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
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
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
Ioh. 21.27 Let them therefore who talke of an imaginarie Passion expect an imaginarie Saluation We know that our Sauiour bare our infirmities truly Againe the word may be vox asseuerantis a vehement asseueration And that both to stop the mouth of a stubborne Iew and to strengthen the Faith of an humble Christian So is the word vsed Gen. 28.16 Gen. 28. where Iacob beholding in a vision the Ladder whose foot stood vpon Earth and the top reached to Heauen the Angels ascending and descending said comfortably and confidently Surely God is in this place And so the Prophet Isaiah beholding by the eye of Prophecie Christ Iesus in his deiected estate said no lesse comfortably and confidently Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrowes Yea he so speakes of it as though Christ had done it when the Prophet spake it which was so indeed by way of mysterie For Christ is the Lambe of God Reu. 13.8 slaine from the beginning of the world But it is rather spoken in a propheticall manner in regard of future certaintie As the Lord was Oculus prophetarum the eye of the Prophets so were the Prophets Os Domini Luk. 1.70 the mouth of the Lord So that whatsoeuer they saw or said in their Propheticall Office must needes be accomplished We must therefore take heed of Eues incredulitie Gen. 2.17 which cleaues close to her posteritie When the Lord had said to Adam by way of asseueration as the Hebrew phrase imports Moriendo morieris Gen. 3.3 thou shalt surely dye Eue comes in with her addubitation Ne forte moriamur lest we dye The Lord will not suffer any word of his Prophets to fall to the ground and the truth of this Prophesie experience hath manifested and the blessed Euangelists the Lords holy Historians haue recorded for the comfort of the Church to the end of the world The Historie SO much for the Preface Now to the Historie wherein may it please you to obserue 1 The Person especially mentioned in the same in the word He that is Christ 2 His Action He hath borne he hath carried 3 The burdens he hath borne and carried they were infirmities sorrowes 4 For whom he bare them they were our infirmities our sorrowes I may say of this Text as the woman of Samaria spake of Iacobs well The well is deepe Ioh. 4.11 and it hath diuers springs which must be opened that we may from thence draw the water of Consolation The pronowne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He The Person especially mentioned is often silenced and included in the verbe but is here expressed as being verie emphaticall He either by way of Admiration or Exception By way of Admiration And it is admirable indeed if either you consider the dignitie of his Person or the indignities of his Passion He that was the Sonne of God Colos 2.13 1. Cor. 2.8 yea the Sonne of his Loue Colos 1. He that was the Lord of Glorie 1 Corinth 2. He to whom the glorious Angels doe homage Hebrew 1. Hebr. 1.6 Hee bare our infirmities and caried our sorrowes Well might it haue agreed to his excellent Nature to haue conferred benefits but to suffer torments it was strange admirable His Person and Passion in discourse of humane reason are verie incompetible Againe He by way of exception that is He and none but He. He who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by himselfe Heb. 1.3 hath purged our sinnes Aug. de temp Hom. 108. He Qui sordes omnium solus posset abluere who himselfe alone was able to wash away all our sinnes saith S. Austin He alone entred the lists and vndertooke the combate against Satan as Dauid did against Goliah when all the Israelites were meere spectators and to him belongs the glory of the victory Sueton. in vita Aug. Caesar When Augustus Caesar desired two Consuls to bee ioyned with him in Office the Senate denied it as holding it a sufficient diminution of his dignitie that one should be ioyned in the Consulship with him that was so worthy And surely it must needs derogate from our Sauiours dignitie that any one should be his copartner in the worke of our redemption He trode the wine presse alone Isa 63.3 and there is no other name giuen vnder heauen by which we must be saued Act 4.12 And so I come from the person to his actions His Actions THe word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath borne is a word of a large extent Yet hath it two speciall significations which fitly agree with these actions of our Sauiour 1. It signifies in humeros tollere to take vp a burden vpon ones shoulders and so is it vsed in the 12. of Ezechiel Now what this burden is the Prophet Dauid shewes when he complaines in the 38. Psalme Psal 38 4. My sinnes are gone ouer my head and are as a heauy burden too heauy for me to beare And so the septuagint translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He carried our sinnes This burden of our sinnes did our Sauiour beare vpon the crosse Thom. Aquin. Vt vas noster by way of imputation as our suretie and the burden of punishment due to our sinnes formaliter in his person actually According to that in the first Epistle of Peter the second chapter Who his owne selfe 1. Pet. 2.24 bare our sinnes in his owne body on the tree Therefore Chrysostom hath obserued Chrys in loc that the Prophet saith not Curauit but portauit Not he cured but caried Yea tooke them to himselfe As if a Phisition forth of his cure and for the cure of his patient should take the disease vpon himselfe So tulit in se vt a nobis tolleret he tooke them vpon himselfe that he might take them from vs. Againe the word signifies auferre to take away And so it is vsed in the 32. Psal 32.5 Psalme For whereas our translations haue it Thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne it is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou tookest away the punishment of my sinne And so the word agrees very fitly to our blessed Sauiour for his pertulit was an abstulit Tertull adv Marc. 4.10 as Tertullian interprets it in his fourth booke against Marcion Christ when hee bare our sinnes tooke them away According to that in the second to the Colossians Coloss 2.14 He tooke away the hand writing that was against vs and nailed it on his crosse The bond of obedience which Adam had forfeited as S. Ambrose saith Ambros de Sacrament lib. 5. cap. 4. Christ discharged by his actiue and passiue obedience and so cancelled it on the Crosse Therefore Iohn Baptist pointing at our Sauiour might very well say Be hold the Lambe of God Ioh. 1.19 that taketh away the sinnes of the world The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath carried Albeit in the English it differs not from the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
subiect to feare Math. 26. Marke 35. anger sorrow and the like He was abased in his kinred some of them being sinners adulterers gentiles Whereupon S. Chrysostome cries out O admirabilem natiuitatem O admirable natiuitie At the time of his birth he had a stable in stead of a stately Palace a manger in stead of a cradle the company of beasts in stead of humane and Angelicall attendance So was he parvulus aetate paupertate Augustin little both in age and estate Luk. 2.21 In his infancy he was subiect to that painfull Sacrament of Circumcision and pursued from place to place by the hand of persecution Math. 2.13 His whole life was dedicated to paines and pouerty The open field was his house the ground his bed broyled fish his dyet his iournies were laborious his attendants men of meane qualitie Thus did he beare our infirmities in his Incarnation 2. Againe 2. In his compassion Cyprian de Lapsis in his tender compassion he carried our sorrowes For as S. Cyprian saith Maeroris pondera participat c. He that hath compassion on another partakes in the burden of his sorrow So did the Apostle when he said Who is weake 2. Cor. 11.23 and I am not weake who is offended and I burne not And thus did our Sauiour in commiserating both the corporall and spirituall infirmities of men Those that wanted food and were ready to faint he pittied those that were oppressed with sicknesse Marke 8.1 or possessed with euill spirits he condoled Math. 8. When he saw people as sheepe without a shepheard He had compassion on them Math. 9. He is that good Samaritan that had compassion on the wounded man Luke 10. powred wine and oyle into his wounds and bound them vp And therefore was he sent Luke 4.18 that he should heale the broken hearted If a man should see a Chirurgion making a plaister of his owne blood for the curing of his patient hee could not but wonder at it And is not our Sauiours compassion admirable Augustin Qui ex proprio pretioso sanguine Who of his owne pretious blood made a plaster to cure the wounds of our soules Sueton. in vita Vespas Suetonius writes of that good Emperour Vespasian Iustis etiam supplicijs illachrymauit ingemuit He was so compassionate a Prince that hee was wont to sigh and weepe euen for them that were condignly punished Diuers stories doe mention many famous in this kinde But what is all the compassion of men yea of Saints and Angels but gutta pusilla Chrysost a little drop of water to the maine Ocean of our Sauiours compassion He was troubled in the spirit for treacherous Iudas Iohn 13.21 Luke 19.4 Rom. 5.8 Luke 23.34 wept for carelesse Ierusalem shed his blood for his enemies prayed for his cruell persecutors Lastly 3 3 3 In his Passion as our Sauiour did beare our infirmities and carry our sorrowes in his compassion so especially in his Passion What step did he take what word did he speake what place came he to where he left not Vestigia dolorum like the print of the nailes in his hands and feete When in the garden of Gethsemane Math. 26.38 he desired the Disciples to watch with him he bare our infirmities Mark 14.34 and when he complained that his soule was heauy vnto the death hee carried our sorrowes When he prayed Math. 26 39. Father if it be possible let this cuppe passe August in Psal 100. Quid illa vox nisi sonus infirmitatis nostrae then he bare our infirmities and when he had neede of an Angel to comfort him Luke 22 43. he carried our sorrowes When he was bound and so led to Annas and Caiphas hee bare our infirmities and when he spake to Iudas in that mournefull manner Iohn 18.12 betrayest thou the Sonne of man with a kisse Luke 12.48 he carried our sorrowes When the souldiers strooke him with their reedes Math. 27.30 and scourged him with their rods he bare our infirmities Marke 14.64 and when he was charged with blasphemie which his soule abhorred he carried our sorrowes When Pilate shewing him in that pittifull plight said Iohn 19.5 Ecce homo Behold the man he bare our infirmities and when he heard that fearefull execration of the Iewes His blood be vpon vs Math. 27.25 and vpon our children he carried our sorrowes But if we follow him to Mount Caluary there shall we see this prophecy most liuely accomplished When his hands and his feet were pierced with the nailes his side with the speare his head with the crowne of thornes when the crosse was his bed the crowne of thornes his pillow gall and vineger his meate and drinke scoffes and rayling his musicke he bare our infirmities and when like a forlorne man forsaken as it were of God and man he cryed out My God my God Math. 27.46 why hast thou forsaken me he both bare our infirmities and carried our sorrowes Here his passion and compassion met together when his head hanged downe to kisse vs His armes stretched out to embrace vs His blood gushed out to wash vs His soule and body were offered vp in sacrifice for vs. Bernard in Cant. Serm. 61. Per vulnera patebant viscera here through His side wounded with the speare you might behold His bowels of compassion wounded with loue Application AN ingenuous reader cannot goe ouer some rare and admirable story but it will worke his affections in one kinde or another Behold the world neuer yeelded such a memorable and admirable story as this It must needs be therefore our stupendious dulnesse if it doe not affect vs. First who can consider these things without admiration Here is that which may make both Saints and Angels to wonder that one who in his humane nature was descended of the blood royall of Iuda and in his diuine was Lord of heauen and earth should be thus deiected abased and for whom Pro vernaculo imò pro vermiculo Bernard de quadrup debito For vs who were the bond-slaues of sinne and Satan wormes and no men Psal 8. What is man O Lord that thou art so mindfull of him or the Sonne of man that thou shouldest so regard him Math. 8.21 They that saw our Sauiours miracles wondred saying Math. 8.21 Who is this that both windes and sea obey him But there was no such cause to wonder at his actions of power But rather that he Math. 28.18 who had all power giuen him in heauen and earth should be subiect to weakenesse and that by his infirmities and sorrowes he should obtaine a glorious victory it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beyond admiration Againe this story must needs yeeld comfort to a Christian heart For he bare these infirmities and carried these sorrowes for our sake for our good as it followeth in
Ioh. 3.16 As hee so loued vs that hee laide downe his life for vs we ought also to lay down our liues for the brethren 2. It must be extensiue As Christ loued vs euen when we were enemies Rom. 5. So must we doe except wee will be meere Pharises Matth. 5. Such was his loue and compassion to his enemies that in the middest of all their rage and fury he prayed for them Luke 23.34 Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe And the like he requires of vs saying Loue your enemies blesse them that curse you Math. 5.44 doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that persecute you that you may be the children of your Father which is in heauen 3. The third especiall path wherein we must follow our Sauiour is Humilitie This is a lesson which he commends vnto vs in especiall manner by his precept and gratious promise annexed to it Math. 11.29 Learne of me that I am meeke lowly in heart and you shall finde rest to your soules Dux nobis fuit ad superhiam August hom 12. ex 50. The deuill saith S. Augustine was our ringleader to pride let vs follow Christ our guide to humilitie And in this our Sauiour was an admirable patterne as the Apostle shewes Phil. 2. For when he was equall to God Phil. 2.7 he made himselfe of no reputation he did disrobe himselfe of his glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen emptied himselfe as it were of his diuine dignitie to vndertake a base and humble condition for our sakes and stooped downe from the throne of his Maiestie to raise vs vp who were fallen into the gulfe of misery This Humility is radix virtutum euen the roote of all diuine vertues For the humble vallyes are fruitfull when the higher mountaines are barreine Iam. 4.6 God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble This vertue is not to be found in the gardens of Philosophy but to be learned in the schoole of our Sauiour It is the foundation of our aduancement in heauen and the lower we lay this foundation the safer and stronger is our building S. Augustine compares heauen to a stately Palace with a lowe doore a man must stoope that will goe into it As it was with our Sauiour so must it be with his seruants there went an exinaniuit before an exaltauit Phil. 2.8 9. he humbled himselfe and God exalted him For so saith our Sauiour Luke 18.14 He that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted 4. The fourth path wherein we must follow Christ is the path of Patience Lactant. lib. 5. cap. 23. which is Malorum aequani mitate perlatio moderate patient bearing of iniuries and euils And hereunto you are called 1. Pet. 2.21 saith the Apostle Peter For Christ also suffered for vs leauing vs an example that we should walke in his steppes Oh the disgracefull scoffes and mockes that he was subiect to the reprochfull taunts and reuilings that he indured the extreame violence that he sustained and all this with admirable and vnmooueable patience When he came to a Citie of the Samaritanes that would not entertaine him the Disciples Luke 9.55 forth of their vehement indignation would haue called for fire from heauen but he rebuked them saying You know not of what spirit you are In the middest of all iniuries and oppositions such was his meekenesse and patience That he did not striue Math. 12.19 neither was his voice heard in the streetes When he was led as a sheepe not only before the shearer but euen the slaughterer he was dumbe and opened not his mouth And all this he Isa 53.7 who in his humane nature was nobly descended of the blood Royall and in his diuine was and is God blessed for euer Rom. 9.5 indured at the hands of ignoble base and sinfull wretches 5 The fift especiall path wherein we must follow Christ is the path of Obedience In Affectiō In Action In Passion In which as he walked so must we affectiuè actiuè passiuè as the Schooleman speakes For the first he applyed his will to his Fathers will saying Not as I will but as thou wilt Math. 26.39 and so must we that we may say with them Act. 20.14 The will of the Lord be done In his Actiue obedience likewise he was ready and resolute Yea professed himselfe to be in the number of those Heb. 10.7 Calv. in Loc. who are in the Lords Catalogue of obedient seruants And so as we pray thy will be done we must be willing to doe it But in his Passiue obedience he was yet more admirable Phil. 2.8 when hee was obedient to the death euen the death of the crosse And so must we endeauour to settle our hearts Iam. 5.8 1. Pet. 3.17 that if it be the Lords will to call vs to the fiery triall we may be able to say with that blessed Apostle I am ready not only to bee bound Acts 21.13 but also to dye for the name of the Lord Iesus Loe these are some of those especiall pathes wherein we must follow Christ that by them we may be guided to the kingdome of heauen 2. BVt forma dat esse And the manner of our walking conduceth much to the Bene esse of our following Christ The well being For the best seruices we take in hand or tender to God if they want their due forme can finde neither respect nor reward from his hands Therefore we will consider the manner how we must follow Christ which is the second maine point I proposed And in this there are foure especiall circumstances to be obserued First Wee must see that we follow Christ sincerely For sinceritie is that which seasons all our actions and makes them acceptable to Almightie God This the Lord required of Abraham in that mutuall couenant Genesis 17. Gen. 17.1 Walke before me and be thou vpright And concerning this Dauid gaue that charge to Salomon his sonne 1. Chro. 28.9 That he should serue the Lord with an vpright heart Our Sauiour manifested his hatred to Hypocrisie by those many woes thundred out against it Math. 23. and admonished his Disciples to beware of that Pharisaicall leauen And reason for it eates out the sweetnes of religion and commonly where religion begins in hypocrisie it ends either in Atheisme or Apostasie This is the condition of hypocrites Boni videri volunt sed non esse c. Bern. in Cant. Serm. 66. Prou. 21.1 Psal 51. Mich. 6.7 Prou. 23.26 They would seeme to be good but will not be so they will be euill but would not seeme so But the Lord pondereth the Spirits and loues truth in the inward parts It is not the thousands of rammes nor ten thousand riuers of oyle that he regards It is the sincere heart that he delights in Rustie gold is better then the brightest brasse And sinceritie