may work to the glory of God, and profit of our neighbour, all is wrought by his own and self-same Spirit, which maketh his distributions peculiarly to every man as he will (1 Cor. xii. 8—11). If any wisdom we have, it is not of ourselves, we cannot glory therein, as begun of ourselves; but we ought to glory in God from whom it came to us, as the prophet Jeremiah writeth, Let him that rejoiceth, rejoice in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me; for I am the Lord, which shew mercy, judgment, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight, saith the Lord (Jer. ix. 24).

This wisdom cannot be attained, but by the direction of the Spirit of God, and therefore it is called spiritual wisdom. And no where can we more certainly search for the knowledge of this will of God (by the which we must direct all our works and deeds) but in the Holy Scriptures, for they be they that testify of him, saith our Saviour Christ (John v. 39). It may be called knowledge and learning, that is otherwhere gotten without the word: but the Wise man plainly testifieth, that they all be but vain, which have not in them the wisdom of God' (Wisd. xiii). We see to what vanity the old philosophers came, who were destitute of this science, gotten and searched for in his word. We see what vanity the school-doctrine is mixed with, for that in this word they sought not the will of God, but rather the will of reason, the trade of custom, the path of the fathers, the practice of the Church. Let us therefore read and revolve the Holy Scripture both day and night; for blessed is he that hath his whole meditation therein. It is that which giveth light to our feet to walk by. It is that which giveth wisdom to the simple and ignorant. In it may we find eternal life (Psal. i. 2; Psal. cxix. 105; Psal. xix. 7-11).

In the Holy Scriptures find we Christ (John v. 39), in Christ find we God: for he it is that is the express image of the Father (Heb. i. 3). He that seeth Christ, seeth the Father (John xiv. 9). Ande ontrariwise, as St. Jerome saith, "the ignorance of Scripture is the ignorance of Christ." Not to know Christ, is to be in darkness, in the midst of our worldly and carnal light of reason and philosophy. To be without Christ, is to be in foolishness: for he is the only wisdom of the Father, in whom it pleased him that all fulness and perfection should dwell

(Coloss. i. 19; ii. 3). With whom whosoever is endued in heart by faith, and rooted fast in charity, hath laid a sure foundation to build on, whereby he may be able to comprehend, with all saints, what is the breadth, length, and depth, and to know the love of Christ (Ephes. iii. 18, 19). This universal and absolute knowledge is that wisdom, which St. Paul wisheth these Ephesians to have, as under heaven the greatest treasure that can be obtained. For of this wisdom the Wise man writeth thus of his experience, “All good things came to me together with her, and innumerable riches through her hands." And addeth moreover in that same place, "She is the mother of all these things: for she is an infinite treasure unto men, which whoso use, become partakers of the love of God" (Wisd. vii.).

I might with many words move some of this audience to search for this wisdom, to sequester their reason, to follow God's commandment, to cast from them the wits of their brains, to favour this wisdom, to renounce the wisdom and policy of this fond world, to taste and savour that whereunto the favour and will of God hath called them, and willeth us finally to enjoy by his favour, if we would give ear. But I will haste to the third part of my text, wherein is expressed further, in Sapience, how God giveth his elect an understanding of the motions of the heavens, of the alterations and circumstances of time. Which as it followeth in words more plentiful in the text which I have last cited unto you, so it must needs follow in them that be endued with this spiritual wisdom. For as they can search where to find this wisdom, and know of whom to ask it; so know they again that in time it is found, and can therefore attemper themselves to the occasion of the time, to suffer no time to pass away, wherein they may labour for this wisdom. And to increase therein, they know how God, of his infinite mercy and lenity, giveth all men here time and place of repentance. And they see how the wicked, as Job writeth, (xxiv.) abuse the same to their pride; and therefore do the godly take the better hold of the time, to redeem it out of such use as it is spoiled in by the wicked. They, which have this wisdom of God, can gather by the diligent and earnest study of the worldlings of this present life, how they wait their times, and apply themselves to every occasion of time, to get riches, and to increase their lands and patri

mony. They see the time pass away, and therefore take hold on it, in such wise, that otherwhiles they will with loss of their sleep and ease, with suffering many pains, catch the offer of their time, knowing that that which is past cannot be returned again: repentance may follow, but remedy is none. Why should not they then, that be spiritually wise in their generation, wait their time, to increase as fast in their state, to win and gain everlastingly? They reason, what a brute forgetfulness it were in man, endued with reason, to be ignorant of their times and tides, when they see the turtle-dove, the stork, and the swallow to wait their times; as Jeremy saith, The stork in the air knoweth her appointed times; the turtle, the crane, and the swallow, observe the time of their coming: but my people knoweth not the judgment of the Lord (Jer. viii. 7). St. Paul willeth us to redeem the time, because the days are evil (Ephes. v. 16). It is not the counsel of St. Paul only, but of all other that ever gave precepts of wisdom.

There is no precept more seriously given and commanded, than to know the time. Yea, Christian men, for that they hear how grievously God complaineth, and threateneth in the Scriptures them which will not know the time of his visitations, are learned thereby the rather earnestly to apply themselves thereunto. After our Saviour Christ had prophesied with weeping tears of the destruction of Jerusalem, at the last he putteth the cause, For that thou hast not known the time of thy visitation (Luke xix. 44). O England, ponder the time of God's merciful visitation, which is shewed thee from day to day, and yet wilt not regard it, neither wilt thou with his punishment be driven to thy duty, nor with his benefits be provoked to thanks! If thou knewest what may fall upon thee for thine unthankfulness, thou wouldest provide for thy peace.

Brethren, howsoever the world in generality is forgetful of God, let us particularly attend to our time, and win the time with diligence, and apply ourselves to that light and grace that is offered us; let us, if God's favour and judgments, which he worketh in our time, cannot stir us to call home to ourself to do that belonging to our salvation; at the least way, let the malice of the devil, the naughtiness of the world, which we see exercised in these perilous and last times, wherein we see our days so dangerously set,

provoke us to watch diligently to our vocation, to walk and go forward therein. Let the misery and short transitory joys, spied in the casualty of our days, move us while we have them in our hands, and seriously stir us to be wise, and to expend the gracious good will of God to us ward, which all the day long stretcheth out his hands (as the prophet saith, Isa. Ixv. 2) unto us, for the most part his merciful hands, sometime his heavy hands, that we, being learned thereby, may escape the danger that must needs fall on the unjust, who lead their days in felicity and pleasure, without the knowing of God's will toward them, but suddenly they go down into hell. Let us be found watchers, found in the peace of the Lord (Job xxii. 21), that at the last day we may be found without spot, and blameless [2 Pet. iii. 14]: yea, let us endeavour ourselves, good Christian people, diligently to keep the presence of his Holy Spirit. Let us renounce all uncleanness, for he is the Spirit of purity. Let us avoid all hypocrisy, "for this Holy Spirit will flee from that which is feigned" (Wisd. i.). Cast we off all malice and all evil will, for this Spirit will never enter into an evil-willing soul. Let us cast away all the whole lump of sin that standeth about us, for he will never dwell in that body that is subdued to sin (Heb. xii. 1). We cannot be seen thankful to Almighty God, and work such despite to the Spirit of grace, by whom we be sanctified (Heb. x. 29). If we do our endeavour, we shall not need to fear. We shall be able to overcome all our enemies that fight against us. Only let us apply ourselves to accept that grace that is offered us. Of Almighty God we have comfort by his goodness, of our Saviour Christ's mediation we may be sure. And this Holy Spirit will suggest unto us that shall be wholesome, and confirm us in all things.

Therefore it cannot be but true that St. Paul affirmeth, Of him, by him, and in him be all things [Rom. xi. 36]; and in him (after this transitory life well passed) shall we have all things. For St. Paul saith, When the Son of God shall subdue all things unto him, then shall God be all in all (1 Cor. xv. 28). If ye will know how God shall be all in all, verily after this sense may ye understand it. In this world ye see that we be fain to borrow many things to our necessity, of many creatures: there is no one thing that sufficeth all our necessities. If we be an hungered, we lust

for bread. If we be athirst, we seek to be refreshed with ale or wine. If we be cold, we seek for cloth. If we be sick, we seek to the physician. If we be in heaviness, we seek for comfort of our friends, or of company: so that there is no one creature by itself that can content all our wants and desires. But in the world to come, in that everlasting felicity, we shall no more beg and seek our particular comforts and commodities of divers creatures; but we shall possess all that we can ask and desire, in God; and God shall be to us all things. He shall be to us both father and mother, he shall be bread and drink, cloth, physician, comfort; he shall be all things to us; and that of much more blessed fashion, and more sufficient contentation, than ever these creatures were unto us, with much more delectation than ever man's reason is able to conceive. The eye of man is not able to behold, nor his ear can hear, nor it can be compassed in the heart of man, what joy it is that God hath prepared for them that love him (1 Cor. ii. 9).

Let us all conclude, then, with one voice with the words of St. Paul (Ephes. iii. 20, 21), To him, which is able to do abundantly beyond our desires and thoughts, according to the power working in us, be glory and praise in his church, by Christ Jesus for ever, world without end. Amen.

AN EXHORTATION

TO BE SPOKEN TO SUCH PARISHES WHERE THEY USE THEIR PERAMBULATION IN ROGATION WEEK, FOR THE OVERSIGHT OF THE BOUNDS AND LIMITS OF THEIR TOWN.

ALTHOUGH We be now assembled together, good Christian people, most principally to laud and thank Almighty God for his great benefits, by beholding the fields replenished with all manner of fruit, to the maintenance of our corporal necessities, for our food and sustenance; and partly also to make our humble suits in prayers to his fatherly providence, to conserve the same fruits in sending us seasonable weather, whereby we may gather in the said fruits, to that end for which his merciful goodness hath provided them yet have we occasion secondarily given us in our