fighteth for you So may it be said vnto euery Christian man whose armour is the shielde of faith the sword of the spirit whose battaile is temptation whose grand Captain is Christ Iesus our Sauiour whose conquest is an immortall crowne of euerlasting glory be of good courage pluck vp a good heart the Lord of heauen earth is with thée and for thée in the conflict Chap. 8. Of Christes great compassion towards men his continuall doing good in tâ—… world and what instructions wee hence learne WHen wee enter into consideration of the great compassion of the sonne of God towardes the distressed state of man wee finde it a worke of inspeakeable mercy In the creation Dedit te tibi O man God gaue thée thy selfe but in the redemption Dedit se tibi God gaue thee himselfe In the creation of all things necessarie for man onlie sixe dayes were passed but in mans redemption thrée thirtie yâ—…res were expired in the creation pauca dixit hee spake few things in the redemption of man multa dixit mirabilia fecit hee spake many things hee did wonderfull things Adam in the state of innocencie for perfection left all his posteritie farre behind his reason was vncorrupt his vnderstanding pure his will obedient he was for knowledge of heauenly matters an excellent Diuinâ—… for the nature of things a déep Philosopher for power hee had a whole world to commaund Adam had nothing which was necessarie nowe wanting vnto him that when he saw he had all things which hee could desire in earth hee might then turne his desires towards heauen his dutie for all is to kéepe the law of his God He hath one precept amongst these many blessings this one precept is most vndutifully broken Adam vnlesse mercie step in thy felicitie and the felicitie of all thy posterity is at an end therefore behold a helper when thou art now in the pawes of the Lyon The seede of the woman shal break the Serpents head Here the Serpents hope is turned into a curse and in Christ who was to come Adams dread is turned into a blessing Behold loue which affected Adam more then Adam did affect himselfe 2 Now Christ the promised séede being come hee compares himselfe vnto that Samaritane who tooke compassion vpon the wounded man This wounded man may resemble humane nature the Priest and the Leuite that passed by the offerings and sacrifices of the law the Samaritane Christ who beholding man in this case with the eye of mercy bound vp his wounds poured in the softning oyle of grace and searching wine of contrition layeth him vpon his own nature and righteousnes therof taketh out the two Testaments bringeth him to the holy hostage of his Church commandeth his Priests to take care and charge of him and promiseth that one day they shall finde they haue not lost their labour 3 In consideration of mans fall sayth Saint Bernard mercie began to knocke at the bowels of God the Father which mercie brought with her peace as a companion on the other side trueth accompanied with iustice began to approach and contradict mercie Betweene these sisters began a long controuersie Mercie sayeth vnto God O God man this creature of thine would haue compassion shewed him being now so miserable No sayth Truth and Iustice Lorde fulfill thy word Adam that day thou eatest thou shalt die Mercie replies but thou hast made mee mercie but if thou shew no mercie I am not on the contrarie Truth saith and I am truth vnlesse I take place I abide not for euer God the father commits the deciding of all vnto God the sonne before whom Truth and Mercie speake the same things Truth saith if Adam perish not I perish and Mercie sayth if Adam be not conserued I languish Well let death be good and let both haue that they desire let Adam die and yet for all that let Adam haue mercy and liue O admirable wisedome but how can death be good séeing the death of sinners is worst of all Let one be found which of loue may die and yet is not subiect to death The motion séemed good but where may any such be found Truth séekes about the earth and cannot find one cleane from sinne no not an Infant of one day mercy goeth vp to heauen and there findes none that hath this loue as to leaue life for sinners these sisters returne at the time appointed not finding that which was required At the last peace calling them aside and comforting them sayeth You knowe there is none that doeth good no not one hee that gaue you this counsell when all is done must surely giue you help whereat the vmpire began to procéede and calling the Angell Gabriel said Goe tell the daughter of Sion Behold her king commeth Let these sisters now accord in one and let that of the Prophet be confirmed Mercie and truth are met together righteousnes peace haue kissed each other now Truth thou shalt haue thy right for Adam shal die and Mercy here is thy desire Adam shall be restored to life O happy harmony who euer reade of such wisedom and loue it was Gods goodnes to think vpon vs it was his bounty to reléeue vs this is the fountaine froÌ„ whence our riuers come the Sea from which all our waters arise Here mercy is the wine that gladdeth mans heart and loue is the oyle that makes him to haue a chéerefull countenance Martha said Lord he whom thou louest is sick as if the loue of Christ were enough to moue him to a worke of loue Thus much of Christes compassion towards the state of man in general 4 For his continuall doing good in the world his pitty was euer pardoning his wisedome was euer teaching his liberality was euer giuing his compassion was euer helping all his teaching whereunto did it tend but vnto the remission of sinnes all this tends to our consolation For his sincerity of life while he walked in the world Tertullian bids the Romaines but reade their owne Registers there they should finde mention of the faultlesse conuersation of Iesus the sonne of the virgin Mary his doing good was in effect our good looke what was due to his obeence to wit loue to his desert to wit reward to his humility to wit honour to his sorrow to wit ioy to his death to wit life to his victory to wit tryumph all is attributed vnto vs. His merites became our merites his suffering our satisfaction his ioyes our ioyes hee fed many in the wildernesse with materiall bread and he imparted the bread of life vnto whole multitudes that came to heare his most diuine doctrine If we respect his goodnes hee was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goodnes it selfe if his clemencie he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 placability it selfe for curing the diseased a Phisitian both of body and soule for reléeuing those that were miserable he was a priuiledged place whereunto al might repair as
humiliation of body S. Luke saith he knéeled downe and prayed S. Mathew and S. Marke that hee fell prostrate vpoÌ„ the earth The Euangelists may soone be reconciled for it may séeme hee first knéeled and afterward for faintnesse hee was faine to fall prostrate and this commends vnto vs humiliation in praying When he raysed Lazarus restored the dumbe man to the vse of speaking wee finde he lifted vp his eyes to heauen which was sometimes his gesture in praying When Moyses prayed he held vp his hands vntill the going downe of the sunne which holding vp of the hands Dauid called his euening sacrifice When Steuen prayed he knéeled downe according to Christes example héere in the second plâ—…ce mentioned 3 The third circumstance to be obserued in this our Sauiours praying is that it was iust and right for hee subiected his wil to the wil of his Father saying Situ vis If thou wilt which doth teach vs to commend our selues all our petitions wholy to the will of God The fourth that it was with sorrow for he was in an agonie and this doth put vs in minde of that of the Apostle The spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee knowe not what to pray as wee ought but the spirit maketh intercession for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed The fift that it was with perseuerance for hee came three times vnto his Disciples three times and in thrée places was he tempted and thrée times did hee héere pray and willed his Disciples to pray that they enter not into temptation O what deuotion was héere his last supper being ended hee goeth forth accompanied with his Disciples speakes vnto them as a louing father vpon his death bed when hee hath not much to say giues his children precepts at parting which they should remember when hee is gone from them of which precepts this was not the least Watch pray that you enter not into temptation Peter Iames and Iohn goe with him for those to whom hee had before shewed the glory of his transfiguration to them would he now shew the humility of his passion that as they had séene glorious thinges so nowe should they sée humble thinges to these hee sayeth My soule is sorrowfull vsque ad mortem vnto death euen to begin to feare death or vsque vntill may be taken indefinitelie and so my soule is sorrowfull vnto death that is vntill a satisfaction for the sinnes of the world be made by death or vsque vntill may bee taken inclusiuely and so My soule is sorrowfull vnto death that is vntill the scandall of my death be turned againe to the life of faith Tristis est anima mea My soule is sorrowfull Héere Anselme crieth out Vnde hoc Deus mi How commeth it to passe O my God that thou taking vpon thée the nature of mâ—…n shouldest begin to forget thou art God 4 Christ assumed this feare and sorrowfulnes for many causes First to proue the truth of his humanity for it is naturall vnto man to feare death and of this naturall sorrowe was our Lord sorrowfull yet so doe wee vnderstand him to be sorrowfull and to feare not with that feare and sorrowe which ordinarily drowneth reason and causeth man to ouershoote himselfe as Peter for feare of death denied his Maister This manner of feare was farre from Christ for hee came for this intent to suffer and reproued Peter when he disswaded him from going to Ierusalem and suffering there There is a kinde of stepping backe naturally incident vnto all which at this time appeared in Christ as other humaine actions did his eating his sléeping his hunger the like all which were in Christ finne onely excepted properly as in man now this sorrow feare was otherwise in Christ then in vs. In vs for the most part the passion of feare doth goe before the rule of the will and the iudgement of reason but in Christ it did follow after for both the will and the iudgement of reason went before for when hee hungred and thirsted hee did it willingly and of iudgement hee feared willingly hee sorrowed willingly and of iudgement By this then there is nothing to be considered in Christ as constrained but all is to be beléeued as voluntarie and therefore feare and sorrow as they were naturall so were they voluntarie and rationall Wherefore the originall of the text saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coepit contristari hee began to feare he began to be sorrowfull and not hee was fearefull Feare and sorrowe began in the part sensitiue but came not to the minde or vnderstanding For when the Euangelists say His soule began to be sorrowfull there the soule is taken for the part sensitiue in which are passions And héere we may consider that Christ could not die by nature as Adam could not die vntill hee committed sinne For the reward of sinne saith the Apostle was death but as hee tooke vpon him humane nature so did hee also without our infirmities suffer that voluntarilie which was incident to our nature yea to our fall 5 A troubled passion ariseth in the minde eyther besides the decrée of reason or in opposite manner against the decree of reason The former of these two is sometime incident vnto men although the best amongst men the second to the imperfect onelie A perfection farre surmounting both was in Christ for that in him sence was subiect vnto reason reason vnto will the will to the vnderstanding the vnderstanding to God Christ was sorrowfull sayth Saint Ierome not for any feare of death which nature refuseth but for the scandall of his Disciples the infelicitie of Iudas the ruine of the Iewes and thus it is not dissonant from truth sayeth Saint Ambrose if hee were heauie in soule for his persecutors Wee sée according to the iudgement of the auncient Fathers how farre our Sauiours feare was from distrustfull thoughts or weaker passions which to thinke to be in him were most impious but in these sufferings being rightly considered wee sée a most admirable conueniencie in all without fancying of vnlearned and irreligious conceites 6 To come to matter of instruction for that is most hehoueful of all In this sorrowing of our Sauiour we learne these things First to kéepe down by the rule of reason sorrowes and passions that arise in vs to restraine them and kéepe them in obedience vnto the will Secondlie no to dispaire if sorrow and feare at any time surprise vs euen vnto the suffering of death Thirdly to be sorrowfull for the state of others after Christs example Fourthly amidst all our sorrowes to repaire onely vnto God and commend our selues vnto him as Christ did by prayer thus vniting our sorrowes with his sorrowes wee shall the better beare them 7 This done Christ departed a stones cast from them and there prayed Father if it be possible remoue this cup he saith Abba Father and we
weeping and mourning heereafter they shall haue all teares wiped froÌ„ their eyes The prophet Ezechiel when hee came to sée the glory of the Lord in the Sanctuarie he was brought about by the North wee passe along by many sorrowes and then come to sée the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the lyuing Of mournfull euents Ieremie said This is my sorrow and I will beare it causes of wéeping and wailing are somtimes offered Eli saide it is the Lord let him doe as it séemeth good vnto him hee that nowe goeth forth wéeping shall surely returne saith the Prophet Dauid bring his stâ—…aues with him those that a time mourne with Christ shall reioyce when the laughing world shall weepe Christ sowed in teares it was that wee all should reape in ioy Chap. 27. Of Christs passion his suffering vpon the Altar of the Crosse for the sinnes of the world and saluation of our soules how and with what deuotion all Christians should meditate thereof ALthough in meditating the holy vertues of Christ our Sauiour which worthily require our most deuotionate consideration wee are much moued I doubt it not yet when we begin to call to minde his passion then ought wee to be euen caried away from our selues by admiring his goodnes towardes vs And héere is it saide to deuoute soules as it was to the disciples in the Garden hic sedete sit yee here Let vs not say vnto Christ with the Iewes come down froÌ„ the crosse but let vs fasteÌ„ our selues to his crosse Let vs goe with the blessed virgine to mount Caluâ—…rie and stand by a while beholding in mournfull manner what is done and when wee haue beheld vntill they haue done crucifying the sonne of God then with Ioseph and Nichodemus let vs take downe and annoynt his crucified body with the swéetest perfumes of prayers and prayse our hearts can yéeld putting it in the new Sepulcher of our holiest meditation of them who thus doe it may be saide as Dauid saide to those who brought him word they had honourably buried their maister Saule Blessed are you of the Lord the Lord recompence you this mercie The Lord to recompence them this deuotion that thus doe And blessed be they of the Lord c. who thus reuerence the Lord of Lords 2 And now to enter a while into the consideration hereof Christ louâ—…dvs saith the Apostle and gaue himselfe a sweet smelling sacâ—…fice and oblation vnto God Wherein wee may consider these thrée thinges first the mouing cause to wit loue Christus dilexit nos Christ loued vs. Secondarily the offering which this loue caused him to offer Obtulit seipsum hee gaue himselfe Thirdly the end why hee gaue this offering Vt esseâ—… propitiatio Dei patris That hee might be a reconciliation for man with God the Father For the first to wit loue the mouing cause of all if a mother loue her child because it cost her paine neuer Mother bought her sonne with so great paine as Christ bought vs. What greater loue is there then for one to giue his life for his friend yet greater was thy loue O holie Sonne of God who gauest thy life for vs that were thine enemies Doubtlesse saith the Apostle one will scarce die for a righteous man and yet one is found to die for vs that were vnrighteous and then too when it was in his power to die or not to die These things may be coÌ„sidered that his loue that loued sinners that the Sonne of God his loue to incite our affection to him hee thâ—… had not sinnes of his owne a signe he suffered for the sinnes of others The greatest perfection and force of loue say the Philosophers is the force vnitiue and this was neuer in any so forceable as in Christ when he would vnite vnto himselfe his Church or Congregation which accordeth with that of the holy Ghost Let a man so loue his wife as Christ loued the Congregation The wife is chargeable but farre more chargeable was the Congregation to the Sonne of God 3 For the offering it selfe it was himselfe Aaron and all his sonnes neuer made such an offering as this was he gaue himselfe a sacrifice Why was there nothing in heauen or earth that could haue béene offered else Was there no other sacrifice to be had but innocent Isaack Must none be approoued to make a reconciliation for man but the sonne of man was sinne then so heynous that nothing could â—…eanse the contagion thereof but the death of an innocent Lambe Stand and heare a little O sinfull man thy Sauiour himselfe speaking vnto thée For thy sake doe I suffer all this for thy sake doe I offer my selfe as thou séest a sacrifice vpon the Crosse all this doe I doe for the loue of thée thy sinnes are the thornes that pearced my head the speare that opened my side thy delicates was the vinegar and gall that I dranke thy libertie and loosenesse was the nailes that fastned mee to the Crosse sée whither thy sinne thy vanities O man haue brought mee Behold me suffering for thée to reconcile thée vnto my Father Doth hee not by this O Christian man enflame thée with his loue strengthen thée with his merite and comfort thy sorrowfull heart with his aboundant mercie if he were punished for vs then were we punishable of our selues When nowe iustice had taken place and began to waxe â—…ercer and fiercer amongst the rest of the people Aaron makes spéede takes the censer in his hand puts on fire goes quickly vnto the Congregation to make an attonement for them This attonement hath our Aaron made for vs all wheÌ„ he offered no other offering then himselfe 4 What hath man more to offer or to giue then his goods his honour and his life all this hath Christ offered and giuen for vs his goods when he left his kingdome in heauen his honor when he was reproched of men his life when he yéelded vp the same for all vpon the Altar of the Crosse. But how many indignities did he suffer before he came to the accomplishment heereof when as like a méeke Lambe hee was caried and recariâ—…d from iudgement to iudgement when hee was mocked and scorned of all forts In his suffering it selfe wee may consider amongst whom where and when he suffered amongst whom euen his owne people Pilat saide Thine owne Nation hath deliuered thee vnto me Where at Ierusalem the Kings Citie and there without the gate of the same Citie in a place called Calâ—…arie where théeues murderers were wont to suffer When was al this done but in the chiefest solemnitie of the Iewes at which time no â—…all concourse of people from all places were assembled might behold what was done accorâ—…ng to that O vos omnes qui transitis per viam attendite si est dolor sicut dolor meus O all you that passe by beholde and see if there were euer sorrow like my sorrow From
vs his righteousnesse hee gaue himselfe a sacrifice to saue vs and wee giue our selues a sacrifice to serue him Chap. 28. Of Christs resurrection from the dead and how the veritie hereof doth much strengthen our Christian faith LOue saith Salomon is as strong as death wee shall see in the resurrection of our Lord this verified whom we haue considered in his passion dying for our sinnes for héere we find that loue which was stronger then death Now behold we him as a Champion returning from thâ—… spoiles after so many labours and trauailes now méete we him with gratulation Our Dauid hath slaine his ten thousand our Eagle is renued our Phenix is reuiued our Ionas is come safe and sound from the belly of the Whale Our Sunne that went downe in a ruddy cloude is risen againe with glorious beames of light our graine of corne that was cast into the earth is sprung up and flourisheth our Ioseph is deliuered out of prison our Sampson hath caried away the gates 〈◊〉 his enemies our spouse is 〈◊〉 the voyce of the Turtle is â—…ard in our land Christ our reâ—…er is risen from the dead He is risen early that was late in the euening layde in the Sepulâ—…r after his dolefull passion hee is risen hee is risen whereâ—… with the Prophet wee say Sorrowe may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning Christ hastened his resurrecâ—…n that his disciples might not 〈◊〉 long dwel in sorrow he would â—…t their mournful harts should 〈◊〉 reciue comfort Christ rose â—…ly the third day to haue layen â—…ger might haue bred doubt of 〈◊〉 rising to haue rose sooner of 〈◊〉 dying Had only the sorrowâ—… Apostles or those women â—…at came mourning vnto the â—…epalcher the ioy of the resurâ—…ion No this was the ioy of thousand thousandes which may say with Dauid This is the day of the Lord wee will reioyce and be glad in it Looke we vnto the passion before mentioned there wee sée wéeping and wayling sorrowe and suffering on euery side The blessed virgine the Disciples full of heauines now all is turned into ioy The Angell appeareth in white the women runne and tell the Disciples they scarce beléeue either the Angels or one another for ioy A little before the stone is refused of the builders Deliuer vnto vs Barrabas nowe is this stone the head of the corner which ioynes together the building of two nations both Iewes and Gentiles A little before we haue no other King but Caesar now is hee a King aboue all Caesars A little before he trusted in God let him deliuer him if he wil haue him Now is he deliuered and God is with him hee with God A little before is he a lamb â—…ed vnto the slaughter but now a Lion of the tribe of Iuda A little before he was in humility and â—…ged of others now is he risen to appeare the Iudge both of quick dead at the right hand of God aboue in glory 2 Wherfore O faithfull Christian man reioyce in the Lorde yea saith the Apostle againe I say reioyce reioyce in the resurrection of thy Sauiour for manie are the benfites that hence â—…rise Nowe is thy Lorde returned from the battaile nay from the conquest ouer the deuill sinne hell and death thanks be vnto God that hath giuen vs the victorie by Iesus Christ our Lord. Beléeue that his resurâ—…ion was the cause of thy resurrection for hee which raysed Christ from the dead shall also rayse these our mortall bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in vs. If thou consider this thou shalt haue consolation agaynst all feare and dread of death for thou mayst say I knowe that my Redeemer liueth Againe I will lay me downe to sleepe and take my rest for the Lord maketh me to dwell in safety Because this was so behâ—…uefull a poynt for the stay of our christian faith Christ appeared so often vnto his Apostles after his resurrection communed with them as at other times so then especially when their hearts did burne within them as hee opened the Scriptures shewing them the veritie of his resurrection The Apostles whose charge was to teach glad tydings vnto the world the first tydings they taught was the doctrine of the resurrection The Euangelists doe most diligently set foorth vnto vs the resurrection of Christ as a thing profitable and ioyfull to all faithfull beléeuers for in the resurrection wee sée how Christ is exalted and what hope wee haue in him This they lay downe with many circumstances both by testimonies before and after before that hee had told his Disciples he must die and rise againe after in that he was conuersant amongst them forty dayes walked in the way with two of them communing of the thinges that â—…re done at Ierusalem and surely in time of sorrow to comâ—…ne of Christ and talke of him in our wearisome iourney of this life shall much comfort vs at this time Christ walketh with them their vnderstanding is opened 3 The women come vnto the Sepulcher and view euery place throughly they finde the stone â—…ed away the linnen cloathes â—…aining a signe his body was not taken away but risen for these were together laid with his body in the Sepulcher the body â—…ne the Angels testifie he is risen what say the Souldiours to this First they confesse a truth afterward corrupted with mony they giue out his Disciples had stolen away his body while they were a sleepe If they were a sleepe howe saw they the Disciples steale away the body If they were not a sléepe how could a fewe weake fishers take away the body from a band or company of armed Souldiours but let them confesse the truth as they did before vnto the high Priests and after when they were charged that they had séene a vision of Angels that he was risen indéede So the veritie is inuincible and the ioy great of the resurrection Wee see a desire and loue to Christ in Peter and Iohn for why they runne to the Sepulcher affection makes vs diligent the women come with sweet odors to annoint the body we haue no swéet odors but manie vnsauorie sins to bring vnto the resurrection there to offer vp the incense of our praise which is the swéetest offering our harts can yéeld Mary commeth néere her Lord Christ saith vnto her Woman touch me not not but that Christ had a body tangible after his resurrection but Mary touch me not doe not so much affect my presence héere on earth as my presence in heauen By this we learne to know and honour Christ as he is risen sitteth at the right hand of God aboue S. Paul writing to Timoâ—…e saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remember that Iesus Christ is risen from the â—…ad When the Teacher giues his Scholler many lessons if he giue him one amongst that rest with 〈◊〉 Momento Remember this he thinks that of all
other of most especial regard and worthy of the best obseruation it seêmeth the Apostle so accounted of the resurrection for what is there more necessarie for our christian meditation then héere to call to minde that it was hee who did redéeme Israel that as he rose powerfullie in himselfe so also did hee in those that beléeue on him that hee rose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according vnto the Scriptures that hee rose by way of equitie for first hee humbled himselfe then God exalted him giuing him a name aboue all names That hee rose by way of power for being without sinne death could not holde him for it was vnpossible he should be holden of death 5 He whom Iohn not long before had séene as a sacrifice offered vpon the Crosse when hee was as the Prophet speaketh without for me to looke vpon now hee séeth him after another manner then amongst théenes nowe walking amongst the seauen candlestickes then cloathed in purple by way of derision nowe cloathed as the Sunne then called a King by those that reproached him now called the King of Kings by them that honor him Wherefore as we haue séene him in his humility so with Iohn also let vs sée him in his glory As we haue séene him fighting for vs in his passion so let vs also beholde him tryumphing for vs in his resurrection for all was for vs. In the passion and resurrection of Christ our Sauiour consisteth the summe of all our happines he dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification vnlesse he had dyed we had not been deliuered from sinne and consequently from death vnlesse hee had rose from the dead wee had not receiued comfort of rysing againe from the dead his passion remoued away that which was euill his resurrection brought vnto vs that which was good As in these two wee haue a double benefit so haue wee a double example in his passion an example of suffering in his resurrection of hope when wee haue suffered Which doth shew in vs two liues the one in the flesh laborious which we must endure the other when wee are deliuered from the flesh which wee must hope 6 Now we must not onely acknowledge with the mouth or beleeue in the heart this sacred truth of the resurrection but we must also be raysed vp to newnes of life for thus much dooth the holy Ghost require of vs in beléeuing the resurrection Wee are sayeth the Apostle buried with him by Baptisme vnto his death that like as Christ was raysed from the dead by the glory of the Father so we also should walk in newnes of life And this is the similitude which wee doe carie of his resurrection This is to set our affection on heauenly things or thinges that are abaue where Christ fitteth at the right hand of God and this is the third thing that we should apply our selues vnto in beléeuing the resurrection from the dead that is first to rise with him from the death of sinne and consequently to be raysed by him vnto a hope of the resurrection vnto eternall life 7 It is wonderfull to consider with how many strange enemies Christ had to do at once with the world the Prince of the world with death and sinne the cause of death Who would haue thought that one shéepe should haue béene able to haue withstoode so manie Wolues but yet heare the triumphant voyce of the conquerour Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victorie the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Lawe The Apostle like a valiant champion goes forth and offers challenge and combate to all these or anie of them Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen If Sathan say that will I because they haue followed the wayes of ungodlines If the world say I will lay to their charge the manie vanities they receiued of me if the Lawe say I will indite them because of transgression if death say I will arrest them by reason of sinns S. Paul answereth them all with a short reply Iesus Christus mortuus est imo resurrexit Iesus Christ is dead yea he is risen from the dead as if hee would say that same rising of Christ from the dead hath beâ—…t you all of all your force and nowe all your Pleas are frustrate Nay howe is the poore Captiue comforted when the Iudge himselfe shall say Who shall detaine this man I haue paâ—… his ransome 8 What a ioyous thing is it nowe to be strengthened in the faith of the Resurrection First in regard of the calamities of this life for what shall dismay vs séeing the members hope to be ioyned with their head Secondly though this life be transitory and troublesome yet Daniel shall be deliuered out of the Lyons den The Doue shall returne to the Arke with a braunch of Oliue when once the flood and waters are fallen Ieremie shal come out of the pit whereinto hee is cast of his enemies Our noble Dauid hauing gotten the victorie is gone triumphantly to raigne in Ierusalem we all his people and armie tracing and trayning after him wee were detayned and held as captiues of cruel enemies but by Christ the enemies are vanquished and wee deliuered how are we deliuered but by the sonne of God was it not his suffering onely that was as hath beene said the remouing of euill Him selfe saith what profit is there in my blood if I goedowne to corruption as if he would tell vs there were something adioyned héereunto to make his suffering glorious beneficial vnto others and this was his resurrection 9 Euery effect naturally doth shew his cause The resurrection was the effect of his deitie and therefore gaue euident Testimonie he was God Againe his resurrection confirmeth our faith for so doth S. Paul reason against the Pseudo-Apostoli if the dead rise not then is not Christ risen if Christ be not risen then where is our beléeuing but Christ is risen therefore there is a resurrection The head doth not rise without the body The head is risen the body therefore shall rise So the resurrection of Christ is the cause of our resurrection and he rising we all rise The Lord is King sayth the Prophet Let the earth reioyce end the â—…es be glad therof The first fruites being sanctified all the other fruits are hallowed vnto the Lord Thomas bring hiâ—…er thy hand and féele the print of the nailes Blessed are those that haue not seene and yet doe beléeue That which befell Christes body saith S. Austen the third day shall befall our bodies in the last day 10 Foure sortes were there which behelde heard the whole manner of our Sauiours passion and resurrection The first were a kind of men which onely were present as spectators hearing and séeing what was done without further obseruation and these were many of the common people which following their owne
all their pompe but miserie to his conflicts to his glory who vanquished when hee was conquered and ouercame death when he suffered death subduing the Prince of darknes with all his power with a few meane men made a conquest ouer the whole world by a force in outward shew cleane contrarie to all victorie to wit by his word which in the sight of the world séemed féeblenes What hart is not moued at the remembrance of his woorthie actes who would not celebrate vnto the Lord a swéete Sabaoth of Meditation and hither bring all his prayers and prayses Surely wee will doe little for him who hath done so much for vs if wee keepe not at least a remembrâ—…nce of so many graces so many mercies bestowed vpon vs should we be wearie to meditate of his life who was not wearie to doe and suffer so many things to restore vs to eternall life 11 God saith Deliciae meae cum filijs hominum My delight is to be with the sonnes of men And the godly say deliciae nostrae cum filio Dei Our delight is to be with the sonne of God Saint Hierome writeth of certaine holy women so deuoted this way Vt caro esset pene nescia carnis That flesh saith hee almost forgat it was flesh they did so dwell in the contemplation of Iesus Christ â—…hat they séemed in place onely remote but in affection to ioyne with that holy companie of heauen there beholding in that splendent Theator the King of Kings sitting vnder the state of glory The Athenians erected a place called Asylum whither the poore and distressed repairing â—…ght finde refuge How God hath exalted our Lorde Iesus vnto the right hand of his throne in glory and there for his sake erected an Asylum of grace whither all sorrowfull and afflicted minds repayring may plead priuiledge and a satisfaction against sinne hell death and the deuill faith in him doth tell vs as much When the accuser of the brethren doth â—…ay a remembrance of their sinnes vnto the charge of Gods chosen and thereby séeketh to cast them downe by despaire by and by they flie to meditate of Christes loue and how al-sufficient a sacrifice he was for the satisfaction of their sinnes and how readie he is to embrace in the armes of his mercie and couer vnder the shadow of his wings all that crie come vnto him 12 Would wee haue a president of all perfection to stand before vs why Salomons wisedome is but ignorance Sampsons strength but weakenes Hazaels swiftnes but slownesse Methusalâ—…hs age not a day being once compared with the perfection of the sonne of God The loaues which Christ tooke were but few in number but when he brake them and his disciples distributed them they did excéedingly encrease and multiply The life of Christ when at first wee consider the same it séemes not so much but falling to meditate thereupon and to distribute it as it were amongst faithfull beléeuers it encreaseth so wonderfullie as wee can truly say with them in the Gospel vve neuer saw it after this fashion in effect we neuer thought it so admirable 13 The people in the wildernes were directed by a cloud in their passage towards the land of promise we haue for our iourney not a materiall cloud but the life of him that sits aboue the clouds vpon whom the eye of our soule euermore fixed we may goe forward or stay as this heauenly direction shal giue vs ayme 14 Last of all how mindfull I pray you we should be to meditate of Christ not onely in respect of the time present but chiefly for the time to come this was in Saint Pauls thought when hee thought of his departure hence desiring to be dissolued and to be with Christ. Iacob leauing the world his mind was vpon Shiloh or on him whom God would send when he said Expectabo salutare tuum Lord I will wait for thy saluation O Iesu saith Saint Austen whether I speake of thee I write of thee I read of thee me thinks I am present with thee as if a remembrance of his redéemer did wake with him and sléepe with him 15 The law was a shadow of good to come this good was Christ when the Sunne is behind the shadow is before when the Sunne is before the shadow is behind so was it in Christ to them of old this Sunne was behind and therefore the law or shadow was before to vs vnder grace the Sunne is before and so now the ceremonies of the law these shadowes are behind yea they vanished away Iosua succeeded Moses Christ the law Moses dies Iosua leades the people Iosua brings the people ouer Iordan which Moses could not doe The Fathers eate Manna in the Desert we haue the liuing bread which came downe from heauen In blessing their posterities the Patriarkes mentioned the promised séed in comforting the distressed the Prophets fore-told the Sauiour to come all their solemne sacrifices were but figures and signes of some excellent subiect their many hymnes diuine songs were reioycings at his comming before he came in their highest deuotions nothing was more mentioned then that God would respect his people and Abraham to whom in mercie the multiplying of the same mercie by the promised ofspring was mentioned so by this wee sée the faithfull all a long minded nothing more then him in whom all the Nations of the earth should be blessed 16 For the beleeuers vnder grace surely they should be so addicted to meditate of him who wrought the great work of their redemption as that they ought to haue their hearts replenished with an incessant reuoluing of his loue séeing their faith is confirmed by a consideration of his merits their hope by a remembrance of his promises their duty by calling to minde his benefits their fortitude by a contemplation of his assistance their liues directed by his life who was the mirror of the world for perfection and true holmes the Prophet Esay saith This is the way walke in it Chap. 2. That the life of a Christian should be passed ouer in this world in a holy and vertuous conuersation IT is the manner of Princes and gouernours forthwith vpon their inuestures to places of greatest dignitie seriously to recount with theÌ„selues to what authority amongst men God hath called them what to doe how to gouerne and in conclusion which way to demeane themselues like themselues thâ—…t is to say aunswerable vnto their place and calling This care we find to haue béen in king Salomon who in regard of the dignitie whereunto God had called him besought God before riches and honour to giue him an vnderstanding heart No lesse care should a Christian man haue whom God hath in mercy called to the state of grace a calling of excelleâ—…cie no lesse care I say shâ—…uld hâ—… hâ—…ue forthwâ—…th to sit downe and consider for what cause he was redeemed to what end what will onedâ—…y be
branches cast it into the fire and so there is somewhat more then a cutting downe Daniel said vnto Nabuchodonozor which Iohn the Baptist in effect said to euery one who were fruitlesse This tree is thy selfe but for the good trée which our Sauiour saith bringeth forth good fruit it shal be like the gréen Oliue planted by the house of God Blessed is the man saith Ieremie that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is for he shall be as a tree that spreadeth out her rootes by the riuer and shall not feele when the heat commeth but her leafe shal be greene and shall not care for the yeere of drought neither shall cease from yeelding fruit And thus as the negligent are resembled vnto barrenheath or trees twise dead and plucked vp by the rootes as vaine professors are compared vnto trées which bare leaues or at least fruit goodlie and pleasant to the eye in shew like Apples of Gomorrah which are gone as soone as you touch them so are the religious and deuoted to the worship of God most fitly likened to good fruitfull trées grafted vpon the true stocke Christ Iesus himselfe planted in that vineyard whose kéeper is the Lord of hosts and lookes for at their hands better then wild grapes 6 In the eleuenth of the Acts and sixe and twentieth were the Disciples first called by this name Christians a name of great sanctitie from annoynting a ceremonie vsed amongst the ancient people of God vpon none but those whom they accounted holy and had an holy calling as their Kings their Priests their Prophets and therefore should Christians be as Iohn the Baptist whose name was holy whose teaching was holy whose life was holy all agréeing in one He was a burning light not only burning saith Saint Bernard as zealous in seruencie but a light also as conspicuous in charity But whence saith Isidor haue we this title euen from Christ are we called christians surely a great prerogatiue he hath graced vs with his own name ciensed vs with his owne blood The Apostle saith wee are bought or redeemed with a price if it be so then are wee his who hath paid our ransome consequently are bound to doe his will willingly who hath bought out our freedome Wee are not debters saith he to the flesh as if he should haue said we are debters and owe dutifull seruice to another Lord and to liue after his will Sarah saw but Ismael playing with Isaacke and shee said vnto Abraham put away the bandwoman with her sonne it is not safe for the soule to be dallying with the flesh cast out the bond woman and her ofspring or desires the playing of Ismael with Isaack the holy ghost by the Apostles called a persecution One saith This body of ours will not let vs to be right Philosophers but sure it is this corrupt nature of ours vnlesse we did represse the affections thereof it would not permit vs to be right Christians There is a serpent within vs saith Macarius that will entire with an argument a iucundo the forbidden trée is most faire forbidden pleasures forbidden wayes are most delightfull Had we saith Saint Bernard stoode by when Adam was betwéene the perswasion of his wife and the precept of his God when the one said Adam eate and the other Adam Thou shalt not eate would we not haue cried out and said O Adam take héede what thou doest the woman is deceiued The counsel we would giue to Adam let vs apply to our selues and neuer harken to the counsel of the flesh séeing the condition of Christians is to walke not after the flesh but after the spirit The Apostle calleth the desires of the flesh deceiueable because they deceiue and whereas other sinnes are mentioned by one name this of the flesh is mentioned by many as adulterie fornication vncleanenes wantonnes all these shew how vile it is It is said flie from sinne as from a serpent but of all sinnes she fornication saith the holy Ghost for this serpent stingeth to death Hee that will eate so often as he is tempted by hunger hee that strikes so often as he is tempted by â—…re hee that will commit the sinne of fornication so often as he is tempted by ill motions what hath he I say not of a Christian man but of a man except the name 7 But is it credible that Christian profession should in anie age put on mâ—…sking attire and play her part vpon the stage or that those who bare the name of Christians should endeuour like cunning â—…uglers to cast a must before the sight of the simple worke dissimulation in so fine a web cast such glosse vpon all as if all were holy like hote Meteors in the aire which shoot shew like starres but are in deede nothing lesse for these deceiue men they may God they cannot nay they may one day find they deceiued themselues if they spend an houre or two now and then in godly exercises though all the wéeke after they liue in contention and eniue they thinke themselues good Christians In the Comedie of Menander there is a Hercules but not true Hercules in the course of the world there is a Herod that pretends worship but intends the life of an innocent babe there is an Ahab that proclaimes a fast thereby to compasse Naboathes vineyard but all is not gold that glisters He is not a Iew which is outwardly a Iew neyther is that circumcision which is outward in the shew but hee is a Iew which is one within and the circumcision is of the heart not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God One man discerneth another by his habit God by his hart The Arke saith Origen was it pitched without onely no but within and without The kings daughter saith the Psalmist was glorious was this glorie outward no she was glorious within The coat of Christ was without seame the conuersation of Christians should be plaine and honest without dissimulation least their calling suffer indignitie amongst men Let vaine boasters talke of profession so long as they will and make religion as they doe a mere talke vnlesse they shew deuotion to God humble and charitable behauiour towards men are they right Christians no verily When one ill affected was now about to be saluing his sore fingers a certaine Phisitien perceiuing by his countenance his liuer was corrupt my friend quoth he séeke to salue that is amisse within 8 At the end of the day shall it be said call those discoursers no call the labourers giue them the pennie S. Iames saith shew me thy faith by thy works I am a mortall man and cannot search the hart Hast thou faith let me sée it by thy actions of life Is it a liuely faith Why where life is there motion is We are not sayeth Cyprian Philosophers in words but in works
wildernes we labour while we are here and when this life is ended Then blessed are the dead which die in the Lord they rest from their labours We are going to heauen and heauen wee know suffereth violence Chap. 11. Of Christes teaching the multitude and his actions before he taught which doth also teach vs what we should doe AT sundry times and in diuers manners saith the Apostle did God speake in olde time to our Fathers by the Prophets but in these last dayes hath hee spoken vnto vs by his Son whom he hath made heire of al things who was the brightnes of his glory of whom also the diuine voice froÌ„ heauen testified Audite illum Heare him Come we vnto his first Sermon vpon the Mount which if wee deuoutly consider saith S. Austen we shall find therein contained whatsoeuer doth appertaine to the perfection of a Christian life there sée that pouertie which at one stroke doth cut downe by the roote all the solicitous desires of earthly thinges there sée that méekenes that doth vtterly exclude all hatred contention amongst men there sâ—… those teares that doe rebaptize the sorrowfull repentant soule there sée that hunger and thirst which doth bring euerlasting saâ—…ietie there sée that mercy that is euer helpfull to the necessity of men and shall also receiue mercy from God there see that peace that causeth all concord and vnitie amongst the faithfull members of Christ Iesus Last of all there sée that patience that lifteth man aboue the starres of heauen to whom these mistie clouds of this inferiour Region and stormes héere beneath are as it were vnder his féete 2 To procéed with his forme of teaching which was Tanquam habens potestatem as one that had power and authority to pearce the very heart as may appeare by those words but I say vnto you where hee spake as one that had power to commaund and enioyne the heart Who could looke into man but the maker of man or who could enioine a law to mans thoughts but hee which knewe their thoughts The Iewes thinke that onely a false oath was vnlawfull no Christ wil not haue them sweare at all Let your coÌ„munication be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea yea nay nay Whereupon Saint Basill Yea in speech and yea in hart nay in speech nay in hart Being asked of the Pharisies whether it were lawfull for a man to put away his wife for euery cause They could soone answer him themselues out of Moyses law concerning the giuing a bâ—…l of diuorce our Sauiour sheweth the original of this That it was permitted onely by reason of the hardnes of their harts therefore openeth the matter vnto his Disciples and setteth downe as it were a full determination of this doubt that he who putteth away his wife except it be for fornication marieth another coÌ„mitteth adulterie and Saint Paul so taketh it without further scruple The woman is bound vnto the man so long as the man liueth By the lawe of coueting the Iewes vnderstoode the outward signes Non concupisces id est signa concupiscentis non facies thou shalt not couet that is thou shalt not doe the signes of him that coueteth Christ tels them there was more required in this law then so for why not onely the outward but also the inward man must concur in the obseruation of the same therefore the very intention of the mind was to answer the default in Gods consistorie But whence had our Sauiour this authority of teaching to moue all that heard him First from a profound habite of heauenly wisedome next from a most sincere manner of life he liued amongst men this moued all that heard him 3 To wade déeper into his doctrine which was all along liuely graue and full of maiesty the Euangelists themselues doe sufficiently declare and manifest as much according to that replie of the messengers sent from the high Priests Neuer man spake as this man speakes or that of Saint Peter Tu Domine habes verbâ—… vitae Lord thou hast the words of life For the subiect of his first doctrine it tended to repentance to prepare the way to Christ. Iohn preacheth repentance as if repentance were the way to come to him repentance makes vs finde the disease finding the disease wee runne vnto the Phisitian repentance makes vs féele the burthen and when we féele the burthen we flie vnto him that can ease vs repentance makes vs accuse our selues if we accuse our selues héere saith S. Austen Sathan shall haue nothing to accuse vs héereafter Iohn preached health Christ brought health Iohn was a light and a light is necessarie before day Iohn was a voyce and the voyce goeth before the word the voyce vanisheth the word abideth for euer As Iohn taught repentance so Christ also taught the same to shew that this is necessarie doctrine for the state of man who by repentance should oft times commune with himselfe debating Gods cause against himselfe and his owne cause with the mercie of God Genus mortis est saith Saint Austen sine paenitentia viuere a kinde of death is it to liue without repentance Ahab thought Elias and his prophecyings did but trouble him as in anie thinke of the doctrine of repentance but he found and they shall finde it will be their owne sinnes that at the last shall trouble them 5 But to goe forward as his doctrine in this calling of sinners to repentance was most peaceable so was it also easie plaine and perspicuous euen when hee treated of the profoundest mysteries wherein hee vsed neither pompe nor pride of affected eloquence yet was it ponderous without either feare flattery or by-discourses mixed with gall and bitternes this plaine and perspicuous manner of spéech bare with it a maiestie declaring from whom it came manifested in that hoc fac et viues doe this and thou shalt liue Hee disanulled not the law of Moyses but rather ratified the same that speaking of the circumcision of the flesh which was the signe he of the circumcision of the hart which was the thing signified in all which there was a powerful operation the Disciples reasoned Did not our hearts burne while he opened the Scriptures In this his teaching hee also vsed parables a forme of instruction taken saith Saint Ierome from resembling one thing by another which by a thing known is wont to draw the hearers to a more plaine vnderstanding of things vnknowne vnto them notwithstanding vnto the peruerse more intricate mysticall according to that in S. Mathew Vnto you it is giuen to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen vnto others in parables 6 This one thing wee may withall learne for our Christian obseruation that Christes actions were euery way answerable vnto his doctrine his wordes preached holinesse of life his works preached the same Coepit facere docere saith S. Luke he began to doe and
so much enuie him but for his glorious workes for which they should haue loued him neuer did they pursue him more eagerly then when hee had nowe latelie raysed Lazarus from the dead Those who scorned him vppon the Crosse could out of their owne mouthes iudge themselues Hee saued others 6 For those myracles of our Sauiour they ceased not in him eyther aliue or dead Sée what his power did He was crowned with thornes now Kings and Emperours doe cast downe their Crownes at his feete What a death was that which did such things which all the liuing could not doe by weakenes hee ouercame power Twelue Fishermen in short time subdue the world vnto him by suffering and teaching men to suffer by dying and teaching men to die he wrought myracles in himselfe and as he before promised he wrought by his power myracles in his Apostles he cured a woman that touched the hemme of his vesture and Peter cured diuers by his very shadow Verily I say vnto you hee that beleeueth in me the workes that I doe shall hee doe also and greater then these shall hee doe Whence wee sée what was done in beléeuing on his name The Primitiue Church had manie myracles trées newly planted are wont to require watering but hauing once taken roole that labour ceaseth We reioyce saith Thomas Aquinas that wee are past the beginnings not to require signes againe Now the faith of Iesus Christ is established in our hearts dumbe and deafe flesh is not opened but the dumbe and deafe heart by the operation of his word neither is Christ still without myracles for he cured visibly and inuisibly the blindnes of the body and the blindnes of the vnderstanding he raysed thrée from the dead and so doth he still thrée sorts of dead sinners The first was the Rulers daughter whom hee raised putting foorth the multitude in the presence onely of her Parents these are those whom hee rayseth from secret sinnes knowne onely to God and themselues The second was the widowes Sonne which was now carrying forth of the Citie and Christ met him by the way and raysed him these are those who are going on in an euill course to the pit of destruction but Christ happily méetes them preuenting them with his grace being deliuered to their mother the Church they become new men and so liue The third was Lazarus who had béene foure dayes dead and Christ comes and wéepeth groneth and calleth at the Sepulcher Lazarus come forth These are those that haue layen long in their sinnes and begin to sauour for these Christ groneth and wéepeth and these he calleth by his grace at their dead hearts readie to restore them to life and at last they reuiue and when Christ rayseth these he workes a myracle indéede and yet blessed be his name for hee often workes this myracle In the time of Elias the childe neeled seauen times that was raysed from death they leaue seauen capitall sinnes that Christ thus rayseth to life In the Gospel by Saint Mathew the woman of Canaan sayes vnto him my daughter is distressed but wee say vnto him Sonne of Dauid thy daughter our redéemed soule is distressed In the Gospell by Saint Marke Christ saide vnto one that lay languishing Take vp thy bed and walke this doth hee say to many the bed may resemble the body wherein wee lie languishing while wee doe serue the desires of sinne wee walke when wee serue him in newnesse of lyfe wee goe to our owne house when wee prepare our selues towards heauen 7 By sixe workes of mercie Christ wrought myracles â—…an the bodie and by those sâ—…e also dooth hee worke myracles vppon the soule blindnesse is ignorance and error â—…menesse is infirmitie and wayâ—…rdnesse of the will Leprosie is concupiscence of the fleshe â—…eafenesse is obduration of the heart the separation of grace from the soule is death pouâ—…tie is the defect or want of the knowledge of God the poore receiue the Gospell Some are blinde by ignorance these hee â—…inateth by the light of faith some are same by unperfection these hee enableth by the strength of hope some are Leaâ—…ers by contagion of sinne these hee cleanseth by the merites of his death some are hardned by the obduration of heart these hee wakeneth by the calling of his word some are dead by reason of sinfull life these hee raiseth in the inward man to a spirituall life some are néedle and destitute of helpe these hee adorneth and cloatheth with grace Christ as was before shewed reproueth those Cities for their vnbeléefe wherein his myracles were done by a woe woe be vnto thée Chorazin woe be vnto thée Bethsaida by Chorazin may be vnderstoode the state of rich men by Capernaum of carnall men by Bethsaida the wise men of the world some of these myracles doth Christ worke in Bethsaida in Chorazin in Caparnaum these should haue beléeued but did not these ought to beléeue but doe not The men of the olde world were ouerwhelmed in the flood for their sinnes when they had no other law nature was a law vnto them and of the Heathen the Apostle saith that the inuisible thinges of him that is his eternall power and godhead are séene by the creation of the world being considered in his works to the intent they should be without excuse because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God But what should we speake of myracles if wee open our eyes and looke abroad into the world there we sée them If we enter into a consideration of our selues there wee finde them The Iewes required a signe of Christ when they saw nothing but signes froÌ„ him Paulus Sergius in the Acts saw but one myracle of Paul the Apostle wrought vpon another and by and by he receiued Paules preaching Wee sée not one but many myracles wrought not on others but vpon our selues Christ began to vpbraid the Cities wherein his myracles were 〈◊〉 Incepit hee begâ—…n as if he doth still the same but to the use 8. A diligent consideration of Christes myracles doth offer vp unto our religious thoughts manie thinges worthy of obseruation as first they moue to giue prayse and glorie vnto God so did the Israelites when they sawe themselues deliuered by a myracle in the red Sea so did the people in the Gospell when with astonishment they cryed out Wee neuer saw it on this fashion hee hath done all thinges well hee hath made the blinde to see and the lame to goe When tenacitie is brought to be liberall then a withered hand is restored when the meanes of beléeuing is giuen the blinde and the dumbe in soule are cured when a sinner is brought from going astray and now called froÌ„ an euill custome of life then the deafe heare when a sinner is conuerted one dead is raysed and for these myracles wee giue glory vnto God Secondarily they reach vs to haue recourse vnto him in
gall the conpunction of the spirit On the other side we must take heede that wee giue not Christ thirsting for our saluation vinegar mixed with gall as these men did that is an euill and sinfull life which is vinegar mixed with the gal of scandalous conuersation 22 The sixt word was when he said Consummatum est It is finished that is all whatsoeuer was spoken of my suffering is now compleate the honour of my Father the good of the faithfull all that I should doe concerning my obedience to his will who gaue mee this worke to accomplish Consummatum est It is finished Nothing remaineth in this suffering but nowe my dying and now I die This our sauiour spake as hauing fought a good fight finished his course this hee spake as one hauing vndertaken a iourney nowe gone through many passages at his iourneyes end he saith Consummatum est It is finished first lifting vp his eyes to heauen Fa-thy will then beholding men vppon the earth faithfull men your health then respecting the breaking of the Serpents head Sathan the vanquishing of thy power Consummatum est It is finished O happy voyce of the Sonne of God! 23 The seauenth word was father into thy hands I commend my spirit S. Luke saith that hee syed this with a loude voyce some of the auncient Fathers â—…ke our Sauiour was nowe â—…ditating vpoÌ„ the one and thirtieth Psalme and comming vnto â—…se wordes in the Psalme In â—…us tuas commendo spiritum â—…eum Hee vttered them with â—…udible voyce Into thy hands I commend my spirit and so gaue 〈◊〉 the ghost This was nowe 〈◊〉 ninth houre of the day when 〈◊〉 Sunne was darkened the â—…th shooke the graues opened 〈◊〉 the Euangelists shewe At â—…s houre Adam sinned Hora 〈◊〉 Adam peccauit Christus exâ—…auit The same houre of the â—…ay wherin Adam sinned Christ â—…ed by dying Christ opened the gate of Paradise which Adam 〈◊〉 sinning had shut vp against 〈◊〉 and his Adam in the Garâ—…en lost life and Christ in the Garden restored life when hee yéelded himself with these words vnto his Father Into thy hands I commend my spirit These words being vttered he gaue vp the ghost his eyes closed his countenance pale his head bended down heauen nor earth euer saw such a sight the God of life the Author of life and life it selfe becomes dead In this word wee may consider many thinges as first that our departing soules should be commended into the hands of our heauenly Father Secondarily somewhat wee haue héere for the strengthning of our faith Christ bending downe his head vttered these wordes not of constraint but voluntarily who euer lay downe to sléepe so peaceably as Christ died when he gaue vp the ghost Man wheÌ„ they are dying they are scarse able to breath at this time Christ speaketh with a loud voyce Father into thy hands I commend my spirit We sée what Christes example doth teach vs to doe in commending our departing soules into the handes of God howe at the houre of his death he prayed he wept spake vnto his heauenly Father And héere also may the Christian man enter into a large field 〈◊〉 meditation vpon many things together We were more insensible then the sencelesse creatures 〈◊〉 wee should not be moued with the passion of our Lorde whose death was our life consider we 〈◊〉 great thinges the Sonne of God hath done for vs and suffered for our redemption consider be how great things they were which he suffered how great his sorrowes were which shewed the greatnes of his loue howe â—…eat his iniuries were when he was falsly accused mocked spetted vppon buffeted whipped crowned with thornes berest of â—…s clothes burdened with his crosse pierced with nailes lanced with a speare and so dyed They shall sée him whoÌ„ they haue pierced When Ioseph saide vnto his brethren I am Ioseph whom you â—…d into Egypt they were so aâ—…onished they had not a word to say when Christ shall say I am your brother I am he whom you crucified how shall they be confounded that crucified him But what ioy shall they haue who beléeue on him Up O Christian soule and with the Doue make thy nest in the holes of this rock Behold the wounds of thy Sauiour Come to this Arke whither all creatures repaire to saue themselues Stand and behold a little with the deuoute women the body of thy Sauiour vppon the Crosse sée him afflicted from top to toe see him wounded in the head to heale our vaine imaginations sée him wounded in the hands to heale our euill actions sée him wounded in the heart to cure our vaine thoughts sée his eyes shut vp which did enlighten the world sée them shut that thy eyes might be turned away from beholding vanity sée those eares which were wont to heare the ioyfull hyâ—…e of the Cherubins Holy holy holy now haue heard a multitude of reproaches sée that countenaunce which was goodly to looke vpon is spetted 〈◊〉 and buffeted The blood of 〈◊〉 cried iustice iustice but 〈◊〉 blood of Christ crieâ—… mercie 〈◊〉 Oh that we had hearts 〈◊〉 meditate of the passion of our 〈◊〉 There is nothing of â—…ch we ought more to thinke 〈◊〉 to speake more to reade or 〈◊〉 to meditate of then of this â—…ause the remembrance héereof â—…tameth to the saluation of 〈◊〉 soules increaseth faith driâ—…th away despaire giueth fortiâ—…e against the afflictions of the â—…ld strengtheneth vs against â—…tatious 〈◊〉 the minde 〈◊〉 ioy causeth a loathing of 〈◊〉 and after a wonderfull maâ—… stirreth vs vp to all deuotion This our Sauiour Christ himâ—…fe well thought vpon when he 〈◊〉 so high a Sacrament so full 〈◊〉 hauenly mysteries for the â—…tinuall renuing in our hearts 〈◊〉 this his most blessed passion 〈◊〉 swéete Iesus should euer vnâ—…fulnes of this loue of thine â—…pe vpon vs Should not thy â—…ous blood soften our adamant hearts who hast deliuered vs from infinite miseries purchased by thy death O infinite goodnes and fréely offered thy selfe hast offered thy selfe vnto thy Father a sacrifice for our sinnes there is no burden heauier then sinne this hast thou eased vs of O blessed Sonne if God while I liue saith the Prophet will I call vpon the Lord yea as long as I haue any being Wee will offer vnto God the sacrifice of thankesgiuing and prayse his name for euer and euer And thus wee meditate of the passion of our Lord who suffered death to ouercome death of which Saint Austen mentioneth a double cause the one that Christ died for vs to deliuer vs the other that those whom he redéemed by his death hee might teach by his grace and by his example instruct for why did the head saith he suffer but to giue the body an example Christ humbled himselfe vnto death euen vnto the death of the crosse we ought also to humble our â—…es to bee crucified vnto the â—…ld and the world to vs vnto 〈◊〉 were our sinnes imputed â—…to
affaires little respected that which was then a doing The second were the Souldiours who when they had watched the Sepulcher séene the Angell of the Lord the Earthquake as men amazed went forth into the Citie shewing what had happened yet by and by corrupted with money did not sticke to tell the contrarie The third were the high Priests and Pharisies these altogether endeuouring to suppresse the rumor of the resurrection could in no case abide that any shold so much as mention it The fourth were the disciples of Christ and those beléeued on him to these did hee appeare to these brought hee great ioy when they beheld him and communed with him after he was risen 11 After the same manner are there in the worlde foure sortes that are diuerslie affected towards this Article of the resurrection Some as those of the common sort receiue neither ioy 〈◊〉 sorrow as if it did not appertaine vnto them to haue care or respect to this principall point of their Christian beléefe These haue the name of Christians but little consider what euer Christ did for them Some there are of the second sort which doe beléeue that Christ is risen they think of it speake of it but they â—…seuer not for going away they 〈◊〉 corrupted with the worlde they speake the contrary by their works they deny that there is anie resurrection at all These like the Souldiours that kept the Sepulcher follow the fauour of the world and are led from truth to falshood O vnhappie men that for vile things of the world leaue the ioyfull tydings they haue heard and seene of the Resurrection Some there are who with the high Priests Pharisies cannot endure the same of Christ or those which would set forth the honour of his Resurrection And of these what shall wee say When they heare this happy tydings they labour to draw the minds of men from the deuotion thereof these are the worst of all other But some there are which with the Disciples reioyce and neuer rest vntil they come vnto the Sepulcher for loue resteth not and these sée it so as it is tolde them and Christ by faith appeareth vnto them they are assembled with the faithfull and not absent with Thomas who by his absence had not with others at first the ioy of the Resurrection They goe not with Mary from the Sepulcher but are there wéeping vntill his grace speake comfortably vnto them then they reioyce and say The Lord is risen indeede and hath appeared vnto vs And these are those who haue part in the â—…st Resurrection for on such the â—…ond death hath no power This first Resurrection is to reâ—…ne Iesus Christ in true faith 〈◊〉 to rise from sinne by newnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and these also shall one day 〈◊〉 part in the second resurrecâ—… when they shall sit with â—…ft that is risen before when â—…ey shall liue with him raigne â—…th him in the Kingdome of heauen In the meane time Christ still inuiteth them saith Saint Austen to that life where there is no defect no death The Angels say why séeke you the â—…ng amongst the dead If one â—…ke a mine of gold in some place where no such thing is to be hâ—…d â—…ee which well knoweth it to be 〈◊〉 doth he not say why doth this â—…an digge and delâ—…e in vaine 〈◊〉 labour is but lost he maketh â—…ch whereinto hee may desâ—…d as for treasure héere it is â—…ot In like manner while wee â—…ke our â—…licity héere well wee may digge and delue and endanger our selues but héere lyeth no treasure wherefore we must set our affection in heauen whither Christ is risen and gone before vs. Chap. 29. Of Christes ascension vp into heauen besides many good instructions howe heereby the hope of our ascending is confirmed BEcause the ascâ—…ion of our Lord was after all his trauailes the farewell he tooke of the world his doings and sayings at this time would haue at least our Christian attention S. Mark telleth vs that he was giuing his Apostles their commission to preach the Gospell to euery creature that they should haue power as the working of myracles and the like to conâ—…rme this teaching by so after hee had spoken unto them hee was receiued vp into heauen Saint Luke tels us that he gathered them together commaunding them not to depart froÌ„ Ierusalem but there to wayte for the promise of the father which said he you heard of me And when he had spoken these things while he was euen nowe as the same Euangelist sayth in another place blessing thé hee departed from them and was caried vp into heauen for a cloud tooke him out of their sight and they returned to Ierusalem from mount Oliuet and when they were come into an vpper Chamber they all continued in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary the mother 〈◊〉 Iesus 2 Hâ—…re we sée a louing Master taking his leaue of his ioâ—…ng family hâ—…re is blessing and praying on both sides héere is comforting and looking vp to heauen though distance of place idâ—… separate them for a time yet â—…ue should continue them as one for euer The men of Ephesus wept aboundantly when Saint Paul departed from them being chiefely sorrie for the words that he spake that they should sée his face no more But two men in white apparell or Angelles in mens forme aske the Apostles why stand you gazing or looking vp to heauen and they tell them This Iesus shall so come euen as you haue seene him goe to Heauen When Elias was taken vp because his prayers had stoode Israell in as good stéede as all the horses and chariots did against the force of their enemies The text saith Elisha cried My Father my Father the chariot of Israell and the horsemen thereof and hee saw him no more The Apostles of our Lord though silent we may easily conceiue their hearts cryed Our Sauiour Our Sauiour At the very instant two Embassadours from the Court of Heauen to preuent dolefull passions tell them that they shall so sée him come as they saw him ascend calling to minde what himselfe had before tolde â—…m Ascendo ad Patrem mean et Patrem vestrum I asâ—…d to my Father and to your father 3 He that euer gaue his Disciples diuine instructions ceased 〈◊〉 at the last euen vnto the very â—…ant of his departure from 〈◊〉 to teach them still His â—…ing them what they should 〈◊〉 where they should abide in â—…at manner in what place his â—…ing them his gathering theÌ„â—…her with one accorde all â—…ch might learne them manie â—…ns And where doth Christ â—…ue his Disciples but vppon â—…t Oâ—…uet where he had ofâ—… prayed with them and they â—…th him from thence he ascenâ—… When we haue done our deâ—…ons in this world and done â—…th the world when wee haue â—…ssed our brethren by holy actiâ—…s assembled in prayer giuen â—…m good examples continued â—…ongst them in one accord from â—…unt Oliuet
should not be interrupted by any necessities of the body as the Massilians dreamed but pray alwayes is vnderstoode euery day and at all times that no sinne may hinder vs from God good works and therefore it is saide Vt digni habeamini that ye mâ—…y be accounted worthy to auoid these things 10 Watch for ye knowe not the day nor houre Nemo quaerat quando venit sed vigilet vt paratum inueniat Let no man saith S. Austen séeke curiously when the Iudge commeth but let him make himselfe ready against his comming the vncertainty of the time doth cause feare the ignorance of the signes may lead into error so wee alwayes liue that alwayes wee may be watchfull Wee may knowe the signes but ought not search after the knowledge of the time it selfe it is vnsearchable When we see in an old man the signes of age we gather his time is not long when hee shall die we know not so beholding the world troubled charity waxing cold we know these are signes of a decaying age yet somtimes age continueth howe long none knoweth this is the very reason our Sauiour himselfe vseth to stir vs vp to watchfulnes Watch because you know not the day nor houre when the Sonne of man commeth If the Housholder watch for the sauing of his substance howe much more should euery one be watchfull for the sauing of his soule In the Housholder three things are obserued first he endeuoureth to knowe the deceite of the théefe secondly to prouide for the custody of himselfe thirdlie he careth that his house be not broken vp and thus he watcheth not one but euery houre of the night that at what houre so euer he be assaulted hee may be found stirring 11 Those who looke for the comming of the Bridegroome haue their lights in their hands that is their shining workes these lights are burning that is ardent in charity they are shining that is to say giuing good example of piety These watch in the day that is open the eyes of their faith when the light of the Gospell of Iesus Christ shineth these watch in the night that is when the world is giuen to all iniquitie the workes of darknes Foure things there are which may make men to wake the first is the crowing of the cocks that is the calling of those to whom God hath said O Sonne of man I haue made thee a watchman The Cocke beateth with his wings and wakeneth himselfe first and then with his voyce wakeneth others The second thing to make men wake is the rising of the Sunne this Sunne is the light of grace a shame is it for men to sléepe when as now long agoe the Sunne is risen vpoÌ„ them The Sunne riseth saith the prophet and man goeth forth vnto his labour The night is past and the day is come neere let vs walke saith the Apostle as in the day The third thing to make men awake to the feare of the théefe or the day of iudgement which is as the comming of a théefe in the night the carelesse it will seaze vpon and spoile them but vnto the watchfull it can doe no harme It was said vnto the rich man hac nocte This night shall thy soule be taken from thee It was said of the bridegroomes comming At midnight there was a crie made behold the Bridegroome commeth goe out to meete him The fourth thing to make men awake is care of their goods wee haue a great charge vnder our hands and a charge of so great care that wee had neede watch early and late For the carelesse Salomon sayeth Sleepe on so shall necessitie come vppon thee like an armed man Many are so heauie a sléepe that no calling will awake them there shall a voyce one day sound in their eares that shall awaken them I pray God not affright them whether they will or no. That which I say vnto you sayth our Sauiour I say vnto all Watch. The night of death may steale vpon men before they be aware the day of iudgement will come when they thinke not of it Watch for you know not the day nor houre Watch you know not when the Maister of the house will returne Whether in the morning of childhoode or in the third houre of youth or in the sixt houre of strength or in the euening of age Watch for you knowe not the time Should they sleepe in securitie vntill they sleepe their last God forbid God forbid Chap. 33. A louing conference had with Christ and the deuout Christian man touching the state and ioyes of the life to come promised to them that learne of Christ and followe him in this life Christ. AWake Awake O Christian soule and stand vp from the dead how long wilt thou sléepe in this dangerous securitie of a sinfull life Arise arise the light of my grace and truth hath shined vnto thee how long wilt thou preferre the loue of this transitorie world before the loue of mee thy Redéemer and Sauiour Christian man O Lorde Iesus Christ thy mercie is great in staying for my conuersion in vouchsafing to remember mee so forgetfull of my loue and duty towardes thée my Lord now I wretched creature prostrate my selfe before thee Lord what wilt thou that I doe Christ. If thy desire be to knowe my will O my beloued this desire of thine doth meruaâ—…lously please me for my delight is in thy saluation thou knowest for thy sake I came from heauen for thy sake endured I the griefes and troubles of the worlde for thy sake suffered I many reproaches of mine enemies I vndertooke thy dolours to giue thée my glory I suffered thy death that thou mightest receiue life I was buried in the earth that thou mightest be raysed vp to heauen now thy sinnes are more gréeuous vnto me then much suffering I endured for thée this is that I require séeing thou wouldest know my will giue me thy life for whoÌ„ I haue giuen my life Christian man Lord I perceiue thy will and my owne weakenes how should walke as I ought in consecrating my life vnto thée Christ. If thou wilt dedicate thy selfe vnto me first loue mee alwayes and aboue all thinges next to know howe thou shouldst walke after my wil sée thou often meditate of my life once led amongst men when thou wilt be humble thinke howe I was humbled when thou wilt suffer patiently call to minde with what patience I suffered when thou wouldst be obedient thinke of my obedience when thou art oppressed with enemies remember I had enemies too and call to mind that I prayed for them Christian. I sée most mercifull Sauiour that thou requirest loue aboue all thinges which I yéeld thée willingly as I ought but Lord for to beare these crosses of the world I finde it too difficult to humane nature so as almost I know not what to say Christ. If thou loue me as thou sayest thou doest thou néedest not take scandale at the