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cause_n	body_n	life_n	soul_n	5,160	5	5.5664	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09744	The vvhole sermons of that eloquent diuine, of famous memory; Thomas Playfere, Doctor in Diuinitie Gathered into one vollume, the titles thereof are named in the next page.; Sermons	Playfere, Thomas, 1561?-1609.; Playfere, Thomas, 1561?-1609. Path-way to perfection. aut; Playfere, Thomas, 1561?-1609. Heart's delight. aut; Playfere, Thomas, 1561?-1609. Power of praier. aut; Playfere, Thomas, 1561?-1609. Sick-man's couch. aut	1623 (1623)	STC 20003; ESTC S105046	300,452	702

and danger But I am ill aduised to meddle with these things I make no doubt but order will be taken though I hold my peace that hereafter the towne for all such casualties be better prouided Therefo●e here I ende God for his mercie sake grant that neither by too much presuming confidence we may neglect the lawfull meanes nor yet by too much distrusting diffidence wee may vse vnlawfull meanes but that depending vpon thy prouidence O Lord we may diligently follow the workes of our calling and so continually receiue a blessing from thee thorough Iesus Christ to whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be all praise and glorie now and euermore Amen FINIS A SERMON PREACHED at Hampton Court before the Kings Maiestie the 23. day of Septem 1604. 2. COR. 4.17 The momentarie lightnes of our affliction worketh vs a surpassing exceeding eternall waight of glory 2. Pet. 3. SAint Peter foretelleth that some should peruer● S. Pauls Epistles to their owne d●●na●ion Such are they of the Church of Rome Among other places of S. Pauls Epistles they doe notably peruert this For out of that the Apostle saith Affliction worketh glory they endeauour to conclude that the patience of the Saints and other their vertues merit euerlasting life But first the word To worke is very generall and signifieth not onely causes properly so named but also any antecedent though it be but an adiunct or an accident Againe the Apostles words elsewhere are these Rom. 8.18 I suppose that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glorie which shall be reuealed Wherefore they might haue done well to choose some indifferent construction which would haue reconciled both these places together rather then to embrace such an exposition of the one as doth iustle nay quite thrust out the other S. Bernard doth thus saying Via regni non causa regnandi that good workes are not any cause meriting a kingdome but onely a way directing to a kingdome For seeing they are no cause neither haue any correspondence or proportion in them in respect of the glorie to come therefore the Apostle saith The afflictions of this life are not worthy the glory that will be reuealed And yet againe because the possessing of our soules in patience is a way directly tending to the saluation both of our soules bodies therefore hee saith The momentarie lightnesse of our afflicton worketh vs a surpassing exceeding eternall weight of glory To which our Sauiour subscribeth in these words The gate is straight and the way narrowe which leadeth vnto life This straightnesse therefore and narrownesse of affliction is not a cause which deserueth but a gate or a way which leadeth vnto l●●e So in an other place we haue that by many tribulations wee must enter into the kingdome of heauen Not by many tribulations no nor by any tribulations we must merit heauen but by many tribulations as by a gate or way wee must enter into the kingdome of heauen And in this sense S. Paul sayes The momentarie lightnesse of our affliction worketh vs a surpassing exceeding eternall waight of glory But now though this sentence doe not confirme any Popish error yet it doth excellently comfort any distressed and afflicted For it exhorteth vs to be patient in all afflictions and that for foure reasons The two first drawn from the nature of our affliction the two last from the nature of that glorie which shal be the reward of our affliction The first is because our affliction is momentarie the second because our affliction is light the third because our glorie shall be eternall yea surpassing eternal the fourth because our glorie shall bee weightie exceeding waightie And therefore hee saith The momentarie lightnesse of our affliction worketh vs a surpassing exceeding eternall waight of glorie I need not here make any Apologie for my selfe not yet render any reason why I discourse of pouertie before the rich of affliction before those that are euery way flourishing Mv L. Almner Bishop Wa●●on vpon these words The poore man● dayes are alwayes euill Prou. 1● 15 This point was cleared so reuerently and so learnedly of late in this high presence that I am sure it must needes bee yet well remembred Certainely though ye haue not beene afflicted heretofore neither are at this time yet beeing men yet may be hereafter Wherefore it is not amisse that we all learne the doctrine of patience in tribulation Partly that we may be more thankefull to God if hitherto we haue not beene afflicted and plagued like other men Partly that if any time of affliction happen hereafter as any greife any losse any sicknes or such like we may be prepared aforehand and as it were armed with patience to endure it For the momentarie lightnesse of our affliction worketh vs a surpassing exceeding eternall w●ight of glory First our affliction is momentary 〈◊〉 sai's Eucherius Nihil est magnum re quod breue tempore Nothing is of great ●mportance which is of small cōtinuance Now our whole life is very short What is our life Iam 4.14 saith S. Iames It is a vapour which for a time appeareth but anon after vanisheth away Therefore saith the Prophet Psal. 56. ● O Lord thou knowest my life as it is in the Septuagint but as it is in the Hebrewe Thou knowest my flitting And therefore seeing our whole life is but a vapour or a flitting certenly our afflictions which are all comprised within the compasse of this life must needes be much more momentary All affliction as the Apostle writeth Heb. 12.11 for the presēt seemeth not to be ioyous but greiuous but afterward it bringeth forth the quiet fruits of righteousnesse to them that are exercised thereby He saith not that affliction is but that it seemeth to be So that affliction seemeth to be one thing and is indeede an other It seemeth to be greiuous it is indeed ioyous it seemeth to be troublesome it is indeede comfortable it seemeth to be long and tedious it is indeede momentary and short Euen as God himselfe determineth this matter for a moment Esa 54 8. saith he in mine anger for a little season haue I hid my face from you but in euerlasting mercy will I turne vnto you againe That we should not doubt of this doctrine he redoubles the promise for a moment for little season Psal. 30.6 Therefore the Princely Prophet say's plainly Heauines may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning As the two Angels then that came to Lot log'd with him for a night Gen. 19.2 and when they had dispatch't their errand went away in the morning so afflictions which are the Angels or the messengers of God God sendeth afflictions to doe an errand vnto vs to tell vs we forget God we forget our selues wee are too proud too selfe conceited and such like and when they haue said as they were bod then presently they are gone

will I speake that I may take breath m Iob. 3● 19 As Elibu then kept silence some while euen from good wordes though it were paine and griefe to him but at the last the fire kindling and his heart beeing hotte within him spake with his tongue n Psal. 39.3 so the spirit of God in all the elect of God is like wine put into a bottle which will haue a vent to spurge out or els it will burst the bottle or like fire rakte vp in embers which will haue a passage to burne out or els it wil consume the whole house o 1. Ioh. 2.9 And therefore Saint Iohn likewise saith Whosoeuer is borne of God doth not sinne for his seede remaineth in him neither can he sinne because hee is borne of God Marke yee this well The Apostle thinketh it not enough to say Hee doth not sinne but addeth moreouer He cannot sinne What is that To witte presumptuously without feare hee doth not sinne and desperately without remorse he can not sinne He can not sin I say presumptuously as Pharaoh did desperately as Caine did malitiously as Iudas did blasphemously as Iudas did He cannot hee cannot sinne thus Why so Because the seede of God remaineth still in him And what is the seede of God It is the spirit of God of which S. Paul saide euen now The spirit lusteth against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that ye cannot do the same thing that yee would Yee doe not sinne nay yee cannot sinne as the flesh would haue you ye cannot doe the same things that ye would but yee doe nay ye can not choose but doe manie times as the seede of God remaining in you and as the spirit of God lusting in you would haue you So that this is a legall kinde of preaching to say Take heede you sinne not yee may happen so to loose your faith to loose all the iustifying grace which God hath giuen vs to be for euer excluded out of the Kingdome of heauen This is to be sayde to vassals to drudges to slaues not to sonnes To sons this may bee better sayde p Heb. 12.5 vobis vt filijs Take heed yee sinne not God hath adopted you giuen you the earnest of his spirite q 2 Cor. 5.5 Therefore grieue not this sweete spirite whereby yee are sealed vp to the day of redemption r Eph. 4.30 If yee be louing children indeed though there were no hel to feare no heauen to hope for no torments to dread no rewards to expect yet wee will obey your good father be the sorrow-fullest Creatures in the world if you haue but once displeased him onely for the meere loue yee beate towards him and for the vnspeakeable loue hee hath shewed towardes you s Diligenti deū sufficit ei placere quem diligit quam nulla maior expeteuda est rem●●etatio quom ipsa dilectio Leo Magnus Serm. 7 de Ieiunio For if he gaue his onely begotten sonne to die for you whē ye were his enemies t Rom. 5.10 now you are sons and such deare sonnes in his dearest Sonne u Eph. 1.6 what duty will you denie him what loyaltie will you grudge him what heartie thankefulnesse and good will is there which you will not afford him what faithful honour and seruice is there which you will not yeeld him In one word ye holie ones of God I speake now to you all beloued he which stands much vpon this obiection hath no faith no repentance no iustifying grace at all in him For the faithfull will neuer make that liberty which Christ hath purchased for them with his precious bloud a cloake to couer their wickednesse x 1. Pet. 2.19 but rather a spurre to incite them to godlinesse y Luk. 1.74 Liberamur vt seruiam●s ei Neyther will they at any time reason thus z Rom. 6.15 VVe will sinne because wee are not vnder the Law but vnder grace nor yet thus a Rom. 6.2 We will continue in sinne that grace may abound but alwaies thus b Rom. 6.11 By that wee are deade to sinne wee gather that wee are aliue to God or else thus c Tit. 2.11 The grace of God hath appeared teaching vs to deny vngodlines and worldlie lusts Thus you see then howe the regenerate man euerie new acte of sinne must be bewailed by a new acte of Repentance For God wil not forgiue me except I repeut no more then I am bound to tell my brother I forgiue him except hee tell me He repents Naaman must wash himselfe seauen times before he can bee cleane the Angell of Ephesus must rise from his fall and doe the first workes or else his Candlesticke shall bee remoued the Church of Corinth though it bee neuer so Holie yet by sinne violating Gods loue must oftentimes bee reconciled anew euen king Dauid in this place though he were a man according to Gods own heart yet before Nathan would absolue him he was faine to crie Pecc●●● and before God would forgiue him he was faine to confesse his wickednes and to water his couch with his teares The second note is That a great act of sinne must be bewailed with a greate acte of Repentance I meane not that anie paine or griefe of ours can make satisfaction for the least of our sinnes or that one contrition can be any cause of remission but onelie that where sinne hath abounded there sorrowe shol●d abound also that Grace may superabound at the last d 5. Rom. 10. The Schoolmen shewe heere that great griefe may bee considered two waies According to a mans appretiation and according to his intension e Vide Bellar. de P●●itentia libro 2 ● 11 As the Patriarke Iacob in his intension did lament his sonne Ioseph whom he thought to be dead more pittifully then he did any sin that we read of f Gen. 37.34 but in the appretiation or estimation which hee had of the ●aynousnesse of sinne certainly he would rather haue lost tenne sonnes then once haue sinned against God Therfore howsoeuer in intention sorrow for sinne bee none of the greatest yet in appretiation they would euer haue it excessiue But we neede not borrow such vncoth wordes of the Schoolemen to expresse our meaning if we can tel how to vse those words which we haue of our owne For if wee looke narrowly into this place wee shall see that the Prophet Dauid is both waies in the highest degree sorrowfull First by how much the more dearely he esteemed Gods loue and friendshippe then the health of his body by so much the more is hee grieued that that is violated then that this is endangered And yet againe how intensiuelie and bitterlie he bewaileth not so much the sicknesse of his bodie as the cause thereof the sinne of his soule appeareth in that he tris●eth not but washeth his bed and water●●● his couch with his

he suffereth these senseles creatures to weep and to haue a liuely feeling of his death though they had no benefit by his death But being content himselfe to shed his dearest and his best bloud for vs yet will not suffer vs in recompence to shed so much as one little teare for him No no sayes he I will beare all the sorrow you shall haue only ioy and though I die and shed my very heart bloud for you yet you shall not so much as weepe or shed the least teare for me Not you weepe not for me Thus much for his Benignitie Lastly for Magnanimitie he sayes Not for mee Strange stoutnesse and courage Especially in him that was otherwise so milde and so meeke a lambe But here the cause quarrell being ours and he fighting for the saluatiō for our soules there is no rule with him hee plaies he Lion wheresoeuer he goes For holding now in his hand the cup of trembling and being ready to drinke vp the very dregs of it yet neither his hand nor his heart trembleth Ennius the Poet as Tullie testifieth could say thus much Let no man weepe for my death a Nemome lachrymis decoret And Saint Laurence the Martyr as Prudentius witnesseth Doe not weepe for my departure b Desi●●e discessu meo stetum dolentur sundere But as Ennius or any other Pagan could neuer come neere Christians in true magnanimitie So S. Laurence or any other Christian could neuer come neere Christ. The blessed Apostle S. Paul of any that euer I heard of commeth neerest to him going toward Ierusalē what do you saies he weeping breaking my heart for I am ready not only to be bound but euen to die also for the name of the Lord Iesus Euen so saith Christ here or rather indeed not so but a thousand times more couragiously going out of Ierusalem What doe you saies he weeping and breaking my heart for I am ready not onely to bee bound but euen to die also for the saluation of man He knew well enough his passion would be a new kind of transfiguration vnto him For at his transfiguration he was accompanied with his deere Disciples Peter Iames and Iohn but at his passion Peter denied him Iames and Iohn forsooke him And there he was vpon mount Tabor which smelled sweetly of hearbs and flowers but here he was vpon mount Caluery which smelled loathsomly of bones and dead mens sculs And there his face did shine as the Sun but here his face was couered nay it was buffeted and spit vpon And there his garments were white as the light but here his garments were parted nay they were like Iosephs coate all embrewed in bloud and he himselfe stript stark naked And there he was betweene two famous Prophets Moses and Elias but here when they thought hee called for Elias to helpe him Elias would not come nay he was betweene two theeues the one at his right hand the other at his left And there his Father spake most ioyfully to him from heauen This is my beloued Sonne in whom only I am pleased but here he screeched most lamentably to his Father from the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Yet behold behold the Magnanimitie of Christ. Christ knew well enough before hand of all this fearefull and horrible passion prepared for him wherein he was not transfigured as before but disfigured so as neuer was any man Yet nothing could moue him This cowardlinesse of his Disciples this noisomnesse of the place these diuelish buffets vpon his bare face these bloudy wounds vpon his naked body these vile theeues these hideous screeches could not one whit daunt his heroicall heart But euen as a noble Champion hauing already had a legge and an arme slasht off when all the stage in admiration of his valour and manhood cries Saue the Man saue the man yet puts out himselfe and standing vpon one legge and striking with one arme fights stil as stoutly as if he had neuer been hurt at all so Christ hauing bin scorned and scourged already when the whole theater of heauen and earth wept for him yea when the powers aboue the heauen came downe and the dead vnder the earth rose vp to mone and pitty him only he himselfe would neither aske any fauour of others nor yet shew any fauour to himselfe but was very angry called him Sathan that gaue him such counsell Yea though all the Saints in heauen and earth did bleed at the very heart c Coelum terra compatiuntur ci Anselmus inspeculo Euangel serm cap. 13. in a manner as much as hee himselfe did vpon the crosse to see so good a man so shamefully despighted yet nothing could stay him but still he went on forward as pleasantly and as cheerefully as to any banket or feast to this most rufull and dreadfull death O sweet Iesus O my deare Lord forgiue me I humbly beseech thee for thy mercy sake forgiue mee this one fault Thou wilt neither weep thy selfe nor yet suffer me to weep for thy death But I am contrariwise affected Though I do not see thee at this present led as a Lambe to the slaughter yet onely meditating of thy death so many hundred yeares after I cannot possibly refraine from weeping Yea by so much the more do I lament and mourn by how much the more I see th●e ioyfull glad Come forth yee daughters of Sion saith hee d Cant. 3.11 and behold King Salomon with the crowne wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his marriage and in the day of the gladnes of his heart As if he should haue said Come forth yee daughters of Ierusalem and behold Iesus Christ with the crowne of thorns wherewith the Synagogue of the Iewes crowned him in the day of his passion and in the day of his death vpon the Crosse. He calleth the day of his passion the day of his marriage and the day of his death vpon the crosse the day of the gladnesse of his heart Thus you see in this seuenth part the Wisedome the Benignitie the Magnanimitie of Christ in that he saith Not weepe Not you Not for me Weepe not for me Weepe not for me but weepe for your selues THE eighth part which is the last now onely remaineth But weepe for your selues Wherein wee must consider likewise three vertues that ought to be in vs Deuotion Compunction Compassion For Deuotion hee sayth But weepe For Compunction But you For compassion But for your selues But weepe But you But for your selues But weepe for your selues First for Deuotion hee saith But weepe Deuotion generally is a supernaturall dexteritie wrought by the Holy Ghost in the heart of a deuout man whereby hee is made prompt and ready to performe all those duties which appertaine to the seruice of God As a man may bee said to bee deuout in Preaching deuout in hearing deuout in making prayers deuout in giuing Almes But here especially

also heare vs before we crie and will helpe vs. And that which is most admirable of all though it were a thing which once he purposed neuer to giue vs yet if we aske it he will reuerse repeale his owne sentence to pleasure vs. God once repented him that hee had made man and said I will destroy man whom I haue made from the face of the earth yet when Noah had built an altar and praied to God b Gen. 8.22 The Lord smelled a fauour of rest and said in his heart I will not henceforth curse the earth any more for mans cause God once was so displeased with his people that he said flatly c No● addam vltra vt liberim vos I tel you truly I will deliuer you no more Yet whē they asked a deliuerer of him his verie soule was grieued within him for the misery of Israel and he gaue them Iephte to deliuer them from their enemies d Iudg. 10.16 God once sent Nathan with this message to Dauid As the Lord liueth the man that hath done this thing shall surely die yet when Dauid had asked forgiuenesse and saide Haue mercy vpon me O Lord after thy great goodnesse according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away mine offences God sent the same prophet with a contrarie message e 2. Sam. 12.13 The Lord hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not die God once sent Esay with this message to Ezechias Set thy house in order for thou shalt die and not liue yet when Ezechias had turned him toward the wal and wept and praied said O Lord remember howe I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart God sent the same prophet with a contrarie message f 2. Reg. 20●6 Thus saith the Lord I haue heard thy praiers and thy te●●●● and now behold thou shalt liue and not die Then did the king reioy● in thy strength O Lord exceeding glad was hee of thy saluation For thou didst graunt him his owne desire and didst not deny him the request of his lips Hee asked life of thee and thou gauest him a longer life euen fifteene yeeres longer As also here thou doest promise vs both for this life and for all temporall things concerning this yea though it bee a thing which once thou hadst purposed neuer to giue vs Aske and it shall be giuen you Yea not onely God will giue you temporall things but also you shall find spirituall things Yet the Church sayes g Can. 3.1 I sought him whome my soule loued I sought him and I found him not But the reason goes before because shee fought him in her bed she sought him not with her heart My soule looeth him sayes she yet at that time her heart loued her bed better Therefore sayes Augustine h Quarite quod quaritis sed non vbi quaritis Seeks what you seeke but seeke not where you seeke Seeke Christ that 's a good what Seeke what you seeke But seeke him not in bed That is an il where But seeke not where you seeke Moses found Christ not in a soft bed but in a bramble bush So that the bed is no fitte place to finde him in who had not where to rest himselfe But go into the garden among the humble bushes and there you shall finde him not sleeping but sweating droppes of blood for your redemption and calling you to him i Math. 11.29 Come vnto mee all you that labour not you that lye a bed and are secure but you that labour and are heauy laden and I will refresh you Take my yoke vpon you and you shall finde rest for your soules If you seeke rest with your hearts with your soules you shall find rest for your soules and that rest also which is not to be found in the bed of pleasure but in the yoke of Christ. If thou seekest for this spirituall rest as for siluer and search for it as for treasures k Prou. 2.5 then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lord find the knowledge of God Therefore seeke the Lord not in the bed of sensuality but where he may be found And seeke the Lord while hee may bee found l Esay 55.6 Or rather indeed though not in what place soeuer yet at what time so euer wee sinners seeke we shall be sure to finde him that sayes I am found of them that sought mee not m Esa. 65.1 So that no 〈◊〉 seeking God shall returne with a Non o●t inuentus but we that haue erred and 〈◊〉 ed like lost sheepe shall find him or ●●●ther we shall bee found of him before we seeke him And that which is most wonderfull of all we shall not onely finde oftentimes before wee seeke but also we shall finde much more then wee seeke That good Centurion n Math. 8.8 sought only one word Dis verbu 〈…〉 sayes he but he found more Christ vttered not onely one word whereby his seruant was healed But also very many words wherein hee gaue him selfe a most singular praise and commendation for his faith Dymas the thiefe on the right hand o Luk. 23.42 sought onely to bee re●●mb●ed when Christ should come into his kingdome but he found more What takest thou of beeing remembred sayes Christ as though thou shouldest be farre ●●mme out of my sight Tush man I will doe more for the● then so Thou hast not onely bee remembred but thou shalt be with me And why saies thou whē I come into my kingdome as though it would be a long while first This very day shalt thou be with me in my kingdom this day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise That needy man in the Gospel p Luk. 11 19 sought onely to borrow three loaues but he foūd more God his good friend bad him welcom at midnight and did not only lend him but frankely and freely giue him not onely three loaues but as many as he needed Hee gaue him as many as he needed 〈◊〉 q 2. Cro. 1.1 sought onely wisedome but he found more Seeing he sought first the kingdom of God and the righteousnesse thereof all other things besides were added vnto him Wherefore if any man want wisdome or any such spirituall thing let him with S●lomon seeke it for God and hee shal finde it Yea we shall finde infinitely about measure more then we seeke or can deuise to seeke of him that saies Seeke and ye shall find Yea not onely you shall finde spirituall things but also it shal be opened vnto you that● for eternall things yet we read that some began to knocke saying r Luc. 12.24 Lord Lord open vnto vs and it was not opened vnto them But the reason is euident elsewhere Because they did not knock with their hands They had I grant Lampes in their hāds but they had not oyle in their lampes So that all their knocking 〈◊〉 but as a sounding brasse or as a

our good freinds doe now earnestly desire to bee made partakers of our peace What doe I speake of men The very heauen the elements and this so seasonable haruest An. 1604. such as hath not been knowne if one may take any gesse by these outward things doe plainely declare that God is now with vs purposeth to power out his blessings and benefits most abundantly vpon vs. Nothing then remaineth but that as God is with vs so we labour to be with God And as S. Peter admonisheth vs make our election sure by faith and good workes liuing soberly vprightly and godly in this present world That so we may feare no cruelty of man no misery of the world no entisements of the flesh no terrors of the deuill but in all these things may bee more then conquerours assuring our selues that if God be with vs nothing can be against vs. Which that it may be so God graunt for Iesus Christs sake to whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory now and euermore Amen Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the Ioue of God and the fellowship of the holy Ghost be with vs that nothing may be against vs this day and euermore Amen FINIS A SERMON PREACHED at the Court at Whitehall March 10. 1598. IOHN 20.27 After said he to Thomas Put thy finger here and see my hands and put forth thy hand and put it into my side and bee not faithlesse but faithfull OVr blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ hath his wounds yet to be seene in his body for foure causes First to approoue his resurrection secondly to appease his Father thirdly to confound his enemies fourthly to comfort his friends After said he to Thomas Put thy finger here and see my hands and put forth thy hand and put it into my side and be not faithles but faithfull The first cause why Christ hath his wounds yet to be seene in his body is to approoue his resurrection When Iacobs children told him saying Ioseph is yet aliue his heart failed and he beleeued them not but as soone as he saw the chariots which were sent for him by and by his spirit reuiued and he said I haue enough Gen. 4● 28 Ioseph my sonne is yet aliue In like manner when the Disciples said to Thomas we haue seene the Lord he beleeued them not but nowe that hee beholdeth Christs glorious wounds the triumphant tokens of his victorie and the chariots as I may say whereby we are with Elias carried vp into heauen he confesseth indeede that Christ is risen againe and that the true Ioseph is yet aliue Io● 11.4 Euen as Anna seeing that spaniell cōming homeward which went forth with her sonne at the first knew certainely that her sonne Tobias himselfe was not farre off but followed immediately after so Thomas seeing those wounds in Christ which accompanied him to his graue knew assuredly that no other body was risen againe but onely the very selfe same body of Christ which was buried S. Peter beeing brought out of prison by an Angel went forth with to the house of Marie Act. 12.14 where knocking and calling to get in a maiden named Rhode before euer she sawe him knewe him by his voice And although they that were within tolde her she wist not what she said yet shee still constantly affirmed it was none other but he Christs rising out of the graue was as strange as Peters deliuerance out of prison the rowling away of the stone as strange as the opening of the yron gate And ●lbeit Thomas was not so forward as Rhode to know Christ by his voice when he said Peace bee vnto you yet as soone as Christ tooke him by the hand and shew'd hi●● his side he made no more doubts but presently beleeued For if Pr●tog●●●s seeing but a little line drawne in ● table k●ewe straightwaies it was Ap●lles doing whome he had neuer seene Plin. lib. 35. c. 10 how much more easily then might Thomas know Christ seeing not onely one line but very many lines yea whole pictures of his passion and of his r●surrection in his head in his hands in his side in his feete When King Arthurs bodie was taken vp somewhat more then sixe hundred yeares after his death Stow pag. 61. it was knowne to be his by nothing so much as by the prints of ●enne seuerall wounds which appeared in his sk●ll Christ our King who did ouercome death could likewise if it had pleased him haue quite and cleane defaced and abolished all the markes of death Neuerthelesse as at his transfiguration he shewed Peter Iames and Iohn the signes of immortalitie in his bodie which was then mortall so here contrariwise at his resurrection he sheweth Thomas the signes of mortalitie in his bodie which is now immortall That he and all we might vndoubtedly confesse that though they perhaps might bee deceiued in King Arthurs bodie yet we can neuer be deceiued so long as we beleeue that the very same body of Christ which in Golgotha the place of dead mens skuls was wounded from top to toe and put to death for vs is now risen again from death to life Euen as King Alexanders stagges were knowne a hundred yeares together Plin. l. 8. c. 32. by those golden collars which by the kings commandement were put about their necks so much more might Thomas know Christ by his wounds which were as a comly ornament to his head and as chaines vnto his necke we also when we preach the resurrection of Christ preach no other thing but that which we haue heard which we haue seen with our eies which we haue looked vpon and our hands haue handled of the word of life Socrates in his Ecclesiasticall historie writeth that Athanasius beeing accused by one Ian●●● to haue killed Arsenius and after to haue cut off his hand that he might vse it to magick and sorcerie cleared himselfe notably of this slander Hauing by good happe found out Arsenius who lay hid for the nonce hee brought him before the Co●ncel of Tyrus and there asked his accuser whether hee euer knew Arsenius or no He answered yes Then Athanasius called him forth with his hands couered vnder his cloake and turning vp the one side of his cloak● shewed them one of his hands And when most men surmised lib. 1. c. ●1 that th' other hand at least wise was cut off Athanasius without any more ado casteth vp the other side of his cloake and sheweth the second hand saying You see Arsenius hath two hands now let mine accuser shewe you the place where the third hand was cut-off Christs case was euen almost the same Hee was thought by some to be quite dead and gone But Thomas seeing those very hands of his which were nailed to the crosse acknowledgeth that this our brother was dead and is aliue againe was lost and is found