so there was anu 1.77 earthquake at Christs lifting out of the grave.

3 As the sheafe was offered, the morrow after the Sabbath; so Christ the first day of the week after the Sabbath was presented alive to his Father at his resurrection. Lastly, as there was a distance of time between the first fruits which were offered on Easter day, & those that were offered at the day of Pentecost; so there is a distance of time between Christs rising from the dead, which was 1600. yeers ago, & ours which shall be at the last day. Thus much for the reference; now to the inference, which is twofold:

• 1 Christs prerogative, in that he is the first fruits.
• 2 The Saints communion with him, in that they are of the heape.

1 Christs prerogative,* 1.78 Hee that is in heaven is above all, forx 1.79 to him is given all power in heaven and earth, andy 1.80 a name above all names,z 1.81 he is the head of the Church, anda 1.82 Saviour of the body, he is the firstb 1.83 begotten of the Father,c 1.84 first borne of his Mother, the firstd 1.85 begotten of the dead,e 1.86 first borne of every creature. Therefore as Quiros strongly concludes in every order, both of creation and regeneration, of nature and grace, of things vi∣sible and invisible, hee hath the preheminence among all: let him have the precedency in our love and affections, let us not set any thing above him on earth, who hath the first place in heaven. If hee bee the head of men and Angels, let the knees of all in heaven, in earth, & under the earth, bow to him: if hee bee the bright morning starre, let the eye of our faith bee earely up∣on him: if hee beef 1.87 Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, let him bee first in our thoughts, and last in our memory;g 1.88 let us begin our prayers in his name, and end them in his merits.

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

Primâ dicta mihi, summâ dicende Camenâ.

If he be the first fruits, Reshith bicorre, the first fruits of the first fruits, let all the sheaves do homage to him, let us sanctifie him in our minds, let us of∣fer him the first fruits of our hearts, the first fruits of our lips, the first fruits of our hands, the first fruits of the earth, the first fruits of our thoughts, the first fruits of our desires, the first fruits of our prayers, the first fruits of our labours, the first fruits of our substance, so will he esteem ush 1.89 the first fruits of his creatures, and we shall receive thei 1.90 first fruits of the spirit here in our regeneration, and the whole harvest hereafter in our glorification, as our ho∣ly brethren that are fallen asleep, in soule have received already; who rest from their labours, and their workes follow them, and here you may see them. I may say of them as Isaac said of Jacob, Gen. 27. The smell of my

sonne is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed. And behold here as in a corne field,* 1.91 blew flowers intermingled.

[Here the Preacher read the Catalogue printed, of all the poore re∣lieved in the Hospitals of the City, which followeth.]

• Children kept and maintained at this present at the charges of Christs Hospitall, in the said house, in divers places of this city, and suburbs, and with sundry nurses in the country, 905
• Which is a farre greater number than hath hitherto beene since the foundation.
• The names of all which are registred in the books kept in Christs Hospitall, there to bee seene from what parishes, and by what meanes they have beene from time to time admitted.
• Children put forth apprentices, discharged, and dead this yeere, 69
• There hath beene cured this yeere last past at the charges of Saint Bartholomews Hospitall, of souldiers and other diseased peo∣ple, to the number of 832
• All which were relieved with money and other necessaries at their departure.
• Buried this yeere, after much charges in their sicknesse, 121
• Remaining under cure at this present, at the charge of the said Hospitall, 262
• There hath beene cured this yeere last past at the charges of Saint Thomas Hospitall, of souldiers, and other diseased people, 731
• All which were relieved with money and other necessaries at their departure.
• Buried out of the said Hospitall this yeere, 200
• Remaining under cure at this present, 304
• There hath beene brought into the Hospitall of Bridewell (for this yeere past) of wandring souldiers, and vagrant persons, to the number of 1578
• Of which number many have beene chargeable for the time of their being there; which cannot be avoided by reason of their mi∣sery, nor passed away without charge.
• There is maintained and kept in the said Hospitall, in arts and occupations, and other workes and labours, Apprentices taken up out of divers parishes and streets of this City, to the number of 200

I have made an end of the Catalogue, but you must not make an end of your good workes: I have set before you a faire copy, you must write af∣ter it, or else this schedule will prove a hand-writing against you at the day of judgement, who have had not onely many most forcible exhortations to good workes in this place, but such noble and royall presidents as you see, and yet have not been bettered by them. You cannot want pitifull ob∣jects of mercy: your pious charity hath daily Oratours, the teares of or∣phans, the sighes of widowes, the groanes of the sicke, and the lamentable cryes of prisoners and captives. Neither is it sufficient for you now and

then to drop upon the dry and thirsty ground, you must stillare pluviam li∣beralissimam, you must powre downe golden showres to refresh Gods inhe∣ritance. To whom much is given, much shall bee required of him. In other seizements you give as you are in the Kings books; but contrariwise, you are in Gods bookes, and hee valueth you as you give to pious and charitable uses. And let mee intreat you for the love of your Redeemer from everla∣sting thraldome, to open your hands towards the redemption of many hundreds of our countrey-men, whose bodies are in captivity under Turks and Infidels, their wives and children in misery at home, and it is to be fea∣red, their soules in worse case. Next to the redemption of these spirituall Temples of the holy Ghost, I commend unto you the reparation and beautifying of his materiall Temple: you have most decently and beauti∣fully adorned and trimmed the daughters of Zion, the lesser and later built Churches in this City, let not your piety bee lesse to the Mother-Church, dedicated to the most publike and solemne worship of God, where you are fed with the finest flower of wheat, and drinke of the purest juice of the grape, and in the fullest manner partake of the communion of Saints; which was the second inference I made from the attribute of Christ in my text, whereby hee is stiled Primitiae dormientium, The first fruits of them that slept.

2 The second inference from the attribute here mentioned (the first fruits of, &c.) is the communion of the faithfull with Christ, both in sanctificati∣on and glorification; for the further manifestation whereof it will bee re∣quisite to specifie whereof Christ is the first fruits, viz.

• 1 Coeli, for he is the first begotten of his Father.
• 2 Uteri, for he was the Virgins first borne.
• 3 Sepulchri, for hee is the first fruits of them that slept.

In all three the faithfull partake with him after a sort.

1 In that hee is Primitiae coeli, the first fruits of heaven. For as hee is the naturall sonne of God, so are wee the adopted sonnes of God, and by his spirit madel 1.92 partakers of the divine nature: as hee is the first borne of hea∣ven,m 1.93 so wee are also of the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in heaven.

2 In that he is Primitiae uteri virginei, the first fruits of a virgins womb. For as Christ was borne of a virgin Mother, so the Christian Church our Mother is continually in child-bearing, and yet remaineth still a virgin.

3 Most properly doe wee partake with him in that hee is Primitiae se∣pulchri; for hee isn 1.94 that corne of wheat Saint John speaketh of, which was sowne at his death, digged deepe into the earth at his buriall, sprang up a∣gaine at his resurrection, and now is become the first fruits of them that slept: in like manner wee are sowne at our death, digged deep into the earth at our buriall, and shall spring up againe at the last resurrection, and bee offered aso 1.95 first fruits unto God and the Lambe. Where the first fruits are taken out, there must needs bee a lumpe or heape out of which they are taken.p 1.96 In primitiis totius anni proventus consecrabatur, in the first fruits the whole crop of the yeere was hallowed; so in Christ, who is our first fruits, all true

believers are sanctified, as those words of our Saviour in that most divine prayer to his Father recorded import,q 1.97 for their sakes I sanctifie my selfe, that they also might bee sanctified through the truth.

If Christ sanctified himselfe for us, shall not wee endeavour as hee ena∣bleth us by his grace, to sanctifie our selves also for him? If hee impart this his dignity to us, and maketh usr 1.98 the first fruits of his creatures, let us dedicate our selves unto him: let us bee given to him, ass 1.99 Samuel was, all the dayes of our lives. Hee hath chosen us to bee (marke I beseech you what) fruits, not blossomes, not leaves; fruits I say, not stalkes, not emp∣ty eares, like those who make a bare profession of the truth, and all their re∣ligion is in their eares, bearing no fruit at all, or in no degree answerable to their holiest profession. If God hath made us fruits, let us not make our selves ranke weeds by heresie, or filthy dung by a corrupt life. After the first fruits are carried away out of the field, the rest of the shockes or sheafes follow of course;t 1.100 primitias universa massa sequitur: Christ the first fruits is carried away long since out of the field of this world, into the celestiall barne. A barne farre more stately, beautifull, and glorious than any Princes pallace upon earth; and when the harvest shall come, which isu 1.101 the end of the world, wee shall bee carried thither also every one in his owne order: the first fruits is Christ, after they that are Christs at his com∣ming, ver. 23.

Before I can proceed, according to my desire and your expectation, to the period of my discourse, and end of all mens course, viz. death, called here sleepe, I must remove sixe rubbes that lye in my way. For wee read of three dead men raised in the Old Testament, and as many in the New, before Christ himselfe rose: how then is hee the first fruits of them that slept?

1 I will offer to your consideration many solutions of this doubt, that you may take your choice. Saint Jerome gives but a touch at it, yet be∣cause it is upon the right string 'tis worth your hearing: Christus primus surrexit in incorruptione; the rest before they were raised began at least to corrupt; it is sayd of Lazarus expressely, that hex 1.102 stanke, but God suffe∣red not his holy One to see corruption: they rose in their naturall and corrup∣tible bodies, Christ in an incorruptible, and as the Apostle calleth it, a spi∣rituall body, ver 44.

2 That which Cornelius A lapide answereth is considerable, that though Christ were not primus tempore, the first that rose in time, yet that he was primus in intentione Dei, the first in Gods intention.

3 Aquinas comes yet nearer the matter, Christus primus sua virtute re∣surrexit, Christ was the first that rose himselfe by his own power; they be∣fore Christ were raysed by others. If any thing be yet lacking, S. Bernard and Beza will supply it; alii suscitati sunt mortui, sed iterum morituri; other dead were raised, but dyed againe, like drowned men which rise up twice or thrice from under water, but sinke againe to the bottome: Christus simul resurrexit, & aeternam beatam{que} vitam recepit, Christ at once rose, and ob∣tained an eternall and blessed life.y 1.103 Christ being risen from the dead dieth no more, death hath no more power over him.

Whereunto 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 may bee added, that others rose as private men,

Christ as a publike person, and the cause of all other mens rising, either univocall, as of all the Elect, who rise as hee did to happy eternity; or equivocall, as of the reprobates, who are raysed to eternall misery. They who rose before Christ were either singular types of him, or as common sheafes of the heape; Christ was the first that ever rose in the nature and quality of the first fruits, to sanctifie the whole harvest of the dead in him, who are here called, Them that slept.

z 1.104Aristotle writeth of certaine serpents in Mesopotamia, which doe great mischiefe to strangers, but do no hurt at all to the inhabitants: such is death, it hath power to sting those that are strangers and aliens from the common∣wealth of Israel, it hurteth not at all the naturall Israelites, which are fel∣low-citizens with the Saints of the houshold of faith. Those which are with∣out God in the world, and without Christ, though within the visible Church, have cause to feare death; because, like the Phalangium ina 1.105 Stra∣bo, it stings them to death in such sort, that they dye either laughing or madde; that is, either making a jest of judgement, and hell, and the life to come, or distracted in some fearefull fit of desparation. And as Diogenes when hee felt himselfe falling into a slumber a little before his death, said pleasantly,* 1.106 Frater me mox est traditurus fratri suo; one brother is now delivering mee to the other (hee meant sleep to death:) so it is most true of these scoffers at God and all religion, dying impenitently, that their tem∣porall death delivers them over to eternall death; the elder death to the younger (but longer liver,) the first death to theb 1.107 second: but upon those who are in Christ, and have part in the first resurrection, the second death hath no power, and in that regard the first death is not terrible unto them: nay, so farre is it from being terrible, that even lying on their death-beds they insult both upon death and the grave with holy sarcasmes.c 1.108 O death where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

d 1.109The immortall entred into a single combate with death on the crosse, and gave death a death wound, even by his death: and now death is no more death to the godly, but a sleep;e 1.110 The damosell is not dead, but asleepe; our friend Lazarus isf 1.111 but asleepe. Stephen though hee came to his end by a violent meanes, yet it is said of him thatg 1.112 he fell asleep. And I would not have you ignorant brethren, saith S. Paul, concerning them which areh 1.113 asleep: and so in my text, they who before were called the dead, now after the mention of Christs resurrection, are termed, Them that slept.

Which words are not so to bee understood, as if their soules slept with their bodies till the day of judgement. That is a drowsie heresie, out of which Calvin shaketh some in his time, whom he calleth by the right name* 1.114 Psychopamychistas: but in three other respects,

1 Because they rest from their toylesome labours, as those that sleepe wee say are at their ease.

2 Because they neither minde, nor at all meddle with any affaires of this life either good or bad, as those that are fast asleepe,i 1.115 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, for the time, neither thinke nor often so much as dreame of any thing in the world.

3 Because they shall certainely be awaked by the shrill sound of the last

Trumpet; as those that sleepe at night are awaked againe in the morning by the Weytes your City musicke.

Do you believe all these things? I know you do. Why do you then take on in such grievous manner when your friends are taken away from you by corporall death? Why doe you make their death-beds swimme with your teares? non amisistis, sed praemisistis; you have not lost them, but sent them to bed before you: they are but asleepe, they shall awake againe; they are but as seede sowne in the earth, they shall rise out of it againe.

* 1.116I know that where hearts have bin knit together, they cannot be rent asun∣der without exceeding great pain and unexpressible griefe: neither do I find fault with naturall affection; much lesse condemne the Christian compassi∣on of those whok 1.117 weepe with them that weepe. It is for a Stoicke, or rather a stocke, to bee without all sympathy of others sorrow, or sense of his owne losse:l 1.118 eam animi duritiam sicut corporis, quod cum uritur non sentit, stuporem potius quam virtutem puto. Our Lord and Master reads us another lesson, who himselfem 1.119 wept for Lazarus: and whosoever reades (if yet for teares hee be able) Davids lamentation for Jonathan; Saint Ambroses for Satyrus; Nyssens for Saint Basil; Nazianzens for Gorgonia; Augustines for Nebridius; and Bernards for Gervasius, will finde that the heat of love is contrary to all other. For all other dryeth, but this the greater it is in the heart the moister the eyes are. Yet love must not exceede proportion, nor teares measure;n 1.120 grandis in suos pietas impietas est apud Deum. What Seneca speakes of words, may bee a good rule in these teares, still are volo non currere; let them drop like precious water out of a Lymbecke, not run like common water out of a spout:

o 1.121Absint inani funere naeniae, Luctus{que} turpes, & querimoniae: Compesce clamorem.

Demang in Hebrew, signifying a teare, hath great affinity with Dema∣ma, signifying silence, to teach us that our teares ought to bee silent, not querulous or clamorous. Let nature have her course, but let religion set bounds to it.

p 1.122Ne semper urge flebilibus modis Mysten ademptum.

Let us water our plants, but not drown them, as those that mourne without hope. Joseph loved his Father Jacob better than the Egyptians, yet his teares were but the tithes of theirs; for hee mourned butq 1.123 seven dayes, but they seventy. Rachel, though otherwise a good woman, yet in this was too wo∣manish and wayward, that shee would not bee comforted; neither is her rea∣son good nor true, if wee take it as the words sound, because they are not; for wee know they are, and living too, all live to God: wee know where they are that dye in the Lord, with Christ in Paradise; wee know what man∣ner of dwellings they have, tabernacles not made with hands, eternall in the heavens; wee know of what congregation they are, of the congregation of the

first borne, and the spirits of just men made perfect: wee know what they doe, they follow the lambe wheresoever hee goeth; wee know what they say also, they cease not to cry day and night, Holy, holy, holy, &c. lastly, wee know what they sing, Halelujah.

Wherefore as Xenophon when newes was brought him (as he was sacrifi∣cing) of his sonnes death, put off the crowne hee had on his head, and gave vent to his sorrowes at his eyes; but after hee understood that hee dyed va∣liantly, and worthy such a Father, put on his crowne againe, and finished his sacrifice: so when newes shall bee brought unto us of the death of our dearest friends, let us first put off our crowne of joy, and let nature and love melt us into teares; but when wee heare againe that they dyed peni∣tently and religiously, with hope full of immortality: let us put on our crowne againe, and comfort ourselves, and finish our Christian course with joy, as those religious people did, of whom Saint Austine speaketh, putting himselfe among them;* 1.124 Contristamur in nostrorum mortibus ne∣cessitate amittendi, sed cum spe recipiendi, inde angimur, hinc consolamur, inde infirmitas afficit, hinc fides reficit, inde dolet humana conditio, hinc sa∣nat divina promissio: the consideration of the losse of our friends cutteth us, but the hope of receiving them againe healeth us.

And now at the length to release your long captivated attention, I will speake but one word of admonition to you concerning your owne end, and so an end. Is death nothing but a sleep? why then are you so much scared at the mention or thought of it? When the Prophets of God, or some other your deerest friends deale faithfully with you, telling you there is no way but one, and advising you to set your house in order, for you must dye and can∣not live; why doe you fetch many a deep sigh, turne to the wall and mourne like a dove, or chatter like a crane? why doe you not rather struggle with your owne infirmitie, and with resolute Hilarion, even chide out your soules hankering at the doore of your lips: Egredere, quid times? egredere anima mea, quid dubitas? sexaginta prope annis servisti Christo, & mortem times? Goe out my soule, why art thou afraid? goe out, why makest thou any difficulty? thou hast served Christ well nigh sixty yeeres, and dost thou now feare death? You will hardly finde any little childe, much lesse man, that is afraid to goe to bed; nay travellers after a tedious journey in bitter wea∣ther, are not content to pull off their cloathes, they teare them for haste to get into their soft and warme beds: When our day is spent, and wee are come to our journeyes end, why doe we not, as it were, pull off our cloaths, by stripping ourselves of worldly cares and businesses, and settle our selves to sleepe in Jesus, and breathe out our soules betweene his armes? Plato when hee died had the booke of Sophronius the Musitian under his pillow. When we lye on our death bed let us have under our pillow to support us, not the booke of Sophronius the Musitian, but the bookes of the sweet sin∣gers of Israel, David and Salomon, and the rest of the inspired Writers: so shall wee be sure that God will make our beds in our sickenesse, and we shall sweetly fall into our last sleepe, as did the most religious Matron Paula, who when some about her, as shee was now drawing on, read to her the se∣cond of Canticles; so soone as shee heard the Bridegroome calling, Surge speciosa mea, surge columba mea, veni: Arise my Love, arise my Dove, arise

my Faire one, and come away, the winter is past, the raine is over and gone: she answered as it there followeth; the flowers appeare in the earth, the time of pruning, or (as it is in our translation) the time of singing is at hand. With which word shee made an end of her life, and I will of my Sermon; com∣mitting you, as shee did her soule, to God; beseeching him who hath taught us the doctrine of the resurrection by his word, to accomplish it in us by his Spirit, that having part in the grace of the first resurrection here, wee may hereafter participate in the glory of the se∣cond through JESUS CHRIST. Cui, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Plin. in panegyr. Aegyptus glori∣ata est se nihil imbribus coelo∣que debere. Siquidem pro∣prio semper amne perfusa, tantis segetibus induebatur, ut cum feracissi∣mis terris quasi nunquam ces∣sura certaret.
• a 1.2

  Rom. 11.16.
• * 1.3

  Occasio & scopus.
• b 1.4

  2 Tim. 2.18.
• * 1.5

  ex occas.
• c 1.6

  Bellar. orat. ha∣bit in Gymnas. Ro•• anno 1576. H••manigeneris ostis, e••itotus alioqui perver∣sus & ordinis perturbator esse soleat, tamen non sine aliquo ordine catholi∣cae ecclesiae ve∣ritatem oppug∣nate vol••••t, &c.
• * 1.7

  Refut.
• d 1.8

  Dan. 7.13.
• e 1.9

  Esa. 43.13.
• f 1.10

  Tertul. de Vol. Virg.
• g 1.11

  Joh. 4.20.22.
• h 1.12

  Ep. 74. Consuetudo si∣ne veritate est vetustas ••rro∣ris.
• i 1.13

  Grat. dist. 8.
• k 1.14

  Ignat. epist ad Philad. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• l 1.15

  Arnob. l. 2. cont. gent. Quod ve∣rum est se••um non est, &c.
• m 1.16

  Amb. l. 3. ep. 30 Reprobatis messem quia se∣ra est foecun∣ditas, &c.
• n 1.17

  Quaest. vet. & novi Test. Qua∣si antiquitas praejudicet ve∣ritati, hic est mos diaboli∣cus ut per anti∣quitatis tradu∣cem commen∣detur fallacia.
• o 1.18

  Bell. de not. Eccles. l. 4 c. 5. Secunda nota est antiquitas.
• o 1.19

  Mat. 19.4.
• p 1.20

  ver. 8.
• q 1.21

  1 Joh. 2.7.
• r 1.22

  Tertul. contra Prax. Id vertum quod prius, id adulterinum quod posterius.
• s 1.23

  Epist. ad Pomp. Nonne ad fon∣tem recurritur? &c.
• t 1.24

  Jer. 6.16.
• * 1.25

  Ezek. 20.18.
• u 1.26

  Psal. 49.19.
• u 1.27

  Cyp. ep. 3. Non debemus at∣tendere quid a∣liquis ante nos faciendum pu∣taverit, sed quid qui ante omnes est Chri∣stus.
• x 1.28

  Epist. ad Pomp. Unde est ista traditio? utrum∣ne de dominicâ & evangelicâ autoritate de∣scendens? &c. si in evangelio praecipitur, aut in apostolo∣rum epistolis, aut actibus continetur, ob∣servetur haec sancta traditio.
• * 1.29

  Aug. contra lit. Petil. l. 3. c. 6.
• x 1.30

  Mart. epig. l. 5.
• y 1.31

  Platin. in Sa∣bin.
• z 1.32

  Idem in Boni∣fac. 3.
• * 1.33

  Andr. ab. ofic. at. 7.
• a 1.34

  Osterb. ael. 7. & Wolf. ad an. 666.
• b 1.35

  Apoc. 13.17.
• c 1.36

  Osterb. ib.
• d 1.37

  Vid. Act. Con∣cil 7.
• e 1.38

  Bell. de sanct. beat. l. 1 c. 8.
• f 1.39

  Grat. de consecr. dist. 2.
• g 1.40

  Casi consult. & Bell. l. 2. de es. s. sacr. c 9 24. Lombard & omnes inde Theo∣logiseptem sacra∣menta•••• adde∣runt.
• h 1.41

  Act. Concil. l••••er.
• i 1.42

  Andr. ab Osterb aetat. 13.
• k 1.43

  Bell in Chron. p. 109.
• l 1.44

  Bell. de cult. sanct. l. 3. c. 15.
• m 1.45

  Concil. Constan sess. 13.
• n 1.46

  Act. Concil. Florent.
• o 1.47

  Act. Concil. Later.
• p 1.48

  Concil. Trid. sess. 4.
• q 1.49

  Al••••art 3. q. ult. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Turr••••. l. 1. de eccles••••••.
• r 1.50

  Bern serm. in domin. Pasch.
• s 1.51

  Serm. de resur.
• u 1.52

  l. 4. divin. instit.
• * 1.53

  Tract. 2. in Jo∣han. Christus sa∣cramenti no∣men est, quo∣modo si dicatur sacerdos.
• x 1.54

  Tertul in apo∣loget.
• y 1.55

  Phil. 1.21.
• z 1.56

  Psal. 45.7.
• * 1.57

  Psal. 16.10.
• a 1.58

  Act. 2.24.
• b 1.59

  Petrus Chryso∣log. serm. pasch. de resur. ser. 14.
• c 1.60

  Num. 24.17.
• d 1.61

  Hos. 13.14.
• e 1.62

  Es. 26.19.
• f 1.63

  Psal. 16.9.
• g 1.64

  Gen. 3.15.
• h 1.65

  Greg. Nyssen. de resurrect. ser. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• i 1.66

  Mat. 12.40.
• k 1.67

  Ezek 37.7, 8, 9, 10.
• l 1.68

  Mar. 16.5.
• m 1.69

  Lactant. in Poem.
• n 1.70

  De civit. Dei l. 22. c. 5. Haec duo incredibi∣lia, scil. resur∣rectionem no∣stri corporis, & rem ••am incre∣dibilem mun∣dum esse credi∣turum, idem dominus ante∣quam vel unum horū fieret, am∣bo futura esse praedixit, unum duorum incre∣dibilium jam factum vide∣mus, ut quod e∣rat incredibile crede••et mun∣dus, curid quod reli∣quum est de∣speratur?
• o 1.71

  Apoc. 20.5.
• p 1.72

  Heb. 6.1.
• q 1.73

  Mat. 8.28.
• r 1.74

  Psal. 73.19.
• s 1.75

  Eras. Adag.
• t 1.76

  Caus. in Poly∣hist. symb.
• u 1.77

  Mat. 28.2.
• * 1.78

  Joh. 3.31.
• x 1.79

  Mat. 28.18.
• y 1.80

  Phil. 2.9.
• z 1.81

  Eph. 1.22.
• a 1.82

  Eph. 5.23.
• b 1.83

  Heb. 1 6.
• c 1.84

  Mat. 1.25.
• d 1.85

  Col. 1.18. Rev. 1.5.
• e 1.86

  Col. 1.15.
• f 1.87

  Apoc. 22.16.
• g 1.88

  Apoc. 1.8.
• h 1.89

  Jam. 1.18.
• i 1.90

  Rom. 8.23.
• * 1.91

  Allude to the Hosp tall children in blew coates.
• l 1.92

  2 Pet. 1.4.
• m 1.93

  Heb. 12.23.
• n 1.94

  Joh. 12.24.
• o 1.95

  Apoc. 14.4.
• p 1.96

  Calvin in hunc locum.
• q 1.97

  Joh. 17.19.
• r 1.98

  Jam. 1.18.
• s 1.99

  1 Sam. 1.28.
• t 1.100

  Theod. in hunc locum.
• u 1.101

  Mat. 13.39.
• x 1.102

  Joh. 11.39.
• y 1.103

  Rom. 6.9.
• z 1.104

  Aristot. lib. de mirabil. auscult.
• a 1.105

  Strab. l. 2. geog. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.106

  Eras. apoph. Diog.
• b 1.107

  Ubi mors vi∣vit, & finis in∣cipit. Greg. Mo∣rah. in Job.
• c 1.108

  1 Cor. 15.55.
• d 1.109

  Graec. liturg.
• e 1.110

  Mat. 9.24.
• f 1.111

  Joh. 11.12.
• g 1.112

  Act. 7.60.
• h 1.113

  1 Thess. 4.14.
• * 1.114

  Soule-all-night-sleepers.
• i 1.115

  Hom. Il. 2.
• * 1.116

  Bern. in Cant. Occidit me De∣us cum succidit Gervasium me∣um.
• k 1.117

  Rom. 12.15.
• l 1.118

  Cic. pro dom. ad Pont.
• m 1.119

  Joh. 11.35.
• n 1.120

  Hieron. in epi∣taph. Paulae.
• o 1.121

  Horat. carm. l. 2 ed. 20.
• p 1.122

  Horat. l. 2. carm ed. 9.
• q 1.123

  Gen. 50.3.
• * 1.124

  Aug. ser. 35. de divers.