Our Saviours passion delivered in a sermon, preach'd in the cathedral church of Saint Peter in Exon. On Good Friday, the first of April, 1670. By Matthew Hole, Master of Arts, and Fellow of Exeter Colledge, Oxon.

daea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken unto my words, for these men (whom you thus wickedly traduce) are not drunk with Wine, seeing it is but the third hour of the Day; and those sudden inspirations which you have heard and seen, are not, as you prophanely imagine, the ef∣fects of Enthusiasm or intemperance, but the gifts of the Holy Ghost, and in them is accomplish'd that gracious promise of the plentiful effusion of knowledge that should come to pass in the last days; but we need not wonder (as he goes on) at this your carriage towards them, (v. 22.) since Jesus Christ himself, who was a man approved of God among you by miracles, signes and wonders, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye your selves also know, yet even him, not without the determi∣nate counsell and fore-knowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.

So that the words are part of that excellent and successful Sermon of St. Peter preached unto the Jews, wherein he sharp∣ly rebuked them for their barbarous and inhumane carriage to∣wards him who abundantly prov'd himself to be the true Messias; and from them I shall treat,

1. First of all, concerning our Saviours Passion, in the three stpes or degrees of it, mentioned here in the Text, viz. That he was taken, and by wicked hands crucified, and slain; to which I shall add a word or two touching the cause and the design of his undergoing all this.

2. Secondly, I shall shew, that this his Passion was not without the determinate counsell and fore-knowledge of God.

3. And, lastly, conclude with some practical inferences from the whole.

I begin with the History of our Saviours Passion, and there with the first step of it, which is his apprehension or being taken, him ye have taken; this we know is the first degree of pu∣nishment that is wont to be exercis'd towards Malefactors, who are first apprehended & arraign'd, before they are condemn'd or executed▪ Suitable hereunto, the Sons of ••iolence laid hands on

our Saviour to take him; which act of pretended justice was not done by any private or single person, but by the counsell, or rather the conspiracy of the chief Priests and Elders; for we read, in Mat. 26. v. 4. That they held a consultation, how they might take Jesus by subtilty, and carry him away; though his daily presence at Jerusalem seem'd to give them fair opportunities of effecting their design, yet the reputation he had with the peo∣ple made them not so forward to embrace them, and therefore they dealt underhand with one of his own Disciples, corrupting him with the promise of a reward, to betray him with the great∣er secrecy into their hands. The Scribes and Pharisees, He∣rod and Pilate, though bitter enemies to each other, and scarce agreeing in any thing else, yet did conspire together in the ap∣prehending and taking our Saviour; so true was that prediction of the Psalmist, in the second Psalm, v. 2. The Kings of the Earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against his anointed. The place where they apprehen∣ded him was in the Garden, where, after the treachery of Judas in betraying him, a band of Souldiers seiz'd on his Person, hall'd him away before Pilate, and from thence into prison, where he met with no better company then an infamous Robber nam'd Barrabbas, who yet, by a custom of releasing one at the Feast, was dismist at the request of the people, whilst our Saviour was sa∣crificed to the clamors and crucifige's of the multitude. The manner of his apprehension St. Luke informs, in the 22. Chap. v. 52. They came out against him, as against a thief, with Swords and Staves. He who was the very pattern, and great exemplar, of low∣liness, of meekness, was yet thus roughly handled by the merci∣less Souldiers; and though Peter, out of a high resentment here∣of, offered to make resistance by drawing his sword, and cut∣ting off the ear of one of the High Priest's servants, yet our Saviour sharply check't his inconsiderate zeal and rashness; partly, because they did all by the authority and command of the Magistrate, against whom he would by no means suffer or en∣courage the least resistance; & partly because it behov'd him to suffer, and to be thus handled, for the compleating the work of our redemption.

But the jealous malice and violence of the Souldiers thought him not yet sufficiently secur'd before they had cast their cords on him, and carried him away bound unto Pilate, as we read, Mat. 27.2 Having seiz'd on his Person, they secure him in Bonds, and make all haste to dispatch him away, to prevent his escape, or rescue; which circumstance of their malice was prefigur'd in the Old Testament, by tying the Sacrifices with Cords, and drag∣ging them bound to the Altar, as also his being apprehended and taken was not obscurely presignified in Joseph's being taken and carried prisoner into Egypt, of which we read in Gen. 39. And so much, briefly, for the first step or degree of our Saviours Pas∣sion, namely his being taken.

2. The second degree of it mention'd here in the Text, is his being crucified; we know a man may be apprehended, and yet afterward dismist without any farther censure or infliction; but the malice of the Jews towards our Saviour rested not so, but proceeded further, to his crucifixion. Him ye have taken, and by wicked hands crucified. This assixing of Criminals unto a Cross was a Romane punishment, inflicted only on thieves and robbers, or other very notorious offenders; till Constantine the first Christian Emperour, out of a Pious honour and respect to Christ's death, forbade any farther use of it; but for the better understanding hereof, we must know that the Romans, to encrease the shame and sting of this punishment, made use of these four circumstances toward those on whom it was inflicted; all which were improv'd to the very highest degree of cruelty in our Sa∣viour's Crucifixion.

First, those that were condemn'd to this punishment were made to bear their Cross upon their shoulders to the place of execution, which was ever without the City. So Plutarch tells us expresly, [Plutar. de his qui sero puniuatu••.] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. malefactors when they are led forth to execution, each one bears his own cross: and Artemidorus [Artem. lib. 2. cap. 42.] is as plain, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,

i.e. the Cross resembles death, and he that was to be crucified did first bear it; in complyance with which custom, the barbarous Jews leading forth our Saviour, forc't him to bear his own Cross, as we read, John 19.17. as if it were not enough to be thus shamefully executed, unless he bare the unhappy instrument of his shame; or because the Cross was shortly to bear him, therefore he should be constrain'd to bear it. It is indeed said, that Simon the Cyrenian was compel∣led to bear his Cross, Mat. 27.32. but that was onely when our Saviour through weariness had almost fainted under the burden; else, had his strength held out, he had found none to have eas'd him of that reproachful weight. Now this act of bea∣ring his Cross was represented to us in the Old Testament, by Isaack's bearing the wood for Sacrifice, of which we read, Gen. 22. in allusion and imitation hereof it was, that our Saviour told his followers, that if they would be his Disciples, they must take up their Cross and follow him, in the patient bearing of di∣stress and infamy.

Secondly, Those who were to undergoe this punishment were commanded to be stript of their clothes and to suffer naked, for so Artemidorus assures us, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, they that were to be crucified were stript naked. Sutable whereunto we read, concerning our Saviour, Mat. 27.28. that they stript him of his clothes; he who was cloth'd with Light, as with a garment, and invested with the glorious robes of immor∣tality, was pleas'd for a while to lay these aside, and put on the rags of humane flesh, together with those outward coverings that were ordain'd to conceal our shame; but of these too did un∣thankful mortalls unworthily strip him; and, as if he had aspir'd too high, when he parted with his glory for these inconsidera∣ble ornaments, he was wholly depriv'd of them, and expos'd naked to all their scoffs and revilings; and having thus stript him, They parted his Garments among them, and upon his Vesture did they cast lots, Mat. 27.35.

Thirdly, Those who, among the Romans, were condemn'd to

this punishment were first of all to be whipt and scourged. So St. Jerome informs us; Sciendum est, legibus Romanis sancitum esse, ••t qui crucifigitur prius flagellis verberetur, i. e. It was decreed by the Laws of the Romans, that they who were to be crucified should be first scourg'd; accordingly Valerius tells us of one, qui servam suum verberibus multatum ad supplicium egisset; and Artemidorus of another, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. who being ty'd to a Pillar receiv••d many stripes; this circumstance of Barbarity too was exercised towards our Saviour, Mat. 27.26. When they had scourged Jesus they delivered him up to be crucified. Having stript him naked they lash and scourge him on every side; the bitterness whereof was encreas'd by that reproachful taunt us'd at every blow, now prophesy who it is that strikes thee; of this did the Evangelical Prophet Isaias plainly foretell, in Isai. 53.5. The Chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed.

Fourthly, Those who were wont to be fasten'd to the Cross had the cause of their punishment writen over them in Capital Letters, that so the equity of it might the better appear to the World. Hence Di•• tells us of a servant hanging on the Cross 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, with letters declaring the cause of his death; this piece of pretended justice too was not omitted towards our Saviour; for having hail'd his body to the Cross all besmear'd in blood and gore, which the nails and scourges drew from him, they set over his head this accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS, Mat. 27.37. Which that it might be the more generally known and understood by all, St. Luke tells us it was written in three Languages, viz. in Latine, Greek, and He∣brew, Luke 23.38. Thus did the malicious Jews improve this Romane punishment to the height of cruelty upon our Saviour; crucifying him between two thieves, as if he had been the Arch∣malefactor; where after he had hung on the Cross from the sixth to the ninth hour, upon the tenderwounds of his hands and feet, he gave up the Ghost, which was the last act of this dole∣full

Tragedy, and leads us to the third step or degree of his Passion, mention'd in the Text; to wit, his death, or being slain, Him ye have taken, and with wicked hands have crucified and slain. As we shewed before, that the taking of any prisoner doth not necessarily suppose any farther censure, much less crucifixion; so neither doth crucifixion necessarily import death; for they on whom it is inflicted, being fasten'd to the Cross not by any vital part, die so leasurely, that being taken from thence, may easily be suppos'd to live: but neither did the malice of the Jews nor our Saviours sufferings end here, but proceeded to the very extremity of this punishment, and fulfill'd the utmost in∣tention of Crucifixion; hence St. Paul tells us, Philip. 2.3. That he became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross, which of all the Romane ways of excution was the most painful, and the most ignominious.

First of all, I say, his death was exceeding painful and dolo∣rous; for he was nail'd to the Cross, not by those parts that might have inferr'd sudden death, and so quickly have dispatch't his pain, but by his hands and feet, which are of all other the most nervous, and consequently the most sensible parts; by which means they made him (as Nero afterward did the Christians) sentire se mori, feel himself dying, and endur'd the racking tor∣ments of a lingring death; their cruel scourges in the mean while fetching blood, and making long furrows upon his back; the Souldiers pierc't his side with spears, and his Soul with scoffs and mockings more sharp then they; the multitude came about him hanging on the Cross, not to pity but deride him; and as if he had been the vilest miscreant upon earth, they spit in his face, and in the midst of all his pain and anguish pour'd on him, not tears, but scorn and contempt. In his bitter Agonies they de∣ny'd him a drop of water, a courtesie never denied any but the damned in hell, and instead thereof filled him a spunge of Vinegar and Gall, on purpose to encrease the bitterness of his Passion. In the Garden of Gethsemane his Soul felt greater tortures, than his body on the Cross; there it was, that he drunk that bitter

Cup, which set him in an Agony, and caus'd him to sweat great drops of blood, which made him pray three times most eathest∣ly, Father, if it be possible, let this Cup pass from me; then did he appear forsaken of his friends, and in his apprehension deserted of God too; which made him in the anguish of his Soul to cry out, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? and sure, if we consider these things, we must needs say, that there was no death like unto his, nor any sorrow like unto his sorrow. But,

Secondly, as his death was thus painful, so was it no less shameful and ignominious too; Our Saviour having humbled himself to the form of a servant was condemn'd to be crucified, which Tacitus calls Servile supplicium, a punishment inflicted onely on servants or slaves, never on any freeman or cirizen; but before he underwent this infamous and slavish death, they kept him a while to sport themselves in his misery; to that end they stript him of his clothes; and in derision put on him a scar∣let robe, the true emblem of their crimson sins; and having accus'd him as one aspiring to be King of the Jews, they platted for him a Crown of Thorns, setting it on his head; & because he should not want a Scepter, they put a reed into his right hand, after which they in mockery bow their head to him, saying, Hail King of the Jews; and when they had spotted their fill with him, they carried him away to be crucified; where, as he hung on the Cross, they re∣proached him with all his former Miracles and Prophesies, saying he saved others, himself he cannot save; if he be the Son of God let him now come down from the Cross; and wagging their heads at him, they said, thou that destroyest the Temple, and buildest it in three dayes, save thy self, Mat. 27. After all which, he laid down his life, and drank up this bitter Cup,, even to the very dregs.

And now, one would think that these bloody instruments of his death should feel within them some sting of Conscience, and con∣ceive some remorse after so black and tragical an enterprize; but these, alas, as if they were (what was said of Tiberius, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. but so many clods of earth kneaded and ce∣mented

with blood, remain as senceless & unrelenting after all this, as the Tree on which he hung, or the Grave-stone that co∣vered him; they think of nothing but casting him into the earth, and securing his Grave with a Band of Souldiers; however, since these remorsless Jews could conceive neither sorrow, nor repen∣tance, the whole Creation seem'd concern'd to lament the fall of so great a Person; the Sun drew in its Light, as unwilling to behold so sad a spectacle; the earth trembled and quak'd, as im∣patient of bearing up those persons that occasion'd it; the hea∣vens were all overcast and cloath'd in black, as the chief mour∣ners at his Funeral; the Vail of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; the hard Rocks clave; the Graves opened, and all things but these unrelenting Jews were appall'd and confounded at the Passion of our Lord. And thus have we gone through the several acts or scenes of this direful Tragedy; having seen him taken, and by wicked hands crucified and slain; which every one that hath heard will be ready to inquire into the cause for which he suffer'd all this.

For answer whereunto, we must know,

First of all, that sin is the sole meritorious cause of all sor∣rows and sufferings; which appears, not only, because before sin entred into the world, these things were altogether unknown, and strangers to humane Nature; but likewise, because ever since its entrance, they have ever gone hand in hand together; to this purpose is that of St. Paul, Rom. 5.12. As by one man sin en∣tered into the World, and death by sin, even so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. But

Secondly, to prevent an Objection, (Heb. 7.26.) that may be taken from the High, Holy, and harmless Nature of Christ, separated from sinners, and made higher than the Heavens, who though he assum'd our Nature, Heb. 4.15. Yet was sin and all kind of irregularities excepted; I say, to prevent this, we must know, that though the immaculate Son of God had no sins of his own to be laid to his charge, and consequently was not liable to punish∣ment, or the displeasure of Heaven, upon his own score, yet when

he graciously undertook to be our surety or Saviour, the whole burden of our sins lay upon his shoulders, and he became answe∣rable to the justice of God for the transgressions of mankind; and hence was that harsh saying of Luther, who styl'd our Saviour pec∣catorum maximus, the greatest of sinners; viz. not by any actual guilt of his own, but only by imputation: Now, since the wages of sin is death, Rom. 6.23. And without shedding of blood there is no remission, Heb. 9.22. Therefore our Saviour must, and accordingly was content to die, that he might become our suffici∣ent ransom and atonement. And if one sin were enough to turn Adam out of Paradise, and to set up a flaming sword to prevent his return; if one sin (whatever it were) were sufficient to throw the laps'd Angels out of Heaven, and to reserve them in Chains of darkness to the judgment of the great day, as we read in the E∣pistle of St. Jude; what an unsupportable weight (think we) must be the concurrent guilt of all mankind's transgressions; a pres∣sure sure that must sink the stoutest Atlas, and disorder the whole frame of Nature: So that we may cease our wonder at the seve∣rity of Christ's sufferings, when we reflect on that complicated guilt which was the cause of them. 'Twere our debts for which Jesus Christ was arrested and imprisoned by the Souldiers, and which by his consequent sufferings he paid to the utmost farth∣ing; our sin was the Spear that pierc't his side, and the nails that fasten'd him to the Cross: which leads us to the

Last thing to be spoken to concerning our Saviours Passion; namely, the end or design of his undergoing all this, which was the expiation of sin, and the restoring us again to the lost love and favour of God: he wore a Crown of Thorns, only that we might wear a Crown of Gold; and those drops of blood which his enemies drew from him, are turn'd into so many pearls to bestud and adorn ours; that scarlet Robe which the Jews put on him, dy'd as it were in his own blood, serves to hide our shame, and to cover for us a multitude of sins; that bitter Cup, which he drunk off to the very dregs, is our Nectar, and a glorious Potion of immortality; the Vinegar and Gall, which made

him to faint, is become our most reviving Cordial; his Cross, the cursed instrument of his death, is to us a Tree of life, which bears no other fruit than that of knowledge and eternal happi∣ness; his agonies are our triumphs, and his bloody sweat the most Soveraign Balsam to cure our wounds; the Spear that pierc't our Saviours side open'd there a Fountain for sin and for uncleanness; he liv'd and died with thieves and robbers, and was numbred among transgressors, only that we might live with Saints, and sing forth his praises with Myriads of Angels; thus did every part of this Tragedy relate wholly to our benefit and advancement; and so much may suffice for the first thing propoun∣ded to be spoken to; the

Second, is to shew that all this was done by the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God: which truth, beside the ex∣press words of the Text, is as fully set forth, Acts 4.27, 28. Of a truth against the Holy Child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both He∣rod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and people of Israel, were gathered together, to do whatsoever thy hand and thy Counsel deter∣min'd before to be done: for the clearing and evincing whereof, we must know,

First, that there was from all eternity a certain covenant and agreement between the Father and the Son, concerning what and how he should suffer; for Almighty God foreseeing the Apo∣stacy and fall of mankind, did from eternity, at least for some of them, decree a ransom and redemption; to effect which, because justice demanded satisfaction for the violation of that positive Law that was to be given to them; the Son, as a surety, interpos'd and promis'd satisfaction; whereupon it was determin'd and a∣greed between them, what should be the manner and measure of his sufferings, in order to the procuring pardon and redemp∣tion for them: of this Covenant, on God the Fathers part, we read, Isai. 53.10. If he shall make his soul an Offering for sin he shall see his seed, and prolong his dayes: Of the Sons acceptation and undertaking hereof we read, Psal. 40.7, 8. Then said I, loe, I come, in the volume of thy Book it is written of me, to do thy will, O God; and hence is our Saviour said to be the Lamb slain before

the Foundations of the World, Revel. 13.8. viz. in Gods eter∣nal decree and determination, which makes it evident, that every circumstance of Christs Passion was done by the counsel and fore-knowledge of God; which will yet further appear, if we consider,

Secondly, That as these things were from eternity transacted and resolved upon, between the Father and the Son, so likewise were they by the Spirit of God reveal'd unto the Prophets, and by them delivered unto the World, long before the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Hence St. Paul, in the defence of this doct∣rine, told Agrippa, that he said none other things then those which Moses and the Prophets did say should come, that Christ should suffer, Act. 26.22, 23. yea, if we compare the Prophe∣cies of the Old Testament with the History of the New, we shall find that exact correspondence of the event with the predictions, and the punctual accomplishment of every circum∣stance, even in that way and manner as it was fore-told, will make it clearly to appear, that all this was done by the determi∣nate Counsel and fore-knowledge of God; which will be yet more plain, if we consider,

Thirdly, that these things were not only punctually fore-told by the Prophets, but likewise prefigur'd in Types, and in a previous manner acted over in the sacrifices; long before our Saviours coming in the flesh, the slaying of the Paschal Lamb in the Passeover, clearly represents the slaughter of this Lamb of God; who was to take away the sins of the world: the lifting up of the brazen Serpent in the wilderness betoken'd, and is ac∣cordingly by the Apostle apply'd to the lifting up of the Messias upon the Cross: yea all the Sacrifices under the Law, which were offer'd and purg'd with blood, are but so many Types and Representations of the death of the Messias; signifying to us, that only through his blood we must look for the remission of sins, and through the vail of his flesh alone hope for the ad∣mission into the Holy of Holies; all which (without having re∣course to the infinity of his wisdom & knownledge) make it more

particularly and unquestionably certain, that our Saviours Passi∣••on, as to all the Modes and Circumstances of it, was done by the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God.

The practical inferences, by way of Application, (our last particular) now follow; and

First of all, from the several steps of our Saviours Passion, together with the infamy and severity of them all, we may learn the hainous and pernicious nature of sin, which could be no otherwise expiated, then by the blood of the Son of God; the sins of lost man cry'd so loud in the ears' of Heaven, that Jesus Christ must descend thence, er'e he could stop the clamour; and when he came down, nothing could silence it, but the sweeter voice of that blood that speaketh better things than that of Abel: If any can be so dangerously mistaken, as to think sin but a slight matter, let him enter into the High Priests Palace, the Judg∣ment Hall, and Mount Calvary, and there see what it cost our Saviour to do it away; let him take a walk in the Garden of Gethsemane, and then give his sins a prospect, of what they drew upon a bleeding and Crucified Christ; there maist thou see what a dismall night of affliction thou hast made him to suffer by thy luxury and night-revellings; there maist thou behold those sad wounds and bruises which thy sins have made upon his bo∣dy; and how he groans under that, at which thou dost but sport thy self; call upon thy deep draughts and riotous excess, to see what a cup of wrath and trembling they have made him to drink off for their sake; shew thy drunkenness the Gall and Worm-wood which he was forc't to swallow for its atonement; call hither thy lewd embraces, and sinfull dalliances, shew them a naked Christ, all over bath'd in tears and blood, to wash off their impurities; bid thy oaths and cursing look yonder, and see the blood and wounds which they have so often plaid withal; view those bitter pangs, throws, and Agonies, which sin hath made him to labour under, and then see whether it be so light and inconsiderable a matter, as thou wouldst fain perswade thy self it is: certainly, if there be any pressure in that which crackt

the very heart-strings of Nature, and made the whole Creati∣on groan; if there be any weight in that which sank the Lord of Heaven and Earth into the Grave, then is sin one of the hea∣viest and most intolerable burdens in the World.

Secondly, this discourse of our Saviours Passion bids us to conform unto his death, by dying unto sin, and crucifying the the flesh with the affections and lusts; this is the use which the Apostle makes of it, Rom. 6.4. that as Christ dyed and rose again, so should we dye unto sin and live unto God; and verse second, how shall we that are dead in sin live any longer therein? was Christ bruised and wounded for our iniquities, and shall we act over the same Tragedy upon him again by our repeated trans∣gressions? had he not sorrow and sufferings enough of old, but by renewed offences will we tear open his wounds afresh, and Crucifie him again? shall we think it much to shed a few peni∣tential tears for that which made him sweat great drops of blood? when Satan, or thy own corrupt heart tempt thee to the com∣mission of any sin; imagine thou sawest thy Crucified Saviour coming towards thee, shewing thee his Cross, and beseeching thee by all his wounds, that thou wouldest not pierce his side again, or drive any more nails into him; yea, fancy all his wounds to be so many mouths, gaping for pity, and begging thee not to renew their smart by any fresh acts of cruelty; would not this disswade any that had but the bowels of a man from such unreasonable attempts? imagine that he shewed thee his cheeks swoln with buffetings, his face defil'd with spitting on, his head gor'd with Thorns, and his back torn with scour∣ges; and would not this be a spectacle sad enough to move compassion? Sure, unless we are become transform'd into wild Beasts, we can never delight in the blood of our dearest friend; yea, we must be more savage than they, if we prey upon our Keeper, and wound that hand that doth but reach us our it•• assistance; let us not then any longer hug that Viper in our bo∣som, which not only stung our Saviour to death, but likewise gnaws upon our own Conscience, and leaves the•• Worm to

torture us, that never dies; let us bury our sins in our Saviouts grave; or, like the Egyptians of old, let them be all drowned in the Red Sea of his blood.

Thirdly, in this story of our Saviours Passion, we may read the transcendent and unexpressible love of Christ unto mankind, in undergoing all this misery and torment for their sakes; the greatest expression of love that ever was, or could be mani∣fested towards the Sons of men, was the sending of a Saviour into the World; for when all mankind lay in a forlorn, undone condition, unable either to bear or remove the great burden of those miseries which sin had brought upon them; then to feel the gentle hand of a Redeemer taking off the weight, and ad∣ministring to them ease and deliverance, to find their chains ex∣chang'd for a Crown, and their mourning turn'd into Jubilees, and songs of Triumph; this is a mercy to be exprest only with wonder, and eternity it self is too little sufficiently to celebrate and admire it: especially, considering that the lapsed Angels, those nobler and far more glorious Creatures, were totally past by and neglected, whilst the worthless sons of Adam became the select objects of divine love and compassion; this is so high and eminent a testimony of Gods love, that Saint John is at a loss, how to describe it, Chap. 3. verse 16. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, &c. and St. Paul, like one a∣stonisht at the consideration of it, cryes out, O the depth and height, the length and breadth of this love of God, that passeth know∣ledge! Eph. 3.18. Should any generous Monarch take some forlorn wretch from the dunghill, in all his running sores and Ulcers, and not only receive him into his Palace, but adopt him for his son, and pronounce him his heir; this, though it were a kindness truly great and noble, is yet but a faint resem∣blance of the great love of God towards us. Yea, farther, should any compassionate Prince expose his own Darling Child to the most barbarous and bloody death, only to save the life of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Traytor, who had oftentimes forfeited it by many acts of Trea∣••on and Rebellion; this, though it come somewhat nearer, doth

yet come infinitely short of this unimitable instance of Gods love and goodness; if we would work our hearts to some sence of it, let us

First, meditate a while on the surpassing greatness and emi∣nence of the person who suffer'd all this for us; it being no o∣ther than the eternal and only begotten Son of God; yea, on•• that was God blessed for evermore, and might have been for o∣ver glorious, though the whole World still continued misera∣ble.

Secondly, let us consider a little, what kind of death it wa•• that he underwent, a death heighten'd with all the ingredien•••• of pain and anguish, that the most ingenious and intaged malic•• could invent or execute; a death, wherein the wrath of God and the spite of men, and the rage of all the power of dark∣ness most fatally conspir'd.

Thirdly, let us consider likewise the great worthlesness o•• the persons for whom all this was done; persons that were n•••• only strangers, but the greatest Enemies and Rebels to hi•…•… persons, that never did any thing, but what did 〈◊〉〈◊〉 highly disoblige and provoke him. The serious consideratio〈…〉〈…〉 these things may help us to some small glimpses of this unp••…••… lel'd mercy, though the just dimensions of it can by no m•••••••• be comprehended, and is therefore left to be the Object of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 eternal praises and admiration.

Fourthly, from our Saviours Passion, we may learn patien〈…〉〈…〉 bear all the afflictions and crosses that may befall us in this 〈…〉〈…〉 we may not expect better usage in the World than our 〈…〉〈…〉 met with, the Disciple is not above his Lord; as he hath 〈…〉〈…〉 before us in this hard and rugged way, so hath he left 〈…〉〈…〉 him a fair copy of humility and patience for us to write 〈…〉〈…〉 the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that can happen to us of these calamities, are nothing 〈…〉〈…〉 with his Agonies, and bitter p••ssion; and shall •• actions, that bear no proportion at all 〈…〉〈…〉 the heavy burden of his sufferings at that 〈…〉〈…〉ing excessive weight of glory, which he 〈…〉〈…〉