A Century of Sermons

but by representation, when he stood before John in Jordan like one that was defiled. He came to undergo infirmities, and to confer strength: to take injuries, to bestow dignities; to stand for a sick person, and to bring health; to represent a sinner, but to act a Savior. That is the sum of the third reason.

Fourthly, St. Austin imagined that Christ had another intention in his Baptism indirectly, and by the by, Ut Daemoni se occultaret; for the device of a stratagem to mock the Devil, that he might not be known of him, but to draw Satan into the combat of a temptation, which fell out in the beginning of the next Chapter. The Figures out of the Old Testament were not unknown to this cunning Serpent, that it must be only an Heifer without blemish, and a Lamb without spot which was offered up unto the Lord to be a Sacrifice of atonement: Therefore he must be holy and undefiled who should be sent from God to bruise the Serpents head, and to save the people from their sins. Then this projecting Satan makes no question to rank him for a defiled person, that came to be baptized; therefore he doth infer foolishly, that upon advantage of fasting forty days, he might tempt him to sin against the Lord. Because the Devil and his Angels make it their life and pleasure to delude us silly men; God makes it his glory in our just revenge to mock and delude our enemy; as the Priests of Baal abused the poor people with hypocritical false pretences, therefore Elias turned those scoffs upon themselves, and flouted the Priests of Baal. It is strange, that when as the Devil glories in the subtlety of a Serpent, yet God should make his understanding so blind, that he never perfectly understood how Christ was the eternal Son of God, that came to destroy his grizzly kingdom, until he had suffered upon the Cross, and died for the sins of the world. First, Satan's eyes were dazzled, that he could not learn whether Christ was born of a pure Virgin, because, by God's providence, she was married to Joseph. Besides, like a mere man he was obedient to his Parents, and for thirty years neither preached nor wrought any miracle. In the first issue he sees him baptized, in the representation, at least, of a sinful man; he sees him in a great peril upon the waters nigh to drowning; observes he kept no austere life, but eat and drank with sinners; finally, views him betrayed by a Disciple that was his own familiar friend, then beaten and bruised by every cruel Officer. All these badges of infirmity put together did drive those Fiends of darkness to surmise this was not He that should conquer death and the nethermost Pit. At last, the most refined of the ancient Authors do ingenuously collect, that when Satan perceived him answering nothing before Pilate, but willing to be offered up, then he began to interpret this was the Lamb dumb before the shearer, so opened he not his mouth; and finally, at the Passion of the Cross he might see plainly, that God had darkened him not to find the truth, and that his Dominion, through his own malice, was taken away forever by the death of Jesus. Therefore I return, where I began the reason, this wicked one was intrapt to think our blessed Lord was a sinner because he was baptized. Says Origen upon the Passion, Christ was visibly crucified in Mount Calvary, but invisibly the Devil and the powers of Hell was nailed to the Cross; so I may say, Christ was visibly baptized, but Satan and his Host were invisibly drowned in those waters, because they were sanctified in this washing to save us from our sins. And that is the sum of the fourth reason.

For brevity sake I will join our last reason, and some meditations of Use together. Our Savior came to be baptized, Ut per novum ritum homines ad novitatem introducerentur; that by his example, to undergo a new Rite and Ordinance, men might be drawn from old customs to newness of life. The new Ordinance had ratification, and authority from the act of Christ, as I have shown before; he was both circumcized, and baptized; but, says Bernard, Illud mihi tenendum tradidit quod ultimo suscepit; He hath delivered to me to have and to hold for the perpetual Sacrament of the Church that which was last in being; for the form of a new Covenant was established to evacuate the old. But what's a new form if the old corruptions be retained? What an eye-sore is a new piece in an old garment? As good be an unbelieving Jew after the ancient tincture of the Law, as be a novel transformed Christian after the old leaven of the Devil. As St. Paul put the Romans in mind of their first rudiments, so must I remember you, Rom. vi. 4. Therefore we are buried with Christ by Baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so also we should walk in newness of life. Here are three things in order that have a pious connection between them, first a burial as it were in the water, then a death, and after that a rising again. First, I say, the plunging, or dipping in the water resembles a burial; for although, to favor the weakness of Infants, we cast no more than a dew of water upon their face; yet when young men converted from heathen Idolatry, required the Baptism of the Church, their whole body waded into the River, even as they that came to John stood up to the neck in Jordan; yea, and in hotter countries Infants were dipt into the bottom of the Font; this the Fathers called a resemblance that the old Adam was buried in the waters; St. Paul makes it a mystery that we are buried with Christ, therefore I find that some were wont especially to baptize on the Satterday, wherein Christ lay in the Grave; and a threefold immersion of the Child into the water was an usual Ceremony, because Christ lay buried three days in the Sepulcher.

After the representation of burial in the outward Element, the good use of that Sacrament tells us we should die unto sin. I say, first buried, and then die; for the end of being buried with Christ is, that we should die daily unto sin. This order is no hard thing to conceive; for suppose a man by mischance sunk into the bottom of the water, before he loseth his life and dies, it is true to say that he is buried in the stream which is gone over his head; therefore upon this burial-resembling baptism it behooves you to die unto the world, and to mortify your members upon earth. The death of sin is thus to be conceived, not an utter privation of all evil, but a beating down of concupiscence; it is a death to your Adversary the Devil when he cannot reign in your mortal body. Weeds which are cut down perhaps will grow no more, but their savor still stinks upon your dunghill: So you may sheare down the viciousness of your life, like an unprofitable weed, lay it dead, and let it grow no more; but it will ever leave a noisome smell in our nature. While we live in this world flesh is but a dunghill of corruption: it made St. Paul have a great desire to be dissolved, that he might be a sweet savor in Christ.

As we are buried, and die with Christ in Baptism, so we must rise with him through the faith of the operation of God, Col. ii. 12. For when Christ is given to us to be our life, to what end should we die, as it were, with him in the Laver of new birth, unless it be to rise up in a new life? This meditation cannot choose but stick by you if you will always carry the remembrance of those words before your eyes, Abrenuntio Satanae, I renounce the Devil and all his works. They are a part of your Indenture that you made with God, and how will you answer the violating of your Covenant? St. Ambrose declames thus upon it, Tenetur vox tua non in tumulo mortuorum, sed in libro viventium. Praesentibus Angels locutus es, non est fallere, non est mentiri. This word is recorded not among the dead, but in the book of the living. The Angels were present in the Church, when the Sureties in your name gave their faith to God, therefore hold you to your word; you must not falter, you must not lie unto the Lord. Walk in newness of life; that Phrase hath somewhat in it, that is not said barely in a new life. In novis vivendi formis; let there be no kind of likeness and conformity to thyself as once thou wert, a neglecter of Prayer, a Traducer, a Fornicator, a Drunkard, an Oppressor. Here is a Temple built up new unto the Holy Ghost, which once was a den of uncleanness; that which is to come of my life is altogether consecrated to the glory of my Savior, look not therefore before me now, but get thee behind me Satan.

You have now heard all the five Reasons upon the second part of the Text, why Christ was baptized. I said in the third place it was but a preparatory to greater matters which should follow, therefore he went up straightway out of the water. The Text says, straightway, as who should say, he staid not long upon that Circumstance, no more will we. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he did ascend out of Jordan, and very presently, both these are the crumbs of the Text, and they must not be lost. Literally it imports that Christ stood not upon the shore, having a few drops of water cast upon him, but he went with his whole body into the River, to intimate that if God should not help, the deep waters of our sins would take us up to the neck, and the stream had gone over our soul. So Philip and the Eunuch went down into the waters, Acts viii. 38. That great Courtier of Queen Candace stripped himself of all his clothes before his servants, that he might wash from head to foot. What was it to him to be naked in the sight of divers men? He was so ashamed of his sins, that he forgot all other shamefac'dness. Thus he pressed close to the example of our Savior, who went down into the stream of Jordan; and it being not the time of harvest, when that River used to fill his banks, he went up, and ascended from the Pool. St. Austin allegorizeth, Confestim ascendit, ut ostendat quàm gravi onere in baptismo liberamur: He went up nimbly to the banks, to show that by Baptism we are lightened of the great burden of our sins, and fit to ascend unto our Father.

Others fasten this observation upon it, that Christ went straightway out of the water: For his Baptism was done with more speed and expedition than the common people's; the reason is this: Among the multitude everyone was baptized confessing their sins, that took up some time to detain them before they parted. Christ staid for no more than the sprinkling of the River, who had no sins to confess, and straightway went out of the water. St. Luke affords a pious conjecture, Luk. iii. 21. being baptized, he prayed. Therefore to teach us with what reverence these great mysteries are to be entertained, he made hast incontinently to the shore to fall upon his knees, and pray unto his Father. Adoremus coram creatore, says the Psalmist, O come let us worship, and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our maker.

If we are to worship him, even as low as with the most humble prostration of our face upon the earth, because he created us, and gave us the life of nature; then what knee can be so refractory as not to worship and fall down, when we celebrate his infinite goodness in either of the Sacraments that he hath redeemed us from eternal death, called us to the participation of grace, and given us assurance in those blessed Seals of his Covenant that we shall enjoy the life of glory? Remember what I said in the beginning, beware of obstinacy. Lastly, He went up out of the waters to show us every good deed is a step into another: Do but enter into the practice of one good action, and increase will soon follow;, when you have begun happily, God will teach you to proceed, and to put your Talent into the way of increase. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob, says David; that is, he loveth the perfect Sacraments of the New Testament better than the types and shadows of the Old. Now Baptism is called especially one of the gates of Zion, for that it is but the first door to let us into the Church. The Church itself is an upper Chamber (as Christ is said to eat his Passover with his Disciples in superiori caenaculo ) the highest in the world next to heaven itself; there are many stairs, and degrees of virtues upon which we must climb till we come to the top of the hill. In Baptism we go down as it were into the River, and sit in the lowest room of humility; but as speedily as we can we must advance our soul, and go up from grace to grace, from virtue to virtue, and you shall hear that voice of joy from Christ himself, Friends sit up higher. AMEN.

THE FIFTH SERMON UPON THE Baptism of our Savior.

A S Moses said unto himself when he saw the splendor of a bright fire in the bush, so do I say unto you, Let us now turn aside, and see this great sight: Great in the Object, great in the Persons, and great in the Mysteries. Great in the Object to be seen, for loe the heavens were opened. And what mean trash was that which Satan did offer to the view of our Savior, in respect of this, all the Kingdoms of the world made visible in the twinkling of an eye? Great in the Persons to be understood in their several apparitions, for these are the great Estates that rule the world; God the Son manifested at the Baptism of water; God the Holy Ghost to be discerned in the sensible shape of a Dove; and God the Father, whose glory was heard in the voice, This is my well beloved Son. This is no usual matter, it must be some extraordinary solemnity which is graced by the full concourse of the Trinity. I find it so once at the Creation, Gen. i. and I find it at this time when Christ is baptized. Man was created a brittle vessel for the Potters use, without a Metaphor, the servant of his Lord; and to let him know to whom he owes his Creation, every fountain of life is recited in the Story: The Father, the Word which was in the beginning, and the Spirit which moved upon the face of the waters. But in the New Testament we rise up higher from the state of Servants, and become the Sons of our heavenly Father; and that we may know to whom we owe our adoption and grace, once again in this place Christ comes to Jordan, the Holy Ghost descends in the bodily shape of a Dove, and the Father utters himself in a voice from heaven.

Now for the mysteries, I am bold to say, the Church is capable of no greater than are here contained. First, Here are all the causes and instruments of our Salvation implied: The Sacraments, which are the Seals of righteousness; the word taught, which begets faith; and the Spirit which moves upon them, and puts life into them both. The Father is in the Word, the Son sanctifieth the Sacrament, and the influence which blesseth them both unto us is the Dove, which rested upon that sacred head, unto whom all the members are fitly compacted. And besides all these primary causes and instrumental helps of salvation, here is an Epitomy of all those benefits which the Mediatorship of Christ will procure unto us. The Heavens, which were shut before, set open to receive us; the Spirit of Sanctification to be poured out upon us; and that God will be pleased in us through his only beloved Son. To recapitulate these things premised briefly, the Mysteries are so great, as none so superlative: The Persons manifested infinitely glorious, as none so excellent; the Object so delightful to the eye of the soul, as none so amiable. And loe the heavens were opened unto him, &c. Of three immortal benefits, which our Redeemer hath procured for us, this Text contains a couple, and both declared in no ordinary fashion, but by the wonderful power of God. First, Here is a wonder wrought above, Loe the heavens were opened unto him. Secondly, Here is another wonder come down below to the world beneath: And he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove, and lighting upon him. These are the two members of the Text, the first part whereof is opened already; (for how could we unlock that hidden Mystery, unless the Key of David had unbarred it?) And loe the heavens, &c.

Take notice in the first part of the Text, that here is a word of invitement to draw our eyes upon it, Loe the heavens were opened. Nature hath made man with that erection of face to look upward, that he must often view the heavens; but the sight is never clear enough, without abundance of grace, to see them open. Wherefore without the advantage of the second Miracle in the Text, we should never be capable to conceive the first; Christ procures the Dove to descend, he makes the holy Spirit light among his Saints; and then our eyes which were bedarkned before shall be ready to look up and perceive, Loe the heavens were opened. In this order I shall briefly discourse upon it: 1. What is meant by the heavens standing open. 2. What did procure and obtain it. 3. How this Miracle fell out to glorify Christ. 4. What joy and comfort it implies to all those that are of the household of our Savior.

The first inquiry is to this purpose, what is meant and expressed by the heavens standing open. We do but grope in the dark for such notions as this, and men's opinions are divided into five several conjectures.

First, When the true glory of the heavens is made visible to the eye of a man upon earth, God imparting, and revealing to the senses of his body a taste of that happiness, which is laid up for them that fear him. So Stephen was ravished with such a sight, and cried out, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. It is not needful to say that the parts of heaven were set open like a window to let him look in; but as it is concluded in fairest probability, Oculus ejus porrectus fuit usque ad coelum empyreum; The glance of his eye was endowed with virtue to penetrate through the clouds, and through the spheres unto the Throne of God. This acception doth no way agree with my Text; for the heavens are said to be opened in this Scripture, that all the multitude might behold the miracle; but you must not think it was given to them all, good and bad, to pry as far as to the highest, and most secret Ark of glory above.

Secondly, Sometimes the heavens are said to be opened, Non reseratione elementorum, sed spiritualibus oculis, says St. Jerome, not by a real apparition in the heavens, but the intellectual fancy travels in child-birth with a divine passion, and it seems to be opened to our soul when it is wrapped as it were with an ecstacy sent from God. So Ezekiel, being ravished from himself in the Spirit, saw the heavens opened, and the visions of God. In like manner Paul was wrapped up into the third heavens, and saw unutterable strange things, but he could not resolve himself whether he were in the body when he saw them. This is intellectual Vision, which cannot agree with my Text, for the rarity of the wonder is, that divine things became obvious to men in a visible manifestation, the Son of God in the flesh, the Holy Ghost in the shape of a Dove, the voice of the Father brought sensibly to the ear: Then surely this apparition of the heaven opened came not secretly to the understanding, but openly to the eye of man.

They that go the third way bind themselves to the plain Letter of the Scripture, that some part of the heaven was drawn open like a Curtain, that a prospect of glory might be seen, to enamour the soul of all Spectators. Others reject it, and say, that it were superfluous to make a rupture in the heaven, if not impossible. Thou hast molted the heavens, and founded them like brass, Job xxxvii. Suppose that true in the Literal sense, it follows that it is therefore inviolable to be broken asunder by any natural cause, howsoever God can crack their solidity, and rent them asunder. Yet hear with what subtlety it is pleaded that this were superfluous; for Heaven is a Diaphanous body, you may see through it; we behold the Sun, and fixed Stars so many thousand thousand cubits distant from us above the Spheres, why then should the junctures of the Orbs be opened to show an Object, when they are more transparent than the air? But admit the heaven is opened, what shall fill the Hiatus or vacuity? All the Element of fire and air would not suffice to replenish a breach from the concave of the Moon to the highest Orb. You must not say the space is left void; Vacuum was never heard of in nature, besides, unless the space of the rupture were filled up, no species could be conveyed unto the eye to make an Object visible. For when some Philosophers delivered, that if it were not for the interposition of the Element of Air a Fly might be seen as far as heaven: Aristotle shows their error, that, if it were not for the medium of the air, no man could see a Milstone at the distance of an inch. These reasons according to nature are undeniable, that the heavens need not be really opened to discover anything above; but if God would have it so, to make it a complete evident sign, that by our Savior's mediation the heavens shall open and receive our bodies hereafter into glory, then is it frivolous in man to dispute that it must be superfluous.

[ 4] Fourthly, Lira, when he had studied upon it, how the heaven was opened, says it was no more, but that the Air was disparted by a great glance of lightning. The Heathen indeed called that the opening of the heaven, Ruptoque polo micat igneus aether. It was a lightning from heaven that cast Saul upon his face unto the ground, Acts ix. 3. And among other terrors of God's Majesty, David rehearseth this, Psal. xviii. 13. The Lord thundered from heaven, his lightnings gave shine unto the world, the earth saw it and was afraid. By the rule of these instances this opinion should be discarded; because this opening of the heaven was sweet and amiable to the beholders, no ways terrible; yet since it is obvious in heathen Writings, especially among their Poets, to allow some flashes of bright lightning for fortunate and auspicious, therefore I do not disprove, nor yet greedily embrace this conjecture.

[ 5] Fifthly, The Air is so often taken for the lowest heaven as nothing more usual; he rained Manna upon them, and gave them food from heaven, Psal. lxxviii. 25. And when the Deluge did drown the world, it is said when the Air poured forth rain, that the windows of heaven were opened, Gen. vii. 11. Wherefore a mutation in the Air above might be a representment in this place that the heavens were opened; as thus, a fair and delightful passage might seem to be spread abroad by the condensation, or thickning together of the upper part of the Air, making it a shining body; and by the rarefaction of the lower part of the Air, through which the object might be conveyed with much grace and beauty to the beholders. Now out of these three last conjectures how the heavens were opened choose ye which ye will: The first is literal, but full of difficulty; the second not improbable; the last without exception, and above all the rest most usual.

Being past the first consideration, what is meant by the opening of the heavens, which I acknowledge is not clear from all uncertainty, the next Point, I am sure, is most certain, what did procure such a Miracle, that the glory from heaven did appear to men upon earth, for it is evidently certified, Luk. iii. 21. Jesus being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened. Elias shut up the heaven by the word of the Lord, and he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain unto the earth. If the supplication of the Servant was in such force with the Master, then how forcible must the Prayer of the Son be, of the well beloved Son before his Father? He shall not only bring down the rain upon us like Elias, but the waters above the heavens to fall down upon our heads all the searching graces of the Holy Ghost. But from each of those examples you may see what part of Religion that is which is clavis coeli, the Key to open the gate of heaven, it is Prayer: For how should God open the heaven to you if you will not open your lips to God? I return to the pattern of Elias, whose words were commendatory to close, or unclose the sky, according as he made intercession to God. Well did Elisha entitle him the Chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof, Quia magis juvabat Israelem oratione & zelo, quàm magna curruum, & equitum multitudo: Out of the Chaldee Paraphrase, for his Prayer and Zeal did stand Israel in better stead than a multitude of horsemen and Chariots. Observe with me two things most remarkable in his Prayer, and then think if he were not a man like to prevail in his intercessions. 1. He cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, as if by that strange, humble, miserable gesture he would compel God to hear him. 2. He rose from his Prayers, and fell to them again seven times and no less, and never made an end till his Servant told him he saw a little cloud rising out of the sea. He that will give over for seven times seven repulses, and will not be importunate with the Lord, it were pity his desires should be successful. Such constant, such contrite devotion, how can it choose but pierce the clouds? The High Priest went once a year into the Holy of Holies with the perfume of Incense. What is Incense but Prayer? What is the Holy of Holies but the Kingdom of heaven? O that you would believe (which I am sure you ought to do) that no part of Piety is so beneficial to the soul as Prayer. You will remember my saying perhaps, when you are upon the bed of your last sickness, that Prayer is the Key to open the gate of heaven, that Prayer is that address of the soul with which God appointed we should draw near unto him. Now I know the most of you had rather spend your pains another way: but at that last hour of anxiety, unless God forsake you for your sins, your heart will be intent upon nothing but upon zealous Prayer. It is but a circumstance drawn into my Text from another Evangelist, therefore I will pass it by with Bedes observation, that Prayer is an active and a passive Benediction; it draws God to us, and by the same motion draws us to God; as if a ship lay at Anchor tost upon the waves, you may pluck the Cable with your hands, and think to hale the ship to you, but the Cable being of stronger tack will pluck you to the Ship. The Prophet Isaiah in his Prayers was confident he could not be denied, therefore he cries out, O that thou wouldst burst the heavens, O Lord and come down: Our High Priest Jesus offered the sweet odors of his Prayers unto his Father, and loe the heavens were opened unto him.

The second consideration of the first Point is ended, but I would you would diligently begin to practice it. Thirdly, I shall recite it before you, how this Miracle fell out to glorify Christ. Therefore the Text says, Loe the heavens were opened to him; opened manifestly for the view of all beholders that were present; but opened unto him, because it was meant for his inauguration, to honor his Mediatorship, who came to redeem mankind from the curse of endless death and captivity. Therefore imagine not, as if the whole heavens did seem unveiled to discover all their glory, but only so much of the Firmament did spangle like a Canopy advanced in state over our Savior's head, as might betoken his Celestial Dignity. The Father at this Baptism proclaimed him from above to be his well beloved Son; and to make us understand that his love, where it lights, consists not in sweet words of affection only, he did attire the Air in most Princely beauty to honor his well-beloved, in whom he was well pleased. Contrariwise, at the Passion of Christ the Sun denied his light to the earth, and the Regions above did never look so terrible as then with black clouds and darkness, for he carried the malediction of us all upon him, and it was a day of wrath and vengeance, when God took punishment upon all iniquity. We read of no Angel that was near to behold him at that dolorous hour upon the Cross; belike it was a sight so ingrate and pitiful to behold, that they withdrew themselves; but at the triumph of his Baptism, it is not mine, but St. Austin's opinion, that the heavens, which reach as far as the habitation of all blessed spirits, were opened, Ut in coelestibus esset miraculum, de his quae agebantur in terris; that the Angels might take this amiable spectacle into their view of those things that were done upon earth; for would it not ravish the Powers of Heaven to peep into this Mystery, that the Son of God should stoop so low in the River Jordan? That a mortal man should hold up his hand above his head to baptize him▪ When Israel came out of Egypt, and the house of Jacob from the Babylonish bondage, the deliverance was so gladsome to the Land of Canaan, to receive her ancient Inhabitants again, that the Mountains skipped like Rams, and the little Hills like young Sheep. When the Apostles prayed among them that were converted, and had received the Holy Ghost, the place was shaken where they were assembled, as if the ground could have cleft for joy, Acts iv. 31. Then could the Heavens contain to burst themselves for joy when Christ was initiated into his Royal Office? The Earth was obsequious to the honor of such as were earthly; the Heavens did honor Christ at his Baptism; for the second man was from the heaven heavenly.

Now I come to fill up the last thing considerable in this Miracle, what joy and comfort the opening of the heavens affords to all them that believe in Jesus. The heavens were opened, the Dove descended, a voice from above proclaimed the good will of the Father; to rejoice our hearts, that the immortal Laver of Baptism is able to cast all those blessings upon us; not that all those were not in Christ, and due to him before the Sacrament. For did he then begin to have the Spirit rest upon him who is of the same eternal substance with the Spirit? Or was that the first time when the heavens were opened to him, of whom it is said of old, Heaven is my seat, and Earth is my foot stool? Nor did his Father then begin to call him Son; for we read in the book of the Psalms, Thou art my Son, this day, that is from all eternity, I have begotten thee. When God spake, and answered our Savior's Prayer from Heaven, Christ turns to the Jews, saying, This voice came not for me, but for your sakes, Joh. xii. 30. Likewise, he might expound upon the opening of the heaven, this was not for me, but for your sakes. Restincta est aquis baptismi romphaea flammatilis quae claudit paradisum, says Ratbertus. A fiery flaming Sword debar'd the way into Paradise by God's appointment, which flame is mystically quenched in the Baptism of our blessed Mediator; and now, as if the Angel had said, I will stop the way into Paradise no more, the Heavens were opened. And if Marriage be called honorable, inasmuch as he vouchsafed his Presence at a Marriage at Cana in Galilee; then Baptism is most honorable and blessed, because he was more than present at it. He came in his own person from Galilee to Jordan to be baptized; To what purpose should this Scripture say, Loe or behold the heavens were opened? Unless it were a continual opening from that time to this, how could we behold it? If open, and immediately shut again, it were not so proper to say unto us, behold. But if they always stand open by the meritorious Redemption of Christ, then it is an apt Phrase to say, Behold the Heavens were opened unto the worlds end. The Schoolmen collect a threefold opening of the heaven in holy Scripture, and every way through the power and act of Christ. Says Ales, In baptismo aperta est coeli janua per figuram, in passion per meritum, in ascensione per effectum. 1. The gates of heaven were opened at this Baptism; as in a Type or Figure that they should be opened, and God will certainly make good whatsoever he did but shadow in a Figure. 2. They were opened at the shedding of his blood upon the Cross, as by those means, which did meritoriously procure the opening: Therefore we sing in the Te Deum, When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death, thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers. 3. They were opened effectually, when his own glorious body entered in once into the most Holy of Holies, when the heads of the everlasting doors were lifted up at the day of his Ascension; And where the head doth sit at the right hand of God, the Members of the body, having their sins washed clean away, shall reign also.

The Earth never opened in holy Scripture but upon some Curse for the destruction of man: The Heavens never opened, but that some mighty Blessing might distil down upon us, the probatum whereof is in the second general part of my Text, for the first Miracle, which we have handled, did but make way unto the second: And after the heavens were opened, he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove, and lighting upon him. That John the Baptist had this Miracle so clearly in his eye that he saw the Spirit of God, I find it not so material to the business of the Text as to insist much upon it. For although some observe upon it, that the first Witness that preached of the Son of God is conceited to be the first Witness that saw the Holy Ghost; yet the Miracle happened not so much for Johns sake, as to lead the whole multitude into a right apprehension, that Jesus was that holy One which came into the world for the redemption of Israel. John was born of a barren woman, his Garments very strange and uncouth, no better than the skins of Camels clapt about him as they were flay'd from the beast, his austerity of life stupendous, his Preaching powerful, high in estimation, so that all the Regions round about came to him to be baptized; this drew them to conceit that none could come into the world to be compared with John. But Columba columbam docuit; the Dove taught the Dove, the Spirit taught the Church who was the Christ the Savior of mankind, by the descending of the Dove. That which I will speak to this Point briefly shall be brancht out into a threefold inquiry: 1. Whether this were a living bird, or no more than the figurative Apparition of a Dove. 2. How aptly the Spirit came in one figure upon Christ: in another of fire and cloven tongues at the day of Pentecost upon the Apostles. 3. That the figure of a Dove doth sweetly admonish us of the properties of the Holy Ghost.

What manner of Dove this was is not a question of such doubtful resolution as the former, how the heavens were opened, for treading in the path of the Scripture, as I adjudge it, we may find the truth. For three Evangelists say that the Spirit did sit upon him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as it were a Dove; then add St. Luke unto it, that the Dove came in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in a bodily shape, and these put together, me seems, do strongly prove two things: 1. That it was not viva columba, a Pigeon out of the Dove-Coats with a living soul, for to notify that there was but the outward fashion, and resemblance of such a bird; in three Gospels we read it was but quasi columba, like a Dove. And yet that you may not take it to be mere Phenomenon, a shadow to persuade the eye, having no substance in truth, St. Luke hath not omitted that it was a bodily shape, Verae effigies columbae, a body created for this service, having the true lineaments of a Dove. To make both these opinions good by several illustrations. And first what need it to be of the true Species of Doves? Was not miraculous Omnipotency as much seen, to frame such a shape out of the Elements at an instant, and to put motion in it, to descend upon the head of Christ, as if it had been a very foul? It was a work which could not be effected but by the infinite and incomprehensible Trinity. For the Dove was a representation of the Holy Ghost, the voice which came from heaven did speak the Father only, the human nature was united only to the Person of the Son, but the Dove, the voice, the human nature, were the works of the whole Trinity, which coequally works all effects in the world. You may fully conceive what natural composition this Dove had by those bodily shapes wherein the Angels or God appeared of old to the Patriarchs, they were not actuated by a soul, but moved about by God or his Angels for the present turn, as a Ship is by the Pilot. When their Errand was dispatched the body vanished away into air: So the use of this Miracle being accomplished at Jordan, the Dove was no more seen, but instantly resolved into Elements. Besides, that which came down upon the Disciples at Whitsuntide was a cloven tongue like as of fire; did ever any man say it was fire indeed? So this Apparition upon the head of Christ was like a Dove. But for what purpose or necessity should it be a Dove indeed? For Christ was man indeed, because he took upon him the nature of man to redeem it; therefore the reason is forcible that the Holy Ghost should not come down in a Dove indeed, because he took not upon him the nature of a Dove to redeem it.

Secondly, I gathered from St. Luke though it had not the life of a Dove, yet it had lineaments and compacture of true substance like a Dove. Christ came among us bodily in the flesh, wherefore, says St. Austin, to show that the assumption of a corporeal nature did not make an inequality of persons in the Godhead; a voice was heard from heaven in the Person of the Father, as if it had proceeded from the instruments of the body, and a bodily Dove did descend from heaven in the Person as it were of the Holy Ghost. Likewise the coming down is the motion of a body. The Spirit is everywhere, and cannot descend to any place, which was not filled with his presence from the beginning of the world, but in hôc signo, in this bodily shape, and effigie he came down. And mark, Beloved, the Devil is Spiritus cadens, I saw Satan fall like lightning, down he tumbles to the nethermost Pit, and all that follow him; but the Holy Ghost descends like an humble Spirit, according as our Savior bids us place ourselves at the Feast, Go and sit down in the lowest room; but literally descension is infallibly the motion of a body. And otherwise the wonder had herein consisted, not that such a Dove was seen, but that such a strange spectacle appeared to John, and to all the multitude, which was not to be seen. John did see the object, it did not phantastically in a shadow deceive him, as if he saw it. And it is a touch worthy to be observed by the way, that my Text says he saw the Spirit, which is a clear Metonimy of the sign for the thing signified, for in truth he saw no more than the outward sign of the Spirit. To call the holy Spirit by the attribute of the Dove is a Sacramental signification, not an essential mutation, just such a form of speech as when Christ brake bread at his Last Supper, and said unto his Disciples, This is my body.

I proceed to that which follows, how aptly the Spirit came in one figure at this time upon Christ, in another of fire and cloven tongues at this day of Pentecost upon the Apostles. If I would rake old Heresies out of their dead embers to refute them, here I had occasion. The Arians extorted from hence, that Christ did receive the mighty gift of Sanctification at this Baptism, and other admirable graces of the Spirit, which he had not before. If they were worth the refuting, I could tell them, Joh. i. 14. As soon as ever the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, he was full of grace and truth. On the contrary, the Macedonian Heretics, men of corrupt minds, did make a difference of dignity between Christ and the Holy Ghost; as the body of a man was more excellent, which belonged to Christ, than the body of a Dove, wherein the Spirit sat upon him. Then belike if an Angel should come in the shape of a man, or of an Eagle, which is more glorious than a Dove, he should also have the preeminence. But the blindness of the error came from hence; that they did not distinguish how Christ took upon him the nature of a man, but the Holy Ghost did not assume the nature of a Dove. Let these blasphemies go, let them rot and consume with the Authors which invented them; the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are all one, in Glory equal, in Majesty coeternal. Upon occasion of Baptism the Master sent forth his Disciples, saying, Go, and baptize all Nations in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Can I pass by the surpassing wit of St. Austin upon that place? Non in nominibus, sed in nomine patris, & ubi unum nomen est, ibi unus Deus; Not in the names, but in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Where there is but one name and no more, there is but one God, and no more; As in like argument St. Paul, Gal. iii. 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the Promises made, he saith not and to seeds, as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ.

Let me return into my own path which I am to beat, that Christ had one sign of the Holy Ghost coming down upon him, and the Apostles had another: Upon which diversity thus I find the Fathers exercising their wits in several meditations.

[ 1] First, The Spirit sat upon our Savior's head in the shape of an whole entire creature, in no other figure but a tongue upon the Apostles, which is no more than a little part of the body, for we receive the grace of God by scantlings, and pittances, and small measures, the whole Spirit flowed into Christ in all abundance. In like manner Gregory shows the odds between his fullness and ours, in Analogy between the head and other members of the body. A body hath the sense of touching only and no more, the head is the continent of all the five senses; Ita membra superni capitis in quibusdam virtutibus emicant, ipsum caput in cunctis virtutibus flagret. So the Saints have several gifts and ornaments divided among them, some in one kind, some in another; but the head of the Church hath all, flourisheth with all those virtues united in himself, which are parted among his members.

[ 2] Secondly, The tongues of holy men, and Prophets did often promise grace and reconciliation to the world; and therefore a tongue did sit upon them, as it were a Crest of Armory; a Dove, when time was, did actually exhibit that God was pacified, and appeased when he had been wroth: I mean the Dove which returned to the Ark with a dry Olive branch in her mouth, in token that the waters were dried up, and that Noah and his Family might come forth with safety. Therefore a Dove most properly did belong to Christ. Most properly I say, but more transcendently, says St. Chrysostom now than ever. The first Dove did comfort the world, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that punishment was taken away; this Dove is a sacred pledge that grace and blessings shall be bestowed upon us. Now it appeared not to bring one man and his family safe into the possession of the earth; but to bring all Believers safe into the possession of heaven.

[ 3] Thirdly, The Spirit came not to Christ in fire, for he was full of Zeal; nor yet in the shape of a tongue, for full of grace were his lips; But discite quia mitis, learn of me, because I am meek and gentle; therefore, says Bernard, the Dove came to testify the placidness of the Lamb. Quod agnus in animalibus, columba in avibus: such as the Lamb is among the beasts of the field, such is the Dove among the fouls of the air. Fire is stern, and formidable, Christ would have none of that; that which sorts with consolation to recreate a trembling conscience was his peculiar choice, therefore the third Person descended like a Dove, and sat upon him.

[ 4] Fourthly, The tongues, wherein the Apostles received the grace of God, were cloven and divided, not to signify a rent, and a division, Linguarum distantiae non sunt schismata, but because there is a diversity, and a dispreading about of the gifts of God. Then comes down one single Dove, to honor Unity: Spiritus sanctus divisus in linguis, unitus in columbâ, says St. Austin, it was pride which caused that diversity of tongues; it was the Holy Ghost, through the humility of Christ, which sanctified that diversity. Quod turris dissociaverat, Ecclesia collegit. Babel the Tower of pride scattered the world, the Church, which is the Tower of humility, gathers the world together. But the Dove was the Ensign of our Savior's Kingdom standing for the unity of the Spirit, which is the bond of peace.

[ 5] Fifthly, The Holy Ghost was made manifest to the Church, first in a Dove at the feast of Christ's Baptism, afterward in fire at the Feast of Whitsuntide, to betoken it is the same Spirit which requires innocence in the Saints, but would not have them forget Zeal. Ne dolum habeas in columba demonstratum est, ne simplicitas frigida remaneat in igne demonstratum est. Guile and circumvention are to be banished from Christianity, if the Dove sit upon your head it will instill simplicity; but simplicity may be chil, and faint in a good cause, therefore if a Pillar of fire sit upon your head it will infuse fervency. There was no fire wanting in Stephen the Martyr when he did asperse the Jews with all manner of disdainful reproaches, because they were stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in heart. There was no Dove-like simplicity wanting, because he prayed for them that stoned him. And so far of the second point how aptly the Spirit came like a Dove upon Christ at his Baptism, in cloven tongues and in fire upon the Apostles at the Feast of Whitsuntide.

The conclusion of the Text rests now upon this Point, that the figure of the Dove sweetly doth admonish us concerning many properties of the Holy Ghost. It sat upon Christ's head, not to enrich him with any heavenly treasure which he wanted before, but to derive the manifold issues of sanctification into our heart. Solus injuriis se subdidit Dominus, sed solus gratiam non quaesivit, says St. Ambrose; all manner of ignominies, and buffetings, all manner of injuries upon the Cross our Lord and Savior took them to himself alone, but the coming down of the Spirit that he took not to himself alone; I will pray unto the Father, and he will send you another Comforter. Open your heart wide therefore, and this Dove will fill it. A dumb creature ye know, and may signify many things, and because I am persuaded the Holy Ghost came down in that shape which had the largest number of significations for the advancement of piety, therefore I will hold me to my task to collect all that are profitable, and omit none. And because it bears a similitude which will increase into many applications, I will enter upon that occasion; first therefore it is animal foecundum, it is a bird of a most teaming fertility, and whether any bird that flies doth breed oftener I am not certain, I believe not many; such fecundity there is always in a lively faith: Like the trees of Eden, always bearing fruit, never without some good work; either the tongue is praying, or the ear is hearing, or the heart is meditating, or the eye is weeping, or the hand is giving, or the soul is thirsting for remission of sins; and every pious action is like a Pomegranate in Aaron's garment full of kernels, to betoken it will seed farther, and spread in infinitum. This is faiths fertility, therefore the Spirit harboured himself in the shape of a Dove.

Secondly, The Gall is the drought of cholerical matter in man's body, out of that distemper proceed anger, revenge, and malice, but the Dove hath no gall, or if Aristotle hath observed it better than others, so small a one that it can scarce be perceived: So the Spirit loves to inhabit in a mild and gentle soul without wrath and fury. The wrath of man worketh not the will of God, for his will is mercy and forgiveness. The Dove will entreat for Miriam as Moses did, and shield off the revenge of David from Nabal's folly as Abigail did; and crave pardon of Philemon for his fugitive servant Onesiphorus, as Paul did, The bruised reed shall not be broken, and the smoking flax shall not be quenched; therefore when James and John called for fire from heaven upon the Samaratans their check was, Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of, as who should say, ye have forgot the coming down of the Dove.

Thirdly, The harmlessness of that bird is notable, it hath neither beak nor talons to tyrannize over smaller Creatures, Sine armis extra, sine felle intus; the smallest flies or gnats may hum about it and take no harm; for it devours nothing wherein there is life. There is not, I dare pronounce it, a more Saint-like ornament in any Christian than a Dove-like innocence. Devour not one another by greedy gaining, by racking oppression, by strict advantages, by extortion, by treacherous blind informations. He that wrongfully fleeceth his neighbor of all his substance to increase his own store, would eat the flesh likewise from his brothers arm like a savage Cannibal if he wanted sustenance. The spoils which you have robbed from others, perhaps they shall be found upon thy back at the dreadful hour of judgment; but will our Savior say, thou didst not learn this thou extortioner from the Dove that sat upon me.

Fourthly, The Dove feeds cleanly, not upon Carrion like Vultures, Corvi de morte pascuntur; Crows peck upon dead carcasses, but it picks up grains of corn, and the purest fruits of the field. Me thinks in this property I see the Spirit invite us to the Table of the Lord; What corn-food so pure as that which our Savior brake, and gave to his Disciples saying, Take eat, this is my body. Non hoc corpus quod crucifigetur, &c. not, as St. Austin glosseth, my very body which shall be crucified, and my very blood which shall be spilled, that was the gross understanding of the sapernaits, to think our Savior meant his fleshly body. The Dove is no devourer of that fleshly body of Christ, which he assumed from the Virgin Mary, but it satisfies its spiritual hunger with those pure crumbs of bread which are the Sacrament of his body.

Fifthly, It is impossible to teach a Dove to sing a cheerful tune, for nature hath engrafted in it a solemn mourning; Gemitus pro cantu; and it is the Spirit that puts compunction into our spirit with groans unutterable. Sometime hang up the Harps of mirth, and sit down and weep. You never read that God will honor your joy in his eternal remembrance; you are sure he will not forget your mourning, says David, Psal. lvi. 8. Thou tellest my slittings, put my tears into thy bottle, are not these things noted in thy book? Yea, not only doth he bear them in mind, and keep them in register, but, if some Interpreters err not, he wears them upon his head, Cant. v. 2▪ My head is filled with dew, says Christ, and my locks with the drops of the night; as if he wore our tears, says the Paraphrast, like drops of Pearl upon his head. Dry eyes, and unrelenting hearts are the curse of God, Ezek. xxiv. 23. Ye shall not mourn, nor weep, but ye shall pine away for your iniquities.

Sixthly, The Holy Ghost useth the wings of Angels, the wings of the wind, the wings of the Dove, a bird of strong flight, for the Spirit is swift in operation, what he doth he doth it quickly, Nescit tarda molimina. Abraham ran forth to meet the Angels that drew to his Tent, Sarah made ready quickly three measures of fine meal. Abraham's young man ran to the Herd to fetch a Calf tender and good, Nemo piger est in domo charitatis; in a charitable Hospital family every man hastened to a good work, as if he had flown like a Dove. Was not Paul a brave wing'd Apostle, that traversed much of Asia, and preached the Gospel in every place from Jerusalem to Illyricum?

Seventhly, The Doves eyes are fixed upon the Rivers of waters, Cant. v. 12. some say out of vigilancy, to espy therein the gliding of the Kite that flies above, and to save itself: So the spiritual man looks backward to the first waters wherein he was dipt, to the Vow which he made in Baptism. There he remembers his Garment was made white, and he must not stain it; for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is not only to wash away filth, but to give tincture or color to that which is died: So in Baptism the foul spots of iniquity are taken forth, and by sanctification a clear gloss is set upon our soul. It was the exhortation of old at Baptism, Accipe vestem candidam immaculatam, &c. Take this white garment pure and undefiled (it was their Ceremony to put on such) and keep it undefiled against the day of the Lord. Et grege de niveo gaudia pastor habet, says Lactantius; The Shepherd rejoiceth to see the fleeces of his Lambs fair and unspotted. These are pennae deargentatae, as the Psalmist says, the Doves wings are silver wings, and if they be bright Silver here, it will be changed into a better Metal hereafter, a Crown of Gold, whose wings are silver wings, and the feathers of Gold.

Lastly, As it was touched before, in the days of Noah the Dove was a presager of a better world to come, and in this Text likewise it is Nuncia futuri seculi, the happy annuntiate that there is a better world to come when these evil days of sin and misery are ended. So we are sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance; the Spirit is a pledge of that possession which is purchased for us in the Kingdom of heaven, whither he bring us, &c.

THE SIXTH SERMON UPON THE Baptism of our Savior.

S Peak O Heaven, and hearken O Earth unto the word of the Lord. The Earth must keep silence, and give ear, when God is his own Orator himself, and utters his pleasure with his own voice. As it is usual, when some great Palace is raising fron the Foundation, that the Master of the Possession will lay the first stone with his own hands: So the Church being to be built up again in the New Testament, not upon the foundation of Works, but upon Faith; not upon Moses, but upon Jesus Christ; Loe the mighty God publisheth the first tidings of reconciliation from his own mouth, and himself, in the Prophet Isaiah's Phrase, doth lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, and precious; for the Foundation which sustains the whole body of the Saints, is no other but such as is contained in that brief Proclamation which I have read unto you, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Some of the Fathers very aptly call the Text God's ample testimonial given to his Son, that the world might receive him gladly, being about to preach the glad tidings of salvation. Moses, you know, would not offer himself to the Children of Israel, to be the means that should release them from Pharaohs bondage, before he had a token of Credence, who did send him to the People, and the Lord said unto him, Thou shalt say I am hath sent me unto you. So our High Priest and anointed Savior would keep that form, to have a clear testificate to commend him to the World. Now a Dove was but a dumb show, and might be interpreted many ways, wherefore an articulate, and a majestical voice was heard from heaven, which would pierce the ears of all that were gathered together, and could not be mistaken.

In that nature therefore as a Testimonial given to him, that was now about to be the great Preacher of righteousness, I will divide the Text: 1. The Person that did bear witness, it is the Father. 2. The manner how he testified to the honor of his Son, by a voice, Loe a voice. 3. The authority of that voice which was every way to be accepted, because it was from heaven. 4. The Person to whom the witness is born, to a Son, This is my Son. 5. What is witnessed of him in respect of himself, that he was beloved, This is my beloved. 6. What is witnessed of him in respect of our consolation, that he is filius complacentiae, in whom, and through whom the Father is well pleased: That is to say, not only beloved in himself, but procures us to be beloved likewise for his sake; for all that by Baptism have put on Christ, are unto God as Christ himself is, Filii, dilecti, complacentes; Sons, beloved, well pleasing. So the Text is our Savior's Testimonial, and our own Consolation. And loe a voice, &c.

The Father is become a witness to glorify his Son, that is the first consideration to be made upon my Text. The Spirit hath done his part before, now the voice the Father is come to perfect this great solemnity; and so the justice of God agrees with his own Law, Ex ore duorum, aut trium testium; Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established; was ever any truth so strongly confirmed, so undeniably maintained, that the Father which made all things should ratify it sensibly in the audience of men? Never was it heard of, but only in this case, which is the top of all truth, that Jesus was the Son of God. Other truths we are well persuaded of, which come from the light of reason, or from the testimony of man; yet reason may be blind, and man may err, but it is impossible that God should lie, Heb. vi. And admit it to be good (for who can control it?) that the Prophets and Apostles were inspired from God, so that the contents which they have written are certain and infallible; then his divine wisdom which gave them that instinct whatsoever he utters immediately from himself it may well stand upon comparisons, that it is much more infallible. So St. Jerome distinguisheth between that truth which is increate, and which is infused and participate that the truth of the Saints is called a lie in respect of that verity which abideth in the Father, Yea, let God be true and every man a liar; in which words, says he, it is implied, that God alone is true, even as he alone is said to have immortality; for although he hath communicated immortality to Angels and to the souls of men, yet it is not their own immortality, but his love and favor to give it to them. So the Prophets and holy men were inspired with true knowledge, yet it was not their own truth, but his illumination.

Wherefore the Church by way of external testimony was ever the best approved, and most faithful witness of Christ: yet this testimony, so much beneath his Person, were unauthorized and fruitless, but that it is always governed by the inward Spirit of the Father. Aquinas in a certain Sermon upon the Pentecost hath drawn up those things which bear witness of Christ into a certain number; and that the verdict is given from twelve the most principal things in the world. God the Father in this Proclamation, God the Son in his own Confession, God the Holy Ghost in the Dove-like Apparition, the Angels at his Nativity, the Saints that rose from the dead, the Miracles which he wrought, the Heaven which was darkened at his Passion, the Fire when he sent the Comforter in that Element upon his Disciples, the Air when he commanded the winds to be still, the water when he made the Seas to be calm, the Earth when it shook and quak'd at his Resurrection; and lastly, Hell itself, when the Devils did acknowledge him, calling him Jesus of Nazareth, and saying, We know thee who thou art. But above all, this testimony in my Text enforceth credence upon us more than any other, as St. Ambrose thinks, Si dubitatur de filio, paterno non creditor testimonio? If there be any spice of unbelief in your heart, run hither to take it out; for will you not take the Fathers word for the excellency of his Son, that this is the Sacrifice in whom he is well pleased? Shew us thy Father, says Philip, and it sufficeth, Joh. xiv. 8. Much more resolutely might the Church say, Let us hear thy Father and it sufficeth. We ask no surer warrant to confirm our faith: For as Abraham answered the rich man concerning his brethren that did not believe, If they hear not Moses, and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one arose from the dead: So I may say to all that receive not the faith, If they will not believe the Father, in whom all the treasures of knowledge are hidden, then they may question if there be light in the Heavens, perspicuity in the Air, life in their own souls, everything that flesh and blood can allege must be dark and doubtful to their capacity. God spoke from above through the air, and it received his voice; and when he speaks in our hearts shall not we receive his testimony? Thus St. Ambrose in a sweet strain upon it, Credidit mundus in Elementis, credat in hominibus; credidit in exanimis, credat in viventibus; credidit in mutis, credat in loquentibus. The rude Elements of the world were taught to admit the doctrine of Faith, then much more let men embrace it; inanimate things took the Symphony from the Fathers mouth, let things which live much more receive it; the dumb things of nature were taught to embrace the voice; let those things which have tongues much more praise God for glorifying his Son. To the upshot of the Point I add this, and have done: John the Baptist did bear witness to our Savior, but his witness was too mean for so great a Person; Quo ad nos, in regard of our apprehension, the testimony and approbation of holy men is a great matter: but in regard of the honor of Christ, it was fit that the Father who is coequal should testify of the Son, and so doth the Son of the Father, which is excellently knit up in one Text, Joh. v. 32. There is another that beareth witness of me, and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. So by the voice of the Father we know the excellency of the Son, and by the preaching of the Son we know the truth of the Father: This is their mutual testimony.

In the second place the manner follows, how the Father testified to the honor of his Son, and that is by a voice. Every Creature whether it live, or whether it be inanimate, every season of the year, every blessing for our use that the earth brings forth, though it be dumb yet I am not ashamed to say, that it speaks aloud, how there is a God that made us, and preserved us. To this purpose St. Paul spake to the Lycaonians, Actc xiv. 17. The living God left not himself without witness, in that he gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. Since therefore all the Elements continually are dumb witnesses of the glory of God, how easy is it for the Father Almighty to put a tongue into the air, and make it speak. I will not argue upon the strict terms of Logic, how this can be called a voice, being not uttered by the Throat, and Palate, and other Instruments of a rational Creature; God is a transcendent above all the Arts in the world, and many things proceeding from him are not to be examined by such rules; this I may definitively say, it was sonus articulatus, an articulate intelligible sound of words, as if it had come from the tongue of man. And I would pass by this Point, but that two things come in my way: 1. How properly the Father is known by a voice. 2. How well it expresseth the comforts of the Gospel.

Upon the first the School doth distinguish, Efficientia vocis erat à totâ Trinitate, declaratio spectat ad solum patrem; Every effect belongs equally to the whole Trinity, therefore this voice was as well the work of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, as it was of the Father: For so St. Austin beat down the blasphemy of the Arians, who taught that the Father gave some honor to the Son which he had not; nay, says he, Ille transeuntium verborum sonus non sine filio factus est, alioquin non omnia per ipsum facta sunt; That transient voice, which was intended to glorify the Son, was made by the Son, otherwise the Scriptures had not said, All things were made by him, and without him nothing was made. But though the efficiency of the voice be common to every Person of the Trinity, yet the signification of it was appropriated to the Father, for he said the word, and by it he made the worlds; he spake and all things were created. The Lord said indeed, let the Firmament be made, let the light be made, and all things else, not by oral prolocution, but by the Decree of his holy will, and as one said, Facilius est Deo facere, quam nobis dicere; God can sooner make all things visible and invisible than we speak of it; therefore the Phrase runs, as if all things were existent at the uttering of a word. And I know not if any similitude do speak that ineffable mystery of the Holy Trinity better than this, from the manifest pronunciation of a speech, wherein are these three things together, which cannot be parted. The voice begets a word spoken, and there is truth in that word which was spoken by the voice: So the Father is the Voice, the Son is the Word, the Spirit proceeding from them both is the Truth; and these three are all one and undivided. So you see why the Father is resembled in the signification of a voice.

I must adjoin also how well this doth express the comforts of a Gospel. The Law was a dead Letter, litera occidit, by the strength of sin it killed us all, because we were not able to perform it. The Gospel is viva vox, a quickening living voice, such a one as quickened Lazarus, when he was four days in the Grave. The Law was heard in Trumpet and Thunder upon Mount Sinai. Now comes a still voice, such a one as would not scare a Dove away, now comes Music from heaven, now comes obsecro vos, that fair spoken language of the Apostles, I beseech ye brethren. This is such a winning allicient voice, that the words that proceed from it are rather kisses than words; therefore the Church, speaking to the praise of the Gospels sweetness, begins the song on this wise, Cant. i. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth. The first time that ever we read of God's voice in the Old Testament, you shall hear what Adam says upon it, Gen. iii. 10. I heard thy voice in the Garden, and I was afraid. But at the first time that you read of God's voice in the New Testament it is made smooth, and soft to our ear, with This is my beloved, and here I am well pleased. What else to be concluded from hence? But that an evidence, and manifestation of faith shall be discovered to all men: As when one telleth his mind to his Friend, not by messengers, or by Script, but face to face; Thou spakest sometimes in dreams and visions to thy people: But says the Lord, I will speak with my Servant Moses mouth to mouth, Num. xii. 8. So by the revelation of the Gospel we are all become as precious to God as Moses was, and the Lord talketh with us as one doth with his friend face to face. And with all succinctness that is the sum of the second Point.

Neither must I insist long upon the third thing noted, which is the great Authority that this voice doth carry, because it came from heaven; and Loe a voice from heaven. The Oracles of the Gentiles were wont to come out of hollow Caves and Rocks. The Law of the Hebrews was delivered from the top of a smoking hill: but as Judges and great Magistrates were wont to publish their Laws from their Throne of State, so doth God deliver the Law of Faith from Heaven; and that Firmament above it is the Throne of God. When the Earth opens it is to swallow Chore, Dathan, and Abiron: When the Heaven opens it is to pour out consolation. The Gospel reckons up three times that the Lord spake from heaven above, and at each time it had the same Theme to magnify the Savior of the World: The first time at his Baptism, the second time at his Transfiguration, the third time anon before his Passion, when the Son beg'd earnestly, Father glorify thy name; the Father answers him, I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again, Joh. xii. 28. And that you may be assured how that celestial voice continues to speak unto us in the accent of comfort, John tells us he heard a voice from heaven, saying, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, Rev. xiv. 13. Bode no evil with your tongue to any, since the Lord out of his habitation speaks nothing but love and benediction towards us. The voice of God is an open heaven, but as for the curser and reviler his throat is an open sepulcher.

Sursum corda. The tidings of Salvation come not from beneath, they hover above our head; therefore lift up your heart, lift up your understanding, and you will easily perceive that every part of sacred Scripture is a voice from heaven. I know unless the inward testimony of the Spirit prevail upon your soul, and induce it to believe, all external Arguments from the judgment of the Church in all Ages, from harmony of truth, from fulfilling of Prophesies, and whatsoever else will be insufficient to persuade you. Yet if anything more than other will puzzle the refractory it is this, that in every part and scope it sounds like a voice from heaven, far otherwise than the books of human learning. That which drives our labors and studies only to the glory of God, that which propounds no other reward but the fruition of God, that which talks of no acts and monuments but such as belong to God, this must be divine, and from above, Nec vox hominem sonat; Surely it must be a voice from heaven. But do the Heathen thus in any of those three parts of their Sciences, either in their Moral Institutions, or Natural Disquisitions, or Historical Narrations? In their Histories they write to honor men, in their Philosophy to know the World, in their Moral and Politick Axioms to make a just and a noble Patriot for his Country. No Tract throughout all man's wit and learning but only in the sacred Scriptures like a voice from heaven. Perhaps here and there a Sentence of theirs may soar aloft: but as Kites fly high, yet still look down to the Carion upon the Dunghil: So the style of the Heathen may rise up in some things as it were in the clouds; but from thence they look down how they may be famous, and popular. And that is no better than a blast of vanity; sure it is no voice from heaven.

Beloved, this is a most illustrious opening of the Gospel, that the heavens assumed a tongue, and began to speak; wherefore it is for good reason that our Savior had that diction so often in his mouth, He that hath ears to hear let him hear. Let me be bold to add, he that hath a tongue to confess let him praise the Lord. As we delight to have the Lord speak to us, so it delighteth the Lord to have us speak to him. And as the Father did vouchsafe to send his voice from heaven to earth, so let our lips be full of Prayers that we may send our voice from earth to heaven. God is not an Echo, nothing but empty voice; we read of his face, and his presence, and his right hand, at which there are pleasures for evermore. And as Absalom, though he were a disloyal Son, yet he did wishly desire to stand before his Father: Says he to Joab, wherefore am I come from Gerar to Jerusalem if I may not see the Kings face? So the rebounding of the voice from heaven is to enflame our affections that we may see his face in heaven. So shall it be their fair lot and inheritance who are Fìlii, dilecti, complacentes, Sons, Beloved, in whom he is well pleased. These are the Testimonials due to Christ, and flowing from Christ to us, which now I come to handle.

The fourth annotation is the Person to whom the witness is born, the Eternal Father witnesseth to his Eternal Son, Thou art my Son. The best way to know so much concerning the eternal Generation of Christ as sufficeth for a good Christian is to speak little of it. Among the God's there is none like unto thee O Lord, says David, & among the Sons of God none like unto that Son who is the only begotten Son in the bosom of the Father, Joh. i. 18. Other Sons, I will declare by and by, are adopted by his grace, Sons not begotten but by denomination of good liking, as it is Mat. v. 9. Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God; but Christ is the only begotten, being of the same substance with the Father, for surely that doth rightly explicate the Phrase, to be in the bosom of the Father; not as the Arians would evade it, that to be in the bosom, was to be the well-beloved of the Father. God loved the world, and most dearly such as believed, yet where do ye read that such are said to be in his bosom? It is a word, by St. Chrysostom's exposition, which agrees to Christ alone, wrapping up much sense as it were in a Syllable, that he is of the same substance, the same power, the same knowledge with his Father, lying in his bosom, and participant of all his secrets. Sinus est divinitatis arcanum, in quo est filius; That bosom is the secret essence of the Father, by which he made all things, and knows all things, and there is the Son. To be called a Father after the manner of men rests upon three things: 1. That the Son have his being from part of his substance that begets him; then a Picture cannot be said to be the Son, but the work of him that draws it. 2. Father and Son must be of the same nature and species; then the Heaven is not the Father of Flies and Gnats, though the heat of the Sun begets them. 3. It must be a living thing that begets another living thing in its own likeness; then fire is not the father of fire, though one spark kindles another. But God begets a Son without these conditions and exceptions; for his Son is not such another, but consubstantial. Not a part divided from the Fathers substance to make him, but of the same substance with the Father. Yet there is another ground of difference laid down by St. Austin, that among us it happeneth to a man to be a Father and is contingent: But in God it is no happening accidental thing. The Father was always a Father, and the Son was always a Son. And though he be a Father by a relative notion, and not according to his substance, yet nothing is said to be in God by accident, as if he were mutable. That peculiarity of a Son in Christ distinguished from us is best set down by St. Paul with least curiosity, Rom. viii. 32. God spared not, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Filio proprio non pepercit, we read he spared not his own Son. That Translation doth not altogether satisfy me, for at the third verse of the same Chapter we read, God sent, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , his own Son in the similitude of sinful flesh; but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is more emphatical, he spared not his own proper Son. Therefore though we be truly called Sons, yet not so properly as Christ.

But David would be anything, though it were but a door-keeper, to be in the house of the Lord, so let us be styled which way soever the Sons of God, and it sufficeth. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God. And tu es Filius, say the Fathers upon my Text, comports that the captivity and servitude of the Old Law is changed into the liberty of Sons. Adoptio est similitudo filiationis naturalis; Adoption makes him that was not born a Son be taken into the similitude of a Son. And we have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear (that was the condition of the Law) but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry Abba Father. What an Ocean of comfort breaks into our soul upon this Meditation? Five thousand Cubits higher than all the comforts of this world, as the waters in the time of Noah are said to be fifteen Cubits higher than the tallest Mountains. For first, If we be Sons of God, Christ will not refuse us to call us Brethren. Yea, when he was risen from the dead in his glory, he sent Mary Magdalene to his Disciples, saying, Go tell my Brethren. Secondly, To be exalted to be a Son doth enfranchise us to take the inheritance of the Kingdom of heaven; For if Sons, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, Rom. viii. 17. Thirdly, If Sons, it is a great word, but I speak it by authority of Scripture, then we are God's, Psal. lxxxii. 6. I have said ye are God's, and ye all are children of the most highest. For God made his Son participant of our infirmity, that by the merit of his humiliation we might be made participants of his Divinity. And, besides Consolation, great names are great Engagements. O what a strict exercise of holiness and obedience lies upon his soul that will be called the child of God? Noli degenerare a praecelsis cogitationibus filiorum Dei; Degenerate in nothing beneath that high cogitation, how thou art become the Son of the most high. Should I that am made partaker of divine Parentage surfeit my body with meats and drunkenness? Why, it is loathsome in a Swine. Should I satisfy my lust promiscuously against the bond of Matrimony? Why, it is odious in a Dog. Or should the Sons of light lay snares in the dark to malice and despite the innocent? O it is detestable in the Devil. Be not a foolish Son to dishonor your heavenly Father. It is observed in many of the noble Romans, Cato, Scaurus, Cicero, Antoninus, how they were unhappy in nothing so much as that they had Posterity; for their vicious branches blemish'd the glory of the root from which they sprung: So a dissolute Christian makes that venerable name of Father come into contempt and reproach. Mallem videre de malis editum, quàm de bonis lapsum, as Cassianus said; It were better for a Reprobate that his Father were an Amorite, and his Mother an Hittite, than to be a stain to the heavenly Parentage when he is called to be a Son of God. It was the motive which St. Austin pressed from the example of the Heathen, if Varro was not ashamed to encourage valiant men to think themselves descended from Jupiter and Hercules, or some other heathen Puppit, though they belied their knowledge, that the fancy of coming from such Progenitors might provoke them to great Atchievements: Then a Christian is engaged to all manner of Divine, and very Heroical works of godliness, when his heart shall prompt him with this remembrance, be not a blemish to the glory of thy Father in Heaven.

So much for that part of the Testimony, Christ is the eternal Son of God, and by him we are called to adoption of Sons. Now the Spirit could not stay here, but proceeds to glorify him further, This is my beloved Son. This is my beloved, and thou art my beloved, we read it both ways in several Evangelists, Ne uno modo dictum minùs intelligatur, says St. Austin; that the words expressed two manner of ways might be more clearly intelligible. Thou art my beloved Son, and this is my beloved Son do admonish us two things out of this diversity, both that the Father is highly pleased in his Son, and that in him he is well pleased with us for his Sons sake. For he hath accepted us in the beloved, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Eph. i. 6. This title of beloved is three ways agreeable to Christ: 1. Super omnes dilectus est à patre; That above all things he is beloved of the Father; an infinite love must needs result upon the begetting of an infinite wisdom. Amor Deum gubernat, amoris omne regnum est, the heathen were wont to sing it, and knew no reason for it; but we know why, that God himself was ruled by love, love swayed all things in the world. God himself is ruled by love, that is, the Father is entreated by the merits of his Son to break the yoke of his own justice from off our necks, and hath put the dominion of life and death into his hands, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow; as if he chiefly delighted in the honor of his Son. The Schoolmen acutely assign him the preeminence of the Father, above all things with this distinction, that he was Dilectus quia filius, not Filius quia dilectus, Beloved, because he was a Son, and not made a Son because he was beloved, which is the condition of them that are adopted.

Secondly, Christ is Paterni amoris erga nos argumentum, the proof of God's exceeding love to us; for so God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that who so believeth in him should not perish, but have life everlasting; so he loved it, that there is no measure or similitude to compare it. The gradations of Bernard, by which he draws up our soul higher and higher to meditate upon the divine love are these: 1. Prius nos dilexit, it were fit the Lord should be sought unto by such underlings as we are, yet he began in way of affection, and prevented us, well contented if we would correspond, and answer his offer. 2. Tantillos dilexit, he loved us, and ordained to make us a people, when as yet we were not. 3. Tales, he loved us again in his best beloved when we had defiled our creation. 4. Tantus, O the immenseness of his love, he that is greater than the Heavens said unto us poor dust and ashes, let me be your Savior. 5. Tantum dilexit, so constant was the passion of his love, that it brought him to the Passion of the Cross. 6. Tam gratis, of his own free love without merits foreseen in us to deserve it, he bequeathed unto us an immortal inheritance, this is the purchase of that well-beloved, in whom he cannot but be well pleased. As in the breastplate of Aaron there was holiness written to the Lord, that the people might be accepted, when he offered incense for them; so the love of God is written with the pen of a Diamond in his Son never to be blotted out, that looking upon him we might find grace and favor to be received into glory.

Thirdly, Christ is beloved, because he was obedient in all things; we are all children of wrath that have rebelled against our Father. God looked down from heaven to see if any would seek after him, and we are all gone out of the way, they were all become abominable usque ad unum, and that one was Christ. This voice prevents that infidelity which some might imagine upon his Passion; for they that looked with fleshly eyes might think he was one rejected and forsaken of God, they might think him under the frown and malediction of his Father, for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth upon a tree; but howsoever in the representation of our sins the Sun may discolour him, and make him look black, yet he is fair O daughters of Jerusalem, and though we be prodigals that have wasted our Fathers goods, and mis-employed the portion of his grace, yet the voice from heaven shall never be proved a liar concerning Christ, This is my beloved Son. Behold my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased, Mat. xii. 18. God is love, and if the Son take the name from the Father, may he not rightly be called the Beloved? If I be a Master, says our God, where is my fear? If I be a Father where is my honor? And may he not add, If I be the love of the Church, where is the love to requite it? For without love we may keep all the rest to ourselves. If we fear him without love, it is abject and servile; if we honor him without love, it is flattery. Love made the world of visible creatures: and it must make the new world of Saints and Angels. Truly did one say that the Emblem of a pious heart was, Carbo ignitus divini amoris flammâ absorptus; A firy coal wasting away all the gross and earthy parts of it with the flame of divine love. Were never any tears better bestowed than one I read of in ancient times, whose eyes did shed drops to see God's glory scandalously abused by those that lived about him; and being asked, What ailed him to grieve so much for other men's sins? It was his wonted answer, Quia amor non amatur; because love itself was not beloved again. For if you loved me, says Christ, yo woe ld keep my Commandments. Intimate love thinks nothing too much, and too tedious to be done for the beloved; yea, it thinks nothing too bitter to be suffered, no more did Christ for his Church. The Spouse doth interlace it among her love-delights, that she should suffer for the Lord, so it is figuratively couched, Cant. i. 13. My love is a bundle of Myrrh to me. Says Bernard, Myrrha amara & aspera, &c. Myrrh is rugged and bitter, yet of sweet fragrancy: So tribulation is harsh, but sweet for Christ's sake. And again, Fasciculus Myrrhae dilectus mihi; My Beloved is fasciculus, but a little bundle of Myrrh, but a little corrasive of affliction whatsoever we suffer, Quia leve prae amore ipsius ducat, quicquid asperi immineat. If our affection be strong and entire to God a great deal of sorrow is nothing, it is but a little bundle; for I reckon that the sorrows of this life are not worthy the glory that shall be revealed. Give me a resolute will ready to do all that God bids: Give me a contented heart, ready to endure all that God imposeth, and then as thou shalt be an heir with Christ in the inheritance of heaven, so thou shalt share with him in his sweetest title upon earth, Thou art my beloved Son, &c.

The last part of the Testimony comes now to my hand to be be dispatched, that Christ is Filius complacentiae, in whom and through whom the Father is well pleased. O delicious words! fit to be uttered by a voice from heaven, and at the appearance of the Holy Gbost; Partem aliquam venti Divum referatis ad aures. We have delighted our hearts in the former Treatises to consider that from Servants we are become Sons; from a People justly hated we are become beloved; but to whom do we owe all this? Surely, as Mary and Martha said to Christ, If thou hadst been here my brother Lazarus had not died; So may we turn it, and say, if thou hadst not been here, we had all died in our sins. Therefore the voice points upon him, that we may take notice how he is worth the knowing, Hic est quem quaerimus, hic est. This is he that hath turned anger into reconciliation, and enmity into peace. As who should say, I was once pleased at the making of the first Adam, and I said all was very good; for he was endued with original righteousness, that he might have done all things well: How much better am I pleased with the second Adam, who hath done all things well? and though it repented me afterward that I made man my Son, yet now I am pleased with all that repent for my Sons sake. Therefore thou art he for whose sake I will give heaven to them who have deserved the nethermost Hell, thou art he by whom I have ordained to execute my pleasure to save the world. To whom therefore do we owe our Salvation? Or what moved our Father which is in heaven to elect us to the fruition of his glory? If you will have an answer both clear according to Scripture, and befitting our own humility, it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the good pleasure of the Father, whose will is the true and only cause that can be given for the happiness of all things that shall enjoy him who hath predestinated us to himself unto the adoption of Sons by Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will, Eph. i. 6. To ascribe our Election to anything discerned in ourselves, as I apprehend it, shakes the foundation of the Gospel, which in every passage makes Salvation the free gift of God by grace in Christ. But Christ is both the exemplary, the final, and the meritorious cause of our Salvation; The exemplary, for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son, Rom. viii. 23. From whence Aquinas fetcheth it, that Christ is the true Pattern by which we are predestinated, respecting the manner by which we obtain that infinite good, which is by mere grace: For as the human nature was united to the Godhead by no precedent merits, so by his mere good pleasure, without anything precedent in us to attract him we shall be united to his glory. 2. He is the final cause, of our Election; for to what end are we beloved? To what end plucked out of the jaws of Hell like a brand out of the fire? But that he might be glorified among his Brethren. God ordained his Son to be head of the Church, and then he gave unto him a portion to be members of his body. Wherefore the Church most aptly is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the fullness of him that filleth all in all, Eph. i. ult. As if Christ had not esteemed his own glory to be full and perfect without us. But 3. He must also be acknowledged the meritorious cause of our Salvation: For God so loved the good of his Creature, that he did not forget to see his own justice satisfied by the obedience and death of Christ, which satisfaction the Father looked upon as the meritorious cause that we should be ordained to adoption of Sons. God looked upon the ransom of this Sacrifice when he did predestinate us to Salvation, which surely is the sense of this voice, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.

Therefore this clause of my Text was St. Paul's warrant for so much as he wrote to the Colossians. Chap. i. 20. It pleased the Father to reconcile all things unto himself by him; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. The self-same three things which are considerable in my Text, and not yet opened are here likewise in their proper notions: 1. That peculiarly above other Persons of Trinity the Father is said to be pleased with us, and the Father reconciled. 2. That it is assigned to the Office of the Son by itself to please and reconcile. 3. That the Father is pleased in all things both in heaven and earth by the reconciliation of the Son; cursorily of each. For the first; still the Scripture speaks that the Sacrifice placatory was offered up to the Father, that he might draw us to himself, who were aliens, and castaways; When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, Rom. v. 10. Believe it that every sin is committed against the whole divine Majesty; and as every person in Trinity was dishonored in the offense, so we have need of pacification with all in the reconcilement. But that the Scripture makes us rather take notice how the Father is reconciled unto us there are two reasons: One that the Father is the Fountain of all Divinity, the first person in order against whom we sin; yet we sin against all. So the first Person in order that is reconciled unto us, yet we are reconciled to all. 2. Though every work belonging to the Church be the conjunct act of the Trinity, yet there are proper Offices belonging to several Persons to make our conceit more methodical: So we know it by the phrase of Scripture, that it is proper to the Father to receive us into grace, proper to the Son to pay the price of our redemption, and proper to the Holy Ghost to seal it to our hearts, and to beget assurance in us.

It follows secondly, that it belongs to the Office of the Son to make us pleasing, and to reconcile us to God. There is no other name under heaven but his in which Salvation can be hoped for, Acts iv. 12. for should the Angels, or should men be appointed to such an Office, to knit us into amity again with God, and to reduce us to that eternal concord, who were become open enemies? It could not be: For Angels and men owe as much obedience for their own part as they could perform. Neither ought it to be; for it was not fit that man should owe his Redemption to any other than to whom he owed his Creation: for the value of the benefit would compel us to love our Redeemer better than our Maker. So Bernard, Plus nos ad charitatem excitat redemptio, quam creatio. Therefore God could not so dispose for our souls that occasion should be given to love an Angel, or Saint better than himself the King of glory. The Son that sits at his right hand is the Person in whom he is well pleased, who thought it no robbery to be equal with God: He alone was fit for this dispensation, who by an exceeding mystery did receive and accept the Sacrifice of reconciliation as God offended in his divine nature, and yet did offer up that Sacrifice to the divine nature being the Mediator God-Man.

The close of all is sweet like the rest that the Father is pleased in all things both in heaven and earth by the reconciliation of his Son. Reconciliation is the knitting up of Friends into amity again, and reducing them to concord that were enemies. Then how can it fitly be said, that God is reconciled with his Sons, whom he loved from everlasting? Says Beda to it, Deus miro modo quando nos oderat diligebat; He loved us according to that nature which he had made, and hated us according to that sin which we had made. Neither is the Father so said to be reconciled to us upon earth, as if he loved us at any time now when before he did not; Sed quia per hanc reconciliationem sublata est omnis odii causa, says Aquinas; but because by this act of reconciliation all cause of anger and displeasure was taken away, I mean our sins were covered, and the righteousness of Christ imputed to us.

And as the Angels minister to us, so let me minister one speculation about them to the Text. God is pleased in Christ both with things in earth, and with things in heaven. No question but Christ is head of the Angels, as well as of men, for they, as well as other members, receive direction from Christ, and are illuminated by him, so that an influence is poured on them from Christ, as members take from the head, but as one distinguisheth judiciously, Influens in Angels, non est finis incarnationis, sed quiddam incarnationem consequence; It was not put into the ends why he was incarnate to infuse virtue into the Angels, but it is a gracious consequent which fell out upon it. This perhaps will not be doubted of. But how can it be said, that he did reconcile unto himself things in heaven, that is, the Angels by the blood of Christ? They had never made any rupture with the friendship of God, as men had, and could they be reconciled? Certainly the word Reconciliation properly taken is only agreeable to us, who were Sons of wrath, but are become elect and precious through Christ. But Analogically it is truly said, the Angels were reconciled in Christ, because he obtained for them to be confirmed in grace, and to be so established in the divine favor, that it was impossible any breach or rupture should come between, therefore this establishment in grace to them is the same that reconciliation to us. That beatifical and glorious eternal life which the Angels have with God is a reward far above the merit of any Creature: Therefore Angels are admitted into that glory not by condignity, but as they challenge Christ for their head, and themselves members of his triumphant body. Paul therefore adjures Timothy before God, and the elect Angels. There is no election either of Angels or men but with respect unto Christ; and the good Angels are called the Sons of God, Job xxxviii. not as begotten of him (for Christ is the only natural Son, as I have said before) but because they are adopted through Christ, therefore this is the beloved Son in whom with Men and Angels God is well pleased. But to us especially this benefit is extended, who were perfect enemies, but being justified by faith we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

XXI SERMONS UPON THE TENTATION OF OUR SAVIOUR.

THE FIRST SERMON UPON Our Savior's Tentation.

I Have already entreated before you of many things concerning our Lord and Savior, his Incarnation, Circumcision, Adoration by the Wise-men, about his Baptism in Jordan. Let us not rest here, but say as that devout man did unto him, Luk. ix. 57. Lord I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. Therefore I invite your attention to go with me into the Wilderness, another passage of his pomp and victories, and to see him tempted of the Devil. In Num. xxi. 14. a Book is mentioned which was called the wars of the Lord. Rupertus says very well, that the whole Scripture will not unfitly bear that name. Quid aliud continetur, vel agitur in sacrâ Scripturâ nisi bellum & certamen verbi, ad destructionem peccati & mortis? What is contained and agitated throughout all the contents of that divine Book, but Christ warring and striving to destroy sin and death? And if the whole Scripture were summed up into one Chapter, you might draw out this Verse for the Contents, Gen. 3.15. I will put enmity between thee, and the woman, and between her seed, and thy seed. As if the Lord had said, the Devil hath drawn my servants to consent to him, Facti sunt socii & consentanei rebellionis, they are agreed like friends, and have conspired in one rebellion against me, but I will dissolve this friendship, and turn it into hatred, I will break this agreement, and turn it into opposition: I will divide them into an enmity that shall never be reconciled.

Three things I admire especially in the dispensation of God's providence herein: First, We were his enemies rather than the Devils; yet when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, Rom. v. 10. Secondly, It is well for us that the Lord said, ponam inimicitias, he would make the quarrel between us, and Satan break out into an open enmity. It is an act of his most gracious wisdom to take away those weapons from the Devil wherein he was so cunning. Leave the Devil to his wiles, and deceits, and he goes away a conqueror, proclaim him an open enemy, and we have far more advantage against him. Thirdly, To the end this great Adversary might be beaten, and vanquished to our hand, our Savior fought a combat with him in the Wilderness, and overthrew him, the narration of which great enterprise begins thus, as I have read unto you, Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil. In the handling of which verse it will be worth the labor to insist upon these five things: 1. Here is the hinge upon which all the story turns, Christ was tempted. 2. We must work somewhat out of the consideration of the Tempter, the Devil. 3. The time which the Devil chose to set upon him, then says my Text, that is, in the next place after his Baptism which went before. Immediately, says St. Mark, as soon as ever the voice from heaven had said, This is my beloved Son. 4. Christ's manner of addressing himself to the combat, He was led up of the Spirit, or as St. Luke more emphatically, Being full of the Holy Ghost he was led by the Spirit. 5. Here are the Lists where the Combat was fought, or at least begun to be fought, the Wilderness, Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit, &c.

Christ put himself upon a Tentation, that is the first part of the Text, and the Load-star by which all is guided, that pertains to the whole matter which I am to handle in this story. Other things did fall out at the same time, but this was the drift of our Savior. For although we read that he fasted forty days in the Wilderness, yet the purpose of his going thither ultimately was not to fast, but to be tempted; fasting was an accessory, he must fast when he was there, because there was no food to be had. So Moses fasted forty days in Mount Horeb, yet he went not up to the Mountain to fast, but to receive the Tables of the Law. Therefore St. Mark says that Christ was forty days in the Wilderness tempted of Satan, but he never speaks of his fasting. It is true, He did expose himself to both those infirmities, in his body he suffered hunger, in his soul temptation, both at once; but his purpose was not to show how his natural body could subsist a long time without the sustenance of meats, but to manifest his strength and innocence in the trial of Tentation; That he might say with David's words, and St. Austin says they are his own speech, and his own words, Psal. cxviii. 13. Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall, but the Lord helped me. There are many things which will leave our wits in a maze, if we cast our eye down from the top of Christ's Majesty to the bottom of his infirmity; the bread which came down from heaven did hunger, strength itself was weak, comfort itself was sad and heavy, life itself did die; but that purity and innocence itself, in which no unrighteousness could be found, should be instigated over and over to most horrid sins, raiseth one point of admiration more than anything else. Magnum fuit facinus Deum conspui, & alapis caedi, verum haec omnia ad malum paenae spectant, &c. It is a mystery of humility, that God himself would be spit upon, and beaten, and be crowned with thorns, it was very much, and yet these at the very worst were but the evils of punishment; to be solicited to distrust in his Fathers providence, to be ambitious, to be an Idolater, these are far more incompetent to the Son of God, because they are the evils of sin. Let me search it therefore very diligently through all the causes, which may be useful to your learning and instruction, why Christ would be tempted of the Devil.

First, He yielded himself to be assaulted with strong provocations of evil, that he might pity us the more, because he knew in his own case and trial what hard encounters we had with the enemy. As if a General of a field would lie perdew, take his rest on the bare ground, assign a place unto himself in battle where he knew there was the greatest danger, that he might the better understand and commiserate the distress of the common Soldier. St. Paul comforts his brethren the Hebrews with a double consolation. First, That Christ our High Priest is gone into heaven to make intercession for us there. Secondly, That he bore all our afflictions upon earth, and knows our infirmities here, Heb. iv. 14. Says he, we have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens, and we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all Points tempted like as we are, yet without sin: so far as sin might not be admixed, or have any place in him, so far there was no kind of sorrow or temptation which we undergo, but he bore his part; therefore he sustained not the languors of feavours or sickness, which are contracted usually by Luxury, always by ignorance to preserve the constitution of our body in good plight, both which are most unworthy of this High Priest. And as for sin, he suffered the outward invitement of temptation in great measure, but not the inward rebellion of concupiscence, to which we are obnoxious, in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let not our hope therefore be utterly pressed down with the weight of our sins, Christ will have compassion because he knows the devices of our Adversary, and how feeble we are to make resistance; his Spirit shall not strive with man because he is but flesh; and if weak flesh be overcome sometimes by the spirit of darkness, he will not be extreme to mark what is done amiss, Quia fragilis est in homine conditio, non eos ad aeternos servabit cruciatus, says St. Jerome, Every trespass, wherewith our frail nature is deceived by the devil, shall not be punished with eternal fire. And the knowledge of God, discerning of what corrupt metal we are made, doth not only cause him to free us from eternal torments, but also to mitigate his temporal chastisements, Gen. viii. 21., And the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground anymore for man's sake, for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth. Because the imaginations of man's heart are so evil, and will lead him into disobedience, therefore the Lord is merciful. Once he destroyed the whole earth, because all flesh had corrupted its way, to satisfy his Justice, but no more than once, that he might not turn justice into wormwood and bitterness. Sweetly St. Ambrose, the Lord extended his universal revenge but once; Vindicta ad timorem proficit, magis quàm ad naturae commutationem, quae corrigi in aliquibus potest, in omnibus mutari non potest. The Lord doth not reiterate his universal punishments, for he knoweth that depraved nature may be corrected in some, it cannot be changed in all. Moses in this point is seconded by David, that the discerning of our infirmities doth stir up God's compassion, Psal. ciii. 14. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him; Novit enim figmentum nostrum; for he knoweth our frame, he remembereth that we are dust.

That is no marvel indeed says Gregory, to say he knows our frame, and the stuff whereof we are made, for there is nothing hid from his knowledge. What special notice doth he take of it more than anything else? Gregory answers, Figmentum nostrum scire est hoc in seipso ex pietate suscepisse. He knows our frame more nearly and intimately, because he assumed such a frame, such a natural body into the unity of his own Person. Naturam nostram non solùm creando novit, sed etiam assumendo: He knows the condition of man's nature not only by Creation, but also by Assumption. Cyril of Alexandria did foresee an objection might rise from hence, and thus prevents it: What if the Word had not been made flesh? Had not the Word notwithstanding perfectly known all the diseases and infirmities which happened to that mass of flesh which itself created? Yet it is answered, that Christ, had he never been incarnate, had known the very secrets of our hearts and reins, only he had not adjoined this knowledge unto himself after the experimental manner. This is the difference only, which doth actuate our comfort much the more, Scientiae divinae ea notitia, quam effert experientia, accessit. That knowledge, which is feeling and experimental, was added to the divine omnisciency. He knoweth whereof we are made, he hath shared our mourning; our sorrows, and temptations; he knows this dunghill metal of ours is full of putrefaction, and he pities it. To this one alluded ingenuously, that Christ did anoint the eyes of the blind man with spittle and clay, Joh. ix. 6. Ut seipsum excitaret magìs tali spectaculo ad commiserationem; That he might behold that object, to stir up his commiseration. You see by all this, I have built upon a sure ground, that our Savior knowing experimentally the conflict of temptations, what a mighty Giant this Goliath is, that defies the Israel of God, and how weak we are to make resistance; it takes away the edge of his severity, and enables him to plead our pardon before his Father. So we ourselves ought not be iron Judges, unrelenting Censors, but to look upon delinquents with a passionate regard, and to pass our sentence upon offenders with this dram of moderation, at least in our judgments, we ourselves have been tempted, and know how hard it is to resist the devices of the Devil.

Secondly, The first Adam was disgracefully overthrown by the Serpent, therefore the second Adam did redeem this disgrace by overthrowing the Serpent in his own Tentations; for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil, 1 Joh. iii. 8. The Scripture accommodates a Parable to make us remember it, Luk. xi. 22. Satan is the strong man that kept his Palace in peace; for he held a Princedom over the Sons of men; but a stronger than he came upon him, even our Lord and Savior, and overcame him, and took away his Armor, wherein he trusted, and divided his spoils. Dignus vindice nodus; a recovery fit for him that had the greatest power in heaven and earth, that the Sons of men might sing Songs of triumph, not David hath killed his ten thousand, but Christ hath subdued that enemy that exalted himself above all that were made after the Image and likeness of God. Alexander moved Calisthenes to tell him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 how a man might purchase to himself a name to be the most famous of all men? Calisthenes gave him a smart answer, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Let him kill the most famous of all men, I suppose he meant of his enemies; and this our great Champion hath done for us by frustrating, and retorting all the temptations of Beelzebub the Prince of Devils. It was our nature, which he so much contemned, that made him contemn the Son of God, and adventure upon the holiest of all, with confidence to get the day; all the Posterity of mankind were so baffled in Adam, that when Christ walked about in the similitude of man, Satan supposed it was but Veni, vici, Come and conquer. This day therefore the reproach was taken away from us, when our chief Captain shown the way, that even flesh, yet not through the arm of flesh, but by the Spirit, should be able to subdue our Ghostly enemies.

Thirdly, Not only our former stain and ignominy is repaired, because Christ was tempted and overcame, but since that time also temptations have not that irresistible force which they had before, their malignity is much abated. Some ancient Writers, especially Origen, have puzzled their wits to conjecture, what loss the Devil incurs when he is foiled in a temptation? One thought that the same Devil could never tempt again; like a Captive that yields himself up to the Conqueror, and is never suffered to bear Arms again. Others had rather say, that the same infernal spirit could never turn head against the same Person anymore who had once got the Mastery. Others thought, but themselves knew no reason for it, that the Devil once repelled cannot tempt to the same sin anymore. I wish no man to build his judgment upon such divinations. Beelzebub is by interpretation the God of a Fly: Chase away Flies, and yet the sent, which allured them before, draws them back again to the corruption which they had sucked before; so I take it for an allowed truth, that the Devil retires not quite for any repulse, but as we see it in men or beasts in any Duel, the longer they are beaten, the worse they fight: So the more we quench the firy darts of the Devil, the more we disable his despite, and make him impotent. If the Tempter could have foreseen that Heroic virtue in Job, and in the holy Martyrs, he would have recoiled away, and not touched their person. Now every man reaps the fruit and praise of his own labors, but the valiant acts and victories of our Savior are public advantages; for as his Death had a mortifying force against the Old man which is in us, and a quickening force toward the New man, so his Tentations had a dulling force against the Devil, and a strengthening force for us, to make our arms break a bow of steel. Ideo tentatus est Christus ne vincatur à tentatore Christianus, says St. Austin; Christ did vanquish the Devil in his own temptations, that we might be unvanquishable. This is our confidite, Joh xvi. 33. Be of good cheer I have overcome the world. Si tu vicisti gaude, quid ad nos? The Father makes one return a churlish answer, rejoice yourself, if you have overcome, what is that to us? Yea, Beloved, this is our Interest, that his skirmishing is our peace, and his victory is our triumph.

O how he hath sanctified temptations, and made them wholesome, which before were rank poison. Those things which were the baits to draw us to damnation, are now become the instruments of our happiness, blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of life. Whosoever perceives his own concupiscence allure him to do evil, let him call for a Second to aid him, if he be not able himself to endure the brunt, I mean for Jesus Christ; he will be a party in all those quarrels, if you call upon him faithfully, ever since he was tempted of Satan. Lord let me not fight alone, lest my foes prevail against me. Thus temptation begets fear, and fear begets prayer, and prayer calls for succor, and heavenly succor will assist us to be conquerors. Gregory incloseth it in his meditation, Unde pertimescit homo enerviter cadere, inde accipit fortiter stare, that temptation which makes a just man distrust he shall fall, affordeth him occasion to set his feet upon a sure place. Cast not yourselves therefore into temptation Brethren, but when you are in them endure them with joy and courage, as it is said of the Maccabees, that they fought with cheerfulness the battles of Israel, so go on with alacrity against those innumerable evils that take hold upon you: The just man triumphs with David against the powers of darkness, as if he saw them already made subject unto him; they are cast down and fallen, but we are risen, and stand upright. Pelopidas being environed with an Ambush, alas, says his Lieutenant, we are fallen into the hands of our enemies: And why not rather our enemies fallen into our hands, says Pelopidas? So let not the name of Satan and temptation be dreadful unto you, he hath more cause to fear he shall be repulsed, than you have reason to fear he shall prevail, since Christ hath blunted his weapons in this conflict. The Fathers call that verse the Saints Jubilee after their trial with the evil one, Psal. lxvi. 12. We went through fire and water, but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. And therefore I bequeath St. Paul's exultation to your use, Thanks be to God, who hath given us victory through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Fourthly, Christ was tempted, to give us an example how to encounter with the roaring Lion, and to win the Mastery. As a young Learner will observe diligently every ward and thrust that an experienced Gladiator makes, so the Holy Ghost hath set down for our advertisement every passage, how Christ did turn and wind the delusions of the Serpent. These things had need to be scanned beloved; we had need to be cunning at our fence; for if the Devil sought our overthrow in Christ, how much more will he do it in ourselves? If these things were done to the green wood, what will be done to the dry? But mark how the man of God's right hand chased away the enemy, mark how he demeaned himself from first to last, and you are fortified with the best president that ever the world afforded. Ut cujus munimur auxilio, ejus erudiremur exemplo, says Leo, he looks upon our conflicts from heaven, and helps the weaker side both by the presence of his grace, and by the president of his example. Observe him, that we might instance in all his ways, retiring into a desert from the contagion of the world, observe him fasting, observe him drawing his shafts out of the quiver of the holy Scripture to maintain his cause, and say, this is the true Charm to make the evil Serpent break, as Daniel in the Apocryphal story choked the Dragon with lumps of strong confection. Christ himself could not receive increase of the Spirit, either by being baptized, or by being tempted, for he had the fullness not of sufficiency, but of abundancy before without measure, but it was for the proficiency of his members that were under him: And therefore the Schoolmen have a disceptation, since Christ was much greater than the Angels, and did far excel them in grace, why he should be tempted of the Devil? For we do not read that any of the Angels confirmed in grace were ever tempted. One of them answers, Quia Angelus non habet membra sub se, quomodo Christus habet. Christ is head of a body, and hath members under him to give erudition unto by his example, and so have not the elect Angels. Wherefore if the Children of Israel looked up by faith upon the brazen Serpent in the Wilderness, that they might be healed when they were wounded; how much more should we look attentively upon Christ's Tentation in the Wilderness that we may not be wounded of the Serpent? The Fathers in their piety say, it is easier to avoid ten sins that compass us round about, and have not yet taken hold of us, than to recover ourselves sound again from any one sin that we have committed. It is the Angelical part of Christianity to take out this Lesson, Prevent us, O Lord, from evil in all our doings. There is a great deal of the old man, and his ragged lining in the best repentance. You may learn repentance from Christ's Gospel, but not from Christ himself; but innocence and clearness of life, and to be impregnable against temptations, not Verbum Christi, but Christus Verbum, not the Word of Christ, but Christ the eternal Word makes you cunning in that by his own example. He that knows not the experience of many temptations doth not well know himself, says St. Austin, Nescit se homo nisi in tentatione discat se; But he that knows not the experience of Christ's combat, will not know how to deal with temptation.

Fifthly, Says Bonaventure very acutely, he began in the ministry of the Gospel first to refute the false Doctors before he taught his Disciples the truth, first, to beat down the Synagogue of Satan, and then to build the City of God: First root up the Tares, and bind them in bundles, and then dress the Wheat. A Bishop must be able by sound doctrine both to exhort, and to convince gainsayers, Tit. i. 9. Conviction of falsehood requires the greater care and diligence, and the great Bishop of our souls begins with that. How soon were all divinity learnt? What little pains would go to Preaching and Exhortation, if it were not that Heresies and Falshoods beget us a most laborious drudgery to refute them? Innumerable errors are disseminated that they are like Augias his Stable, so foul that they are never to be cleansed. It held our Savior forty days in the Wilderness to untie all the knots of Satan; and thus we must build up Jerusalem, like Nehemiah's builders, with the Sword in one hand, with the Trowel in the other. Having the Sword of the Spirit to cut in twain the snares of the wicked one, you shall the sooner build up the walls of Zion.

Sixthly, And then I take off my hand from this Point; Let no man say I am cast out from the face of the Lord, because he is beset with daily temptations. God had one Son that was free from sin, but he hath no Son that is free from the incumbrances of Satan. If there be no more in it than an outward occasion cast before you, to try if you will bite, which is Exterior pulsatio, as a man that comes not into the house, but stands without, and knocks at door. This is your praise in the highest respect, that your virtue is impenetrable. As the Lord sent a blast upon Sennacharib, and made him return to his own Land without drawing blood from Judah: So this ghostly enemy hath not prevailed so far as to win the out-works of your innocence. Such a temptation is but an Antiperistasis, that augments the heat of virtue. As St. Ambrose gives Joseph this Encomiastick, Nonne tentatio Joseph virtutis est consecratio? Nonne injuria carceris corona est castitatis? That unchaste offer which Josephs Mistress offered unto him, it did consecrate, it did defy his chastity. Jonathan's Arrows were either on this side his Lad, whom he sent out into the field, or else shot beyond him: So the darts of Lust were either wide of Joseph, or shot over his head; an impregnable chastity is not so much as scratched with these shafts of love. Bring the case of such a one before Bernard, and he doth excuse him from all guiltiness, Non nocet sensus, ubi non est consensus, imo quod resistentem fatigat, vincentem coronat. This would Satan have; that is no blame of mine, unless my consent yield, and say, this would I have. But more of this by and by, where I will show that Satan's sinful Propositions were no way sinful to Christ that rejected them.

But I speak of that, which I confess is very unusual, a temptation repulsed, and no part of the Commandment broken, he that toucheth pitch shall be defiled. Few are like those three servants of God, to be cast into the Furnace, and not to have the smell of fire about them. But what if it please the Lord to have us exercised with the assault of some infirmities, so that our conscience doth witness against us it is taken in the snares of sin? Far be it from us to think that the Lord doth permit it to our condemnation, and not rather to better us in obedience. As a little wedge is beaten in sometimes to drive out a greater, so a little temptation is suffered to creep in that a bigger mischief may not enter. The falling into some sins in the best of God's Servants is an anticipation against pride, that they may not be puffed up with their own righteousness. Animam oportet assiduis saliri tentationibus, says St. Ambrose. Some errors and offenses do rub salt upon a good man's integrity, that it may not putrefy with presumption. And whosoever is molested in heart, because the enemy doth not cease to pollute him with evil desires, and bad cogitations, let him hope that God doth sift him as he did his great Servant St. Paul, 2 Cor. xii. 7. Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me. To spend no time about the diversity of Interpretations what this Messenger of Satan should be, I give my voice on their side that assign it to be carnal concupiscence; for whose sake the Apostle says, 1 Cor. ix. 27. I bring under my body, and keep it in subjection; and against which he complains, Rom. vii. 23. I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin. This spawn of depravation, whatsoever it was, did produce a good effect, that he who was dignified with many revelations might consider he was a frail man for all that, because of his inward rebellion in the flesh, and his often imperfections. Stimuli carnis sunt stimuli orationis. Those thorns in the flesh did prick him on to continual prayer. O blessed fruits of regeneration, when our very sins shall make us serve the Lord with the better appetite! And now I conclude the first general part of the Text, for I think all other reasons may be easily reduced to these six, which I have run over, why Christ was tempted of the Devil.

In the second general part of the Text this Tentation hath an Author, whose name is derived from calumniation and reviling, that evil Angel to be known of all men because he is to be shunned of all men; one often to be remembered, and ever to be detested, of much fame in the Gospel as Pilate is in the Creed, because his malice is outrageous against the Church both in heaven and earth, of many titles (for he is a great Prince over the children of disobedience) none worse than that which is his common denomination, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the reviler, or the Devil. The first accusation which he invented was against God himself, whom he traduced for interdicting the fruit of one tree to our first Parents, although their allowance was all things beside, which the earth brought forth in great abundance. And if God himself were not free from his slanderous impeachments, they that are devoted to God's honor must needs be obnoxious to his manifold calumniations. And because he doth commence new matter of reviling before the audience of God continually, St. John calls him the accuser, who doth accuse our brethren before God day and night, Rev. xii. 10. Let every sin reduce itself to the head and fountain, and the slanderer will be more ashamed of his chief than any. Gluttony is first known in Esau, Drunkenness in Noah, Tyranny in Nimrod, Polygamy in Lamech, Murder in Cain, but reviling in the Devil. Nor is reviling only the murdering of a man's good name, but directly it is a sin that is guilty of more blood than any other iniquity. And therefore the Devil, whose mouth is the great bellows that blows defamation abroad, Christ gives him his due when he says he was, Homicida ab initio; A murderer from the beginning, Joh. viii. 44. All the miseries which did befall the Martyrs and holy men began in slander, and ended in slaughter. Naboth first accused wrongfully for blaspheming God and the King, and so put to death. The Elders stirred up false witnesses that said, they heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses, and the holy place; the next news you here, he is cast out of the City and stoned. Our blessed Savior was first wrongfully cried out upon, that he made himself a King, then led away to Pilate to be Crucified. Is not this the fruit then of this Divinity? Beware of slandering and evil speaking; it is Peccatum sanguinum, peccatum daemonum; The sin of bloodshed, and the sin of Devils. The very Prince of Devils is characterized by being an accuser, not because a man may not sometimes accuse, and yet be a charitable Christian, but because the more he accuseth the Elect of God, the more it tickleth, and delights his envy, says St. Austin.

To this of St. Austin Lactantius hath added another reason, Nos criminatorem vocamus quod crimina, in quae ipse illicit, ad Deum deferat; We call our great Adversary a Devil, or Calumniator, because he delates and reports our faults to God, to which his own wiliness did entice us. First he empoysons us with bad suggestions, and makes us guilty, and then discovers us. The reason why he tempts is to gather proofs of accusation against us that we may be condemned, and Christ upbraided on this wise, See these Servants of yours, see those Children of men how full of all iniquity they are, for whom you have shed your precious blood. These slanders and foul detractions of his, though we do not hear them, yet I have satisfied you so far herein out of my Text, because his name imports them. But we do feel it to our hurt and molestation, that he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Tempter, as it is in the third verse of this Chapter. The word itself I would not have you think it is altogether evil, for even God is said to tempt man, Non ut ipse, sed ut ii quos tentat se cognoscant, says St. Austin; not that he may bring anything to light, which was unmanifested to him, but that our own effects may be known to ourselves, and to all the world, as Deut. xiii. 3. The Lord your God proveth you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul; but the vulgar Latin reads it, Ut palam fiat, to make it known that you love him. Again, one man may tempt another, to find what excellency is in him, as the Queen of Sheba came to prove Solomon with hard questions; besides, there is a good Tentation wherein a man is bound to prove, and to try himself, Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith, prove your own selves, 2 Cor. xiii. 5. In all these acceptions the Word is innocent; but there is an abusive Phrase for man to tempt God, as if we had not good experiment of his power and goodness, but would search it further; but let not us tempt Christ, as some of them tempted, and were destroyed of Serpents, 1 Cor. x. 9. Lastly, the word Tentation taken for allurement and provocation to sin is proper to Satan, and to Satan's instruments.

Among military rules this is one in all Authors, it brings some advantage with it to study the nature and condition of our enemy. I will beat a little upon that advice. I have met with some who have humm'd and haw'd at it whether there were any Devils or no, as if it were a thing that were disputable. Perchance these give credit to nothing further than their outward senses apprehend, after the manner of beasts; or like the Sadducees, that held there was neither Spirit, nor Angel, because they could see none. If you ask them, if Christ did not cast out divers Devils from those that were possessed; their evasion is, perhaps those might be enormous sins. But could sins, which are no substance, but qualities, cry out, and tear a man, and run into the Swine, and confess Christ? This is such an opinion, says a late Writer, Ac si oves putarent fabulam esse de lupis; as if the Sheep should think Wolves were but a tale, there were no such creatures that sought to devour them. St. Austin brings in such an unbeliever objecting, How should I overcome Satan? How should I repel him whom I cannot see or perceive? Well enough, says the Father, Facile habent remedium, se ipsos interius vincant, & de illo foris triumphant; overcome the instigations of evil motions within, and you triumph over the Devil without.

None hath described the puissance of our ghostly enemies more tragically than St. Paul, Eph. vi. 12. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickednesses in high places. Every word of this description is Vae, vae, Woe be to them that are not strong to resist. Our Adversaries in their essence are Spirits, in their form invisible, in their designs wicked, in their power rulers of this world, in their subtleties dealers in darkness, in their place they have the higher ground much above our reach, they hover in the air, in high places. The Prophet Isaiah demonstrated the weakness of the Egyptians, That their horses were flesh and not Spirit, Isa. xxxi. 3. The odds are the more against us, that our adversaries are Spirit, and not Flesh. Daemonum tanto major nequitia, quanto natura nobilior, says Aquinas. The more noble is the nature of hellish Fiends, the more dangerous is their wickedness: The more fleshly is our nature, the more weak our resistance. An Epicuraean will say perhaps, that gives himself over to all licentiousness, it is not in me to withstand the assaults of the Devil, why should I go about it, since I am made of a corruptible Elementary substance, which cannot hold out against a spiritual wickedness? But to make all such sinners inexcusable, God hath made us a recompense, and we have as good help on our side, to say the least of it, as they have of theirs, partly by the help of his assisting grace, partly by the Ministry of good Angels. Some there are likewise that cry out, man is unequally dealt withal, because the Princes of darkness have that odds of us in their multitude, they boast that their name is Legion. Dionysius, called the Areopagite, as I read it in Aquinas, reduceth the damnation of all sinners to this Multitudo Daemonum est causa omnium malorum; the world is so over-laid with numbers of Devils, that from thence ariseth all damnation. I would not set so much by that single authority if St. Jerome had not said, Communis est doctorum opinio, this is the common received opinion of the Doctors, Aer iste coelum & terram medio dividens plenus est contrariis fortitudinibus; The whole Element of the Air between heaven and earth is full of Diabolical troops, that rise up against our soul, and oppose our Salvation. Howsoever this is but opinion, and I am sure the Scripture doth nowhere put us in the perplexity of such a terror. And that of Anthony the Eremite is confessed to be but a dream, that he saw all the space between heaven and earth full of Satan's snares to catch the souls of men. Against these dreams and opinions I set the saying of Elisha on the one hand, There are more that be with us than against us: And the promise of our heavenly Father to the Children of Israel on the other hand, One of you shall chase a thousand, and two of you shall put ten thousand to flight.

Howsoever in all distress of temptation here is our refuge in this, or the like Prayer, Wilt thou suffer the destroyer, O Lord, to prevail against me? Wilt thou permit him to say, there, there we have devoured him? God spake once and twice that power belongeth unto God, Semel atque iterum ob firmitatem; once and twice, because that truth is strongly established. He that hath said unto the proud waves of the Sea, hitherto shall ye go, and no further; He doth say unto Satan, Hitherto shalt thou tempt, and no farther. It is not for the Devils deserving, but for the wicked man's undeservings that God doth give him his licet sometimes, Go and do harm upon the earth, I will permit thee that thou be a lying Spirit in the mouth of Ahab's Prophets, Non merito malitiae ejus sed transgressionis humana data est ei hujusmodi potestas, says a Schoolman; Not for the good that he hath done, but for the much evil that we have done. He is made a Prince of the world, therefore turn unto the Lord and he will quickly cancel Satan's Commission. A Tragedian upon the Roman Theater repeating this verse, Nostrâ miseriâ magnus factus es; the Auditors did all apply it immediately to Pompey, surnamed the Great, thou art grown to the name of great by our baseness and servile flattery. So we have made our arch enemy a great tyrant, by our rebellion and iniquity. Therefore do you but cry out, De profundo clamavi, out of the deep have I called unto thee O Lord, and the Lord will bind him that hath bound us in our sins in the bottomless pit.

I have expatiated thus far upon the condition, malice, number, and efficacy of these spiritual wickednesses in high places. Now I restrain myself to meditate how at this time Satan chose out Christ for his object. Our Savior was not touched upon by the Tentations of the World, or of the Flesh, but he was tempted of the Devil. And St. Cyprian gives a sweet reason for it, Honestiùs cum spiritu, quàm cum carne luctamur, nemo libidinum morsus evasit illaesus; A man may preserve his holiness and integrity and yet encounter the Devil. No man is troubled with the concupiscence of the World, or of the Flesh, but he comes off with some detriment. You shall know what all these three temptations are severally, and then mark if it be not true.

First, For the temptation of the World, that is, when some unlawful desire is stirred up in a man, to wish inordinately some things in the world. The world therefore is said to tempt by casting objects in our way, which are occasions to make us stumble and fall, as the shadow in the water made the Dog let go his piece of flesh, says he in the Fable.

Secondly, For the temptation of the flesh, that is, sometimes taken for all manner of wrong desire that opposeth reason or faith, so Idolatry, Witchcrafts, Heresies, Seditions are called the works of the flesh, Gal. v. 20. but properly it is our affection towards some sensual things against reason, or the Word of God, either in the avoidance of some evils of punishment which should be sustained, or in coveting some pleasures which should be avoided. According to St. Paul's stimulus in carne, whereof I spake before. Both these you see leave some mark and impression of evil behind them, for sin is sin in the first suggestion, and could in no wise be competible to Christ, who was a Lamb without blemish in all respects. And whereas Satan propounded stones to be made bread, and all the glory of the kingdoms of the World, Divines do rightly distinguish, Christ was not tempted of the world, or of the flesh, Ad ea tamen quae carnis & mundi sunt, but he was solicited by Satan to enjoy the pomp of the world, and to embrace those pleasures wherein the flesh lusteth against the Spirit.

Thirdly, It remains alone, since he would be an High Priest tempted with like infirmities unto us, that he should be tempted of the Devil; for that assault might happen with all the might and main that Satan could direct it, and yet Christ be blameless and undefiled; according to that Text, The Prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me, Joh. xiv. 30. That sin doth not follow as a necessary effect from such a temptation of the Devil, I prove it two ways: 1. From that common rule, Peccatum in actu proprio consistit; That which is the act of another cannot be called my sin; my sin must be my own proper act. Therefore if the suggestion of Satan had no success with me, it was his envy, but the resistance shall be imputed to me for innocence. 2. I prove it from another rule, speaking only of actual sins, Nemo peccat propter id quod vitare non potest; No man is put into such a plunge, that sin is inevitable, that he could not choose but sin. Who can hinder it, that Satan shall not so much as offer to seduce me? I cannot avoid the attempts of the evil Spirit, but through Christ I may avoid to consent unto him. It is impossible but scandals and temptations should come, but woe unto him by whom they come. The difference between us and our High Priest is this. Satan creeps into us by invisible insinuations, he slides into the inward closet of our breast, and there begets polluted imaginations, libidinous delights, wicked designs, and intentions. There he gets in says Biel, though we perceive not any such guest in the inward room, Sicut lumen penetrat in profundum aeris, & ibidem manet; As the light is transfused through the air, though the air feel it not. A fit similitude for the Angel of darkness. But the tempter came to Christ, not by an inward induction, but in an outward visible appearance. And his presence or his speech were no more contagious to Christ, than when the Sons of God stood before the Lord, Satan also was among them, and had leave to speak his mind against that holy patient man, Job i. 7.

I will conclude this Point, and begin that which shall end all, Jam. i. 13. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. He cannot be tempted with evil, therefore that exterior pulsation of the Devil was no ensnarement to Christ; and Chrysologus makes this use of my Text, take heed ye repine not at God for the author of evil and temptation, they are the works of Lucifer and his Angels. When you hear those Fiends make it their office to tempt (an office not imposed by their Maker, but assumed by their own malice) In Deum hoc non imputent homines, astris non imputent, naturam non criminentur. Revile not God, throw not the mischief upon nature, pick no quarrels with the Stars. You see whose work it is, heaven and earth are God's, and sin is the Devils. God hath made his good Angels to be our custody, and appoints them their Provinces how, and whom they shall protect. Evil instigations, impugnations, are from the Spirits of darkness, only God appoints the order, as he shall see fit, for the punishment of rebellious ones that have forsaken him. Deus ordinate novit uti malo. Evil temptations are the Devils; God, whose Providence guideth all things, doth sometimes restrain and limit them, always methodize and direct them. Whom in the end of all we call upon by hearty and zealous Prayer to assoil and defend us from our ghostly enemies. AMEN.

THE SECOND SERMON UPON Our Savior's Tentation.

I N the elder times of the Church, every man can tell you, who is a little acquainted with their customs, that particular Churches, especially those that were the principal and greatest Seats, did keep an anniversary commemoration of the noble acts of the Saints, and chiefly for them who had endured hard encounters for the name of Christ, either into bonds and imprisonment, or some other stern calamity, who were called confessors, or into blood and death who were called Martyrs. And this Ceremony was well instituted in praise and admiration of their victories, who would not let that truth be overcome which was in their possession. Therefore their memory was kept fresh every year for a double benefits sake, says Minutius Felix, Defunctis premium, & futuris dabatur exemplum; The dead were much renowned, and the living were no less edified by their example. What were the conflicts of men that we were so mindful of them? And should not we much more remember this forever famous conflict of the Son of God? Brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle, and High Priest of our Profession Jesus Christ, who girded himself with strength, and with the power of the holy Spirit, and brake the heads of Leviathan in pieces. Magnifie him therefore that rideth upon the heavens as it were upon an horse, praise him in his noble acts, praise him in his excellent greatness, yea, and rejoice before him. This opposition of the whole battery of Hell against him, his constancy to suffer it, his victory to tread it under feet, hath not only a due commemoration of it once a year, in the Gospel for Ash-Wednesday, or the first day of Lent, but every week in the year, so often as we read the Litany, we speak of it to his honor, and to our comfort, By thy Baptism, Fasting, and Temptation good Lord deliver us.

A great omission might be imputed to Divines, me thinks, if Poets in their versifying fury should be able to raise the Wars of Troy to such an opinion in all Ages, and we should flag in setting down the most terrible battle that ever was fought between Christ and Satan, the trustiest Champion, and the deadliest Enemy of man's Salvation one against another; I say, it were a shame to our negligence not to be blotted out, if we should not prosecute the description of every circumstance, I for my part with all requisite industry, and you with all attention. I take this first verse therefore into my hands once again, which was thus disparted into five points. 1. That among other parts of humility, wherein Christ our High Priest was made like unto us, He was tempted to sin. 2. It is expressed by what sort of temptation, neither by the concupiscence of the flesh, nor by the vanities of the world, but by the outward solicitations of the Devil. 3. Here is the time and opportunity which Satan chose with all despite to set upon him, then says my Text, that is, in the next place after his Baptism, which went before. Immediately, says St. Mark, after the voice from heaven had said, This is my beloved Son. 4. We may learn from hence how Christ was marshalled to the combat, he was led up of the Spirit, or as St. Luke more emphatically, Being full of the Holy Ghost he was led by the Spirit. 5. It is no idle word in the verse, that we have the Lists where the combat was fought, at least where it was begun to be fought, the Wilderness.

In the first place at this time I must bend my meditations to the third of these particulars, having dispatched the other two in their place before, and that is the time which Satan thought he nickt very right for his purpose, then, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it was the Motto of the wise man Pittacus of Greece, know the seasons and opportunities of time, and you can hardly fail of that which you enterprize: Yet all things fell out contrary to the imaginations of this subtle Serpent, that the time which he thought was most in season was most out of season: it was no such a critical hour as he hoped for. But why was Christ tempted then? So lies the question, and thus I answer it in the first place, because our Savior had been lately baptized; then as soon as ever he was initiated in the Sacrament of purification, then the engines of iniquity were planted to overthrow him. If Christ had been as one of us, who are prone to relapse into our former filthiness, after we have vowed a new life to God, this had been a likely way to have sped, and as dangerous as the counsel of Achitophel. A Penitent that hath newly bid adieu to all unclean conversation, newly gone out of Sodom, goes upon a ticklish ground, and stands not so sure, but that he is easily thrown down. Lucerne recens extincta levi flatu accenditur; how often have you seen a candle put out by a mischance, and blow the snuff presently while it is hot it flames again: So carnal concupiscence being but lately corrected in a good Convert by the fear of God, take heed the Devil blow not presently upon the snuff, for an easy matter will make it flame again. A man that hath lately begun a good work which is pleasing to God, must keep a Midsummer watch over it, a double guard more than he shall need when he is grown into custom and continuance. So Chrysologus doth abet this very reason which I give upon my Text, Diabolus primordia boni pulsat, sancta in ipso ortu festinat extinguere. Satan hath a more malicious aim than ordinary at the first fruits of holiness, he would crop the beginnings of reformation before they grow up to perfect fruits of amendment of life.

The smallest bird can pick off the blossoms of a tree; if that blossom be not nibled away, but grow a fair apple, the hurt is small that the fouls of the air can do unto it: So the firstlings of a godly life are in the greatest danger; upon maturity of holiness, when the fear of God is well rooted in the heart, those unclean Harpies of the air, the Devil and his Angels shall be less able to annoy us. Scit quod fundata subvertere non potest, says the former Author; Satan wants no sagacity to observe his advantages, but is aware that if the Camp put their Spade into the ground for a few days, and cast their trenches, they will hardly be displanted. An Army that is not long set down before a place is more easily removed; so I say once for all, that I may roll the same stone no more, expect to find the greatest impediment from the Tempter at the beginning of a good work. As the Children of Israel were never so full of Wars as when they first set foot into the Land of Canaan. How many Factions bandied against David when he first took upon him the Kingdom? Prohibition upon prohibition against Nehemiah when he laid the first stone to re-edify the Temple. When the first foundations of heaven were laid the proud Angels themselves fell: upon the first plantation of Paradise Adam fell: upon the first promulgation of the Law the Israelites worshipped a Calf in Horeb. Because the first fruits are the Lord's, therefore this rebellious monster would corrupt them. Be not troubled therefore (so St. Chrysostom comforts) if you be infested with perilous temptations after Baptism, after receiving the Lord's Supper, after your Prayers, after your being at Church, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , This follows of course, it will often be so. If you seek to quench the Devil he is nothing but fire and flame. But especially a Jew or Pagan being of ripe years, renouncing Infidelity, and receiving the waters of Baptism for the remission of sins in the blood of Christ, they are the persons at whom the Adversary will strike with all his force, after the similitude of this temptation. There is a Text somewhat obscure, Luk. xi. 24. That an unclean Spirit walks through dry places, seeking rest and finds none▪ St. Jerome doth thus interpret those dry places, Loca inaquosa sunt gentes aridae, nondum aquâ baptismi irrigatae; Towns and Villages are scited by springs and rivers for the most part; dry places, where no waters are, want the frequency of men, and thither the unclean Spirit resorts; these dry places, says he, are those barbarous heathen upon whom the dew of heaven did never fall, I mean the sprinkling of Baptism: But among these the malicious one finds no rest, Non invenit requiem, quia non habet cui noceat; these, alas for them, are quite lost already, he finds no rest among these, for he wants matter to work upon, therefore he returns to the house from whence he came, to the house newly swept, to them who were lately baptized, and had put on Christ.

Secondly, Just before the Spirit of God came down upon Christ in the shape of a Dove; and although that Spirit was upon him in all fullness and abundance ever since he was made man, yet that apparition did manifest him to have received the rich talents of grace in most plentiful measure. Hereupon was the envy of the Devil enflamed, In majorigratiâ major tentatio; Where there is the most sanctification, it falls out very often that there is the most temptation. The Devil is like a thief who will venter for the greatest booty; they that beset an house to rob it, says St. Chrysostom, look for cash, and where temptations beat hard against a man, it is to be granted that there are good gifts in the soul, of which the envious man would bereave us. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it is evident that there is a great treasure committed unto thee, because Satan would break in and steal. If you ask who are most empestered with the assaults of the wicked one, the question, says Aquinas, is to be divided with this distinction, Potentia Diaboli est respectu infirmorum, fervor respectu perfectorum; the weakest and worst of men are most obnoxious to his power and domination, the strongest and best of men are most obnoxious to his assault and fury. Among all the twelve Disciples he can easiest possess the heart of Judas, but among all the Twelve he did most desire to winnow Peter. Where God gives a man a large measure of grace, withal he gives the Devil the larger Patent Do not say, I am cast out of the sight of the Lord, and faith is much weakened within me, for the provocations of ungodliness vex me sore: It is quite otherwise, Christ will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able to bear, but a stiff knot can endure a more massy wedge, and a strong defendant shall have a strong Antagonist. Faith is called a Shield, the Word of God a Sword, Righteousness a Brest-plate; is not such Artillery as this fit for an hot skirmish? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , He that hath the weapons of the Spirit let him gird them about him to fight. And this is it that I say why Christ was now tempted upon the manifestation of the Holy Ghost, for the more grace, the more temptation.

Thirdly, There is no bait at which the old Serpent will bite sooner than the lofty commendations of the Saints. At the Baptism of our Savior, and the descension of the Holy Ghost, there came a voice from heaven that did resound his glory far and wide, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil. The heathen were wont to say, be moderate in the commendation of any man, whatsoever was over-praised was obnoxious to the envy of the God's. Indeed, as for the God's of the Heathen they were but Spirits of damnation. And whatsoever is highly praised, an hellish envy dogs and follows it to take away the Garland from it. Breves & infausti populi Romani amores, says the Historian; Those whom the people of Rome did much prosecute with their love and applause they were never long prosperous. What was the beginning of Jobs affliction? But those words wherewith God did so graciously testify to his integrity, Hast thou considered my servant Job that there is none like him in the earth? Job i. 8. Some, that are bold to conjecture, say as much for David, the envy of the Devil was stirred up against him, because he was called a man after God's own heart. They carry the same conceit upon the first time that Peter was smartly rebuked, Get thee behind me Satan; immediately in a few verses before that Encomium was given him, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock well I build my Church. Nectens ipsis ex vincula sertis. As the Poet, says the waggish Boys, took Silenus his Garland, and made fetters therewith to bind him: So Satan contrives mischief out of the Garlands, out of the praise of the Saints. And certainly too much elevation of praise is a dangerous precipice to be tumbled into temptation; or if it do not work to the ruin of the living, this wolvish projector can bring his ends about to the injury of the dead. For certainly the large Panegyrics and Commemorations made yearly upon the Festival of the Saints and Martyrs, (whereof I spake in the beginning) stirred up the envy of the Devil to sow Tares among the Wheat, to beget invocations of Saints, prostration before their Images, adoration of Relics, and the whole spawn of Idolatry. If God lend his own voice to the praise of Christ, this infamous Lucifer attends close to blot it out, and to make God a liar like himself, for if he could have entered the temptation of any sin into Christ, he had not been the Son in whom the Father was well pleased.

Fourthly, Christ had spent thirty years of his life in Judea, and it is most probable to hold, that in all that space Satan did not cast the least temptation before him. Was this the time for the powers of darkness to begin their fury more than ever before? So it seems, and for this reason; for those thirty years he was obedient to his Parents without the least noise made that he was the eternal Son of God, that came to save the world, and passed away his time in such obscurity, that there is no print or footstep of any rare action that he did, save that he disputed with the Doctors at twelve years old in the Temple. But as soon as he began the work of his Mediatorship in open publication, as soon as ever he began to advance the Banner of faith, that all that believed in his name should be saved, Hell could contain itself no longer, but belch'd out defiance against him. The Heathen had a common Maxim which Plutarch liked not, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Apparitions of evil Spirits never infested any one that was wise and judicious. This did not relish with that Author, because Dion and Brutus, a pair of most renowned Captains, were even distracted with Phantasms and visions that haunted them: So he, whose opinion is good, but upon another ground, and it is thus. Satan hath ever strived to set shoulder to shoulder against them who have either been the beginners, or the restaurators of the Doctrine of the Kingdom of heaven. That word of the Angel set him on fire worse than Hell itself, Evangelizo vobis, I come not with the Law, but I do Evangelize, I bring good tidings of great joy to all people; and when Christ began to set that Gospel on foot, it was insufferable to the Devil, he must tempt him in the Wilderness. Remember the tempest which was raised when Christ was embark'd to sail over the Lake of Genazeret to the Gaderens. It was a tempest conjur'd up, I suppose, by means Diabolical, that the Gaderens, who were the most part Gentiles, might not hear of Righteousness, and Salvation. The Spirit cried out to Paul to come over to Macedonia and help them; He and Silas found no better entertainment than to be scourged for coming to Macedonia, Acts xvi. 9. How long, how many hundred years were all the skillful men in the world deluded, nay, how long bewitched? I may well use that word, that neither by the Sphere, nor by Navigation, nor by any other conjecture, so many nimble wits and industrious men could not find out so large a portion of the world as America. We were all so long held in ignorance, that those miserable and vast multitudes of Nations might be held in infidelity. And our late Stories report, that many dear Servants of God, who have sailed thither, as well to enlarge Christ's Kingdom as their own means, have suffered most unusual wrecks and storms at Sea; nay, that they have encountered Phantasms and Apparitions in all likelihood Diabolical.

I will make no long excursion here, but a short Apology for one that deserved well of the reformed Religion. Many of our Adversaries have aspersed Luther with ill words, but none so violent as our English Fugitives, because he doth confess it that the Devil did encounter him very frequently, and familiarly, when he first put Pen to Paper against the corruptions of the Church of Rome. In whose behalf I answer, Much of that which is objected I cannot find in the Latin Editions of his works which himself corrected, although it appears by the quotations some such things were in his first Writings set forth in the Dutch Language. 2. I say no more than he confesseth ingenuously of himself in an Epistle to Brenz, his meaning was good, but his words came from him very unskilfully, and his style was most rough and unsavory. St. Paul says of himself, that he was rudis sermon, rude in speech: But Luther was not so much 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the word used in Paul, as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , after his Dutch Monastical breeding, and his own hot freedom, by nature he had a boisterous clownish expression; but for the most part very good Jewels of Doctrine in the dunghills of his Language. 3. If the Devil did employ himself to delude and vex that heroical Servant of God, who took such a task upon him, being a simple Monk, to inveigh against Errors and Superstitions which had so long prevailed, why should it seem strange to any man? Ribadenira sticks it among the praises of his Founder Ignatius Loiola, that the Devil did declaim and cry out against him (believe it everyone of you at your leisure) and why might not the Devil draw near to vex Luther, as well as roar out a great way off against Loiola? I have digrest a little with your patience, to make Luther's case appear to be no outrageous thing, that weak ones may not be offended when they hear such stuff objected out of Parsons, or Barclay, or Walsingham, or out of Bellarmine himself. If Beelzebub was busy with the Master, what will he be with the Servants? When Christ did begin to lay the first corner stone of the Gospel, then he was led into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil.

I will suffer a reason of Tolets to make up the fifth place before I leave this Point. Christ presented himself upon the desert of the Wilderness to undergo his temptation, before he had wrought many Signs and Miracles, to put a mist before the Devils eyes, that when he did not ween him to be the eternal Son of God, he might give the onset without distrust; not as Ahab went disguised into the field, lest the Army of the Syrians should bend their forces against him; but to delude the great Adversary, lest he should retire when he suspected to be over-mastered. Sicut luctator inclinat corpus suum ut supplantet alium; Bernard's similitude I think. Our Savior omitted no evidence of humility and infirmity to win the day of Satan by this abasement. As a cunning wrastler dops downward as low as he can, that he may fetch over his Antagonist. But this Point will meet us again upon a larger entreaty. These five reasons if you can remember them, will give you satisfaction, I suppose, what time and opportunity this was, which Satan chose with all despite to set upon our Lord and Savior, the word of time is very emphatical. Then was, &c.

The next general part comes now to be handled, how the Spirit like a Grand Marshal brought Christ into the field to combat with the Devil, He was led up of the Spirit into the Wilderness. I will deliver my mind upon this hint in these four particulars: 1. Of what Spirit this place is to be understood. 2. How the Spirit did lead him. 3. Why this passage is inserted into the Story, that he was led up of the Spirit. 4. It will be expedient to annex unto these, How the grace of God doth lead us, and draw us on to vanquish the Devil, and all the corruption that is in us, and to be the Sons of God. Because there is mention of a good Spirit immediately before my Text, that descended from heaven upon him in the shape of a Dove, and all the business after my Text concerns an evil Spirit that assaulted him with many temptations, therefore the quaere ariseth, which of these did lead him into the Wilderness? The Syriac determines it plainly, Ductus â spiritu sancto, he was led by the Holy Ghost. And it is of more moment, that certainly the Syriac Paraphrase took it from St. Luke. Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan and was led by the Spirit. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they that understand Grammar, and the original Text, do easily discern, that the same word in the same sentence implies one and the same thing, the latter being an effect of the former, for being full of the Holy Spirit, he was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness. And I will parallel it plainly anon with that of St. Paul, Acts xx. 22 Behold I go bound in spirit to Jerusalem. Moreover, the Devil approached not unto him, till after he had fasted forty days he began to be an hungry; for he had no motive to begin his temptations, till he perceived he was in the distress of hunger like a weak man. Therefore it was not Satan that carried him into this place where he fasted, for then the temptation had begun before he had set foot in the Wilderness. The case is clear, to say no more of the first Point, that the Spirit which led him was the influence, and impulsion of the Holy Ghost.

The second thing to be asked is, how the Spirit did lead him. This can be conceived but two ways: Either by inward instigation, or removing him suddenly from one place to another, which is called outward translocation. Each way may be admitted, for both are according to Analogy of Faith, and both are favored out of the Greek Text of sundry Evangelists. You shall read in St. Luke, Chap. iv. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he was led by the Spirit, which doth imply, that the Holy Ghost did inwardly inspire that resolution into him, and did assist continually while he abode in the Wilderness. You shall read in St. Mark, Chap. i. 12. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness, as if he had been transported thither in some wonderful rapture. And my Text is read thus in St. Matthew, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , He was led up of the Spirit. The Proposition 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , sursum, to lead up, hath either regard to the situation of the Desert, which was by far the higher ground in respect of Jordan, where our Savior was before: Or else that he was exalted from the earth, and carried away by the Spirit through the air, until he came unto that place, where he spent forty days in Prayer, Fasting, and Meditation. I dare not contend out of the Scriptures, but that the Spirit wrought both ways upon Christ, both carrying his body into the Wilderness, and instigating his mind.

No unusual thing in the first sense, for the Spirit to transport a body suddenly through the air, without the motion of the feet, to a place of far distance. And although the whole Trinity God the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost concur to that action, and produce it, or perhaps appoint an Angel to be the instrument, yet it goes under the name of the Spirit, because that Miracle impresseth a strange virtue into a material body, as if it were spiritual. How Enoch and Elias were translated on high in their bodies I have declared my mind not long since: And surely, before Elias his last translation into heaven this did befall him often times, Obadiah was jealous of it, 1 King. xviii. 13. It shall come to pass when I am gone from thee, the Spirit of the Lord shall carry thee whither I know not. What Ezekiel reports of himself, I cannot say but it was rather an imaginary than a real rapture, but thus he, Ezek. viii. 3. The hand of God took me by a lock of mine head, and the Spirit lift me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem. This could not be imprinted in his imagination, but that it was possible to be done really. And Gregory meditates well upon it; Every regenerate person during the time of this mortal flesh is so lifted up between heaven and earth; Adhuc ad superna plene non pervenit, sed tamen ima dereliquit; His conversation and his heart are not altogether in heaven, but they are higher than the earth. What a direct instance is that of the Prophet Habakkuk? He was carrying food to the Reapers in the Land of Jury, and the Angel of the Lord took him by the crown, and bare him by the hair of his head, and through the vehemency of the Spirit set him in Babylon. Neither need this be rejected for Apocryphal, since there is an example to match it, Acts viii. 39. The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, who was then at Gaza, and he was found at Azotus, which two are forty miles distance after the best descriptions of the Holy Land. A Faith that is but linum fumigans; a dusky faith, and shines not clearly, may easily admit this, for if the birds can cut the air with their gross wings naturally, who will not be persuaded that God can make the body of man more nimble and fit for such a motion by his supernatural power? But I marvel at those Expositors, who are squemishly conceited against that opinion, that they did not frame this objection: God doth not use to work Miracles only to show tricks, as one would say, no necessity requiring. Then cui bono? Why might not Christ have gone into the Wilderness step by step? What occasion of moment should urge the Spirit to transport him? Beloved, it was thus far expedient, that Christ should vanish, and no man know which way he was departed, that he might avoid the honor which the multitude would have done him upon that voice which came from heaven, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. So in the sixth of St. John, after the miracle of feeding some thousands with a little bread and a few fishes, Christ perceived that they would take him by force and make him a King, therefore he made a sudden departure, none knew whither till his Disciples met him walking upon the Sea in a dark night, and a great storm, Mat. xiv. 23. This is reason then sufficient, to decline the people, who were astonished at the testimony which was given him from heaven, that the Spirit snatched him away in a rapture into the Wilderness.

Why this interpretation of the word should not take with you I know not, but I am sure the next must take, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , He was led by the Spirit, that is, the Holy Ghost did inspire this heroical resolution into his human nature to fight with, and to overthrow the temptations of the Devil. I shall reach this doctrine unto you the better upon certain questions: And first, what needed this Preface of all other before this mighty work, that he was guided by the Spirit? What action throughout all his life did not deserve the same commendation? A young Rhetorician dedicated an Oration to one Antalcidas. What is the subject of your Oration quoth he? Says the young Orator the praise of Hercules. Fie man, says Antalcidas, what needless pains have you taken? Who did ever dispraise Hercules? So it may seem as redundant an expression, to say that Christ was led by the Spirit at this time, for through the grace of Union, and the grace of Unction he was always conducted by the Spirit. It is sufficient for answer to this, that this was the first exploit of those that Christ did act, to show he was the Christ, and the Mediator of God and man; therefore this clause being prefixed to the foremost of his actions, is a title to all the rest, he was led of the Spirit. 2. It is not to be taken per modum inhaerentiae, that he was now full of the Holy Ghost, as if he had received a larger measure than he had before, but by way of manifestation, for the Spirit even now had visibly descended upon him in the shape of a Dove. Semper fuit actus à spiritu, sed jam maxim ejus vis apparuit; the common gloss of the best Writers: The Spirit did always lead him, and dwell in him, but now it did appear and put forth its strength. I move another question, (be not offended that I move these hard things as it were by way of Catechism) are the leadings of the Spirit of more sorts than one? Yea, these two are degrees one above another. The first is general to all the Sons of God, for they are all stirred up to faith, and hope, and good works by a divine illumination. If ye be led by the Spirit, then are ye not under the Law of the flesh, Gal. v. 18. The second is special, to the chiefest, and principal Ministers of God, as Kings, Prophets, and Apostles, when Saul was anointed King over Israel, the Lord gave him another heart, his Spirit came upon him, and he Prophesied. So Christ our anointed Prophet prepared himself for a famous enterprize, and he had the badge of God's good liking, The Spirit came upon him, or he was led by the Spirit. Suffer but one interrogatory more, and it is this: Did the Spirit thrust on Christ, and as it were hale him with compulsion at this time? So a man might hap to fall into that error by St. Marks words, The Spirit driveth him into the Wilderness. And the Vulgar Latin gives the same offense, Luk. iv. 1. Agebatur a spiritu; he was pushed on by the Spirit. For answer, hard words are soon mollified by good construction. The very Heathen could say, Generosus est animus hominis, magisque ducitur quàm trahitur; Mans will is a free generous thing, and had rather be led fairly than drawn forcibly. Therefore the other Evangelists must be expounded by St. Matthew, that the Spirit led him by illumination, and propounding the will of his Father unto him, not by violence and coaction. So Cajetan, Non vis significatur, sed efficientia, & impulsus spiritus; All was done by the efficacy, and motion of the Spirit, nothing by compulsion.

Some there are, who care not what old Pillars of Divinity they pull down, to set up their new devises, that hold, that Christ did obey his Father, and the Divine Law with so much liberty and freedom, that it were no offense to say, Christ could not have obeyed his Father, not have kept the Law, and so by consequent have sinned; and whereas it is certain he did not sin, they will neither allow that the Hypostatical Union was the cause of it (O strange Theology! ) nor yet the grace of Unction, wherewith he was anointed above his fellows, (O strange impudency!) Neither of these was fundamentum impeccabilitatis; And all this to maintain, that because he did merit by his obedience, his will was not determined to do good, but left indifferent to good or evil. Away with this over audacious disputing; Christ could not but fulfil all righteousness; I must do the works of him that sent me, Joh. iv. 9. All good things conducible to the work of a Mediator were necessary to be done: And it was necessary, God's will being declared, that it should be fulfilled of Christ, although he was not necessitated by a violent determination, but moved willingly and obediently unto it by a certain persuasion. Non necessitatus erat, sed propter illud quod necessarium erat sponte motus, says Abulensis; The object propounded was necessary to be done of him, though he accepted it with much alacrity and desire, and no way driven by constrainment. Therefore this was not like Peters case, Another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not, Joh. xxi. 18. But the hand of the Lord was with him, and carried him whither he liked himself. Non invitus aut captus, sed sponte & libere venit, says St. Jerome; He was not drawn on as if his own will drew back, but rejoiced as a Giant to run his course. To say no more but this, Oblatus est quia voluit; It was his own good will that he was slain for the sins of the world; it was his own pleasure not to dread death, and it was as much his own pleasure to grapple with temptations. And so much for that question, how the Spirit did lead him into the Wilderness.

You shall now be partakers of the third thing, why this passage is inserted into the story, that he was led up of the Spirit? Good reasons are rather to be esteemed by their weight than their multitude; take these few to content you.

1. The Spirit is said to lead him, because de did not run on blindfold, but knew the task which he undertook, he foresaw the difficulties that he would meet, and weighed them in the balance of judgment and discretion; Non ignarus, sed consilio ducebatur, says St. Ambrose; The counsel of the Spirit did enlighten him to see what he had in hand. Saul thought that David was but a fool-hardy Stripling, and knew not what a perilous thing it was to fight with such a Giant as Goliath, Thou art but a youth, and he a man of War from his youth, thou art not able to go against this Philistine. But David shown the reason of his confidence, the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the Lion, and out of the paw of the Bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. He had considered God's mercies and protection, therefore he was led by the Spirit into that noble action. Beware to plod on, like Balaam, with our eyes shut; never discerning what is before us. Try all things, and prove your own heart if you understand which way you walk unto the Lord. Ephraim feedeth on the wind, and followeth after the East wind, wherein the Prophet deciphers them, that know not what they seek after; or at least how they would comprehend it. Some eat and drink their own damnation, because they discern not the Lord's body; they come by custom to the Table of the Lord not with solemn and faithful preparation, these are not led by the Spirit. Some lay their hand to this Plow to preach the Kingdom of Christ, but never bethought them seriously what it was to bear the Ark of God upon their shoulders; they took the Priests Office upon them only for the hire and wages, but never examined whether they were inwardly called, these were not led by the Spirit. The Widows in St. Paul's days, who were to continue in supplications night and day, these were not to be taken into that Society which attended the Church under threescore years of age, and such as had been diligent in every good work: In after Ages, out of more presumption than due care, some were accepted to take the vow of continency upon them at the age of forty: Others more dangerously admitted Virgin Votaries at the age of twenty five: And now every youngling at the age of fourteen is solemnly received to be incloystered in an unmaried estate forever, before they know the hazard of their own frailty, the iron bondage of such a Vow, or how to avoid the continual temptations of most discontenting melancholy: these took their snare upon them by fond enticements, and ignorant devotion, they were not led by the Spirit. This was St. Ambrose his reason of this phrase.

2. The next owes itself to St. Hilary; Non aliter tentatus est quàm spiritûs permissu, & auxilio; He was led by the Spirit, that is, he maintained this quarrel against the Devil by the permission and assistance of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Ghost is not an idle Spectator, but a party that leads us by the hand, and holds up our hands to conquer these Amalekites, as Aaron and Hur held up the hands of Moses. The Apostles were like things shut up, that durst not come abroad till they were filled with the Spirit, that had no heart to offer themselves to the trial of any affliction, but kept out of the way; But in God's help, as David says, they leapt over the wall, and ventured forth out of that narrow imprisonment, and to make some satisfaction for that privacy, when they lived as recluses, they travelled boldly through all places of the world, baptizing all Nations in the name of the Lord Jesus. What durst they not do for the honor of God when they were led by the Spirit? The Children of Israel made no scruple to pitch their Tents within the borders of their enemies if the Pillar of cloud did remove before them; so wheresoever the grace of God doth carry a man, God's glory being his undoubted end, (without all vain delusions, and carnal reservations) he may be bold to venture. As we read of Sampson, that before he did those great and heroical exploits against the Philistines, he was possessed with the Spirit of the Lord, and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, when he slew a thousand of the Philistines with the jaw-bone of an Ass, Judge. xv. 14. So it holds in the works of Regeneration, Patience, Obedience, denying of ourselves, taking up the Cross of Christ, mortifying the body of Sin, these cannot be done unless the Spirit of the Lord do move upon us.

But according to the method of the Psalm, first we must trust in God to pluck our feet out of the snare, before he lead us in the right way, and set us upon a rock of stone, where we shall not be moved. First, lead us not into temptation, that is, leave us not to ourselves, and then bear us on Eagles wings, and bring us to himself,