IN these words of holy writ, which now I read vnto you (Reuerend, Re­garded in Christ Iesus) It will please you to ob­serue, and note with me first, The Me­thod. and ge­nerally these three principall circum­stances. First the person by whom they were vttered: Secondly to whom; to­gether with the manner thereof: third­lie of whome, together with the matter. The particulars that occurre (as many [Page 2] there are) they shall be touched rather then handled in their place.

1 The first generall circum­stance.First as touching the person by whom they were vttered; Some argue by God the Father Almightie himselfe, and that it was he that said vnto them; Be­hold the man: As if he would haue said; This mā, which you see now standing here in this pittifull plight, frō the be­ginning indeed was God, of the same diuine essence, and substance, as I am; mine onely sonne, the expresse image of my selfe, being his naturall father; And yet behold for you men, and for your saluation from your sinnes, I sent him down frō heauē to earth; content (as you see) to clad himselfe with the mantle of your mortalitie, insteed of the garment of his owne glorie. For I haue decreed this cup shall not passe away frō him, & my decree shal stand: Loe how I haue loued your saluation; loe how I haue loathed your sinne.

2 Or it may be probable rather our blessed Sauiour said it of himselfe; As [Page 3] if he would haue said; Behold in what place, and what case I am; a miserable man, a scorne of mē, indeed a worme, and no man: Consider it is not for my selfe I suffer this, but for your sakes; for which to do you good, I wil lay down mine owne soule to: only I desire this fauour at your hands; crucifie not the sonne of man againe; let it suffize that I be onely once offered on the crosse for you, Semelimmolatus est, & so forth. De conse­crat. Di­stinct. 2. Can. semel Immolatus est. But the whole current of Interpreters, as also the circumstance of the place ex­pound it especially as spoken by Pilat, of whom also like mention is made in the verse next immediatly going be­fore; Then Pilat went forth againe, & said vnto them; Behold I bring him forth vnto you, and so forth: where­vnto may be added the authorities of all translations: In the Syriacke Metaphrase of the new Testament, and according to that in the correct­edst copies of the French, and Italian, and Spanish Bibles, as also in some [Page 4] English editions the name of Pilate is praecisely put downe Vemar Lehun Pi­latús, Metaphr. Syriac. [...]. [...], And Pilate said vnto them.

Vnto The Se­cond gene­rall circū ­stance. them? vnto whome? For so it followeth in the second circum­stance I speake a word, or two, and it shall be but a word, of the persons, or parties, to whom it was vttered; It was vttered vnto the Iewes. But is God a God of the Iewes onely, and not of the Gentiles also? Rom. 3.29. Yes of the Gentiles also: Tros Rutulusue fuat; all is one. And therefore at that time alike vnto the Iewes, & to the Gentiles both, it was aequally said; Behold the man. But was Christ then Christ, and is he not now? Yes Iesus Christ yesterday, and to day, Hebr. 13.8. & the same for euer. And therfore euē then this was written also for our instruction, and we were the men to whom it was said, Behold the man. Yea this shall be written for the generati­ons to come, Psal. 102.19. and the children yet vn­borne shall behold the man.

Now for the intention of the speaker, and manner of the speach. Origen on Math. 27. Origen vpon that interrogatorie of Pilate, Math: 27. Art thou the King of the Iewes? Perchance (saith he) he asked him deridingly, perchance doubtingly, per­chance axiomatically, or affirmatiue­ly. Rupert: on Ioh. 19. Rupertus the Abbat vpon these very words; Behold the man: & againe behold your King, Iohn. 19. Let Pilate say (saith he) what he wil, let him beare the simpler sort in hand, that al that he doth against Christ, he doth against his will; But ita locuto non credet Ro­mana seueritas: His inner parts are full of hypocrisie, dissimulation, and mockerie. The English Marginals. Our English Marginals vpon the same, and the like places, harpe much vpon the same string.

First, if that were true, and were reputed for such a treacherie in Pilate; what shall we recken of some Chri­stians now a dayes? ☞ How many are there amongst vs (a shame to speake it) euen in this noone day of the Gos­pell, [Page 6] that make a trade of it to play Pilate, hooding themselues with hy­pocrisie like vnto that Roman, that neuer said, that which he thought, nor neuer thought that which he said.

Secondly, I defend him not in this acti­on: I praesume the very name of Pilate is vngracious, and odious in Christian mens ears. Nay I say farther, the whole processe of this his iudgement was a­gainst al iustice. Math. 27.4 Luc. 23.47. For he condēned him that was innocent and iust: against his owne science & conscience to. For he knew of himselfe, or he had warning els of his wife, Math. 27.19. & 24. that he should haue no­thing to do with that iust mā. Against the loue of God, for the feare of man. For he was afraide least otherwise he should not be Caesars friend, Ioh. 19.12. or at least wise lest Caesar would not be his friend: & rather then so he left to loue Christ.

Panorm: in pract: istis praemissis.Yet be-lye we not the deuill Si dia­bolus esset in iudicio vt reus (as it plea­seth that great Canonist to instance) if the deuil himselfe were summoned to [Page 7] the court for this, or that crime, Quan­tū ad hoc, a defence might not be deni­ed to the diuell; how much more may Pilat answear for himself? For if Pilat of his own inclination had bin so ha­stie to had done him to death, what needed he to haue vsed any such vaine glosse or praetence? what to please the Iewes? but he knew well inough he could not please them better, then by dispatching him out of the way; what to collude with the almightie? but he was not ignorant that God neither vseth to deceiue, nor to be deceiued: ‘Lapides, & ligna loquuntur.’ For it was written on the crosse with a mans pen: & it was writtē in Hebrew, Chrysost: August. on Iohn the 19. that the Iews thē glozing on the law: in Greeke, that the Gentiles then glo­rying in their wisdō in Latin that the Romās thē gouerning the world: that al the world might know that Pilat ac­knowledged Christ to be Iesus of Naz: King of the Iewes. For so also when the high Priests wold haue cōtrouled him [Page 8] Write not King of the Iewes, Ioh. 19.21.22 but that he said, I am King of the Iewes, Pilate answered; what I haue written, I haue written. Chrysost: on this place. Ideó enim Pilatus scripsit quod scripsit, quia dominus dixit, quod dixit. I conclude therefore both by these, and other Scriptures, as also by other conferences of my text, that in this place it was Pilates intent to haue mooued commiseration, and to haue set Christ free: And therfore when af­ter the custome of the Iewes hee had scourged him, when hee had suffered the barbarous souldiers to make a foole of him, to clap a purple robe on his backe, to plat a crowne of thornes on his head, to put a reede in his right hand, to spitte on him, to smite him with roddes; then euen then he praesented him a very spectacle of calamity to to the cruell harted Iewes; if perhaps by any miseries, by any meanes they might relent, and he said vnto them; Behold the man; As if he would haue [Page 9] said, if you be good men haue mercy of this innocent man: August: on this place. or if you bee men take some pittie of a man: Etsi Regē inuidetis (saith Augustine) parcite, quia subiectum videtis: and if hereto­fore you enuyed him, whilst you said he was a king, yet spare him now at length, sith you see him a subiect, nay an abiect man: Feruescit ignominia, fri­gescat inuidia.

O the ineffable operatiō of the Al­mightie, euen in the harts of infidels, Chrysost: all along. that the wife of a Gētile should see in her sleep, which the whole natiō of the Iewes could not see being awake: that the Gentiles should be more compas­sionate to Christ-ward, then the Iews: that Pilate a Pagan should be the first proclaimer of that, which was pro­phecied so long ago; Ne corrūpas tituli inscriptionem: that it could not sinke out of his head, but that this man (a man vnlike inough as they had made him) must needes be that same Iesus of Nazareth king of the Iewes.

Doubtlesse as Pilate wrote this in­scription, or title in the Crosse with his owne hand writing: so was it written afore also in the heart of Pi­late, though hee wist not when, e­uen by the finger of that truth her selfe, Ioh. 18.38. of whō he asked her, what she was? And I am perswaded it shall be easier for Pilate in the day of doome, then for those peremptorie Iewes; for they Maius pecatum habent. Ioh. 19.11. Nay I pray God Pilate doe not rise in iudgement with many of vs Christians, and con­demne vs then iustly, as then hee did Christ vniustly: for hee certainely would willingly not haue condem­ned him: but we day by day, like those reprobate Iewes, doe wilfully crye, as they did vnto Pilate, Ioh: 19.15. so we to our sins, crucifie him, crucifie him.

The third generall circum­stance. Thirdly to leaue the persons by whō, and to whom it was spoken, together with the manner of speaking; the person of whome it was spoken, was Christ; the matter was this, Be­holde [Page 11] the man. And first, Beholde. The first diuision of the third generall circum­stance the first di­stinction. Which word in holy Scripture hath diuers and sundry significations: but I encomber not your eares with vn­necessary notes. Onely I content you with this alone obseruation of S. Ber­nard; Bernard on Math. 19. Behold we haue forsa­ken all &c. 27. Whensoeuer you read this word Behold, marke then (saith he) there al­wayes ensueth some important mat­ter: tis one way or other a watch­worde to a wonder. Behold a virgin shall conceiue, & being forth a sonne, Pele. Esa. 7. & 9. and you shal call his name Admirable, or Wonderfull, Esay. 7. & the .9. The first diuision of the third generall circum­stance: the second di­stinction. Irenaeus contr: Haer: Epiphan in panario. August: ad­quod vult: all along. Eusebius Cyrill euery where.

Secondly behold a man, not a God only as Simon, and Cerdon, and Marcion maintaine; but a man; Not an aethereall man, passing through with a trice, through the wombe of the woman, as Valentine, and Bardisan, and their pew fellowes haue plaide; but a man indeede. Not without as­sumption of humaine flesh subsisting as Eutyches excepts; Not without a reaso­nable soule assisting, as Apollinaris [Page 12] auoucheth: Cic de nat: deor. 1. Not as the Epicure would haue it, Non corpus, sed quasi corpus, Not as hauing a body, but as it were a body: Non sanguis, sed quasi sāguis, not a soule, but as it were a soule: Not a phantasticall body, nor a kinde of spiri­tall blood, but a true, naturall, and substantiall body, Creedes Nicen: A­thanas. and blood: flesh of her flesh, and bone of her bone: Very God of very God, and very man, of very man, consubstantiall to God his fa­ther, as touching his diuinity, & con­substantiall to Mary his mother as touching his inhumanation, or huma­nitie.

Theodo­ret Cyrens: [...]: out of the rest of the fa­thers at large.Or is it possible, (thinke we) that it was his passible humanity, that raised Lazarus from the dead? or that it was his impassible diuinitie that lamented Lazarus when he was dead? or that it was his humane pouerty, that with fiue Barley loaues, and a few fishes fed so many thousand? or that it was his rich omnipotencie that fedde on a Fig-tree? or that it was the aeternall and [Page 13] incorporeall worde, which in that strange agony swet water, & bloud? whose very soule was heauy vnto death? that in the houre of his death, and horror of his heart, cryed Eli, Eli, my God, my God? No, no, that was the sonne of Mary, and as hee was the sonne of Mary, as say Gela­sius, and Gregory; or that it was his mortall, and massie body that wrought miracles? cast out diuells? cured all men of their maladies? came in at the doore, when the doore was shut? walked vpon waters as vpon drye land? cui venti, tempestatesquè obse­cundârunt, commaunding the winds peace, and the Seas bee still? In a worde, that sustained the world with his word? No verylie, this coulde not bee but the very sonne of the ly­uing God. Not God onely: for then he could not haue suffered that; Not man onely: for then hee coulde not haue doone this. Not God by himselfe, and man by him­selfe, [Page 14] as the Quaternionists cauill; C. de sum­ma Trinit: Nos trade­tes. Damas­cen of the Orthodox faith. professing indeede the blessed Virgin to be Chrisostocos the mother of Christ the man, but not Theotocos the mother of Christ a God: Not Christ (I say) Alius & alius two persōs in an vnquoth nature: Vincent: contr: Haer. c. 19. [...]. Athansius in his Creed Greg: Naz: euery where. but Aliud & aliud (as Vin­cent speakes) two natures in one person: [...] God and man, homo-deus, & Deus-homo, as the schoolemē teach.

Of which his holy hypostasis, and extraordinary vnion very praegnant are those notable paradoxes of Abu­lensis, Alphons: Thostat: Abulensis in his Pa­radoxes. as he termes them; as that Christ is a Lyon which was seene, and which was not seene; which was heard, and which was not heard; which was knowne, and which was not knowne: as that he was a lambe vberatus, & non vberatus, that was shorne, and yet came not before the shearer: that bleated and yet did not open his mouth, that dyed, and yet did not dye: As that he was a Serpent and an Eagle, that saw and did not see, [Page 15] that heard, and did not heare; that mooued, and did not mooue; that came againe to the place, from which they neuer went; that rested, and yet did not rest, that were re­newed, and yet were not renew­ed, that reioyced, and yet did not reioyce: for looke what hee did as man, the same hee did not as God.

But I haue strayed somewhat from my text, The se­cond diui­sion of the third gene­ral circum­stance the first di­stinction. and haue soared with the Ea­gle into heauen to seeke Christ there, whom S. Iohn shewes me vpon earth here: Behold the man.

Behold, I say, and behold him vnder two formes. First in his owne shape: then in thine owne. In his owne behold his Maiesty: In thine owne his miserie. In his Maiesty behold the mā: Instit: de iur. Nat. Gent. & ci­uil. § Sed ius. Not a man but the man. When I say the lawes of Solon or Draco (said the most sacred Iu­stinian) thinke then I say the ciuill law of the Athenians: but if I say the ci­uill law & ad no name of any nation, [Page 16] thinke then I say, the ciuill lawe of the Romans; as when we say the Poet, and adde no name Subanditur apud Graecos egregius Homerus, apud nos Virgilius. I alter him on litle, & apply it to my text; When I say the lawes of Iustinian, it is a cleare case I say the ciuill lawe of the Romans: but if I say the lawe, Thorah. Hieron: in prologo ga­lealo. Deutr. 4.8. and adde no name, know then I say the lawe of God. For what Nation is so great (saith your Lord) that hath ordinances and lawes so righteous, as all this lawe which I set before you this day? So likewise when I say Esaias the Prophet, or Eli­as the man of God, it is plaine, I say Esai, or Eli: But if I say [...]. Deutr. 18.15. Ioh. 6.14. the prophet, or he that Shiloh. Gen. 49.10. is to come, or Ioh. 19.5. the man, and adde no name, knowe then I say Christ. For such an emphasis oft times and strength of signification doth the Greeke article import, [...], as Epiphan. in panar: libr. 1. Tom. 1. contr: Samarit: Haer. 9. Epiphanius obserues; and that it so doth in this place the Syri­acke interpretation doth well ac­cord. [Page 17] Ho gabhro. Behold the man; Metaphr: Syriac. Diog: La­ert: in Dio­genes the Cynicke. not a man, but the man. Not such a man, as the Philosopher would not see, when he said I would see men, and not Pigmees; nor such a man as hee saw againe, and would not speake with, saying, O verè phrygiae ne (que) enim phry­ges. Hom: virg. I would speake with Men, and not with Beastes; nor such a man, as a Captaine saide he saw many, [...], Wo­men, and no men, but such a man, as there are not many such: Homo per­paucorum hominum: nay such a one as besides himselfe, there was ne­uer any such; Verè vir, Cic. Tusc. 3 as from whome all virtue deriueth her name: a worthy man, an excellent man, not such a man amongst a thou­sand:

But thou arte beautifull my loue as [Page 18] Tirzah, A Salomo­nicall de­scription of the Maie­sty of Christ, as vnited, and communi­cating with his Church Cant. through­out: Dan: 7. and 10. Apoc: 1. & 19. Ch. Vultum ha­bens vene­rabilē, &c. Ludolph: in prologo de vita Chri­sti. comely as Hierusalem, ter­rible as an armie of banners: Thine head is an head of many crownes of gold, thy bush purple, thy lockes curled: Thy haire of thine head like a flocke of goates looking downe from Gilead: Thy temples within thy lockes as a peece of a Pomegranate: Thy face as the lightning, shining as the Sunne shineth in his strength: Thy nose as Lebanon, thy counte­nance excellent as the Cedars; Thine eyes as the Doues; O turne awaye thine eyes from mee, for they o­uercome mee; Thou hast washed them with milke in the Riuers of Heshbon: Thy cheekes as the Rose, as a bedde of Spices, and sweete flowers: Thy lippes as the Lillies, as a thred of Scarlet, dropping Ho­ny: Thy mouth as sweete things; O kisse mee with the kisses of thy mouth, thy loue is sweeter then Wine; Hony, and Milke are vnder [Page 19] thy tongue: Thy teeth like a flocke of sheepe going vp from washing: Thy necke as the Tower of Dauid, a thousand Shieldes, and Targets hang thereon: Thy bodie like a Chry­solite, and thy stature as a Palme tree: Thy breastes as two young roes on the Mountaines of Bether: Thy bellie like White Iuory couered with Saphites: Thy nauell as a round Cuppe full of Grace, and running ouer: Thy loynes are girt about with a girdle of Golde, of the Golde of Vphaz: I haue com­pared thee ô my loue to the troupe of Horses in the charets of Pha­raoh: Thine armes like polished brasse thrice purified in the Furnace; thine handes as the ringes of Golde set about with Tharshish: On thy thigh a name enwritten, the King of Kinges and Lorde of Lordes, and the Ioyntes of thy [Page 20] thighes as Iewels: Thy legges as Pillars of Marble set vpon sockets of pure Gold: Isaiah. 52. Nahum. 1. Rom. 10. Ps. 45. Hebr: 1. thy feete, O how beautifull are the goings of the feete of thee, that bringest glad tidings of peace? Thy whole Christ annointed with oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes: All thy garments of flesh, redolent with Myrrhe, Aloes, and Cassia out of the Iuory Pallaces: whiles the King is at his repast, my spiknard giues the smell thereof: my whole welbeloued is as a bundle of Myrrhe vnto me, as a cluster of Camphire in the vines of Engedi.

O that thou wert as my brother, suc­king the breasts of my mother, Cant: 8.1.1.12. that I might finde thee within, and kisse thee with the lippes of deuotion, and embrace thee with the armes of loue: thou shouldest lie betweene my breasts.

I might seeme here much to mis­trust your wisdomes, if I misdoubted at all, lest in this description of Christ you might mistake my meaning, and take him in such materiall sorte, as the wordes doe sound: But I speake vnto you that haue a more spiritu­all vnderstanding, and that can iudge of more then I can say. Onely this I say, and it standes with good rea­son to, and the Scriptures of God doe not gainesay; but that the The cō ­plexion of Christ white, and ruddie. Cant 5.10. Fronte ha­bens cum facie sine ruga [...] sine macula; quamrubor moderatus venusta­uit ex A­nnal: Romā: Ludolph: in prologo de vita Chri­sti. com­plexion of this man might be all white and well-coloured, as being of a more tender and delicate flesh then we are: but that the symmetrie and lineaments of his body might be of a more better and aequall proporti­on; as it is written; he encreased in wisedome, and stature and grace, and fauour with God, and man: Luc. 2.52. Gratior et gratiosior as Zanchie notes. Zanch: vp­on that place. But it is an­other beauty that I now speake of, and aboue all the beauty of the Kings [Page 22] sonne is all glorious within: within, I saye, there within are those most peerelesse, and matchlesse virtues and beauties, which neuer yet, nor Dauid, nor Daniel, nor Salomon, nor Iohn Baptist, nor any tongues of men, nor Angelles coulde suffi­ciently adumbrate, or expresse. Returne then, Cant: 6.12.3.11. returne O Shula­mite returne: returne I saye re­turne, and behoulde my wellbelo­ued, behoulde my Louer (O Daughters of Hierusalem.) This is that King Salomon with his Crowne, wherewith his mother Crowned him in the daye of his marriage, euen in the day of his Ma­iesty.

The secōd diuision of the third generall circūstance the second distinction. Hitherto haue you beheld (deere Christian brethren) and more here­after you may beholde this most worthy man, of what Maiesty and Excellencie hee was in himselfe: Meane while beholde a little of [Page 23] what Misery and Vility hee is in thy selfe. Diog. Laert: in Diogenes the Cynick. Diogenes Laertius reportes of Diogenes the Cynicke, that hee taxed sometimes, (and in his con­ceite verye prettylie to) certayne vaine gloryous Sophisters, suppo­sing that wisedome consisted in words; and hee taxed them vnder this stile, that they were thrise men, [...], Thrise­men for thrise-miserable: if euer any one man were thrise a man, that is thrise miserable, poore Iesus was that man.

Ezechias as it is storyed in the se­cond of Chronicles, 2. Chron: 29 5.16. when the Tem­ple of the Lorde was prophaned by certayne wicked persons, hee commaunded that first the Tem­ple shoulde bee purified, and that then the filth thereof shoulde bee conueyed into the Ryuer Cedron. We were (beloued) that spiritu­all, and liuelye Temple propha­ned by Diuels, possessed by euill [Page 24] spirits, euen our owne infinite euils, and diuelish sinnes: Christ was that cleere riuer Cedron, sustaining the beautie of heauen with his streames: Into this heauenly Cedron then were all the pollutions of our earthly man cast. Christ was the Priest that purged vs: the font and bason that dipped vs: the water and Hysop that washed vs: the pure fine linnen towell receauing the filth of our feet into it owne selfe, and wiping vs cleane; In so much that now we are strong, and he is weake: we are cleane, and he is foule: we are white and rud-colloured, and he hath neither forme nor beautie: we acquitted from sinne, and he ar­raigned for sinne: we blessed, and he cursed: we repriued, and himselfe hanged on the tree: we were all this for him, Isaiah. 53.4 Matt: 8.17 1. Pet. 2.24, &c. and he was all that for vs. Verè languores nostros ipse tulit. But of his passion anon: Insomuch that the Church her-selfe stands amazed at this so suddaine & strange alteration; [Page 25] and therfore as if he had bene growne out of knowledge, she demaunds this quaestion; Who is this, Isaiah. 63.1 Apoc. 19.13 who is this that commeth from Edom, with redde gar­ments from Bezrah? wherefore doest thou (O Lord) weare garments all be spotted, and died with blood, like vnto them that stampe Grapes in the Wine presse? this is very strange (me thinkes) to see the sonne of God in the shape of a sinner, the God of glo­rie apparelled with ignominy, life her selfe put to death. Isaiah. 28.21.— Heu quantum mu­tatus ab illo Hectore? His workes (as Esay had good reason to say) are very strange, and farre vnlike himselfe.

And this much I thought good to declare vnto you, The third diuision of the third generall circūstance the first di­stinction. as touching the man, first in his owne person, then in our owne; Each of them by way of exposition; vt hominem scias, that we might know him to be a man. Now againe by way of exhortation, Behold the man. And that the eye of our faith may haue some certaine obiect, wher­on [Page 26] to fixe and setle it selfe; Behold him first in his life and actions; Se­condly in his death and passion; Third­ly in his session at the right hand of God his father, & intercession. In the actions of his life behold him with a zealous, yet sober eye of imitation; In his death and passion, behold him with the eye of Sympathie and compas­sion; In his session, and intercession, beholde him with the eye of affi­ance and consolation. First in his life and actions: Omnis Christi Ac­tio, &c. The actions of Christ (say the Fathers in generall) are a Christians imitations: August: The summe of Christian Religion (saith Au­gustine) is to imitate Christ: Christ himselfe I inscribe A Ken­ning-Glasse for a Christiā. The Imi­tation of Christ. W: Th: Lu­dolph de vita Iesu Christi. part: 1.16. A Kenning-Glasse for a Christian; Speculum vitae Christianae. A warrant of this inscrip­tion I haue, first out of Gods owne mouth; Exod. 25.9.40. Acts. 7.44. Hebr. 8.5. Matth: 17.5. Matt: 11.29. Iohn. 13 15. Hebr: 12.1.2.3. Inspice et fac: See, looke, and do according to the mirrour I shew­ed thee in the mount: Behold this is my welbeloued sonne, in whom I am [Page 27] well pleased, Hunc audite, heare him. Secondly of Christ himselfe, Discite a me, looke vpon mee, learne of mee: I haue giuen you (saith he) an example. Thirdly the Apostles all exhort; Aspicite, looke, consider Christ, how he endured the Crosse: runne with patience the race, which is set afore you: Looke vpon Iesus the author and finisher of your faith. Art thou then (O man of God) affected zealouslie to be a Christian indeed? August: de vitae Christiana. Bernard in his Senten­ces. no longer to vsurpe the name of a Christian? Loe heere then a Ken­ning-Glasse to thy hand; Behold this man; marke well the face of his life; compare, and compose the countenance of thy conuersation accordingly. Art thou then (for example and instance) art thou ambitious, and proude? pomp­ous? insolent? of much attendance? Looke vpon him, and wonder at thy selfe Rex fieri noluit. August: Hee re­fused to bee a King, or his whole [Page 28] traine and retinue was one poore man, and a weake woman, Ioseph and Mary,—ijdem parentquè iubentque. Hast thou with Lucifer said in thine hart? I will ascend into heauen, Isaiah. 14.13. and exalt my throne aboue the starres of God: I will enthronize my selfe vpon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the North: I will be like the most high. Looke vpon him and wonder at thy selfe: Psal: 88.3. My soule (saith he) drawes neere vnto hell: I am in the midst of you, as the meanest of you: Psal: 22.6. a man and no God: a worme and no man: Psal: 131.1.2. mine hart not haughtie: mine eyes not loftie: I am in my selfe as a wayned childe: Lord who is like vnto thee? Hast thou with Anti-christ, and Atheists, and many false Christes aduanced thy selfe an ad­uersary against all that is God? 2. Thess: 2.4. Hast thou sate as God, in the temple of God, vaunting thy selfe that thou wert God? Philip. 2.6.7. Looke vpon him and wonder at thy selfe: he, when he was in [Page 29] the forme of God, aequall with God, humbled himselfe in the habite of man vnto the death, euen the death, of the Crosse: Gaue vnto Caesar, Matth: 22.21. On Iob. 41. Greg. mo­ral: 34.21. that which was Caesars, and vnto God that which was Gods, and this he did, Vt superbum non esse hominem doceret hu­milis Deus. Art thou auaritious and couetous? ioyning house to house, Isaiah. 5.8. and land to land? still gaping after Gold, Ecclesiasti­cus 31.8. and heaping vp money & treasures? Looke vpon him: Pauper esse voluit, August: he would needs be a poore man: he neither had, nor would haue any such thing: nor siluer, nor gold: nor house, nor land: Math: 8.20 not an hole to hide his head in▪ Godlinesse was vnto him great riches. Art thou luxurious, and lecherous? a glutton? a drunkard? feasting and feeding thy selfe with­out feare? ouercome by thy body? Iud: 12. Ecclesiasti­cus 47.19. and bowing thy loynes vnto wo­men? Looke vpon him: his hunger, Math: 4: his thirst, Iohn 4: his onely meate, and drinke, Iohn 4.34. to doe the will of [Page 30] his father which is in heauen: his Father knew no woman: his Mother was a Virgin: himselfe abhorred ge­neration of man. Iob. 41.10.11. Art thou as the Leuiathan in Iob? thy mouth as fire, thy nostrils as the smoake? in ire? in enuie? reuenging thine enemies? re­pining at thy friends? still breathing out threatnings, and slaughters? Looke vpon him, and wonder at thy selfe: Isaiah. 53.7 As a Lambe before the shearer, he opened not his mouth; he enui­ed none: Math: 5.22 pittied all he that is angrie with his brother (saith he) is culpable of Iudgement.

In fine, art thou deuoted to deli­cacie? Amos. 6.4. set vpon slouth? lying vpon Beds of Iuorie? and stretching thy selfe vpon thy bed? Looke vpon him and wonder at thy selfe: hee walked the world ouer: from cittie to cittie: from one region to ano­ther: he preached: he prayed: he iourneyed, and was wearie in his [Page 31] iourneyes: I will say all at once, W: Th: de Camp: De Regia via Sancta crucis. To­ta vita Christi crux est; and inconse­quent it were, that vnder Christ our head of thornes we Christians should pamper so delicate bodyes. Thou seest now (good Christian) I am sure, with how manye foule and ougly spottes of mortall sinne thy soule is stained. The office and end of a Kenning-glasse (thou maist well conceiue) consistes not so much in Kenning the deformities of the face, as in correcting them. Hee that fansifieth himselfe cured with hea­ring a Physician talke onely, is like one of those idle hearers, whome Saint Iames admonished, Iames 1:22. that they shoulde be Doers also, and not hea­rers onelye, deceauing themselues: and he that imagineth hee hath done away the spirituall spottes of his face with behoulding them in this loo­king-glasse onelye, is like that man in Saint Iames, Iames 1.23.24. that behelde his naturall face in a Glasse, and [Page 32] considered himselfe, & went his way, and forgot immediately, Dion: Carth. in Speculo Amatorum mundi. what one he was: non sic impij, non sic itur ad a­stra: away, away with such vaine spe­culations: examine rather the mat­ter aright: Iames 1:25. looke well in this perfect law of liberty: runne from Christ to thy selfe, Isaiah. 1.16. Apoc. 7.14. and againe from thy selfe to Christ: Washe thee: make thee cleane: Wash white thy stole, nay thy soule & body in the blood of the Lambe. Greg: Spe­culasū (saith Gregory) in quibus animae sāctae sēper aspiciunt. The face of Christ is a glasse which the Saints of God do view, and reuiew, that when ought in themselues is amisse, they may re­forme it. Compare then the pride thou seest in thine owne face with Christes humility: thy couetous­nesse with his contentednes: thy lux­ury, and prodigality in meates and drinkes with his parsimony, and cha­stitie: thine anger with his amiable­nesse: thine enuy with his innocence: thy lazinesse, with his labours: thy vi­ces [Page 33] with his virtues: compare them I say, and conforme thee: that in op­position to that vayle one Moses face thou maist also say, 2. Cor. 3.18 I see in a glasse the glory of God with open face, and am conformed and transformed into the same image from glory to glory. Chrysost: Etenim ad hoc vtile est nobis speculum, et facilem facit transpositionem

All this notwithstanding some o­ther Anthropolatrae there are (as the Emperour in his Code recordes of Ne­storius) that commit Idolatry with mē, C. de Sum­ma Trinit: Nos rēden­tes. C. de Haeret: & Manich damnato. Qui cun (que). that make mirrours of men: some of themselues, and some of others. Of themselues; such are they, that Nar­cissus like are in loue with themselues, Actes. 36.37. Origen in his first booke a­gainst Cel­sus. Ioseph: [...]: 20.2 Euseb. 2.14 Theudas amongst the Iews, Iudas amōgst the Galilaeans, Dositheus amongst the Samarians, each of them professing himselfe [...], some miraculous man at least, and the last perswading himselfe to be Christ: such was De­metrius the sonne of Demetrius, 1. Mach. 10 72. go aske (saide he to Ionathas) and learne who [Page 34] I am. [...]: Quam pulchrū est digito monstrari, & dicier hic est? & such a one I suppose he was, strouting vp and downe, & gazing on himselfe; Is not this great Babel, Dan. 4.27. that I haue built for the house of my kingdome, and for the honour of my maiestie? such and such like men are as those glasses of womē, Isaiah 3.23 by which the daughters of Si­on decked themselues, fraile, & fickle. Would God our Ladies of England, after the example of those auncient matrons of Israell, could be content to correct their Glasses by Christ our Glasse, and to consecrate them to the making of the Lauer of Gods Tabernacle. Exod: 38.8 Onkelus. & Kimchi. Matthias I­llyricus. Some others make others Glasses to them selues, they commit (as I saide) Idola­trie with men: such a wicked Idola­tresse was that wretched woman of Samaria, Iohn 4.12. saying vnto Christ; art thou greater then our father Iacob? Such were the Iewes; Iohn. 8.53. art thou greater then our father Abraham? whom makest thou thy selfe? Such were some of the [Page 35] Pharisies; be thou his disciple, Iohn. 9.28. the disci­ple of Christ, if thou wilt, as for vs, we are Moses disciples: And I am of Paule, 1. Corinth. 1:12. I am of Apollos, I am of Cephas: I am of the rule of S. Francis, I am of the or­der of S. Dominick, the Canons of their liues must be the rules for mine:— O i. mitatores stultum pecus. Good Christ what is it not thou that hast the wordes of aeternall life abiding with thee? Iohn 6.68. then whither doe wee runne from thee? Is it not thou that art the way? Iohn 14.6. Then why do we not walke in thee? Is it not thou that art the trueth? then why do we not beleeue in thee? Is it not thou that art the life? Ambr: then why do we not liue in thee. Omnia habemus in Christo (saith Ambrose) and Christ is all in all vnto vs. If thou feare death, he is life: if thou flie darkenesse, he is light: if thou affect heauen, he is the way: he is the way inuiola­ble the truth infallible, the life euerlasting. And neyther yet doe I condemne here any due aestima­tion, or Imitation of Saints, Nay I [Page 36] commend it rather, and charge you to; The ima­tation of Saints. Hebr. 13.7. Chrysost: Ludolph: de vita Christi part: 1. c. 66 Imitamini fidem ducum vestrorū, Imitate the Saints of God. Speculum est, & spirituale, So many Saints (saith Chrysostome) so many Seeing-Glasses hath a Christian: Isaiah. 51.2. consider Abraham your father, and Sarah that bare you: Rom. 4.12. walke in the steps of their faith: Iames. 5.10. Take (my brethren) the Prophets for an ensample: 1. Mach: 2.51. Call to remembrance (my sonnes) what actes our Fathers did in their times, so shall yee receiue great honor, and an euerlasting name: you haue read the Iames 5.11. long patience of Iob, and haue heard what end the Lord made. The way (some say) to prouoke Elephants to fight, 1. Math: 6.34. is to shew them the bloud of Grapes, and Mulberies: The blood of so many Saints, of Patri­arches, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, cōfessors, Virgins, Men, Women, chil­drē, what recreant would it not whet vnto battaile? 1. Corinth: 4.9. Ecce factisumus spectacu­lum (saith one of the Apostles in the name of all) we are made as so many [Page 37] spectacles, and gazing stockes vnto the world, and to the Angels, and to men. Th: a Cāpis de exemplis Sanctorum patrum. Terent: in Adelph. Intuere sanctorum, and so foorth. See, (saith another) the examples of the Saints: Deni (que) inspicere tanquam in spe­culum vitas hominum iubeo. And this to what end? or why were these things then related of them? Rom. 4.23. &c. Rom. 15.4. or why doe I now repeate thē to you? Surely not for them but for vs, that we also through patience, Chrysost: Greg: Col­lect. Saint Michael, & all Angels all Saints day. and consolation of the Scriptures might haue hope, and so directing our liues according to their good ensamples, may finally attaine al­so those Palmes, and crownes of life, for which they combatted vnto death. Imitate then on Gods name the Saints of God, but this must thou do, A limitati­on of the Imitation of Saints. Th: Aqui­nas on the 15. of the Romanes. 1. Cor. 11:1 August: in ps: 39. Hieron. not at all times, nor in all things: imitate me (saith Saint Paule) as I imitate Christ, so far & no farther. For doth he not imitate Christ, he ers himselfe, Iste in eclesia ordo est, this (saith Saint Augustine) is the institution of the Church: virtutes imitamur, non vitia. [Page 38] To particularize a while. Thou maiest imitate now the obedience of Abraham, thou maiest not his sacri­fice: that was then commendable in him, that were now damnable in thee. Thou maiest imitate the pro­foundnesse of Moses, the eloquence of Aaron; thou maiest not their incre­dulitie: thou maiest imitate the ardent faith, and zeale of Dauid, thou maiest not his adulterie, and murther: thou maiest the profession of Peter, thou maiest not his deniall with an oath: Thou maist the patience of Paul, thou maiest not his persecuti­on: thou mayest the amiable qualities of the other Apostles, thou mayest not their ambition: In short the Saints of God are Seeing-Glas­ses, I say, and men may see some thing in them but it is but in part and vn­certainely, 1. Cor. 13.12. as through a Glasse obscurely: there are in their seuerall legends and liues certaine beauties (I grant) and [Page 39] splendors of life, but they are but here and there, and there are spots too.

But this Kenning-Glasse of a Chri­stian that I commend, the one A­nalysis alone of Christ his life, In splendo­ribus San­ctorum an­te Lucife­rum &c. ps: 110.3. vvisd. 7.26 Hebr: 1:3. Coloss 1.15. is ab­solutely perfect in it selfe, pure, cleare, spotlesse, the splendour of Saints, the lustre of the euerlasting light, the vn­defiled mirrour of the maiestie of God the influence of the Almightie, and Image of his goodnesse. Good Saint Bernard compares this Mirrour of Man-kinde vnto that fascicle, or flow­er of Myrrhe amiddest the breasts of the spouse, Cant. 1.12. Bern: in Cant. Serm. 43. Serm: 47. and intertexeth his comparison thus: Here is a flower and a Glasse, Flos virginitas, flos martyrium, flos actio bona, A Flow­er of the Chamber, A Flower of the Garden, A Flower of the Field: Hee is a Flower of the Chamber, Speculum et exemplum, An exam­ple and Glasse of all bountye, [Page 40] and goodnesse; he is a flower of the garden, Virgo virga virgine generatus, euen Iesus of Nazereth, Netzar. Isaiah. 11.1 the flower of Iesse: he is a flower of the field, a Mar­tyr, the crowne of Martyrs, the forme of Martyrs. Vtrunque (imo omnia) es mihi domine Iesu, et speculum patiendi et praemium patientis. Here maiest thou reade at once the Innocence of Abel, the righteousnesse of Noah, the obedi­ence of Abraham, the chastitie of Io­seph, the mildenesse of Moses, the fer­uence of Phinees, the strength of Samp­son, the wisdome of Salomon, the deuo­tion of Dauid, the diet of Daniel, the patience of Iob, the pietie of Tobie, the humilitie of Ioseph, and Mary: hee was truly faythfull in heart without fayning: humble without hypocrisie: sober without sowernesse: wife as a Serpent: innocent as a Doue: stout as a Lion: meeke as a Lambe: what shall I more say? Here maiest thou haue all that which all they haue, and here maiest thou haue that, which all [Page 41] they put them all together, and they had it not. If any man require more in speciall to reade of this argument, I reporte him to Ludolphus of the life of Iesus Christ, to Thomas of Campis of the imitatiō of Christ, or rather with S. Augustine to the foure Euangelistes. August: Ludolph: in prologo. For that no mā (saith he) cā so through­ly informe vs of the life, & manners of Christ, as the Gospell of Christ. I for my part must on with my text, and passe ouer in a word, which eftsoones I proposed, namely a sobrietie in the i­mitation of Christ. As we are zealous, so must we be sober: As therefore in the imitation of Saints, thou maiest imitate them (I said) but that nor at all times, nor in all things: so, and much more so, we may, nay we must, imitate A limita­tion of the imitation of Christ. Christ, & that at all times, but not in all things. De conse­crat:d st. 2. Liquido ap­paret in Glossa. Non omnis Christi actio nos­tra est lectio. Euery action of Christ is not an imitation for a Christian. August: S [...]nt. I­mitatores Christi esse debemus, we must i­mitate Christ, but we must imitate him [Page 42] in his mercies, The Eng­lish Chro­nicles. we may not in his my­racles: we may not as Bladud a Brit­taine Prince and founder of the hotte Bathes (as they say) make vs waxen wings, and flie in the winde, vnlesse we will breake our neckes, as he did; yet Christ flyeth, Ps. 18.10. and commeth flying on the wings of the winde: we may not take vpon vs to rayse the dead, to turne water into Wine, as prophane Necromancers, and iuglers doe, yet Christ said, Exi Lazare, come foorth Lazarus, Iohn. 11.43 Iohn. 2.7.8. and transubstantiated water into Wine in Canah of Galilee: wee may not goe about as the God of Nor­weighe did, Iohn Wier de ietuniis Comment. The Gol­dē legend. as Saint Mary the Aegyp­tian, as Pharaoh and his host, to walke on the waues, to tread the pathes of the sea, to do all, that Christ could do, as God. For most true it is in this, which in another sense, Iohn. 8.21. whither I goe (sayd Iesus to the Iewes) thither you cannot come; and Christ vnto Peter, whither I goe, Iohn: 13.36 thou canst not followe me. Eccles: 2:12. Quid est enim homo vt sequi possit [Page 43] regem factorē suum, August: de verbis do­mini: Au­gust: in Ps: 90. as it is in the vulgar Latine translation. He saith not (saith Augustine) thou canst not be my dis­ciple, thou canst not follow me, ex­cept thou create a new world, or walke on the seas, or make the blinde to see, the halt to go, the deafe to heare, the dead to ryse againe. For these are my­racles vnimitable for vs, and as it ap­peares in that reply of Christ to Saint Iohns disciples, Math: 11.4.5. Luc: 7:22.23. he reserues them as pe­culiar to himselfe. Quid ergo est? what it is then that the eye of thine imi­tation must aime at in Christ? Christ tels thee himselfe, Math: 11.29: discite a me (saith he) quia mitis sū; learne of me for I am hū ­ble & meeke be ye, as I am: be yee holy, Leuit: 11.44. 1. Iohn. 2.3.6. for I am holy: walke as I haue walked: keepe my cōmandements: loue one ano­ther: hereby shal al men know, Iohn: 13.34.35. August. on the 90. Psalm. Theodor: de virt: Act. that ye are my disciples. Quod factus est propter te, hoc in Christo debes attēdere, vt imi­teris eum: Loue and hate that, which Christ loued, and hated, as hee was God, and thou doost imitate Christ, as much as a man may [Page 44] imitate God: do that which Christ did, as he was man, and thou dost imi­tate Christ, as a Christian ought. Magnus esse vis? August de verbis do­mini. a minimo incipe? am­bula per hominem, et peruenies ad Deum. To knit vp this point, what blessed Bernards cōceite was of his fascicle of Myrrhe, the same is mine of this my glasse, this was that mirrour of man, which the virgin Mary carried in her wombe, the spouse betweene her breasts, Simeon in his armes, Zachary in his hand, Iohn in his bosome, Ioseph dalied with on his knees. 2. Cor: 4:10 O that all we, that are Christians, would do the like, Ezeche. 9.6 Galat. 6.17 Bern: in Cant: Serm: 21. that we would manifest in our bo­dies the life of Iesus: that wee would marke our foreheads with the marke of Christ: that we would erect his image in our harts aut nasentis, O si Iesus Crucifixus in Cor nos­trum veni­ret. W. Th. a Camp: De Imit: Christi. L. 1. C. 25. aut lactētis, aut docentis, euen from his cradle to the crosse: that we would alwaies contem­plate this Kenning-glasse, Christ, and his crosse: that we would carry him in our bosome, and lay him amidst our [Page 45] breasts, Bernard in Cant: Serm: 43. and haue him alwayes afore our eyes, non retro in humeris, sed ante prae oculis.

Secondly I exhort; The third diuision of the third generall circumstance the second dis­tinction. Innocent. de sacro Altaris mysterio. Libr. 5. C: 9 Math. 26.28. Marck. 14.33.34. Behold the man in his death & passion. They that dis­course of the passion of Christ digest it vsually into a triple passion: the first they terme his propassion the second, and that most properly, his passion, the third his compassion: his propassion was in his soule, his passion in his bo­dy, his compassion in his harte. Of his propassion he protesteth himselfe; My soule is very heauy, euen vn­to death: Of his compassion he prai­eth for them that crucified him, Father forgiue them, Luc. 23.24. they know not what they doe: Of his passion he pro­claimes; O vos omnes, Thron: 1:12. O homo vide, quae pro te patior. Bernard. Oh all yee that passe by the way, behold and see, if euer any passion were like this of mine? Of this passion I in­treate. And here I shall request all the sonnes of Adam to lift vp the eyes of their compassion yet a little high­er [Page 47] and to beholde the man. Come forth ô yee daughters of Sion, Cant. 3:11. and be­holde your King, Brethren if wee bee men (except we be Iewes or Sa­racens) behold we the man; Which the sunne for our sinnes was asha­med to beholde; the Daughters of Hierusalem wept out their eyes to beholde; the dead corpses in the graues resumed their eyes to be­hold. Behold I say (O Christian soule) behold and say Quis ego, et quis tu Do­mine? Who art thou, and who am I O Lorde? O what hart doth not riue and rent in sunder? What hardnesse is not mollified? What eyes doe not streame with teares beholding such a lamentable and dolefull sight as this is. I see my Iesus all of a gore blood, all his senses, The ex­pansiōn of Christ one the crosse expressed out of scrip­tures & holy fathers. and faculties of bodye and soule, his partes and whole sore­lye smitten; I see that Angelicke head, at whose presence the very powers of heauen weare wont to tremble, all to bee preaned and [Page 46] prickt through with thornes: I see that Diuine face that was fairer then the children of men, now defaced, and defiled with the spittle of the Iewes; I see those Christall eyes, once clearer then the Sunne beames, now blood-shed, and cast ouer with the darkenesse of death; his eares once accustomed to the hymnes of Angelles, must now giue eare to the exclamations of Diuelles; his mouth once full of Butter and Hony to eate, is now full of Gall and viniger to drinke; his feete fastened with Nayles to the Crosse, and yet his verye soote-stoole, is holye: his handes and armes all spreade, and distreined on the Crosse, and yet they framed and fashioned the Heauens: his whole Man all torne, and wounded with lashes and Whippes: his side broacht through with a Launce; [Page 48] and his hart bloode gushing out on eue­ry side. Et quid plura? From the soale of his foote to the crowne of his head he reserued nothing entire, Ioh. 19.26. The pa­thos of the blessed Virgin. saue onely his tongue therewith to pray for them, that persecuted him, and commend his Mother vnto his disciple; Woman beholde thy sonne. O how may we conceaue? how did the hart of that blessed Mother and Virgin Mary, throb and beate then within her breast; O how much rather had she, her bodie should haue gone from her soule, then her sonne and sauiour gone out of her sight? O how wil­lingly would she haue eaten the afell gall, which her sonne did eate, and dranke the sower vineger, Luc. 24.26. which her sonne did drinke? and giuen vp the ghost which her sonne gaue vp, saue that he must needes die for the sinnes of the world? Prouerb. 31.1. O my sonne, and O the sonne of my wombe, and O the sonne of my desires, O my sonne Lemuel, O my sonne Salomon; finally I cannot [Page 49] expresse. Then sinfull man that I am, A pa­theticall exclamati­on of a pae­nitent sin­ner. who shall deliuer mee from this bo­dy of sinne? It is my sinne (I see) it is my sinne that slew my Sauiour vpon the crosse: my pride the thornes that pricked him: my gay-garments, & gue-gawes the purple that mocked him: mine hypocrisie the Ceremo­nies that blinde-folded him, I was that subtile Scribe, and proude Pharisee that entrapped him: that co­uetous Iudas that betrayed him: that enuyous Iewe that accused him: that irresolute man-pleasing Pilate that condemned him: that bloudy exe­cutioner that hanged him; and yet alas I am euen now ready still, still, to crucifie my Christ againe.

Out of this triple passion of Christ wee Christians are to learne a three-foulde lesson, a lesson of propassion, A three-fold lesson very neces­ry for all Christians. of passion, and of compassion. In our propassion wee may meditate in this manner, and it is in a manner a cōpassion of Christ; Alacke, Alacke [Page 50] The sonne of God hath bene crucifi­ed for mee (miserable sinner as I am) once afore, and why doe I thus with sinne vpon sinne daylie, Hebr. 6:6. and hourelye Crucifie him againe, and make a mocke of him? O why should I not rather Crucifie the world vnto my selfe, Galat: 6.14 Rom: 6.6. Ambrose de vnica poenitent: Dan. 9.4.5.7.9. and my selfe vnto the worlde? O why doe I thus Luxu­riate in the bloode of Christ? O Lord God I haue sinned, I haue sinned: Righteousnesse and compassion is thine (O Christ) and mine is open shame, and confusion: Lament: 1.16. Lament: 2.11.3:48. For these thinges I weepe: Mine eyes daye and night cast out riuers of teares: My Bowels swell: my liuer is powred vpon the earth; Lamēt. 3.41 And now I lift vp mine heart and handes vnto thee (O King of Heauen) O Lorde heere, Dan: 9.19. O Lord for­giue: O Lorde consider, and doe it: Haue mercie vpon mee for thine owne sake, euen for thy name sake (my God and my Christ) for thy name is called vpon me.

Of our passion we may ponder in this sense with our selues: 1. Pet: 1.21 Quaestionlesse hereunto are we called. For Christ also suffred for vs, leauing vs an ensāple that wee should also suffer for him. Caedi Christianorum est, (saide an holye man) caedere Pilati et Caiphae: Our Sauiour Christ hath drunke to vs already, if wee will bee Christians wee must all pledge him in the same cuppe. Iohn. 13.15 Luc: 9.23. Isaiah. 50.6 W: Th: à Campis de Regia via sanctae crucis. I haue giuen you (saith hee) an example: Tolle crucem, et sequere me: I haue giuen my backe to the smiters, my cheekes to the nippers, my face as a flint against spitting, and shame: And the Disciple (you know) is not aboue his Maister. Math. 10.24. If therefore you are my Disciples? Take vp my Crosse and followe mee. Luc. 9.2.3. D.D. Carth Amator: Mundi: Speculum. Dionysius the Carthusian in his trea­tise intitled a Looking-Glasse for the louers of this world hath an excel­lent saying to this praesent pur­pose; Nemo potest venire de festo ad festum.

No man (saith hee) may haue his feast here and his feast there to. If we will raigne there, we must suffer here. 2. Tim. 2.12.3. Thou therefore suffer afflic­tion as a good Souldier of Christ Ie­sus.

But as wee must suffer, so must we suffer (if the will of God be so) so as hee did; 1. Pet. 3.17 Better it is we suffer for wel­doing, then for euill doing. Mori volo (saith Hegesippus) in his 3. booke, and 17. Hegesipp: de bello Iu­daico. l. 3. c. 17. Chapt. sed vt Hebraeus: I am content to suffer but as a Martyr, not as a murtherer, or a theife: I am content to be a doore-barred to death, Doroth: de Prophet: A­post: Septu­agint: &c. but as Amos was: to be sawen in peeces, but as Esay was: to bee stoned, but as Ieremye was: to bee cast to the Lyons, but as Daniel: to the Sworde, but as Paule: to the Crosse, but as Christ: I would dye, but as an Hebrew, and like a Chri­stian, and for Christe, and so come when thou wilt, Salua sanc­ta crux.

Of our compassion wee may re­solue in like Christian sort, and this wee extend to our crucifiers, Iud. 9: and exemplyfie thus; The Archangell Michael, when hee disputed a­bout the body of Moses with the Diuell himselfe, durst not intreate him with any cursed language, but saide; The Lorde rebuke thee Sathan: How is it then that wee against our bretheren are so bloudylie bent, to take the staffe indeede out of Gods owne hand, Vengeance is mine. Rō. 12.19. Act: 7.60: and for euery trifle to crie; Reuenge? The Protomartyr Saint Stephen, when the Iewes stoned him to death kneeled downe, and pray­ed; Lorde laie not this sinne to their charge: how is it then that wee can­not learne this lesson of him, Math: 5.44 Collect on S. Stephens day. to loue our enimies, to praye for our per­secutors? The Archangell of all An­gelles, and Martyr of Martyrs, our Lorde and Maister Iesus Christ himselfe, when hee was reuiled, 2. Pet. 2:23 hee [Page 54] reuiled not againe, 2. Pet. the 2 23. when he suffered, be threatned not againe, but com­mitted it to him, Luc. 23.34. that iudgeth righteously, eyther praying; father forgiue them, they know not what they doe: Zach: 3.2. Iud. 9. or saying at most; The Lorde rebuke thee Sathan, euen the Lorde, that, hath chosen Hie­rusalem, rebuke thee: How is it then, Coloss: 3.12.13. that, as the elect of God, ho­lye, and like Christians, wee put not on these bowelles of compassi­on, of long suffering, of mercies, of kindenesse, of meekenesse, for­bearing one another, and forgi­uing one another, if any man hath a quarrell to another? euen as Christ hath doone, euen soe doe wee. The third diuision of the third generall circūstance the third & last distinc­tion. O Compasse mee (sweete Iesus) with this thy com­passion.

Thirdly I willed you to beholde him in his Session, and intercession, and that with the eye of affiance and [Page 55] consolatiō. Numbr. 21.9. In the one & twētith of Num­bers, when as the people of Israel were stung to death for their sinnes with fiery Serpents, It is written that Mo­ses by the commaundement of God erected a Serpent of Brasse for a signe; and when a Serpent had bit­ten a man, then he looked vp to the Serpent of Brasse, and liued.

The signification, or moral of which mystery, Saint Iohn in his Gospell and thirde Chapter: dooth plainely set downe. Iohn: 3.14.15. As Moses lift vp the Serpent (saith he) in the Wilder­nesse: euen so must the sonne of man be lift vp, that whosoeuer beholdeth him and beleeueth on him, doe not perish, but haue life euerlasting.

Suppose then whole generati­ons of Vipers, all the fierye Ser­pentes of thy sinnes enuyron thee on euerye side: the can­ker of couetousnesse frette thee: the flame of concupiscence burne thee, the prickles of pride stinge [Page 56] thee to death; straight wayes for thy comfort, thou knowest what thou hast to doe: make vp by the wing of faith, to that sanctified serpent Christ Iesus, and thou art saued: the signe of that serpent wil easilie breake this serpents head.

Now I beseech you brethren by the mercifulnesse of God, attend now vnto this which I shall say vnto you, and embrace I pray you this Doctrine of consolation, A Demon­stration of the saluati­on of Gods Elect. with a right hand as I entend it you. We read oft-times in the volume of this booke, a certaine challenge as it were sent downe from that righteous iudge vnto all the in­habitants of the earth; If any man durst stand in iudgement with him. Now therefore (O inhabitants of Ierusa­lem) and men of Iudah, Isaiah. 5.3. iudge I pray you (saith he) betweene me and my vineyard; for I will be tryed by your selues. Iob. 16.21. O Lord, Oh if a man might plead with God, O Lord thou art I know a seuere, yet righteous iudge, I [Page 57] know, thou knowest my very heart & reines; yet (if so it seeme good in thine eyes) I, as sinfull a man, as I am, euen I am content to enter into iudg­ment with thee; Yea in the name of Christ Iesus I waxe confident and bold, let all the diuels in hell accuse me; all their Angels beare true or false witnesse against mee; mine owne conscience cōdemne me; thine owne selfe, secundum allegata et probata, pro­ceede in iudgement against me; On­ly let me be weighed but in a iust bal­lance, Iob. 31.6. and I will iustifie my selfe be­fore thee, and yet will neuer appeale from thee; I will be tryed by thine owne selfe. Isay. 50.8. Iob. 33.6. For let me see who will contend in Gods steed with me? Let vs stand together: who is mine ad­uersarie? let him come neere to me, what can he lay to my charge? A matter of haughtinesse perchance, or an high looke? I confesse that, and more toe: But Ecce homo, Behold this man; And so I haue recompenced [Page 58] that with the humilitie of my Iesus. Some reuelling perchance, or some riot? I grant that too But Ecce homo: Behold this man: and so I haue salued that sore with the sobrietie of my Sa­uiour. A murder it may bee? or a robbery, or something worse? be it as bad, as bad may be, my prayer and plea shall alway be the same, Do­mine Iesu responde pro me, O my Lord Iesus answer for me, and Ecce homo, behold this man: And why did he die the death but for this: Méshichca. Ps. 84.9. O looke vpon the face of thy Christ. Turba­tur conscientia, Bernard: in Cant. Serm: 61. non perturbatur, quia vulnerū domini recordabor; O hide me in the holes of thy wounds.

I dispute not of the torment & paine of his passion, whether solie in bodie, or partly in soule; it is the infinite me­rit and price of his passion, in respect of the person or subiect that suffered which I speake of; Euery drop of his blood sufficient to had redeemed [Page 59] ten thousand worlds; then whereat shall we prize the Ocean thereof? Quod libet finitum (they say) Quan­tumcunque magnum, Alphons: Thostat: A­bulens: pa­radox: 5.45 in infinitum exce­ditur ab eo, quod est infinitum: Whatso­euer is finite (of what quantitie soe­uer it be) compare it with that which is infinite, and it is alwayes excee­ded infinitely. Collect then all thy sinnes, whereof thou hast, or maiest be guiltie, from the day of thy birth to the houre of thy death, thy sinnes originall and actuall, thy sinnes in thought, worde, and worke: and not thine owne onely, but mine, and thine, and the sinnes of all men vpon the face of the earth: and not of men onely but of Angelles too: Lucifer I meane and all his fellow Angelles, that fell from heauen: and not of them onely, but of Beelzebub him­selfe and all the damned diuels in hell.

Collect (I say) all these three worlds [Page 60] of sinne into one head, as they fable that hellish Dog had three heads on one necke; nay were it possible that heauen, earth, hell, and all, might be put in the one ballance, and the alone merit of Christ his passion might be poised in the other, they should all appeare in comparison of it, but as a drop of water to the seas, as the earth, to the heauens, as a very nothing to to the whole world. The summe of all is this; the mercies of Christ, and merits of his passion are in multitude innumerable, in magnitude immea­surable, euery way vnvaluable and infinite.

One the other side, the sinnes of men, though to the vnderstanding of man they may seeme infinite: yet in­deed, and in the apprehension of God they are all finite both in number and measure. Well then Christ hath suffered once for all; 1. Pet. 3.18 the iust for the vniust: hee hath payed the price of [Page 61] our sinnes, Coloss. 2.14 & why should we be sued in the lawe? He, my suretie, hath can­celled the hand writing on the crosse, he hath made full satisfaction already, & why should I, the debter, make restitu­tion againe? It is against all lawe, and reason in the worlde, ciuill, Canon, common law and common sense too, that there should be two adaequate pe­nalties inflicted for one, F. de Reg: iur: l: bona fides. Innocent: de sacro Altaris my­sterio. 4.41. and the same fault. Bona fides non patitur, vt bis idem exigatur. There is no such iniquitie with men, and shall wee say there is more vnrighteousnesse with God? God forbid. The con­clusion of the whole with Ap­plication. Rom. 8.1. Rom. 8.33.34.35. Iesus adest, totum bo­num est. De familia­ri amicitia Iesu. W. Th: à cam­pis. Quia ergo Iustus iniustè punitus est, Iniustus iustè sum libera­tus.

My conclusion is then, there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus. It is my Iesus that iu­stifieth mee, and who is he that can condemne me? It is my Christ that dyed for me, or rather that is risen againe, and hath his session at the right [Page 62] hand of God, and maketh Intercession for mee; and who shall seperate mee from the loue of Christ? 2. Tim. 2.19. In a word the foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale; The Lord knoweth who are his; and (as it is aeternally con­tinued in this indissolluble chaine) Whom once he knoweth, Rom. 8.29.30.31. &c. he also praede­stinateth, and whom he praedestina­teth he calleth, and whom he calleth he iustifyeth, and whom he iustifieth he glorifieth.

What shall I then saye to these things? If God bee on my side, who can bee agaynst mee? Hee hath giuen his owne onely sonne for mee, and how can hee not giue with him all other things vn­to mee?

As I saide afore, so say I nowe againe. The foundation of God re­maineth sure, and hath this seale: The Lord knoweth who are his. 2. Tim. 2.19 Yea I know (and I hope to praesume thus of the grace of God is not pride in mee, [Page 63] but faith) I my selfe knowe that my redeemer liueth, and that Christ is mine, Iob. 19.25. Vsurpo mi­hi ex visceri bus Iesu mei: Bern: in Cant: Serm: 61: and that the Righteousnesse of Iesus is my Righteousnesse, and therefore if Christ bee saued, (which who dares doubt?) I hope I am as sure I shall be saued with him, as that I am in this place. [...]. &c. Rom: 8.38.39. Yea verily I am perswa­ded (and it is the spirite of God, that telles mee so within) that nei­ther life, nor death, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things praesent, nor things to come, nor persecution, nor famine, nor plague, nor Spaniard, nor Pope, nor Diuell, nor any other creature, nor all the world shall euer seperate me from the loue of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord.

This is my doctrine of consolation, this my demonstration of faith: A­gaynst this the gates of Hell shall neuer praeuaile, and the gates of Hea­uen cannot stand shut.

One little more yet of your patience, and I will onely commend this one history vnto your good remembrāce, and so recommende you vnto God. The story is of Pilate. It is registred by Mathew of Westminster and others, that when Pilate was conuented before Tiberius Caesar, The gol­den legend in the pas­sion of Christ. for that he had done to death this innocent man, hee put on the coate of Christ, which was (as you reade) without seame; At the sight whereof the Emperour, who was o­therwise much incensed, arose vnto him, saluted him, and euerye wayes kindely entreated him. Anon, when Pilate againe with his good leaue was departed, Tiberius againe was enra­ged more then euer before: he swears if euer he tooke him againe Quòd fili­us mortis esset, there should be but one way with him, and sends out a fresh his Pursyuantes for him. Pilate againe returnes vnto him: Tiberius eftsoones in­steed of what he would doe, falles to embracing of him, and had not the [Page 65] powre to speake as much as one hard word to him. All that were there did wonder at it, and Tiberius him­selfe did wonder at it; and if it bee true, I wonder at it too; and so may all you. But the legend it selfe saies this is no gospell; yet marke mine Application. We haue all, euen the ve­ry best of vs all, we haue all plaied Pilate, we haue crucified, and crucifi­ed againe the Lord Iesus; the time wil come, when we must come to ac­count for this; not as Pilate did, be­fore Tiberius Caesar an earthly Empe­rour, but before the King of Kings, Apoc. 19.16. and Lord of Lords, the God of heauen and earth: we shall be able then, as of our selues, to answeare no more for our selues, then Pilate was then, not one for a thousand. What re­maineth then, but that againe we play Pilate? But that wee put on vpon vs the coate of Christ? It will be that at the sight thereof that iust God, who is angrie with vs, will be [Page 66] [...] [Page 67] [...] [Page 68] [...] [Page] [Page 42] [...] [Page 43] [...] [Page 48] [...] [Page 65] [...] [Page 66] well pleased with him, and for him with vs. If I may but touch his vest­ture onely, nay if I may but touch the outmost fillet or hem of his vesture, [...], said the woman then sicke of our Now-disease I shall be safe. Matth. 9.20.21. Then raig­ned the bloudy flux in England. But it is giuen vnto vs, not to touch his vesture onely, but to han­dle it, and take holde of the whole cloath to; and not that onely, but to put on to, Rom: 13.14 Galat. 3.27. Eph. 4.24. &c: Qui am­plectitur Ie­sum, firma­bitur in ae­ternum. W: Th: à Camp: De Amore Iesu. Isaiah. 43.2 not the coate, but Christ, to be inuested in him, in corporate, and infleshed in him, imbossomed in him, euen to dwell in his bosome, as hee dwelleth in the bosome of his father Gremioque in Iasonis haerens Per freta longa ferar, nihil illum amplexa vere­bor. I, my soule, shall paste with thee through the waters of destruction, and they shall not drowne me: through the fire of Gods iudgement, and it shall not burne mee: I will feare no euill for thou art with me. Ps. 23.5. Tephillah le Thoren. Nowe I pray God giue me grace, that when this [Page 67] soule of mine shall returne to God, that gaue it, it may couragiouslye mount vp out of this earthly taber­nacle, and take holde of this ancker of hope, with the same resolution, and confidence, as I now preach it vnto you. The Eng­lish letanis. And I beseech thee (sweete Ie­sus) euen by thine Agonie and bloo­die sweat, by thy crosse and passion, by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension, and Session and intercession at the right hand of God, when in that dreadfull day of Iudgement, he shall preasse me with this, or this, or this enormitie, that then thou wouldest praesent thy selfe vnto thine angrie father, in such fresh and bleeding wise, as thou wert on the crosse, and pleade for me, Isaiah. 43. [...] and say, Father, Ecce Homo: Beholde I am the man: I haue redeemed him: I haue answered for him: He is mine, Amen, Apoc. 22.20. Attah Tag­nanch. Ps. 38.15. Luc. 23.46. Euen so come Lord Iesus: It is thou, it is thou that hast answered for me O Lord my Christ. Father into thy hands [Page 68] I commend my spirit. A Christi­ans expira­tion. Acts. 7.59. Num. 6.24.25. &c. Lorde Iesus re­ceiue my soule.

The Lord blesse vs, and keepe vs: the Lord make his face shine vpon vs, and be mercifull vnto vs: and lift vp his countenance vpon vs, and send vs peace.

[...]. Corinth: [...]3.13. The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, and the loue of God, and the communion of the holy Ghost, be with vs all euermore. Amen.