they were nearest destruction Was it for the ouerthrow of the wals and goodly buildings that Christ wept no it was for the sinnes of Ierusalem which should be the cause of all this What affection was héere in the eternall Sonne of God to wéepe for sinfull men Euen then was hee weeping when they were most reioycing and laughing The Phisition most weepes when the frauticke man is or séemes to be most merrie because hee knowes then the daunger is greatest and therefore giues ouer to administer Phisicke any more leauing him to be lamented of his good friends 3 O that thou hadst knowne in this thy day those thinges that belong vnto thy peace Which wordes were weeping wordes and vttered with an interrupted voyce and as it were for verie sorrowe breaking oft in the middest by a manner of spéech called Aposiopesis when there was something more to be spoken but very sorrowe would not suffer him to vtter it I wéepe but O Ierusalem which art now reioycing if thou diddest know the thinges which doe belong vnto thy peace thou wouldest as well weepe for thy selfe as I doe weepe for thee Thou hast had a day of peace but there is a day comming full of sorrowe and persecution O Ierusalem because thou wouldest not accept the one thou art like shortly to rue the miserie of the other In this Christ lamented their forgetfulnesse of their estate in prosperitie they remember not what is to come after all And thus heare wee a mournfull Phisition wéeping for his wilfull patient which would not be healed nor receiue help though it were offered with teares 4 The most dolefull desolation that came vpon this Citie so mighty in promesse so glorious in fame so rich in all abundance is set forth by those who haue mentioned the tragicall ende which befell about the fortieth yée le after our Sauiour suffered the beholding thereof made Eleazar one of the inhabiters at the very time to breake out into this or the like mournfull oration O Ierusalem thou great and goodly Citie of the worlde where is now the beauty of Sion the ioy of the whole earth where is thy glory where is thy magnificence O Ierusalem Where is that Sanctum sanctorum where are thy Priests who were attendant vpon God as Angels Where are thy sages thy young men O from what glory art thou fallen to what reproach and infamie O Ierusalem Ierusalem Who can reade with drie eyes the most wofull ende of this Citie and people They refused the father and the sonne and God sent Titus and Vespasian the Father Sonne that neuer left them vntill they were vtterly defaced O Ierusalem strongly did thy enemies besiâ—…ge thâ—… but thy sinnes did more strongly assault thee They sold the Sauiour of the worlde for thirty pâ—…e and what followed in the captiuitie thirtie Iewes were solde for a pennie The Lord Iesus was apprehended vpon mount Oliuet and upon mount Oliuet was Ierusalem first besieged the Lord Iesus was crucified at the Passeouer and at the Passeouer was all Iewrie as it were shut vp in a prison Ierusalem sacked and in such sort as the Romanes themselues confessed saying That vnlesse this people had offended the God of heauen they could neuer haue preuailed against them as they did A eleâ—…n hundred thousand saith the Historie changed life with death and that within the circuite of a short time Thus haue we heard of Christes weeping ouer Ierusalem and the cause which moued him to weepe by which without farther application we may consider as Gregorie saith that their destruction is our admonition If the naturall braunches were cut off the wild may feare When Scipi saw Carthage burne hee wept being asked the reason for that saith he I know not what shall become of Rome who can but sorrow when he cals to mind that Ierusalem sometimes the Garden of the world is come to vtter desolation 5 For thrée causes did Christ our Sauiour wéepe and at three seueral times First Christ wept that wee should haue by so much the more our hope and confidence in him when wee sée him wéeping which procéeded of meere compassion Secondarily Christ wept to teach vs to weepe and bewaile our owne miserie as hee did the miserie of others Thirdlie he wept to shew vs when we should wéepe euen then when wee thinke our selues in greatest securitie At thrée times also did he wéep first in raysing Lazarus there he bewayled mans miserie Secondarily ouer Ierusalem there hee bewayled mans securitie Thirdly vpon the Crosse there hee bewayled mans infirmitie If our Sauiour Christ were séene to weepe in the presence of others wee may easily conceiue that secretly in the dayes of his flesh he often offered vp groanes as the Apostle speaketh with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to deliuer him 6 Now what may we learne by this weeping loue of Christ Shall we sée saith Cassiodor the Prince himselfe wéeping and we in the meane while solace our selues in pleasure Is he a good childe that beholding his father sit in sackcloth and ashes will stand by laughing and sporting as nothing mooued Shall the Sonne of God wéepe for thy sinnes and wilt thou delight thy selfe in vaine mirth O Christian soule mourne a little when the house is on fire wee bring water when the soule is â—…lamed with vnlawfull desires wee bring the teares of repentance Call to minde that doctrine of Christ Blessed are they that mourne Harsh doctrine but sweetened with a â—…ssing It was the prayer of Saint Austen O God giue me the grace of teares And there is in godly mindes saith S. Ambrose a certaine delight to wéepe flendi voluptas The vnwise make but a sport of sinne sayeth Salomon their heart is as a barren land where all remembrance of God is forgotten but the wise man is conuersant in the house of mourning Pharaoh his host were drowned in the Sea as sinne and the works of sinne are in the teares of repentance Those who were diseased found cure in the troubled poole We lost our felicitie by delightfull eating and wee recouer our selues by mournfull chastening There is saith the wise man A time to reioyce and a time to mourne Many take their time of reioycing but cannot hit vpon the time of mourning O that we did knowe at the least in this our day those things that doe belong vnto our peace better is it to mourne heere then heereafter When wee are moued to mournfull passions let vs remember with how small pompe and pleasure Christ passed his time in the worlde who passed it in often weeping The two Kine carying the Arke they lowed all the way as they went and yet neuer stayed vntill they came to the place appointed we goe on wéeping in this vale of teares but yet kéepe on the way still vntill we come vnto our iourneyes end â—…nd then an ende of wéeping Heere as in Romah a voyce is heard of
sought superiority they knew not what they sought wee sée the same true in the condition of the world When Gyges a great worldling would faine know if any man were more happy then himselfe thinking him most happie which had most riches and most glory it was aunswered him that one Psophidius a poore old man of the Arcadians who was rich with a little and had neuer gone all his life time froÌ„ the place where he was bred and borne but there liued peaceably that this man was far happier then hee If heathen men could so little estéeme of earthly glory what should christians do whom should they thinke most happy but those who most mind the state of happines to come and for worldly glory in the name of God let it goe The Church of Christ is not triumphant glorious in earth but triumphant and glorious aboue in heauen Toby sate musing vpon the shore of the riuer Tigris which with a swift streame ranne by him we sit downe by meditation of the inconstancie of worldlie glory which runneth a long with a maine current calling to mind that glory which is euerlasting in heauen Chap. 10. Of Christes continuall labours trauailes in the world whereby we may take a suruay of our Christian condition heere THe sicke man that is about to take some bitter medicine when he sées but the Phisition himselfe begin vnto him it makes him the more willing to receiue the potion how bitter so euer the labours end trauailes of this transitorie life haue no doubt a very vnpleasing tast to humane pallat but séeing Christ the Phisitian of our soules not onely tooke an assay thereof but euen drunk a full draught for our redemption wee should be the more willing to admit the receiuing of this medicine When wee consider his long watchings wherein hee passed whole nights in prayer his often iourneying from place to place to instruct and teach in euery City his fasting his suffering all a long from his very infancie his flying into Egypt what shall we else behold in him but a life full of labours and trauailes neuer ended but with losse of life was it not thy birth O Christian soule which was then to be brought forth when our Rachel trauailed vnto death was it not thy cause for which our Iacob endured so many yéeres seruitude hee who with one drop of blood could haue redéemed a worlde would notwithstanding suffer so many labours so many trauails that no labours whatsoeuer might dismay vs. 2 At fiue seuerall times did he so farre procéed in labours as there ensued the effusion of his blood first in his circumcision there hee began to redéeme vs secondly in his prayer in the garden there he shewed how he affected vs Thirdly when he was scourged there hee cured vs by his stripes fourthly when hee was fastned to the Crosse there he payed the price and ransome for our sinnes fiftly when his side was opened with the speare there was an issue made for the streames and riuers of grace all these were done for our redemption and yet remaine for our instruction By the first we learne to labour in cutting off the vnlawfull desires of sinne by the second to mourne with sighes and groanes for our sinnes by the third to mortifie the pleasures of the flesh by the fourth to be crucified vnto the world by the flâ—…t to haue our harts wounded with a daily remembrance of his vnspeakeable loue 3 The holy man Iob suffered as greâ—…t tryals and troubles we thinke as great might be but for all that Christes were greater for looke wee into his whole life sée we therein euery age goe we to euery place where he was conuersant in nay take wee a view of his sacred person and therein sée wee euery part suffering Euery age in his infancie how cold and hard was his cradle at Bethelem how busie was he with the doctors in the Temple To come to further yéeres what hatred did he endure most vndeseruedly of the Iewes euen hatred vnto the death Euerie place he suffered hunger in the Desert resistance in the temple sorrow in the garden contumelies in the Iudgement Hall and erucifying it selfe without the Citie Euery part his eyes suffered teares his eares reproches his tast suffred gal his head pricking of thorus his hands the pearcing of nailes his whole body is sacrificed as an offering for sin Now there is no reason that the seruant should be aboue the maister When Ionathans Armour-bearer sawe Ionathan goe vp the hard and steepie rockes he told him he would goe with him when we sée our Ionathan go before vs in the trauails labours suffered for vs should we not be emboldned to endure labours though no way answerable vnto his yet such as are agréeable with the condition of our life séeing wee are going into the land of promise by the desert of this world 4 Strange it was that Dauid a man after Gods own hart as the scripture speaketh should be so much afflicted as hee was Strange it was that Daniel a man beloued of God as the Angell told him strange it was I say that these of all others should be so much in labours and trauailes of the world as they were But considering that the life of man is but as the dayes which goe before the Sabbaoth of rest wee doe the rather lesse meruaile We sée the Sonne of God himselfe treading the wine presse alone and a man full of labours as the Prophet speaketh we sée his dearest friends in the world his owne Apostles yea the blessed virgin her selfe found this life no other but a state subiect to many and great sorrowes What should we otherwise thinke of it saith one Tota vita Christiani hominis secundum Euangelium Crux martyrium All the life of a Christian man according vnto the Gospell is no other but a Crosse and martyrdome This martyrdom saith Isidore is twofold the one In aperta passione in open suffering the other In occulta virtute in inward or hidden vertue that is a minde ready to suffer But how is it saith S. Austen that Christ cals those that labour to refresh them How is his yoake swéete when hee cals from rest to labour and sends those that are at quâ—…et to worke in his vineyard The rest that he giues saith the same Father is spiritual Iohn is banished into Patmos but Iohn heares melodie from heauen 5 Besides these spirituall labours wee knowe Adam in the time of innocencie laboured and that God hath made nothing to be idle that he will haue no Ciphers in his Arithmeticke or slothfull seruaunts in his vineyard Euery thing in nature doth accomplish his ende by a kinde of motion and therefore much more man of all other who by slothfulnesse doth become a very burthen of the earth For in this vice wit vnderstanding and all honest endeuours lie buried as it were in a loathsome
other of most especial regard and worthy of the best obseruation it seêmeth the Apostle so accounted of the resurrection for what is there more necessarie for our christian meditation then héere to call to minde that it was hee who did redéeme Israel that as he rose powerfullie in himselfe so also did hee in those that beléeue on him that hee rose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according vnto the Scriptures that hee rose by way of equitie for first hee humbled himselfe then God exalted him giuing him a name aboue all names That hee rose by way of power for being without sinne death could not holde him for it was vnpossible he should be holden of death 5 He whom Iohn not long before had séene as a sacrifice offered vpon the Crosse when hee was as the Prophet speaketh without for me to looke vpon now hee séeth him after another manner then amongst théenes nowe walking amongst the seauen candlestickes then cloathed in purple by way of derision nowe cloathed as the Sunne then called a King by those that reproached him now called the King of Kings by them that honor him Wherefore as we haue séene him in his humility so with Iohn also let vs sée him in his glory As we haue séene him fighting for vs in his passion so let vs also beholde him tryumphing for vs in his resurrection for all was for vs. In the passion and resurrection of Christ our Sauiour consisteth the summe of all our happines he dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification vnlesse he had dyed we had not been deliuered from sinne and consequently from death vnlesse hee had rose from the dead wee had not receiued comfort of rysing againe from the dead his passion remoued away that which was euill his resurrection brought vnto vs that which was good As in these two wee haue a double benefit so haue wee a double example in his passion an example of suffering in his resurrection of hope when wee haue suffered Which doth shew in vs two liues the one in the flesh laborious which we must endure the other when wee are deliuered from the flesh which wee must hope 6 Now we must not onely acknowledge with the mouth or beleeue in the heart this sacred truth of the resurrection but we must also be raysed vp to newnes of life for thus much dooth the holy Ghost require of vs in beléeuing the resurrection Wee are sayeth the Apostle buried with him by Baptisme vnto his death that like as Christ was raysed from the dead by the glory of the Father so we also should walk in newnes of life And this is the similitude which wee doe carie of his resurrection This is to set our affection on heauenly things or thinges that are abaue where Christ fitteth at the right hand of God and this is the third thing that we should apply our selues vnto in beléeuing the resurrection from the dead that is first to rise with him from the death of sinne and consequently to be raysed by him vnto a hope of the resurrection vnto eternall life 7 It is wonderfull to consider with how many strange enemies Christ had to do at once with the world the Prince of the world with death and sinne the cause of death Who would haue thought that one shéepe should haue béene able to haue withstoode so manie Wolues but yet heare the triumphant voyce of the conquerour Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victorie the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Lawe The Apostle like a valiant champion goes forth and offers challenge and combate to all these or anie of them Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen If Sathan say that will I because they haue followed the wayes of ungodlines If the world say I will lay to their charge the manie vanities they receiued of me if the Lawe say I will indite them because of transgression if death say I will arrest them by reason of sinns S. Paul answereth them all with a short reply Iesus Christus mortuus est imo resurrexit Iesus Christ is dead yea he is risen from the dead as if hee would say that same rising of Christ from the dead hath beâ—…t you all of all your force and nowe all your Pleas are frustrate Nay howe is the poore Captiue comforted when the Iudge himselfe shall say Who shall detaine this man I haue paâ—… his ransome 8 What a ioyous thing is it nowe to be strengthened in the faith of the Resurrection First in regard of the calamities of this life for what shall dismay vs séeing the members hope to be ioyned with their head Secondly though this life be transitory and troublesome yet Daniel shall be deliuered out of the Lyons den The Doue shall returne to the Arke with a braunch of Oliue when once the flood and waters are fallen Ieremie shal come out of the pit whereinto hee is cast of his enemies Our noble Dauid hauing gotten the victorie is gone triumphantly to raigne in Ierusalem we all his people and armie tracing and trayning after him wee were detayned and held as captiues of cruel enemies but by Christ the enemies are vanquished and wee deliuered how are we deliuered but by the sonne of God was it not his suffering onely that was as hath beene said the remouing of euill Him selfe saith what profit is there in my blood if I goedowne to corruption as if he would tell vs there were something adioyned héereunto to make his suffering glorious beneficial vnto others and this was his resurrection 9 Euery effect naturally doth shew his cause The resurrection was the effect of his deitie and therefore gaue euident Testimonie he was God Againe his resurrection confirmeth our faith for so doth S. Paul reason against the Pseudo-Apostoli if the dead rise not then is not Christ risen if Christ be not risen then where is our beléeuing but Christ is risen therefore there is a resurrection The head doth not rise without the body The head is risen the body therefore shall rise So the resurrection of Christ is the cause of our resurrection and he rising we all rise The Lord is King sayth the Prophet Let the earth reioyce end the â—…es be glad therof The first fruites being sanctified all the other fruits are hallowed vnto the Lord Thomas bring hiâ—…er thy hand and féele the print of the nailes Blessed are those that haue not seene and yet doe beléeue That which befell Christes body saith S. Austen the third day shall befall our bodies in the last day 10 Foure sortes were there which behelde heard the whole manner of our Sauiours passion and resurrection The first were a kind of men which onely were present as spectators hearing and séeing what was done without further obseruation and these were many of the common people which following their owne
DISCE VIVERE LEARNE TO LIVE A briefe Treatise of Learning to Liue vvherein is shewed that the life of Christ is the most perfect patterne of direction to the life of a Christian. In which also the well disposed may behold their orderlie passage from the state of Grace to the state of Glorie Perused and Corrected EPHE 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light AT LONDON Printed by E. Short for Cuthbert Burby and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the Swanne To the honourable and vertuous his very good Lady the Lady Elizabeth Southwell AMongst Artes and Sciences Right vertuous Lady there is none without comparison more beseeming our Christian care then that which teacheth to liue well and godlilie whilest wee are heere so when we are gone wee may liue eternally For most sure it is that vpon this moment of time depends either an vnrecouerable losse or a happie welfare in the world to come And from hence is it that I call the well ordering of life in this world A learning to liue a learning because wee ought to make it a matter of labour and studie to liue because without good and godly life wee are said rather to be then liue To stirre vp our dulnesse to this learning I haue thought good to lay before the eies of the well disposed mind the Tenor of the life of Christ the best pattern for imitation that euer the world had Children will follow their parents Nature doth teach the Bees to goe forth at the very voice of their King or Leader wee may goe to Schoole to those small creatures wee haue not onely the voice of our heauenly King Leader but according to his humanitie his example also to call vs forth to gather the pleasant sap of seueral vertues that so at the euentide of our age we may returne loaden with the sweete honey of holinesse vnto that safe Hiue of euerlasting peace From this most diuine life of Christ our Sauiour there doe arise three principall reasons before other for our better instruction in this lesson of Learning to liue The first is drawn froÌ„ the lesse to the greater as thus We should be humble meeke patient Christ the Sonne of God himselfe was so The second is taken from his example We should be helpfull vnto others louing to our friends charitable to our enemies this our Redeemer did The third is from the end Wee ought to endure the crosses calamities of the world Christ endured them and so entred into his glory How little this Learning is thought vpon much lesse practised wee see it too apparantly before our eyes Of this Saint Chrysostom complayned long agoe when hee willed men eyther to haue opera secundum professionem that is to say workes according to their profession or professionem secundum opera a profession agreeable to their workes for this default there needes no farther proofe but experience when some haue little of Christianitie except the name Other Treatises right vertuous Lady may seeme forcibly to call men to the amendment of life by this in tabing a suruay of the life of Christ they are rather allured then called onely when they remember that of Christ they are called Christians In the whole Tract if I shall but adone drop to the maine Ocean I haue attained the farthest of my desires None can sooner reprehend the meanenesse of my labour then I willingly reprehend my selfe The patronizing heereof I most humbly coÌ„mend vnto your Ladiships protection whose I remaine euer in all deuoted manner Your La. in dutifull sort to be commanded CHRISTOPHER SVTTON The Preface to the Christian READER IF to liue were no other but to draw in and to breathe out the soft ayre as the Wise man speaketh a needlesse labour were it good Christian Reader to lay downe anie instructions vnto the world of Learning to liue for this is done naturally both of men and beasts without anie teaching or learning at all If to liue were no other but to cast about for the fauour and riches as some men are wont to call it the way to liue then would it soone followe the greater Machiuilians the better liuers But somewhat more there is required to liue Christianly then so somewhat more I say and that all shall one day finde then either drawing in and breathing out the soft ayre or the plotting to compasse the pleasures and profits of the world It was Balaams wish Let my soule die the death of the righteous It should haue first beene his practise first to haue liued the life of the righteous The time we spend as we doe for the most part consuming our dayes in vanity and our yeeres in folly to say a plaine truth as in the sight of GOD is rather a death then life for life is not that which is measured by the number of yeeres It is the religious honest sober and harmelesse conuersation that draweth to an honourable age amongst men heere and to eternall happines with God heereafter Nowe the generall decay of this Christian course is the generall course of these sinfull dayes wherein so many haue iust cause to crie out Thâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 world a wretched world an vngodly would such as our forefathers before vs neuer saw With â—…he buyer euery one caâ—…isay It is naught it is naught but all this saith Saint Austen Professio est non emendatio A profession it is but no amendment is seene Religion is become nothing lesse then Religion to wit a matter of meere talke such politizing is there on all parts as a man cannot tell who is who so little sinceritie in regard wee haue of our soules as if wee had no soules at all When Plato sawe the Argentines liue so vnreformedly as they did Surelie these men quoth hee liue as if they should neuer die What soeuer men for fashions sake may giue out inwords it is to be feared there is in some no firme beleefe of another worlde setled in theyr hearts Eli sayd this is not well Young men without obedience olde men without deuotion Christians without charitie it would make ones heart to mourne to consider seriously the calamitie of our time when there needes no more but as Phillip saide vnto Nathaniel Veni vide come and see VVithout all peraduenture Christianitie is much out of frame if wee consider thinges aright vvee are generally Christians in name but in action nothing lesse farre from the olde Christianitie of the worlde howe so euer wee are readie to controle all that euer liued and will not sticke to censure the blessed Saints of heauen Our boldnes is great and I pray God our security doe not marre all in the end Cornelius his Almesgiuing and Prayers ascended vp into heauen where are these to be found amongst vs heere in earth In times past Christians vowed them selues to all holmes of life they serued
Christes actions was our instruction and Saint Ambrose wish that the wise men of the world would be wise in déede and learne to followe Christ in lowlines of minde that they would euer set before them his example who is gone before vs to heauen Therefore Gregorie amongst other high and heauenly ends Filius Dei sayth hee formam infirmitatis nostrae suscepit ad hoc contumeliarum ludibria illusionum opprobria passionum tormenta tolerauit vt doceret Deus hominem The Son of God tooke the forme of our infirmity bare the scoffes of contumelies the reproches of irrision the torments of suffering that so God might teach man To this Isidore addeth Christ ascended vnto the crosse died and rose again the third day from the dead to leaue vs a double example of suffering and rising againe of suffering to conforme our patience of rising to confirme our faith For the confirming of our faith we ought to cast off all unpediments to come vnto him of whom we may say with the people of eld time Cum ignoramus quid agere debemus hoc solum residui habemus vt oculos nostros dirigamus ad te When wee know not what to do O Sonne of God this only is left vnto vs to lift vp our eyes vnto thee 5 For worldly pleasures those of the best sort if they are honest yet they perish if otherwise we perish onely to followe Christ is mans chiefest good Abimelech the sonne of Iernbaall in the ninth of Iudges goeth to the men of Sechem and thus séeketh to perswade them I am of your kindred of your bone and flesh the men of Sechem answered our hearts are moued to follow Abimelech he is our brother we haue somwhat more to moue vs then these men had if we remember our selues well therefore may more truly say We will follow the Lord Iesus he is our Sauiour 6 The Eagle to learne her young ones to flie doth oftentimes flutter ouer them all to teach them to rayse vp themselues by little and little and so at last to be able to take their flight and be gone What doe all the precepts and examples of Christ our Sauiour but houer ouer vs that wee should learne to lift vp our selues from earthly affections and in time ascend whither he ascended that is to heauen The seruant will follow his maister the souldier his captain the naturall child desireth nothing more then to manifest the vertues of his Father Is hee worthy to beare the name of Christ saith Saint Austen who doth no way endeuour the imitation of Christes actions In that we beléeue in him we acknowledge him our God in that wee doe that which Christ did as man we doe that which Christian men should doe The holy Scriptures were not therefore giuen vs that wee should haue them in bookes or only read or peruse them and so no more but the folding vp of all is a pronouncing of them blessed that doe his commaundements and keepe the words of these testimonies Better is it with the Lacedemonians to doe wel then with the Athenians to speake well or only know what belongs to well doing 7 Christ hath done his part and conformed himselfe to vs our part remaines to conforme our selues vnto him In the way of life whom may wee more safely follow then the way it selfe Let the same mind be in you saith the Apostle that was in Christ the same that is in humblenes of minde a resemblace of the same Whence is it that wee are so soone cast down with euery touch of aduersity but that we doe not déepely consider Christes constancie whence is it that we are so easily caried away with euery shew of vanity but in that wee lightly passe ouer Christes contempt of the world who sayth Fulgentius will not despise his cottage when he séeth a Senatour despise his large and spacious buildings and who contemnes not earthly things to get heauenly when he sées a Consull of Rome doe the same yea much more what Christian man in the world will place his whole delight vpon a transitorie estate when hee sées the Sonne of God passe this life onlie séeking his Fathers glory in heauen 8 Sure it is that whereas our liues héere are partly guided by precepts and partly directed by examples then haue we sufficient instruction in respect of both from the Sonne of God for the latter to wit examples by which we are led if wee respect the generall course of men for we say a long way by precept is by example short and easie had we no precept in the world the onely life of our Redéemer were enough for our guide direction all the way The actuall obseruation of whose precepts and manners to wit those manners which hee proposed vnto man for in his diuine works we will admire him as God the obseruation of these I say is for thrée causes required at our hands first for that they are fruites of our regeneration secondarily Testimonies of our loue towards him thirdlie signes of our profession séeing of Christ we are called christians Our Sauiour reasoned with the Iewes after this manner If you were the childrē of Abraham then would you doe the works of Abraham In the tenth of Saint Iohn he calleth himselfe a sheepheard and we are resembled vnto sheepe now although shéepe according to the Philosopher be pecus erraticum a cattell giuen to stray yet sayth our Sauiour they will heare the voyce of the sheepheard and follow him 10 Now then awake O christian soule saith Saint Austen awake and imitate the footsteps of thy Lord he teacheth thée who is the way the life the truth the way without erring the truth without deceiuing the life without fading the way by example the truth by promise the life by reward neglect not the following of so gracious a Lord. Now shal the negligent be one day confounded the valuptuous to sée him in glory who once liued in fasting and great deuotion the proude in séeing him exalted who refused earthly pompe the couetous in beholding him Lord of heauen and earth who neuer followed the riches of the world but now to liue and raigne for euer mercifull God what a strange sight will this be vnto them how shall they be amazed in themselues how often will they wish with sighs they had walked in his wayes Dionysius the elder when hee heard of the great folly committed by his son he cals him vnto him and reasons with him after this maner Didst thou euer see me do as thou doest liue as thou liuest the same may be said to men who followe their owne fancies did ye euer sée Christ doe so and so 11 When Marriners do want in the maine sea marks to direct their course by they take their marke which is the surest way from the heauens in like manner if we had not examples as we haue many to this
sepulcher from whence ariseth the vnsauorie smell of corrupt manners In that Christ our Sauiour called Peter and Andrew while they were fishing Iames and Iohn while they were mending their nettes wee may gather howe he liked of labour and thought them fitte for a laborious profession Homo natus ad laborem man is sayde to be borne to labour and therefore not to rest while hee is héere Scipio banished all idle Souldiours and vnprofitable people from his campe hee sound it true by experience in the course and continuance of his warres which the Romaines had with them of Carthage that whilest they had enemies in Affricke they knewe not what vices meant in Rome The Christian mans life as it should of all others be farre from vice so withall should it bee from this slothfulnesse the cause of vice It was the Apostles rule If anie would not labour hee should not eate 6 New betwéene these two to wit the labours of the minde and body we sée what wee must frame our selues vnto for the time of our continuance here we haue set our hand to the plough and in the first place let vs take care of all other thinges that Gods husbandrie goe forward well with vs howsoeuer the world goe This is the difference betwéene the labours of the righteous and theirs who wearie themselues in the way of vanity When the Prophet speakes of trouble which the first of these shall haue hee speakes of deliuerance The Lord deliuereth them saith he out of all but of the other he speaketh after this manner Great miseries remaine for the vngodly and there is no mention at all made of their deliuerance When hee speakes of sensuall men he saith Non sunt in laboribus what was the sequell Ideo superbia tenuit eos 7 Wherefore when the labors and sorrowes of this transitorie life gréeue vs we may thinke of deliuerance and of our arriuall to that place where no labours and sorrowes are The husbandman saith S. Iames waytes for the fruites of the earth should not wee waite for the fruites of heauen We sée Merchants for gains souldiours for tryumph to put themselues into many dangers and yet neither doeth the Merchant alwaies compasse his gaine nor the souldiour alwayes tryumph put case they doe yet are they not long to enioy either if the earthly souldiour doe this what should the heauenly souldiour doe It falleth out otherwise in our labours the gaine is certaine the tryumph euerlasting Quodhbet opus saith S. Ierome leue fieri solet cum eius praemium cogitatur Euery work is made light when the reward of the same worke is thought vpon But here is a reward so great that it cannot be measured so precious that it cannot be estéemed so permanent that no continuance of time can diminish it Let vs call to minde how swéete fréedome is after a tune of bondage It is said of the faithfull that they shal sit with Abraham sitting presupposeth rest The state of happines to come is called in the Reuclaâ—…ion The Supper of the Lambe The supper and so the last refection after the labours of the day Trauailers hauing but sorrie vsage at their first baite in their iourney are wont to say well the best is wee shall say at an other place So when we perceiue we haue not much rest héere we may say we shall come one day where the entertainment will be â—…etter God knowes what is sittest for passengers labour in the way rest at the end of the way it was the sentence of almighty God the woman labour in the fruite of the wombe the man labour in the fruite of the earth 8 Though Ioseph spake a little hardly to his brethren and made them for a time to trauaile to and fro yet hee loued them neuer the worse But these trauels and sorrowes are surely hurtfull vnto men King Cyrus was not of that opinion when for a punishment to the people of Sardis hee commaunded them to spend their time in gaming feastings Whereas the contrary hath the contrary effect eight persons entred into the Arke and eight only came forth againe at the end of that sorrowfull deluge Noah and his children all this time little â—…hought of any other thing then howe the world was now in the chastising and therefore it was not a time for any other cogitations 9 Hauing giuen our names vnto Christ it remaineth that wee looke for labour to them assigneth he the crowne who fight the battaile When we suffer and endure trauailes in the world for righteousnesse sake it sheweth that we are vnder Christes standard our watchword is Be constant vnto the end It makes men suffer the more patiently when they sée others suffer before them but most of all Christians who beholde Christ suffering before them and for them Is it méete that thy seruaunt should liue in pleasure when thou art full of toyle and trauaile Is it fit that hee should lie at ease and thou sweat in labours What reason is it then O man that séeing the Lord Iesus who is so farre aboue all earthly monarks as the greatest Lord is aboue his meanest seruants Is it méet that he who is not onely thy maister but thy maker should passe his time in continuall trauaile and thou in continuall eâ—…se Heathen men were wont to say that the Ants who liue and trauaile and make prouision together haue no law neither as S. Ambrose speaketh to coÌ„maund them doe shew men how to become fit members of a Common-wealth But the care indéede of holy men who were euer watchfull prouident industrious doe teach vs to become fit members in that mysticall bodie which is héere onelie militant It was said vnto that laborious seruant O thou good seruant Thou hast beene faithfull ouer little I will make thee ruler ouer much enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord. Thus we sée Christ in labours and trauailes of the world Iob is fasting and sacrificing while his children are banquetting Such as repine at labours trauailes shew they make no other account but to liue at al ease and at quiet in the world and forget how Adam hath left this heritage to his posterity Labour and sorrow Certainly the labouring mans life is commendable his estate is a remembrance of Adam created to worke his body is refreshed with rest his health is maintained by trauaile his hungry morsels make him more thankfull to God then the greatest delicates of the rich his course bread and small drinke bring healthfull nourishments It was not Adams case alone but it is the case of euery one in his calling In sudore vultus tui in the sweat of thy browes thou shalt eate thy bread When the people were deliuered out of Egypt God might haue soone brought them by a néerer way into the land of promise but it seemed good in his most diuine ordinance that first they should for a time trauaile in the
too saith the Apostle say Abba Pater twise Father both according to the Hebrew Gréeke shewing that God is now Father of Iew and Gentile Hee saith If it be possible referring the graunt of his petition to the will of God if it may stand with the same wil and not otherwise Hee prayeth for the remouing of that Cup yet so that looking to obedience he goeth forward towards his suffering and saith Fâ—…at voluntas tua Thy will be fulfilled What of humane desire he before mentioned hee now in action procéedeth to relinquish as if he would say Let not that be done which I haue spoken according to humane affection but let that be done for which I was sent into the world and now am willing to suffer That which he required as man to wit the remouing of the Cup he now leaueth as resoluing whollie to procéede with the will of God But was the will of Christ any way differing from the will of his Father No verily for hee saith Non quaero voluntatem meam sed voluntatem eius qui misit me I séeke not my owne will but the will of him that sent me and this manner of conditionall prayer should be remembred of vs in praying not our wils but Lord thine be fulfilled 8 Hee prayeth the third time the same thing shewing that hee goeth to pray and to pray the selfe same thing too not of forgetfulnesse but of very feruencie Whereby wee may obserue that to pray and pray againe is a part of high deuotion The Doue went forth of the Arke the first time and returned sorrowfull as she went out still the waters were vp she goeth forth the second time then the flood is abated and shee brings a branch of Oliue a signe of quiet peace First a sorrowfull prayer goeth forth still the waters of aduersitie are vp the prayer goeth forth againe behold the waters are fallen prayer brings a crop of Oliue ioy and tranquillity of mind 9 At the end of Christs praying the Angels appeare comforting him they who at this time séeme to haue presented themselues in the presence of God the Father astonished at the agonie of his Sonne came foorth and pray for the remoouing of this Cup answer is made my sonne hath of méere loue and mercie vndertaken the redemption of man by the effusion of his blood which could be brought to passe by no other meanes which the Angels hearing they returned to Christ and in honouring they comfort him and in comforting they honour him And héere obserue wee three thinges First that our Sauiour prayeth long before hee receiueth an aunswere to shew wee must not by and by giue ouer Secondly that the greater his agonie was the longer his prayer was to shewe that in greatest agonies wee should continue long in prayer Thirdlie in that the Angels came and comforted him to signifie that if wee continue with constancie the Angels reioyce ouer vs In that the drops of blood came downe it shewed the greatnesse of our Sauiours conflict wherein hee seemed both to doe and to suffer his blood was true blood according to his naturall existence but yet myraculous and supernaturall if we respect the manner for it is aboue nature to poure out together water blood which Christ did both aliue and dead behold O Christian soule thy redéemer and Sauiour cast into sweate for thy sinnes In this it is manifest how bitter his passion was whose onely thought so much chaunged nature Of this our Sauiours sweating may be gathered these seuerall obseruations first the greatnes of his agonie secondly that this agonie caused sweate when it was a cold night thirdly this sweate falling vpon the earth wee may gather that the earth or men inhabiting the earth haue benefit héereby 2 Now was presented before the eyes of the Sonne of God on the one side Gods iust iudgment and wrath towards man yet vnappealed on the other side death and hell as yet not vanquished himselfe left as it were alone to enter the conflict putting forth his hand to receiue the cup and yet he beginneth to pull it in againe but after a little while goeth forward with full resolution to the worke well begun which hee brought to a most happie end Let the deuout man learne in all the pressure of aduersity to set before him Christes agonie in the garden be it that doubtfull obiects betwéene feare and sorrow doe much obscure our naturall delights héere haue wee for times of trouble a president to follow but chiefely in the aganie of death when sick man are panting and labouring for life they are said then especially to endure an agonie for then beginneth a conflict nature drawing one way and obedience to the will of God another the spirit goeth forward and the flesh draweth backward besides many thoughts occurre about leauing the world and going to answere for our time here spent with manie other things seldome before thought vpon Our Sauiour was in an agonie when death approached whence Gregorie saith Appropinquante morte certamen adest nec immerito tune enim anima terretur cum post pusillum hoc inuenit quod in aeternum mutari non possit Death approaching an agonie is present and not without cause for then is the soule put in great feare when after a little while she findes that which neuer will be changed or altered 1 In this agonie of agonies and all other wee learne by our Sauiours example to haue recourse vnto prayer hee prayed in the Garden hee prayed on the Crosse to shewe that in times of distresse wee should principally apply our selues to prayer Moyses prayed at the Sea Daniell prayed sitting amongst the Lyons Iob on the dunghill Paule at midnight when hee was in the prison and héere Christ our Sauiour in his agonie when he not onely prayed but with great feruencie alone to shew that the minde is best eleuated vnto God when sometimes in our sorrowes wee goe aside to pray as hee himselfe heere prayeth hee withall exhorts his Disciples to pray that they enter not into temptation and surely no better remedie against temptation then prayer which prayer is the very whip scourge of euil motions When the théese heareth the good man of the house to cry and call for help he thinks there is no tarying for him if good friends be within hearing Cornelius Cornelius Thy prayers are come vp before God Wouldest thou exercise thy selfe in a spirituall life pray wouldest thou attaine the swéetnes of heauenly things pray wouldest thou haue God helpe thée in time of extremitie pray wouldest thou be deliuered from temptation pray Betwéene Babylon and Ierusalem there is a trustie messenger that often passeth thither which is well acquainted in the Kings Court and is very gracious with the King himselfe for hee shall haue audience and dispatch as soone as hee comes This messenger is prayer that euen in the silence of the night ascendeth into secret
oppression at home When the Queene of the South came from farre to heare the wisedome of Salomon beholding his princely order magnificent state shee had heard much but saw more what doth she but by and by begin to magnifie the Author of Salomons estate O blessed be the Lord thy God saith she which loued thee to set thee on the throne as King in stead of the Lord thy God because thy God loueth Israel for euer to mâ—…ke thee King to doe equitie and righteousnes As if she would haue saide O Salomon such a state such a gouernment such a peace such a time such a temple such wisedome it is not of man nor from man Blessed be the Lord thy God which loued thee to set thee on the throne of Israel 7 Affectionate were the harts of the people to Dauid their king whom God had set ouer them what should Dauid aduenture himselfe O no better it were that many miscarie yea tenne thousand say the people as it were with teares of thankfulnesse God saue our Dauid for iâ—… Dauid goe the light of Israel is extinguished they would not the least hurt should befall him who was the stay of them all and therefore as humble suters seemed to begge his preseruation at the handes of God Those of Beâ—…hulia sayde to Iudith thou art the reioycing of our Nation good Iudith thou hast done much good in Israel blessed be thou of God The Apostle willeth that praiers and supplications and giuing of thanks be made for all for Kings and all that are in authoritie that wee may liue a peaceable life vnder them in all godlinesse and honestie Great cause had the men of Israell to beseech God that Iosias might continue with them for if hee were taken away it was because hee should not sée the euill to come O saith the Prophet saue and deliuer Dauid from the hand of strange children that there be no leading into captiuitie nor no complayning in our stréetes And thus should we adde vnto obedience loue to loue prayer for whom God amongst men hath set in commission with himselfe to rule for him His debetur saith Tertullian honor propter excellentiaÌ„ timor propter dataÌ„ potestatem obedientia propter morale debitum amor propter affectionis operationeÌ„ To these honour is due for their excellencie feare for their power giuen them obedience for ciuill dutie tribute for the preseruation of peace loue for affection which bringeth forth prayer and piety so what should Christians of all other in the world but honour them whom God hath placed in his owne roome for the establishing of his owne lawes worship heere beneath amongst men and specially appointed ouer his Church which is the company of Christian people for the quiet and conseruation thereof according to that of the Prophet spoken â—…ong before Kings shal be thy nursing Fathers and Queenes thy nursing Mothers Chap. 21. That Christians may lawfully enioy earthly commodities and possesse riches but how should they be affected towards them MAn who consisteth of two parts the one earthly the other heauenly hath answerable hereunto meanes alotted him of God for the preseruation of either and therefore first temporal things for the state being and in good tune eternall for the time to come Before God created man he first made him prouision and God said Adam haue dominion ouer the fish of the Sea the fowles of the ayre euery thing that moueth vpon the earth and againe Adam I haue giuen thée euery hearbe bearing seede and euery trée in which is fruit and so euery thing serues Adam and Adam is onely to serue God Abrahams seruant sayde God hath blessed our Maister Abraham meruailously hee hath giuen him Shéepe Oxen siluer and gold men seruants and mayde seruants Iacob speaking of his two bands or great heards of shéepe and Cammels that went befoâ—…e him saith With my staffe or without any prouision at all a poore lone man as it were came I ouer this Iordan Lord I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies As if Iacob should haue said these Kine and Bullockes these Asses and Foales all this substance round about me They are the mercies of God and so come from the great store-house of heauen There was a man in the land of Uz called Iob an vpright and iust man and one that feared God and eschewed euill saith the holy Scripture The next thing mentioned of Iob is his substance was very great yea hee was the greatest of all the men of the East hee was withall iust vpright one that feared God he did not forget God when hee shold most haue remembred him that is when he was blessed and prospered by him but as hee abounded in riches amongst men so did he also encrease or abound in deuotion towards God whoÌ„ he feared Iob did sacrifice euery day Héere was right possessing of earthly substance rich godly together rich in godly actions this was a rich man indéede when both met together If riches encrease there is the encrease of riches which are giuen from God himselfe Set not thy heart vpon them there is the vse of riches and with what prouiso we doe enioy them 2 To call in question whither Gods people may possesse earthly coÌ„modities is an inuention more strange then true hee which would haue euery Trybe a part alotted for an inheritance for them and theirs amongst his people did entend no other but that they should successiuelie haue an inheritance to possesse and why hee hath giuen the earth and earthly things vnto the sonnes of men The lawes of nature and Nations tell vs that amongst men there must be meum tuum mine and thine and the Gospel doth well accord with this as requisite amongst Christians Accipe quod tuum est take that which is thine or that which God hath alotted thée out and giuen thee to enioy The Apostles say where shal we buy so there was possessed wherewithall to buy It was a méere irreligious rapinous and scoffing deuise of Iulian to spoile and pray vpon both the goods of the Church and people of God after this manner If thou wilt be perfect leaue all that thou hast onely séeke treasure in heauen this is fittest for men of your profession who haue renounced the world The like saide Foelix that was a great agent vnder the before named Iulian beholding the munificence and ornaments of the Church with what sumptuous vessels is the sonne of Marie ministred vnto in short time this vnhappy Foelix did come to wretched end The like said Auxentius when hee would haue the Church and Church possessions to wast and consume them as hee list but S. Androse tels him if Naboth would not leaue his Fathers inheritance should I quoth he leaue Christs inheritance These be but shifts pretended when the greatest persecutors of Christians could formally tell them Their God was no
gall the conpunction of the spirit On the other side we must take heede that wee giue not Christ thirsting for our saluation vinegar mixed with gall as these men did that is an euill and sinfull life which is vinegar mixed with the gal of scandalous conuersation 22 The sixt word was when he said Consummatum est It is finished that is all whatsoeuer was spoken of my suffering is now compleate the honour of my Father the good of the faithfull all that I should doe concerning my obedience to his will who gaue mee this worke to accomplish Consummatum est It is finished Nothing remaineth in this suffering but nowe my dying and now I die This our sauiour spake as hauing fought a good fight finished his course this hee spake as one hauing vndertaken a iourney nowe gone through many passages at his iourneyes end he saith Consummatum est It is finished first lifting vp his eyes to heauen Fa-thy will then beholding men vppon the earth faithfull men your health then respecting the breaking of the Serpents head Sathan the vanquishing of thy power Consummatum est It is finished O happy voyce of the Sonne of God! 23 The seauenth word was father into thy hands I commend my spirit S. Luke saith that hee syed this with a loude voyce some of the auncient Fathers â—…ke our Sauiour was nowe â—…ditating vpoÌ„ the one and thirtieth Psalme and comming vnto â—…se wordes in the Psalme In â—…us tuas commendo spiritum â—…eum Hee vttered them with â—…udible voyce Into thy hands I commend my spirit and so gaue 〈◊〉 the ghost This was nowe 〈◊〉 ninth houre of the day when 〈◊〉 Sunne was darkened the â—…th shooke the graues opened 〈◊〉 the Euangelists shewe At â—…s houre Adam sinned Hora 〈◊〉 Adam peccauit Christus exâ—…auit The same houre of the â—…ay wherin Adam sinned Christ â—…ed by dying Christ opened the gate of Paradise which Adam 〈◊〉 sinning had shut vp against 〈◊〉 and his Adam in the Garâ—…en lost life and Christ in the Garden restored life when hee yéelded himself with these words vnto his Father Into thy hands I commend my spirit These words being vttered he gaue vp the ghost his eyes closed his countenance pale his head bended down heauen nor earth euer saw such a sight the God of life the Author of life and life it selfe becomes dead In this word wee may consider many thinges as first that our departing soules should be commended into the hands of our heauenly Father Secondarily somewhat wee haue héere for the strengthning of our faith Christ bending downe his head vttered these wordes not of constraint but voluntarily who euer lay downe to sléepe so peaceably as Christ died when he gaue vp the ghost Man wheÌ„ they are dying they are scarse able to breath at this time Christ speaketh with a loud voyce Father into thy hands I commend my spirit We sée what Christes example doth teach vs to doe in commending our departing soules into the handes of God howe at the houre of his death he prayed he wept spake vnto his heauenly Father And héere also may the Christian man enter into a large field 〈◊〉 meditation vpon many things together We were more insensible then the sencelesse creatures 〈◊〉 wee should not be moued with the passion of our Lorde whose death was our life consider we 〈◊〉 great thinges the Sonne of God hath done for vs and suffered for our redemption consider be how great things they were which he suffered how great his sorrowes were which shewed the greatnes of his loue howe â—…eat his iniuries were when he was falsly accused mocked spetted vppon buffeted whipped crowned with thornes berest of â—…s clothes burdened with his crosse pierced with nailes lanced with a speare and so dyed They shall sée him whoÌ„ they haue pierced When Ioseph saide vnto his brethren I am Ioseph whom you â—…d into Egypt they were so aâ—…onished they had not a word to say when Christ shall say I am your brother I am he whom you crucified how shall they be confounded that crucified him But what ioy shall they haue who beléeue on him Up O Christian soule and with the Doue make thy nest in the holes of this rock Behold the wounds of thy Sauiour Come to this Arke whither all creatures repaire to saue themselues Stand and behold a little with the deuoute women the body of thy Sauiour vppon the Crosse sée him afflicted from top to toe see him wounded in the head to heale our vaine imaginations sée him wounded in the hands to heale our euill actions sée him wounded in the heart to cure our vaine thoughts sée his eyes shut vp which did enlighten the world sée them shut that thy eyes might be turned away from beholding vanity sée those eares which were wont to heare the ioyfull hyâ—…e of the Cherubins Holy holy holy now haue heard a multitude of reproaches sée that countenaunce which was goodly to looke vpon is spetted 〈◊〉 and buffeted The blood of 〈◊〉 cried iustice iustice but 〈◊〉 blood of Christ crieâ—… mercie 〈◊〉 Oh that we had hearts 〈◊〉 meditate of the passion of our 〈◊〉 There is nothing of â—…ch we ought more to thinke 〈◊〉 to speake more to reade or 〈◊〉 to meditate of then of this â—…ause the remembrance héereof â—…tameth to the saluation of 〈◊〉 soules increaseth faith driâ—…th away despaire giueth fortiâ—…e against the afflictions of the â—…ld strengtheneth vs against â—…tatious 〈◊〉 the minde 〈◊〉 ioy causeth a loathing of 〈◊〉 and after a wonderfull maâ—… stirreth vs vp to all deuotion This our Sauiour Christ himâ—…fe well thought vpon when he 〈◊〉 so high a Sacrament so full 〈◊〉 hauenly mysteries for the â—…tinuall renuing in our hearts 〈◊〉 this his most blessed passion 〈◊〉 swéete Iesus should euer vnâ—…fulnes of this loue of thine â—…pe vpon vs Should not thy â—…ous blood soften our adamant hearts who hast deliuered vs from infinite miseries purchased by thy death O infinite goodnes and fréely offered thy selfe hast offered thy selfe vnto thy Father a sacrifice for our sinnes there is no burden heauier then sinne this hast thou eased vs of O blessed Sonne if God while I liue saith the Prophet will I call vpon the Lord yea as long as I haue any being Wee will offer vnto God the sacrifice of thankesgiuing and prayse his name for euer and euer And thus wee meditate of the passion of our Lord who suffered death to ouercome death of which Saint Austen mentioneth a double cause the one that Christ died for vs to deliuer vs the other that those whom he redéemed by his death hee might teach by his grace and by his example instruct for why did the head saith he suffer but to giue the body an example Christ humbled himselfe vnto death euen vnto the death of the crosse we ought also to humble our â—…es to bee crucified vnto the â—…ld and the world to vs vnto 〈◊〉 were our sinnes imputed â—…to
vs his righteousnesse hee gaue himselfe a sacrifice to saue vs and wee giue our selues a sacrifice to serue him Chap. 28. Of Christs resurrection from the dead and how the veritie hereof doth much strengthen our Christian faith LOue saith Salomon is as strong as death wee shall see in the resurrection of our Lord this verified whom we haue considered in his passion dying for our sinnes for héere we find that loue which was stronger then death Now behold we him as a Champion returning from thâ—… spoiles after so many labours and trauailes now méete we him with gratulation Our Dauid hath slaine his ten thousand our Eagle is renued our Phenix is reuiued our Ionas is come safe and sound from the belly of the Whale Our Sunne that went downe in a ruddy cloude is risen againe with glorious beames of light our graine of corne that was cast into the earth is sprung up and flourisheth our Ioseph is deliuered out of prison our Sampson hath caried away the gates 〈◊〉 his enemies our spouse is 〈◊〉 the voyce of the Turtle is â—…ard in our land Christ our reâ—…er is risen from the dead He is risen early that was late in the euening layde in the Sepulâ—…r after his dolefull passion hee is risen hee is risen whereâ—… with the Prophet wee say Sorrowe may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning Christ hastened his resurrecâ—…n that his disciples might not 〈◊〉 long dwel in sorrow he would â—…t their mournful harts should 〈◊〉 reciue comfort Christ rose â—…ly the third day to haue layen â—…ger might haue bred doubt of 〈◊〉 rising to haue rose sooner of 〈◊〉 dying Had only the sorrowâ—… Apostles or those women â—…at came mourning vnto the â—…epalcher the ioy of the resurâ—…ion No this was the ioy of thousand thousandes which may say with Dauid This is the day of the Lord wee will reioyce and be glad in it Looke we vnto the passion before mentioned there wee sée wéeping and wayling sorrowe and suffering on euery side The blessed virgine the Disciples full of heauines now all is turned into ioy The Angell appeareth in white the women runne and tell the Disciples they scarce beléeue either the Angels or one another for ioy A little before the stone is refused of the builders Deliuer vnto vs Barrabas nowe is this stone the head of the corner which ioynes together the building of two nations both Iewes and Gentiles A little before we haue no other King but Caesar now is hee a King aboue all Caesars A little before he trusted in God let him deliuer him if he wil haue him Now is he deliuered and God is with him hee with God A little before is he a lamb â—…ed vnto the slaughter but now a Lion of the tribe of Iuda A little before he was in humility and â—…ged of others now is he risen to appeare the Iudge both of quick dead at the right hand of God aboue in glory 2 Wherfore O faithfull Christian man reioyce in the Lorde yea saith the Apostle againe I say reioyce reioyce in the resurrection of thy Sauiour for manie are the benfites that hence â—…rise Nowe is thy Lorde returned from the battaile nay from the conquest ouer the deuill sinne hell and death thanks be vnto God that hath giuen vs the victorie by Iesus Christ our Lord. Beléeue that his resurâ—…ion was the cause of thy resurrection for hee which raysed Christ from the dead shall also rayse these our mortall bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in vs. If thou consider this thou shalt haue consolation agaynst all feare and dread of death for thou mayst say I knowe that my Redeemer liueth Againe I will lay me downe to sleepe and take my rest for the Lord maketh me to dwell in safety Because this was so behâ—…uefull a poynt for the stay of our christian faith Christ appeared so often vnto his Apostles after his resurrection communed with them as at other times so then especially when their hearts did burne within them as hee opened the Scriptures shewing them the veritie of his resurrection The Apostles whose charge was to teach glad tydings vnto the world the first tydings they taught was the doctrine of the resurrection The Euangelists doe most diligently set foorth vnto vs the resurrection of Christ as a thing profitable and ioyfull to all faithfull beléeuers for in the resurrection wee sée how Christ is exalted and what hope wee haue in him This they lay downe with many circumstances both by testimonies before and after before that hee had told his Disciples he must die and rise againe after in that he was conuersant amongst them forty dayes walked in the way with two of them communing of the thinges that â—…re done at Ierusalem and surely in time of sorrow to comâ—…ne of Christ and talke of him in our wearisome iourney of this life shall much comfort vs at this time Christ walketh with them their vnderstanding is opened 3 The women come vnto the Sepulcher and view euery place throughly they finde the stone â—…ed away the linnen cloathes â—…aining a signe his body was not taken away but risen for these were together laid with his body in the Sepulcher the body â—…ne the Angels testifie he is risen what say the Souldiours to this First they confesse a truth afterward corrupted with mony they giue out his Disciples had stolen away his body while they were a sleepe If they were a sleepe howe saw they the Disciples steale away the body If they were not a sléepe how could a fewe weake fishers take away the body from a band or company of armed Souldiours but let them confesse the truth as they did before vnto the high Priests and after when they were charged that they had séene a vision of Angels that he was risen indéede So the veritie is inuincible and the ioy great of the resurrection Wee see a desire and loue to Christ in Peter and Iohn for why they runne to the Sepulcher affection makes vs diligent the women come with sweet odors to annoint the body we haue no swéet odors but manie vnsauorie sins to bring vnto the resurrection there to offer vp the incense of our praise which is the swéetest offering our harts can yéeld Mary commeth néere her Lord Christ saith vnto her Woman touch me not not but that Christ had a body tangible after his resurrection but Mary touch me not doe not so much affect my presence héere on earth as my presence in heauen By this we learne to know and honour Christ as he is risen sitteth at the right hand of God aboue S. Paul writing to Timoâ—…e saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remember that Iesus Christ is risen from the â—…ad When the Teacher giues his Scholler many lessons if he giue him one amongst that rest with 〈◊〉 Momento Remember this he thinks that of all
should not be interrupted by any necessities of the body as the Massilians dreamed but pray alwayes is vnderstoode euery day and at all times that no sinne may hinder vs from God good works and therefore it is saide Vt digni habeamini that ye mâ—…y be accounted worthy to auoid these things 10 Watch for ye knowe not the day nor houre Nemo quaerat quando venit sed vigilet vt paratum inueniat Let no man saith S. Austen séeke curiously when the Iudge commeth but let him make himselfe ready against his comming the vncertainty of the time doth cause feare the ignorance of the signes may lead into error so wee alwayes liue that alwayes wee may be watchfull Wee may knowe the signes but ought not search after the knowledge of the time it selfe it is vnsearchable When we see in an old man the signes of age we gather his time is not long when hee shall die we know not so beholding the world troubled charity waxing cold we know these are signes of a decaying age yet somtimes age continueth howe long none knoweth this is the very reason our Sauiour himselfe vseth to stir vs vp to watchfulnes Watch because you know not the day nor houre when the Sonne of man commeth If the Housholder watch for the sauing of his substance howe much more should euery one be watchfull for the sauing of his soule In the Housholder three things are obserued first he endeuoureth to knowe the deceite of the théefe secondly to prouide for the custody of himselfe thirdlie he careth that his house be not broken vp and thus he watcheth not one but euery houre of the night that at what houre so euer he be assaulted hee may be found stirring 11 Those who looke for the comming of the Bridegroome haue their lights in their hands that is their shining workes these lights are burning that is ardent in charity they are shining that is to say giuing good example of piety These watch in the day that is open the eyes of their faith when the light of the Gospell of Iesus Christ shineth these watch in the night that is when the world is giuen to all iniquitie the workes of darknes Foure things there are which may make men to wake the first is the crowing of the cocks that is the calling of those to whom God hath said O Sonne of man I haue made thee a watchman The Cocke beateth with his wings and wakeneth himselfe first and then with his voyce wakeneth others The second thing to make men wake is the rising of the Sunne this Sunne is the light of grace a shame is it for men to sléepe when as now long agoe the Sunne is risen vpoÌ„ them The Sunne riseth saith the prophet and man goeth forth vnto his labour The night is past and the day is come neere let vs walke saith the Apostle as in the day The third thing to make men awake to the feare of the théefe or the day of iudgement which is as the comming of a théefe in the night the carelesse it will seaze vpon and spoile them but vnto the watchfull it can doe no harme It was said vnto the rich man hac nocte This night shall thy soule be taken from thee It was said of the bridegroomes comming At midnight there was a crie made behold the Bridegroome commeth goe out to meete him The fourth thing to make men awake is care of their goods wee haue a great charge vnder our hands and a charge of so great care that wee had neede watch early and late For the carelesse Salomon sayeth Sleepe on so shall necessitie come vppon thee like an armed man Many are so heauie a sléepe that no calling will awake them there shall a voyce one day sound in their eares that shall awaken them I pray God not affright them whether they will or no. That which I say vnto you sayth our Sauiour I say vnto all Watch. The night of death may steale vpon men before they be aware the day of iudgement will come when they thinke not of it Watch for you know not the day nor houre Watch you know not when the Maister of the house will returne Whether in the morning of childhoode or in the third houre of youth or in the sixt houre of strength or in the euening of age Watch for you knowe not the time Should they sleepe in securitie vntill they sleepe their last God forbid God forbid Chap. 33. A louing conference had with Christ and the deuout Christian man touching the state and ioyes of the life to come promised to them that learne of Christ and followe him in this life Christ. AWake Awake O Christian soule and stand vp from the dead how long wilt thou sléepe in this dangerous securitie of a sinfull life Arise arise the light of my grace and truth hath shined vnto thee how long wilt thou preferre the loue of this transitorie world before the loue of mee thy Redéemer and Sauiour Christian man O Lorde Iesus Christ thy mercie is great in staying for my conuersion in vouchsafing to remember mee so forgetfull of my loue and duty towardes thée my Lord now I wretched creature prostrate my selfe before thee Lord what wilt thou that I doe Christ. If thy desire be to knowe my will O my beloued this desire of thine doth meruaâ—…lously please me for my delight is in thy saluation thou knowest for thy sake I came from heauen for thy sake endured I the griefes and troubles of the worlde for thy sake suffered I many reproaches of mine enemies I vndertooke thy dolours to giue thée my glory I suffered thy death that thou mightest receiue life I was buried in the earth that thou mightest be raysed vp to heauen now thy sinnes are more gréeuous vnto me then much suffering I endured for thée this is that I require séeing thou wouldest know my will giue me thy life for whoÌ„ I haue giuen my life Christian man Lord I perceiue thy will and my owne weakenes how should walke as I ought in consecrating my life vnto thée Christ. If thou wilt dedicate thy selfe vnto me first loue mee alwayes and aboue all thinges next to know howe thou shouldst walke after my wil sée thou often meditate of my life once led amongst men when thou wilt be humble thinke howe I was humbled when thou wilt suffer patiently call to minde with what patience I suffered when thou wouldst be obedient thinke of my obedience when thou art oppressed with enemies remember I had enemies too and call to mind that I prayed for them Christian. I sée most mercifull Sauiour that thou requirest loue aboue all thinges which I yéeld thée willingly as I ought but Lord for to beare these crosses of the world I finde it too difficult to humane nature so as almost I know not what to say Christ. If thou loue me as thou sayest thou doest thou néedest not take scandale at the
all their pompe but miserie to his conflicts to his glory who vanquished when hee was conquered and ouercame death when he suffered death subduing the Prince of darknes with all his power with a few meane men made a conquest ouer the whole world by a force in outward shew cleane contrarie to all victorie to wit by his word which in the sight of the world séemed féeblenes What hart is not moued at the remembrance of his woorthie actes who would not celebrate vnto the Lord a swéete Sabaoth of Meditation and hither bring all his prayers and prayses Surely wee will doe little for him who hath done so much for vs if wee keepe not at least a remembrâ—…nce of so many graces so many mercies bestowed vpon vs should we be wearie to meditate of his life who was not wearie to doe and suffer so many things to restore vs to eternall life 11 God saith Deliciae meae cum filijs hominum My delight is to be with the sonnes of men And the godly say deliciae nostrae cum filio Dei Our delight is to be with the sonne of God Saint Hierome writeth of certaine holy women so deuoted this way Vt caro esset pene nescia carnis That flesh saith hee almost forgat it was flesh they did so dwell in the contemplation of Iesus Christ â—…hat they séemed in place onely remote but in affection to ioyne with that holy companie of heauen there beholding in that splendent Theator the King of Kings sitting vnder the state of glory The Athenians erected a place called Asylum whither the poore and distressed repairing â—…ght finde refuge How God hath exalted our Lorde Iesus vnto the right hand of his throne in glory and there for his sake erected an Asylum of grace whither all sorrowfull and afflicted minds repayring may plead priuiledge and a satisfaction against sinne hell death and the deuill faith in him doth tell vs as much When the accuser of the brethren doth â—…ay a remembrance of their sinnes vnto the charge of Gods chosen and thereby séeketh to cast them downe by despaire by and by they flie to meditate of Christes loue and how al-sufficient a sacrifice he was for the satisfaction of their sinnes and how readie he is to embrace in the armes of his mercie and couer vnder the shadow of his wings all that crie come vnto him 12 Would wee haue a president of all perfection to stand before vs why Salomons wisedome is but ignorance Sampsons strength but weakenes Hazaels swiftnes but slownesse Methusalâ—…hs age not a day being once compared with the perfection of the sonne of God The loaues which Christ tooke were but few in number but when he brake them and his disciples distributed them they did excéedingly encrease and multiply The life of Christ when at first wee consider the same it séemes not so much but falling to meditate thereupon and to distribute it as it were amongst faithfull beléeuers it encreaseth so wonderfullie as wee can truly say with them in the Gospel vve neuer saw it after this fashion in effect we neuer thought it so admirable 13 The people in the wildernes were directed by a cloud in their passage towards the land of promise we haue for our iourney not a materiall cloud but the life of him that sits aboue the clouds vpon whom the eye of our soule euermore fixed we may goe forward or stay as this heauenly direction shal giue vs ayme 14 Last of all how mindfull I pray you we should be to meditate of Christ not onely in respect of the time present but chiefly for the time to come this was in Saint Pauls thought when hee thought of his departure hence desiring to be dissolued and to be with Christ. Iacob leauing the world his mind was vpon Shiloh or on him whom God would send when he said Expectabo salutare tuum Lord I will wait for thy saluation O Iesu saith Saint Austen whether I speake of thee I write of thee I read of thee me thinks I am present with thee as if a remembrance of his redéemer did wake with him and sléepe with him 15 The law was a shadow of good to come this good was Christ when the Sunne is behind the shadow is before when the Sunne is before the shadow is behind so was it in Christ to them of old this Sunne was behind and therefore the law or shadow was before to vs vnder grace the Sunne is before and so now the ceremonies of the law these shadowes are behind yea they vanished away Iosua succeeded Moses Christ the law Moses dies Iosua leades the people Iosua brings the people ouer Iordan which Moses could not doe The Fathers eate Manna in the Desert we haue the liuing bread which came downe from heauen In blessing their posterities the Patriarkes mentioned the promised séed in comforting the distressed the Prophets fore-told the Sauiour to come all their solemne sacrifices were but figures and signes of some excellent subiect their many hymnes diuine songs were reioycings at his comming before he came in their highest deuotions nothing was more mentioned then that God would respect his people and Abraham to whom in mercie the multiplying of the same mercie by the promised ofspring was mentioned so by this wee sée the faithfull all a long minded nothing more then him in whom all the Nations of the earth should be blessed 16 For the beleeuers vnder grace surely they should be so addicted to meditate of him who wrought the great work of their redemption as that they ought to haue their hearts replenished with an incessant reuoluing of his loue séeing their faith is confirmed by a consideration of his merits their hope by a remembrance of his promises their duty by calling to minde his benefits their fortitude by a contemplation of his assistance their liues directed by his life who was the mirror of the world for perfection and true holmes the Prophet Esay saith This is the way walke in it Chap. 2. That the life of a Christian should be passed ouer in this world in a holy and vertuous conuersation IT is the manner of Princes and gouernours forthwith vpon their inuestures to places of greatest dignitie seriously to recount with theÌ„selues to what authority amongst men God hath called them what to doe how to gouerne and in conclusion which way to demeane themselues like themselues thâ—…t is to say aunswerable vnto their place and calling This care we find to haue béen in king Salomon who in regard of the dignitie whereunto God had called him besought God before riches and honour to giue him an vnderstanding heart No lesse care should a Christian man haue whom God hath in mercy called to the state of grace a calling of excelleâ—…cie no lesse care I say shâ—…uld hâ—… hâ—…ue forthwâ—…th to sit downe and consider for what cause he was redeemed to what end what will onedâ—…y be
required at his hands vpon his returne by him that did send him hither and preserued him whilest he is here 2 When Naaman the Syrian was healed of his leprosie and saw that by the power of God he was from a â—…aper become a sound man to acknowledge this benefit well the knées of his bodie might bowe in the house of Rimmon a false God yet when he came there he made a solemne vow the knées of his soule should bend to the true God whom he perceaued had done him good When Peters wiues mothér was cured of her Feauer shee rose vp ministred vnto Christ when the people saw the care of Iosuah which hee vndertooke to bring them into the land of Canaan they all saide as it were with one hart O Iosuah all that thou commaundest we wil do and whither so euer thou sendest vs we will goe Wee haue receiued a greater cure then euer Naaman did when he receiued the cleansing from his leprosie or then 〈◊〉 wiues mother when at Christes word the feuer left her some bending of our harts some ministring vnto Christ should be remembred and let our Iosuah haue his due who is leading vs to the land of promise 3 When Zacharie mentioned the loue of God in visiting and redéeming his people in raysing them vp a mighty saluation in deliuering them from the hands of their enemies first shewing what God had done for them he then consequently annexeth the end of all and what they should doe to God to wit To walke before him in holines and righteousnes all the dayes of their life This the Apostle sheweth in more expresse words at large the grace of God hath appeared that bringeth saluation vnto all and teacheth vs that wee should denie vngodlines and worldly lusts that we should liue soberly and godly in this present world looking for the blessed appearance of the glorie of the mighty God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Thereby shewing our first entrance into grace and therewith the works of grace and then in order the appearance of glory For what else doth grace require but the works of grace therefore wee beséech God that wee fall not amongst théeues as the man that passed betwéene Ierusalem and Iericho which would spoile vs of this precious garment and the true vse thereof Lord saith Dauid keepe thy seruant from presumptuous sinnes that they get not the dominion ouer me What should the children of light haue to do with the works of darknes what should Christians walke according to the flesh who are by Christ their redéemer regenerate and borneâ—… new according to the spirit Alexander saith Quintus Curtius willed that the Grecians the Barbarians should be no longer distinguished by garments but let Grecians said he be knowne by their vertues and Barbarians by their vices The application is plaine let Christians be knowne by Christian behauiour 4 When Almightie God had brought his people from the oppression of Pharaoh and that they were now towards a land which should flow with milk and honie Moyses soberly aduiseth the people after this manner and telles them what God doth looke for at their hands And now Israel what doth the Lord require of thee euen that thou serue him If he be Deus tuus then must hee haue adorationem tuam Is hee thy God then will he haue thy worship Saint Peter vnto the dispersed Iewes and conuerted Christians saith you were not a people but now are the people of God and therfore should walk as the children of God the night is passed saith the Apostle S. Paul where hee resembleth the law vnto the night by reason of the dark mists and figures therof the day is come néere where hee resembles the state of grace vnto a lightsome time what followes Let vs cast away the works of darknes and put on the armour of light All which as it inferreth a dignitie in that we are called so withall a duty that is required a final sinne in the world is notwithstanding great in one professing Christ. Saint Bernard thought it a thing prodigious in nature to haue the first place and the lowest life a high calling and some abiect course of liuing because the calling to place of dignitie doth chalenge vnto it selfe the greater exellencie Quid prodest saith Saint Austen vocari quod non es What profiteth it thée to be called the thing then are not To beare the title of a Christian and to be in action nothing lesse To be a Christian in name but not in déede to séeme and not to be to haue the voyce of Iacob but the hands of Esau one thing in shew but another in substance what dost thou saith Saint Cyprian rush in with a blinde headie zeale thou knowest not whither nor howe extinguishing peace and charitie the true lights of a christian life certainly these vices they are as blemishes in the face of our profession Zeale without knowledge is a blind sacrifice knowledge without zeale is a maymed sacrifice neither blind or maimed should be offered to God 5 Aulus Fuluius perceiuing his sonne gotten vpon the wings of pride and associating himselfe with Cateline that firebrand of the common wealth comes and takes him aside and schooles him after this manner Thou vnthrift haue I brought thee vp for such an end when we find our affections inclining to foule desires let vs say vnto our selues as Aulus Fuluius said vnto his sonne Is this the end why God hath giuen vs our being and well being were we redeemed from sinne to continue in the lusts thereof were we freed from the seruitude of the world to become seruants of so bad a Lord Why were we redéemed to good works should so great a price bestowed for vs be cast away God forbid To come to a consideration of our selues and to call to mind our adoption whereby we crie Abba Father if God be our father then must we remember what he requireth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be you holy for I am holy the duty of the child is the fathers honor We are resembled vnto the branches and Christ vnto the vine euery branch that beareth not fruite which fruite is good life the husbandman which is God taketh away We are compared vnto fruitfull trées planted by the water or pleasant streames of Gods graces and therfore should bring forth fruite in due season Wee may remember the curse of the bagge trée that bare leaues some shew only of fruit and that sentence denounced against the other that bare no fruites at all The Axe is laid to the root of the tree euery tree that bringeth not forth fruit shall be cut downe and cast into the fire The Axe death the cutting downe the execution of iustice the casting into the fire the seÌ„tence of iudgment Now is the Axe there will be a now the Axe not a rod to the roote not to the