A fpeciall markeof P1edeFl:ina[ioA. the firft Sunday inLent. Serm.9, fide, and finningwhitherhe can hcare the foundof his voyce, andmany times he will leaneone eare to theground, the better tohelpe hisattention. Saint 4m, brafefaith, That one of the greatenpledges that a Sinnercan delireof his Pre- deftination, is, tobe likevnro the loft Sheepe, to Phewhimfelfe fad and heauie, whenhe inìfethhis Sheepheard that fhóuldprotect him , and looke well vnto him ; tomake his moane, fendout fightsand fobs like fo many bleatings, to fol- low thetrackeof his footfteps, to liften to hiswhittle, to hearkento his voyce, and togive care vnto his call : for that fiinnerthat Thal dofo,it is ancuident token thathe wasborne for Heauen. Fourthly, There is nothing inaSheepe, whatfoeuerit be, but isgood& pro- fitable ; (as the fle(h, the bloud, themilke, the wooll, and the fell)but nothing thatis hurtful! : betides, it is amolt fruitful creature,outsfetofaabundantes infe- tibtesfurs, ourSheepe bringforth thoufands andten thoufands in our flreets. The juft man is likewife full ofgoodneffe, and full ofprofit, in hiswords , and in his workes, in his thoughts, inhiswealth, inhis pouertie, in his health , and in his ftckeneffe : butnothinginhim that is hurtful!. Saint Paul reckoning the conditi- ons andpropertiesof Charitie, repeateth firft thegood that it doth, Patient- e.FI, benignef,&c. Louefuffereth long,it is6ountifull,&c. And anonafrer,he enumera- teth theeuills which it dothnot, Non emtd tur, &c. Loueenuiethnot, Loue doth not boafi itfelfe, it is not puffedvp, it doth no vncomely thing, it fieketh not her mg things, it rs notprouokoI toanger, it thinkethvo euill, tt reioyceth. not ininiquitie,ec. Fifrly, It'spatience andgentleneflè whenthey fheerehint and robbe him of his Fleece, turninghim this way or that way,when theybindhislegs, or other- wife vfe him hardly, and puthimto paine,he fcarce offereth tobleator open his mouth ; he goes as willingly to the Butchers blocke, as to his greene paftures.; andwhen the Butcher puts his knifeto his throat, hee beholdshimwitha gentle and louely looke. In aword,Efayendeering the infinitepatienceofou Sauiour Chrift, couldnotfind any comparifon fitterfor him, than that of the Sheepe and the Lambe, Sicut ouás adoccifionemdulltat eft ,Jicutt4gnue coram tondente , fe ob mutait, He west likea Sheepeto theflamghter, andlikea Lambebefore thedearer , bee opened not his mouth. This then is thenature andqualitieof the myfticall Sheep of the Church, Cadmiumrgladjs,&c.7hey arefrxittenwithfrordr,yet.neither mur murenor complain. Sixtly,Saint Bafiland SaintAmbrofe both affirme,Thatthe Sheepe ordinarily do eatand chew the cud,but then moltof all (by anaturali inftinâ) when W in- ter drawes on, and thenhe feedsa greatdealefaller, andwithmore eagerneffe, as diuining,that through the inclemencie of theHeauens, andthebitterneffeof the cold,he fhall not find feeding fufficientfor him. And this isa leffon for vs, to teach vs what weare todoe : TheSheepofChrifts flocke vfually areto feeke' for their feeding inthe paftures ofVertue,either byruminating, meditating, or contemplating;but when they feedeath approching neerevpon them,theymuIt fallmore fpeedily and more earneftly to their meat ; for when the Winter of deathshall come vpon them, they will not findwhereon to feed. And therefore wórkerighteoufneflèbef3re thou die;likc vnto the Ant, whoprouides in the Stammer againft the rigourof theWinter : &oniamnon eftapudinfèros, innenire cibum, In helltheré is nomosttobegotfor anymoney : andthe hunger.in Hell is fo ftrange, thattheDamned feed vpontheir owne tongues. Forthefe his Sheep Godcameinto the world, antumadecaciam,thou h he camealtofor all the whole world in'gencrall: antton-adfrìfciottitnrv,elfe- dually,for His ;butfufftciently forali.. Andit is.a teeefall thingto thi.nke on, which 155 I. car. I g. ïl
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