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
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
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
sought superiority they knew not what they sought wee sée the same true in the condition of the world When Gyges a great worldling would faine know if any man were more happy then himselfe thinking him most happie which had most riches and most glory it was aunswered him that one Psophidius a poore old man of the Arcadians who was rich with a little and had neuer gone all his life time froÌ„ the place where he was bred and borne but there liued peaceably that this man was far happier then hee If heathen men could so little estéeme of earthly glory what should christians do whom should they thinke most happy but those who most mind the state of happines to come and for worldly glory in the name of God let it goe The Church of Christ is not triumphant glorious in earth but triumphant and glorious aboue in heauen Toby sate musing vpon the shore of the riuer Tigris which with a swift streame ranne by him we sit downe by meditation of the inconstancie of worldlie glory which runneth a long with a maine current calling to mind that glory which is euerlasting in heauen Chap. 10. Of Christes continuall labours trauailes in the world whereby we may take a suruay of our Christian condition heere THe sicke man that is about to take some bitter medicine when he sées but the Phisition himselfe begin vnto him it makes him the more willing to receiue the potion how bitter so euer the labours end trauailes of this transitorie life haue no doubt a very vnpleasing tast to humane pallat but séeing Christ the Phisitian of our soules not onely tooke an assay thereof but euen drunk a full draught for our redemption wee should be the more willing to admit the receiuing of this medicine When wee consider his long watchings wherein hee passed whole nights in prayer his often iourneying from place to place to instruct and teach in euery City his fasting his suffering all a long from his very infancie his flying into Egypt what shall we else behold in him but a life full of labours and trauailes neuer ended but with losse of life was it not thy birth O Christian soule which was then to be brought forth when our Rachel trauailed vnto death was it not thy cause for which our Iacob endured so many yéeres seruitude hee who with one drop of blood could haue redéemed a worlde would notwithstanding suffer so many labours so many trauails that no labours whatsoeuer might dismay vs. 2 At fiue seuerall times did he so farre procéed in labours as there ensued the effusion of his blood first in his circumcision there hee began to redéeme vs secondly in his prayer in the garden there he shewed how he affected vs Thirdly when he was scourged there hee cured vs by his stripes fourthly when hee was fastned to the Crosse there he payed the price and ransome for our sinnes fiftly when his side was opened with the speare there was an issue made for the streames and riuers of grace all these were done for our redemption and yet remaine for our instruction By the first we learne to labour in cutting off the vnlawfull desires of sinne by the second to mourne with sighes and groanes for our sinnes by the third to mortifie the pleasures of the flesh by the fourth to be crucified vnto the world by the flâ—…t to haue our harts wounded with a daily remembrance of his vnspeakeable loue 3 The holy man Iob suffered as greâ—…t tryals and troubles we thinke as great might be but for all that Christes were greater for looke wee into his whole life sée we therein euery age goe we to euery place where he was conuersant in nay take wee a view of his sacred person and therein sée wee euery part suffering Euery age in his infancie how cold and hard was his cradle at Bethelem how busie was he with the doctors in the Temple To come to further yéeres what hatred did he endure most vndeseruedly of the Iewes euen hatred vnto the death Euerie place he suffered hunger in the Desert resistance in the temple sorrow in the garden contumelies in the Iudgement Hall and erucifying it selfe without the Citie Euery part his eyes suffered teares his eares reproches his tast suffred gal his head pricking of thorus his hands the pearcing of nailes his whole body is sacrificed as an offering for sin Now there is no reason that the seruant should be aboue the maister When Ionathans Armour-bearer sawe Ionathan goe vp the hard and steepie rockes he told him he would goe with him when we sée our Ionathan go before vs in the trauails labours suffered for vs should we not be emboldned to endure labours though no way answerable vnto his yet such as are agréeable with the condition of our life séeing wee are going into the land of promise by the desert of this world 4 Strange it was that Dauid a man after Gods own hart as the scripture speaketh should be so much afflicted as hee was Strange it was that Daniel a man beloued of God as the Angell told him strange it was I say that these of all others should be so much in labours and trauailes of the world as they were But considering that the life of man is but as the dayes which goe before the Sabbaoth of rest wee doe the rather lesse meruaile We sée the Sonne of God himselfe treading the wine presse alone and a man full of labours as the Prophet speaketh we sée his dearest friends in the world his owne Apostles yea the blessed virgin her selfe found this life no other but a state subiect to many and great sorrowes What should we otherwise thinke of it saith one Tota vita Christiani hominis secundum Euangelium Crux martyrium All the life of a Christian man according vnto the Gospell is no other but a Crosse and martyrdome This martyrdom saith Isidore is twofold the one In aperta passione in open suffering the other In occulta virtute in inward or hidden vertue that is a minde ready to suffer But how is it saith S. Austen that Christ cals those that labour to refresh them How is his yoake swéete when hee cals from rest to labour and sends those that are at quâ—…et to worke in his vineyard The rest that he giues saith the same Father is spiritual Iohn is banished into Patmos but Iohn heares melodie from heauen 5 Besides these spirituall labours wee knowe Adam in the time of innocencie laboured and that God hath made nothing to be idle that he will haue no Ciphers in his Arithmeticke or slothfull seruaunts in his vineyard Euery thing in nature doth accomplish his ende by a kinde of motion and therefore much more man of all other who by slothfulnesse doth become a very burthen of the earth For in this vice wit vnderstanding and all honest endeuours lie buried as it were in a loathsome
too saith the Apostle say Abba Pater twise Father both according to the Hebrew Gréeke shewing that God is now Father of Iew and Gentile Hee saith If it be possible referring the graunt of his petition to the will of God if it may stand with the same wil and not otherwise Hee prayeth for the remouing of that Cup yet so that looking to obedience he goeth forward towards his suffering and saith Fâ—…at voluntas tua Thy will be fulfilled What of humane desire he before mentioned hee now in action procéedeth to relinquish as if he would say Let not that be done which I haue spoken according to humane affection but let that be done for which I was sent into the world and now am willing to suffer That which he required as man to wit the remouing of the Cup he now leaueth as resoluing whollie to procéede with the will of God But was the will of Christ any way differing from the will of his Father No verily for hee saith Non quaero voluntatem meam sed voluntatem eius qui misit me I séeke not my owne will but the will of him that sent me and this manner of conditionall prayer should be remembred of vs in praying not our wils but Lord thine be fulfilled 8 Hee prayeth the third time the same thing shewing that hee goeth to pray and to pray the selfe same thing too not of forgetfulnesse but of very feruencie Whereby wee may obserue that to pray and pray againe is a part of high deuotion The Doue went forth of the Arke the first time and returned sorrowfull as she went out still the waters were vp she goeth forth the second time then the flood is abated and shee brings a branch of Oliue a signe of quiet peace First a sorrowfull prayer goeth forth still the waters of aduersitie are vp the prayer goeth forth againe behold the waters are fallen prayer brings a crop of Oliue ioy and tranquillity of mind 9 At the end of Christs praying the Angels appeare comforting him they who at this time séeme to haue presented themselues in the presence of God the Father astonished at the agonie of his Sonne came foorth and pray for the remoouing of this Cup answer is made my sonne hath of méere loue and mercie vndertaken the redemption of man by the effusion of his blood which could be brought to passe by no other meanes which the Angels hearing they returned to Christ and in honouring they comfort him and in comforting they honour him And héere obserue wee three thinges First that our Sauiour prayeth long before hee receiueth an aunswere to shew wee must not by and by giue ouer Secondly that the greater his agonie was the longer his prayer was to shewe that in greatest agonies wee should continue long in prayer Thirdlie in that the Angels came and comforted him to signifie that if wee continue with constancie the Angels reioyce ouer vs In that the drops of blood came downe it shewed the greatnesse of our Sauiours conflict wherein hee seemed both to doe and to suffer his blood was true blood according to his naturall existence but yet myraculous and supernaturall if we respect the manner for it is aboue nature to poure out together water blood which Christ did both aliue and dead behold O Christian soule thy redéemer and Sauiour cast into sweate for thy sinnes In this it is manifest how bitter his passion was whose onely thought so much chaunged nature Of this our Sauiours sweating may be gathered these seuerall obseruations first the greatnes of his agonie secondly that this agonie caused sweate when it was a cold night thirdly this sweate falling vpon the earth wee may gather that the earth or men inhabiting the earth haue benefit héereby 2 Now was presented before the eyes of the Sonne of God on the one side Gods iust iudgment and wrath towards man yet vnappealed on the other side death and hell as yet not vanquished himselfe left as it were alone to enter the conflict putting forth his hand to receiue the cup and yet he beginneth to pull it in againe but after a little while goeth forward with full resolution to the worke well begun which hee brought to a most happie end Let the deuout man learne in all the pressure of aduersity to set before him Christes agonie in the garden be it that doubtfull obiects betwéene feare and sorrow doe much obscure our naturall delights héere haue wee for times of trouble a president to follow but chiefely in the aganie of death when sick man are panting and labouring for life they are said then especially to endure an agonie for then beginneth a conflict nature drawing one way and obedience to the will of God another the spirit goeth forward and the flesh draweth backward besides many thoughts occurre about leauing the world and going to answere for our time here spent with manie other things seldome before thought vpon Our Sauiour was in an agonie when death approached whence Gregorie saith Appropinquante morte certamen adest nec immerito tune enim anima terretur cum post pusillum hoc inuenit quod in aeternum mutari non possit Death approaching an agonie is present and not without cause for then is the soule put in great feare when after a little while she findes that which neuer will be changed or altered 1 In this agonie of agonies and all other wee learne by our Sauiours example to haue recourse vnto prayer hee prayed in the Garden hee prayed on the Crosse to shewe that in times of distresse wee should principally apply our selues to prayer Moyses prayed at the Sea Daniell prayed sitting amongst the Lyons Iob on the dunghill Paule at midnight when hee was in the prison and héere Christ our Sauiour in his agonie when he not onely prayed but with great feruencie alone to shew that the minde is best eleuated vnto God when sometimes in our sorrowes wee goe aside to pray as hee himselfe heere prayeth hee withall exhorts his Disciples to pray that they enter not into temptation and surely no better remedie against temptation then prayer which prayer is the very whip scourge of euil motions When the théese heareth the good man of the house to cry and call for help he thinks there is no tarying for him if good friends be within hearing Cornelius Cornelius Thy prayers are come vp before God Wouldest thou exercise thy selfe in a spirituall life pray wouldest thou attaine the swéetnes of heauenly things pray wouldest thou haue God helpe thée in time of extremitie pray wouldest thou be deliuered from temptation pray Betwéene Babylon and Ierusalem there is a trustie messenger that often passeth thither which is well acquainted in the Kings Court and is very gracious with the King himselfe for hee shall haue audience and dispatch as soone as hee comes This messenger is prayer that euen in the silence of the night ascendeth into secret
tribularis fortassâ—… noÌ„ inuocares If thou wert not troubled peraduenture thou wouldest not deuoutly haue called vpon God which is a principal part of Gods worship 6 The world and the tempter both beast of giuing pleasures vnto carnall men but come to the performance these pleasures are very torments Christ promiseth tribulation in the worlde but come to the inward man and there we finde a world of ioy The roote of the tree is bitter but the fruite is pleasant Christ promiseth rest Inuenietis requiem you shall haue rest but it is Requiem animabus rest vnto your soules his burthen it is light by loue and wee are made strong by grace a burthen this is wâ—…nt to vnburthen sinners He that sets vs in this iourney knowes what is fittest for passengers and therefore wee may endure with comfort these outward aduersities when they come Foelix Lepra sayeth one happie leprosie was it that made Naaman worship the God of Israel in his heart The sharpe stormes of the winter they make the trées bare and the windes scattering the leaues they for a time stand as dead yet there remaines still life in the roote In like manner afflictions of the worlde make the members of Christ séeme desolate the stormie winds of persecution scatter abroad the leaues of worldly prosperity yet there is life in the roote there is faith and ioy in the heart 7 There is a difference betwéene the ioy of worldly men and the ioy of those whom Christ hath as it were taken out of the world that is from the loue of the world The former thinke felicity to consist in aboundance of riches in pleasures in glorie and such like all this is but outward and momentarie like a little Sunne-shine in Winter for one faire day it hath oftentimes ten foule and such a number of troubles as almost the former pleasures are dasht and vanish to nothing For the latter of these they haue indéede often outward aduersities but such ioyes within as if all aduersities were nothing this principally commeth to passe by Christes meanes for whatsoeuer he touched he did saâ—…d 〈◊〉 it and therfore hunger thirst persecution they are not nowe so greeuous but worke all for the good of the faithfull The waters of Marâ—… which were so bitter that none could drinke them Moyses but casting in the wood that God appointed him they became swéete the crosses of the worlde were greeuous vntill Christes Crosse was put in amongst them now their taste is altered A strange sight was it in times of persecution to sée a few lambes to ouercome by no other weapons then patience and faith a multitude of Wolues and to reioyce as Tertullian sayeth in the midst of torments Wonderfull is it to heare how Saint Paul endewed with grace from Christ doth euen chalenge and prouâ—…ke tribulation and anguish and hunger yea life and death shall any of you all and if hee would speake like a man of courage to all the aduersities of the world Shall you all separate me froÌ„ the loue of Christ 〈◊〉 you shall not And thus wee sée how in Christ we are armed with inward grace against the world without and all the troubles thereof 8 Another reason which our Samour vseth is I goe to prepare a place for you and therefore â—…e of good hope Moyses to stirre vp the people in times of their distresse speakes vnto them after this manner The land you goe to poâ—…esse is not as Egypt but a champion Countrey and goodly to enioy which the Lorde visiteth with the earlie and the latter rayne We haue promise of a better land then euer Moyses promised In my Fathers house are many mansions The iourney was long and wearisome for Iacob a weake and féeble person as he was yet by reason of inward ioy hee had conceiued in his heart he wel endured it Be it saith S. Austen that wee haue not temporall deliuerance from troubles this sheweth that wee doe not embrace Christian Religion for the commodities of this world but for the ioyes of a life to come which will make amends for all The benefit of a calme is best welcome after a tempest liberty is wont to be most pleasant after a time of bondage you shall sorrow sayth our Sauiour but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy your sorrow and therfore not euery ones sorrow yours who haue béene faithfull vnto the end When the Prophet Dauid spake of the sorrowes of this world hee calleth them waters Saue me O God for the waters are entred euen to my soule Lord saith Peter bid me come vnto thée on the water The same Prophet in another place goeth farther saying The floods are risen O Lord the floods haue lift vp their voyce the floods lift vp their waues the waues of the Sea are mighty and rage horribly but yet the Lord that dwelleth on high is mightier And surely vnto trouble as vnto the raging water hath he said Huc procedes et non procedes amplius hither shalt thou come and thou shalt come no farther watâ—…s as they rage and swell so be they often quench heate cleanse corruption and they serue to temper In the nine and thirtieth Psalme he vttereth with what great griefe bitternes of minde he was vrged to complaine yet remembring himselfe by whose prouidence it came hee sayeth Obmutui non aperui os meum quoniam fecisti I became dumb and opened not my mouth because it was thy doing Chap. 19. How that of our Sauiour exhorting all that would follow him to denie themselues and take vp their Crosse daily doth concerne vs that beare the name of Christians BEing forewarned and armed against the trials of the world before they come it remayneth that wee be readie to vndergoe them when they come Christ shewes vs plainely what wee must looke for if wee will be his Disciples when hee giueth out in open Proclamation Who soeuer will follow me let him denie himselfe In the text of the Euangelist hauing before spoken of his owne suffering hee by and by speakes of their sâ—…ring who would followe him First that they should not thinke that his suffering did absolutely exempt them from all crosses of the worlde for Ego meam vos vestraÌ„ I haue taken vp my crosse and you must take vp yours Secondly hee sheweth himselfe as a carefull Gouernour in the ship who in a calme is wont to instruct the Marriuers against the tempest likely to follow and this hee doth as it were in familiaâ—… manner by shewing what himselfe had done and then what his disciples should doe First what he would suffer and then what they should suffer What Peter and should I not goe to IerusaleÌ„ yes it is not only my case but thine the case of you all Whosoeuer will follow me let him denie himselfe take vp his crosse daily follow me 2 Heere Christ speaketh generally
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
your hearts or nowe your hearts and you consider together what to doe fall to an account with your selues séeke not life in death stand with God and hee will stand with you lose not the opportunitie of light for some sensual and perishing delights of the world when these offer themselues let the carefull Christian say this thou mayest doe but this is not that thou shouldest doe in the morning he sâ—…yes to himselfe what wilt thou doe and at night what hast thou done let him take sometime from the pleasures and profits of the worlde I say to consider of these things Iudas made the worst bargaine that euer man did which bought and sold when for a little earthly profit he parted with heauen and for thirtie péeces of siluer sold the Sauiour of his soule Hee had heard Christ was transfigured and least in such a transfiguration hee should be taken from him be wold make gaine of him while he had him Let vs neuer follow the trade of so bad a Marchant leauing for a fewe temporall commodities that great and plentifull storehouse of heauen and the inestimable treasure which God hath prepared for them that loue him In this respect all of vs are Marchants that men would fall to traffique for this pearle It is not beyond the Sea that anie should complaine howe shall wee attaine it thrise happy are they that come vnto that light where the light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne where the light of the Sunne shall be seâ—…uen fold as the Prophet Esay speaketh Wherefore O Christian man if thou walke in the light whilest thou hast the benefiâ—… of light Thy Sunne shall neuer goe down neither shal thy Moone be hid for the Lord shall be thine euerlasting light and the dayes of thy sorrow shall be ended Sorrowe thou mayest for a time but this sorrowe should be heauenly and heauenly sorrowe saith the Apostle causeth life Of old time repentant sinners as wee reade in the Prophets should put on sackcloath and sprinkle themselues with ashes Put on sackcloath to shew they haue laide off all pompe and glory of the world sprinkle themselues with ashes to signifie they were no other bâ—…ing compared to Gods maiestie who was now readie to take reuenge vppon them but dust and ashes Againe howsoeuer they had before exalted themselues yeâ—… now they were come to a full consideration of their estate what they were vnder the hand of God Yet a little while is the light with vs Onely a little while and therefore the time of light the time of walking is not long O blessed are they that make sure work for a time to come that apply their haruest while the sunne shineth that walke while they haue light that by a good life draw nâ—…rer and néerer vnto that life which is void of all death vnto the which the Lord bring vs all in Christ Iesus 5 The commination if men walke not while they haue the light is Walk least darknes come vpon you Want of light is a punishment When many of the Iewes sawe the darknes at our Sauiours Passion they were much afraide they smote their brests were in a maner at their wiâ—…s end If externall darknes of the world be so terrible what is the spirituall or internall darknes of the minde to be depriued of the light of grace Nay what is the eternall darknes to be vtterly depâ—…ued of all light of glorie It was said of him that had not his wedding garment â—…st him into vtter darknes O doâ—…efull dome neuer more to sée the light of that ioyfull Sonne of righteousnes Who would not be aduertised in this case our time is but short our departure vncertaine What is the ende of our redemption the fruite of our calling but to walke before God in holinesse of life beastes haue eyes of the body to behold things present but men haue eyes of the minde to foresee thinges to come In the second of Samuel and second Chapter Abner calleth vnto Ioab in the euening to stay his reuenging hand Ioab saith haddest thou called vnto mee in the morning the people had departed backe euery one from his brother let vs vse this to our commoditie and for our learning let vs call for helpe early and not deferre vntill the euening thinking to strike in with God in our last groanes when the most sensuall are made soâ—…er against their wils When Moses foretolde the Egyptians of a mighty great hayle such as neuer was in Egypt those that reâ—…arded not the word of the Lord left their seruaunts and cattell in the field and so were destroyed but such as feared the word of the Lord amongst the seruaunts of Pharao made his seruants and his cattell flie into their houses These were preserued as for the other the tempest destroyed them Haue we not cause to be carefull Our sinnes carie vs away as the wind O Lord saith the Prophet Esay wee are the Clay thou art the Potter Chap. 32. Howe that inferred vpon the Parable of the ten Virgines Mathew 25. 23. Vigilate itaque quia nescitis diem neque hâ—…ram Watch therefore for you knowe neither the day nor houre when the Sonne of man will come doth greatly concerne all Christians to consider SAint Mathew hauing mentioned Christ his comming to iudgement and the manner in paradies in the next place setteth downe by another parable the suddainnesse of this comming although no mention be made of the time when it shall be as the comming of a bridegroome at night when none would haue thought him néere At this time suddainly there was a crie The Bridegroome commeth When some are receiued in other are â—…uded and for euer shut out 〈◊〉 are found wise these are â—…ose that prepared oyle in their â—…pes others foolish and â—…se were those who had their â—…ampes but no oyle in them all â—…aue the name of virgins all exâ—…t the Bridegroomes coÌ„ming â—…t all are not prouided for his â—…ddaine comming therefore â—…st any be taken vnprouided as â—…he foolish were Christ giues â—…is aduâ—…onition vnto all Watch therefore for you know not the â—…ay nor houre Man which is gone into a strange Countrey hauing giuen authority vnto his seruants and â—…lled his Porter to watch those seruants must be watching that at what time soeuer the Maister returne he may find theÌ„ so doing There is nothing more behouâ—…ful â—…nto the state of a christian man then to arise from the security of a sinfull life that spirituall Apoâ—…xie or dead sléepy disease of the soule the very word Watch doth not only import we haue enemies but also require industrie to preuent them Watch pray Watch and so vse industrie Pray and so receiue Gods assisting mercie We know that while Ionas slept the ship was in danger of drowning while Ishboseth slept hee was surprised suddainly while the husbandmen slept the enemie came and sowed â—…ares while
hee became a Mediatour betwéen God and man so was he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a partaker of both for the reconciliation of both otherwise mercifull Lord what had become of vs sinners As he was God the obiect of our faith as man an instruction of life As hee gaue himselfe vnto the Father a sacrifice by whom we were redéemed so did hee exhibite himselfe vnto all beléeuers an example of holines of whom he will be followed so he pleased God by his sacrifice and bound man in duty by his example Therefore was he the summe of the Law Gospell the Law teaching vs what to doe the Gospel what to beléeue so in Christ both beléeuing and doing concurre in one The scope of the Law was the auoyding of sinne and of the Gospell a satisfaction for sinne the Law driues vs to grace and grace enableth vs to plead in Christ a satisfaction of the Law To shew in the first place that he was a satisfaction for sinne it is an oxioine so generally receiued on all parts as all in a manner ioyne hands in this Sanguis Iesu The blood of Iesus cleanseth vs from all our sinnes This is a sure confession of faith vpon which we stay as the house vpon the foundation Adam eate the Apple Christ payed the price the foundation we know is first laid because all stayes vpon the foundation The woman in the Apocalyps signifying the Church she was cloathed with the Sunne this cloathing was the righteousnes of the Sonne of God Our righteousnes sayeth Saint Austen where is it It is his righteousnes that must doe vs good Sufficit ad iustitiam saith Saint Bernard solum habere propitium cui soli peccaui It sufficeth for my iustice onely to haue him reconciled against whom onely I haue sinned yea sayth Saint Ierome when wee confesse our sinnes which we cannot but do when wee remember them our righteousnesse consisteth not in merit but in mercy Men may argue and tosse matters to and fro speaking this or that of merit but come to the touch open the closet of the conscience and aske what is deserued then the case is altered The learned in the schooles may debate question pro contra but come to their deuotions and there wee finde all meriting ascribed onely vnto mercy Aske what may be done of others happily one thing may be aunswered but aske in good earnest what they thinke of themselues they will tell vs of another One of the greatest Clarkes that this age hath had when hee had long discoursed of the contro uersie of iustification and therein left no stone vnturned towards the folding vp of all hath these words Tutius est obliuisci meritorum in solam Dei misericordiam respicere It is more safe to forget merits and to looke onely vnto the mercy of God So when men haue wearied themselues in matters of doubt they find O holy Christ that thy onely merits must stand them in stead 2 To procéede then and to shew that as Christ was a sacrifice for sinne so also an example of liuing let vs consider that the more diligently we trace him in the steps of this his most holie life the more wee shew our selues to become true Christians The chiefest pitch of our perfection is to haue some resemblance of his holinesse hee was without sinne and the lesse we commit sinne the more doe we resemble him at least let not sinne raigne in vs. Wee are promised to become like vnto him in the state of glory what should wee but endeuour to haue some similitude of him in the state of grace The Iewes said vnto him Art thou greater then our Father Abraham yes that hee was by many degrees 3 In former ages when Almightie God was remoued from man in the height of his Maiestie â—…ee neuer required at mens hand that hee should imitate or follow him for howe could a weake creature any way imitate him who was higher then the heauens as the Apostle speaketh then man had only a law which did bind him to conforme his wil to Gods will to will and loue nothing but that which God willed and required Héere might man say Lord excepting thy law how might I learne to be humble poore and to despise glory when thou art high rich and all glorious This complaint is now staid sée God in another forme and receiue O man an example for thée to follow in these and all other vertues Those whom precepts do not so effectually moue we sée them sometime induced by examples for example neuer any of like efficacie with this which the sonne of God himselfe hath giuen of whose life it may be said Respice fac secundum primuÌ„ exemplar Looke and doe after the first sample Tell men of fasting praying they will giue you the hearing tell them the godly in all ages haue done this you begin to perswade tell them their redéemer hath done it if any thing moue this will 4 And now to runne a little ouer the whole life of the Sonne of God sée we â—…ery age euery action therein so farre as our capacitie is able to conceiue and wee shall finde it a schoole of instruction a perfect rule of most perfect discipline no where doe wee behold such a president of loue of humility of patience of chastitie in a word of all vertues Where is there true wisedome but in the doctrine of Christ true fortitude but in the passion of Christ true clemencie but in the mercy of Christ true humility but in the obedience of Christ he was made man and walked in the world as man that he might teach man to liue as he taught him to beléeue Before euer hee preached in words hee preached most effectuallie in works O sacred Babe heauens blisse and hels bane lying in the manger at Bethlehem brought vp in a meane hostage at Nazareth What else did hee teach by all this then contempt of the world his exile or banishment into Egypt his being borne in the dayes of cruell Herod What doe we hence learne but patient suffering of persecution by his fasting in the wildernes austeritie of life by his conflict with the tempter hâ—…w to withstand temptation behold we his contumelies offered of the Iewes calling him a blasphemer a friend of Publicans a seducer of the people what a lesson haue we héere of patience let vs see his labours and trauailes in the world his iourneying from Citie to Citie how he teacheth in the day and is al the night praying his chastitie whose virgine mother brought forth chastitie it selfe his loue who euer more charitable then hee who in the â—…gues of death prayed for his persecutors his obedience was there euer greater as an innocent lambe he became obedient vnto death euen vnto the death of the crosse 5 By his nakednes we learne to cloath vs by his gall and vinegar how to delight vs by
his wounds and pearsings howe to pamper vs if wee speake of the world and worldly things who lesse respected them then hee If we consider the care of heauenly thither tended all his care If aâ—…es where was there euer such an almes man heard of that gaue his owne body and blood to refresh the hungry if bountifulnes Paradise it selfe was graunted vnto a sinfull suter at the very first motion What can a Christian hart desire which is not found with spirituall delight in the life of Christ what vertue can he wish but there he shall sée a liuely image thereof Christ was the eye that was without moate the white without staine hee was the lambe without spot or blemish The Prophets shew his innocencie before he comes and being come the Euangelists approue the same the Chronicles of heathen men are not silent the Romainâ—… Register makes report of Iesus which was called of the Nations the Prophet of truth a man goodly to behold hauing a reuerent countenance his stature somewhat tall his haire after the colour of the ripe hazell nut from his eares somewhat cripsed parting it selfe in the middest of the head and wauing with the wind after the manner of the Nazarites his foreheâ—… smooth and plaine his face without wrinkle mixed with moderatâ—…ed his heard somewhat coâ—…ous tender and deuided at the chin his eyes gray various and cleâ—…re he is in rebuking seuere in instructing louing and amiable merry with grauity he somtimes wept but was neuer soene to laugh in talke sober and full of vnderstanding sparing and â—…dest Thus as ancient records haue laid it downe wee may behold him according to that of the Psalmist Goodly to see to aboue all the sonnes of men Outwardlie his gracefull behauiour was such while hee walked in the world that the world it selfe did behold him with high reuerence and admiration yet his externall feature compared with his inward graces the externall was farre inferiour to that hidden excellencie of his 6 Enoch is commended for pietie Abraham for faith and perseuerence Iob for patience Isaack for meditation Ioseph for chastitie Moyses for méekenes Phinees for zeale Samuel for vprightnes Toby for mercy Daniel for prayer and deuotion and last of all Salomon for wisedom Saul was higher then all the men of Israel by the head Christ the head of the congregation is aboue all the lights of the starres are many but all are not comparable to the light of the Sunne Holy men haue a measure of grace but the Sonne of man had grace without measure wherefore take the pietie of Enoch the faith of Abraham the patience of Iob the meditation of Isaack the chastitie of Ioseph the méekenes of Moyses the zeale of Phinees the vprightnes of Samuel the mercifulnes of Toby the deuotion of Daniel and with these the wisedome of Salomon put them all together as a cloud of witnesses and Christes example is in steâ—…d of all Wherefore hee is called sanctus sanctorum The holy of holies and in this sacred place sayth the Apostle was contayned the golden censer the Arke of the Testament the golden pot that contayned Manna the rod of Aaron that being dead budded againe the wings of the Cherubins ouershadowing the mercy seate So in Christ is contayned the Arke of couenant betwéene God and man with the censer the acceptation of the prayers of the Saints with the golden pot that contayned Manna the blessed Sacrament with Aarons dead rod that budded againe the hope of the resurrection The two Cherubines that looke face to face the two Testaments both looking to one mercie seate to wit Christ whom Esay calleth the Prince of righteousnesse Aggai the desire of the Nations Malachiâ—… the Sunne of righteousnes the Angell Iesus who shall saue his people from their sinnes 7 There was none of those beatitudes sayth Saint Austen which our Sauiour spake of in his first sermon vpon the mount Mathew the fift first whereof hee was not onely a teacher but also a perfect and full obseruer for Christ euermore liued as he taught He exhorteth to be poore in spirit who poorer then he who became froÌ„ being equall with God farre lower then the Angels yea a scorne of men as the Prophet speakes He exhorted to méekenes who more méeke then hee who was as a sheepe not opening his mouth before the shearer he exhorted to mourning who hath mourned as he mourned who in the dayes of his flesh did offer vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him hee exhorted to hunger and thirst ofter righteousnes who could hunger thirst more then he who gaue his life for the righteousnes of many he exhorted to suffer persecution who euer suffered more or with more patience then did the Sonne of God Last of all he taught his disciples to leaue al for the loue of him but he first left all for their loue when he left his kingdome throne in heauen 8 It is said of Caesar that in his greatest attempts hee vsed not that word of authority Ite goe you but after a more louing and sociable manner he would euer say vnto his souldiers Eamus come let vs goe It was most true in Christ before all other hee neuer but lead the way before his Disciples in all holines in all trials and tribulations in all conflicts which are wont to arise in the life of man And therefore the Apostle wisleth vs to runne with patience the race set before vs looking vnto Iesus the Author and finisher of our faith 9 What better example could euer haue béene giuen then the example of Christ How could our pride be better supprest then by his humility our disobedience better lessoned then by his méekenes our vanities better expelled then by his labours our impatiencie better qualified then by his mildnes where haue wee saith Saint Bernard true iustice but in his mercy true fortitude but in his constancie Christ was made vnto vs saith the Apostle wisedome and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption Wisedom by instructing vs righteousnes by absoluing vs from our sinnes sanctification by giuing vs of his spirit redemption by purchasing vs life by his death That we should not loue gold saith Saint Austen Christ taught vs to contemne gifts offered that we should not feare hunger he fasted that we should not distrust nakednes he forbad his Disciples diuers change of reyment that we should not be dismaied at tribulations he endured tribulation that wee should not feare death he himselfe died 10 Before all these things saith the same Father and for our better instruction in all as he taught vs by his word so was he our fore-runner by his works and hath leuelled and laid out the way wherein wee should walke which way leadeth vnto life in the meane time if we follow his steps so farre forth as we may if his way be our way