THough the wisest of the Sonnes of men had not saide it, yet the experi­ence of the sonnes of men, had long since prooued it, that Can. 8.6. Loue is as strong as death. Cant. 8.6. As strong [Page 2](saith Augustine, in a double respect. Siue quia nemo eam vincit, sicut mortem: si­ue quia in hac vita vs (que) ad mottem, est meosura charitatis. August. ad Hieron. E­pist. 29. Either because no man ouer­comes loue, no more then death; or else, because the measure of loue extendeth euen vnto death: so as the partie louing, shrinketh not at the sharpest sting of death, to expresse his affection to the par­tie beloued. Nay, if we say, loue is strōger then death, we say no more then reason will defend, which tel­leth vs; Death may extinguish life, but is not able to extenuate loue. Faith and hope, two great victors: 1. Cor. 13.13. but the geeatest of these is loue. 1. Cor. 13.13. The greatest, though not for the Nō prop­ter eminen­tiam, sed propter per­manentiam. August. eminēcie here in this life, yet for the permanency, when this life is done.

Which threefold strengh of loue, is well exemplified in these three, holie women, who loued Christ in his life, and Luc. 8.3. ministred vn­to him of their substāce. Lu. 8.3. Lo­ued him at his death, & Ioh. 19.25. wept for him at his Crosse. Ioh. 19.25. Loued [Page 3]him after death, Mar. 16 1. and ran with oynt­ments and odours, to embalme him in his graue. Mar. 16.1. Where, their forward deuotion beeing preuen­ted by his early resurrection; and their sorrowful eies (in stead of his dead bodie) presented with the sight of a glorious Angell: sudden­ly, their hearts were filled with as much new fear, as before they were cloyed with old vexing griefe. But hee which defraudes not good in­tention of the due incouragemēt, neither denies simple deuotion of her right instruction, purposely sent his Angell, both to direct thē against their errour, & to comfort them against their feare, which made the Angell according to his charge, kindely to bespeake them, saying: Be not afraid, yee seeke Ie­sus of Nazareth, which was cruci­fied, &c.

In which words, Right honora­ble, Right worshipfull, and welbe­loued Christians, we may consider [Page 4]two things. First, the persons spea­king, or doing. Secondly, the matter spoken or done. The persons, in these words, But hee saide vnto them: And they are two▪ The An­gell directing, the women enqui­ring. The matter in these wordes. Be not afraid, ye seeke Iesus of Naza­reth, which was, &c. And it is three­fold. First, the Angells consolati­on: Be not afraid. Secondly, the womens enquisition. Ye seeke Iesus of Nazareth, which was crucified. Thirdly, Christs resurrection. He is risen, he is not here: behold the place where they put him. Of these in or­der. And first of the persons.

Touching the first of the two persons: Our Euangelists heere calleth him Mar. 16 5. a young man, Mark. 16.5. But Saint Matthew plainely, chap. 28.2. calleth him, Mat. 28.2. the Angell of the Lord. An Angell then it was in the forme of a yoūg man: which outward forme Angels sometimes vsed, (as one vseth a garment) to [Page 5]put on and off at pleasure: as also their eating of meate, done saith Saint Augustine, August. ad Deogratias, Epist. 49. non necessitate, sed potestate: not by any necessitie which was in themselues, but by a power which they had from God: vsing things agreeable with vs, and carrying themselues suteable vnto vs, that their strangenesse might not be terrible, but their familiari­tie comfortable. This Angel therefore, being sent to comfort, not to astonish, tooke on him the forme of a young man, in his apparition to these most deuout women. Of a man, a forme customable, that he might not affright: of a young man, a forme amiable, that hee might delight.

Now the word Angell, signifieth a messenger. A name, saith Augu­stine August. in Psal. 104. Ex eo quod est spi i [...]u. est: ex eo quod agit, ang lu [...] est. Ibid. officij, non naturae, declaring an Office, not describing a nature. For in that he is, he is a spirit: in that he is sent, he is an Angell: but a name wel beseeming those pure, louing, [Page 6]and ready spirits, who alwayes be­holding Gods face in heauen, are readie to execute his commaund on earth. The chiefe of all Gods creatures, excellent in all things, but for three things most excellēt: that is to say, purenes of substance, readines of obedience, feruentnes of charitie. Which three things the Psalmist couertlie notes, Psal. 104.4. Ps. 104.4. He maketh his Angels spi­rits, and his Ministers a flame of fire. Hee maketh them spirits, there is their pure substance. He maketh thē Ministers, there is their readie obedience; he maketh thē a flame of fire: there is their heate of loue. But Moyses declares these thinges more plainely, in the making of the Cherubims, which were placed ouer the mercy-seate, in the Tem­ple. These he made, Exo. 25.19. of the purest golde, with their wings stretched out, and their faces one towardes another. Exod. 25.19. Of the purest gold, there is the dignitie of their sub­stance: [Page 7]for of all mettalls, gold is most excellent. With their wings stretched out: there is the readines of their obedience; for of all crea­tures, winged are swiftest. With their faces one towards another, there is the feruentnesse of their charitie: for of all the gestures of the body, none is so amiable, as kindly to be­hold him in sight, to whom we are beholden of dutie.

That their nature is pure, their mansion declares. Mat. 18 10. For they al­wayes behold the face of God, in hea­uen. Matth. 18.10. Into whose pre­sence, no impure thing can be ad­mitted. Reu. 21.27. Reuel. 21.27. Hence, for their shining, they are called Starres, and for their brightnes in shining, Iob. 38.7 Starres of the morning. Iob. 38.7.

That their obedience is swift, their name declares. A quo domi­natio, ab eo denominatio. From the the qualitie super-eminent, is the name deriued. Hauing then the [Page 8]name of a messenger, they are sig­nified to be most diligent in exe­cuting a message. Hence, as for brightnes, they are compared to the starres: so for swiftnes, they are likened to the windes: Psal. 18.10. Hee rode vpon Cherub, and did flie; hee came flying vpon the wings of the wind. Psalm. 18.10.

That their charitie is most ser­uent, the scripture is euident. For euery way they desire our welfare. Touching our inward estate, so much wish they our greatest good, that they ioy in our Luc. 15.10. conuersion to God. Luk. 15.10. Not only for that by the conuersion of good men, Iacob de vorag. dom. 3. post Tri. their number is made vp againe. Stell in Luc. 15.10. Nor yet onely for that they see such a glorious fruit of their custo­die and charge; that men by repen­tace forsake the Tents of vngodli­nes, & like good Christian Souldi­ours, warre vnder the banner of Christ. But also, for that, by the conuersion of the faithful, Chrysost. in Matth. bom. 1. Facta [Page 9]est vna omnium perixtio, saith Saint Chrysostome, there is made a mix­ture of all creatures together; the Angels ioyne company with men, in praising God on earth, as it fell out when Christ was borne: and men are added to the quiers of ho­ly Angels in heauen, as it comes to passe when a Christian dies.

For our outward estate, they waite on vs, as if they were more ours then their owne. Mat. 18.10. See, saith our Sauiour, that yee despise not one of these little ones, for I say vnto you, their Angels doe alwaies behold the face of my father which is in heauen. Mat. 18.10. Iustly he saith, their Angels, for they are, Heb. 1.14. [...], Mi­nistring spirits, sent out for their good, which shall be heires of eter­nall life. Heb. 1.14. Not that we are able certainely to determine, that euery one hath his owne Angell Specialiter defigna [...]um Lomb. lib. 2. distinc. 1 [...]. Rhem. an­not. in Mat. 18.10. specially allotted vnto him, as they of Rome teach: but that ma­ny Angels are appointed vnto one [Page 10]suruant, if necessitie require; as the scriptures of god teach. Psal 91.13. Psal. 91.13. They stād sen­tinell alway by vs, and pitch their tents about vs. Psal. 34.7. Psal. 34.7. And the more herein is shewed Gods good­nes to vs, the more hereby should be manifested our confidence in him. He hath giuen his Angels charge ouer thee saith the holy Ghost. Bern. in [...] Quihabitat. vers. 13. Quā ­tam tibi debet hoc verbum inferre reuerentiam, afferre deuotionem, con­ferre fiduciam? This sweet word of his, saith Bern. how great reue­rence should it strike, how great deuotion breed, how great confi­dence kindle? Reuerence for the prefence of the Angels, deuotion for their beneuolence, confidence for their custodie. Bern. ibid. Caute ambula, walke warily, the Angels of God are present with thee, when all men on earth are absent from thee: pre­sume not to doe that in the sight of an heauenly Angel, which thou wouldst shame to doe in the pre­fence [Page 11]of an earthly man. And thus much touching the first person.

The second persons are the wo­men which seeke. Now who they were in particular, none of the E­uangelists in my iudgement haue so fully set downe, as this our E­uangelist S. Marke; For he, vers 1. of this chapter, hath set downe their number, and their names. Their number three. Their names, Marie Magdalen, Marie the mo­ther of Iames, and Salome; Toge­ther also with the ende of their comming, and the time of it. The ende, to embalme the dead bodie of Ie­sus. The time, verie early in the mor­ning while the Sunne was rising. Verie forward deuotion indeed, you will say, so soone to be stirring, but what might moue them hereun­to? Some peraduenture will say, pittie of the dead corps. For wo­men haue this nature, when en­treatie cannot moue them, pittie will driue them. When the ioy of his life could not bring them to [Page 12]his loue, the sorrow of his death did fetch them to his graue. Some againe, happily may say: Desire of newes. For women like the men of Athens, Act. 17.21. giue thēselues wholy, either to heare, or to tell some newes. Act. 17.21. So they, which were wearie of his sight while he was aliue, did now long after it, when he was dead. But God forbid, so charitable creatures should euer vndergoe so vncharitable a censure. I say there­fore, it was loue, it was pietie, it was decencie.

First, it was loue; For Luc. 7.47. He loueth much, to whom much is forgiuen. Luk. 7.47. But Christ, not only forgaue thē much, but gaue them much. Bern. su­per Cant. Ser. 20. Dilectionem non reddidit, fed addidit, saith Bern: He returned not loue as a debt, but bestowed it as a gift. And therefore if you maruell why thus they loued him, Saint Iohn answereth for himselfe, and them also, 1. Ioh. 4.19. We loue him because he loued vs first. 1. Ioh. 4.19. Hereunto [Page 13]adde, that beside his generall loue wherewith he loued them as his elect, he also affected them in par­ticular loue as his friends. One of them, Marie Iacobi, was his mo­thers sister; and his loue was not wanting, either to her, or her chil­dren. Not to her selfe, he made her his Aunt. Not to her children; For, of her fower sonnes, Iames, Ioses. Simon, Iude, he chose two, the el­dest and the youngest to be his holy Apostles. A fauour so great, and a priuiledge so high, that if he had made them Monarches, it had come short of this. But to Marie Magdalen he shewed more loue, and so much the more appeares it, for that, she was not of his kinred. She neuer wanted either his good deeds to comfort her, or his good words to excuse her. Not his good deeds for her comfort, either for her selfe or her friends. Not for her selfe. Luk. 8.3. Out of her he cast seauen diuels. Luk. 8.3. Not for her [Page 14]friends. Ioh. 11.44. Her brother Lazarus he raised from dead. Ioh. 11.44. Luc. 10.38. Her sister Martha he graced with his presence, and preaching in her house, Luk. 10.38. As she had his good deeds, so had she alwaies his good words. For he excused her three times. First, to the Pharisee, who said she was a sinner. Lu. 7▪ 39 Luk. 7.39. Secondly, to her sister, who said she was idle. Luc. 10.41. Thirdly, to Iudas, who said she was prodigall. Mat. 26.10. Mat. 26.10. What could Christ doe more for them, while he was aliue, or they lesse for Christ now he was dead?

Secondly, it was pietie, wherein they exceeded men. For as they shewed more sorrow then men at Christs passion: so they shewed more deuotion then men at his re­surrection. Whilst then men were securely sleeping in the nightly graue of their beds, these deuout women were religiously seeking Christ in the quiet bed of his [Page 15]graue. They feared not the darke­nesse of the night, which might haue produced dangerous effects: they respected not the malice of the Iewes, which hated such as lo­ued Christ: they shrunke not at the horror of the dead corpes, which is a thing that flesh trembles at ▪ they were not daunted at their owne weakenesse, the stoutest of them being but a woman, mulier, mollis aer, a soft and tender breath, faemina, ferens minus, least able to en­dure and hold out: not any of these, not all of them could hold them backe from seeking of him whom their soule loued. Cant. 3.1. Cant. 3.1. Loe here deare Christians, most deuout charitie, most charitable deuotion. Loe, how true it is, that women, as by nature they paralell men in wit; so by grace they equall them in vertue. What can you say against them? If one were a cause of death, another was a meanes of life. One indeed, receiued, t verbum [Page 16]adificatorium mor Tenull. lib. de came Christi. is, the word that set vp death; but another concei­ued verbum extructorium vitae, the word which set vp life againe. One beleeued the diuell, and another gaue credit to the Angel, Tertull. ibid. Ei quod illa credendo deliquit, haec credendo deleuit, what the first by rash cre­diting lost, the other by true be­leeuing got againe. Verbum diaboli se­men illi fuit, [...] est One by be­leeuing denique dia­bolum fra­tricidam. Contra Ma­ria eum edidit, qui carnalem fratrem Israel, inte­remptorem suum, sal­ [...]m quan­doque prae­staret Ter­tull. ibid. the diuell, brought forth a murtherer that slew his brother in the field; the other, by beleeuing God, broght forth a Sauiour slaine by his brethren in the flesh. Final­ly, Eue signifieth life, and Marie importeth bitternesse, but they were both cōtrarie to their names: for Eue in stead of life, brought death: and Marie in steed of bitter­nesse, brought sweetnes.

Now, these women were the re­porters and proclaimers of this benefite. The gloriousest message that euer was, was first committed to a woman, because the woman [Page 17]first hasted to heare it. As Marie was the meane betweene God and man to beare Christ, and bring meanes of saluation; so these wo­men were the meane betweene the Angell and men, to preach Christ, and bring newes of the resurrecti­on. As there was a progresse in the denunciation of death, from the diuell to the woman, from the wo­man to the man: so, there was a processe in the anunciation of life, from the Angell to the women, from the women vnto men. For, Missae ab angelo, o­pus faciant Evangeli. siae, facta (que) Apostole a­postolorū, festiuantad annuncian­dum mane miseritor­diam domi­n [...]. Bern. su­per Cant. Ser. 75. sent from a Angell, they doe the worke of an Euangelist, and being made Apostles, to the Apostles, they goe forth with speed, to sing the mercies of the Lord, betimes in the morning. Quae pri­ma iuit ad culpam, nūe prima currit ad veniam Ludolp. de vit. Chri. patt. 2. cap. 71. The woman therefore which first fell to trans­gression, doth now first fell to trans­gression, doth now first bring newes of remission; and she which at first brought death into para­dise, doth now first of all fetch life from the sepulchre, Id ibid. Contenders [Page 18]de morte rapere vitam, quae offendens de vita rapuit mortem, contending, saith one, out of death to fetch life, which before offending out of life did bring death.

Thirdly, it was decencie. Decen­cie, two waies. First, naturally, which allowes it neither for custo­mable, nor commendable, for matrons to goe alone. And indeed, in so heauy a case as death, at so vnwō ­ted a season as night, to so dismall a place as the graue, if they had gone single, they might haue fainted, and fallen, Eccle. 4.7. vasoli, saith the Prea­cher, Eccl. 4.7. Woe be to him that is alone, especially, if he be alone in his woe. Therefore, as all had lost, so all sought, and happily, & bles­sedly, all found. Secondly, spiritual­ly, which required, that amidst so many enemies of the resurrection, sufficient witnesse should be pro­duced, to confirme the truth there­of. Now the scripture saith, Deu. 19.15. in the mouth of two or three witnesses, euery [Page 19]word shall stand. Deu 19.15. Two then might haue serued, but here were three, and Eccle. 4.12. a three-fold cord is not easily broken. Eccle. 4 12.

In a word then, As deuotion stirred vp these women to seeke, and finding, incouraged their de­uotion: so let precept moue vs to be deuout, that practise may bring vs to the like blessed finding. A first we all shamed not to imitate woman in following the diuell to damnation: let vs now much lesse shame to imitate these women, in running to Christ for saluation. Though they be women, their ex­ample is notable. Peter himselfe at their word, ran out. Iohn, not onely runnes out with Peter. but Ioh. 20.4 out­runnes him. Ioh. 20.4. Peter hath his name from Petra. a rocke, and yet he relented at the loue of Christ: but O graui­ores saxo & plumbo, quos ta ti a noris vin­culum, non t [...]bit f [...]r­sum ad de­um▪ ex quo prins t [...]a [...]it deum cor­sum ad ho­mines [...]n­selme. lib. de simil. Oh harder and heauier than stone, and lead, are their hearts, saith Anselme, who are not drawne from earth, to loue God in heauen, by that [Page 20]band, which drew God out of heauen, to loue man on earth The graue of Christ is our hiding place. As the beastes that are hunted by men, flie into dennes and holes of the earth, for safetie against the furie of dogges: so let vs, which are be­come like the beastes that perish, when we are hunted by Sathan, that mightie Nimrod, flie, & hide our selues in the graue of Christ. There and no where else, Et Reuera, vb firma tu­ta (que) secuti­tas est, oisi i [...] vulucri­bus Saluato­ris? Bern: super Cant. Serm. is firme and safe securitie to be found. It is his promise▪ & he will not shrinke frō it. Trie him, O feeble soule, in thy greatest need, Psal. 91.3. he shall preserue thee from the snare of the hunter. Ps. 91.3. Thus much, touching the persōs. The matter follows, & first, of the Angells consolation, Be not afraid.

At the first hearing whereof, peraduenture some may be afraid, that it is not the voice of a good Angell from heauen, it sounds so like the rotten stay of securitie, which the Diuell gaue our first pa­rents, [Page 21]to rest on earth, whē he said, Ye shall not die at all. Gen. 3.5. Gen. 3.5. For, doth not the Scripture by precept commaund Feare? Do not all ho­lie men by practise commend it? Was it not at first created and fra­med a qualitie in the soule of man? Was it not afterwardes an affecti­on in the soule of him which was both God & man? Hearken deare Christians: He saith not, Feare not at all: but he meaneth, [...], Ne auonito stupore ex­terreamini. Feare not too much. And indeed, in this du­tie, great discretion is to be vsed. Therefore, the scripture sometime saith Feare: sometimes againe, Be not afraid. Feare, for too little feare, is want of grace. Be not afraid, too much feare is want of faith. Feare, too little feare is presumption. Be not afraid, too much feare is despe­ratiō. And this very precept, Be not afraid, instructs vs in three points.

First, who it is that ought to be feared. Not men, not Angells, not diuels, but God only. The seruant [Page 22]feares not his fellowes in the fa­milie, but Mal. 1.6 Mal. 1.6 God is Paterfa­milias, maister of the familie, and the Angells be Reu. 22 9 our fellow seruants. Reu 22 9. Againe, whom we must worship, him must wee feare; for feare is a speciall part of Gods worship. But, Mat. 4 10. Thou must worship the Lord thy God onely, and him a­lone serue. Matth. 4.10. Therefore the Lord God must onely be fea­red.

Secondly, who it is, that ought to feare. Not such as Custodes quidē digni sunt qui [...]er­re [...]ntur, vos autem dis­cipulae do­mini, ne ter­re [...]mini. The op. in Mat. 8. seek Christ, like these blessed women, but such as kill Christ, like the cursed Iewes.

As there is a twofold compositi­on of men; that is, of pride, and humilitie: so there is double dis­position in God, of Iustice, & mer­cie. He, which is Lactant. Inst [...]t lib. 1. cap. 1. erg [...]pios, indul­gentissimus Pater, a most louing and gentle Father to the righte­ous; the same is also aduersus im­pios rectissimus iudex: A most seuere [Page 23]and iust iudge to the wicked. And heere, the verse same God by his Angel, so frighted the wicked kee­pers of Christ, Mat. 28.4 that they became like dead men, Mat.. 28.4. But yet, so cheered of these blessed seekers of Christ, that he expelled all feare from them, saying: Be not afraid.

Thirdly, how it is that we ought to feare. For there is one Feare, which, 1. Ioh. 4.18 perfect loue casteth out. 1. Ioh. 4.18. And another feare, which Pro. 15 33. bringeth in the loue of God. Pro. 15.33. This wee must embrace, not that. This, because it is like the feare of a louing wife, which August. in Psal. 19 quo quanto ardentius diligit, tanto diligen­tius cauet offendere, saith Saint Au­gustine: The more ardently shee loues her husband, the more dili­gently she takes heed of offending him. Therefore, Dauid calleth it Psal. 19.9 Castus timor, Ps. 19.9. Chast feare, August. in Psal. 19. ex­posit. 2. Gratis amans saith Augustine, non puniri timens ab eo, quem tremit, sed separari ab eo quem diligit. Louing [Page 24]freely, and fearing louingly, not so much, least she be punished of him whom she dreades, as least she be diuided frō him whom she loues.

Hence it is, that by Feare is sig­nified all Gods worship & seruice. Dauid calling to all Gods seruants, intituleth them, Psal. 66.16 such as feare God, Psalm. 66.16. Abraham when hee would signifie Abimelech, and his seruants to be without religion, said, Gen. 20.11 Surely, I thought the feare of God was not in this place. Gen. 20.11.11. When Iacob and Laban made a couenant, Laban sware by his I­dolls, Gen. 31.54 but Iacob sware by the Feare of his father Isaac. Genes. 31.54. So true it is, that one saith, Vbi non est metus non est religio. Where feare is wanting, Religion is absent. And Tertul. li. de penitent. Timor hominis Dei honor est. Mans feare is Gods honour.

For this cause, Feare is compa­red to a Porter. A good Porter will keepe out rogues and varlets out of his Lords house: so doth [Page 25] Feare thrust vices out of the soule. Eccle. 1.26. The feare of the Lord driueth out sinne. Eccl. 1.26. Herein, it is like to Iosiah, which signifieth the fire of the Lord. Hee put downe the high places, cut down the groues, demolished Baals altars, sacrificed his Priests, and like a fire, burned and consumed all the peoples ab­hominations. 2. King. 23.5. 2. Kings. 23.5. So Feare, like a spirituall fire, both burnes vp our stubble of vitious qualities, and warmes the heart in­wardly with a zeale of Gods glory: and like the good huswife, sweeps cleane our heart, that it may be an holy Temple for the Lord.

Againe, A good Porter will let in all his Lords friendes, that his house may be furnished with guests. So doth Feare, Eccle. 1.21 Shee filleth her house with al [...] things desireable, Eccl. 1.21. And therefore, when Dauid had some worthie matter to relate, he chose for his auditors Psal. 66.16 Such as feare God. Psal. 66.16. Aug. in Psal. 65. Dei timor aperiat au­res vt sit quod intret, & qua in­tret Aug. ibid. Non est quibus narre­tur, [Page 26]saith Saint Augustine, vbs Dei ti­mor non est Where feare hath made no passage, there wordes can haue [...]o entrance: but let feare once open the eare, and there will be matter to enter, and entrance for matter. To conclude, A good Por­ [...]er will retaine vigilancie: for feare the thiefe enter in, & spoyle the house. So true Feare euer wakes, least the [...]ule by negligence be betrayed. For Eccl. 27 3 if a man holde him not sure in the Feare of the Lord, his house will soone be ouerthrowne, Eccles. 27.3. Hence Saint Ierome, Hieron. ad Fabiolam. Timor vir­ [...]utum custos est, Securitas ad lapsum facilis. Feare is vertues Guardian, whilst securitie makes shipwracke of goodnes.

With this feare then, let vs feare alwayes, for it is the part of an A­theist, at any time to want it: I say, at any time. For Pro. 28.14 He is blessed that feareth alwayes. Prou. 28.14. Not, that feareth sometime, but alwayes. There be three estates of a Chri­stian [Page 27]in this life, and Feare must be wāting to none of them. Time cum arisent gra­gratia time cum abierit, time cum denuo re­uertetur. Bern super Cont [...]c. ser. 54. There is the estate of grace, the estate of a lapse & the estate of recouery. In the estate of grace, we must feare God, for his goodnes. Rom. 11 20 Through vnbe­liefe they are broken off and thou stan­dest fast by faith. Be not high minded, but Feare. Ro. 11.20. In the estate of a lapse, God must be feared, for his Iustice. Luc. 23.40 Fearest not thou, seeing thou art in the estate of condemnation? Luk. 23.40. In the estate of reco­uerie, wee must feare God for his mercie. Psal. 130 4 If thou marke our iniqui­ties, who may abide it? but there is mercie with thee, that thou mayest be feared. Psal. 130.4. In the estate of grace, Feare, saith Bern Bern super Cantic. ser 54. ne non dig­ne opereris ex ea: Least thou turne grace into wantonnes. Mat. 25.18 Least thou be like the sloathfull seruant, that buried his talent in a napkin. Matt. 25.18. Doest thou not burie thy talent, when thou hast learning and riches, and yet helpest neither [Page 28]the poore, nor the ignorant? Or least thou be like the vniust Stew­ard, Luc. 16.1. who was accused to his maister, that hee had wasted his goods. Luc. 16.1. Do we not wast Gods goods, when gifts are giuen vs to edi­fie withall, and wee gaine nothing by them, either to our selues or o­thers? Againe, in the estate of a lapse: Feare, saith Bern. Bern: vt supra. Quia dereliquit te custodia tua: Because thy Guardian hath left thee. Thou art exposed like a young Moyses, to the mercies of the vnsatiable gulfe. The good Spirit hath left thee, and thou art in the hands of an euill vexing spirit. If thy state be not to be feared, what is? Third­lie, in the estate of recouerie. Feare, saith Bern. Ibid. Quia recidere, quam in­cidere est deterius. The second fall, is worse then the first. Repudi­am & nam & mari, di­cunt. Tert. de poeni­tent. Many that haue made shipwracke of goods, bid shippe and Sea farewell: how much more should a man feare a second shipwracke of his good­nes? [Page 29]Say God hath pardoned thee once: Say twice: Say many times, wilt thou continue in sinne, that grace may abound? God forbid. No reason, saith I ertullian, Nemo id­circo dete­rior si [...], quia deus melior est. Ibid. that man should be worse, because God is better, & redundantia clementiae caelestis, libidi­n [...]m faciat humanae temeritatis, and the abundance of heauenlie bene­uolence, should bring forth store of presumptuous impudencie. Say not of thy sinnes, as the drunkard of his wines, Pro. 23.25. They haue smitten me, but I was not sicke, therefore will I seeke it yet still. Pro. 23.25. Rather, Dei bene­fi [...]ium salu­tem suam scilicet, me­moria peri­culi hono­re [...]t. Tert. lib de poe. honour Gods benefites, with the memorie of thy perill, and say, My former danger shalbe an afterwar­ning, I haue bene praemonitus, I will now be praemunitus, once forewar­ned, & euer after forearmed. And thus much touching the Angells consolation.

The next point, is the womens inquisition, in these words, ye seeke Iesus of Nazareth, which was cruci­fied.

[Page 30] And this depends on the for­mer part, as a reason of it. Be not afraid, saith he. Why? Because ye seeke Iesus of Nazareth, which was crucified. Indeed, they which seeke Christ, and him crucified, haue no reason to feare anie thing, especial­ly, if they find what they seeke. But they must goe through to Christ crucified, or else, their comfort is miserable, and their seeking of no value. For in this inquisition, there are foure degrees, and all good, if they tend to Christ crucified, but none good, if they bend not thi­ther. To make this apparant, I will relate the comfort, and inferre the obiection Be not afraid, saith hee, For ye seeke. There is one degree. Indeed the scripture commaunds vs to seeke, but it is the kingdome of God: and maine seeke, but fewe the kingdome of God; therefore one may seeke, and yet iustly he afraid. He replieth againe. Be not afraid, yee seeke Iesus. A second degree, [Page 31] Matt. 1.21 Iesus signifieth a Sauiour, and he that findes the true Iesus, findeth the true saluation: but euery Iesus is not a Sauiour; therefore one may seeke Iesus, and yet iustlie be afraid. He addeth in the next place, Be not afraid, ye seeke Iesus of Naza­reth. A third degree, Nazaret sig­nifieth a flower: and he that findes the true Nazarite, Isay 11.1. findes the true Flower of Iesse. But as euery Iesus is not a Sauiour, so euery Nazarite is not a flower: therefore, one may seeke Iesus of Nazareth, & yet iust­ly be afraid. The Angel cōcludes, B [...] not afraid, ye seeke Iesus of Nazareth, which was crucified. The fourth de­gree, the degree of perfection: a­gainst which, nothing can be ob­iected, to make a man iustly afraid. For more instance in these points. To seeke, absolutely, is not good, but onely so farre forth, as it ten­deth to Christ and his Crosse. True it is, in this world wee are all at a losse, and can neuer finde what we [Page 32]lost, till we be found of him, Who came to seeke, and to saue that which was lost. Luc. 19.10 Lu 19.10. As all seeking is vaine, vnles we seeke him; so all seeking of him is in vaine, vnles he finde vs: and hee must be prai­sed for both, saith Fulgētius, Siue cum nos ad se quaerendū dormientes exsuscitat, seu cum se inueniendū [...]obis quae­rētibus do­nat. Falg. ad monim. li. 1. Whe­ther it be for stirring vs vp to seeke him, when we are sleeping, or for offe­ring himselfe vnto vs, when we are see­king. Hee that seekes other thing then this, or otherwise then thus, shalbe sure to loose, as the prouerb saith, op [...]ram & oleum: both his la­bour in seeking, and his cost in la­bouring. Psal. 24.6 This way onely, seeking is good, and seekers gainers. This is the generation of them that seeke thee, euen of them that seeke thy face. Psal. 24.6. All other seeking is vaine, and finders, losers; Of which there are manie generatiōs in the world, and of whome Paul complaineth, saying: Phil. 2.21. All seeke their owne, & not that which is Iesus Christ. Phil. 2.21.

For example.

[Page 33] Some seeke their owne wealth and riches. Say I some? I may say, All: for it is that which we seek for, both All and Some. O ciues, ciues quae­renda pecu­nia primum est, virtus post num­mos Haec Ianos sum­mus ab imo per docet &c. Hor. [...]pist. 1. Citizens giue eare to such as speake from a­bout the t [...]niple of lanus, Quaeren­da pecunia primum est. Seeke money aboue all things; rather then to such as exhort them in the Tem­ple of IESVS, Mat 6.33 Quaerite primum r [...]gnum D [...]i; Seeke first the kingdome of GOD, and then all these things shalbe minittred vnto you. Mat. 6.33. Hence it comes to passe, that ma­nie of them which be rich to the world, are very poore to God. For 2. heauy burdēs, saith Chrysostome, inuade the rich mans thoughtes. Chrysost. in Mat [...]h. hom. 45. Deliciarum putredo, curarum mag­nitudo: the vanitie of fleshlie de­light, and the greatnes of worldlie cares: Quorum vnum quod que ad subi­ge [...]dum na­uigium suf. ficit. Ibid. of which, the least is able to sinke a shippe. Hence Christ compareth a rich man to a Camel, Ambro. Serm 4. Ille o [...]cra­tus est car­ [...]bus, iste peccatis vter (que) habet propriā sarcinam, saith Saint Ambrose, They haue each of [Page 34]thē a burdē on their backs, the one of flesh, the other, of fleshly lusts. Not that riches of thēselues are euil but the immoderate loue of riches; Paul saith not, They which are rich, but they which will be rich, fall into temptation, 1. Tim. 6.9 1. Tim. 6.9. In diuitijs cupiditatē reprehendit, non facultatē, saith S. August: de ciuit. dei, lib. 1. cap. 10. Augustine: Reprehending indeed, the wretchednesse of the mind, not the richnes of the man.

Some seeke for vaine-glorie. An intollerable drunkennesse of the mind, saith Saint Chrysost. in Ioh. ho. 2 Chrysostome, and such a disease, as is not easilie cured. Into this ranke of seekers, I may put (as I feare mee) some of our brethren; or rather (for which I grieue) they haue put thēselues. Who, as some olde Monkes were wont to be proud of humilitie; so these men striue to be accounted most learned, by shewing no lear­ning. We with our learning may sift while wee will into the deepest questions, but all the Flowre. they [Page 35]say, is of their boulting. Great Clerks with their learned preaching, doe nothing: our their ignorāce is the onely mother to breed and bring forth deuotion. When we alledge a Father, they say, wee preach our selues, whilst they, being as much beholding to them as wee, by con­cealemēt of their names, father all vpon thēselues. Me thinks I may applie Iobs words vnto thē, thogh they haue not halfe the eloquence of Iobs friends: Iob. 12.2 Because ye onely are the people, learning must die with you. Iob. 12.2. For they are the onely people now a dayes, and onely the peoples; to whome they suggest, that like new Palaemons, secum natae, & periturae literae; learning hath her birth, & her death with thē. Yea ra­ther, because they are the peoples, they willingly permit all learning to die wth them, because they see, that learning & the peoples loue, no more thē Dagon & the Ark can stand together.

[Page 36] And certes in my iudgment, this is the time of fufilling that pro­uerbe, which Almightie God said should come to passe some time; Isa. 24.2 Like people, like priest, Isay. 24.2. It could not be so said in the primi­tiue Church: then the Priest was better then the people: nor was it verified in the time of Poperie, as Bern. doth witnesse, Non potest [...]ici, vt est populus, ita est Sacerdos, quoni­am non ita est populus vt Sacerdos. It cannot be said, As is the people, so is the Priest, because the people is not so bad as the Priest. But now, now it seemes, is the time come, that the people & the priest are both alike, whilst the one for fancy, will heare nothing but what hee list; the other for aduantage, will speake nothing, but what may please.

Some seeke for Honour, for which their soule gapeth, as much as the thirstie land for raine, in the drought of Sommer: and so fast [Page 37]hath Ambition seized on their soules that they growe proud of Honour before they haue it. And sure it is an euill which common­ly accompanieth preferment, that whereas it shuld make a man more humble, and so more truely hono­rable, (as Augustine saith, August. de Temp. Serm. 213. Honoris laus, humilitatis virtus: the com­mendation of true honour, is the vertue of humilitie:) yet men for the most part, then growe proud and arrogant. Yea, and let me vse Saint Bern: words, Bern. su­per M [...]ss [...]s est, hom. 4 Si audeo dicere, If I durst be so bold as to tell them of it, Me thinks I see some, quod ad­epti sunt nūmis, attribuere meritis: to impute that to their good deseruings, which they haue bought and payd for, with their full purses. Not that Honour is any way euill in it selfe, August. de ve [...]b. [...]om. Serm. 12. Bonum est, saith Saint Augustine, sed hoc, si bene vtatis. It is a thing good enough, if thou vsest it well; yea a speciall good, if directed to the right end. If thou vsest it well, [Page 38]it will be August. Ibid. Ministerium boni operis, an oportunitie to doe manie good deedes: if ill, it will prooue, oc­casio exitij: a meanes of a heauier iudgement, when the mightie shall be mightily tormented.

Some seeke for pride: A sinne hatched by the Diuell at the first, and harboured since by diuells in­carnate: yet, so common among vs, that what onely we shuld yeeld to vertue, we frankly bestow on it, emulation.

Some, because they would be beyond emulation, so paint their bodies with strange garments, and staine their faces with painted cō ­plexions, that they grow out of the ranke of humane creatures, & Idola mē ­tiuntur. Hie­ron ad Mar­cell. are becom very Idolls. And that which no man durst doe to the picture of an earthly Prince, saith Chrysost: in Matth. hom. 31. S. Chrysos. they presume to do, to the image of the K. of kings. Dost thou thīk thou art a better work man thē God: Ad­mit thy painting adds to thy beau­tie, [Page 39]yet it taketh away frō thy com­linesse; & in the freshest of thy ba­stard beautie, thou art but Hieron: ad Marcell. nimio candore deformis: deformed with o­uermuch fairenesse.

But if Gods commaundement could preuaile nothing, yet me­thinkes Women should feare to paint, least men should point at them, for the Hieroglyphicke of an hypocrite. For the hypocrits pur­pose is, saith Lactāt. Lactant: i [...]stit. lib. 3. cap. 26. Non excindere vitia, sed abscondere: not to race vi­ces quite out, but only to couer thē with a vaile: or as Bernard more significantly hath it, Bern: su­per Cant: Serm: 66. Virtutes non colere, sed vitia colocare: not to em­brace vertue with a good intētion, but to paint ouer vice, with a faire complexion.

Some seek for pleasure: Volu [...]tas malorum esca. Plea­sure, the nourishment of all vices. Dum lu­dit, illudit. The wilie Parasite of the wanton flesh, deceiuing throughly, while it sporteth merilie.

D [...]m can­tat, [...]an at.The Syren of the soule, stinging [Page 40]deepely, while it singeth sweetely. Reu. 10.10 Like the book which S. Iohn eate which was in his mouth as sweet as honie, and in his bellie as bitter a­gaul. And like vnto the subtile har­lot, Pro. 5.3.4. Whose lips at the firs [...] drop as an home combe, k Pro. 5.3.4 but her latte [...] end is bitter as wormewood.

Some seeke for reuenge. And of late wee haue seene, euen vnto ou [...] grief, some tragedies which it hath brought forth, whisst they whic [...] sought it, haue found, not so much reuenge vpon others, as vengeāce to themselues. For reuenge is on [...] of these 3. things which God hath res [...]rued to himselfe. His glorie is the first: Isa. 4 [...].8. My glorie I will not giu [...] vn [...]o another. Isa. 42.8. Iudgment is the next. Iam 4. [...] There is one L [...]-giuer, whic [...] is able to saue & to destroy: wh [...] art thou that iudg [...]st another? Iam. 4.12. And the third is reuenge. D [...]u. 3 [...].3 [...] Ven­ [...]e [...]nce is mine, & I will repay it. Deut. 3 [...].35. What a lamentable thing then is it, that now adayes a man [Page 41]cannot be accounted rightly Ho­nourable, vnlesse he prooue him­selfe desperately vicious? August. in Psal. 30. Vindi­cari vis Christiana, saith Saint Au­gustine, Art thou a Christian, and wilt be reuenged? Tarrie a while, Nondum vindicatus est Christus; Thy Lord and maister Christ Ie­sus, is not yet reuenged of his owne death. I cannot tarrie, saith the hote spirit, nay I cannot liue to beare this disgrace, without e­ternall obliquie. But ô inconside­rate furie, how it hath gained an o­pinion of magnanimitie!

Some there be, which imagine this timerous resolution, to be the spirit of true valour: but indeed it is far otherwise, and nothing else, but the infirmitie of the flesh. For true magnanimity begins at home, and subdues it's owne passions.

Cato, p August. de [...]u [...]. dei: lib [...]. cap. 23. Ex velle [...]o Pater ad vi­u [...]c. because hee would not be vanquished by Caesar, k drew out his own sword, & slue himselfe at Vtica. Some may think this great valour [Page 42]too, but what saith S. Augustine, August. vt supra. Non fuit honestas turpia praecauens, [...]ed infirmitas aduersa non sustinens: It was no honest minde to auoid after disgraces, but a weakenes that could not indure former wrongs. And this is the best which may be thought of the boldnes of single cōbatters, to omit the grie­uous hazard of their soules, in so bloodie a manner forsaking their bodies. Thus then, whilst the Citi­zen seekes for wealth, the Church­mā for popularities, the ambitious man for honour, the Courtier for pride, the lasciuious mā for plea­sure, the gallant for reuenge, it is come to passe, as Paul complai­ [...]eth, t All seeke their owne, and not that which is Iesus Christs. Phil 2.21. and as Dauid, Ps. 14.2. There is none that vn­derstandeth, and seeketh after God. Psal. 14.2.

Come we to the second degree; Yee seebe Iesus. Neither doth this commend absolutely, because so [Page 43]many seek him dissolutely. For it is certaine, some corruptly seek the true Iesus; Some carefully pursue a false Iesus. While the true Iesus was on earth, some sought him cor­ruptly, viz. for the cure of their bo­dies, rather thē the sauing of their soules; to behold his miracles, ra­ther then to admire his vertues; to fill their mouths with bread, rather then their hearts with faith: and to catch him in his words, rather thē to be catched by his word. The 9. leapers cried after him to be clēsed, but neuer returnd to giue him thāks. Luk. 17.17. Herode Lu. 23.8. desired to see a miracle, & presently sent him back to Pilate to be crucified. Luc. 23.8. The Capernaits Ioh. 6.60 eat of the loaues, & were filled & afterwards murmured and forsooke him. Ioh 6.60. The Pharisies and Sadduces, had all their questions answered, and then Mat. 26.5. ga­thered a Councell to put him to death. Matth. 26.3. Thus the true Iesus was corruptly sought.

[Page 44] That Iesus which holy Ignatius saith, is, Igna. E­pist: ad Ro­man. vita fidelium, life to the faithfull in the bitterest death: and which, as Bernard saith, is Bern: su­per Canuc. Ser. 15. mel in ore, in aure melos, in co [...]de iubilus; honie in the mouth, melodie in the eare, ioy and ionisance in the hart, sought after for corrupt and sini­ster respects, no whit profiteth the greedie seekers.

Some againe carefully pursue a false Iesus. proposing to their minde, safetie in that thing which they most affect, and reposing in their hearts a confidence therein. Yea, almost euery kingdome in the world, almost euery citie in a kingdome, almost euery man in a citie, hath a false Iesus, in whom he delighteth, and in whom he se­uerely restes. The Turkes Iesus is their brainsicke prophet Mahe­met, in him they place their faith, of him they hope for saluation. To his bountie, they impute the largenesse of their empire, the fer­tilitie [Page 45]of their soile, and to his right hand, Lactan. Institut. lib. 2. cap. 7. quicquid est, propter quod fur­ta & latrocinia, & homicidia quotidie saeuiunt: whatsoeuer it is, for pur­chasing whereof, thefts, robberies, & murders are euery day among them outragious, and whole cities and townes ouerthrowne and de­molished, as Lactātius once said of the superstitious heathen. The Ro­manists Iesus is the Pope; For of him they expect all, which is one­ly to be receiued from the true Ie­sus of Nazareth, which was cru [...]ified. Remission of sinnes, imputation of righteousnes, validitie of me­rits, inheritance of glorie, they think to receiue from him, which (alas) hath it not for himselfe. Hath it not, & which is more, hath lesse meanes to haue it then any, as being most contrarie to Christ of all. Christ hath an high title, [...]. The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Reu. 19.21 Reu. 19.21. yet an humble carriage. Phil. 2.8 He tooke on [Page 46]him the form of a seruāt. Phi. 2.8. Cō ­trary, the pope hath an hūble title, Seruus seruorum Dei, the seruant of the seruants of God; but a most pompous and pontificall cariage, far exceeding the mightiest mo­narchs. Christ refused soueraigntie three times: contrarie, the Pope takes 3. soueraignties at once. The scriptures say of Christ, that he is, & deus, & homo; both God & man: the Canonists say of the Pope, that he is, nec deus nec homo, neither god nor man. I know not thē what to make of him, but verie Antichrist.

To come to our selues. Who is it but hath a Iesus by himselfe? The couetous mans Iesus is his money. Did not the rich man hope for sal­uation in his riches, when he said, Luc. 12.19. Soule, thou hast much goods laid vp in store for many years▪ eate & drinke, and take thine ease? Luk. 12.19. So, the gluttons God, is his belly. Paul calls it so, Phil. 3.19. Phil. 3.19. Whose God is their bellie, whose glorie is to their [Page 47]shame, which minde earthly things. So, the ambitious mans God is honour, the lasciuious mans God is pleasure; & as the heathen saith of a man in loue, if he hath what he loueth, Plautus. id habet pro cibo, it is meate & drinke to him. So I may say of euery mans delight, which his minde and heart is set vpon, id habet pro deo, it is a Iesus vnto him. For there is no man in the world, but, as by nature he desires his owne safetie, so by religion he chuseth his owne Sauiour: religi­on with men of the world being nothing else, Lactant. Instit. lib. 2. cap. 7. quam quod cupiditas humane miratar; but that which a mans fancie is in loue withall. So true it is, which that graue and iu­dicious Father Saint Augustine hath obserued, August de ciuit dei lib. 14. cap. 4. Beatus vult esse ho­mo etiam non sic viuendo vt possit esse. Man would be blessed and happie, though he so liues, as he neuer treades the right way too it.

Amongst these many vaine see­kers [Page 48]of Iesus, I may most fitly insert the sert of Iesuites; who because they would make the world be­ [...]eeue, that they, & none but they; had found Iesus, they haue taken away his name from al others, and appropriated it to themselues. Verbum cauponan­tes & Iesum vendentes Ignat. ad Trallian. In the meane time, they play the merchants with the word, and the Indaffas with Iesus. And whilst they thus seeme to haue gotten Iesus from all others, it is come to passe, that they haue lost Christ frō thē ­selues. Let holy Ign tius the Mar­tyr, speake against their Ignatius [...]arola, Ignatibid Qui inim alio nomine appella­tur▪ praeter islud, hic non est dei. Who­soeuer is called by any other name, then the name of a Christian, is [...]one of Gods. Some therefore call them, not Iesuites but Iebusites: and I thinke, not without verie good cause. For as they of Ierusa­lem set vp a company of blind and lame Iebusites on the walls of their citie, in disgrace of Dauid, m 2. Sam. 156 when [Page 49]he came vnto them, 2. Sam. 3.6. Sam. 5.6. So, they of Rome haue set vp these Iebusites ( [...]lind, through ignorance of the truth; lame, through per­uersenes in life) on the walls of the city of God, vp to the height of pre­ferment in the Church, in disgrace of Christ, and all his annointed Kings. But no doubt, as Dauid fetched downe those base peo­ple, because his 2. Sam. 5.8. soule hated them. Christ will one day plucke downe this proud Sect, and disperse them with the breath of his mouth, and dispatch them with the sword of the spirit.

But I hast to the third degree. Yee seeke Iesus of Nazareth. Nei­ther doeth this commend more then the former For thus some haue sought him without pro­fit in the Gespell; thus some seeke him, all for profit in the world.

Read how vnprofitably some haue thus sought him, Ioh. 18.5. [Page 50]whē they had sought out the most cursed death, and were seeking the most blessed persō for that death; they meeting with him, he demā ­ded of them, Whom seeke yee? They (vailing all their villanie, vnder a smooth answere) said, Iesus of Na­zareth. And whereas others which had sought him so before, hearing his sweete words, were ouercome with them in soule, & went backe to the Priests with this answere, Ioh. 7.46. Neuer man spake as this man. Ioh. 7.46. These mē now seeking him, and hearing his powerfull words, were ouerthrowne by them in bo­die, Ioh. 18.6. They went backeward, and fell to the groūd. Ioh. 18.6. O the power of the Maiestie of Christ hidden in the vaile of our flesh. August in Ioh. Tract. Quid indi­caturas faciet, qui iudicādus hoc fecit? What thinke you, wil he doe, saith Augustine, whē he comes to iudge the world, that thus could doe whē he was to be iudged in the world? What wil he do, raigning as a king, [Page 51]y ^e thus did doe, dying as a captiue?

Now to this inquisition, none in the world (in my iudgement) is so like as the inquisitiō of Spaine. For ther Iesus of Nazareth, is stil sought to be put to death, and crucified in his mēbers. They seeke not Chry­stum crucifixum, but Christianos cru­cifigendos, not Christ crucified, but to crucifie Christiās. Wherein the now Antichristian popes of Rome exceed in crucltie the former hea­thē Emperours of Rome; for what was Traianes counsaile to Plinie? Tertull. apologet. capit. Hoc genus inquirendos non esse, obla­tos vero puniri oportere. That this kind of mē, namely christiās, shuld not be inquired after, when they were close, out onely, thē punished when they were offered. But this most bloodie inquisition will not tarrie til poore christiās be brought but (like a cruell mōster, clad in a Lisanders Lion-fox-skinne coare) hunts them out by craft, & rootes them out by crueltie.

[Page 52] Againe, thus some seeke him all for profit in the world; whilst they seeke indeed, Iesum Nazarenum, but not crucifixum; that is, as Ludolo. de vit. Chri. par 2. cap. 7 [...]. ex Chri­sost. one interprets it, Iesum floridum, but not Iesum flagellatum: a Iesus crowned with flowers, but not crowned with thornes. That can take the sweet bread in the passeouer, but not the sower hearbes. That with Peter hold it good bein gwith him in mount Tabor, where he was trās­figured, but denie him and forsake him, in mount Caluerie, where he was transfigured. That will be reli­gious so long as they may gaine either reputation o [...] aduantage in the world thereby: but bid religi­on and God farewell, when profit and commoditie is not annexed thereto. Such ambodexters there be now adaies, Bern: su­per Cant. Serm. 16. qui veterem homi­nem non exuerunt, sed nouo palliant, saith Bernard, which haue not put off the old man with his Iustes, but couered him with the new man, as [Page 53]with a cloake. God commanded his people that they should not plow with an oxe and an asse toge­ther, nor weare a garment of linsi­wolsie; but I thinke linsiwolsie was neuer more worne then in this age, it being growne from a qualitie, to a habite. For who is it, but in seruing God, seekes especi­ally to serue himselfe? For gaine and outward respects, may men preach, and more practise religi­on: viderit vtilitas. is now the one­ly moderatour of our spirituall e­difying; and men grow rich in de­uotion, so farre forth as they grow rich by deuotion.

To come therefore to the fourth degree; Yee seeke Iesus of Nazareth which was crucified. Onely this is absolutely good, and the rest no further thē they tend to this. This onely purchaseth matter of true securitie, and herein alone, is iust cause of reioycing. Herein alone, because, Gal. 6.16. God forbid that I should [Page 54]glorie, saue in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ. Chrysost. in Matt. hom. 55. Vellem cum Paulo pos­se dicere, saith Saint Chrysostome. I would we could say also with Paul, Whereby the world is crucified to me, and I vnto the world, Gal. 6.16.

This crosse of Christ, which to the Iewes is a scandall, to the Cen­tiles follie, is to the faithfull both of Iewes and Gentiles, the power of God to saluation: being like Iacobs ladder, the onely way for vs to climbe vp into heauen, Tertul. ad­ucrs. Iudae­os. Vt quod perierat olim per lignum in Adam, id restitueretur per lignū Christi, That we which perished by that which the first Adam plucked from the tree, might againe be restored by the second Adam, who was faste­ned to the tree. Bern: in die S. An. dreae. Ser. 1. Non est siluestris arbor, saith Bernard. It is no barren tree, this same tree of the crosse, but a tree that bare such fruit, as whosoeuer tastes of it, shall be sure to liue for euer. Though it were Angust. de tem p. serm. 138. mortifera Christo, yet it was Salu­tifera, Christionā: saith August. a bit­ter [Page 55]tree to Christ, yet the tree of life to a Christian. Hence sprang the great reioycing and glorying of the fathers in the crosse. Chrysost. in Matt. hom. 55. Gloria nostra, caput & origo beatitudinis, li­bertas & corona crux est, saith Saint Chrysostome. The crosse, it is our glorie, the head and fountaine of our happinesse, our libertie from death, and crowne in life. And this, saith he, let vs chāt out at all times, but then most, when the heathens are by vs. Hence came that aunci­ent ceremonie, of signing with the crosse, so much distasted by some of our brethren. For when as the Gentiles accounted it foolishnes, the Christians to make them asha­med, purposely gloried in it the more. And indeed, the Church, saith Bern: thinkes nothing more glorious to her selfe, then to carrie the disgrace of her Lord. Nihil sibi gloriosus purat, quam portare ig­nominiam domini & Bern. Super Cant. Serm. 25. Grata ignominia crucis ei, qui crucifixo in­gratus non est; No doubt, to him wil ye shame of ye crosse be gratefull, to whō he which indured the shame of the crosse, is gratious.

[Page 56] Not that they gloried in a sim­ple woddē crosse, as they of Rome doe. No, it was the vertue and effi­cacie of Christs death vpon the crosse, which they so much glori­ed in. This, saith Chrysostome, Hoc caput certa bono­rum omniū est, quod de­us proprio filio, non pe­per cit, vt fu­gitiuo ser­uos sanaret. Chrysost. in Matth. hom. 51. is the fountaine of all good things, that God spared not his onely sonne, to redeeme his vnworthie seruants. Idem. in Matt. hom. 55. Passio certe domini nostrae beatitudinis caput est. It is not the wodden crosse, no, it is the Lords passion, that is the fountaine of our happinesse. Nor secondly, that they imputed any vertue to the transient crosse, when it is made in the aire, as they of Rome doe. Nay, when they signed the bodie at baptisme, with the crosse, they taught, Id. ibid. Non simpliciter digito in cor­pore, sed magna profecto fide in mente firmare. Not simplie, saith Chry­sostome, to signe the bodie with the finger, but to strengthen the heart by faith. Nor thirdly, that they crouched to a piece of wood, say­ing, [Page 57] Holie Crosse saue vs, as they of Rome doe; But when they came to the Sacrament, & there remember the vertue of Christs death on the Crosse; then saith blessed Cyprian, Cypria. de coen. Dom. Cruci haeremus, sanguinem sugimus, & intra ipsa Redemptoris vulnera, fi­gimus linguā. Then cleaue we to the Crosse, and fastening our tongue within the woūds of our Redeemer: thence sucke out the bloud of our redemption. Lastly, not that they adorned a wodden crosse with pre­cious stones, blue silke, &c. as they of Rome do: but they adorned their crosses, with the same ornaments that Christ adorned his Crosse with all; they were foure vertues, saith Bernard: Bern. in die Sant. Pasch. Serm. 1. Supereminentior charitas, &c. Charity on the top, obediēce on the right hand, patience on the left hād, & the foūdation of all vertues, hu­militie, in the bottome. These were the ornamēts which they adorned the crosse withall, and which they prectised, when they suffered their martyrdome.

[Page 58] Thus, ô deare Christian, with these holy fathers, with these deuout wo­men, do thou seeke Christ Iesus, and him crucified. Let thy deuout soule, with the Spouse in the Canticles, go vp and downe, and make diligent enquirie for him, whom thy soule loueth. Make diligent enquiry for him in the Citie, the Citie of God, the Church: in the field, sed in cam­po Scripturarum, in the field of the holie Striptures, in the house, the house of God; there thou shalt find him, like Ioseph and Marie in the Temple. Let the three faculties of thy soule, Reason, will, and memo­rie, like these three holie women, stirre in the morning of thy life, to find him in the bed of his graue.

O how happie will it be for thy erroneous reason, to finde him which is Bern. super Cant. Serm. 11. plenitudo Lucis, the ful­nes of Light: for thy captiued will, to find him, which is, multitu [...]o Pa­cis, the multitude of Peace: for thy obliuious memorie, to enioy him which is continuatio Aeternitatis, the [Page 59]continuation of Eternitie. Let this thy miserable Triplicie of defects, O beate & beatificans Trinitas, ad te mea misera Tri­nitas, mise­rabiliter sus­pirat. Bern. seek that blessed, & blessed makīg Trinity, of fulnes. He is Veritie, Cha­ritie, Eternitie: applie him to thy seueral wants, & let him be another soule to thy soule, 1. Cor. 15 18. that GOD may be all in all. When thou hast found him, doe like the Spouse, Cant. 3.4. hold him fast, & let him not gee: Cant. 3.4. Nay whē thou hast foūnd him, seek him stil, Ps. 105.4. seek the Lord, & his strēgth, seek his face euermore. o Vt nō huic inquisitioni, qua signifi­car amor, fi­nem praestet inuentio, sed amore cres­cente, inqui­sitio crescat inuēti. Aug. in Ps. 104. Psal. 105.4. That which these holy womē did in the morning, do thou all thy life long: that so, the taste of him for a time, may not make an end of seeking: but the often tasting of him, may increase thy loue to him, and so thou maist seeke him for euer. If thou find him for one vertue, seeke him for another. Bern: hath a chaine of 7. links, by which the deuout soule, being trained to seek the eternall word, Ps. 84.7. grows frō strēgth to strēgth, till she appeares before the Lord in Sion, Bern. su­Per Cant. Serm. 85. she seeks him, to whom shee may consent to amendment: from [Page 60]whom shee may be inlightened to knowledge; by whom she may be initiated to vertue: throgh whom she may be reformed to wisdome; like whom she may be conformed to comelinesse; to whom she may be married to fruitfulnesse; and whom fully and for euer, shee may enioy for delight. Be stirring then, and linger no longer. Marke how peremptorily the Prophet speakes to thee. Isa. 21.12. Isa. 21.12. The morning commeth and also the night, if you will seeke, seeke. If euer you meane to begin, now it is high time. Seeke him in simplicitie of heart: Non aliud tanquam il­lum, non ali­ud praeter il­lum, non ali­ud po [...]t illū. Bern. exhor. ad Fratr. Serm. 2. not any thing else in stead of him, not any thing beside him, not any thīg after him. Do this now in the mor­ning of thy life, the night comes whē no man can worke. Thus haue we heard the womēs inquisitiō, by reason of which, we haue made en­quirie of many things. Let vs now come to the third part, Christs Re­surrection: He is risen, he is not here; [Page 61]Behold the place where they put him.

In this part, 3. things are very ob­seruable. First, the power of his Re­surrection: He is riseu, saith the An­gell; he was not stollē away by his disciples, nor raised by any other, but Ipse resurrexit, hee alone raised vp himselfe. Secōdly, the speed of his resurrectiō. He is not here, saith he, although your cōming be ear­lie, and your deuotion earnest, yet both come short of his presencee, he hath preuented you, He is not here. Thirdly, the truth of his Resurrec­tion; Behold the place where they put him, saith he. Peraduēture, you may doubt, whether I say true, you may (happilie) thinke hee is still in the graue. Come therefore, and see, vse the benefite of your owne eyes, Behold the place where th [...]y put him.

Touching the first point, that is, the Power of his Resurrection, it is well insinuated by the Angell, when hee saith, He is risen, He nee­ded no hand to plucke him vp, as [Page 62]others that rose before him, and it was impossible that any hand shuld hold him backe, of all that were a­gainst him. As no man tooke away his life, Ioh. 10.18. hee had power to lay it downe: so no man could keepe a­way his life, hee had power to take it againe.

We read of some men, that while they were aliue, had power to raise vp the dead, as Act. 9.41. Peter raised Tabi­tha, Act. 9. 41. Yea which is more, of some, that whē they were dead, had yet a power to raise vp other dead, x as Elizeus, who but tou­ching the dead Souldiour with his bones, reuiued him, and set him on his feete againe. 2. King. 13.21 2. King. 13 21. But we neuer read of anie man, that be­ing dead, was able to raise vp him­selfe, but onely Iesus of Nazareth, which was crucified. And he could do both this & the former. For whē he was liuing, he raised vp the dead, Ioh. 11.41. as Lazarus, & others, Ioh. 11.41. & which is more, beeing dead, could [Page 63]raise vp other dead; for at his passi­on, Mat. 27.52. the graues opened, & many dead bodies of the Saints arose. Mat. 27.52. And which is most of all, himselfe beīg dead, yet thē was able to raise vp himselfe, which no man in the world euer did, & which all the mē in the world could neuer do. Ther­fore, as he was declared truely to be the Sonne of man, by yeelding vnto death; so, Rom. 1.4. saith Paul, he was decla­red mightily to be the Sonne of God, by the Resurrection frō the dead. Ro. 1.4. Bern. paru. Serm. 14. qui Agnus extitteraet in passione, factus est Leo in Resurrectione. Hee, saith Bern: that was a Lambe in his Passion, became a Lyon in his Re­surrection. When hee was to be crucified, Isa. 53.7. he was led, saith Isay, as a sheepe to the slaughter, Isa. 53.7. But when hee arose againe, (it was Iacobs Prophecie) that Gen. 49.9. As a Ly­ons whelpe, hee should come vp from the spoyle. Genes. 49 9. From the spoyle indeed, that is, from ha­uing spoyled, (as a most victorious [Page 64]and conquering champion) death, and hell, sinne and Sathan, with the whole rabble of the infernall pow­ers, from all such force, as they had gotten against him, and all his members.

Hence it is well obserued, that Christs resurrection hath a double priuiledge aboue the resurrectiō, or rather, resuscitation of all others. For though others rose from the dead as well as Christ, yea, and in time, before him: yet, saith Ber­nard, Bern. in die [...]. Pasch. Serm. 1. Resurrexerant mortui, iterum morit [...]ri. They rose indeed, when they were dead, but yet, to die a­gaine when they were raised.

But Rem. 6.9 Christ rising frō the dead, dieth no more, death hath no more power o­uer him. Ro. 6 9. And therfore, iust­ly is hee called 1. Cor. 5.20. Primitiae dormien­tium, the first fruites of them that deepe, which only rose to immor­ [...]alitie, Bern. Et fic resurrexit vt cadere [...]on adijciat, rose in such manner at once, as he was to fall againe neuer after.

[Page 65] Againe, all those which had power giuen them to raise others, yet had no power to raise themselues. Eli­zeus that raised vp another man dead, yet hath no power to raise vp himselfe. Bern: ibi supra. Loe how many yeares hath he liue in the graue, expec­ting a ioyfull resurrection at his hand, which hath triumphed ouer the graue; by which it appeares, that all such as raised others, did it, potestate precariâ, non propriâ, by a power, not resiant in themselues, but receiued from God.

But Christ, saith Bernard, Bern: in die Sanct. Pas. Ser. 1. Vir­tute propria victor prodijt de Sepul­chro; by his owne power raised vp himselfe, and by the strength of his owne arme, made all things giue way vnto him. Amb. de virg. lib. 3. Erras mulier saith Saint Ambrose, quae putas de monumento Christum esse sublatum. O woman, that thinkest some bo­die hath taken away thy Lord, and laid him thou knowest not where, thou errest grosely. This victori­ous [Page 66] Sampsō stoutly caried away the gates of Iudg. 16.3. Azzah, burst opē y ^e dore of his Tombe, where the Philistine Iewes had shut him; & in the mor­ning when they sought him, was risen, was not there.

But the womans errour Saint Ierome salueth, Hieron. ad Hedibi­am quaest. Error mulieris cum pietate societus est; An errour of infirmitie, ioyned with deuotion. But the Iewes, who can excuse? O foolish Iewes, tell vs, why did you seale and locke downe the stone so fast? Because (said some of your rulers) Mat. 27.63. We remember that this de­ceiuer said, within three daies I will rise vp again. Ma. 27.63. Bern:in die. Sanct. Pas. Ser. 1. Vere seduc­tor, saith Bern: Sed pius, non malitio­sus; A deceiuer he is indeed, but an holy, not a malicious deceiuer: and you may well say with Ieremiah your Prophet, Ierem. 20.7. O Lord thou hast deceiued me, and I am deceiued, thou art stronger then I, and hast preuailed. Ierem. 20.7. What thinke you of him now? Is he still but the Car­penters [Page 67]sonne? A Carpēters sonne he is we grant, Sed Bern: hominis fabri filius, fabricator hominis, the sonne of man, and such a Carpenter, as made man, and all the world. Will you still be obstinate? Will you not yet beleeue? You will say, If he had come downe from the crosse, we would haue beleeued in him. Indeed so said some of your rulers, Mat. 27.42. Des­dendet de cruce, &c. Matt. 27.42. But ô how like their father the diuell, speake these wicked children, saith Saint Chrysostome. Chrysost. Serm. de passione. The diuell said, Cast thy selfe downeward from the Temple; and these men say, Let him come downe from the crosse. Fraudu. lenta pro­missio. Hie. rom. But all this is but dissem­bling. For, Bern: in die Sa Pas. Serm. 1. Si non creditis resur­gēti, nec credidissetis descēaenti. Sure­ly, if you beleeue him not rising out of the graue, neither would you haue beleeued in him, if he had come downe from the crosse. Leauing then these obstinate [Page 68]Iewes in the depth of their vnbe­liefe, till the time of refreshing comes; Let vs proceed to the se­cond point, the speed of his resur­rectiō, in these words, he is not here.

Wherein the Angell declares, that though these women were earely comming to him, yet Christ was risen and gone before their comming at him. I may iustly therfore apply this secōd speech, to the speed of his resurrection. Who though he were to answere the figure, which himself spake of, Mat. 12.40. As Ionas was three daies and three nights in the whales bellie, so must the sonne of man be three daies and three nights in the heart of the earth: y Mat. 12.40. yet in verie truth, he was not so long time in the bowels of the earth, as Ionas was in the bellie of the fish. For about the ninth houre, he died on the crosse: and about three houres after that, was he laid into his graue. Now this, in our account, was about three of [Page 69]the clocke in the afternoone. This is but a small part of a day, yet this is reckoned for the first day. The second day, being the day of rest to the Iewes, he himself also rested in his graue. The third day, being the first day of the weeke, so soone as the sunne of the firmament rose to cheare the eies of the world, this glorious Sonne of righteousnes a­rose also, to cheare the harts of the elect. Here you see is but one whole day, with the end of that which went before it, and the be­ginning of that which followed after it: and yet it is reckoned for three daies, and that iustly; for the first day, saith Augustine, is taken, August lib. de Tri­nit. 4. Secundum partem sui posteriorem, according to the latter part there­of: the secōd day, Secundū se totam & integram, according to it selfe, whole & intire: the third, Secūdum partem sui prima, onely according to the former part thereof.

And what may be the reason of [Page 70]this hast, may you say. If any think he thus hasted away, least his bodie should putrifie, he thinkes amisse. For seeing putrifaction is a punishment of sinne, then surely there was no reason that Christ should feare corruption; For (as Augustine, in another case saith) August. de ciuit. dei lib. 13.4. Cur esset vllo paena, vbi non erant vlla punienda? Why should there be any feare of punishment, where nothing was found due to be pu­nishment? In verie deed there­fore the causes were these.

First, Vt pro­pheta fidelis inueniatur. Bern: in die Sanct. Pas. Ser. 1. that the prophet might be found faithfull, who saith, Hos. 6.2. Hos. 6.2. He (that is) the Messias, shall quicken vs after two daies, and the third day, he shall raise vs vp, and we shall come into his presence. Wherein he signifieth the small time that Christ was to remaine in his graue.

No doubt but death, as he was very greedie to deuour Christ, so he was verie desirous to retaine him. But Peter saith, Act. 2.24. It was impos­sible [Page 71]that he should be held of the sor­rowes of death. Act. 2.24. That which death did, and doth, to all other men, swallow and deuour; he was not able to do to the mā Christ Iesus; but O mors ero mors tua ero morsus tuus inf [...]t [...]e. Hos. 13.14. was swallowed and de­uoured himselfe. And looke as A­dams stomacke could brooke all the allowed fruits: but when he came to the tree in the midst of the garden, and tasted of it, he set his teeth on edge and surfeited: euen so death, that feedes vpon all other flesh, and can brooke it well enough, when he would needs be feeding on this mediator of God & man, surcharged his stomacke, surfeited of sweet meate, & within three daies vomitted him vp a­gaine, out of his bowells.

Secondly, he arose within three daies, that there might be a cer­taine resemblance, and analogie, betweene the two great workes of the creation of the world, and the redemption of the world. [Page 72]At the beginning in the sixt day of the weeke, God created man. The next day God rested from all his workes. The third day he ceased from his rest. Euen so, Christ Iesus, the sixt day of the weeke, redeemed man on the crosse, being the verie day wherein he made him at the first. The day following, Bern: in die [...]anct. Paul. Serm. 1. sabbati­zauit in monumēto, saith Bernard, he kept sabboth in the graue. And the third day, as the first fruits of the dead, he appeared a new man in the face of the earth. Yea, not one­ly himselfe, was then become new, but euen all the creatures became new againe with him, and the whole world seemed to begin a­fresh, for ioy of the resurrec­tion.

And, as Lactantius saith, the budding of plants, blossoming of trees, an springing of flowers, sufficiently witnessed, Lactan. in carminibus. Omnia cum domino dona redisse suo, that all the creatures were returned from [Page 73]death with their Lord: and wee may now fitlie with Paul and Isay, sing, 2. Cor. 5.17 Is. 43.19. Olde things are done away, be­hold, all things are now become new. 2. Cor. 5.17.

Thirdly, hee arose within three dayes, to be a type vnto vs of our condition after him. There is not one of vs, but hath, and shall haue (as Christ) our three dayes.

First, a day of suffering in this life. Secondly, a day of rest in the graue. Thirdly, a day of resurrec­tion vp againe.

Now he hath instructed vs, what wee must doe in those dayes, and what those dayes shall be vnto vs.

In this first day of ours wherein we liue, Mat. 16 24. we must take vp our Crosse and follow him. Matth. 16.24. Bern. in die sanct. Pasch. Serm. I. Ne­minem audiamus fratres, saith Saint Bernard, non carnem & sanguinem, non spiritum quemlibet descensum a Cruce suadentem. Brethren, if anie man in the world, if our owne flesh and bloud, if anie manner of spirit [Page 74]counsell vs to come downe from the crosse, let vs heare none of them all.

Yea, if our deerest friendes bid vs fauour our selues, as Peter did Christ, let vs replie to euery one, as Christ did to Peter, Mat. 16.23. Get thee behino me Sathan, thou art an offence vnto me. Mat. 16.23.

Thus if we spend the first day, at the secōd day, the day of our death, we shall rest with Christ sweetly, we shall sleepe quietlie in the graue. For Christ hath gone to bed thi­ther before vs, as it were, to warme it against our comming.

Therefore Ambrose saith, In Am­brose. Se­pultura Christi, quies Christiani: The buriall of Christ, is the rest of a Christian. By it, Christ hath both abated the sting of the paine, and also increased the strength of the patient. For looke as the first A­dam was content to be cast into a sleepe, and to haue a ribbe or bone took from him, to make a wife, and [Page 75]to haue the place filled vp with soft flesh againe: Euen so, the second Adam, CHRISTIESVS, was content to be cast into the sleep of death, to giue a bone, that is, strength and Fortitude, vnto his Spouse the Church, & haue receiued nothing from her for it, but onely the infir­mities and weaknesse of the flesh.

Now if we be crucified with him the first day, & rest with him the se­cond day, the third day Hos. 6.2: he wil raise vs vp, & we shall com into his presence. Hos. 6.2. For saith Paul, Rmo. 8.17. If we suffer together with him, we shall raigne with him in glorie. Rom. 8.17. Indeed we also graunt, the wicked shall rise: but not by vertue of the resurrec­tion of Christ, but by the power of the iust iudgement of God. They shall rise I say, but not to life: Bern. su­per Cent. Serm. 26. Imo ad vitam, saith Bern. vt vim in morte, infoelicius moriantur: yea, to life too, in some sort; that li­uing a dying life, and dying a li­uing death, they may euer liue in most direful & deadly damnation.

[Page 76] But the righteous shalbe sure, as they liued to Christ in this world, so to liue with him in the world to come; For Pauls rule is certaine. Rom. 8.11. If the spirit of him that raised vp Ie­sus dwell in you, hee that raised Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortall bodies, by his spirit that dwel­leth in you.

Fourthly, he arose within three dayes, that he might not any lōger perplex the hearts of his disciples. When he died, one sold him, ano­ther foreswore him; & all forsooke him. When he was dead, and risen againe, some belieued, some doub­ted, some were resolute in vnbe­liefe.

If they were thus perplexed, when hee tarryed from them but three dayes, what would they haue bene, if he had absented himselfe three weekes? Therefore, saith Leo: Ne De [...]cia­tam tridui [...]no [...]am tam mira celeri­tate breuia­uit, vt dum ad integ [...]ū secundum diem pars primi nouis­sima, & pars certij prima concurrit, & aliquantulū de spacio tē, poris deci­deret, & ni­hil de dierū numero de­periret. Leo de Re­surr. Dom. Serm. 1. turbatos Discipulorum a­nimos long a moestitudo cruciaret, &c. That continuall sadnesse [Page 77]should not perpetuallie vexe the disciples hearts, the Lord abbreui­ated the appointed time of his be­ing in the graue: that whilest the latter part of the first day, and the first part of the latter day, be repu­ted as dayes, no part of the num­ber doth perish, for falsifying the Scriptures, and yet a great part of their lēgth is cut off, for the cōfort of his disciples. And whereas he was absent from them in the graue, for the space of fortie houres; he afterwards came, and remained with thē in the world, for the space of fortie dayes.

And mark (with me) further, from hence a worthie point. So earlie in the morning was Christ risen from the dead, that thogh these women, which came with oyntments and odors to embalme him, were com­ming (as Saint Iohn saith) Ioh. 20.1. while it was yet darke, Ioh. 20.1. Yet such was the speedy vprising of our Sauiour, that he was gone ere they came.

[Page 78] Shall wee thinke Christ scorned their good deuotion, now hee was risen, which hee accepted kindely, ere hee was crucified? Some of them had annoynted him liuing, and he tooke it gratiously: his feet with teares, his head and feet both, with spikenard.

Shall wee thinke hee now con­demned, what before he commen­ded? No, saith Bern: Bern. super Cant. Serm. 12. Renuit vn­gi, sed parcens, non spernens: hee re­fused indeed to be annoynted, but sparing the annointed, not de­sprising the annointers.

Shall we thinke then that he de­lighted to delude and beguile these simple women? Not so neither, saith Bernard, Id. ibid. Mulierum deuotioni, non clusit, sed instruxit. This deuoti­on of theirs, he intended not to de­lude, but laboured to instruct.

What may it be then? Take it in a word. When they came with spices and oyntments to persume his dead bodie, he refused it: tea­ching [Page 79]them euer after, how their deuotion should be pleasing vnto him: that is to say, not to spend anie thing vpon his dead bodie in the graue; but to bestow all vpon his liuing bodie the Church. Bern. vt sup. Ip­sam vngi, ipsam foueri desiderat: The church, the church I say, his belo­ued Spouse, that is it which Christ desires should be annointed.

The ministers, her mouth and teeth, which breake the bread of eternall life, together with all o­ther her feeble members, would Christ haue to be sweetened with the perfumes of your most holie deuotions, that so your liberalitie to the church, may prooue like the Philippians benificence to Paul, Phil. 4.18. an odour that smelleth sweete, a Sa­crifice pleasing, and acceptable to God. Phil. 4.18.

Heerein, besides the precept of Christ, to informe and commaund vs, haue wee also the practise of good Christians, to reforme and a­mend vs.

[Page 80] And, that I may not goe any fur­ther then where we are, the former benefactors to this present place, call for after benefites of the suc­ceeding age, plentifullie to be be­stowed to the good of the Church.

That worthie Ladie Elizabeth, Countesse of Shrewsburie, commit­ted a great summe of money into the hands of that Reuerend father, Iohn Ailmer, sometime Bishop of this Sea, for the better promision of those Preachers, which are sent vn­to this place.

O how right this fittes with my former assertion, that women by grace, equall men in vertue, as by nature they come not behind them in wit. Whose example so moued the Reuerend father, that hee gaue out of his owne reuenues, three o­ther parts, & made of one hundred poūds, foure, for the same end and purpose. There in he proued him­selfe a Iohn, in that, though he did not at first goe out with her, yet [Page 81]afterwards, hee did out goe her. For who should outstrip all men in good example, if not Bishops? and who should shine forth to others, but such as be the Lights of the world.

Afterwards, one Thomas Russell, a good Citizen, added a yearely pension of ten pounds, to the end abouesaid, to teach you Citizens, that as you haue euer bene recko­ned with the forwardest in good works, so you should be moued by his example, both to reteine, & al­so to increase that good reputation that hath bin had of you: that so, neither the way-faring Prophet (who formerly with Ezekiel hath bin forced to lodge among scorpi­ons) may from hēceforth want, ei­ther, a chamber, or a bed, or a table, and candlestick: nor the Papists a­ny lōger accuse our religiō of bar­rennes, saying we preach Faith, but ouerthrow all good works: & that our religion is like the fig-tree, hauing [Page 82]manie faire leaues of doctrine, but little or no fruit of good life. And thus much touching the second point.

The third part followes, and that is the trueth of his Resurrection: Behold the place where they put him. A if he had said, Si non creditis o­raculo, credite oculo. If you cannot for ioy, conceiue the meaning of my wordes, or for sorrow belieue the truth of my words, looke into the graue, see the place emptie, and him gone: Behold the place where they put him.

In this point (I trust) I may be briefe. Certainly, I should doe you iniurie to vrge it much, seeing you are all (as I trust) good Christiās, & belieue it to be most true. And my much labour in prouing the truth thereof, might insinuat a suspition of your want of faith therin, August. is di [...]sanct. [...]ch Serm. 4. Qui nouit defendere fidem, saith Saint Au­gustine, titubartius est necessarius, non credentibus: He that knowes how [Page 83]to defend the saith, is more neces­sarie for him that doubteth, then profitable for him that belee­ueth.

But put case there were some Iewe here, or Pagan; Is it possible that he shuld not belieue the truth of Christs Resurrection? Let him with these women, vse the hene­fite of his eyes. Let him looke to the manifold Prophecies and fi­gures concurrences, that happened together with it: and the often and vndoubted Apparitions that came to passe after it.

At the beginning, euen GOD himselfe declared it by Prophecie, Gen. 3.15. Gen. 3 15. The seede of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head. Dauid afterward is bold and saith: Psal. 16.10. Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell, nor suf­fer thine Holie one to see corruption. Psalm. 16.10. And what meant Gen. 2.21. Adams sleepe till Euah was taken out of his side, and his waking af­ter [Page 84]to liue with her as a louing hus­band, but that Christ also should sleepe in the graue, that out of his pierced side, the Spouse might be purchased, to whom hee should e­uer after wake, as a most vigilant and carefull defender?

What was signified by Gen. 22.11. Isaack, laid as a Sacrifice on the Altar, rea­die to be offred, but presently lo­sed and vnbound againe; but that CHRIST IESVS, the true Sa­crifice for the sinnes of the whole world, should be offred to death on the Altar of the Crosse, and the sorrows of death, immediately lo­sed againe, whereof it was impossi­ble that hee should be holden?

This glorious Resurrection of the SONNE OF GOD, was further signified by Ioseph, Gen. 41.14. who a few dayes was imprisoned in the dungeen, & afterwards, aduanced to the regiment of a Kingdome.

By Iudg. 15 14. Sampson, who while he slept was bound with ropes, but when [Page 85]he awaked againe, snapped them in sunder as threeds.

By Ionas, Ion. 2.10 who was swallowed of a fish, but after three dayes cast vpon drie land againe.

Looke further, on the concur­rences happening together with it, as the great Earth-quake Mat. 28.2. which then was. Matth. 28.2.

Sure, saith Hilarie, it was the vertue of his Resurrection, and signified, that Aquin. in Cate, super Mat. 28. Resurgente virtutum coelestium domino, inferorum trepida­tio cōmouetur. The Lord of the hea­uenly powers arising, the weaknes of the infernall powers should be troubled.

Consider the huge stone rolled & turned away frō the graue, with the handsome folding of the cloathes and napkins left behin de him, and weigh seriouslie that same transpa­rent Lie of the keepers; how euen then they proue Christs resurection to be true: when they went about to make the world belieue it was false [Page 86]They being therevnto hyred with money, gaue out, that His disci­ples came by night, g Mat. 28.13. and stole him a­way, whilst they were sleeping. Matth. 28.13.

But ô Children of the diuell, how absurdlie doe you speake? For if you slept, how can you tell hee was stollen away? and if you were awake, why doe you say you slept?

Againe, recount the manie Ap­paritions that he made after his re­surrection. If I be not deceiued, Paul & the Euangelists reckon ele­uen seuerall Apparitions of Christ after his Resurrection: for more confirmation of the truth thereof, Sometime he appeared to comfort the sorrowfull hearts of his Disci­ples: sometime to conuince the obstinate hearts of his enemies. Sometime hee eate meate with them, & shewed them his wounds, which hee kept, saith Augustine, August, in die Sanct. Pasch. Serm. 4. Non agestate, sed potestate, not for [Page 87]any weaknesse in himselfe, but for the strengthening of others, espe­cially, vt sanaret vulnus incredulita­tis: That the apparant woundes of his crucified bodie, might heale the hidden sores of their vnbelee­uing soules.

Afterwards, saith Paul 1. Cor. 15.6. Hee was seene of more then fiue hundreth bre­theren at once: and lastly of mee, as of one borne out of due time. 1. Corinth. 15.6.

These things being thus cleare, peraduēture now you will wonder, why the Iewes belieue not Christs resurrection to be true? Surely, no o­ther reason can be yeelded of it, but this, that partly obstinacie is come vpon Israel, till the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in. And certes, euen wee which belieue the trueth thereof, are not beholding to our selues for it. It may be saide to e­uerie faithfull soule among vs, as Christ saide to Peter, Matth. 16.17. Flesh and blood hath not reuealed this vnto thee: [Page 88]but my Father which is in heauen. Matth. 16.17. For though Paul de­maunds, Act. 26.8. Why should it be thought a thing incredible vnto you, that God should raise againe the dead? Act. 26.8. And indeed, as Augustine saith, Concide­ra autorem & tolle du­bitationem. August in die San. Pas. Ser. 4. There is no cause of doubting, if we consider the authour: yet such is our obstinate blindnesse by na­ture, y ^e the most easie, plaine & true things, are hard, harsh, and false in our iudgement, till, 1. Cor. 2.12. We haue re­ceiued the spirit of God, that we may knowe the things which be of God. 1. Cor. 2.12. In this regard, the faith of Christ generally embra­ced in the world, is numbred a­mongst the most famous myste­ries of our religion. 1. Tim. 3.10. Without con­trouersie, saith Paul, great is the myste­rie of godlines, God is manifested in the flesh, iustified in the spirit, seene of An­gels, preached vnto the Gentiles, BE­LEEVED ON IN THE WORLD, and receiued vp into glorie. 1. Tim. 3.16. Hereupon Bern: [Page 89]hath this obseruation, Bern: in vigili. Nat. dom. Ser. 3. Tria opera, tres mixturas, &c. That omnipotēt maiestie in the assumption of our flesh, did three workes, made three mixtures, so singularly maruel­lous, and so maruellously singu­lar, that as he neuer did them be­fore, so he was to doe them neuer after, Coniuncta sunt quippe ad in vi­cem, deus & homo, mater & virgo, fi­des & cor humanum. For there were ioyned together, God and man, a mother and a Virgin, faith & mans soule. The like also hath Augustine obserued. August de ciuit. de. lib. 22. cap. 5. There are three incre­dible things, saith he, and yet haue they bin done. It is incredible that Christ should arise in our flesh, and that he should ascend vp to heauē in our flesh: and thirdly, incredible est, mundum, remtam incredibilem credidisse, it is also incredible, that the world should giue credit, to so incredible a matter.

To conclude then. As faith bids vs beleeue the truth hereof, so, [Page 90] I am quip­pe illum in­uenit fidei, sed adhue eum quaerit spes. Aug. in Psal. 104. hope requires vs to expect the power hereof: that is, that Christ our head, which once arose in his owne person, shall in due time also quicken vs his members, in our persons: that so the head and the bodie, being coupled together, God may be all in all.

And let this hope be vnto vs an author, in all the stormes of aduer­sitie, to saue our soules from ship­wracke. What saith Paul; Rom. 8.34. Who shall condemne? It is Christ which is dead. Yea, so the Iewes and Pagans be­leeue saith Augustine; therefore Paul addes, yea, or rather which is risen againe. This none beleeues but a Christian. And in a sound be­leeuing hereof, consisteth the ve­rie saluation of our soules. Reu. 10.9. For if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus, and beleeue in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saued. Rom. 10.9. Thus Iob comforted himselfe, Iob. 19.25. I know that my redeemer liueth, and that he [Page 91]shall stand the last on the earth. Iob. 19.25. It is our duetie then, with patience to expect that in our selues, which through power we beleeue God effected in him, and when death shall approach vs, as it were wholly to deuour vs; then, to cōfort our selues, with the thought of this, that, Iob. 19.16. Though after our de­cease, wormes destroy this bodie, yet in the appointed time, we shall see God in our flesh. Iob. 19.16. which God, the Father, with his deare Sonne our Sauiour, and the holy Ghost our comforter, three persons, and one euerlasting God, be all honour and glorie, Maiestie and do­minion, ascribed for e­uer and euer, Amen.