The Rainbow

A SERMON Preached at Paul's Cross the tenth day of June. 1617.

IT is the rule of the Preacher, Ecclesiastes 3.1. To everything there is set time, yea, an appointed time to every purpose under heaven. And therefore the same divine and heavenly Pen-man, (wise and understanding Solomon ) fitly compareth a word fitly spoken, to apples of gold, in pictures of silver, Prov. 25.11. according to which, that I might not at this time have broken this golden thread of beautiful order; I should fitly have spoken, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in the time of Pentecost, concerning Pentecost. Yet because I doubt not, but you have oftentimes heard this learnedly and religiously handled already; I have thought it not much out of order, (I am sure not unprofitable) to let pass the time in particular, and to apply myself to the time in general, (and yet the time present also) and to speak fitly of this, and of those things that pertain to the same, I have chosen this portion of Scripture which I have now read unto you; I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of the Covenant, between me and the earth.

Almighty God, who is wise in counsel, wonderful in judgment, and adminble in the execution of his unsearchable will, having manifested his great & terrible judgments unto the old world, in destroying them with a fearful deluge of waters, for their abominable impiety, and willful impenitence, and declared his gracious favors unto righteous Noah, in saving him and his family in the Ark, from that most direful destruction; he doth for the further manifestation, of his unspeakable goodness, and most infinite grace, make a compact, promise, and covenant, between himself, Noah, and every living creature, upon the face of the earth, and withal giveth them a sign, and seal, of the covenant, the admirable and beautiful Rainbow, for the more full and perfect confirmation of their faith; Both which sign, and significate, the Rainbow, and the Covenant; Moses that great Prophet of God that valiant Captain of the host of Israel, that meek man above all the men in the earth, doth briefly express in the words of my text, I have set my Bow in the cloud, and it sall be for a sign of the Covenant, between me and the earth.

In which not to dazzle the eyes of your understandings, with any quainte or curious divisions, (for my better direction, and your better instruction) I do briefly and plainly, observe these particulars.

First the Author, of this external sign the Rainbow, and of the internal significate the Covenant, the omnipotent, and eternal God; in the first words, I have set.

Secondly, the sign it self the Bowe.

Thirdly, the situation of it, in the Cloud.

Fourthly, the use of it, it shall be a for a sign.

Fifthly and lastly, the intimation of the internal significate, in the last words: of the covenant, between me and the earth.

Of these in their order, by the assistance of God's gracious Spirit, your Christian patience, and permission of the time.

And first of the first the Author; I have set: that is, I who am JEHOVAH ELOHIM, the strong one, the mighty Lord of heaven, and earth, who am EHEIE; I am, always the same, immutable, from all eternity, to all eternity: I who am EL-SCHADDAI, the strong, powerful, omnipotent, and all-sufficient God: I who have created the heavens and the earth, and established them by the word of my power, who have made a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters, who have spread out the firmament like a curtain, and given the Sea her bounds, and Stars and Planets their several influences, who am 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning; who am HELION the highest over all the earth the only Lord and gracious deliverer, besides whom there is no Savior, in a word, I who have destroyed the old world, with abundance of waters, and have saved thee my servant Noah, and thy family in the multitude of my mercies, I even I have set my Bowe in the cloud, and appointed it for a sign of the Covenant between me and the earth.

Here then it is evident that, Non â nobis sed â Deo est principium soederis & omnis gratiae; Not of our selves, but of God, is the beginning of the covenant, of the sign of the covenant, and of all grace, favor, and mercy: for fons gratiae, in Deo est, he it is that is the fountain of all grace, and the well spring of mercy: from the happy smile, of whose favorable countenance, all true joy, and happiness doth proceed, whether we respect the grace of Election, or the grace of effectual vocation, the grace of justification, or the grace of Sanctification, whether we respect temporal deliverance, as of Noah from the destruction of the old world, of Lot from the desolation of Sodom, and of the children of Israel from the overthrow of Pharaoh, and devouring of Corah; or the eternal deliverance of God's elect, from the pains and torments of hell fire, all proceedeth and floweth, from this well-spring of living water, from this everlasting fountain, of the free grace, mercy, bounty, and goodness of God; all these are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the free gifts of grace, and love tokens of a favorable God; and therefore St. John tells us in this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins, and we love him because he loved us first, of this love S. August. speaketh excellently, Deum non diligeremus, nisi prius dilexisset nos, & fecisset dilectores suos, we should not have loved God, except he had loved us first, & made us to be lovers of him and he giveth the reason, quoniam charitas ex ipso est, because the fluent streams of love and charity do flow from him, and not from us. And S. Bernard sweetly, Cùm nos amas, non nisi propter te nos am • s. When thou lovest us, O God, thou lovest us not, but for thyself, the abounding Sea of divine love it is in thee, and not in us, from whence the rivers of heavenly graces do flowe forth most plentifully, and water all creatures upon the face of the earth; but his elect and chosen Angels, and men, after a special manner, making them fruitful with his blessings, like the land of Egypt with the overflowing of Nile, or the pleasant Paradises of the earth, with the first, and latter rain of his favors.

1. From this therefore it must necessarily follow, that whatsoever grace is granted unto us, (and much less that especial grace of eternal happiness) it is not given us (as the papists affirm and teach) for any merit, or desert of ours, but for the free grace, and mercy, and bounty of God, in Christ, For if as our Savior commandeth, Luk 17.10. when we have done all that we can, we must say we are unprofitable servants, how then can we attribute anything to our own merits? if as the Apostle witnesseth. Ephes. 2.9. we are saved by grace not of works, least any man should boast, how then can we rightly boast of our merits? Lastly, if that good Centurion, whose faith was so much commended, that there was not the like to be found in all Israel, Matth. 8.10. answered our Savior so humbly, with a Domine non sum dignus; Lord I am not worthy, that thou shouldest come under my roof, with what pride think you, are those possessed, who dare so audaciously answer God, with a Domine dignus sum, Lord I am worthy that thou shouldest give unto me eternal life. S. Augustine he was of this good Centurions mind, and therefore he often in his works, repeateth this one golden sentence, Deus coronat dona sua, non merita nostra, God crowneth his own gifts, and not our deservings, like unto that of the Prophet David, he crowneth us with compassion, and loving kindness; and the same Father speaking concerning the predestination of the Saints, let human merits (saith he) here be silent, which have perished by Adam, and let the grace of God reign through Jesus Christ. And in his 105. Epistle, he concludeth, Haec est gratia gratis data, non meritis operantis, sed miseratione donantis, This is a grace & favor which is freely given, not for the merit of the worker, but for the mercy of the giver, To which accordeth that sweet and heavenly petition of Stella, upon the 7. of Luke. God my protector, look not upon me, but first look upon thine only son, place between me and thee, his Cross, his blood, his passion, his merits, that so thy justice passing through his blood, when it cometh at the last to me, it may be gentle, and full of mercy. And Anselmus, who was sometimes Archbishop of Canterbury, confesseth often in his Meditations, that all his life was either unprofitable, or damnable, whereupon at the last he concludeth, Quid restat, O peccator, nisi vt in tota vita tua, deplores totam vitam tuam; O wretched sinner, what remaineth now to be done, but that in thy whole life thou shouldest deplore and bewail the sins of thy whole life. To be short, Lyranus an Interpreter, approved by the Papists themselves, saith plainly in his exposition upon that sixth Chapter to the Romans, and the 23. verse, That eternal salvation doeth totally exceed the power of human nature, and therefore it cannot attain unto it, but by the bounty of divine mercy. And last of all, Cardinal Bellarmine himself, that mighty Atlas of the Papal See, in his fifth Book De Justification, and the seventh Chapter, after a long time he hath traveled and wearied himself in the questions of Justification, at the last he holdeth it the only Tutissimum, the safest way of all, to repose our whole trust and confidence, in the sole mercy and favor of God. To these I might add many more testimonies, both of Scriptures and Fathers, to confute this Romish assertion; but I leave it to the Schools, and conclude with that of S. Bernard, Meritum meum miserationes Domini, &c. my merit is the mercy of the Lord, I am not poor of merit, so long as he is not poor of mercy; if his mercy be great, then am I great in merit; for this is the whole merit of man, if he put his whole confidence in the Lord.

2. Wherefore Beloved, we must not imitate the abhominable arrogancy, of that proud prelate of Rome, who when he set his foot upon the Emperors neck, defended, or rather cloaked his pride, with a mihi & petro, to me and to Peter, must be yielded subjection, when by his action it was evident, that he rather respected his own pompouse pride, then any honor that he would attribute unto Peter, and therefore he would not sing, with that religious Kinge David, Non nobis Domine, non nobis. Not unto us O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give the praise, but changeth his note, and sings after another fashion (like many of his adherents, and too too many in the world) mihi & tibi da gloriam domine, to me O Lord and to thee give the praise, first to himself, and after to God, first respecting his own profit, and pleasure, and after the service, and glory of God.

Changing his note I say, as his successors have since changed, that ancient form of the oath in the Canon law, given to the Bishops at their consecration, to defend Regulas sanctorum patrum, the rules of the holy Fathers, and have put instead thereof, regalia sancti Petri, the royalties of Saint Peter, all to maintain their own pompose pride, and hateful arrogancy.

3 But whatsoever grace, is bestowed upon us, we must not be like this proud Antichrist, or his ambitious train, to attribute anything to our own worth or dignity, but confess rather with that good, and humble Saint Basil, in his tract of humility. This is our full and perfect rejoicing in God, when we acknowlede our selves, to be void of any our own righteousness, and to be justified only by faith in Christ. And with profound Saint August. upon the 64. Psalm, If God should deal with us according to our deservings he should find nothing but that he might condemn, And lastly with S Heirom upon Isai. 64. chapter. If we consider our own merits, we must be driven to desperation; For S. Au. saith excellently in his 14. book of the City of God, and first chapter, Omnes in mortem paena debita pracipites ageret, nisi inde quosdam in debita dei gratia liberaret, deserved punishment, would cast all men head-long into hell, unless the undeserved grace of God, delivered some men from it; This is the resolution that becometh the true servants of Christ, that humbling our selves, we may be exalted, and confessing our own unworthiness, we may be made worthy by the mercy of God, in Jesus Christ.

4. To conclude this part; God is the Author of this Bowe, which is speculum Solis, the glass of the Sun, and (as Possidonius calleth it) and vexillum Mercurii, the banner of Mercury, but not of that feigned God, who amongst the Pagans was accounted the God of eloquence, but of that great and mighty God of wisdom, of that glorious Monarch of heaven and earth, and of this it is said, that of all those things, which are generated in the middle region of the air, there is nothing more beautiful to behold, or more worthy to be observed, then this Caelestiall Bowe. But God is the Author of it, and therefore when we behold the Bowe, and consider the excellent beauty, and admirable color thereof, we must not with Cicero, demand the question, why this Bowe was not accounted in the number of those heathen gods; for God is Invisible, Eternal, and Infinite, but in the Rainbow, there is no such thing. And therefore we must neither make it a god, nor fixing our minds upon the creature, stay there, but remember the Creator, and praise continually his glorious name, we must follow the counsel of the son of Syrac, look upon the Rainbow, and praise him that made it: very beautiful is it in the brightness thereof, it compasseth the heaven about with a glorious circle, and the hands of the most High have bended it. We should sing with the Prophet David, The heavens declare the glory of God, and the Firmament showeth his handy work: The Sun, the Moon, the glorious Stars, and beautiful Rainbow, do all set forth the excellent dignity of this most glorious, and wonderful GOD: and therefore we may ende as the Prophet David beginneth, Psalm 8. the first verse. O Lord our Governor, how excellent is thy Name in all the earth, who hast set thy glory above the heavens, who hast divided the channels for the ouerflowings of waters, and made a way for the thunder, who canst number the clouds in wisdom, and at thy pleasure stay the bottles of heaven, who canst bind the sweet influences, of the Pleiades, and lose the bands of Orion, who canst bring forth Mazaroth in his season, and guide Arcturus with his sons, in a word who hast created the light, and the darkness, the evening, and the morning, to praise thee, who hast made the mighty Behemoth, the great Leviathan, and the princely Lions for thy power, who hast spread out the christ all heavens like a glorious Canopy, and bedecked them with glistering stars, more resplendent then the sparkling Diamonds; and last of all, who hast set thy Bowe in the cloud, the beautiful Rainbow, for thy glory, and appointed it for a sign of the covenant between thee and the earth, which is the second part of my text, the sign it self, the beautiful Bowe.

I have set my Bowe in the cloud, and appointed it for a sign of the Covenant between and the earth.

1. This Bowe without question is the Rrainebowe, for first that is called a Bowe metaphorically, because it is in form like unto a Bowe; secondly, there is no other Bowe placed of God in the clouds, besides the Rainbow; yet some there hath been who have made question of this, affirming that by this Bowe is understood, not that heavenly Bowe, which we call the Rainbow, but some other thing, denotated by a metaphor, of which company Saint Ambrose was one. But the reasons of this opinion are so weak, that they deserve neither to be recited, nor refuted, and therefore with a learned divine, I will answer this question, with the demand of another, Quis est arcus qui in nubibus apparet, & cernitur ab hominibus nisi Iris? what Bow is there that doth appear in the clouds, or is seen of men besides the Rainbow? or what else could be meant literally, but the Rainbow, which is mystically a sign of that covenant, which God did then enter with mankind?

2. The efficient cause of this Bow, is primarily the almighty God, who is primus motor, & causa, causarum, the first mover, and cause of all second causes whatsoever; but secondarily the light, or beams of the Sun, in a hollow and deawie cloud, of a different proportion, right opposite to the Sun-beams, by the reflection of which beams, and by the diverse mixture of the light, and the shade, there is expressed as it were in a glass, the admirable Rainbow, and the beautiful colors thereof.

In this Bow I do note, first the form of it, and secondly the beautiful colors that appear in it; The form of the Rainbow, is the figure of a semicircle, or a Bow, with the back towards heaven, & the two ends towards the earth, And this is signum misericordiae, a sign that God is more prone to mercy, then to judgment, (as interpreters well observe,) and to signify the same, S. Ambrose noteth, that God did not say, I will put my arrow in the cloud, but my Bow, and the Bow doth not wound but the arrow, since then it is arcus sine sagittis, a Bow without arrows, it showeth the Bow of God's justice, which is called a Bow metaphorically, and is placed like the Rainbow, with the back towards heaven, and the two ends towards the earth; To teach us that God delights more in mercy then in judgment, and therefore hath made his Bow to want arrows, and he never turneth this Bow, to shoot the arrows of his judgments against us, but when we first shoot up the darts of our sins, against heaven, and against him. But then as God turned the ashes, which Moses cast up towards heaven, into a fearful plague of boils, and blaines, to the terror of the Egyptians, so doth he turn the darts of our sins, into the darts of his judgments, and then he turneth his Bow and shooteth down his arrows, to the destruction of the wicked and impenitent. If a man will not turn, he will whet his sword, he hath bent his Bowe and made it ready, he hath prepared for him the instruments of death, he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors; If men add drunkenness to thirst and provoke the Lord's anger against them. If they move him to what his glittering sword, and his hand take h • ld on judgment, he will render vengeance to his enemies, and plague them that hate him: he will make his arrows drunk with blood, and his sword shall devour the flesh of his adversaries; Thus did God with our first parents, in Paradise, he held the bow of his justice, with the back towards heaven, and the two ends signs of his mercy towards the earth, and there was no token of his justice towards them, until Adam and Eve, by breaking the covenant in fasting of the forbidden tree had darted the arrows of their sins, pride, disobedience, and contempt of the Commandment, against God their Creator, and then the Lord turneth his bow and proceedeth in justice against them, punisheth the earth for man's sake, punisheth man with labor and pain to get his living, punisheth the woman with sorrow in bringing forth children, and lastly th • usteth Adam and Eve, out of paradise. And forever had they and their posterity, been thrust out of the Paradise of heaven, had not God of his unspeakable mercy, given them a Savior, the seed of the woman to break the head of the Serpent. Thus did God with Cain, with the old world, with the builders or Babel, the wicked Sodomites, and diverse others, and thus will he do with all impenitent sinners whatsoever.

3. And therefore if men will not be drawn with the bands of love, and cords of amity, yet let the consideration of God's terrible judgments, the turning of the Bowe of his justice, & shooting down the arrows of his vengeance upon wicked and impenitent sinners, be an invincible argument to move and enforce them, to a true and unfeigned repentance, to avert from their sins, and convert unto God, and that not in part only but totally, as the Sun is totaliter luminosus, wholly enlightened.

4. But alas, how many in the world, are rather like unto the Moon, seldom or never without some spot of darkness, with in the center of their hearts evermore lodging one mountain of sin or other, within the chambers of their breasts, to eclipse the glorious light of a sincere and holy conversion, and so of a sacred life, and heavenly conversation; how many are there that can be contented like Sampson, to destroy some of the uncircumcised Philistines, some notorious and hateful impieties. But yet they will be sure to keep in their bosoms their beloved Delilah, their sweet sin, in which their soul delighteth, and in which they take pleasure above the rest, and that they will not forsake, though they lose both their eyes for it, as Sampson did his, though they loose both bodies and souls, and be constrained to grind forever, like milhorses in the prison of iniquity, and to be made scoffs and laughing stocks, unto their enemies, the uncircumcised Philistines, the world, the flesh, and the devil, who both night and day, still seek their destruction; But the estate of these men is miserable fearful, and damnable, except they repent.

For as Saint Augustine concludeth, in his tractate upon John. Because they give part unto God, and part unto the devil, iratus deus quiasit ibi pars diabolo, discedit, & totum diabolus possidet. God being angry because there is part given to the devil, he departeth away as he did from Saul, and the devil possesseth the whole man; and therefore that we may escape the arrows of God's vengeance, let us cast down the darts of our sins, and bury them in the grave of repentance, that they may never ascend towards heaven, to pull down God's judgments upon us.

And that in this life while we have time, for all though the Bowe be signum pacis, a sign of peace, yet further it is to be noted from the form and figure of it, That this Bowe is not a round circle, but a Hemisphere, and shineth in one only hemisphere above the earth and not under the earth.

5 And so likewise pacis faederisque signa, the sign of peace, and of the covenant, the sign of grace, and mercy, they shine only in one hemisphere that is dum super terram viuimus, while we live upon the earth, in the other they shall not shine to the impenitent at the day of judgment, these will not appear unto them, for they shall behold them non iridem signum pacis sed summae irae diuinae signa, not the Rainbow the sign of peace, but the fearful signs of God's anger, to the horror and terror of their accusing consciences, now they may behold this heavenly Bow, without arrows, and bended towards heaven, not threatening the earth, but then they shall behold it full of arrows, and turned not towards heaven, but towards the earth, bent in vengeance against the wicked. O then beloved, let us labor to bend him now with prayers, whom then tears will not move, and to pacify him now with a sanctified life: in whom otherwise at the day of judgment we shall find inexorable, and let us so enjoy this world, that we may have joy in the world to come. For this Bow is not a perfect circle, although it be beautiful, and after the same manner all human things, learning, wisdom, honors, riches, beauty, and strength, although they be fair and specious endowments, yet are they not perfect in themselves, and therefore we must not labor for them, as if by them we thought to obtain perfection; but strive rather for that perfection, which is from God, who is the author and giver of them all; we must strive for that glorious perfection, which the Saints shall receive at the glorious resurrection.

7. Of which glory the children of God need not to stand in doubt; For if the form of this bow be so glorious that amongst all the meteors, there is none more illustrious, none more admirable, none more beautiful then it, then as often as we look into the admirable splendor thereof, it may confirm us concerning our glorious resurrection, for if God can make such a glorious meteor, by virtue of the beams of the Sun shining in the clouds, much more can he at the day of resurrection, as the Son of righteousness, shining upon our bodies, beget an admirable splendor, and excellent glory in them. And if this mortal, must put on immortality, if God will make us glorious then, in the time of judgment, how should we labor to magnify his glory now, in the time of mercy.

8. Again this bow doth never obtain the compass of a circle, or exceed the magnitude of a semicircle; And here lieth a mystery. The kingdom of Christ is as it were a sphere, or round circle, descending from heaven upon the earth, and ascending from the earth towards heaven; This doth consist of a double hemisphere, the Church militant, and the Church triumphant, the first visible, and the second invisible; and to the perfection of this there is required the twofold coming of Christ, the first in humility to save; and this hath his power and effectual operation, til the day of judgment; The second in majesty, to reward those that are saved, (and render vengeance to the reprobate) and the effect of this, shall continue to all eternity, since then till the day of judgment, the efficacy of his first coming flourisheth upon the earth, and not of his second, hence ariseth the figure of a semicircle, (like to the Rainbow) neither can this circle be perfected, till the time of his second coming, but then it shall receive his full complement, when he shall reign over his whole Church, united in the fullness of glory for evermore.

O most joyful comfort to every faithful subject of this heavenly King, doest thou in fear, and love, to this blessed God, labor to fulfill thy circle, to finish thy course in the hemisphere of this life; then mayest thou assure thyself, that the time shall come when this most glorious King, will compass the about, with the sphere of his glory, with the circle of his love, with the double Rainbow of joy, comfort, and happiness, for evermore.

10. To be short the form of the Rainbow is glorious, yea it is so intricate, that we cannot fully understand the nature of it, nor search into the secrets of the glory thereof. And therefore here we may learn to acknowledge our own imperfection, and reason thus with our selves, If his works be so glorious, that we cannot comprehend the excellency of them, it is no marvel then, that our minds are so dark, and our understandings so blind, in the knowledge of God, of his nature, of his essence, of his glory, and of his most wonderful properties.

11. Last of all S. Ambrose observeth, that the form of this bow, doth note mystically the clemency of God, for being a bow bent, but wanting arrows, it showeth that God giveth us a sight of afflictions, rather to affright us from our sins, then to smite us to our hurt.

How then should we take heed, that we provoke not by our sins this loving God, who is so full of clemency and mercy towards us.

And of this mystical signification of the Bowe, there is a threefold reason, taken from a threefold analogy between the Bowe and the mercy of God: the first because this Bowe was in the time of Noah a sign of peace, of reconciliation, and of the Covenant between God and men, and therefore may well note the mercy of God, for which cause, of some interpreters, Iris is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is peace, because it did testify that God was at peace with men.

Secondly, this three coloured Bowe, with her diverse colors, and sweet showers, doth recreate, and refresh the earth and so doth the mercy of God.

Thirdly, as the semicircle doth appear only in our hemisphere, in this life, so doth the mercy of God. And therefore how dangerouse is the estate of those whom the Papist shut up in purgatory; (for they themselves know not how many years) after this life: since there is no mercy then to be granted unto them. O unmerciful and terrible doctrine to frye men's souls so long in the flames of purgatory: before they shall receive any part in the joys of Paradise.

But this is impious against the glory of God's mercy, and derogatory to the passion of our Savior; for it is evident by the Scripture, that our blessed Lord and Savior Christ Jesus by his one oblation by himself once offered, hath made a full, perfect, & sufficient sacrifice, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world, and this the godly are made partakers of in this life, by a true and a lively faith, and therefore we need not Purgatory to purge us after our death, since the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin, 1. John 1.7. And if from all sin, then certainly Popish purgatory must needs be excluded. For the Ark, and Dagon, Christ, and Belial, the passion of our Savior, and Popish purgatory, can in no wise agree together.

And thus from the form, cast your eyes upon the beautiful colors, which are the second thing I observed in the Bowe, I have set my Bowe in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of the covenant, between me and the earth.

This Bowe is called of the Greek poets 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or Thaumantis sieve admirationis filia, the daughter of Thaumantes, or of Admiration, because of all the meteors, it worthy of admiration, in respect of the admirable, and beautiful colors that do appear in it; These colors that appear in the Rainbow, they are principally three.

The first 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Coerulean, or watery color.

The second 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the yellow, or fiery color.

The third 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the grassie, or green color.

And the reason why three colors only, do principally appear in the Bowe, is (as Philosophers teach) because there are only three places in the cloud, from which there is a diverse refraction of the light, and the shade, namely, supremus, medius, & infimus, the highest, the midst, and the lowest, and therefore there can be but three principal colors.

The Watery color, doth note the first general judgment, wherein the whole world was destroyed with water.

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

The Green color which is a flourishing, and gracious color, the present estate of grace, and mercy; by which God doth preserve the world, from that future destruction; And this observation agreeth well, both with the nature, and order of these colors; the nature is evident, and the order is correspondent; For in the Rainbow there is first the Watery color; secondly, the Green color, and last of all the Fiery color.

To show first, the judgment of water past, next the state of grace present, and last of all the judgment of fire to come; But I will speak first of the Judgment, and after of mercy, and first of the first judgment, noted in the first color of the Bowe, the color of water.

Admoniat Iris primo horrendi illius iudicii, quod in diluuio ostensum fuit; (saith a good Interpreter) The Rainbow doeth put us in mind, Ferus in Genes. first of that horrible judgment past, which was manifested in the flood: and of this the same writer doeth set down this profitable use, Hinc veniemus ad cognitionem peccatorum, hinc discemus timere iudicium; Hence let us come to the knowledge of our sins, hence let us learn to fear judgment.

In this judgment I find two things remarkable: First, their Sin. And secondly, their punishment.

1. First, their sin was intolerable; for it was universally spread over all kind of people, over all parts of the world; It had continued almost a thousand, or at least seven hundred years, from the translation of Enoch, when especially it began to increase, (as interpreters well observe) they were possessed with a deadness of heart, and careless security, with contempt of Religion, with contempt of Noah the Preacher of righteousness, and with contempt and despising of God himself: To conclude, so hateful was their sin in the sight of God, that it repented the Lord, that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 2. Not that there is any repentance properly to be found in God: For as Theodoret demandeth the question, Quomodo poenitentia cadat in eum, qui suâ praescientiâ regit vniuersa: How should repentance be found in him, who by his eternal prescience, and foreknowledge, doeth govern all things. But 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , figuratively, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , speaking after the manner of men; Non secundum rem, sed secundum modum, not according to the thing, but according to the manner of the thing, as Lyra, and the ordinary Gloss interpret, according to that golden rule of Athanasius, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . These things are spoken humanely, but they are to be understood divinely, that is, as they are agreeable, and answerable to the nature of God. And therefore Gregory the great doeth wittily, and pithily conclude, concerning God, in his moral exposition upon Job, quia ipse immutabilis, id quod voluerit mutat, paenitere dicitur, quamuis rem mut • t, consilium non mutet: Because God himself being immutable, doeth change that which he hath willed, he is said to repent, although indeed he doeth change the thing, but doeth never change his counsel, and eternal Decree. And thus it repented the Lord, (that is, as Moses doeth express the hatred of sin in the sight of God, according to the capacity of men) and therefore their sin was intolerable. And their punishment (which is the next circumstance) was likewise grievous: First, in respect of the Author of it, a mighty, powerful, [ 1] and terrible God, who is a consuming fire to the wicked, and a lake of brimstone to the workers of iniquity. Secondly, [ 2] in respect of the time, which was the Spring, as the most and best Expositors do judge, to the greater grief of the wicked, because they were taken away in their pleasure, and the world was drowned when the earth was filled in great abundance. Thirdly, in respect of the manner of it: for then were the fountains of the [ 3] great deep broken up, and the mighty cataracts, and flood-gates of heaven opened; the streams of water gushed forth, with a terrible noise, and a doleful roaring from the heaven and from the earth, from above and from below, on the right hand, and one the left: so that there was no way to escape from the revenging hand of an angry God.

To conclude, it was grievous and terrible, in respect of [ 4] the effect of it: for (excepting Noah, and the rest in the Ark) all flesh died, that were on the earth, there was none that was saved, no not one: the husband and the wife, the father and the son, the mother and the daughter, the master and the servant, the old and the young, they were all drowned together.

O then beloved, what heart can there be in the world so hard and slonie, what eyes so flinty, that cannot melt into brinish tears, and break in pieces with grief and sorrow, at the consideration of so lamentable a spectacle: Good GOD, that ever man should so far degenerate from his first integrity, and fall into such vile impieties, which could provoke so gracious a God, to plague him with so terrible a destruction. But man is fallen, man is degenerated from his first integrity, who can but lament with a doleful lamentation, God is angry, he hath smitten, he hath plagued, he hath drowned the old world, with a doleful judgment, who can but quake with fearful tremblings? What man is there under the cope of heaven, that cannot by this be moved to remove his hateful sins, the causes of God's direful punishments, since for them God is moved to destroy, not only man, but the brute creatures together with man, the souls of the air, the beasts of the field, and the creeping things of the earth.

Sed quid hi fecerunt? But what have these done, may some man object? will the Lord destroy the righteous with the wicked? shall not the Judge of all the world do right? is there the same condition of him that sinneth, & him that sinneth not? what had the beasts of the field offended? wherein had the creeping things of the earth sinned, or what iniquity had the fowls of the heaven committed, that they also must be destroyed with man? To which I answer, that as all these were created in the beginning for man, and for the good of man, so they were all again destroyed with man, for the sin & punishment of man, by the just judgment of God: First, because man was become a rebellious traitor [ 1] against God his Creator, & therefore as a King condemning a perfidious rebel, doeth not only command him to be put to a shameful death; but his lands, goods, and chattels to be confiscate: so likewise God doeth not only destroy man, but the creatures together with man, which were created [ 2] for his use. Secondly, because that beastly men had abused the creatures by their filthy pleasure, and riotous excess; and therefore it stood with God's justice, to punish the instrument [ 3] with the principal. Lastly, to show the hatefullnesse of sin in the sight of God, he being Lord of all, doeth not only destroy man, but the brute creatures together with man, as before he did curse the earth for man's sake, Genes. 3.17.

If then thou wilt not be moved for thine own sake to refrain from thy sins, and remove thy impieties; yet take pity upon the brute beasts, upon the creeping things, upon the fowls of the air, lest by thy sins thou pull down God's terrible judgments, and they also perish with thee. If thou wilt not be moved for any of these, yet take pity upon thy servants, upon thy little children, upon thy wife that lieth in thy bosom, lest thou provoke God's anger against thee, and they also perish with thee.

But, O corda saxis duriora! O hearts more hard then adamants! how many are there in the world, that cannot be moved for any of these, nor for all these, nor for greater motives then these, to remove their sins, and forsake their impieties? For although they have often heard of that inestimable love of God towards mankind, in that he spared not his own Son, but gave him to the death for us miserable sinners; yet are they nothing hereby moved to repentance, although they have often heard of that unspeakable love of Christ, in that he spared not his own life, but offered up his body upon the Altar of the Cross, a sweet smelling incense of reconciliation to God his Father for our redemption: yet are they nothing hereby moved to repentance. In a word, they can neither be moved by threatenings, nor by promises, by judgments, nor by mercies, by the terrible destruction of the old world, nor by the bitter passion of Christ.

And this is common in this age of the world, as it was common in the days of Noah: yea, if we make a parallel, and comparison between the sins of this age, and the impieties of the old world, we shall find that the iniquity of these days, is as great, if not greater, then ever were the sins of the old world. And therefore I may say to the men of this age, as our Savior said to those Jews (who demanded the question concerning the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices: and of those eighteen, upon whom the tower of Siloam fell, and slew them) except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish: For if God spared not the Angels which sinned, but cast them down to hell, and kept them in chains of darkness, reserved to judgment. If he spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eight person, a Preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly: If he spared not the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, but turned them into ashes, and condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example to those which afterward should live ungodly. Then certainly, neither will he spare this age of the world, except in time they turn from their sins: and therefore I may justly say with our Savior, Except they repent, they shall all likewise perish; the reason is, because the sins of this age, do parallel the impieties of the old world, which will evidently appear, if we make our comparison.

For first, the sin of the old world was exceeding great, being universally spread over all parts of the world, over all sorts of men. And is it not so in this age of the world? Who can say, Munda est vita mea; my life is clean, and I am free from iniquity: there is none I am sure: for all flesh have corrupted their ways; yea, the greater sort of men continue in their sins, and go on forward in their wickedness, metamorphizing themselves into brutish creatures, by their unreasonable impieties, and beastly iniquities.

Some are like Lions, in their abominable cruelty, eating up the earth with opp • ssion, and sacrilege, without any mercy, pity, or compassion. Some are like Tygars, in their raging violence, devouring all that cometh to their hands, without any respect either of God, or of men. Some are like unto Foxes, in their craft and subtlety, delighting in nothing but guile, and deceit. Some are like Serpents in their malice and hatred, as if they were composed of envy and gall. Some are like Sirens in their wicked hypocrisy, they will speak fair to a man's face, till they have him in their compass, and then they will devour him in their blood-sucking tyranny. Some are like Apes in their apish imitation, Proteus like, changing themselves into all shapes, that they may be fitted for all companies. Lastly, some are like Asses in their sottish ignorance, and senseless security, being nothing affrighted, with the fear of God's judgments, nor moved with his mercy, But as if their consciences were seared; in despite of reprehension, will continue impenitent, and conclude, some are like dogs, that return to their vomit of sin, and like the Sow that was washed, to the filthy puddle, of their hateful impieties. And therefore I may say with our Savior, except they repent, they shall all likewise perish.

Secondly, the sin of the old world was exceeding great, for it was come to the height of impiety, And is it not so in this age? was their ever more shamelessenesse in sinning, then in these days? was their ever less conscience of iniquity, then in these times?

It would be too late for me, to tell you, what a flood of ungodliness, hath now overspread the face of the earth, the time would not suffer me, to relate unto you, what drunkenness, and adultery, what sacrilege, and simony, what oppression, and cruelty, what extortion, and bribery, what usury, and perjury, and what abhominable impiety, is everywhere to be found in the actions of men, yea such iniquities as were never to be found in the old world. And therefore except they repent, they shall all likewise perish.

Thirdly, the sin of the old world, was exceeding great, for not only the wicked, but the sons of God, fell to folly and iniquity, And is it not so in this age of the world? Do not those that are the children of God, oftentimes yield to the temptation of Satan, and intisements of the world to the dishonor of God, and grief of his spirit? Do not too too many of those, that make a show, and profession of religion, cause the name of God to be evil spoken of, and give occasion to the world; to brand their names, with the note of hypocrisy, because their conversation is not answerable to their profession? it is evident they do and therefore except they repent, they shall all likewise perish.

Fourthly, the sin of the old world was exceeding great, for it was not short but had continued a long time, all most a thousand, or at the least seven hundred years, so that they were grown to an habit in iniquity, and is it not so in this age? are not men grown to a habit in sin? hath not the wickedness of the world continued, not seven hundred or a thousand, but above three thousand years? and yet doth it not remain, as strong as ever it did before? it is evident it doth, and therefore except they repent, they shall all likewise perish.

Fifthly, the sin of the old world was exceeding great, for they were possessed with deadness of heart, and careless security, so that neither by threatening, nor particular judgments, they could be drawn to repentance; and is it not so in this age of the world? was there ever more deadness of heart, & careless security, then in these days? Hath not God sent down many terrible and fearful judgments upon the world? yea upon this land, within this few years? and yet notwithstanding, the hearts of men remain hardened, and they continue still in their sins? It is true indeed, God hath promised, that he will never again destroy the whole world with water; yet he did never promise, that he would not destroy, this or that particular kingdom, country, city, for then we might have some shows, to presume of safety. But how many warnings have we had, either to put us in mind, of that general judgment past, in which the whole world (except Noah and his family) were drowned, to move us to repentance, or to put us in mind, of some fearful judgment to come, because of our impenitency, what inundations, what flowings, and ouerflowings of waters: within this few years, in diverse parts of this kingdom, to the destroying of towns, and fields of men, women, and children; of beasts, cattle, and creeping things; and yet notwithstanding, the hearts of men remain hardened, and they continue still in their sins. Again God hath threatened (we know it all) to bring one general judgment more, and to destroy the world with fire, (as I shall show you fully in the next circumstance.) And what alarums, and dreadful warning pieces have we had, of this terrible judgment? what lamentations, and doleful cryings, have we daily heard in our streets? of fire, fire, and desolation by fire, all most from every part of the kingdom; to put us in mind of that dreadful fire, which shall destroy the whole world, we know not how soon; besides many other particular judgments, the sword, the famine, & the fearful pestilence, so oftentimes threatened against us, and yet notwithstanding the hearts of men remain hardened; and they continue still in their sins. And therefore I may justly say with our Savior, except they repent they shall all likewise perish.

Lastly, the sin of the old world was exceeding great, for they were possessed with contempt of religion, with contempt of Noah the preacher of righteousness, and with contempt and despising of God himself. And is it not so in this age of the world? was there evermore contempt of religion, then in these days? was there ever more contempt of the preachers of righteousness, then in these times? Nay, was there ever more contempt, despising of God himself, then is extant in the world at this very hour? Certainly no, for men's wicked lives will plainly testify, that the contempt of these days, is as great, if not greater, then ever was the contempt, of the old world; In the old world they had but one Noah, whom especially they contemned, and for the contempt of whom, they are especially branded, but in this age of the world, how many hundreds of Noah's are there, preachers of righteousness, whose exhortations, and threatenings, are daily contemned, to the dishonor of God, and grief of good men; How many churlish Nabal's, that are ready rather to rob them of their necessary maintenance, then to reward them for their pains and care in watching, and defending, not their sheep, but their souls, from those spiritual wild beasts, that seek their destruction.

But O beloved, let us all turn unto the Lord with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning, that the Lord may turn in mercy unto us, and keep away his fierce wrath from us, even for the merits of Christ our Savior, and let every faithful Christian say, Amen.

That so making a true use of this first general judgment, noted in the first color of the Rainbow, the color of water, we may be sure to escape with joy, and rejoicing, from that second general, but more terrible judgment, noted in the second color, the color of fire, which cometh in the next place, to be spoken of, I have set my Bowe in the Cloud, and it shall be as a covenant, between me and the earth.

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

First, the time, Secondly, the manner, and Thirdly, the end, and use (to us) of this fiery judgment, or judgment by fire. The time is the first in order, and for the time of the sentence; our Savior sets it down Math. 25.34. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 then shall the King say to them on his right hand, come ye blessed of my father, receive the kingdom prepared for you, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from the foundation of the world: this must be after the Son of man is come with his glorious Angels, and hath made a separation between the sheep, and the goatet, the wheat, and the tares, the idle loiterers, and the painful laborers in the vineyard of Christ. But for the time when this separation shall be, or when this Son of man shall come, nihil certi ex sacris literis habetur, there is no certainty to be found in holy Scripture, for of that day and hour, knoweth no man, no not the Angels in heaven, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but the Father only, Math. 24.36. no not the Son himself, Mark. 13.32. The Son knoweth not the day of judgment, that is, not as he is man, although he knoweth it as he is God: or he knoweth not the day of judgment, that is, as S. Ambrose noteth he knoweth for himself, although he will not reveal it unto us: to whom S. Augustine, Gregory, and Hilary accord. And therefore S. Chrysostom well observeth, in that Christ Jesus said, neque Angeli, neither the Angels know this day, he repressed his disciples, that they should not desire to know, that which the Angels themselves were ignorant of; but in that he saith, neither the Son himself, he doth forbid them not only from learning, but also from desiring to learn so secret a mystery. And for this cause he tells his disciples plainly, Acts 1.7. Non est vestrum nosce tempora, it is not for you to know the times and the seasons, which God the Father hath put, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in his own hand.

But contrary to this hath been the practice of those, who daring to outface the Sun, in beholding the bright shining of his glorious beams, and searching into secrets, not to be looked into, have dazelled their eyes, and left their erroneous opinions, testimonies of their vile presumption. Some like Lots wife, have not been afraid to look back towards Sodom, and to pry into God's secret judgments, contrary to the admonition of the Angel; yea, to the doctrine of Christ himself, setting down, and defining a determinate time to the day of judgment, producing an oracle (as they fain) from the school of one Elia a Jew, by which they affirm, that the world should continue six thousand years, which they account thus; two thousand before the Law, two thousand under the Law, and two thousand in the kingdom of Christ. But for this prescription of time, we have no warrant from the word of God, and therefore we may justly refuse it. Others there are, who differ but little from the former, teaching, that as God was six days in creating the world, so he shall be six days in governing of it, accounting to every day a thousand years, and alleging for their ground, that of the Prophet David, in the 90. Psal. [ 1] verse 4. A thousand years in thy sight, are but as yesterday, [ 2] which is past. But concerning that place of the Prophet, the meaning i • , that innumerable years is but as a short time with God: And we may as well say two thousand, or ten thousand years are but as yesterday, as a thousand, since all is alike with God, with whom there is neither Prius, nor Posterius; no difference of time, for he remaineth always the same, throughout all generations, and his years have no end, Psa. 102.27. And I am God, I change not, and ye sons of Jacob are not consumed, Malac. 3.6. we cannot therefore approve of this neither, because it cannot be proved out of the word of God.

[ 3] A third sort there is, who affirm, that as Christ was thirty three years with his natural body upon the earth, so he shall remain thirty three years with his mystical body the Church, accounting to every year fifty years, making them like to the years of Iubely, which did consist of fifty years, Levite. 25 11. So that by this account, it should be from the birth of Christ, unto the end of the world, one thousand six hundred and fifty years; and therefore not above thirty four years to the day of judgment. But all these are figmenta hominum, the devises of men, and therefore not to be believed. Excellent is that answer of S. Augustine unto Hesichius, to whom enquiring curiously of the end of the world, S. Augustine answereth, Se non audere spacia seculorum, vsqu • ad finem mundi, aut metiri, aut enumerare, that he durst not either number, or measure the times of the ages unto the end of the world, because it is written, Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the Angels in heaven, Math. 24.36.

[ 4] It is sufficient for us to know that it is the last time, and therefore not long to the day of Judgment, and end of the world. For as S. Augustine observeth in his first book upon Genesis, there are six ages of the world; the first, from Adam unto Noah: the second, from Noah unto A raham: the third, from Abraham to David: the fourth, from David to the captivity of Babylon: the fifth, from the captivity of Babylon unto Christ: and the sixth and last, from Christ unto the end of the world. And of these ages, five are wholly passed already; and of the sixth and last, there are 1616. years expired: and therefore if S. Paul in his days affirmed unto the Corinthians, that the ends of the world were come upon them. and S. Peter in his time, that the ende of all things was at hand, which is above fifteen hundred years since, then may we justly verify with S. John, that it is the last time, and with S. James, that the Judge standeth before the door.

Seeing almost all the signs that were to come before the day of Judgment, are already past and expired, or else now manifest in the world: for these signs are of two sorts, the first, Signa praecedentia, precedent signs: the second, coniuncta, (or rather concomitantia, as the Logicians speak) signs accompanying the day of judgment. Of the first sort, there are diverse noted in the Scripture, as the preaching of the Gospel throughout all nations: the coming of Antichrist: the departing away from the faith: the general corruption of the world, and universality of iniquity, wars, and rumors of war, deadness of heart, with careless security: and last of all, the calling of the Jews. But of time, and manner, and where, it is not yet concluded amongst learned Divines. Howsoever, the most of these signs are fulfilled already.

And for the second sort, they are set down by our Savior, Matthew 2 • . • here shall be signs in the Sun, in the Moon, and in the Stars, and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and all the Tribes of the earth shall mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. Fearefull and terrible shall these signs be: And therefore while the Son of righteousness CHRIST JESUS, is in the signs of mercy, and the Moon in the fullness of grace, before the Sun be turned into darkness, and the Moon into blood; while God doeth with patience expect our conversion, let us turn unto him, lest when he shall pass to the signs of justice, he punish with the severity of his judgments. For our God is a consuming fire, saith the Apostle. And S. Gregory, Hom. 13. upon the Evangelists, Deus quos diu vt conuertantur t • lerat, non conuersos, durius damnat: those whom a long time God doeth suffer, expecting their conversion, not being converted he condemneth them with the greater severity. Dulcis & rectus, dicitur Dominus, the Lord is said to be gracious and righteous, Psalm. 25.7. He is now gracious, because he doeth offer the sweetness of his mercy unto the wicked, that they might not perish: but in the day of judgment, he shall be found just and righteous, because he will justly condemn those then, who have contemned the grace and mercy that he offers them now.

Saint Bernard in this respect compareth God unto a Be, which hath not only sweet and pleasant honey, but also a sharp and terrible sting, nunc mel offert, in iudicio figet aculeum. Now he offers honey, but at the day of judgment he shall put forth his sting, and wound the wicked: Christ at his first coming brought honey, and not a sting, Sed nolite peccare in spe, (saith Saint Bernard ) but sin not in hope, whosoever ye be that delight in sin, for this our Be hath a time also, when he will take his stinge, and fixe it into the bones and marrow, of the reprobate? what should we do then beloved, but fly unto him now, while we have time, least one day we labor to fly from him, when we shall have neither time nor place.

6. But certain it is that there shall be a time of judgment, as there is and hath been a time of mercy, since it is figured by so many signs, proved by so many testimonies, and foretold by so many prophecies in the holy Scriptures.

And therefore those are justly confuted, who have presumed to object, that because there is a private judgment of every particular man, at the day of his death therefore there shall be no general judgment at the day of resurrection: for res semel iudicata, bis non iudicatur (say they) that which is once judged, should not be judged again: since the Lord himself testifieth by his Prophet, Nahum 1.9. Non consurget duplex tribulatio, affliction shall not arise the second time, and therefore judgment shall not twice be executed.

I answer with that Angelical Doctor Aquinas, in 4. sententiarum distinct. 47. iudicari primo illo animam potiorem hominis partem, tandem altero hominem totum, that in that first judgment the soul of man, only is judged, which is his better part, but in the second the whole man shall be judged, both in body and soul, and receive either that blessed sentence of absolutiō, or that fearful sentence of condemnatiō.

And concerning that place of the Prophet, I Answer, that the Prophet Nahum speaketh not there, either of the general or particular judgment, to eternal life, or death but of a temporal judgment, for declaring the destruction of the Assyrians, he showeth only that their overthrow should be final, that God should not need to smite them again the second time, as Abisha said to David, when he found Saul asleep, let me smite him, and I will not smite him again, 1. Samuel 26. verse. 9. for he would have slain him at the first blow. And thus Theophilact and Theodoret expound that place, so that we may still hold the conclusion, that as the day of judgment is figured, proved, and prophesied, so it shall certainly come at the day appointed.

To conclude, it is likewise certain that the time of this coming to judgment is not far off, but draweth nigh at hand to be fulfilled, for as the Apostle speaketh, Hebrews 10. and the 37. verse. Yet a very little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry, and if this were true in the morning of this age, it must needs be much more true in the evening, which is so many hundred years after, and therefore here is an answer to that common objection, of wicked and irreligious Atheists, which abound in the world, who are not ashamed to affirm, if not in their words, yet in their lives and conversations, that let the Ambassadors of God, say what they will they need not be so careful to forsake their profitable, or pleasurable sins; for the day of Doome (as they call it) that is far off, God knoweth when that will be, (ever or never) and therefore they may live yet as they list, and repent hereafter when they can be at leisure.

But to these raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame, (unless they repent in time) is reserved the blackenesse of darkness forever, as Saint Jude speaketh in the 13. verse of his Epistle.

And know this whosoever thou art that fosterest thyself in this opinion, that though the day of judgment may be further of, then thou shalt live to see, yet the day of thy death, may be nearer then thou art aware of, and as death leaveth thee, so shall judgment find thee, for as the tree falleth so shall shall it lie, Ecclesiast. 11. verse. 3. after death next comes judgment, Hebrews 9.27. and when a wicked man dieth his hope perisheth, Proverbs 11. If thou diest in thy sins, thou shalt be found in thy sins, at the day of judgment; Impenitent Cain died long since, and yet the day of judgment when it cometh, shall find him impenitent still, the like may be said of Saul, of Achitephel, of Judas, they died desperately, and impenitent, and the Lord shall find them so at his coming: and so will it be with thee whosoever thou art, that goes on in thy sins without •• pentance: for as Saint Gregory testifieth qualis hu • c qui • que egreditur, tal • s in iudicio presentatur, In what estate soever a man doth d • part out of this life, in the same he shall be found at the day of judgment. And S. Amb. de bono mortis, He that • n this life, doth not receive remission of sins, shall not have part there, to wit in the communion of Saints, in the life to come; And S. Jerome, Tempus sementis tempus est presens, the time of sowing is the time present, and he that will not sow the seed of good works, in the seed time of grace here, he shall never reap the fruit of reward in the harvest of glory hereafter.

I will close this point with that religious exhortation of Saint August. let every man while he hath time, repent truly of his sins, while he is in the place of mercy, because then there shall be a time of justice, the foolish virgins that would not repent, and prepare themselves in time, shall then receive no other comfort, but that doleful sentence non noui vos, I know you not depart from me ye workers of iniquity.

And thus from the time, I proceed to the manner of this judgment by fire, which is the second circumstance, I observed in the fiery color of the Bowe.

1. As the lightening cometh from the East and shineth unto the West, so shall the coming of the Son of man be, Luk. 17. verse 24. He shall come ex improuiso, like a thief in the night, suddenly; He shall come like lightening, visibly, for every eye shall see him; he shall come 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , with power, and great glory, magnificently; to be short, the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with the voice of the Archangel and the trump of God, But Quid sibi vult tubarum sonus? to what end is this sound of the trumpet? saith Saint Chrysostom, in his 77. homil. upon Matthew and he answereth the question himself. The Trumpet shall then sound, (and the voice of the Archangel, shall then be heard, for the raising up of the dead, for the joy of the godly, to express the stupor and terror of Christ's coming, and for the grief, and dolour, of many that shall hear it: The dead shall then be raised, and the bodies of God's Saints shall then be glorified, they shall rise in the fullness of the measure of Christ, in a full and a perfect age, in a fitting and convenient stature, that which is less then is fitting shall thence be supplied, from whence the creator knoweth, and that which is more, shall be detracted, The integrity and perfection being retained, as Saint August. speaketh in lib. 22. of the city of God, cap. 19.

3. To conclude, Christ shall come to this firey judgment, with his fan in his hand, the fan of his judgment, (as before he came with the fan of his mercy) and he will thoroughly purge his floor, the floor of his Church, and separate the wheat from the chaff, the Elect from the reprobate, gathering his wheat, into the blessed garner of heaven; but burning the chaff, with the unquenchable fire of hell.

4. Fire is the color of the Rainbow, of which I am now to speak, and fire is the judgment of which I am now speaking; But concerning this fire the question is demanded, whether it shall be before the day of judgment or after. Saint August. seemeth to be of opinion that it should be after, for speaking of those things which should come about the time of judgment, he setteth the conflagration of the world, and the renovation thereof in the last place, and he addeth, quo ordine haec veniant, magis tu o docebit experientia; in what order these shall come, experience will then teach more perfectly, but, I think saith he, that they will come in that order, in which I have rehearsed them, and in his 18. c • p, of the same book he saith plainly post factum iudicium mundus ardebit, after the judge is done, the world shall burn. But we may rather answer with Aquinas, and with our later Divines, that this fire shall be before the execution of judgment: for behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire, Isaiah 66.15. There shall go a fire before him, and burn up his enemies on every side, Psal. 67 2 He shall come with flames of fire, rendering vengeance to them that know not God, 2. Thess. 1.8. This shall be the true manner of his coming, and therefore this fire shall appear at the day of judgment, before the full execution of that final sentence: Or otherwise we may reconcile S. Augustine with Aquinas, and our later Divines, and answer thus: True it is, there shall be fire before the judgment, that is, ignis conflagrationis, the fire of burning and consuming: and there shall be fire after the execution of judgment, that is, Ignis condemnationis, the fire of hell, in which the Devils and damned spirits shall be tormented forever.

And this likewise is prefigured in the fiery color of the Bowe. But this is more terrible then the former, and that diverse ways. First, in respect of the nature of it, which is so strange, that it is known perfectly of no man, as Saint Augustine affirmeth. Some have thought this fire to be incorporeal, and wanting corporal flames, but tormenting the damned after a wonderful manner: so S. Ambrose, Damascene, Gregory, and others. And some have thought it corporeal, as S. Aug. lib. 21. de ciuit. Dei. Gehenna corporeus ignis erit & cruciabit corpora damn • torum: Hell fire (saith he) shall be corporal, and shall torment the bodies of the damned; so the Master of the sentences, Aquinas, and others: yet this fire is infinitely more terrible then our common fire, and more tormenting, for ardet & non lucet, it burneth and shineth not, saith Anselmus, that revenging flame hath burning in abundance, but it hath no light, (saith Gregory: yet Aquinas thinks there shall be light sufficient for the damned to behold those things which shall torment them, (either in respect of the sight of the body, or the fearful visions of the mind.) But howsoever, whether it shall be always dark, with Gregory, or have sometimes a glimmering light, with Aquinas, it is of a strange, and terrible nature, for it needs not the fodder of wood to continue it in hell, since the breath of the Lord, like a river of brimstone shall kindle it, Isaiah 30.33. But some will object that place of the Prophet, Tophet is prepared of old, the nourishment thereof is fire and much wood, and therefore it seems there is much wood in hell: to which I answer, that much wood is attributed to unto hell, not that there is any there, but to show that the fire of hell is unquenchable, being once kindled, by the breath of God's anger, which adds to the terror thereof.

2. Again it is fearful in respect of the place of it, which is in hell, with the devils and damned spirits, where is utter darkness, weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, where they are far remote from the company of the blessed Saints, and holy Angels; from all joy, and happiness forever: Saint Gregory in his fourth book of dialogues, and 42. chapter, being demanded of one, where he should believe this place of torments was: answereth, de hac retemere d • finire non audeo, I dare not rashly define of this matter, some have thought it in some part of the earth, some under the earth, about the center, or in the hollowes of the earth, which is the most common opinion: so Saint Jerome, as the (heart saith he) is in the midst of a living creature, so hell is said to be in the midst of the earth, and of the same opinion was Turtullian, Damascene, Aquinas, and other divines, but wheresoever it is, certain it is, that it is a fearful fire, both in it self: and the torments thereof: for it shall torment both the bodies and souls of the damned, crucior in hac fl • mma, I am tormented in this flame, was the song of rich Dives in hell, and Saint Augustine affirmeth that the spirits are tormented with that corporeal flame, after a wonderful manner, but unutterable and unknown unto us: last of all it is most terrible in respect of the continuance of it: for as the worm never dieth, so the fire never goeth out, Mark 9.48. and paria paribus rela •••• nt, like are referred to like, saith S. Augustine: on the one side eternal punishment, on the other eternal life, according to our Savior, Matthew. 25.46. And to conclude, it was the judgment of the devil, to be cast into that lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and false prophet are and shall be tormented day and night for evermore, Reu. 20.10

And thus having shown the time, and manner of this fiery judgment, I will speak somewhat of the end, and use of it (to us) and so proceed unto that which followeth.

First then, seeing all these thing must be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation, and godliness, looking for, and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the consideration of these things should move us to quench in our hearts the fire of sin, (whose flames do abundantly burn in the world) that so we may be free from this fire of punishment. But how many neglect this consideration, and therefore they burn in the fire of sin, and are scorched in the flames of iniquity. The whole world lieth in evil (saith S. John) in maligno, quasi in maloigne: in evil, that is as it were, in an evil fire, by which they are stirred up to all kind of impieties. They are like to those of whom the wise man speaketh, Wisdom the second, that call one to another in their security, Come, let us fill our selves with costly wine and ointments, and let no flower of the Spring pass by us; let us crown our selves with rose buds before they be withered, let none of us go without his part of voluptuousness, let us oppress the poor righteous man, and not spare the widow, nor reverence the ancient gray hairs of the aged. Let our strength be the Law of justice; for that which is feeble, is said so be nothing worth. Thus do they encourage themselves in their wickedness, and go on forwards in their sins, but what shall be in the ende thereof? The time will come when this devouring fire shall appear, that their joy shall be turned into sorrow, and their mirth into mourning, their Comicall prologue, into a Tragicall Catastrophe, when they shall cry out with a doleful lamētation, what hath pride profited us? or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought us? for all those things are passed away as a shadow, and as a post that hasted by. They shall cry out with terror and amazedness, woe and alas, what a fearful change do we behold, our pleasures are turned into torments, our riches into extreme poverty, our delights into woeful punishments, our pleasant singing, into grievous sighing: we have run blindfolded into this scorching lake of fire and brimstone, our eyes, which our abundance of pleasures had shut up, are now opened by our abundance of punishments. Alas, what do we behold? there is nothing that can bring us comfort, but all things that may torment us; there is no way to escape, our case is desperate. O death, whom sometimes we did tremble to think of, come now, and deliver us from these miseries: thou, who wast sometimes a horror unto our guilty consciences, be now a comfort in seizing upon us. O ye furies of hell, pull ye, rend ye, tear ye in pieces our unhappy carkeises, and free us from these intolerable dolours. O miserable wretches that we are, for how momentary pleasures, have we procured these everlasting miseries? In this manner shall the wicked lament their follies, but all in vain, it will be too late for them then to repent: for it is a time of judgment, and not of mercy. O beloved, that men would lay lay these things to their hearts, and set them continually before their eyes, that they might forsake their sins, and escape these grievous and doleful lamentations.

Again, shall the King of heaven and earth Christ Jesus, come to execute this fiery judgment, with power and great glory? shall he come with excellent splendor, with admirable beauty? shall he come with the bright shining weapons of war, to fight with his enemies? shall he take to him his jealousy for complete armor; put on righteousness for a breast plate, and true judgment instead of a helmet? shall be sharpen his severe wrath for a sword? and send out his right aiming thunderbolts against his adversaries? O then how happy shall that man be, that hath a peaceable and quiet conscience; it shall be better unto him, then thousands of gold and silver, yea, then all the riches that are in the world: because be shall meet his Judge with joy, and his King with comfort: For idem erit Iudex, qui Patronus, qui Mediator, qui Pontifex, saith S. Ambrose; the same shall be our Judge, who is our Redeemer, our Patron, our Mediator, our chief Priest, who hath offered a sweet smelling incense of reconciliation to God his Father for our redemption, and therefore we need not to fear.

But how woeful shall be the state of accusing consciences of the wicked and damned reprobates? O unhappy wretches! which of you can be able to meet this devouring fire, these everlasting burnings? which of you can dare to encounter this invincible warrior? O miserable miscreants! prepare yourselves, for you must combat with this commanding Emperor: Did you never dream of this bitter conflict in your life time? Woe therefore unto you now, for ye can neither avoid, nor be able to endure the violence of his wrath; ye are overcome already, and bound, and delivered to eternal captivity. For as Nazianzen speaketh, Solus Deus nec faga vitari, nec bello sustiner • potest, only God this mighty Judge, can neither be escaped by flight, nor endured in war, Extrema illa die, nullum erit effugium, aut perfugium; in that last day there shall be no evasion or running away. True it is, the wicked hypocrites, damned Atheists, and secure formalists, shall call and cry to the mountains to fall on them, and to the hills to hide them from him that sitteth upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, but it will not profit them; they shall try all ways to escape, but there is none will help them. For although it be too often seen in the world, (as S. Gregory observeth) that human judgment is perverted, either timore, for fear of greatness, by which corrupt judges are moved, to smoother the truth, absolve the rich, and condemn the poor, or amore, for love and friendship, by which the bands of equity are broken in pieces, or odio, for hatred and malice, when envy possesseth the soul to destruction, or last of all and worst of all Cupiditate, for covetousness, when bribes pervert the eyes of the wise, and move them to subvert the way of wisdom, to hearken to the voice of tempting Angels, rather then to the voice of equity and right, to the voice of a corrupted servant, or bribing oppressor, then to the pitiful cry of a poor distressed plaintiue.

But this Judge is incorrupt in his affections, he can neither be moved by love, nor by hatred, by fear, nor by bribes, to pervert judgment, by which the corrupt judges of the world, are too often moved, And S. August. excellently de fide ad monachum; In the judgment of Christ, without acception of persons, or receiving of bribes) there shall be equally judged, the king and the subject, the master and the servant, the rich and the poor, the humble and the proud, everyone shall be judged according to the straight rule of justice, and balance of equity; And S. Bernard sweetly illic plus valebunt pura corda quam astuta verba, & conscientia bona quam marsupia plena, at that day of judgment, pure hearts, shall be better then crafty words, and a good conscience, better then a full purse, But in this age of the world it is not so, for a full purse will do more, then either a pure heart, a good conscience, or a good cause; it will make the corrupt Lawyer, to deceive his client, the corrupt patron to sell the livings of the Church (with which he is only put in trust) and to place in them Jereboam's Priests, of the basest of the people, or Michas hirelings, that will be content with a few shekels of silver and a suit of apparel, to place ignorance, simony, and impiety, where he should place learning, honesty, and religion, to be brief, it will make the corrupt magistrate, to wink at offenses with partiality, where he should punish with severity; it causeth the sacrilegious Church robber, to rob Christ Jesus, in robbing his ministers, the oppressing Landlord, to suck the blood of his tenants, the bribing usurer, to eat the flesh of his creditors, the sophisticating Tradesman, to use the balance of deceit and false measure of iniquity; And last of all it maketh unconscionable iuror, to sell his soul to the devil, to forswear himself for a bribe, and overturn witnesses, judges, justice and all. But let all these know, that the time shall come when this just judge will find them out, who will render to every man according to his work, and give them their portion with hypocrites, bind them in bonds of darkness, and chains of misery for evermore: And this he will do when he shall come to pronounce that just judgment both to the righteous, and the wicked, that twofold judgment, iudicium approbationis & iudicium reprobationis, the judgment of approbation, and the judgment of reprobation, The first in which the righteous are approved, and rewarded with joy, the second in which the wicked are reproved, and rewarded with punishment, the first in which that blessed sentence shall be pronounced to the godly, venite benedicti come ye blessed of my Father; receive the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. O most blessed and joyful word: Venite; come ye, Come from the troublesome sea of this world, wherein ye have been tossed, into the quiet Haven of peace; Come from your sorrowful war, unto joyful triumph; Come from exile unto your country: from your earthly cabbins, unto caelestiall and stately palaces; from your poor cotages unto a kingdom: To conclude, come ye from labor unto rest, from misery unto joy, from earth unto heaven, where ye shall enjoy pleasures, without end, treasures without measure, and unspeakable glory for evermore, O terque quaterque beati. O thrice and four times, nay thousand times ten thousand times happy shall they be, whom this blessed sentence shall embrace, who would not for a little space in this life, endure any misery, and undergo any torments, to keep faith and a good conscience, that he may enjoy this blessed sentence? with what joy, and comfort, may the godly expect this joyful time, although the wicked cannot think of it but with terror? For as S. Augustine speaketh. Iudicum formidandum malis propter paenam, amandum bonis propter coronam, This divine judgment, it is to be feared of the wicked, because of their punishment; but to be loved of the godly, because of that blessed crown they shall then enjoy, it should therefore be joy unto God's children, as it is terror unto the wicked. Terror unto them because of that fearful sentence which shall be pronounced against them, in that second judgment, when Christ Jesus shall speak unto them, not with a veni, come thou blessed, but with an Abi, go thou cursed, not with an euge, well done thou good and faithful servant, but with an apage, away thou wicked and slothful servant, depart into everlasting torments, prepared for the devil and his angels: O most horrible sounding thunderclap! O fearful lightening! woe unto them, whose heads and hearts, shall be smitten with thy terror, thou sendest the wicked into tormenting flames, but how many hours, or days, or months, or years, shall they remain in that scorching fire? their hours cannot be numbered, their months measured, nor their years determined, their hours are eternal, their years eternal, and their fire eternal, for that fire hath no end, into fire they are sent, and in fire they shall be tormented for evermore. For as the ship being oppressed, with bellowing waves, sinketh down to the bottom of the sea, so the damned, being loaden with the fearful billows of God's anger, sink down to the bottom of hell; from whence they shall never arise.

The Mariners that carried Jonah, fearing the danger of the sea, call forth their goods and lightened their ship, now the soul of man, is as it were a little ship, tossed too and fro, in the troublesome sea of this world, and being heavy loaden, with the grievous weight of sin, is almost every moment, ready to suffer shipwreck; O beloved seeing then the everlasting floods of God's anger, which shall overflow the damned in hell, are so horrible and unsufferable; how willingly should we cast out all things that may endanger this weak, crazy, and leaking ship of our souls; (be they never so dear unto us,) rather then incur this eternal, and most fearful shipwreck, how willingly should we cast out the in •• llerable burden of our sins, and drown them in the sea of repentance, that our ship may be lightened, and made free from this terrible danger. Thus we should do, and thus if we do, happy and blessed shall we be, we shall be safe from the floods of God's anger, & flames of his vengeance, and be embraced in the arms of his mercies. Which mercies, having now passed these two great and terrible judgments of water, and of fire, noted in the two first colors of the Rainbow, the color of water, and the color of fire cometh in the next place to be spoken of.

The grace and mercy of God, by which he preserveth the world from that future destruction, noted in the green and gracious color, signifying the spring of God's favors, and the summer of his mercies; I have set my Bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of the Covenant between me and the earth. Discamus ex Iride non iustitiae nostrae esse quod mundus non iterum deletus fuit, aut deleatur, sed diuinae misericordiae, saith a good Interpreter; We may learn from the Rainbow, that it is not of our righteousness, that the world hath not been destroyed, or is not now brought to destruction, but of the grace and mercy of God, figured in the green and gracious color of the Bowe: and a later writer agreeing with the former, observeth the same point after this manner, Ex signo foederis diuinitus nobis proposito, iustitiae pariter, & misericordiae recordemur; from the sign of the Covenant, proposed unto us from God, we are put in mind, both of his justice and mercy; of his justice, in that he destroyed the world with a deluge of waters, to teach us that we should fear to offend him with the like profaneness.

But of his mercy in that he doth not destroy the world again, to move us to show our love and thankfulness towards him for the same. It is of the Lord's mercy, that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not, Lamen. 3.22. For the mercy of the Lord is like a river of water, flowing throughout all nations, watering all generations, and abounding throughout all ages: the mercy of the Lord is like the sea, compassing the earth, on every part, the mercy of the Lord is like the Sun, shinning both upon the good and bad, upon the just, and unjust, it hideth it self from none, but giveth preservation unto all: it lifteth the wicked from the mire of iniquity, and directeth the godly in the ways of piety, it giveth all good things both temporal and eternal: health, beauty, honors, riches, and strength; and therefore I may conclude with the Prophet David, Psal. 103. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting, to everlasting, upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children, the Lord hath prepared his seat in heaven, and his kingdoms ruleth over all, governing all things by his mighty power, and conseruing them by his continual presence, And therefore for this end, according to that old rule in divinity, Enter, praesenter, Deus hic & vbi{que} potenter, God is here, and God is everywhere by his essence, by his presence, and by his power: and S. Augustine pithily upon the 6. of Matthew, God is in himself, as the Alpha, and Omega, the beginning, and the ending, he is in the world, as the rector, and author, he is in the angels, as the sweet savor and splendor; he is in the Church, as the Father of the Family in the house; he is in the soul, as the bridegroom in the bride-chamber; he is in the godly, as their helper, and protector; and in the wicked, as their fear, and terror. But by his merciful providence, he is gracious unto all, he layeth the beams of his chambers, in the waters, and maketh the clouds his charriots, and walketh upon the wings of the wind; he watereth the hills from his chambers, and the earth is filled with the fruit of his works, he causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and green herbs, for the service of men; he hath appointed the Moon for certain seasons, and the Sun knoweth his going down. O Lord our God how manifold are thy works, in wisdom hast thou made them all, the earth is full of thy riches: thus doth God daily manifest his favors to the whole world, in keeping it from destruction, and giving all good things for the preservation of the same. But the cause of this love, is the free grace and mercy of God, gratia dei dat homini vitam & motum, (saith a learned writer) the grace of God doth give to man, both life and motion: and what is this world without the water of grace? truly nothing but a dead sea, or sodomicall lake, in which nothing can live.

Of this grace Christ Jesus is the Ark wherein it is kept for us, who was figured by the Ark of the testament, who is full of grace and truth, and in whom are hidden all the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God. This grace is aqua Christi, the water of Christ, with which is his love, he doth sprinkle the souls of his servants: it is aqua A •• elorum, the water of Angels, with the taste of which they are refreshed, as with the rivers of the waters of life, it is aqua Hominum, the water of men, by which they are cherished, as with the living fountain of God's favors: it is • qua omnium, the water of all things, by which they are preserved in the love and favor of their gracious Creator: to be short, this water of grace floweth from God, floweth unto God, and ascendeth towards heaven, yea it bringeth men unto God, and into heaven.

Thus have I shown you the grace of God in general, let me speak somewhat of it in particular: he hath been gracious unto the whole world, in preserving it, and hath been gracious unto this land, in preserving us. O England thou hast tasted in abundance, of the rivers of God's gracious favors, thou hast been made rich with his love tokens; thou hast been decked with the ornaments of his graces, he hath put a chain about thy neck, bracelets on thy hands, and frontlets on thy brows; he hath clothed thee with broidered work, and shed thee with Badgers skins, he hath girded thee about with fine linen, and covered thee with • ilke, he hath made thee glorious with silver, and gold, thou dost eat fine flower, honey, and oil, thou art exceeding beautiful, and art prospered into a kingdom, thy renown is gone forth amongst the nations, for thy beauty, for thou art made perfect, through the comliness which thy God hath put upon thee: his mercies are great unto thee, for he delivered thee from thy enemies on every side, both at home and abroad, both civil and foreign: from the terrible Armado of the Spaniard, in eighty eight, from that horrible powder plot of the Papists, with many other villanous treasons in latter days; of which thou mayest say with the land of Israel, if the Lord himself had not been on our side, (may England now say) when men rose up against us, they had swallowed us up quick, when they were so wrathfully displeased at us, the waters had drowned us, and the stream had gone over our souls: but blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us over as a prey unto their teeth; the Lord hath delivered thee from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; peace is within thy walls, and plenteousness within thy palaces, he hath filled thee with the flower of wheat, and embraced thee with mercy and loving kindness. O beloved unspeakable are the blessings, and infinite are the graces which he hath manifested unto us; he hath given us a gracious King, a wise, learned, and understanding Solomon, whom God of his mercy long preserve amongst us, he hath given us a royal Queen, and a hopeful progeny, for the continuance of his favors, whom God of his mercy long preserve amongst us; he hath given us a worthy, careful, and vigilant Counsel, with a wise Nobility, a reverend Clergy, learned and religious Arch-bishops, and Bishops, conscionable, grave and worthy Judges: all which, God of his mercy, long preserve amongst us; to be short, he hath given us famous universities for the supply of our wants, either in Church or common-wealth, and for the increase of learning, and religion, which God to the increase of his glory long preserve amongst us. And last of all, which paralels all the rest, (for had we not that, we had nothing) he hath given us the rich treasures of his glorious Gospel for the salvation of our souls: which God of his unspeakable mercy long continue amongst us, and let every true hearted Christian say Amen.

Thus hath God manifested his mercy to our whole land: But once again let me turn unto you, ye religious and worthy Citizens, and tell you what God hath done for your souls: Infinite are the graces that God in his mercy hath bestowed upon you, I cannot number them; he hath given you religious, zealous, and worthy Senators, discreet and wise Magistrates, under our Royal Moses, to carry the sword, and to go in and out before you with comfort; and this grace be continueth unto you still; he hath given you riches, and treasures in great abundance, he hath given you that most precious jewel of his blessed word, after an excellent manner: what country, what nation, what city in the world doth enjoy a more joyful supply of learned, zealous, and worthy Preachers continued unto them after a more worthy order, then this famous Auditory?

God did look upon you with an angry countenance, whipping you with a rod of correction for your sins, when of late days, there died in one year above thirty thousand amongst you, in that great and general plague. But now he looketh upon you with a favorable eye, and hath freed you from that fearful judgment, which freedom God of his infinite mercy long preserve amongst you. And I may say of all these mercies, to the whole world, to this land, and to this city, that Gratia Dei est causa, author, & • ffector omnis gratiae: the grace of God (figured in this gracious color of the Bowe) is the cause, author, and effect of all grace, favor, and mercy towards us. For if we demand the question, what is the cause that God did create all things for our good, before he created us? The Answer must be Gratia Dei, the free grace and mercy of God. What is the cause that he hath not spared his own Son, but given him to the death for our redemption? Gratia Dei, the free grace and mercy of God. What is the cause that he hath given us a gracious King, under whom we enjoy the peace of the Gospel, the means of our salvation? Gratia Dei, the free grace and mercy of God. In a word, go throughout all the graces that God hath bestowed upon us, and demand the question of everyone, why hath God done thus? And the answer must be, Quia bonus, Because he is good and gracious, and because his mercy endureth forever.

Quid retribuemus Domino? What then shall we render unto the Lord, for his this unspeakable mercy, and most infinite grace? Wherewith shall we come before the Lord, and bow our selves before the most high God? Shall we come before him with thousands of rams, or with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall we give our first borne for our transgressions, the fruit of our bodies for the sins of our souls, to pay for our ingratitude, and to recompense that love which God in his mercy hath shown unto us? No, no, Beloved; this is not that which God requireth at our hands: it is Thankfulness, to love mercy, to do justly, and to humble our selves, to walk with our God; we should take the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord; we should pay our vows now in the presence of all his people; we should offer unto him the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and tell out his works with gladness. Diuinely saith S. Bernard, Happy is that man, who for every gift of grace, returneth unto God, in whom is the fullness of all graces whatsoever. O then let us give thanks unto the Lord, because he is gracious, and his mercy endureth forever: Let Israel now confess, that he is gracious, and that his mercy endureth forever: Let the house of Aaron now confess, that his mercy endureth forever: Let the people of England now confess, that his mercy endureth forever. And last of all, let all they that fear the Lord, continually confess, that his mercy endureth forever.

This thankfulness God requireth at our hands, and this we are bound to render unto him; But do we thus?

Surely, the vineyard of the Lord of hosts, is the house of England, and the men of England are his pleasant plant, he hath manifested his love unto them, he hath taken care for them, he hath fenced them with a wall of peace, he hath gathered the stones from them, so that nothing might hinder their fruitfulness, he hath planted them with the choicest vine, the vine of his word, he hath built a tower in the midst of them, the tower of his graces, he hath made a winepress therein, prepared all things for their good; what could he have done more unto his vineyard, that he hath not done unto it? now he looked that we should bring forth grapes, but have we not brought forth wild grapes? he looked for thankfulness, may I not say behold ingratitude? he looked for judgment, may I not say behold oppression? he looked for righteousness, may I not say behold a cry? If I should say it of all, I should condemn the innocent, but I may say it soon of too many, and justly reprove the nocent. There is a cry that is heard in our land, but it is not a cry of those that shout for the mastery, nor of those that lament for being overcome, nor of those that sing and make melody, these might be passed over: but it is a cry of sin, a cry of iniquity, that ascendeth up into the ears of the Lord, from the several and secret corners of the land. Should I bring you a Catalogue of these sins, it would weary me to speak them, and weary you to hear them, or at least to hear of them: I will therefore but touch some of the principal, I know not where to begin, but Pride, steps forth and challengeth the first place.

There is a cry of Pride, of horrible Pride, men are transformed into women, and women into men, such is their strange Metamorphosis and preposterous order that one striveth to go before the other in Pride. It seemeth some of them have searched the Scripture, be it but to search out sins, that they may imitate them: for whereas the Lord by the Prophet reproveth the abhominable pride of the daughters of Zion, Isaiah 3. their haughtiness, their stretched out necks, their wanton eyes, their walking and mincing as they go, making a tinkling with their feet, their tinkling ornaments, their caules the round tyres like the Moon, and the like, the sons and daughters of our Zion have learned to go beyond them, and to outstrip them in pride, painting their faces, and painting their clothes, in such a deformed manner, defacing their natural forms, that at the day of judgment God will not know them to be his. But against these, the Lord threateneth a fearful punishment, Isaiah 3.24. It shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell, there shall be stink, instead of a girdle, a rent, instead of well set hair, baldness, and burning, instead of beauty. And I would to God this City were free from this sin, that it might be free from this punishment.

After this, a second iniquity rideth post, and now whoredom walketh hand in hand with pride, and sometimes iustles for the wall, there is a cry of whoredom, yea it is grown to such a height, that now many of our gallants, account it but recreation, and our profane Atheists will boast of their bawdery.

Drunkenness begins to quarrel, and is angry that her daughter whoredom is preferred before her; but I answer her greeting, railing with the Prophet, Woe to the crown of pride and drunkenness of Ephraim, and woe unto them that rise up early to follow drunkenness, and continue until night, till the wine do inflame them. And (ob) that this City were free from these sins, that it might be free from these woes: but these are three vicious mothers, that bring forth three venomous daughters oppression, simmony, and sacrilege; which like the lean Kine of Egypt, denoure all they meet with.

Hence cometh the cry oppression, worse then the cry of the children of Israel, against their Taske-masters in Egypt, the poor laborer crieth for vengeance against the Depopulator, and the hunger starved tennant, against the rent-racking landlord. But woe be unto them that join house to house, and lay field to field, till there be no place that they may be placed by themselves in the midst of the earth: and woe unto them that grind the faces of the poor (saith the Lord or hosts.

Simony is sister to Oppression, for when the field is depopulated, corn groweth scarce and therefore the oppressing Patron must part stakes with the Simonicall incumbant, for ease of charge, hence it cometh to pass that of those four ordinary gates of entrance into the Church, Caesaris & Simon • sanguinis atque dei, By favor of Caesar, of Simony, of Friends, and of God, three of them are almost stopped up, and their passages grown over with grass, but the path of Simony is made a high way, because she hath played the ingrosser, and bought the Monopoly of the rest.

Sacrilege is fellow heir with Simony, and goeth to law with religion, for the right of the Church, and it is to be feared without the mercy of God, and favor of the King, that in many places they will be quite overthrown, witness that abhominable cry of horrible Sacrilege, that foundeth in the world, where the godless depopulators have enclosed fields, towns, Churches and all, pulling those down, which their religious forefathers did build up, stopping their doors with thorns, and their windows with bushes, yea covering their roofs with thatch, nay leaving them naked, or else turning these holy places into barns, or sheep coats, or other profane uses, so that for lack of people, the earth and brute beasts may complain to the Lord, in the words of the Prophet, O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance, thy holy Temple have they defiled, and made Jerusalem an heap of stones: many more are the crying sins of these days, but two especially had deed to be spoken of, the first is Hypocrisy and dissimulation, the second Schism and division.

There is a cry of hypocrisy everywhere to be heard, for how many are there that profess themselves to be the servants of Christ, and yet when occasion serves, will have concord with Belial, and serve the devil; that will make a show of offering sacrifice unto God, in the temple of the Lord, and yet join themselves with Idolators in the temple of idols, that will serve the Lord at Jerusalem, and yet offer oblations to the golden calves in Bethel, and in Dan: that will besure to verify the proverb, Run with the Hare, and yet hold with the Hound; profess simplicity with the Sheep, and yet practice their subtlety with the Foxes, play on both hands, like Ambo-dexters, fit, and frame, and fashion themselves for all companies, with the religious, they will seem religious, and with the profane they will follow profaneness; with the godly they will seem to be godly, and with the wicked they will practice iniquity; with the sober they will commend sobriety, but yet they will not cease to be drunk with the drunken; with the continent they will extol chastity, they will not refrain the harlots houses to commit adultery. To be short, they are like Ferrie-men, looking one way, but rowing another way, bearing men in hand, that they are traveling forwards, in the narrow way that leadeth unto life, when indeed they are walking forwards in that broad path that leadeth to destruction: for what kind of wickedness, will they not commit, being intized unto it, by the deceitful baits of profit, and pleasure, Sabbath breaking, sacrilege, simony, usury, perjury, vilanie, and what not; making shipwreck of faith, and of a good conscience, as the Apostle speaketh. But such as those are, receive their seed amongst stones, and therefore hindering the root of the word, by their stony hearts, they obtain only the leaves of profession, and are altogether deprived of the good fruit, of a true religion, their faith is resisted, by the stones of error, their hope resisted, by the waves of fear, and their charity resisted, by the blustering winds of malice and envy, they are composed of inconstancy, and therefore wanting the firm and stable pillars of faith, hope, and charity, their house of hypocrisy, is suddenly overturned, by that strong man, the devil, (more mighty then Sampson ) & they themselves, with their outside profession, beaten to pieces in a moment.

The last sin is schism, and division in the Church, and the cry of this is so grievous, that it grieves me to think of it, much more to speak of it, most of all to behold it amongst our selves, In the primitive Church, they were all of one mind, and all of one heart, O happy union! O blessed time! but now how many minds, how many schisms? how many divisions in the Church? and that many times about shadows, about ceremonies, about circumstances, while let the substance go, one saith I am of Paul, another I am of Ap • llo, another I am of Cephas, another I am of Christ, is Christ divided? did Paul die for you? or was Apollo crucified? certain it is, that you cannot divide Christ, though you may divide our selves from Christ; O then take heed, of rending Christ's seamless coat, of making Schism, and division in the Church, labor to keep unity, with verity, and verity, with unity, least Christ cast ye forth of the Church, take his coat of protectiō frō you, & so being found naked, in the storms of misery, ye perish in the day of vengeance.

Thus (right Honorable, and beloved,) from this green and gracious color of the Bow, I have shown you the mercy of God, by which he preserveth the world from destruction, I have shown you the infinite graces, which he hath bestowed upon this land, upon this city, I have shown you the unthankfulness of many in the world, manifested in the crying sins of the time, of which I may conclude as S. Chrysostom begins his second Homily to the people of Antioch, Quid dicam? aut quid loquar? lachrymarū presens tempus, non verborum, &c. What should I say? or what should I speak? it is a time of tears, and not of words, of mourning, and not of speaking, of prayer, and not of preaching such is the mag • it • de of sin, the incurable wound of iniquity, & universal plague of impiety, that it is impossible to be healed without the powerful hand of a mighty God. That of S. August. now verified; The unbelieving Pagan, disputeth against faith, and the wicked Christian liveth against faith, from whence it cometh to pass, that since both of them are adversaries unto faith, neither of them can have saluatiō by faith. True it is, beloved, that the Lord hath freed us from h • s judgments, and given us peace, by which we enjoy the comfort of the Gospel; but let us take heed, lest by our sins we move him to remove our candlestick, to deprive us of our peace, and send his terrible plagues amongst us. O that these crying sins were banished our land, then happy and blessed should we be! I know there is not wanting religious and zealous Bishops, grave & worthy Judges, who are careful and vigillant, to banish these hateful cries both from Church and Common wealth. But such is the subtlety of the serpent, and corruptions of the times, that this cry is either stopped before it cometh to their ears, or else the sins themselves (like painted harlots) are so masked, and gilded over with the colors of deceit, that their ugly countenances cannot be seen, & by this means they escape unpunished.

If I myself were in place, to speak unto those which are in authority, I should consider my own unworthiness, and confess with S. Bernard, non est meae humilitatis dictare vobis, It is not for my humility (Right honorable lords) to dictate unto you, or to tell you what you should do, I know ye are wise, ye are zealous, ye are religious. But yet my duty to my great Lord, and master, my love, to his Church my mother, and my earnest desire, for the good, and welfare of my King, and country, binds me as it bindeth all, continually to pray unto that great Lord Keeper of Israel, to defend his glory, his Church, our King, and country, and to beat down these crying sins, that so we may enjoy our gracious peace, with his blessed graces for evermore; and I hope there is none but will say, Amen.

Thus you have heard these three principal colors of the Rainbow, the color of water, the color of fire, and the green color, the sign of grace, (with their three principal morals) at large declared unto you; yet once again, S. Basil. the great who was magni nominis in Ecclesia, of great name in the Church of God, excellently observeth further, that this heavenly Bowe, doth by a fit similitude, in his threefold color, resemble unto us that holy and blessed Trinity; For as in the Bowe there is a threefold color, and yet but one Bowe, so in the glorious Trinity, there are three persons, and yet but one and the same essence: And as these colors are so mingled, and knit together in the Bowe, that we cannot discern, where one is separated, or distinguished from the other; so is it in the divine essence, the persons be distinct in themselves, yet can we not find out (by our human wisdom) in the proprieties of their natures, the separation of one from the other; for as in the Rainbow all the colors are one, in community of the same substance; so in the Trinity, all the persons and the glory of them, is one, in the indivisible community of the same essence; And this reason by the creature, doeth teach us, that we should take heed that we conceive not any vain opinion of this heavenly doctrine, when being drawn into any difficult place, we do diversely turn our selves, to reconcile those things which are spoken; for as in these things which are expressed to the eye, experience is better to teach thē the cause it self; so likewise in those high points, and mysteries of divinity, faith is better, and more available, then all the comprehensions of reason, in the world.

Last of all Tropologically, these three colors of the Bow, may signify those three Theological graces, Faith, Hope, and Charity: the caerulean color, Faith, the green color, Hope, and the red, Charity: which graces, the divine Rainbow, that is the grace of God, doth shower down in abundance upon his servants, as diverse Interpreters well observe. These are the three principal colors of the Bow: and from these and diverse others, arising from the reflection of these there doeth appear an excellent beauty, in the admirable Rainbow. I mean not now to dispute those many questions, concerning these colors, which are discussed by ancient and moderne Philosopbers, as whether these colors of the Rainbow be colors according to the verity of the matter or in appearance only? whether that which lieth between the lesser periferie, or circumference of the Bow, & the greater, be a thing coloured or not? whether that which is seen between the two Rainbowes (the principal and that which is caused by refl • xe of the principal) be coloured with the purple, carnation, and fiery color? whether the light in the middle be any quality? and in a word, whether it be possible that a third Rainbow should appear, and for what cause? with diverse others of the like curiosity. I will not now stand to dispute the causes of these several colors, or the diverse reasons of each one in particular, because it doeth more pertain to Philosophy, then divinity, neither will I now prosecute any further the diverse morals of these different colors. But rather hasten to the next part of my text, the situation of the Bow, in the cloud (of which with the rest) I will speak but briefly, and so draw towards a conclusion. I have set, &c.

Mercerus in his Commentary upon Gen. hath noted out of Rasian Hebrew, that when God spake unto Noah, he made the Rainbow then to appear in the cloud, and as pointing unto it with his finger, saith thus, Ecce, hoc est signū soederis & arcus qeum vides; behold, this is the sign of the covenant, and the bow which thou seest, we have no certain warrant for this opinion. But certain it is, that hoc signum non in terra, sed in coelo constituit, God did not place this Bowe in the earth, or in the sea, but in the heaven, that it might be seen of all, and he causeth it to appear tempore plunioso, in the time of rain: To teach us first, that God offereth the signs of his grace unto all, & therefore all should take notice of them, & remember his love; if they neglect this, they are made without excuse. 2. That God is more powerful then his creatures, he can keep them from hurting his servants, seem they never so prepared, and therefore we need not be afraid of the signs of heaven, or terror of the clouds. Thirdly, & lastly, to teach us, that in midst of misery, God remembers mercy, for when the clouds shower down rain, as if they would drown the world, even then God showeth his Bowe, the sign of his favor, for the comfort of his servants. Again, the situation this Bow is in the clouds: but yet the ends of it do reach down to the earth; & in the time of Arist. it was the common opinion, that the Rainbow lighting with her two ends upon the herbs & flowers, did make them much more sweet and odoriferous: concerning which, how & when it is done, he disputeth at large in his Problems. But Pliny doth constantly affirm, that the tree Aspalathus, the rose of Jerusalem, or our Ladies rose, by the touching of the rainebow, is made much more delectable. And as the rainbow doth give an excellent odor to all herbs, so specially it doth give to this an unutterable sweetness, for when the earth is watered, & the Rainbow doth cst down her seed upon it, she doth thē send forth that divine & heavenly breath, to which no sweetness can be compared. Which notable effect of the rainbow, Arist. describeth further, teaching, that to the generation of that melaeris, that honey of the air (which our Philosophers called mel roris, the honey of dew, & we the honey fall) the Rainbow doth give a principal furtherance. But I fail too long in this Philosophical sea; yet of this there is not wanting a Theological use. For as the rainebow with her heavenly dew, distilling from the clouds, doeth give an excellent odour, to the flowers of the earth upon which it doth light; so likewise Christ Jesus, who is that mystical Rainbow & eternal sign of God's favor, with the caelestiall dew of his spiritual graces distilling from the throne of his mercy, (which is perfumed with the sweet smelling incense of his meritorious sacrifice) doeth sweeten with melliferous odors, the hearts, and souls and consciences of his children, making them acceptable in the nostrils of their heavenly Father.

And therefore at the sight of this beautiful Bowe, we may remember with unspeakable joy, that most blessed, and joyful Bainebowe, the Son of God.

Thirdly, the situation of this Bowe is in the clouds, and the further we are from it, the less beautiful glorious, and delectable, it doth appear; and so likewise the further we are from Christ Jesus, by our natural corruption, impenitency, and continuance in sin, the less glorious, beautiful, and excellent doth he appear unto us; but the nearer we approach unto him, by faith, holiness, and newness of life, the more glorious shall we behold him, and more earnestly long to enjoy him; O then beloved! how should we labor, with the bright flames of zeal, to banish the dark clouds of our sins, which do make a separation between Christ and us; and obscure the light of our eyes, that we cannot behold, the brightness of his glory; How earnestly should we strive, to draw near unto him; that being refreshed at the sight of his beauty, we may behold with joy, & comfort, so glorious a Rainbow, and being confirmed in faith, we may one day enjoy his blessed glory for evermore.

Fourthly, the Rainbow is placed in the clouds, but by how much the Sun is higher, by so much this Bow is lesser: for at the middle of the day, it is thinner, smaller, & narrower (although of a greater circle:) And so likewise by how much higher Christ Jesus, who is the Sun of righteousness, is in our hearts, that is, by how much the more he doth confer his gifts and graces upon us; by so much the more should we labor to beat down our natural pride, and be lesser in our own conceits: for by this means it will come to pass, that howsoever we may seem vile in the sight of the world, yet shall we be accounted honorable in the sight of God.

Fifthly, the Rainbow being in the cloud, seemeth greater then the sun, which men may marvel at, because it is but the glass of the Sun, showing the image thereof, the Sun being the object, and cause of the Bowe; But the reason is, because the Bowe is a glass of this nature, that it doth make the object much greater, and doth increase the forms into a wonderful magnitude.

And herein those do parallel the Bow, who receiving all that they have from God, as the Rainbow doth receive her light and glory from the beams of the Sun; yet labor to extol their owns glory, above the glory of their maker: taking greater care, for their own honor, then for the glory and honor of God, who in this will be like the Rainbow, though not in anything they should: like those who as the Bow appeareth only in the day, and not in the night, so likewise immitating the Bowe, they will make profession of Christ in the day time of prosperity, but when the night of adversity approacheth, they forsake their profession, & leave Christ to himself, rather then they will endure the least misery for his sake; or like those who as the Bow hath both ends downwards, so they bend all their affections downwards, casting their eyes upon the ground, searching greedily for the mucke and pelf, and vain honors of the world, but seldom or never lifting up their hearts or eyes towards heaven, to seek for the riches and treasures thereof. But we must not so imitate the Bow, but as (according to the opinion of the ancient) the Rainbow letting down her horns upon the earth, doth draw up the water from the fountains to the clouds, which being turned into showers, do return and water the fruits of the earth, for which cause this phrase was used of them arcus bibit aquas the Bow doth drink up the waters, (which opinion Vitrunius defendeth, calling the Bow a notable instrument by which God doth draw up the waters from the earth, into the air, by this means to make the ground more fruitful: so likewise being enlightened with the heavenly brightness of God's gracious Spirit, and casting down both our eyes to behold the infinite blessings of God upon the earth; we should be moved by divine contemplation, to send up the sweet smelling vapors of thankful hearts, towards the clouds of heaven, that being converted into the divine showers of God's merciful favors, we may be made fruitful, with all spiritual graces whatsoever.

To conclude the Rainbow doth appear in the cloud, But there is a question demanded, concerning the continuance of it, how long shall it remain & be seen in the clouds? It is reported that some holy men were of opinion, that for forty years, before the day of judgment, and general burning of the world, there should be neither Rain, nor Rainbow to be seen: But what these holy men were, I cannot read, for I can find none of the ancient Fathers upon my Text, to be of this judgment, yet it seemeth the ground, and foundation, of this opinion was, that they supposed that general burning of the world, could not be effected without an unspeakable precedent dryness of the air, and an immeasurable abundance, of dry exhalations, and so much of this dry matter, as they dreamed necessary, for the burning of the world, could not be gathered but in a long continuance of time, not possibly in less then in forty years, and therefore for that time, there should be neither Rain nor Rainbow; But in this reason, that which is taken for certain, is not only uncertain, but most plainly false, for that burning of the world, shall not be effected by natural causes, but by the supernatural work, and divine power of almighty God, as the first judgment was, when the whole world (except Noah and his family) was destroyed with the flood; And therefore there it no reason, why there should not be both Rain, and Rainbow, till the day of judgment, for both these shall pass away with the clouds, and not before. And thus from the clouds the situation, I pass to the use of the Bow, It shall be for a sign: I have set my Bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of the Covenant between me and the earth.

This Iris or Rainbow, is derived 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of the Greek verb, which signifieth to speak, because it is a speaking sign or visible word, for it is signum pluuiae tum praeteritae, tum instantis, a sign both of rain that is past, and of rain that is at hand; and therefore it was feigned of the heathen poets, to be nuncius Iunonis, the messenger of Juno, and of others it was called Daemonis (hoc est sapientis) arcus the Bow of God, or of a wise Creator, because it is a sign of the divine wisdom, certain it is that it is nuncius dei, the messenger of God, by which he doth testify that he will no more bring a general flood to destroy the world.

This Rainbow hath two principal significations. In the first one Phisicall or natural, the second metaphisicall or supernatural. In the first it is signum pluniae, a sign of rain, in the second it is signum serenitatis, a sign of fair weather, and this is above nature, for all natural Philosophy is ignorant of it, only the Church doth understand it by faith, out of the revealed will of God, that as often as the Bow doth appear in the cloud, we remember the covenant and promise of God, that the world should never again be destroyed with water.

But how can this be, may some man object? how is it possible that the Rainbow should be a sign, that there should not follow a general flood, to destroy the world, seeing the Rainbow was before the flood, and then was no true sign of this, as the event did plainly testify; To this some have answered, that the Rainbow was not before the flood, so Saint Chrysostom, Alcuinus, and the interlinearie Gloss.

But without question this Rainbow was before the flood, although after the flood, it was appointed for a sign. First because God did cease from all the works of creation the seventh day, so that he did not after create any new species, or kinds of creatures: and therefore, it must needs follow, that the Rainbow was created before the flood.

Secondly, God created the causes of the Bowe before the flood, for there was not wanting the clouds, nor the Sun, nor a place where the clouds might be set against the Sun, upon which the Sun shining, the Rainbow doth appear, And therefore since the causes of the Bowe were before the flood; it must needs follow, that the effect of these causes, the Rainbow, was before the flood also, (except it can be shown, that the generation of the Bowe, was hindered by some other impediment, which cannot be) for it is a rule in Philosophy, Posita causa ponitur effectus, the cause being placed & perfected, the effect must of necessity follow; as when the Sun draweth towards our Horison, the light and day begins to appear; when the fire is kindled, the heat doth suddenly increase, or when as a man beholdeth his natural face in a glass, his image is presently represented to his sight, so likewise a soon as the sun did cast his bright beams, upon the glass of the watery clouds, the effect thereof, did presently manifest it self unto the world, but this was before the flood, and therefore the Rainbow before the flood also.

Yet against this those of the contrary opinion, object the words of my Text, that God speaketh here unto Noah in the future tense, I will set my Bow in the cloud, & therefore it should seem rather, that the Rainbow was created after the flood, then before, To which I answer, that howsoever in the Septuagint translation it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , pono, I do put, and in the common Latin, ponam, I will put, yet (as a learned interpreter well observeth) in the Hebrew text, it is in the preterperfect tense, NATATTI, dedi, posui, I have given, I have set, and God might well have said, I do give, I do set, or I will set, but not that it was not there before, but that it should now be for a sign, of that covenant, between me and the earth, for after the same manner the water in Baptism, was instituted by Christ our Savior, to be a sign in the sacrament, and yet water was an element created at the beginning, as the Rainbow was created before the flood, so that I may thus answer the 1. Objection, Almighty God, not naturally, but by his divine institution, hath appointed the Rainbow for a sign, that there should not anymore come, a general flood, to destroy the world.

Again, if the Rainbow be not a natural sign, of a following flood, of what then is it a natural sign of Rain? or of fair weather? of winds? or of the tranquility of the heavens? Pliny in his second book of natural history, seemeth to be of opinion, that it is no certain sign of of any of these; yet in his eighteenth book he affirmeth, that when two Rainebowes appear, it is a sign of Rain, and if a Rainbow appear after showers, it is a sign of fair whether, although not always certain, But Seneca teacheth, that as the Rainbow doth appear, in a diverse region of the air, or in a diverse time of the day, so it doth portend, diverse things: If in the morning, it showeth Rain that is past, and some small showers to come; If at noon, or there abouts, it is a sign of greater showers; but if it appear at night, it signifieth fair weather, to whom Scaliger, others accord. And the reason of this, is given by Philsophers, because a morning Bow, being full of the moist vapors of the night, is as it were a vessel, of some following showers, by reason of the thick mists that remain. A meridian Bowe, doth carry greater store of waters, and portendeth more Rain, because the waters gathered, cannot be dried up, with the most vehement heat of the Sun, such is the greatness of their force, And an evening Bow, having the greatest part of the moist & vapoury miste dried up in the former part of the day, promiseth fair weather, and therefore seldom or never doth any store of Rain follow im • ediately after. But I proceed forwards, God hath appointed it for a sign.

And a sign as S. Augustine describeth it, is a thing which doth cause, another matter to be remembered, besides that external figure, which it doth show to the outward senses: And signs are commonly of 3. sorts, the first, signastuporis, signs of wonder and amazement, as the Sun, when it went ten degrees back at the prayer of Ezechia. The second signaterroris, signs of terror and affrightment, as those signs which shall be before the day of judgment, when the Sun shall be turned into darkness, & the moon into blood, The third are signa amoris signs of love and contentment, As the particular signs of God's love to his elect, and these either to certain persons, as the tree of life to our first parents in Paradise, Gene. 2. The wet & dry fleece to Gidion, or the conception of the virgin to king Ahaz, or to the whole Church either before Christ, as Circumcision, the Passover, & Sacrifices; or since Christ, as Baptism, & the Supper, or last of all that universal sign of God's love, to the whole world, the admirable Rainbow, which he hath appointed for a sign of the covenant, between him and the earth.

Ecce post policitationem verbo factam & hoc signum addo (saith S. Chrysost. ) as speaking of God, Behold, after my promise, I do give you a seal of my promise, to confirm the same. So that God doth not only manifest his love by Oracles, and bind himself by promise, and covenant, but he proceedeth further, and adds sacraments, & seals to his covenant, that he might seem to omit nothing, which might serve to confirm the faith of his chosen, Thus did he in the Spiritual covenant, he gave to our first parents in paradise, the sacrament of the tree of life, and of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, he gave to the Patriarchs the sacrament of circumcision, & the passover, he hath given to his church since, the Sacrament of Baptism, and the Supper: and thus he doth in the corporal covenant, he giveth unto Noah the admirable Rainbow, for the confirmation of his faith, and to be a seal of the covenant between him and the earth: to teach us to banish incredulity, & to believe his promises. For as the use of the Rainbow on the part of God, is to testify his grace and mercy unto men, so the use of the Rainbow one the part men, is to confirm their faith, and love towards God, the Jews are exceeding religious in this matter, for when they see the Rainbow, they go forth, fall down, and confess their sins, acknowledging themselves worthy to be drowned with a flood of God's vengeance; though we are not bound to be superstitious, yet fitting it is, that we should not forget God's infinite love, and mercy towards us.

Again it shall be for a sign, Allegorically this Rainbow is a sign of the evangelical Law, for as the Rainbow being set for a sign, did show forth peace, pardon, and glory, so the evangelical law, brought with it, grace, remission of sins, and promise and assurance, of eternal glory in the heavens. Secondly this Rainbow doth signify the incarnate word of God, God in the flesh, or the humanity of Christ, and that after a manifold analogy, and similitude between them For first as the Sun shining in the Cloud, doth beget a glorious and beautiful Bow, so the eternal word of God, that most powerful Sun of righteousness shining in, and upon our human nature, did as it were beget a glorious and blessed Redeemer, after a divine and wonderful manner. Secondly, as the rainbow was a Symbole of peace in the time of Noah; so the incarnation of Christ was the reconciliation of the world. Thirdly, the two horns or ends of the Bowe, may signify the two natures of Christ, his divine, and human, of which the hidden and invisible string, is like unto the secret and admirable hypostatical union of his twofold nature. Fourthly, in the Rainbow there is a three-fold color, and so likewise in Christ; for Christ was Caerulean, or Caelestiall by prayer, he was green and flourishing, by the flowers of spiritual graces, and heavenly virtues, of which he was full, as Saint John speaketh. John 1. verse 14. And he was red by his blood, shed upon the Altar of the cross, by treading the winepress of God's wrath alone, by which his raiment was stained, as the Prophet speaketh. Fifthly as from this Bowe are sent forth, diverse secret, sweet, and comfortable virtues, amiable to the flowers of the earth, so likewise, from that mystical, and heavenly Rainbow Christ Jesus, are sent down many sweet, comfortable, and hidden arrows of divine love, with which his blessed spouse, being wounded to the heart, sings in her passionate love to Christ her husband, stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples, for I am sick of love. Sixthly, as this Bowe is imbrifera, a Rainie-bow, so likewise was that divine Rainbow Christ Jesus, when one the day of Pentecost, he did shower down in abundance, the sweet rain of heavenly grace, and caelestiall doctrine, into the hearts of his Apostles, & doth continually shower down, his infinite blessings upon his servants. In a word this Rainbow being a semicircle descending towards the earth, and ascending towards heaven, may fitly show Christ descending towards the earth to take our nature upon him, to free us by his passion from the wrath of his father, and his ascension to prepares a place for us, where we shall one day live, and rejoice with him, in glory and happiness, for evermore. And thus doth the Rainbow figure that heavenly Bowe Christ Jesus.

Or otherwise this Rainbow is a figure of Christ, the clouds may signify his body, the threefold color, his threefold substance, his flesh, his soul, and his divinity, or his threefold supreme dignity, spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah, of King, of Judge, and of Lawgiuer, or last of all, his threefold spiritual office, of King, Priest, and of Prophet. To be short the Philosophers teach that the Rainbow doth consist of a threefold substance, the earth, the water, and the air, from whence doth arise the threefold variety, of his color, of green, red and watery; And by this is insinuated the greatness, of divine mercy, manifested unto men in a threefold respect, in the state of nature, of the law of Moses, and of the Gospel: in the state of creation, of natural corruption, and spiritual grace: in the grace of predestination, from all eternity, of justification in time, and of glorification, beyond all time. But I dwell too long in these Allegories; yet once again.

It shall be for a sign. We read in the Scripture of diverse apparitions of this glorious Bow, in the vision of the divine majesty, which was shown to Ezekiel, the brightness of the glory of God was like unto the Bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain. In the Revelation to that Evangelical Prophet S. John, there was a rainbowe round about the throne, in sight like unto an Emerald: A Rainbow, to signify that God was mindful of his covenant with Noah, and with his posterity. In sight like unto an Emerald, to show the mercy of God towards the penitent, whom God doeth refresh with a gracious countenance. A Rainbow compassing a throne: the Rainbow signifieth the mercy of God, and the throne his Church, to show, that God doeth protect and defend his Church with perpetual mercy, as the Rainbow did compass the throne.

Lastly, in another vision, S. John beholdeth a mighty Angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud, and a rainebow upon his head, his face shining like the Sun, and his feet as pillars of brass. A mighty Angel, that is Christ Jesus clothed with a cloud, that is, his humanity; and having a Rainbow about his head, to show that he is the Author of the covenant, and of our reconciliation with God, figured likewise by the Rainbow in my text. But I pass to the last part of my text, the intimation of the internal significate, in the last words, Of the covenant between me and the earth: Of which I will give a touch, and so conclude.

Erit signum foederis, it shall be for a sign of the covenant; that is, a sign which shall seal, and confirm that covenant which I have entered with mankind, as the seal of a King confirmeth the Charter granted to his subjects, nay much more firm, for that may altar, because it is from man, but this is unchangeable, because it is from God. This Covenant which God hath entered with mankind, is twofold, a spiritual covenant, and a corporal covenant: The spiritual covenant doth consist of two branches, the first, the covenant of works, and the second, the covenant of grace. The covenant of works, is that which God made with our first parents, before their fall, promising unto them eternal happiness, if they continued obedient unto his commandments, which were dictated unto them, as by word of mouth, and written in their hearts, by the power of his Spirit. The current of this was, Hoc fac, & viues, do this, and thou shalt live.

The covenant of grace was that which God made with our first parents, after their fall, promising them eternal life, and freedom from wrath in Christ Jesus, the seed of the woman shall break the head of the serpents. Genes. 3. The current of this is, hoc creed & viues, Believe this and thou shalt live.

The corporal covenant, concerneth temporal benefits; and this is that which God made with Noah, and his sons, and their posterity forever, and with every living creature, upon the face of the earth, especially aimed at by Moses, in the words of my text, It shall be for a sign of the Covenant between me and the earth.

1. This covenant was made between God and the earth, that is the inhabitants of the earth, with Noah and with his seed after him. God then was mindful of us, before we were borne, mindful of us not in anger, but in grace, much more will be not be forgetful now, while we walk in the path of faith, and ways of righteousness. 2. Again this covenant was an everlasting covenant, not to continue for a short time, but to the end of the world, to show that the mercy of God doth far exceed his justice, for the rigor of his justice, was but for a little space, in once destroying the world by water, but his mercy is perpetual, in the continual preservation thereof. For a moment in mine anger, have I hid my face from thee, but with everlasting mercy have I had compassion on thee, (saith the Lord of hosts) Isaiah 54 8. To move us to rely on God's mercy, in the depth of misery, and to sing with the Prophet David, Sorrow may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

To conclude, it shall be for a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Of this covenant the Rainbow was a seal, and as it sealeth this covenant, so it signs in this that eternal covenant of God with his Church, which is the fountain and foundation of this; Pactum hoc cum Noah praefigurauit faedus Christi cum Ecclesia, saith one: This covenant with Noah did prefigure that covenant of Christ with his Church, spoken of Isaiah 54.10. Iris designat Christum, qui est signum reconciliations perfectae. The Rainbow doeth figure Christ, who is a figure of our perfect reconciliation, a sign of our eternal friendship with God the Father, and an everlasting memorial of our peace: For although the Rainbow, the outward sign, shall pass away with clouds; yet notwithstanding, the covenant, of which it is a sign, the memorial of our redemption, that shall remain forever in the sight of God the Father, and be visible in the flesh of his Son, in the charactars of the wounds of his hands, of his feet, and of his side, by which he procured our most happy and endless peace; peace with God the Father, yea with the blessed Trinity, peace with the blessed and glorious Angels, blessed and happy peace one Christian with another. And last of all, but not least of all, peace of conscience, which passeth all understanding. Which happy and endless peace with God the Father, with the blessed Trinity, the glorious Angels, the blessed Saints, and our own consciences, with everlasting blessedness forever, God of thy endless mercy, and most infinite grace grant unto us, to thy whole Church, to everyone of thy faithful servants, for the unspeakable love, and inestimable merits of thy dear Son, our blessed Savior: To whom with thee and the holy and most blessed Spirit, one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity, be ascribed all honor, glory, and power, all might, majesty, and dominion, this day, and for evermore. Amen.