[Page 1]GReat sorrowes are dumbe: and can custome then iustly expect that this should bee eloquent? This day has e­nough with his owne griefe: and shall wee adde vnto it by repetition? The seueritie of this passion admits no other wit of Rheto­rique, then the salt of a teare; nor sharper accent, then of a groane equall to a lost friend, or to a sinne. Yet see the endeuour of compassion, which had rather with mo­derate teares recouer it selfe to language, by the reliefe of complaint to ease affliction; then to be guilty of ingratitude by wonder and silence. This day must cry-out, and ar­ticulately lament vnto all dayes, this horri­ble truth, the tragedie of God: which seemes as much to exceed our faith, as our sorrow. Is our God, our liuing God, as the carcasse-idols of the Heathen, whose God-heads suffer the stroake and victory of the Chizell and the Hammer? Or, are Poets Prophets indeed? and are there very Giants, that dare inuade God? Fiction, that intends to per­swade, neither contradicts nor exceeds na­ture: and story must be more seuerely con­triued within the possibility of action: o­therwise [Page 2] it begets not faith, but scorne, and the Historians reason is rather questioned, then his eloquence. Yet this day breathes-out such vnion of extremities, the humilia­tion of God, and the insolence of man, in Iesu crucified, and the crucifying Iewes; that your pietie can scarce be more amazed at our Lord's affliction, then at the Iewes crueltie; so that, if the motiue and condition of these vnreasonable actors were not ex­pressed, our suspicion might cry-out, Who will beleeue our report? History or inuen­tion has anciently told vs of some altars, where-on wild deuotion sacrificed men: but durst Poetry euer faigne a people that sacri­ficed their God? Would any man haue thought that the Iew would haue beene the first Antichrist of his Messias? That the chil­dren of Abraham would murder the God of Abraham? That the partakers of the Lords glory, would crucifie the Lord of glory? I must admit you a respite to won­der, and satisfie as well your admiration, as your enquiry; which does, me thinkes, with the labour of expectation desire to know not only the fact, but also the affection of the [Page 3] Iewes: as if then you would bee perswaded to the story of the action, when first you shall haue heard the story of the actors. Not the Iewes alone were partakers in this guilt: but chiefly the Iewes triumph'd in this guilt; the Iewes, who were alwayes of a churlish vnderstanding, and now their soules were as darke as peruerse. They had before com­mitted an essay of cruelty vpon the Pro­phets: but that was but a yonger practice to this fury. Then they crucified the Lord in his Saints: but now they will doe it without a figure. And may not our reason as well as piety here demand with wonder, What aild the Heathen, nay, what aild the Iewes to murmure themselues into a Conspiracie a­gainst the Christ of the Lord? Surely, their rage did not discerne in him the mysticall sy­steme of God and man; for had they knowne it, they would not haue crucified the Lord of glory. Yet shall execrable violation bee softned into an ignorance? shall elaborate malice be excused into so gentle a guilt? shall the crucifying of our Sauiour be made but man-slaughter? It is not an errour to par­don an errour: but it is a crime but to ex­cuse [Page 4] a crime. Could the Iewes bee ignorant of his innocence, who was pronounced not-guilty, by his judge? Who was pronounced innocent, by his Iudas? Who was pronoun­ced holy, by Iewes amaz'd to silence, and in that to confession, at the power of his in­nocent syllogisme, If I am guiltie, why doe you not conuince mee? If I am innocent, why doe you not beleeue mee? Could the Iewes be ignorant of his office, when as hee so repaired the senses of the diseased, that their sense might justly perswade their vnder­standing to beleeue? When as he called, by the voice of his power, the dead to a com­pendious resurrection? When as he proued his life to be a Commentary vpon the Pro­phets? Could the Iewes bee ignorant of his diuinitie, which was as necessary to the ac­tuating of his wonderfull office, as of his wonderfull person? His diuinitie, which was acknowledged by the Deuils, whom he dis­possessed: who, for a moment, did by a grea­ter miracle leaue their lying, then their habi­tation; and being tormented vnto truth, ad­mirably confessed him the Sonne of God? His diuinitie, which at his Baptisme, Heauen [Page 5] reuealed vnto the Baptist, which reuelation he likewise reuealed vnto the Iewes: the best of whom esteem'd him as a man of God; the worst of whom fear'd him as a man of God; And he told them what he saw, not in the contriuance of phancie, or by the falla­cie of a glasse; And hee did see the veile of Heauen diuided: as if the diuine persons, who neuer had beene vndiuided, would now sensibly appeare vnited at this the Sy­nod of their Trinitie; And hee did see the mild embleme of the Holy Ghost descend vpon him; and he heard the voyce of the Al­mighty, who was both the father and the witnesse at this great Christning. And shall we yet say, that this light of the World was so obscured in the cloud of flesh, that it was not cleerely presented to the eyes of the world? shall we yet say, that we doe not suf­ficiently vnderstand, whether or no the Iewes did sufficiently vnderstand? shall wee yet say with a bold compassion, Had they knowne it? and yet wee must say with a safe compassion, Had they knowne it, they would not haue crucified the Lord of glo­ry. The common Iew was the common [Page 6] sense of that politique bodie: his outward soule was able to see the Law: but, for Pro­phesie, hee was as farre from the vnderstan­ding of it, as from the gift of it. Hee could with enough ignorance gaze at the won­ders of our Sauiour: but it was a greater wonder to worke, in a Iew, a beliefe of these wonders, then to worke these wonders. Yet some did beleeue them and abuse them, vilely apprehending these demonstrations as the impotent perswasions of probabilitie. And some thus thought him to bee the Christ; yet durst not reueale this cheape opi­nion: least they should bee excommunica­ted to saluation, by being cast-out of the Sy­nagogue to Christ and his Disciples. It is the property of a wiseman, not to haue his heart in his tongue: but neuer was it the property of a wise man, to haue a heart without a tongue. The mercie of our Sauiour made the dumbe to speake: but the feare of the Rulers made these speakers dumbe; thus were their consciences tongue-tied by au­thoritie. And the Rulers themselues did not more impose this silence vpon others, then vpon themselues: but striuing as much to [Page 7] exceed the people in peruersenesse as in au­thoritie, vnto their ignorance they added fury. Indeed they could not by the sharpest discretion of their eye distinguish an incar­nate God: nor was the Critique Gamaliel able to instruct his Disciple Saul in the Cate­chisme of this mystery, though Saul's vnwil­ling ignorance admitted him neerer to par­don and conuersion. But the chiefe of the Iewes, to whom the Gospell was a schisme, politiquely rejoycing in their wisdome and honour, scorn'd the imputation of leuity by a change, and a suspected dejection by this change; whereby the High-priest of Ierusa­lem should be abused into an obscure Chri­stian. Wherefore arm'd thus with the affecta­tion of ignorance and the malice of ambi­tion, at what thunder would these startle? at what vnconceiued almightinesse would this fury turne dastard? Yet had they knowne it, they would not haue crucified the Lord of glory. And yet by an vnmoued decree this passion was sealed to a necessitie; and can we then make this predestinated execution depend vpon the will of the vncertaine Iewes? This dazles the eye, and is a wheele [Page 8] turning in a wheele; a spheare wrapt in a spheare; the lowest against the order of Hea­uen and nature, seeming to giue motion to the highest, the will of the Iewes to the de­cree of God. Had Festus vpon his judge­ment-seate heard holy Paul preach this see­ming opposition, wee may easily beleeue that without the manners of deliberation he would once more haue cryed-out to our A­postle, Much learning has made thee mad. But wee leaue him to his owne ignorance and an other judgement-seate [...] and without being rapt to the third Heauen, wee know, that Those things which are necessary in re­spect of the first cause admit vncertainty in respect of second causes. The crucifying of our Sauiour was necessary cōpared to Gods decree: but it was contingent cōpared to the libertie of the Iewes will: in whom it was choice, and not necessitie to will or not to will the death of Christ. If the Iewes had knowne it, then both the causes of this acti­on, and the action it selfe might haue not beene, and had not beene. But this conditi­on, the knowledge of our Sauiour (which if it had beene, our Sauiour could not haue [Page 9] suffer'd) could not be, because the first cause, God, had decree he should suffer. And as God by this decree of his Passion, did not with an actiue concurrence, lay a necessity & guilt vpon the will of the Iewes: no more did hee impose any necessitie vpon the hu­mane will of Christ: but our Sauiour made himselfe a free sacrifice with as much mercy as affliction. For though there were in his humane will a necessitie of obedience to the decree of his Passion, yet was there also a true indifference: this necessity being ex­trinsecall to his humane will precisely consi­dered, as it was intrinsecall and naturall to his person. But his humane will suffering no violence, did for our sake in the libertie of choice offer-vp his person to the violence of the Iewes. Who were so glad of their igno­rance and ambition, that rather then they would fall from their Cleargy-monarchy they would not feare to set vpon God. The brauest sinne that euer was, was ventred in Heauen by an Angell and the basest sinne that euer was, was committed on earth by a Disciple. A Disciple, who had he beene of an intire faith, had beene euen yet of an in­tire [Page 10] fame, & in our sacred Kalendar enjoyed the place and title of Saint Iudas. Hee was Christ's purse-bearer: whose office vnder such a Master, was in all likelihood of too narrow a commoditie for a large Knaue: yet louing this, more then his master, hee bargaines with the Priests, and takes earnest to be a conuenient Traitor. But heere I must not forget one thing, because our Sauiour has commanded mee to remember it: and that is thy piety, O happy woman, who didst bestow vpon our Sauiour's head and feete a precious oyntment. With thy beautifull haire thou didst wipe his beautifull feete, from which thy oyntment returned sanctified to thine owne head: and by a commanded an­niuersary of thy pietie, he hath poured vpon thee the oyntment of a religious fame. Iust­ly doe I heere remember her, her liberality being the vnjust cause of Iudas his murmu­ring: and it was he whose thrift did chide at the spending of this oyntment. Now there­fore, as if hee had vowed a repaire of this losse, he finds a policie to sell the oyntment, which was already spent; by selling his ma­ster, who was annointed with it. A subtile [Page 11] Merchant, that labourd so with an emula­tion to engrosse treasure and iniquitie, as if hee would haue contented with Adam for the future tradition and monopoly of sinne. Thus you see, that it is possible, to finde ac­tors for the crucifying of the Lord of glory, and now I thinke, you can beleeue that there are monsters. But now behold a man! a man, in whom innocence and patience contend for supremacy. His enemies are preparing for his death by malice; and hee himselfe is preparing for the same by loue. The most of them are at their conspiracie, and he is at the Communion with his Traytour. At which last Supper he himselfe seemes to re­member and imitate the goodnesse of that woman, whom hee commanded vs to re­member. Shee wiped his feet, and he washes his Disciples; and would you not thinke that these feet would for euer after goe vpright? Mee thinkes, when hee came to wash Iudas his feete, his sullen treason might haue ex­pressed it selfe in Saint Peter's answer, Thou shalt neuer wash my feet. Indeed to wash a Iudas was to wash a Black-more. Yet he had more need to haue vsed Saint Peter's se­cond [Page 12] answere, Lord not the feet only, but also the hands and the head. But it would haue beene a mercy vnwelcome to his stub­bornenesse, to haue beene washed to an vn­willing cleannesse. His staine was as obsti­nate as his purpose: and his eares were cau­teriz'd as much as his conscience against our Sauious wordes, which preuailed as little with his affection, as with his memory. Christ pointed-out the Traytour first by word: and, as if that had not beene enough, with his very finger; Hee that I giue a sop vnto, he shall betray me; nay, with the Tray­tours owne finger, Hee that dips his finger with mee in the dish, hee shall betray mee. Christ dipt, and Iudas dipt, and Christ gaue the sop to Iudas. Who would not heere haue thought, but that hee, who by his garment and shadow could conferre health, must by his sanctifying hand haue conferred sal­uation? Was not heere the finger of God? And yet heere was not the finger of God. Iudas now found the truth of that vnhappy Philosophie, Euery thing is receiued accor­ding to the nature of the receiuer. Christ gaue the [...]p▪ but Iudas eate it. When straight [Page 13] behold a sad transubstantiation a sop turned into a Deuill! And now you will thinke it was time for him to leaue Christ's company; and so indeed hee did for immediatly hee went forth, and it was night a necessary shadow for the melancholy of treason: yet it was but an embleme of his guilt. To con­clude supper they sung a Psalme: this was the harmony of the Gospell in a Celestiall Quire, where there was neuer a Iudas, and Christ was the Chaunter. Indeed they had need to sing, whiles yet they had the leisure of company and joy: for, after this meeting, sorrow had contriued the perpetuall silence of their Musique. But leauing their Musi­que and the Citie they depart toward mount Oliuet, a place where the customary deuo­tion of our Sauiour enjoyed the practice and happinesse of Prayer. The way was but short, yet our Sauiour made it tedious, not by his company, which was their delight: but by his discourse, which hitherto had bin their delight. Hee tell them that this night he shall be their griefe and danger. They, as not seeing it, make a large promise, though without surety, as much of their constancy, [Page 14] as of their affection. Peter especially makes this promise, which our Sauiour tels him he especially will breake: and that this night, which is the present witnesse of his double protestation, shall be the speedy witnesse of his triple deniall: the Cocke ere morning being to be his watchman and remembran­cer. The length of our Sauiours discourse reacheth the mount, where departing from his Disciples about a stones cast, hee enters into a Garden, and the horrour of his pas­sion enters into him. Now, hee is crucified without a crosse the height whereof as it af­terward aduanced him, so now the feare of it depresseth him to the ground. In the obedi­ence of his supplication he bowes his knees; he whose almightinesse could haue bowed the heauens. In the dejection of his thoughts hee fals prostrate on his face, to shew vs the nature of our guilt, that dares not looke-vp vnto heauen: and yet his voice is towards heauen, whiles thrice he begs of his Father, if it be his will, that this cup may passe▪ this cup crowned full with the bloud of sowre Grapes: and thrice he returnes to his Disci­ples, whom bee finds heauy as night and [Page 15] sleepe. Whiles he prayes, new terrours seize on him; and man though vnited to God is so oppressed, that an Angell from Heauen is sent to comfort him. So hard it was for him that ouercame the Deuill, to ouercome the Crosse. But alas had hee not need of al­mightinesse, for whom there remayned strokes, and whips, and wounds, & thornes, and nailes and a speare? and shall we thinke an Angell, shall wee thinke one Angell e­nough against this host of torments? Can wee with the confidence of words frighten horrour? His agonie and prayer increase; and from his mercifull pores flowes a sweat of bloud: which beginnes his passion be­fore the Iewes doe. It pierces and dyes his garment; O, this would haue beene a relique worth the keeping! a garment ri­cher then Elias mantle! a garment anima­ted with bloud, though not to life, yet to a miracle! The Prophet's loue and sorrow were but little ones; though his eyes did cast-out riuers of waters, for the destruction of Ierusalem: but behold for our sinnes, e­uery part of our Iesus does weepe bloud: whose speedie drops seeme to imitate the [Page 16] expedition of the loue that sent them. After which agony of deuotion, on his faint limbes he raises himselfe, and returning to his Dis­ciples rayses them: who willing rather to breake their sleepe, then their faith, arise; when hee comforts them with a hope of more sleepe, yet tels them that at this time they must sleepe no more: treason and ty­rannie by a strange friendship being in a readinesse to set vpon him. Whiles yet hee speakes, loe, a band of Officers are come from the High Priests with Lanternes, and torches, and swords and staues, to take him, who neither meanes to fight, nor runne a­way: his mercy will not let him doe that, nor his innocency this. Their leader is Iudas guiding them with his feete to Christ, but with his counsell against Christ. When ac­cording to the compact and method of the Treason, hee salutes our Sauiour with a phrase and a kisse, enough to haue breathed a Deuill into any man, but Christ: who as much vnderstanding as abhorring his salu­tation, by a Prophetique question preuents and reueales the newes of his intent; Iudas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kisse? [Page 17] And was there euer such a sight as Christ & Iudas thus vnited! Did not Christ now also descend into Hell! From this kissing Tray­tour hee passes to the sword-men; his inno­cencie making him confident to aske them, whom they seeke! when their businesse and authoritie strait-wayes answer, Iesus of Na­zareth. (They had vntowardly learned to make no difference of persons.) Hee with a mild courage replies, I am hee; and imme­diately, as if hee had come to apprehend Them, they fall downe backward; they fall from Christ. The blowing-downe of the wals of Iericho with Rams-hornes, though it was no lesse wonderfull, yet it was lesse speedy. And where is now the conspiracie of their ambition? Where is now the strength of their inuasion? Where is now the proui­sion of their armour? Is it not all made the triumph of his meeknesse. Heere is no hea­uenly army to ouerthrow this legion of De­uils; but with a victorious mildnesse they are strucke downe, their bodies acknowledging his power, which their soules denied: their vnderstanding bodies beeing vnwilling to act, what their senslesse soules prompted [Page 18] them vnto. Yet does his pardon giue them strength to rise againe, and againe he askes them whom they seeke, and they dare an­swere, Iesus of Nazareth. Before, they spake to his humanitie, and his diuinitie answer'd them: but now hee answers them with the patience of his humanitie; which suffers the sacriledge of their hands and malice. When Peter's zeale, at the captiuity of his master, vnsheathes his sword: and cutting-off the High Priest's seruant's eare, makes him learne a new Circumcision, which was no Sacra­ment, but a punishment. But againe ap­peares the diuinitie and mercy of our Saui­our: who corrects Peter and his fact, replan­ting the seruant's eare; which straight ac­knowledges and enjoyes his power. Yet they persist in their impietie: and when hee by his power has prooued himselfe a God, they by his patience will prooue him to be a man. And being in the hands of very Iewes, his Disciples, forgetting their master and their protestations, runne all away: euen bold Saint Peter runnes away with his cou­rage, and his sword: euen his beloued Iohn runnes away, breaking the bonds of loue [Page 19] with the strength of feare. O, heere I can­not but stay and grieue that his beloued Iohn also doth forsake him. Sure there is some friend for whom some friend will lay downe a life: and sure there neuer were such friends as Christ and his Apostles: and sure of his Apostles there was none so neere him as his beloued John. The rest were in his company, but hee in his bosome: and does his beloued Iohn also forsake him? Me thinkes the protestation and perswasion of Saint Paul would haue admirably become the mouth and practice of Saint Iohn, Nei­ther death, nor life, nor angels, nor principa­lities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor heigth, nor depth, nor any other creature, no not a very Iew shall euer be able to force mee from the loue and bosome of my Iesus. Yet euen beloued Iohn also does forsake his Iesus! Whose miracu­lous hands they bind: the greatest miracle of which was at this time not their power, but their patience. They bind his hands; foo­lishly forgetting, that if any of them should lose another eare, as much as in them lay they hindred him from healing of it. In­deed [Page 20] happy had it beene, if Adam and Eue's hands had beene bound thus in Paradise! But see the bonds of our sinnes, that are able to captiue the hands of Christ! Who is led by the blind malice of his Iewes vnto iudge­ment. And is there no good man's eye, who will with an easie teare follow his trauelling affliction? Is there none that will goe after him, though not to be a partaker, yet but a witnesse of his injurie? Yes, there is one of more loue then age couered rather then clo­thed with meere linnen: who being hastily come, and as hastily apprehended, chooses rather to leaue his linnen, then his life, and slipping from their hands runnes as hastily backe againe: and indeed hee runnes away so fast, that I cannot tell you who he is. Yet if the curious please to runne after him, they may peraduenture find him to be the sonne of that man of the village Gethsemane, at the foot of mount Oliuet, who owned the Garden where our Sauiour prayed. The tu­mult of the night might easily awake him to this vndressed speed: which whiles hee vses in running backe, the Iewes goe forward in their way and malice; leading our Sauiour [Page 21] first to Annas. They were to passe by his re­uerend doore, at which, by way of honour, they present their shew: and he sends him to be presented to the High-priest Caiaphas, his sonne in law; this was the kindred of these honourable murderers. But whiles this troupe is with our Sauiour, you may looke back, and behold Peter following afarre off, full of loue, and shame, and sorrow. Yet a­las, hee returnes but to forsweare himselfe and his master! In a curious desire he enters the High-priest's hall, a place of temptation and blasphemie: where with as much dan­ger as dissimulation, he mixes with Christ's persecutors; whom as already he accompa­nies, so anon, by an vnhappy proficiencie, he must imitate. Conuersation is the last con­coction of loue, and does by a secret friend­ship of nature intimately assimilate. Now the High-priest with an assisting tumult of Scribes and Pharisies does not examine our Sauiour, but tempt him; and when at their importunitie he has acknowledged himselfe the Christ, he is made guiltie of being God: and straight they practice vpon him the wantonnesse of scorne. They prophane his [Page 22] sacred face with the blasphemy of spittle: they blindfold him in execrable sport; and then striking him, in jesting inhumanitie they aske, who strikes him. Whiles Christ is thus condemned, Peter is examined, and straight commits an easie deniall of his ma­ster: and straight the Cocke crowes, but yet not lowd enough to awake his guilt. Hee is persecuted againe, and too wretchedly sweares an ignorance. A third tempter vexes him, being both an accuser and a witnesse; and this is Malchus his cousin, whose eare Peter had cut off: which makes Peter feare more then the proportion of the Iewish Law, an eare for an eare. He suspects that this eare will bring in danger his whole head. And hauing but one euasion, though worse then his entrance, he wishes himselfe accur­sed, if he knowes our Sauiour: when, alas, he knowes that he were accursed, if hee did not know him. And now the Cocke, as if instructed to our Sauiour's prophesie, in his just time crowes the second time; with the repeated diligence of his wing and voice not more awaking himselfe, then the heauy memory of Peter's conscience, which thus [Page 23] raised before day, makes him vnderstand and bewaile his night of sinne; nor does hee more hasten out of doores, then doe the teares out of his eyes. Where marke the apt degrees, as of his fault, so of his sorrow. The hast of his repentance begg'd pardon for his deniall: the teares of his repentance begg'd pardon for his oath: the bitternesse of his repentance beg'd pardon for his curse. But now the Iewes are not auoiding, but prouo­king a greater curse: and as soone as it is day, in steed of seeing to correct their judge­ment made by night, they confirme it; leading our Sauiour from this Cleargy-cen­sure to the Secular execution. When behold the mercy of treason! Iudas has a minde to bee godly! and seeing his master condem­ned by Caiaphas, he is with a swifter judge­ment condemned by conscience. Now hee repents him of his bargaine: and as if hee could as easily haue beene rid of his guilt, as of his hire, he brings backe the money that would not be put to vse, and though it were fearefully refused, in the presence and Tem­ple of God hee throwes it downe, flying from it as the Priests would haue done from [Page 24] death; and indeed it was the wages of sinne. His sinne now does acknowledge it selfe and our Sauiour's innocency. This loyall Tray­tour betrayes his treason. And would you not thinke that now againe hee hath almost vn-Iudas'd himselfe? shall not Iudas also now againe bee among the Apostles? Does he not seeme practised in the order of repen­tance? He grieues, he confesses, he restores. O, would hee stay heere! but, Loe, hee de­parts from the temple & the God of the tem­ple: he departs and hangs himselfe. He that is couetous fals into temptation, and the hal­ter of the Deuill. Hee hangs himselfe, and breakes asunder; What could you looke for lesse, but that the Dragon should breake with the pitch-ball? You may remember he conceiued a sop, and now behold hee brings forth a Deuill, and thus by the riddle of damnation hee is both the childe and parent of the Deuill. Hee breakes asunder, and is deliuered of his bowels. It was the wit of justice, hee should lose his bowels, that had lost his compassion. But since Iudas hath left vs, let vs leaue him: and from this spectacle of justice got see our Sauiour the [Page 25] spectacle of injustice, trauelling from Caia­phas to Pilate, and from Pilate to Herod. This was a Iew of a delicate Atheisme: who, in a reprobate joy and phansie, had a most intentiue desire to see a fine miracle or two. But his impietie was seuerely delu­ded by the silence of our Sauiour; which changing the tyrants curiositie into scorne, he returnes him to Pilate, clad in a garment of ridiculous honour and simplicitie. But Pilate desirous to free him, not so much by the mercy as the custome of the Iewes, pro­poses to the easie choice of their pardon, Iesus and Barabbas a murtherer; and whiles they are heere at their deliberation, as he on the judgement-seate, behold his loue is in­creased by feare. His wife prompted to compassion not by a bribe, but by a dreame; sends to her husband to warne rather then request him to desist from judgement; the trouble of a vision hauing frightned and in­structed her: and sure this was the best counsaile shee ere tooke of her pillow. But the people possessed with the Priests de­mand Barabbas; which was an impious, yet a fit request: for could there bee an apt [...]r [Page 26] fellowship then of a murtherer with mur­therers? As for Iesus, as if they would cruci­fie him twice, they twice cry-out, Crucifie him, Crucifie him. Is now the voice of the people the voice of God? Sure we are, that the voice of this people is the voice of their Priests; by whom Pilate being conquered yeelds-vp our Sauiour vnto souldiers, who multiply scourges vpon him, as they doe sinnes and plagues vpon themselues; as if their madnesse would whip his diuinitie out of him, making it ashamed to stay in so torne a carcasse. But, O you Souldiers, how shall you wish, that a happy palsie had made faint your hands? And, O thou Lord of glory, how hath thy mercy wooed thy God-head vnto this ignominious patience? O Lord of mercy, we are scarce more saued by the power of thy mercy, then confoun­ded with the wonder of it: the condemna­tion of a world being a cheaper losse, then the least effusion of thy redeeming bloud! Yet the mercilesse souldiers beyond this crueltie scornfully clothe him with a Purple Robe; though their crueltie in this had pre­uented their scorne his innocent bloud clo­thing [Page 27] him with a nobler purple. But now be­cause in the art of crucifying they had no se­parated torment for the head, by the increase of inuētion they inlarge their science of mur­der, fixing on his head a crowne of thornes; and thus, as if he had a distinct soule in eue­ry part, they distinctly murder euery part. And is not now the Lilly verily among the thornes? This tender head of our beloued encōpassed with the affliction of a crowne! A crowne neither of gold, nor Roses! Nei­ther of honour, nor pleasure! Behold, a good­ly fruit! The Lord planted a Vineyard, and when he comes to gather grapes, he receiues thornes! They abuse his hand with a scep­ter of reede; his hand the power whereof was the scepter▪ and that their mouthes might sinne more then in wordes, they spit vpon him. But their owne darke eyes had more need to be touched with our Sauiours purging spittle. For had they seene what they had done, they would not haue spit vpon the Lord of glory! This affecting spectacle softens Pilate; and by an errour of humanitie taking Iewes to be men, and that their eyes peraduenture might mooue their [Page 28] hearts, he presents him to them with this pre­face of compassion, Behold the man! But, alas, Pilate, can any man behold this man? Will not all eyes bee sooner blinded with gratefull teares? Or how can they heere behold a man? A man lost in his owne bloud! Which striues as much to obscure his body, as his body his God-head! Yet the vnmooued Iewes with broad eyes of crueltie gaze vpon him. And shall wee yet thinke Deuealion's people a fable? Sure these children were raised vnto Abraham from stones! And now they are so readie to crucifie Christ, that they are ready also to condemne Pilate, not fearing to pronounce him a hypotheticall Traytour, if hee does not crucifie Christ. Wherefore through the conquest and policie of ambition he thinkes at once to satisfie the Iewes and God, so to secure his estate and conscience. In the pre­sence of the people hee takes water and wa­shes his hands, protesting himselfe innocent from this innocent bloud. Hee had need to rub hard, that meanes to wash away guilt with so weake an element; guilt neuer to be washed away, but by the water of repen­tance [Page 29] and baptisme. It was in his power, as well as in his desire, to haue set him free: but he pronounces him innocent and punishes him: he condemnes himselfe, and crucifies Christ: he deliuers [...] beloued Barabbas to their pardon, and Christ to their crosse which now he beares, as afterward it beares him. But in this trauaile toward mount Cal­uary, his strength is lesse then the burden: and needs must it be a heauie crosse, which was laden with a world of sinnes. Where­fore to hasten the execution, not to ease our Sauiour, they make one Simon carry the weight of the crosse: our Sauiour yet carry­ing the weight of the sinnes. Happy Simon now eases Christ of his burden: but Christ hereafter will ease Simon of his burden. Whiles he goes on, a multitude of women, forgetting to be Iewes, bestow teares vpon him: whom he exhorts to thrift of sorrow; bidding them stay their lamentation till a time of lamentation for themselues, and for their children: whose bloud shall bee made as cheape as their mothers teares, when in the vengeance and sport of slaughter, the curse of barrenesse, and a dry pap shall bee [Page 30] a blessing. At last they bring this Catholique sacrifice to mount Caluary, to the altar of the world: where euery part of him is stretcht-out, as the free embleme of his extended mercy. They fasten him to his crosse with violence: but hee was fastned surer by his owne loue. They pierce his hands and his feete with nayles but his heart with their ingratitude; thus is hee vsed in the house of his friends! They exalt him on his crosse, arming him­selfe against himselfe, and making his owne weight his owne affliction. And now I must cry-out with Pilate, Behold the man, aduan­ced in the triumph of redemption vpon the Cherub of the crosse! Or if your tender eyes haue not the hearts to see this spectacle, yet reade the title of his crosse, and sure the first word, Iesus, may comfort you. Yet if the remembrance of his name should proue the remembrance of his sorrow, where will you then, alas, bestow your eyes? If you looke away, you shall see those that passe by the way, nod their heads at him: if you looke on the ground, you shall see the diui­ded souldiers at lots for his intire Coate; which they more respect, then they doe [Page 31] Christ: if you looke among the company, you shall see the vnhallowed Priests propha­ning him: if you looke on either side his crosse, you shall see a thiefe made his com­panion. Whereof one, as if he were his exe­cutioner, crucifies him with blasphemie; though the other crucifies his owne vnbe­liefe, and by a new theft steales Heauen at his execution. If yet you cannot behold our Sauiour, behold his Disciple and his mother, whom from his crosse he himselfe beholds. Saint Iohn's loue had now made a recom­pence for his flight, by conquering his feare to this returne and sorrow. Our Sauiour be­holds his beloued Iohn, and hauing nothing left that is his owne but his mother, hee be­queathes her vnto him. But, it may be, you are as little able also to looke on these, who also are crucified with the passion of loue. If then you cannot at all indure these sights, be indulgent to lamentation: Let teares seaze on your eyes, as an vniuersall darknesse does on Iudea. The guilt of the Iewes puts out the Sunne: and yet this huge night which can hide all Iudea, cannot hide the guilt of the Iewes. O how they shall hereafter wish [Page 30] [...] [Page 31] [...] [Page 32] that this darknesse had beene more speedy, that it might haue preuented or excused their violence? Then happily they would haue pleaded, O had we seene what we did, wee would not haue crucified the Lord of glo­ry. In this forc'd night and agony, this man of sorrowes cries out with a voice as strong as earnest, his fainting humanitie begging aide and release. Thus long they haue affli­cted his outward-parts, and now their wit finds a deuice to torment his inward also. In a drouth of combat and torment, hee cries-out, I thirst: and when from this his Vine­yard he might looke for wine, behold they vilely spunge him with vngratefull vineger. Being persecuted thus with a swift successi­on of plagues, in a free obedience he bowes his head, and in the Empire of his Diuini­tie and loue, is pleased to die, giuing to the justice of his Father, for a redeeming sacri­fice, his troubled spirit. Corrupt Philoso­phers who now for a long time haue anima­ted the world with a magique soule, may in this truth bury their errour, and now ac­knowledge, that only this is the soule of the world. Thus they haue crucified him: and [Page 33] now they shall know whom they haue cru­cified. The Iewes and the Deuils shall know that it was the Lord of glory; and the whole world shall know that it was the Lord of glory. Behold an angry miracle teares the vaile of the Temple, and by a greater my­stery reueales their mysteries. Behold an earth-quake shakes open the graues; and af­ter the resurrection of this first-borne of the dead, the glad carcasses by the returne of their disacquainted soules can no more then their soules endure the Graue. Behold the stones cleaue asunder, as if violated na­ture would lend them mouthes to cry-out against the Iewes; or as if they would pro­nounce themselues of a softer tempter, then the hearts of men. And now there is a re­ligious earth-quake in the heart of the Cen­turion: from whose inspired mouth pro­ceeds a voice articulated by faith and won­der; pronouncing the innocence and diuini­tie of our Iesus; and euen the Iewes doe smite their breasts, as if their hands insteed of repentance, should soften their hearts. But his friends neerest to him in affection, stand afarre off: to whom it is a death not to dye [Page 34] with him. And indeed none of them did die by martyrdome; the Lord counting the tor­ment of this spectacle equall vnto it. His friends stand afarre off: yet farther from comfort, then from him. O how may wee imagine his tender mother weepes? How may we imagine she now cryes-out, O my sonne Iesu, O Iesu, my sonne, my sonne! This is a more wounding lamentation, then the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the val­ley of Megiddon; when the good Iosias, when the beloued Iosias fell vnder the sword, of Pharaoh. Now the souldiers come to examine the execution to see if these, the late prisoners of the Iewes, be now become the prisoners of death: and finding the two theeues breathing still, in the custome of vaine crueltie on malefactors, they breake their legges: when, alas, their soules were readier to runne away, then their is bodies But, to our Sauiour, being already dead, they are pleased to shew a negatiue mercy. Yet one to prooue himselfe more senslesse then what he wounds, now pierces his side: as if beyond the expulsion of his soule, he would not leaue in him the forme of a carcasse, [Page 35] When behold, an instructing mysterie flowes from his side. Water flowes out, as if it would present vnto the souldier the in­nocency of our Sauiour: bloud flowes out, as if it would present vnto the soul ther the admonishing horrour of his owne guilt. It was vile, to wrong the innocent: it was in­humane to abuse the dead: but it was exe­crable to violate the Lord of glory. But the glory of this Lord shall now dispell this night of sorrow. Now weepe not, that hee died: but rejoyce that hee died for you. It was his loue that hee would redeeme, as it was his power that he could redeeme. So he did redeeme, as be did suffer, hee suffered not in his diuine nature; but by the [...]nion of his diuine nature: hee red [...]emed not in his diuine nature; but by the union of his di­uine nature. For from a double nature his mysticall vnitie did arise: and as his soule was a diuinitie to his body; so was his diui­nitie a soule to his humanity. To create man, God [...]reathed a spirit like himselfe into him; him to redeeme man, God himselfe entred into him; and though the diuinitie could not hee crucified; yet was the vnion of it [Page 36] with the passion of the humanitie, counted as the passion of the diuinitie. Thus by the bountie of interpretation, and communica­tion of proprieties, they verily crucified the Lord of glory. Whose carcasse now as cold as death raises a flame of loue in the breasts of Ioseph and Nicodemus. Ioseph in a cou­ragious Christianitie goes vnto Pilate, and begges the body. When Christ was aliue, Iudas sould him; and now he is dead, Pilate giues him away; whose body though it were preserued by the diuinitie, yet Nicodemus sweetens it with Myrrhe and Deuotion. They wrap him in a linnen cloth, not so much concealing his nakednesse, as expres­sing his innocence. They lay him in Iosephs Tombe, which was in a garden; and was not then this garden Paradise? It was a glo­rious sepulchre; as if, by the prophesie of loue, it had been proportioned to the guest. Whose bodie being heere entertayned with magnificent pietie, his illustrious soule for­ces a triumph in Hell, crucifies the Deuill, and ouerthrowes the tyranny of damnati­on. He does not take away damnation, but contract it. And now you see, after this re­demption [Page 37] of our Sauiour, you may like Thomas put your hand and faith into the wound of his side, & receiue saluation. You may behold the opening mouth of this wound, which with eloquent bloud inuites you to faith and loue. You may behold the Lord of glory comming from Edom, with his died garments from Bosrah. This is the Lord of glory: glorious in his apparell: glorious in his nakednesse: glorious in his mightinesse to saue. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparell, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the Wine-fat? Thou hast trodden the Wine-presse alone, and of the people there was none with thee. O, what did cause these soundings of thy bowels, and of thy mercies towards vs? Who can expresse thy sorrowes, and thy louing-kind­nesse towards vs? Who can expresse what thou hast done for our soules? Thou wast af­flicted, thou wast despised, thou wast whipt, wounded, bruised, condemned, sacrificed for our soules; thou wast made a seruant of death, thou wast numbred with the trans­gressours, thou madest thy graue with the wicked for our soules. Wherefore God has [Page 38] highly exalted thee, and giuen thee a name aboue all names; that at the Name of Iesus euery knee shall bow; of things in Heauen, and things in earth, and things vnder the earth; And euery tongue shall confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord of glory; And the foure and twentie Elders shall fall downe before the Lambe, with their Harps and golden Vials full of Odours; and in their new Song shall they prayse thee; And the Angels about thy throne, euen ten thou­sand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands shall say with a loud voice, Wor­thy is the Lambe that was slaine, to receiue power, and riches, and wisedome, and strength, and honour, and glory. Therefore with Angels and Arch-angels, and with all the company of Heauen, wee laude and magnifie thy glorious Name; euermore praysing thee and saying; Holy, holy, holy Lord of glory, Heauen and earth are full of thy glory, and of thy mercies. The Angels in Heauen wonder at thy mercies: the powers of Hell tremble at thy mercies: thou thy selfe triumphest in thy mercies: and the sonnes of men rejoyce in thy mercies. [Page 39] Wherefore, O thou that takest away the sinnes of the world, deliuer vs: by thine a­gonie and bloudie swear, by thy crosse and passion, by thy precious death and buriall deliuer vs; And wee will fall downe before thy glorie: and we will sing praises vnto thy mercie: and we will triumph in the victorie of thy bloud: and we will for euer euen for euer acknowledge, that, Thou the cruci­fied Lord of glorie art the Christ of God, and the Iesus of men.

[Page 43]IT were vnnecessarie art & feare to stir [...]e to keepe the liuing awake with a preface; when as the dead are at the businesse of a resurrection. Wōders & blessings are aboue their auditors: who must be glad to be sta [...] ­led to the newes. Now was our Sauior task'd with his most vnweildie miracle. His mercie had before bestowed many vpon others: but now his power tries one vpon himselfe. His diuinitie acts a miracle vpon his huma­nitie; repairing this second Trinitie of his person from the immortall ruines of a God, a soule, and a carcasse. Three dayes did hee consecrate for the performance of this wonder: and three dayes doe wee con­secrate for the perswading to this won­der; which should haue beene the joy, and was the shame of the Apostles: who were slow to apprehend it, though Christ was their Schoole-master. They had not as yet learned their owne Creed: which, their per­uerse sense was pleased to bee taught, not so much by our Sauiour, as by his sepulchre: whose opening mouth, when it sent forth Christ the Word, pronounced his Resurrec­tion, which is the Epitaph of God. Thus did the ambition of the gra [...]e instruct the pre­uented [Page 44] Angell: and though it cannot, as the multitude of Tombes, with the voice and conquest of proud Death, tell vs whom it does captiue; yet does it remember to vs, whom it did. Which assumed triumph of death, is as short as its combat. Ioseph's de­uotion bestowed this Tombe vpon our Sa­uiour; but our Sauiours victorie bestowed it vpon death: which, since his Resurrection, has lien buried in his tombe. But can a dead man bee warmed againe into life? And can the lungs that haue forgot to breathe, learne to breathe againe? Faith indeed can an­swer this with as much ease as speed; and be­ing honoured with an imitating omnipoten­cie, can with a coequall extension of assent apply it selfe to the number and degrees of Gods actions. But, as hard it was to raise the faith, as the body, of Saint Thomas: nay, it was his body, that caused him to beleeue the Resurrection of Christ's bodie; which was a way of faith, more certaine then grate­full. Yet must the vnderstanding bee so rai­sed, before it can beleeue that the bodie can bee raised; that the diuine indulgence does gradually chastize the difficultie by the length of instruction. For scarce had man [Page 45] viewed the materials of his Creation, when straight hee was practised vnto an essay of this second Creation. When Adam descen­ded into sleepe, there was a Resurrection of his rib, which awaked into a woman. Did not mortalitie then put on immortalitie, when a senselesse bone was so endued with reason, that it could apprehend its owne preferment? Mee thinkes, the Chymique might hence extract an easie Rhetorique for his promotion of metalls; and, without an Apologie, teach that vsurie of art, And heere too, was an imployed legacie, a woman be­queathed to time, to multiply resurrections. Which yet were almost reduced to a despaire by her degenerating Nephewes: whose crimes had forsworne or scorned the resur­rection of their bodies, and did more ouer­whelme them then the floud. Yet then looke vpon Noah with joy, as the Lord did with fauour; and when the olde and the new World were distinguished and continued but by an Isthmus, from Noah's wife the Arke of mankind, see a new resurrection of man; and from his floud a resurrection of the world. But will you see a raising with­out [Page 46] death or sleepe? Behold Isaac as neere the stroke as the hand of his father, arising from his Funerall pile; and at this resurrec­tion too there was an Angell remoouing though not a Tombe-stone, yet a Knife more exorable then the sword which the Angell in Paradise did shake; whose threat­ning edge was as deuouring as its flame. But heere was a sacrifice offered, yet not slaine: and though not slaine yet accepted. But per­aduenture it will more gratefully frighten you to see a man taught to bee buried aliue, and more yet, to liue after his buriall. Be­hold then Ioseph from the tombe of his prison rising vnto a triumph as eminent as his innocencie: which had before conque­red his passion, and now his affliction. Be­hold in Ioseph the mysticall bodie of our Sa­uiour; a body admirably mortall and in­corruptible; a body that suffered rather the graue then death. And will any man now count it such a wonder to see the fetters fall-off from Peter; when they had learned the religion from his Masters winding-sheete, which fell at his feet when hee arose? But if the eye and courage of your faith will ven­ter [Page 47] farther, and see the actiue horrour of a graue, behold Ionas his quicke tombe made a tombe of saluation to him. Three of our dayes hee lay struggling in his new night of amazement, as if he had found an Aegypt in the Whale, and did acknowledge that watry Purgatory. At last the graue by a new in­struction cast-vp the liuing. The Whale was no more a Sepulchre, but a fish; and Ionas no longer a coarse, but a Prophet. Hee had surely died, if hee had not beene buried. And heere was a resurrection, though not a reuiuing; a resurrection from disobedience and the Whale. Thus this rare An'choret and his tombe were both aliue: but the tombe of our Sauiour was as desperate as death. What could be expected from a graue and a carcasse? Yet behold this carcasse reuiue into a man; nay, into a God! And I may rightly say, behold: for he did rise, that wee should behold him; and at that time wherein we might behold him. He rose, when night rises into morning, and at this pregnant season, when winter is quickned into the spring. Now did the day-spring visit vs from the graue. It was on the first day of the [Page 48] Iewes weeke, a weeke well begunne; and is was the first day of the Christian Creation. If you will turne ouer the notes of time, you may beleeue that Pharaoh, as on that day of the yeere, was inuaded by an host of waues, which conquering his Chariots, made him without wheeles hurrie faster vnto Hell; Whiles Moses led his Israel through the Wil­dernesse of the Sea, passing from the sha­dow of death in that monument of waters. Did not our Lord also leaue his tombe with an equall and contrary wonder? Then were the waters made firme, rising into Alpes; as now the earth was made to quake like the waters; And well might it tremble, when the Lord conquered it and forsooke it. The Angell too made a little earth-quake in the graue, when he remoued the mightie stone: with which the vaine few tryed to oppresse our Sauiour after death; as it he would haue sealed him vp, to an impossibilitie of resur­rection. But since the Angell has opened the tombe for vs, shall we goe see the place, whence Christ is risen? And yet wee shall not make such hast, but that the speedy de­uotion of the two Maries will bee there be­fore [Page 49] vs: whose feete were as swift as their loue, and their loue as time; nay, more swift then time, which hindred them by the de­lay and command of their Sabbath. A Sab­bath it was, but only of their bodies, which, whiles our Sauiour lay buried, were but the sepulchres of their soules; their soules, that found no Sabbath, till they found the Lord. They came with prepared spices and oyntments for him, whose diuinitie did pre­uent Balme, and esteemed their pietie of a more precious sweetnesse, then their oynt­ments. But will you see this loue languish into feare, and this feare againe strengthned into joy? They are no sooner in the sepul­chre, but that they find it as empty of our Sa­uiour, as it was full of wonder; and insteed of the body of the Lord they behold the Angell of the Lord sitting vpon the stone, which he had conquered to obedience; as if hee meant to rest himselfe in triumph, after the conflict of his miracle. His rayment was white as snow, which he did imitate in pu­ritie and descent. His countenance was like lightning, or more wonderfull: for, that is of so instant a terrour, that it is the object [Page 50] rather of our memory, then our eye; but this with courteous majestie was patient to be beheld. The women with the dutie of feare beheld it; being quickly encouraged by the angell, but first by their innocence. The souldiers beheld it too, though with such guiltie faintnesse, that they seemed to striue as much to shame their sexe, as their profes­sion: being at once almost disarmed of their weapons and soules. They became as dead men, and were rather the prisoners, then the keepers of the graue. But in the meane time, the angell comforts and instructs the wo­men, who now are his Disciples; and recei­uing commission to preach the resurrection of our Sauiour to the Disciples of our Sa­uiour, they haste out of the Tombe, with the confused expedition of feare and joy. Was not this a strange pilgrimage to runne from the sepulchre of our Lord! But it was yet more strange; they seeke the Disciples, and find Christ. It was a comfortable mi­stake! And indeed hee did comfort them with his presence and speech; When imme­diately they fall on their knees, at his knees, in loue & worship holding him by the feet. [Page 51] O how glorious are the feet of the Lord of the Gospell! The Gospell of whose resur­rection these female Euangelists are againe sent to teach; and the first schollers which they must teach, must be Christ's Disciples. When, to shew their obedience to be as rea­die as their loue, they depart euen from Christ to their dutie; and speedily find Peter and Iohn for their auditours. Heere was zeale and tendernesse; the fiercest and the mildest of the Apostles; as if they had beene left together to temper one another. And these no sooner heare the newes, but straight they runne as fast to the tombe, as the wo­men did runne from it. Iohn came first vn­to it: but Peter went first into it; Loue was swiftest; but zeale boldest. When they are entred, they find Christ's victory acknowled­ged by the linnen clothes, his spoiles of death; and these spoiles too had beene di­uided; the napkin of his head being laid by it selfe. It seemes, the angell at our Sauiour's resurrection attended to bee a witnesse of it to the women, and leaue a witnesse of it to the Disciples. Thus, that he was not stolne away, appeares by the inconuenience and [Page 50] [...] [Page 51] [...] [Page 52] leisure of his vndressing, and by the method of the linnen: which the frightened policie of the souldiers did no more touch, then ob­serue, and they no more obserued it, then did the women: who after the sight of the an­gell, had their eyes as much amazed as their minds. The souldiers too did more tremble then watch: but the Disciples had lesse feare and more time; besides, they learned some­what, which they were not taught; and could now teach the women this newes of the graue. But did hee rise but from the graue? This is the newes but of his bodie; yes, hee did rise also from the damned, who are dead too, as much in judgement as to nature; Though some are as vnwilling to haue Christ descend into Hell, as to goe thither them­selues: and in a dangerous Brachygraphie write the Creed so short, that without the commission of an Index Expurgatorius, they quite leaue out the article of the des­cent. But, what an vnmannerly ingratitude is this, to accept of Christ's benefits, and de­nie his wonders? They will enjoy his con­quest of Hell, and yet they will not let him goe to conquer it. Ought wee not to make [Page 53] greater the glory of Christo and can wee make lesse the power of Christ? Let then our pietie behold and wonder to see Heauen de­scend into Hell! to see againe Gos [...] in Aegypt! The Deuill had beene before in Heauen; and now God is pleased to goe in­to Hell! The arch-angell conquered the Deuill in Heauen; and now God conquers him in his owne Empire, and makes his Empire his Dungeon! Wee ouercome the Deuill by flight; but God by inuasion. Yet who would not stand amazed to see God with the Deuill? Had the Manichie beene now, hee might heere at once haue behold both his Princes Mee thinkes, our Sauiour now turned Sampson's Riddle into a Pro­phesie, which hee expounded and fulfilled. Did not out of the eater come forth meate, and out of the strong came there not sweet­nesse; when from the jawes of Hell by Christ came forth saluation? Now whiles the soule of our Sauiour was triumphant in Hell, his bodie was obedient in the sepul­chre: his diuinitie being as his soule, till it re­called his soule, and made the whole Christ change an age of three and thirtie yeeres in­to [Page 54] eternitie. Loe, heere is the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah, whose almightie strength vouchsafed to couch vnder the power of the graue; and, Loe, the glorious indignation of his loue, has rouzed him vp againe from the sloth of death! Will you behold how hee was raised? behold how the potter workes vpon the wheele: he takes clay; he makes it a vessell; and this vessell being marred in the hand of the potter, he makes it againe, as hee best pleases; Christ was immortall clay, and earth purer then Heauen! When, by the wonder of omnipotency, the Creator and the creature were made into one; and of one matter did consist both the potter and his pot! From this broken clay there did arise the same, and a renewed Christ! That hee rose in the earnest of a body, his owne mouth did testifie, when hee said no­thing; proouing it by the authoritie of food, which he did eate with his Disciples. Could any man in this point be yet an infidell? If any could, see how he conuerts them; Hee lets Thomas disgrace himselfe to a beliefe, and by his distrust mercifully and miracu­lously increase his faith! Can any doubt that [Page 55] hee was renewed in a bodie of glory, when he was full of God? Know you not that his body was indeed the Temple of the Holy Ghost? Was hee not renewed in a body of glory, whom the doores that were shut, when hee entred to his Disciples, did obedi­ently acknowledge to be the King of glory? And though hee were patient vnder death three dayes, yet since the first part of the first was spent before he died, and the last part of the last, after hee reuiued; there was the number, but not the length of three dayes; and thus hee made so short a change seeme rather a sleepe then a death. And, O, but to consider heere, as well the wonder as the change! Doe but imagine, that in the daw­ning birth of the morning, you saw the re­uelation of a graue emulating the morning: a coarse rising with more comfort and glo­ry then the Sunne: a winding-sheet falling away as an empty cloud: the feet and hands striuing which shall first recouer motion; the hands helping to raise the body; the feet hel­ping to beare both the body and the hands: the tongue so eloquent, that it can tell you, it can speake againe: the eares so pure, that [Page 54] [...] [Page 55] [...] [Page 56] they can perceiue the silence of the graue: the eyes looking forth of their Tombes, as if they were glad to see their owne resurrecti­on: Would you not bee as much affrighted, as instructed with this power of a God? Would you not be turned into very coarses, to see this liuing coarse! Would you not be strucke as pale, as the winding-sheet you looked-vpon? But, when all this shall bee done, as well in mercy, as in majestie: as well to raise you to a hope of eternall life, as to strike you with a remēbrance of a temporall death: as well to make you like vnto God, as to make you know you are yet not like vn­him: O, how will you then at such com­passion dissolue with compassion; as if you would hasten to the like resurrection! How will you then kisse those hands, which, before you feared? How will you then with sted­fast eyes examine and adore the resurre­ction of that body, which is the hope and cause of the resurrection of our bodies! For therefore did hee raise himselfe, that hee might raise vs, and so become the first-fruites of them that sleepe. But shall wee rise too? and shall dust againe bee taken-vp, and breathed on? Shall euery [Page 57] man by this second Adam be made as won­derfully, as the first Adam? And yet shall we want faith, when God wants not power? Or, shall we thinke it harder to vnite the bodie and soule, then to make them? It were an impious discourtesie to deny that to God, which God denied not vnto his seruant. Did not the widow of Zarephah, thus receiue a sonne by Elias, who yet was neither the father of it, nor the God? Nay, did not his seruant doe more for the Shunamite, to whom hee promised a sonne before hee was conceiued, and restored him after hee was dead? Nay, did not the bones of this Elisha giue life to one, that was as dead as themselues; teaching him to confesse the mercie of a graue? It is especially an act of the mercie of the liuing God to giue life to the dead: yet by a greater mercie hee makes it an act of his iustice; freely binding him­selfe to admit our boldnesse, not so much to to request as to claime a resurrection? For shall the bodies of the Saints bee more re­membred by their tombs, then by their la­bours? or shall they bee worse oppressed with death, then they were with their tor­ments? [Page 58] or shall their soules with an enuious inequalitie vsurpe and enioy the purchase of their bodies? shall those eyes, whose deuo­tion did still watch or mourne, for euer want respect as much as sight? shall those hands, that haue been free in extending themselues and mercie to the poore, be for euer bound by the ingratitude of death? shall those knees that haue bowed with such willing reue­rence, bee so held downe by the violence of mortalitie, that they shall neuer rise vp a­gaine? Where are then thy teares O Dauid, if thy eyes shall not enioy the happinesse of their owne sorrow? Where are then, O Iob, thy faith and patience, if thy body bee now as much without hope, as it was before without rest? Where are then, O Esay, thy victorious sufferings, if after the ignorant furie of the Saw, and the schisme of thy bo­die, thy bodie suffer a wilder dissociation from thy soule for tedious eternitie? Where are thy trauels then, O Paul, if after thy Christian Geographie, and conquest of Pa­ganisme, thou liest for euer confined to the dull peace of a graue? No; the almightie, which made man with such wisdome of art, [Page 59] wil neither lose his glory, nor his worke; But, as he made his greater heauen for his angels, so made he the lesser and mortall heauen of mans bodie for his soule, and will make it as eternall as his soule. There is more excel­lencie of workmanship in the soule: but more varietie in the bodie. The soule does more truly expresse God: but the bodie more easily. The soule judges best: but the bodie first; and though the eye of the soule does behold the works of God more cleere­ly: yet does the eye of the bodie behold them more properly. Nay, should the bo­die not bee raised to life and heauen, how great a part of heauen and that life would be lost, whiles not enjoyed, and be as vnne­cessary, as it is wonderfull? God hath proui­ded joyes, which the eye hath not seene, nor the eare heard; but, which the eye shall see, and the eare shall heare, and without the pleasure of a traunce, for euer possesse, as much without errour, as without measure. Such honour will the Creatour of our bo­dies doe to the bodies of his Saints; they shall acknowledge corruption, but ouercome it: they may in their journy be the ghests of [Page 60] the graue: but at last they shall bee the inha­bitants of Heauen. Yet the Lord cannot hereafter so much honour humane flesh by raysing it, as hee has already by assuming it. It was before his seruant, but now his com­panion. That was a resurrection of the flesh, when it was raysed vnto God: but the only resurrection of our flesh is, when it is raysed to the soule. At the day of judgement, though there shall be no marriages of sexes, yet there shall be of parts: when soules shall be vnited to bodies in so intire and inexora­ble a matrimony, that it shall admit no hope nor feare of a diuorce. Neither need wee feare, in the jealousie of this match, the ig­noble parentage of the flesh: since what it wants in birth is supplied in dowry; and flesh is now become such refined earth, being made wonderfull in shape and office, that the soule may be thought to be scarce more noble, but that it seemes more reserued, by being inuisible. And yet you may obserue the bodies emulation: which fals before its resurrection, into such atomes of dust, that they are with as much difficulty to be seene as to bee numbred. But, notwithstanding [Page 61] that these principles of earth be thus diuided among themselues, yet are they not diuided against themselues, retayning still though not an appetite, yet an obedience to resur­rection; Nature has not lost this, and God will supply that; and as easily vnite as di­stinguish each dust. To yeild to this truth, is the Creed of the Creed. If therefore any man's faith in the assent to this mysterie, should bee as weake as his reason, hee may helpe both his reason and his faith, by his sense: by which they shall either be conuin­ced, or perswaded. If you will bee but as bold as antiquitie, you may propose vnto your selues the solemne Poetry of the Phoe­nix, a creature rarer then the resurrection, though not as admirable: in whose ashes you may find the fire of life, expecting but to be fanned to the resurrection of a flame; as if this creature by the mystery of death, would by a fire both perish and reuiue! But with­out the courtesie of supposition, you may in earnest behold the Eagle shoot-forth new quils: wherewith may bee written and testified his endeauour of immortality. Thus does God teach nature how to teach vs my­steries; [Page 62] and without the Magicall studie of the language of birds, to vnderstand with­out their voice, their secret instruction. But peraduenture you wil think, that to discerne this truth in the nature of the Eagle, will require a sight as sharpe as the Eagle's; re­mooue then your eye from the foules of the aire, but to the trees wherein they nest; and with a negligent view you may obserue, how after the nakednesse and death of win­ter, they bud afresh into life and beautie. Yet why should we in the sloth of this easie contemplation studie so broad an object? Let our eye with more gratefull industrie confine its prospect to the small seed of corne; and at least take the paines to see the paines of the husbandman. And shall wee not admire at the delightfull arithmetique of nature, to behold a seed, whose hope seemes as small as it selfe, by being cast away, to bee found; by destruction to receiue in­crease; and from the same furrow to haue both a buriall and a birth! Thus then we see that the body is able to shew that it selfe may rise: but now the soule will proue that it must; and with such friendly eloquence [Page 63] helpe its first companion, that by the vnion of loue, it will preuent the resurrection. For, should the soule for euer want the body, should it not want both perfection & won­der? Is not the soule most perfect, when it is most noble? and is it not most noble, when it is most bountifull? and is it not most bountifull, when it giues life to the dead? Is it not likewise most full of wonder, when it is thus perfect in that which is imperfect? when it mixes with corruption, and yet is incorrupt? when it is most burthened, and yet most variously actiue? Thus, by this ne­cessary inclination of the soule, the resur­rection is as naturall in respect of the vnion, as it is aboue nature in respect of the man­ner. But now see the curious zeale of the soule; It will not only haue a body againe, but in a precise societie it will haue only its owne againe. For the preseruing therefore of such numericall identitie, there shall bee wonderfully restored the substantiall vnion, which is but formally distinguished from the parts vnited. There shall be restored the personalitie, and lastly the natiue tempera­ment, which does containe the indiuidua­ting [Page 64] dispositions, whereby such a matter has a pecullar appetite to such a forme. Which matter by vertue of such inclination re­maynes formally the same, though it may be varied by extention; as when the infant shall be raysed into a man, the person shall bee enlarged, but not multiplyed. But the vnruly wit of Philosophie will here demand, how they shall rise with their owne bodies, who when they liued, had not bodies of their owne; being not only fed with the flesh of men, but descending also from pa­rents nourished with the like horrible diet? For, by this wild reckoning, there will bee such a Genealogie of debt, that the bodie of the Nephew must peraduenture be paid to the great Grand-father. To which, some Christians doe reply with as much imperti­nent deuotion, as vnwarrantable subtiltie, without necessity attributing to Gods Om­nipotencie a totall supply of new bodies, which, for the preseruing the numericall i­dentitie, shall bee endowed with the former temperature. But surely we ought to judge it a safer modestie, not to satisfie reason, then to offend Religion. And, since we must rise [Page 65] in our old bodies without all sophistrie, wee may more temperately beleeue, that the di­uine wisdome has decreed and prouided, that there shall neuer be any humane bodie, which shall totally consist of other humane bodies; It being harsh to say, that the same body is raised, when there are only the same reproduced dispositions; and as absurd to affirme, that such dispositions, being the spe­ciall accidents of a former matter, should be transferd vpon another. You see then the sacred eagernesse of the soule; It will nei­ther loose nor change a dust; nor will it on­ly possesse, but also adorne the body. Man­kind shall feele and expresse a youthfull spring: the walking-staffe and the wrinkle shall bee no more the helpe and distinction of age: and death it selfe shall suffer clima­ctericall destruction. O, how the wonder will almost out-act faith, when the infant and the dwarfe shall be made a proper man! When the limbes exhaled with famine, shall bee replenished with as much miracle as flesh! When the child that left its soule, be­fore it left the wombe, shall in an instant without growth, be as bigge as the mother! [Page 66] when sleepe shall bee commanded from the eye-lid, no more by care, but by immorta­litie! which shall chase death out of nature, and with importunate triumph cry-out vn­to the graue, O earth, earth, earth, heare the voice of the Lord! Thy dead men shall liue: with their primitiue bodies shall they arise: awake and sing you that dwell in dust: for your dew is as the dew of herbs; by which blessing you shall bee made as glorious, as fruitfull. And since that fruitfulnesse is the gratitude of nature, let it remember vs as much to acknowledge as enjoy the mercie of that power by which wee rise; And wee may most justly and easily remember by whom wee rise, by remembring him, by whom we fell. Yet, if wee behold the origi­nall of their humanitie, wee shall find, that they were both without sinne, and that the first Adam had his best paradise within himselfe. But when hee was fallen by the weaknesse of the woman, that was made for his helpe; neuer did woman prooue a strong helpe vnto man, before the Virgin-mother of Christ God and man; And then, though the first Adam had eaten vp the ap­ple, [Page 67] the second Adam swallowed vp death. He had before made the poore man take vp the bed of his sicknesse and walke: but hee himselfe was the first, that euer tooke vp the death-bed and walked. Yet some, before our Sauiour, borrowed a phantasticall resurre­ction, as Saul's equiuocall Samuel; and some rose in earnest, but to die againe in earnest; as supererogating Lazarus, that paid to na­ture one death more then he owed. But our Lord is risen with as much perfection as power, and with as much power as loue and glory. The Poeticall Chymiques tell vs of an Alchymisticall man at the earth's center: who by a sphericall diffusion of his vertue, does like a subterraneous Sunne improoue metals to a metamorphosis yet new. Which, as it is bold in the fable, so by a deuout my­thologie may bee made modest in the mo­rall. And this secret workeman shall be our Sauiour, whose vertue was so dispersed into the bowels of graues, that at his resurrecti­on he improued carcasses into Saints: who were the witnesses and attendants of his power. Indeed to aduance the head without the members were so vnnaturall, that it were [Page 66] [...] [Page 67] [...] [Page 68] more like an execution then a preferment: and it were stranger to see a Leader without his souldiers, then without his armes; be­sides, were it fit, that when the master rises, the seruants should lie still? Thus then they were raised; and as much to holinesse, as to life. It was not only a resurrection; but also a consecration. Christ was the first of them that rose, nay, he was the first-fruits of them. Hee had the precedence both in order and vertue. The first-fruits were the first handfull as acceptable as ripe; by a bounti­full mediation obtayning holinesse and en­tertaynment for the rest. And this first offe­ring did commend it selfe vnto the Lord ra­ther by the speed then the quantitie. The Iew offered this at his owne home; and it was as domestique as his thoughts: being a present of eloquent simplicitie, which at the same time did honour and ouercome the Almightie! O, how our Sauiour made this figure solid, when at once he conquered for vs death and heauen! Hee was but the first handfull of corne, and yet as powerfull as small: making all the rest of a like holinesse, though not of an equall. But there were [Page 69] greater first-fruites, which the Iew went to pay at Ierusalem: and as the first were an of­fering of humilitie, so these of pompe: those did more set-forth the thankfulnesse of the labourer, and these the munificence of the Lord. If you will take the word of the Rab­bines (whom in the story of Custome wee haue no more need to suspect, then they had to faigne) when the husbandman carried-vp these fruits to the holy Citie, hee had a Bull went before him; whose hornes were gilded, and an Oliue garland vpon his head. This was the picture of his masters affection and estate; as if by the impetuous beast hee would expresse the courage of his joy: by the gilded hornes the riches of his plentie: and by the Oliue-garland the crowne of his peace. Behold the displayed Heraldry of his happinesse! And that it might bee increased by applause, a pipe played before them, to charge all to take notice of it, vntill they came to the mountaine of the Lord. Shall not these first-fruits be likewise payed at our great Resurrection? shall they not bee brought to the heauenly Ierusalem? shall they not haue Angels goe before them? shall [Page 70] there not bee crownes likewise prouided? and shall they not be vshered with the voice of a trumpet? It was the sound which the Iewes vsed at their brauer Funerals; and may it not then fitly bee vsed, when they shall awake againe from their tombes? Till Christ was risen, those that were buried were dead: but if wee once but name him the first-fruits of them that rise, let vs no more say they were dead, but that they slept. Yet all before the Resurrection shall not sleepe: but some shal insteed of rising be only new-dressed, by being clothed with incorrupti­on; and so haue rather a change of rayment, then of life. They shall not put-off their bo­dies, but their mortalitie; and bee made like Christ both in the truth of the Resurrection, and in the glory. The Eutychian shall then confesse, that the two natures in Christ are not mixt, though joyned; and that his hu­manitie though exalted is not changed. The Vbiquitary shall then see, that Christ's body may be seene: and it shall certainly prooue, that it is not euery-where, by being not in the graue, whence it is risen. The Pythago­rean shall then recouer the possession and [Page 71] acquaintance of his vagabond soule; and the Saducy shall then arise in that body, in which he denied the resurrection of the bo­dy; and with his bodily eyes see the errour of his soule. Since then our Redeemer is as e­ternall in his flesh, as in his God-head: since the souldiers feare acknowledged his resur­rection, which their malice denied: since we must rise both by his authority and exam­ple: let our rising not only follow his, but also imitate it. As then the day of death and the peace of a Sabbath went before the Re­surrection of our Lord: so let the crucifying of our vices, and the quiet contemplation of eternall joyes goe before the glory of the Resurrection. So shall it be vnto vs, as it was vnto our Sauiour, a true Passeouer, who passed thereby from this world vnto the Fa­ther. So shall our hope bee as certaine as our rising: so shall our soules rise as well as our bodies, in that day of wonder; When the last earthquake shall shake-vp death: when the oecumenicall voice of one trumpet shall bee lowd enough to whisper-vp drowsie man­kind: when loose dust shal with the warmth and moysture of bloud bee kneaded into [Page 72] man: when the tribute of dispersed and de­uoured limbes shall bee paid-in from all countries and creatures: when there shall be a Resurrection of disease, of sleepe, of death, of the winding-sheet, of the graue, of rottennesse; all which shall be purified into health, into watchfulnesse, into life, into a robe of glory, into a throne of glory, into immortalitie: when there shall bee a Resur­rection of earth and heauen, which shall be both renewed: when there shall bee a Re­surrection of God himselfe; whose glory, which seemed buried in this world, shall illu­striously arise in the face of heauen & earth: when there shall bee a new Resurrection of our Lord Iesus; who shall no more arise from the graue, but from heauen: when the Iew and hell shall tremble, & those wounds of glory appeare, which are the bloudie seales of our saluation! So raise vs then, O thou Lord of life, vnto holinesse of life, that when these things shall come to passe, wee may not only rise in judgement, but also stand in it; and in these bodies both behold and follow thee into thy Heauen that glori­ous body prepared for the glorified bodies [Page 73] of thy Saints; where thy crucified body sits at the right hand of thy Father: where thy glorious company of Apostles praise thee: where thy goodly fellowship of Prophets prayse thee: where thy noble armie of martyrs praise thee! And with their bodies, O let our bodies find a labour to be learned in Heauen, and let our soules euen there feele a new affliction, that whiles we cannot grieue enough that we cannot prayse thee enough, our increasing gratitude for our bodies resurrection, may be our soule's eternall re­surrection.

[Page 77]FOr man to goe into Heauen, is almost impossible: for God to goe into Hea­uen is impossible. To vnderstand then the wonder of Christ's ascension, we might wish that our soules could but ascend like his bodie: which, whiles it was on the earth, receiued motion from his soule; but when it left the earth, receiued motion from his Di­uinitie; without which, that motion can now bee no more vnderstood, then it could then be performed. The greatest wonder of mans bodie has beene the structure: but the greatest wonder of this bodie is now the motion. The force of mans hand can make earth ascend towards Heauen: but only the power of God can make earth ascend vnto Heauen. Man can raise earth aboue its Spheare: but only God can fixe it aboue its Spheare. This day you may see both these wonders: whiles the bodie is made as won­derfull as the soule: whiles the bodie is made the wonder of the soule; and goes to Hea­uen with as much ease, and with more weight. And indeed Philosophie may seeme to haue come short at least of perfection, if not of truth, whiles it has discouered the ef­fects [Page 78] of its owne ignorance, insteed of the causes of ascension and descension. Which now seeme not to bee the workes of weight and lightnesse, but of sinne and innocence: seeing that a bodie free from sinne has lear­ned to ascend; and spirits loaden with sinne haue sunke themselues from Heauen, to the punishment and center of sinne. And yet in­nocence is rather a preparatiue, then a cause of this wonder: a bodie cannot ascend without it; a bodie cannot ascend by it. It has more power vpon the soule, then vpon the bodie: yet it has not this power vpon the soule. And as the soule cannot ascend by the power of innocence: so neither can the bodie ascend by the power of the soule. The soule can affoord vnto the bodie the motion of progression, but not of ascension: pro­gression being made by the power of the soule, but by the parts of the bodie; and it is a kind of friendly attraction, when one foot inuites the other to a succession of motion, by a succession of precedencie. But the as­cension of the bodie cannot bee performed, but by somewhat that is aboue the bodie; a­boue it, not so much in place, as in power. [Page 79] The bodie can bestow vpon it selfe an equi­uocall ascension, when a part of the foote shall be raised into the stature of the bodie: but this is rather an ascension in the bodie, then of the bodie; Nay, we cannot at all call it an ascension, but by leaue; when the bo­die has by chance an erect situation; all o­ther posture making it descend as much to the name, as to the simplicitie of extension. The foules of the aire also haue their ascen­sion; but it is as well by the aire, as in it; and their cunning wing, which diuides the aire into away, compacts it into a helpe. Thus do they ascend with an easie wonder: it being performed by the power of nature, and ap­prehended by the power of the vnderstan­ding. But for mans bodie to ascend, without the actiuitie of a wing, aboue the actiuitie of a wing, is so strange, that it was strange euen in Christ's bodie; nay, it might haue beene strange to his owne bodie: which had it not beene instructed by his diuinitie, might haue maruail'd at its owne motion; And it did no lesse amaze Heauen then possesse it; making a great part of the Angels thus be­hold earth, without descending to it. And [Page 80] this bodie ascended rather to Heauen, then to God. The Diuinitie was with it, yet did not ascend with it: since it does not change place, but fill all place. His soule did ascend with it; yet did rather effectually change place, then properly: whiles it did only not change that bodie, which did change place. The whole person did ascend: not that the Diuinitie left any place, where the humani­tie had beene; but that it was in euery place, where the humanitie was to be. And this ascension of Christ's bodie was not on­ly farre from the nature, but also against the nature of his bodie: which acknowledg'd the burden and tyrannie of our Elements, till by resurrection it was refined into the li­bertie of a glorified nature, and taught to obey its owne preferment: which, the Diui­nitie so bestowed both vpon bodie & soule; that they were almost not more neere vnto it, then like vnto it. And that they might be more like vnto it, the Diuinitie became vo­luntarily as humble, as the humanitie was naturally; and voluntarily made the huma­nitie as high as the Diuinitie was naturally. Which great worke of the ascension did not [Page 81] only need a Diuinitie to performe it, but also to perswade men, that it could bee perfor­med; the beliefe of the ascension being the next wonder to the ascension. As then God did effect it, so he did teach it: he humbled himselfe to man; hee humbled himselfe in man: making the degrees of his instruction descend by the degrees of mans apprehen­sion. And first he did discouer the possibili­tie of ascension to the Vnderstanding: by which wee doe as truly as Moses, though not as cleerely, see Enoch's ascension; which was not, for ought we know, seene by any eye, but the eye of the vnderstanding: the ascension of his bodie being no more dis­cerned then the ascension of his soule. God tooke him bodie and soule: his bodie being by a holy obedience to his soule made so like his soule; that it did ascend as easily; nay, as soone as his soule. Holinesse, which to other men is a resurrection of the soule, was to him a resurrection also of the bodie: which was refined without the deli­berate corruption of a graue; It was refined sooner then it could be corrupted; It knew no graue but sinne: from which it did as­cend, [Page 80] [...] [Page 81] [...] [Page 82] as it did ascend from its owne morta­litie: but his soule did first by righteousnesse ascend in his bodie before it did ascend with his bodie. God tooke him to himselfe; lea­uing his storie to posteritie and faith: as if he would teach the world by this inferiour proportion, that ascension should be an ob­ject of faith. The next apprehensiue facultie in man, to which God descended to teach it the possibilitie of ascension, was the Phan­tasie. Thus Iacob saw the angels goe vp to Heauen: though this was an ascension but by the helpe of a ladder; and that helpe, like that ascension, but in a dreame; and the bo­dies which ascended were but like a dreame, hauing no more substance, then a dreame. But Saint Paul did by the phantasie not see the ascension of another; but enjoy one him­selfe; and to that degree of truth, that hee doubted whether his bodie did not as much possesse Heauen, as the Vision possessed his bodie. At last the diuine instruction taught the ascension to the Sense: it taught the as­cension of the bodie to the bodie. Thus did Elisha see Eliah ascend: he saw him ascend like the fire in which he did ascend; in which [Page 83] he did ascend, till he ascended aboue it. Hee saw the state of his ascension in a Chariot; he saw the speed of his ascension in his hor­ses; he saw and he heard the whirle-wind in which Eliah suffered a triumph and rapture of his bodie; as other Prophets had suffered a rapture only of their soules. Nay, Elisha's touch too did apprehend the ascension; whiles it tooke vp the mantle that did as­cend; for the mantle too had an ascension, though not to Heauen, yet toward Heauen, and to the working of miracles. But all Eli­sha was but a witnesse of this ascension; whiles God tooke-vp Eliah, and left the Prophet with Elisha: whom he clothed not so much with the mantle, as with Eliah! But if you would heare of one, that had gone to­ward Heauen and come downe againe, as if he would be a witnesse of his owne ascensi­on, you may remēber Abacuc; with whose story wee may bee satisfied, as much as Da­niel was with his prouision; Whom yet if carefully we will obserue, we shall perceiue him cast into the Lions denne so late in the euening, and deliuered thence so early in the morning, that there will bee no more [Page 84] need, then there was time for the ascension of Abacuc, and the miracle of the dinner; Nay, had it come, it would haue beene as great a miracle, to haue kept the Lions from the food, as to haue kept them from Daniel; And had Abacuc liued till Daniel's impri­sonment, he would indeed haue had need to bee carried, though his journie had beene farre shorter, then from Iury to Babylon. Thus did death make this Prophet preuent this ascension of his bodie, by an ascension of his soule. But Simon Magus did ascend in earnest: nay, and hee prooued it too, by descending in earnest. Only it was an vnto­ward ascension: he did ascend by the power of the Deuill; but hee descended by the power of God; he descended to that power, by which he ascended. Now as this Sorcerer was made to descend by the prayers of Saint Peter: so Saint Thomas of Aquine (as some haue told vs) ascended by his owne prayers; hee ascended without presumption a foot or two. Which petty ascension may serue for a mannerly miracle; if the Saint-maker's eyes were not as dimme as his deuotion; and by an apocope of that Saint's bodie, mistooke [Page 85] not his knees for his feete, vpon which per­aduenture hee stood praying; and the mi­stake was as easie as the miracle. But wee haue heard of some Dead bodies that haue ascended; thus some haue buried Moses in Heauen, striuing to make his tombe as fa­mous as his holinesse; and belike lest the Deuill should haue made his body an Idoll, they sent it to his soule to make-vp a Saint. And some haue sent the bodie of the blessed Virgin thither, with much reuerence and opinion, though as farre from vse as from cer­taintie. And some haue giuen two or three little ascensions to her Temple: which is plea­sed as yet to be honoured at Loretto; which is pleased as yet to honour Loretto, & make that place ascend aboue other places, by not ascending from that place. Nay, the Turkes too boast of an ascension, not of a temple, but of their Mahomet; though had this beene, it had beene an ascension without a resurrection; an ascension not so much of his carcasse, as of his coffin: which being of iron has beene reported to ascend to the roofe of his temple, or rather to the secret vertue of many Load-stones fixt with as [Page 86] much secrecie in the roofe of his temple. Yet euen this ascension also will proue to be the worke rather of Poets, then of Load-stones. Which can indeed make iron as­cend, nay, make other Load-stones ascend from the cōmon center; though they them­selues, if not violently sustained, doe natu­rally descend and acknowledge the com­mon center. Yet since without respect one to another, each does attract with an abso­lute intention; and since the application in such attraction is most aptly made from some point in the stone to some point in the iron: the defect of such forme in the iron, and the number of the stones, which was inuented to helpe the inuention, does with the honestie of Philosophie quite betray it; since the iron by a confused command of its dutie, could not apply it selfe to any one, and therefore not to any. And thus you see that Mahomets presumptuous sinnes did ascend higher, then his bodie, or then the inuention of his idolaters. But if we would see a low ascension, and yet a wondrous one, we may behold our Sauiour's walking vpon the wa­ter: [Page 87] which was an ascension in respect of na­ture, though not of our Sauiours person: it was an ascension of his power, though not of his person: nay, it was an ascension of his person, because it should naturally haue beene a descension of his person. And least wee might thinke that this ascension could only bee effected in Christ's person, as it could be effected only by his power, he did effect it in Peters person; And though he nee­ded Christ's hand, as much as his inuitation, yet was it his vnbeliefe that was heauier, then his bodie. But Christ's bodie was at last to ascend aboue all the elements, except so much of them as composed his bodie: which ascended to immortalitie fortie dayes soo­ner, then it ascended to Heauen; and now as much required to be placed aboue the place of our bodies, as it was aboue the condition of them. When therefore he was to ascend, he led his Disciples out of Ierusalem; it was the first degree of his ascension to separate himselfe from the trouble of the Citie; to se­parate himselfe from the impiety of that Ci­tie: whose malice, whiles it was increased in procuring his death, was admirably delu­ded [Page 88] in procuring his ascension. Hee led: his Disciples vnto Mount Oliuet; a place from whence his prayers had often ascended, as now his person. It was not farre from Betha­nie, a Village not great (it seemes) either in people or sinnes; and so peraduenture as neere to the benefit of the ascension, as to the ascension. And being now to goe vp to to the Kingdome of God, he discourseth to his Disciples of the Kingdome of God; as if their eare should prepare their eye; whiles he himselfe will make himselfe the illustrati­on and proofe of his owne doctrine. Yet to shew the truth of his loue, as much as the truth of his words, first be lifts-vp his hands, at which they lift-vp their eyes and hearts; and then hee lift-vp his voice and blesses them. See, with what kind preuention hee supplyes his future absence by his present blessing; hee makes his blessing the Deputie of his person: which whiles they behold with eyes as earnestly fixt by loue, as they could be by death, behold hee ascends, and they lose the sight of him, sooner by a cloud, then by distance. Which shortnesse of the the pleasure of their sight was happily sup­plied [Page 89] before, by the intention of their sight. His bodie was but a cloud to his Diuinitie; and now his body ascends in a cloud: which did as eminently shew his power, as it con­cealed his person. A cloud full of God is the Chariot of his triumph; and the cur­taines of his Chariot are the wings of Che­rubins! Lift vp your heads, O yee gates, and bee yee lift vp, yee euerlasting doores, and the King of glory shall come in. But whiles the Apostles stedfastly gaze after him, as if they would turne their eyes into Perspe­ctiues, or attend him as farre with their sight as with their desire; behold their passion is not satisfied, but changed; and heard by them, to saue them the labour of gazing, they behold insteed of one Christ two Angels; and their white apparell insteed of a cloud; though their number was not so much for a supply of Christ, who was gone into Hea­uen, as for a more ful securitie of his returne from Heauen. The expectation whereof, if any shall thinke tedious, they may ascend af­ter him, & peraduenture before his returne; not by seeking the impression of his foot­steps on Mount Oliuet, but by finding the [Page 90] ready way in his precepts: by which wee may ascend to the vnderstanding of his ascension: by which wee may ascend to the height of his ascension. Which was aboue all the Heauens, that eyther Philosophers or the Starres had beene ac­quainted with; nay, into that Heauen, of which Copernicus might without errour haue said, that it stands still; the Heauen in which the Saints rest like the Heauen; the Heauen in which Christ rest's like the Saints. And yet you shall not only see his ascension into this Heauen, but you shall see also his ascension in this Heauen; that was the ascension of his person, but this of his glory. Enoch and Eliah ascended to this Heauen: but you shall see Christ Iesus in this Heauen ascend to the right hand of God! Behold this day the humanitie made the favourite of the Diuinitie! Behold Christ on the right hand of God! O what a specta­cle would this haue beene for Herod and Pi­late! they would haue cryed out that their worst Hell had beene from Heauen; and to haue scaped the horrour of this sight, they would haue chosen vtter darknesse! But be­hold Christ on the right hand of God! In [Page 91] whose right hand are pleasures for euer­more! And yet can wee behold those plea­sures, which no eye hath seene? Nay, can we behold the hand in which those pleasures are? Nay, can the hand be found, that wee might behold it? Shall vvee dresse the Al­mightie with shape? and by an idolatrous gratitude bestow the figure vpon God, which hee has bestowed vpon vs? Shall we giue hands to him, that were not able to giue them to our selues? No, wee giue not hands vnto him: but he giues them to him­selfe; yet hee giues them not for himselfe, but for vs; not to assist himselfe, but in­struct vs. He makes vs vnderstand his grea­test fauours, by his lesse fauours; and so by this happinesse in their vse, makes his lesse fauours greater. He teaches vs the parts of Christs triumph by the parts of our bodie: and makes it as easie in some measure to di­stinguish betweene the glory of Christ and of the Angels, as betweene our right hand and our left; as betweene Gods right hand and ours; nay, to judge of Gods right hand by ours. In the right hand of man is his strength: and the Almighty calls his owne strength his right hand. The right hand of [Page 92] man, nay, euery right side limbe of man is by situation and power of that prioritie by nature, that as if God had shewed the sa­cred vnion and distinction of sexes in the same body, our left limbes are but female limbes; and so our left hand may be a helpe vnto our right: but our right is a defence vn­to our left. And this courteous purpose of nature, as it is alwayes promoted by exer­cise: so was it more singularly by wit and courage in those Amazonian warriers; who conueighed their right pappe into their arme, bringing-vp that, as the heire of their strength, and prouiding victory for its inhe­ritance. And yet these were not monsters, but wonders; whiles they had not two right armes, but a double one. But nature it selfe without this supportment of vse and art, has built the right arme vpon the foundation of a greater bone, then the left: that if these bones were brought to the justice of the balance, wee should with no lesse admirati­on then truth confesse the right to exceed the left in weight and mystrie. And as Na­ture has thus honoured our right hand, so likewise has Custome. It is the hand where­with [Page 93] wee command, as if it claimed to her the scepter of reason, and would expresse as well the majestie as the purpose of the will. It is the hand wherewith wee direct, with courtesie in part performing our owne com­mand, whiles with skill we teach it. It is the hand wherewith we promise, in which forme of couenant the hands of men we so firme­ly vnited, to professe the intended vnion of their word and deed. It is the hand where­with we blesse, wishing the strength of our hand to be the Embleme of our blessing. It is the hand wherewith we defend, and which by the artificiall mercy of protection, we can bestow vpon another, and yet nere part from it. It is the hand wherewith we honour, as if he whom wee place at our right hand▪ were as deare vnto vs as our right hand▪ Thus our right hand implies all that we can giue: but does Gods right hand imply all that hee can giue? Heere let vs with reue­rent comparison and delight behold God and Christ, Christ with God, at the right hand of God; the neerenesse presenting them both to the same view; the neere­nesse expounding them both by the same [Page 94] view. It is supreame glorie with God to haue equall glory of Diuinitie with God; And Christ had this, the supreame part of Christ, his Diuinitie: which since it did from eternitie enjoy such equalitie, this is rather to bee the right hand of God, then to be at the right hand of God: to be at the right hand of God, being a triumph which Christ could not receiue before his hyposta­ticall vnion; a triumph, which hee did not receiue till after his ascension. Leauing then only vnto wonder, such wonders of his right hand, we may only behold the pleasures (though they are wonders too) the pleasures in that hand; and not without pleasure con­sider the difference betwixt his hand and ours: since ours venters to be but the Gyp­sie-prophet of our owne successe; but his right hand of truth and bountie, does by a Catholike and vnfeigned Palmistrie, shew the blessings prouided for other men! And O how admirable are the blessings of the man Christ Iesus! Blessings that more en­compasse him then the cloud hee ascended in! Blessings as ineffable, as his generation! Blessings as immense, as his loue! Blessings as inseparable, as his Diuinitie! Blessings as [Page 95] exquisite, as his torments! O how are those hands, those feet, that side, which vnder­stood the point of the naile, & of the speare, and of the Iew, made now as impenetrable, as the hearts that prepared them; made now as glorious as the patience that admitted them! The face, which receiued spittle as vile almost as the mouth that sent it, how does it now shine like the Sun in his strength, that now for the brightnesse of it, the soul­diers could not see how to spit vpon it! The head, which did no more desire a crowne, then a crowne of thornes ought to bee desi­red, how is it now crowned with the merit of that bloud, which the thornes did shed! with the mercy of that bloud, which was readie to forgiue those that shedde it! The soule, which was so intentiue to its owne sorrowes, that it almost forgot to animate the bodie, for which also it in part did sor­row; how is it now delighted as much with the societie of the soules, whom it has deliuered, as with its owne righteousnesse, by which it deliuer'd them! O happy Saints, who in peace behold our Sauiour in his tri­umph of peace! A triumph attended by the [Page 96] peacefull Melchizedeck: who now insteed of blessing Abram, does with Abram blesse the God of Abram; and insteed of presen­ting Bread and Wine, the blessings of peace, presents himselfe a King and Priest of peace! A triumph attended by the peacefull Solo­mon: from which seed of Dauid God would not take away his blessings for euer; nay, in his mercy hee has for euer giuen him more blessings, then hee had women and children; and has now requited his Temple with a Temple; which more exceeds Solomons in wonder, then his exceeded Gods in the lei­sure of the building; his being the worke & study of seuen yeeres, but Gods being the work but of a day; nay, but of the first instant of Gods first day; a day when yet there was no Sunne wherewith to measure a day; a day when yet there was no man, for whom to measure a day! A triumph attended by the peacefull Ezechias: who now is in a Temple safer from Sennacherib, then Sennacherib was in his owne temple from his owne chil­dren; who now is at more rest, then the Sun was in his Diall; in which though it went not forward, yet it stood not still; and now [Page 97] his repreeue from death for fifteene yeeres is liberally improued into eternity! A triumph attended by the peacefull Iosiah: who in­steed of celebrating his solemne Passeouer, does now feast with the true Lambe him­selfe; and though that peacefull Iosiah did not end in peace, yet by that end he now en­joyes a peace; a peace as harmelesse as that Lambe, with which he enjoyes it! A triumph now attended also by our peacefull Iames: who so loued peace, that hee lost his owne, whiles he studied ours; who so loued peace, that excepting the combates of each Chri­stian with himselfe, hee would not haue had the Church to bee Militant heere on Earth; making it almost Triumphant heere on Earth; who loued peace, as much as the Priest ought to doe; nay, who loued peace as much as he loued his Priest! And now hee is ascended thither, where only is to bee found a peace equall to his loue of peace; and now without going to Spaine, wee can find a Saint Iames, Saint Iames of Britaine, Defender of the Faith and the Cleargie! O happy Saints, who doe in peace attend our Sauiour in his triumph of peace! [Page 98] And O the happinesse of holy Stephen! whose eie was as full of wonder, as his soule of grace; and did so stedfastly looke vp into Heauen, as if his eye had imitated the con­stancie of his soule. And hee beheld with that zeale of looke, the sonne of man in his triumph of zeale: which was so raised a­gainst Stephens persecutors, that he stood-vp at the right hand of God; as if for his ser­uants sake, had it beene possible, hee would haue ventured againe among the Iewes; his loue making him readie to forsake his glory, rather then his Saint! Whom yet he deliue­red from their crueltie, whiles hee seemed not to deliuer him. Hee deliuered him from their crueltie by their crueltie; and by the speed of death, rescued him into Heauen; whiles he was as constant in his prayer, as in his death. And it seemes his prayer was heard for Saint Paul: whose first zeale did not more delight in Saint Stephens persecu­tion, then his second zeale delighted in Saint Stephens zeale; and now with joy both doe attend vpon our Sauiour in his triumph of zeale! And O the happinesse of diuine Iohn! who heere on earth had the honour to see [Page 99] our Sauiour in Heauen in his triumph of honour! And he saw the Elders fall downe before the Lambe, imitating the humilitie of the Lambe; and by the imitation presen­ting vnto him the remembrance of his owne humilitie; and they triumphed more in their dutie, then in their age; and by fruit­full gratitude, gaue honour to themselues, whiles they gaue it to the honorable sonne of God! And now Saint Iohn is become a part of that wonder, which hee wondred at: whiles by his owne ascension hee increases the number and triumph of those Elders; hauing put off his own bodie, that he might bee neerer to our Sauiours bodie. O happie Saints, who are neere the right hand of God, whiles they are neere him who is at the right hand of God! whose dwelling seate is at the right hand of God; a seate which the malice of the Iew cannot reach vnto; nay, which the prayer of the Iew cannot reach vnto! Whose judgement-seate is at the right hand of God; nay, the judgement-seates of his Saints are at the right hand of God: for they also with him shall judge the twelue Tribes of Israel. Yet marke the pre­rogatiue [Page 100] of our Sauiour: they shall with him judge the world, but only he shall saue it! And againe, marke the prerogatiue of our Sauiour: by which hee is as wonderfully di­stinguished from them, as hee is by his loue vnited to them. As then you haue beheld the ascension of his glory, so in this ascensi­on now behold a jealous ascension, an in­communicable ascension of his power; An­gels and authorities and powers being made subject vnto him! The glory of a Prince is in the multitude of his people: the great­nesse of a Prince in the power of his people; but the greatest power of God is in himselfe; yet hee communicates a great power vnto his angels. To know the number of whose angels, is as much beyond our abilitie, as beyond our vse; and it is enough glory vn­to God, that wee know their number to bee so great, that we cannot know it. To know the power of the angels is as easie as to know our owne weaknesse: of which, our bodies are able to instruct our soules. But to define the Orders of the angels, is not an act of man's knowledge, though it has beene of phansie; but like some to build the an­gels [Page 101] nine-storie-high, were such a piece of architecture, that Virtuoius himselfe would haue thought it to haue no more art in it, then safetie: and hee would haue beene as much confounded with wonder, as the buil­ding would bee with its owne height! Be­sides it would exceed the tower and vanitie of Babylon: the foundation of this angeli­call Tower being higher then the top of that. Yet that of Babylon would in one re­spect exceed this; since that had a stronger foundation, though not a wiser. But perad­uenture these Dionysian builders layd their foundation vpon a Dreame, and tooke their imitation from Iacobs Ladder: vpon which because Iacob did behold angels, they haue by finer workmanship rea [...]ed a Ladder of angels; And that the inuention might seeme new by the seene, as his ascent reacht vnto Heauen, so these are made to reach vnto God. Whose wisedome has indeed distin­guished his angels, but rather by their im­ployment then their nature: as he has distin­guished the soules of men, not by their of­fence, but their endowments. Thus some of [Page 102] his Angels are Seraphins: whose loue is as hote as fire; whose loue is as pure as fire. Some are Cherubins: the intuitiue expedi­tion and extent of whose knowledge may be named and figured by a wing. Some are thrones: who are safe from the feare of Gods judgements, whiles they are made the seats of his judgements, the ministers from whom his judgements are sent forth. You may des­cend to dominions, principalities and au­thorities: but this middle Region of the an­gels is so full of clouds, that we can only see the clouds, through which wee cannot see. You may descend yet lower, to Powers, arch-angels and angels: and yet thus neere we shall be troubled with mists, that we can scarce see our hand, wherewith to point-out the differences. Besides, the Almightie can as easily appoint the change of their offices, as their offices; and by the weight of his message promote an angell into an arch­angell; or hee can send the same angell to Balaam and to his Asse; or hee cannot only change their offices, but also mixe them; ma­king the same angell that killed the first-borne [Page 103] of the Aegyptian, preserue the Israe­lite to confesse the distinction. And because this distinction is rather the cause of thanke­fulnesse, then the effect of curiositie, let vs more consider their strength, then their Heraldrie; yet rejoyce more in their obe­dience then in their strength; they being all made subject to our Sauiour; all, whether they are angels of authoritie to declare his pleasure, or angels of power to execute his pleasure. And it is his pleasure that as they are subject to him, so they shall bee subject for vs. It was for vs that he sent two angels to be a witnesse and an effect of his ascension. It was an angell deliuered Peter from the pri­son, and kept him safer then the jailou [...] could. It was an angell deliuered Paul from the wrath of the tempest, which was not so obedient to the angell, as the angell was to Paul. And when at the last Day the trumpet shall found, the angels shall make as much speed as the voice of the trumpet, and bee as officiously obedient as the bones of the dead: which they shall raise and attend, at that last ascension. And then shall they waite [Page 104] for euer after, rather vpon the person then the message of their Prince Christ Iesus; of our Prince Christ Iesus. Who is ascended to rayse vs to an ascension of Faith; by which, it being of things not seene, wee doe not only honour the person in whom wee trust, but modestly oblige him; And thus the skilfull mercie of our Sauiour vouchsafes to make himselfe beholding to vs, by his owne work, for his owne worke, for our faith in his ab­sence; rather then to make vs beholding vn­to him for our delight in his presence. Hee ascended therefore to rayse vs likewise to an ascension of Hope: which has obserued his loue to bee so vnited to his power in his as­sumption of our nature vnto his nature: that by the great act of his ascension, it like­wise expects the assumption of our persons vnto his person. Hee ascended likewise to rayse vs to an ascension of Loue: which be­ing like fire ought to ascend: and being pu­rer then the fire ought to ascend aboue the fire; and since the fire can ascend to Hea­uen, loue ought to exceed it, and ascend in­to Heauen. Into which holy place our high [Page 105] Priest is entred, not so much to begge par­don as to giue it; and by his entring into this holy place, that he might make the cer­taintie of our peace equall to the mysterie of it, he has prooued our Priest to be equall to our God. Hee had before made man but little lesse then the angels: but now the man Christ Iesus is aboue all the angels: to whom Enoch's ascension was newes, but this a­mazement! And as it was their singular wonder, so let it be our singular joy. And in­deed we may well rejoyce, when by ascensi­on we shall bee purged from the melancho­ly of our humanitie: when our faith shall be happily lost into sight: when wee shall bee past hope, not by despaire, but by posses­sion: when we shall be more transported by loue, then by angels: when we shall bee no longer their charge, but their company: when God shall so delight in vs, that if wee could sinne, we should be proud, that hee so delighted in vs: when we shall so delight in God, that if there could bee sorrow in that delight, we should bee sorrie, that wee had not alwayes delighted in him; and the eter­nitie [Page 106] of this delight, shall be an ascension of this delight. O happy and full Vision, when Iacob shall not dreame that hee sees angels goe vp to Heauen, but shall goe thither him­selfe; and now adore the angell, whom once he wrestled with: and as he then would not part from him, till he had a blessing, so now he neuer shall part from him, because he has this blessing! O happy and full vision, when Moses shall see the face of God and liue; nay, when he shall liue, because hee sees the face of God! when Moses his face shall shine so bright, that now it would shine through his veile; and yet his righteousnesse shall bee more glorious then his counte­nance! when now hee shall not need to goe to the top of Mount Nebo, to see the land of promise; but on the top of this holy hill, en­joy the true land of promise, and the God that promised it! O happy and full Vision, when Simeon shall with more joy bee taken vp into Heauen, then he tooke-vp the child Iesus into his armes; and shall find himselfe more increased in joy, then the child his Sa­uiour increased in stature; when hee shall [Page 107] see his Sauiour honoured at the right hand of God, who once vouchsafed to honour Simeons armes! O happy and full Vision, when Peter shall see himselfe as much trans­figured as Christ; when Peter shall see Christ more then transfigured; and now shall with delight behold our Sauiours face, when be­fore for feare he fell vpon his owne! O hap­py and full Vision, when Paul shall so see Christs bodie in Heauen, that he shall know himselfe to bee there in bodie! when Iohn shall no more need to see the new Ierusalem come downe from Heauen, but shall goe-vp vnto it! Vnto which, O thou Lambe of God, grant that by the imitatiō of thy innocēce, we may ascend: that we may ascend to that Ieru­salem, by thy light, who art the light of that Ierusalem that the sight of thy triumph may bee our triumph: that our petitions may now so ascend, that they may make way for the ascension of our soules and bodies: that with thy Cherubins and Seraphins continu­ally wee may cry, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabbaoth; who doest now with vic­torie rest from thy passion; And though wee [Page 108] cannot hope, for the glory of thy right hand, vouchsafe vs the protection! Heare thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, and haue mercie! For thou only art holy, thou only art the Lord, thou only O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father! Heare O thou that sittest at the right hand of God, and haue mercy! And let thy mercy make our ascension a witnesse and part of the glory of thy ascension.