findeth fault with, to our manifold idle excesses many ways; to every and each of these, an Ut quid perditio? there now it were right, there indeed were the true place of Ut quid perditio? But this is, among many, a strong illusion of these day; that whereas there are abroad in the world so many true wastes, so much in ointments and perfumes upon ourselves, so many hundred denari, indeed no man can tell what, daily lavished; we can neither see ourselves, nor patiently hear of others, ut quid perditiones hæ? Here all is well-all is well bestowed. Neither ut quid, nor potuit dari pauperibus; the poor never comes in our head. No where but in Christ ought is amiss. Only in that that is meant to Him, and spent on Him, there comes out our ut quid, there comes the poor into our mind. No way to provide for them but by sale of Christ's ointment. That is the waste, and none but that; and none but that is maligned. We are perfect auditors, we can exactly reckon how many hundreds Christ wasteth; but who keepeth any account of his own? To ourselves too much is too little; to Him, too little is too much. And three hundred pence that way bestowed, is a greater eyesore than three hundred pounds, I dare be bold to say, to not so good uses.

Thus it is, and it is to be lamented that thus it is. But Christ teacheth us better, if we will learn of Him and let Judas go, that we may better bestow our ut quid any where than upon Him. And we shall find it true: the day will come, when that only that goeth to Him, shall be found to be no perditio; and all else perditio indeed, whatsoever or upon whatsoever. To be lost indeed, and no fruit to come of it. That which is "sown in the flesh, to be lost in corruption;" Gal. 6. 8. that which on the belly, eis ȧpedpŵva: that which on the [Mark 7. 19.] back, in rags; that which on building, in rubbish; that which to our heirs, in prodigality, riot, and excess; and that which is in Me, shall prove no perditio, "waste," lost or lavished, but bonum opus, "a good deed;" to be rewarded with a blessed remembrance on earth, and with a crown of glory in the Kingdom everlasting.

Thus, you see, Judas is answered, and the work quit from the name of perditio. So far from perditio, that it is bonum "A good work," indeed; as proceeding from a good

opus.

SERM. mind, possessed with the virtue of virtues, thankfulness. For III. mercy bestowed on Him, Who only is good and goodness itself; Who here alloweth it for good, causeth it to be registered in His Gospels for good, in the day of judgment shall pronounce it good; rewardeth it for good in this world, with a good name; in that to come, with all the good of His Kingdom, where no good is wanting.

3.

The rea

The third remaineth,-"upon Me," wherein properly is son: in Me. meant His natural body of flesh, which should not alway be with us. But they of whom we have learned to interpret the Scriptures, in a manner all extend it to His mystical Body too; and, as they think, by good consequence. That seeing He gave His natural Body to be bought and sold, rent and torn, crucified and slain for His Body mystical; His Body mystical is certainly dearer to Him, and better He loveth it. And then, if He will accept that is done to the less, and make it bonum opus; He will much more that which is done to the more beloved; and it shall never go for less, never did I am sure. The Scriptures record, as a good work, that that was Acts 4. 37. laid down at "the Apostles' feet," no less than this that was laid upon Christ's own head; and in them, Ananias a Church"Satan"

good remembrances for Yea, which would not

Luke 22. 3. robber, and Judas a Christ-robber, both in one case. Acts 5. 3. is said to have "filled both their hearts" in that act; and like evil end came to both; and both are them that seek and say as they did. be content to detain a part-Ananias and Judas went no farther but would seize of all gladly, if a gracious Lady did not say, Sinite.

To conclude, it is St. Augustine, and so say all the rest; Tu intellige et de Ecclesiâ, quia qui aliquid de Ecclesiá prædatur Judæ perditio comparatur: Understand this of the Church, and spare not; for he that taketh any thingI say any thing, from it, is in Judas' case;' for the sin certainly, for the punishment as it pleaseth God.

Now we know what is meant by in Me; it is no waste word. We will consider it first as a reason of the two former, and then as a special answer to that of the poor.

It answereth Ut quid? "To what end?" why, in Me, "to Me," and for My sake.

It answereth perditio; in Me-why, it is spent on Christ, "on Me," on Whom nothing that is spent is misspent.

It yieldeth a reason of sinite, "spare her;" if not her, yet spare Me, trouble Me not. Ye cannot scrape off the ointment but with My trouble.

And a reason of bonum opus est; for His in Me is warrant sufficient, why the work is to be reckoned good. Yea, in saying it is not only good done, but done to Him, He giveth it a dignity, and lifteth up this work above.

But especially, it answereth the weight of Judas' reason, pauperibus, "the poor." Our Saviour Christ plainly sheweth that Judas is mistaken that draweth a diameter, and maketh opposition between devotion toward Christ, and alms to the poor. Tabitha was good to the poor, Mary Magdalene to Christ. Must we put Mary Magdalene to death, to raise Tabitha again? and is there no other way? Yes indeed, Sinite illam, saith Christ in this verse-let this stand; and yet Mark 14.6. do those good too, date eleemosynam, in the next. There be other means to provide for the poor, than by sale of Christ's ointment; and we are not in pretence of them to omit this, or any office or duty unto Christ.

Pauperibus is not the only good work; this is also. And of the two, if any to be preferred, it is in Me: He certainly to be served first. To which work, not only those of wealth, Mary Magdalene with her three hundred pence; but even poor and all-the poor widow with her mites is bound, as we Mark 12.42. see; even to add something even to the offerings of God; and if not with nardus, yet with oil to anoint His head, as Himself requireth. This, I say, if both could not stand. But, thanks be to God, there be ways they may both stand; and not one fall, that the other may rise. Malachi telleth us a way, and it is a special one; to do as this virtuous woman here; Inferte in Apothecas Meas, "bring into Mine Mal. 3. 10. (that is, My Church's) treasures," and I will break the windows of Heaven and send you such plenty, as you and the poor both shall eat and have enough, and yet leave in abundance. So that we see the next and kindliest way to have Judas' complaint redressed, is to speak and labour that Mary Magdalene's example may be followed.

Secondly, by in Me it plainly appeareth, how Christ

SERM. standeth affected to works of this kind. For permitting them, III. standing for them, defending and commending them, He sheweth plainly, He will be content with such as it is. For, albeit He were the very pattern of true frugality, and an enemy to all excess, yet this service, chargeable as it was, He well alloweth of. Shewing us this, that as He is Christus Acts 10. 38. Patris, anointed by God His Father, Quem unxit Dominus, so also He will be Christus noster, and that passively anointed Joh. 11. 2. by us, Quem unxit Maria. That as here He commendeth Mary Magdalene for the supply of it, so He giveth Simon an Lu. 7. 46. item, oleo caput Meum non unxisti, for being defective in this duty.

I would gladly ask this question: If the ointment may be sold, as Judas saith, and bought lawfully, and they that buy may lawfully use; if they may use it, why may not Christ? Num solis stultis apes mellificant? 'Do bees make honey, and nardus bear ointment, for wicked men only?' May any that pays for it, and may not Christ? Is He only of all other incapable or unworthy?

If it be because it is more than needs, let that be a reason of all. Let the law hold us, as well as Him. But if no man but allows himself a more liberal diet and proportion of port than in strict terms is needful, for all the poor, why should we bind Christ alone to that rule? Except we mean to go farther with Him, and not only except to Mary's ointment, but even to Simon's feast also; Ut quid unguentum hoc? then. Ut quid convivium hoc, too? seeing a smaller repast might serve, and the rest be given to the poor. So that his allowance shall be just as much, and no more, than will serve to hold life and soul together. But as He, without any bar or ut quid, alloweth us not only indumenta for nakedness, but ornamenta for comeliness; not only alimenta for emptiness, but oblectamenta for daintiness; so good reason it is we think not much of His nardus, and tie Him only to those rules from which ourselves plead exemption.

I demand again, If ointment might be spent on Aaron's head under the Law, seeing a greater than Aaron is here, why not on His too? I find that neither under the Law He liked of their motion, What should the Temple do with cedar? neither under the Gospel of theirs, What should

17. 1.

Christ's head do with nardus ? But that, to his praise he is recorded in the Old Testament that said, "Shall I dwell in 1 Chron. my ceiled house, and the Ark of God remain under goat'sskins?" And she, in the New, that thought not her best ointment too good for Christ's head. Surely, they in Egypt had their service of God, it may be in a barn, or in some corner of an house. Yet when Moses moved a costly Tabernacle, no man was found that once said, Our fathers served God well enough without one, Ut quid perditio hæc? After that, many Judges and Prophets and righteous men were well when they might worship before the Ark, yet when Solomon moved a stately Temple, never any was found that would grudge and say, Why the ark is enough; I pray God, we serve God no worse than they, that knew nothing but a tent-Ut quid perditio hæc? Only in the days of the Gospel, which of all other least should, there steps up Judas, and dareth to say that against Christ's Church that no man durst ever either against Moses' tent, or Solomon's Temple.

And if Christ had taken it well or passed it in silence, or said Sinite illum, ' suffer Judas' motion to take place,' we might have had some show. But seeing, He saith Molestus est to Judas, Sinite illam, 'suffer Mary to go forward;' and not that only, but bonum opus too; why should any, after Judas, be thought worthy the answering?

Surely, as the Gospel in this duty hath, and so ought to exceed the Law; so in the Gospel, we here and our country above all other. I will but say with Chrysostom, Appende Christum ó homo; do but construe these two words, in Me, aright; poise and prize Who it is, et sufficit. It is Christ Jesus, Who hath not spared to anoint us with His own blood, and our souls with all the comforts and graces of His Holy Spirit. If toward us neither blood nor life were too dear on His part, shall on ours any nardus be too dear, or any cost too much, that is on Him bestowed?

Perhaps our particular will more move us. It is Christ That created for us nard and all other delights whatsoever, either for use and necessity we have; or for fruition and pleasure we enjoy. It is He That hath enriched us that we be able to bestow it, by this long prosperity, plenty, and peace, as no other kingdom under Heaven. Is there any good mind can