Gospell is preached O Lord holy and reuerend is thy name y Psal 111.9 blessed be thy name for euer and euer z Leuit. 21.18 There was a time that some sort of people were by proscription banished the temple Cacus Claudus non intrabunt in templum an order among the Iewes neither the halt nor blinde must enter into the Temple which Law seemeth strange not only seeing that Caeci and Claudi among the Romanes as Plutarch a Plut. in vita Coriolam noteth were the surnames of chiefe families of note but also because the Iewes themselues descended originally from the blinde and lame for Isaack the son b Gen. 27.1 of the father of the faith full was blinde c Gen. 32.31 and Iacob the sonne of Isaack himselfe the father o the Patriarches was lame But this custome is antiquited and now not only the doore of the Temple is open but the vetle of the Temple is broken and the master of the feaâ—th whâ—enâ— his seruants into the streetes and lanes of the Cuâ— to bring in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beggers and maimed and halt and blinde our Churches are opâ—n to receiue the poore d Luk. 14.21 vnto the poore the Gospell is preached they are not onely cured in Bethesdae poole but councelled in this place as in Salomons porch they are not onely cured in the soares of Adames bodie but prepared for the companie of their brother Lazarus in Abrahams bosome e Math. 5.3 and therfore I say with our Sauiour blessed be the poore f Psal 41.1 and with the Psalmist blessed be they that consider the poore g Deut. 33.1 a blessing as ample as euer Moses wished Israel the good-will and blessing of him that dwelt in the Bush h Deut. 33.16 be vpon you all the Lord blesse you with the blessings of heauen aboue the blessings of the deepe beneath the blessings of the fields and fruites the blessing of the barnes and baskets the blessing of City and Countrey and the blessings of both testaments of both lifes of both worlds be vpon you all from this day forth for euermore I am not yet you see entred into the tent of my Text my meditations are yet as the affring betwixt the porch and the altar or rather yet we bee in atrio the entrie I must not go thorough the Temple and neither must I stay at the kings pillar nor the Priests altar the holy ointment in this historie is neither belonging to the Coronation of the King nor Consecration of the Priest nor Dedication of the holy place This storie tels vs of the anointing of our Sauiour and his vnction was rather saith Ierome spiritualis then ritualis Ierom. in Isay hee was a Priest neuer anointed as a Priest and a King neuer anointed as a King God anointed Iesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost saith S. Peter Acts 8.38 God euen thy God hath anointed thee with the oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes saith the Psalmist Saul was anointed but with a viall of oile Psal 45.7 1 Sam 10.1 1 Sam. 16.1 Dauid with a full horne of oile but he is anointed aboue hi fellowes with the oile of gladnesse from the crowne of his head to the skirt of his garment Vers 8. Therefore saith Iudas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To what purpose is this waste Anointed by the Father anointed by the Holy Ghost anointed with oile of gladnesse Vnctio spiritualis saith Innocentius agit auget proculdubio quod designat Im. oc de sacr vncti nu What needs this anointing especially from a woman a woman weake by hersex wicked by her sinne a woman if the most and best and ancientest Interpreters bee not deceiued sinfull for her life hatefull for her lust a notorious enormous publike Publican Citie sinner Magdalena lena Magdalen possessed formerly with seuen Deuils Luk. 7.37 she of all others she to be so bold to powre her oile vpon the head of her Sauiour Modest was that miserable woman that trembled when shee touched and durst not touch him but the hemme of his garment This sorrowfull solitarie soule in the spring of her repentance washed his feet with her teares no more but his feet stood behinde him kneeling weeping washing wiping his feet kissing his feet anointing his feet with a box of ointment and behold the dew of her deuotion falleth not the Sunne of righteousnesse draweth it vp Aarons oile was deriued from the head to the feet Luk 7.47 Magdalens oile from the feet to the head Dilexit multum was her first reward She loued much and Loue is not ruled with reason but with loue it neither regardeth what can bee nor what should be done but only what it selfe desireth to do No difficultie can stay it no impossibilitie appall it Greg. de Mar. Magd. Gregory speaketh of her Amanti semel aspicere non sufficit vis amoris intentionem multiplicat vnctionis Loue doubled this duties for Loue is title iust enough and armour strong enough for all assaults it selfe a reward of all labours Affection like a fiery Cherubin flies from anointing his feet to his head Iudas aske no other reason Dilexit multum shee loued much There was no Disciple Sathan could fasten on to betray our Sauiour but Iudas the bagge was a curse to Iudas as well as the soppe at the supper Iudas that carried the bagge was hee as a Ioh. 12.4 S. Iohn tels vs that repined at the bountie of the loue and labour of this woman Iudas censures it our Sauiour commends it Iudas murmureth Let her alone Why trouble ye the woman saith our Sauiour Wherefore is this waste saith Iudas It is a good worke saith our Sauiour it might haue beene giuen to the poore saith Iudas The poore yee haue alwayes but mee yee haue not saith our Sauiour It might haue beene sold for much saith Iudas In that she hath powred this ointment on my body she did it for my buriall saith our Sauiour and addes this for a Corollarie Wheresoeuer this Gospell shall be preached through the whole world there shall this that this woman hath done be told for a memoriall of her Our Sauiâ—ur gaue many gratious testimonies of many in the Gospell Iob. 1.17 of Nathaniel Behold a true Israelite of the Centurion I haue not found such faith in Israel of the b Canaanite O woman great is thy faith of the sinfull woman Magdalen Much is forgiuen her because c Luk. 7.47 shee loued much But all these are farre short of Maries sweet smelling memoriall A time there was that our Sauiour commended d Luk. 10.42 Mary for her hearing him aboue Martha for entertaining him Mary hath chosâ—n the better part which shall not be taken from her Non opus reprehâ—ndit sed munus aistinxit saith e Aug. de verl is Domâ—â—i ser 27. Austine But now Mary takes vpon her Marthaes dutie and is as
This is not the This What then was this This Sure though not the ointment yet the anointing might be so commended It was indeed much that shee bought and brought and vsed the ointment imployed her endeuour and her earnest labour in the anointing of Christ We neuer reade that our Sauiour had any gifts giuen him but Gold and Spices and Ointments The Wise men offered Gold as to a King and Spices for Incense as to a God and this woman ointments twice as to a Man Royaltie is noted in the Gold Diuinitie by the Incense Mortalitie by the Ointment So Christ applieth it in the 12. verse In that she powred this ointment on my body shee did it for my buriall Neuer was he otherwise anointed He was anointed saith Damascene spiritually Damase Corpus diuinit ate sua vngens vt Deus vnctus vt homo quandoquidem hoc illud est Otherwise corporally he was not anointed he needed not hee vsed no other ointment yet fit it was this woman should so anoint him though not fit to anoint him as Aaron the Priest was anointed Leuit. 3. or Dauid the King 1. Sam. 10. or Elisha the Prophet 1 Kings 19. for wee haue receiued anointing from him saith S. Iohn 1 Iohn 2.27 yet I say fit it was for it was a Prophecie that Christ should be so anointed Psal 23 5. anointed so at the Table Psal 23.5 Thou preparest a Table before mee saith the Psalmist thou anointest my head with oile This is somewhat yet this is not the This that is so commended somewhat it is yet what it is wee know not It was our Sauiours speech When thou fastest Matt. 6.17 Lyra. anoint thy head Matth. 6.17 Palestinis mos erat in Festis caput vngendi saith Lyra In Palestine they vsed in their Feasts to anoint their heads But our Sauiour altereth that custome When thou fastest anoint thy head In this act the command of our Sauiour and the custome of the Countrey though contrary one to the other are fulfilled Christ at the feast is anointed this was the custome of the Countrey Mary fasteth and anointeth her head her head was Christ here is the command of Christ this is the This She anointed her head Christ in the 7. verse she anointed the head of her head Christ Not the â—ile though pretious nor the endeuour though laborious nor the action though religious but the maâ—ner of the action made the ointment odoriferous God say the Canonists loueth Aduerbes better then Adiectiues Non quà m bonum sed quà m bene Not the matter but the manner receiues the commendation It is Origens note Luk. 7.37 that the ointment of the sinfull woman in Luke hath no commendation A woman that was a sinner in the City brought an Alablaster box of ointment shee brought ointment but Mary very pretious ointment she anointed his feet but Mary anointeth his head Mary hath chosen the better part Chrisolog At quaenam haec huius capitis vnctio saith Chrisologus What meant this anointing of his head For it may seeme rash and rude that a woman how good soeuer should suddenly when our Sauiur sate at meat powre ointment how pretious soeuer vpon his head and face Either there is some mysterie in it or it had neuer beene so commended Some tell vs that herein was Agnitio Diuinitatis oâ—hers Contemplatio Resurrectionis to which the Text giueth warrant others Confessio Maiestatis Gloriae Christi Origen on this place Opus bonum quod fecimus propter Deum Origen secundum Deum ad gloriam Dei est vnguentum super caput Christi effusum And Chrysostome applieth it so Chrys st Caput Christi vngas si omnia in Christi gloriam referas S. Bernard the same words Gloria quae ex bonis actionibus proficiscitur Bern. ad Deum referenda Contrition by repentance doth wash Christs feet Deuotion by faith anointeth his head Almes doe anoint his feet Praier powres the ointment on his head Workes of mercy may wash his feet but yeelding him due glory doth anoint his head This is the This receiueth this reward Shee gaue glory to God by this action by this vnction her light did shine before men and she did glorifie her Father which is in heauen And now her sweet sauouring ointment yeelds vs this assured sacred Doctrine Good workes be not accepted by God Doct. vnlesse such as are directed to the glory of God The reason Where the end is wanting the action is halting and God will receiue no lame or blinde sacrifice If I seeke to please men saith Paul I should not bee the seruant of Christ Gal. 1 10. If wee receiue the witnesse of men if wee seeke glory by any good worke among men wee anoint our selues not Christ not his head not his feet but our selues In such a case Fumus flammam suffocat Seneca saith Seneca the smoake choaketh the fire and the froth of ostentation riseth no sooner but falleth to the depth There is the worme in the gourd rust in the gold a fire commeth out of the bramble to deuoure the Cedar Tully cals Demosthenes Teniculum Demosthenem because it pleased him going in the street to heare euen women and water-bearers whisper Hic est ille Demosthenes A wise man will not a good man cannot entertaine thoughts of vaine-glory which doe strangle all worthy holy actions In such a case the worke though neuer so seemingly good is but a fooles wonder and the Author but a wise mans foole Vaine-glory cannot swell so high but vengeance will sit aboue it nor lift vp it selfe so lofty but God will euer ouer-looke it Our Sauiour neither desired nor accepted the glory of the world looking with no other eye thereon then Phisitians on the diseases of their Patients his profession was I seeke not my owne glory Ioh. 8.50 They that thinke that they possesse all things haue nothing 2 Cor. 6.10 They that are proud of knowledge know nothing 1 Tim. 6.3 He that thinketh himselfe to be something is nothing Gal. 6.3 S. Paul in nothing beyond the chiefe Apostles confesseth himselfe nothing 2 Cor. 12.11 Our blessed Sauiour concludeth this point if I honour my selfe my honour is nothing Ioh. 8.54 and therefore our aime of our actions should be as this of Mary to the honour of our Master that all things may bee done to the glory of God the Father The Vse whereof Vse as it should euer bee welcome so especially most holesome now to purge all Pharisaicall leauen of hypocrisie and vaine-glory in the blessed occasion of our meeting which is as the anncinting of Christ and I doubt not entended to the glory of our gratious God yet seeing Sathan is euer busiest in the best actions let euery man stand in feare that hee deceiue not his owne soule The temptations of vaine-glory of all other are most full of danger most full of doubt hardest to be knowne not as
much honourable in entertaining as Martha as shee was in hearing as Mary shee hath chosen our Sauiours head to anoint she hath chosen the better part which shall not be taken from her For wheresoeuer this Gospell shall be preached c. I finde good workes ranked into two files the offices of Deuotion as Almes and such like which be opera misericordit and the duties of Religion as Praiers Repentance sanctitie of the heart mortifying of the members cleering of the conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God furthering by all our endeuours the glory of God these be opera iustitiae The former bee manuum sacrificia the latter cordium sacrificia In the first the withered hand is only healed but in the second the dead is raised the first seedeth Christ in the members of his manhood the second yeeldeth Christ the honour of his Godhead the first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first is the washing of Christs feet the latter the annointing of his head Magdalen a sinner may annoint his feet but Mary a Conuert only may anoint his head The first is as the Widowes mite a good worke and not vnrewarded but the second is Salomons offering honoured and proclaimed the first as the dawning of the day the second as the snining of the Sunne Both these haue gloriously appeared in this your Citie and the former the anointing of Christs feet the feeding cloathing healing of his hungrie naked sicke and weake seruants hath beene often vrged in this place and well it is that so it is for farre be it but wee anoint Christs feet seeing he washed his seruants feet a Ioh. 13.5 farre be it but Almes should euer haue their honour Paul was Collector for the poore b 1 Cor. 16.1 and our Sauiour was Ouer-seer for the poore c Luk. 21.4 Almes are the fruit of the Saints d Rom. 15.28 and an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well pleasing vnto God e Phil. 4.10 These ought you to haue done and not to leaue the other vndone Matth. 23.23 for as Peter said to Christ so Christ saith to vs not my feet only Ioh 13.9 Chrysostâ—m Augustin Ambrâ—s Origeâ— Chrisoâ— but my head for as the starre of my Interpreters leadeth mee though by diuers lines yet in all of them there is but one and the same light the anointing of Christs head is veneranda meditatio diuinitatis deuota contemplatio passionis resurrectionis a reuerend awfull meditation of Christ his diuinitie and a deuout contemplation of Christ his blessed yet bloudie Passion and of his great and glorious Resurrection Aarons head was anointed with bloud and oile f Leuit. 8.30 wee must anoint our Sauiours head with our oile seeing he hath anointed our heads with his bloud for the blessing of his bloud is vpon vs and vpon our seed for euer It is Christs speech to the Church in the Canticles Dulâ—iora vnguenta quà m aromata Cant. 4.10 Thy ointments are sweeter then thy spices Of all the ointments in the whole Booke of God none so sweet as this The holy ointment appointed by God continued but till the Captiuitie then the holy fire went out the holy Arke was spoiled and the holy oile spilt Nihil tam diffusivum Beru ac oleum nothing of so spreading a diffusiue nature as oile no oile euer so diffusiue as this Aarons ointment was odoriferous and diffisiue but from the head to the beard and so to the body as it was vsed so it wasted Elias oile diffusiue and miraculous was spent and wasted not spread ouer all the house for the sustenance of a Prophet Kings 17.15 a Widow a childe a whole familie a whole yeere so long continued but then confined Elishaes oile was diffusiue and pretious and the more powred out the more increased it filled all the widowes vessels all her neighbours vessels filled all the vessels shee could borrow and paid all the debt that her husband had borrowed but when it had supplied the widowes want the fountaine failed But neither Aarons holy vessell of oile nor Samuels viall nor Dauids horne nor the widow of Zareptas cruise nor the Prophets Widowes Pot of oile nor the Alablaster box of the sinfull womans ointment so pretious so permanent so odoriferous as this Saints ointment which as the Orient Sun is euer in the full S. Iohn tels vs Iohn 12.5 that the house was filled with the odour of the ointment but our Sauiour tels vs the whole world shall bee filled with the odour hereof for wheresoeuer this Gospell is preached through the whole world c. It is sweet in all nostrils not in Bethany only or Galilie but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wheresoeuer nor as a Storie or Parable but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Gospell nor as a Rubricke or title of a Gospell but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Gospell of it selfe this Gospell nor a Gospell as the talent hid in the banke or the candle vnder the bushell but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a preached Gospell nor a Gospell preached only in Canaan or on the other side Iordan but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 throughout the whole world nor so preached as that the Act shall bee remembred and the Author neglected but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this that this woman hath done nor so preached as that the memory of this that she hath done should euer be forgotten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall bee told for a memoriall of her This were enough The oile was pretious but the box of ointment could not be so pretious as now it is famous a stranger increase then the growth of a graine of mustard seed that is least of all seeds Matth. 13.32 yet greatest of all herbes but this miraculous ointment farre beyond that it shall spread so farre as the Gospell shall bee preached through the world and shall be preached as long as the world shall be continued Ecce Prophetiam Prophetam Euangelistam Euangelium it is a Prophecie and a Gospell spoken by a Prophet and an Euangelist All the Prophets prophecied of Christ and behold Christ prophecieth of Mary All the Euangelists wrote the Gospell of Christ Christ preachâ—th and prophecieth and proclaimeth thiâ— Gospell of Mary and sealeth his prophecie and preaching with an oath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verily I say to you Wheresoeuer c. She brought a box of Alablaster her box not emptie not mustie Boxes of Alablaster may be like the Pharisies Sepulchers carrying faire titles without corrupt carcases within The box might be pretious the ointment poisonous but as her box was no stained Alablaster for the box was pure so the ointment pretious As the oile was enough in that little box to anoint her Sauiours head and body so the Alablaster was enough to build a monument for her body and memory Babylon thought to be famous for a Tower the Râ—ubenites