HEBDOMADA MAGNA: OR THE GREAT WEEK OF CHRIST'S PASSION.  
Handled by way of Exposition upon the fourth Article of the Apostles Creed; He suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead, buried.  
By John Crompe, Master of Arts of C. C. C. in Cambridge, and Vicar of Thornham in Kent.  
First preached in his Parish Church, and now enlarged as here follows for more public use.  Galat. 6.14. 
God forbidden that I should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me: and I unto the world.  
Haec nostra sapientia est, probe sentire quanti constiterit Dei filio nostra salus.  
LONDON, Printed by Stephen Bulkley, for Henry Twyford, and are to be sold at the three Daggers in Fleetstreet, near the Inner-Temple-Gate. 1641.   

TO THE High and Mighty PRINCE, CHARLES, PRINCE of WALES.  
Most Gracious Prince,  
IT is reported in the Ecclesiastical History, That when that admirable Amphilochius (as Theodoret styles him) Metropolitan of Lycaonia, 
L●b. 5. c. 16.  had supplicated the Emperor Theodosius; Ut Arrianorum coetus ex urbibus ejicerentur, i. e. That the Congregations of the Arrians, might ●e thrust out of the Cities; And that the Emperor (as thinking it somewhat an unreasonable request) had denied his suit; How that the said Amphilochius was silent for a time; Excogitata admirabili arte: Having besought himself of another device, whereby to bring his purpose and design to pass. And that was this; He coming not long ●●er to the Court and presence of the Emperor; and s●ying Arcadius the young Prince (and lately designed Caesar) standing by him, Ipsum quidem Imperatorem de more salutavit, nullo honore habito filio, i. e. He saluted only the Emperor himself, according to his accustomed manner, giving no honour nor respect at all unto the Son. Which the Father observing, and supposing it to be only forgetfulness in Amphilochius: He puts him in mind of it, and bids him to approach near unto his Son also, ipsumque osculari, and to greet him too, as well as he had done the Father. To which Amphilochius replies; That it was sufficient that he had tendered his respect and done his duty to himself. Whereat the Emperor being moved, changes his former opinion; and thinks now, the neglect of the Son to be no less, no other, than an affront offered to the Father. Which alteration of mind, together with change of countenance; when Amphilochius had found to be in Theodosius: He unmaskes himself, Et propositum sui facti declaravit; by manifesting the drift of his former carriage. Nam cum clamore (as the Historian speaks) For even with clamour and loud crying, He thus spoke unto the Emperor: Itane fers graviter neglectionem filii tui, etc. Dost thou so grievously and heinously take the neglect of Thy Son, and art so vehemently enraged against those that show themselves contumacious and contumelious towards him? Why then assure thyself that Almighty God hates likewise those that blaspheme and derogate from the honour of His Son; yea, and is as angry and enraged as thou canst be against them that show themselves so unthankful and ungrateful to their most loving Saviour and Redeemer. Which speech and carriage of Amphilochius, when the Emperor had well both observed and admired, Legem statim scribit qua Haereticorum coetus prohiberentur; He presently decrees against the said Heretical Assemblies.  
Now that which I would observe (most Illustrious Prince) out of this History to my present purpose, is no more but this. That whereas the neglect of doing Divine honour by Theodosius to the Son of God, occasioned the neglect of civil honour to be done to Arcadius, the Son of the Emperor: I infer, that by the rule of contraries, all civil honour that can possibly be devised, is to be given to the Son of our Caesar, our Emperor, by whom so much divine honour is so readily and hearty yielded to the Son of God. For who that is not supercilious and squint eyed towards his goodness, seethe not? or maliciously bend against his honour and greatness, acknowledgeth not; that our Christian and most Religious King, Defender of the true, Ancient, Catholic and Christian Faith; honoureth the Son of God many ways? As first, in his Christian Laws and edicts; and secondly, in his Christian life and conversation. In the former whereof, as he may be a Precedent to all Christian Princes: so in the later, a pattern to all Christian people. So that we which are his Subjects, especially, if in the one we will not (or cannot in all things) obey him commanding; yet in the other, we should strive to imitate and follow him, preceding and proceeding in the ways of godliness, and Religion before us.  
Next in his reverend and zealous comportment of himself, as well in his public as more retired devotions. As also in his Christian Impreze upon his Coin (CHRISTO AUSPICE REGNO) professing therein to reign and rule only by the conduct and guidance of this Son of God.  
In all which particulars and many more, which might be enumerated, since our Gracious Sovereign doth so far strive and manifest himself to profess to honour the Son of God: I say, that we ought all of us in our several callings, to strive likewise in a thankful remembrance thereof, to honour the Son of our Sovereign: laying at his feet as prostrate before him, even our Persons, our Prayers, our pains, our wits, our wills, our works, our affections, our actions, our acclamations; yea, our looks, our loves, our labours, and if need require, our lives also to do Him service.  
The consideration whereof hath thrust me forward (most Mighty Prince) though the meanest of many thousands of my profession in our Israel, which are ready to tender, some their gold, others their frankincense, and others their myrrh, of all manner their learning and devotions and contemplations in this kind, to your sacred name) to come with my mite also, and to cast it into this treasury of your honour, to make the heap thereof a little the more heavy: not by the weight or worth of the offering; but by the zeal and true affection to your name and same, of him that brings it; who although I am a mere stranger to your highness by face: yet hope as a subject to your Royal Father, and a servant in the Ministry of the Gospel to your God, to find so much interest in your Princely favour, as to patronise and protect this succeeding Discourse. Yet neither for the Authors, but the Subjects sake: nor the manner of handling, but matter contained in it. In which you shall find a Week of sorrows to our blessed Saviour, which shall procure a world of joys to your Righteous soul: by being a means after all your joys ended in this life, to translate you from a corruptible inheritance and Title to a Crown here, to an Inheritance and possession of a Crown immortal, and which fadeth not away in the Land of the living. Which shall ever be the earnest and hearty Prayer unto Almighty God of  
Your most devoted Suppliant and humble Orator JOHN CROMPE.   


He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was Crucified, Dead, Buried.  
HAving in my former Treatise (Beloved) discoursed at large, as well concerning the conception as the birth of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, out of those two foregoing Articles of the Apostles Creed; He was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and borne of the Vi gi'en Mary: I am come now in the next place, by the order and course of the same, to treat of his sufferings under Pontius Pilate, and his crucifying, death and burial. For so speaks the fourth Article, He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified dead, buried.  
Where the first thing that in my judgement, will require satisfaction, is this; Why the holy Apostles, or whosoever else they were that joined these Articles together, and made a sum of belief of them; did make so large a leap, as to pass so immediately and directly from the first act of his life to the last, from his being borne of the Virgin Mary to his sufferings under Pontius Pilate: especially seeing the holy Evangelist speaks of many passages of his life in the interim and betwixt these, that are very remarkable and worthy, not only of our observation but our contemplation also and belief. And it is answered by one thus. Optimè à nativitate ad ejus passionem & mortem fit transitu ubi perfectè salutis nostrae summa sita ●st. The transition from his birth to his death and passion was most fitting and convenient for this reason, because therein especially consisteth and is placed the sum and substance of our Salvation, Nihil enim nobis nasci profuisset, nisi & redemisset; as he goes on out of Saint Gregory: His birth would have profited us nothing, if his redemption of us had not followed and succeeded. So that to suffer and die for the sins of mankind, was a chief, though not the only end of his incarnation; which occasioned the worthy Authors and disposers of this short sum of our Christian belief, to pass from one substantial head and point unto another; especially from his conception and birth, to his passion, resurrection and ascension, with all celerity and expedition, leaving all other circumstantial parts and passages of his life to their Sermons and other larger discourses.  
Which course likewise Saint Paul himself followed as is plainly to be seen in his Epistle to the Philippians. Where when he had described and set down Christ's nativity and birth; he presently thereunto adjoins his death, as fetching and deriving from thence the chief fruit and profit of our redemption. His words (speaking of Christ) are these. He made himself of no reputation, but took on him the form of a servant, and was made like unto man, and found in shape as a man: here he speaks of his Nativity; and then in the next words, subjoins: He humbled himself and became obedient unto the death, even the death of the Cross. There follows his passion, Phil. 2.7, 8. Verses.  
Yea, and the holy Evangelists themselves seem not to differ much from this method and order neither, in that they are so exact and punctual in setting down all circumstances; first concerning his conception and birth, and then afterwards of his sufferings and death; whereas they pretermit and pass over many act●ons of his life, as Saint John confesseth plainly; in saying, There are many other things which Jesus did, the which if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the World itself could not contain the Books that should be written, John 21.25.  
As if his very Incarnation and all other actions of his life, together with his preaching, and entire and perfect obedience to the wh●le Law, and the like, tended only to the redemption of mankind by his death and passion, as to their chief and last end: answerable to that also of Saint Paul elsewhere; When the fullness of time was c●me, God sent forth his Son made of a woman, and made under the Law: where ye see his incarnation birth and obedience expressed: But to what purpose? why, that follows in the next words (viz.) To redeem them that were under the Law; that is, by his death and passion, Gal. 4.4, 5. Verses.  
And thus you see, how the conception of Christ, first is directed to his birth and incarnation; and that next to his death and passion, as to their first and last end: Primum in intention, etiamsi ultimum in executione; First in intention, though last in execution. So that our Creed ye see passes over all the obedience of our Saviour's life, as being nothing else but a step only to his death and passion, by which especially our redemption is purchased and procured. As much as to say, let men lay hold by a lively faith on these, and then doubt not but all other circumstances shall and will concur to their future bliss and happiness eternally, in the land of the living.  
And so this question being thus resolved, I proceed in the next place to the handling of the words themselves as they lie in the Article. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, buried.  
In which words, for methods sake, I will observe only these two circumstances, Quis & Quid, who and what. Who, He, or which; what, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, buried. And I will begin with the latter first, as being the larger subject, reserving the former to conclude at the latter end, as requiring the deeper and the longer search.   

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, buried.  
HEre ye see, beloved, sundry Circumstances expressed and set down, which to handle at large according to their weight and urgency, would require even the least of them more time then at the first I proportioned to myself for the whole: But because they are the common and ordinary subjects of many, if not most Sermons, I shall be the briefer in them: Yet I will handle each circumstance apart, and begin with them according to their order in the Credit d. As fi●st of the first, He suffered under Pontius Pilate, etc.  
And here I may for an entrance take occasion, without any great digression from my intended scope, to discourse of all his sufferings from his birth to his burial, f●om his Cradle to his Cross, from his very infancy till his dying day; and show how that tota ejus vita Crux fuit acerbissima, his whole life was nothing else but a martyrdom, a continual suffering in one kind or other; Habens in factis observatores, in verbis contradictores & in tormentis illusores, as Saint Bernard speaks, Having envious and malicious observers of his deeds, spiteful and hateful contradictors of his words; yea, scornful and reproachful scoffers at his miseries and afflictions. In regard whereof some do apply that saying of the Spouse in the Canticles unto him, when she calls and styles her beloved, Fasciculum myrrhae, A bundle of Myrrh, Cant. 2.12. Not only because Myrrh was wont to be used in the sacrifices of the old Law, but also because the body of Christ was so embalmed before his burial, as we may see John 19.39, & 40. Verses. Or because the Jews, even just before his Crucifying, dederunt ei bibere vinum Myrrhatum, gave him Wine to drink mingled with Myrrh, Mark 15.23. which, as Cyrill saith, Fellis instar amara est, 
●at●ei●●si 13  is even as bitter as gall.  
But I must confess that Mercerus a learned expositor upon the place doth not approve of the bundle of Myrrh in this sense, but acknowledging Quòd quidam nostrorum, etc. that some did so expound it, upon the same reason, yet concludes himself, That Nil necesse est, etc. there was no need of such an interpretation: But saith he, simplex s●nsus est, etc. the plain meaning of the place is, that the Spouse saith, her b●loved was most sweet and grateful unto her, even as a bundle of Myrrh is pleasing and delightful to the sent; and he adds his reason too, because Christus in ecclesiam odores spargit suavissimos, etc. Christ doth as it were strew sweet odours of his gifts and graces upon his Church and chosen.  
But beloved, the truth is, it may safely be taken and expounded in both senses: For Myrrh may be said, after a sort, to resemble the Physicians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, it is both bitter and sweet; sweet in the smell, bitter in the taste. And so is the sacrifice of ●hrist, sweet in the offering, bitter in the suffering; sweet in the nostrils of God his Father that enjoined it, that accepts it, and sweet unto his spouse the Church, i. e. the whole number of his faithful ones, wheresoever dispersed throughout the whole world, for whom it was performed, and to whose comfort it is applied: in regard whereof she hath reas●n to say as follows in the text; inter ub●ra mea commorabitur, he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts; in the same verse: Yet it is bitter, yea, most bitter unto him that for his sake is content to sustain and endure it. Which diversity of the apprehension and relish, (as I may so speak) of the sacrifice of Christ, is by one well expressed after this manner, when he says, Patitur Christus, & ex hoc dolour; patitur pro nobis, & ex hoc laetitia; patitur ad suam mortem ut videatis hominem; patitur ad nostram vitam ut ametis Deum; patitur in cruse, ecce miseriam; patitur ut resurgat, ecce gloriam. And as well Englished by another, a Divine modern Poet of our own: (truly I am sure, whether intentionally or no, I know not) in this sort: 
Christ suffers, and in this his tears begin; 
C. Flet●●●. Po●●●. 〈◊〉 Ci● s●. Triumph.   
Suffers for us, and our joy springs in this;  
Suffers to death, here is his manhood seen;  
Suffers to rise, and here his godhead is, etc.   
And thus you see how Christ our blessed Saviour may be said to be a bundle aswell of bitter as of sweet myrrh. A sweet bundle to his heavenly Father a●d his beloved spouse the Church: but a bitter bundle to himself, in regard of his continual sufferings, which were so knit and bound together throughout the whole course of his life, that there was no intermission or release betwixt them; and therefore justly termed and styled a bundle.  
If therefore Solomon could say of man in general, That, cuncti dies ejus del●ribus & aerumnis pleni; All his days are sorrows and his travail grief, as Eccles. 2.23. Then much more might the Prophet say of this man in particular, that he was, Vir dolorum & sciens infirmitates, Esay 53.3. (i. e.) A man so composed of sorrows, as that he had a taste and sense of all humane infirmities: I mean, all that were natural, not sinful. And that together with our nature, he took all that belonged thereunto, sin only excepted, as all our weaknesses, our wants, our sicknesses, our sores, our griefs, our sorrows, yea, all our common infirmities, though not Personal defects both of body and soul; as is solidly discussed and plainly proved by a learned Tutor of mine preaching upon the same subject: 
D. Sa. 〈◊〉.  The Life and Death of Jesus Christ: whither I refer you for further satisfaction in this point.  
But I take the meaning of the Creed to stretch no farther then to those great and grand sufferings that went immediately before his crucifying on the Cross, because it says, He suffered under Pon●ius Pilate: that is, in the time of his jurisdiction, and by authority derived from and under him, so that whatsoever things were publicly done and acted against him about this time and by this means, are properly hereto be handled, and no more. For the name of Pontius Pilate is not here mentioned, ad personae dignitatem, 
S●● 81. de 〈◊〉.  sed ad temporis significationem, as Saint Austin speaks, That is, not for any honour or credit given or intended to be given to the person; but only to express and declare the time of Christ's suffering here mentioned and set down. For he was Judge, Governor, Deputy, President, Viceroy, or whatsoever else you please to call such a Magistrate, as had the supreme authority of life and death at this time in the land of Jury, Judea, and in the City of Jerusalem; where Christ was to, and did suffer death upon the Cross, for the sins of the whole World: although indeed his said authority were but subordinate and derived from the Roman Empire. For you must know beloved, that Jerusalem at this time, was in bondage with her children, i. e. in servitude and subjection to the Emperor of Rome: Who as he had under his government the most part of the neighbouring world, and bordering countries round about him: so among the rest this country of the Jews in which Jerusalem stood, commonly called and known by the name of Judea or the land of Jewry. Now as our King of England hath his Deputies, Precedents, and Governors in Scotland, Ireland, Virginia, and other places of his more remote Jurisdictions and Dominions, where he is not personally resident himself: so the Emperor at this time, had the like in his several Provinces abroad. And amongst the rest, Pontius Pilate in this City and Country where Christ now suffered and was put to death; and therefore is it said, He suffered under Pontius Pilate, (that is) at that time, when Pontius Pilate was the Precedent of the place, and before whom he was convented, arraigned, condemned, and the like.  
Which beloved, was a very necessary circumstance to be known, ne ex aliqua parte, velut vaga & incerta, gestorum traditio vacillaret, 
In lo●um.  saith Ruffinus, Lest the minds of men should stagger and waver at the report and tradition of their do and Christ's sufferings: if in the smallest circumstance they were left doubtful and uncertain. And therefore it was thought fit not to be omitted, by the compilers and composers of the Creed, as well for the confutation and conviction of the Jews that would not believe in him, as the confirmation and settling of Faith in the hearts of the Gentiles, unto whom they were to preach him and proclaim him: in that they were able, and did so punctually design the time, and place, and person under whom he suffered such and such things: as conventing, arraigning, condemning, buff●ting, beating, railing at, reviling, mocking, scoffing, scorning, scourging, crucifying, dying, burying, and the like. All which and a great deal more he suffered under Pontius Pilate, as I shall have occasion at large to show you in the sequel of this discourse.  
To omit therefore the baseness of his birth, and the manifold miseries of his whole life, wherein he took upon him the shape, not only of a servant, as Saint Paul saith, Phil. 2.7. ut subesset, that so he might be in subjection: but also of a sinner; mali servi, ut vapularet: that is, of an evil servant, that so he might suffer correction, as Saint Bernard. Both which are expressed together by the Prophet when he says; Fecisti me servire in peccatis, Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, Esay 43.24. Let us a ●ittle consider of the time only and manner of his death; wherein most especially he may be said to suffer under Pontius Pilate. And herein, howsoever I shall be able to say no more for substance, than what you heard read unto you in the forenoon out of the Gospel for this day: 
Palm Sunday.  yet by a little amplifying and aggravating the circumstances, it may so fall out, that your affections may be moved and stirred to suffer a little in your souls with him, that suffered so much bo●h in soul and body too for you. And in my weak handling of these great passions of our most great Lord and Master; Inspiret, aspiret qui p●ssus est; he that suffered such things for me, I beseech him to be assistant unt● me, and to strengthen me. And as Saint chrysostom upon the same occasion bespoke his auditors, so let me you: 
Ser. 6. Fer. 5. Pas.  Orate fratres ut dignatione qa● passus, passionis suae revelet arcanum: pray with me O my brethren unto this our blessed Saviour and Redeemer; that as he hath vouchsafed to suffer for us, so he would likewise vouchsafe to reveal the secrets and mysteries of his said sufferings unto us; that so by my unfolding, and your apprehending of them, his name may be glorified and our souls saved at the day of Judgement.  
To begin then with the treason of Judas. He suffered in that first, that one of his own company, his own society; one that was numbered among his twelve Apostles, and had fellowship with them, as Acts 2.17. should become an agent, and an instrument to betray and de●iver him into the hands of his enemies. So that it was not a Disciple only, but an Apostle; not one of the Seventy, but one of the Twelve, that wrought this mischief towards him: Quod auget delictum detestabile proditoris, saith chrysostom: which increases aswell the sin of the traitor, as the sufferings and sorrows of our Saviour: In regard that the Seventy were neither so near nor de●re unto him; as he goes on; not so f rre entrusted with his secrets and inward counsels and decrees as the Apostles the twelve were; they being as it were his tried men; his ●aterva rega●is, as he styles them: (i. e.) his regal and royal company: I mean, that royal Priesthood, and chosen generation, which Saint Peter speaks of, 
1 P●t. 2.9.  in whom he had already began to build and to lay the foundation of his Church. Of which number to have one prove a Traitor, it is no marvel if it make the Kingly Prophet (his type in this) to complain, saying, It was my familiar friend whom I trusted, and which did eat of my bread, that hath lifted up his heel against me, Psal. 41.9. And to show that this very circumstance did aggravate and make an addition to his sufferings, as I say, he goes on in his complaint yet further, after this manner; If it had been an open enemy that had done me this dishonour, why then I could have borne it, or if mine adversary had magnified himself against me, why then peradventure I would have hid myself from him but it was thou my companion and my familiar friend, which took sweet counsel together with me, and we walked in the house of God as friends, Psal 55.12, 13, 14. Verses. Which must need● be the greater grief, the greater pain unto me. For indeed, Illud amicitiae sanctum & venerabile nomen, The name of a friend is, and aught to be the most venerable and sacred name amongst us; among all sorts, all societies of men: Sine quo pater, mater, uxor, filii, affines; quid nisi vana nomina? without which the names of Father, Mother, Wife, Children, Kinsfolk, and the like, are but vain and empty titles. And therefore saith one, Amicum me dici malo quam patrem: I desire not so much to be accounted a Father, as a Friend: Patres enim sine benevolentia invenia● multos, sine hac amicum nullum. For it is too easy a matto find many Fathers, some that are not kind, others that wish not well unto their Children; whereas there is none, that is not, that doth not so unto his friend: Because indeed, Amicus est alter ego: A friend is a man's otherselfe, nearer unto him then either marriage or natural kindred, of the same bed or the same blood. For love, true love, without these Ceremonies and respects, is the more to be admired, and so by consequent the more to be esteemed: yea, dearer to a man (saith one) then either his arms or legs, as being indeed his whole body and soul together, answerable to that also of the Scripture: Or thy friend which is as thine own soul: Deut 13.6. For, verae amicitiae proprium est (saith Granatensis) unam mentem, unamque animam in duobus esse corporibus: It is a most true property of true friendship, to have but one heart and one soul in two several and divided bodies. Et idem velle, idemque nolle (as he goes on) ea demum firma amicitia est: That being true friendship indeed, when a man is ready to will and not to will according to the necessity and occasion of his friend.  
Now Christ for his part had performed all the offices of such a friend unto Judas, he had called him to be his Apostle, made him his friend, his familiar, caused him to eat of his bread, fit at his table, suffered him to be of his own mess, and to dip his hand in the dish with him. And if Saint Augustine's intelligence be good; and his tradition true: He had farther delivered him often from death, and for his sake healed his Father of a palsy, and cured his mother of a leprosy, borne with many sins in him; as with theft, envy, incest, Et post Petrum plurimum honoravit, and next to Peter, honoured him above all other his Apostles. All which the Father says of him; 
Serm. 28.  but upon what ground, I know not: Howsoever upon sure grounds we may add, as he doth: Quod bursarium illum fecit, that he made him his pursebearer, kissed him, washed his feet, gave him in the Sacrament, his own body to eat, and his own blood to drink. Because these particulars of love and friendship towards him, the holy Scriptures do testify and avow of him. And therefore for Judas thus to violate the band of friendship towards such a friend, as had done all these things for him; and would (if he had found him worthy) have done a great deal more: Yea, that band which hath been always held so sacred, as not to be violated upon any terms, not only amongst Christians, but amongst the grossest Heathens and profanest Nations whatsoever. Why in doing this, I say as he hath added one circumstance, one degree to the sorrows, to the sufferings of Christ: so many more, I fear not to affirm, to the increase of his own sin, his own transgression: For there can be no greater sin than the sin of perfidiousness, and ingratitude to a faithful friend. Which made Jonathan, that he would not betray David his friend; no, not to his own Father, 1 Sam. 1.20. And therefore for Judas to do this, he shown, Quod majus peccatum habuit, that he had the greater sin, as his Master himself said of him, John 19.11. in that he was Ingratissimus hominum, as one saith; the most ingrateful and unthankful wretch among the sons of men. No other, no better than the very Snake or Serpent which the Fable speaks of, whom the Countryman in a time of frost and snow finding almost dead and starved with cold, brings home with him into his own house, and lays him by the fire side: Sensitque pro hospite hostem mox ut is incaluit ac resumpsit vires, who so soon as by the heat and warmth of the fire he was a little revived, and began to recover strength, instead of a thankful guest, proved an enemy ready to destroy him and his by stinging them to death. Which now (beloved) is no more a Fable, but a Story; no Tale, but a Truth, answerable to that Prophecy of Jacob concerning his Son Dan (of which Tribe it is said by some, that Judas was borne) that he should be a Serpent by the way and an Adder by the path, etc. Gen. 49.17. Or if yet a Fable, why then in stead of Lupus, it is Judas in Fabul●. For Christ is this Husbandman, who hath nourished and cherished up Judas, as in his own bosom; and Judas is this Serpent, that upon the first overture and opportunity stings and destroys Christ unto death. Blanditur coram, mordet absens, pollicetur amicum, praestat hostem: as Erasmus speaks of an Hypocrite in an other kind. 
Epist.  He fawns upon him to his face, and betrays him behind his back; seems a friend, proves an enemy; crying to the Jews, What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you?  
Et utinam Judas solus sic peccasset, saith chrysostom: It were well for the world, especially the children of God, that for a time must live in it; that Judas alone were in such transgression, that there were no more perfidious and treacherous persons in it besides himself. At Deus, bone quam plenus est hic mundus hujusmodi proditorum? nemo ab his securus, as he goes on: But O good God, how full is the world of such miscreants; so that no good man is free from them: But, tuta frequensque via est per amici fallere nomen, It hath ever been accounted both a safe and a beaten way, under the colour of friendship to betray the innocent into the hands of their enemies. David had his Achitophel; 
2 Sam. 16. Judges 9 2 Sam. 4. Judges 16.  the Schechemites their Abimeleck; Ishbosheth his Baanah, and Rechab: Samson his Dalilah; Abel his Cain; Joseph his Brethren; and Christ his Judas. But, Foelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum; Happy shall those men be, whom these men's harms shall teach to beware of the like foul transgressions. For frost and fraud (as it is in the Proverb) have ever had, and ever shall have ill ends: as it will appear by the most of these. For Judas and Achitophel hanged themselves. Abimeleck had first a piece of a millstone cast upon him by a woman, which broke his brainpan: And because he would not have it said that a woman slew him, he commanded afterward that his own Page should thrust him through with his sword. 
2 Sam. 4.12.  Baanah and Rechab were slain by the commandment of David; and having their hands and feet cut off, were hanged up over the Pool in Hebron. And for Cain, he was accursed; and became a vagabond, and a runagate upon the earth: Gen. 4.11, 12. And as it is said by some, was afterward shot to death by Lamech; supposing him to have been a wild beast. And thus you see how the vengeance of Heaven, and just judgements of God have ever overtaken and befallen such hypocritical and dissembling Traitors: by whose fearful examples, I wish (I say) all others to take heed and beware. And so I dismiss the first circumstance in the treason of Judas; that he was one of Christ's own company, and a seeming friend.  
A second Circumstance may be this; That he did it, 
Hon. ● de prod. In ●  nulla necessitate constrictus, as chrysostom speaks; not constained thereunto through any necessity, neque invitatus à principibus sace●dotum, nor so much, nay indeed not at all upon urgency and persuasion of their part: sed spoute processit, but upon a voluntary offer of his own; going of himself unto the chief Priest, and saying, What will you give and I will deliver him unto you? Matth. the 26.14, 15. In regard whereof, he shows himself to be the worst of Traitors; in that he is Spontaneus rather then Quasitus, 
Chrysost. ●oco citat.  he was not pressed into the service, but was only a volunteere; Propria malignitate consilium genuit sceleratae mentis, nullo participe convocato; as the Father goes on: his Treason towards his Master, proceeding from himself, from his own inbred corruptions of covetousness, and malice, rather than from the external provocation and enticement of the adversary, or any other. For if they had sought out him, and had put him upon the employment, requesting his help and assistance in such a kind, it might have excused him à tanto, etiamsi non à toto; in part, though not in whole, from the filth and foulness of such a fault, it being not altogether so bad (though bad enough) to become a follower, as a leader, in this or in any sin. But the truth is, his enemies seem not so forward, or desirous to take him, as this false friend to betray him; and therefore he goes out unto them, without either counsel, or advise of any other, save of his own lewd heart; and says, What will ye give me, etc. answerable to that of David, When thou sawest a Thief, thou didst run with him: Psal. 50.18. yea, Thy feet are swift to evil, and thou makest haste to shed innocent blood, thy thoughts are wicked thoughts, desolation and destruction are in thy ways; saith the Prophet, Isaiah 59.7. That is, thou intendest such things to others; but the truth is, they in the end will light upon thine own pate; and the pit thou diggest for another, thou wilt fall into thyself: as the Wise man affirmeth, Prov. 26.27.  
And therefore let not men be too forward and hasty in wicked and sinful courses, especially in treasons and treacherous designs, either against Christ himself, or any others that are in any kind anointed of the Lord; as are Kings, Priests, and Prophets: but let them advise warily, and look charily to themselves, before they go on. For howsoever the title of a volunteere be honourable in a good cause, showing men's freeness and forwardness thereunto; yet in such traitorous and treasonable practices, as this of Judas, and all other base and bad actions and expeditions whatsoever, it is ignoble and inglorious.  
But Judas sin and our Saviour's suffering stays not, stints not here; for the truth is, the Traitor hath a bag; and if that be empty, it is little worth: and therefore his Master must be sold, that so he may have something wherewithal to fill it. For, 
Ser. 15.  Anima ejus febricitat curis, ut sacellus iste impleatur nummis; as Saint Austin speaks of the covetous in general: His soul is even sick with care, until his satchel be filled with coin. And rather than it shall continue so long, he will Perdere fidem, ut acquirat aurum; He will get and acquire gold, though he let slip and lose his faith: and therefore cries out unto the Priests, Quid mihi dabitis? What will you give me? and I will deliver him unto you. Oh the wickedness, the wretchedness of this base sin of covetousness! which makes those that are possessed with it, not to startle at the most horrid acts, that either the malice of an enraged and infernal Devil can invent; or the sinfulness of man's corrupted and depraved nature perpetrate and commit: the least hope of gain being thought title just enough, and armour strong enough for all; either injurious, traitorous, or murderous assaults, and the fruition thereof held a sufficient recompense and reward of all such impious and diabolical designs. And therefore no marvel if the Holy Ghost have taught us by the pen of the Apostle: That covetousness is the root of all evil, 1 Timothy 6.10. 
Ser. 11. in Cap. 6. ad Rom. Mor.  Propter hanc enim (saith chrysostom) naturae leges invertuntur, cognationis jura pelluntur, atque ipsius humanae su●stantiae justa debita corrumpuntur. That is, For this the Laws of nature are inverted, the rights of alliance and friendship perverted, and the just deuce of our humane substances and beings corrupted. The tyranny of money urging and constraining us to lift up our violent hands not only against the living but the dead too; as he further insisteth and proveth in the same place: Yea, and for this, not only Cities and Countries, but Highways, Mountains, Hills, and Woods: Orbis etiam inhabitabilis sanguine seatent & caedibus: Yea, the very inhabitable World itself, do abound with murders and bloodshed. Because indeed, as the Poet saith, Rem faci●as, remsi possis recte, si non, quocunque modo rem. Means and moneys must be be had, Legally if it may be, but if not, by any means whatsoever, Jure vel injuria; be it by right or wrong. So fearful a sin is Covetousness, making a man to become, Iniquum in deum, in proximum, in seipsum, injurious and unjust, not only against his neighbour and himself, but against his God too: For usque ad mortem domini, amor lucri se ingerit, nec vitae salvatoris quaestus desiderium pareit, That is, the love of profit puts forth itself even to the death of the Lord, neither doth the desire of gain spare the life of the very Saviour of the World. And therefore our Saviour's advice and charge to his followers is, Cavete ab avaritia, beware of Covetousness, Luke 12.25. Which counsel, if his Apostle Judas had well heeded and followed, he never would have come here, with his Quid dabitis? What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?  

V●ncent. Br●mi. medit.  But O scelerate negotiator, as one styles him; what a wicked Merchant is this? Qui aestimas illum nummis, qui aestimari non potest: To set a price, a value of money upon him, whose excellency is unvaluable; as it is said of a faithful friend such as he was, Eccles. 6.15. in the last Translation (or if you desire it rather in the vulgar Latin) which is as well to our present purpose: Cui non est digna ponderatio auri & argonti: The weight of Gold and Silver is not to be compared to him: (the same place in the Genevah.) Nay to esteem so vilely and so basely of him, as to set no rate, no value upon him at all; but to refer the price to the pleasure of the purchasers: Quid dabitis? What will you give? which is all one (if you transpose the words, you shall find it so) as to say; Give what you will, so as you give something, and I will deliver him unto you. Oh! it was never heard before, that he that was a seller (although never so petty a chapman) would give the buyer leave to set the price upon his wares; Nisi de re nullius pretii agatur (saith mine Author) unless it were of such wares, as were not worth the buying. And so surely, Judas did est●eme of Christ, or else he would never have been thus base to have exposed him to sale as at an outcry, Quid dabitis? What will you give? What is this, but as the Prophet speaketh: To sell the righteous for silver, and the poor for shoes; Amos 2.6. Nay which is worse, to sell a Saviour at a lower price than a pair of shoes; if both the shoes and the penny too were rated as in these days: a goodly price to have him valued at, as another Prophet exclaims, Zachariah 10.13. But O Judas! thou dost little consider, that one drop of his blood that thou sellest at so low a rate, is sufficient to redeem and purchase infinite Worlds, yea, and thine own soul too; if thou wert not worse than an Infidel, a revolting, despairing Apostata and backslider from thy first faith. But I have undertaken to express and aggravate, rather the sufferings of Jesus, than the sins of Judas, and therefore I must not dwell here, only a few words more for use and application, and so I will finish this point.  
Here first then let us take occasion to contemplate, and admire the infinite mildness, meekness, and mercifulness of our blessed Saviour, in that knowing himself to be thus ignominiously and basely betrayed and sold by this cursed Caitiff, yet doth not cast him off, not expel him his society, nay doth not so much as Prodere proditorem, not once bewray him to his fellow Apostles, till he was urged and increated to do it, and then but very closely and covertly, without naming him, too; but suffers him still to continue quietly in his company as one of his own followers and familiars to the last hour, thereby instead of shutting it against him, setting the gate of mercy wide open unto him, that so he might find entrance unto the throne of grace; if he could but make use of the opportunity and lay hold upon it: Yea, he converses with him, sets him at his table, eats and drinks with him, gives him of the bread of life to eat in his most holy Sacrament (as you heard before) and last of all washeth his feet, as he did to all the r●st of his Apostles; even at that very instant when he on the other side breathes out nothing but prodition and perdition against him.  
Mira patientia, as Saint chrysostom exclaims; 
Ser. 2. de 51 fer. Pas.  which shows a wonderful patience indeed, even beyond all precedent or example; Petrus enim condemnat Ananiam mentientem, Salvator autem patienter sustinet Judam traditorem; as he goes on: for whereas the Apostle Peter condemns Ananias only for lying, yet our Saviour himself could tolerate and bear with Judas, though for treason; and that against himself too. But all this was done, that he might mollify his heart, and win him (if it were possible) by love, to remorse and sorrow for his sin. For, N lo mortem morientis, dicit Dominus, I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth, saith he by his Prophet, Ezechiell 18.23. but I desire rather that he should return from his evil ways, and live: Verse 32. of the same Chapter.  
But here peradventure some man may object, and say, Object. that if Christ did truly desire that Judas should not perish in his sin; Curio cogitationem ejus non mutavit adversam, 
Homil. de prod. judae.  as the former chrysostom makes the object or to speak; why did he not alter and change his wicked purposes and intents, before they came to execution? as being that eternal word, by which all things were made: and so had the heart of Judas, aswell as of all other his Creatures, in his hand●, to alter and change the courses and counsels of it, as himself should lease.  
Sol. To which, the said chrysostom himself makes answer in the same place after this manner (viz.) that Judas could not be reclaimed & recalled from his traitorous purposes, but that it must be either with or against his will. Si invitus, nulla correctio est, nam mentis malitia necessitate non tollitur: Now if it were done by violence and against his will, it would not prove any correction or amendment at all, because the wickedness of the heart and maliciousness of the mind is not to be lessened or taken away by any external constraint; neither is it the custom or law of Heaven (as I may safely add) to save any man that is not willing: On the other side, Si sponte (as the Father goes on) omnia qua meliorare animum poterant, audisse cognoscitur: To have made him willing there was no means neglected, but all courses taken that were usual and ordinary to other men in the like kind. As the hearing of Christ's heavenly Sermons, together with the rest of the Apostles, the partaking of his Sacraments, the foretelling of his treason; and crying, Woe to him by whom the Son of man is betrayed: as also the laying before him the torments of Hell, to fright and fear him; and the hope of Heaven, to wean and win him from his sins. By which means only his fellow Apostles were settled and established in the faith of Christ, and reclaimed from their misdeeds. And therefore if he only of all the rest, would remain obstinate and perverse, by continuing singular in his wicked purposes, and resolutions; and alone reject and refuse the former medicines that were provided and prepared by the hand of so skilful an Apothecary for his recovery: Non medici vitium est, sed languentis; there is no blame to be laid upon the Physician, but only upon the patiented; as the same Father in the end concludes the question. And therefore let not any man be so lewd, as to accuse Christ in his most secret and retired thoughts, for the condemnation of his treacherous Apostle Judas, but only lay the fault upon himself; that when his loving and tenderhearted Master would have healed, and recovered him, yet would not be healed; but continued still obstinate and rebellious in his sins, just like one of those, Quos non vincas verbo, nec verbere, neque lauro, neque loro: which are not to be won by words or blows, neither by punishment nor reward, neither for love nor fear: Et quibus cum benefeceris, pejores fiunt; but such an one, as the more is done for him, the worse he is; as the Church of the Jews, of which God by his Prophet complains; saying, What could I have done more unto my Vineyard, that I have not done unto it? And yet behold, Quando expectavi uvas, fecit labruscas; When I looked for grapes, it brought forth wild grapes: Isay 5.4. or like a barren field, which instead of Barl●y bringeth forth Cockle; and Thistles instead of Wheat: Job 31.4.  
But O God that any heart should be so hard, or any mind or soul so obstinate and perverse, as not to be mollified and broken: Tanta amoris suavitate, with the sweetness of such love, and the tender mercies of such a lover; but to continue like Pharaoh, Qui incudem non cor gerebat in pectore, (as one saith) which instead of an heart carried an Hammer, or an Anvil rather, in his breast and bosom; victus & invictus male gratus, & ad tot munera surdus: so was Judas deaf to all goodness: stopping his ears at Christ's charms, charm he never so wisely.  
But for use, aswell the comfort of the godly, as the terror of the wicked, if our blessed Jesus be so loving and kind, patiented and long suffering towards those that set him and sell him at so low a rate: then much more will he be so to those that esteem so highly of him, as to set their hearts sincerely to love him, and faithfully to serve him all days of their life.  
Si honoras O dulcis Domine,  
Inimicum amici nomine;  
Quales erunt amoris carmine,  
Qui te canunt & modulamine? saith a Poet.  
If he vouchsafe to call Judas friend, which was so false unto him: as, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Matth. 26.5. then much more those that are his friends indeed. Yea, Ye are my friends (saith he to his Disciples) if you do that which I command you: John 15.14. And Abraham is said to be the friend of God, Esay 41. and james 2.23. and Christ calls Lazarus his friend, john 11. Blessed then, yea, thrice blessed are they that have gotten Christ to be their friend; by whose friendship much good shall redound unto them; as true pleasure, right and rich profit, and gr●at dignity and esteem. For Christ not only wisheth, but willeth all good to his friends; I mean his true friends, and such as continue to the end. He doth communicate therefore all his blessings unto them, not only temporal, but spiritual and eternal too. He hath taken their humane nature upon him, that so he may the better make t 'em partakers of his nature which is divine. He is in them, and they in him; living and working each in other. They widow l and ●ill the same things, and he makes them partakers of a l his secrets. And ●or the better confirmation, and strengthening of this league of ●●iendship betwixt th●m, he stirs up their minds to constant and continual prayer and supplication; whereby they do the more frequently, and familiarly converse and confer together. The godly man thereby laying his wants and desires, reverently and devoutly, fervently and freely open, before his compassionate and tenderhearted God, and friend; and God on the other side, as a true friend indeed, speaking bacl again to the heart and soul of his humble suppliant and servant by enlightening his mind and understanding with divine consolation; and granting of his requests in such measure as he finds to be fitting and needful for him: O sanctum commercium in quo de Dei gloria, & hominis salute agitur! O holy and heavenly conference and commerce (saith one) where God's glory, and man's salvation is so happily treated of and advanced! Rejoice then O ye godly, in that you are become of the household of God, and firmly united unto him; though otherwise you be odious and hateful to the world. For you are hereby invited to the Supper of the Lamb; Christ himself being become your husband, and his father your friend. Love therefore, reverence and fear God, who is the Father of your family: and he will be loving and careful for you again as for children, and those of his own household, the household of faith: yea, rejoice (I say) as the familiar companions of God, the friends of God, the guests of God, the Spouse of God. For the good shepherd Christ Jesus is your friend, and your friend Christ Jesus is the good shepherd; by whom seeing ye enter, ye shall be saved: and shall go in and out, and find pasture, John 10.9. And therefore bid adieu to all humane friendships and worldly familiarities, as whereby your mind is drawn away from this that is divine. ●or know ye not, saith the Apostle, that the amity of the world 〈◊〉 the enmity of God? James 4.4. for whosoever will be the friend of this world, maketh himself the enemy of God; as there follows. Let God and his Christ then be your friends; and the world, the flesh, and the Devil, your utter enemies for evermore. And this sufficeth for the first use, the comfort of the godly.  
Secondly, let us here consider, what a dangerous thing it is to give way at the first to the vicious inclinations of our hearts and minds, and how near unto utter ruin such are, as do not betimes vim sibi infer, as one saith; make resistance to the uttermost of their power against the lewd suggestions thereof, when they do arise. For the devil is a subtle and a sly serpent; qui uniuscujusque ingenium & mores novit; which knows unto what affections and lusts especially each man is inclined by nature; and accordingly lays his baits and snares whereby to entangle and entrap their souls. As the Patriarch jacob; when he would have the sheep and goats to bring forth their young spotted and party coloured, used at their watering times and places to lay rods; Cortice partim erepto, partim retento; with the ryne partly peeled off, and partly kept on; whereby they became of sundry colours; which shining and shiming in a clear water; tempore coitus; at the time of coupling and conceiving, fastened such an impression thereof in the senses of the dams, as that it did be spot the young ones in the womb. Ita daemon sensibus nostris varia deliramenta obijcit, 
Or●n. S●r. 12. de juda.  etc. (saith one) so doth the devil continually lay before our senses, many vain and deceivable objects; th●t so in one kind or other he may bespot our souls with sin. As objects and shows of revenge to the wrathful; of luxury to the lustful; of arrogancy to the proud; and especially of farther and greater gain to the covetous, as here to the traitor judas. Where we may justly take occasion to discourse a little farther off the sleights and subtleties he used towards him in this kind. For this crafty fox, and sly insinuating serpent, understanding well enough on which side judas mind was to be assaulted and assailed (as having found out) that howsoever he were inclined to many, or as some say, to any sins, so that none came amiss unto him; yet especially to this of Covetousness: Ea ergo parte bostem aggreditur, qua sibi persuadet aditum faciliùs fore parandum: Therefore that he might plant his battery against such a breach where he knew beforehand that he should find the least resistance: ultro currentem suadet ulterius currere, etc. he persuades him, that was forward and hasty enough of himself, yet to make more haste unto his gain, and to lose no time nor opportunity, by which he might obtain so great, so good a prize. For the truth is, he had once before made trial how this bait, this sweet bait of gain would be entertained and swallowed by this gaping gudgeon: and how his rods would take in this kind, but he did not, he durst not peel them, nor pull off the ryne as now he did, but went more closely, more covertly to work. And that was, when he caused him to complain of profuseness and waste, at Mary's anointing of the head & feet of our blessed Saviour, saying, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence and given unto the poor? john 12.5. thereby hiding and cloaking his covetousness under an hypocritical veil and mantle of charity, and providing for such as were in want: whereas he said this, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare that which was given as there follows, vers. 6. But now that he is throughly acquainted with the mind and manners of his Client, by this former trial and experiment of him: Non in occulto, sed in aperto pugnat, he fights not so closely, so cunningly, but goes more publicly and plainly to work than he did before. For having once found him coming, and gained his consent and assent unto his wicked and lewd suggestions, he presently enters into his soul, Rapit hominem, circum-agitat phantasmata, non jam sub Cortice virgas, sed detectas oculis probet videndas: he violently possesses the man, compasses and canvases his troubled and distracted thoughts and wand'ring and unsettled imaginations, and manifests his stratagems to the view of the world without any cover, any care to hid or conceal the same. For as the Scriptures testify, soon after he had received the sop, Satan entered into him, john 13.27. that is, took full possession of him, as the marginal notes expound the place: so that he led and carried him into what desperate and sinful courses he would himself.  
Use. Oh then let me entreat you to take heed and beware of the enticements and occasions of sin in its beginning, in its first entrance, before it lay too violent hand and hold upon you. For the longer you shall give entertainment thereunto, the surer and faster hold the Devil has of you, and t●e harder you will find it to vanquish and overcome at the last; if ever you be able to master it at all, which Judas you see could never do; but was quite overthrown and undone by it, both body and soul for ever. And therefore I say, Principiis obsta, let it be your care to resist beginnings of evil, and to kill the Serpent in the egg. As Bernard, Cura in ipso utero pessimae matris praefecari germane: so say I, take care to strangle the seed of sin whilst it is in the womb, i. e. in the heart, in the thought, before it come into action, or ever it do see the light. For Satan knows how to make a n●st wherein to nourish and cherish sin, even of our smallest thoughts and cogitations, if we neglect them too long, and permit them to take their own sway, their own swing within us. And therefore as it is his continual care to suggest unto us, Cogitationes mali thoughts of evil: so let it be ours so to resist and withstand them, as not to permit them to become, Cogitationes malas, not to proceed so fare as evil thoughts, i. e. not to nestle or roost within us. For as Luther said well: Howsoever he could not hinder the birds and fowls of the air from flying over his head, yet he would be sure to keep from them building nests, and making harbour in his beard: so howsoever we cannot hinder Satan from buzzing and suggesting into our hearts and souls wicked and ungodly thoughts: yet we may so withstand him and them too, as that they shall never burst forth into actions, and become wicked and ungodly d eds. Because as he that cuts off the head of the Serpent, slays the Serpent itself; so he that resists sin in the first motions and beginnings of it, destroys it so throughly, as that it can never rise up again to prevail against him, either in in this world, or that which is to come. For as the conception of lust brings forth sin, so it is the finishing of sin that brings forth death; as the Apostle speaketh, james 1.15. And he that can thus resist sin itself, when it gins to seize and take hold upon him; doth therewithal resist also the author thereof, that is, the Devil: Et prosternit inermem, and so confound him, as that he takes away his weapon from him, 
James 4.7.  and leaves him naked and without defence; according to the same Apostles direction: Resist the Devil and he will fly from you, Chap. 4.7. But all this Judas did not; he did not withstand the first motions of evil in his covetous heart, but gave full and free way, and consent thereunto: and so is brought Gradatim ad hanc miseri●m, as it were by degrees unto this height of sin and misery; as to meditate first of the means how to betray his Lord: and then secondly, not to meditate it only, but to put it in practice also by seeking opportunity to do it; as the Scripture testifieth. And having found it, he cries, Quid dabitis? What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?  
Once more therefore let me entreat every one of you, to beware of covetousness, of too much care to fill the bag, lest Loculus prove Laqueus, quo capiaris & traharis ad interitum; the bag prove but a bait to ensnare thee, and to draw thee to destruction both of body and soul. And to finish this point, and say no more of this subject; let me also advise you all, and oft n, to take this into your considerations; That none of Christ's Apostles perished, but he that bore the bag. And therefore look to it, you that are masters of the bag; not only in the singular, but in the plural number: for if Judas perished that had but one, what danger are you in that are masters of so many? there being many shrewd temptations, and that in several kinds in men's inordinate and overmuch care and desire to fill their bags: so that this only hath been the occasion of many, if not most sins in sundry others besides Judas: As of Thievery in Achan, Bribery in Gehezi, Murder in Ahab, most notorious lying in the Soldiers that were set to watch the Sepulchre of Christ, hypocritical dissembling in Ananias and Saphira, Simony in Magus; besides (as I say) Treason in judas: What will you give me? and What shall I give you? corrupting all conditions, and callings both in Church and Commonwealth. But I list not to particularise, hoping that all my hearers and readers, of what rank and condition soever they be, will make application themselves, and infer, that Si junguntur in culpa, non separabuntur in poena: If they join with these m●n in their sins, they must look to be partakers also of their plagues; as it is threatened, Revel. 18.4. Which consideration may be a means, Cohibere manum, etiamsi non animum; if not out of conscience of sin to restrain all men's hearts from affecting, (as I desire) yet out of fear of punishment to hold bacl some men's hands from effecting such monstrous and prodigious impieties; as I hope. And this sufficeth for the first circumstance in the sufferings of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, (viz) the treason of judas.  
THe second Circumstance which I intent to take notice of in the sufferings of Christ, (for a large volume would not serve to discourse of all) shall be that which he took notice of himself, and taxed his adversaries for it, in the 26. of S. Matthew, Gospel, saying, Ye be come out to me as it were against a thief, with swords and staves to take me; Verse 25. of the same Chapter. For the Text tells us, that after judas had compacted with the jews for thirty pence to deliver him into their hands; he received a band of men, and officers of the High Priest, and came thither with lanterns, and torches, and weapons, saith Saint john, Chap. 18. Verse. 3. And S. Matthew, and S. Mark, they tell us what these weapons were; even swords and staves, Matth. 26.47. and S. Mark 14.43. and S. Luke says, that judas went before the company: Luke 22.47.  
I had thought beloved, that we had done with judas the last day; yet here you see it is our hap to meet with him again: Sed tantum mutatus ab illo, ut vix cognoscas eundem esse; yet so changed, as that you will scarce know him to be the same man. For then he went up and down like a slimme, and a sly companion, that had gotten some stolen or counterfeit commodity under a threadbare cloak, crying in a corner; Sir, will it please you to buy? What will you give me? you shall have it worth your money; I'll use you well, and afford you a very good pennyworth. But here he comes like a brave Gallant, a great Commander, in the head and front of the troop: He is suddenly become a Captain: He hath gotten a Company, and a Band of men; and which is more strange, he hath gotten money to boot. Strange indeed; I believe many of our Martialists in former times, in the Germane and Low-country wars, have found it so; which have been fain to make great friends, and disburse great sums themselves, before they could attain to so much honour as to procure a Company: When as judas ye see hath done it in the turn of an hand; or as we say, with a wet finger. But beloved, the wonder will be the less, if we shall but take into our consideration the desperateness of the design, and the danger and difficulty of the employment: For great undertake must have great encouragements, and well performed great rewards: Now this was no less, than even to take and kill the Lord of life; his very Master, Maker, and Redeemer. A task too hard, and a service too hot, I hope for our times; so that none I trow will either envy or repine at the easy and hasty preferment of our n●w Captain judas: nor readily & willingly undertake his pains to gain his place; run his hazard to reap his hopes. For beloved, if they had not met with an adversary that was more merciful, than themselves powerful, (though they were an hundred to one) they had been all dead men at the very first onset, the first assault. For Saint john saith, that as soon as Christ had said unto them, I am he; they went backward and fell to the ground: john 18.6. Ego sum dicit, & impios dejecit. He did but say, I am he; 
Tract. 109. in Ioha●.  (saith Saint Austin) and the very word cast the wicked to the ground. Whereupon he demands, Quid judicaturus faciet, qui judicandus hoc fecit? Quid regnaturus poterit, qui moriturus hoc potuit? He that could do these thing; at the time of his Humiliation, when he was ready to die, and be judged by others; what shall he do? nay, what shall he not do, when he shall come in his Glory to reign, and be judge himself? Surely he shall cast his enemies lower than the ground, even to the nethermost Hell at that time; that was able to cast them upon the ground at this. They went backwards and fell to the ground: And there they should have laid, if any body else had done such a thing but he. For, who but a Christ, but a God, would have suffered his enemies; such enemies to have risen again, when he had once gotten them at such an advantage, as to have them on the ground? I cannot choose but think, that if Virgil's valiant Captains, Euryalus and Nisus had been there, (of whom it is said: 

〈◊〉 l. 9  Egressi superant fossas noctisque per umbram  
Castra inimica petunt; multis tamen ante futuri  
Exitio, etc. that is,  
Over hedge and dike they passed like men of might,  
Their foes to assail within their Camp by night.)  What a work they would have made with judas, and his cowardly company; Purpuream vomit ille animam: one should have vomited out his blood and his breath together. And from another, Caput ipsi aufert Domino, truncumque relinquit sanguine singuliantem; His head should have been stricken from his shoulders, and his trunk only left to sigh out his last gasp: Rex idem & Regi Turno gratissimus Augur; sed non augurio potuit depellere vestem: And that neither the greatest Priest nor Prophet among them, should have been able with all their skill, to have prevented the fatal blow; but, atro tepefacta cruore, terra torique madent: The very ground on which they were fallen, should have been both moistened, and heated with their blood. And for judas himself, we will suppose him to be Rhaetum vigilantem, & cuncta videntem: sed magnum metuens se post cratera tegebat: A cowardly Captain that would either have hid himself, or run away for fear. Or to leave the Poet, and come to the Prophet, if the Angel, the destroying Angel that was in the Camp of Senacharib had been but permitted to have taken his course; they would have been found in the morning to have been all dead Corpses as 2 King. 19.35. But Christ a friendly adversary as ye see, although with the breath of his lips alone, he were able, not only to astonish, as here, but to slay the wicked, as the Prophet says of him, Esay 11.4. Deus enim latebat in carne, (saith Saint Austin) For God lay hid in the flesh, yet commands his followers to put up their swords into their sheaths, and would not suffer them to strike a stroke in his defence. Sed, 
Corpora magnamino satis est prostrasse leoni.  
Pugna suum finem, cum jacet hostis habet. Ovid.  
Our Judaes' lion doth care to fight no more,  
When once he sees his foes upon the floor.   
No, notwithstanding he had them at such an advantage, as that he might easily have taken them, that came to take him, having them all at his mercy, as we usually speak in the like kind; yet he gives them their lives. And which is most to be wondered at of all the rest, his own too. For if he had not, it could never have been taken from him by force: as he saith himself, No man taketh my life from me; sed pone eam a meipso; but I lay it down of myself, John 10.18. And because I do so, therefore my father loveth me, as it is in the verse before, (viz.) 17.  
Now as Saint chrysostom speaks; 
Ser. 5. de 5. Fer. Pas.  Vbi animam ponendi potestas est & sumendi, ibi moriendi non est necessitas sed voluntas: Where there is power to lay down and reassume life at pleasure, there dying may well be voluntary, but not constrained or enforced: Which likewise the Prophet affirmeth, when he saith, Oblatus est, quia ipse voluit, as the Latins read it, Es. 53.7. He was offered, because he would. And the Apostle also confirmeth, saying, He humbled himself and became obedient to the death of the Cross, Phil. 2 8. Now if he did it himself, it shows he was willing thereunto, or else it should not, it could not ever have been done: But being willing, he permitted his adversaries that came here to take and apprehend him, to rise again when he had them on the ground; and which is more, he demanded of them whom they sought; and when they had told him, Jesus of Nazareth, he answereth them again and again that he was the man, john 18.  
All which I say, shows his forwardness and willingness to be taken: Which yet notwithstanding will not excuse their wickedness, as I shall prove unto you; For howsoever the Philosophers say, that volenti non fit injuria, There can be no injury done to one that is wi●ling: yet the Divine, by admitting of a distinction will deny the Axiom; 
〈◊〉 ●54.  because as Saint Bernard says, In similibus factis, causa dissimilis, simile recusat judicium: In the same facts, if there be a different cause, there must be likewise a different judgement. 
Tract. 7. in Ep●st. I●han  And Saint Austin in this very case, diversa intentio, diversa facta facit: A divers intention makes a difference in the fact, though it seem to be one and the same; as here, God the Father is said, Tradere filium suum pro nobis, to deliver his Son to death for us: Rom. 8.32. and likewise, God the son, Tradere seipsum, to deliver himself for me (saith the same Apostle elsewhere (viz.) Gal. 2.20. and lastly, judas to deliver him into his enemy's hands. Object. Now then as the same Father there objects Si pater tradidit filium, tradidit & seipsum filius, judas, quid fecit? If the father deliver the same, and the Son himself; what evil hath judas done? Quae res discernit (as he goes on) patrem tradentem filium, etc. What is that makes the difference between the Father's delivering of the son, and the son of himself; and judas his delivering of his Lord and Master? seeing the action seems to be in all, Sol. one and the same? Why, I'll tell you saith he, what it is, Quia fecit hoc pater & filius in charitate, fecit hoc judas in proditione, The Father and Son, did it out of love and charity; and judas out of malice and treachery; his traditio being proditio; not properly a delivering, but a betraying of him into his enemy's hands. So that, as he concludes the business, We are not so much to regard and consider: Quid factum, as quo animo & voluntate factum: Not the thing done, as the mind and intention of the doer: in regard whereof, as the Father is to be magnified and glorified for thus delivering of his Son, and the Son to beloved and adored for delivering of himself: So judas on the other side is to be condemned for betraying of his Master, though his Master seem and be never so forward, never so willing thereunto. Nam proditus Christus orbem liberavit universum, & proditor tamen Gehennam meruit possidere, as chrysostom speaks. Howsoever the betraying of Christ, were a delivering and a freeing of the World from much misery and thraldom, not only temporal and spiritual, but eternal too: yet the traitor that did it, deserves no less than eternal torments for his labour, Traditus in coelis patris sedet in dextera, traditor autem apud inferos collocatus, tormenta debita sceleratus expectat, etc. as he goes on. And though he that was betrayed sit now at the right hand of his Father in the highest Heavens: he that did betray him, must expect nothing else but according to the lewdness and wickedness of his mind and work to be cast into the bottomless lake, there to be tormented for ever and ever. And this, beloved, being a Circumstance which of necessity was to be cleared in some one part or other of this discourse, I thought it fit to do it here, where occasion is in part offered from the coherence and dependence of that which went before, that so it may save me a farther labour, when the like objection shall offer itself again in that which follows, as many times I believe it may: but to proceed.  
They came out against him with swords and staves to take him; Et Judas antecedebat eos, saith Saint Luke, cap. 22.47. i e. and Judas went before them: tam pedibus, quam moribus, saith one, as well with his feet, as affections of mischief and malice towards him. So that as he was the foremost in the consultation and seeking opportunity to betray him as before; so here again in the execution and finishing of the design. He brought them on upon the danger, upon the assault, get off again how they can. But beloved, it should seem by this, that he was not the Captain, but the Lieutenant rather, whose office it is usually to be the leader and to bring up the men: whereas the Captain walks in the rear, comes behind to keep them close to their ranks and files, and see there be no straggling nor starting aside from the company. Which may very well be. For, as judas went before, so out of question, Satan came behind and followed after, carefully heeding all opportunities for the best advantage of the day; day said I? no, it was no day-worke, it was a deed of darkness; the blackest, and yet the brightest that ever hell brought forth: The brightness thereof proceeding from the power and providence of an eternal God, that was able and willing to work good out of evil for his own glory, and the benefit of his Church and chosen: And the blackness from the mischievous and malicious purposes of an infernal devil and his associates, who held a council of war, against no less than the Lord himself, and his Anointed, Christ Jesus the Righteous. And if they had found it needful to have put the trial of the business Praelio navali, to a naval battle or sea-fight, and so had concluded and resolved upon a ship of war for the employment; why then, Satan had been the Master, and judas the Mate: but seeing they found that Land-forces only would serve the turn, the mischievous Devil was made the Captain, and the treacherous Apostle the Lieutenant; who therefore is said to g●e before them, and to lead them on. And as he led them, so Satan led him; that is, was his instructor and director in all this hellish conspiracy and plot. For he had entered into him, as you heard before, and therefore did not follow only after, but in him; yea, went with him and before hi● too.  
Neither did judas go only before this company; but before and beyond all other traitors that ever were, and ever will be to the world's end. And that in a fourfold respect: to wit, in the matter, manner, cause and cruelty of his treason. The matter first, For none ever did or shall betray God and Man together in one and the same person, but he. The manner next, in that he did it with a kiss, the token of love: but the most treacherous token of the lewdest love, and the unkindest kiss that ever was given. The cause, thirdly, none, being not provoked at all, except it were by his own wicked and corrupt heart and sinful soul, and the price as little, even thirty pence: which in respect of a valuable consideration, is as a thing of nought. The cruelty last, not being to be paralleled in divers respects, by any either precedent or subsequent examples, as shall be showed hereafter. But I must but point, and pass, having a long journey to go.  
But the true reason (as it should seem) why judas went before the company, as it doth appear by the Evangelists, was this: that he might have the better opportunity to kiss him. For Saint Matthew saith, he had given them a token, saying: Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he, lay hold on him: and forthwith he came to Jesus and said, God save thee Master, and kissed him, Math. 26.48.49. Whereupon our Saviour Christ replied unto him again, saying; judas betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? Luke 22.48.  
Now Hugo Cardinalis on the 84 Psalm, reckons up sundry sorts of kisses, that are spoken of and rehearsed in the holy Scriptures and word of God. But for the main partition and division, he makes only two kinds of them: to wit, Oscula bona & mala: good and evil kisses. And among the good, he styles the first, Osculum unionis naturarum: the kiss of the two natures, Godhead and Manhood in the Man Christ; according to that of the spouse: Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, Cant. 1.10. that is, let him come and show himself in his humane nature, as the said Cardinal and most of the ancients do expound the place: which is, foelix osculum, etc. in quo non os ori imprimitur: sed Deus homini unitur, as Bernard speaks. An happy kiss, by which the Godhead is united to the Manhood; and not one mouth joined to another. The second, he styles Osculum poenitentiae; a penitent, or repentant kiss, as that of Mary Magdalen who ceased not to kiss the fee● of our blessed Saviour, Luke. 7.45. The third, Reconciliationis, a reconciling kissi; as that of the father of the Prodigal; who espying his lose and lewd son a fare off, had compassion upon him, ran to meet him, fell upon his neck and kissed him, Luke 15.20. The fourth, Congratulationis, a congratulating kiss, as that spoken of in another place of the Canticles by the Church of the Gentiles to that of jerusalem (as the notes on the same Text expound it) saying; Oh that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother, I would then find thee without and kiss thee, Cant. 8.10. The fifth, Foederis, the kiss of Covenant; as that of Laban, who after the Covenant made betwixt him and jacob his son in law, kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them, Gen. 31.44, 45. verses. The sixth, obedientiae, the kiss of obedience; as that which Jacob gave to his father Isaac: when he called him; saying, Come hither and kiss me my son, Gen. 27.26. The seventh, Gratiae, the kiss of grace and favour, as that of Solomon: They shall kiss the lips of him that answereth upright words, Prov. 24.26. The eight, Osculum gloriae, the kiss of glory and honour; as that of Samuel to Saul, when he took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said; Hath not the Lord anointed thee to be governor over his inheritance? 1 Sam. 10.10. And these are the good kisses which the said Hugo hath observed and found out to be in the book of God. He hath some bad ones too, though not so many. The first whereof he calls, osculum Meretricis, the harlot's kiss, spoken of by Solomon, when she caught her lover and kissed him, Prov. 2.13. The second, superbiae, the kiss of pride, spoken of by job, when he said: If mine heart did flatter me in secret; or if my mouth did kiss my hand, job. 31.27. which is as much as if he had said; if I have been proud of any thing I have done. The third Idololatriae, the kiss of Idolatry; spoken of by God himself to Elias, when he said unto him, I will leave seven thousand in Israel, even all the knees that have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth that hath not kissed him: 1 Kings 19.18. And lastly Fraudis, the deceitful kiss, spoken of by Solomon, when he saith; The wounds of a lover are faithful, and the kisses of an enemy deceitful, Prov. 27.6. And thus beloved, we have run over so many kisses, till at last we are returned again to the kiss of our traitor Judas; which we are now to speak of. For if ever any, than this of all others may be said to be Osculum fraudis, a deceitful kiss: when Judas being to betray his Master, came unto him and said, Hail Master, and kissed him. For, what greater deceit can there be, then, cum per pacis indicium, 
Ser. 121. de Temp.  pacis rumpitur sacramentum; as Saint Austin speaks: to break the peace and league of friendship, that is, and aught to be between man and man; under the show and sign of strengthening and confirming it: Et ab osculo incipere bellum, ubi consuevere gentes bella finire, 
Ser. 1. de 5. ser. pas.  as S. chrysostom saith: and to begin a war there, where others have usually made an end; that is, in friendly embracing, and kindly kissing each of other. In regard whereof, he doth well deserve:  guttur ejus prophanum quod hodie Christo extendit ad osculum, crastino illud extensurus sit ad laqueum; as the same Father chrysostom goes on: i. e. That that profane and unsanctified throat, and neck of his, which this day he stretched forth thus deceitfully to kiss his Master, the next day he should stretch forth again, readily and really to receive the halter; Whi●h accordingly came to pass; for the text saith, He went and hanged himself: Matth. 27.5. Never any kissed Christ to so lewd a purpose, and therefore neither with such bad success: For, as Stella saith, Perpende quantum distent osculum Judae & Magdalenae: Do but weigh with yourselves, and consider the great distance and difference between that kiss of Mary Magdalen, and this of judas.  
For as the Bee and Spider by a divers power:  
Suck honey and poison from the selfsame flower.  
So Mary and Judas from the kiss of Christ. Judas in fancy osculatus est Salvatorem & periit, Magdalena verò in pedibus, & incolumis, & voti compos evasit: Judas kisses the face of our blessed Saviour, the very fountain of life, and yet perishes; as a modern Poet saith: 
Judas of life doth miss,  
Just at the gates of life and bliss:   
Whereas Mary Magdalen kisses only his feet, and is become not only safe for the present, but saved for evermore. The reason whereof is only this: that the one kissed him Osculo poenitentiae & sinceritatis, that is, With the kiss of sincerity and repentance: and the other, Osculo malitia & fraudis; with the kiss of malice and deceit. Marry kissed him, Mentis affectu & commixtione spirituum; with an affectionate mind and spiritual touch: But Judas only, O●is attactu & conjunctione labicrum; with an oral touch and corporal conjunction of the lips: coming unto him, and saying, Hail Master, and kissed him.  
Now, if any demand the reason why Judas gave this ceremony of a kiss for his token; it is rendered by Expositors to be this. Because Christ after the fashion and custom, that was then in use amongst his Countrymen the Jews, (and also amongst the Romans, and other Nations; as it were easy to show, if it were much material) did ordinarily after that loving and familiar manner entertain his Disciples and Apostles at their return, when at any time they had been absent from him for a season:  ostenderet regressum & ingressum eorum esse gratum, & pacificum; that so he might manifest unto them that their entrance and return was very welcome and acceptable unto him. And therefore Judas, that he might be the less suspected, of having any ill mind or meaning towards his Master; came only in this ordinary and loving way of salutation, crying, Hail Master, and kissed him; as you heard before: that so they that knew him not, either by face or favour, might take notice which was he, and so be able to distinguish him from the rest of his company, and to take the right man, by not mistaking one for another, which was all they cared for, their malicious minds being more bend against him, than any: nay, than all the rest. And they had some reason to be suspicious, and jealous of his escape; because he had conveyed himself secretly from them, at the least once before: as you may see, John 8. and the last verse.  
But Jesus takes it ill at Judas hands, that he should make Sigillum dilectionis signum perditionis; the seal of love the sign of treachery, and a kiss the key of his Treason; by which himself had manifested so much love to him, aswell as to his fellow Apostles: and therefore cries unto him as you have heard, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? which, he doth only to show the unsufferable lewdness, and unpardonable wickedness of such notorious hypocrisy; and not out of any wonder or astonishment at the thing, considering he could not be ignorant, how, that long before this, Joab did the like to Amasa, when he took him by the beard to kiss, and smote him with a sword into the fift rib; making a friendly embrace the preface to a deadly blow: as you may see, 2 Sam. 20.9, 10. ve●ses. And Cain also long before that, not much unlike when he egged his brother forth of doors, with an Egrediamur foras; come brother, let us go walk, and take together: and in the mean time, whilst his tongue thus anointed him with oil, his heart and hand conspired together to murder and mangle, butcher and betray him.  
Use Now then, if these things have been done so long since, not only to the Saints, but also to the Son of God; why then, let us be contented with like patience to suffer, if at any time we be tried with the like assaults. Let us be content, willingly to put up injuries at all men's hands, seem they friends or foes; for in so doing, we shall heap coals of fire upon their heads, and become conformable to the example of Christ, that hath done the like before us, and for us. Let us neither curse nor revile those that have offered such indignities and injuries to us, nor yet provoke them farther by biting and bitter language; but only reprove them friendly, as Christ did Judas, and the Jews; when he said unto the one, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss; and to the other, Ye be come out unto me as to a thief, with swords and staves; and the like: For, Quis erit impatiens in ferenda injuria ab amico, 
In Mat. 26.  cum Christus proditur à Discipulo? saith Rabanus: who can be impatient, though he suffer injuries from his friend, when he sees his Master Christ Jesus so patiented before him when he was betrayed by his own Disciple?  
Secondly, take notice what a dangerous thing it is to betray Christ with a kiss, as all hypocritical professors do; and such as making shows of religion and devotion outwardly and to the world, are yet in their hearts and souls neither truly religious, nor devout indeed; but having only a form of godliness, have denied the power thereof, as Saint Paul speaketh, 2 Tim. 3.5. And likewise such as eat the body, and drink the blood of Christ in the Sacrament, when as they are neither truly sorrowful for their sins, nor in love and charity with their neighbours, neither yet intent to lead new lives; but come only for custom and fashion sake, as compelled thereunto more by law than love: and therefore do not earnestly hunger and thirst after the righteousness of God and his Christ; but retain still voluntatem peccandi; a will and desire to return to their old sins again, as the dog to his vomit, and the sow to her wallowing in the mire. But these I say, yea all these betray Christ with a kiss, in making shows of being his followers and servants, when as in their hearts and minds they are nothing less. And therefore in their so doing they are no other, no better than very traitors also to their own souls.  
Thirdly, let all God's children learn hence, to beware of the fair face and flatteries of the world, which is nothing else but a traitor and a false friend to all those upon whom it fawneth most; smiling upon some with the pleasing looks of wealth and riches, kissing others with the lips of love and pleasures; and hugging and embracing a third sort in the arms of honour and preferment; and so under the shows of friendship, betraying all to eternal death and destruction.  
And lastly, let every one as Christ adviseth his Apostles and Disciples; beware of those that come unto them in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves; Let them beware of them, I say, that they do not work them a mischief before they are ware. For, Quando bonum ore faris, mala corde tamen meditaris, Oscula quae Domino Judas dedit haec mihi, tu das; Their kindnesses are but like Judas kisses, watching opportunities to betray thee into thine enemy's hands. And therefore saith the Poet: Timeo Danaos & dona ferentes: an enemy's kisses are wounds: the overmuch and sudden kindness of such men as these, are but the very marks of treason. For he that useth me better than he was wont, will betray me, saith the Italian proverb. And the heavenly Proverbs of God's Word affirm, That the bitter wounds of a lover are better than the sweet and sugared kisses of an enemy that hates thee to the death, as you have heard before out of Proverbs 7.13. And therefore as the Prophet adviseth, so let me: trust not a friend, neither put confidence in a Counsellor; but keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. For the son revileth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law, and a man's enemies are they of his own house, Mic. 7.5, 6. And this sufficeth for the kiss of Judas.  
But saith Christ, ye be come out unto me as against a thief, with swords and staves. Yea, and which is more, Lord, as to the worst of thiefs, to a thief of the night, with lanterns and torches. Neither is there cause, why thou shouldst either wonder, or be troubled at it. For seeing thou art not come to suffer for thiefs aswell as for other sinners, there is reason thou shouldst be handled as a thief, and bear their punishment: although thou knowest no sin in thyself, yet God hath made thee sin; yea all sin for us, that so we might be made the righteousness of God in thee, saith Saint Paul, 2 Cor. 5. ult. And therefore thou must, nay thou art contented to be nu●bred among the wicked; as the Prophet foretold of thee, Isa. 53.12. And if among the wicked, then among the thiefs and robbers aswell as any other sinners whatsoever: that so thou mayest save some of them that have been such, and deliver others from the hands of those, that are and will be such for ever. Thou hast told us thyself, that the thief cometh to steal, kill, and to destroy, john 10.10. by which words, an old Postiller tells me, 
Par. de tem. 〈◊〉. 3. post. ●ent.  there are three sorts of thiefs designed and described: The devil, death, and the wicked man. The devil, Quia insidi●tur animae; because he seeks to destroy our souls. Death, Quia insidiatur vitae, because it seeks to kill us and deprive us of our lives; and the wicked man, Quia insidiatur bonis, he seeks to steal from us and rob us of our goods. Now the last of these thou savest, so many of them as will repent with the good thief, and put their trust in thee. And the other two thou vanquishest, so that they shall not prevail either against thee or thine, to their destruction or confusion: as will be manifested more at large in that which will follow and ensue upon this subject, when we shall come to speak of thy death, burial, and the like. And therefore if these thine enemies use thee as a thief in coming out against thee with swords and staves, torches, and lanterns, and such other instruments as whereby they used to take and apprehend thiefs and robbers withal; it is but thy father's justice against our sins, which thou camest into the world most cheerfully and willingly to satisfy & undergo. But yet I must confess, that seeing thou wert innocent as well from these as all other offences, both thy sufferings and thine enemy's sins are the greater, in that they did these things unto thee without thy desert. And therefore there is a great deal of reason, that they should be punished and thou pitied accordingly. For if it be a thing much to be condoled and lamented to see an innocent and honest man to be apprehended, and violently laid hold upon: yea, dragged and haled, pinioned and manacled too, and so carried to prison; and thence afterward brought to the Bar, and forced to answer for his life: then much more when these things are done, Coelorum & Angelorum Domino, to him that is Lord both of Heaven and Earth, as it was unto our blessed Saviour; who as the Prophet speaketh, was led as a sheep unto the slaughter: Esay 53.7.  
Wherefore our Saviour did but justly complain of their injustice, in saying, They came out unto him as to a thief, when they came to take him. For whereas it is the property of thiefs, first, to steal and rob men of their goods; and then to fly and run away after they have stolen, according to that question and demand at the Bar; Did he fly for the same? as also to hid and conceal themselves in corners and obscure places, and many times to lay violent hands; yea, to hurt and wound those that shall seek to resist and withstand them in their robberies; as it is said of the Bandettees in France, that they seldom rob, but they kill too: Why, Christ did never any of these things; but was so fare from doing them, as that he did the clean contrary. For instead of flying, he went to meet them when they came to take him; and when the officers knew him not, he told them that he was the man: Vliro se dans in manus eorum; yielding himself willingly and readily of his own accord into their hands. And instead of hurting, or being any ways in such kind prejudicial to any man, he did infinite good to all men; healing them of all manner of sicknesses and sores, that stood in need of his help either of those ways. And lastly, he was so fare from robbing, or taking any thing unjustly from them, as that he would never be sole owner, or possess any temporal thing as his own: but rather spend and employ all such things as he had, as his gifts and graces; his labour and his learning; yea, and his very life, and all, for the benefit and salvation of others: and therefore I say, it was a great point of injustice in them thus to come out unto him as to a thief, with swords and staves.  
And that which is added by our Saviour himself in the text, adds also an increase to their mischief, and his misery: that is, that while he was daily, or in the day time, teaching in the Temple among them, they took him not; but made choice of the night to do it in: and therefore came with lanterns and torches, aswell as swords and staves to take and apprehend him: which speech of C●rist, howsoever it principally tend to show his power and their weakness in that they could not apprehend him, nor lay hold upon him till himself was willing: so that Stultum erat cum gladiis quaerere eum qui uliro se offered, & in nocte investigare quasi latentem, qui quotidie in Templo docet: that is, It was but a foolishness in them to hunt after him with swords and staves, which did of his own accord offer himself unto them; or to seek for him in the night, as one that concealed himself, and usually lay hid, when as he was daily to be seen, heard, and had, teaching in their Temples. Yet, withal it betrays their wickedness also, and their base cowardice; that when they durst not resist and withstand him in the day time among the multitude, and before the people; that rather than not do it all, they would be content with an unseasonable hour, and do it in the night; when his friends, if he had any, should be all sleeping; and his enemies only waking to do the deed.  

●n locum ●e. Mat. 26.  Sed factum congruit tempori & personis, saith Saint Ambrose. quia cum essent tenebrae in tenebros● tempore, tenebrosum opus exercebant: But the fact was agreeable enough to the time, wherein, and persons by whom it was performed.  
A darksome night to those that were dark with sin,  
Being most fit to do their deeds of darkness in.  
And Saint Austin saith, Sempiternus dies ita membris occultabatur humanis, 
Tract. 112. in Evang. ●a●an,  ut laternis & facibus quaereretur occidendus à tenebris: that is, The eternal day was so veiled and obscured under humane members, that such as were darkness themselves, could not find him out to massacre and murder him, except with lanterns and torches. So that ye may guess (beloved) by the time and season, as what manner of men they were, so what manner of work they went about; even no other, no better than a work of darkness. For, Qui malè agit, odit lucem, said our Saviour himself; John 3.20. He that doth evil, hates the light. And Saint Paul saith, That they which are drunk are drunken in the night: 1 Thess. 5.7. (and it were to be wished, as not altogether so bad as now it is, that we could say so to:) and Job saith, that Oculus adulteri observat caliginem: that is, That the eye of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, and that the murderer riseth early, and killeth the poor and needy; and in the night he is as a thief: Job 24.14, 15. answerable to that of the Poet,  jugulent homines, surgunt de nocte latrones, etc. so that this, it should seem, is the special time, when the Devils ministers walk● their rounds, and play their parts, observing another rule of the Poet: (viz.) Noctem peccatis & fraudibus objice nubem: to cast a cloud upon their frauds, and the night upon their sins. There being no such time for varietry and villainy as this; because the night's offspring for the most part, are, as the Orator numbers them, dolus, metus, latrocinia, frauds, querelae, etc. cozenages, robberies, murders, and the like.  
But the truth is, Judas and this company that come here with their lanterns and torches to apprehend Christ, are for the Devil both by night and day, plotting in the one what they practise in the other; the day being for the invention, though the night for the execution of their lewd designs. And therefore we can expect no other but devilish works and actions from them; neither must they expect any rewards, but what are answerable thereunto: which is, Go ye cursed into everlasting torments, prepared for the Devil and his Angels: as you may see Matthew 25.41. For 
Into utter darkness they cannot choose bu● run,  
That thus with torchlight seek to obscure the Sun.  And this shall suffice aswell for the kiss of Judas, as that other Circumstance of their coming out unto him with swords and staves, lanterns and torches, and the like, to take him.  
The next Circumstance ensuing these in the sufferings of our Saviour, is their apprehension and taking of him, as Saint Mark saith; Then they laid their hands upon him and took him: Mark 14.46. And Saint John adds, That they bond him too: John 18.12. At the doing whereof all his Disciples forsook him and fled, as Saint Matthew saith; Matth. 26.56. And Saint Mark likewise in his former 14. Chapter, at the 50. Verse. A word or two first of the flight of his Disciples, and their forsaking him; because I desire to handle his mental sufferings all together: and then afterwards I will proceed to his attachment and binding; and the rest of those afflictions, which he may more properly be said to have sustained in his body.  
Then all the Disciples forsook him and fled: which is a circumstance (beloved) that m●y well seem to add as much to our Saviour's sufferings, (his mental sufferings I say) as any of the former; to think that they which had been so long trained up by him, and upon whom he had bestowed so much time and pains to instruct and establish them in his faith; (they continually hearing his heavenly Doctrines, seeing his powerful Miracles, observing his holy conversation and comportment throughout the whole course of his life: and lastly, acting and performing miracles themselves by his virtue and might alon●,) should now grow so faithless and faint-hearted, as to forsake and leave him in his troubles; and that even in his enemy's hands. It being Facinus capitale, (as one saith) A capital crime, for children in the time of danger to forsake their Parents, or subjects their Sovereign, or Disciples their Master. All which notwithstanding, ye see here he hath experience of in himself; being forsaken as a Father of his children, as a Lord of his vassals, and as a Master of his Disciples; and so left as I say, all alone, even in his enemy's hands. As job, no doubt his type in this, complaineth, when he saith; He hath removed my brethren fare from me, and mine acquaintance are become strangers to me; my kinsfolk have failed me, and my familiar friends forsaken and forgotten me: 
G. Herbert. Sacred Penal. p. 20.  job 19.13, 14. So that he may justly complain in the words of a modern Poet of our own: 
All my Disciples flee, fear puts a bar  
Betwixt my friends and me. They leave the star,  
That brought the Wise men of the East from fare.  But the truth is, he was for a time forsaken of his heavenly Father himself; which made him to cry when he was upon the Cross, and that with a loud voice too, saying, Eli, Eli, Lamasabackthani, i. e. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Math. 27.46. And therefore it is the less wonder, that he should be so of his followers and Disciples, which were but weak and faint-hearted, fearful, and sinful men. Neither did they do it without a Prophecy, for Percute pastorem & dispergentur Oves gregis, saith Zachary, i. e. Smite the Shepherd and the Sheep shall be scattered, Zach. 13.7. Which very Prophesy our Saviour himself applies to this very purpose, in foretelling and forewarning them of this their dispersion and scattering, and that answerable to the said Prophecy, they should all be offended at him this night, Matth. 26.31. But the forespeaking and foretelling of it, I do confess, doth not excuse them for doing of it, no more than Christ's foretelling of Peter's denial, did lessen or extenuate the heinousness of his sin.  
Howsoever some there are that seem to think, that they had a sufficient dispensation for this their flight, even from their Master himself, when he spoke those words unto ●is Adversaries, saying, If you seek me, Sinite hos abire, then let these go their way, John 18.8. As also when before this time, he counselled and advised them, That if they were persecuted in one City, they should sly into another, Matth. 10.23. Neither do I find, as I must acknowledge, any writers upon this subject, whether ancient or modern, Fathers or other latter Divines, Postillers or Expositors, that are very forward to censure or condemn this their flight as a notorious fault or a grievous crime in them, but only as a matter of weakness or infirmity; as not being yet so throughly grounded and settled in the Faith of Christ, as afterwards they became to be. And Erasmus saith, 
In l●c. 〈◊〉. Mar. c. 24.  that Infirmis licet fugere, It is lawful for the weak to fly, as being unfit as yet to suffer martyrdom and persecution; in regard (as we may conceive, that their irresolution and ungroundedness in the faith, may occasion their backsliding and revolt at the first sight, and horror of the affliction, and so bring rather loss than gain, to the cause of Christ. But the time will come (as he goes on) in quo fugisse negasse est, In which to fly shall be accounted as bad as to deny. Of which you know, what our Saviour himself saith, He that shall deny me before men, shall himself be denied before the Angels of God, Luke 12.9. But in the mean time when the Gospel and truth of God can gain nothing, but rather (as I say) suffer much loss and detriment by thy death and suffering; Fugito, latita, saith the same Erasmus still; Fly in God's name, and keep thyself close for a better opportunity, till a fit season do offer itself in which thou mayest do good. For by that course, it may so fall out which Demosthenes speaks of; that, Vir qui fugit, redintegrabit praelium; He that flies to day, may live to renew the battle to morrow, or at another time. As indeed it fell out accordingly with these Disciples of our blessed Saviour; which howsoever they were but weak and infirm at the time of the apprehension or taking of their Master, which as you have heard occasioned their flight; yet they proved afterwards the proclaimers of the Gospel to all people, and the Heralds of salvation unto all souls; preaching the truth of Christ boldly to their faces from whose presence they had fled before.  
But when a man is so confirmed and settled in his faith himself, as that withal he is able to strengthen his brethren; and that his death or other sufferings, whatsoever may be profitable, and bring forth plentiful fruit unto the Church of God; and his blood be as seed sown in good ground, springing up to the increase of faith in divers others: Why then I say, it sha●l be a great disparagement for himself, and a detriment to the Church of God for a follower of Christ to fly: for every one whom Christ hath called to his faith, and the knowledge of his truth, must do his best to bring his brother to Christ too; 
John 1.42.25.  as Andrew did Peter, and Philip did Nathaniel. For, Nascitur indigne per quem non nascitur alter, saith the Poet; which if it be true in natural generation, that he is borne but to little purpose that doth not propagate his kind, then much more in spiritual regeneration; which seeing it is done no way better than by constant profession of the Gospel, even unto death and bonds: because Sanguis Martyrum est semen Ecclesiae; The blood of Martyrs hath ever proved the best seed of the Church: therefore in such cases it is not lawful for him that professes Christianity and Religion, either to withdraw, or conceal himself; but he ought rather, occurrere carnifici, even to meet the hangman in the face, then to step a foot out of the way to prevent and avoid the danger. For howsoever, as Bernard says, 
S●rm. 3. Dominica in ramis Palm.  Persecutio & temporalis ómnis adversitas, pro loco & tempore aliquando fugienda erit: cum autem necesse fuerit, viriliter toleranda▪ that is, Persecution, and temporal affliction be sometime according to place and occasions to be avoided and eschewed; yet when need is, it must be manfully tolerated and endured.  
Use. But enough of this, only an Use or two from the flight of these Disciples, and running away from their Master; and then we will end this Circumstance. First then, let us take notice, that those men are like unto these, that is, but weak in faith, which are content to serve Christ only in the time of prosperity, and while all things go well with them; and that no trouble or affliction come thereby: but when any crosses or calamities arise, whereby they shall be necessitated, and driven to forsake either their wealth, or their will, their profit or their pleasure; or suffer and sustain any other the least detriment, or disgrace by his service; why, then presently they withdraw themselves, and leave him.  
It is to be doubted (beloved) that Christ hath many such Disciples in these days; many which, 
 comes radios per Solis euntibus ùmbra est,  
Cum latet hic pressus n●●ibus, illa fugit:  as a Poet saith:  
That can be content to follow Christ as the shadow doth the Sun; that is, so long as it shineth: but when once it gins to be darkened with clouds, it instantly vanisheth away. So in time of prosperity, all men for the most part, will be content to be Christ's Disciples; but when tribulation or persecution cometh for Christ's sake, by and by they are offended; as our Saviour himself saith of them: Matth. 13.21. or as Saint Luke hath it, Tempore tentationis recedunt: that is, In time of temptation they go away; Luke 8.13. yea, many with the sons of Zebedeus would be Christ's Disciples, if he had an earthly Kingdom to advance them to places of honour; that so one might sit at his right hand, and the other on his left: but when it comes to this reckoning, that they must pledge him of that bitter cup of his Cross, of which he is now ready to drink a full draught before them; than it is to be doubted that most of them will be ready to say with the carnal Capernaites in the Gospel, Durus est hic sermo; This is an hard saying, who can hear it? as John 6.60. But beloved, we must know that it is not enough for a Christian to confess Christ and his truth in the Halcyon days and times of peace and plenty, but they must also stick to it when trouble ariseth for the same: For it is but an easy matter to profess the Gospel while all is calm and quiet, and the weather fair (as we say;) but the trial of constancy and perseverance is to be seen only in adversity, as one saith; Tempore duro est inspicienda fides: As the valour and courage of a Soldier is best seen in the hottest skirmish; and the skill of a Mariner best descried and discerned in the greatest tempest: so the faith and constancy of Christians is best tried in the most grievous persecutions. For in the days of tranquillity and peace, what hypocrite gives not way unto the Gospel? Who will not favour it, so long as it is in the general favour of the world? What Persian so profane, that will not become a Jew to enjoy their freedoms and prerogatives? as Hester 8.17. But when the world and the Gospel's part, and Truth's followers are followed with hatred and contempt, threatened with fire and faggot; then comes the trial of a true faithful Christian indeed, and not before.  
It is the glory of the Angel of Pergamus, that dwelling where Satan's Throne was in those days, when Antipas God's faithful Martyr was slain; yet he had not denied his name: Revel. 2.13. And the argument is strong for th● uprightness and integrity of Job, against the cavil of Satan; that when the fence was removed, which he had suggested to be the hold-backe of Job from blaspheming the name of God; yet as the text saith, That Job continued still in his fear: Job 10.11, 12. We have most of us given the Gospel's entertainment so fare at the least, as to become professors and hearers of it; and no marvel, for it hath the credit and the countenance of the times; yea, and the sword of the public Magistrate in defence and protection of it, (which the Lord of his infinite goodness vouchsafe still to continue amongst us!) but if such times should come again as some of our forefathers have lived in; and as were in the Primitive days of the Gospel, I mean those Marian times of bloody Persecution; wherein we must either deny, fly, or die, What would we do then? It is to feared, that it would then be found, that many which now make fair and glorious shows, seeming close and inward friends to Christ; would give him the slip with his Apostles here, and disclaim all acquaintance with him, (as Saint Peter for his part did) rather than expose themselves to danger for his sake: and our too much love of this frail and momentary life, drive us often into many base shifts to save it: yea, to hazard the loss of our souls for ever, only to gain a few uncertain minutes of breathing to a sick and crazy body. Peter (I say) vowed, though all the world forsook Christ, that he would never leave him: yet for fear, denies him thrice, and forswears him too. Marcelinus twice cast grains of incense into the Idols fire: 
〈…〉.  Ecebolius turns thrice: Spira revolts and despairs.  
But I shall not need to press this point any farther, as being half impertinent to these days of peace; wherein taking up the Cross to follow Christ withal, is amongst those duties, which it sufficeth to perform praeparatione animae; rather in the readiness of our minds, than the present action and execution of our bodies: because (God be thanked) it seems to be a far off. Howsoever, we may do well (beloved) to examine how we stand resolved, in case the Lord should call us to suffer for his name's sake; and to arm ourselves for such a time, though it never come: as a wise Mariner, that in a calm makes all his tackle strong against a storm: and as the careful Fen-man, or Marsh-man, mends all his banks in Summer, to prevent the drowning of his grounds in Winter. And if we find our hearts to be so firmly set and settled, that we will rather forsake all, than forego our Master Christ Jesus; our resolution in this kind shall pass for execution, in the sight of God; and it shall be held as done, which we would have done, if we had been put unto it, though it never be done indeed. For, Non Martyrium sola effusio sanguinis consummate (saith Saint Austin) nec sola dat palmam exustio illa flammarum: It is not the sword alone, nor the fire, which makes a Martyr, but a man may be a Martyr without bloodshed; Et sicca morte; and by a dry death, attain unto the Crown of a Confessor.  
For we must know, beloved, that there are three kinds of Martyrdom. The first, Operis & voluntatis, both of the will and work; as that of Saint Stephen, related and set down at large, Acts 7. The second, Operis, sed non voluntatis, of the work, but not the will; as that of the Infants of Bethlem, recorded by Saint Matthew, cap. 2.16. The third, Voluntatis, sed non operis, Of the will, but not the work; as the Martyrdom of Saint John the Evangelist, reported in the Ecclesiastical History. 
Euseb. 〈…〉 cap. 31  Answerable also to that of Saint Paul before his death, when he said unto Agabus and others, I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus, Acts 21.13.  
Now beloved, we must resolve to be Martyrs in this last kind at the least, or else we are not worthy the name of Christians. We must resolve therefore, I say, to continue and abide by Christ, not only in his, but in all our own temptations also, or else we can never be partakers of his glory among the Saints of light. For there is no hope of the Crown, if we do not help in some measure to carry the Cross; neither can we be sharers of the spoils and booty, if we fight never a stroke in the battle: But either cowardly (with the Apostles here) run away from Christ; or with Saint Peter deny him, rather than run the hazard of persecution which may arise for his name's sake. For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, among this adulterous and sinful generation; him shall the Son of man be ashamed of when he cometh in the glory of his Father with all his holy Angels, saith our Saviour himself, Mark 8.38. And therefore if you would have Christ not to forsake you in another world, do not you forsake him in this, whether in word or deed, practice or profession, heart or hand, but be constant in your Faith holding out unto the end; notwithstanding never so many dangers which may threaten you for your profession sake. For all the afflictions of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be showed unto us in the life to come, saith Saint Paul, Rom. 8.18. And this sufficeth for this use.  

2. Use.  Secondly, Take notice that these Disciples followed Christ, Vsque ad Passionis tempus; as one observeth, i. e. Till the time that his Death and Passion drew near and was at hand; but then they forsook him and fled: so thy Parents, Kinsfolk, Children and Friends, and all other good things of this world, will be content to serve and attend thee whilst thou art alive, and to live like, as we say: But when the ministers and messengers of death begin once to beset and encompass thee about, they will all forsake thee presently, and leave thee to thyself alone: Which may afford us this use to teach us not to put our trust in men, nor in any other earthly thing, but only in the Lord our most faithful and constant friend indeed, that will stand to us, and by us, not only in this life, but in that other life also which is to come. But I was so large and long in the last Use, that I am constrained to be the briefer in this. And therefore I do here end it, when I have scarce made entrance into it: only showing you that such an use might be made of it, though I have no time now to enlarge and prosecute it; but am enforced to leave the farther application and amplification of it unto yourselves.  
There is one circumstance behind, and that is Peter's denial of his Master, which might have been here added as a great increase no doubt of the mental sufferings of our blessed Saviour. But I shall purposely omit it because it is a subject that is very copiously handled by divers others, and that hath been likewise formerly treated of by myself in this place; so that I should but actum agere, do that which I had done before, to insist upon it again. And therefore, the next day (God willing) I will proceed directly to his corporal passions, and that which for our sakes he suffered in his body, when as it is said, He suffered under Pontius Pilate. In the mean time, for this present, this shall suffice.   
Mark 14.46. 
They laid their hands upon Him, and took Him.  
HAving formerly at large run through the mental sufferings of our blessed Saviour, as well in the treason of Judas, as the flight of his Apostles from him, and leaving of him in his enemy's hands: we are at last come to treat of his Corporal Passions, and that which for our sakes he suffered in his body, when as it is said of him, He suffered under Pontius Pilate.  
And herein I can follow no other, no better method, than what his mischievous and malicious enemies have directed me unto: but that, as they proceed in their abusive and disgraceful carriage of themselves, and usage towards him, so must I in my discourse upon the same. And I intent by God's permission and your patience, to follow them step by step, until we see the end.  
First then, They laid their hands upon Him, and took Him, saith Saint Mark, Capientes eum, quem mundus capere non potest: Apprehending Him, whom the World cannot comprehend nor contain; according to that of the Prophet, The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord was taken in their nets, Lament. 4.20.  
Where it is very worthy of our most serious considerations, to think with what fierce and cruel countenances, menacing and theeatning looks, malicious and spiteful minds, this devilish and hellish rabble did invade and assault our blessed Saviour: And so encompassing him round about, did lay their most wicked and violent hands upon him to take him; Non fidei manus, sed faroris; Not hands of faith, but fury. So that, Omnes impetum faciunt in●um, in terram deijciunt, calcant, dilaniant, capillos & barbam evellunt, alapis & pugnis caedunt; saith a Spanish Postiller: They all rush violently upon him, fling him to the ground, kick him, spurn him, tear him, pull off the hair both of his head and beard; yea, buffet and beat him with their fists: answerable to that of the Psalmist, Miserere mei Deus, quoniam conculcavit me homo, as the vulgar Latin reads it: Psal. 56.1. that is, Be merciful unto me, O God, for man hath kicked or lifted up his heel against me: and likewise of the Prophet, Dedi genas meas vellentibus, etc. that is, I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that pulled off the hair; Esay 50.6. in the last translation. So that we may safely sing, and say with David in another place; How that he was compassed about with young Bulls, and mighty Bulls of Bashan did beset him on every side; gaping upon him with their mouths, as it were a ramping and roaring Lion: as Psal. 22.12, 13. verses. Neither could it be more truly verified of the most counterfeit and dissembling Sinon that ever the world brought forth, then of this sincere Son of righteousness Christ Jesus: how that, 
Vndique visendi study 
Trojans.  prophana juventus  
Circumfusa ruit, certantque illudere capto. as Virgil 2. Aen.  that is, That the profane multitude strived who should be foremost to mock and deride him, to put shame and disgrace upon him. All which considered, it cannot choose but move pity and compassion in the most stony and flinty heart, that ever the world brought forth, to think and see; that he, who in Heaven is continually attended and adored, by whole troops of celestial powers, and mighty armies of heavenly Soldiers, and hosts of blessed Angels, should be so fare debased and deprived of that so great and magnificent glory and renown; as to suffer himself so readily and willingly thus to be beset and taken by such a rascal multitude of rude and rugged Renegadoes, men of no esteem or credit in the world; and all out of his love to us, that so he might deliver us out of the hands of those our enemies; that held us bound and captive in their snares, according to their own will, as Saint Paul saith, 2 Tim. 2. ultim. and so were even ready to destroy and devour our souls. If this his so great and unsearchable love to us, do not cry and call for a return of our love to him again, let ourselves be judges: but because every circumstance of his sufferings afford us this Use, we will leave the farther amplification and enlargement of it till hereafter.  
In the mean time take notice in the second place; that they did not only take him, but bind him too, as Saint John saith: Chap. 18. verse 12. as it was typified of him in Ezekiell. Thou Son of man, 
Tract. 112. in johan.  behold they shall put bands upon thee, and bind thee with them; Ezek. 3.25. So that, as Saint Augustine saith, Eum ligant à quo solvi potius velle debuerunt; They bind him, of whom they should rather have sought and desired to have been loosed: Yea, which came into the world only for the same purpose, saith Saint Cyrill; (viz.) to have loosed them indeed, if they would themselves; to have loosed them from their sins, whom in recompense (as you see and hear) they bind with cords.  

Vinclis Princeps diris addicitur,  
Et ut latro ligatus ducitur. That is,   

Leading him captive as a Thief,  
And bound in chains that is their Chief:   
But oh you unthankful and ungrateful wretches, is this the reward you give unto him, that set you free from the Egyptian bondage; thus to bind him for his pains? to tie those hands that created and made at the first, and still preserve and uphold the whole frame of this universal world? And which is more, are the authors of that liberty and freedom which yourselves do now enjoy? (For I am the Lord the God, which have brought you out of the Land of Egypt, that you should not be their bondmen: yea, I have broken the bonds of your yoke, and made you go upright, saith this Lord himself unto them: Levit. 26.13.) Haeccine ergo reddis Domino, popule stulte & insipiens; Do ye therefore so reward the Lord O ye foolish people, and unwise? said Moses unto them long since: as you may see, Deut. 32.6. And therefore much more foolish and unwise now, to think themselves able to bind him (unless he were willing thereunto) that came into the world, only to let them that were bound to go free, as the Psalmist speaketh; Dominus solvit compeditos, The Lord looseneth the prisoners: Psal. 146.7. causing Peter chains when he was in prison, to fall off from his hands; Acts 12.7.  
And therefore it is but a point of folly, if not madness in them indeed, to comfort and solace themselves overmuch, in this their new prisoners bondage, seeing although they have bound him, yet they have not vanquished nor overcome him: For, Quod vinciunt, non victi est sed volentis; His bonds proceed not so much from their conquest, as from his own consent. And besides, in this their binding of him, they do but tie themselves both bodies and souls the faster, and the surer to their own damnation: as indeed do all others, that in these days do likewise tie the hands of our blessed Saviour by their sins: as first they do, which either distrust his providence over them, for the provision and welfare of their bodies; or despair of his mercy towards them for the salvation of their souls: or lastly, that doubt of his assistance in any other their temptations and afflictions; whether corporal or spiritual, whether of mind, or body, or both.  
Secondly, they do the like, which do so resist his divine and holy motions and inspirations, which many times he breatheth and infuseth by his heavenly blasts, into their hearts and souls; as that they do not permit and suffer him to have his free operation, and work out his own work within them: but either carelessly neglect him, or wilfully reject him when he offers divine grace unto them.  
Thirdly, they that are ungrateful and unthankful for benefits and blessings formerly received, do also so tie up God's hands, as that he can confer and bestow no more upon them; but do plainly manifest and declare, that they are very unworthy of those, which they have already had, and received.  
Fourthly, they which upon all occasions are not ready and willing to cooperate with God's divine grace, by faithful and careful employment of their talents to farther and greater benefit and increase; but are so cold and slothful in good things, as that they bury and hid their talents: and rather extinguish and quench the spirit, then cause it to flame and burn out, as they ought to do, by being diligent and zealous in good works; free and forward to all holy actions and endeavours. For, Aguntur homines à Spiritu Dei; ut acti agant, non ut ipsi nihil agant, saith Saint Austin; Men are so led and guided by the Spirit of God, as that by his assistance they must also work and agitate themselves; and not do nothing towards their own salvation: which the very word Assistance doth plainly import. For he that doth help and assist his friend in any thing, doth it not altogether for him; but together with him, doth help to perfect that which he was not able to finish, and fulfil by himself alone. So, that as the same Austin elsewhere, Qui fecit te sine te, non salvabit te sine te; He that made thee without thee, yet will not save thee without thee.  
And lastly, the proud Justiciaries, which are ready presently to think highly, and magnify themselves for those good things that are in them; (although they be not nata, but data; not their own, but such as they have received from the Lord: and with the Pharisee in the Gospel, to boast and brag of their own righteousness and holiness, above, and beyond others; and that with a kind of scornful rejection, and disdainful detestation and demonstration of Iste Publicanus, The poor Publican, and all other their neighbours and brethren in comparison of themselves: as too many in these days do. Why these I say; yea all these do so bind and tie up the hands of our blessed Saviour and Redeemer, as that he cannot go forward with the work of their salvation, no more than he could do his great works and wonders in his own Country, and among his own people, for their unbeliefes sake: as Matth. 13.58. and Mark 6.5. And therefore let me entreat and persuade you, to beware of these and the like fearful sins, if ever you mean that God and his Christ shall save your souls.  
And thus in the flight first of his Disciples, and then in the apprehension and binding of our Saviour himself afterward; ye see the truth of those things fulfilled in these days of the Gospel, which were long since typified and foreshown in the time of the Law. First, in the flying of the Israelites before their enemies, and the taking of the Ark of God; at the news whereof old Eli fell backward from his seat, so that his neck was broken, and he died: 1 Sam. 4.18. where, since the taking of the Ark, was a token and a type of the taking of Christ; (as many Writers observe) I see no reason but that I may safely infer, that the fall and breaking of the neck of Eli, the Priest of Israel at that time, might fore-shew also the downfall and destruction of the Jewish Priesthood, and Ecclesiastical Policy, at the taking, or shortly after the taking of our Lord himself: but this only by the way. Secondly, the binding and durance of Christ was typified in the casting of innocent Joseph into prison, because he would not consent to lie with his lascivious and adulterous Mistress: Gen. 39.20. And lastly, in the binding of Samson with fetters and chains, after that Dalilah had cut off the seven locks, and other hairs of his head; as Judges 16.19, 21. verses.  
But I must confess that this our Samson would easily have broken these chains, & cast away these cords from him, now; when these Philistims, these his enemies much worse than the Philistims, were upon him; if he had not been held with other, with stronger ties than these: they being the chains and bonds only of his love; and the cords, nay cart-ropes of our sins, that are able thus to hamper, thus to hold him. His love first, (as the Poet saith, Omnia vincit amor;) is that which doth overcome him that is invincible, and bind him here that is omnipotent: and our sins n●xt, answerable to that of the Prophet, Funes peccatorum circumplexi sunt me; as the vulgar Latin reads it, in Psal. 109. Verse 61. that is, The cords of sin, or if you please, of sinners, have engird and encompassed me round about. As when the razor came once upon the head of Samson, he lost his former unconquerable strength, so that he might be held with cords, and bound with withes: so when the sin of Adam, whereby he swarved from the will, and deviated from the ways of God, came once upon the head of Christ, Teneri potuit & ligari; His enemies had power to hold and bind him: so that he may complain as in the Prophet, He hath hedged me about, so that I cannot get out; and he hath made my chain heavy: Lament. 3.70. The false hands, and the foul fingers of the first Adam, were lift up after a thievish manner, wrongfully to take and cause the mouth to taste of God's forbidden fruit, without the good leave and liking of him the lawful owner; which gave occasion to our second Adam willingly and readily to permit and suffer his holy and righteous hands to be bound as a Thief, that so he might make full satisfaction for that so foul transgression of the first; and loosen the hands of him and his posterity: in which, by reason of the former offence, they were fast tied and bound before; according to that of the Poet: 
Adae primi vincla se quatiunt,  
Adam novum cum nexus ambiunt. That is,  
The first Adam's bands begin to lose,  
When to the second they knit the noose. etc.  Sed proh regem vinctum, pro furum seelere; What a thing is this? nay, what a strange thing; to see the King bound for the Thief's offence? strange indeed; but that we are taught and told, that the love of Christ does stranger things for the love of us then this; and all that he might draw sinful mankind to the love of him again, as one saith; Ligari voluit pro nobis, ut nos sibi alligaret vinculis charitatis: He would be bound for us, that so he might bind us unto himself in the chains of charity: yea, as the holy Scripture saith, In funiculis Adam traham eos, in vinculis charitatis; I drew them with the cords of a man, and in the bands of love: Hosea 11.4. To draw then towards an end of this point: 
Tu vinciris ut vinctos liberes,  
Vincla mea tu fers in manibus  
Tuis, rogo me liges funibus.  
Since thou art bound the bond to free,  
And that my chains are borne by thee;  
With these thy cords, Lord tie thou me.  Yea, knit not only me, but all thy whole Church so fast unto thyself in thy faith, and fear, and love unfeigned; that neither height above, nor depth beneath, nor death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor any other creature, as Saint Paul saith, be able to make a separation, or to dissolve the union. And let these thy cords and chains so fare loosen the bands of mine, and of all our sins, as that they may never rise up against us to condemn us, either in this world, or that which is to come. Yea, so strengthen us with thy heavenly grace, and powerful assistance of thy holy Spirit; that we do not conspire with these thine enemies to bind thee again ourselves, by resisting of thy gracious motions, and most holy instincts, or disobeying of thy will in any thing: but enable us in all things to do as we say, when we pray as thou hast taught us; Lord let thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven: Da quod jubes, & jube quid vis; Enable us to perform, and then command what thou wilt. Draw us with these the everlasting chains and cords of thy love, and then we will run after thee in the savour of these thy sweet ointments and perfumes, as thy Spouse professeth on our behalf to do: Cant. 1.3, 4. And once more let us pray in our mother tongue, I mean our mothers the Church's language; Thou O gracious Father, whose nature and property is ever to have mercy, and to forgive, receive our humble petitions; and though we be tied and bound with the chain of our sins, yet let the pitifulness of thy great mercy lose us, by the means and merit of these bonds and chains, and other the sufferings of our blessed Saviour; and for the farther honour of him the said Jesus Christ our Mediator and Redeemer, Amen. And this sufficeth to have been spoken of the apprehension and binding of Christ, as the first part and parcel of those corporal indignities, which for our sakes He suffered under Pontius Pilate.  
In the next place he is carried to the seat of Judgement, and before an whole Bench, and Court of Judges, which are four in number; two spiritual, and two temporal. All wicked and very unjust, as by the sequel of this discourse, it will plainly and manifestly appear; especially the two spiritual ones, Annas and Cai●phas; which were so fare from upright Judges in this cause, as that they were indeed most violent and partial adversaries; maliciously affected towards him, that was here brought before them to be judged according to the Law. For who ever heard before that Judges did act the parts, either of pleaders or accusers; or went about to inquire for false witnesses, and suborn them to come in against a prisoner at the Bar; or one that stood before them to answer for his life, as these Judges did? For Saint Matthew and Saint Mark both tell us, that aswell the chief Priests and Elders, as the rest of the Counsel, sought for false witnesses to put him to death: Matth. 26.59. and Mark 14.55. whereby it appears that they were very enemies unto him, upon whose life they meant to sit as Judges; which was a most wicked and unlawful act in them: and such as made Saint chrysostom upon a like occasion to refuse to stand to: 
Eccl. Hist. lib. 8. c. 17.  saying, Se nolle temerarium aliquid subire & manifestos inimicos ferre judices, as Sozomen relates; That he would not abide by any judgement or censure that should be given by his enemies. And it is an ordinary and usual practice in the Courts of Justice amongst ourselves, for a prisoner, if he know, or but suspect any of the Jury to be his enemies, to challenge them; and they shall be put by from passing upon his life or cause. And in some cases, if a man doubt of the integrity or uprightness of any Court, whether Spiritual, or Temporal; he may remove his action, and cry with Saint Paul, Appello Caesarem, I appeal unto Caesar; or some higher Bench: whereas our Saviour ye see here does none of these things, but is content to let them take their course against him, though his own innocency be never so eminent and evident, and their injustice and iniquity never so great.  
But indeed, the truth is, these were the supremest Courts of that place and time, in which his cause was to be tried, aswell Ecclesiastical as Imperial; of Caesar, as the Synagogue: so that from these, except to the Throne of Heaven, there lay no appeal. Now if this be not a great degree of suffering in him, thus to fall into the hands, not only of his enemies, but such as were unrighteous Judges also: yea, so many of them; all four such, never an upright one amongst them; and yet to have no other place to appeal unto: judge ye. If any should demand of me, 
Plus vident oculi quàm oculus.  what is the reason that in our Courts of Justice there are usually so many deputed by the supreme authority, to sit as Judges together: I might reply with one, that amongst divers, this surely is none of the least: Quod ubi pauci Judices sunt, 
Machiav●l de R●pub. Venet. l 1. cap. 7.  facilè à paucis corrumpi, & in suam sententiam pertrahi queant: That if a single man or two of them perchance, should either for favour or friendship, p●ece vel precio, either by entreaty or reward, be drawn aside to the perverting of justice: or not be ready and willing upon all occasions to right the cause of the innocent; yet they should not all be such: But that the one half of them might stand up for truth and equity against the others; or if it should so fall out, (which God forbidden) that major pars should vincere meliorem; The greater part should sometime oversway the better: yet, that one at the least should speak his conscience freely, and plead the cause of the innocent boldly; that so the injustice and unrighteousness of men might not altogether prevail against the truth, which is of God; but that aequum & bonum, that which is right and good might take place: and true judgement and justice be seen to flourish in our Land. For where all are such, as in this case of Christ, that there is never an honest or righteous man upon the Bench; there righteousness itself is sure to be arraigned, and innocency condemned; Justice perverted; and all Laws, be they never so sacred and religious, violated and broken.  
Now in our Saviour's case, I say, besides that some of them had declared and manifested themselves to be his enemies: why the others also, aswell as they, were wicked and unjust too; there being not one of them ready, patrocinare, or to defend the cause of this innocent: no nor to speak a word to purpose on his behalf, although he were the most righteous and harmless person that ever the world brought forth, but he suffered some kind of injury and indignity or other from them all, every one of them apart, as shall appear unto you more plainly by that which follows and succeeds. For howsoever Pilate made a show indeed of pleading his cause against the Jews for a time: yet the catastrophe and close of all will make it manifest, that he was as wicked and unjust in his degree and kind as any of the rest.  
But let us take them in their order. For Saint john tells us, that they led him away to Anna's first; who was father in law to Caiaphas, which was high Priest the same year, john 18. ●3. So that howsoever the cognisance of the cause at this time belonged properly to Caiaphas, as being the present high Priest, yet the catchpoles and soldier, that took and haled him along, carried him first to Annas; non tanquam ad judicem sed ad hostem; veluti praedam ostentantes, 
In locum.  as Erasmus speaks: not as to a Judge that had power to censure him: but as to an adversary, that had a desire to see him, thus under arrest, and in his enemy's hands. And therefore as bragging and vaunting of their prey, and glorying in their conquest over him, they carry him unto him, who they knew would rejoice together with them; and give them praise and thanks, rather than the least discountenance for what they had done unto him. And besides, Annas as it is probably to be thought, was of the conspiracy to take him, being one of those that had hired Judas to betray him; and procured the band of soldiers from the civil Magistrate to assist and help him in the action and employment. For three of the Evangelists, viz. Matthew, Mark, and Luke, do all tell us, That he went to the high Priests, in the Plural number: and They, not He; appointed unto him thirty pieces of silver, etc. as Mat. 26.14.15. Now then, There being more than one of these high Priests that had done thus, Annas must needs be the second man; because we read not of any other about this time, but only of Annas and Caiaphas: who by turns, as it should seem, had managed the high Priests office for some while together; as appears by the relation of Saint Luke, who saith, That Annas and Caiaphas were the high Priests when the word of God came unto John the Son of Zacharias; and he began to preach in the wilderness, Luke 3.2. Now then, if these were the men that had promised Judas his pay, and it may be the soldiers some gratuity for their pains; why then, they had reason to repair unto them both, to give an account of their employment and undertaking, and especially to Anna's first, as being the Elder man, and one whose habitation was nearer than the other, 
In locum.  as Saint Austin and some others do imagine and conceive. But whatsoever were the true cause, it is evident and apparent by Saint John's relation, that to him he was first carried and brought. Neither did he take himself to be so voided and deprived of all jurisdiction, but that he had power and durst presume to examine him, and question with him. For so is it said, That the high Priest asked him of his Disciples and of his Doctrine, John 18.19. which the ancients generally allow to be Annas; though Calvin, I must confess, 
In locum.  and many other neoterics think otherwise, viz. That he was not questioned at all, till he came into the common Council: And then that Caiaphas was he that did it; Annas being present, and sitting by as his assistant upon the bench; or at the least, that this question was not demanded him till then; unto which he gave that answer, which occasioned a slander by to strike him. For hereupon, He the said Calvin, takes occasion to observe the excessive rage and unruliness of these enemies of Christ; together with the tyrannical discipline that was exercised by these high Priests: That while they seem to sit as Judges, Interea saeviunt, ut truculentae belluae; yet they are as savage as the most furious and fiercest beasts. For in the midst of their Council and Assembly, where aught of all places to be exercised and shown the greatest gravity and decorum in their proceed, a common officer or servant amongst them, assumes so much licence and liberty to himself, as in the very time of examination and handling of the cause, in the open face of the court; and in sight of both the Judges; to strike the prisoner even without any offence, and that without any check or reproof from them again for his so doing. And thereupon concludes: Non mirum si intam barbarico consessu damnatur Christi doctrina; a quo non modo eis aequitas exulat, sed eis quo que humanitas & pudor. It is no marvel that the Doctrine of Christ should be condemned in such a barbarous assembly, whence not only all right and equity, but even all shame also and humanity is banished and exiled; so far Calvin. And Buissonius in his Evangelicall harmony, saith; Non dubium est, quin Iohannes nomine Pontificis, non Annam, sed Caiapham intelligit: It is not to be doubted, but that Saint john by the name of highpriest in this place, means not Annas but Caiaphas.  
But when, or where, or by whomsoever this question was asked; it is evident by the text, that when Christ's answer thereunto pleased not the standers by, one of them, dedit ei alapam, saith the vulgar Latin, i. e. gave him a box on the ear, or as our last translation reads it, smote him with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the highpriest so? vers. 22. of the former eighteenth Chapter of the Gospel written by Saint john. Whereupon Saint chrysostom exclaims: 
In locum.  Exhorrescat Coelum & contremiscat terra de Christi patientia & servorum impudentia: Let the heavens be sore afraid, and the earth tremble and shake for dread at Christ his patience, and the servants impudence: Et quod alapa Deus percuti petuit, and to think that God could receive a box on the ear, or be stricken with the palm of the hand, O Angeli qui haec intuemini, quomodo siletis, etc. O ye Angels which behold these things, how is it possible that ye should be silent! how can you contain your hands from fight, & your tongues from speaking in the Lord's defence? or is it because you are astonished to behold so great insolence and madness in them, and so much mildness and meekness in him? so great sauciness and perverseness in them that offer it; and so much patience and humility in him that suffers it? To think that a Master should be stricken by his servant; and the Creator by his creature; yea the Lord of the whole earth, before whom the very heavens tremble, and infernal powers shake and quake for fear: should receive such an indignity and affront from a sordid and base slave, yea a vile worm, and very scum of the earth.  
O eternal Father and Creator of all things, look with the eye of pity and compassion upon that amiable countenance and lovely face of thy Christ (sole illustriorem, as Cyrill speaks, more bright and beauteous than the Sun) that is, thus smitten with the foul fists and fingers of sinful man. How canst thou so patiently put up so great an indignity offered to thine only Son, and the World's only Saviour? What punishment should he be accounted worthy of, that should offer the like violence, or once make but a show of lifting up his hand against the son of an earthly Sovereign; or other the pettiest King or Prince of the World? when as all the Kings of the Earth are but weak and feeble bulrushes and mushrooms in comparison of this King Christ Jesus, who is both Rex Regum, & Dominus Dominantium; King of Kings and Lord of Lords, as the holy Scriptures style him. The hand of jeroboam that was a King himself, being stretched out against but a Prophet of the Lords, dried up and withered presently, so that he could not pull it in again unto him, 1 Reg. 13.4. whereas behold a greater than a Prophet is here (yea, one that is King, Priest, and Prophet too, all in his own person) that is stricken with the fist, and yet striketh not again, nor makes any other the least resistance. Consider also how God smiteth Vzzah with present death for but lifting up his hand to uphold and stay the Ark, being not thereunto lawfully called, 2 Sam. 6.7. How many deaths than is this man worthy of that presumes thus to lift up his hand against the Lord of the Ark himself, and to smite him on the face; as Zedekiah a false prophet smote Michaiah the true Prophet of the Lord on the cheek (our blessed Saviour's Type no doubt in this) because he did not answer the King according to his desire, 1 Reg. 22.24.  
But, O manus infaelix! saith one, This was an unhappy hand indeed that was thus daring and audacious, as to strike that heavenly face; whom not only the Cherubims and Seraphims and all the celestial powers above, but every created nature also besides, strive to worship and adore that divine countenance, Tam diu in mundo desideratus; so long desired to be beheld and seen in the world before it came, with so many wishes and prayers, (O u●inam disrumpat coelos; Oh that he would break the Heavens and come down, Esay. 64.1.) and so many sighs and tears begged at the hands of God by the patriarchs and Prophets: yea, the very joy of Angels, which they had long expected to look upon, and rejoiced with joy unspeakable when they were once made so happy, as to behold and see it indeed. That face, of which Moses spoke when he said unto God: If I have now found favour in thy sight, ostend mihi faciem, as the vulgar Latin reads it, O Lord show me thy face, Exod. 33.13. and David likewise, when he said, ostend faciem tuam & salvi erimus, Cause thy face to shine upon us, O Lord, and we shall be saved. Psal. 80.3. This, this is the very same face, I say, which these profane rabble do so foully abuse, and seek to disgrace by striking it in this scornful and contemptuous manner; yea, spitting upon it and blindefolding of it too; as you shall hear hereafter. In which, that of the Prophet is wholly fulfilled, which you heard but in part before, when he said in the person of this our blessed Saviour; I gave my back unto the smiters, and my cheeks to the nippers: and I hide not my face from shame and spitting, Esay 50.6. Answerable also to that which himself foretold unto his twelve Apostles, saying, Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be fulfilled to the Son of Man, that are written by the Prophets. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and shall be spitefully entreated, and spit upon, Luke 18.31, 32.  
O blessed Jesus! the meekest and the mildest Lamb upon the Earth; Whose heart is so hard and stony, as not to be ready to burst for grief and melt into tears, at the consideration of this thy wonderful and unparallelled patience? whereby thou so quietly sufferest that most beautiful and glorious face of thine (For in es speciosus prae filiis hominum, fairer than the children of men, saith the Psalmist of thee, Psal. 45.2.) to be thus shamefully handled, and ignominiously stricken and spitted upon, by base and ignoble persons, servile and inferior fellows. I nunc homo superbe & impatiens, qui subito c●mmoveris, saith one; Go now thou proud and impatient man, that art so suddenly moved at the least indignity and affront that is offered thee, and canst not brook nor bear a distasteful word, nor put up the least and smallest offence without thy wrath and fury from thy friend or neighbour. Inspice hoc vivum patientiae exemplum; Look upon this lively and lovely picture and pattern of patience, and learn of him to be meek and lowly in heart, that so thou mayest find rest unto thy soul, as himself exhorteth thee, Matth. 11.29. Consider the whole course and passage of his Passion, from the first to the last, from the beginning to the ending of it, and you shall find that he was not once Commotus in adversarios, moved or stirred to the least choler against his adversaries, but shown all mildness and gentleness towards them that was possible, both in his speech and looks, his words and works. If ever we mean then to have a share and interest in his sufferings, let us endeavour so near as it is possible to conform ourselves unto them in meekness, and patience, and gentleness, and lowliness of mind and all other christian virtues which he hath practised and performed before us. For he is left unto us, propter exemplaritatem virtutis, for an example of patience, that we should follow his steps, saith Saint Peter, 1 Pet. 2.21. And this sufficeth for this time.   
John. 18.24. 
Now Annas had sent Him bound unto Caiaphas the High Priest.  

Anna's idem quod affligens. Boskier con. de Pas.  AFter the injuries and indignities that our blessed Saviour suffered at the hands, and in the house of Annas, whose very name signifies, Afflicting; as a modern Postiller hath well observed. The History of the Gospel goes on, and tells us; how in the next place he was sent by the said Annas himself, and carried bound to the catchpoles or officers unto Caiaphas, the present high Priest for the same year; where the Scribes and Elders were assembled, and a Council held, which sought for false witnesses against him, to put him to death: Matth. 26.57, 59 verses. whereupon one in a compassionate and sympathising manner, cries out; Add Tribunal duceris O Jesus, 
Osari●●.  cui flectitur omne genu: Thou, O Jesus, at whose gracious name all knees do bow, aswell of things in Heaven and Earth, as under the Earth, as Saint Paul saith: Phil. 20.10. art contented to be made to bend and bow thyself at the Bar; and before the tribunal of mortal and sinful man: Immo pudendum planè & indignum, saith another; quod Judex decretus vivorum & mortuorum, jam judicandus trahatur ad sacrilega nequissimorum Judicum subsellia: which is a shameful and unworthy thing, that he which is decreed by the Parliament, and Court of Heaven, to be the supreme Judge of quick and dead, as the Scripture testifieth; saying, The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement to the Son: John 5.20. should yet be haled and dragged along by the violence and insolence of a rascal and scurrile multitude; to the corrupt and sacrilegious Benches and places of torture, rather judicature, of most wicked and injurious Judges. And yet thus our poor Saviour was contented to be served; to be used and abused for our sakes: yea, he was carried to the high Priest, Cujus erat de lepra judicare, To whom it belonged to judge and determine of the leprosy: Deut. 17.8. Quia reputavimus eum quasi leprosum; because the wicked do esteem no otherwise of him, then as of one leprous and smitten of God, as the Prophet foretold, Esay 53.4. Nay, false witnesses are also sought, for to come in against him; whereby under the colour of Law, they might the more securely and without danger of uproar and tumult among the people, seem to have some just cause to take away his life. As Jezabell dealt with Naboth, so do these painted walls with Christ: Because he would not give his Vineyard to the oppressor, Set (saith she) two men, sons of belial, before him; which may bear witness against him, as if he had blasphemed God and the King: 3 Kings 21. So because Christ would not give his Father's honour unto the Devil, when he bade him fall down and worship him; false witnesses by his, and his instruments instigation and procuring, are sought for to slander and accuse him unjustly, laying to his charge things that he did not, that he knew not, saith the Psalmist: Psal. 35.11. So that the mouth of the wicked, and of the deceitful are opened against him, speaking against him with a lying tongue: Psal. 109.2. compassing him about with words of hatred, and fight against him without a cause, as there follows, verse 3. without a cause indeed. For, though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me; as himself complaineth by his Prophet, of them and their ingratitude: Hosea 7.13.  
But there was a seeming show and pretext, I must confess, of much sincerity and uprightness in their proceed against him. For here is a Council solemnly called, and met as you see, and that of the greatest and gravest; the learnedst and the wisest men amongst them, as of high Priests, Scribes, Elders; besides the spectators and by standers; before whom it could not be thought, or once imagined, but that all things should be fairly and uprightly carried, by such an Assembly: so that as one saith, Quis non bona sperasset ab hoc coetu, & multitudine, & reverentia tam illustri? Who could expect any thing but good from this so famous and illustrious a convention and meeting, aswell in multitude and populousness, as reverence and show of honesty? Speciosa enim hic multa; Seeing here were met together so many fair and specious pretexts of nothing else but sincere and upright deal, as a congregation and gathering together of the most renowned and famous men of the City; a certain form of judicature after an orderly and solemn sort: a production of several witnesses, and the like. Sed larvata haec omnia, All these are but masked and dissembling appearances; a vizard only, and no true face of justice: seeing the text tells us, that for all their fair shows, their intent was foul; even to put him to death: so that he had his doom before his day of hearing, and his judgement before his trial. For, Ante coitionem consulta decreta, facta & fata sunt omnia, saith one; All things were determined and decreed concerning him, before ever they came together; which is a piece of the greatest injustice, and a knack of the lewdest and vilest knavery, that either the Devil can invent, or his instruments actuate: when a man shall have his cause sentenced before it be heard, and himself condemned before he be legally convict: this is right devilry indeed. And yet this is our Saviour's case in this assembly, witnesses against him are pretended to be sought; but yet they must be false ones, speaking as the Court and Council would have them; or else they shall not be heard. For, seeing Truth is to be condemned, it must be done by falsehood, or not at all: and therefore, all you that are lovers and friends to Truth, stand by: here's no need of your testimony at this time: Hac curia non vobis patet; The doors and gates of this Assembly are so fare from being open to you, as that on the contrary, they are shut against you: so that, Exeat hac aula qui vult esse pius; He that is so godly and strict in his Religion, as that he cannot be content either to speak, or hear leasings; to equivocate a little, and stretch his conscience; to pleasure his friends, and confound his foes: he may, nay he must departed the Court.  
It is very fitting, I must needs say, that all public Officers and Magistrates, for their better advice, direction, and information in all cases, should have their Assistants and Counselors of State, and public acts be done in public assemblies: as well for the praise, and honour, and encouragement of those that do well; as for the open and exemplary punishment and conviction of those that do offend. In regard whereof it is true which one saith, Consilium est bonum; Counsel is good: (For, Vbi consilium, ibi prudentia; Where there is Counsel, there is Wisdom, saith a wise man indeed: and where no Counsel is, the people fall; but where there are many Counsellors there is health, saith Solomon; Prov. 11.14.) but yet take this withal, as mine Author adds: Si sit bonorum, if it be of good men, and to good purposes. For otherwise the meetings and Assemblies, Counsels and Conventicles of the wicked, are dangerous and deadly; because they travel of mischief, and bring forth ungodliness, saith David. Psal. 7.15. Yea, The Kings of the earth stand up, and the Rulers take counsel together; but wherefore is it? even to destroy the Lord, and his anointed: Psal. 2.2. As likewise it is said of the Pharisees, That they went out, and took counsel against Jesus how to destroy him; Matth. 12.14. and what they plotted and advised upon then, that they put in practice now. For in this their public Assembly, in the high Priests house, they seek for false witnesses to put him to death: So that this surely was no just and lawful Council, but a rude and disorderly Conventicle of bloud-seeking, and bloodsucking Tyrants: like that of joseph's brethren, when most unnaturally they conspired against their own innocent and harmless brother to slay him: Gen. 37.18, 20. verses. And that of the Jews against Jeremy, when they cried, Come let us devise devices against him, and smite him with the tongue: Jeremy 18.18. by which means they dig pits for his soul, as there follows, Verse 20. As Joseph likewise was cast into a pit, Verse 22. of the former Chapter: both which were types of Christ in this conspiracy, raised against him by the Jews his kinsmen, according to the flesh, at this time.  
But they were best to take heed that they fall not into the pit themselves at the last, which they thus dig for others. For, Consilium malum consultoribus semper pessimum; Evil counsel proves always in the end worst to them that give it: And therefore, Blessed and happy are those men that walk not in such counsels of the wicked, saith David; Psal. 1.1. as at which (as one said pleasantly, and yet properly) the Holy Ghost told him, He was not at leisure to be present: who absenting himself likewise from this Congregation, and conventual meeting of the high Priests, Scribes, and Elders at this time; it cannot properly be called a Council or lawful Assembly: but struma tantum Civitatis, as one terms it; An ulcerous bunch only, or swelling raised by the disorder and distemper of the City: which upon the apprehension and taking of Christ, was suddenly in a confused manner congregated and gathered together; the most part neither knowing why, nor wherefore. And thus much be spoken of this wicked Council and Assembly itself. Now let us proceed to the Acts of Court, and first to the examination of the prisoner at the Bar.  
You have heard already of his being brought from the house of Annas to the house of Caiaphas the present high Priest, and of the great concourse of all sorts and degrees of people, to see and hear his examination and arraignment. Now therefore in the next place, you are to hear and see of what matters and particulars he was there questioned and examined; which Saint John tells us in the 19 verse of his former 18. chapter, to be twofold, saying, That the high Priest than asked Jesus of his Disciples and of his Doctrine, of his Doctrine principally, as may be supposed; that so they might charge him with Heresy or foul errors, against the Law of Moses, and Religion established in the Church, and so have whereof to accuse and censure him in the court spiritual: and secondarily, of his Disciples; that so they might bring him within the compass of sedition, as a disturber of the public peace and quiet of the Commonwealth; and have whereof to condemn him in foro civili, or the court civil.  
The specialties of his examination concerning his Doctrine, might happily be these, or to the like purpose. As first, who was his Master or Instructor in his new Doctrine which he had lately broached and preached to the people? Secondly, why he did seek to innovate and alter their long practised and accustomed rites? and in stead thereof, bring in his own new devises, as in particular; why did he seek to thrust out and extinquish their old and ancient ceremony of circumcision, with his own new-fangled and newfound waters of Baptism? Thirdly, why he was so cynical in his life and conversation, and so free in his declamations against the Pharisees, Scribes, Priests, Elders; yea, and even Herod himself? and why he alone would seem to be wiser than all the world besides? And being but three and thirty years of age, why he was so bold and saucy in such a satirical manner to by't and whip his seniors? Fourthly, why he preached in the fields, and in other secret and private places? And lastly, whether he could teach any thing of which their own learned Rabbis, the Priests and Scribes and Pharisees before named, were ignorant?  
Concerning his disciples, he might likewise be demanded the number of them first, & why he being a man but of a mean fortune, should take upon him to be better guarded and attended, than others of greater place & calling? yea, qui sunt, ubi sunt, & qua ment eos collegerit, as Theophylact saith, what they were, where they were, whence they were, to what use and purpose they were? and whether it did not savour of sedition and disturbance of the State, to lead about such a crew of disciples & followers after him, without the approbation and warrant of authority? As also in the second place, concerning their strowing him in the streets; why with such pomp, but four days before he entered into the City; the people spreading their garmentsses and cutting down branches in his way; and his own Disciples putting their own  upon the beast he road on, and attending on foot in great state behind him? thirdly, what was become of them, since the time of his taking and apprehension? and whether it were not a token of their guiltiness of some disorderous and riotous practices, that they should thus fly away from him, and leave him in his distress? Lastly, he might be urged to bewray where they were, out of a pretence of danger to the commonwealth, so long as they lay skulking up and down the City, hiding themselves in secret corners; and therefore it was very fitting they should be roused from their starting holes, and brought together with himself their master, to public punishment for their disorders, that so at the last, the State might be freed from fear of further danger by these means.  
So that, Late quaesitum ac quaestum reor, saith mine author, we may easily conceive him to be throughly sifted and examined to the full, of all such circumstances, whether concerning his Disciples or his Doctrine, as might in any the least degree advance and help forward his condemnation. Sicut, 

Horat. de art. Po●t.  Reges dicuntur multis urgere cucullis,  
Et torquere mero, quem perspexisse laborant  
An sit amicitia dignus, etc.  As Kings are said by many cups to try a man, whether he be worthy of their friendship or not: so the high Priest, by many quirks to try Christ, whether on the contrary he might not deservedly be found to be the subject of their hatred, and object of their despite or not. Neither was Sinon more strictly questioned by Priamus concerning the Trojane horse: 

Virg. Ae●. ●. 2.  Mihique haec edissere vera roganti,  
Quo molem hanc immanis equi statuere? quis author?  
Quidve petunt? quae Relligio? aut quae machina belli?  then Christ by Caiaphas, of his Religion, Doctrine, Disciples; their practices and pretexts, and lastly their course of life, that so by their questioning him in many things, they might trip him in something to his destruction and confusion: as the Pharisees in the former time of his life, are said to question with him, only to tempt him, and trap him in his speech.  
But, Frustra jacitur rete ante oculos pennatorum, saith Solomon: In vain is the net spread before the eyes of all that hath wings: Prov. 1.17. Oculos ad praevidendum, pennas ad praecavendum; Eyes to foresee the danger, and wings, that is ways to prevent the danger. For Christ was so wary in his answer, that they could take no just hold or advantage against him to his prejudice, till himself was willing to afford it: and then it was rather Scandalum acceptum, then datum too; An offence not given by him, but taken by them. As they were still ready to snatch at all opportunities that might but seem to give a colour to his condemnation before the people.  
But though many false witnesses came in to testify against him, yet found they none, saith Saint Matthew: Chap. 26.60. because indeed their witnesses did not agree together, saith Saint Mark; Chap. 14.56. So that, Quotiescunque interrogando tentarunt, ut invenirent unde accusarent cum; sic eis respondit, ut omnes eorum retunderentur doli, & calumniae frustrarentur, saith Saint Austin: 
Tract. 113. in c. 8. joh.  How often soever they tempted him by questioning, that so they might find whereof to accuse him; his answers were still such, as that thereby their calumnies were frustrated, and their crafty devises retorted, and returned empty into their own bosoms. For, saith he; Quid me interrogas? interroga eos qui audierunt, etc. So that, for answer to the present question concerning his Doctrine, he appealed to the testimony of his very enemies themselves; saying, I spoke openly to the World, teaching in the Synagogue, and in the Temple, whither the Jews always resort; so that in secret I have said nothing: Why askest thou me? Ask them which heard me what I have said unto them; behold they know what I said: John 18.20, 21. And to that other question concerning his Disciples, he was silent; answering nothing that we read of in the Scriptures at all: of which there might be many useful reasons given, but that I find no leisure at this time, for farther excursions than needs must; having such abundant matter more pertinent to our present purpose of Christ's suffering under Pontius Pilate, to insist upon: only let me add this one note and observation more, out of S. Austin, by the way; Vbi Jesus non respondebat, ibi sicut ovis silebat: Where Christ did not vouchsafe an answer, (as at this time and some others of his arraignment and trial, he did not;) there he is to be taken for the Lamb, spoken of by the Prophet Esay; which being brought to the slaughter, yet he opened not his mouth; and for the sheep, which before the shearer is dumb: as Esay 53.7. Vbi vero respondebat, sicut pastor docebat: But wheresoever or whensoever he did make answer, there he is to be taken for the Pastor of his people; giving them instructions how to carry, and answer for themselves upon the like occasions.  
Concerning that therefore which he gave in answer, this may be said; that perceiving by the drift and scope of the question, that they were desirous to possess the people's minds of his being guilty in an high degree of innovation and sedition: he shapes his answer accordingly, in this manner: (viz.) whereas thou suspectest me, Seditiosum quendam esse, & in occulto consilia stru●●tem, as Theophylact; that is, To be a seditious person, and one that plots mischief against the State in secret; I tell thee, Nihil in occulto locutus sum, I spoke nothing in secret; that is, nothing in the least manner tending to sedition: neither, as thou imaginest, do I innovate, or speak any thing of mine own broaching; Dolosa vel occulia ment, with a reserved or deceitful mind. This is Theophylacts' exposition of this answer. And he gives his reason too, why he understands it so; Quia nisi sic intellexerimus, quod ad suspitionem Pontificis haec dixerit, videbitur mentiri: nam multa dixit in occulto, etc. because if it be otherwise understood, he may seem to have spoken falsely: in regard he spoke many things to his Disciples. And for that other part of the answer, Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me; Non pertinacis, sed fidentis in dictorum veritate, saith he; The words are not to be taken as of one obstinate in his opinion, or stubborn in his own will and way: but as of one that was confident in the truth of what he spoke, and therefore he said, Ask these mine enemies; these treacherous Ministers of thine, which have apprehended and bound me, and brought me hither: They are present in the face of the Court, therefore let them speak, if they know any thing that may tend to these abuses or disorders by me. Then which there can be no more undoubted demonstration of the innocency of any man, then when he is ready to appeal to his very enemies for testimony of the truth of that whereof he stands accused. 
Hom. 8●. ●n c. 18. joh.  Thus fare Theophylact. And Saint chrysostom to the same purpose: Id veritatis maximum est argumentum, quum quis inimicos in testimonium adducit; It is the greatest argument of verity, to be contented to put the trial of a man's cause to the testimony of enmity. And therefore saith Christ, Why do you ask me? Ask them; for behold they also know what I said: which is as much as if he should say thus, It is but a folly for me to make answer to your demands: For you will not believe me, though I should speak never so much, or so often the truth unto you: I am content therefore that you should ask these that are of more credit amongst you. For mine own testimony is of no validity, seeing you have disabled it so fare, as to account no otherwise of me, then as of a thief or robber: and therefore have brought me bound unto your Bench and Bar of pretended justice, that so I may be punished accordingly. So that, Cui detraxistis famam, detraxistis etiam fidem; Seeing you have taken away my fame, you have detracted also from my faith. (A trick not altogether a stranger to these times, to accuse the innocent, thereby only to discredit and disable their testimony.) Nam quae sit fiducia capto? saith the Poet: There is no trust to be given to a captive: but you will be ready to suppose, 
Dum miserum fortuna Synonem  
Finxit, vanum etiam mendacemque improba finget. 
Virg. 〈◊〉 1. lib. 2.   Since my fate hath made me wretched and miserable; it will not leave me till it have made me wicked also, and a liar like yourselves: and therefore ask not me, but ask these mine enemies; for they all know what I said.  
But how fair, and true, and just, and reasonable soever this answer of Christ; (as also that other concerning his being the Son of God, related by the rest of the Evangelists:) may seem to us and all others that are his friends: yet they are not so unto these his malicious adversaries, but at these two answers offence is taken even at all hands: Scandalum acceptum, (as I said before) though not datum, which occasioned a world of injuries and indignities presently to be put upon him in the high Priests Hall and House: yea, and in his very presence too. For some began to spit upon him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him; and to say unto him, Prophesy unto us who it was that smote thee. And the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands, and such like; Mark 14.65. and John 18.22. And Saint Luke adds, That many other things they spoke blasphemously against him: Luke 22.65. So that here you see then several and sundry Acts, not only of force and violence, but also of contempt and disgrace; shamefully and undeservedly put upon our blessed Saviour: As spitting upon him, blind-folding him, striking him with their hands and fists; and lastly, jeering and flouting him, by saying, Prophesy unto us who it was that smote thee. Of the stroke with the palm of the hand, or box on the ear, I have spoken at large already. I will add a few words more concerning these other indignities, and then I will proceed to their carrying and leading of him away to Pilate; and his turning over to the sword of justice, and temporal officers hands.  
And first of their spitting in his face; which to do, was accounted a matter of great infamy and reproach among the Jews; as is plain and evidently that place in the book of Numbers, where God speaks unto Moses, concerning his sister Miriam, saying; If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? Numb. 12.14. And again, The woman is allowed to spit in the face of that man as in his disgrace and infamy, that will not raise up seed by her unto his brother: Deut. 25.9. And even among ourselves in these days, we account it among the worst of injuries and affronts to be so served. And yet our Saviour ye see suffers it for our sakes; answerable to that in the Prophet, when he speaks, as in his person, saying, I hide not my face from shame and spitting, Esay 50.6. and Job likewise; They abhor me, they flee fare from me; and spare not to spit in my face: Job 30.10. O let us behold then with horror and dread that divine countenance, which is so much honoured and adored in Heaven; and the very aspect whereof cheers the whole City of God; how for our sins it is defiled and become deformed here on Earth, by the contempt and scorn of sordid and shameless miscreants: yea, so fare abased and abused, as that no place is thought so fit and convenient to void their excrements in, and to receive their filthy drivel, as the face of the Saviour and Redeemer of mankind.  
And when they have fulfilled their malicious minds in thus spitting their fill upon them, than secondly they blindfold him;  audacius & inverecundius eum percutiant, saith one; that so they may the more boldly, and without shame, smite him with their fists: or as I should rather think with another, They did it, lest the admirable form and beauty of his countenance, being too long vexed and beheld amongst them; should so fare at the last, mollify and lenify the hard hearts of all beholders, as that they should be moved to mercy, and drawn to take pity, and have compassion upon him; even whether they would or no. To prevent which inconvenience, (as they accounted it) Faciem illam illectricem obnupsere; They veiled and hoodwinked as it were, that alluring and heart-winning countenance: 
As knowing the power of's beauty to be such,  
To draw even iron like loadstones with the touch:  because, Speciosus praefiliis hominum; He is fairer than the children of men: as you heard before out of Psal. 45.2.  
Thirdly, some think they might do it out of horror and shame to behold in what a pitiful plight they had made him themselves with their beastly spawling and spitting in his face; as loathing and disliking any longer to look upon him; by reason, nauseam etiam ipsis spectatoribus foeditas illa provocabat: his foulness and filthiness was such, as that it made them ready to sp●● to see it. But, sive velarit horror, sive splendour, c●udelitatem certe velantium, velum hoc non velat, sed revelat, saith one, whether it were his horror or his splendour that occasioned this veil over his face; it is most evident, that it doth not veil nor cover their cruelty towards him, but rather reveal it and make it manifest to the eyes of all the world.  
Neither did they only spit on his face and blindfold it, but buffet and beat it too; which is their third indignity; whereby they made it swell and become full of bunches all over; as one saith, Colaphis illi tuber totum caput, facies livida, fort & excussi dentes, by these blows of their fists, his whole head was swollen, his face become black and blue, and his teeth ready to fall out of his jaws. For there may be supposed to be this difference between Alapas and Colaphos▪ that one is given, a palma aut vola manus, with the hand open: and the other, a pugno clauso, with the fist shut; whereby the stroke is the greater, and the more offensive; yea, many times astonishing to him that feels it. Now the box on the ear spoken of before, was after the first sort: and the buffeting of him and beating here was of the latter. Whereby they made him as it may be imagined, to reel and stagger again with the violence of their strokes; and his eyes, as it were to startle in his head, and to bleed even through mouth and nose.  
And then in the fourth and last place, they scoff and scorn him saying, Prophecy or areade unto us, who it was that smote thee: yea, and many other things they spoke blasphemously against him; as you heard before out of Saint Luke cap. 22. which of all other his injuries and indignities may well be accounted none of the least. Nay, some there are, that fear not to affirm, that, Christi illusio ac subsannatio, omnium acerborum prope acerbissima; etsi fortiter ab illo lata: This kind of taunting and piercing of him, howsoever he bore it patiently and manfully, as all the rest of his afflictions; yet it may reckoned among the greatest and bitterest passages of his passion, because as the Poet saith, 
Nil habet infoelix paupertas durius in se,  
Quam quod ridiculos homines facit.  There is nothing more miserable, even to the greatest misery, then to see itself become the scorn and laughingstock of others: especially of enemies. Boni namque viri atque prudentes, multo indignius contumelias, & aliorum contemptum, quum corporis dolores ferunt, saith another; All good and wise men do take more grievously and heinous the contumelies and contempts of their adversaries, than the sufferings and afflictions of their bodies: Quod illis quidem vita, his autem honour & existimatio petatur; because life only can be taken away by the one; but honour and estimation, yea, good name also by the other.  
And thus you have briefly heard and seen Christ's sufferings in the high Priests Hall, and House; where first, innocency hath been arraigned at the Bar, truth accused, and righteousness condemned: when as all this while injury and injustice hath sat upon the Bench. And secondly, you have seen how like mad Dogs, felly and fiercely hi● enemies have assaulted and insulted on him: some casting on his face the scouring of their filthy mouths; and others striving who might strike him first, and abuse him most: and how with a wanton and merry malice, aggravating injury with scorn; they have covered his eyes; and bid him aread who it was that smote him: yea, so great pleasure have they taken in this kind, aswell of tormenting his body, as of vexing his soul; that they would not suffer him to take any rest: but, as one saith well; They used this despite for their disport, 
Dr. Heywood. Sanctuary of a troubled soul. Vir. Aen. 2.  to pass away the dulness of that dismal night; dismal indeed. For as the Poet, 
Quis cladem illius noctis, quis funera fando  
Explicet, aut possit lachrymis aequare dolorem?   
No tears are able to set forth, nor tongue to tell  
The mischiefs of that night, wrought by the power of hell. But Saint chrysostom here demaundss why they did these things unto him, seeing they were resolved to kill him; what need was there thus to shame him, when as so suddenly they meant to slay him? and makes answer himself, That in all this they do but bewray their own cruelty; who like huntsmen that have found the Fox, or Wolf, or other noxious beast they sought for, are so transported with violence and fury against it, as if they were even mad for joy; making great triumph: and with unwonted insolence, and contentment to their minds, insulting, and even trampling upon their prey; as the Philistims made Samson their may-game and recreation for their pleasure, after they had put out his eyes: Judg. 16. But whatsoever scornful or malicious reasons they propounded to themselves in doing it, our most blessed Redeemer had most merciful reasons towards us in suffering it. For, In Christum nihil valuisset, nisi quod ipse voluisset, saith Saint Austin; They could have done none of these things unto him, 
Tract. 112 in Io●●●  unless his own will h●d been consenting thereunto. And therefore that he might satisfy for the pride of man, that was the original of all evil unto us in our first Father's fall, and the root and foundation of all other wickedness in ourselves, his posterity till this day; he would descend to the very lowest step of humility and dejection; yea, baseness and infamy, that so he might search the very bottom of our wound; and by that means his medicine and application prove plentifully and sufficiently effectual to cure the desperateness of our malady and disease. Yea, he went so low in this kind, that if we do but compare his corporal afflictions with these of his contempt and scorn, we may worthily make question and doubt, what was the thing which was most wonderful and terrible in his whole Passion: An dolorum acerbitas qua corpus ejus laniatum est; an contumeliarum & irrifionum indignitas, quibus etiam anima sauciata est: Whether the bitterness of his tortures and torments, whereby his body was rend and torn; or the indignity of his contumelies and reproaches, wherewith his soul also was sore wounded and afflicted. For in this latter, as well as in the former, (yea, much more in this then that) Longissimo intervallo omnes Martyres superavit; He went beyond all the Martyrs in many degrees. For they knew that the more and greater were their sufferings for the name and faith of Christ, the more and greater also should be their glory and honour among those of their own, the Christian profession: which to very Heathens and natural men is a kind of encouragement sometimes to bear their pains the more patiently and cheerfully; and therefore much more to Christians: considering that God's glory is increased by their afflictions, aswell as their own. When as at the time of Christ's suffering, there was nothing to be imagined more ignominious and opprobrious, than what he endured: Tam apud suos quam exteros, aswell amongst his own friends and followers, as strangers and those that were without; whether Jews or Gentiles: so that he might justly complain, as in the Prophet; Torcular calcavi solus, I have trodden the winepress alone; and of all the people there was none with me: Esay 63.3. But I was a reproach, not only among mine enemies, but especially also among my neighbours; so that fear came among ●ine acquaintance: and they that did see me without, conveyed themselves from me, etc. Psal. 31.11, 12. O let us contemplate and admire then (that so our thankfulness may be increased, and our pride abated) the infiniteness and immensity of the love of Christ unto us: that being the wisdom of his heavenly father, would yet thus become the foolishness, and scorn, and ignominy, and contempt of the world for our sakes and sins. Taking upon him, I say, our foolishness, t●at so he might make us wise unto salvation; our scorn and contempt, that so he might make us partakers of his glory: as also our curse, that so he might make us heirs of the eternal blessing and inheritance with the Saints of light. Yea, he would have his hands bound, and his eyes blinded, that he might neither take notice of, nor see our sins: no, nor yet inflict vengeance upon us for the same; but with great mercy, and patience, connive and wink at them: expecting our repentance, and return from them; beholding and punishing only in himself those great offences which we have perpetrated and committed: O inaudita bonitas! O verè paterna viscera! O unheard of kindness, and truly paternal bowels of pity and compassion! who ever heard before of any one that would be content to be made a scorn, to save them from scorn that scorned him; or to be derided and flouted, to keep them from contemptand shame that jeated him: or that would die, to save those alive that killed him? Surely, as there can be no more horrible and heinous offence imagined, then for reasonable creatures to proceed so fare in irrationality and impiety, as to lay violent and brutish hands upon their Creator and their God; as these Jews upon Christ: so on the other side, nothing can be conceived to be so excellent and eminent, as the goodness and charity of that Creator, which is contented to bear the punishments, and scorns, and scoffs of those his creatures, by whom he is so assailed and assaulted, vilifyed and abused; as our Saviour Christ of these Jews.  
Let us then for use and application of this point, be ashamed to be proud of any thing which we either have or do; whether it be wealth, or wit; learning, or living; greatness, or goodness: seeing the Son of God, and glory of Heaven, did not disdain to become thus humbled for us, and for our sakes. And let us beseech his infinite goodness and mercy, that although he have permitted and suffered himself to be brought to such a low degree of humiliation; as to have his divine and heavenly face to be thus sullied and soiled, by the foul and filthy, impure and unclean spawling and spitting of the Jews: and his holy eyes to be veiled, and hi●selfe to be derided and scorned in such a contemptuous and disgraceful manner, that yet he would be pleased to preserve us from being accessaries to these their fearful evils, by giving unto us such a measure of his saving and sanctifying graces, as whereby our souls made after his own image and likeness, may be kept so pure and clean from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, as that they may not be contamined or defiled with any the least foul or sinful, either thoughts, words, or works. And that he would also vouchsafe farther, to remove and put away from our hard hearts, that veil of ignorance and ingratitude; wherewith by reason of our sins and transgressions, they have deservedly a long time been veiled and covered; that so from henceforth we may carefully endeavour ourselves to serve him with all love and diligence in righteousness and true holiness all the days of our lives.  
For they first spit and spawle in the face of Christ, which defile his image and similitude in their own souls, with impure and unclean lusts and desires. As also they do the like secondly, That reject and set light by his holy and heavenly motions and inspirations, presenting themselves oftentimes to assist and help them in the purging and purifying of their said souls from such uncleannesses. And they likewise in the third place, which with unhallowed hearts and hands do offer to receive the most holy and sanctified body and blood of Christ in the Sacrament: Coming thereunto without reverence or sense of piety and true godliness, before they have throughly cleansed their souls from the sullage and filth of their sins by hearty sorrow and unfeigned repentance for the same.  
Secondly, They veil and cover the eyes of Christ, that do not readily and willingly lay open their sins before him by confession; but extenuate and lessen their weaknesses and imperfections with counterfeit pretexts, and vain and idle excuses: as if they could dissemble and cloak them before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father. As also they that are so audacious and daring in their sins, as to commit them with an high hand, without either fear of God, or shame of men, ac si non videret Deus, as if God either could not, or would not, or did not see them.  
Thirdly, They speak slanderously and scandalously of Christ, which speak irreverently of holy things, or when professing to be religious, yet they speak like worldlings, without either edification or profit to such as hear them.  
And lastly, they mock and scoff at Christ with scorn, and contemn his messengers and Ministers; or indeed any other his poor Saints and Servants whatsoever. For he that despiseth you, despiseth me, saith he himself; Luke 10.16. And therefore for conclusion, let us pray, From these and such like fearful sins, as were thus committed by these wicked Jews, against our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: Good Lord deliver us. Amen.   
John 18.28, 29, 30. 
Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the Hall of judgement, or pilate's House; and it was early. And they themselves went not into the judgement Hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the Passeover.  
Pilate therefore went out unto him, and said, What accusation bring you against this man?  
They answered and said unto him; If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him unto thee.  
WHat passed upon our blessed Saviour in the house of Caiaphas, and Ecclesiastical Conventicle rather than Council of the Jews; you heard the last day. So that now in the next place we are to see how he was handled before Pilate, and the Temporal Judges: unto whose Court and custody he was delivered and turned over after they had wrought their will, and fill of mischief upon him among themselves: where first, we shall not do amiss to observe, the fulfilling of Christ's own prophecy, and foretelling of this very passage himself. For in the 18. of Saint Luke's Gospel, 31, 32. verses, we find him thus saying unto his Disciples, Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be fulfilled to the Son of man, that are written by the Prophets; For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, etc.  
Which prophecy, I say, is now accomplished, in his being turned over from Caiaphas the high Priest of the Jewish Synagogue; unto Pontius Pilate the Roman Deputy, or Precedent: who was not only a Gentile himself, but his jurisdiction also was from the Gentiles, as the Romans and all Nations (except the Jews) were accounted in those days. And this was preordained by the foredetermined Counsel of God to be done accordingly, for these two ends or reasons. The first, that he might be put to death: which by the Jews Law, (as they will seem to affirm) he could not. For themselves tell Pilate, in the very next words after our Text; That it is not lawful for them to put any man to death: Verse 31. The second, for the manner of his death; that he might be crucified. For so is it farther specified in the 32. verse: (viz) That it was done, that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spoke, signifying what death he should die: which is expressed to be crucifying, Matth. 20.9. To which place this passage in Saint John doth allude.  
Now the fulfilling of this prophecy of Christ's own self concerning himself, shall afford us only this Use at this time; because as I told you at the beginning, I must point and pass; my discourse upon this subject increasing to a bigger bulk than I aimed at, or intended at the first: To let us see and know, That there was not the least circumstance of his passion, which he did not foresee, and foretell himself; so that none of these things came unwittingly or unwillingly upon him, or by chance, as upon a mere man: but all by the foredetermined Counsel of God, as I say, and his own consent. And therefore having so much foreknowledge of his own afflictions, he might have avoided and shunned them many ways, if he would: but to let us understand the greatness of his love unto us; he would not refuse any torture or any trouble to do us good: but willingly and readily perform all things requisite for our salvation; giving his soul as an offering for our sins, as the Prophet foretell: Esay 53.10. So that without any tergiversation, or regret, he suffered himself freely to be presented before Pontius Pilate, and the judgement seat of the Gentiles, although he knew that he went but to his own death and condemnation; as Pilate told him; That he had power to crucify him or to lose him: John 19.10. unto whom notwithstanding Christ gave this answer: (viz.) That he could have had no power against him, except it had been given him from above: Verse 11. of the same Chapter; that is, from the Court and Council of Heaven; of which himself was a principal member.  
Secondly, we may consider also a little of the season, which they took to carry Christ unto Pilate in; which is expressed to be the morning: or as our text saith, while it was early. So that, as it should seem, when the fatal night was once over, they neglected no time; but made haste to shed his innocent blood, and to deliver him over unto the sword, not of justice, but injustice, as it is evident and apparent enough to all the world; even to the very Judges themselves, as will be shown hereafter. David in one place saith, That howsoever heaviness or sorrow may endure for a night; yet joy cometh in the morning: (viz.) Psal. 30.5. when as our blessed Saviour here can find none of this joy, neither morning nor evening; but after a dismal night, as you heard before, meets with as dark a day: where we may observe, that Christ our Lord suffered some injuries and indignities or others for our sakes, at all times and hours, both of night and day. First, from the evening (which was the time of his apprehension) till the morning, as you have heard already; and now again from the very morning till the evening, as here follows: Tota nocte vexatus, & tota die sine intermissione cruciatus, saith one; Vexed all the night, and tortured all the day without ceasing or intermission. For at the first hour he is carried to the Judge, and before him accused; at the second, examined; at the third, condemned; at the fourth, he was scourged and crowned with Thorns; at the fift, he had the heavy burden of his own Cross laid upon his shoulders; at the sixth, he was crucified; at the seaventh, the Soldiers cast lots upon his garment; at the eighth, he had Vinegar given him to drink; at the ninth, he died; at the tenth, he had a spear thrust through his side, whereout came water and blood: and at the evening, or toward the latter end of the day, he was buried.  
O sweet Jesus, there was some great cause surely why thou wouldst at every new hour, thus suffer new punishments and afflictions for our sins: and it can be no other but this, because we do every day of the year, and every hour of the day; yea every minute and moment of every hour of each several night and day, provoke thy heavenly father to wrath in one kind or other; by new transgressions and delinquencies. And therefore that thou mightest satisfy and appease the said wrath of his, as well for the circumstances as the substance of our sins, thou wouldst be punished for them at all times, aswell at morning and evening, as at noon day. It is but meet and right then, that as thou suffered'st continually from one end of the day unto the other: so on the other side, that we should pray continually, as the Apostle exhorteth; and sing praises unto thee, both night and day without ceasing, for so great a benefit.  
Thirdly, let us observe, that though these Jews sent Christ unto the judgement Hall of Pilate, yet they went not in themselves: Their reason being this, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the Passeover, as our text saith: Because, as it should seem, it was accounted an unlawful and an unholy thing for a Jew at the time of that high and solemn Feast, to enter into the houses or societies of any of the Gentiles: which were esteemed no otherwise then as unclean among them. But hereupon Saint Austin cries out, O Impia & stulta caecitas! 
Tract. 114. in johan.  habitaculo videlicet contaminarentur alieno, & non contaminarentur scelero proprio: O impious and foolish blindness, to think that they could be more defiled by the habitation and external society of strangers, then by their own proper and internal sins. Alienigenae Judicis praetorio contaminari timebant, & fratris innocentis sanguinem fundere non timebant: They were afraid to be contaminated by the judgement Hall of the Roman Precedent; yet feared not to shed the blood of their own innocent and undefiled brother: which is the right property of all hypocrites, to strain at a Gnat, and swallow a Camel; to think it a more heinous thing, Pulicem quam hominem occidere, as Calvin speaketh; To kill a flea at one time, than a man at another; To be overcurious and ceremonious, yea, and in very deed superstitious too about small matters; and yet to let the weightier matters of the Law alone: as mercy and judgement, and fidelity, and the love of God, and the like: for which neglect, our Saviour himself condemneth the Pharisees, Matth. 23.23. and Luke 11.43.  
But howsoever it be, these Jews that they may seem rightly to eat the Passeover, do pretend to keep themselves pure and clean from all foreign defilements; Caeterum immunditiem includunt praetorii parietibus; when as yet they confine this defilement only to the walls of Palates hall or house of judgement: not doub●ing otherwise in the public face as well of Earth as Heaven, to deliver the innocent over unto death and damnation. But our Saviour himself tells them, that knew best how to define defilement, That such murders and evil thoughts and false testimonies and slanders and the like, which they practise here against him: These are the things which defile the man, Mat. 15.19.20. Lastly, they do honour the figurative  with a deceivable and feigned reverence, when as they offer violence with their bloody and sacrilegious hands unto the true , endeavouring as much as in them lies, utterly to overthrow him, even with an eternal destruction. But I must not dwell here.  
Pilate therefore in the next place, went out unto them, and said; What accusation bring you against this man? Where let us observe, That although this Gentile bore no great affection to that Religion which the Jews at this time professed, but rather disregarded it; yea, slighted and laughed at it in his mind: Yet in his first hearing of the cause, he discharges the part of an upright and just Judge amongst them, in bidding them to show what accusation they brought against the prisoner, whom with such tumult and clamour they had brought bound unto him. As if he should say thus: Whereas you Jews have brought here one of your own Nation to be sentenced to death by me; I tell you, I cannot, I must not, I will not, I dare not do it, except you can show me some just and lawful cause why I should. For, si accusassa sufficit, quis innocens? if to accuse alone were sufficient, who should be innocent? Neither is it the manner of the Romans to put any man to death, unless he be first convicted and found guilty of some grievous and heinous, yea, capital offence against their own Laws. For, as for your superstitious ceremonies, of violating your Sabbaths, eating of Swine's flesh, speaking against Moses, the Prophets, the Temple, or your God, I have nothing to do with them: Ad meum Tribunal non pertinent, They come not within the compass of my Inquiry. And therefore bring him not to me, but take him and judge him according to your own Law, verse 31. of this Chapter. Aurea planè Pilati exordia, saith one, utinam par epilogus, Pilate gins well, and it were well for him, if his end were answerable.  
But they for reply and answer hereunto, cry out and say, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him unto thee; as if they were angry with Pilate, because he would not rest satisfied with their examination and trial of him, without any more ado: as if he were bound to stand to their prejudicated and unjust sentence, and so become an instrument only of their malice; to execute whomsoever, and whatsoever, they, with the consent of their arrogant and malicious high Priests, should determine and decree. Where we may behold (as Calvin observeth) the insolency of those men, that without the fear of God, are lifted up to great dignities, and high places of honour in the world; be they Ecclesiastical or Civil, whether in Church or Commonwealth: who being blinded with the splendour of their power and eminency, think it lawful for them to perpetrate and commit any injustice or iniquity whatsoever, without control. As these take it as a check to their pride and greatness, that Christ is not by Pilate accounted a malefactor, only because they accuse him: If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him unto thee. But O ingrateful and unhappy Jews! let us hear some relation from you, of the evils which this your Messiah hath done; and the injuries and violences which he hath offered unto you: for which you thus call and count him a malefactor, and think him worthy of death. Are they any other, if you rightly examine them, and your own consciences, then preaching the words of life unto you? then healing all manner of your diseases, by restoring sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speaking to the dumb, going to the lame, and life to the dead? Ask them that have received these great blessings and benefits from him; an also those other, that were possessed with Devils, and infected with leprosies; The one cleansed, and the other set at liberty by him: Inquire of these I say, whether Jesus be a malefactor or not? and you shall hear them all make answer with one voice, and unanimous consent, in the words of him that was borne blind: If this man were not of God, he could do nothing; John 9.33. So that as a modern Poet hath well observed, 
If either of these could but any grace have won,  
What would they not to save his life have done? 
G. Fl●t●ner. Poem, called Christ's Triumph.   
The dumb man would have spoke, and lame man would have run.   
And yet you say, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him unto thee.  
But we that are Christians, and profess to believe in him, that is here accused for a malefactor by these Jews, may make better use of this their slander and false accusation brought against him▪ if we do but seriously meditate and consider with ourselves, how truly in this he took the form of a malefactor upon him: whereby, he that knew no sin, became sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, as Saint Paul speaketh; 2 Cor. 5. ult. like smooth and innocent Jacob, presenting himself before his heavenly father, in the rough and rugged habit of his sinful brethren; and the hairy skins and coats of reprobated and rejected Esau, that so for a time he might steal away the blessing from our elder brethren, these wicked and accursed Jews, and confer it upon us Gentiles, that are but younglings in God's favours, in respect of them: As also for ever entail it upon his own heirs by faith, whether of Jews or Gentiles, from the elder brethren to us both; the lapsed and fallen Angels: which because he knew, could never be throughly accomplished and effected by any other means, then by taking unto him, and putting upon himself this sinful garment of ours: Therefore he would never make any defence or excuse for himself, how often and before how many several Judges soever he were accused; as professing to be desirous and most willing, if not found, yet at least to be accounted guilty; that so, though not such in his own person, yet in ours he might suffer death and torments as a delinquent, to free us from them that have deserved them; and to whom they are truly and indeed due, and do properly belong.  
Which if it be so, why then surely we can never sufficiently magnify and extol this his great goodness, and inutterable love and charity towards us; thus to clothe himself with the rags of our wickedness, that so he might invest and adorn us with the robes of his own righteousness: to expose themselves to the danger of the Law's curse, to make us heirs of the eternal and everlasting blessing: insomuch as he cries out unto his heavenly father in the Prophet, Thine indignation lieth hard upon me, and thou hast vexed me with all thy storms: Psal. 88.7. because indeed the just wrath of his eternal father, and other punishments due only to us for our sins; he would they should be laid upon his own shoulders: and therefore is he silent and stands mute before the Judge, when they cry out against him; If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered, etc. And they to make their accusation good, and that so withal they might be sure (as they think) to leave some aspersion upon him, (having learned one of the Devils lessons; Calumniare fortiter & aliquid haerebit; To calumniate strongly, that so, if not all that is said, yet something at the least may stick fast, and remain behind) therefore they lay to his charge, and pretend to accuse him of a threefold crime or transgression, saying; First, that he went about to pervert the people; yea, subvert and overthrow their Nation. Secondly, that he denied to give tribute unto Caesar. And lastly, that he made himself a King: as it is to be seen, Luke 23.2. Sic tria excogitantes quemadmodum facerent crimina, ubi nullum invenerant; as it is said of Gn. Piso in Seneca; seeking how to make three faults there, where indeed they found not one. But all this doth but the more proclaim them to be the true children of their father the Devil, as Christ himself called them; John 8.44. For he was a liar from the beginning; and so will continue to be the father of lies unto the end.  
For, for the first, Christ was so far from stirring up seditions, or raising tumults and dissensions among the people; as that on the other side, he strove and endeavoured what he might, to congregate and gather them together in one; even as the Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings, as he professeth himself▪ Matth. 23.37. Secondly, instead of denying Tribute unto Caesar, he paid it in his own particular; when he bade Peter to take twenty pence out of the Fish's mouth, and give it for them two: Matth. 17.27. as also he preached it to the people saying, Give unto Caesar those things that are Caesar's; Luke 20.25. And lastly, he was so fare from seeking to un-king Herod, or dis-throne Caesar; as that he professes his Kingdom not to be of this world: John 18.36. And therefore as Seduliu● well sings, 
Hostis Herodes impiè  
Christum venire quid times?  
Non eripit mortalia,  
Qui regna dat coelestia. That is,   
O thou wicked Herod, and enemy to all goodness! Why fearest thou the birth of the Messiah? who although he give Kingdoms that are eternal; yet will take away none that are temporal: But seeing he found them settled, and established at his coming; will only add this new honour and blessing unto them:  etiam Ecclesiae Dei fi●nt, That they may become so many Churches of God: but for any of their former Rites, Privileges, or prerogatives; Nulla parte imminuere, aut labefactare vult, saith mine Author; he will not diminish or lessen them in the least degree; either by himself, or Ministers: which shows those Popes who have undertaken to dispose of Prince's Diadems, to be no Vicars of Christ, but of the Devil rather, who offered to give away all their Kingdoms at a clap: Matth. 4.9.  
Let us then for Use and application of this point, beseech our merciful Redeemer; that through that great and unimitable humility, and patience of his; whereby he (being the Judge of quick and dead) would yet permit himself to stand in our stead, as guilty, before the Bar and Bench of a corrupt and unrighteous Judge: and there to hear and bear so many calumnies and false crimes, as were ob●ected against him by his enemies; without the least reply in his own justification or defence: he would vouchsafe to grant unto us such a measure of the same graces of his, as whereby we may be enabled, patiently to suffer and endure all injuries and opprobries, contumelies, and reproaches whatsoever, inflicted and raised against us by the men of this world. And that further he would take away from us that propensity and readiness, whereby we are all prone and forward to cover our weaknesses and imperfections: yea, our very foulest sins and transgressions with the figge-leaves of vain and idle excuses; that so condemning ourselves in all things, we may not be condemned at the day of judgement; but be thought fit to be made partakers of grace in this life, and glory in the life to come: For he that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but who so confesseth and forsaketh them, shall have mercy: Prov. 28.13. As also yet further, let us herehence learne to be obedient to those that have the oversight over us, be they good or bad, do they right or wrong.  
For se●ing the Son of God was so submissive before Pilate; surely it behoves not any man that challenges an interest in his sufferings to be refractory and disobedient to his superiors, and lawful deputed Judges; but rather to yield and give way to his very equals, if not inferiors; since he being God, submitted himself to the power and ordinance of man.  
Secondly, let us hence also learn to be patiented; if at any time we receive ill at their hands of whom we have deserved well: seeing Christ doth the like, not only from these Jews, but also from ourselves: who notwithstanding we be so many ways obliged and bound unto him, yet we do both negligently serve him, and daily and hourly offend him by our foul transgressions.  
Thirdly, when at any time our well do are ill construed, and our good intentions ill taken; yet let us therewithal be content: seeing our Saviour, that is the only Truth of the world, was accounted no other, no better than a very Impostor and Seducer; a Malefactor and Deceiver: it being indeed a main property of all envious and malicious men; , etiam per ornamenta feriant; To wound and strike those they hate and oppose, even through their ornaments and best deserts.  
Fourthly, let us take heed and beware of falling bacl from Christ, and the ways of Christianity and Religion: as repenting of those hours we have spent in his service; and of those holy and heavenly inspirations we have tasted of in his Temples: for by our so doing, we do nothing else but accuse him for a Seducer; as if he had beguiled us with these sweet baits, thereby to entangle and ensnare our souls.  
And lastly, let us beware of slandering and falsely accusing of our blessed Saviour himself: which every one does, that doth it to his neighbour, or Christian brother: Aut falsi aliquid imponendo, aut malum verum exaggerando, aut sine causa defectus illius aliis aperiendo; as mine Author speaks: Either when he slanders him wrongfully and unjustly, or increases and exaggerates his faults and imperfections beyond the truth; or lastly, when he lays open and declares his defects and infirmities to others without lawful cause or calling thereunto. For detraction may be committed three manner of ways, saith another: (viz.) Per falsi mali impositionem; 
Hugo Car. ●n Ps. 12  aut per veri mali ampliationem; aut per veri boni diminutionem: that is, Either when a man speaketh of his neighbour some evil which is false; or inlarges and amplifyes that which is true; or lessens and extenuates that which in him, and itself is good. Solet enim mens livida, manifesta mala multiplicius exaggerare, & de suo addere; dubia quasi ad partem deteriorem invertere; & aperta bona, quia negare non potest, arte qualibet offuscare, saith a third: 
Phil. Gr●v. Canc. Paris.  An envious and malicious man and mind is accustomed to increase and enlarge his neighbours known and manifest weaknesses; by still adding something thereunto of his own invention: and for those that are doubtful and uncertain, whether so or not; to interpret and construe them always in the worse sense: and such things as are evidently, and plainly good in themselves; because they cannot be wholly denied, to darken and blemish, by casting some aspersion or other upon them. Primum est, oblocutionis; Secundum, derogationis; Tertium, detractionis: The first, which is to scatter and raise an evil fame upon another, is called obloquy: The second, which is utterly to take away his good name, is called derogation: And the third, which is only to lessen or diminish that good opinion, which his neighbours and the world hath of him; it is called detraction.  
And thus you see the truth of that which Solomon delivered long since: How that a man that beareth false witness against his neighbour, is like an hammer, and a sword, and a sharp arrow: Prov. 25.18. which are three instruments many times of much hurt; as of breaking in pieces, cutting asunder, penetrating and piercing deep, yea even to the very bowels and inward parts: so that nothing is more pernicious than a false witness, which wounds a man, not only in his fortunes and his honour, but often in his life too; as these Jews did Christ. Yea, lying lips, and a deceitful tongue, as David likewise saith; are as the sharp arrows of the mighty man, and as the coals of Juniper: Psal. 120 4. Whereby he showeth (as our marginal notes express) that there is nothing so sharp to pierce, nor so hot to set on fire, as the slanderous tongue; with which notwithstanding our blessed Saviour, as you have heard, was much afflicted both in his life and death. But as his own glory and our good is much increased by his patiented bearing it; so their sins and punishments are, and shall be much the greater that did it: as also shall be all theirs that fall into the like foul transgressions towards their neighbours. And therefore for conclusion of this circumstance, let me use only the Wise man's exhortation at this time: Refrain thy tongue from slander, for there is no word so secret that shall go for nought; and the mouth that speaketh lies, slayeth the soul: Wisd. 1.11. And thus much of their slandering of Christ; by saying unto Pilate, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him unto thee.  
But in the next place, Pilate perceiving by some passages and carriages of the business, that it was for envy only that the Jews did thus persecute and prosecute Jesus, and bring him unto him: He therefore endeavours by three several ways and means, if it be possible; to deliver him out of their hands, and to save his life: As first, by turning him over to Herod: secondly, by balancing him with Barrabas: and lastly, by scourging and crowning him with Thorns.  
And for the first, he took hold of the occasion of his being borne in Galilee, a part of the jurisdiction belonging to Herod the Tetrarch; to dismiss him from himself, and to send him unto him, who was also at that time abiding in Jerusalem: as it is said, Luke 23.7. Now Herod indeed was very desirous to see him, and had been so of a long season: because of the great and admirable report and fame which went abroad of him.  
Whereupon at the first he was very jocund and joyful of his coming; Non pietate motus, Not moved thereunto through any piety; but hoping to have seen him wrought some of his Miracles in his own presence: of which he had heard so much by others. And to that purpose he questioned with him concerning many things; as it is said, Verse 8. of the former 23. Chapter of Saint Luke. But because he inquired but upon vain curiosity (as one saith) and with no true intent or end; Christ answered him nothing: 
Dr. Heywood. Sanctuary of a troubled soul. In locum.  answerable to that of Saint James, Ye ask and do not receive, because ye ask amiss: James 4.3. or rather, as Calvin saith; because he was resolved to be obedient to his father's ordinance; and to submit himself to drink of that bitter Cup, the doom of death, with patience and silence; which his said heavenly Father had tempered and provided for him: and for which purpose especially he came into the world in the similitude of our sinful flesh, that he might suffer it, and undergo it in our stead and for our sins: Therefore, saith Calvin, he would not seem to plead his own cause, nor defend his own innocency in any kind: but sponte obmu●escit, he was resolved for silence, let his adversaries say or do what they would, because indeed he knew that we were guilty, whose persons he then sustained, though himself were not.  sic etiam Adami excusationes in peccatis, taciturnitate à bonis possit diluere, saith another, as also that by his silence from good words, he might wash away and make satisfaction for the vain and idle excuses of Adam, when he would have cast his sins upon his wife, by saying, Mulier quam dedisti mihi, the Woman which thou gavest to be with me, she gave me, and I did eat; Gen. 3.12. Whereupon Herod with all his grave counsellors and gallant Courtiers, when they saw they could get nothing out of him, neither works nor words, 
De Passione.  (For as Cyprian saith, Nec potuit altitudo potestatum extorquere ad interrogata responsum; sed Herodis & Pilati contempsit vestigia, i. e. He so much slighted and disregarded the ways and courses of Pilate and Herod, as that the height of their power was not able to wrest an answer from him to any of their demands) therefore they interpreted his silence for simplicity, and did openly contemn and despise him. And for the plain declaration, not so much of his innocency, as of his simplicity; they array him with a white garment, and send him back again to Pilate, that he, who in his life time, had been taken for a man of evil behaviour; as namely, for a glutton, a drinker of wine, and a companion of sinners, Mat. 12.19. for a blasphemer, Mark 2.7. for a sorcerer and one that cast out Devils through Beelsebub, Mat. 12.24. for one possessed with a Devil, John 8.48. and now also towards his death, bound (as you have heard before) by the Jews as a thief, reproved and stricken in the house of Annas, as one arrogant and saucy; accused by Caiaphas of blasphemy, and before Pilate, as a malefactor, a mover and stirrer of sedition; a seducer, a rebel, and as one that aspired to the kingdom, Luke 23.2. should now likewise for the close of all, as being the last of infamies that could be imagined to remain, to be put upon him, be accounted by Herod (the last also of his unjust Judges) for no other than a very fool, an idiot, or passing simple man.  
But soft Herod; art thou and thy great Courtiers and wise Counsellors, well advised to condemn Christ for a fool, because he is silent? or rather is not all your wisdoms at a fault in this your so doing? Surely they are, if Solomon, who was wiser than you all, spoke the truth; For he saith, He that refraineth his lips is wise, and in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: Prov. 10.19. then which I am sure there can be no greater folly. And again, He that hath knowledge spareth his words; and even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding: Prov. 17.27, 28. By this divine testimony then, who's the fool now, Herod? either Christ or thou? Thou that spakest many words, and questionedest about many things, which in time will turn to thy greater condemnation; or Christ that was silent to the world's eternal salvation? As David then seemed a mad man unto Achis, when indeed he was not so; but had his wits and senses better about him then himself: 1 Sam. 21.14. so Christ seems a fool to Herod, when as in truth there was never any so truly wise as he, among those that have been borne of women.  
Let us here then a little contemplate and admire the perverse and erroneous judgement and censure of the world; That, that eternal word of God, and uncreated wisdom of the Father; which at the first made, and still preserveth this whole universe in which we all live, move, and have our being: yea he, in whom are hid all the treasuses of wisdom and knowledge, as Saint Paul speaketh, Colos. 2.3. should yet by Herod and his Courtiers, be reckoned, arrayed, and derided as a fool.  
If this be not an unheard of example, as of humility in him, so of foolishness and madness in them; let the truly wise of the world (if any such there be) Judge. O sweet Jesus, who, or what hath led and directed thee to this height and degree of folly; as for us that are fools and mad men indeed, to become willing to be accounted a fool thyself? Surely it can be no other but the transcendency of thy love unto thy Spouse the Church, that hath wrought and brought this foolishness upon thee; whereby, with thy Kingly Prophet David, Thou art ready to cry out, I will yet be more vile than thus; I will be base and low in mine own sight: 2 Sam. 6.22. O let not any man than be proud of his wisdom, seeing God hath chosen foolishness rather, to confound the wise: but by all means possible decline and avoid humane and worldly honour and estimation: Yea, and that which the world for the most part accounteth wisdom too; but it is indeed no other, no better then very folly before God: that so at the last he may arrive and attain unto that true and undoubted wisdom, which shall make him everlastingly happy in the Land of the living. And then though the world deride and scorn him, laugh and jeer, flout and point at him; yea, beg him for a fool: yet let it not trouble nor grieve him, but let him rejoice rather, in that he is thought fit to be accounted a fool for Christ's sake; and to be made conformable in some things to the Image and similitude of his blessed Saviour, the Son of God: who was not only counted, but clad as a fool too, as you have heard already. For they put upon him a white garment, as saith the Geneva and vulgar Latin; or a gay and gorgeous robe, as our last translation reads it: Luke 23.11. not as a robe of honour or excellency, but of infamy and disgrace; as all Expositors conclude upon the place.  
Which may afford us also this second Use; That though our attire and habit be not always so costly and comely, as that of our neighbours; yet, that we be not dejected nor cast down therewith, seeing Christ for our sakes refused not to wear such a scornful and contemptuous garment, as his very adversaries were pleased to put upon him. Neither let us judge of men and their worth, only by their outside; since, Saepe sub attrita latitat Sapientia veste: Wisdom may be, and often is clad but in a Fool's Coat. As likewise, Vilis saepe cadus nobile Nectar habet: Beggarly bottles oftentimes hold rich Wines. And therefore Saint Chrysostom's Exhortation is, Ne homines ex habitu contemnamus; That we should not contemn men, no nor condemn them neither, 
Plutar. in vita ejus:  ever the sooner for their habit: (as Philopaemen the Orator was set to cut wood, because he was so homely attired: 
Vita Terent.  and Terence was placed but at the lower end of Caecilius Table, Quod erat contemptiore vestitu, because of his homely outside.) But look only to the mind, and soul, and inside of a man; yea, to the hid man of the heart, to see that that be without all corruption, as the Apostle speaks; 1 Pet. 3.4. and then let the outside go. As on the other side, Virum non à vestimentis, immo nec ab ipso corpore; sed ab anima laudare decet & admirari: Man ought not to be honoured and admired so much for the outward garments of his body; nor yet for his body itself: neither (seem it never so comely and handsome in our eyes) as for the inward graces and endowments of his soul: For what profit is there of all outward ornaments or presence; Cum anima mendico sit omni miserius induta? (as our chrysostom goes on) When our soul is more miserably clad then the basest beggar? as being wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked; as is said of the Church of Laodicea: Revel. 3.17.  
There might be many more Uses made of Christ his being posted and hurried too and again, from one Judges house and authority to another: as first, carried to Annas; from him secondly, to Caiaphas; from Caiaphas' thirdly, to Pilate; and from him to Herod: and lastly, from Herod bacl again to Pilate. As also of the scorn and contempt that was put upon him by the rude and rascal multitude, in all these his several passages too and fro, from one place unto another: men, women, and children, of all ranks and conditions following him; with howting, and shouting at him, as is usual in such cases; especially when he was arrayed in that scornful and disgraceful habit, spoken of last before: and so carried through the more public and eminent streets of Jerusalem for the nonce; and of purpose only, to have him gazed upon as an Owl, and baited as a Bear: when, if ever any man, than he much more, might justly complain, as in the Prophet: Factus sum in derisum omni populo, & canticum eorum tota die; I am become a scorn to all people, and their song all the day long: Lament. 3.14. But time and other occasions will not permit me to speak of all: and therefore this shall suffice.   
John 18.39, 40. 
Ye have a custom that I should release unto you one at the Passeover; will you therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?  
Then cried they all again, not this man; but Barrabas: now Barrabas was a robber, etc.  
THese words (beloved) are spoken by Pilate the Roman Precedent, unto the Jews that were Christ's accusers, and very urgent with him to have him crucified: who because he knew that for envy they had delivered him unto him, as it is said, Matth. 27.18. Therefore he endeavours, as I told you the last day, by three several ways and means, if it be possible, to save his life, and to deliver him out of their hands. First, by turning him over to Herod: Secondly, by balancing him with Barrabas: And lastly, by scourging and crowning him with Thorns: Whereas therefore he had prevailed nothing by the first means, (viz.) by sending him to Herod; as you heard then also at large related and dilated unto you: Therefore in these words, as you see, He makes trial of the second, by propounding unto them whether they would have Barrabas or Jesus let lose at this their great & solemn Feast of the Passeover. For so saith the text, Will you that I release unto you the King of the Jews? or as it is in S. Matthewes Gospel: Whom will ye that I release unto you; Barrabas, or Jesus that is called Christ? Matth. 27.17.  
O sweet Jesus! now or never there is hope and comfort near; that after thy many tortures and troubles formerly recounted, which thou hast so quietly and patiently put up and borne at the hands of thy malicious and unkind Countrymen; yea, Kinsmen according to the flesh: Thy life notwithstanding shall be spared, and thy person set free and at liberty again at the last. For seeing thou art balanced in the scales with Barrabas, the greatest malefactor of thy time; and a necessity laid upon the people of releasing either thee or him: it cannot possibly be imagined, but that thou must be taken, and he cast; thou saved, and he condemned. For, whereas he hath been a Thief, and taken away by violence the bread of the poor and needy; Why, thou hast been a feeder of them, and a supplyer of their wants and necessities upon all occasions? whereas he hath been a Cutter and Robber on the highways, and by that means wounded and mangled the peaceable passengers, travelling as it were, between Jerusalem and Jericho: Why, thou as the good Samaritane, hast healed them again, by binding up their wounds, and pouring in Wine and Oil unto them: whereas he hath been a Murderer, (as Mark 15.7.) and slain the living; Why, thou hast been a reviver and restorer of life unto them that have been dead. All these therefore, and thousands more, unto which thou hast been helpful and beneficial in one kind or other, will call and cry out aloud, Set free and at liberty unto us, not Barrabas our cruel enemy; but Christ our courteous friend: yea, our kind and common benefactor.  
For it is impossible, even in the judgement of Pilate himself, that any should be so ungrateful as to do the contrary; which occasioned him to make tender of the most notorious delinquent that was then in durance amongst them, to be in competition with Christ; that so he might be sure (as he upon good ground and reason, conceived and imagined) not to fail of the freedom and release of Jesus. And yet for all this, They cry out amain, with one voice and unanimous consent; Not this man but Barrabbas: as ye see in the text.  
O unheard of impudence and iniquity! thus to deny the holy one and the just; and to desire a murderer to be delivered unto them, as Saint Peter afterwards cast in their teeth: Acts 3.14. Commutatio infoelix, saith one; An unhappy exchange for you Jews, thus to desire the Wolf before the Lamb; the noxious and violent, before the righteous and innocent; the impious and ungodly life-taker, before the peaceable and merciful life-giver: wretched men that ye are, so to prefer death before life; sin before God; and Barrabas, nay the Devil before Christ: with whom ye shall be sure for your pains, to suffer eternal pains in hell fire; except you can, and do repent and be hearty sorry for the same: Non quod per Pascha liberatis nocentem; 
Tract. 11●▪ in joh. c. 28.  sed quod occidistis innocentem, as Saint Austin speaks: not so much, because through the opportunity of your Passeover, you have freed and spared the life of him that was a wicked thief and robber; but because you have slain the innocent and harmless Lamb, who was undefiled and without spot. Quod tamen nisi fieret, verum pasca non fieret; as the Father goes on; which yet, if it had not been done, he could never have been the true Passover, pointed at by all the legal sacrifices and shadows of the old Law.  
And therefore it shall not be amiss for us Christians, to look to another; to an higher hand and cause of this choice; then only to the mischievous malice of these Jews, which if we do, we shall find that it was not Christ the second Adam only that was laid in the scale against Barrabas; but the first Adam also, which was a greater murderer and thief than he. Yea, and the sins also of all his posterity throughout all ages. 
Zacha. 5.7.  Which lying like Zacharies talon of lead upon Christ his shoulders, his person alone; must needs press down that scale lower than the other, that bore the sins only of one man, though never so great a murderer and malefactor. 
Brunus.  In regard whereof I do not wonder to find some writers comparing Barrabas to the live sparrow spoken of, Levit. 14.7. Qui dimittitur ut in agrum avolet, as the vulgar Latin there reads it: Which is let lose to fly in the open field, because his single burden of sin alone was not so great a let and hindrance unto him, as the burden of the sins of the whole World laid upon the back of Christ, the other sparrow, there also spoken of, whose wings were thereby clipped; and himself indeed killed for the cleansing of the leper. For though Christ's burden laid upon our shoulders be Onus allevians but a light burden, lifting up and making fresh, according to his own saying. My yoke is easy and my burden light, Mat. 11.30. yet our burden laid upon him, is onus onerans; a burden pressing down and making faint, pressing down indeed, his body to no less than the bottom of the grave, and his soul to hell.  
In regard whereof in the second place, he is styled by others: The Lord's lot, chosen by Aaron's successor (though much degenerated) the high Priest, to be offered for a sinne-offering; as was appointed by Moses Law; where if we take the pains to search, we shall find: as two sparrows spoken of before in Levit. 14. So two Goats, Levit. 16. presentable before the Lord at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation whereof one should be for a scape-goate; and the other for an offering to the Lord, as it is there said. By which some of the Ancients (as B. Bilson tells me) understood Jesus and Barrabas: Jesus to be slain as an offering to the Lord, and Barrabas to be sent to the Jews desert or wilderness, bearing the sins of the people that cried, Let him be crucified, let him be crucified.  
Which if it be so, then once more, nay evermore, let us meditate of the mercy and love of Christ towards us: and muse upon his lowliness and humility, that was content not only to take our nature upon him and therein to suffer death upon the Cross for our sins; and so, as I have said, to become our sin-offering: but also to be compared with the greatest malefactor of those times. And by public sentence, yea votes and voices of the people, to be pronounced a greater delinquent and more worthy of death than he. And let us beseech his infinite goodness, by that great dejection and submission of his, whereby he was contented thus to be rejected by these Jews; neither did disdain to be adjudged worthy of death, and to have Barrabas a wicked robber to be preferred to life before him: that he would give us such grace; that by how much we are inferior unto himself, by so much he would inflame our desires the more ardently to be willing to bear the contempt and rejection of this World, and as cast down through the sense of our sins and infirmities, and unworthiness every way; account no otherwise of ourselves then as of the scorn & scum thereof, the basest & meanest among the sons of men. For, 
Quare superbit homo cujus generatio culpa,  
Vita labour, nasci paena, necesse mori?   
Why should man have any high thoughts, or be proud in any thing; whose very conception is sinful, his birth painful, his life laborious, and his death unavoidable? As also in the second place, let us continually pray unto him, that he would not permit and suffer us for any respect whatsoever, whether of fear or favour to forsake our obedience and respect towards him; but still prefer his honour and worship, and love, and friendship before all earthly advantages whatsoever; yea, and before our lives too.  
And for further use & application, let us be content with patience and silence to bear it, if at any time we see the wicked & lewd, and those that we know to be worse than ourselves, to be preferred before us, either to the honours, or in the favours of the world, seeing Christ was contented to let sinful and wicked Barrabas to be preferred before him in these Jews esteem.  
Secondly, let us take heed of preferring vice before virtue; the flesh before the spirit; the honours, and profits, and pleasures of the world, before the honour, and worship, and service of God: for in doing all or any of these, we do but prefer Barrabas before Christ. Neither let us upon any occasion connive and give way to any unbeseeming or unfitting practices and imperfections contrary to our own consciences; either to please ourselves, or for fear to displease others; lest we be like Pilate, who because he would not offend and displease the Jews, he appointed Christ to be scourged, and Barrabas to be loosed. Nor yet farther let us upon any terms whatsoever, be we Magistrates or inferiors, justify the wicked, and condemn the innocent: for in so doing, we do justify Barrabas, and condemn Christ. And for the last use, let us all know, that how often soever it pleaseth God to put good motions into our minds, of setting Christ at liberty; either in his poor members that are in durance, or in any other pressures and oppressions whatsoever; or in our own souls, where he is imprisoned by our sins: and we neglect the opportunity, either through some pretended difficulty; or remissness and weakness of our own resolutions and resistance: in both these cases, and divers others like these: we cry with these Jews, Vivat Barrabas, & crucifigatur Christus; Let Barrabas live, and Christ be crucified: which how fearful a sin it is, you have heard before. But I must proceed.  
Pilate prevailing nothing more towards Christ's discharge by this second means, than he had done by the former; He resolves yet further to try the third, as hoping though their malice be never so great, and minds never so violent and outrageous against him for the present; yet partly by respite of time, and partly by the severity of some corporal punishment, the heat of their hate might at last be appeased, and so his life spared: for he was desirous and willing to release him; as it is said, Luke 23.20. And therefore for this purpose, he determined to lay so sharp a punishment upon him, as might suffice (as he had reason to think) to assuage their fury; and satisfy their bloody and cruel desires. So that hereupon in the third place, (as I say) he gave commandment that he should be scourged; Quod non ob aliud fecisse, 
Tract. 116. in joh. init.  credendus est Pilatus; (as Saint Austin speaks) nisi ut ejus injuriis Judaei satiati, sufficere sibi existimarent; & usque ad ejus mortem saevire d●sisterent: which we cannot imagine to be done for any other intent or end, then only that the Jews being satiated, and glutted as it were with these injuries and tortures inflicted upon him; might think themselves satisfied, and sufficiently avenged to their content, and so desist from shedding his blood and taking away his life. For scourging was a punishment which for the severity of it, was appointed by Moses Law, only for grievous offenders and malefactors of an high nature. And yet with this limitation and restriction too, that it should not exceed forty stripes, lest a brother should seem vile unto them; as you may see Deut. 25.3. And the infamy of it was s●ch, that the Romans did exempt their Citizens from it, as is plainly to be collected out of Acts 22.25. And therefore a Schoolman calls it Foedum supplicium; a foul and a filthy punishment.  
Which makes Granatensis a learned and devout Postiller to cry out, Quam indignum verberum supplicium, non in Domino dico; sed in quovis etiam homine abjectissimo? how unbeseeming and unfitting; yea, indigne and unworthy a punishment and chastisement is scourging and whipping? not only in the Lord, but in any other inferior and contemptible man whatsoever? Est enim hoc omnium suppliciorum vilissimum; quo pueri, quo mancipia, quo latrones plectuntur, (as he goes on) as being the vilest and most infamous of all other punishments, wherewith only children, bondslaves and pilfering laroones or rogues use to be corrected and chastised. And yet our great Lord and Master Jesus Christ ye see, doth not disdain to undergo it for our sakes, that so he might bear in his body those wounds and stripes that we have deserved by our sins▪ as also that thereby he might animate and encourage his Martyrs and Confessors unto patience and constancy in their like indignities and disgraces, which he knew the World in succeeding ages would put upon them for his name's sake.  
Neither was this kind of punishment and affliction of his, only infamous and opprobrious; but terrible and tormenting too. For the soldiers and other executioners of it having once their warrant confirmed by authority from Pilate for doing it, did presently strip him of his garments, and fasten him to a post or pillar (as it should seem by many writers the manner was) and then charge and discharge upon him such bloody blows: as if he had been both the greatest offendor and the basest slave in the World. And that not with a single scourge or rod alone; but with several and sundry kinds of them; if we may take the word and warrant of some Antiquity. For it is fathered upon Saint Hierome by sundry Authors which I have read; That there should be six of these scourges, whereof two should come with their thorny rods; two with knotty whips, and two with iron chains, or links, or wires; sharpened for the nonce, and their points bowed inward like an hook, only to rend and tear his skin as they went; and to make wounds and gashes in his flesh. And when the first two had wearied and tired themselves, as it were, with the earnestness and violence of their blows and strokes; the others to take their places: till by alternate & succ●ssive turns, they had added stripe upon stripe, and wound upon wound, latter upon former, and new upon old, so long; that he was all over in a gore blood. For his stripes were not stinted according to the Jewish manner, to 40. or 39 strokes alone: But the sentence being executed by the Roman Soldiers, and after a Roman sort; Sine numero, servorum instar, flagellatus est: He was corrected as a Roman slave, with as many stripes as the Executioners pleased to give him; whereby he had from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head, no whole or free part in him, as the Prophet speaketh; Esay 1.6. which notwithstanding he was not unwilling it should be so; nay, he was most desirous to have it so; because in his mystical body the Church for which he suffered, Nulla pars sana, atque integra esset (as saith mine Author) There was no part whole and found; nothing therein but wounds, and swell, & sores, full of corruption: Esay 1.6.  
Yea, some affirm that there issued from his body, Fluenta sanguinis, streams of blood; others, Rivi sanguinis, whole rivers. But these hyperbolical particulars are no matters of faith; and therefore in them I leave every man to believe as he list; only we may and must believe his torments & tortures to be much the greater, because as the former Prophet Esay saith elsewhere, He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement of our peace was laid upon him, so that with his stripes we are healed: Esay 53.5. As also because these Pharisees and other his enemies might be afraid (as a Postiller well observes) that Pilate, because he scourged him, would not have been drawn to crucify and kill him after: Curaverunt ergo taliter eum flagellari, ut inter flagella animam daret; They provided therefore that he should be so scourged; that, as they hoped and desired he would have even breathed out his last, and yielded up the ghost under these tormentor's hands; Quod & factum fuisset, nisi divinitus vitam cruci reservasset, as my Postiller goes on: which accordingly had come to pass, unless his divinity had preserved and reserved his humanity to die upon the Cross.  
But this yet is not sufficient to satisfy the malicious minds of these, not men, but monsters of cruelty and impiety. And therefore after the soldiers had thus scourged him: They brought him into the pretory or common-hall once more, and there again they strip him, and put upon him a purple robe: and pressed upon his head (which you know is a very sensible and tender part, and which before had scap●t the whip) a crown of sharp thorns, that so, mille puncturis, as one saith, with a thousand stings, they might torture and torment him: yea, and put a reed in his hand in steed of a Sceptre; and scornfully bowing themselves, salute him king of the Jews; and spit upon him the second time; and taking another reed, smote him therewith upon the head.  
By all which actions it appeareth; that they were as much, if not more desirous to take away his reputation as his life. For they sought but only the ordinary torment of the cross, by which to take away his life: but to take away his reputation, they ran into all these; and many more strange inventions equally composed of torment and shame; wherein cruelty seemed pleasant, and mirth full of malice (as it is well observed by Doctor Heyward:) out of whose Threatise, called The Sanctuary of a troubled soul, give me leave, with your patience, (only for haste to finish this point,) to insert here a few lines, well fitted there by his devout heart and skilful hand, to my present purpose. They shall not be many, neither wholly his; but interlaced sometimes with other notes and observations, as well of mine own as other men's.  
The very heathen (saith he) for the most part, in their execution of justice, did observe this rule; to do it with all outward gravity and grief, and not with any light, either gestures or jests; whereby they might be suspected of taking pleasure in taking punishment, nor with any extraordinary severity (excepting some few Tyrants) which might make a show of private revenge. But (as he goes on) it was not sufficient for these savages to crucify Christ; except they did it both with derision and despite. Their malicious minds must of necessity be satisfied, as well with his shame as with his blood: and that after an unusual manner. For when was purple before that time used for dishonour? And who ever before that day had been crowned with thorns? The purple reached but to a scorn; but the thorns went further: For look how many thorns did pierce his flesh, so many streams of blood could not choose but issue from him; so that, as another saith: Purpuratus jam Christus totus, intus ac foris; corpore sanguinolento & veste purpurea. Christ is become purple all over, as well within as without; having a deep died sanguine body, as well as a purple garment. But it was not by chance and at adventure, that he was clothed in purple, and therein mocked; but as the holy Ghost made Caiaphas to say, It is expedient that one should die for the people. John. 11.50. and likewise Pilate; What I have written, I have written, Joh. 19.22. So it made the soldiers, to scorn him in a purple garment, in token that whatsoever they did to his reproach, should follow afterward to his greater honour and renown. For Livy tells us, that Romae, vestis longa & purpurea, Imperatorum & Triumphantium. i e. At Rome, a long purple garment was the habit of the Emperors, and such as had triumphed after some great victories and conquests: And not only at Rome, but ubique ea in pretio fuit, saith another author, it was in high esteem also in other places; which doth evidently appear to be so by sundry passages in sacred history: For the curtains and hang of the Tabernacle, were appointed by God himself to be of purple, as ye may see, Exod. 26.1.36. verses. And Daniel the Prophet of God, was promised by Belshazzar as a great reward of honour unto him; that if he would read the writing, and show the interpretation thereof, he should be clothed in purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and be the third ruler in the Kingdom, Dan. 5.16. as also Holophernes canopy of his bed on which he rested when Judith came unto him was woven with purple, Jud. 10.21. And therefore howsoever these Jews array Christ in purple, only in scorn of his Kingship, because he was usually styled King of the Jews, yet his heavenly Father, and the whole Court and Council of Heaven had an honourable purpose towards him in permitting it.  
Neither was it without a mystery that they set upon his head a crown of thorns. For God having cursed the earth, because of Adam's sin, to b●ing forth thorns and briars unto us, This curse hath our Saviour now taken upon himself; so that the points of these thorns are broken in his flesh; and all things are now blessed, all things reconciled, all curses and crosses both healed and hallowed with his blood; insomuch as all true Christians may now gather grapes of thorns: which before this time could not be done, as the holy Scripture doth intimate unto us. Go forth therefore, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold King Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him, saith the Spouse in the Canticles, chap. 3.11. For, vere spectaculum dignum visu, Deus spinis coronatus: It is a spectacle worthy your viewing, to see God crowned with thorns. I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, saith Moses, Exod. 3.3. which was God himself in a flame of fire in the midst of a bush; the bush burning, yet not consumed; unto which sight notwithstanding, he could not draw near, until he had pulled off the shoes of his feet; as there is to be seen, vers. 5. Let us therefore pull off the shoes of profaneness from the feet of our affections, that so we may go with him, and behold this great fire of love wherewith the Lord burneth; and this bush in the midst whereof he standeth and is enclosed: which if we do, we shall see before us the unextinguishable and inconsumptible love of a kind and tenderhearted Father, offering to sacrifice his Son; yea, his only Son for our sins, and behind us we shall find, Arietem haerentem cornibus inter vepres; the Ram, or rather the Son himself, as willing to be caught by the horns in the midst of the bushes, that so he may be offered. And therefore, as every bird fitteth upon the thorns in the orchard, as it is said, Baruch. 6.70. so let us draw near and make our nest in these bushes; that we may find shelter against the stormy winds of affliction; and parching, yea, scorching heat of temptation, and all adversaries as well spiritual as corporal, hunting our souls to destruction. And abandoning the colours of all other Captains and Commanders, as the world, the flesh, devil and the like; let us keep ourselves fast and close in firm fidelity and sincere loyalty under the royal standard only of this our King; although by these his enemies in derision and scorn he be crowned with thorns. For the points of these thorns pierce not at this time so deep into our Saviour's head; as in after time they shall pierce into the sides and souls of all adverse and opposing powers whatsoever; especially such as thus deride and scorn him in his miseries and affliction. For etiamsi Tale diadema non honorem, sed horrorem adducit: Horret tamen Christus magis asperitatem morum & linguae stimulos quàm spinarum aculeos, saith our countryman Gillebert. 
In Cantica.  Although such a Diadem as this, bring not honour, but horror rather to him that wears it; yet Christ doth more abhor and disdain the bitterness of their malice and asperity of their manners; yea, the stings of their tongues, than points or prickles of their thorns by which they thus think to torture and torment him.  
But to proceed and grow towards an end of his sufferings under Pontius Pilate, when he saw that Jesus was in so pitiful a plight, that he supposed the sight of his gored body and gashed head sufficient to break the bloody purposes of his enemies: He took him, and led him forth to the people and said unto them; Behold the man. John 19.5. what would you have more? if it be for malice that you are so violent against him; behold how miserable he is. If for fear; behold how contemptible. But as for fault, whereby he should deserve death; I can find none, but he seems to be a man without a mate; a Prince without a Peer, having none to match him, that I can find, among the sons of men, as being a lamb without a spot, a Dove without a Gall. I can find no fault in him.  
Which if it be ●o; then Diogenes may set up his staff; put out his light; and hang up his lantern by the walls; seeing Pilate here, presents before his eyes, the man whom he sought for; using his humane reason to good purpose: as being more innocent and harmless in his conversation, than Adam in his integrity. For whereas Adam bore indeed in himself, the whole humane nature; yet he did it but to destruction: whereas this man doth it to restauration and redemption. Behold therefore this man, saith Pilate; I can find no fault in him.  
But quo minus proficit, eo magis ardescit invidia; saith Ferus. It is the nature of envy, that the less it prevaileth, and the oftener it is prevented and withstood, the more eager it is in its pursuit. And therefore the more backward and cold in the cause they find Pilate; the more forward, ardent and earnest are they. So that being insatiable in their cruelty toward him; they importune him, some with persuasions; and others with confused clamours and cries that he might be crucified. They were of their fathers, the Devil's mind; quem nihil satiat nisi animam sauciat; as one saith of him. Whom nothing will please and content but death and final destruction: so no torture, no punishment will serve these men's turn but Christ's death. And no death neither, but that of the Cross will satisfy their desires: and that makes them cry so often and so loud, Let him be crucified, let him be crucified. O the inconstancy and impiety of an insolent and many headed multitude! What a miserable case are they in, that must be tried and judged by thee? which art content with these Jews to honour Christ and his Ministers one day with all reverence and respect; cutting down branches from the Trees; and strowing them in his way; and crying Hosanna the son of David: blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna thou which art in the highest Heavens, Mat. 21.9. And yet within a few days after; the wind of thy breath being turned, to cry out again as fast on the other side (as ye see) Crucifige, Crucifige: Let him be crucified, let him be crucified. Sic stultus ut luna mutatur, Saith the wise man. So doth the foolish multitude change like the Moon. Ecclus 27.11.  
But neither are they culpable of inconstancy alone; but of impiety too; and that in the highest degree. For what insolences and outrages will they not perpetrate and commit, if they be frustrated and crossed never so little in their ways and wills? The very Son of God himself and Saviour of the World (and therefore much less his Ministers) being not able to scape ; if he come once within their clutches, or within the compass of their custody and command, which gave occasion to the Holy Ghost to prescribe that caveat to these people of the Jews long since, viz. that they should not follow a multitude to do evil; neque in judicio plurimorum acquiesces sententiae; ut à vero devies, as the vulgar Latin reads it, neither in judgement shalt thou rest or rely upon the sentence of many to decline from truth. Exod. 23.2. And yet for all this warning so long before hand; they and their Judges too, split themselves upon the same Rock at this time. For Pilate, although before he had openly declared both that Christ was innocent, and that he had authority to quit him: yet giving place either to the favour or fury of this multitude of the jews, rather than to justice, he pronounced sentence of death against him; and delivered him to the pleasure of his enemies, to do with him even what they would, as you may see. Luke 23.25. By which it appears plainly, that Vox populi is not always Vox Dei; the voice of the people is not always the voice of God.  
And thus you have heard how and what Christ suffered under Pontius Pilate. Whose judgement was very unjust by his own confession; because he gave sentence of death against him, whom thrice before he had pronounced innocent, which certainly was in him, the greatest piece of injustice that could possibly be committed. And therefore S. Cyprian says, Frustra funestas manus judex in praetorio abluis, a sanguine Domini to profitens innocentem. Thou washest thy defiled and polluted hands, O thou judge, but in vain: seeing (profess what thou wilt, yet) thou canst not (as David) wash them in innocency; but thou art guilty of the death of that just man in as high a degree even as the jews themselves. For in that thou dost not absolve and acquit him; but givest out thy sentence of condemnation against him, notwithstanding by thine own confession, after diligent and exact trial, thou canst find no just cause of death in him; Caussam tibi facis cum Judaeis communem: as the same Father goes on. Thou makest thine own cause no better (for all thy washing) then even common with these his enemies. Illi se proditione, tu parricidio te condemnas: For as they are guilty of treason and treachery against him; so thou of Parricide: Illi lingua, tu ferro occidis; they slaying him only with their tongues, in slandering and false accusing; but thou with the sword, seeing thou hadst power to lose him, as thou saidst thyself (especially being innocent) and yet thou didst not. And therefore tam te quam illos inauditae crudelitatis scelus involvit; the sin of this, unheard of the like, cruelty, involves thee aswell as them. Veniet etiam anima tua in manus judicis quem condemnas; fractisque tribunalibus tuis, judicaberis & demergêris in profundum inferni: so that thy soul shall come into the hands of that same Judge, whom thou hast thus condemned: and after thine own judgement seat and throne of injustice is dissolved and broken down in this World; thou shalt be judged thyself and condemned to the very pit of Hell in another World: eruntque tibi & judae scelerato in tenebris & Gebennalibus flammis poenae irremediales, inconsumptibiles ignes, dolores perpetui, & tormenta aeterna; and thou aswell as wicked judas, with all other unjust judges that do not repent; shallbe calf into utter darkness and hellish flames together, where ye shall suffer and endure pains that cannot be withstood nor avoided; burn that cannot be extinguished nor put out; perpetual sorrows without surceasing; and eternal torments without hope of ending. Thus farm Cyprian of Pontius Pilate his injustice; and thus fare I of our blessed Saviour's sufferings under him. From whose fearful sin and punishment due for the same, Libera nos Domine, good Lord deliver us.  
Now from the injustice of these judges under whom our blessed Saviour thus suffered, let me take occasion to leave a few instructions to the Judges of our times. And I will begin with that Quaere of the Holy Ghost. Are your minds set upon righteousness, O ye Congregation; and do ye judge the things that are right, O ye sons of men? Ps. 58.1. that is, according to the order, rightness & straightness of that Law of God, which he set and appointed you to judge by, when he said unto Moses; that Judges and Officers he should make in all the Gates throughout the tribes of Israel; and they should judge the people with just judgement, Deut. 16.18. quasi dicat (as an expositor upon the place) non tantum in ore habeatis justitiam; sed in opere: as if he should say; it is not enough to talk of righteousness with your mouths; and in your words; but you must practise it also with your hands, and in your works.  
Now then let us take notice that there are many things requisite to this right and just judgement; which ought therefore to concur and be found in all Judges whatsoever, whether Ecclesiastical or civil.  
The first whereof is this, that what they require of others, they practise and perform themselves; because as S. Peter saith, It is but just, that judgement should begin at the house of God, 1. Pet. 4.17. and therefore they ought not to do as the Scribes and Pharises which our Saviour speaks of, which bind heavy burdens and such as are grievous to be borne, and lay on other men's shoulders; when as they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers, Matth. 23.4. but they that are Judges of the Earth, ought themselves to love righteousness, as the wiseman exhorteth them, Sap. 1.1.  
The second is; that they keep themselves close to the prescript and order of the Law; and not presume to pass the bounds of that which is to be their director and their guide: according as it is commanded them by God's Law saying, when the King sitteth upon the throne of his Kingdom, he shall write him a copy of this Law in a book which shall be with him; and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that so he may not turn aside from the Commandment, to the right hand or the left. Deut. 17, 18, 19.20. verses.  
That they do throughly fift the truth and depth of the matter which they have in hand as, job professeth that he did, saying, Caussam quam nesciebam diligenter investigabam; I was diligent to search out the cause which I knew not, job. 29.16.  
That they be no accepters of persons. For qui cognoscit in judicio faciem, non bene facit, saith the Wise man, as the vulgar Latin reads it, Prov. 28.21 He that in the time of judgement knows a difference of faces, does not well, for such a one will transgress for a piece of bread, as there follows in the latter part of the verse; and therefore elsewhere he saith: It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgement: Chap. 18.5.  
That they give not place to the clamours or favour of the multitude; to do contrary to law and their own conscience; as our  here did, for the crucifying of Christ, for this likewise is flatly forbidden in God's Law, as you heard before, where it says: Thou shalt not follow the multitude to do evil, neither shalt thou speak in a cause, to decline after many to wrest judgement: Exod. 23.2.  
That they be not driven from the straightness and rectitude of their course of justice for fear of the mighty, as another Wise man adviseth, saying: Seek not to be made a Judge, being not able to take away iniquity, lest at any time thou fear the person of the mighty, and lay a stumbling block in the way of thy uprightness: Ecclus 7.6.  
That they be not too pitiful, beyond that which is meet and fit; according to that other precept of the Law: Thou shalt not countenance a poor man in his cause, Exod. 23. 3. i e. in a bad cause; For otherwise, it is said but three verses after, Thou shalt not wrest the judgement of the poor in his cause, verse 6.  
That they be no bribe-takers, as the same Law still goes on; Thou shalt take no gift, for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous, verse 8.  
And lastly, That they admit of no entreaties and persuasions to the prejudice or damage of any other; for justice is to be executed and judgement given, consilio, non prece, by counsel and deep consideration in a man's self, not by request of other men: For as Bernard saith well, Vbi non licet facere quod volo, quis locus rogandi? Where it is not lawful for a Judge to do what he may have a desire, it may be to do himself, there surely can be no place left for the suits and requests of others. And these are the nine things requisite to the performance and execution of right and just judgement; which whatsoever Judge shall faithfully fulfil and keep, he need not fear the censure of any Court here; or the face of an angry Judge hereafter.  
There might much more have been added concerning these particulars, but that I am not ignorant, that Verbum sapientibus sat est, A word to such wise men is enough; in regard whereof I have chosen rather to leave this short caution and remembrance only to our Honourable Judges and other subordinate Magistrates, than to presume to give them either larger instructions, or the least reproofs. And this sufficeth for Christ's sufferings under Pontius Pilate.   
John 19 vers. 16.17, 18. 
Then delivered he him unto them to be crucified. And they took jesus and led him away: And he bearing his cross, went forth into a place called the place of a skull; which is called in Hebrew Golgotha, where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst, etc.  
WHen the sentence of death against our Saviour Christ was once given, 
Curcified.  then presently in all haste the cross was prepared, and the condemned person brought out; and the heavy tree (as it appeareth by Saint john's Gospel in our Text, verse 17.) was at the first laid upon his own shoulders, which had been unmercifully battered with whips before, whereby they tormented him not only with the sight, but with the weight also of that which was appointed to be the instrument of his death, which painful burden notwithstanding, together with the weight of all our sins, he refused not for our sakes to take upon him, but proceeded on his way with incredible alacrity, both in love towards us, and in obedience to satisfy his father's justice; as a true Isaac bearing the wood for the sacrificing of himself. For mortem non coactus, sed ultro subiit Christus, ut voluntarium esset sacrificium: nam sine obedientia, nobis expiatio parta non esset, 
In job. c. 18.  saith Calvin. Christ suffered death willingly and not by constraint, that so his sacrifice might be voluntary. For without willing obedience to his Father's Ordinance, our atonement and the expiation of our sins could not be wrought: whereupon S. Austen discoursing upon those words of S. john, Et misit filium suum sacrificatorem pro peccatis nostris (as he reads them) 1 joh. 4.10. God loved us and sent his Son to be a sacrifice for our sins; demands this question: Vbi invenit hostiam? ubi invenit victimam quam puram volebat offer? where did he find a pure and clean sacrifice fitting for himself to offer? And when he hath thus propounded gives the answer himself in these words. Alium non inv●nit, seipsum obtulit. He could find no other, and therefore he offers himself as if he should say: he made his humanity the sacrifice, and his divinity the priest.  
But howsoever he were never so willing and obedient himself; yet his countrymen and cruel friends must not lose their turn. For they will have an hand in this business (though never so much to their cost) aswell as he, wherefore after they have conducted him to mount Caluary, the place of his execution: there they speedily erect his cross and display his bloody banner, and soon after crucify him thereon, as ye may see, Luke 23.33. which part of theirs, as it was acted with much violence to show their malice; so it was suffered by him with more willingness, and patience to manifest his love. Answerable to that of the Apostle, he humbled himself and became obedient unto the death, yea even the death of the Cross. Phil. 28.  
Now this kind of death was accounted in those days, not only the most shameful and ignominious death; but the most cruel and tormenting too; as ye shall see anon: wherefore these jews, howsoever they had four kinds of death for malefactors among themselves (as our reverend and learned Bishop of Exet●r in his passion Sermon hath well observed) one of which was ordinarily used to those that did offend of their own Nation, as the Towel, the Sword, Fire and Stones, and each of these above other in extremity, yet they rejected and refused all these whereby to take away Christ's life, and chose this Roman death of crucifying, as accounting it the worst of all: which we may suppose they did the rather, because their own Law saith: cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree, Deut. 21.23. so that their malice was such as it should seem towards him; as that they were desirous, not only to cross and crucify him, whereby to rid him him out of his life: but to curse him also, if it were possible and in their powers, in the life to come. But yet as ●. Jerome well noteth; He is not therefore accursed because he hangeth; but therefore he hangeth because he is accursed being made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, acursed for us as, S. Paul speaketh, Gal. 3.13. And therefore howsoever the jews made choice of this death for him out of the depth of their malice, and venomous hatred against him: hoping thereby not only to destroy his body, but his soul too, yet he (that was able to work good out of evil, and turn their mischief and malice owards him, to his own glory and the benefit of his Church and chosen) had other reasons in the secret of his own counsel, which they little dreamt of, why he would undergo it, and take it upon him.  
As first that the curse might be imputed unto him, which was due to us: and so we by his curse might be redeemed from the curse of the Law, as the former Apostle saith we are in the former place. And therefore saith Aretius: Ideo cruce passus est Christus, ut omnis maledictio, etiam à forma supplicii in illo concurreret. Therefore did Christ suffer on the Cross, that by the form and manner of his suffering, every curse might concur and be found in him, which was due to us, yea he himself bore our sins in his body on the Tree, that we might be delivered from sin and be healed by his stripes, as S. Peter saith 1 Pet. 2.24.  
Secondly, as S. chrysostom and Theophilact assign it, ut ipsius aeris naturam mundaret, & terram sanctificaret sanguinis suae distillatione, that he might cleanse and perfume the air with his holy and Heavenly breath, and sanctify and hollow the Earth with the streams of his sacred blood, distilling and descending down from his blessed body. Medicina enim quae removet maledictionem terrae, est sanguis Christi, For the only Medicine that is able to remove the curse of the earth is the blood of Christ.  
Thirdly, as Anselmus saith, That hanging in the air on the Cross, the foot whereof was fastened in the Earth, and the top looking towards Heaven, he might show himself to be the true Mediator betwixt God and man; by reconciling Heaven and Earth together, and reducing our humane nature to the society of Angels, and so making a perfect peace and union betwixt the things above and the things below.  
By such strange and contrary means doth God show his power and providence in working our salvation and redemption, giving us life even by his own death, and that the most accursed death too, even the death of the Cross. Optimum faciens instrumentum vitae quod erat mortis pessimum genus, as one saith; making that the best instrument of life, which was the worst kind of death; worst indeed, as we shall easily perceive, if we will vouchsafe to look another while into the manner of it, together with the counsel and cruelty of the jews in inflicting it, as we have already done into the mercy and goodness of Christ in suffering it. For besides the infamy and ignominy of it, as you have heard already; it was a terrible and bitter death too: where he felt the uttermost of those pains, which incensed and enraged malice was able to inflict, and man's nature able to endure.  
For the better and more clear expression whereof, it is observed by some, that Christ's Passion on the Cross, had in it all the four dimensions, as length, breadth, height, depth. Length first, in regard that the Cross was a lingering slow death; Vbi diù vivebatur, & mors ipsa protendebatur; ne dolour citius finiretur: which gave no quick dispatch unto the patiented, but protracted and prolonged his life, keeping him a great while together upon the Rack under the sharp sense aswell of our sins as his own pains. Now it is truly said, that Acerbissima est mors quae trahit poenam; it is the bitterest kind of death, wherein the pains thereof are long continued and delayed, and not presently or suddenly finished and dispatched. For to have death prolonged when a man is under the stroke of death; is to die many deaths at once. Now it was full three hours betwixt Christ's affixion to the Cross, and his expiration on the Cross. For he continued there from the sixth hour until the ninth, as the Evangelists declare. Let a Poet then make the application.  

Poem. vocal. Christ's Triumph. pag. 49. by G. Fletcher  What better friendship then to cover shame?  
What greater love than for a friend to die?  
Yet this is better, to asselfe the blame,  
And this is greater for an enemy.  
But more than this, to die not suddenly  
Nor with some common death, and easy pain,  
But slowly, and with torments to be slain.  
O depth without a depth, far better seen then sayne.  
Secondly breadth: For here we may justly take occasion to behold how many were the crosses which he endured upon this one cross for us. First, his legs and hands by rude and boisterous hands are violently pulled out at length to the places fitted for his fastening, then pierced thorough with sharp iron nails, which were so big, 
Lib. 1. c. 17.  that as Socrates in his Ecclesiastical History reports, Constantinus eos accèptos in fraena & gal●am mutavit, & ad bella usurpavit. Constantine having received them from his mother, made of them a bridle and an helmet for his own use in the time of war, which if it were so, it is no marvel if the Prophet in his person complain: Foderunt manus meas, & pedes meos, as the vulgar Latin reads it, Psal. 21.17. They digged, as it we●e, or pierced deep into my hands and feet, as it is in our English translation, Psal. 22.16. Then in the next place; he is raised from the ground, upon his cross, where, by the weight of his body, his wounds are opened and enlarged, his nerves and veins rend and torn asunder, and his blood gushed out abundantly. Thirdly, his body exhausted of spirit and blood, is exposed naked to the cold air; the Sun, during all the time obscured with a strange and unusual eclipse, as it were, with horror impatient at the sight of those indignities, which were then offered ●o the Son of God. Fourthly, he is afflicted with a wonderful & exceeding drought, which Cyril says, was Vnum ex gravissimis tormentis; one of his greatest, sharpest, and most grievous torments; occasioned by his former wearisome travel, his sweeting agony, and the effusion of so much blood. His fifth pain was the want of the use of both his hands and feet, whereby he was enforced to hang  upon the cross; as being unable to turn any way for his case; or to change the position and site of his body upon any terms. The sixth and last, the blasphemous and contumelious words; which the Pharisees, Scribes and Priests breathed out against him, which is more piercing to an ingenuous and noble nature than any corporal punishment whatsoever (as I have in part shown you before:) And in regard whereof it is said of Alexander the great; that he forgave many sharp swords, but never any sharp words.  
But the length and breadth of our Saviour's cross is not greater than the height and depth of it. That passion may be said to be deepest which surpasseth other passions in the sharpness and intensiveness thereof. Now, that our Saviour's passion did so, it will easily appear by this first: That it did not surprise him suddenly, but was long before foreseen and expected of him. For if you search the Evangelists, you shall find his arraignment and death often repeated from his own mouth, as Matth. 17.22. and again, Matth. 20.17. as also Luke 9.44. And in the 18. of the same Gospel; He reckons up all the particulars, as his delivering to the Gentiles, mocking, reviling, spitting upon, scourging, putting to death, and the like, as you have heard before. Now, as long as he foresaw he suffered: For the expectation of evil is not less than the sense: but as to look long for a good thing is a punishment; so for evil is a torment. And as for those proverbs, or say; Expectatio minuit dolorem; expectation doth diminish and lessen grief: and jacula praevisa minus feriunt: darts foreseen do wound the less. They are true, of such evils as may be avoided and averted, either in whole, or in part. But not of those which cannot be eschewed by the utmost of our Art and industry. For, for a man to be blasted with a flash of lightning, or smitten with a thunderclap; troubles him less to take him on the sudden when he thinks not of it; then, if it were told him before, that at such an hour he should perish by such a means; for this lingering expectation of it, doth possess the soul continually with horror and sad affrights.  
Add to this, as adding more measure unto this; That the body of Christ was of a most perfect temper and sound constitution; as being the immediate workmanship of the Holy Ghost, by whom it was composed and framed in his mother's womb without any the least help or assistance of man at all; now, the stronger and purer the complexion is, the more lively and vigorous are the senses; and so the more sensible either of pain or pleasure, according as the objects are diversified. Thirdly, to make it yet more full; such was the excess of Christ's love to man, intending a plenteous Redemption, that he would not suffer his strength as in a dying man to languish and decay by degrees, that so in the close nothing at all should remain; but even to his last breath, he would retain that vigour in him, that he might fully feel the smartnes of his pains, à principio passionis usque ad finem, from the first of his passion, to the last, which that strong cry of his, when he gave up the ghost doth witness. For the Text says, that, clamavit voce magna, & expiravit; He cried with a loud voice, or great cry, and gave up the ghost, Mark 15.37. which strong cry shows that nature was strong in him: For, non solent moribundi exclamare; dying-men are not accustomed to cry out so loud. So that there is no questino to be made, he might have lived longer, but that (all things being once accomplished to make our Redemption perfect and entire) he would now die: Thereby to show himself to be Lord both of life and death. The rareness and strangeness of which act wrought as rare and strange an effect in the Centurion which heard it; For the hearing of him cry thus, made him to cry out too, verè hic homo filius Dei erat, Truly this man was the Son of God, verse the 39 of the former fifteenth chapter of Saint Marks Gospel. And so Auditus invenit quod non visus (saith S. Bernard) oculum species fefellit, veritas auri se infudit. 
Ser. 28. i● Cantica.  His hearing found out that which his seeing could not, by reason his mean outside and exernal form deceived his eye: when as the truth infused itself into his ears, answerable to that of the Apostle, Faith cometh by hearing, Rom. 10.17.  
The fourth and last is the depth thereof, which consists in this; That Christ's passion was a full and solid passion, that is, an absolute and pure passion, not mixed with any comfort to mitigate and ease it. Our cup of sorrows is never in that extremity of bitterness, but that there is still some sugar mingled with our gall; some sweet cast upon our sower; some consolation tempered with our affliction. As for instance, it is deemed one great comfort in adversity to have some of our friends about us, to condole and lament with us in our sorrows. But alas, in the very entrance of his troubles, Christ is abandoned of all. His Disciples, as you have heard, when this heavy storm gins to fall upon him, forsake and leave him; one of them forswears him, another runs away naked, rather than he will stay and confess him; who then shall comfort him? Himself? Sometimes indeed our own thoughts find a way to secure us, unknown to others (as my Lord Bishop of Exeter well observes) but alas, with him at this time it is not so: For his soul is filled with evil; as the Psalmist speaketh in his person, Psal. 88.3. who then shall do it? His Father? Here, here was his hope, sed proh dolour! but out alas, no comfort as yet appears from him; For he delivers him into the hands of his enemies; and when he hath done, turns his back upon him as a stranger, showing no compassion on his passion, but rather wounds him as an enemy. Because, indeed, the Lord would break or bruise him; as it is said of him, Esay 53.10. 
B. Andrews non sicut.   
It is strange, yea very strange, (saith one) that of none of the Martyrs, the like can be read to this of our Saviour, when he says (My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?) who yet endured most exquisite pains in their martyrdoms; yet we see with what courage, with what cheerfulness, joy and singing, they are reported to have passed through their torments; Videor mihimetipsi super rosas incedere; saith Tiburcius, I seem to myself to walk upon beds of roses, when he was forced to walk upon hot burning coals barefoot; will you know the reason? Saint Austin sets it down; Martyrs non eripuit, sed nunquam descruit: He delivered not his martyrs indeed; neither did he forsake them: but as he delivered not their bodies, so he forsook not their souls, but conveyed into them the dew of his Heavenly comfort, which was an abundant supply for all they could endure otherwise. Not so here, but Vindemiavit me, saith he in the Prophet, as the vulgar Latin reads it, Lament 1.12. that is, he hath left me bare and naked, as the vintager leaves his Vines when he hath gathered and plucked off the Grapes. It is fathered upon Leo to be the first that said it, and all antiquity allows of it; Non solvit union●m, sed substraxit visionem. The Union was not dissolved, but the beams and influence of comfort were for this time restrained, so that his soul was as a dry, thirsty, parched heath ground; without any the least moisture or refreshing of Divine consolation, 
Lib. 5. de Eccl. c. 17. p. 16.  yea he was destitutusomni solatio, as it is in Doctor Field, destitute and void of all that solace, he was wont to find in God, in this fearful hour of darkness and time of this his doleful Passion. The Wrath of God and his indignation furiously marching against him, to require of him, as who had undertaken it, The full recompense and satisfaction for our sins, as saith Doctor Robert Abbot that learned and painful preaching Bishop of Salisbury. 
L. 3. Contra Bishop p. 114.   
And now by this time, I doubt not, but that you plainly perceive; how that Christ's pain and cross was the deeper and wider by all these crosses and torments thus considered. And therefore, behold and see, all ye that pass by (saith he himself) if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me. Lam. 1.12. the very Chapter and Verse cited last before. For I am like unto water poured out; all my bones are out of joint: my heart like Wax is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth unto my jaws, so that thou hast brought me even to the dust of death. For Dogs have compassed me; and the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me, yea they have pierced my very Hands and my Feet, saith the kingly Prophet in his person, Psal. 22.14, 15. verses, etc. And yet for all this, Amor tenebat in cruse quem mors non potuit tenere in Sepulchro; His love still held him on the Cross (as you have heard already) whom the violence and strength of death could not hold in his grave; as you shall hear hereafter.  
And thus you see, not only how, but why also Christ was crucified, aswell in his adversaries, as his own counsel and decree. They out of malice and hatred towards him; He out of love and pity to us; suffered under Pontius Pilate and was crucified upon the Cross. A word or two for use and application, and so we will conclude these two circumstances of this Article.  
Did Christ then suffer such things, yea, and fare greater than those that you have heard related unto you? (The afflictions and anguishes of the soul, being much worse than those of the body, (These being but love tricks saith one, to what his soul endued) which notwithstanding we have but slightly touched upon; as not altogether, in my judgement, so properly appertaining and belonging to the Creed) why then we shall do well, a little to examine and consider the end and causes why he did so: which if we do, we shall find, that it was not his own, but our sin that brought all this evil upon him, according to that of S. Peter, Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example to do the like, who did no sin himself, neither was there guile found in his mouth, but they were our sins which he bore in his body on the tree, 1 Peter 2.21, 22. verses, as the Prophet likewise had foretold, saying, he hath taken upon him our infirmities, and he hath carried our sorrows, Esay 53.4. We have an usual saying amongst us, that Charitas à semetipsa incipit; charity gins at home, but Christ's charity ye see did not: for it began, proceeded, and ended all in us: so that whatsoever our Saviour, either Ferebat or gerebat, as one saith, either did, or abide, it was for us, both, Natus nobis & datus nobis, Esay 9.6. 
Doctor Clarke.  He was delivered out of the womb for us, and he was delivered up to the Cross for us. For, for us men and for our salvation, Incarnatus est, saith the Nicene Creed, he was incarnate of the Holy Ghost and was made man, and for us men also Condemnatus est, he was condemned to die upon the Cross, so that he was bred for us, and shall be dead for us, all that he suffered being for our sins.  
The jews than are not the only actors in this tragic story of Christ's suffering under Pontius Pilate and crucifying on the cross: But we are as deep in as they, nay deeper in than they, as being the principals, and they only but accessaries thereunto. Because we were, Causa sine qua non, The cause without which it had not been done, but they were our sins for which he was wounded; and ourselves for whom he was crucified. So that, Peccata mea, peccata tua, peccata Adami ac omnium filiorum ejus caussa fuerunt passionis & mortis silii Dei, saith one, they were our evil motions, our vile thoughts, our corrupt words, our ungodly works; that set Pilate, Herod, Annas, Caiaphas, Judas and the Jews a work, what they did, they did it but as our instruments and agents, so that to say the truth, Not Satan the tempter, nor judas the traitor, not Caiaphas the high Priest, nor Pilate, the judge: not the Jews that conspired against him nor the false witnesses that accused him, not the band of men that took him first, and derided him after, nor the Soldiers that pierced him: no nor yet the very executioners that nailed him, on the Cross: are so much to be accused and condemned for his sufferings as we, we I say, even ourselves and sins: which notwithstanding, is not spoken in favour or excuse of these, or any of these. (For for such clients, I believe never any man was so lewd as to become an advocate) but only to let men see and know, yea, and acknowledge too, the greatness and grievousness of their sins; the cure whereof occasioned all these fearful evils upon our blessed Saviour, before it could be throughly accomplished and effected. For hoc fonte derivata clades; all the fore spoken of and last expressed afflictions and troubles of his proceed only from this fountain and original. So that we, sinful we, bound him with cords, beat him with rods, buffeted him with fists, crowned him with Thorns, yea we reviled him and railed on him with our tongues; we nodded at him with our heads, we thrust him through with spears, we betrayed him with a kiss; We pierced his Hands and Feet with nails, we condemned him with false witnesses, we poured shame and contempt upon his person; we judged him as plagued and smitten of God. For in as much as our faults and offences procured these things to be done unto him, we are the doers of them and the dealers in them, as himself is said to complain in the Poet.  
Huc me sidereo descendere fecit Olympo,  
Hic me crudeli peccatum vulnere fixit.  
Hither have your sins brought me down to live a poor and contemptible life, and here have your faults fastened me upon the Cross, to die an ignominious and shameful yea bloody death.  
Use. What an hatred than should this beget and kindle in us against our sins, that were thus the spoilers of our Saviour's life and the spillers of his blood? How should we in an holy revenge pursue them to death, that were the authors of his death; kill them that killed him? But woe, woe unto us, so far are we from this, that instead of mortifying and crucifying them, we crucify him; as if to have done it once had not been sufficient, but that as the Apostle speaks, we must crucify again the Son of God, and make a mock of him, Heb. 6.6. so that we may use S. Paul's words to the Galatians, though in another sense, Jesus Christ is evidently set forth before our eyes and crucified amongst us, Gal. 3.1.  
Thus hypocrisy bends the knee with ludibrious devotion, and bids, Hail King of the Jews; Presumption puts a reed, a rod, and sceptre into his hands: The children of darkness buffet and beat him; yea, and bid him prophesy who smote him. The profane spit in his face: The sacrilegious cast lots for his garment: the Schismatical divide his seamelesse Coat, which the rude soldiers did not. Popularity washes her hands as innocent, yea to please men condemns Christ. The drunkards in their carouses and unhallowed healths, give him a potion of Gall. Bribery, extortion, covetousness, uncleanness, and all other kinds of common and ordinary sins, prefer Barrabas before him. Simony crucifies him between two Thiefs. Heresy racks his bones and disjoints him. Superstition betrays him with a kiss and despites him with seeming honours. Apostasy denies him with his Apostle Peter, yea and forswears him too. The roarers with laughs and scoffs crucify him afresh: and with their blasphemy and outrageous oaths, tear (O cause of tears) his Nails, his Sides, his Flesh, his Hands, his Arms, his Bones, and all his Joints, and Members a sunder. These are our offerings for Christ his sufferings.  
But Oh beloved, was it not enough that he died once for us, but that we through these our sins must put him to death still? Were those pains of his so little and so light, that we should every day redouble them? Is this the entertainment that so gracious a Saviour hath deserved by dying for us? Is this the recompense of that infinite love of his, that we should thus cruelly vex and wound him with our sins? If compassion of his smart cannot move us; yet let compassion of our own souls prevail with us. For how can we hope or expect to find redemption by his Blood, while we continue by our horrid and heinous sins to make new gashes in his Sides; to rub his Wounds afresh and cause them stream a new, that were even closed up before? An act more jewish, then that of the Jews themselves. Let us then at the last for shame, by our true and unfeigned Repentance, forsake that tyrant sin, which detaineth us in servitude, shake off his Chains, cut asunder his Bands, and by a lively faith run strongly, violently and speedily unto Christ, who hangeth on the Cross, as you have heard and seen, Habens ibi caput inclinatum ad osculandum, cor apertum ad diligendum; & manus exteasas ad amplexandum. Having, not only his Head bowed down there to kiss us, and his Heart open to love us: but his Hands also stretched out wide to embrace us, and receive us upon our first return. And therefore return, O Shulamite return, return, as it is said, Can. 6.12. and this sufficeth for the first use.  
Secondly, hath Christ suffered all these things under Pontius Pilate? and been content to have been crucified on the Cross also, only out of love to us? Why then surely this requireth a return of our love likewise bacl again unto him. For nimis durus est animus, qui si dilectionem nolit impendere, nolit rependere. It is too bad a disposition, that will neither offer love, nor requite it being offered, as S. Bernard speaks.  
If then there be any spark of ingenuity, or dram of good nature in us, let us not deny him the affection of our love, that spared not the effusion of his own blood for us, but from so many springs as he had members, drank salvation unto us in a full cup thereof. And as a part of our love, being as the fuel to keep that fire of his love still burning on the Altar of our hearts; let us again and again consider what Christ hath suffered for us. For the fruits and benefits of the frequent commemoration of Christ his passion, nec pauci sunt, nec parvi, saith one, are neither few nor small, but these four at the least, custodia à peccatis, spes firmior, praesumptio infirmior, charitas flagrantior, it will keep and preserve us from falling into notorious sins and delioquencies, strengthen and confirm our hope, weaken and abate our presumption; and lastly, kindle and inflame our love and charity, as well among ourselves as towards him and his heavenly Father, which last I have especially chosen to enlarge upon at this time. To which purpose therefore, mark once more, I beseech you, how the Church speaketh to each faithful soul, saying; Come forth ye daughters of Zion, and behold King Solomon, with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his marriage, and in the day of the gladness of his heart, Cant. 3.11. So say I, O ye faithful souls, daughters of your mother the Church, Go forth; Egredimini de sensu carnis, ad intell●ctum mentis, Go out of the sense of the flesh, and come to the understanding of the mind, come, I say, a little out of yourselves, and by holy meditation, behold your King Solomon; the true peacemaker, and your King too, Christ Jesus (who though his Kingdom be not of this world, yet is a King even in this world) with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him, that is, with the crown of thorns upon his head, wherewith his mother, the Jews Synagogue (quae ei non sc matrem exhibuit, sed novercam, which herein proved not herself indeed a kind mother unto him, but rather a stepdame) crowned him, i. e. fodicavit & lancinavit, saith Tertullian, galled him and gored him. In the day of his marriage, i. e. in the day of his passion upon the cross, when he was married to his Church built out of his side, as Adam to his Eve created of his rib: In the day also of the gladness of his heart, i. e. in the very season of his suffering, which was as joyful to him as a genial and nuptial day unto a bridegroom: come forth, I say, see him, consider him, and meditate on him; Et palleat sub spinato capite membrum fieri delicatulum, and let us be ashamed under an head so crowned with thorns, to become members of delicacy and wanton niceness; sed studeamus ut membrorum vita capitis sit corona, as Austin, but let us rather endeavour that the austere and mortified lives of the members may be the crown and glory of the head, and freely acknowledge and confess every one of us, Et quantum valeat, & quantum debeat, as the same Father, as well his own worth, in that God would vouchsafe to suffer such things for him, as his own debt and obligation of love and thankfulness bacl again unto him for such his sufferings. And this he expecteth and looketh for at all our hands; crying out unto his Spouse in the Canticles to this purpose, that she would set him as a seal on her heart, and a signet on her soul, Cant. 8.6. which is as if he should say; Though I am now going from thee for a time, yet forget me not: but as a loving wife frames the Image of her dear husband in her heart; and as a longing woman imprints the form of the thing which she longs for, on the child in her womb; so set me as a seal on thy soul, think on me, delight in me, Figar tibi totus in cord, qui totus pro te fui fixus in cruse, let me be wholly fixed, yea, fastened in thy heart, which have been wholly fastened for thee on the cross. And as that famous Artemisia so much affected her dead husband Mausolus, that she took the dead ashes of his urn, and mingled them w●th her drink, and so entombed his dead carcase in her living body; so do thou my Spouse, let me live with thee, and in thee, even after my departure, eat me & drink me in the Sacrament; let me be still in thine heart and on thine arm, in thine intention, in thine operation, within thee, without thee, every where, and at all times let me be beloved and thought upon on earth, as I am, and ever will be careful of thee in heaven; let us, O let us then fulfil his desire now, that he may accomplish all our desires hereafter. And this sufficeth for Christ's sufferings under Pontius Pilate, and his crucifying.   
Mark 15. verse 37. 
And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.  

Dead.  THe next circumstance to be handled after the crucifying of Christ, is his death, For so saith the Creed; He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, etc. which is the very same with the Text read unto you; jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. For to give up the ghost, we all know in our daily and ordinary experience, is as much as to die, or to have our souls separated from our bodies, which before did live, act, and appear together. So that to say Christ is dead, is as much as to say, that after he had endured manifold torments, as well in soul as in body, here upon the earth, that at the last, per dolorum & vulnerum violentiam (as one saith) through the violence of the said wounds and afflictions, the natural frame and complexion of his body (the conserver of his life before) being dissolved, his said soul and body were separated asunder, verè & realiter, as truly and really as when any one of us dies; 
Serm. 131. ● Temp.  so that, sicut in veritate natus, ita in veritate mortuus & sepultus est, saith S. Austin: As he was borne a man in the truth of our humane nature; so as truly as any man else does, or ever did, he again died and was buried.  
And thus we are come at the last to the sum of Christ's obedience unto his heavenly Father's ordinance, when commending his spirit unto him, in cruse expiravit, he gave up the ghost upon the cross; or, as it is in the Creed, He died, For so saith S. Paul, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto the death, even the death of the cross, Phil. 2.8. yea, he was made a little inferior to the Angels through the suffering of death, that by God's grace he might taste of death for all men, Heb. 2.9.  
In which we may behold (as one saith) Omnium Christi passionum, ac afflictionum terminum. i e. the end and termination of all Christ's sufferings and afflictions; His consummatum est, or small finishing of all that belonged to his pains and our peace; to his sufferings and our satisfaction. And till this was finished, there could no peace be perfected, nor satisfaction of our debts acknowledged. For as the Apostle saith, stipendium peccati mors; The wages of sin is death, Rom. 6.23. according to the great Lawmakers decree at the first; In what day soever thou shalt eat of the forbidden fruit, thou shalt die the death, Gen. 2.17. And his Laws are like the laws of the Medes and Persians; they must not, nay, they cannot be altered.  
And therefore there was a necessity laid upon Messiah, that he must be slain, as the Prophet speaketh, Dan. 9.26. For he that will take upon him to become a Mediator unto God for sins; yea, and a redemption for sin too, he must be content to pay the wages of sin, which as you hear, is death: For God is not so wholly composed of Mercy, as altogether to neglect Justice, but his Law must be throughly satisfied, before his Gospel can be effectually preached,  sic justitia vinceretur diabolus, non potentia. That so the devil may be vanquished by justice, not by power: So that thus it behoved then, Christ to suffer and to rise again from death; that repentance and remission of sins might be preached in his name to all nations, as he saith himself, Luke 24.46.47. verses, yea, for this cause is he the Mediator of the new Testament, that through death, which was for the redemption of the transgressions which were in the former Testament; they which were called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a Testament is, there must needs be the death of him that made the Testament; for the Testament is confirmed when men are dead, for it is yet of no force as long as he that made it is alive; wherefore neither was the first ordained without blood Heb. 9.15, 16, 17, 18. verses, O come and hearken then what God hath done for our souls, ut animas nostras eriperet, animam suam posuit; he hath laid down his own life that he may save ours, & ut me à morte eriperet, 
In Psal. 65.  mortem accepit, saith Arnobius; and that I might live, he hath been contented to suffer himself to die, He gave up the ghost. Which phrase of expiring, or giving up the ghost; as it shows his death and sacrifice upon the cross for our sins to be voluntary; so his humane nature to be perfect and entire, as well of a reasonable soul, as of humane flesh subsisting, as it is in Athanasius Creed, notwithstanding never so many lewd and lying fancies of some heretics to the contrary; so that Totus homo in Christo, as Saint Austin speaks; The whole manhood was assumed to and by the Godhead, and not one part of it alone. And in the same whole nature, he accordingly suffered under Pontius Pilate, all those tortures and torments formerly recounted, and at last died; which if it were not so, then were we, which have believed in Christ, of all men most miserable, as being still in our sins; our preaching, and your believing all but in vain, as Saint Paul infers, 1 Corinth. 15. For, si aliquid ei defuit, non totum redemit; saith Saint Ambrose: If he wanted any part of man, than he saved not the whole man: For it is out of all question; that whatsoever he assumed not, he redeemed not, as Nazianzene. But taking all in reality of association and assumption, and dying according to all, in verity of dissolution and disjunction; he redeemed all, even our whole persons consisting both of souls and bodies.  
Which brings this comfort and consolation unto us; that natural death which at the first was inflicted as a curse upon Adam, and all his posterity, for transgressing of GOD'S Commandment, as you have often heard already, is now changed by this Death of Christ from a curse into a blessing, insomuch as blessed are the dead, which hereafter or henceforth die in the Lord, Revelations 14.13. Yea our own death is made hereby a very bridge, or pathway as it were, to lead us unto life. For he that heareth my Word and believeth in him that sent me (saith Christ himself) hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but hath passed from death unto life. john 5.24. Yea he therefore took our humane nature and Flesh upon him, that he might destroy through his own death, him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, and that he might deliver them which forfeare of death were all their life long subject unto bondage, &c, Heb. 2, 14.15. verses.  
Again, hereby the second death is also quite taken away, from all that are by a true and lively faith engrafted into Christ. There being no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus; as Saint Paul concludeth, Rom. 8.1. answerable to that of Austin. Mors Christi simpla, mortem nostram duplam desiruxit: The single death of Christ, hath destroyed that double death of ours, unto which we were all liable by reason of our sins. And therefore as the same Father saith elsewhere, O quam bene te tuo impetu diabole percussisti: How well hath the Devil wounded himself through his own violence, seeing his cruelty in sparing none, no not God's own Son; hath brought life and safety to others; but destruction and confusion only to himself. For Ille sanguis (as he goes on) quem effadisti, te vicit, me redemit. That very blood of his which thou hast wrongfully and unjustly shed, hath vanquished thee and redeemed me. Prae valuisti in paradiso, sed victus es de patibulo: And although thou prevayledst and hadst the day in Paradise, yet thou hast lost it again; by being conquered and overcome upon the Cross. O quam grande mysterium, which is a great mystery indeed, ut mors quae per lignum venit, per lignum superaretur: that that death which came from the fruit of the tree, should upon the Tree be vanquished and overcome, and that gate of life which was shut against Adam, should now be opened to a thief.  
By which it appears that Mors Christierat muscipula tantum diaboli: The death of Christ was only a trap wherein to catch the Devil; Which he was willing therefore to set up:  injusta mors, justam vinceret mortem: That his undeserved death might free them from death that had deserved it. Et liberaret reos just, dum pro eis occidebatur , as the same Austin still: and that he might acquit and discharge those that were guilty, because he that was guiltless or not guilty was put to death for them: whereby because Non habebat peccata propria digne delevit aliena: He that had no sins of his own did worthily blot out the sins of other men. He gave up the ghost.  
And here I might dismiss this point, had I not promised you at my first entrance into this discourse, to show you a Quis 
Quis.  aswell as a Quid: Who suffered as well as what. For here, if any where, is the most proper place to bring it in. For seeing we have proved at large, aswell in our former as in this present tract; that (He) was the second Person of the sacred Trinity that took our nature upon him, and in it suffered all these things under Pontius Pilate for our sakes; why, here may arise the greatest difficulty and doubt of all the rest, whether He could also die. Whether He that is God of God; yea, very God of very God; of the same substance with the Father, and therefore equal to him as touching his godhead; by whom also were all things made that were made, and so is Lord likewise both of life and death; whether this so great, so good a person, could be subject unto death himself, because our Creed tells us, not only that He suffered under Pontius Pilate & was crucified, but that he died too; which to our natural reason and humane capacities, seems (I must confess) to have two absurdities, if not impossibilities in it, at the least. The one that Christ should die, being without sin, seeing death is the wages only of sin, as you have heard already out of the Apostle, Rom. 6.23. The other that he could, being the Son of God.  
For the salving and solving of which latter doubt (the former being sufficiently cleared before) we must know, that God, in the person of Christ, might die, though the Godhead could not. For being a mixed person consisting of two natures, as of Godhead and Manhood in one and the same subject; the one passable and mortal, and the other impassable and immortal: that which was humane and passable might suffer and die, Citra ullam divinitatis injuriam ac detrimentum: without any detriment or injury to the other. 
Ser. 64. in Evang. joh.  So that, as Saint Austin saith, Mortuus est filius dei, sed secundum carnem mortuus; non secundum verbum quod caro factum est. The Son of God is indeed dead, but it is only in his flesh which he took from us; not as he is the word of God which took our flesh, and thereby dwelleth in us: but in that he died, De nostro mortuus est, it is only in what he had from us; as in that we live, de ipsius vivimus, it is alone by that life which we receive from him. Nec potuit mori de suo, nec vivere de nostro: So that as he could not die in his own nature, so he could not but die in ours, unless he would still have been obnoxious and liable to the accusation of the Devil and all other adversaries, of not taking really and truly our humane dying nature upon him.  
And therefore as in the birth of Christ, humility was assumed by Majesty, weakness and infirmity by power, and mortality by eternity; that so a perfect mediator might be found to reconcile God and his sinful creatures together; so for the final finishing of the said reconciliation and atonement; and for the paying of our nature his due by death: the inviolable and impassable nature of God, is likewise united to our nature that is passable, that so the said Mediator may become able to perform all things requisite for our redemption, by suffering and dying in our nature, although otherwise he could neither suffer nor die in his own.  
And not only able to do it, but truly active also in the doing of it: 
Compend. Theol. p. ●. c. 42.  For passibilitas ad satisfaciendum vel merendum non sufficit sine passione in Actu, as Aquinas speaks. Passibility or a power to suffer is not sufficient to merit at God's hands, or make satisfaction for our sins, without actual suffering indeed. No man being reckoned or accounted either good or evil by his ability alone to do such and such things; but only because he hath or doth actuate and perform them. Nec laus aut vituperium debentur potentiae sed actui, as he goes on: so that praise or dispraise is not properly due to powers, but only to Acts. In regard whereof Christ took unto himself: Non solum passibilitatem nostram ut nos salvaret, not only our passibility and power to suffer or die, but that he might perfect and accomplish our redemption to the full, and stop the mouth of all accusers whatsoever whether wicked men or evil Angels, he did truly and indeed both suffer and die; undergoing all things for us, which by reason of our forefathers fall, we should have undergone ourselves: the chief whereof is death, ad quam omnes aliae passiones humanae ordinantur sicut ad ultimum: unto which all other humane passions do tend and are directed as to their last end. Thus far Aquinas.  
And thus you see (beloved) how Christ the Son of God consisting of two distinct natures aswell divine as humane, should and could, might and did suffer and die, Salva tamen proprietate utriusque naturae: The property and propriety of each nature notwithstanding being still preserved and reserved to itself entire. As for instance, by the virtue and power of his divine nature, he caused the soldiers and band of men which came to apprehend and take him, to go backwards and fall to the ground: whereas in the weakness of his humane nature, he was afterwards apprehended, bound, imprisoned, carried before several Judges, scourged, spit upon, derided, buffered, and at last condemned as guilty. Again by the virtue and power of his divine nature, he converted day into night at the time of his passion; and caused all the elements to tremble and shake for dread: and yet in the weakness of his humane nature; his hands were fastened with nails unto the wood of the Cross, and his whole body stretched out upon it. By the virtue and power of his divine nature he opened again the gates of Paradise to the good thief: And in the weakness and imbecility of his humane nature, in the greatest depth and hurl of all his troubles, he cries out unto his Father, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? By the virtue, and in the power of his divine nature, he offered up prayers and supplications, with strong cry and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death; and was also heard in that which he feared, as the Apostle speaks; Heb. 5.7. whereas in the infirmity and weakness of his humane nature, he yielded up his spirit with commendations of it into his Father's hands; and gave up the ghost.  
In all which passages of his Passion, than ye see, his divinity was never totally eclipsed, but still sends forth some beams of his might and majesty, even in the midst of his greatest weakness and infirmity; and all to let us see and know, that though his manhood suffer and die, yet is his Godhead still perfect and entire. And therefore though we hear much and often of the death of Christ the Son of God; yet let us not be offended, nor troubled at it; considering the admirable efficacy of it. In being, as full of horror and terror to the wicked: so of comfort and consolation to the godly. So that in nothing is that saying of the Apostle more true, then in the death of Christ. Virtus in infirmitate perficitur, Power and strength is made perfect in weakness: 2 Cor. 12.9. 
De duplici Martyrio.  For as Cyprian saith, Ibi fracta est Satanae Tyrannis; ibi devicti sunt inferi; ibi triumphatum est de Diabolo; ibi dejectus orcus, coelum apertum, etc. Therein is the tyranny of Satan broken, and the infernal powers overthrown; the Devil subjected, the Principalities of Hell dejected; and Heaven itself opened to all true and faithful believers. So that, as he goes on, Quid homine mortuo contemptius? quis enim vel Caesarem mortuum metuat? sed Christi morte quid efficacius? velum Templi scissum est; terra concussa; saxa discissa; monumenta aperta, etc. Although nothing be more contemptible than a dead man, no man fearing, no not Caesar himself, when he is once dead: yet nothing is more efficacious and powerful than the death of Christ: whereat the veil of the Temple was rend, the earth did quake, the stones did cleave, and the graves did open of themselves: so that many bodies of the Saints which slept arose, as it is said Mat. 27.51, 52. verses.  
A reason of which powerful effects, is this: that although the soul and body of Christ were separated asunder by his death, à neutro tamen horum recesserit divinitas; yet his divinity was separated from neither: But, Tam Dei virtus in Christo, ex operibus quae fecit, apparuit; quam fragilitas hominis ex passione quam pertulit, as Lactantius speaks. 
Inst. l. 4. cap. 14.  The power of his Godhead manifested itself in these his powerful works; aswell as the frailty of his manhood, in those other things which he suffered.  
So that, Factus est homo, suscipiendo quod non erat; non perdendo quod erat, as Saint Austin speaks: Although, 
Serm. 60. in johan.  by being made man, he took that which before he was not; yet he did not lose nor let go any thing of what he was: Sed manens Deus factus est homo, But continued God, although he was likewise made man. Accepit te, non consumptus est in te, as he goes on: He indeed took thee unto himself, O man! but yet did not consume or spend, waste or diminish himself in thee.  
So that we must hold and believe, as that most Reverend, 
Incarnate. of Christ the Son of God.  learned, and painful Archbishop of Armagh well observes: That there are two distinct natures in Christ, Godhead and manhood; which are so distinct, as that they do not make one compounded nature: but still remain uncompounded and unconfounded together. And yet though never so distinct in their natures, they are as firmly and fully united again in the person, as can possibly be imagined and conceived: seeing in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, as the Apostle affirmeth; Colos. 2.9. that is, by such a personal and real union, as doth inseparably and everlastingly conjoin that infinite Godhead, with his finite manhood; in the unity of the self same individual person. So that by reason of the strictness of this personal union of these two natures in the person of Christ; whatsoever may be verified of either of those natures, the same may be truly spoken of the whole person, from whethersoever of the natures it be denominated: so fare Doctor Usher.  
Which if it be so (beloved) then by this time I hope you are as well satisfied in the Quis, as the Quid; Who it is that suffered and died, as what he suffered? (viz.) even Jesus Christ the Son of God, which was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and borne of the Virgin Mary; as you have heard out of the former Articles: even he also is the He, which suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, buried, etc. the world's Creator, and man's Redeemer; the Almighty God himself. Totus Christus, though not Totum Christi, whole Christ, though not all of Christ; was the Quis, which was the passive Agent, and active Patient in all these things: for Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.  
Neither let it seem strange to any man, that that should be predicated and spoken of the whole person of Christ, which can be verified but of one of his natures; seeing without any note or thought of strangeness at all, we do the like daily in our own and ordinary discourses; even concerning ourselves, and proper actions. For whereas the whole person and compound of man consists of two parts; and those very different in their qualities and operations, as of a soul and a body: whereof the one is carnal, the other spiritual: and each hath his proper actions and employments accordingly by themselves; as the body to eat, drink, sleep, walk, run, ride, suffer hunger, thirst, heat, cold, and the like; and the soul to understand, conceive, remember, forget; to be cheerful, or sorrowful; angry, or well pleased; and such like: either of which cannot truly be verified of the different part, as not the body's actions of the soul; nor the soul's operations of the body; And yet we usually refer both, and all to the whole person: and that without any incongruity or unpropernesse of speech; considering the firm union that is betwixt them. So, by reason of the hypostatical union and communion of properties, that is betwixt the two natures in Christ; Divine, and Humane: That which is proper but to one, may safely be predicated, and spoken, and applied to the whole.  

Vigilius.  As also if man, whole man, may in himself have two such contrary qualities; as to be able to die, and not to die: To die in his body, and not to die in his soul; as our Saviour himself hath taught us: saying, Fear not those that can kill your bodies, but not your souls: Then much more may Christ, whole Christ, die in one nature, and yet live in another. And in him, God be said to die too; and Man to live for ever. In him, I say; the second Person only of the Trinity. For to speak it of any of the other two persons, whether Father or Holy Ghost; it is no less than blasphemy: and that which never came so much as in the thought of any orthodox Christian; much less divine: although some Heretics there have been called Patro-passioni, which have seemed to attribute suffering to the Father. 
Dr Clerk.  But a learned Clerk of our own calls it an unlearned heresy, sprung of Scriptures misconstrued, Christ's speech especially; I and my Father are one, etc. and therefore I will not so fare trouble myself or Readers, as to go about to confute it. Sed his perplexioribus disputationibus praecisis, as Chitraeus speaks: but leaving all such intricate and perplexed discourses, as Heretics did usually beat their brains about, we will fall to use and application. Fides enim dum simpliciter proponitur, intellectum illustrat; dum autem altissima ejus mysteria aperiuntur, & applicautur; voluntatem incendit, saith one. For as the mysteries of faith, simply preached and propounded do illustrate and inform the understanding only: So being opened and applied, they stir up the will and affections also; by kindling in them an holy zeal and heavenly devotion towards those objects their said faith apprehends and lays hold upon; especially in this mystery of the suffering and death of Christ: Vbi maxim, amore & charitate nobiscum certasse Deus videtur, as my Author goes on. Wherein above all, God seems to provoke man, by the excessiveness and superabundance of his love first shown, to make a return of his love and thankfulness bacl again unto him.  
Well then, for our better proceeding in this kind, let us take notice with Aquinas, that In Christi passione & morte quatuor consideranda sunt, in the death and suffering of Christ, there are these four things to be considered. viz. Dilectio ejus, reamando: amaritudo ejus, compatiendo: Fortitudo ejus, adversa patienter sustinendo: & utilitas ejus, gratias agendo: that is, His love first, which as I have already said and shown, should provoke us to love him again. His bitter grief and sorrow next, which should move our pity and stir up compassion in us towards him. Thirdly, his fortitude, in undergoing all things so potently and powerfully for us; which ought to be as a motive and incentive to the like valour and fortitude in us, in enduring trials and troubles for his name's sake: and lastly, the benefits and profits that we reap thereby, to work gratitude and thankfulness in us for such his inestimable mercies extended towards us: Of the former of which uses, I spoke sufficiently the last day, so that the second only shall be that which I will insist upon at this time.  
And that is this, Use. That because Christ hath suffered such a passion for us, that we be willing and ready to have compassion towards him again for the same; especially, seeing as Gregory saith, 
Moral. 19  Tanto quisque est perfectior, quanto perfectius sentit dolores alienos. that is, Every Christian is by so much the nearer to perfection, by how much he is more perfectly and truly sensible of another's miseries and afflictions, and then surely much more, when it is of the miseries and afflictions of his blessed Saviour himself.  
And therefore as he hath had compassion on us, for the miseries which we by our sins have procured to ourselves; so let us have compassion on him, for the sufferings which our miseries likewise have procured unto him. For there is no reason, that seeing he out of his love did vouchsafe to suffer and die for us; that we should be so ingrateful and unthankful as not to be willing to suffer with him. It is Saint Augustine's just complaint against the merciless and hardhearted Jews: that whereas all the elements were disturbed and out of course at the death of Christ; Sola corda Judaeorum non moventur, only the hearts of these his persecutors, could not be mollifyed and broken, no nor brought to shed a tear for him, that shed his blood, and lost his life too for them.  
Which is a grievous complaint indeed: that seeing at the Passion of Christ, the veil of the Temple was rend, the rocks did cleave, the earth was moved, the graves were opened, and the whole World was overcast with the mournful darkness of sorrow and lamentation (as you have heard before) as if it did all suffer with him, solus homo non compateretur pro quo solo Christus patitur. These should suffer for whom Christ suffered not, and only man be found void of compassion, for whom alone he suffered this passion.  
O let us then (beloved) imitate and follow his example, and not theirs: For his words towards them are as smooth and soft as oil, when as their both words and works towards him, are no other, no better then very swords: crying out against him, Let him be crucified, let him be crucified, when as he prays for them: Father forgive them, they know not what they do. So that although these Jews may seem to be composed even of Iron and flint, 
Ser. de Pass. Dom.  having hearts harder than the nether Millstone: Lapiden tamen percutiunt molliorem, de quo resonat tinnitus pietatis & ebullit oleum charitatis, as Bernard speaks, yet the rock against whom they smite is of a milder and gentler temper; from whence proceed only the noise of water pipes running through the streams of piety, and boiling up and over, with the oil of charity. Quomodo potabis Domine desiderantes te torrente voluptatis tuae, qui sic perfundis Crucifigentes te oleo misericordiae tuae? as the Father goes on. How wilt thou then O Lord, drench those that hunger and thirst after thee, with the full torrent and current of thy everlasting pleasures, that dost thus besprinkle those that crucify thee with the oil of thy mercies?  
O let us, let us then, follow not them, but him, in our tenderheartedness and compassion towards him; that as he hath had, and still hath compassion on us; so we may not be like these Jews, pitiless and uncompassionate of him. For non potest●sse in corpore qui non vult pati cum capite: Christ suffered for none but such as suffer with him. For howsoever to himself, he be now in Heaven, and suffer no longer; yet to us he ought to be still on earth, hanging in our sight upon the Cross, as being crucified amongst us: as Saint Paul saith, Gal. 3.1. And therefore it becometh us by compassion to carry about in our bodies the sufferings and dying of our Lord Jesus Christ, that his life also may be made manifest in our body, as he again, 2 Cor. 4.10. When David willed Vriab to rest him and take his ease, 2 Sam. 11.11. Vriah answered, Shall the Ark of God and Joab my General with it, be skirmishing in the field, and shall I take my ease? So say I (beloved) shall we see our Captain and noble General Jesus Christ, fervently fight, in bloody conflcts for us and our sakes, in our defence and quarrel; and shall we take our pleasure and pass on securely? Shall he be crowned with thorns, and we with roses? Shall he spend his days in dangers and distress, and we pass our time in dalliance and delights? Oh no (beloved) no; but let us by true repentance and sorrow for our sins, have some feeling and compassion of those things which Christ suffered for us, by the sense of that sorrow which we feel for sin in ourselves: and if we will be partakers of his passion, let us pray I say for compassion, that we may not only look upon the Cross, and see him dead as they that looked upon him whom they had pierced, John 19.37. but also that we may be crucified with him, and feel him die; as she that was pierced when she looked upon him, as it was foretold of Mary, Luke 2.35. And l●t us beseech him to give us hearts of flesh which may suddenly be broken into powder and dissolve into tears, if not for his pains (who did sweat drops of blood trickling down to the ground, and afterward died) yet for our own sins, which then bred his sorrows, and now work our woes. 
Ser. de Pas●.  Immo vigilate animo fratres (saith Saint Bernard) ne infructurse vos hujus temporis sacramenta pertranseant: Watch, O my brethren, in your hearts and souls, and let not the mysteries of this solemn time of Christ's Passion, pass over your heads unprofitably. But seeing he bestows on you so plentiful a blessing and redemption: Date receptacula munda, give it kind and clean entertainment: Devotas exhibentes animas, mentes vigiles, etc. yielding unto him devout souls, watchful minds, sober affections, and pure and undefiled consciences, for his so many and so great graces extended towards you. Neither let your particular and private profession of Piety and godliness alone, put you in mind of this your more than ordinary solicitude and carefulness at this time, but the general observation and practice of the whole Church also: Cujus filii est●s, whose children and sons you are; Vniversi siquidem Christiani, sacra hac septimana, aut praesolito, aut praetorsolitum pietatem coluni, saith he. For all Christians whatsoever in this Great and Holy Week, do observe holiness, and practise Piety more than usual, in assuming and taking upon them extraordinary modesty, humility, gravity,  sic Christo patienti quodammodo compati videantur, that so they may seem to have a compassion and fellow feeling in themselves of those things which Christ suffered for them, Quis enim tam irrel●giosus, qui non conpungatur, quis tam insolens ut non humilietur, etc. For who is so void of all godliness and religion, as not to feel compunction? who so haughty and insolent as not to put on humiliation? who so furious and wrathful, as not to be mollified and assuaged? who so forward to delights and pleasures, as not to be willing to abstain and forbear them? who so flagitious and nefarious, as not to bridle and keep himself within compass? who so malicious and full of wickedness in any kind, as not to clo●th himself with the weed of woe, and garment of repentance at this time. For nothing in the world was ever better done; Quam quod factum est a Domino his diebus, then what the Lord hath wrought in this Week for us. Neither can any thing better, or more useful be commended unto the world; Quam ut ritu perpetuo celebret, etc. then the celebration of the same by a perpetual right; that so th● memorial of his abundant sweetness, and kindness in this kind; may every year, in the longing and desire of our souls, be preserved and continued amongst us. For, nihil tam ad mortem, quoth non morte Christi sanatur. There can be nothing so deadly in us, which the death of Christ (at this time sustained for us) doth not make whole unto us. Thus far Barnard.  
So that we may all then justly say, What a good Friday was that to me; though otherwise (O Saviour) a Week of pains to Thee? Hebdomada Paenosa; a Painful Week, so Bernard. 
H●bd●mada Magna.  Hebdomada Magna; a Great Week, so Chrisostome. Paenosa sibi, Magna mihi; Painful to him, Great to us. Not that there be more Hours or Days in it, then in other Weeks; Sed quia Magna quaedam & ineffabilia bona contigerunt nobis in ea, 
Hom. 29. in Gen.  saith chrysostom; but because great and unspeakable good hath in the same betided and befallen us. For therein, saith he, is our daily warfare finished; death extinguished; the curse removed; the tyranny of the Devil dissolved; and his vessels broken asunder and taken from him. God is become reconciled unto men; the Heavens made passable and penetrable, all distances conjoined; the hedge removed; the windows opened, and men and Angels brought to converse together: so that the God of peace hath pacified and appeased all differences whatsoever both in Heaven and in Earth. And for this cause do I call this, The Great Week (saith he) because herein the Lord hath conferred such a many and multitude of his Great gifts amongst us. In regard whereof also it is, That all the Faithful do the more diligently at this time, apply themselves to the works of mortification, fastings, watch, nightly devotions, and deeds of charity, Tam dando quam condonando, aswell in giving to those that want, as forgiving those that have offended us; that so they may seem to give honour more than ordinary to this Time and Week; in which the Lord above others hath so fare benefitted, blessed, yea and honoured us. Nay (as he proceeds to say) Kings and Rulers themselves are not ashamed to let it appear, how venerable and sacred they hold these days; by commanding a cessation and rest from civil Functions and employments; shutting up the doors of all Judicial Courts and places of Judicature, and by removing out of the way for this time all shows of difference and debate, strife and contention amongst men, whereby with the greater freedom, tranquillity and peace of mind; Liceat ad spiritualia recte perficienda festinare; they may perform rightly and reverently their spiritual devotions.  
And not only so, Sed & aliam liberalitatem ostendunt; They show their bounty and liberality also another way; and that is this: by letting lose prisoners, and granting their pardon and release to such as are in durance at this time; that so they may imitate and follow the example of our Lord himself. Because, Sicut ipse gravi nos peccatorum carcere exolvit, & innumeris bonis frui fecit: eodem modo & nobis faciendum est, ut simus imitatores misericordiae Domini nostri: As he hath set us free from the prison of our sins, and made us partakers of many happinesses besides: so ought we to show mercy unto others, as he hath done to us; according to his own precept in the Gospel, Be ye merciful, as your heavenly Father is merciful: Luke 6.36. And thus you see, how we may, and aught all to honour and celebrate this Time and Week; in which so much good hath been done, and kindness shown unto us. So that I beseech you, (as mine Author Saint chrysostom concludes) that now, if at any time, you would be pleased to lay aside all your vain and worldly cares and cogitations; and with pure minds purged from all impieties and corruptions, as well of flesh as spirit, you would with diligence and watchfulness attend to your devotions. And let none that is now entered into the House of God, have any wand'ring thoughts, or regard to his secular and worldly businesses and affairs:  digna laborum mercede recepta, iterum domum proficisci liceat; That so he may return unto his own house and home again, laden with a full recompense and reward of all such his spiritual labours. And thus fare chrysostom of the Great Week. And thus fare I of the sufferings and death of Christ, in the same Week: or his giving up the ghost.   

Buried.  
THe utmost point and period of the sufferings and death of Christ, and the last degree of the dejection and humiliation of his assumed humanity; is reckoned by the general consent of most and best Divines to be his burial: that is, when after his death, his body like other men's, was laid into the ground; that so men might see and know that he was dead indeed: according as it was foretold of him, That he should make his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no wickedness; neither was any deceit in his mouth: Esay 59.3. For as Ionas was three days and three nights in the Whale's belly, so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth, saith he of himself: Matth. 12.40. For the better record of the truth of which prophecies, all the four Evangelists have reported and set down the manner of it; as ye may find in them, if you please to have recourse unto them: Saint John shall serve for my purpose in this place, as being somewhat larger in some circumstances than the rest, who describes the order of Christ's burial in this sort. After the death of him, (saith he) Joseph of Arimathea besought Pilate that he might take down the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him licence. He came then and took Jesus body. And there came also Nicodemus, and brought Myrrh and Aloes, mingled together about an hundred pound. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wrapped it in linen , with the odours; as the manner of the Jews is to bury. And in that place where Jesus was crucified was a Garden, and in the Garden a new Sepulchre, wherein man was never yet laid. There then laid they Jesus, because of the Jews preparation day; for the Sepulchre was near; John 19.38, 39, 40, 41, 42. verses.  
Where ye see then a large description of the solemnity of his burial; in which we may observe, that though his enemies did crucify him, and put him to death; yet his friends only take care to bury him, and have him decently interred. Which argues the sincerity of their affection towards him; though as yet they durst not openly confess him for fear of the Jews. And it was more fittingly done by these, than it could have been done by his known Disciples; because, as Saint Austin saith, 
Ser. 117. de Temp.  Si Apostoli sepelirent eum; dicerent non sepultum quem Judaei nunciaverant raptum: The world might have been apt to believe that he had never been buried at all, seeing the Jews gave out that he was stolen away. And because he died to save other men, it was but reason he should be laid in another man's grave.  quid enim illi propria sepultura, qui in se propriam non habebat mortem? saith the same Austin: 
Sir 133. de Temp.  For why should he have a Sepulchre of his own, to whom death nor burial did not properly belong?  quid illi tumulus in terris; cujus sedes manebat in coelis? Or, why should he look for a Tomb on earth, whose habitation and abiding place was only in Heaven? neither indeed had he any: For Saint Matthew tells us, that Joseph laid him in his own new Tomb, which he had hewed out in the Rock: Matth. 27.60. And thus much briefly of the manner of Christ's burial.  
The causes thereof is the next thing to be considered; which are assigned by Writers upon this subject to be divers. I will prosecute only some few of the chief, and so conclude. The first whereof shall be this, (viz.) That the truth of his death might thereby be manifested and confirmed. For living men use not to be buried, but only such a● are dead. To which purpose also some other parts and passages of his Passion may be urged and alleged As that a Soldier thrust a spear into his side. That he was taken down from the Cross, so soon as they perceived him to be dead indeed. That they anointed and imbalmed him to the burial, and wrapped him in linen clothes; and the like. For as by touching, handling, and seeing of him; as also by his eating of broiled fish afterwards, and part of an honeycomb; we conclude the truth of his Resurrection: so by these other circumstances, the truth of his death.  
Secondly, that in his Grave he might bury all our sins; for which that curse was imposed on us: In pulverem reverteris, Thou shalt return to dust: 
Compend. Theol. c. 49.  Gen. 3.19. For as Aquinas well observes, Sin hath brought upon us, not only infirmities and afflictions in the time of our lives; but defects also even after our death, aswell in our bodies as our souls. In our souls, to descend to the lowest Lake, contrary to the nature of spiritual essences; which should ascend rather to the highest heavens: and in our bodies, to return again to the earth from whence they were taken; contrary to the Law of our Creation, which was to have been so quickened by the spirit of life, as not to have died at all; but to have lived together with the soul for ever.  
Now this defect of our bodies, is to be considered (as our School-man speaks) Secundum positionem, & secundum resolutionem; either according to its position, or resolution. It's position, is only to be laid in the ground; Its resolution, is also to be dissolved into the first elements of which it was compacted and composed. The former of these Christ would, & did undergo, but not the latter; according to that of the Psalmist: Non dabis sanctum tuum videre corruptionem; Thou shalt not suffer thy holy One to see corruption: (viz. by the putrefaction of his body) Psal. 16.10.  
The reason whereof is this; because as the matter or materials of Christ's body coming from the nature of man; was in regard thereof to be returned to ' its proper and accustomed place under the ground: (Locus enim corporibus debetur secundum materiam praedominantis elementi; that is, Place is due to bodies according to the matter of the predominant element, which is Earth.) So the frame and composure of his body, coming not from man; but from the virtue, and power, and workmanship of the Holy Ghost, was not to be dissolved: neither would he, or did he undertake it; because herein he was singular, and differed from other men. Thus fare Aquinas.  
Thirdly, he was therefore buried, to show that we by Baptism are buried with him into death; (as the Apostle speaketh) that like as he was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father; even so we also should walk in newness of life: Rom. 6.4.  
Fourthly, he was buried and rested in his grave the whole day of the Jews Sabbath, that he might sanctify an eternal Sabbath of rest unto his children, unto which although they were at first created; yet (by reason of sin and the Devil's malice) they had been deprived, unless he had died and been thus buried to restore it again unto them.  
Fifthly, he was buried, to the end that he might hollow the earth by his sacred body, to become a receptacle of rest for the receiving of our bodies also: Which must needs be a great comfort to the godly to know and believe, how that by his grave and burial; he hath sweetly perfumed our graves wherein we shall be buried: and instead of stinking houses of perdition, hath made them chambers of quiet rest and sleep unto us: so that as the Prophet saith, Peace shall come and they shall rest in their beds (that is, their graves) every one that walketh before him, Esay 57.2.  
And in these respects, and sundry others which might be thought upon: The burial of Christ, is esteemed by some Ancient Fathers, to be more honourable than his birth; according to that of Saint Austin: Gloriosior est sepuli●ra quam nativitas in Christo, ista enim co●pus mor●al● genuit, illa edidit immortal. Because that brought forth a body which was mortal, so that it both could, and did die; whereas this restored and returned it immortal, and which can die no more; but liveth and abideth now for ever. And as after his birth, he fell into many tortures and troubles, miseries, and afflictions in this life: so after his burial he hath passed immediately from death to life in the land of the living: So that Religiosior plane est ista quam illa nativitas, as the Father goes on. This latter birth of his, is more to be celebrated and held sacred than the former; because in that the Lord of the whole World was kept close prisoner, nine months together in his Mother's womb; whereas this detained him only three days in the womb of the earth. In which respect, Illa cunctorum spem tardius protulit: Haec omnium salutem citius suscitavit, That is said, but to delay our hope, and this to finish more speedily our Salvation. In regard whereof also the Prophet saith: That Sepulchrum ejus erit gloriosum, as the vulgar Latin reads it: Esay 11.10. that is, His Sepulchre or burial shall be glorious: not by reason of the stateliness of his tomb; or magnificence of the pomp and solemnity at his burial. For herein it is very likely that the Sepulchre and sepulture of Alexander the Great, and many other earthly Princes, might fare outstrip and overgo him, exceed and excel him much: but only, Quia ex morte ad vitam & gloriam aeternam revixit, as saith Chitraeus; because herehence he passed presently from death to life, and from mortality to immortality and eternal glory: whereas all those great Monarches of the World, aswell as meaner persons; remain under deaths arrest till this present day, and so are like to continue to the World's end.  
And therefore, although these Potentates of the earth can find neither comfort nor glory in their grave, though they go with never so much pomp and glory to it: Yet we which are Christians, do expect and look for both by reason of the burial of this our Saviour who (as you have heard) hath hereby sanctified our graves to be unto us as our beds, wherein our body's rest from th●ir labours till the general resurrection at the the latter day, and further hath opened unto us a way from thence to eternal glory: So that although we die and be buried as other men, yet we shall rise again with him from the earth to life everlasting.  
And lastly, to conclude; we may from this burial and sepulture of Christ, learn and note the civil use of the grave, to be necessary and fitting for all persons and people whatsoever, to bury their dead out of sight, and from annoyance, and offence that they may otherwise come from their deceased bodies. It being reckoned among the blessings of God, to be decently and comely brought unto our graves, and so laid and put into them; and not to be cast out as wile carcases to the beasts of the field, or fowls of the air: as it was threatened and imposed as a curse upon Jeconiah, to be buried as an Ass is buried; even drawn and cast forth without the gates of Jerusalem, Jer. 22.19.  
And therefore Diogenes is too currish and uncivil to say, Cast me out and lay a staff by me; as seeming to take no thought for seemly burial at all: whereas the Saints of God have always had a special care of it. Abraham purchasing a possession of burial (the first purchase that we read of in the book of God) wherein to bury his dead out of his sight, as ye may see, Gen. 23.4. And the Son of God himself (the subject of our discourse at this time) submitting and permitting his body after his death to be put into a decent and comely grave; as here you see.  
But yet if it so fall out, as oftentimes in wars, in pestilence; in drowning and the like, it doth: That the godly happen to be deprived of seemly and Christian burial; as the two witnesses of Christ, through the rage and inhuman cruelty of their persecutors were, as it appears, Revel. 11.8, 9 Let all men know, that this is no hurt or detriment unto them either in the resurrection of their bodies, or salvation of their souls: No more than the st●tely and pompous tombs and burial of the wicked can benefit or profit th●m either of these ways. For all the pomp and honour done unto their bodies, cannot keep their name and fame, from shame and dishonour, no● their souls from the fire of hell torments and confusion. 
Luke 16.22, 23.  The rich glutton died and was buried (richly no doubt and sumptuously) but his soul for all that went to hell, where it was tormented. Lazarus died likewise, and no mention is made of his burial; but yet it is expressly said, That his soul was carried by Angels into Abraham's bosom; What profit then had the rich man in that his body was buried; or what disprofit or hurt was it to Lazarus though his body were not?  
Let us not be careless then of the decent and comely burial of our bodies, nor neglect to hue us out a Tomb, as Joseph here had done; or to provide Coffins or Graves for them: but above and before all, let us be careful to provide that our souls may be carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom. And this sufficeth for the burial of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  
I will conclude the whole discourse with Saint Augustine's Prayer upon the Passion, in this manner. O thou most gracious God, which for the redemption of the world didst vouchsafe to be borne into the world; to be circumcised as a Jew; and yet to be rejected by the Jews thy Countrymen, and Kinsmen, according to the flesh: to be betrayed by thine own Apostle Judas the Traitor, and that with a kiss, the sign and pledge of love: Yea, to be bound with Cordes, and so led as an innocent and harmless Lamb unto the slaughter; to be undecently and uncivilly presented and offered to the sight and view of Annas, Caiaphas, Pilate, and Herod, to be accused by false witnesses; to have thy sacred body tormented with scourges, and thy blessed soul tortured and afflicted with revile and reproaches; to be besmeared with filthy spittle, and to be crowned with piercing and pricking Thorns: to be beaten and buffeted with fists, stricken with rods, blindfolded in thy face, despoiled of thy garments, fastened to the Cross with nails; and so lifted up upon the Cross naked, in the wide and open air: To be accounted and crucified among thiefs, to be offered Vinegar and Gall to drink, and lastly, to have thy sides wounded and broken, pierced and lanced with a spear: Thou, most gracious Lord, I say, by these most holy and sacred sufferings of thine, (which I, though most unworthy, do thus recount and recollect) as also by thy holy Cross and death, deliver me, and set me free from the punishments and pains of Hell; and vouchsafe to carry me with thee to that blessed place of rest, and Paradise of pleasure; whither thou carryedst that good thief that was crucified with thee: who with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest, ever one God, world without end. Amen.   
Soli Deo Gloria.