Christ's Valedictions: OR SACRED OBSERVATIONS On the LAST WORDS Of our SAVIOUR delivered on the CROSS.  
By JENKIN LLOYD, Minister of the Gospel, and Rector of Llandissil in Cardigan shire  
LONDON, Printed by D. M. son D. Pakeman at the Rainbow in Flee●●●●●et, 1658.   

To the READER.  
I Here present thee with such Pious and Plain Observations, as I could collect on what our Saviour uttered on Mount Calvary, where he consummated the grand Work of man's salvation through the blood of his Cross. Those precedent sufferings of his life, were but introductions to his last great Passion; nor did he ever produce more and greater miracles, than even in his extreme weakness, and when death seemed to be his conqueror. Miracles on earth were too low to attend a business of so high concernment, signs from heaven must descend to seal the infinite merit of his Passion, which before the Jews did most importunately desire; but that transcended all other wonders, that when he was enthralled to the black confines of death, he most triumphantly returned from the furies of hell, and by an inexpressible power, re-enlivened his bemangled and wounded body, and adorned it with the glorious dresses of an eternal life.  
And now in the heat of his great sufferings, he so pierced the hearts of his persecutors with such pithy and feeling sentences, that many of them at length returned through an infusive knowledge of their own guiltiness, striking their breasts; and had they not so relented at those cruelties, the very rocks would have stood up in condemnation of their injustice.  
The Words are in number seven, whereof three were spoken about the sixth hour, before the obscuration of the sun, which we shall first consider, and then the other four that were delivered about the ninth hour, when God had withdrawn those dismal curtains, and reenlightened that great Luminary of heaven. For methods sake, I use first an explanation of each word, that the true sense of the holy Ghost may be rightly apprehended, and therein I do endeavour to hold forth such a construction, as may be most conducible to the glory of God, to the Analogy of Faith, the exaltation of Devotion, and the conservation of peace and union among us; so that if haply I may in some things differ from others, I desire their charity, to leave me to my liberty, if I do but differ from them, and not from fundamental truths. After that I have laboured to satisfy thy judgement with the true meaning of the words, my next work is, to stir up thy affections by laying down the consequent duties, with proper motives to induce us to the performance of them: so that you want not those Doctrines and Uses that naturally flow from each Text. But because in vain doth Paul plant and Apollo water, unless God gives the increase, I do therefore conclude each part with certain Ejaculatory Prayers, pertinent to the precedent discourse, that by the influence of God's grace, the whole may be fruitful and salvifical to our souls, for indeed that is the chief end for which it is exposed to public view, neither, as I believe, shall I miss of my aim, if fear & reverence attend the perusal of the Treatise. Thus have you the Occasion, Method and Scope of the Work; all that is desired of thee, is, That having the Idea of Christ's charity before thy thoughts (as thou shalt tract it in each page of this Book) thou wouldst in some measure endeavour to parallel so divine a pattern, and judge charitably of me the unworthy Author.  
JEN. LLOYD.   

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Christ's Valedictions: OR, SACRED OBSERVATIONS On the Last Words of our Saviour delivered on the CROSS.  

The First Word.  LUKE 23.34. 
Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.  
ALl Nations did ever in Nature acknowledge, not only a guiltiness of sin, but some means of Reconciliation to their gods in the remission of sins: For they had all some formal & Ceremonial Sacrifices and Expiations by which they thought their sins to be purged and washed away; and the people of Israel were prescribed by God himself, what, and how to offer their religious Victims: But the proper and true Propitiatory Sacrifice to take away the sins of the world, was only Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of the Eternal Father, who much Coveting that Ineffable work of man's Salvation, thought it not only enough to suffer, but before he submits himself to those great undertake, deemed it also expedient to win the hearts of the people as well by Doctrine as Miracles. His whole Life was a continued Lecture and Method of teaching, and because the words of a dying man works commonly a great impression on the affections and judgements of the hearers, therefore being now to seal the Lease of that inestimable purchase with his own blood on the Cross, he delivered such divine Legacies, such Soul-livening words, as aught to survive in the hearts and actions of all true Christians. The first whereof was this, Father forgive them, etc.  

The Explication.  He called him [Father,] not God or Lord, because he well knew in this condition to be needful the Benignity of a Father, not the Severity of a Judge; the Smiles of Compassion, not the Frowns of Justice. And because to bend God to a Lenity (who was without doubt much incensed for such grand iniquities) it was convenient to present the amiable title of a Father: the words seem to imply thus much, I who am thy suffering Son do pardon them, pardon thou also, O Father, their impieties, and forgive me (thy Son) this offence, though they deserve it not. Take it to thy compassionate Remembrance, that thou art their Father by Creation and Preservation, O then let thy Paternal favour shine upon them, for though they are evil, yet they are thy sons; though they are sinners, thou art merciful.  
The word [Forgive] which is the sum of the Petition, may as well be referred to the Punishment as the Fault; if to the Punishment, this Prayer was heard, whilst the Jews for this present iniquity deserved instant revenge, yet was it deferred for forty years; and if in that interim they had repent, they had remained safe and untouched: but because they did not, God permitted an Army of Romans (Vespasian then Governing) to come against them, who overthrew their Head City, and destroyed the Jewish Nation, some by the Sword, some by Famine, some sold, the rest Exiled into divers places of the earth, as foretold by the Parable of the Vineyard, and of the Kings inviting of guests to the marriage of his son, 
Mat. 20.1  & by the similitude of the unfruitful Figtree. 
Mat. 22.2  If it be referred to the Fault, 
Luk. 13.6  the Prayer was also heard in that relation, for by the powerful efficacy thereof was given to many Repentance and Compunction of heart, in which number was the Centurion, 
Mat. 27 54 Luk. 23 48  and those who returned striking their guilty breasts, confessing him to be the Son of God.  
The Persons prayed for, are either h●s Manual Executioners, those who divided his garments, or those who were the effectual causes of his Passion, as Pilate who gave the sentence, the people who cried out, Crucify, crucify him, the Scribes who falsely accused him; or, as we may ascend higher, the first man Adam and his posterity. All were involved in the Sin, all are included in the Prayer. And thou, (O my soul) before thou hadst a being, the Lord foresaw thee also to be ranked sometimes amongst his enemies, and thyself not capable of petitioning, he prays the Father for thee, that thy foolishness be not imputed to thee.  
And that his intercession might be acceptable, he seems to gild the offences of his enemies with compassionate extenuations, as far as it might stand with his omnipotent Sovereignty, by adding, For they know not what they do. For certainly he could not palliate that injustice in Pilate nor that cruelty in the Soldiers, nor that envy in the High Priest, nor that foolishness and ingratitude in the People, nor false Testimonies in the Perjurers, this only remained, that he might in all excuse their ignorance; for as the Apostle says, If they had known it, 
1 Cor. 2.8  they had not crucified the Lord of Glory.  
The Schools have made so many divisions and sub-divisions of Ignorance, that there goes as much learning to understand Ignorance as Knowledge; but their ignorance in condemning the Lord of life was of a very strange and transcendent nature▪ The people knew him to be innocently condemned, and Pilate himself sealed it with a public voice, 
Luk. 23.14 Mat. 27.24  I find no fault in this man, etc. and, I am innocent of the blood of this just man. The Integrity of his Life declared him to be Immaculate. and sinless, the greatness of his Miracles proclaimed him a God, and the whole current of the Prophets testified him to be the Messiah, and yet they would not acknowledge him to be the Christ, the Lord of Glory: The reason whereof is delivered by S. John, 
Joh. 12.37  and the Prophet Isaias, because their eyes were blinded, and thoir hearts hardened, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts and be converted and healed.  
But that blindness proceeded from an Ignorance which does not excuse, because it was voluntary & concomitant, not precedent. After the same manner are those who sin out of malice, they are always infected with some Ignorance which is hatched with the sin. The Philosopher said, Every Evil man, is an Ignorant man: And truly it may be spoken of all sinners, They know not what they do: For no man covets evil as it is evil, because the Object of the Will is a thing not good or ill, but only (really or apparently) Good. Therefore they that make choice of evil, do choose it as it represents the Species and forms of goodness; yea, they apprehend it as the chiefest good: The cause of this is a perturbation of the inferior part, which doth so clod and darken reason that it cannot rightly discern the Atoms of goodness in things coveted; for he who commits Adultery or Theft, would never affect either, were it not for the false good of delectation or gain which couches under Adultery or Theft, not perceiving the evil of turpitude and injustice which likewise harbour there. So, that whosoever sins, is like the man, who desirous from a high Turret to throw himself headlong into some fierce River, shuts first his eyes, and then commits himself to the mercy of the Waters. He that is the Actor of evil, hates the light and labours under a pretended darkness, which being vincible and voluntary does no way clear the Action.  
But wherefore then serves the prayer? I answer, If the words be understood of those executioners that performed only their commanded duties, and probably were ignorant as well of his Inocency as of his Divinity; or of us who were not then existent, or of such sinners who knew not what was then in agitation at Jerusalem: the Lord might most truly then Ejaculate these sweet tones of his Compassion; but if they be applied to those grand contrivers and actors of that horrible treason, and well knew him to be the Missias, and an innocent man; than it is to be confessed that Christ's purpose thereby was only to extenuate the sins of his adversaries in the best manner he could; for although their Ignorance could not simply excuse, yet it may have the colourable reason of an excuse for if they had wanted all ignorance their offence had been more grievous; and certainly if a better and more probable plea could have been found, he had willingly presented it even for Caiphas and Pilate the worst of all his enemies.  
1. Hence may we first learn Christ's charity to be so Supereminent, that we may with the Apostle conclude, It passeth all knowledge. 
Eph. 3.19.  Neither are our tongues able to express, nor our understandings to conceive the height of it. If any of us labour under any cross of grief, as the pains of our teeth, our eyes, or any other member, we are so possessed with a sense of any of these sufferings, that we think on nothing else, nor will scarce admit any negotiations or visits of friends; whereas crucified Christ wore on his head a Crown of thorns, not being able to move without excessive grief, nails pierced his hands and feet, from whose boring he drew most bitter pains; his naked body wearied with unmerciful whip, publicly exposed to ignominy and cold, throwing on him new sorrows and new torments; yet as though he contemned those cruelties and suffered nothing being only solicitous for the salvation of his enemies, and desiring to avert from them an impendant danger, he presents to his Father this mournful Obsecration, Father, forgive them, etc. If those wicked men had suffered an unjust persecution, what would he do? if friends, if kindred had suffered, not enemies, not traitors, not Parricides? His heart amongst so many storms of injurious sufferings (as a Rock in the midst of the Sea beaten with unruly waves) stood quiet and : after the infliction of so many deadly wounds, they deride his patience; and triumph at their evil do; he speaks not as an enemy striving with his fierce adversaries, but as a Father bemoaning his infants, or a Physician his patients struggling with a grievous disease, and presents them to an omnipotent hand to cure their odious infirmities. This is the force of an upright charity, not when one is reputed to have no enemies and have peace with all men, but to live peaceably with those that are haters of peace. And this is that Love the Wise man speaks of, that many waters cannot extinguish, 
Cant. 8.7  nor the floods drown it.  

O duri, durati & obdurati nimis, quos tunta flamma non emolliat. Bern.  As that deluge of sufferings could not quench the flaming charity of our Saviour, so the rivers of persecution should not overwhelm Christian Love in his members. A while after there issued out an imitating clemency, flaming in the breast of S. Stephen the Proto-martyr, which those showers of stones could not quench, but made him break forth into that sweet prayer, 
Act. 7.60  Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. After him this divine virtue was propagated to divers holy Martyrs, who burned with wonderful flames of charity, notwithstanding the many torrents of sufferings and persecutions to overflow them.  
I may ascend here from Christ's Humanity to his Divinity; great was his charity as man to his executioners, but greater it was and is as God towards men, who would war with him, and, if if they could, pluck him from heaven and Crucify him again. Who can conceive the exceeding Love of God to men altogether wicked and unthankful? God spared not the Angels in their offences, 
2. Pet. 2.4  neither was he so indulgent to them as to suffer them to repent, but men sinning, and blaspheming and being deficient in their services to him, he often suffers, and not only suffers them, but in the mean time he feeds, cherishes and supports them; (For in him we live, 
Act. 17.28  move, and have our being) nay, he accumulates many benefits upon them, he adorns them with wit, fattens them with riches, prefers them to honours, and sublimes them to Kingdoms, and in the mean while he patiently expects their return from their ways of wickedness and perdition. Infinite are the precedents of God's charity towards the wicked, and enemies of his most Sacred Majesty.  
2. By this we are further taught to forgive received Injuries, and to make our enemies our friends: This remarkable example of Christ should be a persuasive argument to draw us to it. If he as well Pardoned as Prayed for his persecutors, why should not a Christian do the same? If God, the Creator, who is able, both as Lord and a Judge to take a sudden revenge on sinners, yet is pleased to invite them to favour, and to offer them a free Pardon, why should not a creature do the same? But you will say, It seems adverse to the rights of Nature, that a man should suffer himself to be unjustly trampled and violated in words or deeds, for we see brutish creatures, who are led only by an Instinct of Nature, sharply on the first sight to encounter and destroy their enemies: And we have it experienced in ourselves when by chance we espy an adversary, our choler kindles, our blood boyles, and there naturally ariseth in us a thirst of revenge. But he is altogether deceived who does thus reason and he confounds a just defence with an unjust vindication. For, to oppose an offered injury, no man forbids, but to revenge it being done, the Divine Law gainsays, for that appertains not to private men, but to the public Magistrate; and because God is the King of Kings, 
Deut. 32 35 Rom. 12 19  therefore he proclaims it, Vengeance is mine, I will repay.  
Beasts which naturally rush upon their enemies, cannot distinguish between Nature, and the viciousness of Nature; but man, which is beautified with Reason, should separate the Nature or Person which God created good, from the Vice or Sin, which is evil, and an Abortive merely proceeding from the Devil. Love the Person, but detest the injury; imitate the Physic an, who loves the Sick, but loathes the Disease; which that most holy Aesculapius of all souls hath taught us in the Gospel, 
Mat. 5.44  Love your enemies, do good to them that hurt you, bless them that curse you, etc. pray for them that hate you and persecute you. The reason why men stomach their enemies, is because they are brutish, and have a Community with Beasts: But those that are Spiritual, and can disband the Passions of the Soul, will rather compassionate their enemies, and by a Christian Affability win them to peace, then plot their destruction: To them the yoke of Christ is sweet, and his burden feather-light, and his commands not heavy; but to the carnal and natural man they seem difficult and weighty through reason of the predominancy of their own corruptions, and because the love of God is not in them; for nothing is impossible to Charity, It beareth all things, believeth all things, 
1 Cor. 13.7  hopeth all things, endureth all things.  
In holy Writ, we find how the Patriarch Joseph in those times afore the Law, 
Gen. 45 & 37  marvellously loved his brethren, who (as enemies) fold him to the Midianites. And how patiently David took the enmity of Saul who did much covet his destruction; 
1 King 4  yet when it was in his power to have killed him he would not. And in the law of Grace S. Paul speaks of himself and Co-Apostles, Being reviled, 
1 Cor. 4 12  we bless; being persecuted, we suffer; being defamed, we pray and entreat. There is a known Story not impertinent to this purpose in Petrus Damianus, of a man whom another most traitorously had pulled out his eyes, and this Accident had confined him to a Monastery, where he lived a pure and unspotted life, yielding all offices of charity, according to the ability of his person. It fell out this cruel creature who had done this mischievous act, sickened of a languishing malady, and found himself enforced to be carried to that same place where he was whom he had bereft of sight: His heart gave him, He would never endure him, but for revenge put out his eyes: But contrariwise, the blind man being better instructed, upon his earnest suit was deputed to the service of the sick man, and he most willingly dedicated to him all the functions of his body, but the eyes, which the other had pulled out; and you would think him all eyes, all hands, all heart to attend this sick man, so much consideration, vigour, diligence and affection he used. And what should they here say, who upon the least affront burn with a revengful spirit?  
But it may be the objection of some, If we return a benefit for an injury, a benediction for a curse, the wicked would wax insolent, and the robbers of God's glory would become much bolder, the just would be oppressed, and virtue contemned: But the case will prove otherwise, for oft times a soft answer breaks the jaws of anger, 
Prov. 15  and the patience of a good man begets an admiration in the persecutor, and by a religious Alchemy converts an enemy to a friend; neither are there wanting on the earth Political Magistrates, whose care it is according to the severe cords of the Laws, to bind and enforce the wicked to such an obedience, that the just may lead a quiet and peaceable life. But if Humane Justice should sometimes sleep, yet the Providential eyes of God are still open, who never suffers the evil to go unpunished, nor the good unrewarded, and through an admirable way, when the wicked think they vex and torment the good, he makes these the more famous, the more illustrious: Saevisti persecutor in Martyrem, 
Leo. Ser. de S. Laur.  saevisti, & auxisti palmam, dum aggeras Poenam. The Rage of a Tyrant adds to the Glory of a Martyr; nothing made Joseph so renowned as the persecutions of his brethren. 
Gen. 40   
Some, to avoid the shadow of a little disreputation among men, and to preserve the smoke of honour, will rather persecute than forgive their enemies, thereby displaying themselves to be void of true wisdom, when as they to shun a less evil, fall into a far greater. It is an undeniable axiom pronounced by the Apostle, 
Rom. 3. ●  Evil things may not be done, that good may come. He that receives an injury falls into the evil of punishment, he that revengeth falls into the evil of the fault; betwixt which two there is no Symmetrical proportion, for the punishment makes a man but miserable, the guilt and fault makes a man as well evil as miserable; the first deprives a man of Temporal felicity, the other robs him as well of Eternal as Temporal. Besides, it is generally held an argument of a noble mind to pardon, and a sign of a mean, & Pusillanimous spirit to revenge. Julius Caesar, that victorious Emperor of Rome, excelled more in Pardoning then Conquering his enemies, of whom Cicero gives this high Eulogy, That he forgot nothing but injuries. O, let not a Heathen under the Law of Nature surpass us in clemency and charity under the Law of Grace!  
But that which makes men most averse from doing good and praying for their enemies, is, their difference about holy things. Religion, which should be the grand motive to Peace and Unity, is now become the main occasion of such rents and divisions among us, as our Ancients never heard of, and Posterity will scarce believe. The Jews were so infatuated in their counsels that they knew not what they did, and many of the Christians are in such a confusion they know not what to hold: some for Paul, some for Apollo, some for they know not whom. And that which is most to be lamented is, that for some diversities in opinion, they should pronounce such an heavy sentence upon one another, as is that of Damnation. If God should censure us as we censure one another, I know not who should be saved. But my hope and prayer is, That the Lord will be more merciful to all dissenters, than they are to one another.  
The seven Churches of Asia were all the Churches of Christ, he walked in the midst of them, 
Rev. 1.13. Chap. 2.1.  even in that Lukewarm Laodicean, he held the seven Stars in his right hand, and though some were more perfect than others, yet hath he a particular charge against the best of them. 
Chap. 2.4 14.  Let the Romanists tell us never so much of their unerring Chair and Infallibility, and let the Cartharists tell us never so much of their Purities, yet there is no Congregation so spotless but Christ may find a blemish in her, no Church so blameless, but that he hath few things to urge against her. Let us not then judge of others, but learn to reform our own errors; nor study how to dispute, but to live well: to that purpose the Apostle's counsel is very pertinent, Put on (as the elect of God, 
Col. 3.12 13. 14. 15.  holy and beloved) bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering, forbearing one another, forgiving one another: If any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, even so also do ye: And above all things put on Charity, which is the bond of perfection, and let the peace of God rule in your hearts.  

Ejaculations.  
1. THou God of Love and Peace! we are in such blindness and distractions that we know not what we think, speak or do: we are at such deadly fewed among ourselves, that, like Herod and Pilate, we join together and muster up our forces against thee, and all friends to Peace. Profaneness, Hypocrisy and Ingratitude towards thee, Malice, Hatred and Revenge towards one another, are the reigning vices of our Times: Pardon thou those against thee, and give us grace to forgive these against ourselves.  
2. We are taught (Lord) there is one fin irremissible, 
Mat. 12.31 1 Joh. 5.16  and incapable of mercy, and therefore not to be prayed for, but being we know not who that sinner is, and hope to find him no where, therefore we make prayers and supplications for all men, 
1 Tim. 2.1  even for our enemies: We have Thee for a Precedent, and thy Word for a Precept.  
3. Thou prayest their pardon that are shedding thy blood, shall not we forgive those that do us injuries? Thou art merciful to thy Enemies, shall we be cruel to our Brethren? How grievously do we provoke thee every day to thy face! one of our offences against thy infinite Majesty is more than we are capable to receive from all our enemies on earth; yet how silently dost thou pass by all our heinous affronts, and bidst thy Sun to shine, and thy rain to fall as well upon our grounds as thy holiest owners? Thou dost graciously invite us to thee with new mercies, and do we call ourselves the sons of that Father whom we will not imitate? Do we daily pray to thee, To forgive us as we forgive others, whiles we resolve to forgive none whom we can plague with revenge?  
4. Shall we hear a Cato say, That he could and did pardon all offenders but himself? and shall we pardon none but ourselves? Shall a Pagan without God have such rule over his Passion? and shall a Christian, who professeth a more divine Philosophy give the reins to the wild and unruly erruptions of his rage?  
5. And what (Lord) though we differ in Judgements, yet let us not vary in Affections? What though our Brains be divers, yet let our Hearts be one?  
6. We all believe in thee (O God) and in the same Christ, and are all Baptised into him, and look to be saved by his sufferings. We agree in that one and only Foundation; we all embrace the two Testaments, and as I hope, the three Creeds, and many other very material points; why should we vary about the superstructures and circumstantials of Religion?  
7. We believe thy mercy to be of that extent, 
Act. 2.21 Rom. 10.13  that whosoever shall call upon thy Name shall be saved; why should we then be so uncharitable as to exclude so many millions of weak, but true believers out of the Church below, or out of heaven above, for no other reason but because they are not of our judgements in all things?  
8. While we thus censure and assault each other, what advantages we give to our common adversary, who takes pleasure to see us bickering with ourselves? And how far are we from that. Legacy of thy Son, that true. Love he recommended to his Disciples? Lord, then, we pray thee, glue our hearts together by the grace of thy holy Spirit, and purge our of them all the dross and dregs of hatred, malice, schism and heresy.  
9 If it must be with us as with those two famous Rivers of the East, the Sava and the Danuby, that run together threescore miles in one channel with their waters divided in very colour from each other, yet let it be (as it is in them) without noise, without violence.  
10. Keep us from Satan, the Spirit of Division, grant that we may live as Children of thy family, Doves of thy flock, and Lambs of thy fold, by forgetting and forgiving all that is spoke or done against us. Make us all (Lord) the sons of Peace, even for his sake who is the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen!    

The Second Word.  LUKE 23.43. 
Verily, I say unto thee, This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise.  

The Explication.  THe occasion of the Word, is this, When two Thiefs were Crucified with our Saviour, one on the right hand, the other on the left; the one aggravating his former sins did blaspheme Christ, and objected unto him an Imbecility, 
Ver. 39  If thou be the Christ, save thyself and us; the other defended him, and gives this modest check to the blasphemer, Fearest thou not God, 
Ver. 40  being thou art in the same condemnation.  
But the other Evangelists seem to affirm the two thiefs to be guilty of blasphemy, 
Mat. 27.44 Mar. 15. 3●  how then doth Luke speak but of one? 
Aug. l 3 de Consensu Evang. c. 16.  Augustine resolves the doubt thus, Matthew and Mark do take there the number of multitude, for the number singular, as it is frequent in holy Writ: And so the Apostle speaks of the Prophets, 
Heb. 11.33, 37  how they silenced the mouth of Lions, how they were stoned, they were hewn asunder, how they wandered up and down in Sheep skins, and in Goats skins. And notwithstanding, he which stopped the mouth of Lions was only Daniel, and he that was stoned was only Jeremiah, and he that was hewn asunder was only Isaias. Some think the good thief to have changed his opinion upon the hearing of Christ presenting those compassionate speeches to his Father, Father, forgive them, etc. But Luke doth evidently declare those words to be delivered before the wicked thief began to blaspheme; and this also is consonant to the judgement of another Father of the Church, 
Ambros. in Luc. 23  who saith, One only to have blasphemed, the other to have as well praised as defended Christ, and therefore rebukes the sausiness of his companion, Fearest thou not God? etc.  
Happy thief! as well in regard of his fellowship in suffering with a Saviour, as of that divine light which began to open itself thus unto him; he was no sooner converted himself, but he gins to make a Proselyte of his brother. And then proceeding in a good work, and those sparkles of grace increasing in his now happy Soul, he confesseth his own sins, 
Ver. 41.  and preacheth the innocency of Christ; And we, truly, are justly condemned to the death of the Cross, for we receive things worthy of what we have done, but this man hath done nothing amiss. Afterwards the Sun of illuminating Glory shining more brightly on him, his Soul breaks forth into thi● holy Ejaculation, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom.  
Behold, with what an holy confidence he presents his Petition! He whom Peter thrice denied, this poor Penitent openly confessed, and called him Lord. Thomas the Apostle denies to believe unless he could feel Christ; the thief but beholding him miserably tortured on the Cross, proclaims him boldly (and in the face of his adversaries) an heir apparent to a Kingdom. He confessed him a Lord whom he beholds naked, wounded, grieved and openly derided; and he styles him a King when there was no probability of reigning in him; for King's only reign while they live, (and some scarce so long) but when they leave off their weed of Mortality, they part with their robe of Majesty.  
Neither doth he petition for any thing in particular, but only to Remember him. i If Christ did but cast a thought on him, and glance but the gracious eye of his favour towards him, it were a plenary consummation of all his desires, because he was fully assured of his power, goodness and charity.  
But what Kingdom is here understood? Not that temporal Kingdom on earth which the Jews expected, and yet he had a title to reign over them, and was of the blood Royal of Israel, and therefore the Wisemen after his Nativity made this enquiry Where is he that is born King of the Jews? 
Matth. 2  And himself told Pilate, 
Joh. 18.37  Thou sayest that I am a King, for this cause am I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. But though he was a King in the world, yet was he not pleased to exercise his Sovereignty, but lived as a Pilgrim among enemies, and received, instead of honours due to a Royal person, contempt and reproach. But the Kingdom here meant, is that Spiritual and Eternal one in the heavens; that, where there is a perfect Beatitude of the soul, by which man is free from all servitude, and the subjection of things created, and subject only to God, whom to serve is to reign: And that which is intimated in the Parable of a certain noble man, 
Lu's. 19.12.  that went into a strange Country to receive for himself a Kingdom, and so to come again. That is, Christ was to pass by the wearisome steps of a bitter death to another life, there to receive a glorious Diadem, and then to return in the day of Judgement, to render every man according to his works.  
And that Kingdom, as much as appertained to the Beatitude of the soul, Christ indeed had from his very Conception, but what belonged to his body he had it not the facto, or in a glorious actuality (but de jure and in an honourable inheritance) until after his Resurrection; for while he sojourned on earth he was subject to all humane infirmities (sin only excepted) yea, to death itself; but there belonged to him a true glorious body, which after death he was to enjoy: for so he testifieth of himself, It behoved Christ first to suffer, 
Luk. 24.26  and then to enter into his Glory.  
And so it is for this Kingdom of Glory that this Thief prays for; his cravings are not temporal or carnal, but his divine and new-fashioned soul aims at things Sempiternal and sublime, which makes Christ more compliable to his desires, for he had no sooner ended his humble and short Petition, but behold a gracious return and grant; Verily, I say unto thee, etc.  
He gins his answer with a solemn word [Amen, or Verily] a word which our Saviour used in any thing which tended to a serious concernment; 
Aug. Tract 41 in Joan  it hath the propriety of an oath: and the reasons why he uses this importunate manner of speaking is, because the thief might well doubt of the promise, were it not for this earnest asseveration. 

1. In regard of his own person, which could not seem any way worthy of so blessed a reward, or so rich a blessing. For who could imagine so bad a liver to pass so speedily from the Cross to a Kingdom?  
2. In regard of Christ's present condition, for than he was the miserable Character of poverty, weakness, and all sorts of humane Calamities. And he might thus argue, If he be not able whilst he lives to perform good offices for his friends, how can he bestow them being dead? This might have been his carnal reasoning.  
3. And then in regard of the thing promised, Paradise, which was then known to belong to the body only, not to the soul.   So is the Etymology of it according to the Hebrew, An earthly Paradise. It had been more credible if Christ had said, To day thou shalt be with me in the place of Joy, with Abraham, Jsaac and Jacob. Therefore being so many scruples might occur unto this new convert, Christ, to remove them all, confirms the the verity of his answer with this serious Protestation.  
And his passage to Paradise was but short, not a day's journey: He does not say, In the day of Judgement thou shalt be placed on the right hand with the Just; nor does he say, (with the Millenarians) after a thousand years sleep thy soul shall enjoy the pleasures of heaven; nor doth he say, Thou must first be refined in the Romish Purgatory; or after some months or days be beatified (and that had been a happiness beyond his expectation or merit) but, this day, this very hour, thou shalt transmigrate with me from the Tree of the Cross, to the Joys of Paradise.  
Though it be Controverted by some, what is here meant by Paradise, yet it is the opinion of very Orthodox Divines, That Christ the day after his death, was with his Body in the grave, and with his Soul triumphing on the infernal Spirits in hell: but to neither of these can the name of Paradise be assigned; the grave being but a gloomy receptacle for dead bodies; (where Christ's body only could be laid.) and under hell is intimated a place of torments. But Paradise signifies a Garden of delight; in the Terrestrial one there were flourishing Trees, fruitful Waters, Salubrietie of air, and all the variety of deliousness that Adam could enjoy: And in the Celestial one there are glorious and immortal Joys, frnitions of endless Beatitude, an inaccessible light, Seats and Mansions for the blessed. The first was Local and Transient, this is Spiritual and Eternal: The joys of the other were Corporal; the Soul is Beatified in the latter by virtue of the Beatifical vision of God. And this heavenly Paradise Christ promised the thief, and that he would be with him; and so he was according to his Divinity. According to his Humane nature, he was partly in the grave and partly in hell, until the third day, upon which he ascended in a glorious and triumphant manner into heaven. But according to the Divine (as he was God) he had an Ubiquitary Being, he was then and always in Heaven, Paradise, and all places. 
joh. 3.13   
Therefore very proper were the words of our Saviour when he saith not, This day thou shalt be with me in my Kingdom, because that day Christ was not to receive his Kingdom, that is, a perfect felicity of Body and Soul, till after his Resurrection, when he was to have a body glorious, immortal, impassable, subject to no servitude or infirmity: (neither was the thief to enjoy this fellowship until the general day of Judgement) but in Paradise, because that day there was a community of glory to his soul, and those of all true Saints. And this is the perfect and essential felicity belonging to the Heavenly Paradise. Neither doth Christ say, We shall be there, for he was then, and before that time there, according to the superior portion of his soul; but thou shalt be with me there, that is, even thy Soul shall also really be, where now actually my divine Soul is; i In the blessed joys of Heaven. Learn hence, O man!  
1. How great and admirable is the mercy and liberality of Christ towards all his servants? He, being oppressed with sorrows might not have heard the Religious thief; but his charity had rather be insensible of his own torments, than not to give ear to a miserable sinner, confessing his delinquencies. He was silent altogether at the maledictions and revile of the Priests and Soldiers, but to the humble clamours of a poor penitent, he could not choose but give a gracious Audience. He was silent at their Execrations, because he was Patiented, and he was open-cared to the thief's Petition, because he was Merciful.  
Those that serve Temporal Lords do labour much, but the rewards of their services are commonly far short of their expectations; and we might observe many who have spun out their times in the Courts of Princes, return home in their declining age either mere Mendicants, or unregarded: But this Holy Prince, and Precedent of true Liberality, received nothing from this Penitential servant, but a few good words, and desires of serving him; and behold, what a Boon he confers upon him? that very day he granted him a free pardon of all the sins he had committed in the whole course of his wicked life. Then he prefers him to Abrahams ●●som, to a Choir of Saints an● Angels; Patriarches and Prophets were made his Associates, and he himself made partaker of that Heavenly happiness which is Undefinable and Eternal. We read that the Roman Emperors gave vast treasures, sometimes whole Provinces and Kingdoms to their Minions, but this Prince bestowed on his new favourite more than they could either reach or conceive. Neither was this goodness of Christ peculiar to this poor delinquent; his Apostles deserted their small vessels, their nets and cottages to serve him, and then he appointed them Princes over the earth, he subjected to their commands Devils, Serpents, 
Psal. 44.2, 3 Mat. 10 8  Principalities and Powers, and all sorts of Diseases. And he promises to all that shall leave their nearest relations for his sake, and part with their dearest enjoyments for his service, a hundred fold, that is, a reward incomparably greater than those particulars, to wit, Spiritual joys and blessings in this world, and life Eternal in that to come. We might reflect our thoughts on what great things the Lord wrought for Martyrs and Confessors of former ages, how they came to honour by ignominy, to riches by poverty, to greatness by the infamous punishment of the Cross, to immortality by a bloody death; and how he would still honour them that honour him. What fools then are those who relinquish Christ, the giver of all goodness, and sacrifice to Mammon, the author of all evil?  
2. We have here also represented unto us the power of God's Grace, and the Imbecility of the Humane Will; This good thief was a remarkable sinner, and persevered so even to the punishment of the Cross, and in so eminent danger of Damnation, there was none present that could afford him either the solace of advice or assistance: For though he was most near the Saviour of the world, yet he heard the high Priests and Pharisees affirming him to be a seducer, ambitious, and an usurper of another's Kingdom; and he heard his fellow thief (as it were) barking at him, and there was none that bestowed a word of comfort on him or Christ; but behold the prevalency of Divine Grace! when he was thus bereft of all humane aid, and seemed to have no hope of Salvation, being on the next step to perdition, the Spirit of God shined on him in a miraculous manner, and in an instant so beautified and changed his heart, that upon a sudden he confessed Christ to be an innocent sufferer, and the King of the world to come; and checked his presumptuous companion and persuaded him to repentance, and before the staring multitude committed himself to the protection of a dying Saviour. Whereas the other Malefactor (in whom is expressed to life humane infirmity) was not at all moved at the strangeness of those accidents; not at the charity of Christ, who prayed for his persecutors, nor at his extreme sufferings, nor at the admonition and example of his fellow thief, nor at the unwonted darkness, nor at the cleaving of the Rocks asunder, nor at those who through just astonishment returned home striking their breasts (all which happened after the conversion of the good thief) yet was he not at all changed though he had the helps of so many persuading arguments.  
Obj. But why was the one inspired at that instant with saving Grace, the other not? both were equally great sinners before that time, and but one now a Saint?  
Sol. No other reason can be assigned, then why God loved Jacob and hated Esau? but because it was the will of God: we must be satisfied with that. All other reasons are shut up in the secret Ark of God, which we must rather admire in a divine honour and humble silence, then endeavour to unlock or touch. Shall the thing form ask the Potter, 
Rom. 9.80.  Why hast thou thus fashioned me? Shall not the Creator of all, make some vessels of honour, some vessels of dishonour, yet all to his glory? which is as much manifested in the condemnation of the bad, as the salvation of the good. There can be no iniquity with him, for though his judgements are occult, yet are they not unjust.  
3. But this Caution we are farther taught by the words: Though we must embrace the example of the holy thief in our Consolation▪ yet not in our Imitation. It may minister this comfort to a sad and despairing Soul, That God hath and can pardon a true penitent be his sins never so great; but it must not lead us to defer our repentance until the utmost period of our lives. The conversion of Saul the persecutor, and this thief upon the Cross, is become Proverbium Peccatorum, the Sinners Proverb, and serves him, 
Gregor.  and satisfies him in all cases. But thou presumptuous sinner that puttest off thy amendment upon confidence of these examples, dost but delude thine own Soul: It is not safe concluding out of single instances, there is much disparity between thy case and this thief's.  
1. Thy time is not the same: When thou canst find such another day, look for such another mercy; A day that cloven the grave-stones of dead men; A day that rend the Temple itself; A day that the Sun durst not see; A day that saw the Soul of Christ depart from his body; there shall be no more such days, therefore presume not of that.  
2. Besides, thou mayst look at the thief as on a Turk or Heathen newly entered into Christianity, Baptised from sin, Confirmed by Christ, so dying and saved; but how often hast thou broke thy Baptismal vows? and with Copronimus defiled thy Font, 
Eccl. Hist.  by rejecting those means which God hath given thee to secure thy interest and hopes of heaven.  
3. The thief was not converted at last but at first; 
Cyril. Non in fine sed in prineipio conversus latro.  as soon as God afforded him any Call he came. But to how many calls hast thou stopped thine ears? O sinful man! How often hath God called thee with a voice of Terror? by Thunder and Lightning, by Wars, Plagues, Famine and other Judgements? How often hath he sweetly called thee by the pleasant promises of the Gospel, by the motions of his Spirit, and by the temporal blessings of peace and plenty? Thou shalt find here that although it happened to one to receive Grace in his very last gasp (which was a Miracle of Mercy, a Prodigy of Providence) yet the other found his judgement; the one Blessed, the other Blasphemed; so the one was Saved, the other was lost. And whosoever shall peruse Histories, Sacred or Humane, and observe Quotidian events, shall find very few to end their days well, that have loosely ran the whole course of their lives. And as they can hardly escape the fury of a Divine Justice that have acted a negligent and a vicious life, so there are but few after a life well spun, but die in God's fear and are made partakers of his Glory.  
Begin then betimes, O man, to become a new man! 
n =" *" Omn●m crede diem, ●ibi deluxisse supremum. Hor.  make every day thy last day, that thy last may be happy. The Indian Gymnosophists caused their graves to be made before their gates, that at their ingress and regress they might be put in mind of their last day; and happy were we if in the days of our youth and vanity we spent some time in the meditation of our Mortality, and of the account we are to make at the day our Souls and Bodies are divorced: For that day may be sudden, and give us no time; or distracted, and take away our senses; or cursed, and keep away Grace. Chrysologus, 
Gregor.  a man as full of sin as he was of wealth, being on his deathbed in a bitter Agony cried out, Inducius velusque mane, truce but till the morning! and with those very words breathed his last. 'Tis not a tear or a groan than can expiate the sins of a whole life, nor every one that saith, Lord, Lord, 
Mat. 7.21.  shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of our Father which is in heaven. Let these Reasons than move thee further to avoid all delays in preparing thyself against the last day:  
1. The uncertainty of its time: It was the policy of Julius Caesar never to acquaint his Army aforehand with the time of their march, that they might be ready on all occasions; and such is the wisdom of our God that he hath concealed this day from us, that we might always stand upon our guard and be ready.  
2 No time is secure: As no place, no Sanctuary can exempt us from death's approach (it may come to us in the Church, in the Street, in our beds, etc.) so no time can privilege from its arrest; in the night as well as in the day, in youth as well as in old age.  
3. Sometimes when men least think of it it comes: Whilst the Crocodile sleeps the 
n =" *" A kind of a Rat.  ●cknewmon getteth in and seateth his bowels; whilst the Theban Centinel was nodding, Gen. Epi●ninondas came and thrust him through.  
4. All the time allotted before that day is little enough for so great a work: We have scarce time to learn how to live well, saith the Philosopher, but we are straightened with time to learn the art of dying well, saith the Divine.  
5. Thy Preparation for, will be no Acceleration of the day: Our death will not be the nearer but sweeter, the blow will not come the sooner foreseen, 
Premeditati mali malis ictas.  but it will be the easier; thy life and death will be the more comfortable.  
6. That day will be most dismal and Exitial to all unprepared persons; like that of the man, whom when the King came in found without a wedding garment, who was bound hand and foot and cast into utter darkness. 
Mat. 22.13  Oh! that any, or all of these Considerations might awaken our security, and keep us from sleeping in those sins which will deprive us of Eternal life.  

LORD, We admire the deepness of the riches of thy mercy and goodness, who wouldst condescend to be thus ignominiously tortured between two grand Malefactors for our sakes: How thou didst abase thyself for our pride, and humble thyself on earth to advance us to glory?  
Teach us, Lord, who are but dust and ashes to be lowly-minded, and never to exalt ourselves before or against thee, least by our pride we be excluded (with the Angels) out of Heaven, or (with Man) out of Paradise.  
But among all thy Attributes we most extol thy Mercy, which was so transcendent to this poor penitent thief, whom thou didst rescue from the jaws of hell through thy infinite Merits.  
It had been enough (O God) if thou hadst but promised him to be with thee: for where had been ill with thee? or where had it been well without thee? but thou hast crowned him with bliss and glory in the highest heavens.  
By this we are taught (Lord) not to despair of thy Clemency, for though Cherubins keep thy Paradise, and thy gate of Mercy be guarded by Angels, yet thou hast opened the door of it to as very sinners as ourselves.  
Though we have sins more numerous than the sands of the sea, or the stars of the firmament, yet is thy mercy more and above measure. No stains or guilts can make us so vile but thy Son's blood can wash them off: David, Peter, Magdalen, Paul and this good thief were cured by the power of that mercy, and virtue of that blood.  
But because (Lord) we are too prone to presume of thy mercy, which is so eminent over all thy works, we therefore entreat thee to keep us from carnal security, from a Lethargy in sin, and the delays of all religious duties.  
When ever we fall into sin, do thou (Lord) by thy Grace raise us up to a newness of life, to a true and timely repentance, lest we sleep and lie in our iniquities until we feel the horror of eternal death. Raise us with David from the sin of wilfulness, with Peter from those of infirmity, & with Paul from those of ignorance.  
Thou called'st this penitent but once and he obeyed thy voice, repent, and was saved, but (Lord) how often are we called? how often wouldst thou have gathered us (as a hen doth her chickings) under thy wings, but we would not!  
O grant then, that me may be either alured by thy mercies, or terrified by thy judgements, or converted by thy Word, or won by thy Spirit, that we may hate sin and forsake it, love thee and never leave thee until thou hast brought us to that heavenly Paradise where thy Saints and Angels sing daily Halalujahs to thy blessed Name. Grant this, Father of Mercies and God of Grace, even for his sake who suffered with sinners, and died for our sins, Jesus Christ.    

The Third Word.  JOHN 19.26, 27 
He saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy Son, and to the Disciple, Behold thy Mother.  
A Question is here to be discussed, Why S. John did affirm the three women to have stood near the Cross of the Lord, when S. Mark 15.40. and S. Luke 23.49. write they stood afar off? But this is soon salved; 
S. Aug. lib. 3 de Consen. Evang.  they may be said to have stood afar off in relation of the guard and soldiers who did even touch the Cross; near, because they could easily hear Christ. Or they may be said to have stood afar off at the instant of Crucifixion, the multitude hindering them, but when his suffering began to be completed, many giving way, they might make a nearer approach.  
The sum of the words is this, Being I am now to pass from this loathsome world to my glorious Father, and knowing thee to be destitute of all humane assistances, I commend thee to my most loving Disciple John, he shall be to thee a Son, and thou shalt be to him a Mother. The command was most pleasing to them both, and S. John speaks of himself in the following words, and from that hour the Disciple took her home.  
But S. John was one of them who by his Master's mandate had relinquished father and mother, all relations and possessions to follow Christ, how comes he now, having forsaken his own, to take the charge of another mother? 
Mat. 4.22  The resolve is easy; The Apostles that they might follow Christ, dismissed father and mother as they were a hindrance to the preaching of the Gospel, either in regard of carnal affection, or worldly commodity, but in what concerned their care and solemn duty they left them not; and upon that account the Virgin Mary was committed to him, having no other visible worldly support. God, without man's assistance, could by the administration of Angels have procured her a livelihood and protection, but it was our Saviour's pleasure to have it done by John, as well in regard of an honour to him, as a love to her. God sent Elias to be fed by a widow, not that he could no longer feed him by Crows as formerly, but by this action he seemed to vouchsafe a blessing to the widow; so it pleased the Lord to recommend his mother to this Disciple, 
S. Aug: Serm. 26 de Verb. Domini.  to demonstrate it was both a remarkable blessing to him, and that he loved him above the rest; and the exchange was happy, when in lieu of a mother, the wife of a Fisher, he took the mother of a Saviour, the best of women, full of grace, and blessed in her Sex.  
But,  
1. He that diligently observes may gather hence, Christ's desires to suffer for our salvation to be infinite and inexpressible, that thereby our redemption might be most full and copious. Other men think it an augmentation to their sorrows to have their kindred, friends and alliances spectators of their death, especially of that which is violent and infamous; but Christ not contented with his own real passion, which was most cruel and full of dishonour, would have his Mother and this Disciple to be also present, that the Sympathetical sorrows of his dearest might add to, and reduplicate his own personal sufferings. Three Maries and a Disciple stood near the place of his sufferings, that as four Fountains of blood issued from his body on the Cross, so from their mournful eyes might spring four Fountains of tears; so that it is questionable, whether he felt more sorrow for the effusion of his own blood, or their tears. Methinks I hear Christ bemoaning himself, The sorsows of death have compassed me, 
Psal. 17.9  but the sword foretold by Simeon which should pierce the soul of my innocent 
Luk. 2.35  mother, doth as much Lacerate and wound my heart. Most bitter death! that separate not only the soul from the body, but also a Mother, and such a Mother from such a Son!  
God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son for the Redemption of it, and he so loved the Father, that for his honour Rivulets of blood streamed from him, that we should not perish but have everlasting life: Yet we give such a disobedient resistencie to his goodness, that we had rather be confounded in the just fury of an omnipotent God, then taste the sweetness of his compassion. One drop of his most precious blood might have been a sufficient Ransom for the Redemption of more worlds, and yet he would sacrifice all for this one, thereby as well to endear us, as fully to satisfy the justice of his Father.  
2. But there are many considerations that arise from a mystery of the three women that stood near the Cross. Some out of a petulancy of wit, to maintain Paradoxes and such singularities, have called in question the abilities and faculties of women, in the Root thereof, in the Reasonable and Immortal Soul; but no man of Piety and conversation in Scripture can admit such a doubt. Here are women that were sedulous and constant in their religious offices to our Saviour to the last gasp: 
Mat. 28.6  and after that he was interred, they came with a pious intention to see the Sepulchre, and out of a civil respect to embalm his body in the Monument where they thought to find it. When others (even his own Disciples) through timer ousnesse and infidelity had deserted their Master, these (like inseparable friends) followed him to his grave, and would not rest there till an Angel of heaven had assured them of his Resurrection. The zeal and piety of women have equalled, if not surpassed the best of men; S. Paul testifies in their behalf, that they were great instruments for the advancing of true Religion. At Thessalonica, 
Act. 17.4.  of the chief women not a few; great, and many. Neither do we read of any woman in the Gospel that assisted the persecutors of Christ, or furthered his afflictions, even Pilat's wife dissuaded it. Jerome writ many letters to divers holy Ladies, for the most part all of one Stock and kindred, and all so Religious, as that he says, If Jupiter were their Cousin and of their kindred, he believes Jupiter would be a Christian; he would leave being such a god, as he was, to be their fellow servant to the true God. Woman, as well as Man was made after the image of God in the Creation; and in the Resurrection her sex shall not diminish her glory. Of which she receives one fair beam and inchoation at the Passion of Christ, that women continued in their attendance on him to the last, and that by the ministry of Angels the glad tidings of his Resurrection was communicated to them before any other.  
3. And because they were worthy to be known, the Holy Ghost celebrates them by their names and qualities; we will therefore consider who they were and what they were, their Names first; and then their Conditions. There is an Historical relation and observation, 
Badin de Repub. l. 6 c. 4  That in divers Kingdoms in Europe the Crown did fall at one time upon women of one name, Mary. It was so in England, Scotland, Denmark, and Hungaria, all four Maries. Here we have but three, Marry Magdalen, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary the Virgin, and yet such three as wear now Immortal Crowns in Heaven. Indeed it is a Noble and a Comprehensive Name, Mary. It is the Name of woman in general, according to some of the Learned; 
Gen. 2.23  for when Adam says of Eve, She shall be called Woman, in the Arabic Translation, there is this name, She shall be called Mary; and the Arabic is perchance a Dialect of the Hebrew. But in pure and Original Hebrew the word signifies Exaltation, and whatsoever is best in the kind thereof; and worthily are they to be ever exalted for their diligence and perseverance in their devotion. This is also like, if not the same, as Miriam, the sister of Aaron and Moses, that with her Choir of women assisted at that Eucharistical Sacrifice, that triumphant Song of thanksgiving upon the destruction and subversion of Egypt in the red Sea. 
Exo. 15.20  As Joshua and Jesus is the same to men, so Miriam and Mary is the same name in women according to some. The word denotes Greatness, not only in Power but in Wisdom. And great are they in the eyes of God, and to be magnified by men to all Posterity.  
4. But we intent not to dwell upon this circumstance, but pass to another considerable that springs from the Quality of the women, in relation to their Spiritual state. We find Mary Magdalen personates the penitent or incipient, the other Marry, the proficient, the Virgin Mary, those who are perfect. All three had need of Christ, and to stand near the banner of the Cross. The Incipients that are to war with many sins and concupiscences, want the guidance and assistance of so great a General as Christ, that beholding him struggling with so subtle and malicious an enemy as the old serpent, and openly triumphing over him, they might be animated to fight the Lords battle against all the assaults of the devil, and not to desist until they have obtained an honourable victory. The Proficients (who are represented by Mary of Cleophas, who was a married woman, and a mother of sons) had need of him too, lest the cares and troublesomeness of this world should choke the good seed sown in their hearts. Christ not content with good works (many and great) which he had formerly done, ascends by the Cross to higher, and descends not from thence, till he beholds a vanquished enemy prostrate at his feet. Nothing more hurts a Proficient, then when he languisheth in his course, and stifles his proceed; according to that old Moral. In the way of Virtue, not to go on, is to go backward, 
Bern. ad Ganinum.  as Bernard doth rightly exemplify in an Epistle, in which he produces an instance of jacob's Ladder, where all do either ascend or descend, none keeps a fixed station. Those also who are Perfect and Virgins, as Mary and John were (and for that cause the more beloved of our Saviour) I say those do much need the assistances of Christ's sufferings; for they are in an higher condition, and aught much to fear the tympanies and swell of pride and self-conceit, which can no better way be assuaged and taken down, then by looking into the glass of the Cross. There they may find an admirable precedent of true humility, even Omnipotency itself yielding to most contemptible sufferings: He, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, 
Col 2.3  permits himself to be illuded and reputed may by Herod and his army: He that sits between the Cherubims, and can blast a star with a breath, 
Psal. 99.1  and melt a Church with a look, and molder a world with a touch, even he suffers himself to be crucified in the midst of thiefs, and to die the most ignominious death, the death of the Cross. Learn hence, O man! not to be proud of thine honour, wealth, learning no, nor of thy Piety itself, but lay them all down at the feet of Christ, and learn to be meek and lowly in heart, 
Mat. 11.29.  for so was he.  
5. And lastly we may observe hence the Reciprocal love of Parents to their Children, and of children to their parents.  
1. The Virgin-mother did most accurately demonstrate this, when she stood near the Cross with much sorrow and constancy; and how could she choose but bestow on him her choicest love, whilst he was not only her son, but also the Son of glory? a Son, that according to his Divine generation had a Father without a Mother, and according to his Humane generation had a Mother without a Father, and therefore may be styled unigenite, her only begotten Son: A Son that was qualified with most special endowments, as well of body as soul, far excelling both men and Angels. And yet even for this Son, she had no inordinate, no impatient grief; but though his Passion was violent & unparallelled, yet she beholds him with a holy and a Religious Courage, humbly subjecting herself, her son and all to the Divine will and dispose of the highest: Thereby giving us this instruction, That we look not upon any natural relations, but with a love subordinate to the love of God, for he hath told us, He that loveth son or daughter above me, 
Mat. 10.37  it not worthy of me. And that whensoever he calls us to part with them we must not unmeasurably grieve for them, but cheerfully resign even our dearest comforts to that God that hath given them unto us.  
2. Neither was there a mutual retribution of love wanting on our Saviour his part towards his parent, when notwithstanding he was then in the midst of most distracting torments, he forgot not to recommend her to the care of his bosom friend and dearest Disciple.  
It is a saying among the Heathens, Diis, Parentibus, & Magistris nunquam redditur aequivalens, The Gods, Parents, and Teachers are never sufficiently gratified. I need not enlarge myself upon this point, even nature itself dictates unto us what love, respect, obedience and assistance is owing to those that begat us, and did for us when we could do nothing for ourselves. They are therefore to be recompensed by performing these duties to them, 
Eph. 6.1 Heb. 12.9  

1. To obey them in all things in the Lord.  
2 To bear their corrections with submission.  
3. To reverence them, 
Mal. 1.9  in giving them all outward submission, and fearing to offend them. 
1 Tim. 5 16.   
4. To cherish and maintain them in time of need.   This the Apostle clearly teacheth, If any faithful man or woman have widows (that is, to their mothers or aunts) let them minister unto them, and let not the Church (that is, other Christians) be charged.  

1. O Most glorious God and gracious Father, that sentest thy Son in no sort to assume the shape of Angels, but the nature of a woman, the seed of Abraham; and didst glorify that substance with the bright robe of immortality, and place it at thy right hand: We hope and pray that every one of us may have a portion in that sacred body of our Lord Jesus Christ.  
2. Make us partakers of his Divine nature, as he was of our Humane; make us free from sin, as he was, holy, as he was holy, and in the end glorify both our souls and bodies (with his) in thy heavenly Kingdom.  
3. O thou Saviour of the world, that wert pleased on thy Cross to cast an affectionate thought on thy dear Mother, and (amidst all thy sorrows) to choose her a Guardian, to have her in his cares; teach us never to forget those duties we own them that are (under thee) the makers and preservers of our lives. Give us grace to love, serve, obey and cherish them, that so we may be as children of their love, so heirs of their blessing, the blessing which thou hast promised to loving and obedient children.  
4. And we beseech thee (Lord) to teach all parents by her example (who loved thee to the last) to be constant in their affection and care of their children, and to bring them up in thy fear. Let them know that thou art the Father of their spirits, they but of their bodies; 
Heb. 12.9  let them then put all confidence in thee for them as their best Father, and make their daily supplications to thee for all goodness to them.  
5. Thou that didst favourably look at thy dear Disciple, and adopt him of thy servant, thy mother's son; we pray, that the light of thy countenance may shine on all us that profess thy Name, make us who are by nature, the children of wrath, by thy grace, inheritors of heaven.  
6. Teach us, with Magdalen, to repent, with the wife of Cleophas to proceed in all good and pious works, and with the Virgin Mary to attain to a good measure of perfection. Let us be ashamed that the weaker Sex should excel us, in the acts of piety, or religion, yet pour forth thy grace upon all Sexes and all degrees of people, that they may all know, and serve thee the only true God, and Jesus Chest whom thou hast sent, 
Joh. 17  for that is eternal life    

The Fourth Word.  MATTH. 27.46. 
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?  

The Explication.  WE have Expounded formerly the three first Words which our Saviour uttered on the Cross about the sixth hour. We will proceed in the following part of this Treatise to unfold four other Words which he spoke after the Eclipse and silence of three hours. But it seems very material to declare first what that darkness was, and from whence and to what end it was caused: Our Evangelist says, 
Ver. 45  From the sixth hour was there darkness over all the earth unto the ninth hour, and then he cried with a loud voice, ELI, ELI, LAMASABACH THANI, i. My God, my God, etc. And that this darkness was produced by the defect of the Sun, is elsewhere expressly noted, 
Luk. 23.45  And the Sun was darkened.  
But here are some difficulties to be solved; 

1. For the Sun was wont to be deficient in the new Moon, when betwixt the Sun and the earth, there was an interposition of the Moon, which at the death of Christ could not happen, whilst the Moon was not joined with the Sun, which is usual in the new Moon, but was opposite to the Sun, and in its fullness, for than was the Passeover of the Jews, which according to the Law began the fourth eenth day of the first month:  
2. Besides, if the Moon was joined with the Sun at the passion of our Lord that darkness could not continue for three hours; for the eclipse of the Sun cannot last long, especially if it be a plenary Eclipse, and abscond the whole Sun; for the Moon moves swifter than the Sun according to its proper motion, and according to this it could not shadow the whole Sun, unless it were for a very short Space, for beginning to recede, forthwith it leaves the Sun free, that it might illuminate the earth with its accustomed fulgour, as you might observe by the last greatest Eclipse that happened in our Horrizon in the year 16.   And lastly there could never be an Universal darkeness occasioned through any conjunction of the Sun with the Moon; for the Moon according to the judgement of all Astronomers is less than the Sun, or the earth, and therefore cannot by the interposition of its body, so mantle the Sun, that the whole earth should be darkened.  
But if some do object, That the evangelists meant this darkness to extend to the whole land of Palestina only; and not absolutely to the universal earth: That opinion might be easily refelled, through the testimony of Dionysius Arecpagita, who in his Epistle to Polycarpus witnesseth himself to have seen that defection of the Sun, and that horrible darkness in the City of Heliopolis which is in Egypt. And Phl●gon, a Greek Historian, and an Heathen, doth remember this Eclipse, in these words, Quarto anno ducentisimae secundae Olympiadis, 
Lib. 2  magna & excellent inter omnes quae antea acciderant, defectio Solis est facta, dies hora sexta ita in tenebrosam noctem versus est, ut stellae in caeto visae sunt. Among those great and famous things which fell out in the Annals of the Olympiads, there was such an Eclipse of the Sun, that the day about the sixth hour was turned into darknight, that the Stars were seen, And this Historian writ not in Judea. Of this Author look Origen against Celsus, 
Eus. Chron ad annun Christ. 30.3.  and Eusebius in his Chronicle, the same is testified by Lucian Martyr, saying, * search the Annals, and you shall find that in the times of Pilate the Sun being fled, the day was interrupted with darkness; these words of Lucian are quoted by Russiarus, in his translation of the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius into Latin Tertullian also in his Apolegetick, and Osorius in his History, with others, 
lib. 7. c. 4  do speak not only of Judea, but of other parts of the world.  
These things being premised, we may conclude, that though the Eclipse when it is natural, is wont to happen in the new Moon, and not in the full, but that at the death of Christ was singular and Prodigious, and caused only by him, who made Sun, Moon and earth: it proceeded not from any natural causes, but from the hand of an omnipotent God; who, as he was able to bring the Moon after an insolite manner from the East by a most swift course to the Sun, and after three hours be reduced to its place again, so he could effect that the Moon should (as it were) stand unmoved under the Sun for that space▪ so that it should not move flower, nor swifter than the Sun. And whereas it is said, that this deficiency of the Sun could not be universal over the whole world, by reason the Moon is lesser than the earth, and much lesser than the Sun; it is granted, that what the Moon could not do, the Creator of Sun and Moon did supply, only by not co-operating with the Sun, in its illustration; for without his aid and influence, things Created have no power of themselves to be more; Neither was this darkness occasioned from some extraordinary black and thick mists, as some have imagined; for the Ancients affirm that the stars were then seen in their proper Spheres, whereas thick clouds would not only have obscured the Sun, but also those orbs of lesser lustre, as the Moon and the stars.  
Why God would have this darkness to be so Remarkable, divers reasons are given, but two especially: the first was to signify the marvellous excaecation of the Jews, 
Leo in Ser. 10. de● passion's Dem.  which does to this day, and shall endure according to the vaticinations of Esay, who speaks thus of the beginning of the Gospel; Arise, O Jerusalem, be bright, for thy sight is come, and the Glory of the Lord is risen upon thee; for behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: the other cause was to demonstrate the greatness of the Jews offence, as Jerome teacheth. Heretofore (saith he) evil men did persecute, 
Jerom Comentar. in Matth.  vex, and kill the good, now, God himself descending to be clothed in Humane flesh, they dare persecute and Crucify. Heretofore Citizens had discords with Citizens, and from discords fell to chide, from chide to wounds, from wounds at length to murderous executions, but now servants and slaves have risen against the King of Men and Angels, and with an incredible audacity have nailed him to a Cross; Therefore the whole world did tremble, and the Sun itself drew back its beams, and hid its face, as detesting so fowl, so facinorous an Act, as to put the Lord of Life to death, and the darkness than was so terrible, that it made a Pagan Philosopher cry out, 
Aut deus naturae patitur, aut mundi machina dissolvitur. Dion. Areop.  either the God of Nature suffers, or the whole World is at an end.  
And this was formerly typified in the day; of Pharaoh, when there was a great darkness over the land of Egypt for three days, 
Exod. 10.21.  which was a signification of their superstitious blindness and ignorance of the true knowledge of God, and the obstinacy and disobedience to God's Commandment; And as then Meses brought the Israelites from the Egyptian bondage they were in, under Pharaoh; so the true Moses here, Jesus Christ, brings all that believe in him from the bondage of Satan unto everlasting happiness.  
Let us now come unto the words themselves, (My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 
Psal. 22.1. ) and these we find to be taken out of the Psalmist, and in them Christ complains, in a voice more than ordinary, that he was relinquished of God the Father, at that instant.  
For the better clearing of the sense▪ we must observe, that Christ's derelictions of the Father, may be understood five several ways, whereof one only is true and here meant: there were five conjunctions or unions in the Son of God, The first is that of Essence between the first and second Person of the Glorious Trinity, and that as it is natural and eternal, so it is perpetual and inseparable; of which Christ himself speaks, I and my Father are one, and therefore he said, not My Father, 
Joh. 8.16.  but My God, why hast thou forsaken me? For the Father is not called God of the Son, till after, and by reason of the Incarnation. 2. The second is the Conjunction of the Divine and Humane nature in the second Person, and this can never be dissolved, for what he once took, he never puts off; And the Apostle says, Christ, (that is God and Man) suffered for us. 
1 Pet. 2.21.  The third is the union of Grace; 
Joh. 1.14.  For Christ was a Man full of Grace and truth, and this doth and shall remain: The just died for the unjust, 
1 Pet. 3.18  the death of Christ had nothing profited us, if there had been a separation of Grace; The fourth is the union of Glory, for the soul of Christ saw God from its very conception, 
Joh. 1.14.  and according to its superior part was already truly blessed, 
Aquin. 3. p. q. 46. ar. 8.  and therefore this conjunction could not be dissolved, because a soul once truly blessed is always blessed; blessedness being the sum and compendium of all goodness: There remains a fifth union, which is that of Protection, whereof he speaks: He that sent me is with me, 
Joh. 8.29.  and hath not left me alone. And this for a short time was suspended, and dissolved, that the oblation of a bloody sacrifice might take place for the Redemption of mankind.  
God was able divers ways to have protected Christ, and to have withstood his Passion, according to that prayer of his in the Garden. 
Marck. 14.36.  Father all things are possible to thee, take away this cup from me, nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. Nay, Christ could have defended himself, and commanded Legions of Angels to have guarded his Person. 
Mat. 26.53.  No man could take his life from him: but he laid it down himself; 
Joh. 10.18.  and he might as well bestowed on his body the gift of impassibility, as that of incorruption: But it pleased the Father, it pleased the Son, it pleased the Holy Ghost to permit the common decree, that humane cruelty should prevail against him then; he told his bebetrayers the hour was come, 
Mark. 14.41.  in which the Son of man should be delivered into the hands of sinners, God then so left and forsook his Son, that he suffered his humanity for that Space to be without any consolation, & to endure (for our sins) most bitter sorrows, yea the torments of hell itself.  
And he put himself to those unspeakable sufferings by reason of the greatness of man's sin, which he took on his body to expiate for us, that we being delivered from sin, 
1 Pet. 2.24  should live in righteouseness by whose stripes we are healed And as this sin was infinite as being against a person of an infinite value, the Lord God, so the person Satisfying, was to be of an incomprehensible dignity and excellency. And though one drop of his precious blood had been an ampler ansom for all mankind; yet that his passion might be esteemed by us the more meritorious, and gain more Souls, he shed all; because he did undertake for the sins of the whole world, therefore it pleased him to suffer a world of torments, when he laboured under that Dereliction of his father.  
1. Learn hence (O man) how infinite and inexpresible was the love of Christ to thee, when he suffered with so much patience and humility such wonderful torments for thy sins. His soul was very heavy unto death. 
Man 26.3  There is no Christian but will acknowledge that our Saviour was ten thousand times more able to suffer then the most Constant Martyr that hath suffered for his Name, and if he were more able to bear whence could it happen that he was pressed with such sorrow, such heaviness and such fear? but that he alone suffered more than all the martyrs ever since righteous Abel to this day: this should work an imitation in us to love the bitter cup of repentance, and to reject the cups of Consolation and Secular delights, to rejoice in afflictions, and to trample on the seeming felicities of this world. Doth God visit our land with Plague, Famine, War or other judgements? O! remember that these Calamities are but as a drop to that vast Ocean of sorrows, the Son Gof odd suffered for us, and that they are far less than our sins deserved; for they are but temporal and reach no further than our bodies, but by his sufferings we are exempted from those miseries which might justly fall on our souls and bodies eternally. We then are as prisoners, once condemned for capital crimes, but released again with our lives, and only chastised with some few stripes; have we not then great cause to rejoice, that we have escaped greater judgements?  
2. But though God seems for a while to forsake his friends, and leave them in durances, and to withdraw his grace and favour from them; yet his indignation cannot last for ever, in the end he will return unto them, and show them the light of his gracious Countenance, and be merciful unto them, if they call upon his glorious name in their distresses. Christ upon the Cross suffered a great dereliction, his Glory was obscured, his divinity seemed to be hid, the light of heaven was substracted from him, in stead of a Diadem, he wore a Crown of thorns, in stead of a Sceptre a Reed, in stead of a statelyretinue belonging to a King, they afforded him the ignominious fellowship of two thiefs, thus was he dejected, and scorned, and exposed to all imaginable crosses, but, behold, upon his humble expostulation, and prayer to God, the sense was altered, and a speedy Period put to all these calamities, the heavens were unmantled, the light appeared, his last and worst enemy (Death) was conquered, his body and soul were received in a glorious and triumphant manner into the highest heavens, where now he reigns King for evermore.  
And the reasons why God sometimes withdraws his presence from his People, and defers their deliverance from afflictions, are to humble them throughly, to bring them to an utter denial of themselves: to learn patience, that they might acknowledge whence their deliverance and all benefits they enjoy do proceed namely, not from themselves, nor any creature, but from the All-merciful God, and that accordingly they might learn to value and prise his gifts at their deserved excellency, (for we find this generally verified, that benefits easily obtained, are lightly regarded and soon forgotten) the children of Israel were in captivity about four hundred and thirty years in Egypt, but after they had expected the salvation of the Lord, they were brought safely through the Red sea, 
Exod. 12.  by the conduct of Moses. David had a promise to be King of Jerusalem and Judea, but the Lord exercised him by many and grievous afflictions before he came to the Crown, 
Psal. 119.82.  in so much that (he says) his eyes failed with waiting upon his God; Zachary and Elizabeth desired of God, both of them in their youth, and many years after, for issue, but their request was not granted until they were old; 
Luk. 1.18.  the Church Militant for some hundreds of years after Christ's Resurrection, seemed to be forsaken and rejected of him, when she was so battered by Tyrants, and so undermined by Heretics, that she was like to be crushed and stifled in her very cradle, she was tried ten times in the fire, by ten several and distinct persecutions, wherein God seemed to equal the ten plagues of Egypt, and to lay as much on his people for their probation, as he had laid upon others on their behalf; Moore Christian blood effused, then in the Sacrifices of the old Law, for so we read many a hundred, many a thousand made Martyrs in one day, a whole City, a whole Army destroyed at one time for the Gospel's sake, so that as the Israelites formerly went through the red Sea towards the land of Canaan, these through an Ocean of blood passed to a Kingdom of bliss. And when the Church had prayed and fasted, and suffered so many years, God in the end harkened to the voice of her lamentation, took her in his Arms, wiped all tears from her eyes, took away all occasion of complaint, made Kings and Queens to be her Nurses, and so made her Glorious in the eyes of man, acceptable in his, and cheerful in her own sight; This aught to work a confidence in all God's afflicted servants, that he will not quite desert them; their deliverance will be seasonable enough, if they will wait and depend upon him: a cloud on the sky may for a while eclipse the light of heaven, but that will soon be dissipated, and the Sun will appear.  
3. We are further taught by this desertion of our Saviour to fear to sin, and to bewail our offences, the only cause of his great sufferings.  
What Stoic is so void of motion, but will be sensible to see a friend suffer for him, what he was himself was justly guilty of? what Christian so flint-hearted, that will dare commit a sin, if he does but cast a serious thought on him, who suffered so much, not for his own, but our sins? The Passion of Christ if rightly considered may be styled a School, where all Martyrs and Saints are made: who would complain of doing too much, of suffering too much, of being too much abased or despised, if he do but behold his Saviour delivered over, and abandoned for him, to such horrible confusions, such insupportable torments? (O my God, my wounded God as long as I shall see thy wounds, 
Nolo vive te fine vulnere cum te video vulneratum. Bonaventum.  I will never live without a wound) who will be clothed with purple and costly silks, and used to softness and delicacy, and see his Redeemer crowned with thorns, and fixed to the Cross? who will not withhold his hands from violences, and rapines, and see Christ's arms distended on the Cross? who will not fetter his feet, and hinder them from running after the unbridled desires of his heart, if he but views Christ's feet pierced through with nails? who will not make bitter his tongue, in subduing the pleasures of the taste, and see Christ have nothing but gall and vinegar to drink? who will not contemn the airy honours of the world, when he beholds him that is able to walk upon the wings of Cherubims; take upon him the form of a servant, and creep among us like a little worm of the Earth? who can delight in any sinful joy, and behold him so sad, so pained, so dejected? this then is a sovereign antidote against the venom of our sins, to have our Saviour's Image daily in our hearts, and to reflect our thoughts upon him Crucified in all our actions; When the forty Martyrs were in the frozen lake, 
Basil. or●t. in 40 mar.  thirty nine of them had their minds wholly bend upon the future Crown, and one of them unhappily thought of nothing but of his punishment, All of them remained victorious, except this wretched creature, who soiling the glory of his patience, came out of the pool to die presently after in his infidelity. So if our suffering Saviour, be before our eyes, in all our tribulations and temptations; we shall be more than conquerors, 
Rom. 8.  but if pleasure or profit be our objects, we turn our backs to Christ, and shall have no share in the benefits of his Cross.  

MY God, My God in what an ecstasy is my soul, when it contemplates what thou didst, in those three hours' silence, when horror and darkness involved the universe? when thou wert not in a chair of State, but on thy Cross, full of sorrows, full of sufferings!  
Thou (Lord) who only knowest the extremities of thy own Passion, teach thy servants, how much they own to thee, and in a religious dejection of themselves to give thee only the glory of their salvation.  
We know not (Lord) whether we shall more admire the greatness of thy love, or the greatness of thy Passion, both exceed our merits, both surpass our apprehensions: but since thy goodness hath thus acted for us, we should be unthankful, if we did not spend some of those hours which thou hast given us, in a sweet recordation of those thy blessings, and not only so, but imprint them in our actions.  
Thou didst not so expostulate with thy Father for relinquishing of thee, as not knowing the Cause; for of what canst thou be ignorant, who knowest all things, and in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge? but that thou mightest exhort us to seek and learn things necessary and profitable for our souls.  
There was no separation between thee and thy God in matter of Essence, or grace, or affection, but only in the point of present Protection.  
Thy Father left thee (O Son of God) in that sad Agony, that thou mightest the more gloriously triumph; he left thee to struggle with Death, that thou mightest unsting Death, and having overcome the sharpness of it, open the Kingdom of heaven to all believers.  
Thou mightest have had a numerous Army of Saints and Angels for thy defence against thy enemies, and death itself; (for all Power in heaven and earth was given unto thee O Lord) but thou wert pleased to permit that Divine decree between thee and thy Father, and thy Spirit, that thou shouldst first suffer all these things, and then to enter into thy Glory.  
But tell us we pray thee (Thou Lever of Men) whether or no did the vehemency of thy sorrows in that space, silence thine heart from thine accustomary devotion? for we when we are but touched with any affliction, can scarce lift up a thought to thee, or speak of thy praises.  
But (O our Saviour) it was not so with thee; for though thy flesh was weak, yet thou didst bear a Spirit prompt to all holy exercises. We know that though thy tongue moved not; yet with the mouth of thine heart thou didst send implicit ejaculations to thy Father for us; neither didst thou only pray in heart, but in wounds and blood; And as many wounds as were in thy Sacred body, so many supplicants there were for us to thy heavenly Father; and as many drops of blood, so many tongues petitioning mercy for us.  
O our God we are justly confounded in the Abyss of thy love and mercy to the sons of men. O were our sins so great that no sacrifice could at tone thine Anger but the blood of thy Son, thy only begotten Son, in whom alone thou art well pleased! O superabundant love! O prodigious Mercy!  
But (Lord) teach us by his example not to cast cur affections on the pleasures and vanities of this world, but to delight in the cup of affliction whereof he drank in an overflowing measure.  
Make us fear to sin for his sake who sinned not and yet so highly suffered for our sins, and when me fall under the rod of thy displeasure for them, correct us not in thy fury, lest we should be consumed and brought to nothing.  
Though thou dost eclipse thy savours sometimes from thy dea●est ones, yet we are confident thou wilt not totally and finally forsake those who do not (so) forsake thee.  
Therefore we pray thee be not fare from us (O God) and though we attribute to thy Justice the glory of our deserved sufferings, yet let thy mercy have the glory of our deliverance from them, for the Passion of thy son's sake. Amen.    

The fifth Word.  JOHN 19.28. 
1 Thirst.  
FOr the better explanation of This, it is necessary to add the precedent and subsequent words of the Evangelist: After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst; now there was set a vessel full of vinegar, and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop and put it to his mouth. The Lord would have a full Consummation of all the Prophetical predictions of his life and death, this only remained according to the Psalmist; 
Psal. 69.21.  They gave me vinegar to drink; Our Lord said, I thirst. The Prophet foretold it, because he foresaw it; the prediction or prevision is not the cause of a thing to Come, but the thing to come is the ground of either. The emission of so much blood, could not choose but provoke an extremity of thirst, (as I knew a man grievously wounded, who called for nothing but drink) which notwithstanding he entertained with a patiented silence from the beginning of his Crucifixion: His flesh had been long unacquainted with any moisture; his veins, his tongue, his Palate, and all his Interiours did labour under a miserable dryness, but, O sad refreshment! in stead of giving him Cordials, or pleasant drinks, they offer him that which might either increase his torments, or hasten his dissolution. The sum of all is this: As a little before his affixction to the Cross, they offered him Wine mingled with Gall, 
Mat. 27.  so in the last period of his life, they brought him Vinegar, that from the beginning to the end he might have a continued Passion, not mixed with any solace or refreshment.  
The new Testament is for the most part an explanation of the Old, but in this mystery of the Lords Thirst, the words of the Psalmist may be styled a Commentary on these words of Christ, I looked for some to sorrow with me, 
Psal. 69.  but there was none, and for Comforters, and I found none, they gave me gall to eat, and vinegar to drink, And of such the Lord here complains, and says, I thirst: Hence learn first, O Man!  
1. To possess thy soul in patience in thy afflictions after the great example of our Lord and Master Christ; though in the fourth word there shined his humility joined with his Patience, yet here it appears in its proper place. This is it which setteth a seal upon all virtues, even the first in the list, and last in the triumph. It is the Crowned Pomegranate which hangeth among bells in the lowest border of the high Priests robe of the old Law, all was imperfect without the Crown of Patience; it is the Salt of the Prophet Elisaeus, which purifieth the polluted waters, and sweeteneth all the bitterness of life, it is the School of Christianity. So learned are we, as we have Patience, 
Ambross in Prov. 19  so much do we participate with God, as we can endure by his example, he hath taken a body, to be able to suffer, and to make himself the mirror and reward of sufferours. But we must distinguish true Patience from false. True patience is that, which commands us to suffer the evils of punishment, that it may not enforce us to commit the evils of sin, such was the patience of true Martyrs, who would rather undergo the torments of villainous executions, then deny the saving faith of Christ; and would rather tolerate the loss of all they had, then adhibit any adoration to false Gods, false patience is that which persuades us to suffer all evil things, that we may obey the law of lust, and to lose eternal things, to conserve the Temporal, such is the patience of the Devils Martyrs, who will easily suffer hunger, thirst, cold, heat, the loss of a good name, (and which is to be admired) of the kingdom of heaven, that they might augment their riches, satisfy carnal concupiscence, and ascend to the slippery mount of honours.  
It is the innate property of true Patience to continue in a good cause to the end, till by working it hath polished us, 
Ja●●. 1.1.  and made us perfect men; and that is it which the Apostle declares in the Encomiums of it: other virtues cannot long subsist without it, in regard of some difficulties which are found in their actuations, which by her assistance, are conquered with much facility; 
Cyprian ser de patieut.  Charity which is the Queen of virtues, the ground of peace, the link of unity, & greater than either faith, or hope, or Martyrdom, take from it Patience and it remains desolate, take from it the substance of suffering, and it hath no root, no strength to persevere: without this the chaste man cannot resist uncleanness, the just cannot be free from corruption, nor the peaceable, from a desire of Revenge. The Psalmist says, 
Psal 9.18.  the expectation (or Patience) of the Poor (or humble) shall not perish for ever, but the fruit of it shall be perpetually verdant; the husbandman loses not the sweats of his brow, when he beholds his seed flourishing in the ear; And the patiented soldier deserves as great trophies as the greatest Conqueror, when by the sweetness of his sufferings, he doth, as it were trampled on the victories of his enemies; he that endureth to the end shall receive a Crown of Glory. 
Ja. 1.12.   
We need no other Motive to induce us to this Royal virtue, than the King of sufferings; Christ Jesus thirsting on the Cross, for not to speak of all his afflictions and miseries, which continued from his cradle to his grave; this his tedious and vehement thirst is sufficient to inflame our souls with a religious patience in all our tribulations. But, lest we should mistake the practice of it with (the Romish Saint) Macarius, who having killed a gnat which pricked him, 
Vitae P. P.  (as if he had committed a great act of impatience) went for the space of six months, exposing his naked body to all the flies, gnats, and wasps of the wilderness, to be revenged upon himself; let's take these few directions. 

1. To bear a little with ourselves, and be content with those conditions and callings wherein we are placed: it is the property of imprudent persons to be weary with the present and ever gaping for the future.  
2. To be full of mildness and lenity towards others, bearing with their infirmities: some hath more disturbances than the winding Eruipus hath waves, but what unreasonableness is it, that a man full of rebellions against God, should desire that men and beasts serve him, according to all his humours.  
3. 
2 Sam. 16, 10, 11.  To suffer calumny, and slanderous words, as David did those of Shemei.  
4. To endure all humane accidents, as sicknesses, loss of goods, hunger and thirst, imprisonments, banishments, death of friends and near Relations, and whatsoever hath sadness and horror in nature, ever acknowledging that they are but scourges for our sins (which deserves greater) and that none of them happen without the permission of the divine power, to which we must all submit, that so, the incensed God, being appeased, may vouchsafe us his benedictions, and enbosom us as his sons, by his paternal favour.    
2. But besides this corporal thirst, the Lord seems to me to intent a spiritual one, and to have spoken these words in the same sense, as those to the women of Samaria, Give me to drink. Afterwards, unlocking the mystery of his speech, he adjoins this, if thou knewest the gift of God, 
Io. 4.7, 10.  and who it is that saith to thee, give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of him, and he will give thee the water of life. When I behold Christ upon the Cross as it were upon the high Mount, looking on so many millions, languishing through the inflammations of their sins, I behold the same Lord commiserating their sad conditions, and saying, though I truly thirst for the exhausted and dried humour of my body, yet I more thirst and covet that man at length may by faith acknoledg me to be the true fountain of that living water, and that they may come to me and drink, and so they shall not thirst eternally.  
To this purpose are the words of the Prophet. Ho, Everyone that thirsteth come to the waters, 
Isa. 55.1.  and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; come I say, buy wine and milk without money, without price. That you may conceive they are not screwed to too high a value, he invites you with a second call; these waters are said to be bought, because they are not to be had without some labour and industry, but they are had without any commutation, because they are given freely, neither can there be any price found to parallel the greatness of their worth; what he first called Water, he afterwards calls Wine and Milk, thereby to display unto us the excellency and perfection of the gift; what is called Water, is divine Wisdom, which quencheth the flames & lusts of Concupiscence; by Wine is meant that celestial calefaction which doth warm and brisk the soul, making it to covet things heavenly and sublime; and it is called Milk, because it sweetly nourished the Infants in Christ with eternal food. 
1 Pet. 2.1.   
Some thirst, with a most flaming desire, and insatiable greediness after the transitories of this world, (which the vulgar call blessings) as honours, wealth, and pleasures, but our desires must mount higher, and have these three Objects, the glory of God, the honour of Christ, and the salvation of our souls, that these were the vehement desires of Christ, all his works, all his preach, all his sufferings, and all his miracles do voice and speak it. The Prophet cries out. As the hart brayeth for the rivers of water, 
Psal. 42.1, 2.  so panteth my Soul, after thee, O God. My Soul thirsteth for God, even for the living God, when shall I come and appear before the presence of God? Behold, how this King, who was clad with the rags of mortality, and soiled with the vileness of carnal vanities, thirsts after God's honour and service here, and to enjoy the beatifical vision of him hereafter: 
Rom. ●. 3.  Paul's zeal towards God's Glory, was such, that he would redeem the rejection of the Jews, with his own damnation; to testify his great desire for their Salvation, he wished to be anathematised from Christ. He had rather be deprived of the heavenly Glory then that Christ should be deprived of so great a fault of his passion, which would have appeared in the conversion of so many thousand Israelites. Now, if Christ, if Paul and others so eagerly thirsted for our salvation, why do we ourselves neglect it? Why do we so vehemently covet these temporals, which are weightless and momentaneous, and not place our whole effections on that happiness, which is glorious and eternal? The reason peradventure is, because everlasting Glory is not empaled within the dominion of sense: we have not that external experiment of it, as of corporal felicity, which makes us earnestly covet this, slightly desire the other; and therefore the natural man (who sees not beyond the Region of sense) perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, 
1 Cor. 2.14  for they are foolishness to him. But he that is spiritual discerneth all things. There must be a spiritual wisdom in us, before we can long for the things above, and this is not to be found in the Athens of the world, but in the most Divine Academy of God's Spirit, 
Jam. 1.5.  the Treasure and fountain of all true knowledge, who gives liberally to all, and reproacheth none. Thither only we must make our humble addresses for this holy Gem, and not desist in our Prayers, until we have by our tears, and cries, undeafed the ears of the Almighty.  

1 ANd now, O God, of all pity and Patience, we are confounded to consider thy great goodness, in suffering that extremity of thirst, and pain, for us on the Cross; enable us to bear patiently all afflictions, Corporal or spiritual, and to submit our wills to thine, in sickness as in health, in woe as in wealth, in death as in life.  
2. Make us to thirst after the Kingdom of heaven and its righteousness; teach us to prise the salvation of our souls above all earthly possessions, for they are spiritual, immortal, and precious, these but transitory, and subservient, if we seek thee in the first place, (who art All in All) no blessings whether corporal, spiritual, or eternal can be wanting to us, for every good and perfect gift proceeds from thee above, 
jam. 1.17.  O Father of lights.    

The sixth Word.  JOHN 19.30. 
It is finished.  
THIS implies no more in sound construction, then that the wonderful work of the Passion is now consummated and completed; for the Father enjoined the Son, two weighty offices or works, one of preaching the Gospel, the other of suffering for man; of the first the Lord formerly said, That he had finished the work which he gave him, 
Joh. 17.5, 6.  and manifested his name unto men. The other injunction is intimated in these words, O my Father, if this Cup may not pass away from me, 
Mat. 26 42.  except I drink it, thy will be done. Now he had fully exhausted that bitter cup of his Passion, nothing remained but his dissolution, and so with an inclining head he gave up the Ghost.  
But being neither our Saviour, nor S. John explained what was Finished, occasion is given us to make such mystical applications of the Word, as may be fruitful to our souls; 
Aug. ●om. in ●cum.  One of the Fathers affirms, That in this place is meant, an impletion of the Prophecies foretold of Christ, 
Esay 7. Nick. 2.  and that all those predictions were true; as his conception of a Virgin, his Nativity in Bethlehem, 
Numb. 23.  the apparatition of a new Star, 
Psal. 71.  the Adoration of Kings, the Preaching of the Gospel, 
Isay 61.  His Miracles, his riding upon an ass, 
Esay 35. Psal. 21.68 Esa. 53. Jer. 11. Zach. 12.  And his whole Passion is described by parts, by David in his Psalms, Esay, Jeremy, Zachary, and others; and this the Lord himself being to pass to his sufferings, spoke, Behold, 
Luck. 18.  we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the Prophets concerning the Son of Man, shall be accomplished, which is also here averred, that their Testimonies might he verrified, and received as the dictates of the Holy Ghost.  
2. Another of the Fathers understands here, 
Chrysost.  that the power which was permitted to Men and Angels against Christ, was now consummated at his Death; and to this effect he speaks to the Chief Priests and Captains of the Temple, and the elders that were with him, this is your hour, 
Lu. 22.53.  and the power of darkness; now his laborious peregrination, now the condition of his mortal life according to which he hungered and thirsted, and was weary, and obnoxious to injuries, wounds, and to death itself, is fully ended and determined.  
3. Another makes this Construction, Now the chiefest Sacrifice was Consummated, that, in which all the Sacrifices of the old Law, as it were, types and shadows did rest, and into which they run, as Rivulets into the main Ocean: or as the stars, when the Sun appears with his glorious rays, see no stars at all, so those typical oblations all vanished, at the presence of this Son of Glory, when he was to be immolated. Concerning these prefigurations one speaks thus. Lord, thou hast attracted all things to thyself; 
Leo Serm. 8. de possion dom.  for the veil of the Temple being rend, the holy things of the most holy departed from the unworthy Priests, that the figure might be turned into the truth, Prophecy into manifestation, and the law into the Gospel, (and a little after) the variety of carnal sacrifices now ceasing the oblation of thy body, and blood have made one perfect and entire sacrifice: For in this Sacrifice the Priest is God-man, according to his Hypostatical union. Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedeck; 
Psal. 109.4  The Altar was the Cross, which, by how much the more base it was before, by so much the more illustrious and noble it was made after Christ's death, the Sacrifice was the Lamb of God, innocent, and immaculate, of whom the Prophet said, That he was brought as a sheep to the slaughter, 
Isa. 53.7.  and as a sheep before the shearer is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. The fire of the Holocaust was his immense charity, 
Cant. 1.8  which did so flame in his breast, that the floods of persecutions could not extinguish it; the fruit of the Sacrifice was the redemption of Mankind, the expiation of the sins of all the sons of Adam; for, 
Isa. 1.29.  behold he is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world: But here is the difference between the sacrifices under the Law, and this of the Gospel, there it was the Office of the Priest to kill, and to prepare the Sacrifice, but here Christ was both Priest and Sacrifice, not that he laid violent hands on himself, but because he willingly yielded to the slaughter, for God's glory and the propitiation of our sins, their reconciliation was obtained by the blood of beasts, 
Col. 1.20.  here peace is made through the sacred blood of Christ Jesus, not his, as he claims all the beasts of the forest, all the cattles upon a thousand hills, 
Psa. 50.10.  and all the fowls of the Mountains to be his; not his, as he is Lord and proprietary of all by Creation, so all blood in his; no, nor his, as the blood of all the Martyrs was his, (which is a near relation and Consanguinity) but his so, as it was the blood of his Cross, the precious blood of his body, the seat of his soul, the matter of his Spirits, and the knot of his dear life.  
4. We may further understand in this place, that at the death of Christ a great battle was finished between him and the Prince of this world; of which he intimates in those words: Now is the judgement of this world, 
Jo. 12.31.  now shall the Prince of it be cast out: but this battle was judicial, not military, the encounters were in litigations, not arms, for the devil did strive with the Son of God, about the possession of the world, that is, of humane kind, the Devil had for a long time usurped a dominion over man, because he conquered the first man, and enslaved him, and his whole posterity, and therefore he is styled the Principalities and Powers of the world, 
Eph. 6.12.  and the Prince of darkness; Neither was he only so called, 
Psal. 96.5.  but also termed the Gods of the heathen, for he was publicly adored with sacrifices among them, as their only God: but on the other part, Christ, as the true and lawful heir of the universe, claimed to himself the Principalities of the world, so that at length the battle was decided on the Cross, and sentence was given in favour of our Saviour, where he obtained the Trophies of an absolute Conquest, for there he gave a plenary satisfaction to the Divine Justice for the transgressions of all mankind, for there is returned a greater obedience from the Son to the Father, than was the inobedience of the servant to the Lord; the Son of God was more humbled even to death for the honour of the father, than man was lifted to pride, to the dishonour of God; so God was reconciled to man through the merits of his Son, when he rescued him from the claws of the Devil, 
Col. 1.  and translated him into the Kingdom of his beloved son.  
5. And lastly, these words may rightly be applied to the building of Christ 's Church, which was not perfected and finished until his passion, though inchoated in his Baptism. Thus Epiphanius in his third book against Heresies, and that learned and holy Augustine, 
Lib. 3. hear. 78.  in his last book of the City of God affirm and teach, 
Lib. 22. c●●.  that Eve being built and founded on the rib of Adam, he being a sleep, was a type of the Church, which was raised from Christ's side, when he began to sleep through the heaviness of death, and so the Scriptures do notify, (not without a mystery) Eve to have been built, not form. And that the Church began to be edified from the Baptism of Christ, the said Father proves out of the Psalmist. His dominion shall be from sea to sea, 
Psal. 71.8.  and from the river to the ends of the world; for the Kingdom of Christ which is the Church, began to be built from the water of his Baptism, in which he receiving the Baptism of John, consecrated the waters, and instituted his own, which is the gate of the Church, and this he was made manifest through that voice of his Father heard from heaven; this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear him; from that time the Lord began to preach and to Congregate Disciples, who were the first that came to the Church, and although there was made an apersion of Christ's side after death, from whence issued forth water and blood, which signified those two principal Sacraments of the Church, Baptism, and the Lords Supper, yet all ordinances had their full qualifications from his meritorious passion; so that the flowing of water and blood from his side, was rather a declaration of the mysteries, rather than an institution most rightly, therefore it is said, that the building of the Church was then consummated; when he said, It is finished, for there remained nothing then but a dissolution, which speedily following, the price of a blessed redemption for man was completed.  
1. Learn hence, O man, that as thou art certain those things by their events to have been true, which the holy Prophets predicted, so thou ought'st to be fully assured, that those future things which are foretold by the same Prophets, shall come to pass, though not as yet fulfilled, for they spoke not from humane fancies, but from an inspiring Spirit of God, which is ever infallible. Sicut usque ad hodiernam diem, omnia evenerunt; 
Aug. in Psal. 76.  sic et quae restant, eventura sunt, etc. Even as to this day all things have rightly followed, so the things which remain will undoubtedly follow. Let us fear then the day of judgement; the Lord is coming, he that came once in poverty, will next come in Glory. And that there be no haesitation in our saith, we have stronger arguments on our sides then ever our Ancestors had: they who preceded the times of Christ, without any performances, or external impletions were tied to believe many things; we, who have had an experimental knowledge of divers things already accomplished, should be induced to credit the rest with the more facility: who lived in the days of Noah, did here that the general deluge was to come, and it was demonstrated unto them, not only by his preaching, but also by his building of an Ark, notwithstanding they would not believe because they had never seen such a deluge, and therefore a divine fury fell suddenly on them, now we who know, that to be impleted which the Prophet foretold, may easily believe that he, at whose beck are all the elements, may as well destroy the world by fire, the second time, as he hath done first, by water: And we that find it verified, that Christ raised many from death, and his own body from the grave, may be fully confirmed that by virtue of his Resurrection our souls and bodies also shall be translated to a state of glory and immortality in the world to come.  
2. Observe that though the journey of our Saviour's peregrination here was laborious, and sharp above measure, yet it received an honourable compensation, it ended in triumph and Glory; it lasted thirty three years, but what was the labour of those years in comparison of Eternal happiness? he was humbled and made a scorn of men, and an abject of the people, for a short time, but God hath highly exalted him, 
Phil. 2.9, 10.  and given him a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, things in earth, and things under the earth: But his adversaries exulted to the period of his Passion; Pilate rejoiced till the instant of his sufferings, because he had preserved his friendship with Cesar, and was then reconciled to King Herod, but now he and the perfidious Jews justly suffer in hell-flames for their sacrilegious impieties. Here then the humble, and patiented men, may see how good, how propitious a thing it is; to take up the Cross in this life, and to follow Christ, their afflictions are but light and transcient, and not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to them; for when they die, they pass from a veil of sorrows to a Paradise of joys, 
Rev. 7.16.  where all tears shall be wiped from their eyes: but with the ungodly it is not so, the end of their miseries (if they have any) in this world, is but an entrance and beginning of greater in the other, where is endless weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth.  
3. Another benefit may be reaped from the third acceptation of the words; for if we mean that the Sacrifices of the chiefest Priest is now finished on the Cross, it follows, that all his disciples in imitation of their Master, according to their several talents should offer likewise Sacrifices to their God; in this sense all Christians are Priests to offer Sacrifices, 
1 Pet. 2.9.  not such as were in the old Testament, 
i Pet. 2.9  but Spiritual Priests, to offer mystical sacrifices, which may be presented from all men, as praises, and prayers, and other services of piety; the same is most occurately taught us in the Epistle to the Romans, 
Heb. i3. i5, 16.  in resemblance of the sacrifices of the ancient Law; 
Rom. 12.1  for there was in them. 

1. The hallowed to God, which to convert to profane use, was held a nafarious Crime.  
2. It was to be a thing living, as a sheep, or goat, or the like.  
3. It was to be holy, that is, clean; for there were among the Hebrews, animals clean and unclean,  
4. And then the thing hallowed to God, was to be burnt, that it might send forth an odour of sweetness: The like properties must be found in our spiritual Sacrifices, 

1. Our bodies ought to be hallowed to God, that we may use them to his honour, not as our own, but his, to whom they are consecrated by Baptism, and who hath purchased them by his blood.  
2. They ought to be living sacrifices, enlivened with the life of Grace, and of the holy Spirit: for whosoever are dead by sin, are not fit victim for God, but for the devils; our God, who is always living, and the everlasting fountain of life, abhors the stinking oblations of dead carcases, who are profitable for nothing, unless for dogs and fowls of the Air. We must then enbalm and preserve the life of the soul, with our best and most religious actions, that we may give a reasonable sacrifice to our God▪  
3. We must be holy and clean; for none shall ascend into the hill of the Lord, 
Psal. 24.3, 4  or stand in his holy place, but he that hath clean hands, and a pure heart, who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.  
4. And then we must be well pleasing, and send up a sweet savour to our God, to that purpose in the old Law, they used to kill and burn the sacrifice; and this is rightly performed in the spiritual Sacrifice, when carnal concupiscence is truly mortified, and burnt with the coals of charity; nothing can sooner or more effectually destroy it, than a sincere love to God, for he is Lord and King of all the affections of the heart, and rules them all, whether Fear, Hope, Desire, Hatred, Anger, or any other perturbation of the soul; and love doth not yield but to a greater, so that when divine love doth possess, and bear dominion over the inmost corners of the heart; then carnal concupiscence gives place, and being mortified, it vanisheth to nothing.     Thence flaming desires, and most pure prayers ascend to heaven, like aromatical perfumes of precious spices: this than is that perfect and acceptable sacrifice which God requires; and the Apostle here exhorts with a most persuasive argument. I beseech you by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies, etc. By his mercy, that is, as if he had said, by him, that created you something, when you were nothing: By him that made you his servants, and needed not your service, and when your merits were unavaileable, blest you with his own; by him that made you to his own similitude, and by this, capable of his love and knowledge; by him that made you his adoptive sons, and coheirs with his unigenit; by him that made you members of his body, whereof he was the head; by him that offered himself a full and propitiatory sacrifice on the Cross, to redeem you from servitude, and wash you from all spots and wrinkles; by him, I beseech you, to give to God in stead of dead beasts, lively sacrifice; in stead of their blood, which was but a shadow, and pleased not God of itself, the acceptable sacrifice of the spiritual man, framed by faith, to godliness and charity.  
4. And then we are here further taught, that we shall be crowned with Laurels, and Diadems of eternal happiness if we fight courageously under the banner of Christ, against our spiritual enemies, and never desist until we have obtained the Victory. Christ gave not over until all was finished: If God had given over at his second day's work, we had had no sin, no seasons; if at the fifth, we had no being; if at the sixth, no sabbath, but by proceeding to the seventh, we are all, we have all; So Christ, if he had stayed at his Circumcision, or his Agony, or his scourge, our redemption had been imperfect, but by continuing to his crowning and his nailing, and the piercing of his side on the Cross, all was completed that was necessary for man's salvation. 
2 King. 5.24  Naaman could not be cured of his leprosy, but by washing in Jordan seven times, less could not do it; it is not enough for a man to begin, or do some few acts of piety or religion, unless he make; a constant progress therein. Are the Angels weary of looking on that face of God, which they looked upon yesterday? or are the Saints weary of singing of that Allelujah, which they sung to God's glory yesterday? Is not that song which is their morning and evening sacrifice; and which shall be their song world without end, called still, A new song? Oh! then never be weary, never give over performing thy duties to that God that never ceaseth to bless thee; for he (and he only) that continues unto the end, shall receive a Crown of life.  
In vain did the perfidious Jews cry, if he be King of Israel, let him come down from the Cross, and we will believe in him; Nay, rather, because he was so, he would not desert his place; for by his perseverance, his interest to the Kingdom was confirmed, and the work of redemption was consummated in such a glorious manner, that nothing could be deficient, to the greatness of its merit, or to induce us to follow so noble a precedent; to proceed in those actions, that are pleasant and suitable to our temper is facile, and not praise worthy; but to persevere in laborious Agonies and sorrows, and in such things as are against the dictates of our own natural and carnal affections is indeed difficult, but very laudable. Christ was so enamoured with his divine Father, and longed so earnestly for the redemption of man, that all intervening Crosses seemed Cordials to him, and all pains, pleasures: After his Example we find that Paul enumerating his own sufferings with those of his Co-Apostles breaks thus forth; who is able to separate us from the love of Christ? 
Rom. 8.  shall tribulation or distress? shall anguish, persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, for thy sake we are killed, all the day long, we are counted as sheep for the slaughter, Nay; in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us. From these holy precedents we may learn how to master our afflictions, and to sweeten our persecutions, and to deem them as the embrioes of eternal life: We may bear them with all spiritual joy, if we look not on them, but on him, that imposed them on us, who without doubt was the Father Almighty, without whose Providence, not a hair can fall from our heads, and therefore let us with Moses esteem his rebukes greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, 
Heb. two. 26.  having respect unto the recompense of the reward.  

1. ANd now, (O Saviour of the world!) how great a compass went'st thou in this act of our redemption, before thou didst bring it to this happy Period, from thy swathing to thy shrouding, from thy cold lying in a manger, to thy cold dying upon the Cross, what didst thou do and suffer? Nay, what didst thou not do and suffer for us.  
The work of our Creation was great, but this far greater. That was done with a Fiat, with the breath of thy mouth, thou speakest the Word and all was done; here was a miraculous conjunction of God and man in one person, maid and mother in another, when it was but begun, thy omnipotency indeed appeared in the first, but thy mercy and justice in the latter; such a work didst thou finish here, that neither Man, nor Angels, or thy deity alone could well accomplish.  
Oh! Thou that didst so much for us, teach us to do somewhat for thee. Thou that madest thyself a perfect victim for our sins, grant that we may sacrifice our sins, and mortify all carnal concupiscences, that so our souls and bodies may be offerings of a sweet smelling Saviour in thy Nostrils.  
Thou that didst conquer the Prince of this world, and all the enemies upon the Cross, assist us against the conflicts and temptations of our spiritual adversaries; save us from the roaring Lion, that he may never prevail; O thou, that art the Lion of the tribe of Judah.  
But because we are ignorant of ourselves, what to do aright, 
1 Cor. 12.6.  we pray thee guide us with thy Spirit; thou, 
Isa. 28.21.  who workest all in all, work thy work in us, and bring to pass thy act, thy strange act, whatever it be.  
Let us perform what thou requirest of us, and that is, let us do justly, show mercy, and walk humbly with thee, 
Mic. 6.8.  and walk humbly with thee, our God.  
Preserve thy Church, that issued from thy side on thy Cross; thou art her husband, (O Christ) save thy spouse, thou art her head, save thy body; protect her, as thine from infidels, heretics and schismatics; from bad men and Devils, from all errors and dangers.  
Make her (unto thyself) glorious, without spot or wrinkle; holy and without sin; 
Ephes. 5.7.  And though (like thee) she sorrows and suffers often, while militant here; yet make her triumphant (with thee) in the world to come.  
Let every member of her, profess thy name to the end with courage, and constancy, after thy glorious Examples: let us not be carried away from our duties to thee, with the vanities of the world, or the enticements of the flesh, or the suggestions of Satan.  
O thou that art immutable, without shadow of change Yesterday, to day and the same for ever; fix our fickle thoughts on thy fear, and establish thy holy Spirit within us, that we may always praise thee, who never ceasest to bless us.  
By the grace and merits of him, who finished the grand works of eternal redemption for us, living and dying, to save us, Lord, make us live and die thy servants, that we may be partakers of that happiness, which by his blood he hath purchased for us, in the Kingdom of Bliss. Amen.    

The seventh and last Word.  LUKE 23.43. 
Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit.  
ANd well might he call him Father, because he had merited the name of an obedient Son, to the last minute of his life; and therefore most worthy to gain attention. But here a doubt occures, what we are to understand by the hands of God? are we with the Anthropomorphites to ascribe the form and lineaments of man unto God, 
Theod. l. 4. c. 10.  as if he had eyes and ears, and hands, and other parts and faculties like unto us? far be it, for God is a spiritual substance, of an invisible and indivisible nature, without body, parts or passions, of infinite power, wisdom and goodness: but for the better explanation of this, and the like expression in holy Writ, we must make use of that known adage of the Hebrew Doctors, Lex loquitor linguam filiorum hominum. That is, the holy Ghost in the Scripture descends to the capacity of man, speaks man's language, that is, so, as he would be understood by man; and therefore presents him in the faculties of the mind of man, and in the lineament of the body of man, not that he hath really either of them, for he is a most pure and a most simple entity without any corpority, or composition. And so, the hands of God, do denote unto us, his wisdom and power, or which falls into one meaning, his intellect knowing all things, and his will enabling all things, for with these two, as it were two hands, God did all things. The will of God is his power; for all things whatsoever he would, he did in heaven and earth.  
My Spirit, There are divers significations of this word Spirit, in Scripture, which if not rightly apprehended, may occasion divers errors; it is spoken of God, or of Angels, or of men, or of inferior creatures. Of God, it is spoken sometimes Essentially, sometimes Personally. God is a Spirit, 
Jo. 4.24.  and they that worship him, must worship him in Spirit and truth. So also, 
Isai. 31.3.  So also, The Egyptians are men, and not Gods, and their Horse's flesh and not spirit; for if they were God, they were Spirit; so, God altogether, and considered in his essence, is a Spirit: but when the word Spirit is spoken not essentially of all, but personally of one, than that word designeth the holy Ghost. 
Matth. 28, 19  Go and baptise all in the Name of the Father, and Son, and the Holy Ghost. 
Rom. 8●. 6.  And the Spirit itself beareth witness, etc. And as of God, so of Angels also it is spoken in two respects of good Angels, sent forth to minister for them that shall be heirs of Salvation. And evil Angels, 
Heb. 1.14.  The lying Spirit that would deceive the King by the Prophet. 
1 Kin. 22.22. Hosea 4.8.  The spirit of whoredom, when the people asked counsel of their stocks: And spiritus virtiginis, the spirit of giddiness, or perversities which the Lord doth mingle amongst the people in his judgement. Of man also, is this word Spirit spoken two ways; sometimes for the Soul, sometime for those animal spirits which conserve us in strength and vigour, 
Job 6.4.  The poison of God's arrows drinketh up my spirit; and also for the superior faculties of the soul, in a regenerate man, as there, My Soul doth magnify the L●rd, and my spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour. 
Luke 1.47.  And then lastly, of inferior creatures, it is taken two ways too, of living creatures, The God of the Spirits of all flesh; 
Num. 16.22.  and of creatures without life (other than a metaphorical life) as of the wind often: 
Ez●k. 1.21.  And of ezekiel's wheels; the spirit of life was in the wheels.  
Now in this place, the Spirit of Christ may be taken either for his soul, which is the substantial form of the body, or for life itself; because spiration is a sign of life; and they that breath, live, and when the leave off to breath, they leave off to live. If by the spirit, we understand his soul, this caveat must be had; we must not imagine that danger impending to it, by leaving the body, as is usual to dying men, who commend their souls in pensive supplications, because they go to the Tribunal of the Great Judge, to receive glory, or punishment. Such a commend his soul needed not, because it was blest from its creation, as well in regard of its personal conjunction to the Son of God, as because it left the body in a glorious triumph, being a terror to whole Legions of devils. So that in this sense, the words imply no more, then that his soul which was formerly in the body, as in a Tabernacle, should be deposited in the hands of his father, until he be restored, when the time of restoring should come; but it is more credible, that by the spirit, is here understood the corporal life, as the meaning may be this; I do now deliver the spirit of life, by which I do leave off to breath, and leave off to live, and this spirit, this life, Father I commend to thee, that thou mayst shortly regive it to my body; for with thee nothing perisheth, but all things live, who by calling those things which are not, givest them a being, and those things which do not live, givest them a life.  
And this construction is most agreeable to the Psalmist: Pull me out of the net, 
Psal. 31.4.  that they have laid privily for me; for thou art my strength, into thy hands I commend my spirit. Where by spirit is meant life, for he humbly beseecheth the Almighty, not to suffer him to perish by the malice of his enemies, but that he would preserve his life; the like is evidenced out of those Apostolical words. 
Heb 5.7.  Who, in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared. These words cannot be referred to his prayer in the garden, as some interpret, for these, 
Mark 14.  the Lord prayed not with a loud voice, neither was he, nor would he be heard, that he might be safe from death, but to show that he had a natural desire not to die, thereby demonstrating himself to be a true man, whose nature abhors death; but they rather signify that he desired not to be swallowed up by death, and that he might only taste of it, and so return to life. And in that he was heard; for he was not long detained in the black vaults of the grave, but had a speedy and a glorious resurrection; So, that here the Lord was not troubled for his soul, for he knew that to be safe, as being beatified from its creation, by a vision of God face to face, but he was solicitous concerning his body, which seemed by the sting of death, to be disappointed of life, and therefore prays that it might not long remain under its tyranny, and in that his request was fully obtained.  
Here than we may satisfy those Heretics (such as the Cerdonites, the Euticheans, & the Manicheans were) which brought Christ upon the stage to play a part, and say he was born, and lived, and died in Phantasmate, in appearance only, and representation, and not really. For if he died not, where is the contract between him and his father, that Christ ought to suffer all this, and so enter into his Glory? is that contract void, and of none effect? where is the ratification of that contract in all the Prophets? wherefore doth Esay say, 
Esay. 5 3.4 9  Surely he hath born our sorrows, and he made his grave with the wicked in his death: where is the consummation, and the testification of all this? doth not the Gospel here say, And he bowed his head, and gave up the Ghost, immediately after this his last prayer? is that fabulous? God forbidden; in vain had we all been created, if we had not a regeneration in his true death. Christ truly died so as was contracted, so as was prophesied, so as was related. But this I may boldly affirm, that he did not die so, as other natural men die; for there is this distinction between them. Christ died because he would die; other men admitted to the dignity of Martyrdom are willing to die, but they die by the torment of the executioners, they cannot bid their souls go out, and say I will die, as he did: I lay down my life for my sheep, 
〈◊〉. 10.15, 17, 18.  says he: No man taketh it from me, I lay it down of myself: And De facto, he did lay it down, he diddye, before thetorments could have extorted it from him: Many crucified men lived many days upon the Cross: the thiefs were alive, long after Christ was dead; and therefore Pilate wondered that he was already dead: his soul did not leave his body by force, 
Mar. 15 44.  but because he would, when and how he pleased. Besides Christ was not subject to the law of death, which appertained only to them, who were derived from Adam, by carnal and sinful generation, he being miraculously conceived of a virgin, by the overshadowing of the holy Ghost, and being he was not involved in a general rebellion, and so had not incurred God's displeasure, it follows, that he was not involved in the general penalty, and so needed not to have died by the rigour of any law, as we must. And then when out of his own pleasure; and to advance our salvation, he would die, yet he died so, as that though there were a disunion of body and soul (which is truly death) yet there remained a nobler and faster Union, the Hypostatical Union of the Godhead, to his body and soul: to this I add death hath that dominion over men, that they have no power to raise themselves from it; Christ had, for even in spite of death he retained in Almighty power, and delivered his body and soul by a Victorious and Triumphant Resurrection. So then, as it is true, Christ Jesus died, else none of us could live; so he died not as others die: not by the necessity of any law, not by the violence of any executioner, nor by the separation of his best soul, (if I may so call it) the Godhead, nor by such a separation of his natural and humane soul, as that he would not, or could not, nor did not resume it again From what hath been premised, thou mayst learn, O man, First, How that Christ shown his Power, his Wisdom, and his Charity even then, when he seemed to be infirm and void of all consolation. They who naturally die, do by degrees lose their voice and strength, but he in the last passage of his dissolution, used a louder acclamation then formerly. And not only that, but as arguments of his further power, he caused the basis of the universe to tremble, the stones to be cleft, the Sepulchers to be opened, and the vail of the Temple to be disjointed. All which want not their several mysteries; as the earthquake and the Scision of the Rocks, signifieth that by the passion and death of Christ, men should be moved to repentance, and the obdurate hearts of the obstinate should be cut in pieces, as it appeared by those who went from this sad spectacle, 
Luk. 23.  striking their breasts; the apertion of the sepulchers, denote the glorious resurrection of the dead bodies, which were to be raised by virtue of his: The renting of the vail of the Temple, whereby the Sanctum Sanctorum did appear, did imply, that for the merits of Christ's death, the Celestial sanctuary should be opened, and that the holy should be admitted to enjoy the beatifical vision.  
Neither did he show his wisdom only, in these shadowy Mysteries, but also in that he produced life out of death, which was typified by Moses, when he made the water flow from the flinty rock: And Christ for the same cause compared himself to a grain of wheat, 
Numb. 20.8, 9  that dying fructifieth abundantly, 
Jo. 12.24.  for, as from the corruption of that grain sprouts a living stalk and ear, so from his death on the Cross issued a life of grace to many nations; as the first man being gulled with the sweet apple, infected his whole posterity with death, so the second man swallowing the most bitter apple of death, brought all, who were in him reborn, to eternal life. And what shall we say of his charity, which was divers ways wonderfully demonstrated at the instant of his death: His life, which was the most precious of all lives, the life of a King, the most powerful of all, the life of the wisest, and best of all, the life of God-man, he voluntarily laid down for his enemies, for the wicked, for the unthankful. From the flames of hell he frees them, that he might make them his brethren, and Coheirs, and impale them within the blessed territories of heaven. Is there any then so transported with cruelty to himself, and so insensible of his own good, as not to enbosome Christ with a thankful love? Is there any so negligent of his own eternity, as not to embrace him with a sweet recordation of his mercies? Lord melt our stony hearts, that they may take the impressions of such divine and unspeakable favours.  
2. Here offers itself also to our consideration the great obedience of our Saviour to his heavenly father, in this recommendation of his spirit, to his paternal protection, whereby is verified, what the Apostle says, 
Phil. 2.8.  That he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. It was so admirable, that it had its imitation from his very conception, and without intermission (like an indivisible line) lasted to his very death. Neither was it determinated to one kind of work, but extended to all those things, which it pleased his Father to command; to this do those expression of his tend, 
Jo. 4.34. Jo. 6.  It is my meat to do his will that sent me, and to finish his work. I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but his that sent me. And because (Quia per victimas aliena Caro, per obedientiam propria voluntas muctatur. Gregor. mor. l. 35. c. 11.) Obedience is the best of sacrifices, therefore as many works as he did, during his peregrination on earth, so many most pleasing sacrifices he offered to God Almighty. Hence such varieties of them; that sometimes we find him fasting in the desert, and lodging with wild beasts; sometimes in the frequency of men, eating and drinking; sometimes at home obscure, and silent, and that not for few years; sometimes glorious, as well in wisdom. as eloquence; and unclapsing his power of doing miracles; sometimes with great indignation, throwing the buyers and sellers out of the Temple: sometimes (as it were) weak, declining from the company of the multitude; all which did require the noble qualities of an excellent soul, which shown him no way subject to the sways of any passionate will of his own. And as he practised, so he taught the rule of perfect Obedience. He that will follow me, 
Mat. 16.24.  let him deny himself. Man must renounce his own, before he can submit to the will of Christ. The Celestial orbs do not resist the Angels that move them, whether they be driven to the East, or to the West, because they have no proper propensity, either to one part of the heavens, or to the other, and the Angels themselves are at God's beck, to observe all his mandates, because there is no repugnancy between their wills and his but seem to be so happily consolidated to him, as if they and he were but one spirit. And certainly if we will become Christ's true disciples, we must disband our own desires, and natural affections, and wholly resign ourselves to his dispose, and so become one with him.  
3. And lastly, We may make this benefit of this last prayer of the Lord, to use it, as a holy Ejaculation upon all emergencies, more especially at the hour of death; for if the soul, then leaving the body, falls into the clutches of the Devil, 
Ab inferis nulla redemptio.  there is no possibility of its redemption (for as the felicity of the Saints, so the torments of the damned are eternal) but if it happily comes into the paternal hands of God, the potency of enemies is not to be feared; but it will be reunited to the body, and (both of them) shall in the end enjoy a blessed and a glorious resurrection; And herein lies an ocean of comfort to all believers, for as Christ the head did rise, so shall every member of his mystical body be raised from corruption to incorruption, 
1 Cor. 15. 42, 43.  from dishonour to glory. It is storied of an Indian King, that when he had been Catechised so far in the articles of our Christian Religion, as to come to the suffered, and crucified, and dead, and buried, impatient of proceeding any father, asked only, is your God dead, and buried? then let me return to the worship of the Sun, for I am sure, that will not die, whereas if he had but the patience to learn the following Article, he might hear of his Triumphant Ascension into heaven, and sitting there in Majesty and power on God's right hand, all the consolation of a Christian consists in this principally, that after a troublesome warfare here, he shall be carried to Abraham's bosom, the Celestial Paradise, to the durable Jerusalem to his Master's joy, to an inheritance immortal, undefiled, reserved in the heavens, to a rest from his labours, and to behold the glory of God. O how it behoves each man then, to secure his interest in those felicities, and daily and hourly commend his soul to that God that made it. We are all careful enough when death approaches, to put our houses in order, and dispose of our temporals, but few take a thought for that which is spiritual. We had rather with King Asa seek to the Physician, then to the Lord, 
2 Chr. 16.  when seized with sickness; or with the Pharisees tithe mint and cummin, and leave the weighty Matters of the Law undone; but so we do but present God with maim, not perfect, with dead, not living sacrifices: Nothing can enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but what is pure and immaculate, and therefore our chiefest care should be, if we desire to have admission there, to prepare our souls by true faith, and timely repentance, without which our prayers and tears will nothing avail; for without holiness no man shall see the face of God. He made our souls spirits, let us not then make them carnal, by feeding on corrupt lust: He made them immortal, let us not murder them with our sins, and deprive them of eternal life. He made them noble and after his own image, let us not make them brutish and earthly, by doting on the pleasures, and vanities of this transitory world. For what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?  

TO thee therefore, O thou Father of our Spirits, do we make our humble addresses, that thou wouldst be pleased to be a Protector of our souls and bodies, both here and to all eternity.  
Thou art our Rock, and our Fortress, therefore for thy Names sake defend and guide us.  
We have no confidence in saints or Angels, for thou hast charged the best of them with folly, but in the multitude of thy mercies, for thou alone hast redeemed us, O Lord God of truth.  
Thou that didst show thy power in weakness, and shake the foundations of the earth, when suffering on thy Cross, make us to tremble through the horror of our sins, and to fear thy judgements for them, which we justly merit.  
As thou didst then cleave the Rocks, and rend the vail of thy sanctuary, so melt our stony hearts with the beams of thy grace, that they may receive the impressions of thy favours, and that we may enter into the Holy of Holies above, which thou hast prepared for thy chosen.  
The height of our love is but to lay down our lives for our dearest relations, but thou didst depose thy precious life for thy enemies that rebelled against thee.  
Lord who by thy active and passive obedience, wouldst leave nothing undone or unsuffered for our salvation, O teach us to obey thy word, to embrace thy metions & to practise what thou commandest  
Let our wills be wholly resolved into thine, and make us conformable to thee; as thy saints and angels in heaven are.  
We confess, Lord, that the wages of sin is deaeth, and that we justly deserve to be reduced to our first nothing, but O let not death, which is the work of the devil, have dominion over thy creatures, who are the work of thine own hands.  
Before we receive a summons to our end, we pray thee furnish us with all requisite graces, that we may be clothed with the wedding garment of holiness and righteousness, to meet thee the sweet Bridegroom of our souls.  
Let us not commend unto thee foul & sinful spouses, but clean and sorrowful spirits; for thou despisest not, Lord, humble and contrite hearts.  
At the hour of death, Lord, speak comfortably to our souls, and seal in our hearts by thy holy Spirit, the pardon of all our sins.  
Assist us with thy presence against all the assaults of our spiritual adversaries for if thou wilt be with us, we shall neither fear nor feel any evil, though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death.  
And grant, that though our souls and bodies be separated by death for a short space, they may be reunited at thy great day, and by virtue of thy Resurrection, be raised to live in thy ever blessed eternity.  
Grant this for his sake who lived and died, and risen again for our salvation, Jesus Christ. Amen.    
FINIS.