à fine that there is another fountaine neere Grenoble a Citie in France which although it haue not hot waters as a Bath yet oftentimes together with bubbles of water it casteth vp flames of fire The fountaine of teares that is in our eies must be like these two fountaines As the Psalmist witnesseth When my sorrow was stirred sayes he my heart was hot within mee and while I was musing the fire kindled l Psal. 30.3 When my sorrow was stirred There is the first fountaine My heart was hot within mee There is the Torch lighted And while I was musing There is the other fountaine The fire kindled There is the flame burning Whereupon one sayes fitly Our eies must neither be drowned nor dry m Nec fluant oculi nec â—icci sint Seneca If they want fire they will be drowned If they want water they will be dry Wherefore both weepe not and but weepe both fire and water must goe together that our eyes bee neither drowned nor drye And this is the right moderation wee must keepe in weeping as appeareth in this third part WEEPE NOT BVT WEEPE both together Weepe not for mee but weepe for your selues THe fourth part followeth For Mee Weepe not too much for my death For the death of Christ is the death of Death the death of the Diuell the life of Himselfe the life of Man The reason of all this is his innocencie and righteousnesse which makes first that as the life of Christ is the life of Life so the death of Christ is the death of Death Put the case how you please this is a most certaine truth that the gate of life had neuer bin opened vnto vs if Christ who is the death of Death had not by his death ouercome death a Mors mortis morti mortem nisi morte dedisset coelestis vitae iâ—nus â—lausa foret Therefore both before his death he threatneth and challengeth death saying b Osee 13.14 O death I will bee thy death and also after his death hee derideth and scorneth death saying c 1 Cor. 15.15 O death thou art but a drone where is now thy sting d Sic Iohannes Pistorius Erasmi Roterodami affinis igni cremandus dixit O mors vbi est tua victoria Aske death any of you I pray and say Death how hast thou lost thy sting how hast thou lost thy strength What is the matter that virgins and very children doe now contemne thee wheras Kings and euen tyrants did before feare thee Death I warrant will answer you that the only cause of this is the death of Christ. Euen as a Bee stinging a dead body takes no hurt but stinging a liue body many times looseth both sting and life together in like manner death so long as it stung mortall men only which were dead in sin was neuer a whit the worse but when it stung Christ once who is life it selfe by and by it lost both sting and strength Therefore as the brasen serpent was so farre from hurting the Israelites that contrariwise it healed them after the same sort death is now so far from hurting any true Israelite that on the other side if affliction as a fiery serpent sting vs or if any thing else hurt vs presently it is helped and redressed by death Those which will needes play the hob-goblins or the night-walking spirits as we call them all the while they speak vnder a hollow vault or leape forth with an vgly vizard vpon their faces they are so terrible that he which thinks himselfe no small man may perhaps bee affrighted with them But if some lusty fellow chance to steppe into one of these and cudgell him wel-fauouredly and pull the vizard from his face then euery boy laughes him to scorne So is it in this matter Death was a terrible bulbeggar and made euery man afraide of him a great while but Christ dying buckled with this bulbeggar and coniured him as I may say out of his hollow vault when as the dead comming out of the graues were seene in Ierusalem and puld the vizard from his face when as he himselfe rising left the linnen clothes which were the vizard of death behinde him Therefore as that Asse called Cumanus Asinâ—s ietting vp and downe in a Lyons skinne did for a time terrifie his master but afterwards being descried did benefit him very much Semblably death stands now like a silly Asse hauing his Lyons skin pulled ouer his eares and is so farre from terrifying any that it benefits all true Christians because by it they rest from their labour and if they be oppressed with troubles or cares when they come to death they are discharged death as an Asse doth beare these burthens for them O blessed blessed bee our Lord which hath so disarmed death that it cannot do vs any hurt no more then a Bee can which hath no sting nay rather it doth vs much good as the brasen serpent did the Israelites which hath so dismasked death that it cannot make vs afraid no more than a scar-bug can which hath no vizard nay rather as an Asse beareth his masters burthens so death easeth and refresheth vs. This hath Christ done by his death Hee that felleth a tree vpon which the Sun shineth may well cut the tree but cannot hurt the Sunne He that poureth water vpon Iron which is red hot may well quench the heate but hee cannot hurt the Iron And so Christ the Sun of righteousnesse did driue away the shadow of death and as glowing Iron was too hot and too hard a morsell for death to disgest All the while Adam did eate any other fruit which God gaue him leaue to eate he was nourished by it but when he had tasted of the forbidden tree he perished Right so death had free leaue to deuoure any other man Christ onely excepted but when it went about to destroy Christ then it was destroyed it selfe Those barbarous people called Cannibals which feed only vpon raw flesh especially of men if they happen to eate a peece of roasted meat commonly they surfeâ— of it and die Euen so the right Canniball the onely deuourer of all mankinde Death I meane tasting of Christs flesh and finding it not to be raw such as it was vsed to eate but wholsome and heauenly meate indeede presently tooke a surfet of it and within three dayes died For euen as when Iudas had receiued a sop at Christs hand anon after his bowels gushed out In like sort death being so saucie as to snatch a sop as it were of Christs flesh and a little bit of his body was by and by like Iudas choaked and strangled with it and faine to yeeld it vp againe when Christ on Easter day reuiued Death I wisse had not beene brought vp so daintily before nor vsed to such manner of meate but alwayes had rauined either with Mithridates daughters vpon the poyson of sin or else with Noahs Crow vpon the
for himselfe Wherefore as in a ballance if there be any ods in the sâ—ales wee take out of that which is the heauier and put it into that which is the lighter till there be no difference betwixt them So here wee must wey these matters well that wee our selues may be iust weight neither too heauy for our owne misery not too light for Christs mercy Thus did Dauid when hee said to God Hide mee vnder the shadow of thy wings What are Gods wings His Mercy and his Iustice. What are the shadow of his wings Our loue and our feare Our loue is the shadow of his mercy which is his right wing Our feare is the shadow of his Iustice which is his left wing Now seeing hee that is hid vnder the right wing onely may presume because hee hath no feare and hee that is hid vnder the left wing onely may despaire because he hath no loue therefore sayth Dauid Hide me O Lord vnder the shadow not of one wing but of both thy wings That I may neuer despaire while I alwaies loue thy mercy and reioyce for Christ that I may neuer presume while I alwayes feare thy iustice and weepe for my selfe A Quaile the very same Bird which was the Israelites meate in the wildernesse as he flies ouer the sea feeling himselfe begin to be weary lights by the way into the sea Then lying at one side he layes downe one wing vpon the water and holds vp the other wing towards heauen Lest hee should presume to take too long a flight at the first hee weâ—s one wing Lest hee should despaire of taking a new flight afterwards hee keepes the other wing drie Thus must a Christian man doe When hee layes downe the wing of feare vpon the water to weepe for himselfe then hee must hold vp the wing of loue toward heauen to reioyce for Christ. That his two wings may be answerable to Gods two wings That as God hath two wings the one of Mercie the other of Iustice so hee may haue two wings the one of ioy for Christ the other of sorrow for himselfe Sem Iâ—pheth Noahs godly and dutifull children when they saw their father otherwise then hee should be went backeward and couered him They went backeward that they might not see him themselues they couered him that others might not see him Christ hanging naked vpon the Crosse was the shame of men and the outcast of the people Therefore wee that are the children of God must goe backeward by abhorring them that crucified Christ and yet wee must couer him and hide him euen in our very hearts by remembring and honouring his death and resurrection Lest wee should presume wee must goe backeward for feare and yet lest we should despaire wee must couer him for loue That as God hideth vs vnder the shadow of his wings which are loue and feare loue the shadow of his mercy and feare the shadow of his iustice so we may hide God vnder the shadow of our wings which are ioy and sorrow ioy the shadow of our loue and sorrow the shadow of our feare ioy for Christ and sorrow for our selues To this strange kinde of going backeward the Psalmist alludeth when hee saith to God Thou hast made my feete like Hindes feete A Hinde goeth not still forward in one way but as an auncient father speaketh hee iumpes crosse out of one way into another Saltum habet transuersum Right so a Christians feete must be like Hindes feet He must iumpe crosse from himselfe to Christ and then backe againe from Christ to himselfe Would you see such a Hinde Then mark how Iob footes it That he might not despaire he iumpes crosse from himselfe to Christ and saith a Chap. 33.9 I am cleane without sinne I am Innocent and there is none iniquitie in mee Heere is the mercy of Christ. But that hee might not presume hee iumpes backe againe from Christ to himselfe and saith b Chap. 6.2 O that my griefe were well weighed and that my miseries were laid together in the balance Here is the misery of man Thus must we weigh the mercie of Christ and the misery of man together in the balance and besure as I said before wee make the scales euen and when we weigh the reasons why wee should not weepe for Christ then we must weigh the reasons also why we should weepe for our selues So wee shall find for great cause of ioy in Christ great cause of sorrow in our selues for greater cause of ioy in Christ greater cause of sorrow in our selues for greatest cause of ioy in Christ greatest cause of sorrow in our selues for that which is more then all to make vs ioyfull in Christ that which is more then all to make vs sorrowfull in our selues The righteousnesse of Christ is the death of Death Great cause of ioy in Christ. If Debora reioyced when Barack put Sisera to flight haue not wee as great cause to reioyce seeing Christ hath put death to flight The sinne of man is the life of death Great cause of sorrow in our selues If Anna wept for her barrennesse haue not wee as great cause to weepe seeing wee can conceiue nothing but sorrow and bring forth iniquity vnto death The righteousnesse of Christ is the death of the Diuell Great cause of ioy in Christ. If Iudith reioyced when shee did cut off the head of Holofernes haue not wee great cause to reioyce seeing Christ hath cut off the head of the Diuell The sinne of man is the life of the diuell Greater cause of sorrow in our selues If Thamar wept being defloured by her brother haue not wee greater cause to weepe seeing we commit spirituall incest and adultery daily with the diuell The righteousnesse of Christ is the life of himselfe Greatest cause of ioy in Christ. If Sara laughed when shee heard shee should haue a quicke childe in her dead wombe is not this the greatest cause of laughter which can be vnto vs that Christ liued in death and was most free among the dead and could not see corruption in the graue The sinne of man is the death of himselfe Greatest cause of sorrow in our selues If Agar wept being turned out of Abrahams house is not this the greatest cause of weeping which can be vnto vs that our life is no life because we neuer cease from sinning while wee are heere pilgrimes and strangers exiled and banished out of our fathers house in heauen The righteousnesse of Christ is the life of man This is more then all to make vs ioyfull in Christ. If Queene Ester did reioyce as King Iames doth at this day whom God for his mercies sake euer saue and preserue and let all the people say Amen because he deliuered his people from thraldome and destruction can any thing in the world then make vs more ioyfull then this that we being cursed in our selues are blessed in Christ being embased in our selues are exalted in Christ being
which were in a more dangerous estate he came to being brought by the â—owelâ— onely of his owne mercie raised them vp on the other side the two first hauing sinned the one in thought the other in deed did not so much mâ—â—e Christ as Lazarus which was growne to a custome in sinning both wayes and therefore for them he was content their friends onelie should weepe but for this last he wept and troubled his owne selfe very much So that the first hâ—â— neyther restored of his owne accord nor yet wept for her the second hee restored of his owne accord but wept not for him the thirde 〈◊〉 both restored of his 〈◊〉 accord and also wept for him VVhy 〈◊〉 The reason is this The young 〈◊〉 sinne the lesse it hazarded her owne soule the lesse it grieued Christâ— Soâ—le and so the lesse he had 〈◊〉 eyther to cure it or to rue it the young 〈◊〉 sinne being neither so small as the Maydâ—â— nor so great as Lazaruses Christ raised him vp of his owne accord because hee was more then a sinner in thought and yet wept not for him because he was lesse then a sinner in custome Lazarus 〈◊〉 the more rank deadlie it was the more did it require the skill and loue of 〈◊〉 Physitian as by his passion could 〈◊〉 it by his compassion would moâ—â—â— it Where we must obserue with Saint Augustine that our blessed Sauiour did not take on thus grieuously for himselfe so much or for Lazarus as for vs. Hee groaned in the spirit he was troubled in himselfe he wept hee groaned againe hee lifted vp his eyes he praied feruently hee cryed with a loud voyece So that here be might well haue said with Dauid I am wearie of my groanings and I water my Couch with my teares But wherefore did he groane thus weepe thus cry thus pray thus lift vp his eyes thus lift vp his voice thus Saint Augustine telleth vs 62 Quare fleuit Christus nisi quiâ— flere hominem docuit Aug. Tr. 49. Wherfore sayeâ— he did Christ weep but to teach vs to weepe r Quare fremuit turba uit seipsum nisi quia fides hâ—minis sibi merito displicentis freâ—ere quodammodo debetin accusatine maloruÌ„ operum vt viâ—lentiâ— poeâ—itâ—udi cedat consuetudo peccandi Aug. ibid. Wherefore did he groane and trouble himselfe but because he faith of a Christian displeasing himselfe in his sinnes should after a sorte groane in accusing himselfe for his sins and so at length the obstinate custom of his sinning might yeeld and giue place to the violent force of his repenting and a little before VVhat is the cause saies he that Christ troubled himselfe 63 Quid est turbat seipsum Christus nisi vt significâ—t tibi quâ—â—odo turbaritu debeas cum tantam mâ—le peccatigraâ—aris premeris but to signifie vnto thee how thou oughtest to bee troubled when thou art pressed oppressed with a dead weight of sinnes s Attendistâ— enim te vidisti te reum compu tasti tibi illud feci pepercit mihideus illud commisi distulit me euaÌ„gelium audiui contempsi baptizatus suÌ„ iterum ad cadem reuolutus sum quid facio quo co vnde cuado Quum ista dicis iam fremit Christus quia fides fremit In voce frementis apparâ—t spes resurgentis Si ipsa fides est â—itus ibi est Christus fremens Si fides in nobis Christus in nobis For thou hast examined thy selfe thou hast found thy selfe guiltie thou hast reasoned thus with thy selfe I haue done such or such a thing God hath all this while spared me I haue committed such or such a sinne and hee hath still borne with mee I haue heard the word of God and yet I haue careleslie contemned it I haue beene baptized had my sinnes washt away and yet I haue returned to them againe what dâ—elâ— whether goeâ— what will be the end of this when thou sayest thus then Christ groaneth because thy faith groâ—eth By the voyce of thy groaning may be gatheâ—red good hope of thy rising If this faith bee in thee Christ groaneth in thee If saith be in vs Christ is in vs. Thus farre S. Augustine In conclusioÌ„ then If Christ winking at lesser sinnes or at least not so much lameÌ„ting them did out of al measure bewayle Lazarus case betokening those that haue beene long dead in trespasses sins though it pertayned not directly to himselfe how much more good Lord ought I which am a far more hainous sinner then euer Lazarus was 〈◊〉 my sinnes mine owne sinnes I say for number are more then the hayres of my head t Psal. 40.30 and for greatnesse haue reached vp to heauen u Ezra 9.6 so neuer to leaue groaâ—ing and weeping and crying and praying for the pardon of them that I may truely saie with the Psalmist I am wearie of my groaningâ— and I water my couch with my teares The olde testament doth shew this as plainlie as the new For in the lawe the greatnes of the sinne was estimaâ—ed according to the condition of the â—â—â—â—er The priuate mans sinne was litle 〈◊〉 princes sinne great all the peoples 〈◊〉 greater the priestes sinne greatest of all Therefore for each of these was ordained a seuerall sacrifice 64 Leuit. 4. For the priuate man and the prince a goate But for him a shee goate x Vers. 28. for this is a hee-goate y Vers. 23 Nowe the male is compted a greater sacrifice considering the perfection of the sexe For all the people and the priest a young bullocke But for all the people the elders onely did put their hands vpon the head of the bullocke z Vers. 15. the priest did put his owne hand vpon 〈◊〉 a Vers. 4 Now as a young bullocke is a greater sacrifice then a goate so the priest doth vndergoe a greater pennance and more open shame then al the people Besides of al these their offence that 〈◊〉 ignorantly was accouÌ„ted not so 〈…〉 theirs that sinned wilfully And thereâ—â—â— they were to offer a ram worth 2 〈◊〉 b Leu. 5.15 but these a ram of what price the 〈◊〉 would appoiâ—t c Leu. 27.12 according to the measure and estimation of the sinne d Leu. 6.6 Iuxtâ— astimati â—â—em mensuramque peccati 〈◊〉 then thogh Leuiticall priests 〈◊〉 are ceased yet we that are made 〈◊〉 priests and kings with Christ e Reuel 5.1 〈…〉 it were enioine our own selues 〈◊〉 according to the qualitie of our 〈◊〉 measure the sacrifice of our broâ—eÌ„ 〈◊〉 trite hart which we offer vnto God If we had neuer sinned but of ignorance 〈◊〉 euerie one of vs should be bound to 〈◊〉 a ram of 2. shâ—â—â—ls And what is this 〈…〉 2. shekels It is 〈◊〉 mine own self a poâ—â—â— sinner 65 Non habeo nisi miâ—utaduo imâ— minutissima corpus animam vel
condemned in our selues are iustified in Christ being dead in our selues are aliue in Christ The sinne of Man is the death of Christ. This is more then all to make vs sorrowfull in our selues If the Virgin Mary wept so sore for the death of her Sonne Iesus as though her tender heart had been stabbed and pierst through with a sharpe sword as Simeon speaketh Can any thing in the world then make vs more sorrowfull then this that Christ being blessed in himselfe was cursed for vs being exalted in himselfe was embased for vs being iustified in himselfe was condemned for vs being aliue in himselfe was dead for vs O deere brother blessed Christian whosoeuer thou art if thou be too sorrowfull at any time remember what Christ hath done for thee how louingly how kindly he hath dealt with thee and thou wilt soone bee glad if thou be too ioyfull at any time remember what thou hast done against Christ how vngratefully how wretchedly thou hast dealt with him and thou wilt soone be sorry So shall we neuer suffer shipwracke of faith either by too much sorrow as Esau did who sought the blessing with teares weeping for himselfe not reioycing for Christ or else by too much ioy as Herod did who heard the Baptist gladly reioycing for Christ not weeping for himselfe But euen as a ship being neither too heauily burthened nor too lightly balanced feareth neither waues nor windes but saileth safely to the hauen so we being neither too heauy for our owne misery nor too light for Christs mercy but ioyning for mee for your selues both together shall neither be drowned with the waues of desperation nor puffed vp with the windes of presumption but we shall saile safely in the Arke of Noah vpon the Sea of this world till wee arriue at the Hauen of all happinesse in Heauen And this is the right moderation we must keepe betweene Christ and our selues as appeareth in this sixth part For mee for your selues both together Weepe not for mee weepe for your selues THe seauenth part followeth Weepe not for me Wherein we must consideâ— three vertues that were in Christ. Wisedome Benignitie Magnanimitie For Wisedome hee saith Weepe not For Benignitie Not you For Magnanimitie Not for mee Nâ—t weepe Not you Not for me Weept not for mee First for Wisedome hee saith Weepe not Saint Austin hath a very excellent sentence and it is this d Crux Christi pendentis Cathedra fuit dâ—centis Christ vpon his Crosse did read vs a Lecture like a Doctor in his chaire Indeed in that learned lecture of his he deliuered vnto vs many notable poynts of wisedome And one especially wee haâ—e here whereby we are instructed how we should be affected towards the dead For if we must not weepe immoderately for the death of Christ then we must not grieue our selues greatly for the death of any Christian. The ancient Italians vsed to mourne for their dead ten moneths the Egyptians seauentie two dayes the Ethiopians forty dayes the antient Germanes thirty daâ—es the Lacedemonians eleuen dayes e Iohannes Boâ—emus de morib Gen. But the Athenians and the Romanes which were in their time counted the wisest men in the world were much more moderate For the Athenians had a law giuen them by Solon their law giuer which did forbid mourning at burials The Romanes likewise had a law in their twelue tables which did forbid to make any exclamations or out-cries at funerals f Lessum habere funeris ergo Yea the third Councell holden at Toledo in Spaine the one twentieth Canon of the Councell flatly decreeth that Christians should be brought to their graues onely with singing and reioycing g Cum cantisis solummado Psallentium vocib Because quoth the Councell the Apostle to the Thessalonians saith I will not haue you ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleepe that you sorrow not euen as others which haue no hope Therefore Cutbertus who was Archbishop of Canterbury long before the Conquest h Floruit regnauit Egberto An. Dom. 747. at his death charged that no lamentation should be made for him And Ierome writeth that when the dead body of Paul the Eremite was brought forth holy Anthony did sing Hymnes and Psalmes according to the Christian i Prolato for as corpore Hymnos Psalmos de Christiana traditione decantabat In vita Pauli Ereâ—i tradition And that when Paula a deuout widow was k Pontifices choros Psallentium ducebant In Epitaphio Paula buried the Bishoppes did bring her forth with singing And that when Fabiola was buried Psalmes were sung and Haleluiah was chanted out so loud that it did shake the seeling of the Church l Sonabant Psalmi aurata templorum roboans in sublime quatiebat Haleluia In Epitaphio Fabiolae Vide praeterea Sulpâ—tium â—a vita Martini Areopag Et Eub. Hieâ—ar Eccles. c. 7. I grant indeed wee may sorrow and weepe for the wicked not onely when they are dead but euen when they are aliue But we must sing and reioyce for the godly not onely when they are aliue but euen when they are dead And why Because they being aliue are dead but these being dead are aliue According to that saying of the Hebrew Rabbins m Tsaddikim bemotham caym c. The godly euen in their death are aliue but the wicked euen in their life are dead Therefore Dauid when his sonne Absolon died whom hee knew to be a wicked man wept for him saying Absolon my sonne O my sonne Absolon would to God I had died for thee But when his yong son died whom he knew to be an innocent babe hee was vvell apaid and arose from the ground and annoynted his face and looked cheerefully and said I shall goe to him he cannot returne to me Whereby hee warranteth that of Fulgentius who saith That the godly deceased are not lost for euer but left for a time n Non amissi sed praemissi not gone away from vs but sent to God before vs. For if that bee true which Ignatius saith That life without Christ is death o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then this is true also which I shall say That death with and in Chirst is life The deaths of the Saints are no funerals but triumphs p Exercitia sunt ista non funera Cypr. So that in respect of vs which are aliue it is a very charitable custome yea it is a very honourable custome to giue mourning cloakes and gownes but in respect of them that are dead it is altogether needlesse For what need wee weare blacke mourning cloakes in signe of sorrow seeing as it is in the Reuelation they weare white long robes in token of triumph Therefore Chrysostome saith q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It becommeth vs that are Christians at the death of Christians rather to reioyce as at a triumph then to weepe as at a tragedy For saies Ierome r Desideraâ—di sunt vt
Neponthes and faith s Reu. 21.4 Bee of good cheere there shall bee no more sorrow neither crying neither death neither paine for the first things are past And the water of the word of God is that fountain Lethe which when wee come to drinke of it speakes to vs as it were in this sort t Esay 43.18 Remember not the former things neither regard the things of old For as they which die cloth doe not immediately change one contrary into another but first turne a white into an azure and then make a puke of it So we can neuer hold coulour as a good puke except first our white be turned into an azure that is as Lyrinensis saith u Donec dediscimus bene quod didicimus non bene c. 15. except first we do well to Forget that which wee did ill to get except first we do happily vnlearne that which wee did vnhappily learne And like as they which worke in wax cannot frame any new impression in it till the old be defaced x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bas. E. 1. p. 208. so the image of Caesar the Prince of this world the diuell must first bee defaced before the image of Christ can bee formed in vs. For this image of Christ as Clemens testifieth y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prot. p. 5. is seene onely in them which Forget the hill of Helicon and dwell in mount Syon Wherefore though thou haue had a bloudy issue twelue yeares yet thine issue being now stopt Forget all bloudinesse z Marke 5.25 though thou haue had a crooked body eighteene yeares yet thy body being now straightned forget all crookednesse a Luk. 13.11 though thou haue had blind eyes yet thine eyes being now cleered forget all blindnesse in seeing the truth b Marke 10.5 though thou haue had deafe eares yet thine cares being now opened forget all deafenesse in hearing the word c Mark 7.34 though thou haue had a dry hand yet thy hand being now restored forget all drinesse and niggardlinesse with men d Mat. 12.10 though thou haue had a lame foote yet thy foote being now recured forget all limping and haulting with GOD e Act. 14.8 though thou haue beene dead and buried in the graue foure daies as Lazarus was yet being now receiued forget all deadnesse in sin f Iohn 11.39 though thou haue been possessed and tormented with seuen diuels as Mary Magdalen was yet being now deliuered renounce the deuill and all his workes g Luke 8.2 and forget all thy wicked workes which are behind thee h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vide Nas. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea and all thy good workes also For if thee forget them then will God remember them The Patriark Abraham was content for Gods pleasure to sacrifice his sonne Isaac i Gen. 22.16 But as soone as hee had done hee forgets it Therefore God remembers it and sets downe euery seuerall circumstance of it By mine owne selfe haue I sworn saith the Lord because thou hast don this thing There is the general But what thing The particular followes And hast not spared yea not thy seruant but thy sonne nay not onely thy sonne but thine onely sonne and hast not spared thine onely sonne therefore I will surely blesse thee That good woman k Luk. 7.42 gaue Christ louing and friendly entertainement But as soone as she had done she forgets it Therefore Christ remembers it and amplifies it from point to point He turned to the woman and said to Simon Seest thou this woman when I came to thy house thou gauest mee no water for my feet but shee hath washed my feet with the teares of her eies and wiped them with the haires of her head Thou gauest mee no kisse but she since the time I came in hath not ceased to kisse my feete My head with oile thou didst not annoint but shee hath annointed my feet with ointment Lo yee how true it is which I said before that if wee remember our good workes then God will forget them but if we forget them then God will remember them yea and he will reward them when we haue forgotten them If wee wage warre with God l Luke 14.31 and thinke to ouercome him with ten thousand of our good deeds then wil he like a puissant Prince bring forth into the field a huge Army of our sinnes twenty thousand of our sins against vs with twenty thousand of our sins will easily ouerthrow ten thousand of our good deeds and so finally confound vs. But if on the other side wee can bee content to forget all our good workes and to strow our best garments and our most flourishing branches at Christs feete m Math. 21.8 and to cast downe our very crownes before the throne of the Lambe n Reu. 4.10 then he will be a right Lambe indeed he will not fight with vs but he wil crowne vs with honour glory Almighty God appointed his people not to sheare the first borne of the sheep o Deut. 15.19 The first born of the sheep are the best of our good workes These we must not sheare nor lay naked and open to the view and knowledge of all men but forget them and hide them vnder the fleece of silence and keepe them secret to our selues So Ioseph whom God did leade as a sheepe p Psal. 80.2 hauing a first borne did not sheare this first borne of the sheepe but called him Manasses that is forgetfulnesse of those things which were behinde when God had now answered the desires of his heart q Eccles. 5.19 The faithfull speaking to Christ say thus wee will make for thee borders of gold guilt with siluer r Musenulas aureas vermiculatas argento Can. 1.10 This is quite contrary to the fashion of the world The fashion of the world is to guild siluer with gold and to put the best side outward But the faithfull guild gold with siluer and put the best side inward So Moses hauing a glorious countenance did not set it out to the shew but did forget it and couered it with a vaile s Exod. 34.33 Now a glorious countenance couered with a vaile what is it else but a border of gold guilt with siluer but we we alas for the most part haue such base minds that we are scarce worth the ground wee goe vpon Wee doe not guild our borders of gold with siluer but wee sheare the first borne of our sheepe We do not cast downe our garments and our branches and our crownes before the throne of the Lambe but wee warre against God with ten thousand of our good workes Or rather indeed which of vs all can muster together so many good workes to fight for him Nay if we haue done one thing well or one time well we think all is well we 〈◊〉 do no more wee haue done good enough and
〈◊〉 let him take vp his crosse and follow 〈◊〉 Let him take vp his crosse that hee may come the neerer to my crosse and follow mee that hee may be directed all the way by me For thou canst neuer erre or goe beside the marke so long as thou walkest in this way (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Centu. 2. â— Therefore Maximus saith If thou wouldst finde the way which bringeth vnto life then seeke it in that way which saith I am the way the truth and the life x The way to them that begin the truth to them that proceed the life to them that are perfect (y) Via est incipientibus veritas proficiâ—ntibus vita perfectis Tho à campis in soliloquio animae cap. 12. Now the way to this way is the Word Which S. Peter confirmeth saying z 2 Pet. 1.25 The word of the Lord endureth for euer and this is the word which is preached among you He avoucheth that the eternal word is the preached word meaning thereby that the onely way to the begotten word is the written word According to that of the Psalmist (a) Psa. 119.1 Blessed are they which are vpright in the way and walke in the law of the Lord. So that if thou wouldest be vpright in the way which is the word of Christ then thou must walk in the law of the Lord which is the word of Christ. For the holy scripture is giuen by the inspiration of God to bee a lanthorne vnto our steps and a light vnto our paths that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes (b) 2 Tim. 3.17 Wherefore to define this whole matter in few words we shall in mine opinion follow hard toward the marke if we labour earnestly in our seuerall vocations to expresse the vertues of Christ our good Lord (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil. pag. 555. which he shewed forth in all the course of his life especiaâ—ly in his death vpon the crosse for vs to imitate and follow by walking faithfully in the way of his Commandements and squaring all our actions speeches and thoughts according to the rule of his word Euen as on the contrary part it is very euident that all they run beside the marke which doe not propound to themselues to follow the example of Christ but either in their doctrine or in their life either in their opinions or in their actions continually swarue from him Such 〈◊〉 all Atheists Temporizers Newters and â—â—â—â—rists For Atheists runne beside â—â—e marke by going too much on the left hand They do not make Christ a marke to aime at that they may follow him but a signe to shoote at that they may blaspheme him c Luke 2.34 They bend their tongues as bowes and shoot out their arrowe euen bitter words d Psalm 64.3 They corrupt others and speake of wicked blasphemy their talking is against the most high e Psalm 73.8 They say vnto God depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies f Iob. 21.14 Excede pietas si modo in nostra domo vnquam fuisti Atreus apud Senecum in Thyeste Actu 2. And no maruell that they speake so impiously which liue so vngodly Running altogether vpon the left hand in the broad way of the world of the flesh of the deuill For the world hath a kinde of course g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 2.2 which Athists follow being past feeling i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 6.11 euen starke dead in their trespasses and sinnes Parte sinistra Centifidum confindititer Prud. con Sym. lib. 1. The flesh also hath a by-path h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 3.3 whereby they are seduced and deceiued Lastly the deuil hath a methodâ— which is without any methode and an order which is contrary to all good order and a left-handed direction which bringeth them to finall confusion Now Temporizers also runne beside the marke by going a bout in a circle They goe about many things but bring about nothing k Thes. 3.11 They do all things for the time but nothing for the truth l Omnia prae tempore nihil pre veritate Optatus lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chryso They make many a period but neuer a full point m. They are alwaies lerning but neuer come to knowledge n 2 Tim. 3.7 The hedge hog hath two holes in his siege one toward the south another toward the North. Now when the Southerne wind blowes he stops vp that hole and turnes him northward When the Northerne wind blowes hee stops vp that hole likewise and turnes him againe southward Such vrchinâ— are all Temporizers They beleeue for a time as long as the warme sunne shines vpon them But as soone as any storme of persecution ariseth by and by they haue a starting hole to hide themselues in they change their Religion and turne about with the time For the hearts of such men are as a cart-wheele and their thoughts are like a rolling axeltree o Eccle. 33.5 Or as a top which alwaies runnes round and neuer goes forward vnlesse it bee whipt p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesy verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or like a mill-horse which making many steppes turnes about and is continually found in the same place (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bas. pag. 563. Or as a dote which riding vpon his hinges all day long is neuer a white neerer at night So likewise Newters run beside the marke by going forward and backeward in a maze These do not aske of their Father an egge r Pro. 26.14 but a Scorpion For an egge would teach them to go onely forward but a Scorpion doth teach them to goe both forward and backward (s) Augustin Ep. 121. cap. 5. Basil in Ps. 32. initio Like the Barnacles which are both flesh fish (t) Auibus istis tanquam non carneis viri religiosi ieiuniorum tempore vesci soleâ—â—â— Giral Cam. App. cap. 8. Or the Israelites which speake both Ashdod and Hebrew u Nehem. 13.24 Or Ianus which sees both before and behind (x) Ianus bifrons exprimitur quod in medio constitutus annum incipientem pariter excedentem spectare videatur Cyp. lib. de Idol vanit Or Balaan which doth both blesse and curse y Num. 23.25 Such a Newter among the Romans was Tullie who could not resolue whether hee should take Caesars or Pompeyes part z Quem fugiam scio quem sequar nescio Among the Grecians was Thytides who could not determine whether hee should ioyne himselfe with Achilles or Hector (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Ilia 5. Among the Iewes was the Tribe of Ephraim which was a cake vpon the harth not turn'd b Ose. 7.8 baked on the one side and raw on the other side Among the Gentiles was the Church of Laoâ—icea which was
that the Iudge may not heare what he is able to say in his owne cause in like sort the Diuell the common plantife the common accuser of 〈◊〉 mankind when hee seeth vs vpon our knees pleading for our selues by prayer and seeking fauour and pitty of God the iudge of all then doth hee most interrupt and disturbe vs. And euen as the Furies are described to haue snakes serpents vpon their heads instead of hayre so Sathan distracts 〈◊〉 mindes and makes vs like furies putting pestilent and noysome cogitations into our heads in stead of deuout and holy affections Which is the cause why Iob y Iob. 1.20 before he fell downe vpon the ground to pray did shaue his head did shaue and cut off al idle earthly thoughts which are nothing else but snakes and serpents suggested by that old Serpent the Diuell For blessed Iob knew right well it was vnpossible God should heare him if hee heard not himselfe No no sayes God I will neuer heare such a people because this people drawes neere to me with their mouthes honour me with their lippes but their hearts are farre from z Esa. 29.13 mee What then saies the Apostle I will pray with my breath or with my mouth yea and I will pray also with my vnderstanding or with my a 1. Cor. 14.15 heart Seeing indeede fiâ—e wordes thougâ— they were no more comming from a well disposed and a faithfull heart are a thousand times better then ten thousand wordes which are neuer at all vttered but muttered onely and mumbled vp in the mouth Gods promise to his people is this You b Deut. 4.29 shall seeke me and you shall finde mee because you shall seeke mee with your whole â—eart Gods performance of his promise is this c Iere. 29.13 You haue sought mee and you haue found me because you haue sought mee with your whole heart Therefore when thou seekest seâ—ke with thy heart when thou praiest enter into thy chamber Thy lippes are but the chamber dore So that when thou hast opened the dore of thy lips then thou must enter into the very chamber of thy heart That thy praier may not bee an emptie or a windie praier puft or blowne from the lungs or from the lippes but a hearty a pithy praier a sacrifice which hath marrow and d Medullatum sacricifium Psal. 66.15 fatnes such a Sacrifice as Dauid offered when as hauing first saide My heart hath sailed e Psal. 4. mee I haue lost my heart anon after he saies I haue now O Lord found my heart againe to pray vnto thee f 〈◊〉 cormicum 1. Sam 7.27 Salomon deckt and garnished his temple before he praied in it and so before thou praiest prepare thy g Ecclesiasticus 18.21 heart Be sure thou finde and furnish thy heart which is the true temple of him who is greater then Salomon And as that woman that sought her groat swept ouer all the whole house so when thou seekest any thing of God sweepe ouer the whole house of thy h Psal. 11.1 heart say with Manaâ—â—es O Lord I bow vnto thee the knees of my heart seeing thou hast saide Seeke ye my face thy face O Lord doe I seeke yea I doe seeke thee with my whole heart seeing thou hast said seeke and you shal find Yet it is not enough for vs to sâ—ek with the heart we must also knocke with the hand For he that was borne blind could notwithstaÌ„ding both see say that God heareth not sinners but that euery one which calleth vpon the name of the Lord must depart from iniquity So that it is to little purpose for a man to seeke though with neuer so faithfull a heart except also hee knocke with a righteous hand The Heretikes called Euchitae professed to doe nothing else but pray Because the Apostle exhorteth vs to pray continually But they did not consider that to pray alwaies is to serue God alwaies And that a godly life knocks aloud and is a perpetuall praier to God So that professing to pray and to do nothing els in effect they did nothing lesse Seeing as Theodoret reporteth of them They did h Vt plurimâ—â— dormiunt nothing for the most part but sleepe Whereas in Basils iudgement a praier should bee filled i Non syllabis sed factis operibus not with syllables or good words so much as with good works Which none can doe who either with these Heretikes doe nothing at all or els no good thing at al but only that which is ill with others When you shall multiply your prayers vnto me saies God k Esa. 1.15 I will not heare you because your hands are full of blood If a subiect should offer vp a supplication hauing his hands imâ—râ—ed in the blood of the Kings sonne tell me I pray you what thinke you how would the King take it would hee grant him his request trowe you or rather would hee not be most wrathfully incensed and enraged against him And euen so doth God take it at our hands when we knockâ— with bloody vncleane hands presuming still to pray and yet continually crucifying the sonne of God by our sins Therfore say the godlie Let vs lift vp our harts with our hands l Lam. 3.41 They say not Let vs lift vp our hearts alone but let vs lift vp our hearts with our hands Let vs not only seek with our harts but also knock with our hands yea euen with innocent hands And another m Psal. 141.3 Let my praier be directed vnto thee as incense and let the lifting vp of my hands be an euening sacrifice vnto thee And yet another I will that men pray euery where lifting vp pure hands n 1. Tim. 2.8 For as the precious stone diacletes though it haue very many excellent soueraignties in it yet it looseth them all if it bee put in a dead mans mouth so prayer which is the only pearle and iewell of a Christian though it haue very manie rare vertues in it yet it loseth them euery one if it be put into a mans mouth or into a mans heart eyther that is dead in sinne and doth not knock with a pure hand Hence it is that the Church is sayd to be perfumed with frankinsence and myrre o Cant. 3.6 By frankinsence is meant a burning feruency of affection when as an enflamed heart seeketh By myrre is ment mortification and dying vnto sin when as an vndefiled hand knocketh As when the Church sayes p Cant. 5.5 My handes droppe downe myrre my fingers pure myrr â—e vpon the handles of the barre This is that holy perfume of the tabernacle which God appointed to bee made of pure myrre and frankinsence of each like waight q Exod. 30.34 Note that Of each like waight But we for the most part marre it in the making For we put into this perfume of praier whole pounds of frankinsence but
will I speake that I may take breath m Iob. 3â— 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 deuÌ„ sufficit ei placere quem diligit quam nulla maior expeteuda est remâ—â—etatio quom ipsa dilectio Leo Magnus Serm. 7 de Ieiunio For if he gaue his onely begotten sonne to die for you wheÌ„ 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 seruiamâ—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 Peccâ—â—â— 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 sholâ—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 Pâ—â—itentia libro 2 â— 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 â—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 trisâ—eth not but washeth his bed and waterâ—â—â— his couch with his
teares VVe reade of three that Christ raised from death â—aâ—rus daughter the widowes sonne and Lazarus g De tota hanc Alegoria vide Aug. ser. 44 de Verbis Domini Tract 49. in Iohannem Erasmâ—m etiam in concionâ— de Miserecordia dei Feâ—rum in Iohan c 11. Hanc approbat Cal vinus in Luc verse 11. his verbis Scimus inuâ—uem 〈◊〉 quem Christus a morte suscitauit speciem esse spiritualis vita quam nobis restituit For raising vp of Iairus daughter 57 Mat. 38. deinceps many weeping and wailing greatly for her he came to the house and went in where shee lay and suffered but a very few to goe in with him and tooke her by the hand and said vnto her Maiden arise and straight way shee arose and walked charge was giuen that this should not bee tolde abroâ—de Fos raising vp the widowes sonne 58 Ioh. 11.33 et deincep much people of the citie weeping with his mother for him who was now caried out of the gate to be buried he went and touched the coffin and said Young man arise and he that was dead sat vp and began to speake and he deliuered him to his mother and the rumor hereof went forth through out all Iudea For raysing vp Lazarus 50 Luc 7.12 et deincep when he saw Mâ—ry weepe and the Iewes also weepe which came with her he groaned in the spirit he was troubled in himselfe he vnderstanding he had bin dead and buried foure daies wept for him hee groned againe he came to the graue hee caused the graue stone to be taken away hee lifted vp his eies to his father hee prayed very feruently hee cryed with a lowed voice Lazarus come foorth then hee that was dead came foorth bound hand and foote with hands and his face was bound with a napkin and Iesus saide vnto them Loose him and let him goe Now these three sorts of corses are three sorts of sinners (60) Ista tria genera mortuâ—rum sunt tria genera peccatorum â—ug ser. Iayrus daughter lying dead in her fathers house resembleth them that sinne by inward consent the widowes sonne being carried out of the gate of the citie them that sinne by outward act (44) de verbis Domini Lazarus hauing beene dead and buried foure daies them that sinne by continuall custome h Resuscitauit filium Archisy â—agogi ad huc in domo iacentem resuscitauit iuuenâ—m filium viduae extra portam ciuitatis elatuÌ„ resâ—scitauit Lazarum sepultum quatri duanum Au. Tractatu 49. in Iohan The first was dead but one houres the second but one day the third foure daies The young maiden lay in a bed the young man in a coffinâ— Lazarus in a graue For the first Christ touched her hand for the second he touched the coffin for the third he touched nothing Before their raysing vp because the maiden figured those that sinne not so much in acte as in consent hee touched her hand which had beene 〈◊〉 great instrument of any acte because the young man had sinne in aâ—â— but not in custome into which he might haue fallen if he had liued longer he touched the coffin which kept him from custome because Lazarus smelled hauing beene dead now foure daies the first day by conceiuing sinne the second by consenting to sinne the third by acting sinne the fourth by continuing in sin i Prima est quasi 〈◊〉 delecâ—atiâ—â—is 〈…〉 Aug. serm 44. Christ touched him not at all At the raising of the first few were present and they were charged also to make no words of it that the maiden might be lesse shamed which had sinned for the most part but in consent at the raising of the second much people of the citie were present and the thing was noised abroad farre and neare that the young man might be more ashamed which had sinned also in acte at the raising of the third a huge number of Iewes were present which saw his face bound with a napkin to testifie the extreame confusion and shame that couered his face and they 〈◊〉 him themselues and let him 〈◊〉 beeing eye-witnesses of his seruitude and slauerie which had sinned so 〈◊〉 by custome After their raising vp 〈◊〉 daughter strait-way arose walked because for her that had stept aside but by consenting to sinne it was easie to recouer and to arise and forthwith to walk in the way of Gods commaundements the widowes son sat vp began to spâ—â—â—e was deliuered to his mother because for him that had actually committed sinne it was a harder matter to recouer and therefore by little and little hee came to it k Residet enim qui peccare desâ—â—eâ—â—â—rigit se ad 〈…〉 lioris 〈◊〉 qui 〈◊〉 suam 〈…〉 dei misericordiam 〈…〉 tri qui pâ—eactis remediis restituitur Ecclesiae Ecommunioni rase vbi supra first sitting vp by raising vp himselfe to a purpose of amendement 〈◊〉 beginning to speake by confessing his owne misery and acknowledging Gods mercy Lastly being deliuered to his mother by returning to the bosome of the holy Church and enioying the remission of his sinnes Lazarus came foorth bound hande and foote with bâ—â—dâ—â— because for him that had a stone laide vpon him l Moles illaimposita sepulchro ipsa est vis dura consu etudinis quam premitur anima nec resurge re nec respirare permittur Aug ser. 44. and had made his heart as hard a graue stone or as a nether milstone by making a custome and as it were a trade of sinne it was a matter vnpossible to 〈◊〉 thinking to recouer onely the omnipotent power of Christ coulde bringe 〈◊〉 foorth bound hand and foote and breake these handes asunder and restore 〈◊〉 againe to the liberty of the soâ—â—â—â— of God For you must knowe 61 Ex Epiphanio Catalogo dogmatum Manuhai that thirtie yeares old he was when he was raised vp and thirty yeares more hee liued after he had beene raysed vp So that halfe his life he spent in sinne the other halfe in repentance of sinne But I haue a litle forgot myselfe Yet it will be no great faulte Right Honourable and beloued in our Lord if it will please you to pardon it I should haue obserued to you in the first place how Christ was earnestly requested to raise vp the first n Mark 5.23 but raysed vp the two last of his owne accord o Luk. 7.13 Ioh. 11.11 and contrariwise how for the two first their friends onely wept p Mar. 5.38 Luk. 7.13 but for the last besides his sisters and friends Christ also wept exceedingly q Ioh. 11.35 These are verie important matters and properly belonging to the point in hand For seeing the young maiden by sinning in consent had lesse offended Christ he would not haue troubled himselfe about her but vpon intreatie of others but the two last the one an actuall the other a customable sinner
pâ—tius vnum minutuâ—â— voluntatem meâ—â—◠〈◊〉 dabo illâ—â— ad voluâ—tatem illius qui tantus tantillum tantis beneficiis praeuâ—niâ— qui tâ—tâ— se totum me comparaâ—it Berâ— serm de Quadruplici Debito p. 100. that hauing nothing to offer but the widowes â— mites nay a great 〈◊〉 les then 2. mites I mean my bodie my soule or rather I haue but onlie one 〈◊〉 to offer only my good wil which I 〈◊〉 henceforth conforme to his wil whâ— being rich becâ—me poore for me and 〈◊〉 his bodie soule to redeem my bodie soule from death But now seing 〈…〉 almost as often sinned wilfully as either of ignorance or infirmitie what manner of men ought we to be in humbling our selues vnder Gods mightie hand f 1. Pet. 5.6 in iudging condemning our selues g 1 Cor. 11.31 in repenting as hartely as wee sinned haynously in washing our bed watring our couch wiâ—h our teares Euen this our Prophet sheweth also very good euideÌ„ce for this same doctrine els where Haue mercy vpon me O Lord saies he after thy great goodnes according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away mine offences Wash me throughly froÌ„ my wickednes cleanse me froÌ„ my sin 66 Psal. 52.2 The goodnes of God is alwaies like it selfe neither great nor little but absolutely infinite Therfore it is neuer a whitthe greater for our couÌ„ting it not little nor neuer a whit the lesse for our couÌ„ting is not great but though wee count it great yet it is stil as litle as it should be though we count it little yet it is still as great as it can bee So that the Psalmist in tearming Gods goodnes great setteth foorth the greatnesse rather of his owne badnes then of Gods goodnes confessing his owne sinne indeede to bee great and so consequently Gods goodnesse likewise to bee great but yet in this respect only not because it can take any encrease of greatnes into it selfe but because it can giue increase of gladnes to him who for a great sin is almost ouerwhelmed with as great a griefe The same may be saide of Gods mercies that they are neither many nor fewe but as his goodnes is incoÌ„prehensible so his mercies are innumerable Neuerthelesse the Prophet sticks not to say According to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences As if hee should haue said According to thy mercies doe away the multitude of mine offences The multitude then to speake properly is not of Gods mercies but of mine offeÌ„ces yet seeing the mercies of God are as many as all mine offences nay a great manie moâ—e then all the offences of al the world therfore hee mentions a multitude of Gods mercies Because nothing can asswage the multitude of sorrowes which arise in my heart h Psal. 94.19 for the multitude of my offences but the multitude of Gods mercies The multitude of mine offences 〈◊〉 king indeede as on Gods behalfe a multitude of mercies so on my behalfe multitude of teares And therfore he 〈…〉 wash me throughly or as it is in the latin translation 67 Amplius laua me wash me yet more Wash me and wash me and yet more againe againe wash me throughly from my wickednes cleanse me from my sin For euen as a vessel that hath bin tainted with poison or some infections liquor will not be cleane with once washing but must be often scalded throughly washed before it will be sweet so hauing heretofore possessed my vessell in impuritie i 1 Thes. 4.4 though I now wash me with niter and take mâ—e much I sope yet mine own vncleannes is â—â—ill marked before thee k Ier. 2.22 onely thou O Lord canst wash me throughlie who â—n grieued throughlie because I haue beene throughlie defiled And indeed though I cannot wash my selfe throughlie yet I am sure thou hast washt me thoroughlie because I haue repented me thoroughlie I haue mingled my drinke with weeping l Psal. 102.10 and my teares haue bin my meate day night m Psal. 42.4 nay Euerie night I wash my bed and water my Couch with my teares It is a cleare case then that a great act of sin must be bewailed with a great act of repentance For the raising of Lazaâ—â—s which hath been dead foure daies requireth the greatest growing and â—â—â—ping the greater sinne as of the Priest or voluÌ„tary or such like requireth the greater sacrifice if I haue coÌ„mitted great wickednes except I shew great repentance I cannot obtaine great mercie if I haue bin throughly defiled except I be throughly washed I cannot be throughly 〈◊〉 And therefore the holy Prophet that â—e may obtaine great mercy that he â—ay be throughlie washed saith here Eâ—â—rie night I wash my bed and water my coâ—ch with my teares To returne then where I left and so 〈◊〉 make an end S. Austins two compâ—risons of 〈…〉 of teares and of a floude of teares may seeme to some verie incredible much more these three amplifications of the Prophet Dauid Especially if we read these words as I haue noted they are in the Hebrew Euerie night I cause my bed to swim and I melt my couch with my teares But howsoeuer they may seeme to be they are I graunt very hyperbolicall yet so as the meaning of them is plain â—â—ough As if he should haue said I do◠〈◊〉 indeed cause my bed to swim in showâ—â—â— of teares neither doe I melt my Couch with floudes of teares but yet if euer anie man had done so or if it were possible any man could do so then my repentance is so great my tears so aboundant 〈◊〉 I thinke verily whosoeuer is one I 〈◊〉 be an other which should cause my bâ—d to swim my couch to melt seeing â— Eueâ—iâ— night I wash my bed water my couch with my teares Therefore they which can gather no good meaâ—ing out of these words do consider neither how â—â—â—â—efull the wrath indignatioÌ„ of God is 〈…〉 how horrible is the sense of sin 〈…〉 n Relata adse magnitudine aâ—is alicui quaÌ„ quidamâ— eques Romanus dum vixit celauerat culcitram emi cubicularem in cius anxime sic hi iussit of whome I spake before hearing of them talk in hiâ— court what a huge sum of money a certaine Knight in 〈◊〉 owed at his death 〈◊〉 that all his goodâ— were to be solde to make paymentâ— of his debts coÌ„maunded the master of 〈◊〉 wardrobe to buy for him that â—ed wherein this knight vsed to lie For sais he 68 Et praeceptum muraÌ„tibus hanc rationem reddidit Habenda est ad sâ—mmum culcitra in qua ille cum caâ—â—um deberes dormire pâ—tuit Macrob. Satur. l. 2. c. 4 if I cannot sleepe soundly in that bed wherin he could sleepe that owed so much theÌ„ surelie I shal sleepe in none If this famous Emperor thought it a matter almost vnpossible for him to sleepe quietly
with a garment dipt in blood can not be angry either with him or with vs but when we are dead in sinne quickneth vs together in him by whose grace we are saued and raised vs vp and maketh vs for his sake sit in the heauenly places aboue Marcus Seruilius a valiant Romane who had fought three and twenty combates of life and death in his owne person and had alwaies slaine as many of his enemies as challeng'd him man to man when as the people of Rome resisted Paulus Emilius triumph Plutarch in Paulo Aâ—melio fine stood vp and made an oration in his behalfe In the midst whereof he cast open his gowne and shewed before them the infinite skarves and cutâ— he had receiued vpon his breast The sight of which so preuailed with the people that they all agreed in one and graunted Emilius triumph After the same fashion Christ hath spoiled â—â—â—â—cipalities and powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in his crosse yeâ— and yet now beareth about in his bodie the markes and tokens of this triumph that a finall agreement and attonement being made betweene God and vs by his onely mediation and meanes we also may be more then conquerours in him that loueth vs and may euery one of vs say with Saint Paul Now thanks be vnto God which alwaies maketh vs to triumph in Christ. Among other ornaments of the Sanctuarie there was a golden censer full of holes by which the sweete odours fumed forth when Aaron once a yeare burnt incense therin No other high Priest doe we acknowledge but Christ the true Aaron Heb. â— 4 who hath not entred into any Sanctuarie made with hands but into heauen it selfe And his golden censer is his own body which through the wounds that are in it as through chinks or holes suâ—eth forth alwaies a pleasing and a sweete â—auour in the nosthrils of his father The signe of the couenant which God made with Noah was a rainebowe in the cloud And indeede that is a sure token vnto vs that the world shall neuer be drowned againe with a generall flood of water Gen. 9 16. as it was in Noahs time But the rainebowe which assureth vs we shall neuer be drowned in the pit of euerlasting perdition is no such thing Why may some man say what is it Mane it is the blood of Christ which maketh as it wâ—re a rainebow in his side For the other rainebow is but a transitorie signe which shall passe away with the cloudes and with the world But this rainebowe whereof the other is but a shadow shall continue for euer in the sight of God as the author to the Hebrewes sai's that Christ is entred into heauen vt appareat nunc vultui Dei pro nobis to appeare now in the fight of God for vs. Therefore S. Iohn in the Reuelation witnesseth that he sawe a doore open in heauen aud a rainebow round about the throne of God Hee sawe a doore open in heauen to teach vs that we can haue no accesse vnto the Father but by Christ neither yet by Christ simply but as he is crucified and hath set open a doore in his side for vs to enter by him He sawe a rainebowe round about the throne of God to teach vs that the throne of God would be altogether a throne of iustice a throne of wrath a throne of anger and indignation were it not that the blood of Christ spinning out as I may say still liuely and freshly in the sight of his father maketh a rainbowe round about his throne putteth him in minde of his couenant appeaseth his displeasure and so maketh his throne to all vs that loue him Gen. 30.37 a throne of grace a throne of compassion a throne of fauour and mercie in Christ. We read that Iacob pilled certaine rods which beeing laid in the watering troughes before the sheepe made them bring forth such lambes as afterward fell to his own share So likewise if we sinne wee haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes The marke of the roddes in his wounds laid open in the sight of God ingendreth and breedeth in him a loue and a liking toward vs so that he conceiueth well of vs and seuereth vs as good sheepe from the goates and in the blood of the lambe is pleased and appeased and satisfied for our sinnes This blood is the blood of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 which speaketh better things then that of Abel For Abels blood vpon earth cryed out once for vengeance but Christs blood in heauen cries continually for mercie One deepe calleth another because of the noise of the water pipes Christs woundes are the watering troughs and the water-pipes by which all graces flowe vnto vs. So that one deepe calleth an other because of the noise of the water pipes because the wounds of Christ make a continuall noise in the eares of his father and the depth of the extreame misery which he was in vpon earth calleth for the depth of Gods bottomlesse and infinite mercy in heauen Thus these holy wounds of Christ pacifie and appease his father For now Moyses standing in the gappe sues for pardon the poore creeple lying at the beautifull gate begg's an almes Ezechias spreading open his letters makes his supplication Salomon stretching out his hands offers vp his prayer Epaminondas being wounded mooues Agâ—sipolis to saue Pelopidas Seruilius discouering his wounds perswades the people to grant Emilius triumph Aaron burning incense in his golden censer perfumeth the whole Sanctuarie Noah pointing to his rainebowe putteth God in mind of his promise Iacob laying forth his roddes make most of the lambes his owne Abel holding vp his blood cals and cries for mercie Christ shewing his hands and his side appeaseth his father As if our Sauiour should say thus vnto his Father O my louing father looke vpon the face of thine annointed looke vpon the hands looke vpon the side of thine annointed The hands of thine anointed how cruelly they are mangled the side of thine annointed bow wofully it is wounded Behold and see if there be any sorrowe like to my sorrow These hands can signifie what exceeding sorrow I haue suffered this side can shew that I haue humbled my selfe and haue been obedient vnto death euen vnto the death of the crosse Therefore O my deare father Put thy finger here and see my hands and put forth thy hand and put it into my side and as thou art not faithlesse but faithfull so be not mercilesse but mercifull for my sake and pitifull to thy people So much for the second cause which is to appease his Father The third cause why Christ hath his wounds yet to be seene in his bodie is to confound his enemies When Saint Paul the Apostle before his conuersion persecuted the Church of God Christ called to him from heauen and said Saul Saul why persecutest thou