before entred together into the High Priests Palace hearing the coast also was clear went with all speed to the place the better to inform themselves and the rest concerning this matter John much younger and outrunning Peter came soonest to the Monument where he stooped down and looked into it and there saw the linnen cloths but proceeded no further till Peter also was arrived who presently according to his usual forwardness went into the cave and S. John after him and observed the linnen cloths decently wrapped-up and the napkin as if taken off his head after them laid in a place by it self and now they began which also his night-cloths thus put off and the linnen not taken away in hast with the Body but so orderly folded up might hint unto them to have the first thoughts of that which our Lord had so often foretold them his Resurrection but yet much checked in it because that if so risen he should no where shew himself to his most Holy Mother to them or others who had so near a relation to him and so they stayed not long here where was no more to be seen for fear of danger but returned hastily to their company much wondring saith St. Luke at that which was to come to pass Our Lord making tryal of the Faith of these two Pillars of the Apostles without either any manifestation of himself or Apparition of an Angel But Mary still thinking the Body taken away and removed some where not far off and desirous to bestow their preparations upon it and for this expecting her companions staid still behind at the Sepulcher weeping and as she was stooping down and looking again into it perhaps upon her discerning some extraordinary light there she saw two Angels arrayed in white and shining Garments well suting to that joyful solemnity and sitting there as if they gave some particular reverence to the place that Sacred Body had touched one at the head and the other at the feet where the Body of our Lord had lain that part of the rock where the Body was placed being left somewhat higher than the rest of the floor who asking why she wept so much in a time indeed of so great joy she not much surprised told them because some person had done violence to the dead and carried away the body of her dear Lord to which she came to perform her last service and duty and before she received any answer from them perhaps seeing some alteration in their gesture upon our Lords approach or hearing some noise of his steps behind her she suddenly turneth her self about and seeing a man whom by his habit or instruments she took to be the Gardiner of that place who also questioned her what she looked for there and why she wept and fancying he might perhaps have thrown out the Body of a criminous person executed by Justice from such a costly Tomb prepared for his own Masters body and suddainly cast there without his order she requested to know where else he had disposed of it and she would carry it away for her love boggled at nothing and none should be further molested by it § 119 Our Lord as it were overcome with pitty and such passionate expressions could refrain no longer but suddainly changing his appearance and shewing himself to her in his own likeness gratiously called her by her name Mary whereat ravished with joy and answering him Rabboni she fell prostrate to adore him and kiss his feet But our Lord to perfect her yet too terrene affections and render them more celestial forbids her present embraces or touching him and signifies to her things most unexpected of his shortly departing hence and ascending to his Father and so commands her without any longer stay to haft presently to his Brethren for so he now stiles his Disciples and to tell them that his Resurrction accomplished he was very shortly to ascend not only to his Father and God but now also theirs through the merit of his Passion that had reconciled the loft world to God but yet disjoining these and saying my Father and your Father because God theirs only derivatively from being his Signifying to her that there was no time yet of fruition and embraces but more business to be done by him for her and for mankind viz. his Ascent to his eternal Father where he was to make an atonement with his blood in the celestial Sanctuary and prepare an entrance also for them in thither where should be the proper time of a beatifical enjoyment kisses and embraces for ever and where he was also to procure of his Father the Mission of the Holy Ghost not to dwell here only with but in them and by enriching them with all heavenly Graces and Gifts prepare them for that heavenly kingdom Thus our Lord so soon as risen pursuing rather the perfection of his servants than their present content began to remove out of their minds the conceit of any terrestrial Scepter and advance their thoughts to a celestial Throne and the knowledg of further mysteries Of which Ascension and Glorification of his as a thing of the greatest consequence and weight he had also spoken often to them before but especially before his passion See John 1.51 3. 13. 13.33 14.2 28. 16.5 17 16 28. 17.5 and having said the former words to her he much contrary to her expectation suddainly disappeared leaving her as overjoyed with his return from Death so a new afflicted with his absence § 120 Which disappearance and so appearing in several shapes as it must be an effect of his divine power either by an alteration of the object or only of the senses for it is said of the Disciples travelling to Emaus that their eyes were held so that they knew him not so how far all glorified Bodyes have such things in their power it is not easy to determine being in their Resurrection as the Apostle saith made Spiritual i. e. resembling in many things Spirits as in their agility and subtility impassibility immortality and splendor or clarity for which see Mat. 13.43 1 Cor. 15.41 43 49. called Glory Phil. 3.21 1 Jo. 3.2 yet of which Clarity it was necessary that our Lord in these his apparitions should divest himself that he might shew himself to his Disciples to have the same Body wherein he suffered and that he might familiarly converse with them and negotiate the business he had yet here to finish on Earth But this state of Glory in him was prerepresented to some persons selected out of them who were after his Resurrection to declare it to the rest Mat. 17.9 before his sufferings at his Transfiguration in the Holy Mount Mat. 17. when his face is said to have shined like the Sun c. But such also after his Resurrection he appeared to Stephen whose face shone like that of Moses from the reflection Act. 6.15 compared with 7.55 and again to S. Paul in the way to Damascus Act. 9.10 so that the Glory quite
his blood to make us friends with God Col. 1.20 See this peace-making explained in his lessons following Mat. 5.24 25 39. c. And the happiness promised to such peace-makers is that they shall be specially called the children of God repeated Mat. 5.45 and see Eph. 4.32 and 5.1 of God who is the great peace-lover and-maker reconciling though by the death of his only Son the world to himself Col. 1.20 and doing good continually even to the unjust and unthankful Mat. 5.45 and that as his children they shall be made Heirs of all things Apoc. 21.7 § 261 Lastly The eight Beatitude is placed after all such peace-keeping with and making between others in suffering through the envy and malice of the world toward all good people many persecutions and hardships Defamations and reproaches for God's and for righteousness sake To which persecuted and sufferers the happiness promised hereafter is an exceeding great and Prophet-like Reward beyond others in the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5.12 § 262 These are our Lords Blessed ones viz. those living here for the present in many secular sufferings mortifications and restraints For such are 1 poverty and 2 mourning and 3 the not thirsting or longing after any earthly contents or satisfactions but after righteousness 4 Humility and meekness and pardoning all offences 5 Charity and distributing what we can spare to others necessities 6 putting up wrongs and keeping peace with and also making peace amongst all men to the uttermost 7 Not as much as indulging our selves the liberty of thinking any evil or harbouring any unlawful lust or displeasure in our heart against our Neighbour And lastly 8 in and for our doing well suffering evil Not that happiness lies in these things for no suffering for the present is joyous but grievous Heb. 12.11 but that for these it is promised us hereafter our then receiving mercy and being satiated and filled our possessing the Kingdom of Heaven inheriting the new Earth Apoc. 21.1 2. Our seeing God and being made his sons and heirs of all things Apoc. 21.7 and especially the persecuted and sufferers here receiving an exceeding great reward there beyond all others § 263 After the eight Beatitudes on the other side in S. Luke chap. 6.22 Our Lord pronounceth four woes 1 To the rich here 2 To the full 3 To the merry and rejoycing 4 To the by-all-well-spoken of honoured and applauded Viz. to such as would place their happiness and seek their content and take out their good things here on earth Woe unto you saith be because ye have already received your Consolation and because hereafter shall follow to you poverty and hunger and thirst and eternal mourning and ignominy as we know was said and happened to the rich man Luk 16 24 25. § 264 Such therefore being the true woes and the other the true Beatitudes of this present life our Lord continued his speech to them that all should endeavour to be rich in heavenly treasures there alwaies preserved and laid up safely for them not labouring for earthly so soon consumed or easily taken from them And that where every ones treasure is there will also his heart and affections be And therefore these their affections not set on heaven where they ought alwaies to have bin if their treasures be on earth and that according as these affections are rightly or otherwise disposed so will all their affairs go well or miscarry as the eye-sight bad the whole Body walkes in darkness That there is no serving two Contrary Masters but that in satisfying one they must displease the other Therefore that they should lay aside all careful thought for the things of this world for their life what they should eat or drink to sustain it or for their Body with what they should cloth it for that all their care was not able to add one cubit to their stature nor as else-where he saith to make one hair white or black and if they were not able to do that which was least why should they take thought for the greater Luk. 12.26 which is still less in their power Mat. 6.22 That the life it self was much more than meat with which it was nourished and the Body than rayment with which it was covered and that if these were not made by but freely bestowed on them that he that gave them that which was more would give them also what was less and being so bountiful as to give that which was much more valuable would in like manner bestow in their necessity that which was much less considerable viz. food for the one and clothing for the other which also they saw he did to his other creatures much inferiour to themselves without any solicitude of theirs food to the fouls of the Air without their sowing or reaping and apparel to the flowers of the field even with more pure lively and resplendent colours than that of Solomon when in all his glory and this without their carding or spinning is done to the flowers that though so shining to day are to morrow to be cut down and cast into the Oven as also elsewhere he tells them that not so much as a Sparrow that five of them are sold for two farthings is forgotten before his Father nor falls to the ground without his taking notice of it and that they were of more value to him than many Sparrows and the very hairs of of their head all numbred by him Mat. 10.28 Luk. 12.6.7 That their heavenly Father to whom they had now through him the Son acquired so near a relation well knew before all their want and as being such would provide for them that such lower cares took up the thoughts of worldlings but that their 's ought to be raised to higher matters seeking and pursuing after the Kingdom of God and the righteousness and holiness thereof and that all these other necessities should be unsought for sufficiently supplyed that therefore to day the should not be distracting their thoughts concerning to morrow for that the provisions of to day were trouble enough § 265 That the attendance on those higher matters were worthy of their whole intention since the way here that leads to eternal destruction was indeed very wide and broad and so very many took that course but that leading to eternal life streit and narrow and few that found it And that whatever they thought of the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees esteemed so strict a sect a mong them yet if their righteousness was no better than theirs their souls would perish and they fall short of Heaven And that he came not as he was traduced with his new Gospel to destroy or take away the former law of Moses but to fulfil it in all things First for all the Ceremonies and types thereof that they should have in him a perfect completion as to the Realities answering to and prefigured and signifyed by them and all the predictions and prophecies therein be fulfill'd
this Mary had bin the Blessed Virgin 's own sister her Name would not have bin also Mary this being not usual or convenient to call two sisters undistinguishable by the same Name There was also present Salome John's Mother and others and John likewise our Lords beloved Disciple whose confidence above the rest we saw in the High Priests Palace was there with them but likely none other of the Eleven at least so near affraid of being apprehended if they should have appeared and perhaps John more presuming here as in the Palace because known to the High Priest Here then stood the sad Mother of our Lord beholding and hearing all that was done to and said against her Son with the like patience and resignation as he suffered it and ready with Abraham for the love of God to have offered him up her self had he commanded it Here she and the rest heard also that admirable confession of our Lord by the penitent Thief and our Lord 's gracious answer to him which must needs be a great consolation to them After which Answer our Lord looking down upon his Mother and compassionating her condition as well as Grief spake to her first and calling her Woman perhaps for preventing those affronts to which her near relation to him hated of all if it had bin known made her liable recommended John his beloved Disciple to her love and affection instead of himself as one that thence forward would perform the duty and observance to her of a Son and then speaking to John recommended to him the care and providing for her now aged about fifty and a desolate widow Joseph being formerly dead and now also her only Son taken from her as his Mother he being a single person and Virgin as she and having no Wife or family of his own to take care of as many others had and by reason of his wealthy parents out of which wealth also Johns mother formerly made provision many times for our Lord having the command of so much maintenance as was necessary for their decent subsistance Which recommendation of our Blessed Lady to John shews that notwithstanding the mention we find of her sister and four of our Lords Brethren yet that they were not of so near a Relation as that our Lords Mother after the death of Joseph had any family of her own or these had any constant habitation with her so as that she might rather have bin committed to their care and provision in her now declining age § 101 Our Lord having thus made his Will and disposed of his onely charge his dear Mother whom St. John took to himself and served with all fidelity and supplied with all necessaries till her death spake not at all after this for near the space of three hours from about the sixth till the ninth hour a little before he gave up the Ghost but continuing in silence and prayer and his countenance lift up towards heaven went on finishing that Sacrifice which was to be the redemption of the world consuming and melting away in the flames of Gods wrath toward sinners now in its effects seizing on him in their stead for all the offences of all mankind that had or should be When as he grew nearer to his end the Sun now at midday see Amos 8.9 and when not capable of any natural Ecclipse the Moon being now at the full and at its greatest distance from it began to be darkned and to lose its light this noblest body of the Creation sympathizing as it were with its Lord and covering its face at such a horrid Spectacle and indicating to the hard-hearted Spectators the true Sun of righteousness and that true Light that enlightneth every one that cometh into this world to be now setting and its glory ecclipsed so far as the malice of the Prince of Darkness and his Instruments could effect it and intimating now also the cheif reign of the power of darkness permitted by God to the Prince thereof § 102 All things were now full of terrour and amazement and mens hearts with fear began now to melt and relent and their former taunts and merriments to be changed into a deep silence and expectation what would be the Issue suspecting more miraculous things to follow when about the ninth hour or three of the clock in the afternoon the solemn time of offering up the Evening Sacrifice our Lord when now seeming to be quite spent and near his expiration cried out with a loud and strong voice and such as was not usual to such a manner of death exhausting all their spirits and strength before taking away their life to shew that he laid his life down not compelled but when he pleased though without shortning the time of the sufferings belonging to that cruel death and to testify also against Hereticks the Reality of his sufferings saying with great force that all the multitude heard him those first words of the Psalm penned by the Holy Ghost for a Description of his Passion Eloi Eloi lamma Sabbacthani My God My God why hast thou forsaken me expressing the last pangs of death now approaching and the inexplicable torments and anguish of Body and Soul due to our sins that now lay upon him which he calls his sins in the following part of this verse of that mourning Psalm longe a salute mea verba delictorum meorum and which sin of ours made this patient Lamb of God after three hours silence so break out into this complaint under them where more greivous than the corporal sufferings was the interior anguish of Spirit in his Divinity its suspending from his Humanity all those consolations which might any way relieve its sorrows and with which his Servants in their greatest sufferings are usually refreshed This like to that his Agony in the Garden but now without an Angel where the Apostles mention Heb. 5.7 of our Lord in the daies of his flesh offering up to God prayer and supplications with strong cryes and with tears may well be understood as of the tears and prayers and strong cryes made and shed in the Garden so of these now iterated on the Cross for the weight of Gods wrath lying on our sins which he assumed is inexplicable These words of that prophetick Psalm might have hinted to the learned High Priests and Elders that the Tragedy of this Psalm was just now acted and lively expressed in every part of it and they those miserable Wretches by whose persecutions this prophecy was fulfilled and so might have begotten some compunction in them But either they so blinded as not to understand those words or the other common-people at least mistaking them nor knowing them for the beginning of the Psalm and hearing them pronounced with such a loud voice thought from the similitude of the word Eloi twice repeated that our Lord called upon Elias that he would not forsake him in this his misery but come to help him For it was the common belief that
or in any visible attendance of Angels or Saints or fiery charet and horses to conduct him as Elias or Cloud till elevated to some considerable distance perhaps to remove from his Disciples and the world to whom they were to testify it any scruple of the reality of this Ascent without having their eyes dazled with light or that such elevation might seem to have bin performed by the assistance of others and not by his own power and virtue as also to detain them for the present rather in the meditation of his Passion than of his Glory which was not fully to be revealed to Mortals till his return § 146 But had our Lord been pleased to have opened their eyes as Elisha obtained for his servant in the Mount how great would they have seen the solemnity of this day Jo. 17.4 5 Concerning which he had a little before his Passion besought his Father that now he had with all fidelity glorified him on Earth and finished the work here on Earth He had appointed him to do He would glorifie him i.e. his Humanity also in which he had finished it though extreamly difficult to flesh and blood with that Glory which in his Divinity he also alwaies had had with him before the world was which Petition was also then ratifyed by God the Father with a voice from Heaven Jo. 12.8 And now was the time come of accomplishing it and the time of his taking possession of those Joyes which being set before him saith the Apostle Heb. 12.2 be endured the Cross and despised the shame and is now set down of the right hand of the Throne of God § 147 Now then we may presume that all the Court and Militia of Heaven descended to meet this his Sacred Humanity in the Ayre and that it was exalted above the Heavens to the Throne prepared for it with great Jubilation and Triumph cum voce tubae as the Psalmist with which Humanity the Earth only had hitherto bin beatified bona si sua nosset and the Father had received all his praise and worship and service from it at a great distance from the place of his residence And if as the Apostle Heb. 1. when his Son came into this lower world and appeared in all the infirmities of our flesh God said let all the Angels worship him much more did he now command it at this his Exit after so many sufferings passed through and victories obteined and exact obedience in all things performed and the most severe prophecies fulfilled How overjoyed must those Citizens above be and with them all the Spirits of the Patriarchs and Prophets and the Church of the first-born and of just men consummated that in those Celestial habitations now they should for ever possess their dear Lord the Author of all their happiness and behold for ever his infinit Majesty and beauty And amongst these especially those predignified Souls who ever they were that were selected by him and revested with the robes of their glorified Bodyes to accompany and wait upon him as the first-fruits of the Resurrection and of his conquess over death With what Joy and Triumph to exprese it in those ravishments with which the Apostle speaks of him was this only Son and the brightness of Gods glory and express and visible Image of the Person of the Invisible God Heb. 1.3 compared with Col. 1.15 the first born of every Creature and the first-born again 〈◊〉 the Dead that in an things he might have the preeminency who was appointed by God Heir of all things and by whom all things were created that are in Heaven and in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions be Principalities or Powers viz. all the Angels as well as men All things created by him and for him and by the word of whose Power all things afterward also do still consist and are upheld Col. 1.17 compared Heb. 1.3 after he had by himself purged our sins and made peace through the blood of his Cross Col. 1.20 Heb. 1.30 and God had by him reconciled all things unto himself and by him collected all things in one by him whether things in Heaven or things on Earth Col. 1.20 those persons already received into glory there and those yet in their warfare here here both of the Jew and the Gentile all united in him the Head of all Eph. 1.10 22. With what Joy and Triumph I say was this most Sacred person Gods only Son bearing in thither his our humanity this day first received into his Armes and welcomed by God the Father With what solemnity did this Eternal High Priest when he had first through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without fault to God Heb. 9.14 Enter into the Heavenly Sanctuary the Gates there of set open whereof the Earthly was a Pattern there to appear in the presence of God his Father for us his Brethren and with what solemnity did he with the precious blood of his Sacrifice dedicate and purify the heavenly things themselves Heb. 9.23 and so set himself down on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in these Heavens far above all Principalities and Power and Might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but in that also which is to come made Head over all things to his Church and expecting there till his Enemies wicked men and unbelievers Antichrist Satan Death be made his Footstool Eph. 1.21.23 c. Heb. 10.12.12.9 § 148 Our Blessed Lady and the Disciples and the rest of this holy company beholding this fell down and adored saith the Evangelist Luk. 24.52 with their eyes fixed upon him as he ascended when two men appeared standing by them in glorious and shining Vestments two of our Lords Train whom he left behind as also he had done before at his Resurrection Luk. 24.5 John 20.12 to entertain them with a new Message and divert them from this partly joyful partly sorrowful sight as they thought of our Lords honour or of their own loss who asked them why they looked so intently and wishfully after him for that they should not be deprived for ever of this their Lord but as he had often told them the same Jesus that was now thus taken up from them into Heaven should thence descend again in the same manner as he ascended thus the Angels briefly for their present consolation But this his second appearance and return to this world is described elsewhere much more particularly and that it shall be in the greatest Majesty and glory cum nubibus as this his ascent but with a shout and the voice of the Arch-Angel and sound of Trumpet and his brightness shining from the East unto the West with all his mighty Angels attending on him and he bringing all the Saints that were in foretimes deceased with him and those then living also meeting him in the Ayre and that he then sitting on the Throne of his Majesty all the Nations of the