THere was a mariage made in Cana of Galile, Iohn. 2. and the Mo­ther of Iesus was there, & Ie­sus also was called and his Disciples to the mariage, where eyther in respect of the miracle wrought in turning water into wine, or by especiall inspiration, an inuisible conuersion of a married man in­to a vowed Maiden, Saint Iohn began to follow Christ, forsaking his Spouse, and deuote himselfe wholly to his loue and seruice.

He was then priuately taught by the Holy Ghost, that which was afterward publiquely prea­ched by Saint Paul, 1. Cor. 7. he that is with­out a wife is carefull for the thinges which pertaine to our Lord: but he which is with a wife is carefull for the thinges which pertaine to the [Page 2]world, how hee may please his wife, and he is deuided.

Yet that we should vnderstand howe lawfull and Honourable a state mariage is, not onely Christ, but his Mother also, and his Disci­ples were present, that such as comming after condemned it as a thing deuised by the deuil, shuld by this act of his be more easilie suppressed.

They eate, they drinke, they are merrie and spend their time pleasantly & no man wondereth: Math. 9. for neither can the Children of the Spouse, so long as hee is with thē mourne, nor as yet the day is come wherein his absence shall cause them to fast, neuerthelesse they haue some want of wine.

But how hapneth it sweet Lord that where thou wert, there was want? Can hee which Prou. 8. findeth thee, findeth life, and yet want [Page 3]such thinges as are necessarie for the maintenance of his life? or canst thou bee present and suffer that there should he want? In Math. 15. desartes thou canst finde enough to satisfie thousandes, here are but few at this mariage, and yet there is great want.

True it is that the wine failed, but the guests fainted not: there was want but they felt it not: be­cause that Christ was present to supply their want. If they would haue drunke water, there could not haue bin any want, for there was Cantic. 4 a Well standing by them full of waters of life: but they desired wine Ephe. 5 in which is lust, & therefore although that Christ were present they had what to want: yea therefore they wan­ted wine, because that hee was present.

But since that at the solemni­zing [Page 4]of mariages, nothing is more intended than mirth, Psa. 103. & mirth is most procured by wine, no wō ­der if here be complaint of want, since that they haue no wine.

O Iohn! what did you when you inuited Christ vnto your ma­riage and his mother? you promi­sed them a feast, & were not able to giue them to drinke. Thirst af­flicteth him more than hunger, & his Mother telleth him there is no wine. Iohn. 4. So hee sate panting on the side of the Well, saying: VVoman giue me to drinke. Iohn. 19. So he hung fainting on the wood of the Crosse crying out I thirst, and what neede soeuer now hee shoulde haue had there is no wine.

But (O most louing LORD) who is able to feaste thee with­out thee? If thou make not the Feaste thy selfe to which thou [Page 5]wert bidden, thou shalt haue but simple entertainment: But pardon this boldnesse of thy Dis­ciple, whose hart his loue to thee and to thy Mother did so occu­pie that hee minded not his ma­riage, and hauing himselfe wher­on to feede and quench his thirst, hee attended not to satisfie others appetites. Hee had drunke wine with milke, for hee was as yet a little one: hee had harkned vnto thy voice, and followed thyne aduice. Cantic. 5 Eate my friendes and drinke and bee ouercome my dearest beloued: Yet did hee so follow thy counsell in this, that hee forgat not thine admonition giuen at an other time, Isai. 29. be drunk but not with wine, be moooued and not with drunkennes, for behold thy Mother sayth, they haue no wine. Iohn. 2.

O Mary! what neede is there [Page 6]of any wine? are not thy breastes better than wine? If wine be desi­red for the excellencie of the co­lour, and beautie thereof, Canti. 4. thy breastes are fayrer than anie wine. If wine be wished for the plesant odour it hath Cant. 1. the sent of thy breastes is more fragrant than the most precious & costly Oyntments. If wine be thirsted after for anye strength it giueth to them which drinke it, Cant. 1. thy breastes are better thā any wine: which gaue strength not to man onely, but vnto God himselfe, and who so knowing whome thy breastes haue nouri­shed, should seeke to fill them­selues with wine, they are vnwor­thy to bee beholding vnto him, which longed so much to enioy the pleasure of them, that being a most mighty King, hee became in manner a begger, and hauing gi­uen to euery thing their beeing, [Page 7] Phil. 2. made himselfe almost nothing, feeling neyther want of wine, nor of any thing else, when hee founde himselfe sucking at them, yet findest thou a want because there is no wine.

O Mary! why doest thou de­sire that there should bee more wine? Knowest thou not that when that vine is ripe and readie to be gathered, which saide of it selfe. Ioan. 15. I am the true vine, thy sor­rowes wil expres them, of which also thine exceeding great woe wil threaten an end, Luke, 2. & a sword of griefe shall pierce thy soule, and commest thou to thy son to com­plaine that there is want of wine? What hast (Mother of pitty) what hast of thy son his death? he is on­ly the vine of which wee must hope for wine, after which wee shall neuer thirst againe: where­fore in demaunding a full supplie [Page 8]of wine, what askest thou els but thy sonne his death?

Was it agreed vppon betwixt thee and Iohn, that if thy Sonne would die thou shouldest adopt Iohn to thy sonne, and therefore commest in such haste to thyne owne sonne, saying, they haue no wine?

Surelye thou gauest heere a pledge of more Motherlie loue to Iohn than to thine own sonne, and Iohn. 19. at thy sonne his death wee see that Iohn became thy Sonne, what reason els had thy sonne to giue thee so shorte an answere, as to say: Iohn. 2. VVoman what haue I to doe with thee? Why did hee not call thee Mother, but that thy speech did bewray thy desire to chaunge thy sonne?

If thy Mother (most sweete Lord) had any such vnnaturall meaning toward thee, that loue [Page 9]aboue nature which made thee intend an act so much vnworthy thy person, made her also forget her selfe: Loth I dare boldly say she was to part with thee, but her excessiue charitie preferred a cō ­mon profit, before her priuate comfort, and Luk. 2. shee remembred when shee lost the last, in three dayes she found thee againe, and in hope of like good hap shee is the more willing to parte with thee, and because thy selfe hast so appointed it.

If none had loued Iohn but Mary, some cause might haue bin demanded of that loue, but since that hee was the Disciple whose name was to be Iohn. 21. whom Iesus lo­ued, what wonder sweet Lord if thy Mother loued him? it is a mo­tiue good and sufficient, able to a­bide any triall.

Againe if likenes causeth loue, [Page 10]great reason had shee to make ac­count of Iohn: Shee loued thee who wert Iohn. 1. a God, a Man, Math. 1. her Son. What shall we say of Iohn? If we say he was a man, wee say that which wee say of many: If we say he was a God, we shall say that which we say of few but vp­on thine owne warrant: who af­ter thou haddest asked of thine Apostles what mē did say of thee, did dest then demaund of them Mat. 16. but what say yee of mee? as who would say they were no men but Gods? but if we say of Iohn that he is Maries son, we shall say that of him, which we cannot say of a­ny els but thee, and in this respect thy Mother thought shee might iustly loue him aboue all crea­tures next vnto thee: where­fore seeing him abashed for the want of wine at his mariage, and knowing thee to bee as willing to [Page 11]doe what shee would haue thee doe, being her son, as able to per­forme what shee could wish, be­cause thou wert also God, shee said vnto thee, they haue no wine.

O Mary! where diddest thou first become so cunning a beggar? thou diddest earnestly desire that there should be more wine, and why diddest thou not demaund it? If thy loue were such vnto thy Cosen as he did deserue, or thy compassion for the want so great as it seemed, why didst thou not demaund some wine? If thy con­fidence in thy son were such as it might haue beene, or if thy sonne his obedience to thee were such as Luk. 2. it is said to haue bin, why did­dest thou not commaund some wine?

O paterne of humilitie! O ex­ample of rare vertue! thou wert contented rather to expect som­what [Page]what that thy sonne would, then to giue the aduenture to bee de­nayed, what he should not think meet at that time to be graunted, and therefore wouldest goe no farther than to shewe their want, and saidst: They haue no wine.

Iohn. 2. And Iesus saith vnto her, woman what haue I to doe with thee?

O most sweete Lord what an­swere is this? she is thy Mother, & sayest thou vnto her, what haue I to doe with thee? Was it thy cu­stome Mark. 10. by whome wee are com­manded to honour our Parents, to giue thy Mother such sharpe answers? wee haue not heard of much communication betwixt thee and her, and yet that little which hath bin, hath bin very bit­ter.

When thou wert lost in the Temple, she asked thee after that [Page 13]she found thee: Luke. 2. Sonne why hast thou so done vnto vs, thy father and I sorrowing did seeke thee, & thou gauest her this anuswere: why sought yee me?

Math. 12. Againe beeing told that thy mother and brethren were with­out seeking thee, thou didst aske, who was thy Mother & thy bre­thren, adding moreouer, that who so should doe the will of thy Father which is in Heauen, hee was thy brother, thy sister, and thy mother.

But what encouragement was this to those which heard thee, to doe the will of thy Father, when they see the little reckoning thou madest of her which was thy mother, and of thy bretheren that they were vnworthy eyther to come into thee, or that thou shouldest goe forth to them?

At thy death also diddest thou not after a sort denay thy Mother when thou saidst vnto her & her company, Luke. 23. VVeepe not on me, but weepe on your selues, and on your Children: If thou diddest take her to be thy Mother, how could she weepe on her Children, and not weepe on thee?

Surely O Lord these speeches were very straunge, considering what a dutifull sonne thou wert said to be, but aboue all, this an­swere. VVoman what haue I to do with thee? seemeth intollerable. Heauen & earth doe witnes that she is thy mother, and askest thou of her, Woman what haue I to doe with thee? wherfore should the Holy Ghost come downe vp­on her, & the power of the most high ouershadow her, if that ho­ly one which should be borne of her, should not be called the Son [Page 15]of God, and doest thou aske of her, what haue I to doe with thee? Math. 13 All the earth doth witnes thou wert the Carpenters sonne, and askest thou of her, what haue I to doe with thee?

Diddest thou not thy selfe soli­cite her Luke. 1. by thine Angell Gabriell to be her sonne, and she humblie entertained thy messenger, gran­ting thee thy sute, wherevpon thou haddest all that thy heart could desire, & askest thou nowe of her, what haue I to doe with thee?

She bare thee nine monthes in her wombe, she brought thee in­to this world, shee carefully nur­sed thee with great sorrowe and heauines, Math. 2. she fled into Egipt to saue thy life, and now for a requi­tall doost thou aske her, VVoman what haue I to doe with thee?

What businesse haddest thou [Page 16]most louing Lord, that thou coul­dest finde nothing to do with thy Mother? wert thou belike so ear­nest in thy Fathers affaires, that thou forgattest thy Mother? sure­ly thy minde was very much oc­cupied, or els thou wouldest at the least haue remembred that she was thy mother, & not haue spoken vnto her as to a straunger, VVoman what haue I to doe with thee?

O Marie! thou knowest not nowe, what thy sonne meaneth, but thou shalt know afterwarde, marke well that word woman, & when thou hearest it next attend what followeth.

He hath nowe partly resigned thee vp to Iohn in saying woman. but not vvholy, for he hath not as yet added, Behold thy sonne: Hee foresaw what sorow thou vvoul­dest suffer at his Passion, and ther­fore [Page 17]reserued this comfort vntill then, as a fresh reuiuing of thy dy­ing spirits, Behold thy sonne. The time was not yet to commit thee to his custodie, because himselfe was yet with thee, and therefore as yet he said not hehold thy sonne: but the time will come, when hee shall be taken away from thee, & then at this watch word, woman, behold thy sonne.

When therefore our Sauiour his houre was come, and that hee was to returne vnto his Father, our blessed Lady her time was al­so come that she should bee deli­uered of her second sonne, where neyther she was priuiledged, a­boue any other to bee deliuered without paine, nor Saint Iohn ex­empted from the ordinarie cu­stome of Children, which no soo­ner beginne to looke into the worlde, then they bewaile their [Page 18]owne miserie, both of them being in those exceeding great panges, that no man could iustlye iudge, whether the mother was more likely to die in her trauaile, before her sonne was perfectly brought into the world, or the son yeelde vpp his Ghost in his Mothers wombe before hee shoulde bee borne.

The beginning of this grie­uous trauaile was our Sauiours apprehension, when praying in the garden Math. 26 Iudas betraied him with a kisse, at what time Saint Iohn astonished (beeing newlie awaked) fled with the other Dis­ciples, Mark. 14 leauing behinde him his sindon in the handes of the soul­diers. But returning vnto himself, with what pittifull sighes & dole­full grones, bewailed hee hys flight.

Theeues, theeues, he cried out [Page 19]amaine, and the farther hee went the more he found, he eschewed the Souldiers and fell into the hands of their capitaines, he shun­ned Charibdis, and became in danger of Silla, whilst seeking to faue his bodie harmeles by flying from Iudas, hee put his Soule in hazard by forsaking his Ma­ster.

Ah vngratefull wretch that I am (saith hee) with what face or countenance shall I beholde my sweet Lord againe? which waie shall I goe? whether shall I run? whether shall I end my shamefull flight? more torment coulde I not haue suffered, if I had beene taken with my Master, and a great deale lesse shame I had su­stained.

I remember my vocation Mat. 4. from the businesse of the world, to bee a diligent follower of my [Page 20]Lord I call to minde Mat. 17.26. those pri­uiledges, vvhich aboue the rest vvith Peter and Iames I did enioy, and also how aboue these, hee lo­ued me so dearly that no longer since then this night at supper Iohn. 13. I rested in his bosome, and vvas bold to aske that vvhich no other dared, and he vouchsafed mee an ansvvere.

Had my sindon bin taken from me by the Souldiers of Iudas for such like cause Gen. 39. as Ioseph his gar­ment vvas by the Egiptian harlot, mine action had bin Honorable: or if I had left it mounting aloft, as 4. Reg. 2. Elias left his cloak, my flight had bin glorious: but I left it to runne from the fountaine of pu­ritie, and to forsake my Lord the King of heauen: for which being now attainted of sinne, for mine expected endles ioyes, I am in perrill of vnexpected endlesse [Page 21]griefe, and in place of a rewarde for fidelity, I am become subiect to perpetuall infamie.

Now the happinesse I had in­ioyed in loosing myselfe to finde my Lord, is too too well decla­red by the heauines I sustaine in loosing him to saue my selfe.

O Iudas! haddest thou deli­uered him to mee, much more had I giuen thee for him than a­ny man els whosoeuer, and al­though none were so sacrilegious as the Iewes to buy that holye thing, which thou diddest set to sale, yet had I redeemed it, hadst thou brought it vnto me, & thou a greater gainer by the bargaine, rather would I haue satisfied thy couetous desire, and concealed thy malicious endeuour, then thou shouldest haue attempted this trecherous mischiefe, or en­tred into so bloody an action.

But thou fearedst to haue been staied for a thiefe, if to any of vn­derstanding thou haddest offered that Iewell to be sold, and there­fore thoughtest them meetest to possesse the Gemme, which ha­uing as corrupt minds as thy selfe, were as ready to be thy receiuers as thou to be their thiefe, which thou diddest manifestly declare, as wel in the price, as in the place, in the time, as in the manner of betraing: In Mat. 26. the price because thou soldest a Iewell not to be va­lued for a trifle: Mar. 14 In the place, because thou tookest him abroad, out of Cittie or towne: Iohn. 18. In the time because thon diddest betray him by night in the darke: Mar. 14 In the manner, because thou badst thy marchants lead him away wa­rily.

Did thy conscience giue thee, that thou couldest not take too [Page 23]little for that, in which thou knowest thou haddest no part? Diddest thou feare that in the o­pen Cittie thy villanie shuld haue beene descried? Didst thou so e­uilly in thine owne conceipt, that thou wroughtest in darkenes? & was thy crafty malice so great, that warye leading away was iudged necessary for the conclu­sion of thy wicked bargaine.

But nowe alas my Master ap­peareth not. I vvhether shall I goe? vvandring alone Mark. 14 attired onely with teares, I shall bee as sorrowfull, as certaine a signe vn­to his Mother, that the high Priests haue seased on him, for shee knoweth as well, that hee woulde bee no where of his owne appointment without me, as also that my sweetest beeing is in his bosome.

Some comfort may shee take to saue her life, whilst missing me shee may thinke her sonne is not cleane abandoned, and I cannot but be accessary to her death, if I should depriue her of it: returne therefore to her I will not, be­cause I may not hurt her, to goe backe to him it booteth not, be­cause I cannot help him, to liue without them it is impossible: If die then I must, the clubs of the souldiers will make a speedier dis­patch than can the swords of sor­row: and although I should bee slaine by pressing into his pre­sence, yet with his looke will hee reuine mee againe, and because li­uing he loued me so dearely, too too ingratefull I were to forsake him now dying.

Thus resoluing rather to dye than to liue, whose life euer after was likely to prooue a death, hee [Page 25]followed his Master to Annas his house, from thence to Caiphas, & so from place to place, where when hee beheld with what cru­eltie his Lorde was entertained, his sorrowes grewe so great that they cannot be expressed, seeing a Lambe amongst Wolues ready to bee deuoured, an innocent a­mong murderers, threatned to be killed, the Son of God among the diuels impes, adiudged to a shamefull death, hauing nowe an opportunitie as well to destroy the heyre, although they had no hope the inheritance should bee theirs, Math. 21. as also to reuenge thēselues vpon God who was clothed with mans nature, and as it were, Iohn. 1. yeel­ded vp vnto their willes: for al­though they staggered, doubting whether he should die or no, as appeared by the message Mat. 27 done to Pilate from his wife, because [Page 26]they knewe thereby the saluation of the world should be wrought, yet was their mallice so extreame great against God, that they ca­red not what losse they shoulde sustaine afterward of men, so that thereby they might put GOD to a most cruell, and a painefull death.

He Iohn. 19. see him come in attired like a King, but vsed like a vassall; hee see him weare a crowne vpon his heade, but to his paine; hee see him haue a purple garment on his backe, but wherein to bee laughed at; Mat. 27. he see him haue a Scepter in his hande, but for his head to beare a stroke therewith; hee see him honoured with bow­ing of their knees, but all in scof­fing wise, for by and by they vse him as before, and that which most afflicted Iohn Iohn. 19. no satisfacti­on woulde bee taken, where no [Page 27]offence was giuen, but a most shamefull death.

O cruell minded men! (saith hee) is it so little yee haue done, that yee will neuer cease? and whereas now ye seeme by death to giue an end to all his paine, it is too much against your wills, your intention was murder, and yee thinke it no murder, vnlesse yee doo some act, which of it selfe is murder. He liueth yet, but as one dying, and because he could sustaine no more and liue, vnmer­cifull pitty moued you to end his tormentes by a more cruell tor­ture: Die ye saw he would, and die yee shall, yee all conclude, but with more paine, if too much paine before did not preuent all future paine.

Ye scorne that, which all the Court of heauen doth reuerence yee take disdalne where Angells [Page 28]take delight, Mark. 14. yee hide that face, which all the heauenly spirits de­sire to see: Mat. 27. ye strike that head, where is the Fountaine of all wisedome: Iohn. 19. yee bruse those cheekes, which neuer any wor­thely did kisse: Math. 27 yee defile that sa­uour, which is the beauty both of heauen and earth: yee gaue him a reede in his hand, whom all your stormie blastes could neuer moue: yee crowne him with thornes vvho crowneth all vvith glorie: yee cloath him in mocke­ry, and strippe your selues of all humanitie: ye binde him straight with cordes, who giueth to all their liberty, not discerning a king from a vassall; a sonne from a ser­uant; a freeman from a slaue; God himselfe from a pure and impure creature, and (which I tremble to thinke on) yee call for his blood vpon you and on your Children. Math. 27.

Yee haue had already more than ye can wel avouch the shed­ding thereof, and yet yee are not satisfied: Could euer any Tyger be more fierce, or Lyon greedier of his pray? O men! no men, but farre exceeding what euill could euer be deuised.

But beare with them a little, (O Iohn) they vnderstand per­chance with what crueltie they haue erred, they weigh the debt into which they haue wilfullie runne by their wickednes, they feare the slauerye to which by their follie they haue made them­selues subiect, and knowing that their error cannot otherwise bee discerned, their debt no way else discharged, their libertie and their Childrens by no other meanes procured, but by the lightning of his most precious blood vpon them and theirs, they call and cry [Page 30]out: Math. 27. His blood be on vs and on our children.

Expect a while, if peraduen­ture vpon the taking of so preci­ous a receit, they will all cry out; In very deede this man was iust, and returne knocking their brests sorrowing for their offence com­mitted against him, and make him some satisfaction for what they haue done before vnto him.

Heard they not the high Priest say: Iohn. 11. It is expedient that one should die, that all the people perish not, and nowe they perceiue there is no other way but death, they wish they may bee washed with his blood, and thereby reconci­led againe vnto him and be saued, and for this cause they all cry out His blood bee on vs and on our chil­dren.

A grieuous leprosie hath o­uergrowne their soules, that [Page 31]they can no longer bee accepted for Citizens of Heauen. The water of Iordan cannot purge it, and although they haue often striken the Rocke yeeldeth he no water to cleanse it, vntill his side bee pierced, and therefore are they forced and constrained to vse a bath of Innocents blood, which forceth them to cry out: His blood bee on vs and on our chil­dren. Iohn. 6.

They haue heard him also say himselfe, that there is no way but death for such as eate not of his fleshe, and drinke not of his blood, and although at that time hauing a most carnall and brutish conceit, they abhorred so vnusuall a feeding, yet beeing now brought to this exigent, that they know in crueltie they haue exceeded the nature of men, and [Page 32]thinke the sore cannot bee salued but by his precious blood, albeit such potions seeme vnto them contrary to the same nature, they wil apply their sences vnto them, and master their former conceits, and therefore all cry out, His blood bee on vs, and on our Chil­dren.

Remembrest thou not Mat. 11 how that many blinde receaued their sight, by his laying his hands vpon them? Luke. 7. call to minde howe for a most great debt Mary Magdalen, her bond was cancelled, when she only touched his holie feet.

Forgettest thou how many by his word onely hee set at libertie, Math. 8. which were possessed by diuells? and blamest thou them whose blindnes is so grieuous, that it can not otherwise bee cured; whose debt is so great, that it cannot o­therwise bee discharged; whose [Page 33]thraldome is so villanous, that they cannot otherwise bee freed, if with vehemency they call and cry out, His blood be vppon vs, & on our Children.

But alas, these surmises doe ra­ther increase griefe, then ease it, what is it to me (saith Iohn) if they remaine still blinde? What con­cerneth it mee if their debts bee not paide? What toucheth it me if they still continue in bondage? What profits it mee that all the world doe the better if I fare the worse?

Cannot their eyes be opened, vnles mine bee put out? Cannot their debts be paide, vnlesse I bee impouerished? Cannot they be at libertie, vnles I liue in miserie? Cannot the sunne shine clearelie to them, vnles it bee eclipsed to me? Cannot they bee enriched, vnles I be robbed? Cannot they [Page 34]ioy in freedome, vnles I grieue in thraldome? or is there no other waye to worke this their weale, my woe, but by procuring hys bloud vpon thē & on their Chil­drē? If one offence pardoned by the committing of an other? is an euill enterprise remitted by a cruell prosecuting of the same? is it a satisfaction for the shedding of blood to cry for more? No, no: murder it is which they in­tend, and for naught els then to glut themselues therewith, they all cry out, Mat. 27. His blood be on vs and on our Children.

The Iewes sometime the glo­ry of the world, are now become opprobrious to all people, that whereas heretofore all such as v­sed crueltie, were rightly likened vnto beastes, no tyrranie hereaf­ter shall be adiudged compara­ble to this of the Iewes a measure [Page 35]to serue for all tyrants because it was without measure, that so­much the greater the tyrranie should be thought, by how much it hath proportion to the crueltie of the Iewes.

But thou (O most louing Lord) where or when couldest thou deserue so sharpe a torture: I knowe right well Psa. 68. thou payest that which thou diddest neuer owe. One drop of blood had bin enough for to haue saued a thou­sand worlds, and thou hast made no spare thereof: Why shouldest thou then die, since nought ther­by is done, but what alreadie is done? The price is giuen, the vttermost farthing paid; Thy Mother also and the rest of thy frends are sold to sorow & griefe, as though thou hadst not where­withal to pay this debt thy selfe & of thy self. If die thou wilt, becaus thou [Page 36]must, yet choose some other death, no other death (sweete Lord) can sounde well in their eares, but this of all the rest, will be as grieuous vnto thē, as paine­full vnto thee: deferr at least the time, els now thy friendes, beside thy selfe become a fable to all na­tions.

What scandall will those take which did beleeue in thee? Who will account of them, which once did followe thee? What hope is left for thē, which put their trust in thee? Iohn. 8. thou madest a promise to set thy people free, and howe art thou thy self become a thrale? Iohn. 18. Thou saidst thou wert a King, and how then art thou Iudged by these men to death? Mar. 16 Thou doost professe thy selfe the sonne of God, but why then will men say doest thou not saue thy selfe?

Those which haue seene thy [Page 37]life, may well beleeue what thou haste said, and who thou art, but those which see the manner of thy death, will easily be dismaied: In that thou liuedst as thou didst, all had thee in admiration: In that thou diest as thou dost, they turne it to derision: How shall thy life be deemed void of forgerie, since that thou sufferest now so great an ignominy? How can that rai­sing from the dead bee cleare frō all suspition, when as thy selfe a­liue doest suffer by compulsion? How diddest thou free so manie from infirmities, and art thy selfe oppressed with calamities?

It seemeth that thy forces wer as Iud. 16 Sampson fained his to be be­fore that thou wert bound: thou alone without any other help Mark. 1. drauest out of the Temple, mul­titudes of people (a thing to think impossible, as well for that the [Page 38]number was so great, as that they sate there for their game) what power of men, what strength of armes, Iohn. 18 ouerthrew the souldi­ers, which cōming to apprehend thee in the garden fell backward to the grounde? but after once they bound thee, they drew thee like a sheepe vnto the slaughter, and nothing apeareth in thee sin­gular, which is not in all others, but that thou liuest and sufferest that which no man els could do, aswell for the violence of the tor­ture, as also the vilenes of thy tor­menters, who as they wer patrōs of all impuritie, so haue they now made themselues patterns of all impiety. But how couldest thou (O Iohn) remaine to see so vn­worthie a spectacle? How could thine innocent soule not fly this heinous fact? how could thy mai­denly heart behold such flowing [Page 39]streames of blood? howe could thy louing minde forbeare the murderers of thy master? who is it will not iudge thee to consent to all this treason; which seeth thee present and silent at all this euill vsing? and although thou diddest not keepe their garments, while they did this Execution, yet did­dest thou keepe their counsell, while they wrecked on him their malicious intention.

Thou denaydst him not in o­pen speech three times, Mark. 16 as Pe­ter did, but innumerable stripes, the bloody crowne of thornes, the vnworthy scoffes and mocks, the inspeakable euill intreatinges, which thou diddest see & heare did euery one demaunde of thee whether thou wert not also with Iesus of Nazareth and one of his Disciples, and eyther feare did make thee quaile, or [Page 40]shame to holde thy peace, that it did seeme at least a secret nay of that thou wert.

What thinkest thou woulde Thomas doe? who hearing that his Lord would goe to Hierusa­lem and knowing hee was there, sought for by his enemies offered frankely and with great courage: Iohn. 11. Let vs goe also and die with him. And now thou standest by, and seest him thus tormented, and ne­ther makest offer to abide some small paine for him, nor yet are forwarde in suffering any thinge with him.

Knowest thou not that all thinges amongst louers ought to bee common? Considerest thou not that friends doe ioy together, and mourne not one without the other, because as one ioyeth for the ioy of another, so doth he feele what smarteth in the other? [Page 41]and not one who loueth offereth not his life to saue his loue? for as they enterchange their hearts, so make they reckoning of theyr harmes.

All men doe seeke to saue their liues, but where they are, the lo­uers life is where he loueth most, and there he liues and no where els: Wherefore (O Iohn) either nowe confesse thou louedst not, where it was thought thou did­dest, or that thou madest but little reckoning of thy life.

Thinke when he is gone how many die in him, how fareth now his Mother and the rest of hys companye? Can they bee well when he is ill? Can they be whole when he is wounded? Can they be sound when he is brused? Can they finde ease when hee feeles paine? How thinkest thou could they conteine themselues from [Page 42]that poore weak reuenge, which they would take vpon the souldi­ers? the men woulde soone for­gette that they were neuer trained vp to fight, the women would not thinke themselues the weaker sexe, loue banisheth a­way all feare, and sweete life ma­keth all sortes refuse no sower which may maintaine the same. Their loue is subiect to his ene­mies, and their life is in the hands of cruell murtherers, and hol­dest thou both tongue and hands as though thou knewest him not, or at the least regardest him not?

How can this thy most beloued disciple (sweet Lord) be excused, who seemeth so much more then the rest to bee in fault, by howe much he was fauored aboue the rest? for although he knewe that thou diddest suffer because thou wouldest, yet had it beene his [Page 43]part to haue defended thee in what he coulde, seeing that thou wert his Lord, his loue, his life.

But herein also shewed he his excessiue loue, which was so much the stronger, by how much it preuailed against loue, and now hee hath found by loue a secrete, that a greater loue may bee, then for a man to giue his life for his loue.

When thou shewedst to thy disciples that thou must goe to Hierusalem & suffer many things of the Elders, Mat. 16. Scribes and chiefe Priests, and be killed, & the third day arise; Peter tooke thee vnto him, and rebuking thee said: Lord be it far from thee, this shall not be vnto thee, wherefore he deserued to heare, go after me Sathan, thou art a scandall vnto me, because thou sa­uourest not the thinges which are of God, but the things which are of mē. [Page 44]& Iohn remembring these words thought hee could not without offending thee, either wishe, or worke thy safetie, and therefore chose to leese thee, rather than thy fauour, and to breath with­out his life, then bereaue himselfe of thy loue.

He knew right wel more than twelue Legions of Angels ready at thy call, Math. 26. both where and when thou wouldest haue vsed them, it booted not to striue against the streame, he was too weake, it was in vaine to offer himself to death, his time was not yet come, al­though that present death had bin but one for all, and now esca­ping this he dyed many deaths by liuing one loathsome life.

Had his heart beene as hard as stone, it had been riuen in a thou­sand peeces, but beeing soft it did relent at euery stroake, that still he [Page 45]seemed dying, and yet hee liued still, suffering the more because hee could, and died not rather as hee desired, for nothing coulde haue bin a greater ease to him, thā that which should haue beene an end of all his griefe.

And whilst he waded more & more into a sea of sorrow, he see a heauie Crosse laide on his Ma­sters shoulders, Iohn. 19. and the souldiers some drawing, some driuing him vnto the Mount Caluarie to bee crucified among the theeues.

Here might ye see infinite mul­titudes of people flocking to this spectacle, the like whereof could neuer be seene againe: Among the rest he espied the blessed Vir­gin but sorrowfull Mother, whome after he had saluted in as dutifull maner as he might, what sighes, what sorrows, what com­plaints were made by one to the [Page 46]other? the mother for her only & dearely beloued sonne, the Disci­ple for his intirely louing Master, both of them for their only com­fort, their harts ioy, their souls de­light. Neyther of them were able to containe themselues from teares, especially our blessed La­dy who had a warrant from her sonne, to ease her hart somewhat that way, when hee bad the wo­men which followed him to weepe vppon themselues and on their children. Luke. 23.

They passe on together, with now and then halfe a worde, sor­row deuiding it a sunder, but be­ing both of one minde, and grie­uing for the selfe same losse, the signes they made were easily vn­derstood. How often did they wish that heauy crosse vppon some other shoulders, and then contrould themselues, they see [Page 47]him faint and woulde most faine hee shoulde haue had some ease, they knewe againe that by that meanes hee shoulde bee sooner gone, and therefore knewe not what to wish, yet at the length seeing no hope of life, and way­ing the crueltie of the Iewes, they reioysed not a little to see an other take the crosse, Mat. 27. wishing earnestly their paines might haue procured that rest.

And nowe that this grieuous labour groweth to an ende, and much sorrow beginneth euen in thinges insensible, howe much more was our blessed Ladie af­flicted, seeing her sonne so cruel­lie handled, and with sorrowfull sighes began to bewaile her selfe, somtime to him, other times to S. Iohn, & sometimes to the Iewes, who seeing her excessiue griefe coulde not but take compassion vpon her.

Who will giue water vnto my head (saith she) and a Fountaine of teares vnto mine eyes, to be­waile both day & night the mur­ther, not of any other then mine owne and onlie sonne? My daies of ioy are turned into griefe, and my song notes into sighes of sor­row.

Bewaile me ye hils and moun­taines, lament me yee flouds and Fountaines, since that of a Mo­ther of peace & ioy, I am become the Daughter of teares and sor­row: Mourne yee beasts of the earth: weepe yee foules of the ayre, & euery thing which liueth grieue, since that life it selfe, by whom ye all haue life, leaueth to liue any longer among you.

O who of you all (once his chosen people, now his chiefest enemies) can accuse him of the least sin, that ye cause him to die with [Page 49]great shame? his pittifull cries do so pierce the heauens, as they are ashamed of this your cruell fact, and seeke to couer it with a wo­full darkenes, and ye alone of all creatures are so hard harted, as ye discouer nothing to be in you but a wilfull deafenes. Had not hee himselfe come vnto you, and done those thinges which ne­uer any did, and done them to testefie that hee was Gods sonne, yee might haue had some excuse for this sinne, but hauing done so many good deedes among you, as yee all haue iust cause to loue him, for which of them all doo you kill him? Iohn. 18 it is not lawfull for you (yee say) to kill any man, and is it lawfull for you to put Gods sonne and mine to death? yee gaue not the sentence of death against him, but why then were all other iudgments vtterly [Page 50]condemned by you? did yee not bewray howe much yee desired that he shuld die this death, when as vpon euery light motiō or op­portunity offered to speake, no o­ther eccho rebounded in all the Pallace, Mat. 27 then, Let him be crucified without any remorce, either for his daylie good desertes, or the Iudge his own decree? Too cru­ell were yee all, but much more friendly cruell was Pilate, than were ye, because he vsed that cru­elty to procure his liberty, hoping that after this my son had abiddē al maner of abuses, euen vntil the souldiers were tired with euill v­sing him, his affliction wold haue mooued ye to some compassion, & therefore he brought forth vn­to you so lamētable a spectacle, Iohn. 19. as no hart but yours would not but melt with griefe to behold him, & yee continued still your former notes crying out vntill yee were [Page]hoarse with crying crucifie him, Iohn. 19. crucifie him, what said ye? & why so? because ye wil haue no other king but Caesar. Alas he neuer labored to make himselfe a king, (although no man had more right to be your king than he) Iohn. 6. but rather fled whē it was vrged vpon him, Mat. 17 and was willing to pay all duties as a subiect, euen from the time that hee was eight daies old. O how well haue ye tried (well? alas not well) that he seeketh not that which is his own (our selues only excepted) when as wrangling with him for his cloake, Iohn. 9 he deli­uored also vnto you his coate, and bore all your whippes vpon his bare back. True it is that Pilate gaue the sentence of death, not because hee iudged him worthy of death, for af­ter diuers examinations hee openlie protested that Luk. 23 he found no cause of death in him, but because he fea­red that ye would falsly, and slande­rously informe Caesar against him, if he should haue shewed but the least fauor in this cause, & ye vsing this his feare for the finishing of this blody [Page 52]tragedie, vrged him too often, that if Iohn. 19. hee did acquite hee was not Caesars friend, although the try­alls of iustice betweene a Prince and his subiects, should no other wise bee esteemed of them as quarrels. O heauenly father, Caesar is more regarded than thy sonne, and more are men afraide not to be ouer officious to Caesar than to be too much offensiue to thee and thy sonne, and there­fore is thy sonne at this time cal­led from the earth.

(O vngratefull creatures) not because they iudged the earth vnworthie to beare him, but be­cause in their corrupted conceits they thought him vnworthie to liue any longer vpon the earth, and hangeth in the ayre fast nay­led to a Crosse. O happie Crosse! O Holy nailes! O sweete instru­mentes of a sorrowfull death! [Page 53]worthie for this so neare touche of so sacred a body, to bee had herafter in perpetual reuerence, ye were not painefull vnto him, but they which caused you to en­ter his hands and feete: but nei­ther deserue ye any blame, if yee desierd to sticke so close vnto him.

O my sweete sonne, bee not hard to me, who haste beene so bountifull to all, but graunt mee this my last request: Take thy Mother vnto thee on the Crosse, that dying with thee I may also liue with thee after death, for no­thing can be more sweet vnto me than hauing embraced thee, to die with thee, and nothing more loathsome, than to liue without thee after that thou art dead.

O true sonne of God, thou wert a father vnto me, thou wert a mother to mee, thou wert my [Page 54]sonne, thou wert my spouse, thou wert my soul, now am I become an orphant, without Father or Mother, a spouse without a mate, a Mother without a sonne, a bo­dy without sence, and soule, and in conclusiō when thou art gone, all that I haue and all that I am is gone. Tell mee my most louing son, tell me who wert mine only ioy. Why sufferest thou mee to languish and pine awaye with griefe? Why hast thou seperated thy selfe so far from me? shall thy sorrowfull mother when shee most needeth receiue least cōfort of thee? & where she least suspec­ted, shall she there bee most neg­lected? O how long dost thou hāg with thine armes abroad, & none will come to be embraced? How louingly dost thou stretch them out to an incredulous and con­tradictious people, and none do [Page 55]take any compassion vppon thee? How largely doest thou bestowe thy most deare and precious blood vpon this prodigall Natiō, and none there are which treade it not vnder their feete? O had I bin thy Crosse, no other nayles should haue fastned thee vnto me, then a motherly affection, & no other witnesses shuld haue bin called of our sweet embracings, then thy Father and his Angels. Lesse paine (I am well assured) it should haue bin vnto thee, but knowing that neyther this nor a­ny thing els can be done without thy priuity, I cānot say how much more pleasing at this time it wold haue bin vnto thee, but howsoe­uer it is or might be, not seeing a­ny likelyhood of thy longer life, I cānot but grieue as mothers vse to grieue at the death of their first begottē. But he being no les care­full [Page 56]of her now at his death, then hee was obedient vnto her in his life, mooued with these inward spee­ches, and wofull lamentations, looking downe vpon her, said vn­to her: Iohn. 19. VVoman behold thy sonne. O moste mercifull Lorde, what doubtfull wordes are these? VVo­man behold thy sonne? thou know­est right well that shee hath sor­rowed so much for thee, that all her sences faile her: her vnder­standing also is quite dulled: shee standeth still like one without her life, looking vpp to thee and no where els, and sayest thou vnto her, VVoman behold thy sonne?

O most sweete Lord, whome doth shee behold when shee be­holdeth thee? on whome dooth shee looke when she looketh on thee? where is her eye when it is fixed on thee? & yet as though she had not regarded thee, but [Page 57]minded somwhat els beside thee, thou sayest vnto her: VVoman behold thy sonne?

What ioy would it bee to her to behold thee, if shee could help thee? but being that she cannot, why to increase her griefe doest thou say vnto her, VVoman be­hold thy sonne? and the more sor­row conceaueth she by these thy wordes, that thou sayest vnto hir (VVoman) as though shee could, and did not discharge the part of a Mother, as thou hadst done the dutie of a Sonne.

But if nowe at thy departure from her, thou art to deliuer her vp a Mother to another, & there­fore saiest vnto her, VVoman be­hold thy sonne? consider her case, consider thine owne, sorrowe hath taken away her sence from her, and too much paine thy life from thee, both which concur­ring, [Page 58]what wonder if she stand a­mazed, not knowing what thou meanest, for although shee might aime at thine intention, yet vvas her attention so great, to euerie last word which she herd of thee, being now almost breathles, that nothing els seemed to sounde in her eares, and therfore she could not but behold thee still.

Beside this, if it had beene so, that thou hadst quickned her wits, that she had vnderstood thy meaning, that by vertue of thy word, Saint Iohn should become her sonne: yet since that this worde (sonne) hath such relation to Iohn, that it hath a more pro­per to thee: No woonder sweet Lord, if she still stand beholding thee, since that without naming which, thou sayest vnto her, wo­man behold thy sonne.

Our blessed Lady beeing now [Page 59]wounded to the death, hearing her sonne with a hoarse & faint­ing voice vtter these wordes, was not able to make him any an­swere, but beeing in a more grie­uous trauaile than euer was any woman, shee cryed for help shee knewe not whence. Mat. 27. God had denayed it her, for hee had forsaken his son, the Angels nec­lected her, Luk. 22 for they knewe their Lord to be in this agonie, & would not defende him, Mat. 27 hys friendes stood looking on aloofe of, her paines grew vpon her, & her panges increased double and treble about her, there was not a­ny of her dearest could comfort her.

But her sonne seeing her thus perplexed, knowing that he was the cause of al hir griefe although void of all comfort also himselfe, hastned what he could to cōfort [Page 60]her, by giuing her to vnderstand, that hee came into this world, to this end and no other, that by this way he should redeeme the world, and since that it pleased his father it shuld be so, he would not it shoulde displease his Mo­ther, also that by this Passion hee was to enter into his glory, ne­uerthelesse that hee would not leaue her, although for a time he must be absent from her: During which season in his place, shee should take her cosen, & account him as her sonne, who should be a most faithfull comforter vnto her, loue her, serue her, haue care of her, and obey her as his Mo­ther; Looking therefore vppon Iohn, who stoode close by him with a sad countenance, & a sor­rowfull hart, shedding manie a hote teare, he said vnto him, Be­hold thy Mother. Iohn. 19.

Sweet Lord, right well maist thou put her out of doubt by these wordes what before thou diddest meane ey the other, but thou darest not put her out of her dumpes, because she is now assured, that thou wilt depart frō her; but since that shee her selfe cannot nowe haue her choice, which shoulde haue beene no o­ther then thy selfe. Shee is coten­ted with her chance, and not al­together somuch dismaied, or o­therwise she should haue beene, if her lot had not lighted where shee not lightly loued, and yeel­deth vp her will to bee wholie thine, although to thine owne paine aswell as hers, thou leauest to be hers: But who can thinke what griefe will possesse this thy other beloued Disciple to heare him selfe posted ouer to another, whom, although he loued entire­lie [Page 62]well, hee loued because she was thy mother, and now that this dignitie is eyther quite taken from her, or at the least suspen­ded, hee knoweth not for how long; as appeareth by that thou hast giuen her a mother to an o­ther, howe can hee bee but full of sorrow?

His loue to thee was such, as hee neuer loued himselfe, or a­nye for himselfe, wherefore if thou diddest mind to bequeath thy Mother to his custodie, much better haddest thou saide vnto him beholde my Mother, then beholde thy Mother, since that hee knewe not howe to loue anie but thy selfe, or els for thy sake.

But alas sweet Lorde, how in seeking to comfort him, doest thou take away all comfort from him? Right well might hee [Page 63]call to minde nowe, yea and vn­derstand that which once thou saidst, that the sonne of man (for so did the sonne of GOD de­light to call him selfe) should bee betraied to the gentils, Luke. 13. he should bee mocked, whipped, and spet at, and that after that they should whippe him, they would kil him, for al this he hath seene both with watrie eyes, and a wofull heart, but howe can hee thinke in his minde, that according to thy pro­mise thou wilt rise againe the third day, since that thou haste thus disposed of thy chiefest trea­sure? can he thinke that thou hast any such meaning as to returne at the least in any short time, who hast giuen ouer both thy mother and him, & in such sorte as an e­uerlasting linke of loue shuld bee betweene them when thou saidst to the one in respect of the [Page 64]other. VVoman behold thy sonne, behold thy mother? Behold thy mo­ther thou saiest vnto him, what child, sweet Lord, in his mothers wombe desireth not to see their Mother? What els doe those throwes portend, which to their paine all mothers but thine own, and onely as thine, doe feele in their trauaile, so that no doubt this thy Disciple cannot but iudge this a most guide, and carefull motiue, by which hee should be­come thy mothers sonne.

He knew right well that once her bowels wer thy liuing Tem­ple, and now he seeth that when thou diest, her heart will bee thy chiefest shrine, and therefore is verie well contented to beholde her as thou biddest him: yet par­don Lord, pardon doth he craue a while, and leaue to looke vpon thee still, because hee hath iust [Page 65]cause of feare in respect of thy grieuous torments, that whilest he casteth his eye one waie from thee to looke on her, thou wilt make an escape some other way both from her and him, and be­cause he doubteth he cannot see thee so long as he would, hee de­sireth to look vpon thee so long as he may: and although she be one, who deserueth to bee be­held, aswell for the signes shee maketh of exceeding great loue vnto thee, as also for that she was so potent an obiect, that shee drew thee to looke in an extra­ordinarie manner vpon her, yet when thou art present, he think­eth his sences haue such an ob­iect of thee, in regard both of his owne loue and compassion, as also of thine exceeding great dignity (beeing author of what­soeuer is worthie praise, or mar­uaile [Page 66]in any other) that he cannot as yet behold any other but thee.

Some comfort were these speeches vnto them, woman be­hold thy sonne, Behold thy mother: but they wished they might haue proceeded from some other oc­casion.

When he was with them him selfe hee was most tender ouer them, and now that hee is taken from them hee giueth the one of them charge ouer the other. He knewe not who loued him and his mother better than did Iohn, and therefore hee thought none so fitte to haue charge of her as Iohn, neither did he know who could loue Iohn better than did he and his mother, & therefore wold his mother shuld haue the care of him, and that this loue should continue in the most ten­der manner that might bee, hee [Page 67]ioyned them together as mother and sonne.

O Mary if thou wert a Vir­gin, as thou wert most pure, be­hold thy sonne, if thou wert es poused to thy mare, and yet re­mainedst chast, behold thy sonne: If thou wert one who for thy most rare vertues wert singular­ly beloued of Christ, beholde thy sonne, if thy loue were such vnto Christ, that neither bashfulnes in thrusting among the people bee­ing a maiden, nor feare of being trodden downe in the multitude being a weakeling, nor danger of being apprehended and euill in­treated by the souldiers, being so deare and neare vnto him, could holde thee backe from accompa­nying him to the Crosse, beholde thy sonne.

Iohn. 21 Christ left Peter as his suc­cessour to guide his Church bee­ing [Page 68]his spouse, a signe of great loue, a place of high renowne & dignitie, Iohn. 19 Christ hath left Iohn as his successor to haue care of Mary, who was not onely his spouse, but also his mother, what greater honor with like content­ment, could hee enioy in this world.

If Moyses hauing charge of the Iewes, had such aboundance of grace infused into him, that when it was deuided. Num. 11 it was sufficient for threescore more and tenne, what shall wee imagine was gi­uen vnto Iohn, who was to haue charge not of the children of Is­raell Iohn. 19 but of the Mother of God?

Likewise when God passed by Moyses, hee passed in that order, and with such swiftnes, that no­thing could be seene, but his hin­der partes, and yet no doubt hys [Page 69]promise was performed Exod. 33 I will shew thee all God.

But Saint Iohn did so long be­hold God his face, that hee was not able to hold vp his head any longer, Iohn. 13 but laid it downe vp­pon his breast, and rested in his bosome, what good was it likely was shewed then to him? nay ra­ther what good had he not com­municated vnto him.

Thence his exceeding great knowledge, whereby when o­thers write of Christ as a man Iohn. 1. hee began his Gospell, with in­searchable misteries of his God­heade: Thence his inuinsible courage, which could neyther with any promised honour, nor present horrour be vanquished: Thence his vnspeakable charitie which was so hote, and burning within him, that hee felt not the scalding oyle: The loue which [Page 70]lay within his breast was so po­tent, that fire it selfe in respect of it was cold, or at the least had no force in working comparable vnto it, for neyther did he desire a tabernacle in mount Math. 17 Tabor with Peter, nor couet a crowne, or Mat. 20 next sitting to Christ in hea­uen with Iames, without a firme purpose and a resolute minde to disburse what should be thought conuenient for so great a pur­chase, which fullie and truely he paid vpon his birth day.

Other Martirs haue their Mar­tirdome and they suffer in it: S. Ioh. had his at his masters his Pas­sion, but he suffered not in it, and therefore hee suffered the more, for it was death for him to liue, and to die for Christ his gaine.

But O most mercifull Lorde, [Page 71]why didst thou afflict this thy beloued Disciple in this sorte? Thou Mat. 20 gauest him a promise, that he should drinke of thy cup, and he expecting a death for thy sake, cannot haue it: did pittie mooue thee beeing thy darling, that thou couldest not see him murdered, as thy other Apostles were, and whom thou louedst most entirelye? and therefore wouldest hee should drinke of no other Cuppe than thine, and so to haue him as thy Mother and his, a Martyr in life, in minde, in will; but not in death, that thou mightest haue to Crowne at once the Mother and the Sonne with the same Crownes of glory?

Impossible it was (O Mary) that thou shouldest bee like vnto thy son in al things, wherefore in as­much [Page 72]as it is possible, thy Sonne hath made one like vnto thee, where also thou shalt not leese the name of a mother: beholde then Saint Iohn thy sonne, a most pure virgin, a most learned Doc­ter, a most constant Martir.

Nowe is it performed which was so long before promised Isai. 56. I will giue vnto mine Euenuches a worthie place in my house, & with­in my walkes, and a name better than the name of sonnes & daugh­ters of Israell. I will giue them an eternall name which shall neuer faile. VVoman behold thy sonne: What name vnder Heauen is comparable vnto this name? What name shall endure after this name: the Sonne of Ma­rie?

It. Iohn. 8. was an honor to be accoun­ted the son of Abraham, the son of Israell, and happie was hee [Page 73]which coulde bee numbered a­mong them: But this name the sonne of Mary, none was wor­thie of, but God himselfe, the se­cond person in the Trinitie: Iohn. 19 and nowe it is giuen to Iohn by Christ hanging vpon the Crosse, for his inheritance, whē looking vppon his mother, and making signe toward Iohn, hee said vnto her, VVoman behold thy sonne.

A name, which as it had no greater vnder heauen, so did it neuer perish: for as Christ dying vpon the Crosse, so lest a Sonne with his mother, as he himself did not leaue to be her sonne, so also shee dying, did so ioyne her selfe to her son in heauen, as shee left not to be a Mother also vnto him which was in earth, that this name might very well bee called a eternall name, for whether she were in earth or in heauen, aliue [Page 74]or dead, her sonne had so proui­ded it, there should bee Maries sonne.

O blessed Virgin! when thou diddest conceaue Saint Iohn Iohn. 2 thou diddest conceaue him in mirth: Iohn. 19. but thou wert deliue­red of him, when he was deliue­red vnto thee in great sorrow & heauines. Hee was the first for whose cause at thy request, thy Sonne did manifest him­selfe vnto the worlde, by shew­ing his power in working mira­cles, and now he is the last, & the only man committed vnto thee, when thy Sonne passeth out of the world, by suffering with pa­tience, what malice could work against him: so that the measure of thy Son his life in this worlde, was no more than the time in which thou diddest breed Saint Iohn, for when the time was [Page 75]come that Iohn became thy Sonne, thou lost thyne other Sonne.

Nowe that thou shouldest be a comfort vnto others, thou hast experience what that saying meaneth, Gen. 3. thou shalt bring forth in griefe: for the ease thou hadst when Christ was borne, is with vsurie recompenced at thy deli­uerie of Iohn, whom with exces­siue sorrowe thou broughtest forth thy sonne.

Iohn. 16 A woman when she is in tra­uaile hath sorow, because her houre is come, but when she hath brought foorth the childe, now shee remem­breth not the anguish for ioy that a man is borne into the world: But thou most blessed Virgin as thou wert priuiledged in this aboue all other women that thou wert deliuered of thy first begotten [Page 76]without any paine: so now hast thou this singular aboue any o­ther woman, that at thy second trauaile, thou feelest as great panges after it as before it.

Shee ioyeth because a man is borne into the world, and thou haste cause to grieue, because a man is gone out of the worlde: shee is glad because shee hath a sonne, and thou haste cause to mourne, because thou haste lost a sonne, and so much is thy sor­rowe more, than theyrioy may be, as thy sonne exceedeth all o­ther womens sons: for although thou wert deliuered of a sonne, yet wert thou spoiled of an o­ther, such was thy trauaile, and with such condition, that the birth of thy second son, suppo­sed the death of thy first begot­ten.

Luk. 1 When thou gauest consent [Page 77]vnto the wordes of the Angell, God spake the worde, and the worde was incarnate, the same word vouchsafing to speake vn­to thee, not by the mouth of an Angell, but by himselfe hath said the word, and thou haste not on­ly conceaued thy second son, but art also deliuered of him, VVo­man behold thy sonne: Behold thy Mother.

Thus hauing eyther of them charge of other, glad they were, that neither was willing to de­part, Saint Iohn feared not hee shuld be forced to leaue his Ma­ster in following his charge, whē she should goe away, neither did our blessed Lady doubt what she might doe, if Iohn should parte from thence: their life was nay­led on the Crosse, that they could not stirre from it, & rather had they stay Iohn. 19 & see him woun­ded [Page 78](a dolefull sight) then not see him at all: wherefore neuer satisfied with looking vp vppon him, they tarried vntill hee was taken downe, whome when his Mother receaued in her Armes, sorrow and ioy fought so doubt­full a Combat, that it was not to bee iudged which of them was the stronger.

She had lost him and now she hath founde him againe, great cause she hath to ioy, he was her hope, her help, her life.

She had lost him and now she hath founde him againe, great cause she hath to mourne, hee is past hope, past help, and past out of his life.

What ioy was comparable to that he had, when she might speake vnto him, embrace him and kisse him, as shee was wont to doe.

But alas what griefe was like to that shee had, when hee did neyther answere by worde, or behauiour, as hee was wont to doe?

Noe ioy to that shee hadde, when shee behelde him againe, Psal. 44. for hee was the moste fayre, and beautefull of all the Sonnes of men.

Noe greefe to that shee had when shee behelde him againe, and found that Isal. 53. neyther any fa­uour nor comelynesse was in him.

Shee see his heade swollen, with the Crowne of Thornes, shee see his face blacke and blew with the buffettes of their fistes, shee see his bodye torne from toppe to the toe with whippes, or to say more true, she ney­ther see heade, face, nor any part of his bodie, but a masse [Page 80]only of congealed blood, which couered all his body, beeing most grieuously wounded, and in so many places, that they altoge­ther seemed one on lie wounde, which reached from the crowne of his head, vnto the soles of his seete.

So sate she at the foote of the Crosse, with the dead bodie in her lap, offering it all bloodie to Almightie God, Gen. 37. & demaunding of him whether that were not his sonne his coate, shewing it al­so vnto the Angels, and asking of them whether that were not their Master his Garment: Her self was not able to discerne per­fectly, whether it were any part of her or no, it was so dissigured, but that with sorrowe shee had brought her selfe so out of sauor, that euerye one which see her, might easily iudge hee was her [Page]sonne and shee his mother.

Shee hath founde him againe, but because whatsoeuer shee founde shee must forgoe except sorrow, sorrow got the victorie, in which shee did so much a­bound, as her sonne his sorrowe beeing at an end, there was now no sorrowe like vnto hers, & no comfort would shee admit, be­cause he was not.

They sought no water to wash his blessed body, fountains there were enough of hoate and scal­ding teares, wherein they ba­thed him first, then buried him a­gainst their willes, wishing that either they themselues were his sepulcher, or his were theirs.

When thy dayes were come (O full of sorow) that thou shul­dest be deliuered, thou brough­test forth thy first begotten Son, [Page]thou swadlest him in cloutes, Luk. 2. & laidst him downe in a maunger, because there was no place for thee in the Inne, and nowe thy daies were fully come that thou shouldest bee deliuered againe thou broughtest foorth thy se­cond sonne, Iohn. 19. and in steed of swad­ling him in cloutes, and ioyfull laying him downe, and tending him, thou art constrained to swaddle thy first begotten Sonne againe, and with sorrow to lay him downe in a Monument, be­cause no other place but that, woulde hee make choice of to lie in.

The Funeralles beeing ended Saint Iohn doth take possession, he leadeth home his sorrowfull Mother, giuing her what com­fort hee could, beeing nowe al­most [Page]spent with griefe, with whome hee continued yeeld­ing vnto her that dutie which became him. Iohn. 19. For from that houre, hee tooke her for his owne.