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 AT SERJEANTS-INNE IN FLEETSTREET.

THE CHRISTIAN VICTORIE. THE XXV. SERMON.

APOC. 2.17.

To him that overcommeth will I give to eat of the hidden Manna, and I will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Right Honourable, Right Worshipfull, &c.

MEdals and small pictures that are shewed us under the co∣ver of a chrystall glasse are most delightfull to the eye:* 1.1 such are the images of divine truth, and heads of hea∣venly doctrine, whereof you have a glympse in my text, through the mirrour of an elegant allegorie. The glasse of art giveth both light to the pictures, and delight to the beholders. Notwithstanding for your more exact view, and my parti∣cular handling of them, I will open the Chrystall cover, and take them out one by one in order as they are set in the letter; wherein

• 1 A condition is propounded, to him that overcommeth.
• 2 A promise upon condition is made, I will give.* 1.2
• 3 Three gifts upon promise are specified;
  • 1 Hidden Manna (which some make) a type of election.
  • 2 A white stone, an embleme of justification.
  • 3 A new name, an imprese of glorification.

In the review of the words marke, I beseech you, the connexion of

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the doctrinall points which stand as it were out of the words.

1 No man knoweth the new name, save he that receiveth it.

• * 1.32 No man receiveth it, but he that hath the white stone.
• 3 No man hath the white stone, but he that eateth the Manna.
• 4 No man eateth the hidden Manna, but he to whom it is given.
• 5 It is given to none to eate thereof, but to him that overcommeth the Divell by his faith, the World by his hope, the Flesh by his charity, all baites and allurements by his abstinence, all crosses and afflictions by his patience, all conflicts and assaults of temptations by his constant perseve∣rance unto the end.

* 1.41 It is said to him that overcommeth, to include our labour and industry: yet it is added, I will give, to exclude merit.

2 It is said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to him, that is, to every one, (for an indefinite propofi∣tion in materiâ necessariâ, is equivalent to an universall) to teach us, that the promises of the Gospel are generall: yet to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is added 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to him that overcommeth, to shew us that this generality is conditionall.

3 The Spirit saith not to him that fighteth, but to him that overcom∣meth. All vertues adorne a Christian, but perseverance alone crowneth him.

4 To him that overcommeth the Spirit saith not I will give to see, but to eat of the hidden Manna, and receive the white stone, with the new name. Our eternall happinesse consisteth not in the bare contemplation, but fruition of the hidden Manna, the white stone, and the new name.

5 It is not Manna simply, but the hidden Manna: nor a stone, but a white stone: nor a name, but a new name: every subject hath here his adjunct, every face his shadow, every letter his flourish, every diamond his foile, every kind his quality. All Manna is not the hidden: what is this hidden Manna? All pretious stones are not the white: what is this white stone? All names are not new names: what is this new name?

O thou who hast the key of David, and openest and no man shutteth, open the treasure of this Scripture, that we may see what heavenly mysteries lie in this hidden Manna, are engraven in this white stone, and character'd in this new name.

[Obser. 1] The prophecies in the Old and New Testament like the Cherubins in the Arke looke one upon the other:

Alter in alterius jacientes lumina vultum.

You shall hardly light upon any vision or revelation in this booke con∣cerning the succeeding estate of the Church, which hath not some kind of reference to the predictions of the ancient Prophets of things already ac∣complished. God, to whom all things past and future are eternally present, in his infinite wisedome hath so fitted latter events to former presidents, that the same perspectives of Propheticall visions, for the most part, in which holy men under the law saw things now long past, serve St. John to represent unto him the image of the last times, even till our Lords second comming. For brevity sake at this time I will instance onely in my text, where every word is a relative. The first, vincenti, referreth you to

Job 7.1. Is not the life of man a warfare upon earth? The second, Dabo, I will give, to Luke 12.32. It is your Fathers pleasure to give you a king∣dome. The third, Manna absconditum, the hidden Manna, to Exod. 16.33. Take a pot, and put an Omer full of Manna therein, and lay it up before the Lord, to be kept for your generations. The fourth, Calculum candidum, the white stone, to Esay 28.16. Behold, I lay in Zion a tried stone, a pretious stone. The fift, novum Nomen, a new name, to Esay 62.2. And thou shalt be called by a new name. Christ who hath overcome the world, under these metaphors looking to foregoing prophesies and promises, incoura∣geth all Christians like valiant Souldiers to follow him, setting before them all spirituall delicacies, implyed in the hidden Manna, all treasures in the white stone, all true honour in the new name. To him that overcommeth plea∣sure, and abstaines from sinfull delights, I will give hidden Manna. To him that overcommeth covetousnesse, and esteemeth not of worldly wealth and earthly treasure, I will give a white stone. To him that overcommeth ambi∣tion, and seeketh not for a name upon earth, I will give a new name, written in heaven. In many other texts the letter is easie, but the spirituall meaning difficult: but on the contrary, in this the spirituall meaning is facile, and out of question, but the letter is much controverted. For some contend, that the metaphor is here taken from the manner of feasting great Persona∣ges, wherein the Prince, Ambassadour, or great States-man is entertained with rare and reserved dainties, served in under covered dishes; and after the last course hath a medall, or a stone with his name engraven in it, and a posie given unto him; which, because he carrieth away with him, and keepeth it as a memoriall of his honourable entertainement, the Greekes call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: this is Alcasar his conceit. Others place the Scene, if I may so speake, in a Greene, where he that out-runneth the rest, receiveth a white stone: this is Aretus his ghesse. A third sort of Expositors runne upon a pitched field, which he that wanne had his victory with his name entred into the Roman Fasti with a white stone: this is Sixtus Senensis his interpretation. But the most of our later Commentatours imagine, that Christ had an eye to the Roman Judiciall proceedings in their Courts, in which he that overcame his accuser, and had the better of the cause, was absolved by the Judges casting white stones into an urne or pitcher.

Mos erat antiquis, niveis, atris{que} lapillis His damnare reos, illis absolvere culpâ.

But sith wee have the Jewell, let us not much trouble our selves about the casket: let us not contend about the shell, but rather taste the ker∣nell.

[Obser. 2] To him, that is, to every one. As Dido at the building of Carthage offe∣red like priviledges to the Tyrians and Trojans, saying,a 1.5 Tros, Tyrius{que} mihi nullo discrimine agetur: so Christ in the building of the spirituall Je∣rusalem, which is his Church, putteth no difference betweene Jew and Gentile, but propoundeth salvation upon like conditions of repentance and faith unto all. At his incarnation he tooke not upon him the singular person of any man, but the common nature of all men, and accordingly offered

himselfe a surety for all mankinde, laying downe a sufficient ransome for all, and inviting all by the hand of faith to take so much as may serve to free themselves, and satisfie for their debt.b 1.6 Ho, every one that thirsteth, saith the Prophet, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money: come ye, buy ye wine and milke without money, and without price.c 1.7 If any man thirst, saith our Saviour, let him come unto me and drinke. He that beleeveth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.d 1.8 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavie laden, and I will give you rest.e 1.9 Behold, I stand at the doore, and knocke: if any man heare my voyce, and open the doore, I will come in to him, and will sup with him. In the law of Moses there is a great difference between the Jew and the Gentile; but in Christ there is none at all: we who were sometimes farre off, are made nigh by his bloud.f 1.10 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken downe the middle wall of partition betweene us. Through him we have an accesse by one Spirit unto the Father.* 1.11 Now therefore we are no more stran∣gers and forreiners,* 1.12 but fellow Citizens with the Saints, and of the houshold of God:g 1.13 Fellow heires, and of the same body, and partakers of God his pro∣mise in Christ by the Gospell. Now as there is one shepheard, so but one sheepfold: and for this very cause Christ is called Lapis angularis, the cor∣ner stone; because the Gentiles and Jewes, like two sides of a wall, joyne in him, and are built up to make a holy Temple unto the Lord, which is his vi∣sible Church. Neither are the Gentiles onely admitted into the terrestriall Jerusalem and Church militant, but also into the celestiall and Church tri∣umphant. For so we reade, that after thereh 1.14 were sealed an hundreth and fourty and foure thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel, Loe, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues stood before the throne, and before the Lambe, cloa∣thed with white robes, and palmes in their hands. Before Christ came into the flesh, there was as it were a small wicket open in heaven for the Gentiles, at which some few entered one by one; as Jethro, and Job, and Melchize∣deck, and the King of Nineveh, and the Queene of the South, and some o∣ther: but since the death, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord, wee reade of ai 1.15 great doore opened in heaven, at which great multitudes may en∣ter together. Even from the beginning of Christs comming into the flesh the Gentiles went in equipage with the Jewes. For when the Angell prea∣ched the incarnation of Christ to the Jewes, a new Starre preached it to the heathen Sages, that all men might know, according to Simeon his pro∣phesie, thatk 1.16 he was no lesse a light to lighten the Gentiles, than the glory of his people Israel. For this cause we may conceive it was, that he was borne in an Inne, not in a private house; and baptized in the river Jordan, not in a peculiar font; and suffered without the walls of the City, to make it mani∣fest unto us, that the benefit of his incarnation, baptisme, death and passion, is not impropriated to any sort of people, nor inclosed within the pale of Palestine, but like the beames of the Sunne diffused through the whole world. Thus farre we all teach universall grace, that is, the grace and favour of God, offered unto all by the preaching of the Gospell; not the grace (they call sufficient) conferred upon all since Adam's fall. This secret be∣longeth unto God, to whom he will make this offer of grace effectuall;

but that which he hath revealed belongeth to us and our children, thatl 1.17 The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men, teaching us, that denying ungodlinesse and wordly lusts, we should live soberly, righteous∣ly, and godly in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glori∣ous appearance of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Them 1.18 foundati∣on of God remaineth firme, having this seal, God knoweth who are his, not we. We therefore who are dispensers of the mysteries of salvation, must be open handed unto all, and indifferently tender unto them the pretious pearle which the rich Merchant man sold all that he had to buy.

First, because it is Christs expresse command that we should doe so: Goe, saith Christ, preach to all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost. Or as we finde his words related by Saint Marke;n 1.19 Goe yee into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every crea∣ture. He that beleeveth, and is baptized shall be saved, but he that beleeveth not shall be damned.

2 Next, Because the Elect could not be called by us who cannot discerne them from the reprobate, if we preached not the Gospell to all without exception. Howsoever therefore our preaching to the reprobate doth them little good, proving no better unto them than a savour of death unto death; yet our labour is not in vaine in the Lord, because in every as∣sembly we may piously hope there may be some if not many of the Elect, to whom the Word will prove a savour of life unto life.

3. Lastly, By thus propounding conditions of peace, and a desire of re∣conciliation on Gods part through Christ unto all, the reprobate are de∣barred of that excuse which otherwise they might use, (viz.) that they would have embraced Christ if he had beene offered unto them, and have walked in the light of the Gospel if it had shined upon them.

Tullie speaketh of a Panchrestum medicamentum, a remedy for all disea∣ses; and Plinie of Panaches, a salve for every sore. Such a catholike medi∣cine, such an universall salve is the death and passion of Christ, not only suf∣ficient for all, but also soveraigne and effectuall unto all: but then this poti∣on must be taken, this salve must be applied.

[Obser. 2] And so I fall upon my second note, that though the promises of the Go∣spel are generall without exception; yet they are not absolute without condition. The hidden Manna, and the white stone, and the new name are promised to every one that is so qualified. The promises of the Gospel are generall, that none should dispaire; but yet conditionall, that none should presume. Eternall life by the ministery of the Gospel is offered un∣to all, but upon condition of faith:o 1.20 God so loved the world, that he gave his onely begotten Sonne: that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish, but have life everlasting. Pardon and remission of sinnes is promised unto all, but upon condition of repentance and new obedience:p 1.21 If the wicked will turne from all his sinnes that he hath committed, and keepe all my statutes, and doe that which is lawfull and right, he shall surely live, hee shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shal not be mentioned unto him; in his righteousnesse that he hath done, he shall live. Rest is offered unto all, but upon condition of submission to Christs yoake:q 1.22 Take my yoake upon you, and learne of me, for I am meeke and lowly in heart: and you shall finde

rest unto your soules. Salvation is offered unto all, but upon condition ofr 1.23 perseverance: he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved. An incorruptible crowne is promised unto all, but upon condition of faithful∣nesse: Bes 1.24 thou faithfull unto death, and I will give thee the crowne of life. Fishermen in their draw-nets use both lead and corke; lead to pull downe some part of it under water, corke to keep the other above. As Fishermen, so likewise the Fishers of men in the draw-net of the Gospel make use both of corke and lead; the generall promises like corke beare us up (in hope) the conditions like lead keep us downe (in feare.) These conditions cannot bee performed without grace; therefore all must implore divine aide: yet grace performeth them not without the concurrence of our will. We must there∣fore exercise our naturall faculties, we must seeke the Kingdome of God, we must strive to enter in at the narrow gate, wee must search for wisedome as for treasure, we must labour for the meat that perisheth not, we must stirre up the graces of God in us, we must work out our salvation with feare and trem∣bling.t 1.25 Lepidus lying all along upon the grasse, cryed out, Utinam hoc esset laborare, O that this were to labour and get the mastery; so many stretching themselves upon their ivory beds, and living at ease in Sion, say within themselves, Utinam hoc esset militare, O that this were to goe in warfare, and fight under the crosse: but let them not deceive themselves, heaven is not got with a wish, nor paradise with a song, nor pardon with a sigh, nor victory with a breath, it will cost us many a blow and wound too before we overcome.

[Observ. 3] There can be no conquest without a fight, nor fight without an enemy: who are then our enemies? nay rather who are not? evill angels, men, the creatures, and our selves: angels by suggestions, men by seduction and per∣secution, the creatures by presenting baits and provocations, and our selves by carnall imaginations, lusts, and affections fight against the spirit of grace, and kingdome of Christ in us: Omnes necessarii, omnes adversarii. Against all these enemies of our peace with God wee hang up a flag of defiance in our crisme, and lift up our ensigne when we are crossed in the forehead, and proclaime a warre under Christs banner, (in our renouncing the Divell and all his workes) which beginneth at the Font, and endeth at our Grave. Phi∣lip graced his warre against the Phocenses, and our Ancestors their exploits against the Saracens for Palaestine with the title of Bellum sacrum, the holy Warre: but neither of their expeditions and martiall attempts so properly deserved that appellation, as this I am now to describe unto you. Those warres were for Religion in truth or pretence; but this warre is Religion and true Christianity: and the weapons of this warfare are no other than holy duties and divine vertues, which by some are reduced to three:

• 1. Prayer,
• 2. Fasting,
• 3. Almes-deeds.

For, say they, as our enemies are three, the Divell, the Flesh, & the World; so they tempt us to three vices especially,

• 1. Pride,
• 2. Luxury,
• 3. Avarice.

Now our strongest weapon

• 1 Against pride, is humble prayer.
• 2 Against luxurie, frequent fasting.
• 3 Against avarice, charitable almes.

Howbeit, though these are the most usuall, and, if I may so speake, portable armes of a Christian; yet there are in his armorie many more, and some more forcible than these, which St.u 1.26 Paul taketh out, and gilds over with these sacred attributes; the sword of the Spirit, the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, the breast-plate of righteousnesse, the girdle of truth, the shooes of preparation of the Gospel of peace. As this warre is thus holy in respect of the weapons used in it, so much more in respect of the Prince that decreeth it, the Heraulds that proclaime it, the field where it is fought, and the cause for which it is undertaken. The Prince who decreeth this warre is the Holy One of Israel, the Heraulds that proclaime it are the Mi∣nisters of the Gospel, the field where the battell is fought is the militant Church, the end for which it is undertaken is the advancement of Christs kingdome of grace in us, and us in the kingdome of glory. The Roman Historians divide their warres into three kinds;

• 1 Externa, forreine.
• 2 Civilia, civill.
• 3 Servilia, servile.

• Forreine against other States.
• Civill against seditious Citizens.
• Servile against mutinous slaves.

This our warre partaketh of all these three kinds, and may be termed both a forrein, a civill, and a servile warre.

• A forrein, in respect of Sathan and his band.
• A civill, in respect of the world.
• A servile, in respect of the flesh and slavish lusts that warre a∣gainst the Spirit.

In other warres some are exempted by their calling, as Priests; some by their sexe, as women; some by their yeares, as old men and children; some by their indisposition of body or minde, as sicke and impotent per∣sons not able to beare armes: but in this warre it is otherwise; none can challenge any priviledge. Not Priests, for they blow the trumpet, and give the onset; not children, for as soone as they are borne they are enrolled in the Captaines booke, and are crosse-signed for this service in baptisme: and it may be said of many of them asx 1.27 Damianus spake of St. Victor the con∣fessour, He conquered before he could know what it was to conquer: and St. Cyprian of martyred infants for Christ in his dayes,y 1.28 The age which was not yet fit for warre was found worthy to receive a crowne. Not women, for they fight daily the good fight of faith, and many of them are crowned in

heaven with white and red garlands; white, consisting of lillies, in token of their chastity and innocent purity; red, consisting of roses, in testimony of theirz 1.29 blood shed for the name of Christ. Not aged and infirme persons, for like Saint* 1.30 Paul, when they are weake then they are strong, nay when they are weakest then they are strongest; when they are weakest in body, they are strongest in spirit; when they lye on their death-bed, and are not able to stirre hand nor foot, they grapple with thea 1.31 roaring Lion (that runneth about seeking whom hee may devoure) and conquer him by their faith. In o∣ther warres though the fight last many houres, yet in the end either the night, or the weather, or the victory, or the flight on one side parteth the armies, and oftentimes necessity enforceth on both sides a truce for a time: but this warre admitteth no intermission, abideth no peace or truce; all yeelding is death, and treaties of peace mortall. In all other battels hee that killeth conquereth, and hee that is slaine is conquered; but in this the persecuters who slay areb 1.32 conquered; and the Martyrs who are slaine, and breath out their soules with a triumphant Io Paean in the flames of fire, are the conquerers.c 1.33 Paraeus expoundeth this riddle, The servants of Christ who seale the truth with their blood, are in their bodies mastered, but in their soules undaunted, and much more unconquered; whilest notwithstanding all the tor∣tures and torments which the malice of man or devill can put them to, they per∣sist in the profession of the true faith unto death: For this is thed 1.34 victory of the world, even our faith. In that famous battell at Leuctrum, where the The∣bans got a signall victory, but their Captaine Epaminondas his deaths wound; Plutarch writeth of him that he demanded whether his buckler had beene taken by the enemy, and when hee understood that it was safe, and that they had not laid hands on it, hee died most willingly and cheere∣fully. Such is the resolution of a valiant souldier of Christ Jesus, when hee is wounded even unto death, hee hath an eye to his shield of faith, and fin∣ding that out of the enemies danger, his soule marcheth out of this world, singing Saint Pauls triumphant ditty;e 1.35 I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth is layd up for me a crowne of righteousnesse.

To cleare the summe which I have beene all this while in casting;

Chri∣stian victory is a prerogative of the regenerate, purchased unto them by Christs death and resurrection, whereby in all conflicts and temptations they hold out to the end, and in the end overcome on earth, and after tri∣umph in heaven.

First, it is a prerogative of the regenerate: for none but those that aref 1.36 borne of God overcome the world.

Secondly, this prerogative is purchased unto them by Christ, and there∣fore the Apostle ascribeth the glory of it to his grace:g 1.37 Thankes bee unto God who giveth us victory through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Thirdly, this victory is not in one kinde of fight, but in all, whether Sa∣tan, the world, or the Devill assault us; whether they lay at our understan∣ding by sophisticall arguments, or at our will by sinfull perswasions, or at our senses by unlawfull delights: whether our profession bee oppugned by heresie, or our unity by schisme, or our zeale by worldly policy, or our temperance by abundance, or our confidence in God by wants, or our con∣stancy by persecution, or our watchfulnesse by carnall security, or our per∣severance

by continuall batteries of temptations; in all wee are more than conquerours through him that loved us.h 1.38 What, or who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distresse, or persecution, or famine, or nakednesse, or perill, or sword? (as it is written, For thy sake wee are killed all the day long, we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter;) Nay in all these things we are more than conquerours, &c.

[Obser. 6] None can overcome who fighteth not valiantly; none can fight valiantly unlesse they be trained up in Martiall affaires, and provided of good and fit armour both for offence and defence: this spirituall armour is got by in∣stant and constant prayer, and reading and meditating on Gods word; and wee put it on by due application of what wee read and heare; and wee use it by the exercise of those divine vertues above mentioned, from whence the severall pieces of our armour take their names. Moreover, that a man may conquer his enemie, three things are most requisite,

• 1 Exasperation.
• 2 Courage.
• 3 Constancy.

Exasperation setteth him on, Courage giveth him strength, and Constan∣cy holdeth out to the end. Exasperation is necessary, because anger (as A∣ristotle teacheth) is the goad or spurre of fortitude: neither indeed can any man maintaine a hot fight in cold blood. And this is the cause why wee are so often put to the worst in our spirituall conflicts, because wee fight like her in the Poet, Tanquam quae vincere nollet; wee fight not in earnest a∣gainst our corruptions, but either in shew onely, dallying, or faintly with∣out any earnest desire of revenge. Sainti 1.39 Austine before his thorough con∣version prayed against fleshly lusts, but (as he confesseth with great anguish & sorrow of heart for his insincerity) so aukwardly, & against his will, that secretly hee desired that his lust should rather be accomplished than extin∣guished. As it was then with him, so it is with too many that take upon them the profession of Christians, and would thinke it foule scorne to bee taken for other than true converts. When the voluptuous person offereth a formall prayer to God, to extinguish the impure flame of lust rising out of the cindars of originall sinne, Satan setteth before his fancy the picture of his beautifull Mistresse; and as the Calor ambiens, or outward heat in a bo∣dy disposed to putrefaction, draweth out the naturall heat; so this impure heat of lust draweth out all the spirituall heat of devotion, and so his faint prayer against sinne is turned into sinne. In like manner while the covetous man prayeth against that base affection in his soule, which ever desireth that wherewith it is neverk 1.40 satisfied, Mammon representeth unto him the rising up of his heapes, and swelling of his bagges by his use-mony, whereby his heart is tickled, and so his prayer also turneth into sinne. Thus all sinners that are not brought to a perfect hatred and detestation of their bosome sinne, even whilest they pray against the forbidden fruit, hold it un∣der their tongue, and their carnall delights suffocate their godly sorrow.

Spirituall courage is most necessary, that is, confidence in God and in the power of his might. This confidence is the immediate ef∣fect

of a lively faith, which S. John callethl 1.41 the victory of the world. When Christ bad Peter come to him walking on the sea, upon the rising of a storme Peters faith began to faile, and no sooner his heart sanke in his body, but his feete also sanke in the water; even so when any storme of persecu∣tion ariseth for the word, when wee see our selves encompassed on every side with dangers and terrours, and our faith faileth, wee presently sinke in despaire, if Christ stretch not out his hand presently to support us, and esta∣blish our heart in his promises.

3 Thirdly, constant perseverance is most needfull; for though all ver∣tues runne in the race of a Christian life, yet perseverance alone obtaineth the garland. Suppose a ship to be fraught with rich merchandise, to have held a prosperous course all the way, and escaped both rockes and Pyrats, yet if it bee cast away in the haven, the owner is nothing the better for it, but lo∣seth his goods, fraight, and hope also. For this cause it is that in all the pro∣mises in these letters of the hidden Manna, the white Stone, the water of Life, the tree of Life, the crowne of Life, &c. the onely condition that is ex∣prest is perseverance. To him that overcommeth I will give, &c. for with∣out it faith is not faith, but a wavering opinion; hope is not hope, but a golden dreame; zeale is not zeale, but a sudden heat; joy but a flash, love but a passion, temperance but a physicke diet for a time, valour but a bra∣vado, patience but weake armour notable to hold out. All therefore who expect to eat of the hidden Manna, and receive the white stone with the new name, must get unto themselves, and put on the whole armour of God, and be daily trained in Christs schoole; and when they are called to joyne battell, out of an exasperated hatred against the enemies of their soule, with great confidence and courage fight against Satan and his temptations; the world and all the sinfull allurements in it; the flesh and the noysome lusts there∣of, strenuously, valiantly, and constantly, never putting off their armour till they put off their bodies, nor quitting the field till they enter into the celestiall Canaan, whereof the terrestriall was a type; and what title the Jewes had to the one, wee have to the other, not by purchase, but by pro∣mise: yet as the recovery of that Land cost the Jewes, so the recovery of this costeth the Saints of God much sweat, and blood too sometimes; but neither that sweat nor that blood is the price of the Land of Promise, but them 1.42 blood of the immaculate Lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world. In which regard the Prophetn 1.43 Hosea, having exhorted the people to sow in righteousnesse, varieth the phrase, and saith not yee shall reape in righteousnesse, but, yee shall reape in mercy. Why not reape in righteousnesse as well as sow in righteousnesse? because mans righteousnesse is not answe∣rable to Gods, and therefore hee must plead for his reward at the throne of mercy, not at the barre of justice. For though the wages of sinne is death, yet eternall life is the gift of God by Jesus Christ: to whom bee ascribed, &c.

THE HIDDEN MANNA. THE XXVI. SERMON.

APOC. 2.17.

I will give to eat of the hidden Manna.

Right Honourable, Right Worshipfull, &c.

IN the Old Testament we heare, Sic ait Jehovah, So saith the Lord, God the Father; in the Gospell, Thus spake Jesus; but in this booke for the most part, Thus writeth the Spirit; as in this verse. Wherein you are to observe,

• 1 Literam Spiritus, The letter of the Spirit.
• 2 Spiritum Literae, The Spirit of the letter.

Or, to use rather the Allegory in the text, fixe the eye of your coonsidera∣tion upon

• 1 The golden Pot, the elegant and figurative expression.
• 2 The hidden Manna, the abstruse and spirituall meaning.

To him that overcommeth. Hee who biddeth us stand upon the highest staire, consequently commandeth us to runne up all the rest; so hee that would have us to overcome, implicitely comandeth us, 1. To have our names enrolled in our Captaines booke: 2. To bee trained in military exercise: 3 To follow our Generall into the field: 4. To endure hard∣nesse, and inure our selves to difficult labour: 5. When battell is joyned to stand to our tacklings, and acquit our selves like men; never giving over till wee have, 1. repelled, next chased, lastly discomfited and utterly de∣stroyed our ghostly enemies: and when wee are in the hottest brunt, and most dreadfull conflict of all, by faith to looke upon Christ holding out a crowne from heaven unto us; and after wee have overcome in some great

temptation, and seeme to be at rest, to looke upon the labell of this crowne, and there wee shall finde it written, Vincenti dabo, To him that overcom∣meth indefinitely, not in one, but in all assaults of temptation; not in one, but in all spirituall conflicts, till hee have overcome the last enemy, which is death. There are many, too many, in the militant Church, who drinke wine in bowles, and sing to the pipe and violl, and never listen to Christs ala∣rum: others there are who hearing the alarum, desire to be entertained in his service, and give their names unto him, but are not like Timothy trained up in Martiall discipline: a third sort like of training well where there is little danger, but when they are to put themselves into the field, like the children of Ephraim, turne backe in the day of battell: lastly, many like the ancient Gauls, begin furiously, but end cowardly; in the first assault they are more than men, in the second lesse than women. None of these shall taste of the hidden Manna, nor handle the white stone, nor read the new name, but they who by a timely resolution give their names to Christ, by pri∣vate mortification, fasting, watching, and prayer, are trained for this service, by faith grapple with their ghostly enemies, and by constancy hold out to the end. For as Hannibal spake sometime to his souldiers, Qui hostem vice∣rit mihi erit Carthaginensis, hee that conquereth his enemy, what countrey man soever hee bee, hee shall bee unto mee a Carthaginian, that is, I will hold him for such, and give him the priviledge of such an one: so Christ speaketh here to all that serve in his warres, Hee that overcommeth his e∣nemie, of what countrey or nation soever hee bee, I will make him free of the celestiall Jerusalem, I will naturalize him in my kingdome in heaven. In other kingdomes there are severall orders ofa 1.44 Knights, as of Malta, of the Garter, of the Golden Fleece, of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Saint Sa∣viour, of Saint James, of the holy Ghost, and divers others: but in the king∣dome of Christ wee finde but one onely sort, viz. the order of Saint Vin∣cents. In all other orders some have beene found 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, white-livered souldiers, or carpet-Knights, that either never drew sword, nor saw battell, or basely fled from their colours: but of this order never any either fled from his colours, or returned from battell without the spoiles of his ghost∣ly enemies. Hee therefore that will bee of this order must bee of good strength and courage, well armed continually, exercised in Martiall disci∣pline, vigilant to take all advantages, inured to endure all hardnesse: to strength hee must adde skill, to skill valour, to valour industry, to industry patience, to patience constancy, and to all, humility; not to challenge the rewards here proposed as due to his service, but onely by vertue of the pro∣mise of him who here saith, To him that overcommeth

I will give. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, I will render or repay: for it is not so in this warre as in others, wherein the souldier who carrieth himselfe valiantly in warre, and ventureth his life for his Prince and countrey, may challenge his pay of desert; because wee beare not our owne armour, nor fight by our owne strength, nor conquer by our owne valour, nor have any colour for our service on earth to pretend to a crowne in heaven. In which regard though wee may expect, yet not challenge; looke for, yet not sue for; de∣sire, yet not require as due the reward here promised.b 1.45 Feare not little flock, saith our Saviour, for it is your fathers pleasure to give you a kingdome; it is

not his bargaine to sell you it. Albeit the wages of sinne is death, and there we may plead merit: yet the Apostle teacheth us that eternall life is the gift of God. Upon which words Saintc 1.46 Austines observation is very remarkeable; Whereas the Apostle might have continued his Metaphor, and said, the wages of righteousnesse is eternall life, because eternall life is the reward of righte∣ousnesse, as death is of sinne, yet hee purposely put the word gift in stead of wa∣ges, that wee might learne this most wholesome lesson, that God hath predesti∣nated and called us to eternall life, not for our merits, but of his mercy, accor∣ding to those words of the Psalmist, He crowneth thee in compassion. If there be any merit, in S. Bernards judgement, it is in denying all merit; Sufficit ad me∣ritum scire quod non sufficiant merita. And verily had the Church of Rome all faith, as her proselytes suppose that she hath all the good works, yet her standing upon tearms with God, & pleading merit, would mar all her merit, and justly fasten upon her the ill name of Meretrix Babylonica, the whore of Babylon. For Meretrix, saith Calepine, à merendo sic dicta est, hath her name from meriting. When wee have done all that wee can,d 1.47 Christ teacheth us to say, wee are unprofitable servants, we have done but that which was our duty to doe. Nay, have wee done so much as wee ought to doe? Venera∣ble Bede, to checke our pride who are apt to take upon us for the least good work we doe, telleth us no; quod debuimus facere, non fecimus; we have not done what was our duty to do: and if the best of us have not done what was our duty to doe, wee merit nothing at our Masters hands but many stripes. Yet the Church of Rome blusheth not to define it as a doctrine of faith in her conventicle at Trent, that oure 1.48 good workes doe truely merit eternall life. In which assertion, as Tertullian spake of venemous flowers, quot colores tot dolores, so many colours so many dolours or mischiefes to man; so wee may of the tearmes of this proposition, quot verba tot haereses, so many words so many heresies: for

First, it is faith which intituleth us to heaven, not workes, by grace wee are savedf 1.49 through faith, and that not of our selves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. Fides impetrat quod lex imperat, Faith ob∣taineth that which the Law commandeth.

Secondly, if workes had any share in our justification, yet we could not merit by them, because as they are ours they are not good, as they are good they are not ours but Gods,g 1.50 who worketh in us both the will and the deed: it is God which worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure: forh 1.51 we are not sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing, as of our selves, but our sufficiency is of God. Whence St.i 1.52 Austin strongly inferreth against all plea of mans merit, If thy works are good they are Gods gifts, if they are evill God crowneth them not; if therefore God crowneth thy workes, he crownes them not as thy merits, but as his owne gifts.

Thirdly, the workes that may challenge a reward as due unto them in strict justice must be exactly and perfectly good, but such are not ours.k 1.53 For if we say that we have no sinne, or that our best works are not some way tainted, we deceive our selves, and there is no truth in us. Woe (saith St.l 1.54 Au∣stine) to the commendable life of men, if thou examine it in rigour without mer∣cy. In which passionate straine he seemeth to take the note fromm 1.55 David: If thou Lord shouldest marke iniquities, O Lord who should stand? and hee

fromn 1.56 Job; How should man be just before God? if he contend with him he cannot answer one of a thousand.

Fourthly, were our workes free from all aspersion of impurity and suspi∣tion of hypocrisie, yet could they not merit at Gods hands any thing, to whom we owe all that we can or are, Dei omne est quod possumus, quod su∣mus. The greatest Champion of merit Vasques the Jesuit, here yeelds the bucklers, because we can give nothing to God which he may not exact of us by the right of his dominion: we cannot merit any thing at his hand by way of justice. Foro 1.57 no man can demand any thing as his due for meer∣ly discharging his debt, no not so much as thankes. Luke 17.9. Doth hee thanke that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.

Fiftly, might our workes taken at the best, merit something at Gods hands, yet not eternall life. For there is no proportion betweene our finite workes and such an infinite reward:p 1.58 no finite thing, be it never so great, canq 1.59 weigh downe that which is infinite.

That our workes may beare scale in the Sanctuary, and poyse the re∣ward, five graines must be added to them:

• 1 Propriety.
• 2 Liberty.
• 3 Utility.
• 4 Perfection.
• 5 Proportion.

First, propriety: wee can merit by nothing that is not our owne worke, no more than wee can oblige a man to us by repaying him his owne coyne. Certainly that which is not our worke is not our merit.

Secondly, liberty: wee can challenge nothing by way of merit for a worke, which wee are engaged by duty to performe, no more than oblige a man to us for discharging a bond, which wee were bound under a great penalty by a precise day to satisfie.

Thirdly, utility or profit: if that wee doe to another no way advantage him, if hee be no whit the better by it, what colour have wee to exact, or reason to expect a reward from him for such a worke?

Fourthly, perfection: unlesse a worke be done sufficiently, the labourer cannot in justice demand his hire, nor the workeman require his price.

Fiftly, proportion: no labour or worke can merit more than in true esti∣mation it is worth: the labourer deserveth his hire, such a hire as is corre∣spondent to his paines, but no other. Hee that labours but a day, deserveth not two dayes, much lesse a weeke, or a moneths hire.

If the plea of merit is overthrowne by the defect of any one of these con∣ditions, how much more by the defect of all? 1. If wee have no interest in the worke, be it never so meritorious in it selfe, wee cannot merit by it, because it is not ours. 2. Let it bee ours, and meritorious in another that were not bound to performe it, yet weee cannot merit by it if wee are any way obliged in duty to performe it, because it is not free. 3. Let the worke be free, yet if what wee doe no way redound to his benefit from whom we

expect a reward, wee cannot justly demand any recompence from him, be∣cause our worke is not profitable to him. 4. Let the worke be profita∣ble, yet if it bee not done as it should bee in every circumstance, wee cannot sue for the price agreed upon, because the worke is not perfect. 5. Let the worke bee perfect and exact, yet wee can exact no more for it than the skill, or the paines together with the materials deserve. Presse we each of these circumstances, and much more if we presse them all together, they will yeeld the doctrine of Saintr 1.60 Basil upon the 114. Psalme: There re∣maines a rest eternall for them who here strive lawfully, not according to the merit of workes, but according to the grace of our most bountifull God. Let us once more squeze them.

First, a meritorious act must be our owne, if wee have any expectance for it; these wee call ours are not so: By the grace of God, saith the Apostle, I am that I am: and his grace in mee was not in vaine: But I laboured more than they all, yet not I, but thes 1.61 grace of God which was with mee. And this the Prophtt 1.62 Esay professeth in his prayer to God; Lord thou wilt ordaine peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our workes in us. If these texts are not cleare enough, the Apostles question is able to non-plus all the Pelagi∣ans in the world:u 1.63 Who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou hast not received? There is no good worke which is not compri∣sed within the will or the deed, and both, as we heard before, are the work of grace in us. Upon this firme ground Saint* 1.64 Austine buildeth a strong fort for grace against mans merit: If thou renderest any thing to God of thine owne, thou renderest sinne; for all the good thou hast, thou hast received from God: thou hast nothing which thou maist call thine owne but sinne: And else∣where when the Apostle saith, It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that hath mercy; wee are thus to understand him, That wee ought to ascribe the whole unto God, who both prepareth the will of man to bee helped, and helpeth it being prepared.

Secondly, a meritorious act must be free, in our power, and at our choice to doe or leave undone; our workes are not so: for whenx 1.65 wee have done all that wee can, wee are commanded to say wee are unprofitable servants, we have done that which it was our duty doe. This wedge Marcus they 1.66 Hermite dri∣veth in forcibly: The Lord, saith hee, willing to shew that all the commande∣ments are of duty to be performed, and that the adoption of children is freely gi∣ven to man by his blood, saith, when yee have done all things that are comman∣ded you, say, wee are unprofitable servants, &c. therefore the kingdome of hea∣ven is not the hire of workes, but a gift of the Lord prepared for his faithfull ser∣vants.

Thirdly, a meritorious worke must bee of use, and some way beneficiall to him of whom a reward in strict justice is demanded; ours are not so: forz 1.67 our goodnesse extendeth not unto God, hee is farre above it. This naile Sainta 1.68 Austine excellently fasteneth: If we serve and worship God as wee ought, the whole benefit thereof accrueth to our selves, and not unto God: for no man will say that the fountaine gaineth any thing by our drinking of it, &c.

Fourthly, a meritorious act must bee compleat, perfect, and without ex∣ception; ours are not so: forb 1.69 b 1.70 wee cannot pray as wee ought, and our very best actions are so stained, that the Prophet Esay calleth them no better

thanc 1.71 filthy ragges or menstruous clouts. This arrow Saintd 1.72Gregory drives to the head: Our very righteousnesse, if it bee scanned by the rule of divine ju∣stice, will prove injustice; and that will appeare foule and sordid in the strict scanning of the Judge, which shineth and seemeth most beautifull in the eye of the worker.

Fiftly, a meritorious worke must hold some good correspondency and equivalence with the reward; ours doe not so: for if wee might offer to put any worke in the ballance, certainely our sufferings for Christs sake; but these are too light, yea so farre too light,e 1.73 that they are not worthy to be com∣pared with the glory which shall bee revealed in us. Upon this anvile Saintf 1.74 Chrysostome formeth a steele weapon; No man sheweth such a conversation of life that hee may bee worthy of the kingdome, but this is wholly of the gift of God; and although wee should doe innumerable good•• deeds, it is of Gods pity and mercy that wee are heard; although we should come to the very top of ver∣tue, it is of mercy that wee are saved: Andg 1.75 Anselme steepeth it in oyle; If a man should serve God most devoutly a thousand yeeres, hee should not de∣serve to be halfe a day in heaven. What have our adversaries to say to these things? what doth the learned Cardinall, whose name breathes* 1.76 Warres, Armes, and Threats? here hee turnes Penelope, texit telam & retexit, hee does and undoes, hee sewes and ravels: after many large books written for merit, in the end

Quae dederat repetit, funemque reducit;

hee dasheth all with his pen at once, saying, Tutissimum est, it is the safest way to place all our confidence onely in Gods mercy, that is, to renounce all merit. Now in a case so neerely concerning our eternall happinesse or misery, hee that will not take the safest course, needs not to bee confuted, but either to bee pittied for his folly, or cured of his frenzie. To conclude this point of difference; the conclusion of all things is neere at hand: well may men argue with men here below the matter of merit, but, as St.h 1.77 Au∣stine feelingly speaketh of this point, When the righteous judge (from whose face heaven and earth fled away) shall sit upon his throne; who will then dare say my heart is cleane? nay what hope for any man to be saved, if mercy at that day get not the upper hand of justice? I need plead no more for this (Da∣bo) in my text; if it plead not for us at that day, wee shall never eat of the Manna promised, but it shall bee for ever hidden from us. I will give

To eat. The sight of Manna, which the Psalmist calleth Angels food, es∣pecially of the hidden Manna, which by Gods appointment was reserved in a golden pot, had beene a singular favour; but the taste thereof is a farre greater. The contemplation of celestiall objects is delightfull, but the frui∣tion of them much more. Even of earthly beauties the sight is not so great contentment as the enjoying, neither is any man so affected with delight at the view of a rich cabinet of jewels, as at the receiving any one of them for his own. Now so it is in celestial treasures & delights; through Gods boun∣ty & abundant goodnesse unto us we own what we see, & we taste what we touch, and we feel what we believed, and we possesse what we have heard, and our heart entreth into those joyes in heaven, which never entred into

the heart of man on earth. In which respect the Psalmist breaketh out in∣to that passionate invitation;i 1.78 O taste and see how gracious the Lord is: and S. Paul into that fervent prayer;k 1.79 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all sense, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: and Saintl 1.80 Austine in that heavenly meditation; O let mee enjoy thee, the light, the sound, the food, the love and embracement of my inward man; thou art light to the eye, musicke to the eare, sweet meats to the taste, and most delight∣full embracings to the touch of my soule: in thee that shineth to my soule which no place comprehendeth; and that soundeth which no time measureth, or snatch∣eth away; and that smelleth which no blast dissipateth; and that relisheth which no feeding upon diminisheth; and that adhereth which no satiety can plucke away. When therefore the ancients define celestiall happinesse to be the beatificall vision of God, grounding themselves especially upon these texts of scripture:m 1.81 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God, and seeke his face evermore. My heart said unto thee, thy face Lord will I seeke; and,n 1.82 I will behold thy face in righteousnesse: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likenesse. And,o 1.83 Now we see through a glasse, darkely, but then face to face; wee are to understand these speeches by a figure called Synecdo∣che, wherein a part is put for the whole: for certainely there is a heaven in the will and in the affections, as well as in the understanding. God hath en∣riched the soule with many faculties, and in all of them hath kindled mani∣fold desires; the heat whereof, though it may bee allayed for a time with the delights and comforts which this life affordeth, yet it can never bee quenched but by himselfe who made the hearth, and kindled these fires in it. As the contemplation of God is the understandings happinesse, so the adhering to him is the wils; the recounting of his blessings, the memories; the embracing him, the affections; and generally the fruition of him in all parts and faculties, the felicity of the whole man. To apply this observation to the words in my text: When the dispensers of the mysteries of salvati∣on open the scriptures, they set before us heavenly treasure, they point unto, and shew us the golden pots of Manna: but when by the hand of faith we receive Gods promises, and are enriched by the graces of the spirit, then we owne the pearles of the Gospell. To heare one who hath the tongue of the learned discourse of the worke of grace, enlightning the minde, regenera∣ting the heart, rectifying the will, moderating the desires, quieting the af∣fections, and filling the soule with unspeakable joy, is a great delight to us; yet nothing to that we take when we feele grace working upon our soules, and producing all these divine effects within us. When wee read in holy Scriptures what are the priviledges of the sonnes of God, wee see the hid∣den Manna; but when thep 1.84 Spirit testifieth to our spirit that wee are the sons of God; and if sonnes then heires, heires of God, and joint heires with Christ: then we eat

The hidden Manna. Some take the hidden Manna in my text for the my∣steries of the Gospel, others for the secret vertues of the Sacraments.q 1.85 Pri∣masius for Christ himselfe, who, as he saith, was made man that man might eate Manna the food of Angels: Pererius for incomparable sweetnesse in the contemplation of heavenly things: Cornelius à Lapide for spirituall comforts after temptations: all in generall speake to good purpose. But if

you demand of me in particular, what is this hidden Manna; I must answer as Cato did when one asked him what he carried so fast lockt up in a chest: It is lockt up (saith he) that thou shouldest not looke into it nor know. I cannot tell you what it is, because it is hidden: onely this is open and mani∣fest in the Scriptures, that in the Word, the Sacraments, Prayer and Medi∣tation, the Elect of God find hidden Manna, that spirituall sweetnesse which may be compared unto, or rather preferred before the relish of Manna to the corporall taste. And what St. Cyprian speaketh of the worke of grace in our conversion, Sentitur priusquam dicitur, it is felt before it can be ut∣tered, may be applied to this hidden Manna, gustatur priusquam dicitur, no tongue can speake of it worthily that hath not tasted it: asr 1.86 David did, who preferreth it before the hony and the hony-combe. And St.s 1.87 Austine, O what pleasure tooke I in abandoning all worldly pleasure! for thou, O Lord, enteredst into me for them sweeter than any pleasure. And St. Jerome, who calleth God to witnesse that sometimes he found heaven upon earth, and in his spirituall elevations and raptures thought that hee communed with quieres of Angels. And St.t 1.88 Ephraim, who was so over-filled with joy in the Holy Ghost that he made a strange prayer; O Lord for a little while de∣part from me, and restraine the influence of spirituall joy, lest the vessell breake. And St.u 1.89 Tiburtius, whose inward joyes and spirituall raptures so drowned his bodily tortures, that when he trod upon live coales he cryed out, saying, These live coales seeme to me no other than red roses. The scholars of Pytha∣goras beleeved that the celestiall bodies by their regular motions caused an harmonicall sound, and made admirable musicke, though neither he nor a∣ny other ever heard it: and shall not we beleeve that there is hidden Man∣na, though we never tasted it, if not upon the report of these Saints who spake of their owne sense and experience, yet upon the credit of him who both promiseth to give this hidden Manna, and is it himselfe?x 1.90 I am the li∣ving bread which came downe from heaven.

Christ and his word retaine not only the name of Manna, but the chiefe qualities and properties thereof.

First, Manna rained from the skies; Christ and his word came from heaven.

Secondly, Manna had a most sweet yet a new and strange taste, so hath the word; it is sweeter than hony to the spirituall tast, though the carnall man like better of the flesh pots of Egypt than of it.

Thirdly, Manna relished according to the stomackes of them that ate it, and answered all appetites: so the word of God is milke to children, and strong meat to men.

Fourthly, Manna erat cibus reficiens & nunquam deficiens, the children of Israel fed on Manna in the wildernesse till they entred into the earthly Canaan: in like manner the Word and Sacraments are our spirituall food till we arrive at the celestiall Canaan.

Fiftly, Manna was eaten by it selfe without any other meat or sauce ad∣ded to it: the word of God must not be mingled with human traditions and inventions. They who goe about to sweeten it with such spices marre the tast of it, and may more justly be taxed than that King of Persia was by Antalcidas, who by pouring oyntment upon a garland of roses corrupted

the naturall smell and fragrancie thereof by the adulterors sophistication of art.

Sixtly, some portion of the Manna was laid up in the Arke, and kept in a golden pot for after-times; and part of the mysteries of holy Scripture are reserved for us till we come to heaven: and in regard of such truthes as are not ordinarily revealed in this life, some conceive the word to be here ter∣med

Hidden Manna. Howbeit, we need not restraine the words to those ab∣struse mysteries, the declaration whereof shall be a part of our celestiall hap∣pinesse: for the whole doctrine of the Gospell may in a true sense be called hidden Manna, because it containeth in it Sapientiam Dei in mysterio, the wisedome of Godx 1.91 hidden in a mysterie. For albeit the sound of the word is gone into all the world, yet the harmonie in it is not observed by all. The chapters and verses of the Scripture are generally knowne, but not all the contents. He that saw the outside of Solomons tents could not ghesse at the royaltie of that Prince: but he that entred in, and took a particular view and inventory of his pretious furniture, rich hangings, massie plate, full coffers, orient jewels, and glittering apparell, might make a good estimate thereof. A blind man from his birth, though he may heare of the Sun, and discourse of his golden raies from the mouth of others, yet can he not possibly conceive what delight the seeing eye taketh in beholding that glorious brouch of heaven, and Prince of the starres. When we heare the last will of a rich man read unto us, which we beleeve little concerneth us, though it be never so well penned or copied out, it little affecteth us: but if we have certaine notice that by it some great legacie in lands or money is bequeathed unto us, then we hearken to it with thirsty eares, and as curiously observe every line and sillable therein as Jewellers doe every carrat in a Diamond. Such is the difference betweene the carnall and the spirituall mans apprehension and affection in the reading and hearing of the written word: the letters and points are not hidden to any that can reade, but the treasures of wise∣dome and knowledge laid up in it, the power and efficacy of it, the price and value of it is hidden to all thosey 1.92 whose heart God openeth not as he did the heart of Lidia. And if the Manna of the word be thus hidden, how much more the Manna of the Spirit, I meane the inward comforts and joyes of thez 1.93 bidden man of the heart?a 1.94 Diogenes the Philosopher bid every day ho∣ly in a good mans calendar: turne Diogenes his good man into a regenerate Christian, and his Philosophy will prove good Divinity. For to a sanctified soule every day is holy, on which he keepeth a great feast, theb 1.95 feast of a good conscience; at which the principal service is the hidden Manna in my text. In the fields ofc 1.96 Enna in Sicily there is a continuall spring, and flowers all the yeere: so are there in the mind of a faithfull Christian, it is spring there all the yeere: and though he hath not alwayes the sense and smelling, because sometimes his spirituall nostrils are stuffed with earthly cares and worldly comforts, yet he hath alwaies within him the sent of the flowers of Para∣dise. I grant there is a time to rejoyce, and a time also to weepe: and I ac∣knowledge that the devoutest man upon earth, who is most ravished with divine contemplation, yet doth not alwayes actually rejoyce, that is, appre∣hend or expresse his joy: yet as St.d 1.97 Prosper soundly argueth, He can never

be without joy and comfort, whose joy is Christ, because the fuell of this sacred flame is eternall. Though the earth be sometimes, as now it is beyond the seas, full of darknesse and cruell habitations, yet there is stille 1.98 light in Go∣shen, in the conscience of a righteous man.

Light is as it were the joy of the skie, and joy is the light of the minde: now as lights, so joyes are of two sorts:

• 1 Purer and finer:
• 2 Impurer and grosser.

The purer lights burne clearer, last longer, and leave a sweeter savour behinde them: the grosser and impurer burne dimly, spend fast, running into gutters, and goe out with an ill favour. You may observe the like dif∣ference betweene carnall and spirituall joyes; carnall delights that are fed with impure matter, such as are the lusts of the flesh, and the lusts of the eye,

1. Burne dimly, they yeeld no cleere light of comfort to the minde, they are mixed joyes, and insincere; Medio de fonte leporum surgit amarum aliquid.

2. They spend fast, and are quickly over. Seneca rightly observeth,f 1.99 That pleasure is quenched in the kindling of it, much like dry thorns under a pot, which make a blaze, & sodainly are turned into ashes. In which regard the Romans set up the image of Angerona the goddesse of anguish and sor∣row, in the Temple of Volupia, the Goddesse of pleasure, to shew that pain treadeth upon the heele of pleasure, and anguish of mirth.

3. They goe out with a stinke; they leave behinde them amara & foe∣da vestigia, as Saint Bernard speaketh, a bitter fume, and noysome stench in our consciences, and a foule print upon our name. But spirituall joyes on the contrary,

1. Burne clearely, send forth a bright flame; for these joyes are sin∣cere, exceeding unspeakable and glorious.

2. They last long; for they are, as Saint Austine calleth them,* 1.100 fortes delitiae, & solida gaudia, during delights, and solid joyes.

3. They leave a sweet savour behind them; a good report in the world, and a sweet contentment in the soule. For they are Solomonsg 1.101 Dulcedo a∣nimae, Davidsh 1.102 Oleum laetitiae, Saint Paulsi 1.103 Odor suavitatis, and S. Johns Manna reconditum, sweet to the soule, and health to the bones, the oyle of gladnesse, the savour of life, the hidden Manna: O felix & paucis nota vo∣luptas! The world is all set upon a merry pinne, though God knowes there is little cause; we are all for pleasure, but it is a paine to a righteous soule to thinke what pleasure, it is griefe to name what joy. In Pontus there is a flower called Rodo-dendrum, of which the honey that is made is rank poy∣son; such is the sensuall delight that is taken in the use, or rather the abuse of worldly pleasures; it distempereth the taste, and poysoneth the soule. Not to forsake the Metaphor in my text; all inordinate pleasures, immode∣rate joyes, and impure delights are like the Manna that was gathered on the Sabbath day, which corrupted suddenly, and became full of wormes: but pure and spirituall joyes are like that Manna, which Moses by Gods ap∣pointment laid up in a golden pot, which corrupted not, but preserved it selfe from putrefaction, and the gold also from rust; the lid or cover of

which pot I will endevour to open a little wider, that you may have yet a fuller sight and quicker taste of the hidden Manna.

There are three kindes of the hidden Manna:

• 1 Of the Word:
• 2 Of the Sacrament:
• 3 Of the Spirit.

1 The Manna of the Word is that delight which is taken by the hea∣rers in the opening the mysteries of holy Scripture, and applying the sweet comforts of the Gospell to the conscience: and thisk 1.104 Damasus conceived to be the greatest happinesse in the world.

2. The Manna of the Sacrament is that comfort which the worthy re∣ceivers feele in themselves, after the sanctified use of the elements, by growth in grace, and increase of spirituall strength: and of this Saintl 1.105 Cy∣prian was as it were in travell, till hee was delivered of it in his Epistle to Cornelius.

3. The Manna of the Spirit is that unspeakable joy, wherewith the heart is filled, and even leapeth and danceth within us, when wee heare the Spirit testifying unto our spirits that wee are the sonnes of God. Pretious metals are digged out of the bowels of the earth, and pearles are found in the bot∣tome of the sea; and truely seldome shall we fall upon this treasure of spiri∣tuall joy, and pearle of the Gospell, but in the depth of godly sorrow, and bottome and lowest point of our humiliation before God.

1. The first taste wee have of the hidden Manna of the Spirit, is in the beginning of our conversion, and nonage of our spirituall life; when after unutterable remorse, sorrow, and feare, arising from the apprehensi∣on of the corruption, and guilt of our naturall estate, and a dreadfull expe∣ctation of wrath laid up for us against the day of wrath, and everlasting weeping, howling, and gnashing of teeth with the damned in hell; wee on the suddaine see a glympse of Gods countenance shining on us, and by faith, though yet weake, hope for a perfect reconciliation to him.

2. A second taste wee have, when wee sensibly perceive the Spirit of grace working upon our heart, thawing it, as it were, and melting it into godly sorrow, and after enflaming it with an everlasting love of him, who by his infinite torments and unconceivable sorrowes, hath purchased unto us eternall joyes.

3. A third taste wee have of it, when after a long fight with our naturall corruptions, wee meet with the Divels Lievtenant, the sinne that reigneth in us, which the Scripture calleth the plague of the heart; that vice to which either the temper of our body, or our age, or condition of life enclineth us unto; our bosome abomination, to which for a long time wee have en∣thralled our selves, and having perfectly discovered it by employing the whole armour of God against it, in the end wee get the victory of it.

4. A fourth taste wee have after some heavie crosse, or long sicknesse, when God delivereth us above hope, and sanctifieth our affliction unto us, and by his Spirit calleth to our remembrance all his goodnesse to us from our childhood, and anointeth our eyes with eye-salve, that wee may see the

manifold fruits of the crosse, and finde in our selves with David, that it was good for us thus to bee afflicted.

5. A fift taste wee have at some extafie in our life, or a trance at our death, when wee are rapt up, as it were, into the third heaven with St. Paul, and see those things that eye never saw, and heare words that cannot be uttered. Thus have I opened unto you five springs of the waters of com∣fort; in which after you have stript your selves of wordly cares, and earth∣ly delights, you may bathe your soules: in the bottome whereof you may see the white stone, which Christ promiseth to him that over∣commeth, saying, To him that overcommeth I will give to eate of the hidden Manna: To whom, &c.

THE WHITE STONE. THE XXVII. SERMON.

APOC. 2.17.

And I will give him a white stone.

Right Honourable, Right Worshipfull, &c.

IT was the manner of the Thracians to reckon up all the happy dayes of their life, and marke them in a booke or table with a white stone: whereunto the Poet allu∣ding saith,

a 1.106Hunc Macrine diem numera meliore lapillo.

May it please God by his Spirit to imprint those mysteries in your hearts, which are engraven upon this stone, I doubt not but this day, in which I am to describe unto you the nature of it, will prove so happy, that it shall deserve to bee scored up with the like stone. For this white stone is a certaine token and pledge of present remission of sinnes, and future admission into Christs kingdome. Whereof through divine assi∣stance, by your wonted patience, I will speake at large; after I have refre∣shed the characters in your memory of my former observations upon this Scripture, which setteth before all that overcome in the threefold chri∣stian warre,

• 1 Forraine, against Sathan.* 1.107
• 2 Civill, against the world.
• 3 Servile, against fleshly lusts; three boones or speciall gifts:

• ...
  • 1 Hidden Manna, a type of spirituall consolation.
  • 2 A white stone, the embleme of justification.
  • 3 A new name, the imprese of glorification.

There is

• 1 Sweetnesse in the hidden Manna.
• 2 Comfort in the white stone.
• 3 Glory in the new name.

The sweetnesse of the hidden Manna wee tasted,

• 1 In the mysticall meaning of the Word.
• 2 In the secret power of the Sacrament.
• 3 In the unutterable comfort of the Spirit. And now I am to de∣liver unto you in the next place the white stone.

In the handling whereof, I will levell at those three scientificall questi∣ons mentioned byb 1.108 Aristotle in his bookes of demonstration.

• * 1.109〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, An sit, aut quod sit.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Quid sit.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Propter quod sit.

First, whether there be any such white stone.

Secondly, what it is.

Thirdly, to what end it is given, and what use wee are to make of it for our instruction, correction, or comfort.

First, of the An sit, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, whether there be any such stone or no. There hath beene for many ages, a great question De lapide Philosophico, of the Philosophers stone, to which they ascribe a rare vertue to turne baser metals into gold: but there is no question at all among the sincere profes∣sours of the Gospell, De lapide theologico, of the divine stone in my text, which yet is far more worth, and of greater vertue than that. For that (if we have any faith in Alchymy) after much labour, and infinite cost, will turne base metall into gold; but this will undoubtedly turne penitent teares into pearle, and drops of blood shed for the testimony of the Gospell, into ru∣bies and hematites to beset our crowne of glory. With this stone, as a spe∣ciall love-token, Christ assureth his dearest spouse, thatc 1.110 all things shall turn to her good, and worke together for her endlesse happinesse. Hee that hath this white stone, shall by the eye of faith see it suddenly turne all temporall losses into spirituall advantages, all crosses into blessings, all afflictions into comforts. What though some heretickes or profane persons have no be∣liefe of this white stone, no more than they have of thatd 1.111 pearle of great price, which the Merchant sold all that hee had to buy? What though some have beene abused by counterfeit stones like to this? shall wee not therefore re∣gard this, or seeke after it? This were all one as if an expert Gold-smith should refuse to look after pure gold, because some ignorant Merchant hath beene cheated with sophisticated alchymie stuffe for gold: or if a skilfull Jeweller should offer nothing for an orient Diamond, because an unskilfull

Lapidary hath beene corisened with a Cornish or Bristow stone in stead of it. The mistaking of any other man should not take off the edge of our de∣sires to gaine an invaluable jewell, but whet our diligence the more, to ob∣serve more accurately the notes of difference betweene the true and coun∣terfeit stone, upon which I shall touch anon, after I have convinced our Romish sceptickes, by evidence from the nature of faith, the profession of Gods Saints, the testimony of the Spirit, and undeniable signes and effects, that all that are called by the word effectually, have this white stone in my text given unto them, whereby they are assured of their present estate of grace, and future of glory.

[Doct. 1] The faith of Godse 1.112 Elect is not a bare assent to supernaturall verities re∣vealed in Scripture, which may bee in a Reprobate, and is in thef 1.113 Devils themselves: Thou beleevest there is one God, thou doest well, the Devils also beleeve and tremble: but a divine grace, whereby being fully assured of Gods favour to us, wee trust him with our soules, and wholly rely on him for salvation, through the merits of his sonne. The sure promises of the Gospell are like a strong cable, let downe to a man in a deepe pit or dunge∣on, on which hee doth not onely lay hand by faith, but hangeth and resteth himselfe upon it, and thereby is drawne out of darkenesse, to see and pos∣sesse the inheritance of the Saints in light. To beleeve the communion of Saints, is not onely to bee perswaded that there is a communion of Saints in the world, remission of sinnes in the Church, resurrection of the flesh at the last day, and life everlasting in heaven: but to bee assured by faith, that wee have an interest in this communion, benefit by this remission, and shall partake the glory of this resurrection, and the happinesse of life everla∣sting. They who had beene stung by fiery serpents, and were healed by looking upon the brazen serpent, did not onely beleeve that it had cured many, but that it would cure them. Here the Logicians rule holdeth, Me∣dicina curat Socratem, non hominem; physicke is not given to mans nature to cure the species, but to every man in individuo to heale his person: and to every sicke soule that applieth unto it selfe the promises of the Gospell, Christ saith,g 1.114 Bee it unto thee as thou beleevest, thy faith hath made thee whole, goe in peace. Hereupon Sainth 1.115 Bernard bringeth in the three divine graces, Faith, Hope, and Charity, singing as it were a catch, and taking the word one from another; Faith beginneth, saying, everlasting treasures are layd up in heaven; Hope followeth, saying, they are layd up for mee; Chari∣ty concludeth, I will seeke after them. And verily no man by a generall Ro∣mish credulity, but by a speciall faith in Christ, can say with Job, My re∣deemer; with David, My salvation; with the Spouse, My beloved, with the blessed Virgin, My Saviour; with Thomas, My Lord and my God: much lesse can hee warrant these possessives with a scio;i 1.116 I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that I shall see him stand up at the last day upon the earth: and though after my skinne, wormes destroy this body, yet in my flesh I shall see God: whom I shall see for my selfe. And,k 1.117 I know that thou favourest me, thou upholdest mee in my integrity, and fettest me before thy face for ever. And,l 1.118 Wee know that all things worke for the best to them that love God. We know that whenm 1.119 our earthly tabernacle is dissolved, wee shall have an eternall in the heavens.n 1.120 Wee know that wee are translated from death to life, because we

love the brethren. Opinion and science, a conjecturall hope and an as∣sured beliefe, as much differ as a shaken reed and a well growne oake, which no winde can stirre.

To know any thing, saitho 1.121 Aristotle, is to know the cause, and that this cause is the cause of such an effect, and that the thing it selfe cannot bee other∣wise than wee conceive of it: in which regard the Greeke Etymologist de∣riveth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because opinion waggeth and inclineth the mind by probabilities on both sides; but science fasteneth it, and maketh it stand unmoveable.

With these texts of scripture, attributing knowledge of salvation to all be∣leevers, our Trent Merchants are manifestly gravelled, and sticke in the mud: yet they endevour to boye up their sunke vessell by a distinction of a double knowledge,

• 1 By common faith.
• 2 By speciall revelation.

They yeeld that some, who have been admitted to Gods privie Councell by speciall revelation, have been assured of their crowne of glory; but they will by no meanes grant that beleevers can attain to this certainty by their common faith: yet such is the clearnesse of the texts above alledged, for the point in question, that they easily, like the beames of the sunne, breake through this popish mist. For Job speaketh not of any speciall secret revea∣led unto him, but of the common article of all our faith, concerning the re∣surrection of the flesh; I know that my Redeemer liveth, and hee shall stand up, and I shall see him with these eyes. And what David speaketh of his knowledge of Gods favour, and stedfast beliefe of his future happinesse,p 1.122 Fulgentius applyeth to every beleever; The just man living by faith, spea∣keth confidently, I beleeve that I shall see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living. And S. John ascribeth this knowledge, not to any singular reve∣lation, but to charity, the common effect of faith: We know that we are passed from death to life, because we love the brethren: whereupon S.q 1.123 Austin giveth this sage advice; Let no man enquire of man, let him have recourse to his owne heart; if he find there charity, let him rest assured that he is passed from death to life. And S. Paul joyneth all the faithfull with him, saying, We know that all things worke for the best to them that love God: and, There is layd up a crown of righteousnesse, which the righteous Judge shall give mee at that day, and not to mee onely, but to all them also that love his appearing. In like manner Saintr 1.124 Gregory impropriateth not this assurance to himselfe, or some few to whom God extraordinarily revealeth their state hereafter, but extendeth it to all, making it a common duty, not a speciall gift; saying, Being supported with this certainty, wee ought nothing to doubt of the mercy of our Redeemer, but bee confident thereof, out of an assured hope. By the coherence of the text in the eighth to the Romans, we may infallibly gather, that all that walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, and have received the first fruits there∣of, and the testimony within themselves, are the Sonnes of God, know that all things worke together for their good. Have wee not all received the spirit of adoption? doe we not come to God as children to a most loving father? doe wee not daily, in confidence of his love, cry, Abba Father? If so, then

the Apostle addeth farther, that the Spirit testifieth to our spirit, that we are the sonnes of God. And lest any hereticall doubt cast in might trouble the spring of everlasting comfort, as if we were indeed made sonnes for the pre∣sent, but might forfeit our adoption, and thereby lose our inheritance, the Apostle cleareth all in the words following (v. 17.) If sonnes, then heires, heires of God, and joynt heires with Christ. God adopteth no sonne whom he intendeth not to make his heire, neither can any that is borne of him cease to be his sonne, because thes 1.125 seed of which he is borne is incorruptible, and this seed still remaineth in him. 1 John 3.9. Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sinne, for his seed remaineth in him. There are three means of assurance among men:

• 1 Earnests.
• 2 Seales.
• 3 Witnesses.

In bargaines earnests, in deeds seales, in trialls witnesses.

First, to secure summes of money or bargaines we take earnests of men, or some pledge: behold this security given us by God, even thet 1.126 earnest of his Spirit in our hearts. On which words St.u 1.127 Chrysostome thus plainely glosseth, He saith not the Spirit, but the earnest of the Spirit, that thou mayst be every way confident: for if he meant not to give thee the whole, he would never have given this earnest in present. For this had beene to lose his earnest, and cast it away in vaine.

Secondly, to confirme all grants, licences, bonds, leases, testaments and conveyances, seales are required: behold this confirmation also, Ephes. 1.13. In whom ye are sealed by that holy Spirit of promise. and 4.30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemp∣tion. Whether we speake of the seale sealing, or the seale sealed, we have both. For we are sealed by the Spirit of grace as by the seale sealing, and by the grace of the Spirit as the seale sealed, that is, printed upon us. In reference to which place Danielx 1.128 Chamierus rightly noteth, that there are seales put to things for their confirmation, and certaine signes or badges an∣swerable to seales given to persons at their investiture, as a collar of S's, and a blew ribbon, with a George, to the knights of the Garter, &c. We have both these seales, sigillum rei by the Sacrament, and sigillum personae by the Spirit, which sealeth us to the day of our redemption.

Thirdly, to prove any matter of fact in Courts of justice, witnesses are produced: behold this proofe of our right and title to a kingdome in hea∣ven; proofe (I say) by witnesses beyond exception, the holy Spirit and our renewed consciences: The Spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our Spirit, that wee are the children of God, Rom. 8.16. On which words St. Chrysostome thus enlargeth himselfe,y 1.129 If a man, or an Angel, or an Archangel had pro∣mised thee this honour to be the Sonne of God, thou mightest peradventure have made some doubt of it: but now when God himselfe giveth thee this ti∣tle,

commanding thee to call him Abba, Father, who dare question thy title? If the King himselfe pricke a Sheriffe, or send him the Garter, or the Seale, what subject dare gainesay it?

Lastly, as the Planets are knowne by their influence, and the Diamond by his lustre, and the Balsamum by his medicinall vertue, and the soule by her vitall operations: so the gift here promised is most sensibly knowne by the effects:

• 1 Exceeding love.
• 2 Secure peace.
• 3 Unspeakable joy.
• 4 Invincible courage.

He that is not certain that he hath or ever shall receive any benefit by ano∣ther, or comfort in him, loveth but a little. He that was condemned to die, and cannot tell whether he hath a pardon for his life or no, can be at no peace: he that heareth glad tidings, but giveth little credit to them, rejoy∣ceth but faintly: he who hath no assurance of a better life, will be advised how he parteth with this. But the Saints of God and Martyrs of Jesus Christ are exceedingly enflamed with the love of their Redeemer, in com∣parison whereof they esteeme all things as dung: they enjoy peace that pas∣seth all understanding, they are ravished with spirituall joy, they so little passe for this present life, that they are ready not onely to be bound but to dye for the Lord Jesu; they rejoyce in their sufferings, they sing in the middest of the flames, they lie as contentedly upon the racke as upon a bed of doune, they prove masteries with all sorts of evill, they weary both tor∣tures and tormentors, and in all are more than Conquerours: therefore they know assuredly how they stand in the Court of heaven; they feele within them what Christ hath done for them; they have received already the first fruits of heavenly joyes, and doubt not of the whole crop; they haue re∣ceived the earnest, and doubt not of their full pay; they have received the seales, and doubt not of the deeds of their salvation; they have received the testimonie of the Spirit, and doubt not of their adoption; they have re∣ceived the white stone in my text, and doubt not of their absolution from death, and election to a kingdome in heaven.

What doe their dying speeches, that ought to live in perpetuall memory, import lesse?

First St.y 1.130 Pauls: I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth is laid up for me a crowne of righte∣ousnesse, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give mee at that day.

Secondly ofz 1.131 Ignatius. When he heard the Lions roare for hunger, to whom he was suddenly to be cast as a prey: O that I were with the beasts that are prepared for me, whom I desire quickly to make an end of me: if they

refuse to touch my body (as through feare they have abstained from the bodies of other Saints) I will urge and provoke them to fall upon mee: Pardon me, children, I know what is good for mee, now I begin to bee Christs disciple, de∣siring none of those things which are seene: that I may finde Jesus Christ, wel∣come fire, crosse, beasts, teeth, breaking of my bones, tearing asunder of my members, grinding to powder of my whole body; let all the torments which the Devill can devise come upon mee, to the end, or so that I may enjoy Jesus my love. I am Christs corne, and presently I shall bee ground with the teeth of wilde beasts, that I may bee served in as fine manchet at my Lords table.

Thirdly, of Babylas: Returne to thy rest, O my soule, for the Lord hath re∣warded thee: I shall now walke before the Lord in the land of the living.

Fourthly, of Constantine the great:* 1.132 Now I know my selfe to bee truely happy, I have now attained the true light, and none but my selfe understandeth, or can apprehend what happinesse I am made partaker of.

Fiftly, of Sainta 1.133 Bernard: My Lord hath a double right to the kingdome of heaven; by inheritance, and by purchase; by inheritance of his Father, and purchase of his owne blood: with the former right himselfe is contented, the lat∣ter he hath given unto me: I am not worthy, I confesse, neither can I by mine owne merits obtaine the kingdome of heaven, but rest upon that interest which I have in the merit of Christs passion.

Sixtly, of Luther:b 1.134 Receive my soule, Lord Jesu; though I bee taken from this life, and this body of mine bee layd downe, yet I know certainely that I shall remaine with thee for ever, neither shall any bee able to pull mee out of thy hand.

Seventhly, of Juel:c 1.135 A crowne of righteousnesse is layd up for me; Christ is my righteousnesse, this is my day, this day let mee quickly come unto thee, this day let mee see thee Lord Jesu.

You have heard what wee are to say in answer to the first question, An sit? whether there be any such white stone? The second scientificall que∣stion is, Quid sit? what this white stone is? And because the Logicians di∣stinguish of,

• 1 Quid nominis.
• 2 Quid rei:

the quiddity, as they speak, of the name and of the thing: First, I will declare the Quid nominis, what the word signifieth, or to what the metaphor alludeth; Nam de hoc calculo varii sunt Doctorum calculi. Although all who have brought sweet lights to illustrate this dark prophesie, make it very cleare that the white stone is a Metaphor, and the gift a mystery; yet as Manna is said to have rellished according to the seve∣rall appetites of them that had eaten it, so this white stone in the mysticall signification appeareth divers to each Interpreters fancy: and though a white stone, even in the bottome of a river, may easily be discerned; yet not when the water is troubled, as here it is.

Some by it understand corpus glorificatum, a glorified body: and therein note foure properties,

• 1 Solidity.
• 2 Candour.
• 3 Rotundity.
• 4 Splendour.

The solidity in the white stone, say they, representeth the impassibility: the candour, the clarity and beauty: the roundnesse, the agility: the lustre or splendour, the subtility and glory of the Saints bodies raised from the dust. Thusd 1.136 Aquinas, who taketh his hint from Rupertus, and hee from Beda.

Others understand by the white stone, the grace of the spirit, which re∣neweth our mindes, making them pure and white, that is, innocent before God: soe 1.137 Junius, Aretius, Chytreus, Piscator, and Mathesius.

Others interpret claritatem nominis, an illustrious name, or the honour and title of a conquerour; either because, asf 1.138 Sixtus Senensis noteth, the dayes in which the Romanes gained any signall victory, were entred into their Fasti or registers with a white stone: or because they who overcame, and had the better in the Olympicke games or races, received for their guerdon ag 1.139 white shining stone.

h 1.140Vegus goeth a way by himselfe, taking this white stone for a white coun∣ter, and yeeldeth this reason of his interpretation: Because God, saith hee, casteth all mens salvation by Christs workes and merits; and all that hope to cleare with him for the infinite debts of their sinnes, must reckon upon them, or else they will fall short in their accounts. Behold Saul prophesieth, Balaam blesseth, and a Jesuite delivereth Protestant doctrine.

i 1.141Primasius and Victorinus will have this white stone to be alba ge••••a, a white gemme, or glistering jewell or pearle, like that in the Gospell, which the rich Merchant man sold all that he had to buy: but the word in the o∣riginall is not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a stone used in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in giving sentences, or making decrees. The Judges among the Romanes, when they acquitted any man, cast in a white stone into an urne or pot, according to that of the Poet:

Mos erat antiquis niveis atris{que} lapillis, His damnare reos, illis absolvere culpâ.

And likewise the Citizens of Rome in choosing their Magistrates, wrote his name to whom they gave their voice, in a white stone. By allusion to which two customes, I conceive the Spirit in this place promiseth to every one that shall overcome the lusts of the flesh, by the Spirit; the assaults of the Devill, by faith; and the persecutions and troubles of the world, by his constancy, calculum absolutorium, & suffragatorium, an infallible token of his absolution from death, and election to a crowne of life; an assurance of present justification, and future glorification.

Thus I take the Quid nominis to bee cleare: the greatest controversie is about the Quid rei; what that gift or grace is; what that signe or token, what that proofe or testimony, whereby our present estate of grace, and future of glory are secured unto us.

Some ghesse not farre off the truth; That it is testimonium renovatae con∣scientiae, the testimony of a renewed conscience. For as the eye in a glasse by reflection seeth it selfe looking; so the conscience by a reflection upon it selfe, knoweth that it knoweth God, and beleeveth that it beleeveth in Christ, and feeleth that it hath a new feeling, sense, and life. The eye of

faith in the regenerate seeth himselfe sealed to the day of redemption, and observeth the print of the seale in himselfe, and the image of the heavenly which it beareth. I shall speake nothing to disparage this testimony of con∣science, which affordeth to every true beleever singular contentment in life, and comfort in death. The nearer the voice is, the briefer and more certainely wee heare it; and therefore wee cannot but distinctly take that deposition for us, which conscience speaketh in the eare of the heart. And yet wee have a nearer and surer voice to settle our heart in the knowledge of our spirituall estate, the testimony of Gods Spirit, which is nearer and more inward to our soules, than our soules to our bodies: and the witnesse there∣of may be as great, or a greater joy to us, than if God had sent an Angell to us, as hee did to Daniel, to shew unto us that wee were beloved of him: or an Archangel, as hee did to the Virgink 1.142 Mary, to salute us, Haile thou that art highly favoured of God. If any demand, as shee did, not out of any doubt, but out of a desire of farther information, quomodo? that is, how doth the Spirit testifie to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God? To speake nothing of elevations of Spirit, and raptures, and speciall reve∣lations, which are not now so frequent, and so certaine as in former ages; I answer, The Spirit testifieth this unto us two manner of wayes, by

• Motions, or Words.
• Effects, or Deeds.

By words; so are the expresse words of Saintl 1.143 Cyprian, As when light∣ning breaketh the cloud, and the suddaine splendour thereof doth not so much enlighten as dazle the eyes: so sometimes thou art touched with I know not what motion, and feelest thy selfe to bee touched, and yet seest not him that tou∣cheth thee; there are inwardly spoken unto thee certaine secret words, so as thou canst not doubt that hee is neare thee, even within thee, who doth soli∣cite thee; yet doth hee not let thee see him as hee is. These secret words Saintm 1.144 Bernard uttereth, This is the testimony or record which the Spirit beareth unto thee; Thy sinnes are forgiven thee. I take it the meaning of the words of these Fathers is not that the holy Ghost doth sound these formall words in our bodily eares, but that as God oncen 1.145 spake in a still small voice, so in it still hee speaketh to the faithfull, by the Spirit, verbis mentalibus, by men∣tall words or notions: by which hee continually inciteth us to good, re∣straines us from evill, forewarneth us of danger, and comforteth us in trou∣ble. And whilest wee listen to these notions, or rather motions of the spi∣rit within us, wee heare this testimony often and distinctly. But when wee give eare to the motions of the evill Spirit, and entertaine him, and delight in his society, and thereby grieve and despite the Spirit of grace; hee be∣ing thus grieved by us, speaketh no more words of comfort in us, but withdrawes his gracious presence, and leaveth us in horrour of conscience, and darknesse of minde. In this time of spirituall desertion, wee thinke wee have lost this white stone, though indeed wee have not lost it, but it is hid from us for a while: for afterwards wee shall finde it, having first felt the Spirit moving upon the waters of our penitent teares; and in our powring out our soules before God, assisting us with sighes and groanes that cannot be expressed: then after we renewing our covenant with him, our sins are

blowne away like a thicke mist: and light from heaven breaketh in againe upon us, and with this light assurance, and with assurance peace, and with peace joy in the holy Ghost.

Yea, but a weake Christian may yet demand, How may I bee assured that my stone is not a counterfeit? that my gold is not alchymy? that my pearle is not glasse? that my Edenis not a fooles Paradise? that this testi∣mony in my soule is not a suggestion of Sathan to tempt mee to presumpti∣on, and thereby drowne mee in perdition? The Spirit of God commanding mee too 1.146 Try the Spirits whether they are of God or no, implyeth that there are Spirits which are not of God: how then may I certainly know that this motion within mee is from the good, and not rather from the evill Spirit? By this, if it accord with the word, and the testimony of thine own conscience: but if it vary from either, thou hast just cause to suspect it. If any Spirit shall tell thee that thou art lockt in the armes of Gods mercy, and canst not fall from him, though thou huggest some vice in thy bosome, and lettest loose the reines to some evill concupiscence; give that Spirit the lye, because it accordeth not with the word of God, testifying expressely, thatp 1.147 no whoremonger, nor uncleane person, nor covetous man, which it an I∣dolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdome of God, and of Christ. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared unto all men, teaching us, that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. Againe, if any Spirit tell thee that thou art rich in spirituall graces, and lackest nothing, when thine owne Spirit te∣stifieth within thee, that thou art blinde, and naked, and miserable, and poore, beleeve not that Spirit. For the Spirit of God is a contest with our spirit,q 1.148 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Hee beareth witnesse with our spirit that wee are the sonnes of God: and when they both sweetly accord, we may without pre∣sumption conclude with Saintr 1.149 Austine; The truth promiseth, whosoever be∣leeveth in mee hath eternall life: I have heard the words of the Lord, I have beleeved; whereas I was before an Infidell, I am now made faithfull, and ac∣cording to his promise, have passed from death to life, and shall come into no condemnation. It is no presumption to ground assured confidence upon Christs promise. Hereunto let us adde the testimony of the effects of sa∣ving grace. As the testimony of the Spirit confirmeth the testimony of the Word, so the effects of saving grace confirme both unto us. These Saint Bernard reckoneth to bee,

• Hatred of sinne.
• Contempt of the world.
• Desire of heaven.

Hatred of our unregenerate estate past, contempt of present vanities, de∣sire of future felicity.

And doubtlesse if our hatred of sinne bee universall, our contempt of worldly vanities constant, and our desire of heavenly joyes fervent, wee may build upon them a strong perswasion, that we are in the favour of God, because we hate all evill; that we are espoused to Christ, because wee are divorced from the world; and that heaven belongeth unto us, because wee

long for it. Howbeit these seeme to bee rather characters of christian per∣fection, than common workes of an effectuall vocation. Though wee ar∣rive not to so high a degree of Angelicall, rather than humane perfection, yet through Gods mercy wee may bee assured of our election by other more easie and common workes of the Spirit in us, I meane, true faith, sin∣cere love of goodnesse in our selves and others, hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse, striving against our fleshly corruptions, godly sorrow, fili∣all feare, comfortable patience, and continuall growth in grace and godli∣nesse. Tully writeth ofl 1.150 Syracuse, That there is no day through the whole yeere so stormy and tempestuous, in which they have not some glympse of the sunne: neither undoubtedly after the travels of our new birth are past, is there any day so overcast with the clouds of temptation, in the soule of a Christian, in which the Sunne of righteousnesse doth not shine upon him, and some of these graces appeare in him. For if hee decay in one grace, hee may increase in another; if hee finde not in himselfe sensible growing in a∣ny grace, hee may feele in himselfe an unfained desire of such growth, and godly sorrow for want of it; and though hee conquer not all sinne, yet hee alloweth not himselfe in any sinne; and though he may have lost the sense, yet not the essence of faith; and though hee bee not assured in his owne ap∣prehension of remission of sinnes, yet hee may bee sure of his adhesion to God, and relying upon him for the forgivenesse of them, with a resoluti∣on like that of Job, Though he kill me, yet will I put my trust in him. And this is the summe and effect of what our Christian casuists answere to the second question, Quid sit, what is the white stone, whereby, as a certaine pledge, grace and glory are secured unto us.

The third question yet remains, Propter quid sit, to what end this white stone is given.

In the maine point of difference betweene the reformed and the Romane Church, concerning assurance of salvation, that wee bee not mis-led, wee must distinguish of a double certainty:

• The one of the subject, or of The person.
• The other of the object: or of The thing it selfe.

The certainty of the one never varieth, because it dependeth upon Gods election: the certainty of the other often varieth, because it dependeth up∣on the vivacity of our faith. Even as the apple in the eye of many creatures waxeth and waineth with the Moone; and ast 1.151 Solinus writeth, that the Margarite is clearer or duskier, according to the temper of the aire, and face of the skie, in which the shell-fish openeth it selfe: so this latter assurance waxeth and waineth with our faith, and is more evident, or more obscure, as our conscience is more or lesse purged from dead workes. If our faith be lively, our assurance is strong; if our faith faile, our assurance flagges, and in some fearfull temptation is so farre lost, that wee are brought to the very brinke of despaire; partly to chasten us for our former presumption, partly to abate our spirituall pride, and humble us before God, and in our owne spirits; but especially to improve the value of this jewell of assurance, and stirre us up to more diligence in using all possible meanes to regaine it, and

keep it more carefully after we have recovered it. By the causes of Gods ta∣king away of this white stone from us, or at the least hiding it out of our sight for a while, wee may ghesse at the reasons why hee imparteth it unto us.

1. First, to endeare his love unto us, and enflame ours to him. For how can wee but infinitely and eternally love him, who hath assured us of infi∣nite joyes, eternall salvation, an indefeizable inheritance, everlasting ha∣bitations, and an incorruptible crowne?

2. Secondly, to incourage us to finish our christian race, through many afflictions and persecutions for the Gospels sake; which we could never do if this crowne of glory were not hung out from heaven, and manifestly ex∣hibited to the eye of our faith, with assurance to winne it by our patience.

3. Thirdly, but especially, to kindle in us a most ardent desire, and con∣tinuall longing to arrive at our heavenly countrey, where wee shall possesse that inheritance of a kingdome, which is as surely conveighed unto us by the Word and Sacraments, as if Almighty God should presently cause a speciall deed to bee made, or patent to bee drawne for it, and set his hand and seale to it in our sight.

To knit up all that hath beene delivered, that it may take up lesse roome in your memory, and bee more easily borne away; let mee entreat you to set before your eyes the custome of the Romanes, in the entertainment of any great personage, whom after they had feasted with rare dainties ser∣ved in covered dishes, at the end of the banquet they gave unto him an Apo∣phoreton, or Carry-away, as they called it; that is, some jewell or piece of coine with his name engraven on it, or some speciall poesie. Such entertain∣ment is promised in my text, and performed on this holy Table: Christ who is both Hoste and feast, biddeth you to his hidden Manna in the Sacrament, and tendereth to every one of you a white stone, with your new name writ∣ten in it, for your Apophoreton. What remaineth, but that by particular exa∣mination, and fervent prayer, and speciall faith, and intention of devotion, yee prepare your stomacks for these covered dishes, and the hidden Man∣na; and after you have fed upon it, receive the white stone of absolution, and keepe it safe by you, and have it alwayes in your eyes? Let not your importunate clients so trespasse upon your time, but that you reserve al∣wayes some golden moments in every day, and especially on the Lords day, to bee clients to God. So peruse other writings and Records, that you forget not to search the deeds and evidences of your owne salvation: before you give learned counsaile to others, to secure and cleare their titles to their lands on earth, aske you counsaile of the spirit; and with David,u 1.152 make Gods statutes your counsailers, to secure your title to a kingdome in heaven. Make your election, whereof the white stone in my text is a cleare evidence, sure unto your selves, by the markes which I have described unto you, hatred of sinne, and contempt of the world, and desire of heaven; secure it to your soules by the life of your faith, and strength of your hope, and ardency of your love, and extremity of your hunger and thirst for righ∣teousnesse, and your earnest strife and most vehement fight against all your corruptions, by your deepe sorrow for your sinnes, carefull watching over all your wayes, sonnelike feare of displeasing your heavenly father, univer∣sall conformity to his will, and humble submission to his rod, with conti∣nuall

growth in grace, and mending your pace towards heaven, the nearer you come to your journyes end. So shall you overcome the devill by your faith, the world by your hope, the flesh by your spirituall love, sinfull joyes by your godly sorrow, carnall security by your watchfull care and filiall feare, dreadfull crosses by your comfortable patience, and dangerous relap∣ses by your proficiencie in godlinesse, and all sorts of temptations by your constant perseverance: And thus overcomming, Christ will make good his promise unto you, set before you the hidden Manna, and give you this white stone, which none shall be able to take away from you; and lay you all, as so many pretious stones, in thex 1.153 foundation of the heavenly Jerusalem, descending from God: To whom, &c.

THE NEW NAME. THE XXVIII. SERMON.

APOC. 2.17.

And in the same stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving hee that receiveth it.

Right Honourable, Right Worshipfull, &c.

IN this close of a letter, endited by the Spirit, and en∣dorsed to the Angell of the Church of Pergamus, our Emperour Christ Jesus his donatives to his victorious souldiers are set forth to the best advantage of art. To him, that is, to every one whosoever hee bee, Jew or Gentile, bond or free, young or old, Captaine or com∣mon souldier, that overcommeth the flesh by subduing it, the world by de∣spising it, the devill by defying him, and quenching all his fiery darts on the buckler of his faith dipt in Christs blood; I will give out of my bounty, not for the merit of their service, the hidden Manna of consolation, the white stone of absolution, and the new name of adoption, which no man knoweth sa∣ving hee that receiveth it.

The hidden Manna I set before you, when I first entertained your reli∣gious attention with the mysticall delicacies this text affordeth. The last time I delivered unto you the white stone: and now I am to spell and read un∣to you your new name, and both declare what it is, and why engraven in this white stone; as also, how so engraven that it can bee read by none save him who owneth it. For my method, I will take it from Masters of Mu∣sicke and dancing: for as they first tune their instruments, then finger the streines of some exquisite lessons on it, & finally teach their scholars how

to foot the dance accordingly: so the divine assistance concurring with your patience, I will first, by endevouring to accord the severall interpre∣tations of the words, as it were, tune the strings: next, by delivering unto you the doctrines of this scripture, set to the lessons: and last of all, by ap∣plying them to your lives and conversations, direct you how you are to or∣der your feet, according to the heavenly musicke pricked by the Spirit in the rules of my text.

But because it is very hard to read letters or characters engraven in brasse or stone, if the brasse or stone bee covered with dirt, or blotted with inke; before I proceed to spell your name, I hold it requisite to rubbe out those spots, and wipe away those blots, which the ancient Pelagians, and late Pontificians have cast upon this white stone; I meane, our Protestant doctrine concerning the assurance of our salvation in particular.

[Object.] 1. They cast this blurre upon it, That it hath no foundation in holy Scripture; for where read wee, say they, thou William, or thou John, or thou Peter art assured of thy salvation?

2. They cast this blurre upon it, That it hath no place in the Apostles Creed, and therefore in scorne and derision they tearme it the thirteenth article.

3. They alledge against it, That it hath no footing at all in reason. For, say they, wee ought continually to pray for the remission of our sinnes, which wee need not to doe if wee were assured of our justification and sal∣vation.

4. They article against it, That it crosseth all such texts of Scripture, wherein feare is commended unto us, as a speciall helpe and furtherance to eternall salvation. To what end doth David advise,a 1.154 Serve the Lord with feare: and Saint Paul admonish,b 1.155 Be not high minded, but feare: and,c 1.156 work out your salvation with feare and trembling: and Saint Peter exhort,d 1.157 passe the time of your sojourning here in feare; if all true beleevers are so assured of their salvation, that they are in no danger of forfeiting their estate of grace here, or losing their crowne of glory hereafter?

5. They alleage against it, That it dulleth the edge of industry, and coo∣leth the heat of zeale, and taketh away all care of walking exactly before God, and uprightly before men: care and watchfulnesse, in their judge∣ment, are superfluous where salvation and eternall happinesse is secured.

The first blot is thus wiped out.* 1.158 As all parts are contained in the whole body, so all particulars and singulars are vertually enclosed in generals and universals: and therefore as when wee read, That all men are sinners; and, all men are deprived of the glory of God; and, in many things wee offend all, every man layeth his hand upon his heart, and acknowledgeth himselfe to bee of the number: and as when wee read, Wee must all appeare before the tribunall seat of Christ, every good Christian applieth it unto himselfe, and maketh full account one day to answer at that barre: so when peace of con∣science, and joy in the holy Ghost, and assurance of eternall blisse are pro∣mised to all beleevers in Scripture, every faithfull heart rejoiceth at them, as having speciall interest in them. I would faine know of our adversaries, when a Proclamation is published in the Kings name to all his loyall sub∣jects, whether every particular man within his realmes and dominions bee

not liable to the Kings high displeasure, in case hee disobey this his Maje∣sties edict, though no man be therein particularly named. Now what are the Ministers of the Gospell, but Gods Cryers, to proclaime his good plea∣sure, concerning the receiving all penitent sinners and beleevers into grace and favour? Our adversaries themselves beleeve that this Pope Urban the eighth is Christs Vicar, and cannot erre in Cathedrâ; and that this Priest, viz. Fisher, or Musket, hath power to remit sinnes, and in the administra∣tion of the Sacrament, to turne the bread into Christs body; yet let them turne over all the Bible, they shall no where finde the name of Priest Mus∣ket, Father Fisher, or Pope Urban. Here if they flye to generall promises, made to all the Apostles and their successors, they stifle the winde-pipe of their owne objection, and confesse consequently, so the generall be in Scrip∣ture, wee need not trouble our selves with the particular. But the generall I have proved at large out of Scripture, that assurance of salvation is a privi∣ledge granted to all the children of God, that heare the testimony of the Spirit, and see the infallible markes of Gods chosen in themselves.

* 1.159The second blot is thus rubbed out: This white stone, the assurance of a mans particular salvation, is comprised in the first words of the Creed, which according to the exposition of thee 1.160 Ancie••••s, importeth, I trust in God for salvation. For wee say not, I beleeve there is a God, which is cre∣dere Deum; nor I beleeve God, which is credere Deo; but I beleeve in God, that is, I put my religious trust and confidence in him. Beside, the true meaning of that article, I beleeve the forgivenesse of sinnes, is not on∣ly, I beleeve there is a remission of sinnes in the Church, which the divell himselfe doth, and yet is no whit the better for it; but I beleeve the remis∣sion of my owne sinnes, as I doe the resurrection of my owne flesh. And if this bee the true meaning of that Article, which Rome and Rhemes shall ne∣ver bee able to disprove, the assurance of our owne justification and salvati∣on is not, as they cavill, a thirteenth article of the Creed, but part of the tenth. To which Saintf 1.161 Austine subscribed; The devout soule saith confi∣dently, thou art my God, because God saith to the soule, I am thy salvation.

* 1.162The third blot is thus wiped out: Prayer for remission of sinnes, and as∣surance thereof may well stand together. After the Prophet Nathan had said to David, The Lord hath taken away thy sinne, David beleeved the re∣mission thereof; yet hee prayed most fervently for it:g 1.163 Purge mee with Hyssope and I shall be cleane, wash mee and I shall bee whiter than snow. Hide thy face from my sinnes, and blot out all mine iniquities, deliver me from blood guiltinesse O God, thou God of my salvation. Our blessed Redeemer was as∣sured that God would deliver him from the power of death andh 1.164 hell; yet in thei 1.165 dayes of his flesh he offered up prayers with strong cryes to him that was able to save him. Saint Paul was assured by faith, that God wouldk 1.166 deliver him from every evill worke, and preserve him to his heavenly kingdome; yet hee ceased not to pray, Libera nos à malo; Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evill. To cut all the sinewes of this objection at once, wee distinguish of three sorts of Christians:

• 1 Incipients.
• 2 Proficients.
• 3 Perfect.

Incipients pray for the remission of their sinnes, and assurance thereof to their conscience: Proficients for greater assurance, and farther growth in grace: those that are perfect (so farre as perfection may be attained in this life) for the abolishing of all power of sinne in them, and their publike ac∣quitting at the last day: and all three for a pardon of course, at least for such sinnes of infirmity, as sticke so close unto us that we cannot shake them off till we put off this earthly tabernacle. For albeit every true beleever is firmely perswaded of the love of God, and the free pardon of all his sinnes in generall; yet because no particular sinne can be actually remitted before it be committed, neither is the remission of any promised, but upon conditi∣on of repentance, and confession to God of all knowne sinnes in speciall, andl 1.167 unknowne in generall: every one that is carefull of his salvation, and mindfull of the command of Christ implyed in the patterne of all prayer, will sue out a pardon for every new sin, which through the frailty of his na∣ture he falleth into, by humble confession and prayer to God. Which pray∣er, because it cannot be acceptable to him without faith, he who prayeth for the remission of his sinnes, in the very instant when he prayeth beleeveth that God will heare him, and that he either hath, or will certainely pardon him. And so we see that this third objection either hath no edge at all, or if it hath any, woundeth the adversaries cause, if it be thus retorted against him.

• Whatsoever we pray to God for according to his will, we ought stedfastly to beleeve that we shall receive it.
• But every true beleever prayeth for the remission of his sins, accor∣ding to Gods will and command.
• Therefore every true beleever ought stedfastly to perswade him∣selfe that his sinnes are, or shall be certainely forgiven him.

The fourth blot is thus wiped out. Feare is twofold:

• 1 That which is opposed to carnall security.
• 2 That which is opposed to spirituall confidence.

The former is commanded in all the texts above alledged, and must stand with assurance of salvation; the latter is forbidden by Esay;m 1.168 Feare not, thou worme Jacob, and ye men of Israel: I will helpe thee, saith the Lord, and thy Redeemer.n 1.169 Feare not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. And byo 1.170 Zachary in his Hymne; Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which hath visited and redeemed his people. And hath raised up an horne of salvation for us in the house of his servant David. That we being delivered from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without feare. And by St. Paul,p 1.171 Ye have not received the Spirit of bondage againe to feare. And byq 1.172 Christ himselfe, Feare not little flocke, for it is your Fa∣thers pleasure to give you the kingdome. This latter feare, because it exclu∣deth confidence in God, is excluded it selfe: but the former not onely stan∣deth with certainty of perseverance in grace, but mightily supporteth it. For even for this end God promiseth to put that feare in the hearts of all

true believers, thatr 1.173 they may not fall away from him. Whereupon Tertulli∣an acutely inferreth, playing upon the double sense of the Latine word se∣curus;* 1.174 Hee that is secure (that is, carelesse) of the meanes of his salvation, is not solicitous or watchfull; but hee that is solicitous or watchfull may bee se∣cure, that is, free from all feare of unavoidable danger.

The last objection which our adversaries make against the doctrine deli∣vered, is taken out of the worme-eaten evidence of the ancient Pelagians, as wee may see in Saints 1.175 Prosper: They (viz. the Pelagians) upbraid, that all care of rising out of sinne is taken away from those that are lapsed; that to ho∣ly men is ministred an occasion of slacknesse in their devotion, or lukewarmnesse, inasmuch as the Elect (according to our doctrine) cannot fall away by any negli∣gence, howsoever they behave themselves; & that consequently this doctrine ta∣keth away all praiers, obsecrations, obtestations, exercise of mortification, & care of the means of renewing our covenant with God, and watchfulnesse over all our wayes. But wee answer with the ancientt 1.176 Fathers, that the certainty of the end no way derogateth from the necessity of the means of salvation, which on Gods part are admonitions, threatnings, promises, commands, counsels, punishments and rewards: on our part, continuall prayer, watchfulnesse, pro∣gresse in godlinesse, & unfained desire of, and earnest striving for perfection. After Christ prayed for S. Peters faith, thatu 1.177 it might not faile, Peter was as∣sured of his perseverance; yet Christ commandeth him with the rest,* 1.178 to watch and pray lest they enter into temptation: watchfulnesse therefore and assurance are not incompatible. None ever had greater assurance of their salvation than the Apostles, after Christ cheared their hearts,x 1.179 In this re∣joice, not that spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven: yet our Saviour admonisheth them toy 1.180 stand with their loynes girt about, and their lights burning; and to take heed to them∣selvesz 1.181 lest at any time their hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drun∣kennesse, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon them at unawares. Questionlesse after Christ had given to Saint* 1.182 Paul the life of all them that were in the ship with him, hee was assured of their safe arrivall; yet when the shipmen were about to flye out of the ship, under colour as though they would have cast anchor, Paul said to the Centurion, and to the souldiers, ex∣cept these abide in the ship, you cannot bee saved. None may otherwise re∣ceive or apply to themselves the promises of grace, and remission of sinnes, than they are tendred to them in holy Scripture: but in them they are pro∣pounded unto all upon condition of repentance, faith, holinesse of life, new obedience, and perseverance in it to the end. To beleeve therefore the re∣mission of sinnes, and to bee assured of Gods favour, notwithstanding wee hold on our sinfull courses, is not spirituall confidence, but carnall presump∣tion.

Assurance of salvation is an effect of a lively faith, whicha 1.183 worketh by love; and consequently all that have it, the more they are assured of Gods love to them in Christ, the more their hearts are enflamed with love towards God, and their neighbour also for Gods sake; the more zealous they will bee of his glory, the more thankefull for his mercy, the more desirous to please him, the more fearfull to offend him, the more carefull to obey him, the more wounded with godly sorrow for their incurring his displeasure,

and the more ready to turne unto him by unfained repentance. Admit what they so much clamour against us for, that the adopted sonnes of God are in no feare or distrust that their heavenly Father will disinhe∣rite them; yet neither may they, nor can they presume hereupon wil∣fully to provoke him; because they know that hee hath many sharpe roddes to chasten them with besides; as temporall plagues, painefull sicknesse, irrecoverable losses, terrours of conscience, and spirituall deserti∣on. To conclude, the certainty of our beliefe that wee shall undoubtedly arrive at the celestiall Canaan, is no reason why we should flacke, but rather mend our pace thither.

Thus having wiped out the spots and blots, which the ancient and lat∣ter Pelagians have fast upon the white stone, we shall more easily be able to discerne the characters engraven in it, and read

The new name. Wee receive many new things from our Saviour:

• 1 Ab 1.184 new Testament signed with his blood.
• 2 In this new Testament a newc 1.185 Covenant.
• 3 In this new Covenant a newd 1.186 Commandement.
• 4 To obey this new Commandement a newe 1.187 heart.
• 5 And answerable to this new Heart newf 1.188 Tongues.
• 6 And consonant to these new Tongues newg 1.189 Songs.

Behold,h 1.190 I make all things new, a newi 1.191 heaven and a new earth, and a newk 1.192 city, and in it newl 1.193 inhabitants, to whom the Spirit here promiseth am 1.194 new name, upon which the Interpreters have many new conceits.

Alcazar the Jesuite, whose profound head the Pope lately graced with a Cardinals hat, in his prolixe commentaries upon the Apocalyps, falling upon the words of my text, will needs have this new name to be some deriva∣tive from Jesus, as Jesuitae or Jesuati, or the like. For this name Jesus (as out of Galatians hee endevoureth to prove) according to the true chara∣cters and points in the Hebrew, is novum nomen, a new name, never given to any but our Saviour: & of this name above all other names it is most certain that no man knoweth the vertue thereof, but he that is partaker of it. In which interpretation the Jesuites affection seemeth to me to have over-swayed his judgement. For as Aristoxenus the Musician, out of an admiration of his own profession, defined the soule to be ann 1.195 harmony; so this expositour, out of a love to his own society, resolveth this new name can be no other than a deno∣minative from Jesus. But he should have considered that this new name here promised to the Angel of Pergamus, is 1500. yeeres elder than Ignatius their Patriarch; and is not promised to him onely, but to all Christian con∣querours in alleges; whereas the name Jesuite, before Layola in this age so christened his disloyall off-spring, was never heard of in the world. Nei∣ther lyeth there hid such a mystery in the name Jesuite, that no man knoweth it saving hee that receiveth it: it is knowne well enough, not onely to Roma∣nists of other orders, but also to those of the reformed Church, who yet never received the badge of their profession, nor any marke of theo 1.196 beast.

Victorinus and some others with more probability ghesse the new name to be here meant Christianus, of which they understand those words

ofp 1.197 Esay, they shall bee called by my new name.

Aretas giveth the same interpretation of the white stone, and the new name, by both which the conquerour in proving masteries was made knowne to the people.

Carthusian distinguishing of the essentiall and accidentall rewards in hea∣ven, and calling the former auream, the latter aureolam, conceiveth this white stone to bee aureolam, a gemme added to the Saints crowne of glo∣ry; & in it the name of Beatus engraven, which no man can know but he that receiveth it; becauseq 1.198 eye hath not seene, nor eare heard, neither have entred into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

r 1.199Illyricus and Osiander relating the custome of the Romanes in the ele∣ction of their chiefe Magistrates, to write his name to whom they gave their voice in a white stone, thus comment upon the words of my text: Him that overcommeth I will entertaine with hidden Manna, and I will declare him heire apparent to a crowne in heaven, I will elect him to a kingdome.

s 1.200Pareus expoundeth novum nomen, nomen dignitate praestans, a name of honour and renowne.

t 1.201Junius glosseth it, signum & indicium novitatis vitae, a signe and token of newnesse of life.

Lastly, Victor Pictabionensis, Sardus, Beda, Bulenger, Melo, Primasius, Rupertus, Pererius, and other expositours, generally concurre upon Filius Dei; the new name; say they, written in the white stone, is the sunne of God. Which their opinion they illustrate by other texts of Scripture; as name∣ly, Rom. 8.15.16. and, 1 Joh. 3.1. and they backe it with this reason; The new name here is such a one as no man knoweth saving hee that receiveth it, and what can that name bee but the title of the sonnes of God, which no man knoweth, saving hee that receiveth the Spirit of adoption, whereby hee cryethu 1.202 Abba Father; which Spirit testifieth to his spirit that hee is the childe of God? All other expositions may after a sort bee reduced to this, for this is a blessed name, according to Carthusians interpretation: for the chil∣dren of God are the children of the resurrection, and they are most happy. It is the name of Christian conquerors, according to Victorinus and Are∣tas his glosse; for* 1.203 every one that is borne of God overcommeth the world; and, this is the victory that overcommeth the world, even our faith. This is al∣so a symbol and token of newnesse of life; for all the regenerate sonnes of Godx 1.204 have put on the new man. This name indeed is a glorious name in Pa∣reus his sense; for if it were an honour to David to bee sonne-in-law to an earthly King, how much more honourable is it to be the adopted sonne of the King of heaven? Lastly, this name importeth, according to Illyricus and Osianders joint explication, haeredem vitae aeternae, heire of eternall life; for ify 1.205 sonnes, then heires.

And thus, as you heare, the strings are tuned, and all interpretations ac∣corded: now I set to the lessons, or doctrinall points, which are foure;

• 1 The title of sonnes, novum nomen.
• 2 The assurance of this title, inscriptum calculo.
• 3 The knowledge of this assurance, novit qui recipit.
• 4 The propriety of this knowledge, nemo novit nisi qui recipit

The Roman Generals after their conquests of great countries and cities, had new names given unto them; as to Publius Scipio was given the sir∣name of Africanus, to Lucius Scipio of Asiaticus, to Metellus of Numidicus, to Pompey of Hierosolymarius: in like manner our celestiall Emperour pro∣miseth to all that overcome their spirituall enemies, a new name, and emi∣nent title of honour; even that which Alexander the conquerour of the whole world most triumphed in, when the Egyptian Priest saluted him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Sonne of God. But why is this called a new name? Either because it is unknown to the world, and worldly men; or in opposition to our old name, which was, sonnes of Adam. That is the name of our nature, this of grace; that of our shame and misery, this of our glory and happi∣nesse; that is a name from the earth, earthly, this is a name from the Lord of heaven, heavenly. And it appertaineth to all the Saints of God in a threefold respect:

• 1 Of Regeneration.
• 2 Adoption.
• 3 Imitation.

• Regeneration maketh them sonnes of God:
• Adoption heires with Christ:
• Imitation like both.

When the Astronomer that calculated the nativity of Reginaldus Polus was derided of all, because the disposition of the man was knowne to all to be contrary to those characters which he gave of him, Poole facetely excu∣sed the matter, saying, Such an one I was by my first nativity as hee hath de∣scribed me, but since that I was born again. This 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or second birth, though Nicodemus at the first deemed a riddle, because it could not enter into his head, how a man could re-enter his Mothers wombe, and be borne the second time; yet after our Saviour ingeminated this doctrine unto him,z 1.206 Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God, hee gave credit unto it, as all must doe who look for the inheritance* 1.207 incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for them:a 1.208 for all those are begotten again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, not with corruptible seed, but with incorruptible: and after they are begotten they are born again of water and the Spirit, &b 1.209 as new born babes they desire the sincere milk of the word, that they may grow therby; and as they growc 1.210 the old man decayeth in them, and the inward man is renewed daily. Inregard of which great alteration and change wrought in them by the Spirit of regeneration was it, that the holy Father, when hee was solicited by the Mistresse of his affections in former times, claiming ancient familiarity with him, put her off, saying, Ego nunc non sum ego; I am not the man thou takest me for: thou art indeed thou, remai∣ning still in thy unregenerate estate, but I am not I. And unlesse wee all feele and observe in usd 1.211 a transformation by the renewing of our minde, that wee may prove what is that good, that acceptable and perfect will of God, we cannot challenge to our selves this new name, whereunto the Saints of God have yet a second right, by thee 1.212 Spirit of adoption.

Adoption, asf 1.213 Aquinas defineth it, is, by conformity to the image of the na∣turall sonne of God; imperfectly by grace here, and perfectly by glory hereafter. But this great Schoole-man, it seemeth, was no great Lawyer, nor dived deepe into the nature of Adoption; which he here counfoundeth partly with sanctification, which is our conformity in part to Christ by grace; and partly with glorification, which is our perfect conformity to him, when our sanctification is consummate in heaven. In precise truth, adoption is not by our conformity to the image of Christ, but our confor∣mity to the image of Christ is by the spirit of adoption. Adoption, saithg 1.214 Se∣neca, is a most sacred thing, containing in it an imitation of nature, civilly giving them sonnes, whom nature hath left childlesse; and it may be briefly defined, a legall supply of a naturall defect, whereby they who can beget no chil∣dren, yet make heires, to propagate their names to posterity, ut sic abolita seculis nomina per successores novos fulgeant. According to which definition, God cannot be properly said to adopt any children, though he give them the ti∣tles of sons, and make them coheirs with Christ: for adoptio est fortunae reme∣dium, is provided as a remedy and comfort of those who are destitute of children, and want heires; God wanteth none, neither doth hee adopt for his contentment, but for our solace and comfort. In civill adoption the son begotten is not adopted, the adopted is not begotten:

Nulla viro soboles imitatur adoptio prolem.

But in the divine adoption it is otherwise. For God adopteth no sonne by grace whom hee regenerateth not by his Spirit. Moreover, in civill adoption the ground is either consanguinity or affinity, which moved Julius to adopt Octavius: or if neither, eminencie of vertue and simili∣tude of disposition, which induced Nerva to adopt Trajan. But in the di∣vineh 1.215 adoption on the contrary, God adopteth not us because of any kindred or alliance in us to him antecedently; but he sent his sonne to take our nature upon him, and become kinne to us, that for his sake hee might have some occasion to adopt us. Men adopt those in whom they see worth, but God first loveth and giveth worth, that he may more worthily adopt: and they whom he so adopteth by the grace which he conferreth upon them, procure to themselves a third right to this title of sonnes by imitation of their father.

This imitation consisteth in walking after the Spirit, as he is a Spirit: in following after holinesse, as he is most holy: in loving mercy, as his mercy is over all his workes: in purifying our hearts and hands, as he is purity it selfe: in doing good to those that deserve ill of us, as he causeth hisi 1.216 sunne to rise upon the good and the bad, and his raine to fall upon the just and the un∣just: lastly, to aspire to perfection, as he is perfection it selfe. In the holy language of Scripture rather expression of vertue than impression of fea∣ture maketh a sonne: all that through faith prevaile with God are accounted of the seed of Israel, and all beleevers the sonnes of Abraham: and be∣cause the unbeleeving Jewes did not the workes of Abraham, Christ deny∣eth them to be his children.k 1.217 If yee were the children of Abraham, yee would doe the workes of Abraham. Whereuponl 1.218 Chrysologus inferreth, He that

doth not the workes of his Progenitors, in effect disclaimeth his linage. Con∣stantine the great tooke not such joy in his sonne Constantius because he fa∣voured him in his countenance, as because hem 1.219 saw in his tender yeeres an as∣say, and as it were the first draught of his owne vertues. On the contrary, the Roman Censors tooke such a distast at the sonne of Africanus for his de∣bauched life, that they tooke a ring off his finger, in which the image of his father was ingraven, because he so much degenerated from his fathers excellent vertues; they would not suffer him to weare his fathers picture in a ring, whose image he bare not in his minde: neither will God suffer any to beare his name, and be accounted his sonnes, who beare not his image, who resemble not his attributes in their vertues, his simplicity in their sincerity, his immutability in their constancy, his purity in their chastity, his good∣nesse in their charity, his holinesse in their piety, his justice in their integri∣ty. Regeneration is wrought in the heart knowne to God onely; adopti∣on is an act sped in the court of heaven, which none knoweth on earth but he that receiveth an exemplification of it by the Spirit: but imitation of our heavenly Father, by a heavenly conversation, proclaimeth us to all the world to be his sonnes. The title thus cleared, the next point is the perpe∣tuity thereof, represented unto us by the engraving the new name in the white stone: I will give him a white stone, and in it a new name written or engraven. When the Pharisees appeached the woman taken 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in the foule act of adultery, it is there said, that our Saviour stooping downe wrote on the ground: but what he wrote the Evangelist writeth not. Saintn 1.220 Ambrose ghesseth that he wrote Earth accuseth earth: St. Austine these words, He that among you is free from sinne, let him cast the first stone. Others are of opinion that he wrote in the dust some private sinnes of the accusers; whose opinion hath thus farre footing in Scripture, that God, whose mercy is over all his workes, writeth the sinnes of men in dust, but his gifts and favours with a Diamond in precious gemmes; as we may see ono 1.221 Aarons breastplate, and here in a solid white stone.

White stones, such as this in my text, were in great use among the Ro∣mans, and served

• 1 To declare the victour or conquerour in proving masteries.
• 2 To acquit the accused in courts of justice.
• 3 To deliver suffrages in the election of Magistrates.

Upon all these uses the allegory in my text toucheth. For this white stone is given in token of victory, Vincenti dabo: and before I demonstrated it to bee an evidence of our justification; and now I shall shew it to bee an as∣surance of our election to a kingdome in heaven. As in the civill, so much more in the divine use, the act signified or done by it is altogether irrevoca∣ble. Hee to whom the white stone was given in the theater, or wheresoever the silver games were kept, or prizes plaid, was ever held Victor, and carri∣ed that title to his grave. Hee upon whom the Judges passed their sen∣tence by casting white stones into an urne or pitcher, was for ever acquitted of the crime laid to his charge. Hee who gave his voice to any man, by writing his name in a white stone, neither did nor could after varie: and

shall wee thinke that hee to whom Christ giveth his white stone shall ever lose the benefit thereof? The names of the twelve tribes engraven upon the twelve pretious stones on Aarons breast-plate, continued for many hundreds of yeers, as you may read in Josephus, and may be in them still for ought we know; yet if they could be razed out, certainly their names cannot be blotted outo 1.222 which are written in heaven. The calling and gifts of God are withoutp 1.223 repentance, especially this of adoption in Saintq 1.224 Ambrose his judgement: What, saith hee, can God the Father reverse his owne grants? can hee cast him out of his fatherly grace, whom hee hath once adopted? by no meanes. For though a servant may cease to bee a servant if his Master ca∣shiere him; and a tenant to bee a tenant if hee have forfeited his estate, yet a sonne cannot cease to bee a sonne; hee that is borne, cannot but bee borne; and if hee bee borne of God hee cannot 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, though hee may 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he cannot doe though he may suffer sin, that is, he cannot practise it, as a man doth his trade or profession, in a settled course, without checke of conscience, or reluctancy, because the seed of God remaineth in him, which fighteth against the poyson instilled by Satan, and will in the end conquer it, because it isr 1.225 incorruptible seed. When a childe of God is at the worst, and hath recei∣ved the greatest foyle in temptation, hee remaineth still the child of Gods 1.226 quoad sigillum, though not quoad signum; according to the seale, though not according to the signe: lose he may the signe in himselfe, but God can∣not lose his seale.

You will say peradventure, this assertion openeth a window to presump∣tion, and carnall liberty: nay rather it shutteth the leaves against it, and fa∣steneth them with surest bolts and barres. For lay this for a ground, that he that hath received the Spirit of regeneration, and grace of adoption, can∣not sinne desperately, nor give absolute way to any corruption: the conclu∣sion to bee built upon it will bee this (which necessarily checketh and choa∣keth all presumptuous thoughts) That whosoever defileth his mouth with oathes or lies, his hand with bribes, his body with uncleannesse, his con∣science with any knowne sinne, finding in himselfe no checke with it, no struggling against it, no smiting of the heart after it, no earnest desire, and in the end effectuall working out of it; was never a true convert, the sunne of righteousnesse never rose on him, because hee yet lyeth frozen in the dregs of his naturall corruption.t 1.227 Stay me with flaggons, and comfort me with apples, for I am sicke of love; the doctrine of the perpetuity of the regenerates e∣state is a cup of the strongest wine in those flaggons, which must bee given to none but such as amore languent, such as have beene contracted to Christ, and have received from him many jewels of grace, and infallible tokens of speciall affection, though at the present by some fearefull provocation, they have so farre incurred his displeasure, that hee will not looke upon their teares, nor hearken to their sighes or groanes, nor once turne his countenance towards them, which they infinitely value above their life. To these we are to minister this cordiall; That Christ his contract with the soul is indissolu∣ble, that the Covenant of his peace is immovable, that the seed of regenerati∣on is immortall, that whom God loveth he loveth to the end, that they may have lost the sense, but they cannot the essence of true faith, that their new name is still written upon the white stone, though such a mist be cast before

their eyes that they cannot reade it now; but after a great defluxe of pe∣nitent teares, Christ will annoint them with the eye-salve of his Spirit, and then they shall clearely see and reade it: for hee that receiveth it knoweth it. And so I fall into the third point, the knowledge of this perpetuity:

Hee knoweth it who receiveth it. As the eye seeth either

1. Per radium rectum, a streight line drawne from the eye to the object: Or,

2. Per radium reflexum, a beame reflected from the object to the eye: so the soul hath a double knowledge; direct, of the object; and reflexe, of her owne acts. As when I looke in a glasse I looke upon my selfe looking in it: when I touch my pulse I feele my feeling of it: in like manner the soule by reflexive knowledge apprehendeth her owne apprehension, judgeth of her owne judgement, and beleeveth her owne faith and beliefe. How can there be any assurance by faith, if there be no assurance of faith it selfe? Saintu 1.228 Au∣stine is most expresse for this reflexive act of faith: Faith it selfe, saith hee, is seene in the minde, though wee believe those things by faith which wee can∣not see: and again,* 1.229 Faith is in the inward parts of the soule, neither can any man see it in another, but in himselfe hee may. Could there bee any doubt of this, I would evict it out of the expresse words of our Saviour (Joh. 14.20.) In that day you shall know that I am in the Father, and you in mee, and I in you. And of Saint Paul:x 1.230 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith or no. Know yee not your selves that Christ is in you, except you bee reprobates? And,y 1.231 I know whom I have believed. And,z 1.232 Wee have not received the Spi∣rit of the World, but the Spirit of God, that wee might know the things that are freely given us of God. Hang up a taper or a carbuncle in a darke roome, and you shall perceive that first it discovereth it selfe by its owne light, and then all things in the roome. This taper or carbuncle is faith in the soule, which as it manifesteth all other graces, so most clearly also it selfe. The heat by the incident beame of the sunne is but weake, the greatest is by the reflected: so is it in the act of faith, there is but small warmth of comfort from the direct act, whereby wee beleeve the singular priviledges of all true beleevers; the greatest comfort is by the reflexive, viz. that wee are true beleevers, and share in those comforts. Without this reflexive know∣ledge there can beea 1.233 no 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, full perswasion in our mindes, much lesseb 1.234 accesse with confidence. Which yet the auncient Fathers not onely teach plainly out of the Apostle, but also shew manifestly how it may be obtained. S.c 1.235 Basil putteth this case of conscience: How may the soule assuredly bee per∣swaded that God hath forgiven unto her her sinnes? And hee resolveth it thus: When shee findeth in her selfe the like disposition and affection to his, that said, I hate iniquity, and all false wayes I utterly abhorre. Saintd 1.236 Ambrose thus: He that cleaveth to that leaven is made himselfe leaven, and thereby sure of his owne salvation, and secure of gaining others to the faith. Sainte 1.237 Leo thus: If they finde any of the fruits of charity in their conscience, let them not doubt but that God is in them. But wee need not borrow torch light where the sunne shineth so bright in holy scriptures.f 1.238 Hee that beleeveth in the sonne of God hath the testimony in himselfe: And, theg 1.239 Spirit testifieth to our spirit, that we are the sonnes of God; the Spirit of God warranteth the ma∣jor, In whomsoever the markes of Gods children, set downe in scripture,

are conspicuous, they are the sonnes of God: our Spirit testifieth the mi∣nor, that these marks are in us. Now because this assumption can be proved no otherwise than by experience, and our owne inward sense, my fourth ob∣servation hence directly ensueth, That no man knoweth the new name save he that receiveth it: which is the last point now to be touched, and note to be quavered on in my close, viz. the propriety of this knowledge.

None knoweth save he that receiveth it. For no man knoweth the things of a man, save theh 1.240 spirit of man that is in him. If this white stone were visi∣ble to the eye of the body, and it were given to us in presence of others, it could not be but that some should see and know it besides him that recei∣veth it. But this white stone is conspicuous only to the eye of faith, which is thei 1.241 evidence of things not seene, and it is given by the Spirit which is in∣visible, and received also by the inward faculties of our soule, which are likewise invisible. Were this knowledge onely conjecturall, and gathered from outward signes and tokens, others might have notice thereof as well as our selves: but the Spirit saith here, No man knoweth save he that recei∣veth it. It must be therefore a speciall act of speciall faith whereby we are assured of our adoption by faith, and of faith by the Spirit.k 1.242 Ansbertus giveth good aime to the meaning of this text: Suppose two (saith he) com∣mending hony, of whom the first discourseth out of his reading, the tongue of the second hath tasted that he speaketh of, such (saith he) is the knowledge of him who hath received the white stone. Others may know it in specie, but he in individuo: others contemplatively, but he experimentally.l 1.243 Sardus commeth nearer the marke, This name (saith he) is of such excellency, that no man knoweth it, that is, the value and worth of it, but he who is adopted by God.m 1.244 Rupertus hitteth it; Why (saith he) doth no man know this name sa∣ving he that receiveth it? Because this name cannot be knowne by any outward document, but by an inward experiment; not by externall evidence, but by in∣ward sense: therefore no man knoweth it saving he whom the Spirit by rege∣neration maketh the sonne of God, and by the same act maketh him know it. There is a great difference betweene a contemplative and an experimentall knowledge of the priviledges of Gods children. A blind man from his birth may heare the theory of the Sun read unto him, but he can never con∣ceive rightly of the beauty of that glorious lamp of heaven, or take the hun∣dreth part of that delight which we doe who see it. The discourse of the Jewish Rabbins concerning the delicacy of this Manna in my text is sweet, but nothing to the taste of it. The meditations of Divines upon the joyes of heaven are able to ravish the soule with delight, yet are they nothing to St.n 1.245 Pauls rapture into the third heaven: so farre experimentall knowledge in particular exceedeth contemplative in generall. Out of this experimentall knowledge the Spouse testifieth,o 1.246 I have eaten my hony combe, with my ho∣ny. To this the Prophet David inviteth,p 1.247 O taste and see how gracious the Lord is. For this the Apostle prayeth, that the Philippians might abound in all spirituall wisedome andq 1.248 experience, or sense: and this is the knowledge here meant.

You have heard the lessons set in the lines of my text; what remaineth but that according to my proposed method I direct you to foot the spiritu∣all dance accordingly?

1 And in the stone a new name. Mutatio nominis mutatio hominis,* 1.249 a new name should carry with it a new man. When God changedr 1.250 Jacobs name into Israel he changed his condition: and certainely Christ giveth this new name to none, to whom he giveth not withall a new nature. If therefore we expect that Christ should write this new name in a white stone, and give it us; let us give all diligence that the image of the new man may shine in our soules; otherwise, if the old Adam be young in us, if our old infirmities be strong in us, if the old leven puffing us up with pride, and sowring the whole lumpe of our nature is still in us; if our old corruptions, be they vi∣tious, or ambitious, or a varitious, or superstitious, still master us, this white stone here mentioned will prove a black stone to us, and this new name written in it a hand-writing against us. For as 1.251 holy and godly title in a wicked man improveth the guilt of his sinne.

This new name is the title of the Son of God, which appellation should bind us to our good behaviour, that we carry our selves so in private to∣wards God, so in publike towards men, so holily in our devotion, so faith∣fully in our vocation, so uprightly in our conversation, that we may be

Proles tanto non inficianda parenti,

children not unworthy to be owned by such a Father, who hath adopted us in Christ. What a shame is it for a Prince, or the sonne of a Noble man to filch and cheat, and take base courses, and live sordidly? Tertullian strongly refuteth Montanus his prophecies by his personall infirmities; What? (saith he) a Prophet, and a Dicer? a Prophet, and an Usurer? a Prophet, and fleshly given? a Prophet, and distemper himselfe with drinke? Wee may streigne this string higher, What? a Christian beleever, and a Pagan liver? the Sonne of God, and doe the workes of the Divell? the childe of light, and walke in darknesse, in gluttony, chambering and wanton∣nesse, strife and envying? an heire of heaven, and all his mind and thoughts upon the mucke and dung of the earth? Why dost thou reproach thine ownet 1.252 name? Why dost thou disgrace thy greatest honour? Why dost thou overthrow thine owne title by thy deeds?

3 If Christ hath written our new name in a white stone, let us imprint his name in our hearts, as Ignatius did, and that so deepely, if we may be∣leeve the Legend, that the characters thereof were legible in it after his death: let us sing a new song to him that hath given us this new name.

4 If no man upon earth know to whom Christ hath given this white stone saving he that receiveth it, let us take heed how we suddenly write a∣ny mans name in a blacke stone, I meane passe the censure of Reprobates upon them. Theu 1.253 Judge himselfe adviseth not to judge, lest we be judged. The foundation of God remaineth sure, having this seale, God knoweth who are his, not we: we ought to labour for the reformation, and pray for the con∣version, and hope for the salvation of any to whom God, for ought we know, may give repentance unto life, as he hath given to us: They cannot be worse than we have beene.x 1.254 Let no man arrogantly assume that to himselfe which the Father hath reserved to himselfe alone, viz. the fanne to sever the wheate from the chaffe in Christs floore.

5 Lastly, if we desire to eat of the hidden Manna, let us loathe the flesh∣pots of Egypt; if we covet this white stone, let us value it above all preci∣ous stones; if we expect this new name, let us contemne the titles of the world: let us study lesse other mens titles and states on earth, and more our owne state in Gods promises, and title to heaven: let us view in the glasse of holy Scripture the true markes of Gods children, and seeke to find them all in our selves. So shall we be sure before death closeth up our eies, to have a sight of this new name here, and after we remove hence to read it writ∣ten in glorious characters in the gates and walls of the new Jerusalem, de∣scending from God, whosex 1.255 streets are paved with gold, and the gates and foundations of the walls garnished with pearles and all sorts of precious stones: into which heavenly Mansions, when we are ready for them, God receive us for his sake, who is gone thither before to prepare them for us. To whom, &c.

SATANAE STRATAGEMATA. THE XXIX. SERMON.

2 COR. 2.11.

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his de∣vices.

Right Honourable, Right Worshipfull, &c.

SCaliger hath long since set forth an excellent worke de e∣mendatione temporum, but wee need rather bookes de e∣mendatione morum. For in this Chrisis of distempered hu∣mours, such is the condition of most hearers, that the Minister of God, though upon good warrant from his text, can hardly rebuke the publike enemies of Church or State, but hee shall procure private enemies to himselfe. Every one is jealous that something is said or meant by our Pauls against his great Dia∣na. If he stand for, or be inclinable unto the new, or newly taken up expres∣sions of devotion, he suspects the Preacher glanceth at him under the name of a temporizer, or symbolizer with Papists. If hee bee averse from such customes and rites, hee conceiveth himselfe to bee taxed under the name of a refractary Non-conformitant. If hee make any great shew of religi∣on, hee thinkes himselfe pointed at in the reproofe of an Hypocrite; if lit∣tle or no shew, hee feeles himselfe galled in the reprehension of the pro∣phane worldling. If hee rellish the leaven of Arminius, he takes himselfe to bee wounded through the Pelagians; if of Cartwright, through the Brow∣nists; if of Cassander, or the Catholike Moderatour, through the luke∣warme Laodicean sides. Yet I have met with an enemy, through whose sides I am sure no man will hold himselfe wounded, whose part no man will take, whose quarrels no man will owne, against whom it is lawfull to cast not onely fiery, but also poysoned darts,

Tincta Lycambaeo spicula felle—

whom to particularize is discretion; to stigmatize, moderation; to curse to the deepe pit of hell, piety; to hate with a perfect hatred, the top of Chri∣stian charity: I meane the grand enemy of mankind, whose name and spi∣rituall snares you heare of in the reading of my text; but through Gods helpe shall see, and handle them, and pull them asunder in the explication and application thereof.

a 1.256Chabryas was wont to say, that hee was the best Commander in warre who best understood his enemies. For knowing wherein their strength con∣sisted, he could prepare against it; and being acquainted with the maner of their fight, he could discipline his souldiers accordingly; and having good in∣telligence what courses they meant to take, hee could prevent them there∣in, and alwayes worke upon the advantage. As in all other sciences and arts, so in the military profession there are certaine axiomes, maximes, or generall rules: whereof the first is,b 1.257 Whatsoever is good for our ene∣mies is alwayes hurtfull to us; for his gaine is our losse, his rise is our fall, his honour is our infamy, his helpe is our hinderance, his devices are our snares, his plots are our traps, his inventions are our circumventions. Wherefore it cannot but be a matter of great importance to all that fight under the ban∣ner of Christs crosse against Satan and all his infernall forces, to bee infor∣med out of Scripture, and the observations of the best experienced souldi∣ers in our spirituall warfare, wherein our ghostly enemies strength lyeth, after what manner hee assaulteth us, and what are his usuall stratagems whereby hee most prevaileth; ut praemoniti, simus praemuniti, that being forewarned of them, wee way bee forearmed against them. To which end, among others, I pitched my serious thoughts upon this passage of Scrip∣ture; wherein one of Christs Worthies, who in his time fought many noble battailes, and was more than conquerour in them all, advertiseth the Corin∣thians of a designe that Satan had upon them, viz. by the rigour of their se∣verity to cast away one of the members of their Church, whom they had cast out of their congregation for his incestuous match.* 1.258 There was great reason the Elders and Governours at Corinth should be exasperated against this delinquent,c 1.259 qui primus nitorem ecclesiae tam turpi notâ maculasset, who was the first that blemished that Virgin Spouse of Christ: and therefore having received warrant from the Apostle to proceed against him, they draw out their sharpe sword of excommunication, and presently cut him off from their assemblies; never thinking they could doe enough to manifest to the world their detestation of so foule a fact, and fouler a scandale. Here∣upon the common adversary worketh, hardening their hearts more and more by a colourable pretence of zeale, and locking up their eares against the prayers, and shutting their eyes at the teares and lowest submission of this disconsolate penitent; that so hee being out of all hope of restituti∣on to his former state, might runne some desperate course. And very like it was that Satan would have gone beyond them all, had not the Apostle de∣scried this his subtle device, and discovered it unto them in this clause of his letter, which carryeth this sense:

* 1.260

My beloved brethren at Corinth, it grieveth mee to write any thing to you to grieve you, who are the crowne of my joy; and therefore I wrote heretofore more smartly against him who troubled you, that I might make

a trial of your love towards me, in vindicating the honor of your Church, my plantation; and you have abundantly testified your obedience to me, and zeale for the Gospel, by putting him from among you, who brought an obloquy upon you, and blasted the fruits of my labours. But now the case is much altered, hee is not what hee was, he swelleth not with pride, but is fallen away with griefe, and will undoubtedly sinke in despaire, if you reach not out your hand of compassion to save him from drowning in a sea of salt teares. Wherefore things standing thus with him, let my pen which gave the wound, heale it; and if upon my former letter, to shew your obedience to mee, you bound him with an anathema to con∣firme the same, upon this letter release him: Una eadem{que} manus vulnus opem{que} ferat. If I forgave others for your sake, forgive him now for my sake, or at least for your owne sake, lest the common adversary make an advantage of your zeale for the Church, to maime it; and abuse that power which God hath given you for edification, to the destruction of one, who before was, and after reparation may bee a living Temple of the holy Ghost.

The words containe in them a wise prevention of a subtle circumventi∣on; wherein I observe

• 1 A caution,* 1.261
• 2 A reason.

The caution most seasonable, lest Satan should get an advantage.

The reason most forcible, for wee are not ignorant of his devices.

In the former wee are to take speciall notice,

• 1 Of the caveat put in, ne circumveniat.
• 2 Of the party against whom it is put in, Satanas.
• 3 Of the parties in whose behalfe it is put in, nos.

• 1 Him.
• 2 You.
• 3 Mee.

The reason is drawne from two heads,

• 1 The cause of the danger, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, They are devices.
• 2 The notice thereof, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Wee are not ignorant of them.

First, of the caution: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Some render these words, lest Sa∣than should usurpe upon you; and they give this reason, because, say they,d 1.262 Satan hath no right to any place; wheresoever hee getteth footing hee is an in∣truder and usurper: like Antiochus surnamed Hierax, the Hawke, who had no estate or patrimony left him, but preyed upon others territories, and by rapine patched out a kingdome to himselfe. Others read, lest Satan cir∣cumvent

us, agreeably to the circumstances of the place, and the practice of the devill; who being demanded by God,e 1.263 from whence he came, answered, from compassing the earth; & cur circuit, nisi ut circumveniat? why doth he compasse the earth, but to circumvent us? Circumvention is more easily understood, than prevented or avoided. A Wrestler who can circumvenire, come about his adversary, taketh hold where hee list to his best advantage: in a duell fought on horse-backe, hee that can nimbly turne his beast, and circumvenire, come about his Antagonist, hee striketh him at pleasure: when a passenger is met by a theefe at every turne, he is properly circum∣vented: when a city is environed and begirt with a puissant army, that is circumvented, there is no hope to escape. By which few instances you may perceive how apt this phrase is to expresse the great danger of Satan his temptations. Yet the Kings Translation (lest Satan get advantage of us) commeth neerest to the Greeke Etymology, which imports, to have more or the better, to gaine over and above: and Oecumenius the Greeke Scho∣liast descanteth upon this signification of the word after this manner:* 1.264 Doth not Satan gaine over and above, when hee gaines upon us both wayes, when hee getteth an advantage of us both by sinne and repentance, both by vitious pleasures, and by godly sorrow? as hee would have done upon this Corin∣thian, whom first hee perswaded to make an incestuous match, to satisfie his lustfull desires; and after hee felt the smart of his sinne, and severe cen∣sure of the Church, hee wrought upon his sorrow, and sought to drive him into desparation.

But why doth the Apostle say, lest hee get advantage of us? was Saint Paul in any danger, or had Satan any designe upon him? We may piously conceive that Saint Paul joynes himselfe with them, because hee esteemed all those whom hee begot to Christ by the Gospell, no other than his own children; and the Father cannot but suffer in the losse of his childe. Thef 1.265 shepheard must needs be endamaged when any of his flocke is diminished.g 1.266 Who is offended, saith Saint Paul, and I burne not? yet this is not all, Saint Paul was further interessed in this businesse than so: for the Corinthians had excommunicated this incestuous person by order from the Apostle himselfe, and therefore if he had miscarried, Satan had made his advantage upon all: upon the incestuous person, whose soule hee would have ruined; upon the Church, which hee had maimed of a member; upon the Corinthi∣ans, and S. Paul himselfe, under whose hands this patient had beene so roughly handled, that hee died in the cure. These were Satans reaches, or as they are here called, devices; which he could not carry so closely, but that the Apostles vigilant eye descryed them: for, saith hee,

Wee are not ignorant of his devices. Did the housholder know what night the thiefe would come to rob him, he would certainly guard his house: did the birds know a snare were laid for them, would they come neare it? were the fishes aware that a net were spread for them, would they run into it? had the souldiers certaine notice of an ambush set for them, would they bee surprized? Loe here, beloved, snares of temptation, nets of circumventi∣on, ambushes of destruction, prepared by a most subtle enemy, and wee are not ignorant of them; if then we be taken, entangled, or surprized, can we lay the blame upon any thing but upon our carelesse and retchlesse fol∣ly?

Could wee plead with him in the Poet,

Non expectato vulnus ab hoste tuli;

I was wounded by a dart I was not aware of, our case deserved some com∣passion: but when wee know our enemy, and are foreshewed what fiery darts hee prepareth for us, and when and how hee will cast them at us, if we receive our deaths wound, our blood must needs bee upon our selves.

Satan assaults us two maner of waies, by his lions paw, & by his serpents sting; by open force, and by cunning sleights; by the one in time of persecu∣tion, by the other in time of peace: of the latter the Apostle here speaks, say∣ing, wee are not ignorant of his

Devices. Devices are subtle meanes to compasse our ends, such as are trickes in gaming, fallacies in disputing, sleights in wrestling, mysteries in trading, policies in state, and stratagems in war; the enemy of our soule is full of them:

—cui nomina mille, Mille nocendi artes.—

Lypsius hath written of all the warlike engines used by the ancients, and Ve∣getius of their military policies and Captaine-craft; but never any yet was able to recount, much lesse describe all Satans poliorcetickes and stratagems. Some of the chief and most dangerous, partly out of scripture, and partly out of experienced souldiers of Christ, I purpose to acquaint you with at this time.

1. The first stratagem, policy, or device of Satan is, To observe the na∣turall constitution of every mans minde and body, and to fit his temptations thereunto. For hee knoweth well, that as every plant thrives not in every soyle, so neither every vice in every temper and complexion. Though there bee in every man a generall aversenesse from good, and propension to evill; and albeit nature, as it is corrupted since the fall, bee a step-dame to all vertue, and a mother to all vices, yet shee is not equally affected in eve∣ry one, to all her owne children. Some ill conditions are more incident to some climats, to some countries, to some families, than others. The Ea∣sterne people were for the most part given to sorcery, the auncient Jewes to idolatry, the Greeks to curious heresie, the Latine Church to superstition. Unnaturall lust seemeth to bee naturalized in Italy, pride in Spaine, levity in France, drunkennesse in Germany, gluttony and new fangled fashions in great Brittaine. Ambition haunteth the Court mostly, faction the Univer∣sity, luxury and usury the City, oppression and extortion the Countrey, bribery and forged cavillations the Courts of justice, schisme and simony the Church. Pliny writeth of some families, that they had privie marks in their bodies, peculiar to those of that line; the like may bee found in mens mindes: and every one herein is like the Leopard,

Cognatis maculis parcit fera:

heeh 1.267 favoureth his owne spots. These spots Satan curiously marketh, and accordingly frames his suggestions: hee observes our walkes, and spies our usuall haunts, and there sets gins for us. As the Mariner marks the wind, and

accordingly hoiseth up or striketh saile: or as the cunning Oratour learneth which way the Judge propendeth, and ever draweth him where hee seeth him comming on; so the Devill maketh perpetuall use of the bent of our nature to helpe forward his temptations, rightly considering that it is a very easie matter to bow a tree the way it bendeth of it selfe, to cast a bowle swiftly downe the hill, to push downe a wall where it swaggeth already, to trip up his heeles whose foot is sliding. Hee would finde it a matter of some difficulty to tempt a flegmaticke man to quarrelling and contention, a cholericke man to sloath and sluggishnesse, a melan∣choly man to excesse of mirth, a man of a sanguine complexion to over much sorrow, because the byas of their constitution carryeth them to the contrary affections. What then doth this crafty Sinon? hee creepeth into the bosome of the cholericke man, by adding fuell to his naturall fire, and whetting his desire of revenge; of the sanguine, by preparing a sweet bit for his liquorish taste; of the flegmaticke, by making a downe bed for him to sleepe in it securely; of the melancholy, by opening a spring to pensive thoughts, and driving him along upon a full streame of sorrow into the gulfe of despaire.

2. The second stratagem, policy, or device is, To observe our naturall abilities and endowments, and accommodate his temptations thereunto. Like a cunning Poet hee fits every actour with a part agreeable. Ex quolibet lig∣no non fit Mercurius, Every piece of timber will not serve to carve Mercu∣ry on; neither is every man fit to make an Arch-traytour or Hereticke. He that will bee the ring-leader of rebellion, had need bee a man of great parts and power. Such was Jeroboam in Israel, Cyrus the younger in the Per∣sian state, Arbaces in the Assyrian, Alcibiades and Themistocles in the Athe∣nian, Hannibal in the Carthaginian, the Gracchi, and Marius, and Cinna, and Sylla, and Catiline in the Romane state. None but a man of a curious wit, and a prying Spirit into the secrets of nature, would busie himselfe in a∣strologicall and magicall speculations: Satan therefore finding Zoroastres of old, and Cornelius Agrippa of late, fitted for this purpose, used their braines and pennes, under the title of naturall magicke, or hidden philoso∣phy, to commend sorcery, figure-casting, and negromancy to the world. When Absalom went about to dispossesse his Father, a wise and puissant Prince, of his kingdome, hee needed a man of a deeper reach than his owne to be his Counseller: therefore Satan sends him Achitophel, the cunningest Politician that age afforded, whose ungodly Maximes and state Apho∣rismes, fit for no Court but Lucifers in hell, passed by tradition for the most part, till that Florentine monster Nicolaus Machiavel committed them to writing. The invention and maintenance of heresie is no work of a dull wit or illiterate apprehension; which the Father of lies and all falshood under∣standing, employed the subtilest Philosophers to devise and defend im∣pious novelties against the Orthodoxe faith. In which regard Tertullian fitly tearmeth Philosophers the Patriarches of Heretickes; from whom we may derive the pedegree of Arrius, and Sabellius, and Coelestius, and Pelagi∣us, the fragments of whose works yet extant in the Fathers writings, shew the subtlety of their wits, and their excellent skill in sophistry. Neither was Servetus much inferiour to Arrius, nor Socinus to Coelestius, nor Gentilis to

Sabellius, nor Arminius to Pelagius, who in our dayes have uttered some of their wares at second hand, setting onely a new glosse of words upon them. As Phillis in the Poet pitifully complaineth against Demophoon for flying away from her in the fleet of ships shee furnished him withall:

i 1.268Remigium{que} dedi quo me fugiturus abires: Heu patior telis vulnera facta meis.

so the Church and University have just cause to exclaime against her owne children of eminent parts, that they have given her the deepest wounds by those weapons of art and authority wherewith shee armed them.

The third stratagem, policy or device of Satan is, To accommodate his temptations to mens outward estate, condition, and place; which much swayeth either way. For you shall seldome heare of a man in high honour hum∣ble, or in disgrace proud; in prosperity distrustfull, or in extreme misery hopefull; in wealth discontent, or in poverty patient; in abundance tempe∣rate, or in want luxurious; in health and strength mortified, or in sicknesse lustfull. Had not the Philosopher, in the second of his Rhetorickes, taught us what impressions these outward things make upon the minde, we might have read it in the Greeke and Latine proverbs, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Honores mutant mores. Who knoweth not that tyranny is often incident to sove∣raignty, ambition to nobility, oppression to power, insolency to wealth, and luxury to abundance, as contrary vices to contrary fortunes? Whereup∣on the subtle spye of mankinde suggesteth evill motions, agreeable as well to our outward estate as our inward qualities: hee shooteth his poysoned ar∣rowes alwayes with the winde, that they may bee carried with a double force, the motion of the ayre and the strength of his arme; and hard it is if he prevaile not, when both our natural temper and parts, and our outward con∣dition and calling helpe forward his attempts against us. Adam was no soo∣ner made by God a Prince on earth, but he tempteth him to aspire higher, even to bee like God himselfe the King of heaven; and this temptation ta∣keth, because it well suted with Adams present honour and happinesse. Nimrod was a mighty man, Satan therefore tempteth him to violence and tyranny; and his temptation taketh, because it met with a fit subject. Ne∣buchadnezzar was a great, puissant, and magnificent Prince, Satan there∣fore tempteth him to pride and vaine-glory; and this temptation taketh, be∣cause it was sutable to the high quality of that Monarch. Joab was a great Commander in warre, Satan therefore tempteth him to a bloody revenge on Abner his competitor; and this temptation taketh, because it fitted so well Joabs profession and present discontent. Haman was King Asuerus his favourite, and could ill brooke any to rise in the Kings Court, Satan therefore tempteth him to envie Mardocheus, and lay a plot to destroy him and all the Jewish nation; and this temptation taketh, because it sorted well with the proud stomacke of that Princes Minion. To conclude with the worst of all men, Judas; Satan saw that hee had the bagge, and was basely covetous, repining at any extraordinary expence, even upon his Masters person, therefore hee tempteth him by mony to betray his Master; and this temptation took, because it so well agreed with Judas his disposition

and employment. Eutrapeles, as it seemeth, had good experience how mens inward mindes changed with their outward garbe: for,

—Cuicun{que} nocere volebat Vestimenta dabat pretiosa:

if he had aspleen at any, and intended to ruine them, he sent them rich & cost∣ly apparrel; not doubting but after they had put it on, they would withall take upon them, and by their insolent carriage bring themselves into danger. We cannot but smile when we read of Bucephalus, that when he had on his rich caparisons, and held his golden bit between his teeth, he would suffer none to mount upon him but Alexander; but when he was out of his costly trap∣pings any Page or Lackey might backe him. Have wee not greater reason, I will not say to laugh at, but to pitty the folly of most men, who, accor∣ding to the words of the Psalmist,k 1.269 being in honour have no understanding, but may bee compared to the beast that perisheth? Their purple robes are no sooner on but they reflect upon their owne worth and wisedome, and tram∣ple those who were before their equals, under foot.

4. The fourth stratagem, policie, or device is, To tempt us by method, beginning with questionable actions, thence proceeding to sinnes of infir∣mity, from them to wilfull transgressions, after to heinous crimes, and last of all to obstinacy and finall impenitency. No wooll or cloath is dyed pur∣ple or scarlet at the first, but after divers tinctures, at the last taketh that deepest dye: so doth the soule scarlet and crimson sinnes, after many lesser faults of an inferiour dye or staine.

i 1.270Nemo repentè fuit turpissimus:

No man at one leap gets up to the top of all impiety: therefore Satan takes him by the hand and leads him by these severall steps;

• 1 An evill motion, plot, or designe.
• 2 The entertainment of it with some kind of approbation.
• 3 A determination to pursue it.
• 4 A vitious action.
• 5 An evill habit or custome.
• 6 The defence or justification of his wicked course.
• 7 Glorying in it, and in a reprobate sense.

Hee that hastily turnes the pegge to winde up a treble to his pitch, will sooner breake the string than tune it; but if hee straine it up by little and lit∣tle, hee bringeth it without danger to the height. Had Satan at the first dash tempted Saint Peter to forsweare his Master, and curse himselfe, doubtlesse the Apostle would have abandoned the suggestion, and defied the tempter; who yet wrought upon him by degrees, and at length obtained his end. First hee cooleth his zeale, perswading him not to runne upon danger; but if he were resolved to see what would become of his Master, to follow him afar off: when hee comes slowly to the high Priests pallace, hee sets a damo∣sell

upon him to question him, and upon a light apprehension of danger he gaines from him an unadvised deniall; after, upon greater feare, a double and treble abnegation; in conclusion an oath, to make good his former de∣nials. If this grand Impostor of the world, and cunning supplanter of soules meet with a man of a strict conscience, who endevoureth to walke upright∣ly before God; first he tryeth to bring him to venture upon questionable actions, such things as may beare a dispute whether they are sinnes or no, as statute usury (to take eight in the hundred): legall simony (to buy the next advowson of a living, the Incumbent lying desperately sicke): customary sacriledge (to pay a certaine rate for the tithe, though far lesse in value than the due.) If hee get thus much ground of him, hee easily presseth him for∣ward to commit some undoubted sinnes, but small in the kinde; as to let his eyes range about vaine objects, to entertaine a wanton thought for a while, to keepe from Church in foule weather, to salve a fault with a hansome ex∣cuse, to mis-spend an houre or two with a friend in a Taverne: after Satan hath gained thus much of him, hee will easily draw him from making little account of small sinnes, to make small account of great. For as the wimble bores a hole for the auger, so lesse sinnes make way for greater; idlenesse for wantonnesse, lust for adultery, wrath for murder, lying for perjury, er∣rours for heresies, good fellowship for drunkennesse and all wickednesse. Milo by carrying a calfe at the first, and after a bullocke, was able in fine to beare an oxe. And it is storied of Mithridates King of Pontus, that by ta∣king weak poysons at the first, & by degrees stronger, in the end he brought his body to that temper, that no poyson could worke upon him.

Effecit poto Mithridates saepe veneno, Toxica ne possint saeva nocere sibi.

Thus custome in small sinnes at the first, and in greater after, makes us in the end insensible of all. This rule of Satans method extendeth farther than private corruption in mens mindes. For thus sensim sine sensu, tyranny, he∣resie, and superstition overran the greater part of the Church. The Bishop of Rome in the beginning contended but for a bare primacy of order, which considering the great power of that City, being the seat of the Empire, was without much difficulty yeelded unto him: after hee pretends to a lit∣tle more, viz. receiving the last appeales from the sentence of the other Patriarchs; this Sozimus stickled for, alledging for it a Canon of the Coun∣cell of Nice, which the African Bishops proved to be forged. By Boniface the third his time he durst to put in for the title of Universall Bishop, which hee obtained, thoughm 1.271 with much adoe, through the Emperour Phocas his meanes, who murdered his Master Mauritius. By vertue of this title his successour Vitalianus tooke upon him to give spirituall lawes to the whole Church; and after him Pope Hildebrand to give temporall lawes to Kings and Princes, to depose them at pleasure, and to dispose of their crownes. As tyranny, so superstition and Idolatry stole pedetentim into the Church. First to confirme Christians in the faith of the resurrection, and to encourage them to constancy in their holy profession, in the Church Liturgy there was some commemoration made of the dead; after this com∣memoration

succeeded anniversary panegyrickes in their commendation soone after, publike giving thankes to God for them by name; and last of all, direct invocation of them. In like manner grosse Idolatry crept into the Church. First images and pictures of Saints were used in private for me∣mory, history, or ornament onely; after, upon the like colour of pretence in St.n 1.272 Gregories dayes they were brought into the Church, with an ex∣presse prohibition of worshipping them. In the next age the worship of them was enjoyned by Pope Adrian in the second Synod at Nice; yet not for themselves, but respectively onely in regard of that which they repre∣sent: but now in our age, since the Councell of Trent, it is the tenent of the Roman Church, that Images are to be worshipped for themselves,o 1.273 Ut in se considerantur, non tantum ut vicem gerunt exemplaris; and far∣ther the Heathen goe not in their Idolatry, nor the wiser of them so farre.

5 The fift stratagem, policy or device of Satan is to bring us from one ex∣treme to another: when our heart smiteth us for any grievous sinne out of detestation thereof, unlesse we walke circumspectly we are easily carried to the opposite vice. With this engine Satan maketh great batteries upon ma∣ny weake Christians, not onely because it is a hard thing to hit the middle, but because we are apt to thinke that the extremest opposition to that vice which lieth heaviest upon our conscience is the worke of grace in us, not considering that vices are not only opposed to vertues, but to vices also. Our way to heaven is like the course of a ship in the Sicilian sea betweene two rockes called the Symplegades, the one lying on the right hand, the o∣ther on the left; betweene which the channell is so narrow, that few seeke to decline the one but they dash on the other.

Incidit in Scillam qui vult vitare Charybdim.

As those that goe upon ropes, or passe over a narrow bridge, if they be not exceeding carefull, when the body swayeth or the foot slippeth one way, by hastily leaning too far the other way they fall irrecoverably: so if we be not very watchfull over our wayes, in declining one vitious extremity, ere we are aware we passe the middle, and are upon the other. I need not goe farre for an instance; this Corinthian, before he fell into this snare of Satan, was puft up in pride, and sinned presumptuously; but after the heavie cen∣sure of the Church for his incestuous marriage, and the remorse of his owne conscience for it, he fell into the contrary extreme, took on so far, and plun∣ged himselfe into so deepe sorrow, that he was in great danger to be swal∣lowed up in the gulfe of despaire. Demea offended not so much in rigour to∣wards his children at the the first, as afterwards in indulgency when he felt the smart of his own rod. None usually so exceed in mirth, and run into that riot of pleasure as melancholy men when they are out of that humour. This stratagem serves Satans turne as well in matter of faith as maners. For as vi∣ces are in both extremes, and vertue in the middle; so oftentimes errours in doctrine are in both extremes and truth in the middle: by over-reaching against one heresie we wrong the truth, hurt our selves, and fall upon the errour in the other extreme. St.p 1.274 Basil in his heat of opposition to Sabelli∣us his heresie, was transported so farre, that he came within the Verge of the

opposite heresie, and uttered some inconvenient speeches concerning the Trinity. St. Austine likewise in his zeale against the Pelagians, who sleight∣ned baptisme, went too farre in urging the necessity thereof, pronouncing all children that died unbaptized to be damned. And how many are there among us, who out of hatred of the Antichristian tyranny, condemne all Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy? out of detestation of superstitious rites, dislike even decent ceremonies? in opposition to garish and idolatrous trimming of Temples, are brought to dis-allow all cost in adorning and beautifying Christian Churches?

6 The sixt stratagem, policy or device of Satan is to turne himselfe into an Angell of light, and thereby to perswade the children of light that his suggestions are the motions of Gods holy Spirit. This he attempteth and often effecteth by observing what gifts and graces are most eminent in Gods children, and to what actions of piety or charity they are most ad∣dicted, and subtilly, under the colour and resemblance of these, drawing them to those neighbour vices that seeme to have most affinity with their Christian perfections: like as if a cunning Lapidarie should insinuate into the company of a rich Merchant, and getting a sight of his cabbinet of Jewels, should cheat him with counterfeit stones in stead of them. To dis∣cover this plot of Satan more apparently:

• 1 Religion is a true jewell, Superstition a counterfeit:
• 2 Humility a jewell, Pusillanimity a counterfeit:
• 3 Spirituall wisedome a jewell, Worldly policy a counterfeit:
• 4 Magnificence a jewell, Prodigality a counterfeit:
• 5 Tendernesse of conscience a jewell, Scrupulosity a counterfeit:
• 6 Severity a jewell, Cruelty a counterfeit:
• 7 Clemency a jewell, Indulgence a counterfeit:
• 8 Zeale a jewell, Indiscreet fervour a counterfeit:
• 9 Diligent search into divine mysteries a jewell, curiosity a coun∣terfeit:
• 10 Inward peace a jewell, Carnall security a counterfeit:
• 11 Confidence in God a jewell, Presumption a counterfeit:
• 12 Constancy a jewell, Pertinacy a counterfeit.

Here then is Satans masterpiece, to rob us of our precious jewels of grace, and deceive us with counterfeit in their roome; by name, to adulterate and sophisticate the former vertues by the later vices:

• 1 Religion by Superstition.
• 2 Humility by Pusillanimity.
• 3 Spirituall wisedome by Policy.
• 4 Magnificence by Prodigality.
• 5 Tendernesse of conscience by Scrupulosity.
• 6 Severity by Cruelty.
• 7 Clemency by Indulgence.
• 8 Zeale by Indiscreet fervour.
• 9 Diligence by Curiosity.

• 10 Inward peace by Carnall security.
• 11 Confidence by Presumption.
• 12 Constancy by Pertinacy.

Saul was most zealous for the law of Moses: this his fervour Satan infla∣ming enraged him against the Apostles and Disciples, whom he as then thought to be capitall enemies to the law: in this his rage hee makes havocke of the Church of God, deeming that he could not doe better ser∣vice to God, than to be an instrument to put to death the dearest servants of Christ. The great love St. Cyprian the Martyr bare to the Orthodoxe faith, and the Professours thereof, bred in him a vehement detestation of Heresie and Heretikes: upon this Satan works, and draweth him by degrees to question, then to condemn their baptism, and lastly to presse the necessity of rebaptizing those that were baptized by them. Theodosius his infinite de∣sire of the Church's peace was a most commendable and Christian vertue in him; yet Satan made his advantage of it, working him to some connivence at the Arrians, which much prejudiced the Orthodoxe Professours. Who can sufficiently extoll Constantine the great his love to Bishops and Church∣men? yet Satan abused this his pious respect to the Clergie, in such sort that when divers Bishops brought inditements one against another, for a∣dultery and other foule crimes, he never so much as looked upon their pa∣pers, but presently burned them, saying, that rather than any should espie the nakednesse of those his spirituall Fathers, he would cast his Princely robe over them to cover them. Whosoever readeth the story of St. Monica, would thinke that a sonne could never doe too much for such a mother, who took so much pains, and shed so many tears for his conversion. Neither was she more carefull for him, than he thankfull to her: and would you thinke that Satan could sucke poyson out of so sweet a flower as is filiall obedience to a gracious mother? yet he doth by inducing St. Austine to pray for her soule after she was dead. How was he brought to this? Did he beleeve that his mothers soule was in Purgatory, or that she needed any prayer? That conceit he disclaimeth in the very same place where he prayeth for her, Credo quod jam feceris quod te rogo, sed voluntaria oris mei opproba Domine. Forp 1.275 my mother on her death-bed desired but this one thing of me, that I would remember her in my devotions at thine Altar.

7 The seventh stratagem, policy or device of Satan is to make advan∣tage of time, not only by alluring every age to the peculiar vices thereof, as children to idlenesse and vanity, youth to lust, perfect age and strength to violence and audacious attempts, old age to covetousnesse, and every one to the sinnes of the time: but making use of the present opportunity to thrust a man suddenly into the next sinne. When he had got Christ upon the pi∣nacle of the Temple, he tempteth him to cast himselfe downe from it, to make experience of the Angels care and diligence in waiting on him, andq 1.276 bearing him in their hands, that hee dash not his foot against a stone. As soone as David had spied faire Bathsheba bathing her selfe, he cast a fiery dart of lust at him, and wounded him at the heart. Achans eyes were no sooner dazled with the lustre of the rich Babylonish garment, but Sa∣tan closeth with him. And as by taking advantage of the present occa∣sion

hee made Achan a theefe, so Gyges an adulterer, Ananias and Sap∣phira lyers to the holy Ghost, Judas a murderer of himselfe. If ever a Christian is like to be in any great distresse and trouble in minde, it is either in the travels of his new birth, or when hee laboureth for life at his last gaspe; therefore Satan at these times is most busie. In the beginning of our conversion nature is strong, and grace is weake, and the practise of religious duties is uncouth unto us; then therefore Satan sets upon us, and presents to us all our former pleasures, and amplifieth upon the austerity of a Chri∣stian course of life. At the houre of death hee doubleth his files, not onely because hee is streightned in time, and knoweth that either then hee is to prevaile, or never; but because many things helpe his temptation, viz. the extremity of pain, the naturall terrour of death, and apprehension of Christs dreadfull tribunall, before which the sicke party is presently to appeare. Now therefore hee sets upon a man in his greatest weaknesse of body, and consternation of minde; he chargeth him with all his sinnes secret and open, hee exaggerateth the strictnesse of Gods justice, and the unsufferable tor∣ments of hell: and if the dying man hath not prepared himselfe for this last conflict, or hath not on the whole armour of God, or cannot weild his buckler of faith, to quench all the fiery darts of the Devill, it is great ods that hee wi l get the upper hand of him, and bring him, if not to dye desperately, yet most uncomfortably.

To launch out of these deepes of Satan, and steere towards the haven.* 1.277 The knowledge of evill is good, of fraud is honest, of errors is true, of things that are most noxious wholesome; and therefore Logicians discourse accu∣rately of fallacies, Physitians of poysons, morall Philosophers of vices, and Divines of heresies: not that wee should use the first, or take the second, or practise the third, or professe the fourth; but that wee be not deceived by the first, annoied by the second, infected by the third, seduced by the fourth. And this was my first aime in laying before you these stratagems, policies, and devices of our ghostly enemie, to forewarne you of them, that you bee not taken or hurt by them. But my chiefe was to instruct you how to em∣ploy his owne engines, and turne his owne ordnance upon himselfe, to make treacle of his poyson, and use of serpentine wisedome against the serpent, after this manner.

1. First, doth Satan play the Physiognomer, and observing our naturall temper fit his temptations thereunto? let us also make use of Physiogno∣my, and take advantage of our naturall inclinations to further the worke of grace in us: If wee finde our selves by nature timorous, let us endevour to improve this feare into awfull reverence: if audacious, to improve this bold∣nesse into spirituall confidence: if gladsom and merry, to improve our mirth into joy in the holy Ghost: if cholericke, to improve our wrath into zeale: if melancholy, to improve our pensivenesse into godly sorrow.

2. Secondly, doth Satan play the Poet, and fit every Player with a part that hee is best able to act? let us also make use of Poetry, and observing our naturall abilities of minde and body, to fit our spirituall exercises accor∣dingly: If wee are endued with pregnancy of wit, to employ it in the stu∣dy of heavenly mysteries: if with maturity of judgement, employ it in dis∣cerning betweene the true and false Religion, and resolving intricate cases

of consciences: if with felicity of memory, employ it in treasuring up pre∣tious doctrines: if with liberty of speech, employ it in prayer, prayses and godly exhortations: if with strength of body, and courage of minde, em∣ploy them in fighting the Lords battels: if with wisdome, in prudently go∣verning the affaires in Church and Commonwealth.

3. Thirdly, doth Satan play the Politician, and enquire into every mans estate & condition of life, and accommodate his temptations there∣unto? let us also make use of policy, and by our outward estate better our inward, labouring for those graces which are most proper for our place and condition. If wee are in authority, let us strive for gravity and integrity: if under the command of others, for obedience and faithfulnesse: if in an e∣minent condition, for magnanimity and magnificence: if in a low, for mo∣desty and humility: if in abundance, for charity and thankfulnesse: if in want, for frugality and contentednesse: if in prosperity, for temperance: if in adversity, for patience.

4. Fourthly, doth Satan play the Logician, and tempt us by method? let us also make use of Logicke, and observe method in the science of salva∣tion: let us first acquaint our selves with the Catechisme, and afterwith profounder mysteries in Divinity; let us first practise easier, and after more difficult duties of Christianity; first accustome our selves to beare lighter, and after heavier crosses with patience: above all things to kill the cockatrice in the shell, nip sinnes in the bud, to resist evill motions in the be∣ginning, to make a stop at every step by which Satan leads us: not easily to bee brought to venture upon any doubtfull or questionable actions; if wee have ventured upon any, by no meanes to give consent to commit the least sinne: if wee have beene overtaken in the act of any sinne, let us take speciall care wee breake it off by speedy repentance, and make no custome of it: if through carelesnesse, or conversation with wicked men wee have gotten an ill custome, let Satan never so farre prevaile with us as to stand in de∣fence and justification thereof, much lesse to glory in our evill courses; but let our heart smite us for them, and let us never bee at peace with our selves till wee have driven out an iron nayle with a golden, an evill custome with a good.

5. Fiftly, doth Satan play the false Pilot, and by perswading us to de∣cline from a rocke on the right hand, carry us so farre the contrary way that we split our ship upon a rocke on the left hand? let us also make use of the art of navigation in our course to the faire havens in heaven: let us perfect∣ly learne our way, and all points of the Compasse, and carefully steere by the Card of Gods Word, and keepe in the streight and middle way of Gods commandements, neither declining to the right hand nor to the left.

6. Sixtly, doth Satan play the crafty Merchant, and cheate us with counterfeit stones for jewels, with shewes of vertues for true graces? let us also imitate the wisedome of Merchants, who will bee perfect Lapidaries before they deale in pearles and pretious stones: let us study the difference between true and seeming graces, and pray continually to God that we may abound more and more in knowledge, and in all judgement, that wee may bee able to discerne things that differ, and try Spirits whether they are of God or no.

7. Lastly, doth Satan play the temporizer, and time all his suggesti∣ons? let us also in a pious sense be time-servers, let us performe all holy du∣ties in the fittest season, let us omit no opportunity of doing good, let us take advantage of all occasions to glorifie God, and helpe on our eternall salva∣tion. If wee heare a bell toll, let us meditate on our end, and pray for the sicke lying at Gods mercy: if wee see an execution, let us meditate on our frailty, and reflecting upon our owne as grievous sinnes (though not com∣ming within the walke of mans justice) have compassion on our brother: if wee see Lazarus lying in the street, let us meditate upon the sores of our conscience, and our poverty in spirituall graces, and extend our charity to him: finally, sith wee know at what time Satan most assaulteth us, let us be best provided at those times, especially at the houre of our death; let us follow the advice of Seneca, though a Heathen,r 1.278 Quotidiè aliquid adversus mortem auxilii compara, & cum multa percurreris, unum excerpe quod illo die concoquas: lay up store for that day, every day gather one flower of Paradise at least, that even when the fatall houre is come, and the stench of death and rottennesse is in our nostrils, we may have a posie by us, in which wee may smell a savour of life unto life: which God grant, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pref.
• * 1.2

  Divis.
• * 1.3

  Connex.
• * 1.4

  Obser.
• a 1.5

  Virg. Aen. 4.
• b 1.6

  Esay 55.1.
• c 1.7

  John 7.37.
• d 1.8

  Mat. 11.28.
• e 1.9

  Apoc. 3.20.
• f 1.10

  Ephes 2.14.
• * 1.11

  ver. 18.
• * 1.12

  ver. 19.
• g 1.13

  Ephes. 3.6.
• h 1.14

  Apoc 7.4.9.
• i 1.15

  Apoc. 4.1.
• k 1.16

  Luke 2.32.
• l 1.17

  Tit. 2.11, 12, 13.
• m 1.18

  2. Tim. 2.19
• n 1.19

  Marke 16.15.
• o 1.20

  John 3.16.
• p 1.21

  Ezek. 18.21.22
• q 1.22

  Mat. 11.29.
• r 1.23

  Mat. 13.13.
• s 1.24

  Apoc. 2.10.
• t 1.25

  Cic. lib. 2. de orat.
• u 1.26

  Ephes. 6.13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18
• x 1.27

  Pet. Dam. serm. de sanct. Vict. Prius vi∣cit quam vince∣re noscet.
• y 1.28

  Cyp. ep. 4. Aetas necdum habilis ad pug∣nam idonea, extitit ad coro∣nam.
• z 1.29

  Cyp. de ••a••. vi••g. ••ortior 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vi••is to••quen•• u•• i••ve••tutor.
• * 1.30

  2 Cor 12 10.
• a 1.31

  1 Pet. 5.8.
• b 1.32

  Cyp. d•• laps. Se••••ciunt to•••• to••quentibus fo••••tor••s, & pulsantes, & la∣••••nt••s un••••∣las, puls••ta & l••mat•• mem∣bra, vicerunt.
• c 1.33

  Pareus in A∣poc. Corpora∣liter victi sunt, spiritualitèr vi∣cerunt, dum in verá Christi fi∣de ad mortem us••; perstite∣runt.
• d 1.34

  1 Joh. 5.4.
• e 1.35

  2 Tim. 4.7.8
• f 1.36

  1 Joh. 5.4.
• g 1.37

  1 Cor. 15.57
• h 1.38

  Rom. 8.35.36.37.
• i 1.39

  Aug. confess. l. 8. c. 7. In exor∣dio adolescen∣tiae petieram chastitatem sed timebam ne me nimis citò au∣diret, & citò sa∣naret à morbo concupiscen∣tiae, quem ma∣lebam expleri quam extingui.
• k 1.40

  Aristophan. in Plut. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Sen. ep. 15. Si quid in his esset solidi, aliquan∣do implerent, nunc haurien∣tium sitim con∣citant. Horat. carm. l. 2. od. 2. Crescit indulgens sibi dirus hydrops, nec sitim pellit, nisi causa morbi fugerit venis, & aquosus albo∣corpore lan∣guor.
• l 1.41

  1 Joh. 5 4.
• m 1.42

  Joh. 7.29.
• n 1.43

  Hos. 10.12.
• a 1.44

  Discourse, & l. origin. des ordores milit. p. 49.
• b 1.45

  Luk. 12.32.
• c 1.46

  L. de grat. & lib. arbit. c. 9. Cum posset dicere, & recte dicere stipen∣dium justitiae vita aeterna, maluit dicere gratia autem vita aeterna, ut hinc intellige∣remus non pro meritis nostris Deum nos ad aeternam vi∣tam, sed pro sua miseratio∣ne vocare, un∣de dicitur in psalmo, coro∣nat te in mise∣ratione.
• d 1.47

  Luk. 17.10.
• e 1.48

  Concil. Trid. sess. 6. Can. 32. Si quis dixerit hominis justifi∣cati bona ope∣ra ita esse dona Dei, ut non sint etiam bo∣na ipsius justi∣ficati merita, aut non vere merere aug∣mentum gra∣tiae & vitam aeternam, ana∣thema sit.
• f 1.49

  Ephes. 2.8.9.
• g 1.50

  Phil. 2.13.
• h 1.51

  2 Cor. 3.5.
• i 1.52

  de lib. arbit. c. 7. Si bona sunt, Dei dona sunt; si Dei do∣na sunt, non coronat Deus tanquam meri∣ta tua, sed tan∣quam dona sua.
• k 1.53

  1 Joh. 1.8.
• l 1.54

  Confes. l. 13. Vae hominum vitae laudabili, si remota mi∣sericordia discutias eam.
• m 1.55

  Psal. 130.3.
• n 1.56

  Job 9.2.3.
• o 1.57

  Vasques in Thom. disput. Non meremur in via justitiae, quia pro eo quod alteri redditranquam debitum, nihil accipere quis debet: & ideo servi in••tiles dici possumus, quod nihil quasi sponte Deo demus, sed demus ea quae in re do∣minii ex prae∣cepto exigere possit.
• p 1.58

  Aug. in Psal. 36. Quid ap∣pendis cum in∣finito quan∣tumcunque fi∣nitum?
• q 1.59

  Ber. serm. in annunciat. Quid sunt me∣rita ad tantam gloriam?
• r 1.60

  Basil. in psal. 114. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• s 1.61

  1 Cor. 15.10.
• t 1.62

  Esay 26.12.
• u 1.63

  1 Cor. 4.7.
• * 1.64

  In psal. 102. Si de tuo retri∣buis peccatum retribuis, om∣nia enim quae habes ab illo habes; tuum so∣lum peccatum habes. Enchirid. ad Laur. c. 302. Ideo dictum intelligitur, non est volen∣tis, ne{que} cur∣rentis, sed mi∣serentis Dei, ut totum Deo de∣tur, qui homi∣nis volunta∣tem bonam & praeparat ad ju∣vandam, & ad∣juvat praepara∣tam.
• x 1.65

  Luk. 17.10.
• y 1.66

  Tract. de iis qui putant ex operibus justifi∣cari. c. 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• z 1.67

  Psal. 16.2.
• a 1.68

  L 10. de civ. Dei, c 5. To∣tum hoc quod recte colitur, Deus creden∣dum est homi∣ni prodesse, non Deo, ne{que} enim fonti se quisquam dixe∣rit profuisse quod biberit.
• b 1.69

  Vide Plat. in dial. Euthyph.
• b 1.70

  Rom. 8.26.
• c 1.71

  Esay 64.6. But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righ∣teousnesse is as filthy ragges.
• d 1.72

  Moral. in Job. l. 5. c. 7. Ipsa ju∣stitia nostra, si ad examen ju∣stitiae divinae deducatur, inju∣stitia est; & sordet in distri∣ctione judicis quod in aesti∣matione fulget operantis.
• e 1.73

  Rom. 8.18.
• f 1.74

  In ep. ad Col. Hom. 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Idem in psal. 4. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• g 1.75

  Ansel. de men∣surat. crucis. Si homo mille an∣nis serviret Deo ferventis∣simè, non me∣reretur ex con∣digno dimidi∣um diei esse in coelo.
• * 1.76

  Bella, Arma, Minae.
• h 1.77

  Ep 29. Cum rex justus sede∣ret in throno suo, quis glori∣abitur se mun∣dum habere cor? quae igi∣tur spes veniae, nisi misericor∣dia superexul∣tet justitiam?
• i 1.78

  Psal. 34.8.
• k 1.79

  Phil. 1.9.
• l 1.80

  Confes. l. 6. c. 10. Te lucem, vocem, cibum, & amplexum interioris ho∣minis mei, &c. ubi fulget ani∣mae quod non capit lo∣cus, & ubi so∣nat quod non rapit tempus, & ubi olet quod non spar∣git flatus, & u∣bi sapit quod non minuit e∣dacitas, & ubi haeret quod non divellit sa∣tietas.
• m 1.81

  Mat. 5.8. Psal. 27.8.
• n 1.82

  Psal. 17.15.
• o 1.83

  1 Cor. 13.12
• p 1.84

  Rom. 8.16.17.
• q 1.85

  Primasius in Apoc. Christus factus est ho∣mo, ut panem Angelorum comederet ho∣mo.
• r 1.86

  Psal. 119.103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they are sweeter than hony to my mouth.
• s 1.87

  Aug. confes. l. 9. c. 1. O quam suave mihi repentè fuit carere mundi suavi∣tatibus & quas amittere metus fuit am dimit∣tere gaudium crat: tu enim pro••••s intra••as omni volupta∣te dulcior.
• t 1.88

  St. Eph. Do∣mine recede à me parumper, quia vasis in∣firmitas ferre non potest.
• u 1.89

  Mihi hae pru∣na rosae vi∣dentur. Citat Corneli∣us à lap Com∣ment.
• x 1.90

  John 6.51.
• x 1.91

  1 Cor. 2.7.
• y 1.92

  Acts 16.14.
• z 1.93

  1 Pet. 3.4.
• a 1.94

  Plutarch. de tranquil. animae 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,
• b 1.95

  Pro. 15.15.
• c 1.96

  Solinus poly∣hist. Campus Ennensis sem∣per in floribus est & omni ver∣nus die.
• d 1.97

  Pros. de vit. contemplat. l. 1. Non potest de∣fraudari dele∣ctationibus cui Christus est gaudium, quia bono delecta∣tur aeterno.
• e 1.98

  Psal. 97.11. Light is sowne for the righte∣ous, & gladness for the upright in heart.
• f 1.99

  Voluptas cum accenditur extinguitur. I∣ta quibus dele∣ctatur vulgus, tennem habent ac perfusoriam voluptatem, & quodeun{que} in∣vectitium gau∣dium est, fun∣damento caret. Sen. ep. 23. In praecipiti est vo∣luptas, ad dolo∣rem vergit, nisi modum teneat.
• * 1.100

  Sen. ep. 23. Hoc ad quod te co∣nor perducere, solidum est, & quod plus pa∣teat introrsus, &c.
• g 1.101

  Pro. 16.24.
• h 1.102

  Psal. 45.7.
• i 1.103

  2 Cor. 2.16.
• k 1.104

  Ep. ad Hier.
• l 1.105

  Ep. l. 2.
• a 1.106

  Pers. satyr.
• * 1.107

  Recapitulat.
• b 1.108

  Aristot. ana∣lyt. post l. 2. c. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Notand quod sit referti ad an sit, ubi de acci∣dente quaeri∣tur, quia acci∣dentis esse est messe.
• * 1.109

  Divis.
• c 1.110

  Rom. 8.28.
• d 1.111

  Mat. 13.46.
• e 1.112

  Tit. 1.1.
• f 1.113

  Jam. 2.19.
• g 1.114

  Mat. 9.22.29
• h 1.115

  Fides dicit; aeternabona re∣posita sunt; spes dicit, mi∣hi teposita sunt; charitas dicit, ego curro post ea.
• i 1.116

  Job 19.25.26.27.
• k 1.117

  Psal. 45.11.12.
• l 1.118

  Rom. 8.28.
• m 1.119

  2 Cor. 5.1.
• n 1.120

  1 Joh. 2.5.
• o 1.121

  L. 1 posterior c. 2. Scire est causam rei cog∣noscere, & quod illius cau∣sa sit, & quod res illa aliter se habere non posset.
• p 1.122

  Ad Monim. l. 1. ••ustus ex fide vivens, fiducia∣liter dicit, cre∣do videre bona domini in ter∣ra viventium.
• q 1.123

  Tract. 5. in ep. Joh. Nemo interroget ho∣minem, redeat ad cor suum, si ibi invenerit charitatem, se∣curus sit, quia transiit à mor∣te ad vitam.
• r 1.124

  Ep. ex regist. l. 6. Hac fulti certitudine, de ejusdem re∣demptoris no∣stri misericor∣diá nihil ambi∣gere, sed spe debemus indu∣bitatâ praesu∣mere.
• s 1.125

  1 Pet. 1.23. Being borne a∣gaine, not of corruptible seed, but of in∣corruptible.
• t 1.126

  2 Cor. 1.22.
• u 1.127

  Chrysost. in secund. ad Cor. hom. l. 3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• x 1.128

  Chamierus de fid. l. 10. c. 13. Sigillorum varii sunt gradus: a∣lia simpliciter ad rei pertinent certitudinem indefinité; sic Reges sigillis suis muniunt diplomata, sic contrahentes sigillis sche∣dam suam mu∣niunt: sed alia spectant perso∣nae certitudi∣nem quae obsig∣nari dicitur, id est, signo pecu∣liari insigniri, ut eo sciat se in numerum eo∣rum ascriptum ad quos tale aliquod jus pertinet, ut cum Rex Equitibus suis torques concedit, ut procerto habeat se Equites esse.
• y 1.129

  Chrysost in epist. ad Rom. c. 8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• y 1.130

  2 Tim. 4.6, 7, 8.
• z 1.131

  Hieron. l. de viris illustribus. Utinam fiuar bestus quae mi∣hi praeparatae sunt, quas & oro veloces mihi esse ad interitum, & alliciam ad comedendum me, ne sicut & aliorum Mar∣tyrum non audeant corpus attingere. Quod si venire noluerint, ego vim faciam ut devorar. Ignoscite mihi filioli, quid mihi profit ego scio, nunc incipio esse Discipulus Christi: nihil de iis quae videntur desiderans, ut Jesum Chri∣stum inveniam; ignis, crux, bestiae, confractio ossium, membrorum{que} divisio, & totius corporis contritio, & omnia tormenta Diaboli in me veniant, tantum ut Christo fruar; & cum ardore pascendi rugientes audiret leones, ait fru∣mentum Christi sum, dentibus bestiarum molar, ut panis mundus inveniar.
• * 1.132

  Euseb. de vit. Constant. l. 4. c. 6. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• a 1.133

  Bernardus moriens dixit, Duplici jure retinet Domi∣nus meus reg∣num coelorum, haereditate pa∣tris, & merito passionis; alte∣ro ipse conten∣tus, alterum mihi donavit. Author. vit. Bern. l. 1. c. 22.
• b 1.134

  Vit. Luther.
• c 1.135

  Humfred. in vitâ Juelli.
• d 1.136

  Aquin. in Caten.
• e 1.137

  Junius in A∣poc. Gratiam spiritus quae imbuit novis moribus, & mentes puras & candidas, id est, innocentes reddit coram Deo.
• f 1.138

  Sextus Sen. bib. sanct. Cal∣culo albo prae∣notabantur, quo à caeteris discernerentur.
• g 1.139

  Aretas in A∣poc 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• h 1.140

  Veg. in Apoc. Deus per Chri∣sti opera, seu calculos com∣putatorios, om∣nium hominū rationem sub∣ducit.
• i 1.141

  Coment. in Apoc.
• k 1.142

  Luke 1.28.
• l 1.143

  Prolog card. vert. 1. Dicun∣tur tibi verba quaedam arca∣na intrinse∣cus, ut dubitare non possis quin juxta te fit.
• m 1.144

  Serm. 1. in annunc Hoc est testimoni∣um quod per∣hibet Spiritus sanctus, dimis∣sa sunt tibi pec∣cata tua.
• n 1.145

  1 Kin. 19.12
• o 1.146

  1 Joh. 4.1. Beleeve not e∣very spirit, but try the spirit whether they are of God.
• p 1.147

  Eph. 5.5.
• q 1.148

  Rom. 8.16.
• r 1.149

  Tract. 22. in Joh Veritas pollicetur, qui credit habet vi∣tam aeternam, ego audivi ver∣ba Domini, credidit infidelis cum essem, fa∣ctus sum fide∣lis; sicut ipse monuit transii de morte ad vitam; in judi∣cium non ve∣nio, non prae∣sumptione meâ sed promissio∣ne ipsius.
• l 1.150

  Cic. Verr. 5.
• t 1.151

  Solin. Poly-hist. c. 56. Uni∣ones quoties excipiunt ma∣tutini aeris se∣men, fit clarius margaritum; quoties vesper∣tini, fit obscu∣rius.
• u 1.152

  Psal. 119.24
• x 1.153

  Apoc. 21.19.
• a 1.154

  Psal. 2.11.
• b 1.155

  Rom 11.20.
• c 1.156

  Phil. 2.12.
• d 1.157

  1 Pet. 1.17.
• * 1.158

  Resp. ad 1.
• * 1.159

  Resp. ad 2.
• e 1.160

  Eusch. Emis∣sen. in symb.
• f 1.161

  In psal. 32. Dicit anima fe∣cura. Deus me∣us es tu, quia dicit Deus ani∣mae ego sum tua s••lus.
• * 1.162

  Resp. ad 3.
• g 1.163

  Psal. 51.7.14.
• h 1.164

  Psal. 16.10.
• i 1.165

  Heb. 5.7.
• k 1.166

  2 Tim. 4.18.
• l 1.167

  Psal. 19.12. Who can un∣derstand his er∣rours? O cleanse thou me from secret faults.
• m 1.168

  Esay 41.14.
• n 1.169

  c. 43. ver. 1.
• o 1.170

  Luk. 1.68, 69 74.
• p 1.171

  Rom. 8.15.
• q 1.172

  Luke 12.32.
• r 1.173

  Jer. 32.40.
• * 1.174

  De cult Jer••n. Qui secutus est non est soli∣citus, qui est so∣licitus potest esse secutus.
• s 1.175

  Ep. ad August. Dicunt lapsis curam resur∣gendi adunt, & sanctis occasi∣onem teporis offerri, eo quod electi nulla negligentiâ possint excide∣re. Hage confe∣rence, p. 12. &c.
• t 1.176

  Aug. de cor∣rep. & grat. Prosp. resp. ad ob••ect Vincent.
• u 1.177

  Luk. 22.32. I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not.
• * 1.178

  Mar. 14.37.38. Christ saith to Peter, Si∣mon sleepest thou? couldst not thou watch with mee one houre? watch & pray lest yee en∣ter into temp∣tation.
• x 1.179

  Luk. 10.20.
• y 1.180

  Luk. 12.35.
• z 1.181

  L••k. 21.34.
• * 1.182

  Act. 27.24.
• a 1.183

  Gal. 5.6.
• b 1.184

  Mat. 26.28.
• c 1.185

  Heb. 8.8.
• d 1.186

  Joh. 13.34.
• e 1.187

  Ezek. 36.26.
• f 1.188

  Mar. 16.17.
• g 1.189

  Apoc. 14.3.
• h 1.190

  Apoc. 21.5.
• i 1.191

  2 Pet. 3.13.
• k 1.192

  Apoc. 21.2.
• l 1.193

  Eph. 4.24.
• m 1.194

  2 Cor. 5.17.
• n 1.195

  Cic. Tusc. 1.
• o 1.196

  Apoc. 14 9.
• p 1.197

  Esa. 62.2.
• q 1.198

  1 Cor. 2.9.
• r 1.199

  Illyr. in Apoc Scribam cum haeredem vitae aeternae.
• s 1.200

  Comment. in 2. Apoc.
• t 1.201

  Junius annot in Apoc. Indu∣endo novum hominem, quem nemo novit nisi spiri∣tus hominis, qui in ipso est, cujus laus non est ex homini∣bus, sed ex Deo.
• u 1.202

  Rom. 8.16.
• * 1.203

  1 Joh. 5.4.
• x 1.204

  Eph. 4.24.
• y 1.205

  Rom. 8.17.
• z 1.206

  Joh. 3.5.
• * 1.207

  1 Pet. 1.4.
• a 1.208

  1 Pet. 1.3.
• b 1.209

  1 Pet. 2.2.
• c 1.210

  2 Cor. 4.16.
• d 1.211

  Rom. 12.2.
• e 1.212

  Rom. 8.15.
• f 1.213

  Sum 1. p. ••. 93. Art. 4. Adop••o filiorum D••i est per confor∣mita••em ad ••∣maginem fil•••• natur lis, ••n∣perf••••tè pu∣de•• p•••• g••••ti∣am, perf••c••e per glor••••m.
• g 1.214

  Sen. controv. Ad p•••• est ••••si••t•• quae benefi•••• natu∣rae & juris imi∣tatur.
• h 1.215

  Pli•• pan••gyr. Nulla adopta∣ti cum adopta∣to cognatio, null•• ••••cessitu∣do, nisi quod uterque opti∣m••s ••rat, dig∣n••s••; alter ••li∣gi, alter eligere.
• i 1.216

  Mat. 5.45.
• k 1.217

  John 8.39
• l 1.218

  Serm. 125. in Evang. Qui genitotis ope∣••••••n facit, a••∣••a•• genus.
• m 1.219

  Nazarius in panogyr. Praestantissi∣mum Princi∣pem hoc maxi∣mè juvit, quod in primoribus annis ductae sunt lineae qui∣bus virtutumsu∣arum effigies posset includi.
• n 1.220

  In Evang. Terram terra accusat.
• o 1.221

  Exod. 28.20.
• o 1.222

  Luk. 10 20.
• p 1.223

  Rom. 11.29.
• q 1.224

  A••••h. de Isac. & vit. beat. Num Deus pa∣ter ipsequi con∣tulit, potest sua dona rescinde∣re•• & qu••s a∣doptione sus∣cepit, eos à pa∣terni affectus gratiâ relegare?
• r 1.225

  1 Pet. 1.23.
• s 1.226

  Abbat. prae∣lect. de verit. grat. & Dia∣trib. cont. Tompson.
• t 1.227

  Cant. 2 5.
• u 1.228

  Ep. 112 c 3. Fides ipsa men∣te u••{que} vide∣tur quamvis hoc fide creda∣tur quod non videtur.
• * 1.229

  De trin. l. 13. c. 2. Fides est in intimis nostris mentibus, nec eam quisquam hominum vi∣det in alio, sed in semet-ipso.
• x 1.230

  2 Cor. 13.5.
• y 1.231

  2 Tim. 1.12.
• z 1.232

  1 Cor. 2.12.
• a 1.233

  Rom. 14.5.
• b 1.234

  Eph. 3.12. In whom wee have boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the faith of him.
• c 1.235

  Moral. q. 12. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c.
• d 1.236

  Amb. Serm. 2. de serm.
• e 1.237

  Leo Serm. 2. de pasch.
• f 1.238

  1 Joh. 5.10.
• g 1.239

  Rom. 8.16.
• h 1.240

  1 Cor. 2.11.
• i 1.241

  Heb. 11.1.
• k 1.242

  In Apoc. Sint duo quorum uterque lau∣dat mel, sed alterus lingua loquitur quod fauces igno∣rant, alterius quod delectatio gustus cum do∣cuerit.
• l 1.243

  in Apoc. Tan∣tae excellentiae est nomen istud, ut nemo sciat quid vale∣at, quantum boni compre∣hendat, nisi qui adoptatus est.
• m 1.244

  Rupert. in Apoc. Cui ne∣mo scit nisi qui accipit? quia nominis ejus scientiam non alterius extrin∣secus documen∣tum, sed pro∣prium interius efficit experi∣mentum, ideo nemo scit nisi quem spiritus regenerando fi∣lium Dei effe∣cerit, & ipsâ re∣generatione scientem ejus rei doctumque suo tactu effe∣cerit.
• n 1.245

  2. Cor. 12.2.
• o 1.246

  Cant. 5 1.
• p 1.247

  Psal. 34.8.
• q 1.248

  Psal. 1.9. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.249

  Applicat.
• r 1.250

  Gen. 32.28.
• s 1.251

  Salvianus de provid. l. 4. Re∣atus impii pium nomen. & l. 3. Quid est in quo nobis de Christiano no∣mine blandia∣mur, cum uti∣que hoc ipso magis per no∣men sacratissi∣mum rei simus quod a sancti∣moniâ discre∣pamus?
• t 1.252

  Basil seleuc. Cur appellati∣oni cujus virtu∣te cares contu∣melium irro∣gas? quid gestas cognomen? quid personae probro sit? quid factis appela∣tionem impug∣nas, & calumniâ nomen tuum afficis?
• u 1.253

  Mat. 7.1.
• x 1.254

  Cypr. ep. l. 3. Nemo id sibi arroget quod sibi soli reser∣vat pater.
• x 1.255

  Apoc. 21.19.
• a 1.256

  Plut. in A∣poph. Optimus ille est Impera∣tor qui maxi∣mè cognitas habet res hosti∣um. Et Eras. ap. l. 5.
• b 1.257

  Vegetius de re milit. l. 3. c. 26. Quicquid tibi prodest ad∣versario nocet, quicquid illum juva, tibi sem∣per officit.
• * 1.258

  Occas.
• c 1.259

  Cal com. in 2 ad Cor.
• * 1.260

  Paraphr.
• * 1.261

  Divis.
• d 1.262

  Theod. com. in 2 ad Cor. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• e 1.263

  Job. 1.7.
• * 1.264

  Oecumenius in 2 Cor. 2.11. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉;
• f 1.265

  Cypr. de laps. Plus pastor in gregis sui vul∣nere vulnera∣tur.
• g 1.266

  2 Cor. 11.29
• h 1.267

  Greg. mor. in Job. l. 29. Priùs conspersionem uniuscujus{que} intuctur, & pòst tentatio∣num laqueos apponit.
• i 1.268

  Ovid op Phil. Demophoonti.
• k 1.269

  Psal. 49.20.
• i 1.270

  Juven. Sat. 2
• m 1.271

  Plat. in. Bo∣nif. 3. An. 666.
• n 1.272

  Epist. ex Re∣gist. 9 Adorate Imagin••s om∣nibus modis devita.
• o 1.273

  Bell. de imag. sanct. l. 2. c. 21.
• p 1.274

  V•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 t••••. C••g•••••• ca•••• J•• Regis.
• p 1.275

  Aug. Confes. l. 9. c. 13.
• q 1.276

  Mat. 4.6.
• * 1.277

  Conclus. & applicat.
• r 1.278

  Sen. ep. 2.