OESJD VIII.2; on 2 Cor. 4.6
[fol. 106r] 2 Cor: 4.6.
Preached at the Spittle on
Easter Monday 1622.
For God who Commaunded light to
shine out of darknesse hath shined
in or Hartes, to giue ye light of
the knowledge of the Glory of God
in ye face of Iesus Christ
The first booke of ye Bible begins wth the begininge, In Principio, sayes Moses in Gen: In the begininge God created Heauen & Earth [fol. 106v] & can there be any thinge Prius Principio before ye begininge? before this begininge there is the last booke of ye Bible (in order as they were written) the Gospell of St John beginnes wth the same word too. In principio sayth St Iohn in ye begininge was the word And here Nouissimum primum ye Last begininge is ye first. St Iohns beginninge before Moses, Moses speakinge but of ye Creature St Iohn of ye Creator, & of ye Creator before he tooke yt name, before he came to ye Act of Creation, as ye word was wth God & was God from all Eternity. Our Present Text is an Epitome of both these begininges. Of ye first beginninge, the Creation when god Commaunded light to shine out of darknesse: And of the other beginninge (wch is indeede ye first) of him in whose face we shall haue ye knowledge of God in Cr: Iesus
[fol. 107r] The first booke of ye bible is a Reuelation, & soe is the last (in order as they stand) a Reuelation to declare a Production of all thinges out of nothinge (wch is Moses his work) yt when I doe not know, & care not whether I knowe or not wt soe Contemtible a Creture as an Ant is made of, but yett would faine knowe wt soe vast & Considerable thinge as an Elephant is made of, I care not for a Mustard seede, but I would faine know wt a Cædar is made of, I can leaue out ye consideration, of ye whole Earth, but yett would be gladd to know wt ye Heauens, & ye glorious bodys in ye heauens, Sunne, Moone, & Starrs are made of, one answere from [fol. 107v] Moses for all yt all, my Elephants & Cedars, & ye Heauens yt I consider were made of nothinge. That a Cloude is as nobly borne as ye Sunne in ye heauens, & a Begger as nobly as ye Kinge uppon Earth, yf we Consider ye greate Grand Father of them all to be noethinge To produce light out of darknesse thus is a Reuelation a manifestation of yt wch till then was not. This Moses does. St Iohns is a Reuelation to a manifestation of yt Estate wch shalbe, & be for euGod ye Glory of God and this obiect to be beinge brought wthin a Conueniet destance to be seene in ye Face of Iesus Christ. & a Fitt & Conueniet well disposed medium beinge illum...ined thrugh wch we may see it. God haueinge shined in our hartes established a ministry in our hartes of ye Gospell for yt purpose yf you bringe but Eyes to yt wch this Text bringes, light & obiect & distance & meanes then as St Bassill sayde of ye booke of Psalms vppon an impossible supposition If all ye[fol. 109r] other bookes of ye Scripture Could perish there were enough in yt one for ye Catechisinge of all yt did beleeue, & for ye Conuincinge of all yt did not. Soe yf all ye other writtinges of St Paul Could perish, this Text were enough to Carry vs through ye body of Deuinity, from ye Cradle of ye world the Creation when god Commaunded light out of darknesse To ye Graue, and beyond ye Graue of ye world, to ye last dissolution & beyond, when we shall haue fully ye Light of ye knowledge of ye Glory of God, in the face of Iesus Christ.
Now whilst I am to speake of all this, this wch is omne scibile all & more then can fall wthin the Comprehension [fol. 109v] of a naturall man (For it is ye begininge of this world & ye way to ye next) I comfort my selfe at my first settinge out wth that of St Gregory Pergatas aures & hominum gratiam nanstcisci, nonne Dei donum est? I take it for one of Gods greate blessinges to me, if he haue giuen me now an Auditory Purgatæ auris, of such spirittuall, & cyrcumcised eares, wch come not to heare ye wisdome of words wch may make ye Crosse of Christ of none effect, much lesse of such itchinge eares as come to heare Popular & seditious Calumnys & scandalls & reproaches cast vppon ye Present state & gouermt. For a man may make a Sermon a Satyr, he may make a Prayer a Libell; if vppon couler of preachinge or prayinge against Tolleration of Religion, or persecution for Religion he would [fol. 110r] insinuate yt any such Tollerations are prepared for vs, or such Persecutions thretened against vs. But yf for speakeinge ye Mysterys of oiescor populi gratiam my seruice may be acceptable to Gods People, & auayleable to theyre Edification Nonne Dei donum? shall not I call this a greate blessinge of God. Beloued in him I must I doe: & therfore because I pstyd doctrine, I consider allsoe Quando ye time, & I consider yt it is now in these dayes of Easter, wn ye greatest of this Auditory haue or will renew thyre bandes to Christ Iesus in the Sacramt of his body & his bloud, yt they will rather loose theyrs, yn lack his: & therefore towards Persons who haue testifyed yt disposition in ye Seale, I neede not depart into any vehemt or passionate exhortations to constancy & perseuerance, as though there were occasion to doubt:
[fol. 111r] And lastly I consider Quantum how much is to be spoken to such a People, soe well disposed: & therefore farther yn ye Custome & solemnity of this Place day & place layes an obligation vppon me) I will not extend my selfe to an vnnecessary length, espetially because yt wch shalbe sd by me, & by my Brethren which come after me, (& were worthy to come before me in this Place) is to be sd to yu againe by another, who alone takes as much paynes as all wee, & all yu too, hearess all wth as much patience as all you & is to speake of all wth as much & more labour as all wee; Much therfore for yoto shine out of darknesse, & yt Light by wch he hath shined in our harts, & yt Light by wchGod we shall haue the knowledge of the glory of God in face of Iesus Christ.
Diuisio.Our partes therfore in these wordes must necessarily by three, 3 lights v The First shewes vs our Creation, the 2d shews vs our vocation, the 3d our glorification In the first we who were but (but wt?) but dust & nothinge were made Cretures, In ye 2d we who where but Gentills were made Christians, In ye 3d we who were but men shalbe made Sts In ye First God tooke vs where there was noe world, In ye 2d[fol. 112r] God susteynes vs in an ill world, In ye 3d God shall Crowne vs in a Glorious & in a Ioyfull world. In ye First God made vs, In ye 2d God mends vs, In ye 3d God shall perfect vs. First God Commaunded light to shine out of darknesse yt man might see the Creature, Then he shined in our hartes yt man might see himselfe, At last he shall shinese himself in ye face of Iesus Christ. yt man may see God & liue, & liue as longe as longe as yt God of light & life shall liue himselfe. Euery one of these partes will haue diuers branches, & it is time to enter into them. In ye first ye Creation, because this Text doeth not purposely & primarily deliuto shine out of darknesse hath shined in o
In this our first Consideration is 1 Par. Idem deus. Idem deus ye same or God goes through all Those diuers Heritiques who thaught there were two Gods. for Cerdon thaught soe, & Martion thaught soe. The Gnostiques thaught soe, & ye Manichies thaught soe too, though they differed in thyre mistakinges (for error is alway manifould & multiforme) yet all these theyre errors were vppon this grownd [fol. 113v] this roote, they could not Comprehend yt ye same God should be ye God of Iustice & ye God of mercy too, a God yt had an earnestnesse to punnish sinne, & an easinesse Irænemust be iust (but iust) is an ill [fol. 114r] God: Hence they come to call ye God of the New. Testamt a good God because there was Copiosa redemtio, plentifull redemption in ye Gospell: And ye God of the Old TestamtMalum Deum, an ill God, because they thaught all penaltys of ye Law euell; They come lower to call yt God wch Created ye vpper region of man, ye brayne, & ye hart (The Presence & priuy Chamber of reason, & Consequently of religion) a good God, because good things are enacted there, & the God that Created the lower region of man, the seate, and Sceane of Carnall desires & inordinate Affections an ill God, because ill Actions are perpetrated there: but Idem deus the same God yt Commaunded light out of darknesse hath shined in o& Law & ye God of ye Gospell too, The God of ye brayne ye God of ye belly too, The God of mercy, & ye God of Iustice too Hee is all one God.
In all the Scriptures you shall scarce finde such a Demonstration of Gods Indignation, such a seuere execution, as yt vppon ye Syrians, wn after ye Slaughter of a 100 men foate in ye feild in one day, ye walls of the Citty into wch they fledd fell & slew 27 thousand men more, The armyes of ye Israellites were yt day but as ye Flockes of Kidds sayes ye Text there, & yett those few slew 100 thousand men, the walls of Aphek promised succor, & yett they fell & slew 27, Now from whence phad beaten ym vpon ye Hills, & they could not attribute this to thyre forces, for they were very smale, they must necessarily attribute it to theyre God; but they thaught they might find a way to be to hard for theyre God, & therfore since he was a god of ye mounteynes they would fight wth him in ye vallyes; But ye God of Israell is Idem deus one & ye same god. He is IPugatlinus & Vallonia both (as St Austine speakes out of ye Romane Authors) he is God of ye mountaynes he can exalt, & he is God of ye vallyes he can throw downe. Our Apostle hath pSSyrians too; men who after god hath declared himselfe against ym many wayes haue yett thaught they might gitt an aduantage vppon [fol. 115v] him some other way They begine in Rebellions, animated Persons of great bloud & greate places to rebell, theyre rebellions God frustrated. Then they came to say (to say in Actions) theyre God is a God of Rebells, ours a God yt resists rebellions, but he is noe God of Excommunications, yn they excommunicated vs; but our God cast these Thunder-boults those bruta fulmina into ye Sea, noe man tooke fire at them. Then they sd he is a God of Excommunications he will not suffer an Excommunication stolne out in his name against his Children to doe any harme, but he is noe God of Inuasion, lett vs try him there, then they phim inuasion. & there ye God of Israell shewd himselfe ye Lord of Hostes, & scattered them there Then they sd he is ye God of Inuasions [fol. 116r] annihillates them there, but he is not ye God of Supplantations, Surely theyre god will not pry into a Celler, he will not peepe into a vault, he is ye God of water but he is not ye God of Fier, lett’s try him in yt Elemt. And in yt Element they saw one another iustly euiserated & theyre bowells burnt. All this they haue sd soe as wee haue hard them, for they haue sayde it in lowde Actions, still they say somewt in Corners, yt we doe not heere either. he is not a God of Equiuocations, & therfore lett vs be lyinge Spiritts in ye mouth of some of his Prophetts, draw some men yt are in greate opinion of Learneinge to our side, or at the least draw ye People to an opinion yt we haue drawne them. Or ells he is not ye God of Suspitio [fol. 116v] Iealousy or Suspition, & therfore lett vs supple & slumber him wth security, and pretences & disguises, but he is Idem deinprially an infallible assurance yt whome he loues, he loues to ye end. As a Cyrcle is printed all at once soe his begininge & endinge is all one.
Make thou allsoe ye same interpretation of this Idem deus in all ye vicissitudes & changes of this world. Hath god brought thee from an Expositious Child, layde out in ye Streetes, of incestine name of vnknowne Parents to become ye first foundation stone of a greate Family & to ennoble a Posterity. Hath God braught thee from a Carriers packe vppon which thou camest vpp to they change of foote-clothes [fol. 117v] & Coaches? hath God braught thee from one of these blew-coates, to one of those Scarlett gownes? Attribute not this to thine owne industry, nor to thine owne frugality (for industry is but fortunes right hand & frugality her left) but Psal: 118. 23. come to Dauids acclamation Dominus fecit it is the Lords doeinge That takes away ye Impossibility, if ye Lord will doe it, it may be it must be donne, but yett euen yt takes away ye wonder for as it followes there Dominus fecit et est mirabile it is wonderfull in our eyes to see wm & from whence, & whether, & how God doth rayse & exalt some men And yn if it please god be pleased to make thee as a role written on both sides, a History of Aduersity as well as of Prosperity, yf wn[fol. 118r] he hath filld his tubbes wth ye Story of Mordiche a man strangely raysed, he take his spunge & wipe out all that, & write downe in thee ye story of Job a man strangely ruined, all this is Idem deus ye same God, & same purpose in yt God, still to bringe yee nearer to him though by a lower way. Yf then thou euer abound, come not to say wth yt ouer secure man, Soule thou hast Luc: 12. 19. much goods layde vpp for many yeares, take thine ease, eate drinke & be merry. And if thou want’st come not to yt Impatience of yt Prophet Satis est it is Lord this is enough now take away my Life, nay though the lord lead thee into Tentation, & doe not deliuinto soe farr as to doubt of his mercy for yt sinne, yett Idem deus all this while this is the same God, & euen yt voyce though it haue an Accent of dispayre in it, is the voyce of God, & though it be spoken in the mouth of ye Diuell, it is God yt speakes it, for euen yn wn the Diuell posesses man, God posesseth ye Diuell. God makes (his) perfit & of thine of thy sinne: He can make the horror of a Sinne Committed ye occasion of thy Repentance Amos. 3. 6.& his mercy For shall there be euell in a Citty & ye Lord hath not done it? God is noe disposer (to) sinne but he is the disposer (of) sinne. God is not Lord of sinne, but as Author of sinne but he is Lord of sinne, as he is ye Steward of it, & he dispenses not onely for our [fol. 119r] sinnes but the Sinnes themselues, God imprintes not ye obliquity, infuses not the venime yt is in o
Sicut Deus.}The next is Sicut deus as God hath done ye one, soe he hath done ye other, God bringes himselfe into Comparison wth himselfe, our vnworthinesse changeth not his nature: his mercy is new euery morninge, & his mercy endureth for euvs yt light wch shined yet amongst vs, & (if ye Sinnes of ye People extinguish it not) shall shine as longe as the Sunne & moone shall endure shine aboue. The Lords hand is not shortned, nor weakened in ye wayes of Iustice; & his Iustice hath a Sicut, a Præsedent an Example too. [fol. 120v] numb. 16. 40. There is Sicut Core, yf we sinne as Core & his Complices, we shall perish. Ther Deut. 7. 26.is an Anithema sicut et illud, Thou shalt not bringe an Abomination into thy house (nor Idollater into thy house) least thou be an accursed thinge, Sicut illud, as guilty in the eyes of God as the Idollater himselfe. There is a Sicut Midian God can doe vnto ye men Psal: 83. 9. of these times as he did to ye Midianites, as to Sisera, as to Jabin wch perished 10. & became as the dunge of ye Earth, he 11. can make theyre Nobles Sicut Oreb Sicut Zeeb & theyre Princes Sicut Zebab sicut Zalmunna. These are Præsidents of his Iustice too, but yett in ye greatest Act of his Iustice yt euby but he desires yt yt mercy may be recorded, & pd darknesse soe hee hath shined in o
[fol. 121v] God proceeds by example by Patterne Euen in this first greate Act presented in our Text, In ye Creation hee did soe. God had noe Externall Patterne in ye Creation (for there was nothinge extant) but God had from all Eternity an Internall patterne an Idea a Preconception a forme himselfe, accordinge to wch he pnurious thinge to haue but one Candle in a roome it is to dimme a light to worke by, to liue by, to haue but rule & prnobis nouj hominis Iesus Christus, yf thouHierom: wilt be a new a Creature (& Cyrcumcision is nothinge vncyrcumcision nothinge but onely to be a new Creature) yn Christ is thy Idea, thy Patterne, thy Originall, for Quid in eo non nouum? wt was there in him yt was not new? when was there such a Conception of ye Holy Ghost? such a byrth of a Virgin? such a pregnancy to dispute, soe younge, wth such men? wn such a death, as God to dye? wn such a life, as a dead man to rayse vp himselfe againe? Quid in eo non nouum? to be produced by this Idea, built vp by this modell? Coppyed by this Originall, is truely, is onely to be a new Creature. But yt thou mayst [fol. 122v] put thy selfe into ye way to this it is vsually sayde Enim vero certum est sibi vitæ Genus, constituere certaynly to vndertake a Certayne profession a callinge in this world & to purpose to oin our president. Tantj momentj esse duco sayth yt Father is a matter of soe greate importance as yt vppon yt sayes he) lyes ye buildinge of oton ym which walke soe as yee haue vs for an example, loue ye legends, ye life the Actions, & loue ye sayinges ye Apothegmes of Good men. In all Tentations like Josephs tentations loue Josephs words How Gen: 39. 9. can I doe this greate wickednesse and not sinne against God In all Tentations like Iobs tentations loue ye words of Iob shall we receiue good at ye handes of God, Job: 2. 10 & shall we not receiue Euell? In all Tentations [fol. 123v] like Shadrachs Tentation & his fellowes Confessours loue thyre words; our Dan: 3. 17. & 18. God is able to diliuends Examples to our selues, & when you haue made vp yogrow in write by Coppys & yoby worke by Samplers, be euery father a Coppy to his sonne, euery mother a Sampler to her daughter, & euery house wilbe an vniuersity. O in how blessed a nearenessenearenesse to yt direction is yt Child, & yt Seruant, & yt Parishioner, who when [fol. 124r] they shall say to Almighty God by way of Prayer, wt shall I doe to attayne eternall life, shall heere God answere to ym by his Spiritt, Doe but as yu seest thy Father doe, doe as yu seest they mother doe, doe as thou seest thy Pastor doe? to become a Præsident, doe as thou seest they præsident, Gouerne thy selfe by Præsident first; wch is all ye doctrine I intended to deduce out of this second proposition, as God Commaunded light out of darknesse, Soe he hath shined in o
[fol. 124v] Quid Deus,}The drowninge of ye first world & the rapayringe of yt againe, the burninge of this world, & ye establishinge another in heauen, doe not soe much strayne a mans reason as ye Creation a Creation of all out of nothinge. for, for ye repayringe of ye world after ye Floud Compared to the Creation, it was eight to nothinge, Eight persons to begin a world vppon yn; but in ye Creation none And for ye Glory wch we receiue in the next world it is in some sort like the stampinge of a print vppon a Coyne, ye mettell is there allreaddy, a body & a Soule to receiue Glory, but nat ye Creation there was noe Soule to receiue Glory, noe body to receiue a Soule, noe stuff noe [fol. 125r] matter to make a body of. The lesse any thinge is ye lesse we know it, How inuisible inintelligible yn a thinge then is this nothinge? We say in ye Scoole Deus cognossibilior Angelis we haue better meanes to know God & his Nature yn yt of Angells, because God hath appeared & manifested himselfe more in Actions then Angells haue done ^we know wt they are by wt they haue done & it is very little yt is related to vs wt Angells haue done.^ wt then is there yt can bringe this nothinge to odesire onely declare ye 3 tearmes in this Proposition, & soe proceede. First God Co
For the first wch we translate heere (Commaunded) is in St Paules mouth ye same yt is in Moses Dixit) & noe more God sd it, but yn yf he sd it Cuj dixit? to whome did he say it? Procopius asked the Question, & answeres himselfe Procopi? dixit Angeljs he sd it to ye Angells for Procopius beinge of yt opinion wch very many were of besides himselfe yt God had made ye Angells, some time before he came to ye makeinge of some particular Creatures, he thinkes that wn he came to yt, he called ye Angells that they by seeinge of wt stuff all other Creatures were made, might know after allsoe [fol. 127r] ^of^ wt stuff they themselues were made of ye common & generall noethinge. Some others had sd yt God sd this to ye Creatures themselues which were now In fieri as we say in ye Schooles in ye phisyt purpose that’s hisDixit his sayinge It is sufficiently expressed by Rabbi Moses In Creatione dicta sunt voluntates in ye act of Creation ye will of God was ye word of God, his will yt it should be, was his sayinge lett it be; of wch yt is a Conuenient example wch is in ye Prophet Jonah. 2. 10. Jonah The Lord spake vnto the Fish and it vomited out Jonah vppon ye dry Land, yt is, God would haue the fish to doe it, & it did it. God spake yn in the Creation, but he spake inestabiliter wthout sound sayes St Augustine wthout vtteringe any sound, he spake but he spake intemporaliter sayth the [fol. 128r] Father too, wthout spendinge any time in distinction of sylables: But yet when he spake aliquis adfuit as Athanasi
And of Light we say noe more in this Place but this yt in all ye Scriptures [fol. 129r] in wch ye word Light is very often Metephorically applyed, it is neu
In ye First part we are were made, in this second we are mended in the first we were brought into this world, in this Second, we are lead through th it world, In ye first wee are Creatures, in this second we are Christians, God hath shined in o
In this Part we shall haue two LDeuisio Branches a Posatiue & a Comparatiue consideration of ye wordes First ye matter it selfe wt this shininge is, & it is yt Conuersion of man to God by ye ministry of ye Ghospell, And 2ly how this manner of expressinge it answeres ye Comparison, As God Co..ort stepps. First gods Action, illuxit, he hath shinesd, & it is manifestation & euidence. And then the time wn this Day breakes when this Sunne riseth, Illuxit hee hath shined he hath done enough allready. Thirdly ye Place ye Sphere in wch he shines ye Orbe wch he hath illumined. In cordibthese 4 in ye Positiue part we shall descend to ye Comparatiue. As god Commaunded light out of darkenesse soe [fol. 131r] he hath shined in our hartes.
First then for Gods Action his workinge 1. lucet. in ye Christian Church, wchis our vocatioa narrow him but his due when he calls him mundum magnum a world to wch all ye rest of ye world is subordinate; for all ye world beside is but Gods footestoole man sitts downe vppon his right hand, & howsoeuin our hartes to vs wn he appeares to our eyes, & to oof these [fol. 133v] & loueinge of these, the word & Sacramts, ye outward meanes of Saluation ordayned by god in his Church consists this Irradiation, this Coruscation this shininge in o & wee haue done with that.
Illuxit.2. The next is ye time Illuxit he hath shined already, & Illuxit mundo he hath shined yt is manifested himselfe sufficiently to ye whole world Illuxit nobis he hath done it fully to this Nation, & Illuxit vobis he hath shined sufficiently vppon Mundo. euery one of you. First vppon ye whole world for thou at first he shined onely vppon the Iewes & left all ye world beside in darknesse & in ye shaddow of death, & euen to ye Jewes them-selues but as a light 2 Peter.1. 19. in a darke place; the Temple it selfe was [fol. 134r] but a darke roome in respect of oGhospell word and administration of ye Sacramts wn this was done, immediately there was meridies a full noone, ye light was at ye highest, ye Sunne was at ye Zenith at ye Tropique it could goe noe farther. noe fundamentall thinge can be added by man to this light, by wch ye Sonne of God hath shined in his Church. To sett vp Candles to Images is a weakenesse in ym yt doe it, but to set vp Candles to God is a prsayth Dauid ye Law of God ye Scripture is a Light, it is ye Light, it is all Light, And therfore they who would take away this Light, not suffer men to reade ye Scriptures; or yf they will not snuffe this Light, not mend the Barbarismes ye Errors ye Contradictions wch are in thyre Translations & Lett it shine accordinge to ye Originall truth This is a shuttinge of theyre Eyes against this Illuxit For this God hath shined enough & sd enough & done enough, & suffered enough for the saluation of his Church, he hath shined out vppon all & needes noe supply of lesser lights
nobis. Soe he hath shined vppon all & Illuxit nobis he hath shined aboundantly vppon this [fol. 135r] Creation, he shined vppon vs betimes, this day sprunge this sunne rose in ye East, in ye East Christ liued & Preached in Person, but in his beames, his Messengers, he shined Quickly in the West too; And wn he did soe, he did not soe shine vppon ye West vppon Rome as yt ye Light was cast vppon vs by reflection from a Glasse from ye walles of Rome, but we had it as they had it by Person ordeyned by God to conuey it ouer ye world. I dispute not too earnestly, I determine not too vehemently any matter of fact in this poynt. I confesse Ingeniously we had many assistances from Rome But truely she hath bine euen wth vs since & Computatis computandis I thinke shee may be content to giue vs an acquittaunce [fol. 135v] God shined vppon this Iland early, early in ye Plantation of ye Ghospell (for wee had not oome, or more of this light from other Places. God continue the light of this reformation to vs wthout admittinge any old Cloudes, any olde Cloutes, & we shall not neede any such reformation any super-reformation as swimminge braynes will needes crosse the Seas for. The word of god is not aboue thee sayes Moses, nor beyond ye Sea, we neede not climbe vp seauen Hills nor wash our Soules seauen times in a Lake for it, God make ye practice of o
Illuxit mundo, illuxit nobis & vobisvobis. too. God hath allsoe shined sufficiently vppon euery of yu that heare this, already. Vppon ye greatest part of you in both. Vppon all in [fol. 136v] one of you his Sacramts God hath bine content to talke wth you in yoshall admitt hath admitted you to him in your priuate prayers, & come to you in your priuate readinges of his word. he hath opened your eares to him, & his eares to heare you in ye publiqa is as soone blowne out at an open doore or an open window as in the open streete, yf you open a doore to a Supplanter an vnderminer a whisperer against your religion, If thrre be a broken window a woeman laden wth sinne as ye Apostle speakes, & thereby deiected into an inordinate Melancolly (for such a melancolly as makes witches makes Papists too) yf she bee therby as apt to chaunge Religions now as loues before, & as weary of this God as of yt man. Yf there be such a doore such a window, a wife a Childe a Frind a Soiourner bendinge yt way This light yt hath shined in thee may as absolutely goe out in thy house & in thy hart, as yf [fol. 138r] it were putt out in ye whole kingdome, Leaue ye publiqto who.se ye publiq care ye publiq
Fecit deus cœlum et terram, non In CordibSuperstition Ambition posesse ye hart before it will yeeld to this & evaporate. But why doe I speake all this to others? is it soe cleare a Case yt ye hartes in this Text are the hartes of others of them yt heere & not of our selues that speake? yt[fol. 139v] we are to see now, for that’s the next & last branch in this part, who be the Persons, inin Cordibus nostris in o
Nostris.Certaynly this word Nostris primarily most litterally most directly Concernes vs, vs ye ministers of Gods words & Sacramts yf we take Gods word into obe bind not in ye nature of a vow yett it makes them all the way more careffull to giue them such an Eudcation as [fol. 140r] may fitt them for yt profession. And then there is vocatio virtualjs, when haueinge assented to ye purpose of my Parents I receiue the publiqds & it must shine in ore recociled to Rome I would preach to ym yf they would heere me, if they would heere me and yt were opportunè, in season but though we preach importunè out of season to theyre ends & thyre purposes, yet we must preach though they would not heere vs. For we are debters to all because all are our neighbours Proximus tuus et antequam Christian
[fol. 141v] A man is thy neighbour by his humanity not by his diuinity by his nature not by his religion. A virginian is thy neighbour as well as a Londoner, & all men are in euery goodmans eyes diocesse & parish. Irrides adorantem lapides: sayes yt Father Thou seest a man worshipp an Image & laughest him to scorne, assist him direct him thou canst but scorne him not. Ignoras quomode illum præsciuerit de
It must shine there & it must shine in omust be is a time of silence of studdy & præparation how to speake & then to speake on in Gods name, but howsoeuye Priest should priuilidge any man otherwise obnoxious from iust censure incurr a Præmunire in ye highest kingdome, to forgett all euerlastingly to appeale from our Conuersation to oid indifferet thinge wch others wthout any scandall may doe Hieron: vehementer destruit Ecclesiam Dej Laicos esse meliores Clericis. Nothing shakes ye Church more, then wn Church-men are noe better yn other men are. Where we Gen: 4.10. reade in Genisis vox sanguinis The voyce of Abells bloud calls. It is in ye originllvox sanguinhe Preaches, Aaron & Moses were ioyned in CommisioMercury Jupiter Theyre eye was vppon theyre greate worke as well as thyre sweete wordes. Clearely & Ingeniously we, we the Ministers of ye Gospell acknowledge o
When the Aposlte speakes of Hereditas nostra, & Pax nostall to be all of ye Inferior ministry, & all yoreturne receiue thee kindly, wt care thou soe a surly fellow lett thee in at the in at ye dore? Sacramenta absunt indigne tractantibus,August: sayth St Augustine An hipocryticall preachinge of ye word, as vncleane administration of ye Sacramts shall agrauate ye condemnation of ye vncleare Hypocryte, but yet Prusunt digne sumentib
I may be bould to say that this Citty hath the ablest preachinge Clergy of any Citty in Christendome, must I be fayne to say yt ye Clergy of this Citty hath the poorest interteynmt of any Citty yt can come into Comparison wth it? It is soe. & ytto wch they haue pretences & claymes to be farther due to them is detayn’d, not because yt wch they haue is enough, but because yt which they clayme is to much. The cyrcumstance of ye Qualtity & proportion keepes of yevery right consideration of ye very right Soe yt this Clergy is therfore poore because they should be rich, therfore kept wthout any part becasue soe great a part [fol. 148r] seemes to belonge vnto them. Greeue not the Spiritt of God, greeue not ye Spirittuall man ye man of God neither. Ex tristitia sermo procedens minFamily & worthe all the foure Considerations wich made vp this first branch, Our vocation by this light considered positiuely The thinge, The time, ye Places, & ye Persons; A little remaynes by debt of promise to be spoken of this Comparatiuely, As God Commaunded light out of darkenesse, Soe he hath shined in our hartes,
A little before the Text, ye Act Compar: of the Deuell is to enduce darknesse. but God illumines Deus huius Sæculj, sth the Apostle) the God of this world yt is the Diuell, blindes ye Eyes, [fol. 149v] of men, wch wordes by ye way giue occasion of makeinge this short note yt many times by Alteration & vehemence of disputation the truth of ye litterall sence is indangered, & therfore wee should rather content oin wt sence how farr God concurres to this Execution we dispute not now, we rest Auguste in yt of St Augustine. Alliud venit de astutia suadentis, aliud de nequitia nolentjs, alius de iustitia punientis God hath a part, a greate part in this, but not ye first First sth St Augustine Satan suggests, then man Consents, yn enters God by way of punishmt, of Iustice, & farr doth [fol. 151r] he punish? Deserendo he forsakes ye sinner, he wth-drawes his grace, & then as vppon the departinge of yesinner sunne dakenesse followes soe vppon departinge of Grace followes excæcation. God oltescereworld truth, & the Glory of Christ Iesus, all o.ringe by wch he yt ware it became inuisible) Da sapienti sayes yt Father, giue a wiseman a man religiously wise that ringe, & though he might sinne inuisible before men, he would not because God sees. Nay euen ye morrall man goes farther then yt, in yt, though I knew sth he HominemSeneca. ignoraturum et deum ignosciturum [fol. 152v] yt man should neuour for ye manifestation of his Creatures, Soe hath shined in o
How yn made he ye light dixit he sd it by his word. In wch we note first the meanes verbo, he did it by his word, & by his word, ye preachinge of his word doth he shine in oan opened to ye deafe man. but a Quid vides wt seest thou to ye blind man. Yf we consider his dispatch vppon ye Theefe on ye Crosse how soone he brought him from reuilinge to glorifyinge And yf any in this Auditory feele yt dispatch of ye Holy-Ghost in his hart, yt wheras he came hether but to see, he hath hard, or yf he came to heare the man, he hath hard God in ye man, & is better at this Glasse yn he was at teh first, better now yn when he came, & will goe away better then he is yett. He yt feeles this must [fol. 153v] confesse yt as God hath Commaunded light to shine out of darkenesse, Soe) he hath shined in his hart, Soe, yt is by ye same meanes, by his word, & Soe) yt is wth ye same speede & dispatch.
Againe Deus vidit lucem God saw ye light, he looked vppon it, he Considered it This 2d light euen religion it selfe must be looked vppon, Considered, not taken implicitly or occasionally & deliberately, but seriously & deliberatly & yn assuredly & Constanty.
And then vidit quod bona, God saw that this light was good. God did not see nor say yt darknesse was good, yt Ignorance (how neere a kinne soeuto thy endinge For he of his owne goodnesse imprinted this degree of goodnesse in thee, but yet assure thy selfe he loues thee in another manner, & another measure, then when thou commest really to those good workes. [fol. 154v] then before, or when thou didst onely conceiue a purpose of doeinge them, he calls them good when he sayes sees them. & when he saw this light this good light, he seperated all darknesse from it, when thou hast found this light to haue shined in thy hart, God manifested in his way his true Religion seperate all darknesse, the darke inuentions & traditions of men, & the workes of darknesse sinne. & since thou hast light benight not thy selfe againe by relapsinge to either.
The Comparison of these 2 lights created & infused light into would runn in infinitum I shall shutt it vp wth this, that as at the first pnob noe body bigg enough to shaddow ye whole [fol. 155r] Sunne from the Earth. Soe till this light shine in our hartes we are wholly darknesse, but when it hath truely & effectually shined in vs, & manifested to vs our Election in Gods Eternall decree, howsoeu
As in o
[fol. 156r] To vs then who were Created f of Scientia. nothinge in the 1 Part & called from ye Gentills in ye 2d in this 3d part owhen he is in his repetition when he come shome; A Doctor to yt wch is more, ye whole world to him then the whole world, his owne Soule, his owne life. [fol. 156v] Christ appeared to this Apostle & sayde I haue appeared vnto thee for this purpose Acts 26. 16. to make thee a Minister & a wittnesse to open ye Gentills Eyes, & to turn ym from darkenesse to light, & from ye power of Satan vnto God. There he receiued his degree & his learninge & ye vse of it, but wn St Paul came abroade into ye world, when he comes to Preach, & to write he sayes to ye Colossians The Father hath made vs meete to be ye Partakers of ye Inheritance of Sts in his light Vs (sayth St Chrysostome & soe sth Theophylact too; & many more yn they two) vs) yt is all Vs. vs yt Preach to you yt heare. You are bound to studdy this knowledge as well as wee. & truely hateth hath in some respects aduantage of ye Preacher, for a Preacher though in some measure well disposed can hardly exuere hominem, put of ye Affections of man by beinge a Preacher [fol. 157r] They sticke closser to him then his Hoode & Habitt. euen in ye Pulpitt. Some little Cloudes yf not of Ostentation & vayne- grory, yet of Complacency & selfe pleasinge will affect him. The hearer hath not yt Tentation, bu thath a more perfect exercise of ye most Christian vertue Humility then ye Preacher hath. Though therfore when you cast yoralike vppon all And therefore let vs, all Vs, Cast of ye workes of darkenesse, & put on ye whole Armor of light, light it selfe is fayth. but ye Armor of light is [fol. 157v] knowledge An Ignorant man is a disarmed man a naked man.
Ignorance then is not osay of the any of ye Saduces ye formall Heritiq..it he shalbe possessed, possessed wth the spirt of feare of flattery; others shall speake in him & he become ye Instrumt of men & not of God. It was ye Diuells first Advantage knowledge, The Serpent was wiser then any beast, It is soe it still Satan is wiser then any man in naturall & in Ciuill knowlege. Tis true he is a Lion too but he was a serpent first & did vs more harme as a serpent yn as a lyon, but now as Christ Iesus hath nayled his hand writtinge wch he had against vs to ye Crosse & thereby cancelled his Euidence; & soe in [fol. 160r] his descent to Hell, & subsequent Acts of his Glorification, he hath burnt his liberary, annihillated w his wisdome in giueinge vs a wisedome aboue his Craft, he hath shined in o
Measure thou not therefore ye groweth & ye forwardnesse of thy Childe, by how soone he could speake, or goe how soone he Could Contract wth a Man & discourse wth a woman but how soone he became scensible of ye greate Contract wch he hath made with Almighty God in his Baptisme, how soone he was able to discharge those Sueretyes wch vndertooke for him, then by receiuinge his confirmation in the Church, How soone he became to discerne the Lds Spiritt in ye preachinge of his word, & to discerne the Lords body in the Administration of the Sacramts A Christian Child must grow [fol. 160v] as Christ gro when he was a Child, in Luke 2. 52. wisdome & in stature, first in wisdome yn in Stature, many hath bine taller at 16 yn eu
It is a good definition of ill loue ytChrysost. St Chrysostome giues, yt it is Anima vacantjs passio A passion of an emty Soule of an idle minde; for fill a man wth businesse & he hath noe roome for such loue. it will fitt ye loue of God too soe far as yt yt loue must be inin Anima vacante at first, when ye Soule is emty, disencombred from other Studdys, disengaged in other Affections, Then to take in this know [fol. 161r] knowledge of the Glory & loue of God. For Amari non nisi nota possunt sth August. St Augustine Truely howeuth o
The light of ye knowledge of the glory of this world, is a good & a greate peece of learninge to know yt all ye glory 1.Peter.1. 24. of man is as the Flower, yt euen the Glory, & all ye glory of man, of all mankinde is but a Flowere, and but (as) a Flowere somwt lesse then ye proltatipe then ye orginall, yn ye Flower it selfe, & all [fol. 162r] this but as ye Flower of grasse neither, noe very beautifull flower to ye Eye, noe very fragrant Flower to ye smell. To know that for ye Glory of Moab Aufert
But this is not fully the Glory of this Text knowledge of ye Glory of this Text though this morral knowledge of the glory of this world. Conduce to ye knowledge of this Place, wch is ye Glory of God; yet not of ye maiesticall & inaccessible glory of [fol. 163r] the Essence or Attribuites of God; or inscrutable poynts of Deuinity. for Scrutator maiestatjs opprimetur a Gloria Prouerb: 25 27. as St Hierome & all those 3 Rabbins whose Commentaryes we haue vppon that Booke made the Place, He yt searchestoo too farr into yee Secretts of God shall be dazelled, Confounded by yt Glory; but heere indeede Gloria dej is Gloria Deo. The glory of God is the glorifyinge of God, it is a Saint Ambrose expresses it Notitia cum Laude ye glory of god is in ye takeinge notice of all yt comes from God, & then ye Glorifyinge God for wt soeu& yt writt a Letter, & there must be follow a discouery in Reason. But remembr still that though in Dauids Psalmes there be Psalmes of Prayer & Psal: of Prayse, Psal: of deprecation, & of imprecation too; how diuers soeuer ye Nature of ye Psalmes be yt ye Church hath appoynted to shutt vpp euery Psalme wth that one Acclamation Glory be to ye Father & to the Sonne &c. whether I pray or payse deprecate Gods Iudgmts from my selfe, or imprecate them vppon Gods Enimyes, nothing can fall from me, nothinge can fall vppon me, but that God may receiue Glory by it yf I will glorify him in it. Soe yt in a vsefull sence Gloria dej is Gloria deo, but yet more litterally, more directly, the Glory of God in [fol. 164r] this Place, is ye Glory of ye Ghospell of Christ Iesus wch is that wch is extended & expressed in the next Phrase, wch is the first branch, in this first Acceptation of these wordes In facie, The Glory of God in ye face of Iesus Christ. In Facie.
When oknow vnderstand not the Scriptures. All knowledge is Ignorance except it Conduce to ye knowledge of ye Scriptures & all the Scriptures leade vs to Christ, He is ye brightnes Heb: 1.3. of his ffathers Glory, & ye expresse Image of his Person. The brightnesse of ye euerlastinge light, & ye Image of his Goodnesse, And to insist vppon a word of ye[fol. 164v] John. 6.27.first signifycation him hath God ye ffather sealed now. Sigillum imprimitest id est significatuPsalme. 4. 6. super nos lumen vultus tuj sayed Dauid. ye light of thy Countenaunce, yt is ye Image of thy selfe is sealed, yt is deriued imprinted vppon vs yt is vppon oof & that God created ye world? wt greate knowledge is this? the Iewes knew it too Non ist idem nosse deum opificemChrysost: esse et habere filium, it is another religion another poynt of Fayth to know yt God hath a sonne of Eternall begettinge & to haue a world of late makeinge. God therfore hath shined in noe mans hart till he know he ye Glory [fol. 165v] of God in ye face of Iesus Christ till he come to the manifestation of God in the Ghospell. Soe yt yt man comes short of this light yt beleeues in God in a generall in an incomprehensible power but not in Christ. And yt man goes beyond this light who will know more of God yn is manifested in ye Ghospell wch is the face of Christ Iesus, ye one comes not to ye light, ye other goes beyond it, & both err in blindnesse. Chr: is ye Image of god, & the Ghospell is ye face of Christ And now I rest not in Gods Picture, as I finde it in euwritt went to his death, nor for his face as it was discribed in Lentulus his letter to ye Senate of Rome, but I haue ye Glory of God in Christs & I haue ye Face of Christ in the Ghospell. Except God had not taken vppon him this very person vppon him, this indiuiduall person man (was impossible because I was a sinfull creature person) he could not haue come nearer yn in takeing this nature vppon him Now I cannot say as ye man at ye Poole Hominem non habeo I haue noe man to helpe me, The Hethen cannot say ytI haue noe God but I cannot say I haue noe man, [fol. 166v] for I haue a man, ye Man Iesus. Him who by beinge man knows my misery, & by beinge God can & will shew mercy Rom: 13.12 vnto me. The night is farr spent sayes ye Apostle ye day is at hand. Greg: Nox ante Christum, Aurora in Euangelio. Dies in resurrectione, Till Christ all was night there was a begininge of ye day in ye begininge of ye Ghospell, & there was a full noone in the light & Glory thereof, but such a day as shalbe allwayes day & ouytof all yt man might come to this light in ye Eun other manner of man In alium virum migro into an other manner of Miracle then ye same Father makes of man in this world. Quondam misterium (sayes he) wt a mistery is man heere Paruus sum et magncomeliue me; & lastly sayes he, Terrenus sum & Cœlestjs I haue a body but of Eearth, but yet of such Earth as God was ye Potter to mould it, God was ye Statuary to fashion it. And yn I haue a Soule of wch God was the Father, he breathed it into me [fol. 168v] And of wch noe matter can say I was the Mother, for it proceeded of noethinge, such a Mistery is man heere but he is a Miracle hereafter. I shall be still ye same man & yett an other beinge, and in this is ye miracle exalted, yt death who destroys meCyrill. re-edyfyes me, Mors velut medium excogitata vt de integro restauraretur homo Man was fallen and God tooke yt way to rayse him to throw him lower into ye Graue, Man was sickly & god inuended God studied Physicke for him, & strange physicke to recou43. 3. The Creation well enough, but yett yeImmutabimur is ye greatest of all, wch St Paule calls all the 1 Corinth: world to wonder at, Behould I 1 Peter. 15.51. shew you a Mistery we shall not all sleepe but we shall all be changed. A Mistery wch yf Nicodemus had discernd it would haue put him to more wonder yn the Denuo nascj, to enter into his Mothers wombe as he spake) to enter into ye bowells of ye earth, & lye there & lye dead there, not many moneths, but many many yeares and then to be borne againe & ye first minute of yt new birth to be soe perfect & yt nothinge can be better, and soe [fol. 169v] perfect as that he can neuwordcould I say, yt could become, wt yt could haue any [fol. 170r] porportion to this knowledge & this Glory & this face of Christ Iesus. there in yeknowledgekingdome of Heauen? but yett be pleased to heare a word of each of these 3 words, And first of knowledge.
In ye Attributes of God wee consider his knowledge to be Principium agendj dirigens, the first proposer & director This should be done. And then his will to be Principium imperans. The first Commaunder This shall be done, And yn his power to be Principium exequens, The first performer, This is done. This should be done, this shalbe done, this is done, expresse [fol. 170v] vnto vs ye knowledge ye will, & ye power of God Now we shall be partakers of ye Diuine nature, & the knowledge, & ye will, & the power of God shall be soe farr Communicated to vs there as that we shall know all yt belonges to oknowdoe not; & such thinges all the Angells good & badd know. Somethinges they know by the Grace of thyre Confirmation, by wch they haue more giuen them then they had by ye nature of thyre Creation. And these thinges onely ye Angells yt stood (but all they doe know somethinges they know by relation wn God is pleased to [fol. 171v] manifest them vnto them & soe some of the Angells know more then the rest (though confirm’d) know. By Creation they know as his Subiects, by Confirmation they know as his Seruants by Reuelation they know as his Counsellors. Now Erimus sicut Angelj sth Christ, there we shalbe as ye Angells The knowledge wch I haue by Nature shall haue noe Cloudes here it hath, yt wch I haue by Grace shall haue noe reluctatioye Creatures shalbe taken away quite away noe more Nature Those reuerend Manuscripts written wth Gods owne handes, the Scriptures them-selues shalbe taken away quite away noe more Preachinge, noe more readinge of Scriptures And yt greate schoole mistresse & obseruation, sake shalbe remoued noe new thinge to be done, & in an instant I shall know more yn all they would reueale vnto me, I shall know [fol. 172v] not onely as I know , no allready ytIa beleeuebeehiiue, An Ant-hill is ye same booke in decimo sexto as a Kinge in folio yt a Flower yt liues but a day is an Abridgmt of ye kinge yt liues out his Three-score & ten yeares, But I shall know too yt all these Ants & Bees, & Flowers and kinges & kingdomes, howsoeu
Gloria Dei.Before in ye formmyJohn. 17 5. Father wch thine owne sealfe, wth the Glory wch I had wth thee before ye world was, is not a Prayer for ye Essentiall Glory of God (for Christ in his diuine Nature was neu
Then & there wee shall haue an abunIn facie aboundant satisfaction of all St Augustines 3 wishes Hee wished to haue seene Rome in her Glory, To heard St Paule preach, & to haue seene Christ in ye Flesh, we shall haue all, we shall haue such a Hierusalem as yt Rome, yf yt were Litterally true, wch is Hyperbolically sd of Roome, In vrbe in orbe That Citty is ye whole world yett Rome yt Rome were but a village to this Hierusalem. Wee shall heere St Paule wth ye whole Quire of Heauen powre out himselfe in yt Acclamation, Saluation to ohim the walles of this Pallace to be Saphyr, & Emrauld & Amethyst, And all stones yt are pretious, wt shall we not see in the Face of Christ Iesus? & wt soeuChaungers to this face See him heere yt you may know him & Hee you there See him as St John did who turned to see a Voyce, See him in ye Preachinge of ye his word, See him in yt Seale wch is a [fol. 175r] Coppy of him as he is of his Father; See him in ye Sacramt Looke him in ye fface as he lay in ye Manger, Poore; & yn murmur not att Temporall wantes, Suddenly enricht by ye Tribuitts of kinges, And doupbt not but God hath good & strange wayes to supply thee. Looke him in ye face in ye Temple disputinge there at 12 yeares & yn apply thy selfe to God, to ye Contemplation of him, to ye Meditation vppon him, to a Conuersation wth him betimes, Looke him ye Face in his Fathers house, A Carpenter, tooke Take a Callinge, & contayne thy selfe in yt Callinge; But bringe him nearer & looke him in ye face as he looked on Fryday last; wn he whose face the Angells desire to looke on, he who was fayrer yn ye Children of Men as ye ProphetPsal: 45. 2. speakes was soe marr’d more then any [fol. 175v] Esaiah. 52.14. 53.3 man (as an other Prophett speakes) yt they hid thyre Faces from him & dispised him; wn he who bore vp the Heauens bowed downe his head, & he who giues breath to all, gaue vpp ye Ghost. And then looke him in ye fface againe, as hee looked Yesterday, not Lamed vppon the Crosse, not putrifyed in Graue, not singed in Hell. Raysed & raysed vpp by his owne Power victoriously, tryumphantly to ye destruction of ye last Enimy Death; Looke him in ye Face in all these respects of Humiliation, & of Exulation too, & then as a Picture looke vppon him, that lookes vppon it. God vppon whome thou keepest thine Eye will keepe th..ine Eye vppon thee. And as in ye Creation wn hee Commaunded light out darknesse, he gaue thee a Capacity of this light And as in his [fol. 176r] Vocation, when he shined in thine hart he gaue thee an inchoation of this light Soe in assotiatinge thee to himselfe at ye last day he will perfect, consummate accomplish all, & giue thee ye light of ye Glory of God, in ye face of Christ Iesus there.
This is the last word of o....stop not on this side we dare Christ Iesus, we dare not say yt any man is saued wthout Christ, we dare say that none can be saued yt hath receiued that light & hath not beleeued in him, we [fol. 176v] carry you not beyond Christ neither, not beyond yt Face of his in wch he is manifested, The Scriptures; Till you come to Christ you are wthout God, as ye Apostle sayes to ye Ephesians And wn you goe beyond Christ to ye Traditions of men you are wthout God too. There is A Sinne Sine Deo A left handed Atheisme in the meere Naturall man yt will not know Christ, & there is A Sine Deo a right handed Atheisme in ye stubborne Papist who is not Content wth Christ. They preach Christ Iesus & themselues, & make them selues Lordes ou
FINIS
Publishing statement
Publisher: The Oxford Edition of the Sermons of John Donne
General Editor: Peter McCullough
Funder: Arts and Humanities Research Council
Availability: This XML document is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 License.
Transcription notes
Transcription by Erica Longfellow.
Transcription proofread and technical description by Mary Morrissey.
Transcription checked and coded by Elizabeth Williamson.
The Manuscript
Institution: St Paul's Cathedral Library, London
Shelfmark: MS 52.D.14
OESJD siglum: P
Manuscript Content
Item no: 1
Locus: ff. 3r-32r
Title: Psalme.144. Verse.15: Blessed are the people yt be soe yea blessed are ye People whose God is the Lord.
Incipit: The first part of this Text hath
Explicit: inestimable price of his incorruptible bloud.
Final Rubric: To wch glorious sonne of God. &c Finis.
Bibliography: OESJD Vol. II.5; P&S Vol. III.2
Note: Textual matter around the sermons: Title page, f.1r 'SERMONS MADE BY I. Donne. doctor of Deuinty & Deane of Pauls - Ano: Domini: 1625. Kni: Chetwode'
Item no: 2
Locus: ff. 33r-60r
Title: 1 Timothy: 3:16. And, wthout Controuersy, greate is the Mystery of Godlynesse: God was manifest in the flesh, Justifyed in ye Spirrit, seene of Angells, preached vnto the Gentills, Beleeued in the world, Receiued into Glory
Incipit: This is noe Text for an Howre-glasse.
Explicit: bloude.
Final Rubric: To wch: the glorious sonne of God &c. Finis
Bibliography: OESJD Vol. II.6; P&S Vol. III.9
Note: Textual matter around the sermons: Slip of paper pasted into the left margin of f.33r: 'This sermon I could not finde, in either of the two volumes.'. Title page, f.32v '1625. The Second Sermon Preached by John Donne Dotr: of Deuinity & Deane of PAVLS KNIGHTLEY CHETWODE'
Item no: 3
Locus: ff. 80r-105r
Title: Hosea 2.5.19 I will mary thee vnto me for euer
Incipit: The word, which is the hinge on
Explicit: corruptible bloud.
Final Rubric: To whome wth the father &c. Finis.
Bibliography: OESJD VII.2; P&S Vol. III.11
Note: Textual matter around the sermons: Title page, f.79v: '1626. THE FOVRth SERMON by John Donne Doctor of Deuinity & Deane of Paules - Knightley Chetwode'. Comment on f.79v: 'Preached at St: Clements at Mr: Washingtons Mariage'
Item no: 4
Locus: ff. 106r-177r
Title: 2 Cor: 4.6. Preached at the Spittle on Easter Monday 1622. For God who Commaunded light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in or Hartes, to giue ye light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in ye face of Iesus Christ
Incipit: The first booke of ye Bible begins wth the
Explicit: face of Iesus Christ.
Final Rubric: FINIS.
Bibliography: OESJD Vol. VIII.2; P&S Vol. IV.3
Note: Textual matter around the sermons: Slip of paper pasted into the left margin of f.105r: 'This sermon I could not finde, in either of the two volumes.'. Title page, f.104v: 'THE F SERMon by Iohn Donne Doctor of Deuinity & Deane of Paules - Knightley Chetwode: Anno Domi: 1625'. End of sermon, f.177r: 'Knightley Chetwode'
Physical Description
Material: Paper, quarto, 277 leaves 200 X 150 mm.
Foliation: The manuscript has recently been foliated by Mr Wisdom, Librarian, and Mr Wisdom’s foliation (taking the page with Katherine Butler’s ownership mark as f. 1) has been observed in the transcription following. The manuscript reverses at f. 230, with ff. 196-230r being blank.
Collation: There are no signatures. There appears to be extensive and complex quiring, which, combined with the tight binding, makes it practically impossible to work out the collation.
Condition: The manuscript is in excellent condition.
Hand(s) description
Hand 1, responsible for materials on ff. 3-174r, belongs Knightley Chetwode. This copyist of the four Donne sermons and the court sermon by Joseph Hall signs his name on the title page (either fully or with initials) of each sermon. His hand is a mix of late secretary and round hand features, and is neat and easily legible. He uses black and brown ink, with multiple changes throughout the volume, including in some cases between the body of the text and marginal comments, marginal corrections, and supralinear corrections, for example on f.49v-50r. Chetwood finally wrote some elaborately flourished additions, like the title page on f. 105v or the 'Finis' on f. 177r.
Hand 2 is unknown, and responsible for some supralinear correction and comments on pasted slips: ff.33r, 37r, 105r.
Hand 3 is unknown, and responsible for some supralinear corrections on ff. 110v, 135v. There are yet other hands in the manuscript, most notedly that of Katherine Butler, who inherited the manuscript and turned it into a commonplace book. However, since none of these other hands in the manuscript contribute to Donne's sermons, they are not further described here.
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