RIght Worshipfull and wel­beloued, I haue in mine owne charge discoursed of the bitter passion of our blessed Sauiour vnder Cai­phas, Herod, Pilate, and the notable acci­dents that fell out as hee was going to­wards Golgotha, the place of his execution: something also I haue spoken of the won­derfull occurrences that fell out during [Page 2] his aboade vpon the Crosse, and the me­morable speeches vttered theron, seuen in number; the first a prayer for his enemies, Father forgiue them they know not what they doe. Luke 23. 24. The second and third consolations, one to the conuerted thiefe, This day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradise. Luke 23. 43. The other to his mother, Be­hold thy sonne, Ioh. 19. 26. The fourth vvord vvas a vvord of complaint, My God my God, why hast thou forsaken me. Math. 27. 46. So vvas the fifth also mentioned by Iohn, vvhen he knevv that all things vvere ac­complished, he sayde, I thirst. Iohn 19. 28. His sixth vvord vvas a vvord of triumph Consummatum est, It is finished. Iohn 19. 30. The seuenth vvas a speech taken out of the 30. Psalme. Father into thy hands I com­mend my spirit. v. 5 I am to speake at this time of his third vvord, in which you may note vvith mee.

First, the occasion, in these vvordes: When Iesus therefore saw his mother and the Disciple.

Secondly, the speech it selfe, which was double.

First, to the virgin Mary, Behold thy sonne. Diuision of the text: Next, to Iohn the Apostle, Behold thy mother.

Of the occasion first, S. Luke sayth, that vvhen Christ vvas going tovvards his ex­ecution, there follovved him a great mul­titude, & vvomen that bevvailed him, yea they follovved him as the vvord imports in the originall, at the hard heeles, and ex­ceedingly bevvailed him: yea they fol­lovved [...] him till they came [...] iuxta, hard to, or exceeding neere the crosse till they came vnder the crosse; vvhom vvhen our Sauior beheld, & amongst o­thers his mother, and beloued disciple, in the midst of his extremity, as it vvere, ca­sting off all griefe: he comforts his mother and prouides for her after maintenance, Iohannem commendans Mariae matri, & vici­sim Mariam Iohanni Woman sayth he to his mother, Behold thy sonne: and againe to Iohn, Behold thy mother; commen­ding Marie his mother to his Disciple Iohn, and Iohn the Disciple to his mother Marie. For vvee must not so vnderstand the vvordes as if that Christ had [Page 4] spoken to this effect, behold and castNon morum implorat opē sed iuvat. Aeretius. thine eyes vpon me thy wofully and mi­serably afflicted sonne: this had beene to adde sorrow to sorrow, afflictiō to bonds. But thus conceiue it rather, that our bles­sed Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ being fastned to the Crosse, his hands nayled, his feete nayled, so as he could vnneath stirre, either hand or foote, or any part of his body but his head: it may be with a nod of his head, or winking vpon her with hisErasm. in Ioh. eye, he speakes to her in some such words as these; Woman thou knowest how faith fully and carefully I haue hitherto proui­ded for thee, with what childlike and fi­liall affection: but now mine hower is come and wee must part, yet bee not too much abashed, either for my death, or feare of want after my death; thogh thou loose a sonne thou shalt finde a sonne, hee stands by thee, and will be as carefull and tender ouer thee, as an if he were thy son. And foorthwith looking directly vpon the Apostle Iohn, he addes: Behold thy mo­ther: not that Iohn was Maries sonne, or Marie Iohns mother, for Iohn was the son [Page 5] of Zebedeus, Math. 4. 21. but his meaning is this, that he would haue Iohn as highly to honour and tender her, as if she had bin the mother that bare him: for, saith a lear­nedPifeat. in Iohn Non quod ex ea genitus est sed quod Elia­li amore eam debet am ple­cti. expositor, Iohannes Mariae filius dicitur: Iohn is called Maries sonnes, & illius mater and Marie Iohns mother, not that the one was the mother, and the other the sonne, but that he would haue Iohn to embrace the Virgine Marie with a filiall loue and affection. Neither were his words vttered in vain for it follows in the story, that the Disciple tooke her to his owne home.

Thus hauing intended to haue spoken of the occasion of the words I haue (I know not how before I was aware) dis­coursed of the meaning of the whole Text: it will be time for me now to return to my entended method, and first of the occasion, in which obserue three things.

First, Quis, who he seeth; Christ.

Secondly, Quos, whom he seeeth; Ma­rie and Iohn.

Thirdly, Vbi, where he seeth them; viz. neere the Crosse.

And in handling all these I must be ex­ceeding [Page 6] compendious, lest my matter be to begin when the houre is at end. The1. Quis, who seeth. Bullinger in Ioh annem. first point is Quis? who? & that was Christ that saw thē after hee had bin persecuted, bettayed, condemned, scourged, nailed to the crosse: Nunc etiam ne quid deesset passionis acerbitat: That he might want nothing to augment the bitternes of his suffring: hee seeth his mother vnder his crosse, ready to be swallowed vp in the gulfe of sorrow:In this life wee must expect crosse vpon crosse. which brings into my mind the speech v­sed, 1. Sa. 25. 1. after relation of Dauids trou­bles one in the necke of another▪ it is also added as to all the rest, & Samuel also died. As one drop of rain followes another, as one waue wallows in the neck of another: so one afflictiō follows another, a second, a first; a third a secōd, & cōmonly the last is not the least: therfore Eliphaz in Iob tels vs, That crosses come by fixes, nay by seauens. God deliuers in fixe troubles, & in the seuenth, euill shal not come neere thee. Iob. 6. As Iob had messenger after messenger: so must wee haue crosse vpon crosse; which doctrine may be applyed after a double manner.

First, it may teach vs to liue in a conti­nuall Vse the first. [Page 7] expectation of afflictions, not of oneLet no man expect an hea­uen vpon earth. but of many: all the sons of Adam are sub­iect to crosses; the sons of the first, the sons of the second Adam, but especially the sons of the second Iudgment begins with thē, yea not only begins, but like a continuall torrent runs ouer their backes from their birth to their graue: and yet I know not how it comes to passe, if the torrent bee neuer so little dryed vp; that is, if God giue vs neuer so little ease, wee are rea­dy with Dauid to dreame of immunity and exemption from crosses, and to say as hee sayde, Thou God of thy good­nesse hast made my hill so strong, that I shall neuer bee remoued. God no soo­ner remooueth the whippe, but wee are ready to sing vnto the Carles tune. Soule take thine case, eate, drinke and bee merry. Wee haue no sooner any in­termission but wee sing a Requiem to our selues, and secure our selues like Babel: Though others bee fatherlesse, and Widdowes, yet wee shall see no sorrow: when indeede this world is a Sea of troubles. Reul. chap. 4. verse 6. [Page 8] And therefore as Marriners vpon the sea expect and looke for stormes, and when one blast is ouer, expect another: so should we euer looke for crosses, either losse of parents, losse of children▪ losse of goods, and when one is blowne ouer, be sure that another is neere.

Secondly, our Sauior his troubles came Vse the second rowling so fast one after another that heeLet no man say that he is singular in his suffring. might, mee thinkes, haue taken vp the Churches complaint Lamen. 3. 5. 12. Thou hast compassed me with gall, and filled me with bitternesse, thou hast made mee a marke for thine arrowes, and turned thy power against me all the day long: and wherefore then is the complaint so common, see and consider if euer sorrow were like my sorrow: for to name no more then are there mentioned in this text, Christ, Marie, Iohn, the first the naturall sonne of God, in whom he was well plea­sed the second a blessed woman, blessed aboue women: the third an Apostle belo­ued aboue all the Apostles, and yet theirFirst Christ. crosses equalled, nay exceeded thine. First to beginne with Christ, how many and [Page 9] manifold were his sufferings, by hunger, Math. 4. by thirst, by wearinesse, Iohn the fourth; yea how greeuous were his suffe­rings when he sweat water and blood, or as the new translation hath it; his sweat was, as it were, drops of blood: quasi grumi [...]. Luke 22. grumus, signifies a clod of earth, or rather a clod of curded milk in a womans breast. Now his agony was so great, that hee sweat (if we may so speake) clods of blood yea so admirable was his passion, that vp­pon the Crosse hee cryes out like one for­saken, My God, my God, why hast thou forsa­ken me? rather then might our Sauiour hanging vpon the Crosse (and many Di­uines apply it to him) haue sayd, see and consider if euer sorrow were like my sor­row.

Secondly, how great and many were [...] Marie. the myseries of the virgine Marie, whose soule was wounded with the sword of sorrow; and then especially when she be­held her sonne Christ lifted vp vpon the Crosse? I remember what I read of Hagar Gen. 21. 16. when she and her sonne Ismael were cast out of Abraham his house, and Hagar wan­ted [Page 10] sustenance to giue her child, the story saith shee cast him down and went from him, lest sayd she, I should see the death of my childe: and she sate downe & lifted vp her voice and wept. If Hagar could not en­dure io see the death of Ismael her sonne, iudge whether the sword of sorrow must not needes pierce the soule of the sacred virgin, to see her sonne Christ so cruelly murthered. The Papists affirme, that the virgins loue to her son, exceeded the loueAnto. de Gue. Hisp. of all, the angels in heauen: this I am able to iustifie, that parents doe tenderly affect & loue their children: you may see it by Iobs example, that seemed to be little mo­uedIob. 1. 14. 20. at the newes of all his losses, till he heard his children were slaine, & then he could conceale his sorrow no longer, but rent his cloths, shaued his head, & was wo­fully perplexed. So Dauid also, though hee could beare Shimei his railing & other cros­ses patiētly, yet when he heard of Absoloms death how he cries out, O Absolom my son would I had dyed for thee; O Absolom my2. Sam. 11. 33. son, my son. Yet Dauid saw not his sonnes death, nor Iob saw not his sons death, but [Page 11] the blessed virgin did not heare of, but was an eye witnesse of the cruell martyr­dome of her son Christ. Oh hould her sor­row but exceed, to behold so rufull a spe­ctacle, yet wee are ready to imagine our selues singular in our suffrings.

3. Are thy sorrows greater then the sor­rowes of the Apostle S. Iohn; who also was an eye witnes of his masters death? If Da­uid▪ cried out when he heard of Ionathans death, Wo is me for thee my brother Ionathan thou wert very kinde to me in thy life, thy loue was wderfull to mee, passing the loue of wo­men. Might not Iohn the beloued disciple (vpō whose bosome Christ had so often leaned) haue cryed out, Wo is me, thy loue to me was wonderfull. O noble Israel hee is slaine, tell it not in Gath, nor publish it in Asca­lon. Must it not needs perplexe him (think yee) to see how his maister bones were stretchd out of ioynt? how the dogs incō ­passed him? and the assembly of the wic­ked closed him? how his hands and feete were pierced with nayles, & yet thou saist see & cōsider if euer sorrow were like my sorrow. Lay but the suffrings of eyther [Page 12] Christ, or Marie, or Ihon in one ballance, and thine in another, and see whether theirs will not infinitely outweigh thine. If these things were considered as they ought, thou wouldest be so far from such murmuring, that we should prayse God with the Church, and say; It is Gods mercie that we are not consumed, because his compas­sions Lamen. 3. 22. faile not.

The next poynt is, whom he seeth: When 2. Quo [...]. he saw his mother, &c. Luke sayth their fol­lowed him a multitude of women that bewayled and lamented him. Luke 23. 27. Mathew affirmes, that many women of Gallile followed him. Math. 27. 55. The E­uangelist Iohn testifies, that many women followed him, as Marie the wife of Cleo­phas, and Marie Magdalen, and the virgine Marie: but it is obseruable that we reade not of one man by name that followed him, except Iohn the Apostle, and he also was of Gallile, a countrey so meane and base that the Pharises supposed no good thing could come out of Gallile: so true is that saying of the Apostle, not many wise nor many mighty are called, but God [Page 13] hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weake to confound the mighty. 1. Cor. 1. 26. Peter that was so ready to offer his ser­uice to the death; Though all men for­sake thee, yet wil I neuer forsake thee, was now fled for feare with the rest of the A­postles, and not one of the Disciples durst shew their heads except Iohn, and he spake not one word (that we can reade of in his maisters cause) and yet there were wo­men that openly bewayled him, and ne­uer left him, till they were separated from him by his death. Thus God makes his power perfect in weakenesse: but I must not stand vpon this poynt.

The third thing to be considered in the3. Vbi. occasion is (Vbi) where he seeth them; and this was iuxta erucem, neere the Crosse: & here of necessity a question must be asked and answered, to reconcile▪ Scripture toMat. 27. 55. Mark. 15. 40. Luke 23. 29: Scripture, for Mathew sayth, the women stood a farre of: so say Marke and Luke al­so. And many Diuines haue collected much matter from their standing a farre of; one gathers that in the best actions we [Page 14] bewray infirmitie; these women (saythAretius▪ he) follow Christ to the Crosse, and yet e­uen in this worthy act they bewray infir­mity, for as much as they follow withBullenger. Peter a farre of. Another perswades wo­men to modesty by an argument drawne from the women standing a farre of, for (saith he) though many women followed Christ, Nihil tamen faciunt contra Decorum: yet they do nothing that is vnseemly, not rushing amongst the souldiers & men of warre; but kept themselues backe, and be­held e longinquo, a farre of: a good item for our brazen faced harlots, that run with­out all shame to Bearebaitings, Playhou­ses, & thrust themselues into the thickest throngs; these and other collections I could well like of, so bee, they were built vpon a good foundation: For my Text sayth, that they stood neere the Crosse. But still it may bee obiected, how then re­concile wee one place to another? how sayth Iohn they stood neere the Crosse: the other Euangelists, that they stood a farre of. There be diuers answers.

Some answer it thus, that Iohn and [Page 15] the three Maries stood neere the Crosse, the other women which lamented him stood further of: and hence also they haue gathered, that euen amongst those that loue God there are degrees of loue, as a­mongst Christs followers, some followed him neere and ventured themselues more others a farr of, and ventured themselues lesse; yet all loued him. This answer as I reiect it not, so neither doe I embrace it; because Saint Luke sayth, that a great many women followed him, and the vvord in the originall notes (as I sayd) a neere follovving of Christ, and it appears indeed that they follovved him neere; be­cause our Sauiour preached to them that diuine Sermon as he vvas going tovvards his ex [...]ution. Daughters of IerusalemLuke 23. vveepe not for me but for your selues, and for your children, the daies shall come, &c. And if they vvere not afraid to fol­lovv him as hee vvas going to tovvards his execution, and heare his doctrine: it may be coniectured also that they vvere as little afrayd to stand by him during the time of his execution, & abode vpon the Crosse.

Secondly, others answer that at the first these women might stand a farre of,Bellarm. de 7. verbis Christi. Impediente turba & militibus, beeing hinde­red by the souldiers and the multitude, that pressed neere to see and heare what was done: but afterwards, when that Christ was lifted vp, and many were re­turned home, that then they drew neere to the Crosse, else (quoth Bellarmine) how could Marie know that he spake to her, or Iohn that he spake to him, when their was such a multitude present, and Christ calleth neither of both by their names. But this cannot be, for euen after our Sa­uiour had giuen vp the Ghost, it is sayde that the women that followed him from Gallile, beheld him a farre of: so as it was not at the first, but afterward th [...] theyMat. 27. stood a farre of. And though there were present neuer so many people, and Christ named neither Marie nor Iohn, yet hee might so fasten his eye vpon them, as they might well know to whom hee spake.

Thirdly, therefore I take this for the best answer, that at the first they stood [Page 17] neerer the crosse, till such time as Christ had commended his mother to Iohn his care and custody: but after that, they de­parted out of the presse, and stood and be­held a farre of; all the time of his passion. And thus hauing cleared this doubt; bee pleased to obserue with me two things, out of this third poynt.

• First, the louing faithfulnesse of Iohn and Marie to Christ, that followed him euen to the last, till they came vnder his Crosse.
• Secondly, Christs care ouer them, be­holding them with pitty and com­passion from his Crosse.

The first of these, mindes me of Aretius Aret. in Iohn. Obser. his note; Veri amici libenter adsunt morituris, iuuant, &c. A true friend will not forsake his friend in his greatest aduersity, not in the prison, not in bands, not at the place of execution it selfe. Intreate me not to leaue thee, sayd Ruth to Naomi, where thouRuth. 1. goest I will goe, where thou dyest I will dye, nothing but death shall separate vs a­sunder. False and flattering friends are like a mans shaddow, that is seene to follow [Page 18] a man so long as the Sunne shines, but as soone as the Sunne is ouerclowded it va­nisheth away: Donec eris felix, &c. So long as a mā is in prosperity, so long as the Sun shines, as it were, so long a man shall haue abundance of friends: where the carkasse is, thither will the Eagles resort. But if there come cloudy and tempestuous time

If the world frowne neuer so little, our credits are ecclipsed, our names put out as euill: if times of persecution come vpon vs, then shall you see false friends vanish a­way. Nay what speake I of vanishing, it may be they will verifie Micha his saying.Micha. 3. 5. If you fill not their mouth with bread, they will prepare warre against you: Or me thinkes I may fitly resemble them to little brookes or riuers, that when wee haue water enough in the winter season, are brimme full; and like Iordan ouerflow their blankes, but in the drought of Som­mer, when ponds, and wels, and springs, are dryed vp, are so empty that they will not affoorde one droppe of water to the weary passenger: you may easily apply [Page 19] the resemblance. The wealthy want no well willers, when corne, wine, and oyle abound, friends wil abound: but saith Salomon, if a man bee poore, his owneProu. 19. brethren will hate him; how much more will his friends goe farre from him, they will pursue him with their wordes, but they will not helpe him. Thus it is with false friendes, but true loue is like wilde­fireCantic. 8. 7. that burnes euen the water it selfe, much water cannot quench loue, nor floods drowne it. True loue, Oh it is like mighty wine, strong as death, what can quench it? The Scribes and Pharises en­deuoured, euen with all their might, by lyes, slanders, false reports, to alienate the peoples affections from our blessed Sauiour, they sayde he was a Drunkard, a diuel, that he cast out diuels by the diuel: they sayd hee was a seditious person, an enemy to Caesar, &c. and yet all this water could not quench their loue, yea though after they had slandered him, they scour­ged and crucified him, yet sayth Iosephus Antiquit. lib. 8 they that followed him frō the beginning ceased not to loue him for the ignominy of his death.

But this of the first poynt, that they fol­lowedObser. 2. him till they came vnder the Crosse.

The second is this, that our Sauiour be­held them with pitty from the Crosse▪ so the Text sayth, When hee beheld his mo­ther, &c. Now before I gather my assump­tion, let me first moue that same question that our Sauior moued. Math 12. 49. Who is Christ his mother? and who is his si­ster? You know the answer, Whosoeuer doth the will of my Father in heauen, hee is my mo­ther, sister, and brother. And if Christ beheld pittyed, comforted, cared for his mother, his naturall mother vnder the Crosse, (let this bee the collection) will hee not also behold thee with the eye of pitty and compassion (whom he cals his mother al­so) when thou art afflicted vnder theExod. 7. 3. Crosse? I remember what God sayth of the afflicted Israelites oppressed in the land of Egypt; I haue seene, I haue seene (saith the Lord) the afflictions of my people, and haue hard their cry, & am come to deliuer them: they were vnder the Crosse indeed, but the Lord beholds them vnder it, and that not [Page 21] after a sleight manner, as the Priest and Leuite saw the wounded passenger: but after an effectual manner, as the good Samaritane that saw the iniured traueller, and succoured him: so are the words, I haue seene my peoples afflictions, and am come to deliuer them. I will to the amplification of this poynt adde but one place more, and that is a place that much affected me when I read it. It is Heb. 2. Hee (that is Christ) tooke the seede of Abraham, and became like vnto his brethrē in al things, he suffered and was tempted: and why? that he might be mercifull to vs and suc­cour vs, when wee are tempted. What an encouragement may this be to vs, to beare the crosse with patience when wee shall consider it, that Christ seeth vs, pittyeth vs in our afflictions, nay was himself sub­iect to all our infirmities, (I meane all our miserable, though not sinfull infirmities; hunger, thirst, wearinesse) that out of his owne experience he might pitty vs when we are hungry, thirsty, weary, &c.

Hitherto of the occasion of Christs his speech. From the occasion come wee to [Page 22] the speech it selfe, vttered first to his mo­ther. Behold thy son. Next, to Iohn the Apo­stle: Behold thy mother. In the first obserue:

First, the manner how hee speakes to her, in that he calleth her woman; Woman behold thy sonne.

Secondly, the matter of his speech; Be­hold thy sonne.

In discoursing of the former, it would be enquired wherefore our Sauiour sayth not rather, mother behold thy sonne, but woman behold thy sonne: An dedignabitur vocare eam matrem? Did he disdaine to call her mother, that hee calleth her woman? In the sixth of Marke, it is sayd, that he was obedient to his mother, and to Ioseph also that was but his reputed father. Neither can it be denyed, but that Christ fulfilled the fifth Commandement as fully and perfectly as any of the rest. How comes it to passe then that in my Text he calleth her woman? and that hee answers hēr so roundly, Iohn the second the fourth verse: Woman what haue I to doe with thee, mine houre is not yet come? Did hee vse his mother after an vnrespectiue [Page 23] manner? and may children take courage from hence to vse their parents vnre­uerently? God forbid, for hee doth not call her woman, out of contempt, but for other reasons.

First, to teach his mother and all thatBeza in Hom. passe. 19. were there present, that he was the sonne of an higher calling then of the virgin Marie: if hee had called her mother it might happily haue confirmed them in their error, which supposed him to bee a meere man, a Carpenter, the sonne of Io­soph and Marie, &c. But in that he calleth her woman, he giues them all to vnder­stand, that hee was the sonne of the most high, as well as Maries sonne.

2. He cals her woman (sayth a wise mā)Ex commisera­tione cordis e­ius maesticiam hac voce in­tenderet ma­gis quam se­daret▪ lest he should adde sorrow to her sorrow in calling her by the name of mother, for it makes thē paērts bowels euen to yearn ouer the child, when their children in di­stresse shall call them by the names of fa­ther or mother. In which regard Christ commands vs before we pray, to call God by the name of Father. When you pray,Musc. in Ioha: 1. Mat. 6. 9. pray thus. Our Father which art in heauen. [Page 14] And Christ in his agony forgets not to call God Father: Father if it bee possible let this cup passe away from me, &c. I say it adds to the parents griefe, when a childe in distresse shall call a father, father; or a mother, mother: and therefore our reue­rend Sauiour, lest he should geminate and double her griefe, in calling her mother, he calleth her woman; and sayth, Woman behold thy sonne. A notable patterne for re­bellious and disobedient children, that vexe and grieue their parents at euery word they speake, by their cursing, ban­ning, rayling, gibing. Christ would not speake one word to grieue his mother, he would not call her mother, if the name of mother shall grieue his mother. Oh that incorrigible children, which do little bet­ter then feede vpon their parents bloods, would sew according to this Sampler.

Thirdly, he calleth her Woman for a­nother 3 reason, that the Papists are not content to take notice of; neither Ferus, Tollet, or any other Romanist that I haue read of Christ passion whose pollicy I ap­proue rather then their faythfulnesse.

Chemnisius is so bold to tell them, he calsVt futurae su­perstitioni de advocatione Mariae oppo­neret. Chem. Harm. her mother (sayth he) that he might pre­uent superstition in after ages; yea this was not the first time that hee had called her after this manner, as it appeares by the place forementioned. Iohn 2. 4. And if you marke it, in reading Scripture, you shall not finde any mention made of the virgin Marie, but it is as Beza sayth Mode­rata mentio: A moderate mention made of her. When the woman lift vp her voyce and cryed; Beessed is the wombe that bare thee and the pappes that gaue thee sucke: nay rather sayth Christ, Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it. And Acts 1. it is sayde that the Apostles continued with one accord in prayer with the women, & Marie the mother of Iesus. To which wee might adde Math. 12. 48. reade it at your leasure. In all which and diuers others, though there bee mention made of the virgin Marie, yet is but moderate, lest in time to come men should ascribe the ho­nour due to the sonne, vnto the mother;Beza. Hom: pass. 29. as the Papists either through blindnesse, or obstinacy do at this day [...], that adore & [Page 26] worship the virgin Marie, Et omne titulum Iesu, &c. And attribute all the honourable titles belonging to Christ, to her. Christ they call Lord, her they call Lady. Christ they call King, her the Queene of heauen: Yea they cal her their life, hope, ioy, salua­tion, and pray to her as if she could com­mand her sonne. Their Psalter called our Lady her Psalter is so full of blasphe­my, that I will not recite one word of it, but referre you rather to the Ecclesiasti­call story, called the booke of Martyrs,Foxe Acts and Monument▪ where their blasphemyes are discouered to the full. Yet that I might not too lightly passe ouer this poynt, and that by the lesse you may iudge the more, I will not passe ouer one Idolatrous prayer that I lately read.

This and a great many other like [Page 27] Rihmes are sung to the magnifying, I was about to say, the deifying of Christs mother, obscuring and dimming the glory due to Christ himselfe: All which I speake not to derogate from the sacred virgin, whose rare vertues I dare not neglect, nay dare not for my soule but reuerence and admire. The Papists extollStulti dum vi­tant vitia, in contraria cur­runt. her too much, many of vs esteeme her too little. Her priuiledges were high and admirable aboue all the womens that were before her, or shall be after her.

First, though she had originall sinne, yet the course of originall deprauation was so stayed in her, by the ouershadow­ing of the holy Ghost, that shee brought foorth a childe perfectly righteous with­out sinne, which neuer any but shee did.

Secondly, Shee was mother and nurse to our Sauiour Christ, the sonne of the most high, in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed, which is so great aprero­gatiue, that the Prophet Isay sets it foorth with an ecce, Behold a virgin shall conceiue and beare a sonne, &c.

Thirdly, the holy Angell pronounced her blessed amongst women. Luke 1. 28. All generations ought to call her blessed. Luke 1. 48. All which considered, I cannot but grieue, and haue indignation, when I heare the vnconsiderate speeches that some haue aduentured to poure foorth in discoursing of the virgin Marie. But to pray to her, to adore her, as the Antichri­stian rabble doe at this day, that know no bounds when they prayse her, nor meane when they honour her. As there are many places against it, so I take it, none more apt then this Text, where our Sauiour speaking to his mother, saith not, mother, but woman behold thy sonne.

From the manner, proceed we to speak of the matter of Christs speech; Behold thy thy sonne: as if he had sayd, this is he that I appoynt and constitute to bee in place of mee thy sonne, to prouide and care for, and comfort thee; which I know he will as carefully performe, as if hee were thine naturall sonne. Before I come to gather a­ny doctrine from the words, let mee as­soyle two questions.

First it may be questioned why Christ Obiection. commends the care of his mother to Iohn rather then to any other Disciple, since there were more Disciples then Iohn, of whose affection our Sauior litle doubted, though now through frailty and infirmi­ty, they forsooke him.

Answer. Bellarmine yeelds many reasons, as first,Bell. de 7. verb: because Christ knew that Iohn should out liue Marie and all the rest of the A­postles. Secondly, he knew Iohn to be his most louing, as he was the most loued A­postle. Thirdly, because Iohn was present with him in his greatest abasement, when the other Disciples were fled for feare, I thinke to these three I may adde a fourth, viz. this. That Christ commends her to Iohn and none other, to preuent supersti­tion. Papists prate and pride of Primacie Aret. in Iohan: and Princedome, as if Peter had had the iurisdiction ouer, and beene head of all the Apostles, and yet our Sauiour euer lo­ued (and in some sort honoured and pre­ferred Iohn) and was more familiar with him then with Peter, or any Disciple else. Ioh. 13. 23. It is sayd that Iohn leaned vpon [Page 30] Christs breast▪ and in the same chapter it is sayde, that when Christ had spoke the word, One of you shall betray me; the Disci­ples looked one vpon another, and Peter beckened to Iohn, that hee might aske his master of whom he spake. vers. the 26. To which also might bee added that the Re­uelation was deliuered to Iohn and not to Peter. Reu. 1. 1. And here the virgin Marie is committed to Iohns custody and not to Peters, yea it is remarkeable that the infir­mities of Peter are more displayed in the Scriptures then the infirmities of any of all the Apostles, perhaps his rashnesse whē he cut of Malchus his eare. Math. 27. Cer­taynly his cowardise, that he denyed, and not once, but thrise together denyed, yea and forswore his owne master. Marke 14. 72. and many other of his infirmities the Scripture mentions, that I forbeare to rippe vp, out of the reuerence I beare to so worthy an Apostle, and yet could not say lesse then I haue sayde, to stoppe the mouthes of such as extoll Pe­ter as the Prince and principall of all the Apostles.

The second doubt to be answered is,The second doubt answe­red. why Christ commits the care of his mo­ther to Iohn onely, and not rather to all and euery one of his Apostles, and to her kindered also that were then present, as well as Iohn? The saying is, Vnita vis for­tior, a threefold cord is not easily broken: suppose that one should haue proued vn­faythfull to the virgin Marie; yet if the care of her had beene committed to many a man would thinke in reason, though one should forsake her, yet all would not forsake her. Why then doth Christ com­mit her to the care of one, and but one?

To this I answer, that whatsoeuer in Answer: reason wee may imagine to the contrary, for the most part that is neglected of all, that is committed to the care of all. It was Aristotls rule, whatsoeuer is regarded of al is regarded of none. Yea experience con­firms as much, let me instance it in parti­culars;Quod multo­rum fidei & cnrae commit­titur, non satis probe curatur. Musc. in Iohan Arist. pol. lib. 2. cap. 2. it is the duty of euery towne and parish, of euery particular mā & woman, according to their ability to feede the hungry, cloath the naked, but if that there were not an ouer seer or two in [Page 32] euery towne appointed for that end, that the poore might (and through their neg­ligence it comes to passe sometimes) that they are cast away for want of sustenance It is the duty of al to defend the innocent and helplesse from the mighty man, and ftom the oppressor; but had wee not also Magistrates to that end armed with the sword of authority and power; as in the wildernesse one beast preys vpon another as in the Sea one fish deuoureth another: so one man would oppresse, and as the A­postleGal. 5. 15. sayth, byte and deuoure another. It is the duty of all and euery one in the congregatihn, to call vpon such as they haue seene baptised, to heare sermons; &c. It is the duty of all to teach and instruct such, as soone as they shal find them capa­ble: but because (as I sayd) no man regards that which is committed to euery mans charge; it is a laudable and commendable order in our Church, that certaine men and women which we call godfathers & godmothers are appointed, that personal­ly and particularly promise to see them taught the Creed, the Lords prayer, and [Page 33] the ten commandements. Particular com­māds do more moue then general. Sed haec hactenus. The onely point that I intend to insist vpon is this: That children ought Doctrine. not onely to be obedient to their parents, as Christ was, of whom it is sayd, Luke the second, That hee went downe with themChildren must relieue their parents. and came to Nazareth, and was subiect to them, but also if need require they ought to supply their parents wants and necessi­ties, so long as God shall giue them life,Miraedum quidem ex­emplum. (and as Christ did for his mother) pro­uide for them also after their departure, if it please God that their parents out liue them. So did our blessed Sauior, that pro­uided for his mother in this life, and was not regardlesse of her at the houre of his death.

And to say truth, the relieuing of our parents wants, it is a part of that honour due to our parents, and required in the fifth commandement. Honouring of pa­rents implyes maintenance as well as re­uerence, for our Sauiour expounds it con­trary to the Doctrine of the Scribes and Pharises. Math. 16. 6. Marke 7. 10. The [Page 34] doctrine that they broached amongst the people, was this, viz. that it was a mat­ter of greater necessity to fill their bagges and cram their wallets, to enrich their treasury and temple, then for men to re­lieue their blinde, lame, and aged parents: yea and withall, taught them how to an­swer their parents, crauing ayd & succour at their hands, to say to them it is corban, that is as much as to say, that they had di­stributed to pious and charitable vses: and therefore had fulfilled the commande­ment of God, though they saw and suffe­red their parents to perish through neede and pouerty. And thus saith Christ (to sa­tisfie your owne auarice) in stead of Gods commandements; you teach your owne traditions and constitutions: Gods com­mandements cryes it in your eares, honor that is loue, reuerence, obey, relieue your parents, but you thinke if you can say it is corban, that it is a gift, that there is no more required at your hands: & so make the commandement of God of none ef­fect. By which exposition it appeares, that all such as relieue not their parēts wants, [Page 35] are breakers of the fifth commandement And thus also the word honour is often vsed in other places, as Honour the king. 1. Pet. 2. 14. Which precept not onely en­ioynes to loue, and to obey our Princes, but pay them such customes and tributes as are necessary for the maintenance of their honor. The same Apostle fayth, Ho­nour your wiues as the weaker vessels.1. Pet. 36. That is, not onely beare with their frayl­ties, and weakenesse, but furnish them also with all things needfull and necessa­ry for their place and callings. It was Pauls iniunction, honour, that is, respect, relieue, reuerence widdowes that are wid­dowes indeed. By all which Scriptures it appeareth that when God fayth, Ho­nour thy father and mother, he intends a­mongst other dutyes, that children should to their vtmost power sustaine & relieue the wants of father and mother.

Ioseph deserues high commendation for the care hee had to discharge his du­ty in this kinde; for hee did not one­ly send for his father and kept him in a time of famine. Genesis the forty seuenth [Page 36] Nay it is sayd in the 12. ver. of that chap­ter, that hee put meate into his fathers mouth. Senex bis puer; all men are children twise, & proue as troublesome in extreme age as in their tender infancy; they must be clothed & vnclothed by others, fed by others, led by others, supported, it may be carryed vpon others shoulders; in a wordMulta sen em circumueniunt incommeda. Horace. they are in old age as troublesome as chargable. But neither of both these dis­maied Ioseph, but notwithstanding he sent for his father, & put meat into his mouth: a metaphor (as I thinke) drawne from mothers and nurses, which put meate in­to the infants mouthes vnable to feede themselues. Proofes might be multiplyed suffise vs to confirme this doctrine with two or three reasons.Reasons.

First the law of nature requires it, Vale­rius Val. Max. c. 4. Maximus sayth, that it is prima lex natu­rae, the very first law of nature for chil­dren to relieue their parents. Paul sayth, It is a iust thing and a right. Nature tea­chethEph. 6. 1. to dogood to them that haue done good to vs. Pharaohs Butler confessed it aGen. 41. 9. fault, that he had receiued kindnesse from [Page 37] Ioseph, and had not requited it. Christ saith If you loue them that loue you, and doe good to them that doe good to you, doe not the Publi­cans and harlots doe the same. Proclus the Aca­demickeGall. Acad. was wont to say, that a father was the true image of the great and soue­raigne God, and that all children next vn­der God hold life, goods, and all they haue of their parents. It is an heathenish and sauage course, nay worse then Paga­nish, for children to haue riches and wealth, and want nothing of all that our soules can desire; and yet suffer, I say, not their brethren, sisters, but their owne pa­rents that begat, bare, & comforted them, to be pinched and pined away, through necessity and want; and surely the Publi­cans and Pagans, Turkes, and Tartars shall rise vp in iudgement against such. We reade of Antigonus the sonne of Deme­trius, that when his father was prisoner to Seleucus, that hee (notwithstanding his fa­thers charge to the contrary) sold away his townes, lands, iewels, to pay his fathers ransome; nay offered to become pledge and prisoner in his roome, to procure his [Page 38] fathers liberty.

And Valerius Maximus of whom, IVal. Max. li. 5. spake before alledges another example so memorable, that I haue read it at the least in tenne seuerall Authors, of a daughter that gaue sucke to her father in prison, beeing condemned to dye by fa­mine, which when the Iaylor had espy­ed and published abroade, and the Magistrates heard of, they so well ap­prooued the fact, that they pardon­ned her father and restored him to liber­ty. Euen these Pagans shall come and rise vp in iudgement against vs that are called Christians, and condemne vs. Nay the dumbe and vnreasonable creatures shall rise vp in iudgment against the men of this generation.

It is written of the Storkes, that they will feede their Sires, and carry them about vpon their backes, when through age they are vnable to feede them­selues or flye. How are they worse then Paganish, then bestiall, that neglect this seruice?

Secondly, consider we the law of nati­ons.The [...] [...]eason. [Page 39] Zenophon reports of a Law that was a­mongstZenophon. de dict. the men of Athens, that if a man were knowne to haue denyed succour to his parents in the time of their want, that such an one, if hee fell into want, should not be succoured, no though he dyed through want. To which law also I might adde the lawes of other nations: it shall suffise to rehearse the words of a learned Expositor vpon the fifteenth of Mathew: Musc. De legi­slatore quodā scribitur. It is written sayth he of a famous Lawgi­uer, which enacted many good statutes for repressing many vices, and yet ena­cted no law at all to punish such as should murther father and mother, and being de­manded his reason; he answered, because he supposed there was no such execrable and detestable villany to bee found vpon earth, that any should be so diuellishly im­pious, as to depriue them of life from whom they had receiued life. But those times were golden times, and those that liued then are dead now, in whose rooms are started vp an vnnaturall brood of pa­tricide, some such as haue layed violent hands vpon, and shed their parents blood [Page 40] but multitudes of such are as carelesse to relieue their parents wants, and if the axi­ome be true, Si non pauisti occidisti, these are murtherers, yea patricides. The vses of this point are diuers.

First, it makes against the Romanists Vse 1 that haue many and diuers wayes sinned against this doctrine, and made Gods cō ­mandement of none effect to maintayne their owne traditions, they say that a mo­nasticall kinde of life, is an heauenly, and angelicall kinde of life, so much to be ho­noured, that children proculcatis parentibus, euen trampling their parents vnder their feete, ought to runne into monasteryes: they say that children being once admit­ted into that order, ought to despise fa­ther and mother; they say that they ought to despise them so farre, as not to be pre­sent with them vpon their sicke, no not vpon their death beds: they say that chil­dren by their prayers, dyrges, Masses, may profite their dead parents, and by these and the like doctrines make childten to east off all care of parents, sinke they, swim they: either they suppose they are [Page 41] not bound to care for them; or else they are of opinion that it shall suffise to care for the good of their soules after they are departed this life.

Secondly, this doctrine reproues those that eythet relieue not their parents at all, or else doe it after such a niggardly and repining manner, that a man shall neuer come where their parents are, but he shall heare them cry out like Rebecca, that they are weary of their liues: or like Ionah it is better for them to dye then to liue; theEzek. 22. 7. world swarmes with such men as Ezekiel speakes of, and reprooues such as set light by father and mother; such as will as soon condiscend to relieue a vagrant rogue by the high ways side, as their owe father & mother. Now, euen now are the dayes come which Paul foretold of, in which2: Tim. 3. 2. men should be vnnaturall, vnthankefull. The teares that I haue seene trickling downe the cheekes of aged parents, and the neglect which I haue seene amongst vngratefull children, doe euen force mee, and compell me to speake; yea and if I feare to speake in so right and iust a cause [Page 42] as this, let my right hand rot, and my tong cleaue to my iawes. Thou vnthanke­ful vnnatural Impe, that wilt not feed thē that haue fed thee; nor cloth thē that haue clothed thee: how canst thou loue God that thou hast not seen, when thou louest not thine owne brother that thou hast seene; nay not thine owne father and mo­ther? how vnlike art thou to Iesus Christ that cared for, and prouided for his mo­ther. Yet (saith Bellar.) was not he so muchChristus autē minus de [...]t parentibus suis quam ce­leri homines suis parentibus debent. Bell. de 7. verb. bound to his, as thou to thy mother: doe thou what thou canst for thy blood, thou canst neuer requite the feares, cares, costs, of thy parents. [...]mo vero (sayth the forena­named author) debes tu vitam parentibus; thou owest them thy life, thy blood. Ho­nour thy father (quoth Salomon) doe itEccl 7. 27. with thine whole heart, see thou forget not thy mothers sorrowes, for thou canst neuer recompence what they haue done for thee. Christ onely did, for hee onelyBellarm. could requite his mother: Accepit vnam vitam, he tooke but one life, viz. his hu­mane life of the virgin his mother, but for that one he gaue her three liues.

First, hee gaue her a humane life, when together with the Father and the holy Ghost he created her: for hee made all things, and without him was made no­thing that was made.

Secondly, he gaue her that life of grace in that he quickned and regenerated her by his spirit.

Thirdly, he gaue vnto her also the life of glory, in that he dyed for, and shed his precious blood for her, to the intent that she might not perish but haue life eternal. Thus our Sauiour had requited his mo­ther 3. for one: but as Salomon sayth, thou canst not requite thy parents. Christ had done it, and more then done it already, yet behold hee still cared for his mo­ther: thou hast, nor canst not requite them, and yet leauest them to the wide world, to hunger, to thirst, to cold, to nakednesse, to sinke, to swimme, to goe forward, to goe backeward. [Page 44] Oh how vnlike art thou to Iesus Christ in this: in the feare of God let vs learne hereafter by this patterne of patternes to make conscience of this duty.

Thirdly and lastly, this that hath been sayd, taxes such children as are so far from Vse 3 relieuing their parents, that they rise vp in open hostility against thē, oppresse them, contend with them, and are ready to take occasion by the slenderest hayre to pull them out of house and home. Such a beast was Absolom (would God there were not thousands such Absoloms amongst vs) that had a long time complotted, and at the last attempted to depose and dispos­sesse his owne father: but God hung him vp for a spectacle betweene heauen and earth in his owne lockes, to the terror of all such gracelesse miscreants; God of his mercy grant, that this one man hung vp (as it were) in chaynes may be a terror to others that blend in the same sinne. And now at the length come wee to the next Verse.

Note in the words two things: First,Obseruations. Christs charge. Secondly, Iohns obedience. Before we come to the more exact hand­ling of this text, one thing would bee no­ted generally. viz. Christs earnestnesse in the behalfe of his mother. First he dire­cted his speech to his mother, Behold thy sonne. And had hee sayd no more but this out of question it would haue made Iohn exceeding careful: but Christ contents not himselfe with this, but makes sure worke and directs his speech to Iohn also, saying, Behold thy mother. From his example learne we to deale earnestly and zealously, not carelesly and coldly in the behalfe of the distressed. The Apostle telleth vs that it is good to loue earnestly in a good thing. It was Salomons item, that thou doest, doe with all thy might: exhort all with all thy might, reprooue all with all thy might, pleade the poore mans cause with all thy might. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God (saith Christ) with all thine heart, and with all thy Math. 22. 29: might, and thy neighbour as thy selfe. A lesson that gals and wrings our lukewarme La­odeceans, that happily will plead the poore [Page 46] mans cause; but how? they care not whe­ther they speake or hold their peace, whe­ther they win or lose the day, after a dead and dull, and frozen, and cold manner, without all spirit and zeale. But this obiter. Come we to the words themselues, and first of the charge, wherein consider:

First, Cui, to whom Christ speakes.

Secondly, Quid, what he speakes.

First to whom, namely to the belouedFirst, Cui. Apostle: and heere many things are colligible, I will select a two or three of them.

First, our Sauiour commits the charge of his mother to a Disciple, and none but a Disciple, though there were ne­uerMusc. in Iohn. so many of her kindred according to the flesh present, Non alii tamen cui­piam, &c: Yet would our blessed Saui­our commit her to the trust of none but of a Disciple, At quos Discipulos ha­bent Euangelii ministri, &c. But sayth a lear­ned man, where shall a paynful and labo­rious Minister of Gods word finde such a Disciple, to whom hee may with confi­dence vpon his death bed, commit the [Page 47] care of his father, mother, wife, or children. It makes mee euen woe to consider it, that when Gods Minister hath spent his strength, and like a lampe wasted himselfe to giue light to others; spent his body, spent his substance vpon his flocke: hath beene instant and earnest in season, out of season, not three years to­gether, as Paul was at Ephesus, but tenne,Act. 20. twenty, thyrty, fortie yeares together; in labours often, in trauells often, in watchings often, in prayers often, in perrils often; and when hee hath per­formed the duty and office of a faith­full Pastor, his course beeing finished, it makes my bowels euen turn within meto see his poore widdow to become a vaga­bond, & his children like Iudas his to beg their bread: yet such is the ingratitude, & vnmercifulnes of these vnthankfull times that a Minister may spend his spirits and life & blood, in, & for a congregation, & yet amongst thousands of such as are or ought to be disciples, not a man to bee found that wil relieue either mother, wife son, or daughter, in lieu of al their labors, [Page 48] They will as soone, it may be sooner, pro­uide for the wife and posterity of theyr shepheard or neatheard. and thinke them­selues as much bound to it, as to prouide for the wife and children of their decea­sed Pastor. Let their kindred prouide say we; and what reason haue we to take our childrens bread and giue it to strangers, as if the care and faithfulnesse of a Disci­ple ought not to exceed the care & faith­fulnesse of a kinsman, or brother. The vir­gin Marie had much kindred, yet Christ commends her to a Disciple, not to her kindred.

Secondly, obserue that Iohn writing ofObseruation. himselfe, sayth not; Deinde dicit mihi. Then he sayd to me, Behold, &c: But thus he sayd to his Disciple whom he loued, &c. And so in the consequent words he sayth not, Ego recepi, I tooke her; but ille recepit, hee tooke her to his owne home: Suppressit no­men Are. in Iohan. supra, &c. he suppressed his name be­fore verse the twenty fifth of this chapter and here he suppresseth it againe, if you would haue any reasons for his so doing, I answer you.

First, he doth it out of singular thank­fulnesseR. A. in doct. Euang. p. 177. to Christ, for his entire and espe­ciall affection towards him: this great fa­uour would neuer out of his minde, that his master loued him aboue all the Apo­stles, & therefore he delights to call him­selfe the Disciple whom Iesus loued, euen out of a thankefull minde. It was no small fauour to be the best beloued Apostle: the least that Iohn could returne, was the sacri­fise of prayse for so great a mercy, to think of it, speake of it, write of it, and as Dauid Psal. 66. 20. sayth, to exalt God with his tongue, by ac­knowledgement of so admirable kinde­nesse. It makes to the euerlasting prayse of Dauid that famous singer of Israel, that he neuer receiued a new mercy, but with all he would sound foorth a new song of prayse to God: in one Psalme he cryes outPsal. 103. 1. Psal. 105. Benedic anima mea Iehouae, &c: Soule prayse thou the Lord, let all that is within mee praise his name. In a second place; Quid retrihuam, &c. What shall I render vnto the Lord for all Psal: 33. 1. his benefits bestowed vpon mee. In a third place; Cantate iusti in Iehoua; Reioyce in the Lord ye righteous, prayse is comely for the vp­right. [Page 50] In a fourth; Laudate Iah: Praise the Lord for it is good to doe so, it is a pleasant and Psal. 147. 1 [...] a comly thing: In a fifth place; Halaluiah, lau­date Iehouam, laudate eam in excelsis, &c. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord from the heauens, Psal. 148. 1. praise him in the height. In a word, his life was euen a continual recounting of Gods mercies. Oh that wee were men of the same spirit in these dayes: thousands, mil­lions, myrriads of blessings, euen the bles­sings of both hands hath God poured downe vpon vs, right handed, left handed blessings, for this life and a better; he hath placed peace vpon our borders, enriched vs with plenty, and crowned euery new yeare with new blessings, delighting to do vs good, as a father to his owne sonne: he hath declared vnto his word and statutes, shewed vs his ordinances, hee hath not dealt so with any nation. But where is the man that like Iohn delights to talke of Gods mercyes to him? who sings with that sacred virgin, Magnificat anima mea, &c. My soule doth magnifie the Lord, andLuke [...] my spirit hath reioyced in God my Saui­our. How doe wee vnderprise and vnder­vallew the greatest blessings? nay are wee [Page 51] not so farre from thankefulnesse, that wee murmur and complayne because of the abundance of Gods blessings: how many contemners of the word of God, that in stead of thankefulnesse for the word, cry out as the Israelites of their Mannah, Wee can see nothing but this Mannah; how many seditious persons? that cry out a­gainst our glorious peace, and in stead of praysing God for it, are ready to say, that times of warre are better then times of peace. How many that in stead of praising God for our great plenty? doe repine and murmur at it. Wel: take we heed if▪ we be thus vnthankefull that we make not God to delight as much in punishing vs, as euer he did in blessing vs: that as it is in Ose. thatOsea 10. 10. wee make not God desire to chastise vs.

A second reason why Iohn conceals his name, & cals himselfe the disciple whō Ie­sus loued, was modesty, & therefore thogh2. Reason. Ob modestiā Aret. in Iohan. hee were the best beloued Apostle, and Christ his master honored him so much, as to cōmit his mother the virgin Marie to his custody, yet as one regardles of praise he calles himself only by the name [Page 52] of the beloued Disciple, out of thankful­nesse, but mentions not his name, out of an holy modesty and humblenes of mind eschewing of vaynglory. An admirable patterne worthy to be set before our eyes in these dayes wherein wee thirst after mans prayse, as much as euer dropsie man did after drinke: we giue almes hap­pily, but it is to bee seene of men; wee fast, we pray, we come to heare the word, but whatsoeuer wee doe, like the buylders of Babel, here is our ayme, to get our seluesGen 11. 4. a name, I know not better, to whom I may compare many men better, then to Players (you that haunt profane Theaters know their fashions better then I) first they blow a trumpet to call spectators to­gether, and when many eyes are fixed vp­pon them, then they begin their pageant: and thus doe a number of our Pharises, that neuer doe good worke but it is in publike, & in open view, as if God would beleeue nothing without witnesse. But what sayth the blessed Apostle Paul, Let nothing be done through contention or vaine­glory. And the same Apostle, Be not desi­rous Phil. 2. 3. Gal. 3. [Page 35] of vaineglory, prouoking one another, en­uying one another. And our blessed Lord and Sauiour Christ. Math. 6. When thou giuest almes let not thy right hand know what thy left hand doth: when thou prayest enter into thy closet and shut the doore to thee: doe that thou doest in secret, so hee that seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

And this out of the first part of theThe second part of Christ his charge. charge, Cui, to whom.

The second is Quid, what hee sayth: Behold thy mother, [...]. This particle Behold, is diuersly taken in Scripture, som­times as a note of admiration, Behold a virgin shall conceiue and beare a sonne. Behold Isa. 7. 14. Luke 7. 37: a woman in the cittie that was a sinner came to him, Sometimes as a note of attention. Be­hold how good a thing it is, brethren to dwell together in vnity. Psalme 133. 1. Behold Psal. 134. 1. praise ye the Lord. Behold the bounty and iu­stice of God. Behold I stand at the doore and Rom. 11: 22▪ knocke. Sometimes as a note of exultation.Reu. 3. 20. Behold I bring you tidings of great ioy, which Luke 2. 10. shall be to all p [...]ople. Sometimes as a note of demonstration, Behold where they haue layde Marke 16. 6. him. Sometimes a note of derision. Behold [Page 54] the man that tooke not God for his strength. Sometimes as a note of compassion, mo­uing to take pitty vpon the miserable, and so it is vsed here, Behold thy mother; that is, comfort and cherrish her as if shee were thine owne mother: or if you please take it thus: to Behold implyeth two things in this text. First to see the virgins misery. Secondly, to relieue her misery. There are some that see the miseryes of others, as the rich glutton happily saw Lazarus his soares, or the Priest and Leuite saw theLuke 15. 20. wounded passenger after a regardlesse manner. There are others also that see the necessities of others, the father saw hisLuke 10. 33. prodigall sonnes, and had compassion on him and ran to him▪ and fell on him and kissed him. Or as the Samaritane that saw the poore traueller and had compas­sion on him, and bound vp his wounds, and set him vpon his owne beast &c.

My meaning is that they see af­ter an operatiue and effectuall manner the miseryes of others, and such a behol­ding it is that God calleth for in this text. Iohn could not but see the virgins sorrow, [Page 55] before our Sauiour spake vnto him: yet sayth our Sauiour Behold thy mother: how behold her? effectually, really, operatiuely; care for her, cherrish her, comfort her, as she were thine owne mother. The obser­uation to bee collected hence (because it generally concernesall Gods people, and not Iohn alone.) I will propound it gene­rally, viz. that is the duty of all Gods peo­ple,Obseruation. not onely to see but according to the meanes that God hath giuen them to suc­cor & relieue the miseries of the afflicted.Rom. 12. 13.

So sayth Paul, distribute and commu­nicate to the necessity of the Saints. Christ also charges vs to make our selues friendsLuke 16. 9. Reason. 1. with vnrighteous Mammon; and to giue to the poore. It were easie to produce Scripture vpon Scripture for the confir­mation of this truth. Suffise it to produce a reason or two.

First, to see and succour others in affli­ction is a most honourable thing, it ho­noureth God, according to that of the wise man; hee that hath mercy on the poore honoureth God. It honoureth ourPro. 14. 31▪ religion and profession, yea what is it that [Page 56] makes professors (as they call them) and profession euill spoken of, but the disso­lute and scandalous liues of our profes­sors, because they are gripers, grinders of the poore, extortioners, vsurers, merciles. I haue heard many professors rayled vp­pon, but few charitable professors. It ho­nours God then, it honours our profes­sion to be mercifull; yea and it honoureth our selues also, makes vs like to God him­selfe, according to that, Bee you mercifull as Luke 6. 36: your heauenly father is mercifull. It makes vs the Lords Stewards, Almoners [...] and if it be an honor to be a kings Almoner, how great an honour is it to be Almoner to the king of kings.

Secondly, to behold and succor others Reason 2 in affliction, is a sure signe and syntome of true religion, so sayth Iames, pure reli­gion and vndefiled before God euen the father, is this, to visite the fatherlesse and widdow, and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world. Their are two markes, ef­fects, properties of pure religion, innocen­cy, charity, hee that cannot testifie theIames [...] 27. truth of his religion by these two, whatso­euer [Page 57] his words may bee, is but a rotten post paynted, a marble tombe full of rot­tennesse, an hypocrite, an enemy to God. How abides the loue of God in that man (sayth Iohn) that seeth his brother in need1. Ioh. 3. 14. and shuts vp his bowels of compassion against him? Pretend vnmercifull misers what they will, they are haters of God, in­fidels: faith without charity is but a ficti­on; euery schoole boy can tell you, fides a Fides sine cha­ritate fictio est fio. When a tree is cut from the roote, wee wonder not though it ly yeare after yeare and brings foorth fruites, faith is as it were the root, to giue to distribute, &ct. he fruites: would you know the reason why there are so many vnbearing trees; it is Vse. because there is so little faith vpon earth. And, oh that I could perswade such as boast of faith, loue of God, &c. to put on the bowells of compassion, and to bee good, I was about to say to bee Gods to other men; There is a Pro­verbe yett in vse, Homo homini De­us, one man ought to bee a God to another, the mercifull man is in some respects as a God amongst men: [Page 58] it was wont to bee sayde, that one Physi­tion experienced in his art, is woorth a thousand men: but I may truely say, that one mercifull man like Iob, is woorth a thousand, yea thousand thousands such as Nabal was, Churles, Carles, couetous per­sons: what losse hath a common wealth when a dogge dyes? euen as much as whē a dogged Diues dyes, like to an horse or dogge that perisheth: but great, great isPsal. 49. 12. the losse of a mercifull man. The merci­full man dyeth (sayth the Prophet) and no man layeth it to heart, they are taken away, but none considers it. The Prophet could not but admyre the depth of their security, that they had so great losse & were totally insensible of it, and I pray God that I haue not iust cause to take vp the same cōplaynt agaynst our times; what a many of mercifull men and women haue beene taken away from vs lately, &Sir Edward Lewkenor, Sir Calthrop Parker, Sir Edward Bacon Mistres Luce Thorton, while they liued pat­ternes of mer­cie. some in the prime of their youth: oppres­sors, extortioners, vsurers are left behinde; and like the Grashoppers of Egypt swarm amongst vs. Homo homini lupus: one man is euen a Wolfe to another, nay a diuell to [Page 59] another, going about continually seeking whom they may deuoure, and yet we lay it not to heart nor consider it. Helpe Lord for the godly man ceaseth, arise for the oppressiō of the poore, and sorowful sigh­ing of the needy in these dayes, when in­deed we may prayse the dead, and those that are vnborne, because they see not the horrible oppression vnder the Sunne. I haue read of Cannibals men-eaters, I thinke there are some in our times little better, that flay off the skins; and eate the flesh of Gods people like bread. But bre­threnPsal. 14. 4: how can wee thinke that God will owne vs for his children if wee haue no mercy; suppose there are children vnder thy roofe that call thee father, thy wife af­firmes them to bee thine, if they bee like thee, especially if they bee like thee in face and countenance, thou delightest in them the more. Mercy is called Gods face. God be mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs, andPsal. 67 1. shew the light of his countenance and be mercifull vnto vs, &c. Though thou cal­lest God father euery day thou rise, yet if thou be not like him in face and counte­tenance, [Page 60] that is in mercy and compassion, God will bee so farre from delighting in thee, that hee will not acknowledge thee for his childe. What if euery childe be not like his father in face and visage? yet eue­ry child of God is like to God in this, viz. mercifull, as God their father is mercifull, and whosoeuer is not thus like him in mercy, God will not acknowledge for his children at the great day of iudgement; you know the words as well as my selfe. Then shall the king say to those one hisMath. 2542. left hand, I was hungry you gaue mee no meate, I was thirsty you gaue me no drink I was naked and you cloathed me not, go you cursed into euerlasting fire.

But leaue wee the first word of the charge, Behold, to adde a little also of the next two words (for euery word will af­foord plenty of matter) and it followes that he should behold his mother. It wold be losse of time yet againe to vnfold the sence: by Iohns mother, Christ indeede meanes his owne mother the virgin Mary now at this time as Bellar. confesseth, de­stituteBellarm. de 7. verb. of all help, nay he goeth further, yet [Page 61] (I know not how truly) hauing neitherNec parentes, nec vitum, nec frates, nec so­rores habens. parents, husband, brethrē, sisters. But most palpable it is, that the virgin Mary was a poore woman. Amongst others there are three things that playnly proue it.

First, her deliuery of her childe in a sta­ble: Retruditur ad iumenta in stabulum, &c. She was thrust vp into a stable amongstIustin. Mart. Luke 2. the oxen. There saith Luke shee brought forth her first begotten sonne, and wrap­ped him vp in cloaths, and layde him in a manger, because there was no roome in the Inne. Marke the words a little; first, she was not affoorded a conuenient lodg­ing, not so much as a little corner of good roome, but is thrust into a stable. Second­ly, she hath not company about her as atEra ipar [...]n Luk such times are vsuall, keepers, nurses, &c. but is compelled for want of other helpe with her owne hands to dresse her newlyErasm. in Luke borne infant. Thirdly, shee was not proui­ded of linnen, wollē, cradle, &c. but wrapt vp her childe, perhaps in ragges in stead other cloathes, and layde him in a Cratch in stead of a Cradle.

Giue eare thou prowde rich man who­soeuer thou art that ioynest house to house, and land to land, and buildest by2. Reason. blood and by iniquity pallaces, and piles of wonderment, like Nebuchadnezar, Augu­stus, till the poore hath no roome to dwel in: heare this thou prowde earthworme, he that was Lord and maker of all, Iesus, despised all, would not be borne of a rich but of a poore woman, would not bee born at Ierusalem, but at Bethelem, which Iustin Martir cals a little village, scarcelyIust. Mart. in orat. ad Ant. Imp. mentioned in scripture, except in the Pro­phesie of Michah onely: and there I say was our Sauiour borne, yea not in a principall or chiefe house in the towne, but in theEras. in Luke stable of a common hostery.

Secondly, it appeares playnely that she was poore by that gift she offered at the time of her purification, being a payre of turtle Doues, or two yong pigeons. ThisLuke 2. 26. Leuit. 12. 6. was Gods law that when the dayes of a womans purifying was fulfilled for a son or for a daughter, she should bring a lamb of the first yeare for a burnt offering, and if she were poore, and not able to bring a [Page 63] lambe, that then shee should bring twoP. ver. 8. Quoniam E­uangelista Lu­cas mentionem agnicul. nullā fecit, &c. Hun. in Euan. turtles or two yong pigeons. If Marie had beene able to haue giuen a lambe, it is not to be questioned but that she would haue done it: and therefore since the Euange­list Luke makes no mention of any lambe but of two turtles, or two yong pigeons: Iudicare promptum est (sayth one) wee can­not but iudge that shee was a poore wo­man and not a rich.

Thirdly, it appeares that she was pooreConsiderandū quae fuerie for­tuna matris domini quam illa fuerit adeo tenuis vt ne­cesse fuerit alicui comen­dari-Musc. because our blessed Sauiour vpon the Crosse, commits her to the care & custo­dy of another to prouide for her. But I must not enlarge according to my desire. The vses of this doctrine are diuers and vse full.

First of all, let it be an item to vs as Salo­mon Eccl. 11. 2 Mat. 27. 55. Math. 8. sayth, to cast our bread vpon the wa­ters, to giue a portion to seuen, and also to eight: since so godly people as the mother of Christ highly beloued of God may be in want; nay since Christ himselfe liued by the beneuolence of others that mini­stred vnto him: not hauing of his owne an house to hide his head in: therefore as [Page 64] elect of God holy and beloued put on the bowels of mercy: while we haue time let vs do good to all, but especially to the houshold of faith.

Secondly, see here as in a table drawne with most orient colours, the strange in­constancy Vse 2 and mutability and mobility of all earthly thing. Marie Christs mother was of the blood royall, naturally descen­dedMath. 1. 16. Luke 3. 27. out of Dauids loynes; Ioseph also that was betrothed was right heire to the crowne, and yet see how the wheele turns (and in them as in a glasse) behold the va­nity and vicissitude of all things in this world; the one being constrained throgh want, was faine to labour for his liuing, and became a Carpenter, viz. Ioseph▪ The other, I meane, the virgin Marie, to liue by the almes and cost of Iohn the Apostle. But this it was and will be euer, riches and honours are deceiuable, they betake them to their wings like an Eagle and are soone gone. Wee may fitly compare them to a Squirrell or Bird, that leapes or flyes from bough to bough, from tree to tree: so doe riches and honours from man to man. [Page 65] In the Reuelation, the world is resembledReu. 4. 6. to the Sea. Before the throne was a Sea of glasse, that is, the world as brittle and frayle as glasse, as inconstant and turbu­lentIsa. 57. 20. as the Sea, that cannot rest but casts vp myre and durt. In the twelfth of the Reuelation, the world is compared to the Moone: A woman was cloathed with the Sunne, and the Moone was vnder her feet: by the woman clothed with the Sun vnderstand the Church clothed with the Sunne of righteousnesse Iesus Christ: by the Moone vnderstand the world, and what more variable then the Moone, that waxes sometimes, and waynes somtimes, and neuer continueth at one stay? I re­member what I haue read of one Eume­nes Gall. Aca; a Thracian raysed vp to that height by Alexander, that he was able to meet An­tigonus king of Macedonia in a pitched field, & made his party good against him, and yet afterward hee starued for want of foode. Cressus was so rich that it grew to bee a Prouerbe, as rich as Cressus, and yet hee came vnto great pouerty. [Page 66] Zerxes renowned for his huge army, was ouercome, and vanquished, and insul­ted ouer. Baiazeth the Emperour after hee had conquered in many a pitched field, was at length taken and kept and fami­shed in an iron Cage by Tamberlaine the king of Parthia. But thus it was euer and will be euer, a man shall as easily make the Sea to cease her motion, as to make the world cease from changing and incon­stancy; yet what adoe for riches before we haue them, what trust and confidence in them? so we may get them, wee care not how we get them; one man is to sell, and he makes a small Ephah, a great Shecle; a­nother is to buy, and he cryes it is naught, it is naught, that hee may deceiue the sel­ler: one hath money to lend, and he takes mercilesse vsury, deuouring widdowes houses: another wants money, and he rises early, goes to bed late and eates the bread of carefulnesse to supply his want: one like Ioseph is put in trust with all his Maister hath, and he proues a Iudas, a thiefe, and cares for nothing except to cramme his owne wallet or fill his owne purse; ano­ther [Page 67] is to marry a wife, and if shee haue but Achsah her portion, fuitfull lands, or that Peter wanted, gold or siluer, let her be what she will bee, as blinde as Bartimeus, as lame as Mephibosheth, as stubborne as Vashti, as light as Oinah, it matters not: it is a world to see how men bestir themselues, exact, law, cheate, breake, cut one anothers throates, ingrosse, sophisticate, grinde, grate the poore, lye, sweare, forsweare, steale, kill, and what not to get the world, which done, it is a world to see also how men rely and trust in that they haue: the rich mans riches are his strong hold (saith Salomon) he thinkes if he be walled about with a golden or siluer wall, I meane if he haue but wealth enough, that then hee is sure enough for any want or ill willers, surer then if he were in Douer Castle, or the Tower of London: the criple laies not all his weight so securely vpon his cruch­es, the Arke rested not so firmely vpon the mountaines of Arrarat, as these securely rest vpon carnall helpes that will deceiue them. But what sayth Paul, charge them that are rich in this world, that they beeTimotheus. [Page 68] [...] [Page 69] [...] [Page 66] [...] [Page 67] [...] [Page 68] not prowd, nor trust in vncertaine rich­es. And Dauid, Trust not in Princes nor in any sonne of man, (hee meanes that wee should not trust in any worldly helpes) and yeelds this reason: There is no helpe in them; riches, friends, &c. are but weake holdes, they are but as paperNahum. 1. 7. walles that cannot defend vs, but what sayth the Prophet, The Lord is good, hee is a strong hold in the day of trouble, and Vse 3 he knowes them that trust in him.

Thirdly, Marie, Christs mother, was a poore woman: so haue many of the Saints from time to time beene poore; be patient therefore in thy greatest wants: the World is as it were a naturall Mother to all the vngodly, and thinkes nothing too deare for them, & but a Stepmother to the god­ly, that holds them as short as she can: but what of that; since God hath said it, I will not leaue thee, nor forsake thee: as true a word as it is common and well knowne. There must be poore in the World: now if our God, that ruleth & disposeth of all things, will haue me or thee to fill vp that num­ber, and to be of that ranke; behold, here [Page 69] we are, let the Lord doe to vs as seemeth2. Sam. 15. 26. good in his owne eyes: not riches, but the ioy of the Lord is our strength; where­fore reioyce in the Lord, againe I say re­ioyce. Hadst thou Octauians treasure, one drop of Gods mercy is more worth then all. Hadst thou as many Kingdomes as Ahashuerosh, thou couldest but liue, and so thou mayest, though thou goest to thy day labour, and endurest the heat and brunt of the day for small and slender Wages. It is but a little, euen an ynch of time from our birth to our graue: a little., euen a very little, contents Na­ture:Natura paucis contenta. And therefore cast Care away; cast thy burthen vpon the Lord: Resolue with Iob, to trust in God, though hee slay thee; learne with Paul, to be con­tent in all Estates: yea, let vs reioyce in our tribulations; reioyce in the Lord, againe I say reioyce? so I say and cry to mine owne Soule: the Lord of his rich grace worke it in vs:

Now followes Iohns obedience, From that houre the Disciple tooke her to his owne Iohns obe­dience. home. Christ charges, and Iohn obeyes, yea in a matter of charge and trouble: hee be­queathes him a legacy▪ but it was such an one as a worldly wise man would haue vtterly refused, a legacy of charge and trouble. There is not a man sayth Beza, Non recusant homines hae­reditates, aut legata adire lucrosa, &c. Beza Hom. pass. 29. that will refuse legacyes of gaine, both their hands are open to receiue such, like the barren woman they cry giue, giue, and cannot bee satisfied: but bequeath them a gift of charge, the guardianship of a childe, the custody of father and mother, brother, &c. request them to performe a­ny office of friendship else (if they may not at the least saue themselues harmles) they haue no disposition at all to busines of that nature. It was a true saying of aR. A. new writer, there is a great deale of passiue but there is but a little actiue charitie a­mong vs. Alas, alas, there are few such as Vse. Iohn was, that will obey when God com­mands, especially to their own losse: there is a great deale of preaching, a great deale of hearing, a great deale of professing, and [Page 71] God grant that his ministers may double their diligence in preaching; God grant the hearers may bee more swift to heare, and all that professe Christ may bee more resolute in profession of his name: I en­tend not my speech against man truly re­ligious, but against hypocriticall white skinned professors, that make a shew of godlynesse and deny the power of it. In the name of God professe, but diuorce not between profession and practise; pro­fession is good, but one dram of obedi­ence is worth an whole tallent of prating knowledge: I speak no more against pro­fession then Christ did against Tything Mint and Annis and Rue, &c. But yet I cannot but from my soule lament the nullity and nothingnesse of obedience. Most of some mens religion is meerely verball, we draw neere to God with our lips, and honour him with our tongues, and yet it is too shamefull to name the things that are done in secret. Some (I feare me) euen of our greatest professors, as great oppressors, as biting vsurers, as extreme Landlords, as vnconscionable ti­thers, [Page 72] as they that are most. Some as bit­ter raylers as Rabshekah, as sacrilegious as Achan, as cruell as Caius, as dogged as Na­bal, as vnmercifull as Iews, as flintie hear­ted as Turkes, as lying for gaine as Ana­nias and Saphira, as mocking as Michol; some (I feare me) euen amongst our Pro­fessors. Me thinkes I may fitly compareErasm. col. diuers Professors to the Coriander, that hath a naughtie Root, a stinking Leafe, a naughtie Blade, and yet a sweet Seed: soPliny. our glozing Hypocrites, their hearts are naught, full of all vnrighteousnesse, wic­kednesse, couetousnesse; their eyes naught, full of Adulterie; their hands naught, full of Bribes and Bloud; all naught, except their words, and they are as sweete as ho­ney: Mel in ore, verba lactis, fel in corde fraus in factis. But what sayth our Sauiour, My Iohn. 6. sheepe heare my voyce and follow mee: And Iames tels vs, That we deceiue our selues if we Iames. 1. 22. be not doers as well as hearers of Gods word. Let such as giue Gods Ministers the hea­ring, consider this, that come to Church as others doe, and lift vp their Eyes and Hands, and say Amen to euery petition, & [Page 73] as soone as they are out of the Church runne headlong in the high way to hell, or if they obey in some matters, as the ex­ternall obseruation of the Sabboth, pray­er in their familyes, &c. there is all. Call vpon them to giue almes, to forgiue their enemyes, to make restistution of wrong gotten goods, and then mors in olla, mors in olla, then they pleaded as Naaman the Assi­rian herein, the Lord be mercifull vnto me. But brethren, euen all you that heare mee this day, I beseech you all to behold and consider the example of the Apostle Iohn that when the Lord commands, consults not with flesh and blood, whether it would stand with his ease or commodi­ty, but as soone as euer hee was comman­ded obeyes: I could wish that I knew ma­ny like him. This somewhat more gene­rally. I must not leaue the words thus.

The words in the Originall are, [...], &c. Abs illa hora, that is, from the time that Christ spake to him, to the time of the virgins Maries death hee tooke her to his owne home. Time hath exceedingly [Page 74] preuented me already: and I must per­force without any further descant, fall ab­ruptly vpon these three conclusions. viz.

• First, Iohns present obedience.
• Secondly, Iohns cheerefull obedience.
• Thirdly, Iohns constant obedience.

First, when Christ commanded, hee o­beyedIohns present obedience. presently, he delayed not the time, no not an houre. In the 8. of Mathew 13. Christ sayth to the beleeuing Centurion. Goe thy way, be it to thee according to thy faith. And then it followes: His seruant was hea­led the same houre: that is, instantly and pre­sently. So here from that houre, that is, euen instantly he tooke her to his owne home. True obedience is like to gunpowder or tinder, or touchwood that kindles quickly. Whē Christ called Andrew and Peter, saying, follow me: the story sayth, They left their nets Math. 4. presently and followed him. When Iesus sayd, Zacheus come downe at once: it is added inLuke 19. the Text, He came downe hastily and receiued him ioyfully. When God commanded Abra­ham to sacrifice his sonne, he did not one­lyGen. 22. doe it, but hee rose vp early to doe it. When Christ arose from the dead, he arose [Page 75] not on the second, or third, but vpon theLuke 24. first day of the weeke, he arose not about noone, or towards night, but early in the morning. Hee that seeke me early sayth God, shall finde me. Paul cals vpon vs for early and present repentance. Behold, sayth2. Cor. 6. 2. he, now is the acceptable time, now is the day of saluation. Now is the time that we are sure of, and wee are sure of no time but this now, we cannot recall the time past, wee know not whether euer wee shall enioy that is to come, we are sure of no time but this nunc, euen this moment: watch and pray therefore you know not the houre, we know not whether we shall liue to the end of another houre, or quarter of an houre; and therefore let vs (as wee say of souldiers) be at an houres warning, yea at a minutes warning. I shake and shiuer to thinke of the vaine confidence of carnall men that deferre all obedience and repen­tance till they come to their death beds, and when their soules lie at the gate of their bodyes ready to go out; when the breath sits vpon the tip of their tongues ready to flye away, then will they lumpe [Page 76] with God for all. The diuell may most aptly be compared to an vsurer; the defer­ring sinner to an incestuous dingthrift. Dingthrifts when they haue morgaged house and land to the Vsurer, plead com­monly for longer respite, for a quarter or halfe yeare, or a yeares day. Vsurers giue them golden language till they haue bro­ken day, and then they seize vpon all with extremest tyranny. Thus it fares in mat­ters of repentance; drunkards would faine haue a little respite to follow their drun­kennesse, adulterers, would runne to the harlots house a little longer: will it not be time enough if they repent hereafter? Yes sayth Sathan, twenty, forty yeeres hence: enough when thou hearest the bell tole for thee: in the meane time, God tops them off suddenly like an eare of corne, or takes away their senses, or hardens their hearts that they cannot repent. What followes? the breath is no sooner out of their bodyes, but the diuell seizes vpon their soules, which hee straight wayes plungeth into so horrid torrid torment, that were I able to expresse it to the life [Page 77] would make the heauens melt, and the earth shrinke to heare it. In the feare of God, while we haue time, euen instantly enter we vpon a good course.

2. Obserue Iohns cheerefull obedience,Iohns cheere­full obedience he doth nothing after a repining manner questioning and reasoning as a worldly man would haue done. What? are their no more Disciples but my selfe? Are not ma­ny of her kindred present? Am I neerer to her then they? Hee reasons not thus, but as one reioycing that his Master wold command him any thing, euen presently hee takes her to his custody and kee­ping.

It is not enough to doe that that God requires of vs, but wee must doe it with alacrity and cheerefulnesse. The Lord loues a cheercfull giuer. Exodus 15. When2. Cor. 9. 7. Moses was to take thc peoples beneuo­lence towards the building of the ta­bernacle, God commanded him to take the gifts of none but such as gaue freely. It is a true Axiome that God lookes rather to the affection of the A­gent then to the Act it self: the widdowes [Page 78] Mite was accepted (though not for the quantity of her gift) yet for her good affection: Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen, is one petition in the Lords prayer: Fiat voluntas tua, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen. Quid hoc sayth Augustine? Aug. de temp. What meanes this petition? Vt quomodo tibi seruiunt Angeli in Coelo, &c. This is the mea­ning, sayth hee, that as the Angels serue God in heauen, so wee desire ability and strength to serue God on earth: yea but how do the Angels in heauen serue God? The reuerend Babbington tels vs, they o­beyBab. on the Lords prayer. God, Lubentissime, citissime, fidelissime, &c. Willingly, chearefully, speedily, faith­fully, &c. they flye when God commands. I cannot deny it, but that we performe some actions in themselues commenda­ble: we giue almes, pay tithes and tenths, but what sayth God? My sonne giue me thine heart: all is done in vayne, if God haue not the heart as well as the hand.

3. Obserue Iohns constant obedience, heIohns constāt obedience. tooke her not to his care for a time, but was carefull and tender ouer her so long as she liued From the houre, &c. Some write [Page 79] that shee liued with Iohn eleuen yeares af­ter Christ his death. Others that she liuedNicephorus with Iohn 23. yeares: others that she liued with Iohn full 24. yeares. When the holy Ghost ouershadowed her (they say) sheeEpiphanius. was 14. yeeres old. Betwixt the time of Christ his birth and death was 33. yeeres; after Christs death shee liued 24. yeeres, and if this be true, the virgin was about 72 yeares old when she dyed. The popish Legend (if there be any heede to be giuen to that heape of lyes) sayth, she liued with Iohn the space of twelue yeares; but what neede I trouble you or my selfe in the re­hearsall of sundry opinions; so long as she liued, so long the Apostle tooke care of her? were it 11. 12. 23, or 24. yeares. Learne we by his example not to bee weary of well doing: Paul sayth, that they shall in­heritRom. 2. 7. eternall life that continue in well­doing. Woe to that man that layes his hand to the plow, and lookes backe sayth the Spirit: it is a notable commendations of Ruth, that she shewed more good at theRuth. 3. last then at the first. A great commenda­tions of the Church of Thyatira, that herReu. 3. [Page 80] workes were more at the last then at the first. I pray God that I were able to giue the same testimony of all in our times, but I cannot; for of some I scarce thinke, but IDan 2. 23. thinke of the Image that▪ Nebuchadnezar dreamed of: The head was fine gold, his breast and armes siluer, his belly and thighes brasse, his legges iron, his feete partly iron, partly clay, still worse and worse; and so is it with many in our times to whom wee may apply that saying of the Apostle; Euill men and deceiuers wax worse and worse: at the first profession of religion they were exceeding forward for the aduancing of Gods worship, ready to distribute, &c. But now are as cold as frost or Ice in winter; like the Sunne in Ioshua his time, they stand still; nay it may bee like the Sunne in Ezekiah his time, goe backeward, turne mocke-Gods, opposers of the Gospell, and what not. I haue read of Silkewormes, that after they haue done their master seruice in making silke for garments, some of them turne to mothes, and fret garments: euen so is it with ma­ny in our times, that at the first profession [Page 81] of godlinesse, doe God some seruice, by countenancing and encouraging such as are good; but afterwards turnes to be ve­ry fretting moathes, as cruell and deadliest enemyes as God hath in his Church. But brethren, beloued in the Lord, remember Lots wife that was turned into a pillar of Salt for looking backe. Oh it is a fearefull thing when wee are come out of the So­dome of our sinnes, to looke backe again towards Sodome: Paul calleth the Galatha­thians fooles, because they began in the spirit and ended in the flesh. Bee thou faithfull to the death, sayth God, and I will make thee heire of eternall life. In a word, let vs all take heed that there be in none of vs, an euill and vnfaithfull heart to depart away from the liuing God: for it were farre better neuer to haue known2. Pet. 2. 21. the way of righteousnesse, then after wee haue knowne, to turne away from the ho­ly commandement giuen vnto vs.

Pardon now my boldnesse, I will speak but this once; there is one poynt more out of the last words of the verse to be hand­led: for want of time I will but poynt to [Page 82] it. It followes in the Text that Iohn tooke her to [...], his owne. The poynt flowesObseruation. Iohn 2 [...]. so naturally, that I may deliuer it without further discoursing vpon the words: and it is this, that the Apostle Iohn had goods and riches of his owne, able to liue of himselfe, and to be helpfull to others: Pe­ter had a vocation and followed it: proba­bly the rest of the Apostles had as well as he, onely want of time suffers mee not to proue it now.

Obiection. If any shall obiect with Bellarmine thatBell de 7. verb Iohn was one of those that sayd, Behold we haue forsaken all and followed thee, what shall we haue therefore? and shall vrge vs fur­ther, that that they forsooke was house,Math. 19. 27. brethren, sisters, father, mother, wife, children, lands. Yea and shall vrge that place, Mathew 4. 21. How Iesus saw Iames and Iohn his brother mending their nets, and that at Christs command immediat­ly they left their nets and followed him.

To this I answer, that though it bee Answer. certayne they left all, yet they left all [Page 83] but after a sort; they left not all simply and wholely, take all who would, but they left all as one sayth, Quatenus illo impedimento esse possent, &c. So farre forth as they might hinder them in preaching the Gospell and not otherwise, they did not so leaue all, but they could at theyr pleasure make the best aduantage of that was theirs: in one place wee reade that Peter had an house, and that Christ repayred to it. In a second wee reade that Matthew after his calling from theMath. 8. 14. receipt of Custome, made Christ a great Feast at his owne house. Here wee see in this Text that Iohn had if not an houseMath. 9. yet substance of his owne. Hee tooke her to [...] to his owne.

And this Doctrine like a two edged sword wounds on the right & left hand; Vse 1 first it giues a mortall and deadly blow to Papisticall beggery, of Capuchins Heremites, Anchorites, that extoll and prayse Penury and Pouertie as a state of perfection, contrary to that Prophets praier, giue me neither pouerty nor riches [Page 84] and contrary to Christ his practise, & the practise of his Apostles, that neuer led soIohn 12. 6. base & sordid life as they pretend, but had that which was needfull and gaue almes: and while they liued gaue many precepts perswading rather to giue to others then to be chargeable; yea not onely to giue but to frequent in this duty, reade at your leasure these Scriptures, Luke 11. 11. 41. Rom. 12. 13. 2: Cor. 9. 6. Gal. 2. 10.

Secondly, this doctrine that Iohn tooke Vse 2 Marie to his owne, makes against Ana­baptisticall community, which Anabap­tists and Familists seeme to proue out of that place where it is sayd, that all that did beleeue were in one place, and had all things common, they sold all their posses­sionsActs. 2. 44. and goods they had. And this they runne vpon that they did not onely sell, but sold all, [...], moueable and not moueable, possessions, goods: they made a through sale of all.

My answer in a word is: first, no man was compelled to sell, so Peter sayd to A­nanias, Acts. 5. 4. was it not thine owne while it re­mayned? As if he had sayd, who compel­led [Page 85] thee to sell?

Secondly, It is not sayde they sold all, but onely that they had all things com­mon;Aret. in Act. Apost. Non est expressum quod omnia vendide­rint; sed quod omnia habuerint communia.

Thirdly, of that that was sold, they suf­fered not euery man to be his own caruer,Quae vendita­sunt prudenter diuidunt. but they distributed according to euery mans necessitie, to some more, to some lesse,

Fourthly, If all things bee common, why sayth God, Thou shalt not steale? Why1. Cot. 6: sayth Paul, That theeues shall not inherit Gods kingdome? How can there be theft if thou take away propriety of goods?

Fifthly, If all things be common, thenFrustra passim praecepta, &c. Aretius. are all those precepts in vain that call vp­pon vs for bounty and almes, why did not God call rather for community then liberality?

Sixthly, Why writes Paul for his cloke, and parchments, if they were anothers as well as his?

Lastly, a world of other inconuenien­ces will follow if wee deny propriety of goods, it will follow that Naboth was too [Page 86] scrupulous in the matter of his vineyard, that the eight commandmant might well be razed out from the rest of the com­mandements; nay if this gap bee opened, would their not quickly follow a feareful confusion of all things? And yet mistake me not, for though I defend propriety of goods, yet I defend no other propriety of goods, then may stand with the commu­nion of Saints. Zacheus his goods were his owne, so were Iobs, yet they imparted to the necessityes of others: it was a Na­balish speech, shall I take my bread and giue it vnto strangers: though thy goods be thine, yet they are not so thine, but that the poore haue a letter of Attorny from God, to haue to their vse as well as thy selfe. The conclusion for want of time shall be onely this; be mer­ciful as your heauenly father is mercifull.