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A72883 Of the love of our only Lord and Saviour, Iesus Christ Both that which he beareth to vs; and that also which we are obliged to beare to him. Declared by the principall mysteries of the life, and death of our Lord; as they are deluiered [sic] to vs in Holy Scripture. With a preface, or introduction to the discourse. Matthew, Tobie, Sir, 1577-1655. 1622 (1622) STC 17658; ESTC S112463 355,922 614

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pronounce an vniust sentence against him but he tooke him into his house hand to hand And finding vpon the speach which passed betwene them that our Lord had no designe vpon the honours and aduantages of this world nor (f) Our Lord had nopretēce vpon any other kingdom then that of heau● pretended to the exercise of any other kingdome then that of heauen to which he endeauoured to draw men by teaching them to obey God who is the supreme King therof and the Iudge for his part not caring what became of heauen or heauēly things Ioan. 18. he came quickly forth againe declared that he found the man not guilty How Pilate examined our Blessed Lord and how he sent him to Herod Of the scorne which Herod put vpon him How the returned him to Pilate and how Pilate resolued at last to scourge him CHAP. 63. BVT they persisted in their malicious clamours and protested that the prisoner had bene sowing rumours Luc. 13. making stirres throughout all Iury beginning at Galiley and proceeding as farre as that very place Now Galiley was belonging to the iurisdiction of Herod who had bene the murtherer of S. Iohn Baptist and betwene Pilate and him Ibid. there had bene ill (a) A curtesy of a Courtier quarter till that tyme. But he chauncing to be then at Ierusalem this Pilate put a Court-tricke vpon him for he sent the prisoner to him as if it had bene out of a kind of respect wheras chiefely it was because he would faine be rid of the cause To Christ our Lord nothing came amisse who still with his accustomed humility patience silence obedience and most ardent loue and desire of the saluation of mankind did apply himselfe to renounce any gust of his owne and gaue himselfe all away to theirs And this true Prince of Peace was cōtent to vndergoe all that paine and to endure all that scorne which would be put vpō him both at Herods Court and in the way Ibid. betwene him and Pilate vpon condition that so he might be an occasion of recōciling the emnities of those two though both conspired to his preiudice For he knew that by that curtesy Ibid. which Herod would take so kindly at the hands of Pilate from that tyme forward they would be friends This Herod was a famous infamous person for his sensuality his cruelty and a world of other vices And for as much as he had heard often speach of Christ our Lord and of the reputation which he had both for his wonderfull workes and for his admirable wisedome he had an (b) The curiosity of Herod Ibid. extreme curiosity to satisfy himselfe in those two points In conformity therof he earnestly desired to see some miracle of his working And for as much as concerned the fame of his wisedome he procured by a world of questions which he asked to see whether truth would answere to the voyce which ran of him But our Lord IESVS who was not come into the world to make men sport but to doe them good nor to satisfy the curiosity of their heads but to impart true sanctity to their harts would not vouchsafe to loose one word vpon that wretched King nor cared he through his loue to be suffering for vs to defend himselfe against all those impudent lyes which by the Priests and Elders were thundred out in a perpetuall storme of words against him Yet euen Herod himself could not be so vniust as to allow of the plea which was made in accusation of him for as much as concerned the substance of his cause but yet (c) The falle and foolish iudgemēt of the wife men of this world Ibid. conceauing by occasion of his continuall silence that either he was some silly fellow in himselfe or els perhaps that in comparison of him our Lord thought himselfe to be of farre inferiour speach and wit and therfore would not discredit himselfe by saying any thing he did contemne him with his whole guard of souldiers after a most disdaineful manner and in token therof he returned him to Pilate with a fooles coate vpon his backe This act amongst the rest bred an extraordinary contempt of Christ our Lord in the peoples minde in regard that Herod and his Court were esteemed as a kind of Touch wherby men might be knowne distinctly iustly for what they were But howsoeuer this contempt did our Lord vouchsafe to vndergoe and this coate of scorne was he contēt and glad to weare for our confusion in respect of our former vanity and for our instruction how we are to carry our selues in future occasions Which (d) Agreat lesson of many vertues at once must not be to stand vpon the reputation of our sufficiency wit or knowledge we who are but wormes and flyes when the King of glory the word the increated Wisedome of Almighty God wherby all things were made is content for our sakes to cast himselfe before the eyes of our Faith all contemned and derided as any Idiot or naturall foole might be Nor are we to care though our patience be accounted feare or our humility basenes or our silence simplicity Nor when it concernes the seruice of God and the good of soules are we to shrinke from our duty and good desires though all the world should despise and hate vs for it But when Pilate found that Herod had not thought him worthy of death he was glad of that occasion and pressed it hard vpon the Iewes as knowing indeed that it was not the zeale of Iustice but the rage of enuy which had incensed them against him Sometymes he questioned our Lord IESVS to see if any thing would come from him in the strength wherof he might acquite him But our Lord who desired nothing lesse then what might tend to his owne discharge and nothing more then what might tend to our aduantage was so profoundly and inuincibly silent as did amaze the Iudge Marc. 25. And woe had bene to vs if this silence of our Lord had not bene exercised by him through the merit wherof the eternall Father will looke with mercy vpon those millions of sinnes which be howerly cōmitted through the impertinent indiscrect and vncharitable impure speach of men Sometymes againe the Iudge would be vsing all the art he had to make them desist from their desire of his ruine Marc. 25. Luc. 23. and in particular he thought of two expedients The former of them was to punish him so cruelly out of very pitty as that with the sight therof they might be moued with compassion towards him So that he resolued to haue him scourged and to that end he deliuered him ouer to the discretion of his souldiers who had none The torment of Christ our Lord Audi Piiac 120. in this mistery of his flagellation is excellently pondered by Father Auila He faith therfore to this effect That (e) Note this for it deserueth all attention if a
of God for the perpetuating of the memory of so great a benefit Though yet no oblation was able to make that infinite Maiesty of the eternall God a Sauer for his hauing deliuered them by the death of the first borne of their enemies till he was pleased that his only sonne should come and offer himselfe in flesh and bloud for theyr deliuerance Coloss 1. he who was the first begotten of all Creatures and who performed that in deed and truth which all other oblations and Sacrifices did but only as figures in respect of him Now this Act of the Presentation of our Lord Iesus was made by our B. Lady Or rather he offered himselfe in those sacred and most pure hands of hers which he enabled for that excellent purpose with vnspeakeable and most ardent loue And as hereafter we shall see that he chiefely made oblation of himselfe in his sacred passion by way of propitiation for our sinnes and impetration of grace So the Presentation seems to carry a particular respect to worke by way of thanksgiuing for all the benefits which that open hand of God was by moments rayning downe vpon the Creatures And to the end that the goodnes of this Lord of ours may not be cast away vpō vs it will be necessary both now and very often heerafter to cast a carefull and well considering eye vpon the former (*) Cap. 2. discourse wherin we obserued the vnlimited knowledg of that diuine soule of Christ our Lord and wherby it is euident that all things concerning the Creatures for whome he would vouchsafe to be offered whether they were past or to come were as present to him as the very instant of tyme wherin then he liued In so much as there was not nor euer could be imparted the least benefit to mankind by Almighty God which was not present to his incomprehensible but all-comprehēding mind and for which our Lord Iesus did not offer himselfe then by way of thankes with most particular loue So that now we see our Lord surrendred vp into the hands of his eternall Father as if the world after a sort vvere dispossessed of him But so full of Charity vvas that Father as to ordayne the sonne to be sould backe againe (b) What soeuer is giuen to God is giuen vs backe againe with aduantage for the imparting of all those diuine sauours vvhich appeare to haue bene done to vs by him in the vvhole progresse of his holy life and death And vvheras he exercised vvith a perpetuity of burning loue those offices of a Lawgiuer a Maister a Father a Freind a Spouse and lastly of an omnipotēt Redeemer by his fiue sacred vvounds in this mistery vve find him to haue bene recouered and brought backe to vs vvith the payment of fiue Sicles vvhich according to the most probable opinion of computation doe not exceed tvvo shillings O omnipotent loue of our Lord IESVS who so would giue himselfe to vs as that indeed he choose rather not to giue himself but rather to innoble vs so farre as to enable vs to giue him somewhat for himselfe though the price fell infinitely short of the thing which was to be redeemed A price it was which fell short euen of being able to buy a very slaue and what proportion then could it carry with purchasing a God and King of glory sauing that his loue did make vp the rest His loue which was as pretious as God himselfe for God is loue and he being man is also God and so he was not only willing but euen able to pay as much as God was able to exact But we the while besides the contemplation of our owne obligation may doe wel to consider that course of prouidence loue which from the beginning of the world hath bene held with man in addressing him to an expectation and firme beleefe and loue of this diuine Redeemer Euen in the law of nature all was full of figures sacrifices were also offred then and (c) There is no truth of Religion where there is no visible Sacrifice wheresoeuer there is no visible Sacrifice there neither is nor cā there be any true Religion nor true worship of God and the mindes of many were indued with light according to the exigency of their state which ledd their inward eyes towards this marke In the tymes of the written Law another curtaine as a man may say was drawne and the faith of men grew more explicite then the Maiesty of the Church was increased the figures were both more and more significant and more euident and there was store of Prophets who expresly foretold the qualities of the Messias to come But now that he was indeed arriued no tyme was lost such loue as that could not be slacke and we haue seene how instantly the Sheepheards and in their persons such others as were neere at hand were inuited to that feast of ioy by the call of Angells After that the Magi and in their persons all the Gentills though neuer so farre off either in respect of tyme or place were drawne vnder the conduct of a Starre And now that such as were most particularly deputed for Gods seruice might be farre from not knowing their redeemer behould how he (d) Our Lord was declared by Saint Simeon to be come for the saluation both of Iewes and Gentils declares himselfe in the Temple to all the world by the mouth of holy Simeon Anna to be the Sauiour therof to be the glory of the Iewes and the light of the Gentills That so there might be none who should not tast of that fountaine of loue which was distilling into al those hartes which would receaue it It came not doubtles downe by drops into that of Simeon For instantly vpon the taking of that celestiall infant who was the Lord of life into his dying armes he fell into an extasis of ioy withall into a diuine deepe wearines of the world and was so deadly wounded by the loue of our Lord that he could not endure to looke vpon him but vpon the price of being willing to liue no longer How in the flight which our Lord Iesus made to Egypt he discouered his vnspeakeable Loue to man CHAP. 18. OVR Lord Iesus was no sooner brought backe into the power and designed to the vse of men but he was disposing himselfe by this incessant Charity to doe and suffer strange things for them For what stranger thing could there be then that he who created the whole world and who carries conducts it all by the word of his power in whose sight the Angells tremble the gates of heauen doe shiuer and in (a) What a poore Nothing the whole world is in comparison of God Matt. 2. comparison of whome all creatures are not so much as one poore single naked desolate grayne of dust that he I say should be content for loue of vs to feare and fly from such a thing as
little stones or sands vpon the shore therof Yea be thou yet cleane at last be pure away with thy wicked thoughts out of my sight Make once an end of being peruerse Learne to doe wel seeke iudgment succour the oppressed Doe iustice to the Orphane defend the widdowe and then come and reproach me if I make not good my word For if thy sinnes should be as scarlet they shall become as while as snow and if they should be as red as vermilion they shall be as cleane as the purest wooll I know thou hast said Dixit Sion Dorminus dereliquit me c. Isa 49. Our Lord hath forsaken me our Lord hath forgotten me But what can the mother forget her infant or can she faile to take pitty vpon the child of her owne wombe And though she should yet will not I forget thee Behould I haue ingrauen thee in my very hands Quare ergo dixie populus c. Lerem 2. Why hath my people said to me We vvill depart and come to thee no more Can the virgin forget her gorgeous attires or can the Spouse forget the ornament which she weareth vpon her beast Yet my people hath forgotten me I cannot tell how long Vulgo dicitur c. Ierem. 3. It is commonly said among you if a man dismisse his wife and she marry another will that husband euer resort to her againe Shall not that woman be held for an impure defiled creature But thou hast committed Fornication with many louers and yet returne to me sayth our Lord and I will receaue thee Looke vp and consider where thou hast not prostituted thy selfe Thou hast gotten the face of a Harlot and thou wouldst not blush Yet now at last call vpon me and say Thou art my Father Et dixi c̄ fecisset haec omnia c. lerem 3. Thou art the conductor of my virginity For I for my part haue said to Sion after she had committed all her sinnes Returne to me and yet she returned not Returne to me O thou vntoward Israell saith our Lord I will not turne my face from thee because I am holy saith our Lord Ad punctum in modico dereliqui te c. Isa 54. In funiculis Adam c. Ose 11. and I will not be angry with thee for euer I haue forsaken thee for a short tyme but I will gather thee vp in great mercies For an instant of indignation I hid my face from thee but I haue taken pitty on thee with eternall mercy saith thy Lord and thy redeemer I will draw thee to my selfe in the cords af Adam in the bonds of loue And I will be as one who takes the yoke from off the necke of his cattle and giues the raines to his horse that he may feed These are the words of the holy Ghost by them doth he expresse the infinite loue which is borne to man And now it doth but remaine that we answere such loue withall the loue we haue To which if this Chapter will not haue obliged vs by making vs see the expression of Gods mercies in the old Testament wo be to vs but yet let vs try what may be done by the consideration of that which passed in the New wherof the next Chapter will informe vs. The infinite tender Loue of Christ our Lord which is expressed in the Scriptures of the new Testament CHAP. 40. SVCH as hath been seen is the stile which the God of heauē earth doth hold with his miserable and most sinfull creatures and this he hath held from all eternity he went executing it thus in tyme euen vnder both the law of nature and the written law when yet his Sonne our Lord had not taken flesh But as the mercies which were vouchsafed expressed by our Lord God to men in the old Testament were yet all designed and imparted by him in contemplation of Christ our Lord who was then to come so when the fulnes of that tyme was arriued and that indeed the increated word become incarnate for the saluation of man it was (a) It was fit not only in mercy but euen in iustice that vnder the law of grace the loue of God should appeare more cleerly thē before agreable not only to mercy but euen to iustice it selfe that the loue of God should triumph for our benefit more then euer And that not only in the solid proofe of loue but euen in the sweet and tender demonstrations therof For now our Lord spake no longer to vs by his Angells nor by his Prophets only but by his Sonne himselfe who was no more a perfect man then he was God And this God without the interposition or interpretation of any other creature did now in person conuerse with men He taught them by the words of his owne sacred mouth He cured them of all diseases by his miracles He assumed some to the dignity of being his Apostles and all the world to the honour and happines of being his Disciples He (b) How the seruants of God are dignified by Christ our Lord. declares how they who obey the will of God are his brothers his sisters and euen as it were his very mother Sometymes he calls men his seruants and when they haue carried themselues well therin he aduaunceth them to be not so much his seruants as his friends professing to impart all his secrets to them Looke in his last Sermon recorded by S. Iohn Sometymes he cals them his children yea and sometymes by the name of Filioli his little children to shew that innocent carefull tender kind of sweet affection which a mother would carry to her Infant We may see the whole history of his most blessed life all imbrodered by the hands of the holy Euangelists heere with teares there with sighes and euery where with abundance of corporall and spirituall labours both actiue and passiue for loue of vs Matt. 10. euen before the tyme of his pretious death Is any thing more liberall then his promisses where he entayles the inheritance of heauen to the guift of a cup of cold water Matt 25. without our bestowing so much cost as euen to heate it Nay and he is content to say that whosoeuer should performe any little worke of charity to any seruant of his he would take it in as deare part as if it had bene affoarded to his very selfe Is (c) His earnest protestations any thing more serious then his protestations of that truth which he came to teach vs for our good Amen Amen dico vobis Verily verily I tell you this and that And was it not a strāg descent for that Prima Veritas that roote and fountaine of all truth to helpe our blindnes and backwardnes in beleeuing by protesting things to be so as if his simple word had not deserued so well as to haue bene taken Is any thing more vniuersal then his Proclamations which thus he makes to all