Lord and King induced hereto in generall as your subiect in speciall as your Priest and Scholler As a Priest in way of conscience I chose to do this as knowing Amaziah of old what he said vnto Amos O thou the Seer go flee thou away into the land of Judah and there eate thy bread and Prophesie there But Prophesie no more at Beth el. For it is the Kings Chappell and the Kings Court. As your Scholler in all consequence 1. Kings 1.39.40 I could not choose but doe this Amidst our great Oxford Hosanna to adde my Aramites crie to Malco legnolemin cheife Dan. 2.4 1. Kin. 1.31 Prou 8.15 Prou. 21.1 God saue my Lord King James for euer Now the very God of heauen and earth in vvhose hands are Kingdoms and the hearts of Kings confirme your Maiesties Throne Psal 89.36.37 as the Sunne in heauen and the Throne of your Sonne as the Moone for euermore Direct your hearts and handes Psal 78.71.72 that you may seede your people in Jacob according to the Simplicitie of your hearts and guide your inheritance in Israel according to the discretion of your hands 1. Tim. 6.15 Apoc. 17.14 19.16 and graunt you both Grace and your seed after you alwayes to haue this Kenning-Glasse afore your eyes Euen The King of Kings and Lord of Lords Your Highnesse most humble Scholler William Thorne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Search the Scriptures In the 19. Chapter of the Gospell according to S. Iohn the 5. verse it is thus written And he said vnto them Beholde the man The 19. ch of the Gospell according to S. Iohn the 5. verse the latter part of the 5. verse And he said vnto them Beholde the man IN these words of holy writ which now I read vnto you Reuerend Regarded in Christ Iesus It will please you to obserue and note with me first The Method and generally these three principall circumstances First the person by whom they were vttered Secondly to whom together with the manner thereof thirdlie of whome together with the matter The particulars that occurre as many there are they shall be touched rather then handled in their place The first generall circumstance First as touching the person by whom they were vttered Some argue by God the Father Almightie himselfe and that it was he that said vnto them Behold the man As if he would haue said This mā which you see now standing here in this pittifull plight frō the beginning indeed was God of the same diuine essence and substance as I am mine onely sonne the expresse image of my selfe being his naturall father And yet behold for you men and for your saluation from your sinnes I sent him down frō heauē to earth content as you see to clad himselfe with the mantle of your mortalitie insteed of the garment of his owne glorie For I haue decreed this cup shall not passe away frō him my decree shal stand Loe how I haue loued your saluation loe how I haue loathed your sinne Or it may be probable rather our blessed Sauiour said it of himselfe As if he would haue said Behold in what place and what case I am a miserable man a scorne of mē indeed a worme and no man Consider it is not for my selfe I suffer this but for your sakes for which to do you good I wil lay down mine owne soule to only I desire this fauour at your hands crucifie not the sonne of man againe let it suffize that I be onely once offered on the crosse for you Semelimmolatus est so forth De consecrat Distinct 2. Can. semel Immolatus est But the whole current of Interpreters as also the circumstance of the place expound it especially as spoken by Pilat of whom also like mention is made in the verse next immediatly going before Then Pilat went forth againe said vnto them Behold I bring him forth vnto you and so forth wherevnto may be added the authorities of all translations In the Syriacke Metaphrase of the new Testament and according to that in the correctedst copies of the French and Italian and Spanish Bibles as also in some English editions the name of Pilate is praecisely put downe Vemar Lehun Pilatús Metaphr Syriac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Pilate said vnto them Vnto a The Second generall circūstance them vnto whome For so it followeth in the second circumstance I speake a word or two and it shall be but a word of the persons or parties to whom it was vttered It was vttered vnto the Iewes But is God a God of the Iewes onely and not of the Gentiles also Rom. 3.29 Yes of the Gentiles also Tros Rutulusue fuat all is one And therefore at that time alike vnto the Iewes to the Gentiles both it was aequally said Behold the man But was Christ then Christ and is he not now Yes Iesus Christ yesterday and to day Hebr. 13.8 the same for euer And therfore euē then this was written also for our instruction and we were the men to whom it was said Behold the man Yea this shall be written for the generations to come Psal 102.19 and the children yet vnborne shall behold the man Now for the intention of the speaker and manner of the speach Origen on Math. 27. Origen vpon that interrogatorie of Pilate Math 27. Art thou the King of the Iewes Perchance saith he he asked him deridingly perchance doubtingly perchance axiomatically or affirmatiuely Rupert on Ioh. 19. Rupertus the Abbat vpon these very words Behold the man againe behold your King Iohn 19. Let Pilate say saith he what he wil let him beare the simpler sort in hand that al that he doth against Christ he doth against his will But ita locuto non credet Romana seueritas His inner parts are full of hypocrisie dissimulation and mockerie The English Marginals Our English Marginals vpon the same and the like places harpe much vpon the same string First if that were true and were reputed for such a treacherie in Pilate what shall we recken of some Christians now a dayes ☞ How many are there amongst vs a shame to speake it euen in this noone day of the Gospell that make a trade of it to play Pilate hooding themselues with hypocrisie like vnto that Roman that neuer said that which he thought nor neuer thought that which he said Secondly I defend him not in this action I praesume the very name of Pilate is vngracious and odious in Christian mens ears Nay I say farther the whole processe of this his iudgement was against al iustice Math. 27.4 Luc. 23.47 For he condēned him that was innocent and iust against his owne science conscience to For he knew of himselfe or he had warning els of his wife Math. 27.19 24. that he should haue nothing to do with that iust mā Against the
Pharaoh Thine armes like polished brasse thrice purified in the Furnace thine handes as the ringes of Golde set about with Tharshish On thy thigh a name enwritten the King of Kinges and Lorde of Lordes and the Ioyntes of thy thighes as Iewels Thy legges as Pillars of Marble set vpon sockets of pure Gold Isaiah 52. Nahum 1. Rom. 10. Ps 45. Hebr 1. thy feete O how beautifull are the goings of the feete of thee that bringest glad tidings of peace Thy whole Christ annointed with oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes All thy garments of flesh redolent with Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia out of the Iuory Pallaces whiles the King is at his repast my spiknard giues the smell thereof my whole welbeloued is as a bundle of Myrrhe vnto me as a cluster of Camphire in the vines of Engedi Quem non vt caetera desint Forma mouere potest certè mea pectora mouit O that thou wert as my brother sucking the breasts of my mother Cant 8.1.1.12 that I might finde thee within and kisse thee with the lippes of deuotion and embrace thee with the armes of loue thou shouldest lie betweene my breasts I might seeme here much to mistrust your wisdomes if I misdoubted at all lest in this description of Christ you might mistake my meaning and take him in such materiall sorte as the wordes doe sound But I speake vnto you that haue a more spirituall vnderstanding and that can iudge of more then I can say Onely this I say and it standes with good reason to and the Scriptures of God doe not gainesay but that the a The coÌ„plexion of Christ white and ruddie Cant 5.10 Fronte habens cum facie sine rugaâ—â— sine macula quamrubor moderatus venustauit ex Annal RomaÌ„ Ludolph in prologo de vita Christi complexion of this man might be all white and well-coloured as being of a more tender and delicate flesh then we are but that the symmetrie and lineaments of his body might be of a more better and aequall proportion as it is written he encreased in wisedome and stature and grace and fauour with God and man Luc. 2.52 Gratior et gratiosior as Zanchie notes Zanch vpon that place But it is another beauty that I now speake of and aboue all the beauty of the Kings sonne is all glorious within within I saye there within are those most peerelesse and matchlesse virtues and beauties which neuer yet nor Dauid nor Daniel nor Salomon nor Iohn Baptist nor any tongues of men nor Angelles coulde sufficiently adumbrate or expresse Returne then Cant 6.12.3.11 returne O Shulamite returne returne I saye returne and behoulde my wellbeloued behoulde my Louer O Daughters of Hierusalem This is that King Salomon with his Crowne wherewith his mother Crowned him in the daye of his marriage euen in the day of his Maiesty The secoÌ„d diuision of the third generall circuÌ„stance the second distinction Hitherto haue you beheld deere Christian brethren and more hereafter you may beholde this most worthy man of what Maiesty and Excellencie hee was in himselfe Meane while beholde a little of what Misery and Vility hee is in thy selfe Diog. Laert in Diogenes the Cynick Diogenes Laertius reportes of Diogenes the Cynicke that hee taxed sometimes and in his conceite verye prettylie to certayne vaine gloryous Sophisters supposing that wisedome consisted in words and hee taxed them vnder this stile that they were thrise men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thrisemen for thrise-miserable if euer any one man were thrise a man that is thrise miserable poore Iesus was that man Ezechias as it is storyed in the second of Chronicles 2. Chron 29 5.16 when the Temple of the Lorde was prophaned by certayne wicked persons hee commaunded that first the Temple shoulde bee purified and that then the filth thereof shoulde bee conueyed into the Ryuer Cedron We were beloued that spirituall and liuelye Temple prophaned by Diuels possessed by euill spirits euen our owne infinite euils and diuelish sinnes Christ was that cleere riuer Cedron sustaining the beautie of heauen with his streames Into this heauenly Cedron then were all the pollutions of our earthly man cast Christ was the Priest that purged vs the font and bason that dipped vs the water and Hysop that washed vs the pure fine linnen towell receauing the filth of our feet into it owne selfe and wiping vs cleane In so much that now we are strong and he is weake we are cleane and he is foule we are white and rud-colloured and he hath neither forme nor beautie we acquitted from sinne and he arraigned for sinne we blessed and he cursed we repriued and himselfe hanged on the tree we were all this for him Isaiah 53.4 Matt 8.17 1. Pet. 2.24 c. and he was all that for vs. Verè languores nostros ipse tulit But of his passion anon Insomuch that the Church her-selfe stands amazed at this so suddaine strange alteration and therfore as if he had bene growne out of knowledge she demaunds this quaestion Who is this Isaiah 63.1 Apoc. 19.13 who is this that commeth from Edom with redde garments from Bezrah wherefore doest thou O Lord weare garments all be spotted and died with blood like vnto them that stampe Grapes in the Wine presse this is very strange me thinkes to see the sonne of God in the shape of a sinner the God of glorie apparelled with ignominy life her selfe put to death Isaiah 28.21 Heu quantum mutatus ab illo Hectore His workes as Esay had good reason to say are very strange and farre vnlike himselfe And this much I thought good to declare vnto you The third diuision of the third generall circuÌ„stance the first distinction as touching the man first in his owne person then in our owne Each of them by way of exposition vt hominem scias that we might know him to be a man Now againe by way of exhortation Behold the man And that the eye of our faith may haue some certaine obiect wheron to fixe and setle it selfe Behold him first in his life and actions Secondly in his death and passion Thirdly in his session at the right hand of God his father intercession In the actions of his life behold him with a zealous yet sober eye of imitation In his death and passion behold him with the eye of Sympathie and compassion In his session and intercession beholde him with the eye of affiance and consolation First in his life and actions a Omnis Christi Actio c. The actions of Christ say the Fathers in generall are a Christians imitations * August The summe of Christian Religion saith Augustine is to imitate Christ Christ himselfe I inscribe c A Kenning-Glasse for a ChristiaÌ„ The Imitation of Christ W Th Ludolph de vita Iesu Christi part 1.16 A Kenning-Glasse for a Christian Speculum vitae Christianae A warrant of this inscription
I say all these three worlds of sinne into one head as they fable that hellish Dog had three heads on one necke nay were it possible that heauen earth hell and all might be put in the one ballance and the alone merit of Christ his passion might be poised in the other they should all appeare in comparison of it but as a drop of water to the seas as the earth to the heauens as a very nothing to to the whole world The summe of all is this the mercies of Christ and merits of his passion are in multitude innumerable in magnitude immeasurable euery way vnvaluable and infinite One the other side the sinnes of men though to the vnderstanding of man they may seeme infinite yet indeed and in the apprehension of God they are all finite both in number and measure Well then Christ hath suffered once for all 1. Pet. 3.18 the iust for the vniust hee hath payed the price of our sinnes Coloss 2.14 why should we be sued in the lawe He my suretie hath cancelled the hand writing on the crosse he hath made full satisfaction already why should I the debter make restitution againe It is against all lawe and reason in the worlde ciuill Canon common law and common sense too that there should be two adaequate penalties inflicted for one F. de Reg iur l bona fides Innocent de sacro Altaris mysterio 4.41 and the same fault Bona fides non patitur vt bis idem exigatur There is no such iniquitie with men and shall wee say there is more vnrighteousnesse with God God forbid The conclusion of the whole with Application Rom. 8.1 Rom. 8.33.34.35 Iesus adest totum bonum est De familiari amicitia Iesu W. Th à campis Quia ergo Iustus iniustè punitus est Iniustus iustè sum liberatus My conclusion is then there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus It is my Iesus that iustifieth mee and who is he that can condemne me It is my Christ that dyed for me or rather that is risen againe and hath his session at the right hand of God and maketh Intercession for mee and who shall seperate mee from the loue of Christ 2. Tim. 2.19 In a word the foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his and as it is aeternally continued in this indissolluble chaine Whom once he knoweth Rom. 8.29.30.31 c. he also praedestinateth and whom he praedestinateth he calleth and whom he calleth he iustifyeth and whom he iustifieth he glorifieth What shall I then saye to these things If God bee on my side who can bee agaynst mee Hee hath giuen his owne onely sonne for mee and how can hee not giue with him all other things vnto mee As I saide afore so say I nowe againe The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his 2. Tim. 2.19 Yea I know and I hope to praesume thus of the grace of God is not pride in mee but faith I my selfe knowe that my redeemer liueth and that Christ is mine Iob. 19.25 Vsurpo mihi ex visceri bus Iesu mei Bern in Cant Serm 61 and that the Righteousnesse of Iesus is my Righteousnesse and therefore if Christ bee saued which who dares doubt I hope I am as sure I shall be saued with him as that I am in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Rom 8.38.39 Yea verily I am perswaded and it is the spirite of God that telles mee so within that neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things praesent nor things to come nor persecution nor famine nor plague nor Spaniard nor Pope nor Diuell nor any other creature nor all the world shall euer seperate me from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. This is my doctrine of consolation this my demonstration of faith Agaynst this the gates of Hell shall neuer praeuaile and the gates of Heauen cannot stand shut One little more yet of your patience and I will onely commend this one history vnto your good remembraÌ„ce and so recommende you vnto God The story is of Pilate It is registred by Mathew of Westminster and others that when Pilate was conuented before Tiberius Caesar The golden legend in the passion of Christ for that he had done to death this innocent man hee put on the coate of Christ which was as you reade without seame At the sight whereof the Emperour who was otherwise much incensed arose vnto him saluted him and euerye wayes kindely entreated him Anon when Pilate againe with his good leaue was departed Tiberius againe was enraged more then euer before he swears if euer he tooke him againe Quòd filius mortis esset there should be but one way with him and sends out a fresh his Pursyuantes for him Pilate againe returnes vnto him Tiberius eftsoones insteed of what he would doe falles to embracing of him and had not the powre to speake as much as one hard word to him All that were there did wonder at it and Tiberius himselfe did wonder at it and if it bee true I wonder at it too and so may all you But the legend it selfe saies this is no gospell yet marke mine Application We haue all euen the very best of vs all we haue all plaied Pilate we haue crucified and crucified againe the Lord Iesus the time wil come when we must come to account for this not as Pilate did before Tiberius Caesar an earthly Emperour but before the King of Kings Apoc. 19.16 and Lord of Lords the God of heauen and earth we shall be able then as of our selues to answeare no more for our selues then Pilate was then not one for a thousand What remaineth then but that againe we play Pilate But that wee put on vpon vs the coate of Christ It will be that at the sight thereof that iust God who is angrie with vs will be well pleased with him and for him with vs. If I may but touch his vestture onely nay if I may but touch the outmost fillet or hem of his vesture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said the woman then sicke of our Now-disease I shall be safe Matth. 9.20.21 Then raigned the bloudy flux in England But it is giuen vnto vs not to touch his vesture onely but to handle it and take holde of the whole cloath to and not that onely but to put on to Rom 13.14 Galat. 3.27 Eph. 4.24 c Qui amplectitur Iesum firmabitur in aeternum W Th à Camp De Amore Iesu Isaiah 43.2 not the coate but Christ to be inuested in him in corporate and infleshed in him imbossomed in him euen to dwell in his bosome as hee dwelleth in the bosome of his father Gremioque in Iasonis haerens Per freta longa ferar nihil illum amplexa verebor I my soule shall paste with thee through the waters of destruction and they shall not drowne me through the fire of Gods iudgement and it shall not burne mee I will feare no euill for thou art with me Ps 23.5 Tephillah le Thoren Nowe I pray God giue me grace that when this soule of mine shall returne to God that gaue it it may couragiouslye mount vp out of this earthly tabernacle and take holde of this ancker of hope with the same resolution and confidence as I now preach it vnto you The English letanis And I beseech thee sweete Iesus euen by thine Agonie and bloodie sweat by thy crosse and passion by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension and Session and intercession at the right hand of God when in that dreadfull day of Iudgement he shall preasse me with this or this or this enormitie that then thou wouldest praesent thy selfe vnto thine angrie father in such fresh and bleeding wise as thou wert on the crosse and pleade for me Isaiah 43. â— and say Father Ecce Homo Beholde I am the man I haue redeemed him I haue answered for him He is mine Amen Apoc. 22.20 Attah Tagnanch Ps 38.15 Luc. 23.46 Euen so come Lord Iesus It is thou it is thou that hast answered for me O Lord my Christ Father into thy hands I commend my spirit A Christians expiration Acts. 7.59 Num. 6.24.25 c. Lorde Iesus receiue my soule The Lord blesse vs and keepe vs the Lord make his face shine vpon vs and be mercifull vnto vs and lift vp his countenance vpon vs and send vs peace â— Corinth â—3 13 The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God and the communion of the holy Ghost be with vs all euermore Amen
passe by the way behold and see if euer any passion were like this of mine Of this passion I intreate And here I shall request all the sonnes of Adam to lift vp the eyes of their compassion yet a little higher and to beholde the man Come forth ô yee daughters of Sion Cant. 3 11. and beholde your King Brethren if wee bee men except we be Iewes or Saracens behold we the man Which the sunne for our sinnes was ashamed to beholde the Daughters of Hierusalem wept out their eyes to beholde the dead corpses in the graues resumed their eyes to behold Behold I say O Christian soule behold and say Quis ego et quis tu Domine Who art thou and who am I O Lorde O what hart doth not riue and rent in sunder What hardnesse is not mollified What eyes doe not streame with teares beholding such a lamentable and dolefull sight as this is I see my Iesus all of a gore blood all his senses The expansiōn of Christ one the crosse expressed out of scriptures holy fathers and faculties of bodye and soule his partes and whole sorelye smitten I see that Angelicke head at whose presence the very powers of heauen weare wont to tremble all to bee preaned and prickt through with thornes I see that Diuine face that was fairer then the children of men now defaced and defiled with the spittle of the Iewes I see those Christall eyes once clearer then the Sunne beames now blood-shed and cast ouer with the darkenesse of death his eares once accustomed to the hymnes of Angelles must now giue eare to the exclamations of Diuelles his mouth once full of Butter and Hony to eate is now full of Gall and viniger to drinke his feete fastened with Nayles to the Crosse and yet his verye soote-stoole is holye his handes and armes all spreade and distreined on the Crosse and yet they framed and fashioned the Heauens his whole Man all torne and wounded with lashes and Whippes his side broacht through with a Launce and his hart bloode gushing out on euery side Et quid plura From the soale of his foote to the crowne of his head he reserued nothing entire Ioh. 19.26 The pathos of the blessed Virgin saue onely his tongue therewith to pray for them that persecuted him and commend his Mother vnto his disciple Woman beholde thy sonne O how may we conceaue how did the hart of that blessed Mother and Virgin Mary throb and beate then within her breast O how much rather had she her bodie should haue gone from her soule then her sonne and sauiour gone out of her sight O how willingly would she haue eaten the afell gall which her sonne did eate and dranke the sower vineger Luc. 24.26 which her sonne did drinke and giuen vp the ghost which her sonne gaue vp saue that he must needes die for the sinnes of the world Prouerb 31.1 O my sonne and O the sonne of my wombe and O the sonne of my desires O my sonne Lemuel O my sonne Salomon finally I cannot expresse Then sinfull man that I am A patheticall exclamation of a paenitent sinner who shall deliuer mee from this body of sinne It is my sinne I see it is my sinne that slew my Sauiour vpon the crosse my pride the thornes that pricked him my gay-garments gue-gawes the purple that mocked him mine hypocrisie the Ceremonies that blinde-folded him I was that subtile Scribe and proude Pharisee that entrapped him that couetous Iudas that betrayed him that enuyous Iewe that accused him that irresolute man-pleasing Pilate that condemned him that bloudy executioner that hanged him and yet alas I am euen now ready still still to crucifie my Christ againe Out of this triple passion of Christ wee Christians are to learne a three-foulde lesson a lesson of propassion A three-fold lesson very necesry for all Christians of passion and of compassion In our propassion wee may meditate in this manner and it is in a manner a cōpassion of Christ Alacke Alacke The sonne of God hath bene crucified for mee miserable sinner as I am once afore and why doe I thus with sinne vpon sinne daylie Hebr. 6 6. and hourelye Crucifie him againe and make a mocke of him O why should I not rather Crucifie the world vnto my selfe Galat 6.14 Rom 6.6 Ambrose de vnica poenitent Dan. 9.4.5.7.9 and my selfe vnto the worlde O why doe I thus Luxuriate in the bloode of Christ O Lord God I haue sinned I haue sinned Righteousnesse and compassion is thine O Christ and mine is open shame and confusion Lament 1.16 Lament 2.11.3 48. For these thinges I weepe Mine eyes daye and night cast out riuers of teares My Bowels swell my liuer is powred vpon the earth Lamēt 3.41 And now I lift vp mine heart and handes vnto thee O King of Heauen O Lorde heere Dan 9.19 O Lord forgiue O Lorde consider and doe it Haue mercie vpon mee for thine owne sake euen for thy name sake my God and my Christ for thy name is called vpon me Of our passion we may ponder in this sense with our selues 1. Pet 1.21 Quaestionlesse hereunto are we called For Christ also suffred for vs leauing vs an ensāple that wee should also suffer for him Caedi Christianorum est saide an holye man caedere Pilati et Caiphae Our Sauiour Christ hath drunke to vs already if wee will bee Christians wee must all pledge him in the same cuppe Iohn 13.15 Luc 9.23 Isaiah 50.6 W Th à Campis de Regia via sanctae crucis I haue giuen you saith hee an example Tolle crucem et sequere me I haue giuen my backe to the smiters my cheekes to the nippers my face as a flint against spitting and shame And the Disciple you know is not aboue his Maister Math. 10.24 If therefore you are my Disciples Take vp my Crosse and followe mee Luc. 9.2.3 D.D. Carth Amator Mundi Speculum Dionysius the Carthusian in his treatise intitled a Looking-Glasse for the louers of this world hath an excellent saying to this praesent purpose Nemo potest venire de festo ad festum No man saith hee may haue his feast here and his feast there to If we will raigne there we must suffer here 2. Tim. 2.12.3 Thou therefore suffer affliction as a good Souldier of Christ Iesus But as wee must suffer so must we suffer if the will of God be so so as hee did 1. Pet. 3.17 Better it is we suffer for wel-doing then for euill doing Mori volo saith Hegesippus in his 3. booke and 17. Hegesipp de bello Iudaico l. 3. c. 17. Chapt. sed vt Hebraeus I am content to suffer but as a Martyr not as a murtherer or a theife I am content to be a doore-barred to death Doroth de Prophet Apost Septuagint c. but as Amos was to be sawen in peeces but as
Esay was to bee stoned but as Ieremye was to bee cast to the Lyons but as Daniel to the Sworde but as Paule to the Crosse but as Christ I would dye but as an Hebrew and like a Christian and for Christe and so come when thou wilt Salua sancta crux Of our compassion wee may resolue in like Christian sort and this wee extend to our crucifiers Iud. 9 and exemplyfie thus The Archangell Michael when hee disputed about the body of Moses with the Diuell himselfe durst not intreate him with any cursed language but saide The Lorde rebuke thee Sathan How is it then that wee against our bretheren are so bloudylie bent to take the staffe indeede out of Gods owne hand Vengeance is mine Rō 12.19 Act 7.60 and for euery trifle to crie Reuenge The Protomartyr Saint Stephen when the Iewes stoned him to death kneeled downe and prayed Lorde laie not this sinne to their charge how is it then that wee cannot learne this lesson of him Math 5.44 Collect on S. Stephens day to loue our enimies to praye for our persecutors The Archangell of all Angelles and Martyr of Martyrs our Lorde and Maister Iesus Christ himselfe when hee was reuiled 2. Pet. 2 23 hee reuiled not againe 2. Pet. the 2 23. when he suffered be threatned not againe but committed it to him Luc. 23.34 that iudgeth righteously eyther praying father forgiue them they know not what they doe Zach 3.2 Iud. 9. or saying at most The Lorde rebuke thee Sathan euen the Lorde that hath chosen Hierusalem rebuke thee How is it then Coloss 3.12.13 that as the elect of God holye and like Christians wee put not on these bowelles of compassion of long suffering of mercies of kindenesse of meekenesse forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man hath a quarrell to another euen as Christ hath doone euen soe doe wee The third diuision of the third generall circūstance the third last distinction O Compasse mee sweete Iesus with this thy compassion Thirdly I willed you to beholde him in his Session and intercession and that with the eye of affiance and consolatiō Numbr 21.9 In the one twētith of Numbers when as the people of Israel were stung to death for their sinnes with fiery Serpents It is written that Moses by the commaundement of God erected a Serpent of Brasse for a signe and when a Serpent had bitten a man then he looked vp to the Serpent of Brasse and liued The signification or moral of which mystery Saint Iohn in his Gospell and thirde Chapter dooth plainely set downe Iohn 3.14.15 As Moses lift vp the Serpent saith he in the Wildernesse euen so must the sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beholdeth him and beleeueth on him doe not perish but haue life euerlasting Suppose then whole generations of Vipers all the fierye Serpentes of thy sinnes enuyron thee on euerye side the canker of couetousnesse frette thee the flame of concupiscence burne thee the prickles of pride stinge thee to death straight wayes for thy comfort thou knowest what thou hast to doe make vp by the wing of faith to that sanctified serpent Christ Iesus and thou art saued the signe of that serpent wil easilie breake this serpents head Now I beseech you brethren by the mercifulnesse of God attend now vnto this which I shall say vnto you and embrace I pray you this Doctrine of consolation A Demonstration of the saluation of Gods Elect. with a right hand as I entend it you We read oft-times in the volume of this booke a certaine challenge as it were sent downe from that righteous iudge vnto all the inhabitants of the earth If any man durst stand in iudgement with him Now therefore O inhabitants of Ierusalem and men of Iudah Isaiah 5.3 iudge I pray you saith he betweene me and my vineyard for I will be tryed by your selues Iob. 16.21 O Lord Oh if a man might plead with God O Lord thou art I know a seuere yet righteous iudge I know thou knowest my very heart reines yet if so it seeme good in thine eyes I as sinfull a man as I am euen I am content to enter into iudgment with thee Yea in the name of Christ Iesus I waxe confident and bold let all the diuels in hell accuse me all their Angels beare true or false witnesse against mee mine owne conscience cōdemne me thine owne selfe secundum allegata et probata proceede in iudgement against me Only let me be weighed but in a iust ballance Iob. 31.6 and I will iustifie my selfe before thee and yet will neuer appeale from thee I will be tryed by thine owne selfe Isay 50.8 Iob. 33.6 For let me see who will contend in Gods steed with me Let vs stand together who is mine aduersarie let him come neere to me what can he lay to my charge A matter of haughtinesse perchance or an high looke I confesse that and more toe But Ecce homo Behold this man And so I haue recompenced that with the humilitie of my Iesus Some reuelling perchance or some riot I grant that too But Ecce homo Behold this man and so I haue salued that sore with the sobrietie of my Sauiour A murder it may bee or a robbery or something worse be it as bad as bad may be my prayer and plea shall alway be the same Domine Iesu responde pro me O my Lord Iesus answer for me and Ecce homo behold this man And why did he die the death but for this Méshichca Ps 84.9 O looke vpon the face of thy Christ Turbatur conscientia Bernard in Cant. Serm 61. non perturbatur quia vulnerū domini recordabor O hide me in the holes of thy wounds I dispute not of the torment paine of his passion whether solie in bodie or partly in soule it is the infinite merit and price of his passion in respect of the person or subiect that suffered which I speake of Euery drop of his blood sufficient to had redeemed ten thousand worlds then whereat shall we prize the Ocean thereof Quod libet finitum they say Quantumcunque magnum Alphons Thostat Abulens paradox 5.45 in infinitum exceditur ab eo quod est infinitum Whatsoeuer is finite of what quantitie soeuer it be compare it with that which is infinite and it is alwayes exceeded infinitely Collect then all thy sinnes whereof thou hast or maiest be guiltie from the day of thy birth to the houre of thy death thy sinnes originall and actuall thy sinnes in thought worde and worke and not thine owne onely but mine and thine and the sinnes of all men vpon the face of the earth and not of men onely but of Angelles too Lucifer I meane and all his fellow Angelles that fell from heauen and not of them onely but of Beelzebub himselfe and all the damned diuels in hell Collect