no leaâ—e He alone would bow his head and giue vp his Ghost 〈◊〉 haue power to lay downe my life Man gaue him not his life man could not bereaue it No man takes it froÌ„ me Alas who could The High-priests forces when they came against him armed he said but I am heâ— they stâ— fall backward How easie 〈◊〉 breath disperst his enemies whom he might as easily haue bidden the earth yea hell to swallow or fire from heauen to deuoure Who coÌ„manded the diuels they obei'd could not haue bin attached my men He must giue not onely leaue but power to apprehend himselfe else they had not liu'd to take him Hee is laid hold of Peter â—ight St Puâ—â—â— saith Christ Thinkest thou that J cannot pray to my Father and hee will giue mee more then 12 legions of Angels What an Army were heer more theÌ„ three-score twelue thousand Angels and euery Angel able to subdue a world of men Hee could but would not bee rescued hee is ledde by his owne power not by his enemies and stands now before Pilate like the scorne of men crowned robbed scourged vvith an Ecâ—e Homo Yet thou couldest haue no power against mee 〈◊〉 iâ— vvere giuen thee from aboue Behold he himselfe must giue Pilate power against himselfe else hee could not be condemned Hee will be condemned lifted vp nailed yet no death without himselfe Hee shall giue his soule an offering for sinneâ— Esay 53 10. No action that fauours of constraint can be meritorious hee would deserue therefore he would suffer and die He bowed his head and gaue vp the Ghost O gracious and bountifull Sauiour hee might haue kept his soule within his â—eeth in spight of all the world the weakeness of God is stronger then men and if he had but spoken the word the heauens and earth should haue vanisht away before him but he wold not Behold when he saw that impotent man could not take away his soule he gaue it vp 〈◊〉 would die that wee might liue See heere a Sauiour that can contemne his ovvne life for ours and cares not to bee dissolued in himself that we might be vnited to his Father Skiâ—â—e for skiâ—â—e saith the diuell 〈◊〉 all that he hath a man will giue for his life Lo heere to proue Satan a lyer skin and life and all hath Christ Iesus giuen for vs. We are besotted with the earth make base shifts to liue one with a maiâ—ed bodie another vvith a perfuâ—â—d soule a third with a rotten name and how many had 〈…〉 neglect their soulâ— then their life and 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 then dieâ— It is a shame itâ— tells many of vs Christians 〈◊〉 opâ—n life and â—â—â—â—â—ble and â—aâ—h and she 〈◊〉 solue so 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 excesse of loue â—oâ—ard◠〈◊〉 〈…〉 as Peter denies Christ â—iâ— forsweares him 〈…〉 graines of incense â—nto the Idols â—ire Eâ—ius 〈…〉 thrice Spir◠〈…〉 aâ— despaâ—â—es â—deâ— me liue â—aith the 〈…〉 Whithâ—â— dâ—st thou 〈◊〉 â—hy selfe 〈…〉 and â—doâ— us 〈…〉 wâ—ld'st thou 〈◊〉 with thy selfe 〈◊〉 Thou hast not thus learned Christ◠〈…〉 voluntarilie for thee thou wilt not bee forced to die for him hee gaue vp the Ghost for thee thou wilt not let others take it from thee for him thou wilt not let him take it for himselfe When I looke back to the first Christians and compare their zealous coÌ„tempt of death with our backwardness I am at once amazed ashamed I see there euen women the feebler sex running with their little ones in their armes for the preferment of martyrdome and ambitiouslie striuing for the next blowe I see holy tender virgins chusing rather a sore and shamefull death then honourable espousalls I hear the blessed Martyrs intreating their Tyrants and tormentors for the honour of dying Ignatius amongst the rest fearing least the beasts wil not deuoure him and vowing the first violence to them that he might be dispatched And what lesse courage was there in our memorable glorious fore-fathers of the last of this age and doe vvee their cold and feeble ofspring looke pale at the face of a faire and naturall death abhor the violent tho for Christ Alas how haue we gathered rust with our long peace Our vnwillingnesse is from inconsideration from distrust Looke but vp to Christ Iesus vpon his Crosse and see him bowing his head and breathing out his soule and these feares shall vanish He died wouldest thou liue He gaue vp the ghost and wouldest thou keep it Whom vvouldest thou follow if not thy Redeemer If thou die not if not vvillingly thou goest contrarie to him and shalt neuer meet him Tho thou shouldest euery day die a death for him thou couldest neuer requite his one death and doost thou sticke at one Euery word hath his force both to him and thee He died which is Lord of Life and coÌ„maunder of Death thou art but a tenant of life a subiect of death And yet it was not a dying but a giuing vp not of a vanishing and aery breath but of a spirituall soule which after separation hath an entire life in it selfe He gaue vp the Ghost Hee died that hath both ouercome and sanctified and sweetned death What fearest thou he hath puld out the sting and malignity of death 〈◊〉 thou bee a Christian cary it in thy bosome it hurts thee not Dar'st thou not trust thy Redeemer If hee had not died death had been a Tyrant now he is a slaue O Death where is thy sting O Graue where is thy victorie Yet the Spirit of God saith not hee died but gaue vp the Ghost The very heathen Poet saith He durst not say that a good man dies It is worth the noting me thinks that vvhen S. Luke would describe to vs the death of Ananias and Sapphira he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee expired but when S. Iohn vvould describe Christs death he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he gaue vp the Ghost How gaue he it vp and whither How so as after a sort he retained it his soule parted from his body his Godhead was neuer distracted either froÌ„ soule or body This vnion is not in nature but in person If the natures of Christ could be diuided each would haue his subsistence so there should bee more persons God forbid one of the natures therefore may haue a separation in it selfe the soule from the body one nature cannot bee separate from other or either nature from the person If you cannot conceiue wonder the Sonne of GOD hath wedded vnto himselfe our humanitie without all possibilitie of diuorce the body hangs on the Crosse the soule is yielded the Godhead is euiternally vnited to them both acknowledges sustaines them both The soule in his agony feeles not the presence of the Godhead the body vpon the Crosse feeles not the presence of the soule Yet as the Fathers of Chalcedon say truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indiuisibly inseparably is the Godhead with both of these
the glory of the place bred shame novv the vileness of it When but in the Passeouer a time of greatest frequence and concourse of all Iewes and proselites An holy time wheÌ„ they should receiue the figure they reiect the substance when they should kil eate the sacramental Lambe in faith in thankfulnes they kill the Lambe of GOD our true Passeouer in crueltie and contempt With whom The qualitie of our company either increases or lessens shame In the midst of thieues saith one as the Prince of thieues There vvas no guile in his mouth much lesse in his hands Yet behold he that thought it no robberie to bee equall with Goâ— is made equall to robbers and murderers yea superiour in euill What suffered hee As all liues are not alike pleasant so al deathes are not equally fearfull there is not more differeÌ„ce betwixt some life death then betwixt one death another See the Apostles gradation He was made obedient to the death eueÌ„ the death of the Crosse The Crosse a lingering tormenting ignominious death The Iewes had foure kindes of death for malefactors the towell the sword fire stones each of these aboue other in extreamitie Strangling with the towell they accounted easiest the sword worse then the towel the fire worse then the sword stoning worse then the fire but this Romaine death was worst of all Cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree Yet as Ierome well he is not therefore accursed because hee hangeth but therfore he hangeth because he is accursed He was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a curse for vs. The curse was more then the shame yet the shame is vnspeakeable and yet not more then the paine Yet all that die the same death are not equally miserable the very Thieues fared better in their death then he I heare of no irrision no inscription no taunts no insultation on theÌ„ they had nothing but paine to incounter hee paine and scorne An ingenuous noble nature can worse brooke this theÌ„ the other any thing rather then disdainefulnesse and derision especially from a base enemy I remeÌ„ber that learned Father begins Israels affliction with Ismaels persecuting laughter The Iews the souldiours yea the very thieues flouted him and triumpht ouer his miserie his blood cannot satisfie theÌ„ without his reproach Which of his senses now was not a window to let in sorrow His eyes saw the teares of his Mother and friends the vnthankful demeanure of mankind the cruell despight of his enemies his eares heard the reuilings blasphemies of the multitude whether the place were noisome to his sent his touch felt the nailes his taste the gall Looke vp O all yee beholders looke vpon this precious body see what part ye can find free That head which is adored and trembled at by the Angelicall spirits is all raked harrowed with thorns that face of whom is said Thou art faâ—rer then the children of men is all besmeared with the filthy spettle of the Iewes and furrowed with his teares those eyes clearer then the sun are darkened with the shadow of death those eares that hear the heauenly consorts of Angels now are filled with the cursed speakings and scoffes of wretched men those lips that spake as neuer man spake that commaund the spirits both of life darknesse are scornfully wet with vineger gall those feet that trample on all the powers of hell his enemies are made his footstoole are now nailed to the footstoole of the Crosse those hands that freely sway the scepter of the Heauens now carrie the reed of reproach and are nailed to the tree of reproach that whole body which was coÌ„ceiued by the holy Ghost was all scourged wounded mangled This is the out-side of his sufferings Was his heart free Oh no the inner part or soule of this pain which was vnseen is as far beyond these outward and sensible as the soule is beyond the body Gods vvrath beyond the malice of meÌ„ these were but loâ—e â—ticks to what his soule indured O all ye that passe by the way behold and see if there bee any sorrow like to my sorrow Alas Lord what can we see of thy sorrowes we cannot conceiue so much as the â—ainousnesse and desert of one of those sinnes which thou barest wee can no more see thy paine then wee could vnder-goe it onely this wee see that what the infinite sins of almost infinite men committed against an infinite Maiestie deserued in infinite continuance all this thou in the short time of thy Passion hast sustained We may behold and see but all the glorious spirits in heauen cannot looke into the depth of this suffering Do but looke yet a little into the passions of this his Passion for by the manner of his sufferings we shall best see what hee suffered Wise and resolute men do not complaine of a little holy Martyrs haue bin racked would not be loosed what shall we say if the Author of their strength God and man be wray passions what wold haue ouerwhelmed men wold not haue made him shrinke and what made him complaine could neuer haue been sustained by men What shal we then think if he were affrighted with terrors perplexed with sorrowes and distracted with both these And lo he was all these for first heere was an amazed feare for millions of men to despaire was not so much as for him to feare and yet it was no slight feare hee began 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be astonished with terrourâ— Which in the daies of his flesh offered vp prayers supplications with strong cries and teares to him that was able to helpe him and was heard in that hee feared Neuer man was so afraid of the torments of hell as Christ standing in our roome of his Fathers vvrath Feare is still sutable to apprehension Neuer man could so perfectlie apprehende this cause of feare He felt the chastisements of our peace yea the curse of our sinnes therfore might well say with Dauid J suffer thy terrors with a troubled mind yea with Iob The arrowes of God are in me the terrors of God fight against mee With feare there was a deiecting sorow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My soule is on all sides heauy to the death His strong cries his many tears are witnesses of this Passion He had formerly shed teares of pitie and teares of loue but now of anguish he had before sent forth cries of mercie neuer of complaint till now When the sonne of God weeps and cries what shall we say or thinke yet further betwixt both these and his loue what a conflict vvas there It is not amisse distinguished that hee was alwaies in agonie but now in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a struggling passion of mixed griefe Behold this field was not without sweat and blood yea a sweat of blood O what man or Angell can conceiue the taking of that heart that without all outward violence meerely out of the
vnregarded charges and souls dying and starued for want of spiritual prouision while they giue vs bodily would condemne my silence for too partiall In all conditions of men for particulars are subiect to enuie exception the daughters of the horse-leech had neuer such a fruitfull generation They crie still Giue Giue Not giue alone that is the bread of sufficiencie but giue giue that is more than enough But what is more than enough What is but enough What is not too little for the insatiable gulfe of humane desires Euery man wold ingrosse the whole world to himselfe and with that ambitious conqueror feares it will be too little and how few Agurs are there that pray against too much From hence it is that yee Courtiers grate vpon poore trades with hard Monopolies Hence ye Merchants lode them with deep and vnreasonable prices and make theÌ„ pay deare for daies Hence ye great men wring the poore sponges of the Commonaltie into your priuate purses for the maintenance of pride and excesse Hence ye cormorant corne-mongers hatch vp a dearth in the time of plenty God sends graine but many times the Diuell sends garners The earth hath beene no niggard in yeelding but you haue beene lauish in transporting and close in concealing Neuer talke of our extreame frosts we see Gods hand and kisse the rod but if your hearts your charity were not more frozen than euer the earth was meane house-keepers should not need to beg nor the meanest to starue for waÌ„t of bread Hence lastly our loud oppressions of all sorts cry to heauen and are answered with threats yea with variety of vengeances Take this with thee yet o thou worldling which hast the greedy-worm vnder thy tong with Esaies dogs and neuer hast enough Thou shalt meet with two things as vnsatiable as thy selfe the Graue and Hell and thou whom all the world could not satisfie there be two things wherof thou shalt haue enough Enough mold in the graue enough fire in hell I loue not to end with a iudgement and as it were to let my Sun set in a cloud We are all Christians wee should know the World what it is how vaine how transitory how worthlesse Wee know where there are better things which wee professe our selues made for and aspiring to Let vs vse the world like it selfe and leaue this importunate wooing of it to Heathens and Infidels that knew no other heauen no other God Or if you like that counsell better Bee Couetous Be Ambitious Couet spirituall gifts 1. Cor. 14.1 Neuer thinke you haue grace enough desire more seeke for more this alone is worth your affections worth your cares Be still poore in this that you may bee rich be rich that you may be ful be ful that you may be glorious Be Ambitious of fauour of honour of a kingdome of Gods fauour of the honour of Saints of the Kingdome of glory Whither hee that hath bought it for vs and redeemed vs to it in his good time safely and happily bring vs. To that blessed Sauiour of ours together with the Father and his good Spirit the God of all the world our Father Redeemer and Comforter be giuen all praise honour and glorie now and for euer Amen THE PASSION-SERMON PREACHED AT PAVLES-CROSSE on Good-friday Apr. 14. 1609. By I. H. AT LONDON Printed by H. I. for Eleanor Edgar and Samuell Macham and are to bee solde at the shops in Paules-Churchyard ANNO 1609. Errata Page 17. li 8. Christian Read Christians Page 42. li 1. life Read light Page 47. li 5. in agonie Read in agone Latine Page 50. li 6. suffer so long Read suffer so long P 74. l 9. forbeareth to be short Read forbeareth To be shoâ—â— Page 92 li 18 my men Read by men TO THE ONLY HONOVR AND GLORY OF GOD MY DEAR AND BLESSED SAVIOVR WHICH HATH DONE AND SVFFERED ALL THESE THINGS FOR MY SOVLE HIS WEAKE AND VNWORTHY SERVANT HVMBLIE DESIRES TO CONSECRATE HIMSELFE AND HIS POOR LABOVRS BESEECHING HIM TO ACCEPT AND BLESSE THEM TO THE PVBLIQVE good and to the praise of his owne glorious NAME To the READER I Desire not to make any Apologie for the edition of this my Sermon It is motiue enough that herein I affect a more publike and more induring good Spirituall niceness is the next degree to vnfaithfullness This point cannot be too much vrged either by the tongue or presse Religion and our soules depend vpon it yet are our thoughts too much beside it The Church of Rome so fixes her-selfe in her adoration vpon the crosse of Christ as if shee forgat his glorie Many of vs so conceiue of 〈◊〉 glorious that wee neglect the meditation of his Crosse the way to his glory and ours If wee would proceede aright we must passe froÌ„ his Golgotha to the mount of Oliues and from thence to heauen and there seeke and settle our rest According to my weake abilitie I haue led this way in my speech beseeching my Readers to follow mee with their hearts that wee may ouer-take him which is entred into the true sanctuarie euen the highest heauens to appeare now in the sight of God for vs. IOHN 19. verse 30. When Iesus therefore had receiued the Vineger he said It is finished and bowing the head hee gaue vp the ghost THE bitter and yet victorious passion of the sonne of GOD right honourable and beloued Christians as it was the strangest thing that euer befell the Earth So is both of most soueraigne vse looks for the most frequent careful meditation It is one of those thinges which was once done that it might be thought of for euer Euery day therfore must be the Good-friday of a Christian who with that great Doctor of the Gentiles must desire to know nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified There is no branch or circuÌ„stance in this wonderfull businesse which yieldes not infinite matter of discourse Accâ—â—ding to the solemnity of this 〈◊〉 place I haue chosen to commend vnto your Christian attention our Sauiours Farevvell to Nature for his reuiuing was aboue it in his last word in his last act His last word Jt is finished his last act Hee gaue vp the ghost That which hee said hee did If there be any Theme that may challenge and commaund our eares harts this is it for behold the sweetest word that euer Christ spake and the most â—â—â—â—â—ious act that euer hee 〈◊〉 met together in this his last breath In the one yee shall see him triumphing yielding in the other yet so as hee ouercoâ—â—â— Imagine therefore that 〈◊〉 Christ Iesus in this day of his passion who is euery day heere crucified before your eyes aduaunced vpon the chariot of his Crosse and now after a weary conflict cheerefully ouer-looking the despight and shame of men the wrath of his Father the law sin death hell which all lie gasping at his foot then you shall conceiue with what spirit hee faith Consummatumest It is finished