Godheade Thence his inuinsible courage which could neyther with any promised honour nor present horrour be vanquished Thence his vnspeakable charitie which was so hote and burning within him that hee felt not the scalding oyle The loue which lay within his breast was so potent that fire it selfe in respect of it was cold or at the least had no force in working comparable vnto it for neyther did he desire a tabernacle in mount a. Math. 17 Tabor with Peter nor couet a crowne or b. Mat. 20 next sitting to Christ in heauen with Iames without a firme purpose and a resolute minde to disburse what should be thought conuenient for so great a purchase which fullie and truely he paid vpon his birth day Other Martirs haue their Martirdome and they suffer in it S. Ioh. had his at his masters his Passion but he suffered not in it and therefore hee suffered the more for it was death for him to liue and to die for Christ his gaine But O most mercifull Lorde why didst thou afflict this thy beloued Disciple in this sorte Thou a. Mat. 20 gauest him a promise that he should drinke of thy cup and he expecting a death for thy sake cannot haue it did pittie mooue thee beeing thy darling that thou couldest not see him murdered as thy other Apostles were and whom thou louedst most entirelye and therefore wouldest hee should drinke of no other Cuppe than thine and so to haue him as thy Mother and his a Martyr in life in minde in will but not in death that thou mightest haue to Crowne at once the Mother and the Sonne with the same Crownes of glory Impossible it was O Mary that thou shouldest bee like vnto thy son in al things wherefore in asmuch as it is possible thy Sonne hath made one like vnto thee where also thou shalt not leese the name of a mother beholde then Saint Iohn thy sonne a most pure virgin a most learned Docter a most constant Martir Nowe is it performed which was so long before promised a Isai 56. I will giue vnto mine Euenuches a worthie place in my house within my walkes and a name better than the name of sonnes daughters of Israell I will giue them an eternall name which shall neuer faile VVoman behold thy sonne What name vnder Heauen is comparable vnto this name What name shall endure after this name the Sonne of Marie It. b. Iohn 8. was an honor to be accounted the son of Abraham the son of Israell and happie was hee which coulde bee numbered among them But this name the sonne of Mary none was worthie of but God himselfe the second person in the Trinitie a. Iohn 19 and nowe it is giuen to Iohn by Christ hanging vpon the Crosse for his inheritance whē looking vppon his mother and making signe toward Iohn hee said vnto her VVoman behold thy sonne A name which as it had no greater vnder heauen so did it neuer perish for as Christ dying vpon the Crosse so lest a Sonne with his mother as he himself did not leaue to be her sonne so also shee dying did so ioyne her selfe to her son in heauen as shee left not to be a Mother also vnto him which was in earth that this name might very well bee called a eternall name for whether she were in earth or in heauen aliue or dead her sonne had so prouided it there should bee Maries sonne O blessed Virgin when thou diddest conceaue Saint Iohn a. Iohn 2 thou diddest conceaue him in mirth b. Iohn 19. but thou wert deliuered of him when he was deliuered vnto thee in great sorrow heauines Hee was the first for whose cause at thy request thy Sonne did manifest himselfe vnto the worlde by shewing his power in working miracles and now he is the last the only man committed vnto thee when thy Sonne passeth out of the world by suffering with patience what malice could work against him so that the measure of thy Son his life in this worlde was no more than the time in which thou diddest breed Saint Iohn for when the time was come that Iohn became thy Sonne thou lost thyne other Sonne Nowe that thou shouldest be a comfort vnto others thou hast experience what that saying meaneth a. Gen. 3. thou shalt bring forth in griefe for the ease thou hadst when Christ was borne is with vsurie recompenced at thy deliuerie of Iohn whom with excessiue sorrowe thou broughtest forth thy sonne b. Iohn 16 A woman when she is in trauaile hath sorow because her houre is come but when she hath brought foorth the childe now shee remembreth not the anguish for ioy that a man is borne into the world But thou most blessed Virgin as thou wert priuiledged in this aboue all other women that thou wert deliuered of thy first begotten without any paine so now hast thou this singular aboue any other woman that at thy second trauaile thou feelest as great panges after it as before it Shee ioyeth because a man is borne into the world and thou haste cause to grieue because a man is gone out of the worlde shee is glad because shee hath a sonne and thou haste cause to mourne because thou haste lost a sonne and so much is thy sorrowe more than theyrioy may be as thy sonne exceedeth all other womens sons for although thou wert deliuered of a sonne yet wert thou spoiled of an other such was thy trauaile and with such condition that the birth of thy second son supposed the death of thy first begotten a. Luk. 1 When thou gauest consent vnto the wordes of the Angell God spake the worde and the worde was incarnate the same word vouchsafing to speake vnto thee not by the mouth of an Angell but by himselfe hath said the word and thou haste not only conceaued thy second son but art also deliuered of him VVoman behold thy sonne Behold thy Mother Thus hauing eyther of them charge of other glad they were that neither was willing to depart Saint Iohn feared not hee shuld be forced to leaue his Master in following his charge whē she should goe away neither did our blessed Lady doubt what she might doe if Iohn should parte from thence their life was nayled on the Crosse that they could not stirre from it rather had they stay a. Iohn 19 see him wounded a dolefull sight then not see him at all wherefore neuer satisfied with looking vp vppon him they tarried vntill hee was taken downe whome when his Mother receaued in her Armes sorrow and ioy fought so doubtfull a Combat that it was not to bee iudged which of them was the stronger She had lost him and now she hath founde him againe great cause she hath to ioy he was her hope her help her life She had lost him and now she hath founde him againe great cause she hath to mourne hee is past hope past help and past out of his life What ioy was comparable to that he had when she might speake vnto him embrace him and kisse him as shee was wont to doe But alas what griefe was like to that shee had when hee did neyther answere by worde or behauiour as hee was wont to doe Noe ioy to that shee hadde when shee behelde him againe a. Psal 44. for hee was the moste fayre and beautefull of all the Sonnes of men Noe greefe to that shee had when shee behelde him againe and found that b. Isal 53. neyther any fauour nor comelynesse was in him Shee see his heade swollen with the Crowne of Thornes shee see his face blacke and blew with the buffettes of their fistes shee see his bodye torne from toppe to the toe with whippes or to say more true she neyther see heade face nor any part of his bodie but a masse only of congealed blood which couered all his body beeing most grieuously wounded and in so many places that they altogether seemed one on lie wounde which reached from the crowne of his head vnto the soles of his seete So sate she at the foote of the Crosse with the dead bodie in her lap offering it all bloodie to Almightie God Gen. 37. demaunding of him whether that were not his sonne his coate shewing it also vnto the Angels and asking of them whether that were not their Master his Garment Her self was not able to discerne perfectly whether it were any part of her or no it was so dissigured but that with sorrowe shee had brought her selfe so out of sauor that euerye one which see her might easily iudge hee was her sonne and shee his mother Shee hath founde him againe but because whatsoeuer shee founde shee must forgoe except sorrow sorrow got the victorie in which shee did so much abound as her sonne his sorrowe beeing at an end there was now no sorrowe like vnto hers no comfort would shee admit because he was not They sought no water to wash his blessed body fountains there were enough of hoate and scalding teares wherein they bathed him first then buried him against their willes wishing that either they themselues were his sepulcher or his were theirs When thy dayes were come O full of sorow that thou shuldest be deliuered thou broughtest forth thy first begotten Son thou swadlest him in cloutes Luk. 2. laidst him downe in a maunger because there was no place for thee in the Inne and nowe thy daies were fully come that thou shouldest bee deliuered againe thou broughtest foorth thy second sonne Iohn 19. and in steed of swadling him in cloutes and ioyfull laying him downe and tending him thou art constrained to swaddle thy first begotten Sonne againe and with sorrow to lay him downe in a Monument because no other place but that woulde hee make choice of to lie in The Funeralles beeing ended Saint Iohn doth take possession he leadeth home his sorrowfull Mother giuing her what comfort hee could beeing nowe almost spent with griefe with whome hee continued yeelding vnto her that dutie which became him Iohn 19. For from that houre hee tooke her for his owne FINIS
yet with thee and therefore as yet he said not hehold thy sonne but the time will come when hee shall be taken away from thee then at this watch word woman behold thy sonne When therefore our Sauiour his houre was come and that hee was to returne vnto his Father our blessed Lady her time was also come that she should bee deliuered of her second sonne where neyther she was priuiledged aboue any other to bee deliuered without paine nor Saint Iohn exempted from the ordinarie custome of Children which no sooner beginne to looke into the worlde then they bewaile their owne miserie both of them being in those exceeding great panges that no man could iustlye iudge whether the mother was more likely to die in her trauaile before her sonne was perfectly brought into the world or the son yeelde vpp his Ghost in his Mothers wombe before hee shoulde bee borne The beginning of this grieuous trauaile was our Sauiours apprehension when praying in the garden a. Math. 26 Iudas betraied him with a kisse at what time Saint Iohn astonished beeing newlie awaked fled with the other Disciples b. Mark 14 leauing behinde him his sindon in the handes of the souldiers But returning vnto himself with what pittifull sighes dolefull grones bewailed hee hys flight Theeues theeues he cried out amaine and the farther hee went the more he found he eschewed the Souldiers and fell into the hands of their capitaines he shunned Charibdis and became in danger of Silla whilst seeking to faue his bodie harmeles by flying from Iudas hee put his Soule in hazard by forsaking his Master Ah vngratefull wretch that I am saith hee with what face or countenance shall I beholde my sweet Lord againe which waie shall I goe whether shall I run whether shall I end my shamefull flight more torment coulde I not haue suffered if I had beene taken with my Master and a great deale lesse shame I had sustained I remember my vocation a. Mat. 4. from the businesse of the world to bee a diligent follower of my Lord I call to minde b. Mat. 17.26 those priuiledges vvhich aboue the rest vvith Peter and Iames I did enioy and also how aboue these hee loued me so dearly that no longer since then this night at supper c. Iohn 13. I rested in his bosome and vvas bold to aske that vvhich no other dared and he vouchsafed mee an ansvvere Had my sindon bin taken from me by the Souldiers of Iudas for such like cause d. Gen. 39. as Ioseph his garment vvas by the Egiptian harlot mine action had bin Honorable or if I had left it mounting aloft as c. 4. Reg. 2. Elias left his cloak my flight had bin glorious but I left it to runne from the fountaine of puritie and to forsake my Lord the King of heauen for which being now attainted of sinne for mine expected endles ioyes I am in perrill of vnexpected endlesse griefe and in place of a rewarde for fidelity I am become subiect to perpetuall infamie Now the happinesse I had inioyed in loosing myselfe to finde my Lord is too too well declared by the heauines I sustaine in loosing him to saue my selfe O Iudas haddest thou deliuered him to mee much more had I giuen thee for him than any man els whosoeuer and although none were so sacrilegious as the Iewes to buy that holye thing which thou diddest set to sale yet had I redeemed it hadst thou brought it vnto me thou a greater gainer by the bargaine rather would I haue satisfied thy couetous desire and concealed thy malicious endeuour then thou shouldest haue attempted this trecherous mischiefe or entred into so bloody an action But thou fearedst to haue been staied for a thiefe if to any of vnderstanding thou haddest offered that Iewell to be sold and therefore thoughtest them meetest to possesse the Gemme which hauing as corrupt minds as thy selfe were as ready to be thy receiuers as thou to be their thiefe which thou diddest manifestly declare as wel in the price as in the place in the time as in the manner of betraing In a. Mat. 26. the price because thou soldest a Iewell not to be valued for a trifle b. Mar. 14 In the place because thou tookest him abroad out of Cittie or towne c. Iohn 18. In the time because thon diddest betray him by night in the darke d Mar. 14 In the manner because thou badst thy marchants lead him away warily Did thy conscience giue thee that thou couldest not take too little for that in which thou knowest thou haddest no part Diddest thou feare that in the open Cittie thy villanie shuld haue beene descried Didst thou so euilly in thine owne conceipt that thou wroughtest in darkenes was thy crafty malice so great that warye leading away was iudged necessary for the conclusion of thy wicked bargaine But nowe alas my Master appeareth not I vvhether shall I goe vvandring alone a. Mark 14 attired onely with teares I shall bee as sorrowfull as certaine a signe vnto his Mother that the high Priests haue seased on him for shee knoweth as well that hee woulde bee no where of his owne appointment without me as also that my sweetest beeing is in his bosome Some comfort may shee take to saue her life whilst missing me shee may thinke her sonne is not cleane abandoned and I cannot but be accessary to her death if I should depriue her of it returne therefore to her I will not because I may not hurt her to goe backe to him it booteth not because I cannot help him to liue without them it is impossible If die then I must the clubs of the souldiers will make a speedier dispatch than can the swords of sorrow and although I should bee slaine by pressing into his presence yet with his looke will hee reuine mee againe and because liuing he loued me so dearely too too ingratefull I were to forsake him now dying Thus resoluing rather to dye than to liue whose life euer after was likely to prooue a death hee followed his Master to Annas his house from thence to Caiphas so from place to place where when hee beheld with what crueltie his Lorde was entertained his sorrowes grewe so great that they cannot be expressed seeing a Lambe amongst Wolues ready to bee deuoured an innocent among murderers threatned to be killed the Son of God among the diuels impes adiudged to a shamefull death hauing nowe an opportunitie as well to destroy the heyre although they had no hope the inheritance should bee theirs Math. 21. as also to reuenge thēselues vpon God who was clothed with mans nature and as it were Iohn 1. yeelded vp vnto their willes for although they staggered doubting whether he should die or no as appeared by the message a. Mat. 27 done to Pilate from his wife because they knewe thereby the saluation of the world should be wrought yet was
were rightly likened vnto beastes no tyrranie hereafter shall be adiudged comparable to this of the Iewes a measure to serue for all tyrants because it was without measure that somuch the greater the tyrranie should be thought by how much it hath proportion to the crueltie of the Iewes But thou O most louing Lord where or when couldest thou deserue so sharpe a torture I knowe right well a. Psa 68. thou payest that which thou diddest neuer owe. One drop of blood had bin enough for to haue saued a thousand worlds and thou hast made no spare thereof Why shouldest thou then die since nought therby is done but what alreadie is done The price is giuen the vttermost farthing paid Thy Mother also and the rest of thy frends are sold to sorow griefe as though thou hadst not wherewithal to pay this debt thy selfe of thy self If die thou wilt becaus thou must yet choose some other death no other death sweete Lord can sounde well in their eares but this of all the rest will be as grieuous vnto thē as painefull vnto thee deferr at least the time els now thy friendes beside thy selfe become a fable to all nations What scandall will those take which did beleeue in thee Who will account of them which once did followe thee What hope is left for thē which put their trust in thee a. Iohn 8. thou madest a promise to set thy people free and howe art thou thy self become a thrale b. Iohn 18. Thou saidst thou wert a King and how then art thou Iudged by these men to death c. Mar. 16 Thou doost professe thy selfe the sonne of God but why then will men say doest thou not saue thy selfe Those which haue seene thy life may well beleeue what thou haste said and who thou art but those which see the manner of thy death will easily be dismaied In that thou liuedst as thou didst all had thee in admiration In that thou diest as thou dost they turne it to derision How shall thy life be deemed void of forgerie since that thou sufferest now so great an ignominy How can that raising from the dead bee cleare frō all suspition when as thy selfe aliue doest suffer by compulsion How diddest thou free so manie from infirmities and art thy selfe oppressed with calamities It seemeth that thy forces wer as a. Iud. 16 Sampson fained his to be before that thou wert bound thou alone without any other help b. Mark 1. drauest out of the Temple multitudes of people a thing to think impossible as well for that the number was so great as that they sate there for their game what power of men what strength of armes a. Iohn 18 ouerthrew the souldiers which cōming to apprehend thee in the garden fell backward to the grounde but after once they bound thee they drew thee like a sheepe vnto the slaughter and nothing apeareth in thee singular which is not in all others but that thou liuest and sufferest that which no man els could do aswell for the violence of the torture as also the vilenes of thy tormenters who as they wer patrōs of all impuritie so haue they now made themselues patterns of all impiety But how couldest thou O Iohn remaine to see so vnworthie a spectacle How could thine innocent soule not fly this heinous fact how could thy maidenly heart behold such flowing streames of blood howe could thy louing minde forbeare the murderers of thy master who is it will not iudge thee to consent to all this treason which seeth thee present and silent at all this euill vsing and although thou diddest not keepe their garments while they did this Execution yet diddest thou keepe their counsell while they wrecked on him their malicious intention Thou denaydst him not in open speech three times a. Mark 16 as Peter did but innumerable stripes the bloody crowne of thornes the vnworthy scoffes and mocks the inspeakable euill intreatinges which thou diddest see heare did euery one demaunde of thee whether thou wert not also with Iesus of Nazareth and one of his Disciples and eyther feare did make thee quaile or shame to holde thy peace that it did seeme at least a secret nay of that thou wert What thinkest thou woulde Thomas doe who hearing that his Lord would goe to Hierusalem and knowing hee was there sought for by his enemies offered frankely and with great courage a. Iohn 11. Let vs goe also and die with him And now thou standest by and seest him thus tormented and nether makest offer to abide some small paine for him nor yet are forwarde in suffering any thinge with him Knowest thou not that all thinges amongst louers ought to bee common Considerest thou not that friends doe ioy together and mourne not one without the other because as one ioyeth for the ioy of another so doth he feele what smarteth in the other and not one who loueth offereth not his life to saue his loue for as they enterchange their hearts so make they reckoning of theyr harmes All men doe seeke to saue their liues but where they are the louers life is where he loueth most and there he liues and no where els Wherefore O Iohn either nowe confesse thou louedst not where it was thought thou diddest or that thou madest but little reckoning of thy life Thinke when he is gone how many die in him how fareth now his Mother and the rest of hys companye Can they bee well when he is ill Can they be whole when he is wounded Can they be sound when he is brused Can they finde ease when hee feeles paine How thinkest thou could they conteine themselues from that poore weak reuenge which they would take vpon the souldiers the men woulde soone forgette that they were neuer trained vp to fight the women would not thinke themselues the weaker sexe loue banisheth away all feare and sweete life maketh all sortes refuse no sower which may maintaine the same Their loue is subiect to his enemies and their life is in the hands of cruell murtherers and holdest thou both tongue and hands as though thou knewest him not or at the least regardest him not How can this thy most beloued disciple sweet Lord be excused who seemeth so much more then the rest to bee in fault by howe much he was fauored aboue the rest for although he knewe that thou diddest suffer because thou wouldest yet had it beene his part to haue defended thee in what he coulde seeing that thou wert his Lord his loue his life But herein also shewed he his excessiue loue which was so much the stronger by how much it preuailed against loue and now hee hath found by loue a secrete that a greater loue may bee then for a man to giue his life for his loue When thou shewedst to thy disciples that thou must goe to Hierusalem suffer many things of the Elders Mat. 16. Scribes and chiefe Priests and be killed
haue shewed but the least fauor in this cause ye vsing this his feare for the finishing of this blody tragedie vrged him too often that if b. Iohn 19. hee did acquite hee was not Caesars friend although the tryalls of iustice betweene a Prince and his subiects should no other wise bee esteemed of them as quarrels O heauenly father Caesar is more regarded than thy sonne and more are men afraide not to be ouer officious to Caesar than to be too much offensiue to thee and thy sonne and therefore is thy sonne at this time called from the earth O vngratefull creatures not because they iudged the earth vnworthie to beare him but because in their corrupted conceits they thought him vnworthie to liue any longer vpon the earth and hangeth in the ayre fast nayled to a Crosse O happie Crosse O Holy nailes O sweete instrumentes of a sorrowfull death worthie for this so neare touche of so sacred a body to bee had herafter in perpetual reuerence ye were not painefull vnto him but they which caused you to enter his hands and feete but neither deserue ye any blame if yee desierd to sticke so close vnto him O my sweete sonne bee not hard to me who haste beene so bountifull to all but graunt mee this my last request Take thy Mother vnto thee on the Crosse that dying with thee I may also liue with thee after death for nothing can be more sweet vnto me than hauing embraced thee to die with thee and nothing more loathsome than to liue without thee after that thou art dead O true sonne of God thou wert a father vnto me thou wert a mother to mee thou wert my sonne thou wert my spouse thou wert my soul now am I become an orphant without Father or Mother a spouse without a mate a Mother without a sonne a body without sence and soule and in conclusiō when thou art gone all that I haue and all that I am is gone Tell mee my most louing son tell me who wert mine only ioy Why sufferest thou mee to languish and pine awaye with griefe Why hast thou seperated thy selfe so far from me shall thy sorrowfull mother when shee most needeth receiue least cōfort of thee where she least suspected shall she there bee most neglected O how long dost thou hāg with thine armes abroad none will come to be embraced How louingly dost thou stretch them out to an incredulous and contradictious people and none do take any compassion vppon thee How largely doest thou bestowe thy most deare and precious blood vpon this prodigall Natiō and none there are which treade it not vnder their feete O had I bin thy Crosse no other nayles should haue fastned thee vnto me then a motherly affection no other witnesses shuld haue bin called of our sweet embracings then thy Father and his Angels Lesse paine I am well assured it should haue bin vnto thee but knowing that neyther this nor any thing els can be done without thy priuity I cānot say how much more pleasing at this time it wold haue bin vnto thee but howsoeuer it is or might be not seeing any likelyhood of thy longer life I cānot but grieue as mothers vse to grieue at the death of their first begottē But he being no les carefull of her now at his death then hee was obedient vnto her in his life mooued with these inward speeches and wofull lamentations looking downe vpon her said vnto her Iohn 19. VVoman behold thy sonne O moste mercifull Lorde what doubtfull wordes are these VVoman behold thy sonne thou knowest right well that shee hath sorrowed so much for thee that all her sences faile her her vnderstanding also is quite dulled shee standeth still like one without her life looking vpp to thee and no where els and sayest thou vnto her VVoman behold thy sonne O most sweete Lord whome doth shee behold when shee beholdeth thee on whome dooth shee looke when she looketh on thee where is her eye when it is fixed on thee yet as though she had not regarded thee but minded somwhat els beside thee thou sayest vnto her VVoman behold thy sonne What ioy would it bee to her to behold thee if shee could help thee but being that she cannot why to increase her griefe doest thou say vnto her VVoman behold thy sonne and the more sorrow conceaueth she by these thy wordes that thou sayest vnto hir VVoman as though shee could and did not discharge the part of a Mother as thou hadst done the dutie of a Sonne But if nowe at thy departure from her thou art to deliuer her vp a Mother to another therefore saiest vnto her VVoman behold thy sonne consider her case consider thine owne sorrowe hath taken away her sence from her and too much paine thy life from thee both which concurring what wonder if she stand amazed not knowing what thou meanest for although shee might aime at thine intention yet vvas her attention so great to euerie last word which she herd of thee being now almost breathles that nothing els seemed to sounde in her eares and therfore she could not but behold thee still Beside this if it had beene so that thou hadst quickned her wits that she had vnderstood thy meaning that by vertue of thy word Saint Iohn should become her sonne yet since that this worde sonne hath such relation to Iohn that it hath a more proper to thee No woonder sweet Lord if she still stand beholding thee since that without naming which thou sayest vnto her woman behold thy sonne Our blessed Lady beeing now wounded to the death hearing her sonne with a hoarse fainting voice vtter these wordes was not able to make him any answere but beeing in a more grieuous trauaile than euer was any woman shee cryed for help shee knewe not whence a. Mat. 27. God had denayed it her for hee had forsaken his son the Angels neclected her b. Luk. 22 for they knewe their Lord to be in this agonie would not defende him c. Mat. 27 hys friendes stood looking on aloofe of her paines grew vpon her her panges increased double and treble about her there was not any of her dearest could comfort her But her sonne seeing her thus perplexed knowing that he was the cause of al hir griefe although void of all comfort also himselfe hastned what he could to cōfort her by giuing her to vnderstand that hee came into this world to this end and no other that by this way he should redeeme the world and since that it pleased his father it shuld be so he would not it shoulde displease his Mother also that by this Passion hee was to enter into his glory neuerthelesse that hee would not leaue her although for a time he must be absent from her During which season in his place shee should take her cosen account him as her sonne who should be a most faithfull comforter vnto her