head and his left hand doth embrace vs so that though we should fall yet we can not be hurt because the Lord stayeth and supporteth vs with his hand Therefore S. Chrysostome giues vs good counsell not to haue iayes eyes but eagles eyes that we may behold these hands of Christ and see his side in the sacrament For indeede as o◅ten as we celebrate the memorie of our Lords death Christ our Sauiour deliuering the bread and the cuppe by his minister saith in a sort to euery faithfull receiuer Put thy finger here and see my hands and put forth thy hand and put it into my side and be not faithlesse but faithfull But yet we shall not alwaies drinke of this fruit of the vine The time will come when we shall drinke a new kinde of wine in Christs kingdome Wherefore he saies As often as ye shal eate this bread and drinke this cup you shall shew the Lords death til he come Till he come Declaring hereby that when he is come his death shall be shewed an other way Namely by his wounds which alwaies he sheweth to his Saints Euen as vve sing in that heauenly Hymne or Psalme The humble suit of a sinner Whose bloody wounds are yet to see though not with mortall eye yet doe thy Saints behold them all and so I trust shall I. O how vnspeakeably doe the Saints reioyce how glori◅ also shall we triumph when we shall see Christ in his kingdome and behold those blessed wounds of his whereby he hath purchased so many and so great good things for vs This is the new wine which we shall drinke This is the Eucharist of the Angels the food of the Elect the spirituall banket of the Saints For wheresoeuer the dead bodie is thither fhall the eagles resort And we that with eagles wings flie vp by faith into heauen shall euer resort to this dead bodie and we shall vnsatiably desite to feede our eyes and our soules with the sight of Christ who was once dead and euen now hath in his bodie those skarres which continue the memorie of his death that in all eternitie it may neuer be forgotten Thus these heauenly wounds of Christ delight and comfort his friends As the cities of refuge which saue the sinner as the holes of the rock which defend the doue as the shadow of the iuniper tree which reuiueth the wearied as the doore of the Arke which preserueth the world as the lure of the soule which calleth home the Shulamite as the pot of Manna which nourisheth the Israelite as the well of Iacob which refresheth the ◅hirstie as the poole of Bethesda which ◅ealeth the sicke as the armes of the shepheard which gather his lambs as the wings of the eagle which beare vp her birds So doe the hands and side of Christ comfort his friends As if our Sauiour should say thus to euery one of his friends Can a woman forget her child and not haue compassion on the son of her wombe though they should forget yet would not I forget thee Behold I haue grauen thee vpon the palmes of my hands Here I haue still in my hands that price of thy redemption which I paid for thee so that no man can take thee out of my hands Yea I haue written and sealed thy saluation in my side A speare is the penne my blood is the inke my bodie is the paper Here thou maist see the bowels of my compassion thorough the wounds of my passion Assure thy selfe therfore assure thy selse of my loue of my good will of my fauour for euer Make no doubt of it If thou doubt any thing Put thy finger here and see my hands and put forth thy hand and put it into my side and be not faithlesse but faithful So much for the fourth cause which is to comfort his friends You see then blessed Christians you see how these causes of Christs wounds differ one from an other The first cause to approoue his resurrection was but neither is nor shall be The second cause to appease his father was and is but shall not be The third cause to confound his enemies neither was nor is but shall be The fourth cause to comfort his friends both was and is and shall be So that Christs wounds did serue to approoue his resurrection onely between his resurrection and his ascension doe serue to appease his father onely between his ascension his second comming shal serue to confoūd his enemies onely at the day of iudgement did doe and shall serue to comfort his friends for euer Wherefore though we be neuer so great sinners yet let vs neuer despaire of the grace and mercie of Christ. His hands are still stretched out to embrace vs his side is alwaies open to receiue vs. Therefore let vs creepe low and come humbly to him that we may with the woman in the Gospel touch but the hemme of his garment nay that we may with S. Iohn leane vpon his blessed bosome yea that we may with S. Thomas in this place put our fingers into his hands and our hands into his side And euen as Constantine the great vsed to kisse that eye of Paphnutius which was boared out in Maximinus time and the Iayler in the Acts washed S. Pauls stripes wounds so let vs kisse the Sonne least he be angrie honour his holy wounds which are the pretious balme wherewith he hath healed vs and restored vs to euerlasting life To the which we beseech thee O good Lord to bring vs not for our owne deserts or merits but for the tender bowels of Christ Iesus loue and mercie toward vs to whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour and praise both now and for euermore Amen FINIS Matth. 5. v. 19. He that both doeth and teacheth the same shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen BEloued in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ It is a verie monstrous thing that any man should haue more tongues then hands For God hath giuen vs two hands and but one tongue that we might doe much and say but little Yet many say so much and doe so little as though they had two tongues and but one hand nay three tongues and neuer a hand In so much as that may be aptly applied to them which Pandulphus said to some in his time You say much but you do litle you say well but you doe ill againe you doe little but you say much you doe ill but you say well Such as these which do either worse thē they teach or else lesse then they teach teaching others to doe well and to doe much but doing no whit themselues may be resembled to diuerse things To a whet stone which being blunt it selfe makes a knife sharpe To a painter which beeing deformed himselfe makes a picture faire To a signe which beeing weather-beaten and hanging without it selfe directs passengers into the Inne To a bell which beeing deafe and
yea whole pictures of his passion and of his resurrection in his head in his hands in his side in his ◅eete When king Arthurs bodie was taken vp somewhat more then sixe hundred yeares after his death it was knowne to be his by nothing so much as by the prints of ten seuerall wounds which appeared in his skull 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 immortality in his body which was then mortall so here contrariwise at his resurrection he sheweth Thomas the signes of mortalitie in his bodie which is nowe immortall That he and all we might vndoubtedly con◅sse that though they perhaps might be deceiued in King Arthurs bodie yet we can neuer be deceiued so long as we beleeue that the verie same bodie 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 by those golden collars which by the kings commandement were put about their necks so much more might Thomas know Christ by his woundes 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 seene 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 being accused by one Iannes to haue killed Arsenius and after to haue cut off his hand that he might vse it to magick and ◅orcerie cleared himselfe notably of this slander Hauing by good happe found out Arsenius who lay hid for the nonce he brought him before the Counsell of Tyrus and there asked his accuser whether he 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 cloake shewed them one of his hands And when most men surmised that th◅ other hand ◅t leastwise was cur o◅f Athanasius without any more adoe 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 He was thought by some to be quite dead and gone Bu◅ Thomas seeing those very hands of his which were n◅iled to the crosse acknowledgeth that this our brother was dead and is aliue againe was lost an◅ is found For if the spies that were se◅ to viewe Iericho knew Rahabs hou◅ from all the rest by a red thread whi◅h hung out of the windowe how much more easily then might Thomas know Christ especialy seeing Rahabs house was a figure of Christs body the windowe a signe of the wound in his side the red thread a figure of the streame of blood issuing out of that wound When Vlysses had beene long from home no man almost at his returne knew him yet Euriclea his nurce espying by chance the mark of a wound in his foote which he got by hunting the wild boare by and by made him known to his friends In like manner Thomas beholding the wounds not of Christs feete onely but also of his whole bodie beleeueth verily though the wild boare out of the wood stroake sore at him that he might fall yet that he hath now recouered him selfe and is risen and returned home againe Euen as the wise men knewe Christ was borne by the starre which appeared in the East and knewe also where he lay when he was borne by the standing of that star directly ouer against him so Thomas not by one starre but by many starres which notwithstanding are more beautifull and bright then all the starres of heauen knoweth and confesseth that the true sunne of righteousnesse is now risen and shineth ouer all the earth Thus these blessed wounds witnesse and my hands and put forth thy hand and put it into my side and be not faithlesse but faithfull So much for the first cause which is to approoue his resurrection The second caus◅ why Christ hath his wounds yet to be seene in his body is to appease his father Almightie God was once readie to haue destroied the Israelites had not Moyses his chosen stood before him in the gap Moyses as he was a mediator betweene God and the people was a singulur type of the Messias to come And standing in the gap he did as it were point to Christ. For when our Sauiours side was woū ded then indeede there was a great gap and a great breach made by which all we that beleeue in him may escape Therefore Moyses his standing before the Lord in the gap did signifie as S. Barnard noteth that Christ making intercession before his father for vs shold alwaies stand in the gap and shew how he himself was broken vpon the crosse and as I may say troden downe for our redemption That poore creeple also which begged at the beautifull gate of the temple teacheth vs what he continually doth who when he was rich became poore for our sakes The temple is his bodie which after it had been destroied was built vp againe in three daies The beautifull gate of this temple is the pretious wound in his side of which the Psalmist saies This is the gate of the righteous the iust shall enter in by it Therefore as that poore creeple lying at the beautifull gate of the temple was healed by S. Peter so Christ lying a◅ the beautifull gate of his owne body shewing his most grieuo◅s b◅t yet most glorious susferings and torments appeaseth his fathers wrath and obtaineth whatsoeuer he intreateth of him King Ezekias hauing receiued rayling letters from Senacherib went vp to the temple and spread the letters before the Lord and praied saying Open thine eyes O Lord and see and heare all the words of Senacherib who hath sent to blaspheme the liuing God No Ezekias was euer more taunted and reuiled more scorned and reproched then he who was counted the shame of men and the outcast of the people Wherefore now he spreadeth forth and laieth open not onely the blasphemous words which were v◅tred against him but also the dolorous wounds and gashes which were giuen him that so he may put out the hand-writing that was against vs and appease his father and throughly reconcile him to vs. And looke how king Salomon when he praied for the people stood before the altar and stretched out his hands toward heauen in semblable wise Christ who is farre greater then Salomon standeth euermore beside the altar o◅ his crosse and stretcheth out his beskarred and
separate him from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus Wherefore seeing the godly man is so inuincible that neither the gates of hell nor the flood-gates of many waters can preuaile against him Surely in the flood of many waters they shall not come neere him In the last place must be considered the asseueration Surely For if both liuing and dying my 〈◊〉 be most certaiâ—…e in Christ and yet I know not so much what comfort can I gather thereby Now in all aduersities this is my greatest ioy that the fauour of God which is most constant in it selfe is fully assured also to me For I know that my redeemer liueth And if I be iudged I know I shall be found righteous And I know whome I haue beleeued and I am sure In one word I am Surely perswaded that neither life nor death nor any thing els can separate vs froÌ„ Christ. Nay in all the flood of waters we shall be more then conquerours They shall not come neere to conquer vs. But rather we shall conquer them Yea that which is strangest of all Surely we shall be more then conquerers ouer them Though an hoast of men were laid against me yet shall not my heart be afraid and though there rose vp warre against me yet will I put my trust in it Not in him as it is ill translated in the English but in it that is In the very warre it selfe I will not feare Nay I will be of good hope Yea Surely in the very warre will I hope and trust For euen as a building made arch-wise the more waight is laide vpon it the more strong still it is so the more force and strength is brought against me the greater triumph victorie I shall haue Therefore I will not be afraid of tenne thousand of the people that haue seâ—… themselues against me round about For a thousand of them shall 〈◊〉 at my side and ten thousand at my right hand but they shall not come neere me The Arke in the 〈◊〉 was not drowâ—…ed as other things were but floated vpon the waters Yea the higher the waters encreased the higher Surely for that did the Arke still arise Likewise the redde â—…ea did not hinder the Israelites passage but opened an easie way to them Yea Surely it vvas morcouer as a vvall to backe them against all their enemies The vvordes o Saint Iames are verâ—…e plaine My brethren count it exceeding â—…oy when you fall into diuers temptations Tentaâ—…ion of it selfe doth vexe and disquiet a man But to the godly it is a ioy As we read els where That they â—…vhich are iustisied by 〈◊〉 haue peace nay haue easie accesse to God and great ioy in tribulations But the Apostle adding that this ioy is not common or ordinarie but Surely exceeding ioy raiseth vp the ampliâ—…ication as high as may be Whereunto S. Paul also accordeth We are afâ—…licted on euery side yet we are not in distresse in pouertie but not ouercome of pouertie we are persecuted but not forsaken cast down but we perish not Here he prooueth directly that the flood commeth not neere the faithfull But where is the Surely It followeth in the same epistle As dying and behold we liue as chastened and yet not killed as sorrowing and yet alwaies reâ—…oycing as poore and yet making many rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing all things O the securiâ—…ie and feliciâ—…ie of the faithfull For his faith maketh life of death ioy of sorrowe riches of pouertie What shall I say more or what would you haue me say more then as the Apostle saies It makes all things of nothing As hauing nothing saies he and yet pâ—…ss ssi g all thingâ—… But the special thing to be noted in this sentence is As dying and Behold we liue For they import that death is no death but As it were death an image or a shadowe of death beeing indeede life and Surely a better life and more immortall then we had here Therefore he saies Behold we liue to shewe that by death the faithfull liue a life wherein there is some great specialty and excellency worthy indeed to be beholded regarded As if he should say Behold we liue Behold we liue a more happy life then euer we liued in our life S. Augustin often commeÌ„deth the saying of his master S. Ambrose when he was readie to die Speaking to Stilico and others about his bed I haue not liued so among you saith he that I am ashamed to liue longer if it please God and yet again I am not afraid to die because we haue a good Lord. He doth not say Mine ovvne goodnesse puts me out of feare but Gods goodnesse This goodnesse of God makes me quiet in my conscience and secure in soule readie to embrace death vvhensoeuer it commeth Wherefore Surely is fitly added For afflictions as vvaters doe not ouercome the faithfull Nay they come not neere him But contrariwise the faithfull conquereth afflictions Yea Surely he is in them all more then a conquerour In vvarre he is not afraid Rather he greatly hopeth And Surely euen in the verie vvarre he hopeth The flood of vvaters commeth not neere to drovvne the Arke but lift it vp And so much the higher Surely the arke still riseth as the flood riseth The sea staieth not the Israelites passage It is a dry land for them to march on As a vvall moreouer to backe them Surely against all their enemies Tentation not onely is no matter of sorrovve but also on the other side of ioy Surely of great ioy Death is no death but a life and Surely such a life as onely of it vve may say Behold vve liue So happie both in life and death is the faithfull man Surely in the flood of many waters they shall not come neere him To conclude then No calamitie or aduersitie can possibly disseuer that coniunction vvhich faith maketh of euery godly man with Christ. For feeling the remission of his sinnes assured and sealed vnto him he contemneth not onely the works of the world and dismaiments of his conscience but euen the very feares and terrours of death This our deare brother M. Edward Liuely who now resteth in the Lord lead a life which in a manner was nothing els but a continuall flood of many waters Neuer out os suits of law neuer-ceasing disquieters of his studie His goods distrained and his caâ—…tell driuen off his ground as Iobs was His deare wife beeing not so well able to beare so great a flood as he euen for very sorrow presently died A lamentable and ruefull case So many children to hang vpon his hand for which he had neuer mainâ—…enance neither yet now had stay his wife beeing gone Well but that sorrowfull time was blowne ouer He was appointed to be one of the chiefest translators And as soone as it was knowne how farre in this trauaile he did more then any of the rest he