his flesh but also in his Divinity that wee might be saued both in his godhead manhood togither for this cause was the whole enduring of al his basenes vilenes and humiliation of his taking vpon him our infirmities sin only excepted which brought vpon him the horrible wrath of God against sinne with griefes in hart in soule and body which he took suffered patiently only for the making amends vnto his Father for our sinnes the pacifying of Gods most wrathful iudgement against mankinde by this his offering himselfe a sufficient sacrifice or equall price answerable fully for the sins of the whole world To cōclude this his sacrifice caused the sweet streams of pure water of life to flow out of the cleare continuall springing fountaine of his mercies daily powred vpon mankinde comfortable to coole the heat of our thirsty tongues and as medicinable to cure the spreading malady of Adams fall which infected our soules with the leprosie of sin The Passion of Christ is threefold 1 Externall 2 Internall 3 Consisting of both First Externall being in the body members and parts thereof as the tearing rending of the vaines Secondly Internall as the sorrow and griefe working in the heart the great torment arising out of the feare of the tearing of the body and death and also the feeling of Gods wrath Thirdly that which consisteth of both is belonging to the body and soule and to the whole Christ God and man The iniurie afflicting slandering scoffing the crowne of thornes and other like torments concurring togither in his body pearcing as it were entring even vnto the Divinity which it selfe never suffered because it is vnchangeable and therefore impassible Touching his Diuinity it did alwaies support his humanity which Habacuck perceiving saith in his Hab. 3. 4. third Chapter thus ibi abseondita est fort it udo eius he had hornes comming out of his hands and that was the hiding of his power For as the Sun when it is covered with a clowde is hidden and yet it is not cleane spent and gone and that light which spreading all the world over illustrateth every thing with his cleare brightnesse is included in a small obstacle from vs even so was the Deity hid in that humanity which hee put on him and yet separated neither from body nor soule We read in Leviticus that the sacrifice that did purifie and cleanse from Leprosie was on this sort Levit. 14. they tooke two male Sparrowes being aliue one of them was killed and put into an earthen vessel hauing faire cleare running water the other Sparrow that was aliue his wings with Cedarwood and scarlet cloath with hyssop were dipped in the bloud of the slaine Sparrow which he that was diseased infected with the leprosie was sprinkled withall The slaine Sparrow signifieth the humanity of Christ put to death the Sparrow that was left aliue signifieth the Godhead of Christ which was impassible But yet for all this it was diversly violated and abused by the enemies thereof and as much as in themlay was hurt blasphemed and debased As when the high Priests accused Christ for saying that he was the son of God also whē they spat in his face and bad him prophesie tell who it was that stroke him and also they bowed themselues before him they smit him with their fists saying Haile king of the Iewes being mocked crowned with thornes overburthened and laden with bearing of his Crosse which they made him to cary nailed on the Crosse and being both with iests and scoffes gybed at in this wise if thou be the son of God come downe from the Crosse and saue thy selfe here now was the word even the son of God yea the whole Trinity moved both to a iust commiseration and a rightful indignation Howbeit wee must vnderstand that this Passion of Christ had not then his beginning when he was crucified But all his life time after his conception by the space of thirty yeares even vnto the punishment and paine of the Crosse to haue bin nothing else but a continual and full Passion misery satisfaction and sacrifice for our sins He was borne an infant and laid in the manger because there was no roome for them in the Inne but in the stable in cold want of all things Luk 2. 7. needfull wherevpon saith Gregory Christ came from heauē into a womans wombe frō a womans wombe into a cratch or manger frō the manger to the crosse from the crosse to the graue and from the graue hee went to heauen againe But to recite or speake more of his troubles what can I say but that which hath beene already spoken of by others in his infancie he fled from the tyranny of Herod and was caried into Egypt After his baptisme hee was oftentimes and diversly tempted by the space of two daies of Satan whom afterwards acknowledged and openly confessed Mar. 5. 7. him to bee the son of the most high God The princely Prophet David in the 110. Psalme speaking Psal 110. 7. of Christs afflictions and his passion through the which hee should enter into his glory vseth these words He shall drinke of the brook in the way The which for the diversitie of interpretations I am the more bolder to insert that among many the plainest truest signification might bee best knowne and allowed The lewes which alwaies fedde themselues with the vaine hope of the cōming of such a Messias as should be a certaine earthly civill and powerfull king doe very fondly apply this sentence vnto victories for thus they expound it Hee shall drinke of the brooke that is to say of the blood of them that are slaine as if the Prophet should say that the Messias as a mightie conquerour should performe so great a slaughter vpon his enimies that the bloud of the slaine should streame flowe like a brooke and that the whole armie as victorious and conquerours might drinke of the brooke in in the way as they are pursuing their enimies In the which forme and maner of speech they suppose it to be thus signified that Christ will bee satisfied with the bloud of his enimies But seeing the text in this place speaketh nothing of bloud neither can bloud bee thought a fit drinke for conquerours except it bee figuratiuely spokē as in the prophecie of Balaam where the drinking of bloud is referred vnto the Lyon neither is it spoken of the people of Israel but by a figure among the later writers Some think it a similitude taken from the circumstance of strong and valiant captaines who in their chase and pursuit of their enimies slacke nothing of their heat and fervency neither will be hindred with any care or desire of meate drinke sleepe or any other pleasure to the end they might the better follow and enforce the course and pursuite of the victorie but content and very well pleased to quench their thirst with water for their
father no not in anie respect what need so ever he were in It is good therefore saith the Wiseman that parents should not only exercise theÌ„selues in Gods commandements but also haue their children taught in the trade of their way while they are young that when they are old they should not depart from it g Prov. 22 6. but continue h Col 4 2. in their way as children of light i Eph 5 8. that they may be perfect to doe the will of their Father k Heb 13. 21. which is in heaven l 1 Pet. 3. 22. that he may make them swift to heare his word m Iam. 1. 19. Rom. 2. 13. Eccl 4. 17. and carefully prepare themselues to giue thankes and praise vnto God the father in the name of his sonne Iesus Christ n Eph 5. 20. which is the giver of all things o Iohn 3. 27. and thus indeed to this end is man created that he should continually with thankfulnesse set forth the praises of Almightie God as the Prophet David saith let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord p Ps 159 6. Not that God hath any need of our praise q Act 17. 25. but it is needfull for vs to praise him r Philip. 2. 13. Ier. 10 23. Ioh. 15 5. that thereby we may obtaine grace favour at his blessed hands The Sunne hath no need of our aspect to behold him yet wee haue need of his heat and cleerenesse that thereby we may be comforted with his brightnesse and cherished with his heat Moreover David asketh the Lord saying What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits towards me and answering himselfe addeth I will take the cup of salvation and call vpon the name of the Lord. I will saith the Prophet praise the Lord with my whole heart and call vpon him so long as I liue a Ps 116. 12. 13 viz. for his benefits Thus in our prayers and dayly meditations vpon Gods commandements wee ought to obey his will therein diligently b Luk. 10. 27. Deut. 6. 5. Luk. 19. 18. imbrace it dutifully c Mar. 1. 18. and to the very vtmost of our power keepe his commandements effectually d Ioh. 2. 3. Heb. 10. 7. that therby we may avoid the snares of death e Prov. 22. 24. and thinke not to liue forever in the deceitfull cradle of securitie f Esa 47. 7. which dandleth carelesse men in the lap of folly g Eccle. 2. 2. But with all diligence keepe Gods commandements with as great and intire loue as the carelesse Ninivits had to Ionas preaching h Ionah 3. 5. the desperate souldiers to Iohns sermon i Luk. 3. 14. 15 and the obstinate Israelits to Peters perswasion k Act. 2. 37. yea continue daily in the earnest meditation thereof as willing as the Macedonians were in the hearing of Paule when they continued his doctrine vntill midnight o Act. 20. 7. or as the Eunuch in giving eare to Philips sermoÌ„ p Act. 8. 38. or Cornelius the Captaine with a great multitude were to heare Peter q Act. 10. 25. Wee read that K. Agrippa almost became a ChristiaÌ„ at once hearing of Paul r Act. 26. 27. Rom. 12. 1. Oh then let it be farre from the hart of a Christian that may heare reade and daily meditate vpon Gods Commandements to proue so vngratefull as quite to forget and not once to thinke or meditate vpon the same a benefit so great and infinite Finally let our hearts bee pricked on with the feeling of Gods incomprehensible mercies towardes vs in our daily meditations s Ps 1. 2. encouraged by his gratious promises of accepting our poore endeavours to doe him service t 1. Cor. 15. 58 yea ravished with the expectatioÌ„ of such a reward as is assured vs by the death and passion of Iesus Christ u Eph 1. 7. Col. 2. 13. 1. Ioh. 1. 7. 1. Pet 2. 24. Esa 53 5. 2 Cor. 5. 21. And withall let vs bee ashamed of our selues in doing no more * Ps 16. 2. Mat. 25. 36. and condemne the carelesnesse of our owne hearts for doing our best workes so vnperfectly x Ps 130 3. Ps 143. 2. Dan 9 7. 8. Luk 21. 36. Mat. â—4 42. Mich 6 6. Rom. 11. 25. Rom. 12. Mat 10. Prov. 4 13. Eccl. 25. 5. What shall J more say seeing the whole course canon of Scripture runneth that all Christians in their keeping of Gods Commandements should be Attenti vigilantes soliciti instantes ferventes perseverantes sine intermissione that is Attent vigilant carefull instant fervent and perseverant without intermission of the service of God because therein is contained Fons vitae radix prudentiae corona plenitudo sapientiae gloria gaudium quod est felicissimum donum that is the fountaine of life the roote of prudence the crowne and fulnesse of wisdome the glory and ioy which is the most happiest that can bee given to man A blessed gift what wilt thou desire more to moue thee towardes the meditation of the passion of Christ THe second motiue is the Dignity the Maiestie and highnesse of the person suffering for vs. It was not the African Scipio nor Hanibal nor the peerelesse Pompey nor the mighty Persian Cyrus nor Darius nor the renowned Marius nor the Macedonian conquering Monarch Emperious Alexander neither yet Caesar that in the Senate house received of sixtie conspiratours 23 wounds and every of them mortall But it is Iesus the Creatour and preserver of all mankind a Ps 33. 12. it is that Alpha and Omega the beginning and ending which is and which was and which is to come b Rev. 1. 8. Rev. 18. 17. Rev. 11. 17. Esa 44 6. Esa 48. 12. even the Almightie which was crowned with glory and honour c Heb. 2. 9. at whose name all knees shall how d Phil. 2. 10. and at whose feet the foure and twentie Elders laid downe their crownes e Rev. 4. 10. it is the strong God f Ps 24 8. the God of power g Sâ—p 12 16. the high and most mighty God h Eph 2. 14. yea the mighty Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda i Deut 32. 39. the Prince of peace k Eph. 2. 14 Heb. 2. 10. the conquerour of death l Hos 13. 14. 1. Cor 15. 54. Hell m Heb. 2. 14 and sinne n Gen. 18. 25. yea the great iudge of the world o Pet. 2. 25 and bishop of our soules p 1. Pet. 2. 25. Christ Iesus our Saviour q Ier. 17. 10 it is he that is Lord of Hostes the righteous iudge that trieth the reines and harts of all men r Ioh 14 6. it is he that is the way the truth the light and the doore to enter into heauen s Iohn 14 6. if anie man enter in by him he shal be
with a great price therefore glorifie God in your bodies in your spirits which are Gods God hath powred into vs the holy spirit yea and that plētiously The fift is our victory against sin the devill and the world Be of good comfort I haue overcome the world and Ioh. 16. 33. haue abolished death sinne and the Devill The sixt is saluation and life eternal for if we beleeue that Iesus is dead and is risen even so them which sleepe in 1. Thess 4. 14. Tit. 3. Ioh. 14. 1. Tim. 3. Iesus will God bring againe vnto life through Iesus Christ we are made righteous and heires of eternall life God sent his son into the world that through him we may haue life everlasting Christ came into the world to saue sinners hee Luk. 19. 10. came into the world to saue them which were lost and not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Therefore Mat. 9. 13. every spirit which confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and every spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God 1. Ioh. 4. 2 3. The seauenth is A compendious Epitome and Catalogue of the benefits which a Christiā enioieth by the death Crosse and Passion of Christ Through Adams fall thou hast transgressed the whole law By Christs passion death resurrection thou hast fulfilled it Through Adam thou art before God a vile and loathsome sinner through Christ thou appearest glorious in his sight By Adam every little crosse is the punishment of thy sin a token of Gods wrath By Christ the great crosses are easie profitable and tokens of Gods mercy By Adam thou art dead by Christ thou art quickned and made aliue againe By Adam thou art a slaue of the divel and the childe of wrath By Christ thou art the childe of God In Adā thou art worse then a Toad and more detestable before God But by Christ thou art aboue the Angels for thou art ioined vnto him made bone of his bone mystically Through Adam sin and Satan haue rule in thee lead thee captiue By Christ the spirit of God dwelleth in thee plentiously by Adam came death vnto thee and it is an entrance into hell by Christ though death remaine yet it is the only passage vnto life Lastly in Adam thou art poore blind miserable But in Christ thou art rich and glorious thou art king on earth and fellow heire with him in heaven And as sure to be ioint heire and partaker of all the ioyes that heaven containeth as hee is now Adam when hee must needs tast of the fruits that God had forbid him hee made vs all to rue it even vntill this day but here thou seest the fruits that growe not in the earthly Paradise Rev. 22. but in the tree of life which is in the heavenly Ierusalem Now therefore feare no danger be bold in Christ to eate of the fruit as God hath commanded thee it will quicken and reviue thee being dead thou canst do Satan no worse displeasure then to feed on the godly fruit of this Tree and to smell on the sweete leaues which it beareth continually that giue such a refreshing savour THE SECOND PART With what minde we should come vnto the meditation of the passion THE second part vnto the things which we haue already spoken of being well considered followeth that wee bring with vs a true penitent minde the practise and exercise whereof consisteth in these foure points of repentance following 1 Contrition of the heart 2 Vnfayned confession 3 A beleeuing and full confidence setled in the passion of Christ 4 The fruits of faith But first we will speake of repentance To the ende We may instruct our present age with what mind they should come vnto the meditation of the passion is first the contrition of the heart by the nature of Repentance which for the most part little vnderstandeth the doctrine and lesse practiseth the dutie wherefore first we must shew what repentance is Repentance is the constant turning of man in his whole life from all sinnes vnto God which must bee done so directly that he must hate and detest his former evill life purposing to become a new man that God may make him a new heart and a new spirit not Ecles 18. 31. in substance nor quantitie but in qualitie arising from a true and liuely faith with a full perswasion of Gods mercies by the merits of Christ for the forgiuenes of his sinnes But first let vs consider that there bee two 2. Repentāces kindes of Repentance the one a true repentance vnto life the other a false repentance vnto death and example we may haue by Iudas who is said to haue repented 1. The false and which is more to haue confessed his fault which is most of all to haue made restitution and yet it was a false repentance because it sprang not of a true faith but rather of the feare of death which hee saw imminent before his eies of the griefe tediousnese of paine of the horrour of hel and feare of Gods invincible punishment which he knew he must needs abide because he betraied the innocent blood Cain repented yet he was condemned Esau repented yet hee was condemned Antiochus also did repent yet he is condēned because their prolonged repentance sprang not of faith S. Paul saith without faith it is impossible to please God and without faith there can be no true repētance Heb. 11. 6. Thus many Iudasses and desparing wretches wil say whē a minister or preacher goes about to perswade them to amend their liues and returne vnto God by repentance in shewing them that God is more mercifull then man can be sinfull if man will be sorrowfull this or such like answere You say well indeed God is mercifull but alas I am so vnworthy of my selfe and finde so many imperfections in me that I am not worthy of the mercie of God and therefore I cannot expect it Oh marke I beseech you this common obiection is altogether without faith and it riseth not from humilitie but from the pride of the heart and thereby it maketh many carelesse men to distrust in God the reason is because they would not bee beholding vnto God for his mercy but would rather seeme to haue God to be beholding vnto them for their worthinesse But if they would haue God to haue the glory as most of right they should they must not stand vpon their owne infirmities for the more vnworthy they are in their owne sight if they truely repent and be hartily sory for their sinnes with a full purpose to continue in newnesse of life the more worthy will they bee in the sight of God the more acceptable because gods glory is then most magnified who can make their sins Esa 1. 18. if they were as red as crimson to bee as white as snow c.
knowledge of sinne and of Gods anger and wrath powred out vpon the sonne of God then to be illuminated with a new light cleernesse and to reioice and settle it sure in faith that Gods anger is pacified by his sonne and for his sake that our sinnes be forgiven vs and everlasting life restored vnto vs whereby wee may repose our whole confidence in God being fully and assuredly resolved that remission of our sinnes everlasting righteousnesse and life is given Heb. 2. 4. Eph 2 7 8 9. Rom. 5. 1. Rom. 3. 24. 25. Act. 10. 43. Rom. 1. 17. 1. Ioh. 3. 36. 1. Cor. 1. 30. 1. Cor. 2. 2. 1. Ioh. 5. 10. not to others only but to vs also and that freely through the mercy of God for the merits of Christ alone by whom we are made righteous before God and heires of eternall life because our only satisfaction and holinesse of Christ is our righteousnesse before God and we cannot apply it vnto our selues any other way then by faith In this meditation a godly mind seeth rightly considereth what the Passion is for what the Passion of Christ is these wordes in the 27 of Matthews Gospell v. 46. doe very evidently declare viz. Iesus cryed with a lowd voice saying Eli Eli lamasabachthani my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Obserue the manner how Iesus delivered these words viz. crying out that with a lowd voice for even as a vapour drawne vp by the vertue of the Sun and Starres ascending vp into the middle region through the heat that is in it and the cold compassing it breaketh out into a violent stroke and a vehement noise which causeth the thunder even so Christ through the extremitie that his humanitie suffered for our sinnes was driven to break out into this thundering voice and cry alowd Quare dereliquisti me why hast thou forsaken me God indeed had forsaken him vntill his anger was pacified and his wrath appeased Notwithstanding that hee feeleth himselfe as it were wounded with Gods wrath and forsaken for our sins yet he ceaseth not to put his confidence in God and call vpon him Which is written to teach vs in all affliction to trust still in God be the assaults never so grievous to the flesh And yet this lowd crying noyse was not of the feare of death for should not hee that saveth all men be able to saue himselfe Neither feare of his enimies nor paines of his torments as commonly it fareth with men who suffer many torments at the hands of their enimies without giving any knowledg or note vnto their adversaries of their paine sorrow or griefe for so might he as well as any haue borne it out with silence Saul sheathed his sword in his owne bowels Sampson brought death vpō his own head rather thē the Philistines should triumph over him But it was our sinnes and the heavy burthen thereof the waight whereof none else could ever haue borne which this deepely tormented Christ did vndergoe Through the which our sinnes iniquities God was so highly displeased that they being laid vpon his sons shoulders made him to cry out with a lowd voice about the ninth houre of the day saying O my God my God why hast thou for saken me Oh therefore I beseech you let the horrour of it be fresh in our memories the meditation imprinted in our thoughts so that our hands may tremble and shake for feare and our whol bodies quiver and quake with terrour of it when any evill imagination is hatched in our hearts or any wicked deed should be acted with our hands that we may be terrified from nourishing sin within our bosome that laid so heavie a burthen and so mightie a Crosse vpon our sweet crucified Iesus to make him cry with so lowd a voice Oh what envie had robbed the hearts of the Iewes and dispoiled all their sences of common humanitie yea what infernall phrensey what Tyrannous impietie what execrable Tyranny can bee compared to this Iewish crueltie that they could finde no remorse of pittie to bestow one mite of mercy to help ease the intollerable paines of our grievous Saviour when he cryed with so lowd and pittiful voice saying O my God my God why hast thou for saken me a Mat 27. 46. whose bloody sweat came trickling downe to the ground b Luk. 22. 44. yet notwithstanding their eies were more hard then a rocke that they could not yeeld one teare of pittie hearts more vnapt then Adamant to relent with any tender compassion when they saw so wofull dolefull a spectacle which was forcible enough to haue drawne streames of teares out of the driest eie that ever was in the head of man and to haue incited a multitude of heavie and sorrowfull groans out of the hardest hart that ever God made Oh! was there ever crueltie like vnto this that they should bee attempting spitting smiting and mocking the sonne of God put the crown of thornes on his head nayle him to the Crosse and when he was a thirst to giue him vineger to drinke and crucifie him So that now I say what the Passion of Christ is these words do plainely teach vs viz O my God my Mat. 27. 48. God why hast thou for saken me My soule is thirsty even Mat 26. 38. vnto death these many other examples may shewe vs the Crosse of Christ The first by diet when he fasted Mat. 4. 2. Mat. 26. 26. forty daies and forty nights the second by Electuarie when hee gaue his most precious body and bloud in his last supper the third by sweat at his agony in the garden the Luk. 22. 44. Mat. 27. 30. fourth by plaister when his face was spitted vpon by the Iewes the fift by potion when he tasted vineger mixed Ioh. 19. 29. with gall the sixt by letting bloud when his hands and feet were pearced yea when his hart vaine was striken Ioh. 19. 34. his sides goared with a speare But this one thing more note that no man could take his life from him but he laid Iohn 10. 18. Act. 2. 24. 1. Ioh 1. 2. 1. Ioh 4 9. Ioh. 3. 16. Mat. 1 23. 1. Tim. 3. 16. it downe himselfe for he being both God and man had power both to lay downe his life power to take it vp againe that hee might by the power of his godhead sustaine in his flesh the burthen of Gods wrath and recouer for vs that righteousnesse which we by the fall of Adam had lost And herein are we also taught a doctrine of his double nature viz his deity which hath many things that in the humanity was never performed and his humanitie having diverse things not answerable vnto the godhead wherevpon speaketh a Father in this manner Whē Christ suffered death in his flesh vpō the Crosse the godhead and manhood were still togither but his godhead did not suffer that we might be iustified not only in
drinke running out of every brooke which they meet withal never leaue chasing and pursuing their enimies As Gedeon made triall of the valour and vertue of his souldiers courage by their drinking of water Iudg. 7. Thus therefore would they haue this verse vnderstood of Christ as if by this maner of speech a warlike strength and courage were to bee attributed vnto him that he is so hot and hastie so eager and resolute in pursuing his victories that he will not cease leaue of nor by any meanes either for loue of meat drinke or any other delights whatsoever bee revoked from his purpose so by this meanes may strike it into the hearts of his enimies how terrible and fearefull his power and strength is Howbeit we wil hold the most plaine and simple sentence that the phrase it selfe doth yeeld offer vs. The Prophets speech first tended vnto Christ the king ascribing vnto him the chiefest power and victories over all his enimies and therefore least after the maner of the Iewes this should bee vnderstood of a corporall kingdome hee addeth the doctrine of his passion which should open as it were a way from him vnto glory and advancement in his kingdome as it is said it behoued Christ to suffer so to Luk. 24. enter into his glorie For to drinke in the Scripture is taken thus to be afflicted for thus saith the Lord behold they whose iudgement was not to drinke of Ier. 24. 12. the cup haue assuredly drunken and art thou hee that shall escape free thou shalt not go free but thou shalt surely drinke of it which is as much to say I haue not spared my owne people and how should I pitty thee Can yee drinke of the cup which I shall drinke of But there is somewhat more contained in this phrase whē he saith He shall drinke of the brooke then if hee had simply said He shall drinke of the cup for to drink of the cup siguifieth the suffering and enduring but of a part or portion of some certaine miserie allotted vnto any one but to drinke of the brooke in this place signifieth the tasting of al kind of miseries and the vndergoing of the greatest burdens of all miseries and calamities even in the highest degrees For Torrens a brooke importeth both the greatnesse and fiercenesse of miseries and calamities streaming flowing of all sides For Christ felt the anger of God to bee powred vpon him yea and the sinnes of all mankind Instar Torrentis like a river brooke to runne flow round about him on every side therefore is hee said to drinke of the brooke in the way by this his passion saith the Prophet shall he enter into the kingdome exalt abit caput and shall lift vp his head that is he shall rise againe from death vnto life and shall rule in power and this is to be held as a sentence most significant and plaine shewing the kingdome of Christ to bee farre more otherwise then that which the Iews fondly dreame of For Christ through miseries afflictions through death which he suffered is ascended vp into the glory that hath gotten him a name that is dignitie and renowne Now then seeing that it behoueth vs to be confirmed Phil. 1. 9. and made like vnto the image of the son of God let vs not thinke or looke to haue the Church glorified before she be mortified that is tossed and confirmed through many afflictions and calamities Our Saviour Christ dranke deepely of the water brooke for he was made weake he hungreth hee thirsteth hee is bitten with the cold of winter and dryed vp with the outragious heat of sommer he weepeth he watcheth he is troubled he is despised and dayly beholdeth and thinketh vpon the Tyrannie of Satan working against mankind and the extreame miseries of all men as also the horrible anger and wrath of God powred vpō the sonne himselfe with sharpnesse of punishment and with all the great ingratitude of the greatest part of the whole world yea the carelesnesse and impenitencie even of Christians themselues The persequtions of the godly and those grievous afflictions of his afflicted and troubled heart doe these words set downe and declare I must bee baptised with a baptisme and how Luk. 12. 50. am I grieved vntill it be ended He came vnto his owne and those people receaved him not his Disciples are indocil and dull in vnderstāding his doctrine Iudas betrayed him the rest doe forsake 1. Sinne. him In mount Olivet he shaketh and trembleth mournefully lamenteth with such great waight and heavinesse as exceedeth the hugenes both of heavē earth hee sweateth blood and being betrayed with a trayterous kisse is apprehended of his owne people and led forth like a theefe or a murtherer In the house of Annas and Caiphas in the counsell 2. The law of the high priests with false witnesses is hee brought forth spit vpon whipped and derided and here hee wrestleth with the law and the curse of the law In the house of Herod he is despised mocked of the 3. The world chiefe Lord and of all that were in his Court and being attired in a new and strange habit like a foole and an ideot with asses eares having his nailes pulled frō his feet clad in a long side gowne with a booke in his hand for so those Philosophers the enimies of Christ painted and set him forth as Tertullian writeth hee is sent vnto Pilate and here Christ wrestleth with the world He is accused in the common hall being overcharged 4 The Divel with opprobrious nips taunts with blows and blasphemies he is condemned to be crucified and to be executed in punishment with two theeues and here hee wrestleth with the kingdome of the Divell He is stretched out vpon the crosse hee is hanged as a 5. The anger of God and death most vile transgressour betweene two theeues hee is mocked and striueth with the anger of God and death it selfe he is pearced c. Through the bitternesse sharpenesse of these his miseries and calamities the sonne of God cryeth Saue Psal 69. me O God for the waters are entred even vnto my soule in this Psalme we may see what the passion of Christ is and what he suffered Let vs now say somewhat concerning the causes of the passion of Christ The principall efficient cause is the will of God his owne person being ready to performe the obedience vnto his eternall father whose wrathfull anger could not by any other host or sacrifice bee appeased And therefore saith the Psalm 40. 7. Lo I come in the volume of the booke it is written of me I desired to doe thy good will and pleasure O God yea thy law is within my heart The booke is the old Testament the Roule is the summe the argument of the old Testament are the fore mentions of Christ the will of God is the exinanition
Church the glory of God shined over the Apostles that they might finde Christ in the Scriptures as the shepheards saw him swadled in his cloaths As in the first yeare after Christ was borne Herod endeavoreth crueltie exerciseth it vpon infants that there by he might destroy Christ So in the first yeare of the Iubile of the new Testament tyrants exercised cruelty vpon all the Apostles As Christ fled into Egypt and there continued vntill the death of Herod So the doctrine of Christ long suffered persecution corruptions and lurked in the assemblies and companies of the godly vntill the death of Tyrants Hereticks Domitian Dioclesian Iulian c. As Mary lost Christ in the 12 yeare of his age and in vaine sought him among his kinsfolkes and at last found him in the Temple amongst the Doctors opposing and asking them questions So the Virgin Mary even the Church in the 12 yeare of Iubile being troubled with many heresies had vtterly lost Christ had she not found him in the Temple that is in holy Scriptures Propheticall and Aposticall After the 30 yeare of Christ as Iohn Baptist teacheth in the wildernes repentance and faith in Christ who is baptised and as it were with the figure pointed out and shewed forth vnto the people So in the 30 yeare of our Iubile the true sincere doctrine of the Church both of the law and the Gospell began by little little to be restored in the desert not in the Hals of the high priests and Palaces of the Caesars and kngs of the world but in a few certaine schooles and cities As neither Iohn Baptist nor Christ himselfe did openly teach in the Temple at Ierusalem whenas the high Priests did possesse the same but in the wildernes or in Galile So the doctrine of the Gospell hath no place in the kingdome of the Pope but either privatly as it were in a desert or else vnder certaine Princes limits of some kingdomes is it heard and favoured As in the time of Christ Satan stirred and raised vp divers tumults and vproares through blasphemous Iudas of Galile Simon Magus such like So perturbers and hereticks doe alwaies hurt the Church by their bringing in and giving of scandalous offences stum bling blocks As Christ after three yeares and almost halfe preached afterward suffereth is crucified dieth is buried riseth againe ascendeth vp into heaven and raigneth in eternall glory So after three yeares and a halfe after the yeare of Iubile from the renewing of true doctrine after many sufferings of the godly which are every where common the Church shal bee freed glorified forever but the whole time shal not fully be expired for the daies shall be shortned THE FOVRTH PART Which containeth the Types Figures Allegories similes and such like of the old Testament or prophesies of the Prophets AS out of Adams sleeping is a Rib taken thereof Evah is made so out of the celestial or second Adam that is Christ sleeping on the Crosse and making himselfe to be as it were nothing in his Passion and death was the church framed and made his Spowse Eph. 5. Abel both in name and deed is despised who notwithstanding is iust and innocent hee is caried forth into the field and is slaine of his brother Caine Gen. 4. brethren Christ became a very worme for vs and is slaine of his Isaac being ready to bee offered of his Father is a Type and figure of Iesus Christ Gen. 22. Ioseph is not borne of foule Laea but of faire Rachel which word signifieth labours and wearines Christ is not borne of the Gentiles but of the Iews Esay 11. of the stocke of Iesse Mich. 3. in Bethlehem where Rachel was buried Ioh. 4. and Bethlehem signifieth the house of bread Ioseph is sent forth to seeke out his brethren to refresh thē and recover thē againe to his father Christ is sent from the father vnto mankinde which was lost to seeke it and reconcile it vnto God Ioseph is divested of his Pall and stately coate cast it into the Cesterne Christ is dealt withal and handled as a man bereaved of al divine glory forsaken of God and as one in whom there was no grace or goodnes he is apprehended c. Ioseph is sold of the Ismaelites and is lead into Egypt when as his brethren thought him quite cast away Christ is sold and put away of the Iewes given to the Gentiles and to the people whose king and Saviour he becommeth when as the Iewes thought him to be of no reputation Ioseph is with lies accused of his impudent mistresse and is cast into prison Christ is falsely accused of the Iews heretiques crucified and throwne into the graue guiltlesse Ioseph lieth in prison betweene two guilty offenders a butler baker of whom the one is slaine the other is saved innocent Christ is condemned between two theeues of whom the one on the right hand is saved the other condemned Ioseph freed out of prison is honoured Christ escaping out of perils and dangers is crowned with honour and glory Iacob and Ioseph do come togither againe reviving in spirit and there is one folde and one house of the Iewes and the Egyptians Christ the beleeuers at the day of iudgement shall all meete togither and out of al Nations there shal be one people in Christ for ever The flaying of the pascall lambe Exod. 12. was a Type and figure of Christ as it is writtē Ioh. 1. Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sins of the world the vnleavened bread doth signifie purity sincerity of the doctrine and life Evangelicall the sacrifices of sins and offences Lev. 14. were Types figures of the true pacifying sacrifice as Heb. 5. The quicke Goate that was spent and bearing the iniquities of the children of Israel Levit. 16. is Christ made the slaughter for our sins A red Cow without spot Num. 16. is offered vp for our sins Christ is the Red Cow being for the weaknes of Nature taken in the state of humiliation without sin cleanseth vs by his bloud from all sins as the brazen Serpent lifted vp vpō a poale Num. 21. healeth those that are bitten with Serpents Ioh. 3. so Christ the son of man must be lift vp to ascend into heaven to heale the sins of the whole world Ionah lying three daies in the whales belly is a Type and figure of Christ dying buried and rising againe the third day FINIS A SPECIALL TABLE OF THE COMmon places briefely containing the principall things handled in this Treatise First the chiefe and principall motiues and causes that should moue and stirre vs vp to the earnest meditation of the passion The first motiue is the severe commandement of Almightie God pag. 1. The second is the dignitie the maiestie and highnesse of the person suffering for vs. 7 The third motiue is the weaknes of our nature 10 The fourth motiue that should stirre vs vp to the