Deuout contemplations expressed in two and fortie sermons vpon all ye quadragesimall Gospells written in Spanish by Fr. Ch. de Fonseca Englished by. I. M. of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford

THE XLII. SERMON. Of our Sauiour Christs death. (Book 42)

IOH. 19.

Baiulans sibi Crucem, &c.

Bearing his Crosse, &c.

* 1.1WHat with the spittle, stripes, blowes, buffets, mockes, scornes, scourges, thornes, his beard and haires clotted with blood; our Sauiour Christ was so much altered from that man which the Spouse paints him foorth to be [Candidus, rubi∣cundus,* 1.2 electus ex millibus, My wellbeloued is white, and ruddy, the chiefest of ten thousand] that Ieremie could say,* 1.3 He is a man, yet who can know him.* 1.4 And Esay, He had neither shape nor come∣linesse. Or as another letter hath it, He had not the forme of a man. And he himselfe did not thinke himselfe to be a man,* 1.5 saying; I am a worme and no man. And it see∣ming vnto Pilat to be the lesser reuenge of the two, to see him dead, than to bee thus wounded and torne by them; and that there could be no emnitie, no malice,

so raging and so cruell, which with so sad a spectacle, and so woful a sight, would not loose somewhat of i'ts fiercenesse and violence; leaning himselfe against the window, and looking wistly vpon him, he breathed forth these two words; Ecce homo. Behold here a Man (sayth S. Austen) fitter for the graue than a throne; yee did heretofore enuie him for the great applause which the world gaue vnto his Miracles, but now his Miserie may blot that out of your brests.

First, I would haue yeto consider, what manner of thing Man was when hee was moulded by the hands of God in the Creation; how rich, how wise, and how perfect a creature he was. In his Incarnation, in what a prosperous estate did he liue, how mightily enuied by Hell? In the Resurrection, how glorious, and how immortall? And how God againe by the hands of Man, is mocked, scour∣ged, spit vpon, and contemned.

Secondly, if a Pilat taking pittie of our Sauiour Christ, could say vnto the people, Ecce homo, Behold the Man! for to mooue them vnto p••ttie: it is not much that a Preacher of the Gospell, whose dutie it is to preach Christ cruci∣fied, should say vnto Christian people, Ecce homo, Behold the Man. No man will trust the pittie and compassion of an enemy. Saul remained much amazed and confounded, when Dauid stole from his beds-head his speare and his pitcher; and when in the caue he had cut off the lappet of his garment; and with tear did propound and promise to himselfe to loue him and fauour him all his life long: yet Dauid would not beleeue him, because no man that is w••se will trust an enemie. Ionas who was a figure of our Sauiour Christ, beeing ouerwhelmed in the Sea, the waues thereof did assuage their rage & waxed calme: But our Sauior Christ, being ouerwhelmed in the Sea oft hese his torments, hee couldnot allay the furie of those billowes which grew stil rougher and rougher in the turbulent breasts of his people; for there was but little good to be expected from so pro∣fessed an enemie: yet hee that is a Christian hath our Sauiour Christ to bee his Friend, his Lord, his Father, and his God. And representing himselfe vnto vs in this pitifull and lamentable manner, what heart is there so hard, which will not bee mooued to commiserate so wretched a case? Saint Paul had made vnto those of Galilee a discription of our Sauiour Christ vpon the Crosse; and it seeming vnto him, that they were not mooued thereat, but that their hearts were hard∣ned, he cry'd out aloud vnto them, O yee foolish and senselesse Galathians, who hath bewiched you? Is it possible that Christ crucified should not make your hearts to melt within yee? This is a meere stupidnesse and insensibilitie.

Behold the Man.

If it will not moue vs to behold him thus tormented as a Man,* 1.6 let it greeue vs at least to see God suffer so much miserie for Man. Vidimus eum (sayth Esay) quasi percussum à Deo (quasi percussum Deum) For so Saint Chrysostome renders it. Beatus, qui intelligit super egenum & pauperem. Happie is hee who vnder the hu∣manitie of man, will find out the humanity of God. Lindanus commenting vpon this verse, saith, That the word Super in the Hebrew, with it's points or prickes, signifieth God: So that in the first sence, it may be sayd, Beatus qui intelligit Deum, egenum & pauperem. Blessed be those eyes, that vnder so many miseries, behold Gods greatnesse. Zacharias doth paint out Iesus the Priest with loathsome and vnseemely garments, and that a stone with seuen eyes stood looking vpon him. Can the stones find eyes to see God whipt, spit vpon, & crowned with thornes? And shall man bee so blind as not to behold him? Saint Luke titles Christ,

mortem, & spectaculum. Men see many things with admiration, but they see not the Angells: and many see the Angels, but they see not God. But our Sauiour Christ torne and tormented on the Crosse; Men, Angells, and God, may behold this with admiration (if it were possible that God could be subiect to admirati∣on) but men are apt to be taken therewith. The Angells also did admire the ensignes of the Crosse. And to God, the Sonne said; My God, my God, looke vpon me. In a word, if there be any thing that may cause a generall astonishment, and admiration in all creatures whatsoeuer, it is our Sauiour Christ crucified. The flood was a cause of great amasement, beholding the waters, the heauens, and the dead bodies. The burning of Sodom, and the swallowing vp of Dathan, were things to be admired: but to see Christ so cruelly tormented as he was, and Pi∣lat in pittie of him, leaning himselfe in the window, and saying, Ecce homo, doth drowne all other kinds of astonishment and admiration.

Et baiulans fibi crucem.

And taking vp his Crosse. When Pilat did looke that the Iewes would haue rested satisfied and well contented, then did they cry out louder than before, Away with him, away with him, crucifie him, crucifie him. And being ouercome by the confused noyse of that rascall ••abble, going from the window vp vnto his Throne, which the Euangelist cals Lithostratos, a place paued with square stones, pronouncing sentence against him, hee condemned him to the death of the Crosse. Saint Chrysostome saith, Senten••iam non tulit, sed tradendo eum, permisit illos sua vti tyrannide, That he did not pronounce sentence against him, but by deliuering him vp into their hands, he permitted them to vse their owne Tyrannie, Hee deliuered him vnto them to doe what they would with him. But the more probabilitie is, that he pronounced sentence against him.

* 1.7First, because Saint Iohn saith, He sat downe in the iudgement seat: There being no need of his sitting downe, had he not beene to pronounce sentence. G••llius, Vl∣pianus, and Plinie report, That with the Roman Iudges, it was so inuiolable a cu∣stome to sit downe when they pronounced sentence, that they accounted that for no sentence, which was pronounced standing: In token, that any sentence either ciuill or criminall, ought to proceede from a well setled mind, and a stayed iudg∣ment.

Secondly, Saint Luke saith, Pilat gaue sentence, That it should be as they required. Where we are to weigh the word,* 1.8 Adiudicauit, Gaue sentence.

Thirdly, The Iewes had alledged for themselues, It is not lawfull for vs to put any man to death.* 1.9 Which is to bee vnderstood (as the Cardinall of Toledo prooues it) Vnlesse the sentence of the Iudge doe precede, and goe before; and then they may.

The Tenor or substance of that which Pilat pronounced, your graue Doctors deliuer the same in different words, but the summe of it is this.

We Pontius Pilat by the will of the immortall gods, and by the authoritie of Roman Princes, be∣ing President of this sacred Empire, condemne vnto death, Iesus of Nazareth, for hauing made himselfe King of the Iewes, as appeareth by the testimonie of the High Priests of Ierusalem. Wherefore we will and command, that he be car∣ryed from this place, forth of the Citie, to the place of Execution, commonly called Golgotha, and there to be crucified betweene two theeues, Dismas and Gismas, here conuicted and condemned for their thefts and robberies, to the end that this his death may make for the good and safetie of this people, and for the peaceablenesse of this Common wealth. Dated in Ierusalem, in Lithostratos, vul∣garly

cald the Pauement, Pasquo parasceuae, or Preparation of the Passeouer, about the sixt houre.

No age, euer knew a more cowardly Iudge, or a more vniust sentence.* 1.10

First, because hauing said in publike, Ego nullam in eo inuenio causam, I find no cause of death in him: and thereupon, washing his hands before the multitude, he made protestation, That he was innocent of the blood of this iust man: God not suffering him to haue a mouth to say the contrarie.

Secondly, because the innocencie of our Sauiour Christ, was notorious; not onely because all the Prophets had giuen sufficient testimonie thereof, Huic omnes prophetae testimonium perhibent; but the people, Bene omnia fecit. Pilats wife, Iudas, the Diuels, and the President himselfe, who (as Sixtus Senensis reports) writing to Tiberius Casar, confessed, That the High Priests had accused him out of enuie; and that by the common voyce and consent of the people, he had deli∣uered him vp to their will, against the testimonie of his owne conscience.

Thirdly, Because both the Iudge, and the Accusers, did proceed against him contrary to all Law and Iustice.

First, by receiuing those as sufficient witnesses against him, which in all right and equitie, ought not to be admitted, Sciebat, quod per inuidiam tradidissent eum.* 1.11 And which was more, offering themselues to bee witnesses, contrary to the Law, Vnius.

Secondly, because no Iudge can condemne any, vnlesse he himselfe confesse, or be conuicted of the fact that is laid against him; whereas our Sauiour Christ was not onely innocent of any crime, but in right of law likewise, because no man could conuince him of sinne; for although he was falsely accused, yet was he not conuicted. And when the Iudge knowes, that the accused is innocent, he ought strictly to examine the witnesses, seeking occasion to free him; as Daniel did in the case of Susanna: but Pilat was willing to winke at the matter, albeit he saw well enough, that the testimonies were not conuenient and fitting. And ther∣fore Saint Ambrose saith of him, That he washed his hands, but not his heart. He did likewise swallow downe one circumstance of great consequence; to wit, a new Edict of Tiberius Caesars, wherein expresse commandement was giuen (as Suetonius sets it downe) That the chastisements of death should not be put in ex∣ecution, till tenne dayes full and compleat after publication of sentence: But Pi∣lat made a short come-off with our Sauior, and gaue him a quicke dispatch. This sentence did surpasse all the vniust sentences that euer were pronounced. That of Iezabel against Naboth; That of the Iudges of Babylon against Susanna: For these had some forme of a Legall proceeding. But of this Esay saith, De medio iudicij sublatus est, generationem illius, quis enarrabit? Another letter hath it, Secu∣lum illius. It is a bad world, when an innocent person shall bee put to the punish∣ment of the Crosse, without sufficient witnesses to condemne him, or without lawfull hearing, in discharging himselfe of such things wherewithall he is char∣ged. But as Saint Gregorie saith, Si ipse indebitam mortem non suscepisset, nunquam nos a debita morte liberasset, Had not he vndergone an vndeserued death, hee could neuer haue freed vs from a deserued death.

Christ being thus deliuered vp to the damnable will of those, who desired to put him to death, and the cruellest death that Tyrannie could inuent, they threw a halter about his necke, and laid a most heauy Crosse vpon his tender shoulders, and being garded along the street by the Roman Cohorts,* 1.12 they carry him away to Mount Caluarie. Their Feare and Iealousie, prompting them to take this course with him.

First, That he might not as heretofore escape their hands.

Secondly, That in case he should escape their hands, the Temple should not serue his turne. For, as Gellius doth affirme in his Noctibus Atticis, Those that were condemned to carry their Crosse, had not the benefit of taking San∣ctuarie.

Thirdly, Because the death of the Crosse was so infamous a death, that none but theeues and traytors to the Common wealth, could bee condemned to this shamefull kind of death. And this (as S. Chrysostome hath noted it) was confirmed by the authoritie of Rome.

Fourthly, Because they would euen then presently put him to begin his suffe∣ring. For, it was a common ceremonie amongst them, that they who were con∣demned to death, should haue a napkin fastned before their eyes, least by seeing the Executioner, and the instruments of death prepared for them, they might chance to fall into a swound, or faint in the way. But they would that Christ, to grieue him the more, should haue his punishment set before his eyes.

Fiftly, The diuine prouidence (saith Saint Augustine) had so ordered it; for it was very fit and conuenient, that the Crosse which Kings vse to weare on the tops of their Crownes and Scepters, and Knights of diuers noble Orders on their breasts, That the Prince of heauen should first beare the same vpon his shoulders, conuerting thereby the greatest infamie into the greatest glorie that euer was in this world: so that that which on the one side was a sad and heauie sepctacle, on the other is a great and glorious mysterie.

The people making a confused noyse, the Trumpets send forth a hoarse voice, the drums a dead sound, the theeues go cheeke by iole close to our Sauiors side, the cryers lift vp their voyces, and ball out aloud;

This is the Iustice, which the Emperour of Rome, and Pontius Pilat in his name, with the consent and ap∣probation of the Princes of Ierusalem, hath commanded to be done vpon this man, as a seditious person, a blasphemer, an impostor, a broacher of new erro∣nious doctrine, stil••ng himselfe the Messias and Sauiour of the world, the King of Israel, and the Sonne of God.

He had to Mount Caluarie (according to the testimonie of some graue Au∣thours,* 1.13 which haue measured out that space of ground) 1021 paces, which a∣mount to somewhat more than 3000 feet. And it was called Caluarie, either from the sculls of those that had beene there put to death, (as Saint Ierom would haue it) or from the scull of Adam, who was buryed there; of which opinion is the glorious Athanasius, Basill, Origen, Tertullian, and Saint Augustine: To the end that it might be there more especially verified, Sicut in Adam, omnes mori••ntur, ita in Christo omnes viuificabuntur, As in Adam all men were dead, so in Christ all men shal be quickned and restored to life.

The Diuine Prouidence had likewise so ordered the businesse, that the place where our Sauiour Christ was to die,* 1.14 should be in the midst of the world. And howbeit some Doctors doe not admit, that it is in rigour and strictnesse iust in the middle, according to a Geometricall proportion or Mathematicall ac∣count, yet most doe agree in this, that it was in the midst of the land of Palestine, (as it seemeth to Iosephus in his third booke, De bello Iudaico, as also to Aristeus) Or it may be said to be in the midst of the world, Per Priuilegium, By way of Priui∣ledge, Because that was the place where God had shewed his greatest miracles. And of this mind, is venerable Bede: yet notwithstanding of great force is that place of Dauid,* 1.15 Operatus est salutem in medio terrae, He hath wrought saluation in the midst of the earth.* 1.16 And that of Ezechiel, Ista est Hierusalem, in medio gentium posui

eam, & in circuitu eius terras, This is Ierusalem, I haue set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are roundabout her. As also the authoritie of Saint Ierome, who expounding this place, tearmes it, Meditullium terrae, & vmbilicum; The very nauill or middle part of the earth. Which opinion is strengthened by S. August. discoursing on the 75 Psalme.

Of the manner of their crucifying of our Sauiour Christ, there is this and that doubt made, and one more probable than another. The common receiued opi∣nion of the Saints, is, That the Crosse being fixed in Mount Caluarie, they hai∣led him vp first with cords, and afterwards nayled him therunto. And so seemeth it good to that sacred Doctour Saint Gregorie, Saint Bernard, Saint Cyprian, and the reuelation of Saint Bridget confirmes the same. But Saint Ierome, Anselme, An¦toninus, and Laurentius Iustinianus say, That the Crosse being laid all along on the ground, they first nayled him vnto it, and afterwards reared it vp. And this part is much fauoured for two reasons.

The one, Because it was a more fitting and facile way to be done.

The other, Because in the Holy Land there is an especiall place to bee seene, where they nayled our Sauiour Christ, which is a little wayes off from the place where the Crosse was set vp. But take which opinion you will, the plaine truth is, That it was one of the cruellest torments which our Sauiour Christ suffered; for they hauing first nayled his right hand, they did so stretch and straine the si∣newes, that they were forced with cords to draw out his left hand at full length, to make it meet right with that hole which was bored in the Crosse for that pur∣pose. And because they might stretch it out so far, that the nayle that fastned the right hand, might breake the flesh, and teare the sinewes, they were faine like∣wise to bind his right arme with cords to the Crosse. And with this so violent a force and extreame reaching of his armes, the bones of our Sauiour Christs bo∣die were so dislocated, and disjoynted, that you might plainely tell them; that prophesie of that Kingly Prophet Dauid, being then verified, Dinumerauerunt omnia ossa mea, They numbred all my bones, &c.

Hilarie saith,* 1.17 That our Sauiour Christ gaue here greater signes of his sorrow and griefe, than in all the rest of those bitter passages of his passion. And Rodulph, and Saint Bridget affirme, That of all other his torments, this was the greatest. And it is a thing worthy our consideration, That our Sauiour Christ should bee more sensible of this nayling of his hands, than of that Crowne of thornes which they platted on his head, those cruell stripes wherewith they scourged him, and that vinegre and gall which they gaue him to drinke. Wherof there are two reasons rendred.

The one naturall, which Thomas toucheth vpon. Deliuering vnto vs,* 1.18 that so intollerable is the paine and anguish of the sinewes, that many that were crucified, through the extreamitie of the paine, did swound and were depriued of their senses. And therefore our Sauiours torment must needes be so much the more, by how much his wounds were greater than theirs. Foderunt manus meas, & pe∣des meos. Hugo Cardinalis doth ponder the Metaphor of foderunt, Hee doth not say, Clauarunt, but effoderunt: Like one that digges a pit in the earth.

The other, morall, because he held vs in his hands: And therefore it is said, Omnia tradidit Pater in manus suas, & non rapiet eas quisquam de manu sua, The Fa∣ther hath deliuered all things into his hands, and no man shall snatch any thing out of his hand. And in token that he was more sensible of our torments than his own, the greatest paine he felt, was in the nayling of his hands. Leo the Pope saith, That to those that were crucified, they did vse to put a vayle or bend before their eyes,

when their hands were nayled, and that they tooke the like course with our Sa∣uiour Christ, but his Loue had so ordered the businesse, that he had eyes to see his owne hurts, but not ours. The Prophet Zacharie askes the question, Quae sunt plagae istae, in medio manuum tuarum? What are those wounds in the midst of thy hands? The like question he might as well haue made of the wounds in our Sauiors side, and his sacred feet, but that Man was abiding in those the wounds of his hands, In manibus meis scripsi te, I haue written thee in my hands: And therefore made more reckoning of them. And at the day of iudgement he saith by the mouth of Zacharie, Aspicient ad me, quem crucifix••runt, They shall looke vpon mee whom they haue pierced.* 1.19 The sinner shall open his eyes, whose name being written (like a posie) in those hands, and himselfe worne by them, as a ring of remembrance, shall see his saluation nayled to those hands, which his sinnes had nayled so fast to the Crosse. In a word, as in the garden, hauing more care of his, than himselfe, he said in an imperious kind of manner, Sinite hos abire, Suffer these to depart. And on the Crosse he said vnto his Father, In manus tuas Domine, commendo Spiritum meum. Vpon which place Saint Augustine saith, That he there called the faith∣full, his Spirit and his Soule; taking no care of his owne spirit or soule; for that was vnited to the Diuinitie. So that in this regard, for that he held vs in his hands, he felt more the torment of his hands, than of any other part.

Neuer did humane Nature receiue so great an iniurie as the death of the Crosse. Tostatus expounding that place of Deut. Maledictus a Deo, qui pependit in ligno, Cursed is he that hangs vpon the tree, saith, That it was an iniurie done to God himselfe, that a creature created after Gods owne image, should dye on the Crosse, Nefas est (saith Cicero) vincire ciues Romanos, scelus, verberare, prope parrici∣dium necare: Quid dicam in cruce agere? It is a hainous act to bind a Citizen of Rome, a villanie to scourge him, and in a maner paricide to kill him: What shall it be then to put him on the Crosse? Pliny saith, That the Romans did set vp certain Crosses, wher∣on they hung those dogges, which did not giue warning by barking; when the Gaulus did scale the Capitol; which surprisal was preuented by the gaggling of the geese. Suidas saith, That when any one did die a bad and vnfortunate death, they did put a Crosse vpon his graue. Scaliger reporteth, That vpon a time, there was a strange kind of headach in Rome, which had spread it selfe ouer all the Citie, which was so extreame painefull vnto them, that many of them did hang themselues in their owne garters, chusing rather to die, than to endure the paine thereof; and some did hang themselues for feare of that sicknesse, before euer it had seised vpon them: Whereupon the Senat being desirous to preuent so great a mischiefe, published a Proclamation, punishing therein these desperate offen∣ders with the infamie of the Crosse, that dishonour might cut off that inconue∣nience, which life could not persuade. Now so great then was the loue which our Sauiour Christ bare vnto vs, that he deposited in the infamie and reproch of the Crosse, all that honour which hee had gotten himselfe by his myracles, his doctrine, and vnblameable life, leauing them all hanging on the Crosse, as a Tro∣phie of his loue. Hercules erected pillars, where hee thought the world had en∣ded and extended it's vtmost bounds, as a Trophie of his prowesse and valour; bearing this letter or inscription, Non plus vltra. Our Sauiour Christ shewed his Loue vnto vs to the end, in that his Trophie of the Crosse, with this letter or inscription, No Loue can goe beyond this Loue: And therefore the Crosse is the North-starre of our comfort and hope. For what can hee denie vs, or what will not he grant vnto vs, who on the Crosse shewed such exceeding great loue vnto vs? But some man perhaps will aske me, How can so bad a thing be able to afford

comfort? Saint Basil cleeres it with this answer, That the death of our Sauiour Christ did alter the nature and qualitie of things; turning ioy into sorrow, and sorrow into ioy. And therefore it is said, Vae vobis qui ridetis, Woe be vnto yee that laugh. And as we see sometimes that the fire doth not burne, that the water doth not drowne, and that wild beasts doe not bite; because the diuine Omnipotence doth truck and exchange the actiuenesse of those Elements, and beasts; so Christ tooke away the sorrow & paine of the Crosse, and placed thereon Ioy, Comfort, and Hope. The daughters of Ierusalem went forth to see King Salomon with that Crowne wherewith his mother had crowned him on his wedding day, and the day of the ioy of his heart. But Theodoret demandeth, How can a crowne of thornes become a crowne of ioy? I answer, As it is a crowne of Loue it may. Nilus, in an Epistle which hee writeth to Olimpiodorus, Proconsull of Aegypt, saith, speaking of the Crosse, Per hanc desperabundis vndique spes annuntiatur,* 1.20 To him, to whom (in all seeming) there remaineth no reason of hoping, the Crosse promiseth hope. There is no man so bad, no man so sad, to whom this doth not assure ioy and comfort. Consider Christ from the sole of the foot, to the crowne of the head; and all that we there find, are nothing else but reasons of confidence, and of comfort. His head bowing, his hands broken, his feet fettered, his side ope∣ned: with his head he beckens vs to him; with his armes he imbraceth vs; with his breast he doth warrant vs safetie. The heart of man is inscrutable. There were many that murmured at mans making, because hee that molded him, had not made him with a window in his bosome. But though thou shouldest be iealous of all the rest, yet canst thou not be iealous of Christ, nor of his Loue, since that he layes open his bowells vnto thee.

They had now set vp the Crosse, leauing our Sauiour Christ naked thereup∣on, as alreadie hath beene deliuered vnto you. And that Historie of the King of Aragon, Don Alonso, further addeth, That the most blessed Virgin being sensible of the great shame which her beloued Son suffered vpon this occasion, and desi∣ring much to couer him with the vaile which she had on her head, the earth hea∣ued it selfe vp by degrees, & serued in stead of a ladder to performe this good of∣fice. And though the Euangelists do not set downe all the particulars that passed then and there, yet this is so singular in it selfe, that I thought it not fit to haue it left out.

Vpon the discomfort which Christ shewed in some few words that he vtte∣red,* 1.21 the Diuells made a great muttering and whispering amongst themselues, that he was a meere man and a sinner. And hauing gone alwayes on in their blind∣nes, in not knowing of him, at this last push they bewrayed their blindnesse more than euer heretofore. Eusebius Caesariensis saith, That albeit all the whole life of Christ was a couering, and discouering of the treasure of his Diuinitie; yet at his death he did hide it in that manner, and kept it so close, that innumerable Legi∣ons of Diuells came to flout and scoffe at him, as if they had now gotten the vi∣ctorie; so doth that place of Esay expresse this their triumphing ouer him, Infer∣nus super te, conturbatus est in occursum aduentus tui, suscitauit tibi Gigantes: by whom he vnderstands the diuells, which said to our Sauiour Christ on the Crosse, Et tu vulneratus es, sicut & nos, & nostri similis factus es, detracta est ad inferos superbia tua, Thou hast hitherto deceiued vs, but now thou shalt cosin vs no more, wee know now well enough what thou art: We will now be Gods, Super astra Dei, exaltabo solium meum, & similis ero altissimo, Thou wouldst faine likewise haue made thy selfe a God, but thou art wounded and infected as well as we, with sin. Now thy eyes waxe dimme and darke, thy face pale and wan, thy tongue furred

and swolne; thy lips blacke and blew; and thy whole body nothing from top to toe but stripes and goare blood. Caesarius, that was a Contemporarie of Saint Bernards, saith, That he did aske a certaine Diuel, from whence he came? And that he should make him this answer, I come from assisting at the death of Ab∣bot Gerardo. How durst thou (said the other) set vpon so holy a man? Whereun∣to the Deu••l answered, Ego presens fui super brachium crucis, quando Dei filius expira∣uit; I was present at the crosse, when the Sonne of God expired. And Didimus saith, That Lucifer did assist there at that time, accompaned with great squadrons of Deuils in most horible and fearefull shapes. E••s••bius Caesariens••s, expounding that verse of the 21 Psalme [Circundiderunt me vitul•• multi, & aperuerunt super me os su∣um, circumdiderunt me canes multi. Salua me ex ore L••onis, & a cornibus vnicornium humilitatem meam: Dogges haue compassed mee, and the assembly of the wic∣ked haue inclosed me; they pierced my hands and my feet; I may tell all my bones, yet they behold and looke vpon mee; They part my garments amongst them, and cast lots vpon my Vesture, But bee thou not farre off, ô Lord my strength, hasten to helpe me. Deliuer my soule from the sword, my desolate soule from the power of the dogges; saue me from the lyons mouth, and an∣swere me in sauing mee from the hornes of the vnicorne, &c.] saith, That this was a Praier which the sonne made vnto his father, intreating him that he would free him from the Dogges, the Bulls, the Lyons, and the Vnicornes, who com∣ming vpon him with open mouth, did cast a cloud of heauinesse and sadnesse be∣fore those his Diuine eyes. Eusebius likewise expounding that verse of the 54 Psalme, [Timor & tremor venerunt super me, & contexerunt me tenebrae, Feare and trembling are come vpon me, and an horrible feare hath couered mee.] sayth, That as in holy Scripture many Diuels are called, spirits of Fornication, and of Horror, so some men are called Ruffians, Raggamuffins, Swash-bucklers, &c. Contexe∣runt me tenebrae, is there set downe, to expresse the infinite number of Diuels attending then vpon our Sauiour. They did couer him like a cloud, but they could not comprehend him. To whom may be applyed that place of Saint Iohn, The light did shine in darkenes, and the darkenesse comprehended it not. God permitting it should be ••o,* 1.22 to the end, that that place of Saint Paul might bee verified; Ten∣tatum per omnia He was tempted in all things. ••ut this Temptation prooued worse than the former to him: For the baite beeing throwne out, he catcht at the mor∣tall and weaker part in God, and was taken f••orthwith by the hooke of his Di∣uinitie. Gregorie Nissen applyeth to this purpose that historie of Dauid, when Saul throwing his speare at him, hee left it sticking in the wall, Dauid remaining vnhurt. Quousque irruitis in hominem, interficitis vniuersi vos tanquam pariete incli∣nato. Saint Ierome expounding this place of our Sauiour Christ, calls him parie∣tem, because he was our wall, Murus, & antemurale. So sayth Esay. And parie∣tem inclinatum, because he hung vpon the Crosse inclinato capite, & maceriae re∣pulsae; like vnto a wall that is pusht and shov'd at; For, as some setting their shoul∣ders against a wal, and seeking by maine strength to throw it down to the ground, they themselues vsually fall with it, which thrust it downe, one remaining with∣out an arme, another without a legge, and some without their liues: So the Iewes and Romans, setting to their shoulders to ouerthrowe the life of our Sauiour Christ; one lost his Kingdome, another his Monarchy, this man his goods, that man his life, & many both their bodies and soules. This is that Interficitis vniuersi vos; And as that speare which Saul threw did not touch Dauid, but smote the wal; So the nailes, wounds, scourges, and thornes toucht our Sauiours Humanitie, but not his Diuinitie. So that the speare which was flung at him, missing his God∣head,

and hitting onely his Manhood, the Deuill was thereby taken, mocked, ouerthrowne, amazed, and astonished. In Exodus, God beeing willing to giue an end to the plagues of Aegypt, he commanded that euerie family of the children of Israell should on a certaine night kill a Lambe, and that they should sprinkle the posts of the doores of their houses with the blood thereof; and, that when the Angell should passe by, slaying the first borne of Aegypt, he should skip ouer the posts that were sprinckled with the blood of the Lambe, which the Israe∣lites that night had eaten to supper. S. Chrysostome saith, That the Angell did feare the blood of that Lambe, because it was a type and figure of that true and most innocent Lambe, who was to haue his blood sprinckled on the posts of the Crosse. If then an Angell of God were affraid of the blood of a beast, because it was a figure of that blood which was to be shed on the Crosse for the sauing of sinners, and such as were Gods chosen people; What feare and terrour shall the blood and death of our Sauior Christ, God, and Man, strike into Hell? Saint Paul sayth, Triumphans illos in semetipso, Triumphing ouer them in the Crosse, subdu∣ing powers, principalities, &c. It is Anselmes obseruation,* 1.23 that the triumphers of this world, make their triumph by shedding the blood of their enemies:* 1.24 but our Sauiour Christ triumphed ouer the deuils, and ouer sinne and death, by shedding his owne proper blood. God did antiently in those times of old, take the same course with his enemies, as other t••••umphers in the world were woont to doe. Glorificabor in Pharaone, &c. I will get m•• honour vpon Pharaoh, and vpon all his Hoste,* 1.25 vpon his Chariots, and his Horsemen, that the Aegyptians may know that I am the Lord. God made himselfe then to bee knowne by destroying, drowning, and killing of them. But now hee would get himselfe a name, and fame, by dying himselfe on the Crosse. This strange and new kind of victorie, Esay paynteth foorth by introducing our Sauiour Christ, who ascendeth all bloodie vp vnto Heauen; and by bringing in those Angells who aske the question, Who is this that comes thus stained and dy'd in his owne blood, and yet is both faire and valiant? Who is this (as it is in the Text) that commeth from Edom,* 1.26 with red garments from Bozrah? He is glorious in his apparell, and walketh with great strength. Where∣fore is thine apparell red, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the Wine∣presse? And the answere to this demand is, Ego propugnator ad saluandum, I am mightie to saue: I spake in righteousnesse and past my word to saue the World, and to take them out of the hard bondage of the deuill, of sinne, and of death; and I haue performed my promise, and beene as good as my word, by leauing their enemies ouercome, by ••reading them vnderfoot, and by stayning all my rayment with blood, and by bringing downe their strength▪ to the earth. But, Quare ergo rubrum est vestimenium t••••m, Why is thy rayment redde? What, a Con∣queror, and yet so be••••••eared with blood? It is answered, I trode mine enemies vnder my foot, as hee t••at crushing grapes ••readeth in the Winepresse; and my garments are sprinckled▪ and my ••ayment stayned with their blood. Calcaui eos in furore meo, I troad th••m in ••••••••••••ger, and troad them vnderfoot in my wrath, for the day of vengeance was in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 heart, and the yeere of my redeemed was come. And so I was their sauiour. But how could this be said of the Deuills, and of Sinne, beeing that they haue neither of them blood? 'Tis true, But hu∣mane nature hath both flesh and blood; Whereof they had made themselues Lords and Masters. And because I had (sayth Christ) put on this particular na∣ture, not in regard as it was in mee, (for so it was impeccable and without sinne) but in regard of the rest of mankind, from whome it was inseparable and not to bee remooued, and so must neede Sinne, whilest that was about them: Christ

was prodigall of his owne innocent and pretious Blood, that he might saue ours which was altogether tainted and corrupted. He endured the Crosse, that wee might receiue the Crowne; he cast himselfe into the Armes of Death, that hee might rayse vs vp to eternall life: for which his great and vnspeakable Mer∣cie towards vs most wretched, vile, and miserable Sinners, to him, the Fa∣ther, and the Holy Ghost, three Persons, one true and euer liuing God, bee rendred all Prayse, Honour, and Glorie, Might, Maiestie, Power and Dominion, as most due, World without end, Amen.

Laus Deo.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Affliction al∣ters the verie forme of Man.
• * 1.2

  Cant. 5.
• * 1.3

  Hier. 29.
• * 1.4

  Esay. 43.
• * 1.5

  Psal. 21.
• * 1.6

  Ch••••st on the Crosse the on∣ly ob••ect of Admi••ation.
• * 1.7

  Iob. 1••.
• * 1.8

  Luke 23.
• * 1.9

  Pilat pronoun∣ced the sen∣tence of death against Christ.
• * 1.10

  Pilat a cow∣ardly Iudge.
• * 1.11

  Cap. Testes, q. 3. Leg. Vaius. §. de quaest. Testium vltro accusandi, non est credendum.
• * 1.12

  Feare and Iea∣lousie, spurred vp the Iewes to crucifie Christ.
• * 1.13

  Mount Cal∣uarie why so called.
• * 1.14

  Christ suffered in the midst of the world.
• * 1.15

  Psal. 74.12.
• * 1.16

  Ezech 5.
• * 1.17

  Christs nay∣ling, the cruel∣lest part of his Passion.
• * 1.18

  Two reasons proouing him more sensible of this tor∣ment than any other.
• * 1.19

  Zachar. 12.
• * 1.20

  Euery part of Christ affords a sinner confi∣dence.
• * 1.21

  Christs Deitie more concea∣led at his death than a∣ny time before
• * 1.22

  Malice is euer it's own foe.
• * 1.23

  Coloss. 2.
• * 1.24

  The difference betwixt our Sauiour•• tri∣umph, and those of Men.
• * 1.25

  Exod. 14.
• * 1.26

  Esay. 63.