Citie he returned him little more then this answer Platina in vita Faelicis 2. Didici quoque ibi homines mori This I haue obserued that men die there as well as in other places Euerie sublunarie creature grones vnder the bondage of corruption Rom 8.22 and hath some thing in it that works the decay of it The Yron hath rust the tree the worme the cāker so hath man his depraued humours besides those externall accidents which abreuiate his daies This life is a continuall consumption Aul. Gell. Noct. Attic. 11.2 Therefore Marcus Cato was wont to compare a man to Yron Si exerceas conteritur If you vse it you wast it if not yet the rust consumes it And I may say with that deuout Father Dum vobis hodie loquor Euen this day whilest I am speaking to you the Lampe of my life wasteth and whether I shall tarie to finish what I haue prepared I know not Oh how great is the folly of these who would build them euerlasting habitations in this vale of miserie Psalm 49.11 And thinke their houses shall continue for euer from generation to generation Behold the Psalmists censure Bern. de consider ad Eugen. lib. 2. This their way vttereth their foolishnesse Per ina nem sollicitudinem in aliena migrant saecula non profutura imo nec futura Their care extendes to other ages which shall neither yeeld benefit no nor being The yeeres they reckon of The great yeere The great folly Zanch. Luk. 12.19 are like the Philosophers Annus maximus which one verie iustly calls Maximam stultitiam As that rich man Luk. 12. did who said to himselfe Soule thou hast goods in store for many yeeres and therefore receaued that iust answer by the celestiall Oracle Thou foole this night shall they take away thy Soule Mens hope of long life is Fluxa falsa Aug. in Ps 53. false and floting as S. Augustin said Ps 90.12 Therefore Moses prayed Teach vs oh Lord to number our daies that we may apply our hearts vnto wisdome And how should we number them Not like that foolish Arithmetician the rich man by many yeeres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iob 14.1 but as Iob doth according to the words in the Originall by a few short daies Why should any one make reckoning of this tarying Basil Hexam Hom. 5. when as Vna nox vna febris vna pleuritis One nights sicknesse one poore feuer or pleurisie may end this life Eccl. 1.4 One generation passeth and another succeedeth as Solomon faith How many carcases of demolished Cities may we see wherein multitudes of people inhabited How many worlds of people hauing taried here for a while are swept away by death like the gathering Hoste of Dan What greater folly therefore then to be prodigall in measuring that time which is not in our disposing How much better shall we doe How much happier shall we be if we be carefull to employ our pittance fruitfully to the glorie of God and the furtherance of our happie accompt in the day of the Lord The Heathen Philosopher verie worthily taxed this folly Seneca Epi. 22. that Most men desire to liue long few haue care to liue well Cum omnibus contingat bene viuere nulli diu When it is in euerie mans power to liue well but in no man 's to liue long Vt aliquid efficiat quod vita dignum sit Lactan de Opif. Dei cap. 4. A good man may desire to liue long but it must be that he may doe good For therefore indeed saith Chrysostome Deus facit viuere vt illi viuamus Our liues are giuen vs of God that they should be spent in his seruice and to his glorie Otherwise our Morari our tarying is but a Morari with a long syllable as Nero spake in Suetonius Suet in Neron cap. 33. Our daies are spent foolishly and shall end miserably To conclude this point Forasmuch as here is no long tarying why should we dote vpon this transitorie life Is here no abiding Citie Let vs looke for one to come 2. Cor. 5.1 Heb. 13. Shall these earthly tabernacles of ours be destroied Let vs desire that building which is eternall in the Heauens Will the time come that all earthly Kingdomes shall haue their periods and Christ himselfe deliuer vp his Kingdome to the Father 1. Cor. 15.24 Let vs then aspire to that heauenly Kingdome that can neuer be shaken Heb. 12.28 Here indeed is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a tarying but it is with a donec for a short time but there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constant mansions as our Sauiour speakes Luk. 16.9 1. Thes 4.17 Ioh. 14.1 Yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euerlasting habitations There 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we shall euer be with the Lord in whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy Psal 16. and at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore And that I may end this point with S. De ciuitate Dei lib. 22. cap. 30. Augustins words Quis alius noster est finis nisi peruenire ad regnum cuius nullus est finis To what end doe we liue but that after our tarying here we may come to that Kingdome that shall neuer end Iohns tarying limited 3. TIll I come I may say for the meaning of these words Quot homines tot sententiae So many men so many seuerall opinions Some by this donec till I come vnderstand Christs comming at the end of the world And that hath beene the ground of a vulgar but senselesse error Namely that Iohn the Euangelist is yet aliue Beda de tēpore whereas he dyed in peace the 98 yeere of his life at Ephesus Yea some there haue beene who vnder the colour of this exposition haue taken vpon them the person of S. Iohn As that late Impostor of France did Beza refert Annot. in Ioh. 21. and was therefore iustly burned at Tolouse Some vnderstand it of Christs comming to Iohn by summoning him to his death which if it be meant of death in generall without any difference between the manner and meanes of such death must needs be a groundlesse construction For so Christ came to all his Disciples whereas this comming implies something more then ordinarie Diuers other conceites there are concerning this comming of Christ which are not worthy the repeating much lesse the refuting I may say of this question August in Ioh. trac 46. as S. Augustine speakes vpon the like I will in this deepe question deliuer what to me seemes right reseruing to euerie one what likes him best Now for clearing of this place other Scriptures will yeeld vs light They are like the Cherubims Exod. 25.20 that looked one on another Exod. 25. And those that had their wings ioyned one in another Ezech. 1. Ezech. 1.9 They are like so many sweet Instruments according in one note of truth S.
THE SINNERS ACQVITTANCE A Checke to Curiositie The safest Seruice Deliuered in three Sermons at the Court. BY IOHN DENISON Doctor of Diuinity and one of his Maiesties Chaplaines then in Attendance LONDON Printed by IOHN LEGATT and are to be sold by Iohn Budge at the signe of the Greene Dragon in Paules Church-yard 1624. THE SINNERS ACQVITTANCE A Sermon preached before the KING at Greenewich May 4. 1623. BY IOHN DENISON Doctor of Diuinity and one of his Maiesties Chaplaines LONDON Printed by IOHN LEGATT and are to be sold by Iohn Budge at the signe of the Greene Dragon in Pauls Church-yard 1624. TO THE RIGHT Honourable and Reuerend Father in GOD IOHN Lord Bishop of Lincolne Lord Keeper of the Great Seale of England and one of His Maiesties most Honourable Priuy Counsell RIght Honourable and Reuerend I presumed long since instead of a better present Lord Elsmere Lord Chancelor of England to Dedicate my Act Sermon to that noble Lord my honourable Master who now rests in peace and found acceptance Whom me thinkes J see in part described when I reade that of Posseuin concerning the excellent Historian Thucydides who is stiled by him Posseuin de Historicis Sect. 2. Acutus concitatus neruosus densus solidus sapiens And I may adde that which was eminent in that noble Lord an especiall note of solide iudgement his Constancie For as Tully speakes of Cato grauitatem perpetua constantia roborauit Cicero de Offic. lib. 1. He was not like Alcibiades in conciliandis amicitijs quam in retinendis vir melior But did ratherimitate that famous Emperour Augustus Caesar Sueton. in August Caesar Cap. 66. Qui amicitias neque facilè admisit constantissime retinuit But that which did crowne all his naturall and morall parts was his pious care and courses in furnishing the Lords vineyard with good labourers For he conferred not preferments for gaine but freely and nobly And that which was extraordinarily honourable hee rather enquired after well deseruing men then stayed till be was sued to I write what some others haue done and many I doubt not wil ingenuously acknowledge Now your Lordship hauing beene to that noble Lord absit inuidia verbo like the beloued Disciple to our Sauiour Saint Iohn conuersing with him in matters diuine and humane and succeeding him both in the seat and actions of Honour with generall applause I haue beene emboldened to present vnto your Lordship these Sermons which many my worthy friends in Court haue much desired and to whom for the publishing of them I am by promise ingaged The God of heauen multiplie his blessings vpon you to the good of this Church and Common-wealth Your Lordships humbly deuoted Iohn Denison THE SINNERS ACQVITTANCE A Sermon preached before the King at GREENEWICH May. 4. 1623. ISAI 53.4 Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrowes WE reade in the first of Samuel and the ninth 1 Sam. 9.9 that the Prophets in ancient time were called Seers because that from that watch-tower of diuine speculation they saw that which others saw not Hierom. ad Paulin. or as Saint Hierom saith Eum quem caeteri non videbant Him whom others saw not Amongst the Prophets some were more eminent and excellent then others and amongst them all none comparable to the Prophet Isaiah who was amongst the Prophets 1 Sam. 9.2 like Saul amongst the Israelites higher then the rest by the shoulders vpward It is said of Abraham Iohn 8.56 that he saw our Sauiours dayes and so did Isaiah who albeit he liued aboue sixe hundred yeares before Christ was borne doth set forth his birth life and death so liuely as though hee had seen all things acted and accomplished before his eyes Hieron quo supra Insomuch that S. Hierom saith Non tam Propheta dicendus sit quam Euangelista He may rather be called an Euangelist then a Prophet and may seeme rather to haue written a History then a Prophesie whereof this which I haue read may be called an Abstract it is indeed an Epitome of the Gospell It may be fitly diuided into a Preface and a propheticall History Generall diuision The Preface is briefe in this one word Surely The History is not long it containes but fiue words in the Hebrew and not many you see in the English Hee hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrowes The Preface is briefe but materiall it giues assurance of the truth of the History which one fitly compares to the eyes of a man For Polybius as the eyes of a man put out leaue the body a meere truncke so the truth remooued from an History leaues it a vaine discourse The History is not long but full it containes matter admirable lamentable comfortable Admirable in respect of him who is the glory of the History euen the Lord of glory Lamentable in regard of what he sustained that is infirmities sorrowes Comfortable in respect of them for whom hee bare them they were our infirmities our sorrowes I may say of this Scripture in S. Chrysostomes words Chrys in Gen. hom 8. Etsi verba sint pauca magnus tamen thesaurus in illis est reconditus Though the words be few yet they containe a great deale of rich treasure This sentence is like Iacobs Ladder wee cannot spare one round of it It is a golden sentence and the least parcell thereof is more worth then all the gold of Ophir Wee will therefore diligently search the minde The Preface ANd first to beginne with the Preface The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surely may be either Vox distinguentis or asseuerantis either a word of distinction or asseueration A word of distinction and so the vulgar Translater may seeme to haue taken it for he renders it verè tulit Hee hath truely borne our infirmities The Priests in the time of the Law were said to beare the sinnes of the people Leuit. 10.17 But they bare them typically he truely hee bare them not in figure but in fact not in type but in truth Againe hee bare them not imaginariè imaginarily and in outward appearance onely Tertul. aduers Marc. 4.8 August de haeres ad quodvul har 46. as the absurd Manichees and Marcion held but as he was a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in nature and truth as Damascen saith so did he beare our infirmities and carry our sorrowes verè sicut verus homo truely as being truely a man Aquin. in loc as Aquinas interprets the word It was not with our Sauiour as with the three Children in the third of Daniel who came forth of the fiery furnace Dan. 3.17 not hauing their haire sindged Plutarch in vita Coriol nor their garmēts changed But rather as Coriolanus multas ostenderet cicatrices could shew many Cicatrices of the wounds receaued in the warres So our blessed Sauiour could giue the like demonstratiue satisfaction to the most incredulous Thomas
not see death So those that walke with Christ in these holy pathes shall be partakers of eternall life according to that in the twelfth of Iohn Ioh. 12.26 If any man serue me let him follow me for where I am there shall also my seruant be As he that followes some great Riuer shall by it be guided to the Sea So those that follow Christ shall by him be conducted to the Ocean of eternall felicitie And so our Sauiour told his Disciples and that with an asseueration for ratification Verely I say vnto you Mat. 19.28 that when the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne of his Maiestie you that haue followed me in the regeneration shall sit also vpon Thrones and iudge the twelue Tribes of Israel Application THus haue you heard the matters the manner the motiues for our following of Christ Now it remaines that I conclude all with some words of application and so finish my speech S. Augustines discourse in his seuenth Sermon De Verbis Domini Ordine ali quantulum mutato shall be my ground There were saith Saint Augustine three men of seuerall dispositions and inclinations that came to Christ with whom he dealt accordingly 1 Vnus differebat culpatus est One deferred to follow him and he was blamed So are there many that deferre and neglect this following of Christ Some intend to become his followers but they put it off till sicknesse or old age seaze vpon them till Sinne and Satan hath cassiered them and they are able to do Christ little seruice Some there are who doe totally neglect this following of Christ They are entertained by the Flesh the World and the Deuill yea any thing but Christ though the waies wherein they walke yeeld nothing but vanitie and miserie Thus the young man in the Prouerbes followes the strange woman Prou. 7.22 like a foole to the stockes and an oxe to the slaughter till a dart strike through his Liuer Thus Demas imbracing the world 2 Tim. 4.10 forsooke the Apostles Thus riches caried away the man that ran to Christ Marke 10.22 For when he had giuen him histaske he became a flincher went away sorrowfull Caroclamat ego inficiam Diabolus clamat ego decipiam mundus clamat ego deficiam Ego reficiam But what can these Masters promise to their followers Only that which S. Bernard mentions The world it cries I will faile thee the Deuill he cries I will deceiue thee the Flesh it cries I will infect thee But come to me saith Christ and I will refresh thee Satan is a master like Pharaoh Exod. 5.14 who set the Israelites all day on worke and scourged them at night For so doth the Deuill employ his Vassals in the workes of iniquity in the time of their life but at the day of their death rewards them with the scourges of a troubled Conscience at the day of Iudgement with hellish torments To Witches and such other wretches he promiseth faire but the end is cōmonly a shamefull death to their bodies eternal condemnation to their Soules The world is a master like Laban Gen. 31.41 that changed Iacobs wages ten times and would haue sent him away emptie Who would serue that master which will keepe him hard in toyling and in the end strip him out of all he hath and turne him away naked Behold the world is such a master 1 Tim. 6.7 for as wee brought nothing into the world so it is certaine that we can carie out nothing Naked came wee out of our mothers wombes Iob 1.21 and naked must we returne againe Saladine at his funerall had one going before his corps who carrying his shart vpon a launce cried Saladine that Conqueror of Asia caries nothing with him but this Plat. in vit Clem 3. Ier. 2.13 The greatest Monarches as that great Saladine did well consider haue only a winding sheet or peraduenture some Monument a meere monument of the worlds vanitie mans mortalitie I may truly say therefore that those who leaue Christ Iesus to follow the world the Flesh or the Deuil commit those two euils that Ieremie mentions They leaue the Fountaine of liuing waters to dig to themselues broken Cisternes that can hold no water 2 Alius se obtulit reprobatus est Another offered to follow Christ and he was reiected And indeed such bad followers our Sauiour hath many Some respectu formae some respectu finis Some in respect of the forme some of the ends As it was in the daies of his infirmitie so is it now in the daies of his maiestie Some followed him for by-respects some for bad respects Some followed him to entangle him as the Herodians Mat. 22.16 Some to betray him as Iudas Mat. 26.15 Some only to gaine by him as those that followed him for the loaues the fishes Iohn 6.26 Christ hath some followers that are like Comets they are not fixed by a liuely Faith in Christ the Sphere of holines but are caried about with an vncertain motion according to some star which rules them they vanish accordingly Againe some there are which faile in the manner of their following As S. Bernard speakes of praying so may I say of their following Bern. de quaedrages Ser. 4. Some follow Christ timidè some tepidè some temerariè 1. Some follow him timidè fearfully As Peter did when he was led to Annas Caiphas Iohn 3.2 As Nicodemus that came to him by night He durst not be seene to be a follower of Christ And those rulers in the 12 of S. Iohn which beleeued in him Iohn 12.42 but were afraid to confesse him Thus euerie little rub turnes them aside whilest they say A Lyon is in the way Prou 26.13 A Lyon is in the streetes These are like those Israelites who liked well of the Land of Canaan Numb 13.33 but were afraid of the Anakims It was a iust recōpence that they neuer entred into it Reu. 3. 2. Some follow Christ tepidè coldly like the Church of Laodicea These are like Solomons sluggard Prou 13. Vult non vult piger He could be content to follow Christ but he cannot abide to take too much paines These follow Christ so as that they were as good to stay behind he had rather haue their roome then their cōpany He that wil be a welcome follower of Christ Acts 11.23 must as Barnabas exhorted with full purpose of heart cleaue vnto the Lord. Cant. 1.3 He must say with the Spouse in the Canticles Draw me we will run after thee And be resolute with Ioshua Iosh 24.15 Chuse you this day whom you will serue but I and mine house will serue the Lord. 3. Some follow Christ temerariè rashly Some march furiously with Iehu An. dom 1535 Sleidon Com. lib. 10. As the Anabaptists did in horrible vprores combustions in Germany The Papists
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee hath borne yet doth it in the Hebrew For the one signifies Onus ipsum tollere the other Onus impositum goe stare as a learned linguist distinguisheth them Pagim that is to take vp a burden to beare a burden imposed and so both words may be well applyed to our Sauiour Christ For tulit he tooke vpon him the burden voluntarily Hieron in Esai 53. Crucem sustinuit voluntate non necessitate His death on the Crosse was voluntary not of necessitie according to his words in the tenth of Iohn Ioh 10.18 No man taketh my life from me but I lay it downe for my sheepe And portauit he carried the burden imposed as it is in the sixt verse of this chapter The Lord hath laid vpon him the iniquitie of vs all Thus as Saint Paul saith Rom. 8.32 God gaue Christ for vs Rom. Gal. 2.20 8. And Christ also gaue himselfe for vs Gal. 2. So may it be said that God laid the burthen vpon Christ and that Christ also tooke vp the burden For here mercy and truth met together Psal 85.10 God exacting our debt as a strict creditor and Christ discharging it as a cheerefull Redeemer And so saith S. Bernard Bern. panos Hebd ser 4. Christus inuita passivam habuit actionem in morte passionem activam sustinuit As Christ had a passiue action in his life so had he an actiue passion in his death it was voluntary His Burdens NOw to the burdens he beare and carried they were infirmities and sorrowes The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infirmities signifies any corporall paine or anguish proceeding from some part that is smitten or hurt As in the tenth verse it is said Mich. 6.13 The Lord would breake or bruise him to make him subiect to infirmities and in the sixt of Michea I will make thee sicke with smiting Thus our Sauiours body was subiect Laesioni sensui laesionis both to outward violence and to the sense of it Though not respectu primae causae Aquin. par 3. quae 15 art 5. yet propinquae as the Schooleman saith Not in respect of sin inherent but in respect of the principles of nature For he voluntarily tooke such a body as was subiect to hurt and consequently to paine The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports some sensible sorrow or anguish of the soule As his body was subiect to corporall afflictions Tulit corporis sensus animi affectus Leo de passione serm 7. Hier. in Loc. so was his soule to sorrowfull affections And so S. Hierome distinguisheth these words Corpus habuit flagellatum animum verè doluisse c. As his body was scourged so his soule was grieued and this griefe was exceeding great Euen a sword of sorrow did pierce through his soule as Simeon spake of the blessed virgin in the second of Saint Luke Therfore he is called Vir dolorum A man of sorrowes Verse 3. of this chapter which Hebrew phrase imports extreame sorrow like that vir sanguinum a bloody man 2. Sam. 16.8 and surely his sorrow was exceeding great as his mournefull speech doth manifest My soule is very sorrowfull Mark 14.34 euen to the death Therefore the ancient fathers haue applyed to him Ierusalems mournefull complaint in the first of the Lamentations of Ieremy Lam. 1.12 Was there euer sorrow like my sorrow Ierusalems sorrow might be such in her apprehension as could not be matched but our Sauiours was such in the truth of comparison as could not be paralleld The Euangelists doe expresse this anguish of our Sauiours soule by diuers pressing words Math. 26.38 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be sorrowfull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be grieuously troubled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be sore amazed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His sorrow was an immediate stroke vpon the soule according to the etymon of the word It is said in the tenth verse that God strooke him and so did the Iewes they strooke his body in malice towards him God strooke his soule in mercy towards vs. Iob complaines in his sixt chapter Iob 6.4 The terrors of the Lord doe set themselues in aray against me And so doth our Sauiour in the fourteenth of Marke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mar. 14.34 My soule is inuironed with sorrow on euery side Such was the sorrow of our Sauiour it was an immediate passion of the soule As his soule did suffer by way of sympathy when his body was tormented so did his body when his soule was wounded For when he sweat droppes of blood no hand of externall violence came neere him it was the anguish of soule that cast him into that bloody sweat And this was necessary For as S. Augustin saith Totus homo perijt totus saluatore indiguit As Adam sinned both in body and soule so he needed a Sauiour both of body and soule which that Christ might be it was necessary that he should suffer both in bodie and soule And as the soule of Adam sinned by immediate action so the soule of Christ suffered by an immediate passion Yea as the soule was the first agent in the transgression so is it here the first patient in the affliction For the first act of this Tragedie was in the garden of Gethsemane and there did that anguish seaze vpon his soule before the speare or nailes or thornes did touch him And whence proceeded this sorrow and anguish but from the immediate hand of God that strooke him Otherwise it were strange that our Sauiour should be brought into this extreamitie Is it credible as S. Austin saith August in Psal 93. Vt Paulus servus exultet Christus Imperator tristis sit that Paul the seruant should triumph Christ the Lord should bee troubled in sustaining of torments were it not that both the hand of God and man was vpon him Now how farre this stroke of God and sorrow of our Sauiour proceeded it is beyond the apprehension of men yea the contemplation of Angels It grieues my soule to see how some doe extenuate others doe aggrauate it It shall be our modesty not to attempt the gaging of it our happinesse that we neuer feele it For whom Christ bare these burdens VVE are in the next place to consider for whom our Sauiour bare these infirmities and sorrowes and the affix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ours doth appropriate them they were our infirmities our sorrowes they were ours by way of appropriation though his by way of imputation Peccat Aemylius Rutilius plectitur Wee sinned and hee was punished We as sheepe went astray Esay 53.6 7. hee as a sheepe was brought to the slaughter Doles domine non tua sed mea vulnera O blessed Lord saith S. Ambrose they were not thy wounds Ambr. de fide lib. 2. cap 3. 2 Cor. 5.23 but mine that caused thy anguish He knew no sin saith the Apostle neither was
there guile found in his mouth Esay 53.9 saith the Prophet Maxim Taur Quadra ser 1. Eum nullum maculauit delictū He was free from the least blot of sinne figured in the Lambe without spot Exod. 12.5 And therfore he might boldly make that challenge to the faces of his greatest aduersaries Iohn 8.46 Which of you can rebuke mee of sinne Such was the innocency of our Sauiour Ab omnibus accepit testimonium Iren. lib. 4. ca. 14. Luke 23.46 as Iraeneus saith that he had the testimonies of all men of all sorts The Heauens were darkned as being abashed to behold the Lord of glory so abased Mat. 27.51 The earth trembled as being afraid to beare those miscreants by whom innocency should indure such iniury God from heauen proclaimed more then once Mat. 3.17 17.5 This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased Infinite are the passages where men of all sorts doe publish and applaud his innocency The Angell Gabriel spake thus of him to the blessed Virgin That holy thing that shall be borne of thee Luke 1.35 shall be called the Sonne of God The Deuils thus confessed him Marke 1.24 I know thee who thou art euen the holy one of God Isay 53.11 1 Iohn 2.2 His friends as Isaiah the Prophet and S. Iohn the Euangelist doe stile him the iust the righteous His foes indeuoured by all the engines that wit or malice deuise to fasten some accusation vpon him but in vaine Mat. 26.60 His acquaintance did iustifie him for so S. Peter who was well acquainted with innocency obiected to the Iewes You haue denied the holy one Acts 3.14 the iust Strangers did acquite him as Pilates wife in her monitory message Mat. 27.19 Haue nothing to doe with that iust man and Pilate himselfe professed freely Luke 23.4 I finde no fault in this man Thus our blessed Sauiour had all the testimonies of his innocency that heauen or earth God or man Angels or Diuels friends or foes acquaintance or strangers could yeeld So that these infirmities and sorrowes were ours They were ours yet his too ours as I said by way of appropriation his by way of imputation and expiation as it is in the 8. verse of this Chapter Fulgent ad Thrasimund lib. 3. For the transgression of my people was hee smitten Quoniam peccata non habuit propria portare dignatus est aliena He that had no sinnes of his owne vouchsafed to beare the sinnes of others saith Fulgentius It was necessary that our Sauiour Christ should be free from sinne for had he beene a sinner he could not haue beene a Sauiour But now He that knew no sinne being made sinne for vs we thereby are made the righteousnesse of God in him Infirmitas mortalitas recepta sunt ad supplicium vt impenderentur ad precium Leo de Resur ser 2. 1 Pet. 3.18 2 Cor. 5.23 As our infirmities were his punishment so are they our payment My righteous seruant saith the Lord shall iustifie many verse 11. and therefore iustified because righteous According to that of S. Peter Christ suffered for vs the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs to God That hee might so bring vs to God that wee might in this life be partakers of his grace and of eternall glory in the life to come Marchants vse to share in their paines their gaines their losses but behold Christ hath taken the paines sate downe by the losse and yeeld vs the gaine the benefit There is yet one little spring more to be opened which hath not fallen into the streame of our translation Chrys in Rom. hom 31. Si aurifusorum pueri c. If Goldfiners diligently seeke and gather together the least parcels of gold I see no reason why we should neglect the least particle in this golden sentence Here is the affix am those and the accent Athnah which as Grammarians say Lift vp the syllable doth attollere syllabam teaching vs that in the consideration of our Sauiours sufferings we should raise vp our meditations to the highest pitch Hee bare those our infirmities those which were exceeding pressing those which no tongue is able to expresse for Hic omnis lingua silet Barn de quad debit Euery tongue must be mute as Bernard saith Those which all the men and Angels in heauen and earth were not able to beare those which his humane nature could neuer haue sustained had it not beene supported by his diuine power Max. Taur Patitur vt homo vincit vt Deus though he suffer as man he conquers as being God How when and where Christ bare these infirmities and sorrowes HItherto wee haue opened the springs now we will consider the streames In Histories the vbi quando quomodo are very remarkable circumstances Therefore wee will briefly obserue how where and when our Sauiour bare our infirmities and carried our sorrowes in three especiall passages that is in his birth life and death In his incarnation his passion his compassion 1. 1. In his Incarnation Phil. 2.7 In his incarnation hee was exceedingly debased Hee that was equall to God made himselfe of no reputation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee emptied himselfe as it were of his excellent glory when hee tooke vpon him our humane condition Heb. 2.16 Hee in no sort tooke on him the nature of Angels saith the Apostle neither tooke hee the excellent estate of Adam Hee tooke not vpon him the glorious estate of the Angels for then where had beene our greatest comfort He tooke not the excellent state of Adam for then where had beene his abundant loue But as S. Bern. in Epiph. ser 1. Bernard saith Suscipiendo miseriam ostendit misericordiam In taking our miserable condition he doth manifest his mercy and compassion He was made like vnto vs in all things except sinne Heb. 4.15 And that indeed is iustly excepted for Assumpsit carnem August in Psal 142. Rom. 8.3 non iniquitatem though hee tooke the similitude of sinnefull flesh yet hee tooke not the sinne of the flesh As Physitions by correcting their ingrediences doe take away their malignant quality and make the medicine healthfull So the Holy Ghost in the conception of Christ did vtterly take away the aduentitious iniquity sanctifie the naturall infirmities that no euill might cleaue vnto them Christ was subiect to infirmities both of body and soule Not to euery particular infirmitie as agues aches gouts and the like For such comming ex mala temperie vel intemperantia either by distemper or an ill temperature he was not subiect to them He bare the naturall infirmities not the personall As Chrysostome saith Quae communem naturam invaserant those that are incident to the common nature of mankinde those he tooke He was hungry for so we reade Matth. 4. thirstie Iohn 19. sleepie Matth. 8. wearie Iohn 4. In his soule he was
the next verse He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and by his stripes we are healed Some write of the Pelican that her yong ones being dead she bathes them in her blood and so restores them to life How true that is I know not but sure I am that as S. Hierome saith Christus suo vulnere nostra vulnera curauit Christs wounds haue cured ours For so saith the Prophet Verse 5. By his stripes we are healed his infirmities and weakenesse are our strength his sorrowes our ioy our comfort He that bare our infirmities and carried our sorrowes pitties vs when infirmities or sorrowes doe seaze vpon vs. Cyprian Epi. 9. Luctatur in nobis he wrestles for vs with vs in vs. He takes to heart the afflictions of his Church and as though he were wounded thorow her sides he cries out Saul Saul Act. 9.4 why persecutest thou me He is sensible of our afflictions Heb. 4.15 For we haue not a high Priest which cannot he touched with feeling of our infirmities He might say Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco For so saith the Apostle In that Christ himselfe hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Hebr. 2.18 Againe who can read this Storie without indignation towards the Iewes the cruell Actors in this dolefull Tragedie He shed teares of pittie for them they like pittilesse wretches shed his precious blood He turned their water into wine they turned his wine into gall and vineger He had an Ignosce for them Forgiue them Bern. Ser. 4. Hebd panos they a Crucisige for him He gaue health to their sicke life to their dead they in stead of requitall took away his life and put him to death May not I say in the Prophets wordes Ier. 2.12 O ye heauens be astonied at this be affraide and vtterly confounded Againe who can read this Storie of our Sauiours passion without compassion towards him Zach. 12.10 They shall looke vpon him whom they haue pierced and they shall lament for him saith the Prophet Can a man behold or heare that his honourable friend hath been buffited scourged and put to extreme tortures for his sake and not be touched with compassion Luke 10.31 Shall we be like the Priest and the Leuite that passed by the wounded man without pittie Shall we say with those wretches concerning the shedding of our Sauiours innocent blood Mat. 27.4 Quid ad nos What is that to vs Then may he verie iustly take vp that expostulation in the Lamentations of Ieremie Lam. 1.12 Haue you no regard all you that passe by the way Behold was there euer sorrow like my sorrow Thus farre euen a meere naturall man may be mooued and affected with this Storie he may be stirred vp to admiration entertaine consolation be moued to indignation touched with compassion when he hath done all this he hath but viewed the couer of the Booke There are other effects which the meditation of this Storie must worke vpon our affections and in our actions 1 This dolefull Storie must strike our hearts with compunction without which we cannot haue sound consolation When the tender hearted women of Ierusalem bewailed and lamented our Sauiour as he went to be crucified he said vnto them Daughters of Ierusalem Luk. 23.28 weepe not for me but weepe for your selues and for your children So should we bewaile our sinfull condition the cause of our Sauiours infirmities and sorrowes Luk. 23.48 With should with those good people that saw his passion Luk. 18.13 strike our breasts and say with the Publican God be mercifull to me a sinner Chrysost de Passio Hom. 5. For In spinis illis eum peccata nostra pungebant Our sinnes did pierce him in the Crowne of Thornes and is it not reason that our hearts should be pierced with remorse for our sinnes It is not the weeping ouer a Crucifixe that Christ requires at our hands but rather that we be crucified with him as the Apostle speakes Gal. 2.20 that is as he interprets himselfe Gal. 5.24 that we crucifie the affections of the flesh with the lustes thereof Prote Dei filius ingulatus est Orig. Hom. 2. in Leuit. iterum te peccare delectat The Son of God was wounded for thee and canst thou yet delight in sinne He hath borne a heauie burthen of infirmities and sorrowes and shall we load him with new burthens God forbid For what were this but with the Souldier to strike him to the heart and as much as in vs lies Heb. 6. to crucifie him againe The serious meditation of Christs passion if we be not gracelesse will be a restraint of sinne 2 Againe as the Storie calls for our compunction August de Pastore cap. 5. so doth it for our sanctification Haec omnia ille pro te tu nihil pro illo saith Saint Augustin Hath Christ done and indured all this for thee and wilt thou doe nothing for him This were odious ingratitude Take my yoke vpon you saith Christ Mat. 11. And it is verie reasonable that as he hath taken the yoke and burthen of punishment from our shoulders so we should willingly carie the burthen of obedience especially if we consider the difference of these burthens Ours laid vpon him was verie ponderous yea so heauie it was that it made him sweat vnder it His is light as it is in the 11 of Mathew Mat. 11.33 Yea Psal 119.32 so light that a man whose heart is sanctified may runne vnder it And wee must take vp Christs burthen willingly beare it cheerfully as he did ours That we may say with him Psal 40.7 In the volume of thy booke it is written of me that I should doe thy will I will doe it with all my heart 3. Againe if it please God to lay vpon vs the burden of infirmities sorrowes sicknesse this may teach vs patience Barn paru ser serm 11. Prius bibit potionem quà m parauit suis Christ hath begun to vs in the cup of sorrows and shall we think much to pledge him His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his patience in his passion must bee our instruction And indeed when we are oppressed with sorrow smitten with paine or cast vpon the bed of our sicknesse what meditation comparable to this to lighten the burden of infirmities and sorrowes and to sweeten the bitternesse of paine and anguish Did my blessed Sauiour who was holy and innocent indure such intollerable torments for my sake And shall I repine or be impatient when it pleaseth God to afflict me What are my greatest afflictions to the paines of his passion The time will come when paines or sicknesse are vpon vs that we shall need this Cordiall it shall be our happinesse to haue it in a readinesse
Israel to consider the great things the Lord hath done for them As 1. Sam. 12.24 when Elias had cast his mantle ouer Elizeus he followed him so should we follow our blessed Sauiour who hath couered our iniquiries with the mantle of his merits Thus Marie Magdelen hauing receiued by him the pardon of her sinnes and comfort to her soule followed him to his Crosse to his graue and neuer left him till he left the world 2 The second motiue is à periculo For the neglect of this is full of preiudice and danger The Lord threatened the Israelites 1. Reg. 9.6 1. Reg. 9.6 That if they turned away from him he would cast them out of that Land he had giuen them As appeareth Cap. 11. The wofull accomplishment whereof they found by experience And no meruaile that such a mans case is dangerous for he is like the Souldier that flies from his Captaine into the Campe of the Enemie He exposeth himselfe to a double miserie First he is in the hands of Satan a deadly Enemie And albeit he may for a time be entertained kindly into his Campe Iudg. 4.18.21 as Sisera was into Iaels Tent yet let him looke for a hammer a naile which will fasten him to a wofull condition Againe as such a reuolting Souldier by his flying looseth the protection of his Captaine So this poore Soule by his flinching is depriued of that comfortable protection which he should haue by Iesus Christ according to the words of Azariah 2 Chro. 15.2 The Lord is with you whilest you are with him but if you forsake him he will forsake you Yea he not onely looseth that comfortable protection but incurres also Christs heauie indignation As it was with the Israelites when they reuolted so will it be with him Whither soeuer they went Iudg. 2.15 the hand of the Lord was against them 3 The third motiue is à beneficio From the benefit we shall receiue by following Christ in these pathes of holinesse and righteousnesse 1 And first these pathes are comfortable This Peter knew well For when our Sauiour seeing many of his followers become flinchers said to the twelue Disciples Iohn 6.68 Will you also goe away Peter answered Master to whom should we goe Thou hast the words of eternall Life As if he should say God forbid we should forsake thee for then we may say farewell to all our hope of eternall happines Yea this following of Christ yeelds comfort both in health and sicknes in life and death Iob 23.11 Thus did Iob comfort himselfe in the middest of all his afflictions My foot hath followed his steps his way haue I kept and not declined 2 Reg. 20.3 And so did Hezechiah on his sicke bed Remember I beseech thee O Lord that I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart haue done that which is good in thy sight Thus when all other comforts faile Conscientia bene actae vitae This shall be the only comfort of euerie good Christian that hee hath beene a fathfull follower of Christ Iesus Secondly As these pathes are comfortable so are they honourable De Aduent Dom. serm 6. Non erit tibi indignum sequi auctorem tuum saith Bernard yea It shall be thy happinesse to follow thy founder and Maker If wee esteeme it our honour to be the followers of mightie Princes how much more to follow Christ Reu. 19.16 The King of Kings If the Queene of Sheba pronounced them happie 1 Reg. 10.8 who attended vpon Solomon a prudent and a potent King how much more are we blessed in waiting vpon Christ Iesus who is Omnipotent Math. 28.18 and In whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Col. 2.3 Eccl. 23.28 It is great glorie saith the Son of Syrach to follow the Lord. Math. 11.30 August de temp ser 182. Christ tels vs that his yoke is easie Iugum eius merito est suaue cui scruire est regnare saith S. Austin His yoke is light and sweet indeed whom to serue is to raign as Kings And for our comfort and incouragement in following of Christ behold the Saints of God who as a cloud of witnesses are gon before vs. Heb. 12. We haue their worthy examples for our direction wee haue their prayers for our safe conuoye and their expectation for our happie arriuall Againe these pathes are the pathes of safetie A good way and a good guid are great comforts to a traueller and this is our comfort in following Christ Ioh. 14.6 For he himselfe is our way and our guid He is the way Iohn 8.12 the truth and the life He is the light of the world he that followeth him shall not walke in darkenesse but shall haue the light of life Prou. 14.12 There is a way saith Solomon that seemes good to a man in his owne eyes but the issue thereof is death But these pathes are the pathes of life Prou. 12.28 We say that hee which walkes in the kings high way walkes safely for he is vnder the Kings protection And such is his case that followes Christ in these pathes of holinesse and righteousnesse he is in the high way to Heauen and hath a Diuine protection as it is written in the 91. Psalme Ps 91.11 He shall giue his Angels charge ouer thec to keepe thee in all thy waies that thou dash not thy foot against a stone It is verie obserueable throughout the sacred Story of the Euangelists Marke 8.2 Et passim that our Sauiour had a continuall care that none who followed him should want Yea he that at the time of his apprehension had not a word of defence for himselfe had a Sinite hos abire for his Disciples Let these depart Ioh. 18.8 And it was his great glorie that hee could say Iohn 17.12 Those that thou hast giuen me I haue kept none of them is lost but the child of perdition And hee was that trecherous Souldier I spake of 4 Lastly as these pathes are the pathes of safetie so are they the pathes of felicitie The Lord takes it verie kindly at the hands of the Israelites as wee see in the second of Ieremie Ier. 2.2 I remember the kindnesse of thy youth and the loue of thy mariage when thou wentest after me in the wildernesse Bernard Eius reminisci est remunerari His kind remembrance imports a recompence saith Bernard And no maruaile for Masters that are of a noble and generous disposition will not suffer their seruants to be vnrewarded much lesse will Christ Iesus The Lord said of Caleb that to him he would giue the Land of Canaan Deut. 1.36 because he had constantly followed the Lord. And so shall those who are constant followers of Christ possesse the celestial Canaan the Kingdome of Heauen As Henoch walked with God Heb. 11.5 and was translated that he should
who in Q. Maries daies breathed out nothing but fire fagots In Q. Elizabeths Pistols poisons And in the raign of our gracious soueraign fire and gunpowder Some inconsideratly betake themselues to be Christs followers but like foolish builders Luke 14.28 not counting what it may cost them they sit downe with disgrace when the parching sun of persecution or affliction comes vpon them Mat. 13.6 like the stony ground they wither away Some againe are so rash that they do Antecedere Christum Aug. in Ps 62. as S. Aug. saith Whereas they should follow Christ they goe before him Such as follow their own inuentions rather then diuine direction Such as haue zeale without discretion and iudgement that thrust their sickles into other mens haruests and run beyond the bounds of their calling as many priuate men who are very forward about the reformation of the Church yea before themselues be reformed Those that would be welcome to Christ must follow him boldly yet without presumption zealously yet without contention discreetly without precipitation Thirdly saith S. Austin Alius non audebat et excitatus est One dared not to follow Christ he was incouraged I doubt not but it fares with many as it did with that man Confessionum Lib. 7. 8. S. Austin confesseth that he himselfe was much perplexed when he was entring into religion He thought thus with himselfe what shal become of me when I become a professor of the Gospel I shall lose all my delights pleasures what comfort then shall I haue of my life But it pleased God that these mistes did vanish and he found more true comfort to his soule after he became a constant follower of Christ then euer he did before Insomuch that he could say forth of experience Aug. in Ps 117. Dulcioros sunt lachrymae orantium quà m gaudia theatrorum Euen the teares of a Christian shed in the middest of his prayers are sweeter then the ioyes and delights of the theaters Beloued Bonum Dominum habemus Amb. mentioned by Poss in vita August why should any one be discouraged to become a follower of Christ nay why should not euerie one be incouraged seeing he is such a good master as will not faile to reward his seruants aboundantly Reu. 22.12 Behold saith Christ I come shortly and my reward is with me to giue euerie man according to his workes If you remember consider the motiues you need no further incouragement The paths wherein you are to walke are comfortable and honorable they are the pathes of safetie eternall felicitie feare not neglect not therfore to follow Christ though it be through fire and water Your iourney may peraduenture cost you some paines cares teares yea fightings without 2 Cor. 7.5 terrors within but the end shal be ioyful comfortable Heauen shall be your habitation for Christ is gone before to prepare places there for his followers and there you shall enioy his blessed presence bee partakers of such ioyes as neither eie hath seen nor eare hath heard nor can enter into the heart of man The Lord for his mercies sake giue vs grace to be faithful and constant followers of our Sauiour Christ in the waies of holinesse and righteousnesse that by the merits of his death and passion we may be partakers of eternall blisse and happinesse To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost all honor glorie maiestie and dominion be rendred and ascribed world without end Amen FINIS