5 óó The le wouldnot `T on the VVednefda after Chrift, yetthey belecue. p Y tob.s39 ALZtp.47. Mat. tt. Why our Sa- uiour would proouehis Di. uinitir by no other tetlimc. nie than his works. Matat. A true Chri. ftian gloricth in nothing more,than in hisfufferings for Chrilì. Thefecond is, That ofthe I'rolphets and Prophecies,Search theScriptures ; and they (faith our Sauiour Chrift) are they that teftifie of mee. And Saint Peter hee aucrreth asmuch, OmerPropbeta tefimoniamperhibem,To him alfegiue allthe Prophets witnef,&c. And here we maymore efpecially confiderwith our felues, one great and fin- gular wonder, That thefe the Prophets hum g indiuers times andplaces,&pro- phecyingdifferent things that fhould befal our Sauior Chrifl; as one,his ftripes; another,hisbuffetings; a third, his patience; a fourth, his filence, &c. All of them did compofeanexcellent peece,& did let fortha moll abfolute and perfe& pi&ure of the Meffias, for it was thehand of theHoly -Ghoft that dire&ed the penfill : and,that the feuentie Interpreters withoutfeeing one another, without conuerfingor communicating their minds , fhould all ofthem jumpe andagree fowell together, and extra&one andthe fame originali , was agreat wonder. Thatthe Statuariesof Greece,liuingafunder in different Cities, fhould frame a figure in feuerall pieces, onemaking the leg,another the arme,a third the head, and all of themmeet inhandfomeneffe, fhape, feature, and proportion, as heart could with ; this likewife (if it betrue)was a great wonder.But in the Prophets the circumftances were farregreater ; as thatof time,for thattheywere in dif- ferent ages, andof different effares, conditions, andqualities,&c. Thethird is, The reftimonieof his owne myracles ; for (as Athanafasasand ¡u- /line (Martyr hauenoted)by anefpeciallDiuineprouidence it was fo ordered, that noneof the Saintsthat wereeitherbefore or after could doe any of thofe fame myracles which were prophecyed ofour Sauiour Chrift. -And this did he himfèlfe deliuerto the Difciples offehnBaptift, Tell him (faith he) from me, The Blindreceiuefight, theMoultgem, theLeapersareclenfed, theDelft beare, and the Deadareraifedvp, c. TheCommon people alfo did teftifieof him , Teflimonium perhibebat turbo. In conclufion, hauing fómany and fundrie teftimonies,he would not heremake vfe ofany other,than the teftimonieofhis workes. Firff, hecaufe fuchof vs as remaine hereas hisAgents vponearth, may by this teftimonie prooue his Diuinitie. Secondly,To theend that noman fhouldpretendto hold himfelfeto bee the Sonneof God by Grace, vnlefl'e hee giue teftimonie thereof by hisworkes. There is no great heed to begiuentoword s, dverbaaisdiam,cumfaclanonvi- deam ? OurSauiour Chrift wouldtake no notice of thofe Virginswho ingood words proffered their feruice to the Spoufè, but performed nothing lefTe in their deeds,becaufe theyhadnot their Lampes lightedand readieat hand ; Shen me thyfaith by thy workes. ClemensAlexandrintos expounding that place ofSaint tMNathery , RegnamCalorumvimpatin er TheKingdomofHeaueufuforsviolence ; faith, That this force or violenceis not to be done, Contentioftsorationibtta,fdre- Ile vitaafl'iduirate. And hence wasit that manyof Gods Saintsdid not reft contented with the doing onelyofgoodworkes, but by (hewingalto force open euidenceofthem. Memo mihi moleflusfit , ( faith Saint Paul) egoenimffigmata Domini refs in tor- poremeoporto ; Let no man troublehimfelfe in enquiring after me, orto aske, Who Iam e the print of the yronswherewith Iam branded in the face, cloth plainly fpeakesoy name,and publifh to the world my profeffion and condition. Hee borrowed this metaphore from your branded flaues,. or as vinfelmxe will haue it, from forcedeuicebornby the foldiers oftheRomanEmpire. Saint Chry[oflomeponders the word Porto ;aSlauemaybeareamarkeinhis face but makes
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