their sins behind his back he will no more condemn them for their sins then if they were quite removed out of his sight and he had no knowledge of them 5. When sins are remitted they are said to be cast into the bottome of the sea Thou O Lord wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea Mic. 7. 19. This shewes more emphatically how when God forgives sins they are done as it were quite out of his sight that which is cast into the depths of the sea is not like to be found again nor to be seen any more In those dayes and in that time saith the Lord the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none and the sins of Judah and they shall not be found for I will pardon them whom I reserve Jer. 50. 20. 6. Sins in this case are said to be forgotten and never more to be remembred I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more saith God Jer. 31. 34. God wil no more take vengeance on his people for their sins then if he had quite forgotten them and had no remembrance at all of them All his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him Ezek 18. 22. Ob. Some may object that after David had truly repented of his sin and also had the pardon of it declared unto him by the Prophet he was punished for it 2 Sam. 12 13 14. Answ I answer the Papists abuse this and the like examples inferring from them that God remitting the fault yet doth not remit the punishment but that still vve must one vvay or other either here or hereafter make satisfaction unto God for sin committed against him But as the Antinomians erre in denying castigatory punishment to be inflicted upon Gods children so doe the Papists erre in affirming satisfactory punishment to be inflicted on them God afflicts sometimes them whom he pardons not as exacting satisfaction of them for how then are they pardoned but as chastening them that they may the better learn to beware of sin afterwards and that others seeing them to smart for it may beware of it When we are judged we are chastned of the Lord It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we should not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11. 32. So that God doth execute judgement he doth inflict punishment upon his children yet it is but a chastening of them for their good not that he doth take vengeance on them or exact satisfaction of them Vse 2. Secondly seeing this great benefit belongs unto the people of God let us take heed least we come short let us make sure that we may be partakers of it To stir us up hereunto let us consider 1. How much the purchasing and procuring of this benefit hath cost even no lesse then the bloud of the Lord Jesus This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins said Christ when instituting the Sacrament of his Supper he gave the Cup unto his Disciples Mat. 26. 28. How shall we escape if we neglect so great saluation Heb. 2. 3. If we make light of that which did cost Christ so dear 2. What account the Saints have made of this benefit The Prophet Mica admiring the goodness of God in this respect cries out Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy Mic. 7. 18. How earnestly did David sue unto God for it Have mercy upon me O Lord according to thy loving kindnesse according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sinne Psalme 51. 1 2. And v. 9. Hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out mine iniquities And Verse 14. Deliver me from blood-guiltinesse O God thou God of my salvation and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousnesse And how exceedingly did he rejoyce when he was assured of this benefit Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy Name Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits Who forgiveth all thine iniquities and healeth all thy diseases who redeemeth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with loving kindnesse and tender mercies Psalme 103. 1 2 3 4. 3. That forgivenesse of sins is such a benefit such a blessing as even blessednesse it selfe the greatest blessednesse that we are capable of here in this life doth consist in it Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven and whose sin is covered Blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity Psal 32. 1 2. Sin being forgiven nothing can doe us hurt all affliction will be light and easie death it selfe will be advantage to us see Rom. 8. 33 34 35 36 37. This is it that makes affliction grievous and hard to be indured then usually a mans conscience will flie in his face and set his sins before him Thus it is sometimes even with the godly themselves Thou writest bitter things against me said Job unto God and makest me to possesse the sins of my youth Job 13. 26. Mine iniquities said David are gone over my head and are as a heavy burthen too heavy for me to bear Psal 38. 4. Woe unto us that we have sinned said the people of God Lam. 5. 16. And they adde v. 17. For this our heart is faint for these things our eyes are dim O what a happinesse then is it in time of affliction to have sins forgiven and to be assured of the forgivenesse of them So also when death approacheth For the guilt of sin lying upon the conscience will make death terrible it will cause us to say unto it as Ahab said to Eliah Hast thou found me O mine enemy Whereas if we be assured of interest in Christ and of forgivenesse of sinnes thorough him we may say with old Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Luke 2. 29 30. This blessednesse here to have our sinnes forgiven doth make way immediately for the blessednesse of the life to come for that inheritance of the Saints in light as the Apostle calls it Colos 1. 12. Forgivenesse of sinnes and an inheritance among them that are sanctified are immediately joyned together Acts 26. 18. Therefore as we desire the inchoation of happinesse here and the consummation of happinesse hereafter as wee would live comfortably die chearfully and after death injoy immortality and glory let us make sure of this benefit the forgivenesse of our sins and then nothing can debar us from all blisse all happinesse The four and thirtieth SERMON HEB. 6. 2. And of the Resurrection of the dead THe Author of this Epistle speaking of the principles of the doctrine of Christ
nature is not of God 1 Thes 4. 3. This particle as is not alwaies a meer note of similitude but sometimes is used to set forth the truth of a thing as Joh. 1. 14. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of God c. That as the glory c. imports that the glory of Christ which S. John speaks of was indeed the very glory of the only begotten Son of God So Philem. v. 9. being such a one as Paul the aged saies Paul of himself it is therefore as much as if he had said being Paul the aged So likewise Mat. 14. 5. They counted him as a Prophet it is spoken concerning John Baptist and the meaning is they counted him indeed a Prophet as his Father Zacharias prophecied of him when he was newly born saying And thou child shalt be called the Prophet of the highest c. Luk. 1. 76. So here it being said that Christ was found in fashion as a man the meaning is that he was very man indeed like other men sin only excepted Heb. 4. 15. The scope of the Apostle is to shew how low Christ did humble himselfe 1. Unto death 2. Such a kind of death even the death of the Crosse First therefore observe from hence That Christ Doct. was obedient unto death where three things are to be shewed viz. 1. That Christ did suffer death And 2. That it was the will of God that Christ should suffer death And 3. That Christ in obedience to the will of God did suffer death 1. Christ did suffer death So all the Evangelists record and so S. Paul preached 1 Cor. 15. 3. So the Prophets fore-shewed Saying none other things then those which the Prophers and Moses did say should come that Christ should suffer viz. death as appears by the words following and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead Acts 26. 22 23. Daniel fore-told Christs death saying After threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off Dan. 9. 26. So Isaiah prophecied of him saying He was cut off out of the Land of the living Esa 53. 8. And v. 12. He hath powred out his soul unto death Christs death also was prefigured in the Law which was given by the Ministery of Moses all the sacrifices were figures of Christs death therefore he is called the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world Joh. 1. 29. All the Lambs and so other beasts that were sacrificed in the time of the Law did typifie and prefigure Christ who as a Lamb was to be slaine and sacrificed for us The Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes shews Christ in this among other things to have differed from the Priests that vvere in the Law that whereas they offered often Christ offered but once and that because he offered himself his offering was his suffering so that if he should have offered often he must also have died often whereas men use to die but once and so was Christ to die but not oft'ner See Heb. 9. 25 26 27 28. Ob. But it may be objected that some places of the Old Testament speaking of Christ seem to import that he should not die Thou art a Priest for ever c. Psal 110. 4. His dominion is an everlasting dominion c. Dan. 7. 14. Ans Indeed some from those and the like places did inferre that Christ should not die For when they heard Christ speak of his death they objected against it saying We have heard out of the Law that Christ abideth for ever Joh. 12. 34. As if because he should abide for ever as was signified in the * The Law is sometimes put for any part of the Old Testament as Joh. 15. 25. and 1 Cor. 14. 21. Law that is in the writings of the Old Testament therfore he should not die but they erred not rightly understanding the Scriptures which speak of Christs abiding for ever For the meaning of them is not that Christ should not die but that although he did die yet he should soon rise again and so abide for ever Christ being risen from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him Rom. 6. 9. 2. It was the will of God that Christ should suffer death There is nothing whatsoever comes to passe but by the will of God Who hath said Nihil fit nisi omnipotens fieri velit vel ipse faciendo vel permittendo ut fiat ab aliis Aug. and it cometh to passe and the Lord commandeth it not Lam. 3. 37. otherwise then by the will and pleasure of God not so much as a sparrow doth fall to the ground Mat. 10. 29. much lesse could so great a thing as Christs death have been had it not been the will and pleasure of God that it should be Pilate condemned Christ to die and others did execute the sentence which Pilate had pronounced but neither Pilate nor others did any thing to Christ but as God had before determined to be done Acts 4. 27 28. 3. It being the will of God that Christ should suffer death Christ in obedience to the will of God did suffer it This Commandement have I received of my Father said Christ Joh. 10. 18. viz. that he should lay down his life and therefore he would and did lay it down And Joh. 18. 11. The cup which my Father hath given me to drinke shall I not drink it As if he should say Shall I not suffer death seeing he will have me suffer it True it is Christ considering death in it self would have avoided it but considering it as that which his Father would have him to suffer so he was willing to suffer it Mat. 26. 39 42. Q. But why would God have Christ to suffer death A. 1. For the satisfying of his Justice God had determined declared death to be the punishment that should be inflicted for sin Gen. 2. 17. 3. 19. Rō 6. 33. Christ was to satisfie for sin and therefore he was to suffer death His soul was made an offering for sin Esa 53. 10. Without shedding of blood is no remission Heb. 9. 22. And v. 26. He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Thus Christ died for our sins 1 Cor. 15. 3. 2. God would have Christ to suffer death for the magnifying of his mercy God commendeth his love towards us sets it out in this that whiles we were yet sinners Christ died for us Ro. 5. 8. By Christs death first we are reconciled unto God When we were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son Rom. 5. 10. In whom we have redemption thorough his blood even the forgiveness of our sins Col. 1. 14. And v. 21 22. And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind thorough wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death 2. VVe
dissemble that the adversaries of the Doctrine concerning the Trinity do except against this place as not written by S. John nor any part of the Scripture and they have some colour for this exception For it is confessed that in some Greek copies these words are not extant nor in the Syriack Translation which is ancient and of good account as likewise that Chrysostome and some other ancient writers in their Commentaries upon the Epistle make no mention of these words which argues that they did not find them in those books which they perused But to this I answer 1. That this Text for the matter contained in it fully agrees with other places of Scripture so that although this Text were not yet the truth which it containeth may otherwise sufficiently be proved 2. Those words in the Verse following in earth shew that these words in the seventh Verse are genuine and not to be omitted for those words in that Verse in earth answer to these in this Verse in heaven 3. Most of the Greek copies have this Text in them and so hath the vulgar Latine Translation Hierome also as ancient as Chrysostome reads it as part of the Epistle and so doth Cyprian Cyprian de vint Eccles one more ancient then them both neither doth it appear that these words were ever questioned untill after such time as the Arrian Heresie impugning the Divinity of Christ was growne up so that it is most probable that as Hierome and others conceive these words were scraped out by the Arrians as making sore against them and so came to be wanting in some copies and to be omitted by some Commentators The Heresie of the Arrians for a while prevailed Ingemuit orbis se miratus est factum esse Arrianum Hieron much and bore great sway in the world especially in the Eastern parts of it And it hath been the wicked policy and practice of Heretikes to expunge such places of Scripture as were most pregnant against them which they might do in some copies though not in all Tertullian chargeth Marcion an Arch-heretike with this crime and thereupon calls him the Mouse of Pontus the Countrey of which Marcion was because like a Mouse he gnawed the Scriptures and cut away some part of them so farre as he was able Gods prooidence and goodnesse towards his Church is to be admired in preserving the Scripture notwithstanding all the machinations and devices of heretiques and other professed adversaries to abolish it And thus much for the vindication of the Text. I will not stand about the coherence of the words but something must be said for the explication of them There are three viz. three Persons which are presently after expressed that beare witnesse in heaven viz. to the truth spoken of v. 6. namely that Christ came both by water and blood both to sanctifie and to justifie and to be a perfect Saviour of his people from their sins by taking away both the staine and the guilt of them The Father the first person of the Trinity so called in reference to the second Person commonly called the Son The Word that is the Son the second Person of the Trinity for that is here meant by the Word Thus also the second Person is termed Joh. 1. 1. 14. and Revel 19. 13. For there by the Word of God is not meant the Word of God either written or spoken but the substantiall Word Christ the Son of God the second Person of the sacred Trinity as is evident there by the context why the second Person is called the Word is not so clear by the Scripture divers reasons are alledged and some such as seem over-Philosophicall and too remote from the simplicity of the Scriptures That which seems to have most ground in the Scripture is this that the second Person the Son taking upon him the nature of man became the Interpreter of the Father and as his Word making knowne his will unto men No man hath seen God at any time the onely begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Joh. 1. 18. These words follow but a little after those wherein this only begotten Son is called the Word so Heb. 1. 2. It 's said that in these last times God hath spoken unto us by his Son In this respect may the Son be called the Word or because he is the Word or * In the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word is also put for thing and so in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 20. 3 Acts 8. 21 5. 6. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk ◠thing so much spoken of by the Prophets To him give all the Prophets witnesse Act. 10. 43. Howsoever this is clear and this may suffice that by the Word both in the Text and elsewhere in the Scripture the Son is meant And the Holy Ghost The third Person of the Trinity called the Spirit the holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost God as God is a Spirit Joh. 4. 24. and so is holy and therefore this appellation of Spirit and holy Spirit or Holy Ghost belongs also to the Father and to the Son yet it is more peculiarly attributed and in a manner appropriated to the third Person why it is so I will not now stand to inquire And these three are one Some most Orthodox expound it thus agree in one as it is expressed of those other three that beare witnesse in earth v. 8. And this is true yet the phrase used here differing from that which is used v. 8. I see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 8. not that they are to be taken as equivalent and importing both one and the same thing some one or two copies indeed are said here to have the same phrase as v. 8. but generally it is otherwise Unum sunt not in unum and so Cyprian read it are one not agree in one and he was before the time of Arrius by whom or by some of whose sect probably this place was either razed out or corrupted This therefore is the meaning of the words and so much the phrase imports that these are essentially and substantially one that they are one essence and one substance one God This Exposition is agreeable to other places of Scripture to the words themselves and is generally imbraced From the words thus explicated there ariseth Doct. this Doctrine That the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are three distinct Persons yet but one and the same God First they are three dictinct Persons differing each from other so that the Father is not the Son nor the Holy Ghost neither is the Son the Holy Ghost they are clearly distinguished Mat. 3. 16 17. And Jesus when he was baptized went up straitway out of the water and loe the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him And loe a voyce from heaven
said Blessed be the Lord God of Israle who hath visited and redeemed his people And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David where observe that Christ is described still more particularly as being not only the seed of Abraham but of David and so called the son of David Mat. 1. 1. immediately he addes As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the world began Luk. 1. 68 69 70. So Stephen speaking to the Jewes Which of the Prophets said he have not your Fathers persecuted And they have slaine them which have shewed before of the coming of the just One of whom now ye have been the betrayers and murtherers Acts 7. 52. Peter also in his Sermon to Cornelius and the rest that were with him speaking of Christ saith To him give all the Prophets witnesse that thorow his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sinnes Acts 10. 43. And as Moses and the Prophets did in words testifie that Christ is the only Saviour so from the time of Moses untill the coming of Christ there were many types and figures whereby this was signified Some of these types and figures were extraordinary and transient some were ordinary and permanent Of the former sort was the brazen Serpent which by Gods appointment Moses made and set upon a pole that the people being stung with fiery Serpents looking upon it might be healed as we read in Numb 21. * This was a figure of Christ lift up on the Crosse on whom whosoever being stung by that old Seâ—pent the Devil looketh with the eye of faith he shall be healed Our Saviour himself shewes this to have prefigured him and the benefit that cometh by him As Moses saith he lift up the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the Son of Man be lift up that whosoever believeth in him might not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 14 15. So the cloud which went before the Israelites in the wildernesse when they journeyed and was a guide unto them and when they rested abode over their heads and kept off the scorching heat of the Sun from them this cloud I say of which see Exod. 13. 21 22. was likewise a type of Christ by whom alone we are protected from the fire of Gods wrath and are directed to the heavenly Canaan The Apostle saith that the Israelites were baptized unto Moses in the cloud It was a kind of Baptisme unto them it was to them as baptisme is to us a Sacramentall sign pointing at Christ and shadowing forth salvation by him and him only And so also the Sea as the Apostle sheweth in the same place viz. 1 Cor. 10. 2. the Sea thorough which the Israelites passed when Pharoah and the Egyptians pursued them and were ready to destroy them wherein also their adversaries were drowned as the story is recorded in Exod. 14. Of this nature also was Manna wherewith God did feed the Israelites Exod. 16. The Apostle calls it Spirituall meat 1 Cor. 10. 3. because it had a spirituall signification it signified Christ and the body of Christ even as now the bread in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper doth that true bread which doth feed the soul unto eternall life as Christ sheweth at large in Joh. 6. So also was the rock out of which God gave drink to the Israelites in the wildernesse Exod. 17. That Rock was Christ saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 4. That is it did represent and signifie Christ like as Christ called the bread in the Sacrament his body and the wine his blood which blood of his was also represented and signified by that water out of the Rock which therefore the Apostle there calls Spirituall drink in respect of the spirituall signification of it These types and figures of Christ I call extraordinary and transient because they were only appointed upon occasion and to continue but for a short time But there were other types and figures of him which were of a more solemn institution and of a more durable nature which therefore I call ordinary and permanent Of this kind was the Passeover or the Paschall Lamb the blood whereof being sprinkled on the doors of the Israelites they were preserved when the first-born of the Egyptians were destroyed Exod. 12. That Lamb was a figure of Christ the Lamb of God Joh. 1. 29. by whose blood we are saved whenas all that are not sprinkled with it shall be destroyed what is spoken of that Lamb Exod. 12. 46. is applied unto Christ and alledged as meant principally of him Joh. 19. 36. So all the sacrifices and other rites and ceremonies of the Law had reference unto Christ and did typifie him as the only Redeemer and Saviour Which are a shadow of things to come saith the Apostle speaking of some of them but the body is of Christ Col. 2. 17. The Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ Joh. 1. 17. Grace in opposition to the Morall Law and truth in opposition to the ceremoniall Law which was but a shadow of those things the truth whereof is in Christ For the Law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the things c. Heb. 10. 1. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin v. 4. No it 's only the blood of Christ which was typified by the blood of those creatures that can do it See there what follows in the same Chapter And indeed the scope of the whole Epistle is to shew that the ceremoniall Law did but shadow out Christ and therefore is now abolished Christ being come and having accomplished that which it shadowed Thus in the Scriptures of the Old Testament is Christ set forth as he in whom alone salvation is to be found But much more clearly and fully is this revealed in the Scriptures of the New Testament We use great plainnesse of speech And not as Moses that put a vail over his face c. saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 3. 12 13. The Text in hand doth plainly tell us that there is not salvation in any other c. So Mat. 1. 21. it 's said that therefore he is called Jesus because he doth save his people from their sins And S. John saith God hath given unto us eternall life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life but he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 Joh. 5. 11 12. Every where in the New Testament such sentences and sayings are obvious But for the fuller manifestation of the truth of this Doctrine let us further consider that all the links of the golden chain of salvation viz. Election Redemption Adoption Justification Sanctification and Glorification all have reference unto Christ and dependance upon him 1. Election God hath elected such as shall be saved God hath chosen you unto salvation 2 Thes 2.
force of them not easie to be expressed to the full the one imports a vehement astonishing fear and the other such grief and heavinesse as makes one to be alone and to avoid all company it follows there in the next verse that he said My soul is exceeding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorrowfull unto death He was invironed compassed round about with sorrow so that there was no way to turn but still sorrow was in the way so much the Greek word there used doth import In the cold night lying on the cold ground he did sweat and that in a most strange manner his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground when he was upon the Crosse he cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me All this shews what a wonderfull suffering he had in his soul which how great it was only he knows that felt it Let none marvell that Christ should be in such perplexity of spirit whereas usually the Martyrs did shew no such consternation and amazement in their sufferings but did indure them with much patience yea with much alacrity and chearfulnesse with much joy and gladnesse let none I say marvell at this for the Martyrs were filled with inward joy and comfort which did much mitigate if not quite extinguish the sense of their outward sufferings but it was otherwise with Christ although the divine nature were personally united to the humane nature yet it did for a while suspend and withhold the influence of consolation If Job being but tried of God did yet so complain saying O that my grief were throughly weighed and my calamity laid in the balances together for now it would be heavier then the sand of the Sea Job 6. 2 3. And if David being chastned of God did yet so cry out saying O Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure for thine arrows stick fast in me and thine hand presseth me sore there is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger nor any rest in my bones because of my sin Psal 38. 1 2 3. How great needs must be Christs sorrow and the suffering of his soul when it pleased the Lord to bruise him Isai 53. 10. and to lay upon him the iniquities of us all Isai 53. 6. Certainly if Christ had been a meer man he had sunk under the burthen and had never been able to bear it he could never have gâ—ne thorough such sorrows and sufferings as he did For the efficient causes of Christs sufferings the inferiour and subordinate were Satan and wicked men The Prince of this world cometh Joh. 14. 30. The devil put it into the heart of Judas to betray him Joh. 13 2. The Kings of the earth stood up and the Rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of the Iews were gathered togethor Acts 4. 26. 27. The superiour causes were God and Christ himself All those that were gathered together against Christ did but what God had before determined to be done Act. 4. 28. When Pilate vaunted that he had power to crucifie Christ and power to let him go Thou couldest have no power over me said Christ again unto him except it were given thee from above Therefore Joh. 7. 30. 8. 20. we read in divers places that though the adversaries of Christ indeavoured to lay hands on him yet they could not they had no power to do it because his houre was not yet come viz. the houre or time wherein God had appointed him to suffer and so accordingly he was willing to suffer for he did not suffer any thing but as himselfe pleased Therefore saith he doth my Father love me because I lay down my life that I may take it up again No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my selfe I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again this Commandement I have received of my Father Joh. 10. 17 18. When they came to apprehend Christ as they did so little were they able to do any thing unto him against his will that no sooner did he tell them that he was the man whom they did seek but they went back and fell to the ground Joh. 18. 6. Besides as the story there sheweth he knowing before hand vvhat things were to befall him vvent forth to meet them and to expose himself unto them True it is he prayed and that again and again that the Cup might Mat. 26. passe from him that he might not suffer as he did but it was still upon supposition if it might stand with the will of his Father and with submission unto his vvill considering the things vvhich he suffered in themselves so he vvould not have suffered them for it is naturall for every thing to desire the preservation of it self and Christ took upon him our nature though not the sinfulnesse of our nature He was tempted like unto us in all things yet without sin Heb. 4. 15. But considering the things which he suffered as ordained of God for him to suffer so he was willing to suffer them Neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt Mat. 26. 39. And v. 41. thy will be done And Joh. 18. 11. The cup which my Father hath given me to drink shall I not drink it As for the finall causes of Christs sufferings they were Gods Glory and mans Redemption 1. Gods Glory Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this houre but therefore came I to this houre Father glorifie thy name Joh. 12. 27. 28. 2. Mans Redemption He suffered to redeem man from sin He was wounded for our iniquities he was bruised for our transgressions c. Isai 53. 4 5 6. He himself bare our sins on his body on the tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. And so to redeem man from misery Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal 3. 13. Vse 1. The consideration of Christs sufferings may serve for our consolation 1. Are we burthened with sin do we groane under the heavy weight of it Let 's consider what Christ hath suffered and why he hath suffered His soul was made an offering for sin Isai 53. 11. Not for any sin of his own for he had none but for our sin as was before shewed our sin hath he satisfied for by his suffering For what can be the sins of the sons of men for which the sufferings of the Son of God are not a sufficient satisfaction Therefore in all affliction and distresse of conscience le ts flie unto Christ le ts roll our selves on him and cleave to him and we are safe The blood of Christ is that fountain set open for the washing away of sin and uncleannesse Zach. 13. 1. Believe in the
Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Act. 16. 31. 2. Are there any outward troubles and pressures upon us Let us consider what Christ hath suffered and how by his suffering he hath reconâ—ised us to God and purchased eternall Redemption for us and therefore we need not fear though the earth be removed and though the hills be carried into the midst of the sea though the waters thereof roar and be troubled though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof Psal 46. 2. 3. He that spared not his own sor but gave him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Rom. 8. 32. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation distresse or persecution or famin or nakednesse or perill or sword As it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long counted as sheep for the slâ—ughter Nay in all these things we are more then Conquerours thorough him that loved us For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord Rom. 8. 35 36 37 38 39. Vse 2. Here also is instruction for us not to rely on our own but on Christs sufferings We must turn unto God as with all our heart so with fasting and with weeping and with mourning Joel 2. 12. We must so lay to heart our sins as to be afflicted and mourn and weep our laughter must be turned into mourning and our joy into heavinesse Jam. 4. 9. We must take a holy revenge on our selves for our sinners 2. Cor. 7. 11. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 31. Because we neglect to judge our selves therefore God doth judge us and lay his afflicting hand upon us to bring us to a sight and sense of our sins that we may repent of them and so not perish in them When we are judged we are chastned of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11. 32. The Antinomians are much wide wrong who wil not have God to afflict his children at all for sin yet the Apostle saith we are chastned of the Lord and chastning presupposeth a fault for which one is chastned And so the Apostle expressely For this cause many among you are weak c. 1 Cor. 11. 30. viz. for their sin in receiving the Lords Supper so unworthily as they did Yet the punishment that God doth inflict upon his children is but castigatory not satisfactory as the Papists would perswade us who hold that men may and must satisfie the justice of God by their own sufferings which they must either voluntarily or els perforce endure only Christ is the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 2. 2 Only the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sins 1 Jo. 1. 7. Only Christs suffering is our satisfaction Vse 3. Again by Christs sufferings we may see the evill and odious nature of sin how exceedingly God doth hate and abhor it in that his justice would not be satisfied but by such sorrows and such sufferings of his own son O let not us love that which God doth so hate Ye that love the Lord hate evill Psal 97. 10. Sin is evill in the sight of God let it be so in ours also he hates sin and therefore let us also hate it let us not make light of that which Christ found so heavy let us remember what he said as he went to the Crosse If they do these things in a green tree what shall be done in the dry Luk. 22. 31. If Christ who himself had no sin did so suffer for sin what shal become of those who are ful of nothing but sin wil still go on to fill themselves more more with it O let us look on him whom we have pierced and let us mourn for him that is for our sins by which we have pierced him as one mourneth for his only son be in bitternesse for him as one is in bitternesse for his first born Zach. 12. 10. Vse 3. Finally here we may see the wonderfull love of God and of Christ towards us that rather then we should receive the just recompence and reward of our sins God would give his own Son and Christ would give himself to suffer for us God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 16. In this was manifested the love of God towards us c. Joh. 4. 9. Who loved me and gave himselfe for me Gal. 2. 20. Amat non immeritò qui amatus sine merito Great cause have we to love God and to love Christ who so loved us when there was no cause to love us but to hate and abhor us God commendeth his love towards us in that whiles we were yet sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5. 8. Herein is love not that we loved him but that he loved us and sent his son into the world for us 1 Joh. 4. 10. He adds v. 19. We love him because he loved us first It behoves us to do so but so as to testifie our love by our obedience This is the love of God that we keep his Commandements 1 Joh. 5. 3. If ye love me keep my Commandements Joh. 14. 15. And as such was the love of God and of Christ towards us so we accordingly ought to love one another If God so loved us we ought also to love one another 1 Joh. 4. 11. Walk in love as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us c. Ephes 5. 2. A new Commandement give I unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you that you also love one another By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye have love one to another Joh. 13. 34 35. THE FOURTEENTH SERMON PHIL. 2. 8. And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse THe Apostle exhorting unto unity and concord v. 1 2. as a means conducing thereunto he exhorts unto humility and lowlinesse of mind v. 3. 4. And to incite unto this he propounds the example of Christ whom Christians ought to imitate v. 5. c. Having shewed how Christ humbled himself in being made man he shewes how he humbled himself when he was made man viz. so as to be obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Being found in fashion as a man This doth not import that Christ only had the shape and form of a man but was not man indeed as some Heretikes have maintained Every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is true man having true humane
that my mouth shall not transgresse Psal 17. 3. 2. A care to avoid the occasions of sin Depart from me ye wicked for I will keep the Commandements of my God Psal 119. 115. 3. A diligent use of the means whereby to subdue sin Thy Word have I hid within my heart that I might not sin against thee Psal 119. 11. Vse 3. As Christ was obedient unto death so we must learne by his example to be obedient also as well in suffering as in doing and that in suffering death it self if God call unto it You have not yet resisted unto blood Heb. 12. 4. As if he should say in obedience unto God you must resist striving as there it followes against sin even unto blood the shedding of your blood if need be so did Christ who is there propounded as a pattern for our imitation Looking unto Jesus c. v. 2. Consider him v. 3. Not that we are to expose our selves to danger when we may avoid it by good and honest means without dishonour to God and his truth When they persecute you in one City flee into another so did Christ counsell his Disciples Mat. 10. 23. And Christ himself did so when some being offended at his Doctrine would have throne him down from the brow of the hill on which the City was built he conveyed himselfe away from them and escaped their hands Luk. 4. 29 30. And so when Paul was like to be apprehended by the Governour in Damascus he was let down in a basket thorough a window and by that means escaped 2 Cor. 11 32 33. But if God call us to suffer if it appear to be his will if it cannot be avoided without dishonouring of God and his Gospell in this case we must be willing to submit unto God and to be obedient unto death as Christ was to lay down our lives for God and for his truth as Christ did Fight the good fight of faith lay hold on eternall life whereunto thou art also called and hast professed a goood profession before many Witnesses I give thee charge in the sight of God who quickneth all things and before Iesus Christ who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession that thou keep this Commandement without spot unrebukeable untill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Tim. 6. 12 13 14. As if the Apostle should say Christ bare witnesse to the truth before Pontius Pilate unto death so must we also if need be bear witnesse to it though we die for it He that loveth his life to wit inordinately so as that he will not part with it when God doth call for it but doth preferre it before Gods glory he that so loveth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternall Joh. 12. 25. See the like saying Mat. 16. 25. 10. 39. And Christ would have all that take upon them the profession of his Name to consider this that for his sake they must be ready if the case so require to forgo whatsoever is neare and deare unto them even life it self So S. Luke shewes us saying And there went great multitudes with him and he turned said unto them If any man come to me hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple Luk. 14. 25. 26. THE FIFTEENTH SERMON PHILIP 2. 8. Even the death of the Crosse THus the Apostle shews the greatnesse of Christs humiliation and obedience in that he not only humbled himself and was obedient unto death but such a kind of death even the death of the Crosse that is death on the Crosse he was crucified nailed alive to the Crosse and so did hang upon the Crosse untill he died This point then offers it self to be considered That Christ was obedient even to the death of the Crosse In the handling of this point I shall shew 1. That Christ suffered death on the Crosse 2. That this was a great aggravation of Christs suffering 3. What use is to be made of the point For the first That Christ suffered death upon the Crosse it is a thing clearly recorded by all the foure Evangelists So Paul in his Epistles often speaks of the Crosse of Christ that is of Christs death on the Crosse and of Christ crucified See 1 Cor. 1. 18. 23. 2. 2. 8. Gal. 6. 14. Phil. 3. 18. So Peter saith that Christ bare our sins on his body on the tree that is on the Crosse 1 Pet. 2. 24. David also prophecied of this saying They pierced my hands and my feet Psal 22. 16. He spake those words prophetically in the person of Christ as the very beginning of the Psalm doth shew My God My God why hast thou forsaken me which words as the Evangelists record Christ uttered when he was upon the Crosse So v. 18. They part my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture Which as appears likewise by the history of the Gospell was fulfilled in Christ when he was crucified Christ also himself did foretell what kind of death he should suffer to wit the death of the Crosse Behold said he to his Disciples We go up to Jerusalem and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief Priests and to the Scribes and they shall condemn him to death And they shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucifie him Mat. 20. 18 19. So Joh. 12. 32 33. And I if I be lifted up will draw all men unto me That by his lifting up he meant lifting up upon the Crosse to die upon it the Evangelist immediately declares saying This he said signifying what death he should die Christs death upon the Crosse was likewise typified and prefigured by the brazen Serpent of which we read Num. 21. There the sacred history tells us how God when the Israelites sinned against God and provoked him by murmuring he plagued them by sending fiery Serpents among them but in wrath remembring mercy he commanded Moses to set upon a pole a brazen Serpent the similitude of a serpent made of brasse that whosoever was stung by a fiery serpent by looking up to that brazen serpent might be made whole This brazen serpent so lifted up was a type and figure of Christ lifted up upon the Crosse that whosoever are stung by that old serpent the devill may look up to him with the eye of faith and be saved This Christ himself doth signifie unto us saying As Moses lift up the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 14 15. Ob. But it may be objected that among the Jews this kind of death was not in use The Iewish Talmud tells us that Sanhedr c. 7. they had foure kinds of capitall punishments to wit stoning burning killing with the sword and