calling their washings of their cups 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Latin Interpreter frequently renders it as in S. Marke c. 7. a foro nisi baptizentur non comedunt as likewise in S. Luke ch 11.38 the Pharisie began to say Quare non baptizatus esset ante prandium the use being then to wash their hands and vessels before they did eate which appeares Luk. 2. to have been the Cause in Providing the many water pots at the Mariage of Cana according to the manner of the purifying of the Iews The word was afterward receiv'd into a Sacred use In which sense also there are diversities of baptisme a baptisme there is of water but it is of Teares the baptisme of Repentance with which that woman as some think was baptized that with her teares wash'd our Saviour's feet There is a baptisme of Affliction the baptisme of Martyrdome the baptisme of blood as the Ancients call'd it of which our Saviour speaks Mat. 20.22 can you be baptised with the baptisme that I am baptised There is a baptisme of Fire that is of the Spirit a powring out of the guifts of the Holy Ghost which sometimes is given before the baptisme of Water as appeares in the story of Cornelius where the hearers of the Word receiv'd the Holy Ghost Act. 10.44 and afterwards were baptised v. 48. There is a Baptisme also of the Flood as it is term'd a baptisme of water the Ordinary Sacrament which may be called also the baptisme of Blood since the power of it depends upon Christ's blood 1 Ioh. 1.7 The blood of Christ washes us from all sinne It may be call'd also the baptisme of Fire since Christ's blood is apply'd to us through Faith by the Holy Ghost Thus the inward baptisme is of the Spirit as the outward is of the Water Which last of Water the Spirit was before hand pointed out by many Types Foreshew'd it was in the Flood that drown'd the World preserv'd Noah 1 Pet. 3.21 Foreshew'd it was in the passage through the Red Sea in which Pharoah was drown'd and the Israelites Saved 1 Cor. 10.6 thus in this Baptisme is sinne drow'd and the soule preserved Foreshew'd it was in the Iraelites dwelling under the Cloud 1 Cor. 10.2 such protection there is to the true Receiver from the water of Baptisme Foreshew'd it was in the Leviticall Washings as the Apostle observes Heb. 9.10 By all which types besides the expresse Institution of our Saviour we may see the Element in which this Sacrament is to be performed is Water Perversely then did those which S. Austin speakes of baptize in Fire literally taking and so mistaking that Mat. 3.11 He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire More subtilly also than soundly doe some Schoolemen question If the Element of Water as in case of necessity may not be had whether or no it may not be supplyed by Wine or Vinegar or Sand so vaine are man's Imaginations without God when in Divine matters Phansie shall be presciption where the Element is deny'd the Sacrament is deny'd though not alwaies the blessing of the Sacrament Presumptuously likewise do the Aethiopians first baptize with Water then with Fire It is an unreasonable practice yet were it lesse fond if it were senselesse too but they deliver this Sacrament of the Gospell as the Law was delivered with fire when as the practice in this Sacrament should be continued as it begunne in water only in water What wisedome is it then to put Salt into the mouth of the Infant though to figure out the salt of wisedome by which he must be cleansed from the putrifaction of sinne what wisedome to touch with spittle the Eare though to instruct us that they must be open to instruction what wisedome to use Milke and Hony though they shaddow-out his claime to the Substance and Possession of the truest Canaan which so excells the first that excell'd with these blessings what wisedome to adde Oile for the annointing of the Brow the Brest the Shoulders though to implye the baptised must be thence forth a Champion of Christ what wisedome to bring a burning Tapor to helpe the Baptized to see that he is translated from the Kingdome of Darknesse to Light what wisedome to use Exsufflation a puffing into the face of the Child though used sometime in ancient time yet not by the Priest but the person to be baptised to shew how he defied Satan his works as Tertullian tells us What wisedome then shall we say this is surely this is humane wisedome and at best but Ceremoniall wisedome None of these things 't is true are in themselves evill and some we grant were anciently in use and all significant Yet lookes not such a traine of Ceremonies more like the Pompe we should renounce than professe We must remember what God injoynes us to remember Deut. 12.32 What thing soever I command you observe to doe it thou shalt not adde thereto nor diminish from it Wisedome it is and Modesty not to strive to be wiser then our Saviour Divine institution needs not Humane Addition Tradition quickly corrupting into Superstition Ezekiah brake the brasen Serpent though made my Moses when once the people began to worship it when the brasen Serpent began to doe more hurt than in Moses his time the fiery Serpents did though this were raised as a remedy against them They indeed kill'd but the body but this the Soule nay this did now kill the Soule which at the first heal'd the Body There is only one signe the memoriall of our Saviours Death which has longest lasted not as essentiall to this Sacrament much lesse for Adoration but for Commemoration the signe of an extended body from which it first receiv'd its forme worne once in the Banner of the Great Constantine attended with a great victory over the Enemies of Christ yet this also according to the late and diverse Judgements of divers Churches has been esteemed or Disus'd But the Element in this Sacrament is only water an Element out of which some ancient Philosophers held all things were made but surely by Water and the Spirit man is new made From which new life in water to the true receiver Tertullian call'd Christians Pisciculos Fishes agreeable also to the Sibyls verses wherein the Initiall letters of this title of our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ Gods Sonne the Saviour make in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Fish as S. Austin Prosper and before them Optatus have it water also Cleanses makes Fruitfull allays the Thrist thus does God's spirit allay our immoderate thirst after earthly affaires And as we thus see the Element so may we see the use of it in the manner of the Action Anciently the Baptized had his whole body covered in the water this was Demersion for the conveniency whereof they were usually baptized in Rivers or Fountaines as afterwards in every Church a large vessell was provided called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
him to the defence of his own truth Or say of his truth as the Jews did of his Sonne Let him deliver it if he will have it If we discerne any that preferre the giddinesse of their own reason under the notion of sound Reason before the Sobriety of the holy writings and the Church shall we presently either reele out of the way or stagger in it About the eleventh year of this present Century of the Church a new starre-gazer one Fabricius in the upper Germanie publish'd at Witteberge by the vertue of a strange glasse a pretended discovery of strange spots in the Sunne about which time in the lower Germanie a like acute Novelist publish'd pretented spots in the best Belgique Church But as the clearest-sighted though of a lesse excellency then S. Stephen's eie judg'd those suppos'd staines through divine permission to have been by the grand Artist the devil juggled into the starre-wise glasse not into the Sunne so the best-sighted though not so wonderfull as Lyncius yet free from the Jaundice of Opinion discern'd through the right Optique of sacred truth the spots to be not in the Church but in the Novelist and so that his mistakes were the staines If then we see any departing from the truth shall not we depart from Them shall we not rather partake with the Prophet in his tears than with them in such backsliding as deserves such tears You see then enough yea too much cause of sorrow and yet you can not but see the little Effect it produces And must we not confesse this to bee very unnaturall that where there is so great cause there is so litle Effect where so much sinne so few teares for sinne O let us then with severity look upon our Own sinnes let us with compassion behold other mens and shall we make ourselves so unhappy as not to bewaile our own unhappinesse shall we weep for the death of our Friends Bodies and shall we not weep for the death of our Own Soules That being for them but to fulfill the Law of Nature but this being for us to violate the Law of God! When David and his men saw Ziklag burnt and their wives and children carried into Captivity it is said they wept untill they had no more power to weep 1 Sam. 30.4 And shall not we weep as much to see our Soule which is the City of God set on fire by vice and all the vertues and ornaments of our Soules to be lost to be Triumph'd-upon by the Enemies of our Soules Surely as the wind by gathering many clouds makes a shower so our mind by meditation collecting the many evils of our own lives and others will easily cause a shower of tears And indeed who would not willingly by a temporall sorrow scape eternall sorrow since in this life a few accepted teares can wash away the greatest sinnes that shall be remitted but after this life eternall teares can not wash away the least sinnes Let us then crie here for the guilt of our sinnes that we may not hereafter crie for the punishment of them Let us bemoan our selves like Ephraim repentant Ephraim in this our Prophet chap. 31.19 with a holy indignation Surely after that I was turn'd I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was asham'd yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth Let us with the wise man Eccles 2.2 crie-out of mirth what does it crie-out of the madnesse of it The Septuagint term it there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the turning-about the Giddinesse of mirth Let us turn our hearts by Meditation towards Hell that they may never be neerer to it than by Meditation Can we remember how the Israelites mourn'd by the waters of Babylon and not imitate their mourning The waters of Babylon sayes S. Austin are the transitory pleasures of this world by which the Godly mourne as in a strange Country when they remember Sion the heavenly Ierusalem And what more powerfull Motives can we have for teares whether we consider our selves or God than Feare or love both which God has provided for us There are sayes S. Gregory two causes of tears the first for Fear of Punishment the Second for delay of our happinesse both which are intimated according to that Father by that double blessing which Caleb as it is Josh 15.19 bestow'd upon his daughter Achsah to whom he gave the upper and the nether springs the nether spring is Fear the upper Love To the same purpose did Nazianzen observe that Noah's flood came partly from the Earth and partly from Heaven so sayes he the purging flood of tears comes partly from the feare of Hel land partly from the desire of Heaven from the love of God And surely as waters which are distill'd from the rose by the force of fire yeil'd a sweet smell so much more sweet are the waters of the head which are press'd-out by the heat of divine Love It is indeed the Spirit of divine love that from the eies forces holy tears according to that of David Ps 147. Hee causes his wind to blow and the waters flow The same Prophet sayes Ps 104.3 God layes the beames of his chambers in the waters that is he covers the upper part of the heaven or air with water the just man is such a heaven whose upper parts his soule his head his eies are overflow'n with devout sorrow whose teares doe mystically fullfill that of the Psalmist Ps 148.4 The waters that are above the heavens praise the name of the Lord And more admirably doe these waters the tears of the just praise the justice the Mercy and goodnesse of the Lord Who will not then shed a few such tears that he may never shed any more tears And since our Soule is the Garden of God who will not provide a Fountain of tears to make it pleasant for his intertainment who will not labour who will not Rejoice to shed such tears as God himself will wipe away when he will change the darknesse of sorrow into the light of joy the dark eie into a cheerfull eie when he will work such a wonder in the Soul as he has in the eie by a marvelous raising of light out of darknesse out of the apple of the eie which the Hebrews call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst other reasons from the blacknesse as the word also signifies expressing God's wonderfull work in the composition of the eie when as out of the apple of the eie which is the darkest part of it he raises light The apple of the eie being so black or dark that when in the Proverbs Cha. 7.9 it is said in the black and dark night it is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if we should say in the apple of the eie of the night Yet out of the darkest sorrow God will at last raise the most cheerfull light From an eie darken'd with humble tears with innocent tears such as
is the last Conquerour It is indeed a practice unreasonable and usefull if we consider the morall of their perseverance And surely the Labour and Constancy in our Christian combat our Apostle did more then intimate when be exhorted Timothie io indure hardnesse as a good souldier of Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 2.3 to indure hardnesse the word of the Apostle is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suffer evill the evill of affliction or bodily punishment suffer hunger and cold and Labour like a good Souldier So did S. Paul himselfe in his high degree of Souldiery and so must the meanest Christian in his inferiour proportion And as those ancient Gentiles did practice themselves before hand against their great and publique combates as S. Basil and Cassianus note so must we count all wrestling in our life time but but a preparative to our last agonie and combate in death Besides all their practises were but bodily exercises which profit but little as S. Paul speakes of them for of them he speaks 1 Tit. 4.8 but ours are spirituall combates we fight against Principalities and Powers and therefore it behooves us to make all advantage of example And since that the understanding is not ashamed to learne of the sense so neither must the soule be ashamed to learn of the body As they then got bodily strength for their wrestlings by Preparation and a Temperance in all things so must we grow strong and cunning in a spirituall imitation of their bodily temperance which is the next thing to be considered Their Temperance in all things And indeed so great was their Temperance to make them the more active that these words which our Apostle uses in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is Temperate in all things was a powerfull speech amongst the Grecians Now their common temperance was from Lust and the wayes unto it wine and Glotonie nay their Diet was so moderate as Irenaeus describes it that it never was unto satiety nay it never was unto a full meale And some were so exact as Plato relates of Diopompus and some others that they would not let their stomachs trie the weight of any heavy meale or but their backs the weight of any heavy cloathes much lesse of any superfluous lest they should thus dull the purity of their spirits And does not S. Paul Hebr. 12.1 exhort us to the like exact temperance to a holy curiosity in our christian Race Let us lay aside sayes he every weight every weight and the sinne which does so easily beset us and let us runne with patience the race that is set before us Is it not an intimate speech let us lay aside every weight The shippe that is but lightly laden may happily scape in a tempest but the heavy laden may quickly perish by temperance fasting saies S. Chysostome we shall lighten our vessell and more safely passe through the waves of this life Let us then lay aside every weight We must saies S. Ierome be circumcised in the flesh which is when in those things that concerne the body we cut off the Delight and reserve only the necessity making them ours as S. Austin speakes utentis modestia non amantis affectu with the appetite of nature not of wantonesse And thus temperate we must be in all things When in relative actions concerning other men we shew equality we call it Justice but when in the retired actions of our soules upon our bodies wee labour for equality wee call it Temperance which does assist reason in restraining the affections the senses and the parts of the body from an abuse in pleasure It restraines the Eie from a licence in prospect for otherwise the eie finds out pleasures and the phansie multiplies them It restraines Laughter and saves it from folly for when the purer parts of the blood the Spirits are over acted into an excesse they shake the body into an unseemely laughter which commonly abounds in such bodies as have not enough Melancholy to make them wise It restraines the Tongue and makes it as it were remember that it is not an Instrument of Invention but only of Execution which therfore must waite till it be imply'd by Reason and that Then it is but to declare the mind of Reason It principally restraines the Throat and Belly these being as the Moabites that inticed Israel to Lust and as the Body is a temptation to the Soul So the Belly and throte are a temptation to the rest of the body Wherfore we must strive to get the mastery of These and then we shall easily be the masters of ourselves Hence were those mighty indeavours of the ancient Christians in Chastitie and Abstinence by which whiles the Body is separated from the pleasures of the body the Soule though not separated from the body is in an admirable manner elevated above the body and attaines that happinesse which in the body it properly but expects But because the effect is taken away by removing the cause and lust is but the consequence of gluttonie hence was that practice and hence that necessity in all ages of the Church of holy fasting This in some sort including a Temperance in all things since a temperance in this thing invite 〈◊〉 Lord to give that universall blessing A Temperance in all things It was a temperance in diet that those Heathens us'd and it must be a temperance in diet that Christians must use The body knows no mean 't is allwayes in extreams 't is allwayes either a Slave or a Tyrant Therfore we must by fasting use it as S. Paul speaks in the last verse of this chapter I keep-under my body and bring it into Subjection his own word is of more power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I bring it into Servitude And this practice of Fasting is as old as the world nor was Man sooner permitted in paradise to Eate then he was commanded to Fast neither was he permitted to eate all fruit though he did eat nothing but fruit His happinesse in Paradise sayes S. Ierom was not dedicated without fasting and so long as he fasted so long he was in Paradice yet as by violating that fast he was cast-out so with fasting sayes S. Basil he may be well help'd to return into it again And he that fasts must not thinke that whiles he fasts he has no food he may say as our Saviour did I have food that you know not of And as it was his food to doe the will of the Father so must it be ours to doe his will which is to Fast and keep-under our bodies The fasting of the Body sayes S. Chrysostome is the food of the Soule and that food is the food of Angels sayes Athanasius He that fasts must remember sayes Theophilus of Alexandria that of the Apostle Rom. 14.17 The kingdome of God is not meat and drink but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost And well may they rejoyce when as the holy Angels as S. Basil sayes
death after four dayes buriall In this change indeed of the body a dead creature was made a living creature but in the change of the Soul a dead creature is made like the everliving creator that was a temporary effect chiefly of power this an everlasting effect of infinite Mercy S. Cyprian's wisdome gives the reason of the difficulty to escape lust others sinnes sayes he seem harsh unto us but pleasure kils us whiles it flatters us Wherefore that we may Cleanse our selves from this filthinesse we must resist the first motion to it it being like a Serpent as S. Ierom sayes If the head enters the whole body follows We must resist the first motion Blessed is he that takes thy children O Babylon that is the first temptations of lust and dashes them against the stone that is Christ as the same father's judgment expounds it We must if a foul thought offers to defile us crie unto God to God our Saviour Iesu thou sonne of David have mercy on us Wee must crie-out to our own Soul in the words of the Prophet Psal 42.11 Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within mee hope thou in God for I shall yet prayse him who is the health of my countenance and my God And at last then we shall with the same Prophet Psal 116. 7. say also Return unto thy rest O my Soul for the Lord has dealt bountifully with thee vers 8. For thou hast deliver'd my Soul from death mine eies from tears and my feet from falling vers 9. I will walke before the Lord in the land of the living Thus must we resist this dangerous temptation although indeed it is so dangerous that we are not so properly said to resist it as to flie from it which flight is not cowardlinesse but victory So Ioseph fled and though his garment was caught his mind was not But if it comes to passe that we cannot flie then must we resist and by resisting though with danger yet because with danger we shall with glory put the temptation and the tempter to flight But in a lesse terrible way let us fly let us fly ill thoughts S. Ierome master'd them by study devotion He master'd the softnesse of lust by the rugged study of the Hebrew language as unpleasing to a Roman as the wildernesse in which he learn'd it He maister'd it chiefly by the Hebrew Scripture which imploy'd him in a high intention of wit and holinesse Thus study teaches temperance temperance chastitie chastitie which is an advanc'd a royall an unconquer'd an unwearied excellency It helpes us to admire it and enjoy it whiles also it teaches us that lust is a base servile cowardly guilty Infamie You shall find chastitie in the Temple in the Field on the wals of the city you shall find it praying labouring Combating you shall find it harden'd dusty swarthy but lust you shall find on a lazy bed in some fulsome house that is afraid of an officer Chastitie says devout Ephrem is a Rose that with delight perfumes the household the chastitie of parents being as Ierome sayes the comfort also and honour of the children Conjugall chastitie has a double prerogative it was in paradise and in the state of Innocency A chaste man and an Angel sayes S. Bernard differ in happinesse rather than in vertue and though the chastitie of an Angel be happier yet the chastitie of Man is greater and Angel being as without a body so without temptation and therfore without pretence to the glory of such victory And surely great examples have some Times and Countries setforth even of Kings that have been monasticall without a monastery deserting the libertie of their marriage and making continence their delight Thus has our own storie fam'd our great confessor Edward thus Casiile the Second Alphonsus thus Polonia Bodeslaus and thus Germanie an Emperour the first Henry Our Religion may make our faith assent to the storie supposing first an unfeined continency consent in their royall consorts No doubt they remember'd and our charity may believe they understood that of the Apostle Let them that have wives be as if they had none It was in a time of distres and also may imply a temperance as well as abstinence and not an abstinence without mutuall consent and no consent without an experimentall guift of Continence And therefore we can but touch the Apostle's councell remember our Saviours also Let him that can entertaine it entertaine it And let no man in a mistaking appetite of holy fame loose what he seekes and his safety too But now shall petty sinners betraie easy women by povertie to lust and lye in confederacies of uncleannesse not fearing the Almighty when as such mighty Princes as much feared his Majesty as they desired to imitate his purity shall Job make a covenant with his eies not to looke upon a maide and shall these make a Covenant with Hell scarse to imploy their eies in other objects shall we by such beauties attaine to the beauty of Holinesse Often it is the judgement of God to punish bodily whoredome by spirituall whoredome letting the uncleane fall from Whoredome to Idolatry which is a filthinesse of spirit no lesse dangerous than infamous Idolatry and Witchcraft were the great sinnes of the Gentiles for which the wise Iew in the book of Wisedome tells us cap. 12.3 4. that the first inhabitants of the Holy Land were by God cast out They thought to cast out Him and cast out themselves their sinne cast them out off that second Paradise whence they were driven not by a fiery sword yet by fire and sword Ioshua was an Angell a messenger though not from Heaven yet from God and at that time zealously cleansed the land as well from the sins as from the sinners the Idolater and the Sorcerer The Idolater that worshippes his own creature and his Enemy an Idol the sorcerer that worships God's creature but God's Enemy the Devill Idolatry came in by the vaine glory of men if we take the report Wisd 14.14 15. for when a Father afflicted had lost his Sonne untimely he made an Image for him and honoured him as a God which was then a dead man and delivered to those that were under him ceremonies and Sacrifices Thus custome grew to a Law v. 18. then when any would honour those that were absent to flatter them they made images of them v. 17. And the dilligence of the Artificer did helpe to set forward the ignorant to more superstition v. 18. And the workman himselfe was glad to flatter one in Authority and therefore made the more excellent worke by the grace of which he allured the multitude v. 19. Thus it arose from the pride and tyranny of great men and from the necessity and flattery of the meaner sort as the wisdome intituled to Solomon excellently expresses it v. 21. and happy had the true Solomon been if the image of this Doctrine had been still before
Learning necessarily but for the Avoiding A Diviner there must not be He that foretels pretends he foreknowes which in man in respect of humane affaires is not a worke of Art but of Inspiration To foreknow Mans purpose or lot is God's prerogative The Heavenly Lights cannot impart this knowledge though this knowledge has been sometime imparted by a more Heavenly light Yet with pretended Prophets did the Heathen consult seeking by a greater evill to be delivered from a lesse The ceremonie of the Lye which was the Art of the Art was sometimes varied in the posture as by lying on the ground as if Humilitie or rather Hell should give them instruction sometimes in the Instrument as in performing it with Sand with Stones with Iron with a staffe which the Deceiver carried in his hand and leaned on My people saies the Lord Hos 4.12 aske councell at their stockes and their staffe declares unto them The staffe was at hand but not the Helpe that was without sense They without Reason that prostituted their reason not to sense but below it An Observer of Times there must not be The Diviner was carryed as the Pride of his thought carry'd him to believe by inward motion moving as he phansied he was moved by the first Mover But the Soothsaier as a lower Artist proceeded by observation of the Creature This was a slanderer of Heaven by counting some daies Luckie some Unluckie by an opinion which he confuted by his own birthday in which his own distinction was confounded being unluckie to himselfe that was borne to be such a foole as to embrace such folly but luckie to others that by his folly escape folly An Inchanter there must not be an Observer of Fortunes as some say by Luckie or Unluckie signes as the falling of the salt almost as sure a signe that it selfe was spoiled as that the Fortune-tellers wit was spoiled Such also was a Hare crossing one in his way ill lucke undoubtedly that he was not then rather a hunting than a travailing yet good lucke enough if he lost not his patience as well as the Game A Witch there must not be and so neither a Jugler say the Hebrew Masters this was to be beaten the other ston'd the one abused God the other Men but no Art could make them invisible enough to scape the stones or the scourge A Charmer there must not be one that uses strange words over a Serpent that it may not hurt a man whiles the foole by his strange words becomes a worse Serpent to himselfe nor one that whispers over a wound as if he would by silence hide his pretence nor one that reads a verse out of the Bible or layes the Bible upon a Child that it may sleep Surely God's Word should rather awake men than cast them into a sleep and being intended to produce faith must needs affect the Hearing Besides Gods Word is not Physique for the Body unlesse remotely by instructing to Temperance But indeed Life it is as Solomon saies Prov. 3. unto the Soule And shall man intend to doe more or otherwise with God's Word than God intends or by abuse of God's Word make God's Word Mans Word A Consulter with familiar spirits there must not be such Spirits were by divine permission and judgement so familiar that they possess'd the Consulter and spake out of his Belly as from a bottle with a Jow voice he whisper'd as out of the dust as God speakes by Isaiah chap. 29.4 A horrible possession when as the Consulter became a Hell and yet though he was one he could not scape another Such a confident Artist wav'd a Mirtle rod in his hand til he heard one answer him with a low voice The Ceremony was the Deceit The Myrtle is of admirable use for the cure of the body particularly for the clearing of the sight yet such was here the impudence of Sathan that by this pretence he would blind the spirituall sight so blind it that it should not be serviceable to preserve either Soule or Body This was Saul's sinne for which God kill'd him I Chron. 10.13 and for which God has threatned to cut off all such as inquire of such and happy is he that by being threatned is but threatned A Wizard there must not be or Cunning man such did use senselesse and impious Ceremonies as to put the bone of a certaine bird in their mouth and burning incense fell down and pretended to foretell what should come to passe as if either a bird that wanted reason or a bone that wanted life could doe more than man that had Life and Reason and instruct the mouth to tel as much as God only can tell and to foretell more than God will tell What Incense can sweeten such stench of Impiety What falling down can save them from falling into the bottomelesse Pit These undertake to foresee things to come and yet foresee not their own destruction This is the cunning of a Cunning Man but for whom the Devill is too cunning A Necromancer there must not be such slept by a Grave that in their dreame the Dead might teach them what they demanded of him Better it had been they had slept in their graves but though alive they slept worse in sinne Their hope of instruction was but of instruction in a dreame and that instruction but from the Dead Knowledge implies Reason which in sleep is Disabled by Death Destroyed The Grave might have been a better instructer than the Dead Yet even such sinnes the old world had and by such sinnes the new world is still old God's people were then bid to turne from those that would turne them from God they were bid to turne and hearken to the Prophet whom God then promised to send Deut. 18.15 even our Saviour Christ and a woe is threatned to them that shall not harken to him Christ is life Christ is wisedome the Wisedome of the Father O let us not then so mistake our selves as to mistake wisedome so mistake our selves as to mistake our Father our Heavenly Father Would drunkennesse then defile us Let the shame of it save us from the shame of it Would lust defile us Let the body by the danger of that Corruption be the Guardian and so the safety of the Body and Soule Would Idolatry defile us Let Reason tell us we cannot make a God as Religion tells us we must worship God Would Witchcraft defile us Let the madnesse of our sinne preserve us in our Wits and Innocence preserve us from such a sinne as is both the Guilt and the Punishment a sinne and a Hell And let the sight of Heaven into which nothing that is uncleane shall enter preserve us by Hope and Indeavour from Uncleanesse that at the last being wash'd from all uncleanesse by the blood of our Saviour who ascended into Heaven we as a part of his Church purified by his blessed Spirit may be preserved holy and undefiled unto God the Father To
Ioseph's brethren Can any consider how our blessed Saviour was used that is abused how revil'd struck on the face spit upon derided crucifyed by sinners though for sinners and be angry with his brother happily a lesse sinner happily a lesse sinner if more happily but because a lesse angry sinner Will any man then as Tertullian speaks come unto Prayer a Peace with God without peace will he hope for a remission of his sinnes yet without a remission of others sinnes how shall he pacifie God his Father if he be not pacified towards man his brother Will any man then dare to hate his brother when as God connot love two enemies for if God loves the one he loves him perfectly and therefore he must perfectly hate the other as his enemy Will any man then be so angry with himself as to be angry with his brother will any man so hate himselfe as not to love his brother when as love covers both our brother's sinnes and our own shall we loose Our brother and our selves nay and our Saviour too for a reviling word Oh let us rather pray with good S. Ierome Lord deliver me from deceitfull lips and a lying tongue Not from anothers tongue saies he but from mine own Another's tongue hurts me not 't is mine own is my enemy that is the sword that kills my soule I think to hurt mine enemy and never take notice that I kill my selfe Wherefore O Holy Spirit of Love unite us as much by Love as thou hast done by Faith and touch our tongues with a Coale from thy Altar that they never be imploy'd by us to the reviling of one another but to the praising of thy holy name O Father Sonne and Holy Spirit to whom be ascribed all Praise for ever more FINIS OF The Serpent and the Dove A SERMON BY BARTEN HOLYDAY Doctor of Divinity OXFORD Printed by Leonard Lichfield 1657. Mat. 10.16 Be yee therefore wise as Serpents and harmelesse as Doves THE Beames of Light flow not so naturally from the Sunne as the Exhortations to Wisedome flow from the God of Wisedome And such is here this exhortation of our Saviour to his Disciples Yet unto such a wisedome here he prompts them as seemes to respect as much their safety as their Duty and Wisedome that consists not in Contemplation but in Action and though it lookes upon God yet also upon man Which diversity of Wisedome was anciently observed by Heathens and Christians That was their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wisedome This their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prudence Thus could Plato and Cicero teach thus could the Alexandrian Clement and S. Ierome Learne Which last our prudence towards men is that which here our Saviour intends it being in the Originall not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be ye prudent or with lesse ambiguity and more safety as it is rendred Be yee wise And that this is intended is manifest from our Saviours purpose who sending his Disciples to worke Miracles and Teach teaches them first how they should behave themselves clearely implying that more than man's wisedom is needfull for Man in his conversation with man and that we need more than a Gardian Angel even God's assistance by his Grace He tels them that he sends them as Sheep among Wolves a thin Clergy to a numerous Layty that sometimes teares the fleece and devoures the flesh He bids them beware of men these are the Wolves these are the worst Wolves because Wolves and Men they have the wit of the man and the Cruelty of the Wolfe He foretels them they shall be delivered up to the Councells now where there is the greatest Judg there is the greatest cause where the greatest cause the greatest Danger Nor only shall they be brought where many are to Judge and so where the variety may afford some hope of Mercy but also occasionally before Governours Kings and so where if the single judge be cruel of Proud he is sometimes a sentence without Appeal And that they may be prepar'd for such sufferings in Pody and Mind he does foretell them of being scourged in the Synagogues he does foretell them of stripes and shame and therefore exhorts them to such wisedome as may be requisite in such Distresse And surely such wisedome must be excellent which must imploy the memory to advantage us by what we have learn'd and make our Experience our Own Schoole which must imploy the Understanding to apprehend the present particulars in every action making it the Eie and the Glasse for an exact view which must imploy our Providence in the Foresight and use of what things may happen If you will behold the traine of this wisedome you shall find it attended with Docility being apt to learne by the Eie and Eare. You shall find it attended with subtility whereby it will guesse with speed happinesse You shall find it attended with Judgment which will so argue out a third truth You shall see it attended with Warinesse which will prevent such Hindrances as would prevent our End Lastly you shall see it attended with circūspection which wil accurately consider every circūstance See that ye walk circūspectly not as fools but as wise Eph. 5.15 If you will behold the Actions of it you shall see it admirable for Counsaile both in the Choise of worhy purposes in moving the understanding to find meanes for the attaining of them You shall see it admirable for Judgement in the distinction choise of means oportunity You shall find it admirable for cōmand whereby the Reason sets on worke the will for the speedy execution of the designe These are the excellencies of wisedome the price whereof is more than of Gold and fine Rubies Prov. 3.14 15. yet the one is admirably solid the other admirably transparent The subtilty whereof is such that it is able to discerne the Diversity of Spirits 1 Cor. 12.10 and so does not only exceed the abilities of the Body but also the naturall abilities of the soule The swetnesse whereof is such that 't is as sweet as life nay as Peace the Life of Life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the minding of the Spirit or the wisedome of the Spirit is Life and peace Rom. 8 6. Forsake not wisedome and shee shall preserve thee Prov. 4.6 see a preservation rewarded with a Preservation see a labour that is its own reward This is that vertue without which all vertue is vice as S. Bernard says this being the guide of all other Vertues Affections Manners This is that vertue without which as S. Basil says a man is like a Ship without a Master driven uncertainly with every wind unlesse we shall say he is rather the wind than the Shippe Passion that is Man being so impetuous without wisedome This is that vertue with which they that are indued think nothing Evill as Prosper says but that which makes man evill so that they can smile at the Mistake that miscalls
shall the serpent have such subtill teeth and shall ours be set on edge only to our own overthrow shall his Hornes as some kind of serpent has be so subtill to get a prey and shall our strength want subtilty to save us from being made a prey shall his wings for some kind of serpent does not only creep be more speedy to doe mischiefe than our wisedome in saving us from it shall he change his skinne and renew strength and shall not we renew our Lives by changing them shall his Appetite take all advantage from his Enemie and shall ours increase our spirituall Enemies against our selves shall he drive away other serpents from him and shall we intertaine them in the Bosome imbracing Heresie and Vice to our own Destruction shall his Voice be able to master Man that had Righteousnesse by Creation and shall not we be able to master the serpent that have a double Righteousnesse of Sanctification by Christ's Grace and of Justification by his Merits Briefely skall his whole Body be so subtile as to defend his Head shall not we with all our power defend the Godhead of our Saviour against the execrable Socinian◠our holy Faith in Christ our Head And shall not the Innocency also of the Dove advantage our Innocency He loves the Light and shall we love the workes of Darknesse shall he be ready to be Oppressed and shall we be too ready to Oppresse shall he be without Gall and shall we be full of Malice Were they a sacrifice to God and shall we be lesse acceptable Were they a Resemblance of the Church nay of God and shall we have neither the likenesse of either of them nor the blessing O let us strive then to imitate the Innocency of the Dove and Exceed it Would we be Heirs of the Kingdome of God we must become as little Children they crie not for the want of Wealth nor for the losse of it they doate not on Beauty no not on their own subject they are to sicknesse yet not to malice as if they were more free from sinne then from Disease they raise not themselves to Ambition it is above the reach of the Mother's Breast Such things then let us doe by the simplicity of Grace as they doe by simplicity of Nature Let us call to mind the first Christians how the unity of their Faith produced even a Community of their Goods a rare victory of Grace upon Nature By the blessing of Love they were above the blessing of Propriety shewing the Bounty of the Gospell to excell the Thrift of Law-Let us call to mind how they improved their Enemies into friends making them by forgivenesse their Helps to Heaven Let us call to mind that their sufferings were their Conquests and Death the beginning of Life Eternall O grant us then wisedome sweet Iesu thou that art the Wisedome of the Father and grant us Innocency O blessed Spirit that did'st vouchsafe to appeare like a Dove that we becomeing like the Dove may become like Thee that by descending to us Here we may Hereafter by the wings of the true Dove Innocency and Miracle Ascend to Thee the Father Son and Holy Ghost to whom be ascribed Mercy and Wisedome and Holinesse for evermore FINIS OF BAPTISME A SERMON BY BARTEN HOLYDAY Doctor of Divinity OXFORD Printed by Leonard Lichfield 1657. Galat. 3.27 As many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ THAT Likenesse which we may see produced by Inferiour Causes in their Effects is but an Imitation of the supreame Cause God Himselfe who is so naturally good that whatsoever he maks must needs beare some Image of that Goodnesse Thus when he made man he bestow'd upon him among many other two chiefe Perfections a Holinesse of Soule and a kind of Absolutensse of Body whiles a body that needed not a reference to Apparell But when man fell he fell from this double perfection and at once became sinfull and Naked So that we may say he was not as now unhappily naked when first he had no Cloaths but when first he wanted them and he stood not in need of a Covering for his Body till he stood in need of a Covering for his sinne Which when God naturally good beheld and saw the new dissimilitude between Himselfe and his Creature moov'd by his own goodnesse he intends a reparation of his Creature And since this dissimilitude to speake in part figuratively consisted in a Nakednesse of Soule and Body it pleased him to provide for both a Covering And this he did with such wisedome of Mercy that he made the Covering of his Body a figure of the Covering of his Soule and to teach our Understanding by our Sense sometimes he calls our Righteousnesse a Robe which as the Apostle here tells us every true Receiver puts on in the Sacrament of Baptisme As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ Which words duely considered may instruct us in the Nature of this Sacrament and the Extent of it As man is Gods workmanship and so should be his Image so as God is pure should man be pure and therefore being defil'd by sinne he should be now purified Thus though with the Leviticall Leper he may crie uncleane uncleane yet should he also crie with the great and happy sinner wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow That indeed has a right cleanesse the purity of Snow being not only purity but also Coolenesse a figure of the pure Coolenesse of the impure heates of Lust Which purity was shadowed out unto the Iew in his frequent washings whence the greatest pretenders of Sanctity among the Jews were the greatest Washers The Pharisie was a man of a cleare Hand and Cuppe and therefore thought himselfe also of a pure lippe in which opinion though he mistook his Outside for his Inside yet he acknowledged a washing necessary Even Pilate that had his hand in blood would yet also have his hand in water and though that Blood be counted a cleanser thought Innocent blood the greatest staine and that water would at least pretend his Innocency if not procure it But alas had he understood the right Baptisme he would with S. Peters resolution have desired not only the washing of the Hand but also of the Head the whole body Now under this figure as the Iew had been taught so was the Christian to be taught To the devoutest Iew Washing was but a Figure to the Devoutest Christian it is not only a shadow of Grace but also the companion of it and therefore it was not Ceremonie but Charitie in S. Peter Act. 2. to exhort his Converts to be Baptized To understand the Name and so the better the nature of Baptisme it is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly to Dippe consequently to wash Hence were the Pharisies by Iustin Martyr called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 baptists because of their frequent washings which S. Marke also mentioned c. 7.4
baptising was not properly by Iohn but by the power of Christ working with him The outward ministry of Iohn could apply the outward element but it was the inward ministry of Christ that applyed the Holy Ghost Besides Iohn did new baptize them with water but that time should come when the Comforter should come And it specially alludes to the wonder at Pentecost when our Saviour baptised them Not with water but only with the Holy Ghost and with fire the fiery tongues But why then did S. Paul Act. 19.4 5. baptize those disciples that were said to have been baptized into Iohn's Baptisme Many are the Answers S. Ambrose his may satisfie Those converts thought they had been rightly baptised but so it was not they had not heard of the Holy Ghost Besides it is said that they were Now baptized in the name of Iesus implying that they were not so before so that in truth and effect they were not baptized before To be baptized then Into Christ what is it Is it not a Profession of his Doctrine and a promise of an Imitation of his Holinesse It is but more than a promise it is it is an Imitation of his Holinesse in a Conformity of Life with Christ It is to be baptized into the Death of Christ as S. Paul speakes Rom. 6. 3 4. that as our Saviour was raised to a new life so we to a newnesse of life We are by his death made partakers of the merits of his death To be baptised then into Christ is to be Sanctified to put on Christ so by an inward baptisme whiles we are covered with his Garment we shall also become a part of his Mystical Body Which sanctified estate some thinking to be attained only by baptisme even outward baptisme would bring in an Absolute and Indispensable necessity of it unto Salvation This perswasion occationed that custome with some even in the primitive times to baptize men after they were dead if they dyed without baptisme as appeares by the third Council of Carthage Can. 6. by which it was forbidden This occasioned also almost a like custome among the Marcionites who as Tertullian relates it in case that one dyed without baptisme some alive was baptized for him The like some tell us of the Iewes that if one of them dyed without expiation according to the Law Numb 19.12 Some of his kindred were purged for him But know we may and to our comfort that baptisme though so excellent and necessary in respect of God's command if it may be had is not absolutely necessary in respect of Salvation since this may be obtain'd though not ordinarily without baptisme Els should we be injurious to God himselfe and bind his mercy absolutely to outward means We should as some of more Opinion than Wisedome presumptuously and unmercifully esteem all Infants damned that die unbaptized We should pronounce the like also of all such Infants as dyed before Circumcision Which is so odious that the great Master of Theologicall Determinations Peter Lombard would in part help it by an over free conjecture thinking that in case of necessity they anciently circumcised the Child before the eighth day But this defence will not defend it selfe the Masters of Jewish rites telling us that it might not be performed before that day Besides what should we say then to all those that for forty yeares dyed in the wildernesse without Circumcision or all those Infants in the primitive times that died before baptisme which as Tertullian tells us for his time was usually celebrated but at Easter and Whitsontide And though we may grant exceptions in those first times in case of Necessity yet many doubtlesse dyed without baptisme And yet this custome continued in the Church eight hundred yeares even to the time of Charles the Great as appeares by Lawes made at that time about this Rite Which has been long continued since in some degree in Rome itselfe as the pascall Ceremonies of that place imply there being in the Laterane Church Constantines Font as they call it preserv'd for the yearly baptizing at those seasons such Jews or other Unbelievers as are converted to the Christian Faith In such cases then as before mentioned more charitably it is determined as among others eminently by Aquinas that Infants then have baptismum flaminis etsi non fluminis the baptisme of the Spirit though not of water Not the want but Contempt or Neglect of the Holy ordinance hurts He that is not Circumcised shall be cut off from the people of God Gen. 17.14 It is understood of those chiefely that were of age and so in effect it was he that Will not be Circumcised Thus he that is not borne of water the holy Spirit shall not enter into the Kingdome of God that is if he may have the water of Baptisme and will not The Thiefe upon the Crosse was not baptiz'd and yet he was Saved Nay we have no expresse testimonie that the Baptist was baptiz'd though he sayes indeed unto our Saviour that he had need to be baptised of our Saviour and yet we know the Baptist was sanctifyed in the wombe though some think that he baptiz'd himselfe for so we know that Abraham Circumcised himselfe and the Minister in the Holy Communion administers bread and wine unto Himselfe Yet as some may be sanctifyed which were never baptised so on the contrary not all that are baptized are sanctifyed Grace is not necessarily annexed to outward Baptisme Simon Magus had baptisme Act. 8.13 yet without Grace v. 21. Els we should make Simon and Judas the Iscariot Saints since Grace is an Immortall seed by which they that have it shall live for ever and as that which was once a member of a Naturall body shall at last rise againe a member of the body so who by Grace is once a member of the Mysticall body where of Christ is the Head shall at last arise a true member of the Mysticall body Grace then is not Physically annexed to baptisme the element it selfe being not capable of it that so it might impart it God only with the water at the libertie of his favour gives Grace S. Austin is cleare in the approbation of this high truth Lib. 6. contra Donatistas cap. 24. some says he put on Christ usque ad vitae sanctificationem some only usque ad Sacramenti preceptionem this says he is common to the good and evill that is proper only to the Good Some then according to his judgement put on Christ to Sanctification which only indeed is worthy of the bhrase to put on Christ Some only Sacramentally by an outward Profession which passage of S. Austin the master of the sentences not only alleadges but approves And surely S. Paul himselfe teaches us this distinction Rom. 2.29 saying that there is a Circumcision in the Letter and in the Spirit And with a like Reason may we not say there is a baptisme in the Letter and in the Spirit As certainly then as
Commands it And therefore Clemens Epist 2. dares to say he that keeps not the Lord's Commands Let him be accursed till the Lord comes He is the Lord our Lord we are his Servants whose actions being vertually in reference to him the nature of our love to him as to our Lord consists in a conformity of our actions unto His. How sadly then doe they draw this curse upon themselves that abuse God's Word by Prophanesse or Heresie Who abuse his command by obstinacy or security who abuse his Servants by oppression or contempt indeavouring rather to prove his Servants hypocrites than to become his servants Again he is our Iesus our Saviour whose Love towards us being Infinite we must in a sort imitate the Infinitie of his love by a perpetuall increase of our Love Which is surely increased by a remembrance of his Passion which is perform'd according to his own desire in a frequent Communicating at his holy table Our Saviour has left that as the sure mark of his friends they are those that frequently come and suppe with him How sadly then doe they draw this curse upon themselves who by contempt or neglect of that blessed provision insteed of partaking with his friends in the merit of his Passion partake with the Jews in their guilt of his passion In what condition also are they who to the merit of his Blood dare adde the merit either of their workes or will Lastly he is Christ the Lord 's Annointed He is annointed as a King and is the Defender of his faithfull Subjects who then can be safe from his Curse and Justice that contemnes his Majestie in his command He is annointed as a Prophet and who shall escape a curse that resists God's will in resisting his prophet that declares his will He is annointed as a Priest who then shall escape that curse from which only our High Priest the Sonne of God can deliver him And as it is Duty to Love our Saviour so is it Wisedome which we must imploy in the manner of our Love Of which one degree it is to be called after his Name but a farther degree it is a degree of wisedome to be call'd by a fit name Some indeed as some Easterne Christians have from his name of Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the title of Marani some from his name Jesus as the Iesuites by the choise of their Ignatius but the Apostles chose to be called from his name Christ Christians In the two first whereof we may see the weakenesse of men In the last we may see the wisedome of God and the Godly All the names of our Saviour implie excellencies the first his Dominion over his Church the second his nature of a Mediatour whereby he saves us These are prerogatives as well as Excellencies and therefore it is Humilitie and safety for men rather to decline than assume such Appellations Or if the name Iesuite may be admitted for the Pretence or Intent of an Indeavour to save soules too extreame an Arrogancy it is for a Sect of men to assume a title as peculiar to themselves which is as claimeable by all the Ministers of the Gospell This covetuous zeale is not allowable But the name Christ implying our Saviours spirituall annointing may for our proportion descend to us may as a Holy oile descend from the Head to the Skirts of the Garment and so from Christ we may happily and fitly be called Christians True it is God has annointed him above his fellows yet a truth it is also that his fellows are annointed nay they were not his fellows if they were not annointed And as he has annointed them with Him so has he annointed them by Him and for his sake Wherfore though the name Christ and also Christian may signifie annointed yet as the one name is derived from the other so is our Annointing deriv'd from His. And since this annointing includes all blessings and all these blessings come by our blessed Saviour let him be accursed that loves not our Lord Jesus Christ The word here for Love is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a lesse degree of love than the former and therefore he that beares not so small affection to our Saviour justly deserves to be an Anathema Yet the greatest part of such as professe Christ are rather content to receive his blessings his outward blessings than his Commands or if they receive them 't is so unwillingly that we may feare they rather Indure him than Love him But our Apostle curses all them that doe not love him among whom the Greek Interpreters generally understand all that offend God by grievous sinnes such as Schismatiques Fornicatours Eaters of meat offered to Idols unworthy Communicants Denyers of the Resurrection and the like Need then we have to learne the nature of love and learne it we may from the Body from that part of the body the Liver which is by nature appointed as the Instrument and seat of Love It is the seate of Love as Salomon implies Prov. 7.23 whiles he saies the adulterer goes on till a dart strike through his liver The liver is the fountaine of the veines and the first instrument of blood the lappes or extremities of it compassing and comforting the stomach thus sacred Love compasses and strengthens our spirituall appetite and is as the fountaine of all devout affections The Liver is made of blood and it makes blood so is our spirituall love begotten by God's love of us and then increases into greater and new love of God imitating in this the figure of the liver which is shaped like a crescent or the Moone in her increase The liver makes blood out of the purest and most aëry part of the matter it workes upon and thus does spirituall love arise from the purer parts and contemplation of those things it considers The Liver is the chiefe seate of the nutritive facultie and by the veines conveighs blood to all parts of the body so is love the chiefe instrument of spirituall nourishment dispensing a chierfull heate and alacrity to all actions of a Christian The temper of the liver consists in heate and moisture qualities which singularly prolong life so the sacred heate and living moisture of spirituall love shall maintaine us into an eternity of life And as in the Liver is made that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or separation of the profitable humours from the bad so an intimate power and degree of spirituall love separates our thoughts from the corruptions and vaine humours of the World The Hebrews call the Liver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 29.13 for the weightinesse of it through the abundance of blood which abundance is the materiall occasion of the abundance of spirits thus likewise holy love which is the true spirituall blood is fill'd with the abundance of purer spirits which are the quick extasies and raptures of the soule In the Judaicall Sacrifices the caule of the Liver was to be burnt unto the Lord not only to expresse that we ought to be purged from our naturall Lust but also that we should be purisyed into a supernaturall Love O then let us love the Lord who is as unwilling to curse us as he is able to doe it who cannot loose his true Dominion though we would loose our seeming obedience who will judge all men with a Judgement that shall be Just and yet Extreame since all shall receive from him an everlasting reward Let us Love our Jesus our mercifull Saviour who descended from Heaven that we might ascend to it who descended to Us that we might not descend to Hell who descended to the Infamie of the Crosse that we might ascend to the honour of the Love of Iesus Let us then bow the Knee to him that bowed the Head for us and gave up the Ghost And let us Love the Christ of God the Annointed let us returne unto him the holy Savour of his own oile wherewith he has annointed us let us thank him for his Grace with his own Grace let us at least make so cheap a recompence this being the acceptable art of Grace whereby we shall not need to feare this our Apostle's Anathema but with Truth and Comfort crie Maranatha The Lord shall come he shall come for our Deliverance Which grant unto us most mercifull Father that when thy Sonne thy Christ our Lord Iesus shall appeare we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his Comming To whom with thee O Father and thy blessed Spirit be all Praise and Glory now and for ever FINIS