14. For we having offended an infinite God deserved infinite wrath and therefore of necessity there must be an infinite satisfaction Now it is more for God to suffer any thing then for all men and creatures to suffer all things As the blood of a sheep is more precious then the blood of 1000 adders toads and serpents the blood of a man then of a 1000 sheep the blood of a King then of a 1000 common men and the blood of God is more precious then the blood of all the men in the world And hence it is that all mens fins cannot exceed the price that was paid for them because our sins are but the sins of men but Christs sufferings are the sufferings of God o now God loves the Hoâ— 11. 9. I am God and not man blood of his Son more then he hates all our sinnes And if Adam one man was able by his sin to condemne a world surely God by his sufferings is able to save a world Rom. 5. 15. 16. 17. 4. We are to know that he is a true man also of the substance and blood of the Virgin not having a phantasticall body as the Maniches â—ay nor passed through the wombe of the Virgin as water through a Conduit-pipe as the Valentinians say Nor passed through her Paps as the Turks Alcoran dreams but of the seed of the woman Gen. 3. 14. and made of a woman Gal. 4. 4. Indeed he took not the person of any one man but the Non hominem sed humanitatem non personam sed naturam humane nature of all men soule and body contrary to the heresy of the Apolinarians that say his deity supplyed in stead of the soule when as Christ said my soule is heavy to death And now he is a true man in heaven the same that he was on earth though glorifyed contrary to the heresy of the Seleucians that affirmed that Christ in his assention unclothed himselfe of the flesh of man and left it in the glob of the Sun So that what God once spake Ironically is now verifyed Gen. 3. 22. Behold the man is become like one of us Or as those heathen Barbarians said of Paul and Barnabas Act. 14. 11. God is come down to us in the likenesse of man O infinite wonder That God should please to chuse one man among all mankind or more properly humane nature and exalt him to be one of the Trinity to sit in the seate of God be called God adored and worshipped as God to all eternity Not carâ— but Deus in carâ—â— 1 Tim. 2. 16. For to Christ is due divine adoration not only in his divine nature but in regard of his person Not that the humane nature is capable of it self of divine worship but because divine worship is terminated upon the person of Christ and so it is due to the humane nature If an Angel had been thus exalted it had not been so great cause of admiration but for God to take a lump of flesh and blood a piece of earth the same we tread upon and join it to himself to all eternity Lord what is man that thou art so mindfull of him or the son of man that thou so regardest him That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great God a sucking childe Regens sydera should be sugens ubera He that rules the stars should suck the breasts For man to be like unto God is wonderfull but for God to be in the likenesse of man is a greater wonder We in our lowest humiliation can but lie in the dust and cloath our selves with sackcloth and put ashes on our heads But for God to cloath himselfe with dust and ashes like Nebuchadnezzars Image an head of gold and feet of clay this is a lower abasement then if a King should be clothed with beggers ragges become a frog a worme or the basest creature was not our flesh a goodly robe to cloath the Deity with when the Angels themselves scorne our nature and think it a debasing of them so that if they take up a mans body for their use yet they quickly lay it downe againe This is cause of wonder indeed but no cause of stumbling or offence for as Tertullian affirmes Nulla substantia digna est ut Deus induat quodcunque tamen induerit ipse dignum facit Though God be too great to cloath himselfe with any nature yet what ever he shall cloath himselfe withall he makes it worthy Quicquid Deo indignum patitur iderat tâ—i gratia Tertul. Now the reason why Christ tooke mans nature upon him was Not onely to Gal. 3. 12. 13. redeem man that as man had sinned man should suffer for God could not Homini Deus mor tem minatus est ab homine ergo poena luenda est Wolleb suffer and without shedding of blood there is no remission And to fulfill the Law for us by yeelding obedience to it which the God-head could not be brought in subjection under But also to make the divine nature more amiable to us that we might not be afraid to look upon God As the Shepherds of old had wont to cloath themselves with sheeps skins to be more lovely in the sheeps eyes Even the Sun it selfe may be looked upon through a cloud And so may the Deity through the Lanâ—horne of the humanty 2 Cor. 3. 18. God hath as it were cloathed himselfe with our flesh to teach us he will not hide himselfe from his owne flesh The Lord Christ seemes to speak to us as once Elihu did to Job Job 33. 6. Behold I am according to thy wish in Gods stead I am also formed out of the clay Behold my terror shall not make thee afraid neither shall my hand be heavit upon thee So Christ is as iâ— were in Gods stead form'd out of the clay and he makes the apprehension of the Deity not to be fearfull to us Fifthly and lastly we are to know Christ to be God and man united together In John 1. 14. Christ is said to be made flesh not appeared flesh as he did sometimes to the Patriarchs conferring with them in a visible shape as to Abraham Isaac and Jacob c. But made flesh that is united to flâ—sh for God cannot be made flesh or be turned into flesh In 1 Tim. 3. 16. great is the mystery of Godlinesse God manifested in the flesh It is cald a Mystery dark and hidden not known of Adam in innocency till revealed in whose heart the Law was written but not the Gospel Col. 1. 26. A mystery of godlinesse breathing nothing but godlinesse Tit. 2. 11. though men make it a mystery of iniquity God manifested in the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appearing in flesh such a mystery as not the Angels in heaven can understand the manner Only this we know it was no transmutation of the Deity into the humanity nor of Vide Bish Vsher a learned tractate of the
the souldiers would let the godly women give him wine to cheare him and it s very probable the souldiers gave this wine to him themselves â— It is cold vinegar mingled with gall and wine mingled with myrrhe which cannot properly be called sweet wine 3. It was prophecied Ps 69. 21. they gave him gall and vineger to drink 4. They loved him not so well to cheere him â— Others say they used to give wine Ad stuporem mentis alienationem as Arias Mont. mixt with myrrhe to inebriate and intoxicate their sences that were to die this death that they might not feele their paine But this were a foule murthering sin to make men drunk before execution which should be a time of greatest and most solemn repentance thereby causing them to dy in their sins without mercy But thirdly I rather conceive the Iews Cornel. â—alapide Gerard in Harm Evang. did it ad ludibrium ad tormentum to mock and afflict him for they brought sowre wine like vineger and mingled it with Gall and myrrhe to make it bitter enough so that they did not afford Christ that comfort they did to ordinary malefactors And this was to teach us that our cup should have been gall and wormwood to all eternity but Christ hath drunk the cup of wormwood and gall that we might drink the cup of consolation 2. They rackt him as somethink till all his bones were out of joynt Psal 22. 14. All my bones are out of joynt for so they say was the custome of the Romans to deal with those that were to be crucified 3. His armes being stretched out they nailed him by the hands bearing the weight of his own body and then they nailed his feet to the foot of the crosse and so taking up the crosse with this bloudy sacrifice upon it probably they set it down into the earth or otherwise making it fast thereby exceedingly rending the wounds shaking his body They pierced my hands and feet or Lyon-like tore they them as the text with the marginall note reads it Psal 22. 17. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus were his hands and arms spread wide open to take us into his armes and embrace us with the armes of his mercy 4. Thus he continued hanging the Mors minus poenae quam mora mortis habet weight of his whole body by his hands the flesh rending opening bleeding for three houres together which could not be but a great torment They would likewise faine had his legs broken with an iron rod and heard his bones crash in his skin but that God prevented them And more they would have done but could not being dead already only one out of desparate malice runs at him and thrusts his speare into his heart to be sure to kill him and make his death to be without question But thus was Christs heart wounded that our hearts might be eased and cheared For from thence came water and bloud the pericardium about the heart having a little bagge of water to coole it which they pierced to signify he would be to us both water and bloud both Iustification and sanctification 1 Cor. 1. 30. 2. Thus you see what he suffered from men which were his bodily sufferings now followes what he suffered from God in his soul which were the soul of his sufferings which in comparison of what he felt from men were but as the biting of a flea to the tearing of a lion If God once fight against us who can stand before him when he is angry have pity upon me O my friends saith Job for the hand of God hath touched me Job 10. 11. And was not the hand of God also most heavy upon him when God made him feel all the wrath his elect should have suffered in hell to all eternity for he bare our sorrowes Esay 53. 4. Lam. 1. 12. though perhaps not in the same kind and Perkins on the Creed saith He suffrâ—d the very torments of the damned in his soul Perk. 1. vol. p. 215. And Answerable in extremity of pain to the torments of hell saith Cusan excit l. 10. p. 619. and Field on the Ch. p. 448. 2 Tim. 4. 16. different in regard of time for Christ was not capable of every degree of the second death as separation from the love of God despaire eternity of torment yet equivalent to the torments of the damned If the wrath of God against one sinner for one sin be unquenchable fire and the worme that never dieth wailing and gnashing of teeth for ever what torment was upon him who drunk up the cup of Gods wrath for all our sins This made him roare and cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me as if he should say all my friends have forsaken me my disciples are gone from me but wilt thou forsake me also he cryes not out of Peter or the rest of his disciples saying O my disciples why doe you forsake me but O my God why hast thou forsaken me And secondly wilt thou now forsake me now I am dying now I am in this my greatest conflict and misery its a great affliction to be forsaken of God at any time but especially in times of affliction sorrow and death 3. He calls him still his God My God I will put my trust in thee though thou dost forsake me Christ himselfe wanted comfort not faith for he was not forsaken in regard of the Hypostaticall union * Qâ—od â—emel assumpsit nunquam postea dimisit Damâ—sc Vestitutus omni solatio Tao Field on Ch. nor oâ— his faith but of his comfort and ravishing joy he formerly found in God as in a swound there is the stoppage of the souls operation or as the sunne when eclipsed for comfort is not ad esse fidei but ad bene esse not to the being but to the well-being of faith 4. And lastly wilt thou forsake me even Me of whom not long since thou didst pronounce this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased Yet must we not think this acclamation was vox errantis the voice of one that was deceived for he was indeed forsaken 2. Nor murmurantis 3. Nor desperantis of one that murmured or despaired but impostulantis of one that mourned and prayed even a strong supplication that he might not be thus forsaken And thus was Christ forsaken that we might be beloved and never forsaken I will never fail thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 6. 3. Thus you have seene Christ died neither an honourable nor an easie death Rom. 5. 7. Neither yet did hee die this bitter death for just or good men or for his friends that had dearly loved him but Ezâ—k 16. 8. for us ungodly enemies sinners that hated him in our hearts When he saw us in our bloud that was the time not of his 1 Tim. 1. 13. of whom I am cheife loathing but of his love to us yea to some of us
when Christ is so plainly preached in their own law search the scriptures saith Christ for they are they which testify of me John 5. 39. And yet they remain as judiciarily so wilfully blind and ignorant 2 Cor. 3. 14. as a just punishment of their own imprecation when they cryed His bloud be on us and our children 4. Papists who nourish ignorance teaching it to be the mother of devotion when as we know that ignorance is the cause of sin Matth. 22. 29. and punishment of sin Rom. 1. 21. Esa 6. 9. surely that religion cannot be good which hateth the light He that doth evill hateth the light John 3. 10. Neither is it likely that that should be the mother of devotion that is the mother of Atheisme idolatry and superstition as appeares Act. 17. 22. Psal 10. 4. Gal. 4. 8. But thus they pul out the peoples eyes as the Philistims did Sampsons and then they make sport with them And further though they know Christ to be a Saviour yet they make him not the alone Saviour but joyne with Christ their owne workes and make themselves at least in part their owne saviours But if wee adde but one mite to Christs treasure we say Christ is not rich enough to save us and so we make him no Saviour Rom. 10. 3. Gal. 5. 4. 5. And lastly it reproveth all ignorant An ignorant man little differs from a beast Psal 32. Ier. 4. 22. Esa 1. 2. Eph. 4. 17. persons among our selves a man would wonder how they can make a shift or study to be so ignorant who are even like the horse and mule that have no understanding As in the creation Darknesse covered the face of the earth so of their soules Ask them what Christ is They answer some of them that he is a God some a man some an angel a spirit c. Learned Master Pemble reports of a man dying being asked what Christ was he said he thought he was a towardly young youth c. But let all thus grosly ignorant consider first their ignorance is inexcusable because the Gospell shines so clearly in their faces The light shineth in the darkness but the darkness comprehendeth it not Joh. 1. 10. There is a three-fold ignorance 1. A privative ignorance 2. A wilfull ignorance 3. A negligent ignorance Now their ignorance is not ignorantia privationis invincibilis that is negative or invincible ignorance but first it is ignorantia pravae affectionis as the Schoolmen speak That is wilfull from corrupt affection It is one thing nescire not to know and another thing nolle scire not to be willing to know And these are they that shut their eyes least they should see with their eyes Math. 13. 15. Depart from us say they for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Job 21. 14. Or secondly at least it is supina ignorantia supine careless or negligent ignorance when men will use no meanes nor take any paines for knowledge these are said to hate knowledge Prov. 1. 19. And this ignorance doth much aggravate their sin and make it without any cloake or colour of excuse if I had not come among you saith Christ you had had no sin but now you have no cloake for your sin John 15. 22. How shall you escape that neglect so great salvation saith Paul Heb. 2. 3. 2. An ignorant heart is an evill heart Iohn 9. 41. without knowledge the mind is not good saith Solomon Prov. 19. 2. surely if the head be leprous the body cannot be sound If the head be giddy the body must needs stagger If the eye be dark all the body is dark Matth. 6. 22. 3. All their workes are evill and workes of darknesse they can yeeld no obedience to God acceptably because it is brutish and not rationall service for how can we shun evill when we know not what is evill Or do our duty when we know not our duty The blind eates many a fly and who so bold as blind Bayard Ignorance made them lay violent hands upon Christ himselfe but had they known him they would not have crucified the Lord of glory 4. Fourthly They can have no repentance for how can we repent and be greived for our sins untill we know them and how can we cry for mercy when we see not our misery Ionas while he was asleepe in the ship feared not the tempest till awakened the child in the dark womb cryes not till it come into the light 5. How full of feare are they that walk Light is sweet but darknesse terrible in the dark The Egyptians when the plague of darknesse was upon them how uncomfortable was their condition But what horrour will possesse thy darke soul in that hour of darknesse how terrible will death be to thee The Sun ecclipsed at the death of Christ was dreadfull but more dreadfull will it be when the face of God is ecclipsed toward thee 6. Sixthly Such have no part in Christ for as in the creation the first work God made was light so in the regeneration Iohn 17. 3. Iohn 4. 10. the first grace God gives is light Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light saith the Apostle Eph. 5. 14. The Eagle tryes her young whether they be her owne by this signe if they can endure to look upon the Sun or else she ownes them not as they say but casts them upon the hard stones And certainly thy ignorance or knowledge discovers thee to be a child of light or a child of darknesse for God hath sworne an ignorant person shall never come into heaven It is a people that do erre in their hearts and have not knowne my wayes wherefore I sweare in my wrath they Hos 6. 6. Ioh. 7. 49. should never enter into my rest Heb. 3. 10. Neither will God shew them any mercy which is usually their excuse if they be ignorant as appeares Esa 27. 11. They are a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will have no mercy on them Nay Christ hath said he will come in flaming fire to render vengeance to them that know not God 2 Thes 1. 8. Ignorance will end in vengeance Neither will voluntary or negligent ignorance excuse a tanto but aggravate thy wrath John 3. 19. this is condemnation that is this makes their Ignorantia minuit à peccato quantum minuit à voluntario Aq. 2. 2. Qu. 76. condemnation the greater because light is come among them but they loved darknesse more then light and therefore it is affected darknesse Quest What should ignorant men do to come to the knowledge of Christ and their own salvation I answer First I advise them to get a Catechisme and if they cannot get it by heart yet let them read it over and over againe and againe and for poore servants let this be a part of their Sabbath dayes work I could wish likewise that Parents Masters
Ministers would what they can set upon this work Catechising teacheth the first principles and fundamentals in religion and maketh Heb. 6. 1. 5. 12. grounded Christians and would preserve them from Schismes errors and heresyes and every wind of doctrine with which now so many are blowne away for want of being wel grounded as a ship without Anchor is tossed hither thither with the winds Eph. 4. 14. But a sure foundation will make a firme building as the house that was built upon a rock the raine fell the floods came the winds blew but it fell not because it was founded upon a rock Mat. 7. 24. 2. let them use the meanes of hearing reading conference with other Christians asking them questions c. Let us 2 Tim. 3. 16. Iohn 5. 39. go said the people to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach us his wayes c. Esa 2. 3. Onely come with an humble and teachable heart If any seeme to be wise let 1 Cor. 8. 2. him be a foole that he may be wise 1 Cor. 3. 18. 3. Practise what you know already for if any will do my will he shall know whether Prov. 24. 13 14. Rom. 1. 18. 21. 28. it be of God or no. John 7. 17. But on the contrary God will take away the knowledge we have if we imprison the truth in unrighteousnesse as Masters blow out the candle when the servants play with it Rom. 1. 18. 21. 18. 4. Be much in Prayer for Christ is our Prophet and if we seeke it of him he will teach us so much as is necessary to salvation I councel thee to buy of me Eye-salve Iob 32. 8. 1 Cor. 2. 10. If thou cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voyce for understanding saith Solomon If thou seekest for her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord Ioh. 34. 32 and finde the knowledge of the Lord Prov. 2. 3 4 5. Therefore pray with Job Lord what I see not teach thou me and as David often Teach me thy statutes as the naturally blind cried Lord Jesus that I may receive my sight The word is like a Dial that will not shew thee how the day goeth till the Sun shines upon it So though there be a spirit in man yet it is the inspiration of the Almighty that giveth understanding CHAP. XIII A reproof of those that study to know all things else save Jesus Christ and him crucified Vse 2 IN the second place If we ought to study to know nothing save Iesus Christ and him crucified Then it justly reproves those that study to know nothing of Iesus Christ but study all other things save the knowledg of Christ Some study the knowledge of the creatures and of the things of the world like Mouls always grovling in the earth to have skill in corne cattle land c. Others befoole themselves in the studying of vanities the soule spending her self to catch at shadows and leting go substance as those heathens Rom. 1. 21. They became vaine in their imaginations That is spending their time and taking great paines in studying such things the knowledge whereof is no wayes profitable to themselves or others like the Spider that with her intrals weaves a curious web yet good for nothing but to be swept downe Or like unto foolish children that sweat and toyle and heat themselves to catch Butterflyes Or as the Israelites did weary themselves to gather stubble in stead of straw or as Jeat that gathers drosse and refuse things to it selfe but le ts go all precious things Or as the Loadstone that drawes Iron to it but le ts go Gold and Silver And thus they sow the wind and reap the whirlewind I remember a story I have read of Alexander the Great when one was presented before him that could do famous exploits who said he could throw a Pease at a farre distance upon the point of a Needle But instead of a reward or countenance given him from that noble warrier he had a check from him what said he dost thou spend thy precious time in throwing Pease upon the point of a needle And surely all study after vain knowledge is but as throwing Pease upon the point of a needle and shall receive from God a check rather then a reward Queri non debet qd solvi non potest Me lius est dubitare de occultis quam litigare de in certis Aug Quaesupra nos nihil ad nos Socrat. Quae sunt oculta non sunt scrutand◠quae manifesta non sunt negligenda Presp Others spend their time in studying to know things hidden from them and that concerns them not Thus the disciple enquired when Christ would restore the Kingdome of Israel Acts 1. It is not for you saith our Saviour to know the times and seasons c. So Peter John 31. 21. Master what shall this man do c What if I will that be tarry till I come what is that to thee c Est aliqua docta ignorantia Aug. There is a learned ignorance Secret things belong to God but revealed to us and to our children Others spend their time in studying foolish questions genealogyes and curiosities the knowledge whereof may gender strife but are usually unprofitable and vaine Tit. 3. 9. 2 Tim. 2. 23. Thus the Athenians had books of curious arts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It s thought they were books of Necromancy yet good for nothing but for the fire Acts 19. 19. though they prised them at five Myriads or 50000. peeces of silver which if they were but the Roman pennies some have computed to come to about eight hundred pounds And thus the Schoolmen have wasted a great deale of precious time in very vaine and unprofitable questions Picking strawes in Divinity Bish Hall as a Reverend godly and learned Bishop speaketh And at the best they are Quantum mali facit nimia subtilitas Senec. * Nor can they agree in their rules of Art some say Plato wanted order Aristot was dark Pliny wanted method and Seneca was lime without sand Corn. Agrip. de vanit Scient but Questiunculis lascivientes waxing wanton with vaine and curious questions as saith another Others they spend their time in studying Arts and Sciences but study not to know Jesus Christ Scientes in omnibus nisi in quibus vera constat sapientia that is studying to know all things but onely those wherein lies all true good and happinesse First * The Grammarian he will tell you he studyes about letters and words how to speake every word aright but forgets to study how to live aright And yet alas words are but sounds and spoken according to the custome of the people and not alwayes according to rules of Art 2 Secondly the Rhetorician he will tell you he studyes to speake his words in print Perpolitè elegantèr Ornatè adorning them