ineffectuall to us And wo and alas he hath prevailed on too many But I shall not now repeat those manifold Errours which Satan hath set on foot about this Sacrament It would require much time nor can any tongue easily utter them It were to be wished that no Christian would seek to know or think any more of them Would to God they were all buried and that we might all of us embrace the pure Text of the Evangelists and so be edified in the true Christian life O that the Lord God would give such an heart unto all Monarchs Princes c. as to suppress this upstart scandalous and most abominable discord about this Sacrament For things are come to that pass now that this Sacrament is become the greatest occasion of all secret grudges strifes and variance in Christianity O unfpeakable grief The Church is now rent and torn by that which should unite and soder it that which should serve ut chiefly for peace and Unity that we abuse and turn into war strife sects and factions The Lord look down from Heaven and visit his Vineyard which is now so miserably laid waste The good and most gracious God grant that the Church may so believe think and teach concerning the holy Eucharist even as the Evangelists and Paul and the Antient Orthodox men have taught and written of it Where this is not no peace can be expected although Councils should be called every day The Gospel and Orthodox Fathers agree well enough They think and teach alike are all one in their Judgement I wish our yong Divines and Sectarian Novelists could accord among themselves But there can never be any agreement hoped for till we lay aside our passions and confidence of our own Reason and stick to the words of the Evangelists and unanimous consent of the Fathers And why should we be so averse and backward to this Who art thou O man that doubtest the words of God nay that opposest the very words of God How wilt thou answer at the day of Judgement or what excuse wilt thou have then to escape the wrath of God To ye O Princes Bishops and Doctors do I speak these things The neglect will light heavy on ye Ye see know plainly perceive what course should be taken yet ye forbear Ye see I say how many abominable horrid and altogether insufferable errors are crept into the Church concerning this Sacrament ye see how ridiculously how scornfully how wantonly yea how immodestly this Sacrament is observed But why speak I to them that have ears but will not hear and eyes but see not Their heart is blinded by the righteous Judgement We entreat thee O Christ have mercy upon thy Church if thou wilt thou only art able thou art most concerned in it It is thy Supper thy Example thy Command thy Church that is in distress And for its sake are we streightned seeing and beholding those great discords and destructive damages This sacrifice of praise is more trampled under foot than any thy Body is disown'd thy words are wrested thy Precept neglected New Doctrines are coyn'd a New custom of the Sacrament gets ground In short the loss is greater than any tongue can express And to whom shall we complain of these things but unto thee for none else will vouchsafe an ear to us We beseech thee by thy most holy and most bitter Passion of which we have begun here to treat stir up the hearts of our Bishops and so effectually touch their consciences that they may take better heed in observing and distributing thy Supper than heretofore they have done c. I have therefore made this complaint before that ye might the more attentively consider the Institution Let us examine the words Consider first who spake these words even Christ Whence t is plain this Sacrament was not invented by man but is of Divine Institution and therefore to contemn scoffe or under value it is â—o blaspheme the wisdom of God yea God himself Look to it then that ye esteem more highly and honourably of this Sacrament then ye have done 2. Again If it be Gods institution see thou pry not too curiously into every particular For these Mysteries are not to be found out by reason but by Faith Observe how Christ begineth it when he had ended the legall Supper he said that he would eat drink with them no more There was nothing more to be done but to give thanks and so rise from table Which when it was done â—…o then he taketh bread again he blesseth it again he breaks it by it self he sets it before them and divideth it among his Dsciples bidding them eat it none of which things he did in the legall Supper that we read of 3. Lastly To all this he addeth This is my Body Who would not wonder at such unaccustomed behaviour which he here used For what else did he intend by all this but that all men should diligently attend unto those things which follow even that we should know that this bread and this wine was not now common bread and wine such as they had in eating the Lamb but another thing far more singular and excellent even his body and blood Therefore when the Disciples saw these unusual gestures of Christ they did not gainsay or enquire about it but simply believed nothing doubting but that there was some great matter in hand Consider therefore what Christ saith Take and eat in which word he promiseth to bestow some great thing upon them And indeed what else should a man look for from a Saviour a Christ a God but some great excellent and most advantagious things Es 32.8 Luke 11. It becomes a great man to be magnificently bountifull If ye that are evill know how to give good things to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the good Spirit to them that ask him Take then and make your selves to receive whatsoever such a Lord shall bestow upon you For it cannot be that a Saviour should offer any evil burtfull or vain thing But whereas he saith EAT he sheweth to what purpose the Sacrament was instituted to wit that it should be received Bread doth no good except being eaten it be incorporated So then by this word is signified that this is not simply to be taken as a gift but so as that it might be united to us nor simply but so as that it might become one body with us even as the bread which we eat is turned into our nature who are nourished by it But that this Metaphor of eating may be the better understood remember that there is nothing in us but sin death curse and hell there is no righteousness life salvation or Grace we are indeed destitute of all that is good But Christ hath all these good things in himself yet not for himself only but for us also and for that reason he calleth himself the bread of Life For as bread
God shall add to him the plagues c. Apoc. 21. The Benefit So then if as hath been proved the Body of Christ be truly according to the tenor of the words in the Sacrament it is certain that the Sacrament it self cannot be an unprofitable thing For it is evident that the flesh of Christ was filled with the God-head If therefore God be nothing worth then also is the flesh of Christ of no value When that flesh of Christ walked on the earth it did good to all that it did but touch never so little by reason of the Godhead that dwelt in it How can it be then that it should do no good in the Sacrament since it is the same flesh of Christ in Union with the same Divinity it is also the same word of God of the same Nature and force now as ever it was But take notice that Christ in this Sacrament gave us not his Body alone but his Blood too As in the Law of Moses there was a sacrifice to be slain and moreover a cleansing by blood so the Body of Christ was the sacrifice and his Blood the cleansing away of sins the sacrifice of his body maketh satisfaction his blood purifieth the offering is made to God for Reconciliation the blood is poured out to make us clean Now in the distribution of his blood he observeth the same gestures as he did in the distribution of his body He took it he gave thanks he gave it to them c. In the words he added at least altered something For he doth not say simply Hic est sanguis meus This is my blood as he said Hoc est corpus meum This is my body But he addeth This is the blood of the New Testament Or as Paul hath it This cup is the New Testament in my blood by which word he plainly alludeth to the confirmation of the old Testament as when Moses had read all the Law he took the blood of the Calf and therewith sprinkled the people saying Exod. 24. Behold the blood of the Covenant which God hath made with you c. In like manner Christ here speaketh By how much the blood of Christ is more excellent than the blood of a Bull so much the new Testament is more worthy than the old What a Testament 〈◊〉 A Testament is the disposing and bequeathing of goods whether it be by writing or word of mouth And it is confirmed by the death of the Testator God made a Will to the Israelites Ex. ibid. that he would give them the promised Land but because God could not die he commanded a Bullock to be slain and ratified this his Testament with the blood thereof So now Christ hath bequeathed to us his goods even the forgiveness of sins and so all other his good things come along therewith That the Testament may be sure Christ himself the Testator died and that we might remember his death he did affix as it were two seals unto it the Sacrament of his Body and Blood The sense of the words Therefore when he saith Take eat Take drink c. his meaning is this Lo I promise you all my goods and do freely bestow them on you and to make this firm and sure to you I am about to die and in witness whereof I set to my Seal I leave you my body blood He maketh mention of a Testament when he speaketh not of his body but of his blood The shedding of blood is a sign of death by which death the Testament is ratified Whereas he addeth at last speaking of his body Which shall be given for you but concerning his blood saith he Which shall be shed for you he plainly sheweth that the same body which was crucified and slain and the same blood which was shed upon the Cross is received in the Sacrament These words also shew the fruit of the Eucharist which is to partake of the merit of Christs Passion Whereunto Faith is requisite not only to believe that the body and blood of Christ is here present but withall to believe that it is the same body which was offered for us and the same blood which was shed for us and that it is given to us which Christ merited by his death Take notice also of what is said concerning his blood which is shed not for all but for many Indeed the blood of Christ was sufficient for all but all do not believe It is fitly said not for all but for many which is a word of terrour to the slothfull and those that are too secure who flatter themselves that they cannot be damned Christ addeth in the close Do this in remembrance of me Where we see that the Evangelists do not only describe the thing as it was once done but they set it down so as a thing ever hereafter to be observed and continued Whence Christ commanded his Apostles that they should do as he had done thereby signifying that he would alwayes be present at his Sacrament and that what he by himself did at the Supper the same should be done by the Apostles and their Successors So that they are much mistaken who say I believe that Christ the Apostles did consecrate it but I do not believe that every Priest can do it I believe that the Saints do receive the body of Christ but I do not think sinners do Hear me Brother the Sacraments of the Church are not founded on our worthiness or unworthiness but upon the Word of God whatever the Minister or the Communicant be Gods Ordinance is the same As neither Angel nor man could of themselves turn bread into the body of Christ so neither of them can hinder it Therefore he doth not say if thou receive it worthily thou shalt take my body but This is my Body so the Creed the Lords Prayer and the Commandments of God c. remain good and valid though thou never believest if thou dost not pray work c. as Gods outward works alwayes continue though we abuse them But it is most to be observed that Christ here commandeth and speaks imperatively and chargeth us to take and eat and to do as he did whereby t is plain that we are not left at our liberty to observe or neglect this Sacrament If thou art a Christian thou must sometimes obey this Command Christ hath commanded it though he appointed no set time It is not in our choice wholly to omit it When he saith in remembrance of me his will is that this Sacrament should be 1. A Monument of his Charity towards us whereby he gave himself to us in every respect as a companion a brother a sacrifice meat c. Who is so hard as not to melt into a mutual love by all these signs of love 2. A remembrance of that sacrifice which Christ offered up for us at his death upon the Cross as Paul saith 1 Cor. 11. As often as ye eat
on No man took it from him 1 Kings 20.11 John 10.18 21. Thus Christ when he was in the height of his perfection in perfect Glory filling all in all the fulness and end of the Law for Righteousness the Law-giver above the Law yet in the fulness of time was made of a woman made under the Law became a curse for us to redeem us from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 chap. 4.4 By this going back-ward of Christ unto the tenth degree of death we have hope of life to come His going back-ward was his progress to his journeyes end for his ways are not our ways but rather contrary to them Thus our true Joseph having been in prison and taken out from among men is afterward rightly called Zaphnath-paaneah i.e. a man to whom secrets are revealed or in the Egyptian tongue a Saviour of the world Gen. 41.14,45 Isa 53.8 John 3.17 chap. 12.47 Let us imitate our Lord for even hereunto are we called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 Let us resist unto blood striving against sin suffering in the flesh that we may cease from sin Heb. 12.4 1 Pet. 4 1. Ponder these things seriously 6. Sixthly 22. We cannot understand nor submit unto the Gospel unless we know and conform unto the death of Christ The sum of the Gospel is Christ crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 There is a dolefull doom denounced against all those that obey not this Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thes 1.7,8,9,10 It is not enough for us to make our boast of the Gospel except we obey it no advantage comes by it Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of the Father Mat. 7.21 He that doth the Will shall know the Doctrine John 7.17 Now we must know that every man is brutish in his knowledge and born a wild Asses Colt Jer. 10.14 Job 11.12 Psalm 92.6 Wherefore it is necessary that every man take up his Cross dayly and crucifie this brutish man which is so ignorant of the Mysterie of God and altogether uncapable to understand it and put on the new man which is created after God in Righteousness Holiness and Knowledge 1 Cor. 2.14 Eph. 4.22,23,24 Col. 3.9,10 The old must be put off before the new can be put on Obedience is the best Vsher unto knowledge 7. Seventhly 23. The grand Mysterie of iniquity worketh in the contrary Doctrine When the Devil suspected what ruine and desolation was like to come upon his kingdom by the death of Christ he did what possibly he could to save his life by Pilates wife And so he is still stirring some to be enemies to his Cross Phil 3.18 The old subtile Serpent argueth with us as he did with our first Parents Yea saith he doth God require such strictness and circumspect walking doth he think ye delight to afflict his creature the work of his hands will he have thee die mortifie and crucifie thy self Far be it from thee These things shall not happen unto thee Mat. 16.22,23 Hath not Christ suffered for thy sins hath not he made full satisfaction and done all for thee Is there any thing left for thee to do Canst thou add to the vertue of his blood Wilt thou fall back again to the Law and be justified by the works thereof Is not this flat Popery Away away with these legal and pensive thoughts they make thee melancholy dull and indisposed to good things Wilt thou separate not only from the prophane Gentile but from the outward and formal Jew also Canst thou by taking thought add one Cubit to his stature Were not the works finished from the foundation of the world Mat. 6.27 Heb. 4 3. Be not righteous overmuch neither make thy self over-wise Why shouldest thou destroy thy self Eccles 7.16 24. Look upon the high and mighty professors of the world Are not the preud among them happy and they that tempt God by Pride Ambition Covetousness Hypocrisie Perjury breach of Promises Covenants Vows Oaths and Protestations Rebellion Domineering are they not delivered delivered to do all abominations Doth not their Bull gender and faileth not have they not more then heart can wish so that pride compasseth them about as a chain and violence covereth them as a Garment Mal. 3.15 Jer. 7.9,10,11 c. Job 21.10 Psalm 73.4,5,6,7 Take thine ease eat drink and be merry to morrow shall be as this day Thus the crafty Serpent insinnateth his damnable Doctrine by his false Prophets into the minds of simple ignorant presumptuous Gospellers themselves Whereas the true Believer saith It is his meat and drink to do the Will of his Lord and Master John 4.34 To beat down his body and bring it into subjection 1 Cor 9.27 Nothing is more glory to him then such tribulation he takes pleasure in such necessity and distresses for Christs sake and is glad that he can die dayly that the world may be crucified unto him and he unto the world Rom. 5.3 2 Cor. 12.10 1 Cor. 15.31 Gal. 6.14 8. Eightly 25. Without this knowledge and conformity there can be no perseverance in Godliness The Hypocrite will not pray always he cannot many begin to run well but are driven back from obeying the Truth Gal. 5.7 They are clogd with the care of preserving the worldly life they are full yet with their youthfull lusts and the sins of their riper years These youths shall faint and such young men utterly fail because they do not eat and drink the flesh and blood of the Son of man that they might have life and strength to persevere they do not by eating and drinking incorporate the living bread and drink by a lively faith that they might grow thereby Isa 40.30 John 6.33.35,48,51 unto verse 59. 1 Pet. 2.2 2 Pet. 3.18 But the righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands that hath washt them in innocency in the innocent blood of the Lamb he shall wax stronger and stronger his light shall be as the shining light which increaseth to a perfect day Job 17.9 Prov. 10.29 and chap. 4.18 But they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength and mount up with wings as Eagles Psalm 103.5 Isa 40.31 The Eagle is sharp of sight swift and lofty in flight it can soar up and look upon the Sun So do all true Believers who have anointed their eyes with the spiritual eye-salve Rev. 3.18 which maketh them quick-sighted but then like Eagles they resort unto the Carkass Mat. 24.28 They have continual Recourse unto the crucified body of Christ refreshing themselves with that heavenly food turning it into the nourishment of their inward and new man and growing up therein unto a likeness and conformity unto that food These do not miscarry nor come short of their aim 9. Ninthly 26. There can be no due performance of any acceptable service
the pestle of his Passion and in the press of the Cross that his precious blood might flow forth every way 4. The Manna tasted like Hony Christ is sweet to all that are afflicted having the same smack in the Word and Sacrament 5. Manna pleased every ones palat and relished according to his desire that did taste it In Christ and in the Sacrament every mans desire is answered The sick find health the sinner pardon the Righteous sweetness the afflicted find comfort therein 6. Manna came down from Heaven Christ and this Sacrament are given to us from Heaven That descended with a dew Christ came down with Grace and Truth 7. Manna made all men wonder and admire So this Sacrament is truly most worthy of all admiration 8. The Manna was common to all so is the Sacrament it sufficeth all as the Manna did 9. The Manna fell every day Christ is alwayes with us in the Sacrament even to the end of the world Mat. 28. 10. He that gathered much of the Manna had nothing over and so on the contrary The poorest Believer hath as much as the richest in the Sacrament c. 11. When the Israelites came into the Promised Land the Manna ceased There will be no Sacraments in the world to come We shall have no need of them then For we shall have and see Christ before us when that which is perfect is come that which is imperfect shall be done away 12. Lastly The Manna was said up in the Temple for a Memorial to Posterity The Sacrament continueth for ever in the Church for a memorial of Christ Now concerning the gathering of the Manna the Scripture saith 1. They were commanded to seek it very early in the morning and we are bid to seek the Kingdom of God before all things which is by hearing the Word of God and receiving the Sacraments 2 They gathered it every day so we should never neglect the Sacrament 3. They were to go forth of their tents so we are commanded to go out of the old life and out of all curiosity of sence lest we judge by our sight taste or touch whether the Body of Christ be there or no but we are simply to believe the Word of God 4. They were commanded to gather it not for curiosity but sufficiency so should we do in this Sacrament 5. Lastly They gathered a double proportion on the sixth day because of the Sabbath following Rom. 13. We are commanded not to sleep in this last hour but to provide for the future by the Example of that Steward in the Gospel Luke 16 1. The way to use this Manna was to beat it in a Morter The use of Manna or to grind it in a Mill and so boyl it We should consider the Mysteries of this Sacrament in every piece and fragment of it and receive them with a contrite heart seething them with the fire of divine Love and so rest satisfied with their sweetness 2. As all were not alike affected with the old Manna yea some indeed loathed it so is it now in the Sacrament c. 3. Good and bad did eat of the old Manna but to a different end for many perished in the Wilderness So good and bad receive the Sacrament but some to life others to death c. Christ is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel Luke 2. 4. Lastly The Manna stank and became nothing worth to some This Sacrament doth little good to some nay it is the condemnation of those that receive it unworthily See now how our Manna answereth in all things to that of old and how much more excellent it is then that was for it hath the Fountain of all good essentially in it self nor doth it feed the body only but specially it nourisheth the soul It giveth Eternal Life the old Manna had no such thing Let us then be thankfull and take heed we abuse not this Heavenly bread Hitherto I suppose I have made it clear how expresly the mysteries of this Sacrament were foreshewn in those two figures the Paschal Lamb and Manna Let us here add a third figure the Oblation of Melchisedeck Gen. 17. Heb. 7. of which we read in Genesis for he did most exactly typifie Christ in Name and Office It is said he was without Father without Mother without beginning without end also King of Zedek i. e. of Righteousness and Prince of Salem i. e. of Peace and Priest of the most high God Christ truly and most absolutely had all these Titles And as Melchisedeck brought bread and wine to Abraham when he came from the battel so Christ in his last Supper gave the Sacrament of bread and wine to his Disciples he ordained and instituted it especially for the comfort and refreshment of those who bicker and fight with the Devil And as Melchisedeck first of all offered bread and wine unto God and afterward fed Abraham and his company therewith So this our Sacrament is not only a refreshing of the weak and weary but also a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to be continued to the end of the world This do saith he in remembrance of me 1. Most properly is it called a Sacrifice because the true use of this Sacrament is to offer thanks and praise to God when we receive it 2. Secondly Because here that only sacrifice is represented and as it were set before our eyes even that sacrifice which Christ offered on the Cross whereby the wrath of God was stayed by his crucified Son who putteth him still in mind that he would vouchsafe to be propitious unto us for his death and Passion-sake 3. To say nothing that we by this Sacrament are also put in mind to offer our selves to God as Christ gave himself for us Thus it may fitly be called a sacrifice So then this figure doth every way answer to our Sacrament All this I have spoken the rather to affect us with the greater Faith and Devotion toward that most sacred Supper of our Lord. But enough of that To the Text again And supper being ended the Devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot Simons son John 13.2 to betray him Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God verse 3. He riseth from supper and laid aside his garments verse 4. and took a towel and girded himself After that he poureth water into a Bason verse 5. and began to wash the Disciples feet and to wipe them with the Towel wherewith he was girded Here Jesus sheweth his love to his Disciples Surely he could not hate them whose feet he washed Now we may suppose that this thing was not done quite after Supper but as they were yet at supper as may seem first in that t is said He rose from supper Secondly it is said after the washing he sate down again Thirdly t is not said
Cross In short it doth nothing that is good But contrariwise the spirit is confident and valiant it doth pray watch bear up in adversity make a free confession c. Whensoever the spirit is compared with flesh it signifieth the Holy Spirit and his workings in us But the flesh signifieth the humane nature even with its best motions but without the assistance of the Holy Spirit The spirit then is willing because it affecteth those things that are his own and cheerfully carrieth on to all that is good But the flesh is weak for it will not alway indure the yoak of the spirit as it is written The good that I would that do I not Rom. 7. Gal. 5. but the evil that I would not that do I. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh that ye cannot do those things that ye would What need I multiply more If we have a spirit ready to do good yet the weakness of our flesh hindreth and overcometh it But if our spirit be backward to evil yet the flesh will stir and spur it forward Hence it is that Judas and the Jews slept not but were most vigilant because they made hast to evil But the Apostles sleep because they were exhorted to good To conclude when we are most confident of the forwardness of our mind let us suspect then the backwardness of our flesh When he had warned his Disciples for whose sake he brake off his Prayer he went away to pray again praying almost the same words which he did before Thereby giving an Example to Preachers First so go from Prayer to Preaching to instruct the people and from Preaching to return to Prayer First Let them pray that they may be fruitfull and profitable then let them pray that the fruit be not blasted But as Christ returned to Prayer so the Disciples went to sleep again so that all Admonition was to no purpose Their sleep now fore-shewed that their faith shortly would be benighted But the Evangelist saith further for some kind of excuse for this drowsiness that sorrow rather than sloth made them fall asleep for their eyes saith he were heavy a thing common to those that are in heaviness When the heart is sad the eye is sleepy so that men had rather go to bed than go to eat or drink And because the Disciples were sleepy and sorrowfull they could not tell what to answer And who indeed could excuse such drowsiness in so dangerous a case Hamans frailty did strongly put forth it self in the Apostles Truly if the Lord with draw we fall asleep quickly although he was with us but little before Mat. 28. Let us pray therefore that he would abide with us unto the end of the world We do not read that Christ said any thing to his Apostles when he came to them the second time but silently passed by their weakness to teach us that we should rather admonish our Brethren and bear with their Infirmities than severely punish or wholly condemn them This sleepiness did not a little add to Christs sadness For now he saw that he should not only be violently assaulted by his enemies but should also be forsaken of his dearest friends He saw that Judas did not sleep but watched to do him a mischief but his Disciples were very sluggish in that which was good Whereby these our dangerous times were prefigured which are full of deceit fraud and distracting cares Mat 24. when for the getting of this worlds goods Titles Honours c. Iniquity so much aboundeth But all love to Godliness is key cold Luke 16. The Children of this world are wiser and warier in wicked works than the Children of God are in the works of Godliness When Christ saw that there was little or no comfort or assistance to be expected from the Apostles he goeth back to prayer the third time and turns himself wholly to God to whom only the poor is committed Psal 10.14 2 Chron. 20. When we know not what to do yet this is our comfort that our eyes are toward Heaven Here we have an example not to pray once only in Temptation but thrice nay seven times that is very oft To pray but once is not to pray at all To pray often is to pray effectually Peter denyed thrice Christ prayed three times it becometh and behoveth us to imitate this but by all means to avoid the other Whereas Christ prayed so often it is most manifest that it is a hard matter for us to struggle with death Unexperienced men like Peter trust too much to their own strength But he that hath tryed these things betaketh himself to God for he seeth that the humane nature of it self is too weak Therefore he committeth all things to God saying Thy Will be done as if he had said so long as thy Will is done and I commit my self to thy Will I can now in thy strength break thorow that which I could not by my own Thou wilt not forsake those whom thou calledst to suffer while they stand in aw of thee and rely upon thee Thus Christ did all these things first for our Redemption then for our example how to behave our selves under the fear of death It follows in the Text And there appeared unto him an Angel from Heaven Luke 22.43 strengthning him And being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground There are three things most observable in these words 1. Is it not a strange and a new thing that an Angel that a servant should comfort Christ But here we see that truly fulfilled which David prophesied of in the Psalms Psalm 8. Thou hast made him a little lower then the Angels For as Christ was truly tempted and was sorrowfull c. so he would be comforted by an Angel like other men that he might be like his Brethren in all things Heb. 2. Mat. 4. In another place we read that the Angels ministred to Christ 2. Secondly We learn that God doth not forsake those that hope in him For although he doth not alwayes remove the evil yet he doth inwardly strengthen and give power to undergo it 3. Lastly We are here taught that the holy Angels stand by us when we pray strengthning us in our prayer and carefull of our wel-fare which should stir us up to pray more fervently lest our sluggishness should offend them and cause them to depart from us and so leave us under that sad complaint Psalm 88.8 Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me thou hast made me an abomination to them Again My kins-men stand afar off Psalm 38. they also that seek my life lay snares for me For certainly if the blessed spirits absent themselves from us we cannot bear the brunt of the evil spirits Now lest any should wonder why Christ would stand in need of an Angel
honest men if they were but compared with this perfidious wretched Villain for what was all their Treasons to this 1. Now this Treachery of Judas was figured out in Joab who also betrayed and cut off two famous men 2 Sam. 3.20 Abner and Amasa with a kiss 2. To conclude this Treason of Judas did prefigure the crafty devises of Hereticks who indeed counterfeit themselves to be the friends of Truth but are the Betrayers of it For by flattery and fair speeches they beguil the hearts of the simple Jer. 6. They say as in the Prophet Peace Peace where there is no Peace They have Christ much in their mouth but most of all oppose the faith of him very like the Traytor Judas who are also appointed to the same condemnation Jesus therefore knowing all things that should come upon him John 18.4 went forth and said unto them Whom seek ye They answered him Jesus of Nazareth Jesus saith unto them I am he And Judas also which betrayed him stood with them Assoon then as he had said unto them I am he they went backward and fell on the ground Then asked he them again Whom seek ye And they said Jesus of Nazareth Jesus answered I have told ye that I am he if therefore ye seek me let these go their way That the saying might be fulfilled which he spake Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none All these things were thus done and written that by most manifest Arguments we might see that Christ came to the Cross willingly and of his own accord For if he had been compel'd to the Cross by humane force or fraud the world would have appeared to be more crafty and stronger than he and consequently that Christ had not been God For what kind of God is he against whom the world is able to prevail Again He had not manifested so much love if he had suffered death unwillingly and by constraint But it is most plain in that the Evangelists do every where shew that he could not be surprized by fraud or humane force till he himself pleased I say it is plain that he was both wiser and stronger than the world and so his love did thereby shine forth more clearly All which make much for our comfort For as he said before John 13.1 that knowing his hour was now come that he should now pass out of this world c. having loved his own c. So now also although he truly knew not only some things but all that should come upon him yea and knew them most perfectly too and that they were hard at hand yet did he not shrink or flee or hide himself but continued his love to us unto the end And therefore he went out to meet his enemies single by himself against many without any weapon against those that were armed that they might all see he did not fear death At other times we often read that he made an escape Joh. 8. 11. and hid himself but now he doth voluntarily meet his enemies The time which his Father had prefixed was now come In both he was our example For by his flight and hiding himself he taught us not to tempt God but by meeting his foes he instructed us readily to resign our selves to the Will of God and to obey him with all cheerfulness of mind Thus Paul sometimes fled without intreaty but at last he would not be perswaded when the Brethren earnestly intreated him with many tears to make his escape What mean you saith he to weep Acts 9. Acts 21.13 and to break my heart here he offered himself to the Will of God there he would not tempt God rashly Doing both in faith For we can do neither without the help of God We cannot avoid an imminent danger if the hand of God rescue us not neither can we resign our selves to the Will of God except the Spirit of God assist us It is also to be observed John 6. that Christ conveighed himself from them that would have made him a King and no marvel For he that exalteth himself shall be brought low Kingdoms and Empires for the most part are nothing but steep places for men to fall from and break their necks Contrariwise when they sought to crucifie him he came out to meet them For he knew that the Cross was the way to the Father Let us also learn in the hope of future happiness not to be affrighted at present and momentany evils and not so much regard what we suffer but consider that by our sufferings we are going toward our Father See how forward Christ was to suffer For he doth not only meet his Adversaries but first asks them whom they sought He might have rebuked them sharply and cast his former benefits with their ingratitude and impiety in their Teeth yea he might have destroyed them all at one beck However he doth not so but with fair words he asked them what they sought as if he knew nothing of their design This was not the time of his Judgement but of his shewing Mercy He would not be passionate but patient and overcome evil with good Therefore he speaks to them in a familiar manner Whom seek yee 1. By which word he did warn them that they should take heed what they did Saith he Whom seek ye even an innocent person and him whom ye know by his Signs and Miracles which he did Gen. 4. that he is more and greater than a man Consider well t is no small offence to seek the death of the innocent For the blood of the innocent reacheth unto Heaven But t is much more hainous to sin against God If one man sin against another the Judge shall judge him 1 Sam. 2.25 but if a man sin against God who shall entreat for him 2. By this word Whom seek ye Christ jeereth their needless preparations he mocketh at their fear Whom saith he do yee seek i. e. What need these arms Whom do you fear Is it me who have no Weapon about me or do ye seek for my Disciples who also are unarmed men He doth not tell them at first sight I am he whom ye look for though he knew their enterprize but first asketh them that he might take occasion from their answer to confute them and that all the world might see and know that such a huge multitude went out to take one single man as they themselves confess that they did seek but for one 3. He first askt his Adversaries whom they sought after before he let them lay hands on him because thereby he might yet extend and offer Grace unto them q.d. To this end was I sent that I might hold forth unto all men and bestow it too upon them And as many as have sought me with a good heart hitherto know it full well to be true Therefore if ye also seek for Grace lo here I am and ready to
heaven and was brought before the antient of daies and had power to judge given to him It seem'd impossible to him that this Jesus of Nazareth should be that Son of man Therefore he doth so rave and rage and so earnestly press and call for sentence to be past upon him But see the malice and hypocrisie of this high Priest They had often heard Christ say that he was the Son of God and that he came down from heaven and they had as often strove and contended with him about it as is clear in John 10. and many other places But here this Caiaphas exclaims at it and tears his cloathes as if he had heard some new and strange thing from him And all this he doth in ostentation and to stir up others more eagerly against Christ This was done by the counsel of God that Caiaphas the high Priest of the Jews should rend his own cloathes at the Passion of Christ when all the enemies could not tear the coat of our Lord whereby was signified that the Jewish Priesthood should be torn in pieces for the wickedness of their high Priests as it is now too much to be feared that our Priesthood will be shattered and torn for the sins of our high Priests What Caiaphas did hypocritically do in renting his cloathes counterfeiting great sorrow That let us do really and unfeignedly to wit grieve heartily for the blasphemy against God and not only be troubled at it but use all means to withstand forbid But such means only as God hath appointed and punish it What great confusion are we in who daily hear blasphemings and yet are not a jot troubled at it nor seek to vindicate and withstand the wrong offered to the name of God whereas wicked Caiaphas trembles at that which he did but think was blasphemy Let us now hear the sentence of the Council against Jesus It is said They all condemned him saying he is guilty of death Who pronounced this sentence The Priests and Pharisees the Scribes and Elders the blindest of all men But why did they pass this sentence Because Christ answered well and proved the same before by signs and miracles and afterward with reall proof They were swift and made haste to shed blood Therefore they were called to the Council Caiaphas knew very well where and of whom to get votes enough He knew they would all vote as he would have them Therefore the Evangelist saith plainly that they all condemned Christ not one among so many learned wise and grave men opposing it There was none stood up for the innocent there was no patron for him there none made his appeal no man craved further time for him to make his defence so wholly were they made and addicted for Caiaphas They all agreed in evil who could never accord in good And how oft amongst us also is sentence given in favour of Princes Potentates and great men against the innocent Thus Christ who sought the glory of his Father in all things is said to blaspheme and he that was free from all sin is proclaimed worthy of death Who sees not what shame they here cast on Christ when they condemn him to death for a blasphemer and so impiously disgrace that most holy Name which Phil. 2. is above every name at which every knee shall bow and by which only we must be saved whereas there is no greater loss than of a mans name and good report nor is there any thing that can be outwardly inflicted will so grieve a wise man as disgrace and shame A good name is better then great riches Prov. 22.1 Here then is fulfilled what Christ in David foretold long ago The reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me Psalm 69 We were and are Blasphemers and by consequence guilty of death These reproaches were ours but Christ transferr'd them and took them on himself lest our consciences should be tormented with them for ever Beware therefore O Christian that thou dost never blaspheme Christ for that reproach redounds on God himself For he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father John 5. Wherefore Christ upbraideth the Jews saying Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanct fied and sent into the world Thou blasphemest because I said I am the Son of God John 10.36 Let us rather give thanks to him who was judged to death as a blasphemer for us It followeth And the men that held Jesus mocked him Buke 22.63 Mat. 26.67 and spit in his face and buffeted him and covered his face Mark 14.65 and smote him with the palms of their hands saying Prophesie unto us thou Christ who is he that smote thee And many other things blasphemously spake they against him Luke 22.65 They have condemned Christ to death for a blasphemer Now they mock him as a fool and handle him most shamefully and exercise all kind of devilish spite upon him When wicked men have extreamly defamed and impiously dealt with a man at last they jeer him so they first make a man a blasphemer and then use him like a fool And although nothing doth more scandalize and offend carnal men then the infirmity of Christ yet the Evangelists esteem it the greatest honour of Christ to record this injury offered to him For his goodness and mercy doth so much the more appear by how much the more he was abased and humbled for us And it is so much the sweeter to us by how much he was made more despicable for us For we may truly glory in his affliction And hence ariseth our greatest Consolation to see that he hath so abundantly expiated our pride and rebellion against God Therefore O my soul who art redeemed by the blood of Christ betake thy self into thy chamber and retire into the closet of thy heart and meditate on those great things which thy Lord endured for thee in that shadow of the night Consider the words of the Evangelists which though they be few yet they do fully express the huge affront and indignity offered to Christ The men saith he that held Jesus mocked him c. These were the servants of the High Priests and the Souldiers of the Romans which held Christ intangled in their snares To these he was now delivered to do with him as they listed after the Council had examined him And they to gratifie their masters who stood by loaded him with all the scorn and shame they could possibly devise and invent and exercised all the fury of their malice without any controll and no doubt but they received a special reward after from the High Priests for their great pains taken and their good service done in mocking Christ In expectation whereof these lewd servants and Souldiers did so much the more glory the more they could revile afflict and lash him So that they did cruelly and most miserably use the King of Glory all that live-long Night For 1. They did childishly fleer at him as they use
cast off both God and their Messias when they say We have no King but Caesar Justly therefore is it said of them The Princes of Israel have forsaken me and I have forsaken you But whilst Pilate sat on the Tribunal his wife sent to him straitly charging him that he should not pass any severe sentence against Christ affirming that she had suffered many things by reaof him O miracle saith Theophylact he that is judged doth terrifie the Judges wife What that womans vision was in her dream of Christ the Evangelifts do not express Nor can any man positively conclude it But certain it is that this Vision was not shewed to that woman without divine providence God knows how to pre-ordain and dispose all things better then all the wise men in the world can imagine Pilates wife was in some measure converted unto Christ and did labour all that possibly she could to withdraw her husband and hinder him from doing any hurt unto Christ Herein doubtless she is to be commended above all the Jews in that she durst acknowledge Christ by his proper Epithite and pronounce him a just man which was as much as to accuse all the Jews of a lie and unrighteousness This Vision was not shewed to the man but to the woman because happily he was not worthy of it nor would any have believed him because he had so laboured to set Christ at liberty Some there are who do attribute all these things to the Devil as he who now laboured might and main by this woman to hinder the Passion of our Lord which before he had endeavoured with all industry For now he perceived that it was himself and not Christ that would be ruined by that Passion which that he might the more speedily prevent and hinder he makes choise of a woman a very fit and familiar Instrument for him by which he might destory mankind But now he had out slipt his time and staid too long for he had already swallowed the hook Haman heretofore was strangled on that Gallows which he had provided for Mordecai Esth 7. so the devil was destroyed upon the Cross which he had prepared for Christ For upon the Cross it was that Christ spoiled Principalities and Powers c. Col. 2.15 Thus much concerning Pilates wife But all this while Pilate was nothing wrought upon he resolves to pass sentence for all this for his carnal prudence thought it more safe if he served the common good with the loss of ones mans life Sedition thought he is a grievous inconvenience and of great damage to the Common-wealth therefore he will please and satisfie the multitude A Typeof those who will do Justice so far as the world and the worlds friends will allow of it they will keep so long to the rule of Righteousness that they will be sure to lose nothing of their wealth and honour However Pilate was yet in a great straight He was willing to gratifie the Jews but on the other hand the sheding of innocent blood did stare fearfully in his face And therefore he doth call for water and wash his hands before them all by which he would signifie that he had no hand in shedding this innocent blood And this he did not after the custome of the Gentiles but of the Jews For David saith I will wash my hands in innocency Psalm 26. This Pilate would fain imitate and wash his hands he did but not his heart For the Lord had said before that he sinned in what he did though not so much as the Jews and Judas did I am clear saith he from the blood of this just person See ye to it I am but the Minister of the Law 't is your cry hath shed the blood and not I. But thou must not think to escape so O thou Judge who must also thy self be judged who dost not judge the cause of the poor and fatherless but art dastardly afraid of the clamours and threats of the base people and swervest from doing Equity and Right Knowest thou not what courage and constancy becomes a Judge that he should rather die a thousand deaths than not do Justice Therefore the wise man saith Seek not to be 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 Why dost thou suffer Liers to turn thee from the truth O thou double tongu'd Judge who with the same mouth dost three or four times excuse and by and by condemn most unjustly Thou dost condemn the innocent and yet dost pronounce him innocent Wretched man who did thus bewitch thee Who infected the purity of thy mind Why dost thou thus pervert Judgement Seest thou not what enmity thou causest to the Roman dignity hereby It is a slur to Ceasar a stain to thy Honour and Reputation thou rendrest thy self odious and insamous to all men finally thou dost give an ill example to other Judges to do as bad as thou dost Hast forgot what oath thou didst take Art not afraid of the wrath of thy Gods To what purpose are the Laws and the Power and Authority of Governours if it be lawfull to do thus All the Elements may justly rise up and arm themselves against thee inasmuch as thou dost what in thee lies to destroy their Maker What needest thou fling all the fault upon the Jews when thou thy self mightst have rescued him Thou knewst full well that for envy he was delivered and it was in thy hand by thine own confession to absolve or condemn him But he from whom thou hadst thy power will one day examine thy works and search out all thy thoughts because when thou wast an Officer of his Kingdom thou didst not judge justly nor keep the Law of Righteousness and didst not walk according to the Will of God But what do the Jews answer when they heard Pilate cast all the guilt of Christs blood upon them and lay the sin at their door They are not in the least startled but count it rather a trifle and make light of it Let not this say they trouble or binder thee Take thou no further care Be this Jesus just or unjust let him be good or bad all the guilt of his death be upon us We would have the business dispatched We would fain be guilty of his blood Do thou only give sentence His blood be on us and on our Children O wicked Parents by this one word they destroyed themselves and all their posterity A Generation of Vipers indeed Mat. 3. Therefore O ye naughty Jews be it unto you as you have said for in as much as ye have unanimously desired it let all the righteous blood that hath been shed from the beginning of the world rest upon you Mat. 23. Your hands are defiled with blood therefore ye pray in vain Isa 1. Your house shall be left desolate to you and yours Ye shall be Runagates and
the Word of God they could not destroy And whom may those souldiers who did crucifie Christ and yet strove might and main who should wear his cloaths whom I say do they more properly signifie than those wicked and ungodly high Priests who were more truly souldiers than high Priests For they neglected to search interpret expound and open the Scriptures they sleighted prayer and works of piety they cast off the cure and care of souls they give themselves to nothing but to raise and foment war to maintain their great vast estates and large possessions and most superfluous wealth they shed blood and make nothing to mingle all things and stain them with war and slaughter They divide Churches and Benefices among themselves which ought to be for the maintenance of those that preach the Word and they have not every man one but some two three yea ten Benifices apeice Now they cast lots that is they chop and change fell give to their Kindred and infinite other monstrous things they do to the subversion of Laws Justice Gospel and all honesty Christ looks on all the while and saith nothing but he will not always hold his peace These things saith he hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtst that I was altogether such a one as thy self but thou art much mistaken I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Psalm 50. Let every man therefore look to it how he doth dispose the goods of the Church the cloaths of Christ c. It follows Luke 23.35 Mar. 15.29 Mat. 27.40 And the people stood beholding And they that passed by reviled on him wagging their heads and saying Ah thou that destroyest the Temple of God and buildest it in three days save thy self If thou be the Son of God come down from the Cross Likewise also the chief Priests mocking him among themselves with the Scribes and Elders of the people said He saved others himself he cannot save If he be the King of Israel let him now come down from the Cross if he be the Christ the chosen of God let him save himself that we may see and believe him He trusted in God let him deliver him now if he will have him For he said I am the Son of God Hitherto you have had Charity and Patience to hear what punishment and pain the innocent and most meek Lamb hath suffered Now you hear that after and above all that was foretold he is here set upon and assaulted in his sufferings with revilings reproaches mockings evil speakings c. for when they could no longer buffet and spit upon him they invade and vex him with their taunting tongues The world will omit nothing that may add affliction to the Elect of God for they are not of the world therefore doth the world hate them Christ had many taunts jeers and scoffs cast on him in Caiaphas's house and yet there is no end of them Here first whilst he hangs on the Cross they raise and invent a new and that so devilish a scorn of him that a greater and more bitter one could hardly be imagined First Therefore observe here who it was that did this Secondly How and wherefore they did it 1. First I say they were the chief Priests that did this 2. The Scribes 3. The Elders 4. The Souldiers 5. The Thieves 6. All the people that went by the Cross And what Inhabitant was there in Jerusalem that did not do it the Elect only and Believers excepted Is it not a great fearfull and unspeakable misery that so many men both of high and low degree should so bitterly so inhumanely so venomously so odiously mock him who never did or said any thing in the least that was ridiculous or to be laughed at but did rather both do and say all things most praise worthy and deserving the highest commendations But thus and no otherwise doth the Power of darkness do 2. See now why and wherefore they do thus inhumanely deride Christ in his greatest extremity for this mocking doth comprehend all those things of which he was accused at first both before Caiaphas and before Pilate and Herod And they were four viz. 1. He is mocked and reviled for that which they had objected against him concerning the destruction and building again of the Temple which although in Truth he did never say as they alledged yet he must hear it for they tell him of it without any pitty and now too in his greatest distress when he was at the point of death But however O ye mad Jews as ye have most hatefully upbraided him so it must and was to be done and now it is accomplisht and was so long since In three days the Temple of his body was reared up again which ye destroyed and not he What pardon then can you expect or what admission can ye look for when ye shall see the Temple of God built again within three days in the resurrection of the body 2. He is flouted at for being the Son of God as if therefore he had not been the Son of God because he was crucified But that he is so was sufficiently proved both in himself and by many thousand men whom he cured either in body or soul or both 3. They laugh at him about his being a King and concerning the Kingdom of Israel But do what ye can this is he that was and is King of Israel nor have all your scoffs and taunts detracted or abated one jot of his royal Majesty and Dignity Yet God forbid that he should have come down from the Cross to shew that he was able to make it good This is that which the devil did long for and would have been glad to see and that which Christ could easily have done if he would but he would gratifie neither you nor that wicked and subtile serpent for by his descending from the Cross the whole salvation and redemption of man had been hindred But if thou wouldst O Jew be assured by some token only that he is the King of Israel indeed consider either his former Miracles with the agreement of the Scriptures and times or else look for him on the day of his Resurrection then thou shalt see something more thou shalt then see him spring and mount out of the grave like a Conqueror which certainly is much more than if he had now come down from the Cross 4. They jeer at him for saying that he was Christ and the true Messias which is most true that he was still is and ever will be And that which he did many ways prove to be true both in your own Country and in all the world besides so that never any did or ever shall do the like From this Christ it is that we are called Christians nor are we ashamed of the name And whereas ye say that he healed and saved others you do thereby plainly confess that he is the Saviour So that out of your own mouth
Have respect therefore to the sacrifice of thy Son that holy sacrifice which I the great high Priest offer unto thee that unspotted oblation which I present thee withall Consider the simplicity and ignorance of our Work-manship which was so miserably cheated and seduced by the craft and cunning of that old serpent and for thy infinite mercy sake restore it again graciously into thy favour and good Will reconciling it to thy self I will undertake to conquer death by my death to lay all Hell wast I will return to thee with rich spoils and glorious Triumph and unlook the Heavens with my blood Wherefore pardon them O Father for they know not what they do This was the first word of Christ this his prayer for us of which Paul saith Heb. 5. that he prayed with tears and strong cryings and was heard for the reverence which he shewed Here we see how truly it was said And he made intercession for the Transgressors Isa 53. that they might not perish To this prayer pertaineth what Paul saith I was a Blasphemer and a Persecutor but I obtained Mercy because I did it ignorantly 1 Tim. 1. This prayer hath so far prevailed that many thousands of those that persecuted Christ should be converted Acts 2. 3. Quest But you will say If Christ was heard why are not all his Persecutors saved Answ Mark it With desire did Christ desire the Cross to die for men but it was for such who by faith make themselves partakers of his prayer not for those that continue in their Unbelief And the Lord doth bestow faith at his pleasure Exod. 33. and as he will I will have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy Nor is God to be blamed if he make one Partaker of Christs prayer by faith and harden another through unbelief For whereas he bestoweth faith on some according to his pleasure it is of Grace not of debt And whereas he doth harden others it is the just and righteous Judgement of God and no more but what they that are hardened do deserve If God therefore hath set any at liberty let them be thankfull But Esâ— gilt hic nit zancken sonder danexen i. e. Let us not here raise a controversie but be thankfull Learn we then from this first word to confess and acknowledge our fins For we are the first true and principal Authors of Christs death and he doth mean and intend us all when he saith Forgive them c. For those souldiers were our souldiers even the Officers or Servants of our sins who imposed that upon him which our sins had deserved But who did then know or doth now think that our sins should crucifie the Son of God yet is it that which Paul plainly affirmeth speaking of some who crucifie Christ afresh and put him to an open shame Heb. 6. And this is that of which we are yet too ignorant how great he is that is offended and how grievous the sin committed is both as to the offence and also to the condemnation And because these things are hid from our eyes we do not indeed know what we do when we sin 1. First Then this word teacheth that we are the Crucifiers of Christ and such as know not God 2. Let us from this word strengthen our faith For if Christ did so fervently pray for them that crucified him how much rather doth he now intercede for those that call upon him and believe in him If he were so ready to forgive a sin committed against his own person he will much more readily forgive us We may therefore boldly now draw nigh unto God as having a Patron and an Advocate for us We may now avoid the wrath of God and dwell under the Protection of the God of Heaven under the shadow of the Almighty Psalm 91. For God is our Refuge and Strength Psalm 46. Hence is that of Paul We shall he saved from wrath through him Rom. 5.9 Again We have access through him unto the Father Eph. 2.18 And that of John But if we sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins 1 John 2. 3. From this word we may learn true Charity as well to serve the good of our Neighbours as Christ served us by his Passion as also to forgive those that are indebted to us Let them hear this word of Christ who when they are once exasperated do rage with such hardness of heart that they had rather pine themselves with perpetual Rancor than be reconciled to their Offenders whereas in the mean while they cease not to offend God with innumerable sins and yet dare to hope for Mercy But of this read Ecclesiasticus chap. 28. 4. Not of Devotion as some say By this word we see what great evils Ignorance doth carry with it and how much it is to be avoided For it is the mother of Errors the Mistriss of Scandals the Foster-brat of wickedness that which doth banish bashfulness fear awfulness and all the incitements of Vertue and hurleth those head-long that hold it into the deep and dirty ditches of Vice and wickedness and then strikes them dumb takes away their tongue and deprives them of all speech that they cannot call and cry out for help when it hath with held them from help it presenteth them to eternal darkness and death It is that which led the Jews into this extream wickedness to crucifie Christ the Son of God Of the second Word CHrist had scarce finished this first Word and loe it took effect and brought forth fruit presently that quick and quickning seed was as it were ripe in the sowers hand before it was seen to sprout up out of the earth that ground which without this seed was but stony and barren For one of the thieves which did hang on the right hand sucking in the first word of Christ with a greedy desire changed his barren land into a fruitfull field for immediately of a Murtherer he became a Martyr and was the first that of the last escaped forsaking all he followed the Lord even as he hung upon the Cross He brought and laid down all that he had his whole possession such as it was at the feet of crucified Jesus he himself also being crucified with him with his heart he believed unto Righteousness and making confession with his mouth he found salvation Wherefore he was accounted more worthy than all the rest to whom Christ spake his second word upon the Cross Of which word the Evangelists thus write And one of the Malefactors which were hanged railed on him Luke 23.39 saying If thou be Christ save thy self and us But the other answering rebuked him saying Dost not thou fear God seeing thou art in the same condemnation And we indeed justly for we receive the due Reward of our deeds but this man hath done nothing amiss And he said unto him Lord Remember me when thou comest into
to him He called his servants and gave them money to trade with Luke 19. No man ought to take this Honour to himself but he that is called of God as Aaron was Heb. 5. Let the Minister of the Church take heed and see that he be a John that is that he express the Grace of God not only in Word and Name but in deed and in Truth also Beside in this Recommendation of Christs Mother unto John Christ alluded to that Spiritual acquaintance and kindred which ought to be among Believers in the Church Nay he doth here institute and ordain this Kindred whereby every one should be a Father Mother Brother and Sister to another as Paul writeth to Timothy that he should respect the Elder men as Fathers and the Elder Women as Mothers the yonger as Sisters c. 1 Tim. 5. And as John after this recommendation of Christ could say that the Virgin Mary was his Mother so may we call her Mother inasmuch as she brought forth Christ our Brother And as John might call Peter Brother so also may we This is our Christian brotherhood and Spiritual Kindred which is our great consolation For hence we see that the Saints belong to us and we to them They acknowledge and love us let us also acknowledge and love them In conclusion it is said that John like a faithfull obedient Disciple and as one mindfull of his Masters command did take Mary from that very day for his own mother unto his own home Not that he had a setled place or any thing of his own for the Apostles left all they had Matth. 19. and what they had was common to all Act. 4. But that he took her into his own care and ministred unto her for time to come as a son to his mother He took her not to his Farm or Manour-House for he had none but to his charge which he took care to discharge by his own ministring to her so saith Augustine Of the fourth Word THree Words we have heard already which Christ uttered on the Cross the first to his Father the second to the Thief the third to his Mother and they were all very sweet and comfortable Words indeed The hour of death now approaching he expresseth the fourth Word and that with great gravity he speaks again to his Father but very moaningly and pittifully of which the Evangelists thus write And when the sixth hour was come Mar. 15.33 there was darkness over the whole land untill the ninth hour And at the ninth hour Jesus cryed with a loud voyce saying Eli Eli Lamasabachtani which is being interpreted my God my God why hast thou forsaken me And some of them that stood by when they heard it said Behold he calleth Elias There were now six hours of the day past and yet those wicked men were not satisfied with what Christ had then suffered Wherefore to reprove their ungodliness the Sun is darkened that visible Sun is much afflicted and obscured by reason of the injury done to the true Son of Righteousness and that contrary to the custom and course of Heaven forasmuch as about this time there was no Ecclipse of the Sun as Theophylact out of Jerom saith Here then the Divinity of Christ did a little discover it self and as it were threaten the Jews if they would nor cease from their wickedness But of this great Miracle of the Heaven or the Sun Dionysius the Areopagite writeth in an Epistle to Apollophanes confessing that he also with him saw that Eclipse in Heliopolis both which men were then Pagans And there he affirmeth that Apollophanes should say O good Dionysius Vicissitudines sunt divinarum rerum the course of Heaven is altered And Origen in his second Book against Celsus maketh mention of one Phlegon that wrote of the darkning of the Sun in the time of Tiberius Caesar But what is that to this Eclipse which Pliny writeth that after Caesar was slain the Sun was pale and wan a whole year about Away with all such comparisons even of the greatest Monarchs This is truly a sign that doth deserve to be written and read to be said and sung as long as the world lasteth This unusual darkness 1. Did prove Christs Divinity to whom all the Elements do homage and are ready to serve him at his pleasure 2. It shewed his Innocency for the Elements are disturbed at his death to make it known that Christ suffered innocently the Creatures give testimony to their Creator 3. The heavenly Father would make it appear by these signs that he took notice of the great evils and unworthy behaviour of men which yet he was pleased to turn to the salvation of them that should believe 4. This uncouth Darkness did portend and fore-shew that the Light of Truth was now departed from Judea and that all that denyed Christ should be left and shut up in perpetual darkness The Jews had often urged to Christ to shew them a sign from Heaven Lo here they have it but to their own undoing Now when this Darkness had continued for about three hours Christ began to to speak again yea to cry out with a loud voyce to prove the Truth of his Humanity and to shew the intensness and extremity of his pain against such Heresies as should after arise either denying the Lord to be a true man or that he did not truly suffer but only made a flourishing shew of suffering But his loud crying was a sufficient witness of his true and grievous sorrow and pain for although they were intolerable things which the Standers by did see yet Christ endured much more than what the outward eyes saw And to make it known he cryed out to fulfill that of Psalm 69. I am weary of crying my throat is dryed c. And well might he be hoarse for hoarsness proceedeth from a defect of humours in the throat and Arteries But his strength was dryed up like a Pot-sheard the humours of blood gushing out in all parts of his body But let us hear how and with what voyce he cryed out He saith Eli Eli Lama azabthani This word is taken out of Psalm 22. which Psalm in the Hebrew doth begin with those very words Christ therefore makes use of the beginning of that Psalm to shew that the whole Psalm was made to him and of him Where me may observe that Christ doth not complain of suffering but of Desertion and not of every kind of Desertion neither For they to whom he had done much good yea and his own Disciples too had deserted and left him in the midst of his enemies and persecutors And yet he doth not so much as think upon this Desertion but he doth cry out especially and complain that the Father had forsaken him which we must not so understand as if the Divinity had separated it self from the humanity of Christ but that it left that Humanity for a time to the power of his Persecutors and did not
up the ghost He bowed his head First as taking his leave of the world Secondly he would thereby comfort us by letting us know that he is not cross or froward towards us First it is very significantly expressed in that it is not said that he died but that he gave up the ghost for he had power to lay down his life John 10. Secondly he is said to give up the ghost to let us know that when our souls are loosed from the flesh they should be commended to the Divine Goodness as into the hands of a most dear Father Thus innocent Abel is slain by his brother Thus is Isaac offered Gen. 4. 22. Thus Joseph escapes naked to his fathers protection being spoiled of his garment of flesh by the Adulteress Synagogue Thus our High-Priest hath finished his evening Sacrifice Thus the Life of the world died the Fountain of true Light was ecclipsed thus the Spring of all Life in whom all things live waxed dry that he might deliver them that were subject to death Thus that celestial Wedlock between the holiest soul and the purest flesh was dissolved and divorced by the sword of Death that we who were condemned might be recovered to the indissoluble Union of his Beatitude Thus the Organ of Divinity the Harp of the true David the most melodious Voyce of Jesus sunk into the silence of cruel Death Thus those Heavenly Lights of his most gracious Eyes were darkened by Death Thus that most sacred Breast of Eternal Wisdom and the Store-House of the Treasures of Grace is deprived of his life Thus he Redeemed us from our sins with so great a price a greater then which is not to be found among all the creatures in the world thus did he satisfie the Father for our disobedience with such obedience as was even unto death O how great was that grief when that most holy Soul which was Wedded and United to that most holy Body with an indissoluble bond of Love must be separated now and torn asunder by a violent death and that most holy Life die Never was there death more bitter because never was there man so sensibly sensible of it 1. Wo be to thee therefore O thou ungodly Synagogue who art more fierce and cruel then any wild beast thou hast devoured the life of Jesus who out of the Paternal Piety was sent unto thee to be thy Father and thy Husband 2. O how grievous will thy Accusation be for rending and tearing the body of Christ And wo be to thee thou ingratefull heart thou hard heart harder then any stone who dost not break and melt at the remembrance of so great a Sacrifice for the expiating thy hainous sins how strictly will that innocent blood be required at thy hands Here then O man O generation of Adam here knock thy bosom and beat thy breast consider well and think of this death The chiefest and choisest good doth here hang upon the Cross Here the Eternal Wisdom offereth it self to be seen naked Here the tree carried the Treasure and Price of the whole world O sinners here dieth the Son of God I say here the Son of the most High the King of Heaven and Lord of Earth dieth Nay he dies on the Cross like a Malefactor in the midst of Thieves in greatest misery and anguish and shame It was we O ye sons of men that brought this just One to this unjust and unworthy suffering Our sins were the cause of this his great Passion Here the word of the Sacrament is made good This is my body which is given for you This is my blood which is shed for you for the remission of sins Here now we understand what Christ meant by these sacred and holy words because all things are here seen with the eyes Here that Article of our most holy Faith hath its Foundation He suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried Think on this O man imprint these things in thy heart that thy very inward parts may be made sensible how that we men we sinners were guilty of this death We should have hung on the cross and died yea and have been eternally scorcht in Hell but that our most holy Lord stept in and said I will hang on the cross and die for all men Take me and smite me the Shepheard but let the sheep go free I will pay what I own not I will undertake other mens debt I will even all accounts I will make peace and bring all things to a good end and issue Think seriously on these things Believers Be pleased to accept this Ministry of Christ and highly prize it For this his death is your life For us thus to die is to live and escape death This weakness is our strength and fortitude These wounds and scars are our health and soundness This malediction is our benediction this cursing is our blessing This shame is our glory This cross is our celestial Court and Palace These Nayles are our Salvation Lift up your hearts O ye Faithfull lift up your hearts in consideration of these wonderfull things There was War between Christ and the Devil the field was pitched the battel set and Christ got the Victory Let us therefore give him thanks who was pleased through his infinite love with such hazard and hardship to Redeem us 1. In this expiation of Christ first we see that verified which he said before in John 10 I have power to lay down my life 2 Here we see that the works of God are against reason For who ever hearing that Christ was the son of God and seeing such great Miracles which he had done before could at all believe that God should so far wink at wicked men as to let them kill so great and so worthy a man Again who would believe that the true had then its beginning seeing him die so shamefull a death But this is the ancient and usual custom of God to promote and carry on his works by strange unlikely and contrary means It was indeed the pleasure of God to cause great and mighty boughs and limms to grow on this tree of Christ He intended to build up and quicken the Church This he did by a work disagreeable and repugnant to life and nothing of kin to it to wit the death of Christ by which he quickened and made the Church alive Hence is that of John 12. Except a grain of wheat die it bringeth forth no fruit but if it die it beareth much fruit The Edifice or building of the Church did not then indeed appear while Christ yet hanged on the cross for here you see nothing but his death and burial as at Seed-time there is no shew of Harvest But as in Summer the seed that was sown doth spring up so after the Resurrection the living Church sprouted out of the dead and dry body of Christ 3. From this Expiation of Christ we are diligently to confider what punishments we shall endure if we