sleepe and smote all his enemies vpon the cheeke bone and brought them vnto perpetuall shame and as the Apostle sayth Collos 2.15 hee spoyled principalities and powers and led away captiuitie captiue Ephes 4.8 and receiued gifts for men And therefore as many as lay hold vpon this death of Christ they need not feare their owne death for they may say with the Phenix Moritur me moriente senectus Sinne and misery dieth in vs but wee doe still liue with Christ And therefore Saint Cyprian sayth that Cyprian de mortalitate eius est timere mortem qui ad Christum nolit ire it is enough for them to feare death which will not beleeue in Christ his death John 11.26 for hee that beleeueth in him shall neuer die but they that will not beleeue in him may well feare and tremble at the remembrance of this death because after death comes iudgement and then shall they feele another death which is eternall death for the reward of sinne is death that is indeed eternall death in hell Marke 9.44 where their worme dieth not and their fire is not quenched CHAP. VI. How sinne brings eternall death both of Body and Soule THirdly Touching eternall death wee must vnderstand What eternall death is that this is a separation of man from God which is paena damni the losse of eternall happinesse a losse farre exceeding the losse of all the world and an allegation of a damned soule in a tormented body non viuendâ— sed dolendi causa not to giue any comfort of life or ioy but to giue the true sence and feeling of eternall death and sorrow which is paena sensus the payne of feeling and suffering the greatest paynes that can be conceiued for when the wicked are called by God to be adiudged for sinne they shall bee condemned by Christ Of the intollerable paynes of hell and then caried by the deuils into euerlasting torments into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euermore and there their musicke shall be horrors and howlings their meate shall be balls of fire and their drinke shall be fountaines of teares alwayes distilling downe from their eyes and yet neuer procuring them any ease there their torments shall be intollerable their times endlesse and their companions deuils for so Saint Augustine sayth August ser 55. de tempore that in inferno nec tortores deficiant nec miseri torti moriantur sed per milia milia annorum cruciandi nec tamen in secula liberandi in hell neither the cruell tormenters shall be wanting nor the miserably tormented shall bee eased but for thousand thousands of yeares bee plagued and neuer thence to bee deliuered Isidorus de summo bono and as Isidorus sayth Ibi erit semper velle quod nunquam erit semper nolle quod nunquam non erit there shall bee a will neuer satisfied and a nille neuer gratified neuer inioying the ease they would and euer suffering the paynes they would not And if we diue into the depth of that dolefull tragedie of miserable Diues wee shall see this trueth fully confirmed for as the Scripture sheweth that here iudgement shall be without mercy and that euery one shall receiue his punishment in waite and measure according to the measure of their sinnes so wee find it true it him who as hee denied the crumbes of bread to poore Lazarus so is he now denied the least drop of water to coole his burning tongue How the least comfort shall be denied vnto the damned and the least dramme of mercy to refresh his poore distressed soule quis talia fando sustinet a lachrymis Who can indure to dwell in deuouring flames and yet behold this is the reward of sinne for the wages of sinne is death Oh then A most earnest perswasion to forsake sinne beloued brethren seeing euery sinne slayeth the soule within the body corrupteth the body in the graue and eternally tormenteth both the body and soule in hell let vs hate and detest all sinnes for though wee reade of many tyrants Nero Phalaris Caligula Heliagabalus and such like that were carniuorants and blood-thirsty men sauage beasts in the shapes of men delighting themselues onely in blood cruelties yet we neuer reade of such a tyrant as Sinne for the blood of death would quench these mens rage but no payne no death but eternall death a death that neuer dieth and a paine that neuer endeth will satisfie this tyrant Sinne. This is the deceit of sinne as the Poet sayd of Venus Laeta venire Venus tristis abire solet To present pleasure or profit vnto our eyes but assoone as ouer the sinne is done to deale with vs 2 Sam. 13.18 as Ammon did by Thamar thrust her out and hate her wound our conscience and destroy our soules And therefore once againe I beseech you let vs forsake our sinnes let vs leaue our drinking our swaggering and our swearing and instead of by God by God and more fearefull oathes which I am afraid to name at euery word which is the most odious yet most carelesse custome both of Court and Countrey let vs say in truth in truth the words are as easie and they will bring more ease vnto our soules for swearing graceth not your speech but disgraceth you and dishonoureth God and therefore one day you must greatly repent you of it or you shall fearefully die for it and I beseech you pardon mee for speaking it for it is my dutie that I owe you and it would bee my destruction if I did conceale it from you Clemens l. 1. recog as S. Clemens sayth in the like case and I desire not so much with Aristotle my God of Heauen is my witnesse that I lie not to bee deemed a great Scholler as with Gregorie Nazianzen to bee indeed an honest man to liue as I teach and to discharge my duety in reprouing sinne rather then to shew my knowledge in any Science and therefore I humbly intreate you all to giue me leaue to beseech you to leaue your sinnes and because wee cannot quite forsake them to confesse them and to bee ashamed of them John 1.19 for if we confesse our sinnes God is mercifull and iust to forgiue vs all our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse But the deuill cannot indure that we should confesse them least God should thereby forgiue them and therefore as he perswadeth vs euer to commit them so he perswadeth vs euer to conceale them and neuer to confesse them For I read that on a time a sinner being at confession That the deuill cannot indure wee should confesse our sinnes the deuill intruded himselfe and came to him and being demaunded by the Priest wherefore he came in he answered to make restitution and being asked what he would restore hee sayd shame for this sayth hee I haue stollen from this sinner to make him shamelesse in sinning and
thy sake CHAP. II. How euery sinne slayeth the soule AS sinne brings a curse vpon all creatures How sinne brought on man a treble death so it brings death vpon all men for the reward of sinne is death and we finde this death to bee three fold 1. A spirituall death of the Soule within the Body 2. A corporall death of the Body by continuall castigation of the same throughout all our life and a finall seperation from the soule at the end of our life 3. An eternall death both of Body and Soule in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone foreuermore The first is set downe in the 8. of Matth. 22. Chrysost hom 11. in c. 6. ad rom Where our Sauiour sayth Let the dead bury their dead i. e. Let those that are spiritually dead in trespasses sinnes as the Apostle sayth burie those that are naturally dead to shew that a sinners body is but the breathing Sepulchre of his sinnefull soule and therfore the Prophet Dauid sayth Psal 14.5 Rom. 3.13 that their throat is an open Sepulchre which yeelds a more loathsome sent vnto the nostrils of God from the corrupted putrified soule then any graue can yeeld vnto the nostrils of man from all its rotten carkases The second is set downe in the 11. of Iohn the 39. John 11.39 where Martha sayth her brother Lazarus was dead and stinked i. e. depriued of the fruition of the soule and therefore loathsome to bee seene and more loathsome to bee smell for experience sheweth vs that how sweete soeuer we be in our life and how soft and tender soeuer our flesh bee most amiably complexioned with that fresh and liuely blood which be deckes the same with the fairest colours and glides vp and downe in siluer veynes yet are the best of these sweetest Ladies but most loathsome stinking carrions within a short space after death all flesh being subiect to corruption Luke 16.24 The third is set downe in the 16. of Luke 24. where Diues being in torments prayeth vnto Abraham to shew that he had a soule and desireth a drop of water to coole his tongue to prooue that he had a body But to speake of these three more fully First Wee must vnderstand that the spirituall death of the soule is two-fold 1. Mori peccatis to die to sinne 2. Mori in Peccatis to die in sinne Macrob. c. 1. in som scip 13. For the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole studie and life of the Philosopher was nothing else but a commentary Hieron ad Heliod ex Platone in Phaedone or preparation for death saith Macrobius Nam mori dicimur cum anima adhuc in corpore constituta corporeas illecebras contemnit for he may bee truely sayd to die whose soule still remayning within the body doth notwithstanding contemne and abstaine from all fleshly delights And this was aymed at by the Philosophers but it was onely attained vnto by the true Christians What it is to die to sinne for they that are Christs haue crucified the flesh and haue mortified the lusts of the same sayth the Apostle these haue eares and heare not the Sirenian notes of sinne nor the flattering suggestions of Satan they haue eyes and see not the alluring vanities of this world any wayes worthy to bee desired for I haue made a couenant with mine eyes Job 31. that they should not looke that is vnlawfully or with any lasciuious desire vpon a maide sayth holy Iob and I sayd I would take heed vnto my wayes sayth the Prophet Dauid that I offend not in my tongue Psal 39.1 and therefore as the Apostle sayth they vse the world as though they vsed it not To die to sinne is a punishment for sinne And although this death be good the onely way to bring vs vnto a better life for hee that will not die before he dieth shall neuer liue when hee dieth yet is this the reward of sinne for had it not beene for sinne we had not needed to take this care and payne Cyprian de duplici Martyrio to fight against our selues yea to Martyr and mortifie our own flesh by chastening our owne bodies to bring them to subiection least we should prooue to be cast-awayes as the Apostle speaketh and therefore the chastisements of the Saints are the punishments of their sinnes For the second to die in sinne What it is to die in sinne is when God forsaketh a sinnefull soule and suffereth the same to lye and die in her transgressions for as the soule is the life of the body so is God the life of the soule sayth Saint Augustine Aug. de ciuit dei l. 13. c. 21. Matth. 4.4 And therefore all those that liue by bread onely and not by euery word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God i. e. which liue the life of nature and not the life of grace they are like those wanton widdowes whereof the Apostle sayth 1 Tim. 5.6 that they are dead while they liue for though the soule be truely immortall yet it hath a kind of death sayth Saint Augustine and that is when God forsaketh the same for sinne and what a heauy case is this Plangis corpus quod deserit anima non plangis animam quam deserit Deus We bewaile the body when the soule is parted and shall wee not bewayle the soule which God hath forsaken sayth Saint Chrisostome Saint Augustine being as then a Manichee and reading the Hystorie of Aeneas and Queene Dido A most excellent consideration of Saint Augustine did weepe as himselfe confesseth when hee came to the death of Dido and therefore after that he was conuerted hee most diuinely sayth ô me miserum c. O wretched man that I was that would bewaile the death of Dido forsaken of Aeneas and did not bewaile the death of mine owne soule forsaken of God so we many times doe weepe for the death of our friends but doe neuer weepe for the death of our owne soules They may say vnto vs as Christ sayd to the daughters of Ierusalem weepe not for vs but weepe for your selues Luke 23.28 and for your owne soules that are dead in sinnes for euery one of vs may say with the poet Atque vtinam lugenda tibi non vita Repentance is the onely meanes to reuiue our dying soules sed esset mors mea Our life is a great deale more worthy to bee bewailed then our deâ—th in as much as the death of the soule is a great deale more lamentable then the death of the body But as wee haue no other remedie for the death of our friends but onely teares Est quadam flere voluptas Expletur lachrymis egeriturque dolor for this is a great ease vnto the afflicted heart and a kinde of comfort vnto the sorrowfull soule so we haue none other helpe for the death of our soules but onely teares Saepe per has
goodnesse teaching vs 1. To be afraid to sinne 2. Neuer to desp of Gods goodn 3. To imitate God in each one of the seauen forenamed points 3. By his iustice and that 1. Negatiuely not making the wicked innocent 2. Positiuely by visiting of the sins of the wicked 1. Vpon themselues 2. Vpon their children where is distinguished of 1. Parents 2. Sinnes 3. Children 4. Punishments This Treatise containeth 1. An Introduction of the excellency of the knowledge of Iesus C. wher is shewed that 1. his life is our chiefest direct 2. himselfe our onely consolatiō 2. An explication of that great mystery of the Incarnation of the Word where is handled 1. Who was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where is shewed 1. That there can be but one God and yet that there are three persons in the vnity of that one essence how these three persons are distinguished 1. By their personal actions 1. outward which are 1. Communic 2. Transcient 3. Voluntary 2. Inward which are 1. Permanent 2. Necessary 3. Incommunicable 2. By their nominall relation Father Son and Holy Ghost And that the person made is the second person of the blessed Trinitie To his father 1. Co-eternall 2. Co-essentiall 3. Co-equall And this is fully proued all obict plainely answered and from thence shewed 1. The greatnesse of Gods loue 2. The craftinesse of Satan 3. The peruersnes of hereticks 4. The vnthankfulnes of men 2. Three especiall things touching the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. 1. What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth i. e. the Word 2. Why Christ is tearmed the Word 3. Why the Euangelist vseth this word 1. Because this name of Christ was best knowne to the Iewes and to the Gentiles 2. Because it was the fit st word that he could vse to make way for his subsequent discourse 3. The impulsiue and the finall causes of the Words incarnation and the reasons why the Word rather then the Father or the holy Ghost was to be incarnate 2. What he was made flesh where is shewed 1. The manner of his conception the reasons and the end thereof 2. The matter that hee assumed 1. All our humane nature i. e. body and soule 2. All our humane frailties both of body and soule sinne onely excepted And here is shewed many excellent lessons that we ought to learne in respect 1. Of God 2. Of Christ 3. Of our selues 3. How the Word was made flesh or how the two natures diuine and humane doe make but one person in Christ where is shewed 1. The distinction of the two natures diuine and humane that they doe still remaine intire and inconfused is fully proued and the chiefest obiections made to the contrary are plainly answered 2. The vnion of the two natures in one personis explained and 1. The confirmatiō of the truth of this point is shewed and the greatest obie made against it are sufficiently answered 2. The manner of this vnion wherein it consisteth is expressed viz. 1. Not as the Arrians say onely in respect of 1. Cohabitation 2. Will and affection 3. Co-operation 4. Participation of his names and dignities vnto the manhood 2. But in the communicating of the subsistence of the Word with the subsistence of the manhood where is shewed that this vnion is 1. Inconuertible 2. Indiuisible 3. Inconfused 4. Inseperable 5. Substantiall 6. Ineffable 3. The chiefest benefits effects of the said vnion is shewed and that 1. In respect of Christ which are 1. An exēpt from all sin 2. A collation of ineffable graces into the manhood of Christ 3. A communication of the properties of each nature to the person of Ch. Where the obiection of the vbiquit indeuouring to proue the manhood inuested with Diuine properties are fully answered 2. In resp of vs viz our vnion and reconciliation with God all the happinesse we haue in this life or doe looke for in the life to come This Treatise containeth 1 An introduction of the meditation of Christ his death which is 1. Acceptable vnto God 2. Profitable for vs. 1. To hinder sinne 2. To kindle our charity 3. To erect our hope 2. A declaration of the passion of Christ wherein is handled 4. 1. The person suffering which was 1. A Man 2. A iust Man 3. A good Man 4. A King 5. A Priest 6. A Prophet 7. A God whereis shewed who are subiect to most affliction 2. The sufferings of Christ 1. In the garden of Gethsemane 1. Alone where is shewed 1. How the affections of Christ differ from ours in respect of the 1. Obiect 2. Maner 3. Effects 2. The cause of his agony in respect of 1. obiect 2. subiect where is †Explained 1. What might grieue Christ 1. In respect of himselfe 1. The greatnesse of his paine and shame 2. The deferring of his death and punishment 2. In respect of others 1. Small account he saw they would make of his death 2. The greatnesse of their punishment which hee knew they must suffer for that their neglect 2. What Christ might feare 1. The waight of sinne 2 The malice of Satan 3 The wrath of God 2 By others where is shewed 1. The treason of Iudas where is shewed 1. what Christ had done for Iudas 2. why Iudas betrayed Christ 3. how Iudas betrayed him 2. The flight of all the followers of Christ 3. The taking and binding of Iesus Christ 2. Before his Iudges viz. 1. Before Annas where 1. He is examined 1. Of his Disciples 2. Of his Doctrine 2. he is strucken by the hie P. ser 3. he is denied by his stoutest Ap. 2. Before Pilate the first time where hee is accused 1. Of impiety against God 2. Of treaso against Caesar 3. Before Herod where the mystery of cloathing Christ in white is explained 4. Before Pilate the 2. time where his scourging crowning with thorns c. is expressed 3. In Golgotha where is expressed 1. Those things that he suffered on the Cros 1. An accursed 2. A shamefull 3. A painefull 4. a lingring D where also is shewed the generality of his suffering 2. The 7. gracious words that he vttered many other speciall obseruat full of comfort 3. The necessity of Christ his sufferings in respect of the causes viz. 1. Instrumentall 1. The enuy of Satan 2. The malice of the Iewes 3. The couetousnesse of Iudas 4. The desire of the multitude 2. Efficient God himselfe for our sinnes out of the loue he bare to man 3. Finall 1. In resp of men 1 To saue the Elect by the vertue of his death 2. To make the wicked without excuse for neglecting his death 2. In resp of God for the glory of his blessed N. where is shewed that this should teach vs 1. To compassionate his death 2. To make vs thankefull for so great a benefit 3. To cause vs to loue him aboue all things in the world 4. To make vs ready to suffer any thing with him and for his sake 4. The
as hee which beleeueth in Christ as sayth the Apostle and prouideth not for his familie hath denied the faith and is worse then an Infidell and as he which professeth Christian Religion and with his knowledge and Faith and Baptisme hath no good maners no holinesse of life and conuersation which may expresse the liuelihood of this doctrine but hath onely a certaine shew of Religion hauing denied the power thereof is farte worse then an Infidell so is he which sinneth wittingly through knowledge by so much worse then he is which sinneth through ignorance as an inexcusable sinne is worse then that which hath a iust excuse And so Saint Isidore sayth Jsidorus de summo bono l 2. that tanto maius peccatum esse cognoscitur quanto maior qui peccat habetur according to the quality of the offender so is the qualitie of the offence Criminostor culpa est vbi honestior status the greater the man is which sinneth the greater is the sinne which he committeth for as Plato sayth that ignorantia potentum robustorumque hominum hostilis atque teterrima res est the ignorance of great and mighty men is a most vile and hatefull thing Why the sins of great men of eminent place are the greatest sins because it may bee very hurtfull vnto many so may we say that the sinnes of great men and of those that are in place and authoritie are exceedingly sinnefull and doe deserue the greater condemnation not onely because their sinnes are exemplarie sinnes as the old verse sayth Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis and as the prouerbe is like Priest like People Matth. 6.23 but also because in them is required the more eminent vertue wee should bee the light of the world and the great men should be the defenders of the distressed and the helpers of the needy and therefore Si lumen quod in te est tenebrae sunt ipsae tenebrae quatae erunt If thou which shouldest be at patterne of all vertue committest sinne how great is thy sin and if they which should be Patrons of the poore Preachers become robbers of the Church and they which should be Releeuers of the needy become oppressors of their neighbours how intollerable is that cruelty Surely though these things should be but small sinnes in others yet in vs they are horrible transgressions Chrysost hom 24 in c. 7. Matth. Quia impossibile omnino nobis est ad ignorantiae praesidium aliquando confugere Because it is vnpossible for vs to finde any excuse for our selues And therefore though Gentlemen and Courtiers Citizens and worldlings doe leade their liues in lewdnesse and turne the graces of God into wantonnesse and thinke it no great sinnes but either the infirmities of their youth or but the custome of their times yet in vs that are the Preachers of Gods Word or in those that are the Gouernours of the people the least sinne or mis-cariage of our selues which perhaps alijs ignoscitur nobis imputatur is but a veniall sinne in others and shall be pardoned will be found a haynous sinne in vs for which we shall be surely punished Bern. l. 2. de consid ad Eugen. for so Saint Bernard saith Inter seculares nugae nugae sunt in ore sacerdotis sunt blasphemiae Triffles are but triffles among secular men but in the mouth of the Priests triffles proue to be blasphemies and therfore the wise man saith that the meane and the simple man shall obtaine mercy Wis 6.6 when the wise and the mighty shall be mightily punished CHAP. VI. How euery sinne and the least sinne of euery one bringeth death YOu haue heard the diuersity of sinners and the inequality of sinnes and therfore I might now proceed vnto the second part which is the reward of sinne but that I may not forget to obserue that the Apostle saith indefinitely the reward of sinne is death to teach vs these three speciall lessons 1. That euery One sinne brings death 2. That the sinne of euery one brings death 3. That the least sin of any one brings death for First He sayth the reward of sinne is death not of sinnes That any one sinne is sufficient to bring death vnto the Sinner 1 Sam. 17. 2 Sam. 20 9. Sueton. in vit Caesar One is inough if there were no more For as one leake in a shippe is sufficient to sinke it and one vaynes bleeding is inough to let out all the vitall spirits and one wound may kill Golias and Amasa as well as 23 did Caesar So one proud disdainefull thought may cast Lucifer out of Heauen one Apple may cast Adam out of Paradise and one sinne may bring death vpon any one of the sonnes of Adam And therefore seeing the puritie of God can abide no sinne and his iustice will so seuerely punish euery sinne Gen. 3.24 we should not giue way to any sinne for though we keepe the royall Law James 2.10 yet if we fail but in any one point we are guilty of all not that he which committeth any one sin committeh all sinnes but that he is as guilty of death by that one sinne as if hee had committed all sinnes and God can as easily spie out one sinne in man though he had no more as well as he could spie out one man amongst his guests which had not on his wedding garment Matth. 22.12 Secondly as One sinne so the sinne of any one brings death That the sin of any one man be he great or small brings death Gal. 3.10 Jerem 22 24. for cursed is euery one whosoeuer he be that continueth not in all things that are written in the Booke of the Law for to doe them saith the Lord and the soule which sinneth that soule shall die saith the Prophet and Coniah if he offend though he were as the Signet on Gods right hand yet will God cut him off saith the Lord. But what haue not Kings and Princes Lords and Ladies great men Knights and rich men haue not they any priuiledge to haue their pleasures nor any prerogatiue to commit any sinne must they haue no more liberty then the poorest peasant Yes that they haue for when the meane men cannot offend but presently they shall be reprooued and it may be punished whereby many times they are brought to repentance and are themselues cleansed and haue their sinnes pardoned the great men The dangerous estate of Great men because many of vs dare not reproue them for feare to offend them and so to be offended by them may goe on in their sinnes without controulement they may doe it without feare though with the more danger for though it be true of a poore fearefull Preacher dat veniam coruis vexat censura columbas that he dares not reprooue these mighty men yet with God there is no respect of persons but Veniam laeso numine nullus habet If Moses the Prince of Gods people
sinne he shall not enter into the land of Canaan If Aaron the Priest doth offend Numb 20.12 the wrath of God will be soon insensed If the man of God which was a Prophet doth offend and transgresse the commandements of God he shall bee slaine by the Lyon 2 Sam. 24. and if Dauid that was both Prince and Prophet Dan. 4.35 sinne he shall not goe vnpunished and if Nebuchadnezzar which was the great Monarch doth exalt himselfe in pride against God he shall graze with the beasts of the field vntill he confesse that the most high God ruleth ouer all the Kingdomes of the Earth Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be learned all ye Nobles and all yee Iudges of the Earth and as you keepe vs in feare to offend you so let vs keep you in feare to offend your God or else you may heare that dreadfull sentence I lictor liga manus Goe executioner binde those Kings in fetters and those Nobles with links of yron and then cast them into vtter darknesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Psal 149.8 Thirdly we must note that as any one sinne and the sinne of any one That the least sinne brings death so the least sinne as well as the greatest sinne of any one brings death for not onely those seauen sinnes which the Romanists call the seauen deadly sinnes and which they briefly comprehend in the word Saligia according to that verse Vt mortem vites semper Saligia vites Where S a l i g i Gen. 4.10 c. 19.13 Exod 22.23 Jam. 3.4 a signifieth 1. Superbiam Pride 2. Auaritiam Couetousnesse 3. Luxuriam Luxurie 4. Inuidiam Enuie 5. Gulam Gluttony 6. Iram Wrath. 7. Acidiam Sloth Nor yet those foure great sinnes which the Scripture calleth crying sinnes expressed in that distiche Clamitat ad Coelum vox sanguinis Sodomorum Vox oppressorum merces retenta laborum 1. Murder 2. Sodomie 3. Oppression of Widdowes and Orphans 4. Detayning of the Labourers wages Nor yet that great Master-sinne Idolatrie which doth quite separate vs from God and doth for euer vnite vs vnto the Diuell without great and vnfained repentance doth bring death vnto vs but euery sinne and any sinne whatsoeuer brings death vnto the sinner For the reward of sinne be it little or be it great is death for as the small egge of a Cockatrice will proue in time to be a deuouring Serpent and as the little theeues if they once get in at the windowes will soone like Sinon set open the doores for the greater Theeues to enter in and to despoile vs so these little sinnes that at the first we deem veniall will grow by custome to be very great and will in time make way for the greatest of all But Saint Hierome saith Nescio an possumus leue aliquod peccatum dicere quod in dei contemptum admittitur Hee knoweth no reason why any sinne should be thought to be small when as they are all and euery one of them all is committed against the eternall Maiestie of the incomprehensible God And yet Satan at the first will perswade vs that we need not make such great account of such small sinnes such veniall sinnes Richardus de differen mortalu venpeccati quibus nunquam debetur poena eternae damnationis to which eternall damnation can neuer be due as Richardus saith but when we haue vsually practised them and throughout our whole course of life continued in them How subtlely Sathan deales with men to make them sinne and then to bring them to despaire then will he at last open our eyes to let vs see our selues where we are euen in the midst of Samaria and in the hands of all our greatest enemies and then as Cyrus promised those that would warre with him against the Medes to make euery Footman an Horseman euery Souldiar a Captaine and euery Captaine a Colonell so Satan will make euery veniall sinne mortall and each mortall sinne irremissible O quantum mutatus ab illo Hectore Qui color albus erat num est contrarius albo O how is he and how are our sinnes now changed he that was an Angell of light to perswade vs vnto sin is now become a Diuell of darkenesse to bring vs to despaire for sinne and those sinnes which seemed to be but Mole-hills doe now shew themselues to be bigger then Mountaines And no maruell Nam sicut ebrius quando multum vini ingurgitat c. For as hee that filleth himselfe with Wine doth for the present feele no hurt How sinne blindeth vs at the first that we cannot perceiue its vglinesse yea though he sustained many losses but within a while he shall cleerely perceiue how greatly hee was thereby indammaged euen so peccatum donec consummatur obtenebrat mentem c. Sinne while it is in action and before it be consummate doth so obtenebrate and darken the minde of man and as a thicke cloude ouer-shaddow it that it cannot perceaue the vglinesse of sinne but when the sinne is once finished and those mystie cloudes of stupidity which Sathan sets before our eyes be vanished Tum conscientia insurgit then doth the conscience awake and arise and worse then any accuser lay to our charge the foulenesse of our sinne and so vexe our soules with the feare of the greatnesse of the punishment Sophocl Sueton in vit corum as we may see in the liues of Oedipus that incestuous King of Thebes and of Tiberius Nero and others whereof you may finde more in my Treatise of The delights of the Saints That we should carefully take heed not to commit the least sinne And therefore Saint Augustine doth most wisely aduise vs Non despicere peccata nostra quia parua sed timere quia plura Not to be fearelesse of our sinnes because they are small but rather to be the more afraide of them because they are many and specially seeing that the smallest beasts are as full of deadly poyson and the least creatures are as able to destroy vs as the greatest Aug. de dâ—cem chordis for nunquid minutissima sunt grana araneae Are not the sands of Sea very small and yet if you take too many of them into your Ship Flumina magna vides paruis de fontibus orta plurima collectis multiplicantur aquis they are able to sinke her Et quam minutae guttae pluviae and how small are the drops of raine and yet you see flumina implent domos deijciunt what floods they make and what mighty holds they haue ouerthrowne They haue destroyed the whole world Euen so the least sinnes doe make vs as liable vnto death as the greatest for you see Adams eating of an Apple doth as well cast him out of Paradise as Lucifers vsurping the dignity of God and denyall to submit himselfe to Christ did cast him out of Heauen and Vzza's touching of the Arke brings
death vpon him as well as Iudas his betraying of Christ causeth him to hang himselfe And therefore timenda est ruina multitudinis etsi non magnitudinis We should as well take heed to be destroyed by the smallest Aug. de vera relig in ep 138. as by the greatest things Nam quid interest ad naufragium c. For what skils it whether the Ship suffers wracke from one huge billow that ouer-whelmes her or by some small Leakes which in time doth sincke her So what difference is it Luc 16.21 with Diues to be sent to hell for his daily denyall of his crummes of bread vnto poore Lazarus 1 King 21.16 or with Achab for once taking away of Naboths Vineyard or with our continuall swaggerers for daily swearing and loose-liuing or with the blood-like Caine that doe though but seldome commitimmane and fearefull murthers surely none but this that they doe walke diuers wayes but do meete in the end at the same place And therefore the very heathen man could say Cicerol 1. offic Qua parua videntur esse delicta c. Those sinnes which seeme to be so small as that they scarcely be perceiued to be sinnes by many ought with all care diligence be to auoyded or otherwise we shal find our Sauiours words to be true that for euery moment of time that we haue spent in vaine Matth. 12 39. and for euery idle word that we haue spoken to no purpose we shall render an account at the last day For the reward of Sinne be it neuer so little is Death And so much for the first part the worke done i. e. Sinne. Part. 2. PART II. The payment for Sinne. i. e. Death For the reward of Sinne is death CHAP. I. Of the deceit of Sinne. Of the great deceit of sinne in promising much and performing the cleane contrary YOu saw the Worke you see the Wages and thereby you may see the deceit of sinne Fronte polita Astutum vapido seruat seruat sub pectore vultum For it will appeare at first with a Syrens face most delightful but it wil proue at last to haue a Serpents sting and to be most wofull and you may easily find almost infinite instances of this trueth Gen. 3.6.7 for Eue saw the tree was good for meate and pleasant to the eye and a tree to be desired to make one wise therefore she tooke and did eate and gaue vnto her Husband But then saith Moses their eyes were opened and they knew they were naked naked in body naked in soule naked of all grace and naked of all goodnesse and therefore you see the Serpents promise to make them like Gods made them like Diuells and that the desire of delight and ostentation did worke their griefe and confusion Cle. Al. l. 3. Strom Iustin Martyr apol pro Christianis Sulpit l. 1. de sac hist Gen 6.1.2 So the sonnes of God that is not the Angels as Clemens Alexandrinus Iustin Martyr Sulpitius Lactantius and others thought but the godly sonnes of Seth as Saint Augustine and others doe most truely collect did see the daughters of men that is of the posterity of Caine that they were faire and therfore they tooke them wiues of all that they liked and what could they haue more then to haue their owne desires but what saith the Text when they thought themselues most happy then did they feele the greatest misery for suddenly the flood came and tooke them all away Mat. 24.9 So Saul thought to make aduantage by sauing Agag and the fattest of the Cattle but thereby he lost his Kingdome from his Off-spring 1 Sam. 15.9 So Iereboam thought to establish his Throne by his Idolatry but it proued to roote out all his Posterity 1 King 12.28 and so as the Scripture sheweth we finde the same truth in all other particular sinnes for though the Harlots words be sweet her countenance faire Prouerb 7.27 c. 9.18 and her bed perfumed yet her house saith Salomon is the way to the graue her chamber is the doore of death and her guests are in the depth of Hell and the very Heathen man could say Meritrix meum herum miserum Plantus Truc sua blanditia intulit in pauperiem spoliauit bonis luce honore atque amicis This Harlot with her cogging flattery hath impouerished and vndone my poore miserable Master she hath spoyled and depriued him of all his goods honour friends and all So though stolen waters be sweet and the bread of deceit is pleasant vnto a man yet afterwards his mouth shall be filled with grauell Prou. 20.17 and though the Wine seeme Cos to the drunkard that is to haue colorem odorem saporem an excellent colour in the glasse a pleasant smell in the nostrels and a sweet taste in the mouth yet in the end it will bite like a Serpent Prou. 23 32. it will hurt like a Cockatrice It will Circe-like transforme Men to Swines Virgil and make them with Vlysses fellowes to become worse then the very beasts When as the Poet saith Et pudor probitas metus omnis abest Wee shall finde in them neither feare of God nor shame of face nor scarce any quality or propertie of man besides humane shape for as Propertius saith Vino forma perit vino corrumpitur aetas Propertius l. 2. eleg vlt. Vino saepe suum nescit amica virum By Wine the beauty failes by Wine man waxeth olde Vt Venus enervat vires sic copia Bacchi tentat gressus debilitatque pedes Festus Anieno de ven vino by Wine the wedded wife with strangers will be bold And to be briefe though young men and Gallants doe reioyce in their youth and walke in the wayes of their hearts and in the sight of their eyes that is inioy what pleasure soeuer they will what their eye seeth or what their heart desireth yet in the end God will bring them to iudgement for all those things and then shall their bread in their bellies be turned into the gall of Serpents Eccles 11.9 And so euery sinne is like it selfe like Duke Ioab whose words were smoother then oyle when he saide vnto Amasa Est ne pax mi frater 2 Sam. 20.9.10 Is it peace brother and yet while the tongue called him brother his sword stab'd him to death like an enemie So sinne as it were a cunning Apothecary that writes on the out-side of his boxe Pharmaca medicines when as within there is nothing but Venena poysons Proponit quod delectabile supponit quod exitiale vngit pungit It promiseth wealth but it bringeth woes Reuel 8.13 Woe woe woe to the Inhabitants of the Earth Vae propter culpam vae propter tribulationem mundanam vae propter paenam aeternam Woe for our offences woe for our miseries woe for our eternal punishment and it annointeth vs with oyle
but it stingeth vs to death And so indeed it is like the Deuill Cyprian l. 1. ep 8. a lyer and the father of lies Quia peccatum mentitur vt fallat vitam pollicetur vt perimat Because euery sinne lies that it may deceiue vs and proposeth pleasure that it may bring vs into paine Venerab Beda l. exhort 4 5. Venerable Bede compareth sinne vnto a Witch which transformeth euery man vnto a Monster as Lust maketh a man like a Syren or an Horse to yeane after his neighbours wife Sloth makes him like an Asse or Ostridge Crueltie like a Wolfe or Hyenna Couetousnesse like the rauening Harpies and so euery other sinne makes the poore Sinner to become Monstrum horrendum ingens cui lumen ademptum The most vgly Monster vpon the face of the earth Why then should we not hate this sinne which speaketh friendly vnto vs and promiseth great felicity but in the end brings vs to the extreamest misery Bern. insentent Quia via peccati ingredientes contaminat progredientes obstinat egredientes exterminat Because as Saint Bernard saith sinne in the first entrance defileth in the progresse hardneth and in its going out destroyeth euery Sinner and as Salomon saith of the Harlot her wayes leade vnto death and her footsteps take hold of Hell so the same is most true of sinne and therefore if any man should be asked what hee doth in sinne hee might iustly answer as an old Courtier did when he wâ—s demanded Euery sinne payeth the same wages though it promiseth seuerall pleasures what he did in Court I doe nothing but vndoe my selfe For the reward of sinne is death And here likewise you may obserue that although euery sinne doth not promise the same thing for some sinnes promise pleasure some profit some honour and some one thing and some another yet euery sinne brings vs to the same end and in the end payeth vs with the same reward for the reward of sinne of any sinne is death But because Thriuerus Apoth 19. as many doe make none account of most deadly diseases by reason that they are ignorant of the dangerous effects of the same Ita multi euidenter peccant quia turpitudinem consequentiam peccati perspectam non habent So many men feare not to sinne but doe as smoothly drinke vp the same as pleasant Wine because they doe not vnderstand the filthinesse and wretched effects of sinne and because as if a man might with his outward eyes behold the beauty of vertue and goodnesse mirabilem amorem excitaret sui It would wonderfully inflame their hearts with the loue thereof So if we did behold the loathsomnesse of sinne and consider well the fearefull euents thereof it would make vs with Iob Iob 42 6. to abhorre our selues in Dust and Ashes Therefore I will search a little further into this Labyrinth of sinne and take a little more paines to vnfold the miserable effects of the same for the reward of Sinne is Death When sinne is first committed it wil presently gall and wound our consciences and it will continually shew vnto vs how good a Law is violated how great a Maiestie is offended and how grieuous a punishment we haue deserued and a the Poet saith Occultum quatiante animo tortore flagellum Juven Satyr 13. When the great Tormentor will shake his hidden whip in the soule of the offender then is he troubled night and day walking in the hands of his executioner and sleeping like the Nightingall which hath alwayes a pricke before her breast Neither is this all for the reward of sinne is death Now by Death By Death are vnderstood all the miseries contayned vnder the curse of God we must vnderstand not onely the separation of the body and soule of man but all other things that are comprehended vnder the curse of God for the curse of God and the Death of Man are Voces aequipollentes equiualent termes and doe signifie the same thing and therefore as Saint Paul saith here The wages of sinne is Death So he saith else-where out of Moses Gal. 3.10 Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Booke of the Law for to doe them And we find that the curse of God for the sinne of man extendeth it selfe 1. To all those creatures that were created and made for the vse of man 2. To all the properties and faculties of each part of man Rom 8 20. and 22. First The creature was made subiect vnto vanity and groaneth and trauelleth in paine vntill now not of it owne accord but by reason of the transgression of man the earth was accursed for his sake and the very Heauens were subiected vnto vanity and as then hee dealt with Adam so euer since he dealeth in like manner with all the sonnes of Adam Psal 107.34 for he maketh a fruitfull land barren for the iniquity of them that dwell therein that is either such as bringeth forth no fruits at all or else such as where Infaelix lolium steriles dominantur auenae How the earth is accursed and her fruits by reason of our sinnes The good seed is ouergrowen with darnell smothered with thornes or spoyled with cockle for though the earth was made to yeeld vs fruits of increase yet instantly vpon our sinning the grounds denied to pay her tribute vnlesse as the Poet sayth iuncto boue aratra trahuntur we doe rippe vp her bowells to fetch it out of her bellie And yet this is not all for though we manure the ground and plant the seede neuer so fayre yet except the Lord giues the increase all our labour is but in vaine And the Lord tells vs plainely that if we cease to sinne and serue our God Psal 107.35 he will make the Wildernesse a standing water and water springs of a drie ground but if we continue in sinne and sow iniquitie Hosea 8.7 hee tells vs plainely wee shall reape but vanitie and if we sow the wind wee shall reape but whirlewind for our haruest And therefore if God stoppeth the windowes of Heauen and withholdeth the raine from vs 1 Reg. 17.1 as he did in the dayes of Elias and so causeth the Heauens to be as brasse and the earth to be as iron vnder our feete the one yeelding no dew the other bearing no fruit or if God openeth the Cataracts and floodgates of Heauen Gen. 7.11 as hee did in the dayes of Noah and so cause the Heauens to weepe and the floods to cary away our fruits before we can carry them into our barnes then must we know Saluian Massaliâ— de guber dei that all this and whatsoeuer of this kinde happeneth to vs is inflicted vpon vs for our sinnes quia ira diuinitatis est paena peccantis because all the grieuous effects of Gods wrath Gen. 3 17. are the iust deserts of mans sinne for cursed is the Earth for
all the faculties of the soule Our will is guided by our iudgement saue onely the vegetatiue as Nyssenus saith yet of it selfe it hath no light but is inlightned by the reason iudgement of the vnderstanding Viues l. de anima And therefore actus voluntatis à voluntate producitur sed à ratione suadetur The Act of the will is produced by the will but it is induced and moued by the reason saith Viues And therefore if the vnderstanding be darkened Matth 15.14 it is no maruell that the will should be corrupted for if the lame will carry and command the blinde vnderstanding and the blinde reason doe leade and guide the lame will then are both like to fall into the Ditch Of the perfection of Adams vnderstanding But though the vnderstanding of Adam in Paradice was so perfect that he knew his God which made him his wife to be bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh though hee neuer saw her before and all the other creatures so well that at the first sight he was able to giue them names agreeable to their natures Gen. 2.20.23 yet now the vnderstanding of all men iâ— so blinded that it cannot see the light of any Diuine truth How our vnderstanding is now darkened through sinne Peccatum enim tenebrae for sinne is as the blacknesse of darknesse and as a deepe dungeon wherein there is no light and all sinnes are called the workes of darkenesse not onely because they are done in darkenesse or at least desired to be kept secret but also because they are the workes of them whose vnderstandings are so darkned that they cannot perceiue the excellency of the Grace of God Rom 13.12.13 but doe thinke all the mysteries of our faith to be not onely mirabilia strange and wonderfull but also incredibilia impossible and incredible and therefore whatsoeuer we doe say of grace and of spirituall things Ephes 5.8 they are but foolishnesse vnto them for as in the night time when there is no light a bush seemes a man and a man a beast and we iudge Lead to be siluer Brasse Gold and Gold no better then Copper So those men qui sordide viuunt Chrysost hom 4. in Iohn which do loue liue in iniquity can no wayes vnderstand the excellency of piety saith Saint Chrysostome And therefore sinne brought this infirmitie vpon vs to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Darkned in our vnderstandings and our fathers affected-knowledge of good and euill brought inflicted ignorance of all good vpon all his children for as we reade of a certaine Widdow Ephes 4 1â— that desiring to see better then she did had her eyes so cunningly closed by a subtle and a false Physition that while she hoped for a greater measure of sight How Adam by affecting knowledge brought ignorance vp-all his posterity he stole away all the treasure that she had and then hauing her eyes opened and seeing how shee was cozened shee worthily complained that she saw worse then euer she did before So Adam desiring to know much and to see better then he did before became indeed to know iust nothing and to see himselfe in a farre worser state then euer he was before for God is light and in him there is no darknesse at all and therefore falling away from God wee are depriued of all light 1 John 1.5 and are plunged into the place of vtter darkenesse Iohn 12.35 and therefore as he that walketh in darknesse knoweth not where he goeth so we being separated from God wee know not what is truth we know not what is good And the Philosophers themselues the seekers and searcherâ— after Knowledge did finde to their endlesse griefe The Philosophers saw and professed the blindnesse of all men that when they had turned their strength into weaknesse their marrow into drynesse and their colour into palenesse by their continuall watchings and indefessed vnwearied studies and musing to get knowledge they attained at length to no more but hoc vnum scire se nihil scire to know this one thing that they knew iust nothing And as our Sauiour said to Nicodemus in the like case if they could not attaine to the knowledge of earthly things Iohn 3.12 how should they vnderstand heauenly things For although the vnderstanding which Nazianzene calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eye and lampe of reasâ—n should be exceeding sharpe to discerne the alterations of the skyes to enter into the secrets of nature How sharpe our vnderstanding is in natural things to reach vnto the height of heauen and the deepnesse of Hell it selfe yet in things concerning God he could reach no further then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such points as might be manifested by demonstration as Saint Clement speaketh For if we talke of Christs conception by the holy Ghost How blockish euery man is naturally in the mysteries of our Faith without the helpe of man of his birth of a pure Virgin without breach or impeachment of her Virginitie of his Death as the Sonne of God personally vnderstood for otherwise the Diuine Nature is impassible and so of his resurrection as hee is the Sonne of Man and of the resurrection of all flesh at the last day and such liâ—â— Mysteries of our Faith then both the wise Grecians euen all the Schoole of Athens and the foolish Iewes euen all the whole ranke of Rabbies will count each point 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fained thing cry out with the Athenians Act. 17.18 What will these bablers say for as the eye of man saith S. Augustine being either blinde or pur-blinde cannot presently discerne the cleerest obiect euen so saith he Animus pollutus aut mens turbata deum presentem videre non potest the minde that is distracted with worldly cares or the soule that is polluted with filthy sinne can neither vnderstand God nor godlinesse And therefore Moses saith that all the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart were onely euill continually Gen. 6.5 Tit. 1 15. Rom. 8.6 and Saint Paul saith that our very mindes are defiled and our wisedomes death but if the light that is in thee be darkenesse how great is that darkenesse if our mindes and vnderstandings be thus blinded and defiled through sinne in what case shall the other faculties of the soule be What an excellent facultie the memory is Sabel l. 10. c. 9. Exemp de memor Thirdly for the memory It is a faculty qua repetit animus quae fuerunt Whereby the soule retaineth as it were in her sight and knowledge all the things that are past Et hoc nil sanctius nil vtilius homini dedit Deus and it is the best and most excellent gift that God bestowed on man saith Sabellicus for this is the Treasurer of all Learning and the Keeper of all those Arts and Knowledge which by great study and labour we haue
but hee not contented to be a man aboue these but desiring to be a god aboue all was made a worme and no man inferior vnto all and then all like Acteons dogges seeing vs metamorphosed from men to worse then beasts began to rebell against vs and most furiously to pursue vs Gen 19.24 the fire to consume vs as it did Sodome and Gomorrah 2 Sam. 24. the ayre to infect vs as it did the Israelites in the time of Dauid the water to drowne vs as it did the whole world in the dayes of Noah Gen. 7.23 the earth to swallow vs as it did Corah Num. 16.32 Dathan and Abiram and all other creatures to deuour vs as the beares did those children that mocked Elizeus the Starres in their order Judg. 5.20 did fight against Sisera and since we haue sinned and rebelled against the Lord there is no creature but hath cast away the created yoke of obedience and haue rebelled against vs so that now hic labor hoc opus est It is a taske too great for Hercules to bring them againe to the obedience of man And thus you see that from our first entrance into this wretched life sinne laboureth still to kill vs and doth at all times and by all meanes vexe vs grieue vs weaken vs by passions sorrowes sicknesses and such like and will neuer leaue vs vntill it layeth vs downe in the dust and therefore that all these are the prodromi the fore-runners and beginnings of death or rather like so many little deaths that doe bring vs vnto our last and fatall death For all these are the reward of sinne and therefore branches of this death And so you see what is meant by Death For the second point hauing seene what is meant by death Of the large extent of death that is all the miseries that doe consume and waste our liues we are now to consider how farre this death extendeth And this the Apostle sheweth briefly when he saith Statutum est omnibus semel mori It is appointed for all men once to die Heb. 9.27 and the very Heathens say as much Seneca Lex vniuersa iubet nasci mori It is an vniuersall Law and a debt that we owe and must pay to Nature that euery one which is borne to life should passe away by death Laertius lib. 2. c. 3. And therefore when it was told Anaxagoras that all his sonnes were dead he answered Sciebam me genuisse mortales I knew that I had begotten mortall creatures for as nullis amorest medicabilis herbis so nihil est moderabile morte There is nothing in the world that can moderate the rage or preserue vs from the fatall stroke of death Non Torquate genus Horatius lib. 4. non te facundia non te restituet pietas saith Horace vnto his friend Torquatus And we see the faith of Abraham the strength of Sampson the wisedome of Salomon the riches of Craesus and the Kingdomes of Alexander could not preserue them from Death Polydor Virgil writeth that King Canutus seeing the Sea beginning to flow said I command thee not to touch my feete but his command was bootlesse for he had scarce ended his Edict but the surging waue dashed at his teeth So we may out-braue death in words but we may be sure that as the Sea so Death How vnresistable is death antiquum obtinebit will keepe his old wont Yea though wee could hinder the course of the Sea for meanes haue been found to tame the fiercest beasts to breake the hardest marble to mollifie the impenetrable Adamant and to deale with the Seas as Xerxes did with the waters of Hellespont or Caesar with all the Riuers of Germany yet is there no meanes in the world to escape the hands of death and therefore Saint Augustine saith August Psal 121. Resistitur ignibus vndis ferro resistitur regibus imperijs venit vna mors quis ei resistit Fire Waters Swords Kings Kingdomes were resisted but who hath euer withstood the stroake of death Quia nec miseretur inopum nec reueretur diuites Because as Saint Bernard saith it neither pittieth the poore Ber. de conu cler nor regardeth the rich but Nereus the faire Thirsites the soule Craesus the rich Irus the poore Solym the cruell Solyman the magnificent Diomedes the Prince and Damaetas the Peasâ—nt must all fall downe at Deaths feet Because that no teares no prayers no threatnings no intreâ—tings will serue the turne to turne away the face of death So stiffe so deaffe so inexorable is death How the Egyptians expressed death to be the sole enemie of all men And therefore the Egyptians in their Hierogliphickes painted Death like a Goddesse holding a sickle in her hand with this inscription Nemini parco I spare no man And because they found her so hard-hearted so implacable and so inexorable that nothing could appease her wrath when she did meane to cut vs downe but that she tooke the Husband from the bosome of his louing wife and the Parents from the poore helpelesse Infants and so fulfilling her owne will and carefull for none else therefore they built her no temples they offered no sacrifice they celebrated no rites vnto her but seeing she vsed all alike Constantinus imperator famulus meus making no difference betwixt Agamemnon and Thirsites therefore all vsed her alike and stood all vpon their guards to defend themselues so well and so long as they might against all her darts though they knew that in the end she would ouercome them all because they had all sinned and the reward of sinne is death Psal 50.22 O consider this all ye that forget God all ye that neglect God all whosoeuer Kings Lords and great men old and yong rich and poore one with another for though you liue like gods and none dare say why doe you so yet you shall die like men and if you fearelesly commit the sinne I dare boldly say that you shal be sure Aequo pode pulsat pauperum tabernas regumque turres Horatius most fearefully to indure the punishments for as you see Death spareth none but cutteth downe as well the Cedars of Lebanon and the Oakes of Bashan as the Shrubs of Cades So much lesse will God spare any man that sinneth CHAP. V. How Death worketh variably in diuers respects and the diuers causes thereof FOr the third point we must consider that although Death passeth ouer all yet that it worketh not vpon all alike but worketh variably and that as we find it in foure speciall respects 1. Of the manner 2. Of the time 3. Of the place 4. Of the effects or consequents of Death For the first we finde that there be more wayes of death then there be meanes to preserue our life for as the Poet saith Mille modâ—s laethi miseros mors vna fatigat Though there is but one way for all men to come into
Seneca epist 25. efficere mortem sibi familiarem to make death his companion and as his wife that should euer lye in his bosome that by the continuall sight of death he might be euer kept to abstaine from sinne for the couetous man might be the easier drawne to contemne the trash and trumperies of this vaine and transitorie world if hee did beleeue that hee should presently dye for so prophane Esau sayth Loe I die Facile contem nit omnia qui credit se cito moritâ—rum Hieron in ep ad Paulin Eccles 10. Incert autâ—r and what good will my Birth-right doe vnto me So the proud man would let fall his Peacocks feathers if he could thinke that hee is but dust and ashes and that when he dieth hee shall inherite wormes as the wise man sayth Omnia Caesar habet sed gloria Caesaris esse desinit tumulus vix erit octo pedum And that if he triumphed in his life like Caesar to bee the sole Monarch of the world yet would his glory soone fayle when death should locke him vp in his coffin and so of all other sinnes the frequent meditation of death is the onely preseruatiue against them For as one truely sayth of himselfe Quum recordor quod sum cinis Et quam citâ— venit finis Sine fine pertimesco Et vt cinis refrigesco When I thinke I am but dust And how soon to earth I must Bernard in carm Then incessantly I shake And as dust it doth me make So questionlesse if wee did continually thinke of death and fixe that fearefull day of Gods iust iudgement before our eyes it would bee a maruelous great meanes to deterre vs from all sinnes And as the meditation of death doth preuent sinne Bosq p. 12. de finibus honorum so it sweetneth death and makes it farre the lesse terrible vnto vs for if our eyes be dead and weaned from beholding vanities The frequent meditation of death is a great meanes to preserue vs from the feare of death our eares from hearing the Syrens songs of sinnefull pleasure and our hearts especially from the loue of vaine and worldly things then certainely they will not being thus mortified and accustomed with this death to sinne bee any whit afrayd of the death of the body which is the reward of sinne but as a horse that is to runne a race hauing often walked his way before is the more fearelesse to goe on when hee comes at the day of triall so the man that is acquainted with the wayes of death through the daily meditation of death is not afrayd to die when he seeth the day of his dissolution Palladius reports it that an Eremite being at the point to die his schollers and friends asked him if death did not seeme terrible vnto him hee smilingly answered that death was no stranger but a most familiar acquaintance to him it was his manuall and his vade mecum his table-booke which he alwayes carried about him and therefore dying he did but now repeate that his old lesson which hee had beene long in learning O that it were so with euery one of vs that throughout all our life wee would learne to die The application of Christs death is the onely cause that maketh vs happie after death Osee 13.14 that hauing made death present with vs before it comes it may neuer proue terrible vnto vs when it comes Of the third the Diuine veritie sayth that the chiefest cause the onely cause indeed of this different effect of death is the application of the death of Christ for it is he that saith O death I will be thy death O graue I will bee thy destruction and therefore as when Alexander ouerthrew the walles of Thebes Phryne a harlot promised to build them vp againe if shee might ingraue vpon them this inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alexander battered downe this Wall but Phryne built it vp againe so we may truely say that Eue threw downe these muddie walles of ours but Christ doth rayse them vp for though the wages of sinne are death Rom. 6.23 yet the grace of God brings eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. And the manner how he doth deliuer vs and metamorphose death to become life vnto vs he himselfe doth shew when hee sayth if I be lift vp I will draw vp all vnto my selfe i. e. if I die I will destroy the power of death for so the Apostle sayth That forasmuch as the children were partakers of flesh and blood John 8.28 and C. 12.32 Heb. 2.14 15. he himselfe likewise tooke part of the same that through death hee might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Deuill and deliuer them that through the feare of death were all their life time subiect vnto bondage 1 Machah 6.46 Iudges 16.30 and therefore as Eleazer by his owne death did put the great Elephat to death and Sampson by pulling downe the house vpon his owne head did put to death all the Philistines so Christ by his owne death did put the deuills Origen hom 8. in Iohan and all the powers of darkenesse vnto death and therefore Origen sayth that vpon the crosse of Christ two were crucified that is Christ and the deuill but after a diuers manner for Christ was crucified visibly and most willingly for hee layd downe his life himselfe but the deuill was crucified inuisibly and most vnwillingly Matth. 12.29 for this strong man armed was faine to bee bound before Christ could spoyle his house And the Lord speaking of his enemies and saying that hee would be vnto them as a Lion Ose 13.7 would obserue them as a Libbard in the way of Ashur doth foreshew vnto vs both the destruction and the manner of the destruction of these our spirituall enemies for in being like a Lion he sheweth their destruction and in being like a Libbard he sheweth the manner The manner how Christ by death ouercame death how hee would destroy them for it is obserued of the Libbard that he vseth this pollicie to kill those Apes that doe molest him first he lyeth downe as dead and suffereth the apes to mocke him and trample him and to insult ouer him as much as they will but when he perceiueth them to be wearied with leaping and skipping vpon him he reuines himselfe on a sudden and with his clawes and teeth he teareth them all to pieces euen so our Sauiour Christ suffered the deuill and death and all the wicked Iewes like apes to mocke him to tread him and trample him vnder feete to crucifie him to burie him to seale vp his graue and to haue armed Souldiers to watch him that hee should not rise any more and it may be to knocke him on the head againe if he sought to reuiue but when hee saw they had done their worst and that they could doe no more Psal 78.66.67 Hee waked as a giant out of
praecipua laudatio est c. This is one of the chiefest commendations of God that he hath no meane nor measure in him for his power his vertue his Maiestie How the Fathers doe extoll the power of God cannot be contained in place determined by time expressed in words nor conceiued in our best vnderstandings our sence is too narrow our wit is too blunt and our tongue too mute to performe so great a taske because as the Psalmist speaketh Psal 145.3 There is no end of his greatnesse And therefore Saint Augustine saith excellently well Demus Deum multa posse nos intelligere non posse That we must grant that God can doe many things Aug. ep 3. ad Volusian which we must confesse wee can neither search out the cause nor vnderstand the things because the power of God is not to be straitned within the compasse of our shallow apprehensions How great a sinne it is to say any thing derogatory to the Power of God And therefore we ought to take great heed that we neither say nor conceiue any thing derogatory to the power of God for if it be ordained by humane Lawes that he which should offend the Maiestie of a King though but a man should leese his head for his offence Quis finis contemnentium diuinam omnipotentiam erit Bernard in cant What should become of those that contemne or speake against the Diuine Omnipotency of God saith Saint Bernard Fourthly the very Heathens Poets Phylosophers and all of the learneder sort haue confest as much as is sufficient to proue the Omnipotent power of God Homer Odyss 3. p. 65. for Homer brings in Minerua speaking vnto Telemachus and saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which is as much as if shee said That God can doe what hee will and none can hinder him because as one saith Ille potest solis currus inhibere volantes How the very Heathens haue extolled the Omnipotency of God Ille velut scopulos flumina stare facit He can hold still great Phoebus wayne as he did in the days of Ioshua at he did at thered Sea And stoutest streames he can restraine For though as another saith Astra regunt mundum These sublunary Creatures are generally guided by the influences of the higher Orbes yet to conclude the verse he saith Sed regit astra Deus The God of Heauen doth rule the Heauens and rideth vpon the same as vpon an Horse And therefore an Indian Gymnosophist being demanded by Alexander what God did answered What he will Et quod nulla creatura facere potest And what no mortall man nor any other creature can doe for they daily saw how by his strength vnlikely matters haue come to passe the greatest imaginations haue beene dissolued with a blaste and dying hopes haue beene reuiued from their graues and therefore they all concluded that Ludit in humanis diuina potentia rebus It was an easie matter for Gods power to deale with all Creatures as he listed and How the very Diuels haue confest the Power of God Fiftly the very Diuels doe acknowledge and confesse and obey the power of God For Apollo being demanded of one by what meanes he might with-draw his wise from Christianitie He answered That he might easier flie through the Ayre or write in the Sea then plucke her away from Christ because God was so powerfull to preserue her Heydelf de Deo c. 2. and the Diuell so weake to striue against him and being requested by Augustus to informe him who should succeede him in his Empire hee saide Peucerus de Oracul p. 251. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Hebrew Childe hath inioyned me to silence and I must hence-forth obey his voyce And so the Scripture saith That the vncleane Spirits were obedient vnto Christ and as the winde and the waues so did they yeeld and doe whatsoeuer Christ commanded them Much more might be said to confirme this point Quid satis est cui Roma parum but all is but to light a candle before the Sunne And therefore seeing I am no wayes able to speake what I ought to expresse this truth I will proceede to see what the sonnes of darkenesse can say against this truth And as I distributed the adversaries into foure Classies so I finde their obiections to be foure-fold Obiect The Obiections that are made against the truth of Gods Power answered Sol. That there be three sorts of Agents First the Naturalists say that Ex nihilo nihil fit Of nothing nothing can be made And therefore God is not so powerfull as to be able to produce things of nothing and to create this Vniuerse out of no subsistent matter To this I answere that there be three sorts of workers 1. The lowest 2. The middlemost 3. The highest or else 1. Artificers 2. Nature 3. God First Artificers can doe nothing but of some body composed of the first matter and a substantiall forme into which they doe induce an accidentall forme as the Baker out of his Dowe makes Bread or the Potter out of his tempered clay makes his Potts Secondly Nature or naturall Agents can likewise produce nothing into being vnlesse there be first some matter or subiect whereunto it induceth a naturall forme so from any naturall seede is composed the fruit of each seede in his kinde as from the seede of man is ingendered man and so of all other things whatsoeuer And in these two sorts of Agents the axiome is most true That God can produce any thing of nothing that of nothing nothing can be made but of the third agent that is God it is most false for as he did create all things of nothing so he can yet as easily of no being produce any being as he can change any compleat being into another And therefore to argue from the creature vnto the Creator or from the faculty of the inferior agent vnto the faculty of the superior as the Artificer cannot doe it therefore Nature cannot doe it or Nature cannot doe it therefore the God of Nature cannot doe it is most absurd and foolish Euery Childe can perceiue the weakenesse of this childish reasoning Secondly Obiect the desperate men doe obiect against their owne soules that Gods Iustice is so strict that it requires euery sinne and the least sinne to be punished with eternall death and their sinnes are not onely few and small but most infinite in number euen as Manasses saith My sinnes are more innumerable then the sands of the Sea and most haynous for quality euen as Caine saith My sinne is greater Quam vt venia merear Gen. 4.13 Then I can deserue pardon or they be greater then can be pardoned And therefore say they God cannot pardon our sinnes but we must die and die eternally for our sinnes To this I answere first Sol. that it had beene very good for them they had reasoned
so before they had sinned for that perhaps might haue preserued them in the feare of Gods Iustice and now from the despaire of his mercy But seeing they did not I say secondly that it is most true that the least sinne of man can neuer be pardoned without an intermedium a meanes wrought That no sinne can be pardoned without satisfaction or interposition of satisfaction betwixt the sinne of man and the iustice of God therefore did the wisdome of God deuise and decree that by the death of one righteous man in whom there should be no sinne and who for his worth should be of that inestimable value as to be infinitely more then counteruailably sufficient to pay for all sinnes the Iustice of God should be satisfied and euery sinner that would lay hold vpon his death might thereby be freed from all his sinnes of what number or nature soeuer they be And to this end he sent his onely begotten Sonne Gal. 4.4 That the death of Christ is a sufficient satisfaction for the greatest sinnes made of a Woman and made vnder the Law to die for our sinnes and to redeeme vs that were vnder the Law from the eternall curse of that Law And his death is of that inestimable value that Saint Cyprian saith Modicam guttam sanguinis Christi propter vnionem hypostaticam pro redemptione totius mundi sufficisse 1. Circumcisione 2. Oratione 3. Flagellatione 4. Coronatione 5. Clauorum in fixione 6. Lancea The least droppe of his bloud by reason of that hypostaticall vnion with the God-head had beene sufficient to make satisfaction for all the sinnes of the whole World And yet we reade that he shedde his bloud not once but often sixe seuerall times at least and that not sparingly but abundantly it trickled downe to the ground In which respect the Psalmist saith Luke 22.44 Psal 130.7 that with God there is Copiosa redemptio Plenteous redemption or satisfaction enough in store to pay for the sinnes of any one be they neuer so great be they neuer so many And therefore there is no sinne so great no sinnes so many but God can and that without any impeachment of his Iustice easily remit it if we can but lay hold vpon the death of Christ and he can worke this faith in vs to beleeue in Christ if we can but beleeue he can doe it as our Sauiour shewed vnto him that came and said Domine si quid potes Sir if thou canst doe any thing Marke 9.23 saying Si potes credere If thou canst beleeue thou mayest easily see that I can doe that which thou requirest and all things else whatsoeuer they be they be possible for me to doe them onely beleeue and thou shalt see it Thirdly the Vbiquitaries say hee that can doe all things whatsoeuer can make the Body of Christ to be in euery place wheresoeuer but God can doe any thing whatsoeuer Ergo. He can make the Body of Christ to be euery where and so inuest the manhood of Christ with Diuine properties I answere to the minor proposition Nam qui indefinitè deum omnia posse dicit non tantum bona sed etiam horum contraria mala quae diabolo conueniunt comprehendit Theod. Dialog 3. that he can doe any thing that is possible to be done or that hath the possibility of being but not all things whatsoeuer they be For he that saith God can doe all things simply and indifinitely hee comprehendeth not onely the good but also all the contrary euill which are properly belonging vnto the Diuell and not to God saith Theodoret And therefore I say that there be two sorts of impossible things which God cannot doe First some things ex hypothesi in respect of the constant truth of Gods decree and the immutability of his will God can doe nothing contrary to what he hath decreed and thus God could not conceale from Abraham what he intended to doe vnto the Sodomites nor doe any thing vnto Sodom vntill Lot was deliuered from them because God had decreed to reueale all that vnto Abraham and to preserue that righteous man from the destruction of the Sodomites and thus all things are said to be impossible for God to doe which doe contradict the Eternall purposes and decrees of God because he is a God that changeth not Mal. 1. and that cannot alter the things that are gone out of his mouth Secondly some things are simply impossible for him to doe God can doe nothing that is contrary to the nature of God Propter constantem Dei naturam By the reason of the constancy and immutability of Gods Nature Thus God cannot be said to doe any humane Acts because he is an Eternall Spirit nor to sin because he is the chiefe good nor to doe any contradictory because he is Truth it selfe As I shewed vnto you before But against this it may be obiected First that God can doe Ob. 1 any humane act for he is said to draw nigh vnto vs Iames 4.8 and to depart from vs and so to performe many other such like humane acts Ergo these things are not impossible for God To this some men doe answere Sol. that humane acts are not to be ascribed to Gods Nature because he is an incorporeall substance and yet they are not to be secluded from his Power but are all performed through it because God worketh all things in all his creatures for in him we liue and in him we moue Act. 17.28 saith the Apostle But indeed when these or the like things are spoken of God they are to be vnderstood metaphorically as the Sunne is said to enter into the house when his heate and beames doe shine therein so God is said to draw neere vnto vs when we doe perceiue the influence of his grace and goodnesse All humane Acts are done by the power of God not by the Essence of God and so I say that although humane acts are done of vs through the Power of God yet they cannot be done by the Essence of God Secondly they may obiect that God can doe euill First because Ob. 2 the Philosopher saith Potest Deus studiosus praua facere Arist Topic. l. 4. c 5. Gen. 22.2 Gen. 11.2 2 Sam. 16.10 secondly because God commandeth many euils to be done as Abraham to kill his sonne the Israelites to robbe the Egyptians Shemei to curse Dauid and such like and thirdly because the Apostle saith that he worketh all in all Ergo He can doe euill Sol. To these I answere First that the Philosopher saith this not positiuely but according to the opinion of the vulgar or That whatsoeuer God doth or biddeth to be done is no sinne Secondly I say Quod potest Deus praua facere sed minime praue That God can doe those acts which done of vs were euill but done by him are no wayes euill for sinne is the offending of his
of God for if thou beest a man full of sinnes here is a God full of mercy and in verie deede this is our chiefest comfort for be we Kings Nobles rich or poore yet after all our pompe and power when wee see our selues and consider our owne sinnes when death approacheth and sickenesse seizeth vpon vs wee must all say with king Dauid Miserere mei deus haue mercy on me O God according to the multitude of thy mercies or with poore Bartimaeus Marc. 10.48 haue mercy on me O Iesu thou sonne of Dauid Et hoc tutissimum est and this is the safest course for all sinners as Bellarmine wisely acknowledgeth totam spem totamque fiduciaem in sola misericordia dei reponere to place all our trust and confidence in the sole mercie of our most mercifull God for otherwise who dares present his best workes to bee iudged without mercie because as Saint Augustine sayth Vae laudabili vitae hominum si remota misericordia discutiat eam Deus Woe to the purest life of the holiest Saint if God should discusse the same without mercy And therefore after wee haue gone with the prodigall childe Luc. 15.13 into a farre countrey of wickednesse after we haue wasted all our goods all our graces and haue committed all our sinnes yet let vs not despaire Gen. 4.13 and say with Caine My sinnes are greater then can be pardoned but let vs rather returne vnto our Father and say with the prodigall childe Luk. 15 21. Father I haue sinned against Heauen and against thee and I am no more worthy to be called thy Sonne Yet I pray thee make me as one of thy hyred seruants or else let vs cry with Saint Augustine Aug. l. Meditat. saying O bone Domine noli attendere malum meum ne obliuiscaris bonum tuum O good Lord doe not remember my wickednesse lest thou shouldst forget thine owne goodnesse but consider O my God that although Ego admisi vnde me damnare potes tu non amisisti vnde me seruare soles I haue committed that for which thou canst damne me yet thou hast not forgotten that whereby thou art wont to saue me and though my sinnes be many yet thy mercies are more and the more thou forgiuest vnto me the more it will expresse thy goodnesse and the more bound I shall be to be thankefull vnto thee For hee loueth much Luk 7.47 to whom much is forgiuen saith our Sauiour Christ How God qualifieth punishments James 2.13 Niceph l. 17. c. 3. For the third that is the qualifying of punishments we finde that in his greatest anger against sinne mercy reioyceth against iudgement and that as Nicephorus saith Vindicta gladium misericordiae oleo semper acuit He steepeth his sword of vengeance in the oyle of mercy and he doth alwayes punish lesse then our iniquities deserue Ezra 9.13 as Ezra saith And this he doth not onely vnto the elected Saints but also to the reprobates and to the diuels themselues For First Touching the Saints it is apparant that their punishments doe proceed from mercy for when they are afflicted in this life Heb. 11. they are chastned of the Lord that they should not be condemned of the world Secondly touching the reprobates both men Angels both here and hereafter the mercy of God abateth much of that punishment which they haue most iustly deserued For Ruffin eccl hist First Here God being not like vnto Theodosius that put all the Thessalonians to the sword for the offence of few nor like that angry Goddesse Pallas Quae exurere classem Virgil. Aeneid l. 1. Argiuum atque ipsos voluit submergere ponto Vnius ob noxam That would destroy the whole Nauie of the Argiues for the onely offence of one onely Aiax but if it be lawfull to vse the comparison as the Persian Generall spared Delos for Apollo's sake So God in this life spareth whole multitudes of wicked men for a few good mens sake Act. 27.24 as he spared the liues of all the people that were in the ship with Saint Paul for the loue that he bare vnto this blessed Apostle and as he would haue spared fiue wicked Cities Gen. 18.32 if but ten good men had beene found therein and sometimes hee spareth the sinnes of the wicked for the very loue he beareth to the persons of the vngodly and though they still sinne against him yet doth he still spare them to see if his patience Rom. 2 4. and long sufferance will at any time lead them to repentance Secondly hereafter Quia non datur summum malum August in Enchirid cap. 12.13 That God in the strictnesse of his Iustice might inflict more punishment vpon the damned soules then he doth quoniam malum non inhaeret nisi in subiecto bono Because the being both of reprobates and diuels is euer good therfore the mercy of God pittieth that good and cannot be seuered from it but still loueth the same euen in its greatest torments and in that respect doth euer mitigate some part of that torment which the sinner iustly deserued and which God in the rigor of his Iustice might rightly haue inflicted on him But you will say the Scripture teacheth that they shall be punished in measure and that they shall haue iudgement without mercie And therefore how can they be said then to haue the least iot of the mercy of God Luke 16.24.25 Diues being denyed one drop of water to coole his tongue I answere that they shall neuer be eased of the least iot of that punishment that is once inflicted vpon them but I say that God neuer imposeth so much torments on the damned as in the strictnesse of his Iustice he might iustly doe and yet are they said to haue iudgement without mercie because the greatnesse of their insufferable paines doth swallow vp all sense and perseuerance of mercy and makes them thinke that God could not possibly inflict greater torments on them then they endure Zaâ—â—h de nat Des l. 4 c. 4. q. 4 p. 378. Whereas indeed if they perceiued it it is most certaine that they are not punished according to the height of that measure of punishment which their sinnes deserued and which God iustly could inflict vpon them but that in them also the Apostles words must take place that mercy reioyceth against iudgement Psal 25.10 And therefore well might the Prophet Dauid say that all Gods pathes are mercy Psal 145 9. and that his mercy is ouer all his workes because there is no place which can be imagined wherein there is not some impression of Gods mercy nor any Creature that can be named which can say that he doth no way taste of the mercy of God for God pittieth his owne workes euen then when he punisheth our workes that is our sinnes And yet here we must obserue that the mercy of God is twofold 1. Generall 2. Speciall For
teach vs Psal 103.1 35.10 that all parts of man at all times of the yeere are to be imployed in Gods seruice but also to shew vnto vs that wee are not onely to abstaine from euill 1 Cor. 15.58 but also to doe good because not onely the riotous and wastfull Steward that imbezelled his Masters goods but also the idle and thriftlesse seruant that did no good with his Masters goods shall be bound hand and foote and be cast cut into vtter darkenesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And so we reade of Diues that he is tormented in flaming fire Non quia tulit aliena sed quia non dedit propria Not because he did euill to any but because hee did not good to poore Lazarus Luke 18 11. And therefore we should all striue not onely with the Pharisee to be truly able to say that we thanke God we are not Adulterers Swearers Extortioners Drunkards Raylers Lyars or such like but also as Saint Peter bids vs to adde vnto our Faith 2 Pet. 1.5 Vertue and to our Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godlinesse and to Godlinesse Brotherly kindnesse and to Brotherly kindnesse Charity and so to goe on from one grace vnto another vntill at last we doe attaine vnto the perfection of goodnesse for assuredly to doe good will be our chiefest comfort Rom. 2.7 in life in death and after death for glory and honour and peace shall be to euery one that doth good and God himselfe will say vnto him Euge serue bone Well done thou good and faithfull seruant Math. 25.23 enter thou into thy Masters ioy Fiftly we should loue the Truth and say the Truth euery man vnto his Neighbour yea and so accustome our selues to Truth Vt mentiri lingua prorsus ignoret 5. To accustome our selues to say the Truth That our tonguâ—s should not know how to lye for as God is Truth so Truth makes vs the Children of God And therefore Pythagoras being demanded wherein men become likest vnto God answered Cum veritatem exercent Stobaeus Ser. 11. When they accustome themselues to say Truth I doe not know two more excellent things Zach. 8. Veritatem pacem diligite and more comfortable for the life of man while hee liues here in this World then Peace and Truth Peace to free vs from all euill and Truth to preserue vs in all good And yet I feare me we may now take vp the Prophet Esayes complaint that Truth is fallen in the streete yea and as Ieremy saith Is perished and cleane gone Esay 59.4.14 Jerem. 7.18 for though as Euripides saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth is a simple speech that requires neither welt nor guard yet now we doe so cunningly and craftily adorne lyes That there is a great want of practising to say the Truth amongst vs. and falshoods that we make them passe currantly for Truth and he that cannot dissemble and deceiue his Neighbour is accounted but a foole that cannot liue in the World So that now it is growen into a common speech to say We know not whom we may trust and we doe verifie that ancient saying Multis annis iam peractis Nulla fides est in factis Mel in ore verba lactis Fel in corde fraus in factis Many yeeres past and gone Faith in deeds there is none Hony in mouth words sweete Gall in heart deceit in deede But if we will haue any part in this God of Truth we must neither vse to speake a lye nor to conceale the Truth for Qui veritatem occultat qui mendacium prodit vterque reus est ille quia prodesse non vult iste quia nocere desiderat Aug. in l. de Agon christiano He that conceales a Truth and he that inuenteth lyes are both alike culpable in the sight of God the one because hee will not doe good the other because hee desireth to doe euill And though Veritas odium parit The Preachers of Truth shall finde little grace with men as Saint Ambrose saith yet must we not hide the Truth for any feare nor yet speake a falshood for any gaine but in all things we must hold fast the Truth Heraclid in sua hist Theat Zwing if we will be like vnto this God of Truth It is reported of one Idor an Abbat that for three things he was most excellent First that he neuer lyed at any time Secondly that he neuer spake euill of any man Thirdly that hee neuer spake any thing without great necessitie I onely wish we were all like him herein 6. To abound in the workes of mercy Sixthly we should reserue mercy for thousands that is to abound in the workes of mercy and compassion and that towards all men either in action or affection for where effecting meanes are wanting God neuer reiects a charitable meaning whereas the doing of good without good will or a large giuing with small charitie proues to be of no validity because he giues but externally some things without himselfe and not internally De semetipso From his heart And thus our mercy should extend it selfe to thousands because wee haue alwayes those before our eyes that haue neede of mercy and that in a double respect The outward workes of mercy are principally sixe 1. Of a corporall necessitie 2. Of a spirituall miserie The Schooles auouch the first to consist chiefly in sixe points 1. Visiting the sicke 2. Feeding the hungry 3. Clothing the naked 4. Redeeming the Captiue 5. Intertayning the Stranger 6. Burying of the Dead And for the second I see not lesse formes of pitty then there be deeds of Charity or acts of iniquity In the first respect the rich may be mercifull and shew pitty vnto the poore and in the second respect the rich may be pittied by the poorest men in the World because none are more lamentable then those that are poore and naked and destitute of the true spirituall riches And therefore in both respects we ought euer to shew mercy and compassion vnto our distressed Brethren Now in mercy there are two speciall acts Sinners are the men that are chiefly to be pittied 1. To see their miseries 2. To helpe their infirmities 1. To see with our eyes and then to helpe with our hands or at least to pitty with our hearts Diues saw Lazarus full of sores and we see men now full of sinnes and yet he did not pitty him nor these will not be helped by vs for if either by reprehension or instruction or by the mildest manner of aduising them yea or by most humbly requesting the Spirituall Lords That it is dangerous to seeke to redresse the dangerous estate of great men and temporall Potentates of this age to looke into their miserable estate wee would seeme to pitty them or make any attempt to helpe them they would make vs all to be
is not offended in him Why then O thou incredulous Iew wilt thou not receiue thy Sauiour is it because he came poore without any shew of worldly pompe why that should make all men the rather to imbrace him and the more thankefully to acknowledge him because that he which might haue come in Maiestie Cum caelestibus Attended on by Angels would come in pouerty and haue his bed made cum iumentis among the beasts that perish that so by his comming poore we might be all made rich through him and therefore O Iew I doe aduice thee that as thy Fathers accomplished the decree of God in condemning him so doe thou according to the will of God in beleeuing on him and thou shalt be happy for he that beleeueth in him shall neuer perish To whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be ascribed all Honour Thankes and Praise both now and for euermore Amen A Prayer O Eternall God who as in all things else so more especially in giuing thy dearest Sonne co-eternall coequall and co-essentiall vnto thy selfe to be made flesh subiect to our humane frailties and in all things like vnto vs sinne onely excepted hast shewed thy goodnesse and thy loue to man to be like thy selfe infinite and incomprehensible we most humbly beseech thee to giue vs grace to know thee and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ to be the onely true God whom to know is eternall life through the said Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen IEHOVAE LIBERATORI FINIS The Fourth Golden Candlesticke HOLDING The Fourth greatest Light of Christian RELIGION Of the Passion of the MESSIAS LVKE 24.46 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus it behoued Christ to suffer YOu haue heard dearely beloued how miserably man is distressed by sinne The coherence of this Treatise with the former Treatises how he may be releeued onely by the Mercy of God and how this reliefe is applied vnto vs by the Incarnate Word for he is the true Samaritan that doth helpe the wounded man he is the blessed Angell that doth stirre the poole of Bethesda and giue vertue vnto the water to heale our sores to helpe our soules But alas this Angell as yet is but descended and the waters are not troubled and this Samaritan is but alighted and the poore semi-dead Traueller is not set vp vpon his horse to be carryed towards his Inne that is hee hath not yet entred into the waters of tribulations to saue our soules from drowning in Hell neither hath he put our sinnes vpon his backe that we being freed from the burthen might walke on towards Heauen this resteth yet behind and this Tragedie is yet vnheard and therefore though he much humbled himselfe by his Incarnation yet is that nothing it is but the beginning of sorrowes in respect of his sore and bitter Passion For to redeeme our soules from sinne the deepe waters must enter into his soule and all our sinnes must be laid vpon his backe and for our sinnes It behoueth Christ to suffer Hic labor hoc opus est And this is that which we are now to treat of Thus it behoued Christ to suffer CHAP. I. Of the manifold vse and commodities that we reape by the continuall meditation of the sufferings of Christ Three things that mooue attention THere be three speciall things that doe vse to moue attention 1. An eloquent Author 2. An important matter 3. A compendious breuity And all these three doe here ioyne and meete together in this Text of Scripture For First the Author of these words is Christ Luk. 11.49 First the Author of these words is Iesus Christ the wisedome of God Wisedome it selfe so incomprehensibly wise that all men wondred at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth Secondly the summe of these words is the Tragedy of Iesus Christ Secondly the matter is the Tragedie of himselfe the laborious life and the dolorous death of the Sonne of God the chiefest Tragedy of all Tragedies for the Catastrophe hereof hath the effusion of bloud and the mourning not onely of the Sufferer or Parents and Friends but of Heauen and Earth and all the whole world farre more dolefull then the mourning of Hadadrimmon in Valley of Mâ—gyddo The Actors of this Tragedy are Kings Vice-Royes Dukes Scribes Pharises High-Priests Elders of the people The Actors of this Tragedy the Apostles themselues and others all great Christ the King of Kings Herod the great King Pilate the Vice-Roy Annas and Cayphas high Priests Peter and Iudas great Apostles and those that were mute as the Sun the Earth the Stones the Vaile of the Temple and the very Graues did by apparant signes most dolefully bewayle the nefarious death of the Son of God yea more the Angels mourned and the Diuels trembled to behold the same The Theater on which it was acted was Ierusalem The Theater was Ierusalem the very midst and heart of the earth as some imagine according to that saying of the Psalmist Operatus est deus salutem in medio terrae GOD hath wrought saluation in the midst of the Earth Heere is the place where it was acted Hic hic mors vita duello Conflixere mirando Here life and death did striue for victory and here the beholders were men of all Nations Hebrewes Greekes and Romans and the time was their most solemne feast wherein all did â—eete to eate their Paschall Lambe And therefore if there be any Theame that may challenge our eares to lysten and our hearts to meditate vpon the same it is this for this is one of those things that was once done that it might be thought of for euer that it might be had in euerlasting remembrance And the continuall meditation thereof is 1. Acceptable vnto Christ 2. Profitable for vs. For First The continuall meditation of Christs passion what it doth if the rod of Moses which wrought so many miracles in Aegypt and the Manna which fed the children of Israel 40. yeares in the Wildernesse and the Booke of the Law which was deliuered vnto Moses vpon Mount Sinai were to be preserued in the Arke First It is most acceptable vnto Christ as testimonies of Gods loue throughout all generations how much more should we keepe the remembrance of the Crosse of Christ of the Body and Bloud of Christ and of the glad tidings of saluation which we haue by the death of Christ in the Church of God for euermore Our Sauiour gaue but two Sacraments vnto his Church and one of them is chiefely instituted to this end for a remembrance of his suffering for as often as you eate this Bread and drinke this Cup Luc. 22. you shew the Lords death vntill he come 1 Cor. 11.1 And the remembrance of Christs death saith Saint Chrysostome Est beneficij maximi recordatio Chrys hom 8. in Matth. caputque diuinae erga nos charitatis Is the commemoration of the greatest benefit that euer we receiued
Cantic quem pro nobis bibit nothing in the world makes Christ to be loued of vs more then that Cup which he hath drunke vp for vs. Quia amor amoris magnes durus est qui amorem non rependit Because loue is as a loadstone to draw loue againe and greater loue then this hath no man that a man should giue his life for his friends and therefore the remembrance of this cannot choose but cause vs to loue him againe Euripides in Alceste It is reported subeuntem fata mariti Alcesten that Alcestes was contented to vndergoe the destinies of her husband for when Apollo had obtained of the Fates to spare Admetus life if any one of his friends or kindred would willingly die for him and that all his friends refused the same his wife Alcestes redeemed his life with her owne death So was Pythias ready to die for Damon and Damon likewise for Pythias and so the Codri for the Athenians and the Curtij for the Romans did willingly giue themselues to die Sic fratrem Pollux alterna morte redemit And surely these are arguments of great loue yet farre farre short of the loue of Christ For First these did it for them that loued them as much Lactant. institut l. 5. c. 18. and were as ready to doe as much for them againe but Christ did it for vs when we were his enemies Rom. 5.8 Secondly these owed so much vnto their friends and countrey for in that they were they were from these and whatsoeuer they had they had from them and therefore Cicero l. 1 offic Partem ortus nostri patria partem patres sibi vendicant Our Country our friends and our parents doe rightly challenge no small part of euery man saith Cicero and as Lucan saith Haec duri immota Catonis Lucan l. 2. secta fuit Nec sibi sed toti genitum se credere mundo It was Cato's mind that he was not borne for himselfe but to doe what good he could to others but Christ oweth vs nothing he is a debter to no man for who hath first giuen vnto him Rom. 5 8. and it shall be recompenced vnto him againe And therefore seeing the loue of Christ to vs was so great as when we deserued no good at his hands but deserued so much euill as is due to mortall and perfidious enemies to suffer so many things for vs how can it choose but the remembrance therof should exceedingly kindle our loue towards him againe for who can behold and consider the grâ—â— price that was paid for his redemption and not loue his Redeemer or who can thinke of that bitter potion which he drunke for our saluation and not be inflamed with the loue of his Sauiour There be 3. things saith Mirandula that doe moue vs to loue any one First The vertues of the person Mirand de morte Christi li. 1. c. 17. Secondly The benefits that we haue receiued of him Thirdly The good that we doe expect from him But Christ is the vertue of God his Father the chiefest good and all goodnesse and although euery vertue doth challenge loue yet no vertue deserueth the same so much as liberality and what greater bounty or liberality can there be then this to shedde his precious bloud and to offer vp himselfe vpon the Altar of his Crosse to deliuer vs from eternall death and what greater good can be desired then that eternall happinesse which hee hath purchased for vs and which we doe expect from him And therefore who would not loue so good a Sauiour It is reported of Ignatius Bishop of Antioch that he did so continually meditate vpon those great things which Christ had done and suffered for him Jdem quo supra c. 10. that hee was thereby brought so intirely to loue him as when he was demanded why hee would not forsake and forget Christ rather then suffer himselfe to be torne and deuoured of wilde and sauage Beasts He answered That hee could not forget him because the sufferings of Christ were not onely words transient in his mouth or remoueable obiects before his eyes but they were indelible Characters so engrauen in his heart that all the torments of the Earth could neuer race them out And therefore being commanded by that bloudy Tyrant Traiane to be ript and vnbowelled they found Iesus Christ written vpon his heart in Characters of Gold Oh that it might be so with vs that wee would euer set the sufferings of Christ before our face and with Saint Paul desire to know nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified that so by the continuall consideration of Christ his great loue to vs we might be induced to loue him againe The meditation of Christs suffering supporteth our hope Thirdly As the continuall meditation of Christs suffering suppresseth sinne and kindleth our loue so it supporteth our hope for though I haue sinned grieuously and my conscience is much troubled yet it shall not be ouer-cha◠〈◊〉 despaire Quoniam vulnerum Domini recordabor â—od ex me mihi deest vsurpo ex visceribus Domini Bernard Ser. 61. in Cant. Becaus◠〈◊〉 will remember the wounds of my Lord Iesus and whatsoeuer is wanting in my selfe I will assume from the bowels of my Sauiour for when my wisedome faileth my righteousnesse sufficeth not my holinesse helpeth not the sufferings of Christ shall suffice for all This shall be my last refuge this shall be mine onely remedy saith Saint Bernard Idem Ser. 22. in Cant. And so Saint Paul after hee had shewed how doe he what he could he serued with his flesh many times the Law of sinne and therefore cryeth out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death He saith I thanke God Rom. 7.24.25 through Christ our Lord As if hee should haue said Seeing I am so prone to sinne and so vnapt to goodnesse I haue none other refuge but onely to flie vnto the sufferings and merits of Iesus Christ and I know that is sufficient for me in stead of all for as Israel sucked honey out of the rocke and oyle out of the flint stone Deut. 32.13 so doe wee sucke all our comforts and refresh our selues with those streames of teares and bloud that gushed out of that stonie Rocke Iesus Christ And as the high hilles are a refuge for the wilde Goates Psal 104.18 and the stony Rockes for the Conies those poore silly fearefull Creatures that haue none other shift to saue their liues but to hide themselues in the holes of the Rockes so the poore silly simple soules of sinnefull men haue none other place to hide themselues in from the wrath of God Cantic 2.14 but onely with the Doue in the Canticles In foraminibus petrae In the clefts of this Rocke in the secret places of his stayres as some translate it that is in the wounds and stripes of Iesus Christ for
to be Malefactors so the consideration of Christs suffering being as the Doue as innocent as innocencie it selfe should moue in vs not onely a commisseration of the sufferer but also a detestation of the persecutors for who can heare or reade of the death of righteous Abel by that wicked Caine the burning of Laurentius by that Tyrant Decius the flaying of Saint Bartholmew by his bloudy enemies or the dragging of Hippolytus with wilde Horses and such like cruell and bloudy Tragedies without a detestation of such horribly wicked Actors And can we heare the sufferings of innocent guiltlesse Christ without a deadly detestation of those inhumane Butchers That Christ was a good man Acts 10.38 Thirdly He was not onely a iust man that did no hurt to any man but he was also a good man that did good to euery man for He went about saith the Apostle doing good and that both in words and workes for first He often taught them in the Temple in the Synagogue vpon the Mount in the High-wayes in Houses in all places his goodnesse would not suffer him to conceale any thing in silence that might be any wayes profitable vnto his hearers but to dispell with all diligence all mysts and cloudes of errors from the inward eyes of the people and to instruct them cleerely in all the heauenly mysteries of saluation Secondly He cured the bleeding wounds of afflicted consciences he reclaimed brought home many stragling sheepe and wandring sinners he gaue eyes vnto the blinde feete vnto the lame speech vnto the dumbe eares vnto the deafe bread vnto the hungry yea many times hee restored health vnto the diseased and sometimes the dead vnto their lamenting friends And as Saint Paul saith Who is weake and I am not weake 2 Cor. 11.23 who is offended and I burne not So might our Sauiour more truly say Who is burthened and I am not grieued at it for he commisserated the corporall and spirituall infirmities of all men yea he did not onely pitty them in vs but he put them all vpon himselfe Et tulit in se vt à nobis tolleret and tooke them all vpon himselfe that he might take them all from vs as Saint Chrysostome saith And therefore if the people did so much condole the naturall death of Dorcas Acts 9.39 because shee was so good a Creature as to bestow some few clothes vpon some few poore distressed people how much more ought wee to bewaile the shamefull and the dolefull death of Christ that did so much good and neuer any ill all the dayes of his life Fourthly He was not onely Iustus bonus A iust and a good man or an innocent man voide of sinne and a vertuous man full of grace but he was also more honourable and noble then all the sonnes of men for he was Christus That Christ is 1. A King 2. A Priest 3. A Prophet Math. 2.2 Annointed to be a King a Priest and a Prophet First King Simul natus simul Caesar He was a King by birth Where is he that is borne King of the Iewes He descended of the regall race Saint Mathew reckons foureteene Kings in his pedegree and hee was a King to his dying day Iesus of Nazareth John 19.22 King of the Iewes Pilate writes it and he will not alter it for God himselfe had spoken it Psal 2.6 I haue set my King vpon my holy hill of Sion Secondly Priest for The Lord sware it Psal 110.4 and he will not repent it that he is a Priest for euer after the order of Melchizedecke The noblest Order and the royallest Priesthood in the World for this holy Priest was also a noble King Esay 9.6 for hee was King of Shalem King of peace euen as Esayas calles him The Prince of peace Thirdly Prophet for Deut. 18.15 A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise vnto you And he shall be a Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the highest degree euen the Prince of Prophets and so great a Prophet that Whosoeuer will not heare him he shall surely die Ier. 22.18 And therefore if Ieremie taketh vp that mournefull lamentation for the death of King Iosias and say Alas for that noble Prince ah my Lord or ah his glory and yet he came to an honourable death in the Field without any shame and but little paine then what shall wee say for the death of this King of Kings this Priest of the most High God and this great Prophet of the Lord that was annointed with the Oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes Psal 45.8 The Lord had said Touch not mine Annointed and doe my Prophets no harme Psal 105 15. yet we see Kings the Annointed of God are slaine and Ierusalem killed the Prophets and stoned those that are sent vnto them Luke 13.34 But behold a greater then all Kings is here Et quasi vnus è decem milibus And such a one as ten thousand Kings are not equal vnto him and yet he is not brought to an honorable death of a Priest at the Altar or of a King in the Field but to a most shamefull and reprochfull death the most accursed death of the Crosse among the wicked O then let vs consider if euer such a person came to such a death That Christ was a true and eternall God Math. 17.54 Fiftly He was not onely the highest among all the Sonnes of men but he was also the Sonne of the most High God Pilate heard it and feared the Centurion saw it and confest it Truly this was the Sonne of God And the very Diuels felt it and proclaimed it We know who thou art euen the holy one of God yea the trembling Earth quaking Luke 4.34 the flinty Rockâ—s cleauing asunder and the dolefull graues opening themselues did by a visible voyce confirme him to be a God And so that strange Eclipse that was seene at his death and that vnexpected darkenesse that vayled the face of the Sunne for three houres together because it was no defect of Nature the Moone being at the full and the day being at the middest and therefore could not be any vsuall Eclipse caused by the head or the tayle of the Dragon vnlesse you meane that olde Dragon the Diuell it made that great Phylosopher Dyonisius Dionys in Ep. then in Athens to say That now the World was at an end or the God of Nature suffered violence so strange were these accidents beyond the power of Nature The enemies of Christ ascribe that to him in mockerie which he was indeede Mat. 26.68 Nay the very enemies of Christ acknowledged him to be a Prophet a King a God for while the people play vpon him and contemne him yet notwithstanding they confesse him to be a Prophet saying Prophesie vnto vs thou Christ who is hee that smote thee And as Saint Ambrose saith Compungentes coronant illudentes adorant While the Souldiers denied him
yet behold his Spirit his Soule is sorrowfull vnto death no doubt but his Apostles saw it yet like a barrell full and wanting vent hee must needes burst forth and confesse it Spem vultu simulat premit altum corde dolorem he doth not here Aeneas-like dissemble his griefe with a fained countenance his sorrow is greater then can be contained for it is vnto death that is not onely extensiuely such as must continue for the space of seauenteene or eighteene houres euen vntill death it selfe shall finish it but also intensiuely such and so great as that which is vsed to be at the very point of death and such as were able to bring death vnto me were I not reserued to a greater and a heauier punishment And therefore he kneeled downe and fell grouelling vpon his face and said Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me Matth. 26.39 and there praying he fell into a dreadfull agonie his thoughts were troubled his spirits affrighted his heart trembled his pores opened Et totus sudore defluit and he sweat great drops of bloud that streamed downe to the ground and so panting hee prayed and sweating still he prayed and the more hee was afflicted the more he prayed and fainted as it were in the bathe of his owne bloud weeping not onely with his eyes but euen with all his members Bern Ser. 3. as Saint Bernard saith And therefore the end of his Passion must needes be mournefull when the beginning of it is so fearefull and the cause of this agony must needs be supernaturall when it proceeds so contrary to the course of nature for it was in a cold season in the open ayre and they were faine to make a fire within doores without any exercise without any man neere him to offer him violence and therefore naturally he should be inclined to a cold chilly operation rather then to a bloudy sweating agony yea not onely to sweat some cold thinne faint sweat which is called sudor diaphoreticus but in such abundance of great drops saith the Euangelist that they were able to die his garments with crimson red according as the Prophet Esay saith though properly in another sense yet in some respect may be applyed to this Wherefore art thou red in thine apparell Esay 63.2 and thy garments like him that treadeth in the Wine-fat And as the Christian Poet Houedemius saith Sudor fluit vndique riuis sanguineae manant tanquam de vulnere guttae Cum cor sentit amoris gladium Cruor carnis rubricat pallium When through loue his hearts-vaine bled It dyed his garments crimson red And that these drops did not onely distillare drop out but decurrere runne and streame downe so fast to the ground from all the pores of his body as if they had issued out of most deadly wounds Wynton in Ser. sup Thren It is well obserued by our learned Bishop of Winchester out of Saint Hierome and the Chaldee paraphrast that the greatnesse of his sorrow melted him so as if he had stood by some burning furnace which was able to cast him into that sweat and to turne that sweat into drops of bloud and it appeares the rather because the Prophet Ieremie saith in the same place that a fire was sent into his bones and that might well melt all his marrow and cause the bloud to distill from his flesh and to trickle downe to the ground O happy garden watered with such teares thou must needes surpasse the garden of Eden that was watered with foure goodly riuers for this bloud of Christ doth speake better things Heb. 12.24 and bring forth better fruits then the bloud of Abell for that cryed out of the earth for vengeance against his brother but this cryeth for mercy vnto all the earth euen to his enemies Father forgiue them Luk. 23.34 for they know not what they doe and whereas our fruitfull Land the Land of our hearts was made barren for the sinne and iniquity of our fore-Father to bring forth thornes and thistles sinnes and wickednesse yet now being watered with these heauenly showers of his bloud he maketh it very plenteous to abound in all grace and godlinesse But alas Quest what was the cause that should make him so supernaturally to sweat so strangely to kneele so deuoutly and to pray so earnestly that if it were possible that houre might passe from him Thomas Aquinas answereth Resp that the cause of all passions is to be considered either 1. Ex parte obiecti In regard of the obiect Or 2. Ex parte subiecti In respect of the subiect That as in the conception of gold in the bowels of the earth there is Aestus solaris ignis subterranius A concurrency of the heate of the Sunne from aboue with a sulphurious fire from below So in the Passion of our Sauiour Christ we must know that in respect of the obiect he saw the Diuine wrath from aboue ready to be powred forth for the sinnes of men and in respect of the subiect hee saw the Church which was his body so iustly punished by this wrath of God and all that punishment to alight on him which had vndertaken to satisfie Gods Iustice and to free his members from euerlasting torments And therefore no doubt but the cleere sight The cause of Christ his agony in the Garden and the deepe consideration of that Cup which he was so sheerely to drinke vp was the cause that made him both so vehemently to pray against it and â—lso in the vehemency of the feare of it to be in such perplexed agony as thereby to sweat the drops of bloud CHAP. II. Of that fearefull Cup what it was which our Sauiour was to drinke of and that he so much feared and prayed against it What was the Cup which our Sauiour was to drinke BVt what was this Cup which hee was to drinke of we cannot easily determine For Some thinke this prayer this feare this agony proceeded onely from the weakenesse of his humanity that was now though not dis-vnited yet vnassisted of the Deity and that they were chiefly effected through the feare of that death which so neerely approached and therefore though they were vttered as proceeding from Passion or at least humane affection yet were they presently seasoned and as it were corrected with more deliberate consideration when he said Not my will but thine be fulfilled But To these men I answere that although Christ tooke our infirmities vpon him as well the spirituall Passions of the soule as the corporall infirmities of the body i. e. all such as are onely miserable but not damnable penall but not culpable or those that are painfull without sinne but not those which are sinfull without paine as both Damascen Saint Augustine and Aquinas haue most excellently obserued yet we say that these affections in Christ doe much differ from ours in three respects That the Humane affections
of Christ differ from ours in three respects First In respect of the obiect for we many times feare where there is no feare and we doe loue the things which we should despise but he onely feared the things that are to be feared and loued the things that are to be loued indeed Secondly In respect of the manner for will wee will we these affections will inuade vs and when they haue once taken hold vpon vs we doe many times feare and loue and hate if not against reason yet surely beyond and beside all reason and so that as we cannot guide them so we cannot leaue them when we would but CHRIST is angry reioyceth feareth loueth when and where and so much as iust reason directeth him for these affections master vs but he mastereth them and therefore Saint Augustine saith that Aug. in Johan potestate non infirmitate turbauit seipsum These affections are rather signes of his omnipotency then arguments of his infirmitie because he mastereth their willingnesse to oppresse him when they cannot find any weakenesse in him to be oppressed Thirdly In respect of the effects for our passions and affections blinde vs so that we cannot see the light of truth in whom we loue we see no sinne our loue is blinde and in whom we hate we can see no goodnesse for malitia corum exaecauit eos the malice of the wicked blindeth them saith the wise man and as the Poet saith of wrath Impedit ira animum ne possit cernere verum That it blindeth our eyes and disturbeth our senses so as wee know not what is what So might I say of feare of loue and of euery other vehement passion Non modo memoriam excutit Plutarch in l. de Fortuna Alexand. sed quoduis constitutum quemuis conatum impedit It doth not onely disturbe our memories but it hindereth all our purposes and indeuours so that in respect of these we forget many times and are hindered oftentimes to doe those things which our selues most of all desire to effect Psal 55.5 and therefore the Psalmist according to the vulgar Latine saith Timor hebetudo mentis venerunt super me contexerunt me tenebrae Fearefulnesse and trembling came vpon me and then darkenesse hath inuironed me or an horrible dread hath ouer-whelmed me and the reason hereof is truely rendred by the Philosopher Auicen rer nat lib. 6. c 5. Quia potentiae naturales intensae mutuo se impediunt The naturall powers stretched to the highest straine doe mutually disturbe and hinder each other to discharge their right functions and therefore exceeding ioy swalloweth vp griefe and so of all the rest Arist aethic l. 7. c. 14. the more intentiue we are to see any thing the lesse able wee are to heare any other thing according to that vulgar saying Pluribus intentus minor est ad singula sensus The sense intent to many things To each one truth it neuer brings But in Christ they could neuer diuert him from his desire they could neuer darken his vnderstanding nor any wayes hinder the execution of his Office Neither concourse of many yea of most contrary passions and affections as loue and hatred ioy and griefe and such like any wayes mitigate or stupifie the sharpenesse or liuely-hood each of other but that euen now when he most feareth this deadly Cup he exceedingly reioyceth at the benefits that he seeth shall accrew thereby And therefore though I easily grant that nature it selfe abhorreth death the soule and body being euer loth to part and euery thing desirous of life yet that death should be thus feared thus prayed against thus melt our Sauiour Christ into such a bloudy sweat I cannot willingly yeeld For Iohn 8.20 First Desiderio desiderauit With a longing desire did hee wish this houre and he calleth it his houre as if in that houre he were to inioy his longing and he makes no more account of his death then of his dipping in the water Luke 12 5. for be calleth the same a Baptisme John 2.4 saying I must be baptized with a baptisme and how am I troubled till that be ended i. e. How am I payned and grieued Iohn 11. not because I must vndergoe it for that is my chiefest desire but because I must stay yet a while Mine houre being not yet come before I may doe it and therefore to this end Quasi ambiens mortem as one that would euer keepe himselfe in his enemies sight or as one desirous to be dissolued he goeth vp vnto Ierusalem he raiseth Lazarus from the dead that the wrath of the Iewes Iohn 13.27 being stirred vp by this present miracle he might be the sooner condemned vnto death he biddeth Iudas to doe quickely what he meant to doe not commanding the Act but as desiring the speedinesse of the Act as Caietan saith and knowing that his howre was at hand and his enemies neere hee saith vnto his Disciples Come let vs goe meet them because they were not so desirous to take him Matth. 26.46 as he was to be taken by them And therefore I cannot see how so much feare of death as to cause such an agony and such a greedy desire of death can stand together especially in such a person whose Passions cannot inuade him beyond the limits of his owne Commission but that we must ascribe farre greater matters to be the causes of this great and fearefull agony Seconly We see his Saints and seruants not onely willing to die but also running with Ignatius vnto the beasts and singing with the Salamander in the midst of the fire and therefore shall we thinke that this heauenly Physitian which healed others would not heale himselfe and which strengthened others to call and cry for death would thus vehemently pray and cry onely for feare of death But to this it is answered The Saints at their death were supported by God that the Saints were supported by the power of his grace and they were enabled by the helpe of his Spirit and therefore no wonder though they desired it but Christ though he was both God and Man yet was he now lest destitute of tâ—e helpe both of God and Man for all his friends forsak't him and the God-head himselfe which was himselfe did now sequester and withdraw all his helpe from this poore destitute and distressed man Iesus Christ and therefore no maruell that he being wholly left to himselfe nay not himselfe but the Humanitie it selfe should be thus moued and troubled at the sight of death I confesse that although Martyres non eripuit God did not deliuer his Martyres from death yet nunquam deseruit He did neuer forsake them at their death Whether Christ was wholly destitute of all assistance from the Godhead but distilled still into their hearts abundant comforts of his heauenly Spirit and it is most true that very much of the influence of Gods comfort and of the
comfortable beames of the God-head were now restrayned from the assistance of the Man-hood of Christ as hereafter I shall more fully shew vnto you yet I say that all the Diuine comforts were not detained from him for then the Humanity could not haue indured so great an agony had he not beene somewhat sustained by the Deity Nay be it so Winton in Pass Ser. sup Thren 1 p 3. as some would haue it that his soule was euen as scorched heath-ground without so much as any drop of dew of Diuine comfort yet I say he was not depriued of his reasonable soule he had all the powers and faculties of reason and vnderstanding in a farre more excellent measure then any other man whatsoeuer and these faculties were not disturbed nor any wayes darkened with the vehemencie of any Passions as I shewed vnto you before and therefore I cannot see how the feare of a naturâ—ll deâ—th onely could so exceedingly affright him as to make him so earnestly to pray against the same for we find that euen naturall men not knowing God and therefore not guided by the light of God doe and haue by the light of Humane reason made light account of death and yet you see Christ a man of perfect knowledge as man so much as man could haue is here grieuously troubled and vehemently affrighted at the consideration of that Cup which he was to drinke of and therefore that Cup did containe a great deale more then that little draught of naturall death And Heb. 5.7 That Christ was heard and therefore deliuered from what he feared Thirdly The Apostle vnto the Hebrewes saith That when Christ offered vp prayers and supplications with strong cryings and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death he was heard in that which he feared or for his piety as the originall hath it Now this must be referred vnto his feruent prayer and those bloudy teares in the Garden for we doe not reade that in any place else he did offer the like prayers and teares vnto God and therefore seeing he was heard i. e. so heard that he obtained his request Prae reuerentia for his modestie or for the respect that God had vnto him and was deliuered from that which he feared it must needes be that it was not his owne naturall death that he so much feared and so earnestly prayed against it for from this he was not deliuered but he suffered dyed and was buried Psal 75.9 And therefore as the Prophet Dauid saith In the hand of the Lord there is a Cup the wine is red it is full mixt as for the dregs thereof That Christ was to vndergoe the punishment of all others all the vngodly of the earth shall drinke them and suck them out So I say of this Cup of Christ it is a Cup of many ingredients it is full red and it hath many dregs and although in this good seruant there was found no sinne yet seeing he was contented to vndergoe the punishments of all bad seruants and to suffer the iust desarts of all the vngodly therefore hee must drinke and sucke vp the very dregs of this Cup and yet if we duely obserue it we shall see that he was heard in that which hee feared for though he drinkes it vp sheere yet it shall cleerely passe from him and his prayer was no more for hee prayed not that he might not drinke of it but that it might passe from him euen as a man that drinketh a cup of poyson and yet thereby is not poysoned And so it did with Christ he dranke vp all and yet it did him no hurt at all for though it made him sweat the drops of bloud though it grieued him and pained him and made him cry out Matth. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee yea though it cast him into a sleepe and laid him dead in his graue and there sealed him for a time yet presently within the space of forty houres or thereabouts he reuiued and awaked as a Lion out of sleepe or as a Giant refreshed with wine and then he smote all his enemies vpon the cheâ—â—e-bone Psal 78.66.67 and put them to a perpetuall shame And through that short and momentary death of his he purchased vnto his Church euerlasting life And therefore seeing this Cup which Christ feared was not onely that little draught of naturall death that was but the least drop thereof but was a Cup of many ingredients Let vs so farre as we may gather it out of the word of God obserue and learne what those ingredients might be which were contained in that Cup that so we may the better know what he suffered and what he prayed against CHAP. III. Of diuers particular things that were in that Cup which our Sauiour dranke of ANd if we diligently search into the particulars we shall finde that therein might be The difference betwixt feare and sorrow or griefe First Something 's that he grieued at which troubled him And Secondly Something 's that he feared which he prayed against For there be great differences betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 griefe and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feare and betwixt the causes of sorrow and feare for the obiect of sorrow and griefe may be as well euill past as the paine present but the obiect of feare is onely euill to come or that which is present but as yet not wholly passed ouer feare alwayes going before the paine sorrow and griefe following after and yet I say that the same things now in Christ might and did worke both feare and griefe because he fore-saw those things that were to come as present or as already past and therefore he feared them as things to come and he grieued for them as if they had beene already past Of the first sort there were somethings 1. In respect of himselfe 2. In respect of others What Christ griâ—ued at 1. In respect of himselfe he fore-saw these two things 1. The greatnesse of his paine and shame 2. The deferring of his death and punishment 2. In respect of others he fore-saw likewise these 2. things 1. The small account that they would make of so great a worke 2. The greatnesse of that punishment which they must suffer for this smalenesse of their account And would not these things grieue a man What Christ feared Of the second sort there were especially three things 1. The waight of sinne 2. The malice of Satan 3. The wrath of God And would not these enemies so many in number so mighty in power and so terrible to behold make a man to feare to tremble and to sweat And yet from all these he was deliuered and so as the Apostle saith He was heard in that which he feared But to speake of these a little more particularly What Christ fore-saw in respect of himselfe First his punishment First He fore-saw that he should indure Supplicium quo nullum
maius opprobrium quo nullum vilius A punishment then which there could not be greater and a shame then which there could not be viler The first which was but the least thing that grieued him yet it caused a colluctation of the flesh with paine Aristot 3. aethic with death because the flesh naturally is desirous to escape them both Et omnium terribilium terribilissimum est mors And of all terrible things death is the most terrible thing saith the Philosopher and therefore the very remembrance of the same Secondly His Shame The Shamefull handling of Christ was more grieuous vnto him then all his corporall sufferings must needs bring a terror vnto flesh and bloud And the second which was the shamefull things that were to be done vnto him to be scorned and scoffed accounted as wicked taken by the wicked and condemned with the wicked and so shamefully handled shamefully deemed shamefully dying did a great deale more perplexe and grieue him then the former any man wishing rather to dye then to suffer shame shame being a greater punishment vnto the minde and soule then any torture can be vnto the flesh Nature alwayes releeueth the part most distressed for nature cleane contrary to the course of the world which alwayes taketh part with the stronger-side and layeth helpe vpon them that are mighty vseth alwayes to assist the weaker part as it appeareth plainely in the letting of bloud in the arme or in any other place for then nature as it doth still send the bloud Quasi agmine facto as it were on heapes from all the parts of the body thither vntill the said rupture be stopped vp againe and so likewise when the heart of man which is the seate of feare begins to be troubled with any vehement or horrible feare then will nature presently collect the bloud about the same for to assist it whereby the face is left pale and all the exterior parts as it were voide of life and when the face of man which is the seate of shamefastnesse and honesty is aspersed with shame and reproach then presently the bloud relinquisheth all the interior parts and gathers it selfe vnto the face as to that part which now hath most need to be sustayned wâ—ereby we truely say that Pallor timentium rubor erubescentium est signum To blush is the signe of shame and to be pale is an argument of feare And therefore though the feare of his punishment and of death did neerely touch him yet to shew that the consideration of this most shamefull handling of him did more perplexe him his bloud did not collect it selfe vnto the heart though the same was much affrighted but leauing the heart as it were destitute of all helpe it flew into his face as vnto that part which for shame of their dispitefull vsage of him had most neede to be assisted and from thence as the pretious oyntment that was powred vpon Aarons head ranne downe vnto his beard and from thence vnto the skirts of his cloathing So this pretious bloud of Christ gushing out chiefly at his face it plentifully trickled downe to the ground Secondly The deferring of his suffering much grieued our Sauiour As the consideration and fore-sight of these things did much grieue him so the dilation and deferring of them did not a little trouble him for as the expectation of death is many times more grieuous vnto the affrighted flesh then death it selfe so was the dilation of that good which was to proceede from his death a great deale more grieuous vnto him then many deaths for hee was most greedy of our saluation and as the Horse made ready vnto the battle and hearing the Trumpets sounding Virgil. l. 4. Aeneid Stare loco nescit micat auribus tremit artus fraena faerox spumantia mandit doth fame and fome and cannot stand but still striueth to goe forward so Christ hauing this baptisme to be baptized with he was exceedingly pained vntill that was ended Quia spes quae differtur affligit animam Because as Salomon saith hope deferred or expectation prolonged languisheth the soule and therefore as Ionas saâ—d Irascor vsque ad mortem I am exceedingly angry euen vnto death that is because death comes not to me for I doe seeke for death and it flies from me so Christ was grieued vnto death Ambr. 7. in Luc. Non ex metu mortis suae sed ex mora redemptionis nostrae Not for any feare of his owne death but by reason of the delaying of our deliuerance from euerlasting death as Saint Ambrose saith What Christ fore-saw in respâ—ct of vs. Secondly As he fore-saw these things in respect of himselfe so in respect of others he fore-saw First the neglecting of his bloud First The small account that many men would make of this his so great a suffering he saw how few would imbrace it and how many would contemne it and therefore when he considered with himselfe Quae vtilitas in sanguine suo What profit might accrew from his bloud knowing that the least drop of it was of sufficient value to saue the whole world and yet by reason of the iniquitie and incredulity of men that all of it being spilt and shed it should notwithstanding saue but a remnant and a small company of men it could not choose but grieue and vexe his righteous soule to see his bloud spilt in vaine for would it not grieue any man to pay an infinite price to saue a base slaue from death and to see that villaine presently cast himselfe to death and with all his strength and wit to seeke the death of his Redeemer this was the case of Christ for he was willing to redeeme vs with his owne most precious bloud and yet he saw the wicked would trample this benefit vnder foot account the bloud of the couenant as an vnholy thing Heb. 10.29 and make none other vse of it but most fearefully to sweare by it and abuse it and so bringing vpon themselues swift damnation and therefore seeing euery sin grieues God this must grieue him most of all O then beloued brethren seeing as it grieueth the Husbandman to see his ground well manured still continuing barren so it is a griefe to Christ to see his bloud grow fruitlesse and that it is a ioy to him by our conuersion to see the fruits of his labours O let vs neuer cause him to say Esay 49.4 In vacuum laboraui I haue laboured in vaine but let vs truely repent vs of our sinnes and faithfully lay hold of his death that so both the Angels and this Lord of Angels may reioyce Secondly He fore-saw the great punishment and aduersitie that should light vpon many men and vpon many sorts of men for The dispersion of the Apostles Zach. 13.7 and by meanes of this his sufferings and his cruell death As First Vpon his owne Disciples and decrest Apostles for I will
smite the shepheard and all the sheepe shall be scattered saith the Prophet Here Iudgement begins at the house of God 1 Pet. 4.17 These sheepe must be scattered and so they were for all of them did perfidiously forsake him and the stoutest of them did plainely forsweare him and yet he warned them of it he told Peter of his infirmitie but he vanted of his magnanimity Matth. 26.34.35 he told him that he should deny him thrice but he said he would rather die then deny him at all and he willed them all to watch but they all gaue themselues to Sleepe and therefore Saint Hillary saith Hillarius l. 10. de Trinitate that Christ Non pro se tristis erat neque sibi orat sed pro illis quos movet orare peruigiles was more sorry for them then for himselfe and prayed not so much for himselfe as he did for them whom he commanded to watch and pray And Saint Ambrose saith Ambros l. 10. in Luc. Quod discipuli dormiunt nesciunt dolere pro quibus Christus dolebat That his Disciples Slept and knew not how to grieue for whom Christ did so much grieue to see he did so much for them and they so little regarded him so little regarded their owne soules that had he not prayed for them that their faith should not faile Satan had not onely sifted them all like wheate but hee would haue also blowen them away like chaffe from off the face of the earth Secondly Vpon that cursed Nation of the Iewes he fore-saw how that their glorious Temple Psal 48.2 which was the ioy of the whole earth should be subuerted their houses ruinated themselues slaughtered The reiection of the Iewes and die some with cruell famine and some with the raging Sword Ante orapatrum Solimae sub maenibus altis Perhaps in their mothers armes or before their parents faces vnder the very walles and in the spatious streetes of Ierusalem which should be made an heape of stones and therefore Saint Ambrose Ambr. l 10. in Luc. Aug in Psal 88. and Saint Augustine say Quod tristis erat pro persecutoribus That as heretofore he wept ouer Ierusalem when he considered of her subuersion so now it grieueth him that this wickked Nation whom he had chosen as peculiar vnto himselfe of all the Nations of the earth should by their nesarious handling of him pull downe such fearefull punishments vpon themselues because indeed it grieueth God Quoties cogitur esse ferox Whensoeuer by our sinnes we doe compell him to powre out the Viall of his vengeance vpon our selues The condemnation of all those that would not beleeue in him Thirdly Vpon all the rest of the generation of men that would not lay hold vpon this his precious death for hee knew full well that not the least drop of his bloud should fall to the ground but it should bring forth fruit either to satisfie Gods Iustice and to pacifie his Fathers wrath against all beleeuers in him or else to kindle his indignation against all contemners of him for whosoeuer will not lay hold on the benefits of his Passion for his saluation he shall be sure to be accountable vnto God for all his sufferings to his further condemnation because thy sinnes did cause them and for thy redemption he endured them Heb. 6.6 And because he saw so many millions of men that would rather as we doe Crucifie againe this Sonne of God and make a mocke of him and so treade him vnder feet rather then lay hold vpon his death by the hand of faith therefore it much grieued him that this great price which he so louingly offered for our redemption should through our owne negligence and wickednesse so fearefully redound to our further and greater condemnation And these be the things hee grieued at the greatnesse of which griefe to see his owne miseries so vniustly inflicted vpon him and the punishment of the wicked so iustly imposed vpon them combating with the greatnesse of his ioy to see hereby the wrath of his Father appeased The things which our Sauiour feared and the eternall saluation of his Church purchased might very well bring him into his grieuous sweating bloudy agony And yet Secondly Those things which he feared were more grieuous things to behold and more intollerable things to indure then these For First Hee saw the waight of sinne or of that punishment which euery sinne deserueth which he was now to vndergoe and this he knew to be most insupportable Zach. 5.7 for euery sinne is like a talent of lead that presseth down the bearer euen as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaues the very earth it selfe is not able to beare the waight of sinne Rom. 8. Psal 37. but groaneth vnder the same vnto this day and therefore the Prophet Dauid saith that his iniquities were like a sore burthen too heauy for him to beare But vpon Christ was laid the iniquities of vs all and he was to make a full satisfaction for them all and he saw that no sinne could be pardoned without great sorrow without great paine for as no sinne is committed but that first it is in the minde and soule before it proceedeth out of the body and the rule of Iustice requireth Vt per quae quis peccat per haec torqueretur Cypr. de laps vt inde inciperet paena vnde incipit crimen That by which a man sinneth by that he should be punished and this punishment should there begin where his sinne began therefore seeing we our selues were neither able nor willing to sorrow sufficiently for our sinnes he began to be troubled and grieued in minde and to be exceedingly sorrowfull for vs and so Aquinas saith Christus non tantum doluit de amissione vitae temporalis quantum de peccatis omnium aliorum Christ did not grieue so much for the losse of his owne life as he did for our sinnes and so Saint Ambrose saith Ambr. de fide l. 2. c. 3. Mihi compatitur mihi tristis est mihi dolet quia pro se nihil habuit quod doleret He pittieth me he is sad for me because he had nothing he did nothing that he should be grieued for himselfe and therefore he bewayled and was grieued at Non supplicia sua sed vulnera nostra Not so much his owne death as our sinnes and because as we not knowing the greatnesse of sinne doe not know the greatnesse of that sorrowe that we owe for sinne so Christ knowing both and being to vndergoe the sorrow of all sinnes Thren 2.13 he did exceedingly sorrow and grieue Magna vt mare contritia tua and his griefe was like an Ocean Sea bottomelesse and boundlesse And therefore what maruell if he did exceedingly feare sweat and prostrate thus himselfe vpon his face to pray to be deliuered from such a griefe such a burthen for as the Poet saith Gemit sub
life Why Christ would not answere Pilate whence he was Or as others thinke he would not answere least by his eloquence he should haue escaped death insomuch that Pilate who vniustly condemned him iustly admired this that he which was wont to open his mouth in Parables and to teach others the way vnto eternall life would not at this time open his mouth to speake one word for himselfe to saue his life Secondly Pilate being much affraide to be thought an enemie vnto Caesar Marke 15.15 and being most willing to please the people as the Euangelist noteth he determined to deliuer him to be crucified And these were the motiues that caused Pilate to condemne our Sauiour Christ and these cause many a man to sinne when we feare man more then God What moued Pilate to deliuer Christ to be crucified and are desirous rather to please the people then to discharge our consciences from which two fearefull things good Lord deliuer euery faithfull soule Thirdly Because Pilate knew that for enuie the Iewes deliuered him to be crucified and his owne conscience by many arguments testified vnto him how vniustly hee condemned that iust man Math 27.24 The poor shift of Pilate to excuse himselfe therefore that it might happen vnto the Iewes according as they had concluded themselues His bloud be vpon vs and vpon our Children He taketh water and washeth his hands saying I am innocent from the bloud of this iust person See ye to it And then he gaue sentence that it should be as they required that IESVS CHRIST should be presently CRVCIFIED The sentence of Christs condemnation Ah sencelesse sinnefull man a man voide of wisedome to commit such an horrible sinne against thy God and to condemne life to death Alas what auaileth it thee to wash thy hands in water and to defile thy heart with bloud for how shalt thou answere this not onely to condemne an innocent Sed ijsdem labijs illum condemnare quibus pronuntiaueras innocentem But also with the same lippes to condemne him as guilty which euen now had pronounced him guiltlesse Surely God may say to thee as to all those Iudges that follow thy steppes to make a long speech to iustifie themselues Luke 19.22 and in few words to condemne the innocent Out of thine owne mouth will I condemne thee O thou euill seruant and I will iustly condemne thee to eternall death because thou hast vniustly condemned an innocent man to death O consider this ye that forget God and ye that be called Gods on Earth cleanse your hearts from all euill and let not your hands deale with wickednesse so shall you be innocent from the great offence And so you see what the Iudge of all the World suffered before these petty Iudges of this World CHAP. VI. What Christ suffered in Golgotha the place where he was crucified PIlate hauing passed sentence vpon Christ to be crucified the Souldiers take him and laying his Crosse a heauy Crosse vpon his shoulders as Isaac carried the wood wherewith himselfe should be sacrificed Gen. 22.6 2 Sam. 11.14 or as Vrias carried the Letters of his owne death they compelled him to carrie it so long as he was able to stand vnder it then meeting Simon of Cyrene comming from his perambulation in the fields they make him carrie that Crosse of Christ vnto the place of execution and placing the same in Golgotha which was the place where Adam was buried Ambros l. 5. Ep. 1â— as Saint Ambrose thinketh they nayled and fastened Christ vnto it vpon that very day of the weeke that Adam was created Two things considered vpon the Crosse and as is thought he was hanged vpon this Tree vpon the very same houre of the day as Adam did eate of the forbidden Tree And here wee must consider two especiall things 1. The grieuous things that he suffered Tantum distentus sum vt corpore nudo in modum tympanica pellis distento facile possint omnia ossa mea dinumerari Bern. de pass c. 7. 2. The gracious words that he vttered For the first they stretched his body as Saint Bernard saith and then they nayled him to the Crosse which was a grieuous torment vnto any but especially vnto him because his body of all other men was the most tender as being onely shaped of a Virgins substance without any commixture of the male nature and yet the most sensible parts of this tender body must be bored and mangled by his cruell enemies for his feete that afore were washed with Maries teares must now be teared with iron nayles and those blessed hands Bosquier de passione Domini p. 847. in fol. that had wrought so many wonderous workes must now be fastened Vnto this wooden Crosse and there he must hang vntill he die Horrendum dictu A most odious and a most grieuous death and that in foure respects First Because it was an accursed death so esteemed by man 1. An accursed death and so denounced by God himselfe where he saith Cursed is euery one that hangeth vpon a Tree Deut. 21. Gal. 3.13 Tripartit hist l. 1. c. 9. 2. A shamefull death And therefore Constantine the Great and good made a Law that no Christian should be crucified vpon a Crosse Secondly Because it was an ignominious and a shamefull death inflictâ—d chiefly vpon those slaues and seruants that either falsly accused or treacherously conspired their Masters death and it was neuer imposed vpon free men vnlesse it were for some haynous and notorious crimes as robberie murther sedition rebellion or such like 3. A painefull death Thirdly Because it was a most painefull death for that they were fastened to the Crosse not with any little nayles but with bigge purposely made nayles that might hold them sure and fast enough vnto the Crosse so bigge were the nayles that pierced Christ his hands and feete that being found they were found sufficient to make a bridle and a Helmet Socrates Hist l. 1. c. 17. as Socrates saith and then the whole waight of their bodies hanging by these parts made their paine intollerable and killed them at length without any deadly wound And therefore Cicero that most eloquent man which wanted no words to expresse any thing else when hee came to consider of this accursed death was brought to that passe Cicero Orat. 7. in ver to that non-plus as to say Quid dicam in crucem tollere What shall I say of that cruell and most painefull shamefull death of the Crosse 4. A slow and a lingring death Fourthly Because it was a slow and a lingering death for that as the Poet truly saith Morsque minus penae quam mora mortis habet To be long in paine is worse then death a soone dispatched riddance out of paine being a great fauour vnto a languishing life and although in other deaths they should be quickly dispatched and soone rid out of all their paine
Serpents head Gen. 3.15 Dan. 9.26 and that the Messias should suffer for our sinnes and be broken for our transgressions Esay 53.5 And the Father promised this for none other cause The loue of God to mankinde moued God to doe all this for vs. but this Because he loued vs For God seeing vs in such a miserable state as we had made our selues by sinne was moued with compassion ouer vs and was contented to giue his onely begotten Sonne to be crucified for vs rather then we should be eternally separated from him So our Sauiour saith God so loued the World i. e. So admirably so exceedingly and so incomprehensibly John 3.16 That he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that is to die for vs That whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And so Saint Paul saith God setteth out his loue towards vs seeing that while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. And surely it was a farre greater argument of his loue to giue his Sonne to die for vs then if hee had forgiuen our sinnes and acquitted vs without any satisfaction at all And therefore Saint Paul speaking of this loue of God calles it Too much loue as the vulgar Latine reades it Deus propter nimiam charitatem God through his great Ephes 2.4 or too much loue wherewith he loued vs hath quickened vs with Iesus Christ And this great loue of God will appeare the greater if wee consider that this Sonne of God which hee gaue to die for vs Omnis in Ascanio Charistat cura parentis was not onely his onely begotten Sonne which was very great that hauing but one onely Sonne he would giue that one to die for vs but was also such a Sonne in whom onely God was well pleased and with whom he was neuer offended as I shewed vnto you before And as the Father shewed Tantam charitatem so great loue in giuing his Sonne to die for vs so the Sonne shewed the like equall loue in being so willing as he was to suffer for vs for in the beginning or in the volume of the Booke it is written of me saith Christ that I should fulfill thy will O God Hebrewes 10.7 and I am content to doe it That is I am as willing and as ready to fulfill it as thou art to conceiue it yea I am grieued I am pained till I haue fulfilled it For it is meate and drinke to me saith Christ to doe my Fathers will And therefore once againe behold the great loue wherewith Christ hath loued vs Surely saith Saint Bernard Dilexisti me magis quam teipsum quia pro me mori voluisti Thou hast loued me more then thou didst thy selfe because thou gauest thy selfe to die for me For greater loue then this hath no man John 15.13 that a man should giue his life for his friends especially for his enemies Rom. 5.8 as he did for vs Cum inimici essemus While we were yet sinners â—nd regarded neither him nor our selues Bern. de Caena Domini Ser. 13. And therefore Saint Bernard doth most truly say that he did this Tanto dignantius quanto pro minus dignis So much the more wonderfully worthy of loue by how much the lesse worthy we were of his loue And in very deede there is no man breathing No Creature able to express the great loue of Christ to mankinde that is able to expresse how great was the loue of Christ towards mankinde But my conscience is my witnesse O my Sauiour what I haue done to thee and thy Crosse doth witnesse what thou hast done for me for thou wast God and I a man and yet thou a God wouldest be made man for me yea to become exiled poore and base for vs that were the vilest of all Creatures poore and base miserable sinners And not onely so but also to die a most cruell bitter and a shamefull death to deliuer vs from eternall death O what couldest thou haue done more for vs that thou hast not done The like example cannot be found in any History Rom. 5.7 for one will scarce die for a righteous man It may be they will ride and runne to saue a good mans life but to die for another we shall scarce finde any that will venter it Titus Liu. Decad 1. l. 2. Val. Max. l. 5. c. 6. It is true that the Curiatij and the Horatij are reported to haue aduentured their liues for the libertie of their Countrey And so Decius Curtius and Codrus did freely offer themselues to death for to preserue their peoples life but they did this either for ambition to be honoured for their facts and to be numbred among the Gods or else in desperation of their liues to be ridde out of their griefe when they saw none other helpe of their miseries but Christ when there was no necessity to compell him did all this and farre much more then I haue shewed for vs And that not onely Sine nostris meritis sed cum nostris demeritis When we deserued no good Bern. Ser. 15. in Cant. but especially when we were worthy of so much euill at his hands as was due to most deadly enemies as Saint Bernard saith CHAP. III. Of the finall causes why Christ suffered both in respect of Men and in respect of God himselfe AND so you haue seene the instrumentall causes of Christ his death and you heard the efficient cause why God punished Christ for vs and for our sinnes and why for vs because he loued vs with a great exceeding incomprehensible loue And how this should teach vs that as our hearts doe hate Iudas Pilate and all the rest of our Sauiours bloudie persecutors which were but the Instruments of his death so much more should we loath and detest our owne sinnes and wickednesse which were the maine principall cause that moued God thus seuerely to punish him And now it resteth The final cause of Christ his death that we consider the finall cause thereof and I finde that to be two-fold 1. In respect of Men. 2. In regard of God 1. In respect of Men. First In respect of Men I finde it likewise to be two-fold 1. The sauing of all the Elect. 2. To make the reprobate without excuse Math. 20.28 For the first Our Sauiour faith That he came to giue his life a ransome for many and to saue those that were lost And so Saint Paul saith Gal 4.4 That Christ was made vnder the Law to redeeme them that were vnder the Law and that Iesus Christ was sent into the World to saue sinners Now wee must know that as Bellarmine noteth there are diuers kindes of redemption as That there were diuers kindes of redemption First By Manumission as when the Lord did willingly of his owne accord let his slaues goe free Secondly By permutation as when one prisoner was exchanged for another Thirdly By
force as when by their friends they were rescued out of the hands of their enemies Fourthly By a ransome as when a price thought counteruaileable to the prisoners was paide for the deliuerance of the Captiues And thus Christ redeemed vs for we had solde our selues or rather giuen away our selues because we doe it for such trifles for nothing that it deserues not the name of a sale vnder sinne and we had past away our selues vnto Sathan and he would neuer suffer vs freely to be freed out of his hands neither was there any force nor friends that could any wayes restore vs vnto our former dignitie and therefore Christ came to repurchase vs that is to buy vs backe againe vnto God And though we fell our selues for nothing yet Sathan like a cunning Merchant that knowes well the worth of Soules would not part with vs at any reasonable rate and therefore Christ was faine to pay for vs not gold or siluer or any such like corruptible thing 1 Pet. 1.18 but his owne deare and precious bloud So dearely was he faine to pay for vs so dearely it cost him to redeeme our soules And so Christ came and offered himselfe How deerely it cost Christ to redeeme vs. vpon the Altar of the Crosse as a sufficient sacrifice to pacifie his Fathers wrath and to satisfie his iustice to saue our soules yea the soules of all them that beleeued in him from the beginning of the World to this present day That the bloud of Christ was the price to saue all men as well before his comming as now after his comming Gal. 4. and so forward to the finall period of all flesh For It was not the bloud of Goates or Calues that was the true propitiatory Sacrifice for the sinnes of the Fathers that liued vnder the Law but it was the bloud of Iesus Christ that was onely figured and signified by these Leuiticall shadowes by the Paschall Lambe by the Brazen Serpent and by whatsoeuer else that was giuen them as a Schoolemaster to bring them vnto Christ which purged their consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God For he is said to be the Lambe slaine that is slaine in the figure Reuel 13.8 slaine in the purpose of God and slaine in the vertue of his passion to euery one that beleeueth him to be slaine for him from the beginning of the World And therefore all those that went before and all those that came after cried Hosanna to the Sonne of Dauid Math. 21.9 For as the looking to the Brazen Serpent was the onely meanes to saue all those people from death which were bitten by the fierie Serpents whether they were before it or behind it Numbers 21.9 or on either side of it neere it or farre from it so the beleeuing in the death of the Sonne of God was and is the onely meanes to preserue all men from the sting of sinne aswell those that went before him Et vnde mundi Philosophus erubuit ibi Apostolus thesaurum reperit quod illi visum est slultitia Apostolo factum est sapientia Quest That the merit of Christs suffering depends vpon the worthinesse of â—he person Resp as those that doe come after him And therefore Quod est grande ludibrium impijs est grande mysterium pijs The death and passion of Iesus Christ which is foolishnesse vnto the World is the sole comfort and consolation of all Christians as Saint Augustine doth most sweetly comment vpon those words of the Apostle God forbid that I should reioyce in any thing saue in the Crosse of Iesus Christ Gal 6. But here it may be demanded how the sufferings of Christ being but of short continuance should be of that worth and dignitie as to be a sufficient price for our eternall deliuerance and to make a plenary satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole World To this I answere that the merit of his suffering depends not vpon the quantity of paine or the continuance of time but vpon the worthinesse of the sufferer and that in two respects Heb. 7.26 1 Pet. 1.19.2.22 First Of his Innocency for he was holy harmelesse and vndefiled a Lambe without spot in whose mouth was found no guile And therefore Iustum est saith Saint Augustine It is a most iust and a righteous thing Aug. l. 13. c 14. de trinitate that the debtors should be set free because he which owed nothing did pay all our debt Maxim quadragess Ser. 1. Secondly Of his Excellency for he was not onely a most innocent man Quem nullum maculauit delictum But he was also a most omnipotent God as the Apostle sheweth when he biddeth vs Acts 20.28 To take heede vnto the Flocke which God hath purchased with his owne bloud And therefore as the Father is infinite which was prouoked so the Sonne is infinite which made the satisfaction that for an infinite offence there might be an infinite attonement and so the person dying being both God and Man his death must be of a greater value then the deaths of all the men of tenne thousand Worlds And therefore Saint Cyprian truly affirmeth Modicam guttam sanguinis Christi propter vnionem hypostaticam pro redemptione totius mundi sufficisse That the least droppe of the bloud of Christ by reason of the vnion of the Deitie vnto the Manhood That the sole sufferings of Christ is fully sufficient to satisfie for all sinnes to make but one person of Christ is of full sufficient vaine to make satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole World And this doth sufficiently confute all those that ioyne the afflictions of the Saints with the sufferings of Christ as a part or the accomplishment of the price of their redemption as if with Christ alone there were not as the Prophet saith Psal 130.7 plenteous redemption for though the Apostle saith I reioyce in my sufferings for you and fill vp that which is behinde of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church Coloss 1.24 yet this is not to be vnderstood of the propitiatory sacrifice for sinne for so Christ onely suffered all that was to be suffered for our sinnes as both the Prophet Esay Chap. 53.4.5.6 and the holy Apostles of our Sauiour Christ Saint Paul and Saint Iohn Esay 53.4.5.6 Heb. 9.26 1 Iohn 2.2 doe most fully and sufficiently declare He that is He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by himselfe hath purged our sinnes and as Dauid onely entred the lists against Golias Heb. 1.3 when all the Israelites were but meere spectators So did Christ alone vndertake the combate against Satan and hath troden the Wine-presse alone Esay 63.3 as the Prophet speaketh and therefore Christ said All is finished that is not onely all that is written of me is now fulfilled Ille solus sordes omnium potest abluere Aug. hom 108. de tempore or all
transgression doe you now and euer hereafter follow Mary Magdalen in your true conuersion for she loued much because much was forgiuen her Luke 7.47 and she liued most strict and religiously in her age because shee had liued so loosly and so dissolutely in her youth for as Dyonisius and Egesippus doe record she betooke her selfe to a most solitary life sequestred from all worldly pleasures in the mountaine Balma full thirty yeares together in all which time shee gaue her selfe to meditation fasting and prayer and as Iosephus writeth could neuer indure any company for now she had giuen a perfect bill of diuorce vnto all wantonnesse and had disrobed her selfe of all her sumptuous weedes and alluring paludaments and chose rather to suffer a short affliction and to endure a hard penance with the Children of God Heb. 11.25 then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season Secondly That we should neuer despaire of any mans conuersion That seeing the grace of God to moue and incline our hearts must be the first agent in the conuersion of our soules and that God hath his owne times and houres and moments to call vs into his Vineyard some at the sixth some at the ninth and some at the eleuenth houre we should not despaire of the conuersion of any one for as to commit sinne is the death of the soule so to despaire is the stepping downe to the lowest Hell Isidor de summo bono and therefore seeing God is multus ad misericordiam of much mercy to forgiue many sinnes and of great mercy Esay 55. to forgiue great sinnes let vs neuer despaire of the eternall and omnipotent mercy of God for though thy sinnes were as haynous as Mary Magdalens yet one word of Christs mouth is able to cast out all Diuels though they were as odious as Peters yet one looke of Christs fauour is able to worke grace and repentance in thy soule and though they were as many as Manasses and as red as scarlet yet one drop of the bloud of Christ is able to wash them all away and to make thy crimson soule as white as snow and therefore returne O Shunamite returne and call to God for grace say vnto the Lord that it is time that he haue mercy vpon thy soule yea the time is come And so much for the deuotion of the women Part. 3 PART III. CHAP. I. Of the Angels seruice vnto Christ and how terrible they be to the wicked THirdly The Office of the Angels is here plainely expressed for though Saint Marke saith hee was a young man yet Saint Matthew saith he was an Angell for Angels many times assumed outward formes The Angels often appeared like men but were neuer made men to performe some offices and deposed the same againe after the finishing of their worke and so they vsed those formes as one vseth his garments to put it on and off at his pleasure and not as our Sauiour did for Christ really vnited himselfe to the forme that he assumed and assumed it neuer to depose it and therefore they are said onely to appeare like men but Christ is said to be made many This Angell then being sent to comfort and not to astonish these women he tooke vpon him the forme of a man which is a forme most customable that he might not affright them and hee tooke the forme of a yong man which is a forme most amiable Aug. in Psal 104. that he might delight them and he is called an Angell Ab officio non natura In respect of his office not of his nature Nam ex eo quod est spiritus est ex eo quod agit Angelus est For in that which he is he is a Spirit in that he is sent as a Messenger he is an Angell saith Saint Augustine and therefore hee is a Spirit ab essentia in respect of his being he is a yong man à forma in respect of the forme wherein he appeared and hee is an Angell ab officio in respect of that duty and office which he was now to discharge The office of the Angell here expressed is three-fold And I finde the same here to be three-fold 1. In respect of Christ 2. In respect of the Keepers 3. And principally in respect of the Women First The Angels are excellent in all things but for three things most excellent First Purity of substance Matth. 18.10 for they alwayes behold the face of God into whose presence no impure thing can approach Secondly Readinesse of obedience for the Prophet speaking of their seruice saith He rode vpon Cherub and did flie Psal 18.10 hee came flying vpon the wings of the winde Thirdly Feruentnesse of charity for Heb. 1.7 hee maketh his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire whereby they burne in loue not onely one towards another but also towards vs poore miserable men for they reioyce at our conuersion Luke 15.10 and being conuerted they become our Guardians in our conuersation Psal 91.11 to preserue vs in all our wayes that we dash not our foot against a stone And these three things were shadowed in those Cherubims 1 Kings 6.23 made by Salomon to ouer-shadow the mercy seate for they were made of fine gold to note their purity 2 Chron. 3.12 with their wings spread to note their celerity and with their faces looking one towards another to note their charity And yet for all their excellency when God brought his first begotten Sonne into the world he commanded them all to doe him seruice saying Worship him all yee Angels and so they did Heb. 1.6 for when he was to be conceiued the Angell brought tydings vnto that blessed Virgin when he was borne How the Angels alwayes did seruice vnto our Sauiour Christ the Angels told the same vnto the shepheards when his life was sought for by Herod the Angell reuealed the same vnto Ioseph and warned him to flie into Egypt when Herod was dead the Angell bad Ioseph returne into the land of Iury when Satan had left tempting him the Angels came and ministred vnto him when his soule was exceeding sorrowfull vnto death the Angels attended to comfort him and here when his Body was to be raysed from death the Angel descended to rolle away that mighty stone which his aduersaries had laide vpon his graue Non propter impotentiam Christi sed propter obedientiam Angeli Not that Christ was vnable to doe it himselfe for he that is able to shake the earth and of the stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham shall we thinke him vnable to lift vp a stone but to declare his soueraigne authority ouer these creatures of soueraigne dignity he needs but say vnto his Angel Doe this and he doth it And therefore if the Angels which neuer offended him be euer so ready to doe him seruice how much more willing should we be to serue him for to
Gospell shined and the truth of Christ is amongst vs O let vs not loue darknesse more then light let vs not returne from light to darknesse I know there is a continuall opposition and a mightie warre betwixt truth and falshood farre greater then that betwixt the house of Saul and the house of Dauid and each one of them seeketh to preuaile against the other and I hope I need not vse any argument to prooue that we are in the truth It was the Corinthians fault after they were baptized beleeued Christ and professed Christ a long while all on a sudden like the men that sailed into the midst of the Ocean and awaking out of a dreame made a great question whether they were in any ship or no they beganne to doubt whether there was any resurrection or not and I hope wee will not bee like any of these heerein after wee haue it so deerely purchased with the blood of Martyrs so truely preached by the painfull seruants of Christ and so long preserued amongst vs by the free grace of Christ now to question whether we be in the truth or not for that is beyond all question God hath brought it to vs we haue preached it to you and you haue beleeued it and profest it gloriously and christianly before the face of the whole world and therefore I will onely shew you two speciall poynts to be our helpe and furtherance in our warfare against errour Two speciall points to be considered The First shall be to preserue vs in the truth The Second shall be to suppresse falshood that it preuaile not against the truth For the first I desire all men to consider 1. Who we be that teach you 2. What they are that seeke to seduce you First we are plaine men that compasse not sea and land to inlarge our Monarchie Who we are that teach the people wee labour not so much to get your wealth as to saue your soules for as the Apostle saith we seeke not yours but you and I hope most of vs if occasion serued you should see it would seale our words with our bloud for as there were 7000. men in Israel that bowed not their knees to Baal so I assure my selfe there are many thousands in England that would lay downe their neckes and leese their liues rather then they would depart a nayles bredth from the truth of that doctrine which we haue taught And I boldly say it if Satan should be let loose to persecute the Saints of God I doe vnfainedly wish my deerest bones might first burne to giue light vnto all them that desire to walk in this truth Who they bee that seeke to seduce our people Secondly consider what they be that seeke to seduce you and I doubt not but you shall finde most of them to be either such as were nuzled in errors a cunabulis euen from their cradles by their seduced friends popish children of popish parents sent and bred in the mysteries of iniquity and should we look for these to bee otherwise then they bee or else to bee such as through discontent to see some hoysted vp vnto Moses chayre which are scarce worthy to sit at Gamaliels feet and themselues that haue good parts in them Acts 22.3 through want of friends or meanes to be quite neglected haue gone from vs either because they hoped for better fortunes in other soyles or because they were lothe to indure their meane fortunes among their owne friends because noble spirits had rather begge where they are not knowne then any waies be base where their worth is seene I confesse a fault in neglecting them and it is too common amongst vs but will you be contented to hazard your soules vpon their perswasions that hazarded their owne through discontent I hope better things of you and I assure my selfe that as you are in the truth so you will continue in the truth vnto your death For the second how we shall suppresse falshood Vide The Misery of man page 109. that it preuaile not against truth I refer you to my first treatise of the Misery of man p. 109. where I haue set down my best adâ—ice in this case But heere it may be some will say Quorsum haec to what end is all this spoken to insinuate feare into the hearts of men where there is no feare I answer that his gratious Maiesty not only by his Royall authority in maintayning true Religion but also by his Diuine pen by his owne paines defending the truth of our Religion and his wise Councellers whose Councells are like the great deepe too great for me to diue into them too high for you to attaine vnto them doe not onely free vs from all feare of idolatry and superstition but doe also assure vs of a most happy continuance of our most true Religion in a farre more glorious manner then our meane capacities can perceiue and yet there is one great powerfull and politicke one vnder whose wings many are sheltered and he intrudeth himselfe into all places Country and City Court and Councell-chamber and laboureth by all meanes to put out our light and to darken the Gospell of Iesus Christ and to bring in idolatry and superstition into our land againe and that is the prince of darknesse the diuell and Satanas that entred into Paradise That Satan alwaies laboreth to bring men into idolatry superstition to deceiue our fore-fathers that ventured vpon the Sonne of God and sayd mitte te deorsum if thou be the Sonne of God cast thy selfe downward and will suggest it into euery man if thou would'st bee the childe of God mitte te retrorsum then must thou returne backward and bee as thy fore-fâ—thers were There is no doubt of this if he could send none from Rome hitherto corrupt vs yet while hee hath rome for any in hell hee will neuer leaue to labour by his wicked suggestions to corrupt vs himselfe hee will enter into our chamber hee will creepe into our bosomes and he will seeke by all meanes for to deceiue vs wee are not ignorant of his deuices And therefore I say let him that standeth take heed lest hee falleth and let vs pray to God for grace 1. Cor. 10.12 that as he hath raised vs from sinne and superstition so he would preserue vs from relapsing or falling back into any of these sinnes againe And thus you see how Christ raised himselfe from death and how we should raise our selues from sinne And heere wee must further note that as the consideration of Christs resurrection should make vs conformable vnto him That the resurrection of Christ is a cause of great ioy vnto vs. by our resurrection from all sinne so it should bee most comfortable vnto vs both in respect of Christ and our selues quia resurgens Christus tantum attulit letitiae quantum morions attulit doloris because Christ at his resurrection brought vs more ioy and
should carry vs vp vnto God because God is loue and loue brought downe God vnto men Huc me syderio descendere fecit olympo Hic me crudeli vulnere fixit amor And therefore no maruell that loue should carry vs vp into Heauen Aug. in Psal 83. p. 376. d. 1. wherefore Saint Augustine sayth that by loue we doe either ascend to Heauen or descend to Hell quia amando Deum ascendis in Coelum amando seculum descendis vsque ad abyssum because by louing God wee ascend to Heauen and by louing the world we descend downe to Hell Saint Gregory saith these wings are 1. The contempt of worldly things 2. The desire of heauenly things And this may well stand with Saint Augustines saying because as the same Saint Gregorie saith tanto ab inferioribus disiungimur quanto superioribus delectamur by how much the more earnestly we loue heauenly things by so much we are ascended and sequestred from earthly things And therefore if you would ascend 1. Iohn 2.15 Colos 3.2 then loue not the world nor the things of this world but set your affections on those things that are aboue and because our life is iust like a clocke that vnlesse his waight be alwayes wynded vp will soone stand therefore wee must be euer winding vp our affections and weaning them from these worldly things and with Noahs doue neuer suffer the soales of our feete to rest vntill our hearts and soules returne to him that gaue them vs. Thirdly for the signes whereby wee may know whether we haue ascended or doe ascend towards Heauen or not I might shew you many How we may know whether our hearts ascendeth to Heauen or not but now take this for all if things aboue our heads shew greater vnto vs then they did before and things beneath vs lesser that is an apparant argument that we ascend and grow higher and higher for so Saint Gregorie saith if a man were aloft in the cloudes it would appeare vnto him quam abiecta sunt quae iam alta videntur how base are the things of this earth which to a man on earth doe seeme so great for then hee should see mountaines no bigger then Mole-hills and the Sunne which before while hee was on earth did seeme but instar pilae pedalis like a footeball hee should now finde it to be a great and immens glorious body all bodies aboue him would seeme greater and all below him would seeme lesser euen so if our hearts and affections be ascended vp to Heauen then surely the things of this world doe seeme vnto vs but as they are indeede damnum stercora Dung and drosse Phil. 3.8 or as nothing and worth nothing as Nazianzen saith and the things of Heauen are the onely desires of our hearts and the delights of our soules but if folia venti lilia agri the vanities and the pleasures of this world the Titles of Honour and the confluence of wealth be the desires and delights of our hearts then certainely wee are fast bound in misery and iron wee are fastened and fettered here on earth and it may bee with Golden chaynes but fast inough from ascending vp to Heauen I will not iudge of any by this rule you may all iudge your selues if you doe highly esteeme of the preaching and Preachers of Gods Word If you make much of them that feare the Lord and loue good men and a good conscience and make none account of this world nor of the things of this world then is your heart ascended vp to Heauen but if not Nudus humi iaces Thou lyest poore and miserable fettered here in earth a flaue and captiue of the Deuill and hast neede to cry and call for Christ to lead captiuitie captiue which is the second part of my Text. And so much for the Ascention of our Sauiour Christ Part. 2 PART II. CHAP. Of the victory and triumph of Christ ouer our enemies of our deliuerance from them and of our restoring into the seruice of God againe SEcondly Touching the victory and triumph of Christ set downe in these words Thou hast led captiuity captiue we must vnderstand that this is taken two wayes 1. Passiuely 2. Actiuely And I say first Passiuely because our enemies must be vanquished before we can be deliuered and therefore How Christ ouercame death Hell sinne and Satan First This phrase may be taken Passiuely for the World Death and Hell and all other enemies of Mankinde which Christ hath conquered and led captiue that they should not raigne and rule ouer his seruants any more And thus Saint Augustine doth expound it saying Quid est captiuauit captiuitatem vicit mortem mortem procurauit diabolus ipse diabolus de morte Christi est captiuatus What is he led captiuity captiue but he ouercame death for the Diuell had procured death for sinne and now the Diuell himselfe is captiuated by the death of Christ For as Victors were wont to doe to leade in triumph those Tyrants that opprest their subiects or those enemies that they had vanquished being fast bound with chaines with their heads and feet bare for their greater shame and reproach so the Psalmist alludeth vnto the same when he saith Coloss 2.15 Thou hast led captiuity captiue and the Apostle doth more cleerely expresse it when hee saith that Christ hauing spoyled Principalities and Powers hath made a shew of them openly tryumphing ouer them in it Quest But here it may be demaunded how are they captiuated when as the Diuell compasseth the earth like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure And so doth the world still oppresse vs 1 Pet. 5.8 our flesh lusteth against the spirit and Death still raigneth ouer vs all I answere that Christ hath destroyed their Power Resp hee hath taken away their strength and hee hath quite subuerted the Kingdome of sinne and Satan and taken away the sting of death and yet they compasse about not as hauing any power ouer vs but as a Lyon tyed will teare vs in pieces if he can catch vs within his clawes so will sinne and Satan if wee yeeld vnto them for though Christ ouercame all our enemies yet hee hath not quite taken them out of our wayes but left them as it were aliue though bound that we might still beware to come within their reach if we would escape their teeth and therefore wee say that sinne is so taken away that it doth not raigne ouer the Saints though perhaps through their negligence it doth often wound them so Satan is bound though like a bridled horse he often fumes against vs and sometimes bites vs too 1 Cor. 15.54 if we beware not of him and so death is swallowed vp into victory and the sting thereof is taken away so that it can neuer hurt the Saints of God though it layes them stil into a sleepe because they shall all awake at the last day But if sinne and
reproue great men 233 Who most subiect to dangers 433 Daughters of sinne are two 82 In the day of Christs natiuitie three things obseruable 435 DE. Death the fruit of sinne 2 Seauen deadly sinnes 40 By death is contained all that is vnder the curse of God 47 67 Death three-fold 49 Death of the soule three-fold 53 Death what it is 67 How largely it extendeth it selfe 75 How vnresistable it is ibid. How expressed by the Egyptians 76 How it shortens life diuers wayes 77 How it taketh men of all ages 78 How it smiteth in euery place 79 How comfortable it is to the godly 79 How terrible to the wicked 80 How it equalizeth the bodies of all men 81 Death of Christ the sole cause that maketh our death happy vnto vs. 84 Death eternall what it is 86 Death of Christ a sufficient satisfaction for the greatest sinnes 164 Death how little Christ respected it 446 Saints at their death supported by God 447 Death of the crosse grieuous in foure respects 479 480 Death of Christ maketh the wicked without excuse 504 Certainty of Christs death shewed in that her rose not til the third day 556 Deceit of sinne how great 44 Deceits no deceits vnlesse cunningly carried 461 Deformitie of sinne greater then we can comprehend 107 Deferring of Christs suffering grieued Christ 451 Wicked men how they deceiue themselues 517 God a debter to no man 531 To defend the truth with the hazard of all that we haue 217 Why God deferreth to giue vs what we desire 723 Delight in sinne maketh vs exceeding sinfull 15 Our deliuerances from punishments to be ascribed to Gods goodnesse 203 God deliuereth not alwaies his deerest Saints from afflictions 206 Christ deliuered from what he feared 448 To derogate from Gods power how great a sinne 161 God denieth his grace vnto the children for their Fathers sinnes 251. Why. 252 Why God denieth what we aske 725 To descend from the crosse easier then to rise from the graue 562 Descention of Christ into hell handled 580. 581 c. proued by Scripture and by the stimonie of antiquitie 484. 618 That Christ descended before hee could ascend 609 Why Christ descended not from the crosse 481 We ought to despaire of no mans conuersion 533 Descending of Christ signifieth the assuming of our flesh 301 Description of God by way of negation affirmation and super eminencie 121 Desire to sinne is an act done 96 Desperate men thinke God cannot forgiue them 139 We ought neuer to despaire of mercie 226 To despaire what a haynous sinne 228 Saints desired nothihg but Christ 264 Demosthenes his Parable vnto the Athenians of the wolues request vnto the sheepe 644 Of the young man that hired an Asse to Megara 678 DI. Christ whether hee died for all men and how 505 To die to sinne what it is 50 a punishment for sinne ibid. To die in sinne what it is 51 Difference betwixt spirituall and eternall punishment 250 How the word God differeth from our Word 309 A great difference betwixt appearing in the forme of man and to be made man 329 Difference betwixt assuming flesh and to bee made flesh 345 Difference betwixt the two-fold generations of Christ and of the Saints 364 Difference betwixt Law and Gospell 3â—4 Difference betwixt the sinnes of the godly and the wicked three-folde 35 Difference betwixt feare and sorrow 449 Philosophers most diligent to attaine to all kinde of knowledge 315 How diligent we ought to be to know Christ 393 Dirt nothing so foule as sinne 52 Diseases of the soule what they be 63 Discontent with God what a heauie sinne 239 Disobedience to God what a haynous sinne 293 Disobedience to parents what a fearefull sinne 240 To distinguish of Gods power reconcileth diuers Authors 150 Dispertion of the Apostles grieued Christ 453 In distresse how wee ought to seeke vnto God 488 Disciples whether they stole Christ from the graue or not 562 Discretion how needfull for Preachers 696 Diuels know God and Christ and the mysterie of the Trinitie 314 Confest Gods power 162 DO Doctrine touching the person of Christ how alwaies opposed by Satan 304 Doctrine of diuinitie how deepe and difficult 392 Whatsoeuer God doth is no sinne 166 Doores being shut how Christ came in 387 Doubting of Gods goodnesse what a fearefull sinne 239 That we should neuer doubt of Gods promises 130 DR To draw neere to vs how God is said 165 M. Drusus desired all men might see what he did 604 EA EArth accursed for the sinne of man 48 EF. The effects that Christs sufferings should worke in vs. 505 EG Egyptians how they expressed death 76 EL. Electionis of some men not of all 203 The elect onely are effectually called 203 Elizabeth the wife of Zacharias of what Tribe she was 397 EN Enemies that besot the godly 177 Enuie of Satan against Christ 493 and why he enuied him 434 Enemies of Christ ascribe to him in mockery what he was in deed 432 433 Enemies of Christ what they testified of him 578 Enemies of man especially three 582 EP. Epicurus confest the world had beginning and shall haue ending 137 EQ Equalitie of sinnes confuted 37 Equitie of eternall punishment for a temporarie sinne shewed in two respects 97 Christ equall with the Father 299 ER. Error of the Philosophers touching the etertie of the world 136 Error of the Vbiquitaries touching the power of God 141 Error of the Iesuites about the power of God 141 Error of Pellagius about the abilitie of mans nature 63 64 Error of Nouatus about sins after Baptisme 112 Errors of the vulgar about the absolute power of God 151 Errors expelled by truth 215 Errors boulstered with lies 175 Error of Saint Gregorie and Saint Bernard confuted 94. 95 Error of Lactantius and Pellagius confuted 63 Error of the Philosophers Stoicks Arist Seleucus Hermias Hermog confuted 136 137 c. Error of the Vbiquitaries shewed 141 Confuted 155. Their Obiect anws 165 Error of Bellarmine and the Iesuites shewed 141. Their Obiections answered 172 c. Error of Saint Hierom. 330 ES. Essence of God in heauen cannot bee seene but in the face of Iesus Christ 118 Essence of God not safe to search too farre into it 124 Essence of God distinguished into three persons 272 The word essence deriued our of Scripture and vsed in Scripture 294 Christ of the same essence with his Father 292. Vnpossible to escape out of the hands of the Angels 337 ET Eternity of Christ proued and the obiections against the same answered 278 279 280 c. Eternall punishment how inflicted for a temporary sinne 94 EV. Eua beleeueth the Deuill 3 The euill that oppresseth euery sinner two-fold 321 Euangelist why hee saith the Word was made flesh rather then man 349 Eutichian heresie what it was 367 c. EX Excuses of sinners to iustifie themselues 24 Excuses of sinners to lessen sinne 110 Examples of wilfull and spitefull sinners 33 Excellency of God cannot be conceiued
of vs. 118 All the excellencies of Christs man-hood were created excellencies 146 God expressed to Moses what he is three manner of wayes 121 Examples of Gods mercy in seeking after sinners 181 We should carefully examine whether we loue God or not 189 Examples of Gods slownesse to punish sin 194 Good examples a great meanes to further godlinesse 360 Three sorts of men excluded from the Paschall Lambe 682 Excellency of diuine truth 215 EK The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether rightly translated created or not 287 FA. THree faculties of the soule of man 53 Euery faculty of the soule defiled by sinne ibid. Fathers how they extoll the power of God ibid. Faith seeth what reason perceiueth not 176 God called Father of mercies neuer called Father of vengeance and why 195 Faults of some not to be ascribed vnto all 221 God the Father alwayes begetteth the Sonne 275 The name of Father taken two wayes 278 God the Father of Christ not as he is our Father 291 The Father how greater then Christ 300 Father sent not Christ by way of command 301 Christ the fairest among the sons of men 353 Family from whence Christ descended 396 c. Faults of the Disciples Christ would not reueale 466 Faith foure-fold 647 Iustifying faith the properties of it 648 FE That we should feare our Lord. 131 That we should aswell feare Gods iustice as hope for his mercy 244 Feare is two-fold 355 Feare and sorrow how they differ 449 What Christ feared 450. 455 c. Whom we neede not feare 538 God in what sence to be feared 539 Magistrates and parents in what sence to be feared 538 Feare brought into the world by sinne 540 God how he ought to be feared 541 That we ought to feare in euery state of grace lapse and recouerie 441 FI. Fire and sinne cannot be concealed 20 Fire and sinne not resisted will necessarily increase 22 Christ in what respect sayd to be the first begotten Sonne of God 291 That we should striue to be the first in Gods seruice 590 Apostles onely filled with the holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost 658 Fiue kindes of kisses 460 FL. Flesh apt to conceiue sin 14 Flesh taken for the corrupted qualitie of man 8 Flesh of Christ made by all the three persons of the Trinity 325 Flesh diuers kindes 339 Our flesh assumed by Christ 369 Flesh of Christ how said to be Deified 369 How said to doe diuine operations 389 Christ how flouted by all men 481 482 Flesh the tenderer the more sensible of paine 483 FO Forgetfulnesse an infernall Fiend 60 To forbeare to punish sinne increaseth the number of sinners 90 Fore-sight of good and euill is not the cause of punishment or reward of either 95 Heathens fâ—lsly ascribed to Fortune what is true of God 139 To forgiue sinne the greatest worke of Gods power 140 God able to forgiue sinnes ibid. In the forgiuing of sinnes many particulars to be considered 183 God forgiuâ—th all sinnes or no sinne 184 God cannot forget to be mercifull ibid. Foâ—giuenâ—sse of sinnes our chiefest comfort 224 That wee ought to forgiue one another 236 And to foâ—get all iniuries ibid. Our foâ—e fathers how they exceeded vs in deuotion 731 To be in the forme of God is to be very G â— 280 To lay a good foundation the best way to teach 392 Fortitude of the women seeking Christ 521 Christ in heauen forgetteth not his seruants on earth 629 Foure points handled touching the power of God 13â— Foure sorts of men erre about the doctrine of Gods power 135 Foure speciall graces bestowed vpon the elect 204 Foure kindes of redemption 500 Foure sorts of ascenders 609 Foure-fold end of Christs ascention 639 Foure points considered about the gifts of God 640 Foure signes of fulnesse 665 Foure-fold feales or signes wherewith Saints are sealed 669 Foure sorts or receiuers of the Sacraments 680 FR. Christ assumed all our humane frailties 351 Friends of Christ how dearly he loued them 488 God expecteth not the like fruits from all men 602 The Saints are freed from all their enemies 636 Christ freeth vs from Satan to place vs in his owne seruice ibid. We are not freed from Satan to doe what we list 637 FV. Fury of the wicked restrained 178 All men are full of somethings 665 GA. WHy Christ went to the garden of Gethsemane to bee taken and what befell him there 441 Gaufredus Clareuallensis what he said 613 GI Gifts of God of two sorts 192 641 Hee giueth spirituall gifts to the godly ibid. And temporall gifts to the wicked ibid. Gifts of God are free gifts 640 Diuersly bestowed 523 Euery man should be contented with the gifts God giueth him 523 Diuersity of gifts among the Apostles and Fathers ibid. Gifts requisite for Preachers 641 Gifts to edifie the Church how giuen 657 Speciall gifts of God whereby the elect are saued vnpossibly to be knowne 646 Gifts of prayer the chiefest of all Gods graces 730 Gifts of the Magi what they shewed Christ to be 413. GE. Generation of Christ two-fold 288. Gentiles were not altogether ignorant of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 311 What they writ of this name of Christ 312 313 Gentiles how they might come to the knowledge of this word 313 3â—4 Gentiles expected the comming of the Messias 316 412 Generality of Christ his suffering 483 GO God how said to bee the Father of Spirits 6 Goâ—ly mens sinning differ in three things from the wicked 35 36 Godly life maketh a happy death 82 God loueth righteousnesse 90 No respect of persons 91 Most iust ibid. Iudgeth euery man according to his desert 92 How great and how mighty he is 102 How ineffable 125 A most faithfull performer of all his promises 127 How he guideth and gouerneth all things 138 Of his owne nature most intelligible 120 To vs incomprehensible 120 121 That there is but one God proued many wayes 269 270 God onely to be prayed vnto 710 Christ no titular but a true God by nature proued 278 279 280 c. To deny the God-head of Christ what a hainous sinne 305 God-head of Christ suffered not but sustained the man-hood to suffer 438 485 The godly how they doe ascend 614 Loue of goodnesse should make vs hate sin 66 Goodnesse of God to man how incomprehensible 101 103 Good and godly men ought to be cherished and promoted 110 Goodnesse what it is 196 Goodnesse of things two-fold 197 God good to all things 197 Perfectly absolutely and vniuersally good 198 Nothing absolutely good but God ibid. Goodnesse of God two-fold 198 Generall goodnesse of God seene in two things 198 All things made good in their kinde 199 Good for some vse yet not vniuersally good ibid. Goodnesse of God withholdeth the wicked from many sinnes suspendeth our iust deserued punishments 200 How it extendeth it selfe to all men 201 Yet not alike good to all men 202 Gods speciall goodnesse seene in two things 203 It preserueth the Saints
64 Sin of man in many things more haynous then the sinne of Satan 106 The cause of all our miseries 111 What it is 166 In euery sinne two things to be considered ibid. Sinne and death indissolubly linked together 2 Sinne the roote of death ibid. How farre it spread it selfe 3 Sinne originall or actuall 3 Sinne to haue any thoughts of sinne 13 Actuall sinne what it is 10 Not a meere priuation ibid. An erring from Gods will 11. How it creepeth secretly and insensibly like a Serpent 12 18. How it increaseth inwardly outwardly 12 Not resisted how it will necessarily increase more and more 22 Sinne is inwardly increased three waies 12 Sinne some way voluntarie or no sinne 15 Sinne outwardly increaseth foure waies 17 It is compared vnto a witch 46 It brought on man a treble death 49 Sinne against the Holy Ghost what it is 227 Sinne irremissible three waies ibid. No sinne so great but God can forgiue it ibid. Sinnes not traduced from the parents vnto the children 246 Our sinnes drew Christ to bee incarnate 318 Sinne expelled by the meditation of Christ his Passion 422 Our sinnes crucified Iesus Christ 497 Sinne brought feare into the world 540 The more sinfull we are the more we ought to feare ibid. Sinne ought speedily to bee forsaken for two reasons 589 Sinners how they condemne God to iustifie themselues 24 Sinners all excepting Christ 2 No sinner excluded from hope of pardon 224 Three sisters of the destinie signifie God 312 SL God how slowe to reuenge 193 194 SM Small things suffered doe grow great and doe much hurt 42 Small sinnes ought to be resisted 43 What a small matter it was that God commanded Adam 98 What a small matter it is that God requireth of vs. 99 SO. Christ the Sonne of God not as we are the Sonnes of God 291 The Sonne why made flesh rather then the Father or the Holy Ghost 322 Sorrowes and sufferings of Christ exceeded all other sorrowes 486 Sorrow is two-fold 354 Soule whether traduced from the parents 4 Not created from the beginning 6 Not created as God infuseth them 6 Soule the seate of sinne 7 Soule immortall yet hath a kinde of death 51 Soules diseases what they be 63 That Christ had a true humane reasonable soule 348 Soule of Christ after it parted from the body descended into the place of the damned 582. 619. 620 SP. God spareth none for his greatnesse if they offend him 40 He spareth the wicked for good mens sake 187 We ought to spare no cost to get the truth 217 To spare wicked men is not good 222 That we should speak nothing but truth 221 Examples of spitefull sinners 33 34 How fearefull is their state ibid. Spirituall and eternall punishment how they differ 250 ST Our state in Christ better then that which we lost in Adam 361 Starre of Christ spoken of by the Gentiles 412 What time it appeared 414 What effects it wrought in the Magi. 415 Christ why hee stayed so long before hee came 401 Why he would not stay any longer 402 Iudas why made steward 459 SV. Christ of the same substance with his Father 292 Made of the substance of his mother 342 How subtilly Satan deales with men to make them bold to sinne then to despaire 41 Christ suffered all miseries 260 Who most subiect to sufferings 435 Christ suffered both in soule and body 437 His first degree of suffering was to be made passible 438 Consideration of Christ his sufferings most admirable 439 The sufferings of Christ before his Iudges 465 The grieuous sufferings after hee was condemned by the high Priest 471 Sufferings of Christ how alone sufficient to satisfie for all sinnes 502 Sufferings of the Saints how they doe profit the Church 503 Sufferings how they doe comfort and confirme all Christians 504 Sufferings of Christ teach vs how to suffer 509 That we ought to suffer two waies 509 To suffer with Christ and for Christ how readie and willing we ought to be 510 Sufferings of Christ were voluntarie 491. 492 How generall they were 483 How vnspeakable farre more then are expressed by the Euangelists 484 Sufferings of Christ not imaginarie but true reall sufferings 484 God prouideth sufficient for euerie man 704 Suggestions vnto sinnes are sinnes 12 How they are to be auoided 13 The surest signe of saluation 652 Why Christ became our suretie 497 SW Continuall swearing what a dangerous sin 241 SY That we sympathize in the sufferings of our brethren 510 TE TEares are speciall meanes to preuaile with God 52 Best way to teach is to lay a good foundation 392 A perfideous tempting of God what a horrible sinne 239 The temporall things of this life to be prayed for 703 The testimonies that proue Christ to be the true Messias 411 412 c. Testimonâ—e of the Apostles to be beleeued for two speciall reasons 572 Text of Salomon Pro. 8.22 whether corrupted by the Arrians 287 TH. That we ought to be thankfull vnto God for all we haue 129 How we ought to be thankfull to God for giuing the Word to be incarnate 305 For the sufferâ—ngs of Christ 506 Thankfulnesse to be expressed by workes 507 Theator where the Tragedy of Christ his Passion was acted was Ierusalem and why 421 Third day why the appointed day of Christ his Resurrection 555 The fittest day for Christ to rise in respect of his person 556 Christ rising the third day did paralel our creation and left a patterne of our condition 558 What we ought to thirst after 488 Thomas whether he was with the EleueÌ„ when Christ appeared to them the first time 573 Thoughts that are wicked bring forth wicked works 14 Three persons in one essence of God 272 Three things handled touching the person of the sonne 277 Three sisters of the destinie what they signifie 312 Three wonderfull things obseruable in making the Word flesh 328 Three things measure all durations 400 Three things obseruable in the day of Christ his natiuitie 405 Three things that moue attention 420 Three things effected in vs by the meditation of Christ his Passion 422 Three things moue vs to loue any one 425 Three things happened to Christ in Gethsemane after his bloudy sweaâ— 458 Threefold argument vrged by the Iewes to moue Pilate to crucifie Christ 476 That there is a three-fold necessitie 491 The three women seeking Christ signifie three properties of the Church 521 Three things required to make an action good 524 Three things excellent in the Angels 535 Christ how he remained three dayes in his graue 559 560 Three dreadfull enemies of man 582 Three things considered about our spirituall ascention 630 Three sorts of men excluded from the Paschall Lambe 682 Three sorts of Preachers 697 Three reasons to moue vs to thankefulnesse 705 A three-fold voice of the creature ibid. Three reasons to driue away ingratitude from vs. 706 Three degrees of thankfulnesse 707 Three reasons to moue vs to pray for our Ministers
and the redemption of all mankinde was now fully effected but also to teach all Christians to finish the course of their life according to the will of God Seauenthly The seauenth and last saying of Christ vpon the Crosse Luke 23.46 When he considered and vnderstood all things that were to be done of him to be fully ended he saith Father into thy hands I commend my spirit to teach euery man especially in affliction to cast himselfe in sinum diuinitatis euen into the armes of Gods protection and so to relie wholly vpon God as vpon a sure foundation and as at all times else so chiefly when we see death approaching neere to vs to commend our soules into the hands of God euen as our Sauiour did Many worthy obseruations to be considered in the manner of Christ his crucifying Iohn 19 23. Thus Christ suffered thus he preached and thus he prayed vpon the Crosse and in this time of his suffering it is obserued First That as he bowed the Heauens and came downe to be incarnate and made flesh so here he boweth his head to imbrace vs and to kisse vs with the kisses of his lips Secondly That his armes were extended and stretched out Psal 22.16 to receiue all men throughout the compasse of the whole world into his grace and fauour againe Thirdly That the nayles were fixed through his hands and feete not onely to shew that hereby thy hands are inlarged to doe good workes and thy feet are set at liberty John 20.25 that thou maist runne the way of Gods commandement but also to teach vs how the remembrance of his Passion should be so fixed in our hearts as that nothing in the world should be able to roote it thence Fourthly That he was vnstripped of his garments and his body extended naked vpon the tree Iohn 19.23 to shew that hee forsooke all to redeeme vs that all things are patent and open in the eies of God and that we poore sinnefull men are miserable and naked of all goodnesse vntill we be clothed with the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ Fiftly That his side was opened with a speare to make way for the effusion of his bloud to satisfie for our sinnes Iohn 20.34 and to make roome for vs to come neerer to his heart and to hide our selues with Moses Exod. 33.32 in foramine Petrae in this sluce of his side in this hole of the Rocke vntill the anger of God be ouer-past And Many other points of great moment I might here shew vnto you as the darkning of the Sunne for shame and sorrow to see the Sonne of God put to such a shamefull death the quassation and trembling of the Earth and cleauing of the Stones for horour to beare her Maker dying and to condemne the most cruell hardnesse of a sinners heart that seeing the Stones renting will not relent from his sinnes and the cleauing of the Temple from the top to the bottome to shew that the Leuiticall Law should be no longer a partition wall betwixt the Iewes and the Gentiles and that the way to Heauen is now made open to all beleeuers but that to speake all I might of this point would inlarge a Treatise into a Volume That it is vnpossible for anâ— one man to expâ—esse all the paâ—ticulaâ—s of Christ his Passion and that indeed the Witte and Learning of any one man is no more able to expresse all the mysteries and most excellent points that wee might collect and learne from the Passion of Christ then one poore Fisherman is able to catch all the Fishes in the Ocean Sea And therefore commending all vnto your meditation to muse vpon the particulars of this great worke that was once done that it might neuer be forgotten I will end this point of his Passion and proceede vnto the third part of my Text which is the necessitie of his suffering For thus it behooued Christ to suffer PART III. Part. 3 CHAP. I. Of the necessity of Christ his suffering THirdly Hauing heard the chiefest particulars of the sufferings of Christ wee are now to consider the necessitie of his suffering expressed here by Christ himselfe in these words That there is a threefold necessity Thus it behoued Christ to suffer Touching which we must consider that there are three kinds of necessities The first is an obsolute necessitie as when a thing in regard of the nature of it cannot be otherwise so the Sunne mooueth and the fire burneth as wee see necessarily because it is the propertie of their nature so to doe as it is for euery light thing to ascend and for euery heauy thing to descend downewards towards the center The second is a necessity of constraint That Christ suffered because he willinâ—ly gaue himselfe to suffer as when a malefactor is constrained and must necessarily suffer whether hee will or not because the sentence of the Law hath passed ouer him and his strength is not sufficient to saue himselfe And in these two sences our Sauiour Christ was not of necessitie for to suffer because God might if he had would haue vsed a 1000. other wayes to haue saued man without the death of his onely Sonne and there was neither Law to inioyne him nor any force that could compell him for to suffer for he saith Abba Father all things are possible vnto thee and Marke 14.36 he could pray to his Father and haue more then twelue legions of Angels to haue assisted him And therefore no absolute necessity that he should suffer Sed oblatus est quia voluit But he was offered vp for vs because he would he gaue his soule an offering for sin Esay 53.10 he yeelded vp himselfe into the hands of his enemies he could but he would not be rescued and he gaue Pilate power against himselfe for vnlesse he would hee needed not to haue suffered Iustice could not seize vpon him because he was a Lambe without spot and constraint could not compell him because all things were possible vnto him and he had all the Angels at his command and therfore as the Prophet Esay saith that he did beare the burthen imposed by his Father Esay 63.6 so he did assume the same himselfe S. Paul saith Rom. 8.32 that as God gaue Christ for vs Rom. 8.32 So Christ gaue himselfe for vs and our Sauiour saith No man taketh my life from me Gal. 2.20 but I haue power to lay downe my life and I haue power to take it vp againe and so it was that he himselfe layd downe his life Iohn 10. as a man layeth downe his garment for it is obserued by the Euangelists Crucem sustinuit voluntate non necessitate S. Hieron in Esayam c. 53. Iohn 19.30 that when he would die he seeing that impotent man could not take away his soule he bowed downe his head and gaue vp the Ghost as calling and yeelding vnto the stroke of death which
otherwise durst not for feare to approach him and so Christ shewed his power in weakenesse for though it be a great infirmity to die yet so to die is an argument of infinite Maiestie Nazian Bern. Ser. 4. Hebdom paenosae and Saint Hierome doth well obserue that the Centurion hearing his prayer with a loud voice to shew that he was farre inough and free inough from the touch of death and seeing him Statim spiritum sponte demisisse tradidisse saith Saint Iohn emisisse saith Saint Matthew and presently to haue yeelded Et quod emittitur voluntarium est quod amittitur necessarium and most willingly to haue sent forth his Spirit out of his body as Noah sent his Doue out of the Arke Commotus signi magnitudine being troubled with the greatnesse of that wonder hee said forthwith truly this man was the Sonne of God So wonderfully strange was this his yeelding vnto death Hierom. q. 8. ad Hedib Aug tract 119. in Iohn and so Saint Augustine largely expresseth the same to shew vnto vs that the laying downe of his life was no imposed punishment against his will nor any forcible inuasion of death vpon him but a voluntary sacrifycing of himselfe for sinne and a tendering of his death to satisfie Gods wrath for our sake The third is not an absolute not a primatiue not an imposed necessity but a voluntarily assumed necessity of conueniency in respect of the end as armour and weapons are necessary for him that goeth forth to fight or a necessity by consequent presupposing the decree and ordinance of Almighty God and thus it was necessary that Christ should suffer because it was the best and most conuenient way that God in his wisedome saw fittest In what sense it was necessary for Christ to suffer Esay 53. to performe that great worke of mans saluation and because God had promised that the Messiah should suffer should be slain and therefore Christ saith vnto Peter that if he were rescued out of the hands of his enemies How then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled which said that thus it must be for God had decreed Dan. 9.26 Matth. 26.54 Esay 53.14 ordained and reueiled in his Scriptures that Christ should die CHAP. II. The instrumentall and efficient causes of the sufferings of Christ BVt because the necessity of euery thing dependeth vpon the causes that doe necessitate the same as euery man must die Of the causes which did necessitate the sufferings of Christ because hee sinned against his God and euery compound body must be corrupted because they are all composed of elementarie substance and indued with repugnant qualities therefore we must vnderstand the causes which did necessitate Christ to suffer if we would truely know how and why it behoued Christ to suffer Now for the causes of Christ his suffering I finde them to bee manifold and especially 1. Instrumentall 2. Efficient 3. Finall First The Instrumentall causes of Christ death I find likewise to be foure-fold 1. The enuy of Satan 2. The malice of the Iewes 3. The couetousnesse of Iudas 4. The desire of the people First First the enuy of Satan Satan whom he had often vanquished and dispossessed of mens soules and bodies was most obstinate in malice against him and thinking now to haue fit opportunity hauing as it were leaue to doe what he would or could doe vnto him hee entreth into the heart of Iudas saith the Euangelist and so Iohn 13.27 no doubt he did into the hearts of many of the rest and together with them he complotted all this most exquisite torments of purpose to be reuenged on him Iob 1. and to see if by this meanes hee could bring him as hee saith of Iob to curse God and die that so hee might haue him as a prey which otherwise he feared would destroy him And this our Sauiour intimateth saying I was daily with you in the Temple Luke 22.53 and ye stretched forth no hands against mee but now this is your houre and the power of darknesse i. e. now is Satan let loose Foure speciall things inraged Satan against Christ now he hath leaue to rage and now I am set as a Butte for him to shoote all his shafts at mee And we find foure speciall reasons that might moue Satan the more infinitely to rage against him As First the goodnesse of the man First the goodnesse of the man for the better any man is the more cruelly is Satan euer bent against him The things that hee possesseth are in peace but the more godly we be the more wee shall be persecuted of him and therefore Christ being without sinne he would doe his best to heape vpon him all sorrowes Secondly the rebukes he had receiued from Christ Secondly The manifold checks and rebukes that he had formerly suffered at the hands of Christ for so the Euangelists tell vs that Christ had often rebuked the vncleane spirits and commanded them to hold their peace and therefore he enuyed him and hated him and would now be reuenged on him such is the nature of the wicked when they are reproued Thirdly the victories of Christ Thirdly The many victories that Christ had formerly ouer Satan as in the Wildernesse in a single combate and when hee dispossessed him out of those miserable creatures whom he tormented Fourthly the losse of his seruants Fourthly The losse of those his slaues which Christ had already freed from his subiection and of all those hee feared Christ would free if hee should not now subdue him Haec secum Nec dum causae irarum saeuique dolores exciderant animo And therefore considering all these things and knowing that sometimes Victis redit in praecordia virtus The conquered haue happened to become conquerors he resolueth with himselfe like a desperate man either to kill or to be killed and in that resolution Vna salus victis nullam sperare salutem hee commeth forth hauing great rage against our Sauiour Christ and therefore as the prouerbe is He must needs goe whom the Diuell driues So he must needs suffer which like Iob hath Sathan for his tormentor especially being as hee was so inraged against our Sauiour Christ and hauing now leaue to impose vpon him the most exquisite torments that he could deuise Secondly The Iewes did maligne him 2. The malice of the Iewes against Christ and euen hated him vnto the death And as the Psalmist saith Astiterunt reges terrae The Kings of the Earth stood vp and the Princes tooke counsell together against the Lord and against his Christ Psal 2. So we finde that the Scribes and Pharisees and the Herodians hunted after him as for a Partridge vpon the Mountaines they watched all his wayes and sought to intrap him in all his words and to take him that they might condemne him Thirdly Iudas for very griefe 3. The couetousnesse of Iudas Marke 14.5