A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture, Collection of sermons 1 · Sermon 13

A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture · Collection of sermons 1 · Sermon 13

p. 162THE TREE OF LIFE SPRINGING OUT OF THE GRAVE: OR Primitiae Sepulchri. A Spitall Sermon preached on Munday in Eaſter weeke, April 22. THE THIRTEENTH SERMON.

1 COR. 15.20.

But now Chriſt is riſen from the dead, and become the firſt fruits of them that ſlept.

Right Honourable, &c.

Plin. in panegyr. Aegyptus gloriata eſt ſe nihil imbribus coeloque debere. Siquidem proprio ſemper amne perfuſa, tantis ſegetibus induebatur, ut cum feraciſsimis terris quaſi nunquam ceſſura certaret.PLiny the younger writeth of Egypt, that ſhe was wont to boaſt how ſhee owed nothing to the clouds, or any forreine ſtreames for her fertility, being abundantly watered by the ſole inundation of her owne river Nylus. A like or greater priviledge (it muſt bee confeſſed) this renowned City hath for a long time enjoyed, in that ſhe hath not beene indebted to any wandering clouds; nor needeth ſhee to fetch the water of life from any forreine river, or neighbour ſpring, being richly ſtored by the overflowing induſtry and learning of her moſt able and painefull Preachers within her ſelfe; filling not onelyonly the leſſer ciſternes of private congregations, but the greater alſo of theſe moſt celebrious and ſolemne aſſemblies. And for mine owne part, ſo let the life blaſts of the ſpirit refreſh me in the ſweat of my holy labours, and the dew of heavenly p. 163benediction fall upon your religious eares, as I never ſought this place, nor am come hither to make oſtentation of any ſo much as conceived gifts in mee, nor to broach any new opinions of mine, or any other, nor to ſet before you any forbidden fruit though never ſo ſweet, and to a well conditioned ſtomacke wholeſome; nor to ſmooth or levell the uneven wayes of any, who plow in the Lords field with an oxe and an aſſe, much leſſe to gaine vulgar applauſe, or ſpring an hidden veyne of unknowne contribution, by traducing the publicke proceedings in the State or Church; but onelyonly in obedience to the call of lawfull authority, to build you in your moſt holy faith, and elevate your devotion to the due celebration of this high feaſt of our Lords reſurrection; and by crying as loud as I am able to awake thoſe that ſleepe in ſinfull ſecurity, that they may ſtand up from the dead, and Chriſt may give them and us all light of knowledge, joy, and comfort. Which that I may bee enabled to performe, I humbly entreat the concurrence of your patience, with your prayers to God for his aſſiſtance in opening the ſcripture now read in your eares.

But now Chriſt is riſen, &c. This is no ſterill or barren text, you heare of fruits in it; and although the harveſt thereof hath beene reaped by many Labourers before mee, yet there remaine good gleanings for mee alſo, and thoſe that ſhall leaze after me, even till the Angels ſhall thruſt their ſickle into the large field of the ripe world, and reape the reapers themſelves. The fruit is of two ſorts:

1 Chriſts prerogative.

2 The deceaſed Saints priviledge, who in their degree participate with him.

Hee is above them, yet with them; hee is the firſt-fruits, and they are the reſt of the heape: andaaRom. 11.16.Rom 11:16 if the firſt fruits bee holy, the whole heape is holy. The ground which beareth this fruit,Occaſio & ſcopus. is the doctrine of the reſurrection from the dead, which the Apoſtle like a provident husbandman firſt fenceth and maketh ſure, and after breaketh and layeth it downe. Hee fenceth it from the beginning of this chapter to the 35. verſe, by invincible arguments confirming the truth of the reſurrection: afterwards, to the end of the chapter he layeth it downe, by apt and lively ſimilitudes declaring the manner thereof.

And this hee doth with much vehemency and contention of arguments, his zeale being kindled through blaſts of contradiction by ſome in the Church of Corinth, who directly denyed the former, verſe 12. and obliquely carped at the latter, verſe 35. Neither did theſe alone at Corinth (as much as in them lay) ſubvert this maine article of our faith,bb2 Tim. 2.18.2 Tim 2:18 but Hymeneus and Philetus, with others at Epheſus perverted the ſenſe of it, ſaying that the reſurrection was paſt already.

Obſer. 1 Whence I firſt obſerve againſt Bellarmine, Parſons, and other Papiſts, that the Divell tyed not himſelfe (as they have ſurmized) to any rule of method,ex occaſ. in laying his batteries againſt the articles of the Creed in order. For the reſurrection of the fleſh is the laſt article ſave one, yet hereticall impiety (as you have heard) firſt ventured on it. Howbeit the Cardinal, that he might p. 164more conveniently tye all whom hee ſuppoſeth Heretickes in one chaine, and thruſt us into the loweſt place,ccBellar. orat. habit in Gymnaſ. Ro… anno 1576. H…manigeneris oſtis, e…itotus alioqui perverſus & ordinis perturbator eſſe ſoleat, tamen non ſine aliquo ordine catholicae eccleſiae veritatem oppugnate vol…t, &c. beareth his Reader in hand, that the enemy of mankinde, albeit in other things hee bee a diſturber of order, yet in impeaching the Apoſtles creed hath kept a kind of order. 1 For within 200. yeeres after Chriſt hee aſſaulted the firſt article, concerning God the Father almighty maker of heaven and earth, by the Simonians, Menandrians, Baſilidians, Valentinians, Marcionites, Manichees, and ſeverall kinde of Gnoſtickes.

2 After 200. yeeres hee ſet upon the ſecond article, concerning the divine nature of Chriſt by the Praxeans, Noetians, Sabellians, and Samoſetanians.

3 In the next age he oppoſed the divine perſon of our Saviour, by the Photineans, Arrians, and Eunomians.

4 From 400. to 800. he impugned the third, fourth, fifth, ſixth, and ſeventh, concerning the incarnation, paſſion, reſurrection, aſcenſion of our Lord, and his comming to judgement, by the Neſtorians, Theodorians, Eutychians, Acephali, Sergians, and Paulians.

5 From the yeere 800. to 1000. hee bid battell to the eighth article, concerning the holy Ghoſt, by the ſchiſme and hereſie of the Graecians.

6 Laſtly, from the 1000. yeere to this preſent age hee hath oppugned the ninth and tenth articles, concerning the catholicke Church and remiſsion of ſinnes, by the Berengarians, Petrobruſians, Waldenſes, Albigenſes, Wicklefiſts, Huſsites, Lutherans, Zuinglians, Confeſsioniſts, Hugonites, and Anabaptiſts.

Refut.Were theſe calculations exact, and obſervations true, the Cardinall deſerved to bee made Maſter of ceremonies amongſt heretickes, for ſo well ranking them. But upon examination of particulars it will appeare, that his skill in hiſtory is no better than his divinity. To begin where hee endeth. Firſt, hee moſt falſly and wrongfully chargeth the worthy ſtandard-bearers of the reformed religion before Luther, with the impeaching the ninth and tenth articles of the creede. They impeach neither of them, nor any other; nay, they will ſooner part with the beſt limbe of their body, than any article of their creede: whereas on the contrary ſide, the Romaniſts, as they impeach the article of Chriſts incarnation of the Virgin Mary, by teaching that his fleſh is made daily by the Prieſts in the Maſſe; not of her blood, but of bread; and of his aſcenſion, and ſitting at the right hand of the Father, till hee come to judge the quicke and the dead, by teaching that his body is at once in a Million of places on earth, even whereſoever Maſſes are ſaid: ſo they moſt manifeſtly overthrow the articles he inſtanceth in, viz.

1 The ninth & tenth. The ninth by turning foreign into foreign, univerſall into particular, and empaling the whole Church within the juriſdiction of Rome, as the Donatiſts did of old within the Provinces of Africa. The tenth by branding them with the markes of heretickes who believe the remiſſion of their owne ſinnes by ſpeciall faith.

2 As the Cardinall is foulely miſtaken in the point of divinity, ſo alſo in the matter of hiſtory both of former ages, and this preſent wherein wee live. For who knoweth not that other articles beſides the ninth and tenth, p. 165are at this day oppugned by the Servetians, Antitrinitarians, Soſinians, Vorſtians, Anabaptiſts, Libertines, and Familiſts, whoſe hereſies ſtrike at the ſoveraigne attributes of God, the Trinity of perſons, deity of Chriſt, his incarnation, ſatisfaction, ſecond comming, and life everlaſting?

3 Neither were theſe two articles (inſtanced in) firſt impugned in our age, or ſince the 1000. yeere, as hee accounteth; but long before in the third and fourth ages, by the Novatians, Donatiſts, Luciferians, Meletians, and Pelagians.

4 Neither was Sathan ſo long in ſetting heretickes on worke to undermine all the articles of the creede. If you peruſe the bedroll of hereſies in Irenaeus, Epiphanius, Philaſtrius, and Auguſtine, you ſhall finde that within the ſpace of 400. yeeres the Divell ſo beſtirred himſelfe, that hee left no article of the Apoſtles creede untouched by them.

5 And laſtly, neither had the enemy of mankinde any care at all of order in employing heretickes to overthrow our chriſtian beliefe, more than an enraged enemy, all ſet upon ſpoile in demoliſhing an houſe, thinketh of pulling downe every ſtone in order; for to what end ſerveth order when nothing but preſent confuſion is ſought? Therefore againſt the rule of method ſet downe by Bellarmine, Sathan in the ſecond age called in queſtion the laſt article of the creed, by Papius, and the Millenaries. In the third age hee called in queſtion the eighth article concerning the holy Ghoſt, by the Macedonians and Pneumatomachi. In the firſt age hee called in queſtion the ſecond article concerning the divinity of Chriſt, by the Ebionites and Cerinthians: as alſo the eleventh by the Epheſians, and thoſe Corinthians whom the Apoſtle taketh to taske in this chapter, and confuteth in my text.

Obſer. 2 My ſecond obſervation from the occaſion, is, that ſome hereſies, as namely this of the Corinthians concerning the reſurrection, againſt which the Apoſtle bendeth all his forces, have beene very auncient, and ſome heretickes contemporaries to the Apoſtles. As God is ſtiled foreign ddDan. 7.13.Dan 7:13(that is, Auncient of dayes, or rather Auncient to dayes, as God ſpeaketh of himſelfe,eeEſa. 43.13.Isa 43:13 Before the day was I am:) ſo the Divell is called foreign, the old Serpent; whoſe ſpawne are all hereſies, as well old as new. No truth at the firſt delivery thereof could bee auncient, nor can any errour after it hath long paſſed from hand to hand, bee new. Time is without the eſſence of thoſe things that are meaſured by it; and conſequently cannot make that which is in it ſelfe evill, good; nor that which is good, evill. Antiquity can no more preſcribe for falſhood, than novelty prejudice the truth. Bare antiquity therefore is but a weake plea in matter of religion (ffTertul. de Vol. Virg. quodcunque contra veritatem ſapit haereſis eſt, etiam vetus conſuetudo) whatſoever ſavoureth not of truth, or is againſt it, is hereſie, yea although it be ancient, and plead cuſtome. 1 It was the Samaritans plea againſt the Jewes,ggJoh. 4.20.22.John 4:20John 4:22 Our Father worſhipped in this mount, &c. But it was rejected by our Saviour, ſaying, you worſhip you know not what.

2 It was the plea of the hereticks called Aquarii againſt the Catholicks, but diſproved by SainthhEp. 74. Conſuetudo ſine veritate eſt vetuſtas …rroris. Cyprian, ſaying, Cuſtome without truth is no better than inveterate errour.

3 It was the plea of Guitmundus againſt the practice of the Romane p. 166Church in Gregory the great his dayes, but diſparaged by him, ſaying, cuſtome ought to give place to truth and right: iiGrat. diſt. 8.for Chriſt ſaid not, Ego ſum conſuetudo, I am cuſtome or preſcription, but, Ego ſum veritas, I am truth.

Nay, it was the very plea of the Paynims againſt the Chriſtians, and long agoe diſabled by the ancient Fathers, Saint Ignatius, Arnobius, Ambroſe, and Auguſtine. Ignatius thus puts it by, Some ſay they will not believe the truth of the Goſpell, if wee produce not ancient records for it; to whom my anſwer is, kkIgnat. epiſt ad Philad. foreign.Chriſt is my antiquity, his words are to mee in ſtead, or as good as all ancient records. llArnob. l. 2. cont. gent. Quod verum eſt ſe…um non eſt, &c.Arnobius gravely determines the point, the authority, ſaith he, of Religion is to be weighed, not by time, but by the divine author thereof; that which is true is not to be traduced as late or too new. SaintmmAmb. l. 3. ep. 30 Reprobatis meſſem quia ſera eſt foecunditas, &c. Ambroſe ſeconds Arnobius, ſaying to the heathen, doe you finde fault with our Chriſtian religion, becauſe it is later than your heatheniſh ſuperſtition? you may by the ſame reaſon picke a quarrell with harveſt, becauſe it comes not till the end of ſummer, and with the vintage becauſe it falls late in the yeere, and with the olive becauſe hee beareth fruit after other trees. Laſtly, SaintnnQuaeſt. vet. & novi Teſt. Quaſi antiquitas praejudicet veritati, hic eſt mos diabolicus ut per antiquitatis traducem commendetur fallacia. Auſtine returnes them a ſmart anſwer for this abſurd plea, They ſay that that religion which is elder cannot bee falſe, as if antiquity or cuſtome could doe the truth any prejudice at all; 'tis a divelliſh cuſtome to vent falſhood under the title of antiquity. Whereunto may be added, that in propriety of ſpeech that is not antiquity which is ſo eſteemed: the age wherein wee live is indeed the eldeſt, becauſe neareſt to the end of the world; and thoſe times which wee reverence as elder, are by ſo much the younger by how much they were neerer to the beginning of the world, and the birth of time it ſelfe. The Catholike Chriſtian Church was never ſo ancient as now ſhee is. For ſhe was made ſo at Chriſts death, cum è terra ſublatus fuero, omnes ad me traham: like Eve ſhee was formed out of the ſecond Adams ſide, whence iſſued the two Chriſtian Sacraments, the water of baptiſme, and the blood of the holy Euchariſt. At the firſt ſhe was fed with the ſincere milke of the word in the Apoſtles time, came to her perfect growth, ſtrength, and full dimenſions in the Fathers dayes, when ſhee valiantly encountred all perſecutors abroad, and heretickes at home. After 600. yeeres ſhe began apparently to breake, and in every latter age decayed more and more, and now in moſt parts of the Chriſtian world (except onelyonly where by reformation her age is renewed) ſhee is become decrepit, dimme in the ſight of heavenly things, deafe in the hearing Gods word, ſtiffe in the knees of true devotion, disfigured in the face of order, weake in the ſinewes of faith, cold in the heart of love, and ſtouping (after the manner of bowed old age) to graven Images. Wherefore it may bee doubted that Cardinal Bellarmine was foreign, participated ſomewhat of the infirmities of old age in his bookes of the notes of the Church, where hee would haveooBell. de not. Eccleſ. l. 4 c. 5. Secunda nota eſt antiquitas.Sir 50:4 antiquity to be a proper marke of the true Church. He might as well have aſſigned old age to bee the proper note of a man, which neither agreeth to all men, nor to man alone, nor to any man at all times: no more doth antiquity to the Church. What neede I adde any more, ſith the truth himſelfe hath daſhed through this marke againe and againe? Matth. 5.21.27.31.33.38.43. teaching us that the eſſayes of the auncients are not the touch-ſtone of truth, but his foreign, I ſay, you have heard that it was ſaid by them of p. 167old time, &c. But I ſay unto you, &c.

Yea, but ſay our adverſaries of Rome, Chriſt himſelfe elſewhere argueth from antiquity: both affirmatively,ooMat. 19.4.Matt 19:4 He which made them at the beginning, made them male and female; and negatively,ppver. 8. From the beginning it was not ſo. And Saint John alſo,qq1 Joh. 2.7.1 John 2:7 This is the meſſage which ye heard from the beginning. AndrrTertul. contra Prax. Id vertum quod prius, id adulterinum quod poſterius. Tertullian, That is true which is firſt, that is counterfeit which is latter. And SaintſſEpiſt. ad Pomp. Nonne ad fontem recurritur? &c. Cyprian, ſaying, If the pipe which before yeelded water abundantly faile ſuddenly, doe we not runne to the ſpring? And the councell of Calcedon crying with one voice, foreign, let the auncient rites and cuſtomes prevaile: and before them the Prophet Jeremy, ttJer. 6.16.Jer 6:16aske for the old paths, and walke therein.

All which allegations make ſtrongly for the prime and originall antiquity, not for any of later ſtanding. The old pathes which the Prophet Jeremy ſpeaketh of, are the pathes of Gods commandements laid downe by Moſes and the Prophets; there wee are to aske where is the good way, and to walke in it, not becauſe it is the old way, but becauſe it is the good way. For there are old wayes which are not good wayes, which God forbids us to walke in:**Ezek. 20.18.Ezek 20:18 Walke not in the ſtatutes of your Fathers, nor obſerve their judgements; AnduuPſal. 49.19.Ps 49:19 David forewarnes us of, He ſhall follow the generation of his Fathers, and ſhall never ſee light. A fit poeſie to be written upon the doore of every obſtinate recuſant among us. The councell of Calcedon cryeth up ancient cuſtomes and ordinances, and ſo doe wee, ſuch as are deſcended from the Apoſtles, or at leaſt are not repugnant to their doctrine, and practice.

Saint Cyprians advice is good, If water faile in the pipe or conduit, or runne muddily, to have recourſe to the ſpring; but what ſpring doth he there point unto? fontem dominicae traditionis, the fountaine of the Lords tradition, that is, the ſcriptures. Tertullians obſervation is true, 'Tis good coyne that's firſt ſtampt, and afterward that which is counterfeited: the husbandman firſt ſowed good ſeed, and then the envious man ſowed tares. Let the Romaniſts prove their Trent doctrine to be Dominica, and to have in it the Kings ſtampe, wee will admit it for currant. After Chriſt and his Apoſtles had ſowne the good ſeede, which wee yet retaine pure in our reformed Churches, they by their additions have ſowne upon it tares. Saint John draweth an argument from the beginning of the preaching of the Goſpell; and Chriſt from the beginning, that is, the firſt promulgation of the law in Paradiſe. Let the Romaniſts fetch an argument from antiquity ſo high, and we will ſoone joine iſſue with them.

And to this antiquity we might ſtrictly tye our adverſaries, as Saint Cyprian doth his oppoſites.uuCyp. ep. 3. Non debemus attendere quid aliquis ante nos faciendum putaverit, ſed quid qui ante omnes eſt Chriſtus. Wee muſt not reſpect, ſaith hee, what any hath done before us (in the matter about which wee contend) but what Chriſt did which was before all. When they pleaded ancient tradition, hee demandsxxEpiſt. ad Pomp. Unde eſt iſta traditio? utrumne de dominicâ & evangelicâ autoritate deſcendens? &c. ſi in evangelio praecipitur, aut in apoſtolorum epiſtolis, aut actibus continetur, obſervetur haec ſancta traditio. whence is that tradition? is it derived from the Goſpel, or Acts of the Apoſtles, or their Epiſtles? then let ſuch a holy tradition bee religiouſly kept. And Saint Auguſtine **Aug. contra lit. Petil. l. 3. c. 6.ſtandeth at this ward againſt the Donatiſts: whether concerning Chriſt, or concerning his Church, or concerning any thing that pertaineth to our faith and life, wee will not ſay, if we, but as he going forward addeth, if an Angel from heaven ſhall preach unto you but what you have received p. 168in the Scriptures of the Law and Goſpell, let him bee accurſed. Yet wee give them a larger ſcope, even till the beginning of the ſeventh age, wherein Mahumetaniſme began to ſpread in the Eaſt, and Antichriſtianiſme in the Weſt. For the firſt ſixe hundred yeeres they cannot finde any Kingdome, Commonwealth, Country, Province, City, Village, or Hamlet under the cope of heaven profeſſing their preſent Trent Faith. Wherefore as Phaſis, while hee was highly extolling the Emperours proclamation for placing men of quality in the Theater according to their ranke, was by that very edict thruſt out of the place hee had got there by Lectius the Marſhall:

xxMart. epig. l. 5.Edictum domini dei que noſtri

Quo ſubſellia certiora fiunt

Et puros eques ordines recepit

Dum laudat modo Phaſis in theatro,

Phaſis purpureis ruber lacernis, &c.

Illas purpureas & arrogantes

Juſsit ſurgere Lectius lacernas.

So if the plea of antiquity ſhould ſimply bee admitted in point of faith, our adverſaries undoubtedly would bee caſt by it. For although they father baſtard-treatiſes upon ancient writers, and by an unnaturall and prodigious generation beget Fathers at their pleaſure: yet they are not able to produce any Record, expreſſe and direct teſtimony, canon of Councell, or Eccleſiaſticall conſtitution,

1 For their burning lights in the Church at noone day, before the decree of PopeyyPlatin. in Sabin. Sabinianus in the yeere of our Lord 605.

2 Nor for RomezzIdem in Bonifac. 3. to be the head of all Churches before Pope Boniface the third in the yeere 606.

3 Nor for the invocation of Saints in their publike liturgy, before**Andr. ab. ofic. at. 7. Boniface the fift in the yeere 618.

4 Nor for their Latine ſervice thruſt upon all Churches, before PopeaaOſterb. ael. 7. & Wolf. ad an. 666. Vitalian in the yeerebbApoc. 13.17.Rev 13:17 666. which is the very number of the name of the beaſt.

5 Nor for the cutting of the HoſteccOſterb. ib. into three parts, and offering one part for the ſoules in Purgatory before Pope Sergius in the yeere 688.

6 Nor for ſetting up images in Churches generally, and worſhipping them, before Pope Adrian the firſt, and the ſecondddVid. Act. Concil 7. Councell of Nice, in the yeere 787.

7 Nor foreeBell. de ſanct. beat. l. 1 c. 8. canonization of Saints departed, before Leo the third, about the yeere 800.

8 Nor for theffGrat. de conſecr. diſt. 2. orall manducation of Chriſts body in the Sacrament, before Pope Nicolas the ſecond in the yeere 1053.

9 Nor for the entire number ofggCaſi conſult. & Bell. l. 2. de eſ. ſ. ſacr. c 9 24. Lombard & omnes inde Theologiſeptem ſacramenta… adderunt. ſeven ſacraments, before Peter Lombard in the yeere 1140.

10 Nor for Indulgences before Eugenius the third in the yeere 1145.

11 Nor forhhAct. Concil. l…er. tranſubſtantiation of the bread into Chriſts body before the fourth Councell of Lateran in the yeere 1215.

p. 16912 Nor for the elevation of the Hoſte that the people mightiiAndr. ab Oſterb aetat. 13. adore it, before Honorius the third, in the yeere 1216.

13 Nor for anykkBell in Chron. p. 109. Jubile before Pope Boniface the eighth, in the yeere 1300.

14 Nor for the carrying the Sacrament in proceſſion under a canopy, before PopellBell. de cult. ſanct. l. 3. c. 15. Urban the fift, in the yeere 1262.

15 Nor for the dry and halfemmConcil. Conſtan ſeſs. 13. Communion before the Councell at Conſtance, in the yeere 1416.

16 Nor for the ſuſpending thennAct. Concil. Florent. efficacy of Sacramentall conſecration upon the Prieſts intention, before the Councell at Florence, in the yeere 1439.

17 Nor for the PopesooAct. Concil. Later. ſuperiority to generall Councels, before the ſixth Councell at Lateran under Leo the tenth, in the yeere 1517.

18 Nor for the Vulgar LatineppConcil. Trid. ſeſs. 4. tranſlation to bee held for authenticall, and upon no pretended cauſe whatſoever to bee rejected, before the fourth Seſſion of the Councell at Trent, in the yeere 1546.

19 Nor for the ſecond booke of the Machabees, and the apocryphal additions to Heſter and Daniel, with the hiſtory of Bel and the Dragon, which Saint Jerome termeth a fable, to bee received for Canonicall Scripture, before the ſaid Seſſion, in the yeere above named.

20 Nor for the twelve new articles which Pope Pius the fourth injoyned all profeſſors to ſweare unto, before the end of the Conventicle held at Trent, in the yeere 1564.

Thus by occaſion of the occaſion of my text, the old hereſie ſprang up in Corinth, againſt the eleventh article of our creede, I have caſt a bone or two to thoſe of the Synagogue of Rome to gnaw upon, who uſually creepe into theſe great aſſemblies to catch at our doctrine, and ſnarle at Gods Miniſter: and now I wholly addreſſe my ſelfe to give the children of the Church their bread, made of the firſt fruits in my text.

But now. The verſe immedately going before is to this in hand as a darke foyle to a bright & precious ſtone, and thus it ſetteth it off. If in this life only we have hope in Chriſt, then we Apoſtles, the chiefe labourers in the Lords harveſt, are but as weeds, nay, no better than the world eſteemes us, that is, very dung, and the off-ſcowring of all things. But now through hope in Chriſts reſurrection, & by vertue thereof we are as fruits, yea holy fruits ſanctified in the firſt fruits, which is Chriſt. If there be no reſurrection from the dead, all our hope is dead and withered at the root, all our preaching falſe, your faith vaine, your juſtification void, the dead in Chriſt utterly loſt.

But now that Chriſt is riſen from the dead, and ſo riſen, that hee is become the firſt fruits of all that ſleepe in him, our hope is revived, our preaching juſtified, your faith confirmed, your remiſſion ratified, the dead but onelyonly fallen aſleepe, and our condition moſt deſirable. For the greater perſecution we ſuffer for Chriſts ſake, the greater reward wee ſhall receive from him; the heavier our croſſe is on earth, the weightier ſhall our crowne bee in heaven.

p. 170But the foreign, or (but) is remarkable; for it turneth the ſtreame of the Apoſtles diſcourſe towards Paradiſe, which before, like Jordan, was running apace into mare mortuum. If no reſurrection, wee of all men moſt miſerable, But becauſe there is a reſurrection, wee moſt happy. The skie is darkeſt immediately before the breake of day; ſuch was the face of the Church before the riſing of the ſunne of righteouſneſſe. All the ſtarres ſave one were overcaſt, or rather darkened: InqqAl…art 3. q. ult. …. Turr…. l. 1. de eccleſ…. memory whereof the Church of Rome on Eaſter Eeve puts out all the lights ſave one, to ſignifie that faith then remained onelyonly in the bleſſed virgin; in all other, as well Apoſtles as Diſciples, it was eclipſed for the time. The life of their hope dyed with their Maſter, and all the hope of their life was buried in his grave. Which when they ſaw guarded, and a great ſtone rowled to the mouth of it, their hearts were as cold as a ſtone. But in the proper ſeaſon of this now in my text, the Angel removed that ſtone from the ſepulchre (and this from their heart) and ſitting upon that, made it (as Chryſologus ſpeaketh) a chaire of celeſtiall doctrine, and out of it preached the firſt part of my text, Chriſt is riſen from the dead, upon which the Apoſtle paraphraſing, ſaith, is become the firſt fruits of them that ſlept: Chriſt is riſen from the dead, there is the letter of our Creed, and is become the firſt fruits of them that ſlept, there is, as it were, the flouriſhing about it, or if muſicall termes ſound ſweeter in your eares, here is

1 Planus cantus, or the ground, Chriſt.

2 Diſcantus, or the diviſion, is become the firſt fruits of them that ſlept.

The notes in the deſcant muſt anſwer thoſe in the planus cantus, ſo they doe here:

The firſt fruits to Chriſt:

Is become to is riſen:

Them that ſlept to the dead.

The ditty hath three parts or ſentences:

1 The doctrine of reſurrection is certaine, for Chriſt is riſen.

2 The prerogative of Chriſt is ſingular, is become the firſt fruits.

3 The condition of the dead is happy, they are them that ſlept, and reſt now from their labours.

Now ſeemeth here to have more of the Conjunction than of the Adverbe, and to bee rather a particle of connexion, than a note of time. For Chriſt was not newly riſen when Saint Paul wrote this Epiſtle, but many yeeres before. The proper and preciſe (Now) of Chriſts reſurrection, when hee might have beene ſaid to bee now or new riſen, was the third day after his paſſion, being the firſt day of the weeke. Whence I obſerve the agreement of the time with the truth, not in ſubſtance onelyonly, but in circumſtance alſo. The types were the Paſchall Lambe, and the firſt fruits. Now as Chriſt our paſſover was ſlayne the very day in which the Paſchall Lambe was to bee killed, ſo hee being alſo the firſt fruits (ver. 23.) roſe againe the very day in which the firſt fruits were by the law to bee offered. p. 171SaintrrBern ſerm. in domin. Paſch. Bernard a little varieth the note, yet maketh good harmony. On the ſixth day on which hee made man hee redeemed him; the next day, being the Jewiſh ſabbath, hee kept his ſabbath reſt in the grave; the third day, which was the firſt of the weeke-dayes, he appeared, The firſt fruits of them that ſlept. Of which day I neede ſay no more to kindle your devotions, and ſtirre up your religious affections, thanſſSerm. de reſur. Maximus Taurinenſis hath long ago in his meditations piouſly ejaculated. A bleſſed day, firſt diſcovering unto us the light, not of this world but of the world to come; farre happier than that day in which man firſt ſaw the light of the ſunne. For on that day man was made to travell, on this day to reſt; on that day hee was ſentenced to death, on this day freed from feare of death; on that day the ſunne aroſe upon the juſt and unjuſt, this day the ſunne of righteouſneſſe roſe onelyonly upon the juſt; (illius diei ſplendor etiam ſepulchra illuminat) that day ſhined only upon the living, this alſo upon the dead, as it is written, Awake thou that ſleepeſt, and ſtand up from the dead, and Chriſt ſhall give thee light.

Chriſt, uul. 4. divin. inſtit.Lactantius interpreteth the King, Unctus nomen eſt imperii, anointed is the name of ſoveraigne majeſty. Saint**Tract. 2. in Johan. Chriſtus ſacramenti nomen eſt, quomodo ſi dicatur ſacerdos. Auſtine expoundeth it a Prieſt, others a Prophet; for Prophets were alſo anointed. Saint Bernard alluding to this name, maketh Chriſt a tender Chirurgian, curing our wounds, non uſtione ſed unctione, not by lancing or ſearing, but by anointing and plaſtering. The Heathen in Tertullians time expounded it,xxTertul in apologet. bonum & benignum, good and bountifull, & ne ſic quidem malè, and not amiſſe, ſaith hee, if wee regard the ſenſe and application of that attribute to our Saviour. For foreign is indeed foreign kinde, and gracious, and profitable to man, becauſeyyPhil. 1.21.Phil 1:21 in life and death advantage: but amiſſe if wee reſpect the derivation. For Chriſt is derived from foreign ungo, and anſwereth to the Hebrew Meſſias, of foreign, ſignifying to anoint, and peculiarly it deſigneth the Sonne of God and Saviour of the world. For albeit others were anointed beſides Chriſt, and called the Lords anointed, yet Chriſt alone was foreign the Chriſt:

1 foreign. In verity.

2 foreign. After a ſingular manner.

1 In verity or truth: for all Kings & Prieſts that were anointed before him were but types of him, and that in part, how holy ſoever they were; hee is the onelyonly true Chriſt anointed and appointed by God to ſave loſt man.

2 foreign, According to excellency, or after a ſingular manner, he is the Chriſt: 1 Others were anointed by men, he immediatly by God.zzPſal. 45.7.Ps 45:7 God even thy God hath anointed thee. 2 They with a leſſe meaſure of graces, he with a greater, incomparably greater, with oyle of gladneſſe above thy fellowes. 3 They to beare one office, or two at the moſt, he to beare three. Melchiſedech was a King and a Prieſt, but no Prophet: Samuel a Prophet and a Prieſt, but no King: David a King and a Prophet, but no Prieſt: Chriſt was all three, a Prieſtly King, as Melchiſedeck, a Kingly Prophet, as David, and a Propheticall Prieſt, as Samuel. I conceive the Apoſtle here made choice of this name Chriſt above others, becauſe it beſt fitted his purpoſe, and implyed ſome cauſe of his reſurrection. For as anointing or embalming p. 172dead corpſes keeps them from putrefying; ſo Chriſt by the divine unction was preſerved from corrupting in the grave: becauſe there was no corruption in his ſoule, his body could not corrupt, or at leaſt God would not ſuffer it, as the Prophet ſpeaketh,**Pſal. 16.10.Ps 16:10 thou wilt not ſuffer thy holy One to ſee corruption. Now if his body muſt not bee left, nor corrupt in the grave, becauſe it wasaaAct. 2.24.Acts 2:24 impoſsible for him to be held with the ſorrowes of death, he muſt undoubtedly have riſen againe, as it followeth:

Is riſen. In the originall it is foreign rayſed (viz.) by the right hand of his Father; elſewhere foreign hee is riſen of himſelfe: neither is there yet any contradiction. For the Father and the Sonne are one in nature, and conſequently the power of the Father who is God, is the power of the Sonne, who is one God with him. Id reſurgit quod prius cecidit, that is properly ſaid to bee raiſed, or riſe againe, which before fell, and that is the body, which is therefore called in Hebrew foreign from foreign in Greeke foreign, in latine cadaver a cado.

Chriſts reſurrection then, or reſuſcitation from the dead, muſt bee the enliving his dead corps, and lifting it up, and bringing it up out of the darke ſepulchre into the light, which is a kinde of ſecond birth, and not unlike to his firſt. For as that was his proceeding out of the Virgins wombe; ſo this was out of a Virgin tombe; the difference was onelyonly in this, asbbPetrus Chryſolog. ſerm. paſch. de reſur. ſer. 14. Chryſologus acutely hath obſerved, the wombe of the virgin conceived Chriſt quicke, and accordingly brought him forth alive; the wombe of the earth conceived him dead, but brought him forth quicke: uteri nova forma concepit mortuum, parit vivum.

As we may behold the feature of a mans face either in the countenance it ſelfe, or in a glaſſe ſet before it, or in a picture drawne by it: ſo wee may contemplate the reſurrection, either in the prophecies and types of the old law, as in glaſſes, or in the hyſtory of the new, as it were in the face it ſelfe, or in our ſpirituall reſurrection from dead workes, as in the picture. A glaſſe ſheweth the lineaments and proportion of a man, but at a diſtance; ſo wee may ſee Chriſt in the predictions, viſions, and figures of the Old Teſtament, as ſo many glaſſes, but at a diſtance, according to the words of that Seer,ccNum. 24.17.Num 24:17 I ſhall ſee him, but not neare. So Hoſea ſaw him inſulting over death and hell, and menacing them;ddHoſ. 13.14.Hos 13:14 O death I will bee thy death: ſo Eſay ſaw him riſen from the dead, and ſpeaking to him ſayd,eeEſ. 26.19.Isa 26:19 Thy dead ſhall live, with my body ſhall they riſe: awake and ſing ye that ſit in duſt.

So David in the Spirit ſaw the day of the reſurrection, and exceedingly rejoiced at it, ſaying,ffPſal. 16.9.Ps 16:9 my heart was glad, my glory rejoyced, my fleſh alſo ſhall reſt in hope. For thou wilt not leave my ſoule in hell, nor ſuffer thy holy One to ſee corruption. So Adam ſaw him conquering death, and triumphing over him that had the power of death, to wit, the Divell (though more obſcurely, becauſe at the fartheſt diſtance) in the promiſe,ggGen. 3.15.Gen 3:15 it ſhall breake thy head, and thou ſhalt breake his heele, the death and reſurrection of Chriſt are myſtically involved. As the Poets fabled that Achilles after his Mother Thetis held him by the heele, and dipt the reſt of his body into the ſea, could bee hurt in no part but his heele: ſo in a divine ſenſe it may bee ſaid of our Saviour, that hee could be wounded by Sathan no where but in his heele, that is, in the loweſt part of his humane nature, his fleſh. This p. 173the ſerpent ſtung at his death, but in his reſurrection hee bruiſed the head thereof. The Devill, ſaithhhGreg. Nyſſen. de reſurrect. ſer. 1. foreign. Nyſsen, in his ſermon upon the reſurrection, going about to catch, was caught; for catching at the bait of Chriſts fleſh, hee was caught faſt himſelfe, and wounded by the hooke of his divine nature. Beſides theſe predictions and promiſes, wee have in the Old Teſtament the figure of our Lords reſurrection in Adam, a type in the ſcape goat, a ſigne or embleme in Jonas, and a viſion in Ezekiel. The figure may bee thus expounded, As Adam roſe out of his dead ſleepe in which Eve was formed out of his ribbe; ſo Chriſt after his ſlumber of death on the croſſe, in which his ſpouſe the Church was formed out of his ſide (as hath beene ſaid) awoke againe. The type may bee thus exemplified: as the ſcapegoate came neere to death, being within the caſt of a lot to it, and yet avoiding it, was preſented alive to God to make an attonement; ſo Chriſt who ſeemed to have beene conquered by death, and ſwallowed up of the grave, lying there three dayes and three nights, yet eſcaped it, and was preſented on Eaſter day to his Father alive, to make an attonement for all his brethren. To the embleme of Jonas Chriſt himſelfe giveth the word or Motto:iiMat. 12.40.Matt 12:40 As Jonas was three dayes and three nights in the whales belly, ſo ſhall the ſonne of man be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth. After three dayes Jonas came out of the bowels of the whale, Chriſt out of the heart of the earth. The viſion of Ezekiel is ſo cleare, that he that runneth may ſee in it a praeludium of the reſurrection.

kkEzek 37.7, 8, 9, 10.Ezek 37:7Ezek 37:8Ezek 37:9Ezek 37:10The Prophet ſaw in a valley a number of dry bones moving one to the other; and ſuddenly they were tyed with ſinewes, and covered with fleſh, and the winde breathed into them the breath of life, and they ſtood up like an army.

Wee have viewed the reſurrection in the prophecies and figures of the Old Teſtament, as ſo many ſeverall glaſſes: let us now contemplate it in the hiſtory of the New, as it were in the face it ſelfe.

1 Early in the morning, while it was yet darke, the Angel removed the ſtone, that ſo Mary and the Apoſtles might looke into the ſepulchre: and unleſſe the angell of the covenant remove the ſtone from our hearts, wee can never looke into Chriſts ſepulchre with an eye of faith, nor undoubtedly beleeve the reſurrection.

2 Peter and John made haſt to the ſepulchre, but they ſtayed not there; Mary abideth there, ſhee therefore ſeeth a viſion of Angels, the one ſtanding at the head, the other at the feet where Jeſus had lyen: either to ſignifie that the Angels of God attend as well on Chriſts feet, the loweſt members of his myſticall body, as on his head, that is, the chiefeſt in the Church: or that the angels ſmell a ſweet ſavour from our workes of charity, and therefore the one ſate at the head, the other at the feete where Mary had annointed our Lord.

3 A third Angell, whereof mention is made in the Goſpell of SaintllMar. 16.5.Mark 16:5 Marke, ſitting on the right ſide appeared like a young man, to ſignifie that in the reſurrection our age ſhall bee renewed, and our bodies ſhall bee in their full ſtrenghth and vigor: his rayment ſhined like lightning, to repreſent the clarity and ſplendour of our bodies, that after death ſhall be made conformable to Chriſts glorious body.

4 Mary Magdalene hath the honour firſt to ſee our Saviour, and to bee p. 174the firſt Preacher of the reſurrection, to the everlaſting comfort of all true Penitents: and as by the woman death came firſt, ſo the firſt newes of life from death was brought by a woman.

5 Till Chriſt called Mary by name ſhee knew him not, but ſuppoſed him to have beene the Gardiner (who indeed is the Planter of the celeſtiall Paradiſe:) neither can we know Chriſt, till by a ſpeciall and particular vocation hee make himſelfe knowne to us.

6 Chriſt appeared firſt to ſingle witneſſes, as Mary apart, and Peter apart, and James apart; then to double, Cleophas and that other diſciple; afterwards to the eleven Apoſtles; and laſt of all to more than 500. brethren at once. If Maries teſtimony might bee excepted at becauſe ſhee was but a woman, what can they ſay to Saint Peter? what to Saint James, to whom Chriſt vouchſafed to ſhew himſelfe in particular? If they except againſt them as ſingle witneſſes, what will they ſay to Cleophas and Saint Luke, two conteſts of one and the ſelfe ſame apparition? If their paucity be cavelled at, what will they ſay to the eleven Apoſtles? or to more than five hundred brethren that ſaw him all at one time? nay, what to more than five millions of Confeſſors and Martyrs, ſigning the truth of it with their blood, and ſhewing the power of it as well by the wonders which they wrought in his name, as the invincible patience wherewith they endured all ſorts of torments, and death it ſelfe for his name? I might produce the teſtimony of Joſephus the learned Jew, and tell you of Paſchaſinus his holy Well, that fils of his owne accord every Eaſter day; and the annuall riſing of certaine bodies of Martyrs in the ſands of Egypt, and likewiſe of a Phoenix in the dayes of Tyberius, much about the time of our Lords reſurrection, riſing out of her owne aſhes.

mmLactant. in Poem.Ipſa ſibi proles ſuus & pater & ſuus haeres,

Nutrix ipſa ſui, ſemper alumna ſibi

Ipſa quidem, ſed non eadem, quia & ipſa, nec ipſa

Eternam vitam mortis adepta bono.

But becauſe the authours of theſe relations and obſervations are not beyond exception, I will rather conclude this point with an argument of SaintnnDe civit. Dei l. 22. c. 5. Haec duo incredibilia, ſcil. reſurrectionem noſtri corporis, & rem …am incredibilem mundum eſſe crediturum, idem dominus antequam vel unum horū fieret, ambo futura eſſe praedixit, unum duorum incredibilium jam factum videmus, ut quod erat incredibile crede…et mundus, curid quod reliquum eſt deſperatur? Auſtines, to which our owne undoubted experience gives much ſtrength. The ſame Spirit of God, ſaith hee, which foretold the reſurrection of Chriſt, foretold alſo that the doctrine thereof ſhould bee publickly profeſſed and believed in the world; and the one was altogether as unlikely as the other. But the latter wee ſee in all ages ſince Chriſts death, and at this day accompliſhed in the celebration of this feaſt; why then ſhould any man doubt of the former? The Apoſtles ſaw the head living, but not the myſticall body the Catholike Church of all places and ages. We have read in the hiſtories of all ages ſince Chriſt, and at this day ſee the Catholike Church ſpread over the whole face of the earth, which is Chriſts body, how can wee then but believe the head to bee living which conveigheth life to all the members? I have ſet before you the glaſſe of the reſurrection in the figures of predictions of the Old Teſtament, and the face it ſelfe in the hiſtory of the New: may it pleaſe you now to caſt a glance of your eye upon the Image or picture thereof, in our riſing from the death of ſinne to the life p. 175of grace. All Chriſts actions and paſſions, as they are meritorious for us, ſo they are ſome way exemplary unto us: and as none can bee aſſured of the benefit of Chriſts birth unleſſe hee bee borne againe by water and the Spirit, nor of his death unleſſe hee bee dead to ſinne, nor of his buriall unleſſe hee have buried his old Adam; ſo neither of his reſurrection unleſſe hee bee riſen from dead workes, and continually walketh in newneſſe of life. See you how the materiall colours in a glaſſe window, when the ſun-beames paſſe through it, produce the like colours, but leſſe materiall (and therefore called by the Philoſophers intentionales & ſpiritales) on the next wall? no otherwiſe doth the corporall reſurrection of Chriſt produce in all true believers a repreſentation thereof in their ſpirituall, which Saint John callethooApoc. 20.5.Rev 20:5 the firſt reſurrection: Saint Paul, ppHeb. 6.1.Heb 6:1repentance from dead workes. Sinnes, eſpecially heinous and grievous, proceeding from an evill habit, are called dead workes, and ſuch ſinners dead men, becauſe they are deprived of the life of God, have no ſenſe of true Religion, they ſee not Gods workes, they heare not his Word, they ſavour not the things of God, they feele no pricke of conſcience, they breath not out holy prayers to God, nor move towards heaven in their deſires, but lye rotting in their owne filthineſſe and corruption. The cauſes which moved the Jewes ſo much to abhorre dead corpſes, ought to be more prevalent with us carefully to ſhunne and avoid thoſe that are ſpiritually dead in ſinnes and tranſgreſsions: they were foure;

1 Pollution.

2 Horrour.

3 Stench.

4 Haunting with evill ſpirits.

1 Pollution. That which touched a dead corpſe was by the law uncleane; neither can any come nigh theſe men, much leſſe embrace them in their boſome, without morall pollution, and taking infection in their ſoules from them.

2 Horrour. Nothing ſo ghaſtly as the ſight of a dead corpſe, the repreſentation whereof oft-times in the Theater appalleth not onelyonly the ſpectatours but alſo the actours: and yet this ſight is not ſo dreadfull to the carnall man, as the ſight of thoſe that are ſpiritually dead (I ſpeake of foule, notorious, and ſcandalous offenders) to them that feare God. Saint John would not ſtay in the ſame bath with Cerinthus; and certainely 'tis a moſt fearefull thing to bee under the ſame roofe with blaſphemous heretickes, and profane perſons who have no feare of God before their eyes.

3 Stench. The ſmell of a carkaſſe is not ſo offenſive to the noſtrils, as the ſtench of gluttony, drunkenneſſe, and uncleanneſſe, in which wicked men wallow, is loathſome to God and all good men.

4 Haunting with evil ſpirits. We read in ſcriptures that the men that were poſſeſt of the divel cameqqMat. 8.28.Matt 8:28 out of the tombs and graves: and we find by dayly experience the like of theſe, rather carkaſſes than men, that the devill hankereth about them, and entereth into their heart, as he did into Judas, filling them with all wickedneſſe and uncleanneſſe. After they have exhauſted p. 176their bodies with incontinency, their eſtate with riotous living; and have loſt, firſt their conſcience, and after their credit, they fall into the deepeſt melancholy, upon which Sathan works, and puts them into deſperate courſes.rrPſal. 73.19.Ps 73:19 O how ſuddenly doe they conſume, periſh, and come to a fearefull end! Me thinkes I heare ſome ſay, wee heard of places haunted by evill ſpirits in time of popery, are there now any ſuch? not ſuch as then were, ſolitary houſes, ruined pallaces or Churches, in which fearefull noyſes are ſaid to have beene heard, and walking ſpirits to have beene met. For at the thunder of the Goſpell Sathan fell like lightning from heaven, and hath left thoſe his old holds; but places of a contrary condition, ſuch where is the greateſt concourſe of people, I meane profane Theaters, diſorderly Tavernes, Ale-houſes, places of gaming and lewdneſſe, yea priſons alſo which were intended for the reſtraint of wickedneſſe, and puniſhment of vice, are made refuges of Malefactors, and ſchooles of all impiety and wickedneſſe: Quis cuſtodes cuſtodiet ipſos?

As in the hot ſands of Africa, where wilde beaſts of divers ſorts meet to drinke, ſtrange monſters are begotten, which gave occaſion to that proverbe,ſſEraſ. Adag. Semper Africa aliquid apportat novi, &c. ſo in the places of moiſt meetings monſtrous ſinnes are begotten, monſtrous oaths, monſtrous blaſphemies, monſtrous murders, monſtrous uncleanneſſe; here Popery is familiarly broacht, nay Atheiſme freely vented, Gods creatures abuſed, his Sabbath profaned, the actions of the State cenſured, the watchfull Magigiſtrates, and the zealous Miniſters of the Goſpell, and all that make profeſſion of Religion nick-named, jeared, and made a parable of reproach: here prophane Muſicke and impure Songs are played and ſung, even in time of divine Service; here's no difference of dayes holy or common, nay no difference of day or night, I had almoſt ſayd nay nor of Sexes. If the hands of the religious Magiſtrates be not ſtrengthened, and their zeale ſtirred up to take ſome courſe to abate the incredible number, and reforme the unſufferable abuſes of theſe ſinks of all impurity, eſpecially about the skirts and ſuburbs of the city, we have cauſe to feare a worſe fire than that which lately affrighted us, falling in that place where it might bee as a dreadfull beacon to warne both City, Borough, and Suburbs; I meane ſuch a fire as fell upon Sodome and Gomorrha. ttCauſ. in Polyhiſt. ſymb.Polycritus writeth of a Lake of troubled water in Sicily, quam ſi quis ingrediatur in latum extenditur, into which the deeper a man wadeth the larger it doth extend it ſelfe. Such a lake my diſcourſe is fallen into, the water is foule and troubled, and the deeper I ſinke into it, the more it enlargeth it ſelfe: and leſt it ſhould overflow the bankes of the allotted time, I will ſuddenly leape out of it into my ſecond part, which is Chriſts prerogative, whereby he is become the firſt fruits of them that ſlept.

Wee have ſurveyed the ground, let us now take a ſample of the fruits; in the ſpreading whereof abroad I muſt handle two things:

1 The reference.

2 The inference.

p. 1771 The reference is to Leviticus 23.10. When you reape the harveſt, you ſhall bring in a ſheafe of the firſt fruits of the harveſt unto the Prieſt (ver. 7.) and he ſhall wave it. And to Exod. 34.22. You ſhall obſerve the feaſt of weeks, the feaſt of the firſt fruits of wheat harveſt. Now let us ſet the truth to the type. As the firſt fruits were reapt in the harveſt, when the corne was ripe, ſo Chriſt was cut off by death in his ripe age.

2 As the ſheafe that was offered was ſhaken before; ſo there was anuuMat. 28.2.Matt 28:2 earthquake at Chriſts lifting out of the grave.

3 As the ſheafe was offered, the morrow after the Sabbath; ſo Chriſt the firſt day of the week after the Sabbath was preſented alive to his Father at his reſurrection. Laſtly, as there was a diſtance of time between the firſt fruits which were offered on Eaſter day, & thoſe that were offered at the day of Pentecoſt; ſo there is a diſtance of time between Chriſts riſing from the dead, which was 1600. yeers ago, & ours which ſhall be at the laſt day. Thus much for the reference; now to the inference, which is twofold:

1 Chriſts prerogative, in that he is the firſt fruits.

2 The Saints communion with him, in that they are of the heape.

1 Chriſts prerogative,**Joh. 3.31.John 3:31 Hee that is in heaven is above all, for xxMat. 28.18.Matt 28:18to him is given all power in heaven and earth, and yyPhil. 2.9.Phil 2:9a name above all names, zzEph. 1.22.Eph 1:22he is the head of the Church, and aaEph. 5.23.Eph 5:23Saviour of the body, he is the firſt bbHeb. 1 6.Heb 1:6begotten of the Father, ccMat. 1.25.Matt 1:25firſt borne of his Mother, the firſt ddCol. 1.18. Rev. 1.5.Col 1:18Rev 1:5begotten of the dead, eeCol. 1.15.Col 1:15firſt borne of every creature. Therefore as Quiros ſtrongly concludes in every order, both of creation and regeneration, of nature and grace, of things viſible and inviſible, hee hath the preheminence among all: let him have the precedency in our love and affections, let us not ſet any thing above him on earth, who hath the firſt place in heaven. If hee bee the head of men and Angels, let the knees of all in heaven, in earth, & under the earth, bow to him: if hee bee the bright morning ſtarre, let the eye of our faith bee earely upon him: if hee beeffApoc. 22.16.Rev 22:16 Alpha and Omega, the Firſt and the Laſt, let him bee firſt in our thoughts, and laſt in our memory;ggApoc. 1.8.Rev 1:8 let us begin our prayers in his name, and end them in his merits. foreign. Primâ dicta mihi, ſummâ dicende Camenâ.

If he be the firſt fruits, Reſhith bicorre, the firſt fruits of the firſt fruits, let all the ſheaves do homage to him, let us ſanctifie him in our minds, let us offer him the firſt fruits of our hearts, the firſt fruits of our lips, the firſt fruits of our hands, the firſt fruits of the earth, the firſt fruits of our thoughts, the firſt fruits of our deſires, the firſt fruits of our prayers, the firſt fruits of our labours, the firſt fruits of our ſubſtance, ſo will he eſteem ushhJam. 1.18.Jas 1:18 the firſt fruits of his creatures, and we ſhall receive theiiRom. 8.23.Rom 8:23 firſt fruits of the ſpirit here in our regeneration, and the whole harveſt hereafter in our glorification, as our holy brethren that are fallen aſleep, in ſoule have received already; who reſt from their labours, and their workes follow them, and here you may ſee them. I may ſay of them as Iſaac ſaid of Jacob, Gen. 27. The ſmell of my p. 128ſonne is as the ſmell of a field which the Lord hath bleſſed. And behold here as in a corne field, Allude to the Hoſp tall children in blew coates.blew flowers intermingled.

[Here the Preacher read the Catalogue printed, of all the poore relieved in the Hoſpitals of the City, which followeth.]

Children kept and maintained at this preſent at the charges of Chriſts Hoſpitall, in the ſaid houſe, in divers places of this city, and ſuburbs, and with ſundry nurſes in the country, 905

Which is a farre greater number than hath hitherto beene ſince the foundation.

The names of all which are regiſtred in the books kept in Chriſts Hoſpitall, there to bee ſeene from what pariſhes, and by what meanes they have beene from time to time admitted.

Children put forth apprentices, diſcharged, and dead this yeere, 69

There hath beene cured this yeere laſt paſt at the charges of Saint Bartholomews Hoſpitall, of ſouldiers and other diſeaſed people, to the number of 832

All which were relieved with money and other neceſſaries at their departure.

Buried this yeere, after much charges in their ſickneſſe, 121

Remaining under cure at this preſent, at the charge of the ſaid Hoſpitall, 262

There hath beene cured this yeere laſt paſt at the charges of Saint Thomas Hoſpitall, of ſouldiers, and other diſeaſed people, 731

All which were relieved with money and other neceſſaries at their departure.

Buried out of the ſaid Hoſpitall this yeere, 200

Remaining under cure at this preſent, 304

There hath beene brought into the Hoſpitall of Bridewell (for this yeere paſt) of wandring ſouldiers, and vagrant perſons, to the number of 1578

Of which number many have beene chargeable for the time of their being there; which cannot be avoided by reaſon of their miſery, nor paſſed away without charge.

There is maintained and kept in the ſaid Hoſpitall, in arts and occupations, and other workes and labours, Apprentices taken up out of divers pariſhes and ſtreets of this City, to the number of 200

I have made an end of the Catalogue, but you muſt not make an end of your good workes: I have ſet before you a faire copy, you muſt write after it, or elſe this ſchedule will prove a hand-writing againſt you at the day of judgement, who have had not onelyonly many moſt forcible exhortations to good workes in this place, but ſuch noble and royall preſidents as you ſee, and yet have not been bettered by them. You cannot want pitifull objects of mercy: your pious charity hath daily Oratours, the teares of orphans, the ſighes of widowes, the groanes of the ſicke, and the lamentable cryes of priſoners and captives. Neither is it ſufficient for you now and p. 179then to drop upon the dry and thirſty ground, you muſt ſtillare pluviam liberaliſsimam, you muſt powre downe golden ſhowres to refreſh Gods inheritance. To whom much is given, much ſhall bee required of him. In other ſeizements you give as you are in the Kings books; but contrariwiſe, you are in Gods bookes, and hee valueth you as you give to pious and charitable uſes. And let mee intreat you for the love of your Redeemer from everlaſting thraldome, to open your hands towards the redemption of many hundreds of our countrey-men, whoſe bodies are in captivity under Turks and Infidels, their wives and children in miſery at home, and it is to be feared, their ſoules in worſe caſe. Next to the redemption of theſe ſpirituall Temples of the holy Ghoſt, I commend unto you the reparation and beautifying of his materiall Temple: you have moſt decently and beautifully adorned and trimmed the daughters of Zion, the leſſer and later built Churches in this City, let not your piety bee leſſe to the Mother-Church, dedicated to the moſt publike and ſolemne worſhip of God, where you are fed with the fineſt flower of wheat, and drinke of the pureſt juice of the grape, and in the fulleſt manner partake of the communion of Saints; which was the ſecond inference I made from the attribute of Chriſt in my text, whereby hee is ſtiled Primitiae dormientium, The firſt fruits of them that ſlept.

2 The ſecond inference from the attribute here mentioned (the firſt fruits of, &c.) is the communion of the faithfull with Chriſt, both in ſanctification and glorification; for the further manifeſtation whereof it will bee requiſite to ſpecifie whereof Chriſt is the firſt fruits, viz.

1 Coeli, for he is the firſt begotten of his Father.

2 Uteri, for he was the Virgins firſt borne.

3 Sepulchri, for hee is the firſt fruits of them that ſlept.

In all three the faithfull partake with him after a ſort.

1 In that hee is Primitiae coeli, the firſt fruits of heaven. For as hee is the naturall ſonne of God, ſo are wee the adopted ſonnes of God, and by his ſpirit madell2 Pet. 1.4.2 Pet 1:4 partakers of the divine nature: as hee is the firſt borne of heaven,mmHeb. 12.23.Heb 12:23 ſo wee are alſo of the generall aſſembly and Church of the firſt borne which are written in heaven.

2 In that he is Primitiae uteri virginei, the firſt fruits of a virgins womb. For as Chriſt was borne of a virgin Mother, ſo the Chriſtian Church our Mother is continually in child-bearing, and yet remaineth ſtill a virgin.

3 Moſt properly doe wee partake with him in that hee is Primitiae ſepulchri; for hee isnnJoh. 12.24.John 12:24 that corne of wheat Saint John ſpeaketh of, which was ſowne at his death, digged deepe into the earth at his buriall, ſprang up againe at his reſurrection, and now is become the firſt fruits of them that ſlept: in like manner wee are ſowne at our death, digged deep into the earth at our buriall, and ſhall ſpring up againe at the laſt reſurrection, and bee offered asooApoc. 14.4.Rev 14:4 firſt fruits unto God and the Lambe. Where the firſt fruits are taken out, there muſt needs bee a lumpe or heape out of which they are taken.ppCalvin in hunc locum. In primitiis totius anni proventus conſecrabatur, in the firſt fruits the whole crop of the yeere was hallowed; ſo in Chriſt, who is our firſt fruits, all true p. 180believers are ſanctified, as thoſe words of our Saviour in that moſt divine prayer to his Father recorded import,qqJoh. 17.19.John 17:19 for their ſakes I ſanctifie my ſelfe, that they alſo might bee ſanctified through the truth.

If Chriſt ſanctified himſelfe for us, ſhall not wee endeavour as hee enableth us by his grace, to ſanctifie our ſelves alſo for him? If hee impart this his dignity to us, and maketh usrrJam. 1.18.Jas 1:18 the firſt fruits of his creatures, let us dedicate our ſelves unto him: let us bee given to him, asſſ1 Sam. 1.28.1 Sam 1:28 Samuel was, all the dayes of our lives. Hee hath choſen us to bee (marke I beſeech you what) fruits, not bloſſomes, not leaves; fruits I ſay, not ſtalkes, not empty eares, like thoſe who make a bare profeſſion of the truth, and all their religion is in their eares, bearing no fruit at all, or in no degree anſwerable to their holieſt profeſſion. If God hath made us fruits, let us not make our ſelves ranke weeds by hereſie, or filthy dung by a corrupt life. After the firſt fruits are carried away out of the field, the reſt of the ſhockes or ſheafes follow of courſe;ttTheod. in hunc locum. primitias univerſa maſſa ſequitur: Chriſt the firſt fruits is carried away long ſince out of the field of this world, into the celeſtiall barne. A barne farre more ſtately, beautifull, and glorious than any Princes pallace upon earth; and when the harveſt ſhall come, which isuuMat. 13.39.Matt 13:39 the end of the world, wee ſhall bee carried thither alſo every one in his owne order: the firſt fruits is Chriſt, after they that are Chriſts at his comming, ver. 23.

Before I can proceed, according to my deſire and your expectation, to the period of my diſcourſe, and end of all mens courſe, viz. death, called here ſleepe, I muſt remove ſixe rubbes that lye in my way. For wee read of three dead men raiſed in the Old Teſtament, and as many in the New, before Chriſt himſelfe roſe: how then is hee the firſt fruits of them that ſlept?

1 I will offer to your conſideration many ſolutions of this doubt, that you may take your choice. Saint Jerome gives but a touch at it, yet becauſe it is upon the right ſtring 'tis worth your hearing: Chriſtus primus ſurrexit in incorruptione; the reſt before they were raiſed began at leaſt to corrupt; it is ſayd of Lazarus expreſſely, that hexxJoh. 11.39.John 11:39 ſtanke, but God ſuffered not his holy One to ſee corruption: they roſe in their naturall and corruptible bodies, Chriſt in an incorruptible, and as the Apoſtle calleth it, a ſpirituall body, ver 44.

2 That which Cornelius A lapide anſwereth is conſiderable, that though Chriſt were not primus tempore, the firſt that roſe in time, yet that he was primus in intentione Dei, the firſt in Gods intention.

3 Aquinas comes yet nearer the matter, Chriſtus primus ſua virtute reſurrexit, Chriſt was the firſt that roſe himſelfe by his own power; they before Chriſt were rayſed by others. If any thing be yet lacking, S. Bernard and Beza will ſupply it; alii ſuſcitati ſunt mortui, ſed iterum morituri; other dead were raiſed, but dyed againe, like drowned men which riſe up twice or thrice from under water, but ſinke againe to the bottome: Chriſtus ſimul reſurrexit, & aeternam beatam que vitam recepit, Chriſt at once roſe, and obtained an eternall and bleſſed life.yyRom. 6.9.Rom 6:9 Chriſt being riſen from the dead dieth no more, death hath no more power over him.

Whereunto foreign may bee added, that others roſe as private men, p. 181Chriſt as a publike perſon, and the cauſe of all other mens riſing, either univocall, as of all the Elect, who riſe as hee did to happy eternity; or equivocall, as of the reprobates, who are rayſed to eternall miſery. They who roſe before Chriſt were either ſingular types of him, or as common ſheafes of the heape; Chriſt was the firſt that ever roſe in the nature and quality of the firſt fruits, to ſanctifie the whole harveſt of the dead in him, who are here called, Them that ſlept.

zzAriſtot. lib. de mirabil. auſcult.Ariſtotle writeth of certaine ſerpents in Meſopotamia, which doe great miſchiefe to ſtrangers, but do no hurt at all to the inhabitants: ſuch is death, it hath power to ſting thoſe that are ſtrangers and aliens from the commonwealth of Iſrael, it hurteth not at all the naturall Iſraelites, which are fellow-citizens with the Saints of the houſhold of faith. Thoſe which are without God in the world, and without Chriſt, though within the viſible Church, have cauſe to feare death; becauſe, like the Phalangium inaaStrab. l. 2. geog. foreign. Strabo, it ſtings them to death in ſuch ſort, that they dye either laughing or madde; that is, either making a jeſt of judgement, and hell, and the life to come, or diſtracted in ſome fearefull fit of deſparation. And as Diogenes when hee felt himſelfe falling into a ſlumber a little before his death, ſaid pleaſantly,**Eraſ. apoph. Diog. Frater me mox eſt traditurus fratri ſuo; one brother is now delivering mee to the other (hee meant ſleep to death:) ſo it is moſt true of theſe ſcoffers at God and all religion, dying impenitently, that their temporall death delivers them over to eternall death; the elder death to the younger (but longer liver,) the firſt death to thebbUbi mors vivit, & finis incipit. Greg. Morah. in Job. ſecond: but upon thoſe who are in Chriſt, and have part in the firſt reſurrection, the ſecond death hath no power, and in that regard the firſt death is not terrible unto them: nay, ſo farre is it from being terrible, that even lying on their death-beds they inſult both upon death and the grave with holy ſarcaſmes. cc1 Cor. 15.55.1 Cor 15:55O death where is thy ſting? O grave where is thy victory? foreign.

ddGraec. liturg.The immortall entred into a ſingle combate with death on the croſſe, and gave death a death wound, even by his death: and now death is no more death to the godly, but a ſleep;eeMat. 9.24.Matt 9:24 The damoſell is not dead, but aſleepe; our friend Lazarus isffJoh. 11.12.John 11:12 but aſleepe. Stephen though hee came to his end by a violent meanes, yet it is ſaid of him thatggAct. 7.60.Acts 7:60 he fell aſleep. And I would not have you ignorant brethren, ſaith S. Paul, concerning them which are hh1 Theſſ. 4.14.1 Thess 4:14aſleep: and ſo in my text, they who before were called the dead, now after the mention of Chriſts reſurrection, are termed, Them that ſlept.

Which words are not ſo to bee underſtood, as if their ſoules ſlept with their bodies till the day of judgement. That is a drowſie hereſie, out of which Calvin ſhaketh ſome in his time, whom he calleth by the right name**Soule-all-night-ſleepers. Pſychopamychiſtas: but in three other reſpects,

1 Becauſe they reſt from their toyleſome labours, as thoſe that ſleepe wee ſay are at their eaſe.

2 Becauſe they neither minde, nor at all meddle with any affaires of this life either good or bad, as thoſe that are faſt aſleepe, iiHom. Il. 2.foreign, for the time, neither thinke nor often ſo much as dreame of any thing in the world.

3 Becauſe they ſhall certainely be awaked by the ſhrill ſound of the laſt p. 182Trumpet; as thoſe that ſleepe at night are awaked againe in the morning by the Weytes your City muſicke.

Do you believe all theſe things? I know you do. Why do you then take on in ſuch grievous manner when your friends are taken away from you by corporall death? Why doe you make their death-beds ſwimme with your teares? non amiſiſtis, ſed praemiſiſtis; you have not loſt them, but ſent them to bed before you: they are but aſleepe, they ſhall awake againe; they are but as ſeede ſowne in the earth, they ſhall riſe out of it againe.

Bern. in Cant. Occidit me Deus cum ſuccidit Gervaſium meum.I know that where hearts have bin knit together, they cannot be rent aſunder without exceeding great pain and unexpreſſible griefe: neither do I find fault with naturall affection; much leſſe condemne the Chriſtian compaſſion of thoſe whokkRom. 12.15.Rom 12:15 weepe with them that weepe. It is for a Stoicke, or rather a ſtocke, to bee without all ſympathy of others ſorrow, or ſenſe of his owne loſſe:llCic. pro dom. ad Pont. eam animi duritiam ſicut corporis, quod cum uritur non ſentit, ſtuporem potius quam virtutem puto. Our Lord and Maſter reads us another leſſon, who himſelfemmJoh. 11.35.John 11:35 wept for Lazarus: and whoſoever reades (if yet for teares hee be able) Davids lamentation for Jonathan; Saint Ambroſes for Satyrus; Nyſſens for Saint Baſil; Nazianzens for Gorgonia; Auguſtines for Nebridius; and Bernards for Gervaſius, will finde that the heat of love is contrary to all other. For all other dryeth, but this the greater it is in the heart the moiſter the eyes are. Yet love muſt not exceede proportion, nor teares meaſure;nnHieron. in epitaph. Paulae. grandis in ſuos pietas impietas eſt apud Deum. What Seneca ſpeakes of words, may bee a good rule in theſe teares, ſtill are volo non currere; let them drop like precious water out of a Lymbecke, not run like common water out of a ſpout:

ooHorat. carm. l. 2 ed. 20.Abſint inani funere naeniae,

Luctuſ que turpes, & querimoniae:

Compeſce clamorem.

Demang in Hebrew, ſignifying a teare, hath great affinity with Demama, ſignifying ſilence, to teach us that our teares ought to bee ſilent, not querulous or clamorous. Let nature have her courſe, but let religion ſet bounds to it.

ppHorat. l. 2. carm ed. 9.Ne ſemper urge flebilibus modis

Myſten ademptum.

Let us water our plants, but not drown them, as thoſe that mourne without hope. Joſeph loved his Father Jacob better than the Egyptians, yet his teares were but the tithes of theirs; for hee mourned butqqGen. 50.3.Gen 50:3 ſeven dayes, but they ſeventy. Rachel, though otherwiſe a good woman, yet in this was too womaniſh and wayward, that ſhee would not bee comforted; neither is her reaſon good nor true, if wee take it as the words ſound, becauſe they are not; for wee know they are, and living too, all live to God: wee know where they are that dye in the Lord, with Chriſt in Paradiſe; wee know what manner of dwellings they have, tabernacles not made with hands, eternall in the heavens; wee know of what congregation they are, of the congregation of the p. 183firſt borne, and the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect: wee know what they doe, they follow the lambe whereſoever hee goeth; wee know what they ſay alſo, they ceaſe not to cry day and night, Holy, holy, holy, &c. laſtly, wee know what they ſing, Halelujah.

Wherefore as Xenophon when newes was brought him (as he was ſacrificing) of his ſonnes death, put off the crowne hee had on his head, and gave vent to his ſorrowes at his eyes; but after hee underſtood that hee dyed valiantly, and worthy ſuch a Father, put on his crowne againe, and finiſhed his ſacrifice: ſo when newes ſhall bee brought unto us of the death of our deareſt friends, let us firſt put off our crowne of joy, and let nature and love melt us into teares; but when wee heare againe that they dyed penitently and religiouſly, with hope full of immortality: let us put on our crowne againe, and comfort ourſelves, and finiſh our Chriſtian courſe with joy, as thoſe religious people did, of whom Saint Auſtine ſpeaketh, putting himſelfe among them;**Aug. ſer. 35. de diverſ. Contriſtamur in noſtrorum mortibus neceſsitate amittendi, ſed cum ſpe recipiendi, inde angimur, hinc conſolamur, inde infirmitas afficit, hinc fides reficit, inde dolet humana conditio, hinc ſanat divina promiſsio: the conſideration of the loſſe of our friends cutteth us, but the hope of receiving them againe healeth us.

And now at the length to releaſe your long captivated attention, I will ſpeake but one word of admonition to you concerning your owne end, and ſo an end. Is death nothing but a ſleep? why then are you ſo much ſcared at the mention or thought of it? When the Prophets of God, or ſome other your deereſt friends deale faithfully with you, telling you there is no way but one, and adviſing you to ſet your houſe in order, for you muſt dye and cannot live; why doe you fetch many a deep ſigh, turne to the wall and mourne like a dove, or chatter like a crane? why doe you not rather ſtruggle with your owne infirmitie, and with reſolute Hilarion, even chide out your ſoules hankering at the doore of your lips: Egredere, quid times? egredere anima mea, quid dubitas? ſexaginta prope annis ſerviſti Chriſto, & mortem times? Goe out my ſoule, why art thou afraid? goe out, why makeſt thou any difficulty? thou haſt ſerved Chriſt well nigh ſixty yeeres, and doſt thou now feare death? You will hardly finde any little childe, much leſſe man, that is afraid to goe to bed; nay travellers after a tedious journey in bitter weather, are not content to pull off their cloathes, they teare them for haſte to get into their ſoft and warme beds: When our day is ſpent, and wee are come to our journeyes end, why doe we not, as it were, pull off our cloaths, by ſtripping ourſelves of worldly cares and buſineſſes, and ſettle our ſelves to ſleepe in Jeſus, and breathe out our ſoules betweene his armes? Plato when hee died had the booke of Sophronius the Muſitian under his pillow. When we lye on our death bed let us have under our pillow to ſupport us, not the booke of Sophronius the Muſitian, but the bookes of the ſweet ſingers of Iſrael, David and Salomon, and the reſt of the inſpired Writers: ſo ſhall wee be ſure that God will make our beds in our ſickeneſſe, and we ſhall ſweetly fall into our laſt ſleepe, as did the moſt religious Matron Paula, who when ſome about her, as ſhee was now drawing on, read to her the ſecond of Canticles; ſo ſoone as ſhee heard the Bridegroome calling, Surge ſpecioſa mea, ſurge columba mea, veni: Ariſe my Love, ariſe my Dove, ariſe p. 184my Faire one, and come away, the winter is paſt, the raine is over and gone: ſhe anſwered as it there followeth; the flowers appeare in the earth, the time of pruning, or (as it is in our tranſlation) the time of ſinging is at hand. With which word ſhee made an end of her life, and I will of my Sermon; committing you, as ſhee did her ſoule, to God; beſeeching him who hath taught us the doctrine of the reſurrection by his word, to accompliſh it in us by his Spirit, that having part in the grace of the firſt reſurrection here, wee may hereafter participate in the glory of the ſecond through JESUS CHRIST. Cui, &c.