FIVE SERMONS, PREACHED UPON SEVERAL TEXTS:  
By that Learned and Worthy Divine, THOMAS WETHEREL, B. D. Sometimes Fellow of Gonevile and CAIUS College in Cambridge, and Parson of Newton in Suffolk.  
LONDON: Printed by I. B. for SAMVEL MAN, dwelling in Paul's Churchyard at the Sign of the Swan. 1635.   

TO MY WORTHY PATRON, the truly Noble MAURICE BARROWE of Bermingham in Suffolk, Esquire, Grace and Peace.  
Worthy Sir,  
THe Author of this work, in his last Will bequeathed his Papers unto me, (as a Testimony of his love) wherein I much rejoiced, and do glory. You honoured him much in his life, and his remembrance is still precious with you. You were the Patron of his Person and Parsonage, be pleased to be the Patron of this his work, a part whereof was performed at your request. My purpose is not to commend either you or him, lest I should be censured for seeking of myself; yet this I must say of him, believed and died a true son of the true Church; he was neither tore, nor broken blasted ear nor chaff, but good corn; a good Catholic, according to Saint Augustine's exposition and description, 
a Lib 2. ●x Matth.  Boni Catholici sunt qui et fidem integram sequuntur et bonos mores, Sound in the faith, and unblameable in life. In the work of the Ministry he was painful and faithful, to use the words of Erasmus, 
* Ep. piole●eri praes. ep. Aug.  Fraternae salutis quam suae gloriae sitientior, one who sought the heavenly good of the people's souls, more than the earthly goods of the body, not minding his own, but the things which are jesus Christ's; contrary to those whom the Apostle brands. For the 
1 Thes 2. 4 5, 6. Phil. 2. 2●.  Sermons now presented to the view of the Church, I say of them, as Hierom to Augustine, of certain works writ by himself, 
b Inter Aug, epist 1 1 ●  Si cui legere non placet, nemo compellit invitum, If any be pleased not to read them, let them use their liberty, not abuse it. It is the Character of a bragging boy, to seek his own credit by complaining of others. To yourself this impression will be no burden, but a benefit. 
c Aug ep. ad Voluf.  Quod scriptum habetur, semper vacat ad legendum, cum vacat legenti: nec onerosum fit praeseas, quod cum voles sumitur, cum voles ponitur. When you read, then apply; so shall you receive profit in your reading. 
d C. Plin. can. l. 3. ep.  Scio te stimulis non egere: me tamen tui charitas evocat, ut currentem quoque instigem: Go on, make faith flourish by good works, perfect what is wanting: 
e Aug. ad Bonif. ep. 205.  Et ex iis quae habes gratias age Deo tanquam fonti bonitatis unde habes; atque in omnibus bonis actibus tuis illi daclaritatem, tibi humilitatem; The more you glorify God with the talents committed unto you, the more shall you be commended by him, and glorified with him. Unto whose gracious direction in Christ jesus by the Spirit, I recommend yourself, your virtuous wife my good Lady, and her hopeful son, with all that belong unto your family for future good. The Lord freely forgive what is amiss, and richly reward what soever please.  
Your Worps. deservedly at Command, FRA. QVARLES. Newton, April 23, 1635.   

The Texts of the five Sermons.  MATTH. 25. 21. Well done, thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful in few things, I will make thee ruler over many things. NEHEM. 5. 15. But so did not I, because of the fear of God. 〈…〉 If ye 〈…〉 seek the things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above HOSEA 1. 4. I will avenge the blood of jezreet upon the house of jehu. JOHN 4. 20. Our Father: worshipped in this Mountain.  

THE FIRST SERMON, ON MATTH. 25. 21.  MATTH. 25. 21. Well done thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful in few things, I will make thee ruler over many things. 
OF all things which God hath given us we must make an account at the day of judgement, and expect retribution according to our account. Now, D●na Dei, what God giveth us, are either interna, within; or, externae, without us. Those within us are partly gratia gratum faciens such as are for our own good, (to use the distinction of Aquinas) faith, hope, love, joy, and the like, numbered by the Apostle, Gal. 5. 22. partly, gratia gratis data, such as are for the benefit of others; as the gifts of teaching miracles, government and the like, numbered by the Apostle, 1 Cor. 12. 28. Those without us are riches, whose use, like janus, looketh two ways; to ourselves, to refresh us; to our neighbours, to relieve them.  
Our Saviour in this Chapter showeth us both our reckoning and doom, in regard of all these: of inward blessings in two parables, the one of the foolish and wise Virgins; the other of the Talents diversely distributed: of outward blessings in the manifest description of the judgement of the last day.  
My Text lets us see God's approbation of the well employing such inward gifts as men receive to vent for others benefit, which is set out in two things; libera agnitione, a free acknowledgement; and larga promissione, frank promise of greater endowment. The acknowledgement is expressed two ways: 1. By the kind entertainment of the doer, Euge serve, well done thou servant: 2. By commendation of his doing, fidelis fuisti, thou hast been faithful. The promise is of enlarging his. Charter, and extending his command, I will make thee ruler over many things.  
To begin then with the entertainment of the doer, Well done good and faithful servant: In it are two particulars, 1. Laeta exultatio, God's triumph in him, Euge, well: 2. gratiosa compellatio, God's graceful entituling of him, good and faithful servant.  
1. God's triumph, Euge, well; I find this word used three ways: Sometime it is vox adulantis, men flatter with it: When we do any thing that is right, saith Saint Austin, the people are ready to cry Euge, euge, well, well, whereby to make us conceit too well of ourselves, and grow proud. Sometime it is vox irridentis, men scoff with it; Thou saidst against my Sanctuary, when it was profaned, Euge, Ezek. 2●. 3. well, now it is as it should be. Sometime it is vox exultantis, men rejoice with it: let them not say, Euge animae nostrae, Psalm. 35. 25. our soul skips at this, so would we have it. The first way it cannot be taken here; for God, who is most direct in all his dealings, slattereth no man, fawneth upon no man. Much less the second way, for though he mock the scorne●s, yet not those of his own household. But the third way it well befits him, qui delectatur bono, as the Psalmist fing, Psal. 35. 27. who delighteth in the prosperity of his servants, and is merry and glad at their welfare. Luk. 15. 32. Therefore seeing them give up their account with credit, receives it at their hands with joy, Euge, well done.  
This triumph of God's, hath two grounds: 1. The relation wherein he stands to them, and they to him: The father joys at the good of his son; the husband at the good of his wife; one friend at the good of another: So God exults and is much affected when his servants perform such duties as they ought that it may go well with them, because he is theirs in all these relations; their father, their husband, and their friend. 2. His own glory, which by his servants good employment is much advanced. God indeed is in himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, All-sufficient, and from all Eternity, delighted in himself without the access of men or Angels; but when it pleased him to create man, and communicate himself unto him, by giving him talents, he is well pleased with that which his grace hath wrought out of himself with the right ordering and disposing of it, receiving the return of it to him again with a joyful Euge, oh well is it done.  
The duty that I would enforce from hence, is this, that every man in his calling should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as Saint Paul speaks, 2 Tim. 1. 6. quicken the gift that is in him, to stand either Church or Commonwealth in stead, even upon this encouragement, that God rejoiceth in his worthy employment. I remember, Anselme 
Ansan. 1 Cor. 6  reading those words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. 19 Your bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost, which you have of God, falls upon this discourse; You offend grievously if you profane God's Temple, your own body; because, as you would not have your house defiled, no more would God have his; Simo vobis igitur non parcitis propter vos ipsos, at parcite vobis propter Deum, quifecit vos Templum suum: If the comfort which yourselves shall thereby reap, cannot move you to spare your bodies from pollution yet spare them at least wise on the behalf of God who hath made them his: So when I look upon my Text, and see God with such hearty affection entertaining men's good endeavours, I cannot but infer thus much, that surely we greatly sin, if we use not our stock aright which God hath given us to trade withal, since it is his will that his money should be put to the bank, and bring in increase. If then the discharge of our duties cannot work upon us to be industrious and painful in our places, yet let the thought of pleasing God persuade us. For how expedient is it for us, that when we come to reckoning, God should smile upon us with a cheerful countenance, and embrace us with an Euge, rejoicing in our good; rather, than that he should knit his brows, and cast us off with a vah of indignation.  
The point concerneth all men whom God hath adorned with the least talon of ability in any kind; it more nearly toucheth those who are furnished with knowledge, dexterity, yea, and with authority, to do much good to many, and thereby bring in a large crop into God's barn at the day of harvest. Consider with yourselves, you that are rulers, and have the government on your shoulders, what fruit God may have by yourusing your graces and places aright; what benefit may redound unto his household which he takes care of: how he joys in seeing his plough go by your ministry; honour him who hath honoured you; he hath lwone plentifully in his gifts to you, let him reap abundantly in your increase to him; that when he comes into your fields, he may see them stand full of corn; when into your Circuits, he may see the torrents and streams of justice running down, and so may cheer you up with much encouragement, and give you this for a largesse euge, well have you done. This for God's exultation. The compellation follows, Good and faithful servant: Where are two things, Man's reference to God, servant: The qualities where with a right servant is adorned, Good and faithful.  
1. Man's reference to God, servant: It is proper to God to be a Master, he hath propriam & singularem conditionem Domini, saith Aquinas, the true 
2. 2. q. 81. res. ed 1.  ground of Lordship, therefore it is proper to man to be his servant: he hath propriam & singularem conditionem servitutis, the true ground of service. The foundation of this relation is twosold: 1. God's making all things; so man is a servant to him, secundum conditionem, saith Saint Austin, in regard of his very being; every work oweth this to the maker, that it is to be subject unto, and ordered by him: 2. God's principality over all things; every inferior is servant to his superior; the Curator to the Proconsul, the Proconsul to the Emperor, and all to God, who is primus, the first and chief, in and by whose virtue and power all things move. This reference to God is so rooted and settled in our nature, that his servants we are whether we will or no his servants, de jure, he hath command of us; I, and the necessitate too, he will have the rule of us, making us by his ineffable disposition, that we can do nothing but what he wils, or suffers to be done, though the fact●, we be rebels, and set ourselves andaciously to contemn his precepts.  
His servants we all are by these bonds, but some men servants in a nearer kind; those whom he hath set on work to some notable employment, either in the Church, thus Saint Paul saith of himself, Rom. 1. 1. a servant of Christ, set apart to the Preaching of the Gospel: or in the Commonwealth; thus is David marked out, Ps. 89. 20 I have found David my servant, with my holy oil have I anointed him: these are not only God's subjects, over whom he rules 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by general command as a King; but men of his household, whom he governs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by special power as a Master, and these are the servants here spoken of. This service of God, it is bonos full of dignity, and onus full of duty.  
1. Full of dignity; for what more honourable than to serve so gracious and great a Lord? The Princes and Rulers of the earth content not themselves with their own excellencies, but it is their ambition to be entertained as special servants to the King. Though a man would wonder that they who in some distance from the Sun might shine bright themselves, should desire to be so near about him, by whom their own splendour is much eclipsed: but it seemeth the light of a King's countenance, and the breath of his nostrils shining comfortably, and breathing sweetly, is more glorious to men, than all the command over all the crouching, reverencing, and obeisance of mean persons. And if it be an honour to serve a mortal man, how great soever; it is sweetly transcendent honour to serve the immortal God; it is more than a weighty thing to have Commission from him, and to be employed about his business.  
See your calling, ye Rulers and judges of the earth; Reverend you are, because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sent of the King to punish, to protect: but this is not all, you also are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Rev. 13. 4. God's Ministers, and ye judge not for man primarily, but for the Lord. 2 Chron. 9 6. And this is your greatest honour, triumph in this, that God hath put your work into your hands: you are not only the King's, but God's justices; in this glory ride on prosperously, and let your right hand teach you valiant things: you are God's servants, this is your dignity.  
2. Servus est nomen officii: God's servants have much duty required of them: a servant is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that moveth absolutely of himself, he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith Aristotle, the master's instrument; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not only the master's servant, but the masters wholly. Two things then befit a servant, Consulere Dominum, and Obedire.  
1. To receive instructions from his master in his actions: The eyes of servants look unto the hand of their Masters, and the eyes of a Maiden unto the hands of her Mistress, Psalm. 123. 2. What is this looking to their hands, but waiting for their command by which they must be guided? It is a brave thing when servants know their bounds, and presume not above their Master's pleasure: things than go right when the hands take counsel of the head; servants go, when their Masters say, go; come, when their Masters say, come; do, when their Master saith, do it. It is so in every household, it is so in the great household of God: the Commonwealth, it than flourisheth when they whom God hath set over it, look what he will have done, and address themselves to do that. It is reported of Scipio Africanus, 
Gel. sit. 7. c. 1  that he was wont before day to go into the Capitol in Collam jovis, and there to stay a great while, quass consultans de Republics cum Jove, discoursing with jupiter concerning the administration of the Commonwealth: whence it came to pass that his deeds were plaeraque admiranda, saith the Historian, very worthy and remarkable. The Heathen man did thus by the light of nature, let grace teach the Christian Ruler the same course, that he inquire at the Law of God for his direction. I am sure this was enjoined joshua, when he took upon him the Principality of Israel, Meditate in the book of the Law day and night, so shall thy way be prosperous, Iosh. 1. 8. This is one thing concerns a servant, to be ordered by his Master.  
2. He must obey instructions received; doing is the life of having; therefore doth he ask his Master's advice, that what his Master will have done, may be effected. He is a bad servant that consulteth with his Master for fashion, but will do what he list himself: and a bad Magistrate is he, who coming to the Temple of God to hear what is the Word that cometh from the Lord, resolves for all that to let his heart run after covetousness, and practise injustice, either for money or favour to pervert the ways of righteousness, which God, who hath given him his chief Commission, chalketh out unto him. judge's ought to remember that they are the servants of God, and as they know his will concerning their government, so they must take heed and do it, 2 Chron. 19 7 this is man's reference unto God, servant.  
The qualities of this servant follow, bone & fidelis, good and faithful: the one whereof, that is, goodness, belongeth to him qua homo, as a man; the other, that is, fidelity, qua servus, as he is a servant. An excellent pair of virtues where they are united, goodness gracing the person, and fidelity adorning his employment; so that if you look upon him in his private course, you shall see an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile; and if in his public calling, a true dealer for his Lord & Master, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, without turning aside any way.  
1. Good, well affected, well conditioned. An excellent thing it is when this Attribute may be given to men in authority, that they are good men; it maketh the City rejoice, saith Solomon, Prov. 11. 10. And so it well may, for it followeth, By the blessing of the upright a City is exalted. A good man will do much good in his place, and make many glad hearts by partaking of his goodness. Therefore jetbro wishing Moses to set men over the people, would have them timentes Dei, and veraces, Exod. 18. 2. servers of God, truehearted men: and the Lord himself appointing joshuah over the congregation, testifies of him, that he was a man in whom was the Spirit, Numb. 27. 18. It is said of Rulers, ye are gods, Psal. 82. 6. It is true, they are gods by their power one way; I, but doubly, 
age Pol 3. 13  if goodness dwell with their power. Aristotle puts them together: they that are gods amongst men, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, excel both in virtue and power. And indeed they had need have goodness, that are such eminent servants, and have many Talents committed to them, they will never else bear their great burden of being Pillars to uphold a State, Streams to refresh it, Pilors to guide it, Havens to harbour it, Castles to shelter it, the good Magistrate will be all this; when a wicked man will fall short, a cracked Pillar, a bitter stream, an erring Pilot, a sandy havon, a broken Castle, in whom the ship of the Commonwealth cannot put any confidence. I will conclude this point with David's exhortation to the great ones of the world, Psalm. 2. 10, 11. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings, be instructed ye judges of the earth; serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. It is not enough that ye be wise and learned, that you know how to manage affairs, and order your business, though this be an eminent quality; serve the Lord likewise, and be full of piety, that your care of discharging your duty, may issue forth from the fountain of an honest heart in you; for if it come not from hence, it will scarcely have being: That servant who gained somuch, was good and faith full but good in the first place, faithfulness followeth, the second quality.  
A quality very pertinent to a servant: it is required in a steward that he be faithful, 1 Cor. 4. 2. and it consists in this, us depositum ad voluntatem disponentis disponatur, that what a man is betrusted with, he employ according to the will of him that betrusted him. God giveth diverse abilities to men, to some more, to others less; he that shineth according to ●he measure of his light, that worketh according to the person of his strength, that helpeth according to the quantity of his ●yle, he is faithful: This faithfulness is commended in Christ in the days of his dispensation upon earth, who finished the work which his father gave in to do: and in Moses, of hom it was witnessed that he as faithful in all the house of God, Heb. 3. 2. This faithfulness supposeth Talents given; they were receivers first, who were now called faithful; and it hath these ingredients to make it perfect:  
1. Industry; the Talon must be employed: the slothful servant is unfaithful, because he frustrateth his Lord of the one of his gift; he gave it the● that from thee it should be derived to the help of others; thou keep it to thyself, the d●ner is injured. Synefius speaks 
De Dion.  some, who having a treasure abilities in them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would as soon part with the hearts, as their meditations: so there are many of all profe●ons, who let their gifts, like Churl's money, lie rusting them, by which means t● become unfaithful; the ca● of their great skill shall b● witness against them, and the treasuring up of learning, they treasure up to themselves guilt and sorrow. Better it is by fare to have a little knowledge and use it rightly, than to have a vast brain, full of windings and turnings, wherein much knowledge is with great perplexity tossed to and fro, but can never find a door of utterance.  
2. Prudence to discern what is to be distributed, for all men whom we deal with are not alike if we will use our talents right, we must give to every man that part which belongeth unto him. As for Example: In the exercise of justice, some men's sins are open, and with a clamorous voice go before unto judgement; these must have those kinds of punishments which the ancients 
Gel. 6. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, exemplary ●nd for terror: some are slips, ●nd must have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, such instruments as serve for admonition, whereby the offender may be moved better to look to himself afterward: he that punisheth great transgressions with whips and light with halters, cannot be faithful, in that he doth not proportion the sentence of justice to the salt committed.  
3. Frugality; non incassum expendere, saith chrysostom, 
Hom. 78. in Mas.  not to waste our talents without cause. It is too common a fault in the world, that many who have quick wits, and ready tongues, spend them ofttimes to small purpose, even where there is no probability they shall prevail, or if they prevail it shall overthrow equity. Love of profit, and hope of gain swalloweth up men faithfulness: they will take the defence of a bad cause, and set a good face upon the foulest matter, with as much earnestness, as if they contended for the truth of the Gospel, to which end I dare say they do not think God either gave them their wit or tongues; but to stretch the one, and shorten the other for the upholding of just and righteous cases. I know not how they salve the matter, but I take the conclusion of the School for sound, That it is unlawful for any to cooperate to the doing of mischief; and therefore though they conceit they have done well quantum ad peritiam actus in showing their skill, they surely offend grievously quantum ad iniustitiam voluntatis, in voluntary abusing their Art unto unrighteousness. But let us all learne fidelity, my brethren, in our several ranks, because the time will come e'er long, when honest dealing shall more avail than house and land, full bags and large possessions, when it shall be ten thousand fold better for us to hear God calling us faithful servants, than now to have the world admire us for our getting money, o● fawn upon us because we are rich. So I have done with the compellation, the last thing observable in God's entertainment of the doer.  
I come to the commendation of his doing, fidelis fuistisuper pauca, thou hast been faithful over a few things; where we have both testimonium facti God's witness of his deed Thou hast been faithful; and latitudinem facti, the object whereunto the deed extendeth, few things.  
1. The Testimony: God before gave him a double Title of good and faithful, yet now affirmeth of one only, his fidelity; not thereby excluding the other, but re-iterating the immediate cause, that which i● ncarest to the effect of trading for good advantage; so that goodness may be repeated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, thou hast been good and faithful. The words seem to occasion a question, how God, who is veritas, truth itself, and cannot be deceived; who is verax, true in his speeches, and cannot deceive, should here apprehend his servant as good and faithful, and call him so, whereas weeread, Mat. 19 17. There is none goed but God, no not one, Psa 14 2. And, Quis est fidelis? Mat. 24. 46. Who is the faithful servant? he rightly asketh, as being well advised, that if the whole earth be searched, a faithful servant cannot be found: if then none good, none faithful, how this servant? I answer, there is a twofold goodness, Original, in God alone; by participation, this in many; God giveth us leave to kindle our candles at his light, as all natural things have heat from the Sun This derived goodness is either that which should be perfect and without all admixtion of evil, so no man good: or imperfect in degree, though sincere and sound, such as viatores, men in this life are capable of, this in the Saints. The like we may say of fidelity; though there be no man who can give an exact account pro omnibus articulis temporum, for the whole time of his trading with his Talents; yet such an account as God in his mercy doth accept of, many do give, and so God calleth them good and faithful: 1. propter propositum boni, their full aim and endeavour is good, though they swarve sometime, because David swore to keep Gods righteous judgements, Psal. 119. 108. he was a man after Gods own heart, though foully overtaken: Saint Austin faith, Nullus vivit sine peccato, nec cessat tamen bonus esse, quia affectu tenet pietatem. 2. Comparative, they are good and faithful, compared with the rabble of unfaithful men; as those which study are called learned in comparison of such as know not their letters, though yet they be ignorant of many things. Saint Paul saith, Let us which are perfect, be so minded, Phil. 3. 15. Whereupon Ambrose, Comparatione eorum qui res Divinas negligunt perfecti dicendi sunt, qui pietatis iter ambulant. 3. Denominatione facta a meliori parte, the regenerate man consists of flesh and spirit, hath in him the Law of the members, and the Law of the mind, Rom 7. 23. he is called good and faithful from the better part, as man is said to be reasonable in respect of his soul, though his body be unreasonable: and not snow alone is white, but even linen also, which hath upon it some aspersion. Certain it is, all men ought to conform to the Image of God, wherein they were created, standing in righteousness and true holiness; if God should enter into judgement with them, they could not answer for one defect, but because our wants are supplied in Christ, if the heart be honest, and we follow piety, we are reputed and accounted good and faithful.  
I observe this point the rather, because I know the difficulty of obtaining a thing, terrifieth men most commonly from prosecuting it: because men cannot be every way good, and exactly faithful as they should, but when they endeavour the most, then fail in many things, they therefore set all at six and seven, and care not to be wicked and unfaithful: but let no man think so, Honestum est ei qui in primis nequit, in secundis terliisve consistere, saith the Orator truly; Will't thou not take Physic for thy fore eyes, because when they are well thou canst not see into the other world with Lynceus? Wilt thou not seek a medicine for the stone or gout, because at the best thou canst not be as strong as Samson? This were a madness: and so it is for any man to neglect the care of goodnesle and fidelity, because when he hath done what he can, he cometh short of what he should do. Est quiddam prodire tenus, si non datur ultra; it is for good purpose for a man to strive unto perfection, both because he shall by this means grow every day more and more perfect, though he come not to the full 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and pitch thereof, as also because good endeavours are accepted of God for good employments, who looks upon what we do with an honest hart, and covers the defects in Christ, that when in our own eyes we seem to be unprofitable servants, he accounts us good and faithful. The Church, Cant. 1. 4. complains that she is black and sunne-burnt, but Christ her husband thinks not so; Thou art all fair, my love, and there is no spot in thee, Cant. 4. 7. As therefore David spoke to his son Solomon concerning that great task of building the house of God, 1 Chro. 22. 16. so may I speak to all whose charge and work is great and full of difficulties, Arise and be doing, and the Lord will be with you: He will be with you in enabling you to his service: he will be with you in burying your infirmities, not seeing what is black and deformed in your actions, but what white and lovely, commending it, fidelis fuisti, thou hast been faithful. You have seen God's testimony of the fact, behold now the latitude of it, fidelis super pauca, faithful in few things.  
This servant had the largest portion given him as the eldest son of his father, the greatest regiment committed to his trust, as the chiefest servant of his Master, yet the census, the value of all these, of these five talents, it is but pauca, a few things. So that there is no man in the world lord of many things: The Kings of the earth indeed are like Nebuchadnezars tree, Dan. 4. 20. their height reacheth toheaven, their sight to all the earth, their leaves are fair, their fruit is much, the God of heaven hath given them power, and strength, and glory, so that if they be compared with mean men, they seem infinitely to differ from them, and to be gods in the shape of men: but take them by themselves, and view them in all their greatness, what they have is but an handful; that which their power extendeth to, is but a few things. For, 1 the earth, over which they command, is but punctum, a point of the world; and can you look for many things in a point? it goeth into a little corner; the heart of Alexander could hold many earths, and can there be many things in a little room? The Devil shown Christ all the kingdoms of the world, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in an instant, and an instant will not afford space for the sight of many things. 2. He that hath the greatest territories, hath but a part of this point, a corner of the earth to exercise his authority in; and de paucis pauca, what is taken from a few, cannot be but few: so that the greatest Monarch of the world may here see Troy in a Nutshell, all his Provinces in a little compass, all his glory in a short sum; let him have all which the earth and sea afford him, they are but pauca, a few things. Much less have they that receive but two Talents, such as are sub graviore regno regnum, Commanders under others, who have government in such a Circuit, such a Liberty, such a City, such a Town; they are as those semper divisibilia, into which, Mathematicians tell us, the least quantity may be resolved; what they have to deal withal are not many things.  
I speak not this to detract from either Sovereign or subordinate authority, God forbidden; they are as the Sun and Stars, which in their several kinds do sustain the earth by their heats and influences; many privileges, much honour belongs unto them, let them with all comfort enjoy them: Only this they must know, that these things which appear so great and so many to men looking with the spectacles of bodily eyes, to a soul fraught full of love, and respect to an infinite God, are small, are few, are nothing, therefore ought not to puff them up with pride and arrogancy, to turn them from him who is the incommutable good, but so must they use them as not possessing them, that having them, they may also have God with them.  
How little then remains to them who have but one Talon? It is, God wots, a poor pittance, yet is there that self-love in many men, that they think their molehill a mountain, their Kestrill an Eagle, their Goose a Swan. It is a strange thing to see that the very atoms of the Country, who are but at the ut most borders of these few things, do yet set an high price upon their mean wares. If a man get but a little money, some house and land, a small command in a poor village, he presently thinks himself to be more than some body, boasts of many things, contemns his equals, oppresseth his poor neighbours, grows stubborn, obstinate and wilful, will do what he list, as if he were lord of the world: Why? the lords of the world should not do so; God here calls them rulers in a few things, that they may know, meekness, humility, gentleness ought to dwell with them; much less should the thistles of Lebanon advance themselves for a matter of nothing, and be so lusty.  
Well it were that every man would well view the latitude of that station wherein God hath set him; consider the largeness of his gifts, that he might be the prompter touse them well, because Crescunt dona, crescunt 
Greg. been. 9 in Even.  et rationes donorum, the more he hath, the greater must be his account; and the small number of them also, that pride may not steal into his heart to make him forget God, and overtop his brethren. He that walketh in this middle way of the estimate of his gifts, riches, honours, authority, and such like, shall, when he comes to make up his reckoning, have God acknowledge him for one of his, and say, Well done good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful in few things: but this acknowledgement is not all, there follows a promise of greater endowment, I will make thee ruler over many things.  
Where are two things: Remuneratio, I will make thee; modus remunerationis, ruler over many things:  
1. The reward propounded; I will make thee, I will set thee in an happy state and condition. No man ever served God in vain; when he sends men into his Vineyard, he agreeth with them for a penny, and a penny they shall be sure of; howsoever the Atheist saith, it is no profit to serve God; yet Saint Paul saw benefit in his service; I press forward to the mark, Phil. 3. 13. And faithful Moses looked to the recompense of reward, Heb. 11. 26. A great encouragement it is to a man in all his labours, to know that they are not fruitless, but that after wrestling he shall be crowned; after running, have the prize; after sowing, reap; after painful employing of his Talents, be advanced. Though without a promise a man might be idle, and have no heart unto his work, yet hope should make him active to overcome all impediments; Virtus ad praemium prompta vinci non potest, saith Gregory, Virtue inflamed with sight of reward, is invincible.  
2. The manner of the reward, Ruler over many things: where two particulars observable: 1. The nature of heavenly things opposed to earthly; they are few, these many; the opposition is manifold, they light, these weighty, 2 Cor. 4. 1 ●. they finite, these infinite, Psal. 36. 8. those of narrow compass, these incomprehensible, 1 Cor. 2. 9 they small, these great, Psalm. 31. 19 Rightly Saint Hierome, Omnia quae in presentihabemus, lieet magna videantur, comparatione tamen futurorum exigua sunt; Oh that ye could see how excellent these many things are! they would provoke us to infinite love of them. Oh that we could esteem them as we ought! it would make us sell all to purchase them. Foolish Esau's they are, who for a mess of pottage part with their birthright; like Glaucus in Homer, exchange 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, chooselight for heavy; finite, for infinite; comprehensible, for incomprehensible; small, for great; few, for many: Pray we with the Apostle, Ephes. 3. 17. that we may be able to comprehend those many things in all their dimensions, breadth, length, depth, height; that seeing the small current of these few things here, and the vast sea of those many hereafter, we may to pass from these former, that we misle not finally to attain the latter. 2. The Order wherein this faithful servant is to these many things; he is super ●ulta, made ruler over them; ●is vessel shall so be filled with those glorious qualities, that he shall with full liberty use them to his perfection, the glory of God: there shall not then be that strife between flesh and spirit; the spirit willing, the flesh weak; the spirit lifting up the heart, the flesh depressing it but that body of sin, which warreth against the mind, being wholly destroyed, we shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, love God with all our hearts, our souls and strength delight in him as the chief good, and have all our faculty pressed to sing with the Elders a praise and glory to his holy name. This is the end of our Creation, for it were we made and had we command of o● selves now, we should do it in this veil of mortality; but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the sin that compasseth us, will not now permit it; the devil who opposeth us, maketh us as slaves to follow his will; then, than shal● we perfectly serve our God, when we shall be full commanders of ourselves; when the sting of sin being removed, and Satan trodden under our feet, our hearts shall be W else of living waters; our eyes shall behold our blessed Saviour, our hands take hold of happinesle and felicity; and we wholly, instead of toiling among the few things of this world, shall be rulers over those many things which attend Eternity.  
Thus have I briefly run through these words; in a word of Application I conclude. You Right Honourable, and all that have to do in these affairs of the Commonwealth) see your places, you are God's servants: your duties, goodness and fidelity are required of you; God invites you to them by his approbation, testimony, and reward; do you your parts, I dare say God will not be wanting in his: When the great Assize of the world shall be kept, you shall hear, Well done good an● faithful servants, you have bee● faithful in few things, I wi●● make you rulers over man● things.  
The end of the first Sermon.   

THE SECOND SERMON, 
Assize Sermon. Momento m●i Pous.  ON NEHEM, 5. 15.  NEH. 5. 15. But so did not I, because of the fear of God. 
THE whole duty of man hath ever been reduced to two heads: by the stoics, unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, abstaining, and sustaining: by Saint Paul, to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Tit. 2. 12. denying ungodliness, living godly. And surely, all the law of God being either negative prohibiting evil; or affirmative commanding good; wh● men's actions are correspodent to the laws, both forb● ring to do what is forbidde● and doing that which is enio●ned, then are they due observers of the Law.  
Nehemiah, whose spee● my Text is, was both a go man, and a good Magistrate and doth in this Chapter decl● his integrity in those two f●●mer respects: My Text to you what he did not: So not I The last verse she● what he did, The good th● 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  have done for the people. T●●● was he square and every 〈◊〉 complete: complete in person, a godly man, and honest Governor; compl●● in his actions, not doing wr● but doing right.  
My Text suffers me not set the whole face of this worthy Patriot before you, but a part of it: For if I consider his person, I am to speak of him only as a Commander; this particle, I, points at him as he was Tirshatha, the King's Deputy. or Legate; and yet on the by, you may here see what he was as a man, for Magistratus indicat virum, let the Politickes dispute the question, I take the conclusion to be this, A good Citizen is a good Christian. Again, if I consider his actions, I must speak of him only as abstaining from evil; my Text is negative, sic non feci, I did not so: yet by concomitance also, as doing rightly; for the whole book shows that his disposition was not like Galba's 
Hist. l. 1. ●. 12.  in Tacitus; Ingenium magis extra vitia, quam cum virtuti●us, rather not evil than good, ●ather harmless than virtuous; but so was innocency linked to true justice in him, that he, who having power in his hand, would do no hurt; when he had occasion, would surely do much good.  
I may call my Text Nehemiah's profession; and a profession, by our Saviour's warrant, is like to an house, Matth. 7. 25. as therefore an house may be resolved into two parts; superstructum, the building that is apparent to the view of the world; and substratum, the foundation which lies hid in the ground; so are there two things in this profession: 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, his behaviour manifest, So did not I: 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the hid man of the heart, upon which his behaviour was settled, the fear of God. The wise builder takes care that his house be right set, and therefore works by line and level, but especially he looks to the groundwork, for if this be not well laid, the frame is weak: So the good magistrate will do no wrong and this is commendable; but if this stream of justice flow also from the fountain of God's fear in him, which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  the head of wisdom, Prov. 1. 7● then is it true and solid, denominating and making him just; then is not his justice shored up by popularity, gifts, or other base respects, as it was said of the Sarmatians, Omnis 
Ta. l. 1 6. 10  Sarmatarum virtus extra ipsos; but resting upon this foundation of God's fear, standeth by it own strength unshaken. Truly happy was Nehemiah, who had thus conjoined equity and piety; and truly happy shall ever be those of Nehemiah's rank, who are so tempered, that their actions proceed from the fear of God, and the fear of God moderateth their actions, who can profess, as here Nehemiah doth, But so did not I, because of the fear of God.  
I have thus taken in sunder this house, this profession, I must now set it up again, and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, showing you first what was last in Nehemiah, his dealing; so did not I: and last what was first in him, the fear of God: Det Deus, ut Sermomeus adeo commodus sit, quam sit accommodus; I wish my Sermon as profitable as it is seasonable.  
First, his dealing; but so did not I: This particle, so, which is the main hingel upon which this whole sentence turns, i● relative, pointing backward to something that went before and this particle, but, which stands at the entrance of my Text is adversative, differencing the consequent course from the precedent; by it Nehemiah disjoyneth his practice from the practice of others his predecessors, they did so and so, but so did not I. The thing observable is this, Nehemiah in his government followed not the examples of others that went before him. This is the full sense of the words, in which are couched two propositions: 1. Nehemiah made not examples his rule, no, though they were worthy ones. So, may here be taken in the si, generally; others did as they thought fit, but I did not so, not as they. 2. Nehemiah in his course went cross to bad examples: So, may be taken in hypothesi, answerable to the matter in hand; his Ancestors did naughtily, but he did not so; did not evil as they did: The former of these declares his wisdom; the latter, his honesty.  
1 Nehemiah made not worthy examples his rule & square to work by, and therein did wisely in these 2 respects: Because it is not always lawful for one to do that which another hath done lawfully. 2. If it be lawful, yea if a man be bound to do the same thing, yet not idco, not because another hath done it. In which regards it is a weak conclusion that riseth from an example: The great Logician could say, 
Arist prio l. 2. 6. 24.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an Example is not demonstrative and convincing.  
1. It is not always lawful for one to do what another hath done lawfully: In the following of good Precedents there be many circumstances, the concurrence whereof is required, and the failing in any of them may change the nature of the thing, so that one may err in doing that, which another did and erred not: The Antitype in an example must be like 
Re●n, pro●. 18.  the Prototype in five things: The person doing, the thing done, the party to whom, the time when, the end why; where there is not an agreement in all these, every wise man must profess with Nehemiah, So did not J.  
1. The person doing must be like; for all men stand not in the same reference in regard of actions: He said well in the Comedy, Hoc licet impune facere huic, illi non licet; non quia 
Ter. in adel.  dissimilis res sit, sed quod is qui facit; Be the things never so like, if the person be unlike, there is an error. No man doubts but Elias did well in commanding fire to come down from heaven to destroy the two Captains and their fifties, for he was a messenger of God's wrath to punish the Idolatrous Israelites: but the Apostles might not do so. When james and John urged this Example, Luk. 9 54. and would call for fire from heaven upon the Samaritans, as Elias did; they are taken up short by their Master, Nescitis cuius spiritus sitis vos, you are men of another mould than Elias was; he a Minister of indignation, you of consolation; his actions fit not you, because your persons are not like his. Though Phinehas be Canonised in all generations, for flaying the persons taken in the act of Adultery, Num. 25. 8. yet neither private men, nor Magistrate, upon this example must do so, put offenders to death without due proceed and course of Law; 
Zelaus zelo. typia●. Num. 25. 11  for Phinehas was filled with an heroic spirit, a Divine man, transported with zeal for the Lord of Hosts, to which height of heat ordinary men's tempers 
Morel, 1, 7. c. 1.  are not raised; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith the Moralist; it is a rare thing for a man to be thus Divine.  
2. The things done must be like, else instead of fish a man may swallow a stone; instead of an egg, a Serpent. David the sweet singer of Israel provided Instruments of Music to sound out the praises of God, and therein did worthily, as became a Psalmist; but when as drunkards and roaring boys patronised their fiddlers and ribald songs by this example, the Prophet denounceth a woe against them. Amos 6. 5. Woe to them that chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves Instruments of Music like David: His Instruments were holy, theirs profane; his songs religious, theirs lascivious; they had no reason to shroud themselves under his example; his Music and theirs agreed like harp and harrow, as it is in the Proverb. Though Jacob sent a present to Esau, that he might find favour in the sight of his lord, Gen 33. 8. yet is not the fact of those made good by this parallel, who give bribes to such as are judges in their causes; the actions are not suitable; Esau was an enemy, and might be pacified with gifts, but it is unlawful by gifts to blind the eyes of a judge.  
3. The party to whom, must be like: Those that have an evil eye at the Church's possessions, her glebes and tithes; though they favour Saint Paul's Doctrine never a whit, yet can propound his practice to us readily, that in Preaching to the Corinthians, he made the Gospel of Christ, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, without charge, 1 Cor. 9 18. and would have us do so also; they cannot endure we should reap where they have sown, but woldhave us Weaver it, Tailor it, Cobbler it, they care not what work we did, so our hands might not be in their Dairies and fields: but our answer is, we do not so, for neither did Saint Paul so to all, he preached indeed gratis to the Corinthians, because of their poverty, but took largely of other Churches, so that he is said to rob them, 2 Cor. 11. 8. and should we follow this instance of theirs, we should do wrong at least to our rich parishioners, in giving way to their sacrilegious humour, to let them devour that which is holy, contrary to Saint Paul's precept, Gal. 6. 6. Let him that is taught in the Word, communicate to him that teacheth him, in all his goods.  
4. The time must be like; for every thing hath his season, and what profitech now, may hurt anon. Some of old held 
Aug. ep. 5  this position, Semel recte factum, nulletenus esse mutandum, once well done, and ever well done: but Saint Augustine denies it, affirming, that though they say, what was right before, cannot be right if it be changed; yet indeed it cannot be right except it be changed. He instanceth in Vindicianus, a learned Physician, who prescribed a potion to a young patient, which he would not after give him being old; Ego ills aetati hoc nunquam eram iussuries, Divers years require diverse kinds of Physic.  
5. The ends must be like. David used direful imprecations against his enemies, and cursed them with an heavy curse; yet we must not do so; his example is no warrant for fell and bitter men to ban and execrate those which anger them. The reason is, In reuna quam faciunt, non eadem est causa propter quam faciunt, as 
●o. 48. ad Vincent.  Saint Augustine speaketh; they do the same thing to another end. His maledictions were predictions; his optations, prophetations; what he uttered, came a spiritu praevidentis, non voto optantis, rather from foresight of what should be, than simple wishing that it might be: but these men are wholly ignorant of the event, only their malice carrieth them to desire it may be evil and unfortunate.  
Since than there are so many ways of going amiss in imitation, that a man may easily wander when he thinks he is right, Nehemiah did wisely in this regard, that he followed not examples, but professeth here, I did not so.  
2. If the example be alike, and a man be to do the same. thing, yet not ideo, he is not therefore to do it because another hath done it; but there is a common rule which both guideth Sempronius in doing well, and directs Tit●us in doing that which Sempronius did. The reason of the action must enforce imitation, not the action. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Ar. Rhet. ad. Ac. c. 9  saith the Philosopher; when we apprehend the reason of things, than we yield to follow them. O imitatores servum pecus! they are beasts without understanding, and have not the spirit of men, who magnify and stick unto customs, as they are customs, without respect of right and honesty. Nehemiah, when he looked upon others to see what they did, observed the rule whereby they did it, making that his guide, not the Example. I did not so.  
And this surely is the best way for all men to go to work, not to regard so much what others have done, as what they ought to do, especially Nehemiah, and men in authority, who are in the Commonwealth as Pilots in a ship, and therefore wisdom is most of all required in them; they must have their synosura, their stars to direct them in their judgoments, in the carriage of their affairs; without which, in hoisting up sails to teach others, they may split against the rocks, and be wracked. Among the rest, they must especially take notice of three constellations: ius Divinum, ius humanum, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; the law of God; the kingdom; Equity.  
1. The Law of God, that giveth wisdom and understanding, and must therefore be a light unto their feet. and a lantern to their paths: Liber Legis, a Copy of the Law was to be with Josuah, Jos. 1. 8. and the judges must determine according to the sentence of the Law, Deut. 1 ●. 11. they are to judge, pro Domino, saith jeheshaphat, 2 Chron. 9 6. for the Lord; and must therefore judge secundum Dominum, as the Lord hath enjoined. It is a great fault among men, learned in other professions, too much to neglect Divine Writ. I think the reason is, because as they exalt themselves above Divines, whom they justle into the kennel; so they would advance their profession also above Divinity, and turn Sarah into the Kitchen, the place of Hagar: But these Achitophel's, though wise in their own eyes, are but fools indeed: the Prophet hath concluded against them, Ier 8. 9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken; to, they have rejected the word of the Lord, and what wisdom is in them? What? if there be any, it is lux vespertina, that dim light which twinckleth in the night of nature; not lux matutina, 
Psa. 8. 20  the clear light shining in the day of grace. Nehemiah, who did not so as others did, did so as the Law of God commanded; and therefore punished those which transgressed against God, Neh. 13. ●7.  
2. The Law of the Nation and kingdom wherein we live; for though the Law of God be the spring from whence flows righteousness, yet the good and wholesome laws of men be as rivers, which if a governor take along with him, they will bring him to the Sea of justice. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith Aristotle; 
Pol 3● c. 26  he that is taught by the laws, judgeth rightly. A brave thing it is for a judge to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a living and a speaking law; but to determine causes without law, is too great liberty. The Law is to a ludge, as the banks to the Sea, Huousque, hither must he go, and no further. Nehemiah, who did not so in following examples, did so in looking to the Law; he told the builders the King's words which he had spoken to him, Neh. 2. 18.  
2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Moderation; a virtue commended by Saint Paul, Phil. 4. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, let your equity be manifest: 
Mor, l, 5. c. 14.  and by the Philosopher, who gives the reason of it; Laws being made for general, cannot fetch in all particulars, which are infinite; there may then a cause come to hearing, which may in equity be right and yet against the Law; here the good judge doth not urge the Law to the worse, but so pronounceth, as the Lawgiver himself would have said, if he had been present. But I stay not upon this point, it may be I am out of mine Element. I once heard at a Sessions, the Preacher in the Pulpit pleading for this quity, and he that supplied the place of the judge, con●●mning both him and it. I will go no further in it than Beza doth, and so fare I dare say I 
1 Tim. 1. 3  may go; Hoc accipe de eo iure de quo remittere aliquid possunus: where the judge may ●ake from the rigour of the Law ●n case of equity, there he ought to lose the cords of it; or this is the end of laws and ●udges, that every man may have his right, be maintained in a just cause; over thrown in a bad.  
Thus have we seen in Nehemiah the first thing which he did not, not make examples the ●ule of his actions; whereunto hath been referred the affirmative, what it is that he, and all in his place must be guided by.  
2. Nehemiah went cross to ●ad examples: So did not I. Those that were before him did not as they ought to d●● and had he imitated them, he might have done as ill as they but he detested the wron● which they offered, and professeth, he did not so. The ill dealing of his predecessors is specified in two particulars: 1. The having abundance, oppresse● and sucked the blood of th● poor and needy people, whom they should rather have relee●ved: had the people been rich, they might well have required a floece for their maintenance; for what Shephear watcheth over a flock, and doth not shear them? but they were 
Tonder●, not deglubere.  not to slay the sheep, because their wool was thin: So did others, but so did not he. 2. Their servants domineered and bare rule over the people he meaneth not the Minister of justice, and such as they put in office, for these are to rule and men must submit themselves unto them, 1 Pet. 2. 13. ●ut their under-servants, and very one which had dependence upon them, these would ●ee Masters, and carry themselves as if they were more than some body. A common ●ault in great men's retinues, and ●n offices Spiritual and Lay, where every hangby will look lose upon a right good man, ●nd a proud boy demean himself malepertly to his betters. Nehemiah thought the Governors to blame, who suffered his in their Courts and Family's; and therefore here pro●esseth, he did not so.  
The point that I observe from henee shall be general; Magistrates must not follow the naughty courses of their Predecessors. There are certain vices which Divine Learning hath pointed out as rocks, which Governors ought to take heed of, which vices are no● ideas, and abstracted forms 
Esse in esse.  but have had their seat in me● of authority; there is no evil in the world which some ma● hath not been guilty of; n● sin belonging to a Magistrate but some Magistrate hath offended in. The godly Governor when he seethe that other have stooped to wickedness must resolve against it himself, that he may be able to say with Nehemiah, But so did not I. The main evils not to be done by Magistrates, are these:  
1. unjustice, judging contrary to right and equity, both in distributive and emendative justices: 1. In distributive, the good judge must neither justify the wicked, nor condemn the just, for both these are abomination to the Lord, Prov. 17. 15. Not justify the wicked by suffering him to break through the Laws, as great ●yes through cobwebs, when he ought to be holden of ●hem; for the power beareth ●ot the sword for nought, Rom. ●. 3. 4 but as God hath, so must ●ee have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a revenging eye over them that do wickedly. He must be a josuah to cleanse the land from the 
josh 7 1 King. 2  theft of Achan: a Solomon, to take away the innocent blood, shed by joab, from the kingdom: yea, in this a Saul, to 
1 Sam. 28  cut off such as have familiar spirits and wizzards, from among the people. In capital crimes the offender must dye by the sentence of the judge: and in sins which the Law hath not said so heavy a punishment upon, as drunkenness, swearing, whoring, the crying sins of our days though the committers of them think them to be nothing, no more than Aetius the heretic accounted of fornication, penna aurem scalper 
Epiph. bar. 76  to rub his care when it itch yet ought the honest judge d● the best he can by all severi● and even by that which o● lose times call cruelty, to ta● them away; or if that be in possible, yet to chase the Birds of the night into t● night again; and to restrain if not the being, yet the roarie of them. It is now no time spare, when the banks of in quity are full, and ready eve● day to run over to drown the world.  
Again, he must not co●demne the just; he that is n● an offendor must be protect not punished by the laws; G● appointed Cities of refuge f● such as had transgressed again their wills, but a man's own innocency should be his refug● when he hath not transgress at all. Wilt thou stay the righteous with the wicked? saith A braham to God, that be fare from thee? shall not the judge of all the world do right? Gen. 18. 25. And wilt thou condemn the guiltless? may I say to an honest judge, that be fare from thee? shall not he that sitt●th in the seat of the righteous God do right? It is surely unjust, as I have said, to assoil a lewd person; but of the two, fare better it is to free a man as harmless, who hath done mischief; than to condemn a man as mischievous, who is harmless. David sung it of Solomon, Psal. 72. 14. and it becomes every man in place of judicature, He shall redeem the innocent from violence and deceit, and precious shall their blood be in his sight.  
2. Emendative justice; the 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Luk. 12. 14  judge must not do unjustly, but give to every man that which is his own; he must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a right divider between man and man; taking from the one what he hath got of another's, and giving it to the other whose it is. The good Magistrate cannot, as the Pope's Parasites say he can, de qu●drato facere rotundum, make something of nothing, and nothing again of something; as the cause is, so must he judge it, that 
jewel. p. 37●  every man may sit under his own Vine, and his own Figtree in peace. This is the main evil which a Magistrate mus● not do, not do unjustice.  
2. There are two things tending to this unjustice which h● must not do: The one as the way to it, the other as the cause of it: 1. The way to it, parti●● all hearing; opening the ear● to one party, shutting it to another. The avoiding of this wa● a great part of Moses charge Deu. 1. 16. I charged your lungs at that time, saying, hear th● causes between your brethren; y● shall not respect persons in judgement, but shall hear the small as well as the great. If two Rivers be fed by the same Spring, and the passage to the one be free, to the other dammed up, the one may well abound with water, the other be dry: If two men be to claim their right before the judge, and the one have countenance & audience, the other frowns and snibbs, a man may soon conceive which way the stream will run, though not in the right channel: justice must let the one scale have his due as well as the other, and then lift both up fairly, that that may carry it which is heaviest.  
2. The cause of unjustice, taking bribes: A gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous, Deut. 16. 19 Some there are that think it is but an act of kindnesle to give, and of courtesy to receive, and what hurt in this? But, as one said, rain is good, and ground is good, yet ex eorum conjunctione fit lutum, if they be mingled 
Stapl dom. 2 post penned.  they make dirt: So giving is kind, and taking is courteous, yet the mixing of them makes the smooth paths of justice foul and uneven. As sands and shoals hinder the current of the water, so do gifts the course of justice, which should run down as a mighty river. Amos 6. 4. When the Emperor Zeno had deflowered a woman's daughter, she prayed, saith the Legend, to the Virgin Mary to be avenged; the Virgin appeared to her and said, Cred● mihi mulier, ultionem tuam sae 
erat sp. c. 175. Stapl. dom. 1. post penned.  poe facere volui, sed manus eiu prohibuit me, his han● will not let me be revenged of him she spoke it of his giving hand in that he was liberal to the poor; but it is true also of the bribing hand, many a time a Cause might have an end, and be rightly determined, but manus prohibet, a gift in the hand puts a bar unto it. Samuel therefore when he purged himself, demands this question of them whom he judged, Of whose hands have I received a bribe? 1 Sam. 1 2. 3. and the people answer, Thou hast taken none. Every good Magistrate must be able to say as much, and to profess, Whatsoever others do, yet so do not l. This is the first thing in the Text, Nehemiah's dealing; the ground of his dealing is the second thing. Why did he not do so? Because of the fear of ●●od.  
God is propounded in Scrioture, as one to be feared: Who would not fear thee, O King of Nations! jer. 10. 7. Fear ye not me, saith the Lord? jer. 5. 22. Fear in itself is a natural passion; but fear with this object, God, the fear of God, is 
die. 22. q. 19  donum, saith the School, a gift of the Spirit; spiritus timoris Domini, Esa. 1 1. 2. the spirit of the fear of the Lord. This gift of fear respects God two ways: 1. Mandantem, as he commandeth, and so it is filial fearem fear of offending: 2. vindicantem, as he revengeth transgressors, so it is servile fear, fear of being punished. It were to be wished that the hearts of all men were filled with chaste fear, the fear of displeasing God; for this indeed proceeds from love, and becometh children, who the more they love, the more are afraid to offend. This fear shall abide in patria, when we come to heaven, it endureth for ever. Psal. 19 8. our charity being perfected, our fear shall also; he that hath this fear in him now, hath in himself the kingdom of God already. And how should we then hunger after this fear? but because man in corruption is like an unbrideled horse, and will not be ridden unless he have the bit, it is something for a man to attain to servile fear, to be afraid of God in regard of his judgements, both because this fear will be a restrainer, hold him back from iniquity; and also because it is seta, as Saint 
〈◊〉 Epist 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉  Austin speaketh, the needle which draweth after it the love of God as the thread.  
If any ask, which of these fears was in Nehemiah? I answer, Filial fear surely was predominant in so excellent a servant of God, but it was not altogether without fear of punishment; and therefore in Aquinas 
Secunda sccundae, q. 19 art. 22  term it was a compound of them both, which he calleth initial, because it is the beginning of much good. Nehemiah rendereth it as the reason why he did not evil as others did, because of the fear of God: for where the fear of God is, it is not idle, but active; honesty flows from it as from a fountain. It is a Problem in Aristotle, why men are credited 
●●. ●. Ar. probl. s 3. 9 6.  more than other creatures? The answer is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man alone reverenceth God, therefore you may trust him. He that truly feareth God, is like unto Cato, of whom it is said, He never did well, that he might appear to do so, sed quia aliter facere non potuit; he could not do otherwise: The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, Psal. 111. 10. The beginning of wisdom, saith one, not as it is cognoseitiva, standing in speculation; but as it is directiva●vitae, guiding the actions and life of man: faith is the beginning of wisdom, according to the essence of it; and the fear of God according to the effects, as it is operative. The foundation is the first in architecture, there the workman sets on to build, and the fear of God, the first in a just course, it is the main wheel which sets all the rest on going: In which regard Saint Augustine saith, Timor primum 
Sir dom. i● mont●●● 9 p, 1104  locum tenet ascendendo, ultimum descendendo: If you look upon the order of man Working, the fear of God is first, thence all the frame of the action riseth: if you look upon the work wrought, the fear of God is the last, into it all is resolved.  
It is so in general, the fear of God makes all men do honestly, and it is so in the matter we have in hand; the fear of God maketh a Magistrate upright, and therefore this fear is especially required in him. Iethroes justice must be a man fearing God, Exod. 18. 21. And the first part of Iehoshaphats charge to his judge's aims at this, Let the fear of God be upon you, 2 Chron. 19 7. and there is great reason, that a Magistrate above others should be a man fearing God,  
1. In regard of the greatness of his place; authority, and power puff men up, make them think they may do what they list; it is a hard thing in nature for a man to be great and good; some who have done worthily while they have been commanded, have forgot their goodness when they became commanders. The Historian observes, that among all the 
Tac. hist. l. 1. c 13  Roman Emperors, solus Vespasianus in melius mutatus est, only Vespasian grew the better for his dignity: And the common proverb is, Honours mutant mores, Men are lightly worse after honours, than they were before. So prone are all men through their corruption, when they are exalted, to be like the unjust judge, Luk. 18. 1. who neither cared for God nor man. Thus it always fareth where men give way to their own unruly affections, but where the fear of God is planted, there the greater men are, the better; their greatness gives them hands to be able, and Gods fe are an heart to be willing to do much good. There is nothing worse than a Magistrate without the fear of God, armed injustice is the worst evil: and nothing better than a Magistrate fearing God, armed justice is most Sovereign.  
2. In regard of the many provecations they are subject unto. He that is in place of authority shall be beleaguered by kindred, by friends, by servants, by money, suit upon suit, reward upon reward, to turn his heart out of the way, and his tongue from speaking right things: and a difficult thing it is, considering our mould to resist so much importunity, to pass by so many temptations unsnared: great need then hath a Magistrate to set the fear of God as a seal upon his senses, and upon his heart, that he may not be perverted. I may well say to Governors, as Simeon the Prophetical Monk spoke to the Pillars which he whipped before the Earthquake, Stand fast, for you shall be shaken. 
Dr. Hall, in que v●dis, p. 97  Satan and ill-disposed men desire to winnow them, to sift their integrity, their honesty, their justice out of them; they had need keep themselves in the fear of God, that their uprightness may not fail.  
This fear of God is the best preservative against all ill motives. Shall others tell a man in place, or himself conceive that he hath the law in his own hands, and that he may wrest it like a Lesbian rule which way he will? the fear of God will suggest other thoughts to him; How shall I do this great evil, and sin against God? If great means be used to violate, and many rubs thrown into the way to turn aside justice, the fear of God will constrain a man to leap over them all, because he will thus reason; I who sit now upon the Bench to give judgement, must one day stand before the Bar of a greater judge myself, to give account of my judgement, which if I can give with joy as I ought, happy I. I shall hear euge, well done good and faithful servant. But if my account be perplexed and wrong, I tremble to think of punishment by eternal separation from God, ito maledicte, away thou cursed. You see what force the fear of God hath to plead for right, to plead against wrong; Nehemiah maketh this the reason, and it is a strong reason, of his not doing wickedly, So did not I, because of the fear of God.  
I have now done with my Text, yet something by way of Application must be added, that so my Text may be laid to the business in hand, and fitted to it. Nehemiah's course may best be presented to you (Right Honourable, most Reverend and Worthy) for he was a Deputy under King Artaxerxes to the jews; so are you under our gracious Sovereign to these parts; he in his Deputation disclaimeth all unrighteous dealing, and you must do so in yours. The Oil therefore of my Exhortation shall first be poured upon your head, and so drop down to the skitts of your clothing, all that have any hand in this great Assize; for though they all be not Nehemiah's, men in authority to judge, yet do they all concur for the production of the sacred act of justice, and in that respect, for the time, are not private but public persons, and must take care so much as concerneth them, that justice may run freely without stoppage.  
1. Therefore (Right Honourable) I desire you to set this worthy pattern before your eyes. I doubt not, but when you look into the glass of my Text, you see yourselves in it; for it is said, that you are Nehemiah's, men fearing God, not doing unrighteousness; yet give me leave to hold the glass before you, and show you not only Nehemiah, but even yourselves to yourselves, that you may be the more incited, ●ihil 
Plut. lib. 5. nat. quest.  indignum tanta virtu●e committere, as he said, to do nothing unbeseeming so great worthiness. If you behold the examples of judges in former times, you shall find some to have declined and gone out of 
1 Sam. 15. 9  the way. Saul sparing Agag, who was the son of death; the Nobles of jezreel stoning 
1 King. 21. 13.  Naboth, a man most innocent; 
Est 3. 13  Ahashuerus giving the jews' goods for a prey to the rest of the Provinces; Festus hearing 
Acts 25. 9  grievous complaints against Paul, but cutting him off when he answered for himself; samuel's 
1 Sam. 8. 3  sons turning aside after lucre, taking bribes, and perverting judgement. Oh let your eyes be upon these by-paths, but be upon them to decline them! oh keep yourselves from the accursed thing! that though many hurried by the evil spirit, care not how they demean themselves, yet you may not do so, because of the fear of God; that by your happy means, righteousness and peace may still kiss each other in these Eastern Angles.  
2. Let me speak unto the Lawyers who have a great stroke in matters of emendative justice, and Pleas between man and man. For myself, nemo vestrum mihi iniuria cognitus, I know no hurt by any of your profession, none of them ever wronged me; and I know a great deal of good by some of you; grave you are, honest true dealing men: but the common fame is, that there is much iniquity in your rank; 
Dr Hal, quo vadis, p 1 1.  and no marvel, for where many pots are boiling, there cannot but be much scum; where much practice and tempering with men's estates, much dishonesty and false play. Two things I have heard condemned among you: 1. That many stir up men to strife and contention, that so they may have employment: Some are said to be like the Sea-crab, who desirous to eat the flesh of the Oyster, which he cannot come by, because of his twoleaved shell, 
Bas. ht●em. bom. 7  watcheth when he opens these doors against the Sun, and casteth a stone into them, that they cannot shut, than he thrusts in his claw and devours him: So the cunning Lawyer, greedy of a rich man's money, and seeing him peaceably disposed, unwilling to wrangle, seeketh all occasion to see his Evidences, and in them puts such rubs, that the goodman cannot but think his neighbour hath done him wrong, and ears not what he spends to recovera feigned right. Some like the Polypus, take the colour of any Rock they cleave to; frame themselves to the humour of the Client, make him believe his Cause is good, though it be stark nought, that they may have a prey. 2. Many make no conscience of an honest business undertaken, but use such delays, commit such errors, follow the Cause so negligently, play so on both hands, that as Charondas was wont to say of going to Sea, Se non mirari 
Stapl. mor. do. 2. post penned.  quisemel mare ingressus sit, sed qui iterum; so we may say of going to Law; A man is not to be wondered at for suing once, but he that sues the second time, after he hath seen the dangers and difficulties of it. The common voice is, that these things are so with some Lawyers, but do not you so, because of the fear of God. Consider well the saying of the Wiseman, Prov. 20. 17. Bread of deceit is sweet, but afterward the mouth shall be filled with gravall.  
3. My speech shall be directed to the jurors, upon whole integlity both the lives and goods of men are cast. Though many neither fear the oath o● God, nor regard right and wrong, but desire so to give their verdict as their own sacrilegious and unjust actions may for time to come receive no prejudice; yet do not you so, because of the fear of God Yea, if there chance to be but one good man of the twelve, who seeing the combination of the rest in iniquity, resolveth against the same, let me encourage him to hold fast, and not to be drawn from his honest purpose because of the many opposites; but as Liberius, Bishop of Rome, once answered the Arrian Emperor Constantius, when he asked him, What so great part of the world he was, that he believed contrary 
Theod. hist. lib. 1. c. 7  to others? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the faith is never the worse because I alone profess it: So if it be Remanded how thou darest withstand the opinion of eleven, tell them, justice is never the worse, though I alone practise it. Set the fear of God before thine eyes, it will make thee bold as a Lion, not to do ●o as they, perjuriously.  
4. To accusers in criminal Causes, to Plaintiffs in Nisi prius. To Accusers: Some there are who upon malice and envy have hunted after the lives of men, and brought them to the bar, trotting about Town and Country to find faults, where they knew none, suborning false witnesses, and knights of the post to swear untruly, not caring what course they took, so those whom they hated might be brought to ruin: but do not you so, because of the fear of God. Euldence of wicked facts, desire to have ungodly persons taken away, lest the whole Country smart for them. Zeal for the glory of God, these should move a man to prosecute an offendor, not anger, notspleene, not desire of revenge; God forbidden these should be found in jacob; if the fear of God be in you, you will not do so. To Plaintiffs; many give themselves to undermine the state of others, seek out quiddities and nice tricks to spoil their brethren; who will have an Action for another man's Goose grazing in their ground; enemies to peace and all tranquillity wranglers, contentious, oppressors, who think with their purse to beggar a poor neighbour, if he will not part with his Inheritance, or stoop to them at their pleafure. A kind of men these are, of whom we may say as the Historian of Mathematicians, 
Tal●● 6. 7  Genus hominum quod in nostra Republica, et vetabitur sensper, et retinebitur, always they are cried against, and still they grow, the Country swarms with them; but do not you so, because of the fear of God. If there be any question in the Titles of land, it is honest to have them tried: If wrong be done you, the Law is open, and there are judges, implead one another fairly and peaceably; but well it were if they were cut off that trouble the Country, and chased away from the judgement-seats, which they abuse not only to the satisfying of their own wrangling spirit, but to the detriment of such as dwell nigh unto them.  
5. To Witnesses: In all ages there have been some, who for fear of their great Masters, for money or favour would give any testimony; not regarding the opening of the Truth, but clearing or condemning of such as they would set at liberty, or destroy. Our Saviour had then oft against him; and David i● his time, Psal. 35. 11. but do not you so, because of the fear of God. Art thou called to as Oath? swear in truth, in judgement, in righteousness, jer. 4  
2. Let not thy tongue speak contrary to that thy hart knoweth, for it is an abomination t● God who took order, Deut 19 19 that the false witness should be punished, lege tali●nis; thou shalt do to him, ● he thought to have done unt● his brother.  
6. And lastly, to us all: We are not ignorant of the cryin sins which reign inthis land prodigious drunkenness, who ring, swearing, kill, theeving, pride, aspersion, whic● are come to that height tha● they know no bounds; so which God hath a controversi with the land, and hath already smitten us for them. May we not say of England, as he once of Rome? Nunquam mag is 
Ta hist. l. c.  iustis iudici is approbatu●● est, non esse curae Deo securitatem nostram, esse vindictam! God hath manifestly declared, that as he hath hitherto watched over us for good, so now he watcheth over us for vengeance: And yet what sin pulls in his horns? Men are as brief in all kind of lewdness as ever. But oh, beloved, let not us do so, because of the fear of God. If before we have been guilty, let us now repent and do so no more; if we have been free from these enormities, let us go on in a right course still. The fear of God calls upon us for it; the fear of God commanding, that we be not rebels against him: the fear of God revenging, lest he come in fury and destroy us. We never had greater cause to fear God's anger than now; I wish our care to please him may be answerable, that we may truly say with Nehemiah, Though the whole world lies in wickedness, yet so do not we, because of the fear of God.  
Deo gratias, qui aperuit nobis ostium Sermon is.  
These two Sermons were preached at the Assizes in Bury, Maurice Barrow, Esquire, then high Sheriff of Suffolk.  
The end of the second Sermon.   

THE THIRD SERMOEN, ON COLOS. 3. 1.  COL. 3. 1. If ye be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above. 
IN Repentance are two things; Aversio a malo; Conversio ad bonum; the loathing of what is evil, by sorrow for it; the pursuit of that which is good, by longing after it: Or, to speak the same thing in other words; Mortification, whereby the world is crucified to the penitent, and he unto the world; and Vivification, whereby his dead and benumbed limbs are warmed in righteousnesle, to live the life of God, and bring forth the fruits of the spirit; the former cometh unto him by virtue of Christ's death, we are buried with him into his death, that the body of sin might be destroyed: the second by virtue of Christ's Resurrection; we are engrafted with him into the similitude of his resurrection, that like as Christ was raised from death by the glory of the father, so we also should walk in newness of life, Rom. 6. 4.  
This present Chapter presenteth unto our view both these; Vivification in this first verfe, If ye be risew with Christ: Mortification in the 3. and 5 verse● You are dead, mortify therefore your members. In the words read, (of which alone I am to entreat) we have a double vivification, one substantial, the o there accidental; one of Christ's body, his resurrection from the grave wherein he lay three days; the other of our whole man, his resurrection from the grave of sin wherein nature hath buried us all Here is Christ's rising, and here is our rising, both in their causality: Christ's rising is the cause that we rise, ye are risen with Christ: our rising is the cause of our seeking heavenly things, If ye be rison, seek the things that are above. A Text, which beside the general doctrine of rising from sin, and seeking heaven, matter necessary to be taught at all times, is fitted likewise to the season: one part pointing at Easter, a feast not long since past, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you are risen with Christ: another part pointing at the Ascension, the feast we now solemnize, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, things above, among which, Christ is the chief; who having conversed with his Disciples, by the space of forty days, as on this day was taken up on high, and exalted with great glory into his kingdom in heaven.  
In the words, I purpose to speak of three things: 1. That glorious work performed by our Saviour his resurrection; this the Text neceslarily implieth, The Elect are risen with Christ, therefore Christ is risen: 2. The virtue of his resurrection in his members, they are risen with him: 3. The effect or fruit of their rising, they seek the things that are above; for this conditional conjunction (if) maketh this seeking a note of rising; if you be risen you will seek things above; if you seek not things above, it is a plain argument that you are not risen.  
And first of Christ's Resurrection: of which while we speak, it is necessary that we cast back our eyes a little to that which was done but as two days before, namely, his burial and intombing in the earth: Quis enim ascendit? idem qui descendit, faith the Apostle, Ephes 4. 9 Resurrection presupposeth falling; and it is Tertullia's 
Lib. de resur. car.  note, Cum audio Resurrectionem homini imminere, quaeram necesse est quid eius cadere sorti●um sit: None can know that Christ hath rose to life, but he that knoweth he once fell by death. See then, after he had breathed forth his so blessed soul, and committed it into the hands of his father, how careful just joseph was to inter his body, wrapping it decently in linen clothes with sweet odours, as the jews used to bury; thinking, good soul, that as he now was dead, so he was to go in statum mortuorum, and that the same condition should befall him as did other men: See now the amazed hearts of all his Disciples cast down; and doubting what was become of the hope of Israel; they looked indeed that he should have been a Saviour, but now because he would not, they thought he could not save himself: they looked that he should have restored the kingdom to Israel, but behold they now they wots well all hope of a kingdom to be clean gone from him, having lost both kingdom and life, and being conquered of the alldevouring grave: Which of them all had not now his heart resolved into tears? and his eyes full fountains to send them forth? Which of them now hanged not down his head for shame, and thought himself mocked in following him? But stay a while, O ye afflicted souls, expect but the dawning of the third day, and your eyes shall well perceive that he, whom you thought to have been among the dead, is among the living; yourselves shall witness, that he was not holden long of the sorrows of death, but hath loosed them, breaking, like a victorious Conqueror, the gates of brasle and smiting the bars of Iron a sunder: untying the bands of darkness and of death, and carrying them away with him, as Sampson, his type, did the gates and bars of the City Azzah, wherein he was enclosed: the first day of the week is come, et ecce non est hic, look for him no longer among the graves, for he is risen.  
He is risen? the jews count this a fable; for so it is noised among them to this day, That all his rising was but his Apostles theft, their stealing away his body while the Watchmen slept; and the Gentiles think it a mere imposture: Habak●k so foretold, Hab. 1. 5. and the event showeth how truly, Acts 1. 3. 41. that God wrought a work in these latter days, a work which men would not believe, no, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, let them be told it never so plainly. But let jew and Gentile be as incredulous as they will, the Scriptures testify, and we must believe that Christ is risen: What though all the world beside make this sign of Christ's Divinity, his Resurrection, as a thing worthy to be spoken against, yet amplectatur et gandeat Christianus, the Christian must embrace it with joy, and joyfully acknowledge that Christ is risen. But not to stand upon this point, which I would have but an Introduction to that which followeth, observe in it only three things briefly: Suscitatum, suscitans, suscitati statum; the thing raised, the virtue raising it, the estate of it being risen.  
1. The thing raised was his body, which alone catched the fall, and was laid low in the dust; yet do we refer this resurrection to the whole person when we say, Christ is risen; because the soul was returned tooth body, whose mansion, hard entreaties erewhile made itleave; and the Deity, (though in abstracto, in itself uncapable of either falling or rising, yet in concreto, in his person, because of that unspeakable union with the manhood and communication of properties) having rising truly attributed unto it. Christ then rose, but secundum humanam naturam, in his Humanity, and his Humanity properly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the body; which being to stand up from the dead, was met by that glorious soul which for a time had departed from it. Christ, he was not (as once his Disciples swallowed up with fear mistook him, and other since blasphemously have said in earnest) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a spirit, a shadow, a man of Air; but he had a real, substantial, humane body like unto ours; which as he walked with all his life time, and carried up with him to the Cross at his death, and left it after death to be buried by his loving Disciples, so brought he the same again from the depth of the grave, not changed in kind, but the very same; behold me, for it is I, even I myself, Luke 24. 39 Christ demonstrated his body to be the same by certain degrees, one proof being more strong than another: 1. In that it had veram corporis effigiem, a body's shape and proportion, therefore he bid death his Apostles behold and see him; but so, spectra, spirits, as they call them, appear in humane form. 2. In that it was solidum, a fast solid body, not thin and subtle, therefore he biddeth his Disciples handle him; but this, though it prove a body, yet not the same. 3. Therefore, to take away all doubt, and to show indeed it was the same, he calleth for Thomas, who now might see his hands, and touch his side; his hands bored with the nails, his side pierced with the Soldier's Spear; and then (as faithless as he was before) he became faithful with the assurance of faith, and cried, My Lord, and my God. Here then we have to consider of these three things: 1. The verity of Christ's humane nature, that the same body which he brought from the womb of the Virgin at his first being upon the earth, the same he brought again from the womb of the earth, when he opened it the second time, to tread upon it; a main pillar of our comfort, that Christ took our flesh; for, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, if he took not our flesh, we are not saved by him. 2. Here is the truth of his Resurrection, the eleven incredulous Apostles, the two Travellers to Emaus, Mary Magdalen, five hundred brethren at once, a thick cloud of witnesses; all these saw, all these testify (and we know their testimony is true) that the same body which was hanged upon the tree, the same did God raise up the third day, having loosed the sorrows of death. 3. Here we see with what bodies we shall arise at the day of judgement, with these we have about us, as Christ rose with his: So job speaketh, job 19 26. Though after my skin worms destroy my body, yet shall I see God in my flesh; whom I myself shall see, and mine eyes shall behold, and none other for me. And this is the thing raised.  
But what great matter, will the Atheist say, is this, that Christ rose again? Have not others risen, which have been longer dead than he? It is true, they have; but mark the virtue Raising, and you shall find novum super terram, a thing never heard of upon earth before; they were raised, Christ raised himself. Lazarus must have the loud call of Christ, Joh. 11. 43. or else had he slept his long sleep: Elizeus with the touch of his bones set a man upon his feet, who was cast dead into his Sepulchre, 2 King. 13. 21. yet long and long may Elizeus lie in the grave himself, waiting to be raised by another, because he cannot raise himself. Hence came Saint Bernard's distinction, Aliorum resurrectiones, vel suscitationes potius; they had external force raising them, Christ alone internal; as he saith of himself, I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it again, Joh. 16. 18. But what then meant Peter to say, God raised up jesus, Acts 2. 32. and Paul, Christ was raised from death by the glory of the Father, Rom 6. 3. The answer is plain, that Christ may be considered two ways: 1. Ratione unitae Deitatis, as he was God as well as man; and so we may say, his body resumed the soul which before it lost; and the soul came again to the body which before it left; the Divinity of Christ (which never left the Humanity, but was united unto it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,) working this wonderful conjunction. 2. Ratione natura create, he may be considered in his passable humane nature which was raised; and this had not that great power in itself, but was raised by the Godhead both of the Father & himself; for opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa; in these outward actions, the persons of the Trinity concur jointly, so that when God the Father raiseth, the Son raiseth also; and therefore might truly say of the Temple of his body, In three days I will raise it up again, joh. 2. 19 and herein did Christ plainly show himself to be God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, mightily, saith the Apostle, Rom. 1. 4. for, super as evadere ad auras hic labour, ho opus est, It passeth the bounds of all humane strength to unwind itself out of the snares of death. Let then the accursed Arrian call into question the Godhead of our Saviour; let him imagine this rising to proceed from the assistance of the Deity present with him, not from the verity thereof in him; but let us, following the rule and light of Scripture, acknowledge the bright beams of his Divinity, amidst the most dusky clouds of his Humanity; confessing him to be God, one with the Father, and coequal: as upon other grounds, so among the rest upon this, That once he was dead, but is now alive; once he was buried, but the third day risen. This is the second thing, the power whereby Christ was raised.  
The third is his state being risen, and this was a state of immortality; he had privilege from future death; he died indeed, but it was but once; Being raised from the dead, he dyeth no more; death hath no more power over him, Rom 6. 9 Others being raised, must pass the second time the straits of death, the anxiety whereof being once acquainted with, it must surely be great horror to think that once again they must go through them; but Christ having once made spoil of that All-ruling Tyrant, hath so overmastered him, that he durst never since set upon him. Therefore is it the Motto of the Son of man, I am alive, and I live for evermore, Rev. 1. 18. Others rising was in this imperfect, that being actually freed from death, and ransomed from his captivity, yet are they subject every hour to become his thralls, and to be catched in his begins: but Christ's rising was perfect, in that he was freed, non a morte solum, sed a necessitate et possibilitate moriendi; not alone from the actuality of death (from which many others) but from the power of ever being again a prisoner to him. And thus it is a comfort to the afflicated soul rend asunder, and torn grievously with the pangs and girds of sin, a comfort, I say, it is to know that his Redeemer liveth that he wanteth not a friend in the Court of heaven to behold the face of the great God of glory, and earnestly to solicit him suit daily before him. It is the Apostles conclusion, Heb. 7. 2● He is able perfectly to save them that come to God through him seeing that he ever liveth to make intercession for them Many men we see do floarish and lift up their horns on high while they have their Patrons in great men's houses, who may be ready at every turn to see means of their preferment marry, this a little cutteth their comb, that they have not ● lease of their patron's life; a thousand ways there are o● bringing him to his end, and then their horns may shrink as fare as they spread before; but we who rely upon Christ risen from the dead for our salvation, are quit of this fear; so that we cast our hope, the Anchor of our soul, both firm and steadfast, because jesus is entered into heaven, Sacerdes in aeternum, never again to see death, an High Priest for ever: Thus hath Christ led captivity captive, and quit himself of death, not so much for himself, though herein he shown the greatness of his power, as for us whose chiefest good was to be procured thereby, as justification, Resurre●it propter iustificationem nostram, Rom 4 3. he by rising ratified the payment formerly made for our sins; and Sanctification, the thing which in the second place this Text giveth us to consider; Consurrexist is cum ille, You are risen with him.  
A threefold Resurrection we read of in Scripture, which doth depend upon Christ's rising: The one, of those holy Saints of jury, which came out of the graves after his Resurrection, and went into jerusalem, Matth. 27. 53. and thus it was peculiar to those few men: the second, of all the Saints in the world rising out of the death of sin to the life of righteousness; and this is especial to that kind of men which are regenerate: The third (if not general of all, both Saints and wicked, which some affirms out of those words, Christu● primitiae dormientium, Cor. 1● 20. Christ as man, is the fir●● fruits of the lump of them that sleep, yet) shall not be accomplished in the Saints till the en● of the world, the day of judgement. So that when we hear● that we are risen with Chri●● we must not be like Hymenae● and Philetus, to dream tha● there is no more resurrection to come, but that all is passed already, 2 Tim. 2. 17. but we must learn to distinguish between the first and second resurrection; the one to come at the end of all things, the other to be every day by us practised; for blessed is he that hath his part in the first Resurrection, Rev. 20. 6. The one is a morte simpliciter, ad vitam sim liciter, from death to life; the other, a morte quadam, ad vitam quandam, as Austin speaketh; from the death of infidelity, to he life of faith. from the death of error, to the life of truth: from the death of iniquity, to ●he life of righteousness; so that this is a metaphorical kind of rising from the dead; and of this latter it is, that the Apostle here speaketh of, you are risen with Christ.  
Of which rising of ours, we may speak two ways; either in causa, as it is referred to Christ, the Author of it: or in se, as it may be considered in itself with the parts and members thereof; the first included in these words, with Christ; the second in the other words, you are risen.  
For the first, Christ is the cause of our rising, two ways; exemplariter, and efficienter both by way of pattern and example; as we have our rising from sin mystically figured in his rising from the grave; as also by way of power and communication, as by his rising we receive grace, and strength to rise: In the one, he is to u●● as the Copy to the child that writeth, which giveth him n● ability to write, but only showeth him in what sort he should frame and make his letters: In the other, he is like the expert Scrivener who guideth the child's hand, and maketh him write according to the Copy. Christ his rising propoundeth unto us, both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that we must rise, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, how we should rise; but this is like the Law, a yoke that we could not bear: therefore also he giveth us virtue which maketh us rise, and helpeth us up again if we once be down.  
1. Christ is the cause of our rising by way of example, in his Resurrection showing us two things for our imitation: 1. what must be the end and scope of our whole conversation; namely, that we may attain the glory of the life to come: and of this, Gregory speaketh in his Morals; There are, saith he, two ways of all men in the body; one before death, the other after the resurrection; in the former all men walked, wholly ignorant of the latter, till Christ came in the flesh, and by entering one himself, pointed unto us the other: by dying, he led the life we enjoy; by rising again, opened the way which we are to seek; teaching us by his example, that this life is not to be loved for itself, but to be tolerated for a better. 2. By what means we must attain this end; that is by holiness of life, and pious carriage; and this pattern Saint Augustine telleth us of, Resurrectione Domini configuratur vita quae hic geritur, Christ's rising fashions the whole course of the life we live here; and therefore said the Apostle, we are engrafted into the similitude of Christ's resurrection that like as he was raised from death by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk● in newness of life, Rom. 6. 4. Thus is Christ as a Beacon se● upon the top of an hill, his actions are our instructions, he having given us an ensample that we should follow his steps: Now his actions they were of two sorts: some morales, which respected the fulfilling of the Law, such as were his humanity, meekness, innocency, obedience to parents, magistrates, and the like: Others mediatoriae, such as respected his office of Mediatorship, as yielding himself to death, rising again from the dead; in both these is he a pattern unto us, though not after the same manner: In the former we are to imitate him in the same kind, doing what he did, though we cannot do it in the same degree; therefore he the great Master, calleth to all his Scholars to learn of him, that he is humble and lowly, Matth. 11. 29. And Saint Peter willeth us, when we are reviled, not to revile again; when we suffer, not to threaten, because Christ himself also did so, 1 Pet. 2. 23. In the latter we are to imitate him by similitude; translating that unto our spiritual life, which he did as Mediator; thus his dying teacheth us not to die the death of the body, but of sin; to crucify the flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof: and his rising again teacheth us, not to come out of the graves when we are buried (alas, it passeth the strength of all humanity) but to arise from sin, the death of the soul. Behold then, apish man, who art ready to follow every fashion, a pattern worthy the looking upon, an example worthy the following, even thy Saviour rising! Oh be thou a Saint, and rise with him! Die he might, but could not be overcome of death, and therefore loosed the sorrows of it: So, howsoever thou hast sinned, yet be not overruled by sin, suffer it not to reign in thy mortal body. Voluntarily went he once into the dark bowels of the earth, and there remained three days; necessarily through the corruption of thy nature, and voluntarily also through the depravation of thy will, hast thou fallen into the depths of sin, and there hast laid three days; the day of thy conception, for thou wert shapen in wickedness: the day of thy birth, for thou wert polluted in thine own blood: the day of thy life hitherto, for thou hast been a stranger from the womb, from the womb hast thou erred: as therefore thy death of sin hath been like unto Christ's being in the grave, so let thy rising from sin be comformed to the similitude of his Resurrection: now the third day break forth into the light, throw away thy graveclothes, the works of darkness, and put on the apparel of a man, the armour of light. It was that, they say, which made Alexander's soldiers so willing to attempt desperate matters, that what he would have them do, himself first began; and therefore was wont to say, Eamus, faciamus; what you see me do, do you the same likewise. We have here the same encouragement which they had, Christ our head is risen before us to lead the way, and show us how we should rise; Et nos ideo surgamus de tumulo terrae, saith Saint Ambrose; having so good a Precedent for our direction, let us also rise.  
2. Christ is the cause of our rising, by way of efficacy; for by virtue of his Resurrection hath he derived grace and strength to us all. Mr. calvin's note is good upon this place, That we are not here invited only by the example of Christ risen, to follow newness of life, sed eius fieri virtute docemur ut regeneremur in iustitiam; this Text teacheth us that our regeneration is from the virtue of his Resurrection: To small purpose had it been for Christ to have gone before us in that which we could not do, unless he had enabled us also that we might do it. To teach a cripple how to go, or a dumb man how to speak, is a fruitless thing; but to strengthen the feet and ankle-bones of the one, to untie the strings of the others tongue, this is the way to make them go and speak: So fareth it with us all (my beloved) we were like that man possessed with Devils, who abode among the graves; sin had so wounded us, that we were cut off from the land of the living, being dead in trespasses, Ephe. 2. 1. what could it then have benefited us, if one whose life was within him should walk and stir? that Christ who was quickened by the Spirit, could come out of the grave? surely nothing, unless he that raised up Christ from the dead, had also quickened our benumbed souls then and not otherwise could we arise: it was therefore requisite that to his example set before us, Christ should add the communication of virtue to us, that we might rise with him. And this is that which the Apostle Paul speaketh, Ephesians 2. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, God hath quickened us together with Christ; giving him the Spirit of life, whereby he was raised from the dead, and withal, to us the life of the Spirit, that we might rise from sin: And this is that medicinalis convenientia of Saint Augustine's, whereby the Example of Christ's rising is made effectual; namely, the applying of medicines to out infirmities, purging out all humours whereby we might be stayed in our corruptions; and strengthening the vital faculties for the exercise of spiritual things; for as Christ died to take away from sin the guilt, the punishment, and dominion which it got over man, so that man might be said to be dead to sin, because he no longer lived therein; so did he rise again to furnish man with all gifts and graces necessary for his soul's salvation: and every faithful man is partaker, as of Mortification by virtue of Christ's death, so of Vivification by virtue of his Resurrection. For fuller perceiving whereof, we must know, that Christ is as the head, his Saints the members; Christ the root, his Saints the branches; as therefore the motion of the members, and governing them in their actions proceedeth from the head, where is the motive faculty in greatest vigour; so do the members of Christ his mystical body derive from him the influence of grace, whereby they are enabled to perform their functions, de plenitudine eius, joh. 1. 16. from him we draw, of him we receive. Now Christ is the head of his Church as Mediator, and by his works of Mediation most of all diffuseth life and motion, and that sweetly in an analogy to the work; so his death giveth a motion to corruption, the corrupting of the old man; and his Resurrection, a motion to quickening, the quickening of the new man; these two, like main channels, convey whole streams of graces from him into the Church: neither doth the disproportion of soul and body hinder this conveyance at all, Christ rising in his body only, the soul of man being the proper subject of grace; for, it is not the virtue of the body raised that maketh this diffusion, but the Divine virtue, raising the body, scattereth abroad his graces per actionem, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by this wonderful act of God-man his resurrection: and thus as Augustine 
Ser. 181. de temp.  observes, Resurrectio simplex format resurrectionem duplicem, Christ's rising in his body causeth in his Saints a double resurrection, the one of their bodies at the last day, because his flesh is of the same mass with theirs; the other of their souls continually, because he is the head of the whole man. Behold then the virtue of Christ's resurrection, as Saint Paul calleth it, Phil. 3. 10. the raising virtue; giving to him that was down through infidelity, saith to believe and stand up aright: to him that was fettered in malice, and could not stir, charity to walk in good works; because Christ lives, therefore shall his live also: because he is risen, they shall rise together with him.  
And are they risen together with him? Then is here a lesson of humility for every Christian: If thou findest life in thyself, that thou art not benumbed, nor the spirit of drowsiness is upon thee, but that as a living member of Christ's body thou art laden with fruit, and dost those works which become one that is alive, see here the root upon which thou growest, the fountain from whence all this goodness of thine proceedeth, even Christ; by virtue of whose resurrection from the grave, thou which before wert dead, art now alive; thou which before hadst sinned mortally, art now raised eternally: Sacrifice not therefore with proud Pelagius to thine own net, nor burn incense to thine own yarn, as if by them thy portion were fat, and thy meat plenteous; think not these good works of thine to come from thine own strength, thine own free will rightly used by thee, but go a little higher than thyself, and know thy will to be but a lower sphere, quae non nisi mota movet, which cannot of itself do anything, but in him, who by his resurrection hath quickened and raised thee up into the estate of grace. Dost thou believe that thou art risen with Christ? Thou must so believe, if thou believest the Scriptures: I demand then, Who separated thee? And what hast thou, that thou hast not received? And if thou hast received it, why boastest thou as if thou hadst not received it? 1. Cor. 4. 7. Boast not then thy self, either against thy fellow-branches, for that thou art better than they; or against the root, as if thou grewest of thyself, but know that the root beareth thee, Rom. 11. 18. and therefore confess, both in humility and verity, thyself to be an unprofitable servant; and say with David, Not unto me, O Lord, not unto me, Psal. 115. 1. not unto me for my rising, not unto me for the fruits of my rising, but to thy Name be the praise. And thus much of our rising in causa, as it proceedeth from Christ's Resurrection, which was the first thing: The second is our rising in itself, what it is; for upon Christ his rising, we are also risen, and what then is our rising?  
Surely our rising hath great similitude and likeness with Christ's rising: Now in Christ's rising we may especially observe three things: 1. Corporis expulvere resuscitationem, the bringing up of his body from the dust of death. 2. Vnionem animae corpori resuscitato, the uniting of the soul with the body risen. 3. Vnitorum inseparabilem colligationem, the impossibility of ever having his soul and body, thus united, to be served: So must there be in our spiritual resurrection, this rising with Christ, these three things: 1. The raising of the soul from sin, which is the very dust and death thereof. 2. The uniting of it to God, who is anima animae, the very life and soul of the soul, in whom it liveth, moveth, and hath it being, not in nature only, but also in grace. 3. The knitting of these two, God and the soul together in the perfect bands of love, which may not be upon every little jar broken, but remain inviolably for ever firm and sure. 1. We must rise out of the grave of sin; sin, it is as death: Saint Gregory elegantly showeth us the 
Greg in Psal. 142.  estate of the dead sinner, in sepulchro conscientia tumulatum, etc. he is buried in the sepulchre of his conscience, is bound with the napkins of concupiscence, is cast out from the sight of God, is covered with hardness of heart, is shut in with the stone of iniquity, a miserable death! As than God said to Elias in the Cave, What dost thou here Elias? Come out and stand in the Munt before the Lord, 1. King. 19 9 So let me sound this speech in the ear of the sinner covered over with the moulds of sin, What makest thou there, thou sinner? Come out of this Sepulchre of sin, if thou wilt appear before the Lord in the land of the living. To this the Scripture calleth, when it biddeth us awake, and stand up from the dead, Ephes. 5. 14. To mortify our members which are upon the earth, Col. 3. 5. To crucify the old man, that the body of sin in us may be destroyed, Rom. 6. 6. This is done by repentance, sorrow for sin, breaking off sin, leaving sin, which is the first degree of our rising, the first step to life. 2. Having risen from sin, we must also unite ourselves unto God, for he is our life, Deut. 30. 20. Therefore must we cleave to him if we mean to live; else are we as a body without a soul, a filthy carcase. It was to no purpose that the dry bones came together bone to his bone, that the sinews and flesh grew upon them, that they were covered with skin, unless 〈◊〉 winds had breathed upon them also, and they had lived; for what difference between a dry bone, and a senseless body? And to as small end are we roused from the grave of sin, unless there be a spirit within that quickeneth; for what excellency hath a carcase unburied, above that which is buried? a man not righteous, above him that is a sinner? Life then is yet further required to our rising, which because we are members of a body, is not to be had but in the body; get faith therefore, which ingrafteth into the mystical body of Christ; being engrafted, we shall be partakers of the Spirit, which diffusing itself through every member, knitteth us to God, to whom to be joined is life. Of this speaketh our Saviour, joh. ●5. 3. Abide in me, and I in you: As the branch cannot bear fruit except it abide in the Vine, no more can you, except ye abide in me. 3. Being united unto God, and living this new life of raised persons, we must continue in this life, even as Christ having risen from death, now dyeth no more; this is the true conformity to his resurrection, whereas those that live to dye again, were rather risen in show than truth; moved artificially by some Engine to make them stir, than naturally by a vital power of their own: and of this continuance excellently sings the Prophet, Psal. 92. 12. The righteous shall flourish like a Palm tree, and spread abroad like a Cedar in Lebanon: such as be planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God; they shall still bring forth fruit in their age, and shall be fat and well liking.  
To conclude then this point, Let all of us who profess ourselves Christians, and triumph in our Saviour's resurrection, let all of us, I say, rise with him; as well he that hath been dead but an hour or two, he that hath fallen lately, as he that like Lazarus hath been in the grave four days, and through his continuance in sin beginneth to stink in the nostrils of the Lord. Let not the young man lie still, and think another day will come, and then it will be time enough for him to rise; but as Christ rose early in the morning, so let him rise in the prime & morning of his youth; if he find the grave now open, and his soul to be in him, let him take heed lest the grave shut her mouth again upon him, lest his soul being taken again out of that drowsy mansion, he have no more such opportunity to rise: Again, let not the old man lie still and not arise, because he feareth he hath laid too long, and there is no hope for him to recover life for sweet and comfortable is that saying of Saint Austin, V● radius oculi nostri, etc. As our eye doth not sooner see things that are near it, & then the things that are further off, but with a like swiftness doth behold them both: so the virtue of Christ's rising cometh not first to them who are new dead in sin, and scarcely to those that are of long continuance in it, sed ei tam facile est, ut quaeque recentia, diuturno tempori dilapsa cadavera suscitare; it can as easily raise those which have longest, as those which have had smallest time therein. Let us then all, both old and young, rouse up ourselves, for the Master is up, and shall it not shame the servants to be behind? Christ is risen, and draweth us also with the cords of love, oh let us run after him in the sweet savour of his ointments, and ascend after him in our hearts to heaven; whither he hath already ascended, which is the third thing propounded in the Text, the fruit of our rising with Christ, Seek the things that are above.  
Where two things offer themselves to be considered; the Object, things above; the Act, seek; which Act is proportioned to the Object and is diverse, according to the diversity of it. Now things above may be taken two ways 1. For Christ the truth, opposed to jewish ceremonies; and this interpretation is made good by comparing this verse with the latter part of the second chapter, where the Apostle reasoneth in this manner, They which wrongly conceive o● Christ, live still to the Ordinances of the world, and burden themselves with traditions, touch not, taste not, handle not; but such as believing a right in his resurrection, are freed from these beggarly rudiments, look after things o● ●n higher nature, Christ himself, who is the body and substance of all those shadows, and is now to be apprehended ●n himself, without the interposition of those former observances, and then seeking is taken for right understanding and conceiving of the state of Religion; as if the Apostle had said, You that are Christians, must know that the Ceremonial Law is abolished, which good in distinction of meats, ●ayes, apparel; things, though at first appointed by God, yet ●ut for a season, and therefore ●ave perished in their use, and ●ow are become commandments and doctrines of men: You must know, that the true worshippers must worship the father in spirit and in truth, coming to him by Christ, who above in heaven at his right hand; believing in his death ●nd resurrection, letting go the sacrifices of the Law, a● Mosaical injunctions, which though they had a show of wisdom in them, yet were ordained to endure but till the tru● came. We see how the Apostle opposeth Christ to the earthly ceremonies, and dissuadeth Christians, who were 〈◊〉 lay hold on him, from any further dealing with them, and that for two reasons: 1. Because he was come whom the prefigured, and therefore the● were to cease in him. 2. F●● that he was now again ascended into heaven, and therefore looked for the heart and the affections, not bodily observances: Now these earthly ceremonies are not such only were legal, belonging to Moses Law, but even those which draw the heart from heaven unto the earth, placing Religion in outward shows and wi●● worship, such as the Christian within the Papacy hath been miserably pestered with. Saint Austin in his time complained 
Epist. 119. c. 19  of these servile burdens, which though they could not be proved to be directly against the faith, yet made the Church of the Christians in worse case than the Church of the jews, the one being in bondage to a ●egall yoke, the other to men's presumptions, such as are the ●et number of Pater-nosters, Creeds, and Ave-maries to be ●aily said over; the adoring of Christ, in the Rood, Windows, etc. their Pilgrimages, Whipping themselves, and a world more such as these, which make indeed a great show of Devotion in the eyes of men, and ●old the beguiled senses in admiration, yet are not of any value but for the satisfying of the flesh, man's carnal desires; who for the sin of his soul, would give any thing rather than his soul; or do any thing rather than the works of the soul. Well are we who have shaked off this bondage, and are free to come to Christ, as himself hath appointed, with hearty repentance, earnest faith, willing affections, so to seek the things that are above.  
2. By things above may be meant heavenly things, the happiness which aboundeth in heaven, and which we are by God ordained unto; and then seeking signifieth two things: 1. A desire of this happiness: 2. The using of the means to attain this happiness. 1. They which are risen, desire things above; not with a lazy wish, oh that some would give me to drink of the waters of life! but with ardour and fervency, such as was in David, Psal. 42. 1. Like as the Hart panteth after the water brooks, so longeth my soul after thee O God: my soul is athirst for God, yea even for the living God: oh when shall I come and appear in the presence of God? 2. They use the means of attaining it; no way so strait that they will not walk in, if it lead to heaven; no labour so hard which they will not endure, if it end in happiness; fire, water, sword's, stones, they will pass through them all to this wealthy place: Thus do the Saints, Ascensiones disponere in cord, think of nothing but ascending upward: they dig not down to hell, to fetch from thence wicked plots and devices; they spend not themselves upon the earth to get riches, honours, and preferments, but sursum corda, all their delight is above these transitory things, their souls are heaven-walking spirits, ravished with the joy they know to be there, and therefore attend ever to partake of it. Christ, who is their head, ascending, hath invited them that are his members, as Saint Austin speaketh, to a region of Angels, to the friendship of the Father and the holy Ghost, to an everlasting supper, to communion with him, to himself; this maketh them to confess with the Patriarches, Heb. 11. 13. that they are strangers & pilgrims upon the earth, looking still towards heaven, as if they sought a Country; hic generatio quaerentium quae sunt supra: thus do they, who seek the things which are at ove; and let every man ask himself, Are we such? What meaneth then the high-climbing ambition of haughty spirits to places of promotion and dignity? What meaneth the hoarding up of treasures by the covetous; the swimming in lascivious pleasures by the voluptutuous? Do we not hereby testify that we are worldly; and if worldly, how heavenly? Assuredly, our love of earth cannot stand with the love of heaven; our seeking of things below, with seeking things above. If then we would have comfort in our own souls, that we are risen with Christ, let us aseend with him, from licking the base dust with the cursed creatures, to feed of celestial Manna; that though our bodies tread upon the earth yet our conversation maybe in heaven, from whence we look for our Saviour, the Lord jesus Christ to come; who at his coming, as he hath raised our souls already to the life of grace, will raise our bodies to the life of glory, and make them like his own most glorious body.  
The end of the third Sermon.   

THE FOURTH SERMON, ON HOS. 1. 4.  HOSEA 1. 4. I will avenge the blood of jezreel upon the house of jehu. 
MAn sins, and vengeance sleeps; sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed: So the Preacher, Eccles. 8. 11. When thou didst these things, I kept silence. So God himself, Psal. 50 21. The sleeping of vengeance causeth the overflow of sin; because sentence is not executed, the hearts of men are set to do mischief; because God keeps silence, the sinner thinks he is hail fellow with him. And the overflow of sin, causeth the awaking of vengeance: The sinner shall not prolong his days, though without control he doth evil an hundred times, the same Preacher telleth us: I will reprove thee, and set thy sins in order, the same God speaks it. So that in few words I have pointed out to you four things: Man's sin: God's connivance upon his sin: Man's blodnesse upon his connivance: God's punishment upon man's boldness.  
Will you see all these verified by an example? You need go no further than jehu, whom my Text nameth; look his history, 2 King. 9, 10, chap. and compare it with these words, you shall find them all plainly laid before you. 1. He kills his Master, leboram, the King, chap. 9 vers. 24. there is his sin; how fare he sinned in this action, you shall hear afterward. 2. There neither comes thunderbolt from heaven to strike him, neither doth the earth open her mouth to devour him, nor any other plague seize upon him for it; there is God's connivance. 3. Hereupon he proceedeth to dash lezabel, the Queen, against the walls, to behead the king's children, to cut off from Ahab all that remained, chap 10. there is his boldness. Hitherto all sorts well with him, the world goeth on his side still: but you look for a fourth part, what God prepared for him all this while; my Text will tell you that, which is nothing else, but the denouncing of vengeance against Iehu's house for this bloody cruelty. Hear the words, and you shall understand his punishment; I will avenge the blood of jezreel upon the house of jehu. You have the scope and the sum.  
The parts are three: Paena, Crimen, Reus: A punishment denounced, I will avenge: A fault to be punished, The blood of jezreel: A part to sustain the punishment, The house of jehu Each part subdivideth itself into two branches. In the punishment you have two things: 1. The foreshowing of an evil to come: The tense affordeth this consideration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the future signification, I will avenge. 2. The nature of the evil foreshown, this the Verb telleth us, it is avenging. In the crime you have likewise two things: 1. The fault in general to be punished, that is, murder; set down here under the name of blood. 2. The restriction of this fault in respect of the persons murdered, in the word jezreel, the blood of jezreel. Finally, in the party sustaining, you have two things; the root and the branches, the fountain and the rivers, jehu and his posterity. the house of jehu. So that these words do give us to consider of fix things: 1. God's prediction of evil to come: 2. God's punishing of evil men: 3. His punishing of murder: 4. His punishing the murder done in jezreel: 5. His avenging it upon jehu: 6. His avenging it upon his house. Of these briefly.  
I will avenge,) this is the prediction. It is observed in earthly policy among Princes, that upon any offence offered by their neighbours, they do not presently set upon them with fire and sword, until they have sent an Herald to declare their grievance, and denounce war: God commanded it to the Israelites, Deut 20. 10. and the law of nature, as it seemeth, dispersed it to all Nations: The manner thereof among the Romans is described by Gellius; 
Gell. l. 16. c. 4.  The Herald threw his weapon upon the enemy's ground, with this speech, Ego populu que Romanus hominibus Hermundulis bellum dico facioque. In like manner, God being justly offended with the sins of men, openeth not by and by the treasures of his wrath, but sendeth out his Ambassadors to see if satisfaction may be made, and so the course of his revenge stayed. This the very Gentiles observed in their false gods, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said Herodotus; 
Musa●. l. 6.  The gods take pleasure in premenitions: And we find it every where verified of the Lord of Hosts, the God of Battles, that he smites not before he hath given warning; sends not the executioners of his justice, till he hath foresent the messengers of his mercy: Thus had the old world before the flood, Noah to teach them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 2 Pet. 2. 5. the Trumpet of God's righteousness, and the Ark in building by the space of 120 years, to be a visible sign unto them of their succeeding misery: Thus Moses and Aaron foretold Pharaoh of those plagues 
joseph. de hello jud. l. 6. c. 3.  which lighted upon him and his people: Thus the blazing Star, the battels seen in the Air, the voice heard in the Temple, the constant cry of jesus the son of Anani in the streets, were to the jews forerunners of their ensuing destruction. Not to heap up examples; the sins of Israel were now grown ripe, and the posterity of jehu fitted for the sword, which made God stir up the spirit of the Prophet Hosea, to let them understand that their end drew nigh, and that the kingdom should cease from the house of Israel; for by then a year and an half were expired, the race of jehu 
Zanch. in hu●● lo●●m  was expired likewise; Shallum the usurper having slain Zachariah, the fourth from jehu, and so that line ceased.  
Now the end of these predictions are twofold: 1. To move the warned to labour reconciliation with God. 2. To assure them of vengeance if they be not reconciled.  
For the first: It is directly expressed by the Prophet Amos, chap. 4. 12. Thus will I do unto thee, O Israel; and because I will do thus unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel The comminations of God in Scripture, do not shut up the way to repentance but rather open it, inviting the sinner to send up his humility, his penitence, his prayers, to stand in the gap, and to keep off the wrath of God, that it come not forth to consume him. If I speak, saith God, against a Nation to pluck it up and destroy it, if that Nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil way, I will repent of the evil which I thought to do unto them, jer. 18. 7. A manifest example whereof we have in that threatening denounced against Niniveh; a threatening, than which, in Scripture, none more absolute, none more peremptory, yet forty days and Niniveh shall be destroyed; yet was this sentence reversed by God upon the Ninivits' conversion, though hereby men might conceive of him that he was as a man to repent; and of jonas his messenger, that he was a false prophet. And I doubt not but I may safely say, If the house of jehu had by the message of Hosea learned to walk in the ways of God, this revenge here denounced might have been removed, or at leastwise deferred till succeeding generations.  
Let men, who find the curses due by the Law dogging them for their transgressions, not hereupon grow desperate, as if there were no way of evasion, but they must dye for it; daniel's counsel was otherwise to Nabuchadnezzar, even after the decree of the Watchman, and the word of the holy One, O King, break off thy sins by righteousness, if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity, Dan 4. 27. Prolata est sententia ut non fiat, saith chrysostom upon these words; God threatneth judgement, that he may not execute it; telleth men of evils to come, not only that they may know, but especially that they may avoid them.  
For the second; these predictions assure the impenitent of vengeance, they are the earnest of that price which shall hereafter be paid them to the utmost farthing: for shall God speak the word, and shall it not be done? hath he said, and shall he not make it good? assuredly his word shall stand, and his threatening not return to him in vain, every jot and tittle thereof shall be fulfilled in his season: He foretold of a flood to come upon the old world, the world remained impenitent, the flood came and swept them all away: He foretold plagues to light upon Egypt, Egypt remained impenitent, and the plagues with multiplication laid hold upon them In a word, he foretold to Iehu's house the departing of their glory, Jehu's house remained impenitent, and in a small while their glory departed from them?  
This point the Apostle Paul hath laid down in plain terms, Rom. 9 6. It is impossible the word of God should fall, and yet many stumble at this stone, calling into question both the justice and truth of God, when as contrary to the prophetical threats, impenitent sinners enjoy earthly good things, the Law having denounced many temporal judgements against them, all which notwithstanding, they live many times in great delight and prosperity, as if they were the sons of blessing, and had nothing to do with cursing. To clear therefore this point in a word or two, I affirm, that not to exccute vengeance threatened against impenitent sinners, is neither against the justice nor the Truth of God.  
1. Not against his justice; for the rule whereby God squareth his justice, is not always retributio pro meritis, that he do to the sinner according to his desert, but sometime condecentia bonitatis suae, that he do to the sinner what becometh his own goodness, as Aquinas 
Prima q. 2. primo 3.  speaketh: though evil men in themselves deserve most righteously all the punishments denounced in the Law, yet the goodness of God requireth that he empty not the treasure of his wrath upon every occasion, but sometime spare when he might strike; whether therefore he striketh, he is just; or whether he holdeth his hands he is still just; Cum punis malos iustus es, quia illorum meritis eonvenit, cum parcis iustus quiae bonitatituae condicit, said Anselmus 
Ansel. ci●. Aq. loco pred. cto.  truly; In the former just, because man's sins deserve it; in the latter just, because it is consonant to his own goodness.  
2. Not against his Truth: If the sinner go unpunished in 
Zanch in 2. praecep. p. 374.  one sort or other, even of temporal punishments, then say God is untrue; but never think a thought against his truth, because the sinner is not punished in this kind or that: for howsoever God hath annexed these and these judgements to the violation of his Precepts, to the intent that the wicked may know what is their due guerdon, and what they may expect 
De n●t. Dei l. 4. 6. 5. q 2.  from him, yet is he Index liber, not juratus. as Zanchy saith well: He is not bound at all times to inflict them, or upon all sinners, but in his wise dispensation so to order them, as may make most for the manifestation of his own justice, for the conviction of the wicked, for the good of his Saints, and for the terror of all men. His special threatenings against particular, either Nations or men, lay fast hold, and miss not; the burden of jerusalem, of Ahab, of Jehu, of infinite more we see have fallen heavy upon them: but his general threatenings against general sinners, are then made good, not when they all light upon every sinner, but when some of them light upon all; and so it may be truly averred, God never said he would avenge, but he hath avenged to the full, and the transgressor hath found it to his smart.  
To conclude this point; we which are the Heralds of the Lord of Hosts, are bound to denounce destruction against his enemies; not so, that we can surely tell them as the Prophets did, If they offend in this kind, they shall be punished in this sort, we have no such visions now adays, and we may be too bold in speaking beyond our Commission; but this we may, yea and must say, that even the temporal evils of this life are the portion of sinners, (as Zophar hath excellently described it through the whole twentieth Chapter of Job) and they may justly fear to be overtaken by them; cursings in the City, cursings in the field, cursings in their body, cursings in their seed, cursings in their souls, cursings in their estate, all these wait for them; and were it not for the kerbing fence of God's mercy, would suddenly, as the old world's water, make away with them. Repent therefore, this is the end of all, that you may be free from the curse, sons of promise, not of threatening; to whom God may say, I will do good; and not as he did here to jehu, I will avenge. And so I proceed from God's woollen feet, to his iron hands; from his mercy in threatening, to his severity in executing, which appeareth in the nature of the evil here denounced, which is avenging.  
Avenge.] The Original word 
2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  signifieth to visit, and visiting is in Scripture taken two ways; there is visitatio misericordiae, a visiting in pure mercy; our Saviour speaketh of that, Luk 19 44. Oh that thou hadst known the day of thy visitation! and there is visitatio vindictae, a visiting in wrath and indignation, called sometime the visitation of evil, Exod. 20. 4. sometime the visitation for evil, Esay 13. 11. Our Prophet Hosea, chap. 9 7. speaking of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 days of visitation, presently adds, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, days of retribution; declaring this unto us, that Gods visiting, it is his punishing, his repaying unto evil doers the stipend of their impieties; this visiting here of ●ehu's house is certainly of the atter kind of visitation; the ●easing of Israe Is kingdom, the breaking of his bow, were effects of it, and these, without doubt, were the works of God's displeasure. Tremellius therefore reads the word animadvertam, I will punish; and our last English translation significantly, I will avenge: which word setteth forth God unto us as a judge, proceeding to take vengeance upon such as have broke his Law, and to punish them.  
1. God as a judge; for we are not to imagine that we have a God to deal withal, who i● all mercy, all meekness, al● compassion; he hath in hi● justice also, he hath severity he hath anger, not only in preparing against that general day of slaughter at the end of time but even now working in this present world. David's Ditty when he sung unto God, wa● composed of Discords, than was judgement as well as me●● cy, Psal. 101. 1. and it is the style of his Royal Title proclaimed by himself, Exod. 34. 6. The Lord merciful and gracious, who will not clear the guilty, but visit iniquity unto the third and fourth generation.  
2. This word Avenge, showeth us, that from God's justice it cometh to pass, that wicked men are truly and properly punished in this life, as Iehu's house here was; I say, properly, for among those three things which the Schoolmen make 
Aq. quae. disp. de malo in come. q. 1, ar. 4.  of the essence of punishment, this is one, that it have respect unto, and follow upon a fault: Dicitur enim proprie aliquis is puniri, quando patitur malum pro aliquo quod commisit; He is truly punished who suffereth some evil for some fact: when therefore God for the sins of men sendeth temporal evils upon them, than doth he properly punish them: And this he doth oftentimes; for although it cannot be denied but that some of the evils which God inflicteth upon men, are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, gentle chastisements of a loving father, as warning-pieces to deter them from sin: and some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, trials of their faith, patience, their obedience; yet are there also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, revenging judgements, whereby God heweth down the tree for unfruitfulness, and casteth it, irrecoverably, into the fire; as we see in the sudden destruction of Corab, Dathan, and Abiram; in the present death of Anania● and Sapphira, manifest examples, and beyond all gainsaying, of God's revenging judgements upon transgressors.  
This punishing of sinners here with temporal punishments is necessary in a three fold respect 1. It declareth the justice ●● God: 2. It maketh way for th● goodness of God: 3. It conserveth the order of the world; in all which respects, supplicia, they are bona, and Deo digna, as Terdullian speaketh, befitting 
Lib. 2. cont. Mar. c. 11.  God, Zeph. 1. 12. Psalm. 58. 11, 12.  
1. They declare his justice, so saith Saint Paul, 2 Thes. 1. 6. it is righteous with God to crush those in pieces who torment you, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to pay them their due hire: Had not God this power, or did he not execute it, the sons of men would soon in their impudence make a skare-crow of him, and set as light by his precepts, as a rebellious multitude doth by the laws of their King, when they think themselves sure enough for his punishing them. Tertullian 
Ibid. c. 10.  expresseth it well, when he saith, Si Deus non judex, certe perversus ac vanus disciplinae non vindicandae constitutor: It were a preposterous course, and to no no purpose for God to make laws, if he were not a judge to revenge the breach of them. But it will be said, he deferreth this vengeance till the day of judgement? But alas, did he defer it till then, iniquity would so abound, and the swelling waves of sin so prevail, that the societies of mankind would be destroyed, and no room left for honesty upon the earth: The judge of the earth well ware of this, keepeth his petty Sessions now, letting the law pass upon some few, reserving the rest till the grand day of Assizes, when all shall appear before his Tribunal.  
2. Punishments make way for the goodness of God: yea, 
Te●t l. 1. cit. c. 13.  they do maintain it, saith the Father; Ordo Dei Judicis protect or est Catholicae, et summae illius bonitatis: they do protect it two ways; in itself, and as it is communicable to man: 1. In itself, by stopping the mouths of those filthy dogs who are ever barking against heaven; and were it not that these plagues are as a gag unto them, would not cease blasphemously to speak of God himself: if they have not their own mind, they would strait begin to rail at God, but that they fear some fire from heaven, some gaping from the earth, some stifling from the waters, or some such other mischief to seize upon them for it; punishment is a good curb for such hellhounds, so restraining them, as that they dare not violate that goodness which yet they care not for. 2. As it is communicable to man; for wicked wretches labour what they can to keep the good from either spiritual or temporal blessings; like the Philistines, Gen. 26. 15. they stop the wells of water, and are as flaming sword standing in the way of the tree of life, that none can pass by them; but judgements meet with these Caitiffs, and pluck them from their standings, that so the rivers of God's goodness may flow out freely, and those that have a mind may drink their fill thereof.  
3. Punishments conserve the order of the world by keeping every thing in his due place: they are, it may be, things evil in themselves, and to those that feel them, yet have they a twofold good, whereby they are a very beneficial: 1. In that they expel the evil of sin, which hath put the world out of frame, and marred all; malum 
Esa 26. 9  supplicii, malo delicti inimicum. 2. In that they guard and fence in a great deal of good, which else would be scattered and brought to nothing; supplicia sunt bonorum defensoria. 
Gen. 31. 29  In these three regards it is, that God, howsoever mercy pleaseth him, is yet compelled to be severe, and to make those who will not know how loving he is, to know how just he is; that although he be all good, secundum naturam, in his nature, yet is he also a punisher, secundum causam, upon occasion of man's rebellion. Take this in 
Cap. 10.  Tertullia's words, who handleth it heavenly, in his second book against Martion; Prior bonitas Dei, severitas posterior: illa ingenita, haec accidens: illa propria, haec accommodata: illa edita, haec adhibitae.  
But why go I about to speak so much for God's punishments? I hope Marcion's spirit liveth in no man now, to think God cannot be both good, and a judge; and yet I know there are many, who think the mercy of God swalloweth up his Justice: Hence springs that erroneous conceit, which, they say, once possessed Origen, that after some time of punishment all men shall be saved. Hence that opinion also, that all crosses in this life are to no sorts of men punishments, but only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, admonitions to reclaim them. Hence also that conceit of many, that though they live wickedly, I, and evils befall them, yet they are in the favour of God. But what hath formerly been said, sheweth the contrary: To leave them therefore, and to conclude this point, God's revenging hand, which we have heard to be agreeable to his goodness, and see here in the Text sore upon Iehu's house, may let us see how odious sin is, which compelleth the merciful God to be an avenger; he who is goodness itself, to prepare evil judgements for evil offences, and therefore to get out of the borders of sin, if we will escape fearful vengeance: Say not thou, saith Saint Augustine, 
In Ps. 101.  Semper parcit Deus; ecce feci heri, et pepercit Deus; facio et hodie, et parcit Deus; faciam et cras quia parcit Deus; attendis ad misericordiam, non times judicium: We are all too forward to lay hold of God's mercy; good it is sometime to remember his justice; not to say, I have sinned yesterday, and God hath spared me; I fin to day, and God spareth me; therefore I will sinne to morrow, for he will spare me: no, the Wiseman saith truly, Eccles. 5. 6. Both mercy and wrath come from him, and his indignation descendeth upon sinners. God avengeth, and he avengeth none but the sinner; it is for murder that he punisheth jehu in the Text, which is a species of sin, and the third thing now to be considered.  
The blood,] that is, the murder: Murder is expressed by this word of blood, because blood is, as the Philosopher 
Aq 1. 2: q 102. a. 3. 8.  speaketh, Maxim necessarius ad vitam, ratione cuius anima dicitur esse in sanguine, so necessary to life, that the soul is said to be in it; so that the shedding of the blood, is the letting out of the soul, the murdering of a man: This blood of man cruelly drawn out of his veins, God always detested; and thereby declareth that great difference between him, and the gods of the heathen; they must have sacrificiorum immanitates, as 
Mat. Co. p. 65.  one calleth them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, horrible sacrifices; no savour so sweet in their nostril, as that of man's blood; melancholy Saturn was adored, saith Plutarch, with this more than wicked superstition; the Carthaginians offered to 
Plut lib. de superstit.  him their children, and while they were most cruelly massacred at the bloody altar, all rang again with Drums and Pipes, that the cries of the poor slaughtered infants might not be heard. But the God of heaven loatheth hands imbrued with blood, and therefore neither requireth the sacrifice of humane blood himself, nor will have his delight in blood.  
1. He requireth none such himself, nay, he forbiddeth the Israelites to imitate this devellish custom of the heathen, Deut. 12. 31. Once indeed he commanded Abraham to offer up his son Isaac for an whole  sacrifice, but it was only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to try his obedience; and while Abraham was about the business, God sent a countermand, Ne extendas manum super puerum, for a world let not me cause thee to butcher thy son. jephthai is the only man, whom some Divines conceive to have sacrificed his daughter according to his vow; but that fact of his, if he did it, hath no approbation from God, the Scripture leaveth it uncensured; and Saint Augustine, 
C●p. 49.  though in his questions upon the judges, he go about to excuse him what he may; yet in his questions upon the old Testament (if they at least be his) he is bold to call Iephthats devotion foolish, his faith foolish, and himself facinorosum et improvidum, 
C●p 43.  a jewd and rash man in that enterprise: finally, so fare doth this kind of bloody oblation displease God, that when the israelites had so strictly besieged the Moabites, that the King thereof to pacify his gods, offered his eldest son for an whole  offering, the Text saith, Fervour erat magnus contra Israelitas, God's indignation grew hot against Israel, 2 King. 3. 27.  
2. God will not have his people given to bloodsucking, this mind of his he hath declared diverse ways: 1. By his command, Thou shalt not kill; we see in the decalogue, that next after his own worship, and the duty to be done to parents, whom he hath given unto us as gods in his stead, in the first place he giveth this precept against blood, as being most dishonourable unto him in defacing his Image, wherein he made man, Gen. 9 8. and most injurious to man, whose greatest good is thereby destroyed.  
2. By renewing this Commandment visibly in the beasts which were daily slain for sacrifice; for whereas some part of them was allotted to the Priests use, some part to the use of the people, God expressly commanded, that neither Priest nor people should have share in the blood, but it should be sprinkled upon the ground as water, Ad informationem humanae 
Aq 1. 2. q. 102. a. 3. 8.  vitae, ut horrerent humani sanguinis effusionem, saith Aquinas; to teach man to abstain from shedding the blood of man. 3. In making the Law of blood for blood, whereby the murderer was to be punished with death: Who so sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed, Gen. 9 6. All that take the sword, shall perish by the sword, Matth. 26. 52. 4. By taking the revenge of murderers into his own hands, when as either they were concealed from the Magistrate, or were so great, that they had no superiors to execute Law upon them: This he doth two ways: 1. By strangely revealing murders done never so closely: 2. By sharply punishing the murderer.  
1. By strangely revealing murders: How often have we heard, that the fowl of the heaven hath carried the voice, and that which hath wings hath declared the matter? Men conscious of blood, have imagined, that the birds in their chirping did bewray them, and in articulate voices tell them of their cruelty; yea, the stone hath cried it out of the wall, and the beam of the Timber hath answered it; every noise hath affrighted them, and made their guilty consciences never to be at rest, till they have opened themselves to the world, and have had judgement answerable to their bloody crime; surely this is the finger of God, not suffering the earth to hide in her bowels the blood of him that hath died innocently, and to be unpunished.  
2. If all fail, by sharply revenging blood himself. Cain was a murderer, and he had a punishment (as himself complained) greater than he could bear: God made him a runagate, and branded him with such a mark in his soul, as that he was infallibly known to be a reprobate. Joab was a murderer, and that made him he could not go down to the grave in peace; the blood of Abner, and of Amasa, did return upon the head of joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever▪ To conclude, jehu was a murderer, and behold, God here threatneth, that he will avenge the blood of jezreel upon jehu, and upon his house.  
Now what should all these things teach us (beloved) but only this? that we be wary never to have hand in this loud-speaking, and high-crying sin of murder, which is (as we have heard) against the Commandment of God, against which, God hath armed the hand of the Magistrate with a sword; and which, if all men pass by, God will be sure not to let go unrevenged. Alas, the life of man, which is a thing so precious in the sight of God, is now adays smally regarded. Blessed be our Solomon, who is careful to keep the blood of his subjects within their bodies: But what shall we say to those wretched Circumcellions which visit us ever and anon under the name of Soldiers, who, as they pretend, have been so fleshed with blood, that they hunger and thirst after it daily; yea, cannot tell otherwise how to set themselves on work, but by the slaughter of men. I doubt not of the lawfulness of kill enemies in war, but this I doubt of, nay I condemn the blood-thristinesse of men, who pant with eager desire after the doing of that which they should not do without a kind of unwilling willingness. jehu did at jezroel what he might do, but the bloody mind spoilt all, as you shall hear by and by.  
What shall we say unto our too too proud and insolent gallants? who think so well of themselves, that the least word of disgrace offered them, cannot be appeased without blood; the field must be appointed, and the life of the offender sacrificed to the fury of his adversary: I may well liken them to Thrasonical Lamech, Gen. 4. 23. who brags, that he will slay a man in his wound, and a young man in his hurt; and goeth on to outdare God himself, If Cain be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy sevenfold: As who should say, If God will take vengeance on those that contemn him, why may not I of those which contemn me? nay, though God will forgive evils against him, yet will not I evils against me. I'll have the 
Iu. in lot.  odds of him, seventy to seven. Thus fare, if not in words, at least in deeds proceed our resolute Champions, boasting in how many bowels their swords have been sheathed, how many souls they have sent out of their bodies, to hell, for aught they know: but let them hear how David reads their destiny, and be more moved at it, than at a reproachful word, Bloody neen shall not live out half their days, thou O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction, Psal. 55. 23. And so I leave to speak of murder in general, and come to the restriction of it by that murder which is here specified in the Text, The blood of jezreel. Of jezreel,) that is, the blood which was spilt in jezreel; this jezreel and Samaria were the two mother Cities of the ten tribes who were called Israel, there the Kings had their palaces, and in them were all of the blood Royal at the time of Iehu's conspiracy; joram and jesabel, at jezreel; the King's children at Sameria: to jezreel comes jehu, and there putteth to the sword, the King, and the Queen mother; and thence directeth his letters to have the same effected upon their children at Samaria: hence cometh it to pass, that here in the Text this murder is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the bloods of jezreel, intimating both the multitude of those that were slaughtered, and the place wherein that murder was committed.  
And here that question cometh fitly to be demanded and discussed, how God threatneth in this place to avenge upon jehu the blood of jezreel, when as he shed it by the command of God himself, for so we have it laid down in express terms 2 King. 9 7. the Prophet saith to jehu in the word of the Lord, Thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy Master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the Prophets. Bellarmine, looking only, as it seemeth, upon the history, either not knowing, or forgetting this Scripture, goeth about wholly to commend Iehu's fact, as altogether laudable; Quis credat Deum 
De am. quae. l. 2. c. 23  laudaturum factum jehu, a● dicturum eum studiose fecisse quod rectum erat, si Iehu ex ambitione rebellasset, et injuste dominum suum occidisset? And other Interpreters miserably torture themselves, in reconciling Gods command with this punishment: But not to spend time in rehearsing their opinions, I am of their mind, who think jehu sinned foully in this slaughter of his, and therefore hath vengeance denounced against him by God in this place for it. Which sin of his that I may open, I will show two things: 1. I will lay this down in thesi, as a ground, that a man may do a thing according to the command of God, which is good ratione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in regard of the act done and event, when as notwithstanding it is evil to him ratione modi, in regard of his manner of doing it, and deserveth punishment. 2. I will in hypothesi show this to have been the fault of jehu.  
For the first: the truth of the ground will appear to us if we consider two things; the rule of man's doing, and the principle of his doing, which two have main sway in making all his actions good or bad: if man have both a good rule to direct him what is to be done, and a good principle from whence he sendeth forth his actions, certainly the thing done must needs be good; but if he be defective in either of these, his work is evil: to do a good thing not well, that is naught; and to do with a good intention an evil thing, that is naught likewise. Now then here is in the ground laid down, the command of God, a good rule; he that doth that, cannot miss of the right; but where is principium operandi, the principle out of which man worketh? Surely, that is ofttimes two-faced with janus, conformable to the command, in doing the thing commanded, but 
Aq. 2. 2. q. 104. a. 2. 3.  yet hath aliquid de suo, some proprium volitum of his own, never commanded, whereby it becometh disobedient: Man doth oftentimes what God commandeth him, not because he commandeth it, but for the satisfying of his own humour and so, though therein be the Instrument of God's will, yet is he also the cause of his own punishment; because many things are good quatenus, and quousque Deus vult, as fare forth as God wills them, which when men take in hand to do, severed from, and without respect of his will, are evil, and deserving judgement.  
Now man severeth God's command from his will, two ways: 1. In his disposition to the action. when he standeth not so affected in doing Gods command, as God would have him do. 2. In his disposition to the end of the action, when God aimeth at one thing, he at another.  
1. In his disposition to the Action: Some men being made the executioners of God's commands, become proud thereof, and forgetting that they are set on work, as the saw in the hand of the mover, the Axe in the hand of the hewer, make themselves the principal agents, and independent. This was the fault of the King of Assyria, recorded most excellently by the Prophet Esay, chap. 10. 5. God made him the rod of his wrath and the staff in the hand of his indignation, giving him a charge against jerusalem: But he thought not so, neither did his heart esteem it so; but be fell to dreaming of destroying & cutting off Nations, saying, Are not my Princes altogether Kings? Is not Calno as Carchemis●? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria as Damascus? Like as mine hand hath found the kingdoms of the Idols, seeing their Idols were above jerusalem and Samaria, shall not I, as I have done to Samaria, and the Idols thereof, do also to jerusalem, and the Idols thereof? Behold a right Pyrgopolynices, when he was set a work by God, exalting himself both above God and man: It followeth therefore in the 12. verse, that although God accomplished his work upon Zion and jerusalem by Ashurs' means, yet when he had done that, he threatneth to visit the proud hart of the King of Assyria, his glorious and proud looks. Pride made the fulfilling of Gods command a snare to Ashur, wherein he was entrapped. Some again in the execution of Gods Commands become cruel; so we see in Shimei, 2 Sam, 16. 10. God biddeth him let David know those foul faults for which now he smarted: Shimei prepareth to do it, but he bringeth an heart fraught with bitterness against his Sovereign then distressed, which made him curse, and curse again, throw stones and curse, cast dust and curse; Come forth, come forth thou murderer, and man of Belial. David remembered this horrible curse, and gave a charge to Solomon, that he should not be guiltless for it, 1 King. 2. 9 This dogged quality made the fulfilling of Gods Command a snare to Shimei, wherein he was entrapped. I might be infinite in this kind, but these examples may show, that men doing what God bids them, fail sometime in their disposition to the action, and are therefore punished.  
2. They fail sometime in their disposition to the end of their a●●ion; Thus was jeroboam commanded by God to take ten pieces of the rend garment, the government of the ten Tribes of Israel upon him, that so the Idolatry of Solomon might be punished: the people hereupon cleave to jeroboam, but not because God would have it so; their end was to vex Rehoboam who had given them rough speeches, and so they made themselves right Traitors; God had no hand in their revolt, as himself professed, Hosea 8. 4. They have se● up a King, but not by me, therefore shall they be destroyed. If any man ask how God was just in commanding the translation of the kingdom, and yet the people unjust in translating it? I answer him as Saint Augustine answered one who demanded how God could be pious in delivering up Christ to be crucified, and judas impious in betraying him? In re una quam fecerunt, causa non una est ob quam 
Aug●sl ad Vin ep. 48.  fecerunt: Both intended the same action, but they had diverse ends in that action; the fact was good with God's end, but bad with the people's end; they did what God would, but would not what God would; therefore did God condemn what they did, it being his manner to respect non quid fecerint homines, 
Ibid.  sed quid voluerint; the will, not the deed, as the same Father speaketh. You see then the ground demonstrated to you, that a man may do the Command of God, and yet by his defect in working, charge himself with guilt in the effecting of it.  
For the second; that this was the fault of Jehu, it will appear if we weigh aright the carriage of the business by him, which God commanded. It is true, he did to the house of Ahab all that was in the heart of God, and for that received praise, and the transitory reward of a temporal kingdom, but yet his heart it was not right, either in regard of the action or the end thereof.  
1. Not in regard of the Action: Two things there are which declare his aberration in this kind, his cruelty, and his hypocrisy. 1. His cruelty, that appeareth in two things: 1. In rejoicing at the fall of these great personages whom he had slain: When jezabel, though a wretch, yet a Queen, was thrown out of a window, and lay weltering in her blood, he was so fare from pity, that he sat him down to eat, drink, and to be merry, contrary to the tender heart of Titus, who seeing 
Ios.  the misery of jerusalem by his conquest, wept, and protested, himself not to have wished those great evils. 2. In extending his slaughter beyond his Commission: he had authority given him over none but the house of Ahab, and yet must he needs stretch it to Ahaziab, King of judah, smite him also, a King. 9 27. 2. His Hypocrisy; he covered his thirsty desire of reigning, with the cloak of zeal which he had for the Lord: it was indeed a fair pretence, that the Prophet set him on work, but Saint Augustine calleth his forwardness, 
Aug lib. cont. mendas. ad consent.  Nonnullam obedientiam qua eupiditatem suae dominationis exhibuit, A spark of Obedience proceeding from an hot fire of ambition within him.  
2. Not in regard of the end of the Action: Gods intent was,  sublatis idolatricis 
Zanch. in loc.  tolleretur idololatria, that Idolators, and Idolatry might have been rooted out together. jebu was well enough pleased to take away the Idolators, that he might seize upon the spoil; but for Idolatry, he was as fond of the Calf, as Ahab had been of Baal, both derogatory to God's glory: Qui fuit vindex pietatis, contentus fuit praeda: He that should have established God's worship, set upon the prey; that is all he looked after. 
Calv. in log.   
To conclude this point, you see how Gods just revenge upon the house of Ahab, in the hands of jehu, was by Iehu's corruption turned to a sin which lay heavy upon his own house; to teach us all, beloved, that good wherein our souls must rest; not so much the doing of an outward act, as the honest disposition of the heart to do it well; not for our own ends, but for the main end of all, the glory of God: we may do good, as here jehu did, and neither hallow God's Name, nor do his Will, but only honour ourselves, and establish our own purposes; but let us take heed, lest while his Name be not glorified by us in the devotion of our hearts, truly bend to his service, he be glorified of us in our destruction, as he was here of Jehu; to whom, for not rightly doing what was commanded him, vengeance is denounced in the Text, which is the fifth thing in these words, God's revenge upon jehu.  
Upon Jehu.) The Text speaketh not of this, Jehu having now been long dead, and this a prophecy of evil to come; yet will it not be amiss to consider out of the history what happened unto him, and that but in a word or two. Jehu was no sooner established in his kingdom but it is said, in those day's God began to cut Israel short, and Hazael the Syrian smote them, 2 King. 10. 32. Observe, how blood followed Jehu at the heels; he that entered into his reign by murder to punish others, was all the time of his reign prosecuted with the murder of his subjects, that himself might be punished: it is the wise dispensation of God to punish sinners in the same kind wherein they have offended: This Law himself enacted among the Israelites, life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe, Exod. 21. 23 which law was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answerable to his own course he taketh many times with men; thus did he direct the Israelites to cut off the thumbs and great toes of the lord of Bezek when they had taken him; whereupon he confefled, Threescore and ten Kings, having their thumbs & great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my Table; as I have done, so God hath requited me, judg. 1. 7. here was a just remuneration which did ad amissum aequipperare, 
G●l l. 20. c. 1  and in librili perpendere, as Favorinus speaketh: the scales were even, his cruelty in the one, his reward in the other. The Egyptians sought to root out the Israelites by causing them to drown their male children; a plague lighted upon them in proportion, themselves were drowned in the red Sea; whereby the Wiseman, Wisd. 11. 7. for a manifest reproof of that commandment whereby the Infants were slain, Thou gavest unto them abundance of water, by a means which they hoped not for. Ahab caused Naboth to be put to death, and for it had this doom of retaliation, In the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth, shall dogs lick thy blood also, 1 King. 21. 19  
This course God observeth in punishing for these two ends; 1. To declare his own goodness, who might judge of the fact according to the infinite object against whom it is committed, and so inflict infinite mischiefs upon the offendor; but he taketh a milder course, in paying him in his own kind, 
Cont. Faust. Man l. 9 c. 25  lex talionis, nonfomes, sed limes furoris, saith Saint Augustine; this allayeth his displeasure, rather than kindles it. 2. To convince the wicked man, that himself shall have no exceptions against God's judgements, but confess them to be just, Quae enim, obsecrote, ista acerbitas 
〈◊〉  est, si idem fiat in te, quod tute in alio feceris? saith he in Gellius: This David showeth, Psal. 9 16. The Lord is known by the judgement that he executes, when the ungodly is suared in the works of his own hands. I say no more of this point, but only this for application, Let no man say when he findeth God's hand heavy upon him, why doth God thus unto me? but let him rather acknowledge, God is just, and I am wicked; if his punishments be so fitted as by some likeness they put thee in mind of thy sin, thou hast what to confess; if they be of another strain, yet know assuredly, he striketh not unprovoked: ransack thy heart, where judgement is at the door, sin is certainly in the house: if God avenge himself upon jehu, jehu hath offended God. And so I come to the last thing in my Text, Gods revenging Iehu's murder upon his house, The house of jehu.  
That is, the posterity of jehu, those that were of his line, and proceeded from him. Now God punished the house of jehu by taking away the kingdom of Israel from it, and giving it unto a stranger: His promise to jehu was, that for his service done, his children should to the fourth generation fit upon his Throne. This promise God made good, but would not enlarge it any further: Within a short time after this Prophecy, the fourth man of his seed, being King, was slain by a Traitor, who usurped the kingdom into his own hands; this was the end of Iehu's house, the cause of which end is here in the Text attributed to the blood of jezreel: As jehu had a reward for his work done, that four of his sons should reign; so had he also a punishment for the bad doing of it, that his children should no longer sway the Sceptre: thus doth God visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, as himself speaketh, Exod. 20. 4. and payeth home the sins of the predecessors, into the bosom of their successors, jer. 32 18. The blood of jezreel shed by jehu, came with a full course upon Zachariah his grandchilds' grandchild.  
A strange thing, a man would think, and scarce to be believed, in God's just administration of all things, that a man should 
Grynist. hist. 307 p.  after many years be punished for that sin which was committed, it may be, before the birth of his great grandfather. It was counted a cruel trick in the great Cham of Tartary, that when he condemned any of his subjects to death, the punishment extended to all his issue male; but how much more cruel may this seem here in the Text, that the offenders scape unpunished, and he that is not yet in rerum natura, to have the least participation of the offence, should after the fourth generation abide the penalty of it? But stop thy mouth whosoever intendest to dispute with God, his judgements are often secret, but always just; if he have done it, that is warrant enough for thee to free it from injustice: And yet because flesh and blood loves to be prying into the Ark, to find out the ways of God, and the reason of his doings, he hath vouchsafed in Scripture to open his justice, and to clear himself from fond men's imputations. For the understanding then of this course of God's judgements, we are to know these two things: 1. That God punisheth no man who is simply innocent, and deserveth not punishment. 2. That it is in his power to punish the nocent in what kind he himself pleaseth, or to spare him.  
1. He punisheth none who is simply innocent, and therefore justly findeth fault with that proverb taken up in Israel, Ezek 18. 2. The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge; whereby the Israelites complained, that whereas they were all holy, and no spot in them, yet did they bear the transgressions of their fathers: that whole Chapter hath God affirming, that he which sinneth not, shall surely live. It is true that God visiteth the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, but they are filii qui oderunt, such as partake in their father's sins; for otherwise the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, God will absolve him from the punishment of sin, if he be no way party in it: When therefore the 
Par. ani. in Bell. de amiss. quae. l. 4. c. 8  jews did bear the burden of their father's faults, it was an evident sign that they were themselves a rebellious seed, such as stood up in their father's stead; as heirs of their land, so of their wickedness. Thus it fared with Iehu's house, of whom we may read in the book of Kings, that they continued not his blood alone, but his Idolatry also, Every one of them did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the sins of jeroboam who made Israel to sin; as their father jehu had done, so did they. This punishment was therefore just in respect of them, they well deserved it.  
2. God may punish the nocent as he pleaseth, or spare him; for he is the Lord of all, and hath the reines of all things in his hands; who shall control him in exercifing either his justice or his Mercy according to his own mind? So that when the father committeth a fault, and God hath threatened vengeance against him for it, he may, if he will, let the father pass, and take the son who hath share in guilt as well as the father had, and no man say to him, why dost thou so? There are many reasons why God passeth over the father, and there is one reason why he punisheth the children.  
The reasons why he passeth over the father as I have observed them, are four:  
1. Sometime the fear of punishment hath humbled him, and moved him to repentance; this effect the speech of Elias had with Ahab, which was the cause that God brought not evil upon his house in his days, 1. King. 21. 29.  
2. Sometime the father hath some good things, in regard whereof, God will forbear to lay heavy temporal judgements upon him; thus did jeroboams son come to the grave in peace, because there was found some good in him toward the God of Israel, 1 King. 14 13.  
3. Sometime God will gratify the faithfulness of his deceased servant, by sparing his son after him; so dealt he with Solomon, Thou shalt be Prince all the days of thy life, for my servant David's sake, 1 King. 11. 33.  
4. Sometime God hath promised temporal prosperity to a man, in regard of some good service done by him: so God suffered jehu to hold the kingdom for his time, to make good his promise wherewith formerly he had bound himself unto him: for these causes God ofttimes freeth the father that sinneth, from vengeance.  
The reason why he punisheth 
Aq. q. disp. de po●u. pec. Ori. q. 5. a. 4.  the children, is, for that they are aliquid patris, a part, as it were, of their fathers; and therefore it is not inconvenient that they be punished for their father, no more than it is for the back to be scourged for the pilfering of the hand, especially themselves being guilty likewise. But why is it then said, God punisheth the sin of the fathers upon the children, and not the sins of the children in themselves? In my opinion, if ever Bellarmine spoke rightly, he doth it in this point; Children, saith he, are punished for their fathers, not because their own sins do not deserve punishment, but because Nisi praecessissent peccata parentum, 
Lib de aemiss qua. 4. 6. 8  Deus eos fortasse non puniret in hoc mundo; God maketh the father's sin an occasion of inflicting that judgement upon the child, which else peradventure he would not have laid upon him: These things being considered, it will appear, hat God is just in punishing the blood of jezreel upon the house of jehu.  
To conclude all, the consideration of this point may teach us two things: 1. It justifieth 
Lit. Aug.  our liturgy in that prayer, Remember not, Lord, the offences of our forefathers; which, though some mislike, I know not upon what grounds, yet seemeth to me a fit prayer for every Christian: for if God hath threatened that he will avenge the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and hath frequently done so, why may we not pray against such an evil?  
2. It teacheth parents to have a care not to displease God, if not for their own sakes, yet for their dear children's cause, whom they may, by their disobedience, bring into the same sea of misery into which they fall themselves: Thou thinkest it thy duty to provide for their maintenance, and lay up for them; but take heed that thou fillest not the treasures of God's wrath, which though they miss thy head, will fall upon the hairy scalp of thy posterity: and shall not then thy children have cause to curse their father that begat them, their mother that bore them, the time wherein they were conceived, when they see themselves inherit the wickedness of their Parents. Labour to be of the number of those that love God and keep his Commandments, that he may show mercy unto thousands of thy children, that thy seed may stand fast in the Covenant, that blessing may be upon thee and thine for ever. And so I end. God, for his mercy sake, grant that those few words which we have heard at this time with our outward ears, may take deep rooting in our hearts, and bring forth in us the fruit of good living, to the glory of his Name, and the amendment of our sinful lives, through jesus Christ our Lord and blessed Saviour; To whom with the Father, and the holy Ghost, three persons, and one God, be ascribed all honour and glory, praise, power, and dominion, from this time forth for evermore. Amen.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
The end of the fourth Sermon.   

THE FIFTH SERMON, ON JOHN 4. 20.  JOH. 4. 20. Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain. 
THese words are a part of that Discourse which passed between our Saviour and a woman of Samaria: In which discourse three things are observable; The party with whom Christ talketh, The occasion of the talk, and the discourse itself. The Party, it is a Woman; it so falling out by the Providence of God, that she should be the first among the Samaritans that heard the sound of the Gospel, and become an Apostle, as it were, to all her neighbours, in showing them the Messiah; that so the privilege of all sexes in Christ might appear; and that as Saint Gregory hath well observed, Quia 
Ho. 25. in Evang.  mulier viro prapinavit mortem, mulier viris annuntiaret salutem; because a woman at the first began to man in the cup of death, a woman here should begin to men in the cup of life. The occasion of the talk was, this woman's denying to give Christ water, because he was a jew; whereupon he, who was ready to take the least opportunity of doing any spiritual good, taketh upon him to instruct her in that she never heard before. The discourse that passed between them, was especially of two things, (for other things are inserted by the way) and they are, The Water of Life, and The true worship of God. The former beginneth, vers. 10. continued to 16. The other beginneth vers. 20. continued to the 27.  
The words of the Text belong to the latter part of the Discourse which concerned the Worship of God, and they are spoken by the woman, who doth in them three things at once: 1. She findeth fault with Christ for magnifying jerusalem, as the only place where God would be worshipped: 2. She extolleth her father's worship in that mountain, which was near unto the City: 3. She tacitly uttereth her own resolution, that she would continue to worship after the manner of her forefathers; for the words are to be considered two ways, either as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a simple proposition, containing in them a narration of things done, Her fathers had worshipped in that mountain: Or as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Praemisse or Antecedent to a Conclusion, which this woman meant to infer there from; for she hath a further reach in them than a bare affirmation; namely, hence to approve her own, and her people's worship, that they also might lawfully worship in that Mountain, as well as their fathers had done.  
So that this speech of the woman is like jacobs' sheep, varicolor, speckled, partly white, partly black; hath something good in it, something bade That which was good in it is twofold: 1. The matter of her speech, it relates a truth, her father's worshipping in the Mountain: 2. Her uttering it declares that she had an eye to the service of God practised in former times. To her father's worship: That which was bad is this, That she was too much addicted to her father's Religion; and resolved, upon that ground, because her fathers had done so, to live and dye in so worshipping, whether she did right or wrong. I will speak of this speech both these ways; that what is good in it, we may be provoked to follow; what ill in it, we may be moved to avoid.  
And first of what was good in it, and there in of the matter, her father's worship in the mountain. This Mountain it was Gerazim, situated near unto the City of Sichem, Judge 9 7. There the Patriarch jacob, at his return from Laban's house, built an Altar, Gen. 33. 20. Of this worship of jacob is this speech mainly meant, Her father worshipped; for as the jews boasted of Abraham their father, so boasted the Samaritans of jacob their father, as you may see, vers. 12 Now the thing here related, jacobs' worship in the mountain, may give us to observe this point, The worship of God was of old wont to be performed on mountains, he appointed them especially to be the places of his Service; as if that were true of God, which the servants of Benhadad said, 1 Kin 20. 23 Dii eorum Dii montium, the God of Israel is the God of the mountains. Thus was Abraham commanded to offer up Isaac to God upon a mountain. Gen. 22. 2. It was God's charge to Moses, that he should come up into the mountain, Exod, 19 20. The Prophet's charge to David, Ascend in aream, Go up unto the threshing floor of A raunah, 2 Sam. 24. 18. When Solomon built that glorious Temple, he set it upon the mountain of Moriah, 2 Chron. 3. 1. Yea, our Saviour himself when he prayed went into a mountain, Luk. 6. 12. By this serving God in the mountain, God taught the jews, who had all things in types and figures, and us likewise to whom the moral appertaineth, that when we come to worship God, we must lift our souls to heavenly cogitations: So the Apostle, Heb. 10. 22. Draw near to God with a pure heart: And David of himself, Psal. 25. 1. Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For as if a man be in the bottom of a deep pit, he may call loud to them that walk above, and not be heard; so if our hearts be drowned in worldly things, we may cry oft enough, Lord, Lord, to God that is in heaven above, and not be regarded. The old use of the Primitive Church is still well retained among us, that the people at the Communion should be admonished by the Pastor, sursum corda, lift up your hearts; and they again should answer, as well apprehending his speech, Sursum habemus ad Dominum, we lift them up unto the Lord.  
For Application of the point; It justly condemneth those that come to Church as if they came to Market, and talk with God as with a Chapman, never thinking of any preparation or reverence in regard of the glory of God; never thinking of any exaltation of the mind, by heavenly meditation, because we are on earth, and God in heaven; but we come besmeared with the dregs of filthiness, and worldly affairs so hanging on, and prossing us down, that we cannot go into the mountain to meet God, but lie grovelling in the valleys, that if God will come to us, so it is, we are resolved not to go up to him: but let us know (beloved) that God in this sense may be truly said, not to be the God of the Valleys; he loveth not to dwell with this earthy and muddy generation, which flutter allow the ground, creep or walk upon it, but cannot take the wings of Devotion, and send up their souls, as a Bird, to the hills, the hills whence cometh all their help: he loveth to dwell with those Divine souls who have their conversation in heaven, and are ravished out of themselves, and choking cares, when they come to worship him. I conclude this speech with that of james, chap. 4. 8. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you: How shall we draw nigh to him? Purge your hearts, you sinners, and cleanse your hands, you double minded men; come out of the dirt of corruption, into the mountain of holiness, as your fathers worshipped in the Mountain. Thus much of the matter of the words: I come to the second thing, good in this speech, this woman's looking back to the Religion practised by her fathers, Our fathers worshipped.  
Wherein she declares, that she conceived two truths: 1. That the Service of God is ancient; began, not in her days, but had its Original from the Fathers: 2. That antiquity of Religion is to be respected of those that seek out the truth thereof.  
For the first: The service of God is ancient; the Angels, who were first made, first began it. job 38. 7. The Stars of the morning praised me together, and all the children of God rejoiced: Men followed in their order; Abel offered Sacrifice; Euoch walked with God; Noah builded an Altar; in Seths' time men began to call on the Name of the Lord: the histories of ancient times declare, that they before the flood erected brazen and marble Pillars, wherein they left unto their posterity the memory of God, and of his providence; and that Religion was from the beginning of the world, may be demonstrated diverse ways: 1. The Image of God, wherein man was made, consisted in holiness, as one part thereof, Ephes. 4. 24. Now holiness in man, respecteth the service of God; and when this Image was decayed by the fall of Adam, yet so much of it remained, as carried men to some worship of God▪ which being directed by addition of light from heaven, carried them to the worship of the true God. 2. God always had his Church in the world; some who were sheep of his pasture, and children of his love, and these did worship him; for worship is the bond that bindeth man to God; without which, man cannot be said to be the servant of God, nor God said to be the God of man. 3. God at the very first gave precepts of his worship. So Adam in Paradise had a command to abstain from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; this abstinence was his worship of God: and why did Able bring his sacrifice? The Apostle saith, it was by faith; faith respecting the promise of God in his precept, that by offering sacrifice he should show his expectation of that seed which was foretold to come into the world.  
So that here every true worshipper of God at this day hath a good warrant for his doings, that he followeth the footsteps of all his fathers, the children of God who went before him; and it may be a singular comfort to him in his holiness, that howsoever men of his own time wherein he liveth, be cross unto him, and every man would have his neighbour a Bird of the same feather that himself is, yet that he is like to the old Fathers, who were zealous toward God, and stood in awe of his pre●ence; that he doth converse with Seth, Enoch, Ahraham, Isaac, jacob, the holy Prophets, yea, Christ himself, and his Apostles, who though they lived among Lions, yet did of old sustain and uphold the service of God in spite of all opposition: This is it which conjoineth all the members of the Church together, though living at several times, that they are united in the worship of God, as many lines in the same centre. This comforted the Apostle Paul in the midst of his bands, that after the way which the jews called heresy, he worshipped the God of his fathers, Acts 24. 14. He calleth God, the God of his Fathers, thereby to strengthen himself in his holy course against the jews, who cried out of him for an heretic; and so ought all true Christians, who endeavouring with an upright heart to fear God, and keep themselves unspotted of the world, not stained with the iniquity of the times wherein they live, are like to be branded with the title of Novelists; they ought to look upon the ways of the holy Fathers who lived in times past, and seeing themselves walk in their steps, and to be heirs of their righteous living, hence to take courage that they go not in bypaths where none went before them, but in the King's highway, wherein all the Saints of God walked to heaven; thus the Fathers worshipped God, and thus they worship him. This is the first thing this woman conceived, the Service of God is ancient.  
The second thing was, that the Antiquity of Religion is to be respected, and so indeed it is. Deut. 32. 7. Remember the days of old, and the years of many generations; ask thy father, and he will tell thee; thine elders, and they will instruct thee: We are but of yesterday, and are ignorant, therefore must we search of our fathers. job 8. 8. If a man were to stand upon the ways to take his choice, he could choose none better than the old way, wherein walking, he should find rest unto his soul. jer. 6. 16. For whereas through the ages of the world there have been different forms of his Service appointed by God himself; the one at man's Creation; a second at the Institution of the Church of the jews, when the Ceremonial Law was ordained; a third at the founding of the Church of the Christians, when the Doctrine of the Gospel was set forth; they in these several times did right, who kept themselves to the old form of worshipping. Before the Law, they served God aright, who took pattern from Abel, Seth, Noah, the first fathers of that Church Under the Law, they served God aright, who imitated Moses, Aaron, and josuah the first fathers of that dispensation. Since the Law, they serve God aright, who follow the steps of the blessed Apostles, and purer times of the dispensation of the Gospel. So that howsoever we make not Antiquity the rule of our faith, yet is it a good note of true Religion to agree with the first Fathers of the Primitive time: for certainly, that of Tertullian is most sound, Quod antiquissimum, illud verissimum, that is the most true that is most ancient. And the ground of this assertion is demonstrative, for the Truth is first laid, before Heresy cometh in; good, it is subjectum mali, the subject whereto evil cleaveth, and must therefore needs be before it. Satan was first an Angel of Light before a Prince of Darkness: Adam was made upright, and then became crooked and corrupted through sin: The Law of Moses first was truly taught, before it was depraved with the wicked glasses of the Scribes and pharisees; and the Doctrine of the Gospel was at the beginning taught in the truth thereof, howsoever presently the mystery of iniquity began to work, and it was infected with Arrianisme, Nestorianisme; and this Antiquity of the truth in regard of Heresy, is taught by our Saviour, Matth. 13. 24. where he showeth, that the Husbandman first soweth good seed in his field, then cometh the evil one and soweth tares; whereupon he is termed superseminator, not simply a sour, but a s●wer upon, or among the wheat.  
For Application: we may hencefor our comfort conclude (beloved) the worship of God maintained and practised in our Church to be true worship, because it is the same with the worship of the prime and immediate Witnesses and Publishers of the Gospel, the Apostles, and such as held Communion with them. The Papists are always objecting to us, that we are new upstarts, but may truly say with Paul, Acts 24. 14. After the way they call heresy, we worship God, believing those things which are written in the Gospel; and this is a testimony to us of our Antiquity. Saint Paul, when he came to preach at Athens, set forth no other God to them, but him whom the whole City worshipped, and yet was taken to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a setter forth of new gods, Acts 17. 18. So we, when we preach the Faith of our first Fathers, and teach what the Gospel manifestly approveth, are by Papists condemned as innovators, and brochers of a new Gospel: But if we look into the point well, we shall find that true of them which Tertullian in his Apologetique speaketh of the old Romans, Laudatis semper antiquitatem, et nove de die vivitis; they cry out of the old Religion as the truest and safest, & yet practise themselves a Religion, which though it hath filled the world for a great time, and found many subtle wits to defend it, is yet risen up since the time of the Gospel's first publishing; and so though they hold the Doctrine believed by their fathers, grandfathers, and great grandfathers, yet we truly maintain the truth delivered by the first preachers of the Gospel. For example: We teach that Prayer is to be made to God alone; this Doctrine is ancient, the Soripture every where showeth it, and Bellarmine confesseth 
Decult. sa. c. 9  it; for having objected against Vows made to Saints, that in the Scriptures the word (Vow) is taken for a Promise made to God, he answereth it thus, Cum scriberentur Scripturae sanctae, nondum ceperat usus vovendi sanctis, when the Scriptures were written, the custom of vowing to Saints was not begun, so that Saint-worship is new worship, not coming from the first Fathers. Again, we administer the Communion in both kinds to the people, not by halves, as the Papists do; and our reason is, It is most ancient. Christ at the first Institution so ordained it; the Apostle Paul so expoundeth it; and Cassander affirmeth, that for a thousand years after Christ, all men communicated in both kinds, so that the mangling of the Sacrament is new worship. Again, we say that Kings are chief Governors of all causes in the Church, and this Doctrine is ancient; such were the Kings of Israel and judah: and Paul bids, that every soul be subject to the higher powers, Rom. 13. 1. This so held till the times of Hildebrand, 175 years after Christ, who exalted himself aboveall that is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the sacred name of King or Emperor; so that power in the Pope of deposing Kings, is not of the first Fathers. The same may be said of the adoration of Images, which took authority from the second Council of Nice, 789 years after Christ; and of transubstantiation not heard of till the Lateran Council, 400 years since, and of other their Doctrines, if we had time to examine them. Let them cease therefore to object unto us the beginning of our Religion from Wickliff, Husse, Luther, Calvin, and those worthy Reformers, who fetched truth out of the pit, wherein a long time she had been hidden, and caused us to worship after the manner of our first Fathers, and let them rather look upon their own hatching of new inventions, and thrusting them upon the Church, whereby the truth once given to the Saints, was so much obscured, that it could not be known scarcely what the Fathers worshipped: and for ourselves, let it establish us in the truth of our Religion, that we have the authority of Christ, his Apostles, and the purer times, to confirm the Doctrines taught among us, we reject not, but admit Antiquity, and have an eye to what our Fathers worshipped.  
Thus you have what is good in this speech of the Samaritan, let us now see what is bad in it, for that something is bad in it, is manifest from that reply of our Saviour, vers. 22. You worship you know not what. And it was this, she resolveth to follow her Father's worship whatsoever it were, right or wrong, and therefore she allegeth it as an argument to defend her own, and her people's worship in the Mountain, which was not warrantable. The viciousness of which reasoning, that you may perceive, I must briefly lay before you the history of the Samaritans worshipping in this mountain.  
You heard before how that jacob returning from his uncle Laban, in this Mountain built an Altar and there offered Sacrifice; from which fact of his, in succeeding ages, this Mountain became a solemn place of worshipping, as josephus reports, by means of one Sanballat, a noted enemy of the Church of God, so often recorded in the book of Nehemiah, who being a stranger to Israel; and so Manasses of the posterity of the high Priest, marrying his daughter against the Law, built a stately Temple in this Mountain, by the leave of Alexander the great, and consecrated the said Manasses, his son in law, high Priest there; because in the time of the reformation of that great abuse of joining with Aliens, he was either to part with his wife, or his Priesthood in jerusalem. Here arose a great Schism between the Samaritans and the jerosolymitans; the one grounding upon God's command, that jerusalem was the place of the Service of God, the other patronising this mountain from the authority of jaecobs' worshipping; which contention being after brought before Ptolomaeus Philometor, Sabaeus, and Theodosius, pleading for Samaria, and Andronious for jerusalem, he proving out of the Law of God the right his Temple had, and they from Tradition the right of theirs, it was determined for jerusalem: yet so did Schism prevail with the Samaritans, that still they held their argument, Our fathers worshipped in this Mountaeine, therefore we may worship there also. Thus reasoneth this woman amiss from a good example. jacob, a devout and holy man worshipped God in every place where he came (because there was then no set place appointed for Divine Worship) and so in the Mountain before Sichem; but the Samaritans absurdly allege his example for the continuance of their worship there, because God himself after that commanded, Deut. 12. 5. that they should seek the place which the Lord should choose to put his Name in, thither should they bring their burnt-offerings; which place at first was Shiloh, whither Elkanah went to sacrifice to the Lord, 1 Sam. 1. 3. and afterward jerusalem, where Solomon built the Temple; which places being designed, it was unlawful to sacrifice any where else, and therefore it was left as a blot to many the good Kings of judah, that though they did many things well, yet the high places were not removed, but the people sacrificed in the high places.  
This being the history, we may from hence observe how dangerous and uncertain a thing it is for a man to be led in any Religious Action only by the Example of others, without further weighing the lawfulness, or unlawfulness of the Act itself, and that in two regards: For, 1. If a man have done evil, to imitate his example must needs be naught; this woman's forefathers, for some generations, did ill in worshipping upon Mount Gerazim, and she doth ill in following them. 2. If a man have done well, yet may another do evil in following him, for want of duly considering some circumstance which may mar the imitation; thus jacob did well to worship in this mountain, but the Samaritans, and this woman erred in worshipping there, because the prohibition of God came between, which was not in force in jacobs' days, but afterwards.  
1. It is dangerous following Examples, if they be ill; for, alas, a man may be easily thus mistaken; he may give himself to imitate one who may pretend much, and make great shows, and yet bring forth but an evil effect in the end: It was a doubtful speech in itself which Ruth spoke to Na●mi, Ruth 1. 16 though no doubt good, in respect of her experience she had of her, Wither thou goest, I w●ll go; where thou dwellest, I will dwell; thy people shall be my people; thy God, my God: He that will give unto any man this power of him, to be at his beck, may soon be drawn into a thousand inconveniences, into heresies, into schism, into profaneness, and all kind of lose living: Into heresies; thus cometh many a poor soul to be seduced, when as resigning up himself into the power of his Priest, he will worship an Image because his Priest doth so; he will pray to Saints, because his Priest doth so; will plot the life of his Sovereign, because his Priest doth so; will be hood-winked, and willingly suffer his right eye to be pulled out by his sinful obedience, and conforming himself, without any ground of knowledge, to the will of his Superior. It is Saint john's counsel to try the spirits whom we follow, because false spirits are gone into the world, 1 joh. 4. 1. Into Schism; thus many fall daily into Brownism and separation, because they see some whom they account holy men, to do so; not observing what pride of spirit, what conceited discontent hath put them out of their right Bias; and so, like silly sheep, if one go, the rest will after, though it be to the slaughter-house: Into wickedness; thus when jeho shaphat would be like Ahab, he did what God was displeased with, 1 King. 22. 4. and we see it by woeful experience daily in many, especially young Gentlemen, that they give themselves up to the fashions of roaring boys, and the great masters of iniquity, till, if the Mercy of God be not the greater, they fall into hell  they be ware. Beloved, let us learn to follow men, as they follow Christ, and no further; choose out for patterns men of wisdom, men of virtue, those you may trust the more; yet always hold this conclusion, not to imitate them in that, whereof you cannot see a reason that it is good, lest under the cover of sugar you swallow a bitter Pill; under pretence of piety, be drawn into wickedness.  
2. It is dangerous and uncertain to give too much to examples, though they be good, for there are many observable circumstances which may make a man err in doing that, which another man did, and erred not; The Philosopher tells us, that examples must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both in the same kind, or else they warrant nothing; in the same kind, I say, in regard of many circumstances: I will name these five; the person doing, the thing done, the person to whom, the time when, th● end why; if these concur not, a man shall be wonderfully deceived in his imitation of another.  
1. Examples must be the same in regard of the person doing, for all men stand not in like reference in respect of actions: he said well in the Comedy, Hoc licet impune facere huic, illi non licet; non quia dissimili● res sit, sed quod is qui facit; Be the thing never so like, be the person unlike, there is an error. When the King of Israel sent two Captains with their fifties, to bring the Prophet Elias unto him, he commanded fire to come down from heaven to destroy them; this was an action warrantable in Elias, who was a minister of God's wrath to punish the Idolatrous Israelites: but when the Apostles, james, and john, moved by his Example, would have done so to the Samaritans, as Elias did, they are sharply reproved by their Master, Nes●itis cuius spiritus siti● vos, Luk 9 55. You know not of what spirit you are; you are men of another mould than Elias was; he a minister of indignation, you of consolation; he came in the spirit of severity, you in the spirit of lenity; his actions fit you, because your persons are not like his.  
2. Examples must be of the same kind in regard of the thing that is done, else instead of a fish, a man may take a stone; instead of an egg, a serpent, and so manifestly deceive himself in that which he doth upon so unsound a warrant: It was an excellent work of David to provide instruments of Music, Harps, Cymbals, and such like, to be used in sounding out the praises of God; but when Drunkards furnished themselves with lascivious and wanton Music, and patronaged it by the example of David, the Prophet denounceth a woe against them, Amos 6. 5. woe to those that invent to themselves Instruments of Music, like David: His Instruments were holy, theirs unholy; his songs Divine, theirs profane; they had no reason to shroud themselves under the example of David, the thing done, agreed like Harp and Harrow, as it is in the proverb.  
3. Examples must be of the same kind, in regard of the person to whom a thing is done; for oft times a thing is well done in regard of one, which would be ill done in regard of another: he were a strange Physician, and such they say, are many Empyricks, who seeing a man of rare skill giving a Potion to a sick Patient, whose disease and state of body he knows full well, would give the same to another, who, peradventure, hath not the same disease; or if he have, is not of the same constitution to bear the Physic: If, because Peter spoke sharply to Simon Magus, Acts 8. 24. telling him that he was in the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity, and that he had no part or portion in the Gospel, we should therefore say the same to every sinner, we might soon break the bruised reed, soon quench the smoking flax, and curse where God hath not cursed.  
4. Examples must be of the same kind, in regard of the time; for every thing hath his season, and what profiteth now, may hurt anon: There was a manner of God's Worship instituted in old time, which must not now be used; and the reason is, Tempora mutantur, times are not now the same they were then. Saint Augustine in one of his Epistles showeth this by a very pregnant example: There was (saith he) in my time, one Vindicianus a Physician of great note, who applied to his Patient's grief what he thought fitting for him, and it cured him: some years after, this Patient falling sick of his old malady, would needs be his own Physician, and give the same physic to himself; adhibitum vertit in peius, he took it, and was the worse for it: hereupon he runs to Vindicianus, and tells him the matter; he answered, This was fallen to him, because he bade him not do it. The man thought he was some Conjurer, who could work better by his words than by his art, till he told him at length in earnest, Ego illi aetati hoc nunquam eram iussurus; I would never have bidden you take that medicine at those years. You see by this the great force of time, a necessary circumstance to be observed in all examples.  
5. Examples must be of the same kind in regard of the end of the action, or else herein also they will fail grossly: The Prophet David did well, and moveth by the Spirit of God, when as he so often curseth his enemies, and useth direful imprecations against them, because he was ravished with a vehement desire of the glory of God, and sought that therein, without any desire of private revenge, yet Saint Paul biddeth us bless our enemies, Bless and curse not; because we are not so extraordinary filled with true zeal, but curse our enemies, out of anger, passion, and thirsting to have vengeance taken on them. Thus you see the five Circumstances which must be observed in our imitation, which may suffice to show what I intended by them, how uncertain a thing it is for any man to guide his course merely by example; where, be the thing never so good that is followed, there are notwithstanding so many ways to go amiss from it.  
Pitiful therefore was the estate of this woman, and of her fellow Citizens, who had no better than this Lesbian rule to square their worship by, looking at their fathers who had passed so many years ago; since when, the state of Religion had been changed, and Mount Gerazim now become profane, which was unto Jacob holy ground; but well was it with the jews who worshipped what they knew, being informed out of the Law of God, that jerusalem was the place where men ought to worship; it was indeed the best hold they could have, and therefore Andronicus, pleading their cause, though he alleged the succession of Priests, and the many gifts conferred by the Asian Kings, yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith Josephus, made the Law of God the rock and ground, where upon he built the rest; he began his proof with it.  
Let us, beloved, though look into our Father's Worship, yet not so dote upon it, as we had rather err with them, than do rightly, according as the grace of God, the Word of salvation shining forth, instructeth us: Be it that they did many things excellently, yet they were men, and in many things did amiss: we have, God be thanked, as the jews had, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Scriptures of God, a more sure rule than example: howsoever therefore we do not contemn examples, and the practice of former times, but approve it in the kind, as I said before, yet let us always 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, make the Law of God, the main pillar whereon we rest, and never go cross to it, though sometime we go cross to that our Fathers practised: it is the best counsel we can take, which is given unto us by the Prophet, Esay 8. 20. Say not a confederacy to them, to whom this people say a confederacy; from the living to the dead; to the Law, and to the Testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. We vilify the glorious Gospel of Christ, when as we dare prefer before the instructions thereof, either quid dicit Ecclesia, or quid fecerunt patres; The Traditions of the Church, or the doings of our Fathers: That just censure may be laid upon us in that ease, which our Saviour giveth of this woman and the Samaritans. Adoratis quod nescitis, You worship you know not what.  
FINIS.