LXXX sermons preached at the parish-church of St. Mary Magdalene Milk-street, London whereof nine of them not till now published / by the late eminent and learned divine Anthony Farindon ... ; in two volumes, with a large table to both.

The Three and Thirtieth SERMON. (Book 33)

PART I.

LUKE XI. 27, 28.

And it came to pass as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lift up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.

But he said, Yea, rather blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

WE cannot say more of our Saviour in the dayes of his flesh then this, He went about doing good.* 1.1 He was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame, and health to the sick. And as he cured mens bodies of diseases, so he purged their souls from sin. As he went, his steps dropped fatness. Scarce proceeded there a word from his blessed lips that breathed not forth comfort. In this chap∣ter, he cast out a devil which was dumb, and the people wondred.* 1.2 But such is the rancour and venome of Envy and Malice that no vertue, no miracle, no demonstration of power can castigate or abate it. What is Vertue to a Jew? or what is a Miracle to a Pharisee? When the devil was gone out, saith the Text, the dumb spake; a work not to be wrought but by the finger of God: But if a Pharisee look up∣on it, it must change its name, and be said to be done by the claw of the Devil: For some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the prince of the devils. Others tempting him, sought from him a sign from heaven; as if this were not such a one, but rather proceeded from the pit of hell and from the power of darkness. It is the character of an evil and envious eye to look outward, extrà mittendo, not to receive the true species and forms of things, but to send out some noxious spirits from it self, which discolour and de∣face the object. Hence Envious men are thought, as S. Basil saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to infect every thing they look upon, and, like the Basilisk, to kill with a very look. What do they cast their eye upon that they do not poison and corrupt? Is it Temperance?

they call it Stupidity. Is it Justice? they call it Cruelty. Is it Wis∣dome? they call it Craft. Is it Honesty? they call it Folly and Want of foresight. Is it a Miracle? they call it Magick and Sorcery, and a work of Beelzebub. Wherefore, saith the Father, was our Saviour made a mark for every venemous dart? wherefore was he so sorely laid at by the Jews, by the Scribes and Pharisees? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, For nothing else but his wondrous works. And what were they? His cu∣ring of the sick, feeding of the hungry, restoring of the dead to life, casting out of devils. And therefore as he confirmed his doctrine by miracles, so Malice putteth him to another task, to make good his miracles by reason and argument. And this he doth 1. argumento du∣cente ad absurdum, by an argument which will either bind them to si∣lence or drive them upon the face of an open absurdity. For what an absurd thing were it for Satan to drive out himself? and 2. ar∣gumento ducente ad impossibile: For if Satan be divided against him∣self, it is impossible his kingdome should stand. Proficit semper con∣tradictio stultorum ad stultitiae demonstrationem, saith Hilary: The con∣tradiction of sinners and fools striveth and struggleth to gain ground, and to over-run the Truth but the greatest proficiencie Folly ma∣keth is but to make her self more open and manifest; like Candau∣les's wife, who was seen naked of all but her self. But Truth is as unmovable as a rock, which (as the Father speaketh of the Church) tunc vincit cùm laeditur, tunc intelligitur cùm arguitur, tunc obtinet cùm deseritur, then conquereth when it receiveth a foil, is then un∣derstood when it is opposed, and is then safe when it is forsaken. Let the Jews rage, and the Pharisees imagin a vain thing, let Envy cast a mist, and let Malice smoke like a fornace, yet Christ's mira∣cles shall be as clear as the day wherein they were wrought, and the mouth of Iniquity shall be stopped. Out of his own mouth shall the Pharisee be convinced, and Christ shall be as powerful in his words as in his works, so powerfull in both that even è ••urba, out of that multitude which did oppose him one witness or o••her shall rise to bear testimony to the truth, to point out to the finger of God by which this miracle was wrought, to magnifie and bless not onely our Saviour, but even the very womb that bare him, and the paps that he had sucked. For it came to pass as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lift up her voice, and said unto him, Bles∣sed, &c.

My Text divideth it self between the Woman and Christ. First the Woman taketh occasion from what she had heard and seen to magnifie Christ; Then Christ taketh occasion from her speach to in∣struct her, and let her at rights. She calleth Christ's mother blessed; He sheweth her a more excellent way, by which she may come to be as blessed as his mother. She talketh of Blessedness; He telleth her what it is. He condemneth not her affection, but directeth and le∣velleth it to the right object; and (as the Pythagoreans method of teaching was) he indulgeth something, that he may gain the more. Be it so; Blessed is the womb that bare me, and the paps that gave me suck; QUINIMO, But much rather blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. To be my Mother is but a temporal privilege, but to hear and keep my word is eternal happiness. He taketh not a∣way the first, but he doth establish the second. Briefly then, we may observe these two parts; 1. the Womans attestation; 2. Christ's re∣ply; the Womans dictor, and Christ's. In the first Wisdome is justi∣fied of one of her children against all the gainsayings of the Jews and

contradiction of sinners; to the second Wisdome her self pointeth out to true happiness, openeth her treasuries to all who will receive her in∣structions, and proclaimeth an everlasting jubilee to those who hear the word of God, and keep it.

In the handling of the former part we shall pass by these steps. First we will point out the Occasion of the speach; As he spake these things, it came to pass. Next, we will take notice of the Per∣son who took hold of the occasion, and made so good use both of Christ's miracles and doctrine. We find no name at all; but some upon no ground conjecture that it was Martha's maid. The Text saith no more but, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a certain woman of the compa∣ny, but one of a multitude, and that an unknown obscure wo∣man, not those learned clerks the Scribes and Pharisees. Thirdly, we shall propose to your Christian imitation the vehemencie and heat of her Affection. Her heart was hot within her, and the fire burned, and at last it brast forth into a pure flame, and she spake with her tongue. She did not conceal and suppress her thoughts, nor whisper them into the ear of a stranger, but lift up her voice, that the deadliest enemies of Christ, even the Pharisees, might hear. Lastly, we will weigh and consider the speach it self, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps that thou hast sucked, and tender it to you, as near as we can, in its full weight. And all these par∣ticulars will amount to this sum, That a poor silly woman saw more of the excellencie of Christ then did all the Doctors and Masters of Israel. These materials our first part affordeth us to work up∣on.

Now as the Woman from what she had heard and seen took oc∣casion to magnifie Christ, so from her affection and free testimony Christ taketh occasion further to instruct her. Blessed is the womb that bare thee, saith the Woman; Yea, rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it, saith Christ: Which maketh our second part. Wherein we shall consider 1. the Form, 2. the Matter and Substance of the words. For the Form, some would have the words adversative; others, meerly affirmative. Some place them in opposition to the Womans affection: Others, too jealous of that ho∣nour which is given to the blessed Mother of Christ, make them a plain and naked affirmation, willing rather that Christ's words should want of their weight then that one jote or tittle of the Womans ho∣nour should fall to the ground. I will not be too solicitous to take up the quarrel between them: nor indeed is it worth the while. The very first words, Yea, rather; make it plain that the Womans Bles∣sed was defective and wanted weight; aad therefore Christ, who is the Wisdome of the Father, filleth it up. He doth not (which is the best kind of redargution) with any bitterness deny what she saith, but by a gentle corrective setteth her at rights. She com∣mendeth and magnifieth a corporal, he preferreth a spiritual birth. For as there is fructus ventris, the fruit of the womb, so is there partus mentis, a conception and birth of the mind. We conceive Christ by our hearing the word: but when we keep it, Christ is ful∣ly formed in us, and we bring forth fruit meet for repentance. The Woman then commendeth one birth, and Christ enjoyneth another; and, as Socrates taught his scholars, so our Saviour leadeth the Wo∣man 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from like to like, from the admiration of a temporal to the knowledge of the spiritual birth, from one Blessed∣ness to another. And thus the matter and substance of Christ's words

affordeth us these three things; 1. conceptum, a kind of Concepti∣on, by hearing of the word; 2. partum, a kind of Birth or Bringing-forth, by keeping it; 3. gaudium, Joy after the delivery, not tem∣poral, but spiritual, even that Blessedness which every good Christi∣an is as capable of as the Mother of Christ, and which is laid up not onely for her who bare him in her womb, but also for all those who keep him in their heart; Yea, rather, saith Christ, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. These be the parts of my Text; and of these in order.

Blessed is the womb that bare thee, &c. saith the Woman. And that which occasioned and moved her thus to lift up her voice was the power of Christ's Works and Words. When she saw him migh∣ty in both; when she saw the wonders that he wrought, and how mightily he convinced the Scribes and Pharisees; when he had con∣firmed his doctrine by miracles, and his miracles by reason, she plainly discovered the finger by which they were wrought, and without any further deliberation she pronounceth him a most divine and excellent person. To cure diseases with a word or with a touch, to cast out devils, to raise the dead, could not proceed from any other power then his who doth whatsoever he will both in heaven and in earth. And to this end it hath pleased God to give testimony to his truth as it were by a voice from heaven, that we might believe and acknowledge that truth for the confirmation whereof such things were wrought before the sun and the people as none but God can do. For what our Saviour speaketh of that voice from heaven which was as thunder,* 1.3 is most true of this outward testimony; This voice from heaven cometh not because of Him, but for our sakes, who are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.4 slow of heart to believe, and will not be induced to subscribe to the truth unless we see it written with the sun-beams, unless it be made plain and manifest by signs and wonders.* 1.5 And such a plain and clear testimony the Jew had need of. For all chan∣ges, especially of Religion, are with difficulty; it being proper to men to be jealous of every breath, as of an enemy, if it blow in opposition to ought they have already received; and, though it be the truth, to suspect it, because it breatheth from a contrary coast. And therefore he that will remove the mind from that which it hath once laid hold on, and wherein it is already settled, must bring with him more then ordinary motives and inducements, even such as may work a kind of conquest upon the Understanding. Now the end of Christ's coming was to make such a change, to alter what long-before had been established by God himself, to rent the veil of the Temple in twain, to abolish the law of Ceremonies which God by the hand of Moses had given, vetera concutere, to sound the trumpet, and with it to shake the walls of Jerusalem, to disan∣nul the Law, and to establish the Gospel; magni opus moliminis, an enterprise of great difficulty, and therefore to be wrought with might and main, by wonders and great signs. As the Law was promulged with thunder and lightning, so must the Gospel also by a voice from heaven, even by great miracles, which are the dia∣lect and language of Power, and are from heaven, heavenly. For in every Miracle there are two things, as Aquinas saith, Quod fit, and Propter quod fit; 1. the Thing done; which must exceed the power of Nature and that order which God hath settled and esta∣blished in the world: and 2. the End for which it is done; vvhich is alwayes supernatural, for confirmation of some necessary truth.

Indeed if we consider the omnipotencie of the Agent, properly there is no miracle at all; It being as easie for the Creator of all things to alter the course of Nature as at first to establish it; to bid the Sun stand still, as to command it to run its race; to put out the Stars, as to light them in their sphears; to give sight to the blind, as at first to give them eyes; to unloose the tongue, as to make it. Deus ita magnus est in operibus magnis, ut minor non sit in minimis, saith S. Augustine; God is so great in his greatest works, that he is no whit less in his least, as great in the making of a Fly as of an An∣gel. The Divine hand is alwayes like it self, even in the produ∣ction of those things which are most unlike: But to us some works are wonderful, quia inordinatè veniunt, because they transcend the common course and order of things. And it hath pleased God in his Divine goodness to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, for our sakes and for our salvation to be various and manifold in the expression of his power, and when we cannot behold him as we should in those obvious and plain but wonderful characters engraven in the book of Nature, to present us with those which the hand of Nature cannot draw. He openeth the eyes of the blind, that we, who sat in darkness, may see the true light; he multiplyeth the loaves, that we may hunger after righteousness; he maketh the dumb to speak, that we may sing his praises; he casteth out the devil, that we acknow∣ledge him to be God. Quot miracula, tot documenta: Every mira∣cle was a lesson; not onely for shew, but for instruction, and to work in us the obedience of faith. For though God alone be the Authour of our faith, yet he worketh it in us by this means. By his wonders, as by a kind of iradiation from himself, he illumi∣nateth the Understanding, and maketh the Will pliable, so that we readily embrace the truth, which before we were afraid of. He who having been born blind received his sight,* 1.6 wondred that the Phari∣sees should not know whence he was who had opened his eyes, and thought their blindness almost as great a miracle as his recovery. By this light, and by the gratious and wonderful speaches which flowed from him, the Woman here in the Text saw those excellen∣cies that were in Christ, and discovered him to be no common and ordinary person: She made a right use of the light whilest it shone in its brightness. As Christ did and spake these things, it came to pass, saith the Text. Her free acknowledgment did as it were keep time with the miracle: for no sooner had Christ ended his speach but she lifteth up her voice.

Now, as the Apostle saith of Abel,* 1.7 this Woman being dead yet speaketh. She bespeaketh us, to have Christ's wondrous works in re∣membrance, to lay hold on all occasions which may either beget or confirm our faith, &, dum ventus operam dat, vela explicare, whilest the wind bloweth, whilest the Spirit breatheth, to unfold our sails, that we may be carried on in a straight and even course to the knowledge and practice of the truth which will make us hap∣py. This is indeed to make the right use of God's works and words, and to drive them to the right end. Ʋnumquodque propter suam opera∣tionem, saith the Philosopher; Every thing is and hath its being for its proper operation, for the work it hath to do. If miracles work no alteration in us, they are no miracles to us: If God's words pre∣vail not, we nullifie them; by our infidelity and disobedience, as much as in us lieth, we make the works and words of God of none effect, and shorten the arm and weaken the hand of the Almighty.

What were all the beauty in the world, if there were no eye to descry it? What are all the riches of the Gospel without faith? What were the greatest miracle, if all the world were Pharisees? Non videt, qui non credit, miracula, saith S. Augustine: To him that believeth not Miracles have lost their force, and are not won∣derful.

But ye will say perhaps that Miracles are now ceased: We see no sign, we behold no wonder; No blind receive their sight; no dumb spirits are cast out in our streets. It is true; nor is it necessary there should; not so necessary now the Church hath stretched forth the curtains of her habitation as when she scarce had a being: That wa∣tring is not requisite now she is grown and become a tree that was when she was like a grain of mustard-seed.* 1.8 Of the miracles of these times we may say what Livie saith of the prodigies of his, Quò ma∣gìs credebant simplices & religiosi homines, eò plura nuntiantur; The forward credulity of simple and devout souls hath much encreased their number. The Legend had not been so full, had men been slower of belief, and not so ready to credit what every impostour hath been active to invent. But yet though Miracles are ceased, and we see no more signs, though Christ cast not out devils, nor raise the dead, yet still he speaketh these things, and still he teacheth us: And we may say we see him curing diseases, giving sight to the blind, ears to the deaf, feet to the lame, a tongue to the dumb, casting out devils, and raising the dead, because his word endureth for ever,* 1.9 and, as S. Peter saith, is firmior sermo, and the surest te∣stimony we can have. And if we will not believe his word, neither would we believe though we saw him now raising up one from the dead. Further, I may say with S. Gregory, Quod corporaliter tunc faciebat Christus, illud S. Ecclesia spiritualiter quotidie facit, What Christ did in person then, he doth every day now spiritually by the Church. When by our ministery the Covetous is brought to stretch forth his hand to help the poor, then Christ hath recovered a dry hand; when the Ignorant learn his statutes, he giveth sight to the blind; when we open our lips, which Fear had sealed up, so that we dare speak of him before tyrants and not be ashamed, then he hath cast out a spirit which was dumb. But I rather keep me to the words of the Text; As he spake these things. Doth he not still speak the same things?* 1.10 Jesus Christ is yesterday, and to day, and the same for ever. Nec refert, saith the Father, per quem, sed quid, & à quo; It is not material whose tongue is made use of, so it be Christ that speaketh these things. And how often doth he speak these things? But where is the FACTUM EST? that which cometh to pass is scarcely discernable. Auditis, laudatis; Ye hear him speak, and perhaps ye commend him. Deo gratias; God be thanked for that yet. But when this is done, nothing cometh to pass. Semen accipitis, ver∣ba redditis; Ye receive the seed of the Word, and all the harvest vve see is but weeds. We see it not in the extension of your hands, in the largeness of your alms; in the lifting up of your hands, in your devotion at prayers; we see it not in your reverence, meek∣ness and patience. Well saith the Father, Toleramus illae, & tremi∣mus inter illa, We suffer it, and tremble at it. Your words are but leaves; it is fruit and encrease that we require. Be not deceived: Every good lesson should be unto you as a miracle to move you to give sentance for Christ against the Pharisees and all the enemies he hath; against the Pride that despiseth him, the Luxury that defileth

him, that Disobedience that trampleth him under foot. Every good motion (for therein Christ speaketh to us) should beget a resoluti∣on; every resolution, a good work; every good work, a love of goodness; and the love of goodness should root and stablish and build us in the faith: In a word, every DIXIT of Christ's should be answered with a FACTUM EST from us; every work, every word of his should be a sufficient motive and a fair occasion to us to magnifie the power of the Speaker in our souls; and in our bodies, and, with this Woman here, in the very face of the enemie, in the midst of all the noise Detraction can make, to lift up our voice, and give testimony unto Christ, who is so powerful both in word and deed. And so I pass from the Motive and Occasion to the Person, who from what she saw and heard gave this free attestation; A certain woman of the company.

Here are two circumstances that may seem to weaken and infringe the testimony, and take from the credit of the miracle; 1. that she was a Woman, and 2. that she was but one of the multitude. S. Gregory will tell us, MƲLIER tam pro infirmitate ponitur quàm pro sexa, That this word Woman in Scripture sometimes noteth the Sex, and sometimes signifieth Infirmity. And in the antient Comedians, Mulier es, is a term of reproch. For, as the Schoolman hath obser∣ved, foeminarum aviditas pertinacior in affectu, fragilior in cognitione; The affections of Women commonly outrun their understanding, and they are then most in flame when they have least light. Again, this circumstance, That she was but one of the multitude, might have been laid hold on by the Pharisees as an argument against Christ. Might they not have reviled her as they did the man who was born blind and received his sight, and said unto her, Thou art but one,* 1.11 and dost thou teach us? But such is the nature of Truth that it can receive no prejudice, but will prevail against all contradiction, though it have but one witness, and find no better champion then a Woman. Suis illa contenta est viribus, nec spoliatur vi suâ, etiam∣si nullum habeat vindicem, saith Arnobius; She resteth upon her own basis, and is content with her own strength, which she cannot lose though she find no undertaker. Truth doth not fail, though a Pha∣risee oppose it, but is of strength sufficient to make the weakest of its champions conquerer. For the foolishness of God is wiser then men,* 1.12 and the weakness of God is stronger then men. Neither Number nor Sex hath so much power upon Truth as to alter its complexion. Whether they be many or few, weak or strong, that profess it, Truth is still the same, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, of one and the same hue and colour.* 1.13 As it was said of Gad, A troop may overcome it, may silence and sup∣press it for a while; but it shall overcome at the last: Yet a conceit hath possessed the world, That there is a kind of virtue or magick in Number, and the Truth breatheth onely in those quarters where there are most voices to proclaim it. And many are so bewitched that they think it a gross absurdity for one man in the defense of Truth to stand up against a multitude; and they will make this ad∣vocate, because he is but one, an argument against the Truth. What would these men have thought of Christ, had they seen him among the Pharisees, or heard the shout of the people crying aloud,* 1.14 Not this man, but Barabbas? Indeed neither the Paucity nor the Number of professours is an argument to demonstrate the Truth: These pil∣lars do not support her. We have rather great reason to suspect the doctrine that is cryed up by the voice and humme of the multitude.

I have much wondred that they who talk so much of the Church, have made this a note and mark whereby we may know it. For ex∣perience hath sufficiently taught us that, were it to put to the vote of the multitude, we should scarce have any face of a Church at all. It never went so well with the world that the most should be best: Therefore S. Hierome is peremptory that multitude of associ∣ates demonstrate rather an Heretick then a Catholick. We may be then well content to hear the Church of Rome boast and triumph that she hath enlarged her dwelling, and spred her self from one end of the world unto the other; and to lay it as an imputation upon us, that our number is so small that we scarce are visible,

—sed illos Defendit numerus, junctaeque umbone phalanges;

The whole world is theirs, praeter Italian & Hispaniam totam: All Italy, and all Spain is theirs. And besides these, and many other Kingdomes, which the Cardinal reckoneth up, they may take-in the New world for advantage. An happiness which we hereticks cannot hope for. Non enim debet nunc incipere Ecclesia crescere, cùm jam senuerit, saith he; For the Church cannot encrease now she is old and hide-bound and past growth. Who would ever have thought that so sick and lothsome meditations should have dropped from so learned a pen? Might not the antient Hereticks have taken-up the same plea when the whole world, as S Hierome speaketh, was become Arian? And himself confesseth that if one province alone hold the true, faith, that one province may be truly stiled Catholick. Some reason perhaps they may have to rely upon Number, because indeed they have neither reason nor autority to uphold the state and supremacy of their Church. Therefore, having no better forces, they make use of this their forlorn hope, like men who having a bad cause care not what aid they take-in. The Oratour said well of the three hundred Spartanes now doubting to go up against the numerous ar∣my of Xerxes, Lacones se numerant, non aestimant, that the Spartanes did number, not esteem themselves: And it might be justly said of us if this Mormo should affright us, if we should distrust our cause because there be so many that oppose it. What though a troop cometh? Yet if the Truth be on our side, one of us shall be able to chase ten thousand.* 1.15 Be not afraid of the words which ye have heard, as the Prophet said to Hezekiah; Be not afraid of their number, nor a∣shamed of the Truth when her retinue is but small. The multitude may perish that are born in vain, as the Lord said to Esdras: And we say of it as Tertullian doth of the unveiling of Virgins, Id ne∣gat quod ostendit, Multitude is so far from being a note of the Church that it doth rather deny then demonstrate it. For see, amongst so many men in comparison, but few there are who profess the name of Christ; amongst so many professours, but few orthodox; a∣mongst so many orthodox, but few righteous persons; amongst the multitude, but one woman that lifteth up her voice in the behalf of Christ.

And as it was no prejudice to the Truth that she was but one, no more was it that she was a Woman. For why might not a wo∣man whose eye was clear and single see more in Christ then the proudest Pharisee who wore his phylacterie the broadest? All is, not in the miracle, but in the eye, in the mind, which being goggle, or misset, or dimmed with malice or prejudice, beholdeth not things as they are, but through false mediums, putteth upon them

what shape it pleaseth, receiveth not the true and natural species they present, but vieweth them at home in it self as in a false glass, which returneth back by a deceitful reflection. And this is the rea∣son why not onely Miracles but doctrinal Precepts also find so dif∣ferent enterteinment. Every man layeth hold on them and wresteth them to his own purpose, worketh them on his own anvile, and shapeth them to his own phansie and affections; as out of the same mass Phidias could make a Goddess, and Lysippus a Satyre. Do ye wonder to hear a Woman bless the womb that bare Christ, and the Pharisees blaspheme him? It is no wonder at all. For though the acts of the Understanding depend not on the Will, and the Mind of man necessarily apprehendeth things in those shapes in which they present themselves; yet when the Will rejecteth those means that are offered, when Anger raiseth a storm, and Malice and Prejudice cast up a mist, then the Understanding groweth dim, and receiveth not the natural shapes of things, but those false appearances which the Affections tender to it. When the Will is perverse, non permittit intellectum diu stare in dictamine recto, saith Scotus: The Understanding followeth her planetary motion, and having no better guide runneth into the very den of Errour. Therefore the complaint in Scripture is, They will not understand. Experience will teach us how common a thing it is in the world, for men to stand stiff in their opinions against all evidence whatso∣ever, though it be as clear as the day. S. Augustine observeth of the Manichees, Scio esse quosdam qui quanquam bono ingenio ista vi∣deant, malâ tamen voluntate quâ ipsum quoque ingenium sunt amissuri,* 1.16 pertinaciter negant; I know, saith he, many of you who have sharp and quick understanding, and cannot but see the truth; but your Will is evil, which betrayeth the Understanding, and leadeth you to that pertinacy that will never consent to the truth, but seeketh out rather what probably may be said against it. And this very reason Arnobius giveth of the Heathens obstinacies; Quid facere pos∣sumus considerate nolentibus, &c. saith he; What can we do or say, or how can we convince them who will not be induced once to de∣liberate, and weigh things as they are, nor condescend to speak and confer with themselves and with their own reason? This I take to be the meaning of that in Hilary, Quot voluntates, tot fides; e∣very man frameth his belief by his disposition and his will. So ma∣ny wills, so many faiths. He might as well have said there be as many Creeds as passions. For the Passions are subversivae rationis, apt and ready to captivate the Will; and to overthrow the Reason, even when she standeth most erect against Errour, and looketh most stedfastly on the truth. While Reason hath the command, they are profitable servants; but when she yieldeth, they are cruel tyrants, and put out her eyes. It is wonderful to see what a power they have in changing the face and countenance of objects. Fear ma∣keth a shadow a man, and a man an hobgoblin; Anger mistaketh a friend for an enemy; Love of the world putteth horrour upon virtue; and obstinate Malice can set nothing but the Devil's face in a miracle. Common reason no doubt did perswade the Pharisees here that Christ had wrought a miracle, and we cannot but think that they saw as much of the beauty of Christ's excellencies as the Woman: But their gross conceit of the Messias and their love of Moses law made them find no room to entertein Him who came in a posture so contrary to their expectation; no, though even in the

midst of them God approved him by miracles,* 1.17 wonders and signs, as they themselves knew. It was their knowledge that kept them igno∣rant,* 1.18 and their wisdome made them fools. Not many wise after the flesh▪ not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God hath cho∣sen the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise, saith S. Paul; Not that God did reject and cast men off because they were wise, or mighty, or noble; and choose others onely for this cause, because they were poor. We must not think so, saith Oecomeni∣us, No;

Tros Tyriúsve fuat, nullo discrimine habetur.

Wise or ignorant, mighty or mean, noble or ignoble, all are one to God, neither is there with him any respect of persons. But the poor received the Gospel, and the rich and mighty and wise did not, because it brought with it a check to their wisdome, cast disgrace on their riches and a slur on their nobility, with which they were so filled that there was no room for Christ. Nec enim vult aeterna Sapientia haberi, nisi ubi habens nihil de suo tenuit, ut illam haberet; The eternal Wisdome of God will keep residence in that soul onely which emptieth it self to receive it. Nor can we purchase the pearl, a clear sight of Christ,* 1.19 but we must sell all that we have, our wis∣dome, our riches, our nobility, our self-love, and our corrupt af∣fections. It is not Riches nor Wisdome that invites Christ; It is not Simplicity nor Poverty that excludes him: Humility and Self-denial usher him in; and enter he will if we make him room. He will manifest himself, you see, to a poor silly woman, and the quick-sighted Pharisee shall not see him. And the reason was, be∣cause she was meek and humble, did not so dote on what she had al∣ready learnt as to be unwilling to learn any more, but brought a mind well prepared to receive instruction. The Pharisees on the contrary were so possessed and blinded with prejudice that they saw not the virtue in Christ which was manifest to this woman. It was Prejudice that shut the door against the Truth, and that would by no means admit of those works which came in to bear witness to it. Certainly a most dangerous disease this. It maketh a man angry with his physician, and to count his physick poyson; it maketh him loth to acknowledge, yea even to hear, that evi∣dence which may convince him. This maladie is very common in the world: Yea, the Church is not purged from it to this day. For though we have no Pharisees, yet we have such, qui quicquid dicunt, legem Dei putant, who call their very errours the law of God, and dictates of the Spirit; who cannot endure the least shew of opposition, but, like wanton lovers, stick closest to their be∣loved errour when it is exploded. Some lessons they so abhor that they cannot endure so much as the name and mention of them: and is it probable they will ever come so near as to woo and buy the Truth who are afraid of her very shadow? We com∣plain many times of the weakness of our capacities, of the abstruse∣ness of the teacher, and of the obscurity of the Scripture; and this we think a sufficient apologie for our ignorance: but none of these nor all of these will make up a just excuse. The truth is, we will not hear the Truth; and the reason why we are no better scholars is, because we will not learn. If it were not so, why should any truth displease us? why in any dress? why should we take it upon the point of a knife so tenderly, as if we were afraid it would hurt us? Quid dimidiamus veritatem? why do we take it down by halves?

It is an easie matter to observe how mens countenances and beha∣viour, yea and their affections, alter, in hearing of that doctrine which suteth with their humour, and that which seemeth to be le∣velled against some fond opinion of theirs long resolved upon. Their stomack riseth straight against this; but the other is sweet in their mouths, and they devour the whole roll, though in it self it be as bitter as gall. Do we preach Christian Liberty? ye kiss our lips. But do we bound it with Charity to our neighbour, and Obedience to Goverment? that note ye think is harsh and tuned too near the ruggedness of the times. Do we build up to the Saints of God an Assurance of salvation? ye are in heaven already. But do we tell you that this Assurance cannot be had at pleasure, but must be wrought out with fear and trembling?* 1.20 Do we tell you that that which ye call assurance may be not security but stupefa∣ction? Do we beseech you not to deceive your selves? Behold, we are not the same men, but setters out of new doctrine; and, verso pollice vulgi, with the turning of your finger, we are in the dust, and stabbed with a censure. He who clothed not Truth to others phantasie, he who presenteth more of Truth then can be easily di∣gested, shall be shut out of doors cum veritate sua, naked and de∣stitute, and shall have none but Truth to keep him company. Though he speak these things, even the same truth that Christ did, the Pharisees will cry him down; and well it is if one woman, some one witness of the multitude, bless his lips that speaketh it. Prejudice will make a man perswade himself that is false which he cannot but know is most true. That which to a clear eye is a gross sin, and appeareth horrour, to a corrupted mind may be as the beauty of holiness. For where Covetousness and Self-love have taken up the heart, and conceived, and brought forth Prejudice, it is an easie matter for a man to dispute himself into sin and infi∣delity. For the phansie hath a creating power to make what shee pleaseth or what she list, to put new forms and shapes upon ob∣jects, to make Gods of clay, to make that delightful which in it self is grievous, that desirable which is lothsome, that fair and beau∣tiful which is full of horrour, to set up a golden calf, and say it is a God. And many times habeantur phantasmata pro cognitione, these shadows and apparitions are taken for substances, these airy phan∣tasms for well-grounded conclusions; and the mind of man doth so apply it self unto them, that what is but in the phansie is supposed to be seen by the eye of the Understanding. And thus many times we place our hatred on that which we should love, and our love upon that which we cannot hate enough: We fear that which we should hope for, and hope for that which we should fear; we are angry with a friend, and kiss an enemy. Thus one man trembleth at that which another embraceth; one man calleth that sacriledge which a∣nother calleth zeal; one man looks upon it as striking at God himself, another as pleading his cause; one man calls it murder, ano∣ther the work of the Lord. What beauty can there be in Christ if a Pharisee look upon him? We read of the leaven of the Pharisees, and sure this is it. For it leaveneth the whole lump, all our opini∣ons, all our actions, All have a kind of tast of it. Whatsoever come in to strengthen an anticipated opinion, whatsoever walks within the compass of our desires, or complies with our Covetous∣ness, or Ambition, or Lustful affections, we readily embrace, and believe it to be true because we wish it so, and because it is con∣ducible

and behoofull for those ends which we have set up. E∣very fallacy is a demonstration, every prosperous event is a voice from heaven to confirm us: But if it thwart our inclination, if it run counter to our intendments, then Truth it self, though mani∣fested with signs and wonders, will enrage us; and we shall first disgrace him that brings it, and then naile him to the cross. We see here Christ cast out a devil which was dumb, and the dumb spoke, and the people wondred. The Pharisees saw it, and the Wo∣man saw it: the one saw nothing but that which could not be seen, one devil casting out another; the other saw the finger and mighty power of God, and when she saw it, she lift up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps that thou hast sucked. And so we descend to that which we pro∣posed in the third place, the vehemency and heat of her Affecti∣on, which could not contein it self in her heart, but brake forth at her mouth. And herein we shall consider. 1. That she spake, 2. What she spake. She lifted up her voice, &c.

* 1.21 Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, saith our Sa∣viour. When that is full it cannot contein it self, sed emanat in habitum, eructat à conscientia in superficiem, ut & forìs inspiciat qua∣si supellectilem suam; It evaporateth it self into the outward habit, breaks forth into voice, opens her shop and wares, that she may behold her own provision and riches abroad. Hence the Fathers call the motion of the mind 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, circular, by which the soul of man is carried from the object into it self; where after some pause, or rather upon the first impression, she calls all her faculties toge∣ther, and then takes-in the members of the body and by them con∣veyeth her self to the very eye and ear, and in a manner is both heard and seen. It is so in evil, and it is so in good. Habent su∣as voces affectus; Every affection hath its proper language and dia∣lect. If we be afraid, we lift up our voice, and cry, Whither shall we fly? If we grieve, we break forth into threnodies and la∣mentations. If we hope, we ask, How long? How long? If we be angry, we breathe forth hailstones and coals of fire. Se, cùm no∣lit, cor prodit; The heart, when it is full, cannot but open it self: and though it would conceal it self, yet it must vent. The an∣gry man speaks nothing but swords and challenges,* 1.22 the language of Cain. For so the Septuagint, to make the sense plain, adde this clause, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Let us go into the field. Where S. Peter giveth the character of profane and unclean persons, amongst other marks he setteth this is as one, that they have eyes full of a∣dultery, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, full of the adulteress; as if they carried her about in their very eyes, and had alwayes her image before them, and therefore must needs speak swelling words of vanity.* 1.23 The cove∣tous person converseth with Gold as with his God; he speaks of it, he dreams of it, he commits idolatry with it; dum tacet, hoc loqui∣tur, when he is silent, he talks of it within himself; In every place of Scripture Wickedness is brought forth not onely with a hand, but with a tongue.* 1.24 Come lye with me, my Sister, saith Amnon. Give,* 1.25 Give, saith the Covetous. Come, let us cast in our lots toge∣ther, saith the wicked. Let us crown our selves with rose-buds, say they. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. And so it is in the wayes of Goodness; First it fills the heart, then it makes the tongue as the pen of a ready writer. First it speaks within us, and then we preach it on the house-top. My heart

is prepared, O God, my heart is prepared, saith David.* 1.26 And then it follows, I will sing, and give praise. First his heart is full, and then he speaks to his glory, his Tongue, to awake. And Psal 45.1.* 1.27 My heart hath endited a good matter; ERƲCTAVIT, or EBƲL∣LIIT, My heart hath fryed, or boyled a good matter: A similitude taken from the meat-offering, or mincah, in the Law, which was dressed in the pan. First it is but prepared in the Prophets heart,* 1.28 and then grace is powred out in his lips, by which he presenteth it. For we sacrifice our voice to God as we do our bodies, saith Na∣zianzene. When the Priests and the Sadduces did straitly threaten the Apostles,* 1.29 that they should speak thenceforth no more in the name of Christ. Peter and John answered, We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, It is impossible, as the Law calls that impossible which ought not to be done. Nay, it co∣meth near to a physical impossibility, it is almost impossible in na∣ture to love the truth, and not to publish it.* 1.30 The love of Christ con∣straineth us, saith S. Paul. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, we are in travel as it were with the Truth, and long to be delivered. It is a grievous thing for a man at liberty to be bound; and one would think the same fet∣ters would serve for the Feet and Hands and tongue, and tye them up all at once; yet saith S. Paul, I suffer trouble as an evil doer,* 1.31 even unto bonds, but yet the word of God is not bound. The mind is free, and the tongue is free, and I speak as boldly as if I were at liberty. Such a symphony, such a fair correspondence there is between the Heart and the Tongue, that they send up the same hymne and song of praise unto God. The love of the truth turn∣eth the heart, and the heart the tongue. Inter cor & linguam to∣tum salutis humanae genitur sacramentum, saith Chrysologus. Between these two the business of our salvation moveth and is carried about: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness,* 1.32 and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For what is faith in the heart if it have no tongue nor hand? The Father calls it a sacrament or mystery: for a divine power is the midst of them. The Heart speaks unto God; for he understands the language of our thoughts: The Mouth and the Tongue satisfie men. Or to speak truly, they must joyn together, both for the service of God and edification of men: for on these two, as on two golden hinges, not onely Faith, but Charity, and all those other vertues which encircle and compass her about as with a crown, hang and turn about in that order and glory which is delightful to God, to Angels, to men. And this is the advantage that Love hath of Knowledge: Knowledge may be idle and unactive, but Love is a restless thing, and will call up and imploy every part of the body and every faculty of the soul to compass its end. Love is active, and will pace it on where Know∣ledge doth but stand at gaze. Knowledge doth not alwayes com∣mand our tongue; nay many times we speak and act against our knowledge: but who speaks against that which he doth love? who will trample that under his feet? Speculation may be but a look, a cast of the eye of the Understanding, and no more; but Love hath already taken in the object, and devoured it, and made it one with the soul. Knowledge many times begets but a purpose of mind, a faint velleity, a forced and involuntary approbation; but Love joynes the Will and the Tongue and the Hand together, and indeed is nothing else but a vehement and well ordered will. Knowledge may be but a dream; but Love is ever awake, up, and

doing.* 1.33 I may so know the truth that I may be said not to know it; but I cannot so love the truth that I may be said to hate it. For though the Scripture sometimes attributeth knowledge of the truth to them who so live as if they knew it not, yet it never casts away the pretious name of Love on those who so live as if they lo∣ved it not. A Pharisee, an hypocrite may know the truth; but it was never written that they loved it; but that they loved the praise of men more then of God. And this was the reason that they had eyes, and saw not; eares, and heard not, nor understood; that they had tongues, and spake not; that they would not be perswaded when they were convinced, and withstood the truth when they were over∣come. In a word, Knowledge may leave us, like unto the idoles of the heathen, with hands that handle not, and mouths that speak not: Love onely emulateth the power of our Saviour, and works a miracle, casts out the spirit which is dumb. For when he spake these things, not the Pharisees, but a woman of the company lift up her voice.

And thus her heart was truly affected, and she lift up her voice. As the Prophet speaks,* 1.34 The Love of Christ was in her heart, as a burning fire shut up in her bones, and she was weary of forbearing, and she could not stay. It was like that coal of the Seraphins, which being laid on her mouth,* 1.35 she spake with her tongue. Now in the next place, what was it that begat her love but the admi∣ration of Christs person, his power, and his wisdome. This was it which kindled that heat within her which broke out at her lips. Plato calls Admiration the beginning of Philosophy. We admire and dwell upon the object, and view it well, till we have wrought the Idea of it in our minds. Whence Clemens citeth this saying out of the Gospel according to the Hebrew; Qui admiratus fuerit, regna∣bit; qui regnabit, requiescet; He that at first admires that which to him is wonderful, shall at last reign; and he that reigns, shall be at rest, shall not waver or doubt, or struggle formidine contrarii, with fear that the contrary should be true, and that that which he saw should be but a false apparition and a deception of the sight. This woman here saw, and wondred, and loved; she saw more then the Pharisees, to whom a sign from heaven appeared in no fairer shape then the work of Beelzebub. She saw Christs mira∣cles were as his letters of credence that he came from God him∣self. She had heard of Moses, and his miracles; but beholds a greater then Moses here. For 1. Christs miracles breathed not forth horrour and amazement, as those of Moses did in and about the mountain of Sinon. Nor 2. were they noxious and fatal to any, as those which Moses wrought in Pharaohs court and in Aegypt. He did not bring in tempest and thunder, but spake the word, and men were healed. He did not bury men alive, but raised men out of their graves. He brought upon men no fiery serpents, but he cast out devils. If he suffered the devils to destroy the hogs, yet he tyed them up from hurting of men; and what is a Hog to a Man? In a word, Moses's miracles were to strike a terrour into the people, that he might lead them by fear; but Christs were to beget that admiration which might work love in those whom he was to lead with the cords of men, with the bonds of love. All Christs miracles were benefits:* 1.36 For he went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed with the devil: for God was with him. Christs miracles were above the reach and power of Nature. Na∣ture

had no hand in the production of any of them? All that we vvonder at are not Miracles: not an Eclipse of the Sun, vvhich the common people stand amazed at, because they know not the cause of it. Nor is that a Miracle vvhich is besides the ordinary course of Nature; For then every Monstre should be a Miracle: Nor that vvhich is done against Nature; for so every child that casteth a stone up into the air doth vvork a Miracle. But that is a Miracle vvhich is impossible in Nature, and vvhich cannot be vvrought but by a supernatural Hand. 2. Christs miracles vvere done not in a corner, but before the sun and the people. This Woman here heard the dumb speak, she savv the blind see, the lame go, and the lepers cleansed. Miracles, vvhen they are wrought, are not the object of our faith, but of our sense. They are signs and tokens to confirm that which we must believe. 3. Christs miracles were done as it were in an instant. With a touch, at a word he cured diseases, which Nature cannot do, though helpt by the art of the Physician. All the works of Na∣ture, and of Art too, are conceived and perfected in the womb of Time. 4. Last of all, Christs miracles were perfect and ex∣act. When he raised Jairus's daughter,* 1.37 he presently commanded them to give her meat. When he cured Peters wives mother, forthwith she was so strong that she arose, and ministred unto them.* 1.38 He gave his gifts in full measure; nor could more be desired then he gave. And shall not these miracles and these benefits appear, wonderful in our eyes? Shall not his Power beget Admiration, and Admiration Love, and Love command our voice? Shall a wo∣man see his wonders, and shall we be as blind as the Pharisees? Shall she lift up her voice, and shall we still keep in us the devil that is dumb? It came to pass as he did and spake these things, a certain woman of the company lift up her voice, and said. And now we should pass to what she said; but I see the time passeth away. Let us therefore make some use of what hath already been said, and so conclude.

And first let us learn from this woman here to have Christs wonderful works in remembrance, to look upon them with a stedfast and a fixed eye, that they may appear unto us in their full glory, and fill us with admiration. For Admiration is a kind of voice of the soul. Miracula obstupuisse, dixisse est, saith Grego∣ry. Thus Silence it self may become vocal, and truly to wonder at his works is to profess them. This motion of the heart stirred up with reverence to the ears of the uncircumscribed Spirit is as the lifting up of the voice, which speaks within us by those di∣vers and innumerable formes and shapes of admiration, which are the inward expressions of the soul. When the soul is in an ec∣stasie, when it is transported and wrapt up above it self with ad∣miration, then it speaketh, nay it cryeth, unto the Lord. When S. Paul was caught up into paradise, and heard those unspeakable words which he could not utter, his admiration supplyed that de∣fect, and was as the lifting up of his voice unto God. For what is a Miracle if it be not wondered at? Or is it fit a Miracle should pass by us as a shadow, unregarded? Is it fit that that which was done for us men and for our salvation should not move us so much as those common things which are done before our eyes every day? that we should be little affected with that Gospel

which was thus confirmed by signs and wonders? that nothing should be wonderful in our eyes but that▪ which is not worth a thought? For what is that we wonder at? Even that from which we should wean our affection? we wonder at those things in the pursuit of which we our selves become monsters. We wonder at Wealth, and are as greedy as the Horseleach. We wonder at Beauty, and become worse then the beasts that perish. We won∣der at Honour, and are those Chamelions that live on air. We have mens persons in admiration,* 1.39 and make our selves their Horse or Mule, which they may ride at pleasure. We wonder at Pow∣er, and become stocks or stones, and have no more motion of our own then they? These appear to us in glory, these dart their beams upon us, and we are struck with admiration: But mirabilia legis, the wonderful things of the Law, the wonderful things of the Gospel, we scarce open our eyes to behold them, and but faintly desire God to do it for us. His wonderful counsel in sending his Son we do but talk of; The mystery of our Redemption is hidden still; God's eternal will, that is our sanctification, we scarce spare an hour to think on; his precepts are not in so much esteem as the statutes of Om••i. What a glorious spectacle is a clod of earth? and what a Nothing is Heaven? Behold, these are the wonderful things of Christ, To unite God and Man, to tye them together by a new covenant, to raise dust and ashes to heaven, this is a great miracle indeed. To draw so many nations and people to the obedience of faith, to convert rich men by poor, learned men by illiterate, and by those whom they persecuted and put to death, so that they brought in their riches and honours and usual delights, and laid them down as it were at the feet of those poor instructers whom they coun∣ted as the off-scouring of the world; To make not onely his Pre∣cepts, but the Meekness, the Patience, the Silence, the very Death of his Professors, as so many Apostles and Messengers to win them to the faith; this if we did truly consider and weigh as we should, would busie and intend our thoughts, and raise and improve them into that amazement and admiration which would joyn us to that innumerable company of just men, and make us of the number of those who shall be saved. Many things, saith Hillary, Christ hath done for the sons of men, the blessed effect of which is open as the day though the cause be bid; and where Nature comes short, Faith steps forward and reacheth home. In his quoque quae ignoro, non nescio; Even in those which my understanding is too narrow to receive, I am not utterly ignorant, but walk by faith, and ad∣mire that vvhich my good Master doth, and yet vvill not let me know. It is no miracle, no mystery at all, vvhich deserveth not admiration.

Secondly, by her lifting up her voice, and blessing the womb that bare Christ, vvhich vvas a kind of adoration (for Admiration had not so shut up her devotion and love but that it vvas vocal and reverent) vve are taught to magnifie our Saviour vvith the Tongue, and Hand, and Knee, and every member vve have, as David speaketh. For these also have their voice, and vve may confess Christ not onely vvith the tongue, but vvith our adorations and genuflexions and those outward expressions vvhich are equivalent to it. Auditur philosophus, dum videtur; Though he hold his peace, yet the Philosophers very gesture is a lecture of morality. There∣fore

where we read that Man was made a living soul;* 1.40 the Chal∣dee renders it, & factus est in spiritum loquentem; He was made a speaking soul, to speak the praises of his Maker with every fa∣culty and part he hath. For as God made both Body and Soul, so he requires both the inward devotion of the one and the out∣ward expressions of the other; a Soul, saith Isidore, which may 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by its operative devotion call down God from heaven, and in her self frame the resemblance of his presence; and a Body, which may make that devotion and love visible to the very eye. It is S. Paul's prayer for the Thessalonians,* 1.41 that God would sanctifie them wholly, that the soul and body may be blame∣less in the day of the Lord; that Holiness might be as an impressi∣on which from the soul might work upon the body, and give force and motion to the whole man, This is to sanctifie them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, not in part, but all of them, not to sprinkle but to baptize them with holiness. Profanus and non integer are the same in Tertullian: and it is profaneness, not to give God all. Athanasius makes the Soul as a Musician, and, the Body, which consists of the Tongue, and other members, as a Harp or Lute; which she may tune and touch till it yield a celestial harmony, a song composed of divers parts, of Spirit and Flesh, of Soul and Body, of every faculty of the soul and every part of the body must accord with the elevati∣on of the soul? Certainly a sweet note! But then the lifting up of the voice mends it, and makes it far more pleasant. An ejaculati∣on from the Soul, yea and the sound thereof from the Tongue and Hands and Knees; a holy Thought, yea and a zealous and reve∣rent depottment, these make a man 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as the Apostle speaks, perfect and complete. Otherwise, as the Poet spake of the beggar half wrotten and consumed, he is but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, an half-strung and half-tuned instrument. Look back unto former and pu∣rer times, and you shall see Devotion visible in every gesture, in their Walking, in their sitting, in their Bowing, in their Standing up; you shall hear it in their Hymns and Psalms, in their Hallelu∣jahs and Amens, which were, saith Hierome, as the voice of many waters, or as a clap of thunder. You shall hear the Priest blessing the people, and the people echoing it back again unto the Priest; the Priests praying, and the people answering the Priests, which they called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, their Antiphones or Responsals. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Let us stand decently; They did spake it, and they did it. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Let us stand with the fear of God, They spake it, and they did it. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Let us stand wisely and so∣berly, and with great care and vigilant observation; they spake it, and they did it. And S. Chrysostome giveth the reason, Because God is present with us invisibly, and marks every motion of the body, as well as every inclination of the mind. But, I know not how, the face of Christendome is much altered; and what was Religion and Devotion then, hath now changed its name, and in this latter age must needs go under that much loathed name of Superstition and Idolatry. For tell me, are we not ashamed almost to say our prayers? are we not afraid to say Amen? Is it not become a dis∣grace to bear a part in the publick service of God? A Te Deum or an Hallelujah would be indeed as a clap of thunder to fright us from the Church: for we lift up our hearts so high that we have no voice at all. Superstition, I confess, is a dangerous sin, but yet not so dangerous as profaneness, which will talk with God in

private, and dare him to his face in his Temple; which, with the Gnostick, will give him the Heart, but not vouchsafe the Tongue; which will leave the Priest alone to make a noise (and sometimes, God knoweth, it is but a noise) in the pulpit. And this is but to run out of the smoke into the fire, for fear of coming too near to Superstition to shipwrack on Profaneness; for fear of will-worship, not to worship at all; to imprison Devotion in the soul, and lend her neither voice nor gesture; though Christ be miraculous in all his wayes, and doth wonders in the midst of us, to seal up our lips, and onely commune with our own corrupt hearts, and be still. No lifting up of the voice or hands, no bow∣ing of the knee in our coasts. But I do but beat the ayr, and la∣bour in vain. For now it is religion, not to express it; and he is most devout who doth least shew it. O when will this dumb de∣vil be cast out! A strange thing it is, that every thing else, even our Vices, should be loud and vocal, and Religion should be the onely thing that should want a tongue, that Devotion should lye hid and lurk and withdraw it self into the inward man. For this is not to honour God, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, with might and main, with soul and body, with heart and knee and tongue; this is not to render to God that which is Gods; Which how to do without these outward expressions, is as hard for the eye of Reason to see, as it is for the eye of Sense to discern that Devotion which is so abstract and spiritual. Certainly this poor Woman in the Text will rise up in judgment against this generation, who no sooner saw the excellency of Christs person, but she lifted up her voice, and blessed the womb that bare him, and the paps which he had sucked.

Last of all, this Womans voice is yet lifted up, and calls upon us to lift up ours, even before the Pharisees. And such we shall find in every street and in every Synagogue, who devoure more then widows houses with long prayers, draw bloud with the sword of the Spirit, and serve the prince of this world in the name of the Lord. If our fear were not greater then our love, amongst these we should lift up our voice like a trumpet, and put these mon∣sters to shame, strike off their visour with noyse; and bring in Truth to tear off the veil of their Hypocrisie. For what? shall we not lift up our voice for Truth but when she hath most voices on her side? Must Truth be never publisht but in the times of peace? or must a song of praise be never chaunted out but in a quíre of Angels? Shall we onely walk towards our Saviour, as Peter did, whilest the face of the sea is smooth, then be un∣daunted and fear nothing; but when a wave comes towards us, presently sink? Whilest all Things go with us smoothly, without any rub or wave of difficulty, how shall our Faith and Love be discovered? who shall distinguish between a true and superficial professour? For the Love of man to Christ is no otherwise disco∣vered then the Love of man to man. The love of a Christian cannot be known but by a great and strong tentation. A Pha∣risee before us is a tentation, Difficulty and danger are nothing else but a tentation, which is therefore laid in our way, to try if any thing can sever us from the love of Christ and his Truth. If we start back in silence, we have betraied the Truth to our fears, and left it to be trod under foot by a Pharisee. We may call it

Discretion and Wisdome to start aside at such a sight, and to lay our hands upon our mouths: but discretio ista tollit omnem discreti∣onem, as Bernard speaketh, this discretion takes away all discretion, this wisdome is but folly: For from this cowardise in our professi∣on we first fall into an indifferency, and at last into open hostility to the Truth: We follow Truth as Peter did Christ, afar of, and then deny it, and at last forswear it, and joyn with the Pharisees and help them to persecute those that profess it. So the Libellatici of old first bought a dispensation from the judge to profess the name of Christ, and at last gave it under their hands that they never were Christians: He that can dispense with a sin, will soon look friendly upon it, and at last count it a duty. He that will take an oath in his own sense (which indeed is non-sense) wlll easily be induced to take it in any sense you shall give it him. He that can trifle with his God, will at last blaspheme him to his face.

Beloved, you may judge of the Heart by the Voice, which falls and rises according to those heats and colds the Heart receives, When this is coldly affected, we know not how to speak; we ven∣ture, but speak not out; we profess, and recant; we say, and un∣say, and know not what to say: quasi super aristas ambulamus, we tread as tenderly as if we were walking upon ears of corn, and as men that go upon the ice: magis tremimus quàm imus, we ra∣ther tremble then go. But when our Heart is hot within us, the next occasion sets our Tongue at liberty. We read in our Poets, that Achilles for a time lurkt in womans apparel, but was disco∣vered by Ulysses bringing him a sword, which he no sooner saw but he brandisht it. So the souldier of Christ is not known till some difficulty, like the sword of Ulysses be brought before him: then he will bestir and move himself to cope with it:

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

If we be Christians dangers and difficulties will sharpen and draw us on, and our voice will be loudest when a Pharisee is near. To conclude; When vve hear men speak between their teeth, or hoarcely, as if they had lost their voice, vvhen they faulter in their speech, and speak in points of Divinity as Bassianus did vvhen he had slain his brother Geta, ut qui malint intelligi, quàm audi∣ri, as vvilling to be understood indeed, but not to speak out, and so cunningly disperse their doctrine that they may instruct their friends, yet give no advantage to their enemies, you may be sure the Heart is not warm, nor really affected: But vvhen vve speak vvith boldness vvhat vve have heard and seen, vvhen vve cast down our gauntlet, and stand in defense of the Truth against the vvorld; vvhen neither Pharisee nor Divel can silence us, but in omni praetorio, in omni conscitorio, in every judgment-seat, in e∣very consistory, when Malice and Power come towards us in a tempest, vve lift up our voice, and dare speak for the Truth vvhen others dare persecute it, it is an evident sign that a fire is kindled within us, and we are warmed with it; that vvith the Woman here vve see some excellencies in Christ, some beauty and majesty in the Truth, vvhich others do not, whose lips are seal∣ed up. In a vvord; to speak of Christ before the Pharisees, to lift up our voice, and speak of his name when, for ought vve know, it may be the last vvord vve shall speak; to be true

prophets amongst four hundred false ones; vvhen the Pharisees call Christ Beelzebub, to cry Hosanna to the Son of David; to bless the womb that bare him, and the paps that gave him suck, vvhen others say he is a Samaritane, and hath a devil, is truly to make this devout▪ Woman a patern, to make that use of her voice which she did of Christs voice and of his miracle, vvho could not con∣tein her self, nor keep silence, but having received in her heart the lively character of Christs power and wisdome, in the midst of his enemies, in the midst of a multitude, vvhen some re∣viled him, and others vvere silent, she lift up her voice, and blessed the womb that bare him, and the paps which gave him suck; Which is her Diction, our next part, and should come now to be handled: but the time being past, vve shall reserve it for part of our task in the Afternoon.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Acts 10.38. Job 29.15.
• * 1.2

  v. 14.
• * 1.3

  John 12.28, 29, 30.
• * 1.4

  Luke 24.25.
• * 1.5

  Jo. 4.48.
• * 1.6

  John 9.30▪
• * 1.7

  Hebr. 11.4.
• * 1.8

  Matth. 13.31, 32.
• * 1.9

  2 Pet. 1.19.
• * 1.10

  Hebr. 13.8.
• * 1.11

  Joh. 9.34.
• * 1.12

  1 Cor. 1.25.
• * 1.13

  Gen. 49.19.
• * 1.14

  John 18.40.
• * 1.15

  Isa. 37.6.
• * 1.16

  Lib. de morib Manich.
• * 1.17

  Acts 2.22.
• * 1.18

  1 Cor. 26, 27.
• * 1.19

  Matth. 13.46.
• * 1.20

  Phil 2.12.
• * 1.21

  Matth. 12.34.
• * 1.22

  Gen. 4.8.
• * 1.23

  2 Pet. 2.14.18
• * 1.24

  2 Sam. 13.11.
• * 1.25

  Prov. 30.15. Prov. 1.14. Wisd. 2.8.
• * 1.26

  Psal. 57.7.
• * 1.27

  v. 8.
• * 1.28

  Lev. 2.5.
• * 1.29

  Acts 4.17, 18. v. 20.
• * 1.30

  2 Cor. 5.14.
• * 1.31

  2 Tim. 2.9.
• * 1.32

  Rom. 10.10.
• * 1.33

  1 John 2.3.
• * 1.34

  Jer. 20.9.
• * 1.35

  Isa. 6.7.
• * 1.36

  Acts 10.38.
• * 1.37

  Luke 8.55.
• * 1.38

  Matth. 8.1••.
• * 1.39

  Jude 16.
• * 1.40

  Gen. 2.7.
• * 1.41

  1 Thes. 5.••3.