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
ΣΤΑΥΡΟΔΙΔΑΧΗ ΚΑΙ ΣΤΑΥΡΟÎΙΚΗ THE Doctrine Dominion OF THE CROSSE In an Historical Narration and Spiritual Application of the PASSION of IESUS Written first in Latin by John Ferus Publique Preacher in the City of Mentz Now turned into English for the good of this Nation By Henry Pinnell Together with a Preface of the Translator containing the Necessity of knowing and conforming unto the Cross of Christ Short considerations of Predestination Redemption Free-will and Original sin He that serveth in his Generation faithfully answereth the end of his Creation fully and shall never lose the hope of his salvation finally LONDON Printed by Robert White 1659. THE PREFACE Reader THE Transcription of the following Treatise is an Account of some vacant time when I was sequesterd from other imployment The subject matter of it did generally concur and sute with that state and measure of Faith I was then in and being perswaded that it may yet be usefull for them whose growth in the Mysterie of the Cross is not come to that perfection as not to need Counsell and Encouragement therein I have for their sake made it publique And though I cannot minister to the strong yet I would gladly be serviceable to the weak What I have here prefixt agreeable to the nature of the ensuing Discourse is done to satisfie the desire of many friends and in hope to profit others The sum of what I have to say is comprehended in this Proposition viz. That there is a Necessity of knowing and conforming unto the death of Christ 2. There doth not want full and pregnant proof of Scripture to confirm the Truth of this Proposition It is a faithfull saying For if we be dead with him we shall also live with him If we suffer we shall also reign with him If we deny him he also will deny us 2 Tim. 2.11,12 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death c. If we be dead with Christ c. Rom. 6.5,8 Let none dream of Justification unto life or of the new birth which only entereth into the Kingdom of God without the likeness and image of Christ in his humiliation And therefore the Apostle doth not content himself with the knowledge only that Christ died but desires also a conformity to his death Phil. 3.10 A strong curb and smart scourge to all notional and licentious Gospellers The reasons also of this Proposition are weighty and considerable 1. As first 3. We can have no benefit of the life of Christ but by conformity to his death Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life also of Jesus might be manifest in our body c. 2 Cor. 4.10,11 What need we carry the death dying and marks of the Lord Jesus in our body and mortal flesh if the life of Christ could otherwise or more easily appear The life of a Believer is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 There 's no coming at the full Glory of this life but by breaking thorow death unto it See Rom. 6.3 c. the place before cited The dead men of God are quickned by the dead body of Christ Isa 26.19 No future Resurrection unto life but by an antecedent death in the body Except the grain of Wheat die it abideth alone and is not quickened John 12.24 1 Cor. 15.36 The touch of a dead Prophet revived the body of another dead man 2 King 13.21 Who is this dead Prophet but the true and spiritual Elisha my Lord that saveth the Lord of my salvation my saving Lord Jesus Christ the great Prophet of the most high God who died for our sins and was raised again for our Justification This Elisha this Jesus let us follow not only from Galilee to Jerusalem but from Jerusalem also here below the outward and litteral Service and Worship unto Mount Calvery and from thence to the Sepulchre thither let us hasten with Mary Magdalen aad the two other Disciples and there let us wait we shall have some Angelical invitation to come near and see the place where the Lord lay The Lord is risen and hath left room enough in his grave to receive all that inquire into the Mysterie of his death Into this Sepulchre let us descend by a true operating saith working a conformity in us unto his death Let us touch not the flesh but the bones of this great Elisha Let us not lay bold on the weakness of the mortal nature but upon the Power of his endless life 2. Secondly 4. Without this conformity there is no freedom from sin We must resist unto Blood striving against sin for without blood there is no Remission And that our minds may not be weary nor faint Let us consider him that suffered such contradiction of sinners Heb. 12.3,4 1 John 1.7 Lev. 17.11 Heb. 9.22 The Prophet Ezekiel describeth the Sickness and Remedy of a sinner under the borrowed speech of a new-born Child Ezek. 16. Which place of the Prophet I think is much mistaken by many who understand it of the natural birth and accordingly from thence conclude all Children guilty of original sin in the common acceptation of it which to me seems most improbable For Children by natural as well as spiritual Propagation are an Heritage and Reward of the Lord Gen. 30.2 Psalm 127.3 Acts 17.28 Our very bodily Being Substance and Existence is the Workmanship of God Psalm 119.73 Psalm 139.5,13,16 Now if Children be guilty of sin as soon as they draw breath yea before they be born this would be some stain upon the Work-manship of God according to whose Will and not according to mans it is that Children are propagated Again One of Gods Laws would be broken by observing another Ordinance of his own which would bring confusion upon the orderly works and methodical ways of God For God hath made a Law That the son shall not bear the Iniquity of the Father Ezek. 18.20 Now if Children should be guilty of Adams sia as soon as they be born it would make many religious and consciencious persons be at a stand concerning marriage which is the first and great Ordinance of God for fear lest they should be Instruments to fill the world with sinners rather than with Saints And indeed how can that state be honorable and the bed undefiled if it should produce nothing but such an unclean Off-spring Heb. 13.4 5. I shall only add this Quaere viz Is Marriage an Ordinance of God instituted among other ends for the propagation of Mankind I suppose it granted I ask then Did God ever make and intend such an Ordinance the observation whereof doth unavoidably increase sin in the world If so How is he acquited fram having a hand in mans sin The wicked heart of man hath shifts and evasions to extenuate and excuse his sin Why He is not so much to be blamed 't was his Fathers and Mothers fault rather then his Hominum quoque
when the senses are darkened the understanding strangled Faith staggereth the memory is lost prayer omitted godliness cast off dangers sleighted and no care to avoid the Judgement to come This is truly a most pernitious and dangerous sleep of which Paul saith Rom. 13. It is now high time to awake out of sleep Again Eph. 5. Awake thou that sleepest Christ therefore doth now mock and deride them with a sharp taunt or ironie whose drowsiness he had hitherto reprehended in vain Sleep on now saith he and take your rest As if he had said yee have chosen a very fit time and place indeed to sleep and take your rest Sleep soundly and sweetly especially seeing ye are so safe and secure I could not prevail with yee to watch a little with me Go to therefore satisfie your sense and lust Sleep on See how long yee will lye quiet What I could not obtain at your hands the business it self or the present danger will force you to c. A cutting jeer indeed of which the Wisdom of God speaketh to those that contemn him I have called but yee refused I also will mock at your destruction Prov. 1. c. But after this Ironic Christ comes to speak more seriously to them It is enough saith he yee have slept long enough already yee have loytered too long We have none but enemies about us every where and do yee yet sleep it out Do yee not see or regard what is come upon us Did not I sufficiently warn yee of all this before And now yee see it is fallen out just as I told yee The hour is come I must now suffer The hands of sinfull men are armed against me The Traytor of whom I spake ere now is hard by Rise therefore let us go meet them lest they should say that we are afraid or run away from them c. Here we are put in mind not to think of Death as a terrible or fearfull thing For being all baptized into the death of Christ Rom. 6. certainly by that death of Christ our death will be unto us but a passage unto life and therefore may rather be called life than death For he that believeth in me saith Christ John 11. shall not dye for ever The Philosophers opinion of death exploded Therefore let that opinion of the Philosophers be for ever banisht from the ears and minds of Christians which affirmeth that death is the most terrible of all terrible things But grant it that it is true of the wicked to whom death is truly terrible yet to a Christian there is nothing more pleasant and desirable than death whereby he is freed from all evil and inseparably united to Christ his Lord. Phil 1. Psalm 119. Hence it is that Paul desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ Another holy man complaineth that his Pilgrimage was too long here Psalm 120.5 Thus much for those things which Christ suffered in himself for before he was outwardly tortured Christ endured much sorrow and pain and that of his own accord that so he might apply a full Remedy for those sins which we commit in our heart and thoughts For which let us also be grieved with our Lord and bewail them giving thanks to our Redeemer And withall let us behold and hearken to these things which yet remain to be spoken and prepare our selves with all devotion thereunto For thus it follows in the History And immediatly while he yet spake le Judas one of the twelve Mat. 26.47 Mar. 14.43 Luke 22.47 John 18.3 having received a band of men and Officers from the chief Priests and Pharisees and Elders and Scribes going before a great multitude came thither with Lanthorns and Torches with Swords and with Staves and with Weapons for Judas knew the place And he that betrayed him had given them a common sign saying whomsoever I shall kiss that same is he hold him fast and lead him away safely Give attention Brethren let it not be irksome to you to hear those wonderfull things that were done concerning our Lord and Saviour Prepare your hearts with all readiness It will be for your advantage as in due time ye shall willingly acknowledge We have heard of the pro-Passion already or what skirmishes Christ met with beforehand Now we draw nearer to the main Battalia While Christ yet spake to his Disciples 1. Behold a company of armed men rusht in upon them as if they had been going out to war when indeed there was no need of such warlike preparations 2. A band of men cohors is a military word and contains certain select and choyce Souldiers This was not a band of Jewish Souldiers but of Caesars which perhaps were sent from the President to gratifie the Jews in this business or else were hired for this service by the Jews themselves who promised them payment that so they might do what they intended under colour of the civil or ordinary Power and so none seeing the Romane Souldiers might dare to oppose them 3. The Magistrates of the Temple also were among that band of Souldiers whose place was to look to the repairing of the Temple and to get those things that were necessary thereunto 4. That this battel-array might be made more considerable the Officers of the Priests and Pharisees joyn themselves to it who having nothing else to do fill'd up the number and served to incense others 5. There were some of the high Priests themselves there present as appeareth by Luke chap. 22. 6. The Elders also of the people were there For none of them that hated Christ would be absent 7. They that had not other weapons took up clubs and staves as the unruly and frantick vulgar sort of people use to do in such like seditions whose fury will quickly help them to one sort of weapon or other 8. They come also with Lanthorns and Torches both because of the darkness of the night and because Christ should not hide himself from them 9. When these were thus armed Judas Iscariot goeth before them not as a Captain of Souldiers but as a Traytor of his Lord who a little while since was one among the twelve but now is one out of the twelve or none of the twelve Apostles For he had now got him more Masters than one In this place let us consider both viz. Judas and the Jews 1. Many things are to be taken notice of in Judas But above all his miserable Apostacy as one who of a Disciple became a Traytor of a companion of Christ a Captain of Thieves And he that even now supt at the same Table with Christ who did eat of his hallowed bread with the rest who heard Christ exhorting to godliness both by word and work but now slinking from that Table he joyned himself with ungodly men for a little pelf not remembring the Piety of Christ and forgetfull of all hope not regarding
end should he multiply words to such cruel minded men who intended nothing but mischief to him A man shall get nothing of such men nor prevail any thing with them no though God himsâ—… were his Advocate to plead for him For thou wilt be compelled to be not what thou art but what they feign and fancy thee to be So that thou hast need of nothing but patience to deal with such men No good could have been expected from them although Christ had spoken never so excellently of the Incarnate Word surely nothing but scorn and blasphemy had come of it and consequently greater wrath and rage in these furious men And it had been to as little purpose if he had askt them about those Prophetical Scriptures none of them would or could have answered him What did they answer him when he askt them about Johns Baptism Matth. 21. And so concerning the son of David and of that verse in the Psalms The Lord said to my Lord c. Also when he asked them whether it was lawfull to heal on the Sabbath Day Mat. 22. Luke 14. Christ must answer either as one accused or ask as one contriving his defence The belief of his Judges was requisite to his answer but to his question their answer only was sufficient But in this Council Christ had neither credit given to his words nor an answer to his questions why they should he speak much especially seeing he knew that they were peremptorily and obstinately resolved to kill him and never more to let him scape alive out of their hands And indeed how should they believe the words of Jesus who would not believe his Divine Works which were more effectual to perswade Therefore this was a time to keep silence so that he answered nothing but Ye say so by which reply he doth send them again to their own consciences Besides he doth thereby again inculcate that they must come to judgement for what they did Hereafter saith he the son of Man shall sit c. q.d. I shall say no more but this the time will come when ye shall see me Judge you and all the world though now you most unjustly Judge me At this they made a fearfull and hideous out-cry again What need we any further witness we our selves have heard out of his own mouth And what was it O ye blind and wicked men which ye did hear from his own mouth I dare say you heard no blasphemy come out of his mouth for which he deserved death but an awfull reverence of Gods Name for which he was much to be honoured and will ye for all that pass sentence of death against him Are ye so forward to commit that grand sin even to murther the innocent Son of God O ye High Priests and sons of Aaron what 's become of your Unction now Where is your Clemency Have ye cast away all pity and compassion from you David could not go forward with the Temple because he had shed the blood of enemies and dare ye who offer Sacrifices daily ye that so swell and are puffed up with such a conceit of sanctity who glory in the sanctimony of your life and height of honour how dare you I say to pass sentence upon that most innocent and spotless one the very Fountain of life as one worthy of death Herod who was a stranger and otherwise a very bloody beast yet gave him more reverence then ye and would not pollute his hands with the blood of this harmless man Pilate also that barbarous bruit was terribly afraid and excused himself and washt his hands from his blood But you and shall like your holiness you holy high Priests affirm that he is guilty of death O the Religion O the Righteousness that shines in you Doubtless the very Heathen and the Samaritans will be your Judges Nay out of your own mouth shall ye be judged how much your ungodliness hath beed more cruell then the unrighteousness of Herod and Pilate But let us leave those vile men and proceed The conclusion of that bloody Counsell was Jesus of Nazareth doth deserve to die The reason is because he proved himself to be the Messias and the Son of the living God who is blessed for ever and that by the very Testimony of their own consciences besides the Signs and Wonders which he had wrought This was the Judgement which was given by those holy Pharisees at Jerusalem in that Counsell And now they have no need of any more evidence For they carryed their own cause but Jesus lost his Wherefore they hale him out of hand before the secular Court and set him before the Roman Governour bound with cords chained spit on and therefore irrevocably determined to be worthy of death the scullions and rafscallions with a great concourse and clamour of the people egging on against him that it might be fulfilled which Christ said Mat. 20. The son of man shall be delivered to the chief Priests and they shall condemn him to death and shall deliver him to the Gentiles This they now fulfill The whole multitude saith he arose c. viz. to set the fairer gloss upon the proceedings that their cause might seem to be the more just and honest Then they present him bound to the Governour thereby to shew that they had condemned him already They carry all things with much pomp and state that so they might the better cloak their hatred and malice Lo here he that came to loose all mens bonds is now the third time bound himself He is often bound and manicled because we had many fetters and chains which he was to break with his bonds Here then let us a little remember and consider our selves For as Christ is here brought to his Judgement and Trial for life and death by one consent and with great rejoycing of his Adversaries without any mercy or pity without all hope of acquitment or release no man owning him or opposing the sentence against him so should we have been brought before Gods dreadfull Tribunal if Christ had not put himself in our place and stood in our stead Wherefore if thou wouldst stand with boldness in Gods Judgement cast thy self on Christ by Faith For without him none can stand before God in the day of Judgement For no man living is justified or found righteous before God Psalm 143.2 Let us therefore follow our Lord Christ also as he was tossed too and fro from Caiaphas to Pilate from the spiritual Court to the civil Magistrate from the Jews to the Gentiles from the wicked to the ungodly from the superstitious to the Idolaters Nor is there any cause why we should be afraid All things shall work for our good in the end But first let us hear what end Judas came to who was the Ring-leader and incendi ary of all this mischief It follows in Matthew Then Judas which betrayed him Mat. 27.3 when he saw that he was condemned repented himself and brought again
such a Rogue before Christ 1. Now Barabbas signifieth a Son of the Father that is of the Devil or Antichrist for according to Matthew he was not simply but notoriously wicked He was a seditious fellow a Thief and a Murtherer Hence Peter saith ye desired a Murtherer to be granted to you and have killed the Prince of Life Act. 3. 2. Barabbas also may be interpreted the son of a multitude or the son of a Master For he had the same Father to be his Master which taught Iudas to betray his Lord. 3. He is truly a son of the multitude that is a son of the World To this fellow then is Christ likened and compared the most innocent man with the most notorious robber yea the most precious Son of God with the very child of the Devil himself This was figured forth by the two Goats under the Law upon which the Priest Levit. 16. was commanded to cast Lots which should be slain and which should be the scape-Goat Barabbas was that one stinking Goat the other Goat was Christ who according to his innocency was a Lamb but according to our iniquities and in reference to our sins which he took upon him he was as it were a Goat This is slain and the other is let go But as he that slew the Goat did sprinkle his blood upon the Altar that God might be propitious but he that led away the scape-Goat was thereby made unclean till he had washed himself with water So by the blood of Christ the Fathers anger is pacified and alaid again But the Iews who desired Barabbas to be released unto them are become unclean and never can be clean untill they be washed by the blood of Christ But hear the Vote and how the Lot falls Pilate did not doubt but that they would adjudge Christ to be set at liberty rather then a common Cutter upon the High way but he was much mistaken herein For the chief Priests had otherwise perswaded the common Rabble of people to wit that they should desire Barabbas to be released to them but that Jesus should not only be kept in hold but also condemned to a most filthy and shamefull death This saith he those Princes and prime men perswaded the people unto Therefore they especially are guilty of shedding Christs blood more then the rest See here how pestilent and pernitious an evil Counsellour is The multitude of the people at first were wholly for Christ and did generally follow and cleave to him But now these wicked men having prevailed with them they cry out against him and desire to have him put to death The whole multitude saith he cryed out Away with him and release unto us Barabbas O notorious blindness or madness rather For what else was this but to say kill him that raised the dead and set him at liberty who killed the living put out the light and let us sit in darkness Away with the Peace maker and let the mutinous and seditious alone We will not accept of Life we desire Death rather Let Truth be banisht we chuse falshood before it Finally they scorn so much as to mention the very Name of Christ but they cry out for Barabbas to be set at liberty they had rather celebrate the Passover with him then with Jesus for although he were a lewd and wicked fellow yet he was more tolerable to them because he never used to reprove them for their faults but Christ was an intolerable man not to be born by them because he rebuked them for their Vices This then is that complaint made in Isaiah I looked for Righteousness but behold a cry Isa 5. So in Jeremy Mine heritage is unto me at a Lyon in the Forrest it cryeth out against me therefore c. Jer. 12. For as the Lyon terrifieth the other creatures with his roaring voyce so these men by their out-cry did force the Lord unto the Cross This people therefore did here commit two evils as it is said in Ieremy the second They have forsaken me the Fountain of living water and have digged to themselves broken Cisterns that can hold no water The first evil was in that they thought a guilty person more fit to be released then an innocent man The second was in that they would offer to condemn their best Benefactor It is not so bad to desire the inlargement of an offender but to chuse it and that rather to desire the freedom of a wicked man then of a godly man this can never be good in any sense We that are Christians ought to pray for all men yea for Infidels but mean while willingly to forget those that are of one Faith together with us this must needs be evil 1. The Iews by this their out-rage did notably lay open their ingratitude in that they did so basely esteem of him who set so great a rate on them as to chuse them for his people before all others 2. They did betray the madness of their malice which was so great that they rather desired all righteousness should be utterly ruined and that all malice should have its swinge then that the current of their hatred should be stopt 3. Here they bewray their great blindness because they desire that which by all means they should have feared avoided and prayed against to wit that their Saviour might not be cut off and a Robber released to them But as they desired both so it befell them They chose a Thief and rejected a Saviour justly therefore are they exposed to the Sword and Robbers without any Saviour They asked a Murtherer to be given them but killed the Prince of Life for which very thing they perished by seditions and murthers and were and are involved in such great calamities that none is able by Pen or Tongue sufficiently to express them And for this very fact the Prophets call that Nation the daughter of a Robber Well doth Isaias also speak of them Ah sinfull Nation a people laden with iniquity a seed of evil doers children that are corrupters they have forsaken the Lord c. Isa 1. Here we see 1. That there is nothing but a wicked mind will prefer it before Christ and the truth if it doth but know and hope it shall get never so little by it 2. We are taught not to trust in the applause of the world For they who but a little while since did sing before Christ Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord now cry out as loud Away with him c. 3. Here we see the disposition of the world which doth ever make choyce of the worst and reject the best It is alway more favourable to the guilty then the innocent But all that we here see or hear of did not fall out by chance but by the Decree and Counsell of God For it behooved Christ to be made the lowest of men and to fall under the greatest contempt that he might be most highly exalted and
that every man shall rise again in his own time The Evangelist doth Emphatically add that they who thus arose came into Jerusalem and appeared unto many that none might think it was a phantasme or delusion By this likewise was foreshewed that many snners should rise out of their sins and the death of their souls to a new life Rom. 6. so as to be seen afterward in the holy Church exercising themselves in the works of Life and Spirit to wit good works whereby others may be moved to glorifie the Father Mat. 5. The graves were therefore opened to shew that death was swallowed up by the death of Christ for so it was foretold by the Prophet O death I will be thy death Hos 13. Thus we see 1. That when Christ died every creature suffered with him Only the Jews hearts remained hard whom obstinate sinners also do now imitate who by their sins do still crucifie the Son of God notwithstanding they have heard and seen so many signs and wonders they do not yet fear nor rend their hearts so far are they from rising again and confessing Christ to be the Son of God 2. Here we see that the glory or glorifying of Christ did begin presently upon his death so also will our glorifying begin immediately after our death and we who now seem to be despised in this life shall then appear gloriously in glory as may be seen in the begger Lazarus who when he lived was hated of all men but when he died he was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosom Luke 16. It is to be noted that at the death of Christ there were seven Signs which do yet likewise concur in every justified person For the Sun is darkened at noon the vail is rent the earth shaketh the Rocks cleave asunder the Graves open the Dead arise and the Gentiles make a good confession For 1. Whosoever will be justified must have no hope or confidence in any worldly thing he must loath and cast them out of his sight this is to have darkness made when worldly things seem to be colourless and dark unto us 2. Internal things must be revealed to him that is he must have a true sight of his sins acknowledge his own filthiness this is to rend the Vail under which such sins were hid that they did not appear so foul and filthy as they are 3. Then he must fear and be astonished at the sight of such ugly sins and so defiled a conscience this is for the Earth to quake for no man is afraid or troubled in conscience but he that sees his sin and feels the weight thereof 4. The rending of the Rocks is next to wit Contrition Hatred and dislike of sin and he that before was a Rock is now cleft and broken and so the Rock sendeth forth waters of weeping and tears 5. The Graves are opened when the mouth maketh confession and discloseth what was before concealed 6. He must come forth by Absolution and go into the City Jerusalem i. e. the Holy Church and be again reconciled unto it by a spiritual Life 7. Lastly He must confess and witness by word and work that Christ is the Son of God as the Centurion here did concerning whom it follows Now when the Centurion which stood over against him Mat. 27.54 Mar. 15.39 Luke 23.47 and they that were with him watching Iesus saw that he so cryed out and gave up the ghost and saw the Earth-quake and those things that were done they feared greatly and glorified God saying Truly this was a Righteous man and the Son of God And all the people that came together to that sight beholding the things that were done smote their breasts and returned And all his acquaintance and the women that followed him from Galilee stood afar off beholding these things Among whom was Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of James the less and the mother of Joses and Salome the mother of Zebedees children who also when he was in Galile followed him and ministred unto him and many other women which came up with him from Galile to Jerusalem Hitherto of the Signs which happened at Christs death Now we shall see what fruit followed from thence First the Centurion and they that were with him which were Romans were hereby converted to the Faith glorified God confessed that Jesus who was crucified was a just man and the Son of God consequently that he was put to death wrongfully And what wonder Should such great Miracles which were wrought in Heaven and in Earth and in the Temple and on the Dead have no effect and bring forth no fruit Blessed therefore are they that search out his wondrous things Psalm 119.18 Now if Christ could do these things with the Elements at his death what might he have done upon them that crucified him What Iew can say but that God did here manifestly shew himself Great were their ancient Miracles in Aegypt in the red Sea at Mount Sinai and in the Wilderness But compare them with those that were here wrought at the death of Christ with those at his Resurrection which was the greatest Miracle of all with those for forty dayes after at the Ascention and sending of the Holy Ghost and you will see that the rise and beginning of the New Testament was far more excellent and glorious then that of the Old Testament 1. The Centurion and they that were with him could think no other but that all these signs were wrought for the sake of this Jesus Therefore they excuse his innocency pronounce him Righteous and do not conclude him to be such a one as the Jews accused him to be and as Pilate had condemned him And which is more they confess him to be the Son of God which they gathered and concluded from the signs which they saw Lo this did the Gentiles believe who had neither the Law nor the Prophets 2. The people which came together to that sight for so is Christ truly with those that are his made a Spectacle to the world 1 Cor. 4. A sign and wonder Isa 8. smote their breasts and returned as if they had said O God what strange and new things have we seen and heard to day Truly truly this shall be our Messias O how basely have we used him to whom we did owe and should have done all honour and respect This innocent blood will be required of us and our generation Here then was fulfilled what Christ had foretold When ye have lift up the son of man then shall ye know that I am he John 8. even the Messias Here we see that he that dieth for the Truth doth more at his death then when he lived Thus Christ converted more at his death then in his life For when he shed his blood it never ceased crying Whence it is that the Elect who do through ignorance afflict the godly yet obtain they mercy but the Reprobate are damned His acquaintance especially those Women
of the power of it which is exercised either in with holding from good or drawing into evil of both which the Apostle speaketh Rom. 7.19,20 Secondly In respect of the filth of it Sin is a filthy thing an unclean corrupt rotten thing like the putrified matter of an Ulcer Sore Apostemation or running issue Lev. 15.2 Isa 1.6 Mat. 9.20 Thirdly In respect of the guilt of it Sin is alway accompanied with guilt it never goes without it either sensibly or insensibly How heavy did it lie on Cain Judas c. Fourthly In respect of the deformity of it Sin is an uncomly unseemly ugly thing it makes a man not look like himself it defaceth Gods Image in man so that he cannot he doth not or will not know him Verily I know ye not ye workers of iniquity Sin is a spot Deut. 32.5 which causeth a blot or blemish where it is It is no beauty spot and I could wish that the beauty-spots of our times did not arise from this filthy spot of sin Fifthly In respect of the enmity of it Sin stands in utter hatred and detestation to all good Purity and Holiness Gen. 3.15 Gal. 5.17 Sixthly In regard of the curse Sin hath a most dolefull and lamentable execration annext unto it In sorrow shalt thou conceive cursed is the ground for thy sake in the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat thy bread cursed art thou above all cattel and above every beast of the field Gen. 3. 9. Now there can be no deliverance from sin in any of these considerations without death The death of Christ is our original Copy acoording to which there is a necessity for us to write For as much then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same mind for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin 1 Pet. 4.1 No freedom from sin till there be a conformity to Christs sufferings in the flesh It is with us as it was with Israel of old We are strangers and bondmen in a sinfull Aegypt in an Aegyptian nature of sin we groan and would gladly be gone out of it but cannot nor shall we till the Paschal Lamb be offered Exod. 12. And as that Lamb was to be offered in the same land out of which Israel was to be delivered so must we by the oblation of Christ offer up our selves in that state out of which we would be set at liberty Let us present our bodies a living sacrifice and lay all our living lusts upon the Altar of the Cross Let us die in the body and live in the spirit suffer in the flesh and cease from sin Christ hath been as it were plainly pictured forth before our eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crucified in us in our nature Let us noe trample upon his blood Let us not turn this Grace of God into wantonness nor make Christ to become of none effect to us Thirdly 10. Without this knowledge of Christs death and conformity to it all our other parts and gifts let them seem never so great large spacious high strong excellent yea holy and spiritual they will all vanish and come to nothing if they be not confirmed to us in the blood of the Covenant 'T is the observation of a learned and (*) Mr. William Bridge pious man That an Hypocrite may pray away all his graces If our Gifts and Graces be not deeply rooted in the mortification they may easily evaporate in the hollow expressions of a verbal and empty prayer Knowledge will expire into pride and puff up the mind where it is true Humility will vanish into a voluntary shew of it Charity will be blasted with ostentation c. if it be not poised regulated limited and modified by a serious and unfeigned self-denial A man may borrow or steal he may filch flock and pilfer the Word of the Lord from his Neighbour Jer. 23.30 He may pick up a great many good sayings and sentences of grave and godly men and with them make a shift to patch and piece up a Prayer or Sermon and if the memory be good or the Notes fairly written a man may seem to be gayly adorned with the rich indowments of a large furnished mind 11. We read in 2 King 6. what the sons of the Prophets said to Elisha and what they did by his consent when they were straitned for room It is said they asked leave to fell timber at Jordan that they might inlarge their dwelling The Prophet grants their desire But one wiser then the rest among them bethought himself that it was wisdom to have the Prophets company and not to go about the business altogether upon their own head he asketh and the Prophet yieldeth away they go to Jordan every man with his Ax or Hatchet in his hand only one had none of his own but was fain to borrow his tool to work with down go the trees But this man lost his Hatchet before he could cut down his Beam the head flew from the helve and fell into Jordan yer he could finish his work he makes his moan to his Master complaining that it was borrowed the Prophet puts a stick of wood into the water and the Iron swimmeth the man recovers it again and makes an end of what he had began 12. All Scripture is spiritual for it was given by inspiration and therefore the spirituallest sense must needs come nearest the mind of the Spirit There is a spiritual use to be made of this spiritual part of Scripture which the holy Spirit of God hath directed to be written and taken care that it be kept upon Record The place where Elisha and the young Prophets were at first is supposed to be at Dothan which signifieth a Gift Satute or Law sometimes it is rendred a Defection or falling short of what it doth or should press unto And this latter sense will agree well enough with the former For the Law which was the gift of God from mount Sinai made nothing perfect Heb. 7.19 This place is mentioned but twice in all the Scriptures as first in Gen. 37,17 Hither Josephs brethren rambled without their fathers knowledge or consent even eight miles from Shechem where their business was like good husbands as they were and here they first conspire their brothers death Shechem signifieth a Lot Portion Shoulder or Tomb To teach us that when we gad and wander from the true Shechem the lot which God hath appointed us and the business which he hath set us to do when we omit our duty neglect our obedience when we withdraw our shoulder from the burden of Christ and pull our neck from his yoak it will be no advantage to run to Dothan all our Letter-learnedness and Scripture-knowledge will stand us in little stead yea it will incense and enrage us against the Mysterie of Christ and instigate us with an irregular zeal to conspire the death of our true Joseph it was by the learned
in the letter and in the Law the Scribes Pharisees and Lawyers who forsook the royal Law of Love and Obedience yet were literally zealous it was by these that Christ suffered and still doth suffer There are that are called Jews and yet are of the very Synagogue of Satan Thus the Law without the spirit of life is a dead and killing letter a Ministration of Condemnation If the spiritual Jacob be not with us at Dothan we shall plot and contrive our dearest brother Joseph's death 13. But here 2 Kin. 6. we have Elisha conversing in Dothan with the sons of the Prophets who being inflamed with his presence importune him for greater inlargement Doubtless there is a time when our true Elisha Christ Jesus walketh with his Children in low legal literal and fleshly Ministrations nurseth them up with milk like babes and alloweth them Tutors and Governors in their Non age Only let us beware that we do not with the Scribes and Pharises stick to the empty letter that we ramble not to Dothan when neither old Jacob our father nor Elisha our Prophet is there let us not run after the servant when he is cast out of doors nor hearken to Moses when Christ is come for then though we make our boast of the Law yet shall we dishonour God by breaking it Rom. 2. Now we shall know if Christ be yet with us under the Law if so our hearts will be inflamed and long for greater inlargement and complain of our present straitnings whereas a meer literal and formal Christian loves his ease is content to stand at a stay will not indure to hear of removing farther then he hath already attained cries out against all notions more spiritual then his own as Delusions Dreams Enthusiasms c. But the true sons of the spiritual Prophet are still groaning after the manifestation and glorious freedom of the sons of God Rom. 8. And therefore they are ever crying out My father my father O Christ O Lord Jesus thou everlasting father I am straitned inlarge my heart that I may run the ways of thy Commandments I am straitned where I now am make room give place that I may dwell in the everlasting habitations Isa 49.20 I am content to break thorow death to come to those Mansions I am weary of this Tabernacle remove my Tent uncloth me that I may be clothed and let mortality be swallowed up of life Go with me to Jordan baptize me in that river how am I straitned till it be accomplished Mortifie the sinfull lusts and affections of my flesh crucifie my old man day by day rend his vail of flesh that with open face I may behold thy glory be changed into the same image and come to the spirits of just men made perfect and to the Spirit of the Lord where is liberty and perfect freeedom 2 Cor 3.17,18 Heb. 12.23 14. This is the nature and property of them that are taught of God and have learned and obeyed the truth as it is in Jesus But then there are some even among these Children of the Prophets the true Professors of Godliness who go along for a while undiscerned like Cain Judas the man at the marriage-feast and this man here among the sons of the Prophets they make a great shew and bustle about Religion a great stir and noyse there is about Christ crucified and subduing of their lusts they hack and hew at the tree and talk much of mortification but before they can effect it the Axflies from the helve their gifts and parts fail them and the work is at a stand And why Surely their gifts were borrowed and did not flow from their obedience to Christ and experience of his Doctrine but they pickt a notion from one a sentence from another they laid a great many good words in the memory and these they made use of in the self-will and wisdom in the lust of the flesh the pride of life vain-glory and ostentation seeming to be wise but knowing nothing as they ought to know patching up a self-conceited Righteousness thereby deluding their own souls And then they will be made to acknowledge and say Alas Lord they were borrowed Now there is no remedy for such till these fall off from a mans self and fall into Jordan the river of Judgement and Condemnation till a man deny himself and sell or lose all that he hath then the true Elisha makes the Iron to swim that he may go and finish his work Thus he that loseth his life shall save it and he that parteth with House Land Goods Father Friends Gifts Parts Indowments c. shall receive them again in this life an hundred fold Happy are they whose loss is their gain But fourthly 15. There is no ascending to the highest injoyment except we first descend into the deepest abasement It is said of Christ that he humbled himself even to the death of the Cross and for that cause God hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name Phil. 2,8,9 If we also would have a name better then that of sons and daughters if we would be called Hephtzi-bah and Beulah Isa 62.4 Ruth 3.7,9 let us do as Ruth did unto Boaz let us lie down at the feet of Christ and desire him to cast the skirt of his garment over us as one nigh of kin unto us Christ hath a two-fold garment the one of Glory and Majesty in which he walketh among the Angels and the spiritual Church He clotheth himself with Light as with a garment Psalm 104.2 His rayment is white as the Light Mat. 17.20 Rev. 1.13 His other garment is of shame and baseness With this he conversed among men upon earth He was found in fashion as a servant Phil. 2.8 In the likeness of sinfull flesh Rom. 8.3 He was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 In this humane nature of ours was his Diety clothed and hid for a season The lowest state of this humanity the very border hem or skirt of which garment that toucheth the ground was the great humiliation of Christ humbling himself to the most ignominious and shamefull death of the Cross 16. If therefore we would have Christ do the office of a kinsman to us for he is our kins-man nigh unto us flesh of our flesh and bone of bone one that is not ashamed to call us brethren who hath right to redeem us if we would have him take away our reproach of barrenness and make us fruitfull in the knowledge of himself let us lie down at his feet humble our selves to walk as he walked desire him to spread his skirt over us to conform us to his death that we may be transformed into the likeness of his Resurrection If we would have our sinfull name our name of shame blotted out if we would have our bloody issue stopped let us do as the woman in the Gospel let us press through the press of all worldly and fleshly incumbrances and
Pag. 1 2 c 137 10 11 173 12 183 13 190 15 194 19 200 18 24 25 26 210 28 232 33 250 JOH 19. Vers Pag. 1 3 c 281 13 304 17 314 18 326 19 337 23 341 The seven last words of Christ page 351. The First Word Pag. 354 The Second Word Pag. 360 The Third Word Pag. 368 The Fourth Word Pag. 376 The Fifth Word Pag. 386 The Sixth Word Pag. 390 The Seventh Word Pag. 392 The History of the Passion of our Lord gathered out of the four Evangelists and digested into four Parts The first Part. Luk. 22.1 NOw the Feast of unleavened bread drew nigh which is called the Passover Whereas Luke saith here it drew nigh c. Mark expresseth it thus Mar. 14.1 After two daies saith he was the Passover and unleavened bread Which Feast was honoured with a double name It was called the Passover because of the offering of the Lamb which in Exodus is called the Lords Passover Exod. 12.11 because the destroying Angel that smote the first born of the Aegyptians did pass over the Israelites houses which were sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb and that same night brought them out of Aegypt And it was also called the feast or daies of unleavened bread Exod. 12. 13. Lev. 23.6 Num. 28.17 because all the time of that feast which lasted seven daies the Jews were forbidden to eat leavened bread or to have it in their houses and were commanded that they should eat none but sweet or unleavened bread Now this Jewish solemnity began from the evening of the fourteenth day of the first moneth and continued until the evening of the one and twentieth day When the first moneth beginneth But the Jews did not begin the first moneth from the Calends of January as the Romans do but from the first new moon after the Spring-Equinox which with us is in April So that the feast of the Passover began at the evening of the fourteenth day of that moneth which was the fift day of the week that year that Christ suffered The next day which we rightly call Good-Friday Christ was Crucified And on that very day was a feast of the Jews after which the Sabbath immediately followed even another feast yea a double feast Whence John saith of it Joh. 19.31 That day was an high day Every Sabbath was very solemn of it self yea greater then all other feasts For the Jews might not so much as dress their meat on the Sabbath which was lawful for them to do in other feasts though never so great unless it fell on the Sabbath Thus the Sabbath only had its preparation that is a day to make ready victuals And besides this that Sabbath of which we now speak was the more famous in that it fell among the daies of unleavened bread perhaps from some Pharisaical tradition by reason of the rich booty they had from the multitude of people that then flocked thither from all parts From whence also it was called the Sabbath of the Passover not that the feast of the Passover was on that day but because it fell out in the Passover-week as we use to say now the third fourth fifth day of Easter Briefly the Jews called every sixt day the preparation though some feast fell thereon So the Paschal feast or solemnity happened on this sixt day which very day was also the preparation of the following Sabbath It is certain therefore that Christ was crucified on the very feast day Nor doth it prove the contrary in that they said Mat. 26.5 Not on the feast day c. For they regarded not the feast but were rather afraid left the multitude should hinder their wicked design Therefore they did not say Not on the feast day because it is not lawfull but lest there be an uproar among the people nay they had not forborn their purpose the Sabbath following though it was a great one if there had not been some other occasion such was their rage They might as doubtless they did pretend that God could not be better served or have a greater sacrifice then to crucifie so notorious a transgressor of his Law And that in other offences they might and ought to defer or remit the punishment but Gods wrong they were to avenge on the very Sabbath it self To this was added the occasion given by Iudas who blinded with malice resolved to betray Christ to them to be bound in the evening of the solemnity then beginning What should they now do They might well fear an uproar of the people if they should keep him bound till the end of the feast There is no way but to put their cursed plot in execution out of hand without any respect to God or the time This was the counsel of an hateful heart Yet not without the wonderful providence of God so ordering it that Christ should suffer at that feast Not only that the truth might answer the figure but also that many might be present when the high-Priest offered his blood to God without Jerusalem for the redemption of Jew and Gentile Thus much I thought good to premise concerning the day and feast of unleavened bread Let us now return to the story The appointed time was come when the Lord Jesus was both willing and ought to depart out of the world to go to his Father by suffering death after he had prerched the Gospel And this was the very time when the Jews kept the Passover and did offer and eat the Lamb in remembrance of their former deliverance The time of the general redemption of mankind being now at hand not from an Aegyptian but devilish bondage there was another Lamb to be slain even be which taketh away the sins of the world Joh. 1.29 and of whom Paul saith 1 Cor. 5.7 Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us Of this Christ saith Mat. 26.2 Ye know that after two daies is the feast of the Passover and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified As if he should have said Seeing ye are born and bred Jews and Hebrews ye know what kind of feast draweth nigh even the feast of the Passover and there is not a man in all the Countrey of Judea but makes preparation for it But to ye that are my Disciples I will reveal something that others know not that is that I the Son of man must be betrayed and crucified at this very feast to wit to be slain and offered as a Lamb on the Altar of the Cross for the welfare of the world I say it must be at this feast of the Jews as I have often told you long since The time is at hand my hour is now come and I am so far from refusing it that I willingly embrace it for therefore came I into the world that I might shew my obedience to my Father even to the death of the Cross This shall now be done at this feast I
world Who would not gladly be lowly with Christ that he might also raign with him Brethren let us not be proud the Devil's pride threw him down from his greatest honour But let us embrace humility which exalted Christ to his highest glory and thus much for this text which Luke inserted Let us now return to Iohn hear what Christ said after Iudas was gone forth Now is the Son of man glorified John 13.31 and God is glorified in him I God be glorified in him verse 32. God shall also glorifie him in himself and shall straightway glorifie him Little children verse 33. yet a little while I am with you Ye shall seek me and as I said unto the Jews whither I go ye cannot come so now I say to you A new Commandment I give unto you that ye love one another verse 34 as I have loved you that ye also love one another By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples verse 35 if ye have love one to another When Iudas was gone Christ begins to preach a most joyfull Sermon full of admirable consolation wherein first he forewarneth his Disciples not to be offended at the Cross which now hung over his head and with them admonisheth all the godly not to deny him because of the Cross And he deferred this Sermon till Judas was gone forth because what he said afterward belonged to the Elect only As also to make good his own Doctrine Give not that which is holy unto dogs Matth. 7. The Ancient of Dayes and the Son of Righteousness from the season of the night which then was doth fitly make a comparison per contrarium by the contrary to shew that his glorification was at hand whereby all the world afterward should be enlightened when the Traytor and all wicked men should be left in a perpetual night of sin Hereby instructing us that the godly should never want Light however the wicked might be wrapt up in a night of Errours Exod. 10. as the Israelites heretofore had light in Aegypt when all else were covered with gross darkness Now we may understand this word four wayes 1. First of the Son of man as to his Mystical body so that the meaning may be Now is the Son of man glorified i. e. by the withdrawing of Judas that son of perdition from my society my Mystical Body is purged my small company and Church is cleansed from the mixture of that pestiferous member For the gracefull part and spotlesness of the Scholars is the Misters commendation when arrant rake-hels be cashier'd the Master is glorified Therefore 2. Again Now is the Son of man c. i. e. he is discovered to be true and Righteous by this that he removeth a vitious Disciple from his fellowship 3. Now is he glorified i. e. by this separation of Judas from the Elect Apostles was fore-shewn the glorification of Christ which he shall have at the day of Judgement when he shall separate the godly from the wicked whereby his truth and righteousness will appear 4. But lastly by glorifying is understood the brightness of Christs Passion glistering and flashing in among the damned the Glory of his Resurrection and Ascension and the gift of pouring out the Holy Ghost Now saith he is the son of man glorified John 12. to wit with that Glory which he spake of And I when I am lifted up from the earth will draw all unto me if a grain of wheat die in the earth it bringeth forth much fruit But mark with what Majestie Christ speaks of his death Another man would have spoken of it after the worlds sence Now is the Son of man betrayed made an abject condemn'd and there 's an end of him c. But Christ saith Now is the son of man glorified whereby he sheweth 1. That he was exceeding glad to Redeem mankind by his death upon the Cross it was as much joy to him as for others to go to a Banquet or Feast 2. That his Cross was nothing but an entrance to his Crown so that Judas and the Iews did nothing but promote his glorifying q.d. Let Judas go whither he will let him betray me let him stir up all the world against me let him do his worst It shall be to my Glory and his utter disgrace If he had gone sooner I should have been sooner glorified I am troubled at nothing but his malice which only will wound me 3. Although treachery reproach the cross and death be such bug-bears to the world yet to a godly man they are most desirable because there is no other way to Glory 4. Lastly He sheweth that by his death and Passion he was about to turn all the curses of the Law into blessings The Law saith Deut. 21. Cursed is he that hangeth on a tree So likewise all outward evils as hunger thirst persecution c. which the Law saith are curses But Christ tels us that they are the Instruments and means of our glorification and blessing for so it is that by his death these things can no more hurt us at all By him all things are sanctified Now although Christ was glorified before by his Miracles for he that allayed the waves of the sea and the force of wind Matth. 14. was worshipped as the Son of God So when he fed five thousand men with five loaves of bread the people saw such glory in him that they would presently have made him King John 6. When he raised Lazarus to life his Glory was so great that they publiquely received him in Jerusalem with songs and shouts Matth. 21. He was truly glorified by the greatness of Myracles yet because the consummation of his Glory was in the Passion Resurrection and Ascension therefore he saith Now is he glorified c. Teaching us that we should chuse rather to be despised of men than be praised by them because by the one we become proud in the other there is no such danger He speaks it Emphatically Now is the Son glorified Clarificatus est by a verb of the preterperfect tense for though it was not yet perfected it was in agitation and to be perfected without all doubt So he speaks afterward I am non sum in mundo John 17. how I am no more in the world There is an Emphasis too when he saith the son of man is glorified For the Son of God ever was and still is glorious What therefore the Son of God had by Nature that the son of man had by Grace and Union with the Divine Nature But questionless this glorifying of the son of man is the glorifying of God Therefore he added And God is glorified by him as the Father and the Son have one nature so have they one glory Whence it is that Christ saith he sought not his own glory but the glory of the Father 1. And yet the Father is not so glorified as
of Peter Wilt thou lay down thy life for me q.d. What dost thou mean Peter why dost thou thus presume what thinkest thou of thy self what dost take thy self to be wilt thou lay down thy life for me before I have done so for thee wilt thou undertake to conquer death wilt thou die for me who came to die first for thee it is my work to overcome death and not thine O how ignorant art thou of things to come how little dost thou think what will shortly come to pass this one thing I tell thee before hand which I would have thee beware of Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired you that he may sift you as wheat know this I say that the Devil doth lay more traps for you then for all men besides His main drift is to tumble and cast you down headlong as he did Judas fain would he hurl you also to hell he doth not so much care for others he is most afraid of you and if he could once get but you into his clutches he would not doubt to hold you fast enough for ever wherefore speak no more so exceeding proudly He hath Judas already and made him his bond-slave long since who but a little while ago was himself my disciple as well as any of you But he cannot content himself to hurry one only Judas to destruction he doth greedily covet ye all and useth all his wit and wiles by force or fraud to intangle you in his snares and therefore he will tempt you with the scandal or offence of my Cross to make you abjure and renounce both me and my doctrine And he is very confident that he shall catch you all having caught one of you already But through my protection his wicked devices shall be made frustrate and come to nought He shall not get so much as one of ye into his power except the Son of perdition against whom he hath lately prevailed But he will lay wait for thee Simon especially and as I have preferr'd thee to an higher place so he will the more furiously assault thee Yea so subtilly will he lurk for thee that I had need make a special prayer to the Father for thee by thy self For above all other he will set upon thee if haply he may bring thee into the same condition with Judas because thou art more eminent then the rest And it is not a little mischief that he will do thee but he shall not wholly prevail I have prayed the Father which if I had not thou hadst certainly perished and been lost for ever But all that he shall do now is to make thee deny my name he shall be able to go no farther he cannot cause thy faith finally to fail True thy leaves may fall but the root shall abide safe and sound in thee which in its season shall put forth good fruit I have obtained it for thee by my prayer But remember this that when thou shalt by my grace be recovered from that thy miserable and woful fall that then thou confirm and strengthen the brethren This is thy part to do as thou art a superiour to whom in a special manner I purpose to commit the care of my sheep c. But Peter did not much regard nor give good heed to the admonition of Christ so confident was he then of his own strength but after his fall he was most diligent to do what Christ commanded him Then be did strengthen all penitent sinners that they might not despair of Gods mercy by reason of their sins But is it not strange that Christ should confer this honour on him to make him a strengthener of others who before should deny him and whom the world would have thought altogether unworthy of any more favour But Christ judgeth not as the world judgeth Luke 15. God doth not cast off any that repent if the prodigal son return he is restored to his former dignity Learn we hence 1. that the devil doth project and plot against us 2. So on the other hand Christ doth take great care of us and look well to us the devil doth fight against us Christ doth defend us and intercede for us Let us beware of one and run to the other with all our heart But Peter considered neither of these at that time but trusting to himself more then was meet he speaks more vehemently I am ready to go with thee into prison and unto death Thou speakest well Peter thou canst give good words but wouldst thou endure a prison and death for Christ who couldst not bear the least word of his It should be so indeed that every Christian ought to be always ready if the case so require to die for Christ as it is written He that taketh not his Cross daily and followeth me he is not worthy of me Mat. 10. But neither Peter nor any man else could do this at that time Afterward when he had received the holy Spirit he was not able to do this but really did it and suffered bonds and death for Christ and with Christ Now since that Spirit was given might Paul truly say Acts 21. I am ready not only to be bound but also to die for the name of Jesus which also he did perform Thus should we now stand affected Now is the time that we should go with Christ into prison and unto death I say we should do that indeed which Peter promised but did not do Now that this confidence and vain boasting of his own abilities might be kept under and beaten down in Peter when he was come to himself again Christ sets his infirmity before his eyes and telleth him of his fall before hand and that with a great asseveration and oath Verily verily I say unto thee before the cock crow this night thou shalt thrice deny me See here what mans glorying comes to even confusion Peter resolved with himself that he would discharge the office of faith and constantly follow c. Neither did he find that he had any other purpose in his heart but afterward he found it otherwise with him and that he was not now the man he was before This is the glory of flesh which is but as the flower of the field and the blossom of grass Isa 40. Two things we are to take notice of in Peter 1. First His carnal rashness and confidence with which whosoever is prickt and puft up not considering the judgements of God will easily miscarry 2. Secondly The frailty of the flesh upon consideration of Gods judgement Who was more confident then Peter before his Lord discovered him Again who more weak and frail when his Lord condemned him judged him and gave sentence against him 1. Learn therefore from Peters fall to fear God 2. And from his repentance learn to believe and hope by which only thou wilt be able to stand in the evil day 3. But by all means if thou desirest to
to suffer it 2. He shewed that he feared not the Devil though he be the Prince of the world nor Death than which nothing seems more terrible Let others saith he stand in dread of the Devil and Death but let us undauntedly meet both and look them in the face without fear They shall meet with their match and find one that is too strong for them 3. Christ would have his Apostles to be present Spectators of his Passion as long as their humane frailty was able to stay and endure it that they might the better be believed Therefore John saith more than once He that saw it bare record John 19. and we know that his record c. 4. He exhorted them to get thence with him because he foresaw what danger they would be in if they tarried there any longer For if they had staid in the house till the enemy had come upon them the Apostles could have had no way of escape besides the good man of the house might have been brought into great trouble for harbouring such guests 5. He sheweth that the Apostles must pass the same way to the Father which he was to go before them 6. Lastly He would put them in mind that it was now high time to raise up their minds from earthly affections to Heavenly from corporal things to Spiritual from worldly and temporary thoughts and matters to Eternal The meaning then is sit up arise leave the Legal and typical supper for the Evangelical Yee have sat long enough already and too long serving under shadows 'T is sufficient that sin hath raigned so long as it hath It sufficeth to have been so long under the tyrannie of the Devil But now all things shall be turned topsie turvy and changed to the clean contrary Rise therefore let us be gone hence yee have sat still and heard the Word Now arise and do the work come let 's go Your feet be washt take heed you foul them not again Yee are well refresht with good meat food of Life t is time to go to Labour to do and fulfill the will of the Father Let 's go hence from the unbelieving Jews to the Gentiles from earthy Jerusalem to build the Heavenly from the City of blood to the Assembly of Saints from the material and typical temple to raise up a true Temple wherein the Father may be worshipped in Spirit and Truth Let us be gone hence from earth to Heaven The Father looks for us the Angels wait our coming all the Saints think it long ere we be come Let not the roughness of the way dishearten us our trouble and torment will be over in a moment and Eternity so long lookt for will come at last In short Christ doth here stir up and awaken not only such as lye still and sleep in their sins but those also that are lasie and idle and make no haste to forsake sin True Christianity will endure neither of these 1. Note here that Christ doth not say Let Vs arise but arise Yee For he never lay in sin he was never sluggish or idle but rather stood stedfast and constant in innocency and walked in the Wayes and all the Commandments of God But 2. In the second word he numbereth himself with the Disciples saying Let Vs go hence For although he was not like us in sin and sloth yet he was like us in penance and satisfaction he made himself so yea he went formost here and became our Pattern and President As it followeth And when they had sung an Hymn Jesus went forth and passed over the brook Cedron John 18.1 Mat. 14.26 as he was wont and his Disciples following him they went out into the Mount of Olives And Jesus saith unto them verse 27. All yee shall be offended because of me this night for it is written I will smite the Shepheard and the sheep shall be scattered But after that I am risen verse 28. I will go before you into Galilee But Peter said unto him verse 29. although all shall be offended yet will not I. And Jesus saith unto him Verily I say unto thee that this day verse 30. even in this night before the Cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice But he spake the more vehemently if I should dye with thee verse 31. Mat. 26.35 I will not deny thee in any wise Likewise also said all the Disciples Christ had often said that he would suffer for us now he makes it good voluntarily going to the place well known to the Traytor and fit for a surprisal But before he went out of the house he first sung an Hymn that he might both shew forth the goodness of God and give him thanks after meat but chiefly for that Spiritual Food the Eucharist In the Mass or Church-liturgy especially we are to say and sing thanks and praises unto God And this our Fathers of old did diligently observe and some of them composed many excellent Hymns with which I wish we could content our selves and not so giddily run after every new fangled and upstart invention in contempt of the old and ancient service Now when Christ had given thanks and sung an Hymn to God the Father for his mercies past and to come beginning his Passion with Prayer for our Example He the Light of the world went out of that unhappy and miserable City Jerusalem in the end of the day he put out the Light of that miserable people the setting Sun left them in a perpetual night of Darkness Thus was fulfilled that which was foretold by the Prophet Jeremy long since I have forsaken mine house Jer. 12.7 Mat. 23.38 I have left mine heritage Also by himself your house shall be left unto you desolate This outgoing of Christ foreshewed the desolation of the Temple and City It was now time to abolish that carnal Worship and to institute the true Worship of God which is in Spirit and Truth John 4. The wickedness of the Jews deserved that God should have forsaken them long before What therefore he had long since threatened he doth now actually declare by that his egress and departing out of their City Although they made little account then of Christs presence and suspected little loss by his going forth from them but rather heartily wished for his absence that by any means he might be taken out of their sight yet 't was not long before they were sensible with a witness that with him they lost all other good besides For it is reported that before Jerusalem was taken there was a voyce heard in the Temple Migremus hinc saying Let us be gone hence as Josephus testifieth So that afterward they cryed but there was none to hear them The world still esteems the loss of Christ the least damage but they will one day find it otherwise Whereas Christ and the Apostles went forth together it fore shewed their loss of God and the Prophets Wretched City indeed
saith he I will smite the Shepheard c. In the Prophet it is thus Awake O sword upon my shepheard and upon the man that cleaveth to me saith the Lord of Hosts smite the shepheard and the sheep shall be scattered c. they are the words of God the Father speaking by a prosopopaeia to his Sword i.e. The wrothfull and mad Troop of the Jews who were armed with Swords and weapons of War to assault Christ when his time was come c. which is not spoken by way of command but Prophesie Let us distinctly consider the words of the Prophet 1. First he speaketh to the Sword and commands it to smite The Sword cannot strike Christ nor any Christian unless God command or permit it So Christ saith to Pilate Thou couldest have no power against me except it were given thee from above John 19. 2. He calleth Christ a Shepheard For he is that one and only Shepheard which God promised Ezek. 34. 3. God doth not call him a Shepheard only but the man which is his fellow by whom his Divine Nature is touched by the Humane For the Son is next of all to the Father he is one with him and altogether of the same substance and this none of the Jews could deny 4. Lastly The Prophet foretelleth the offence of the Apostles The sheep shall be scattered for what can they do when their Shepheard is smitten Christ did not a little affright the Apostles with these words which fear also was much aggravated by the night but lest they should be swallowed up of overmuch sorrow he doth comfort them withall Thus Christ suffers those that are his to be tempted yet will he not let them be wholly overcome And that he may solace them with the greater consolation he foretelleth his Resurrection thereby intending to comfort them again whom the thoughts of his death before had made sad his death being a Token of Gods chastisement for our sins Rom 4. But he was raised for our justification The meaning then is as if he had said It was as yee hear long since even from Eternity concluded in the counsel of God that I the Shepheard of Israel should be slain for the salvation of men and therefore I do most willingly yield my self to suffer It was also concluded in the same counsel of God that I should rise again As soon as ever this shall be accomplished I will be with you in Galilee yea more than that I will be there sooner than yee that I may gather my dispersed sheep together Take this for a Truth and believe it Matth. 18. Mark 16. c. And so indeed it came to pass as appeareth in Matthew and Mark. How great was he that had power to lay down his life and to take it up again John 10. The first shewed his Humanity the other his Divinity His humanity in that he dyed his Divinity in that he rose from the dead He could die and he could live again he could be buried and he could rise again In the one he was like unto us in the other he was not although as Paul saith We also shall rise again in our own order but not of our selves but of the Lord 1 Cor. 15. Now when proud Peter heard this he was again pufft up with the vain confidence of his own strength he answereth again and promiseth great matters Shall I saith he ever distrust thee desert thee be offended at thee Shall I be afraid to lay down my life for thee to die with thee I perceive Lord that thou dost lightly esteem my known and approved Faith Thou dost not know how highly I value thee But be thou sure of this that if all those my fellow-Brethren nay if all the world should be offended at thee yet will I never be offended Here is mans great presumption of himself though man be nothing but very meer vanity it self What dost mean Peter art not ashamed of this thy boasting why dost trust so much to thy own strength dost not hear Christ contradict thee who doth know thee better than thou dost thy self If thou dost esteem Christ at such a rate why dost not believe him and hold thy peace Didst thou ever find him false But his heat of Faith and ardent affection made Peter forget both the frailty of his own flesh and the verity of Christs words The same affection also emboldened the other Disciples to all constancy of service by an undaunted resolution of Faith Nor doth the Lord say any thing to the rest of the Disciples but accepts their good will and takes it in good part But he tels Peter again of his fall in the same words he did before that he might not say he was not warned beforehand but might become more wary for the time to come Verily I say unto thee c. Gods Word doth ever tend to the humbling and beating down our vain boasting in our own strength Jer. 17.5 Cursed be the man that maketh flesh his arm c. There is nothing more dangerous than this vain kind of confidence which yet is so rooted in our Nature that it can hardly be rooted out There be but few that with David can truly say from their heart I will love thee O Lord Psalm 18. my strength the Lord is my Rock c. Hence it was that the more Peter was warned of his own weakness the more pertinaciously did he persist in his presumption But he spake the more vehemently Yea though I should die c. Peter is here a figure of those who presume that they can go through all afflictions and death it self without assistance of Gods Grace These surely blaspheme against God and seek to make him a lyar nor are they able to stand to their own Resolutions Thus Peter 1. He said that he would break thorow stone walls and go thorow fire and water with Christ and all in his own strength 2. When Christ reproved his rashness he blasphemed and would have made Christ a lyar Thus it befals all those that will undertake to do any thing without the help of Grace So true is that of Christ Without me yee can do nothing It is God John 15. Phil. 2. saith Paul that worketh in us to will and to do c. These things happened to the Apostles for our admonition Christ let his Apostles fall fowly that if we have fallen we might not despair Peter fell that afterward he might deal more gently with the people of God Therefore it was said to him when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren It follows Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane Mat. 26.36 John 18.1 verse 2. Where was a garden into the which he entred and his Disciples And Judas also which betrayed him knew the place for Jesus oft-times resorted thither with his Disciples And said unto his Disciples sit yee here Matth. ibid. while I go and pray jonder We heard
not seen his sorrows before his Death and that by plain and manifest Tokens Yet did he not shew this his sorrow to all the Disciples lest his weakness should offend them more then they could bear Therefore he lets these three only see it who had before beheld his Divinity These could not be so much troubled at it at least they ought not but should rather remember the glory they had seen before Concerning this extraordinary sorrow of the Lord Christ so exactly set down many men have written many things and have variously contended about it but for our part we shall give credit only to the bare words of the Evangelists For no man can affirm that it was more than a humane and natural sorrow which may also befall us in greatest streights and misery For the Humanity which Christ assumed could neither be without such affections nor be believed by the world He had not been a true man if his nature had not trembled at death This sorrow of Christ is by Matthew and Mark exprest by three words The first is sorrow which the Greek cals Lipe whereby the sadness and trouble of the mind is exprest The second is Fear which in the Greek is Thambos The third is most sore Amazement which in Greek is Ademonia To these Luke adds a fourth viz. Agony of which anon Thus those three Disciples saw here a far other thing than what they saw on Mount Tabor For here the Father is not heard to speak Matth. 17. The Light doth not shine from Heaven His Face doth not glitter like the Sun His Rayment is not whiter than snow Moses and Elias talk not with him But as a man altogether destitute of any help he begins to fear to be weary of his life and to be sore troubled greatly bemoaning himself as they who are but meer men use to do when such a dismall storm of trouble hangs over them And this is that which Christ himself foretold Luke 12. I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I streightened till it be accomplished Therefore now he saith My soul is sorrowfull even unto death A most Heavenly word worthy of all observation For here we see what it is that Paul saith Who being in the form Phil. 2. that is in the Wisdom Power Majesty glory of God he made himself of no reputation How could he more deeply a base and humble himself than to be made like unto us in all things Gal. 3. yea to be made a curse for us The fear of death is the fruit of infidelity and sin and a part of the first malediction For although Christ was altogether without sin yet he transfer'd the wages of sin upon him not that we should never have a sense thereof but that he might overcome and triumph over the same and that he might teach us how to be able in him to overcome all evil by Faith He was tempted like us yet without sin Heb. 4. that he might be able to have compassion on us So that as often as we are beset with the fear of Death or any other affliction we may safely say Behold God is our salvation we will trust Isa 12.3 and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is our strength and song he is our salvation In that he saith my soul is sorrowfull unto death this may be understood two wayes 1. First extensively in that this sorrow and anxiety continued even till the separation of the soul from the body 2. Secondly Intensively because it was as great as was possible to be in a living man or than which never any man had greater in this life And no wonder that his sorrow was so great seeing there were more than one and they very great causes of this his sorrow For 1. He was sorrowfull and sore troubled yet according to humane nature or rather sensibility because he saw his near approaching Passion as it were before his eyes with all the shame and bitterness thereof 2. He was sore troubled and sorrowfull for the sins of all men past present and to come all which he took upon himself The Lord laid upon him the iniquity of us all Isa 53. 3. He was sad for the sins and unthankfulness of Judas and the Jews whose life glory and salvation was in danger 4. He was troubled for the fall and scattering of his Disciples and other friends and most for the desolate state of his holy Mother 5. Lastly He was sorrowfull for the ingratitude that would be found in Christians in time to come He saw that his Passion would be unprofitable to many men He saw also that many Christians would forget him as one dead in their hearts and quite out of mind and that very few would be thankfull to him for so great a benefit Psalm 109. but rather with a base requitall would render him evil for his good See what great cause he had to be sorrowfull Well then might he say My soul is sorrowfull unto death This is that which he foretold by David long since My bones are vexed Psalm 6. Psalm 55. my soul also is sore vexed Again Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me and horrour hath overwhelmed me my heart is sore pained within me and the terrours of death are fallen upon me See what fit Plaisters Christ doth apply to our wounds Sin is born in the heart lust bringeth forth sin and brought up in act James 1. and so finished So Christ was first inwardly sorrowfull and then outwardly that he might totally take away all sin and make full satisfaction for us What then doth Christ do in this his streight Why just like those that are suddenly surpriz'd with some great amazement he desireth those three Disciples to tarry with him and watch and pray in which words he doth variously express our infirmities Those that are in misery think it no small comfort to have a friend to whom they may be bold to complain of their misery Again It is a comfort to those that are astonished and afflicted if others will but stay and stand by them It is the greatest trouble to be left alone in trouble This affection Christ here expresseth Heb. 2. See into what a low condition the Son of God humbled himself and how he would be like unto us his brethren in all things Nevertheless although he chargeth them to watch and stand by him yet he doth not neglect to pray for aid also from Heaven to shew that vain is the wisdom of the flesh and that all carnal assistance is nothing worth if God be absent Therefore he went from them to pray and commanded them to pray also who doubtless could not but hear the dolefull and affectionate cry of his Prayers though they were at some distance from him So that here he taught us both by his Word and Example what to do in times of Temptation even to have
They took Jesus but they had been better they had let him alone That is a good apprehension when the godly apprehend him by faith hope and charity whereof Paul saith I follow after if by any means I may comprehend Phil. 3. So the Spouse I held him and would not let him go Cant. 8. But this is not the apprehension spoken of here but that which the Wise man speaketh of Let us lye in wait for the Righteous let us put him to u shameful death Wisd 2. Thus he that took not the Angels but the seed of Abraham is most unworthily laid hands on by those very men whom he took by the hand He that stretcht not forth his hand of mercy to the Angels but to men when they were fallen is now taken by their hands O the wonderfull goodness of God! It was much that he should set men so high at first but it is much more that he should abase himself sollow for man at last So it was a great thing that commonly he did miraculously deliver the godly but it is far greater that he should now in love to us yield to be a captive that he might deliver us from Eternal slavery Sin death and the devil had taken us captive with great Tyranny but Christ willingly suffered himself to be taken when none of these our catch-poles had any power over him And because he was stronger than they he overcame them and set us free Therefore we may well sing I will extoll thee O Lord for thou hast lifted me up and hast not made my foes to rejoyce over me Psalm 30.1 John addeth And they bound him This was the only power of darkness to take to bind whom they could not take to understand So they did take him when his own hour was for one momentany hour for afterward there was no power of darkness could ever any more comprehend the Light When they had taken him they bound him O the horrid boldness of sinners They bound him that they might lead him away more safely For so Judas had forewarned them that they should look narrowly to him And now they think themselves safe as long as they have Christ prisoner in their own custody But certainly this taking and binding of Christ was their utter undoing A figure whereof was in Sampson and in the Ark of God Judg. 16. and 1 Sam. 5. For as the Philistins took Sampson to their own bane he killing many more of them at his death then in his life And as the same Philistins when they took the Ark of God were many wayes sorely afflicted by it so none else destroyed the Jews but he that was taken and bound by them The Philistins rejoyced when they had taken Sampson so they did when they got the Ark of God but their joy did not last long The Jews were glad when they had taken Christ but their joy was but short for a little after the Romans destroyed them Hence it is that they also now cry and pray but there is none to hear or help them And justly too For he may say to them that they manicled both his arms of Majesty and therefore he cannot now relieve them Thus the unthankfull sons of Adam lay hands on him by whose hands they were created They bind him who came to untye all men The meek Lamb all this while holds his peace and openeth not his mouth but in the bitterness of soul considereth of what continuance our time is knowing that nothing but our sin brought him into all this trouble and sorrow Isa 53. David spake of this taking of Christ long since Mine enemies compass me about they are inclosed in their own fat i.e. they are incorrigibly resolved to practice their own wickedness and not to be withheld by any perswasions or Miracles Their mouth speaketh proud things Psalm 17. We may suppose that they took him with great shouting and scoffing and reviling They have compassed my steps they set their eyes bowing to the earth that is they have determined that neither God nor his Justice no nor Heaven it self shall see or find them out They come upon me with open mouth as a Lyon greedy of his prey Behold what wrath and rage was here which cannot be exprest but by the fury of the most stout and savage Beast So in another Psalm They compassed me about like Bees and are extinct as the fire among the Thorns By which words the excessive cruelty of Christs enemies is foreshewn Psalm 118.12 For such is the fiery rage of Bees that although they can never get honey when they have lost their sting yet they will in a rage stick the same in their enemy and rather live drones than not revenge themselves Thus the Jews spit their venom on Christ never caring whether they did ever gather hony more Therefore afterward they said His blood be on us and on our children Matth. 27. Of which anon Note also that when the binding of Christ is mentioned it is spoken in the plural number It was not only one that bound him They were the sins of all men that did bind Christ So t is said in the Psalms The bonds of the wicked have robbed me Psalm 119.61 Our first Parents begun to twist these cords and we have finished them Startle here O sinner when thou hearest and seest that thy sins did so cruelly intangle and bind Christ But be not altogether dismayd for by those his bonds Christ brake ours and restored us unto true freedom So that we may merrily sing Thou hast loosed my bonds I will sacrifice to thee the sacrifice of praise Psalm 116. Learn we hence 1. To be thankfull for our deliverance 2. Let us take heed that we never more so bind Christ with our sins again 3. We also should learn constantly to suffer bonds for Christ if the case so require For fetters and shackles are now no more a reproach but an honour They are sanctified and ennobled by the sacred Body of Christ so that t is no shame but a credit to bear them for Christ as we see in the Apostles and Martyrs who had no greater badge of honour then to suffer for Christ And let not us blush to be bound for Christ who first was in bonds for us 4. Lastly Let us learn to take our selves captives and to bind our selves with the cords of Gods Precepts or rather with the bonds of Charity lest we let them take their swinge in those things that are contrary to God Let our eyes be held captive from sinfull objects our ear from idle tales our tongue from unsavoury discourse our hands from wicked works our heart from evil thoughts our understanding and judgement from erroneous and corrupt opinions c. Let this suffice in brief to be spoken of Christs surprisal And they all forsook him and fled Mar. 14.50 And there followed him a certain yong man having a linen cloath cast about his naked body and the yong
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
factious people for such do truly live among Lions and Scorpions But a man had need of great patience to stand it out against such Scoffers and Scorners in as much as a scoff and a jeer will many times trouble a wise man more than a cuff on the ear or a blow with a Cudgel 2. They did not only mock Christ with words but withall they put him on a gay and gaudy suit to make a laughing-stock of him This cloaths was trim'd after such a fashion that all that saw him might flock about him and that wheresoever they led Christ they might ask What fool is that 'T is a sign of infinite contempt and scorn to make such a mocking stock of any man Here then O Christian consider who it is that was so shamefully contemned and so basely scorned and all this for thy sake See what a fools coat they put upon him behold what unworthy affronts and affronting indignity is offered to the Son of God The very Elements themselves would never have put up this wrong of their Creator nor let it pass without revenge if God for our salvation had not otherwise so ordained and with-held them But neither Herod nor his Officers shall ever do any such thing to the person of Christ any more For death and hell it self hath long since forbad them so to do Christ indeed wore that white Garment of our eternal salvation though it was a sport and a jesting matter to the Jews and Herods companions For this white Rayment was a Token of his unspotted Passion and that Jesus was that Lamb of God without blemish which should gloriously take away the sins of the world John 1. Mean while let us learn so to live here even as Christ lived who had rather be despised by wicked men then to be commended by fawning Flatterers Do thou so likewise Nothing doth so corrupt the minds of men as Flattery A Parasites tongue doth more mischief than a Persecutors sword When Herod had thus mocked and abused Christ he sends him back again to Pilate He was truly the most miserable of all men who when Christ was offered to him he thrust him and shut him out of doors he had been most happy if he had kept Christ when he was freely tendred to him But the world esteems nothing more vile than Christ though there is nothing more excellent then he For in him are hid all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Col. 2. In him dwels the God-head bodily in him is eternal life which that wretched man banisht from him when he returned Christ back again unto Pilate Thus Christ is again brought back a prisoner not only a prisoner but basely abused with which abuse they having made themselves somewhat merry they spue up their rage miserably tormented him as they haled him along What heart can imagine how our meekest Saviour was tyred out with these torturing and injurious delaies and draggings We read once That he was weary of his journey John 4. How much more may we suppose was he now tyred when he could not go at liberty but was drawn along in fetters and chains by wicked men and that all the night and day without any rest allowed him He was baled and pul'd out of the Garden to Annas from him to Caiaphas And after he was vext and disquieted there all night with boxings and buffetings and spittings and other abuses assoon as it was light he was carried before the Council from the Council to Pilate from him to Herod and again in a hurly burly he was sent back from Herod to Pilate And he was hurried and posted away in all haste for they were insatiably thirsty after his blood and one pulling another thrusting him 't is to be supposed that our Lord had many a sore fall because his hands being bound he was not able to save himself See then how much he endured for his own innocency and our guilt For if we had not sinned he had not suffered and if he had not been guiltless those guilty men had not been so inraged against him He was altogether unlike them and therefore grievous to them to behold Wis 2. And by how much the more they feared he might be set at liberty by so much were they more vehemently incensed against him They were obstinately resolved to put him to a most shame full death which resolution could no way be more strengthened than by delay and doubting and nothing but affection could any way abate it And as the Lord Jesus by how much the nearer he drew to his death and greater sufferings from the beginning of his Passion and the more his Passion was prolonged so much the more meekness and patience he discovered For when he was first laid hands on he was more rigid when he hurl'd them on the ground by the Word of Truth he was less severe before Annas more mild before Pilate and upon the Cross he prayed for his Persecutors with many a tear So on the contrary by how much the greater punishments the Jews tormented him by so much the more they were imbitter'd against him The pride of them that hate thee ascendeth continually Psalm 74. ult But all this while Christ never thought of revenge but of our misery For he saw that he did not suffer these things for his own necessity but for love of us He considered our sins and out of his greatest charity willingly underwent whatsoever they imposed upon him only that he might redeem us And therefore he is more thoughtfull to destroy our sins then he is to escape his own suffering These things are well to be considered for truly it is a worthy just equal and comfortable thing for us always and in all places to give him thanks who would be so led up and down for us that he might lead us into the way and make satisfaction for our sins But see what follows Herod and Pilate were reconciled c. The ground of their quarrel was about their Power which of them should be greatest or rather because Pilate slew some Galileans which were under Herods Power and Jurisdiction Luk. 13.1 This grudge continued till Christ removed it by being sent a Prisoner up and down between them It was a most acceptable thing to Herod that Pilate should send Christ prisoner to him Now all anger was laid aside and forgotten So easily do these wicked men agree and become friends in the killing of Christ whom otherwise no Vertue no Justice could strike a League between or reconcile them Wicked men are sometimes at strife and variance among themselves But in this they all agree to persecute Christ As concerning Christ Herod and Pilate yea Jews Gentiles Turks Hereticks they are all unanimous however they differ never so much otherwise among themselves Here then that of David is fulfilled Why do the Heathenrage saith he and the people imagine a vain thing The Kings of the earth set themselves and the Princes take
day was divided into the Morning Third Sixth Ninth and Evening hour Whatever was done between the third and sixth hour is said to be done at the third hour because the sixth was not yet come John therefore doth not say that Christ was adjudged to die at the sixth hour but about the sixth hour signifying that yet it was the third hour as Mark saith it was But the third was almost out and the sixth hour now was at hand Now the Hebrews had a far other Computation of their hours than we English or Germans have For then the sixth hour was about noon Their day had twelve hours and the night as many John 11. But enough of this Let us return to the Court of Judgement When Pilate sate on the Judgement seat the place day and hour aforesaid before he would pronounce sentence he speaks again to the Jews For he was very unwilling to pass sentence of death And therefore he delayed and put it off so long contrary to those who make nothing to shed mans blood Behold your King saith he whom ye have delivered Prisoner to me under that inditement Why are ye so implacably bent against him Look upon him he is whipt buffeted mockt spit on here he stands before you full of derision and reproach Behold your King What hurt hath he done you What harm can he do to you He could not help himself in vain therefore do you fear him If he did say he was a King see now he is brought low enough If he was indeed your King loe he is subjected to Judgement If he fain would be a King Behold what a worthy King he is just such a one as Boyes use to make Nay In this respect he is so much worse in that he hath indured more punishment and reproaches Behold therefore your King What do you see in him What are you resolved to do with him Are ye satisfied with what he hath suffered Will ye desist from your wicked intention lest you unjustly destroy him and consequently incur your own utter ruine See here with what unwillingness Pilate yielded to the rage of the Jews For although they threatened him with Caesars displeasure yet he doth try all means if possibly he might to rescue and deliver the innocent Certainly he was more righteous and just than many in our times who rave against and fall foul on the innocent before they have any command or commission from Caesar so to do But 't is to be observed that Christ had three names and those very eminent and famous too even from unbelievers For First Pilate said before Behold the man Now Secondly he saith Behold your King The Jews Thirdly add Behold be made himself the Son of God These three a Man King God or the Son of God are the most true names of the one only Christ whom his enemies indeed did scoffingly confess but his friends who reverence and truly adore him do seriously acknowledge And in these three names all our faith hope and comfort do consist As it is the costome of envious men to interrupt ones speech when any thing is spoken which they would not hear of willingly as it happened to Paul Acts 22. When he made his defence and gave an account of himself at Jerusalem So the Jews here interrupt Pilates speech crying out Away with him away with him Crucifie him Thus he that did so mercifully visit the children of men he that dealt so gently and sweetly with the weak among them is grievous to them to behold They rest not at once crying Away with him but they cry out twice to shew their greater disdain and indignation against Christ Although this their bawling rebounded on their own bosom For their Saviour was taken from them both in this world and that which is to come When those wretched Caytiffs cryed out to have Christ taken out of their sight they brought this misery upon themselves even to be deprived of their King Prince and Priest Then was fulfilled that of Hosea The Children of Israel shall be many days without a King and without a Prince and without a Sacrifice Hos 3. Again They shall go with their flocks and with their heards to seek the Lord but they shall not find him he hath withdrawn himself from them Hos 5. And that justly too because they cryed Away with the Saviour Crucifie the Propitiator so that they have lost their salvation and have no defence left them Pilate When he heard these unclean dogs bark and these cruel Lions roar a fresh he doth again make mention of their Kingdom Shall I crucifie your King as if he had said What strange men are ye who will needs crucifie your own King It will be a perpetual blot and stain to you He speaks this more in jest than in earnest how be it be doth still endeavour to break their fury with such kind of Ironies or Riddles He did yet tremble to shed innocent blood But the Jews were not in jest this was no matter of mirth to them We have no King say they but Caesar q.d. Why dost thou talk so much of our King to us as if we Jews would have a King of our own We will not be tainted with this suspition We will not have this man either for a King or for Ceasar We are well enough contented with Tiberius Caesar We acknowledge him for our Soveraign and do pay toll and tribute to him as thou Pilate dost very well know Thus ye miserable Jews have denyed your Messias and rejected him and have chosen Caesar in his stead whom yet ye ever hated and have traduced him for a very Edomite or Idumaean Him therefore ye shall have to be your King whether ye will or no and him indeed ye have This our Jesus would never have tyrannized over you with such cruelty as Vespasian and Titus have since done But if ye are so addicted to the Roman Caesar why have ye so often rebelled Why have ye made so many mut nies against him But such was their hatred against Christ Zach. 9. Mat. 21. that out of envy to him they would applaud and commend Caesar whom they did mortally and most of all hate See what malice will do If they might but destroy Christ they would perpetually enslave themselves as if they had said We had rather be vassals to Ceasar than Free-men under this King Well then ye shall be his slaves that you may learn the difference between the service of God and the service of men By these words they cast off both Christ and God both of which are called their King in the Scriptures They say of God The Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King Isa 33.22 And of the Messias the Scripture saith plainly that he should be King Behold thy King cometh to thee meek c. Zach. 9. And again I will raise unto David a righteous branch and a King shall raign and prosper c. Jer. 23. But here they
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
Vagabonds upon the earth like Cain Gen. 4. And no doubt but ye have felt the smart of it long since how sorely this blood of Christ hath lain upon you But now 1659. years and opprest you and your Children now more than these fifteen hundred years Nor shall you ever have rest and quiet till ye be converted and turn to him and acknowledge your iniquity After Pilate had washt his hands and thought himself whiter than the snow then he gives sentence against Christ to put him to death He thought it a small matter to adjudge a poor mean man to die He thought no body would revenge his blood but he found it otherwise at last What matter is it if a godly man hath no man to take his part or none to revenge his quarrel so long as he hath God to avenge his wrong Vengeance is mine saith he I will repay Deut. 32. Thus Barabbas the Robber is let go without any punishment but innocent Jesus is whipt and judged to death even the death of the Cross The just for the unjnst So those sons of men Whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword did prevail and get the day because they stifly stood it out and held on their clamour so long till at last he was delivered to them to be crucified And so he that gives life to all bare the sentence of death for us For in the righteous Judgement and Court of God this sentence of death was due to us But Christ took it upon himself Thus I say He to whom the heavenly Father had committed all Judgement John 5. And who shall call to the Heavens from above and to the earth that he may judge his people Psalm 50. 2 Pet. 2. At whose Judgement the Powers of Heaven shall be shaken and the firmament shall pass away with fervent heat Hell shall give up its dead and every creature shall tremble he it this day set at naught and despised as the vilest fellow in the world and condemned to die But wo and alas 1. How were the hearts of his Disciples and the rest of his friends overcharged with sadness and grief when all hope of life was taken away and they heard that their faithfull Master their Lord and Helper was condemned by a most unrighteous Judgement 2. On the contrary what a frantick fit of jollity and howling exultation were these mad dogs put into when they had at last prevailed with the Judge by their importunate clamours to grant them their most abominable and horrid request which he had so often denyed them before when the wicked Judge delivered up Jesus the Saviour to the cursed and most cruel will of those who thirsted so much after his blood 3. How did the hopeless sadness of his friends and the furious mirth of his foes torture and afflict this meekest Lamb now in the midst of Wolves 1. Here we see Christians what we must have expected at Gods Judgement day even the Sentence of Eternal Death if Christ had not took pity on us and taken it upon himself 2. We see what little confidence we are to put in the World when Pilate who had hitherto so often stood in defence of Christ now to gratifie and please the Iews doth crucifie him without any other cause in the world So Herod heard Iohn willingly yet cut off his head at last Mark 6. This unrighteous Sentence Christ took and accepted of to free us from the most just Sentence of damnation and to teach us not to fear the unrighteous judgement of the World Let us alwayes remember this Judgement that we may with all our might and whole hearts give thanks to our Lord Christ who would be condemned to death for us and be delivered to the will of the wicked Iews yea he delivered himself that we might be able to stand before the Judgement of God And they took off the purple from him Mar. 15.20 and put his own cloaths on him and led him out to crucifie him And he bearing his cross went forth John 19.17 And as they came out they found a man of Cyrene Simon by name Mat. 27.32 who passed by coming out of the Countrey the father of Alexander and Rufus Mark 15.21 and they laid hold upon him Luke 23.26 him they compelled to bear his cross Mat. ibid. and they laid the cross on him that he might bear it after Iesus And there followed him a great company of people and of women which also bewailed and lamented him And Iesus turning unto them said Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your children For behold the dayes are coming in the which they shall say Blessed are the barren and the Wombs that never bare and the paps which never gave suck Then shall they begin to say to the Mountains fall on us and to the Hills cover us For if they do these things in a green Tree what shall be done in the dry Luke 23.27 Dearest Brethren and friends of God you who wait to hear the end of the saving crucifying of the blessed Lord and beloved Jesus the good God imprint in your hearts the memory of this great suffering that thereby you may not only be more strengthened in your Faith but also animated and encouraged in patience to undergo the like if need so require Amen Invocate the Lords mercy and with most fervent minds pray for all Iews Pagans Hereticks sinners and sinneresses that God the Father and Creator of all would bestow his Grace and Mercy upon all men whereby they may be converted from unbelief to the Faith and from a wicked life to godliness O thou most high God remember this so infinite Passion and be not angry with us for ever These things I thought good to premise to stir up your minds and make ye more attentive to those things which now follow We have heard first what our Lord suffered before finall sentence was past upon him We have heard secondly what that sentence was to wit that he should be crucified Now thirdly we shall hear next how that sentence was put in execution Here then let us give all attention not so much with the ears of our body as of our mind The next thing to be done is to open the Veins of the Fountain of living Waters that that precious balsam which pierceth and softeneth the hearts of all the godly may flow out After that wicked sentence was pronounced those truculent and bloody Wolves took that meekest Lamb Jesus to rend him in pieces and destroy him utterly a thing which they had long desired and now at last had obtained So that what Christ had foretold was now fulfilled to wit that the world should rejoice in his sufferings Ioh. 15. Then is the world glad when it may do what it listeth without controul when there is none to reprove it when it hath those that rebuke it under its own power they took Christ
keeping their wealth these deride and laugh at good men counting their life madness and their end to be without honour Wisd 2. They neither dispose nor distribute what is their own as they ought to do nor do they restore what they have unjustly and wrongfully gotten till at last they are châ—…ked with the thorns of their Riches 5. The Souldiers are a fifth sort of Mockers such as shed mans blood who are given to sport and pleasures wrathfull and voluptuous frolick and 〈◊〉 in the cloaths of Christ to wit temporal prosperity but yet crucifie him that is they lose their eternal salvation persecute good men and warm themselves with the spoiles of the godly But while they riot it out in sport and pastime and spend their dayes in wealth in a moment they go down to the grave Iob 21.13 The whole world is full of this kind of men who mock and deride Christ We must not therefore lay all the blame upon the Jews only Here also we may observe that in this mocking of Christ there are five kinds of temptations hinted out to us which usually set upon the godly especially at their death 1. As Christ was fastened to the cross and hung naked upon it in the sight of all men so the first temptation when we are a dying is that the shame of all our life will be seen and made manifest to all the creatures 2. As Christ was not â—…ed by one or two or many only but by all both great and small high and low so the second temptation of a dying man is that all the creatures will laugh at the whole Scene and story of our Life 3. As they nodded their heads at Christ and endeavoured to over throw all that he had spoken so the third temptation of the godly is when they are terrified with the most powerfull sayings of the Holy Scripture such as these We must give an account of every idle word Mat. 12. And God heareth not sinners c. Joh. 9. 4. As it was said to Christ Let God deliver him if he will have him so the fourth temptation of the godly is when they are tempted to question the will and pleasure of their good God For there is a great Emphasis in the word HIM Let him deliver Him say they if he will have him Who doubts but that God doth know how and is able and willing to save For God is a God of salvation Psal 68.20 But whether or no he would save Him this is that which the Devil would make doubtfull especially if a man live among wicked men as Christ died among thieves It is a great temptation when the Devil shall make a man that professeth the Gospel to doubt that although he believeth that Christ is Our Righteousness yet to question whether he will be His Righteousness 5. Lastly As it was said to Christ If thou be the Son of God save thy self c. So the greatest temptation of dying men is Predestination Wherefore that we may overcome these temptations we must be dumb and deaf to all after the Example of Christ who replyed not a word to these railings and reproaches Thus those three children Dan. 3. said We are not carefull to answer thee in this matter when that wicked King said Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands God is able say they to deliver us Thus men ought to commit all the business to God and cast all their care on him whether they be predestinated or not Do not pry into the Majesty of God lest thou be crushed with his Glory Hence saith Isaiah In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength Isa 30.15 And Jeremy It is good that a man should both hope quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord Lam. 3.26 Therefore turn the deaf ear to all these Temptations especially to that Temptation of Predestination Give glory to God glorifie Him and he will glorifie thee and be not over-thoughtfull of Predestination Now follow the Seven last Words of Christ Here beginneth the fourth Part of the Passion of our Lord. HItherto it hath been shewed what Christ suffered Let us now bear the close of all and how he finished his Passion And here let us give all attention For as godly Parents when they are at the point of death do at that last hour especially inculcate and press upon their children those things which are most necessary and profitable for them that they may take the deeper impression and stick the faster in their minds For the last words are thought to come next from the heart and fit closest to the mind So our most loving Christ call him either Father or Brother when he lay upon his hard death-bed of the Cross and was ready to yield up the ghost He doth first set his house in order make his Will ordain Laws for his Family discharge all Debts appoint his co-Heirs distribute and dispose of all his Treasure And therefore they that fear to be dis-inherited let them presently learn and understand what the commands of their dying Saviour are lest they never know them let them not despise him lest he reject and pass them by Prov. 1. But let them hear and obey him faithfully quickly submit to him out of hand and not forget the Grace and Favour of the Testator I say let them hear the instruction of Christ their Father as the Wise man saith Let them hear not the dotings of a crazy man but heavenly Oracles Not the voyce of a man only but of God himself Let them give ear to the very Truth which can neither deceive nor be deceived Let them hearken to those things which they will never repent the hearing of For that Fountain of Wisdom the Heavenly Organ and Instrument Christ being now about to leave the World and to go hence to the Father through that rough and craggy way of the cross did first salute his elect ones with the most pregnant and pithy speech of all that ever he made to them and what ever he had taught them before he doth now make repetition of and sums it all up together in a most effectual Epilogue or after-speech which though it be comprehended in very few words either because his immense and extream Dolours disabled him or because our dulness discouraged him yet was it by much the most pleasant and profitable speech of all and pronounced with that gravity that nothing which any man could desire was omitted or left out If you look for stability and Fortitude he roareth like a terrible Lyon If you love to hear a more broken complaint a more sobbing and dolefull commiseration and a clear sign of sorrow here is the lamentation as it were of Dragons and the mourning of Ostriges If you would rather have a pleasant Melody he doth sweetly warble it out like a Swan that is about to dye If you seek for tenderness of love no mother so mild so gentle so indulgent If
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
sorrow I know thy pitifull compassion thy Religion and thy Charity I know I sadly know thy pensive thoughts for as thou art not the least cause of my sorrow so I am the only cause of thy grief I know why thou dost stand here Thou wouldst fain anoint me with the Ointment of Piety Thou thinkest to comfort the desolate with thy presence thou couldest wish to die with me yea to die alone and excuse me by thy death All this I accept and take it in good part but it doth as much wound as mitigate For thy soul will not be solaced except thou hast me restored to thee again safe an sound O therwise all Plaisters Medicines Comforts are to no purpose whatsoever is offered to thee is but all in vain But thou hast long since been confirmed with such valour of Vertue anointed throughly with so much oyl of Grace and Favour compleatly accomplished with such perfections that thou art black without filthiness mourning without nastiness decently behaving thy self with all comliness in this thy bitter condition thou art troubled yet chearfull mournfull yet merry free from faultiness sobbing yet singing not utterly dejected thou art defective in nothing for thou canst smile when thou weepest abide most constant when thou art thrust thorow with so many Swords and preserve thy Life when thou art dying Wherefore thou most valliant woman in due time thou shalt receive a full Recompence and Reward nor shalt thou be destitute of all comfort for the present if a most miserable and afflicted man can give any solace and succour to an afflicted woman Seest thou in what Torments I hang here With what difficulties I struggle with what vexations and perplexities my strength is worn and wasted At what price at what rate may I purchase but one sinner With what charity shall I embrace mankind I have appeased my Fathers wrath it remaineth now that I forsake thee not Most dear Parent hitherto indeed thou hast shewed thy self a most tender and carefull Mother to me from the time I was born to this very last hour and hast discharged all Motherly affection and respect to me and now I am ready to dye thou art perhaps afraid that none will own thee but that thou shalt be left to the wide world But be not cast down with such thoughts lo here is that John thy near Kinsman standing by very dear to thee and also to me thou mayest expect and promise to thy self all assistance from him Behold thy Son He shall be thy Son in my absence he shall respect reverence honour and highly esteem thee all the dayes of his life And that thou mayest be assured of it behold I will speak to him before thy face I bequeath him to thee in my stead to serve thee watch over thee and instruct thee His chastity will suit well with thy Virgin and Superangelicall Purity and for his fidelity he will be as honest and as constant to thee as he hath been to me Wherefore Woman Behold thy Son And presently he turned about and spake to the Disciple Behold saith he thy Mother q.d. O John hitherto thou hast answered thy calling to the utmost Therefore thou shalt not go altogether unrewarded for thy singular Faith and constancy towards me yea thou shalt be honoured with more excellent gifts and Dignities then thou dost dare either to pray or look for Thou hast for saken thy Ship Parents Wife and thy own self too for my sweetest Love-sake thou hast cast all thy care hope and thoughtfulness upon me thou hast built upon me securely as on a Rock Nothing hath been so sweet neither Wife Parents nor Patrimony nothing hath been of that moment as to withdraw thee from my company Thou hast followed me through the High Priests wicked Houses and now thou standest by this infamous Cross full of compassion and deeply suffering with me It hath ever been thy delight to follow me to be in my company and to obey my commands Why then should I forsake thee who hast followed me How can I but take care for thee and nurse thee up all whose hope is seated in me Thy hope in me shall by no means be wholly disappointed I will not shew my self ungratefull to thee John Behold thy Mother Thou hast said to thy Parents for my sake I know ye not Behold the Mother of God is thy mother Thou hast forsaken thy Wife who might have proved unfaithfull to thee lo thou hast an intire and most pure Virgin Thou hast renounced thy fishers boat now thou art made master of a Merchants ship that bringeth her food from far Prov. 31. Thou hast despised small things thou shalt receive the greatest Thou hast refused doubtfull thou shalt have certain things thou hast found favour in my sight Thy course of life is more delicious to me There is no Mysterie concealed from thee thou sawest my glory in Mount Tabor thou didst see me cure Jairus his Daughter thou hast seen my misery last night in the Garden and dost now see it on the Cross Yesterday thou didst lean on my bosom at Supper and now I commend the dearest thing I have in the world to thy trust and care Behold thy Mother thou seest I am about to die thou seest my mother is left desolate thou seest there are many Adversaries to me and her I assign commend and make her over to thee as thy own Lo she that was mine is now thy mother Do thou therefore discharge the duty of a Son to her succour cherish love serve her If thou acknowledge her for thy mother I will acknowledge thee for my Brother Hitherto Christ comforted his mother by which Word 1. He shewed both his love and care toward his mother for an Example to us Nor is there a more clear and full Example of shewing Honour and respect to our Parents any where to be found then here although indeed this was not an unjust yet was it a very unequal Exchange that John should be given to the Virgin-mother instead of Jesus a servant for a Lord a Disciple for a Master the son of Zebedee for the Son of God and no doubt but this word was a sore affliction to that Holy Mother However she stands stedfast in her saith immovable and unshaken 2. The Mysterie But whereas Christ doth so carefully commend his mother to the Disciple when he was about to die it was not done without a Mysterie Mary signifieth the Church which is committed to John as the Minister thereof Now John taketh the Church for his own when he doth Rule it by the Word of God But Christ prefers the Church before the Minister Whosoever will be great among you let him be your Minister saith Christ Mat. 20. And Paul saith Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ 1 Cor. 4. Again let no man thrust himself into the service of Mary that is of the Church unless God hath committed the charge thereof
good but this one man Why therefore hast thou forsaken me Why hast thou exposed me to so many sorrows Do I suffer for this Thief alone O thy wonderfull Love indeed to mankind Thou hast no need of the goods of any creature Thou art most absolute perfect and blessed in thy self How wonderfull therefore is thy goodness by reason whereof thou hast set forth and offered me thy Son to and for all men Psalm 22. Behold I the fairest of men thy Delight the Joy of Angel am become a worm and a very abject of worms for the Salvation of Worms I admire thy wonderfull counsell in Redeeming man I admire thy unspeakable goodness Nor do I less admite that I of my own endeavour should so lovingly so exceedingly beyond measure obey thy commands and offer up my self for unthankfull and disobedient men But so it seemed good unto thee Wherefore if there be yet any more punishment beâ—…d inflict it I willingly accept of it and bid it welcome I acknowledge thee yet to be my God It is my will that thy will be done My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Behold my heart is ready to fulfill all thy commands I am in great pain but the greatness of my love doth far exceed it Yea though thou shouldest yet forsake me more and though they should be yet more ungratefull yet I cannot be separated from the love of thee and them whom thou hast called For who shall separate me from thy Love Shall tribulation or distress But thou hast forsaken me that thou mayest not forsake me thou hast humbled me that thou mayest make me great thou hast cast me off that thou mayest receive me most honourably Thou hast forsaken me and hast left me only this that I may though without comfort flee unto and call upon thee Wherefore let thy chastened Son be pleasing to thee and willingly hear him who doth in his great exercise of affliction send up his roaring cry of charity unto thee My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 1. Now concerning this place we may observe first that this cry Why hast thou forsaken me was not fictitious or feigned but most real and true and not only of the mouth but also of the heart and all the humane force and powers For Christ at this hour had stript himself of God not by casting him away but by not perceiving and feeling him acting the part of a pure man It was truly and overmuch an Humane voyce proceeding from Humane affection so to complain why God should forsake him and why he should suffer wicked men to do so much So David I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked Psalm 73. And Jeremiah Why doth the way of the wicked prosper Jer. 12. And Habbakuk Why dost thou shew me iniquity and cause me to behold grievance for spoiling and violence are before me How long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear Hab. 1. Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously and holest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then he Hab. 1.13 Thus Christ speaks here out of Humane affection And so he did sufficiently shew his true Humanity when he prayed before in the Garden But this miserable cry doth much more clearly shew the same against such Hereticks as should after spring up denying his Humane nature Let none therefore be offended at this complaint which was truly Humane but let every one think with himself that flesh and blood did here truly hang on the cross in the form of a servant Phil. 2. These things are tryed and proved on the cross by death and the pure Humanity But after three dayes you shall see and find much other things when the new and living and chearfull Body shall rise out of the Sepulchre So then it is plain that Christ as he was girt with greatest gladness so he was also compossed with extream sorrow And as he was endowed with the highest Truth so he was beset with the deepest and lowest infirmity and as he spent his life in the greatest peace so he lived also in sorest troubles I say as Christ enjoyed the sweetness of life so he tasted the bitterness of death 2. Observe that that Desertion of Christ is the fear and dread of our conscience for sin which we commit which doth find and feel the Judgement of God and eternal Wrath and is so affected therewith as if it were perpetually forsaken and cast out from the presence of God for ever according to that of David I said in my haste I am cut off from before thine eyes Psalm 31.22 Who can but despair when Judgement is revealed There is none can stand before the Judgement of God or is able to bear it For as the too great Splendor of the Sun will dazle and darken the eyes and loud noyse make one deaf so the Judgement of God is too loud for our mind and heart to endure and too heavy for our humane strength to undergo And therefore it forceth a man to despair because there is no way open to escape as Amos saith They shall not escape he that fleeth of them shall not flee away Though they dig into Hell thence shall my hand take them Amos 9. When the Lord comes thus to Judgement all the creatures obey him and further the Judgement of God to execute all fearfull plagues upon the damned as it is in Joel The Earth shall quake the Heavens shall tremble the Suu and the Moon shall be dark Joel 2. Again In that day the Sun shall go down at noon Amos 8. That is in the day of the Lords Judgement What is more miserable then man so judged of the Lord destitute of the counsel comfort and help of all the creatures and despairing This is the Judgement that all we deserved for our sins Christ therefore the only begotten Son of God did of his meer Mercy without any of our merit cast himself into our case and took that punishment which we had deserved upon his own shoulders Here we see on one hand the common people stand reviling Christ the Priests blaspheming the Thieves cursing the Apostles denying him his Friends forsaking him the Earth moved the Sun darkened in short all horrid things and all the creatures set against him On the other hand we see God also his Adversary and so forsaking him that he cryes out why hast thou forsaken me Which of us would not have despaired in such necessity But Christ took all this upon him that he might overcome our desperation and give us also hope in the like extremity So that this was our voyce or cry who by no means were able to bear the Judgement of God but must have despaired But Christ took that Cry upon himself and overcame our despair that now we may be sure God will never forsake us no though he seem so to do as Christ in that hour seemed to be
thirst after your salvation as one that doth entirely love you and am now for the love-sake of you and your Salvation cast off and forsaken of God the fervency of my love doth command and compell me to search exactly and trace out if happily there be any place of pity and mercy to be found in your breasts who are obliged to me by large favours and whom I have purchased at so dear a rate Charity I say and even necessity it self do force me to beg of you and put you upon the tryal to see what thanks you will render to me for the great sorrow and pains I have undertaken and gone thorow for your sakes I do not call to you to come into the same misery with me I do not desire that you should hazard any of your blood or life I neither covet nor seek any of your Gold Silver or any precious thing that ye have got or purchased with great pains and industry Nay it is a very small matter and easie to be had that which I entreat now in my necessity at this very pinch of death is no more but what Nature hath made common to all men I thirst I cannot hide it and now I have it known I humbly entreat a little drink at your hands 1. I thirst I desire but a little cold water what less can be desired and what can more unworthily be denyed I am sore athirst I ask but so much water of you as I have shed either sweat or blood for your Salvation Nay not so much I ask but a very little of you I thirst I have not slept one wink all this night but have spent it in Toyling Tortures Travel Stripes and Wounds my blood vital humour and all my strength is quite spent and wasted My heart is like melting wax in the midst of my belly Psalm 22. My strength is dryed up like a pot-sheard my tongue cleaveth to my jawes my bones are as dry as a stick I have stretched out my hands all the day my soul is as the earth without water as the parched ground I thirst I pray not for the lengthening of my life I pray not against death the cross or any other kind of torment do but only quench my thirst this is all I beg of you Is there none among so many that will take pity on my soul and refresh it The water is not to be fetch'd with such hazard out of the Camp of the Philistins 2 Sam. 23. Nor is there such a great gulf fixed between you and me Luke 16. The distance is not so great but that ye may easily help me in this condition 2. I thirst not only in body but rather and more especially in my soul I desire thy Salvation O man more then water and thy Redemption more then my own refreshment It is for thee I say that I thirst nor do I desire only to taste of thee but to suck and swallow thee up wholly into my bowels by a full draught of Love To quench this thirst it is that I have undertaken such a journey set upon so much hardship suffered so many Tortures and that nothing may be wanting for thy Salvation I do yet thirst after a thousand more such Torments Behold now is the time that my strength should fail therefore that I may not be disappointed of my desired wishes do not O man do not this day harden thy heart but take the fire of Holy Love which may so boyl thee by its heat that thou mayest breath forth chast groans and pour our abundance of tears and with these let me be fed I crave not many things at thy hands yea I will abundantly recompence small matters I will not despise a little frozen tear nor thy meanest desire proceeding out of the poverty of thy spirit This is my evening prayer my only care next to the Love of my God is to Seek thee to Love thee to Thirst for thee 3. I thirst that ye also may be athirst with this my thirst that is as I haue loved you so ye would have fervent love one to another then which I account nothing more Sacred so that as a good Shepheard I lay down my life for you by the only impulse of Love Ioh. 10. 4. Lastly I thirst even I the head and heart do earnestly thirst after all my Members nor doth the misery of my friends a little afflict me of which I will no less upbraid the wicked than of my own when I shall come in the clouds of Heaven with Majesty and Glory saying I was athirst and ye gave me no drink for what ye have done to one of the least of these my Brethren ye have done it unto me Mat. 25. Then shalt thou quench my thirst O man if thou dost feed my hungry ones give dsink to the thirsty cloath the naked entertain strangers visite those that are sick and in prison comfort and deliver them then thou quenchest my thirst if thou givest the milk of Instruction to the ignorant to drink if thou break the bread of wholsome Doctrine to them reprove sinners forgive the Debts and wrongs of thy brethren patiently bear the frowardness and distempers of others and by pure and holy Prayers help and assist them what thou canst This is my thirst which is diffused throughout my members but contracted in me Let this be quenched without the Vineger of sorrow or Gall of bitterness Let this my great and manifold thirst admonish you and the abundant and plentifull measure of the Recompence which I shall measure out unto you O man I thirst Thus far Christ exprest himself But what did he obtain by all this You shall hear There was set saith he a vessell full of Vineger c. O insatiable Fury The wicked are never satisfied in persecuting good men They give Vineger to Christ which being squeezed out of the Spunge and dropping besides his mouth could not satisfie his thirst but offend his mouth yea it would have spoiled his taste it would have troubled and tormented all his inward parts This was the best succour and refreshment that Christ found in so great pains and punishments Never was there any so obnoxious to condemnation as not to prevail for one crum of comfort especially after Sentence of death once given and received But for the Lord that made all things there is simply nothing of piety at all left All things are carryed in extreams now because he was delivered to their will Thus the Fountain of life was dryed up who saith If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Joh. 7. He that moisteneth the earth with dew and rain and giveth drink to all he is thirsty and cannot get a drop of water Thus Christ made hard satisfaction for our Surfetting and Drunkenness So did he suffer in all his Senses that man might be compleatly redeemed But thus the world useth the godly in their necessity Now that Vineger doth fitly set forth
die in the midst of his unspeakable grief mourning and sorrow when the Humane Nature could no longer hold out this Fountain of Life began to close his languishing eyes his face waxt pale and wan and the signes of death appeared in him he spake the last Word to his Father to whom he had directed his first and fourth before And when Jesus had cryed with a loud voyce he said Father Luke 23.46 into thy hands I commend my spirit And having said thus he bowed the head and gave up the ghost John 19.30 This last word is taken out of Psalm 31.5 which Saint Steven also made use of and would to God we could all imitate it I say I wish that this might be our last word He takes good care of his soul that doth commend it to God The sense The meaning of the word is as if Christ should have said O most excellent Father to thee all thanks do of right belong and are justly due for thy blessings bestowed upon us and into thy hands the Salvation of mankind is safely committed from whom it doth proceed For at thy beck all things are made safe and sure and at thy pleasure and command are they again dissolved and brought to nothing out of which they were made Thou art the beginning and end of all things from thee they all had their being It is meet therefore that they should return to thee again and with so much the more confidence commend themselves to thee again there being nothing more acceptable nothing more sweet and pleasant nothing more prompt and ready to thee then to receive the creatures that return to thee with thy Fatherly Kisses and greatest Clemency Thou dost cherish and love thine own and hatest nothing that thou hast made Wisd 11.24 Thou art the most desired Bosom of thy children Thou art the safest Harbour of our Ships Thou art the Surety peace and security of our souls So that I thy Son have no small hope left me while I sayl through the deep and wide Sea of Tribulations thou supplyest my strength and by thy help have I overcome so many hazards and such great dangers I have manifested thy Name unto men I have glorified thee upon earth I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do Now I come unto thee John 17. And for the prosperous gale of thy Goodness I render thee all possible thanks and do here upon this Altar of the Cross sacrifice and offer up unto thee my self for a most acceptable Oblation But because my spirit doth with wonderfull sweetness cleave to the flesh which thou gavest me for a companion it is by a kind of natural reluctancy exceedingly afraid to be parted from it Therefore I commit the close of my life into thy hands that thou wouldest not leave me now at this hour who hast ever done so many and so great things for me and hast alwayes heard me 1. I commend my spirit into the hands of thy Majestie which have made and preserved all things for thou hast marvelously setled me in hope In peace therefore will I lie down and take my rest in thee Psalm 4. Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell nor suffer thine Holy One to see corruption Psalm 16. Let my flesh flourish again and let gladness compass me about whom thou hast girded with sackcloth Look upon my Humility save my soul out of all distress set my feet in a large room Thou art my God my Lot and lines are in thy hands Receive me thy highly esteemed One who commend my self unto thee 2. Into thy hands also I commend my Reward or Purchase which I have obtained at so dear a rate Redeemed with so much blood I mean those souls which are preserved from Eternal death and destruction and which hitherto have brandished the Sword and greedily sought for revenge but are now reconciled and become Champions for thy Truth Take those souls into thy hands which I have written and printed in my hands These are my booty the spoiles recovered out of the jawes of our enemy This is my Venison take and taste of it that thy soul may bless me This is my stray sheep which I have brought home again upon my shoulders This is the tenth penny which I have found rejoyce and be glad with me These I commend into thy hands for whom I now give up the ghost let them never fall out of thy hands Keep the souls of the righteous in thy hand let not the torment of malice or the wicked one touch them Wipe off every tear from their eyes let the former things pass away let there be no mourning nor crying nor any sorrow let not the pit any more gape upon them Dear and only Father who openest thy hands and fillest every living thing with thy blessing pluck them not back from me thy Son and all my complices who are also reckoned among thy children but receive keep cherish them and gather them up into thy Joyes bless crown exalt them For truly for that very cause do I undauntedly lay down and offer up my life to thee confessing and trusting in thy will and so O Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Whence we are taught first to bear whatsoever comes from God Secondly to commend all we are or have unto God and thirdly to persevere and hold out unto the end It is the end only and peseverance that will prove what our works are Perseverance only delivereth up the spirit into the hands of God that alone doth strive lawfully and that alone shall be crowned For what prowess or praise is it only to begin Who will suffer a tree to grow that doth but only bud and blossom and never bring forth any ripe fruit What can be more dronish then to put on the Habegeon or Harness of War at home in the House and cowardly to cast it off and run away when the Battel is set What can be more foolish and ridiculous then to be at vast expences to lay the Foundation of a House to raise up the walls and never lay the roof to cover it What advantage is it to make a long Voyage and sink in the Haven What profit is it to buy oyl and spill it on the ground when the Bridegroom is coming To what purpose is it to be zealous for a time to climb up to Heaven to make his nest among the Stars to walk with the children of God in the midst of a fiery Furnace and at last to sink down to hell to be besotted in sin and of a yong Angel to become an old decrepite Devil Remember him therefore who loved us to the end and persevered in his love to us even to the end upon the Cross and will save none but such as persevere in good even to the end to wit in the imitation of his Cross Now when our Lord Christ had uttered this his last Word he bowed down his head and gave
lay down his life Joh. 10. Therefore he wondered that he should be so soon dead Nor do the Evangelists describe only the persons of these two men but also the care of them both and what either of them brought to the interring of Christ Ioseph brought linnen and Nicodemus brought a mixture of Myrrhe and Aloes about an hundred pound weight This Nicodemus is commended in the Gospel for other things for that he came to Christ by night and that he defended him before the Pharisees Therefore he doth happily finish what he had well begun Now Christ would have a glorious and sumptuous Funeral 1. Because he had made satisfaction for the sin of man and it was now time that his Glory should appear 2. That the Scripture might be sulfilled which saith And his sepulchre shall be glorious as the vulgar reading is or his Rest shall be Glory Isa 11.10 3. To let us know that our glory hath it rise or beginning from death For the glory of Worldly things is swallowed up in the grave 4. To give us to understand that there is a sure and certain Crown of Glory laid up for them that strive lawfully after their fight is finished as Paul saith I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give unto me 2 Tim. 4.7,8 It follows And they took the body of Iesus and wrapped it in clean linnen Mat. 27.59 Mar. 15.46 Luke 23.53 John 19.40 with the spices at the manner of the Jews is to bury Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified and in the garden a new sepulchre which Joseph had hewen out of the Rock for himself in which was never man yet laid There laid they Iesus therefore because of the Jews preparation day and the Sabbath drew on And they rolled a great stone upon the mouth of the sepulchre and departed And there were Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of Joses sitting over against the sepulchre and beholding where he was laid And they returned and prepared spices and oyntments and rested the Sabbath day according to the Commandment The wicked get them gone and Jesus is now left to the godly but crucified These two therefore take the body of Jesus for a great Reward and Treasure nor are they ashamed to take him down from the cross or gallows when he was dead whom they loved so dearly when he was alive Nor do they regard what others say of them that such Noble men should undertake so mean a service but slighting all those things they take down Christs body from the cross with much weeping and many tears questionless Thus my Brethren if we would be Christians and true Gospellers indeed we must not be ashamed of such low and mean employments They wrap Christs body in clean linnen for so it became this purest body to be shrouded which was so clean that the very linnen was the cleaner for it They add also Oyntments and Spices which the Jews used to keep the bodies from rotting And this shewed that those two had yet but a weak and imperfect Faith For they had no higher thoughts of Christ but that he was an honest and innocent man and a Prophet But Christ was also God which they knew not and he was suddenly to rise again therefore had no need to be so embalmed Nevertheless he was pleased to have this done that his death might be more glorious and that we might learn from hence how we ought to receive Christ to wit with clean linnen and Spices that is with a pure heart and a sweet and savory conversation But if any Judas had been here present without doubt he would have exclaimed as the other Iudas said before Why was this waste Mar. 11.14 These Spices might have been sold for much and given to the poor What good will it do Christ to persume him with Spices when he was dead But a Christian ought not to say this cost is superfluous For the charges of those men is not so much to be considered as their Faith That only is lost which is not done in Faith But here was nothing less then loss It was rather truly a good work whereby those two declared their faith and openly shewed that they would hazard all they had for Christ For they must of necessity expect to be the hatred of the Pharisees and unavoidably look for the spoiling of all their goods for so doing It was a great work and not to be compared with any works of Hypocrites For Hypocrites indeed are at great expences but they do nothing out of Faith abnegation of their goods but all proceeds from impiety and ambition of gain But no work is to be rated or valued according to the costliness or outward shew of it but according to the faith of him that doth it Thus the Widow in the Gospel that cast in her two Mites is said to offer more then all the rest because she did it out of her faith and poverty Luke 21. So this work was not so great from the cost but from the Faith whereby they did now renounce and hazard all the rest of their goods for Christ Moreover it is manifest by their Preservatives what is was that they sought for in Christ For Preservatives keep the body from putrefaction It was life thereforre which they sought after in Christ But how under death in a dry body and this indeed is true Faith Every body will seek life in a living Christ this is easie but to look for any thing in a dead dry despised Christ hoc opus hic labor est is hard to be done Now the Evangelists do not describe the manner only of Christs burial but the place also There was saith he a garden hard by These things seem to fall out by chance but indeed all things were thus ordered by Divine Appointment For 1. Christ began his Passion in a Garden and in a Garden he finished the same because Adam sinned in a garden Christ was also buried in a garden to shew that by him there is a way open for us to return into Paradise not into an earthly but Heavenly Paradise 2. Whereas he was buried in another mans grave that shews his povery who neither in his life nor in his death had where to lay his head Mat. 8. Here also our curiosity is condemned who with such care and cost yea with so much pride do build Sepulchres for our selves But it is significantly said of Christs Sepulchre that it was a new one and that none was ever buried in it before to take away all suspition lest it should be thought that any other rose out of it 3. As Christ prepared a Virgin-womb for himself when he was to be born which never man knew so when he was to rise again he would be buried in a new
Sepulchre wherein never man was yet laid Which new Sepulchre 1. Did prefigure that some new and unheard of thing was to be done to wit that he who was buried in that grave should return again to life 2. Also that Death was to be turned into a sleep especially as to the godly out of which sleep they were to rise again in due time as in a most pleasant and delicious garden Note Note that we do not read of any one Disciple that was present at the butial of Christ though t is to be believed that John was there which yet by the letter doth not appear lest it should be thought that they had carried away the body of Jesus and hid it in some other place Finally those good men rolled a great stone to the mouth of the Sepulchre 1. That the Jews might not easily offer any violence to the dead body And 2. That his Resurrection might be the more clear and eminent in that he could come forth when the Sepulchre was fast shut up Thus honour then of such a Funeral Christ suffered to be done unto him by these Honourable men that his enemies might not say none but base and worthless men did stick to this Nazarene although this was but a small Honour if compared to that wherewith he is now Honoured in all the Earth and in all the Churches not only as man but as God and man who doth no longer lie in the grave but sitteth at the right hand of God in Heaven Notwithstanding his Sepulchre is so Honourable to this very day that not only Christians but many Gentiles also come out of admiration very far to Jerusalem to see it In short the Sepulchre of Moses is not known where it is nor doth it much matter where he was buried but all know where the Sepulchre of Christ is for so it is necessary that by it we should learn both our own burial and resurrection For as the sufferings of Christ are ours so also is the burial of Christ ours For we are buried with him by baptism into death Rom. 6.4 Lastly It is said that those women of Galile observed the place where he was buried For they intended to anoint and perfume his body very carefully They did not judge it meet that so holy a body should putrifie and be eaten up of Worms For neither did they know that he was God and that he was shortly to rise again It follows in the Text. Now the next day that followed the day of the preparation Mat. 27.62 the chief Priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate saying Sir we remember that that deceiver said while he was yet alive After three dayes I will rise again Command therefore that the Sepulchre be made sure untill the third day lest his Disciples come by night and steal him away and say unto the people He is risen from the dead so the last Errour shall be vorye then the first Pilate said unto them Ye have a watch go your way make it as sure as you can So they went and made the sepulchre sure sealing the stone and setting a watch The wicked are not nor can they yet be quiet although Christ were now dead and buried They vex and trouble Pilate again and importune him to make fast the Sepulchre for they were afraid that he had not given strict charge enough Now they understood the sign of Ionas which Christ said should be given them Mat. 12. Now also they understood the destruction of the Temple which was to be raised up again in three dayes however they wrested it to another sense before when they accused Christ Therefore now they run headlong together again even on that their Sabbath when the other Jews mean while were at their devotion and prayers They can neither rest themselves nor can Pilate be at quiet for them Such great Signs were there shewed at the death of this just man that they might very well have done otherwise But these signs had the same effect upon these men as those great Miracles heretofore took upon the Aegyptians They were only thereby more hardened Well might they fear that the last errour would be worse then the first They speak true at unawares and prophesie against themselves For their mistake was worse and they did err more in that they did not repent afterward But the Faith of Believers was thereupon the more confirmed concerning the truth of the Resurrection Having therefore got leave of Pilate they make sure the Sepulchre setting a watch and not content with this they seal the stone too Thus Humane prudence strives against God but all in vain For Christ will rise again in spite of your reeth O ye Pharisees nor can the Souldiers or sealing the Sepulchte hinder it one jott All the endeavours of mans prudence are to no purpose where God hath otherwise decreed Take to you all the strength of Caesar yet shall you not be able to keep this Nazarene in the grave All the care and pains which they take about the sepulchre they take against themselves And it was Divine Providence that the Sepulchre should be made so fast For hence the truth of his Resurrection is more clearly proved Here then diligently again remember the Divine chiefdom and Power in that it doth most wisely accomplish his own by anothers work Caiaphas thought it fit that Christ should be put to death and perish but God saw it needful that Christ should be the life of the world God therefore made use of the work of wicked Caiaphas and by it accomplished his own Design Thus also it was the prudence of the Iews to set a watch upon the Sepulchre lest any should steal away the body from thence and tell the people that he was risen But it was the Wisdom of God that the Resurrection of Christ should be made most manifest to all men God therefore doth take the design of others prudence to perfect thereby and compleat his own Purpose and Design For by this strict and narrow watch the Resurrection is made much more clear and manifest then if the Iews had not so diligently guarded the Sepulchre The Conclusion of the Passion Dearest Brethren HItherto we have heard how many and how great things the Creator and Lord of the world suffered from so many and such great men who were so mad and did so cruelly rage against him that he might satisfie the Divine Justice for so many and such great and miserable punishments which were due to our sins Wherefore 1. Let us give him hearty thanks for his most liberal and bountifull love towards us 2. Let us draw nigh and approach unto this Throne of Grace with full assurance of Faith that we may find mercy in time of need 3. But above all let us take all diligent heed lest at any time like unthankfull men we forget this so great work of Mercy and Love to us But let us fasten and indelebly imprint it in our minds and keep it fast in memory to the end that those wounds that Blood that Passion that Death may alwayes be before our eyes to water our hearts continually to take away their hardness to melt and soften them and be a constant and safe conduct to us through prosperity and adversity Let us meditate upon the Passion of our Lord first that we may not be puffed up in our prosperity with vain mirth and foolish jollity secondly lest in adversity we be cast down with too great grief and swallowed up with overmuch sorrow seeing Christ hath suffered far greater things for us The All-mighty and All-sufficient God grant that this Passion of Christ may become fruitfull to us and profitable for us Let him vouchsafe to fasten it in our hearts by his Spirit that by this Passion we may rouze and stir up our selves to all that is good and comfort our selves in all our adversity and afflictions but especially in death And at present let us give all diligence that we walk and keep our selves in his fear forasmuch as we are not Redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with the precious blood of Christ Therefore 1. If hitherto we have crucified Christ let us now with the Centurion be converted and witness that Christ is the Son of God by a true and lively Faith 2. Let us return into the Houses of our hearts and with compunction cast our selves upon our couch 3. Let us wrap up pure Christ in the fine Linnen of clean cogitations and let us not suffer any dead carkass to lie in the Monument of our heart but let us present our hearts to Christ only to be inhabited by him alone 4. Let us chase away and banish hence all corruption of the World that when Christ shall return and we rise the third day that is after the first day of this Life and the other day of Rest to those Treasures of Grace which we receive here he may also bestow upon us the beatitude of our souls and the Treasures of the body of Glory that being made like unto him and fashioned after his glorious Body we may may have a most blessed entrance into the Inheritance of an Eternal Kingdom which he grant to us who Liveth and Raigneth Eternally to whom be all honour and glory of every creature now and for ever Amen Blessed be God world without end Amen FINIS
Faithfull against the Armies of Devil and Hell He that hath not this Sword let him buy it In the Spiritual battel none can stand without it But mony will not it cannot buy it t is to be had only by Resignation and Self denial The spiritual Sword saith Ambrose is to sell our Patrimony and buy the Word Matth. 13. This is hinted in the Parable of buying the Field and Pearl The Disciples did not yet understand what Christ said For soon after Peter fals upon their enemies with his Sword and here they bring Christ two Swords Now as there Christ rebuketh Peter for smiting with the Sword so here he saith It is enough intimating that he did not speak of the material sword for what could two swords do against so many enemies an hundred had not been sufficient Alas silly Souldiers what can yee do with your rusty Swords We must not fight but suffer and our sufferings can be conquered by nothing but the Word of God But there is a Mysterie in those two Swords which the Apostles brought and Christ said they were sufficient Ambrose expoundeth those two Swords to be the two Testaments But we may understand them otherwise one Sword may be the Word of Promise the other the Word of Precept The Apostles had both these Swords with which they subdued all the world to Christ To have these two Swords and use them well is enough to obtain everlasting life If thou wouldest stand it out against Satan and save thy soul stedfastly believe all that a Christian ought to believe and constantly practise what a Christian should do and thou shalt be secure and sure But why doth he so strictly charge his Apostles to sell their purse and scrip and coat to buy this Sword Because saith he that which is written must yet be fulfilled in me And he was reckoned among the Transgressors There is saith he a great temptation not far off I your Lord and Master shall be extreamly disgraced For I shall not only be named and numbred among the worst of men but shall be hanged too between two notorious and open Thieves You had need be armed with the Word of God against this scandal or else yee will hardly continue long in my Faith Suppose this to be spoken to us also that we may give all diligence to arm our selves with the Word of God beforehand For although we have no temptations at present at least very rare and faint ones yet we must look for greater at or before our death which we shall not be able to overcome except we be armed with the Word of God This is that which Paul saith We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities the Rulers of darkness c. Stand therefore having your loins girt about c. Ephes 6.13,14 Lastly he addeth For the things concerning me have an end i. e. Whatever was written of me will be presently fulfilled My suffering will fulfill and put an end to all Prophesies What my Body the Church shall suffer will also have an end I will suffer first the Church shall follow me but not with equal pace or measure Many imitate but few or none equal the sufferings of Christ And he said unto them John 14.1 Let not your heart be troubled yee believe in God believe also in me In my Fathers House are many Mansions c. See John the 14 15 16 17. Chapters Here the Heavenly mind begins that Sermon which he preacht at Supper penn'd and left written by none but John only to shew that t was not for nothing that he alone leaned on his Lords breast 1. The first thing Christ doth handle in this Sermon is to comfort his Disciples who were much cast down under manifold troubles as the sudden suffering of Christ Judas his fall Peters danger and the desolate condition they themselves were like to be in very shortly 2. In this Sermon Christ doth manifest and open himself plainly that we might know what great good there is to be had in him If there be never so great a Treasure we are nothing the better for it so long as it is conceal'd and kept close from us Christ had done us no good if he had not discovered himself to us by his Word For we cannot see him with our eyes of flesh Therefore now he cals himself the Fathers equal Sometime a Vine Sometime the Light Sometime the Way Truth and Life c. All which Names and Appellations discover the exceeding great good that is in and to be had by and from Christ 3. Then he concludes his Sermon with Prayer after he had bequeathed all his goods to the Faithfull For he prayed that they who believed in him might all be Sanctified that they might be one in him that his Love might abide in them c. In which Prayer he was heard in that he feared as Paul saith Heb. 5. And thus much for the Supper of the Lord. Here endeth the first Part of our Lords Passion Here beginneth the second part of our Lords Passion Dearest Brethren HItherto we have heard some Preludes or Introductions of our Lords Passion which were many and various as the Unction of Jesus the Passover washing of Feet Institution of the Sacrament the business of Judas and Peter the Contention of the Disciples together with their manifold and frequent Admonitions and Consolation But nothing as yet was actually attempted against Christ only he was fairly promised to be betrayed but nothing perfected and put in Execution Christ at his last Supper had Elegantly expressed that Mystical Attire of the high Priest Exod. 28.33 of which we read in Exodus And beneath upon the hem of the garment of the high Priest saith the Lord to Moses thou shalt make Pomegranates and bells of Gold c. So shall Aaron be arrayed in the Office of his Ministry c. The skirts of the Priests Rayment signifie the latter times of our Lords Life The Pomegranates are his fiery works of Charity which he shewed at his last Supper the Bells are his shril-sounding words of Love with which he instructed and set them in good order at that Supper and with which he intreated the Father for their salvation The Bels of his Doctrine and the Pomegranates of his works thus intermixt make nothing more beautiful to the eye nothing more pleasant to the ear nothing more desirable or delightfull to be experimented Having now seen the beauty of the Pomegranates and lately heard the sweet Musick of the tinkling Bels Heb. 9. Next let us attend and see how that high Priest entred in and stood in the presence of God with the order of his Oblation how he offered up himself to God First then John affirmeth that he said John 14.31 Arise let us go hence By which word 1. He would fix it in his Disciples hearts that he was to suffer something which he knew beforehand and was willing