fighteth for you So may it be said vnto euery Christian man whose armour is the shielde of faith the sword of the spirit whose battaile is temptation whose grand Captain is Christ Iesus our Sauiour whose conquest is an immortall crowne of euerlasting glory be of good courage pluck vp a good heart the Lord of heauen earth is with thée and for thée in the conflict Chap. 8. Of Christes great compassion towards men his continuall doing good in tâ—… world and what instructions wee hence learne WHen wee enter into consideration of the great compassion of the sonne of God towardes the distressed state of man wee finde it a worke of inspeakeable mercy In the creation Dedit te tibi O man God gaue thée thy selfe but in the redemption Dedit se tibi God gaue thee himselfe In the creation of all things necessarie for man onlie sixe dayes were passed but in mans redemption thrée thirtie yâ—…res were expired in the creation pauca dixit hee spake few things in the redemption of man multa dixit mirabilia fecit hee spake many things hee did wonderfull things Adam in the state of innocencie for perfection left all his posteritie farre behind his reason was vncorrupt his vnderstanding pure his will obedient he was for knowledge of heauenly matters an excellent Diuinâ—… for the nature of things a déep Philosopher for power hee had a whole world to commaund Adam had nothing which was necessarie nowe wanting vnto him that when he saw he had all things which hee could desire in earth hee might then turne his desires towards heauen his dutie for all is to kéepe the law of his God He hath one precept amongst these many blessings this one precept is most vndutifully broken Adam vnlesse mercie step in thy felicitie and the felicitie of all thy posterity is at an end therefore behold a helper when thou art now in the pawes of the Lyon The seede of the woman shal break the Serpents head Here the Serpents hope is turned into a curse and in Christ who was to come Adams dread is turned into a blessing Behold loue which affected Adam more then Adam did affect himselfe 2 Now Christ the promised séede being come hee compares himselfe vnto that Samaritane who tooke compassion vpon the wounded man This wounded man may resemble humane nature the Priest and the Leuite that passed by the offerings and sacrifices of the law the Samaritane Christ who beholding man in this case with the eye of mercy bound vp his wounds poured in the softning oyle of grace and searching wine of contrition layeth him vpon his own nature and righteousnes therof taketh out the two Testaments bringeth him to the holy hostage of his Church commandeth his Priests to take care and charge of him and promiseth that one day they shall finde they haue not lost their labour 3 In consideration of mans fall sayth Saint Bernard mercie began to knocke at the bowels of God the Father which mercie brought with her peace as a companion on the other side trueth accompanied with iustice began to approach and contradict mercie Betweene these sisters began a long controuersie Mercie sayeth vnto God O God man this creature of thine would haue compassion shewed him being now so miserable No sayth Truth and Iustice Lorde fulfill thy word Adam that day thou eatest thou shalt die Mercie replies but thou hast made mee mercie but if thou shew no mercie I am not on the contrarie Truth saith and I am truth vnlesse I take place I abide not for euer God the father commits the deciding of all vnto God the sonne before whom Truth and Mercie speake the same things Truth saith if Adam perish not I perish and Mercie sayth if Adam be not conserued I languish Well let death be good and let both haue that they desire let Adam die and yet for all that let Adam haue mercy and liue O admirable wisedome but how can death be good séeing the death of sinners is worst of all Let one be found which of loue may die and yet is not subiect to death The motion séemed good but where may any such be found Truth séekes about the earth and cannot find one cleane from sinne no not an Infant of one day mercy goeth vp to heauen and there findes none that hath this loue as to leaue life for sinners these sisters returne at the time appointed not finding that which was required At the last peace calling them aside and comforting them sayeth You knowe there is none that doeth good no not one hee that gaue you this counsell when all is done must surely giue you help whereat the vmpire began to procéede and calling the Angell Gabriel said Goe tell the daughter of Sion Behold her king commeth Let these sisters now accord in one and let that of the Prophet be confirmed Mercie and truth are met together righteousnes peace haue kissed each other now Truth thou shalt haue thy right for Adam shal die and Mercy here is thy desire Adam shall be restored to life O happy harmony who euer reade of such wisedom and loue it was Gods goodnes to think vpon vs it was his bounty to reléeue vs this is the fountaine froÌ„ whence our riuers come the Sea from which all our waters arise Here mercy is the wine that gladdeth mans heart and loue is the oyle that makes him to haue a chéerefull countenance Martha said Lord he whom thou louest is sick as if the loue of Christ were enough to moue him to a worke of loue Thus much of Christes compassion towards the state of man in general 4 For his continuall doing good in the world his pitty was euer pardoning his wisedome was euer teaching his liberality was euer giuing his compassion was euer helping all his teaching whereunto did it tend but vnto the remission of sinnes all this tends to our consolation For his sincerity of life while he walked in the world Tertullian bids the Romaines but reade their owne Registers there they should finde mention of the faultlesse conuersation of Iesus the sonne of the virgin Mary his doing good was in effect our good looke what was due to his obeence to wit loue to his desert to wit reward to his humility to wit honour to his sorrow to wit ioy to his death to wit life to his victory to wit tryumph all is attributed vnto vs. His merites became our merites his suffering our satisfaction his ioyes our ioyes hee fed many in the wildernesse with materiall bread and he imparted the bread of life vnto whole multitudes that came to heare his most diuine doctrine If we respect his goodnes hee was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goodnes it selfe if his clemencie he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 placability it selfe for curing the diseased a Phisitian both of body and soule for reléeuing those that were miserable he was a priuiledged place whereunto al might repair as
should not be interrupted by any necessities of the body as the Massilians dreamed but pray alwayes is vnderstoode euery day and at all times that no sinne may hinder vs from God good works and therefore it is saide Vt digni habeamini that ye mâ—…y be accounted worthy to auoid these things 10 Watch for ye knowe not the day nor houre Nemo quaerat quando venit sed vigilet vt paratum inueniat Let no man saith S. Austen séeke curiously when the Iudge commeth but let him make himselfe ready against his comming the vncertainty of the time doth cause feare the ignorance of the signes may lead into error so wee alwayes liue that alwayes wee may be watchfull Wee may knowe the signes but ought not search after the knowledge of the time it selfe it is vnsearchable When we see in an old man the signes of age we gather his time is not long when hee shall die we know not so beholding the world troubled charity waxing cold we know these are signes of a decaying age yet somtimes age continueth howe long none knoweth this is the very reason our Sauiour himselfe vseth to stir vs vp to watchfulnes Watch because you know not the day nor houre when the Sonne of man commeth If the Housholder watch for the sauing of his substance howe much more should euery one be watchfull for the sauing of his soule In the Housholder three things are obserued first he endeuoureth to knowe the deceite of the théefe secondly to prouide for the custody of himselfe thirdlie he careth that his house be not broken vp and thus he watcheth not one but euery houre of the night that at what houre so euer he be assaulted hee may be found stirring 11 Those who looke for the comming of the Bridegroome haue their lights in their hands that is their shining workes these lights are burning that is ardent in charity they are shining that is to say giuing good example of piety These watch in the day that is open the eyes of their faith when the light of the Gospell of Iesus Christ shineth these watch in the night that is when the world is giuen to all iniquitie the workes of darknes Foure things there are which may make men to wake the first is the crowing of the cocks that is the calling of those to whom God hath said O Sonne of man I haue made thee a watchman The Cocke beateth with his wings and wakeneth himselfe first and then with his voyce wakeneth others The second thing to make men wake is the rising of the Sunne this Sunne is the light of grace a shame is it for men to sléepe when as now long agoe the Sunne is risen vpoÌ„ them The Sunne riseth saith the prophet and man goeth forth vnto his labour The night is past and the day is come neere let vs walke saith the Apostle as in the day The third thing to make men awake to the feare of the théefe or the day of iudgement which is as the comming of a théefe in the night the carelesse it will seaze vpon and spoile them but vnto the watchfull it can doe no harme It was said vnto the rich man hac nocte This night shall thy soule be taken from thee It was said of the bridegroomes comming At midnight there was a crie made behold the Bridegroome commeth goe out to meete him The fourth thing to make men awake is care of their goods wee haue a great charge vnder our hands and a charge of so great care that wee had neede watch early and late For the carelesse Salomon sayeth Sleepe on so shall necessitie come vppon thee like an armed man Many are so heauie a sléepe that no calling will awake them there shall a voyce one day sound in their eares that shall awaken them I pray God not affright them whether they will or no. That which I say vnto you sayth our Sauiour I say vnto all Watch. The night of death may steale vpon men before they be aware the day of iudgement will come when they thinke not of it Watch for you know not the day nor houre Watch you know not when the Maister of the house will returne Whether in the morning of childhoode or in the third houre of youth or in the sixt houre of strength or in the euening of age Watch for you knowe not the time Should they sleepe in securitie vntill they sleepe their last God forbid God forbid Chap. 33. A louing conference had with Christ and the deuout Christian man touching the state and ioyes of the life to come promised to them that learne of Christ and followe him in this life Christ. AWake Awake O Christian soule and stand vp from the dead how long wilt thou sléepe in this dangerous securitie of a sinfull life Arise arise the light of my grace and truth hath shined vnto thee how long wilt thou preferre the loue of this transitorie world before the loue of mee thy Redéemer and Sauiour Christian man O Lorde Iesus Christ thy mercie is great in staying for my conuersion in vouchsafing to remember mee so forgetfull of my loue and duty towardes thée my Lord now I wretched creature prostrate my selfe before thee Lord what wilt thou that I doe Christ. If thy desire be to knowe my will O my beloued this desire of thine doth meruaâ—…lously please me for my delight is in thy saluation thou knowest for thy sake I came from heauen for thy sake endured I the griefes and troubles of the worlde for thy sake suffered I many reproaches of mine enemies I vndertooke thy dolours to giue thée my glory I suffered thy death that thou mightest receiue life I was buried in the earth that thou mightest be raysed vp to heauen now thy sinnes are more gréeuous vnto me then much suffering I endured for thée this is that I require séeing thou wouldest know my will giue me thy life for whoÌ„ I haue giuen my life Christian man Lord I perceiue thy will and my owne weakenes how should walke as I ought in consecrating my life vnto thée Christ. If thou wilt dedicate thy selfe vnto me first loue mee alwayes and aboue all thinges next to know howe thou shouldst walke after my wil sée thou often meditate of my life once led amongst men when thou wilt be humble thinke howe I was humbled when thou wilt suffer patiently call to minde with what patience I suffered when thou wouldst be obedient thinke of my obedience when thou art oppressed with enemies remember I had enemies too and call to mind that I prayed for them Christian. I sée most mercifull Sauiour that thou requirest loue aboue all thinges which I yéeld thée willingly as I ought but Lord for to beare these crosses of the world I finde it too difficult to humane nature so as almost I know not what to say Christ. If thou loue me as thou sayest thou doest thou néedest not take scandale at the
DISCE VIVERE LEARNE TO LIVE A briefe Treatise of Learning to Liue vvherein is shewed that the life of Christ is the most perfect patterne of direction to the life of a Christian. In which also the well disposed may behold their orderlie passage from the state of Grace to the state of Glorie Perused and Corrected EPHE 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light AT LONDON Printed by E. Short for Cuthbert Burby and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the Swanne To the honourable and vertuous his very good Lady the Lady Elizabeth Southwell AMongst Artes and Sciences Right vertuous Lady there is none without comparison more beseeming our Christian care then that which teacheth to liue well and godlilie whilest wee are heere so when we are gone wee may liue eternally For most sure it is that vpon this moment of time depends either an vnrecouerable losse or a happie welfare in the world to come And from hence is it that I call the well ordering of life in this world A learning to liue a learning because wee ought to make it a matter of labour and studie to liue because without good and godly life wee are said rather to be then liue To stirre vp our dulnesse to this learning I haue thought good to lay before the eies of the well disposed mind the Tenor of the life of Christ the best pattern for imitation that euer the world had Children will follow their parents Nature doth teach the Bees to goe forth at the very voice of their King or Leader wee may goe to Schoole to those small creatures wee haue not onely the voice of our heauenly King Leader but according to his humanitie his example also to call vs forth to gather the pleasant sap of seueral vertues that so at the euentide of our age we may returne loaden with the sweete honey of holinesse vnto that safe Hiue of euerlasting peace From this most diuine life of Christ our Sauiour there doe arise three principall reasons before other for our better instruction in this lesson of Learning to liue The first is drawn froÌ„ the lesse to the greater as thus We should be humble meeke patient Christ the Sonne of God himselfe was so The second is taken from his example We should be helpfull vnto others louing to our friends charitable to our enemies this our Redeemer did The third is from the end Wee ought to endure the crosses calamities of the world Christ endured them and so entred into his glory How little this Learning is thought vpon much lesse practised wee see it too apparantly before our eyes Of this Saint Chrysostom complayned long agoe when hee willed men eyther to haue opera secundum professionem that is to say workes according to their profession or professionem secundum opera a profession agreeable to their workes for this default there needes no farther proofe but experience when some haue little of Christianitie except the name Other Treatises right vertuous Lady may seeme forcibly to call men to the amendment of life by this in tabing a suruay of the life of Christ they are rather allured then called onely when they remember that of Christ they are called Christians In the whole Tract if I shall but adone drop to the maine Ocean I haue attained the farthest of my desires None can sooner reprehend the meanenesse of my labour then I willingly reprehend my selfe The patronizing heereof I most humbly coÌ„mend vnto your Ladiships protection whose I remaine euer in all deuoted manner Your La. in dutifull sort to be commanded CHRISTOPHER SVTTON The Preface to the Christian READER IF to liue were no other but to draw in and to breathe out the soft ayre as the Wise man speaketh a needlesse labour were it good Christian Reader to lay downe anie instructions vnto the world of Learning to liue for this is done naturally both of men and beasts without anie teaching or learning at all If to liue were no other but to cast about for the fauour and riches as some men are wont to call it the way to liue then would it soone followe the greater Machiuilians the better liuers But somewhat more there is required to liue Christianly then so somewhat more I say and that all shall one day finde then either drawing in and breathing out the soft ayre or the plotting to compasse the pleasures and profits of the world It was Balaams wish Let my soule die the death of the righteous It should haue first beene his practise first to haue liued the life of the righteous The time we spend as we doe for the most part consuming our dayes in vanity and our yeeres in folly to say a plaine truth as in the sight of GOD is rather a death then life for life is not that which is measured by the number of yeeres It is the religious honest sober and harmelesse conuersation that draweth to an honourable age amongst men heere and to eternall happines with God heereafter Nowe the generall decay of this Christian course is the generall course of these sinfull dayes wherein so many haue iust cause to crie out Thâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 world a wretched world an vngodly would such as our forefathers before vs neuer saw With â—…he buyer euery one caâ—…isay It is naught it is naught but all this saith Saint Austen Professio est non emendatio A profession it is but no amendment is seene Religion is become nothing lesse then Religion to wit a matter of meere talke such politizing is there on all parts as a man cannot tell who is who so little sinceritie in regard wee haue of our soules as if wee had no soules at all When Plato sawe the Argentines liue so vnreformedly as they did Surelie these men quoth hee liue as if they should neuer die What soeuer men for fashions sake may giue out inwords it is to be feared there is in some no firme beleefe of another worlde setled in theyr hearts Eli sayd this is not well Young men without obedience olde men without deuotion Christians without charitie it would make ones heart to mourne to consider seriously the calamitie of our time when there needes no more but as Phillip saide vnto Nathaniel Veni vide come and see VVithout all peraduenture Christianitie is much out of frame if wee consider thinges aright vvee are generally Christians in name but in action nothing lesse farre from the olde Christianitie of the worlde howe so euer wee are readie to controle all that euer liued and will not sticke to censure the blessed Saints of heauen Our boldnes is great and I pray God our security doe not marre all in the end Cornelius his Almesgiuing and Prayers ascended vp into heauen where are these to be found amongst vs heere in earth In times past Christians vowed them selues to all holmes of life they serued
hee became a Mediatour betwéen God and man so was he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a partaker of both for the reconciliation of both otherwise mercifull Lord what had become of vs sinners As he was God the obiect of our faith as man an instruction of life As hee gaue himselfe vnto the Father a sacrifice by whom we were redéemed so did hee exhibite himselfe vnto all beléeuers an example of holines of whom he will be followed so he pleased God by his sacrifice and bound man in duty by his example Therefore was he the summe of the Law Gospell the Law teaching vs what to doe the Gospel what to beléeue so in Christ both beléeuing and doing concurre in one The scope of the Law was the auoyding of sinne and of the Gospell a satisfaction for sinne the Law driues vs to grace and grace enableth vs to plead in Christ a satisfaction of the Law To shew in the first place that he was a satisfaction for sinne it is an oxioine so generally receiued on all parts as all in a manner ioyne hands in this Sanguis Iesu The blood of Iesus cleanseth vs from all our sinnes This is a sure confession of faith vpon which we stay as the house vpon the foundation Adam eate the Apple Christ payed the price the foundation we know is first laid because all stayes vpon the foundation The woman in the Apocalyps signifying the Church she was cloathed with the Sunne this cloathing was the righteousnes of the Sonne of God Our righteousnes sayeth Saint Austen where is it It is his righteousnes that must doe vs good Sufficit ad iustitiam saith Saint Bernard solum habere propitium cui soli peccaui It sufficeth for my iustice onely to haue him reconciled against whom onely I haue sinned yea sayth Saint Ierome when wee confesse our sinnes which we cannot but do when wee remember them our righteousnesse consisteth not in merit but in mercy Men may argue and tosse matters to and fro speaking this or that of merit but come to the touch open the closet of the conscience and aske what is deserued then the case is altered The learned in the schooles may debate question pro contra but come to their deuotions and there wee finde all meriting ascribed onely vnto mercy Aske what may be done of others happily one thing may be aunswered but aske in good earnest what they thinke of themselues they will tell vs of another One of the greatest Clarkes that this age hath had when hee had long discoursed of the contro uersie of iustification and therein left no stone vnturned towards the folding vp of all hath these words Tutius est obliuisci meritorum in solam Dei misericordiam respicere It is more safe to forget merits and to looke onely vnto the mercy of God So when men haue wearied themselues in matters of doubt they find O holy Christ that thy onely merits must stand them in stead 2 To procéede then and to shew that as Christ was a sacrifice for sinne so also an example of liuing let vs consider that the more diligently we trace him in the steps of this his most holie life the more wee shew our selues to become true Christians The chiefest pitch of our perfection is to haue some resemblance of his holinesse hee was without sinne and the lesse we commit sinne the more doe we resemble him at least let not sinne raigne in vs. Wee are promised to become like vnto him in the state of glory what should wee but endeuour to haue some similitude of him in the state of grace The Iewes said vnto him Art thou greater then our Father Abraham yes that hee was by many degrees 3 In former ages when Almightie God was remoued from man in the height of his Maiestie â—…ee neuer required at mens hand that hee should imitate or follow him for howe could a weake creature any way imitate him who was higher then the heauens as the Apostle speaketh then man had only a law which did bind him to conforme his wil to Gods will to will and loue nothing but that which God willed and required Héere might man say Lord excepting thy law how might I learne to be humble poore and to despise glory when thou art high rich and all glorious This complaint is now staid sée God in another forme and receiue O man an example for thée to follow in these and all other vertues Those whom precepts do not so effectually moue we sée them sometime induced by examples for example neuer any of like efficacie with this which the sonne of God himselfe hath giuen of whose life it may be said Respice fac secundum primuÌ„ exemplar Looke and doe after the first sample Tell men of fasting praying they will giue you the hearing tell them the godly in all ages haue done this you begin to perswade tell them their redéemer hath done it if any thing moue this will 4 And now to runne a little ouer the whole life of the Sonne of God sée we â—…ery age euery action therein so farre as our capacitie is able to conceiue and wee shall finde it a schoole of instruction a perfect rule of most perfect discipline no where doe wee behold such a president of loue of humility of patience of chastitie in a word of all vertues Where is there true wisedome but in the doctrine of Christ true fortitude but in the passion of Christ true clemencie but in the mercy of Christ true humility but in the obedience of Christ he was made man and walked in the world as man that he might teach man to liue as he taught him to beléeue Before euer hee preached in words hee preached most effectuallie in works O sacred Babe heauens blisse and hels bane lying in the manger at Bethlehem brought vp in a meane hostage at Nazareth What else did hee teach by all this then contempt of the world his exile or banishment into Egypt his being borne in the dayes of cruell Herod What doe we hence learne but patient suffering of persecution by his fasting in the wildernes austeritie of life by his conflict with the tempter hâ—…w to withstand temptation behold we his contumelies offered of the Iewes calling him a blasphemer a friend of Publicans a seducer of the people what a lesson haue we héere of patience let vs see his labours and trauailes in the world his iourneying from Citie to Citie how he teacheth in the day and is al the night praying his chastitie whose virgine mother brought forth chastitie it selfe his loue who euer more charitable then hee who in the â—…gues of death prayed for his persecutors his obedience was there euer greater as an innocent lambe he became obedient vnto death euen vnto the death of the crosse 5 By his nakednes we learne to cloath vs by his gall and vinegar how to delight vs by
his wounds and pearsings howe to pamper vs if wee speake of the world and worldly things who lesse respected them then hee If we consider the care of heauenly thither tended all his care If aâ—…es where was there euer such an almes man heard of that gaue his owne body and blood to refresh the hungry if bountifulnes Paradise it selfe was graunted vnto a sinfull suter at the very first motion What can a Christian hart desire which is not found with spirituall delight in the life of Christ what vertue can he wish but there he shall sée a liuely image thereof Christ was the eye that was without moate the white without staine hee was the lambe without spot or blemish The Prophets shew his innocencie before he comes and being come the Euangelists approue the same the Chronicles of heathen men are not silent the Romainâ—… Register makes report of Iesus which was called of the Nations the Prophet of truth a man goodly to behold hauing a reuerent countenance his stature somewhat tall his haire after the colour of the ripe hazell nut from his eares somewhat cripsed parting it selfe in the middest of the head and wauing with the wind after the manner of the Nazarites his foreheâ—… smooth and plaine his face without wrinkle mixed with moderatâ—…ed his heard somewhat coâ—…ous tender and deuided at the chin his eyes gray various and cleâ—…re he is in rebuking seuere in instructing louing and amiable merry with grauity he somtimes wept but was neuer soene to laugh in talke sober and full of vnderstanding sparing and â—…dest Thus as ancient records haue laid it downe wee may behold him according to that of the Psalmist Goodly to see to aboue all the sonnes of men Outwardlie his gracefull behauiour was such while hee walked in the world that the world it selfe did behold him with high reuerence and admiration yet his externall feature compared with his inward graces the externall was farre inferiour to that hidden excellencie of his 6 Enoch is commended for pietie Abraham for faith and perseuerence Iob for patience Isaack for meditation Ioseph for chastitie Moyses for méekenes Phinees for zeale Samuel for vprightnes Toby for mercy Daniel for prayer and deuotion and last of all Salomon for wisedom Saul was higher then all the men of Israel by the head Christ the head of the congregation is aboue all the lights of the starres are many but all are not comparable to the light of the Sunne Holy men haue a measure of grace but the Sonne of man had grace without measure wherefore take the pietie of Enoch the faith of Abraham the patience of Iob the meditation of Isaack the chastitie of Ioseph the méekenes of Moyses the zeale of Phinees the vprightnes of Samuel the mercifulnes of Toby the deuotion of Daniel and with these the wisedome of Salomon put them all together as a cloud of witnesses and Christes example is in steâ—…d of all Wherefore hee is called sanctus sanctorum The holy of holies and in this sacred place sayth the Apostle was contayned the golden censer the Arke of the Testament the golden pot that contayned Manna the rod of Aaron that being dead budded againe the wings of the Cherubins ouershadowing the mercy seate So in Christ is contayned the Arke of couenant betwéene God and man with the censer the acceptation of the prayers of the Saints with the golden pot that contayned Manna the blessed Sacrament with Aarons dead rod that budded againe the hope of the resurrection The two Cherubines that looke face to face the two Testaments both looking to one mercie seate to wit Christ whom Esay calleth the Prince of righteousnesse Aggai the desire of the Nations Malachiâ—… the Sunne of righteousnes the Angell Iesus who shall saue his people from their sinnes 7 There was none of those beatitudes sayth Saint Austen which our Sauiour spake of in his first sermon vpon the mount Mathew the fift first whereof hee was not onely a teacher but also a perfect and full obseruer for Christ euermore liued as he taught He exhorteth to be poore in spirit who poorer then he who became froÌ„ being equall with God farre lower then the Angels yea a scorne of men as the Prophet speakes He exhorted to méekenes who more méeke then hee who was as a sheepe not opening his mouth before the shearer he exhorted to mourning who hath mourned as he mourned who in the dayes of his flesh did offer vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him hee exhorted to hunger and thirst ofter righteousnes who could hunger thirst more then he who gaue his life for the righteousnes of many he exhorted to suffer persecution who euer suffered more or with more patience then did the Sonne of God Last of all he taught his disciples to leaue al for the loue of him but he first left all for their loue when he left his kingdome throne in heauen 8 It is said of Caesar that in his greatest attempts hee vsed not that word of authority Ite goe you but after a more louing and sociable manner he would euer say vnto his souldiers Eamus come let vs goe It was most true in Christ before all other hee neuer but lead the way before his Disciples in all holines in all trials and tribulations in all conflicts which are wont to arise in the life of man And therefore the Apostle wisleth vs to runne with patience the race set before vs looking vnto Iesus the Author and finisher of our faith 9 What better example could euer haue béene giuen then the example of Christ How could our pride be better supprest then by his humility our disobedience better lessoned then by his méekenes our vanities better expelled then by his labours our impatiencie better qualified then by his mildnes where haue wee saith Saint Bernard true iustice but in his mercy true fortitude but in his constancie Christ was made vnto vs saith the Apostle wisedome and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption Wisedom by instructing vs righteousnes by absoluing vs from our sinnes sanctification by giuing vs of his spirit redemption by purchasing vs life by his death That we should not loue gold saith Saint Austen Christ taught vs to contemne gifts offered that we should not feare hunger he fasted that we should not distrust nakednes he forbad his Disciples diuers change of reyment that we should not be dismaied at tribulations he endured tribulation that wee should not feare death he himselfe died 10 Before all these things saith the same Father and for our better instruction in all as he taught vs by his word so was he our fore-runner by his works and hath leuelled and laid out the way wherein wee should walke which way leadeth vnto life in the meane time if we follow his steps so farre forth as we may if his way be our way
his ioyes shall be our ioyes 11 Neither do his diuine actions onely serue for the direction of our life but also minister manie things tending to the constrâ—…ation of our faith His birth was our regeneration his victory ouer the tempter our triumph his labours our peace and quiet his proyers our intercession his pouerty our riches his sores our salues his wounds our medicines his death our life That which was wanting in vo was supplied in him therefore saith an auncient Father Opera 〈◊〉 merita nostra his works are our merits Whatsoeuer is written of him in the Gospel whatsoeuer he did or said all tends to our good that wee may together sée know in whom we may hope of whoÌ„ we may learne Stories make mention how Themistocles by the onely example of Miltiades whom he proposed vnto himselfe to followe of a vicious man hee became very vertuous It was not the least praise amongst the Romanes for the younger of best hope toimitate such as were men of speciall note for wisedome and gouernment in the Common-wealth Hée reby an opinion was bred they would not proue farre vnlike those whom they had proposed to imitate It cannot but preuasle much that Christ should be the center of our thoughts about which they should role the load-starre of our eyes to which they should bend the guide of our iourney whom wee should follow 12 Wherefore generally in all our sayings and doings let vs euer haue respect to Iesus if we speake to think how he hath spoken if wee are silent to call to mind how hee was silent and let vs doe the same in all actons of life séeing his life instructed our life who had modestie in his countenance grauity in his behauiour deliberation in his spéeches purity in his thoughts righteousnes in all his doings His life is the way by which we must walke the doore whereby we must enter entring at the last vnto our desired end this end is to follow the Lambe whither soeuer he goeth and therefore héere to follow him is but to begin to doe that in earth for a time which wee shall doe héereafter in most ioyfull maner with that blessed company of Saints and Angels for euer aboue in heauen 13 The sponse in the Canticles sayth I am blacke but meruaile not the Sunne had made me so the Sunne but what the Sunne of righteousnes And how could that be yes his labors and trauailes in the world his reproches and suffering made him looke with a sorrowfull hue Hee was wounded sayth the Prophet for our transgression and broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was laid vpon him What néeded he to be circumcised the eight day what néeded he fast so long in the wildernes and pray so often as he did who was so pure so innocent so powerfull but all to shew it was for our sakes whom as he redéemed from sinne so hath hee also redéemed from the works of sin and therefore without all question the more faithfull we are and the more deuoted to his loue the more destrous are we to shew duties of loue Why is the holy Ghast so plentifull in registring and enroling all his diuine actions so many so singular but that héereupon should be inferred These things are written for our example Now therefore séeing that God hath giuen vs his son as a satisfactorie sacrifice for sin and a most absolute example for the direction of life let vs embrace him as our Sauiour heare him as our Teacher follow him as our Leader that so he may be vnto vs as God himselfe would haue him be Pharao said vnto the people Goe to Ioseph and whatfoeuer he shal say vnto you do it Chap. 5. That this example of Christes life should stand before the eyes of our mind for our better direction in all our wayes THe skilfull Pylot as he often casts his eye to the storres and Planets aboue so is his hand busie at the helme beneath The Christian man betwéene contemplation and action faith and good works doth the like by faith he lookes vp to Christes deitie by good works hee practiseth the vertues of his humanity in the one he worships him as God in the other he beholds him as the most absolute patterne for imitation that euer walked amongst men 2 Why but is it possible for earth and ashes any way to come néere him in whom the fulnes of the godhead dwelt or is not his perfection vnimitable Sinke is neuer without a shift and course wooll is that which will take no die Though wee cannot be as strong as Sampson as wise as Salomon as holy as Enoch wee must not let all alone When we cannot be as Mary the blessed virgin let vs be as Mary Magdalen séeing wee cannot haue a cleane heart let vs haue at the least a broken heart Wee know there is no water without some mud no corne so cleane but it hath some wéeds the clearest fire hath his smoke and while wee carry about these bodies of sinne wee are Adams children This notwithstanding it is the part of euery good Christian man to say as Iacob Praecedat Dominus ego paulatim sequar Let my Lord goe before I wil softly follow after as I may or with the holy man Iob Vestigia eius secutus est pes mens My foote hath followed his foot-steps Indéede we follow Christ as Peter followed him a longe a far off or as that tender infant did his aged Father Non passibus aequis with short and vnequall paces yet wee know that euen two mites are acceptable vnto him not what wee ought but what wee can when a willing heart and good endeuours concur in his seruice are acceptable and rewardable with him who is wont to take in good part the veriâ—… intention or well meaning of our most meanest labours of all A cup of cold water of water a common element cold on which we bestowed not so much cost as fire to heate it shall not with him want a reward Moreouer the greatest blemishes in the child are but small warts to the louing Father First God looks fauorably vpon Christ and then vpon these who are ioyned with Christ. 3 Our Sauiour vsed this a speciall argument to perswade his Disciples to huminity and loue Dedi vobis exemplum I haue giuen you an example S. Peter speaking of his suffering sayth Christ suffered leauing vs an example When the Apostle would haue the Ephesians to follow him he tels them his meaning was they should indeede follow Christ Be ye sayth hee followers of me as I follow Christ. When hee would have them forgiue one another he would haue them thinke of him who hath forgiuen vs all saying Forgiue you one another as Christ forgaue you Saint Iohn layes downe the matter plainly Hee that remaineth in him ought to walke as he walked Why did Saint Austen say that euery of
effect yet the surest marke to direct our ship by is to looke to him whose habitation is in heauen which will kéep vs betwéen Scylla and Charybdis al the way vnto the port of Paradise wee stand in néede of a guide for how should the blind walke vnlesse hee haue a helper to lead him the weake and féeble stand vnlesse he haue an assistant to stay him the wandering come into the way vnlesse he haue a conducter to direct him which is Christ. Whom to follow as whom to know is life eternall 12 By that vision of Saint Iohn in the Apocalypse where he saw the foure beasts and the foure and twenty Elders falling downe before him who sate vpon the throne and pouring out their vyals is vnderstoode the church Christ the head of the Church say the learned and the duty of his members in following him In that it is mentioned They follow him whither so euer he goeth First he is called the Lambe and therefore they follow him in humility this wee sée by their falling downe Secondly by mortification for this Lambe was sacrificed and they giue their bodies a sacrifice to serue him Thirdly they follow him in loue he in loue gaue himselfe for the redemption of sinners and they haue their golden vyalles pouring out charity vnto men Fourthly they follow him in deuotion he often prayed they offer sweet odors and prayer vnto God Gedeon said vnto all his troopes and company quod me videtis facere facite our Gedeon sayes the same vnto all beléeuers That which you see me doe doe ye They cannot goe amisse whose guide is the way they cannot erre whose directour is the truth they cannot perish whose preseruer is life If the children of Israel did learne many thinges of the Egiptians only because they dwelt amongst them how much more should the faythfull learne of Christ who is said to dwell with them and in them Chap. 6. The first vertue to be learned in the life of Christ was his humilitie IT is said of those who excell in the Art of elocution that they neuer find lesse to speak then when the matter is the most câ—…pioas wherof they should speake Such is the enumeration of thy vertues O holy Christ which the more wee consider them the more we wonder at them and the longer we labour how to expresse them the lesse able wee finde our selues how to conceiue them 〈◊〉 these of all other we stand amazed at thy humility who being God from euerlasting wouldeâ—… take thy passage from the throne of glory and héere arriued in a valley of teares wouldest exile thy selfe thrée and thirty yeeres from this thy maiestie and what more wouldest be borre man and what more euen as the meanest amongst men and what more wouldest be circumcised according to the law who wert aboue all law and what more wouldest become a seruant and so in subiection and what more wouldest be as an offending seruant and so suffer albeit in thy selfe farre from all offence And what more wouldest sustaine reproches and obloquie in the world And what more wouldest vndergoe death yea a most ignominious death beeing the God of life the Author of life and life it selfe Héere Saint Austen crieth out Quo descendit humilitas O sonne of God whither did thy humility descend If thy owne loue drew thée to this it was thy goodnes if our loue it was thy gift 2 Adam transgressed the law of his maker and not onely that but Adam and in Adam all his posterity for wee haue not sinne by imputation not onely transgressed the law of his maker but wilfully rebelled agaynst the wisedome of his God which wisedome was God the Sonne the second person in Trinitie Adam thou and all thy ofspring because all are accessarie shall rue this contumacie offered with so great indignity vnto the Lord of heauen and earth what sayes our Ionas for me is this tempest raysed O Father for me is thy iust wrath incensed Let me be câ—…st out into the Sea for me hath this we begun by me let it haue an end let me be the Lamb slaine so these Israelites may be deliuered Sanguine quaerendi reditus and must that poore posterity of Adam haue a returne vnto their lost Countrey by bleed let me be the virginall sacrifice And wilt thou haue an offering let me be the Isaack that shall goe to one of the mountaines of Moria Of the two Goates let me be the scape Goate sent to wander in the wildernes O the humilitie and loue and bounty of the sonne of God! 3 But to leaue that which the Apostle sayth Being equall with God hee became like vnto man and sinne onely excepted was euen as one of vs to sée a little his estate and condition in the world when hee was borne where was the place of his birth but at Bethlehem a little Citie And where did the shéepheards â—…ade him but in a sorrie Cottage whose seate was aboue the Cherubins when he chose Disciples whom did hee choose but poore fishermen when hee walked vp and down who were his associates but Publicans and for the most part the common people when hee would take repast where was his table but vpon the plaine ground what were his dainties but bread and some few fishes who were his guests but a company of féeble and hungry creatures when hee would take his rest where was his lodging but at the sterne of a ship 4 Thou art deceiued O Iew that expectest in the promised Messias pompe and glory of the world looke ouer all the ancient Prophecies of him and thou shalt find it farre otherwise The Psalmist will tell thée that hee shall becom a worme and no man The Prophet Esay Who wil beleeue our report Hee is despised and reiected of men He is a man full of sorrowes Zachary Behold the King commeth in meeke maner and so along Feare not Herod the losse of thy Diadem this King is borne sayeth Fulgentius Non vt tibi succedat sed vt in eum mundus vniuersus credat Not to succéede thée thou art deceiued if thou thus thinke of him but hee was borne that all the world should beleeue in him Feare not him to become thy successour beléeue in him and hee will be thy Sauiour Hee came not to possesse the kingdom of others but to giue the possession of his owne kingdome to all beleeuers Hee came not by armes to subdue Kings but by dying to giue them all a better kingdome for the time to come He sought not others glory who for our sakes for sooke his owne he was hungry and yet hee fed many he was weary and yet he refresheth all that are heauy laden he was dumbe and opened not his mouth and yet was the diuine spéech of God himselfe he was of meane reputation amongst men and yet was Lord of heauen and earth 5 If you aske when he was
humiliation of body S. Luke saith he knéeled downe and prayed S. Mathew and S. Marke that hee fell prostrate vpoÌ„ the earth The Euangelists may soone be reconciled for it may séeme hee first knéeled and afterward for faintnesse hee was faine to fall prostrate and this commends vnto vs humiliation in praying When he raysed Lazarus restored the dumbe man to the vse of speaking wee finde he lifted vp his eyes to heauen which was sometimes his gesture in praying When Moyses prayed he held vp his hands vntill the going downe of the sunne which holding vp of the hands Dauid called his euening sacrifice When Steuen prayed he knéeled downe according to Christes example héere in the second plâ—…ce mentioned 3 The third circumstance to be obserued in this our Sauiours praying is that it was iust and right for hee subiected his wil to the wil of his Father saying Situ vis If thou wilt which doth teach vs to commend our selues all our petitions wholy to the will of God The fourth that it was with sorrow for he was in an agonie and this doth put vs in minde of that of the Apostle The spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee knowe not what to pray as wee ought but the spirit maketh intercession for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed The fift that it was with perseuerance for hee came three times vnto his Disciples three times and in thrée places was he tempted and thrée times did hee héere pray and willed his Disciples to pray that they enter not into temptation O what deuotion was héere his last supper being ended hee goeth forth accompanied with his Disciples speakes vnto them as a louing father vpon his death bed when hee hath not much to say giues his children precepts at parting which they should remember when hee is gone from them of which precepts this was not the least Watch pray that you enter not into temptation Peter Iames and Iohn goe with him for those to whom hee had before shewed the glory of his transfiguration to them would he now shew the humility of his passion that as they had séene glorious thinges so nowe should they sée humble thinges to these hee sayeth My soule is sorrowfull vsque ad mortem vnto death euen to begin to feare death or vsque vntill may be taken indefinitelie and so my soule is sorrowfull vnto death that is vntill a satisfaction for the sinnes of the world be made by death or vsque vntill may bee taken inclusiuely and so My soule is sorrowfull vnto death that is vntill the scandall of my death be turned againe to the life of faith Tristis est anima mea My soule is sorrowfull Héere Anselme crieth out Vnde hoc Deus mi How commeth it to passe O my God that thou taking vpon thée the nature of mâ—…n shouldest begin to forget thou art God 4 Christ assumed this feare and sorrowfulnes for many causes First to proue the truth of his humanity for it is naturall vnto man to feare death and of this naturall sorrowe was our Lord sorrowfull yet so doe wee vnderstand him to be sorrowfull and to feare not with that feare and sorrowe which ordinarily drowneth reason and causeth man to ouershoote himselfe as Peter for feare of death denied his Maister This manner of feare was farre from Christ for hee came for this intent to suffer and reproued Peter when he disswaded him from going to Ierusalem and suffering there There is a kinde of stepping backe naturally incident vnto all which at this time appeared in Christ as other humaine actions did his eating his sléeping his hunger the like all which were in Christ finne onely excepted properly as in man now this sorrow feare was otherwise in Christ then in vs. In vs for the most part the passion of feare doth goe before the rule of the will and the iudgement of reason but in Christ it did follow after for both the will and the iudgement of reason went before for when hee hungred and thirsted hee did it willingly and of iudgement hee feared willingly hee sorrowed willingly and of iudgement By this then there is nothing to be considered in Christ as constrained but all is to be beléeued as voluntarie and therefore feare and sorrow as they were naturall so were they voluntarie and rationall Wherefore the originall of the text saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coepit contristari hee began to feare he began to be sorrowfull and not hee was fearefull Feare and sorrowe began in the part sensitiue but came not to the minde or vnderstanding For when the Euangelists say His soule began to be sorrowfull there the soule is taken for the part sensitiue in which are passions And héere we may consider that Christ could not die by nature as Adam could not die vntill hee committed sinne For the reward of sinne saith the Apostle was death but as hee tooke vpon him humane nature so did hee also without our infirmities suffer that voluntarilie which was incident to our nature yea to our fall 5 A troubled passion ariseth in the minde eyther besides the decrée of reason or in opposite manner against the decree of reason The former of these two is sometime incident vnto men although the best amongst men the second to the imperfect onelie A perfection farre surmounting both was in Christ for that in him sence was subiect vnto reason reason vnto will the will to the vnderstanding the vnderstanding to God Christ was sorrowfull sayth Saint Ierome not for any feare of death which nature refuseth but for the scandall of his Disciples the infelicitie of Iudas the ruine of the Iewes and thus it is not dissonant from truth sayeth Saint Ambrose if hee were heauie in soule for his persecutors Wee sée according to the iudgement of the auncient Fathers how farre our Sauiours feare was from distrustfull thoughts or weaker passions which to thinke to be in him were most impious but in these sufferings being rightly considered wee sée a most admirable conueniencie in all without fancying of vnlearned and irreligious conceites 6 To come to matter of instruction for that is most hehoueful of all In this sorrowing of our Sauiour we learne these things First to kéepe down by the rule of reason sorrowes and passions that arise in vs to restraine them and kéepe them in obedience vnto the will Secondlie no to dispaire if sorrow and feare at any time surprise vs euen vnto the suffering of death Thirdly to be sorrowfull for the state of others after Christs example Fourthly amidst all our sorrowes to repaire onely vnto God and commend our selues vnto him as Christ did by prayer thus vniting our sorrowes with his sorrowes wee shall the better beare them 7 This done Christ departed a stones cast from them and there prayed Father if it be possible remoue this cup he saith Abba Father and we
too saith the Apostle say Abba Pater twise Father both according to the Hebrew Gréeke shewing that God is now Father of Iew and Gentile Hee saith If it be possible referring the graunt of his petition to the will of God if it may stand with the same wil and not otherwise Hee prayeth for the remouing of that Cup yet so that looking to obedience he goeth forward towards his suffering and saith Fâ—…at voluntas tua Thy will be fulfilled What of humane desire he before mentioned hee now in action procéedeth to relinquish as if he would say Let not that be done which I haue spoken according to humane affection but let that be done for which I was sent into the world and now am willing to suffer That which he required as man to wit the remouing of the Cup he now leaueth as resoluing whollie to procéede with the will of God But was the will of Christ any way differing from the will of his Father No verily for hee saith Non quaero voluntatem meam sed voluntatem eius qui misit me I séeke not my owne will but the will of him that sent me and this manner of conditionall prayer should be remembred of vs in praying not our wils but Lord thine be fulfilled 8 Hee prayeth the third time the same thing shewing that hee goeth to pray and to pray the selfe same thing too not of forgetfulnesse but of very feruencie Whereby wee may obserue that to pray and pray againe is a part of high deuotion The Doue went forth of the Arke the first time and returned sorrowfull as she went out still the waters were vp she goeth forth the second time then the flood is abated and shee brings a branch of Oliue a signe of quiet peace First a sorrowfull prayer goeth forth still the waters of aduersitie are vp the prayer goeth forth againe behold the waters are fallen prayer brings a crop of Oliue ioy and tranquillity of mind 9 At the end of Christs praying the Angels appeare comforting him they who at this time séeme to haue presented themselues in the presence of God the Father astonished at the agonie of his Sonne came foorth and pray for the remoouing of this Cup answer is made my sonne hath of méere loue and mercie vndertaken the redemption of man by the effusion of his blood which could be brought to passe by no other meanes which the Angels hearing they returned to Christ and in honouring they comfort him and in comforting they honour him And héere obserue wee three thinges First that our Sauiour prayeth long before hee receiueth an aunswere to shew wee must not by and by giue ouer Secondly that the greater his agonie was the longer his prayer was to shewe that in greatest agonies wee should continue long in prayer Thirdlie in that the Angels came and comforted him to signifie that if wee continue with constancie the Angels reioyce ouer vs In that the drops of blood came downe it shewed the greatnesse of our Sauiours conflict wherein hee seemed both to doe and to suffer his blood was true blood according to his naturall existence but yet myraculous and supernaturall if we respect the manner for it is aboue nature to poure out together water blood which Christ did both aliue and dead behold O Christian soule thy redéemer and Sauiour cast into sweate for thy sinnes In this it is manifest how bitter his passion was whose onely thought so much chaunged nature Of this our Sauiours sweating may be gathered these seuerall obseruations first the greatnes of his agonie secondly that this agonie caused sweate when it was a cold night thirdly this sweate falling vpon the earth wee may gather that the earth or men inhabiting the earth haue benefit héereby 2 Now was presented before the eyes of the Sonne of God on the one side Gods iust iudgment and wrath towards man yet vnappealed on the other side death and hell as yet not vanquished himselfe left as it were alone to enter the conflict putting forth his hand to receiue the cup and yet he beginneth to pull it in againe but after a little while goeth forward with full resolution to the worke well begun which hee brought to a most happie end Let the deuout man learne in all the pressure of aduersity to set before him Christes agonie in the garden be it that doubtfull obiects betwéene feare and sorrow doe much obscure our naturall delights héere haue wee for times of trouble a president to follow but chiefely in the aganie of death when sick man are panting and labouring for life they are said then especially to endure an agonie for then beginneth a conflict nature drawing one way and obedience to the will of God another the spirit goeth forward and the flesh draweth backward besides many thoughts occurre about leauing the world and going to answere for our time here spent with manie other things seldome before thought vpon Our Sauiour was in an agonie when death approached whence Gregorie saith Appropinquante morte certamen adest nec immerito tune enim anima terretur cum post pusillum hoc inuenit quod in aeternum mutari non possit Death approaching an agonie is present and not without cause for then is the soule put in great feare when after a little while she findes that which neuer will be changed or altered 1 In this agonie of agonies and all other wee learne by our Sauiours example to haue recourse vnto prayer hee prayed in the Garden hee prayed on the Crosse to shewe that in times of distresse wee should principally apply our selues to prayer Moyses prayed at the Sea Daniell prayed sitting amongst the Lyons Iob on the dunghill Paule at midnight when hee was in the prison and héere Christ our Sauiour in his agonie when he not onely prayed but with great feruencie alone to shew that the minde is best eleuated vnto God when sometimes in our sorrowes wee goe aside to pray as hee himselfe heere prayeth hee withall exhorts his Disciples to pray that they enter not into temptation and surely no better remedie against temptation then prayer which prayer is the very whip scourge of euil motions When the théese heareth the good man of the house to cry and call for help he thinks there is no tarying for him if good friends be within hearing Cornelius Cornelius Thy prayers are come vp before God Wouldest thou exercise thy selfe in a spirituall life pray wouldest thou attaine the swéetnes of heauenly things pray wouldest thou haue God helpe thée in time of extremitie pray wouldest thou be deliuered from temptation pray Betwéene Babylon and Ierusalem there is a trustie messenger that often passeth thither which is well acquainted in the Kings Court and is very gracious with the King himselfe for hee shall haue audience and dispatch as soone as hee comes This messenger is prayer that euen in the silence of the night ascendeth into secret
so much enuie him but for his glorious workes for which they should haue loued him neuer did they pursue him more eagerly then when hee had nowe latelie raysed Lazarus from the dead Those who scorned him vppon the Crosse could out of their owne mouthes iudge themselues Hee saued others 6 For those myracles of our Sauiour they ceased not in him eyther aliue or dead Sée what his power did He was crowned with thornes now Kings and Emperours doe cast downe their Crownes at his feete What a death was that which did such things which all the liuing could not doe by weakenes hee ouercame power Twelue Fishermen in short time subdue the world vnto him by suffering and teaching men to suffer by dying and teaching men to die he wrought myracles in himselfe and as he before promised he wrought by his power myracles in his Apostles he cured a woman that touched the hemme of his vesture and Peter cured diuers by his very shadow Verily I say vnto you hee that beleeueth in me the workes that I doe shall hee doe also and greater then these shall hee doe Whence wee sée what was done in beléeuing on his name The Primitiue Church had manie myracles trées newly planted are wont to require watering but hauing once taken roole that labour ceaseth We reioyce saith Thomas Aquinas that wee are past the beginnings not to require signes againe Now the faith of Iesus Christ is established in our hearts dumbe and deafe flesh is not opened but the dumbe and deafe heart by the operation of his word neither is Christ still without myracles for he cured visibly and inuisibly the blindnes of the body and the blindnes of the vnderstanding he raysed thrée from the dead and so doth he still thrée sorts of dead sinners The first was the Rulers daughter whom hee raised putting foorth the multitude in the presence onely of her Parents these are those whom hee rayseth from secret sinnes knowne onely to God and themselues The second was the widowes Sonne which was now carrying forth of the Citie and Christ met him by the way and raysed him these are those who are going on in an euill course to the pit of destruction but Christ happily méetes them preuenting them with his grace being deliuered to their mother the Church they become new men and so liue The third was Lazarus who had béene foure dayes dead and Christ comes and wéepeth groneth and calleth at the Sepulcher Lazarus come forth These are those that haue layen long in their sinnes and begin to sauour for these Christ groneth and wéepeth and these he calleth by his grace at their dead hearts readie to restore them to life and at last they reuiue and when Christ rayseth these he workes a myracle indéede and yet blessed be his name for hee often workes this myracle In the time of Elias the childe neeled seauen times that was raysed from death they leaue seauen capitall sinnes that Christ thus rayseth to life In the Gospel by Saint Mathew the woman of Canaan sayes vnto him my daughter is distressed but wee say vnto him Sonne of Dauid thy daughter our redéemed soule is distressed In the Gospell by Saint Marke Christ saide vnto one that lay languishing Take vp thy bed and walke this doth hee say to many the bed may resemble the body wherein wee lie languishing while wee doe serue the desires of sinne wee walke when wee serue him in newnesse of lyfe wee goe to our owne house when wee prepare our selues towards heauen 7 By sixe workes of mercie Christ wrought myracles â—…an the bodie and by those sâ—…e also dooth hee worke myracles vppon the soule blindnesse is ignorance and error â—…menesse is infirmitie and wayâ—…rdnesse of the will Leprosie is concupiscence of the fleshe â—…eafenesse is obduration of the heart the separation of grace from the soule is death pouâ—…tie is the defect or want of the knowledge of God the poore receiue the Gospell Some are blinde by ignorance these hee â—…inateth by the light of faith some are same by unperfection these hee enableth by the strength of hope some are Leaâ—…ers by contagion of sinne these hee cleanseth by the merites of his death some are hardned by the obduration of heart these hee wakeneth by the calling of his word some are dead by reason of sinfull life these hee raiseth in the inward man to a spirituall life some are néedle and destitute of helpe these hee adorneth and cloatheth with grace Christ as was before shewed reproueth those Cities for their vnbeléefe wherein his myracles were done by a woe woe be vnto thée Chorazin woe be vnto thée Bethsaida by Chorazin may be vnderstoode the state of rich men by Capernaum of carnall men by Bethsaida the wise men of the world some of these myracles doth Christ worke in Bethsaida in Chorazin in Caparnaum these should haue beléeued but did not these ought to beléeue but doe not The men of the olde world were ouerwhelmed in the flood for their sinnes when they had no other law nature was a law vnto them and of the Heathen the Apostle saith that the inuisible thinges of him that is his eternall power and godhead are séene by the creation of the world being considered in his works to the intent they should be without excuse because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God But what should we speake of myracles if wee open our eyes and looke abroad into the world there we sée them If we enter into a consideration of our selues there wee finde them The Iewes required a signe of Christ when they saw nothing but signes froÌ„ him Paulus Sergius in the Acts saw but one myracle of Paul the Apostle wrought vpon another and by and by he receiued Paules preaching Wee sée not one but many myracles wrought not on others but vpon our selues Christ began to vpbraid the Cities wherein his myracles were 〈◊〉 Incepit hee begâ—…n as if he doth still the same but to the use 8. A diligent consideration of Christes myracles doth offer vp unto our religious thoughts manie thinges worthy of obseruation as first they moue to giue prayse and glorie vnto God so did the Israelites when they sawe themselues deliuered by a myracle in the red Sea so did the people in the Gospell when with astonishment they cryed out Wee neuer saw it on this fashion hee hath done all thinges well hee hath made the blinde to see and the lame to goe When tenacitie is brought to be liberall then a withered hand is restored when the meanes of beléeuing is giuen the blinde and the dumbe in soule are cured when a sinner is brought from going astray and now called froÌ„ an euill custome of life then the deafe heare when a sinner is conuerted one dead is raysed and for these myracles wee giue glory vnto God Secondarily they reach vs to haue recourse vnto him in
altered which Pilat refused saying Quod scripsi scripsi that which I haue written I haue written it is true I will not alter it and Pilaâ—… 〈◊〉 the end found it true indéede to 〈◊〉 terror of his wretched consciâ—…ce who hauing heard of the shouldiours the veritie of the reâ—…ection liued in continuall anâ—…sh vntill at last after disgrace receiued of the Romaines hee came to a desperate ende by caâ—…ng himselfe away as histories â—…ntion 12 While this was doing to â—…turne vnto the manner of our Sauiours Passion at this time 〈◊〉 they not spare to reproach 〈◊〉 and this was done by manie first by them that sate by and watched him secondarily by same of the high Priestes that came to marke him thirdly by those that passed by and wagged their heads at him fourthly by one of the théeues that was crucified with him S. Mathew saith they both reuiled him S. Luke mentioneth one onely It séemeth sayeth Austen that both of them began to reuile him of which S. Mathew spake but one perceiuing the heauens troubled and other signes moued with remorse â—…esisted and then only one of them according to S. Luke reuiled him 13 Nowe they begin to repeate the words of the false witnesses Thou couldest build the Temple if it were destroyed If thou be the Sonne of God saue thy selfe No sayeth Beda Sesaluum facere crucem descendere noluit quod Christus est Dei electus If thou be the Sonne of God nay because hee was the elected of God hee would not come downe for therfore came he into the world Beléeue ye him rising froÌ„ the Sepulcher which is more then descending from the Crosse. The other malefactor sayeth vnto him Remember me when thou commest into thy kingdom What kingdome was this suâ—…lie no temporall Kingdome In regno tuo In thy kingdome that is a better Kingdome then anie héere beneath or that which Tiberius now enioyeth Great was the fayth of this Chéefe for neyther the feare of the Iewes now present nor the sharpenes of his owne paine the blasphemie of his Fellowe the flight of the Disciples the apparant inâ—…rinitie of Christes flesh made him any way to wauer but first he acknowledgeth Christ to be a Lord secondly he prayeth to him and therefore he acknowledgeth him to be of power thirdly he acknowledgeth him to haue a Kingdome This theefe could helpe himselfe but in two things his hart and his tongue which he doth with his heart he beléeueth with his tongue hee maketh confession of Christ his Sauiour 14 And now behold wee our redéemer yéelding vp his life for the sinnes of the worlde Let vs consider a while his seauen last wordes vttered vppon the Crosse which by some are deuided into eight Two of these he spake for sinners Pater ignosce illis mecum eris in Paradiso Father forgiue them and thou shalt be with me in Paradise Two for the godly Woman behold thy Sonne and to the same disciple Behold thy mother Two for the world Sitie consuÌ„matum est I thirst it is finished Two for himselfe My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and Father into thy hands I commend my spirit 15 The first of these was spoken in the act of his crucifying when framing himselfe to the Crosse he saith Father forgiue them they knowe not what they doe Good to mee but hurt to themselues so is it with them that hurt others they know not what punishment they bring to themselues and what crown and garland to them whom they thinke they most hurt They know not what they do He prayeth not so much for them who did know or ought to haue knowne him to be the true Messias as for the Lay and illiterate people who of a blinde zeale did they knew not what what greater myracle then this louing prayer héere was a word of all patience and piety full of loue and vnspeakable sweetnes they say his blood be vpon vs and hee prayes â—…t be not vpon them Father forgiue them euen nowe pearced with nayles crowned with thornes loaden with scoffes and reproches and yet héere amongst all a Pater ignosce illis Father forgiue them and it was not without a mysterie that he sayd father forgiue them By all this we learne to beare the greatest iniuries of the world and to pray withall for our very enemies what should dust and ashes take vpon it to reuenge when the Lord of Heauen and earth so méekely endureth all what did the world euer sée more patient more charitable then the Sonne of God Father forgiue them â—…ttying those that persecuted him 16 The second word was spoken to the Penitent theefe Mecum eâ—…is in Paradiso Thou shalt be with mee in Paradise which wee vnderstand not to 〈◊〉 spoken of that earthly Paradise from which Adam was expulsed but of that Emperial place whither Saint Paul was taken vp where the Saints and Angels are aboue in glory By this saying comfort is giuen to them that repent them of their sinnes and call for mercie vpon Christ crucified beholde howe bountifull Christ is he giues a théefe paradise that doth but aske it of him Héere one worthy of punishment and worthy to suffer death by his owne confession receiueth mercie at the last instant but yet no man ought by this example of sette purpose to deferre his conuersion vnto the last the priuiledge of a few much lesse of one doth not inferre a common lawe for all Christ heere giues mercie vnto a théefe and vnto a théefe at the last cast to shewe there is no place left for desperation one example makes vs bolde one findes mercie at the last that none should dispaire and but one that many should not preâ—…me but sée the fayth of this théefe that findeth mercie a disciple denieth his Maister this théefe acknowledgeth him hee séeth Christ hanging vppon the Crosse as man and yet he prayeth vnto him as God hee accuseth his owne defaults reprooâ—…th the blasphemie of his Fellow hé acknowledgeth Christes innocencie the Iewes that know the law crucifie him he seeeth him in all contempt and yet he confesseth him a Lord a king to be a Lorde requireth power find a King rule but héere is neither to sée to Hee beholdeth him suffering death yet hee makes request vnto him as the giuer of life they who had before seene him raysing the dead wauer this man dying with him acknowledgeth the resurrection What fruite sayeth Saint Austen did Christ héere reape of a â—…le trée let anie sinner shewe this mannes fayth and wee dare shewe the remission of his sinnes hee had before stolen earthly thinges but now steales heauen O admirable conuersion That which we should take example of is an example of comfort of mercie of hope of forgiuenes of confessing our sinnes and with stedfast faithfulnesse of acknowledging the Sonne of God and crauing mercy to be remembred of him in his kingdome 17 The third worde was when he said vnto
gall the conpunction of the spirit On the other side we must take heede that wee giue not Christ thirsting for our saluation vinegar mixed with gall as these men did that is an euill and sinfull life which is vinegar mixed with the gal of scandalous conuersation 22 The sixt word was when he said Consummatum est It is finished that is all whatsoeuer was spoken of my suffering is now compleate the honour of my Father the good of the faithfull all that I should doe concerning my obedience to his will who gaue mee this worke to accomplish Consummatum est It is finished Nothing remaineth in this suffering but nowe my dying and now I die This our sauiour spake as hauing fought a good fight finished his course this hee spake as one hauing vndertaken a iourney nowe gone through many passages at his iourneyes end he saith Consummatum est It is finished first lifting vp his eyes to heauen Fa-thy will then beholding men vppon the earth faithfull men your health then respecting the breaking of the Serpents head Sathan the vanquishing of thy power Consummatum est It is finished O happy voyce of the Sonne of God! 23 The seauenth word was father into thy hands I commend my spirit S. Luke saith that hee syed this with a loude voyce some of the auncient Fathers â—…ke our Sauiour was nowe â—…ditating vpoÌ„ the one and thirtieth Psalme and comming vnto â—…se wordes in the Psalme In â—…us tuas commendo spiritum â—…eum Hee vttered them with â—…udible voyce Into thy hands I commend my spirit and so gaue 〈◊〉 the ghost This was nowe 〈◊〉 ninth houre of the day when 〈◊〉 Sunne was darkened the â—…th shooke the graues opened 〈◊〉 the Euangelists shewe At â—…s houre Adam sinned Hora 〈◊〉 Adam peccauit Christus exâ—…auit The same houre of the â—…ay wherin Adam sinned Christ â—…ed by dying Christ opened the gate of Paradise which Adam 〈◊〉 sinning had shut vp against 〈◊〉 and his Adam in the Garâ—…en lost life and Christ in the Garden restored life when hee yéelded himself with these words vnto his Father Into thy hands I commend my spirit These words being vttered he gaue vp the ghost his eyes closed his countenance pale his head bended down heauen nor earth euer saw such a sight the God of life the Author of life and life it selfe becomes dead In this word wee may consider many thinges as first that our departing soules should be commended into the hands of our heauenly Father Secondarily somewhat wee haue héere for the strengthning of our faith Christ bending downe his head vttered these wordes not of constraint but voluntarily who euer lay downe to sléepe so peaceably as Christ died when he gaue vp the ghost Man wheÌ„ they are dying they are scarse able to breath at this time Christ speaketh with a loud voyce Father into thy hands I commend my spirit We sée what Christes example doth teach vs to doe in commending our departing soules into the handes of God howe at the houre of his death he prayed he wept spake vnto his heauenly Father And héere also may the Christian man enter into a large field 〈◊〉 meditation vpon many things together We were more insensible then the sencelesse creatures 〈◊〉 wee should not be moued with the passion of our Lorde whose death was our life consider we 〈◊〉 great thinges the Sonne of God hath done for vs and suffered for our redemption consider be how great things they were which he suffered how great his sorrowes were which shewed the greatnes of his loue howe â—…eat his iniuries were when he was falsly accused mocked spetted vppon buffeted whipped crowned with thornes berest of â—…s clothes burdened with his crosse pierced with nailes lanced with a speare and so dyed They shall sée him whoÌ„ they haue pierced When Ioseph saide vnto his brethren I am Ioseph whom you â—…d into Egypt they were so aâ—…onished they had not a word to say when Christ shall say I am your brother I am he whom you crucified how shall they be confounded that crucified him But what ioy shall they haue who beléeue on him Up O Christian soule and with the Doue make thy nest in the holes of this rock Behold the wounds of thy Sauiour Come to this Arke whither all creatures repaire to saue themselues Stand and behold a little with the deuoute women the body of thy Sauiour vppon the Crosse sée him afflicted from top to toe see him wounded in the head to heale our vaine imaginations sée him wounded in the hands to heale our euill actions sée him wounded in the heart to cure our vaine thoughts sée his eyes shut vp which did enlighten the world sée them shut that thy eyes might be turned away from beholding vanity sée those eares which were wont to heare the ioyfull hyâ—…e of the Cherubins Holy holy holy now haue heard a multitude of reproaches sée that countenaunce which was goodly to looke vpon is spetted 〈◊〉 and buffeted The blood of 〈◊〉 cried iustice iustice but 〈◊〉 blood of Christ crieâ—… mercie 〈◊〉 Oh that we had hearts 〈◊〉 meditate of the passion of our 〈◊〉 There is nothing of â—…ch we ought more to thinke 〈◊〉 to speake more to reade or 〈◊〉 to meditate of then of this â—…ause the remembrance héereof â—…tameth to the saluation of 〈◊〉 soules increaseth faith driâ—…th away despaire giueth fortiâ—…e against the afflictions of the â—…ld strengtheneth vs against â—…tatious 〈◊〉 the minde 〈◊〉 ioy causeth a loathing of 〈◊〉 and after a wonderfull maâ—… stirreth vs vp to all deuotion This our Sauiour Christ himâ—…fe well thought vpon when he 〈◊〉 so high a Sacrament so full 〈◊〉 hauenly mysteries for the â—…tinuall renuing in our hearts 〈◊〉 this his most blessed passion 〈◊〉 swéete Iesus should euer vnâ—…fulnes of this loue of thine â—…pe vpon vs Should not thy â—…ous blood soften our adamant hearts who hast deliuered vs from infinite miseries purchased by thy death O infinite goodnes and fréely offered thy selfe hast offered thy selfe vnto thy Father a sacrifice for our sinnes there is no burden heauier then sinne this hast thou eased vs of O blessed Sonne if God while I liue saith the Prophet will I call vpon the Lord yea as long as I haue any being Wee will offer vnto God the sacrifice of thankesgiuing and prayse his name for euer and euer And thus wee meditate of the passion of our Lord who suffered death to ouercome death of which Saint Austen mentioneth a double cause the one that Christ died for vs to deliuer vs the other that those whom he redéemed by his death hee might teach by his grace and by his example instruct for why did the head saith he suffer but to giue the body an example Christ humbled himselfe vnto death euen vnto the death of the crosse we ought also to humble our â—…es to bee crucified vnto the â—…ld and the world to vs vnto 〈◊〉 were our sinnes imputed â—…to
other of most especial regard and worthy of the best obseruation it seêmeth the Apostle so accounted of the resurrection for what is there more necessarie for our christian meditation then héere to call to minde that it was hee who did redéeme Israel that as he rose powerfullie in himselfe so also did hee in those that beléeue on him that hee rose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according vnto the Scriptures that hee rose by way of equitie for first hee humbled himselfe then God exalted him giuing him a name aboue all names That hee rose by way of power for being without sinne death could not holde him for it was vnpossible he should be holden of death 5 He whom Iohn not long before had séene as a sacrifice offered vpon the Crosse when hee was as the Prophet speaketh without for me to looke vpon now hee séeth him after another manner then amongst théenes nowe walking amongst the seauen candlestickes then cloathed in purple by way of derision nowe cloathed as the Sunne then called a King by those that reproached him now called the King of Kings by them that honor him Wherefore as we haue séene him in his humility so with Iohn also let vs sée him in his glory As we haue séene him fighting for vs in his passion so let vs also beholde him tryumphing for vs in his resurrection for all was for vs. In the passion and resurrection of Christ our Sauiour consisteth the summe of all our happines he dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification vnlesse he had dyed we had not been deliuered from sinne and consequently from death vnlesse hee had rose from the dead wee had not receiued comfort of rysing againe from the dead his passion remoued away that which was euill his resurrection brought vnto vs that which was good As in these two wee haue a double benefit so haue wee a double example in his passion an example of suffering in his resurrection of hope when wee haue suffered Which doth shew in vs two liues the one in the flesh laborious which we must endure the other when wee are deliuered from the flesh which wee must hope 6 Now we must not onely acknowledge with the mouth or beleeue in the heart this sacred truth of the resurrection but we must also be raysed vp to newnes of life for thus much dooth the holy Ghost require of vs in beléeuing the resurrection Wee are sayeth the Apostle buried with him by Baptisme vnto his death that like as Christ was raysed from the dead by the glory of the Father so we also should walk in newnes of life And this is the similitude which wee doe carie of his resurrection This is to set our affection on heauenly things or thinges that are abaue where Christ fitteth at the right hand of God and this is the third thing that we should apply our selues vnto in beléeuing the resurrection from the dead that is first to rise with him from the death of sinne and consequently to be raysed by him vnto a hope of the resurrection vnto eternall life 7 It is wonderfull to consider with how many strange enemies Christ had to do at once with the world the Prince of the world with death and sinne the cause of death Who would haue thought that one shéepe should haue béene able to haue withstoode so manie Wolues but yet heare the triumphant voyce of the conquerour Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victorie the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Lawe The Apostle like a valiant champion goes forth and offers challenge and combate to all these or anie of them Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen If Sathan say that will I because they haue followed the wayes of ungodlines If the world say I will lay to their charge the manie vanities they receiued of me if the Lawe say I will indite them because of transgression if death say I will arrest them by reason of sinns S. Paul answereth them all with a short reply Iesus Christus mortuus est imo resurrexit Iesus Christ is dead yea he is risen from the dead as if hee would say that same rising of Christ from the dead hath beâ—…t you all of all your force and nowe all your Pleas are frustrate Nay howe is the poore Captiue comforted when the Iudge himselfe shall say Who shall detaine this man I haue paâ—… his ransome 8 What a ioyous thing is it nowe to be strengthened in the faith of the Resurrection First in regard of the calamities of this life for what shall dismay vs séeing the members hope to be ioyned with their head Secondly though this life be transitory and troublesome yet Daniel shall be deliuered out of the Lyons den The Doue shall returne to the Arke with a braunch of Oliue when once the flood and waters are fallen Ieremie shal come out of the pit whereinto hee is cast of his enemies Our noble Dauid hauing gotten the victorie is gone triumphantly to raigne in Ierusalem we all his people and armie tracing and trayning after him wee were detayned and held as captiues of cruel enemies but by Christ the enemies are vanquished and wee deliuered how are we deliuered but by the sonne of God was it not his suffering onely that was as hath beene said the remouing of euill Him selfe saith what profit is there in my blood if I goedowne to corruption as if he would tell vs there were something adioyned héereunto to make his suffering glorious beneficial vnto others and this was his resurrection 9 Euery effect naturally doth shew his cause The resurrection was the effect of his deitie and therefore gaue euident Testimonie he was God Againe his resurrection confirmeth our faith for so doth S. Paul reason against the Pseudo-Apostoli if the dead rise not then is not Christ risen if Christ be not risen then where is our beléeuing but Christ is risen therefore there is a resurrection The head doth not rise without the body The head is risen the body therefore shall rise So the resurrection of Christ is the cause of our resurrection and he rising we all rise The Lord is King sayth the Prophet Let the earth reioyce end the â—…es be glad therof The first fruites being sanctified all the other fruits are hallowed vnto the Lord Thomas bring hiâ—…er thy hand and féele the print of the nailes Blessed are those that haue not seene and yet doe beléeue That which befell Christes body saith S. Austen the third day shall befall our bodies in the last day 10 Foure sortes were there which behelde heard the whole manner of our Sauiours passion and resurrection The first were a kind of men which onely were present as spectators hearing and séeing what was done without further obseruation and these were many of the common people which following their owne
resembled vnto water because it cleanseth Dauid calleth it a right spirit right because it leadeth vs the right way The Apostle calleth it thâ—… spirit of Adoption because it maketh vs the children of God Somtimes it is called the Teacher of truth sometimes the eternall spirit all which names â—…oe tend to shew the diuers operations of the holy Ghost as 〈◊〉 the former appearance of fire 〈◊〉 stre turnes all things into fire because it expeâ—…eth the coldnes of our hearts bath burneth with inward loue as also shineth by outward charity It teacheth 〈◊〉 directeth it comforteth it cleanseth in a cloud in a Doue in fire in tongues in the winde all which moue vs to pray with the Prophet Emitte spiritum tuum Lord â—…end forth thy spirit and wee shall be created The light of Faith shall arise in vs our 〈◊〉 shall be confirmed in good manâ—… graces shall be collected in one our desires shall mount vpwarâ—… and last of all we shall be holy as is holy 7 Contraâ—…ise without this 〈◊〉 spirit what are we but as 〈◊〉 men of Sodome striken with â—…dnesse not knowing which 〈◊〉 to goe sorrowfull is it to â—…ider the case of Saul who â—…en the spirit of God was with 〈◊〉 hee was a man of courage 〈◊〉 vaâ—…our able to encounter 〈◊〉 the enemies of God but 〈◊〉 once the spirit of the Lord 〈◊〉 departed from him he was â—…ressed as is wonderfull he â—…es to a Sorceresse disguiâ—… himselfe knowes not in the 〈◊〉 what to doe nor which 〈◊〉 to take there was not a 〈◊〉 in the field nor a corner in 〈◊〉 house that could hide him 〈◊〉 his troubled conscience Eâ—…â—…ryed â—…ryed My Father my Faâ—… but Saul might haue cryed â—…en the spirit of the Lorde deâ—…ted from him O my ioy my 〈◊〉 gone his body died once 〈◊〉 his hart often The wife of â—…es in her last breath cryed 〈◊〉 the same might Saul haue 〈◊〉 also O the glory of God is gone when the Prince remoueth all the Princes troope and trayne euery one is remouing to accompanie the person of the Prince so when the Spirit of the Lorde remooueth all ioy all faith all knowledge all loue at once departeth Wherefore the Church doth well and deuoutly pray Et spiritum sanctum tuum ne aufer as a nobis And take not thy holy Spirit from vs. It was Saint Austens prayer Veâ—…â—…ancte spiritus Come holy spirit the cleanser of the vncleane the comforter of the sorrowfull confirme mee that I may keepe thee keep me that I may not loose thee If Sathan â—…de the house once emptie hee entereth by a foule spirit wherefore beséeâ—…h we God that his spirit may euer keepe possession of our hearts Nowe as Christ promised his Apastles the comming of the holie Ghost so did hee also shewe them howe they should be prepared for the receiuing and conseruing thereof for albeit this diuine Spirit were promised before and after the Resurrection 〈◊〉 he would they should be preâ—…red for it that wee should 〈◊〉 to vse meanes for Gods â—…ites promised First they 〈◊〉 wait for it secondarily they 〈◊〉 waite at Ierusalem and â—…re in an vpper roome what 〈◊〉 they doe they are assembled â—…th one accord what else they 〈◊〉 assembled with one accord in 〈◊〉 all which doe shewe vs 〈◊〉 meanes of preparing our 〈◊〉 for the participation of the 〈◊〉 Ghost First faith is neâ—…rie for the Apostles beléeâ—… Secondly hope is necessaâ—… for they expected the accomâ—…ment of the promise Third 〈◊〉 charity is necessary for they 〈◊〉 assembled in loue the Text â—…eth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one acâ—…d Fourthly holinesse of conâ—…sation is necessarie they were 〈◊〉 vpper roome The Spirit 〈◊〉 God sayeth the wise man â—…eth not in a body subiect to 〈◊〉 Last of all deuotion is â—…cessarie they were all assemâ—… in prayer The seauentie Elders recâ—…ed of the spirit of the Lord at the dore of the Tabernacle where God was worshipped When the Disciples were assembled in prayer the place where they were assembled moued and the holy Ghost came downe vpon them and héere wee sée both of receiuing as also the meanes of entertayning one and the same holy spirit Gregorie saith In terra datur Spiritus vt diligatur proximus e coelo daâ—…ut Spiritus vt diligatur Deus The holy ghost is giuen on earth that we should loue men and the holy Ghost is giuen from heauen that we should loue God This loue of God is neuer idle but alwaies busie héere beneath it was Christes owne rule If you loue me keepe my commaundements it is a signe we loue the great Emperour when wee kéepe his lawes Last of all whereas the receiuing of the holy Ghost is called the earnest of the spirit how manie comforts are there which doe hence consequently ensue when 〈◊〉 substantiail dealer maketh a bargaine or couenant and in part of payment giueth earnest before â—…and the residue behind is as â—…re at the day as if the partie â—…ad it already down God of his â—…nite loue in Christ Iesus â—…ath agréed with beléeuers for the receiuing of heauenly treaâ—…re or treasure in heauen his holy spirit is before giuen in part of payment a good earnest and of the rest behind this earnest is â—…fficient assurance which wee 〈◊〉 receiue at that â—…ay when the â—…onne of righteousnes shall appeare and all his holy Angels â—…ith him Chap 31. How that exhortation of our Sauiour Christ Iohn the twelfth and thirtie siue doth appertaine to vs Christians Ambulate dum lucem habetis vt non tenebrae vos comprehendant Walke while yee haue light least darknes come vpon you THese wordes of our Sauiour Christ spoken in the first place to the people of the Iews are â—…y way of appropriation appliable vnto all but most speciallie vnto them on whom the ends of the worlde are come Walke while yee haue light least darknes come vppon you For in this remnant of time Sathan seeketh in malice to destroy men and God in mercy to saue sinners by whom the day of grace is fitly resembled to a time of light Walke while yee haue light The children of God are called the children of light his Angels are called the Angels of light his doctrine is called the doctrine of light you were darknes saith the Apostle but nowe you are light and are called to an admirable light And so after the sâ—…me manner the time of grace is a time of light our coâ—…nuance in this grace is the light of life which very life hath sometimeâ—… the appellation of light because when death comes as the wise man saith â—…ur light is lost that is the continuance of life which is light And so in regard of the true light which is Christ Iesus himselfe of his doctrine which is a doctrine of light of his grace which is the benefite of light of our conâ—…inuance in the world which is a
little continuance in the light of these seuerally one by one or of all together Walke while you haue light least darknesse come vppon you walke and therfore no standing sâ—…ll least darknes come therefore the light will not be lâ—…ng 2 The light saith Saint Iohn shined in darknes but the darknes comprehended it not It is no disgrace vnto the Sunne though Battes and â—…ies cannot endure it Christes grace is the light to guide our steps his Gospell is the lanthorne to shewe our goings if we refuse to walke by this light and while wee haue a time of light and to walke too while it is our last moment of light our darknes is great our errour is great May wee not feare a time of darknes Haue we any warrant to the contraryâ—… yet a little while is the light with vs It is sayde in the Canticles I sought him vpon my bed was the spouse there found That wee finde not I sought him but I found him not saith the text The Scripture saith of Cains offering it was Post multos dies after many dayes as if we should say it was long before Cain came with his sacrifice it proued vnseasonable The stone vpon the top of the hill may be stayed with little but being once in a violent course it is a hard thing to stay it wee should in time returne vnto God The euill théefe vppon the Crosse his care was for his bodie Saue thy selfe and vs but his fellow vpon the right hand who made speede in calling vppon Christ saying Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome his care was chiefely of his soule We had néede walke before our day of life be turned into the night of death before our light of grace be turned into the darknes of iustice Our continuance standes at a great vncertaintie there is but a little ayre betwéene vs and death and they that thinke themselues most secure are sometimes sâ—…nest of all deceiued and at last wish in vaine they had beene better aduised God met with Pharaoh in the Sea with Eli sitting in his Chaire with Holophernes lying on his bed The rich man when he said soule take thy ease yea take thy farewell of case too Héere we leaue one and there another and time is the eaâ—…er out of vs and ours The Sunne though it séeme to stand still it is caried about with a violent motion The shadowe in the Dâ—…all wee see gone but not going Wee neuer stand still but are euery euening tide of our life néerer our iourneyes ende by a day The Snâ—…yle though shee créepe neuer so softly yet comes she at last to the highest trées and eateth the gréene leaues at the very tops thereof Age wil steale vpon our youthfull flourishing dayes and therefore while wee haue light to walke let vs walke with God as Abraham did when he liued in his feare When the people gathered Manna they must gather it in the morning for when the heate of the day came it vanished away If we will gather our heauenly Manna wee must gather beâ—…es before the heate of the day arise that is before the day of mercy be turned into a scorching day of iudgement Our state and condition héere is as the naturall day it selfe our youth is as the morning the noonetide is our strength when the euening of age comes then we make readie to take our rest so preparing our selues wee haue life in patience and a good departure in desire 3 It is saide to the great folly of the Athenians that they wold neuer consult of peace vntill they were driuen thereunto by extremitie of warre Greater is the folly of the sinfull men to be consulting of a state of peace when they are driuen thereunto by necessitie neuer calling vpon God but in time of sicknes and aduersitie nâ—…y that which is more when the time of calling is past when the light is departed from them and that happy opportunitie let slip Walke while yee haue light At that black day they shall finde errour vnrecouerable danger vnauoydable punishment vnsupportable repentance vnprofitable griefe inconsolable into what a pittifull plight shall the carelesse man see himselfe brought at this tune It will be a sad Catastrophe or sorrowfull end after all O that we would now be as we would wish to be at the day of iudgement A foolish Marriner is hee that while the weather is faire will lie still when the wind is nowe seruing to further his passage and will neuer set forward vntill a daungerous tempest be come of these saith S. Ambrose I wil not determine how doubtful it is whether they shall attaine the hauen only this I wish that they set forward before it be too late when they shal not néed to haue any accusers for their owne consciences shall article against them The Prophet saith Misericordiam iudicium cantabo tibi domine Lord I wil sing vnto thée of mercy and iudgement mercie in Christes first comming and iudgement in his second The kingdome of heauen in the Gospell is fitly compared to the Sommer first for that the Sommer is a lightsome time so is the kingdome of heauen secondly it is a fruitfull time so is the kingdome of heauen thirdly Sommer is a pleasant and ioyâ—…ull time so is the kingdome of heauen fourthly Sommer is a quiet and peaceable time so is the kingdome of heauen Christ putteth forth vnto his Disciples â—…parable of the Fig trée why of the Figge tree more then others saith one because it putteth forth last of other trées sheweth that Sommer is néere Againe the Figge trée if it be good it is very good but if it be otherwise it is in the contrary extreame If naught saith the prophet Ieremie very naught Such is the state condition of men in the state of iudgement if they put forth in time they bring forth swéet fruits of euerlasting ioy if their estate be happy most happy if vnhappie the most vnhappiest of all 4 Some there are that are so delighted with the pleasures of the life present that they forget what a heauenly treasure they carie about with them in these mortall bodies and what a great charge is in their custodie to look vnto while they are hâ—…re The housholder saith our Sauiour should watch for the comming of the thiefe This théefe may resemble vnto vs the day of death which comes vnawares the house is the body the doore is the mouth and cares the windowes are the eyes the treasure in this house is the soule let the housholder watch not suffer his house violently to be broken vp but let him be prepared to yéeld peaceable possession both of his house and treasure when hâ—… gentle Lord shall require the same because hee will giue him state in a better inheritance for the time to come wherefore that spoken vnto the people of old may be considered Redite ad cor Turne vnto