is Heb. 10.5 Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not but a body thou hast prepared me then said I Io I come in the volumn of thy book it is written of me to do thy Will O God As if he should have said Lord I am not able to accomplish thy Will or to be subject to thee in thy nature therefore thou hast made me a man that in the form of a servant I might shew obedience which I could not while I was in nature equal unto thee Now consider how great this person is that hath suffered all for thee Rev. 1.5 Jesus Christ who is the faithfull witness the first begotten of the Dead and the Prince of the Kings of the earth to have a great Prince bound like a thief araigned and executed the consideration of this state of the person would move a stony heart Rev. 17.14 He is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings Amongst men the Father is more honourable then the Son and the Son is but a servant untill he be emancipated but it is not so in the Divinity but the Father and the Son are both alike honourable Among men the Son hath the same specifical nature with the Father but not the same individual but it is not so in the Divinity the Father and the Son there have the self same individual nature I and my Father are one therefore there must be an equality The Pharisees themselves could draw this conclusion that if he were the Son of God he was equal with God John 5.18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him because he said God was his Father making himself equal with God A man would think how could that follow He was but Gods Son but Gods Son must be equal to the Father In making himself Gods Son he made himself equal with God and therefore know upon this and by this stands the point of our Redemption If a pure and holy Angel had suffered never so much it would not have availed for our Redemption It is a price no man nor Angel must meddle with all It will require a greater Price It was God himself that suffered in his assumed nature He and no other person for we must understand though Christ took on him the nature of a man yet not the person of a man here stands the point the second person in the Trinity is the Suppositum of all this humiliation and therefore observe when the point of suffering comes there 's a remarkable speech Zach. 13.7 Saith the Son to the Father it was against his heart to smite him the expression is a lively one it went to his heart to smite one that was his equal that did him no wrong Awake O sword against my Shepherd and against the man who is my fellow You know of whom it is spoken by Mâ—thew Mat. 26.31 I will smite the Shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered The Lord is ready to break him Isa. 53. The sword was as it were unwilling to smite The man that is my fellow A blow lighting on Gods fellow equal with God of what value is it Consider the difference betwixt a man and a man The State of a Prince makes great odds between that is done to him and that is done to another man When David would adventure himself into the battel Thou shalt say they go no more with us least they quench the light of Israel 2 Sam. 21.17 and more fully 2 Sam. 18.3 Thou art worth ten thousand of us they would not hazzard the person of the King in the battel Why because thou art worth ten thousand of us The dignity of a Prince is so great that ten thousand will not countervail the loss of him If this be the esteem and worth of David what is the worth of Davids Prince If thus with a King what with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords This is a great ground of the sufficiency of Christs suffering Heb. 9.13 If the blood of Buls and Goates sanctifie to the purifying of the flesh how much more verse 14. shall the blood of Christ who through his eternal Spirit offered himself to purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the living God It is not the offering of the body only but he did it through his eternal Spirit When the Martyrs and Saints offered themselves a sacrifice they offered it through the flames of their love and therefore embraced the stake and love is described as strong as death but Christ did not offer his sacrifice with the flames of his love though love was in him the greatest that ever was but with the everlasting flames of his God-head and Deity with that fire from heaven which is a consuming fire He did the deed that will purge our Consciences from dead works Act. 20.28 Take heed unto your selves and to the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you overseeâ—s to feed the Church of Gâ—d which he hath purchased with his precious blood God hath purchased the Church with his own blood Who 's blood Gods blood The blood of God must be shed He who thought it no robbery to be equal with God must shed his own blood As Zippora saith to Moses A bloody husband hast thou been to me Exod. 4.25 So may Christ say to his Church a bloody Spouse hast thou been to me that my blood must be shed for thee 1 Cor. 2.8 Had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory that is they would not have crucified God He that was crucified was the glorious Lord God Acts 3.15 You denyed the holy one and killed the Prince of life Here 's the matter unless the Prince of life had been killed thou couldst not have life This the Apostle sets down as the ground of all before he comes to the particularities of his humiliation and sets down who it was who was thus humbled He whom the Heaven of Heavens could not contain he must descend unto the lower-most parts of the earth that 's a descent indeed His Humiliation appears in this that he who was thus high became a man and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross. In this humiliation consider I say these two Points 1. The person who was humbled 2. The point of his humiliation Some things hath regard to the whole course of his life others to the conclusion or period of his life All his life from his incarnation to his passion was a continual thred of humiliation from his Cradle to his Cross from his womb to his Tomb so here is set down the humbled life of our blessed Saviour For I would not have you think his humiliation consisted only in coming to the Cross when they so mercilesly handled him it cost him more then so as sinners have the curse of God on them in their life as well as in their death so Christ must have a
fancy then to peirce the Heart to tickle the Ear rather then wound the Conscience or save the precious the Immortal Soul At that time when we lay thus weltring in our Bloud and Vanity was the Lord pleased to Cause this star to arise and shine in our Horizon and by his light and influence to guide us to Bethlehem A time of love it was an accepted Time a Time never to be forgotten specially by those who through grace can from thence date the Aera of their sound Conversion The persuasion of Armaghs incomparable Learning the Observation of his awfull Gravity the Evidence of his Eminent and exemplary Piety all improved to the heigth by his Indefatigable Industry drew students to flock to him as Doves to the windowes It joyes us to recollect how multitudes of Scholars specially the heads of our Tribes throng'd to hear the sound of his silver Bells How much they were taken with the voice of this wise Charmer How their ears seemed as it were fastened to his lips that were like Lillies dropping sweet smelling Myrrh How did many very many at that time Galatians-like receive this Aged Paul as an Angel of God yea even As Christ. Surely if ever t was then that the Gospel ran and was glorified in Oxon. Then then it was that the Lord seem'd to lay the foundations of his spiritual Temple there with saphires and the Corner-stones thereof with Agats Here might you have seen a Sturdy Saul changed into a submissive Paul a persecutor transformed into A preacher There A tender hearted Josiah lamenting after the Lord and with Ephraim smiting on his thigh saying what have I done Others with the penitent Jews so stabd at the Heart as that they are forced to cry out in the Bitternesse of their souls Men Brethren Fathers oh what shall we do These were some of the blessings from on high which attended These Sermons when preached to the ear oh that a like or a greater might follow them now they are printed to the eye These Notes t is true were taken by such who All had the pens of ready writers and after that compleated by A strict comparing of several distinct papers This is the Body the Bulk of these Heavenly sermons The gloss the Spirit The Energy of them was and must be wholly from Above We Trust the publishing of these Notes will not be interpreted by any in the least to reflect on the unparalleld worth of the Preacher to whose very Dust we owe A sacred Reverence If any thing seems not to speak him let it be charged not on him but the Publishers who have only this to add viz. Their fervent prayers That these sermons may find the like influence on the hearts of others in the reading that they had on their own in the hearing then will Both have Abundant Cause to bless the Lord. Thy Servants for Jesus sake Jos. Crabb Will. Ball. Tho. Lye Imprimator Edm. Calamy A PREFACE Concerning the Author and these NOTES THough I might be silent concerning either the most famous Preacher of these Sermons or these notes now published which were taken after him yet such is the high esteem I have of him and the due respect I hear to them for his sake cheifly that I could not withstand the request of divers who Importuned some Lines from me upon this occasion both concerning the one and the other First I commend unto the Reader a diligent perusal of the life and death of the most Reverend and Learned Father of our Church Dr. Jam. Usher late Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland put forth by Reverend and Learned Dr. Bernard where he shall meet with many delightfull passages concerning His Stock and pedigree Great parts Gifts and Graces Ingenious Education Admirable Proficiency Timely Conversion Rare Learning Indefatigable Industry Strict and holy Conversation Pious Government of his Family Amicable correspondence with Forreign Churches Prophetick Spirit Learned writings Comfortable Visitation Dying words never to be buryed Blessed Death Ever to be lamented Losse Fit Parallel to Samuel among the Prophets to Augustine amongst the Fathers with many other things worthy Observation and when he hath pondered these well he will the lesse wonder that his name hath filled the Christian world as much as ever did Augustine or Athanasius of old or Whitakers and Reynolds of later times Secondly I tender these spices gathered to the Embalming of this Rare Phoenix out of his own ashes holding my self engaged as much as any to cast my mite into the treasury of his blessed memory as having had my Bene esse most from him First by him I was examined and admitted into the Vniversity near Dublin in Ireland his native City and Countrey above fourty years ago Secondly whil'st I continued there which was the space of eight years he took special care of me and account of my studies there Thirdly by him I was ordained or to use the Apostles word put into the ministry and the same day admitted his Chaplain in ordinary now two and thirty years ago though then able to do him little service being called to a Congregation in another nation which call his Grace did then approve of Having given this account to the Reader I shall only mention three things Concerning him and forbear many more that might be added First to the testimonies concerning him from Spanhemius Ger. Vossius Buchartus Simplitius â—ud de dieu Paulus Testardus Blessensis Arnoldus Bootius Mr. Selden Dr. Prideaux Bp. Davenant Bertius Mr. Cambden Sir Rog. Twisden and the whole University of Oxford beside the forced testimony of his adversaries Moranez Beaumont Alias Rookwood Challoner Hen. Fitz-Symonds for all which I refer to the book aforesaid give me leave to add the testimony of Dr. William Chappel sometimes fellow of Christs Colledge in Cambridge and afterwards Provost of Trinity Colledge near Dublin which from such an acute man as he was may amount to the like equivalent testimony from the Universitie of Cambridge He gave me once three reasons why he thought Doctor Usher then Bishop of Meath was in his esteem the greatest Scholar in the Christian world 1. One was because of his rare natural parts the foundation of his other Learning having a quick Apprehension a prompt Wit a strong Memory a clear Understanding a piercing Judgement and a ready utterance Seldom said he shall you meet all these in an Eminent degree in the same person but in him they so concurred that it is hard to say in which he most excelled 2. Another was because few men though they had such parts were either able or willing to make so rich improvement of them by choice Libraries unwearied studying in them and searching out the Rarities of any other few mens bodies and brains he beleeved would bear it 3. The third was because he was so esteemed both in these Universities and in those beyond the seas and indeed whosoever conversed with him
shew forth our thankfulnesse and express that we are so in heart by our obedience to our utmost power Here 's all the strictnesse of the Gospel If there be a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to what a man hath not 2 Cor. 8.12 God takes well the desires of our mind This is then our blessed condition under the Gospel it requires not perfect obedience but thankfulness for mercies received and a willing mind Suppose we cannot do what we would that 's no matter God looks to our affections and the willingnesse of our minds if it be according to the strength that thou hast it is received with acceptance Here then arises the second point of difference and that is 2. The Law considers not what thou now hast but what thou once hadst If thou say I have done my best and what would you have a man doe more then he can doe The Law heeds not that it considers not what thou doest but what thou oughtst to do It requires that thou shouldst perform obedience according to thy first strength and that perfection once God gave thee that all thou doest should have love for it's ground that thou shouldst love the Lord thy God with all thy soul mind heart and strength Here the Law is very imperious like those Task-masters in Egypt that laid burthens on the Israelites too heavy for them to bear They had at first materials and then they delivered in the full tale of bricks But when the straw was taken from them they complain of the heavinesse of their burthen But what 's the answer You are idle you are idle you shall deliver the same tale of bricks as before So stands the case here It 's not enough to plead Alas if I had strength I would doe it but I have not strength I cannot doe it But the Law is peremptory you must doe it you are compell'd by force you shall do it The impossibility of our fulfilling it does not exempt us as appeares by comparing Rom. 8.3 with Rom. 7.6 although it be impossible as the case stands for the Law to be by us fulfilled yet we are held under it as appears plainly thus If I deliver a man a stock of money whereby he may gain his own living and be advantagious to me and he spend it and when I require mine own with increase he tells me True Sir I received such a summe of money of you for this purpose but I have spent it and am disinabled to pay Will this serve the turn will it satisfie the Creditor or discharge the debt No no the Law will have its own of him If thou payest not thy due thou must be shut up under it It 's otherwise under the Gospel that accepts a man according to what he hath not according to what he hath not And here comes in the third point 3. Under the Gospel although I am fallen yet if I repent the greatest sin that is cannot condemn me By repentance I am safe Let our sins be never so great yet if we return by repentance God accepts us Faith and Repentance remove all The Law knows no such thing Look into the lawes of the Realm If a man be indicted and convinced of Treason Murther or Felony though this man plead True I have committed such an offence but I beseech you Sir pardon it for I am heartily sorry for it I never did the like before nor never will again Though he thus repent shall he escape No the rigour of the law will execute justice on him there is no benefit had by repentance the law will seize on him he should have looked to it before If thou committest Murther or Burglary it 's not enough to put one good deed for another to say I have done thus and thus for the King I kept such a Fort or I won such a Town this will not serve thy turn it will not save thy neck the law takes no knowledge of any good thing done or of any repentance This is thy estate Consider then what a case they are in that are shut up under the Law until a man hath faith it admits no excuse requires things far above thy power to perform it will accept no repentance And therefore we may well make this Conclusion in the Galathians As many as are under the law are under the curse as it is written cursed is every one that continues not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them But now where are we thus shut up It 's under sin as the Apostle tells us For the Law discovers sin to be sin indeed that sin by the commandement may become exceeding sinful Rom. 7.13 The Law makes us see more of it then we did or possible could come to have seen Rom. 3.20 By the Law cometh the knowledge of sin I had not known sin but by the law Yes peradventure I might have known Murther Adultery c. to have been sins but to have known them to have been exceeding sinful I could not but by the law To know what a kind of plague sin is in it self so as not to make a game of it or a small matter as many usually make it to see the uglinesse of it I cannot without the law But that we may know what sin is and that we may see it to be exceeding sinful I here bring you a few Considerations which I would have you ponder on and enlarge them to your selves when you come home 1. Consider the basenesse of him that offends and the excellency of him that is offended You shall never know what sin is without this twofold Consideration lay them together and it will make sin out of measure sinful See in David The drunkards made songs and ballads of him He aggravates the indignity offered him in that he was their King yet that those wretched and filthy beasts the drunkards made songs of him See it likewise in Job Cap. 29. when he had declared unto them in what glory he once was that he was a King and Prince in the Countrey Then see Cap. 20. They that are younger then me have me in derision whose fathers I would have disdain'd to have set with the dogs of my flock He aggravates the offence First from the dignity of the person wronged a King and a Prince Then from the baseness and vileness of those who derided him They were such as were younger then he such as whose fathers he would have disdain'd to have set with the dogs of his flocks A great indignity and mightily aggravated by these circumstances that a King should be abased by such vile persons Now some proportion there might be between David and the drunkards Job and these men but between thee and God what proportion can there be Who art thou therefore that darest set thy self in opposition and rebellion against God What a base worm that crawleth on the earth dust
miserable life as well as an accursed death Though the heat came at the end of the Tragedy yet his whole life was a continual suffering Consider the degrees of it 1. He made himself of no Reputation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he emptied himself It was the second person in the Trinity that thus humbled and emptied himself not in his divine nature but his assumed of all his transcendent endowments Consider the particulars of it he took on him the form of a servant Was not this a great humiliation That the second person in the Trinity should stoop so low as to take on him the nature of one who is not worth the looking on that he should take dust and ashes upon him Psalm 113.5 6. Gods greatness is thus expressed Who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on high who humbleth himself to behold the things in heaven and in the earth What Humiliation is that compare these two humiliations together It is but an humiliation to cast but his eye upon the heavens to look upon the most glorious of all his works to look upon the Angels but what is man that thou so regardest him that thou shouldst not only look upon him but take him up make him an inmate under thine own roof this is a greater abasement but here 's a further degree Christ during the time of his pilgrimage was content to deprive himself of his Glory that he now enjoyes by reason of his Hypostatical Union with the God-head he deserves all honor and glory When he brought his first begotten into the world he saith And let all the Angels worship him Heb. 1.6 Every knee bows to him that is thus highly exalted We see Christ crowned with glory and honor all Dominion and Power being made subject unto him yet he for thirty three years and an half was content to be exiled from his Fathers court John 17.5 Glorifie thou me with the glory I had with thee before the world was which is expounded in the Proverbs where the Wisdome of God was shewn before the world was framed Prov. 8.30 Then I was by him as one brought up with him and I was dayly his delight rejoycing always before him this was the work before the foundation of the world which God was doing the Father was glorifying the Son and the Son was glorifying the Father The Father took infinite delight in the Son and the Son took infinite delight in the Father and the Holy Ghost in them both To be deprived of such a sight and such a glory as this and for thy sake to be banisht from that high Court where not to enjoy that fulness of joy was an emptying of himself yet all this he did for thee 2. He minded not his own things if he had he might have presently sat at Gods right hand where is fulness of joy for evermore but his bowels yearned on us and took upon him the form of a servant and was found in shape of a man that is as an ordinary man We know what the nature of servitude is Every man naturally desires liberty but Christ that he might make thee free was content to be bound as an Apprentice and endure a servile estate Christ both in respect of God and man took on him the form of a servant 1. For him to be Gods servant was an Humiliation though for us it be the greatest honour to be Gods servants Saint Paul makes it his prime Epithite Paul a servant of Jesus Christ. And David calls himself the servant of the Lord O Lord I am thy servant truly I am thy servant But it was an Humiliation for Christ to become Gods servant For him who thought it no robbery to be equal with God to become Gods servant and to take a nature on him that he might say My Father is greater then I behold my Father and I were one but now taking on me a humane nature I am made inferior to my Father I am become his servant Behold my servant in whom I am well pleased Isa. 53. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many there is much difference in servants A free servant a bond servant A very bond-man doth Christ make himself being man and accounts it as great honour as may be not only to be his Fathers servant but his bond-man Can I shew that there is any such humiliation as this Look on Heb. 10.5 Sacrifice and burnt offerings thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me these words have relation to that of the Psalmist Psalm 40.6 Sacrifice and burnt offerings thou didst not desire but mine ears hast thou opened it is in the margent mine-ears hast thou digged or hast thou bored The boring of the ear was an expression of everlasting servitude Another servant that had not yet his ear bor'd might be free at the year of Redemption at the seventh year but if not his ear was bored that he might be a servant for ever according to that Exod. 21.4 He that loved his service so well as to have his ear bored is a servant for evermore Mine ear Lord hast thou bored I will be thy servant for ever Christ took on him the form of such a servant nay Christ was more then an ordinary slave he was one bâ—und to an everlasting slavery for he was the Son of an hand-maid Now the Children of an hand-maid wâ—re not to go forth at the year of Jubilee Exod. 21. The wife and her Children shall be her Masters and he shall go out by himself meaning thus he that was the son of an hand-maid must be bound Partus sequiter ventrem Now that Christ was the son of an hand-maid we have Maries own confession Behold thâ— hand-maid of the Lord and he hath looked upon the low estate of his hand-maid Luke 1. Hence David saith Psal. 116.16 O Lord I am thy servant and the son of thine hand-maid I am not only thy servant but thy bond-servant I am he who was born in thy house and out of thy house I will never go Thus is Christ a servant in respect of God But it is not only thus he is not only a servant in regard of God but he took on him the form of a servant in respect of men too Look what relations are between men that have superiority and Subjects Christ who was born a free child yet made himself a servant unto man he had a reputed father but a true and a natural mother from the twelft year of his age till the thirtieth he went with them and was subject unto them Luke 2.51 No Apprentice was more subject to his Master in his Trade then he was to his reputed father he kept him close unto his Trade Look on him out of the family in the Common-wealth He paid Tribute He might stand upon his priviledge Of whom do the Kings of the earth exact Tribute c. they answer Of strangers Then are the Children free If the
son of a temporary Prince be free how much more shall the Son of God be free But yet it behoves us to fulfill all righteousness He would be a subject unto Caesar and in recognition of his subjection he would pay Tribute though he fetched it out of the fishes belly Hence the Apostle tells us Rom. 13. For this cause you pay Tribute to testifie your subjection Neither was Christ only a servant to them who were in some Authority but generally among men he was in the state of a servant Mat. 20.28 The son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many Not to be a Master to command and have others to attend him but he came to be a servant see in what esteem he was had We account a servant in the next degree unto a beast for liberty is that whereby a man breâ—â—hs and a man were better be dead then have his liberty took from him and so Christ was not only a bond-man in regard of hâ—s Father but in regard of men In the estimation of men he was vilified for a bond-man and that will appear by the price for which he was sold. It was thirty pieces of silver To consider what the price was is a considerable part of his passion There is a Prophesie cited out of Jeremy in your books but it is Zachary though I have seen some copies which mentioned neither but only according to the words of the Prophet it is Zach. 11.13 Cast it unto the potter a goodly price that I was prized at of them He speaks it with disdain And I took the thirty pieces of silver and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord. Exod. 21.32 There is a place parallel to it which will expound it clearly If an Ox shall push a man-servant or a maid-servant that he die the Owner of the Ox shall give to the Master of the servant thirty shekels and the Ox shall be stoned It was the very price that was paid for a slave Thirty shekels which is 3 l. 15 s. in our money A base estimation they had of Christ as if he were a bond-man the same price that was given for a slave that was killed by an Ox for this same price was he sold. In the second book of Josephus cap. 12. When Ptolomaeus Philadelphus would redeem all the Jews which were bond-men It s set down what he paid for a slave There is set down a great summ of money and the number of the slaves Here stands the valuation divide the number of Drachms by the number of slaves and you shall find the quotient for every man 120 drachms four Drachms make a shekel thirty shekels was the ordinary rate cryed in the Market for the price of a bond-man Thus Christ took on him the form of a bond-man not only Gods bond-man but in the estimation of men so despicable that they valued him at no higher rate then thirty pieces of silver This is but the beginning and entrance on Christs humiliation to be made in the similitude of sinfull flesh and in the verity of true flesh Christ had all infirmities as weariness hunger thirst which follow a sinfull man which were not sinfull such a nature he took upon him and then he became obedient both by active and passive obedience That which remains of the pains of his life to the passage of his dolefull death we will speak of the next time FINIS PHIL. 2.8 And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto the death even the death of the Cross. IN these words and those that went before you see there is delivered unto us the point of the humiliation of the Son of God It stands in this 1. That he took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of man God the Son the second person in the Trinity did assume our dust and ashes unto the Unity of his own sacred person 2. This humane nature being thus assumed he was content to deprive himself a long time of that beatifical vision which he might have still enjoyed in that time was as obedient as the meanest and poorest servant of his Father Nor was he only actively but passively obedient He was obedient unto the death he was content to lay down his life for our Redemption And it was not every death that would serve the turn but it must be the death of the Cross the most accursed shamefull and painfull death that death which was most suitable and best able to answer the wrath of God First He humbled himself by taking our nature upon him He that thought it no robbery to be equal with God took upon him the form of a man If it were an abasement for God to look upon heaven the most glorious of his works how much more to take upon him a clod or peice of this earth and unite it to his own sacred person for ever This was a descending indeed he descended first that he might ascend Eph. 4.9 Now that he ascended what is it but that he descended first into the lower parts of the earth That is he descended into the womb of the Virgin and it was a great abasement indeed for him thus to descend Wherefore the Psalmist speaking of the wonderfull framing of the Babe in the womb saith Psalm 139.15 My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth So that we see God descended into the lowermost parts of the earth and there was he fashioned A great humiliation it was for him to be thus inclosed Thus did he humble himself in taking our nature Had he taken the form of a King upon him it hâ—d been a great humiliation how much more when he took on him the form of a servant He came not in state to be ministred unto but to minister as we shewed the last day Nor was he only his Fathers servant but a servant of servants and therein underwent Canaans curse A servant of servants shalt thou be Our Saviour became such a servant He which was the Author of freedom John 8.26 If the Son make you free then are you free indeed He I say who was the Kings son and so the most free the Author of it to all that enjoy any spiritual freedom became a servant that we which were servants might be made free But besides this it s added here that he humbled himself Having taken on him the form of a servant he humbled himself Where we may observe what made the suffering of our Saviour so meritorious It was because it was active free and voluntary Our Passions are contrary to our Will We are drawn to it as it is said of Peter When thou art old they shall lead thee whether thou wouldst not John 21.18 Peter dyed the same death our
Saviour did according to the external Passion but they led him whether he would not Our Saviour was an Actor in it Humbled himself A bare suffering God regards not so much but when it is done willingly and in obedience to God And as he was obedient in his death so also in his other passions In the Gospel according to St. John whereas the Text reads he was troubled the marginal note hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he troubled himself he was the Author of his own sufferings John 10.17 He was not humbled as a meer patient but he humbled himself and so it is said in Scripture oft He gave himself for us and in all his passive obedience he had an eye to do the Will of God The merit of his passive obedience ariseth from a mixture with his active This was a great part of his Priest-hood his humbling And how doth he take his Priest-hood upon him it was by his Fathers call He was cal'd unto it as was Aaron Heb. 5.4 No man saith the Apostle taketh this honor upon him but he that is called Now Christ being called to it he did it to follow his call And thus he did it actively it was not a bare suffering as those in hell suffer but according to his Fathers call Observe Heb. 10.9 That place taken out of the Psalm I am come to do thy Will O God c. What was it only in his active obedience No it was thy Will that he should suffer as the words following in the tenth verse import By the which Will we are sanctified and by the body of Jesus Christ once offered so that Christ offered up himself to do his Fathers Will so that his passive obedience was in his active So John 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life that I may take it up again no man taketh it from me but I lay it down Our Saviour when he laid down his life put it off as a man that puts off his cloak and layes it from him They wondred that he was dead so soon it was because himself laid down his life His soul then was not drag'd or forced out of his body It was not only passive but active obedience No man taketh it from me I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up This had I from my Father They are grosly deceived then that say Christs active obedience was not free and voluntary because he was commanded for as well may they say his passive is not voluntary and so not meritorious because it likewise was commanded which none can deny Thus Christs offering was a free-will offering though it was a most bitter one yet this being a part of his Fathers Will he went as voluntarily to the pains of the Cross as thou dost to thy dinner when thou art throughly hungry For his meat and his drink was to do his Fathers Will Jo. 4.34 And this makes it of such worth and efficacy that he did it willingly See it in the type that went before him in Isaac Isaac was grown up he was no Babe he was able to carry wood enough to burn himself when he went to be sacrificed and therefore sure he had strength if Isaac had pleased he might have ran away from the old man his Father yet he suffers himself to be bound and to be laid upon the wood a true type of our Saviour his also was a free-will offering and so a sweet smelling sacrifice unto God It being the highest active obedience it presently pacifieth the wrath of his Father He humbled himself and became obedient This obedience of our Saviour is the matter and ground of our Justification Rom. 5.18 As by the offence of one Judgement came on all unto condemnation so by the righteousness of one the free-gift came on all to Justification of life By the obedience of this blessed Saviour many are made righteous so that now our Saviours obedience followeth next Now this obedience is double Active or Passive 1. Active And this was that whereby he did all the Will of his Father The reason why he came into the world if we look the place before alledged will appear Heb. 10.5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world he saith Sacrifice and burnt-offering thou wouldst not have but a body hast thou prepared me In burnt offerings and Sacrifice for sin thou hast no pleasure then said I Behold I come in the volumâ— of thy book it is written of me that I should do thy Will O God When he cometh into the world saith he Lo I come For what to do thy Will O God The reason why he came into the world was that he might be obedient unto his Father Thus it behoveth us saith he to John to fulfill all Righteousness John wondred that he that was pure and spotless should come to him to be baptized He knew Baptism presupposed some sin or blot some stain or corruption to be washed off and therefore it s said Mark 1.5 That there came unto him all the Land of Judea to be baptized confessing their sins And sure if one should come to John and say he had no sin and yet desired to have been baptized by him he had no right to Baptism yet our Saviour saith Let alone let it be so that we may fulfill all Righteousness I have no need indeed in regard of my self but I have taken upon me the form of a servant and therefore what the lowest of them must do that must I do therefore was I circumcised and therefore am I baptized I came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it And he fulfilled it to the utmost both in his active and passive obedience Now for his active Obedience it had a double 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or consummatum est First For his active Obedience in the whole course of his life I have glorified thy name and finished the work that thou gavest me to do Would you know what it is to glorifie God in this world It is to finish the work which he giveth us to do Art thou a Minister if thou wouldst glorifie God finish the work he gave thee to do then mayst thou say Glorifie thou me with thy Glory c. But now Christs work was not â—ll ended when he said he had finished it the greatest part was behind to wit his Passive obedience All the works of his life were done of which actions there Christ is to be understood but then cometh his Passion and that being finished there is something to do yet after that for he was to rise again to our Justification but for the oblation of the sacrifice it was fully finished If we look upon our blessed Saviour in the whole course of his life For 1. Though he lived in a whole world of sin yet he was free from all manner of sin 2. He was inriched with all manner of good works graces and
rather and they have expressed it to be torn in pieces by wild horses so they might be freed from the horrours in their consciences When the conscience recoyles and beats back upon it self as a musket o're charged it turns a man over and over And this is a terrible thing This sometimes God gives men in this world And mark where the word is most powerfully preacht there is this froth most rais'd which is the cause many men desire not to come where the word is taught because it galls their consciences and desire the Masse rather because they say the Masse bites not They desire a dead Minister that would not rub up their consciences they would not be tormented before the time They would so but it shall not be at their choise God will make them feel here the fire of hell which they must endure for ever hereafter This is the sensible blow when God le ts loose the conscience of a wicked man and he needs no other fire no other worm to torment nothing else to plague him he hath a weapon within him his own conscience which if God lets loose it will be hell enough 2. But now besides this blow which is not so frequent there is another more common and more insensible blow God saith he is a dead man and a slave to sin and Satan and he thinks himself the freest man in the world God curses and strikes and he feels it not This is an insensible blow and like unto a dead palsie Thou art dead and yet walkest about and art merry though every one that hath his eyes open seeth death in thy face O this deadnesse this senselesnesse of heart is the heaviest thing as can befal a sinner in this life It is the cause the Apostle speaks of in the Rom. when God delivers up a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a reprobate mind And so in the Epistle to the Ephes. 4.19 declares such a man to be past feeling Who being past feeling have given themselves over to lasciviousnesse to work uncleannesse even with greedinesse Although every sin as I told you before is as it were the running a mans self on the point of Gods sword yet these men being past feeling run on on on to câ—mmit sin with greedinesse till they come to the very pit of destruction they run a main to their confusion When this insensibleness is come upon them it is not Gods goodnesse that can work upon them Who art thou that despisest the riches of Gods goodnesse not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth unto repentance It is not Gods judgments that will move them they leave no impression as Rev. 9.20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands that they should not worship Devils c. brass nor stone and wood which neither can see nor hear nor walk They repented not though they were spared but worshipped Gods which cannot see not hear noâ— speak so brutish were they to be led away by stocks and stones I think the Papist Gods cannot doe it unlesse it be by couzenage yet such is their senselesnesse that though Gods fury be revealed from heaven against Papists such as worship false Gods yet are they so brutish that they will worship things which can neither hear nor see nor walk They that made them are like unto them and so are all they that worship them as brutish as the stocks themselves They have no heart to God but will follow after their Puppets and their Idols and such are they also that follow after their drunkennesse covetousnesse c. Who live in lasciviousness lusts excess of riot 1 Pet. 4.2 that run into all kind of excess and marvel that you do not so too They marvel that ye that fear God can live as ye do and speak evil of you that be good call such hypocrites dissemblers and I know not what nick-names This I say is a most woful condition it 's that dead blow When men are not sensible of mercies of judgments but run into all excesse of sin with greedinesse and this is a death begun in this life even while they are above ground But then comes another death God doth not intend sin shall grow to an infinite weight His Spirit shall not always strive with man but at length God comes and crops him off and now cometh the consummation of the death begun in this life Now cometh an accursed death 3. After thou hast lived an accursed life then cometh an accomplishment of curses First a cursed separation between body and soul and then of both from God for ever and that is the last payment This is that great death which the Apostle speaks of Who hath delivered us from that great death So terrible is that death This death is but the severing of the body from the soul This is but the Lords Harbinger the Lords Serjeant to lay his Mace on thee to bring thee out of this world into a place of everlasting misery from whence thou shalt never come till all be satisfied and that is never First Consider the nature of this death which though every man knoweth yet few lay to heart This death what doth it First It takes from thee all the things which thou spentst thy whole life in getting It robs thee of all the things thou ever hadst Thou hast taken paines to heap and treasure up goods for many years presently when this blow is given all is gone For honour and preferment it takes thee from that pleasure in idle company keeping it barrs thee of that Mark this is the first thing that death doth it takes not onely away a part of that thou hast but all it leaves thee quite naked as naked as when thou camest into the world Thou thoughtst it was thy happinesse to get this and that Death now begins to unbewitch thee thou wast bewitcht before when thou didst run after all worldly things thou wast deceived before and now it undeceives thee it makes thee see what a notorious fool thou wast it unbefools thee Thou hadst many plots and many projects but when thy breath is gone then all thy thoughts perish all thy plottings and projectings goe away with thy breath A strange thing to see a man with Job the richest man in the East and yet in the evening we say as poor as Job He hath nothing left him now Now though death takes not all things from thee yet it takes thee from them all all thy goods all thy books all thy wealth all thy friends thou mayst now bid farewel now adieu for ever never to see them again And that is the first thing 2. Now death rests not there but cometh to seize upon thy body It hath bereaved thee of all that thou possessedst of all thy outward things that 's taken away Now it comes to touch his person and see what then It toucheth him it rents his soul
from his body those two loving companions that have so long dwelt together are now separated It takes thy soul from thy body This man doth not deliver up his spirit as we read of our Saviour Father into thy hands I commit my spirit or deliver their spirits as Stephen did But here it 's taken from them it 's much against his mind it 's a pulling of himself from himself This it doth 3. But then again when thou art thus pulled asunder what becomes of the parts separated 1. First The body as soon as the soul is taken from it hastens to corruption that must see corruption yea it becomes so full of corruption that thy dearest friend cannot then endure to come near unto thee When the soul is taken from the body it 's observed that of all carkasses that are mans is most loathsome none so odious as that Abraham loved Sarah well but when he comes to buy a monument for her see his expression Gen. 23 8. He communes with the men and saith if it be your mind to sell me the field that I might bury my dead out of my sight Though he loved her very well before yet now she must be buried out of his sight It is sown in dishonour and it 's the basest thing that can be Therefore when our Saviour was going near to the place where Lazarus lay his sister saith Lord come not near him for he smells Job 17.14 I have said to corruption thou art my father saith Job and to the worm thou art my mother and my sister As in the verse before The grave is my house I have made my bed in the darkness Here then he hath a new kindred and though before he had affinity with the greatest yet here he gets new affiniâ—y He saith to corruption thou art my father and to the worm thou art my mother and my sister The worm is our best kindred here the worm then is our best bed yea worms thy best covering as Esay 14.11 Thus is it thy Father thy mother and thy bed nay it is thy consumption and destroyer also Job 26. Thus is it with thy body it passeth to corruption that thy best or dearest friend cannot behold it or endure it 2. But alas what becomes of thy soul then Thy soul appears naked there 's no garment to defend it no Proctor appears to plead for it It is brought singly to the bar and there it must answer It is appointed for all men once to die But what then And after that to come to judgment Heb. 9.27 Eccles. 12.7 The body returns unto the earth from whence it was taken but the Spirit to God who gave it All mens spirits assoon as their bodies and souls are parted goe to God to be disposed of by him where they shall keep their everlasting residence Consider when thou hearest the bell rung out for a dead man if thou hadst but the wings of a dove to fly and couldst fly after him and appear with him before Gods Tribunal to see the account that he must give unto God for all things done in the flesh and when no account can be given what a state of misery and horrour wouldst thou see him in and this is a silent kind of judging The last day of judging shall be with great pomp and solemnity This is a matter closely carried between God and thy self but then thou must give an account of all that thou hast received And then when thou canst not give a good account then is thy talent taken from thee Why saith God I gave thee learning how didst thou use it I gave thee other gifts of mind how didst thou imploy them God hath given thee wisedome and wealth Moral vertues meeknesse and patience c. these are good things But mark whatsoever good things thou hadst in this world is now taken from thee If a man could but see the degrading of the soul he should see that those moral vertues in which his hope of comfort lay even these though they could never bring him to heaven yet they shall be taken from him As when a Knight is degraded First his sword is taken from him then comes one with a hatchet and chops off his golden spurs and then go Sr. Knave This is the degrading of the soul before the judgment is received the moral vertues are taken from him and then see what an ugly soule he hath he had hope before now he 's without hope he had some patience in this world but he made no good use of it and now his patience is taken from him And when thou shalt come to a place of torment and thy hope and patience be taken from thee what case wilt thou be in then Patience may stay a man up in trouble and hope may comfort a man up in torment but both these are taken away This is a thing we very seldome think but did we seriously consider of this first act of the Judgment before the sentence we would not be idle in this world 3. Then lastly he is put into an unchangeable estate So soon as ever death lays Gods Mace upon him he 's put into an estate of unchangeblenesse Such is the terriblenesse of it that now though he yell and groan and pour out rivers of teares there is no hope of change Consider now what a woful case this is If some friend of this mans should now come to him would he not tell him we have often been very merry together but didst thou but know the misery that I am in thou wouldst be troubled for me Half those teares that I now pour forth would have put me into another place had I taken the season but now it is too late Oh therefore doe thou make use of teares a little may doe it now hereafter it will be too late That 's the thing we should now come to speak of the second death But think not that I am able to speak of it now no that which is everlasting deserves an hour in speaking and an Age in thinking of it Therefore that everlasting torment horror and anguish which God hath reserved for those that make not their peace with him which is easily done God knows I shall speak of the next time REV. 21.8 Buâ—â—he fearful and unbelâ—â—â—â—ng and the abominable and murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and Idolaters and all lyars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death THe last day I entred you know upon the miserable estate of an unreconciled sinâ—er at the time of his dissolution when his soule shall be taken from him and be presented naked before Christs Tribunal there to receive according to the works which he hath done in the flesh And I shew'd that the wofulnesse of that estate consisted in two acts done upon him The one before he comes to his place before he is thrust away from Gods presence into hell fire which I