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
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
manner of his suffering these things 1. So as the Prophets foretold that he should suffer 2. So as the Apostles and his Disciples saw and declared vnto vs that he did suffer And so in respect of himselfe as it is incomprehensible vnto all men This Treatise sheweth 1. The malice of the Iewes 2. The deuotion of the women where is shewed 1. Their number Three and why 2. Their names 1. Mary Magdalen 2. Mary Iacobi 3. Mary Salome whereby is shewed 1. The fortitude 2. The fruitfulnesse 3. The peaceablenesse of the Church 3. The action where is considered 1. The matter a seeking of Christ 2. The manner which was a seeking him 1. Early 2. Earnestly 3. Mournefully 4 Onely 5. Continually 3. The end to embalme him 4. A question resolued how these women or one of them at least being so wicked became so deuout handled at large 3. The office of the Angell 1. In respect of Christ to doe him seruice 2. In respect of the keepere to terrifie them 3. In respect of the women 1. To comfort them 1. By the manner of their apparition 1. In white 2. On the right side 2. By their friendly alloc teach 1. Whom we ought to feare 2. Whom we ought not to feare 3. How we ought to feare 2. To instruct them 1. What they shold beleeue touching the resurrection of Christ where is handled 1. The resurrection it selfe is shewed 1. Neg. that C. was not in the gra 2. Affir that he was risen gone away therfore not there where the corporall presence of Christ is handled at large 3. Illustratiuely two wayes viz. * 1. A Priori from the predictions that Chr. should rise where is shewed 1. Why he was to rise in 1. resp of Sat. 2. res of Man 3. res of Him 2. Why to rise on the third day 1. of his Ene 2. of his Disci 3. of all Ch as ‖ To confirm their faith touching 1. The quality of his Person 2. The certainty of his resur 3. The maner of our restau 4. The declaration of our state and condition 2. A Posteriori from the subsequents of his resurrection and heere is shewed 1. The Iewes reasons why they will not beleeue 2. Our reasons why we beleeue him to haue risen 1. Angelicall assertion 2. Manifold apparitions 3. Many circumstantiall demonstrations 2. The place from whence he rose is discussed where the discention of Christ to hell is shewed the 1. Necessity requiring it 2. Scriptures prouing it 3. The consent of all antiquity confirming it 3 The manner how Christ rose in respect of the 1. The place from the dead 2. The time early 3. Person 1. Truely 2. Perfectly 3. Gloriously 4. The application of the whole doctrine where is shewed that the resurrection worketh 1. Our resurrection from sinne which must bee as his was 1. Speedily 2. Truely 3. Totally 4. Constantly 2. Our assurance of resurrection into glory 2. What they should doe where is shewed how necessary it is to ioyne practise vnto the profession of Christianity This Treatise sheweth 1. The glory or ascention of Christ which is handled 1. By way of exposition 1. Person ascending where is shewed foure sorts of ascenders 1. Angels 2. Diuels 3. Men. 4. God Man Christ Iesus 2. The ascension it selfe is shewed where is more fully expressed 1. Person ascending both in respect of his 1. Humiliation where is shewed 1. That he was in heauen before he descended 2. The extent of his humiliation 2. His exaltation 2. Particular circumstances concerning his Ascension viz. 1. Time 2. Place 3 Manner 3. The place where he ascended into Heauen where is shewed that there is a three-fold Heauen 1. Materiall 2. Spirituall 3. Supersubstantiall where is proued that the body of Christ is locall 2. By way of application 1. For our coÌ„solation which is two-fold 1. That Christ in our flesh is gone to take possession of Heauen 2. That being in Heauen he is not vnmindfull of vs that be on earth 2. For our imitatioÌ„ where is shewed 1. The place from whence we must ascend 2. The meanes how wee may ascend 3. The signes if wee haue ascended 2. The victory of Christ which is vnderstood 1. Passiuely for all our enemies Hell Death Sinne c. 2. Actiuely for all those men that are deliuered from sinne and set at liberty to serue their God 3. The bounty of Christ where is shewed 1. What maner of gifts Christ giueth free gifts to exclude merit 2. What gifts are here meant where is shewed that all gifts of God are either 1. Temporall gifts 2. Spirituall gifts they are 2 sorts viz. 1. To edifie the Church as 1. Ministers 2. Gifts to ministers especially 1. Tongues 2. Knowlege 3. Charity 4. Constancy 5. Contempt of the world 6. Perfect power c. 3. Ministers indued with these gifts 2. To sanctifie our soules which are 1. Common gifts 2. Speciall gifts which are 1. faith which is 1. Historicall 2. Of miracles 3. Temporary 4. Iustifying 2. Hope which is 1. Humane 2. Diuine 3. Charity 4. Prouidence 5. Patience c. 3. How God bestoweth his gifts viz. 1. the gifts for edifying the Church he giues not alwaies alike for 1. In the beginning of the Church visibly where is shewed how the holy ghost appeared viz. 1. Like a cloude and why 2. Like fire and why 3. Like a Doue and why 4. Like winde and why 5. Like tongues and why Where is shewed the filling of the Apostles wiâ—â— the holy Ghost 4. signes of their fulnesse and the effects thereof 2. Now and to the end sufficiently but with our great industry where is shewed how we may know whether we haue the gifts of God or not 2. Gifts for the sanctifying our soules he giues by 1. Hearing the Word 2. Receiuing the Sacrament 1. Baptisme 2. Euchar. 4. To whoÌ„ God bestoweth all these gifts to whoÌ„ it pleaseth him This Treatise containeth 1. A most friendly coÌ„pellatioÌ„ where is handled 1. The vnity of brethreÌ„ where is shewed 1. How deerely Heathen brethren in former times loued each other 2. How little loue and vnity is now among Christian brethren 2. The pollicy of the Apostle in seeking to winne the Thessallonians to pray for them Where is shewed that there be three sorts of Preachers * 1. Discreete 2. Parasites to Princes 3. Flatterers of the people 2. A most Christian request or exhortation wher is shewed 1. The pietie of the Apostle in perswading all men to pray where is handled concerning praier 1. The kindes of prayer 1. In respect of the matter 1. Inuocation 1. To remoue euill 2. To obtaine good †1. grace spirituall blessings 2. peace temporal blessings 2. Thankesgiuing which is inforced by many reasons c. 2. In respect of the forme 1. Mentall 2. Vocall 3. Sudden 4. Composed 5. Conceiued 6. Prescribed 7. Priuate 8. Publique 9. Ordinary 10. Extraord 2. The party to whom we shold pray
i. e. God for diuers speciall reasons as 1. Because hee onely is omnipresent 2. Because hee onely is omniscient 3. Because hee onely is omnipotent 3. The place whereto pray 1. Generally euerywhere 2. Specially the Church and that for fiue speciall reasons 4. The time when to pray 1. With our heart and affect alwaies 2. With our voyce at the appointed times 1. For our priuate prayers 2. For our publ prayers ‡ Where the neglectors of publique prayers are sharpely reprehended 5. The manner how to pray 1. In humility 2. In faith 3. In zeale 4. With constancy 5. In charity 6. In piety 6. The motiues to perswade vs to pray 1. In respect of God because prayer is an essentiall part of Gods seruice 2. In respect of our selues 1. To obtaine our request 1. Whatsoeuer we aske 2. More then we aske 3. Better then we aske 2. To preuent iudgements 3. To preserue al spiritual graces 4 To weaken finne 5. To sanctifie the creatures 6. To ouercome all creatures 7. To preuaile with God 1. When hee is pleased 2. When hee is angry Where is shewed that the gift to pray is the most excellentest grace that God bestoweth on man 2. The charity of the Apostle in shewing how we should pray one for another where is shewed that we must pray 1. Specially for our selues 2. Generally for al men for three speciall reasons and more particularly †; 1. For Kings and all Magistrates 2. For our ministers and that for three speciall reasons 1. Because we owe this dutie to pray for them 2 For our owne good 3. To helpe them ‖ to discharge that great charge which is laide vpon them where is shewed the dangerous estate of Ministers whatsoeuer they doe An Jntroduction to the whole BOOKE WHen Almighty God had decreed from all eternity to make certaine creatures partakers of his felicity he did in that very period of the decreed time by his eternall Councell create of nothing all the things that are subsistent and thereby he shewed himselfe to be as all Gentiles confest it optimus maximus the very best of all that is good and the very greatest of all that is great and as Pliny saith well especially hauing but the light of nature to enlighten him Plutarch in Panegyrico Traiâ—n dict he did herein shew himselfe to be prius optimus quam maximus because hee which was so eminently good that he could not be bettered did all this for them that were iust nothing but alas behold a relapsed creature from his most indulgent Creator and see how this goodnesse of God abused by the creature became through the iust iudgement of GOD an euitable cause of all miseries vpon all transgressors for wee not contented with that blessed state wherein wee were established did spurne against our God by a most ambitious vsurpation of his very Deity and so aspiring vnto a blessed life as we thought we brought vpon our selues a most accursed death as we all finde yet God still desiring to shew himselfe a God of mercy he promised to send a Sauiour to redeem vs Gal. 4.4 by taking our nature vpon him and suffering in our flesh whatsoeuer we deserued for our sinnes and to this end when the fulnesse of time came God sent his Sonne made of a woman made vnder the Law subiect to the curse of the Law which was death of body buriall in the graue and discention into hell that he might free vs from eternall death and then to rise againe the third day to ascend into heauen and to send his holy Spirit into our hearts to worke in vs faith to apply all this vnto our selues and all other graces whatsoeuer that might fit vs and bring vs vnto euerlasting life And this is the summe of all that is contained in this booke to know our selues to know God to know Iesus Christ borne dead raised ascended and now raigning in eternall glory to guide his Church and to confound his foes for euermore Perhaps this worke may seeme as the water boughs of a fruitlesse tree a superfluous branch vnto the Church of God I willingly submit it to the iudgement of Gods children they must all confesse it is the last houre of the worlds age wherein iniquity is increased impiety is enlarged and all charity is almost abandoned all things growing worse and worse by continuance Et satanas tanto feruentior ad sauitiam quanto se sentit viciniorem ad paenam and Satan hauing the greater rage to driue vs to transgression by how much the neerer he perceiues himselfe to destruction And therefore let men say what they will yet seeing we may truly demaund of them Quid audiam verba cum vidiam contraria facta What booteth all our knowledge seeing we doe nothing that we know nor know nothing indeed as we ought to know I say that it cannot be amisse to do what wee can to expresse those things that may best make for our happinesse and I know these points are necessary to be knowne Aetas parentum peior auis tulit nos nequiores mox daturos progienem visiorem Horat. car 3.6 Greg Moral l. 34. c. 1. and most profitable to be practised by all Christians Reade them then and I will pray to God that he will giue thee grace Faeliciter currere faelicius in Christi pietate cursam tuum consummare to vnderstand what thou readest to beleeue what thou vnderstandest and to practise what thou beleeuest that so thou mayest attaine vnto euerlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Courteous Reader these errours and the like if you meet them I pray you correct them Pag. Lin. Errata Corrige 5 19 predicatum praedicatum 7 24 as some deleatur 15 21 infelicitas infaelicitas 18 13 predicatum praedicatum 22 30 nay no. 23 36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 28 21 occulos oculos 29 20 Athenienes Athenienses 31 15 gnostrickes gnostickes  praemit premit 37 1 equalities equalitie 38 2 quaâ—a quantae  at as 44 9 seruat deleatur 45 10 meritrix meretrix 47 23 á as 71 8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 71 6 presentes praesentes 77 12 laethi lethi 81 18 soules sculles 84 16 are is  27 elephat elephante 86 37 it in 93 4 dilicijs delicijs 102 18 diliciae deliciae 128 14 future tens for the present present tens for the future 263 7 conquari conqueri 326 25 impleueâ— impleuit 452 4 faerox ferox 463 1 progeniere progenuere 471 26 eterchangably interchangably 480 25 penae poenae 482 25 manibus maenibus 462 10 Querentis quaerentis 559 35 tum tam 571 12 fugentes fugientes 579 7 eo eos 669 31 honestatatis honestatis 676 34 lepido tepido 692 after effusion of v. their deerest bloud to defend that in the field which they with the diffusion of c. 707 1 propter praeter Marginall faults P. Err. Corrige
15 qud quad 19 Aetneum Aetnaeum 41 num nun◠124 seeing being 196 prestare praestare 438 Hillarius Hilarius 690 Psal pag. 695 Blando Blanda And some other mis-quotations which for want of the copie I cannot directly amend The first golden Candlesticke HOLDING The first greatest light of Christian RELIGION Of the misery of MAN ROMANS 6.23 The reward of sinne is death EVery man saith holy Iob is borne to labour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea necessitie enioyneth all mortall men to labour saith Euripides and euery labourer is induced saith Hugo Cardinalis to performe his worke with alacritie vpon the assured hope of iust reward and therefore the law required that no man should detaine the hyre of the Labourer vntill the morning but as soone as euer hee had done his worke Leuit. 19.13 to pay him his wages because as our Sauiour saith the Labourer is worthy of his hyre and we finde that according as the payment is Luc. 10.7 good or bad so are the Labourers willing or vnwilling to doe their worke for good and present payment makes a painefull and a cheerefull agent Now here the Apostle setteth downe a worke performed and the wages thereof not onely iustly deserued but also presently discharged the reward of sinne is death and in what day thou sinnest Gen. 2.17 in that day thou shalt die the death saith the Lord few words but full of matter Sinne and Death the two most common things vpon the face of the earth for all men sinned except Christ himselfe and all men died except Enoch and Elias and yet two of the most lamentable and most fearefull things in the world for what is more lamentable then sinne or what is more terrible then death Iudges 15.4.5 and yet as Sampsons Foxes were tyed together by the tayles and carried firebrands betwixt them to destroy all the Corne of the Philistimes so here sinne and death are indissolubly linked together with vnquenchable firebrands betwixt them to deuoure all the whole race of mankinde for the reward of sinne is death But I must seuer them for a time to examine these murtherers of men that all wee may hate them if we cannot shunne them and therefore according to the number of the words of this text The diuision of the Text. stipendium peccati mors I desire you to obserue the parts of this tragedie three words three parts 1 the worke performed Sinne. 2 the payment rendred Death 3 the equitie shewed the wages of sin is death All which well considered will shew vnto vs all the most wofull state and the manifold miseries of poore distressed miserable man CHAP. I. Of Originall sinne The first Part. and how the same is deriued from the Parents vnto the Children Of the worke that is done i. e. Sinne. HEre you see sinne is the roote of death and death is the fruit of sinne Sower must be the roote when the fruit doth proue so bitter and sinne must needes bee execrable when as death is a thing so lamentable and therfore sinne makes me quake to thinke of it and death should make you tremble to consider of it because death is the wages of sinne And sinne is either 1 originall Sinne is twofold 2 actuall the first is traduced vnto vs from Adam the second is daily committed by our selues For the first In what day thou eatest of the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt die the death saith the Lord vnto Adam but you may eate Gen. 2.17 and you shall not die at all saith the Diuell vnto Euah she beleeued the Diuell and the man obayed his wife and so both would needes eate and therefore God cannot be true or else man must needes die and he must iustly die because he did vniustly eate i. Of Originall sinne Rom. 5.12 Here was the sinne committed by one and from him it was deriued vnto all for by one man sinne entred into the world and sinne went ouer all and spread it selfe like that far-spreading tree which Olympias dreamt shee bare or like a vile gangrene ouer all the face of the whole earth and corrupted all the race of mankinde for it is a schoole-point most infallible that Adam now stood not as a priuate person or as one particular man but as the roote of all the branches and as bearing in his person the nature of all mankinde And therefore if he had stood we had all stood Heb. 7.9 but as Abraham paying tythes Leui paid tythes in Abraham so Adam sinning we haue all sinned in Adam Et omnes peccauimus in isto vno homine quia omnes eramus iste vnus homo And wee haue all sinned in that one man because we all were that one man saith Saint Augustine And so both himselfe and wee all The dammage that we receiue by Adams fall is two-fold 1. A depriuation of all goodnesse doe by this fact of Adam receiue a double dammage 1. A depriuation of all our originall goodnesse the image of God in vs and the loue of God towards vs and therefore if at the losse of earthly treasures we shew our selues so much grieued O then how should our soules for the amission of such heauenly graces be continually perplexed vntill wee see the same once againe restored 2. An habituall naturall pronenesse to all kinde of wickednesse 1. A pronesse to all wickednesse and to commit sinne euen with greedinesse In respect of the first we are altogether vnable to doe any good for who can bring a cleane thing out of that which is vncleane how can wee being voide of grace bring forth any fruits of goodnesse and In respect of the second wee are naturally inclined to all kinde of euill like a stone tumbling downe a hill that can neuer stay it selfe vntill it come to the bottome So Medea saith Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor Though I see the good yet am I naturally driuen to doe that which is euill for our whole nature being defiled we are wholly inclined to fall from one wickednesse vnto another as the Psalmist speaketh And in respect of both these wee are said to bee conceiued in sinne borne in iniquiitie destitute of grace void of goodnesse nothing but flesh full of corruption children of darkenesse sonnes of wrath heyres of damnation slaues of death for the reward of sinne is death But here it may be questioned and it is not easily to be resolued how originall corruption is traduced from the Parents into the Children The question is not of the verity of the matter for it is plaine Ezech. 18. that our Fathers haue eaten sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge and euery one may truely say with the Prophet Psal 51.5 in sinne my Mother hath conceiued me but it is of the Mystery of the manner Iohn 3.9 as Nicodemus said to Christ how can these things be for How originall sinne
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
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
grosse ignorance and the memory with sottish forgetfulnesse so that now wee will indirectly wee iudge darkely and wee remember nothing that is heauenly Hence it comes to passe How our soules are fuller of diseases then our bodies that our bodies are not so subiect to diseases as our soules be to sinnes for pride is the soules tympany when it doth turgescerefastu waxe big and swell through the distaine of others enuie is the worme that gnaweth at the heart then which it is most certaine that Siculi non inuenere tyranui tormentum maius The Sicilian Tyrants did neuer feele a more fearefull torment and wrath is a plurisie that will not be appeased without blood for of the raging man it is most truely said Mad that his poyson cannot others kill He drinkes it off himselfe himselfe to spill And therefore of all the men in the world we are aduised to keepe no company with an angry furious man but as the Poet saith Dum furor in cursu currenti cede furori Ouidius lib. 1. de rem amor Difficiles aditus impetus omnis habet To turne aside from euery furious wight Cause fury will haue passage in despight And Lust is the soules feauer the flames thereof are the flames of fire and the waters thereof are aqua 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the waters of folly and madnesse And in this How the sickenesse of the soule is worse then the sickenesse of the body the sicknesse of the soule doth exceed all the sicknesse of the body for the body hath some respite from its sickenesse but the soule hath none from sinne and euery sicknesse of the body kils it not but euery sinne slayeth the soule for the reward of sinne that is of euery sinne is death saith the Apostle And hence likewise in my iudgement that branch of Pellagianisme taught also by Lactantius that the light of Nature if it were well vsed might make way for Diuine instruction may bee sufficiently confuted for though they teach that man by sinne hath not quite killed his soule but wounded the same like the man that fell among theeues and was left halfe aliue and therefore might Lactan diuin iustit c. 5. That Nature though neuer so well vsed cannot procure the gifts of grace Ephes 2.1.5 Coloss 2.13 saith Lactantius come to the same doctrine that we doe follow Si quae natura ducente sanserunt defendissent If they had constantly maintained those things which Nature taught them yet the Apostle saith here that sinne brings death vnto the Sinner and if death then sure there was no life i. e. no life of Grace in him And so in many other places the Apostle sheweth as much for he saith that we were dead in trespasses and sinnes and that God hath quickned vs by Iesus Christ And therefore it is apparently plaine that at the beginning of our conuersion we are altogether passiue and haue no power in the world to releeue our selues vntill grace hath quickened our soules Ob. But against this it may be obiected that the Apostle saith the Gentiles knew God Rom. 1.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so much as might be knowne concerning God that is his eternall power and God-head when they considered him in his workes and therefore the light of Nature was not quite extinguished in them Sol. That sinne extinguished all knowledge of God but what God reuealeth to man I answere that this knowledge of God was not from the light of Nature in them but it was reuealed by God vnto these naturall men to make them without excuse as Zanchius well obserueth for so the Apostle sheweth in the 19 verse of the same Chapter where he saith Deus enim illis manifestauit for God reuealed the same vnto them and therefore I say that the sinne of Adam did quite kill the soule of euery man for the reward of sinne is death and therefore we may all of vs cry out with the Apostle Rom. 7.24 O wretched men that we are who shall deliuer vs from this body of death And here-hence we may also see the iudgement of God threatned in Paradise Gen. 1.17 In what day thou eatest of the tree of Knowledge of good and euill thou shalt die the death to be truely and presently inflicted vpon Adam for though his body seemed to liue yet was his soule separated from God and therefore must needs be presently dead Aug. de ser dom in monte habetur de poenitent distinct 2. But as sinne is three manner of wayes committed as I shewed before so is the death of the soule three wayes inflicted and they are prefigured by those three sorts of dead men which our Sauiour raised in the Gospell as S. Augustine sheweth The first was Iayrus his daughter she was a Virgin â—nd was as yet within the doores and therefore our Sauiour went into the house and put out all the people and vouchsafed to take her by the hand and to say Talitha cumi Damosell Mar. 5.41 Of a three-fold death of the soule I say vnto thee arise This signifieth that soule which sinned onely by consent but hath not yet brought forth the sinne into fact and therefore God will be mercifull vnto such and will not require to shame them before the world but hee will goe in himselfe and accept of their inward repentance for such inward sinnes The second was the Widdowes sonne of Naime and hee was caried out to be buried and therefore our Sauiour in the presence of them all Did touch the Beere and said Luk 7.14 Yong man I say vnto thee arise and he sate vp and began to speake And this signifieth the soule that sinneth in fact and therefore as she publikely sinned so she must be publikely restored and as by her sinne she offended many so by her sitting vp They that publikely sinne must publikely testifie their repentance i. e. by her standing and constancy in grace and by her talking i. e. by her confession of her sinnes she must giue satisfaction vnto many Nam qui publice peccat publice corrigendus publice restaurandus est For he that publikely offendeth is publikely to be reprooued publikely to be restored saith the Law The third was Lazaus John 11. and hee was dead and laid in his graue and therefore Iesus was faine to goe a great iourney to raise him and when he came to him he groned in his spirit and was troubled he wept and he groaned againe Ver. 35. he lifted vp his eyes he prayed and he cryed with a loude voyce saying Ver. 43. Lazarus come forth and then he came forth but how bound hand and foot saith the Euangelist with graue clothes and his face bound with a Napkin so that his friends and standers by were faine to loose him and to let him goe Ver 44. And this signifieth the soule that is accustomed to sinne that is dead and buried in sin and
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
now I come to restore it to make him ashamed to confesse his sinnes And surely thus hee deales with vs all hee makes vs shamelesse to commit all sinnes euen with Absolon in the sight of all Israel 2 Sam. 16.22 and in the sight of the Sunne but he makes vs ashamed to confesse any sinne But if wee feare this punishment of sinne all miseries in this life death shortning life and eternall torments after death and would bee deliuered from it then let vs not make the Ministers afrayde to reproue our sinnes nor be our selues ashamed to confesse our sinnes for as the first degree of righteousnesse is not to sinne so the second is to acknowledge and forsake our sinnes If we had not sinned we had not died and if we doe acknowledge and forsake them we shall receiue no dammage by death but if we continue in sinne we shall die and we shall iustly die for the reward of sinne is death And so I come to the third part which is the equitie of this reward because death is the wages of sinne PART III. The equity of this payment Death is the stipend of Sinne. Part. 3. CHAP. I. How iust a thing it is to punish Sinne. The reward of Sinne is Death YOu haue heard of a world of miseries that are inflicted on man for sinne here in this life you haue heard of eternall death and intollerable torments for euer and euer that shall be inflicted on sinfull soules in the future life and now it resteth that I should shew the equity of this punishment how iust it is with God to render all this on man for sinne and therefore that I may the more fully cleere this point Three points to be considered to shew the equity of the punishment of sinne I must desire you to consider these three especiall things 1. That it is iust to punish sinne 2. That God is the iustest Iudge that can be found to punish it 3. That this punishment which God imposeth and inflicteth for sinne is most right and iust First there is nothing in the world Cicero de nat deorum l. 1. saith Cicero more agreeable to reason then that true and honest labour should bee commended and rewarded and the vices of men should be seuerely punished according to their iust desert for it is vnpossible saith he that either house or Common-wealth should stand Si in ea nec rectè factis proemia extant vlla Idem l. 3 de nat deor nec supplicia peccatis if there be not in the same both rewards for good deeds and punishments for sinnes and therefore Solon being demanded what was most profitable for the well-fare of a Common-wealth said Si boni proemijs innitantur mali paenis coercentur Stobaeus ser 41. to defend and reward the good and to restraine and punish the bad and M. Cato saith that there is nothing more pernicious vnto any state Plutarch in Apoth Quam si improborum mores paena non coerceantur then to suffer wicked men to goe away vnpunished and therefore he would haue those Magistrates that did not punish the impieties of the wicked and dissolute fellowes Non tantum non ferendos The Law of Nature teacheth that sinne should be punished sed lapidihus obruendos not onely not to be suffered but to be stoned with stones to death and so the Lawes of all Nations doe prouide that good and vertuous deeds should be rewarded and euill deeds should be punished for wee finde it very true by experience that impunitas delicti inuitat homines ad malignandum To forbeare the punishment of sinne doth increase the number of sinners Prou. 17 15. because punishment is deferred the hearts of the children of men are euen set to doe euill and therefore God himselfe doth say that whosoeuer iustifieth the wicked is a like culpable before him as if he had condemned the innocent and Saint Ambrose tels vs plainely that it is sometimes miserecordia punire crudelitas parcere a pious work to punish and a cruelty for to spare for this doth not onely incourage sinners to goe on from one wickednesse to another but it is an ill patterne and a great prouokement to draw others to doe the like and therefore wee may well conclude this first point that it is a most iust thing to punish sinnes and offences CHAP. II. How God is the iustest Iudge to punish Sinne. SEcondly that God is the iustest Iudge that can be found to punish sin it appereth by these 3. reasons God loueth righteousnesse Psal 45.7.8 Heb. ◠9 First because he loueth righteousnesse For it is the propertie of a iust Iudge not onely to iudge righteously to iustifie the innocent and to punish the offenders but also to loue righteousnesse and to hate iniquitie but of God the Prophet saith Psal 5.5 Thy throne O God is for euer and euer thou hast loued righteousnesse and hated iniquitie wherfore God euen thy God hath annoynted thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes And againe thou hatest all those that worke vanitie Secondly because he iudgeth without any respect of persons God is no respecter of persons for this is one of the chiefest properties of a righteous Iudge to iudge according to the equitie of the cause and according to the quality of the person and therefore Iethro Iehosophat Exod. 18.21 and others doe make this not respecting of persons 2 Chron 19 7. to be one of the essentiall properties of a righteous Iudge Prou 24.23 1 Sam. 6.7 Act. 10 33. Gal. 1.6 Psal 50.10 Psal 149 8. Deut. 26.7 but with God there is no respect of persons for he will not be corrupted with the reward of the rich for all the beasts of the Forrest are his and so are all the cattell vpon a thousand hills he will not be terrified for feare of the mighty for he will binde Kings in fetters and Nobles in linkes of iron neither is he angred or molested with the incessant complaynings of the poore but he will heare their cry Psal 145.19 and will helpe them Psal 145.19 Indeed with men it is a common practise With men we finde Iustice often peruerted to haue our lawes like a spiders webbe wherein the little flies are catcht and the great buzzing bumble bees doe easily passe through and therefore it is truely said of mans Law That Dat veniam coruis vexat censura columbas It spares the rich but spoiles the poore But Gods law is rete Vulcanium like Vulcans iron net That God is most iust which apprehends and condemnes all alike for if the greatest men hurt the poorest and those poore men cry vnto me saith the Lord I will heare them that is to helpe the oppressed and to punish the wrong doer and therefore Moses saith of him Deut. 10.17 that he is a great God mighty and terrible which accepteth no person nor taketh reward but
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
Iesus Christ First because the Apostle saith Verse 7. that he was greater then Abraham which is said to be the Father of the faithfull Secondly Heb. c. 5. v. 11. because the Apostle going to speake of this Melchisedecke saith that he had many things to say concerning him which were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hard to be explained which certainly he would neuer haue said had he not vnderstood this Melchisedeck to haue beene some excellent and ineffable person Thirdly because the Apostle saith not Verse 8. whose death is not mentioned by Moses for so he might be dead though his death is not spoken of but he saith that Dauid testifieth of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he liueth to shew the difference betwixt this Priest and those Leuiticall Priests which dyed Heb. 7 3. Fourthly because the Apostle saith that this Melchisedeck was like vnto the Sonne of God euen as Nebuchadnezzer saith that the fourth man which walked with the three children in the fiery furnace was like vnto the Sonne of God So here the Apostle saying that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 3.25 like the Sonne of God meaneth no doubt that he assumed a body of the same likenesse and habite and countenance as afterward he meant to vnite personally vnto himselfe for that it is an vsuall thing in Scripture to say that he which is is like vnto himselfe as where the Apostle saith Phil. 2.7.8 that he was found in shape as a man and tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant and was made in the likenesse of men that is he was made indeed a true and a naturall man Fiftly because Abraham did giue vnto him Tythe of all as perceiuing vnder that visible forme and shape of man an inuisible Diety to subsist to whom Tythe is only due and euerlastingly due because he is an euerlasting Priest And therefore I say that this Melchisedeck was no mortall man but the immortall Sonne of God which assuming this visible shape did appeare vnto Abraham and offered as a type of our blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper Bread and Wine vnto him after his victory ouer his enemies And it may be that our Sauiour had respect hereunto Iohn 8.56 when he said that Abraham saw his dayes and reioyced i. e. not onely with the eyes of faith as all the rest of the Patriarchs and Prophets did but also in a visible shape which he assumed like vnto that whereunto he was afterward to be vnited So that man which wrestled with Iacob was none other but the man Christ Iesus for himselfe said that Iacob should be called Israel Gen. 32.28.30 a wrestler and preuailer with God and Iacob called the name of the place Peniel because he had seene God face to face And so that man which appeared vnto Iosua and came as a Captaine of the heast of the Lord Josua 5.14 was none other then Iesus Christ as Peter Martyr doth most excellently by many arguments confirme Whereby you see Christ did heretofore assume vnto himselfe humane formes wherein he appeared vnto the Fathers to be as a praeludium of his Incarnation but in none of these apparitions and assumptions of such formes was he euer said to be made the thing that he assumed or to vnite himselfe hypostatically vnto any of the said formes for those bodies he formed of the ayre or of nothing and when he had finished the worke for which he had assumed them Tum redit in nihilum quod fuit ante nihil Then it returned into that out of which it was framed But now the Euangelist saith The conception of the Word that this word did not onely appeare or assume vnto himselfe our flesh for a time to discharge some speciall offices and then to depose and to lay aside the same againe but that he was made flesh that is really made man like one of vs sinne onely excepted and eternally to remaine man for euer and euer And therefore that we may truely vnderstand this point how this word was made flesh we must well consider these two especiall things 1. The manner of his conception Two things to be considered for the vnderstanding of Christs conception 2. The matter or substance from which he was formed First the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made here vsed doth plainly shew vnto vs as both Saint Chrysostome and Tolet doe obserue Mirabilem eius conceptionem non virili virtute sed diuina potentia eum esse conceptum His wonderfull conception that he was made not by any vertue of mans seede but by the power of Gods Spirit who without any seede of man did frame and make the man Christ in the wombe of his Mother and therefore we are to obserue Of this wonderfull and diuine conception 1. The reason 2. The manner 3. The end First Neuer any one was made as Christ was made we reade that mankinde before Christ his comming was made three manner of wayes First without any man to be his father or any woman to be his mother as Adam Secondly of a man without a woman as Euah Thirdly of man and woman as all the off-spring of Adam but Christ after a fourth a more wonderfull manner was made of a woman without the helpe of a man and so we neuer reade of any other before him nor of any other after him for as the Flowers saith Protagoras Solummodo habent in coelo patrem in terra solummodo matrem Haue onely a Father in Heauen that is the Sunne by whose heate and vertue they grow and a mother onely in earth i. e. the ground from whence they spring so Christ the flower of the roote of Iesse hath onely a Father in Heauen without a mother and a mother onely in earth without a father and yet he is not another from his father and another from his mother Sed aliter est a patre aliter est ex matre But he is otherwise from his father and otherwise from his mother that is a true God of God his father and a true man of the Virgin his mother of two natures subsisting in one and the selfe-same person And the reason why he was borne of a woman Ambros in Luc. 24. Why Christ was borne of a Woman as Saint Ambrose saith was Ne perpetui reatus apud viros opprobrium sustinerent mulieres Lest women should still suffer the reproach of perpetuall guiltinesse and blame in the sight of men for their first transgression for her yeelding vnto the Serpent and the seducing of her Husband made her and all her Sexe to bee deseruedly subiect vnto much reproach and therefore though because the mankinde is more noble Christ would be made a Man yet because women should not be contemned he was contented to be borne of a woman Et sic formam viri assumendo Aug. cont faust de foemina nascendo vtrumque sexum hoc modo honorandum
was it not in the suffering though it was in the Body of Christs Passion yet was it not in the Passion of Christs Body but the humanity onely suffered and the omnipotency of the Deity sustained the impotency of the Humanity and while the flesh groaned vnder the anguish of his Passion Matth. 26.39 and cryed Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me and so breathed out that mournfull complaint My God my God Matth. 27.46 why hast thou forsaken me Yet then the Deity triumphed ouer all the bitternesse of death and the enemies of our flesh Damasc l. 3. c. 26. de fide Orthodoxa And this is excellently expressed by Damascen saying Quomadmodum si quis ignito ferro superinsundat aquam Euen as if a man should poure water vpon a red-hot-iron that which is passible or capable to suffer by the water that is the heat fire is extinguished but the iron remaineth still sound and impassible because the water hath no power to corrupt it euen so the Humanity of Christ may suffer paine and death but the Deity inseperably vnited vnto the same can notwithstanding suffer no manner of Passion And Secondly As it is a thing incomprehensible and therefore may well haue a quis credidit who hath beleeued our report that God should be made passible so it is a thing more incredible Heb. 11.37 that he being iust being King being Priest being God should notwithstanding really suffer yea so suffer as to be destitute afflicted and tormented and so tormented that the Prophet Esay may fitly call him Virum dolorum A man of sorrowes as if he had beene wholly composed of miseries Lament 1.12 and the Prophet Ieremy truely demaund Si fuerit dolor sicut dolor suus if euer there was any sorrow like vnto his sorrow Jbidem yet behold he was oppressed and afflicted saith the Prophet and the Lord did afflict him in the day of the fiercenesse of his wrath And therefore let others wonder at the rising of this Sunne I admire his going downe let them maruell to see him layed in the cratch I much more to see him nayled vpon the Crosse The consideration of Christs suffering admirable and let them admire to see him sleeping betwixt two beasts and I will much more admire to see him suffering betwixt two theeues But he was wounded for our trangressions and he was bruised for our iniquities saith the Prophet and therefore let vs the rather giue the more heed vnto those things that he suffered for vs least the neglect and not regarding the same shall adde wrath vnto our soules in the day of wrath Well then seeing the Sonne of God was made passible apt to suffer and that he knew his time was drawing neere that hee must suffer he went out of the house out of the Citie Why Christ went out of the house before he was taken into the garden of Gethsemane saith the Euangelist First He went out of the house where they had eaten the Passeouer First Least his Hoste that had so kindly receiued him into his house should any wayes for his sake be vnkindly vsed of his enemies so sacred a thing was the law of guests among the ancients that neither the Lodger nor the lodged would hurt each other if they met in the open fields Valerius Maximus l. 5. 1. vnder the Colours of two deadly enemies and therefore Lot offered his owne Daughters vnto the Sodomites Gen. 19. rather then they should abuse those Strangers that were come vnder his roofe and the Poet notes it as an argument of the great perfidiousnesse of the most corrupted latter age Ouid. Met. l. 1. Non hospes ab hospite tutus That there was no truth betwixt the Hoste and his Ghest Plutar. in Sert. Secondly Least as Sertorius was found of Perpenna amongst his banquets he might be accused to be a Wine-bibber and bee said to be a boone-companion and be a president of ill example vnto others if he had beene found in the Inne amongst his Guests for it is a great deale fitter to finde a Scholler in his study then in the Tauerne Why Christ went out of the Citie Secondly He went out of the Citie out of that famous Citie Ierusalem Theophil in Mar. 14. First Least any commotion or tumult should be raised so dearely did this Prince of Peace affect and seeke to preserue the Peace of Ierusalem for they would haue taken him many times but they feared the people therefore he goeth out of the Citie that they may doe it without feare i. e. without feare of sedition Secondly To shew that as they had shut him out of their hearts so now he begins to depart out of their walls Egressus est à filia Sion omnis decor eius Lament 1.13 and so all the glory of Sion is departed from them and as the Poet saith of Troy Ruit Ilium ingens gloria Teucrorum We may say the same of Ierusalem Luke 19.44 the time of her desolation draweth neere and it must bee made an heape of stones Because Excessere omnes adâ—tis arisque relictis dij quibus imperium hoc steterat now God which had been the vpholder of them was gone out of their wals and departed from them and therefore wee should euer take heed that we shut not Christ out of our hearts least he will hereupon shut vs out of his fauour Thirdly He went into the Garden of Gethsemane First That as our fall was in a garden so the worke of our Redemption should first begin in a garden Secondly That his enemies might the more easily find him for it was a place that he had often frequented Why Christ went into the Garden of Gethsemane saith the Euangelist and therefore he went not there as seeking to hide himselfe but rather to expose himselfe and like a noble Champion to appeare first in the field and to expect his enemies for although they sought him like a Partridge vpon the mountaines yet noluit dolo teneri ne derogaretur praescientiae plenitudo Hee would not be craftily taken in a net by a guile least that might be derogatorie to his omnisciency and therefore knowing they were desirous to take him he goes to meete them into the garden of Gethsemane And as soone as euer he came into the Garden What befell vnto Christ in the Garden John 12.27 Mar. 14.35 Luke 22.42 Matth. 26.38 Prou. 18.14 Ecce hostem inuenit behold his enemy was there as soone as he for he began presently Cantristare pauere moestus esse To be troubled in soule saith Saint Iohn to be in anguish of mind saith Saint Marke and to be in an agony saith Saint Luke and to haue his soule exceeding sorrowfull vnto death saith Saint Matthew Alas what shall we say to this for the spirit of man will sustaine his infirmities but a wounded spirit who can beare
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
pondere currus The strongest pillars must needs bowe if you lay more waight vpon them then they are able to beare Atlas en ipse laborat Secondly He saw the malice of Satan and his full leaue and license not as it was to Iob with limitation doe what thou wilt but saue his life but without restriction the whole power of darkenesse was let loose to vse all his violence and to afflict him what he could and this our Sauiour intimateth when he saith That the prince of this world commeth Iohn 14.33 and calleth that houre the houre of the power of darkenesse And hee knew his power to bee very great and his malice to be nothing lesse then his power and therefore he might well feare and pray against the same Thirdly Hee saw the wrath of God so infinitely kindled against euery sinne of man and as it is agreed vpon by all Diuines he saw now God sitting in Iudgement vpon the world for so the words of our Sauiour sheweth Now that is euen at hand Is the iudgement of this world and the prince of this world shall be cast out Iohn 12.31 and himselfe bearing the sinnes of all men standing before this Iudgement seat of God and to vndergoe all the punishments due to man that so he might satisfie the Iustice of God for vs and he knew that it was a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God Deut. 4.24 for the Lord our God saith Moses is a consuming fire and therefore as the Prophet saith My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraid of thy Iudgements so what maruell is it if the manhood of our Sauiour Christ seeing the Maiestie of God and the greatnesse of his fury against sinne and it selfe now to answere for all sinnes was brought into this fearefull agony and was thereby moued so earnestly to pray to God First Against eternall malediction in the behalfe of his Church Secondly Against the insupportable burthen of corporal castigation in respect of himselfe For First Hee saw that eternall damnation was due to vs for our transgressions and he now in vs and for vs stood to be arraigned and we in him stood to be punished and therefore as hee said to Saul Saul Saul Why persecutest thou me when his Church onely and not Himselfe was persecuted so here hee saith Let this Cup passe from me i. e. from me and mine from me and all my Church which is my Body which is my Selfe for this is Vox Ecclesiae in Christo The voyce of the Church vttered by Christ or else Vox Christi in Ecclesia Galat. 2. The voyce of Christ spoken in the behalfe of his Church Rom. 6. Coloss 3. because now the Church was comprised in his Body in which it was crucified buried and raised together with him as the Apostle teacheth Secondly He saw that his Humanity That God would lay no more punishment vpon him then his manhood should be able to support which was to suffer the iust punishments of all sinnes inflicted by the malice of the Diuell for the satisfying of the wrath of God was but flesh and bloud fraile and weake and therefore he might well feare and pray that God would not lay heauier punishments vpon him then his patience and obedience could endure and so the meaning of this prayer let this Cup passe from me should be this viz. let it not oppresse me for so the words immediately following seeme to shew Not my will but thy will be fulfilled as if he should haue said my desire is not that it should so passe from mee as that I doe not drinke of it at all and so not fulfill thy will but that I drinking of it to fulfill thy will may notwithstanding be not oppressed not subuerted not wholly swallowed by it that it may so passe from me as a Cup of deadly poyson that is wholly drunke vp and yet is at last quite voyded without the finall fall or death of the drinker And these are the things that hee feared and hee was heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that which hee feared saith the vulgar Latine or prae reuerentia for the reuerence and respect had of him as Oecumenius and Saint Chrysostome doe interpret it God laying on him but supportable paines and deliuering his Church from insupportable punishments And this was the beginning of his sufferings in the Garden of Gethsemane CHAP. IIII. Of the treason of Iudas of the flight of all his followers and of the taking and binding of Iesus Christ Three speciall things that happened in the Garden after his agony AFter that our Sauiour had thus prepared himselfe for death by Prayer wee finde three speciall things that befell him in that very Garden of Gethsemane 1. The Treason of Iudas 2. The flight of his followers 3. The taking and binding of him For the first we shall the better vnderstand it if we consider these three points 1. What Christ had done for Iudas 2. Why Iudas betrayed Christ 3. How he betrayed him First the treason of Iudas First Saint Augustine collecteth the summe of those fauours that Christ had conferred on Iudas as the healing of his father from his leprosie and his mother with whom hee is said to haue often committed most odious incest A briefe catalogue of those benefits that Christ did for Judas from the palsie the choosing of him to be one of his twelue Apostles the appointing of him to be his purse-bearer and to keepe all the wealth he had the preseruing of his life when he with the rest of his fellowes were well-nigh drowned in the ship Aug. Ser. 28. ad fratres the concealing of his theft and falshood which our Sauiour often knew to salue his credite the giuing vnto him of his blessed Body and Bloud the washing of his feet the fore-warning of him of his fact that hee might pray for grace to preserue him from the Diuell and many more benefits of lesser note which should haue eternally obliged him vnto Christ Quest But here it may be demanded why our Sauiour knowing him to be so wicked and that hee would betray him would choose him to be his Apostle Resp I answere that Christ did it for diuers reasons as specially these First That it might be no preiudice or cause of vpbraiding good men that wicked men should be of the same calling Why Christ did choose Judas to be his Apostle or profession for it is vsuall in the world to twitte vs with the wickednesse of our fellowes none so couetous none so contentious say the people as you Preachers be alas if some be so wee cannot helpe it there was a Caine in Adams house and a Cham in Noahs Arke and here a Iudas among twelue Apostles and therefore among so many of vs what maruell that there should be many euill but doe you looke that you condemne not the righteous with the wicked
ámici nomine Quales erunt amoris carmine Qui te canunt modulamine sweet LORD if thou callest him friend that betrayed thee how graciously wilt thou honour them that doe serue thee but he goeth on to recall him to repentance for in saying Wherefore camest thou he sheweth his compassion towards him because they be Verba miserentis non querentis Words of pittying him as if he had said al â—s poore wretched man what dost thou meane to doe to runne from God vnto the Diuell for Christ knew well enough to what end he came and therefore hee addeth Iudas betrayest thou the Sonne of man with a kisse Iudas is thy name a name Honourable and Noble among the Iewes and wilt thou now so stayne it that it shall be for euer so odious among all Christians that not any one of them will be called by it but distaine it as a most infamous appellation euen for euer Et tradis and wilt thou proue a Traitor to betray yea and to betray the Sonne of man and that with a kisse for if thou wouldst needs betray him why so hypocritically with a kisse O signum sacrilegum Aug. Ser. 3. post pal fer 2. de pass ex Bosq O placitum fugiendum vbi ab osculo incipitur bellum per pacis indicium pacis rumpitur sacramentum O most horrible and a most hatefull fact when Warre is begun with a kisse Tuta frequensque via sub amici fallere nomen tuta frequensq licet sit via crimen habet and peace is broken vnder the colour of Peace to proue the prouerbe true Quicquid id est timeo Danaos dona ferentes Whatsoeuer mine enemie doth yet still I feare him and I will loue rather the wounds of my friends then the kisses or gifts of my foes least they proue like the kisses of Iudas or the mutuall gifts of Hector and Aiax to be the chiefe instruments of their destruction Esay 5. â— But quid debuit Nay quid potuit vltra facere quod non fecit What could Christ doe more to recall this Iudas to repentance then he did O that he had had the grace to vnderstand it and to make a right vse of this blessed Sermon of our Sauiour Christ Iudas betrayest thou the Sonne of man with a kisse for he desired not the death of a sinner but rather that he should repent and liue Yet nothing could preuaile to doe him good Nothing can reclaime an obstinate sinner Te saeuae progeuiere ferae He was so hardened in his wickednesse that nothing could bring him to repentance to shew the fearefull case of those men that notwithstanding all our preaching will still goe on in their old vsuall sinfull courses and neuer turne vntill with Iudas they come as it is said of him into their owne places i. e. the pit of destruction And therefore as Caesar said Etiam tu Brute So our Sauiour seeing not a stranger but Hominem pacis suae Iudas one of the twelue Apostles his companion and his owne familiar friend which did also eat at his Table yea and dipped his hands in the same dish with him Magnificare supplantationem to lift vp his heele against his Master his Maker his Redeemer Aug. Ser. 117. Et officio sanguinem fundere and to betray him so treacherously with a kisse yea and also to contemne this his gracious Sermon as to make no vse thereof this must needes be a griefe and a sorrow vnto him especially if wee consider how hee doth alwayes grieue more at our destruction then he doth at his owne sufferings and most grieuous Passions Now the practice of Iudas to betray his Master with a kisse What wee should learne from the consideration of this Treason of Iudas should teach all Masters not to trust euery seruant too farre for as all is not honey that is sweet nor all gold that glistereth So is not euery man a faithfull seruant that saith Haile Master God saue you And the reward of Iudas to hang himselfe to destroy himselfe to damne his soule and with that little gaine he got to buy a field of bloud for others and to purchase Hell for himselfe should teach all seruants to take heede that they betray not their masters and all men to beware of couetousnesse Secondly Iudas had no sooner betrayed him into the hands of sinners but all his followers presently fled his best beloued Iohn was now deiected and the stoutest Peter did follow aloofe all the rest did basely hide their heads and withdraw themselues cleane away Not long before he had fed them with his own body and refreshed their spirits with his most pretious bloud and yet now they all forsake him which should support him and he was left alone in the hands of the barbarous souldiers well hee might looke as the Prophet saith for some to haue pâ—tty vpon him but looke while he would there was no man to helpe him no Zach. 13.7 nor yet to pitty him for I will smite the shepheard and all the sheepe shall be scattered And what a griefe it is to a man to see himselfe destitute of all friends and forsaken of all his familiars as if heauen and earth had conspired to leaue him helpelesse let any man iudge Thirdly Iudas hauing giuen this signe then the whole cohort the whole company of armed souldiers consisting of 1000. men as Vatablus saith or of 55. footmen and 56. horsemen as others thinke comes in the midst of the night with swords and staues to take him and to lay hold vpon him which they might haue peaceably taken in the day time teaching in the Temple but that as Saint Ambrose saith Ambr. in Mat. 26. Factum congruit tempori personis The fact and the time and the persons doe well agree because that a worke of darkenesse done by the children of darknesse was fittest to be done in the time of the greatest darkenesse and when the souldiers had apprehended him they presently bound his hands and perhaps shackled his feete with chaynes Ecce trahebatur passis priameia virgo crinibus Virgil. Aeneid 1. because Iudas had willed them before to hold him fast and because they would hereby fore-shew that hee should die they neuer vsing to bind any but those whom they vndoubtedly purposed to crucifie and especially because the Holy Ghost would hereby signifie that as Theeues are wont to be bound so our Sauiour Christ was contented to be bound not for his owne but for Adams theft he was bound for vs that we might bee loosed from the bonds of sinne And being thus bound they drew him by the haires of the head as Leo seemes to affirme when he saith Leo Ser. 7. de pass Trahunt volentem trahi sinentem sibi fieri quicquid sacerdotum instinctu popularis furor audebat They drew him that was willing to be drawne and contented to suffer them to doe vnto him
had formerly shewed that he could not indure the Galileans How fully they seeke to incense Pilate against Christ not onely because they were vnder the iurisdiction of Herod which till that time was a profest enemy vnto Pilate but especially because they had so prouoked Pilate that he caused the bloud of many of them to be mingled with their sacrifices And so they ioyne subtilty and iniquity both together for a subtiller way they could not inuent and a greater iniquity they could not effect How false was their accusation of him for he truely explained Moses wherein their sophisticall Rabbies and Pharisaicall Doctors had most falsly corrupted him and he did not onely bid them giue vnto Caesar what belonged vnto Caesar but he paid tribute vnto Caesar both for himselfe and for his seruants and therefore as they had most maliciously accused him so herein they haue most falsely slandered him vnto Pilate But as the darnels may passe for wheate vntill they be fifted so falshoods may carry the colour of truth vntill they be discussed and therefore Pilate examineth the matter and in the carriage of this businesse he doth something well and in many things ill as I haue shewed at large in my treatise of the resolution of Pilate Resolution of Pilate pag. where I referre my Reader for his fuller satisfaction in this point Now Pilate hauing played his part What was done to Christ before Herod and vnderstanding as I shewed you before that he was of Galilee hee sends him vnto Herod and there the Euangelists say that Herod and his men of Warre set him at naught Vbi Iesus non respondebat ibi vt ouis silebat hoc est sicut agnus innocens non apperuit os suum vbi vero respondebat ibi sicut pastor docebat Aug. in Johan and mocked him and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe and Christ though they questioned with him in many things yet answered nothing and therefore they derided his silence and exposed him to the greater laughter and the Souldiers that had formerly imbrued their hands in the bloud of the innocents doe now most impiously batter and buffet the Sonne of God and they disgorge their filthiest foame vpon his most glorious face and to increase their owne sport and his griefe Induunt eum veste alba they arrayed him with a white glittering and a gorgeous raiment And so The mystery of clothing Christ in white expressed against their wils they doe herein after a mysticall manner sufficiently testâ—fie both the excellent dignity and the most innocent probitie of the man for as Cicero saith Color albus praecipue decorus deo est That the whitest colour is most agreeable to the highest God Cicero l. 2. de legibus hee appeared many times in white but neuer in any other colour and therefore not onely the Wise man saith Let thy garments be alwayes white but also the very Saints of Heauen are said to be clothed in long white robes Reuel 4. and Iuuenal saith Sufficiunt tunicae summis aedilibus alba that white robes are fittest for the greatest Peeres euen for Kings and Caesars saith Iansenius And the white colour is the chiefest note of ioy and innocency for the Poet wishing for ioy saith Sumatur fatis decolor alba meis Cicero pro milone meminit A literae salutaris C. autem tristis And as the ancients by letters did expresse ioy or griefe life or death as Î¥ to shew the patterne of our humane life the lower part signifying youth which is vncertaine which way it will goe and the vpper part on the right side the way of vertue and on the left side the way of vice and therefore Persius saith of this Letter Et tibi quae sameos deduxit litera ramos Surgentem dextro monstrauit limite callem Which one translateth thus The branches of the letter first in Samea found How the Ancients by letters and colours did vse to expresse diuers things Of mans life doth shew the high way and ground And Θ which hath a dart in the middle was the Character of death and therefore was wont to be set by the Iudges as a marke vpon the heads of those that were condemned to die whereupon the Poet saith O multum ante alias infaelix litera Theta And so Tau was the letter of life so intimated by Ezechiel and so expressed by the Gentiles and vsed as a marke on them that were to be preserued aliue euen so they did vse to expresse the same things by diuers colours as white to be the signe of innocency and absolution and blacke to be the token of guiltinesse and condemnation whereupon Ouid saith Ouid. Met. l. 15. Mos erat antiquis niueis atrisque lapillis His damnare reos illis absoluere culpa The fashion was in ancient times By blacke or white to expresse our crimes And therefore certainely these things that they should clothe him in white before they send him vnto Pilate backe againe Non sine numine diuum Eueniunt doe apparantly shew that they were directed herein by diuine prouidence and declared plainly against themselues that Christ should rather be absolued as an innocent then condemned for a malefactor Yet all this would not serue but as he was posted from Annas to Caiphas from Caiphas to Pilate from Pilate to Herod so now he must be returned to Pilate once againe And although the former Scenes were Tragical enough yet were they nothing to these that follow for now begins those dolefull Acts which proue that saying to be most false Nullum caruit exemplo nefas No villanous deed doth want the like How no age did euer paralell this villany done to Christ but presidents may bee found as bad as it for if you aske the dayes of old and search all the Stories of the whole world since the day that it was first created yet shall you neuer be able to shew me such indignities offered to any man as was here done vnto the Sonne of God for now Pilate by the approument of Herod and the message of his owne wife who as the Poet saith of Cassandra Tunc etiam fatis apperit Cassandra futuris Ora dei iussu nequicquam credita Teucris did now beginne to Prophesie nay How Pilats wife iustified Christ to testifie of the truth of Christ his innocency and therefore presently sent and earnestly aduised her husband to haue nothing to doe with that iust man yea and shewed a very good reason for it because shee had suffered many things that very day because of him I say Pilate hereby perceiuing his innocency and fearing his Deity and therefore seeking to loose him deuiceth a cruell way to satisfie the Iewes and to iustifie Christ and so to let him goe Bosq de pass dom pag. 8â—0 for stripping him of all his clothes he caused sixe hangmen sixe varlets saith Saint Hierome to scourge him and whip him while
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
thee in his Name and for his sake to forgiue vs all our sinnes to accept his death as a plenary satisfaction to acquit vs from euerlasting death and to giue vs thy grace that for this and all other thy louing sauours vnto vs we may be truely thankefull and most dutifully obedient to please thee and to praise thy blessed Name for euer and euer through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen IEHOVAE LIBERATORI FINIS The Fift Golden Candlesticke HOLDING The Fift greatest Light of Christian RELIGION Of the Resurrection of CHRIST MATH 28.4.5.6 And for feare of him the Keepers did shake and became as dead men And the Angell answered and said vnto the Women feare not you for I know that you seeke Iesus which was crucified He is not here for he is risen as hee said come see the place where the Lord lay OVR blessed Lord God The coherence of this Treatise with the former and louing Father out of his excellent prouidence and secret loue to Man hath so tempered all the accidents and whole course of mans life with such proportion and equall counterpoyse that euer and anon ioyes and sorrowes are mixt together as wee may easily see in our blessed Sauiour for vpon Mount Thabor he was transfigured in glory Math. 17.2 that his face did shine as the Sunne and vpon Mount Caluary he was disfigured in sorrow that confusion went ouer his face and that in him there was neither forme nor beauty and vpon Mount Oliuet euen now Esay 53.2 Luke 22.43 Verse 44. an Angell comforting him and by and by an agony affrighting him so vpon the Crosse euen now he cries as destitute of all helpe My God my God why hast thou forsaken me yet by and by after as assured of comfort he saith O my Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Math. 27.46 Euen so it is with vs all Nocte pluit tota Luke 23.46 redeunt spectacula mane Heauinesse may indure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning To day we may be sicke at the point to die to morrow wee may be restored to life againe to night in prison and in distresse to morrow at liberty and aduanced to dignitie And this we see plaine in my Text for the last day was a day of cloudes and darkenesse a day of griefe and sorrow for the passion and suffering of the Sonne of God But behold this day is a day of ioy and gladnesse a day of Iubile for the most glorious resurrection of this Omnipotent Son of God for as it behoued him to suffer for our sinnes as you heard so it behoued him to rise againe for our iustification saith the Apostle And so this Angell testifieth that he did Rom. 4.25 He is not here but is risen as he saide Come see the place where the Lord lay And In these words we may obserue The diuision of the Text. 1. The persons here mentioned 2. The action of each person plainely expressed First The Persons mentioned are especially of three sorts 1. Keepers 2. Women 3. Angels Secondly The actions expressed are 1. Of the Keepers watching Christ 2. Of the Women seeking Christ 3. Of the Angell 1. Terrifying the former 2. Comforting the latter And from all this we may see these three things 1. The malice of the Iewes 2. The deuotion of the Women 3. The Office of the Angels And the maine summe of all is The Resurrection of Christ PART I. CHAP. Of the malice of the Iewes against our Sauiour Christ FIRST The malice of the Iewes against our Sauiour Christ is seene in that they did not onely spitefully oppose themselues against him throughout all his life and most vniustly deliuer him to a most shamefull death but also maliciously watched him in his graue that he might not rise to shew the right property of the wicked not onely to throw the righteous downe but also to keepe them downe and to trample them still vnder feete and to hire the Watchmen to belie both themselues and his Disciples that the truth of his Resurrection might not be knowne and beleeued for our saluation O miseri quae tanta insania ciues O wretched men that you are what is your rage as strong as death nay stronger then death and longer then death For the man is dead and he is buried And yet Vos excandescitis ira Your rage is implacable you set armed Souldiers to watch and ward ouer this dead harmelesse man And so we finde what the Scripture saith of the wicked to be true in you Malicia eorum excaecauit eos Wisedome 2.21 Your malice and your wickednesse haue blinded your eyes Nay but this deceiuer said saith some of them That after three dayes I will rise againe A deceiuer indeede Sed pius seductor How wicked men are deceiued But of them onely that deceiue themselues either First By relying too much on his mercy and not thinking of his iustice or Secondly By fearing too much his iustice and forgetting all his mercy or Thirdly By not beleeuing his power either to saue the penitent beleeuers in him or to punish the wicked contemners of him for of all these and the like the Prophet saith The Lord will deceiue you that is suffer you to deceiue your selues He will make his Arrowes drunken in bloud Deut. 32.42 and hee will cause his Sword to goe through your sides But them that truly trust in him he will neuer deceiue nor suffer them to be deceiued in him For our Fathers hoped in him Psal 22.4 and were not confounded But what if you had seene him rise againe what would you haue done would you haue beleeued in him no surely for you know he rose his Disciples testifies it to your faces and your owne Souldiers sayes it and you are faine to hyre them to say the contrary What then would you haue done would you haue crucified againe the Lord of life Yes no doubt such is the malice of the wicked that the death of the godly decies repetita placebit is neuer often enough inflicted O therefore good Lord thou King of Heauen Giue me any head saue the head of a Serpent and any malice saue the malice of an enemy For death it selfe cannot hide me from these but they will rage and rayle on my very Ghost And so much for the malice of the Iewes Part. 2 PART II. CHAP. I. Of the number and the names of these Women that came to seeke our Sauiour Christ in his Sepulcher SEcondly The deuotion of the Women is here commended in that they are said to come early while it was yet darke to seeke Iesus Iohn 20.1 for to imbalme him And for the better vnderstanding of this point these three especiall things must bee considered 1. Their number 2. Their names 3. Their action First Saint Mathew here seemes to say they were two Why three Women went together vnto the Sepulcher Mary Magdalen and the other
indeed and therefore vpon that day he did rise that his enemies might be conuicted by the testimony of their owne watchmen and bee brought therefore either to confesse their faults or to remaine without excuse if they knowing the truth would notwithstanding seeke as they did to conceale and suppresse the truth Secondly Secondly of his disciples His friends and disciples vpon the foresaid apprehensions did expect his resurrection vpon this third day for so the two disciples trauelling towards Emaus after they had said many things concerning him Chrysost hom 9. in Matth. and that they trusted it had beene hee which should haue redeemed Israel they adde this as a most speciall obseruation besides all the rest Luk. 24.21 that to day is the third day since these things were done and therefore to confirme their weake faith and to comfort their disconsolate soules hee did rise againe the third day Thirdly of all Christians Thirdly We were all to reape and to receiue the fruits and benefits of his resurrection and therefore chiefly as hee rose so hee rose the third day in respect of vs all i. e. to confirme our faith and that especially in these foure respects The Resurrection of Christ the third day confirmeth our faith in foure respects 1. Touching the quality of his person 2. Touching the certainty of his resurrection 3. Touching the manner of our restauration 4. Touching the manifestation of our state and condition First Our Sauiour Christ consisted both of a Diuine and a Humane nature Humane that he might die and Diuine that he might rise againe and to shew his death it was requisite that he should rise no sooner then the third day because in lesse time then that a man cannot well bee saide to bee dead but may bee suspected to be in a sound or in a fit of an apoplexie How the third day was the fittest time for Christ to rise in respect of the person of Christ or some other fained fit and in respect of the Diuine nature it was vnpossible that he should be held of death any longer then three dayes for it is the opinion of most grounded vpon experience that in all dead carkasses and a wounded body especially putrefaction and corruption beginneth the third day so Martha saith of Lazarus he hath beene dead foure dayes and he stinketh then no doubt but he began to stinke the third day but the humane nature of our Sauiour Christ in respect of its hypostaticall vnion with the Deity euen then when it lay in the graue could not see much lesse feele corruption Psal 16.11 Act. 2.24 as the Prophet Dauid sheweth therefore it was vnpossible saith Saint Peter that he should bee holden of the paines of death i. e. be stayed so long by death vntill putrefaction or other like penalties and consequences of death had seized vpon him and therefore as in respect of his humane nature it was not conuenient he should rise any sooner so in respect of his Diuine nature it was vnpossible hee should be stayd any longer Christ stayed while the third day to shew the verity of his deâ—th â—nd no longer to shew the certainty of his resurrection Secondly Our Sauiour was to shew both the verity of his death and the certainty of his resurrection but if hee had risen sooner then three dayes the verity of his death might be called into question and if he had promised after a long time to haue raised himselfe againe as Mahomet said that after 800. yeares he would reuiue and reuisite his Sarazens againe then might the falshood thereof lurke in the length of time and indeed if he had staid in his graue any whit longer then he did it might be easily obiected and with some probability by his aduersaries that there was no certainty of his resurrection whether it was he that was crucified had raised himselfe or some other that appeared in his name or whether he had raised the same body that was buried or had assumed some other body like vnto the same because the countenance of a dead body is soone changed and our memory and knowledge of such is soone stupified as we see these three dayes time made most of them that they knew him not prima facie vpon the first sight therefore Christ to shew the verity of his death stayed while the third day and he would stay no longer to shew the certaintie of his resurrection Thirdly Christ rose the third day might paralell our creation Christ in our redemption was to paralell our creation and in many things this second Adam was to resemble the first Adam for Saint Paul speaking of Gods oeconomie and dispensation of his grace vnto vs sheweth how Almighty God purposing to redeeme mankinde did so sweetly dispose of the manner of our redemption that as by man came death so by man came the resurrection from the dead and so a due proportion and resemblance should be in many things betwixt the first and second Adam But we finde that the first Adam was formed out of the earth as from a sole mother without any Father by the Word of God and was both created and fallen in the sixt day the day before the Sabbaoth therefore the word God Amb. l. 5 ep 19. in the sixt age of the world was made the second Adam of a sole mother without a father and in the sixt day of the weeke the same day wherein Adam was created and transgressed and about the same hower that the first Adam sinned by eating the fruit of the forbidden tree was this second Adam crucified vpon a tree and in the same place as some doe thinke wherein the first Adam was buried and as the Father after his creation rested vpon the Sabbaoth so Christ after our purchase and redemption rested in his graue all the Sabbaoth and then as his Father â—pon the first day of the weeke had begunne the world so Christ vpon the first day of the weeke did beginne to renue the world and caused as Lactantius saith Omnia cum domino dona redire suo All graces to bee renued all men that beleeued in him to be reuiued and now to beginne againe to liue a new life vnto God with him And this was prefigured in the Law where Moses sheweth that the sheafe of their first fruits was to be brought vnto the Priest Leuit. 23.11 and the Priest was to waue the same before the Lord on the morrow after the Sabbaoth which was the Sabbaoth of the Passeouer Vers 15. to note vnto vs that Christ which is the true first fruites that is offered vnto God for vs all was to be waued and raised vp the immediate morrow after the Passeouer that as Adam was created the last day and then dyed and so begat Ecclesiam morientium a Congregation of sinners all subiect vnto death so Christ the first day of the weeke was raised vp and liues for euer to
therefore he had none other remedy but to wander as a Pilgrime and a forlorne creature till hee ended his dayes in extreame miseries so Agrippa suffered intollerable calamities Cap. 17. so Herod the Tetrarch was spoiled of his goods depriued of his Kingdome and banished from his Countrey So Herod that killed Iames Cap. 18. was miserably eaten vp of loathsome wormes and to the Iewes was measured the same measure as they had measured vnto Christ before for as they had sold him for thirty pence so thirty of them were sold for one peny and fiue hundred of them were nayled to Crosses in one day in so much that nec locus sufficeret crucibus nec cruces corporibus there was not place sufficient for the Crosses nor Crosses enough to nayle them on It were too too lamentable to relate more of those dolefull Tragedies which Iosephus Eusebius Euagrius and others haue written of them and what they suffered at the finall ruine and destruction of Ierusalem and what heauy bondage farre worse then that Egyptian slauery they haue endured to this very day In aureo tractatu Rabbi Sam. de miserimo statu Iudaeorum Hence it is that Rabbi Samuel about sixe hundred yeares agone writ a tractate in forme of an Epistle vnto Rabbi Isaac Master of the Synagogue of the Iewes in Subiulmeta a Citie of Morocco wherein he doth excellently discusse the cause of their long captiuity their great blindnesse and extreame misery and after that hee had proued tâ—at this punishment was inflicted vpon them for some great and grieuous sinne he sheweth that sinne to be the same whereof the Prophet Amos speaketh For three transgressions of Israel and for foure Amos 2.6 non transferam eo I will not turne away the punishment thereof because they sold the righteous for siluer And though he saith that their Rabbies doe vnderstand this righteous to be Ioseph that was sold by his brethren vnto Egypt What Rabbi Samuel saith concerning Iesus Christ yet because the Prophet putteth this for the fourth sinne and the greatest sinne of Israel and because he cannot finde any three sinnes of the sonnes of Israel before the selling of Ioseph therefore he maketh the selling of Ioseph to be the first sinne of Israel the worshipping of the Calfe in Horeb to be the second the abusing the killing of Gods Prophets to be the third and the fourth to be the selling of Iesus Christ For the first they serued foure hundred yeares for the second they wandred forty yeares in the Wildernesse vntill they that came out of Egypt were all consumed and brought to nothing excepting onely Caleb and Iosuah for the third they were held Captiues seauenty yeares in Babylon and for the fourth the said Rabbi Samuel confesseth that they were held in most pittifull Captiuity to this very day because hee was most vniustly sold and most shamefully deliuered to death as he sheweth in the seauenth Chapter of the said Tractate Much and many more circumstantiall proofes and demonstrations of his Resurrection to shew him to be the true Messias Why the Author did so prosecute the proofes of Christs Resurrection might be produced but I hope these will serue I say not to make vs to beleeue this truth for to that end I hope we neede not bring any proofe at all because we doe fully and vndoubtedly beleeue the same already but to shew that our fore-fathers haue not or we doe not beleeue these things without more then abundant and vnanswerable proofes thereof and to conuince that malicious obstinacy and infidelity of all those whether professed Iewes or seeming Christians which notwithstanding such an Army of arguments and such a cloud of witnesses will still continue blinded and hardened in vnbeleefe It were strange there should be any Athiests amongst vs yet I thinke it was not without cause that Dr. Fotherby writ his large and learned discourse against Atheisme and questionlesse they that deny God will neuer beleeue in Christ and therefore as that booke shall be a witnesse against all Atheists in the latter day to condemne them so shall this which I haue written be an accuser of all those that will not beleeue in Iesus Christ CHAP. VIII Of the place from whence our Sauiour rose both in respect of his body and soule NOw hauing seene that the Messias when hee should come was to rise againe the third day and that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ is that true Messias because he did rise againe vpon the third day I must yet intreate you to consider that so you may haue the full knowledge of this point these two especiall things Arsatius in postilla ser de resurrect fol. 122. 1. The place from whence he rose 2. The manner how he rose First We must vnderstand that as Christ in respect of his humane nature consisted both of body and soule so his Resurrection must needs be considered both in respect of his body and soule First The Resurrection of the Body was that whereby hee raised the same from the graue a dead carkasse to be a liuing and a most glorious body neuer to die againe The place from whence Christ raised his soule Secondly The Resurrection of his Soule must be from some infernall place or else it must be a descention and not a Resurrection of his soule and therefore as in our Creede we professe to beleeue that he descended into Hell so we must likewise confesse that he raised himselfe from Hell but here vnawares I am fallen into an Ocean of contention For First Some say this Article of our Creede crept in by negligence and therefore would haue raced it out againe but that would proue a want of Gods prouidence that would suffer his whole Church to erre so grossely in the chiefe summe of her Christian faith and if such things might creepe into our Creede which is but the abstract of our faith then much more might easily creepe into our Scriptures which is so large an expresser both of faith and manners but the Spirit of Christ is alwayes with his Church to guide it into all truth and the Church of Christ is the Pillar of truth and a most faithfull preseruer of all truth and therefore this opinion is most absurde Secondly Others still retayning the words Foure expositions of that article of Christs discention into Hell cannot agree vpon the meaning of the sentence and of these I finde foure seuerall expositions The first is that the soule of Christ suffered the paines of Hell vpon the Crosse But this cannot stand first because we must bring in such a sense as will agree with the words after his buriall for that being dead and buried he descended into Hell and secondly That Christ suffered not the torments of the damned Iohn 9. because as that worthy Bishop of Winchester hath most excellently shewed there bee eight speciall things in Hell paines which the soule of Christ could not
comfort Bernard de passione domini c. 46. p. 1236. k. then hee did sorrow and griefe at his passion saith Saint Bernard and therefore we should all of vs plus gaudere propter resurrectionem gloriosam quam dolere propter passionem ignominiosam now say with the Psalmist sing we merily vnto the Lord our God that hath turned our sorrow into ioy that we might sing one of the songs of Sion and woe to that man that doth it not Gregor hom 21. in Euangel quia indignum valde est si in eo die laudes debitas tacuerit lingua carnis quo videlicet caro resurrexit autoris because it is a great indignitie that our tongues should bee silent from giuing praise to God on that day whereon our Sauiour rose from his death saith Saint Gregory And as we should reioyce at the consideration of the resurrection of Christ from the dead so we should likewise reioyce for the resurrection of our owne soules from sinne for as Tobias said what ioy can I haue so long as I sit here in darknesse so may wee say of euery sinner what comfort can he haue whiles he liues in sinne or what fruit can he haue of those things Rom. 6. whereof hee must bee ashamed as the Apostle saith And so much for our resurrection from sinne That the resurrection of Christ is an assurance of our resurrection to eternall life Secondly if wee bee the members of Christ wee shall assuredly rise from our graues and from death vnto the resurrection of euerlasting life quia vt Redemptor noster suscepit mortem ne mori timeremus ita ostendit resurrectionem vt nos resurgere posse confideremus for as our redeemer died that we might not bee affraid of death so he rose againe that we might bee sure of our resurrection vnto life for if the head bee risen then surely the members in their due time must rise and follow after but Christ our head is risen from the dead as I haue abundantly shewed vnto you before and therefore it must be that wee which are his members shall also rise and follow after And lest any man should say sperare de se non debet homo quod in carne sua exhibuit Deus homo that man should not hope for that to himselfe which that God and man performed in himselfe S. Gregory answereth that solus in illo tempore mortuus est tamen solus minime resurrexit although hee died and was laid in his graue all alone yet he did not rise againe alone but hee was accompanied with many others to shew vnto vs that as he died not for himselfe so he rose not for himself but for vs that are his members And therefore though heere we suffer all the miseries of this world though our bodies be but semen terrae esca vermium the dust of the earth and the foode of wormes and though these bodies of ours should be cast into the seas and bee eaten of fishes and those fishes should be caught and should be eaten of men and those men should be burnt to ashes and those ashes cast into the seas yet we mâ—y assure our selues to our continuall comfort and to our refreshment in all miseries that God will collect vs and raise vs vp at the last day and giue vnto euery soule his owne body and then make vs like vnto the glorious body of Iesus Christ And so much for the first lesson 1. Cor. 15. the lesson of Theorie which these women and so likewise all men and women must learne and know That Christ is risen from the dead and therefore that we should rise from sinne and shall rise from our graues to eternall life CHAP. X. What the women are commanded to doe and why and what speciall lessons we may learne for our instruction FOR the second i. e. the lesson of practise How the Angell teacheth the women what they should doe this Angell sheweth vnto these women what they should doe saying ite goe your wayes why stand you heere and goe quickly without delay for it is the Lords businesse Why the women were to tell the Disciples that Christ was risen and cursed be they that doe the worke of the Lord negligently dicite discipulis and tell his Disciples that Christ is risen from the dead Tell his Disciples first quia vos ad praedicandum inferior sexus ad exigendum infirmior because your sex is lesse able to preach Ambros in loc lesse constant to perseuere saith Saint Ambrose secondly because women must not teach for to teach is a note of superiority and women are bound to obey and to learne at home of their husbands and therfore I permit not a woman to teach saith the Apostle thirdly that as man did rashly beleeue the woman for his destruction so he might now happily beleeue these womeÌ„ for his saluation et ecce behold he goeth before you into Galilee Galilee of the Gentiles because now the partition wall that was betwixt the Iewes and the Gentiles is broken downe and the calling of the Gentiles approacheth neere quia transmigrauerat à morte ad vitam and because now hee had passed from death to life and was to passe from this vaine and momentary life vnto that ioyfull and eternall happinesse he saith behold he goeth before you into Galilee because Galilee signifieth transmigration What we shold learne from the Angells instruction to the women or a passage ouer from one place vnto another And so you see the summe of the Angels iniunction vnto the women what they must doe and from hence we may learne these speciall lessons for our instruction First to practise what we know First that we must ioyne practise vnto our profession if wee would be happie for these two must neuer be separated these things if you know blessed are you if you doe them saith our Sauiour And yet it hath beene euer the practise of Satan to seuer those whom God hath ioyned together and therefore in former times he put out the light of the Word preached that men might not know what to do now when he seeth he can hide the light no longer he giues you leaue to know as much as you will as much as Berengarius who is said to know as much as was know-able but he laboureth that you shall doe nothing at all but shew your selues iust like the Grecians Plutar. in Lacoon which knew what was honest but did it not or like the Scribes and Pharisees which said and did not saith our Sauiour But we should consider first that this is one of the chiefest ends why God gaue his Lawes and his Commandements vnto vs that we should doe them for had hee giuen them onely to bee preserued hee might haue lockt them vp in iron coffers God gaue his Lawes not to be talked of but to be kept or had he giuen them to be talked of he might
innocent man yet his hope will neuer leaue him but as the Poet saith Iam mala finissem Letho sed credula vitam Spes fouet melius cras fore semper ait Hope still doth promise better fortunes vnto him and therefore this is a most excellent vertue though like other humane vertues it is defectiue in many points as first in respect of the things that they hope for wealth honours and such like So Alexander hauing giuen away almost all that hee had in Greece and being demanded what hee left for himselfe said hope i. e. of more honours and kingdomes and secondly in respect of the cause from whence they doe expect these things from themselues or such like but not from God whereas indeed that man is accursed which putteth his hope in man quia de Creatore desperare est Ierem. 17.5 spem in creatura ponere because that to hope in man is to forsake our God But Secondly diuine Hope The second i. e. the diuine hope which is wrought in vs by the Spirit of God is infallible for whosoeuer hopeth in him shall neuer be confounded Psal 22.4 5 6. Prou. 14.32 The wicked saith Salomon shall be cast away for his malice but the righteous hath hope in his death and what can be more then this for many things doe discourage vs in death for the dying man seeth his body is weake his friends weeping his Phisicians despayring and his conscience shewing him the Catalogue of his sinnes O wretched man that he is who shall comfort him yet hee whose hope is in the Lord his God doth euen then see the heauens open and the Angels ready to receiue him and though he knoweth his body is to be laide in the graue yet doth his flesh rest in hope and therefore what can be sweeter then hope O dearely beloued remember what the Psalmist saith blessed is the man whose hope is in the Lord his God But here you must know that all kindes of hope in God Euery hope maketh not happy makes not all men happy for there is a bold and a presumptuous hope a hope of wicked hypocrites that liue in sinne and yet doe hope for heauen And therefore wee must distinguish that there is a two-fold hope in God 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an opinionatiue hope 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a true infallible hope The first is the hope of wicked men Iob 8. Prou. 10. Wisd 5. and this shall melt away like a winter snow for the hope of the wicked shall perish they may looke for much but they shall haue nothing The second is the hope of the righteous and this shall neuer perish because it is grounded vpon a good foundation True hope springeth from the true feare of God that is the promise of God to them that feare him for so the Psalmist saith qui timetis Dominum sperate in illum you that feare the Lord hope in him And therefore if you would be sure to haue the true hope in God then feare the Lord because the testimony of a good conscience must be the ground of hope for so Saint Paul sheweth euen by his owne example saying I haue fought a good fight and I haue kept the faith there is the ground and therefore is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse and there is the Anchor of his hope cast vpon that sure foundation and hee that thus hopeth in God is truely happy Thirdly Charity is rectissima animi affectio Thirdly of Charity the rightest affection of the minde whereby wee loue God for his owne sake and our neighbours for Gods sake Aug. de doct Christ and as Saint Augustine doth obserue it is proper onely vnto the Saints of God because as Saint Chrysostome saith Chris hom de char charity is optimum amoris genus the best kinde of loue and therefore Saint Augustine saith that habere omnia sacramenta malus esse potest habere autem charitatem malus esse non potest a man may be partaker of all Sacraments and be wicked but to haue charity and to be wicked is vnpossible and Saint Paul saith enough in the praise of this most excellent grace to write Iliads after Homer were to commend it after him and therefore I le say no more but what Saint Augustine saith charitas est quae vincit omnia sine qua non valent omnia charity is that which ouercommeth all things and without which all things will auaile vs nothing because as the Christian Poet saith Christicolas veros exprimit vnus amor It is loue and charity alone that proues vs to bee true Christians Well then wouldest thou know thy state whether thou beest in the state of grace or not thou needest not to ascend to heauen and search into the secret councell of God to see whether thy name be written in the booke of life but descend into thine owne heart and see whether thou hast perfect charity both towards God and man for if thou louest God with all thy heart The surest signe that wee shall be saued and thy neighbour as thy selfe I dare assure thee that in all the booke of God I could neuer finde yet a surer note or a more infallible signe of our eternall saluation then the same For hereby we know saith the Apostle that we are passed from death to life because we loue the brethren and hereby shall all men know that you are my Disciples 1 Iohn 3. saith our Sauiour if you loue one another but if thou louest not God or if thou louest not all men say what thou wilt doe what you will lift vp thine eyes hold vp thy hands and pray in euery corner yet I know no signe thou hast of sauing grace But here you must obserue that all kinde of loue towards God and men will not serue our turne for there is a generall kinde of loue to God which all wicked men in respect of their being and that manifold good which they receiue from him doe beare towards God and there is a speciall loue to God in a most vehement and a most excellent manner and there is an inordinate loue of men either too much or too little or not after the right manner and there is a true discreet and a fruitfull loue to be shewed towards them and this is properly called charity and therefore if we would be sure of Gods fauour we must vse no mediocrity in louing God we must vse no measure Quia modus diligendi Deum est sine modo because hee is to bee loued beyond measure with all our hearts with all our soules and with all our strength so as if we were rauished with the loue of God euen as the Church saith in the Canticles Stay me with flagons Cantic 2.5 and comfort me with apples for I am sicke of loue And so much for these three diuine graces which Christ giueth vs to sanctifie our
foolish lusts that drowne men in destruction and perdition Secondly gratulation or thankesgiuing is the other kinde Secondly Thanksgiuing and the chiefest kinde of prayer First because to make request concernes our selues and sheweth our loue to our selues but to render thankes sheweth our loue to God Secondly because the other is a taking this is a giuing and our Sauiour saith Act. 29.35 it is a more blessed thing to giue then to receiue Thirdly because to make request shall cease when wee come to the place where there is no want but the Saints in heauen doe ascribe glory and wisedome and thankes Reuel 7.12 and honor and power and might vnto our God for euermore Fourthly because the Angels that feele no want doe alwaies praise the Lord saying Holy holy holy Lord God of hosts Esay 6.3 Luke 20. the earth is full of thy glory and therefore we that shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like vnto the Angels of God should not alwayes speake with the tongues of men to beg but sometimes with the tongues of Angels to praise the Lord for his goodnesse for this is the only thing that God requireth or that we can render vnto God for all the blessings that he hath bestowed vpon vs. And there bee three speciall reasons saith Antoninus that should moue vs vnto this duty of thankefulnesse Antonin p. 4. t. 5. c. 12. §. 1. Three speciall reasons to perswade men to be thankefull First the practise of all the Saints Moses and all Israel after their passage through the red Sea Iosua after his victory Dauid after his deliuerance out of the hands of Saul hee composed songs of thankfulnesse vnto God and the manifold precepts of holy Scripture that doe command the same Psal 113.1 for Dauid biddeth all the seruants of the Lord to prayse the Name of the Lord and he saith that it becommeth well the iust to be thankefull and the Apostle biddeth vs in all things to giue thankes vnto God 1 Thess 5. Secondly the consideration of all creatures which doe all of them teach men to be thankefull because euery creature saith Saint Augustine Est quoddam beneficium homini collatum A three-fold voice of euery creature is a gift bestowed on man for which man oweth thankes vnto God and therefore Hugo de S. vict saith that euery creature speakes these three words to euery man accipe redde fuge take restore flee The first is vox famulantis the voice of a seruant bidding vs to receiue the gifts of God the second is vox admonentis Hugo de S. Vict. l. 2. c 3. de Arca. the voice of a teacher bidding vs to render thanks vnto God the third is comminantis the voice of a threatner bidding vs flie the vengeance of God if wee bee not thankefull vnto God for these blessings And so many creatures by their owne examples doe teach man to be thankefull for the very dogge saith Saint Ambrose is so thankefull for a piece of bread vt pro Domino mori velit that he will die for his Master Geminianus de exempl l. 5. c. 56. and Geminian tels vs of a Leopard that was so thankefull vnto one that deliuered her whelpes out of a ditch that shee accompanied him through the forrest and deliuered him from the danger of all other sauage beasts C. Agrippa de de vanit scient c. 102. and C. Agrippa saith that a Serpent called Aspis vsed to eate at a mans table seeing a dogge killing his childe did to shew her thankefulnesse vnto the man kill the dogge immediatly after What should I say more but as Salomon saith vade ad Formicam disce sapientiam goe to any creature and he will teach thee to be thankefull to thy Creator Thirdly the manifold gifts and graces that wee haue receiued i. e. the grace of God which bringeth saluation to all men doth teach all men not to receiue the grace of God in vaine but to be truly thankefull vnto God for the same And as these three reasons should perswade thee to be thankefull Anton. p. 2 t. 3. c 9 § 1. Three things that should driue away ingratitude from vs. so there be three other reasons saith Antoninus which should dispell from vs all ingratitude First because as Saint Augustine and Saint Bernard say Quod dederat Deus gratis abstulit ingratis God will in iustice take away from the vngratefull what hee hath freely bestowed vpon them for so our Sauiour sheweth in the parable of the vineyard which hee would take away from the vngratefull husband-men and giue it vnto them that would yeelde him fruits in due season Secondly because ingratitude doth not only abstract from vs that good which we receiued but doth also inflict vpon vs the euils that we feared Ioseph antiq for Iosephus saith that Hezekiah sickened vnto death because he did not shew himselfe sufficiently thankefull for his wonderfull deliuerance out of the hands of Sennacherib and the Apostle saith of the Gentiles that because when they knew God Rom. 1. they glorified him not as God neither were thankefull therefore God gaue them â—uer to vile affections Thirdly because ingratitude for blessings receiued detaineth and keepeth from vs those blessings that are promised Nam ille non dignus est dandis qui ingratus est de datis for he is vnworthy of more that gaue no thankes for what hee had whereupon Saint Bernard saith that ingratitude is a winde that drieth vp the fountaine of Gods grace and Antoninus saith that by the ciuill Law the father may depriue his sonne of his inheritance if his sonne proue vnthankefull vnto him which otherwise hee cannot doe and so our heauenly Father may iustly depriue vs of the kingdome of heauen if we be vnthankefull vnto him for his blessings And therefore when we pray to God and make request for what wee neede let vs not forget to bee truely thankefull for what we haue but let vs remember that there bee three degrees of thankefulnesse the first is recognoscere Three degrees of thankfulnes to acknowledge his goodnesse with our hearts the second is laudare to praise him for his goodnesse with our mouthes and the third is retribuere to expresse the same in our liues and conuersations Nam si maledicitur Deus negatur malis factis tum bonis benedicitur confitetur for if wee deny God and curse him by our euill deedes then certainely wee doe praise him and blesse him by our good and godly deedes saith Saint Augustine Secondly Prayer in respect of the forme is manifold First Mentall prayer in respect of the forme is said to be fourefold As First mentall so Moses Exod 14.15 and Anna 1 Sam. 1.13 prayed vnto God when they said neuer a word and thus an afflicted soule may pray to God in the midst of company and when no man heareth him God which knoweth his heart doth heare his prayer Secondly
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
737 TI. No time mispent that is spent to know the person of Christ 305 Christ how made in time 400 Of the time when Christ was borne ibid. How time hath his fulnesse 401 The particular time of the words incarnation 402. Titillation and thoughts of sinne is sinne 14 TO Torments of Hell how intollerable 86 Not equall to all the damned 93 Not suffered by Christ 581 TR. That we doe not traduce sinnes from our parents 246 Transubstantiation hath a double contradiction 173 How full of absurdities ibid. Defenders of Transubstantiation how agreeable to the false prophets whereof our Sauiour biddeth vs to beware 548 What the Author thinketh of Transubstantiation 549 Treason of Iudas what it should teach vs. 463 Mysterie of the Trinity why not fully reuealed at the first 272 How darkly shewed in the creatures 273 Trismegistus what he said of the word 312 Morall truth what it is 312 Truth in vs not as it is in God ibid. Physicall truth what it is ibid. God is truth two wayes 213 All truths how they doe proceed 213 Truth of things of vnderstanding of words 213 214 Diuine truth measureth all things 214 Expressed truth is two-fold 215 Truth how excellent it is ibid. How like the light 215 How it expelleth errors ibid. Sheweth what euery thing is ibid. How it begets vs to God 216 God true in himselfe in his workes and in his words 216 The primarie expressed truth contained in the holy Scriptures 215 Truth to be sought whatsoeuer it cost 217 To be defended with the losse of all that we haue 217 How alwayes handled on earth ibid. How at last it will preuaile 218 How euery truth proceedes from God 222 How God loueth it ibid. How it should be alwayes spoken 222 231 How hardly found in these dayes 222 231 Truth makes vs like to God 231 Truth and iustice how they pleaded against man 319 TV. To turne from sinne turnes away all the wrath of God 195 TW Twelue apparitions of Christ after his resurrection 565 Twelue wonders in the Manna of the Israelites 703 Two things further the sinnes of the parents to continue in the children 246 Two-fold will in Christ 296 Two sorts of Mediators 296 Two reasons shewing why Christ was made flesh 320 Two things to be done for man before he could be saued 321 Two things to be considered touching the conception of Christ 333 Two signes of a true Teacher 466 Two reasons moued Pilate to condemne Christ 478 That there is a two fold hope 649 Two kindes of prayer 700 TY. Giuing of Canaan to the Israelites a type of giuing heauen to vs. 127 The three women seeking Christ a type of the Church 519 520 Typicall testimonies that Christ should rise the third day 554 To liue vnder the tyrannie of sinne how lamentable it is 635 VA. VAnities of the world how soone they passe away 129 Christ despised all vanities 260 Vaine-glory how it tainteth many of the Clergy 525 Valentinus his heresie 343 VB Vbiquity cannot be communicated to any creature 156 Vbiquitie of Christ his body ouerthrowne by the assertion of the Angell 543 Obiections of the Vbiquitaries answered 168 388 VE Veniall sinnes or the least sinnes bring death 41 Vertue is of an admirable beauty 47 Christ a patterne of all vertue 260 VJ. Victory of Christ ouer Hell Death Sinne and Satan 634 Villanies of Satan to be shewed and why 392 Villanies done to Christ not paralelled since the world began 474 Vineger how giuen to Christ to drinke 482 Christ why borne of a Virgin 334 The blessed Virgin still continued a Virgin to her death 336 Visitation of God two-fold 243 To visite what it signifieth 243 God visiteth the afflicted ibid. God visiteth the wicked 244 VN Vnderstanding of Adam in Paradise how excellent 57 58. Our Vnderstanding now how darkened through sinne 58 How quicke and sharpe in naturall things 59 How blockish in all Diuine mysteries ibid. Our vnderstanding of God very small 121 Vnion of Christ his natures expressed by a simily of Iustin Martyr 371 Wherin the Nestorian heretickes auouched the same to consist 375 Wherein the Lutherans affirmed it to consist 377 Wherein it doth truely consist 378 Vnion of the two natures inconuertible indiuisible c. 379 Vnion of things three wayes made 380 Vnion of Christ his natures substantiall 381 Ineffable ibid. What benefits it bringeth 282 283 c. We must be vnited to Christ if we will ascend to Heauen 627 Vnity of brethren 689 Want of vnity amongst vs. 691 Vnrepentant sinners shall neuer be absolued 242 VO Voice of the creature three-fold 705 WA WAight of sinne feared by Christ 545 Christ how he walked vpon the waters 388 Warre how lawfull 702 All wants supplied by Christ 262 Way to Heauen how said to be hard 98 And how easie 99 Three wayes of knowing God 120 Three wayes of expressing what God is Wayes of wickednes how hard and difficult 99 121 Best way to teach is to lay a good foundation 392 Way to saue man could neuer haue beene found but onely by the wisdome of God 393 WE Wealth what discommoditie it bringerh 524 WH White clothing of Christ what it signified 473 White an argument of innocency 478 WI. Wicked men delight in committing sinne 36 They are greedy to doe it ibid. And they haue their full content when they haue done it ibid. How they should be afraid to offend Gods power 179 They haue no part in the speciall mercy of God 188 Wicked men not loued of God 189 They are with held from many sinnes by the goodnesse of God 200 To giue vnto the wicked power to serue God God is no waies to doe it 210 The wickednesse of professors of the truth ought no waies to disparage the truth of God 219 220 The wicked how they abuse Gods goodnesse 22â— How punished in their children 245 That they shall be punished 244 Not euery sinne of the wicked is visited vpon their children 247 The wicked how they doe deceiue themselues 517 How it hapneth that they seeke not God 5â—1 How they are terrified and punished by the Angels 536 How they are said to ascend 6â—0 How still captiues vnto Satan 635 Wife of Pilate how she iustified Christ 475 Will of God reuealed in our consciences and in the scriptures 11 Wilfull sinners 33 How fearefull is their state ibid. They can pleade no excuse ibid. The will commandeth all the faculties of the soule 53 Will to sinne deserueth the punishment of sinne 55 Our will cannot be compelled by Sathan nor by any other outward enemie 55 57 Our owne will is the cause of all our woe 55 How our will to doe good is quite killed by sinne 56 It is drawne to sinne by our owne corruption 57 How it is guided by the iudgement 57 How we may be said to haue free-will 57 To will to sinne euer is a temporarie act 97 God cannot will things contrarie to his nature 153 To will a thing we
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