THis Day, this saddest of dayes, our Sweetest Saviour, (who not [Page 2] only tooke upon him our Nature, but to re­scue it also out off the iawes of Death and Hel) by those to whom, and for whose cause hee came, whom be­fore he had saluted by his Embassadours, and warned of his ap­proach (Earth being strucken with trem­bling, and Heaven with blindnesse) was brought [Page 3] to a most execrable end. The sad remembrance whereof rather re­quires the teares of the faithfull, then the E­loquence of Oratours: wherfore I must leave mine eyes to deliver that which my Pen cannot. A holy Ex­tasie is heere more seemly, then a curi­ous Inquisition; the Passion of Christ being [Page 4] as inexplicable as his Generation, which all daring spirits hitherto haue failed to explain, though not their own insolent ignorance in the bold attempt. We may aswell conceive how Jesus upon the Crosse had the particuler I­d [...]as in his minde of all those for whom he was to suffer, as how he endured the extrea­mity [Page 5] of those torments. Whosoever will rivet his soule into the lan­guishing life of this blessed one, shall finde it nought else but an extended torture. Whe­ther the Epistle of Lentulus to the Senate of Rome bee Authenticke or no, I know [...] not; sure I am, ma­ny things in it are consonant to truth; [Page 6] and this particular es­pecially, that this deare Master of ours was never seene to laugh, but to weep of­ten.

Alas, at what should hee laugh? to see his owne people not owne him, eyther for their lawfull King, or po­tent Redeemer? needes must hee be afflicted for the ingratitude of [Page 7] their hearts, but more for the danger of their Soules: for hardly would they be induced to undergoe the Spi­rituall yoake, that would not put on the Temporall.

Should hee laugh at his Poverty, or its more miserable con­commitant derision? Should hee laugh at Hunger, his Thirst, his [Page 8] Nakednesse, and that no Roofe vouchsafed him covering, save his owne heavenly Arch? Should hee laugh at the persecution of his Friends, and his sepe­ration from them, a divorce of all other (next to that of Soule and Body) the most cruell, especially if you wel consider the Queene and glory of [Page 9] her Sexe, his blessed Mother to have beene one of them? or should hee laugh to have his sacred Eares scorcht with horrid blasphemy against Himselfe and his Almighty Father? Well might hee be sti­led the Man of Griefes, who exiled from his owne heavenly incon­ceiv [...]able ioyes, could never conceive what [Page 10] an earthly ioy meant: Scarce had this Holy Professor vented his All-saving Doctrine, but destruction dog'd him at the heeles, and Malice disgorg'd upon him all her base Epi­thets, as seducing, impious, lunaticke, blasphemous; nay, some of her vene­mous brood not one­ly call'd, but held him [Page 11] a divell, and a Tor­mentor, to whom he he had demonstrated the infallible signes of a God, and the ten­der affection of a Sa­viour.

O strange confusi­on, caused by a stran­ger stupidity! were ever soules but these, so purblinde, as to take the Creatour of Light for the Prince of [Page 12] darkenesse? never yet was there such an ob­stinate ignorance heard of, as to thinke that Vice and Vertue can blend. They could not but discover all the never erring markes of goodnesse and truth in his lookes, his words & actions; and could these brutes imagine that Piety and Impiety, Truth and Falsehood [Page 13] can lodge under the same Roofe? that God can out of stones raise up Children unto Abra­ham wee reade, and gladly beleeve; but here we most unwil­lingly finde, that (by his Divine permission) the divell is able to turne men into stones. A happy Meditation, was it of the truely humiliated St. Fran­cis, [Page 14] who seeing a poore single Lambe a­mongst many Goates, said to his Compani­on, see'st thou that soli­tary Lambe? iust so did our dearest Messias walke amongst the Pharises. When Truth had bin a long time banish't this lower world shee came swimming in to it againe in a Crimson, flood of this meek [...] one, [Page 15] and his Martyrs: who as hee was more pure and immaculate: so was he likewise more miserable then any of his Types. Never did halfe a span of life containe so many mi­series, during his conversation heere be­low, he had nothing without him that could make him ami­able, being contem­ned [Page 16] in his owne per­son, in his Disciples, and followers. Hee was of the blood Roy­all, indeed; but then when the glory of it was quite eclipsed. Amongst the Israelites, but at a time when they were Captived to the Romans: Borne of a Virgin, but so poore, that she was e­spoused to a C [...]rp [...] ­ter: [Page 17] At his Birth wor­ship't by many Shep­heards, but by a few Wise men, three one­ly: Persecuted by Herod, and living in such a retired obscu­rity untill the time of his Baptisme, that John himselfe knew him not.

But let us examine▪ more particularly his miseries, and begin­ning [Page 18] with his Birth, pace on dolefully with him to his Death, by which wee shall finde that he came into this World, and continu­ed in it with the same misery and ignominy hee left it.

Where was he borne? in Jerusalem? no. In a stately Pallace? no. Where then? in Beth­lem, a poore Village, [Page 19] that the World not without Amazement might behold Obscuri­ty bring forth Glory. In what place in Bethlem? in a poore Inne. In what part of the Inne? in the Stable, where the first Ayre he brea­thed stunke of several Ordures. Hee was welcomed indeed in­to the World with lowd Musicke, but it was a [Page 20] wild one, made by an Oxe and an Asse His lodging promised neither Honor nor safety, for hee lay with Beasts, and at their mercy; but heere no doubt, was to be seene a most pleasing spe­ctacle, a brutish Inno­cency worshipping a Heavenly.

No sooner was He borne, but Hee lost [Page 21] Blood in his Circumcisi­ [...] ▪ no sooner Circum­ [...]is'd, then destin'd to slaughter. Vsurping Herod trembled at the Birth of this Almighty Babe, who was indeed the true KING of the Iewes. He there­fore vowed his Death, which to procure, he insinuated himselfe into the good graces of the Wisemen, and [Page 22] besought them to ac­quaint him with the abode of the child, that hee also might come and Worship him. But they knowing by Di­vine Revelation, his bloody meaning, gave him the slip, and re­turned into their own Countrey another way. Seeing this plot fru­strated, hee makes a Massacre of all the male [...] [Page 23] from two yeares olde and under (hoping in­clusively to cut off his new born Prince,) whose immaculate soules [...]lew backe to their Maker, adornd with their Primitive beauty, and their innocent blood cryed for Uengeance at his hands.

Here also the cruel intentions of this Ty­rant were deluded, for [Page 24] the poverty of this holy Lambe was his security, which did so Eclipse him, that hee could not by his owne lustre be discerned and be­trayed. Moreover the quiet of his parents by day, and their sleep by night were con­tinually disturbed with divine Dreames and Visions touching his preservation. Alas, [Page 25] what had this pretty one done, that could incite this bloody monster to study his ruine? He had slaine none of the Herodian fa­mily, or the Iewish race, that hee should be made a Pa­rentation Though paren­tation common­ly signifies the performance of any office due to the deceased Pa­rents: yet here it signifies the slay­ing of those Ene­mies, or any of their race, who flew our Parents, or any of our blood.. It was Love not Malice [Page 26] invited him to de­scend from his hea­venly habitation: His comming was to shed no blood but his owne, and that for the Salvation of o­thers. Yet was his incomparable Mo­ther forced to flie as farre as Aegypt, to save the deare life of this sweete one, guilty neither in thought, [Page 27] word, nor act.

Long was he ban­ded to and fro be­tweene the Ministers of the divell, who now easeth his ser­vants, and becomes himselfe in person his Tormentor. He first leads him into the Wildernesse, ho­ping either to starve him, or that hunger would provoke him [Page 28] to Blaspheme. After he had fasted fortie Dayes, and fortie Nights, hee pro­pounds to him a tryall of his God­head: If, saith hee, thou be the Son of God, command that these Stones be made Bread: Now, though Christs Omnipotency could not onely have tur­ned those stones into [Page 29] bread, but the whole Globe of the Earth in­to one Loafe: yet at the divels instigati­on he would not do it, neither did his owne necessity re­quire it: and there­fore he gave him to understand, that his food was supernaturall, to wit, the Word of his Father, a dyet which his scorcht pallat [Page 30] could not rellish. Next he sets him on a Pinacle of the Holy Temple, where hee makes another expe­riment of his Deity: If, saith he, thou be the Sonne of God, cast thy selfe downe, &c. Here againe, though Christ could have walked, or flowne in the Aire, or stood fixt in it, (a thing no way [Page 31] difficult to him) yet having taken our flesh upon him, hee would in all things doe like a man; and therefore there be­ing a paire of staires, hee would not neg­lect the ordinary meanes of descen­ding. Moreover, he was not ignorant, that Sathan had im­paired the Text, [Page 32] which sayes, that God should give his Angels charge over him in all [...] Bishop An­ [...] on the [...]. his waies: but a desperate pre­cipitation becomes not a Christian, much lesse Christ himselfe; and therefore could be none of his waies. Last of all, hee pla­ceth him on the top of an exceeding high [Page 33] Mountaine, where he makes a third proofe of his Divinity: Ha­ving thence shewed him all the Kingdomes of the Earth, and the glory of them, he maks him this large promise, All these things, saith he, will I give thee, if thou wilt fall downe and worship mee: This last Test hee knew to bee [Page 34] infallible; for if hee were the Lord of Light, he would ne­ver abase himselfe so far, as to worship the Prince of darknes. But heere I cannot won­der enough, how a spirit not dull'd by actuating a fleshy body, should bee so foolish, as to pro­pound that as a re­ward of Christs wor­ship, [Page 35] which was his owne before; for hee could not but know, that Christs Dominion extended not onely over both the Globes, but even his owne Hell it selfe.

Finding at length our blessed Saviour in all things unan­swerable, hee left him, and gave him [Page 36] over once againe in­to the hands of his Damned Agents, whom hee had fur­nisht with full in­structions how to torture, and afflict him. After a long consultation the 1. thing their invete­terate malice excepted against, was his Prea­ching (which, though it had made others [Page 37] Saints) turned them into Furies, an e­vident proofe that the doctrine of Sal­vation is loath some, to soules full gorged with the surfeits of sinne. Truth of her selfe is perswasive, but passing through that mouth, and de­livered with so sweet an Eloquution, so gra­tious a Countenance▪ [Page 38] mee thinks shee should Civilize Bar­barisme it selfe, pe­netrate the most ob­durate hearts, and Force Attention from the very Di­vels. But these Spi­ders suck venome from this Rose, and seeke to roote it up. Here the saying is verisied, that there can be▪ no society, [Page 39] much lesse a friend­ship between Truth, and Falsehood. They throw stones at him, & drive him out of their Citty, with a resolution to cast him downe from a high Mountaine. You barbarous Infidels, hath he upon mature conside­ration, of all the Nati­ons of the Earth, chosen you for his people, and [Page 40] doe you refuse him that elected you? Are you of humane race, and can you butcher Inno­cency it selfe? Shall the Sacrifice for your sinnes, fall a Sacrifice to your Malice? Sure you were borne without bowells, or the Rockes ingendred and brought you forth, their flinty natur'd issue, to infect Mankind with a sa­vage [Page 41] cruelty. Why this is the Corner-stone, which taken away, the whole Frame of your wel being here, and your Salvation hereafter con­sequently totters, and falls into an irreparable, and eternall ruine. But God hath given you o­ver to a reprobate sense, and your Reason and Re­ligion have left you to be guided by your evill [Page 42] Destiny. You will, I see, cast your Saviour with your rubbish out of his owne Citty, over which he weepes the di­vining teares of her neare approaching de­struction. When your Temple, and your Hou­ses burnt round about you, then did Titus, (whom the Romans stil'd, deliciae humani generis, the delight of [Page 43] humane kinde) out of a noble and a manly pitty, beseech you to save your selves; yet being the brood of obstinacy, you would not move a foote, but saw your owne bo­dies consume in fire made with your owne hands. And Iesus (who hath a style above Ti­tus, as being deliciae coelestium incola­rum, the delight of the [Page 44] heavenly Inhabitants▪ with his eyes drown'd in water, (like the Sunne looking through a rai­ny Cloud) beheld you with Compassion, and wooed you to make him the happy means of your preservation, from the never dying flames now ready to imbrace you▪ Notwithstanding this his mercifull offer, you in­gratefull Monsters, at [Page 45] once, excluded him [...] of the earthly Hie­ [...]salem, and your [...]lves out of the heaven­ [...]. But the very dis­ [...]ursing with you is con­ [...]gious, and therefore I [...]ll leave to speake fur­ [...]er to your persons, and [...]oceed to your horrid [...]actices and strata­ [...]ms against our mee­ [...]st Master, in the as­ [...]ming of whose name [Page 46] upon us, we are asmuc [...] honour'd as he abased▪ taking our Nature up on him.

But to goe on i [...] my sad relation, Th [...] Text sayes, he desired to passe into Samaria, but the Samaritans would no [...] give admittance to his Harbingers. Sa­than playes his part, and armes all places [Page 47] against him, ren­ [...]ring him as despi­ [...]able in the Countrey, [...]s the City. To this [...]heir insolency hee [...]eplies nothing, but His Disciples, James and John took snuffe at it, and said, Lord, wilt thou that wee com­mand fire to come downe from Heaven, and con­sume them, even as Eli­as did? But he turned, [Page 48] and rebuked them, a [...] sayd, yee know not wh [...] Spirit ye are of, for [...] Sonne of man is not co [...] to destroy mens liv [...] but to save them▪ Hee let them know his purpose n [...] was to establish, an [...] propagate his doc­trine with the swor [...] and the Faggot, practice at this da [...] very frequent wit [...] [Page 49] Christians, betwixt whom wee read of greater Carnages, then betweene them and the Turkes. He gave them to under­stand that his Church and hee used but one kinde of Armour, Prayer. When St. Peter ask't this mild one, How often shall I forgive my offending brother? 7. times? hee [Page 50] answered, I say n [...] unto thee 7 times, bu [...] 70 times seven, Math▪ 18. And in the sam [...] place, to shew vs that we should for­give our Neighbours from our hearts, hee brings in the Parable of the wicked Servant, to whom his Master had forgiven a Thou­sand Tallents: Hee bids us learne of him▪ [Page 51] for he is meeke, &c. Lord wee must learne it of thee, or no where; for amongst the▪ Philoso­phers it is not to bee found. Their cheife good, and thy Beatitude are as distant as the Poles. The Stoick (of all the Philosophical sects nearest in vertue to thine owne) wanted Humility, thy owne peculiar vertue. With [Page 52] the Aristotelian, mercy is contemptible, Revenge Laudable, the first mo­tions of our affections not culpable; whereas thou placest thy prime happinesse in poorenesse of Spirit, in Meeknesse, in Want, in Mercy, in Cleanenesse of heart, in Peace, in Mourning, in Afflictions, &c. Sweet Jesus thou art beyond the Level of our [Page 53] imitation, but not of our admiration, which shall ever bee fixt on thee as its best, and only obiect.

Pardone Pious Rea­der my zeale, which so often interrupts my Method, in that it is so inflamed with a Holy love of this our sacred Emanuell, that I cannot but make a cursory Para­phrase [Page 54] in the persecu­tion of his Story. I must now come to the most Execrable of all Acts, the be­traying of our bles­sed Saviour by one of his owne Fa­mily.

To perfect this their cursed enterprise, they begin with the breach of the Lawes of Hospitality (the on­ly [Page 55] stayne of the They brib'd K. Pr [...]sias to betray Hanniball being his guest. Ro­man Empire) and make a strange and horrible conversion of an Apostle into a Traytor. For thirty peeces of Silver (a summe despicable in the eye of many a Cutpurse) he sould his soule to Lucifer, and his best friend to his greatest Ene­mies. [Page 56] And the man­nor of his persidious­nesse is worse then the crime it selfe, for hee Betrayed him with a kisse, a signe as appropriate to friendship, as the ioyning of the right hands. Him whom he knew to be God; whom his confer­ence assured him to be without blemish, [Page 57] to whom he was o­blieged by so many tyes, as of depen­dancy, of instructi­on, of affection, he delivers over a prey into the iawes of these ravenous Wolves. And this Treachery of his our indulgent Redeemer both foreknew and foretold not long before; yet did hee [Page 58] not discover any displeasure concei­ved against him in word or look. Nay when hee came to apprehend him as a Malefactor, hee called him friend. I dare all ages to produce me such a president of patience. On the fatall instru­ment of all his Tri­bulations and Per­secutions, [Page 59] he bestowes this most familiar, this most deare title of friend. * Such Friends asOamici, amicus nemo. this, Aristo­tle intends when he sayes: O friends there is no friend.

Having bought this distressed King as a slave at a cer­taine price, like such they lead him up [Page 60] and downe, and no man offers to rescue him, save onely Pe­ter, whose bold At­tempt he stops with this Denuntiation, al that use the sword, shall perish with the Sword. And heere wee have ano­ther effect of his sweetnes in healing the wound of his foe, given by his friend. [Page 61] Those on whom he had wrought such miraculous cures; all forsake him. It is likely enough, that the same Eyes to which hee had resto­red sight, now lookt on him with scorne, and envy; that those dumbe Tongues to which he had given speech, curst & revild him; that those de­crepit [Page 62] Feet which he had enabled to walk, ranne not to embrace, but apprehend him; Nay it is not incre­dible, (such was the ingratitude of this obdurate Nation,) that they out of whom hee had cast Divells, now called him Divell for his labour. All his be­nefits though in­finite, [Page 63] and fresh, an ungratefull Oblivion seizeth on: Nay, his owne servants aban­don him, and not long after, his owne Peter denies him. Onely a few tender hearted Women, face danger, and follow him. From Annas to Caiphas, from Caiphas [...]o Pilate, from Pi­late to Herod, and [Page 64] from Herod, againe t [...] Pilate, they hurr [...] this future Judge [...] the living, and th [...] dead. Here Innocency is opposed, Simplicity made a laughing stocke, and Truth trampled on by Falshood. Here is to be scene a Combate, but an unequall one where Fury assaults and Patience [...]ave [...] [Page 65] her selfe open. They illanously▪ Abuse [...]im, both in words [...]nd deeds. In words with severall stings, [...]s detracting, con­ [...]radicting, contu­melious, deriding▪ [...]n detracting, both privily, and openly: Privily when they said softly to each o­ther: If this man were a Prophet, hee would [Page 66] know what manner of woman this is. And, this man `Blasphemes. Openly, when the Pharises upbraided his Disciples with this Question, Why doth your Master eate, and drinke with Pub­licans and Sinners? Also when they de­praved his Mira­cles. In Belzebub, Prince of the Divells, [Page 67] he casts out Divells. and, This man is not [...]f God, because hee [...]eepes not the Sabboth. [...]n speeches contra­dictory they thwar­ [...]ed him, as when they said, Thou art [...]hy owne witnesse: Also, Thy Testimony is not [...]rue, and, Thou art not yet fifty yeares old, and hast thou seene A­braham? In Phrases [Page 68] contumelious they reproachit him, as Luke the Fifth, Say wee▪ not truely that thouart a Samaritan and hast a Divell▪s and, who is this that speakes Blasphemies? But e­specially they re­viled him in the house of Annas, and Caiphas, as also be­fore Pilate, and Herod. Moreover, [Page 69] when hee hung on the Crosse, he heard no other language. Last­ly, they vildly, and grosly derided him, when hee said the Maid was not dead, but slept, and in the house of Pilate they bowed their knees to him in dirision. In his Passion againe they ieered him, as when wee come to it [Page 70] wee shall shew it at large.

But these talkative wrongs are tolera­ble, in respect of those committed a­gainst him by fact, which are more in­supportable as being centuple greater in their Nature and number. As Physi­tians give their Pa­tients Preparatives, [Page 71] that make them lesse sick before they ad­minister Stronger medicines, which search the veines, and more offend the sto­mack: So these hang­men by the lesser tortures inure, and prepare him to en­dure the greater.

Fex Romuli, the scumme of the world, insulted over the [Page 72] Lord of it; The [...] goe to Boyes pla [...] with him, they blind and buffet him, an [...] then bid him ghe [...] at the striker▪ T [...] render him a tru [...] spectacle of laughter they change his ga [...] ment, and dress him like a Buffoo [...] And (that their Villany might be com­pleat) in that fac [...] [Page 73] (wherein Beauty, Mercy, and Modesty, strove for superiori­tie) they spit the noysome infection of their Rotten Longues. But let us examine how he be­haves himselfe in the mid'st of these outrages: He recei­ved them with the same Countenance: that others doe be­nefits▪ [Page 74] all blowes hee takes as if they had hit him, being meant to another. But now his endu­ring, and their afflic­ting draw both to a period; For they clime to the Sum­mity of Wickednesse, and (thirsting for the last drop of his pre­tious blood) they againe hale him be­fore [Page 75] Pilate, from whom he was to ex­pect his last sentence. Here is hee fiercely and strongly accused by the Pharises, by whom, and by Pilate he is questioned a­bout many particu­lars; to which hee replies nothing at all. Alas to whom should hed answere? to the Jewes? they [Page 76] were plotters and Actors, in his Tra­gedy. To Pilate? he was wholy igno­rant of the cause, They ask't him if he were the sonne of God? had he answer'd affirmitively, the Maw of their envy had beene filled; for that confession was it they look't for. Againe, reply Nega­tively [Page 77] he could not; for Truth cannot lye. Nor doe I see why he should speake ought in his owne defence, the fairenesse of whose life was his A­pology. They might aswell discerne a staine in the body of the Sunne, as in him the least imperfecti­on.

When Pilate had [Page 78] heard the uttermost they could alleadge against him, he ac­quitted him, but the more he spake in his defence, the more they cryed out, Cru­cifie him. Notwith­standing their voci­feration, hee clear'd him againe, and a­gaine. At length, though Pilate knew the Jewes to have no [Page 79] other cause, then their owne rancor, and hatred against Jesus. Yet abhor­ring their importu­nity and clamour, and fearing Caesars displeasure, (for they publikely told him, Christ had disho­nour'd Caesar, in cal­ling himselfe a King) hee delivered this Righteous one to bee [Page 80] scourged and cruci­sied by these inhu­mane Monsters. Yet ere hee gave him up to their fury, hee call'd for water; and washed his hands before the Multi­tude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this iust person, see you to it; to whom all the people answered and said, His blood be [Page 81] upon us and our Chil­dren.

Here, not with­out reverence and asto­nishment, let us ob­serve three points in this uniust Arraign­ment very remarke­able. First, that God sometimes forceth truth from the mouthes of lyars, contrary to their owne intenti­on. Secondly, that [Page 82] hee compelleth the wicked to cleare the righteous, even when they think they most condemne them, and frames al their actions to his owne ends▪ when they thinke they are most direc­ted to their owne scope; not unlike to him who on the Hatches of a Shippe walkes East, when [Page 83] by the force of the Winde hee is carried West. Thirdly, and lastly, that though GODS Iudgements▪ move slowly, yet cor­tainely at length, & when least expected, they overtake op­pressours, and the blood-thirsty.

The first observation is made good in Caiphas, who with [Page 84] a lowd voyce exclay­med, That one must die for the people: which (though quite con­trary to his mea­ning) was indeede verified in Christ, who died for their manifold transgressi­ons. Also those who call'd him King of the Jewes, sayd most truely, though they spake it by way of [Page 85] scoffing. The second is manifested in He­rod, who sent him away in a white Robe, which colour ever yet argued the inno­cency and integrity of them that wore it, though no doubt Herod cherish't no such good opinion of him, but held him a man guilty, and an Imposter.

[Page 86]The third is cleare­ly demonstrated in Pilate, Herod, and the whole body of the Jewish nation. As for Pilate, he be­ing accused to Caius Caesar, for corrupti­on, and misgovern­ment in his Province, hee chose rather to fall upon his owne Sword, then abide his Triall. Herod ha­ving [Page 87] made an orati­on to the People which commanded not onely their at­tention, but ado­ration (as it appeares in that with generall acclamations, they vowed it to bee the voice of a God) was by the Angell of the [...]rue, and iealous God smitten, and the Wormes immediately [Page 88] devoured him. Here is a plaine demon­stration what Power, what Maiesty is when it is deprived of Gods favour. As a Mirrour while the Sunne Plaies upon it, sends forth Beames that at once doth dazle and delight the Eye, but (bard his luster) looseth those rayes, and [Page 89] growes dim againe: So when God smiles on Princes, and ir­radiats their mindes with Knowledge, and Vertue, they appeare bright and glorious in the eyes of all men; but hee once averring the shine of his loving Countenance, they be­come obseure, and there is nothing [Page 90] worthy in them dis­cernable. The truth of this is apparant in Herod, who stands heere a poore worm, devoured by his fel­lowes.

Nor did this Gene­ration of Vipers, the Jewes (though fore­warned) shun the vengeance which not long after fell upon their Heads. For [Page 91] Vespasian and Titus having long besieged their Citty, it was by his Engines, and their owne fire ut­terly defaced, ha­ving before hardely escaped Drowning in a slood of theirs & their Childrens blood mixt together.

There were of them in the space of seven yeares in Ci­vill [Page 92] and Forraigne Warres these seve­rall slaughters faith­fully collected out of Josephus.

• FIrst, there were slaine at Hierusalem by the command of Florns, 630.
• At Caesarea, by the in­habitants there for ha­tred of their Nation, and their Religion, 20000.
• At Scithopilis a Towne of Syria, 130000.
• At Ascalon in Palesti­na. 2500
• [Page 93] Also at Ptolomais, 2000
• At Alexandrea in Ae­gypt under Tiberius A­lexander then Presi­dent, 50000.
• At Damascus, 10000.

All these were put to the Sword by Sedition and Tumults.

After this there fell in open Warre by the hands of the Romans, these ensuing.

• When Joppa was taken [...] Cesius Florus, 8400.
• In Mount Cabulon, 200 In sight at Asca­lon, 10000.
• [Page 94]Againe, by Strata­gem, 8000.
• At the taking of Apha­ca, 15000.
• In Mount Garizin, 11000
• At Jotopa, where Jose­phus himselfe was in per­son, 30000
• At the taking of Joppa were drowned, 420 [...]
• In Tarichaeis, 650 [...]
• At Gamala, killed by t [...] Enemy, and their own precipitation from hig [...] places, 900

Where not one humane race escape but two Sisters.

• [Page 95]Giscala being forsaken, there were slaine in the fight, 2000. and taken Captives, which we num­ber not, 2200.
• In the Streets of Idu­ [...]ea, 10000.
• At Gerasium, 1000.
• At Macheruns, 1700.
• In Massada, 960.
• In Cirene slaine by Ca­ [...]lus the President, 3000.
• In Hierusalem in the [...]e of the siege, 1000000
• Taken Captives which [...] wil not number, 97000

The whole summe, [Page 96] (omitting those which perished by Famine, Ex­ile, and Mischances) a­mounteth to One Milli­on, two hundred thirtie and two Thousands, sixe Hundred and Ninety.

TO these miseries I may adde, that at this day they cannot properly be called a Na [...], being dispersed heere and there, (like Rogues and Vagabonds) ove [...] [Page 97] the face of the Earth, having in all Coun­tries, Mulcts impo­sed on their estates, and in some them­selves enioyned to weare a marke on their Clothes, wher­by they may bee di­stinguish'd from o­ther honest men. I may also truely a­ [...]werre that no people under Heaven, hath [Page 98] so much degenera­ted from the primi­tive purity of their Religion, See M. de Pless [...] in his Tract. of the Iewes. having de­filed it with intro­duction of innume­rable new Ceremonies, and alteration of the old. But withall I must confesse, I know not what Na­tion else hath strictly kept her Integrity, [Page 99] they having never yet matched out of their owne Tribes and Race.

I must withall insert this caution, that I speak not of Prose­lites, but of legitimate Proselites were such Heathen people as disclay­ming Paganisme, became converts, and ioyened them­selves unto the Church of the Iewes. A Iew by father or mother, was called an He­brew, but he who was a Iew both by father and mo­ther, was stiled an Hebrew of He­brews, and such I here speak of. Jewes by Father or Mother, or [Page 100] both. I professe seri­ously, that nothing amazeth mee so much, as the con­templation of the unparallel'd obstina­cy and impiety of this seed of Abraham, chosen by God to be the dispensers of his Oracles. A lamenta­ble proofe of this, is the murther of ma­ny thousands of Chri­stians, [Page 101] for the abho­minable Crimes of these Miscreants. For though these two Religions are as farre from each other in Nature and distance, as Heaven and Earth, yet the Romans often confounded them: which wee may per­ceive by this, that in their persecutions they seldome or never di­stinguish't [Page 102] them. Many (not verst in Story) raile at Taci­tus, and others for inveying against the Christians, and the Jewes of those times. But what Historian could abstaine from a severe censure of them, when hee found the later day­ly dragg'd to Execu­tion, for such villa­nies [Page 103] as the very ima­gination of them (could it be detec­ted) ought to be as punishable as the Action? Should any but a Christian reade their damn'd facts in any of the foure E­vangelists, he would throw away the Bi­ble as a Fable, not thinking it credible, there could be such [Page 104] inhumanity in men.

And I am confi­dent, had Pliny be­leeved as much of them, as we know, that they had not onely reiected, but buffeted, spit upon, scourg'd, and cruci­fied their legitimate King, and Redeemer, hee would not have vouchsafed them roome amongst his [Page 105] foure-footed Beasts, but have plac▪t them amongst his craw­ling creatures, and venemous Serpents. And with such they deserve to be rank'd, as not worthy to re­taine the name of Men, having long since put off the Na­ture.

Those guiltlesse hands (which so [Page 106] often hee had lifted up to his Father for their Conversion) they binde so fast, that the Cord eates into his tender flesh. On that Head wherein Universall Wisedome was contained, they set a Crowne of Thornes so fast, that his pu­rest Blood runnes in streames downe his sweetest Face: That [Page 107] Body (which White­nesse and Symmetry consulted to make lovely above all o­ther) they unmerci­fvlly and uncessant­ly whippe from the top to the bottome, so that from head to foot hee was but one continued Sore. On his shoulders they lay his weighty Crosse, and lest with a fall, [Page 108] he should ease him­selfe of his Burthen, they shoulder him up on all sides: If at any time hee lag, these Butchers beat, and kick him on, as if hee were a Beast. But seeing him faint, and fearing hee would dye, before hee had undergone all the paines pro­vided for him, they [Page 109] load an obvious Stranger called Simon, with his Crosse. And and thus they lead him to be made an Oblation for the sins of the whole World. See the love, and Humility of this our dearest Messias; he saw they would not take up his Crosse, and follow him, he takes it up himselfe, [Page 110] and followes them. All this was done by the eternall de­cree of his Father, for there was found no Sacrifice under the Law powerful enough, to appease the wrath of God, iustly con­ceived against Man. Wherfore Man must for ever suffer, or the Sonne of God once for him, whose suf­fering [Page 111] onely was of Vertue sufficient to worke this blessed reconciliation: For the Passion of Christ was suteable to his person; his person of infinite excellency, could not bee so a­based without insi­nite Merit, accrued by such Humiliation. His dying was more the Equivalent to all the [Page 112] Worlds frying in Hel everlastingly. Here the foolish Atheist scoffs us, demanding how it was possible that God should suf­fer. Heare thou prophane wretch the the voyce of the Church. God is said to suffer by Union, who could not suffer by Nature. Heare a­gaine blinde Infidel; [Page 113] Hee who dyed on the Crosse and lives eter­nally; hee who suffers on Earth, and not in Heaven; whose Body suffers and yet not hee with his body; he who is overcome by Death, and yet vanquisht it, although hee be not one in Nature, yet hee is one Redeemer, and one and the same Person. As the Soule and the [Page 115] Body are Different things, yet make but one man.

Wee now arrive at the abridgement of his Story, his Pas­sion, and at the Con­summation of his Hu­mility, his Death.

A Man would thinke it had beene paines enough for him to beare his Crosse, without bear­ing [Page 116] more upon it: But their malice is insatiable, and they cannot imagine how they can inflict, or he indure too much. His hands soft as those of Mercy, his feet ne­ver swift to shed their blood, they pierce with massie Nayles, which they drive in with as little remorse as if hee were made, [Page 115] [...] [Page 116] [...] [Page 117] of Wood. They scoffe athim; and Nodding their heads, and ben­ding their knees, they salute him by the name of King of the Jewes. Nay, they utter such blasphemies that I wonder they were not attended with a Thunderbolt They not onely dar [...] him of himselfe to descend, but his father [Page 118] to fetch him downe; Who could in a mo­ment have com­manded one Angell [...]o have destroyed [...]hem, and their Coun­ [...]rey, and have left [...]t to bee demanded, where Judaea was. Being as thirsty in [...]he heate of this cru­ [...]l Conflict betwixt [...]he Flesh and the Spi­ [...]t, as the Earth is [Page 122] under the reigne of the Dog-starre, hee desires drinke, to whom they proffer a base beverage made of Vinegar and Gall two ingredients no [...] good enough for the drench of a Horse▪ Three of the Evangelists affirme, that they who were crucified with him▪ revile [...] him also: But Sain [...] [Page 123] Luke saith, that one­ly one was faulty. Which Difference Saint Austine thus re­conciles, that at first indeed they both vi­ [...]ifi'de him, but that one of them by a sud­daine inspiration, in­stantly repented, and rebuked the other, saying, Dost thou not [...]are God, seeing thou [...]rt in the same condem­nation? [Page 124] and we indeed iustly, for wee receive the due reward of our deeds, but this man hath done nothing amisse and he said unto Jesus Lord remember me when thou comest int [...] thy Kingdome.

I will not he [...] with some conclud [...] that this good Thie [...] was hee who w [...] on the right han [...] [Page 125] of our Saviour, and that it was not with­out the speciall pro­vidence of God; nei­ther will I deny it: It shall suffice me, that Christ said to him, This day shalt thou bee with mee, in Paradise. None of the Roman Caesars either on his Tribunall, or in his Triumphant Chariot, could have spoken so [Page 126] bravely and power­fully, as our Saviour here did in the extre­mity of his Agony. This day will I make thee a Governour of Provinces, or, This day will I make thee a sharer with me in all my Glories: Or, This day will I give thee com­mand over Legions: Or, this day will I divide the habitable World into [Page 127] two parts, and accept of that halfe thou refusest; This is all Caesar could have said. These Offers are scant, and narrow, in respect of the pro­mise here, made by our Omnipotent Re­deemer: This day of a Publican, I will make thee a Saint; This day of a Malefactor, I will make thee a Martyr; [Page 128] This day I will translate thee from Earth into the Impyriall Heaven; This can be no other then the voice of an Al­mighty Saviour. O happy, O blessed Day! wherein Sinne is depressed, the Sin­ner exalted, and the Gates of Heaven here­tofore shut against him, now opened to him, by God himselfe; [Page 129] where the Honour e­qualls the Benefit. The entry into Pa­radise heretofore was guarded by a Cheru­bin, having a flaming Sword in his hand. The Fire is now ex­tinguish'd, the Sword taken from him, and now there is no guard upon it. Nay, that no man might despaire of entrance, [Page 130] it is first of all ope­ned to a Thiefe, in whose soule before his conversion, vices were as thicke, and as surely rooted as the haires in his head. The Jewes who lay claime to Sanctity, (as onely proper to them) are reiected. He who at first was ableto forme Man, can now forme him­selfe [Page 131] a new people. Hee that before con­demned the proud Pharise in the Tem­ple, now iustifies the pensive Theefe on the Crosse. It was now about the ninth houre, when Christ full of anguish both in Soule and Body, cryed out with a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, Lamasa­bachthani, My God, [Page 132] my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Here the the Atheist steps in a­gaine; and askes how hee could de­spaire, and be a God? to whom I vouchsafe this answere, that heere is to be heard only the voice of the flesh, which denotes not at all the sepe­ration of God from his Humanity, but [Page 133] the Calamity of his Humanity it selfe; for hee could not bee forsaken by him, from whom he could no way bee seperated. But that thou maist be certaine, this could bee no lesse then a God: behold heere Nature her selfe suffering with her Lord. From the first borne saith the Text, [Page 134] There was a generall darknesse over the whole face of the Earth. Nor was this a common, but a supernaturall Ecclipse, as testifieth Saint Au­stine: Lib. 3 de civil Dei. cap. 15 Quam solis obscurationem non ex Canonico Syder [...] cursu accidisse satis o­stenditur, quod tu [...] erat Pascha Judaeorum: [...]an plena luna solem­niter [Page 135] agitur: It is e­vident, saith he, that Ecclipse of the Sunne not to have happened by the ordinary, and order­ly course of the Starres, it being then the Pass­over of the Jewes, which is solemnised at the full Moone. And this was it that gave oc­casion as is the com­mon opinion, to that memorable Excla­mation [Page 136] of Dionisius the Arcopagite, residing then in Aegipt: Aut Deus Naturae patitur, aut Machina mundi disolvetur: Either the God of Nature suffers, or the Fabrick of the World will be dissolved. And hereupon too, as it is thought by some, was erected that Altar at Athens Ignoto Deo, to the un­knowne [Page 137] God. Acts 17. 23. I am not igno­rant that some think that Ecclipse was con­fin'de within the borders of Judaea, which opinion I ra­ther incline to, be­cause if it had beene generall quite over the World, Tacitus, and the Historians of that time must of necessity have men­tioned [Page 138] it, Judaea be­ing them subiect to the Roman Empire. Nay, the ensuing A­ges would not have buried in silence a thing so strange and miraculous. How­soever, it cannot be denied, but that it was certainly beside, and above the course of Nature. Neither ought it produce [Page 139] wonder, That th [...] Sunne in the Firma­ment of Heaven should suffer, when the Son of Righteousnesse suf­fered upon Earth.

You seed of Perdition what have you done? your Blasphemies, and Iniquities have chased the all gladding Light out of Heaven, and you now are left in a C [...]ri [...]n darkenesse, a [Page 140] presage of that you shall eternally dwell in. And will not this moove you to acknowledge your Po­tent King, and Re­deemer? The Vaile of your Temple rents, and falls with him who taught the ever living truth in it, in token that all Prophesies of his death are now fulfil­led; and will not this perswade you to pros [...]ate [Page 141] your selves before him? No, no, all things in Heaven, and Earth resent his Death, save obstinate you onely. The Earth it selfe trembles, but you quake not. The Rocks split, but your Adamantine hearts are of proofe against all his Calamities. The graves open, but your bosomes are shut. The Dead with him arise, but you [Page 142] lye still wallowing in your owne filthy enor­mities. Yet this is no wonder; for they were dead in Nature, you in finne; whose weighty burthen lies so heavy on you, that you cannot possibly get up. Hee is yet alive, yet sue to him, of whom never any begg'd in vaine. You see hee is willing to remit your trespasses, [Page 143] in that hee hath in the very height of his tor­ments prayed to his Father for you. Hee is now giving up the Ghost; yet call on him for mercy, that with his last gaspe hee may pronounce your pardon. But it is now too late, hee is dead to you, and you to Grace: He hath now finished this great worke, and commended [Page 144] his hands, that will keepe it as the apple of his Eye.

Having seene how they used him in his lefe, let us now make an inquiry, whether or no they behaved them selves to him more reve­rently (being dead.) When the Body of their Soveraigne, and Saviour had hung [Page 145] many Houres be­tweene his Foot stole, and his Throne, they take it downe, not with a resolution to honor it with burial, but to mangle, and deface it. They thrust a Speare into his side, out of which ranne Water and Blood, the repre­senters, as some thinke, of his two [Page 146] misticall Sacraments. His Coat being seam­lesse, and therefore not divideable, they cast lots for. And then they left him Naked as a prey to the Beasts of the Earth, and the foules of the Ayre. But he is otherwise provi­ded for by his Hea­venly Father, who sendeth Joseph of A [Page 147] a iust man & a Coun­cellor (who refused to be present at the con­demnation of Iesus) to beg the body of Pilate, which ob­tained, he foulded it in fine Lynnen, and layd it in a new Sepulcher, where ne­ver man was laid be­fore. And heere not without sighes, and teares, and groanes [Page 148] I leave him, the ut­bounds of this dis­course being his Death and Passion.

But I forbid no thee, O my Soule to repeat, & revolve within thy selfe th [...] dignity of thy Savi­our, and the indig­nity of his suffe­rings. We discern some sparkes of the brightnesse and glo­ry [Page 149] of his Beauty in his creatures, but the ioynt stocke of their whole life can no more expresse him, then can a Gloworme, the Jubar of the Sun. O fixe thine Eyes here for ever, and lose thy sight toge­ther with this ob­iect. Consider, O my Soule, that to ran­some thee, this Ma­ster [Page 150] peece, this utmost endeavour of Na­ture and the Holy Ghost, offered him­selfe a most willing Sacrifice. Rise, saith hee, behold he is at hand that doth betray mee. And in another place it is said, Jesus therefore knowing all these things that▪ should come upon him, went forth, and said unto [Page 151] them, Whom seekyee? They answered him, Iesus of Nazareth. Je­sus said unto them, I am hee, &c. Heere he meeteth sedition halfe way, gazeth her in the face, and fearelesse confesseth his name.Athanas. de incar. Thomas 3 Sum. And some learned De­vines thinke that he would not die by [Page 152] disease, or age, lest he should seeme to leave this life a­gainst his will, or out of Naturall in­finite Common to all.

But with his unvaluable Worth, Ballance the Af­fronts and Mise­ries Hee Endu­res.