and debasing of his sonne his obedience his humblenesse offering vp his body vpon the crosse He commeth forth as a bridegroome out of his chamber reioyceth like a mightie man to runne his race Psal 19. 5. The obiect moving the sonne of God is sinne and damnation of mankind which hee would not that it should vtterly perish Therefore saith hee in Esa 43. thou hast made me to serue him with thine iniquities I am he which take away transgressions for mine own sake and I will not remember thy sinnes and also the tyrannie of the divell vpon mankinde The impulsiue cause is the great exceeding loue of God the Father and of the sonne vnto mankinde of whom it is written God so loued the world that hee Psal 103 13. gaue his only sonne c. and David saith As the Father hath compassion over his children so hath the Lord on thē that feare him for he knoweth whereof we bee made he remembreth we are but dust therefore the mercy of God and the intercession of his sonne offering himselfe to be punished for vs is the Impulsiue cause The Subiect or matter of the passion is the very son of God made man as the Prophet saith I was not rebellious neither turned I my backe vnto the smiters Esa 50. 5. my cheekes vnto the nippers I hid not my face from shame and spitting 1. Cor. 2. they haue crucified the Lord of glory The formall cause is the obedience of the person it selfe The finall causes are foure first that God should be worshipped praised for his loue Iustice mercy Secondly that the scripture might bee fulfilled for the satisfying of the will and fore promise of God Thirdly that mankind might thereby be reconciled vn to God and be saved Fourthly that the workes of the Divell might be destroyed Of the difference betweene the passion of Christ and the passion of other Saints of God All Saints and holy men are sinners conceiued and borne in sin but Christ is both everlasting God man free from sin and vnspotted and being righteous and 1 Pet. 3. iust died for the vnrighteous and vniust Moreover there is a difference of the causes of the Passions for all we do suffer for our sins and if we had no sin there should no punishment be laid vpon vs but Christ suffered for vs and laid downe his life for our sins There is also a difference of the passions Touching both the matter and forme thereof we that beleeue although wee suffer the death yet through a stedfast faith and hope which we lay holde vpon Christ Iesus our Savior redeemer our death wil be vnto vs but a sure and ioyful passage vnto eternall life But Christ bearing the sinnes of all the whole world vpon himselfe which the first Adam caused to be committed yet he as a second happy and blessed Adam nay more a mighty Saviour felt for our sakes al the heavy wrath and anger of God which was powred out vpon him and would not deny it but contentedly suffered it yea to be laid and done vpon his own body and so thereby he set vs free from the wrath of God and eternall death Againe although we suffer we do not thereby deserue either vnto our selues or vnto any other life salvation and therefore Christs Passion differeth from all other passion of Saints first in the special property of his owne Passion which is only a sacrifice for our sins secōdly in the persons thirdly in causes fourthly in the matter it selfe as is already said The exemplariall meditation of the Passion of Christ The exemplariall meditation beholdeth Christ as a teacher and observeth him as a guide and leader vnto eternall life and studieth to follow his humility obedience meekenes patience as himselfe saith learne of me for I am meeke and humble heart he that taketh not vp his Crosse followeth me is not worthy of me be ye followers of Christ as deare children and 1. Pet. 2. Christ suffered leaving vnto vs an example that yee should follow his steps 1. Ioh. 2. he that saith he abideth in Christ ought so to walke even as hee walked And Paule 2. Phil. Be yee like minded every man esteeme better of an other then of his own selfe look not every man of his own things only but every man on the things of other men Let the same minde be in you that was in Christ for Rom. 8. It behoueth vs to suffer with Christ that with him we may be glorified Now it is wel known that our Saviour went through many afflictions as whips thornes buffets and the most shamefull death of the Crosse And through all these must hee bee contented to follow Christ Iesus that wil be a Christian if matter so require Therefore our Saviour Christ in his last Testamēt did commend vnto his Father his spirit to the Iewes his body to the good theefe Paradice to the vnrepenting sinner hell to the Apostles his Gospell and to the faithfull affliction for their tryall Furthermore let vs learne that as there were two crosses prepared for Christ Iesus the one of passiō as that wooden crosse whereon his body suffered the other of compassion wherby his soul suffered so there is prepared a double crosse for every good Christian the one of the soule the other of the body The crosse of Iobs body was that power that Satan receaued of the Lord to afflict his flesh the crosse of his soule was the cursed counsell of his wicked wife who said curse God and liue Iob. 2. The crosse prepared for king Davids body was that Saul his father in law and Absolon his sonne sought his death but this was that which afflicted his minde that the man whom he had continually fed should be false hearted vnto his person Pauls body was in many dangers by sea and by land by night and by day by theeues by robbers but that only afflicted his mind that he travailed among treacherous brethren vnto his exemplanal meditation do appertaine these foure parts first the Crosse Secondly comfort Thirdly patience and humilitie Fourthly naturall loue peace and concord The allegoricall meditation is that which considereth the tipes and similes representing such like things as should happen to the Church members thereof The two theeues are an image of the whole mankind subiect vnto death in the midst Christ is a redeemer the one part is freed the other abideth in death the scoffes and taunts are the furies and outrages of Hypocrites whereby the Church is scorned and derided The dividing and tearing of his garments noteth Heretiques tearing the Gospell in peeces and the wicked ones snatching away the faculties and maintenance of the Church A table wherein is set downe a collation of the whole course of Christ compared with the estate of the Church Evē as at the birth of Christ the cleerenes brightnes of God overshined the shepheards So in the primitiue
the Passion of Christ is l say our extreame neede and miserie that being conceiued and borne in sin we are guilty of the wrath of God of bodyly and spirituall of outward and inward of temporal and eternal punishment subiect to dayly and howrely perils and dangers environed with enimies the Divel the flesh and the world the world doth allure vs the flesh deceiue vs and the Diuell seduce vs. Here now our only comfort and safest refuge is the Passion of Christ in whom by whom we haue al things wherefore marke I pray you if thou desire to be cured of thy forenamed miseries he is thy Physition if Ier. 33. 16. Isa 42. 6. 1. Cor. 1. 30. Ps 24. 8. Eccl. 23. 4. Ioh. 1. 9. Ioh. 14. 6. thou be grieued with the burthen of thy sin he is thy righteousnesse if thou lacke helpe he is strength if thou feare death he is thy life if thou be in darkness he is thy light if thou wilt go into heauen he is thy way if thou seekest meate he is thy nourishment hee hath borne our infirmities and caried our sorrowes that is our punishment due for Esa 53. 4. our sins for the which he hath made satisfaction for vs. He hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when he was made a curse for vs for he hath put out the handwriting Gal. 3. 13. that was against vs contained in the law which was contrary to vs even he tooke it out of the way fastned it Col. 2. 14. vpō the Crosse hath spoiled the principalities powers and hath made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in the same Crosse And as the people which in the wildernesse were stung with the fiery Serpent and so inflamed with the heate thereof that they stood in danger of death yet looking vpon the brazen Serpent set vp Num. 21. 69. Ioh. 3. 14 4. King 18. 4. by Moses vpon the pole were healed and recovered their strength Euen so whosoeuer lifteth vp his heart by faith vnto the woūds of Christ shal not feel his own because the bloud of Iesus Christ hath cleansed vs from all 1. Ioh. 1. 7. 2. Cor. 5. 15. Rev. 17. our sin yea he hath so loued vs that hee hath washed vs frō our sins in his bloud What shal I more say if thou seek for cleansing thy selfe from thy sinns it is in his bloud Heb. 11. 32. if thou seeke for newnesse of life it is in his resurrection 1. Ioh. 1. 7. if thou seeke for reliefe of thy curse it is in his crosse if thou seeke for reconciliation it is in his going downe Apoc. 15. Gal. 3. 13. into hell if thou seeke for mortification of the flesh it is in his buriall if thou seeke for thine inheritance of Zach. 9. 11. Ioh. 19. 40. Rom. 8. 33. 34. the kingdome of heauen it is in his very entrance into heauen finally sith the treasures of al good things proceede from him let vs not seeke them at the hands of the blessed Virgin Mary nor of Paule nor yet of Peter nether of any other Saint whatsoever but only at the hands of our Saviour Iesus Christ who suffered his death on the Crosse for vs in whō we may assure our selues that what paines torments or death soeuer he suffered it was for our redemption which were dead in our sins before that all his righteousnes through faith is made our righteousnes for he himselfe alone hath fully discharged by his death the debt which all we owed and hath made vs by his passionate obedience Gal. 3 26. Gal. 4 7. the sonnes of God and fellow heires with him of eternall life Oh therefore let vs not forget so great an inheritance but take an example of those in the Desert who hauing but a glimmering of light being purblinde as it were halfe sighted yet if they could with their little sight perceiue and behold the Serpent which was a type and figure of Christ they were all cured Even Num. 21. 9. so let not thy forenamed miseries dismay thee for if thou haue but a little faith if it were but as much as a graine of mustard seede thou shalt by looking vp with the eies of thy minde vnto the Passion of Christ be most ioyfully comforted and relieved Oh! da aman tem saith S. Augustine speaking of this matter et sentit Augustine quod dico sin autem frigido loquor nescit quid loquor giue me a man that is in loue with God and he feeleth this to be true which I say but if I talke to a cold christian he knoweth not what I say Againe S. Augustine speaking of himselfe Turbabor saith he sed non perturbabor I shal be troubled but not overcome because I Augustine wil dayly thinke vpon and call to minde the woundes of my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ There is a threefold comfort against the temptation of the Diuel the flesh and the world which daily laboureth to attempt trap cause and procure vs to sin that we may forget our duty and remembrance which we ought to haue on the Passion of Christ. Our first cōfort is in this that we haue not sinned against thē but they haue offended against vs seeing that which we doe we doe it rather through the instinct of them therfore tempt accuse and condemne vs too they cannot Therefore David saith tibi soli peccavt to thee O Lord haue I sinned and done this evill Ps 51. 4. in thy sight Secondly that I hide not but confesse all these things whereof I am accused yea I doe accuse mine owne selfe and say Tibi Domine iustitia nobis cōfusio facie i To thee O Lord God belongeth mercy forgiuenesse and vnto vs good Lord shame and confusion And as the Begger in the high waies sheweth and layeth open all his soares to the passers by that they may haue the more compassion on him so O Lord I confesse all my faults vnto thee and say with the Prophet Dauid Turne thy face away frō Ps 51. 9. all my sinnes O Lord and blot out all mine offences I am the wounded man Blessed Samaritan helpe me I am the Luk. 10. 30. Luk 15. 19. wandring child that is not worthy to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy meanest servants I am the lost sheep Mat. 10. 6. O seeke and saue me The Ostridge as Historiographers write will hide her head in her fethers thinking her selfe safe enough as long as she seeth no body And man supposeth all well enough so long as his grosse grievous sinnes are not laid open to the view of the world as though hee feared the sight of man which can but punish the body more then the sight and wroth of God which can destroy both body and soule There is no hill so high but a man may climbe to the top no iourney so long but may be gone
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.
where remission is given there is no more offering Heb. 10. 18. Ier. 31. 14. for sinnes Now if thou wilt be resolved of the difference betweene the law and thy conscience that thou needest not feare the force of the law knowe this The law in a Christian ought not to passe his bounds but ought to haue dominion only over the flesh which is in subiection vnto it and ought to remaine vnder the same when it is thus the law is kept vnder his bounds but if the law presume to creepe into thy conscience and there seeke to raigne see thou play the cunning Logitian and make true division giue no more to the law then is convenient but say O law thou wouldst climb vp into the kingdome of my coÌ„science there raigne and reproue it of sinne and wouldst take from me the ioy of my heart which I haue by faith in Christ and driue mee to desperation as thou didst Iudas that I Mat. 27. 3. Gen 3. 14. might be without all hope and vtterly perish Truely this thou dost besides thine office keep thy selfe within thy bounds and exercise thy power vpon the flesh but touch not my conscience For as Satan himselfe is cast out of heaven even so likewise doth the accusation that any one can lay against thy conscience fall downe with him Now if thou wouldst knowe how c Ioh. 1. 29. I answer by the blood of the lambe who for our sinnes was hanged vpon the Crosse who by faith iustifieth sinners wherein eveÌ„ when we are accused we do overcome So that now there remaines nothing any more in heaven vnto the godly but peace and salvation with fulnesse of ioy and mirth without sadnesse health without sorrow light without darknesse and life without labour where the very ioyes of Gods presence shal be musicke to their eares a glasse to their eyes hony to their mouthes and a most sweet and plesaunt balme to their smell there shall never bee any enimies to assaile wily Serpents to beguile thee or worldly baits to intice thee but all is peace all is rest all is ioy al is securitie Thus we way coÌ„clude with the saying of a father Non meliùs poterit caro luxuriosa domari Quà m benè qualis erit post morteÌ„ praemeditari No better meane to tame the flesh That want on is and bould Then wel to waigh what it shall be Once dead and laid in mould THe fourth Motiue that shoulde stir vs vp to the earnest meditation of the Passion of Christ is the amplitude and excellencie of the Doctrine touching many difficult and high matters therein coÌ„tained and chiefely these fiue following The first point of the fourth Motiue and cause of the meditation of the Passion is the divine iustice of God not forgiving sinne without satisfaction for the law without all exception bindeth either vnto obedience or vnto punishment this order set downe in the law abideth All mankinde hath sinned Ergo al mankinde is Rom 3. 23. 1. Iohn 1. 8. condemned for if we say we haue no sin we deceiue our selves and there is no truth in vs. As corne cleane winnowed from the chaffe yet hath nature in it to yeelde chaffe againe to that which groweth of it when it is sowne so doth this nature of ours to those that spring of vs yeeld corruption originall sin though we our selues were circumcised or baptized so purged thereby from it because that purgation which some by Baptisme impute vnto vs is ever to be vnderstood thus Non vt non sit in nobis peccatum sed noÌ„ imputetur not that we are cleared from the being of any evil in vs but from the imputation of it to vs. Nay let vs know this that although Antichrist were abolished although Satan were asleepe admit the vngodlie were at one with vs although wickednes were put to slight although no euil example were giuen vs although no outward stumbling blocke were cast in our waies yet haue we one in our selues and of our selues euen original sin coÌ„cupiscence or lust which neuer resteth attempting entising and alluring vs froÌ„ good vnto euil and to desile or staine vs with al kinde of pollution and vncleanenesse according as S. Iames Iam. 1. 14. saith every man is tempted of his owne lust This original sin is the breath of that venemous subtil Cockatrice which hath infected the whole ofspring of Adam this is the sting of that old Serpent whose woundes neither Chiron Aesculapius nor Apollo can heale no nor any wight in heauen or earth sauing only God in his Son Iesus Christ This is the bitter fountaine Exampus which with his brackishnesse marreth the sweet riuer Hypanis that is to say the flowing streame of all Gods graces in vs. To turne bridle therfore to the knitting vp of the conclusion of our ArgumeÌ„t it must needs be granted that as all mankind hath sinned so al mankind was coÌ„demned This argument can none resolue and discharge saue one euen the Son of God who became man and yeelded himselfe in the supply of vs al vnto his eternal Father as an vnspotted immaculate Lambe in al things obedient to the law and suffered punishment for all mankinde who by his own satisfaction without the help of any one hath made vs partakers of his heauenly kingdome If thou wert as good as an Angel or thy meat as good as Manna that fel from heaven or thy garments as precious as Aarons Ephod or thy incense as sweete as the perfumes of the Tabernakle or the daies that thou keepest as honorable as the day in which Christ rose againe from the dead yet neither thou nor thy garments nor thy meate nor thy daies can set one of thy feet within this kingdome which is Christs for he by his owne death and passion hath satisfied for it alone yea he alone hath satisfied the law and that fiue manner of waies First he hath satisfied the law Actiuely in fulfilling it wholly Secondly he hath satisfied the law Passiuely in dying and suffering for vs. Thirdly Imputatiuely in imputing vnto vs that beleeue his Righteousnesse and innocency Fourthly Inchoatiuely in giving vnto vs the holy Ghost which frameth in vs a beginning to performe vnto God a new and acceptable obedience Fiftly hee hath satisfied the law Consummatiuely in al eternity Christ dyed for all a 2. Cor. 5. 15. Rom. 5. 6. 1. Cor. 15. 3. 1. Tim. 2. 6. 1. Pet. 3. 18. and with his bloud He clens'd our soules from deadly sinne b 1. Ioh. 1. 5. Eph. 1. 7. Heb 9. 14. Esa 53. 6. And gaue his life to ransome those Which stedfastly beleeue in him c Io. 11. 25 26 Ioh. 6. 35. Ioh. 20. 29. Ioh. 3. 16. On the third day againe he rose d 1. Cor. 15. 4. Mat. 28 6. Mar. 16. 6. Ioh. 20. 27. And came where his Disciples were e Io. 11. 20. 29. Mar. 16. 14. Luk. 24. â—6 1. Cor. 15.
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
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
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
and to 1. Tim. 2. come to the knowledge of the truth S. Bernard saith to redeeme a servant God spared not his sonne God spared not his sonne saith the Apostle but delivered him vp for vs all for theeues murtherers enimies c. Fiftly of the infinite loue and affection of our Saviour The 5 point matter of the 4 motiue and cause Pâ—â—u 8. towards mankind Solomon saith in the person of God my delight and pleasure is to be conversant among the sons of men I will remember the mercies of the Lord for the great goodnes towards the house of Esa 63. 7. Israel which he hath giuen them according to his tender loue and according to his great mercies in the ninth verse in all their troubles hee was troubled that is God bare their afflictions as if they had beene his owne The Angell of his presence saved them in his loue and in his mercy hee redeemed them and as a Father saith David hath compassioÌ„ on his childreÌ„ so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him and as far as Ps 103. 14. the east is from the weast so farre hath hee remoued our sins from vs. Cyrill saith He can no more cease to bee mercifull Cyrill and louing vnto the repentant sinner then hee can cease to be God The tongues of all men living saith Marlorate caÌ„not declare Gods mercies and loue towardes vs nor Marlorate the pennes of all the writers in the world can never sufficiently expresse the same because the multitude of all mans offences in respect of Gods loue and mercies is like a small drop of raine to the greatest sea or like a spiders web before the boisterous wind Taulerus saith that God so loued vs as if the Essence and proper health of him did consist in vs this is that loue which being once as it were quite quenched with the everlasting waters of our iniquities Rursum acceÌ„ditur intercessione atque obedientia filij Dei is again kindled with the intercession obedience of the son of God And the story of Carpus is wel known which Dionysius reciteth vnto Demophilus where these words of Christ are read I so loue mankinde that I had rather die for it than suffer it to perish And what greater loue can there be saith the scripture then a man to giue his life for his friends Thus proue we our Saviour to bee as David saith Ps 86. 15. a pitifull God mercifull and slow to anger yea such a God as his compassioÌ„ is of no short continuance but as the Psalmist Ps 103. 17. saith it endureth for ever and sheweth his loue mercies Deut. 3. 19. vnto thousands of them that loue him The fift motiue of the fift cause is the fruites The 5 cause mouing vs to the earnest meditatioÌ„ of the passion and effects of Christ his Passion that is to say all the benefits of Christ and the applying of these every one of them vnto our selues without doubting without respect of persons without particularity without any respecting of those that do beleeue The first benefites are such as take away from vs things evil and mortal whereof are seauen sorts The first is the freeing vs from Sin Christ was delivered vp for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Rom. 4. and the bloud of Christ doth cleanse vs from al our sins And without shedding of bloud is no remissioÌ„ Christ is the 1. Ioh. 1. 7. Heb. 9. 22. 1. Ioh. 2. 15. Tit. 2. 14. 1. Pet. 2. propitiation for our sins Christ gaue himselfe for vs that he might deliuer and free vs from all iniquity Christ himselfe hath offered vp our sinnes in his bodie crucified that wee being free from sin might liue vnto righteousnesse The second is the freeing vs from the curse of the law being made a curse for vs Cursed is every one that Deut. 21. 23. hangeth on a tree The third is the freeing vs from the wrath of God God raised Christ froÌ„ the dead putting out the hand writing Gal. 3. 13. Col. 2. 12. 14. of ordinances that was against vs he even took it out Eph 1. 20. Eph. 2. 15. of the way The fourth is the freeing vs froÌ„ the tyranny of the Devil Christ hath destroied through death him that had Heb. 2. 14. Hos 13. 14. 1. Cor. 15. 35. the power of death viz. the devil Our Sauiour Christ also came as S. Augustine saith at such time when learning most flourished and when the greatest Empire the Devil the world the flesh and al other subtil or politique wisdome should acknowledge their wits crafty dealing to be meere foolishnes and all powers weake before God The fift is the freeing vs from the world the vilenesse thereof Christ gaue himselfe for our sinnes that hee Gal. 1. 4. Luk. 1. 74. Gen. 22. 16 17 Ier. 31. 33. might deliuer vs from this present euill world to the end that wee beeing deliuered out of the hands of our enemies might serue him without feare The sixt is the freeing vs from death Christ hath abolished 2. Tim. 1. 10. death and hath brought life and immortality vnto light Christ saith S. Augustine was cloathed with Augustine death for death could not die but in life And as Elizeus made yron to swimme which naturally sinketh saith Cyrill so Christ by his death brought vs backe from death hell which deseruedly we should haue Cyrill entred And therefore in the praise of our Saviours victory S. Paul reioiceth and saith Death is swallowed vp into victory 1. Cor. 15. 54. The seauenth is deliuerance from damnation and hel the sonne of God hath appeared that he might destroie the workes of the deuill and therefore God sent him not into the world that he should condemne the world but that the world through him might bee saued Now followe seauen other benefits which we receiue by the Passion of Christ The first is our reconciliatioÌ„ with God By the death Rom. 5. 10. of the Son of God we are recouciled vnto God when yet we were enemies Christ is our peace And as a corner stone ioineth two wals togither so Christ our true corner stone hath reconciled both Iewes and Gentiles vnto God Eph. 2. 20. Christ hath made peace by the bloud of his owne body Col. 1. 20. shed on the Crosse Christ hath once suffered for our sins the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs to God The second is the remission of sins through Christ we haue redemption from our sins by his bloud euen the whole forgiuenesse of our sinnes The third is righteousnes Christ dyed for al that they which liue should not liue vnto themselues but vnto him 2. Cor. 5. 15. 1. Cor. 15. 3 4. The fourth is the giuing of the holy Ghost Know yee not that your bodies are the temple of the holy Ghost for yee are bought