Of the love of our only Lord and Saviour, Iesus Christ: Both that which he beareth to vs; and that also which we are obliged to beare to him. Declared by the principall mysteries of the life, and death of our Lord; as they are deluiered [sic] to vs in Holy Scripture. With a preface, or introduction to the discourse.

How the Beauty of our Lord Iesus Christ, did con∣uince and conquer all lookers on, sauing only where excesse of sinne had put out the eyes of the soule.

CHAP. 5.

INFALLIBLY this is true; That if any Christian of common sense, (who were not withall of some extremely currish, and diuellish nature) should see any person, of that admirable complexion, feature and mo∣tion, which was in the humanity of Christ our Lord (euen abstracting from all those su∣pernaturall aduantages, and endowments which did abound in him) although that per∣son, were made odious by any aduerse, and hatefull circumstance; as namely that he were some Iew, or Turke, or slaue, or murtherer, or otherwise, some most hatefull, hurtfull thing): infallibly, I say, it is true, that yet, that pre∣sence would exact a kind of reuerence and loue; or els at the very least, a great com∣passion, of his frailty or misery. The(a) 1.1 Scri∣bes and Pharises alone, had their soules so full of enuy, auarice, and hypocrisy, that not only grace was quenched, but euen very nature, in a manner, killed in them. For else, that diuinely-humane presēce of our Lord, would haue subdued them to an ardent loue of his person; and they must needs haue beene farre from finding in their wicked hartes, to hate &

maligne that sweet humanity after such a repro∣bate, and restlesse manner.

The people(b) 1.2 which was lesse wicked, ran flocking after him whither soeuer he went, when it was left to it selfe, and not led prisoner by the power and passion of their blind guides. And that, not only when they had need of some miraculous cures, (for then they were fayne to vntyle some mens howses, to let others in, to his presence) nor yet when he would be chauking out to them, the way of life, by the words of his diuine wisedo∣me, (for then wanting roome in houses, & euen in publicke streetes the very earth seemed to little, to hold both him and them, who swarmed about him, and) he was fayne to go on shipboard, whilst they remayned vpon the shore; and from thence would he rauish both their greedy eyes, their hungry eares, and their panting hartes, all at once. Nay euen when he would be seeming, as though he could be weary of them; and to be ridd of company, did retire to comtemplation, in the desert, (where there was plenty of no ear∣thly thing but penury) so deepely yet, were they taken by his diuine presence, as(c) 1.3 to forget themselues, and to follow him on, by thousands, and to contynue three daies and nights in that wilderners, with their wiues and Children; not fearing to dye of hungar, nor caring for the comfort of any other food, but him. But(d) 1.4 he, on the other side, pittied them for taking no pitty of themselues for his

sake; and did so multiply a few loaues & fishes,* 1.5 as that there might not only be inough to feed them, but to spare. Nor was that enamoured hart of his, content, that they should, in hast,* 1.6 or with incomodity refresh themselues; but he made them all sit downe, vpon cushions of hay or straw; and to be serued in order, and at their ease; whilst yet, for ought we know, himselfe did neither sit, nor eate. O infinite charity of his soule? but O vnspeakable beauty, and dignity of his body, which was able, to lead, or rather which could not choose, but draw, so many thousands of rude persons, into such appearance of distresse, with their so much delight?

What kind of beauty, and visible dig∣nity must that needs be (for his miracles alone, would haue induced thē to declare him rather to be a Saynt or a prophet, then to be a Prince) which could persuade such multitudes of men, to(e) 1.7 thinke, and firmely purpose, the making him their king, who had the apperance in for∣tune, but of a beggar? And because his con∣tempt of the world, his profound humility, and his inuiolable modesty, did giue them little hope, that he would accept that honour at their hands, they treated amongst themse∣lues (as is affirmed by the sacred Text), vt ra∣perent eum in Regem, to vse violence, in procu∣ring to draw him,* 1.8 from that inferour degree of fortune, wherein his infinite loue to them had lodged him; though this indeed, were then, a point of Faith, beyond their Creed? What

kind(f) 1.9 of grace & sweet Maiesty did shine in him, when they went no lōger now by thou∣sands, but by millions of soules, of al natiōs, & ages, strewing the earth vnderneath, where he was to passe, with palmes and garments; and filling the ayre aboue, with voyces of high ap∣plause, and acclamation; which ceremonies were not vsed but in triumphes, and that v∣pon victories of,* 1.10 the highest ranke? And, Ba∣ronius makes it cleare, that both for the multi∣tude of persons, who did assist, and for the quality of demonstrations which were made, there was neuer, perhaps, in the whole world, a greater triumph, then they exhibited in his honour. For though he buried himselfe, in the very bottome of contempt; yet they, be∣ing vrged by that matchlesse dignity of his person (besides his wisedome and power) did reuiue, and rayse it vp, to receaue that ho∣mage, without asking him, so much as leaue.

O pretious & sweet Humanity of Christ our Lord! And(g) 1.11 how shall we who know that thou wert humaned for vs, (and diddest not only descend to be a man, but diddest de∣grade thy selfe further downe, for the loue of vs) how I say shall we sufficiently admire and loue thy Beauty, which was so great euen in their externall eyes, who had not withall, the internall eyes of Faith, wherwith thou hast enriched our soules! And where shall we finde either holes, or hills, to hide, or couer vs from thy wrath, if we, who are Christiās, doe not by the eternall obsequiousnes of our

harrs, outstrip those obstinate, but yet withall, inconstant Iewes. Obstinate in their mindes when they were grown to malice, but in∣constāt in mantayning those tender thoughts which they excellētly did sometymes oblige them to, in the performance of so many So∣ueraigne signes of honour.

Notes

• (a) 1.1

  No∣thing but Abysse of sinne, could haue diso∣bliged mē as it were from do∣ting vpō the huma∣nity of Christ our Lord.
• (b) 1.2

  The people of the Ie∣wes, vvere captiued in their harts, to the sacred presence of Christ our Lord. Luc. 5.
• (c) 1.3

  The people followed Christ our Lord, be∣ing lead by no other in∣terest, but only the delight to see & hear him speake. Marc. 8.
• (d) 1.4

  There is nothing lost by leauing any con∣tentment for the loue of God.
• * 1.5

  Ibid. v. 7.
• * 1.6

  Ibid.
• (e) 1.7

  A great argument to prooue the match∣les visi∣ble beau∣ty, and dignity of Christ our Lord
• * 1.8

  Ioan. 6.
• (f) 1.9

  Ano∣ther de∣monstra∣tion, to prooue this truth.
• * 1.10

  Matth. 28. Ioan. 10.
• (g) 1.11

  We at worthy of all pu∣nihment, if wee be∣come not euen the slaues of the Hu∣manity of Christ our Lord.