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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

in it so the Lord onely hath all manner of good things al manner of true delights in him Therefore the Church hauing first bestowed the greatest part of Salomons song altogether in commendation of the beautie and comelinesse of Christ at length concludeth thus Thy mouth is as sweet things and thou art wholly delectable how faire art thou how pleasant art thou O my loue in pleasures So that when I seeke my loue my Lord then I seeke a delight and a light that passeth all lights which no eye hath seene I seeke a sound and an harmonie that passeth al harmonies which no eare hath heard I seeke a sent and asauour that passeth all sauours which nosense hath smelt I seeke a rellish and a tast that passeth al taste which no tongue hath tasted I seeke a contentment and a pleasure that passeth all pleasures which no body hath felt Nay I cannot hold my heart for my ioy yea I cannnot hold my ioy for my heart to think that he which is my Lord is now become my father and so that he which was offended with me for my sins sake is now reconciled to mee for his sonnes sake To think that the high Maiesty of God will one day raise me out of the dost and so that I which am now a poore worme vpon earth shall hereafter bee a glorious Saint in heauen This this makes mee delight my selfe in the Lord saying O thou that art the delight of my delight the life of my life the soule of my soule I delight my selfe in thee I liue onely for thee I offer my selfe vnto thee wholly to the wholly one to thee one onely to thee r Totum toti vnum vni vnicum vnico onely For suppose now as S. Iohn speaketh the whole world were full of bookes and al the creatures in the world were writers all the grasse piles vpon the earth were pennes and all the waters in the sea were yoke yet I assure you faithfully all these bookes all these writers all these pennes all this yoke would not bee sufficient to describe the very least pert either of the goodnes of the Lord in himselfe or of the louing kindnesse of the Lord towards thee Wherefore Delight thy selfe in the Lord and he shall giue thee the desires of the heart Thus much for the precept in these words Delight thy selfe in the Lord. The promise followeth First And hee shall giue thee Well saies Leo Loue is the greatest reward of loue that either can be or can be desired s Dilectionis nulla maior expetenda est remuncratio quam ipsa dilectio Ser. 7. de ieiu So that though there were no other reward promised thee for delighting in the Lord but onely the delight it selfe it were sufficient For the benefit is not Gods but wholly thine God is neuer a whit the better for thy delighting thy selfe in him If thou bee righteous what dost thou giue him what doth bee receiue at thy hands t Iob. 32.7 Thy delight may perhaps reach to the saints which are in the earth but it can neuer reach to the Saints which are in heauen and much lesse can it reach to God which is the Lord of heauen u Psal. 16.2 Nay I will say more If thou shouldest giue God whole riuers full of oyle and whole houses full of gold for neuer so little a drop of this delight it would be nothing Thy gift wold be nothing to his gift thy oyle and golde would be nothing to his oyle and gladnes yet behold the bountifulnesse and liberalitie of the Lord. He ●ires thee and giues thee wages not to doe himselfe good but to doe thy selfe good And here he promiseth to reward his owne mercies as if they were thine owne merits And as though the benefit were not thine but wholly his so hee changeth the words and for thou shalt giue him saies He shall giue thee But this he doth as Augustine testifieth x Non erroris amoris sed amoris errore De ciuit dei lib. 22. cap. 6. Not by the loue of errour but by the errour of loue For the loue of errour is mans Rhetoricke it is a figure which man often vseth H●manum est errare y It is mans property to erre But the errour of loue is Gods Rhetoricke it is a figure which God often vseth Diuinum est amare z It is Gods property to loue Especially it is a diuine thing to loue so dearely as God loueth vs. Who though he do not loue to erre yet he doth erre for loue Counting and calling that which is onely our commodity his owne commodity So Christ is said a Can. 2.16 to be fed amongst the lylies The lylies of the fields are the milions of the angels b Lilia agrorū millia angelorum or of al those which lead a pure an angelicall life These indeed Christ feedeth He feedeth them on the greene pastures and leadeth them forth by the waters of comfort Yea not onely be feedeth them but also by this figure the error of loue he is said to be fed with them Because though he for his part haue little neede I wis to be feede yet it is as great a pleasure to him to feede them as if hee were fedde himselfe among them c Si vidisti quod pasci illi sit pascere vide esiam nūc ne forte e conuerso nascere sit ei pasci Barnard Cant. serm 71 So likewise he saies If any man open the doore I will suppe with him and be with me d Reu. 3.20 Wee indeede suppe with Christ. Generally whensoeuer he giues vs grace to feele in our affections the rauishing ioyes of the spirit And when he saies I haue eaten my bonie combe with my hony I haue drunken my wine with my milke eate you also O my friends drinke and make you merry O my well beloued But more especially wee suppe with Christ when hee calls vs to the holy Communion and biddes vs to the Lords Supper For then he staies vs with flagons and comforts vs with e Cant. 3.20 apples with apples and flagons with bread and wine with his owne deere body and his owne pretious bloud Thus do wee sup with Christ. B●t how doth Christ suppe with vs Is it possible possible that he which shall neuer hunger or thirst any more possible that be which is fulnesse it selfe in whom all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily dwelleth Is it possible I say that hee should stand without knocking at the doore as a begger to get a meales meat of vs Yea sure doubt you not It is possible enough By a certaine Figure I weene you call it the errour of loue that 's it by this figure the errour of loue it is a very possible thing nay it is a verie easie thing to doe yea it is a very great pleasure to him to doe it Behold saies hee I stand at the d●re and

Noah saued all by the doore in the side of the arke Christ redeemeth all by the door● in the side of his bodie Noah the fortieth day after the decreasing of the flood opened the windowe Christ the fortieth day after his resurrectiō ascendeth vp and openeth heauen Lo ye how all things agree together None but Noah none but Christ Noahs rest Christs peace Noahs arke Christs crosse Noahs water Christs woe Noahs doore Christs side Noahs windowe Christs kingdome The Prophet Hose foretelleth that Ephraim shall flie away like a bird This is fulfilled not only in Ephraim but euen in all mankind All haue gone astray all haue flowen away from God as a hau●e which takes a check and giues ouer her pray wherefore Christ holding out his wounded and bloody hands as meat to reclaime vs calleth vs as it were and saith Returne returne O Shulamite returne returne Can. 6 12. that we may behold thee Prudentius writeth that when Asclepiades commaunded the tormentors to strike Romanus on the mouth the meeke martyr answered I thanke thee O captaine that thou hast opened vnto me many mouthes whereby I may preach my Lord and Sauiour Tot ecce laudant or a quot sunt vulnera Looke howe many wounds I haue so many mouthes I haue to praise and laud the Lord. And looke how many wounds Christ hath so many mouthes he hath to call vs to himselfe so many lures he hath to make our soule flie for comfort onely vnto him Manna was a most comfortable meate which God gaue the Israelites It was like to coriander seede and the tost of it was like vnto wafers made with honey Exod. 16.32 This our holy Sauiour applieth to himselfe For when the Capernites said Our fathers did eate Manna in the desert Iesus answered Your fathers did eate Manna in the wildernesse and are dead I am the liuing bread which came downe from heauen Therefore as then there was a golden pot of Manna kept in the Tabernacle that the posteritie might see the bread wherewith the Lord fed them so there is yet a golden pot of Manna kept in heauen Bernard de amor dei c. 2. that the faithfull in all ages may tast and see how sweete the Lord is which feedeth them with his owne body and blood the least droppe whereof though it be as small as a 〈◊〉 and or seede yet it is as sweet as a wafer made with honey Hard it is to giues reason wherefore Christ when he came to the citie of Sichar in Samari● 〈◊〉 was Iacobs well sate downe vpon the well about the sixt houre But certainly he did this not so much for himselfe as for vs. That hereby we might learne when the sunne is hotest about the 〈◊〉 houre of the day whē we are most exercised with afflictions when we are ●●rest grieued for our sins alwaies to haue recourse vnto Christ alwaies to see with the King into the wineselles alwaies to sit downe vpon Iacobs well Ioh. 4.6 Of which the Prophet Zacharie sai●s In that day there shall be a fountaine opened to the house of Dauid and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for vncleanenesse In omnibus aduersitatibus n● inueni tam essicax remedium quam vulnera Christi Manu 22. Whereupon S. Austin saith verie diuinely In all aduersities saies he I could neuer yet find any remedie so comfortable and so effectuall as the wounds of Christ. Christ is not vnlike to the poole in Ierusalem Ioh. 5.1 called Bethesda hauing fiue porches which being troubled by an angel healed any man that went first into it what soeuer disease he had Bethesda signifieth the house of effusion or powring out in which house Christ dwelt when he powred out his blood and his soule for our saluation Therefore he alone is the angel which came downe at a certaine season into the poole and troubled the water because when the fulnes of time was come he came into the world to be troubled himselfe and to be crucified that he might heale not onely that one man which had been diseased eight a●d thirtie yeares but euen all mankinde with the troubled water and blood which issued out of his side So that there is nothing so comfortable for sicke and sinnefull men as to fit in the seates and porches of this poole Wonderfull are the words of the Prophet concerning Christ He shall seede his flocke like a shepheard Esa. 40.11 he shall gather the lambs with his armes had 〈◊〉 thē in his bosom Which was profigur'd in the high Priest who did beare vp with his shoulders a breast pla●e wherin were the names of the twelue tribes written in twelue precious stones That which the shepheard doth with his armes and bosom that which the high Priest doth with his shoulders 〈◊〉 that doth Christ with his hands and side He is the good shepheard which bringeth home the lost 〈◊〉 vpon 〈◊〉 shoulders Yea he writeth the 〈◊〉 of all his sheepe in his precious wounds which are the precious stones vpon his breast-plate that both declare his loue to vs. also allure vs to loue him This makes Dauid say in great 〈◊〉 The Lord is my shepheard ther 〈◊〉 can I lacke nothing He shall feeded 〈◊〉 in a greene pasture and lead men forth beside the waters of comfort For 〈◊〉 henne gathereth her brood vnder her wings so God gathereth his children together Deut 30.11 And as an eagle stirreth vp her nest flotereth ouer her birds taken them and beareth them on her wings so Christ carrieth vs vp in his hands to the high places of the earth and causeth vs to sucke bonie out of the stone and oyle out of the hard rock Butheius an excellent painter painted an eagle carrying Ganimedes into heauen so nicely and tenderly that her talents did not 〈◊〉 him but onely beare him vp And in like sort Christ beareth vs vp in his hands that we dash no● our foot against a stone yea his right hand is vnder our head quis Dominus supponit ma. num suam and his le●t hand doth embrace vt so ther though we should fal yet we cannot 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 wee may behold these hands of Christ and see his side in the Sacrament For indeede as often 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 euerie faithful 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 y● shall eate this bread and drinke this cup you shall sh●w the

he that all my teaching without doing all my knowledge without goodnes is to no purpose Therfore O Lord giue me goodnes and knowledge But first goodnes and then knowledge Because indeede one heartfull of goodnesse is worth an hundred headfulls of knowledge one handfull of doing is worth an hundred tongue-fuls of teaching For what is the hand els but the very seale of the tongue So that as a writing is not pleadable by the law of man without seales no more is a word warrantable by the law of God without works And therefore if they which serue the beast receiue the marke of the beast not onely in their foreheads but also in their hands how much more then ought we which serue the liuing God to receiue the marke of God not onely in our foreheads by open professing of him but also in our hands by faithful practising that which we professe Therefore it is an vsuall phrase well-nigh in all the Prophets to say The word of the Lord by the hand of Amos by the hand of Zacharie or such like I know indeede it is an Hebrewe phrase where the hand of the Prophet signifieth the ministerie of the Prophet But yet this phrase may giue vs thus much to vnderstand that if the Prophets deale so as euery word of God passed not only thorough their mouthes but also through their hands that when we also must so deale in hearing and handling the word of God as we may bring vnto God sayes Agapetus not onely a profering of words but also an offering of works Wherefore deare brethren let your light so shine before men that they not onely hearing your good words but also seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in heauen For then I assure you if we glorifie our Father which is in heauen he will glorifie vs his children which are vpon earth and in the ende make vs great in the kingdome of heauen O remember therefore that golden saying in the Scripture Psal. 111.16 The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome a good vnderstanding haue all they that doe thereafter the praise of it endureth for euer A good vnderstanding haue all they that doe thereafter Why so Because an ill vnderstanding haue all they that doe not thereafter They that haue vnderstanding and doe not thereafter that is according to it haue an ill vnderstanding But they that haue vnderstanding and doe thereafter according to it haue a good vnderstanding A good vnderstanding haue all they that doe thereafter the praise of it endureth for euer It shall be eternally rewarded O how richly are the Apostles rewarded how highly are they nowe honoured in heauen because when they were vpon earth they had a good vnderstanding They had clouen tongues Act. 2.3 Clouen tongues What 's that I 'le tell you Doe you not see how our hands are clouen and diuided into fingers So were the Apostles tongues They in a manner if I may so say had fingers vpon their tongues as well as we haue vpon our hands It was but a word and a worke with them They had no sooner taught others any good thing as O Lord what good thing did they not teach vs all but by and by they were readie to practise it and to performe it themselues Therefore they are alreadie great in the kingdome of heauen yea and much more shall be The twelue Apostles shall sit vpon twelue thrones iudging the twelue tribes of Israel And if we can happily obtaine so much grace and goodnesse of God as that we may haue a care and a conscience as well to doe as to teach then as sure as God's in heauen wee likewise shall be great in the kingdome of heauen We shall be installed with Christ and his Apostles in the throne of glory when we shall heare him say vnto vs Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome of heauen prepared for you For ye haue not onely professed but practised ye haue not onely taught well but wrought well yee haue not onely said well but done well therfore now you shall be great in the kingdom of heauen To the which kingdome of heauen we beseech thee O Lord to bring vs euen for Iesus Christs sake Amen FINIS A SERMON PREACHED before the Kings Maiestie at Draytonin Northhamptonshire August 6. 1605. PSAL. 132.18 As for his enemies I shall cloath them with shame but vpon himselfe shall his Crown flourish THe Royal Prophet hauing setled himselfe in his kingdome according to his owne desire and besides hauing after many wandrings to and fro at length brought backe the Arke againe to Ierusalem maketh here his most zealous and deuout prayer to God for the continuance of his fauour both to the Church and Common-wealth committed to his gouernement Returne O Lord to thy resting place saies hee thou a v. 8. deinceps and the Arke of thy strength Let thy Priests be cloathed with righteousnesse and let thy Saints sing with ioyfulnesse For thy seruant Dauids sake turne not away the face of thine anointed Now that he might apparantly see how neere the Lord is to all them that call vpon him in faithfulnesse and truth he waiteth not long for an answer but carries it away with him before he depart For to Dauids petition Returne O Lord vnto thy resting place thou and the arke of thy strength Gods answer is this b v. 14. deinceps This shall be my resting place here will I dwell for I haue a delight therein I will blesse her victualls with increase and will satisfie her poore with bread To Dauids petition Let thy Priests be cloathed with righteousnesse and let thy Saints sing with ioyfulnesse Gods answer is this I will cloath her Priests with saluation and her Saints shall reioyce and sing Lastly to Dauids petition For thy seruant Dauids sake turne not away the face of thine annointed Gods answer is this There shall I make the horne of Dauid flourish I I haue ordained a light for mine annointed As for his enemies I shall cloath them with shame but vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish As if he should haue said Turne away the face of mine annointed Nay that will I neuer doe I will indeede turne away the face of the enemies of mine annointed Their face shall be couered with confusion and cloathed with shame But contrariwise I haue ordained a light for mine annointed He euer shall haue a light in his face and a crowne vpon his head As for his enemies I shall cloth them with shame but vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish These words are principally to be vnderstood of Christ. For neuer were any so clothed with shame as his enemies the cursed Iewes which murthered him There citie was sacked not one stone of it beeing left vpon another and they themselues as stubble or chaffe were scattered ouer the face of the earth So that they are the very shame of men and the

once againe I will say and then I will say no more Let vs draw neere vnto God with a true heart in assurance of faith (y) Heb. 10.22 and let vs keep the profession of our hope without wauering (z) Verse 23. and let vs consider one another to prouoke vnto charity to good works (a) Verse 24. and so much the more because we see the breaking of the day draweth neer (b) Verse 25. the kingdome of heauen is at hand There is a Greeke word signifying the end of a race which is deriued of another Greek word signifiing to spur or prick on forward (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesech verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id●m habet Pollux l. 3. c. 30. Theodoret de Proui. l. 9. circa initium vbi hunc textum recitat which proueth that as they which runne their horse● for a wager spur hardest at the races end (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost. so seeing our saluation is neerer now then euer it was (e) Rom. 13.11 therefore we must run faster now then euer we did (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laert. in Dio. especially because the very horse and mule and diuers other brute beasts which haue now vnderstanding though they haue beene neuer so much wearied and tired before yet when they come neere home they will mend their pace g Pecoribus fatigatis quoque velocior domum gradus est Seneca de tranquil vit lib. 1. cap. 1. And therefore the more to blame should we be if hauing trauelled thus farre already in the way to perfection and being come by this time almost to our iournies end wee should now goe no faster when indeed we ought if it be possible to runne much faster to our euerlasting home in heauen O beloued all the Saints in heauen think long yea they think of vs and they long for vs (h) Ergo quia omnis coelestis curia expectat nos desiderat desideremus eam quanto possumus desiderio Vide quaeso Bernar. medit cap. 6. and they earnestly desire to be perfected with vs because they certainly know they cannot be perfected without vs i Heb. 11.40 The holy Angels also as they blush and hold downe their heads when they see vs stumble or trip neuer so little so on the other side they shout and clap their hands when they see vs runne cheerefully in a good course and come away apac● to perfection Lastly Christ himselfe doth stand waiting for vs and beckoning to vs and hartning vs on all the way being ready to receiue vs and to embrace vs in the armes of his louing mercy as soone as euer we come to the end of our race For euen as a royall king when one of his Nobles returnes home which hath in a forraine country by chiualrie or feates of Armes or other like excellent parts atchieued great renowne to his realme presently sendeth for him to the court and in open audience giueth him words of grace and aduanceth him to high preferments honors so Christ our most magnificent King immediately vpon our arriuall into heauen out of the forraine country of this world wil reach forth vnto vs his holy hand conducting vs to the eternall tabernacles of rest and as for all the prayers that we haue made all the teares that wee haue shed all the almes that we haue giuen all the other exercises of a Christian life that wee haue performed though neuer so secretly in this pursuit of perfection hee will openly reward them and most gloriously crowne them when as all the host of Angels shall triumph for our coronation and the blessed Saints shall thinke themselues more perfect for our perfection and all the Court of heauen shall applaud our praises and God himselfe shall say Amen to our felicities Which that it may so happily come to passe and that euery one of vs which now with Iacob wrestleth vnto the breaking of the day and constantly keepeth the law appointed vnto him may in the end with Israel see God and haue the full fruition of his glory and enioy the euerlasting testament which is the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus grant wee beseech thee O deare Lord grant it to vs I say not for our owne deserts or merits but for the tender mercies of the same our sweete Sauiour Christ Iesus to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory power and praise dignitie and dominion now and euermore Amen FINIS HEARTS DELIGHT A SERMON PREACHED at Paules Crosse in London in Easter Terme 1593. BY THOMAS PLAYFERE Professor of Diuinity for the Lady MARGARET in Cambridge Printed at London by Iohn Legatt Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1617. And are to be sold in Paules Church-yard at the Signe of the Foxe by Mathew Lawe To the most Victorious vertuous and puissant Prince King IAMES King of England Scotland France and Ireland defender of the faith all earthly and heauenly happines GLorious Gratious It is our Crowne and the highest ioy of our heart that the Crowne of this kingdome is to bee set vpon your royall head Otherwise nothing in the world could haue counteruailed the excese fine sorrowe that her late Maiestie departing hence left behinde her but the vncomparable ioy and triumph which your expectation sent before you h Reg. 1.40 now your princely presence bringeth with you When Salomon after his father Dauid was annointed King they blewe the trumpet and all the people saide God saue King Salomon and reioyced with great ioy so that the earth rang with the sounds of them Wee haue thought no trumpets no proclamations no bone fires no bells sufficient neither haue wee heard the earth onely ring out but also the heauens redouble and ec●ho backe againe the acclamations and applauses of all men which haue showted and saide God saue King Iames. Now also when your High●es approacheth nearer the straight charge which hath b●● publikely giuen to the contrary cannot restraine your people but that out of all countries and shires they runne and flocke together to behold and attend your Maiesty Tanquam clarum ac beneficium sydus Sen. de Clemen l. 1. cap. 3. 〈◊〉 some bright and beautifull starre which by his diuine sweete influence worketh a general prosperity and peace For what loyall subiect doth not blesse God and blesse himselfe that hee liues to see this happie time which was feared would prooue full of great disorder and trouble so wisely and wonderfully carried God as it were from heauen stretched out his holy hand and holding the mindes of all men in awe and obedience as that in it the peaceable vniting of two mighty kingdomes maketh us 〈◊〉 against all our enemies and all our 〈◊〉 c●●temptible to vs Wherefore at this ti●● 〈◊〉 all your liege people striue to shew the gladnes of their hearts by tendring such seruices as are sutable to their

high in an opinion of our owne knowledge and wisedome why are they not all let downe that we may wholly submit our selues to the Lord to bee taught and directed by his word Remember I pray you what good Cornelius said I know well there was neuer more reuerent hearing of the word in the Court then at this day yet that which is very well alreadie must so be commended as that which may be better and better be euermore enforced Therefore as I was about to say remember what the Captaine Cornelius said to S. Peter when he was readie to preach vnto him Now saies he are we all here present before the Lord Act. 10.33 to heare all things that are commaunded thee of God O that we had this good heart to consider when we heare a sermon that we stand not before a man but coram domino before the Lord. Th●● we should heare the word not as the word of man but as it is indeede the word of God Then we should put a difference between other things which perhaps shortly we shall heare either to recreate the mind or sharpen the wit or for state and maiestie or for some other earthly purpose and betweene this engrafted word which is able to 〈◊〉 our soules It is strange what is repo●●●d of Constantine the great in this kinde Eusebius writeth of him that when diuine seruice was said De vi●â Constan lib ● cap. 17. cap. 33. he would helpe the minister to begin the prayers and to read the verses of the Psalmes enterchangeable And when there was a Sermon if any place of speciall importance were alleadged that he would turne his Bible to imprint the place in his minde the better both by hearing seeing it He addeth besides that the Emperour many times beeing as it were rauished with those things which he heard rose vp sodainely out of his throne chaire of estate and would stand a long while to heare more diligently and though they which were next him did put him in minde to remember himselfe yet he heard the word so attentiuely that he would not heare them How wonderfully do●● this confound vs that are farre inferiour euery way when wee heare and see that Emperours and mighty Kings and Potentates of the world shew such a good heart in hearing the word we in the meane time haue lumpish and dull spirits affections and are neuer a whit mooued Certainly ye honourable children of God now Christ talketh with vs by the way therefore let our hearts burne within vs now Christ putteth his hand to the hole of the doore therefore let ou● hearts be affectioned to word him know our welbeloued speaketh therefore let our soules melt now the blessed virgin yea a greater then the virgin then ●he virgins Sonne saluteth vs and with●● vs all haile out of his word therefore let the babe spring in our heart fol ioy now the Almighty vttereth his voice therefore let our wings fall downe and let vs wholly submit our selues to be taught of God Euen as Cornelius the Centurion thought when he heard Peter preach that he stood not before a man but before the Lord and Constantine the Emperour could neuer satis●ie himselfe with reuerent attention of his good heart to the word Then indeede shall we be good ground as all they are which with a good and a verie good heart heare the word and keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience The second property of the good ground is this that they keep the word with a very good heart In our English translation it is read thus with a good and an honest heart Corde be●● optimo Vulga But I follow the vulgar Latin which readeth thus With a good and a very good heart And I referr● the good heart to hearing the uery good heart to keeping As if the words stood thus Which with a good heart heare the word and with a very ●ood heart keep it and bring forth fruit with patience To the matter then It is to no purpose that the seede be sowne except it be couered in the earth Neither that the word be heard except it be kept Psal. 119. Therefore saith the Prophet In my heart haue I hidde thy word that I may not sinne against thee So that to keep the word with a very good heart is to hide and couer this holy seede in the fallow grounds of our heart beeing plowed vp by the preaching of the Gospel Whereupon the kingdom of heauen is likened to a treasure hid in a field And this very field is a faithfull heart which keepeth and hideth in it selfe the word which is the direct way to the kingdome of heauen According to that of our Sauiour The kingdome of heauen is within you Matth. 13.52 Yea a faithfull heart not onely is a field wherin is a treasure but also is itselfe a treasure wherein are both old and new things For euerie Scribe which is taught vnto the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a housholder which bringeth forth out of his treasure things both new and old His heart is filled with a treasure of comforts gathered out of the olde and new Testament Prou. 13.52 The wife woman by whome is meant the spouse of Christ keepes her candle a light all the night long 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apperiat Clem. August de ciuit dei lib. 21. c. 6. Clemens vnderstandeth this ●ight to be the heart and he calleth the meditations of holy men candles that neuer goe out S. Austin writeth among the Pagans in the temple of Venus there was a candle which was called vnextinguishable whether this be true or no of Venus temple it is vncertaine only Austins report we haue for it but without all doubt in euery faithfull hearer and keeper of the word who is the temple of the holy Ghost there is this candle or light that neuer goes out Psal. 19. For so we read that the word of the Lord illuminateth the he●●t there 's the light And that this light goes not out at any time appeareth by that which is written else-where O Lord how doe I loue thy sta●utes they are my meditation continuosly Psal. 129. In the old lawe those creatures onely were accompted cleane which did chew the end No otherwise shall we be accōpted vncleane in the sight of God if we chew not the end as it were and ruminate and meditate of those things which we haue heard out of the word For euen as it is not auaileable to eate except the meat be inwardly digested and diuided to all the parts of the bodie so hearing is vnprofitable vnlesse the word heard be kept in minde and memorie and shewed and set forth in all the parts of our life Therefore they of Berraea were esteemed more noble then they of Thessalonica because they after Paul had preached to them conferred among themselues and searched the Scriptures not onely to see whether