Commentary on 2 Peter

THe Apostle proceeds to amplify the reason, why he so plied them with the remembrance of these things. My life is but short: Why so? because I am old: yet an old man may wear out some years; nay, but I know it is short: How can this be known? Yes, by God's revelation; As our Lord Jesus Christ hath shown me. I must die, I must die shortly, I know I must die shortly: my Savior Christ hath told me so. Therefore pardon me, though I inculcate, and beat so much upon one string; it is a lesson worth your learning, and I have but a small time to teach it you. Knowing that shortly I must &c.

I know;] not perhaps precisely the day, or the place, or the manner. But Death is not a stranger to my thoughts; my account is cast up, I am ready. I know.

That I must put off, or lay down;] willingly, not on compulsion: not pulled down; but laid down. It is a metaphor drawn from a wager; Depono tecum; the faithful man doth wager, and pawn his soul to God.

This my tabernacle;] not my castle, or strong tower, or standing house; but a Tent, a moveable, a Tabernacle.

Shortly:] The time is not so far off that I dream not of it: not, likely to happen in another age, and creeping on by slow degrees. The Sun is not descending, but ready to set: the messenger knocks at the door: the clock runs upon the last minute: the Epilogue is on the stage: the taper at the last glimpse: the oak falling under the latest blow of the axe: Instat tempus; Shortly.

As the Lord Jesus Christ hath shown me.] I dare take his word: he that died for me, hath told me that I now shall die for him. It is a shame for me to be unprepared, when such a Prophet hath certified me; both in prediction, and example; Monstrante viam.

He speaks of an assurance; I know. What doth he know? that I must die; part with this tabernacle. How must he part with it? Put it off. When must he put it off? Shortly. How is he sure of that? The Lord Jesus Christ hath shown me. The whole may be distinguished into three generals: A

• Resolution; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I know.
• Dissolution; I must shortly put off this my tabernacle.
• Revelation; As our Lord Jesus Christ hath shown me.

The Resolution is entire in it self; an infallible certainty of inevitable death: which is manifest to him, both by the common condition of nature, and a more sensible impression of vicinity: a thing that grows fast upon him. I know.

The Dissolution is observable in divers circumstances: It is

• Personal; I, though an Apostle of Christ.
• Necessary; I must, there is no remedy.
• Voluntary; Put off, willingly, without snatching from me.
• Instant; Shortly, the decree cannot be suspended.

The Revelation or Premonition of his death, is referred either, Ad

• Genus mortis, The kind and manner of his death.
• Tempus moriendi, The time prefixed of his dying.

Knowing:] This is his Resolution. The assurance of unavoidable death, is a doctrine well known: everyone can say with Peter; I know. Nil dicitur frequentius, nil creditor facilius; Nothing is more frequently repeated, nothing is more readily believed. Bern. Cogita te mortuum, quem scis necessitate moriturum. Think thyself, as it were, already dead; whom thou knowest necessarily to die. Bed. It is fit that Death should effect death: the spiritual, a corporal: the death of sin, a death of punishment: a voluntary death, brings a necessary death. Therefore, saith Chrysostom, Let us make a virtue of necessity; Offeramus Deo pro munere, quod pro debito tenemur reddere; Let us offer God that for a gift, which we are bound to pay as a debt. This is an hard and woeful necessity, saith Anselm; Perdidit homo beatitudinem ad quam factus est, & invenit mortem ad quam factus non est. Man lost that life to which he was ordained, and found the death to which he was not ordained. All men die in time, some before their time. Eccles. 7.17. The overmuch wicked dies before his time; Tempore non suo; in a season which the constitution of his nature doth not threaten. Thus sometimes die the godly, that they may be no longer vexed of the guilty: often the guilty, that they may no longer vex the godly. This necessity all must undergo, Sed diverso fato with a diverse event. To the wicked, death is the beginning of sorrow: to the Elect, the end of pain. The death of the wicked, saith Bernard, is, Mala in mundi amissione, pejor in carnis separatione, pessima in ignis combustione; Evil in the loss of this world, worse in the separation of life, worst of all in the torture of quenchlesse fire. Death to the godly is, Bona propter requiem, meli •• propter novitatem, optima propter impassibilitatem futuram; Good in the cessation of pains, better in the renovation of all things, best in the immutability of happiness. Therefore the Saint that desires to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, Non patienter moritur; sed patienter vivit, & delectabiliter moritur; That man doth not only die patiently, but he lives patiently, and dies joyfully. He loves Jesus Christ but a little, that doth not rejoice to go unto him.

But in this point, in vain I spend my breath, to tell you that I and you all shall lose our breath: you know it. Tell the Oppressor, Thou shalt die; he answers, I know it. Dost thou know it? and wilt still live like a Christian Jew, extorting from thy brother? How shall Christ, (whom thou supposest thy brother) give thee Spem tuam; thy Hope; when thou takest away from him Rem suam, his Substance? Tell the worldling, Thou shalt die; he says, I know it. Dost thou know that thou must leave the world, and yet dost cleave to the world? Dost thou know, thou must lose the possession of earth, and wilt thou not assure to thy soul the fruition of heaven? The Drunkard says, he knows he must die, he can sing you songs to that purpose. Doth he know it, and yet keep his body so perpetually drunk, that his soul hath no time soberly to bethink it self? Is the gate of heaven so broad and wide, that he can reel into it? Drunkenness is no way to blessedness; as the Poet wittily epitaph'd upon a dead drunkard: who lived in the love of wine, and died in the strength of it:

Tell the Contentious, Thou shalt die; he answers, I know it. And yet wilt thou reserve, Bellum cum proximo, pacem cum Diabolo; War with thy neighbor, peace with the Devil? Shall a turbulent spirit ever enter that City of Peace? Tell the Deceiver, Thou shalt die, with all thy frauds; I know it. Dost thou know it? Why then is thy tongue Satan's anvil, whereon he sits forging his lies? Why dost thou swear away thy salvation before thou hast it? Tell the Adulterer; Thou shalt die; I know it. Why then wilt thou be one flesh with an Harlot, which must both rot under the clods; and not rather one spirit with Christ, who reigneth above the clouds? Do we know, we must die, and yet run such lewd courses? We know that we must die; let us so live in faithful obedience, that we way know we shall live for evermore with ISESUS CHRIST.

Shortly I must lay down this my tabernacle.] This is the Dissolution, wherein I considered four circumstances. First, the Personalitie; I, though a Preacher, though an Apostle, one that have seen the Lord Jesus in the face; I. Next, the necessity, I must, there is no evasion, no prevention: I must lose a tabernacle, no mansion, a thing not worth keeping. Thirdly, the Liberty, voluntariness, and willing heart of the Apostle to do this; which he calls a Deposition, or Laying down of his Tabernacle: it is not a thing violently extorted from me, but laid down with a quiet and temperate mind. Lastly, the Instance and vicinitie of it; It is not long a coming, but approaching so near, that I see it and feel it: the sands are almost out of the glass: but a few moments, and I depart; Shortly.

I must; it is Personal; I. The Apostle out of that general necessity wisely collects a particular, a proper conclusion to himself, I. These singular deductions out of universal propositions, are profitable to men, and acceptable to God. All men are sinners; and I am the chief, saith Paul. All men are mortal, and I must shortly die, saith Peter. No degree of men is privileged from death: not a Patriarch, not a Prophet, not an Apostle, could plead exemption. Zach. 1.5. Your fathers, where are they? and the Prophets, do they live forever? Abraham a great Patriarch, Moses a great Prophet, David a great Prince, Samuel a great Priest, John a great Evangelist, Peter a great Apostle; where are they? their souls live in bliss, their bodies are dead in the grave. God doth often take away his Ministers, and that for three reasons:

1 For their own sins; as Nadab and Abihu. Lev. 10.2. They offered strange fire before the Lord, and there went out fire from the Lord that devoured them. They offered strange fire, and they suffered strange fire. They sent up hellish impiety toward heaven, therefore hell came out of heaven upon them. So Hophni and Phinehas, those uncorrected sons of Eli. 1 Sam. 2.34. In one day they died both of them. They desperately offended, the father too mildly reprehended, they harkened not, because the Lord would slay them, Ver. 25. So Zach. 11.8. Three shepherds have I cut off in one month; my soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me. This God doth for the good of the people; Vt illi pereant, ne caeteros perimant: that such might perish themselves, and not destroy others by their bad examples, and unclean course of life.

2 For the sins of the people. As Solomon says; Propter peccata populi erunt multi Principes: so we may say, multi sacerdotes. For the sins of the people there shall be many Princes: so for the sins of the people there shall be many Priests. God smites the Shepherd, when he means to scatter the sheep, he puts out the light, when he purposeth to leave men in the dark. This was Paul's resolution, Phil. 1.24. To abide in the flesh is more needful for you. Propter vos; for myself it is better to be dissolved, and to be with CHRIST: but to remain in the flesh, is better Propter vos, for you. This may be better for my wife, for my children, for my friends, for those that depend upon me: but I mind none of those; but Propter vos, it is better for you.

3 For his own glory, lest what belongs to God, should be ascribed to man. CHRIST cannot endure, that that should be attributed to Paul and Barnabas, which pertains to him, Act. 14.12. As the superstitious Lystrians, that called Barnabas Jupiter, and Paul Mercury; when they brought garlands, and would have done sacrifie to them. Princes use to change their deputies often, as the Turk does his Bashaw's; lest continuance should bring them to be taken for Princes. So God takes away often a good Minister; lest Assueti servo, obliviscerentur Dominum; they being too confident of the servant, should forget the Lord. There are some Sectaries, that think of their Elders, as Simon Magus thought of the Apostles; that they can give the Holy Ghost. They arrogate to the in instrument, and derogate from the agent. Let him speak the abortive figments of his own brain, yet their superstitious applause is, Vox Dei; It is the voice of a God, not of a man, Act. 12.22. Let another deduce sound conclusions from the sacred truth, and justify his sober assertions from the undeniable scriptures: yet because the man is not according to their humor, the doctrine shall not have their honor. They must choose for themselves, a Minister of their own faction: whereas neither Prophets nor Apostles were chosen by the people: the sheep used not to choose their own shepherds. Thus these professors out of their wits, hate Rome worse than hell; yet meet it, and congratulate it, in the same rank superstition another way. As they think it enough that Papa sanxit; the Pope hath decreed it: so these think it enough, that Praesbiter dixit, their Elders hath affirmed it. Thus the people, made Bishop, and their Elder a Pope. When men shall thus defy their Minister, no marvel if God nullify the man.

Now, seeing we must die, do you pray for us, that we may do your souls good while we live. Eph. 6.19. Pray, and make supplication for all Saints: And for me, that utterance may be given unto me. Where the Clergy may learn humility, and the people charity: we humility, that we need your prayers: you charity to pray for us. Weak ones pray with us, malicious ones pray against us, covetous ones prey upon us, few pray for us. Examine your consciences; how seldom do we find place and memory in your prayers! Perhaps, Morne and Even you remember yourselves, but when is the Preacher in your thoughts? Sure you have not found sweetness by him, or else you could not forget him. If we forget you, let our right hand forget her cunning. We will pray for you, do you pray for us, and our mediator Jesus Christ pray for us all.

Again, seeing our life is so short, do you apprehend the means while it lasteth. Zacharias may be stroke dumb: sickness may suspend us for a season, but death doth silence us forever. Hear therefore while the voice soundeth; To day if ye will hear my voice hearden not your hearts, Hebr. 3.15. Though I trust, God will never fail you successively of a diligent Pastor: and we wish that those who in time come after us, may in worth go before us: that as they succeed us in place, they may exceed us in grace. But because certainly, either death must take us from you, or you from us: as it is our part, dum vires annique sinunt, tolerare labores: while we keep on our tabernacles, to take pains: so let this be your part; while you have ears to hear, hear: while you have hearts to believe, receive: while you have hands to work, obey; that while there is a Savior in heaven you may be blessed.

I must; it is necessary, there is no remedy but I must lay down my Tabernacle. If heaven were to be had upon earth, Saints should not dwell in tabernacles. But it is observable of our Apostle, Saint Peter, at the transfiguration of CHRIST, Matth. 17. even whilst he had not knowledge enough to discern of CHRIST'S kingdom, that it was in heaven: and was mistaken in the place; (It is good for 〈◊〉 to be here:) yet he knew thus much, that eternity was not to be had upon earth; and therefore he spake but of tabernacles; Let us build here three Tabernacles. Let us build; well, men may build: yea let us build here; but what? not mansions, but tabernacles. Even in the midst of that unspeakable glory, that little map of blessedness, that abridgement of joy, and glimpse of heaven; he speaks but of tabernacles: putting a difference between mount Tabor and mount Zion. 2 Cor. 5.1. If our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens. He calls it not the Man, but the House: not of stone, but of mud-walls, Earthly: not a mansion, but a Tabernacle: not such as God made, but ourselves marred, Our house: not abolished, but Dissolved; then we have, not expectantly many years after our dissolution, but we presently have: not a tabernacle, but a Mansion: aedificatum, non adificandum; not to be built, but Built already: not by man, but by God; a Building of God, made without hands: not transient, but Eternal: not on earth, nor in the air, but in the supremest place; the heaven of Heavens. This leaving the Tabernacle, signifies a migration; not only Vnde, from the earth, but Quo, to the heavens. The loss of mortality precedes, the gain of immortality follows. Job 14.14. If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. The book of Job plentifully abounds with two things; Impressions of mortality, and Instructions of morality. It teacheth us that we must die, it teacheth us how we should live. Both are propounded and compounded in that verse. A man must die and live again, there is mortality: therefore all his appointed time, let him watch, there is for morality. There are four remarkable circumstances in it; A Dissolution, Restitution, Resolution, Revolution. If a man die, there is a Dissolution: he shall live again, there is a Restitution: all my days will I watch, there is a Resolution: till my changing come, there is a Revolution.

Man is by generation dust, by degeneration the ashes of that dust; mere rubbish. The soul in the body, as a prisoner in a dungeon, receives all through a grate. The body is but like Saint Peters Prison, and death as the Angel that frees us. Luk. 12.32. Fear not, little flock; it is my fathers will to give you the kingdom. Fear not; though you be now tossed about in tabernacles, I will gather you to a kingdom. Israel was a flock removed often, from Canaan to Egypt, from Egypt to the wilderness, but was at last folded in Judea. We are now often removed in tabernacles, we shall have an abiding place. John. 16. Nunc vado ad Patrem, saith CHRIST: Now I go to the Father: CHRIST led us we must follow him. He went to his father three ways. 1. Viâ Passionis, the way of his Passion; a sorrowful way. 2. Viâ Resurrectionis, the way of his Resurrection, a joyful way. 3. Viâ Ascensionis, the way of his Ascension, a glorious way. Psal. 47.5. God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. All this was for our sake. Hebr. 9.24. He entered into heaven, to appear in the presence of God for us. By those three works of CHRIST, we have three special benefits; all expressed by Paul, Eph. 2.5.6. By his passion he hath quickened us, by his resurrection, raised us up: by his ascension, Made ut sit in heavenly places. Now I go to the Father; Now, there is the brevity of this life, it is but a Nunc, Now. I go, there is the mutability of the world, Vadit, it fades like grace. To the Father, there is the glory of future blessedness, to be with God himself forever.

Indeed to the wicked death is more than a dissolution, even a destruction of the Tabernacle. Eccl. 41.1. O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee, to a man of prosperity! It is terrible, not only for the separation of his delights, but for the not separation of his sins. Beholding his sins with amazed eyes, he cries to them, Oh give me one hours liberty; when he shall say to his lusts, covetice, pride, drunkenness; Depart from me: and they shall answer; No, Tu nos egisti, opera tua sumus: thou hast made us, we are thy creatures; we will go with thee to judgment, we will dwell with thee in torment. Ejus est mortem timere, qui ad Christum nolit ire: ejus ad Christum nolle ire, qui non sperat cum Christo regnare. Let him fear death, that desires not to be with Christ: and let him refuse going to Christ, that hopes not for mercy of CHRIST.

But to the faithful, the grave is but a Chamber. Esa. 26.20. Come my people, enter thou into thy Chambers. But a Bed. Esa. 57.2. They shall rest in their beds. A very parlor, where the Lord shuts up our bodies with the key of Peace, and opens them again with the key of Resurrection. Unto this hope the Apostle lifts up our hearts by his own example. It is observable that to the two chief Apostles, Paul and Peter, God did afford this privilege; in this mortal life to have a taste of heavens joys; that they might more feelingly and effectually raise up our affections to that supernal City. Paul was wrapped up to the third heaven, and so ravished with this joy, that he knew not whether he had his body about him or not. 2 Cor. 12.2. Whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell. And me thinks, when he comes down again out of heaven, he writes so contemptibly of these worldly things; that he calls them very dross and dung. Such respect hath any man of all things under the sun, that hath but tasted the sweetness of Paradise. So Peter, together with James and John, on Mount Tabor, saw a glimpse of heaven. They beheld it, that they might preach it, preaching: lift up our hearts to it: and our hearts being lifted up to it, might be blessed in it. On purpose they were shown this glory, that they might enflame our affections with it. Imagine that it were possible for the most worldly soul here, to be lifted up so high as Paul; be admitted to look into Paradise: to see that glorious society of Saints and Angels, and so much of that Beatifical vision as their nature is capable of: and from thence to look down again upon this earth, hanging like a little clod in the midst of the world: and see so many millions of men busied about nothing, like Ants on a molehill, or flies in a sun beam: how basely would he esteem this world, and contemn that which is now his glory, and for which he is content to venture his soul! Do you now wonder, that we so much commend that blessed rest? when one gazed long on Minervas picture another asks him the reason of such curious speculation: he answered, O, si me • s haberes oculos: Oh that thou hadst my eyes! So, ô that you had Saint Peters eyes; you would not admire our admiration.

Put off, or Lay down. It is also voluntary; Depono. The Apostle calls himself a depositary, that hath a jewel committed to him on trust, which he is willing to surrender. A man that hath some precious treasure entrusted to him, is not only anxious to defend it from the violent attempts of others, or from their subtle underminings: but is also troubled in himself, with some invasion upon his own honesty, by a corrupt desire to possess it, and employ it at his own pleasure: and never finds full peace from these reluctations, till the proprietary resume it. So for this sparkling Jewel, our soul, which lightens our night of ignorance, and dark body of earth, lodging in our flesh: we are exercised with a continual trouble to preserve our life from sicknesses, and other offensive violences: and are tempted with covetousness to enlarge our term, to strengthen our tenure and state in it; and to make it so much our own, as to spend it unthriftily upon lusts and surfeits: and we have no perfect peace till the giver receive it back: donec deposuimus a nobis, & reposuimus in Domino; till we have put it off from ourselves, and laid it up in God.

He doth lay it down being called for, not cast it away without bidding: that were not to lay it down, but to run away from it. God says, Thou shalt not kill: si non alium, multo minus teipsum: if thou mayest not kill another than much less thyself. Sapiens non fugere debet e vita, sed exire, Sen. The wise man doth not run out of his life, but maturely go out. This life is a warfare, where God hath placed some in the foreward, some in the Rear, some in the wings, others in the main battle: every man hath his station, and must not depart from it without his Nunc dimittis, without his Passport. Neither light of nature, nor light of grace, directs a man to put out the light of his own life.

Not nature: Paul calls death an Enemy: Now, no man loves an enemy properly, and for his own sake, quatenus inimicus, so far as he is an enemy. Homicida in se, insepultus abijciatur, saith Seneca. It is pity any hands should bury him, whom his own hands have slain. We may say of a self-murderer, as it was said of Cato; Occidit se, ne dicat, Caesar me servavit: he slew himself, rather than he would say, Caesar hath saved me: so that man kills himself, lest CHRIST should save him. Cleombrotus read Plato's Phaedo unadvisedly; otherwise he would not have destroyed a mortal body to make way for an immortal soul. Scripta Platonis non ita erant animo percipienda tuo. The poet by that natural light condemned such attempts, Qui sibi lethum, Insontes peperere manu, &c. Quam vellent aethere in alto, Nunc & pauperiem & duros perferre Labores! Those that have extricated themselves from misery on earth, by an unnatural violence upon themselves; if they might be restored to life again, they would endure ten thousand times more with patience. God hath tied the soul and body together with such a passionate love, that they cannot part without grief. Man is borne with little insensible pain, but dies with extreme anguish. If the wisdom of God had not interposed that let to timorous nature, there would have beeney many Lucreces, Cleopatra's, Ahithophel's; so many willful funerals, that good Laws should have found small opportunity of execution. But as God would have our birth bitter to our mothers, that they might love us the dearer: so he would have our death bitter to ourselves, that we might the more fear to hasten it. Man saith; it is a miserable privation for him, that hath seen the stars, the sun in his glory, and the heavens reconciled with the fruitful earth, both sympathising in our benefit: for that man to be tumbled into a silent grave, neither seeing nor seen, uncapable of comfort! now what nature loathes, thy own sober heart dislikes, and God detests, do not accomplish.

Not Grace, for all such in holy writ have their brands; as Achitophel, Saul, Judas. They slew indeed Malos, sed Male; evil men, but after a worse manner. Our Savior's direction was; When you are persecuted in one City, fly into the next. He says not, dispatch yourselves lest your enemies triumph over you; nor get others to do it that you may escape further torments: but save yourselves by flight, run • ot out of your own lives. Non recipio animam, quae me nolente egreditur de vita. God will refuse that soul, which leaves the body before himself call for it. It is objected, that

Sampson did this, yet he is reckoned in the Legend and kalendar of Saints, Heb. 11. But his fact cannot be excused, but that by divine revelation it was warranted. Nisi quia latenter Spiritus hoc jusserat; unless the Spirit of God did infuse this into him, who purposed to work miracles by him, Aug. He prayed to the Lord, he was heard of the Lord: therefore I doubt not but his motion was divinely inspired. For God after that his strength was departed, assisted him in the act. Therefore as Augustine says of Abraham's offering up of Isaac; That which without God's command had been no less than madness; when GOD commands it, proves obedience.

But Rhasis is commended for this. 2 Maccab. 14.42. He fell upon his sword, choosing rather to die manfully, &c. Even that commendation is warrant enough, to raise the book out of the Scriptural Canon. But he called upon the Lord of life and spirit to restore his bowels again: alas, this shall be common to the very reprobates. Yes, but he died nobly: it had been a better report to have died humbly. He did it saith the Author, manfully: and I do not say, that he did it womanly. It was Magne, but not Bene factum: far more Roman, than Christian.

But those Virgins in the sack of Rome, that to prevent the Ravisher slew themselves, are praised. Saint Augustine refutes those praises; It is an error to think, that whatsoever is done on us, is also done of us. For then were chastity a virtue of the body, not of the mind. The polluted mind makes the body stained, though it did never act: but the body abused by violence cannot make the unconsenting mind guilty. Was Tamar to be condemned, because Amnon did defile her? It is Consent, that maketh the sin: as Augustine said of Tarquin and Lucrece. Duo fuerunt, & unus adulterium commisit: there were two persons in the action, yet but one offender; the other being not an actor, but a sufferer. Why then did Lucrece kill her self? If she were unchaste, why is she honored? if she were chaste, why was she murdered? Si non est illa impudicitia, quâ invita comprimitur; non est haec justitia, quâ casta • unitur. If that were no unchastitie, where a woman is ravished: then this is no justice, wherein a chaste woman is punished. But saith the Matron or Virgin, If I be ravished and surviue, the world will say, it was done with my will, what world? that which est positus in maligno, knows nothing else but wickedness. Howsoever, David's testimony is sufficient; Lord, thou knowest mine innocence. But it is opposed, that the fear of death and cruelty may make them consent to these constuprations. How can they tell, what extremity may work upon them? What then? Satius certum homicidium in praesenti, quàm incertum adulterium in futuro? Is it better to commit a present murder, than hazard a future rape? Shall we perpetrate a certain sin, to prevent an uncertain shame? Shall we do that we cannot live to repent, to avoid that we may live to repent? Oh let them, and let themselves alone that they may recover themselves; before they go whence they shall not return, even to the land of darkness and shadow of death, Job 10.20. Saint Augustine decides it; Non sit vobis vita vestra taedio, quamvis fuerit hostibus castitas vestra ludibrio. Do not you make havoc of your souls, because others have abused your bodies. Paul was in a strait betwixt this double choice, of life or death. Phil. 1.23. Though he was desirous to die, yet he was content to live. Quasi sapiens amplectitur mortis lucrum, tamen quasi so vus non refugit vitae obsequium, Ambrose. In his wisdom he could choose the gain of death, yet in his obedience he refuseth not the service of life.

But to do this argues a stout and valiant mind, fearless of death. Indeed such may be more admired for stoutness of mind, than commended for soundness of wisdom. But that is not magnanimity, but rather the greatest cowardice. Nature it self teacheth, that there is more valor to endure a miserable life, than to embrace a wretched death. That is far the greater mind, quae vitam arumnosam potest magis ferre, quàm fugere. There is no sorrow, no shame, no misery; that should force a Christian to so desperate a prevention. The servants of God never did this, when their souls were heavy to the death: their bodies in Job's plight, when a prick could have ended all his woes: when the pulling away of the pillow would have eased all their griefs. They never paid the debt of nature, till their creditor called on them for it: which time they would never have stayed, if the service of their own hands might lawfully have released them. But as we cannot live without a Permittis, so we must not die without a Dimittis. Some that enjoy the worlds Paradise, desire to live: others that endure the worlds Purgatory, desire to die. Saint Augustine's rule is good for both. Si habes vitam in desiderio, habet mortem in patientia: habet vitam in patientia, si habes mortem in desiderio. Though thou desire life i • thy election, yet embrace death in thy patience and admit life in thy patience, though death be in thy desires. When God calls, be not troubled to put off thy Tabernacle: till God calls, be not troubled to keep on thy Tabernacle.

The causes of this unnatural sin, are many. 1. Impatience of crosses: if they cannot have their will on others, in a cursed heart they will have their will on themselves. And so leap like some fishes, out of the boiling caldron into the broiling flame. As Dido; Sic, sic juvat ire sub umbras. 2. Ambition of a name, and to be famoused in the world for Heroicall spirits. Yet alas, they are plagued in that they affected, for their memories stinks above ground. Such a fire was in the blood of Rhasis. 3. Preservation of chastity: so Pelagia at fifteen years old. This is a grievous folly to save the body from deflowering, by deflowering the soul. 4. Infidelity; when they have no faith in God, nor hope of good issue out of troubles. Thus did the younger Cato, to avoid the tyrrannie of Caesar. God holds it a great indignity to him, not to be trusted: therefore justly plagues diffidence with desperateness. 5. Pride; when a man will not submit himself to God's will: but will choose not to be at all; unless he may be as he list himself. 6. Crueltie to others. Nero that was so artificial in cutting throats, at last runs on his own sword, saying: I have lived dishonorably, I will die shamefully. Saul being so bloodied against David and the Priests, became as unmerciful to himself, to wreak his teene on his own bowels. Judas that was so cruel against the innocent blood of his Master became as cruel against the nocent blood of himself. Achitophel thirsting after David's life, became as ill minded against himself. He that is thus savage and merciless to himself, to whom will he be merciful? Let no man think him a friend, that is his own enemy. Trust not such a one: who spares not his own blood, will never spare mine. 7. Desperation; when a man thinks that all the doors of mercy are shut against him; and there is no goodness enough for him in JESUS CHRIST.

But I forget myself, and hold you too long in disputing a question, which many a one hath disputed against himself in a moment of time, without reply: not with tongue, but with hand: not with sharpness of wit, but of sword. I will pronounce nothing determinatly of any particular person: but we shall find it to be the end of usurers, murderers, traitors, and such branded wretches. I know the mercy of God may come, Inter pontem & fontem, inter gladium & jugulum; betwixt the bridge and the brook, betwixt the knife and the throat: and repentance may be suggested to the heart in a moment; in that very instant. But this only may be: there is no promise for it, many threatenings against it, little likelihood of it. It were madness for thee to break thy neck, to try the skill of a Bone-setter. Tarry, till God calls, patiently, and then lay down thy tabernacle cheerfully, and the Lord Jesus will receive thy spirit in mercy.

The use of this point serves to reprove the hasty wishers for death. In the least extremity; let me die. Some of the Saints have not escaped this infirmity. Elias, 1 King. 19.4. He arose, and went for his life to Beersheba; and after that a days journey into the wilderness; all to scape Jezebel: yet when he was there, he requested for himself that he might die. It is enough, now, O Lord, take away my life: for I am not better than my Fathers. In the morning he fled for his life: at evening being a little weary, he prays for death. So Jonah; first cries earnestly for life, Chap. 2. Out of the belly of hell I cried, and thou heardest my voice. Some days after he begs and sues for death, Chap. 4.3. Take, O Lord, I beseech thee, my life from me: for it is better for me to die than to live. Because Jezebel pursues him in the world, therefore Elias must needs out of the world: because the Ninevites did not die, therefore Jonah will not live. If they had then departed, the one had died fainting, & the other had died chafing. They that desire death in passion, desire it only for fashion. For when sickness, Deaths messenger comes, Medici adducuntur, munera promittuntur; Physicians are consulted, rewards promised, prayers conceived, vows offered, that death may be deferred, Aug. You remember the Fable of the old man with the burden of sticks; wherewith being overloaden, and weary of his misery, he calls for Death to come to him. Death came, took him at his word, and asked him what he would with him. But he answered, quickly turning both his mind and language; I desire thy help to bear my burden of sticks for me. Young Clitipho in the Comedy, being abridged of his lusts, had nothing in his disconted mouth, but Emori cupio, I would fain die. The wiser father replied; My son, Priùs disce quid sit vivere; First learn what it is to live. Desire life with aged Simeon, till thou hast got the Lord Jesus in thine arms: without whom the first death will be terrible, the second death intolerable. Bern. Tu quomodo exibis anima misera, quae ducem itineris Dominum Iesum non nosti? Miserable soul, with what courage canst thou set on thy way, which knowest not the guide of the journey, Jesus Christ? If a man should live as long as Methushalem, if his head were as white as snow, yet it is not fit to melt till he have known Christ. Though his skin were as writhled as parchment, yet it is not time to be folded up, till his soul be ripe in the faith. If he knows not Jesus, he is not fit to die. Let us then desire to put off this Tabernacle, when we are sure of that immortal clothing. 2 Cor. 5.4. We do groan in this Tabernacle, not that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Then let us wish to leave the earth, when we perfectly know the way to heaven. Desire to live till you are inspired with grace, desire to die when you are assured of glory.

Shortly] I must put it off; this is the last circumstance; the Deposition is instant. How the Apostle was assured of his approaching dissolution, I will not yet examine; but refer it to the due place, which concerns his Revelation. That which I here only observe, is his principal intention; to express his own diligence, and to convey into their hearts a more powerful acceptance of his holy counsels, because his time is short. Velox depositio.

First, to strengthen his own diligence; Quo brevior operandi opportunitas, eo major operandi sedulitas; The less space a man hath allowed for his business, the more he should plie it. Pancioribus diebus, potioribus argumentis; The fewer days the fruitfuller lessons! John. 9.4. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day. Neere to his end he washed the Disciples feet, preached Sermon upon Sermon, of humility, charity, fervency: revealed many things before secreted: Haec ab initio non dixi vobis; I told you not these things from the beginning. Jacob gave his best blessing in his last Will: Moses made the best Sermon to Israel near his end: David gave the best counsel to Solomon on his death-bed. Peter plies his preaching and writing, when he knows there follows instant silence. Rev. 12.12. The Devil hath great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. As he is never idle, so then most busy, when he perceives his term of rage expiring. Therefore let not God's Ministers be negligent, for they have but their time, and that is short. May we all spend it to the peace of our consciences, the good of the Church, and the honor of our Maker?

Secondly, to beget zeal and embracing of his doctrine in our hearts. The words of dying-men have been most emphatical, most effectual. We remember what our Fathers or friends spake last, because we hear them not speak again. The last words of good men are best: as the last glimpse of the candle is the most bright: the last glare of the Sun going down most clear: the last speech of a dear friend parting with his friends, and departing out of the world, is usually most compassionate and pathetical. An admonition uttered by such a Teacher, and at such a time, and to such an auditory; challengeth good attention, great devotion. Phil. ver. 9. For loves sake I beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged. This was his adjuration of Philemon, to grant his request for Onesimus. He is a Preacher of Christ, hear him: an Apostle, hear him: a dying Apostle, O now or never hear him. We preach today, perhaps not be able tomorrow: this Sermon may be the last Sermon: therefore hear while you may, lest you desire it when you may not. He that will be good at last, must begin at first. Occasion is like Manna, it must be gathered before the Sun is up: or like the pool of Bethesda, we must enter as soon as it is stirred by the Angel. If we preach, must you not hear? If we preach today, ought not you hear today? I mean not only with your ears, hear us with your hearts. Shew us not only our Sermon in your Tablets, let us see it in your hands: work it, and so preach it again over with your fingers. Be not mere earthly merchants, to fill your sails, and fill your ships, and fill your shops, and fill your houses; and cannot fill your souls. They write of some Traffickers on the coast of Lapland, that they often buy their winds of the Devil. Take heed, you that grow so rich in purse, and poor in conscience, lest you buy your wealth of the Devil. The learning of most Preachers in the Land, at one time or other, in one place or other; doth empty it self within your walls. Yet, the wickedness of the greater part, hath brought a scandal on the better part. And it is a Country prayer, God bless us from the Citizens of London: they will hear three Sermons a day, but deceive ten plain men in an hour: they have so much preaching, that they are the worse. Poor souls, they are mistaken in this: men's wickedness comes not by too much preaching, but by too little practicing. The Lord work in us a conscionable obedience, that we may not hear to our condemnation, but comfort. Nostrum est dicere, vestrum agere, D •• perficere, Cyril. It is our part to preach, yours to practice, God's to accomplish.

Even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shown me.] This is the Revelation or Premonition of the Apostles death. Some refer this ad genus mortis, to the kind and manner of his death: Others, ad tempus moriendi, to the time of his dying. Some say, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies modum obitus sui, the manner of his departure; that he shall So die as Christ shown him. Others understand by the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , velox; that he was to die shortly, because the Lord had revealed the instance of his departure. I know that I must not abide long upon earth: for Christ's Word, Oraculum veritatis, hath spoke it: and I am sure to find veritatem oraculi, to suffer it.

They that refer it to the Manner, conceive this Revelation to be given him. John. 21.18. When thou wast young, &c. It is added, ver. 19. This he spake, signifying by what death he should glorify God. So that if this be the ground of the Revelation, certainly it intends rather quomodo than quando, rather the manner, than the time. So August. Extendes manus tuas, hoc est, Cruci; Thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, that is, to the Cross. Tunc Petrus ab altero cingitur, cum cruci astringitur, Tertul. Then was Peter girded by another; when he was fastened to the Cross. That Peter was crucified, is the current and universal consent of History. First, verse. 17. If thou lovest me, feed my sheep: Christ told Peter in what vocation he should live: then in the next verse, after what manner he should die, which questionless must be a violent death, of martyrdom, though the particular kind be not specified. At last he concludes and alludes to both; Follow me. Theophil. Aret. Be thou such a Pastor in feeding my sheep, such a Pastor in suffering for my sheep, as I have given thee example, John. 13.36. Peter asked his Master, whither he went. JESUS answered; Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now: but thou shalt follow me afterwards. JESUS remembering this conference, together with his question; Why cannot I follow thee now? and his Resolution, I will lay down my life for thy sake; tells him, John. 21.18. When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest, Rupert. Maldonado. When thou wast a youngling in the faith, and didst gird thyself with thine own strength; it was thy folly to think thou couldst follow me whither I went. Therefore by denying me thrice, thou didst prove my words true; Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now. But when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thine hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. When thou shalt feel the weakness in thyself, and grow strong in the Lord, my other saying will prove true; Thou shalt follow me afterwards They that say this, [Follow me] intends the manner of his death, that he should follow him in being crucified as Christ was; have strange eyes. It is not good to find out more in Scripture; than God meant should be found there.

Some contend that this Revelation here mentioned, is not that John. 21. for they say, it was not given at Jerusalem; à Christo jam resurrecto, by Christ immediately risen again: but at Rome, à Christo jam ascenso, by Christ after his Ascension. So Ambrose and Gregory cite this history from Linus, upon the Acts of Peters Passion. But Origen, Tom. 7. in Johan. referreth it to Paul, and that a great deal more probably than to Peter. The story is this: Peter being at Rome, imprisoned by Nero, and sentenced to death; by the importunity of the people, persuading him to save himself; and by the opportunity of Processus and Martinianus concession, who were governors of the watch; was over-ruled, and fled. Comming to the gates of Rome, there Christ met him. Peter asketh him, Domine quo venis? Cui Christus, venio iterum crucifigi; Lord, whither comest thou? Christ answered, I come again to be crucified. Now Peter knowing that Christ had an impassible and immortal body, Intellexit Dominum crucifigendum in servo; Presently apprehended, that the Lord was to be crucified in the servant. Hereupon he came back, and died on the Cross to honor Christ, that had died on the Cross to save Peter. Our credit answers this Story, as country-men do the report of Travelers; They will rather believe it, than go to see it: Mallem admittere, quàm quaerere. Whether Peter were crucified at Rome or not, we are not certain: but that Peter is dead, we are certain: on this let us rest, that we may rest with Peter.

They that refer it to the time of his dying, understand it thus. Calvin. That Peter should die, he knew in general; that he should die a Martyr, he knew in particular. John. 21.19. Signifying by what death he should glorify God. But that he should die Shortly, he could not know, except by some later revelation in special. It is probable, that where Peter wrote this Epistle, even there he received this Revelation. But it is manifest that he wrote this Epistle at Babylon: for he wrote the second, where he wrote the first; Chap. 3 ver. 1. but he wrote the former at Babylon, 1 Pet 5.13. The Church that is at Babylon elected, together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son. Therefore it is more likely and consonant to reason, that Peter died at Babylon, than as the Papists say, at Rome. Here they will distinguish, though thereby they destroy. They say directly, that by Babylon is meant Rome; even that Babylon. Rev. 17.5. The mother of harlots and abominations of the earth, is Ipsa Roma, very Rome. So Papias in Euseb. To have some proof that Peter was at Rome, they are content to allow that Rome is Babylon. So that Babylonis fuisse, is all one with Romae praefuisse; for Peter to be at Babylon, and to be Bishop of Rome, there is no difference. The infamy of that damnable name doth not deter them, so they may have some pretence of their Apostolical title. Indeed they do not so much care for Christ, Modo Petrus illis relinquatur, so they may enjoy Peter. Calvin. Let them but retain the name of Peters Chair, Suam Romam in profundis Inferis collocare non recusabunt; They will not refuse to seat their Rome in infernal Babylon. Much good do it them: if they will not stick to call their glorious Church, stigmaticall and accursed Babylon; surely we need not stick much to allow them that Peter was at Rome. But hear we further.

We say, that this local Babylon was not Rome, but that great City in Egypt, now called Cayr or Alcayr; which they say to be thirteen or fourteen Germane miles about. For Babylon is typical Rome, not Rome topicall Babylon. The Apostle did not speak aenigmatice, by a Riddle: he did not date his Epistle from a place so called in an allegorical sense. Letters are dated from Cities or places so usually called. Indeed Rome in the Revelation, is called Mystical Babylon: but this was not the first Rome, Qualis erat sub Christo, As it was in the days of Christ: but the last Rome, Qualis erat sub Antichristo; Such as it should be under Antichrist. But Saint Peter writing at and from Babylon, doth yet handle no point concerning the seat and rule of Antichrist there. Which plainly showeth that Antichrist should reign, not in material; but in mystical Babylon. Thus they have gotten it allowed, that Rome is Babylon: but it still remains to prove, that Peter was at Rome when he was at Babylon.

The Apostle says that Mark was with him, 1 Pet. 5.13. My son Marcus saluteth you. Now Mark is said to be constituted the first Bishop of Alexandria in Egypt; where he was put to death, and buried, Nicephor. But these adversaries affirm, that Peter was at Rome five and twenty years: now if Mark kept his Episcopal seat in Alexandria, how could he be with Saint Peter at Rome? Who can untie this knot? Admit that Peter was at Babylon; and then Mark might easily be with him; for both those Cities were in Egypt.

Divers have opinioned that Peter died at Jerusalem, by warrant of that place, Matth. 23.34. Some of them shall ye crucify: Ye, that is, the Jews. Now if any of the Apostles were crucified there, it must be Peter: for none of the rest was crucified in Jerusalem.

Lastly, it cannot be proved, that Peter was at Rome, at all. For first, Paul fourteen years after his first coming to Jerusalem, found Peter there: as it is undeniably evident, Gal. 2.1. and 9. At which time they celebrated that Apostolical Council, Act. 15. Giving the right-hands of fellowship, that Paul should preach to the Heathen, and Peter to the Circumcision. If any say, that Peter came from Rome to the Council; what time then had he to visit Antioch, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, to all which Churches he preached? 2. When Saint Paul wrote his Epistle to the Romans, Saint Peter was not at Rome: otherwise he would not have forgotten so great a Pillar in his liberal salutations. Chap. 16. He mentions many, but no word of Saint Peter. 3. When Paul came to Rome, Peter was not there: he sent Epistles from Rome, and many commendations from the Brethren: as appears, Col. 4.10. Philem. ver. 23. but no remembrance from Peter. If Peter had been at Rome, Paul would not have forgotten to send greeting from him. Yet more plain, 2 Tim. 4.11. Only Luke is with me: then Peter was not there. Ver. 16. At my first answer 〈◊〉 man stood to me: had Peter been there, he would not have forsaken Paul. 4. It was fitter for Peter to be at Babylon, (for Gal. 2.7. The Gospel of Circumcision was committed unto him ) that he might follow the Countries most frequented with his own people.

I conclude this point; if Peter received the oracle of his death so near, at Babylon; he must fly over seas and mountains if he died at Rome. But howsoever, the Romists will have it so: and rather than not domineer over all the world with the Chair of Peter at Rome, they will sink down to hell with cursed Babylon. Albeit S. John Lateran challengeth Peters head, Poytiers in France his nether jaw with the beard on it; Triers many of his bones, Geneva part of his brain, which was found to be a Pumice stone; yet still Rome must have his body, and boast of his Sepulcher. Let them have it without our envy, so long as we keep the true and only Head, the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Now to speak to ourselves more usefully: howsoever our Apostle had some special premonstrance of the nearness of his end, yet this is not common. So had Aaron, Num. 20.26. Aaron shall be gathered to his people, and die in Mount Horeb, Deut. 32.50. Moses knew that he should die in Mount Nebo. Luke 2.26. Simeon had a revelation by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's CHRIST. Though old age and consumptions be Prognostica & indicia vitae brevitatis; Certain signs and forewarners of approaching death: yet the condition, manner, and hour of our departure; is always kept secret from us.

Howsoever, it is observable that this Apostle died in a good age; an old man. John. 21.18. When thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands. Long life is given as a blessing to such as preserve obedience. Honor thy father and mother, that thy days may be long in the Land. Prov. 3.16. In the right hand of wisdom, is length of days. But disobedience shortens our time. Psal. 55.23. The wicked men shall not Dimidiare dies suos; live out half their days. Psal. 109.8. Let his days be few. Eccles. 7.17. The sinner shall die, Tempore non suo, before his time. It was threatened to Eli, 1 Sam. 2.32. that there should not be an old man of his house. It is not evermore a curse to be barred of old age. Josiah, whose name is sweet, as music at a banquet of wine, died young, that he might not see the evil to come. A son of wicked Jeroboam was promised this for a favor, because there was found in him some good thing toward the Lord, 1 King. 14.13. It is a mercy, when the Lord takes away his children so young, that they be neither affected with the evil of action, nor afflicted with the evil of passion. A man lives too long, if until Non desideratus, that nobody desires him to live any longer. The world is soon weary of an old man, especially of an old Minister. Can he no longer answer their expectation? turn him out of his place: this is their mercy. The Levite might not serve after fifty: what then, must he lose his maintenance? no, he had the same provision still. A man will not cast away his Dog being old, because he hath done him service.

Let not the young Minister despise the old: when one said to his friend, while he was looking on an old man; You see not Hominem sed umbram, not a man, but the shadow of a man: it was answered, that an old man's shadow was oftentimes better than a young man's whole body. Athanasius was very old: yet upon his shoulder, our Mother the Church leaned, in her sharpest persecutions, to take her rest. Nor yet let the old despise the young. The Spirit of God is not bound to age, nor is wisdom tied to years. It is not with senses, as it is with wines, the older the better. There may be a young man of sixty, and an old man of twenty years. Young David may excel his teachers: Daniel was a young Prophet, Solomon a young King, Samuel a young Priest, John a young Evangelist, Aquilinus Discipulus; Timothy a young Bishop, Timothy was so young, that Paul calls him Son: yet Timothy was acquainted with Christ, before Paul was acquainted with Timothy. 2 Tim. 3 15. He knew the Scriptures from a child, which made him wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Yet Paul is called his Father; first, because he did instruct him more perfectly: so they were called the Sons of the Prophets, whom the Prophets taught. And because he did minister to Paul, as to a father. Now though he was Aetate filius, tamen dignitate Episcopus; For age a son, yet for dignity a Bishop. Some say he was chosen to such a place, Ob penuriam temporis; but they manifest penuriam ingenii. No, saith Ambrose; Iuvenis ill nil juvenile habuit; That youth retained no youthful humors. A young man with his undowned chin, whose face hath not yet discovered to the world of what sex he is; may be old in the gifts of the Spirit. It is an old proverb; Cucullus non facit Monachum; A well shooted beard striving for length with the cassocke, makes not a Priest. Ministers must be young before they be old: Ordinate ad ordinem, non saltando, sed ascendendo; proceeding orderly, not by jumpes, but by degrees. First, they are tried with a less charge: For, Qui non been regit naviculam in fluvio, non reg •• navem in oceano; He that rules not well a small vessel in the river, trust him not with a ship in the sea. A young man may often say, My youthful affections are dead, and I live; when an old man shall have passed many years in the world, and yet is scarce a day old in Christ.

Now seeing I am fallen upon the point of old-age, let me consider two things: the miseries by nature incident, and the comforts by grace accident to it.

The miseries are many, partly mental, partly corporal. Mental are the worst: Sordities, ira, nummorum copia mira: His natura senis tribus est infecta venenis. They will covet, as if they were to begin a new race of four-score years. Quo minùs via restat, eo plus viatici quaerunt; The less journey they have to go, the greater provision they make. Plautus quoteth it as a wonder, to see an old man bountiful: Benignitas hujus sicut adolescentuli est.

Many miseries wait upon old men: first, they greedily seek, and then they miserably forbear, what they have found. Ignorance and Arrogance meet in unsanctified old age. For Ignorance, Hosea 7.9. Gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet • e knoweth not. Senescit, being cut into two words, is quasi Se nescit, or nescit se: as if Senescere, were all one with Se nescire. For Arrogance; it takes away wisdom from the young, and all true knowledge, as if they were weifts and strayes, proper only to it self, as Lord of the soil; and conjures all learning into the circle of its own night-cap. This is the first and the worst misery of old age; when a man is just come back again to a child. When he is only Laudator temporis acti, se puero; praising the ancient times so vehemently, as if he would sell them, and forgetting the present days to use them.

Corporal miseries are innumerable; Morbúsque est ipsa Senectus; Even old age it self is a disease. Sometimes it hath been without any great decay of senses. It is said of Moses, Deut. 34.7. When he was an hundred years old, his eyes were not dim, nor his natural force abated. So Joshua said of himself, Josh. 14.11. As yet I am a • strong this day, as I was when Moses sent me. Eccles. 46.9. The Lord gave also strength unto Caleb, which remained with him unto his old age. But the strength of old age is not a certain and infallible argument of God's favor: his grace is not to be sought in outward blessings. Most commonly it is a feeble estate: Eccles. 12.5. The very Grasshopper is a burden to it. Even the old man himself is a burden, Vxori, natisque, sibíque; to his wife, to his children, to himself. As Barzillai said to David, 2 Sam. 19.35. I am fourscore years old, and can I discern between good and evil? Can thy servant taste what I eat? Can I hear anymore the voice of singers? Old age, we say, is a good guest, and should be made welcome; but that he brings such a troop with him; blindness, aches, coughes, &c. these are troublesome, how should they be welcome? Psal. 90.10. Their strength is labor and sorrow: if their very strength, which is their best, be labor and grief; what is their worst? Hast thou Senses? use them to God's glory: hast thou ears? hear: eyes? read: tongue? pray: hands? work that which is good. Use thy members while thou hast them, because they will fail. Are they defective? be patient, and say with the Prophet, Non sum melior patribus meis; I am not better than my Fathers. Art thou blind, and canst not behold something thou wouldest see? yet for amends, thou escapest something thou wouldest not see. When Julian upbraided a Bishop being blind; Why doth not the Galilean help thee; he answers, I am glad that I am blind, and so cannot see thee the Monster of men. All these infirmities bring us to the grave, but we shall leave them there. Thou sayest, this stitch will bring me to my grave, yet shalt thou then bid it farewell: thou shalt rise without gowte or blindness or any other imperfection. Doest thou feel a declining of thy senses by age? know that death cannot be far off. Death is as near to the young, as to the old: here is all the difference: death stands behind the young man's back, before the old man's face. Senibus mors est in januis, Iuventuti in insidiis, Bern. Iuvenes cito mori possunt, Senes diu vivere non possunt. Young men may soon die, old men cannot long live. They must go speedily; that they may go comfortably, let them make sure to themselves the favor of Christ.

Thus much of the Inconveniences, now of the comforts of old age: which are Scientia Christi, & conscientia been peratae vitae; the true knowledge of CHRIST, and the comfortable remembrance of a good life spent in his service. Let us be sure to live been, well; no matter Quam diu, how long. Let us not be greedy of old age, but say? Here am I, let him do with me as seemeth him best. God will not judge us how long, but how well, we have lived, Hieron. But betwixt him that hath lived twenty years, and him that hath lived twenty score years, what is the difference? Nisi quod senex magis onustus peccatorum fasce proficiscitur: unless that the old man goes away more loden with the burden of his sins, Sen. One man eateth more, another less; what matters it, when either is full? He drinks more, I less; but neither of us thirsts. Ille pluribus annis vixit, hic paucioribus; quid refert? Si tam illum multi anni beatum fecerunt, quàm hunc? That man hath lived many years, this man fewer; what is the difference? If the few years of the one hath made him as blessed, as the many years of the other? Look rather to the goodness of thy life, than to the length: Longum aevum habuerunt plurimi, pauci faelicem, Sen. Ante senectutem curavi ut been vivam, in senectute ut been moriar. While I was young, my care was to live well: now I am old, my care is to die well.

Old age may be good three ways. Naturally, when it is accompanied with sense, and not overtaken with decay of those necessary Organs. Barzillai had an old age, but not a good old age. Morally, when it is led by the line of virtue; when Justice hath balanced it, fortitude quickened it, Temperance dieted it, and Charity quieted it. Constitution and country may make it naturally good: but it is then morally good, when a man likes it so well, that he would not wish it to begin again. Spiritually good; and this is best when a man can look both ways: backward with comfort to his life past, forward with joy to his reward to come. Pulchrum est ante obitum consummari vitam.

Will you know when old age is a blessing? principally, when a man hath sure handfast of CHRIST; as Simeon. He desired not to die sooner, he desired not to live longer: Nunc dimittis, now Lord send away thy servant in peace. It was promised Abraham, Gen. 15.15. that he should go to his Fathers in peace, and be buried in a good old age. Now there is no peace without CHRIST: whoever dies in peace, he dies in CHRIST the Prince of peace. Abraham died many hundred years before Christ was borne; yet John. 8.56. Abraham rejoiced to see my day: he saw it, and was glad: he saw him with the eyes of faith. Gen. 25.8. Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years. There is Mortis facilitas, aetatis faelicitas, vitae satietas: He gave up the ghost, willingly surrendered it; it was not rent from him; there is the easiness of death. In a good old age, not tempest-beaten with troubles, and wearied out with vexations; there is the happiness of age. An old man and full of years, like corn ripe and white for the barn of joy; there is the fullness of life. When a man is assured of peace in heaven, he is then, Satur dierum full of days.

Again, when a man is old in knowledge and obedience, his age is blessed. Prov 16.31. The hoary head is a Crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness, If we may say of it, as Boaz of Ruth, Ruth. 3.10. that it is better in the latter end, than at the beginning. The Israelite gathered every day a Homer full of Manna: but on he day before the Sabbath two Homers full. Be gathering in youth every day a little; but in old age twice so much, because thy Sabbath is near. Old men are busy to gather goods for their posterity, but their fittest employment should be to gather grace for themselves. It is thy last time of gathering, therefore plie it. Gen. 18.12. As Sara said, Shall I lust now I am old? So shall I covet now I am old? shall I be drunk now I am old? shall I lie now I am old? Those courses are reprovable in youth, damnable in age. The gray head is a shame, if it be found in the way of wickedness. As our bodies decrease in strength, our souls must increase in grace: mending the unsoundness of our limbs, with the soundness of our lives: recompensing a weak body with a strong faith. No marvel if thy Ages reverend flood ebbs into air, when thou art old, not good! where thy moral corruption is greater than thy mortal corruption: and the conscience is more rotten than the carcase. It is a common saying; He that will be old long, must be old while he is young. Express the sobriety of age in thy youth, that the remembrance of thy youth may sweeten the bitterness of thy age. A young Saint, an old Angel? So then let us spend our life in the thriftiness of grace; that when youth hath ended infancy, age ended youth, and death ended all; we may be young again in heaven. Into which eternal doors old age shall never enter: but everybody shall be made young forever, strong forever, healthful forever, beautiful forever; fashioned like to the glorious body of Christ, and in that glory be preserved forever and ever.

Even as our LORD JESUS CHRIST hath shown me. I am still in the same text, and not out of the same subject; mortality: to teach you a comfortable deposition of your Tabernacle. Oh that you would hear me so well this once, that of the same matter you need not hear me again. Let me encourage your attention thus far, that in this very Theme, as Seneca said in his travels, I shall be Semper novus; always new. Peter had a revelation concerning his death: somewhat was told him of the time of his death, somewhat of the manner, somewhat perhaps of the place. Yet by no collection is it found, that he knew for time the day; nor for manner, the direct quality and kind; nor for place, punctually such a space or plot of ground. He knew much, we are not allowed it: therefore ought we to have the more preparation, by how much we have the less revelation. For methods sake, that I may not lose your attention, nor your attention lose me; that we may draw all to a Sum; Consider somewhat for substance, somewhat for circumstance. For substance, that Abeundum est nobis, we must die: for circumstance, Vbi, Quomodo, quando; How, Where, and When. To all these we resolve an answer like the Grand Jury: to the former we say, it is Billa vera: for the other we give up an Ignoramus. We know that we must depart; this is a true Bill: we know not how, where, or when; this is our Ignoramus.

For the Resolution; men must die; and the Apostle calls death the Dissolution of life. For the marriage of the soul to the body is the bond of life, the dissolution of this bond is death. This divorce must be suffered, one husband must be lost: happy are we if we find another in heaven, Jesus Christ. Morieris, non quia aegrotas, sed qui vivis; saith the Philosopher. Thou shalt die, not because thou art sick, but because thou art alive. Cui nasci contigit, mori restat, Sen. He that comes into this world, must go out of this world. It is no new thing to die, for life it self is nothing else but a journey to death. Quicquid ad summum pervenit, ad exitum properat. Whatsoever hath aspired to the highest, must descend to the lowest. Hebr. 9.27. It is appointed unto men to die once: it is a Statute-law decreed in the high Parliament of heaven. God so threatened Adam, Gen. 2.17. In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shall • surely die. But Adam lived above 900. years after? yet was there no delay nor evasion of God's doom; for he presently became mortal, and fell into a consumption, that never left him till it had brought him to the grave. Quisquis queritur hominem mortuum esse, queritur hominem fuisse, Sen. Whosoever complains that a man is dead, complains that he was a man. Thus for the certain substance; now for the uncertain circumstance.

We know not the manner of our departure, or how we shall die. Vnus intro • tus, innumeri exitus. There is but one way to come into the world, a thousand ways • o go out. What matters it, whether by an enemies sword, or by the fit of an • gue, seeing we must depart. Job compares man's life to a Flower, Isaiah to Grass, • ohn Baptist to a Tree, the Preacher to a Passenger. Is it any matter, whether the flow • r be crop'd, or the grass mown, or the tree hewn down, or where the passenger shall lie next night? We know whither our spirits shall go, we know not in what manner our soul shall be taken from us. This happens alike both to good • nd bad: wicked Ahab and good Josiah are both slain by war: The pestilence takes • way the righteous as well as the sinner: wisemen may die the death of fools. Both • ravell together in this Thorow-fare of life, both lodge in one Inn of the grave: • ut in the morning their ways part: Partes ubi se via findit in ambas.

We know not the place: Rachel dies in the high way, as Jezebel in the streets: • aul and Jonathan are slain in one battle, and their bodies hung up as trophees of a • loudy victory. In the mathematickes, the circle is equally distant in every point of it from the Center. Conceive earth to be this worlds Center, Heaven the Circumference: now from all points of this center, there is an equally distant remoteness or nearness, to the circumference, heaven. Let a man die in England, in Spain, in Turkey, or in the Indies; his body is neither nearer nor further off from heaven. Say the bodies of men are entombed in the entralls of beasts, or mawes of fowls, or their dusts scattered on the waters; yet can no dust be concealed. What hurt was it to the Christians in the sack of Rome, whose bodies lay unburied in the earth, when their souls were received to heaven? Nec vivorum culpa, qui non potuerunt sepelire: nec mortuorum poena, qui non potuerunt sentire, Aug. The living committed no sin, in that they could not bury them: the dead felt no pain, though they were not buried. The Cynicke desired to have no other Tomb over him but heaven; he admired that for the most glorious monument. Another replied, but then the fowls of the air will devour thee: he answered, shall I feel them? No; then Vbicunque moriar, me tegat coelum; wheresoever I die, let earth be the pavement, and heaven the roof of my Tomb. But only for the livings sake, there was no Sepulcher like it. If there was a place, which could hide from God, I would not die there. But Psal. 139. On the earth, in the sea, in the dark, in hell, in heaven; the Lord is everywhere: all places are specified but Purgatory; because none are found there. Be therefore always ready; Incertum est quo loco mors expectat te, itaque tu omni loco expecta mortem. Thou art not sure in what place death looks for thee, therefore in all places do thou look for death. It watcheth us like an Enemy, Insidiando: when it comes, we may say as Ahab to Elijah; Hast thou found me O thou mine enemy? Thou hast found me, and wilt conquer me; but Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through JESUS CHRIST our Lord.

We know not the time. Christ says that the son of man himself knows not the day of judgment. What, doth not CHRIST know it? Without question he knew it as he is God; though as man he might be ignorant of it. For he said, none knows, No not the son of man; but the Son of God knew it. He knew it not, not because he could not, but because he would not. Ne illam molestiùs feramus ignorantiam, quae cum Christo & Angels nobis communis est, Bern. That we might contentedly bear that ignorance, which is common to us with CHRIST and the Angels. But men sick of lingering consumptions do know their time: No, but still they languish in hope, and know not the hour of their dissolution. But HeZekiah was promised the addition of fifteen years; therefore he knew how long he should live. We answer, this was by special revelation, and who else was so ascertained? Yea, rather this was a conditional and limited promise, depending on the order of second causes. For Hezekiah's body was not impassible, nor incorruptible: but God did repair the defects of nature, and extend it to the possibility of fifteen years; upon the implicit condition of repentance. No man knows his appointed time. Ne inquiras prohibitum, ne perdas concessum. Inquire not after that which is concealed, lest thou lose that which is granted. Tutum est nescire quod tegitur: a man may safely be ignorant of that, which he is not bound to know. They are wretched men, that run to Sooth-sayers for such predictions: Periculosa disquisitio, when God hath locked it up, to offer to pick it with a false key. Some depart in youth, others in age: some fruit is plucked violently from the tree, other drops down with mature ripeness; all must fall. The corn is sometimes bit •• in the spring, often trod down in the blade, never fails to be cut up in the ear, whe • it is ripe. Mori nil certius, quando, nil incertius. There is nothing more sure that death, nothing more unsure than then time of death. Moses and Aaron were certain to die, and never to enter into Canaan: but they were not certain when they should see Canaan from the mounts, and so die. It is a common fault, to run ill courses in health; and to allow themselves the time of a lingering sickness, to make ready for death: as if God were bound to give them so long warning. But he often disappoints them: and deaths properation, prevents their preparation. Job 21.13. They spend their days in mirth, and in a moment go down to the grave. This was that Cosmopolites presumption, Luk. 12.19. Soul, eat, drink, and be merry: but he reckoned without his host. Corah was suddenly swallowed, Ishbosheth slain a sleep, 2 Sam. 4.7. The house fell upon Job's children at a banket. Ananias and Sapphira were put out like a candle new lighted, and that in stench. Job 24.24. They are exalted for a little while, and cut off as the tops of the ears of Corn. When the thought of death is furthest, the stroke of death is nearest. Caesar desired a sudden death: as he desired, as he deserved, so he had it, Naturalists that love the avoidance of pain, and have no hope of future blessedness, desire a sudden dissolution. For my part, my prayer shall be with our Church. From battle, and murder, and from sudden death, Good Lord deliver me.

Thus we see, the time is unknowen to us, whether in youth or in age: often i • youth the bud is cropped. Homo per nativitatem viret in carne, per inventutem c • descit in flour, per mortem aret in pulvere; Greg. In birth we are green in the bud, i • youth we are white in the flower, in death we wither in the dust. Death like a fishnet catcheth at one draught, not only the grown fishes, but even the little fry. The Poets have a fable, that Death and Cupid lodging together at one Inn, interchanged each others arrows. From that day to this it comes to pass, that sometimes old men dote, and young men die. Sic moritur Iuvenis, Sic moribundus amat. Therefore let me be bold with CHRIST'S words, Luk. 7.14. Young man, I say unto thee, Arise: raise up thy soul to grace, thou knowest not how soon thy body shall fall down to dust. Perhaps thy imagined wisdom makes thee believe, that thou art early ripe: and so like a blossom that prevents the spring, thou wilt dare to look forth upon Februrary sun, but thou mayest soon be nipped with a frost. And if youth be but so weak a taper, quickly put out by death; how careful should parents be, with what oil they supply those young Lamps! Vsually they provide fair estates for their children's bodies, nothing for the estate of their souls: to show that they are parents of their bodies, not of their souls. Zeuxes having artificially painted a boy, carrying grapes in a hand-basket: the birds came, as if they had been true grapes, and pecked at them. Hereupon he was wondrous angry with himself and his art; saying, If I had painted the boy, which was the chief part of my picture, so well as I have done the grapes, which were but a by-accident; the birds durst never have been so bold. Were parents as careful for their children's good nurture, as about their appendant trifles; those ravenous kites, evil companions, durst not venture upon them, could not so easily corrupt them.

For Age, then death is looked for: young men know they may die, old men know they must die. The youngest is old enough to die, the oldest too old to live long. Iuvenes mortem à tergo, senes ante faciem. There are three messengers of death; Casualtie, Sickness, Age. Hath not the first messenger spoke with thee? yet the • econd. Hast thou escaped the second? yet the third will not fail. Am. 5.19. • s if a man did flee from a Lyon, and a Bear met him; or went into the house, and a ser •• nt bit him. While a man runs from the Lyon, the Bear assaults him: if he scape •• em both, yet death (that Serpent ) will find him out. Child-hood is our mor • ing, middle-age our high noon, old age our evening, death our sun-set. One • old have young men saluted with, good morrow, or welcome into the world: •• en of middle age with good day: old men with good night, because they are going • ut of the world. It is miserable for an old man not to be prepared for death: • eath shakes him by the hand in the palsy, yet no acquaintance? he hath one • ote in the grave; and yet no thought of dissolution? he is come to the thres • old of his long home; yet still worldly minded? But the good old man •• inkes this life, like a throng in a narrow passage: the sooner out, the so • er at ease.

Seeing our dissolution is so certain, the time so uncertain; the very mention • f it bids us be prepared. Put not off your amendment; ne quod diu differatur, in per •• tuum auferatur: lest what you differ for a long time, God take away forever. • or it is just, ut moriens obliviscatur sui, qui vivens oblitus est Dei: that he who living • orgate God, dying should forget himself. Many serve God, as they do their •• rvants, with Reversions, in ultimis diebus mortis: but he looks to be served with • resent obedience, in omnibus diebus vitae. Latet ultimus dies, ut observetur omnis dies: • t dum semper ignoratur, semper proximus esse credatur, August. We know not our •• st day, that we might watch every day: we cannot tell how far it is off, there • ore let us believe it to be very near. God allows man a liberal time, a whole day: • ow a day consists of 12 hours. Are there not twelve hours in the day? saith CHRIST. What enemies are we to ourselves, that of those twelve hours, which God allows us, we allow ourselves not one! Many men post off their con • ersion; and at twenty send Religion afore them to thirty: then put it off to forty: • nd yet not pleased to overtake it, they promise it entertainment at threescore. At •• st death comes, and he allows not one hour. In youth men resolve to afford them • elves the time of age, to serve God: in age they shuffle it off to sickness. When • icknesse comes, care to dispose their goods, loathness to die, hope to escape, mar • yrs that good thought: and their resolution still keeps before them. If we have • ut the lease of a Farm for one and twenty years, we make use of the time, and • ather profit. But in this precious farm of Time we are so bad husbands, • hat our lease comes out before we are one penny-worth of grace the rich • r by it.

They that have lived ill; quando anima in extremis labris, when the soul sits on • heir lips ready to take her flight, then they send for the Minister, to teach them to • ie well. But as in such extremity, the Apothecary gives but some opiate physic: • o the Minister can give but some opiate Divinity; a cordial that may benumb • hem, no solid comfort to secure them. Here is no time to ransack for sins, to • earch the depth of the ulcer: a little balm to supple, but the core is left within. Let men repent while they live, that they may rejoice when they die. You tell me that one malefactor went from the Cross to Paradise: but we must not hide from you, • hat God opened the mouth of one Ass: yet every asse is not thereby privileged • o speak. Let us be liberal on God's part; He that truly repents one day before he dies, shall surely be saved. With greediness you hear this, but abuse it not: trust it, but trust not yourselves. He that gives pardon to repentance, is not bound to give repentance to sinners. Be sure thou repentest, that one day before thy death: but hereof thou canst not be sure, unless thou repent every day. The Lord hath made a promise to repentance, not of repentance. If thou convertest tomorrow, thou art sure of grace: but thou art not sure of to morrows conversion. For three reasons God conceals from us the time of our death. 1. Because in nature, Terribilor morte timor ipse mortis, the fear of death is more terrible than death it self We know that we must die, to avoid all doubts: we know not when, to qualify our fears. 2. To preserve men from despair. Vt nec impii desperent, quasi 〈◊〉 tempus relictum paenitentiae: nec boni, quasi longum tempus patientiae, Basil: That neither the ungodly should despair, as if they had no time allowed for repentance: neither the faithful be cast down, because the time was too long of exercising their patience. 3. That we might be evermore armed with expectation, to encounter death. Because we know not when we shall die, let us learn with Saint Paul, to die daily. The worldling would weep, if he knew that he had but a month to live: yet he leaps and sings, and securely rejoiceth, when perhaps he hath not one day.

The Sum of all, is the certainty of inevitable death. A mortal father ca • not beget an immortal son. If they that brought us into the world, have themselves gone out of the world, we may conclude our own following. He that may say in life, I have a man to my father, and a woman to my mother; shall say in death, To corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, thou art my mother, and my sister, Job 14.17. There is not one in the cluster of mankind, but eodem modo & modo vi • ctus & victus, is liable to the common and equal law of death. Methushalem lived nine hundred threescore and nine years; yet he was the son of Enoch, who was the son of Iared, who was the son of Maleleel, who was the son of Cainan, who was the son of Enos, who was the son of Seth, who was the son of Adam, who was the son of Dust. Ask the woman that hath conceived a child in her womb: will it be a son? she answers, peradventure so. Will it be fair? peradventure so. Will it be witty? peradventure so. Will it be rich? peradventure so. Will it be long lived? peradventure so. Will it be mortal? yes, this is without peradventure, it will die. As the philosopher hearing that his son was dead, answered without astonishment; Scio me genuisse mortalem, I know that I begot a mortal man. Mans body, so well as the ice, expounds that riddle; that Gignit filia matrem, the daughter begets the mother: dust begat the body, and the body begets dust. Our bodies were at first strong Cities, but then by transgression we made them the Fortes of rebels: whereupon our offended Soveraine sent his Serjeant death to arrest us of high treason. And though for his mercies sake in CHRIST he pardon our sins; yet he suffers us no more to have such strong horses; but let us dwell in thatched cottages, paper walls, mortal bodies. Therefore Paul calls the body Our house; not such as God created: he may say of our bodies, as the Poet spake of his verses. Quem recitas meus est, ô Fidentine, libellus sed ma •• dum recitas, incipit esse tuus. Thy body Oh man! while it was holy and immortal, it was my work: but now it is sinful and mortal, it is thy work. An old man is said to give Alexander a little Jewel; which he affirmed to be of this virtue. So long as it was kept bright, if it were put into the balance with the choicest gold or most precious stone, it would out-poise and out-value them all: but if it once fell into the dust, and took rust, it would be lighter and slighter than a feather. What meant the Sage, but to moralize to that great Monarch his own Life: which being kept bright and healthful, commanded the world; but once fallen to the dust, even Groomes would despise it. For Hares dare pluck dead Lions by the beard. Luci •• hath a fable, the moral is good. Menippus meeting Mercury in the Elisian fields, would needs know of him, which among all the ghosts was Philip that great King of Macedon. Mercury answers; He is Philip, that hath the hairelesse scalp: Minippus replies, why they have all bald heads. Mercur. Then he with the flat nose. Menip. they all have flat noses. Merc. Then he with the hollow eyes. Menip. they all have hollow eyes: all have naked ribs, disjointed members: all are carcases. Mercur. Then Menippus, in death there is no difference betwixt the King and the beggar. Mors dominos servis, & sceptra ligonibus aequat: Dissimiles simili conditi •• ligans; Men upon earth, as in the game at Chess, supply different places: one is a King, another a Queen, another a Bishop, another a Knight, another a Pawn. But when the game is done, and they are shuffled into one bag; all are alike.

What mean worldlings then to be so covetous? Natura excutit redeuntem, sicut intrantem; In our birth we had but swaddling clouts and a cradle: in our death we shall have but a winding-sheet and a coffin. Alcibiades brags of his • ands, Socrates reacheth him a Map; bids him demonstrate where they lie: alas he could not find them, nor scarce discern Athens it self; it was so small a point in respect of the world. Ecce vix totam Hercules implevit urnam; The dusts of mighty Hercules can scarce fill a pitcher. The Philosopher said of Alexander; Yesterday the whole world did not content him; now ten cubits contain him. I will not deal so sparingly with you, ye landed-men. You shall have some land in death, and you can have no more; even so much ground, as will hold your carcases. Why do you covet? Were you owners of more land, than ever the Devil shown CHRIST; yet call no more yours but the grave. This is Terra mea, and Terra tua; My land, and thy land. Purchase there, where is true possession: or rather get that by faith which JESUS CHRIST hath purchased for you. Lay up your treasure in heaven. Quaenam est haec stultitia, illic reponere unde itürus es, & illuc non praemittere quo iturus es? What folly is it to lay up our treasure there, whence we must depart: and not to send it afore thither, whither we must go, and where we shall live forever?

What means the Epicure so to pamper his body? A fat corps is but a fat supper for the worms. 1 Cor. 6.13. Meat's for the belly, and the belly for meat's: but God shall destroy both it and them. Let us eat to live, not live to eat. When we have devoured the most delicate creatures, the worms shall devour us.

What mean the proud? the soles of their feet must not touch the ground: they fly betwixt heaven and earth on their four wheeled wings. But they must have other Porters,; to the grave they must. After all their painting, the earth will spoil their colors. The fairest woman, that says, Touch me not, I am of purer mould; as if Praecordia Titan de meliore luto finxit; must lie blended in the forgotten dust with the poor bondwoman.

What mean we all so foolishly to forget our latter ends? Adam could call all the beasts by their names, but his own name he forgot; Adam, the son of earth. Such fools are we, to forget our own names; that we are the sons of Adam, the sons of dust. Stultum est timere, quod non poteris vitare; It is no wisdom to fear that we cannot avoid: Mortem non effugit, qui etiam distulit, Sen. I shall die neither the first, nor the last: Omnes qui me non antecedent, sequentur; They that go not before me, shall follow me. Hac conditione intravi, ut exirem; Upon this condition I came in, that I should go out. We must fall, and as the tree falls, so it lies: and commonly it falls to that side, which is most loaden with branches and fruits. They that abound most with the fruits of obedience, shall fall to the right hand, life; eastward, to salvation: they that abound with wicked actions and affections, to the left hand, death; westward, to destruction.

What mean the faithful to be so much cast down in the apprehension of death? To them it is, though Poena nascentis, gloria renascentis; The punishment of the first birth, yet the glory of the second birth. Non obitus, sed abitus: Not a dying, but 〈◊〉 departing. Praemissa est anima, amissa non est. Duriùs seponitur, meliùs reponitur. Life is with some sorrow laid off, but with much joy laid up. Though every man • hat hath his Genesis, must have his Exodus: yet Profectio est quam putas mortem; It • s but a journey, which they call a death. 2 Cor. 5.1. Paul calls this life an Earthly House, Heaven a new Building. Death is but the pulling down of at old house, that 〈◊〉 new one may be set up. Or as a Clock that is grown rusty, is taken asunder by • he makers hand; disjoined wheel from wheel, and pin from pin: not to be lost, but to be repolished, and put together again, that it may go clearly. So Death doth pull the clock of our life asunder, when it hath struck the last stroke of breath: wheel from wheel, limb from limb, joint from joint, member from member; all to dust and pieces. But then the omnipotent Maker takes it into his own hands, sets it together again at the Resurrection, and it shall go well in glory forever: bearing a part in those celestial Chimes, which the blessed Angels, the Quoristers of Heaven, sing to the King of Kings. For Rom. 6.23. Though the wages of sin be death; yet eternal life is the gift of GOD through JESUS CHRIST our LORD. Amen.

SEeing my life is so short, and with it my ministry must cease; therefore I will take advantage of the time, and yet again remember you of these things. This I have done hitherto, viva voice, with my living voice: but my care ends not with my life; I will strive that even after my death you may remember them. So often as you turn over the leaves of my Epistles, you shall (though not hear, yet) see me preaching to you these things. You shall hear me while I live, and read me when I am dead. I die that spake these words, but the words spoken shall not die in your memories. As it is said of Abel; Defunctu loquitur. So it pleaseth GOD that I should preach to his Church even to the worlds end.

This is the Sense: for method of discourse, many things inherently natural to these words, have been pretractated on just occasion, Verses twelve and thirteen. I am loath to fall into a coincidence of argument, and therefore willingly abridge myself of some necessary matter. But to rest content with what is behind, and to give you the gleanings of the former vintage: there are some scattering grapes, which well pressed may afford you a cup of good wine. First, the Apostle moves them to embrace his doctrine, because he is old, and hath but a short time to tarry amongst them. Then he comforts them, that he will strive to leave an impression of his Doctrine behind him in their hearts.

The grave exhortations of old age are to be ponderously received. There is somewhat in the Person, that procures attention to the Doctrine. A reverend Bishop is heard Tanquam Pater Ecclesiae, as a Father of the Church, saith Augustine: his speech may be Brevis, sed gravis; short, but effectual; leaving a deep impression in the hearers. Saint John's short Sermon in his old age, [Little children, l •• e one another.] so warmed his Disciples hearts with the fire of charity: that their head was turned into a Limbecke, and did distill down water at their eyes. The same weight of doctrine doth not feel so weighty in a young man's mouth, as in the gravity of reverend old age. Not that the truth of God depends on the regard of persons: but because men's affections sooner melt at his speech that is stuffed with experience; than at theirs who only aver the theorical truth. But for us, whether he be a young Timothy, or an old Peter, that tells us the truth in Christ; the Spirit of God work in our hearts a faithful obedience!

Well, I am old, and must leave you: yet I will leave that behind me, which shall remain with you. In the whole Verse we find two generals: The Content, and the Intent: his Practice, and his Purpose: his Labor, and the end of his Labor: the thing he does, and the thing he seeks. I will endeavor; there is his labor, practice, and the thing he does. That you may be able after my decease, always to remember these things; there is his purpose, the end of his labor, and the thing he seeks. For the former.

I will endeavor. I can do no more, I must do no less. Now a Ministers Endevour consists in three especial things: he must endeavor by learning, endeavor by life, endeavor by labor: none of these must be wanting.

The first thing required to this endeavor is Learning. The Bishop of Traiectum in Germany, said that he would not admit Asses to holy Orders. One replied, that he must not now look for Ambroses and Cyprians. He answered, Cyprianos non requiro, sed asinos non admitto; I do not expect Cyprians, but I will not admit Asses. There are some that never knew, nor cared to know, the Schools of the Prophets; yet they send themselves into the Harvest; they pen their own commission. But says the Church; Quid agitis in meis, non mei? What make you in my work, that are none of my servants? They are sons without a father: their own creators, and own creatures too. Matth. 22.12. Friend, how camest thou hither, not having a wedding garment? Quomodo intrasti, non habens vestem Sacerdotalem? How didst thou get into the Priest-hood, without having a ministerial garment? Periculose docent, qui priùs non didicerunt; They are dangerous Teachers, that never were learners. Dum discipuli veritatis non erunt, magistri erroris sunt; While they will not be • chollers of truth, they become masters of error. For all CHRIST'S Faciam vos; I will make you fishers of men; Yet they went not presently out of the Boat into the Pulpit: He was three years instructing them. CHRIST commanded them to stay at Jerusalem, till the Holy Ghost descended on them, Act. 2. They must not Simul recipere & effundere; not receive in; and pour out at once, Hieron. Heri catechumenus, hodie Episcopus. Like David's messengers, they must tarry till their • eards be grown: not Lapwing-breed, to run away with the shell on their head. They must know their winds, ebbings and flowings, creekes and sea-marks, that will be Fishers.

Wherein consists this learning? Not in a theory of divers arts; but in the so • er use and discreet application of Divinity. Cant. 1.11. We will make thee borders of • old, with studdes of silver. Divinity is that border of gold, human learning the • tuddes of silver. A garment to have here and there a fringe, or button, or jewel, • s comely: to be nothing but buttons is ridiculous. Quaero documenta, non ornamen • a; Give us lessons, not laces. When Solomon made preparation for the building of the Temple; He had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens; and fourscore • housand hewers in the mountains: there was hewing and knocking in the mountains. But when the House was a building, there was neither hammer, nor axe, not any • ole of iron heard in it, 1 King. 6.7. The study of arts must go before, but not • ee too busy in the edification. That which moves the conscience, and saves the • oule, is the Word of GOD; yet attendant to this Queen, are certain maids of ho • our; Arts. I cannot say they are commanded; I dare not say they are for • idden. Indeed a flourishing and meretricious eloquence puffed up with these, 〈◊〉 unprofitable. GOD affects not Aulicismes, and Courtly terms. It is like a • reat deal of painting in a Church-window, to keep out the light. What be • efit is in a gilt armor? it is the armor that defends, not the gilt. Or to what • urpose is a golden key, if it will not open the door? If a wooden key will open 〈◊〉 it is better for me. Neither would I have the truth stripped of her ornaments, •• d set barely forth; this is a kind of treason. There is a learning, no man can be good Preacher without it. Matth. 13.52. Every Scribe instructed unto the king •• me of heaven, bringeth out of his treasure things new and old. The New Testament, and the old: to the broken hearts evangelical comforts, to rebellious spirits legal menaces. New and Old, new before old: because the Gospel was promised, before the Law was printed.

Some think a Minister hath no great need of Learning, because he is to speak to the unlearned. But as, Hebr. 5.11. We have many things to say, and hard to be uttered; seeing you are dull of hearing. For, when for the time ye ought to be Teachers, you had need be taught again the first Principles of the Oracles of God; and had need of milk, and not of strong meat. So, 1 Cor. 2.6. We speak wisdom among them that are perfect. Such is our unhappy exigent: if we preach learnedly, they think us mad: as Festus told Paul, Act. 26.24. Thou art beside thyself, much learning doth make thee mad. We seem mad, but only to those that are mad. As David seemed a fool, Sed Regi Achish, to King Achish, that was a fool. To common simplicity, Divinity seems a kind of heresy; and Ministers a kind of Conjurers. It is with Learning as it is with Language: let it be strange, be sure it will be ridiculous. Hos. 8.12. I have written to them the great things of my Law, but they were counted a strange thing. Art hath no other enemy, to speak of, but Ignorance. Licinius can make a decree against Learning, though he want so much learning as will serve to write his own name, and to subscribe to it. But not to torment him here, that is tormented enough elsewhere; we have too many ignorant censurers of Learning: they cannot understand us, they can with-stand us. No wonder! for who can distinguish right from wrong, that hath not either a Rule in his hand, or some notion of a rule in his head. Iudicare quis sit sapiens, vel maxim videtur esse sapientis, Tull. To judge who is a wise man, is only the office of a wise man. But Mat. 11.19. Wisdom is justified of her children. If it were not for this justification at home, poor Wisdom would speed ill. Either the Temporal Law would non-suit her for want of evidence: or the Ecclesiastical would excommunicate her for want of compurgatours. Such fortune hath Wisdom among barren and unblest understandings; that the common opinion of learning is no more but this: It it a pretty shift for a younger brother to live by. This entertainment gives the world to her and her hand-maids, which hath most need of her and all her hand-maids. But, 1 Cor. 2.14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. He knows them not; there is a denial of the Act: nor Can know them, there is an excluding of the Habite. Howsoever you judge, yet this is the truth: a man may as well saw down a tree with his nails, as be a profitable Minister without learning. You will not venture your estate with an unlearned Lawyer, nor your body with an unlearned Physician; and will you venture your soul with an unlearned Pastor.

The next thing required to this Endevour, is an honest and religious life. If this have been bad before thy calling, redeem it now. Aeneas Sylvius having wrote wanton books; when he came to be bishop of Rome, accepted the name of Pius. Aeneam rejicite, recipite Pium; Forget Aeneas, and receive Pius. Though thou alter not thy name, yet alter thy nature. The Minister that spends himself like a Taper to light others, must not himself go out with an ill savor. It is preposterous for a Divine to trouble himself too much with secular things. For there is commonly, Otium in sacris, Idleness in holy matters: where is Negoti •• in profanis, Too much business in the worlds employments. Mat. 5.19. He that shall break one of these least Commandments, and (though but by his example) shall teach m •• so; shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: Minimus, that is, Nullus, saith Theophylact. All in a Minister should be Vocalia; his very conversation must preach: a • Noah was called a Preacher of Righteousness, because his life was an actual Sermon. An innocent and unrebukeable Life is a silent testimony of a good Minister. Efficacius est vitae, quàm linguae testimonium, Cyprian. A good work persuades much more, quàm ineffectum verbum, than an unperformed speech, Nazi •• This was the cause why the Indians refused the Gospel brought by the Spaniards; because their lives were more savage than those Savages. Heaven it self was despised, for fear of those men's company there that did promise it. Common auditors receive not a doctrine in the abstract, only minding what is taught: but in the concrete, with reference to the person that teacheth it. Therefore, if your credit be cracked, it is as bad as if your brains were craz'd: you may preach of heaven and hell until Doomesday: and truth will be truth in your mouths, not in their hearts.

I do not say that holiness is an essential grace of a Minister: personal offenses suspend not the power of the Holy Ghost. Suspend it not, I say, directly; yet may occasionally: through the infirmity of simple men; who were not then simple men, if they did only adhere to the doctrine. His life is bad, therefore his doctrine is false? O this is an harsh Non sequitur. Yet is it a thousand times better, that our good lives should prevent it, than our great learning be driven after to confute it. Psalm. 50.16. Unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes? Though it be truth thou preachest, yet thou art not fit to preach it. Christ reproved the Devil, even confessing truth, Mark 1.24. I know thee who thou art, the holy one of God. This was truth, yet saith JESUS; Hold thy peace, keep thy breath to cool thy torment. The true Prophet is he; Cujus in ore verbum vitae, cujus in more vita verbi; In whose mouth is the Word of life, in whose behavior is the life of the Word.

Otherwise men seem to propound doctrines impossible to be kept. Act. 1.1. Of all that Jesus did both do and teach. It is said of Christ, that he did first Do, and then Teach. The question to the Minister shall be at last; not how many books he hath read, but what life he hath led: not only how he hath preached, but how he hath lived. They must not be like scribbling school-boys, that write fair with the fore-finger, and blur it with the hind-finger. Indeed rank hypocrites often mask in sheep's clothing: and as Physicians that would minister a draught of bitter potions to children, anoint the brims of the cup with honey, or some well tasted liquor. So these paint the exterior apparance, that men may more easily swallow their drugs and dregs of heresy. But we may soon discern these wolves in lamb-skins; for sheare them, and their wool will grow no more. Yet must not the lamb put off his fleece, because the wolf hath worn it. Lest he divert Dispensationem in dissipationem; his office of gathering the flock together, into a scattering them asunder. Every Shepherd hath a Scrip, a Staff, and a Whistle: so a Minister must have Maintenance to live on, Sanctimony to live by, Doctrine to enliven others. Worldlings that mind the purse, and neither preach fervently, nor live charitably; have lost the Staff and the Whistle, and only keep the Scrip: Neither doth well asunder, all do very well together: yet what ever becomes of the Scrip, keep we a good Staff, and a good Whistle: that we may out-preach sin; out-live sin; and be our reward in the hands of Jesus Christ.

The last thing required to perfect this Endevour, is constant Labor. There is nothing more wretched, than for a man to live without care, when he hath gotten a Cure: Sine cura, cum pervenerit ad curam, Bern. Matth. 9.38. Pray the Lord to send forth Laborers, not loiterers, into his Harvest. But there is no need to follow this point: You in this City will look to it well enough, that your Ministers shall labor: you have here the law in your own hands; if he will not labor, you will keep him fasting. Yet it is to be feared, that as curious as you are to set us on work, and watch us with continual labor; you relish none of our fruits, you will be never the better for it. You send us a hunting, as Isaac sent his son: but when with Jacob we say, Sit and eat of our Venison, that your souls • ay bless no • : You question, how we came by it so soon? We answer; The Lord brought it to our hands. You look upon it, and say, It is good Venison, a good Sermon: but still you go away fasting. Thus we are forced to labor in vain. Isaiah 49.4. We have labored in vain, and spent our strength for naught. That we may hereafter labor to purpose, Lord knit your hearts unto our lips; Prosper thou the works of our hands upon us, O prosper th •• our handy work, Psal. 90.17.

Observe further, that all a Minister can do, is but his Endevour: Paul can but plant, and Apollos water; it is God that gives the increase. Nostrum est dare operam, D • i dare operationem. It is our part to endeavor, the Lord's to bless it with success. Preachers are called Savior's, Obad. verse. 21. Savior's shall come upon mount Zion: yet is there but one Savior of us all, JESUS CHRIST. They are called Lights, Vos estis lux mundi: yet there is but one Light, John. 1.8. Christ is that true Light, which lighteneth every man. They are called Reconcilers, yet Christ is the only Reconciler, 2 Cor. 5.19. God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself: and we have but the ministry of this reconciliation. Aliud est docere, aliud flectere; It is one thing to teach, another thing to convert. Well may the Minister move his tongue and his lips like Organ-pipes; but if there be no breath of God's Spirit with them, it is to no purpose. Lift up your hearts to heaven: he hath a Pulpit above the clouds, that preacheth to the conscience. Act. 3.16. It is the Name of JESUS, through faith in that Name, which converts us: let none of his glory cleave to our earthen fingers. You think it enough to commend us: no, bless the Lord, whose power is magnified in our weakness. When we have done all, it is but our endeavor; we would have saved you. And be it to our comfort, our endeavor shall be accepted. 2 Cor. 8.12. If there be a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, not according to that he hath not. Non secundum quod valuimus, sed quod voluimus, shall our reward be. We endeavor to save you; do you endeavor to be saved: and the Spirit of God bless both our endeavors. That though the Minister part with his people on earth, they may all meet together in heaven.

That you may be able.] All is Propter vos, for your sakes: this preaching, this remembering, this writing, all propter vos, for you. 1 Cor. 3, 22. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, all are yours. You may say to your Ministers, as the Poet of Oxen; Sic vos non vobis, fertis aratra boves; They labor in the plough, not for themselves, but for your souls. 1 Thess. 1.5. Ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sakes: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : inter vos, propter vos. The bellows are burnt, the lead is consumed of the fire: yet the Founder melted in vain, for the wicked are not plucked away. He had burnt a hole in his bellows, gotten the consumption of the Lungs, exhausted his spirits; and all for the people. Phil. 1.24. Nevertheless, though it were better for me to be dissolved; yet to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.

After my decease. Some have read, instead of Dabo operam, ut post obit • m meum; Et post obitum meum: I will endeavor even after my decease, that &c. So they give to Saint Peter, and other Saints, a provident care over us still. If they would extend it no further, then that the Saints in heaven pray for us on earth, we would easily grant. Or that their Sermons once preached still do us good, we assent. What then? because we reverence their words, must we therefore worship their bodies, or relics? Yet such is the fond collection of Fevardentius on this place. He urgeth it from, Rom. 10.15. How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel! If their feet be beautiful, how beautiful then are their hands and join • s, and tongues and lips! If the shadow of Peter, and the hand-kercher of Paul, could cure the sick: why may not the body of that shadow, and the hand of that hand-kercher, effect as much? why should not these be worshipped? We honor their writings, how much more their relics! This ridiculous stuff needs no other confutation, but derision. There was read in the Nicene Council; by the Monk ••• phanus, out of the book of Sophronius, this Legend. A Monk was continually troubled with a devil: at last being very of his guest, he did pray the devil in fair and friendly terms, to let him alone. (And was not this religiously done, to pray 〈◊〉 the deville, Satan answered, that if he would promise and swear to satisfy hi • 〈◊〉 one thing, he would forsake him. The Monk swore a deep oath; then quoth the devil: Thou shalt never hereafter pray anymore to such an Image of our Lady, holding her child in her arms. But the Monk was too crafty for the devil: for the next day he went and confessed himself to the Abbot, and he dispensed with his oath, upon condition that he should continue praying to that Image. And is not this an excellent proof of praying to Saints, which is borrowed of the devil? But what is this to Relickes? yes, they that speak so much for the Image of Saint Peters head, what will they say for the head it self? Fevardentius adds; The dusts, the rags, the shoe, the nail of a Saint is venerable. This is the drunken doctrine of Rome, that adores the relics, but regards not the lives of Saints. Neither Peter nor Paul shall teach them by their writings, they will be taught by their relics.

To have these things in remembrance.] The Apostles did not only preach to us vocally while they lived: but even now also exemplarily by their former conversation, and still doctrinally by their holy rules. The words of a Preacher die not with him; but live in the hearers hearts: and shall either convert them here, or convince them hereafter. The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. Thou hast forgotten such a Sermon; but this Sermon shall not forget thee, Zach. 1.6. The Prophets are dead: but the words that I commanded them to speak, did they not take hold of their fathers? If it take no hold in thee by due obedience, it shall take hold on thee by deserved vengeance. A Prophet comes to Jeroboam, and says, Oh altar, altar, thus saith the Lord; Josiah shall offer the priests of the high places upon thee: and upon thee shall men's bones be burnt. That Prophet died, yet his word came to pass; Josiah did accomplish this. 2 King. 23.17. and was shown the Sepulcher of that man of God, which had proclaimed these things that he did. It is said of Samuel. 1 Sam. 3.19. that the Lord did let none of his words fall to the ground. Stephen foretold the Jews of their future desolation by the contempt of CHRIST: they confute him with hard arguments, stop his mouth with stones: Stephen dies, but Stephens Sermon dies not. We tell the usurer, that the third generation shall rue all: we die, but our words come to pass. We tell the Impropriator, that his robbing God of his due, shall make his posterity like Achan, accursed: we die, but this saying is fulfilled upon them. We tell the proud officer, that his suites are the suites of Gehesi, cut out of bribes; and will engender a leprosy in his issue: we die, but this event follows. Our Sermons shall be thought on: even when we are dead you shall remember them: God grant you may remember them to your comfort.

To conclude, we have Saint Peter still preaching among us. As it is said plainly, Act. 15.21. Moses was preached, by being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day. While the writing of Peter is read, the voice of Peter is heard. The Apostles are dead, their holy Sanctions live with us. But now what entertainment have they found in our hearts? you shall see that by our lives. If you have digested those excellent rules, Lord what a change they will work in you! you will be as men that dreamed, wondering at your former loves: your fair Herodias of this world will appear a stigmatic Gypsie. All the toile and cost you have been to get riches, will appear as ridiculous, as if a country man should anoint his axletree with Amber-greece; or a traveler should liquor his bootes with Balsamum. You that have run by the Church as a Pest-house, would now continually wait at her doors. Then if you know that finger, which but itched to be accessory to any corrupt dealing, you would cut it off: and bite off that lip which but lisped out any equivocation: and pluck out those eyes, that lusted after adulterous mixtures; Let Religion be held a Fable, and Ministers false Prophets, if you find not in yourselves a wonderful change. But alas, where is this change? where is the fruit of such plentiful Preaching? There is a cursed devil that mars all, called covetousness. It was once said of this Island; Lûc • Britaniad • ves, England is rich in • ight; alluding to the long days, and short nights. It may truly be said of her in respect of the Gospel; that she is rich in the best light: but the darkness of this worldliness hath almost overcast it. This Land hath been four times conquered, say our Chronicles: but by the Chronicles leave I will add a fifth conquest. First, it was possessed by the Britain's, the Romans conquered the Britain's, the Saxons conquered the Romans, the Danes conquered the Saxons, the Normans conquered the Danes: but now covetousness hath conquered all. I know you have ears judicious enough; I hear you extolling the learned, praising Preachers, magnifying Sermons: yet and more, England gives preferment to her Ministers. But beloved, there is one preferment behind, and that most proper to Preachers; a preferment in the hearts of the hearers. Let the rest go, give us this. Though I have no hope to attain to any preferment in this world, yet I shall rest joyfully contented with this; if I may find preferment in your consciences.

That after my decease, you may have these things always in remembrance.] There are two material points in this verse, which I durst not pretermit. The first is; what the proper intention of all Preachers and Sermons is; they are but Remembrances. The other is a method, how we may remember the Apostles preaching after their departure; which is by a diligent and frequent reading of their writings.

That you may beable to remember. There are two offices of the holy Spirit; Docere & suggerere, to Teach and to call to remembrance. Both are expressed. John. 14.26. The Holy Ghost when he comes, shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Suppose that the fundamental articles of faith may be taught, within less than the term of a Preachers life: which (curious speculations, and idle digressions, laid a side) I conceive not impossible. In the remainder what shall he do? Either he must preach the same over again, and so be a Remembrancer: or else be silent, and so be no Preacher. It is too true that, who hath not an Athenian ear? We long for novelties, and would have men preach not only Nove, after a new method; but Nova, new doctrines. But Christ's sheep love not only his name, but the Echo of his name: they hearken to his voice, and to every reflection of his voice. Were your sanctification absolute, continual obedience to his Word would no more trouble you, than the everlasting aspect of his countenance doth trouble the Angels. Therefore answerable to the degree of your regeneration, must be the degrees of your attention. Likewise causeth liking. 2 Cor. 3.18. We with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image. If you be changed into that Image, you will desire to behold in the Gospel, as in a glass with open face, that Image into which you are changed.

When we hear an excellent lesson on an Instrument, we call for it again, and again. If God's peace dwell in our hearts, we love the songs of Zion rehearsed; Decies repetita placebunt. All our Sermons are but Rehearsalls of that old Sermon. Gen. 3.15. The seed of the woman shall break the head of the Serpent. All the sum of the New Testament is but the repetition of that one Prophecy. What are the Father writings, but expositions of the Apostles? the Schoolmen, but abridgements of the Fathers? It is an usual adage in the School, that the soul of Augustine was pythagorically transfused into the body of Aquinas. The Jesuit is nothing else but a • old School-man bound up in a new cover. As one observed wittily; The School-man is Philosophical in his Theology; the Jesuit. Theological in his Philosophy. As Augustine wrote of his bastard Adeodatiu • ; Ego in illo puero prater delictum 〈◊〉 h • bebam; I had no share in that boy, but only sin. So the Jesuits may confess of their books; that there is nothing in them of their own, but that which is had▪ The good stuff is the fathers, only the lace and pinking is their own. As it is said of a Cimnell, that it is but bread upon bread: so we may say of the Jesuit; it is but Aquinas they lick him over, and let him go. As Galaton painted Homer vomiting; reliquos vero poetas ea quae ipse evomuisset haurientes; and all the rest of the Poets licking up what he had vomited, Aelian.

All is but Remembrance: thrice in these four verses doth our Apostle press it; Paul, Phil. 3.1. It is not grievous to me to write the same things unto you: but for you it is safe; a most sure course. Unregenerate hearts are termed Stony hearts: if they were brazen, they might be melted: if iron, they might be wrought: but hearts of stone must be broken with continual hammering. The blood of CHRIST must be often dropped upon these adamantine hearts to mollify them. Gutta cavat lapidem, non vi, sed saepe cadendo. Deut. 32.2. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, and my speech distill as the dew. If all the world were Paradise, the sower might sow but once for all. Or if it were like the land of Albanoises, he need to till it but once in three years. Or if it were so fertile, as some soil is said to be under the Northern Pole; he might sow in the morning, and reap in the evening. But sin hath made the ground full of thorns, and much seed falls among these thorns, Matth. 13. Some is trampled under feet with the vulgar tract: other washed away with the common stream of the time: the rest pecked up by the fowls of the air: there is need therefore to sow even often the same seed, and always to put you in remembrance, not of other, but even of these things. We have brittle memories, weak retentions; therefore there is need or frequent and hearty incitations. Esa. 28.10. Precept must be upon precept: line upon line: here a little and there a little. The Scripture often ingeminates the same word, the samething, to give strength to the declaration of it. Esa. 28.7. They have erred, they are out of the way, through wine: the phrase is repeated seven times in one Verse; to villify drunkenness. So Ver. 21. The Lord shall do his work, his strange work: and bring to pass his act, his strange act. So Ver. 23. Give ear, and hear my voice, hearken and hear my speech; that the ear might be thoroughly charmed. Psal. 62.11. God hath spoken once, twice have I heard it. Prov. 4.14. Enter not into the way of the wicked, go not in, avoid it, pass by it, turn from it, and pass away. Prov. 31.2. My son, the son of my womb, the son of my vows. Ier. 22.29. Oh earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord! Our Savior thrice questioned Peters love, and thrice urged his duty. Esa. 6.3. The Lord is thrice called Holy. Vanity is thrice called Vain, to show the vileness of it. In these and such like places, so fraught with repetitions; as it is with Numeration in Arithmetic: the figure in the first place stands for it self; in the second place for ten-times it self; in the third for a hundred times it self. So when the Scripture condemns a sin; as it proceeds in iteration, it riseth in aggravation.

Oh the infallible power of the word! heaven and earth shall pass, it shall never fail. Time may fail, speech may fail, audience may fail: but the matter of that abundant treasure shall never fail. It may be, Samuel knows not God's first call, nor his second, nor his third; yet at last, speak Lord, for thy servant heareth. It may be as Peter, Act. 10.16. in his vision; Arise, kill, and eat; he excuseth himself; Not so Lord, for I have never eaten any unclean thing. But when this was done thrice, he is resolved. So when the Lord's voice comes to us once, Arise and eat; it may be we excuse ourselves; Not so Lord: but when it shall be spoken thrice, often; there is some hope that we will hear at last. It may be according to the sign that God gave Hezekiah, Esa. 37.30. This year ye shall eat such as groweth of it self: the second year, such as springeth of the same: but the third year ye shall sow and reap. So the first time we hear the doctrine of salvation, it is without profit; and it breeds no meditations in us but such as grow of themselves. The next time, such as spring of the former, thoughts of flesh and blood. But yet the third time, it may work us, to a more industrious cogitation of heavenly things. Paul in the 17. of the Acts; three Sabbath days together handled one doctrine.

Good things are not wearisome in their continual use. Our daily bread, though daily received, is daily craved. The light of the Sun would displease none but some lover of darkness, though it never went down in our coasts. The perpetual use of necessary things can never offend us though they never forsake us. Shall then the doctrine of life, the restorative of our fainting spirits, through the often repeating discontent us? No, here the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing. Yet many use themselves in the hearing of beaten points, as they do in drinking of wines: the first draught is for necessity, the second for pleasure, the third for sleep. If they hear you once, that's enough: if a second time, that's too much; but if you come with the same a third time, fare you well, they must go sleep. When Paul preached at Antioch, The Gentiles besought him that those words might be preached to them again the next Sabbath. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; the very same words. Gal. 4.19. My little children, of whom I travel in birth again, until Christ be formed in you. Now the ripening and perfitting of a child in the womb, requireth nine months at the least.

The time then, is not idly spent, that calls to mind fore-recited principles. If you ask us, Quousque eadem? how often shall we hear the same? we would to God there were no need of repetitions. But it is true what Elihu speaks in Job. God speaketh once, yea twice, but man perceiveth it not. Yea, Ver. 29. God doth work it twice and thrice, often times with man. Let us answer, as Augustine did the Donatists; being enforced to some iteration; Let those that know it already pardon me, lest I wrong them that are ignorant. It is better to give him that hath, than to turn him back that hath not. If it were true of Homer, or may be true of any man formed of clay; One Homer never cloyed any man that read him. Then certainly it must be true of truth it self; One JESUS CHRIST in his Gospel never satiated any that read him. To conclude, for your part; Let the word of CHRIST dwell in you plenteously. The word of grace hath been often offered unto you: whither it hath gotten house room in you or no, I cannot tell. Perhaps it is but in the Nature of a Passenger to you; and your bosom the Inn to give it only a bait and away. Perhaps as the Levite, that sat in the streets, and no man received him to house, Judge. 19. it hath sounded in your Churches, but none bade it to dinner in their consciences. Perhaps it hath gotten admission by force, as they let down the sick man by the tiles of the house: the doors of your hearts being pestered with a throng and crowd of worldly business. But now let it be no stranger, but like a brother dwell with you, never to depart: not in a corner, as if it were pinched for want of room, but Plenteously: not with in-mates and chamber-fellows, as lusts and evil affections; but in your hearts, alone. Yea in cord cordis, in the very heart of your heart. Psal. 40.8. The law is within my heart, in the midst of my bowels. Not unconceived or misconceived, unapplied or misapplied, but in all wisdom. And the God of all wisdom bring you by it to the end of your faith, even the dear salvation of your souls!

The other point is the method of our memory, the means how we may remember them: which is indeed, frequently to read them. John. 5.39. Search the Scriptures. Honor and admire the depth and secrecy of God's word; yet fail not in thy diligence to search it. The Scripture is not like a kalendar, to die with them for whom it is written; but serves for us, in what climate soever we breath. What Paul wrote to the Romans, Corinthians, &c. serves also for the meridian of England. What is written, is ever ready to be read; if men would be at leisure to read it. CHRIST repells all Satan's assaults with his own weapon; It is written. Him discamus omnes arma nostra esse sacras Scripturas saith Cajetan. From hence let us learn that all our weapons are the holy Scriptures. It is like the Tower of David built for an armory, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of the mighty men. There are shields for defense, and swords for offense. As Laban deceived Jacob in the night, giving him instead of fair Rachel, blear-eyed Leah. So Satan in the darkness of our ignorance cozens us: only the Scriptures day-light can discover Leah from Rachel. Cant. 5.12. His eyes are like the eyes of doves by the rivers of water. The dove sitting by the rivers, discryeth a far off the shadow of the hawk, her mortal enemy: so either escapes by flight, or by hiding her self under the banks, He that sits by the bank of these living waters, can discover the practices of Satan, by them he can sound him, and wound him. This is that Sword of the spi • it: not the wooden daggar of fabulous stories, nor the rusty scabbard of old Tra • itions; these are blunt: but the two-edged sword of the Spirit. Scriptum est, It is writ • en, this is the voice of CHRIST. Traditum est, it is by Tradition, this is the voice of Antichrist.

We appeal to your consciences, we feed not your eye with pictures and babbles, • or your ear with Legends and fables: no holy water from the font: but It is writ • en: This is that sacred water which is cast in the devils face, and stops his mouth. Rom. 15.4. Whatsoever things are written, are written for our instruction. Paul says, • he Scriptures are the people's instruction: the Romists say, they are the people's de • truction. Paul says, It makes the man of God absolute; the Romists say, it makes him dissolute. Paul says, They are written to admonish us: they say, they are writ • en so difficult that in a known language they rather seduceus. CHRIST bids • s to Search the Scriptures, for there is eternal life: take heed, say they that forbid us, • or therein is eternal death. Esa. 8.20. To the Law, to the Testimony: no say they, Ad Traditum, ad decretum, ad Papam; To traditions, to decretalls, to the Pope. Psal. 119.105. Thy word is full of light: no say they, It is full of darkness. Thus • hey cast a mist before men's eyes, that they cannot see their Juggling. They blind • he people, and buffet them: and then ask them, as the Jews asked CHRIST; who smote them? These are they that compare the Scriptures to a nose of wax, formable to what proportion the handler pleaseth. They make the Fathers their children, • nd the ancient Doctors their puny Scholers; that they shall only speak what they would have them. It is nothing with them to abuse the sacred Writ. Non scrip • uras ad materiam, sed materiam ad Scripturas excogitant, Tertul. First they make their Sermons, and then look for a Text. Thus that vision, Act. 10.13. Rise Peter • ill and eat; is made warrant enough for the Pope to design the killing of any Prince. Sometimes they cite the beginning without the end, as the devil served CHRIST; sometimes the end without the beginning: sometimes they take the words against the meaning; often they make a meaning against the words. So in sum, they do not keep the old Scripture, but coin a new. Either they suppress the word, or not express the sense: as if they would convey away the gold, and throw us the bag.

But we have the Scripture, let us read it: not the bare words only, but the • ense, The Scripture is like Ezekiel's Roule, written within and without: without in • he outward sentence, within in the inward reference. It is the golden pot of Man • a; the words, that is the golden pot: the sense, that is the Manna. It is not enough to take what offers it self at the first proposed; but to dignity deep. God that • s rich in the veins of nature, is not poor in the veins of Scripture: excellent in • he history, more excellent in the mystery. The Scriptures are not in superficie sed in medulla: non in verborum foliis, sed in radice rationu, Chrysostom. It is not the letters and words, but the sense and heart of the Scriptures, whereupon our faith depends. Revel. 1.3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear. We must not only read, nor only hear, nor only meditate, but all. Lectio sine meditatione arida, meditatio sine lection erronea. Reading without meeditation is fruitless, meditation without reading subject to error. Meditate, to profit by reading: and read to rectify meditation. Otherwise it may be said, as of the Delphicke oracle; Quoties legitur, negligitur: it is not soon gotten, than forgotten. Col. 3.18. Let the word dwell plenteously in you. The word must dwell in us, therefore the Bible must be in our house. It must dwell plenteously, therefore we must read it daily. The word doth dwell plenteously among us, God grant it may dwell plenteously in us. It is but a shift now, and will be no good answer at the last day; I am no Divine, this is none of my profession, to be busy with the Scriptures. Yet you would be Christ sheep: but his sheep know his voice. You should be thought honest men; but is there anything except God's word can make thee honest, Mic. 2.7. You would not be thought unclean: but Wherewithall shall our way be cleansed, but by the word? you would all be made blessed: but Blessed is he that delighteth in the Law of the Lord, and meditates in it day and night, Psal. 1.2. But ô the profaneness of this age! reading this book is thought a fit of melancholy; deductions out of this book, Paradoxes, and the Language of this book a Shibboleth, which all the world besides pronounceth not. Alcibiades coming into a School, and asking the School-master for one of Homers works, when he answered that he had none: he knitting his fist, smote him on the ear. If God come to visit thy house, and find thee without a Bible, the book of thy fair profession; God shall smite thee thou whited wall, thou shalt feel the weight of his hand. The barbarians shown Paul no little kindness, God forbid we should use him as a Barbarian. Other books, Histories and Poems, we read and remember: but let a Text of Scripture be pressed, and we say not; Jesus we know, and Paul we know. But Quis novus hic nostris successit sedibus hospes? The Fairy Queen we know, the Arcadia we know, the book of Statutes we know, the Chronicles we know; but who are ye? The LORD of his infinite mercy, lay not this neglect to our charge: but bind the Bible to our consciences, and our consciences to the bible. That our faith may embrace the comforts there; and our eyes one day see the joys we have believed, in the blessed kingdom of JESUS CHRIST.

THe Apostle proceeds to another argument, why these things should be fixed in their hearts: because they know that their labor is spent upon a certain thing. What should more animate our constancy, than the infallibility of prosperous success in our calling! If the Divinity we preach, were built upon the fennish and hollow grounds of human fancies. Wherein men show more wantonness than wit, more wit than learning, more learning than conscience. Or if it were like some oracles of the heathen Idols which were aliquo modo vera, nullo •• do certa; true some way, certain no way: if the event did not answer the prediction, they would make the prediction answer the event. Or like the spurious, e •• cene, and bastardly equivocations of our Jesuits: who have a trick to swear and not to swear, to lie and not to lie: and so are Saints and no Saints, holy in appearance, devils in existence. But we preach that which is indubiae fidei, which the faithful do feel on earth, and the unfaithful shall feel in hell. The former find here, the truth of God's mercies, the other shall find there, the truth of his Justice. We bring no fables, but things known to us, and made known by us. That the LORD JESUS did c •• e in the flesh, dwelt with us in the flesh, suffered for us on the Cross, rose again from death. That he came not in weakness, but in power; with signs and great wonders: to the terror of the bad, to the comfort of the good, confirmation of the weak, conviction of the proud, admiration of all. Neither received we this by tradition or hear-say, but were eye-witnesses of it: That which we have seen and heard, we declare unto you. Therefore receive us, believe us; yea, receive • he truth, believe the truth, the sound doctrine of Christ.

For method • n tractation, con • ider three principal passages: A

• Disclaiming of all fabulous mixtures with the sacred Truth. We followed not cunningly devised fables.
• Proclaiming of the virtue and Excellencie of Christ. When we made known to you his power and coming.
• Testifying of this, and that from the surest witness: Ab oculato testimonio; We were eye-witnesses of his Majesty.

These be the general and doctrinal roots; there are some sub-distinguished branches, which we refer to their own places.

We have not followed cunningly devised fables.] This is the thing he removes and disclaims: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Art compositas fabulas, according to Erasmus. Calvin • ayes, it intends Subtile artificium. But because 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 doth not only signify a Fable, but also Orationem, a Rhetorical discourse: the Apostle condemns both poetical fictions, and oratory eloquence: the Sophistry of Logic, the painting of Rheto • icke, and the meretricious figments of poetry; when they shall stand in competition with Divinity, and presume of their own power to help a soul to Jesus Christ. The embroidered orations of the one, and the gaudy tinctures of the other, are all out Fables. To omit those that regarded rather Sonum than Sensum; the cadence of • anguage, rather than the substance of reason; the very best did but fabulize.

For the Philosophers, Coloss. 2.8. Beware lest any man spoil you through Philoso • hie and vain deceit. First, it taught devilish things, as Magicke, Conjurings, a great • art of Judicial Astrology among the Pagans. This 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a fable. Secondly, • t taught doctrines; of the Eternity of the world, of the mortality of souls, of a Purgatory-fire out of Plato, of the Stoicall fate; all which diametrally oppose the • ruth: all were fables. Thirdly, it taught principles, which in themselves, and their • wne nature are true; but in Divinity false. Such were these maxims; Ex nihilo • ihil fit; Of nothing can be made nothing: this is true in second causes, but in respect of God's omnipotence in the creation, a fable. For God can constitute something of • othing, and reduce something to nothing, at his pleasure. So it is said; A privatio • e ad habitum non datur regressus; There is no returning from the privation to the ha • ite. This is true Physice, naturally: but if it be referred to the Resurrection, it is Fabula mendax; a lying fable. That a virgin remaining still a virgin, cannot conceive; • true in the ordinary course of nature; but to deny this to be once done by the su • ernaturall work of God, is a Fable. Even the best of them in their most serious • isquisition of heavenly things, were but as hounds, swift of foot, but ill of sent. They • unted an object strongly, but took the wrong course; so spent their mouths and • ourses in vain. Like wandering Empiricks, which make great ostentation of Cures • rawne out in pictures and tables: but he that comes to try their skill, hath not a worse disease belonging to him, than the Physician. If Seneca had had grace to his wit, he had been the wonder of men. This praise he deserveth and hath; never any Philosopher wrote more divinely: he hath not lost his commendation, but he lost his • opes. Certainly, as a worthy Divine said; If I had no other Mistress than Nature, would wish no other Master than Seneca. But neither Athens nor Rome could teach his doctrine, but Jerusalem. In the end of his book De Tranq. he allows drunkenness: his was a fable, fit neither for Philosopher to prescribe, nor honest man to practice.

For the Poets, their writings were but Fables. Innumerable such: whole books • f Metamorphoses; it is all one, whole books of Fables. They did but fabulize an • pish imitation of God's truth. Must Abraham sacrifice his son to the GOD of • even? Agamemnon must sacrifice his daughter to the Prince of darkness. A Ram redeems Isaac, so a Hind redeems Iphigenia: this was a cunningly devised fable. Noah's Flood shall be quitted with Deucalions Deluge. For our Noah they have a Ianus, for our Sampson an Hercules; for our Babel-builders, such as lay Pelion upon Ossa, Giants. If Lots wife be turned to a Pillar, their Niobe is metamorphosed to a Stone. Let God historifie his Jonah, Herodotus will say more of his Arion. But saith Saint Augustine, we may justly suspect, that the Greek tale of the one, mean • the Hebrew truth of the other. The Devil strives to be God's Ape. If the Lord thunders from heaven, hail-stones and coals of fire: the Red Dragon also maketh fire to come down from heaven in the sight of men, Revel. 13.13. God delivered his truth; Satan had his imitating fables, to seduce and divert men's minds from the substantial truth, to enervate the credit of goodness, and to amaze men's hearts with the counterfeits. Their writings were fabulous; they held it as their Patent with Painters, Quidlibet audendi aequam potestatem; an equal power to fain anything. Some were scurrilous and obscene, most of them impious and profane. They durst make their gods murderers, whore-masters, malicious, contentions, unjust, cruel. And Ovid confesseth; Ignoscite fasso, Solicitor nullos esse putare deos.

But if all these were fables, and Peter disclaims them in delivering the truth of the Gospel; why then do Preachers make use of them in Divinity? I answer. There is a difference betwixt the venom in a material, and the wholesome virtue. Saint Paul that condemned the one, often used the other: there may be honey in a nettle. As in the Law of a beautiful woman ( Deut. 21.11.) that was a captive: he that desired her for his wife, was first to shave her head, and pare her nails. Human learning is the Grecians Helena, full of admirable beauty: but must not be admitted into the Divinity Schools, till her head be shaved, and her nails pared. But from her take her abominable figments; shave and pare off what is dead, idolatrous, voluptuous, fabulous, those superfluous excretions of sin; of a Moabite make her an Israelite, and then accompany with her: she shall bring forth fair children to the Lord of Hosts. As Hosea took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, a wife of whoredoms; who yet bare him Iezrael, the Seed of God, Hos. 1.4. They were adversaries to the truth: their ingenie was great, their industry greater, but against the truth, Aug. Therefore cut off Goliath's head with his own sword, Hieron. The Word of God is the Bread of life, human inventions but for gloss and ornament; hanging gold and jewels upon our apparel, as the Israelites did on their garments. Ab illis inginua animi delectatio, ab his sanitas & vita petitur. Those like the Aliptae, may put blood in our face, and mend our color: this is the nourishment that maintains our life. Without this, all that grows in the green fields of Philosophy is but Toxic •• , baneful: mors in olla, there is death in it; the Word of God is that Salt of Elisha, that sweetens the broth. The wood of the Cross is that wood of life, which relisheth the Marah of Gentile-learning. Jerome was buffeted by an Angel, for studying Heathen Authors too much: and Saint John had a book of this given him to swallo • down. Yet I would not have men to rail down arts, and use them as the King of Ammon did David's messengers; to grub their beards, yea, their very chins. As if the captive woman were to be slain, not shorn: as if Hagar stood Abraham in no staed for procreation, and all learning were but cozenage. Though they happily can reach to the top of preferment, and never climb by the stairs: seem Giants in Divinity, while they profess war to Philosophy; yet I would not have them teach their nurse to suck. It is blasphemous to preach fables, for truth: but it is not honest •• condemn all learning for fables. Moses rod was a common rod, yet it wrought great miracles. It is the rod that does the miracle, yet Moses must be learned to handle it.

The Sophistry of Heretics is another disclaimed Fable: for whatsoever contradicts the truth, is a fable. The Devil sped so successfully in disputing with our mother Eve in her estate of innocence, that he doubts not to prevail over her •• cent children. I speak not here of the Jews Talmud, a bundle of most fabulous and ridiculous lies, too vile for a Christian ear. Nor of the Turkish Alcoran, a fa ••• of foolish impossibilities: as the stories of Angel Adriels death, Seraphuels Trumpet, Gabriel's Bridge, Horroth and Marroths hanging, the Moons descending into Muhammad's sleeve: the Littour wherein he saw GOD carried by eight Angels: their swinish Purgatory: Fables fit for none but beasts or mad-men. The Papists have innumerable volumes of Fables, Legends which they equal to the sacred History. That Saint Francis carried a thousand out of Purgatory with him to Heaven, when he went thither. That Saint Dunstane held the Devil by the nose with a pair of pincers. That Saint Anthony, when a Toad was served to his table, and a Text cited by his Host; Eat of everything that is set before thee: he presently with the sign of the Cross turned it into a Capon ready roasted. That Frier Andrew should make roasted birds fly away by the same conjuration. I speak not of their monstrous miracles, and shameless wonders; their very Doctrine is fabulous. That CHRIST'S body should be locally circumscribed in heaven, yet wholly present in ten thousand places at once on the earth; this is a Fable against the fundamental truth of his Humanity. That there is a Purgatory, is a Fable, (and that a cunning one) against the truth of CHRIST'S sufficient satisfaction. Their School-men have invented a doctrine of Fables, cunningly devised: and the Friers had crochets enow, but the Jesuits put down all. As the Instruments of battery which the Ancients used in the wars, were more able to ruin and demolish than our new inventions; but were not so maniable, and apt for transportation. So the arguments of the Friers and School-men of the Romish Church, had as much force against the truth, as the subtleties of the Jesuits: but these are apter for conveyance and insinuation, than those cloisturall Monks. For there are some poisons that will not work, except they be ejaculated from the live creature that possesseth them: his personal malignity must concur to it. For this purpose these Vbiquitaries have the advantage. For otherwise as Rhetoric is like the hand open, and Logic like the hand shut. So the Frier is an open Jesuit, and the Jesuit a close Frier. Or, as gallopping is but a lofty amble, and ambling a soft gallop: so the Frier flies • ut in larger fields, and the Jesuit like a cunning waggoner, turns in a narrower compass. They are such as will distinguish of any truth, till they extinguish all truth. They say, there is an Idolatry which is bad, and an Idolatry which is good. Hoc in Grammar and Logic demonstrates this thing: yet in Christ's Word, Hoc est corpus • neum, it demonstrates nothing. All their positions are like that swinish breakfast; many dishes made ex Sue mansueto, of a tame Sow. No marvel, when a Pope him • else called all Christianity a Fable, Quantum nobis profuerit ista de Christo fabula!

Astrologers are other fabulists: who gather out of the conjunction of Planets, • nd position of Stars; the ruins of public weals, and misfortunes of private families. If Sol be in opposition to Mercury, then the Lawyers shall have a bad Terme. If Mars meet with Venus, great custom is promised to the Stews. As if • hey were Bauds to the celestial bodies; Doctors to cast the water of the heavens, • nd knew of what disease they were fick. In a common Almanac, the Prognostica • or out of his deep judgment says, that such a day shall be something differing • rom indifferent. What weather is that? Be it hot or cold, wet or dry, fair or foul; it • t still something differing from indifferent. Astrology at the best is but conjectural, • t the worst coozenning and diabolical. Basil calls it occupatissimam vanitatem, a most • usie vanity. Conservam creaturam adversus Creatorem seditiose concitat, Naz. It pro • okes the creature against the Creator. Themselves laugh at those, who, vel adeunt • el audiunt, either go to them, or hear them. They smile how they fill their ears with Fables, their own purses with moneys. Bion condemned them that professed to now Pisces in Zodiaco, the Fishes in the Zodiac: yet did not see nantes in oceano, the •• ishes that swim in the sea- The events have fooled them: Manfridus told Ordelaphus Prince, that he should have a long and happy life; ye he was both married and bu • ied the same year. Henry 7. in derision of Stargazers, asked one who had prophe • ied of his death; What shall betide me this Christmas? the prophet answered, he could not tell. Then what shall become of thyself this Christmas? he still answered, I cannot tell. Then I know more than thou, saith the King: for I know thou shalt presently be sent to prison for a juggling companion. How they have been extremely troubled about this last Comet! whether it threaten Spain or England; or the rising of new Sects: whether it portend War, or Plague, or Famine: whether to Princes, or to people; as if God had made them his Secretaries? Particular conjectures are but Fables: God knows what he hath to do. And if this did premonstrate a rod to scourge us, let us like Nineveh repent, and pacify the LORD'S wrath before the blow comes. Let us beseech him, Talem nobis aevertere pestem: and the Star shall leave behind it, not a curse, but a blessing, to all those that sincerely love and obey the Truth.

For use of this point to ourselves; let us turn our minds from Fables to serve the living God. The world indeed is too much addicted to fables. Mic. 2.11. If a man walking in the spirit of falsehood do lie; he shall even be the prophet of this people. If a man tell you that the keeping of the Sabbath is but a ceremonial office, this is a Fable; yet you embrace it. If another tell you, that all dues belonging to the Church are arbitrary: that no Tithes are requirable, but a Benevolence; this is a cunningly devised fable: yet received with that impudent precipice of judgment, that it is given out bravely, there is not a Minister in England can disprove it. Alas, what arguments should poor Ministers give, when the plain Text of that GOD who shall judge them, is despised! Let GOD and man say what they will; they have extorted our means, and they will keep it. Let it be told you, that you shall never give account of your unjust and usurious gains, though you never make restitution; this is a monstrous Fable, yet readily believed and admitted. For the Stage-fables, how lawful or unlawful they be, I will not here determine: he that goes to see a Play, intends not to see a Truth, but a Fable: a moral presented to his eye, that should convey some profitable document to his heart. But that some should say, they can learn more good at a Play, than at a Sermon; this is a wretched blasphemy, able to rot out the tongue of a Christian. The true purpose of Poems and Fables, is both Delectare & prodesse, to refresh the mind with delight, and to be • ter it with profit. When one accused the Comicall Poet, that he brought a lewd and deboish'd Ruffian on the Stage, and so gave bad example to young men. He answered; True, I brought such a man on, but I hanged him before he went off: and so gave good example to young men. Saint Augustine doth exceedingly condemn the stage of the Heathens; and upon good cause, for it was bloody; the Actors slaying and butchering one another. So as Abner said to Joab, 2 Sam. 2.14. Let the young men arise, and play before us. He called it Playing, when everyone thrust his sword in his fellows side. For them that seek to defend it thus: because Cities are populous, and where are many men, are many lewd men: if their time were not spent so, it would be spent worse. As when the Tyrant objected to the Player his sauciness, that he durst personally tax men on the stage; he made him this answer; Be content for while the people laugh at our foolery, they never mind your villainy. But this is no good argument, to excuse sin by sin: to prevent an evil not allowable, by allowing an evil that is preventable. In a word, that w ^ch makes a man evil, is his own evil mind.

But to conclude, you will say, that we are here forbidden to use Fables in the Pulpit; and taught barely to preach CHRIST'S power and coming in the evidence of this Spirit. Beloved, I would to God your hearts were so sanctified, that your ears need not be delighted: and that we could save your souls without pleasing your senses. But to what purpose do we interpose a Fable? To make you believe that it is literally true? No, but to work an impression of the moral use into your hearts. If we tell you that Aesop's Dog lost the substance, by catching a the shadow; you apprehend our meaning, that men lose God by catching at Ma • mon. Or, that the fly on the chariot-wheel gave out that she made all that glorious dust; you know we mean, that a vain-glorious man brags more than does. When Jotham told the Shechemites, Judge. 9. of the confederacy of the trees to choose them a King, which the Bramble accepted: they understood him of Abimelech, and their • o kindness to Ierubbaal. These fables then have their use, by a near and familiar way to derive instruction to the heart. Profanalegimus, Sacrísque interteximus; With the holy things they become holy. When God gave that great deliverance to Israel, from Pharaoh and his Host by dividing the Red-sea; he commanded a Song to be made of it, Exod. 15. knowing that when they had forgot both Law and Prophe • ie, yet they would still keep the Song in memory. So when you forget the better doctrine, you are helped to recall it by the Parable.

Receive not those then, that would cast away all learning as a Fable. Some there • re that purely pretend themselves, to preach nothing but Christ crucified: and • hese men have not stuck to boast, that all the flower of the Land is of their boul • ing: we are so full of Latin, of Fathers, of Poets, that there is nothing in us but • ran. What, is all theirs? New Palaemons, to cry, Nobiscum natae, nobiscum peritu • ae litera? Must all wisdom die with Job's friends? Hath Philip gotten so much, that • e hath left nothing for Alexander to conquer? Have these mowers carried all into • heir barn, and not left us so much as the gleanings after their full carts? Can the Amnons of the people eat no cakes, but such as are of Thamars baking? It is the mad merchant that cries from the Key, All the ships are mine. They speak of us, as the people did of Saul; Is Saul among the Prophets? Alas, we may then say with Peter; We have fished all night, and caught nothing. But certainly God hath abundance of Spirit, and gives not all to one man. But saying aside pride, prejudice, scorn, malice; • et us all labor to turn men's souls to Christ; and do you with a good conscience • ear us: that God's Name may be honored, our office discharged, your understan • ings enlightened, and all our souls everlastingly saved, in the day of our Lord Jesus.

When we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.] This is the Proclaiming, wherein are considerable two things; The manifestation it • else; We made known to you.] And the things manifested; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; the Power • nd the Presence of Christ.

We made known to you.] The Apostles did not hide the mysteries of salvation: • evealed to them, Rom. 16.25. The revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since • he world began; is now made manifest, and according to the commandment of the everla • ting God, is made known to all nations for the obedience of faith. Not that it was ut • erly unknown before: for it were strange to think, that the Prophets knew not of • hat Messias they fore-told: but the light of it was not so clear and manifest. Christ • efore his coming was known to many, but obscurely: after his coming he was known Pluribus & clariùs, to more, and more clearly; after his Ascension, to • et a far greater number, and more manifestly; he shall be known in heaven face • o face, Ephes. 3.5. In other ages he was not made known to the sons of men, As he is • ow, in the same manner and measure, as he is now revealed. They saw thorough a veil, • o us the cutten is drawn. Tunc patuit Iudaeo, latuit mundo: jam patet mundo, latet In • aeo; Then the Jews knew him, and the world was ignorant of him: now the Jews • re ignorant of him, and the whole world acknowledgeth him. The clearness • s greater, Ex Christo misso, that it was Ex Christo promisso. The Sun of Righte • usnesse did then cast up some beams; now it is more glorious, as riding in the midst of heaven. Psal. 19.5. Comming as a Bridegroom out of his chamber, and rejoy •• ng like a strong man to run his course. And nothing is hid from the heat thereof: No • hing? Yes, uncharitableness, that lives under the frigid Zone, Ice that cannot be • hawed; an hard heart, nothing but hell-fire can melt it. Affected Ignorance will •• lly hides it self from it. John. 3.19. Light is come into the world, and men love darkness • etter, because their deeds are evil. Oderunt crucem pendentis, oderunt lucem splenden •• . The world hates both the Cross of him that suffereth, and the Light of him • hat shineth. Their minds being blinded by the God of this world, that the light of the • lorious Gospel of Christ should not shine unto them, 2 Cor. 4.4. But, If it be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, verse. 3. Such are the muffled Papists, that love like Owls, only to keep a whooting in the dark. John 7.39. The Holy Ghost was not yet given to the Apostles, because Jesus was not yet glorified. The Apostles had the Spirit before; but Non Taliter, nec tantum; Not after the same manner, nor in the same measure. But he that winked at the former times of ignorance, now commandeth all men everywhere to repent, Act. 17.30. This is the tenor of the new Covenant, Hebr. 8.11. I will write my Laws in their hearts: and they shall not teach one another, saying; Know the Lord: For all shall know me from the least to the greatest. As light, so the participation of God's light is communicative: his will must be known on earth, that it may be done on earth: as it is known and done in heaven. Before, God was well known in Jury, and his Name was great in Israel; but the Heathen had not the knowledge of his Laws; much less of this Gospel, of his Christ. But now his way is known upon earth, and his saving health among all nations, Psal. 67.2.

This doctrine makes to the conviction of them, that conceal the way of the Lord. Rom. 1.18. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against them, that withhold the truth in unrighteousness. Here the Romish Priests have cause to tremble; that play at blind-man's-buffe with the people; smite them, and bid them prophecy who did it. Our Savior denounceth a Woe unto them, that shut up the kingdom of heaven against men, Matth. 23.13. The Romists think it their best policy, that the blinded Laity might not see their impostures. They resolve, Woe unto us if the people should know it: but indeed woe unto them, because the people do not know it. Like Iugglers, if they did not cast a mist before men's eyes, their tricks would be nothing worth.

This reproves them also, that content themselves with their ignorance, and never labor for knowledge. We dare take you to record, that we are pure from your blood: because we have not shunned to declare unto you the counsel of God, Act. 20.26. But we may say of you, as it is said of the miser, when he is moved to give alms; you cannot hear on that ear. We have told you the wickedness of professed Usury, made known God's will in that point: we have told you the necessity of restitution, reproved the excessse of drink, of apparel: we urge that holy duty; If any man ca • on the Name of Christ, let him depart from iniquity: that if you do not amend your lives, Christ will not save your souls: yet these thing you will not know. How often have you been told; Make you friends of your unrighteous Mammon: you will not know it. You will make a friend of it, not make Christ your friend by it. Amicus Christus, amicus Christianus, sed magis amicus mundus; You say, Christ is your friend, and the Christian is your friend, but the world is your best friend. As the evil spirit said, Act. 19.15. Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? So your whole life speaks; Money we know, lands we know, security we know, commodity we • know; but for Christ and his poor members; Who are ye? The world is the God they worship. As the popish dolt boasted of his picture of Saint Francis, curiously painted in his Closet; They talk of the Rood at Rome, and our Lady of Loretto, and Catherine of Sienna, and James at Compostella; but I have a picture at home worth ten of them. So the worldling hears us preach of Christ, his precious merits, grievous passion, gracious redemption, glorious reward; but still his Closet-picture he thinks better of than all these. Thus we can but preach it, and y •• hear it, only God must give you hearts to know it. Pray and beseech the God of knowledge, to give you the knowledge of God, in the ways of salvation.

The power and coming of our Lord.] This concerns the matter manifested: wherein the Apostle intends the Sum of the Gospel, and the full salvation that is given us by Christ, in whom are all the treasures of blessedness. Of this he makes two distinct parts. First, that Christ came in the flesh, suffered for our sins, and rose again for our Justification. Secondly, the virtue and efficacy of this in our hearts, when we manifest the fruit of it in our well living, and well believing. He • came to suffer for our offenses, to deliver us from Satan, Death, and Hell; to reconcile us to God, to consecrate us holy Temples of himself, and to give us everlasting life. Now when we feel these gracious effects wrought in us, killing lust, quickening goodness, conforming us to obedience, and confirming us in faithfulness; this is to be benefited by the power and coming of our Lord Jesus. Iustus venit • ad peccatores, ut ex peccatoribus faceret justos: humilis venit ad superbos, ut ex superbis faceret humiles, Ambr. He that is righteous came to sinners, that he might make sinners, righteous; he that was humble came to the proud, that of proud he might make them humble. Here observe many things.

First, that the Comming of CHRIST was in Power, Esa. 64.1. Oh that thou wouldest rent the heavens, and come down; that the mounntaines might flow at thy presence. Alas, how could this be when as he came in such baseness! Esa. 53.2. He hath • o form nor comeliness, and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. Therefore when he came unto his own, his own received him not, John 1.11. His Palace was a stable, his Courtiers beasts, his chair of state a man • ger, his royal robes a few rags. No bells ring, no bonfires proclaim his birth through the popular streets: no great Ladies came to visit his mother. Instead of thundering in the clouds, he lies crying in the cloths▪ for beating down his enemies, he is glad to flee from their faces into Egypt. Where was then his glorious Power, or how appeared his majesty? Yes, his coming was in great Power: for if all the devils in hell could have hindered it, he had been stayed. Yea for this he came, • o dissolve the works of the devil. If our sins could have letted it: yea, they rather brought him. De caelo traxerunt non merita nostra, sed peccata, Aug. It was not our merits, but our sins, that drew him from heaven. The tyranny of Herod, and that butcherly Inquisition bloodied in the deaths of so many Infant Martyrs, could not cross it. Psal. 2. The Kings of the earth conspire, and take counsel together but nec arts nec martes, neither their power nor policy could withstand it. Neither was the glory of Christ wanting, though it conveyed it self in a less public for me. He had a famous Harbinger to go before him, and to prepare his way; John the Baptist, than whom there rose not a greater, among them that were borne of women. His bonfire was in heaven, a Star directing the wisemen to him. The bells that rung for joy, were armies of Angels; an heavenly host praising God, Luk. 2.13. His Palace heaven, his regal Throne man's conscience, his robes his own merits, richly adorning us: there was majesty in his humility. Thus came the Lord of life to the children of death. Non liberatum fuisset humanum genus, nisi Sermo Dei dignatus esse humanus, Aug. Mankind had not been redeemed, unless the word of God had been hominified. If we say that he hath humanity in him, that receives a man into his house; Quàm humanus ill qui suscipit hominem in seipsum; how full of humanity is he, that receives manhood unto himself! His coming was like a Lamb in meekness, yet he triumphed like a Lion in powerfulness; leading captivity captive, and free • ng all his children from eternal bondage.

Secondly, observe that the Gospel is no weak thing, but comes in Power: for CHRIST. Comming hath yet further Latitude. He came once unto men, he comes still into men: that was in the flesh, this is in the Spirit. The Law indeed did more amaze the conscience, and was delivered with greater terror, that it made Moses himself quake and fear. (Now if there was such thundering at the Law giving, what would have been at the Law breaking?) The Law came with more terror, but the Gospel comes with more Power. For that could not turn his heart that bare it in his hand: but the Gospel is able to change the man. It is the power of God unto salvation, Rom. 1.16. The Law may set before us our wretched estate by sin, but there leaves us desperate: it discovers our disease, prescribes no cure: it doth express sin, but cannot suppress sin. It is the glory and bleeding spectacle of Jesus crucified in the Gospel, that heals the soul. 1 Cor. 1.18. The preaching of the Cross unto us that are saved, is the power of God. If there be no feeling of that Power, there are no sparks of salvation yet kindled. Peters Sermon took little effect, till he came to this point. Act. 2.36. The same Jesus whom ye have crucified, hath God made both Lord and Christ. Cum audiverunt hoc. Ver: 37. When they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts; What shall we do? Paul and Silas might have given the Iailo ••• good words, fair entreaties, and the most valid argument of all, monies, yet all this could not keep them from the dungeon. But when the