AT the twentith verse of this Chapter, the Euan­gelist telleth vs, that the two sonnes of Ze­bedeus came with their Mother to our Sauiour Christ, reque­sting this fauour of him, That the one of them might sit at his right hand, and [Page 2] the other at his left hand in his kingdom. Our Sauiour had fore-told them a lit­tle before, Ver. 18, 19. that his death was now at hand, and that he should rise againe the third day. Whereupon, they by and by thought, that presently after his resurrection, hee would begin his kingdome in the earth: which they imagined (as the rest of the Iewes did) should be a temporall Kingdom, like the kingdomes of this worlde. Our Sauiour had also promised all the twelue, that when he should sit in the Throne of his Maiesty, Math. 19, 28. they should sit also vpon twelue thrones, and iudge the 12 Tribes of Israel. And therefore, these two Disciples being still carnally af­fected, make this request, that they may haue the chiefe places of com­mand and authority next vnto him­selfe. For they saw that our Sauiour respected them aboue the rest, and that he vsed them more familiarly thē their fellowes. Onely they were a­fraide lest Peter should bee preferred before them. For they saw that our Sauiour graced him also, & that when [Page 3] any special worke was to be wroght, hee was admitted to bee present at it as well as they. As when he was trans­figured on the Mountaine, he tooke Peter, Math. 17, 12. and Iames, and Iohn vp with him, and left the rest of his Disciples below. And when hee raised vppe Iairus his daughter, Marke 5, 37. hee suffered no man to follow him, saue Peter, and Iames, & Iohn. Be­sides, they had heard our Sauior make a promise vnto Peter (though, if they vnderstood it aright, it was made to them all as well as to him) That hee would giue vnto him the keyes of the king­dome of heauen, &c. And therefore, Math. 16, 19. they labour here to preuent him, that he may not be aduanced aboue them. Now it is worth the noting that they do not moue their suite in their owne personnes, but set their Mother on worke to bee a Mediator for them: which they did, it may bee, because they were bashfull; and (as it is with many men in this case) were loath to say their owne errand; but chiefely, because they hoped y ^t by this meanes their suit would be the better accep­ted. [Page 4] For they knew she was very gra­cious with our Sauiour, being one of those women which followed him from Galile, Mat. 27, 55, 56 and ministred vnto him. And therefore they hoped, that if shee should moue their request, he would not giue it the repulse.

Verse 22, 23.Well, our Sauiour notwithstan­ding, vtterly denieth and reiecteth their suite; and thereupon, there is kindled a new flame among the Dis­ciples. For it is said, that the other ten disdained the two Brethren; Ver. 24. not because they detested their fact as carnall, but because they also were carried with ambition, and gaped after the same preferment, and desired to bee emi­nent in the Kingdome of Christ; and therefore they thought it would bee an iniury to all the rest, if the cheefe rule and gouernment should be con­ferred vpon a few. So that as the two brethren offended with blinde ambi­tion; so the other tenne offended no lesse with ambitious indignation. As they did carnally make this request; so these did as carnally disdain them, [Page 5] seeing euery one of them did no lesse desire the cheefest place, Luke 9, 46. Mar. 9, 34. as appeareth by their manifolde contentions and disputations about it. But our Saui­our, as by his wonted mildenesse and clemency he tollerated the carnal pe­tition of the two brethren: so he doth not sharpely reprooue the carnall in­dignation of the rest. Ver. 25. But calling them all vnto him, as if hee had had some serious matter to impart, he la­boureth to cure them all with one Medicine, and hereby taketh occasion to exhort them to humility and low­linesse of mind, and that by two con­trary examples. The one is takē from the Kings of the earth, from whom he would haue his Disciples to differ the other is his owne example, Ver. 25, 26. whereun­to they ought to conform themselues if they desire to reigne with him. The former example is first propounded in these words; Ye know that the Lords of the Gentiles haue domination ouer them, & they that are great exercise authority ouer thē. But it shall not be so among you. And afterward it is expounded in the [Page 6] next words, Ver. 26. But whosoeuer will be great among you, let him be your seruant: wher he declareth how he would haue chri­stians to differ from the heathen. Hee doth not forbid that euen among his disciples one should be greater & an­other lesser: but prescribeth another way, and other maner of maiority and minority, which consisteth not in lordlinesse & outward pomp, nor in lofty seats and worldly pride, but in labour and seruice. And to the end y ^t he might affect them the more, & make better impression of his doctrine, he addeth another sentence, Verse 27. saying; Whosoeuer wil be chiefe among you, let him bee your seruant. Where he teacheth vs how a man may be great, and the chiefe be­fore God in the kingdom of heauen; namely, if he subiect himself to mini­ster & to do seruice to al men: where­upon Ierom saith, Christus humi­litatis magister, &c ad locum. Christ the master of humility & meeknes, doth neither re­proue the two sutors for their immo­derat desire, nor rebuke the other ten for their indignation & enuy: but pro­poundeth such an example, whereby [Page 7] he wold teach them that he is y ^e grea­ter that is the lesser, and that he is a lord, that is seruant of al. And therfore it was in vaine either for them to seek superfluous things, or for these to grieue at their desire of greatnes, see­ing men must come to the heighth of honor, not by power, Externis nostra similia non ha­ben [...], &c. ad locum. but by humili­ty: & so doth Chrysostom also expound the place. As if our Sauior shold haue said, our estate is not like the estate of strangers. For among the Gentiles they that are princes do bear rule; but with mee, he that is the last is the cheefest. But there are others that wil haue the meaning of the speech thus: that our Sauiour teacheth in this place, how he that hath attained rule & authority in the church, ought to behaue himselfe in the same; namely, if he will execute his office wel, he must be the minister and seruant of them ouer whom he is set, so as in all things he seek their be­nefit & saluation, & not his own ho­nor. And this sense agreeth best with that w ^c Christ saith in another place to the disciples, whē they contended for [Page 8] superiority, Luc. 22.24.25 26.27. The Kings of the Gentiles reigne ouer them, and they that bear rule ouer them are called gracious Lords. But ye shall not be so: but let the greatest amōg you be as the least: and the cheefest as hee that serueth. For who is greater, hee that sitteth at table, or he that serueth? Is not he that sitteth at Table? And I am a­mong you as he that serueth.

The example of our Sauior Christ is set downe in this verse that I haue read. There are no arguments that preuaile more with Schollers & hea­rers, then the example of their Mai­ster. And therefore as Christ doeth e­uery where vrge and presse it, that they might in it as in a glasse see how to conforme themselues: so heere al­so to his precept he addeth his exam­ple, that he might the more effectual­ly moue them. Now this example is first propounded generally, in these words, The Sonne of man came not to be ministred vnto, but to minister. As if hee should haue saide; If I had come in­to the world in any such pompe, as to beare rule like an earthly King, and to [Page 9] bee guarded with a troope of manie seruants, then it would bee no mar­uell if your mindes were enflamed & set on fire with ambition, and that you should also conceyue haughtie thoughts. For then there would bee some reason that my followers should contend for superiority; & it would be a necessary question, who should beare rule, and who should obey. But you your selues do see, how I am come in the forme of a seruant, to doe seruice for the good of all men. And therefore, what excuse can you haue, if neglecting my example, whereby I minister vnto others, you desire to beare rule ouer others? For you shold alwayes remember that which I haue so often saide vnto you: The Disciple is not aboue his Master, nor the seruant aboue his Lord. It is enough for the Dis­ciple to be as his master is, and the seruant as his Lord. And heerein we haue to consider two things. First, the Title that is heere giuen vnto our Sauiour Christ, he is called The Sonne of Man. Secondly, the end of his comming, [...] [Page 10] is set downe first, negatiuely, not to be ministred vnto; and secondly, affirma­tiuely, but to minister. Secondly, this example is amplified by a particular instance of the greatest humility, and of the basest seruice that euer was performed, and that was to giue his life a ransome for many. Wherein we are to obserue, first, what it was y ^t hee gaue, his life. Secondly, how he gaue it; wil­lingly and voluntarily without com­pulsion, which is insinuated in this, that it is saide he gaue his life. Thirdly, the end why he gaue it, to be a ransom. Fourthly, and last of all, for whom he gaue it, and that is, for many. And thus I haue led you along to see the depen­dance that these words haue vpon the former, and also haue giuen you the summe and resolution thereof. Let vs now see the doctrines therein con­tained for our instruction.

[The Sonne of man.] This title is e­uerie where appropriated to the Mes­siah in the new Testament. And it is ta­ken out of the Prophesie of Daniel, where the Prophet describeth the [Page 11] person of the Messiah in this manner. As I beheld in visions by night, beholde, Dan. 7, 13, 14 one like the Sonne of Man came in the clouds of heauen, and approached vnto the Ancient of dayes, and they brought him before him. And he gaue him domi­nion and honour, and a kingdome, that all people, Nations, and Languages should serue him, &c. Hence our Sauior Christ hath properly applyed this Title to himselfe. There bee diuers Reasons why this name is giuen vnto him. Some say, he was so called because he had no Father, but was the Sonne of the Virgine Marie, as it were of one man. But this is idle and friuolous, and without ground. For, the mas­culine Article, [...], not [...] and not the feminine is euerie where prefixed before it. The true causes therefore of this title are these. First, hee was called the Sonne of Man, because hee was a true man like vnto vs in all thinges except sinne. For, being the Sonne of GOD, he could haue created his humane flesh of the earth, as the body of Adam was formed; but because he [Page 12] would make it appeare, that hee did truly take our Nature vpon him, hee tooke his flesh of the Virgin Marie, Gal. 4.4. and so was not only man, but the Son of Man. And indeed our Sauiour was very man, consisting of a true reaso­nable soule, and a true substantial bo­dy like vnto other men, as the Scrip­ture doth manifestly declare. There is one Mediator (saith the Apostle) be­tweene GOD and man, 1 Timoth. 2, 5 euen the Man Christ Iesus. Heb. 2, 14. And in another place, Forasmuch as the children were partakers of flesh and bloode, hee also likewise tooke part with them, &c. Apollinaris the he­reticke confessed, that Christ had a true humane flesh, but in stead of his soule, hee had the word vnited to it. But that is easily confuted; for then it should not be true which the Apo­stle saith, Heb. 2, 17. and 4, 15. that in all things he was made like vnto his Brethren, sinne onely excep­ted Againe, the Prophet Isaiah doeth liuely set out the trueth of this point, where hee saith, Isai 7 14, 15. The virgin shall con­ceiue and beare a Sonne, and she shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and Honey [Page 13] shall he eate, till he haue knowledge to re­fuse the euill, and choose the good. In this testimony, as Fulgentius wel noteth, De mysterio Medeatoris Christi. lib. 1. is contained the whole fulnesse of the mysterie of our saluation. For the truth of his flesh is manifested in the conception of the Virgin: and in the election of good, and refusing of euil, is declared his intellectuall soule: and in the name Immanuel, the true Na­ture of his Deity is expressed. And this the Euangelist plainly teacheth, when hee saieth of Iesus beeing yet a childe, That he grew, and waxed strong in Spirit, and was filled with wisdom, &c. And againe, He increased in Wisedome and stature. As it is proper vnto the flesh, to grow in stature; so it is pro­per to the soule to increase in Wise­dome and Grace. And our Sauiour himselfe giueth testimony also heere­unto. For his soule he saith, Matth 26, 38. My soule is very heauy, euen vnto the death. This cannot agree to the body, which of it selfe without the soule, is but a bru­tish and an vnsensible thing; nor to the Deity, which is not subiect to any [Page 14] passion; and therefore it must needes be vnderstood of his reasonable soul. And for his body, hee saith euen after his resurrection, Luc. 24, 39. Handle me and see: for a spirit hath not flesh & bones as ye see me haue. So that our Sauiour had not an imaginary soule, and a fantastical bo­dy, but true, real, and substantiall, ha­uing their ful and perfect essence, and the essential properties of both. As in his soul there was vnderstanding, wil, memory, & human affections: his bo­dy had all the dimensions of a natural body it was circumscriptible, visible, and palpable, and wanted nothing w ^c serued either to adorne the essence of man, or to the constituting of him ac­cording to the order of creation. Yea, he was subiect to the same passions of the soul, & the same infirmities of the body that we are, saue onely y ^t he was without sin. Heb. 4, 15. As the Apostle saith, Hee was in all things tempted in like sort, yet without sin. In his soule he was subiect to sorrow & heauines, Math. 26, 38. his soul was hea­uy to the death: & he was not a litle sor­rowful, Luke 19, 41. when he wept ouer Ierusalem: As also to ioy and gladnes, I am glad [Page 15] (saith he to his disciples whē Lazarus was dead) for your sakes, Iohn 11, 15. that I was not ther y ^t ye may beleeue. He was subiect to fear, he was herd in that which he feared: Hebr. 5, 7. To anger, Marke. 3, 5. Hee looked round about on the Iews angerly, mourning also for the hard­nes of their hearts: To desire, Luc. 22, 15. Marke 6, 6. I haue ear­nestly desired to eat this Passeouer before Easter: To admiration, hee maruelled at their vnbeleefe: To loue, Iohn 13, 23. & [...]1, 20. yea hee loued one of his disciples more then the rest Iohn is often called the disciple whom Iesus loued. In his body, Luke 2.52. hee increased in stature. He was not a perfect man at y ^e first, but was born a child, & increased in stature by degrees, as other childrē do. He was subiect to hunger, Mat. 21, 18, 19 Iohn 4, 7. and 1 [...], 28. Iohn 4, 6. when he came to the fig-tree & would haue eaten: To thirst, when he asked drink of the woman of Samaria, and when he cried out as he hanged on y ^e crosse, I thirst: To wearines, when he sat on the Well to rest him. And necessary was it, y ^t our Sauior should be a true man as we haue heard first, that y ^e iustice of God might be pacified in the same nature wherin it was offended: and secondly y ^t he might be fit to suffer for our sins: [Page 16] which, if he had bene onely God, hee could not haue done: for the God­head is impassible, and not subiect to suffering. Againe, it was necessarie that he should haue a true soule, and a true body; that seeing we had sinned, and so deserued to bee damned both in our soules and bodies, he might be able to saue vs in both.

This is a point full of comfort to all the children of God. Wee haue a mercifull Sauiour, who hauing him­selfe felt all the miseries that any of vs can endure, will no doubt be ready to succor and releeue vs. It was a good speech of the Heathen Queene to the distressed Troianes; Haud ignara mali mis [...]ris sucurrere disco. Dido in Virgil. Aenead. Experience of misery, hath taught mee to succour them that are in misery. So the expe­rience that hee hath had of our mise­ries, maketh him compassionate to­wards vs. And this is that which the Apostle saith, Hebr. 2, 17, 18 In all things it became him to bee made like vnto his brethren, that he might bee mercifull, &c. For in that he suffered and was tempted, he is a­ble to succour them that are tempted. [Page 17] And againe. and 4, 15. We haue not an high Priest which cannot be touched with a feeling of our infirmities, but was in al things temp­ted in like sort, yet without sin. And ther­fore, 16. hee inferreth this comfortable conclusion, Let vs goe boldly vnto the throne of grace, that we may receiue mer­cy, and finde grace to help in time of need. So that whatsoeuer misery it bee that we suffer, whether pouerty, or infamy, or perplexity and heauines of minde, yea, the very agony and panges of death, we neede not to be discomfor­ted. Christ himselfe hath felt and en­dured them all; and therfore, we shall vndoubtedly finde him both able and willing to releeue vs.

Secondly, he was called the Sonne of man, not onely because hee was a true man; but also, because he was a vile and an abiect man. For it is an Hebrew kinde of speech, which for the most part hath vilenesse ioyned with it, and signifieth an ordinary & a mean mā. As appeareth in diuers pla­ces of the Psalmes. Psalme 8, 4. What is man (sayth Dauid) that thou art mindfull of him? [Page 18] and the Sonne of man that thou visitest him? Psal 144, 3, 4. And againe, Lord what is Man that thou regardest him! Or the Sonne of man that thou thinkest vpon him! Man is like to vanity, &c. And againe, Put not your trust in Princes, and 146, 3, 4. nor in the sonne of man, for there is no helpe in him. His breath departeth, and he returneth to his dust, &c. But more plainly in the book of Iob: Iob 25, verse 6 How much more man a worme, e­uen the Son of man which is but a worm? And this was (as it were) the proper name of the Prophet Ezekiel, the lord calleth him almost in euery Chapter the Son of man, Thou Son of man, &c. thereby to teach him humilitie, that he might not exalt and lift vp himself by reason of the excellent gift of pro­phesie bestowed vppon him, and the celestiall visions reuealed vnto him. And for the same cause this name was also giuen to the Prophet Daniel, Daniel 8, 17. al­thogh he were descended of the kings stocke. And hence it is, that our Sa­uiour Christ doth so often call him­selfe by this name, especially when he would debase himselfe, and manifest [Page 19] his humility, as wee see in this place. And to the Scribe that offered to fol­low him whither soeuer he went; The Foxes (saith he) haue holes, Matth. 8, 20. & the birds of the heauen haue nests: but the Sonne of man hath not whereon to rest his head. And he told Nichodemus, Iohn 3, 14. that as Mo­ses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernes, so must the Son of man be lift vp. And this the Apostle insinuateth, Philip. 2, 7. when hee saith, That he was made after the simili­tude of man; that is to say, none other­wise then any of the common people; not onely a true man, but in the iudg­ment of the world no better then one of the basest of the people. Accor­ding to that which Dauid saide as a type of him: I am a worme, Psalme 22, 6. and not a man; a shame of men, and the contempt of the people. And the Prophet Isaiah foretold the like: Isaiah 52, 2, 3. He hath neither form nor beauty (saith he) when wee shall see him, there shall be no forme that we should desire him. Hee is despised and reiected of men: we hid our faces from him: he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Philip 2, 6, 7. And so the Apostle saith of him; that being [Page 20] in the forme of God, hee thought it no rob­bery to be equall with God. But hee made himselfe of no reputation, and took on him the forme of a seruant, &c. So that wee see, there is great Emphasis and force in this Title. For as it is more vehe­ment to call a man the Son of destruc­tion, Iohn 17, 12. 2 Sam 3, 34. as Christ called Iudas: The Son of wickednesse, as Dauid called them that slew Abner: Ephes. 2, 3. Psalme 79, 11. the Sonne of wrath, as the Apostle calleth all vnregenerate per­sons: the son of death, as it was said of the Martyrs, rather then a destroyed, or a wicked, or a dead man, &c. For it signifieth one that is destinated to destruction, and to wrath, & to death: so it is more significant and forcible to call our Sauiour Christ, the Sonne of mon, rather then simply man. Heere then appeareth the goodnes of Christ to vs-ward, that for our sakes, hee would stoope to so lowe a degree of humility, and euen destinate himselfe to so base a condition. And therefore one saith well, that he was more ours then his owne, beeing wholly deuo­ted and addicted to our good. But of [Page 21] this wee shall haue fitter occasion to speake afterwardes. And thus much for the title.

[Came not.] Heere the end of our Sauiour Christ his comming, is sette out negatiuely. Hee doeth not deny, that any body ministred vnto him, or that they might not minister to him; but he denieth that hee came for this end, to be ministred vnto: but rather, in the whole course of his life hee de­based himself. Howsoeuer his second comming shall be most glorious and full of maiesty ( For he shall come in the clowds of heauen, Matth. 24, 30. with power and great glory: yea, he shall shew himself from hea­uen with his mighty Angelles in flaming fire, &c.) yet his first comming was most base and abiect. He came not in any outward pomp, though he could if it had pleased him. For, Philip. 2, 6. as we haue heard before, He was equall with God, and that without any iniury; & there­fore hee could haue come in greater state, and with greater maiestie then all the Kings and Emperours in the world: but he came in the poore and [Page 22] base forme of a seruant. He was born in a stable, because there was no room for him in the Inne; and he was laide in a cratch, Luke 2, ver. 7 for want of a better cra­dle. And as his comming into the world was thus poore and base; so all the while that he liued amongst men, he did vtterly refuse all outwarde ho­nour and authority, as appeareth in many instances. When two Brethren fell at strife and variance about the patrimony which their Father had left them, and one of them came and intreated our Sauiour Christ that hee would bid his brother diuide the inheri­tance with him; Luk. 12, 13, 14 he would not meddle with them, but answered him in this manner; Man, who made me a Iudge or a diuider ouer you? Iohn 8, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 And againe; When the Scribes and Pharisies brought vnto him a woman taken in the act of Adulte­ry, and would haue had him to haue pronounced sentence against her; he would not take so much vppon him; but hauing taken them downe a little by conuincing their consciences of their owne sinnes, and so sent them a­way [Page 23] with a Plea in their eares: he tur­neth him to the woman, and percey­uing that no man had condemned hir, Neither do I condemne thee (saith he) go and sinne no more. But most plainely, when the Iewes beeing drawne into admiration of his person by his prea­ching and miracles, Iohn 6, 15. were about to take him and make him a King, hee de­parted from them, and would not bee found.

This example of our Sauiour Christ is our instruction, and teacheth vs that we must not ambitiouslie aspire vnto outward honour and dignitie in the world. Galath. 5, 26. The apostle Paul hath a graue exhortation to this purpose; Let vs not bee desirous of vaine-glory, (that is, let vs not be ambitious) pro­uoking one another, enuying one another. Where he setteth downe two dange­rous effects, whereby an ambitious man doth both hurt others, Pareus ad locü. and vexe himselfe. The first is prouoking one an­other; namely, by contempt, by con­tumelies, and iniuries. For ambiti­ous persons doe eie and obserue both [Page 24] their inferiours, and also their equals and superiors. Such as they thinke to bee any way vnder them, those they contemne, and reprochfully disgrace, and importunately prouoke with wrongs and iniuries. Ester 3, 5, 6. So did proud Haman despise and contemne poore Mordecai, and wrought all the mis­cheefe against him that he could de­uise. And such an one was Diotrephes in the Primitiue Church, 3 Ioh. ve. 9, 10 who louing to haue the preheminence among them, receyued not the Apostles, but pratled a­gainst them with malicious wordes, and was iniurious to the Saintes, thrusting them out of the Church. For such is the corruption of our nature, that when a man is once aduanced aboue others according to the old Prouerbe, Ho­nor changeth his manners, and ma­keth him become proud and disdain­full. The second effect is, Enuying one another. For as ambitious personnes do contemne and prouoke their infe­riors, so also they enuy the good e­state of their equals and superiours. For this is our natural affection & dis­position, [Page 25] that euery man is highlie conceited of himselfe, and euery man thinketh himself worthy of the chie­fest and greatest honor, and therefore enuieth all that are aduanced aboue them. As wee see in the sons of Iacob, Gene. 37, 11. who wer displeased when they heard that their brother Ioseph was like to be preferred before them. But what else doe these persons by enuying o­thers, but torment themselues? For, this is the nature of enuy, that it do­eth not so much hurt another, as it vexeth and greeueth it selfe. Where­upon Bernard saith well, O ambitio ambientium crux! quomodo omnes torquens, omnibus places? &c. de consid. lib. 3. O ambiti­on, the very crosse and gibbet of am­bitious men; how is it that tormen­ting all men! thou pleasest all men? There is nothing doeth more cruelly vex, nothing doth more greeuouslie disquiet, and yet nothing is more fre­quent amongst miserable men. It is not possible to reckon vp all the fear­full effectes which ambition hath brought forth. It ouerthrew Adam, & cast him headlong out of paradise; who when he disdained that subiecti­on [Page 26] which he ought to God, and desi­red to be like vnto God, hee founde himselfe (as S. Cyprian saith) to be al­together without God. De ieiumo & tentat. Christi. It was no­thing else but ambition that mooued Cain and Esau most cruelly to imbrue their hands in the blood of their Bre­thren; the one actually, the other in intent and purpose; breaking therby the very strongest bonds of Nature. For ambition, Ambitio te ad dignitatem nisi per indigna non ducit. Sen. Nat qu. lib. 1. as one saieth well, commonly leadeth a man to prefer­ment by shamefull & villanous cour­ses. Neither hath it only ouerthrown priuate persons, but Cities also, and many kingdomes. For the prouo­cations, which wee heard of before, doe vsually breede contentions and warres, and murthers, and disturb the publicke peace. There were many causes of the ciuill warres betweene Caesar and Pompey, Si mulos dedit aemula virtus, Nec quemquam iam ferre potest Caesar ve priere, Pompeius ve parem. Lucan Lib 1. but the chiefe & principall was ambition, that the one could not endure a superiour, and the other could not abide an equall. But well were it, if ambition hadde kept it selfe onely in the Common-wealth [Page 27] mong Temporall persons, but Expe­rience hath taught vs, that this most foule monster, hath set her foote al­so in the Church of GOD. What was it but ambition, that made the Disciples of our Sauiour Iesus Christ so often contend and striue for the cheefe place, as wee haue heard be­fore? And what was it else but am­bition, that brought in the Romish primacie, and established the Anti-Christian tyranny, and thereby hath almost vndone the Church? As Saint Cyprian sayth, Cyp. lib. 1 E­pist. 3. That swelling and proud boasting that is amongest them, came not from the Schoole of Iesus Christ, who teacheth Humili­tie, but it proceedeth from the Spi­rite of Anti-Christ. And therefore, wee may well conclude with Saint Bernard, Ambitio subti­le ma [...]um, secre­tum virus pestis occulta, ma­ter hypocrisis, virtutum aeru­go, tinca sancti­tatis. in Psa. 91 Serm. 5. That ambition is a subtle euill, a secret poyson, or an hidden plague, the Mother of Hypocrisie, the rust of Vertue, the moth of San­ctitie.

Again, besides these fearful & perniti­ous effects, ambitious persons are ac­companied [Page 28] with many and great dangers: Stella de con­temp. mundi. They that climbe vp vpon the tops of high buildings, are subiect vnto much perill: they had neede to haue a good braine, that they fall not. So is it with them that are aduanced to high degree of honour. Non in prae­rupto tantum illic stant, sed in lubrico, Sen E­pist 85. The place whereon they stand is not onely high and steepe, but slippery and vncer­taine. Whereupon, Bernard hath a good saying, Quo progre­deris miser? An vt ab altiori gradu sit casus grauior? &c. Declam. Whither dooest thou aduenture poore man? that thou mai­est haue a greater fall from an higher degree? So shalt thou not fal by li le & litle, but as Satan was suddenly downe from heauen: so shalt thou with vehement force bee cast downe like lightning. The old saying hath alwayes bene true, Mediocria fir­ma. The meane estate is the surest. And we see by daily ex­perience, Saepius ventis agitatur ing [...]ns Pinus, & celsae grauiore casu Decidunt tur­res, seriuntque summos Fulmi­na montes. Horat. lib. 2. od. 10 that the low shrubbes are safe, when the high and lofty trees are shaken with the winde: and the meane Cottages stand firme and sure, when the stately Turrets come tumb­ling downe: and the lowly Valleyes are without danger, when the high [Page 29] mountaines are striken with thunder. And haue not our owne eyes beheld the sodaine fals of many that haue bin aduanced to great heighth of honor? As indeede it is a wonderfull harde matter for such persons to keep their standing. The heathen Orator could say, Cic. in Verrem lib. 5. Beleeue me (and he spake by his owne experience) these Ornaments and benefites of the people of Rome, are kept with no lesse labor then they are gotten. And howsoeuer honour and aduancement doe for the present minister great comfort and pleasure to the minde: yet they bring with them much more vexation and trou­ble. For, if a man that is raised to pre­ferment Errato n [...]lla venia, rectè facto exigua laus. Cic. de lege A­grar. offend but once, there is no pardon; and if hee doe neuer so well, there is but little praise. Yea, for the most part it falleth out, and that iust­ly, that such as seeke to make other mens fals a step to raise their honors, come to ruine themselues. As Eleazar going vnder the Elephants belly to kill him; 1 Mach. 6, 46. the Elephant fell vpon him and crushed him to death: so they [Page 30] that thrust sore at others to make them fall, are so oppressed vvith a waight of enuy, as they can neuer re­couer it: and then, the losse of honor is farre more intollerable, then if a man had neuer knowne it. Eli [...]n. lib 14. cap. 1. It is re­ported of Aristotle, that when one had depriued him of the honour that was decreed to him by the Oracle of Apollo, he writeth therof to Antipater his friend in this maner: These things do so affect mee, as I neither greatly care for them, neither am I altogether carelesse of them. Though hee were a great Philosopher, and professed an outwarde contempt of all such acci­dents, and it is like had also morally subdued his affections: yet he could not but be touched with the losse of his honor. For he wisely thought, that it is all alike for a man vnto rise to dignity, and afterwards to bee bereft of it. For, it is no great matter for a man not to be aduanced, but when he is aduanced, to bee cast downe a­gaine, that is intollerable. But it were happy for ambitious persons, if [Page 31] this danger were onely to the bodie, and outward estate: but vnlesse they take heede, there is as great danger to the soule.

Plin. nat. hist. lib. 10. cap. 36. Pliny writeth of the Pigeons, that taking a pride in the excellency of their Feathers, and the height of their flying, they towre it in the ayre so long, that at last by this ostentation, they become a prey to the Hawke; whereas otherwise, if they would flye outright, they are swifter then any o­ther bird. In like maner, men that take a pride in the height of that honour whereto they are aduanced, are many times made a prey to the deuill, and a laughing stocke to men. Whereupon S. Bernard hath a good saying, com­paring ambition to the arrow that fli­eth by day. Time sagittā, leuiter volat, le­uiter penetrat, sed dico tibi, non [...]eue infl [...]git vulnus: cito inter­fi it in Psal, 91 Serm. 5. Feare the arrow, it flyeth lightly, it pierceth lightly; but I tell thee, it inflicteth no light wound, it killeth speedily.

Againe, though there were no such daunger in aduancement: yet all the honor that a man can attaine vnto, is but vaine and deceitfull. Volatile quod dam est, aura (que) mobilius. Seneca Epist. 123. A [Page 32] flitting thing, more light and incon­stant then the aire. Lud. viues in Aug. de Ciuit. Dei. lib. 18. cap. 13 & Plutarch in Agid. prooem. As the Poëts faine of Ixion, that when hee thought to haue embraced Iuno the Queene of heauen, he caught in her stead an empty cloud: so ambitious persons cat­ching at honor and preferment, finde nothing in the end but vanity & emp­tinesse Saint Ambrose wittily com­pareth them to foolish children, that run vp and downe to catch Butter­flies; who many times, because they looke not to their feet, fal into a ditch and hurt themselues: or at least, are wearied with folowing them that ne­uer abide long in one place: and if at length, after their long trauell, they take one of them, what haue they got but a thing of nought, a foule and a filthy worme? Calcagn. in fu­nere Herc. Strozzae. It was grauely spo­ken by a great man in Rome; There is nothing sure and certaine in humane affaires: riches are wauering and in­constant, Kingdomes are variable & vnstable, that same glorie which wee so ambitiously seeke after, is the vai­nest thing in the world; Authority is [Page 33] skipping and mutable, & many times is conferred on him that deserueth worst: so that neither in outward fe­licity, nor greatnesse of dignitie a man can promise any certainety vnto himselfe. Wheteunto agreeth that saying of S. Augustine, Non pro mag­no haberi debet honor humanus quòd nullius est ponderis fumus. De Ciu. dei. lib. 5. cap. 17. Worldly ho­nor is not to be much esteemed, bee­ing nothing else but an empty smoke. And indeede, honor of it selfe cannot make a man truly great. He that hath nothing else to commend him but his outward preferment, hee may well looke big, and strout it with a stately and a lofty pace, but hee shall neuer be truely a great man. For, as one saith wel, Cum sua illum basi metire. Paruus pumilio, tametsi in mon­te const [...]terit: Colossus magni­tudinem suam seruabit, etiamsi steterit in puteo. Sen Ep. 77. Measure him by his foun­dation, or the ground that hee stan­deth vpon, and see then if he be great. Set a dwarfe on the top of a Moun­taine, and he is a dwarfe still: but set a gyant in the deepest pit, he looseth not an inch of his stature. This is our error, heere we are deceiued, that we esteeme no man by that which hee is himselfe; but consider him with his complements, additions, and Orna­ments. [Page 34] Whereas, if we would make a true estimation of a man, and know what he is indeed, we should behold him naked. We should strip him out of his patrimony, strippe him out of his honour, strippe him out of all the leasings of outward things, yea strip him out of his body; and behold his minde, if that be great, he is great in­deed, otherwise all the rest cannot make him great. And therefore Ar­chidamus a noble man of Sparta, Plutar in apo thegm. Lacon. whē as Philip the King of Macedonia, wax­ing proud by reason of a great ouer­throw that he had giuen the Atheni­ans, had written somewhat roughly & insolently to him: writeth wittily backe againe in this maner. If thou wouldst take a measure of thy shad­dow, thou shouldst not finde it any larger then it was before the victory. Last of all, ambitiō is most insatiable. Let a mā be neuer so much aduanced, yet still he aspireth higher. It was the deuice of an ambitious King, to giue the new Moone in his colours, with this Motto or word, Done [...] totam circumferenti­am impleat. Till it fill the [Page 35] whole circumference. We see the truth this in Adam, who was not conten­ted with the honour that God gaue him in Paradise, though he made him Lord ouer all his creatures, but ambi­tiously desired to bee like vnto God. Neither were the euill Angels con­tent with that glory which they had in the presence of God in heauen. It is reported of Plutar in eius vita. Pyrrhus, King of the Epyrotes, that while he was making expedition for warre against Rome, Cineas his cheefe fauourite, asked him what he would do when he had con­quered Rome, then saieth hee, I shall subdue all Italie: and what when hee had subdued Italie? then shall I take Sicile that is next adioyning: and what when he had taken Sicile? then we shall ouer-runne Affrica and Car­thage, and so easily make our selues Lords of all Greece. And being asked again, what he would do when he had ouercome al; thē saith he merrily, We will take our ease, and be frolicK with our friēds. Thē Cineas replies; & what hindereth thee, O King, y ^t thou maiest [Page 36] not do this now, but that blinde am­bition will not suffer thee to rest? And surely, if he had subdued all these na­tions, and made himselfe Lorde and Ruler of them all, yet hee would not then haue bene quiet. As wee see in Alexander, Plutarch. de tranquil. animi. who hauing conquered all Asia; yet (as if he had beene but a Begger) he wept, because he had not subdued the whole world. For when he heard Anaxagoras the Philosopher disputing, that there were infinite worlds, he burst out into teares; and being asked what he ayled, he answe­red, he had cause to greeue, seeing he had not yet conquered one worlde. Whereupon one saith very wittily, Alexander or bi magnus, A­lexandro orbis angustus. Alexander was great in the worldes conceite, but the world was little in Alexanders conceit. Nemo quos vin [...]at sed a quibus vincatur aspicit: & illi non tam iu [...]un­dum est, multos post se videre, quam graue a [...] quem ante se. Habet ho [...] vili [...] omnis ambit o [...]o [...] respicit. Sen. Epist. 74. And indeed this hath beene alwaies the nature and property of an ambitious person, that he neuer considereth whom he excel­leth himselfe, but who excell him. And it is not so much pleasure to him to see many after him, as it is a greefe to see any before him. All ambition [Page 37] hath this fault, it neuer looketh back; but alwayes forward. Sen. Epi. 85. And an ambi­tious man is as carefull not to see o­thers before him, as not to see him­selfe after others.

Tu ista cre­dis excelsa, quia longe ab illis iaces. Et vero qui ad illa peruenit, humilia sunt. Mentior, nisi adhuc quaerit ascendere. I­stud quod tu summum pu­tas, gradus est Sen. Epi. 118.They that are in meane & low place, when they see a man raised to honor, they thinke he is aduanced very high: but hee himselfe thinketh his estate is but low, and therefore he seeketh stil to climbe higher: and that which an­other man counteth the highest de­gree, is but a step in his conceit. And to speake the truth, how can that ho­nor satisfie and fill the minde of man, which is deceitfull, light, and vaine? In Psalme 91 Serm. 15, as Bernard saith; and therefore like to make him more empty rather then to replenish him: as he that hath a great deale of winde in his stomacke, is so far from being filled, that he is made more hungry with it. Opta. lib. 2. And therefore one compareth the throat of an am­bitious man to an empty sepulcher, and saith, it is more insatiable. For one corpes is sufficient for one sepul­cher, and then it is shut vp again; but all [Page 38] the honor in the world cannot satisfie an ambitious minde.

This serueth for the iust reproofe of all those, that doe so greedily gape after preferment, and so eagerly desire to be aduanced aboue others. The A­postle exhorteth euery man in meeknes of minde to esteeme another better then himselfe. Philip. 2, 3. But it is farre otherwise with vs: we think our owne penny the best siluer: & account basely of our bre­thren in comparison of our selues. A­gain, Rom. 12, 10. the apostle teacheth vs, in giuing honour, to goe one before another. If he had said, in taking honour, goe one before another, he should haue had followers enough; euery one would haue bene his scholler. For we all desire to bee preferred aboue others. We haue all a spice of Diotrephes his disease, 3 Iohn ver. 9 We loue to haue the preheminence. And we are too Pharisaicall in this case, Mat 23, 6, 7. Luke 14, 7. We loue to haue the chiefe seats and the chiefe places in all assemblies. I do not deny, but that it is lawfull for a man, both to desire and to maintaine that honor which is due vnto him, that a fit decorum & cō ­uenient [Page 39] order may be obserued. Nei­ther Philosophy nor Diuinity doth cō ­demne the mediocrity of ambition, w ^c Aristotle calleth a vertue, whereby men desire moderate honour, as far as is meete and conuenient. Onely these cautions are to be obserued. Pet. Martyr. First, that we rest not in it as in the main & principall end, but refer all to the ho­nor & glory of God. Secondly, y ^t we seeke it not by vnlawfull meanes, by hooke or crooke, by right or wrong. Thirdly, that we desire no more then for our iust deserts is due vnto vs. But we stand in need rather to be restrai­ned, then any way encouraged in this case. For we all offend rather in the excesse then in the defect: and if there be but an inch giuen vs, we are apt to take an ell. Lud. Viv. in Aug. de ciuit. dei. lib. 1. cap. 1. Though we can and do reproue ambition in others, yet wee loue & like it in our selues: & (as Ca­to said in an oration y ^t he made in y ^e Se­nate for the people of Rhodes) We are angry if we see any prouder then our selues. P. Iouius histor. lib. 25. It is with the most of vs, as it was with the Florentines; wee are [Page 40] so inflamed and run mad with such an insatiable desire of honour, that wee cannot endure any man that is aboue vs indignity, but with enuious eyes beholde the aduancement of others, because we thinke our selues worthie of the same honour. It is reported of Iulius Caesar, that as he passed ouer the Alpes in his iourney to Spaine, he lod­ged one night in a little poor village: where one of his company came vnto him, and asked him merrily, if hee thought there would be any conten­tion in that place for the soueraignty. Whereunto he maketh this stout an­swer, Mall [...]m hic esse primus, quam Romae secundus Sabel. lib. 5. Ennead 6. I had rather be the first man here then the second at Rome. I fear there are many at this day thus affected, that they had rather bee Kings though it were but of a mole-hill, then to be in subiection vnder any. Yea, the intem­perancy of Nero his mother is reui­ued againe; who being very desirous that her sonne should be Emperour, and being certified by the sooth-say­ers, that if he were he should kil her: she brake out into this vnstayed and [Page 41] out-ragious speech, Occidat, dum imperet. Cor. Tacit. Annal. lib. 14. Let him kill mee and spare not, so he may be Emperor. So many do not sticke to say, let mee pe­rish, so that I may but beare rule. As wee see in the example of K. Richard the Vsurper in our owne Chronicles; Ad honores festinatur quo­cunque pericu­lo, quocun (que) de­trimento. yea men make hast to preferment, by any danger, by any damage. Solinus. The Dragon, as it is written of him, is so thirsty, as no water can satisfie him, which maketh him stand gaping a­gainst the wind when it bloweth, that so his flame may bee asswaged. And therefore, when he espyeth the sailes of ships a farre off, he flyeth to them, that he may sit on the Mast: but ma­ny times hee rusheth against them with such violence, that he ouer-tur­neth the ship, and so falleth himselfe headlong into the sea. In like maner; ambitious persons (as we haue heard before) do so earnestly thirst after ho­nor, as they cannot be satisfied: and therfore they aspire to the high sailes of preferment with such eagernesse, as many times it turneth to their own destruction. In other affaires of this [Page 42] life, there is no man so foolish or so mad, as to vndertake any businesse which he is not fit to accomplish. But euery peasant thinketh himselfe fitte for any aduancement, neuer conside­ring his owne weaknes. As the bram­ble, the basest plant that groweth, thought it selfe fitte and able enough to be King ouer the trees. For when the Oliue tree, and the Fig tree, and the Vine refused it, the Bramble rea­dily accepted it, Iudg. 9, 12, 13 saying. If ye will in­deed annoint me King ouer you, come, and put your trust vnder my shadow. And this we see plainely in these Disciples of our Sauiour Christ, to goe no further. Our Sauiour had taken these two bre­thren from their fish-nets, and made them fishers of men. Mat. 4, 21, 22. Hee had called them to be Apostles, to beare his Name before the Gentiles, Acts 9, 15. &c. as he said of S. Paul. What could be more honou­rable then this diuine vocation? For what is more base and abiect then the state of fishermen, especially such as are occupied in mending their bro­ken nets? And on the other side, [Page 43] what is more high and eminent in the Church, then the dignity of the Apo­stolicall function? So that it might be truely said of them, Psal. 113, 7, 8. that hee raised the needy out of the dust, and lifted vp the poore out of the dung, 1 Sam. 2, 8. to set them with Princes, and to make them inherite the seate of glory. And yet these base fi­shermen, aduanced to such an height of excellency, are not content with this honour, but come to our Saui­our, and they that a little before were with their father, patching their torn nets, doe now desire to be great Prin­ces & Rulers in the kingdome of the Messiah. Who wold euer haue sought so great ambition vnder fishers man­tles, but that we finde it in this place? For the most part, ambition beareth sway in Princes Courts: but heere wee see it descendeth euen to fisher­boats.

It was a witty question that one made; Sphinx aenig. mat. Why Honos, that signifi­eth honour, was written with an as­piration, and Onus, that signifieth a burden, was written without.

[Page 44]And it was as wittily answered, be­cause there are none that desire the burthen that accompanieth honour, but all men gape after the honor and preferment.

And therefore we are heere to bee exhorted and admonished, to subdue this immoderate affection in vs by all meanes possible, and not suffer it to breake out in this manner. It was a good speech that S. Augustine had of himselfe, and woorthy our imitati­on, Quod esse po­tui, esse nolui. nec tamen quae siui esse quod sum, &c. de vita morib. Cleric. I would not bee that which I might be, neither yet did I euer seeke to be that I am. But this was all my care, and al my endeuour, that I might be safe in a low estate, and not bee in danger in an high estate. And that we may the better performe this, it shall bee good for vs to consider our Ori­ginall, and our resolution, what wee are, and what we shall be. For as one saith well, He that desireth superiori­ty and preferment, he doth it because he knoweth not himselfe. Now both by our originall, and by our resoluti­on we are no better then earth. Of [Page 45] the earth we were framed, and to the earth wee must returne. It was the doome of Adam after his fall, and in him of all mankinde; Dust thou art, Genesis 3, 19. & to dust thou shalt returne. And therfore, what a shame is it, that such base creatures should conceiue such high thoughts, and nourish such haughtie spirites? As the mountaines seeme to bee high, and yet they are but earth, and haue their foundation below: so ambitious persons when they are at their greatest height, they are but earth, nay as Abraham confessed of himselfe, they are but dust and ashes. Genes. 18, 27 The consideration of this shold nur­ture vs to humility, and keep vs from aspiring too high. And indeed, if the proud hearts could be brought to ac­knowledge it, the best and readiest way to come to preferment, is by hu­mility. As our Sauiour Christ told the Iewes, when hee marked how they chose out the cheefe roomes, Hee that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted. And we see it in our owne experience, that honor accompanieth none more then [Page 46] such as least desire it. And therefore it is fitly compared to the shadow of a mans body, Gloria fugi­entes magis ac magis sequitur Sen. benes. lib. 5 which, if hee follow after it, it goeth away from him, but if he runne from it, it followeth after him. So if men do eagerly pursue af­ter honour, many times they come short of it, but if they neglect it, and be carelesse of it, God will cause the Spirit of glory to rest vpon them vnloo­ked for, 1 Pet. 4, 14. as the Apostle Peter saith. Yea, many haue beene had in excee­ding great honour after their death, that haue refused all honour while they liued.

Last of all, here is a good admoni­tion for all that that are aduanced vn­to honour, not to bee puffed vp with their preferment, but carry thēselues lowly, towards their inferiors, accor­ding to the exhortation of the Apo­stle. Rom. 12, 16. Be not high minded; but make your selues equall to thē of the lower sort. And great reason there is, why it should be so. For as the Prophet saith, Haue we not all one Father? Mal. 2, 10. hath not one God made vs all? and that al of one mould. [Page 47] If he had made great persons of one kinde of mould, & meane persons of another; then there had bin some rea­son for them to swell in pride, and to lift vp themselues aboue others. But seeing GOD hath made all man­kinde of one blood, Acts 17, 26. as the Apostle saith, it is not meete that one should proudly insult ouer another. Yea, which is more, we were all in the hands of God, Ieremy 18, 6. as the clay is in the hands of the Potter. And as that which is now a vessell of honour, the Potter could haue made it a vessell of baser vse: and that which is now a vessell of dishonour, hee could haue made it a vessell of honour. So in the like manner, thou that art now noble and honourable in the world, GOD could haue made thee a poore Tan­kerd-bearer. Thou y ^t art now exalted vnto a place of authority, God could haue made thee a base slaue to grind at the Mill. And thou that art now a great Lady, God, if it had pleased him, could haue made thee a meane kitchin-maide. This point the A­postle [Page 48] vrgeth very earnestly. For ha­uing exhorted the Corinthians (thogh vpon another occasion) not to presume aboue that which is meete, 1 Cor. 4, 6. and not to swel one against another, like bladders that are full of winde: he addeth this as a forcible argument to conuince their consciences. For who separateth thee? and what hast thou that thou hast not re­ceiued? Verse 7. If thou hast receiued it, why re­ioycest thou, as though thou hadst not re­ceiued it? Where wee see, he would haue such proude persons to descend into themselues, and examine them­selues thoroughly, and see whether they finde any matter of insolency in themselues, or no. As if he shold haue said, There is no reason why ye should swell one against another; because, if you be separated from your brethren in any respect, it is onely GOD that hath put the difference: for by nature you are no better then they. If you consider the nature of them whome you do despise, they are men, as your selues are, indued with reason, made after the image of God, and sprung [Page 49] from Adam. And if you consider their condition, they are sinners, they are the children of wrath, and subiect to eternall damnation. And is not your condition the same? why then should you lift vp your selues? And lest anie man should obiect, that there is great difference of men in the world; some are noble, some ignoble; some lear­ned, some vnlearned; some Magi­strates, some Subiectes: some rich, some poore: therefore hee addeth, What hast thou that thou hast not recey­ued? Namely, of Gods free grace & mercy. He that receiueth any thing of duty, and not of grace, may in some sort reioyce: but he that glorieth in a free gift, is vaine and vnthankefull. Now, whatsoeuer prerogatiue is in a­ny man, he hath it not of himself, but hath receiued it of God. And what is more vaine then to be puft vppe with gifts receiued from another? What is more vniust then to glory of those things wee haue receiued, as if wee had not receiued them? that is, to for­get the authour, and to translate the [Page 50] honor to our selues that is due vnto him? As Bernard saith wel to this pur­pose: Est superbia et delictum maxi­mum, vti datis tanquam inna tu; & in accep­t [...] beneficijs gloriam vsurpa re benefici de diligendo Deum It is pride & a very great sinne, to vse the things that are giuen vs, as though they were bred in vs, and in the benefites receiued to vsurpe the glorie of the benefactor. To con­clude therefore, this sentence should make vs leaue our haughty pride, and contein our selues within the bounds of humility. One is borne or created a Prince, another a subiect: one No­ble, another ignoble: one is more ho­nourable, more rich, more mightie then another. Shall he therefore bee proud? Who hath separated thee? And what hast thou that thou hast not receiued of God? to whom thou owest thanke­fulnes, and not insolency.

[But to serue.] Heere wee see what was indeede the end of our Sauiour Christs comming. He came to doe seruice to his Church, and in al things to apply himselfe vnto the benefite of all men. Hee taught the people, as a Minister of the word; he healed their diseases; and for this cause he walked [Page 51] about corporally, through diuers Ci­ties and countries, not for his owne profit or glory, but onely for the sal­uation of others. For, as hee was annointed by his Father, Luke 4, 18. and sent to preach the Gospell to the poore: so hee taught continually in their Synagogues. 15. And therefore he said to his disciples, Marke 1, 38. Let vs go into the next Townes, that I may preach there also: for I came out for that purpose. And the Euangelist testi­fieth of him, that he went about al Cities & Townes, teaching in their synagogues, Mat. 9, 35. and 4, 23. and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing euery sicknesse, and euerie di­sease among the people. For no doubt, but this place is chiefly vnderstoode of the ministery and seruice which he performed in spirituall things; be­cause he saith, he came to serue in such a Ministery, as wherein he wold haue his Apostles to imitate him: thogh we may also vnderstand it of his ministry in temporall things; as when he hum­bled himselfe to wash their feete. As S. Iohn saith, that he riseth from supper, Iohn 13, 4, 5. and layeth aside his vpper gurment, and [Page 52] tooke a Towell, and girded himselfe. Af­ter that, he poured water into a basin, & began to wash the disciples feete, and to wipe them with the Towel wherewith hee was girded. Where it is woorth the noting, that the Euangelist doeth so exactly set downe this action of our Sauiour Christ. He might haue sayde briefly, that he washed his Disciples feete. But to the end, that hee might more deepely imprint in our mindes this admirable humility, he is careful to expresse euery circumstance there­of, that we might (as it were) behold it with our eies. Giuing vs to vnder­stand, Musculus ad locum. that our Sauiour did not slight­ly performe this duty, as though hee cared not how soone hee were rid of it, but carefully and diligently: yea, he performed all with his own hands and had not another to do it for him: that so hee might euery way expresse to his Disciples the form of a seruant, whereunto these seruile Offices doe appertaine. It is not saide, that the Apostles did rise also, but that Christ onely did rise, and they sate still at the [Page 53] Table. According to that which him­selfe saith in another place; Luke 22, 27. Who is greater, he that sitteth at table, or he that serueth? Is not he that sitteth at Table? And I am amongst you as he that ser­ueth?

As this doth set out the great Hu­mility of our Sauiour Christ: so it al­so commendeth his singular loue to vs, that hee would bee pleased in this manner to respect such poore wret­ches as we are. For wee might euerie one of vs say, 2 Sam. 9, 8. as Mephibosheth said to Dauid, What is thy seruant, that thou shouldest looke vpon such a dead dogge as I am? If an earthly King should ap­point one of the Nobles of his Court to attend vpon some poore despised person, as the great King Ahashuerosh commanded Haman, the most hono­rable of all his Court, Ester 6, 10, 11 to attend and waite vpon poore Mordecai, it were a token of great loue: but if the King himselfe shall lay by his Princely robes, and put on base apparrell, and so shall in his owne person performe euery base office to a poore begger [Page 54] that lieth at his gates, it would bee a wonderfull spectacle, worthy to bee chronicled and registred to all poste­rity. In like manner, if the Lorde had appointed any of his Angels, the No­bles of his Court of heauen (as I may call them who are ministring spirits, Heb. 1, 14. sent forth to minister for their sakes, which shall be heires of saluation) to attend vp­pon vs, it had bene exceeding Loue, considering our base and wretched estate: But, that hee himselfe, the Sonne of God, Apoc. 19, 16 Math. 28, 18 King of kings, and Lord of lords, who hath receiued all power from his Father in Heauen and earth, should not onely strip himselfe of that glo­rie which hee had in heauen, and to take our Nature vpon him; but also take vppon him the base forme of a seruant, and therein do seruice vnto vs, it is a loue surpassing all loue, and therefore should cause vs to loue him againe.

Secondly, this example is pro­pounded for our imitation. As our Sauiour himselfe applyeth it; when hauing washed his Disciples feete, [Page 55] and taken his Garments, and beeing set downe againe, he said vnto them; Know yee what I haue done to you? Iohn 13, 12, 13, 14, 15. Ye call mee Master, and Lord: and yee say well: for so I am. If I then your Lord and Master, haue washed your feete, ye also ought to wash one anothers Feete. For I haue giuen you an example, that yee should doe, euen as I haue done vnto you. And this is also the exhortation of the Apostle: Phil. 2, 5, 6, 7 Let the same minde (saith he) be in you, that was in Christ Iesus. Now, what mind was in him? Why (as wee haue heard) hee layde by his Maiesty and glory that hee had with his Father, and for our sakes de­based himselfe to the lowest degree of humiliation that could be. So must we, as much as lyeth in vs, apply our selues to the good one of another. Wee must lay by our greatnesse, and serue one another by Loue. And, Galath. 5, 13. as hee exhorteth others: so him-selfe did carefully practise this Dutie. Though hee were free from all men, yet hee made himselfe a Seruant vnto all men, that he might winne the more. 1 Cor. 9, 19, 20 21, 22. [Page 56] Ʋnto the Iewes he became as a Iew, that he might winne the Iewes: to them that were vnder the Law, as though hee were vnder the Law: to them that were with­out law, as if hee were without the Law. To the weake, he became as weake. In a word, He was made all things to al men, that he might by all meanes saue some. As if he should haue saide, I am in all things free, and may liue as I list: yet haue I willingly subiected my selfe to all sorts of men. For, to becom a ser­uant, is to liue at the pleasure & com­mandement of another, and not to be his owne man. Thus the Apostle she­weth himself exceeding humble, who as though he were the meanest of all, was ready to performe his seruice vn­to all men, as if they had bene his su­periors. If so great an Apostle did de­base himselfe thus low, let vs thinke what is meete for vs to do. Wee must not spare for any difficulties, but by the example of the Apostle, become all thinges to all men, though it bee with the losse of our liberty and pro­fit. It was a good speech of one of the [Page 57] Christian Emperors, Luitprand. lib. 5. cap. 11. That hee reig­neth more gloriously, that serueth the base estate of Gods seruants, then he that ruleth ouer the greatest sinners in the world. But to the end we may be the more willing to performe this duty, let vs a little neerer examine this example of our Sauiour Christ. And in it, let vs consider, first, who it was that in this manner humbled himself, and that is, the onely begotten Sonne of God, who is Lord of heauen and earth. Secondly, how farre hee hum­bled himselfe: euen vnto death, and that the most shamefull death of the crosse. Thirdly, for whom he hum­bled himselfe, euen for sinners and wicked persons, as the apostle saith; When we were sinners, Christ dyed for vs. Rom 5.8. Ther could not any thing be propoū ­ded more forcibly against y ^e pride of our nature, then this example. It may bee thou art a great man, a Learned man, a wise man, a noble man, a rich man, a mighty man; & therefore thou thinkst it would be a disgrace to thee to do seruice vnto others. But thou [Page 58] art not greater, nor learneder, nor wi­ser, nor nobler, nor richer, nor migh­tier, then our Sauiour Christ was. It may bee thou art discouraged by the basenesse of the seruice which thou must performe. But what euer was more base and vile in the world, then the death of the Crosse? It may bee thou considerest the basenesse of them to whom thou art to doe ser­uice, and comparest it with thy great­nesse, and so thinkest it some dispa­ragement vnto thee. If it were to per­form some kind office of loue for one of thine owne ranke, thou wouldest not stand vpon it. But to stoop so low as to do seruice to euery mean person, thou thinkest it cannot stande with thy reputation. But what is more vile and abiect, beeing compared vnto God, then wicked sinners, the Chil­dren of wrath, and subiect to eternall destruction? So that, to conclude this point; by vertue of this example of our Sauiour Christ, there is no man liuing, though hee be neuer so great and honourable, that should refuse to [Page 59] do any thing, though it bee neuer so base, for any man, though hee be ne­uer so abiect, if his necessitie doe re­quire it.

[His Life.] Thus wee haue heard the example of our Sauiour Christ, as it hath beene generally propounded. Now, followeth the particular in­stance of Humility, whereby it is am­plified and set out; which was, To giue his Life a ransome for many. In the first circumstance whereof, wee are taught what is the price of our Re­demption. The Apostle telleth vs, 1 Cor. 6, 19, 20 that Wee are not our owne, for wee are bought with a price. And this price, as another Apostle sayeth, 1 Pet. 1, 18, 19 Was not Siluer and Golde, or such like corruptible thing: they were all too base to come in this accompt; but, The precious blood of Christ. and 2, 24. And so hee saith in an­other place, That his owne selfe, bare our sinnes in his body on the Tree. And the Apostle saith, Ephes. 1.17. Ephes. 1, ver. 5 That by him wee haue redemption through his blood. And againe, Heb. 9, 12, By his owne bloud hee obtained eternall Redemption for vs. [Page 60] And, Without shedding of blood is no re­mission. But it will be obiected; what necessity was there that our Sauiour should pay any price or ransome, see­ing we were prisoners to the deuil? A man would thinke it had beene more conuenient, that seeing we were vio­lently and vniustly held captiues, our Sauiour should haue come vpon him with greater power, and haue rescu­ed vs out of his handes without anie price: according to that speech in the Gospell; Luk. 11, 21, 22 When a strong man armed keepeth his Palace, the things that he pos­sesseth are in peace. But when a stronger then he commeth vpon him, and ouercom­meth him, he taketh from him all his ar­mour wherein hee trusteth, and diuideth his spoiles. To this I answere, that our Sauiour Christ did not pay this price to the deuill, but to God: who had power to condemne vs, and in his iust iudgement had giuen vs ouer for our sinnes, vnto the power of the deuill, as his Iailor. Now, when the King is pacified towards a prisoner that hath offended him, the Iailor hath nothing [Page 61] to do to keepe him any longer in pri­son. So Gods wrath beeing appeased towards vs by the death of Christ, the deuill hath no more power ouer vs. So that our Sauiour by paying this ransome, made satisfaction to God, and not to the deuill. As the Apostle saith, he offered himselfe to God. Heb. 9, 14. But it may be further obiected: The suffe­rings of our Sauiour Christ were but of short continuance, for some fewe houres: whence then haue they that dignity and worthinesse, to bee a suf­ficient price for our redemption? I an­swer first, that hee suffered most in­nocently, hauing no sinne of his own that might deserue death. And that made his sufferings the more merito­rious for vs. As S. Peter saith, He was a Lamb vndefiled, and without spot. 1 Pet. 1, 19. And againe, 2, 22. Hee did no sinne, neither was there any guile found in his month. & 3, 18. Hee suffered for sinnes, the iust for the vniust, to bring vs to God. And the Apostle saith, Hebr. 7, 26. He was holy, harmelesse, vndefi­led, separate from Sinners. & 9, 14. Hee [Page 62] offered himselfe without spot vnto GOD. Whereunto agreeth that speech of one of the Fathers, Peccat iniqui [...] ▪ punitur iustus: delinquit reus & vapulat in­nocens: offendit impius, et dam natur pius: quod meretur malus, patitur bon [...]: qud perpetrat seruus, exsoluit d. minus: quod committit homo, sustinet De us. The vniust sin­neth, and the iust is punnished: the guilty transgresseth, and the innocent is beaten: the wicked offendeth, and the godly is condemned: that which the euill deserueth, the good suffe­reth: that which the seruant oweth, the master payeth: that which man committeth, God sustaineth. And in­deed, if he had any sinnes of his owne, they would haue swayed him downe to hell, and so haue disabled him from being a sufficient Sauiour for others. But, being altogether innocent him­selfe, hee is the more fit to satisfie for our sinnes. According as Saint Augustine saith well, Iustum est vt debitores liberi dimitt [...]ntur, &c. De Trinit. lib. 13, cap. 14 It is iust that the debters should bee set free, be­leeuing in him, who without anie debt was put to death, and payde for vs debters, that which hee himselfe did not owe. And in another place, Ibid. Cap. 15. The blood of Christ, because it was his that had no sinne at all, was shed for the remission of our sinnes.

[Page 63]Secondly, the death of Christ was not the death of a meere man onely, though neuer so innocent: but of him that was true God and man. And this is that which the Apostle sayeth Heb. 9, 14. that Christ thorough the Eternall Spirit, offered himselfe without spot to God: Beza. Pareus. Piscator. Aretius where, by the Eternall Spirit, is meant the Deity and God­head of our Sauiour, whereby hee gi­ueth influence of diuine vigor to the sacrifice of his body and blood. And in his farewell sermon to the Ephesi­ans, he chargeth the Elders, Acts 20, 28. to Take heede to the Flocke, which GOD hath purchased with his owne blood. 1 Cor. 2, 8. And in another place he saith, that the Iewes crucified the Lord of Glory. Which pla­ces are not so to be vnderstoode, as if GOD had any blood to be shed, or that the Lord of Glorie were subiect to suffering, and could bee crucified: but, because of that neere Vnion and coniunction of the two Natures in his person; whereby, that which is proper to y ^e one, is affirmed and spo­ken of the other. Hence it commeth [Page 64] to passe, that though the sufferings & death of Christ were temporarie: yet they were of infinit merit, to purchase eternall redemption for vs: Hebru. 9, 12. because (as was saide before) the eternall Spirite of his Deity, gaue eternall efficacie vnto his sacrifice: or because that in­finite vigour which purgeth our con­sciences, issued from his eternall Spi­rit. So that there is no doubt, but that Christ hath satisfied the wrath of god for vs by finite meanes. For, as the Father being infinite, was infinitely prouoked by finite sinnes: so the Son of God being equall to his Father, & therefore infinite, could not but infi­nitely pacifie his wrath, by his finite satisfaction.

But some wil say, Was it not possi­ble for the Lord to haue accomplish­ed our redemption by some other meanes, but that Christ of necessitie must giue his life for vs? This questi­on, though it be curious, yet it shall not be vnprofitable to giue an answer to it. We are to know therefore, that to speak simply and absolutely, it was [Page 65] possible for God to haue found out a thousand meanes of mans redempti­on, and all of them should haue bene auaileable. For, as the Angell saide, Luke 1, 37. Math 19, 26. With God nothing is impossible, but all things are possible. But if we consider the fore-knowledge and eternall de­cree of God, then we may truely say, it was altogether impossible for man to be redeemed by any other means. Augustine, Ber­nard, & others Some of the Fathers haue inuented this witty deuise; namely, that the cause of man was from al eternity de­bated in heauen: where the iustice & truth of God stoode on the one side; and his mercy and peace on the other: and his wisedome was the Iudge and vmpire. The iustice and truth of God pleaded hard against man, and called for punishment according to his de­serts. But his mercy and peace plea­ded for him, and defended him. In the end, his wisedom found out a way, whereby both his iustice might be sa­tisfied, & his mercy might take place; namely, that the Son of God taking our flesh vpon him, should in it suf­fer [Page 66] the death that was due to our sins: that as man had trespassed, so man might make satisfaction. And there­fore, in this respect it was necessarie that Christ should dye for vs. As Hi­lary saith well. In Mat. 26, 42 Therefore could not the cup passe from him, but hee must drinke of it, because we could not be recouered but by his passion. But that wee may not bee mistaken in this point, we are to know that there are diuers kindes of necessitie. First, there is an absolute necessity, when a thing in regarde of the nature of it, cannot be otherwise. Thus the Sun doth necessarily shine in the Firma­ment: thus the fire doeth necessari­ly burne, and the night doeth neces­sarily followe the day. Secondly, there is a necessity of constraint. Thus a Malefactor necessarily goeth to prison, because hee is forced whe­ther hee will or no. Thirdly, there is a necessitie in respect of the end: and thus armour and weapons are neces­sarie for him that goeth foorth to fight.

[Page 67]In the first sence, there was no ne­cessity that Christ should suffer. For, (as wee haue heard before) GOD had a thousand other wayes to re­deeme man by, if it had pleased him. Neyther was it necessary in the se­cond sence, because God cannot be compelled by any power or vio­lence. But in the third sence it was necessarie, because GOD had so decreed and appointed it. And in­deede, this was the most conueni­ent and necessarie meanes of our re­demption that could bee, both in respect of God, and also in respect of vs.

There are many Reasons, why it was most conuenient in respect of God. As first, in respect of his truth. God had foretold in his Word, and promised that it should bee so. Hee was wounded for our transgressions, saith the Prophet Isaiah, ch. 53. ver. 5. Hee was brokē for our iniquities: the chastise­ment of our peace was vppon him, and with his stripes we are healed. And there­fore, our Sauiour Christ appearing [Page 68] to the two disciples that went to Em­maus, and perceiuing that they be­gan to stagger and doubt of his resur­rection, Lu. 24, 25, 26. saide vnto them; O Fooles, and slow of heart, to beleeue all that the Prophets haue spoken. Ought not Christ to haue suffered these things, and to haue entred into his glory? And when Peter had drawne his sword, and began to fight in his quarrell, hee telleth him that He could pray to his Father, and he would giue him more then twelue legions of Angels. Mat. 26, 53:54 But how then (saith he) should the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say, that it must be so? Marke heere, the Scrip­tures haue saide that Christ must die; the Prophets had foretold as much, and God is alwayes true in his word, therefore it must bee so. Secondly, in respect of his Iustice, which, as wee haue heard already, did require, that the same nature that had offended the maiesty of God, should also make sa­tisfaction. Thirdly, in respect of his mercy. For, seeing it was in his power to destroy all mankind, and that iust­ly too, it was an euidence of vnspeak­able [Page 69] mercy, to make choise of one to be punished instead of many. Fourth­ly, in respect of his wisedome, which tempered and allayed the rigour and seuerity of his iustice, with the sweet­nesse of his mercy: so that in the suf­ferings of Christ there was neither cruelty nor remissenesse: Psalme 85, 10 but as Da­uid saith, Mercy and trueth haue met together: Iustice and peace haue kissed one another. Fiftly, in respect of his ha­tred of sin, for the destroying where­of, he would haue his onely begotten Sonne to be put to death. Will not all men say, that that man beareth a deadly hatred to his enemy, that if he cannot otherwise come at him, will cast a speare through the sides of his sonne to kill him? So the Lord, to te­stifie his great hatred against our sins, hath wounded his owne Son to death for the abolishing of them. And therefore, by the way, wee see, how lamentable the estate of desperat sin­ners is, who knowing how the Lord hateth sinne, wil yet notwithstanding continue in sinne, and drinke iniquitie [Page 68] [...] [Page 69] [...] [Page 70] euen like water, Iob 15, 16. as Iob saieth. They shall finde, vnlesse they preuent it in time by speedy and vnfeigned repen­tance, Psalme 5, 5, 6 that as God hateth all them that worke iniquity: so in the end hee will destroy them. Sixtly, and last of all, in respect of his loue to man. For ra­ther then we miserable sinners should perish, as wee had deserued, hee suf­fered his onely begotten Sonne, whom he so often calleth his Beloued Sonne, Math. 3, 17. and 17, 5. Coloss. 1, 13. and the Sonne of his loue, or his deere Sonne, to bee crucified for vs. And therefore, our Sauiour Christ himselfe saith, Iohn 3. verse 16. GOD so loued the world (that is, so admira­bly, so wonderfully, so exceedingly) that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne &c. Rom. 5, 8. And the Apostle saith, God set­teth out his loue towards vs (as it were, vpon a stage, that all the worlde may take notice of it) seeing that while wee were yet sinners, Christ dyed for vs. And indeede, it was farre greater and more aboundant loue, that he spared not his owne Sonne, but gaue him for vs all to death, as the Apostle sayeth, [Page 71] Rom. 8, verse 32. then if hee had re­leased and acquitted vs without anie satisfaction. So that we may now worthily say with the Apostle, Ephe. 2. verse 4. God which is rich in mercie, through his great loue wherewith he loued vs, &c. There was no way in the world, whereby he could haue more manifested his exceeding loue vnto vs then by this.

Secondly, in respect of vs. This was the most conuenient meanes for our saluation that could bee, as Saint Augustine hath worthily declared in many places, De Trinit. lib. 13. cap. 10. It was possible (saith hee) for GOD, to whose power all things are equally subiect, to haue found out another way of our re­demption, then the incarnation and death of Christ. But there neyther was, nor could bee a more conueni­ent meanes to heale our miserie. For, what was so necessarie to rayse vppe our hope, and to free and set at libertie the mindes of poore men, being cast downe with the condition of their mortality, from despairing of [Page 72] immortality; as to shew vnto vs how highly GOD esteemed vs, and how much he loued vs? And what could be a more manifest and euident token heereof, then that the Sonne of God, beeing immutably good, & abiding in himselfe that which hee was, and receiuing from vs, and for vs that w ^c he was not, without any detriment or losse to his nature, was content to take part in our condition, and with­out any euill desert of his owne, to beare our sinnes and miseries? &c. And in another place. Ibid. Cap. 16 Why should not the death of Christ come to passe? Nay, why should not the omnipotent God, letting passe innumerable other meanes which he could haue vsed to redeeme vs, chiefely and principally make choise of it; where neither anie thing was changed or diminished frō his Deity; & by assuming of his man­hood, so great a benefite was confer­red and bestowed vpon men, that the eternall Sonne of God, being also the sonne of man, should pay a temporal death vndeserued, thereby to deliuer [Page 73] vs from euerlasting death? And a­gaine, De agone Chri­stiano. They are fooles that say, why could not the wisedome of GOD re­deeme man otherwise, vnlesse his Son should become man, and be borne of a woman, and suffer all those thinges at the hands of sinners? To whom we say, he could without question. But if hee should haue done otherwise, it would likewise haue displeased your folly. And then he concludeth, This remedy that God hath prouided for men is so excellent as cannot be ima­gined. For what pride can bee healed if it bee not healed with the humilitie of the Sonne of God? What Coue­tousnesse can bee cured, if it bee not cured by the pouerty of the Sonne of God? What impiety can bee helped and remedied, if it bee not helped by the charitie of the Sonne of GOD? &c.

By this that hath beene spoken, is confuted that abhominable doctrine and practise of the Papists, who ioyne the afflictions of the Saints to the suf­ferings of Christ: and besides, doe [Page 74] boast of a super abundance of merites and satisfactions, which do not onely profit the liuing, but are beneficiall also to the dead, that are in Purgato­rie. But this is a couzening deuice of Satan, and an intollerable profana­tion of the blood of Christ, & a great derogation from the merites of his passion. Yet they labour to proue it, by that speech of the Apostle, Co­los. 1, Coloss. 1, 24. 24. where he saith, Now there­fore I reioyce in my sufferings for you, and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his bodyes sake, which is the Church. Heere (say they) wee see that the Apostle suffered for the Church, &c.

To this I answer, That there is no such sence to be gathered out of this place, as they intend. For first, it is directly contrarie vnto other places of Scripture, which doe plainly teach vs, that Christ onely suffered that which was to bee suffered, for our sinnes. Isai. 53, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10. The Prophet Isaiah telleth vs, that Hee hath borne our infirmities, and carried our sorrowes; that he was woun­ded [Page 75] for our transgressions, and broken for our iniquities, and with his stripes we are healed. That the Lord laide vppon him the iniquity of vs all. That for the trans­gression of Gods people hee was plagued. That hee made his soule an offering for sinne, &c. And the Apostle sayeth, Heb. 9, 26. that he appeared once to take away sinne, by the sacrifice of himselfe. And Saint Iohn saith, 1 Iohn 2, 2. That hee is the reconciliation for our sinnes: and not for ours onely, but also for the sinnes of the whole Worlde. And our Sauiour Christ, immediate­ly before hee gaue vp the Ghost, said, It is finished. Iohn 19, 30. Whatsoeuer was to be suffered for the sinnes of men, it was fully accomplished, and the price of our Redemption was fully paid: and therefore, wee neede not any of the sufferings of the Saints. Againe, if this sence of theirs be admitted, a ve­rie grosse absurdity wil follow, name­ly, that the Apostle suffered all that was wanting; and therefore nothing now remaineth for any body else to suffer. For he saith, he fulfilled the rest of y ^e afflictiōs of Christ. Their great doctor [Page 76] Thomas Aquinas, though otherwise he fauoured the doctrine of merit: yet hee vnderstandeth this place more soundly. Part. 3. sum quaest. 48. artic. penult. The suffrings of the Saints (saith he) doe profit the Church, not by way of redemption, but by way of example and consolation: according to that of the Apostle, 2 Cor. 1, 6. If we be afflic­ted, it is for your consolation and saluati­on. And he saith, it is hereticall to af­firme the contrary. And the ordinarie Glosse expounds it thus, I reioyce in my sufferings for you, (that is to say) Pro vobis. i. confirmandu in doctrina Euan­gelij. to confirme you in the doctrine of the Gospell. And in this sense the Apo­stle suffered that measure of afflicti­ons which God in his owne counsell had appointed for him. Now, where­as they are called the rest of the afflicti­ont of Christ, it is not so to bee vnder­stoode, as though the sufferings of Christ were imperfect, and that some­thing were wanting in them, (for, as the Apostle saieth, By the shedding of his blood he obtained eternall redemption for vs) but because of that sympa­thy that is betweene Christ & a Chri­stian [Page 77] in their sufferings. The afflicti­ons of his Saints go as neere him, and he is as sensible of thē, as if a man shold touch the apple of his eye. Zachary 2, 8. And therefore he saide to Paul, when before his con­uersion he made hauock of y ^e Church, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Acts 9, ver. 4. Our Sauiour in his owne person was in heauen, at the right hand of his Fa­ther, and therefore hee was out of his reach; yet he acknowledged himselfe to be persecuted in his members. And this is that which the Apostle saith in diuers places. If we suffer with him, Rom. 8, 17. wee shall be glorified with him. Whatsoeuer our sufferings are, we doe not suffer alone, but Christ suffereth with vs. And in another place, Philip. 3, 10. hee desireth to know the fellowship of his afflictions. And againe, 2 Cor. 1, 5. The sufferings of Christ a­bound in vs. Our sufferings are not ours alone, but they are Christs as well as ours. By this that hath beene spoken, wee see the doctrine concer­ning the sufferings of the Saints, doth fall to the ground. Now wheras they boast of the superabundance of their me­rites, [Page 78] it is most blasphemous. For the Apostle saieth plainly, Rom. 8, 18. Beza. I account (that is to say, hauing compared the Rea­sons on both sides, and cast vppe my accompt, I conclude) that the afflic­tions of this present time are not worthie of the glory, which shall bee shewed vnto vs. Whereunto agreeth that saying of Origen, Si quis omnem obedientiam impler [...]t, &c. If a man should per­forme all obedience, and yet withall should suffer and endure all miseries and punnishments, that can befall to the nature of man, as Iob did: yet these things shall not bee worthy of the future glorie. If all our suffe­rings, if martyrdome it selfe cannot merite our owne saluation: surely, much lesse shall wee bee able there­by to merite saluation for others. As the Prophet Dauid saith, Psalme 49, 7. A man can by no meanes redeeme his Brother; hee cannot giue his ransome to God. Let vs therefore renounce this cursed and damnable doctrine, and send it backe againe to hell, from whence it came: and let vs rely vpon the all-sufficient merites of Christ his [Page 79] sufferings for the saluation of our soules, assuring our selues, that Hee was made vnto vs Wisedome, 1. Cor. 1, 30. and righ­teousnesse, and sanctification, and redemp­tion. Let vs acknowledge with that blessed Martyr Lambert in the midst of the fire, Foxe marty­rol. None but Christ, None but Christ.

Secondly, this great price that our Sauiour hath payed for our Re­demption, should mooue vs to god­lie sorrowe, and remorse for our sinnes. It is true, that the very bare consideration of our Sauiour Christ his sufferings, without any respect to vs, should worke sorrow and com­miseration in our hearts. For who is so hard-hearted, that can but reade or heare the Storie of Abraham, about to sacrifice his innocent sonne Isaac, or the selling away of poore Ioseph, by his most vnnaturall and cruell Brethren, or the fearefull tor­ments, which many of the Martyres haue suffered and endured at the hands of cruell and bloody tyrants, & not be moued to ruth & compassion? [Page 80] Nay, who can endure to behold euen notorious malefactors executed for their iust deserts, without some sense of sorrow? For the communion and mutuall participation of nature doeth so affect vs, as wee thinke that part of our selues suffereth in them: yea, that very humanity that is bred with men cannot but bee troubled at the tor­ments of brute beasts. But when wee shall consider that our Sauiour suffe­red all that he suffered for our sakes, and for our sinnes: much more then ought we to greeue and sorrow. It was ordained in the Law, that when a man brought a beast to the doore of the Tabernacle for a burnt Offering, he should put his hand vpon the head of it. Leuit. 1, 4. Thereby acknowledging that hee had deserued to die, & that the beast was to be slaine for his offences. So should wee acknowledge that Christ, was put to death, nor for anie desert of his owne (for, as we haue heard be­fore, he was altogether without ble­mish) but onely for our sinnes. When Dauid saw the miserable death of his [Page 81] people by the pestilence, and consi­dered that his sinne in numbering of his men was the cause of it, his ten­der heart was vexed within him, and with great remorse hee cried thus vn­to the Lord: Behold, I haue sinned, yea, I haue done wickedly: 2 Sam 24, 17. but these Sheepe what haue they done? In like manner, we haue all cause with bitternesse of heart, to cry out in this case: It is we Lord that haue sinned, it is wee that haue done wickedly: as for this inno­cent Lambe Christ Iesus, alas, what hath he done?

But that we may be the better af­fected, it shall not be amisse a litle to consider the greeuousnesse of his suf­ferings. And that will appeare, first, by the generality of them, and that in diuers respects. First, hee suffered of all kinds and sorts of men. Hee suffe­red of the Gentiles, and of the Iewes; of the Princes and of the people, of masters and seruants, of his acquain­tance and strangers, of male and Fe­male. So hee suffered in all things wherein it is possible for a man to suf­fer. [Page 82] He suffered in his friends and fol­lowers, who seeing him apprehended and carried away, They all forsooke him and fled. Mat. 26, 56, 58 Onely Peter followed him, but it was a farre off, and afterwardes most shamefully denied him. He suf­fered in his good name, which was wounded with blasphemies and re­proches. For, besides the shameful in­dignities that were offered him whē hee was arraigned before the High-Priests and Pilate, when hee hanged vpon the crosse, and deserued to bee pittied of all that had but common humanity: he was flouted and deri­ded and scoffed at, by all that behelde him, Lu. 23, 36, 37 by the souldiers, Ma. 27, 41, 42 by the high-Priests, Luk. 23, 35. by them that stood and loo­ked on, Math. 27, 39 40. by them that passed by, Math. 27, 44 Luke 23, 39. yea by the very theeues, at least by one of them that wer crucified with him. He suffred also in his outward things such as he had: for though he had nothing but the clothes to his backe: Math. 27, 35. yet the Souldiers stript him of them, & sha­red and diuided them before his face. Thirdly, he suffered in al his outward sen­ses, [Page 83] and in all the members of his bo­dy. His glorious head was wounded to the braine with a crown of thorns: his faire face was horribly defiled with the filthy spittings of the Iewes: his bright eyes dazeled and langui­shed in his head, to beholde the out­ragious cruelty of his Tormentors: his holy eares were wounded to hear the insulting blasphemies of the Iewes; his sacred mouth, which taught men all truth, was put out of taste with Gall and vineger: his hands which wrought so manie famous myracles, and his feete that had won­derfully walked vppon the Sea, were fastened vnto the Crosse with sharp nailes: His blessed heart, that was neuer defiled with the least euill thought, was pierced with a speare. In a worde, his whole bodye was pittifully rent and torne, with whip­ping and scourging: so that we might say of him as the Prophet saith in an­other case, Isaiah 1, verse 6. From the sole of his foote vnto his head, there was nothing whole in him, but woundes, [Page 82] [...] [Page 83] [...] [Page 84] and swelling and sores full of corruption.

Secondly, the bitternesse of his pas­sion will appeare, by considering the kinde of death that he suffered, and that was y ^e death of the crosse, which the Apostle added as an augmentati­on of his torments. Philip. 2, 8. Hee became obedi­ent (saith hee) to the death, euen to the death of the Crosse. Now, the death of the crosse was most greeuous in ma­ny respects. First, because it was an accursed death: As the Apostle sayth, Cursed is euery one that hangeth on a tree. Galath. 3, 13. Not that all that were hanged if they did vnfeignedly repent, were reiected and forsaken of God: but be­cause that kinde of punishment was accursed and hatefull to God, and a spectacle of horrible malediction. We do not reade any such thing of other kinde of punishments, as stoning to death, burning, slaying with the sword, &c. onely God pronounced the hanging on the crosse to bee exe­crable and accursed. And therefore, Constantine the Great, that good and mild Emperor, Tripartit. hi­stor. lib. 1. cap. 9. made a law, where­in [Page 85] he forbad that any Christian should be hanged vpon the crosse. Secondly, because it was also an ignominious and a shameful death. For it was prin­cipally inflicted vpon slaues and ser­uants (and therefore was called a ser­uile punishment) either for accusing of their Masters, or conspiring theyr death, or for running away. Such as were free men, though otherwise ve­rie vile and base, were seldome puni­shed with it, vnlesse it were for some heinous and notorious crime: As for robbery: and therefore there were two robbers crucified with him: Or for rebellion and sedition; and there­fore they wrote in the Title ouer his head, Iesus of Nazareth, Ioh. 19, 19, 21 the King of the Iewes: which the Priests of the Iewes would haue altered, Write not (say they) King of the Iewes, but that he said, I am King of the Iewes: as if hee had in­deede affected the kingdome. For, they accused him when as they first brought him to Pilate, Luke 23, 2. Wee found this man peruerting the people, and forbidding to pay tribute to Caesar, saying, that he is [Page 86] Christ a King: Or for false witnesse, or murther, &c. And therefore, it was called Et nodum in formis lethitra­be nectit ab al­ta. Virgil. a foule and ill-fauoured kinde of death, by reason of the infamy and disgrace wherewith it was accompa­nied. Last of all, because it was a most painefull death. For they were fastened to the crosse with great nails which were driuen thorough their hands and their feete, the most sensi­ble parts of all the body, because they are most full of sinewes. And then, the whole weight of their body han­ged by these parts, which could not but make their paine intollerable. Be­sides, it must needs be an increase of their torment, Mors (que) minu [...] Daenae quam mo ra mortis hale that it was so linge­ring a death. In other kinds of death, a man is quickly dispatched, and soone rid out of his paine: but heere they were very long a dying; for they han­ged either till their blood distilled by little and little out of these woundes in their hands and feet, & other parts of their bodies rent with whipping, or til they died with hunger; vnlesse in pitty their tormentors by violence [Page 87] hastened their death, by breaking off their legs (as they did to the Theeues that wer crucified with our Sauiour) or by some other course. Illis ego de Li­bya natum iu­rabo leaena, Ar­cadiasque inter delituisse lupas: Cui tua crux la­crymas non mo­uerit ô bone Christe, Ille erit & ferro durior & chalybe. Ra­uisius Textor. Apoc. 19, 5. Surely, he that is not affected with the conside­ration of these things, sheweth him­selfe strangely & fearefully obdurate. But though these things wer terrible, yet this was not al. Ther was far more in the sufferings of Christ, then these outward torments. For he wrestled with the wrath of God that was due to our sins: as it is said in the Reuelatiō, that he trod the wine-presse of the fierce­nes & wrath of almighty God. And this appeareth, Luke 22, 44. first because he was in an a­gony. Now an agony is a sudden & horrible feare which surprizeth the hart, when a man is to enter into som great conflict. But there can be no conflict in the worlde so great, as to grapple with the intollerable wrath of GOD, as Dauid saith, Psal. 76, 7. Thou, euen thou art to be feared; and who can stand in thy sight, when thou art angrie? Se­condly, Luke 22, 44. because (as is saide) His sweat was like droppes of blood, trickling downe [Page 88] to the ground. We may imagine it was no small paine that forced this sweate from him. For it was not some little dew that stood vppon his face, nor some few small drops that fell from him, but it was (as one calleth it) a showre, or rather a streame of blood, And therefore, Isaiah. 53, 3. no maruell if the pro­phet call him. A man full of sorrowes. Thirdly, because an Angell was sent from heauen to comfort him. Luke 22, 43. And last of al, because when he hanged vpon the crosse, he cried out with a loud voice, My God, Math 27, 46. Heb. 5, 7. my God, why hast thou forsa­ken me? And that with strong crying & teares, as the Apostle saith. All these laide together, doe make it euident, that it was more then an ordinarie torment which he endured. For ma­ny of the Martyrs, supported by the Spirit of God, nay many malefactors by their natural fortitude haue endu­red far greater things in their bodies. So that our Sauiour might truely say in this case, as it is in the Lamentati­ons of the Church; Lamen 1, 12 Behold and see all ye that passe by, if there bee any sorrow like [Page 89] vnto my sorrow, which is done vnto mee, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted mee in the day of his fierce wrath. The conside­ration of these things should intene­rate our harts, and worke them to re­morse. Shall he suffer all these things for our sinnes, and shall not we whose sinnes they are, bee moued and affec­ted? Shall his heart bleede for vs, and shall not our harts bleed with sorrow for our owne sinnes? Shall not wee cause our bed euery night to swim, Psalme 6, 6. and water our couch with teares of contriti­on? Pliny writeth of the Adamant, Lib. 37. Cap. 4. y ^t though it bee so inuincibly hard, as neither the force of the Hammer, nor the heate of the fire can worke anie thing vpon it; yet if it bee steeped in the warme blood of a Goate, it may be broken. And surely, if the blood of Christ cannot supple and soften our hearts, wee are deuils incarnate. The Prophet Zechariah saieth, That they shall look vpon him whom they haue pier­ced, and they shall lament for him, Zechar. 12, 10. as one mourneth for his onely sonne, and be sorrie for him, as one is sorry for his first borne. [Page 88] [...] [Page 89] [...] [Page 90] Therby giuing vs to vnderstand, that no sorrow in the world should goe so neere our harts, as the sorrow for our sinnes, whereby we haue pierced and wounded our blessed Sauiour. Wee reade in the story of the passion, Luk. 23, 44, 45 that the Sun in the firmament with-drew his light, as greeuing to behold so wofull, a spectacle. Math. 27, 51 The earth moued (as it were) with piety, trembled & qua­ked, and the graue stones were clouen asunder; yea, Iudas that vile Traitor, that betraied & sold him, Math. 27, 3. whē he saw the indignities that were offered vn­to him, his heart relented, and he was touched with remorse. What hearts haue we then, of oake, or brasse, or of marble, y ^t can see the torments that he suffered (for in the gospel it is as liue­ly described to vs, Gal. [...], 1. as if we had stoode at the foot of Mount Caluary, and had seen him crucified with our own eies) that wee can see him lie groueling on the ground all in a bloody sweat, y ^t we can behold him crowned in scorne & derision with a crowne of thorns, buf­fetted with fistes, spitted vpon, whip­ped [Page 91] and scourged with roddes, and at the last haled vpon the crosse; & there hanging in greeuous misery, crying out (as we haue heard) in the horrour and anguish of his soule, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, and not be touched with compunction?

Thirdly, the consideration of these intollerable sufferings of our Sauiour Christ, should teach vs for euer to de­test sinne, seeing no other expiation could be made for it. And indeed, as Origen saith wel, Comment. in Rom: 7. where the death of Christ is duely meditated on in the minde, there sinne cannot reigne. For such is the force of his crosse, that if it be set before our eyes, and faithfully kept in minde, no Concupiscence, no Lust, no Rage, no Enuie can ouer­come vs, but presently vppon the sight of it, all the army of sinne, and the flesh is put to flight. The Rea­son is, because when as two contra­ries, such as the passion of Christ, and sinne are, meete together; the weaker must of necessitie giue place vnto the stronger.

[Page 92]Againe, so many vertues doe appeare in the passion of Christ, so many ar­guments and tokens of his loue are therein manifested, and such and so great a benefite of our redemption is wrought by it, as sinne cannot possi­bly stand with the diligent conside­ration thereof. Macrob. Sa­turnal. lib. 2. cap 4. An old Souldier in Rome, beeing cited to appeare before the Iudges, and being in some daun­ger, came openly to Augustus Caesar, and intreated him to stand by him, & defend him; who presently appoin­ted him an Aduocate, whomsoeuer he would choose in his Court. The man by and by cried out with a lowd voice; But I (O Caesar) when you were in danger in the warres, did not seeke a Deputy to defend you, but I fought for you my selfe, and shewed the scarres which he had receiued in that fight: whereat the Emperor was a­shamed, and came to be his aduocate, as fearing lest hee should seeme not onely proude, but also vnthankefull. In like manner, when we shal behold the scarres which our Sauiour Christ [Page 93] receiued in his flesh for our sinnes, we shold be ashamed to shew our selues vnthankfull vnto him by continuing the course of our former wickednes. We detest Iudas, and raile vppon the Iewes, and abhorre Pilate for putting him to death: but there is more cause why we should detest and abhor our owne sinnes. For, they were but In­struments to effect his death, our sins procured it; yea, our sinnes sharpe­ned the speare that opened his side; and caused his verie hearts bloode to gush out. Wee must therefore take heede that We tread not vnder foote the precious blood of Christ, Heb. 10, 29. and count it an vnholy thing, as the Apostle saith. For if the bloode of Abel cried vnto God for vengeance against Cain; Genesis 4, 18. doubtles the blood of Christ will make a farre lowder out-cry in the eares of the Lord, against all the despisers of it. If thou wert sought for to bee put to death for thy due deserts, and some friend of thine should put on thy gar­ments, and should suffer himselfe to bee taken, condemned, and haled [Page 94] vppon the crosse for thy sake, if thou shouldest not pittie and greeue for him, but rather on the contrarie side shouldest prouoke and stirre vp his Tormentors against him; nay shoul­dest offer thy selfe to be his executio­ner, wert thou not worthy of a thou­sand deaths? Such is the case of euerie wilfull and impenitent sinner, who as much as lyeth in him, Heb. [...], 6. by his sins Cru­cifieth the Sonne of God againe, who for his redemption hath suffered such vn­speakable torments.

Last of all, in token of our thanke­fulnesse, we must be ready and willing to suffer any thing for Christ his sake. Vnto you it is giuen (saith the Apostle) that not onely ye should beleeue in him, Phil. 1, ver. 29 but also suffer for his sake. It is in vaine for a man to boast of faith, if hee bee a Coward, and refuse to suffer when God shall call him to it. Our Sauiour hath drunke vnto vs in the cuppe of his passion, (as hee sayd to these two sonnes of Zebedeus, Mat. 20. ver. 22) and wee must pledge him when oc­casion is offered. If we will be his [Page 95] Disciples, wee must bee content to Take his Crosse vpon our backes, Math. 16, 24. and follow him. Yea, the Apostle Pe­ter telleth vs, 1 Peter 2, 21. That we are called there­unto. For Christ also suffered for vs, leauing vs an example, that wee should follow his steps. This is harsh to flesh & blood, and we are loath to suffer any trouble, we must therfore encourage our selues by his example. It was the manner of the Heathen, to prouoke their Elephants to fight, 1 Macca. 6, 34 to shewe them the blood of Grapes and Mul­berries: so the blood that Christ hath shed for vs, should put courage into vs, to fight in his cause. Heb. 12, 2. Wee must looke to Iesus the Author and finisher of our faith, who (for our sakes) endured the Crosse, and despised the shame, &c. When Alexander the Great, Quin: Curtius, lib. 5. marched through Persia, his way was stopped with snow and ice, in so much as his soldiers being tyred before with sore labor, were discoraged, & wold haue gone no further: which he perceiuing lighteth off his horse, and goeth on foot through the midst of all, making [Page 96] himselfe way with a pick-axe: where­at they all beeing ashamed, first, his friends, then the Captaines of his ar­my, and last of all the common soldi­ers followed him. So should wee all followe our Sauiour Christ, by that rough and vnpleasant way of the crosse which he hath gone before vs. Ʋriah refused to goe home vnto his house, and to refresh and solace him­self with his wife; because, as he said, The Arke, 2 Sam 11, 11. and Israel, and Iudah, dwelt in Tents, and his Lord Ioab did abide in the open fields. Much more should wee refuse to pamper our flesh by delica­cie, whē we shall consider what hard­nesse our Sauiour endured especially for our sakes.

[Gaue.] This is the maner how our Sauiour laide downe his life for our redemption; namely, willingly, and freely without compulsion hee gaue himselfe to death for vs. And this the Prophet Isaiah foretold long before, when he saith, Isaiah 52, 10. Hee shall make his soule an offering for sin. And the Apostle af­firmeth, Philip 2, 7, 8. that he made himselfe of no re­putation: [Page 97] but humbled himselfe, and be­came obedient vnto the death. And our Sauiour himselfe saith, No man taketh my life from me, Iohn 10, 18. but I lay it downe of my selfe. I haue power to lay it downe, and I haue power to take it again. Non aufertur, quod vliro po­nitur. Muscui. That which a man willingly layeth down of him­selfe, is not taken from him. Hence was it, that when hee knew the time of his passion to bee come, Hee went with his Disciples ouer the brook Cedron, Iohn 18, 1, 2. into a Garden, a place that Iudas which betrayed him, was well acquainted withall. For as the Euangelist sayeth, Iesus oft-times resorted thither with his Disciples. This he did of purpose, as one [...]yril. saith, that he might bee more easily found of the traitor, and that he might saue them a labor that came to take him. If it had pleased him, he could haue hid himselfe, & haue kept himselfe out of the way, as hee did at other times, when his houre was not come. ohn 8, 59. As when they tooke vp stones to cast at him, he hid himselfe, and went out of the Temple. And at another time, and 10, 39, 40 when they went about to take him, hee es­caped [Page 98] out of their hands, and went beyond Iordan, Ioh. 11, 53, 54. &c. And when they consulted together to put him to death, when hee had raised Lazarus, he walked no more openly among them, but went thence into a Country nere to the wildernes, and there continued with his Disciples. But now the time being come indeede, which his Father had appointed, hee neuer seeketh any starting holes, but goeth to a knowne place, that he might lye open to his enemies. And afterwards, when Iudas and his companie came to apprehend him, Ioh. 18, 3, 4. with Lanthornes, and Torches, and Weapons, hee ne­uer sought to escape their hands, but came forth, and offered himselfe vn­to them, saying, Whom seeke ye? Like a stout and a valiant Champion, hee entreth the Listes, as to an open com­bate. And indeede, if he had beene vnwilling to dye, all the power in the world could not haue put him to death, as may appear by many exam­ples. When he had preached a ser­mon in the Synagogue at Nazareth, Luke 4, 29, 30 which had netled all his hearers, and [Page 99] they being full of wrath, were minded to cast him headlong from the edge of the hill, whereon their Cittie was built, He passed through the middest of them, and went his way; they could not all hurt him. And when Peter at the time of his apprehension drew his sword, and beganne to lay about him, he biddeth him put vp his sword into the sheath. Thinkest thou (sayth he) that I cannot now pray to my father, Mat. 26, 53, 54 and hee will giue mee more then twelue Legions of Angels? If it had pleased him, hee could haue had all the An­gels in heauen come to rescue him. But hee needed not the helpe of An­gels; his owne power was suffici­ent, if hee would haue vsed it. For, when they came to take him, though they had weapons, and he were alto­gether naked and vnarmed: yet hee did but speake a word to them, tel­ling them he was y ^e man they sought, presently they all went backwardes, and fell to the ground. That mans presump­tion (as Bernard saith Vt cognesceret humana prae. sumptio, nihil se posse aduersus te, nisi quantum permitteretur à te. Feria 6. in Parase.) might know, that they could doe nothing against [Page 100] him, but what they were permitted by him. He blew them away with the breath of his mouth, as with a strong whirlewinde. The lightning of his countenance, and the thunder of his voice, cast thē headlong to y ^e ground. He could as easily haue cast them in­to hell, but his desire was onelie to conuince their consciences, and to let them see their presumption. And ther­fore it is saide so often, that hee gaue himselfe for his Church. Ephes. 5, 2, 25 Titus 2, 4. Luke 22, 19. And in the institution of his last supper, he saith; This is my bodie whieh is giuen for you.

This serueth to commend vnto vs the singular loue of our Sauiour to­wards vs: as himselfe sayth, Greater loue then this hath no man, Iohn 15, 13. then when a man bestoweth his life for his frends. The highest loue of Christ is set out in the highest degree: for there can bee no greater euidence of loue, then to lay downe a mans life. And this the Apo­stle respected when he saide, Galath. 2, 20. Hee hath loued me, and giuen himselfe for me. If his life had beene taken from him a­gainst his will, it had not bene such an [Page 101] argument of his loue: but in that hee was so willing to die for vs, it was the greatest loue that could be. And ther­fore Bernard saith well, Amor [...]uu [...] ne­scivit habere modum, &c. de caena Dom. ser. 12. Lacrymae dicant quia voces ex­plicare desistunt Thy Loue knew not how to keepe any meane or measure. Thy Charity (O Christ) could not containe it selfe within the bounds. How great that loue was, which Christ by dying shewed to­wards vs, no man liuing is able to ex­presse: let teares shew it, when words cannot vtter it. And a little after, Conscientia mihi testis est, O Iesu, quid fece­rim tibi, &c. Ser. 13. My conscience is my witnesse (O Iesus) what I haue don to thee: & thy crosse doth giue testimony what thou hast done for me. Thou wast God, and I a man; and yet thou God, wast made man for me. Thou wast the Creator, and I thy creature, and yet thou hast vouchsafed to redeem me. Thou wast the Lord, and we thy seruants: & yet thou hast vouchsafed to saue vs. For vs strangers, thou becamest a stran­ger; for vs exiled persons, thou beca­mest an exile; for vs that were poore, thou becamest poore: for vs base wretches, thou becamest base; for vs [Page 102] that were mortall, thou diddest not onely become mortall, but diedst for vs, and that not any kinde of death, but a most cruel, a most bitter, a most shamefull death, euen the death of the crosse. What could he haue done more for vs, that hee hath not done? How could he loue vs more then hee hath loued vs? And againe, Parum suit charitati tuae, &c ser. 6. in pa­rasc. It was but a small matter to thy loue, to ap­point Cherubim or Seraphim, or one of the angels to accomplish the work of our saluation, but thou thy self hast vouchsafed to come vnto vs. And be­ing God of infinite glory, thou didst not despise to bee made a contempti­ble worme: and being Lord of all, y ^u wouldest appeare as the fellow-ser­uant of thy seruants. The like exam­ple cannot bee found in any historie. For, as the Apostle saith, Doubtlesse one wil scarse die for a righteous man. Roman. 5, 7. It is hard to finde one that will hazard his life for a iust and a good mans fake, & redeeme his safety by his own death. It may be there be some that will run and ride, and peraduenture bee at cost [Page 103] with their purses to do him good; but when it commeth to the life once, O that is sweete: Skin for skinne, Iob 2, 4. and all that euer a man hath, will he giue before he part with his life.

There are indeede some examples among the heathen, of such that haue aduentured their liues for others. As the three Curiatij, Liu Dei. 1. l. 1 and the two Hora­tij, that for the liberty of their Coun­trey died in single combate. And De­cius the Consull, Val. Max. l. 5. cap. 6. that for the Roman army deuoted himselfe to death. And M. Curtius, Ibid. who for his countreyes sake, cast himselfe into the pestilent lake. And Codrus the King of the A­thenians, Herodotus. who for the preseruation of his kingdome offered himselfe to the swords of his enimies. Virgil Aen. 9 And Nisus that would haue died for his friend Eurya­lus. But al these are nothing to Christs dying for vs. For none of al these was altogither innocent, as Christ was: none of thē of mere loue wer willing to venter their liues, as Christ did: but al of them, either by the instigation of the deuill, or for ambition and vaine-glory, [Page 104] or in desperation, when they saw all things aduerse and crosse, did chuse rather to dy then to indure that misery. In a word, they hazarded their liues to procure safety to their Coun­trey, or to their friends, both w ^c they were bound to loue. But Christ hath purchased eternall life for vs y ^t were not his friends, Rom 5, 10. but his enemies, as the Apostle saith: Neither is this repug­nant to that speech of our Sauior al­ledged before, Ioh. 15, 13, 14, 15. that hee gaue his life for his friends. For without Christ and the reconciliation that is wrought by his blood, we are the enemies of GOD: but in Christ wee are reconciled vnto him, and made his friends. So that both is true. Christ died for his ene­mies, and he died for his friends: hee dyed for his enemies, for such we wer by the corruption of our nature: and hee died for his friends, for such wee were by the reconciliation which hee hath wrought.

Secondly, it serueth to confirme our faith and confidence in Christ Ie­sus. Surely, he that layeth downe his [Page 105] life for any man, will with-hold from him nothing, though it bee neuer so deare, which he wil not willingly be­stow for his safety. But a mans life, is the deerest and most precious good thing that he enioyeth. And therfore the Apostle reasoneth concerning the loue of God. Roman. 8, 32. He that spared not his own Son, but gaue him for vs all to death: how shall he not with him giue vs all thinges also? So may wee reason concerning the loue of Christ; He that spared not his owne life, but willingly and free­ly gaue it for vs all, how shal he now deny vs any thing?

Last of all, it should stirre vs vp to loue him again, and to consecrate our selues wholly vnto his seruice. Accor­ding to the exhortation of the Apo­stle, I beseech you therefore brethren, Rom. 12, 1. by the mercies of God, that yee giue vp your bodies, a liuing sacrifice, holy and accep­table vnto God, &c. And this was his owne practise, as himselfe saieth; Galath. 2, 20 In that, that I now liue in the flesh, I liue by the Faith in the Sonne of God, who hath loued mee, and giuen himselfe for mee. [Page 106]Thereby giuing vs to vnderstand, that the greatest and strongest reason why we should liue to the Sonne of God is this, euen because he hath loued vs, and giuen himself for vs. For so great loue and honor which hee hath done to vs, not to do the like for him again to the vttermost of our power, were the grossest ingratitude that can bee in the worlde. And to conclude this point, we must also for Christ his sake loue our brethren: as our Sauiour saith; Iohn 15, 12. This is my commandement that ye loue one another, as I haue loued you, &c.

[A ransom.] Some do reade it, a re­demption: but the word in the original doth not signifie the acte of redemp­tion, [...]. but the price or ransom where­with captiues and seruants are redee­med: and it is chiefly borrowed from them that are taken prisoners in war; and the notation in the Greek is very elegant: for it is deriued of a worde that signifieth to loose. [...]. For when they that were prisoners were bound, and afterwards were to be set at libertie, of necessitie they were first to be loo­sed [Page 107] from their bands and fetters: and therefore, this ransome was the price that was paide for loosing them out of their chains. Now we are to know that there were in times past diuers meanes of redemption. Sometimes by Manumission, when the Lorde of his owne accord, did set his bondman or slaue free. In this manner we were not redeemed. Sometimes by permu­tation, or by way of exchange; as when in the wars one prisoner is ex­changed for another. Thus were not we redeemed neither. For who was there that was fit to be exchanged for vs? Sometimes, by force and vio­lent rescue: Gen. 14, 14, 15 16. as Abraham rescued Lot, when he was taken prisoner by Chedor-laomer, and the Kinges that were with him. Neither were wee re­deemed by this meanes. Somtimes, & most commonly, by paying of a price or a ransome: and thus were wee re­deemed, euen with a great price, as we haue heard before. Heere then we are taught, what a wretched estate we were in, before Christ paid this price [Page 108] of redemption for vs. Wee were no better then miserable slaues and vas­sals. If we desire to know wherin this slauery consisted: generally we were in bondage to the whole power of darke­nesse: Coloss. 1, 13 More particularly wee were in bondage first to sinne. As the Apostle saith, Roman. 6, 16. Know ye not that to whomsoeuer ye giue your selues as seruants to obey, his seruants ye are to whom ye obey, whether it be of sinne vnto death, &c. And Saint Peter telleth vs of some that promise to others liberty, 2 Peter 2, 19 and are themselues the ser­uants of corruption. For (saith hee) of whomsoeuer a man is ouercome, euen vn­to the same is he in bondage. And our Sauior affirmeth, Iohn 8, 34. that he that commit­teth sinne, is the seruant of sin. Secondly, to the Law; for so saith the Apostle, that Christ came to redeeme them that were vnder the Law. Galath. 4, 5. Thirdly, to death, as S. Iohn saith. 1 Iohn 3, 14. Wee know that wee are translated from death vnto life, because we loue the brethren. Fourthly, to the deuill, 2 Tim. 2, 26. beeing taken of him in a snare. And last of all, to hell and condemna­tion, Eph [...]. 2, 3. beeing by nature the Children of [Page 109] wrath. Now there was neuer any bon­dage comparable vnto this bondage. Great was the bondage wherein the Egyptians kept the children of Israel foure hundred yeeres: insomuch, as God said of their deliuerance, Leuitie. 25, 13 that he broke the bonds of their yoake, and made them go vpright: Psalme 81, 6. And that he withdrew their shoulders from the burthen, &c. Mi­serable was the slauery of those seuen­ty Kings vnder Adoni-bezek that cru­ell tyrant, Iudges 1, 7. who cut off the thumbes of their hands, and the toes of their feet, and made them gather bread vnder his Table like dogges. Greeuous was the bon­dage of Sampson vnder the Philistims, Iud. 16, 21, 21. who hauing preuailed against him, Put out his eyes, and bound him with fet­ters, and made him grinde in the prison-house, and afterwardes insulted ouer him in his misery. Great was y ^e thral­dome which Zedekiah endured vnder the proud King of Babel, Ierem. 52, 11. who put out his eyes, bound him with chaines, carried him to babel, and put him in prison til the day of his death. But we need not go so farre for examples. Many of our poor [Page 110] brethren do suffer lamentable miserie vnder the barbarous Turke, and cru­ell Spaniard. But all this is nothing in comparison of the bondage of a sin­ner, that is not redeemed by Iesus Christ. For in all bodily slaueries, still the mind and the soule is free: all the tyrants in the worlde haue no power ouer that. As our Sauiour Christ said, Feare not them which kill the bodye, but are not able to hurt the soule, Math. 10, 28. &c. But here the very soule also is in bondage. Neuer was there any bondslaue en­dured greater villany and drudgerie vnder any earthly master, though ne­uer so hard and cruell, then euerie im­penitent sinner doth vnder sinne, and the deuill. Mathew 8, 9. As the Centurion had his seruants at his becke, that he saide to one go, and he goeth: & to another, come, and he commeth: and to his seruant, doe this, and he doth it: So the deuill hath all wicked men at his commaunde­ment, if he bid them but go, they are ready to run. Hee hath taken them in a snare, 2. Tim. 2, 20. and leadeth them as a dog in a chaine. He ruleth ouer them like [Page 111] a Prince, and worketh in their hearts as in a shoppe, Ephes. 2, 2, 3. Titus 1. causing them to fulfill the will of the flesh and the minde, and to serue diuers lustes and pleasures, euen like slaues. That which one speaketh of bodily seruants in Princes courts, may much more be applyed vnto the seruants of sinne. Qui vitā ser­uilem agunt, a­lienis negotus o [...]ci pantur, &c Petrarch. de vi­ta solitaria. They that leade a seruile life, are ocupied in other mens businesses, and are ruled by the will of another mans becke, and learn in an­other mans countenance what they must doe. All that they haue is ano­ther mans: another mans thresholde, another mans house, another mans sleepe, another mans meate, and which is worst of all, another mans minde. They neither weep nor laugh at their owne pleasure, Quid interest nolens seruias an inuitus? Nā etsi coacta ser­uitus miserabilis, sed affectata miserior est. Ber. de consid. lib. 5. but they cast away their owne, and put on ano­ther mans affections. Finally, they do another mans businesse, they think another mans thought, they liue an­other mans life. I cannot see what difference there is between these per­sons, and such as are iudged to perpe­tuall imprisonment, but y ^t the one are [Page 112] bound in Iron, and the other in Gol­den fetters: the chaine is more hono­rable, but the slauery is all alike.

This may serue first for such as are not yet redeemed, to stirre them vp to bewaile their wretched and mise­rable condition. The people of Israel when they wer in bondage in Egypt, They sighed for the bondage, Exo. 2, 23, 24. and cried, & made their moane to God. And the poor prisoners, as Dauid saith, That dwell in darknesse, and in the shadow of death, be­ing bound in misery and Iron, Psa. 107, 10, 13 do cry vnto the Lord in their trouble, &c. Much more should they that are the vassals of sinne, and the prisoners of the De­uill and hell, crie earnestly vnto God for deliuerance.

It is a lamentable thing to see, how the God of this worlde hath blinded the mindes of Infidels, 2 Cor. 4, 4. that they see not the miserie of their wretched estate, but rather count the seruice of sinne to be sweete and pleasant, and thinke it the greatest liberty in the world, if they may be suffered to sweare, & whore, and be drunk, and run to all excesse of [Page 113] riot without controlment. Whereas, if they had grace to see it, there is no bondage (as we haue heard before) so greeuous as the bondage of sin. Na­turally, Nihil faedius seruitute. Cicer. Phillipic. 3. men doe abhorre bondage, Omnibus ita est libertas insi­ta, vt emori po­tius quam ser­uire praestaret. Cic. in L. Pison and the loue of liberty is so deepely setled in the hart, as that many chuse rather to die then to becom seruants. But for a man that hath beene noblie borne, and well brought vp, to be­come a slaue, it is the greatest miserie in the world. Much more miserable is it for Man that was the most excel­lent creature on the earth, made after Gods owne image, Lord and ruler o­uer all the creatures, to bee brought into bondage and subiection. Cum omnis seruitus misera, tum vero into­lerabile est ser­uire impuro, &c Cic. Phil. 3. But as all seruice is miserable: so is it a most intollerable thing to be a seruant to a vile and base master. But there is no­thing so base in all the world, as sinne and the deuill. So that it may be truly said of euery wicked sinner, that he is a seruant of seruants: euen the basest & vilest slaue that liueth. And therefore let all such persons bee admonished, neuer to giue rest vnto their soules, [Page 114] neuer to come vpon their beds, Psal. 132, 3, 4. nor suffer their eies to sleepe, nor their eye-liddes to slumber (as Dauid saith in another case) vntil they finde some comfortable as­surance, that they are redeemed & de­liuered from the power of darknesse.

Secondly, for them that are redeemd by the death of Iesus Christ: First, it serueth to admonish them, worthily to esteeme so great a benefite, and to magnify the name of God, who hath done so great things for them; saying with Zacharias in his song, Luke 1, 68, 69 Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel, because hee hath visited and redeemed his people: and hath raised vp the horne of saluation vnto vs, in the house of his seruant Dauid. And certainly, howsoeuer this benefite be nothing esteemed of carnall men, who sauour nothing but the things of the flesh: Romanes 8, 5. yet they that haue once felt & tasted the sweetnesse of it, do contemne the wealth of all the world; and with the Apostle, Phil. 3, 8. count it to be but dung in com­parison of it. And therefore, they are carefull to stand fast in that libertie wherewith Christ hath made them free. Gal. 5, 1. [Page 115] And hauing once escaped from the filthinesse of the worlde, 2 Peter 2, 20. are loath to be entangled againe therein. The Hea­then man could say, Plane confite­or, nihil fieri posse dementius quam scientem in cum locum venire, vbi liber tatem sis perdi turus. Cic. pro C. Raber. I plainely confesse, that nothing can bee more foolishly and madly done, then for a man wittingly to come into that place, where hee shall loose his li­bertie. Much more should Christi­ans make that account, especially if they consider the worth of the price where-with they were redeemed. They that once doe vnderstand what their Redemption cost the Lord, they cannot but thinke it a shame­full thing, to cast away themselues for nought. Precious things, and things that cost much, are careful­ly kept. Thinges that are gotten with much labour and sweate, and bought with much money, are most commonly much set by. So should wee esteeme highlie of our selues, beeing bought with so great a price, and with an holy kinde of pride, contemne and despise sinne. Meditat. cap. 3. This whole world (saith Bernard) is [Page 116] not to be esteemed in comparison of the price of one soule. For Christ would not giue his life for the world, and yet hee gaue it for mans soule. Therefore, the price of the soule is greater, which could not be redeemd but by the blood of Christ. Noli ergo vili­pender animae tuae passionem, cui à tanta ma­iestate tantam vides exhiberi compassionem. Heb. 12, 16. Ge. 25, 29, 30. Do not therefore set light by the passion of thy soule, whereon thou seest so great a maiesty hath had compassion. The Apostle exhorteth, Let there be no pro­phane person as Esau, who for a portion of meate sold his birth-right. But all vn­godly sinners are farre worse then E­sau: for he was faint, and weary, and almost dead for want of food, & ther­fore sold it to saue his life. But these wretched persons, doe sweare away their soules, drinke, and whore away their soules: and basely sell thēselues to the deuill, to satisfie their owne beastly lusts.

Secondly, it serueth to teach them, that in token of their thankfulnesse, they must willingly serue Iesus christ. The name of seruants (as S. Augustine saith Seruorum no­men proprie à seruari, quod e­os domine victo­res seruauere, quos iure belli occidere sas illis [...]urt. de Ciuit. dei. lib. 19. c. 15, properly cometh of being sa­ued, [Page 117] because they that were conque­rors in the wars, did saue them, whom by the law of armes they might haue slaine. But it is also applied to them that being taken prisoners, were ran­somed and so set free. Nomen admonet beneficij & officii. The name put­teth vs in mind of y ^e benefite we haue receiued, & of the duty that we owe. You are bought with a price (sayeth the Apostle) therfore glorifie God in your bo­dy, 1 Cor. 6, 20. and in your spirit: for they are Gods. And this vse doth Zacharias make of it in his song, when he saieth, Wee are deliuered out of the hands of our enemies, that we should serue him without feare, in holines and righteousnesse, all the daies of our life. He hath Saued vs, & wee must Serue him. And this we must do, not only in the generall duties of Christi­anity, but also in the seuerall places and callings wherein the Lorde hath set vs. The Magistrate must serue God in his place; as Dauid exhorted Salomon, 1 Chron. 28, 9 whē he was to succeed him in the kingdom, And thou Salomon my son, know thou the God of thy Father, and serue him with a perfect heart, and a wil­ling [Page 118] minde. So must euery Magistrate serue the Lord, in labouring to pro­mote and aduance his seruice, in loo­king carefully to the obseruation of the Sabbath, and in punishing all dis­honour that is done to his Name. So likewise, Ministers must serue the Lord in their places, by faithfull and diligent preaching of the word in sea­son, 2 Timoth. 4, 2 and out of season. And euery priuate man must also serue God, in the con­scionable performance of those du­ties that appertaine vnto him. And in­deed, it is the greatest glory of all mē, though they bee neuer so highly ad­uanced in the world, to be y ^e seruants of God. Dauid, though hee were a King, yet he glorieth more in this, y ^t he was the seruant of God, then in all the titles that belonged to his crown. Behold Lord (saith he) I am thy seruāt, Psalm 116, 16, I am thy seruant, and the sonne of thine handmaid, &c. And at the least, twelue seuerall times in the 119. Psalme, hee calleth himselfe the seruant of God. And the blessed Virgin, though shee were preferred before all other wo­men [Page 119] to be the mother of the Sonne of God; yet shee boasteth not of anie such title, but stileth her selfe the ser­uant of God. Behold (saith she, Luke 1, 38. to the Angel that brought her that heauen­ly tidings) the seruant of the Lord, be it vnto me according to thy word. And a­gaine, in her song she saith, and 48. Hee hath looked on the poore estate of his seruant. And all the holy Apostles, thogh they were aduanced to the most honorable calling y ^t euer was in the church; yet in all their Epistles they call thēselues the seruants of Iesus Christ. And no maruel: for the seruice of God is per­fect freedome, yea, to serue him is to reign as a king. Apoc. 1, ver. 6 For our blessed Sauior hath made vs Kings & priests vnto God his father. Onely, we must take heede, that wee content not our selues with the outward name and bare Title onely, but labour to bee the seruants of God indeede, and to approue our selues to be so, by performing accep­table seruice and obedience vnto his will: as the Prophet Malachi saith, Malachi 1, 6. A sonne honoreth his father, & a seruant his [Page 120] Master. If then I bee a Father, where is mine honor? And if I be a master, where is my feare? saith the Lord of hostes.

Thirdly, and last of all, it serueth for our imitation, that we by the exam­ple of our Sauiour Christ, should to the vttermost of our power deliuer them that are in captiuity. Diuers is the captiuity of men, according to the diuers calamities whereunto they are subiect. The poore man is a cap­tiue to want and penury; hee that is rich, 1 Iohn 3, 17. & hath the worlds good (as the A­postle saith) must be his redeemer by releeuing of him. A man that is sicke is a captiue to his disease: he that is a­ble any way to helpe him, must seeke to redeeme him by what meanes hee can. And he that is not able to redeem the body, if he comfort the mind that is afflicted he playeth the part of a re­deemer. He that liueth in errour and blindnes is a bondslaue to satan, as he also that serueth sin; whosoeuer relie­ueth this man with the worde of do­ctrine and admonition, is his redee­mer. According to that speech of the [Page 121] Apostle, What knowest thou, ô wife, 1 Cor. 7, 6. whe­ther thou shalt saue thy husband? or what knowest thou, ô man, whether thou shalt saue thy wife? And S. Iames saith to the same purpose, Iames 5, 20. Hee that hath conuerted a sinner from going astray out of his way, shall saue a soule from death. In these & such like things, let vs follow our Sa­uiour Christ, and euery man labor to deliuer another out of bondage. And he that is endued with any faculty, let him imploy the same, 2 Cor. 12, 15. yea let him bee willing to bestow himselfe, as the A­postle saith, to doe seruice to his bre­thren, wherein soeuer he is able.

[For many.] This is the last circum­stance noting the persons for whome our Sauiour Christ paide this price: where we are taught, that all haue not benefite by the death of Christ. This our Sauior testifieth in another place, when hee instituted and administred his last Supper; in deliuering of the cup, he said, Math. 26, 28. This is my blood of the new Testament, that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes. If any man shall de­mand who these many are? I answer, [Page 122] they are all the beleeuers, and all that do belong to Christ. As hee himselfe saith, Iohn 3, 16. God so loued the world, that he hath giuen his onely begotten Son, that whosoe­uer beleeueth in him, should not perish, but haue euerlasting life. And this was sig­nified by the angell, before hee was borne, Mathew 1, 21 in the giuing of his name. Thou shalt call his name Iesus; for he shall saue his people from their sinnes. Whereby it is plaine and euident, that hee saueth none by his death, but them that are his people. Iohn 10, 15. So hee saith in another place, I lay downe my life for my sheepe. But wee know, that all are not the sheepe of Christ. Mat. 25, 32, 33 There are manie Goats that belong to another folde. But it may be obiected, that Christ gaue his life for many, and the belee­uers are but few, as our Sauiour saith in diuers places, as namely, The gate is straite, Mathew 7, 14 and the way narrow that lea­deth vnto life, and few there be that finde it. And againe, he saith to his Dis­ciples, Feare not little Flocke, for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you a king­dome. Luke 12, 32. The flock of Christ then is but [Page 123] a little flocke. I answer, that if the children of God bee compared with the multitude of the wicked, then in­deede they are but a fewe, euen an handfull, A small remnant, Isaiah 1, 9. as the Pro­phet Isaiah saith: but if wee consider them in themselues, they are innume­rable, as it is said in the Reuelation: where besides the manie thousands, Apoc. 7, [...]. & 9 euen 144000 that were sealed for the seruants of God of the Tribes of Israel, there was a great multitude, which no man could number, of all Na­tions and kindreds, and people & tongues, which stoode before the Throne, and be­fore the Lambe, clothed with long white Robes, and palmes in their handes. 2 Cor. 5, 15. But it will bee further obiected, that the Scripture saith plainely, that Christ dyed for all. I answere, that there the Apostle speaketh of the Church, or of the elect alone, Beza. vniuersallie considered. And therefore of ne­cessitie, the particle or note of gene­rality must be restrained to the point whereof the Apostle intreateth. And this is verie vsuall in the Scripture. [Page 124] Our Sauiour alledgeth a place out of the prophesie of Isaiah in this maner. Iohn 6, 45. Isaiah 54, 13. It is written (saith he) in the Prophets: and they shall all be taught of God. Now in the Prophet it is thus: And all thy children shall be taught of God. That which our Sauiour speaketh vniuer­sally, the Prophet restraineth onely vnto the children of God. Againe, it is certaine, that our Sauiour Christ died for all sorts of men, of whatsoe­uer nation, degree, or condition they are. According to that speech of Peter in his sermon to Cornelius; Of a truth I perceiue, Act 10, 34, 3 [...] that God is no accepter of per­sons. But in euery Nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousnes, is accepted with him. And this is agreeable to o­ther places of Scripture, where the word All is restrained in this manner: Genesis 7, 1. As where it is saide, That euery beast, and all cattle, and euery thing that cree­peth and moueth vpon the earth, and eue­ry Towle, and euery bird came into the ark vnto Noah. Now, it is certaine that all the beasts, and all the cattle, and all the soules that then were, did not vni­uersally [Page 125] come into the Arke; for there came but two, and 9. & 21. a male and female of e­uery kind, and all the rest were drow­ned in the flood. And therefore, the meaning of the place must needs bee, that there came all kind of cattle and fowles, &c. into the Arke. So like­wise it is said of our Sauiour Christ, That he healed euery sicknesse, Math. 4, 23. and euerie disease among the people. Now there is no man can imagine, that hee healed all diseases generally, for doubtlesse there were many died in his time: but he healed all kinds and sorts of disea­ses. So when it is saide that our Saui­our Christ died for all, wee may safely vnderstand it, that he died for men of all sorts and conditions, whether they be high or low, rich or poor, bond or free But it wil be obiected again, that our Sauior saith, Iohn 3, 16. God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Son, &c. and therefore hee was giuen for the whole world. I answer, that our Sa­uiour saith in another place, I pray for them, that is, for my disciples; Iohn 17, 9. I pray not for the world. Heere the worlde is [Page 126] excluded from the benefite of Christ his prayer, So that wee haue a Worlde opposed to a World. There is a World of them that shall bee saued, for them Christ was giuen: & there is a Worlde of them that shall bee damned; for them Christ doth not pray. I doe not deny, but that the death of Christ is sufficient to saue al men; for his blood (as wee haue heard) is of infinite va­lue. But it is not effectuall to saue all, because many do reiect it & tram­ple it vnder their feete.

This serueth for the reproofe of them, that thinke that all shall be sa­ued by the death of Christ. It is a fearefull error where-with the deuill carried many thousandes of poore soules to hell. But they shall finde and feele the contrarie to their woe, vn­lesse they preuent it by repentance. For certainely, there are many in the world, to whome it may be saide as Simon Peter saide to Simon Magus, Acts 8, 21, They haue neither part nor fellowship in this businesse. There are vessels of wrath prepared to destruction, Rom. 9, 22, 23 [Page 127] as well as vessels of mercy prepared vnto glory. Iude verse 4. There are some that were be­fore of olde ordained vnto condemnation; that were appointed to bee damned before euer they were borne. There are many vngodly personnes, 2 Thess. 7, 8, 9 Which know not God, and obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ, which shall bee punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. And our Sauiour describing the maner of his comming to iudgement, telleth vs plainly, that at that day there shall be a separation made betweene the sheepe & the Goats (though heere they graze all in one pasture) and the Sheep shall be set on his right hand, and shall heare a most comfortably sentence, Math. 25, 32, 33, 34. Come ye blessed of my Father, inherite yee the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world. But the Goates shall bee set on his left hand, & shall heare a feare­full doome denounced against them; Depart from mee ye cursed into euerlast­ing fire, 41. which is prepared for the deuill and his Angels.

[Page 128]And therefore, let euery one of vs be admonished, according to the ex­hortation of the Apostle, to giue al di­ligence to make our calling and election sure. 2 Peter 1, 10. We are very careful to make sure our outward estates in the world; and we had neede to doe so in respect of this cunning and subtle age wherein we liue. Much more should we make it our cheefe care, by all good means, to assure our hearts that we are in the number of those that shalbe saued by the death of Christ. Otherwise, wee can haue no sound comfort, nei­ther in life, nor in death.