GReat sorrowes are dumbe : and can custome then iustly expect that this should bee eloquent ? This day has enough with his owne griefe : and shall wee adde vnto it by repetition ? The seueritie of this passion admits no other wit of Rhetorique , then the salt of a teare ; nor sharper accent , then of a groane equall to a lost friend , or to a sinne . Yet see the endeuour of compassion , which had rather with moderate teares recouer it selfe to language , by the reliefe of complaint to ease affliction ; then to be guilty of ingratitude by wonder and silence . This day must cry-out , and articulately lament vnto all dayes , this horrible truth , the tragedie of God : which seemes as much to exceed our faith , as our sorrow . Is our God , our liuing God , as the carcasse-idols of the Heathen , whose God-heads suffer the stroake and victory of the Chizell and the Hammer ? Or , are Poets Prophets indeed ? and are there very Giants , that dare inuade God ? Fiction , that intends to perswade , neither contradicts nor exceeds nature : and story must be more seuerely contriued within the possibility of action : otherwise it begets not faith , but scorne , and the Historians reason is rather questioned , then his eloquence . Yet this day breathes-out such vnion of extremities , the humiliation of God , and the insolence of man , in Iesu crucified , and the crucifying Iewes ; that your pietie can scarce be more amazed at our Lord's affliction , then at the Iewes crueltie ; so that , if the motiue and condition of these vnreasonable actors were not expressed , our suspicion might cry-out , Who will beleeue our report ? History or inuention has anciently told vs of some altars , where-on wild deuotion sacrificed men : but durst Poetry euer faigne a people that sacrificed their God ? Would any man haue thought that the Iew would haue beene the first Antichrist of his Messias ? That the children of Abraham would murder the God of Abraham ? That the partakers of the Lords glory , would crucifie the Lord of glory ? I must admit you a respite to wonder , and satisfie as well your admiration , as your enquiry ; which does , me thinkes , with the labour of expectation desire to know not only the fact , but also the affection of the Iewes : as if then you would bee perswaded to the story of the action , when first you shall haue heard the story of the actors . Not the Iewes alone were partakers in this guilt : but chiefly the Iewes triumph'd in this guilt ; the Iewes , who were alwayes of a churlish vnderstanding , and now their soules were as darke as peruerse . They had before committed an essay of cruelty vpon the Prophets : but that was but a yonger practice to this fury . Then they crucified the Lord in his Saints : but now they will doe it without a figure . And may not our reason as well as piety here demand with wonder , What aild the Heathen , nay , what aild the Iewes to murmure themselues into a Conspiracie against the Christ of the Lord ? Surely , their rage did not discerne in him the mysticall systeme of God and man ; for had they knowne it , they would not haue crucified the Lord of glory . Yet shall execrable violation bee softned into an ignorance ? shall elaborate malice be excused into so gentle a guilt ? shall the crucifying of our Sauiour be made but man-slaughter ? It is not an errour to pardon an errour : but it is a crime but to excuse a crime . Could the Iewes bee ignorant of his innocence , who was pronounced not-guilty , by his judge ? Who was pronounced innocent , by his Iudas ? Who was pronounced holy , by Iewes amaz'd to silence , and in that to confession , at the power of his innocent syllogisme , If I am guiltie , why doe you not conuince mee ? If I am innocent , why doe you not beleeue mee ? Could the Iewes be ignorant of his office , when as hee so repaired the senses of the diseased , that their sense might justly perswade their vnderstanding to beleeue ? When as he called , by the voice of his power , the dead to a compendious resurrection ? When as he proued his life to be a Commentary vpon the Prophets ? Could the Iewes bee ignorant of his diuinitie , which was as necessary to the actuating of his wonderfull office , as of his wonderfull person ? His diuinitie , which was acknowledged by the Deuils , whom he dispossessed : who , for a moment , did by a greater miracle leaue their lying , then their habitation ; and being tormented vnto truth , admirably confessed him the Sonne of God ? His diuinitie , which at his Baptisme , Heauen reuealed vnto the Baptist , which reuelation he likewise reuealed vnto the Iewes : the best of whom esteem'd him as a man of God ; the worst of whom fear'd him as a man of God ; And he told them what he saw , not in the contriuance of phancie , or by the fallacie of a glasse ; And hee did see the veile of Heauen diuided : as if the diuine persons , who neuer had beene vndiuided , would now sensibly appeare vnited at this the Synod of their Trinitie ; And hee did see the mild embleme of the Holy Ghost descend vpon him ; and he heard the voyce of the Almighty , who was both the father and the witnesse at this great Christning . And shall we yet say , that this light of the World was so obscured in the cloud of flesh , that it was not cleerely presented to the eyes of the world ? shall we yet say , that we doe not sufficiently vnderstand , whether or no the Iewes did sufficiently vnderstand ? shall wee yet say with a bold compassion , Had they knowne it ? and yet wee must say with a safe compassion , Had they knowne it , they would not haue crucified the Lord of glory . The common Iew was the common sense of that politique bodie : his outward soule was able to see the Law : but , for Prophesie , hee was as farre from the vnderstanding of it , as from the gift of it . Hee could with enough ignorance gaze at the wonders of our Sauiour : but it was a greater wonder to worke , in a Iew , a beliefe of these wonders , then to worke these wonders . Yet some did beleeue them and abuse them , vilely apprehending these demonstrations as the impotent perswasions of probabilitie . And some thus thought him to bee the Christ ; yet durst not reueale this cheape opinion : least they should bee excommunicated to saluation , by being cast-out of the Synagogue to Christ and his Disciples . It is the property of a wiseman , not to haue his heart in his tongue : but neuer was it the property of a wise man , to haue a heart without a tongue . The mercie of our Sauiour made the dumbe to speake : but the feare of the Rulers made these speakers dumbe ; thus were their consciences tongue-tied by authoritie . And the Rulers themselues did not more impose this silence vpon others , then vpon themselues : but striuing as much to exceed the people in peruersenesse as in authoritie , vnto their ignorance they added fury . Indeed they could not by the sharpest discretion of their eye distinguish an incarnate God : nor was the Critique Gamaliel able to instruct his Disciple Saul in the Catechisme of this mystery , though Saul's vnwilling ignorance admitted him neerer to pardon and conuersion . But the chiefe of the Iewes , to whom the Gospell was a schisme , politiquely rejoycing in their wisdome and honour , scorn'd the imputation of leuity by a change , and a suspected dejection by this change ; whereby the High-priest of Ierusalem should be abused into an obscure Christian . Wherefore arm'd thus with the affectation of ignorance and the malice of ambition , at what thunder would these startle ? at what vnconceiued almightinesse would this fury turne dastard ? Yet had they knowne it , they would not haue crucified the Lord of glory . And yet by an vnmoued decree this passion was sealed to a necessitie ; and can we then make this predestinated execution depend vpon the will of the vncertaine Iewes ? This dazles the eye , and is a wheele turning in a wheele ; a spheare wrapt in a spheare ; the lowest against the order of Heauen and nature , seeming to giue motion to the highest , the will of the Iewes to the decree of God . Had Festus vpon his judgement-seate heard holy Paul preach this seeming opposition , wee may easily beleeue that without the manners of deliberation he would once more haue cryed-out to our Apostle , Much learning has made thee mad . But wee leaue him to his owne ignorance and an other judgement-seate● and without being rapt to the third Heauen , wee know , that Those things which are necessary in respect of the first cause admit vncertainty in respect of second causes . The crucifying of our Sauiour was necessary compared to Gods decree : but it was contingent compared to the libertie of the Iewes will : in whom it was choice , and not necessitie to will or not to will the death of Christ . If the Iewes had knowne it , then both the causes of this action , and the action it selfe might haue not beene , and had not beene . But this condition , the knowledge of our Sauiour ( which if it had beene , our Sauiour could not haue suffer'd ) could not be , because the first cause , God , had decree he should suffer . And as God by this decree of his Passion , did not with an actiue concurrence , lay a necessity & guilt vpon the will of the Iewes : no more did hee impose any necessitie vpon the humane will of Christ : but our Sauiour made himselfe a free sacrifice with as much mercy as affliction . For though there were in his humane will a necessitie of obedience to the decree of his Passion , yet was there also a true indifference : this necessity being extrinsecall to his humane will precisely considered , as it was intrinsecall and naturall to his person . But his humane will suffering no violence , did for our sake in the libertie of choice offer-vp his person to the violence of the Iewes . Who were so glad of their ignorance and ambition , that rather then they would fall from their Cleargy-monarchy they would not feare to set vpon God . The brauest sinne that euer was , was ventred in Heauen by an Angell and the basest sinne that euer was , was committed on earth by a Disciple . A Disciple , who had he beene of an intire faith , had beene euen yet of an intire fame , & in our sacred Kalendar enjoyed the place and title of Saint Iudas . Hee was Christ's purse-bearer : whose office vnder such a Master , was in all likelihood of too narrow a commoditie for a large Knaue : yet louing this , more then his master , hee bargaines with the Priests , and takes earnest to be a conuenient Traitor . But heere I must not forget one thing , because our Sauiour has commanded mee to remember it : and that is thy piety , O happy woman , who didst bestow vpon our Sauiour's head and feete a precious oyntment . With thy beautifull haire thou didst wipe his beautifull feete , from which thy oyntment returned sanctified to thine owne head : and by a commanded anniuersary of thy pietie , he hath poured vpon thee the oyntment of a religious fame . Iustly doe I heere remember her , her liberality being the vnjust cause of Iudas his murmuring : and it was he whose thrift did chide at the spending of this oyntment . Now therefore , as if hee had vowed a repaire of this losse , he finds a policie to sell the oyntment , which was already spent ; by selling his master , who was annointed with it . A subtile Merchant , that labourd so with an emulation to engrosse treasure and iniquitie , as if hee would haue contented with Adam for the future tradition and monopoly of sinne . Thus you see , that it is possible , to finde actors for the crucifying of the Lord of glory , and now I thinke , you can beleeue that there are monsters . But now behold a man ! a man , in whom innocence and patience contend for supremacy . His enemies are preparing for his death by malice ; and hee himselfe is preparing for the same by loue . The most of them are at their conspiracie , and he is at the Communion with his Traytour . At which last Supper he himselfe seemes to remember and imitate the goodnesse of that woman , whom hee commanded vs to remember . Shee wiped his feet , and he washes his Disciples ; and would you not thinke that these feet would for euer after goe vpright ? Mee thinkes , when hee came to wash Iudas his feete , his sullen treason might haue expressed it selfe in Saint Peter's answer , Thou shalt neuer wash my feet . Indeed to wash a Iudas was to wash a Black-more . Yet he had more need to haue vsed Saint Peter's second answere , Lord not the feet only , but also the hands and the head . But it would haue beene a mercy vnwelcome to his stubbornenesse , to haue beene washed to an vnwilling cleannesse . His staine was as obstinate as his purpose : and his eares were cauteriz'd as much as his conscience against our Sauious wordes , which preuailed as little with his affection , as with his memory . Christ pointed-out the Traytour first by word : and , as if that had not beene enough , with his very finger ; Hee that I giue a sop vnto , he shall betray me ; nay , with the Traytours owne finger , Hee that dips his finger with mee in the dish , hee shall betray mee . Christ dipt , and Iudas dipt , and Christ gaue the sop to Iudas . Who would not heere haue thought , but that hee , who by his garment and shadow could conferre health , must by his sanctifying hand haue conferred saluation ? Was not heere the finger of God ? And yet heere was not the finger of God . Iudas now found the truth of that vnhappy Philosophie , Euery thing is receiued according to the nature of the receiuer . Christ gaue the ●●p ▪ but Iudas eate it . When straight behold a sad transubstantiation a sop turned into a Deuill ! And now you will thinke it was time for him to leaue Christ's company ; and so indeed hee did for immediatly hee went forth , and it was night a necessary shadow for the melancholy of treason : yet it was but an embleme of his guilt . To conclude supper they sung a Psalme : this was the harmony of the Gospell in a Celestiall Quire , where there was neuer a Iudas , and Christ was the Chaunter . Indeed they had need to sing , whiles yet they had the leisure of company and joy : for , after this meeting , sorrow had contriued the perpetuall silence of their Musique . But leauing their Musique and the Citie they depart toward mount Oliuet , a place where the customary deuotion of our Sauiour enjoyed the practice and happinesse of Prayer . The way was but short , yet our Sauiour made it tedious , not by his company , which was their delight : but by his discourse , which hitherto had bin their delight . Hee tell them that this night he shall be their griefe and danger . They , as not seeing it , make a large promise , though without surety , as much of their constancy , as of their affection . Peter especially makes this promise , which our Sauiour tels him he especially will breake : and that this night , which is the present witnesse of his double protestation , shall be the speedy witnesse of his triple deniall : the Cocke ere morning being to be his watchman and remembrancer . The length of our Sauiours discourse reacheth the mount , where departing from his Disciples about a stones cast , hee enters into a Garden , and the horrour of his passion enters into him . Now , hee is crucified without a crosse the height whereof as it afterward aduanced him , so now the feare of it depresseth him to the ground . In the obedience of his supplication he bowes his knees ; he whose almightinesse could haue bowed the heauens . In the dejection of his thoughts hee fals prostrate on his face , to shew vs the nature of our guilt , that dares not looke-vp vnto heauen : and yet his voice is towards heauen , whiles thrice he begs of his Father , if it be his will , that this cup may passe ▪ this cup crowned full with the bloud of sowre Grapes : and thrice he returnes to his Disciples , whom bee finds heauy as night and sleepe . Whiles he prayes , new terrours seize on him ; and man though vnited to God is so oppressed , that an Angell from Heauen is sent to comfort him . So hard it was for him that ouercame the Deuill , to ouercome the Crosse . But alas had hee not need of almightinesse , for whom there remayned strokes , and whips , and wounds , & thornes , and nailes and a speare ? and shall we thinke an Angell , shall wee thinke one Angell enough against this host of torments ? Can wee with the confidence of words frighten horrour ? His agonie and prayer increase ; and from his mercifull pores flowes a sweat of bloud : which beginnes his passion before the Iewes doe . It pierces and dyes his garment ; O , this would haue beene a relique worth the keeping ! a garment richer then Elias mantle ! a garment animated with bloud , though not to life , yet to a miracle ! The Prophet's loue and sorrow were but little ones ; though his eyes did cast-out riuers of waters , for the destruction of Ierusalem : but behold for our sinnes , euery part of our Iesus does weepe bloud : whose speedie drops seeme to imitate the expedition of the loue that sent them . After which agony of deuotion , on his faint limbes he raises himselfe , and returning to his Disciples rayses them : who willing rather to breake their sleepe , then their faith , arise ; when hee comforts them with a hope of more sleepe , yet tels them that at this time they must sleepe no more : treason and tyrannie by a strange friendship being in a readinesse to set vpon him . Whiles yet hee speakes , loe , a band of Officers are come from the High Priests with Lanternes , and torches , and swords and staues , to take him , who neither meanes to fight , nor runne away : his mercy will not let him doe that , nor his innocency this . Their leader is Iudas guiding them with his feete to Christ , but with his counsell against Christ . When according to the compact and method of the Treason , hee salutes our Sauiour with a phrase and a kisse , enough to haue breathed a Deuill into any man , but Christ : who as much vnderstanding as abhorring his salutation , by a Prophetique question preuents and reueales the newes of his intent ; Iudas , betrayest thou the Son of man with a kisse ? And was there euer such a sight as Christ & Iudas thus vnited ! Did not Christ now also descend into Hell ! From this kissing Traytour hee passes to the sword-men ; his innocencie making him confident to aske them , whom they seeke ! when their businesse and authoritie strait-wayes answer , Iesus of Nazareth . ( They had vntowardly learned to make no difference of persons . ) Hee with a mild courage replies , I am hee ; and immediately , as if hee had come to apprehend Them , they fall downe backward ; they fall from Christ . The blowing-downe of the wals of Iericho with Rams-hornes , though it was no lesse wonderfull , yet it was lesse speedy . And where is now the conspiracie of their ambition ? Where is now the strength of their inuasion ? Where is now the prouision of their armour ? Is it not all made the triumph of his meeknesse . Heere is no heauenly army to ouerthrow this legion of Deuils ; but with a victorious mildnesse they are strucke downe , their bodies acknowledging his power , which their soules denied : their vnderstanding bodies beeing vnwilling to act , what their senslesse soules prompted them vnto . Yet does his pardon giue them strength to rise againe , and againe he askes them whom they seeke , and they dare answere , Iesus of Nazareth . Before , they spake to his humanitie , and his diuinitie answer'd them : but now hee answers them with the patience of his humanitie ; which suffers the sacriledge of their hands and malice . When Peter's zeale , at the captiuity of his master , vnsheathes his sword : and cutting-off the High Priest's seruant 's eare , makes him learne a new Circumcision , which was no Sacrament , but a punishment . But againe appeares the diuinitie and mercy of our Sauiour : who corrects Peter and his fact , replanting the seruant 's eare ; which straight acknowledges and enjoyes his power . Yet they persist in their impietie : and when hee by his power has prooued himselfe a God , they by his patience will prooue him to be a man . And being in the hands of very Iewes , his Disciples , forgetting their master and their protestations , runne all away : euen bold Saint Peter runnes away with his courage , and his sword : euen his beloued Iohn runnes away , breaking the bonds of loue with the strength of feare . O , heere I cannot but stay and grieue that his beloued Iohn also doth forsake him . Sure there is some friend for whom some friend will lay downe a life : and sure there neuer were such friends as Christ and his Apostles : and sure of his Apostles there was none so neere him as his beloued John . The rest were in his company , but hee in his bosome : and does his beloued Iohn also forsake him ? Me thinkes the protestation and perswasion of Saint Paul would haue admirably become the mouth and practice of Saint Iohn , Neither death , nor life , nor angels , nor principalities , nor powers , nor things present , nor things to come , nor heigth , nor depth , nor any other creature , no not a very Iew shall euer be able to force mee from the loue and bosome of my Iesus . Yet euen beloued Iohn also does forsake his Iesus ! Whose miraculous hands they bind : the greatest miracle of which was at this time not their power , but their patience . They bind his hands ; foolishly forgetting , that if any of them should lose another eare , as much as in them lay they hindred him from healing of it . Indeed happy had it beene , if Adam and Eue's hands had beene bound thus in Paradise ! But see the bonds of our sinnes , that are able to captiue the hands of Christ ! Who is led by the blind malice of his Iewes vnto iudgement . And is there no good man's eye , who will with an easie teare follow his trauelling affliction ? Is there none that will goe after him , though not to be a partaker , yet but a witnesse of his injurie ? Yes , there is one of more loue then age couered rather then clothed with meere linnen : who being hastily come , and as hastily apprehended , chooses rather to leaue his linnen , then his life , and slipping from their hands runnes as hastily backe againe : and indeed hee runnes away so fast , that I cannot tell you who he is . Yet if the curious please to runne after him , they may peraduenture find him to be the sonne of that man of the village Gethsemane , at the foot of mount Oliuet , who owned the Garden where our Sauiour prayed . The tumult of the night might easily awake him to this vndressed speed : which whiles hee vses in running backe , the Iewes goe forward in their way and malice ; leading our Sauiour first to Annas . They were to passe by his reuerend doore , at which , by way of honour , they present their shew : and he sends him to be presented to the High-priest Caiaphas , his sonne in law ; this was the kindred of these honourable murderers . But whiles this troupe is with our Sauiour , you may looke back , and behold Peter following afarre off , full of loue , and shame , and sorrow . Yet alas , hee returnes but to forsweare himselfe and his master ! In a curious desire he enters the High-priest's hall , a place of temptation and blasphemie : where with as much danger as dissimulation , he mixes with Christ's persecutors ; whom as already he accompanies , so anon , by an vnhappy proficiencie , he must imitate . Conuersation is the last concoction of loue , and does by a secret friendship of nature intimately assimilate . Now the High-priest with an assisting tumult of Scribes and Pharisies does not examine our Sauiour , but tempt him ; and when at their importunitie he has acknowledged himselfe the Christ , he is made guiltie of being God : and straight they practice vpon him the wantonnesse of scorne . They prophane his sacred face with the blasphemy of spittle : they blindfold him in execrable sport ; and then striking him , in jesting inhumanitie they aske , who strikes him . Whiles Christ is thus condemned , Peter is examined , and straight commits an easie deniall of his master : and straight the Cocke crowes , but yet not lowd enough to awake his guilt . Hee is persecuted againe , and too wretchedly sweares an ignorance . A third tempter vexes him , being both an accuser and a witnesse ; and this is Malchus his cousin , whose eare Peter had cut off : which makes Peter feare more then the proportion of the Iewish Law , an eare for an eare . He suspects that this eare will bring in danger his whole head . And hauing but one euasion , though worse then his entrance , he wishes himselfe accursed , if he knowes our Sauiour : when , alas , he knowes that he were accursed , if hee did not know him . And now the Cocke , as if instructed to our Sauiour's prophesie , in his just time crowes the second time ; with the repeated diligence of his wing and voice not more awaking himselfe , then the heauy memory of Peter's conscience , which thus raised before day , makes him vnderstand and bewaile his night of sinne ; nor does hee more hasten out of doores , then doe the teares out of his eyes . Where marke the apt degrees , as of his fault , so of his sorrow . The hast of his repentance begg'd pardon for his deniall : the teares of his repentance begg'd pardon for his oath : the bitternesse of his repentance beg'd pardon for his curse . But now the Iewes are not auoiding , but prouoking a greater curse : and as soone as it is day , in steed of seeing to correct their judgement made by night , they confirme it ; leading our Sauiour from this Cleargy-censure to the Secular execution . When behold the mercy of treason ! Iudas has a minde to bee godly ! and seeing his master condemned by Caiaphas , he is with a swifter judgement condemned by conscience . Now hee repents him of his bargaine : and as if hee could as easily haue beene rid of his guilt , as of his hire , he brings backe the money that would not be put to vse , and though it were fearefully refused , in the presence and Temple of God hee throwes it downe , flying from it as the Priests would haue done from death ; and indeed it was the wages of sinne . His sinne now does acknowledge it selfe and our Sauiour's innocency . This loyall Traytour betrayes his treason . And would you not thinke that now againe hee hath almost vn-Iudas'd himselfe ? shall not Iudas also now againe bee among the Apostles ? Does he not seeme practised in the order of repentance ? He grieues , he confesses , he restores . O , would hee stay heere ! but , Loe , hee departs from the temple & the God of the temple : he departs and hangs himselfe . He that is couetous fals into temptation , and the halter of the Deuill . Hee hangs himselfe , and breakes asunder ; What could you looke for lesse , but that the Dragon should breake with the pitch-ball ? You may remember he conceiued a sop , and now behold hee brings forth a Deuill , and thus by the riddle of damnation hee is both the childe and parent of the Deuill . Hee breakes asunder , and is deliuered of his bowels . It was the wit of justice , hee should lose his bowels , that had lost his compassion . But since Iudas hath left vs , let vs leaue him : and from this spectacle of justice got see our Sauiour the spectacle of injustice , trauelling from Caiaphas to Pilate , and from Pilate to Herod . This was a Iew of a delicate Atheisme : who , in a reprobate joy and phansie , had a most intentiue desire to see a fine miracle or two . But his impietie was seuerely deluded by the silence of our Sauiour ; which changing the tyrants curiositie into scorne , he returnes him to Pilate , clad in a garment of ridiculous honour and simplicitie . But Pilate desirous to free him , not so much by the mercy as the custome of the Iewes , proposes to the easie choice of their pardon , Iesus and Barabbas a murtherer ; and whiles they are heere at their deliberation , as he on the judgement-seate , behold his loue is increased by feare . His wife prompted to compassion not by a bribe , but by a dreame ; sends to her husband to warne rather then request him to desist from judgement ; the trouble of a vision hauing frightned and instructed her : and sure this was the best counsaile shee ere tooke of her pillow . But the people possessed with the Priests demand Barabbas ; which was an impious , yet a fit request : for could there bee an apt●r fellowship then of a murtherer with murtherers ? As for Iesus , as if they would crucifie him twice , they twice cry-out , Crucifie him , Crucifie him . Is now the voice of the people the voice of God ? Sure we are , that the voice of this people is the voice of their Priests ; by whom Pilate being conquered yeelds-vp our Sauiour vnto souldiers , who multiply scourges vpon him , as they doe sinnes and plagues vpon themselues ; as if their madnesse would whip his diuinitie out of him , making it ashamed to stay in so torne a carcasse . But , O you Souldiers , how shall you wish , that a happy palsie had made faint your hands ? And , O thou Lord of glory , how hath thy mercy wooed thy God-head vnto this ignominious patience ? O Lord of mercy , we are scarce more saued by the power of thy mercy , then confounded with the wonder of it : the condemnation of a world being a cheaper losse , then the least effusion of thy redeeming bloud ! Yet the mercilesse souldiers beyond this crueltie scornfully clothe him with a Purple Robe ; though their crueltie in this had preuented their scorne his innocent bloud clothing him with a nobler purple . But now because in the art of crucifying they had no separated torment for the head , by the increase of inuention they inlarge their science of murder , fixing on his head a crowne of thornes ; and thus , as if he had a distinct soule in euery part , they distinctly murder euery part . And is not now the Lilly verily among the thornes ? This tender head of our beloued encompassed with the affliction of a crowne ! A crowne neither of gold , nor Roses ! Neither of honour , nor pleasure ! Behold , a goodly fruit ! The Lord planted a Vineyard , and when he comes to gather grapes , he receiues thornes ! They abuse his hand with a scepter of reede ; his hand the power whereof was the scepter ▪ and that their mouthes might sinne more then in wordes , they spit vpon him . But their owne darke eyes had more need to be touched with our Sauiours purging spittle . For had they seene what they had done , they would not haue spit vpon the Lord of glory ! This affecting spectacle softens Pilate ; and by an errour of humanitie taking Iewes to be men , and that their eyes peraduenture might mooue their hearts , he presents him to them with this preface of compassion , Behold the man ! But , alas , Pilate , can any man behold this man ? Will not all eyes bee sooner blinded with gratefull teares ? Or how can they heere behold a man ? A man lost in his owne bloud ! Which striues as much to obscure his body , as his body his God-head ! Yet the vnmooued Iewes with broad eyes of crueltie gaze vpon him . And shall wee yet thinke Deuealion's people a fable ? Sure these children were raised vnto Abraham from stones ! And now they are so readie to crucifie Christ , that they are ready also to condemne Pilate , not fearing to pronounce him a hypotheticall Traytour , if hee does not crucifie Christ . Wherefore through the conquest and policie of ambition he thinkes at once to satisfie the Iewes and God , so to secure his estate and conscience . In the presence of the people hee takes water and washes his hands , protesting himselfe innocent from this innocent bloud . Hee had need to rub hard , that meanes to wash away guilt with so weake an element ; guilt neuer to be washed away , but by the water of repentance and baptisme . It was in his power , as well as in his desire , to haue set him free : but he pronounces him innocent and punishes him : he condemnes himselfe , and crucifies Christ : he deliuers 〈◊〉 beloued Barabbas to their pardon , and Christ to their crosse which now he beares , as afterward it beares him . But in this trauaile toward mount Caluary , his strength is lesse then the burden : and needs must it be a heauie crosse , which was laden with a world of sinnes . Wherefore to hasten the execution , not to ease our Sauiour , they make one Simon carry the weight of the crosse : our Sauiour yet carrying the weight of the sinnes . Happy Simon now eases Christ of his burden : but Christ hereafter will ease Simon of his burden . Whiles he goes on , a multitude of women , forgetting to be Iewes , bestow teares vpon him : whom he exhorts to thrift of sorrow ; bidding them stay their lamentation till a time of lamentation for themselues , and for their children : whose bloud shall bee made as cheape as their mothers teares , when in the vengeance and sport of slaughter , the curse of barrenesse , and a dry pap shall bee a blessing . At last they bring this Catholique sacrifice to mount Caluary , to the altar of the world : where euery part of him is stretcht-out , as the free embleme of his extended mercy . They fasten him to his crosse with violence : but hee was fastned surer by his owne loue . They pierce his hands and his feete with nayles but his heart with their ingratitude ; thus is hee vsed in the house of his friends ! They exalt him on his crosse , arming himselfe against himselfe , and making his owne weight his owne affliction . And now I must cry-out with Pilate , Behold the man , aduanced in the triumph of redemption vpon the Cherub of the crosse ! Or if your tender eyes haue not the hearts to see this spectacle , yet reade the title of his crosse , and sure the first word , Iesus , may comfort you . Yet if the remembrance of his name should proue the remembrance of his sorrow , where will you then , alas , bestow your eyes ? If you looke away , you shall see those that passe by the way , nod their heads at him : if you looke on the ground , you shall see the diuided souldiers at lots for his intire Coate ; which they more respect , then they doe Christ : if you looke among the company , you shall see the vnhallowed Priests prophaning him : if you looke on either side his crosse , you shall see a thiefe made his companion . Whereof one , as if he were his executioner , crucifies him with blasphemie ; though the other crucifies his owne vnbeliefe , and by a new theft steales Heauen at his execution . If yet you cannot behold our Sauiour , behold his Disciple and his mother , whom from his crosse he himselfe beholds . Saint Iohn's loue had now made a recompence for his flight , by conquering his feare to this returne and sorrow . Our Sauiour beholds his beloued Iohn , and hauing nothing left that is his owne but his mother , hee bequeathes her vnto him . But , it may be , you are as little able also to looke on these , who also are crucified with the passion of loue . If then you cannot at all indure these sights , be indulgent to lamentation : Let teares seaze on your eyes , as an vniuersall darknesse does on Iudea . The guilt of the Iewes puts out the Sunne : and yet this huge night which can hide all Iudea , cannot hide the guilt of the Iewes . O how they shall hereafter wish that this darknesse had beene more speedy , that it might haue preuented or excused their violence ? Then happily they would haue pleaded , O had we seene what we did , wee would not haue crucified the Lord of glory . In this forc'd night and agony , this man of sorrowes cries out with a voice as strong as earnest , his fainting humanitie begging aide and release . Thus long they haue afflicted his outward-parts , and now their wit finds a deuice to torment his inward also . In a drouth of combat and torment , hee cries-out , I thirst : and when from this his Vineyard he might looke for wine , behold they vilely spunge him with vngratefull vineger . Being persecuted thus with a swift succession of plagues , in a free obedience he bowes his head , and in the Empire of his Diuinitie and loue , is pleased to die , giuing to the justice of his Father , for a redeeming sacrifice , his troubled spirit . Corrupt Philosophers who now for a long time haue animated the world with a magique soule , may in this truth bury their errour , and now acknowledge , that only this is the soule of the world . Thus they haue crucified him : and now they shall know whom they haue crucified . The Iewes and the Deuils shall know that it was the Lord of glory ; and the whole world shall know that it was the Lord of glory . Behold an angry miracle teares the vaile of the Temple , and by a greater mystery reueales their mysteries . Behold an earth-quake shakes open the graues ; and after the resurrection of this first-borne of the dead , the glad carcasses by the returne of their disacquainted soules can no more then their soules endure the Graue . Behold the stones cleaue asunder , as if violated nature would lend them mouthes to cry-out against the Iewes ; or as if they would pronounce themselues of a softer tempter , then the hearts of men . And now there is a religious earth-quake in the heart of the Centurion : from whose inspired mouth proceeds a voice articulated by faith and wonder ; pronouncing the innocence and diuinitie of our Iesus ; and euen the Iewes doe smite their breasts , as if their hands insteed of repentance , should soften their hearts . But his friends neerest to him in affection , stand afarre off : to whom it is a death not to dye with him . And indeed none of them did die by martyrdome ; the Lord counting the torment of this spectacle equall vnto it . His friends stand afarre off : yet farther from comfort , then from him . O how may wee imagine his tender mother weepes ? How may we imagine she now cryes-out , O my sonne Iesu , O Iesu , my sonne , my sonne ! This is a more wounding lamentation , then the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon ; when the good Iosias , when the beloued Iosias fell vnder the sword , of Pharaoh . Now the souldiers come to examine the execution to see if these , the late prisoners of the Iewes , be now become the prisoners of death : and finding the two theeues breathing still , in the custome of vaine crueltie on malefactors , they breake their legges : when , alas , their soules were readier to runne away , then their is bodies But , to our Sauiour , being already dead , they are pleased to shew a negatiue mercy . Yet one to prooue himselfe more senslesse then what he wounds , now pierces his side : as if beyond the expulsion of his soule , he would not leaue in him the forme of a carcasse , When behold , an instructing mysterie flowes from his side . Water flowes out , as if it would present vnto the souldier the innocency of our Sauiour : bloud flowes out , as if it would present vnto the soul ther the admonishing horrour of his owne guilt . It was vile , to wrong the innocent : it was inhumane to abuse the dead : but it was execrable to violate the Lord of glory . But the glory of this Lord shall now dispell this night of sorrow . Now weepe not , that hee died : but rejoyce that hee died for you . It was his loue that hee would redeeme , as it was his power that he could redeeme . So he did redeeme , as be did suffer , hee suffered not in his diuine nature ; but by the ●nion of his diuine nature : hee red●emed not in his diuine nature ; but by the union of his diuine nature . For from a double nature his mysticall vnitie did arise : and as his soule was a diuinitie to his body ; so was his diuinitie a soule to his humanity . To create man , God ●reathed a spirit like himselfe into him ; him to redeeme man , God himselfe entred into him ; and though the diuinitie could not hee crucified ; yet was the vnion of it with the passion of the humanitie , counted as the passion of the diuinitie . Thus by the bountie of interpretation , and communication of proprieties , they verily crucified the Lord of glory . Whose carcasse now as cold as death raises a flame of loue in the breasts of Ioseph and Nicodemus . Ioseph in a couragious Christianitie goes vnto Pilate , and begges the body . When Christ was aliue , Iudas sould him ; and now he is dead , Pilate giues him away ; whose body though it were preserued by the diuinitie , yet Nicodemus sweetens it with Myrrhe and Deuotion . They wrap him in a linnen cloth , not so much concealing his nakednesse , as expressing his innocence . They lay him in Iosephs Tombe , which was in a garden ; and was not then this garden Paradise ? It was a glorious sepulchre ; as if , by the prophesie of loue , it had been proportioned to the guest . Whose bodie being heere entertayned with magnificent pietie , his illustrious soule forces a triumph in Hell , crucifies the Deuill , and ouerthrowes the tyranny of damnation . He does not take away damnation , but contract it . And now you see , after this redemption of our Sauiour , you may like Thomas put your hand and faith into the wound of his side , & receiue saluation . You may behold the opening mouth of this wound , which with eloquent bloud inuites you to faith and loue . You may behold the Lord of glory comming from Edom , with his died garments from Bosrah . This is the Lord of glory : glorious in his apparell : glorious in his nakednesse : glorious in his mightinesse to saue . Wherefore art thou red in thine apparell , and thy garments like him that treadeth in the Wine-fat ? Thou hast trodden the Wine-presse alone , and of the people there was none with thee . O , what did cause these soundings of thy bowels , and of thy mercies towards vs ? Who can expresse thy sorrowes , and thy louing-kindnesse towards vs ? Who can expresse what thou hast done for our soules ? Thou wast afflicted , thou wast despised , thou wast whipt , wounded , bruised , condemned , sacrificed for our soules ; thou wast made a seruant of death , thou wast numbred with the transgressours , thou madest thy graue with the wicked for our soules . Wherefore God has highly exalted thee , and giuen thee a name aboue all names ; that at the Name of Iesus euery knee shall bow ; of things in Heauen , and things in earth , and things vnder the earth ; And euery tongue shall confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord of glory ; And the foure and twentie Elders shall fall downe before the Lambe , with their Harps and golden Vials full of Odours ; and in their new Song shall they prayse thee ; And the Angels about thy throne , euen ten thousand times ten thousand , and thousands of thousands shall say with a loud voice , Worthy is the Lambe that was slaine , to receiue power , and riches , and wisedome , and strength , and honour , and glory . Therefore with Angels and Arch-angels , and with all the company of Heauen , wee laude and magnifie thy glorious Name ; euermore praysing thee and saying ; Holy , holy , holy Lord of glory , Heauen and earth are full of thy glory , and of thy mercies . The Angels in Heauen wonder at thy mercies : the powers of Hell tremble at thy mercies : thou thy selfe triumphest in thy mercies : and the sonnes of men rejoyce in thy mercies . Wherefore , O thou that takest away the sinnes of the world , deliuer vs : by thine agonie and bloudie swear , by thy crosse and passion , by thy precious death and buriall deliuer vs ; And wee will fall downe before thy glorie : and we will sing praises vnto thy mercie : and we will triumph in the victorie of thy bloud : and we will for euer euen for euer acknowledge , that , Thou the crucified Lord of glorie art the Christ of God , and the Iesus of men .