IT is the rule of the Preacher, Preface. Ecclesiastes 3.1. To euery thing there is set time, yea, an appointed time to euery purpose vnder heauen. And therefore the same diuine and heauenly Penne-man, (wise and vnderstanding Salomon) fitly com­pareth a word fitly spoken, to apples of gold, in pictures of siluer, Prou. 25.11. according to which, that I might not at this time haue bro­ken this golden thread of beautifull order; I should fitly haue spoken, [...], in the time of Pen­tecost, concerning Pentecost. Yet because I doubt not, but you haue oftentimes heard this learnedly and religiously handled already; I haue thought it not much out of order, (I am sure not vnprofitable) to let passe the time in particu­lar, and to apply my selfe to the time in generall, (and yet the time present also) and to speake fitly of this, and of those things that pertaine to the same, I haue chosen this portion of Scripture which I haue now read vnto you; I haue set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a signe of the Couenant, betweene me and the earth.

Almightie God, who is wise in counsell, Occasion. wonderfull in iudgement, and adminble in the execution of his vnsearch­able will, hauing manifested his great & terrible iudgments vnto the olde world, in destroying them with a fearefull de­luge of waters, for their abominable impietie, and wilfull impenitencie, and declared his gracious fauours vnto righ­teous [Page 2] Noah, in sauing him and his family in the Arke, from that most direfull destruction; hee doth for the further manifestation, of his vnspeakeable goodnesse, and most infinite grace, make a compact, promise, and couenant, betweene himselfe, Noah, and euery liuing creature, vpon the face of the earth, and withall giueth them a signe, and seale, of the couenant, the admirable and beautifull Rainebow, for the more full and perfect confirmation of their faith; Both which signe, and significate, the Raine­bow, and the Couenant; Moses that great Prophet of God that valiant Captaine of the hoste of Israel, that meeke man aboue all the men in the earth, doth briefly expresse in the words of my text, I haue set my Bow in the cloud, and it sall be for a signe of the Couenant, Diuision. betweene me and the earth.

In which not to dazell the eyes of your vnderstandings, with any quainte or curious diuisions, (for my better dire­ction, and your better instruction) I doe briefly and plaine­ly, obserue these particulars.

First the Author, of this externall signe the Rainebow, and of the internall significate the Couenant, the omnipo­tent, The first part. Isaiah. 42.8. Ego sum Ieho­uah illud est nomen meum. Genes. 3.2. Spiritus ELO­HIM. a. vs. 1. ELOHIM Bara, fortes cre­auit. Gen. 7.1 Ezod. 3.14. EHEIE ASCHER EHEIE. I am that I am. ANI EL-SCHADDAI. ego sum Deus fortis &c. Isaiah 45.12. Isaiah 43.16. and eternall God; in the first words, I haue set.

Secondly, the signe it selfe the Bowe.

Thirdly, the situation of it, in the Cloud.

Fourthly, the vse of it, it shall be a for a signe.

Fiftly and lastly, the intimation of the internall signifi­cate, in the last words: of the couenant, betweene mee and the earth.

Of these in their order, by the assistance of Gods grati­ous Spirit, your christian patience, and permission of the time.

And first of the first the Author; I haue set: that is, I who am IEHOVAH ELOHIM, the stronge one, the mighty Lord of heauen, and earth, who am EHEIE; I am, alwaies the same, immutable, from all eternity, to all eternity: I who am EL-SCHADDAI, the strong, powerfull, omnipo­tent, and all-sufficient God: I who haue created the hea­uens and the earth, and established them by the word of my power, who haue made a way in the sea, and a path in [Page 3] the mighty waters, Iam. 1.17. Psallam nomi­ni tuo Excelse. who haue spread out the firmament like a curtaine, and giuen the Sea her bounds, and Starres and Planets their seuerall influences, who am [...] the Father of lights, with whom is no variablenesse, Psal. 9.2. neither shadow of turning; who am HELION the highest ouer all the earth the onely Lord and gratious deliuerer, besides whom there is no Sauiour, in a word, I who haue destroyed the old world, with aboundance of waters, and haue saued thee my seruant Noah, Gen. 7.23. and thy family in the multitude of my mercies, I euen I haue set my Bowe in the cloud, and appointed it for a signe of the Couenant betweene me and the earth.

Here then it is euident that, Doctrin. God the fountaine of all grace. Non â nobis sed â Deo est principium soederis & omnis gratiae; Not of our selues, but of God, is the beginning of the couenant, of the signe of the couenant, and of all grace, fauour, and mercy: for fons gratiae, in Deo est, hee it is that is the fountaine of all grace, and the well spring of mercy: from the happy smile, of whose fauourable countenance, all true ioy, Rom. 9.16. Eph. 2.4, 5, 6. 1. Pet. 1.3. and happinesse doth proceed, whether we respect the grace of Election, or the grace of effectuall vocation, the grace of iustification, or the grace of Sanctification, whether we respect temporall deliuerance, Gen. 7.13, 16. as of Noah from the de­struction of the old world, of Lot from the desolation of Sodome, Gen. 19.16. Exod. 15.30. Numb. 16. 32, 33, 34. Eph. 2.8. and of the children of Israel from the ouer­throw of Pharaoh, and deuouring of Corah; or the eter­nall deliuerance of Gods elect, from the paines and tor­ments of hell fire, all proceedeth and floweth, from this well-spring of liuing water, from this euerlasting fountaine, of the free grace, mercy, bounty, and goodnesse of God; all these are [...], the free gifts of grace, Rom. 5.8. 1. Iohn 4.10.19. and loue to­kens of a fauourable God; and therefore St. Iohn tells vs in this is loue, not that we loued God, but that hee loued vs, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins, and we loue him because he loued vs first, S. August. Tom. 7. lib. de bono perseue­rantiae. cap. 21. of this loue S. August. speaketh excellently, Deum non diligeremus, nisi prius dilexisset nos, & fecisset dilectores suos, we should not haue loued God, except he had loued vs first, & made vs to be louers of him and [Page 4] he giueth the reason, quoniam charitas ex ipso est, because the fluent streames of loue and charitie doe flow from him, and not from vs. S. Bernard. lib. de amore c. 4. Quē admodum Nilus fluuius, Egyptum inun­dam vbertate compl [...]t, ita di­uinae miseric [...]r­dia flam [...]n, or­bem velu [...]i in [...]d [...]tus C [...]stibus. l [...]nis impleuit. Barradius Tom 1. lib. 8. cap. 18 Plutins. lib. 5. cap. 9. No merit in man. And S. Bernard sweetly, Cùm nos amas, non nisi propter te nos am [...]s. When thou louest vs, O God, thou louest vs not, but for thy selfe, the abounding Sea of diuine loue it is in thee, and not in vs, from whence the riuers of heauen­ly graces doe flowe foorth most plentifully, and water all creatures vpon the face of the earth; but his elect and chosen Angels, and men, after a speciall manner, making them fruitfull with his blessings, like the land of Egypt with the ouerflowing of Nilus, or the pleasant Paradises of the earth, with the first, and latter raine of his fauours.

1. From this therefore it must necessarily follow, that whatsoeuer grace is granted vnto vs, (and much lesse that especiall grace of eternall happinesse) it is not giuen vs (as the papists affirme and teach) for any merit, or desert of ours, but for the free grace, and mercy, and bounty of God, in Christ, For if as our Sauiour commandeth, Luk 17.10. Luk. 17.10. when we haue done all that we can, Ephes. 2.8.9. we must say we are vnprofita­ble seruants, how then can we attribute any thing to our owne merits? if as the Apostle witnesseth. Ephes. 2.9. we are saued by grace not of workes, S. August. lib. Hom. Hom. 14. et in Psal. 144. Merita tua nusquam iactes quia et ipsa merita tua dei dona sunt. Psal. 103.4. S Aust. de pre­dect. Sanct. Humana meri­ta hic contices­cant que. Periere per Adam & reg­net Dei gratia per Iesum Christum. S August. Epist 105. least any man should boast, how then can we rightly boast of our merits? Lastly, if that good Centurion, whose fayth was so much commended, that there was not the like to be found in all Israel, Matth. 8.10. Mat. 8.10. answered our Sauiour so humbly, with a Domine non sum dignus; Lord I am not worthy, that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe, with what pride thinke you, are those pos­sessed, who dare so audaciously answer God, with a Domine dignus sum, Lord I am worthy that thou shouldest giue vnto me eternal life. S. Augustine he was of this good Centurions mind, and therefore he often in his workes, repeateth this one golden sentence, Deus coronat dona sua, non merita nostra, God crowneth his owne giftes, and not our deseruings, like vnto that of the Prophet Dauid, he crowneth vs with com­passion, and louing kindnesse; and the same Father speaking concerning the predestination of the Saints, let humane me­rits (saith he) here be silent, which haue perished by Adam, [Page 5] and let the grace of God reigne through Iesus Christ. Stella in Luc. c. 7. Non me aspi­cias, sed vnige­nitum tuum prius intuere, colloca Deus meus inter me & te tuum v­nigenitum fi­lium, crucem eius, sanguinem & passion [...]m, & merita ita vt cum tua iu­stitia per san­guinem & me­rita tui filii pertranseat, cum tandem ad me perueniat iam mans [...]ueta & misericor­dia plena sit. Ansel in m [...]dit Lyran. in Ex­pos. Epist. ad Rom c. 6. 23. Bell. l. 5 de Iust. c. 7 propter in­certitudol [...]m propriae iustitiae & periculum manis gloriae tutissimū est fi­duciam totā in sola Dei mis [...] ­recordia & be­nignitate re­ponere. S. Bern. Se [...] 68. Hoc totū est ho­minis meritum si totam [...]h [...]m suam pinat in eo qui to­tum saluum fecit. And in his 105. Epistle, he concludeth, Haec est gratia gratis data, non meritis operantis, sed miseratione donantis, This is a grace & fauour which is freely giuen, not for the merit of the worker, but for the mercy of the giuer, To which accordeth that sweete and heauenly petition of Stella, vpon the 7. of Luke. God my protector, looke not vpon me, but first looke vpon thine only sonne, place betweene me and thee, his Crosse, his blood, his passion, his merits, that so thy iustice passing through his bloud, when it commeth at the last to me, it may bee gentle, and full of mercy. And Anselmus, who was sometimes Archbishop of Canterburie, confesseth often in his Meditations, that all his life was either vnprofitable, or damnable, whereupon at the last hee concludeth, Quid re­stat, O peccator, nisi vt in tota vita tua, deplores totam vitam tuam; O wretched sinner, what remaineth now to bee done, but that in thy whole life thou shouldest deplore and bewaile the sinnes of thy whole life. To bee short, Lyranus an Interpreter, approoued by the Papists themselues, saieth plainely in his exposition vpon that sixt Chapter to the Ro­mans, and the 23. verse, That eternall saluation doeth to­tally exceed the power of humane nature, and therefore it cannot attaine vnto it, but by the bountie of diuine mercie. And last of all, Cardinall Bellarmine himselfe, that mightie Atlas of the Papall See, in his fift Booke De Iustificatione, and the seuenth Chapter, after a long time he hath trauelled and wearied himselfe in the questions of Iustification, at the last he holdeth it the onely Tutissimum, the safest way of all, to repose our whole trust and confidence, in the sole mercy and fauour of God. To these I might adde many more te­stimonies, both of Scriptures and Fathers, to confute this Romish assertion; but I leaue it to the Schooles, and con­clude with that of S. Bernard, Meritum meum miserationes Do­mini, &c. my merit is the mercy of the Lord, I am not poore of merit, so long as hee is not poore of mercy; if his mercy be great, then am I great in merit; for this is the whole merit of man, if he put his whole confidence in the Lord.

2. Wherefore Beloued, we must not imitate the abhomi­nable [Page 6] arrogancy, All praise and glory to God. Allexander 3. papa, Frederico Emperat. Acts & monum. volum. 1. pag. 263. of that proude prelate of Rome, who when he set his foote vpon the Emperours necke, defen­ded, or rather cloaked his pride, with a mihi & petro, to mee and to Peter, must bee yeelded subiection, when by his action it was euident, that hee rather respected his owne pompouse pride, then any honour that hee would attribute vnto Peter, and therefore hee would not sing, with that religious Kinge Dauid, Non no­bis Domine, Psal. 115.1. Feling. Com­ment. in Can. de iure iurando. Ego. N. Episco­pus papatum Sanct. Romanae Ecclesiae & re­gulas Sanctorū patrū adiutor ero ad defen­dendum & re­tinendū. mutat. per P. Greg. 13. in balla ad mauritiū episc. Imelacensem. non nobis. Not vnto vs O Lord, not vnto vs, but vnto thy name giue the praise, but changeth his note, and sings after another fashion (like many of his ad­herents, and too too many in the world) mihi & tibi da glori­am domine, to mee O Lord and to thee giue the praise, first to himselfe, and after to God, first respecting his owne profit, and pleasure, and after the seruice, and glory of God.

Changing his note I say, as his successours haue since changed, that ancient forme of the oath in the Canon law, giuen to the Bishops at their consecration, to defend Regu­las sanctorum patrum, the rules of the holy Fathers, and haue put in stead thereof, regalia sancti Petri, the royalties of Saint Peter, all to maintaine their owne pompose pride, and hate­full arrogancy.

Humility the duty of Gods children.3 But whatsoeuer grace, is bestowed vpon vs, wee must not be like this proude Antichrist, or his ambitious traine, to attribute any thing to our owne worth or dignitie, but con­fesse rather with that good, and humble Saint Basile, in his tract of humilitie. S. Basil. Tract. de humilitate. This is our full and perfect reioycing in God, when wee acknowlede our selues, to be voide of any our owne righteousnesse, and to be iustified onely by faith in Christ. S. Austin. in Psal. 94. And with profound Saint August. vpon the 64. Psalme, If God should deale with vs according to our deseruings he should finde nothing but that he might con­demne, S. Hieron in Isa. cap. 64. And lastly with S Heirom vpon Isai. 64. chapter. If we consider our owne merits, we must be driuen to despera­tion; S August. de Ciuit. dei lib. 14. cap. 1. For S. Au. saith excellently in his 14. booke of the Ci­ty of God, and first chapter, Omnes in mortem paena debita pra­cipites ageret, nisi inde quosdam in debita dei gratia liberaret, de­serued [Page 7] punishment, would cast all men head-long into hell, vnlesse the vndeserued grace of God, deliuered some men from it; This is the resolution that becommeth the true ser­uants of Christ, that humbling our selues, wee may be exal­ted, and confessing our owne vnworthinesse, we may bee made worthy by the mercy of God, in Iesus Christ.

4. To conclude this part; Alstedius in Theologia nat. part. 2. Albert. magn. comment. in metor. Arist. Dictus est Deus facundiae quod hominibus elo­quentiam prae­stare putabatur God is the Authour of this Bowe, which is speculum Solis, the glasse of the Sunne, and (as Possidonius calleth it) and vexillum Mercurii, the banner of Mercury, but not of that fained God, who amongst the Pa­gans was accounted the God of eloquence, but of that great and mightie God of wisedome, of that glorious Monarch of heauen and earth, and of this it is said, that of all those things, which are generated in the middle region of the aire, there is nothing more beautifull to behold, or more worthie to bee obserued, then this Caelestiall Bowe. But God is the Authour of it, and therefore when wee behold the Bowe, and consider the excellent beautie, and admira­ble colour thereof, wee must not with Cicero, Cicero de na­tura Deor. demaund the question, why this Bowe was not accounted in the number of those heathen gods; for God is Inuisible, Eternall, and Infinite, but in the Rainebowe, there is no such thing. And therefore wee must neither make it a god, nor fixing our mindes vpon the creature, stay there, The creature not to be de [...] ­fied. Eccles. 43.11, 12. but remember the Creatour, and praise continually his glorious name, wee must follow the counsell of the sonne of Syrac, looke vp­on the Rainebowe, and praise him that made it: very beau­tifull is it in the brightnesse thereof, it compasseth the hea­uen about with a glorious circle, and the hands of the most High haue bended it. Psal. 19.1. Wee should sing with the Prophet Dauid, The heauens declare the glory of God, and the Firmament sheweth his handie worke: The Sunne, the Moone, the glorious Starres, and beautifull Rainebowe, doe all set forth the excellent dignitie of this most glori­ous, and wonderfull GOD: and therefore wee may ende as the Prophet Dauid beginneth, Psalme 8. Psal. 8.1. the first verse. O Lord our Gouernour, how excellent is thy Name in all the earth, who hast set thy glory aboue the heauens, who [Page 8] hast diuided the channels for the ouerflowings of waters, and made a way for the thunder, who canst number the cloudes in wisedome, and at thy pleasure stay the bottles of heauen, Iob 38. who canst binde the sweet influences, of the Pleiades, and lose the bands of Orion, who canst bring forth Maza­roth in his season, and guide Arcturus with his sonnes, in a word who hast created the light, and the darkenesse, the euening, and the morning, to praise thee, who hast made the mightie Behemoth, the great Leuiathan, and the princely Li­ons for thy power, who hast spread out the christ all heauens like a glorious Canopie, and bedecked them with glistering starres, more resplendent then the sparkling Diamonds; and last of all, who hast set thy Bowe in the cloude, the beauti­full Rainebow, for thy glory, and appointed it for a signe of the couenant betweene thee and the earth, which is the se­cond part of my text, the signe it selfe, the beautifull Bowe.

The second part. The signe it selfe the Bowe. I haue set my Bowe in the cloud, and appointed it for a signe of the Couenant betweene and the earth.

1. This Bowe without question is the Rrainebowe, for first that is called a Bowe metaphorically, because it is in forme like vnto a Bowe; secondly, there is no other Bowe placed of God in the cloudes, besides the Rainebow; yet some there hath bin who haue made question of this, affir­ming that by this Bowe is vnderstood, not that heauenly Bowe, which we call the Rainebow, but some other thing, denotated by a metaphor, of which companie Saint Am­brose was one. S. Ambrose de Noe et arca. cap. 27. But the reasons of this opinion are so weake, that they deserue neither to be recited, nor refuted, and therefore with a learned diuine, I will answer this question, with the demand of another, Pererius in Genes. Quis est arcus qui in nubibus ap­paret, & cernitur ab hominibus nisi Iris? what Bow is there that doth appeare in the cloudes, or is seene of men besides the Rainebow? or what else could be meant literally, but the Rainebow, which is mystically a signe of that couenant, which God did then enter with mankinde?

The cause of the Bowe.2. The efficient cause of this Bow, is primarily the almigh­tie God, who is primus motor, & causa, causarum, the first moo­uer, and cause of all second causes whatsoeuer; but seconda­rily [Page 9] the light, or beames of the Sun, in a hollow and deawie cloud, of a different proportion, right opposite to the Sun-beames, by the reflection of which beames, and by the di­uerse mixture of the light, and the shade, there is expressed as it were in a glasse, the admirable Rainebow, and the beauti­full colours thereof.

In this Bow I doe note, first the forme of it, Subdiuision. 1. Circum­stance. The forme of the Bowe. 1. Doctrine God is most prone to mer­cy. Raban. Percri­us. S. Ambrose in Gen [...]s. non dixit deus po­nam in nubi­bus sagittam sed ponam ar­cum. and secondly the beautifull colours that appeare in it; The forme of the Rainebow, is the figure of a semicircle, or a Bow, with the backe towards heauen, & the two ends towardes the earth, And this is signum misericordiae, a signe that God is more prone to mercy, then to iudgement, (as interpreters well ob­serue,) and to signifie the same, S. Ambrose noteth, that God did not say, I will put my arrow in the cloud, but my Bow, and the Bow doth not wound but the arrow, since then it is arcus sine sagittis, a Bow without arrowes, it sheweth the Bow of Gods iustice, which is called a Bow metaphorically, and is placed like the Rainebow, with the backe towards heauen, and the two ends towards the earth; To teach vs that God delights more in mercy then in iudgement, and therefore hath made his Bow to want arrowes, 2. God delights most in mer­cy. and he neuer turneth this Bow, to shoote the arrowes of his iudgements against vs, but when we first shoote vp the darts of our sinnes, a­gainst heauen, and against him. But then as God turned the ashes, which Moses cast vp towards heauen, Exod. 9.10. into a fearefull plague of boyles, and blaines, to the terrour of the Egipti­ans, so doth he turne the darts of our sinnes, into the darts of his iudgements, and then he turneth his Bow and shooteth downe his arrowes, to the destruction of the wicked and im­penitent. If a man will not turne, he will whet his sword, hee hath bent his Bowe and made it readie, Psal. 7.11. he hath prepared for him the instruments of death, he ordaineth his arrows a­gainst the persecutors; If men adde drunkennesse to thirst and prouoke the Lords anger against them. If they mooue him to what his glittering sword, and his hand take h [...]ld on iudgement, hee will render vengeance to his enemies, and plague them that hate him: Deut. 32.41, 42. he will make his arrowes drunke with blood, and his sword shall deuoure the flesh of [Page 10] his aduersaries; Thus did God with our first parents, in Pa­radise, he helde the bowe of his iustice, with the backe tow­ards heauen, and the two endes signes of his mercy tow­ards the earth, and there was no token of his iustice towards them, vntill Adam and Eue, by breaking the couenant in fa­sting of the forbidden tree had darted the arrowes of their sinnes, pride, disobedience, and contempt of the Comman­dement, against God their Creator, and then the Lord tur­neth his bowe and proceedeth in iustice against them, puni­sheth the earth for mans sake, Gen. 3 24. punisheth man with labour and paine to get his liuing, punisheth the woman with sor­row in bringing forth children, and lastly th [...]usteth Adam and Eue, out of paradise. And for euer had they and their posterity, beene thrust out of the Paradise of heauen, had not God of his vnspeakeable mercy, giuen them a Sauiour, the seede of the woman to breake the head of the Serpent. Gen. 3.15. Gen. 4.11, 12 Gen. 7.21, 22 Gen. 11.8. Gen. 19.24. Ezec. 4.15, 17, 19. A motiue to repentance. Thus did God with Cain, with the old world, with the buil­ders or Babell, the wicked Sodomites, and diuerse others, and thus will hee doe with all impenitent sinners what­soeuer.

3. And therefore if men will not bee drawne with the bands of loue, and cordes of amitie, yet let the consideration of Gods terrible iudgements, the turning of the Bowe of his iustice, Ioel. 2.12. H [...]b. S [...]huna & S [...]hina: in­ [...]rsio & c [...]n­uersi [...]. Grace, [...]. & shooting down the arrowes of his vengeance vpon wicked and impenitent sinners, be an inuincible argument to mooue and inforce them, to a true and vnfeigned repen­tance, to auert from their sinnes, and conuert vnto God, and that not in part only but totally, as the Sunne is totalitèr lu­minosus, wholly inlightened.

Halfe repen­tance is no true repen­tance. Sicut enim in­terpositio tereae est causa E­clipsis solis ita interpositio pec­cati est causa ecclipsis bonae conuersionis.4. But alas, how many in the world, are rather like vn­to the Moone, seldome or neuer without some spot of darkenesse, with in the center of their hearts euermore lodging one mountaine of sinne or other, within the cham­bers of their breasts, to eclipse the glorious light of a sin­cere and holy conuersion, and so of a sacred life, and heauenly conuersation; how many are there that can bee contented like Sampson, to destroy some of the vncir­cumcised Philistims, some notorious and hatefull impieties. [Page 11] But yet they will bee sure to keepe in their bosomes their beloued Dalilah, their sweete sinne, Iudges 16.17, 21. in which their soule delighteth, and in which they take pleasure aboue the rest, and that they will not forsake, though they lose both their eyes for it, as Sampson did his, though they loose both bodies and soules, and be constrained to grinde for euer, like milhorses in the prison of iniquitie, and to be made scoffes and laughing stockes, vnto their enemies, the vncircumcised Philistims, the world, the flesh, and the diuell, who both night and day, still seeke their de­struction; But the estate of these men is miserable fearefull, and damnable, except they repent.

For as Saint Augustine concludeth, S. August. Tractat. in. I [...]han. in his tractate vpon Iohn. Because they giue part vnto God, and part vnto the diuell, iratus deus quiasit ibi pars diabolo, discedit, & totum diabolus possidet. 1. Sam. 15.36 1. Sam. 18.10 God beeing angry because there is part giuen to the diuell, hee departeth away as hee did from Saul, and the diuell possesseth the whole man; and there­fore that wee may escape the arrowes of Gods vengeance, let vs cast downe the darts of our sinnes, and burie them in the graue of repentance, that they may neuer ascend towardes heauen, to pull downe Gods iudgements vp­on vs.

And that in this life while wee haue tyme, for all though the Bowe be signum pacis, a signe of peace, yet further it is to be noted from the forme and figure of it, That this Bowe is not a round circle, but a Hemisphere, and shineth in one onely hemisphere aboue the earth and not vnder the earth.

5 And so likewise pacis faederisque signa, the signe of peace, This life on­ly a time of mercy. and of the couenant, the signe of grace, and mercie, they shine onely in one hemisphere that is dum super terram viui­mus, while we liue vpon the earth, in the other they shall not shine to the impenitent at the day of iudgement, these will not appeare vnto them, for they shall beholde them non iridem signum pacis sed summae irae diuinae signa, not the Rain­bow the signe of peace, but the fearefull signes of Gods an­ger, to the horror and terror of their accusing consciences, [Page 12] now they may beholde this heauenly Bow, without ar­rowes, and bended towards heauen, not threatning the earth, but then they shall beholde it full of arrowes, and tur­ned not towards heauen, but towards the earth, bent in vengence against the wicked. O then beloued, let vs la­bour to bende him now with prayers, whom then teares will not mooue, and to pacifie him now with a sanctified life: in whom otherwise at the day of iudgement we shal finde inexorable, and let vs so inioy this world, that we may haue ioy in the world to come. No perfecti­on in the things of this life. For this Bow is not a perfect circle, although it be beautifull, and after the same manner all hu­mane things, learning, wisdome, honours, riches, beauty, and strength, allthough they be faire and specious endowments, yet are they not perfect in themselues, and therefore wee must not labour for them, as if by them we thought to ob­taine perfection; but striue rather for that perfection, which is from God, who is the author and giuer of them all; wee must striue for that glorious perfection, which the Saints shall receiue at the glorious resurrection.

The Saints neede not doubt of their glorious re­surrection.7. Of which glory the children of God need not to stand in doubt; For if the forme of this bowe be so glorious that amongst all the meteors, there is none more illustrious, none more admirable, none more beautifull then it, then as often as wee looke into the admirable splendour thereof, it may confirme vs concerning our glorious resurrection, for if God can make such a glorious meteor, by vertue of the beames of the Sunne shining in the clouds, much more can he at the day of resurrection, as the Sonne of righteousnes, shining vpon our bodies, beget an admirable splendour, and excellent glory in them. 1. Cor. 15.53. And if this mortall, must put on im­mortalitie, if God will make vs glorious then, in the time of iudgement, how should wee labour to magnifie his glory now, in the time of mercy.

The forme of the Bowe a figure of Christs king­dome.8. Againe this bowe doth neuer obtaine the compasse of a circle, or exceede the magnitude of a semicircle; And here lyeth a mysterie. The kingdome of Christ is as it were a sphere, or round circle, descending from heauen vpon the earth, and ascending from the earth towards heauen; This [Page 13] doth consist of a double hemisphere, the Church militant, and the Church triumphant, the first visible, and the second inuisible; and to the perfection of this there is required the twofold comming of Christ, the first in humilitie to saue; and this hath his power and effectuall operation, til the day of iudgement; The second in maiestie, to reward those that are saued, (and render vengeance to the reprobate) and the effect of this, shall continue to all eternitie, In coelis com­plebitur hic circulus, putae regnum Christi dominans om­nibus in om­nem aeternita­iem, Cornelius cornelii a la­pide, Comment. in Genes. The perfecti­on of Christs kingdome a comfort to the godly. since then till the day of iudgement, the efficacy of his first comming florish­eth vpon the earth, and not of his second, hence ariseth the figure of a semicircle, (like to the Rainebow) neither can this circle bee perfected, till the time of his second comming, but then it shall receiue his full complement, when hee shall raigne over his whole Church, vnited in the fulnesse of glo­ry for euermore.

O most ioyfull comfort to euery faithfull subiect of this heauenly King, doest thou in feare, and loue, to this blessed God, labour to fulfill thy circle, to finish thy course in the hemisphere of this life; then maiest thou assure thy selfe, that the time shall come when this most glorious King, will compasse the about, with the sphere of his glory, with the circle of his loue, with the double Rainebow of ioy, comfort, and happinesse, for euermore.

10. To be short the forme of the Rainebow is glorious, The wise­dome of man is blinde in the know­ledge of God. yea it is so intricate, that wee cannot fully vnderstand the nature of it, nor search into the secrets of the glory thereof. And therefore here we may learne to acknowledge our own imperfection, and reason thus with our selues, If his workes be so glorious, that we cannot comprehend the excellency of them, it is no meruaile then, that our mindes are so darke, and our vnderstandings so blinde, in the knowledge of God, of his nature, of his essence, of his glory, and of his most wonderfull properties.

11. Last of all S. Ambrose obserueth, that the forme of this bowe, doth note mystically the clemency of God, Afflictions for the good of Gods chil­dren. for being a bow bent, but wanting arrows, it sheweth that God giueth vs a sight of afflictions, rather to affright vs from our sinnes, then to smite vs to our hurt.

How then should we take heede, that wee prouoke not by our sinnes this louing God, who is so full of clemency and mercy towards vs.

A threefold analoy be­tweene the Bow and the mercy of God.And of this misticall signification of the Bowe, there is a threefold reason, taken from a threefold analogy be­tweene the Bowe and the mercy of God: the first because this Bowe was in the time of Noah a signe of peace, of reconciliation, and of the Couenant betweene God and men, and therefore may well note the mercy of God, Ticonius Hom. 2 in Apocal. Rupertus & Mercerus in Genes. for which cause, of some interpre­ters, Iris is called [...] that is peace, because it did testifie that God was at peace with men.

Secondly, this three coloured Bowe, with her diuerse colours, and sweete showres, doth recreate, and refresh the earth and so doth the mercy of God.

Thirdly, as the semicircle doth appeare onely in our hemisphere, in this life, so doth the mercy of God. And therefore how dangerouse is the estate of those whom the Papist shut vp in purgatory; (for they themselues know not how many yeares) after this life: since there is no mercy then to bee granted vnto them. O vnmerci­full and terrible doctrine to frye mens soules so long in the flames of purgatory: before they shall receiue any part in the ioyes of Paradise. The doctrine of Purgatory against the glory of Gods mercy, and derogatory to the passion of our Sauiour.

But this is impious against the glory of Gods mercy, and derogatory to the passion of our Sauiour; for it is eui­dent by the Scripture, that our blessed Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus by his one oblation by himselfe once offered, hath made a full, perfect, & sufficient sacrifice, and satisfacti­on for the sinnes of the whole world, and this the godly are made partakers of in this life, by a true and a liuely faith, and therefore we neede not Purgatorie to purge vs after our death, since the bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne, 1. Iohn 1.7. 1. Iohn 1.7. And if from all sinne, then certainly Po­pish purgatory must needs be excluded. For the Arke, and Dagon, Christ, and Beliall, the passion of our Sauiour, and Popish purgatorie, can in no wise agree together.

And thus from the forme, cast your eyes vpon the [Page 15] beautifull colours, 2. Circum­stance the co­lours of the Bowe. which are the second thing I ob­serued in the Bowe, I haue set my Bowe in the cloude, and it shall bee for a signe of the couenant, betweene mee and the earth.

This Bowe is called of the Greeke poets [...], [...], ab admiratione Garcaeus. Doct. de meteor. Pla­to in Theoeteto Iridem Thau­mantis filiam propter admi­rationem di­ctam censuit. Arist. lib. 3. cap. 4. meteor. Aquinas in Arist. meteor. or Thaumantis siue admirationis filia, the daughter of Thau­mantes, or of Admiration, because of all the meteors, it wor­thy of admiration, in respect of the admirable, and beautiful colours that doe appeare in it; These colours that appeare in the Rainebowe, they are principally three.

The first [...], the Coerulean, or waterie colour.

The second [...], the yellow, or fiery colour.

The third [...], the grassie, or greene colour.

And the reason why three colours only, doe principally appeare in the Bowe, is (as Philosophers teach) because there are only three places in the cloude, from which there is a diuerse refraction of the light, and the shade, namely, supremus, medius, & infimus, the highest, the middest, and the lowest, and therefore there can be but three princi­pall colours.

The Watery colour, doth note the first generall iudge­ment, wherein the whole world was destroyed with water.

The Fiery colour the second, in which the whole world shall be destroyed with fire.

The Greene colour which is a flourishing, and grati­ous colour, the present estate of grace, and mercy; by which God doth preserue the world, from that future de­struction; And this obseruation agreeth well, both with the nature, and order of these colours; the nature is eui­dent, and the order is correspondent; Aquinas lo­co citat. For in the Raine­bowe there is first the Watery colour; secondly, the Greene colour, and last of all the Fiery colour.

To shew first, the iudgement of water past, next the state of grace present, and last of all the iudgement of fire to come; But I will speake first of the Iudgement, and after of mer­cy, and first of the first iudgement, noted in the first colour of the Bowe, the colour of water.

Admoniat Iris primò horrendi illius iudicii, quod in diluuio o­stensum fuit; (saith a good Interpreter) The Rainbowe doeth put vs in minde, The waterie colour noting the first iudg­ment. Ferus in Genes. first of that horrible iudgement past, which was manifested in the flood: and of this the same writer doeth set downe this profitable vse, Hinc veniemus ad cogni­tionem peccatorum, hinc discemus timere iudicium; Hence let vs come to the knowledge of our sinnes, hence let vs learne to feare iudgement.

Subdiuision.In this iudgement I find two things remarkeable: First, their Sinne. And secondly, their punishment.

The sinne of the old world intolerable.1. First, their sinne was intollerable; for it was vniuersal­ly spread ouer all kinde of people, ouer all parts of the world; It had continued almost a thousand, or at least seuen hun­dred yeares, from the translation of Enoch, when especially it began to increase, (as interpreters well obserue) they were possessed with a deadnesse of heart, Parreus in Genes. and carelesse securitie, with contempt of Religion, with contempt of Noah the Preacher of righteousnesse, and with contempt and despi­sing of God himselfe: To conclude, so hatefull was their sinne in the sight of God, that it repented the Lord, that hee had made man on the earth, and it grieued him at his heart. 2. No repen­tāce properly in God. Theodoret in Genes. cap. 7. Numb. 23.19 Malac. 3.6. Lyra & Glossa in Genes. Not that there is any repentance properly to bee found in God: For as Theodoret demaundeth the question, Quo­modo poenitentia cadat in eum, qui suâ praescientiâ regit vniuersa: How should repentance be found in him, who by his eternal prescience, and foreknowledge, doeth gouerne all things. But [...], figuratiuely, [...], speaking af­ter the manner of men; Non secundum rem, sed secundum modum, not according to the thing, but according to the manner of the thing, as Lyra, and the ordinary Glosse in­terpret, according to that golden rule of Athanasius, [...]. These things are spoken humanely, but they are to bee vnderstood diuinely, that is, as they are agreeable, and answerable to the nature of God. Greg. magnus in Iob, lib. 20. cap. 24. And therefore Gregory the great doeth wittily, and pithily conclude, concerning God, in his morall exposition vpon Iob, quia ipse immutabilis, id quod voluerit mutat, paenitere dicitur, quamuis rem mut [...]t, consilium non mutet: Because God [Page 17] himselfe being immutable, doeth change that which hee hath willed, he is said to repent, although indeed he doeth change the thing, but doeth neuer change his counsell, and eternall Decree. And thus it repented the Lord, (that is, as Moses doeth expresse the hatred of sinne in the sight of God, The punish­ment of the old world grieuous. according to the capacitie of men) and there­fore their sinne was intollerable. And their punishment (which is the next circumstance) was likewise grieuous: First, in respect of the Authour of it, a mightie, powerfull, 1 and terrible God, who is a consuming fire to the wicked, Hebr. 12.29. and a lake of brimstone to the workers of iniquitie. Se­condly, 2 in respect of the time, which was the Spring, S. Ambros. in Genes. Secundū men­sem verni tem­poris fuisse non ambigitur. as the most and best Expositours doe iudge, to the greater griefe of the wicked, because they were taken away in their pleasure, and the world was drowned when the earth was filled in great abundance. Thirdly, in respect of the manner of it: for then were the fountaines of the 3 great deepe broken vp, and the mightie cataracts, and flood-gates of heauen opened; the streames of water gush­ed foorth, with a terrible noyse, and a dolefull roaring from the heauen and from the earth, from aboue and from belowe, on the right hand, and one the left: so that there was no way to escape from the reuenging hand of an angry God.

To conclude, it was grieuous and terrible, in respect of 4 the effect of it: for (excepting Noah, and the rest in the Arke) all flesh died, that were on the earth, there was none that was saued, no not one: the husband and the wife, the father and the sonne, the mother and the daughter, the ma­ster and the seruant, the olde and the young, they were all drowned together.

O then beloued, what heart can there be in the world so hard and slonie, what eyes so flintie, that cannot melt in­to brinish teares, and breake in pieces with griefe and sor­row, at the consideration of so lamentable a spectacle: Good GOD, Mans dege­neration la­mentable. that euer man should so farre degene­rate from his first integritie, and fall into such vile impieties, which could prouoke so gracious a God, to [Page 18] plague him with so terrible a destruction. But man is fal­len, man is degenerated from his first integritie, who can but lament with a dolefull lamentation, God is angrie, hee hath smitten, hee hath plagued, he hath drowned the olde world, with a dolefull iudgement, who can but quake with fearefull tremblings? What man is there vnder the cope of heauen, that cannot by this be mooued to remooue his hatefull sinnes, the causes of Gods direful punishments, since for them God is mooued to destroy, not onely man, but the bruite creatures together with man, the soules of the ayre, the beasts of the field, and the creeping things of the earth.

Obiection. Sed quid hi fecerunt? But what haue these done, may some man obiect? will the Lord destroy the righteous with the wicked? shal not the Iudge of all the world do right? is there the same condition of him that sinneth, & him that sinneth not? what had the beasts of the field offended? wherin had the creeping things of the earth sinned, or what iniquitie had the foules of the heauen committed, that they also must be destroyed with man? Solution. The creatures destroied in the flood for a threefold reason. To which I answere, that as all these were created in the beginning for man, and for the good of man, so they were all againe destroyed with man, for the sinne & punishment of man, by the iust iudgment of God: First, because man was become a rebellious traitour 1 against God his Creator, & therfore as a King condemning a perfidious rebell, doeth not only command him to be put to a shamefull death; but his lands, goods, and chattels to be confiscate: so likewise God doeth not onely destroy man, but the creatures together with man, which were created 2 for his vse. Secondly, because that beastly men had abused the creatures by their filthy pleasure, and riotous excesse; and therefore it stood with Gods iustice, to punish the in­strument 3 with the principall. Lastly, to shew the hatefull­nesse of sinne in the sight of God, hee beeing Lord of all, doeth not onely destroy man, but the bruite creatures to­gether with man, as before he did curse the earth for mans sake, Genes. 3.17.

If then thou wilt not bee mooued for thine owne sake [Page 19] to refraine from thy sinnes, and remooue thy impieties; The destru­ction of the beasts should mooue vs to remooue our sinnes. yet take pitie vpon the bruite beasts, vpon the creeping things, vpon the foules of the ayre, lest by thy sinnes thou pull downe Gods terrible iudgements, and they also perish with thee. If thou wilt not bee mooued for any of these, yet take pitie vpon thy seruants, vpon thy little children, vpon thy wife that lieth in thy bosome, lest thou prouoke Gods anger against thee, and they also perish with thee.

But, O corda saxis duriora! Mens hearts more hard then adamāts. O hearts more hard then adamants! how many are there in the world, that cannot bee mooued for any of these, nor for all these, nor for greater motiues then these, to remooue their sinnes, and forsake their impieties? For although they haue often heard of that inestimable loue of God towards mankinde, in that hee spared not his owne Sonne, but gaue him to the death for vs miserable sinners; yet are they nothing hereby mooued to repentance, although they haue often heard of that vnspeakeable loue of Christ, in that hee spared not his owne life, but offered vp his body vpon the Altar of the Crosse, a sweet smelling incense of reconciliation to God his Father for our redemption: yet are they nothing here­by mooued to repentance. In a word, they can neither be mooued by threatnings, nor by promises, by iudgements, nor by mercies, by the terrible destruction of the old world, nor by the bitter passion of Christ.

And this is common in this age of the world, The commō disposition of this age of the world. as it was common in the dayes of Noah: yea, if wee make a paralel, and comparison betweene the sinnes of this age, and the impieties of the old world, wee shall finde that the iniquitie of these daies, is as great, if not greater, then euer were the sinnes of the olde world. And therefore I may say to the men of this age, as our Sauiour said to those Iewes (who de­maunded the question concerning the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices: and of those eighteen, vpon whom the tower of Siloe fel, Luke 13.5. and slew them) except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish: For if God spa­red not the Angels which sinned, 2. Pet. 2.4, 5, 6 but cast them downe to hell, and kept them in chaines of darkenesse, reserued to [Page 20] iudgement. If hee spared not the olde world, but saued Noah the eight person, a Preacher of righteousnesse, bringing in the flood vpon the world of the vngodly: If hee spared not the Cities of Sodome and Gomorrah, but turned them into ashes, and condemned them with an o­uerthrow, making them an example to those which after­ward should liue vngodly. Then certainely, neither will hee spare this age of the world, except in time they turne from their sinnes: and therefore I may iustly say with our Sauiour, Except they repent, they shall all likewise perish; the reason is, because the sinnes of this age, doe paralel the impieties of the old world, which wil euidently appeare, if we make our comparison.

For first, the sinne of the olde world was exceeding great, beeing vniuersally spread ouer all parts of the world, ouer all sorts of men. And is it not so in this age of the world? Who can say, Munda est vita mea; my life is cleane, and I am free from iniquitie: there is none I am sure: for all flesh haue corrupted their wayes; yea, the greater sort of men continue in their sinnes, and goe on forward in their wickednesse, metamorphizing them­selues into bruitish creatures, by their vnreasonable impi­eties, and beastly iniquities.

1. Paralel. Plat. [...] l [...]ibus Crudel [...]as in ba [...]ath [...] t [...]n­ta [...] [...]cit, v [...] ­de nu [...] [...]am eg [...]t [...]iui [...]tu [...]. S. Aug. in Ser. Auarus veluti inf rn [...]s omnia deuorant villet nullum hominē esse, vt omnia solus possideret. S. Aug. de ver­bis Dom. Inui­dia [...]st silia su­perbiae. sed ista mater superbia n [...]scit esse steri­lis vbi fuerit, continuo parit, suffoca matrē, & non erit silia 2. Sam. 20.9. S. Greg. lib. 8. moral. Quid est vita hypocrita nisi quaedam visio phantasmatis qua hic osten­dit in imagine quod non habet in veritate.Some are like Lions, in their abominable crueltie, ea­ting vp the earth with opp [...]ssion, and sacriledge, without any mercie, pittie, or compassion. Some are like Ty­gars, in their raging violence, deuouring all that commeth to their handes, without any respect either of God, or of men. Some are like vnto Foxes, in their craft and subtil­tie, delighting in nothing but guile, and deceite. Some are like Serpents in their malice and hatred, as if they were composed of enuie and gall. Some are like Syrens in their wicked hypocrisie, they will speake faire to a mans face, till they haue him in their compasse, and then they will de­uoure him in their blood-sucking tyranny. Some are like Apes in their apish imitation, Proteus like, changing them­selues into all shapes, that they may bee fitted for all com­panies. Lastly, some are like Asses in their sottish igno­rance, [Page 21] and senselesse securitie, beeing nothing affrighted, with the feare of Gods iudgements, nor mooued with his mercy, But as if their consciences were seared; in de­spite of reprehension, will continue impenitent, and conclude, some are like dogges, 2. Peter 2.32. that returne to their vo­mit of sinne, and like the Sow that was washed, to the filthy puddle, of their hatefull impieties. And therefore I may say with our Sauiour, except they repent, they shall all like­wise perish.

Secondly, 2. Paralel. the sinne of the old world was exceeding great, for it was come to the height of impietie, And is it not so in this age? was their euer more shamelesse­nesse in sinning, then in these daies? was their euer lesse conscience of iniquitie, then in these times?

It would bee too late for mee, to tell you, what a floud of vngodlinesse, hath now ouerspread the face of the earth, the time would not suffer mee, to relate vnto you, what drunkennesse, and adulterie, what sacriledge, and simonie, what oppression, and crueltie, what ex­tortion, and bribery, what vsury, and periurie, and what abhominable impietie, is euery where to be found in the actions of men, yea such iniquities as were neuer to bee found in the old world. And therefore except they repent, they shall all likewise perish.

Thirdly, the sinne of the old world, was exceeding great, 3. Paralel. for not only the wicked, but the sonnes of God, fell to folly and iniquitie, And is it not so in this age of the world? Doe not those that are the children of God, oftentimes yeeld to the temptation of Satan, and intisements of the world to the dishonour of God, and griefe of his spirit? Gods chil­dren not without im­perfections. Doe not too too many of those, that make a shew, and profession of religion, cause the name of God to bee euill spoken of, and giue occasion to the world; to brand their names, with the note of hypocrisie, because their conuersation is not answerable to their profession? it is euident they doe and therefore except they repent, they shall all likewise perish. 4. Paralel.

Fourthly, the sinne of the old world was exceeding [Page 22] great, for it was not short but had continued a long time, all most a thousand, or at the least seuen hundred yeares, so that they were growne to an habite in iniquitie, and is it not so in this age? are not men growne to a habite in sinne? hath not the wickednesse of the world continued, not seuen hundred or a thousand, but aboue three thousand yeares? and yet doth it not remaine, as strong as euer it did be­fore? it is euident it doth, and therefore except they repent, they shall all likewise perish.

5. Paralel.Fiftly, the sinne of the old world was exceeding great, for they were possessed with deadnesse of heart, and care­lesse security, so that neither by threatning, nor particular iudgements, they could be drawen to repentance; and is it not so in this age of the world? was there euer more deadnesse of heart, & carelesse securitie, then in these daies? Hath not God sent downe many terrible and feareful iudge­ments vpon the world? The hardnes of mens hearts cannot be remooued by Gods iudgements. yea vpon this land, within this few yeares? and yet notwithstanding, the hearts of men re­maine hardened, and they continue still in their sinnes? It is true indeede, God hath promised, that he wil neuer againe destroy the whole world with water; yet he did neuer promise, that he would not destroy, this or that particular king­dome, country, citie, for then we might haue some shewes, to presume of safety. But how many warnings haue we had, either to put vs in minde, of that generall iudgement past, in which the whole world (except Noah and his family) were drowned, to mooue vs to repentance, or to put vs in minde, of some fearefull iudgement to come, because of our impenitency, In Deuon­shire by breach of the sea and other places. what inundations, what flowings, and ouer­flowings of waters: within this few yeares, in diuers parts of this kingdome, to the destroying of townes, and fields of men, women, and children; of beasts, cattle, and creeping things; and yet notwithstanding, the hearts of men remaine hardened, and they continue still in their sinnes. Againe God hath threatned (we know it all) to bring one generall iudgement more, and to destroy the world with fire, (as I shall shew you fully in the next circumstance.) And what alarums, and dreadfull warning peeces haue we had, of this [Page 23] terrible iudgement? what lamentations, Harbingers of that terri­ble fire. and dolefull cry­ings, haue we daily heard in our streetes? of fire, fire, and desolation by fire, al most from euery part of the kingdome; to put vs in mind of that dreadful fire, which shal destroy the whole world, we know not how soone; besides many other particular iudgements, the sword, the famine, & the fearefull pestilence, so oftentimes threatned against vs, and yet not­withstanding the hearts of men remaine hardened; and they continue still in their sins. And therefore I may iustly say with our Sauiour, except they repent they shall all like­wise perish.

Lastly, the sinne of the old world was exceeding great, 6. Paralel. for they were possessed with contempt of religion, with con­tempt of Noah the preacher of righteousnesse, and with con­tempt and despising of God himselfe. And is it not so in this age of the world? was there euermore contempt of religion, then in these daies? was there euer more contempt of the preachers of righteousnesse, then in these times? Nay, was there euer more contempt, despising of God himselfe, then is extant in the world at this very houre? Certainly no, for mens wicked liues will plainly testifie, that the contempt of these daies, is as great, if not greater, then euer was the con­tempt, of the old world; In the old world they had but one Noah, whom especially they contemned, and for the con­tempt of whom, they are especially branded, but in this age of the world, how many hundreds of Noahs are there, prea­chers of righteousnesse, whose exhortations, and threat­nings, are daily contemned, to the dishonour of God, and griefe of good men; How many churlish Nabals, that are readie rather to rob them of their necessarie maintenance, then to reward them for their paines and care in watching, Ioel 2.12. Matth. 5.4. S. Bern. in Cant. The teares of the penitent are the wine of Angels, &c. and defending, not their sheepe, but their soules, from those spirituall wilde beasts, that seeke their destruction.

But O beloued, let vs all turne vnto the Lord with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning, that the Lord may turne in mercy vnto vs, and keepe away his fierce wrath from vs, euen for the merits of Christ our Sauiour, and let euery faithfull Christian say, Amen.

S. August. in­fest. Natiuit. the teares of the penitent fall in the sight of the Lord. The fiery co­lour noting the iudge­ment of fire.That so making a true vse of this first generall iudgement, noted in the first colour of the Rainebowe, the colour of water, wee may be sure to escape with ioy, and reioycing, from that second generall, but more terrible iudgement, noted in the second colour, the colour of fire, which com­meth in the next place, to be spoken of, I haue set my Bowe in the Cloud, and it shall be as a couenant, betweene mee and the earth.

In this I will passe through three passages, and handle three particulars.

Subdiuision. Mat. 25.34.First, the time, Secondly, the manner, and Thirdly, the end, and vse (to vs) of this fiery iudgement, or iudge­ment by fire. The time is the first in order, and for the time of the sentence; our Sauiour sets it downe Math. 25.34. [...] then shall the King say to them on his right hand, come ye blessed of my father, receiue the kingdome prepared for you, [...], from the foundation of the world: this must be after the Sonne of man is come with his glori­ous Angels, and hath made a separation betweene the sheepe, and the goatet, the wheate, and the tares, the idle loyterers, and the painefull labourers in the vineyard of Christ. But for the time when this seperation shall bee, or when this Sonne of man shall come, nihil certi ex sacris literis habetur, Nazianzen: orat. 36. Horam cogni­tam habet vt Deus ignorat vt homo. Ambrose in Luk. 17. Christus horā nouit, sed nouit sibi mihi nescit. S. August. lib. 1 de Trinit. c. 12. Greg. epist. 42. Hilar. de Trin. Greg lib 8. epist. 42. ad eulog. there is no certainty to be found in holy Scripture, for of that day and hower, knoweth no man, no not the Angels in heauen, [...], but the Father only, Math. 24.36. no not the Sonne himselfe, Mark. 13.32. The Sonne knoweth not the day of iudgement, that is, not as he is man, although he knoweth it as he is God: or hee know­eth not the day of iudgement, that is, as S. Ambrose noteth he knoweth for himselfe, although hee will not reueale it vnto vs: to whom S. Augustine, Gregory, and Hilary accord. And therefore S. Chrisostome well obserueth, in that Christ Iesus said, neque Angeli, neither the Angels know this day, he repressed his disciples, that they should not desire to know, that which the Angels themselues were ignorant of; but in that hee saith, neither the Sonne himselfe, hee doth forbid them not onely from learning, but also from desi­ring [Page 25] to learne so secret a mysterie. Christus nouit diem iudicij in natura huma­nitatis non ex natura humae­nitatis. And for this cause hee tells his disciples plainely, Actes 1.7. Non est vestrum nosce tempora, it is not for you to know the times and the seasons, which God the Father hath put, [...], in his owne hand.

But contrarie to this hath been the practise of those, S. Aug. li. 8. de ciuit. Dei ca. 53 Frustra annos qui huic seculo r [...]manent cōpu­tare ac destaire conamur cunt hoc scire non esse nostrum ex ore veritatis audiamus. Gene. 19.26. The day of iudgement not to be sear­ched into. Oraculum e schola Eliae. Pet. Mart. loc. Com. Three opini­ons concer­ning the day of iudgement. who daring to outface the Sunne, in beholding the bright shi­ning of his glorious beames, and searching into secrets, not to be looked into, haue dazelled their eyes, and left their erronious opinions, testimonies of their vile presumption. Some like Lots wife, haue not beene afraid to looke backe towards Sodome, and to prie into Gods secret iudgements, contrary to the admonition of the Angell; yea, to the do­ctrine of Christ himselfe, setting downe, and defining a de­terminate time to the day of iudgment, producing an oracle (as they faine) from the schoole of one Elia a Iew, by which they affirme, that the world should continue sixe thousand yeares, which they account thus; two thousand before the Law, two thousand vnder the Law, and two thousand in the kingdome of Christ. But for this prescription of time, wee haue no warrant from the word of God, and therefore we may iustly refuse it. Others there are, who differ but little from the former, teaching, that as God was sixe dayes in creating the world, so he shall bee sixe dayes in gouerning of it, accounting to euery day a thousand yeares, and alledging for their ground, that of the Prophet Dauid, in the 90. Psal. 1 verse 4. A thousand yeares in thy sight, Psal. 90.4. are but as yester­day, 2 which is past. But concerning that place of the Pro­phet, the meaning i [...], that innumerable yeares is but as a short time with God: And wee may as well say two thou­sand, or ten thousand yeares are but as yesterday, as a thou­sand, since all is alike with God, with whom there is nei­ther Prius, nor Posterius; no difference of time, for hee re­maineth alwayes the same, throughout all generations, and his yeares haue no end, Psa. 102.27. And I am God, Psal. 102. [...]7. Malac. 3.6. I change not, and ye sonnes of Iacob are not consumed, Malac. 3.6. we cannot therefore approoue of this neither, because it cannot be prooued out of the word of God.

3 A third sort there is, who affirme, that as Christ was thir­tie three yeares with his naturall body vpon the earth, so he shall remaine thirtie three yeares with his mysticall body the Church, accounting to euery yeare fiftie yeares, ma­king them like to the yeares of Iubely, Leuit. 25.11 which did consist of fiftie yeares, Leuit. 25 11. So that by this account, it should be from the birth of Christ, vnto the end of the world, one thousand sixe hundred and fiftie yeares; and therefore not aboue thirtie foure yeares to the day of iudgement. But all these are figmenta hominum, the deuises of men, and therfore not to be beleeued. S. A [...]gust. ad H [...]sich [...]n. Excellent is that answere of S. Augu­stine vnto Hesichius, to whom enquiring curiously of the end of the world, S. Augustine answereth, Se non audere spacia se­culorum, vsqu [...] ad finem mundi, aut metiri, aut enumerare, that he durst not either number, or measure the times of the a­ges vnto the end of the world, because it is written, Of that day and houre knoweth no man, no not the Angels in hea­uen, Math. 24.36. Math. 24.36.

4 It is sufficient for vs to know that it is the last time, and therefore not long to the day of Iudgement, These are the last times. S August in Genes lib. 1. Sixe ages of the world. and end of the world. For as S. Augustine obserueth in his first booke vpon Genesis, there are sixe ages of the world; the first, from A­dam vnto Noah: the second, from Noah vnto A raham: the third, from Abraham to Dauid: the fourth, from Dauid to the captiuitie of Babylon: the fift, from the captiuitie of Babylon vnto Christ: and the sixt and last, from Christ vn­to the end of the world. And of these ages, fiue are whol­ly passed already; and of the sixt and last, there are 1616. yeares expired: 1. Cor. 10.11. and therefore if S. Paul in his dayes affir­med vnto the Corinthians, that the ends of the world were come vpon them. 1. Peter 4.7. and S. Peter in his time, that the ende of all things was at hand, which is aboue fifteene hundred yeares since, 1. Iohn 2.18. then may wee iustly verifie with S. Iohn, that it is the last time, and with S. Iames, that the Iudge standeth before the doore. Iames 5.9. Signes of the day of iudge­ment of two sorts.

Seeing almost all the signes that were to come before the day of Iudgement, are already past and expired, or else now manifest in the world: for these signes are of two sorts, [Page 27] the first, Signa praecedentia, precedent signes: the second, coniuncta, (or rather concomitantia, as the Logicians speake) signes accompanying the day of iudgement. Of the first sort, there are diuers noted in the Scripture, as the preach­ing of the Gospell throughout all nations: Mat. 24.14. 2. Thes. 2.3. 2. Tim. 3.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Math. 24.6, 7. Rom. 11.25, 26. the comming of Antichrist: the departing away from the faith: the ge­nerall corruption of the world, and vniuersalitie of ini­quitie, warres, and rumours of warre, deadnesse of heart, with carelesse securitie: and last of all, the calling of the Iewes. But of time, and manner, and where, it is not yet concluded amongst learned Diuines. Howsoeuer, the most of these signes are fulfilled alreadie.

And for the second sort, they are set downe by our Sa­uiour, Mathew 2 [...]. Math. 24. [...]here shall bee signes in the Sunne, in the Moone, and in the Starres, and then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man in heauen, and all the Tribes of the earth shall mourne, and they shall see the Sonne of man comming in the cloudes of heauen, Reuel. 1.7. with power and great glory. Fearefull and terrible shall these signes bee: And therefore while the Sonne of righteous­nesse CHRIST IESVS, is in the signes of mercie, Sol Christus luna est [...] ­cles [...]a. and the Moone in the fulnesse of grace, before the Sunne bee turned into darkenesse, and the Moone into blood; while God doeth with patience expect our conuersion, Conuers [...]on nec [...]ss [...]ry in the time of me [...]y. Hebr. 12.29. Greg in H [...]m. 13 in Euang. let vs turne vnto him, lest when he shall passe to the signes of iustice, hee punish with the seueritie of his iudgements. For our God is a consuming fire, saith the Apostle. And S. Gre­gorie, Hom. 13. vpon the Euangelists, Deus quos diu vt conuer­tantur t [...]lerat, non conuersos, durius damnat: those whom a long time God doeth suffer, expecting their conuersion, not be­ing conuerted hee condemneth them with the greater se­ueritie. Dulcis & rectus, dicitur Dominus, the Lord is said to be gracious and righteous, Psalm. 25.7. Psal. 25.7 Hee is now gra­cious, because hee doeth offer the sweetnesse of his mercie vnto the wicked, that they might not perish: but in the daye of iudgment, he shall bee found iust and righteous, be­cause he wil iustly condemne those then, who haue contem­ned the grace and mercy that he offers them now.

S. Barnard. serm. 2. de ad­uent. dom.Saint Bernard in this respect compareth God vnto a Bee, which hath not only sweet and pleasant honie, but also a sharpe and terrible sting, nunc mel offert, in iudicio figet a­culeum. Now hee offers honie, but at the day of iudge­ment hee shall put forth his sting, and wound the wicked: Christ at his first comming brought hony, Christus veni­e [...] mel attulit n [...]n acculeum. Idem eod. S. August. in Psal. 74. Non est quo fu­gias a deo [...]a­to nisi ad pla­catum. That there shal be a time iudgement of it is certaine. and not a sting, Sed nolite peccare in spe, (saith Saint Bernard) but sinne not in hope, whosoeuer ye bee that delight in sinne, for this our Bee hath a time also, when hee will take his stinge, and fixe it into the bones and marrow, of the reprobate? what should we doe then beloued, but flie vnto him now, while wee haue time, least one day we labour to flie from him, when we shall haue neither time nor place.

6. But certaine it is that there shall be a time of iudgment, as there is and hath beene a time of mercy, since it is fi­gured by so many signes, prooued by so many testimonies, and foretold by so many prophecies in the holy Scriptures.

And therefore those are iustly confuted, who haue pre­sumed to obiect, that because there is a priuate iudgment of euery particular man, An Obiecti­on. at the day of his death therefore there shal be no generall iudgmēt at the day of resurrection: for res semel iudicata, bis non iudicatur (say they) that which is once iudged, should not be iudged againe: since the Lord him­selfe testifieth by his Prophet, Nahum 1.9. Nahum 1.9. Non consurget duplex tribulatio, affliction shall not arise the second time, and therefore iudgement shall not twise be executed.

I answer with that Angelicall Doctor Aquinas, in 4. senten­tiarum distinct. 47. An answer. Aquinas 4. sent. distinct. 47. iudicari primo illo animam potiorem hominis partem, tandem altero hominem totum, that in that first iudge­ment the soule of man, only is iudged, which is his better part, but in the second the whole man shall bee iudged, both in body and soule, and receiue either that blessed sen­tence of absolutiō, or that fearefull sentence of condemnatiō.

And concerning that place of the Prophet, I Answer, that the Prophet Nahum speaketh not there, Nahum 1.9. either of the generall or particular iudgement, to eternall life, or death but of a temporall iudgement, for declaring the de­struction of the Assyrians, hee sheweth only that their [Page 29] ouerthrow should bee finall, that God should not neede to smite them againe the second time, as Abisha said to Dauid, when hee found Saul asleepe, let mee smite him, and I will not smite him againe, 1. Samuel 26. vers. 9. 1. Sam. 26.9. for hee would haue slaine him at the first blowe. And thus Theophilact and Theodoret expound that place, so that we may still hold the conclusion, that as the day of iudgement is figured, prooued, and prophecied, so it shall certainely come at the day appointed.

To conclude, The day of iudgement draweth nigh at hand. Heb. 10.27. it is likewise certaine that the time of this comming to iudgement is not farre off, but draw­eth nigh at hand to bee fulfilled, for as the Apostle spea­keth, Hebrewes 10. and the 37. verse. Yet a very little while, and hee that shall come, will come, and will not tarry, and if this were true in the morning of this age, it must needs bee much more true in the euening, which is so many hundred yeares after, and therefore here is an an­swer to that common obiection, of wicked and irreligi­ous Atheists, which abound in the world, who are not ashamed to affirme, if not in their words, yet in their liues and conuersations, that let the Ambassadours of God, say what they will they neede not bee so carefull to forsake their profitable, or pleasurable sinnes; for the day of Doome (as they call it) that is farre off, God know­eth when that will bee, (euer or neuer) and therefore they may liue yet as they liste, and repent hereafter when they can bee at leisure.

But to these raging waues of the sea, foaming out their owne shame, (vnlesse they repent in time) is reserued the blackenesse of darkenesse for euer, Iude 13. as Saint Iude speaketh in the 13. verse of his Epistle.

And know this whosoeuer thou art that fosterest thy selfe in this opinion, Profane A­thiests in a dangerous e­state. that though the day of iudgement may bee further of, then thou shalt liue to see, yet the day of thy death, may bee neerer then thou art aware of, and as death leaueth thee, so shall iudgement finde thee, Ecclesi. 11.3. Heb. 9.24. for as the tree falleth so shall shall it lye, Ecclesiast. 11. vers. 3. after death next comes iudgement, Hebrewes 9.27. and [Page 30] when a wicked man dieth his hope perisheth, Prou. 11.7. Prouerbes 11. If thou diest in thy sinnes, thou shalt be found in thy sinnes, at the day of iudgement; Impenitent Cain died long since, and yet the day of iudgement when it commeth, shall finde him impenitent still, the like may bee said of Saul, of A­chitephel, of Iudas, they dyed desperately, and impenitent, and the Lord shall finde them so at his comming: and so will it be with thee whosoeuer thou art, that goes on in thy sinnes without [...]pentance: S. Greg. Dialog. lib 4. cap. 39. for as Saint Gregory testifieth qualis hu [...]c qui [...]que egreditur, tal [...]s in iudicio presentatur, In what estate soeuer a man doth d [...]part out of this life, in the same he shal be found at the day of iudgement. And S. Amb. de bono mortis, S. Ambros. de bono mortis. He that [...]n this life, doth not receiue remission of sinnes, shall not haue part there, to wit in the communi­on of Saints, S. Hierom. cap. 6. in Epist. ad Galat. in the life to come; And S. Hierome, Tempus sementis tempus est presens, the time of sowing is the time pre­sent, and hee that will not sowe the seede of good workes, in the seede time of grace here, hee shall neuer reape the fruite of reward in the haruest of glory hereafter.

I will close this point with that religious exhortation of Saint August. let euery man while hee hath time, S. Aust. lib. 3. de symbolo. Hic dum tem­pus habet agat anima prose poenitentiā quā diu locus est miscricordiae quia ibi erit locus iustitiae. The Second ci [...]cumstance, the manner of this iudge­ment. Luk. 17.24. 2. Pet. 3.10. repent truly of his sinnes, while hee is in the place of mercy, be­cause then there shall bee a time of iustice, the foolish vir­gins that would not repent, and prepare themselues in time, shall then receiue no other comfort, but that dole­full sentence non noui vos, I know you not depart from me ye workers of iniquitie.

And thus from the time, I proceede to the manner of this iudgement by fire, which is the second circumstance, I obserued in the fiery colour of the Bowe.

1. As the lightening commeth from the East and shi­neth vnto the West, so shall the comming of the Sonne of man be, Luk. 17. verse 24. Hee shall come ex improuiso, like a thiefe in the night, suddainly; He shall come like lighte­ning, visibly, for euery eye shall see him; hee shall come [...], Reuel. 1 7. Mark 13.26 1 Thess. 4.16. with power, and great glory, magnificently; to be short, the Lord himselfe shall descend from heauen, with the voice of the Archangell and the [Page 31] trumpe of God, But Quid sibi vult tubarum sonus? S. Chrysost. Hom. 77. in Mat. Ad exuscitati­onem, ad gau­dum, ad expri­m [...]ndum re­rum stuporem, ad dolorem corum qui re­linquuntur. 2. No imperfe­ction in the Saints at the day of iudge­ment. S August de ciuit dei lib 2 [...]. cap. 15. S. Aust lib. de ciuit. 22. c. 16. Magist sent. lib. 4. dist 44. 3. Mat. 3 13. Locus sic expli­catur a Lyca permundabit i. e. quotidie a varus tentati­onibus munlat in Mat. 4. A question. S. August. lib. 20 de ciuit. dei cap 20 Ex [...] [...] mo ta­men co quo a me cummemo­rata sunt or­din [...] esse ven­ti [...]ia. to what end is this sound of the trumpet? saith Saint Chrysostom, in his 77. homil. vpon Matthew and he answereth the questi­on himselfe. The Trumpet shal then sound, (and the voice of the Archangel, shall then bee heard, for the raising vp of the dead, for the ioy of the godly, to expresse the stupor and terrour of Christs comming, and for the griefe, and dolour, of many that shall heare it: The dead shall then bee raised, and the bodies of Gods Saints shall then be glorifi­ed, they shall rise in the fulnesse of the measure of Christ, in a full and a perfect age, in a fitting and conuenient sta­ture, that which is lesse then is fitting shall thence bee sup­plyed, from whence the creator knoweth, and that which is more, shall bee detracted, The integritie and perfection beeing retained, as Saint August. speaketh in lib. 22. of the citie of God, cap. 19.

3. To conclude, Christ shall come to this firey iudge­ment, with his fanne in his hand, the fanne of his iudge­ment, (as before he came with the fanne of his mercy) and hee will thoroughly purge his floore, the floore of his Church, and separate the wheate from the chaffe, the Elect from the reprobate, gathering his wheate, into the blessed garner of heauen; but burning the chaffe, with the vn­quenchable fire of hell.

4. Fire is the colour of the Rainebowe, of which I am now to speake, and fire is the iudgement of which I am now speaking; But concerning this fire the question is de­manded, whether it shall bee before the day of iudge­ment or after. Saint August. seemeth to be of opinion that it should be after, for speaking of those things which should come about the time of iudgement, hee setteth the conflagration of the world, and the renouation thereof in the last place, and he addeth, quo ordine haec veniant, magis tu o docebit experientia; in what order these shall come, experi­ence will then teach more perfectly, but, I thinke saith he, that they will come in that order, in which I haue re­hearsed them, and in his 18. c [...]p, S. August de ciuit. lib. 20. cap. [...]8. of the same booke he saith plainly post factum iudicium mundus ardebit, after the iudge [Page 20] is done, Answer. Aquinas add. quaest. 74. artic. 7 the world shall burne. But wee may rather answer with Aquinas, and with our later Diuines, that this fire shall be before the execution of iudgement: for behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his charets like a whirlewind, to render his anger with furie, and his rebuke with flames of fire, Isaiah 66.15. Isaiah 66.15. There shall goe a fire be­fore him, Psal. 97.2. and burne vp his enemies on euery side, Psal. 67 2 Hee shall come with flames of fire, rendring vengeance to them that know not God, 2. Thess. 1.8. 2. Thess. 1.8 This shall bee the true manner of his comming, and therefore this fire shall appeare at the day of iudgement, 2. Pet. 3.10 before the full execution of that finall sentence: Or otherwise we may reconcile S. Augustine with Aquinas, and our later Diuines, and answere thus: True it is, there shall bee fire before the iudgement, that is, ignis conflagrationis, the fire of burning and consu­ming: and there shall be fire after the execution of iudge­ment, that is, Ignis condemnationis, the fire of hell, in which the Deuils and damned spirits shall bee tormented for euer.

2. Answer. The fire of hell more horrible then that which shall burne the world. S. Aug. de ciuit Dei. l. 20. c. 16. S. Ambr. lib. 7. in Luc cap. 4, Damascen lib. 4. fides, cap. 28 Ignis non est materialis qua­lis is apud nos, sed qualem Deus nouit. Greg. in Iob 2 [...] Aug. lib. de ciuit. cap. 21 Magist. Sent. lib. 4. dist. 44. Aquinas add. quaest. 77. artic. 5. Anselmus in Elucidorio. Gregor. in Iob cap. 10.And this likewise is prefigured in the fierie colour of the Bowe. But this is more terrible then the former, and that diuers wayes. First, in respect of the nature of it, which is so strange, that it is knowen perfectly of no man, as Saint Augustine affirmeth. Some haue thought this fire to bee incorporeall, and wanting corporall flames, but tormenting the damned after a wonderfull manner: so S. Ambrose, Damascen, Gregorie, and others. And some haue thought it corporeall, as S. Aug. lib. 21. de ciuit. Dei. Gehenna corporeus ignis erit & cruciabit corpora damn [...]torum: Hell fire (saith he) shall be corporall, and shall torment the bodies of the damned; so the Master of the sentences, Aquinas, and others: yet this fire is infinitely more terrible then our common fire, and more tormenting, for ardet & non lucet, it burneth and shineth not, saith Anselmus, that reuenging flame hath burning in aboundance, but it hath no light, (saith Gregory: yet Aquinas thinkes there shall be light suffi­cient [Page 33] for the damned to behold those things which shall torment them, (either in respect of the sight of the body, vltrix isla flamma concre­mationem ha­bet, lumen ve­ro non habet. Aquinas ad quest 97. arti, 4. Hell fire needs not the fodder of wood Isaiah. 30.33. or the fearefull visions of the minde.) But howsoeuer, whe­ther it shall be alwayes darke, with Gregory, or haue some times a glimmering light, with Aquinas, it is of a strange, and terrible nature, for it needs not the fodder of wood to con­tinue it in hell, since the breath of the Lord, like a riuer of brimstone shall kindle it, Isaiah 30.33. But some will obiect that place of the Prophet, Tophet is prepared of old, the nourishment thereof is fire and much wood, and therefore it seemes there is much wood in hell: to which I answer, that much wood is attributed to vnto hell, not that there is any there, but to shew that the fire of hell is vnquenchable, being once kindled, by the breath of Gods anger, which addes to the terrour thereof. S. Greg. lib. 4. dialog. cap. 42.

2. Againe it is fearefull in respect of the place of it, which is in hell, with the diuells and damned spirits, Where hell is thought to be. S. Hieronymus in Iona. 2. Sicut cor in medio est ani­malis ita infernus in medio terrae perhibe­tur. T [...]rtull. lib. de anima cap. 55. Damasc. lib. 3. cap. 29. Aquinas ad quest, 97. a [...]i. 7. Luk 16.24. S. August. de ciuitater, lib. 21 cap. 10. verissed naris modis. The fire of hell eternall. where is vtter darkenesse, weeping, and wayling, and gnashing of teeth, where they are far remote from the company of the blessed Saints, and holy Angels; from all ioy, and happi­nesse for euer: Saint Gregory in his fourth booke of dia­logues, and 42. chapter, being demaunded of one, where he should beleeue this place of torments was: answereth, dé hac retemerè d [...]finire non audeo, I dare not rashly define of this matter, some haue thought it in some part of the earth, some vnder the earth, about the center, or in the hollowes of the earth, which is the most common opinion: so Saint Hierome, as the (heart saith he) is in the middest of a liuing creature, so hell is said to be in the middest of the earth, and of the same opinion was Turtullian, Damascen, Aquinas, and other diuines, but wheresoeuer it is, certaine it is, that it is a fearefull fire, both in it selfe: and the torments thereof: for it shall torment both the bodies and soules of the dam­ned, crucior in hac fl [...]mma, I am tormented in this flame, was the song of rich Diues in hell, and Saint Augustine affirmeth that the spirits are tormented with that corporeall flame, after a wonderfull manner, but vnvtterable and vnknowne vnto vs: last of all it is most terrible in respect of the con­tinuance [Page 43] of it: for as the worme neuer dieth, so the fire ne­uer goeth out, S. August. de ciuit. lib. 21. cap. 13. Marke 9.48. Marke 9 48. and paria paribus rela [...]nt, like are referred to like, saith S. Augustine: on the one side e­ternall punishment, on the other eternall life, according to our Sauiour, Matthew. 25.46. And to conclude, it was the iudgement of the deuill, to be cast into that lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and false prophet are and shall be tormented day and night for euermore, Reu. 20.10 Reuel. 20.1 [...]

And thus hauing shewed the time, and manner of this fiery iudgement, I will speake somewhat of the end, and vse of it (to vs) and so proceed vnto that which followeth.

First then, seeing all these thing must bee dissolued, what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conuersation, and godlinesse, looking for, and hasting vnto the comming of the day of God, wherein the heauens being on fire, shalbe dissolued, 2. Pet. 3.11, 12 The fire of sinne must be quenched. and the elements shall melt with feruent heat; the consideration of these things should mooue vs to quench in our hearts the fire of sinne, (whose flames doe abundantly burne in the world) that so we may be free from this fire of punishment. But how many neglect this consideration, and therefore they burne in the fire of sinne, and are scor­ched in the flames of iniquitie. The whole world lieth in euill (saith S. Iohn) in maligno, 1 Iohn 5.19. quasi in maloigne: in euill, that is as it were, in an euill fire, by which they are stirred vp to all kind of impieties. They are like to those of whom the wise man speaketh, VVisd. 2.6, 7, 8, 9, &c. The commō practise of the world. Wisdome the second, that call one to another in their securitie, Come, let vs fill our selues with costly wine and oyntments, and let no flower of the Spring passe by vs; let vs crowne our selues with rose buds before they bee withered, let none of vs goe without his part of volup­tuousnesse, let vs oppresse the poore righteous man, and not spare the widowe, nor reuerence the ancient gray haires of the aged. Let our strength be the Law of iustice; for that which is feeble, is said so bee nothing woorth. Thus doe they encourage themselues in their wickednesse, and goe on forwards in their sinnes, A description of the dam­neds cōplaint in hell. but what shall bee in the ende thereof? The time will come when this deuouring fire shall appeare, that their ioy shall be turned into sorrow, and their [Page 35] mirth into mourning, their Comicall prologue, into a Tra­gicall Catastrophe, when they shall crie out with a dolefull lamētation, what hath pride profited vs? VVisd. 5.8, 9. or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought vs? for all those things are passed away as a shadow, and as a poste that hasted by. They shall crie out with terrour and amazednesse, woe and a­las, what a fearefull change doe we behold, A fearefull change for the wicked. our pleasures are turned into torments, our riches into extreame pouertie, our delights into woefull punishments, our pleasant sing­ing, into grieuous sighing: we haue runne blindfolded into this scorching lake of fire and brimstone, our eyes, which our abundance of pleasures had shut vp, are now opened by our abundance of punishments. Alas, what doe we behold? there is nothing that can bring vs comfort, but all things that may torment vs; there is no way to escape, our case is desperate. O death, Death desired of the dam­ned, but neuer obtained. whom sometimes wee did tremble to thinke of, come now, and deliuer vs from these miseries: thou, who wast sometimes a horrour vnto our guiltie con­sciences, bee now a comfort in seazing vpon vs. O yee fu­ries of hell, pull yee, rend yee, teare yee in pieces our vn­happie carkeises, and free vs from these intollerable do­lours. O miserable wretches that wee are, for how mo­mentarie pleasures, haue wee procured these euerlasting miseries? In this manner shall the wicked lament their follies, but all in vaine, it will be too late for them then to repent: for it is a time of iudgement, and not of mercie. O beloued, that men would lay lay these things to their hearts, and set them continually before their eyes, that they might forsake their sinnes, and escape these grieuous and dolefull lamentations.

Againe, shall the King of heauen and earth Christ Iesus, The glorious manner of Christs com­ming to iudg­ment. come to execute this fiery iudgment, with power and great glory? shal he come with excellent splendor, with admirable beauty? shall he come with the bright shining weapons of war, to fight with his enemies? shal he take to him his ielousie for complete armour; put on righteousnesse for a brest plate, and true iudgement instead of a helmet? shall bee sharpen his seuere wrath for a sword? and send out his right aiming [Page 36] thunderbolts against his aduersaries? A good con­science com­fortable. O then how happie shall that man bee, that hath a peaceable and quiet consci­ence; it shall bee better vnto him, then thousands of golde and siluer, yea, then all the riches that are in the world: be­cause bee shall meet his Iudge with ioy, and his King with comfort: For idem erit Iudex, qui Patronus, qui Mediator, qui Pontifex, S. Ambros. lib. 1. de Iacob. cap 6. saith S. Ambrose; the same shall be our Iudge, who is our Redeemer, our Patron, our Mediatour, our chiefe Priest, who hath offered a sweete smelling incense of recon­ciliation to God his Father for our redemption, and therfore we need not to feare.

An accusing conscience terrible.But how woefull shall be the state of accusing conscien­ces of the wicked and damned reprobates? O vnhappie wretches! which of you can bee able to meet this deuou­ring fire, these euerlasting burnings? which of you can dare to encounter this inuincible warriour? O miserable mis­creants! prepare yourselues, for you must combate with this commanding Emperor: Nazianzen in Apologetico. Did you neuer dreame of this bitter conflict in your life time? Woe therefore vnto you now, for ye can neither auoid, nor bee able to endure the vi­olence of his wrath; yee are ouercome already, and bound, and deliuered to eternall captiuitie. For as Nazianzen spea­keth, Solus Deus nec faga vitari, nec bello sustiner [...] potest, onely God this mightie Iudge, can neither bee escaped by flight, nor indured in warre, Extrema illa die, nullum erit effugium, aut perfugium; in that last day there shall bee no euasion or run­ning away. True it is, the wicked hypocrites, damned A­theists, Reue. 6.15, 16 and secure formalists, shal call and crie to the moun­taines to fall on them, and to the hilles to hide them from him that sitteth vpon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lambe, but it will not profit them; they shall trie all wayes to escape, Greg. Decret. part. 2. causa 11. quast. 3. but there is none will helpe them. For although it bee too often seene in the world, (as S. Gregory obserueth) that humane iudgement is peruerted, either timore, for feare of greatnesse, by which corrupt iudges are moued, to smoo­ther the truth, absolue the rich, and condemne the poore, or amore, for loue and friendship, by which the bands of equi­tie are broken in pieces, or odio, for hatred and malice, when [Page 23] enuy possesseth the soule to destruction, Chrysost. in hom. inuidia pestiferum ma­lum hominem in diaboli con­ditionem ac in­daemonem im­mitissimum conuertit. Boskier. defini­bus neque a­more ne (que) odio neque timore neque cupiditae te capiendus qua caeteri solent. S. August. de fide ad mo­nach. In Christi iudi­cio sine accep­tione persona­rum sine ambi­tu potestatum aqualiter iu­dicabuntur do­mini & serui reges & mili­tes, diuites & pauperes humi­les & sub­limes. S. Bern. cap. 11. ac Rob mo­narch. A good con­science shall be better then a full purse. 1. Kings 13.33. Iudges 17.10 Malac. 3.8. or last of all and worst of all Cupiditate, for couetousnesse, when bribes per­uert the eies of the wise, and mooue them to subuert the way of wisedome, to hearken to the voice of tempting Angels, rather then to the voice of equitie and right, to the voice of a corrupted seruant, or bribing oppressor, then to the pitifull cry of a poore distressed plaintiue.

But this Iudge is incorrupt in his affections, he can nei­ther bee mooued by loue, nor by hatred, by feare, nor by bribes, to peruert iudgement, by which the corrupt iudges of the world, are too often mooued, And S. August. excel­lently de fide ad monachum; In the iudgement of Christ, with­out acception of persons, or receiuing of bribes) there shall be equally iudged, the king and the subiect, the master and the seruant, the rich and the poore, the humble and the proud, euery one shall be iudged according to the straight rule of iustice, and ballance of equitie; And S. Bernard sweet­ly illic plus valebunt pura corda quam astuta verba, & conscientia bona quam marsupia plena, at that day of iudgement, pure hearts, shall be better then craftie words, and a good consci­ence, better then a full purse, But in this age of the world it is not so, for a full purse will doe more, then either a pure heart, a good conscience, or a good cause; it will make the corrupt Lawyer, to deceiue his client, the corrupt patron to sell the liuings of the Church (with which he is only put in trust) and to place in them Ieroboams Priests, of the basest of the people, or Michas hirelings, that will be content with a few shekels of siluer and a sute of apparell, to place igno­rance, simonie, and impietie, where he should place learning, honestie, and religion, to be briefe, it will make the corrupt magistrate, to winke at offences with partialitie, where hee should punish with seueritie; it causeth the sacrilegious Church robber, to robbe Christ Iesus, in robbing his mini­sters, the oppressing Landlord, to sucke the bloud of his te­nants, the bribing vsurer, to eate the flesh of his creditours, the sophisticating Tradesman, to vse the ballance of deceit and false measure of iniquitie; And last of all it maketh vn­conscionable iuror, to sell his soule to the diuell, to forsweare [Page 38] himselfe for a bribe, and ouerturne witnesses, iudges, iustice and all. But let all these know, that the time shall come when this iust iudge will finde them out, Reuel. 22.12. who will render to euery man according to his worke, and giue them their por­tion with hypocrites, binde them in bonds of darkenes, Mat. 24.51. and chaines of miserie for euermore: And this he will do when he shall come to pronounce that iust iudgement both to the righteous, and the wicked, that twofold iudgement, iudici­um approbationis & iudicium reprobationis, the iudgement of approbation, and the iudgement of reprobation, The first in which the righteous are approoued, and rewarded with ioy, the second in which the wicked are reprooued, and rewarded with punishment, the first in which that blessed sentence shall be pronounced to the godly, venite benedicti come ye blessed of my Father; receiue the kingdome pre­pared for you from the foundation of the world. O most blessed and ioyfull word: Venite; come ye, Come from the troublesome sea of this world, wherin ye haue beene tossed, into the quiet Hauen of peace; A blessed change for Gods chil­dren. Come from your sorrowfull warre, vnto ioyfull triumph; Come from exile vnto your country: from your earthly cabbins, vnto caelestiall and stately palaces; from your poore cotages vnto a kingdome: To conclude, come ye from labour vnto rest, from misery vnto ioy, from earth vnto heauen, where ye shall inioy pleasures, without end, treasures without measure, and vn­speakable glory for euermore, Better is po­uertie with a good consci­ence then all the pompe and pelfe of the world without S. August. in Psal. 110. The day of iudgement a ioy to the godly, but ter­rour to the wicked. O terque quaterque beati. O thrice and foure times, nay thousand times ten thousand times happie shall they be, whom this blessed sentence shall embrace, who would not for a little space in this life, in­dure any misery, and vndergoe any torments, to keepe faith and a good conscience, that hee may inioy this blessed sen­tence? with what ioy, and comfort, may the godly expect this ioyfull time, although the wicked cannot thinke of it but with terrour? For as S. Augustine speaketh. Iudicum for­midandum malis propter paenam, amandum bonis propter coronam, This diuine iudgement, it is to be feared of the wicked, be­cause of their punishment; but to bee loued of the godly, because of that blessed crowne they shall then inioy, it [Page 39] should therefore be ioy vnto Gods children, as it is terrour vnto the wicked. Terrour vnto them because of that feare­full sentence which shall bee pronounced against them, in that second iudgement, when Christ Iesus shall speake vn­to them, not with a veni, come thou blessed, but with an Abi, A fearefull se­paration. goe thou cursed, not with an euge, well done thou good and faithfull seruant, but with an apage, away thou wicked and sloathfull seruant, depart into euerlasting torments, prepa­red for the diuell and his angels: O most horrible soun­ding thunderclap! O fearefull lightening! woe vnto them, A horrible thunderclap for the wic­ked. whose heads and hearts, shall be smitten with thy terrour, thou sendest the wicked into tormenting flames, but how many houres, or daies, or monethes, or yeares, shall they remaine in that scorching fire? their houres cannot bee numbred, their monethes measured, nor their yeares deter­mined, their houres are eternall, their yeares eternall, and their fire eternall, for that fire hath no end, into fire they are sent, and in fire they shall bee tormented for euermore. For as the shippe beeing oppressed, with bellowing waues, The soule of man like a shippe. sinketh downe to the bottome of the sea, so the dam­ned, beeing loaden with the fearefull billowes of Gods anger, sinke downe to the bottome of hell; from whence they shall neuer arise.

The Marriners that carried Ionah, Ionah 1.5. fearing the danger of the sea, call forth their goods and lightened their shippe, now the soule of man, is as it were a little shippe, tossed too and fro, in the troublesome sea of this world, and bee­ing heauie loaden, with the grieuous weight of sinne, is almost euery moment, readie to suffer shipwracke; Beware of shipwracke. O beloued seeing then the euerlasting flouds of Gods an­ger, which shall ouerflow the damned in hell, are so hor­rible and vnsufferable; how willingly should wee cast out all things that may endanger this weake, crasie, and leaking shippe of our soules; (be they neuer so deare vnto vs,) rather then incurre this eternall, and most fearefull shipwracke, how willingly should we cast out the in [...]llerable burden of our sinnes, and drowne them in the sea of repentance, that our shippe may bee [Page 40] lightened, and made free from this terrible danger. Thus we should doe, and thus if we doe, happy and blessed shall wee be, we shall be safe from the floods of Gods anger, & flames of his vengeance, and be imbraced in the armes of his mer­cies. Which mercies, hauing now passed these two great and terrible iudgements of water, and of fire, noted in the two first colours of the Rainebowe, the colour of water, and the colour of fire commeth in the next place to bee spoken of.

The grace and mercie of God, by which hee preserueth the world from that future destruction, noted in the greene and gracious colour, signifying the spring of Gods fauours, and the summer of his mercies; I haue set my Bow in the cloud, and it shall bee for a signe of the Couenant betweene mee and the earth. The greene colour noting the mercy of God, by which he pre­serueth the world from destruction. Ferus in Gen. cap. 9. Paraeus in Gen. cap. 9. Iustitiae quidē quod olim mū ­dus propter im­pietatem, aqua­rum diluuio iuste deletus sit vt Deum simili profanitate of­fendere metua­mus misericor­diae vero quod &c vt ad amo­rem & grati­tudinem erga Deum exci­temur. Lament. 3.22 Discamus ex Iride non iustitiae nostrae esse quod mundus non iterum deletus fuit, aut deleatur, sed diuinae misericordiae, saith a good Interpreter; We may learne from the Rainebow, that it is not of our righteousnesse, that the world hath not been destroyed, or is not now brought to destruction, but of the grace and mercy of God, figured in the greene and gracious colour of the Bowe: and a later writer agreeing with the former, obserueth the same point after this manner, Ex signo foederis diuinitus nobis proposito, iustitiae pariter, & misericordiae recordemur; from the signe of the Couenant, proposed vnto vs from God, wee are put in minde, both of his iustice and mercie; of his iustice, in that hee destroyed the world with a deluge of waters, to teach vs that we should feare to offend him with the like prophanenesse.

But of his mercy in that hee doth not destroy the world a­gaine, to mooue vs to shew our loue and thankefulnesse to­wards him for the same. It is of the Lords mercy, that wee are not consumed, because his compassions faile not, Lamen. 3.22. For the mercy of the Lord is like a riuer of water, flow­ing throughout all nations, watering all generations, and abounding throughout all ages: the mercy of the Lord is like the sea, compassing the earth, on euery part, the mercy of the Lord is like the Sunne, shinning both vpon the good and bad, vpon the iust, and vniust, it hideth it selfe from [Page 41] none, but giueth preseruation vnto all: it lifteth the wicked from the mire of iniquity, and directeth the godly in the waies of piety, it giueth all good things both temporall and eternall: health, beauty, honours, riches, and strength; and therfore I may conclude with the Prophet Dauid, Psal. 103. The mercy of the Lord is from euerlasting, to euerlasting, Psal. 103.17.19. vpon them that feare him, and his righteousnesse vnto childrens children, the Lord hath prepared his seate in heauen, and his kingdoms ruleth ouer all, gouerning all things by his mighty power, and conseruing them by his continual presence, And therefore for this end, according to that olde rule in diuinity, Enter, praesenter, Polan syntag. Deus hic & vbi (que) potenter, God is here, and God is euery where by his essence, by his presence, and by his power: and S. Augustine pithily vpon the 6. of Matthew, God is in himselfe, S. August su­per illua Mat. 6 pater noster. &c Deus est in se­ipso sicut α & ω in mundo sicut rector & au­thor, Angelis sicut sapor & decor, in ecclesiae sicut pater fa­milias in domo, in animo sicut sponsus in thae­lamo, in iustis sicut adiutor & protector, in r [...]probis sicut pauor et terror as the Alpha, and Omega, the beginning, and the ending, he is in the world, as the rector, and author, he is in the angels, as the sweete sauour and splendour; hee is in the Church, as the Father of the Family in the house; he is in the soule, as the bridegroome in the bride-chamber; hee is in the godly, as their helper, and protector; and in the wicked, as their feare, and terrour. But by his mercifull prouidence, hee is gratious vnto all, hee layeth the beames of his chambers, in the waters, and maketh the clouds his charriots, and wal­keth vpon the wings of the winde; hee watereth the hills from his chambers, and the earth is filled with the fruite of his workes, he causeth the grasse to grow for the cattell, and greene hearbs, for the seruice of men; hee hath appointed the Moone for certaine seasons, and the Sunne knoweth his going downe. O Lord our God how manifold are thy workes, in wisdome hast thou made them all, the earth is full of thy riches: thus doth God daily manifest his fauours to the whole world, in keeping it from destruction, and gi­uing all good things for the preseruation of the same. But the cause of this loue, is the free grace and mercy of God, gratia dei dat homini vitam & motum, (saith a learned writer) the grace of God doth giue to man, both life and motion: Barrardius Tom. 2. lib. 6. cap. 13. and what is this world without the water of grace? truely [Page 42] nothing but a dead sea, or sodomicall lake, in which nothing can liue.

Christ the Arke of grace Iohn 1.14. Coloss. 2.3.Of this grace Christ Iesus is the Arke wherein it is kept for vs, who was figured by the Arke of the testament, who is full of grace and truth, and in whom are hidden all the treasures of the wisedome and knowledge of God. This grace is aqua Christi, the water of Christ, with which is his loue, he doth sprinkle the soules of his seruants: it is aqua A [...]elorum, the water of Angels, with the taste of which they are refreshed, as with the riuers of the waters of life, it is aqua Hominum, the water of men, by which they are che­rished, as with the liuing fountaine of Gods fauours: it is [...]qua omnium, the water of all things, by which they are preserued in the loue and fauour of their gratious Creator: to be short, this water of grace floweth from God, floweth vnto God, and ascendeth towards heauen, yea it bringeth men vnto God, and into heauen.

Thus haue I shewed you the grace of God in generall, let me speake somewhat of it in particular: hee hath beene gratious vnto the whole world, in preseruing it, A description of the grace of God to­ward England and hath beene gratious vnto this land, in preseruing vs. O England thou hast tasted in abundance, of the riuers of Gods grati­ous fauours, thou hast beene made rich with his loue to­kens; thou hast beene deckt with the ornaments of his gra­ces, he hath put a chaine about thy necke, bracelets on thy hands, and frontlets on thy browes; he hath clothed thee with broydered worke, and shed thee with Badgers skinnes, he hath girded thee about with fine linnen, and couered thee with [...]ilke, he hath made thee glorious with siluer, and gold, thou dost eate fine flower, hony, and oyle, thou art exceeding beautifull, and art prospered into a king­dome, thy renowne is gone forth amongst the nations, for thy beauty, for thou art made perfect, through the comlinesse which thy God hath put vpon thee: his mer­cies are great vnto thee, for hee deliuered thee from thy enemies on euery side, both at home and abroad, both ci­uill and forraigne: from the terrible Armado of the Spani­ard, in eighty eight, from that horrible powder plot of the [Page 43] Papists, with many other villanous treasons in latter daies; of which thou mayest say with the land of Israel, if the Lord himselfe had not beene on our side, Psal. 134.2, 3, 4. (may England now say) when men rose vp against vs, they had swallowed vs vp quicke, when they were so wrathfully displeased at vs, the waters had drowned vs, and the streame had gone o­uer our soules: but blessed be the Lord, who hath not gi­uen vs ouer as a prey vnto their teeth; the Lord hath deli­uered thee from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; peace is within thy walles, and plenteousnesse within thy palaces, he hath filled thee with the flower of wheate, and embraced thee with mercy and louing kind­nesse. O beloued vnspeakeable are the blessings, The blessings of God to­wards Eng­land are vn­speakable. and infi­nite are the graces which he hath manifested vnto vs; hee hath giuen vs a gratious King, a wise, learned, and vnder­standing Salomon, whom God of his mercy long preserue amongst vs, he hath giuen vs a royall Queene, and a hope­full progenie, for the continuance of his fauours, whom God of his mercy long preserue amongst vs; hee hath gi­uen vs a worthy, carefull, and vigilant Counsell, with a wise Nobility, a reuerend Clergie, learned and religious Arch-bishops, and Bishops, conscionable, graue and wor­thy Iudges: all which, God of his mercy, long preserue amongst vs; to be short, he hath giuen vs famous vniuersi­ties for the supply of our wants, either in Church or com­mon-wealth, and for the encrease of learning, and religion, which God to the encrease of his glory long preserue amongst vs. And last of all, which paralels all the rest, (for had we not that, we had nothing) he hath giuen vs the rich treasures of his glorious Gospell for the saluation of our soules: which God of his vnspeakeable mercy long con­tinue amongst vs, and let euery true hearted Christian say Amen.

Thus hath God manifested his mercy to our whole land: But once againe let mee turne vnto you, yee religious and worthy Citizens, and tell you what God hath done for your soules: Infinite are the graces that God in his mercy hath bestowed vpon you, I cannot number them; he hath giuen [Page 44] you religious, zealous, and worthy Senatours, discreet and wise Magistrates, vnder our Royall Moses, to carry the sword, and to goe in and out before you with comfort; and this grace be continueth vnto you still; The Prea­chers appoin­ted from all p [...]ts of the kingdome, their incou­ragemēt pre­p [...]red by wo [...] ­thy Benefa­cto [...]s. Anno 1603. there died within & with out Lo [...]don of all diseases, 38244. of the plague, 30578 hee hath giuen you riches, and treasures in great abundance, he hath giuen you that most precious iewell of his blessed word, after an excel­lent manner: what countrey, what nation, what citie in the world doth inioy a more ioyfull supply of learned, zealous, and worthy Preachers continued vnto them after a more worthy order, then this famous Auditorie?

God did looke vpon you with an angrie countenance, whipping you with a rod of correction for your sinnes, when of late dayes, there died in one yeare aboue thirtie thousand amongst you, in that great and generall plague. But now he looketh vpon you with a fauourable eye, and hath freed you from that fearefull iudgement, which free­dome God of his infinite mercie long preserue amongst you. And I may say of all these mercies, to the whole world, The grace of God the cause of all graces toward vs. to this land, and to this citie, that Gratia Dei est causa, author, & [...]ffector omnis gratiae: the grace of God (figured in this gracious colour of the Bowe) is the cause, authour, and effect of all grace, fauour, and mercy towards vs. For if we demaund the question, what is the cause that God did create all things for our good, before hee created vs? The Answere must bee Gratia Dei, the free grace and mercie of God. What is the cause that hee hath not spared his owne Sonne, but giuen him to the death for our redemption? Gratia Dei, the free grace and mercy of God. What is the cause that hee hath giuen vs a gracious King, vnder whom we enioy the peace of the Gospell, the meanes of our sal­uation? Gratia Dei, the free grace and mercie of God. In a word, goe throughout all the graces that God hath bestow­ed vpon vs, and demaund the question of euery one, why hath God done thus? And the answere must bee, Quia bo­nus, Thankfulnes, that which God requires for h [...]s bles­sings. Because he is good and gracious, and because his mer­cie endureth for euer.

Quid retribuemus Domino? What then shal we render vnto the Lord, for his this vnspeakeable mercie, and most infinite [Page 45] grace? Wherewith shall wee come before the Lord, and bow our selues before the most high God? Shall wee come before him with thousands of rammes, or with tenne thousand riuers of oyle? Shall wee giue our first borne for our transgressions, the fruite of our bodies for the sinnes of our soules, to pay for our ingratitude, and to recompence that loue which God in his mercy hath shewed vnto vs? No, no, Beloued; this is not that which God requireth at our handes: it is Thankefulnesse, to loue mercie, to doe iustly, and to humble our selues, to walke with our God; Micah 6.6, 7.8. we should take the cup of saluation, and call vpon the Name of the Lord; wee should pay our vowes now in the presence of all his people; wee should offer vnto him the sacrifice of thanksgiuing, and tell out his workes with gladnesse. Di­uinely saith S. Bernard, Happie is that man, S. Bern. Serm. contra ingrati­tudinem. Foelix quid ad singula dona gratiae redit ad ad eum in quo est plentitudo omnium gra­tiarum. who for euery gift of grace, returneth vnto God, in whom is the fulnesse of all graces whatsoeuer. O then let vs giue thankes vnto the Lord, because hee is gracious, and his mercie endureth for euer: Let Israel now confesse, that hee is gracious, and that his mercie endureth for euer: Let the house of Aaron now confesse, that his mercie endureth for euer: Let the people of England now confesse, that his mercie endureth for euer. And last of all, let all they that feare the Lord, continually confesse, that his mercie endu­reth for euer.

This thankfulnesse God requireth at our hands, and this we are bound to render vnto him; But doe we thus?

Surely, the vineyard of the Lord of hostes, Isaiah 5.1, 2, 3, &c. is the house of England, and the men of England are his pleasant plant, he hath manifested his loue vnto them, hee hath taken care for them, he hath fenced them with a wall of peace, he hath gathered the stones from them, so that nothing might hin­der their fruitfulnesse, he hath planted them with the choi­cest vine, the vine of his word, hee hath built a tower in the middest of them, the tower of his graces, hee hath made a winepresse therein, prepared all things for their good; what could he haue done more vnto his vineyard, that he hath not done vnto it? now he looked that we should bring [Page 46] forth grapes, but haue we not brought forth wilde grapes? he looked for thankfulnesse, may I not say behold ingrati­tude? he looked for iudgement, may I not say behold op­pression? he looked for righteousnesse, may I not say be­hold a crye? If I should say it of all, I should condemne the innocent, but I may say it soone of too many, and iustly re­prooue the nocent. There is a crie that is heard in our land, but it is not a crye of those that shout for the mastery, nor of those that lament for being ouercome, nor of those that sing and make melody, these might bee passed ouer: but it is a crye of sinne, a cry of iniquity, that ascendeth vp into the eares of the Lord, from the seuerall and secret corners of the land. The crying tinnes of our sime. Should I bring you a Catalogue of these sinnes, it would weary mee to speake them, and weary you to heare them, or at least to heare of them: I will therefore but touch some of the principall, I know not where to begin, but Pride, steps forth and challengeth the first place.

1. Pride.There is a crye of Pride, of horrible Pride, men are trans­formed into women, and women into men, such is their strange Metamorphosis and preposterous order that one striueth to goe before the other in Pride. It seemeth some of them haue searched the Scripture, be it but to search out sinnes, that they may immitate them: for whereas the Lord by the Prophet reprooueth the abhominable pride of the daughters of Sion, Isaiah 3. their haughtinesse, their stret­ched out neckes, Esay. 3.16. their wanton eyes, their walking and min­cing as they goe, making a tinckling with their feete, their tinckling ornaments, their caules the round tyres like the Moone, and the like, the sonnes and daughters of our Si­on haue learned to goe beyond them, and to outstrip them in pride, painting their faces, and painting their cloaths, in such a deformed manner, defacing their naturall formes, that at the day of iudgement God will not know them to be his. But against these, the Lord threatneth a fearefull punish­ment, Isaiah 3.24. It shall come to passe, that in stead of sweet smell, there shall be stinke, in stead of a girdle, a rent, in stead of well set hayre, baldnesse, and burning, in stead of beauty. And I would to God this City were free from this [Page 47] sinne, that it might be free from this punishment.

After this, a second iniquitie rideth post, and now whore­dome walketh hand in hand with pride, and sometimes iustles for the wall, there is a crye of whoredome, 2. Whordome yea it is growne to such a height, that now many of our gallants, account it but recreation, 3. Drunken­nesse. Isaiah [...]8.1. 3. Mothers. 3. Daughters 4 Oppression Isaiah 5.8. Isaiah 3.15. 5. Simony. Quatuor eccle­sias portes intra tur in omnes, C [...]saris & Si­moni, sanguinis atque dei. Prima patet magnis numis paetet altera, charis Tertia. sed pau­cis quarta pa­tere solet. S Greg in Re­gistr [...]ab. 1. quest 1. cum [...]mn [...]s au [...]tia id [...]rum sit seruitus, quis­quis h [...]n [...] (& ma [...] [...]in dan [...] [...]) r [...]g [...]ter [...]n [...] infideli [...]is pe­titionisubijci­t [...]r etia [...]si [...]e­nere [...]tdum ver­bis [...]u [...]d neque fa [...]ijs vid [...]atur and our prophane Atheists will boast of their bawdery.

Drunkennesse begins to quarrell, and is angry that her daughter whoredome is preferred before her; but I answer her greeting, rayling with the Prophet, Woe to the crowne of pride and drunkennesse of Ephraim, and woe vnto them that rise vp early to follow drunkennesse, and continue vn­till night, till the wine doe inflame them. And (ob) that this City were free from these sinnes, that it might be free from these woes: but these are three vicious mothers, that bring forth three venemous daughters oppression, simmony, and sacriledge; which like the leane Kine of Egypt, denoure all they meete with.

Hence commeth the crye oppression, worse then the crye of the children of Israel, against their Taske-masters in Egypt, the poore labourer cryeth for vengeance against the Depopulator, and the hunger starued tennant, against the rent-racking landlord. But woe bee vnto them that ioyne house to house, and lay field to field, till there bee no place that they may be placed by themselues in the midst of the earth: and woe vnto them that grinde the faces of the poore (saith the Lord or hoasts.

Simony is sister to Oppression, for when the field is depo­pulated, corne groweth scarce and therefore the oppressing Patron must part stakes with the Simonicall incumbant, for ease of charge, hence it commeth to passe that of those foure ordinary gates of entrance into the Church, Caesaris & Si­mon [...] sanguinis atque dei, By fauour of Caesar, of Simony, of Friends, and of God, three of them are almost stopt vp, and their passages growne ouer with grasse, but the path of Si­mony is made a high way, because shee hath played the ingrosser, and bought the Monopoly of the rest.

Sacriledge is fellow heire with Simony, and goeth to [Page 48] law with religion, Non vndecū (que) tollere hoc est sacrilegium committere, sed de Ecclesia qui aliquid futatur Iudae proditori, comparatur. for the right of the Church, and it is to be feared without the mercy of God, and fauour of the King, that in many places they will be quite ouerthrowne, witnes that abhominable crye of horrible Sacriledge, that foun­deth in the world, where the godlesse depopulators haue inclosed fields, townes, Churches and all, pulling those downe, which their religious fore-fathers did build vp, stop­ping their doores with thornes, and their windowes with bushes, yea couering their roofes with thatch, nay leauing them naked, or els turning these holy places into barnes, or sheepe coates, or other prophane vses, so that for lacke of people, the earth and bruite beasts may complaine to the Lord, Psal. 79.1. in the words of the Prophet, O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance, thy holy Temple haue they defiled, and made Ierusalem an heape of stones: many more are the crying sinnes of these daies, but two especially had deed to be spoken of, the first is Hypocrisie and dissimulati­on, the second Schisme and diuision.

7. Hypocrisie.There is a crye of hypocrisie euery where to bee heard, for how many are there that professe themselues to be the seruants of Christ, and yet when occasion serues, will haue concord with Beliall, and serue the diuell; that will make a shew of offering sacrifice vnto God, in the temple of the Lord, and yet ioyne themselues with Idolatours in the tem­ple of idols, that will serue the Lord at Ierusalem, and yet offer oblations to the golden calues in Bethel, and in Dan: that will besure to verifie the prouerbe, Run with the Hare, and yet hold with the Hound; professe simplicitie with the Sheepe, and yet practise their subtiltie with the Foxes, play on both hands, like Ambo-dexters, fit, and frame, and fashion themselues for all companies, with the religious, they will seeme religious, and with the prophane they wil follow pro­phanenesse; with the godly they will seeme to be godly, and with the wicked they will practise iniquitie; with the sober they will commend sobrietie, but yet they will not cease to bee drunke with the drunken; with the continent they will extoll chastitie, they will not refraine the harlots houses to commit adultery. To bee short, they are like Ferrie-men, [Page 49] looking one way, but rowing another way, bearing men in hand, that they are trauelling forwards, in the narrow way that leadeth vnto life, when indeede they are walking for­wards in that broad path that leadeth to destruction: for what kinde of wickednesse, will they not commit, being intized vnto it, by the deceitfull baits of profit, and pleasure, sabbath breaking, sacriledge, simonie, vsury, periury, vilanie, Stony ground Math. 13.21. and what not; making shipwracke of faith, and of a good conscience, as the Apostle speaketh. But such as those are, re­ceiue their seede amongst stones, and therefore hindring the roote of the word, by their stony hearts, they obtaine only the leaues of profession, and are altogether depriued of the good fruite, of a true religion, their faith is resisted, by the stones of error, their hope resisted, by the waues of feare, and their charitie resisted, by the blustering windes of malice and enuy, they are composed of inconstancy, and therfore wan­ting the firme and stable pillars of faith, hope, and charitie, their house of hypocrisie, is suddainly ouerturned, by that strong man, the diuell, (more mightie then Sampson) & they themselues, with their outside profession, beaten to peeces in a moment.

The last sinne is schisme, and diuision in the Church, 8. Schisme. and the cry of this is so grieuous, that it grieues me to thinke of it, much more to speak of it, most of all to behold it amongst our selues, In the primitiue Church, Acts 2 46. they were all of one minde, and all of one heart, O happie vnion! O blessed time! but now how many minds, how many schismes? how many diuisions in the Church? and that many times about sha­dowes, about ceremonies, about circumstances, while let the substance goe, one saith I am of Paul, another I am of A­p [...]llo, another I am of Cephas, another I am of Christ, is Christ diuided? did Paul die for you? or was Apollo crucified? cer­taine it is, that you cannot diuide Christ, though you may diuide our selues from Christ; O then take heede, of ren­ding Christs seamelesse coate, of making Schisme, Christ seame­lesse co [...]te must not bee rent. and diuisi­on in the Church, labour to keepe vnitie, with veritie, and veritie, with vnitie, least Christ cast ye forth of the Church, take his coate of protectiō frō you, & so being found naked, in the stormes of misery, ye perish in the day of vengeance.

Thus (right Honorable, and beloued,) from this greene and gratious colour of the Bow, I haue shewed you the mer­cy of God, by which he preserueth the world from destructi­on, I haue shewed you the infinite graces, which he hath be­stowed vpon this land, vpon this citie, I haue shewed you the vnthankefulnesse of many in the world, manifested in the crying sinnes of the time, S. Ch [...]sost. H [...]m 2. ad p [...]pulum Antioch. sic incipit. of which I may conclude as S. Chrysostome begins his second Homily to the people of Antioch, Quid dicam? aut quid loquar? lachrymarū presens tem­pus, non verborum, &c. What should I say? or what should I speake? it is a time of teares, and not of words, of mourning, and not of speaking, of prayer, and not of preaching such is the mag [...]it [...]de of sin, the vncurable wound of iniquitie, & vniuersall plague of impiety, that it is impossible to be hea­led without the powerfull hand of a mightie God. That of S. August. now verified; S. Aug lib. 4. d [...] Baptism. con [...]a Donat. Infidelis dispu­tat contra fidē, sed improbus Ch [...]stianus vi­vit contra fi [...]ē, vn le cum v­t [...]r (que) aducese­tur fi [...]ei neuter per illam potest habere salutē. The vnbeleeuing Pagan, disputeth against faith, and the wicked Christian liueth against faith, from whence it commeth to passe, that since both of them are aduersaries vnto faith, neither of them can haue saluatiō by faith. True it is, beloued, that the Lord hath freed vs from h [...]s iudgements, and giuen vs peace, by which wee inioy the comfort of the Gospel; but let vs take heed, lest by our sins we mooue him to remooue our candlestick, to depriue vs of our peace, and send his terrible plagues amongst vs. O that these crying sinnes were banished our land, then happy and blessed should we be! I know there is not wanting religious and zealous Bishops, graue & worthy Iudges, who are care­full and vigillant, to banish these hatefull cries both from Church and Common wealth. But such is the subtilty of the serpent, and corruptions of the times, that this crie is either stopped before it commeth to their eares, or else the sinnes themselues (like painted harlots) are so masked, and gilded ouer with the colors of deceit, that their vgly countenances cannot be seene, Potestetiam appluarie illud S. B [...]n. Oportet humiliter de se sentire nitentē ad altiora, &c. in Cant. ser. 24. & by this meanes they escape vnpunished.

If I my selfe were in place, to speake vnto those which are in authoritie, I should consider my owne vnworthinesse, and confesse with S. Bernard, non est meae humilitatis dictare vobis, It is not for my humilitie (Right honourable lords) to dictate vnto you, or to tell you what you should doe, I [Page 51] know ye are wise, ye are zealous, ye are religious. But yet my duty to my great Lord, and master, my loue, to his Church my mother, and my earnest desire, for the good, and welfare of my King, and country, binds me as it bindeth all, continually to pray vnto that great Lord Keeper of Is­rael, to defend his glory, his Church, our King, and coun­try, and to beate downe these crying sinnes, that so wee may inioy our gratious peace, with his blessed graces for euermore; and I hope there is none but will say, Amen.

Thus you haue heard these three principall colours of the Rainebowe, the colour of water, the colour of fire, The three colours note the Trinitie. S. Basilius mag. in Epist. Personatū pro­prietates velut flos quidam ex illis qui appa­rent in I [...]de in vnoquo (que) ful­geam, nec vllū esse ipsorum in­ter se differen­tiam secundū naturae propie­tatem. sed in communitate substantiae dis­criminis propri­etates in vno­quo (que) r [...]lucere. and the greene colour, the signe of grace, (with their three principall morals) at large declared vnto you; yet once againe, S. Basil. the great who was magni nominis in Ecclesia, of great name in the Church of God, excellently obserueth further, that this heauenly Bowe, doth by a fit similitude, in his threefold colour, resemble vnto vs that holy and blessed Trinitie; For as in the Bowe there is a threefold colour, and yet but one Bowe, so in the glorious Trinitie, there are three persons, and yet but one and the same essence: And as these colours are so mingled, and knit togither in the Bowe, that we cannot discerne, where one is separated, or distinguished from the other; so is it in the diuine essence, the persons be distinct in themselues, yet can wee not finde out (by our humane wisedome) in the proprieties of their natures, the separation of one from the other; for as in the Rainebow all the colours are one, in communitie of the same substance; so in the Trinitie, all the persons and the glory of them, is one, in the indiuisible communitie of the same essence; Hugo de Prato Florido. Dimin. Sanct. Trinitat. Serm. 1. Nihil est in v­niuerso mun [...]otam inuisibile & incompre­hensibile, sicut vnitas, & Trinitas. And this reason by the creature, doeth teach vs, that wee should take heede that we conceiue not any vaine opinion of this heauenly doctrine, when beeing drawne into any difficult place, wee doe diuersly turne our selues, to reconcile those things which are spoken; for as in these things which are ex­pressed to the eye, experience is better to teach thē the cause it selfe; so likewise in those high points, and misteries of diui­nitie, faith is better, and more auaileable, then all the com­prehensions of reason, in the world.

Last of all Tropologically, these three colours of the Bow, [Page 52] may signifie those three Theologicall graces, The three co­lours note, Faith, Hope, and Charitie. V [...]gas Ribeta, Per [...]rius in Apocal. Faith, Hope, and Charitie: the caerulean colour, Faith, the greene colour, Hope, and the red, Charitie: which graces, the diuine Rain­bowe, that is the grace of God, doth showre downe in abun­dance vpon his seruants, as diuers Interpreters well obserue. These are the three principal colours of the Bow: and from these and diuers others, arising from the reflection of these there doeth appeare an excellent beauty, in the admirable Rainbow. I meane not now to dispute those many questi­ons, Diuers que­stions about the colours. concerning these colours, which are discussed by anci­ent and moderne Philosopbers, as whether these colours of the Rainbow be colors according to the veritie of the mat­ter or in appearance only? whether that which lieth between the lesser periferie, or circumference of the Bow, & the grea­ter, be a thing coloured or not? whether that which is seene between the two Rainbowes (the principall and that which is caused by refl [...]xe of the principall) bee coloured with the purple, carnation, and fiery colour? whether the light in the middle be any qualitie? and in a word, whether it be possible that a third Rainbowe should appeare, and for what cause? with diuers others of the like curiositie. I will not now stand to dispute the causes of these seuerall colours, or the diuers reasons of each one in particular, because it doeth more per­taine to Philosophy, then diuinitie, neither will I now prose­cute any further the diuers morals of these different colours. The third part. The situation of the Raine­bow in the cloud. M [...]rcer. in Gen. But rather hasten to the next part of my text, the situation of the Bow, in the cloud (of which with the rest) I wil speak but briefly, and so draw towards a conclusion. I haue set, &c.

Mercerus in his Commentary vpon Gen. hath noted out of Rasian Hebrew, that when God spake vnto Noah, he made the Rainbow then to appeare in the cloud, and as pointing vnto it with his finger, saith thus, Ecce, hoc est signū soederis & arcus qeum vides; behold, this is the signe of the couenant, and the bowe which thou seest, we haue no certaine warrant for this opinion. Ferus in Gen. But certaine it is, that hoc signum non in terra, sed in coelo constituit, God did not place this Bowe in the earth, or in the sea, but in the heauen, that it might be seene of all, and he causeth it to appeare tempore plunioso, God offereth grace to all. in the time of raine: To teach vs first, that God offereth the signes of his grace [Page 47] vnto all, & therfore al should take notice of them, & remem­ber his loue; if they neglect this, they are made without ex­cuse. 2. That God is more powerfull then his creatures, God more powerfull thē his crea­tures. In miserie God remem­breth mercy. he can keepe them from hurting his seruants, seeme they neuer so prepared, and therfore we need not be afraid of the signes of heauen, or terror of the clouds. Thirdly, & lastly, to teach vs, that in midst of misery, God remembers mercy, for when the clouds showre downe raine, as if they would drowne the world, euen then God sheweth his Bowe, the signe of his fa­uour, for the comfort of his seruants. Againe, Allegorie 1. the situation this Bow is in the cloudes: but yet the ends of it doe reach downe to the earth; Arist. Sect. 13. Problem. 3. & in the time of Arist. it was the cōmon opinion, that the Rainbow lighting with her two ends vpon the hearbs & flowers, did make them much more sweet and odoriferous: concerning which, how & when it is done, he disputeth at large in his Problems. Plinius lib. 13. But Pliny doth constantly affirme, that the tree Aspalathus, the rose of Ierusalem, or our Ladies rose, by the touching of the rainebow, is made much more delectable. And as the rainbow doth giue an excellent odor to all herbs, Plinius lib. 17. cap. 5. so specially it doth giue to this an vnuttera­ble sweetnes, for when the earth is watered, & the Rainbow doth cst down her seed vpon it, she doth thē send forth that diuine & heauenly breath, to which no sweetnes can be cō ­pared. Which notable effect of the rainbow, Aristale hist. animal lib. 5. cap. 22. Arist. describeth further, teaching, that to the generation of that melaeris, that hony of the aire (which our Philosophers called mel roris, the hony of deaw, & we the hony fall) the Rainbow doth giue a principal furtherance. But I faile too long in this Philosophi­cal sea; yet of this there is not wāting a Theological vse. Allegory 2. As the [...]aine­bow do [...]h make sw et the flowe [...] of the earth, so Christ ma­keth accepta­ble in the sight of God. Math. 3.17. For as the rainebow with her heauenly deaw, distilling from the clouds, doeth giue an excellent odour, to the flowers of the earth vpon which it doth light; so likewise Christ Iesus, who is that mysticall Rainbow & eternall signe of Gods fauour, with the caelestiall dew of his spirituall graces distilling from the throne of his mercy, (which is perfumed with the sweet smelling incense of his meritorious sacrifice) doeth sweeten with melliferous odours, the hearts, and soules and con­sciences of his children, making them acceptable in the nostrils of their heauenly Father.

And therefore at the sight of this beautifull Bowe, we may remember with vnspeakable ioy, that most blessed, and ioy­full Bainebowe, the Sonne of God.

Allegorie 3. Arist. lib. 3. Meteorolog. visade longe apparent mino­ranigriora. The further we are from Christ, the lesse of his glory can wee behold. Isa. 59.2.Thirdly, the situation of this Bowe is in the cloudes, and the further we are from it, the lesse beautifull glorious, and delectable, it doth appeare; and so likewise the further wee are from Christ Iesus, by our naturall corruption, impeniten­cy, and continuance in sin, the lesse glorious, beautifull, and excellent doth he appeare vnto vs; but the neerer we ap­proach vnto him, by faith, holinesse, and newnesse of life, the more glorious shall we behold him, and more earnestly long to inioy him; O then beloued! how should wee labour, with the bright flames of zeale, to banish the darke clouds of our sinnes, which do make a separation betweene Christ and vs; and obscure the light of our eies, that we cannot behold, the brightnesse of his glory; How earnestly should we striue, to draw neere vnto him; that being refreshed at the sight of his beauty, we may behold with ioy, & comfort, so glorious a Rainebowe, and being confirmed in faith, we may one day inioy his blessed glory for euermore.

Allegorie 4.Fourthly, the Rainebowe is placed in the clouds, but by how much the Sun is higher, by so much this Bow is lesser: for at the middle of the day, The more grace bestow­ed vpon vs, the more hu­militie requi­red of vs. it is thinner, smaller, & narrow­er (although of a greater circle:) And so likewise by how much higher Christ Iesus, who is the Sunne of righteousnes, is in our hearts, that is, by how much the more he doth con­ferre his giftes and graces vpon vs; by so much the more should we labour to beate downe our naturall pride, and bee lesser in our owne conceits: for by this meanes it will come to passe, that howsoeuer wee may seeme vile in the sight of the world, yet shall wee bee accounted honourable in the sight of God.

Allegorie 5.Fiftly, the Rainebowe being in the cloude, seemeth grea­ter then the sunne, which men may meruaile at, because it is but the glasse of the Sunne, shewing the image therof, the Sunne being the obiect, and cause of the Bowe; But the reason is, because the Bowe is a glasse of this nature, that it doth make the obiect much greater, and doth increase the formes into a wonderfull magnitude.

And herein those doe paralel the Bow, Vile ingrati­tude. Mind­full of their owne honor, but forgetfull of Gods. who receiuing all that they haue from God, as the Rainebow doth receiue her light and glory from the beames of the Sun; yet labour to extoll their owns glory, aboue the glory of their maker: ta­king greater care, for their owne honour, then for the glory and honour of God, who in this will be like the Rainebow, though not in any thing they should: like those who as the Bow appeareth onely in the day, and not in the night, so likewise immitating the Bowe, Dissembling Christians. they will make profession of Christ in the day time of prosperity, but when the night of aduersitie approcheth, they forsake their profession, & leaue Christ to himselfe, rather then they will endure the least miserie for his sake; or like those who as the Bow hath both endes downewards, Os homini sub­lime dedit. But couerous wordlings like bruite beasts looke euer downe­wards. so they bend all their affections down­wards, casting their eyes vpon the ground, searching greedi­ly for the mucke and pelfe, and vaine honours of the world, but seldome or neuer lifting vp their hearts or eyes towards heauen, to seeke for the riches and treasures thereof. But we must not so immitate the Bow, but as (according to the o­pinion of the ancient) the Rainebow letting downe her hornes vpon the earth, Virgil. 1. Greg. Plaut. Curcul. & Propertius lib. 3. cleg 4. Vitrunius lib. 9. cap. 4. Looke down­ward vpon Gods bles­sings, and send vpward thy thankful­nes, then will God send down his graces vpon thee. doth draw vp the water from the fountaines to the cloudes, which being turned into showers, doe returne and water the fruites of the earth, for which cause this phrase was vsed of them arcus bibit aquas the Bow doth drinke vp the waters, (which opinion Vitrunius defen­deth, calling the Bow a notable instrument by which God doth draw vp the waters from the earth, into the ayre, by this meanes to make the ground more fruitfull: so likewise beeing inlightened with the heauenly brightnesse of Gods gracious Spirit, and casting downe both our eyes to behold the infinite blessings of God vpon the earth; we should be mooued by diuine contemplation, to send vp the sweete smelling vapours of thankefull hearts, towards the cloudes of heauen, that being conuerted into the diuine showers of Gods mercifull fauours, we may be made fruitfull, with all spirituall graces whatsoeuer.

To conclude the Rainebow doth appeare in the cloude, How long the Rainbow shall continue But there is a question demanded, concerning the continu­ance of it, how long shal it remaine & be seene in the clouds? [Page 42] It is reported that some holy men were of opinion, Author Histor. Scholast. in lib. Genes. cap. 38. that for fortie yeares, before the day of iudgement, and generall bur­ning of the world, there should be neither Raine, nor Raine­bowe to be seene: But what these holy men were, I cannot reade, for I can finde none of the ancient Fathers vpon my Text, to be of this iudgement, yet it seemeth the ground, and foundation, of this opinion was, that they supposed that generall burning of the world, could not be effected with­out an vnspeakable precedent drinesse of the aire, and an vn­measurable abundance, of drie exhalations, and so much of this drie matter, as they dreamed necessarie, for the burning of the world, could not be gathered but in a long continu­ance of time, not possibly in lesse then in forty yeares, and therefore for that time, there should be neither Raine nor Rainebowe; But in this reason, that which is taken for cer­taine, is not only vncertaine, but most plainly false, for that burning of the world, shall not be effected by natural causes, but by the supernaturall worke, and diuine power of al­mightie God, as the first iudgement was, when the whole world (except Noah and his family) was destroyed with the floud; And therefore there it no reason, why there should not be both Raine, Petitio principii and Rainebowe, till the day of iudgment, for both these shall passe away with the cloudes, and not before. And thus from the cloudes the scituation, I passe to the vse of the Bow, It shall be for a signe: I haue set my Bow in the cloud, 4. Part. it shall be for a signe. Authore Socrat. apud Platonem. and it shall be for a signe of the Couenant betweene mee and the earth.

This Iris or Rainebow, is deriued [...], of the greeke verbe, which signifieth to speake, because it is a speaking signe or visible word, for it is signum pluuiae tum praeteritae, tum instantis, a signe both of raine that is past, and of raine that is at hand; and therefore it was feigned of the heathen poets, to be nuncius Iunonis, the messenger of Iuno, and of others it was called Daemonis (hoc est sapientis) arcus the Bow of God, or of a wise Creator, because it is a signe of the diuine wise­dome, certaine it is that it is nuncius dei, the messenger of God, by which he doth testifie that he will no more bring a generall floud to destroy the world. Two signifi­cations of the Bow.

This Rainebow hath two principall significations. In the first [Page 25] one Phisicall or naturall, the second metaphisicall or super­naturall. In the first it is signum pluniae, a signe of raine, in the second it is signum serenitatis, a signe of faire weather, and this is aboue nature, for all naturall Philosophy is ignorant of it, onely the Church doth vnderstand it by faith, out of the re­ueiled will of God, that as often as the Bow doth appeare in the cloud, we remember the couenant and promise of God, that the world should neuer againe be destroyed with water.

But how can this be, may some man obiect? Whether the Rainbow was before the flood. how is it pos­sible that the Rainebow should be a signe, that there should not follow a generall floud, to destroy the world, seeing the Rainebow was before the floud, and then was no true signe of this, as the euent did plainly testifie; To this some haue answered, that the Rainebowe was not before the floud, so Saint Chrysostome, Alcuinus, and the interlinearie Glosse.

But without question this Rainebowe was before the floud, although after the floud, it was appointed for a signe. S. Chrysost. Hom. 28. Gen. First because God did cease from all the workes of creation the seauenth day, Gen. 2.2. so that hee did not after create any new species, or kindes of creatures: and therefore, it must needes follow, that the Rainebow was created before the floud. Pererius in Gen. Quarsum enim Deus hunc e [...]inem toto eo tempere impedi­u [...]ser? quorsum [...]a diuturno mi­raculo naturalē Iri [...]is ac plu­uiae generatio­nē prohibuisset. Certe nulla ra­tio reddipotest, cur Deus omis­sa naturali via refrigerandi terras, pec im­b [...]es tanto mi­raculo exundā ­tium terrestri­um aquarum tandiu vti voluit.

Secondly, God created the causes of the Bowe before the floud, for there was not wanting the cloudes, nor the Sunne, nor a place where the cloudes might be set against the Sun, vpon which the Sun shining, the Rainebowe doth appeare, And therefore since the causes of the Bowe were before the floud; it must needs follow, that the effect of these causes, the Rainebow, was before the floud also, (except it can bee shewed, that the generation of the Bowe, was hindred by some other impediment, which cannot be) for it is a rule in Philosophie, Posita causa ponitur effectus, the cause being pla­ced & perfected, the effect must of necessity follow; as when the Sunne draweth towards our Horison, the light and day begins to appeare; when the fire is kindled, the heate doth suddenly increase, or when as a man beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse, his image is presently represented to his sight, so likewise a soone as the sunne did cast his bright beames, vpon the glasse of the waterie cloudes, the effect thereof, did presently manifest it selfe vnto the world, but [Page 58] this was before the floud, and therefore the Rainebowe be­fore the floud also.

Yet against this those of the contrarie opinion, obiect the words of my Text, that God speaketh here vnto Noah in the future tense, I will set my Bow in the cloude, & therfore it should seeme rather, Cornelius cor­nelii a lapide in Comment in Genes. that the Rainebow was created after the floud, then before, To which I answer, that howsoeuer in the Sep­tuagint translation it is [...], pono, I do put, and in the com­mon Latine, ponam, I will put, yet (as a learned interpreter well obserueth) in the Hebrew text, it is in the preterperfect tense, NATATTI, dedi, posui, I haue giuen, I haue set, and God might well haue said, I doe giue, I doe set, or I will set, but not that it was not there before, but that it should now bee for a signe, of that couenant, betweene me and the earth, for after the same manner the water in Baptisme, was institu­ted by Christ our Sauiour, to be a signe in the sacrament, and yet water was an element created at the beginning, as the Rainbow was created before the floud, so that I may thus answer the 1. Obiection, Almightie God, not naturally, but by his diuine institution, hath appointed the Rainebow for a signe, that there should not any more come, a generall floud, to destroy the world.

Againe, if the Rainebowe be not a naturall signe, of a fol­lowing floud, of what then is it a naturall signe of Raine? or of faire weather? of windes? or of the tranquilitie of the heauens? Plinie in his second booke of naturall historie, see­meth to be of opinion, Plinius lib 2. natural. hist. cap. 59. Plin lib. 18. cap. 59. that it is no certaine signe of of any of these; yet in his eighteenth booke he affirmeth, that when two Rainebowes appeare, it is a signe of Raine, and if a Rain­bowe appeare after showers, it is a signe of faire whether, although not alwaies certaine, But Seneca teacheth, that as the Rainbow doth appeare, Seneca. lib. 1. naturel. quest. cap. 6. in a diuerse region of the aire, or in a diuerse time of the day, so it doth portend, diuers things: If in the morning, it sheweth Raine that is past, and some small showers to come; If at noone, or there abouts, it is a signe of greater showers; Scaliger. contra cardanum ex­ercitat. but if it appeare at night, it signifi­eth faire weather, to whom Scaliger, others accord. And the reason of this, is giuen by Philsophers, because a morning Bow, being ful of the moyst vapours of the night, is [Page 59] as it were a vessell, of some following showers, by reason of the thicke mistes that remaine. A meridian Bowe, doth carry grea­ter store of waters, and portendeth more Raine, because the waters gathered, cannot be dried vp, with the most vehement heate of the Sunne, such is the greatnesse of their force, And an euening Bow, hauing the greatest part of the moyst & vapou­ry miste dried vp in the former part of the day, promiseth faire weather, and therfore seldome or neuer doth any store of Raine follow im [...]ediately after. But I proceede forwards, God hath appointed it for a signe.

And a signe as S. Augustine describeth it, S. August. l. 2. de Doct. Christ. cap. 1. Signum vero est res praeter speciem quam ingerit sensibus aliud aliquid ex sefaciens in cogitationem venire. 2. King. 20.11 Ioel. 2.31. Gen. 2.9. Iudges 6.37, 38, 39. Isaiah 7.14. Gen. 17.10. Exod. 12.3. Math. 28.19. Luk. 22.19. is a thing which doth cause, another matter to be remembred, besides that ex­ternall figure, which it doth shew to the outward senses: And signes are commonly of 3. sorts, the first, signastuporis, signes of wonder and amazement, as the Sun, when it went ten degrees backe at the praier of Ezechia. The second signaterroris, signes of terrour and affrightment, as those signes which shall be be­fore the day of iudgement, when the Sun shall be turned into darknesse, & the moone into bloud, The third are signa amoris signes of loue and contentment, As the particular signes of Gods loue to his elect, and these either to certaine persons, as the tree of life to our first parents in Paradise, Gene. 2. The wet & dry fleece to Gidion, or the conception of the virgin to king Achas, or to the whole Church either before Christ, as Cir­cumcision, the Passeouer, & Sacrifices; or since Christ, as Bap­tisme, & the Supper, or last of all that vniuersall signe of Gods loue, to the whole world, the admirable Rainebowe, which he hath appointed for a signe of the couenant, betweene him and the earth.

Ecce post policitationem verbo factam & hoc signum addo (saith S. Chrysost.) as speaking of God, Behold, after my promise, 1. S. Chrysostom. Hom. 28. in Genes. I doe giue you a seale of my promise, to confirme the same. So that God doth not only manifest his loue by Oracles, and binde himselfe by promise, and couenant, but he proceedeth further, and addes sacraments, & seales to his couenant, Gods omits nothing that may confirme the faith of his chosen. that he might seeme to omit nothing, which might serue to confirme the faith of his chosen, Thus did he in the Spirituall couenant, hee gaue to our first parents in paradise, the sacrament of the tree of life, and of the tree of knowledge of good and euill, he gaue [Page 60] to the Patriarches the sacrament of circumcision, & the passe­ouer, he hath giuen to his church since, the Sacrament of Bap­tisme, and the Supper: and thus he doth in the corporall coue­nant, he giueth vnto Noah the admirable Rainebow, for the confirmation of his faith, and to be a seale of the couenant be­tweene him and the earth: to teach vs to banish incredulity, Incredulitie must be bani­shed. & to beleeue his promises. For as the vse of the Rainebow on the part of God, is to testifie his grace and mercy vnto men, so the vse of the Rainebow one the part men, is to confirme their faith, Mercelus in Genes. and loue towards God, the Iewes are exceeding religious in this matter, for when they see the Rainbow, they go forth, fall downe, and confesse their sins, acknowledging themselues worthy to bee drowned with a floud of Gods vengeance; though we are not bound to be superstitious, yet fitting it is, that we should not forget Gods infinite loue, and mercy to­wards vs.

Allegorie 1. The rainbow a signe of the Gospel.Againe it shall be for a signe, Allegorically this Rainebow is a signe of the euangelicall Law, for as the Rainebow being set for a signe, did shew forth peace, pardon, and glory, so the euangelicall law, brought with it, grace, remission of sinnes, and promise and assurance, of eternall glory in the heauens. Secondly this Rainebow doth signifie the incarnate word of God, Allegorie 2. God in the flesh, or the humanity of Christ, and that after a manifold analogy, A manifold Analogie be­tweene Christ and the Bowe. and similitude betweene them For first as the Sunne shining in the Cloud, doth beget a glorious and beautifull Bow, so the eternall word of God, that most power­full Sunne of righteousnesse shining in, and vpon our humane nature, did as it were beget a glorious and blessed Redeemer, after a diuine and wonderfull manner. Secondly, as the rain­bow was a Symbole of peace in the time of Noah; so the incar­nation of Christ was the reconciliation of the world. Thirdly, the two hornes or ends of the Bowe, may signifie the two na­tures of Christ, his diuine, and humane, of which the hidden and inuisible string, is like vnto the secret and admirable hy­postaticall vnion of his two-fold nature. Fourthly, in the Rainebowe there is a three-folde colour, and so likewise in Christ; for Christ was Caerulean, or Caelestiall by prayer, hee was greene and flourishing, by the flowers of spirituall graces, and heauenly vertues, of which hee was full, as Saint [Page 61] Iohn speaketh. Iohn 1. verse 14. Ioh. 1.14. And hee was redde by his bloud, shedde vpon the Altar of the crosse, by treading the winepresse of Gods wrath alone, by which his raiment was stained, as the Prophet speaketh. Isaiah. 63.3. Fiftly as from this Bowe are sent forth, diuerse secret, sweete, and comforta­ble vertues, amiable to the flowers of the earth, so likewise, from that mysticall, and heauenly Rainebow Christ Iesus, are sent downe many sweete, comfortable, and hidden arrowes of diuine loue, with which his blessed spouse, being wounded to the heart, sings in her passionate loue to Christ her hus­band, stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples, for I am sicke of loue. Sixtly, as this Bowe is imbrifera, a Rainie-bowe, Cant. 2.4. so likewise was that diuine Rainebow Christ Iesus, when one the day of Pentecost, he did shower downe in abundance, the sweete raine of heauenly grace, and caelestiall doctrine, into the hearts of his Apostles, & doth continually shower downe, his infinite blessings vpon his seruants. In a word this Raine­bow being a semicircle descending towards the earth, and ascending towards heauen, may fitly shew Christ descending towards the earth to take our nature vpon him, to free vs by his passion from the wrath of his father, and his ascension to prepares a place for vs, where we shall one day liue, and reioyce with him, in glory and happinesse, for euermore. And thus doth the Rainebowe figure that heauenly Bowe Christ Iesus.

Or otherwise this Rainebow is a figure of Christ, In another manner the Rainebow is a figure of Christ. the clouds may signifie his body, the threefold colour, his three­fold substance, his flesh, his soule, and his diuinitie, or his threefold supreame dignity, spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah, of King, of Iudge, and of Lawgiuer, or last of all, his threefold spirituall office, of King, Priest, and of Prophet. Per [...]rius in Genes. To be short the Philosophers teach that the Rainebow doth consist of a threefold substance, the earth, the water, and the aire, from whence doth arise the threefold varietie, of his colour, of greene, redde and watery; And by this is insinuated the greatnesse, of diuine mercy, Gods mercy in a threefold respect. manifested vnto men in a three­fold respect, in the state of nature, of the law of Moses, and of the Gospell: in the state of creation, of naturall cor­ruption, and spirituall grace: in the grace of predestination, [Page 60] from all eternitie, of iustification in time, and of glorification, beyond all time. But I dwell too long in these Allegories; yet once againe.

It shalbe for a signe. We reade in the Scripture of diuers ap­paritions of this glorious Bow, in the vision of the diuine ma­iestie, Ezek. 1.28. which was shewed to Ezekiel, the brightnesse of the glo­ry of God was like vnto the Bow that is in the cloud in the day of raine. In the Reuelation to that Euangelicall Prophet S. Iohn, Reuel. 4.3. Polan. de Sa­cramento fa­deris. there was a rainbowe round about the throne, in sight like vnto an Emerald: A Rainebowe, to signifie that God was mindfull of his couenant with Noah, and with his posteritie. In sight like vnto an Emerald, to shew the mercy of God to­wards the penitent, whom God doeth refresh with a gracious countenance. Pererius in Genes. A Rainbow compassing a throne: the Raine­bow signifieth the mercy of God, and the throne his Church, to shew, that God doeth protect and defend his Church with perpetuall mercy, as the Rainbow did compasse the throne.

Lastly, in another vision, S. Iohn beholdeth a mightie Angell come downe from heauen, Reuel. 10.1. Angel. Christ, Cloude, Hu­manitie, Rain­bowe, Coue­nant. cloathed with a cloud, and a raine­bow vpon his head, his face shining like the Sunne, and his feet as pillars of brasse. A mightie Angel, that is Christ Iesus clo­thed with a cloud, that is, his humanitie; and hauing a Raine­bow about his head, to shew that he is the Author of the coue­nant, and of our reconciliation with God, figured likewise by the Rainbow in my text. But I passe to the last part of my text, the intimation of the internall significate, in the last words, Of the couenant betweene me and the earth: Of which I will giue a touch, and so conclude.

The fift part. Couenant. Erit signum foederis, it shalbe for a signe of the couenant; that is, a signe which shall seale, and confirme that couenant which I haue entred with mankind, as the seale of a King confirmeth the Charter granted to his subiects, nay much more firme, for that may altar, because it is from man, but this is vnchangea­ble, A twofold Couenant. because it is from God. This Couenant which God hath entred with mankind, is twofold, a spirituall couenant, and a corporall couenant: The spirituall couenant doth consist of two branches, the first, the couenant of works, and the second, the couenant of grace. Couenant of workes. The couenant of works, is that which God made with our first parents, before their fall, promising [Page 63] vnto them eternall happinesse, if they continued obedient vn­to his commandements, which were dictated vnto them, as by word of mouth, and written in their hearts, by the power of his Spirit. The current of this was, Hoc fac, & viues, doe this, and thou shalt liue.

The couenant of grace Couenant of grace. was that which God made with our first parents, after their fall, promising them eternall life, and freedome from wrath in Christ Iesus, the seede of the woman shall breake the head of the serpents. Genes. 3. Genes. 3.15. The current of this is, hoc crede & viues, Beleeue this and thou shalt liue.

The corporall couenant, Corporall co­uenant. concerneth temporall benefits; and this is that which God made with Noah, and his sonnes, and their posterity for euer, and with euery liuing creature, vpon the face of the earth, especially aymed at by Moses, in the wordes of my text, It shall bee for a signe of the Couenant be­tweene me and the earth.

1. This couenant was made betweene God and the earth, that is the inhabitants of the earth, with Noah and with his seede after him. God then was mindfull of vs, before we were borne, God mindfull of vs before wee were borne. mindefull of vs not in anger, but in grace, much more will be not be forgetfull now, while we walke in the path of faith, and waies of righteousnesse. 2. The mercie of God farre exceeds his iustice. Againe this couenant was an euerlasting couenant, not to continue for a short time, but to the end of the world, to shew that the mercy of God doth farre exceed his iustice, for the rigour of his iustice, was but for a little space, in once destroying the world by water, but his mercy is perpetuall, in the continuall preseruation thereof. For a moment in mine anger, haue I hid my face from thee, but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee, (saith the Lord of hoasts) Isaiah 54 8. Isaiah 4.8. To mooue vs to relye on Gods mercy, in the depth of misery, and to sing with the Prophet Dauid, Sorrow may indure for a night, Psal. 30.5. but ioy commeth in the morning.

To conclude, The spirituall couenant, the fountaine of the corporall. it shall be for a signe of the couenant betweene mee and the earth. Of this couenant the Rainbow was a seale, and as it sealeth this couenant, so it signes in this that eternall co­uenant of God with his Church, Ferus in Genes. which is the fountaine and foundation of this; Pactum hoc cum Noe praefigurauit faedus Chri­sti cum Ecclesia, saith one: This couenant with Noah did pre­figure [Page 64] that couenant of Christ with his Church, spoken of Isaiah 54.10. Isaiah 54.10. Iris designat Christum, qui est signum reconciliationis perfectae. The Rainbow doeth figure Christ, who is a figure of our perfect reconciliation, a signe of our eternall friendship with God the Father, and an euerlasting memoriall of our peace: Christ the mysticall rain­bow an euer­lasting me­moriall of our peace. For although the Rainebowe, the outward signe, shall passe away with clouds; yet notwithstanding, the couenant, of which it is a signe, the memorial of our redemption, that shall remaine for euer in the sight of God the Father, and be visible in the flesh of his Sonne, in the charactars of the wounds of his hands, of his feete, and of his side, by which hee procured our most happie and endlesse peace; Rom. 5.1. Actes 10.36. Ephes. 1.6. Hebr. 1.14. Isaiah 11.6. Acts 4.32. Luke 2.29. Phil. 4.7. Ecclus. 2.14. peace with God the Fa­ther, yea with the blessed Trinitie, peace with the blessed and glorious Angels, blessed and happy peace one Christian with another. And last of all, but not least of all, peace of consci­ence, which passeth all vnderstanding. Which happy and endlesse peace with God the Father, with the blessed Trinitie, the glorious Angels, the blessed Saints, and our owne consci­ences, with euerlasting blessednesse for euer, God of thy end­lesse mercie, and most infinite grace graunt vnto vs, to thy whole Church, to euery one of thy faithfull seruants, for the vnspeakeable loue, and inestimable merits of thy deare Sonne, our blessed Sauiour: To whom with thee and the holy and most blessed Spirit, one God in Trinitie, and Trinitie in Vnitie, be ascribed all honour, glorie, and power, all might, maiestie, and dominion, this day, and for euermore. Amen.

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