from breaking of his leggs because he was dead already witnesse Ioseph of r Mattâ— 27.58 Arimathea that petitioned to Pilate for his body wownde it in linnen cloathes laid it in a graue which was signed with the common signet where it abode three dayes till the resurrection witnesse himselfe he bowed his head Å¿ Iob. 19 30. saith the Scripture and gaue vp the Ghost He bowed himselfe whom the Crucifiers could not bowe and gaue vp the Ghost gaue it vnto his Father who gaue it vnto him Quod amittitur necessarium est Ambrose quod emittitur voluntarium In amission the act is necessarie in emission voluntary Quis ita dormit quando voluerit sicut Iesus mortuus est quando voluit Who could euer fall asleepe so when he would as Christ died when he would t Aug. tract 119. in Iohan. Quis ita vestem deponit quando voluerit sicut Iesus mortuus est quando voluit Who euer laid aside his garment so when hee would as Christ stript himselfe out of his flesh when he had a will so to doe Quis ita cum voluerit abijt quomodo Christus cùm voluerit obijt Who so willingly departed any whither as Christ out of this world when he saw his time according to that prediction of Esay Oblatus est quia voluit whereof S. Bernard giues the reason Ipse oblatio offerens He was the Priest and the Host the sacrifice and the Sacrificer Natus est and datus est passus est and mortuus est no reason of his birth and death but his charity that made him will his will answerable to his charitie In the u Psal 40.8 40 Psalme Sacrifice and burnt offering thou wouldst not haue but a body hast thou ordayned me which latter clause though it answer not the Originall yet the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint so translate it the Apostle to the x Heb. 10 5. Hebrewes so quotes it and y Aug. enarrat in Psal 39. S. Augustine so reads it A body hast thou ordayned me a true body not a phantasticall as Manicheus a terrestriall not a celestiall body against Valentinus a body that might really suffer and not appeare to suffer against Hilary Lib. 10. de Trin. a body like vnto our body because the Host of our redemption was to be nostri generis socia nostrae contaminationis aliena sayes a Ser. 3. in Nat. Domini Leo like vnto vs in nature for whom he suffered vnlike vnto vs in sinfull nature for which he suffered The Deity was impatible no passion no sorrow no griefe could fasten vpon the Godhead the sting of death could not pierce the diuine substance God could not suffer could not be wounded could not be nayled to the Crosse could not dye b Cum mortis aculeum non possit accipere natura Deitatis suscepit tamen nascendo c. Leo ser 8. de Passione therefore suscepit ex nobis quod possit offerre pro nobis He tooke that of vs that hee might offer for vs a body capable of the Crosse of the passions vpon the Crosse of the death of the Crosse He tooke it and he offered it like vnto the Moone acceptam refero all the light receiued from the Sunne by reflection shee communicates vnto vs inferiour creatures Verbum caro factum est the Word was made flesh there he tooke it and that flâ—sh wâ—nt the way of all flâ—sh for hee died and so offered a body that might and did suffer a body that might and did dye vpon the Crosse His natiuitie was praeludium passionis a passage to his passion Borne hee was that hee might liue liue that he might worke worke that he might suffer suffer that he might die die that we might liue and be borne againe and so came he from heauen to the wombe from the wombe to the Cratch from the Cratch to the Crosse from the Crosse to the graue And thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was turned into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a body into a dead body He died for vs. And though by death Christs body was without soule yet not without God Vnio naturarum indissolubilis The soule for a time was parted from the body The Godhead neuer was distracted either from soule or body The dissolution was in one of the natures not of the natures for if the natures had beene diuided there had beene a double subsistence and so by consequence a double person which was the Heresie of Nestorius The Godhead is wedded to the Humanitie without all possibilitie of diuorce Our Sauiours soule in his Agonie felt not the presence of the Godhead yet non soluit vnionem though subtraxit visionem Leo. the vision was eclipsed the diuine vnion was not dissolued The bodie in the graue enioyes not the soule yet though the soule departed the vnion was not parted The passion of Christ saith S. Austen was the sleepe of his Diuinitie and by the like proportion may I say The death of Christ was the sleep of his Humanitie yet here 's the difference In the passion the Humanitie was forsaken of the Deity but apparently the body of the soule really Life was separated yet the Hypostasis remained So great is the vnion betwixt God and man Vt nec supplicio possit dirimi nec morte distingui Leo. That neither death nor passions could breake it asunder The Schoolemen obserue that there is Vnum per vnitatem and vnum per vnionem The Father and the Sonne are one by consubstantiall vnitie God and man are one by Hypostaticall vnion In the Father and the Son there is alius alius not aliud and aliud a personall difference but a naturall vnity In Christ there is aliud and aliud not alius and alius a naturall distinction but a personall vnion The Godhead in one act assumed the Manhood both soule and body and as vna est assumptio so vna est vnio the vnion is but one by vertue whereof he is vnited to soule and body For a demonstration hereof Bonauenture c Bonav in 3. Sent. dist 21. obserues in that vnion three things 1. Actio vnibilis 2. passio vnibilis and 3. relatio vnibilis the first is whereby God assumed man so the Word was made flesh the second whereby the humanity subsisteth in the Deity the third as there is a double relation had to soule and body So Christ is vnited by one act but yet by a double relation to soule and body double in power in the assumption of the humanity double in act in the dissolution of the humane nature Thus we see the body without a soule by death but not without the Godhead disiointed not disunited dissolued in nature not diuorced in person So we haue seene the body made a carkas let vs now see the collection the gathering together Foure things in Christ to vs are very obseruant 1. his calling 2. his
inuiting 3. his gathering 4. and his drawing of vs For the first he saith d Mat. 8.28 Venite ad me c. Come vnto me all ye that are weary and heauy laden c. For the second e Luke 14.17 He sent his seruant at supper time to inuite the guests c. For the third f Mat. 23.37 Ierusalem Ierusalem how often would I haue gathered thee together c. And for the fourth g Iohn 12.32 If I be lifted vp will draw all after me Oh the peruersnesse of man Christ calleth we stop our eares at the voyce of this celestiall Charmer he inuiteth but we make excuses hee would gather vs but wee would not yet when these will not serue O rare mercy he draweth Trahit inuitos Bâ—rn facit voluntarios He draweth vs vnwilling that he might make vs willing to be gathered I am now speaking of his gathering together and see with what passion and compassion hee speakes to Ierusalem Ierusalem Mat. 23.37 and O Ierusalem I would gather and how often would I gather thee gather thee as a Hen and as a Hen her Chickens her Chickens vnder her wings The damnable obstinacy of the Citizens that did refuse it See how opposite Christ is vnto Sathan Christ he gathereth the deuill disperseth Christ gathereth as a Hen the deuill disperseth as a Lyon Christ vnder his wings the deuill within his jawes The Prophet Dauids prayer was h Psal 17. Protect me vnder the shadow of thy wings then were Christs wings displayed when his armes were stretched out vpon the Crosse then were his armes and body open to embrace thee opened indeed by the nailes by the speare by the thornes and so he did both cor and brachia and latus aperire saith i In Lucam 14. cap. Stella opened all for thee that heauen might be opened to thee see the gathering together The Eagles then the Saints must and doe resort to this body and let it be our practice to resort vnto it by a commemoration of his death by an application of his merits Let vs remember him who hath remembred and thus remembred vs as to call to inuite vs to draw and to gather vs together Domine quid est homo Lord what is man that thou shouldest thus remember him Man forlorne man man rebellious man man sinfull man And homo quid est Deus Man what is the Lord that hee should remember thee the Lord that made thee re-made thee the Lord that gaue thee life died for thee c. It was Opus sine exemplo gratia sine merito donum sine pretio charitas sine modo saies mellisluent Bernard A worke not to be sampled grace not to be merited a gift not to be prised charity not to bee measured While the first Adam k Dormit Adam vt fiat Euaâ— moritur Christu vt fiat Ecclesia Aug. slept in the garden Eue was framed while the second Adam slept in the graue the Church was formed when the body was a carkas were the Eagles gathered together Let vs gather together his merits to vs to make them efficacious Iesu esto mihi Iesus That Iesus would be to vs a Iesus This it is to build our nests in the clefts of the Rocke The Rocke is Christ the clefts are the wounds of Christ to build our nests is by interesting our selues through faith in his merits Vt ille l August sit salus in te qui suscepit vulnera propter te That he might be a plaister an Antidote to thee that was wounded for thee and remember m Leo. Non itur ad Christum nisi per Christum no flying to Christ but by Christ therefore he saith n Iohn 14.6 I am the way the life and the truth I am the way which leadeth to the truth I am the truth that promise life I am the life which I lay downe for the life of the world Clamat errantibus Ego sum via clamat dubitantibus Ego sum veritas clamat lacescentibus Ego sum vita Bernard Christ is the way for vs to walke truth vs to direct life vs to refresh These things considered let vs take our Eagles wings that we may be safe vnder the protection of his wings and flye vnto the body So where the body is shall the Eagles be gathered together And thus much for the second exposition The third Exposition THe third generall Exposition Chrysost Theoph. Stâ—lla Ferus Maldonat expos in Loc. Mat. 24. wherein the major part of Interpreters agree That in these words an adumbration of the last iudgement is contained For in the precedent verse Christ speakes of the o Verse 30. day and that day and his day when p Verse 31. the Sonne shall be reuealed And compares it q Verse 37. to Noahs time the old world and the flood To r Verse 40. Lots time Sodom fire and brimstone tels vs how some shall be acquitted and others condemned Two men labouring in the field the one shall be receiued the other refused s Vâ—â—e 41. Two women grinding at a mill the one shall be accepted the other reiected And then shuts vp all with this Epiphonema Vbicunque faerit corpus c. and so here is vbicunque for vbi corpus for Christus Aquilae for animae nothing expressed yet all prefigured an answer that needs an answer a resolution that needs an explication with a Lord shew vs this parable Wheresoeuer the body shall be c. there is the Cortex the husk but wheresoeuer Christ shall be c. there is the Medulla the sap The body then is Christ the Iudge the Eagles are the Saints the gathering together is the generall Iudgement This is the Center whereunto the Circumference of my meditations is to be gathered together 1 Iuâ—â— The body is Christ Christ is the Iudge as humiliauit scipsum to dye for man to be iudged by man so exaltauit cum Deus to iudge his Iudges and so is fulfilled that of the Apostle The stone which the builders not onely improbauerunt but reprobauerunt not disliked but vtterly refused is become the head stone in the corner In the t Iohn 5.22 fifth of Iohn the Father iudgeth no man but hath committed all iudgement to the Sonne the Father hath surrendred and resigned all iudgement into the hands of his Sonne And therefore hee saith The Father iudgeth no man but the Sonne Before it seemed by Christs words the Father did what the Sonne doth not the Father loueth the Sonne and sheweth him all things that he doth tanquam Pater faciebat Filius videbat saith Augustine as if the Father were the Worker the Sonne the Spectator there I beheld Patrem facientem Filium expectantem the Father the doer the Son the looker on here I see Patrem vacantem FiliuÌ„ iudicanteÌ„ the Father at leasure in vacation the Sonne iudging in a
lib. de Consid ad Eugen. S. Bernard hoped of his scholler Eugenius though he were aduanced from a poore Monke to be Bishop of Rome that In se facta est mutatio non de se In that change he was not changed The Saints though their estates be changed yet they are not changed Their desire is not to be rich vnto this world but vnto God He is truly rich that aboundeth more in mercy then in substance In giuing then in taking In commending his riches to heauen Câ—â—â—sost vt supr rather then to this world Qui ad hoc viuit vt operetur ad hoc operatur vt in aeteruum viuere mereatur That liueth to worke worketh to merit merit that he might liue for euer Hitherto Chrysostome And hitherto of the first propertie wherein we are to imitate the Eagles Leâ—rne secondly of them a Sursum corda to mount with the Eagles The spirituall man hath his eleuations whereby he is eleuated aboue himselfe so Dauid u 〈◊〉 5.1 P a. 12 1. I lift my heart vnto thee and in another place I haue lifted vp mine eyes vnto the mountaines Some lift vp their eyes without their hearts as the Pharisie that drew neere with his lips c. Others their hearts without their eyes as Annah that prayed in her heart without any vocall sound Some lift vp their hearts hands and eyes inward integrity and outward profession of whom the Apostle speaketh * 〈…〉 our conuersation is in heauen And vere clati quorum conuersatio in coelis saies Gregorie Such a one was S. Paul In terra positus à terra extraneus Liued here yet a stranger while he liued here The Saints liue here but haue their conuersation in heauen Corpore ambulamus in terra corde habitamus in coelo saies x 〈…〉 Anselme Their bodies here their hearts in heauen such is their eleuation The Saints as they haue their elevation so haue they their ascensions Esay inuites vs to it Esay 2. Come let vs ascend into the Mountaine of the Lord. And y Psâ—l 15.1 Dauid demandeth Lord who shall ascend into thy holy Mountaine or who shall dwell in thy holy hill Heauen is a hill therefore we must climbe Heauen is a mountaine therefore we must ascend Faith and good workes prayer and giuing of almes ascend Let my prayer be directed into thy sight as the Incense And to Cornelius Thy prayer and thy almes-deeds haue ascended or come vp before me We are grafted saith z Rom. â— the Apostle into the similitude of his resurrection So by the same Analogie are we inserted into the likenesse of his Ascension * Preached on Sunday next aftâ—r Ascension day The Fâ—ast of the Ascension stâ—ll bleeds in our mindes Let vs therefore erect the eyes of our hearts to that height whither Christ is ascended It is the Apostles own Reason a Colâ—ss 3 1. Seeke those things that aâ—e aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Thither direct your thoughts whither Christ is ascended Ad aeterna praedectos peritura non occupâ—nt Let not momentary affaires possesse your soules that from eternitie are elected to eternitie Let not deceitfull snares make vs slacke our pace And those vanities and sinnes that may seeme faire and profitable to intice vs Non amplectâ—nda nequiter sed transcunda sunt fortiter saith b Vâ—â—m vâ—ritati◠〈…〉 sallâ—â—â— illâ—â—hâ—e non â—â—â—â—dent 〈◊〉 fidelâ—bâ—s haec â—â—mp raâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—raâ—â—ur vt pâ—re â—â—â—â—ri se in hac valle mundi â—â—â—â—ant in qua etiamsi quaedam commoda blandiâ—ntur non amplâ—ilenda nequiter sed transeunda sunt fortiter Leo ser 2. de ascens Dom. Leo Let vs not wickedly embrace thâ—m but valiantly let them goe c Heb. 12.1 Let vs lay aside euery weight and sin that doth so easily beset vs and runne with patience the race that is set before vs. Let vs shake off the fetters of sinne from the feet of our affections the dust of vanity from our wings and flie vnto the Lord like vnto the Eagles In the third place Let vs gather all the powers of our soule together to call to minde this gathering together A generall assembly the greatest Assises that euer were holden where and when all of vs must make our personall appearance for we must all appeare before the tribunall throne 2 Coâ— 5.10 saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. When the Lord of heauen shall send forth his processe no Non est inuentus shall be then returned no appearing by Attourney no pleading by an Aduocate but corpus cum cousa shall be then produced This mysterie was reuealed vnto S. Iohn d Reâ— 20.12 And I saw all both great and small stand before the Throne and the bookes were opened c. Though neuer so great yet they shall appeare before this great one neither shall the smal ones be excluded Great in grace great in dignity great in worldly preferment great in sinnes howsoeuer great Small in the worlds eye small in humble thoughts how small soeuer they shall appeare No exemption no exception no priuiledge all within the compasse of the Lords Iurisdiction all of vs owe suit and seruice to this Court For we must all appeare And there wee must be accountable for the things we doe here in the body The workes that we now doe shall giue in euidence if good for vs if bad they speake against vs. The tree shall be knowne and iudged by his fruit and as it now falleth so it lyeth No adding to what we haue not done no retracting that we haue done Too late to goe buy oyle when the Bridegroome is come or to get a wedding garment when we haue set footing within the wedding house no place for teares no time for repentance Poenitebit sed frustra poenitebit The wicked shall be pensiue but their repentance comes too late Call to minde our incorruptible Iudge who will not be imbraced with gifts allured by fauours withdrawne by promises deceiued by ignorance to whom all things are naked Say not saith Bernard the walls are round about vs we will sinne Esto quod nemo te videat non tamen nullus Be it that no man see thee yet he seeth thee who is both testis and Index e Chrysost lib. 1. de prouidentia Dei Neque enim tunc ouina pellis lupum Our sheep-skins shall not then couer our wooluish affections Neque sepulchri dealbatio internam coinquinationem nor the outward painting our inward rottenesse f 1 Cor. 4.5 for then the Lord will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of the heart Consider also that our case is life and death and that not temporall but eternall all is at the stake If the sentence make for vs then are we most happy if against vs most miserable In the sentence of consolation g Math. 25.34 euery word hath his efficacie of comfort there