to haue resisted them to recompense this injurie by reason of his calling albeit it was the greatest injurie that euer was done in the world Then the words of Christ doe declare that he did it of blindnesse for hee did that lay in him to stay the worke of the redemption of the world hee tooke no heede to his hand Now to marke something There is nothing more common to men than this to cloake their actions with the pretence of zeale he or she will say I did it of zeale but the Spirit of God in this place and marke it letteth thee see if thy zeale be a naked zeale if it go beyond the bounds of thy calling albeit it be in a good cause yet thy zeale is worth nothing if thy zeale be with ignorance if thou hast not the warrand of this worde thy zeale is of no value it will not warrand thine action if yee would haue surer rules of actions nor zeale is take heede to thâ—se two thinges First to thy calling Looke that thou go not beyond the bounds of thy calling Shalt thou that art a priuate man strike with a sworde Is that thy calling Then next to Gods word What auaileth it vnto a man to goe forward in blindnesse if he be not illuminate with the light of God it is but a blinde zeale and if thou wouldest haue thine actions well ruled then take that lanterne of the word going before thee to warrand thy conscience in all thy proceedings for of all graces this is one of the greatest to haue the worde of God thy warrand in all thine actions As for zeale I cast it not awaye it is ouer rare to be casten away for it is a speciall grace of God but take heede if thou wouldest haue zeale looke that it be moderate and passe not the boundes of thy calling and then looke that thou haue a warrande of the word of God looke that the eye of thy soule bee illuminate Ioyne these two together and then goe forwards to the worke of the Lord. Certainly experience hath taught vs that this zeale hath had an euill successe no man by this zeale did euer get commendation of God It may be that men will runne forwards rashly in zeale and will haue a good entrie but the ende will tell thee that it was but foolish hardinesse it will forthinke them And no doubt Peter when hee got this answere of his Master he repented No man hath neede to finde fault with men of this age for there are few Peters nowe adayes where yee shall finde one like Peter who hath zeale ye shall find ten who haue none The zeale of God is awaye that did eate vp the heartes of the men of God of old Then againe ye shall see in this fact of Peters Peter was a good man and one who loued Iesus Christ very well and hee was loath to leaue Him and when as the Lord said to His disciples Will yee depart also from mee Peter answered and saieth LORD Whither shall wee goe thou hast the wordes of life hee was verie loath to depart from Him And this action also which hee hath in hand is a good action in the defence of Christ Yet for all this in this good action and in the cause of God see how hee is miscarried the Lord findeth fault with him Well this is our nature that when we would doe the worke of the Lord our corruption defileth it and oftentimes in doing it we will sinne and we will blot it with some foule blotte And Peter doing this with some preposterous zeale he is not allowed for an vncleane man as hee is vncleane so hee shall make the worke of the Lord vncleane So the chiefe thing that a man should be exercised withall is prayer that y e Lord would sanctifie the person that the worke that y e Lord hath employed him in may be holily done and marke againe the greatest default that was in Peter was his too great zeale We need not to be afraide for this in this lande Nay we may be afraide for default of it that the worke of the Lord should perish and wee are to pray that the King and those whom he hath employed in this worke may haue an vpright heart and such an heart as Dauid and good Ezechias had an heart louing God and hating Gods enemies I would not doubt then but the worke in his hande should take a good end and hee should report honour and glorie Now the Lord seeing what Peter did Hee forbiddeth him and sheweth a greater anger against him than against Iudas Hee spake not so angrylie against Iudas or any of them that pursued Him as Hee did to Peter and He sayeth Put vp thy sword into the sheath and then he subjoyneth the reason Shall I not drinke of the cuppe that my Father hath giuen me Thou doest what lieth in thee to holde off the cuppe I will drinke of the cuppe that my Father hath giuen me of necessitie I must drinke it for it was preordinate before all times that I should drinke it and seeing it is so I will drinke it Shall any thing be injoyned to vs to doe of necessitie and shall we not doe it willingly The Father hath propined vnto mee a bitter cuppe of affliction and I shall drinke it out dregges and all Matthew in his 26. Chapter giueth mo reasons wherefore the Lord disallowed Peter and this is one Hee who strikes with the sword at his owne hande whom the Lord hath not armed to strike he shall be strucken with the sword It is a dangerous matter to slay if the Lord put not the sword into thine hand then he giues another reason will I be defended with the arme of man No if I would pray to my Father Hee would send me twelue legions of Angels and lastly sayeth He Shall not the Scripture bee accomplished of mee Shall I make the worde of the Lord false which hath foretolde of my suffering and therefore stay thy rashnes And note what Luke sayeth in his 22. Chapter verse 51 He takes vp the eare and puts it on againe Ye may see here that the Lord will haue no man hurt in his taking the Lord will haue no vnjust defence Iesus Christ will not bee defended with vnlawfull meanes He will not bee defended with Peters sword for he had no power giuen him of the Lord for to strike He will not haue injurie repressed with injurie Nay He will not haue the man that hath the just cause to represse an authoritie This guarde came from the authoritie from the Romane empire and Christ will not haue Peter a priuate man to meddle with the superiour power He will not haue him to defend Him against the authoritie It is a dangerous thing to resist authoritie albeit it be vnlawfully vsed chiefly a priuate man and albeit that the authoritie had done wrong yet a man who hath not authoritie should not represse
hurt him not which are done by the hands of the Emperour Who executes them in the Inquisition The Kinges the Popes holy hāds are cleane of all Excuse as they will I pronounce and the Lord shall ratifie it in that Great day that they are greater murtherers than the secular power Away with their vaine excuses When they haue murthered the man they will put the fault in the Magistrate Wil God accept such excuses In the next vers Iohn subjoynes wherfore y e Iewes would not take vpon them to judge of y e life or death of Iesus Christ and saies that they answered so that that might be fulfilled that the Lord spake signifying what death he should die When He was conuersant with His Disciples He fore-told them that He should die vpon the Crosse Now the Iewes will not take vpon them the right of the judging Him that these words might be fulfilled If the Iewes had taken it vpon them they would not haue crucified him because it was not vsuall among the Iewes they vsed to stone a deceiuer or blasphemer to the death according to the lawe as they did Steuen afterwards This death of the Crosse was familiar and vsuall among the Romanes Then Brethrē we see here the God of Heauen is the disposer of the whole action of the persecution passion of Christ what euer be mans part There is not a word vttered nor an action done either by Pilate or any of the Iewes which the Lord did not dispose All that Pilate did all that the Iewes did as that spitting and buffeting of Christ were all disposed by the Lord And this is it that ye reade in that prayer in y e Acts of the Apostles cap. 4. vers 28. The princes of the earth are gathered against thine anointed Herode Pilate and the Gentiles Whereto That they should doe that thing that thine hand and thy councell hath ordained Neither Herode Pilate nor any of the Iewes or Gentiles did anie thing in this execution but that vvhich God appointed The vnderstanding herof serues to this that there was nothing done to our Redeamer but that which His father appointed they were but persecuters appointed by God euen as the hang-man the Iewes Pilate Herod were like as many hangmen to execute that decree of God This would seeme a very light word that the Iewes say We haue no power to sit ouer the life or death of men yet this is a meane whereby the Lord bringes to passe that forme of Cursed death Brethren we may speake as lightly of thinges as wee please and many times to little purpose but there is nothing that passes GODS decree Looke to that prouidence that GOD hath in His creatures The LORD disposes the lightest wordes that thou speakest He rules thine hand so that whatsoeuer thou doest He makes al to effectuate produce that which He hath decerned the thing that thou wilt speake or doe it will serue for some purpose to Him how beit little for thee In the meane time let no man thinke that when men speake or doe euill that they shall bee the more excusable for if there were no more but this it shall make thee vnexcusable because in speaking euill and in doing euill thou hast not the LORD before thine eyes Thou doest it not for obedience to His vvill Take this lesson Let euerie man and vvoman take good heede that they bee vvell exercised and if our GOD employe vs let vs take good heede that vvee bee in a good seruice in speaking good and doing good Lende not thine heart thine hande nor thy tongue to the Deuill in vnrighteousnesse And seeing thou canst not sleepe from morning to euening but must bee speaking and doing praye that the LORD maye employe thee to doe vvell and to speake vvell and saye LORD let mee bee an instrument to doe well And more in doing vvell bee not content of the outwarde face of the action but in doing vvhether it bee little or much goe euer to the heart and see the disposition thereof and looke thou doe it in sinceritie hauing regarde to GOD. Thinke it not enough and if the LORD vvorke a good vvorke by thee as an instrument but looke still that Hee vvorke in thee that thou mayest finde a good motion in thine heart For alas vvhat auaileth the outwarde action if the heart bee foule vvhich defileth all Indeed vvee maye not thinke that there is anie perfection in vs or in our actions in this life but this is the perfect ground that makes that action to smell sweetelie in the sight of GOD to vvit Faith in IESVS CHRIST If that thou findest that thou hast IESVS CHRIST in thine heart by Faith albeit vvith great vveakenesse in thy selfe yet in CHRIST all the imperfection and vveakenesse is hidden and vvhen the action commeth before the LORD it is pleasant and acceptable to Him All thinges are pleasant that come to the Father thorowe the Sonne there is the grounde of all grace and acceptation Sticke to the LORD IESVS and haue Him not in thy mouth onelie as the Hypocrites doe but let Him also bee inclosed in thine heart and dwell therein for then thou shalt bee acceptable to GOD through Him To vvhome vvith the Father and the Holie Spirit bee all Praise Honour and Glorie for euer and euer vvorlde vvithout ende AMEN THE SIXT LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XVIII verse 33 So Pilate entered into the common Hall againe and called IESVS and saide vnto him Art thou the King of the Iewes verse 34 IESVS answered him Sayest thou that of thy selfe or did other tell it thee of mee verse 35 Pilate answered Am I a Iew Thine owne nation and the high Priests haue deliuered thee vnto mee What hast thou done verse 36 IESVS answered My Kingdome is not of this world if my Kingdome were of this world my seruants would surely fight that I should not bee deliuered to the Iewes but nowe is my Kingdome not from hence verse 37 Pilate then saide vnto him Art thou a King then IESVS answered Thou sayest that I am a King for this cause am I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnesse vnto the trueth euerie one that is of the trueth heareth my voyce THE last day Brethren we entered into the suffering of Christ vnder Pontius Pilate the Romane Gouernour Ciuill Iudge in Iudeae for the time Iesus is led into the Common Hall to the House of Iustice as ye heard where Pilate sate Now Pilate is not rash in judging but before he sit downe to judge hee will haue an inditement and will see what things the Iewes haue to lay to the charge of the Lord He saw the accusers of Him the Iewes in multitudes he saw no accusation therefore he goes out vnto them because they would not come to him and asketh what accusation haue they against Him hee receiueth little answere or at least little
put in execution namely a wicked mā if he giue coūsell he wold gladly haue it put in executiō albeit it were neuer so wicked if he shuld do it himself he had rather hang himselfe than it went backe as ye may see in Achitophell Iohn the writer of this historie leaues Christ and hee returnes to Peter and makes rehearsall of a thing that befell to Peter in the meane time of that foule fall of Peter vvho boasted so fast of his strength to bee an example to the vvhole posteritie neuer to trust in the power of man he got a vvorse fall thā any of the rest of the disciples for he denied the Lord vvith an execration the rest fled only In this fact of Peters vve haue first how he tempts God then next because he tempted the Lord the Lord tempts him againe he who tempts God God will tempt him thirdly we haue the foule deniall of Peter by a light temptation Then Peter first tempts the Lord for when as they led away the Lord to the Hall of the High Priest there followed him Peter albeit the Lord had fore-warned him of his weakenesse but afarre off as Matt. 26.58 Marke 14.54 and Luke 22. 54. doe note and another disciple What this disciple was his name is not mentioned some thinke it was Iohn for Iohn when hee speakes of himselfe he vses cōmonly to suppresse his name as ye see often in this book Others think it was not Iohn nor any of the twelue but some other godly man who loued the Lord Iesus well to see what issue should follow vpon that taking and this is more prooueable for I thinke Iohn had not such an acquaintance and court with the High Priest being but a simple mā a poore fisher namely a disciple of Iesus Christ but whosoeuer it was it is not much to the purpose When they come to Caiaphas Hall the Lord is taken in amongst the rest this other disciple getteth in because saies Iohn he was knowne to the High Priest As for Peter because he was not knowne hee standes at the doore which was straitly kept at this time The other disciple pitties Peters case and estate but it was a preposterous pittie And hee entreateth the doore-keeper to let in Peter Take heede to friendship and looke that in pleasuring thy friende thou bee not an instrument of his destruction Nowe Peter commeth in and warmeth himselfe amongst the rest This for Peters tempting of GOD Nowe let vs examine heere what is commendable and what is not Indeede there is no man that will not like of this loue which Peter did beare towardes his Master CHRIST IESVS and of this zeale and of this his vnwillingnesse to depart from his Master for hee loued Him so well that hee would followe Him to the death and would to God in this cold age there were but a piece of this zeale in vs that Peter had wee haue no zeale and if it were but this incōsideratiue zeale yet it is better to haue it than no zeale So this loue is cōmendable for albeit he did wel to loue his master yet he faileth in this that in receiuing aduertisement out of the mouth of the Lord that he was not able to suffer for Him yet he would go forward when Iesus said to His takers If ye seeke me let these goe their way Peter might haue perceiued by this that he was not able to suffer hee might haue retired to some priuate place with prayer mourning but he would step forward would not accept of that that the Lord said to him thou art not able so he falleth here very farre We all haue our lesson here the day of our trial may come let vs therefore euer haue our eye on the will of God that which He will haue thee to doe that doe thou what the Lord requireth not of vs that doe not Thou canst doe nothing better than this to take vp thy Crosse and to followe Christ but if the Lord bid thee not doe it doe it not if hee require not at thine hand that thou suffer enter not to suffer if he forewarne thee that thou art not able to suffer the fire go thy way step aside and let it bee But one will say How can I get aduertisement Peter had the mouth of the Lord how shall wee be aduertised by God whether we shall offer our selues to the fire or not Iesus Christ is not amongst vs now face to face I answere The only way to know this is this Ere any man offer to put his hand to the Crosse of Christ look what he is able to beare looke what strength of God he hath if thou werest like a Giant thou wilt not beare the Crosse of Christ with mans strength if thou findest in triall y t thou hast not strength enough take it for a warning from heauen draw thy selfe away to prayer meditatiō then being furnished with strength come out and suffer then if thou hast strength step forward suffer Another fault in Peter when he commeth to the doore of the high Priest finding it shut yet hee standeth whereas by the shutting of the doore he was commanded to leaue off at least to try whether the deede in hand was lawfull or no. It was by the prouidence of God that the doore was shut he got a warning there to leaue off yet hee would not These impediments that are casten in when we are of purpose to effectuat or do any thing should not be idlely looked on but they should make vs to enter into a carefull and earnest triall of that deede to see whether it be lawfull or not for nothing is without the prouidence of God when thou hast considered the worke findest it a good worke conformable to Gods will that thou art able to doe it then goe forward in despite of the Deuill and the world but if thou findest after triall otherwise either that it is an euill vvorke or else a good vvorke and yet that thou art not able to doe it then staye and leaue off for if thou doest not thou shalt thinke shame in the ende as Peter did Therefore let no man looke lightlie to such impediments as they shall finde to bee casten in in doing anie thing Well yee see Peters fall in these two poincts First he will not receiue aduertisment Secondlie hee will not goe from the doore till he get in Search the grounde of his doing and ye shall see that albeit Peter was a verie weake man yet he saw not his owne infirmitie and when he thought himselfe strong enough in his vaine conciet he was blinded hee saw not his owne infirmitie this is the ground of his fall It was the strength of fleshe and blood that was in Peter and an humane spirite such a courage as the Romane vvarriours had This courage of fleshe and blood will carry men a good piece forwarde in the cause of
conscience and getting litle blenckes immediately he goes in againe to the common Hall and takes in Iesus Christ and he sayes to Iesus Whence art thou Art thou the Sonne of God hee had no certaintie of this this is worthie of commendation that hee getting a blencke hee will follow it out who vvill say but this was worthie of commendation in an Ethnicke If it shall please GOD to giue vs a blencke any time let vs striue to follow it foorth and let that glimmering mooue thee to follow it out further for all the joy in the worlde is in the sight of GOD thou neuer knewest what joy is who hast not tasted of the pleasure of Heauen fye on thee who hast not tasted of this joy So if it shall please the Lord to giue vs a glance of Iesus Christ Pilate learnes vs to followe it albeit it goe out of thine eyes for a time rest neuer till thou gettest it againe although men would giue thee all the pleasures in the world Now Brethren we must not thinke that it was the loue of the trueth that mooued Pilate to aske this No it vvas rather the feare of danger that mooued him to aske it for hee feared some danger to come vnto himselfe when hee heard that hee vvas the Sonne of God therefore partly for this cause and partly because Christ knew that Pilate disdained Him and all spirituall graces in Him Hee gaue him none ansvvere But let vs follovv out the knowledge of CHRIST once begunne vpon the loue of the trueth then vvee may bee assured that according to His promise Hee vvill heare vs for Hee saies Verily verily whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name that shall hee giue you IOH. XVI 23. Thou vvho hast that sweet promise Knocke and it shall bee opened shouldest thou not bee instant to make inquirie of IESVS vvho offereth Himselfe so vvillingly and saies I am the Light of the worlde and Come to Mee to get the water of Life Alas that thou shouldest perishe for default of seeking of grace Yee vvoulde maruell that IESVS answered not a vvorde I spake of this somewhat before I shall saye onely this for the present The Lord Hee knewe His houre vvas comming that Hee shoulde die and Hee knewe it vvas His Fathers vvill therefore Hee vvould not vtter so much as a vvorde to staye and holde backe His death If Hee had giuen Pilate euident and sure information vvhat manner of person Hee vvas then happily Hee vvoulde haue stayed and vvoulde haue proceeded no further and vvoulde not haue slaine Him but hee knewe not vvith vvhome hee dealt vvhen hee gaue out the sentence of death against Him But it maye bee asked vvith reuerence vvee speake it Was not this an harde matter that Christ vvould not doe so much as to tell Pilate that this vvas Gods vvorke and that Hee Himselfe vvas the Sonne of God vvas it not an hard matter so to hinder this mans saluation But I saye What reckoning is to bee made of Pilate and all the creatures in the vvorlde Angels and men so that God bee glorified We are all made to glorifie Him and except He had a respect to His owne glorie in the creature He would neuer haue made man nor Angell If it please the Lord to be glorified in thy damnation holde thee content Hath not the Potter saies Paul power of the claye to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour and another to dishonour Roman 9.21 I saye more God in that his great sa nilie hath some vessels of honour and some of dishonour 2. Timâ—th 2.20 If that thou finde thy selfe to bee one of the vessels of honour thou hast no cause to complaine and to saye Wherefore was this man made to shame for thou hast enough if thou hast gotten mercie thanke GOD that of His free will He hath put a difference betwixt thee and him There are none who are ordained to be vessels of honour but they wil seeke the honour of God eueÌ„ suppose it were by their own destructioÌ„ as ye may read of Moses This is the nature of all them who haue gotten some assurance of GODS fauour in IESVS and if thou haue this assurance in thine heart certainly thou art an instrument of glorie Now to ende Yee see Brethren in this whole action the pittifull estate of Pilate he is tossed to and fro betwixt two parties his own conscience on the one part vrges and forces him to stand and pleade for Christ and on the other part the desire that he hath to pleasure the vnportunate Iewes and the feare that he hath to offend Cesar moues him to goe on in that processe against Christ till at last he pronounces sentence against Him Iudges by his example are to take good heed to their proceedinges in judgement and to keepe their hands from euill and that they sit not in a wicked judgemeÌ„t Be not Iudge against the innocent Pilate sate in judgement doing wickedly pronouÌ„cing sentence against the Lord of Glorie If thou sit in judgement pronounce not sentence against y e innocent either leaue that judgement or then absolue the innocent in despite of the worlde It is no small matter to pronounce sentence of damnation The Lord grant vs this conscience that whensoeuer wee shall be employed we may be employed in doing of good deedes and in glorifying God that wee may haue that assurance of grace in Iesus Christ To whome with the Father and Holy Spirit bee all Honour and Praise for euer Amen THE TENTH LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XIX verse 10 Then saide Pilate vnto him Speakest thou not vnto mee Knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and haue power to loose thee verse 11 IESVS answered Thou couldest haue no power at all against mee except it were giuen thee from aboue therefore hee that deliuered mee vnto thee hath the greater sinne IN this whole Historie of the suffering of IESVS CHRIST vnder Pontius Pilate we see a continuall strife betwixt the Iudge Pilate and the accusers Pilate laboures by all meanes to get the innocent set free The Hie Priests be y e contrary endeuour themselues to get Iesus Christ crucified Pilate seekes if it had beene possible to followe his conscience they seeke by all meanes the contrarie to harden the heart of Pilate The last words as yee heard the Iewes rose and saide Wee haue a law by the which hee ought to die because hee made himselfe the Sonne of God These wordes of theirs are so farre from that that they take away the conscience of Pilate that by the contrarie by these words the conscience of Pilate is more wakened than before and he begins to feare IESVS CHRIST and humbles himselfe more than euer hee did yea in such sort that when as hee heares tell that IESVS was the Sonne of GOD hee demaundes of Him Whether Hee was the Sonne of GOD or no but hee receiues no answere for the LORD
foolish the most proud man is the most foolish in talking Looke and consider the proud man when thou hearest him speake and thou wilt say Yonder man is a foolish man And this proceedes of the Lords just and wise dispensation the proud man in his heart dishonoures the Majestie of GOD. Thou who art proud hast adoe with God and not with thy fellowes Therefore the LORD in His just Iudgement will cause thy mouth to speake to thy shame to accuse thy selfe Hee will cause thee who art a proude King call thy selfe a murtherer to shame thy selfe and to be reuenged of thy proud heart Thus much for Pilates demand which containes a blasphemie against that Majestie and therefore IESVS will not let him goe away vnreprooued Hee sayes to him Well Thou wouldst haue no power ouer me except it were giuen thee from aboue as for them who haue put mee in thine hands woe is to them their sinne is the greater their damnation the more to wit the Priests the Iewes There are two partes of this answere The first concernes the Majestie of GOD the second concernes the High Priestes and the Iewes for the LORD hath adoe with two sorts of persons for there was two sortes of persons who put Him in the handes of Pilate The first was GOD The next was the Iewes who deliuered Him to be condemned As for GOD Looke what Hee speakes of him and howe reuerently Thou wouldest haue no power except it were giuen thee from aboue As for man Hee accuses him of sinne Nowe let vs examine euery part of these Thou wouldest haue no power ouer me except it were giuen thee from aboue Thou gloriest too much of thy power as though it were of thy selfe and not of GOD for if thou forgettest that heauenlie prouidence without the which nothing can come vnto mee But I tell thee Pilate if thou shouldest haue had power ouer me if it were not giuen thee this is spoken for two respects First because all superiour power is of God Next in this respect because when a man hath gotten power ouer others hee can doe nothing to them nor stirre an haire of their head but by the prouidence of God Pilate was ignorant of both these he beleeued he had his power of Cesar only but Christ lettes him know that there was one higher than Cesar from whome he had his power hee was ignorant of Gods prouidence hee vttered him to be a blasphemer of God therefore the Lord hearing this blasphemer albeit Hee held His tongue before now He speakes when He heares His Father dishonoured for all His suffering was for the honour of His Father therefore He will now reprooue Pilate how far are we from thus doing we are cleane contrarie to this the very silliest of vs all if wee heare any thing tending to our owne reproach then there is such anger in vs that we cannot be pacified but who is angrie to heare God dishonoured Where shall the Lord finde a zealous man in this Land few in Court or Councell hath that zeale they vvho are greatest blasphemers greatest enemies to God by conuoyes are most aduanced the zeale of God is out of the hearts of men for the most part so that by all appearance certainely a judgement shal light vpon this Nation for albeit we were created redeemed for Gods glorie yet we haue no care of it all that is away vvherefore serues our creation it had bene better we had neuer bene created if wee set not our selues to glorifie Him Yet to weigh the wordes better we see this plainely albeit a man be in the handes of a superiour power whether he be an innocent man or wicked yet he is in the hands of God there is not a King in the world that is able to open his mouth against a man but by the speciall dispensation of God so that the life or the death of the man hangeth not so much on the sentence of the King as it doth on the decree of God the life of man hanges more on that decree of His than all the decrees of Kings There is great blindnesse and beastlinesse in vs that we see not that prouidence therefore now and then the Lord will let men see and feele that the life and death of men hanges not so much on the sentence and decree of the Prince as on that eternall decree sentence of God 1. Sam. Chap. 14. When Saul had giuen out the sentence that Ionathan should die that for breaking of an vnlawfull law it lay not in his hands to slay him then in Chap. 15 when hee ordained that Agag should liue the Lord stirred vp the spirit of Samuel and hewed him with a sword The Lord will let vs see that the sentence of Kings makes not a man to die or liue but His eternall decree This is not to be passed by Iesus warneth Pilate of two things First that he hath his authoritie not of Cesar He sends him to the heauens aboue Cesars throne to Gods Throne Next vvhatsoeuer hee did in his office and authoritie hee did it by the dispensation of God So vvee haue first this lesson to wit it appertaineth vnto Princes to knowe that the authoritie vvhich they haue it is of GOD Monarches shoulde vnderstande that they haue that power of GOD and so shoulde inferiour Magistrates how beit they should acknowledge the superiour Knowe yee not howe Nabuchadonezer learned that all the power was of God he was sent foorth like a beast to liue seuē yeeres among the beasts to learne this lesson that all the power hee had was of God Dan. 4. Next learne howbeit Princes haue gotten that power of God yet God will not denude Himselfe of power ouer them but He so rules them by His providence that they cānot stirre without His will Then Princes should looke to God seeing they can doe nothing without His blessed prouidence Esa◠10. When Assur boasted that he had done all things by his own hands his own wisedome y e Lord is more angrie at him for not acknowledging of his power to be from God in that persecution than Hee is for the persecution it selfe He pronounces the sentence against Him What art thou but an axe or a sawe in the hands of the sawer It is a vaine thing for a king to ascribe power to himself not to God woe is him it is a sore thing to match with God Then againe when Iesus was in the hands of Pilate denied He the power of Pilate No He acknowledges his power but He acknowledged it vvas of God and therefore He willingly submits Himself vnto it Wherefore all subjects should learne this lesson When they looke to their Princes or to their superiours not to looke so much to the man as to God who hath armed him with that power he is foolish that thinks not that the power y t the Magistrate or Prince hath gottē is of God this should
heauenly power so goe like dogges to their vomite spues out the light they had receiued they are as guiltie of the blood of Christ as Pilate trampe the blood of the Couenant vnder their feete Woe to them that resist the Gospell woe to the apostate Lordes of this Land for thus resisting the light there is no light but this to leade thee to heauen I denounce woe to them if they continue the treasure of wrath and woe shall bee heaped on them they shall be as guiltie as Iudas or Pilate or the Iewes hastie sudden shall be their judgement except the Lord preuent them with repentance they their posteritie shall be cursed vnderly a terrible vengeance Woe to their friends who will joyne with them Separate thee frō them as thou wouldest see saluation Away out of Babylon Yee would thinke this a light worde Let his blood bee vpon our head As they wish the blood of the innocent to light on them so it neuer leaues them nor shall neuer leaue so many of them as repented not the blood of the innocent shall lye vpon their backes euerlastingly This should learne vs to take good heed to our wordes it was but a worde to cast off the God of glorie and to take on a Tyrant They got Caesar to be their King and he spoyled them Take good heede to thy words for thou who vsest against thy selfe imprecations and cursings and wilt say God plague mee Gods vengeance light vpon mee I giue my soule to the Deuill if this or that be not Well hast thou giuen thy soule to the Deuill he shall get it hast thou taken a curse vpon thy selfe thou shalt bee cursed it is a wonder that the earth should not open to swallowe such men The Lord makes these thinges to come to passe nowe and then Hee makes the cursed creature that vses such speaches to bee a terrible example And if thou be a prophane person who wilt say I giue my soule to the Deuill I saye and if the Deuill get thee not then and thou be not thrust into Hell but gettest repentance it is a wonder Such is the judgement of God that oft times He will let no reuersion be except that earnestly thou seeke for grace and mercie the Lord I say shall make that worde which thou sakest to haue no reuersion wilt thou or wilt thou not but like as thy foule mouth spake it so thou shalt bee giuen to the Deuill for there is nothing more effectuall to a mans destruction than the wordes which proceede out of his owne mouth Well Pilate is lying in securitie and hee thinkes himselfe well enough when he hath once disburthened himselfe he sits downe and giues out sentence and absolues a seditious vagabonde He letteth Barabbas loose vnto them Woe to them who will absolue a seditious lowne and a murtherer The next thing is more woefull he begins to giue out the sentence against the innocent he comes on and strikes Him hee scourges Him this is the seconde time and when hee hath done hee giueth Him into the handes of the Jewes to satisfie their wicked appetite As long as thou hast a wakened conscience and so long as it telles thee This is good and this is euill thou wilt not goe so boldly and forwardly in euill Well is that bodie who hath a wakened conscience suppose it terrifie thee and holde thee waking But after it bee once lulled in a sleepe and securitie then thou runnest on as the arrowe doeth out of the bow to a mischife there is nothing to holde thee but thou runnest swiftly to mischiefe Ephes 4.19 After they once lost feeling they ranne out to all wantonnesse commiting all vncleannesse with griedinesse There was neuer any creature so griedy of any thing in the world as men who liue without conscience will be of filthinesse As thou wouldest keepe thy selfe so keepe feeling in thy conscience count it more precious than all thinges in the worlde Nothing can guarde thy soule from Sathan but the approbation of a feeling conscience Thou wilt come out with thy Pearles and with decked cloathing but if thou want this conscience thou art a preye to the Deuill Fy on these men who lye in such a senselesnesse shame and confusion shall light vpon them Was there euer such a dead and senselesse Generation as this It is a token that Hell is ouer-taking them seeing they lye all in such a senselesse securitie Marke notes a word here that would bee considered Chap. 15. vers 15. Pilate did this to gratifie an euill people hee would not displease the Jewes This is the common fashion of Princes to seeke to be populare to seeke the fauour of the people Looke that a Prince seeke not by euill meanes the fauour of the people for he will hang an innocent man and let a murtherer goe free for the fauour of the people thou buyest it too deare with the losse of the fauour of God Woe be vnto the man though he were a King that mischieuously falles abacke from the Trueth and so looses the fauour of God for the fauour of Idolaters But will yee come on yet Got Pilate the fauour of the people No they persecuted him to the death they delated him to the Emperour and hee was banished and for feare of greater shame hee put handes in himselfe and slew himselfe Yea if he were all the kings in the world who seekes to gratifie a wicked people in an euill cause namely in Idolatrie and if the LORD haue not mercy on him that same people shall be his destruction The Lord graunt Kinges and Princes to see that howbeit they haue the fauour of the people by vnlawfull meanes and want the fauour of God that all the fauour of the people that they can haue without Gods fauour is nothing that they may seeke Gods fauour aboue all things And the Lord be mercifull to our King for Christes sake To whom be all Honour and Glory foreuermore AMEN THE XIII LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVII verse 27 Then the Souldiers of the Gouernour tooke IESVS into the common hall and gathered about him the whole bande verse 28 And they stripped him and put about him a skarlet robe verse 29 And platted a crowne of thornes and put it vpon his head and a reede in his right hand and bowed their knees before him and mocked him saying God saue thee King of the Jewes verse 30 And spitted vpon him and tooke a reede and smote him on the head verse 31 Thus when they had mocked him they tooke the robe from him and put his owne rayment on him and led him away to crucifie him verse 32 And as they came out they found a man of Cyrene named Simon him they compelled to beare his Crosse MARC CHAP. XV. verse 16 Then the souldiers led him away into the hall which is the common hall and called together the whole band verse 17 And clad
this thiefe made to CHRIST as some thinke Wee spake of this thiefe the last day now we haue to speake of the part of the other thiefe he is twitched with repentance in an instant hee becomes penitent and the inward conuersion of the heart to GOD hee vtters outwardly in sundrie effects First perceiuing the other thiefe his companion to blaspheme GOD the first action that he does he defends the honour of the LORD against the other thiefe and rebukes him and after that giues a free confession of his sinnes and last hee turnes to Iesus Christ hanging on the Crosse and sayes LORD remember mee when thou commest to thy Kingdome The LORD answeres immediatly to the thiefe Verily thou shalt be with mee this day in Paradise To come then first to the rebuke hee giues to the other thiefe Fearest thou not GOD The meaning is Thiefe fye on thee seeing thou hangs in a common miserie and torment with mee and this man fearest thou not GOD who wilt blaspheme and rayle on Him seeing thou art shortly to appeare before that Tribunall and giue an account of all thine euill deedes chiefly of the blaspheming of the innocent So hee takes vp the blaspheming from the fountaine and hee lets him see that his heart was voyde of the feare of GOD for if hee had any sponke of the feare of GOD he had not fallen out in rayling against the GOD of glorie We learne this lesson that when the hand of GOD is lying on any man and pressing him to the death then it is time to be humble and to feare the LORD and that terrible Iudgement wherein thou must stand immediatly after this life and if there appeare no feare of that Iudge in thee and if thou vtterest a plaine rebellion that testifies that his hande shall neuer leaue thee vntill it bruise thee in powder and thrust thee to the lowest Hells This is the thing that affliction should worke in vs Humiliation and the feare of GOD. Learne the lesson at the thiefe Proud soule and proud creature if thou wilt not learne at others But as this rebuke testifies that this should be so the rayling of the other testifies that it is not ay in men There are some men whome all the torments in the worlde will not moue ere they be the better they will bee in Hell hang them naile them to the Crosse teare them with pincers they shall neuer bee the better What is the cause of this It is a wonderfull thing that such trouble torment should not worke some feare of GOD in the creature But how can any affliction presse out of the creature that which was neuer in it The feare of GOD is not in the hearts of many and therefore howe can they vtter it a rotten and withered sticke was neuer more meete to be burnt than thou by nature So we beeing by nature like as many rotten stickes albeit wee were pressed with mountaines we shall neuer yeeld a sweete sappe or any repentance No before we yeelde any droppe of repentance we shall be bruised in powder fye on nature if thou werest a Prince thou shalt goe to Hell if thou haue no more but nature if thou gettest not one dâ—oppe of grace Yet yee see that the other thiefe when hee is pressed yeeldes one droppe of sappe hee becomes penitent and is zealous of the glorie of the Lord IESVS These are good effects The Crosse that wrought euill in the other thiefe workes good in this thiefe But who made the difference Who discerneth thee saith Paul Not nature They were alike in nature alike in misdeedes alike in a wicked life the one had liued as wickedly as the other alike in torment It was IESVS that made the separation it was a happie time for the one thiefe that euer he was crucified beside the LORD of glorie The Lord IESVS made the difference out of that fulnesse Hee powres out one droppe of His grace He giues none to the other Learne this that all troubles and afflictions crosses and all the torments in the worlde shall neuer make thee better All the torments in the world shall not worke one droppe of spirituall moysture out of thee the torments may vvell pâ—esse out sowre and bitter sappe as blasphemie rayling and despare but no good sappe as Faith or Repentance except thou get it of the fulnesse of IESVS CHRIST and therefore my counsell is When thou feelest the hand of the Lord on thee namely in the houre of death a dangerous houre turne thee to Iesus Christ and say thou mayest presse mee downe but long ere I yeelde one droppe of grace except thou giue it me Lord therefore giue me one drop of grace Another thing I marke in the rebuke of the other thiefe Common miserie should worke a mutual compassion thou should pitiâ— them who are in a like miserie with thee and if thou doest it not thou doâ—st as the euill thiefe did I say thou hast no feare of God if thou raylest on him who is in miserie with thee thine heart is full of the gall of bitternesse By nature we are all alike in miserie there is not a thing that becomes a sinner better than to haue compassion on others an heart without pitie shall neuer be pitied not neuer shall see life Now to goe forward when he hath said Thou art in like damnation lest that y e thiefe rebuked should haue thought y t Christ should haue deserued that paine as well as hee thinke not that they who are alike in miserie are alike guiltie No no ye are deceiued Well he meetes this we suffer nothing but that which we demerite I thou are iustly in this common condemnation but this man hath done nothing amisse This rayling and paine this man demerites not yet if ye will weigh the wordes narrowly wee shall see other two arguments whereby hee rebukes this blasphemous companion The first is from their merites The second from the innocencie of Christ The first thou meritest this torment and therefore should not thy merite worke a feare of God and a feare of an heauier judgement Lord saue vs from the merite of sinne When a man is in torment and chiefly in death the paine should worke a feare of God and then considering the merite there should strike a greater feare in the heart that there should ensue a greater damnation afterward The consideration of merite should worke a feare and the conscience should not so soone stand vp to accuse vs of sinne but wee should be striken with a feare of that terrible Iudge but euery man hath not this sense the thiefe hath not that sense of the merite of the present paine nor yet of the greater paine that was to insue What is the cause of this that euery man feeles not this The conscience of the merite of sinne is not giuen to euery man We are all sinners and merites all our paine we merite death and Hell But alas where
to worke this worke of redemption and saluation by base and naughty meanes that the world respects no more of than the dirt which they treade on Looke what is the difference betwixt the wisedome of GOD and the wisedome of man Will yee looke to the cause of our redemption to IESVS CHRIST or to the Professors and to Ministers they are the foolishest in the vvorlde sillie bodies and compare them vvith potent men they are but contemptible and of no valour and compare them with wise men they are but fooles So looke to the Crosse and to the Ministerie thereof whereby wee are saued all is weake base and contemptible and all to this ende that the LORD onelie maye gette the glorie and as the APOSTLE saies He that glorieth may onlie glory in the LORD And let euerie one of vs giue glorie to that LORD of Glorie To whome with the Father and the Holie Spirite bee all Honour and Praise for euermore AMEN THE XXI LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVII verse 47 And some of them that stood there when they heard it saide This man calleth Elias verse 48 And straightway one of them ranne and tooke a spunge and filled it with vineger and put it on a reede and gaue him to driâ—ke verse 49 Other said Let be let vs see if Elias will come and saue him verse 50 Then Iesus cryed againe with a loude voyce yeelded vp the ghost MARKE CHAP. XV. verse 35 And some of them that stood by when they heard it said Beholde hee calleth Elias verse 36 And one ranne and filled a spunge full of vineger and put it on a reede and gaue him to drinke saying Let him alone let vs see if Elias will come and take him downe verse 37 And Iesus cryed with a loude voyce and gaue vp the ghost LVKE CHAP. XXIII verse 46 And Iesus cryed with a loude voyce and saide Father into thine handes I commende my spirite And when hee had thus said hee gaue vp the ghost IOHN CHAP. XIX verse 28 After when Iesus knewe that all thinges were performed that the Scripture might bee fulfilled hee saide I thirst verse 29 And there was set a vessell full of vineger and they filled a spunge with vineger and put it about an hyssope stalke and put it to his mouth verse 30 Now when Iesus had receiued of the vineger hee said It is finished and bowed his head and gaue vp the ghost DVRING the time that the LORD IESVS hung quicke on the Crosse which was three houres and large more yee may reade well-beloued in Christ sundrie voyces that He vttered When I looke thorowe the foure Euangelistes I finde in number sixe sundrie voyces and euery one of them is well to be marked for at that time Hee vttered nothing in vaine The first voyce wee reade of was a voyce of diuine power together vvith mercy when one of the Thieues who hung at His right hand said to Him Lord remember me when thou commest to thy Kingdome The Lord answered him like a King and like a powerfull and mercifull God Verily J say vnto thee this day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise The next voyce was a voyce of humane pittie and naturall affection toward His Mother she being by the Crosse with Iohn and other women He recommendes her to the custodie of His wâ—ll beloued Disciple The thirde voyce wee reade of was a voyce of sadnesse proceeding from an heart that was sadde on euery side to the death and from that agonie on the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee The fourth voyce in like manner was a voyce of sadnesse proceeding from a wonderfull heate in the soule and body I thirst The fifth voyce by all appearance was a voyce of joye seeing the worke of Redemption to bee wrought and the wrath of His Father to be asswaged He saies after He had drunken the vineger Jt is finished The sixt and last voyce in like manner was a voyce of joye for finding Hee was to giue vp the ghoste immediately and finding His Father sweetly to loose His soule from His bodie He saies Father into thine hands I commend my spirit Now Brethren all thâ—se foresaid voyces the Lord vttered during the time that He hung quick on y e Crosse Of these we haue heard the first the second the third which was that heauie complaint that Hee made to His Father My God my God c. This daye as God shall giue vs grace wee shall speake of the three other voyces one of them of sadnesse and the other two of joye But before wee come to these voyces which are the three lâ—st voyces wee haue to speake something of the misconstruing of the complaint of the Lord vttered to His God Nowe the Iewes that stood by Him and heard Him crie Eli Eli for Hee cryed aloude of maliciousnesse not of mistaking Him they begin to calumniate and to misconstrue His wordes because the worde Eli which is My God sounded like Elias Therefore they said Hee cryed for Elias when Hee cryed on His God Let vs see if Elias will come and take Him downe In the which wordes wee may see clearely that they sought not onelie to destroy His bodie but the Deuill in them sought to sunder and seuer Him both in soule and bodie from His God they woulde not heare Him crye vpon His God but they sought to destroy His bodie and His soule such was the insatiable malice of the hearts of these Iewes against Iesus Christ This is the common dealing of the Deuill and his instruments with the godly and chiefely in that last houre when the separation of the soule from the body is to follow Not only to get the body dead but the soule God separated if thou beginnest to pray call on God they will scorne thy prayer seeke to cut thee froÌ„ God all hope of life But to leaue them their bitter maliciousnes As in all the poinctes of the suffering of Christ I looke more to the disposition of His Father than to the Iewes to the deuil or his instrumeÌ„ts So I doe in this No question as His Father exercises Him inwardly with a bitter wrath eueÌ„ so wheÌ„ as the Lord by making an heauy mone seekes an outgaet cries My God my God c Hee will haue Him met outwardly with bitternes Aime where He wil He meetes Him with nothing but bitternes wrath inwardly outwardly hell inward outward no refuge nor escaping till y t ransome be payed to the least farthing Wel BrethreÌ„ if ye would see an image of hell see it here The Lord Iesus was for a time fealt nothing but extreame bitternes But the reprobate after they be once casten into hell there is nothing for them but bitternes let theÌ„ aime here there to escape houle cry they shal be met wiâ—h bitternes What if it were but for a time The Lord escaped His suffering
a good Iustice the Romane Iustitiers were good he shewed him selfe to bee a good Iustitier in this a man condemned to die hee would not giue Him out of His hands till hee knew perfectly that He was dead The Iudge should not giue a man out of his hāds to any till he know he be dead Iustice requires that If they did so to the greene tree the Lord Himselfe saies what shall they doe to the withered If so precise justice was kept on y e innocent what shall become of the reprobate who must suffer euery point of justice Lord saue vs from that justice of the reprobate I put it out of doubt This justice kept on Iesus is a liuely image of that justice that shal be kept on the reprobate Thou shalt not escape one point of that justice but thou shalt suffer in thy carcage y e extremity if thou be not participate of His blood Another thing is to bee marked in Pilate I see a part of humanity in him hee grants the dead body humanely And surely this was by the fashion for the bodies of crucified mē were not giuē yeelded at the request of mē as their death was ignominious so was their buriall I put no doubt the cōscience of the innocencie of Iesus neuer left him the consciēce of His innocēcie made him to be so easie to grant the body of Iesus at the request of Ioseph Brethren if this matter had bene in the hands of Caiaphas the Priests and the Scribes the Elders they would not haue bene so ready to haue giuē the body to be buried for as they sought to shame Him in His death so would they in His buriall they had buried Him like an Asse castē Him out like a beast So who is this that dishonours the Saints of God in their buriall It is not Pilate or an Ethnicke or Turke or Pagan it is hypocrit professors hypocrits Caiaphas it is false priests knaues with a coloured religion it is the counterfet hie priests those shauelings those monks friers who murther the innocēts there was neuer bitternes nor gal of heart like their bitternes who wil cal thēselues the kirke they are a false a deceiuing kirke they haue not bene content to martyre the deare Saincts of God that bloody massacre shall neuer goe out of memory it shal be recent to their perpetual shame they shal pay for it one day but they haue raised vp y e bones of the dead to burne thē The vessels of dishonour seeke the dishonour of the vessels of honour but shame and confusion shall light vpon them whē the Saints of God shall get honour The Lord saue vs from them and that judgement which they shall receiue We goe now to the māner of the Buriall Looke the louing affection of this holy man Ioseph would to God we could learne at him who loued the dead Iesus so well to loue Him now liuing and glorified in the Heauēs When he hath gottē the body of the Lord he takes it puts it not in a foule cloth he takes not an old sheet but he buyes the cleanest linnē finest that culd be gottē the Spirit of God notes that it was a fine linnen cloth which had neuer touched any mans body before then he wraps the body of Iesus in that winding sheet I suppone it was with his owne hands for wee reade of none other that touched Him for hee thought his owne hands ouer vnworthie to winde such a precious and glorious bodie Nowe Brethren as the Buriall of the Lord was honoured by an honourable man who was the Burier of Him so it was honoured with a cleane winding-sheet which is a piece of the honour of the Buriall But looke to this mans doinges better When hee procures leaue to bury Him he departs not leaues another to bury Him he sais not I haue done enough I haue gottē his body he has other friēds thā I here he has his mother his disciples other womē who came with him out of Galile and others let them bury him doe y e rest to him No he saies not so So this is a cōmendable thing in him who hauing gottē leaue to bury him he perfects the worke he will bury him himselfe with his owne hands Let vs learne at Ioseph If we put to our hāds to the work of Iesus to honour him wo to him that honours him not if thou begin to do him any seruice leaue not off whilst thou haue ended it Count not that which thou hast done as men doe who will say I haue professed I haue suffered for religion more than the best of them But when thou art running that race neuer looke ouer thy shoulder vntill thou commest to thy races ende and say thou art an vnprofitable seruant suppose thou hadst done neuer so much goe forward the crowne is not in the middest of the race but at the end and hee who persistes to the end of the race he shall get the crowne not he who goes backe againe Yet the affection of the man would bee considered and weighed after that once that sweete smell the sweetest smell that euer was felt comes from the body of Iesus that sweet smell of loue for the sauour of that body is the sauour of loue such loue as man neuer bare to man such loue as made the Lord to die for sinners after that the smell comes to Iosephs soule it wakened vp in his heart loue towards the Lord for Hee must loue vs before wee loue Him and whilst Hee begins to loue Him he makes request for Him euer the nearer that he drawes to that precious body the sweete smell that came from that precious body was alwayes the greater and the heart of Ioseph warmed ay the more with Him so that he could neuer get rest vntill he got that body in his armes and wrapped it in linnen clothes So when we begin to taste that fragrant odour that sweet smell our hearts will be allured to draw neare to Him and as we draw the nearer to Him wee will ay finde the sweeter sauour proceeding from Him Thou shalt feele alwaies the more that sweet odour the more neare thou meete with Him and who euer thou bee that seekest Him once thou vvilt neuer rest vvhilst thou see Him and be vvith Him Paul speakes this of himselfe 2. Cor. 4.8 I approoue rather to be with the Lord than to dwell in this bodie And to the Phillipians 1.23 I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ For as vvell as vve loue this body vve vvill be content to slit out of it to let the body fall dovvne like a broken pitcher that vve may be conjoyned vvith Christ vve vvill be content to slit and to obtaine Iesus Christ euen vvith the dissolution of the body This for the part of Ioseph in the burying of Christ novve follovves the part of one Nicodemus Whilst as Ioseph is
layed IOHN CHAP. XIX verse 41 And in that place where Iesus was crucified was a Garden and in the Garden a new sepulchre wherein was neuer man yet layed WEE haue in hand at this present well-beloued in CHRIST this Gospel of the Buriall of the Lord When Hee is crucified and dead His Buriall is obtained by a request which request was made to Pilate the Iudge and Romane Deputie he that made the request was Ioseph of Arimathea an honourable man a Senator a rich a good and a godly man There comes afterward to Ioseph one Nicodemus a Doctor in Israel an honourable a wise and a good man and a Disciple of Iesus albeit quietly as Ioseph was and he joynes handes in this worke with Ioseph So these two take the whole worke in hand first Ioseph and then Nicodemus In the Historie of this Buriall wee haue these two partes First wee haue the vvinding of Christ as vve speake commonly Hee is vvinded and vvrapped in a newe linnen cloth being embaulmed vvith sweet odors We haue heard already of this first part of His Burial The secōd part of His Buriall is the laying of His precious body in the graue First this day we shal speak of the laying of y t body in the graue next falles out a piece of a History concerning certain women namely Marie Magdalene the other Marie the mother of Ioses vvho are vvitnesses of y t buriall saw that all things vvere vvell done Thirdly in that part vve haue read in the Gospel of Matthew especiallie vvee haue a piece of Historie concerning the vvatching keeping of the graue of Iesus after He vvas buried The Historie is very plaine and the doctrine thereof shall be plaine also Then to begin at the first part of the history The burying of Iesus after hee vvas vvrapped in the vvinding-sheet Iohn in his Gospel markes the place vvhere he vvas buried First in generall he notes it to bee in a Garden not a Kirke not an house but a Garden in the faire fields not vnder a roofe but vnder the roofe of heauē This burying in Kirks is come in vpon superstition It maye suffice the greatest lorde of them all to be buried in the fields as the Lord Iesus vvas buried So the place vvas a Garden Next it is described from the situation of it Neare Mount Caluarie the place vvhere hee vvas crucified Joseph and Nicodemus choosed this place of verye purpose because it vvas neare hande the time straited them the time of the Passeouer vvas drawing neare and they vvere to celebrate it after the going down of the Sunne and therfore they take the commoditie of the place This vvas their purpose But the Father of heauen had his purpose in this vvorke The place vvas notable knowne to all the indwellers in Hierusalem The Lorde of purpose chose that place that as the place of His Buriall was knowen to Hierusalem so the Resurrection of the Lord should be known to Hierusalem Al this knowledge that Hee was buried auailes nothing if thou knowest not y t Hee is risen againe vvithout this knowledge no remission of sinnes no life But to come more particularlie to the place Iohn when hee had set it downe in generall he comes in speciall and hee calles it a monument he calles it a new graue wherein neuer man lay It was a graue not hewen out of the earth it was hewen out of a stone and Ioseph caused it to be hewē out not to Iesus but to himself but yet he vouchsafes it vpon Iesus All was notable the place the gardē the time the graue that His Resurrection might be notable easily known to all the indwellers in Ierusalem for He made all things to fall out so that His resurrection should be patent the Lord prouided that in all respects the buriall of Iesus might be honourable Looke to these men that buried Him Joseph and Nicodemus honourable men looke to His windingsheete and cleane linnen cloath looke to the odours wherewith Hee was embalmed they were costly looke to the place it was hewen out of a stone with great cost and trauell it was a new graue wherein neuer man lay it was ordained for an honourable man the Lord will haue His Sonne honoured in all these things and as He was a chiefe man farre aboue all the kings in the world separate from sinners made higher than the Heauens as the Apostle sayes Heb. 7.26 So His heauenly Father would haue Him appearing a speciall man in His buriall and namely in His graue for in that graue wherein Hee was laide neuer sinfull man come well worthy was He who was separate from sinners to be laide in a graue wherein neuer sinner was laide yet the newnesse of the graue it importes something more that when He rose it should not bee saide that any other man should haue risen but that it was onely Iesus that had risen To goe forward to the laying of the body in the graue the two men Ioseph Nicodemus they take the body lay it in They cast it not in but softly tenderly they laid that precious body that they loued so well they laide it in a graue as it were in a bed to sleepe when they haue laid Him downe in y e graue they take a great stone rolles it on the doore of the graue when they haue done that they goe to the celebration of the Passeouer As all this worke was directed by prouidence of God so in laying on of this great stone the Lord Hee had His prouidence No question Ioseph and Nicodemus rolled on this stone to honour the Lord but the prouidence of the Lord in this stone was chiefly that when the Lord rose againe the enemies should not say that the Lord was stollen out of the graue for it was no small matter to rolle away such a great stone so the Lord would meete the calumnies of His enemies in raising the stone and not onely in raising the stone but in breaking the bands of death and of the graue and in raising from death to life wherein Hee shewed the power of His Godhead for in nothing did the power of GOD appeare so euidently as in the raising of Christ from the death and therefore the Apostle Paul in the first Chapter to the Ephesians verse 19. brings it in as a singular proofe of the strong power of God Now we haue ended this discourse of the buriall which in all respects ye see is honorable so that albeit the buriall be otherwise ignominious and by the last part of His humiliation yet in it the Lord begins to honour Him He begins at it His glory euen so albeit the buriall of all men women beeing shamefull of the owne nature yet the buriall of all faithfull men and women beeing sanctified in the buriall of Iesus Christ is the first part of their honour for by it they passe to that eternall glory but the
good many suters to crucifie Him many suters to breake Him many suters to hold Him down in the graue ye read of none but of one Ioseph vvho makes sute to get the dead body of Iesus buried Read all the Ecclesiasticall Histories and ye shall finde these same things that fell out in Christ to haue fallen out in His members when a godly man hath beene drawen out before the ciuile Iudge or to martyrdome there hath bene sundrie suters for him some suters good some euill yet euer moe euill than good Therefore a Pâ—ince or Magistrate was neuer in such danger in any judgement as wheÌ„ he gets a good man fallen in his hands Pilate was neuer in such danger as he was into through this action for it lost him his life present the life to come When the action of a thiefe or a murtherer comes before a King there is no such danger but when a godly man is brought before him for the cause of CHRIST then he should take good heede where he shall get one to giue him a good counsell he shall get many to giue him euill counsell many shal crie crucifie Him woe to him if he assent as Pilate did for he shall inuolue himself in that same guiltines with them that cried crucifie him It is true indeede that Pilate granted a good suite hee gaue leaue to Ioseph to burie the body of Christ yet did this any good to Pilate saued it him No Thinkest thou when thou hast executed an innocent that thou doest enough when thou hast giuen His bodie to bee buried No that shall not excuse thee nor free thee from guiltinesse O how gâ—eat and weightie is the burthen of Magistrates Therefore they had neede euer to haue good men about them and we should pray the Lord earnestly to guide them and direct them in judgement This much for the suters now come to the sute the wordes are these The deceiuer said whilst as He was aliue that within three dayes He should rise command therefore that the sepulchre bee made sure vntill the third day lest His disciples come by night and steale Him away and say to the people that He is risen froÌ„ the dead so shall the last eâ—rour be worse than the first In effect this is as much as if they had said these wordes this man said that He should rise the third day therefore appoint Him a guard to testify of His glorious resurrectioÌ„ y e Lord so directed their words albeit their meaning was flat contrarie Marke therefore a good lesson euer more the Lord hâ—th snared the reprobate in their wicked deuises hath euer turned them from that mischieuous end they aymed them to the manifestation of His owne glory The Priests Pharises thought to obscure y e glorie of Christs resurrection if it had lyen in their hands to hold Him by force in the graue but the Lord who workes light out of darknesse makes their sute to serue for the clearer manifestation of His resurrection for they could haue done no more for the manifestation of His resurrection if they had bene hired for that purpose so looke what interprise wicked men will deuise to dishonour Him I say the Lord shall turne it in end to His glory but to their destruction I will say further it may seeme marueilous peruerse deuises of the wicked often times do serue more to His glory than the good purposes deedes of the godly for it is not a greater glory to GOD to bring light out of darknes than to bring light out of light the Lord is a most skilfull and mightie workeman Hee makes His glory to appeare by bringing light out of darknesse by bringing life out of death and by calling the thinges that are not as if they were all the deuises of the wicked are darknesse the doings of the godly are light so the Lord will sometimes bee more woÌ„derfully glorified in the doings of the wicked than in the doings of the godly But this doth y e wicked no good nor it serues nothing for their benefite for in y e meane time they are more malicious against y e Lord than euer they were they call Him a deceiuer this is a wonderfull thing they saw the Lords povver in obscuring of the sun in renting of the rockes in opening of the graues they saw His great glory shine in all these wonders yet such is the maliciousnes of these wicked men they call y e Lord of glory a deceiuer in so doing not onely they oppone themselues against God but also they doe so far as in them lay as to haue spitted in the face of God yet these miserable creatures I meane the Scribes Pharises came not on a suddaintie to this extreame maliciousnes but they shew some meane small beginnings of it wheÌ„ Christ first manifested Himselfe began to preach amongst them then they proceeded froÌ„ worse to worse continually all the time He was conuersant amongst them thereafter in His Crosse death they taunted mocked Him put Him to the most shameful death they could deuise now when He is buried laid in y e graue they vtter more maliciousnesse than euer they did they come to the extremitie of maliciousnes and induration they call the Lord a deceiuer Cursed be y t mouth that calles the Lord a deceiuer as Paul sayes He that loueth not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be anathema maranatha 1. Cor. 16.22 This lets vs see the nature of their sinne it was a sinne against the Holy Spirit and this is the nature of that sinne when once thou shalt enter in it thou vvilt hardly get backe againe vntill thou commest to extreame excecation and induration to thine euerlasting destruction My lesson is this If the Lord giue vs grace to learne it When it pleases the Lord to shine vnto thee albeit thou vverest a King or Earle or Lord looke as thou vvould eschevv Hâ—ll damnation that thou repine not to this light but greedily embrace it and vvalke in it for if thou step forvvard in repining thou shalt haue an hard backe-comming againe and thou shalt come from excecation to excecation vntill thou come to vtter destruction Novv I doubt not but ye are sorrovvfull vvhen ye heare the Lord a deceiuer yee are sorrovvfull to heare light called darknesse but comfort our selues vvith this the Lord vvho vvas free of all guile and deceit suffers Himselfe to bee called a deceiuer to purge vs from guile and deceit for it might seeme marueilous that the Spirite of God shoulde register this name of a deceiuer suppose they called Him a deceiuer for this name defiles the aire to call the Lord of Trueth a deceiuer Yet no question the Spirite hath left it in register to bee hearde and read of all Christians to the ende of the worlde that thou mayest knowe what the Lorde hath suffered for thee And doubtlesse this name was heauier to Him
thinke that any man in earth is too good to preach the Gospell of Christ No if thou werest a King it is a great honour to thee that thou shouldest haue grace to speake of His blessed Name Well Brethrē as the ambassadour was glorious the message was glorious so y ◠cōmission was the joyfullest thing that euer y u heardest al the Angels in Heauen are too vnworthy to tel it Now as the ambassador was glorious the message more glorious so the Lord of Heauen honours His Ambassadour w t a terrible earthquake the ambassador of a King hath honour and why should not the ambassadour of the LORD IESVS haue honour aboue all the Kinges of the world No doubt the LORD in this Earthquake hath a further respect for hereby He testified that His glorious presence accompanied the Angell and that to the weale and comfort of the sillie women for as all the rest was to prepare their hearts reuerentlie to receiue so glorious an Ambassadour so was also this Earthquake For if both men and women bee not prepared to receiue the Gospel of IESVS CHRIST let an Angel come from Heauen if they be not prepared by the power of GOD they will not beleeue they will not heare nor receiue the message with reuerence Therefore let no man saye What needes all this a glorious Angell to come from Heauē and such an Earthquake He might haue come otherwise He might haue come faire and softly and in more quyet manner I answere to this The LORD looked not so much to the Angell or the message as to the women for if it were an Angell that came from Heauen He shall neuer be receiued by the silliest bodie except thine heart be prepared by the power of God Now to goe forward When this Angell comes downe first wee haue what Hee does Then wee haue a faire description of this Angell The first thing He does is Hee goes to the graue and rowles away the stone from the doore Ye would thinke this was but a sober and seruile office to so glorious an Ambassadour Might not men haue done it It was Joseph and Nicodemus who rolled the stone to the tombe Might not men haue rolled it awaye againe Marke and compare the Buriall with His glorious resurrection In His Buriall He kept the Godhead close for if either in the death of Christ or in His Buriall that Godhead should haue vttered it selfe He could neither haue died nor yet haue bene buried for the Godhead can neither die nor bee buried but in the resurrection the Godhead that dwelt in Him bodilie breakes out and raises the stone Vpon this difference there followes another in His Buriall the Godhead keeping it selfe close He had no Angels but mortall men to wit Ioseph and Nicodemus to serue Him they winde Him they laye Him in the graue they roll the stone to the doore of the graue But when it comes to His glorious resurrectiō in the which that Godhead that before kept it selfe close brake out Hee vses not the ministerie of men but of a glorious Angell an Angell rolles away the stone as it were with His owne hand Nowe this lets vs see how highlie and honourablie wee should thinke of this glorious resurrection It is true the LORD in His Buriall was honourable but Hee was farre more honourable in His Resurrection for the honour that Hee had in His Buriall was but a worldlie honour but in His Resurrection Hee had an Heauenlie honour Indeede Ioseph and Nicodemus who buried Him were two Honourable men but an Angell is an hundreth times more Honourable and glorious than anie man albeit he were a king or Caesar himselfe And so the LORD in His Buriall vttered Himselfe to bee a Lorde ouer men but in His glorious Resurrection He vttered Himselfe euen in our nature not onelie to be Lord of men but also of Angels So Brethren all tendes to this to let vs see the glorie of the Resurrection of Iesus Nowe would to God wee could striue night and daye to get a sight of it for except we get a sight of it in some measure here wee shall neuer see glorie hereafter But before I leaue this I see that in the rolling awaye of the stone the Lord hath a respect to the weaknesse of these women knowing well they were not able to remoue so heauy a stone to see whether the Lord was there or no He sendes this Angell to roll it away to the ende that when the women came they should see that the LORD was risen from the dead Well here wee haue a comfortable lesson The LORD will helpe them that seeke Him Seeke the Lord where euer Hee bee Seeke the Lord in the graue seeke the Lord in the Heauen and thou shalt bee assured if thou bee a weake bodie the Lord shall supplie thy weaknesse and Hee shall cause the strong Angell to doe that which thou art not able to doe Reade wee not how the Lord hath sent His Angels to fight the battels of His owne And if thou wilt seeke the Lord when thou art going any way thou shalt find in experience that the Lord shall send His Angell before thee and prepare thinges before thy comming And I doubt not but some of you who heares mee haue founde this in your owne experience in such sort that yee haue wondered at that blessed prouidence of His Majestie and hath bene moued glorifie Him Now there is another thing to be marked When He hath rolled the stone from the doore He departs not but he sits downe and abides there to testifie that the Lord Iesus was risen So yee see the first witnesse of the Resurrection of Iesus Christ is an Angell Hee remaines sitting vpon the stone to testifie that Christ was risen in glory The first witnesses of His death and Buriall were men and women but the first witnesse of His glorious resurrection is His blessed Angell to let vs see how the Lord would honour His Resurrection and to make vs esteeme of it to wonder at it for in the sight of it stands our life and glorie Alas that once our eyes coulde bee opened to see the glorie of our Redeemer sitting at the right hande of that Majestie then could wee not but wonder at the greatnesse of that glorie Well then as I saide before in this poinct The Lord had a great respect to the poore women Alas an Earthly King will haue a small respect to the poore But the Lorde of glory had a great respect to these poore women Indeed the sight of the emptinesse of the graue might haue beene a sufficient testimonie to them of Christes Resurrection considering the fore-warning they had before to wit That the Lord shoulde rise againe the thirde daye but they were weake in faith And therfore He that supplied the weaknesse of their bodies by the strēgth of the Angell He supplies their faith by this same Angel for they began to doubt whether He was risen
and Hee bindes vp their eyes so that they could not knowe nor discerne Him suppose they had followed Him and had beene with Him long time before Thus farre wee hearde the last daye Nowe wee followe out the rest of this Historie and in this Text which presentlie wee haue read wee haue the communication which was betwixt the Lorde and them while they vvent out the waye they knewe Him not and Hee makes Him not to knowe them so each one of them is a stranger to others The Lord beginnes the conference and Hee demaundes of them first What manner of communication it was that they had while as they were in the waye And next seeing their countenance sadde Hee demaundes of them Wherefore they were so sadde These are the two things which Hee demaunded of them Nowe to note something of them As they walked out the waye yee see they haue beene sadde and their speach and communication by appearance hath beene a monefull complaint which they made concerning CHRIST Not vaine and ydle talke nor rejoycing in the tidinges but all their talke and speach came from sadde and heauie heartes But whilest they are sadde the LORD comes to them and Hee comes to comfort them Well is that soule that is sadde and mournes for Christ and His Kirke for that soule shall get consolation out of Christes mouth But if where there is matter of mourning thou be merrie then the Lord will not come to comfort thee It is true these men were sadde for Christ without a cause for that was the moste joyefull daye that euer was and therefore they shoulde especiallie haue beene joyefull that daye yet suppose they were sadde without a cause the Lord comes comforts them No it is better thou bee sadde for Christ for a matter that is joyfull than to bee gladde in a sadde matter choose rather to bee sadde for Christ than to bee merrie or ouer wanton And if thou bee sadde albeit there be no matter the LORD will pittie thee but if thou laugh rejoyce and take thy pastime the LORDE will let thee laugh on for a time but He will leaue thee destitute of all consolation when thou hast neede of it I tell you this aye There is no matter of laughing in this miserable Lande it were better for vs to mourne and to bee sadde for sinne that wee might gette comfort from GOD. Nowe to come forwarde CHRIST perceiuing these men to bee sadde Hâ—e drawes neare vnto them and Hee askes the cause of their heauinesse and what mooued them to bee so sadde and Hee desires them to reueile their mone and care vnto Him Suppose Hee makes Himselfe vnknowne vnto them and speakes to them as though Hee had no care yet no question this is His vvill that they shoulde reueale the cause of their care and sadnesse vnto Him that they might finde comfort in Him Brethren are yee sinners are your heartes filled vvith care it is the will of thy GOD and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST that thou poure out thine heart to Him let Him see thy sadnes Mark this It is no small matter to knowe GODS will vvee are slowe and sloathfull to turne vs wee will consume our selues and pine awaye in our sorrowe and griefe ere wee make our complaint and mone vnto Him who onelie maye furnishe vs with consolation and Hee knowes vs well enough and therefore Hee awaites not till we first reueale our griefes vnto Him and poure them into His bosome but Hee prouokes vs first and Hee will enter in and seeke them out as yee will heare He sought them out of these men with great difficultie Come yee to mee sayes Christ Matth. 11.28 all yee that are wearie and I shall refrâ—sh you I here is His will If thou be wearied come to Him and get rest and ease to thy soule If thou goe not to Him thou shalt neuer get rest nor ease whether thy trouble bee within thee or without thee Yea not onelie by word inuites and prouokes Hee vs but also by His doing Hee drawes vs Ioh. Chap. 6. vers 44. there Hee sayes No man can come to mee except the Father drawe him It is His will that thou shouldest come vnto Him but if Hee put not out His hande and drawe thee thou vvilt neuer come to Him in all thy life time And therefore vvhensoeuer yee heare this voyce Sinner come vnto mee then saye this againe vnto the LORDE LORDE drawe mee put thine hande to mine heart and drawe mee or else J cannot come to thee No except the Lord put out His hand and draw thine heart to Him thou art not come All the Kinges in the worlde are not able to drawe a sinner except GOD onelie Nowe consider their answere and see this communing The one named Cleopas takes the speach in hand the other disciple is silent and he answeres the Lorde verie roughlie not knowing with whom hee had to doe thinking Him to haue beene a passenger and stranger walking out of the waye hee sayes vnto Him Art thou a stranger in Hierusalem and hast not knowne the thinges which haue fallen out within these fewe dayes In these wordes because hee tooke the Lorde to bee a stranger and passenger going out of the waye yee cannot blame him in making such an answere And as he tooke him to bee a stranger he answeres well for when such wonderfull workes fall out in anie Countreye it becomes no man to bee ignorant of the wonderfull workes of GOD and if euer there was a wonderfull worke that worke of the Crucifying of the Lorde was moste wonderfull And if thou bee ignorant of the wonderfull workes of GOD thou merites a rebuke And as Cleopas marueiled so will the godlie maruell at thee who canst neither bee seeing nor hearing nor consider the wonderfull workes of GOD. It is a wonder to see the illumination of a sinner and the conuersion of the heart of a man to GOD and to see a regenerate man yea the raising of a deade man to life is not so marueilous as is the quickening of thee who art deade in sinne and trespasses as the Apostle PAVLE sayes to the EPHES. Chap. 1. vers 21. And as the quikening and illumination of a sinner is a wonder so also the blinding of a sinner is a wonder Is it not marueilous that though thou crie to him as thou wilt and albeit heauen and earth shoulde goe together hee will neither heare nor see As the Lorde is more than wonderfull to his owne in mercie to cause them to heere and see thou wonderest liâ—tle at his mercie but all the Angels wonder at it euen so in blinding and hardening of the wicked the LORDE is wonderfull Sittest thou heere nowe and seest not nor hearest not the LORDE All the world maye wonder at thee So the LORDE maye bee vvondered at either in mercy to his own or in justice to the wicked as th'Apostle speaking in the eleuenth Chap. to the Romanes hee wonders at it and
his glorie There is the necessitie It behooued that the Lorde Iesus by manie and sore sufferings shoulde enter into His glorie Marke this vvho can tell it clearer than Hee Himselfe tolde it So I will tell it againe Iesus by His suffering behoâ—ued to enter into His glorie IESVS CHRIST once leauing His glorie got no entrie againe into it till Hee was so inanited as neuer creature was The LORDE putteth to a necessitie of suffering saying Jt behooued him to suffer and so saye I There was such a necessitie layed vpon Him that Hee behooued to suffer and all the vvorlde coulde not saue Him from it beeing once come downe into this vvorlde Therefore the LORDE by His Prophets had fore-tolde this necessitie That hee shoulde suffer death and therefore seeing Hee fore-telles it it behooued him to suffer All the vvorlde shall not bring it backe againe The Lorde as Hee had fore-tolde it so Hee had ordained it from all eternitie Wilt thou call backe againe that that the LORDE hath decreede Thou mayest reduce the decreet of man but all the world cannot reduce the decreet of GOD. These are the causes of His suffering but I shall come to a lower and a subordinate cause I saye to thee thy sinne made this necessitie The LORDE taking vpon Him the burthen of thy sinne and becomming Mediator that immaculate Lambe that had no sinne neither in bodie nor in soule Hee taking once the burthen of our sinne vpon Him Hee was in a manner holden out of Heauen for a time and Hee was made accursed and therfore before He suffered for sinne He could not get entrie into Heauen for wheresoeuer sinne is there is death bee it inherent within thee if thou get not one to die for thee thou must die for this is plaine talke but would to God it were vvell learned death must euer followe sinne if thou laye it not on Him and Hee die not for thee thou shalt die for euer Thou makest but a pastime of harlotrie and murther and theft but I say There is no satisfaction of thy harlotrie and murther but death I saye to thee harlot thou art dead murtherer thou art but dead albeit thou be a lord I tell thee thou art but dead if thou get no reliefe in the Mediator without satisfaction for thy sins thou shalt neuer see HeaueÌ„ Christ saw not HeaueÌ„ after He tooke on our sin till He was dead and offeâ—ed His blood The high Priest durst not enter into Sanctum sanctorum without a basen full of blood vnder paine of death Euen so Christ entered not into heauen but with his owne blood And if thy sinne helde an innocent out of heauen O miserable bodie thinkest thou that thou who art altogether defiled canst come to heauen Nothing can enter there that is defiled Murtherer thou shalt neuer see heauen except thou goe to Iesus and laye on the burthen of thy sinne vpon him and saye Lord take this burthen from mee and if thou canst saye this from thine heart he will take it from thee Now Brethren a question would be asked If Iesus hath died for thy sinnes and mine that we might get an entrie Thou mayest say to mee What to doe haue I to suffer seeing the Lorde hath prepared the way What to doe haue I to suffer in soule or body or why shoulde I bee afflicted seeing the Lorde hath made the way patent I will not answere with the Papistes for they will saye Thou must paye one part but I saye to thee in despite of thine heart if thou paye anie part thou must paye the whole But I answere All these sufferinges is no satisfaction to bring thee to Heauen Then thou wilt saye Why should I suffer if it helpe not to bring me to HeaueÌ„ I answere All the afflictions which are laide on thee are laide on thee for the slaughter of the remaining corruption feelest thou not a remaining corruption within thee All th'afflictioÌ„s which are laid on thee as sicknesse want of goods losse of friendes c. all is laid on thee to slaye that remaining corruption Brethren I will tell you plainlie The death of Iesus and His suffering is the only meane to enter into Heauen in despite of all the Papistes Againe I saye Looke what neede wee haue of His death wee haue as much need of affliction in our owne persons to slaye that sin which remaines in vs Suppose there be manie wayes to slay sinne yet except thou be chastised and vexed with affliction outwardly and inwardly as it pleases the Lord to laye it on thee thou shalt neuer see Heauen So cast thee not to sleepe but make thee for affliction and trouble to mortifie thy sinne or else thou shalt neuer see Heauen And vvell is thee that art afflicted and made like Christ by thine afflictions What wordes can be tâ—uer than the words of Paul and Barnabas Act. 14. It behooueth you to enter into heauen by manie tribulations The Apostle sayes there is a necessitie And againe he sayes Heb. 12.14 without holinesse affliction brings holinesse no man shall see the Lord. Well thou that delitest to polâ—ute thy body I tell thee if thou be not holie thou shalt neuer see God And I saye more Without affliction either in soule or bodie thou shalt neuer bee holy Thou that sleepest securely and hast mind of nothing but thy dinner and thy supper good chiere and good companie I tell thee once twise yea thrise thou shalt neuer be holy and thou shalt neuer come to Heauen and if thou sleepest on in this estate thou art not one of His compt Booke Let him or her who is afflicted thanke God and take it out of His hand and saye The Lord hath sent it to sanctifie me Lord giue me thy Spirit that I may bee holy that I may see thy blessed face one day to my euerlasting joye in Iesus To whom with the Father and Holy Spirit be glory for euermore Amen THE XXXIX LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 27 And he beganne at Moses and at all the Prophets and interpreted vnto them in all the Scriptures the thinges which were written of him verse 28 And they drewe neare vnto the towne which they went to but hee made as though he would haue gone further verse 29 But they constrained him saying Abide with vs for it is towardes night and the day is farre spent So he went in to tarrie with them verse 30 And it came to passe as hee sate at table with them hee tooke the bread and blessed and brake it and gaue it to them verse 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew him and hee was no more seene of them verse 32 And they saide betweene themselues Did not our heartes burne within vs while he talked with vs by the way and when hee opened to vs the Scriptures WEE insist yet Beloued in Christ in this part of Historie concerning the two Disciples of CHRIST who in the
Christ His ResurrectioÌ„ from the dead Alwayes what euer hath bene the cause of his absence wee may perceiue that he was depriued of that grace and presence of the LORD which the rest who were met together found Whereof we learne this lesson That whosoeuer doe absent themselues from the assembly of the LORDS Sainctes from these holy meetings whereinto the LORD hath promised His owne blessed presence they procure no small skaith and damage to themselues they depriue themselues of some grace and comfort that the LORD ministers to them that meet together What euer be the cause of thine absence it caÌ„not be but hurtfull to thee albeit all causes of absence be not alike hurtfull for if thou be absent by negligence the lesse is thy danger and losse but if wilfully and vpon contempt thou absentest thy selfe then not only depriuest thou thy sâ—lfe of grace and comfort but also thou procurest the wrath of GOD vpon thee for the contempt of His blessed ordinance Therefore if wee would bee partakers of the grace and blessing that the LORD hath promised to these holy assemblies we should postpone our priuate adoes and the cares of the world vnto these Holy exercises and we should embrace that counsell of our Sauiour Seeke first the Kingdome of Heauen and His righteousnesse and all other thinges shall bee ministred vnto you Matth. Chapter 6. verse 33. The man that makes this his first and his chiefe care to seeke the Kingdome of God when he hath gotten it hee will finde by experience that there is nothing necessarie for the sustaining of this present life that shall be inlaking to him It is a foolish thing to be too carefull for these worldly things for if thou seekest first the Kingdome of Heauen all these things will be casteâ— to thee Nowe to come to the preaching of the rest of the Disciples to Thomas it is said The other Disciples said vnto him We haue seene the Lord They preach to Thomas the Lordes Resurrection for the benefite they had receiued themselues in Thomas absence they willingly communicate to him they knewe and they sawe that the Lord was risen they tell this to Thomas as they beleeued so they wished and desired that hee should beleeue also This Example of the Apostles we ought all to followe When the Lorde communicates any spirituall benefite to vs we should not keepe it close to our selues but wee should bee carefull to communicate it to the well of others And thus doing we need not to feare that the grace shall be empaired and grow lesse No by the contrarie this communicating of the grace and vsing of the talent that the LORD hath giuen vs is the hie and readie way to augment the grace and to reape profite of the talent that wee haue receiued Albeit thou hast taken great paines and spent much time with the losse of some worldly goods to attaine to grace yet that should not make thee the more sparing in communicating it to others It is the Lords will that thou giue it to others freely chearfully and liberally Therefore trie and examine whether thou wilt be willing and carefull to communicate to others the grace that God hath giuen thee and if thou findest this then thou hast a good conscience and if thou findest it not thou hast no matter of rejoycing because thou doest not that which the LORD requires at thine hands When the Disciples haue informed Thomas of the Lordes Resurrection looke howe Thomas takes with it What is his part In a word hee beleeues not their report His incredulitie was very vvonderfull for albeit hee vvas compassed vvith such a cloud of witnesses of faithfull witnesses of eye-seeing witnesses yet he beleeues not Apparantly euery one of them who had seene the LORD course by course had tolde him of the LORDES Resurrection and first Marie Magdalene who got this honour first to see the LORD after His Resurrection hath witnessed to Thomas that she saw the LORD and spake with Him Next the other women who did meete with Him as they were returning froÌ„ the graue testifies the same Thirdly the two disciples who were going from Ierusalem to Emmaus informed him that they did meete with Him in the way of the conference they had with Him Fourthly Peter to whoÌ„ also y e Lord had appeared stroue to perswade him and last the whole number of the Apostles and the faithfull there assembled testified with one voyce that they had seene Him and spoken with Him yet Thomas is nothing mooued with all these speeches their witnessing makes not him to beleeue he remaines still in incredulity This example of Thomas telles vs that all the outward meanes that can be vsed all the testimonies of the worlde the testimonies of the most faithfull most godly most wise of the eye-witnesses will not mooue the heart of a man to beleeue will not perswade him of any point of doctrine necessarie to Saluation if there bee no more What then will make a man to beleeue Nothing but the Spirit of IESVS CHRIST it must be He that must witnesse vnto our heartes what is the will of GOD concerning vs it must be Hee that must take away the vale and illuminate our darke soules it must bee Hee that must open our heartes as Hee opened the heart of Lydia and make vs to beleeue If this Holy Spirit of CHRIST bee not present a man will not beleeue his owne eyes his owne senses will not perswade him We sawe the trueth of this before in the rest of the Disciples when the LORD stood in the middes of them when they sawe Him with their eyes when they heard Him speake face to face they beleeued not While as Luke sayes the LORD opened their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures Luke Chapter 24. verse 45. This doctrine would bee well marked because it serues to decide a controuersie that this day is betwixt vs and the Papists The controuersie and question which is betwixt vs and them concerning the chiefe and principall witnesse and judge First of authenticke Scripture Next of true interpretation of particular places of Scripture that is How shall a man knowe that this Scripture that wee haue and wee reade and vse dayly is the very worde of GOD and not the worde of any creature And againe Howe shall a man knowe what is the true meaning of any particular place of Scripture and whether this or that sense of the word is to bee receiued The Papistes affirme that the chiefe and principall witnesse judge both of the one or the other is the Church they say y t we could not be assured that y e Scripture is authenticke y t it is y e very word of God except y e church affirme it so to be likewise they say y t we cannot be assured of y e right meaning of any place of y e Scripture except it be by y e testimonie of y e same Church they teach
acknowledge professe We offer therefore these Lectures our labours therein vnto your patronage protectioÌ„ not only as a testimony of the Authors great liking and gratitude toward you but also as a monumeÌ„t of our thaÌ„kfulnes for your kindnes shewed vnto vs finally Sir as God hath preuented you many wayes with his blessings hath made you seÌ„sible of his loue hath giuen you an honorable accouÌ„t estate in this world so continue in the honouring of God doing good vnto his Saints for his sake the Lord shall performe the fruite of his promises in you which his Saints find by experience his mercy shall neuer leaue you vntill the time that he accomplish the worke he hath begun he crowne his grace with glory Now the God of all grace peace who is able to doe all things exceeding aboundantly aboue all that we can aske or thinke grant to you Sir according to the riches of his mercy a long happy peaceable life here to the comfort of his Church Commonwelth that you may abound in euery word worke that you may fight constantly the good fight of faith here on earth that wheÌ„ your course is finished ye may be assured to receiue that crowne of glory in the heauens which Iesus hath acquired to them that loue him To whose gracious protection we recommend you in body and soule with all the actions you enterprise according to his will for now and euer AMEN Yours in the Lord H.C. W.A. THE FIRST LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XVIII verse 1 WHEN IESVS had spoken these thinges hee went foorth with his Disciples ouer the Brooke Cedron where was a Garden into the which he entred and his Disciples verse 2 And Iudas who betrayed him knew also the place for IESVS oft times resorted thither with his Disciples verse 3 Iudas then after he had receiued a band of men and officers of the high Priests of the Pharises came thither with lanterns torches weapons verse 4 Then IESVS knowing all thinges that should come vnto him went foorth and said vnto them Whom seeke yee verse 5 They answered him IESVS of Nazareth IESVS said vnto them I am hee Now Iudas also who betraid him stood with them verse 6 Assoone then as hee had said vnto them I am hee they went away backwardes and fell to the ground VNTO this part of this GOSPELL beloued in the LORD IESVS the LORD hath done the office of a Prophet and Doctor going about to instruct the people of the IEWES in the way of Life and saluation and to instruct and comfort His owne Disciples especially in these last CHAPTERS Nowe in the eighteenth and nineteenth CHAPTERS following He doeth the office of a Priest Ye know the LORD he is a King a Priest and a Prophet He playeth the part of a Priest in offering vp himselfe Hee offered vp none other sacrifice than his owne bodie for the world and for the redemption and saluation of mankind As concerning his passion and suffering which is rehearsed in these two CHAPTERS the historie diuideth it selfe verie clearly First wee haue his Passion and suffering in the Garden Next wee haue his suffering in the Hall of Caiaphas the high Priest Thirdly we haue his suffering before Pontius Pilate the Iudge Fourthly wee haue his suffering in the place of Execution which is called Caluaria or in Hebrewe GOLGOTHA where he was crucified And last in the ende of the nineteenth Chap. we haue the last poinct of his suffering standing in his sepulchre and buriall which is the last part of his humiliation Nowe this day wee shall speake somewhat as the time shall serue of his suffering in the Garden In this first head of Christes suffering in the Garden first wee haue the part of Christ offering himselfe to bee taken and bound willingly and of a set purpose Next we haue the part of Iudas in comming out with a companie of men of warre against him to the same Garden hee knewe the place well enough because the Lord with his Disciples were wont to resort thither In the thirde place wee haue the communication betwixt the Lord and them that came with Iudas to take him And fourthly wee haue a fact of Peter who will shew his loue towards his Master and his manhood by cutting off the eare of Malchus the high Priestes seruant And last the taking of Christ offering himselfe willingly his putting into the hands of his enemies and his binding These things are set downe in the first part of this historie Of the Passion of the Lord concerning his suffering in the Garden Now to come to the words and first to Christes part It is said When IESVS had spoken these things he went foorth with his Disciples ouer the Brooke Cedron where was a Garden into the which hee entered and his Disciples There is Christes part of verie purpose he casteth himselfe to that place which Iudas knew and where hee knew that hee was wont to resort of verie purpose hee went thither because the houre of his death was at hand The time is well to bee noted when he doeth this when he had spoken these things that is when â—ee had sufficiently instructed and comforted his Disciples and made that prayer for them and recommended them to the Father to keepe them in his absence then hee maketh himselfe for death and purposely he went to that place to be taken Heere is a plaine lesson offered vnto vs in the person of Christ when hee had discharged a duetie especially to them who were concredite vnto him after that he had instructed them and after that by prayer hee had commended first his owne selfe and then all his own to God then in securitie and peace he goeth on to death hee goeth not to die before he discharge a duetie to them that were committed vnto him then willingly he addresseth himselfe to death Yee knowe the lesson When a man or a woman hath discharged their calling faithfully towardes them that were committed vnto them and done their duetie to them to whom they are addebted then in peace rest and with a good conscience they may offer vp themselues at the pleasure of God to laye downe their life and to die therefore whosoeuer they be that would die in rest and peace and alas when shouldest thou haue rest peace and quietnesse to thy soule if in the houre of death thou haue it not Let them take heed before they goe to die that they haue discharged a faithfull duetie and then hauing beene faithfull when they goe to die they may lie downe and rest in peace and in a good conscience But yee knowe againe one follie in this poinct and this is the common fashion of men when they haue their health before the Lord call on them they are so sloathfull in discharging their duetie to them to whome they are indebted that when the soule is to depart out
be obedient to the Father that is Hee died willingly at the good will and pleasure of the Father And if He had not bene obedient His sacrifice had neuer beene a satisfaction for the sinnes of the worlde and then what good had the sacrifice of CHRIST done to mee or thee or to anie man and therefore hereupon is our faith grounded that we know the LORD IESVS not onely died but also that Hee died willingly and so willingly and with such a readinesse to pleasure his Father and to satisfie the wrath of the Father as no tongue of man nor Angell can expresse And when euer thou settlest thine heart on the death of CHRIST looke that thine heart settle it on a willing and obedient death for if thou thinke not that Hee died willinglie and chearefullie for thee thou canst haue no comfort Now to come to Iudas part Iudas knoweth the place where the LORD was hee knoweth the Garden well enough because IESVS oftentimes was wont to resort thither with his disciples and Judas was one of them for manie times hee was there with the rest of his disciples and hee knewe that commonly the LORD was wont to resort thither with his disciples and on this hee taketh occasion to betray Him and when hee hath gotten a band of men of warre and the seruants of the high Priestes and Pharises hee as a Captaine to them and they as a guarde with swordes and staues enter within the Garden to take the LORD IESVS Well Brethren it is the acquaintance and familiaritie that Judas had with CHRIST and with the place where He was vvont to resort that was the occasion of the betraying of the Lord. If Iudas had not bene acquainted with Christ Iudas had not come to this place to take Him It is familiaritie that makes traitours hee that will betray a man must be a domesticke a houshold man to him Will euerie man betray Christ No not euerie man hee that will betray Christ must be one that knoweth Him and His trueth in some measure Then thou that knowest Christ take good heede to thy knowledge and to thy familiaritie take good heede that knowledge of Christ be in sinceritie and that thou be not an Hypocrite but bee a friend indeede and not outwardly otherwise if thy knowledge be but in hypocrisie and if thy friendship bee coloured thou shalt bee a traitour and in the ende thou shalt make apostasie with Judas from Iesus Christ What is the cause that men become Apostates and traitours and after that they haue professed and subscribed they fall away from Iesus Christ what but because they were neuer true nor sincere friends to Iesus Christ All was but dissimulation and shall end in persecution of Iesus Christ and his members and they shall end in destruction as Iudas did for after that hee had once made apostasie from the Lord and betrayed his Master hee neuer tooke rest till he hanged himselfe If ye will marke well ye wil find in the companie of Iudas two rancks sorts of men The first is a band of men of warre of the Romane Deputies that was one part of the guarde The other was the officers and ministers of the high Priest they make out the other part Then the third guarde is partly of Gentiles partly of Iewes How came they They came with lanterns weapons lights on a naked man with feare of warre they needed not What needed all this companie the Lord Iesus beeing a naked man in the Garden not minded to fight What needed Iudas to bring such a guard with him The Spirit of God marketh in this Narratiue that Iudas in doing this had an euill conscience through his euill doing The man that taketh an euill or a wicked deede in hand will thinke that hee can neuer get men enew to doe it with him hee shall feare for no cause if yee should guarde him with all the worlde scarcely shall hee be in securitie for hee wantes that peace of GOD. Paul to the Philippians calles it that peace that passes all vnderstanding and that guardes the heart of man for peace is nothing but a good conscience and hee who wantes this good conscience which is the inward guarde that man can neuer bee saued with an outwarde guarde if all the worlde should stand about that man hee will euer bee in feare and albeit hee were in the mids of an armie he will tremble and quake but a good conscience will rest in peace as Dauid sayeth Although I were helmed about with ten thousand men yet would I not be afraid for I know assuredly that thou wilt bee with mee That heart is well guarded that hath a good conscience for it will haue peace inwardly and will not seeke that outward guarde The same thing is set out in the manner of his comming hee commeth with lanternes and hee commeth with lights and in the night This comming in the night manifesteth that he had an euill conscience for he that doeth euill hateth the light What needed all this company Was not the Lord Iesus dayly going in and out in Hierusalem And was He not daylie teaching in the Temple yet they layed not an hand vpon him The verie season and time of his out-cōming testifieth that he had an euill conscience in doing of it and therefore he came not in the day light Hee that hath an euill conscience feareth the Sunne hee dreadeth the light and hee seeketh to execute his purpose in the night The night maketh an euill man impudent All these things manifest vnto vs that Iudas had an euill conscience but it was not well wakened but when it was wakened then he despaired and he had Hell in his soule and got no rest till he had hanged himselfe Nowe I goe forwarde to the communication betwixt the Lord and the Guarde Ihon saith The Lord knowing all things that should happen vnto him and that were to come vnto him he commeth forward he fleeth not away he hideth not himselfe he is not drawne out of an hole as men who haue done an euill fact but vnrequired hee commeth foorth vnto them and vpon his owne free motiue hee offereth himselfe vnto them then he tarrieth not till they beginne to talke but first the Lord speaketh saieth Whom seeke ye and they answere not knowing him by the face they say IESVS of Nazareth Hee answereth not denying himselfe I am hee hee confessed himselfe Will ye marke these thinges when hee saieth hee knewe all thinges that should come vnto him Iohn would let you see that the Lord Iesus willingly and wittingly offered Himselfe vnto the death This taking and laying hands vpon Him commeth not of hap-hazard No the Lord knew well enough all the things that should come to Him He is taken wittingly and as He is taken wittingly so is Hee taken willinglie and Hee is readier to offer Himselfe to bee taken than they are to take Him But to come to the wordes Hee
saieth Whome seeke yee heere and when they saye IESVS of Nazareth then Hee answereth I am hee These wordes doe testifie that wittinglie and willinglie Hee offereth Himselfe to bee taken And if yee marke yee shall see in His answere such mildnesse as is vnspeakeable Hee beginneth not to speake in wrath and when they saye IESVS of Nazareth Hee giueth not an answere scornefullie So that as Hee offereth Himselfe willingly so yee see also such a mildnesse in Him when Hee is taken euen as the Scripture spake as Hee had beene a Lambe So that ye see that neither in word nor deede he vttereth anie thing to hinder his obedience to his Father this then is the thing that IOHN recommendeth vnto vs and letteth vs see euen that Iesus Christ was willing to die And this lesson we should all learne if it shall please GOD to call anie of vs to suffer for Iesus Christes sake that we suffer with such willingnesse and pleasure that we run to death and embrace it with our armes let this mildnesse vtter it selfe in all thy doings away with that scorning if thou would be like Iesus Christ die in peace willingly looke not to the instrument nor the Hang-man who putteth handes in thee but lift thine heart to the God of heauen and say O LORD seeing that it is thy will that I die mine eye is on thee and as IESVS CHRIST offered himselfe willingly to bee a sacrifice for the sinnes of the world euen so am I willing to obey thy will It is noted that Iudas was amongst the rest and no question the eye of the Lord is on him but neuer a worde he speaketh to him Now I thinke that this standing of Judas is mentioned to let vs see two things the first is that patient suffering of Iesus Christ he beginneth not to vpbraide him and to speake angrie wordes to him or to looke to him angrylie Some would haue thought that the LORD seeing Iudas might haue saide to him Well Traitour art thou there who hast betrayed mee No hee giueth him not an angrie looke hee is euen a verie Lambe as the Prophet speaketh of him a Lambe without anger either in looke or in worde but in suffering he vseth such a mildnesse and patience as is wonderfull Next to let vs see that impudencie of the traitour Iudas how durst he face the Lord IESVS whome hee betrayed a traitour is ay impudent and shamelesse hee hath ay an hard heart and then a brasen face to the man whome he hath betrayed Ye see how dangerous a thing it is once to harden the heart against Christ and once to beginne to doe euill against conscience if thine heart beginne once to be indured thou shalt not come backe whilst thou commest to extreame induration and at last to perdition Iudas could neuer come backe after that once his heart was hardened against the Lord but past forward till he came to that finall induration and hardnesse of heart Therefore farre be it from vs once to beginne to harden our heartes against the LORD If thou beginnest once thou shalt grow in hardnesse till thou commest to that finall induration Lord saue vs from that sinne the hardnesse of heart against the trueth and against Iesus Christ It is to bee feared that these men vvho vvith the betrayers of Iesus Christ haue set their faces against Christ His true religion against their natiue countrey and goe forwarde in such induration and obstinacie of heart that they shall come to that part of Iudas And it is a rare thing to see a man who hath gone so farre forwarde in induration come euer backe againe to grace Now wee haue the effect that followes on this word that Hee speakes I am hee for these wordes are no sooner spoken albeit they be few and gentle but they are all amazed tremble and fall downe backward to the ground It is an admirable thing that one word and that so mildly spoken should haue wrought such an effect for it is such a worde as they woulde haue wished for It is verie wonderous that such a gentle word shoulde as a whirle-winde or as a flashe of fire so haue strucken them No question this is to let them see that the Lord needed not to haue beene taken with them except it had beene His owne will No it was not possible for them to touch one haire of His head for Hee saith Himselfe in the 10. Chap. and 18. vers of this Gospell No man taketh my life from me I haue power to lay it downe and to take it vp againe So the Lord by this wonderfull effect of that word I am hee will let them knowe that they had no power to lay hands on Him if it had not bene His owne will And no doubt He hath had a respect vnto them howbeit they were enemies to Him yet Hee wished thē well And by the striking of them to the grounde Hee woulde let them see that if they encountred with Him they would die and He will let them see His power that He might cause them to repent or else to make them vnexcusable and to let them see that Hee was the Lord of Glorie and that they put hands to the Lord of Glory and slew the Lord of Life Wee may gather of the effect of this worde that if such a sober and gentle worde comming out of the mouth of Iesus Christ did driue them vpon their backes and cast them to the ground what if Iesus Christ had spoken an angrie word what force woulde that haue had If the bleating of a Lambe had such a force what force shall the roaring of a Lion haue Where shall the wicked stand And if the voyce of the Lord Iesus humbly and like a Lambe standing before them Himselfe alone and speaking with such gentlenesse had such effect as to throwe them downe vpon the grounde what effect shall that roaring full of wrath and indignation at that Great day not out of the mouth of a Lambe nor of an humble man Iesus of Nazareth but out of y e mouth of a lion out of y e mouth of Iesus Christ the Iudge sitting in His Glorie Majestie saying to y e wicked Away yee cursed to that fire which is prepared for the Deuill and his angels Mat. 25.41 What effect then shall that voyce haue Whither shall that voyce driue them And further marke If that voyce had such an effect beeing no threatning nor boasting but gentle and milde nowe what effect shall this voyce haue whereby Hee threatneth the worlde by His seruantes with His judgementes If the milde speaking had such a force what effect shall these terrible threatninges haue against the wicked for it is another thing vvhen Christ threatneth in wrath and vvhen Hee speaketh meekelie Nowe as certainlie as this vvorde that Christ Himselfe spake vvrought such an effect As certainelie also the vvorde of Iesus Christ vvhich Hee putteth into the mouth of His faithfull Teachers
anie further to let vs see how wittingly and willingly how joyfullie and gladly and howe patiently hee offereth himselfe vnto death for our sinnes Now he hath no sooner spoken this one worde I am he which is a gentle worde but assoone they start backwardes and fall to the grounde whereby the Lord woulde testifie vnto them that they had no power to take his life from him as hee said before himselfe he had both his life and his death in his owne handes all the power in heauen and in earth was not able to cause him to die if he had pleased to haue liued But to come to this Text When hee hath strucken them to the ground they leaue not off but when they are risen they are as bent as they were before It is a marueilous thing for if it had beene his will hee might not onely haue strucken them to the grounde but hee might haue strucken them thorow the earth into hell yet he letteth them rise againe but they are all senselesse of that diuine power wherewith they are strucken The Lord beginneth the speach and he saith Whom seeke ye They answere not knowing him IESVS of Nazareth He replieth againe I said vnto you that I am hee hee denieth not himselfe but in a manner prouoketh them to dispatch that businesse which they were about yet he entereth into a condition with them Take not these that are with mee stirre not my Disciples he giueth them a charge that they stirre them not and indeed none of that whole companie had anie power to lift vp their hand against them The words are plaine ye may easily perceiue the note that riseth of this It is a marueilous thing that a naked and a simple man who was baser than the King of Glorie was in the earth a man naked without armour hee is standing before them who are like as many Tyrants or tygers and yet none of them had power to lay handes vpon him till hee giue them power and more hee will not let them stirre him till hee make a condition with them That they handle not his disciples He imponeth lawes vnto them and without this law that they meddle not with his Disciples he will not yeelde himselfe vnto them So Brethren this is to let you see first that diuine power which was in the Lord Iesus Beholde it for it is a comfortable thing for Christians to knowe that diuine power that is in Iesus Christ for although hee neuer touched one of them yet that diuine power did so binde fast their hands and so restrained that pride of their heartes that they had no power once to moue against him Next behold a miserable senselessenesse in them for it is a wonderfull thing that they cannot perceiue nor feele this power that was in him If they had had anie sight of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily would they not haue ceassed from such a wicked enterprise Brethren it is an hard matter for any man or woman once to bee giuen ouer vnto a reprobate sense and to be strucken with blindnesse and hardnesse of heart And if God in his just judgement giue thee to blindnesse and hardnesse of soule albeit hee woulde make judgement after judgement to ceasse vpon thee and albeit he would strike thee and beate thee vpon thy backe thou wilt not bee the better but thou wilt get vp againe like a drunken man and if thou bee once giuen ouer to thine owne selfe it is as sure a thing as is in the worlde that except the Lord let thee see with his power a sight of mercy thou shalt euer become worse and worse and except the face of Iesus shine into thy soule all afflictions shall harden thee like yron that is often strucken vpon and the greater the afflictions bee except that mercy shine into thine heart thou wilt bee the more indured Paul saieth When the heart is conuerted to the Lord the vaile is taken away 2. Corinth 3.16 Without conuersion of the heart to the face of IESVS that that mercifull face may shine into the heart all the thinges in the world will not be able to mollifie thine heart Therefore whensoeuer the Lord afflicteth thee pray for mercy that as the power striketh thee so the mercie may be powerfull to conuert thee Yea crie aye for the mercy or else the power shall worke a further induration in thee and make thee worse To goe forward Yee see how carefull He is of his disciples men would thinke that He being so hard straited so neare the death should haue forgotten his Disciples for this is our fashion but the Lord doeth not so And Brethren this is a true note and token of a true Shepheard hee will forget himselfe and his life and hee will remember his flocke and when he is adying hee will be carefull of his flocke and when the Wolfe is worrying him yet hee will doe what lyeth in him that his flocke and euery sheepe thereof may escape and he will giue his life for the safetie of his flocke This is a good pastor So wee see the viue image of a faithfull Pastor in the Lord Iesus he will giue his life for his sheepe as hee saith himselfe Hee is but an hyreling that will not for the loue of his sheepe laye downe his life And this is the thing that I note chiefely here When the Lord becommeth weake in himselfe thorow infirmitie yea voluntarie infirmitie hee needed not to bee infirme what need had the God of glorie to bee infirme hee suffereth himselfe to bee bound till he become infirme In the meane time he is strong and powerfull in his Disciples to their safetie for although these that were in the Garden would neuer so faine yet they could not gette their hands laide vpon his Disciples The Lord Iesus when he was hanging vpon the Crosse the Iewes scorned him and tauntinglie saide vnto him Thou who sauedst others come downe and saue thy selfe meaning he could not saue himself because he was crucified as if he had no power but they are deceiued for that same houre that the Lord was vpon the Crosse and that same verie time that thorowe infirmitie he died and when he was hanging dead vpon the Crosse that power went out from him that kept his Dâ—sciples and all the faithfull in the worlde For except that the Lord had kept them then when he was hanging dead they had beene a preye to the Deuill For this is our nature and infirmitie wee cannot stand a moment in this world except it be by the power of Iesus Christ Well then Brethren if Christ Iesus crucified and crucified as the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 13.4 thorow infirmitie and so weake in himselfe in his humane nature had so great a power to saue his Church what shall wee say then What a power is that which proceedeth from Iesus Christ glorified and commeth downe nowe from the Heauen and who liueth nowe as the Apostle sayeth there by the
power of GOD and liueth nowe in glorie at the right hande of the Father How great a power must this bee that proceedeth out from Christ glorified Alas if the worlde saw this if the blinde men saw the thousand part of that terrible power that commeth from Iesus Christ glorified thinke ye that for all the world they durst confederate with the King of Spaine the Pope and his power and enterprise anie thing against Christ and his Church but alas this blindnesse and induration letteth them not see nor feele but in the ende they shall feele it if the Lord in mercie conuert them not to their euerlasting shame confusion Well to goe forward IOHN to this purpose alleadgeth an olde prophecie which was prophecied before of Iesus Christ long before hee came into the world and this is the prophecie Of them which thou gauest me haue I lost none Nowe Iohn draweth this prophecie to the preseruation of Christes disciples at this time because the disciples that were concredite vnto him escaped at this time Marke Brethren It is true indeed that the prophecie properly is to be vnderstood not so much of a safetie in this life presently as of a spirituall safetie to life euerlasting this is the meaning Yet it hath pleased the Spirit of God to apply this prophecie to this bodily preseruation the cause is this At this time the bodily safetie of his disciples importeth that spirituall safetie the life to come as by the contrarie the indangering of the present life indangered the life to come If the disciples had bene taken at this time to haue suffered with their Master they had all reuolted and denied their Master Wee may see the proofe of this in Peter and so they had hazarded not onely this life but also the life to come because that the disciples were as yet but children in Iesus Christ and were not strengthened enough with the power of Christ and woe is to that soule that will denie Iesus Christ and chiefly in death There is not one who will suffer their litle finger only to be burnt for the cause of Christ except he be strengthened with the power of Iesus Christ and there is not one that will now suffer affliction but they who are guarded with the power of God and therefore yee see heere Gods mercie towardes his disciples This is the mercifull dealing of God with his owne hee will neuer let one of his owne bee tempted but hee will giue them power to beare out the temptation and Hee will neuer suffer them to be tempted till He giue them abilitie and when Hee hath giuen them strength then the LORD will lay on the burthen It is a wonderfull thing the heauier the burthen be that the Lord layes on his owne the greater strength Hee giues them to sustaine it The world hath wondered at the Martyres of God who had so great comfort in the time of their burning in the fire and how in suffering they would sing Psalmes vnto their latter breath The world wondereth at this The heauier that the death hath bene the greater hath the power of God bene and the greater hath the life of Iesus beene in the Martyres And these disciples whom he spared now when He saw that they were ripe Spared He them then No no what was the whole lifetime of the disciples after that Christ departed out of this world but a perpetuall suffering till the life was taken from them they died all by persecution and then by the lossing of this life they got life euerlasting in dying they died not but in dying they entered into a more glorious life So this is that mercifull power of God It appeares that in this countrey there is litle ripenesse because of this litle suffering and therefore the Lord hath dealt mercifully with vs and in great mercie hath holden mens handes off vs therefore wee should pray if it shall please him to bring any to the triall to suffer for his glorious Names sake Lord I am not able to behold the sight of the fire much lesse to suffer the crueltie of the fire therefore if thou wilt haue mee to suffer giue me strength whereby I may bee able to suffer Now I goe to Peters part he setteth downe his action certainly it is worth nothing albeit it seemeth to bee verie zealous What doeth hee hee hath a sword about him he seeing them rush on his Master shevveth his manhood And he striketh the seruant of the high Priest whose name was Malchus and he cut off his right eare The rest of the Euangelists Mat 26. Marke 14. Luke 22 speake of some thing that was done before this When the Lord was communing vvith them that tooke Him then comes the traitour Iudas to the Lord and cryes Rabbi Rabbi Master Master with that he kisseth Him now this was a signe that hee had giuen vnto his companie that that man whome hee should kisse was the man that they should take Now what doth the Lord He makes no signe of anger and there is none of vs but wee thinke that He should haue vttered great anger to the traitour fie on thee traitour for of all men he is most detestable but the Lord in mildnes meeknes of Spirit for all this whole time He takes purpose to suffer patiently as Esay sayeth Hee was as a Lambe before the shearer as a sheepe led to the slaughter openeth not his mouth He sayes friend betrayest thou the Sonne of man with a kisse He assayeth if the conscience will bee brought to remorse There is a wonderfull patience of God to the most vile sinner whē he hath giuen them a signe the whole companie russhed vpon Him Then the disciples said Master shal we defend thee by the sword but Peter not staying vpō an answere he was hardie striketh off the eare of Malchus the high Priests seruant Nowe Brethren albeit that this Malchus the high Priests seruant deserued that not only his eare should be cut off but also that the head the life should be taken from him for he was in a very euill action indeed he was cled with authority but with an euill authoritie if thou hadst the authoritie of all the kings in the world it wil neuer excuse thee before God if thou shouldest get a subscriptiō to do euil against an innocent man the Lord shall not alow thee but His judgmēt shal ouertake thee whether Peter did this of zeale for no doubt he loued his Master exceeding well he would haue had his Master out of his hands yet for all this the Lordes owne wordes testifie that this fact of Peter is to be condemned If ye will examine the zeale it is a very preposterous and vnskilfull zeale the zeale is nothing worth if a man go beyond the boundes of his calling What was Peter but a priuate man this cōpany being sent by the Magistrats superior power Peter ought not
the injurie done by the authoritie the Lord will not allow it the Lord will not haue injurie repayed by an injurie Well then if the Lord will not haue a wrong defence against injuries Hee will not haue a wrong to meete a wrong What damnation lyes on these men who do an injurie doe delight to oppresse the innocent If Peter got such a reproofe for the defence of Christ against his enemies What damnation shall these murtherers get who oppresse the innocent man the damnation of these men shall bee great I denounce an heauie damnation against thee Let the King the Magistrates and all the world winke at thee the hand of the Lord shall light on thee this shall be thy recompense Thou who takest pleasure in oppression shalt be oppressed the Lord shall thrust downe thine head and bloodie hand shall presse thee downe for euer the Lord saue vs from this judgement woe to them that oppresse their neighbour either in word or deede Now to goe forward Shall I not drinke of the cuppe that my Father hath giuen me By the cuppe is vnderstood a measure of affliction that the Lord will lay on any man as a cuppe is a measure so the Lord hath a measure of affliction to lay on his owne as the Master of a familie hath a cuppe drinketh to his familie sayes Drinke thou this drinke thou that euen so the Lord is the Master of this world He will fill the cuppe of affliction He will say Drinke thou this drinke thou that if He propine thee a cup He will cause thee drinke it all the world cannot saue thee but if the Lord bid thee doe it thou must drinke it He hath commandement ouer his creatures good reason that we doe His will either to liue or die as He pleaseth if the Lord propine thee with a cup of affliction if thou drinke it not willingly heere is the danger thou shalt bee compelled to drinke the dregs thereof to thy destruction Woe is to the soule that will in no measure lay down his necke to that burthen but againe if thou take that cuppe gladly as the Lord Iesus did He dranke the dregs of the bitter cuppe of the wrath of the Father yea Hee receiued it gladly and thanked Him for it albeit thou hadst bitternesse in the beginning yet in the end thou shalt finde joy and sweetnesse What followed on that cuppe Glorie the more that thou sufferest if it be patiently the greater glorie shall be to thee Then seeing that we must also suffer in this world for it is nothing but a suffering life woe is to thee that wilt make thy heauen into this world thou needest not to looke for an heauen in the world to come What euer wee suffer let vs striue against our rebellious nature for it is full of rebellion and striue to get patience and say Lord I haue no patience in mine hand Lord giue me patience contentment let this be our prayer in distresse and they who will seeke this I will promise them the most glorious issue that euer was the bitternesse of the affliction shall not stay that glorie In this world we are all as it were on a Skaffold to trie our faith to trie our patience that afterward all our afflictions may be turned in joy glorie all the teares that will gush out of thine eyes the Lord with his hand shal wipe them away wilt thou awaite to see this end thou shalt neuer againe see dolour nor displeasure Now remaineth one thing of the taking of the Lord then sayeth he Then the band and the captaine and the officers of the Iewes tooke Jesus and bound him He gaue them good leaue or els they could neuer haue bound Him but will yee marke how particularly they are named that tooke Him there is the band of the men of warre and the captaine and the seruants to let you see that there was no man that was there and was partaker of that doing but the eye of God was on him the holy Spirit recounteth them Beware euer to be in euill companie if there were neuer so many in that companie yea if there were ten thousand with thee the Lord shall see thee and judge thee whether thou be a Captaine or a single souldier or a gudget beware to bee in euill companie Say not I am not a principall man but a seruant I must obey the authoritie and I must followe my Captaine No that shall bee no warrand to thee for if thou shalt be in euill companie the eye of the LORD shall bee vpon thee to judge thee let none of these worldly excuses moue thee but say Lord thou seest whither I go with whom I come what I come to do or els thy cōscience shal terrifie thee whether thou be highest or lowest in doing an ill fact the iudgement of the Lord shall fall on thee Now to come to his taking the Lord is taken willingly resistes not whē they boūd him he put out his hands to be boūd looke how he pointes out the suffering of Christ First he sayes he was taken then he was bound thinke ye this is for no purpose There is not a worde or a sillabe lost here the taking of the Lord and the laying handes on him was for our cause who lying vnder sinne the deuill and death and this taking recounters and meetes our taking by the deuill and death Euery thing in Him and His suffering behoued to meete vs and our suffering Hee that should redeeme vs as wee were taken so it behooued Him to be taken and as wee were bound so it behooued Him to be bound and if His taking and binding had not answered to our taking and binding Hee had not beene a meete redeemer for vs and if he had not beene bound as we were we had not beene deliuered from the bands of sinne albeit it is hard to Him yet to the sinner it is joyfull and if thou findest thine handes bound hard thus the Lord Iesus was a captiue bound for thee it would bee the joyfullest tithings to thee that euer was Who is he or shee that feele the bandes of death and damnation but this will bee joyfull tithings to them because we feele not this when we heare word of His taking we take litle thought of it and are so litle mooued therewith Therefore Brethren I recommend this lesson to you and my selfe seeing we are all sinners lying vnder sinne and death that we striue to bee found in Iesus that by faith in Him wee may finde his passion and all the partes thereof to be forcible and effectuall to freee and deliuer vs from the bandes of sinne and death and so may be made partakers of life and glorie through Him To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour praise and glorie AMEN THE THIRD LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP.
striue to preach in publike that all the men and women of the worlde may heare euen to preach in the most publike places of the world and if it were for no other thing than this that thou mayest answere to the Lord if it fall out that the light come to bee challenged for darknesse theÌ„ thou maiest appeale say We haue teached nothing in holes and that the enemies of the trueth may be conuicted in their conscience and compelled to beare witnesse of the trueth I meane not that at no time it is lawfull to preach in secret places and as though the trueth of God had euer a free course and were publikly preached for experience hath teached that the trueth of God hath fled to the wildernesse in time of persecution and the Saints of God haue bene glad to goe to holes to get the comfort of the worde but I meane this that so farre as possibly can be is to bee preached openly and if that libertie of the trueth be restrained let vs bee content to suffer and deliuer in secret consolation by the word Then marke againe in Christes answere albeit the Lord suffereth willingly offereth Himselfe to be taken giueth his hands to bee bound yet yee may see that the Lord will not yeeld to the enemies that He is a false teacher or that He is a seducer or that that light is darknes or that the trueth is a lie It is true that if it please the Lord that we suffer for the trueths sake wee are bound to suffer patiently and willingly but looke to this againe let neuer the trueth of God be saide to be a lie neuer yeeld to the enemies that the trueth of God is false for all the torments of the world Peter sayeth Let vs suffer for a good cause and not as theeues and murtherers 1. Pet. 4. 15 16. It is a paine to suffer for an euill cause so long as the Lord giueth vs a mouth let vs protest that the trueth is trueth Paul sayes 2. Tim. 2.9 I am in bands and I am afflicted in bands as though I were an euill doer yet the word of God that He hath put in my mouth is not bound all the enemies in the world so long as I haue a mouth shall not restraine it The Martyres were neuer brought to this to coÌ„fesse that they suffered for an euill cause albeit thou yeeld hands and foot to any torture beware of this that thou neuer confesse that it is an euill cause wherefore thou diest let euer the veritie be free in all our suffering When the Lord makes this answere One of the officers which stood by smote Iesus with his rod and saide Answerest thou the high Priest so Meaning that the Lord had not answered him so reuerently as Hee should haue done The Lord answereth If I haue euil spoken beare witnes of the euil but if I haue well spoken why smitest thou me Alwayes whether He had well or euill spoken He findeth fault with him that he should haue smitten Him so rashâ—y so brethren this is another part of the suffering of Iesus Christ He suffers not onely of the high Priest but of his seruants also Hee suffers of all men all this was done without any order of law The high Priest speakes to Him against order of Law and the officer strikes Him against order of Law he failes in this because he strikes Him for well doing for He maintained the trueth of His father TheÌ„ againe why should he haue strucken Him till He had bene judged and then if He were judged yet it was no place to punish a man in judgement though he were neuer so euill So yee see in how many things these men faile What shall I say Ye shall commonly find the most innocent man who hath bene brought before euill men and corrupted judges of the worlde of all sort of men haue beene handeled most vnformally vnreasonably A thiefe or a murtherer hath not bene so euill handeled as the moste innocent for they will let a murtherer or the wickedest man in the world tell his tale in patience and they will delay striking of him till the place of execution but experience hath taught this that wheÌ„ an innocent man is judged all the proceeding is without order as we see in this example of Christ the most innocent man that euer was And such like in the Martyrs of God neuer thiefe nor robber was so vnreasonably handled as they What is the cause of this Euen this the malice of the heart of man was neuer so bent against an euill man as the wicked man is against the innoceÌ„t yea a just judge hates not so much vnrighteousnes as a wicked judge hates innoceÌ„cie And therfore it is a wonder that the judgemeÌ„t of the wicked proceedes vnorderly against the godly the Lord answeres If I haue spoken euill thou shouldst not strike mee without order if well why smitest thou me The Lord binds him that he hath done wrong howbeit Hee suffered most willingly patiently but Hee strikes not againe Yet marke in this patient suffering Hee will haue wrong appeare to be wrong that which is vnjust to be vnjust In all our patient suffering let ay right appeare to be right and wrong to be wrong Let not a man y t suffers be so dumbe that he say not that wrong is wrong No let them speake that the coÌ„science of the wicked man may be conuict and brought to some remorse The Lord no doubt pities this man that strook Him would haue had his conscience coÌ„uict y t he might repent So let the wicked see that wrong is wrong in the most patient suffering that the wicked may bee conuict and God glorified Nowe is subjoyned that Annas had sent Him bounde to Caiaphas Hee returnes to the grounde of His accusation and the grounde is this Annas sent Him bounde vnto Caiaphas howbeit in the house of Annas the Lord was not struckeÌ„ yet Annas was not blamelesse for these words are registrated to his euerlasting shame that he sent such an innocent man to such a burrio this makes him guiltie of the blood of the Lord Iesus Meddle nothing with the suffering of an innocent man for if once thou seemest to consent to his death thou art guiltie and if thou rejoycest in the wracke of the innocent for if thou shalt once consent vnto it thou art guiltie of all the innocent blood froÌ„ the blood of Abel that was shed vnto the end of the world for whosoeuer will consent to the blood of an innoceÌ„t man he may easily be brought on to consent to the shedding of the blood of all innocents y t euer was keepe therefore thine hands thine eyes thine heart cleane from any assent to the wracke of the innocent Now to come to the second part of our text which containes the two denialls of Peter All this time Peter is standing warming him with the officers of the High
giuen out In this Text wee enter into the thirde part of the suffering of Christ vnder PoÌ„tius Pilate the Romane gouernour First in the Text wee haue read howe the Lord is led into the Common Hall of Pilate then vve haue what confereÌ„ce was betwixt Pilate the Iewes coÌ„cerning Christ Then it is said They led him into the common Hall which is as vve call it the Session-house where the Romane Gouernour sate for the time and ministrated judgement Now Brethren it would be well marked when it is that they ledde Him to Pilate it appeares plainly in the writings of the EuaÌ„gelists namely Mat. 26.59 Mark 14.55 Luk. 22.63 that they led Him in after they adjudged Him to bee worthie of death They led Him not in thinking that Pilate should sit downe trie whether He was worthie of death or no but that Pilate vpon their word should giue out the sentence of condemnation against Him Marke coÌ„sider how they abused y e judge a man better thaÌ„ theÌ„selues they make him but a torturer the best is a damner to giue out the senteÌ„ce Ye may see here a liuely image of him who wil be called the hie priest in y e Kirke this day I meane that beast of Rome the Romane antichrist Indeed this day there is no hie priest but Iesus Christ onely who did put an end to that office amoÌ„g the Iewes there is no hie priest or small priest great or small in the world all is but vsurped authority He is that only hie priest according to the order of Melchisedeck who endureth for euer But he who falsely takes vpon him that stile followes the fact example of Caiaphas first condemning Christ and then giuing Him ouer to Pilate to execute the sentence for he will sit downe in his councell adjudge the innocent to death as Caiaphas did Christ then he will vse the power arme of the Emperour for what is the Emp. so many kings who haue giuen theÌ„selues ouer to his slauery but like as many hangmen to the Pope What is the king of Spaine but a Burrio to the Pope he dare not but execute the decree of the inquisition was he not compelled to pleasure the Pope his crue in putting his own sonne to death Ye saw neuer two things liker to other than the Pope Caiaphas The time is noted when the Lord Iesus is led to the Common Hall first it is in the morning after the rising of the Sunne and after the councell of the hie priest and of the Elders was loosed The manner of the deliuery is noted wheÌ„ they come to the place of judgmeÌ„t the Iewes will not enter in because they wil not defile theÌ„selues if it were with the touching of a profane ethnik or the walles of an house O hypocrites The cause is set downe They were in a preparatioÌ„ to eat the passeouer y t same night now wil ye see these holy folk they wil not be polluted with the touching of Pilate they had polluted theÌ„selues miserably with touching of Iesus that innocent polluted both haÌ„d heart in taking him leading him to the judge accusing him abusing him yet wheÌ„ they haue done al this they will not be defiled with Pilate they are profane in the greatest thing in the world to slay the Lord Iesus they are religious in a light ceremonie of their owne inuention Looke the nature of Hypocrites Paul Ephes 5.12 It is ashame euen to speake of those things which an Hypocrite will doe in secret and if ye will come to ceremonies and outward obseruations no man is so precise and will seeme so holy as they the faithfullest creature will not be so holy in bodily exercise as they yea I say vnto you if there be no more but this bodily exercise keeping of ceremonies the Lord countes all but abominations as ye may see in Esay Chap. 1. Preaching and hearing speaking conferring the Lord countes no more of them than if He had neuer ordained them if there be no more but this outward action and as before euen so nowe I say we haue a viue image of the deceiuers of the world The Popes religion is nothing but a deceiuing of the world by keeping of vaine and vnprofitable ceremonies inuented by him will yee come to trifles of their owne inuentions they appeare to be very religious and exceeding holy touch not handle not taste not but their Cloyster Monkes are so defiled that they defile the world offer him golde or siluer hee will not touch it and if a woman come into their Cloyster all must be purified with fire after that she is come out though she were a Queene there is the lounes religion I pronounce that in Popedome there is but a shew of godlinesse haue denied the power thereof follow the Papistes who will they haue nothing almost but trifles their own inuentions Well then come to the conference betweene the Iewes Pilate Pilate yeelding to their vanitie superstition not so much to their religion He cometh out to them seeing he must judge the Lord He asketh if they had any accusation against Him because they would not come in It is not enough to judge a man except the pursuer haue an accusation Pilate would not sit down to judge except hee saw the accusation indeed the Iewes tooke him bound Him and in the high Priests hall handled Him vnworthily before they had any accusation against Him they bring Him in judgement but Pilate an Ethnicke a sinner as they called him wil not proceed that way he is more formall he wil not sit down in judgement till he heare the accusation an Ethnicke who liues without God in the world and without the promises as Paul speakes he is more just formall in judgement than all the Iewes who professed the true God This falls out oftentimes that a â—urke or Pagane who liuing without God in the world will deale more vprightly in judgement and especially with Christians who are persecuted for the Name of Christ than they that take vpon them the name of the Church It is better for a Christian to fall into the handes of the Turke than of the Pope or of the Inquisition of Spaine let them assay it vvho please Well Brethren there is no crueltie or vvrong comparable to the crueltie of these vvho take vpon them the name of the Church Experience hath prooued this Nowe hee requires a vardict of the Iewes but vvhat answere they If hee had not beene an euill doer wee had not deliuered him vnto thee They answere presumptuously What needest thou to doubt of his deseruing or of vs Thinkest thou that this man vvould haue bene condemned by vs vvithout a sufficient cause of death So yee see it is not that hee shoulde sit downe and trie vvhether Hee vvere innocent or no that they brought Him to Pilate but that vpon their vvordes hee
Saints shall be required at their hands the sinnes of the Princes whome they haue abused shall be laide to their charge and the blood of those who perish shall bee required at their handes and we shall see that the blood of all that haue bene slaine from Abel the just shall be laide vpon the backe of the Pope and his Clergie The Lord saue the Princes of the world from them Another thing I would marke here Iesus would haue Pilate to take heede not to the delation only but to these also who giues it vp He would haue him to looke to the Iewes and to their disposition and affection It is not enough to a Iudge to looke to the crime but he must looke to the accusers and trie their disposition for if the accuser seeke the mans blood he will be a calumniator There is not a Iudge who is set on life and death but he is bound to set his eye on the delators Take heede to Pilates answere when Iesus hath demanded him thus then Pilate growes somewhat angrie that Christ should haue meaned that that sentence should haue proceeded from him So this is a sure argument that Pilate very gladly would haue kept his hands free of that blood of Iesus for hee sawe that He was an innocent man that it was a false accusation which was laid against Him Am I a Iew sayes he Thine owne nation and the High Priestes haue deliuered thee vnto me What hast thou done First he cleanses himselfe that he was not the author thereof because he was not a Iew and therefore knewe not perfectly His doings Next he sheweth who was y e author to wit His countrey men namely the High Priests for in conscience hee was perswaded both of Christs innocencie and of their calumnie and therefore cleanses himselfe but he was farre intangled in this judgement that hee could not get himselfe free he had done well if hee had saide I will haue nothing to doe with thee or if he had deliuered Him from these Iewes by his power but putting his hands once to judgement he could not get himselfe free Looke what it is once to beginne to judge the innocent when the Iudge beginnes to satisfie the appetite of wicked men he can not well quite himselfe till he defile himselfe with the blood of the innocent albeit hee would absolue the man yet his mouth shal condemne him So for no mans appetite let not a Iudge enter in judgement against an innocent man whome he knowes in his conscience to bee innocent And if thou enter in judgement with him absolue him vnder the paine of thy life or els thou shalt be guilty of his blood This is a corruptioÌ„ sometime of the judgment of SCOTLAND how the Iudge will say I behooued to doe it I did it against my will I was compelled to doe it Well that shall be none excuse to thâ—e for if thou doe it thou shalt bee condemned for it it is no small thing be a Iudge We haue heard Pilates cleansing of Christ he is so touched in his conscience with the innocencie of Iesus Christ that hee is compelled to cleanse himselfe first to Iesus Christ before that Iesus cleanses Himselfe to him Now followes the answere of Christ to this calumnie My Kingdome is not in this world Thou askest at me if I be a King I answere My Kingdome is not in this world he denies not absolutely that Hee was a King for the Lord Iesus is the most glorious King that euer was or shall be but He denies y t He was an earthly king As the Iewes accused Him He giues a reason If my Kingdome were of this world my seruants would fight for me he who aspires to a kingdome he wil fight all y t may doe for him to the very death if he had bene seeking a kingdome He would not haue stayed Peter froÌ„ fighting as He did Now to examine Christs answere First He denies not y t He is a king Next not denying y t He is a King commeth to a distinction I am a King But what a King Not an earthly but a spirituall King that is true the Iewes lay to my charge y t I affect an earthly Kingdome y t is not true Now Brethren this is to be marked He telleth him indeede that his Kingdome is not of this world but He telleth him not where His Kingdome was Hee sayes not My Kingdome is in Heauen Hee sayes not this My Kingdome is in the conscience of men and women in the world He teaches not Pilate this Some would thinke that He should speake more clearly of this matter to Pilate but Christ entred not into the common Hall to play the Doctour and to teach but the Lord Iesus set Himselfe to play the Priest to suffer patiently y t part of teaching was ended but knowing that the houre of His suffering was come that Pontius Pilate should be his judge He would not stay him And therefore Hee would not enter in doctrine because the time of teaching was past if Pilate would haue bene taught he might haue heard Iesus teach before but he would not heare Him He teaches Pilate as much as might make him inexcusable Then Brethren I see as Christ hath a time of teaching wherein He will teach men yea his verie enemies as He vttereth when they would haue taken Him sought his life so He hath a time of silence when He will not open his mouth Hee speaketh some thing albeit litle to Pilate but Hee speakes not so much as one word to the High Priests because Hee would haue rather had him safe than them because they were malitious Christ hath not as yet shut his mouth in this land but Hee teaches not sparingly nor scantly for to speake it so The raine of the word of God is powred aboundantly out of Heauen to water the thirstie soules of men if thou spendest thy time wilt not vse it well I warne thee that the day will come when thou shalt not get one word to thy comfort wilt thou alwayes haue the blessed Euangell and the ministrie thereof No as Christ had but one time when that time was past He would teach no more so hath his ministers all their teaching shall end as His did I say GOD sheweth grace on the persecuters of this Land when as yet He offereth grace to them but I denounce as the Lord liues if they repent not in time they shall not get so much as one good worde to comfort them Wherefore let not the opportunitie slip whilst it called the day let vs not harden our hearts Thus far y e Lord hath purged himself hath teached Pilate what a King He was not an earthly but a spirituall King I will not digresse here to speake of the kingdome of Christ therefore I come to Pilates answere Art thou a King well then would Pilate say thou deniest not that thou art a
vpon Him as guiltie in vs and for our cause and let vs giue Him thankes and praise continuallie because Hee hath giuen His onelie Sonne for vs and Hee hath made Him sinne for vs and Hee hath made Him subject to all shame ignominie dolour and paine both of bodie and soule for our sakes To Him therefore with the Father and the Holie Spirit bee all Praise Honour Power and Glorie for euer and euer Amen THE EIGHT LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XIX verse 1 THEN Pilate tooke IESVS and scourged him verse 2 And the Souldiers platted a Crowne of Thornes and put it on his head and they put on him a purple garment verse 3 And said Haile King of the Iewes And they smote him with their roddes verse 4 Then Pilate went foorth againe and said vnto them Beholde I bring him foorth to you that yee may know that I find no fault in him at all verse 5 Then came IESVS foorth wearing a Crowne of Thornes and a purple garment And Pilate said vnto them Beholde the man verse 6 Then when the high Priestes and officers sawe him they cryed saying Crucifie him crucifie him Pilate saide vnto them Take yee him and crucifie him for I finde no fault in him NOwe Brethren wee insist further in the suffering of CHRIST vnder Pontius Pilate the Romane Gouernour who abode in Hierusalem Wee haue hearde of two accusations that were laid against the innocent Iesus Christ The first was that Hee called Himselfe The king of the Iewes so was guilty of treason against Caesar Yee hearde the effect of this accusation to bee nothing and therefore hee goes foorth and with his voyce before them all purgeth the innocent In the next accusation there were many things laide to His charge and this chiefely that He had corrupted the whole Countrey from Galilee to Hierusalem with false doctrine Nowe when this was tryed Pilate yet holdes Him innocent in testifying His innocencie and therefore hee seekes yet to gette Him set at libertie out of the handes of the Iewes and considering that the Iewes at the Passeouer were accustomed to seeke the liberty of a prisoner who was guiltie of a capitall crime hee vses this oportunitie and askes of them vvhether they vvould haue IESVS or Barabbas set at libertie Wee hearde the answere to this proposition to vvit they crie they vvill not haue Him deliuered but Barabbas Nowe the other Euangelistes doe insist more largelie in this purpose and vvrite more of it and they report that Pilate when hee hearde this worde hee asketh What shall I doe with Iesus They crie all with one voyce Crucifie him Pilate the third time hearing this hee cleanses the innocent Yet they report more that whilest Pilate vvas sitting in judgement there commeth a messenger from his vvife and saies Haue nothing adoe with this innocent man Why for I haue beene troubled for Him in my sleepe This is an aduertisement sharpe enough vnto him and the LORD vvanted not His owne vvorke therein for the LORD brought this to passe partlie in respect of IESVS CHRIST that His innocencie might clearelie appeare before the vvorlde and that Hee might receaue a testimonie of His innocencie from them vvho had little regarde vnto it for had not Iesus beene innocent vvee had beene little the better of Him for Hee coulde not haue justified vs for ere our faith rest on Him vvee must haue the full assurance of His innocencie partly in respect of Pilate that hee should be conuerted or made vnexcusable if hee would goe forward The working of the Lord is wonderfull in the reprobate for ere that decree of their reprobation bee put in execution the Lord assaies to bring them to repentance Rom. 9.22 He suffers with a long suffering the vessels of wrath Rom. 2.4 Hee inuites the reprobate to repentance Yea ere Hee put them in Hell Hee will inuite them to Heauen There is not a reprobate that perishes in the justice of God but ere Hee vtter His justice towards them Hee will vtter His mercie in warning them to repent We come Brethren to our Text He followes out the suffering in these words which we haue read He telles vs how earnestly Pilate seekes the libertie of Iesus and he lets vs see the meanes that Pilate vses to set Iesus at libertie first he takes Him out and scourges Him puts Him out to be mocked thinking that this would satisfie the Iewes and then the fourth time hee professes His innocencie Then he bringes Him out to them with a crowne of thornes and a purple garment thinking that he should haue contented and moued the Iewes to pittie but all was in vaine It is said Pilate tooke IESVS and scourged him and not content with this commanded His souldiers to put a crowne of thornes vpon His head and a purple garment on Him to scorne the Kingdome of Iesus Christ and then smiteth Him with roddes Ye see the Lord suffers mocking paine in bodie the Lord of glorie is put to ignominie consider well let it neuer goe out of thy minde that the Lord of Glorie suffered such shame for thy cause But to examine this fact of Pilates this is commendable that he speakes so to get the innocent Iesus set at libertie but in the meane that he vseth he failes very farre Yee shall marke this in prophane and vngodly men that one of these two things falles out if not both Either they shall not take in hand a good and godly purpose or els if any time it falles out that they enterprise any good deede that they shall chuse vngodly vnlawfull meanes to affectuate it they shall doe euill that good may come of it Cast your eyes vpon this Land ye shall see this to be true Yet let vs search vp the ground of this proceeding of Pilate It cannot bee denied but that he hath a good purpose and deed in hand but it is as true againe that as he hath a good deed in hand hee lookes not vpon it with an vpright eye hee hath not God nor his Glorie before his eyes for his conscience rather than any regard to Gods Glorie or His will mooued him to purpose to loose Him Thou must not propone only to doe good but also thou must propone it for Gods cause and for His glorie Pilate hauing no respect to God goes astray and out of the way This is certaine Brethren if the purpose were neuer so good and if thou haue not the Glorie of God before thine eyes thou shalt wauer but by the contrarie that man that hath respect vnto the Lord he shall not readily wauer but the Glorie of God shall glance before him as a lanterne into his way vntill hee prosecute that deede Blessed is he that hath the Glorie of God before him there is no light to bring vs thorow this thornie way but only the Glory of our God Next I see in this fact in following out the means that hee
be the grouÌ„d of obedieÌ„ce vvheÌ„ I see the image of God in him wheÌ„ I see him armed vvith y e power of God I ought to obey him for the conscience of God Then a game marke in Iesus Christ vvhen Pilate the earthly Iudge hath to doe vvith Him Hee lookes not so much to Pilate as to His Father Iesus Christ all this time when He is pulled here and there sets not His eye so much vpon men as vpon His Father and vpon His prouidence This teaches a lesson vnto all men but chiefely to them vvho fall into the handes of men of authoritie and power They ought not so much to set their eyes vppon this or that man as vpon God and acknowledge albeit it were in the middest of all torments it is not man that deales vvith me it is not so much any person deales with me as it is my God The King hath not an hand to moue or a word to speake against me if my God giue it not to him he who is in the handes of men and lookes not to this is worse than a beast This is a chiefe point whereby thou glorifiest God to acknowledge His prouidence in suffering or in torment none can haue consolation but hee who seeth this there is the matter of consolation and patience in torments to see that when hee is in the hands of a Tyrant hee is in the handes of a mercifulll Father and to say Albeit these torments bee sore and grieuous and albeit men deale with mee it is my Father that deales with mee in mercie Let thee bee torne and rent yet acknowledge this thou shalt finde joy that shall exceede all thy torments Looke to the Martyres So Brethren it is no small comfort to a man for to set his eyes alwayes vpon God and especially when hee is into the handes of a Iudge or Tyrant Nowe thus farre the Lord hath giuen an answere to Pilate and hath challenged the glorie of that Majestie Would to God we could learne that lesson to defend the glorie of God which is blasphemed in this world Come to the other part it is in respect of the High Priestes they were the instruments of God working by his prouidence to put Christ in his handes Pilate thou gloriest ouer me but woe is to them who haue put mee into thine hands Woe is to them who put an innocent man in the handes of a Tyrant Marke this There is nothing spoken of Pilate that hee sinned albeit hee sinned but Hee speakes of the sinnes of the Iewes and of the High Priestes this lets vs see that albeit Pilate sinned yet they sinned more and their damnation is greater than his hee that beginnes mischiefe the wrath of God shall especially ouertake him and if there were no more but the example of Iudas it may tell vs this that Iudas was the first that beganne this worke Iudas put Him first in the handes of the High Priest On whome strikes the wrath first What befell to Iudas Whilst the Lord Iesus is so handled the traitour Iudas is put to the torture and the Lord rents the soule of him in pieces the miserable Catiue to be free of that torture he hangs himselfe Did the wrath of God light first vpon Iudas who was the first traitour the wrath of God lightes first vpon the traitours yet the Jewes are sleeping they thought they were free of judgement but still the wrath prosecutes them to induration Thinke yee that these traitours are free of wrath No no the dolour and vengeance in its owne time shall ouertake them and they shall not haue a worde to speake The Papistes when they haue caught a Christian who confesseth Iesus Christ when they haue tryed Him they will put Him into the handes of the Emperour or King of Spaine they will washe their handes as cleane of the blood of the innocent and who tooke his life but the King of Spaine O! but the wrath of GOD persecutes them and all the blood of the innocent lies vpon them because they deliuered them into their handes to bee tormented by them The judgement of that Antichrist and of that accursed crue shall bee heauier than the judgement of the Kinges who execute their malice I denounce this IN THE NAME OF GOD and therefore let euery man and woman beware that they be not partakers in the murther of the innocent yea if the Hangman knowe that hee is innocent albeit hee thinkes howsoeuer the matter goes he is free let him not touch him Reade yee not in the Historie of the three Children Sidrach Mesach and Abednego who being taken and casten into the hote fierie fornace at the commaundement of Nebuchadnezar the King that the men that cast them into the fornace were slaine with the flame of the fire Yea if it were but in a thought take heede thou consent not to the death of the innocent Nowe to ende in a worde Yee see heere when Iesus speakes of His Father and of His doinges Hee blames Him not but Hee speakes in all submission of Him but when Hee speakes of the Iewes who were instruments of this worke of God Hee rebukes them shamefullie and imputes sinne vnto them This is a wonder and yet it is the worke of God and they are instrumentes ruled by God yet the Lord is Holy and they are vnholy and wicked Act. chap. 2. vers 23. They crucified Him with wicked haâ—des now the Lord was cleane and the Iewes handes were vnholie Howe was this The cause was because in all this doing there was not such a thing as that anie of these wicked instrumentes looked vnto God they are satisfying the affection of their heartes and drinking vp the innocent blood maliciously Marke this Whatsoeuer thou doest in this worlde whether thou goest out or in eatest or drinkest set alwayes thine eyes vpon the Lord and doe it all to His pleasure and saye vvith thy selfe I doe this to pleasure and to glorifie thee O Lord And I aduertise thee that albeit thou doest anie thing agreeable in it selfe to the vvill of GOD yet if thine heart bee not set vpon GOD in the doing that vvorke is vnholie in thine hand There is nothing to sanctifie thy soule if thine eye be not set vpon GOD for vvhen the eye of the soule is set vpon the LORD there commeth light downe from Him that sanctifieth the heart And this is it in a vvorde that I vvoulde saye Bee neuer at the ende of an euill thing if thy conscience tell thee in thine eare that thou art at an euill turne doe it not I appeale you when yee doe anie thing in secret if your conscience vvill not saye O catiue that vvhich thou doest vvill bring thee to destruction Manie men in this Lande thinke themselues neuer vvell but vvhen they are at an euill turne But I forewarne thee as thou vvouldest bee safe and finde mercie at that Great day to holde thine handes cleane from all euill turnes and chiefelie from
dash themselues on the sworde to deuoure them It is a miserable thing to want the light of the soule so the Iewes saw not with whome they had to doe they had no conscience as Pilate had and therefore beeing through malice and appetite of reuenge incensed against the Lord Iesus blindfolded they regard not what imprecations they vtter for they saw not Hell or els if these Iewes had a light of conscience they did so rashly against Iesus with knowledge which is most likely theÌ„ it followes that they were marueilous malitious as ignorance is hardie so is malitiousnesse more hardie albeit such a man should see yet against the light his malice will make him to runne ouer the bellie of his conscience Yee knowe the voyces of prophane men Ere I were not reuenged of him I had rather be in Hell this commeth of malitiousnesse to get the soule spirit within him satisfied but if thou felt one twitch of Hell thou wouldest recant these wordes for it would cause thee shoute and squeele hiddeously I incline to this judgement that this wicked action is more to be ascribed to malice than ignorance the Iewes and the High Priestes had the word of God and the Prophets whereby they might haue knowne the Messias When I read of the Prophets that speake of induration in the time of Iesus Christ I say it hath come of an hardnesse and induration of heart And when I see the wordes of the Apostles that say O stiffe necked people I thinke that they put their owne fingers in their eyes that they should not see The Lord saue vs from malitiousnesse and namely from such malitiousnesse as is not without knowledge when a man sees and will pull out his eyes Compare the Iewes with Pilate now Pilate sinneth hee kâ—lled himselfe in the end and the Lord made his owne hands to be his burrio No doubt he sinned who can excuse him he sinned malitiously he had a conscience goes against it malitiously But Brethren to speake the trueth it was not so much malice that pushed him forward as great infirmitie and feare for first he feares to be accused of treason against Cesar it was no maruell to such a man to feare who had no God but Cesar â—hen hee saw appearance of great tumult to rise amongst the Iewes What necessitie was laide on them to haue the blood of the innocent So I see nothing in them but malice if it were but in this respect that the sinne of the Iewes weigheth downe the sinne of Pilate and their damnation is a thousand times greater What had this man He had nothing but nature The contrauension of the light of nature will neuer make vp the sinne against the Holy Ghost which gets no mercie but come to them They had the light of nature and the light that commeth from Heauen they had the worde of GOD amongst them they contraueened an heauenly light that came downe from Heauen and was wrought into their heartes by the Spirit Steuen sayes in the 7. Chapter and 51. verse of the Actes of the Apostles Yee haue alwayes resisted the Holy Ghost as did your fathers so doe you that is not a naturall light but a light that came from aboue There were some of these men who sinned malitiously against the Holy Spirit What maruell was it then that they got no grace to repent for of all sinnes the sinne against the Holy Spirit is the most dangerous they that commit this sinne haue no grace to repent therefore no mercy to them the Lord strikes their soules with impenitencie so that soule is euerlastingly hardened and so beeing strucken with impenitencie they got neuer grace to say God bee mercifull to me Seeing then their sinne against Christ was so great seeing it was not so much of ignorance as of malice it was not only against the light of nature but also against the illumination of the Holy Spirit what maruell was it that such a terrible Iudgement ouertooke them as neuer lighted on any nation The Iewes found this innocent blood in experience laide to their charge Ioseph that saw all these thinges with his eyes writeth what heauie vengeance and judgement fell vpon Jerusalem the Iewes for he testifies that there was slaine at the siege of Ierusalem eleuen hundreth thousand beside ninetie thousand that were tane captiues thereafter the towne was lamentably destroyed and sacked So the blood of the innocent neuer left them these y t remaine yet feele the judgement of the blood of the innocent for according as they desired y t His blood should be vpon them their posteritie so the wrath of God came vpon them to the vttermost 1. Thess 2.16 It is a wonder that a Iew should be safe if ye heare of a Iew to be conuerted thinke it to be a great mercie Now to apply this shortly to vs if it were but this terrible example of vengeance which folowed the Iewes it should terrifie to the end of the world all soules to take on the blood of the innocent take on one take on all if thou takest on the blood of one seruant of God thou shalt take on all the innocent blood from Abel to that man whom thou hast slaine Fye vpon foule butchers who are more meete to be butchers dogges than men What care they to wash their handes in innocent blood But I say to thee if euer thou gettest grace it is a wonder fye vpon the butchers of Scotland No if the Lord would waken thy conscience to torment thee present to thee the sight of Him of whose blood thou hast shed it would bee so terrible that it would make thee to curse the time that euer thou did it one day fearefully without comfort it will torment thee when will these bloodie men leaue off y e sheading of innocent blood in this bloodie barbarous nation oâ— all nations it is the most barbarous and bloodie Aboue all things dip not thine hands in the blood of Iesus Christ Thou who sheadest innocent blood is a persecuter of the seruants of Iesus Christ and who resistest the trueth thou wilt say If thou hadst bene in Christs dayes thou wouldst not haue coÌ„sented to His death but thou who sayest so if thou hadst fallen in these dayes thou hadst malitiously bene partaker of the death of Christ hadst put handes in Him thou wantest nothing but time I will tell you who is it that sheds the blood of Iesus Christ takes His blood on them what euer he or she be that will resist this knowne trueth of Iesus Christ and persecute the professours thereof I affirme they are as guiltie of the blood of Christ as the Iewes the High Priests were and that same blood shall bee laide to their charge in the great daye of the Lord Read ye not in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Chap. 6. and 10. of them who haue repined haue begun to cast off that
Martyres hath euer proued this that the Antichrist coulde neuer bee satisfied in drinking of their blood The persecuters of the Trueth will neuer be satiate there is no satietie of the malice of the haert of y e childe of darknes against the child of light If thou hadst slaine a mans father it may be he would haue forgiuen thee but and if thou bee the childe of GOD and if hee bee the childe of darkenesse hee vvill neuer bee satiate till he gette thine heart blood The IEVVES and the Souldiours could neuer bee satiate till they had gotten the heart blood of the Innocent But Brethren we must looke vp higher for it was not so much with these Iewes and Souldiours that IESVS hath to doe as with an angrie GOD and thâ—t because Hee bare the burthen of our sinnes these torturers were but instrumentes of that terrible wrath of the Father vpon the Sonne It was not so much their wrath as the wrath of the Father that pursued Him so ardently After Hee was once deliuered into the hands of these HangmeÌ„ wrath begins so to be powred foorth on Him froÌ„ Heauen that He got no rest till He was crucified dead on the crosse It is a terrible thing for a sinner yea if hee were a king who is not in Iesus and partaker of His suffering to fall into the hands of an angrie God and a consuming fire if thou bee out of Christ thou shalt feele it the terriblest sight that euer was howbeit wanton men and women make their pastime to anger that great Iudge going to murther defiling their bodies and soules by harlotrie it may be for a time that they get rest but after that once that righteous Iudge put hands in thee I promise thee that thou shalt neuer get rest The verie reprobate when they shall see that there is none ende of wrath shall crie O Lord shall neuer this wrath haue an end if thou goest to Hell thou shalt finde none end of wrath Now blessed is that sinner that gets grace to haue recourse to Iesus Christ to lurke vnder His suffering When they haue vsed Him so vnworthily within the common Hall and when all is made readie Then they leade out Iesus caries Him out of the Portes of Hierusalem to an ignominious death and as they lead Him out so Iesus Christ goes out willingly to suffer at the good pleasure of His Father knowing that now His houre was come God forbid but that wee should thinke that Iesus Christ suffered willingly No Brethren in this example of Iesus Christ the innocent and that His willing going to death wee see that it is the innocent who goe to death willingly and namely they who are innocent in the blood of Iesus Christ that haue their conscience sprinkled with the blood of the immaculate Lambe As for men who are not cled with this innocencie alas for them It is not possible that these can haue consolation or can with gladnesse offer vp their liues it may bee that some will pretend willingnesse but that is but a shew Againe it may be that there bee some senslesse bodies that knowes not how terrible death is and what euill is in it O! death is terrible for either Heauen or Hell followes on the taile thereof and wilt thou count litle of that port by the which thou passest from this life to eternitie So some may be senslesse as a Kow goes to the shambles and some may haue a false conscience but if thou haue not an assurance that thou art washed with the blood of Iesus Christ Woe shall come to thee wrath shall light on thee There is no consolation in death to any but to these who die in the innocencencie of Iesus Christ I marke the manner how He goes out He goes out bearing His owne Crosse or rather drew it after Him this was after the manner of the Romanes that the man whome they condemned to die this death they commanded to beare His Crosse and therefore they were called Furciferi gallowes bearers now they practise this on the innocent Iesus Nowe to come to it that falles out whilst Hee is bearing His Crosse As they are going out They meete a man by the way whose name was Simon the father of Alexander and Rufus a man in a towne of Africa and the towne was called Cyrene a laborious man retuâ—ning from the Countrey to Hierusalem they meete the poore man and compelles the man to take vp the one ende of the Crosse Iesus goes before and he goes behind they would not haue Iesus relieued No they pitied Him not but they would haue Him formest in the burthen Thinke not Brethren that this reâ—ieuing was of any compassion they had to Iesus No they had no pitie vpon Him but it came to pâ—sse because Christ Iesus was faint weake and weâ—ried vnder the burthen and no wonder He was a man He tooke on our nature and all the infirmities thereof that wee might bee made strong After that once the Lord had fallen in their handes Hee got no rest Hee got no sleepe that night Hee fasted and His soule was vexed and then all that night and all that day following from the morning to the noone-tide hee got no rest but was twise scourged and buffeted As for the souldiers they thought themselues too gay As for the Iewes they thought themselues too holy and in end He was made a curse but for our cause And therefore meeting with this Gentile Simon they compelled him to helpe Him This wants not a Mysterie This Simon was a figure of the Gentiles and this calling albeit of compulsion signifies our calling beeing Gentiles to take vp our crosse and followe Iesus out of the portes of Hierusalem And as the Apostle to the Hebrewes Chap 13. verse 13. sayes Goe foorth of the Caâ—â—â—e bearing His reproach for here we haue no continuing citie but wee seeke for one to come As for the Iewes they would neither touch Christ nor His Crosse with their finger because they judged Him accursed Indeede I grant GOD made Him accursed but Hee was made a curse that wee should bee the blessing of GOD through Hâ—m As Paul sayes to the Galathians Chap. 3. verse 13. Wouldest thou know thy felicitie in this worlde and in the worlde to come it stands in joyning with that man that was accursed whosoeuer thou be y t shalt not joyne with this man who is accursed I giue thee this doome Cursed shalt thou be euerlastingly vengeance malediction shall lie on thine head euerlastingly We are GeÌ„tiles not Iewes let vs theÌ„ with this Simon of Cyrene take vp y e Crosse of Christ follow Him out of the portes of Hierusalem to beare His shame y t we may be partakers of His glory if thou be not partaker of His ignominie and shame I denounce to thee thou shalt not be partaker of His glorie thou who wast not humbled with Christ thou shalt neuer be exalted with Him this
for the first incident There is another thing that falles out whereof wee read in the 23 Chapter Luke as He goes to the place of execution it is said that the multitude followed Him This multitude was not onely of the Iewes but also of all Nations who resorted to Hierusalem at the time of the Passeouer Nowe this multitude followed to see what should become of Him as men who are inclined to see wonders Sâ—e on what minde thou followest a man to death these spectacles are spectacles of thy miserie they followe to see the fashion but surely this following of Christ and this going of Christ to His suffering with such a multitude learneth vs a lesson it pleased the Father that Iesus Christ should suffer an open shame He would not haue Him stollen down or secretly executed in the night He would haue Him accused publikly before the great Iudge who represented Cesars person Then as Hee went out He would haue all the worlde to see Him and then Hee would haue Him mounted vp and nailed vpon the Crosse in the face of the world in a worde the Father would haue the Sonne who became suretie for vs to die and not onely to die but also to be pined and not onely pined but also to bee pined shamefully There is not a sinne in the worlde let wanton men take their pastime in sinne albeit it were done neuer so secretly goe to thy chamber doe it doe it in the night goe to holes and most secret places and commit wickednesse but the end thereof how secret so euer it was shall bee with open shame I denounce against secret sinnes against God thy secret sinnes shall bring an open shame to thee if thou haue not recourse to the shame of Iesus either of necessitie thou must suffer in thy person eternally and drinke out the full cuppe of the wrath of God or els thou must haue recourse to the shame of Iesus Christ and this is our comfort that wee haue Wilt thou first of all repent thee an impenitent man will neuer get the cloake of Christs righteousnesse to couer his shame and turne and beleeue in Iesus Christ Wilt thou haue recourse to Him and loure vnder His Passion I promise thee that thou shalt neuer come to an open shame it my bee that men come to an open shame for sinne in this worlde but in the worlde to come I promise thee thou shalt not suffer any shame in that daye thy sinnes shall not come to the light neither man nor Angell shall see them But if thou haue not recourse to Iesus thou shalt bee rooâ—ed out like a thiefe out of a hoale before millions of millions of Angels and before all the worlde and the secrets of thine heart shall bee reueiled and heapes of the wrath of God shall bee powred on thy miserable head Hell stands not only in paine but in shame and confusion thou shalt goe downe to Hell with a fearefull shoute from the sight of this world at that judgement Now to come to these women amongst the rest there followes Him certaine women out of Hierusalem there is a great difference betweene them and the multitude women oft times shames men The souldiers pities Him not their pleasure is in His miserie wee see not heere that any of the multitude mournes but it is saide that the women of Hierusalem that followed Him wept for Him This was done of the Father to testifie His innocencie the Father at all times will haue the innocencie of His Sonne witnessed during the time of His accusation the Iudge preached His innocency as he was giuing out the senteÌ„ce against Him he both by deed in washing of his hands word testifies His innocencie And now whilst He goes out Hee makes these women to bewaile Him No question all this was done by the Lords prouidence Iesus the innocent Hee was lamented for Wilt thou bee innocent like to Him thou shalt not want bewailing ye see this if he be a thiefe and hee bee penitent and haue recourse to Iesus and seeke to be innocent with that innocencie of Iesus Christ men will pitie him but especially in that great daye if thou appearest innocent in the innocencie of Iesus Christ thou shalt get such pittying of God and of all the Angels that thou shalt neuer die but shalt be receiued to glorie and if thou appearest before Him without this innocencie thou shalt not be bewailed none shall pitie thee neither God nor Angell but thou shalt goe to destruction and when thou art going to Hell thy father nor thy mother shall not weepe nor lament for it but shall rejoyce approue Gods judgement Yee see then howe good a thing it is to be innocent in the innocencie of Iesus Christ albeit wee be not innocent but guiltie in ourselues When Christ heares the lamentation and mourning of the women Hee lookes ouer His shoulder And beholding them He standes and speakes Daughters of Hierusalem weepe not for mee but for your selues and for your children and He giues the reason wherefore they should weepe so because of that fearce terrible judgement which should ouer-take Hierusalem and all for this innoceÌ„t blood and for the refusall of that innocent One For beholde the dayes will come saies Hee when men will say Blessed are the barren and the wombes that neuer bare and the pappes that neuer gaue sucke Then shall they begin to say to the mountaines Fall on vs and to the hilles Couer vs. And vnâ—er the destruction of Hierusalem Hee vnderstands adumbrates that terrible judgement wrath in the latter day that great destruction that remaines for the wicked He confirmes this judgemeÌ„t which He threatens by an argument taken from the greatest to the smallest If they doe so to a griene tree what shall they doe to a withered what shall they doe to you By the greene tree Hee meanes Himselfe who in Himselfe was freshe sappie greene and fruitfull albeit for vs Hee was like a drie tree because Hee was guiltie for vs. And by the drie tree Hee meanes vs who are vnfruitfull in our selues and meete for nothing but for confusion to be casten into the fire Marke heere shortly of this It is the sense of misery that makes any bodie to weepe No doubt when one weepes sore the heart hath a sense of misery and this sense is either of a mans owne misery or for a sympathie of the miserie of another They who haue a sense of the miserie of others they will mourne I see fewe of this sort in these dayes There are few now that will weepe for the misery of another All sympathie is out of the world and the pleasure of men is in the pleasure of others Indeede I thinke that Iesus condemned not this compassion Certainely compassion vpon the estate of another is good Away with a pittilesse heart for it hath not felt the mercie of God and bowels of His compassion But this is
the day in the which He was crucified MARKE names it to haue bene about the third houre of the daye which according to our reckoning and our fashion of diuiding of the daye fell about the twelfth houre of the daye which manifestes a verie hastie dispatch and a short space betwixt the doome and the execution yea all this matter was very hastilie dispatched for Hee was taken in the night in the which Hee gotte no rest but was hurried first to Annas and from him to Caiaphas Hall and then before Pilate the Romane Iudge and there before him condemned So that Hee is taken in the night and the next day before twelue a clocke Hee is crucified In the night Hee is taken and brought before the Iudge The accusation passeth The doome is giuen and He is crucified on the morrow following before twelue of the clocke Nowe to passe by the malice of the Jewes and their earnestnesse to haue the Lord put to death we shall marke that all this judgement wee maye see the swiftnesse of the wrath of the Father which pursued the Sonne because He bare the sinnes of the worlde It lets vs see plainlie that the judgement that shall bee in the latter daye to the which this is proportionate it is a type of the latter judgement that judgemeÌ„t also I say shall passe ouer swiftlie and the reprobate in that judgement when the Lord is once entred into judgement shall not gette leaue nor leasure to draw their breath till they be casteÌ„ into Hel. And after that the terrible Iudge shall once enter into accompt with them and giue out that sentence Depart from mee yee cursed of my Father with the Deuill and his angelles immediatelie those damned soules shall bee hurled to Hell If the wrath was so swift vpon the Sonne of God Himselfe what shall bee the swiftnesse of the wrath vpon the reprobate in that Great daye Then come to the Text which we haue read and to goe forwardes to speake of the thinges and circumstances that fell out in the time that the Lord did hang quicke nayled vpon the Crosse for as I haue already declared Hee hung the â—pace of three houres quicke nayled vpon the Crosse ere Hee gaue vp the ghoste The first thing we haue to speake of is concerning the two Thieues that were crucified with Him the one at the one hande and the other at the other hand Next wee shall speake of that prayer that Iesus conceiued whilest Hee was hanging on the Crosse before His enemies And thirdly wee shall speake of that title and inscription that Pilate commanded to bee fixed on the Crosse to wit IESVS of Nazareth the King of the Iewes and this contained the crime and cause of His suffering Last wee shall speake of the diuiding of His garmentes and howe they cast lottes on His coate All these heads are plaine they offer plaine doctrine Then to come to the first It is saide that They crucified with him two thieues two vagabondes two throat-cutters and they crucified the one of them at his right hand and the other at his left hand And Hee hung on the Crosse in the middest betweene them both They crucifie not the Lord Iesus Himselfe alone but betwixt two Thieues and not at the side but one of them at each side and Him in the middest gâ—uing out thereby to bee vnderstood by all the worlde who looked on Him and there was an hudge multitude of Iewes Romanes and Gentiles looking on that of all Malefactors He was the greatest Brethren I see this thorowe all the Historie of the Passion of Iesus Christ euer His dolour encâ—easses till it come to the ende to the height And I see this that as His paine growes continually So shame is heaped on His head continually and whilest Hee is hanging on the Crosse at the same time the greatest shame is heaped on His head for Hee hanges vpon the Tree betwixt the euill doers as Prince of all euill doers in the worlde To let you see that as the paine of the reprobate shall bee extreame so the shâ—me and confusion that they shall suffer in Hell shall passe all measure In this circumstance as in all the rest I looke not so much to the Iewes and to their malice as I looke to His Father in Heauen to His wrath and to His Iustice it is Hee who is the chiefe worker of all these things All theâ—e men Pilate Herode the men of warre and the High Priestes they are like as many burrioes to that Iudge The LORD hanges on the Crosse in extreame paine of bodie and soule and as Hee hanges in extreame paine so there is extreame shame joyned with it Nowe if the shame and paine was extreame it must followe that Hee bare an extreame but then of sinne these goe together in GODS Iustice extreame burthen of sinne extreame paine and extreame shame for the Iustice of GOD requires that extreame sinne bee punished by extreame paine and shame It is true the Martyres suffered greater shame paine than euer murtherer did or malefactour yet it followes not that their sinne was greater than the sinne of them who suffers not so great paine Why The Martyres suffered not for sinne Non eo nomine Neuer a Martyre suffered for sinne but for the testimonie of the same Lord Iesus Christ who suffered for their sinne and therefore in their suffering they had an exceeding great joy assuring them that they had a remissioÌ„ of their sinnes in the blood of the Lambe IESVS CHRIST But IESVS CHRIST suffered for sinne Eo nomine it is one thing to a sinner to suffer it is another thing to suffer for sin No if the Lord make thee to suffer for the least sin if it were but for an euill thought thou shalt feele howe terrible a Iudge Hee is The LORD suffers and is shamed for sinne the Lord IESVS suffered extreame shame and paine therefore the consequent followes He bare an extreame but then of sinne When I looke to this vtter shame as I call to minde all the sinnes that IESVS suffered for so chiefly I looke to that high pride of Adam and of vs all in Adam whereby wee aspire to bee like to that High and glorious Majestie that pride whereby we would haue spoyled that great GOD of that honour and glorie which was due to Him Therefore in this vtter shame the Father of Heauen meetes randers and requites that high pride of Adam and for that Hee heapes shame on the head of His Sonne As thou aspirest to dishonour Him by pride so Hee meetes thy pride in His deare Sonne If thou be not found in IESVS in that great day the prouder thou bee in the worlde the greater shall be thy shame beside that vnspeakable torment of soule and bodie Now will yee see in this extreame paine shame that the Lord suffers how the wonder of our saluation is wrought it is so farre from that that it is wrought
and therefore I deserued not death yet it is not so euill as malice for whereas malice prouokes the wrath and judgement of the Iudge for it is a terrible thing to haue an malicious heart and of set purpose to sinne against the Iudge Ignorance will mooue the Iudge to pitie and commiseration and so ye see the LORD seeing the poore ignorant multitude Hee pities them and as Hee pities them so Hee prayes for them Ignorance mooued Him to pittie and to praye for them In a worde The Christian man that is persecuted wrongfullie either hath to doe with malicious men wee may finde this in experience ere wee die who persecute of malice or with enemies who are not so much malicious as ignorant if hee haue to doe vvith malicious persons patience is required but if hee haue to doe with ignorant bodies then not onelie patience is required but also rueth and loue Wouldest thou haue patience then commit vengeance vnto Him vvho judges justlie for if thou vvouldest bee patient looke to thy GOD and saye I commit thee in the hands of the Iudge And if thou haue to doe vvith an ignorant see that thou bee pittifull looke to the ignorance of them that persecute thee and thou shalt not so soone looke to their blindnesse but thou shalt not onelie bee patient but also pittifull and the ignorant vvill seeme to bee miserable and to bee pittied for this is certaine that the innocent man vvho is persecuted is not so much to bee pittied as hee vvho of blinde ignorance persecutes him Alas What is to bee pittied but that vvhich procures damnation before GOD So ignorant blinded bodies are moste to bee pittied Nowe consider howe all rankes and sortes of people shame Him and first Pilate shames Him and commaundes an inscription and title to be vvritten on the Crosse bearing the crime and cause of His death It is saide that Pilate the Iudge Writeth a title to bee fixed on the Crosse and bee writeth it in Hebrew and in Grecke and in Latine to the ende that men of all Languages might reade it and vnderstand it and the effect thereof is this IESVS of Nazareth the King of the Jewes This was in Hebrewe in Greeke and in Latine three Languages to bee read by Hebrewes Graecians Romanes There is no question but this was written according to the fashion of that time for among the people of GOD both the judgementes and also the punishmentes vvith inscriptions containing the cause thereof vsed to bee publicked And this vvas a commendable and allowable custome that vvhen a man vvas condemned to die they alwayes vsed to put vp an inscription containing the crime and cause to testifie that hee vvas vvorthilie executed According hereunto they handle the Lord IESVS for they lead y e whole proces in the sight of y e people went not into a corner to judge Him but in the presēce of y e whole people they led Him out of the Portes of Hierusalem to execute Him Reade of this custome Iosh Chapter 7. verse 19. Of Achan who stolle the Babylonians garment how hee was judged of the whole people Read of that blasphemer in the wildernesse Leuit. 24.23 how before the whole people hee was executed publikly Reade of Ionathan how hee was judged and condemned of his father Saul in the sight of the whole people 1. Sam. Chapter 14. verse 5. As the Iudgement was publicke so they vsed to put an inscription aboue them to testifie to the people their crime and the cause of their death that they died justly It is no small matter to slay a man albeit hee were the poorest that euer was and there is not a Prince in the face of the earth that may slay a man without a good cause No not the Emperour hath that power And as no man should bee slaine lightly so if there bee a just cause of execution the man may not be executed priuily at the pleasure of the Iudge but if there bee good justice the Iudgement must be before the people The people haue their owne right and entresse in judgement seates Yee know in that great Iudgement of the world which shall be at the latter day not one shall be judged and condemned without the approbation and consent of the whole Elect which shall stand round about their Lord. Then how much more hath the people at the least the best part entresse in earthly Iudgements to see good administration of justice and Iudgement and that the Iudge vse no Tyrannie This then was the cause of this Inscription euen that the cause of the death of Iesus should bee made manifest to the people according to common commendable custome But Pilate had another respect Pilate did this not so much that the people should know the cause of His death for his conscience tolde him that He was innocent as he put it vp to reuenge him on the malicious Iewes who compelled him against his heart and conscience to condemne Him Hee will haue this put vp that their King was hanged and that they hanged Him with their owne hands But GOD hath His part heere and all was gouerned by that heauenlie Prouidence Neither is Pilate nor the Iewes heere so much to be looked to as the dispensation of the Father As Pilate did it for one ende so the LORD did it for another ende Men will doe a thing vpon an euill intent GOD will doe the same thing by a wicked instrument to His good ende by His effectuall prouidence Hee will haue this to be put vp to ratifie the Heauenly and Spirituall Kingdome of IESVS CHRIST and Hee vvill let them all see that IESVS is the onely King and inspeciall by this inscription the LORD vvill haue it testified to the vvorlde that as IESVS hung vpon the Crosse vvith paine and shame that so likewise vpon the same Crosse He triumphed gloriously ouer His enemies ere Hee came to Heauen on the Crosse Hee gotte victorie and Hee triumphed ouer them all and ledde them all captiues on the Crosse as it is vvritten to the COLOSS. CHAP. 2. VERS 15. More than this The LORD did it to this ende To fore-shaddowe that the preaching of the Kingdome of IESVS CHRIST to followe on His Ascension should bee to all Nations Kingdomes and Languages for immediately after that Hee passed out of the vvorld IESVS vvas proclaimed to all Nations the King of Glory and continues to this day and shall bee for euer Pilate is a preacher heereof albeit hee haue little minde of it but hee vvas like Caiaphas vvho prophesied that it vvas expedient that one shoulde die for the sinnes of the vvhole people CHAP. 11. VERS 40. And this is done by the speciall prouidence of GOD no doubt The constancie of Pilate in his sentence and vvriting notwithstanding the strong opposition of the Scribes and the High Priestes vvho desired him to alter and change the title and for that vvhich vvas vvritten by Pilate to vvit This is
they would say It is impossible to Him who now hangs so ignominiously to saue Himselfe After them came the men of warâ—e and in derision They offer Him vineger to drinke And they say this is very like a King How can He doe the dutie of a King to deliuer the people who cannot deliuer Himselfe This they saide because Hee had called Himselfe a King to the prejudice as they thought of Cesars Kingdome And lastly one of the thieues rayled on Him to wit He that hang at His left hand saying So like as thou art that Christ who can neither saue vs nor thy selfe Nowe because the rayling of the whole is all to one effect therefore shortly I shall obserue some things in generall as the Lord shall offer In all this rayling out against Him yee see the extreame humiliation of IESVS CHRIST for our sinnes Hee is made of no reputation No He is trodde on as a worme And no question that extreame torment of bodie was not so grieuous to Him as was this rayling on Him They speake to Him as a verie reprobate and so farre as lay in them they endeuoured to make Him to despare of all helpe So yee may seee this rayling was a thing most grieuous to Him And Dauid beeing His type he complaines on this shame that they heaped on Him in the 22. Psalme All this lets vs see howe dearely the Lord hath bought our life and Saluation And wee are more than miserable if we see not this And also it lets vs see what should haue become of vs if He had not satisfied for vs and what should become of thee if thou bee not in CHRIST in that great day And it tells thee seeing all this is for thy sinne that thou shouldest haue a sadde heart to haue such a Redeemer made such a spectacle and thou shouldest groane vnder the burthen of sinne and when thou readest of the Crosse thine heart should bee sorrowfull that euer thou shouldest haue moued the GOD of glorie to such vengeance of His deare Sonne for thee Thinke not that euery man shall bee relieued of his sinne by Him No onlie those who learne to groane vnder the burthen of their owne sinnes by the which they haue pierced Him and turne to the LORD vnfainedly and get fauour So if thou learnest not at one time or other to groane vnder the burthen of thy sinne thou shalt neuer be relieued by Him But to marke something of this railing I see that these things they cast vp to Him is the verie verdict whereupon they accused Him They accused Him because He called Himselfe the Christ and because He called Himselfe the King of the Iewes and because He said that He would destroy the Temple and build it vp againe the third day So the very thing y t they cast vp to Him in despite is y e very crime wherefore they condemned Him Men would thinke y t it should haue coÌ„tented them to had Him hanging in torment but Brethren alas the malice of the enemies of Iesus Christ is endlesse there is none end of it it will not bee the death of one Christian y t wil satisfie them it wil not be thy blood that wil quench their thirst but in thy torment they will raile on and striue to cause thee to despare that thy soule may perish There is such an extreame despite in their heartes that they would haue thine ashes and thy bones to be exponed to opprobrie and shame which hath lyen so long in the graue See wee not this howe the bones of faithfull Christians haue beene taken vp and burnt by the Antichrist The LORD saue vs from their crueltie But here I lift vp mine eyes and looke vnto GOD. The Lord Iesus He suffered most justly who was cled with our sinnes and bare them on the Crosse for our cause and it learnes thee this that if thou sufferest opprobrie and shame and men raile on thee that thou goe euer to see if thou be in Christ in thy suffering for if thou be out of Christ woe is to thee for that is but the beginning and forerunner of that paine and shame that thou shalt suffer in Hell I tell this more in that latter day when y e reprobate shal be coÌ„demned their sin which was the cause of their death shall euer be had in memory but if once thou goest to Hell y e remembrance of thy sin shall neuer be buried but thy verdict shal be cast in thy teeth thy coÌ„science shal taunt thee and shal say to thee Murtherer thou delitedst in murther now goe to murther nowe free thy selfe out of Hell if thou canst and to them who followed Harlots Thou delitedst in Harlotrie and in offending of GOD thou vvho couldest not bee satisfied in pleasuring thy foole lustes nowe satisfie thy selfe vvith these extreame tormentes nowe goe to thy harlotrie let see And to the blasphemer Thou delitedst in blaspheming of GOD nowe let see if thou dare blaspheme goe thy way nowe and blaspheme And to the Idolater Thou delitedst in worshipping of Idolles and leftest the worshipping of the true GOD nowe goe thy waye to Idolatrie c. Nowe woulde to GOD the worlde coulde thinkâ— Hell to be earnest This torment and rayling in the death of CHRIST is an image of the torment of Hell I see heere further that besides this there is a grounde of all their opprobrie to wit that shamefull Crosse which IESVS was hanging on They thought that seeing IESVS was crucified it was impossible for Him to cast downe the Temple and to build it vp againe They thought it was impossible for Him to saue the worlde seeing Hee coulde not saue Himselfe and that Hee coulde not doe the duetie of a King vvho was alreadie hanged How becomes it a King to bee hanged The cause of their offence vvas that shame which Hee suffered and that they sawe that Hee could not deliuer Himselfe The Crosse of Iesus is foolishnesse to the worlde blessed are they who will not take offence at the Crosse of Christ Looke howe they are deceiued in their judgements Because the Crosse was the onely meane whereby Hee shoulde haue done all things when Hee was hanging was He not destroying the Temple of His body that after three dayes by His glorious resurrection Hee might builde it vp againe And when Hee was on the Crosse did Hee not the office of Christ that is of an anointed Priest for then Hee was offering that Sacrifice of His body to the Father And was He not by the Crosse purchasing to Himselfe and to vs a glorious Kingdome Yea on the Crosse Hee like a glorious King triumphed ouer the Deuils and made an open shew of them for Hee had a battell with the Deuils on the Crosse and triumphed ouer them all Col. 2.15 This same blindnes of the world remaines still in it for when the world sees a body vnder afflictioÌ„ in pouerty buâ—nt or martyred for Christs sake then the world thinkes
places of the Newe Testament as namely 2. COR. 12.4 where PAVL speakes of his rauishing to Paradise and also REVEL 2.7 But to leaue the vvordes and to come to the meaning This Paradise signifies none other thing but that House of the Father in the which is manie mansions as wee saide in the foureteenth Chapter Nowe woulde yee knowe the place of it PAVL saies It is farre aboue these visible heauens where Christ himselfe ascended EPHES. 4.10 It is the place of the Throne of that Majestie of that Glorie and of that euerlasting rest of the Kirke of Iesus Christ and of His Sainctes where they shall rest in a wonderfull glorie euerlastinglie The vvorde is borrowed from that Paradise that Parke of pleasure in the vvhich ADAM and EVAH vvere planted to liue in a vvonderfull pleasure for euer if they had stoode vvithout sinne But to come to the matter First in this answere that the Lord makes to the penitent Thiefe yee may see a vvonderfull readinesse in Christ to heare the petition of a miserable sinner for hee hath scarcely spoken the worde when the Lord makes an answere and no maruell for Hee that preuentes thee with grace ere thou thinkest of grace Hee will followe after with grace Hee who giues grace to begge grace Hee will giue a gracious answere ROMAN 8.26 The Spirite of GOD interceadeth for vs with sighes vnspeakeable That is the first grace Then hee subjoynes The Lord who searcheth the heart knoweth the sense and meaning of his owne Spirite There is the seconde grace Thou shalt not so soone open thy mouth to speake to Him with the Spirite but Hee shall as soone heare thy vvorde thou shalt not so soone haue a meaning but it shall as soone touch the heart of the Lorde as it touches thine heart because it is not thy spirite but the Lordes Spirite who speakes in thee So all the difficultie and hardnesse is to gette the first grace to praye there is no difficultie of the next And there are wonderous fewe vvho gettes this grace to begge to sigh to sobb c. yea where one hath it ten wantes it and when this is once gotten the other followes of its owne will for if thou askest spirituall graces of necessitie thou shalt gette thy petition graunted And if wee aske earthly thinges either shall wee gette our petition or else the Lord once shall shewe vs why Hee will not graunt it and so wee shall haue contentment to vndertake His will and shall heartily thanke Him There is more yet in this answere Besides this easinesse to heare marke an abounding mercie and exceeding liberalitie of the Lord passing aboue the petition The Thiefe onely prayed the Lord to remember him when He came in His Kingdome The Lord aunsweres Beholde euen I giue thee more than thou requirest for thou shalt be with me this day in Paradise so thou needest not to feare that I forget thee The Thiefe seekes but a little thing the Lord giues him more than hee can seeke the hande of the Lorde is not so scarce Wilt thou seeke a litle thing the Lord shall giue a thousand times more than thou canst seeke the Lord hath neither scant nor want Brethren the glory which we shall finde one day shall bee greater than we can looke or hope for in this world No things Heauenlie which He shall giue surmountes further aboue our capacitie than the Heauen does aboue the Earth Yea if thou speakest of earthlie things findes not many by experiēce that they get such an estate in the world as they would neuer haue looked or hoped for I sought but life saies Dauid Psal 21. 5 yet the Lord gaue me to be a king that is He gaue me not only a priuate obscure life but a glorious life in the sight of the people Besides this easinesse and liberalitie of the Lord to grant to a poore man aboue that that he durst presume He prescribes no time but this same day I know not if he durst haue bene so bold as to haue sought such a time that same day Marke further here a wonderfull power in the Lord at that time when Hee was in a most vile and ignominious death which was the image of Hell to pull a man quicke on the Crosse to breake Him on a Crosse The Lord is weakned the Iewes thought more of the dirt they trode on than of Iesus yet ye see what a wonderfull power which strikes out from Him to the thiefe this is the power of a King This day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise What Emperour durst speake this Yea He vtters the power of GOD Himselfe This promise is proper to GOD only to promise participation of that heauenly Kingdome What Angell durst doe this None but the eternall and immortall GOD. It is true the LORD Iesus whilst as Hee hang vpon the Crosse was wonderfully weakned and that glorious Godhead that dwelt in the humane Nature kept it selfe closse for a time and held in the beames of His glorie for a time within that vaile of His bodie for if Hee had not kept closse that Glorie of His Godhead the world could not haue crucified Him yet He kept Him not so closse but in the Crosse Hee manifests Himselfe Hee does the part of a King and fought a fiercer battell than all the Kings in the world Hee fought against all the enemies and in the ende Hee triumphes in that Crosse as in a Chariote and leades them all as thieues before Him And if there were no more to shewe that Hee was a King than this hastie conuersion of the thiefe it may tell you if Christ had such a power whilst as Hee hang in such weaknesse on the Crosse What power hath He now when He is in the Heauen exalted in the Throne of glorie If it bee so that wee feele not CHRIST powerfull in vs to life as the thiefe felt Blame not IESVS as if Hee wanted power sufficient nowe in glorie who had such power in His humilitie but blame thy selfe Thou wants that which the thiefe had thou wants Faith in Christ glorified the thiefe may shame thee who beleeued in Him whē He was in extreame ignominie Then to end all this y t hath bin spokē of this answere in a word Seeing y e Lord of lords y e Lord Iesus is so readie Neuer was there King so ready to heare a subject as Iesus is if thou werest the vilest bodie that goes a Thiefe a Harlot c. yet if thou wilt saye this Lord remember on mee and giue mee a part of thy Kingdome if thou prayest to Him from a penitent heart with confidence and assurance I promise vnto thee Heauen and Earth shall goe together ere thou vvantest thine asking Seeing our Lord Iesus is so liberall then seeke more than enough more than a Kingdome and thou shalt get more The only cause why we want is in vs we haue no hearts to seeke it And last Seeing He is so
fourth part they called the ninth houre This much for the diuision of the daye and night after the fashion of the Iewes To apply this to our purpose In this Historie of the Passion of Iesus Christ yee shall finde mention of all these foure partes of the first the third sixt and ninth In the first houre or in the morning the LORD IESVS was led into the Common-Hall to Pilate to bee accused His accusation continued the first three houres and much of the third houre or second quarter as wee counted it His accusation continued about the space of fiue houres Then alitle after the sixt houre in the ende of the thirde houre as IOHN in his nineteene Chapter sayes The doome and sentence of damnation was giuen out against the Lord In the same third houre as MARKE in his fourteenth Chapter sayes The Lord Iesus was crucified so that He was both condemned crucified in the end of the third houre So betweene eleuen and twelue a short space passed betweene the sentence of damnation and the execution In the sixt houre which was the thirde part of their day yee see there falles out a fearfull and terrible darknesse on the face of the earth and according to our account the darknesse remaines from twelue houres to three in the afternoone the space of three houres for so long hang the Lord vpon the Crosse Then yee haue mention here of the ninth houre the fourth part of their day The Lord then vttered His complaint to His Father My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee This is according to our account when it was three after noone and hastily after this Hee yeeldes His blessed Spirit in the hands of His Father So the Lord Iesus died and yeelded the Spirit betweene three and foure houres afternoone Now this shortly for the better vnderstanding of the Historie Nowe to speake of this wonder and darknesse His heauenly Father would testifie by this darknesse that whilst His glorious Son was humbled on that vile ignominious Crosse as Paul to the Philippians 2. sayes Whilst as He was weakned and made of no reputation at this time His Father would testifie not onely of His innocencie as Hee was man but also of His glorie as He was God In humbling of Him the Father would glorifie Him But will yee looke to the Sunne and the senslesse creatures of Heauen and Earth the very Sunne and senslesse creatures would testifie that they were addebted vnto that glorious Creator they would testifie that sorrowe that they had that the Lord of glorie should suffer such an ignominious death The senslesse creatures were moued the Sunne gloomes hides his face at that wicked action the earth shiuers and quakes readie to swallow vp and deuoure those miserable persons and the Sunne and the senslesse creatures beginne to teach that senslesse and hardened people with whom they had to doe Not with a man but with the Lord of glorie but teach what they would teach heere is a miserable example of induration this miserable people for all this darknesse was not moued they would not turne So Brethren see what it is once to be giuen to a reprobate sense if the LORD giue thee vp to a reprobate sense the earth shall not be so senslesse as thou and though the earth should stand vp and teach thee thou shalt not heare nor see what it sayes Of all judgements that falles on the soule this reprobate sense is the heauiest and most dangerous and if thou continuest in it it were a thousand times better for thee when thou werest made a man or a woman to haue bene made a stocke or a stone for if there be not a wakning in time out of so dead a sleepe ere euer thou beware the wrath of God from Heâ—uen shall ouertake thee when thou criest peace then shall the wrath come thou shalt not get leasure to thinke of mercie The Lord waken this senslesse generation for there was neuer a generation more senslesse than this generation is notwithstanding of so many voyces sounding not only voyces of men but of the heauen the earth and senslesse creatures I will speake sparingly of this darkning and as the Philosopher calles it the ecclipse of the Sunne for it serues not much to edification Onely thus far that yee may see the greatnesse of the wonder and that ye may wonder at the Lord Iesus hanging on the Crosse This Ecclipse was not naturall for the naturall Ecclipse of the Sunne falles out when the Moone is in the changing at the which time there is a concurse and conjunction betweene the two Planets the Sunne and the Moone The Moone goes vnder the Sunne and takes away a great part of the light of the Sunne from the Earth But this Ecclipse falles out in the full moone The Law commanded the Passeouer to be celebrate in the moneth of March the fourteenth day of their moneth in the which time the Sunne and the Moone are as far asunder as they can be the one beeing in the one side of the Heauen the other on the other side so that betweene them the whole Globe of the Earth is cast in But in this Ecclipse against Nature the Moone which was now opposite to the Sunne turnes her suddenly about and comes vnder the Sunne and hides the sight thereof and brings on a terrible darknesse on the world So that as yee will read in prophane writings during that darknesse the starres were seene at the Noonetide as at Midnight And to be short it is written that the Philosophers in Athens marking this Ecclipse endeuoured to search the cause of it could not finde out the naturall cause and one Dionisius Areopagita saide It behooued to be that either the God of Nature suffered or els the worlde should suddenly be dissolued and be lied not The Lord Iesus the GOD of Nature suffered and they raised vp an Altar then and wrote on it To the vnknowne God whereof ye read in the Actes 17. This for the wonder Nowe let vs come to that that fell out in the ninth houre that is our three houres afternoone Marke This serues for our edification ye heard the Lord Iesus was in extreame agonie and anguishe in His soule and also Hee suffered great paine in His bodie yet all was nothing to that extreame bitternesse that Hee felt in His soule when as Hee hung on the Crosse Nowe in this agonie Hee vtters this voyce with a crie Eli Eli lamasabachthani that is My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee These are the first wordes of the XXII PSALME for Dauid beeing the Type of Christ and feeling that vexation of spirit in some measure which Christ felt out of measure hee cryes out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me This place these words minister occasion vnto vs to speake of the inward conflict passion that Iesus had in His soule And that yee maye vnderstande this matter the better I
was but for a time but no escaping for thee if thou be thrust into hell thou shalt neuer get out and shalt find nothing but bitternes aime here or there all shal be in vaine euerlasting bitternes shal be casten in thy teeth and compasse thee on all sides that is a sore word An euerlasting bitternes neuer to haue an ende So blessed is that soule for euer who in that Day shal be found in Christ to get a part of that passioÌ„ y t He suffred the Lord giue euery one of vs grace now while we haue time to know Him to seek to be fouÌ„d in Him for wo to y t soule y t shal be fouÌ„d out of Him in y e great day Now I come â—o y e voyces first to that fourth voyce y t the Lord vttered wheÌ„ He said I thirst When vttered He it When He knew that all â—hinges were ended To the ende that the prophesie might bee fulfiâ—led that was spoken of Him before Hee saide I thirst A voyce of sadnessâ— comming from an extreame drought of bodie The Lord Iesus as He tooâ—e our nature vpon Him so He tooke on all our infirmities sinne exâ—epted Many times was Hee hungry and thirsty but chiefely whâ—n He hanges on the Crosse in that extreame heat of His soule and His body The soule was burnt vp with wrath and all the moysture of the bodie likewise dryed vp with wrath at this time the Lord had such a thirst that the tongue of man cannot expresse it thou sufferedst neuer such a thirst in any Feuer or disease as the Lord Iesus suffered for thee on the Crosse And no doubt beside other paines this exceeding thirst was a part of His paine and a part of that ransome that He payed to the Father for our redemption Yee see when a man is in a Feuer the thirst will bee a speciall part of the paine that hee hath Therefore albeit the thirst that the Lord sâ—ffered on the Crosse was an exceeding great paine yet He will not vtter His voyce I thirst till the ransome was payed Hee would not seeke to quench that thirst till that wrath of the Father was satisfied The drought was insatiable for the infinite wrath of God thirsted after the blood of the Mediator bearing our sins and was not quenched till the blood of the Mediator was drunken vp No quenching of sin but by the blood of the Mediator if thou bee not in Him the wrath of God will thirst for thy blood After this followes that bodily thirst The soule is dried vp the moysture of the body is clung vp the wrath suckes all vp On this rises the thirst of the body for except the Lorde had had a spirituall thirst and a pleasure to obey His Father to the death to saue thy soule from Hell it had beene vnpossible for Him to haue suffered that bodily thirst so long Learne this lesson at the Lorde Iesus and followe His example wee should suffer patiently all paine that it pleases the Lord to lay on body and soule knowing that it is according to His will and that by thy suffering thy obedience to Him is tryed And as we should suffer patiently all paineâ— so wee learne at Christ to abide patiently this bodily thirst in sicknes or Feuers knowing well that the Lord layes it on vs to trie our obedience patience But wilt thou know how thou shouldest abide it patieÌ„tly The Lord Iesus had a spirituall thirst to obey His HeaueÌ„ly Father for thy saluation that swallowed vp that bodily thirst Gette thee an earnest thirst to obey thy God it will bee a wondrous thing how patientlie thou wilt suffer whatsoeuer God wil lay on thee Therfore BrethreÌ„ in all things we should set our hearts to obey God and winke and close thy eyes at all dangers yea if thou be in extreame thirst and going to die say Lord I wil obey thee if thou get thy heart thus resolued and humbled vnder the hand of thy God howbeit thou be in pain for a time thou shalt see a faire end The Lord Iesus after this thirst and after death saw a glorious end So no question wilt thou leane on thy God as He did abide His will patiently thou shalt see the joyfullest most glorious end that euer was The Lord giue vs grace to obey God and to say Cast me here or there lay on me what thou wilt I shall obey thee though thou shouldest slay mee I will trust in thee This is an happy râ—solution We shall speake of the end wherefore the Lord vttered this voyce To the ende saies Iohn that the Scripture might be fulfilled In the 5. of Matt. the Lord saies J come not to dissolue the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill the Lawe and to fulfill euerie jote of that Lawe Heauen and Earth shall perish ere one jote of that Lawe shall passe away Now among all the prophesies that Christ fulfilled there is one here made mention of in the 69. Psalme Jn my meat they gaue mee bitternesse and in my drinke they gaue mee gâ—ll to drinke Nowe this prophesie is accomplished Dauid spake this in his owne person typically but the veriâ—y thereof was fulfilled in Christ Dauid got no vineger to drinke but Iesus Christ drunke vineger When the Lord came into the world wrought the worke of our redemption there was not so much as a title that was foretold of Him but He fulfilled it there was not a circumstance of His death but it was fore-tolde That nayling was fore-tolde where it is said They pearced mine hands and my feete The hanging of Him betwixt two Thieues was fore-tolde They reckon me saies the Prophet amoâ—g the vnjust The diuiding of His garmentes was fore-spoken They diuidâ—d my garmentes among them and cast lottes for my coat Looke the XXII and IXVI. PSALMES and the LIII CHAPTER of ESAY So this drinking of vineger was foretolde Nowe what learnes this vnto vs Was there euer any man whose death was pointed out this waye No neuer any one All the Kinges nor all the Emperoures had neuer such a particular pointing out of their death This lets vs see that the Father had a more speciall care of the death of IESVS than of the death of anie man that euer vvas and consequentlie it lets vs see that there vvas neuer such a vvorthie personage in the vvorlde as IESVS and that there was neuer such excellencie in the death of any as in the death of Iesus in it stood the life of the world Let men make pompes of the death of Emperours the Lord had neuer such an eye to the death of any as to the death of His onely well beloued Sonne and all the predictions of His death are to this end that wee comparing the issue of His death with the predictions wee might beleeue that Iesus was sent to bee the onely Sauiour of the world When I thinke on this I wonder at the
yet it will be a weake voyce because the strength of nature failes Yet Iesus all the day before vttered not so shrill a voyce So it must follow that naturall strength was not failed in Iesus Christ and that by the strength of nature hee might haue liued long for the other two liued long and were not dead till they came and brake their legges Iesus died against nature neither was hee broken as they were What followes of this Iesus Christ in that same moment that he yeelded the spirit hee had a power aboue nature and a diuine power against nature which puts out the life and if he had power against nature to put out his life hee vttered before the Iewes that they had no power to put out his life and that hee had a power to keepe his life if it had pleased him And that is it which he saies None takes my life from mee but I laye it downe and I take it vp againe Yee will heare that when worde came to Pilate that IESVS was dead hee wondered and all the world wondered at this yeelding vp of the spirit And by this the Lord would shewe that hee was not a common man hee would shewe that he was God either to keepe his life or to put it out at his pleasure Hee saies Father into thine handes I commende my spirite These wordes are farre from this My God my God why hast c. for those words proceeded of great sadnesse mixed with confidence but of no joye but these wordes Father into thine handes c. as they proceeded of confidence so they proceeded of a wonderfull joye No doubt at this time hee feeles that sweete hande of the Father dealing with him moste sweetelie not as the reprobate Alas the hande of the Lorde in justice striking the soule of the reprobate looses it from the bodie with the sense of extreame wrath But the Lord feeles the hande of the Father loosing his soule from the bodie with sweetnesse And all they who die in CHRIST will feele the Father loosing the soule with sweetnesse as these last wordes vtter Looke to the Martyres they neuer vtter the first voyce My God my God c. No but the second Father into thine handes I commende my spirite because they find joye in torment Steuen the first Martyr vttered the second voyce ACTS CHAP. VII VERS 59. And the rest of the Martyres followed him which testifies plainelie that this was a voyce of joye that IESVS vttered But marke the wordes of CHRIST yee see that euerie man and vvoman beside the bodie they haue a spirite and more beautifull and farre more precious of substance than the bodie and yet it lodges in an house of claye and in an earthlie Tabernacle Next there will bee a separation of the soule and the bodie Thou thinkest euer to liue but whether thou wilt or thou wilt not thy soule shall bee separate from the bodie and then the bodie shall die Shall thy soule die No if thou bee in CHRIST the Father shall take thy soule Nowe againe Brethren see how carefull the Lord is of his soule at the poinct of death If Iesus who had no sinne is so carefull of his soule I pray thee who art a sinfull bodie how carefull shouldest thou bee thereof It must liue either in Heauen or in Hell if the Lord cryed so loude that the earth quaked again till the Temple rent asunder wilt not thou a sinfull creature bee carefull of thy soule A man should haue care of the soule at all times but chiefly at the houre of the separation for at that time the Deuill is busie to deuour thee and the golfe of Hell to swallowe thee vp Then looke how carefull thou shouldest be in following the example of Iesus to recommend the soule into the handes of the Father and looke how carefull thou art to render the soule into the handes of the Father the Father shall be as carefull to loose the soule if thou bee in Iesus Christ to conuoy it with Him to rest for euermore in His blessed bosome The LORD giue vs grace to commende our soules into the hands of that faithfull keeper in the houre of death and that wee maye finde Him readie to receiue and conuoye them with Him to that euerlasting rest purchased to vs through Christ To whom with the Father and the blessed Spirit be praise for euermore AMEN THE XXII LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVII verse 50 Then Jesus cryed againe with a loud voyce and yeelded vp the ghost verse 51 And beholde the vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine from the top to the bottome and the earth did quake and the stones were clouen verse 52 And the graues did open themselues and many bodies of the Saincts which slept arose verse 53 And came out of the graues after his resurrection and went into the holie Citie and appeared vnto manie verse 54 When the Centurion and they that were with him watching Iesus saw the earthquake and the things that were done they feared greatly saying Truely this was the Sonne of God MARKE CHAP. XV. verse 37 And Iesus cryed with a loude voyce and gaue vp the ghost verse 38 And the vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine from the top to the bottome verse 39 Now when the Centurion who stood ouer against him saw that he thus crying gaue vp the ghost he said Truely this man was the Son of God LVKE CHAP. XXIII verse 46 And Iesus cryed with a loude voyce and saide Father into thine handes I commende my spirite And when hee had thus said hee gaue vp the ghost verse 47 Now when the Centurion sawe what was done hee glorified God saying Of a suretie this man was just verse 48 And all the people that came together to that sight beholding the things that were done smote their breasts and returned IOHN CHAP. XIX verse 30 Now when Iesus had receiued of the vineger hee said It is finished and bowed his head and gaue vp the ghost WEE heard the last daye vvelbeloued Brethren the sundrie voyces and speaches vvhich Iesus Christ vvhilest Hee hung quicke on the Crosse and vvas nayled thorow handes and feete vttered in the audience of the vvhole people The first two voyces vvere the voyces of pittie and mercie The one of mercie to one of the Thieues that vvas crucified vvith Him Verily saies the Lord this day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradise The other of pittie to His owne Mother vvho stood by looking on Him when as Hee hung vpon the Crosse in extreame paine recommending her to IOHN His welbeloued Disciple Other two voyces were voyces of sadnesse and heauinesse of heart The one an heauie complaint to His Father My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee The other proceeding from an extreame drought that came of that sense of wrath and paine which Hee felt during the time that Hee hung vpon the Crosse I thirst The last two
voyces vvere of joye for it appeares well that before the Lord gaue vp the ghost comfort and joye returned to Him againe And I am of this mind that there are none who are Gods owne but before their departure out of this life sooner or later they will get a sense of that joye which they are to passe vnto immediatelie The first voyce of joye was All is ended As though Hee vvoulde saye This wâ—â—ke is done and ended and nowe the ransome of the redemption of man is payed to the least farthing Nowe the last voyce vvas vvhen Hee vvas immediatelie readie to render vp His spirite into the handes of the Father sayes with a feeling of joy in the heart Into thine hands Father J commend my Spirit Now this day we haue to speake by His grace First of His death and the yeelding vp of His Spirit Next of those wonders that fell out immediatly after the Lord had rendered the Spirit and thirdly we haue to speake how the multitude were mooued when they sawe these wonders Novve as concerning His death the words are but few Iohn sayes When Hee had spoken and cried with a loude voyce Hee bowed downe His head and He rendered His Spirit The wordes are to be marked Hee renders His Spirit first as it were Hee tooke His soule in His owne Hande and deliuered it in the handes of the Father desiring Him to keepe it well to the day of His glorious resurrection for Brethren this is the difference betweene the godly vngodly in their death as they differ and are vnlike to other in their life so especially in their death The vngodly cast away the soule and life and cares not where it goes but woe is to them that doe so they will neuer take vp such a life againe when they haue cast it awaye not regarding where it goes to but thinking lightly of it No let no man nor woman cast away this life or dislodge this soule lightly if the soule goe from thee lightly and thou carest not for it better it were for thee neuer to haue had a life a soule or a body But againe Brethren The Lord Iesus as all His lifetime Hee is carefull for the soule that is lodged in an earthly tabernacle so chiefly in the moment when it is to fllit The godly they will not let the soule flit out of the body vntill they know that the hand of the Lord is sweetly loosing the soule to keepe it vntill the day of their glorious resurrection Brethren it would be well marked There is not one of the foure Euangelists Matthew Marke Luke or Iohn but they note very precisely the death of the Lord and the yeelding vp of His Spirit As for the circumstances that fell out in His Passion some will note one thing and leaue another As for example These voyces that He vtters on the Crosse not one of the Euangelists hath them all some hath one and some another But when it comes to the yeelding of the Spirit they all in one harmonie note The Lord gaue vp the Spirit This is a thing not to be passed by nor to be lightly looked on and it lets vs see the death of our Sauiour the separation of His soule from His body is so substantiall and so needfull a thing both to Him to haue suffered and vs to knowe that except the Lord had suffered the death all the crucifying of Him inwardly outwardly all the rest of His suffering had auailed vs nothing the ransome of our sinnes had not bene payed for that was the curse that was laide vpon vs to pull our soule from our bodie and as it was needfull that He should suffer the death for vs so it is needfull to euery one of vs to knowe this that my Sauiour died and His soule was really separated from His body it is needfull that thou haue euermore the Lord Iesus crucified before thee and know that the soule was separated from His blessed body for grace and remission of sinnes is conquered thorow the death of the Mediatour if thou hast not Faith of the death of the Mediatour it is vnpossible that thou canst beleeue that thy soule shall come to Heauen The Apost Heb. 9. hath a notable comparison hee sayes When a man hath made a Testament and his legacie wherein hee leaues such inheritance to any man his Testament can neuer bee sure nor ratified before the man be dead and if he ratifie not the Testament with his death it cannot bee sure for the man in this life may alter the Testament But after that once he die there it stands it cannot be reuoked Euen so sayes the Apostle The Heire of the world Iesus Christ hath made a Testament and such one as neuer man made leauing such goods and heritage to His Saints as neuer man left euen that heauenly Heritage that exceeding Glorie Now sayes the Apostle If the Heire of the World Iesus Christ had not sealed vp His Testament by His blood it had neuer beene sure but His death interueening and closing it then the Testament is sure all the world is not able to alter one jote of it to adde or diminish it Woe be to him that will adde any thing to the Testament of Iesus Christ he is counted a villaine who will adde to a mans Testament Wilt thou adde or diminish any thing at thy pleasure from the Testament of Iesus Christ This Newe Testament is the best Testament that euer was Let Worldlings bee content with the Testaments of their forefathers yet count thou nothing at all except thou get a part of the legacie left in His Testament Woe bee to thee albeit thou get Eaâ—ledomes and Kingdomes and great possessions left to thee by the Testament of thy forefathers if thou gettest not this Testament Well Brethren this Testament can not be ratified but by the blood of the Testator How can I beleeue it except I know that He died and that the soule was as verily separated from the body as euer the soule of man was so when I consider the death of my Sauiour who hath made such a Testament I am so farre from that to bee offended at that shamefull death that the death is the ground of my saluation and that in His death is all my glorie the assurance of my life is in the assurance of His death and His ignominie and shame is my glorie Now thus farre for the death of the Lord Iesus Now come to the consideration of these wonders that fell out immediately as He gaue vp the Ghost The Vaile of the Temple rent asunder from the toppe to the bottome The earth quaked Such things neuer fell out in all the deathes of men in the world No not in the deathes of all the Kings in the world The stones were clouen the graues of the dead did open These are the foure wonders that are noted to haue fallen out immediatly when the Lord gaue vp the Ghost Brethren
greater wonder to see a regenerate man from whome that scroofe is taken away than that all the rockes should rent This for the first wonder now followes the second The Earth quakes No doubt but with the quaking of the earth there was a sore dinne whilst the soule of the Lord separated from the body O! what a thing was it to draw the soule of the Sauiour of the world from the body No the renting of the rockes was nothing in respect of that drawing of the soule of the Mediatour from the body The Earth is holden vp by the mightie hand of the Lord and when it shakes the mightie hand of the Lord shakes it When the Lord begins to shake His arme all the mountaines shakes it is no jesting for if Hee hit thee Hee will bruse thee in pieces although all the world were about thee What is miserable man doing that will not knowe the power of the Almightie God This shaking meanes a threatning to this people and the earth threatens to swallowe them all vp for their indignitie they wrought to their Lord their Maker If thou dishonourest thy Maker the earth shall open and swallow thee vp as it did Core Dathan and Abiram who withstood Moyses No it is a wonder that the earth should beare men No I protest I would not wonder so much if the earth opened and swallowed some men as I wonder that the Lord in His long suffering patience spares them and holds His hand and Iudgement off them It is a wonder that the houses fall not downe on the blasphemers and the chambers where they commit their filthinesse should not smoother them But Hee shall cause an heauier thing fall on the body and soule than a thousand mountaines were tumbled on them thou doest nothing but heapes vp wrath as the Apost sayes against the day of wrath No wrath and heauie wrath shall be heaped on them So the earth threatens thâ—m for the indignitie they did to their Lord. Yee see that after the earth quaked it will swallow vp townes and people but shee swallowes them not vp now but the earth vomites them out as not worthie to beare them in her bellie No she thought them ouer bitter to be within her who had dishonoured her Creator but afterward looke what came on them The earth will reuenge that foule thing done to her Lord the land of Iudea spued them out and the earth will not let that cursed kinde haue a foot-breadth of her O! what is it to haue battell with the Creator when He begins to arme the earth or any creature against thee we would thinke that this shaking of the earth should haue mooued them yet tâ—ey take no thought for it At the voyce of the Lord the earth did shake but did the Priests and the Scribes shake Are they mooued at the dinne and shaking of the earth So againe I say there is nothing so vnmooueable No not the earth as thine hardened heart will be at all the denunciations that will come from Heauen or Hell saue thy selfe from a reprobate sense or else thou shalt neuer bee wakened till thou bee thrust into hell where thou shalt bee tormented vvith endlesse vexation without any hope of comfort This for the second wonder Nowe let vs come to the clieuing of the Mountaines This followes on the former as the earth opened to swallow them so the mountaines cloue to tumble vpon them The mountaines will not suffer them to dishonour their maker What mooued this the Iewes Euen as much as the other two No question it was a great and terrible noyse when the mountaines cloue Woe to a senselesse heart The mountaines may clieue and shiuer and quake but if thy soule bee giuen to induration the stones mountaines shall bee mooued and broken but thine heart shall neuer breake Woe againe to a senselesse heart which is not mooued at the word of God that Scepter of yron whereof ye reade 2. Psal shall light on thee bruise thee in pieces Therfore cast away that vaile froÌ„ thine heart and striue to keepe light in thy soule conscience and walke in sobriety till thy God call on thee and then thou shalt see a blessed ende Nowe wee come to the last wonder which was wrought The graues doe their duetie they forget not their maker but in their manner they glorifie their Lord God and honour Him yea death it selfe with the graue doe Him homage and honour But miserable man will not honour Him The graues laye open from three a clock after noone for about three a clock the Lord gaue vp the ghost and they lay open all that day all that night all the daye following and the next night till the morning that the Lord rises and then the bodies of the Sainctes also arole by vertue of His resurrection and went into the Citie The graues will tell the miserable people that the Lord Iesus had loosed the bandes of the graue by His death By death He slew death with her owne sword He slew her as wee speake Shee would teach them that the bodies in that Great day shall rise vp by the vertue of that resurrection of Iesus Christ This question may bee asked What became of those bodies which arose went into the City Did they lay them down againe in the graue or ascended they to Heauen I will not bee curious in this purpose But in my judgement they were taken vp to the heaueÌ„s with Iesus Christ to be an argumeÌ„t of our resurrection going to the heauens This was a faire lesson but this miserable people was not moued Woe to a stonie senselesse heart the graue may open but nothing will open a senselesse soule Therefore I beseech you striue to get a soft and mollified heart The voyce of Iesus made the earth to quake the rockes to rent the graues to open the deade to rise but the voyce of the LORD opened not their heartes then He opens the graues It is an easier thing to raise a dead body out of the graue than to raise thy soule if it bee once haâ—dened it is more wonderfull to raise a deade soule and to see that soule get a sense of Heauen than to see all the bodies of the Church-yard rising Nowe to compare these wonders There are two of them The first and the last that teach this people The other two the second and the third that threatens them The quaking of the earth and the renting of the rockes threaten a damnage and destruction to them and in this temperature of His wonders As the power of God so the wisdome of God appeares wonderfully He threatens this people for the indignitie that they had done to the LORD of glorie with Hell and death yet Hee holds vp His handes O! how vnwilling He is to strike but if He light on thee Hee will cause thee squeele He is ayming Hee is shaking that terrible arme and threatning them in the meane time
the Lord is remembring His mercie and teaches them by wonders to looke yet if they will take a lesson to repent of all the indignitie that they had done Hee threatens them with the one hand and offers mercie with the other to see if they will repent This is the dealing of the Lord Hee warnes them and He sayes Yet I will not swallow thee vp with the earth and I will not let the rockes tumble downe on thee to deuoure thee yet repent for there is gâ—ace for thee if thou turnest Brethren no man shall goe to Hell without aduertisement to stand to the end that if thou wilt not repent when the Lord begins to put hand in thee and to rent thee thy mouth may be closed that thou canst not say Lord I got no warning all excuses shall be put away Alas will not men learne for all this shaking of the mountaines Lord shake these hearts of ours the Lord be merciful to all sinful soules to senslesse creatures lest wheÌ„ they shall cry Peace all things are sure enough theÌ„ sudden iudgement approach the wrath come ouertake them Now come to y e last thing I shall end Are there none y t are moued at all at these wonders Amongst so many hundreths thousands is there not one moued yes there are some moued who are these are the high Priests moued No not a whit is there any of y e rest of y e order of y e Priests moued Not They continue blinde and dumbe Are the Pharises and the Scribes or the Elders mooued No They are not mooued but the more they heare their heartes are the more hardened Who are then mooued at these vvonders It is an Ethnicke bodie a Captaine of men of vvarre vnder PILATE and a Pagane vvho neuer once knewe GOD yet vvhen hee sees this and hearde the voyces hee saies Of a suretie this man was just And more hee saies Truely this was the Sonne of GOD. Is there anie moe Yes A bande of men of vvarre Not of the IEVVES but such as had liued on robberie vvithout the feare of GOD they feared greatly and saide also Truely this man was the Son of GOD. Who of the IEVVES is mooued Not the Scribes and the Pharises and the rest of the Order they are nothing moued but the sillie multitude vvho cryed before Crucifie him nowe they goe home smiting on their breastes and crying vvoe to them for that dayes labour but there vvas neuer a motion in the Priestes or in anie of the Princes or Pharises or Scribes It is a vvonderfull thing to see that they vvho had judgement and vnderstanding and who had read all the prophecies of the MESSIAS to come gotte no sense yet a sillie multitude gettes some sight and sense Woulde yee knowe and poinct out a senselesse creature vvho vvill not bee mooued neither by vvorke nor vvorde It is such a man as hath this vvorldly wisedome Such a man as hath knowledge and yet does against his knowledge and conscience for all that these Priestes and Pharises did vvas both against knowledge and conscience They repined against the Holy Spirit and against their conscience they crucifie Iesus Whosoeuer thou art who opponest thee to the brightnes of the Gospell thou crucifiest the Lord of glory and as it shal be layed to the charge of the high Priests and Pharises and of Pilate and Herode in that Great daye that they crucified IESVS CHRIST So it shall bee layed to thy charge and thou shalt bee as guiltie of His blood as they Woe to that soule which vvill resist that word and the Holy Spirite Woe shall bee to the great men in this land vvho against conscience conspires against CHRIST Religion and their natiue Countrey for vvrath and vengeance remaineth for them if they leaue not off this vnhappie course The King of SPAINE and all their associates shall not bee able to holde vengeance off them that shall one daye bee heaped vpon their heads The LORD saue vs from induration and neuer suffer vs to repine against Light nor to scrape it out of our soule and conscience I see heere further The LORD gettes moe friendes in His death than in His life The Centurion and the men of vvarre they curse the time that euer they vvere employed in that seruice The multitude vvho bad crucifie Him thorowe blindnesse and ignorance nowe they repent the time that euer they did it and they returne homewardes knocking vpon their breastes That immaculate Lambe that precious Sacrifice hanging thus on the Crosse Hee cast such a sweete smell on the earth and on the people that they vvho vvere His enemies goe awaye mourning This falles out often times in the Martyres for some people goes out with them who woulde eate them and yet the LORD IESVS makes their death to cast such a sweete smell that it is effectuall to mooue manie thousandes to mourne and to bee conuerted So that it is founde to bee true that the bloode of the Martyres is the seede of the Kirke And they who woulde haue swallowed them before in their death pitties them and become their friendes thorowe the sweete smell which they felt comming from their death and would goe home mourning that euer they were enemies vnto them and were instrumentes of their death Therefore let the enemies of the trueth persecute the Sainctes of GOD and His Trueth with Fire and Sworde as they please They shall gette no vantage and they shall not gette this Light quenched for there shall such a sweete smell arise out of the ashes of the Sainctes which in despight of the enemies farre moe shall bee wonne to IESVS CHRIST by their death than euer was wonne to Him by their life To Him therefore vvith the Father and the Holie Spirite bee all Honour Praise and Glorie for euermore AMEN THE XXIII LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVII verse 55 And many women were there beholding him afarre off who had followed Iesus from Galile ministring vnto him verse 56 Among whom was Marie Magdalene and Marie the Mother of Iames and Ioses and the mother of Zebedeus sonnes MARKE CHAP. XV. verse 40 There were also women who behelde afarre off among whome was Marie Magdalene and Marie the Mother of James the lesse and of Ioses and Salome verse 41 Who also when Hee was in Galile followed Him and ministred vnto Him and manie other women who came vp with Him vnto Hierusalem LVKE CHAP. XXIII verse 49 And all his acquaintance stoode afarre off and the women that followed him from Galile beholding these thinges IOHN CHAP. XIX verse 31 The Iewes then because it was the Preparation that the bodies shoulde not remaine vpon the Crosse on the Sabbath daye for that Sabbath was an high dayâ— besought Pilate that their legges might bee broken and that they might bee taken downe WEE haue heard these dayes past beloued Brethren in Christ what was the part of the whole
multitude of the wicked and persecuters of IESVS CHRIST in crucifying Him in taunting and scorning Him Doubtlesse there were in that companie some of the godlie who loued the LORD IESVS but seeing we haue heard nothing of them as yet therefore this daye wee shall speake somewhat in their behalfe Nowe what are they doing in the meane time They are standing afar off Some men many women who all that time had followed Him before standing to see that sadde spectacle yet with sadnesse they had joye no question And this is the first part of our TEXT which wee haue read out of MATTHEVV MARKE and LVKE After this wee enter into the Historie of Christs buriall But before we come to His buriall wee haue in the XIX CHAPTER of IOHN the Historie of the taking downe of His bodie from the Crosse So at this time by Gods grace wee shall speake of these two to wit Of the part of the godlie who loued Him and next Of the taking downe of that blessed bodie from the Crosse after it was dead Then to come shortly to the purpose It is saide And all his acquaintance stood afarre off There is the generall Then comes on the particular Manie women particular mention is made of them Manie women are standing afarre off looking on Wee heard of before in the XIX of IOHN vers 23. of three women chiefely Marie the Mother of Iesus and other two Maries together with His well-beloued Disciple IOHN and they were standing at that time when Hee hung quicke vpon the Crosse so neare hand Him that He speakes to them from the Crosse and they hearde Him So Brethren this standing afarre off at this time as I take it hath beene after the Lord had giuen vp the ghost when the women are returning home againe being loath to part companie with Him and as they were going home they turned about looked to Iesus hinging on the Crosse on Moūt Caluarie They stand first near thē turning home again they stand afar off No questiō it was y e loue they bare to the Lord that drue thē after him whē he went to be crucified y t same loue y t they bare to him was so tender entire y t it made them to stand look on him when he hung on the Crosse and y t loue they bare to y e Lord Iesus made thē to seuer frō the rest of the multitude and to gather themselues together and looke backe to Him where Hee was hanging For this is a sure thing Those that meete together in one faith and loue in the Lord Iesus of meere force they must meet together among themselues and be linked together by the band of loue in one bodie By the contrary those who meet not together in one faith in Iesus Christ their hearts will neuer be joyned in this world they will neuer meet to make one body they will neuer separate themselues from the multitude of this world No if it were all my kinred father and mother brother and sister if they loue not the Lord Iesus mine heart and his shall neuer bee linked together in this worlde nor in the worlde to come Hee that loueth not the Lord Iesus as Paul saies 1. Corin. Chap. 16. let him be Anathema maran-atha that is cursed for euermore But hee who loues the Lord Iesus and meetes with mee in Him let him bee what hee will let him bee in the vtmoste corner of the worlde mine heart and his is linked together and there is a conjunction which neuer shall bee separated neither in the Heauen nor in the Earth it shall last for euer Brethren when I consider this multitude heere standing looking vpon Him when Hee hung vpon the Crosse I thinke I see an image of the whole worlde for it is a worlde of people who are standing about Him there are Gentiles there are Jewes and the false adulterous kirke there are Priestes Pharises Elders blinde guides of the people a prophane multitude enemies of all sorts And as there are manie enemies to Christ So there is a sillie handfull of godlie men and women gathered together looking vpon that sadde spectacle who resembled the true Kirke militant heere vpon the face of the earth And as in all this multitude like drawes to like The vvicked and the vngodlie ranke themselues together The Priests ranke themselues together The souldiours ranke themselues together and also the godly ranke themselues together and looke vpon that sadde spectacle their Lord crucified Well this is common to all all are standing looking to CHRIST hanging on the Crosse vpon the toppe of the Mount Caluarie Jewe and Gentile wicked and godlie all are looking But in looking there is a great difference There are some delighting their eyes vvith the spectacle there are some feeding the malice of their heartes and drinking the blood of IESVS CHRIST the Priestes the Pharises and the Elders But the godlie are looking on vvith sadnesse of their heartes And I doubt not but as with sadnesse so also they are looking on Him vvith joy by faith in His glorious resurrection There are manie this same houre who haue their eyes fixed on Christ both Turkes and Paganes and the true Kirke and the false Kirke but one cause mooues not all Take heede therefore howe thou lookest either to His Crosse or to His glorie looke that thy soule bee set on Him and see that by looking vnto Him thou preasse to bee partaker of the fruite of His death and resurrection for if thou lookest to Him for the fashion or in malice as the Turkes doe and the Pagans and the Papistes enemies to His Crosse thou shalt perish better had it bene to thee neuer to haue heard of Iesus or neuer to haue seene Him Further this would be well considered We see if we haue a friend whō we loue well if he betaken out to a shamefull death there was neuer such a shamefull death as this we will thinke shame of him and he will thinke shame that his friendes shoulde see him in that estate Who would thinke but that the acquaintances of Iesus should haue thought shame of Him to haue conuoyed their friend to such an ignominious death and to haue seene Him so shamefully demained So that Brethren when I cōsider this matter well I perceiue that those His familiars and acquaintance haue seene further into Christ than men women doe commonly No doubt but the friends of Christ who came to see Him hanging in ignominie sawe life in that death they sawe glory in His ignominie otherwise they had neuer come to see Him hanging in ignominie And no doubt they felt a sweete perfume flowing from that Sacrifice It was the sweetest smelling Sacrifice that euer was offered All the perfume and incense that euer was offered passed not vp with such a sweete smell in the nosethrilles of the Father as that one blessed sacrifice did And as it smelled sweetly in the nosethrilles of the
with great weight and manie graue wordes Wee haue hearde before sundrie testimonies of His death The Lord in the last wordes Hee testifies of His owne death when Hee cryes Father into thine handes I commende my spirite All those wonders from the Heauen testified that the Lorde had giuen vp the ghoste His Heauenlie Father made the Burreoes and the men of warre to testifie that Hee was dead and to preach it to all the people about Now IOHN comes in last and with many words and wordes of great weight testifies that the Lorde gaue vp the ghoste What meanes all this Ye see there is not any thing in all the historie testified by so many testimonies The Spirit of God labours not to perswade vs of any thing in all His Passion so much as that He died and to certifie this that Hee was pearced with a speare To leaue the Heresies which fell in the worlde concerning the death of Christ for it was much to perswade the world of it they would not beleeue that IESVS died truelie All these testimonies lets vs see such a necessitie to bee in the death of IESVS that except the LORD had died as truelie as euer man died Hee coulde not haue beene our Redeemer And except Hee had died truelie wee coulde neuer haue beleeued to haue beene saued by Him Except I knowe as truelie as euer I knewe any thing in the worlde that my Redeemer died for mee I woulde neuer goe seeke life out of His death Indeed a wanton sinner who is ladeÌ„ with sin feeles not the weight thereof so loÌ„g as his coÌ„science is sleeping that he feeles not y e burreo sees not y t fearfull wrath that caÌ„not be quenched without bloode that terrible justice of God y t cannot be satisfied but by death will count little of the death of Christ It is alike to him whether He had died or no so loÌ„g as thou sleepest al is alike but after the coÌ„scieÌ„ce is wakened the Lord once let thee feele the weight of thy sinnes wherewith thou art ladned No if thou diddest but feele the weight of an euill thought thou wouldest groane as fast as if the mountaines and rockes were tumbled on thee and then thou wouldâ—st thinke no life nor saluation for thee but Hell and damnation if thou gottest not a Sauiour for thee and if thou feelest that Iustice of God and the terrours of Hell before thee the sight of the death of Iesus would be the most joyfull and comfortable sight that euer thou sawest and all thy joy glorie would be in that death of Christ Paul sayes Gal. 6.14 Far be it from me that I should reâ—oyce in any thing but in the death of Christ he fouÌ„d all his life to be in that death 1. Cor. 2.2 he sayes When I came amongst you to speake of the death of Christ to you who knew not what it meant a vaine companie they were who delited in vaine oratorie I would not begin to clawe your itching eares but I decreed to know nothing but Iesus Christ and Him crucified Nowe Brethren besides this In these wordes that IOHN sets downe and 〈◊〉 the which hee aggreadges his testimonie marke another lesson Will ye see from whence our Faith comes from whence comes our Faith from whence flowes it IOHN sayes And he that saw it bare record and his recorde is true and he knoweth that hee saith true that they should beleeue From whence then comes Faith in this death it comes by hearing Faith is of hearing of a testimonie and recorde and if thou hearest not a record thou shalt not beleeue and if thou beleeuest not thou shalt neuer see Heauen And if thou contemnest the recorde I giue thee this doome thou shalt neuer see Heauen with thine eyes if thou werest a King So Faith is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit by a recorde and witnesse bearing So ere thou gettest Faith some witnesse must stand vp and beare recorde The Lord must send out some witnesse to cry and preach but what witnesses must these be IOHN sayes He that saw these things hath testified of them The witnesses must be seeing witnesses it must be Iohn and such as saw Him and felt Him with their handes Then who must bee the witnesses They must be the Apostles that were conuersant in this world with Iesus Christ who heard Him preach and saw Him vvorke vvonders and savv Him dead and savv Him crucified and savve Him pierced thorovv the side They must be the first witnesses But more Brethren Is it enough that they savve Him with their bodily eye No Iohn addes more that hee vvas persvvaded that his testimonie was true The vvitnesses as they testifie that vvhich they savve so they must beleeue it vvith their heartes There were great multitudes hundreths thousands vvho heard Him touched Him and savv Him crucified and some of them crucified Him too yet none of these are made vvitnesses to preach to the vvorld but the Apostles vvho savv and beleeued these are set vp as witnâ—sses in y e world that all should beleeue TheÌ„ the first ground of thy Faith is the very eye of the Apostles their sight and sense The next ground is Faith in the heartes of the Apostles And if yee will say to me Why beleeue ye the Gospell of Iohn and the Gospell of Matthew and the Epistles of Paul c. I answere because these were men who heard and saw Christ and I will say more I beleeue them because they beleeued in their heartes that thing which they saw and goe before not onely by sight of the body but also by Faith in the heart When yee heare these recordes albeit the men be not liuing yet we haue that same thing that they wrote and that which they themselues beleeued I beseech you consider them and passe not ouer lightly when yee reade of Iohn or Paul or the rest I beseech you passe not lightly seeing the ground of thy Faith is not onely their sight but the sense of their heartes and Faith ye who would read with judgement trauell to goe into the heart to seeke that Faith into the heart and that joy and that sadnesse that they felt and pray LORD seeing these men vtter a feeling of these things that they saw and which they wrote touch mine heart and giue me thine Holy Spirit that I may attaine to the sense and feeling of these things If ye would haue a testimonie of this beholde what PAVL sayes in the second Epistle to the Corinthians the fourth Chapter and fourteenth verse I beleeue that I my selfe shall gloriously rise and then he brings in Dauids wordes J beleeued and therefore I spake Alwayes looke that in reading we striue to haue a feeling and sense in our heart of that which we read otherwise we make no fruit of our reading we speake like parrats wee know not what we speake I say to thee if the word of grace rise not from the
Christ I goe to the second testimonie Zacharie 12.10 prophecies that the Iewes that pierced thorovv Christ should see Him and vvhen they see Him they should vveepe for Him as for their only begotten sonne It is a prophecie of the repentance of the Jewes vvho had crucified Christ pierced Him thorovv a promise of their repentance for that vvofull deede they did This same thing came to passe in the 2. of the Acts vvhen Peter in his preaching laide to their charge that wicked deede that they had crucified the Lord of glorie had put hand into the Lord of life at his preaching their hearts were pricked pierced thorow with bitternesse they demand of Peter the rest What shall they doe to be safe it is said three thousand of them repented beleeued at that one preaching The words wold be marked How is this that They pierced Iesus They pierced Him first with their sins it was the Jewes sins chiefly that procured the death of Christ Next they pierced Him when they persecuted Him when they crucified Him blasphemed Him and rayled on Him hanging on the crosse last they pierced Him when by the speare in the handes of a souldier they thrust Him thorow and pierced His side And who is this that pierced Him It was not so much the Ethnicke man that did this as the Iewes for whose sinnes Hee came to die for they were the occasion of all this wickednes If we will marke narrowly and will weigh narrowly this matter aright we will see great wickednesse malice and vnthankfulnesse to haue bene in this people The Lord came to die for them And who are these that slay Him Euen these for whome He came to die Was not this a mischieuous deede Who will not abhorre and detest such a villanie and malice Alas should I who am a sinner when an innocent man comes to die for my sinnes slay that man and be a burrio to Him Lord saue mee from such wickednesse and let neuer mine hands be a slayer of that man and yet this was the malice of the vngratefull Iewes Againe will ye consider the wonderfull loue that Christ caried to this people when they deserued nothing at His hands but death He dies for them when they were His enemies He shed His blood sor them thereafter when they executed Him and crucified Him beholde His wonderfull loue Hee brings them to repentance His mercie ouercomes their malice so that in them ye see that which is said to be verified Where sinne aboundes grace and mercie superabounds ROM 5.20 There is no comparison betweene the loue of Iesus and the sinnes of men Albeit thy sinnes were neuer so great and hainous yet the loue mercie of Christ will compasse them and goe round about them all so that no sinner hath occasion to despare of mercie and of grace I doubt not there is none of vs all but we will condemne the Jewes and will finde fault with the malice of this people but looke to thy selfe whilst as thou condemnest them that thou disfigure thine owne face and condemne thine owne selfe Are there none in this land that haue put hand in Iesus that died for them as surely as euer the Iewes did Who dare cleanse themselues Thou darest not say but thou hast pierced the Lord either one way or other There is not a sinne that thou committest but therewith thou hast pierced the Lord. Hast thou opponed thy selfe to the Trueth and persecuted the Gospell then thou hast pierced Christ Hast thou persecuted the Church of Christ and troubled His members on the earth thou hast pierced the Lord for Hee cries out Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee 〈◊〉 Hast thou beene giuen ouer to thy lustes and led a wicked life I say if thou bee in any of these rankes if thou gaine standest His Trueth persecutest Him in His members or by thy euill life Protest as thou wilt thou hast pierced Him as well as the Iewes and thou shalt bee as guiltie of His death as they were and as Pilate Herode Iudas and Caiaphas were challenged for His death so shalt thou except the Lord of His mercie grant thee grace to repent The Lord giue euery one of vs grace in time to repent IOH. REVEL 1.7 drawes this Scripture to the second comming of Christ in the cloudes for hee sayes They shall see Him whom they haue pierced and all the Tribes of the earth shall mourne before Him Of the which wee may gather that in the latter daye the very Elect when they shall rise and see the Lord when they shall see these handes and these seete and that side which by their sinnes they haue pierced thorow their first meeting shall bee with bitter mourning they shall mourne as a man will doe for His onely begotten sonne but immediatly that weeping shall be turned into joy and the Lord shall wipe away all teares from their eyes so that they shall neuer mourne nor sorrow any more but they shall be with the Lord and rejoyce with a solide joy for euer more Now I come to the buriall of that blessed body As the downe taking from the crosse came by a request so this buriall also comes by request But who requests for His buriall Not the Iewes that requested for His downe taking but good Ioseph of Arâ—mathea requests for the buriall The Iewes requested not for any loue they bare to Him but Joseph that worthy disciple of Christ requests vpon loue Then the thinges that we shall speake of the buriall this day are these First by the conference of the foure Euangelists wee haue a faire description of this man Ioseph Next we haue especially in the Gospell of Luke how boldly he comes to Pilate thirdly we haue the suite it selfe then the good and humane answere that he receiues out of the mouth of Pilate Then looke how this man is pointed out First he is described by his name his name is Ioseph Next hee is described by his countrey he vvas of Arimathea a tovvne in Iudea Thirdly he vvas described from his substance Hee was a rich and wealthie man and vvhat more What matter of all outvvard things of our birth of the place of it or all the riches and substance in the vvorld if there be no more Fourthly he is described from his office He was a wise and graue Senator and apparantly hee was in that Councell of the IEVVES which was called SANEDRIM yea apparantly he was on PILATES couÌ„sell because he was a wise and potent man But all these are outwarde thinges therefore the Spirit afterward paints him out by his inward qualities for if thou haue no good properties I will not giue a pennie for all thy calling thy substance and all outwarde thinges Hee is painted out in these qualities which concerne this life his behauior toward meÌ„ he is called a good vpright maÌ„ in his life But what helpe all these ciuill and morall vertues
if there bee no more they are little worth Therfore the Spirit of God describes him from the inwarde grace of the heart from faith and hope And it is saide Hee waited for the kingdome of God All his riches closed not his eyes from the sight of that life to come Then as hee hoped for y t Kingdome so hee vsed the meanes Hee beleeued in Iesus Christ and was His Disciple So then if thou bee not a scholler to Christ in this earth looke neuer to dwell with Him in Heauen Yet there is something wanting Hee durst not avowe himselfe openlie for feare of his riches and honour But now at last when it comes to extreame persecution hee manifestes himselfe When they sate in the Counsell concerning the death of Christ IOSEPH would not giue his counsell nor consent thereunto But yet there is an impediment in this man for he should not only haue refrained to haue giuen his consent but should haue opponed himselfe against them as Nicodemus did for he opponed himselfe boldly vnto them Doeth our law saies he condemne a man before he be heard IOH. 7.50 where learne yee that So yee see it is an hard and dangerous matter to bee a Counseller either in Kirke or in Policie There will bee many impedimentes in Counsellers yea euen in the best of them and yee see that when harde matters doe come in question men will absent themselues from the Councell but that is not well done For if thou bee a Counseller albeit there were neuer so hard a matter in hand thou art bound in conscience to bee present But indeede it is better to absent thy selfe than to come and giue an euill vote Againe there are some who will come but will not consent to euill as IOSEPH here did But this is not enough there is an infirmity here for thou that art a Counseller art bound to make opposition to euill Again there are other some who will come not only refuse to consent to that which their cōscience judges to be euil but also wil oppone themselues boldly thereunto as Nicodemus did And these are the best sort of Counsellers Alwayes wee see this It is an harde matter to be a good Counseller for often times this terrour and that terrour will bee casten in to thee if thou incline either this waye or that way and somtimes the matter will fall out so ambiguously that thou wilt not know howe to vote or what way to turne thee So that of all men he who is a Coūseller either in Kirke or Policie in these dangerous dayes wherein such terrours are casten in hath most need to depēd vpon the coūsel of God reuealed in His word in all things to keepe a good cōscience Let no man offer to doe against his consciēce for then the cōscience shall take hold on him intend a processe against him and challenge him conuict him and torment him with anguish before the Lords Tribunall This for the description of the man We must not thinke y t by fortune or chance or of his owne accord rashly he came to this point No the prouidence of God guided him led him out for that purpose And in this action God had respect not only to the Heauēly honour of Christ but also to the worldly things to riches power The Lord chose a worldly rich potent man to bury Him to this end that the Iewes who by all meanes sought to heape shame ignominie vpon the Lord should not oppone themselues staye Him to be buried for if it had bene a poore or meane man that had taken this in hande doubtlesse they had opponed themselues hindered His buriall Againe an honourable man is chosen to bury His Sonne honourablie The Father will haue an Honourable riche man to burie His deare Sonne Indeede Ioseph of Arimathea got neuer such honour as by y t buriall of the blessed body of Iesus the Son of God His calling was nothing he had neuer bin registrate for y t he was a Senator in Iudea except that the Lord had put in his hand the buriall of His deare Son It is true the buriall of the Lord Iesus is the last point of His humiliation for what is the buriall of the body but the continuance of y e body vnder death And if thy burial be not sanctified it is a terrible thing to be casten in a hole to be bound vnder the earth Woe to that bodie who is casten into a hole and in the bellie of the earth and if it bee not sanctified in the buriall of IESVS CHRIST So I say the buriall of Iesus Christ was the last poinct of His humiliation Hee was holden in the fetters of death Yet the Lorde begins the glory of the Son at that which was ignominious in it selfe He will not employ euery man in this work but the most honourable man in the Citie And then Hee will haue His Buriall not in a vile place nor in a backside but in a notable faire place couered with a stone So the Heauenly Father will haue the honour of the Sōne His glory to begin at the buriall which was shamefull in it selfe and then Hee goes forward till His resurrection and to His ascending to Heauen sitting at the right hand of the Father To worldlinges this honour of their buriall is but a part of worldly honour but heere vnto Christ that same piece of honour was y e beginning of his heauenly glory If thou be in Iesus this same honour which is done to thy bodie in this life in thy buriall is the beginning of thy glory which thou shalt enjoy in the Heauens The dishonour of the faithful in this life shal be turned to their honour and glorie and it shall be turned to their weale All things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God saies Paul Rom. 8.29 If thou louest the Lord that shame that shall be heaped on thee in this earth shall bee the beginning of thine honour Then much more shall the honour that thou shalt get in this life bee the beginning of that euerlasting honour Now when Ioseph takes vp the body of y e Lord lying so low at the Gallowes foot and intends to bury that body I doubt not but he hath an eye to that glorious resurrection and he saw that glory wherewith that body should be glorified should glorifie the bodies of the faithfull make them like His glorious body If there were no more but that respect of the resurrection of the bodies of the faithfull in that daye it shoulde make vs count of the bodies of the faithfull of their death and buriall 1. Pet. 3.7 Ye reade that husband shoulde giue honour to their wiues because they are the infirmer and weake◠vessels and because that with them they are to bee heires of the kingdome of glorie and of that life Yee see this that if there vvere but an earthly body who were
appearing heire to a kingdome men will count of him Much more then when we see a man or woman ordained to that Heauenly kingdome and to that glory shoulde we not honour them for that respect of glory Paul to Tim. saies In a great house are many vessels some to honour some to dishonour Yee see in a Noble mans house howe honourably they will handle golden and siluâ—r vessels Then when we looke to a faithfull man should we not count greatly of him because hee is so glorious a vessell and is to be partaker of that glory All the glory of this world appertains properly to the faithfull Indeede often times they haue least part thereof that they maye knowe their happinesse standes not in this earthly glory but in that glory of Heauen the wicked haue most of it Yet I say All the glory euen of this world appertaines to the faithfull only No honour appertains to a king who is a reprobate He is but a violent vsurper of these worldly things and he shal one day giue account of his violent vsurpation nothing but shame appertaines to him and all his honour shall bee turned into shame Now I goe to the next thing The boldnes that Ioseph had in coÌ„ming to Pilate Hee lurked before but nowe when Iesus is lying in greatest ignominy as wee vse to speake At the Gallowes foot The man takes boldnes steps in to Pilates Hall makes his request His riches his substaÌ„ce honour held him abacke awhile but now he comes out forgets all interceades for the body of Iesus to burie it Thy riches honour of the worlde are like as many fetters yron chaines to retaine thee hold thee abacke from Christ Yet all the riches honour in the world cannot hinder nor hold backe GODS calling when Hee puts out His hande to drawe thee in to Him But if He put not out His hand draw thee out thou art so fast detained that all the strength in the worlde will not be able to draw thee It is true that Paul saies 1. Cor. 1.26 Ye see your calling how that not many wise men after the flesh nor many noble are called It is a rare thing to see the Lord draw such men He vses not to call many wise men out of the hands of their wisdome nor many rich men out of the hands of their riches nor many Noble men out of the handes of their Nobility No He lets them be We reade not of any potent men among the Jewes whom the Lord pulled out to be His Disciples except these two Ioseph Nicodemus There might haue beene moe among the Princes of the Iewes but wee find the names of no moe registrate O how hard a thing it is to draw a wise maÌ„ a mightie man or a Noble man to Christ for it is true that Christ saies It is as hard to drawe a rich man to Christ as to draw a Camell thorowe a needles eye To draw a great body thorow a needles eye is no lesse difficulty than to draw thee to Christ who art a Noble man who wilt sit vp talke of thy kinred of thy blood This doing of Ioseph may bee marueiled at Think ye not y t Ioseph should haue manifested himselfe rather in Iesus lifetime than nowe after His death When Hee was going working wonders and speaking such sweet sentences as neuer man spake yet all this moued him not to come foorth and shew himselfe But now Christ being in shame he comes out Whereunto shall I ascribe this I ascribe it to the force y t came from the death of Iesus There was neuer a liuing man in the world that had such force as y t dead body had No I say He had more power hanging dead on the crosse than when Hee was liuing in the world more mighty was His death than His life The Lord giue vs a sense feeling of y e force of y e death of Christ it is able to cause a dead body rise from death to life Iohn 12.24 He foretold y e power of His death When the corne of wheat lyes in the ground and dies it fructifies and brings foorth much fruit so the dead body of Iesus fructifiâ—d and brought with it out of the graue to life many thousand soules so does it to the end of the world Hast thou life into thee From whom came that life Euen from the death of Iesus Christ if Christ had not died thou hadst neuer felt life Hee vses also for this purpose another similitude Where euer the dead carcasseâ—s thither resorte the Eagles Meaning where His dead body was the faithfull where euer they were they should take them to their wings from all the ends of the earth leaue their riches and honour and by Faith flee to Him to feede vpon Him for His deade body casts such a sweete smell thorow the Heauens and the Earth a carioun casts such an euill smell but the body of Iesus hath a sweete smell that it will allure men women to come to it The Lord giue euery one such a taste of His sweetnesse as Ioseph and Nicodemus found that with pleasure we may flee to Him and feede on Him Now followes the request he comes in to Pilates Hall and desires leaue to take vp the dead body of Iesus as yee saw before the body of Iesus was not taken from the crosse without the licence of the Iudge Pontius Pilate so they durst not burie the body of Iesus without leaue Why The Lord vvas condemned and the man who is condemned is yet in the hands of the Iudge vntill he giue Him ouer If we consider wel this whole Historie of the suffering of Christ vve shall finde one thing vvorthy to be marked Albeit the Lord Iesus vvas the moste innocent man that euer vvas in the vvorlde yet hauing to doe vvith Magistrates both ciuile and ecclesiasticall as Pontius Pilate Caiaphas and the rest from the beginning to the end Hee will haue nothing done but vvith their leaue vvhen the Magistrate sent out men of vvarre to take Him He vvould not suffer Peter to resist them but He reprooued him for drawing his sword Hee would not haue His body taken downe from the Crosse without the leaue of the Magistrate Hee would haue nothing done to Him Hee would not be buried without the leaue of the Magistrate Hee leaues thee His example to teach thee if thou werest neuer so innocent yet if thou fallest in the handes of the Magistrate suffer nothing to be done to thee with offence and with the disgrace of justice and judgement hee who would die well and in the Lord let Him protest that nothing be done to him that will disgrace justice albeit he suffer innocently I might let you see an higher ground of this matter but I wil touch it only The Lord that came in the world to relieue thee from that great Iudge and from all
rolling away of the stone froÌ„ the doore of the graue they foresaw not this impedimeÌ„t ere they came froÌ„ home but being carried with an earnest desire to anoint the Lords dead body they were not mindfull of any impedimeÌ„ts We know wheÌ„ a man or a womaÌ„ would faine haue a thing done they will not forecast for all perils but it is better to prouide foresee in time y e impedimeÌ„ts ere thou begin the worke Yet a man or a womaÌ„ who hath the worke of the Lord should not cast for all perils for if he put not his hand to the work of the Lord except he see al impedimeÌ„ts remoued he will neuer do any thing to the glory of God for in performing of y e Lords work we must not think y t He will remoue all impedimeÌ„ts at y e first as these womeÌ„ fouÌ„d al impedimeÌ„ts to be takeÌ„ away Now these women came forward as they came they perceiued the stone to be rolled from the graue Marie Magdalene seeing the stone away she ran back shewed the matter to Peter Iames in Jerusalem where they laye lurking she brings in her conceit euill tidings to them saies The body of the Lord is stolleÌ„ away out of the graue we know not where they haue layed him So Brethren in this Text y t we haue read we haue first a particular Historie of Marie Magdalene registrate by Iohn TheÌ„ we haue the History of the rest of the women As concerning Mary Magdalene wee note of her these foure thinges out of the Gospel of Iohn First her outcomming Next what she sees when she is come to wit the stone rolled away Thirdly what shee does when she sees the stone remoued she returnes to Peter fourthly what she saies she brings no good tidings to Peter and Iames but she saies They haue stollen away the body of the Lord and I know not where they haue layed him Touching the going out of Marie I stay not on it for she came out with the rest of the first coÌ„pany of womeÌ„ only this if any maÌ„ would aske wherfore the women got this honour aboue men ye euen the Apostles to be made first witnesses of this Resurrection of Christ I answere So it pleased the Lord y t directed theÌ„ this only one cause makes their witnessing also to be autentik y t no man should except against it Ye see in ciuil things womeÌ„ are not admitted to be witnesses but here ye see in this spiritual mâ—tter they are made witnesses before all the world their testimony is so auteÌ„tik y t if Iohn or Peter or any of th'apostles had refused this testimony they had hazarded their part portion in the resurrectioÌ„ of Iesus Christ if thou reject their witnessing this day thou shalt neuer haue part of His resurrection To come to the Text What sees she the rest when they come to the graue They see the stone rolled away so they are relieued of y t care y t troubled theÌ„ by the way Mary Magd. the rest came of a great zeale to the graue to anoint the Lords dead body yet I wil not coÌ„mend this purpose because they had no warrand of the word of the Lord for He told He would rise the third day therfore they shold not haue come out to anoint Him y e third day Yet wheÌ„ they go out the third day to anoint Him ere they came to the graue they find y e impedimeÌ„t to be takeÌ„ away the stone to be remoued Mark this well If they y e came to this action without any warrande got all impedimeÌ„ts remoued How much more if any man or woman of zeale to God to His glory haue a good purpose haue an expresse warraÌ„d of His word shal they find al impedimeÌ„ts to be takeÌ„ away God is the same to vs now y t He was to theÌ„ then Yet I see again it is not to be too wise in the work of the Lord but assoon as we know what is the Lords will we shuld addresse our selues to perform the same commit the successe to Him who can remoue al impedimeÌ„ts for in so doing thou honourest God giuest Him the glory y t is due to Him when vnder hope against hope thou beleeuest as AbrahaÌ„ did Rom. 4.18 But ye will say Albeit Marie Magd. fouÌ„d the stone rolled away yet she fouÌ„d not the body of the Lord which she meant to anoint with odours I answere she fouÌ„d not the thing she sought but what lost she She found a better thing than shee sought she seekes the Lord among the dead and she findes Him among the liuing the faithfull who seeke the Lord shall neuer be disappointed if thou missest that thing that thou seekest thou shalt get a better thing if thou seekest this life if thou be in the Lord if thou loose it what loosest thou thou shalt finde a better life Marie seeing y e stone rolled away she goes not forward but returnes home again Now certainly I caÌ„not deny but this came of zeal but I will not excuse her but she shuld haue stayed with y e rest haue looked into y e graue to heare the Angels informatioÌ„ but on a suddenty she returnes Brethren this falles out in y e best most godly they will oft times be miscaried for a while not y t there is any fault to be found with their zeale or w t their affection to y e Lord but y e hastie sudden doing comes more of a blindnes ignorance than of zeale therefore marke y e lessoÌ„ Who euer would be zealous in a good cause would vtter their affectioÌ„ toward y e Lord ere they begin they shuld beware know well what they are doing let knowledge goe before let it be borne as a torch to shew the way then let zeale follow for if zeale follow not I wil not giue a penny for thy knowledge zeale without knowledge is better thaÌ„ knowledge without zeale a great zeale w t a sober measure of knowledge is better thaÌ„ al y e knowledge in y e world without zeale knowledge without zeale serues for nothing but for damnatioÌ„ if y u vnderstood couldest tel ouer y e whole Bible without zeale that serues thee for nothing I had rather haue one y t can speake two words w t zeale than haue all thy knowledge litle knowledge w t zeale wil saue thee but if y u hadst all y e knowledge in y e world without zeale it wil not saue thee Now y e last thing concerning Marie wheÌ„ she hath returned back to Peter Iohn here she begins to make a sad narratioÌ„ coÌ„plaines sayes alas They haue stollen away the body of the Lord we know not where to seeke it speaking in the plurall nuÌ„ber she makes a mone looke to y e affectioÌ„ of the woman toward y e Lord she could not be separate froÌ„
Him wheÌ„ He was dead in y e graue alas she had another kind of loue to Him thaÌ„ we haue now but now albeit He be now glorified in y e Heauens we will suffer our selfe easily to sunder froÌ„ Him without a coÌ„plaint or mone but if we fouÌ„d either y e force of His death or yet the force of His life glory we would neuer be glad vntill we were joyned w t Him Now when she sayes they had taken away y e Lord albeit she speakes not y e trueth yet I will not say she made a lie but she failed in ignorance she spake as she thought but she knew not y t the Lord was risen IgnoraÌ„ce is a sore thing for wheÌ„ once any maÌ„ coÌ„mits a sin through ignorance he goes forvvard froÌ„ one sin to another so she makes an euil report to y e Apostles striue therefore to get this misty cloud of ignorance remoued froÌ„ thee for if thou takest pleasure to ly in it y e end of it shall be vtter darknes BrethreÌ„ marke y e mercy of God y e Lord layes not this to her charge it is said commonly loue hides a multitude of sins y e Lord vvhen He loues a person He casts y e mantle of His mercy ouer his sins hides them He vvill be loth to reuile them vvhom He loues a man vvil not shame another whoÌ„ he loues vvel much lesse will y e Lord doe it No He vvill cast y e cloak of His mercy vpoÌ„ them y t they appeare not before y e judgemeÌ„t seat of His Father Now I see further albeit those things were not true yet by them y e Lord brings good to y e disciples for they were lying in sluggishnes so wakens them so He works light out of darknes yet y t is no vvarrand for thee to do euill Let no man doe euill that good may come of it Rom. 3.8 Marke last coÌ„cerning this womaÌ„ Marie I see she comes to y e knovvledge of y e resurrectioÌ„ of Iesus with great paine for she waked y e night before w t care she comes out early in y e morning to y e graue goes home w t great care heauines It is not a litle thing to come to Christ in His glory thinkest y u to step in at the first to see God in His glory thou vvilt not get leaue to see y e glory of a King at y e first thinkest y u to come to Christ at the first No y u must come to Christ y e sight of His glory vvith many teares great paine But what if thou shouldst paine thy selfe all thy lifetime if thou get a sight of this resurrection in glory if thou gettest a blencke of y t countenance if it vvere at thy last end it shall svvallovv vp in a moment all thy displeasure paine if thou shouldest suffer martyrdome yet y t sight of His glory shall furnish such joy as shall swallovv vp all displeasure the sight of that eternall weight of glory makes vs to count all the afflictions of this present life to be but light and momentanean when we looke not to the things that are seene but to the things that are vnseene Thou thinkest the time here to be longsome but once thou gettest a sight of that glory thou shalt think it but a moment Novv leauing Marie Magdalene I come to the rest of the vvomen y t were at y e graue of whoÌ„ we haue these four things shortly first what they do they enter into y e graue of y e Lord for it was large not an hole surely they behoued to loue Him well in whose graue they went Next wheÌ„ they enter in the graue we haue set down what they see they see an Angell in the shape of a young man clothed in a faire white robe sitting in the graue thirdly we haue how they are terrified and lastly wee haue the speech of the Angell to the women Then first comming to the graue they runne not away as Marie Magdalene did but enter in the graue seeking the LORD and in this point they goe beyond Marie she went backe but they goe forward otherwise she went beyond them for loue zeale and faith in Christ No not one of the disciples surpast Marie Magdalene in loue faith and zeale yet they surpasse her in this point and as they excell her in going forward they get sure information of the resurrection of Iesus Christ for their reward Marke the lesson they who are inferiour in spirituall graces in some duties will excell them who are superiour and when the superiour falles backe they will goe forward and this lets vs see that it is the LORD who makes the difference Hast thou moe graces than thy companion Hee that preferred thee at one time will plucke His hand from thee another time and put them before thee and to this end that thou who gloriest in thy graces may glorie in the Lord for thy grace is not in thy selfe but in His Hand This for the first thing followes the next What see they They see in the shape of a young man an Angell cled with a long robe from top to toe I take this Angel to be y e same of whoÌ„ we spake y e last day who first remoued away the stone and then sate downe on it his eyes burning like lightening and cled in white rayment Novve this Angell withdravves himselfe and hides him in the graue vvhen hee savv the vvomen comming neere lest he should haue frighted them away he goes in the graue but he sate on the stone first to terrifie the men of warre lest they should trouble the women besides this there is another cause why hee goes in the graue beeing to testifie the Resurrection he chuses the commodity of the place that when he should get the women in the graue that the Lord was riseÌ„ in the graue he might instruct them better by the emptinesse and roomenesse of the graue that the Lord was risen from the dead Well that same Lord that terrifies the wicked with His looke that same GOD is mercifull to His owne and that Angell that terrifies the men of warre he is a minister of mercie to the godly women I say more at that same time whilst as He chases away the wicked in doing of that He shewes mercie to the godly and He terrifies the wicked that they should not bee a stoppe or terrour to the godly all the terrours and judgements of the wicked as they serue to the glorie of God so they serue for the well of His owne for the LORD hath not only His owne glory before His eyes but also of the â—ell of His owne Then consider againe the circumstance of the place wherein the Angell teaches these women the resurrection of Iesus Christ The Father of Heauen is very carefull of euery circumstance that serues for the testimonie of Christs Resurrection first Hee is carefull of the
They saw the stone away froâ— the sepulchre as the first did And they enter into the graue as the first â—id But they found not the body of the Lord Iesus and they are very sad and heauie supposing it had bene stollen away they see two Angels whom they supposed to be two men fearfull to looke on the first companie see but one Angell these see two and the earthly witnesses grow in number so the heauenly growe there was but one Angell only who appeared to the first companie now this companie see two Angels and all this was for the greater certaintie of the matter and resurrection of Iesus Christ they seeing two Angels are afraide therefore the Angells begin and comfort the women by telling that Christ was risen and bids them goe tell the Apostles Nowe wee shall marke something of the part of the women and then we shall come to the part of the Angels As this carefulnesse of the Lord that was in these women was worthie of praise so the Apostles carelessenesse of their Lord cannot be praised for it became them to haue come out first as the couragiousnesse of these women is to be commended so the Apostles cowardnesse merites no commendation and the moe women testifie of His Resurrection that same brings the greater shâ—â—c to the Apostles When thou art a man and hast a calling and wilâ— let a Wife goe before thee it shames thee and no doubt the force of His Resurrection was more powerfull in the poore women than it was in the very Apostles for all this spirituall courage flowes from the life of Christ for except He had risen from the death and that vve got life thorovv His life vvee vvould neuer haue life yea all the spirituall life and quicknesse that vvas in the fathers of olde vvas by the vertue of Christes Resurrection to come and all this quicknes of ours is by the vertue of His Resurrection already past if thou haue that life begunne it shall be a sure earnestpennie that thou shalt rise in glorie and liue a life like to the glorious life of thy glorious Head and Sauiour Iesus Christ Then I marke another thing in these women They are subject to diuerse perturbations of minde they come out with sadnesse and when they found not the body of the Lord Iesus their dolour is increased then when they see and heare the Angels they are terrified and last of all they finde joy Wilt thou compare the godlie vvith the vngodlie yee shall finde sometimes in the heartes of the vngodly greater peace than in the heartes of the godlie no paine nor vexation in them but they say peace peace as the Apostle sayes in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians the fifth Chapter and the thirde verse but beholde the end when they haue cried Peace then a sudden destruction from the Heauen shall ouertake them and their peace shall end in disquietnesse for euer The trouble of the godly endes in endlesse joy the godly beginnes in sadnesse goes forward in sadnesse but euer in the ende they finde joy and the greater trouble thou bee in in the ende thou shalt finde greater joy and vvhen thou shalt attaine to that joy the verie remembrance of that trouble that thou haddest in this life shall augment thy joy and thou shalt rejoyce that euer thou hadst trouble here if thou hadst bene euen burnt or martyred for CHRISTS sake and by the contrarie The wicked that haue liued heere in securitie vvhen they are thrust in Hell in endlesse paine and displeasure shall finde that the remembrance of the joy that they had in this life shall augment their paine and they shall curse the time that euer they liued here in such pleasure and had this false peace on earth This Historie is plaine and therefore I goe forvvarde I come to the part of the Angell the first speech is somewhat rough Why doe yee seeke the liuing amongst the dead Why doe yee this Then Hee comes on and sayes Hee is not heere Hee is risen Then he confirmes it by a reason Remember women what Hee said to you when Hee was with you in Galile Saide Hee not that Hee behooued to bee deliuered into the hands of sinfull men and bee crucified and to rise againe the third day This is the meaning in effect Then vvhere Hee beginnes with a reproofe there must bee a fault in them No the LORD vvill not reprooue thee for nothing I take their fault to be obliuion for so the wordes of the Angell import they had forgot that Hee should rise the thirde daye suppose He had told them Well Brethren I see this It is the vvill of God that vve neuer forget His word more I see If thou lettest it slip out of thy mind as we doe too readily the Lord will reproue thee but in His reprouing in His anger He neuer forgets mercy lenitie in reprouing of the women Hee makes the Angell to instruct and tell them that Hee vvas risen so in reproouing of thee Hee will teach thee and it learnes vs this lesson Alwayes in all reproofes teach them whom thou reprouest if thou reprooue them without a care to instruct them thy reproofe auailes nothing at all Then looke so soone as his anger goes away and when he hath spoken two wordes thereafter hee sayes Hee is not heere Hee is risen Remember He said to you He behooued to suffer and die and rise the third day So we learne this at the Angell It may be that God speake a word of anger but it will soone goe away and the mercy remaines for euer and when Hee hath laide His anger aside Hee teaches in mercie and I speake this to the childe of God Manie faults in vs all and nowe and then He speakes in anger that His owne perish not with the wicked world Hee will waken them with some angrie word and thinke as thou wilt and if thou be not wakened with some angrie worde thou shalt die in thy stincke and canker of thy corrupt nature and so long as we are here there is euer some matter of anger so that now and then Hee will speake to thee in anger for wee are as foolish children thinking and speaking as children and therefore haue need to be chastised but when wee are perfect men neuer an angrie worde nor a gloome shall be but alwayes mercie and pleasure for euer Then I marke another thing in the Angell Remember sayes he that the Sonne of man must bee deliuered into the handes of sinfull men and to die and the third day to rise againe as Hee shewed to you Well then I see the Lord He forgets not His owne worde that He speakes suppose the women had forgotten it No the Lord that speakes it thinkes neuer so light of it as thou doest Thou wilt forget soone and thou takest no thought of it but that word that He speakes either by Himselfe or by His Ministers He will neuer forget
heades and they had more of that vvorldlie and fleshlie vvit than of that Heauenlie vvit and this drewe them to this securitie This is the nature of the Regenerate Suppose the Regenerate in this vvorlde compt in some measure of the crosse of Christ and of the power of God yet in the best of them there is some lacke some infirmities and vvantes and they will thinke sometime the preaching of the Crosse and Resurrection of Christ to bee but vanitie and a dreame of vviues as IOHN PETER MATTHEVV and the rest of the Apostles did for none of them vvoulde beleeue this That CHRIST vvas risen Wee vvill thinke that there is some great follie in these tidinges I vvill tell you my nature and the nature of the best man or vvoman but vvhen vve shall see That joyfull Morning as DAVID calles it then vvee shall saye vvith SARAH THE LORDE hath made mee nowe to laugh indeede Shee scorned vvhen shee hearde saye shee shoulde conceaue and beare a childe shee thought shee coulde not beare a childe and nowe vvhen shee sees it come to passe shee saies The LORDE makes mee to laugh indeede And so shall vvee saye one daye that thing vvhich vvee thought but jestes then wee shall saye I see this nowe that I coulde not beleeue vvell enough nowe I see it is true indeede So then in despite of all naturall vvit striue to gette an hope aboue hope and then shalt thou greatlie vvonder at that sight and maruell foreuer that there could be such a joy Now blessed is that man or that woman that gets a taste of it here for they shall be assured of it for euer But to goe forward I see that it auailes not much to speake to a sleeping person that is loadned with sin and feeles it not that is the worst estate in the worlde neuer to groane vnder this mortalitie vnder this burthen of death They can neuer say with the Apostle Miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death And if yee speake to these persons of the Resurrection death of Christ it auaileth nothing to them What did the Apostles They thought it but a scorne if the Apostles thought so what wilt thou doe that sleepest in thy murther in thine adulterie in thy theft in thine oppression If the Apostles slept how wilt thou sleepe a sleeping sinner must bee once wakened as PAVL sayes in the Epistle to the Romanes the first Chapter and eighteenth verse The wrath of God is manifest from the Heauen against all the vnrighteousnesse of men And I say the wrath and the vengeance of GOD is manifest vpon the sleeping sinner and death comes on him that neuer shall haue an end But PAVL in the Epistle to the Romanes the third CHAPTER and the twentie and one VERSE hee comes on with other tithings and sayes That the righteousnesse of GOD through faith in Jesus Christ is made manifest to them that beleeue And I will say to thee that Iesus is come into the world and died for thee if thou beleeuest thou shalt be freed of that burthen of sinne and wrath and vvhen a man heares this he will thinke it the sweetest tithings that euer he heard for the sinner will finde life in that death and that blood will sprinckle his conscience as the Apostle sayes to the Hebrewes and thou wilt finde a wonderfull joy vvhen thy sinnes are remitted in Christ of all joyes vnder the Heauen this is the greatest The preaching of Christ auailes to none but to him who findes his soule loadned with sinne Now one word and so I shall ende I see in the Apostles and in their great infirmitie the great prouidence of GOD they will neither beleeue nor misbeleeue but by His Prouidence what euer vvas their part in it the worke was good of a good purpose The LORD will not haue them to beleeue the testimonie of the first companie nor yet of the second companie of women No no He vvill not haue them to beleeue vntill they see it with their eyes and feele it with their handes and ere they passe out to others He vvill speake to them and let them see that they may be perswaded that it was true I alwayes tell you this It is not a small thing to testifie of the Resurrection of Christ to preach His Passion and Resurrection and wilt thou of a light knowledge preach it No beware thou speake this or that vpon a report Of all men that speakes in this earth or is sent with a commission a Minister hath most neede to beware what hee speakes Speake hee of the Passion or Resurrection of CHRIST ere euer hee speake let him get a sight of Him suppose not vvith the bodily eyes lay hold on Him by Faith in thine heart Thinke it not enough to be an hearing witnesse but a seeing witnesse and vvhen thou hast gotten that persvvasion with vvhat confidence vvilt thou speake of His death thou wilt speake with such euidencie that the high heartes of men shall be humbled finding such weight in thy wordes The LORD giue vs grace that vvhen vve stand vp to speake of the Resurrection of CHRIST to others vvee may haue the perswasion of it in our ovvne heartes and that vve may finde His gracious Spirit working in vs and as vvee speake of Heauen and these joyes to others so vvee may finde some joy beginne in our owne hearts heere that after this life is ended we may reigne with Him in glorie for euer with CHRIST To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all honour praise and glorie for euermore AMEN THE XXXII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 12 Then arose Peter and ranne vnto the sepulchre and looked in and sawe the linnen clothes layed by themselues and departed wondering in himselfe at that which was come to passe IOHN CHAP. XX. verse 3 Peter therefore went foorth and the other disciple and they came vnto the sepulchre verse 4 So they ranne both together but the other disciple did out-runne Peter and came first to the sepulchre verse 5 And hee stouped downe and sawe the linnen clothes lying yet went hee not in verse 6 Then came Simon Peter following him and went into the sepulchre and sawe the linnen clothes lie verse 7 And the kerchiefe that was vpon his head not lying with the linnen clothes but wrapped together in a place by it selfe verse 8 Then went in also the other disciple who came first to the sepulchre and hee sawe it and beleeued verse 9 For as yet they knewe not the Scripture That hee must rise againe from the dead verse 10 And the disciples went awaye againe vnto their owne home WE haue heard these dayes past beloued in the Lord Iesus of the two companies of women that went out of Hierusalem towarde the graue of the Lorde early in the morning The one company that came first wherein was Marie Magd. and Marie the mother of
that came out last will sometimes bee first at the marke and get the crowne Marke this well it lets vs see that to be true which Paul writes in the ninth Chapter to the Romanes and the sixteenth verse It is not in the hands of him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in the handes of the Lord that sheweth mercie when the Lord holdes His hande to thee thou wilt run and when Hee takes His hande from thee thou wilt stay behinde and hee that dragled behinde vvill bee before thee this is the course we keepe to that marke wee should not thinke that all men should runne alike and suppose thou seest a dragling person thinke not that person will neuer come to the marke Peter gets the sight first Iohn suppose he gote it not first yet hee gets it and it is said in the Text Hee saw and hee beleeued Marke the lesson Albeit there be many changes by the way yet hee or shee that vvill perseuere in dragling shall not vvant the crovvne as vvell as they that ranne speedily and came first It stands not so much in the fast running as in the perseuering it is not said he or shee that runnes fast shall be crowned but hee or she that continues to the end shall be crovvned looke ay thou pereseuere if thou may not runne goe yet if thou may not goe fall downe vpon thine hands and feete and creepe as it were a snaile or vvorme albeit it vvere but two foot in the day as euer thou wouldest be safe ly not still it stands thee vpon life death thou must weare away and night and day thou goest euer to this ende and if this outvvard man decay grovv in the invvard man and as thou grovvest vveake in this life striuâ— to grovv strong in that heauenly life that thou art to goe to Paul in the second Epistle to the Corinthians the fourth Chapter and the sixteenth uerse sayes As the outwarde man decayed dayly so the inward man grew dayly So to end this in a word As euer thou wouldest see Heauen goe either fast or else softly to that life Well it is saide They were ignorant of the Scripture that tolde Hee should rise againe from the dead and so because he saw hee beleeued hee should haue beleeued because he heard it for hee had the Scripture for his vvarrand hee and Peter should haue grounded their Faith on the Scripture Take heede to this The Apostle sayes Wee liue by Faith and not by sight yet hovv euer it be that man or vvoman beleeue they are blessed and blessed art thou man or vvoman that beleeuest either for hearing or seeing and suppose thou feelest him by the hands and beleeuest in Him as Thomas did that felt Him thou art blessed but that is an euill thing vvhen thou hast the vvorde and yet suspends thy faith vntill thou seest It vvas an euill thing in Peter and Iohn that they let the vvorde passe and beleeued it not it vvas an euill thing in Thomas that hee beleeued not vntill hee felt Christ and I say to thee it is a sure thing if thou refusest to beleeue vntill thou seest thou aduentourest and hazardest thy life and saluation and I say to thee if thou contemnest this word and say this I will not beleeue vntill I see Him I giue thee thy doome thou shalt neuer see Him to thy comfort nor saluation Therefore if He say to thee and if Hee promise Hee vvill giue thee Heauen beleeue it and lay holde on it although thou vverest dying and if Hee say to thee that Hee vvill giue thee life depend and sticke by His promise Thou honourest thy GOD in beleeuing and depending on His promise for thou canst not doe Him greater honour than to beleeue His promise And albeit thou see litle appearance outvvardly and if thou beleeuest the vvorde vvithout doubt thou shalt get a sight of Him one day to thy comfort and endlesse consolation Depend and waite on patiently with Abraham and euer sticke and lay holde on the promise and I promise to thee in His Name beleeue the promise of life and thou shalt see life beleeue in Him and thou shalt see Him one day Blessed are they vvho beleeue in Him and yet see Him not blessed are they who walke by Faith for one day they shall vvalke by sight Striue to beleeue in His vvord and looke on Him and Heauen and earth shall perish ere thou wantest that sight of Him one daye Yet I maye not passe by the vvordes of IOHN I see in him a wonderfull plainnesse and singlenesse of heart which of vs will bee contented that another registrate our faultes that anie other might reade them This man sinned this waye and that waye Then who will write vp his owne faultes with his owne handes as hee does Hee sayes hee was ignorant So then if there were none other argument to tell vs that this Booke is dyted by the SPIRITE of GOD and that it is the worde of GOD this singlenesse of vvryting their owne faultes without affection or selfe-loue which euer woulde entise vs to honoure our selues telles vs sufficientlie But naturallie rather than thou haddest thy Parentes or thy kinsfolke ashamed thou wouldest rather haue GODS glorie and justice smoothered and defaced But see if MOYSES spared to register the faultes of LEVI of vvhome hee was descended see if hee spared AARON See if hee spared himselfe No hee telles his owne fault hee telles his owne infidelitie And againe see if DAVID spares himselfe settes hee not downe his owne adulterie and murther IOHN registrates his owne ignorance Let GOD bee glorified and all creatures ashamed for to that ende were wee created for except Hee had respected His owne glorie wee shoulde neuer haue beene made Shoulde vvee not then seeke His glorie although it were with our owne shame IOHN learnes vs heere another good lesson howe often soeuer vvee faile through ignorance Alas vvee faile often through ignorance and misbeliefe and ignorance bringes on infidelitie And therefore vvhensoeuer vvee faile through ignorance laye not the blame of thy blindnesse vpon the Scripture In paine of thy life say not I am ignorant because the Scripture is obscure and darke as the Pope his shauelings blasphemouslie alleadge but I affirme that it is so perfect that all thinges appertaining to thy saluation are contained therein And I say in despite of the Pope thou vvho sayest it is obscure one day thou shalt not bee challenged so much for thine ignorance as for thy blasphemie against GOD when thou vvilt stande vp and saye The Scripture of GOD is not perfect but obscure and vvanting I tell you one daye these blasphemers for all their out-crying shall haue their mouthes sowed vp and they shall make an offer to speake and to saye The Scripture of God was not perfect but the conscience of them shall so strike them with feare and terrour that they shall not be able to answere one word Woe
woman can doe ought except He preuent them with grace if He loue thee not first thou wilt neuer loue Him 1. Iohn 4. and if Hee know not thee first thou shalt neuer know Him No neuer a man will know the Lord except He know them first Hee sayes in the 4. Chapter to the Galathians verse 9. Now seeing ye knowe God then bethinking himselfe hee sayes yea rather are knowne of God and therefore thou shouldest say Lord loue mee that I may loue thee Lord know me that I may know thee c. Now I go forward When she hath vttered this word Rabboni she goes forwarde to haue embraced Him in her armes Hee meetes her and sayes Touch mee not for I am not yet ascended to my Father Some would maruell what mooued the Lord Iesus to stay that woman that loued Him so intirely to touch Him Wee will heare hereafter how a whole companie tooke Him by the feete and adored Him as ye may reade Matth. 28 8. and the disciples touched Him as ye may read in the 24. of Luke and the 39. verse Thomas put his handes in His side in this same Chapter and it cannot bee saide that these touched Him after that Hee ascended vp to Heauen that could not be possible it is a maruell then that Hee should be so strange to MARIE I ansvvere to this and I take mine ansvvere first out of the reason and next out of the commission Hee giues to Marie for first when Hee sayes to her I am not gone vp to my Father and therefore touch me not now the meaning is this in effect it is not time for thee to touch mee nowe till that time I bee in glorie and then touch mee by the armes of Faith as much as thou canst or mayest yee must consider that shee vvas too much addicted to His bodily presence and shee thought that Hee should haue remained and dvvelt with her on earth as Hee did before and therefore Hee vvould not let her come neare Him vntill Hee instructed her of a spirituall touching that He was not to stay here but to dwel with His Father in the Heauens but after He hath instructed her He lets her the other vvomen touch Him as much as they vvould This is the first answere The other I take it out of the commission He giues her the commission was to tell the disciples and Hee vvilles her to tell hastely and therefore Hee will not let her come neare to touch Him vntill she haue done her commission Now let vs marke somethings in Marie Magdalene Yee read in the second Epistle to the Corinthians the fifth Chapter and the fourteenth verse PAVL sayes The loue of God constraines mee that is the loue of GOD binds vp mine heart and hand and all my senses Novv vvould to GOD we could loue Him halfe so well as he did hee giues the reason because Hee loued me and died and gaue His life for me I vvill consecrate me to His seruice it is litle enough thou shouldest doe so seeing Hee hath bought thee and then He defines the seruice hee sayes now I will know no man after the flesh that is for carnall respects as for Countrie land kinred or parentage But I acknowledge them as new creatures I will looke to the grace of regeneration this is the seruice of Christ if I haue knowne CHRIST Himselfe after the flesh yet I know Him no more so Hee had His friends His kinred and His Countrey as other men had but since Hee is exalted aboue the Heauens I will knowe Him no more so I will compare Marie with Paul a godlie man with a godlie woman she is like Him in this that she loued the Lord exceeding well He died to redeeme Paul therefore Hee loued Him exceeding well shee loued Him because Hee died for her but when it comes to the seruice Marie is not well learned Paul touches Him by Faith in the Heauens Marie lookes not to the Heauens but she goes to embrace Him in her bodily armes in this shee is behind but she got better instruction hereafter Marke this lesson There are some men that will loue the Lord intirely and yet when they come to His seruice they will faile for such is the grossenes of our nature that we cannot incline to that spirituall seruice which He chiefly requires Papistâ—ie is full of this grossenes they can doe nothing if they want His carnall presence either in Himselfe or in a stocke or a stone or in a piece of bread and therefore they dreame a bodily presence of Him in the Sacrament all their Religion is earthly no Spirit no grace in it But accepted the Lord of that grosse seruice of Marie that she offered I am certaine He loued Marie better than the Pope all his shauelings yet for as well as He liked Marie Hee likes not this her seruice Hee sayes to her Touch me not then how will he like of that person that Hee loues not so well that delites in grosse and wilfull ignorance The LORD keepe vs from such grosse seruice and make vs to touch Him by Faith Another thing here He will not suffer her to touch Him before that she had gotten commission to her brethren This lets vs see if the LORD haue giuen vs a commission He will haue vs doing it with speed not beeing intangled with any thing Paul sayes in the second Epistle to Timothie the second Chapter and the fourth verse No man that warreth intangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life because hee would please him that hath chosen him to be a souldiour if the embracing of a person may hinder thee doe it not if the saluting of a person in the journey may hinder thee doe it not Yee read in 2. Kings Chapter 4. verse 29 Where the Prophet Elisha sends his seruant Gehazi to the Shunnamite he sayes Make haste Salute no man by the way and if any salute thee answere him not and when Christ sends out His disciples He bids them make hasle and salute no man by the way LVKE CHAPTER 10. VERSE 4. The LORD will not haue vs to decline neither to the right hand nor to the left if it were but a looke if it may hinder thee in the Lords worke doe it not Paul receiued a commission as yee may reade Philip. Chapter 3. verse 13. he ranne so that he neuer looked ouer his shoulder but that hee forgot that which was behinde and endeuoured to that which was before till he had ended his course Yee remember of the wife of Lot how she was forbidden by the Lord to looke backe to Sodome she would not goe forward in her journey but shee would looke backe againe and therefore the Lord turned her in a pillar of salt Hee would haue them speedie in His worke and Woe is them that doe the worke of the Lord negligently Ierem. 48.10 Nowe let vs come to the commission He sayes to her Marie Goe and
of necessitie loue caused them to mourne for Him And this sponke of loue that was couered kept down afore in end it brake out burnt thorowe all their imperfections It is a wonder to see howe the LORDE will keepe in a sponke of grace vnder an hundreth imperfections And this shoulde make vs to bee loath to judge and to giue out sentence for all the euill that wee see in anie it maye bee that the LORDE will let thee see that there was some sponke of grace in that man couered which sponk will breake out in its owne time Nowe I haue ended the Historie of MARIE MAGDALENE who loued the LORDE so well and so entirelie In the words following to wit in the Gospell of MATTHEVV there are two discourses The first is of the two companies of women at their turning home againe as they met with the Angels afore nowe they meete with the LORDE Himselfe In the next discourse wee haue a piece of an Historie of them that were set to keepe the graue who returned to the Scribes and to the High Priestes vvith these same tidinges Hee is risen againe Nowe I shall goe thorowe this daye the first discourse and piece of Historie as GOD shall giue vs grace Then to returne to the women It is saide that as they returned home The LORDE met them but Marie was returned before these women came foorth shee had met with CHRIST and returned home againe This company meetes with the LORDE as they returned homewarde Ye will perhaps aske what was the cause that Hee met with Marie Magdalene No doubt this was the cause She loued Him best shee loued Him aboue them all and shee had the greatest languor to see Him and shee rested neuer till shee had seene Him and met with Him What was the cause that these women sawe Him afore the Apostles No question their languor to see IESVS was next to MARIE The Apostles languor was last and therefore they got the last sight of Him Nowe the lesson is easie Thou that longest moste for the LORDE IESVS shalt see Him first with MARIE MAGDALENE A man will thirst for earthlie thinges and bee disappointed of them but it is vnpossible if thou thirst for CHRIST and to see thy LORDE but thou shalt see Him So Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Matth. Chapter 5. verse 5. So if thou vvouldest see CHRIST first long for Him and thou shalt neuer get that blessednesse till thou seest Him Then if thou canst not be the first in care and desire to see Him vvith Marie Magdalene yet bee next in care vvith the rest of the vvomen and if thou canst not attaine to the first nor second looke that thou be in the third roome at least that thou long vvith the Apostles and thou shalt get the thirde sight for blessed are they that get any sight yea the last sight Blessed are they that come either first or last to Heauen but thinke not that this dravving neare of ours to Him is the cause that Hee dravves neere to vs No if Hee drevve not neare vnto vs first vve vvould neuer thinke of Him let be to dravv neare vnto Him So Brethren the cause vvherefore our heartes doe dravv neare vnto the LORD is not in vs but in Him because He thirstes for vs and dravves vs vnto Him and vvouldest thou haue an argument that the LORD is neare vnto thee looke if thine heart dravves neare vnto Him and if thou findest thine heart longing and thirsting for Him then the LORD is neare vnto thee and Hee is present with thee and if thou findest no sense nor feeling of Him in thine heart nor no desire of Him nor no languour for His presence in the vvhich is sacietie of joy and if thou haue no languour bee sure the Lord is farre from thee for if Hee be farre from thee albeit thou hadst all the world about thee thou art but a miserable body When Hee meetes vvith these vvomen Hee is not dumbe and Hee speakes not to the eare only but also to the heart He sayes God saue you the word in the own language would be wel marked it signifies rejoyce Is not this a great thing that Hee that hath joy to giue thee should bid thee rejoyce and no doubt it was an effectuall vvord and it made them to haue joy vnspeakable A man when Hee bids thee rejoyce hath no power to worke joy in thee but the LORD is joy it selfe who hath joy to giue but the LORD Himselfe or who can giue peace but the LORD assoone as He drawes neare to any person and giues His presence to Him to y e end that His presence may worke He giues a joyful word the word of the Lord is of power as Paul sayes Rom. 1.16 The Gospell is the power of GOD vnto saluation vnto euery one that beleeueth So if thou contemnest this word that bids thee rejoyce thou shalt get no portion of that grace that is with Him so this word is the only minister that ministers joy to the soule all the thinges in the world shal neuer minister joy to the soule that is afflicted Whē He hath spoken this word and no question it was very effectuall they are so filled with joy that they tarie not to make answere but they fell dovvne at His feete And embrace Him by the feete and adore and worship Him as Thomas did vvhen hee put his hande in His side he said Thou art my Lord and my God IOHN Chapter 20. verse 28. Hee refuses not this honour because Hee vvas their LORD and GOD. Yee see heere how effectuall the presence of the LORD is albeit it were but one worde Reioyce the povver that is in that worde workes such a joy in the heart of a sinner that the poore sinner must meete Him the LORD cannot meete thee but if thou feelest that joy but thou must meete Him againe and striue to haue Him in thine armes No svvord nor fire nor hunger nor nakednesse nor nothing can separate thee from Him if thou feelest Him in thine heart but thou must meete Him againe and cleaue fast to Him The feeling of this joy which is through the presence and worde of GOD mooues vs to desire to embrace Him and makes our conjunction vvith Him vvhereupon arises our joy againe farre greater than before The joy that wee haue novv is but by Faith and a farre meeting as farre as is betvvene the Heauen and the Earth yet sayes Peter in his first Epistle the first Chapter and the eight verse Wee not seeing Him but beleeuing in Him reioyce with a ioy vnspeakable and glorious So beleeuing in Him vvee finde joy but vvhen thou shalt see Him face to face Alas lookest thou not for this then thorovv thy conjunction with Him by sight there shall be praise honour and glory for euer No such shall bee thy joy as eye neuer savve eare neuer heard nor neuer
for this was but the third day after He vvas crucified Yee see Brethren for all this leauing of the LORD and desparing euer to see Him yet heere is a piece of godlinesse in their heartes and a sponke of Hope that keepes them that they drowned not into despare for if they had not preuented they would haue perished with the rest of the Iewes and as they are thus wrestling betwixt Hope and Despare the Lord takes them by the hande to helpe them It is a good thing to haue if it vvere but one sponke of grace yea if it were but to speake of Him For none can call Iesus the Lord as the Apostle sayes except he haue gotteen the Spirit of Christ So holde on and speake of Him if thou canst doe no more Yet to goe forward When they are talking He comes in and goes with them Marke it This is an argument that the Lord heard what they were speaking and as He heares them Hee joynes with them side for side Well take heede to thine heart to thy words The Lorde is nearer to thee than thou thinkest walke as if thou werest speaking to Him and as if He heard thee or saw thee and when thou speakest abhorre not the presence of the Lord Thou that wilt runne to an hole wilt abhorre His presence but ay say this Lord be present at my speaking what meanes all this baudrie talke and blasphemie Euen this Thou seekest not to haue thine heart sanctified by the presence of thy God so if thou wilt speake say Lord be into mine heart and Lord rule my tongue and open my mouth then when He openeth thy mouth gracious words will come out So in a word seeke that presence to sanctifie your speech and actions It is said when He joynes with them Their eyes are so bound vp that they could not know Him They know not His face nor His voyce Marke sayes That he appeared to them in another forme Luke sets downe in plaine wordes how this was to wit not that He was of a diuerse forme indeed but because their eyes were holden closed that they could not know Him so the change was in them not in Him Hee remained in one forme and was euer like Himselfe in all His appearance He neuer altered His presence but He altered their eyes that behelde looked vpō Him I thinke some of you would aske In what forme appeared Hee Was Hee naked The souldiours got His clothes Whether was He naked or not No I thinke not that Hee was naked but Hee appeared with His Ioynes girded as a man addressed to a journey as He appeared to Marie cled like a Gardener yet ye will aske had He indeede cloathes on Him or not I haue no warrant of that alwayes He appeared to them to be clothed indeede they thoght He had cloths on Him these men thought He had clothes on for their eyes vvere bound vp It is a wonder that they could not know Him nor His voyce He altered not His voyce and yet they could not know Him albeit it be naturall by the sight of the eye to know one with whō wee are acquainted it is naturall by the eare to know the voyce yet this place lets vs see that the Lord hath a commandement of these gifts when Hee sayes looke that thou see not thou shalt not see and if He say to thee looke that thou know not thy father thou shalt not know him and more if He say know not the voyce of thy wife thou shalt not knowe her voyce All this tends to this We should beg our eyes our eares and all at the hands of God ay for that gift that thou hast thanke God hartily and say Lord I thanke thee for this that I can know the voyce of one creature frō another so all our lifetime should be a begging of His gifts if we moue we should thanke our God Now if we should beg this naturall sight that we haue much more are we bound to beg the thing we haue not to beg a spirituall eye to see heauenly things then when thou gettest it thou shouldest render thanks to Him Now of graces this is the best that the Lord giues an eye to see that life for if thou gettest one blencke certainly thou shalt see Heauen that joy and glorie at the which one day thou shalt wonder Now glory bee giuen to Him for all His giftes and euen for this that Hee hath giuen vs these bodily eyes I beseech Him to giue euery one of vs spirituall eyes that we may get a blencke of Him here and in the Heauens enjoy His presence for euermore through Christ our Lord. To whome with the Father and Holy Spirit be all praise and honour for euermore AMEN THE XXXVII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 17 And hee saide vnto them What manner of communications are these that yee haue one to another as yee walke and are sadde verse 18 And the one named Cleopas answered and saide vnto him Art thou onelie a stranger in Hierusalem and hast not knowne the thinges which are come to passe therein in these dayes verse 19 And hee saide vnto them What thinges And they saide vnto him Of Jesus of Nazareth who was a Prophet mightie in deede and in worde before God and all the people verse 20 And howe the high Priestes and our Rulers deliuered him to bee condemned to death and haue crucified him IN this Historie of the Resurrection of IESVS CHRIST welbeloued in Him wee haue heard hitherto of sundrie witnesses testifying His Resurrection from the death The Angels began and they testified His Resurrection to the women The women testified it to the Disciples who were conuened at Hierusalem and namelie to Peter and Iohn Then MARIE came foorth the seconde time and shee meetes with the LORD Then there are other women who came foorth and meetes vvith the LORDE And after these women there comes other witnesses to vvit enemies who were sent to watch the graue by PILATE and the High Priestes and they witnessed That Hee was risen But they solde their tongues to the high Priestes and the IEVVES to make a lie and to affirme that the LORDES DISCIPLES had come in the night and stollen awaye His bodie vvhile they slept And after these vvitnesses yee hearde the last daye wee returned to other two vvitnesses vvho both vvere the Disciples of the LORDE the one is named CLEOPAS but the name of the other is not expressed These two euen in a manner despairing that euer they shoulde see the LORDE they depart out of Hierusalem where they were with the rest of the Disciples to a Village not farre off called EMMAVS and they were talking by the waye of the thinges which immediatlie had fallen out before The Lorde who sawe them and hearde them addresses Himselfe shortlie to them and goes with them as a passenger going out the waye
from morning till euening we should vvonder at that God and his works at that mighty GOD whom the Prophet calles Deum admirabilem To goe forward The Lord who knew all things for all thinges are naked to His eyes He knew better what was done than Cleopas did yet Hee will not take vpon Him that Hee knevv He misknowes them and He askes What are these things Marke it Brethren Hee got a rough and sharpe answere before and yet Hee leaues not off Hee will not leaue them but Hee beares vvith their infirmities and novv Hee giues another pull to the heart deales againe vvith them that they should povvre out their sadnesse and griefe to Him No if thou pertainest to the Lorde Hee vvill not leaue thee for an hard meeting suppose thou dravvest abacke Hee vvill giue thee another pull Albeit wee be vnfaithfull sayes the Apostle yet the Lord abideth faithfull Change as thou wilt the Lord shall neuer change but remaine ay constant in mercie to His ovvne till they be perfected and crovvned vvith glorie Then Cleopas seeing him to bee troubled with a stranger at the last hee must tell the vvordes that he and his companion vvere speaking as they vvent on the way Marke this lesson Repine as thou vvilt when the Lord dravves thee at the last thou must yeeld But vvhat is the cause that any sinners vvill yeelde vvhen the Lord dravves Euen the secret operation of His Holy Spirit and if he that drew them by the vvorde had not a secret power and operation by His Spirit in their hearts they vvould neuer haue yeelded Albeit the LORD vvould prooue them by speech and language albeit Hee vvould exhort them admonish them threaten them yea and scourge them to come to Him and vvell is the soule albeit it be scourged yea if it vvere harled thorovv the middes of Hell if it were thorow neuer so great difficulties in the world if once it get grace to come to Him yet none outward thing will make vs to come to Him it is the inward draught of His Spirit that makes vs to come to Him and drawes vs by the eye by the eare and by the hand if He take vs not by the hand we can neuer come to Him It is saide in the 2. Chapter to the Romanes and the 4. verse Hee drawes the reprobate and calles them but all that calling is but outwarde Hee vvill scourge them and dravv them outwardly but Hee neuer puts the feeling of His holy Spirit in their heartes and so they can neuer come to Him therefore whē the Lord is outvvardly drawing and calling thee say alwayes this Lord draw thou mine heart inwardly by thine Holy Spirit or els it will bee long ere it come to thee if all the sicknesses all crosses troubles scourges judgements that can bee and all this preaching that I heare will neuer cause mee come to thee except thou draw mine heart Now to come to the vvords that Cleopas speakes there is none of them but they vvould be marked he beginnes and rehearses to Him the vvhole summe of these things that hee and his companion had bene speaking and he propones them summarily he sayes All the things we haue spoken was Concerning Iesus of Nazareth Alas fewe of vs take pleasure to talke of Him therefore when the Lord comes takes thee by the hand looke thou mayest say Lord I haue bene talking of thee in some measure for as sure as the Lord laid to His eare to heare what Cleopas and his companion talked as sure He layes to His eare to heare vvhat thou speakest Then vvhen he hath tolde the generall hee lets the stranger know what a man Iesus vvas and then he telles shortly what had befallen him these two dayes and after he speakes of the effects that it had wrought in his heart and in the heartes of His disciples to wit that He was no Redeemer This is the whole conference I shall goe thorovv this conference as God shall giue the grace and as time shall permit First in describing of Him hee calles Him Iesus of Nazareth That was the stile hee gaue Him Marke it The first thing that hee speakes to Him is an vntrueth he calles Him Iesus of Nazareth No doubt he thought He had beene borne at Nazareth suppose they had the Prophecie that Hee should be borne at Bethlehem in Iuda Micah Chapters verse 2. and that He vvas borne there The ground of this errour that vvas amongst the Iewes vvas because of Ioseph and Marie dwelt at Nazareth and Iesus was brought vp there with them that false rumor spred that Ioseph vvas His father and that He was borne there but He was not borne there I grant it is true that after His resurrection Peter in the Actes and the Apostles themselues called Him Iesus of Nazareth as Cleopas here calles Him Iesus of Nazareth Also Paul in the twentie sixe Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles and the ninth verse calles Him Iesus of Nazareth but neither Peter nor Paul spake this of ignorance as if Hee had bene borne there but because they to vvhome they spake knewe Him best vnder that name they submitted themselues to their capacitie But as for Cleopas he knevve no better for he thought indeede that Iesus had bene borne at Nazareth so the first word he speakes is plaine vntrueth so yee see what it is to judge vvith the multitude The Papists will send thee to beleeue that which the multitude beleeues and makes the multitude a token of the true Church but thou shalt be beguiled with the multitude and if thou follovvest them because they walke in the broad vvay thou shalt perish vvith them Next consider His description Hee calles Him Vir Propheta Indeede He failed not in this stile Hee was a man and was a man indeede blood and bone as we are yet there is a defect in this vvord Cleopas knewe no more but that He vvas a man hee knew not that He was GOD and man in one person It is true Peter in the 2. of the Actes calles Him Vir Propheta yet hee knew Hee was the Sonne of GOD blessed for euer so as in the first wordes there is an vntrueth so in the next wordes there is a defect I marke this to let you see the ignorance that was in them before the LORD ascended to the Heauen It was a wonder that they who walked so long with Him should haue beene so ignorant the third time he calles Him A Prophet Indeede He was such a Prophet as was neuer before nor after Him yet there is a fault here he giues Him the greatest stile he thought Hee had but Hee had farre greater stiles for Hee is not a Prophet onely but also a Mediatour King and High Priest Then hee comes on and hee telles what a Prophet Hee was saying that Hee was powerfull in word and deede Nowe would to GOD we could speake of Him in loue with this poore man
if we saw Him we would count the least euill thought to be indignitie against Him by reason of the worthinesse of His person What euer was done against Christ it was indignitie No this world was not vvorthie of Him and I say more what euer euill is done to His members for His cause it is an indignitie because there is a dignitie in them It is another kinde of thing to vse a Christian man as thou wilt than to vse a Turke thou thinkest it a small thing to sticke him yet one day thou shalt know that he is a worthie personage especially if he suffer for Christ Take heede what the Apostle sayes They crucified the King of glory and the Lord of life how agree these two together the King of glorie and then to be crucified He countes that the greatest indignitie was done to Him that euer vvas done in the worlde Then the Apostle sayes of His Sainctes Heb. 11. They haue persecuted them and slaine them with the sword whom the world was not worthie of And I say more The godly who see the worthinesse of Iesus Christ and of His Sainctes and then sâ—es the indignitie that is done against IESVS CHRIST and His Sainctes it is no vvonder that they cannot comport with it Villane if thou werest a King that regardest not to offend Him they cannot comporte with thee the offending of Him is the sorest vvound that euer came to their heartes and vvhen they see any thing done against His Sainctes they cannot comport with it No it could not bee possible that the godly could comport or suffer these things vnlâ—sse they knew all these things were done by His prouidence O villane who boastest thou wilt doe to the Saincts of God what thou pleasest what art thou but His rod and thou shalt bee casten into the fire and suppose thou sette thy selfe against His glorie yet Hee shall make thee in despight of thine heart to serue to His glorie Then thou who art the childe of GOD in such cases shouldest saye I see the finger of GOD in this for this tyrannie coulde doe nothing vvithout the prouidence of my GOD. Looke how PETER speakes in the ACTES Chap. 2. vers 23. hee sayes They crucified him But this is his comfort That they did nothing but according to the determinate counsell of GOD. And the godlie knowe that all comes from Him and for His glorie and thou that vvilt not glorifie Him Hee shall bee glorified in thy destruction and shame euerlasting Nowe to this glorious and blessed GOD bee glorie for euer and euer AMEN THE XXXVIII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 21 But wee trusted that it had beene hee that should haue deliuered Israel and as touching all these thinges to daye is the thirde daye that they were done verse 22 Yea and certaine women among vs made vs astonied who came earlie vnto the sepulchre verse 23 And when they founde not his bodie they came saying that they had also seene a vision of Angels who saide that hee was aliue verse 24 Therefore certaine of them who were with vs went to the sepulchre and founde it euen so as the women had saide but him they sawe not verse 25 Then hee saide vnto them O fooles and slowe of heart to beleeue all that the Prophets haue spoken verse 26 Ought not CHRJST to haue suffered these thinges and to enter into his glorie WEE continue yet BRETHREN in this Historie concerning the two Disciples of CHRIST vvho that same daye of His Resurrection not knowing of it vvent out from the rest of the Disciples that vvere conuened at Hierusalem to a Village called EMMAVS not farre from Hierusalem We haue hearde of their outgoing and of their meeting with Christ howbeit Hee knewe them yet Hee let them not knowe that Hee knewe them but Hee bounde vp their senses their eyes and their eares that vvhen they looked to Him and hearde Him speake they knewe him not but they tooke him to bee a passenger and no question hee appeared vnto them in the habite and vveede of a passenger And meeting vvith them hee askes vvhat vvas their communication and vvherefore they vvere so sadde and discomforted One of them named CLEOPAS takes the speach in hand and beginnes to speake roughlie vnto Christ That hee vvas come from Hierusalem and knewe not these thinges vvhich vvere fallen out vvithin fewe dayes It is halfe a refusall of an answere Yet the Lorde vvill not leaue them off but hee askes What are these thinges vvhich haue fallen out Hee answeres OF IESVS OF NAZARETH Of him is the whole summe of their talke Then hee comes on and hee makes it more cleare to the passenger as hee thought and first hee lets him see vvhat a man Iesus vvas There vvas neuer such a man Hee was a Prophet mightie in worde and deede No man euer spake as hee spake and no man euer vvrought such miracles as hee vvrought so that hee had an approbation both of God and man Then next hee comes to these thinges vvhich had befallen so vvorthie a person such indignitie as neuer vvas seene hee sayes Our high Priestes and Rulers haue condemned him to die and haue dispatched him by the moste vile and ignominious death that coulde bee They haue crucified that Prophet that was mightie in worde and deede like a villane Thus farre hitherto Nowe the rest of this narration that followes containes three partes the Historie is plaine and therefore wee shall goe shortly thorow it Cleopas gathereth a sore and a comfortlesse conclusion vpon the crucifying of Christ a conclusion of desparing that Iesus should haue redeemed the world it is said Wee hoped that hee should haue redeemed Israel from their sinnes But now He is taken away and He is dead and therefore our hope is gone and we can looke no more for Him to be our Redeemer Marke this if hee reasones well or not Iesus is crucified and therefore Hee cannot be our Redeemer we cannot hope that euer He shall redeeme the world By the contrarie hee should haue reasoned IESVS is crucified and therefore Hee is the Redeemer for as the Apostle Heb. Chapter 9. and twentie two verse sayes Without shedding of blood there is no remission of sinnes for if Hee had not suffered Hee could not haue beene the Redeemer and haue redeemed vs but Cleopas and the other knew not what the Redeemer should haue suffered they knewe not what the Redeemer meant and therefore beeing deceiued with the false opinion that the people had concerning the Messias that Hee should bee like a King Iulius Caesar the Emperour by an earthly power to deliuer them from the tyrannie of the Romanes This false opinioÌ„ made them to gather this that He could not be the Redeemer seeing that Hee was crucified And indeede if this ground that they laide had bene true Hee could not haue deliuered them beeing crucified I spake of this the last day if thou followest the multitude and
to seeke that which the Lord hath not reueiled to thee but see thou studie to doe that which the Lord hath reueiled thou hast no warrand to seeke that which Hee hath not reueiled O Scotland thou hast no warrand whether GOD will stay with thee or not but thou hast this warrand to intreat Him earnestly by prayer and in a manner to constraine Him to stay with thee No Hee will depart if thou gettest not an heart to constraine Him Hee will not stay with thee if thou be not earnest to bid Him stay thou hast no warrand that Hee will stay vvith thee And I say to thee if Hee be not better intertained in Scotland than Hee is He shall leaue thee and woe to thee Scotland if Hee leaue thee this colde entertainement may justly make thee to feare that the Lord shall leaue thee Scotland Many in this Countrie of highest rancke would put Him away but if euer Hee depart a heauie judgement shall light vpon them Now vvhen Hee seemed as though Hee would goe further in a manner they doe Him violence and they sticke to Him taking Him to bee a man a passenger a gracious passenger and therefore they are lothe to sunder from Him and they vse arguments to mooue Him they say It is towards night and the day is farre spent and vvhere canst thou goe stay vvith vs all night then the Lord yeelded and taried with them Marke this We vse to say Prayer will breake hard weard and it is true repentance and supplication will holde off judgement that would light vpon vs. The Lord sayes in the eleuenth Chapter of Matthew and the twelfth verse The Kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force What causes Him to tarie violence is done to Him and I say to thee if thou enterest into Heauen thou must doe violence and take it by force and I say more if thou throngest not seekest it not night day thou shalt neuer enter in it and if these disciples had not thronged on Him and constrained Him He had not remained with them thou shouldest euer pray to God and saye Lorde leaue vs not tarie with vs vvee may not sunder if thou stickest not to Him Hee shall leaue thee Then yee see vvhat it is to bee humane they vvould not let Him walke in the night but vvhat revvarde got they in steade of man they receiue God and man blessed for euer so I say humanitie to man hospitalitie to Pilgrimes hath a great revvard The Apost Heb. 13.2 sayes That some receiued Angels into their houses vnawares when they thought they had receiued men Abraham receiued Angels in his house Gen. 16.3 Lot receiued Angels Gen. 19.8 Now Brethren I say this to you as ye would receiue God haue mind of the poore and now especially in this extreame dearth giue them some part of that thou wouldest put in thine owne mouth that which thou wouldest put on thy backe there is none of you but yee will say If ye had Christ heere I should feede Him and if I saw Him naked I should giue Him clothes the reprobate shall say the same in that day We should haue cled thee if we had seene thee naked c. But what answeres the Lord Whē ye did it not to one of those litle ones ye did it not to me Knew Abraham or Lot that these men that they receiued in their houses were Angels and thought these two that He vvas Christ No they thought Him but a passenger We read they that haue shewed humanitie to men receiued God but we neuer reade that any that neuer delt humanely with men sought not to entertaine them got euer God to lodge with Him So in a word as thou wouldst not manifest thy loue to God be humane gentle and mercifull to man He who loues not his brother whō he sees dayly how can hee loue God whom he neuer saw No thou louedst Him neuer say what thou wil fye vpon that man that hath no humane entertainement in lodging of strangers Now when He is gone in with them He sits down at supper for it was Euening sitting down He takes the bread and giues thanks Take heed to this ye with prophane hands will pul rent swallow vp y e Lords benefites without knowing of God but the Lorde of glory nowe sitting dovvne as man Hee vvould not breake breade vntill Hee had sanctified it by prayer when Hee hath blessed the bread Hee takes it and distributes it to the disciples so ye see this is an Holy passenger whilst He makes Him to be a passenger Hee is Holy Marke this ye that are passengers all His communing in the way is holy then when He sits downe He blessed the bread ere He eate how euer He makes Him to be a passenger he dissembles neuer His holinesse but alwayes Hee is holie He is holy in the way He is holy in the house He is holy at the table that holy Lord will neuer take on the habite of prophanitie Marke this Be what thou wilt if thou be a Lord trauelling albeit thou dissemblest thy rancke behaue thy selfe as a commmon passenger or as a marchant c. yet with the companie thou art in behaue thy selfe holie be holie in thy journey be holie at the table and in thy eating shew that habite Ye that trauell either in this Countrey or to other countreyes see how farre men are from this if they meete with an euill person they will bee as euill if they meete with a filthie person they are filthier they will speake two filthie wordes for one if one goe to Germanie he wil be an Vbiquiter and in Rome a Papist in Scotland a Christian in as many places as many formes so thou y t is a Passēger as euer y u would look for rest hereafter look y t thou be holy a holy hearted mā in a company will not only haue great graces in himselfe but also he will be gracious to y t companie communicate these graces to them with whome He is in companie So dissemble as thou wilt be euer holy and as euer thou wouldest dwell with Iesus be euer like Him in some measure in holinesse and well is vs if in word and deede we be holy pilgrimes in this world This would not be passed by He sunders not from them in the house He goes not to one house and they to another but He will goe to one house with them and will sit at the same table with them then Hee will not stay still till they giue bread to Him but He beginnes to giue bread to them and feedes them with His owne hande So ye see Brethren what it is to be earnest to entreat the Lord to stay with thee Now certainly He shall be more homely with thee than thou canst be with Him if thou beginnest to entreat Him He will remaine with thee and feede thee with His owne hand and they that haue found the
Lorde they haue seene such an homelinesse as they could neuer thinke of In the 3. of the Reuelation verse 20. The Lord Iesus sayes I will stande at the doore and I will knocke hee that will open to mee I will come in and suppe with him Once let me in I shall be so homely as thou neuer wouldest haue thought I shall insinuate mee in thine heart I shall not only sit at thy table but I will sit in thine heart and shall feede thine heart with joy and food euerlasting Nowe to goe forwarde the Lord who no question bound vp their eyes before opens them now if He close thine eyes the world cannot open them He only can oppen them The meane whereby Hee opens them apparantly was that forme of prayer Hee vsed before He brake the bread Next they vnderstood that it vvas Hee by the distributing of the bread for Hee vsed to feede them with His owne hande and therefore by these signes they are made to know Him I see here grace growes after that once grace begins none end of grace after that once He hath inuited them He suppes with them then He feedes them with His owne hand and then at the last their eyes were opened and judge yee what joy that was to them No doubt that was the most joyfull sight that euer they saw So hold on and entertaine the Lord a while and set Him at thy table and neuer be glad to eat nor drinke except thou findest some presence of thy GOD for it is a lothsome dinner if thou wantest Him and if thou entreatest Him on thou shalt finde in ende an exceeding joy Entertaine Him now as a passenger and in the ende thou shalt see Him to thy comfort thine eyes shall bee opened to see Him as He is Then it is said as their eyes were opened He was lifted from them yee must not thinke that the Lord made His body inuisible it is contrarie to the order of nature a thicke body to be inuisible nor yee must not thinke that He brake out at the house side as the Papists dreame this departure was by the holding of their eyes He was not changed in this forme or that forme but the change vvas in their eyes so that they see not howe Hee departes or in what manner as before their eyes were holden that they could not know Him To leaue this yee would maruell Hee giues them but one blencke in an instant He goes away from them why stayes He not No it was not meete for them that Hee should stay nor yet was it possible for Him to stay after that manner that they would haue had Him to haue stayed seeing nowe sufficiently they were assured that Hee was risen it was not needfull that Hee should stay with them as of before as yee see the Apostles in the 1. of the Actes speaking to Him they say Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome to Israel That is in effect Lord wilt thou not remaine with vs here on the earth No He would not stay with them but giues them a glance of Him then secondly Hee could not dwell amongst them the earth could not be capable of a glorious body glorifie a man or a woman the earth cannot keepe them glorifie a man or a woman this earth is too euill for them they cannot dwell in the earth No that Paradice wherein Adam was set that pleasant Garden that He was placed in could not keepe a glorious body and a glorified man So the Lorde beeing glorified could not dwell and abide amongst men as of before so then wouldest thou dwell with Christ and dwell in that pleasant place and thou shalt neuer haue happinesse nor joy till thou dwellest with Him Thinke not to bring Him downe to the earth but if thou wouldest dwell vvith Him flit out of the earth make thee for flitting Paul sayes I desire to flit and to dwell with the Lord Wouldest thou desire to dvvell vvith the Lord desire to flit out of thy bodie for if thou hast not a desire but art afraide to flit it is a token that thou hast no langour of God and that thou shalt neuer dvvell vvith Him but that soule that desires to flit to enjoy that presence that soule that hath groaned for it for the soule that is godly groanes as a man that groanes vnder a burthen shall enjoy the presence of God dvvell with Him and that soule shall be glorified thy body indeed shall not bee glorified vntill that time that Hee shall appeare and then thy bodie and thy soule both shall bee glorified with Him and then our eyes shall see Him and our bodies shall dwell vvith Him in the Heauen in that euerlasting Paradise Nowe Brethren hitherto the Lorde hath manifested Himselfe then see what effect followes and is wrought in their heartes of this manifesting Yee woulde thinke that so soone as the Lorde had bene taken from them they shoulde haue bene sadde For who would not bee sadde to want Him For if thou sawest Him for all the world thou wouldest not bee content to want His presence Yee would maruell why they make no mone for that short time that Hee abode with them No doubt that sight that they got left such a comfort in their heartes as cannot bee spoken And if the Lorde giue His presence to anie man his heart will haue such a joye that it will feede vpon it Yee reade in the eight Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles howe the Eunuche who came from the Queene of Candare when Philippe came and baptized him Philippe was carried awaye from him yet the Scripture sayes not that hee mourned when Philippe was taken away No it is saide that hee went on his waye rejoycing From whence comes this joye No doubt it was the presence of Philippe that left this joye behinde it So in a worde The presence of God leaues alwayes joye and if thou get a blinke of Him in the morning thou shalt bee joyefull of Him all the daye and that joye shall feede thee and when thou art eating and drinking that presence will feede thee Woe to thee who seekest not to get a blinke of Him for if thou gettest not a blinke of Him thou shalt neuer haue solide joye in thine heart But the wordes would bee marked And they saide betweene themselus Did not our heartes burne within vs while hee talked with vs by the waye and when hee opened to vs the Scriptures There are the vvordes When these two men hearde Him the worde was effectuall but they thinke Him not to bee their Lord till hee manifested Himselfe vnto them and then they call to minde by their burning that they found that it was Hee that spake vnto them This confirmes them that it was Hee The same burning of the heart that one will haue is a sure token of the presence of Christ for if the Lorde were not present in thine heart it woulde not burne at the
this was a very good preparation going before the Lords comming appearing to them yea no question it was wrought by the force and power of the Lord Himselfe when He was approaching and drawing neare to them for when the Lord is drawing neare approaching to vs then that Holy Spirit who dwelles in our heartes beginnes to moue and vtter Himselfe He wakens vp joy in our heartes Hee opens our mouth to speake with freedome and libertie and to entertaine purpose of spirituall and heauenlie thinges for that Spirit in our soules hath a forecast and feeling before hand of the LORDS comming this is it that shall mooue the godly in that great day when they shall see the tokens of the comming of the LORD to looke vp and lift vp their heades knowing that their redemption dravves neare Luke 21.28 for except the Lord did send before a ligt to shine in their soules as a messenger going before Him to tell Him that the Lorde is comming they would neuer lift vp their heads and therefore when the Lord commands His disciples to looke vp and to lift vp their heades before His comming it is as much as if He had saide to them that Hee will furnish them strength at His comming to lift vp their heades and to be waiting for Him Nowe followes the third circumstance concerning the time of this meeting Iohn in setting it downe is more particular than any of the rest of the Euangelists He sayes It was the same day at night which was the first day of the weeke That is it was the same day that He rose which for that same cause is called the Lords day and it was in the Euening after Sunne-setting when it began to be darke night for it was after the returning of the disciples from Emmaus and they returned not to Ierusalem vntill it was very late for wee heard before it was towards night when they desired the Lorde to stay with them and they returned from Emmaus to Ierusalem after the Lord had stayed some space with them and had eaten and manifested Himselfe to them in the breaking of bread Luke 24.29.30 Iohn telles the cause why they assembled in the night rather than in the daye For feare of the Iewes who as they were malicious against the Lord Himselfe so would they haue vttered their malice against His disciples and all them that loued Him so they make a choyse of a time that was least dangerous for Brethren it is the Lordes will that His children make a choyse of the time that is most conuenient which may serue most for their safetie in their assemblies and meetings it makes not at what times meetings be kept whether in the daye or in the night if so be that they who assemble and meete together be holy for all times are sanctified to the faithfull and them who are holie themselues for it is true that Paul sayes To the pure all things are pure Tit. 1.15 Likewise Christ Himselfe shewes His presence to His own indifferently at any time when they are met together whether it be day or night it is not these outward things that Christ chiefly respects neither the time nor the place nor no such outward circumstaÌ„ce but Christ lookes chiefly to the persons that meete together to their disposition whether they be holy or not the outward things sanctifie not the person but the person sanctifies the outward things manie thinke thâ—t if they come to the Church on the Lordes daye because both time and place is holy that they are holy enough but if thou hast no holinesse in thine heart all thinges are polluted vnto thee the time is polluted the place is polluted the exercise of the word is polluted For vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing nothing is pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled Tit. 1.16 The last circumstance is of the place The Euangelists make no particular mention of a speciall place wherein they did meet only Iohn markes That the doores were shut and therefore that they kept themselues close and quiet and in this their meeting exercise they were secret so that the Iewes knew not either where they were or what they were doing Iohn sayes it was for feare of the Iewes that the doores were shut As they had holy wisdome in choosing of the time so they had holy wisdome in choosing of the place God will haue His children to be wise in all things and when Christ sendes out His Apostles He exhortes them To be wise as serpents Matth. 10.16 The faithfull are compassed about with many perills and dangers on all sides which hardly they will eschew except they haue holy wisdome Now it was not only the feare of danger from the Iewes that made them shut the doores but likewise that they might be secret for when the Sainctes are exercised in godly conference and in spirituall and heauenly exercises and when they are handling secret and hid mysteries of saluation then they should bee separated from the worlde and from the societie of prophane men prophane men should be debarred from such holy exercises and from the meetings of the Sainctes and one day they shall be fully debarred and put out of their companie for when they shall be gathered vnto the Lorde Iesus to enjoy His glorious presence in the Heauens the wicked shall get none entrance there to trouble them any more with their prophanitie Thus farre wee haue spoken shortly of the circumstances of the disciples meeting Now it followes we should speake of the appearing it selfe Whilst the disciples thus gathered were speaking one to another of the Resurrection of Christ in the meane time Iesus himselfe comes stands vp in the mids of them He presentes Himselfe to them when the doore were shut after an extraordinarie manner a marueilous manner and verie suddenly for a glorified bodie hath a very swift and speedie motion Iohn lets vs see that His appearing and comming to the house to them was miraculous for hee sayes Hee came when the doores were shut but the particular â—â—nner of His entering in by what way Hee came into the house is not expresselie set downe by anie of the Euangelists and therefore sundrie men haue sundry opinions of the manner of His comming in euerie one farre different from another First The Papistes affirme That the bodie of our Sauiour pearced thorow the doore the substance and bodie of the doore remaining whole vnbroken vnaltered in anie part so that both the bodie of the LORDE and the bodie of the doore at one time vvere in one place And this they affirme that they may haue some appearance of a grounde to establishe that vaine and foolishe dreame and fantasie of the bodily and locall presence of the bodie of our Lorde in the Sacrament of the Supper Of the which doctrine of necessitie it must follow That one and that selfe same bodie may be in manie places at one time for
if it were true y t two bodies might bee in one place at one time then it would followe that one bodie at one time might be in manie places But both these assertions are directlie repugnant to the nature of a bodie whatsoeuer it bee whether it bee a glorified bodie or a bodie not glorified It is but a vaine distinction which the Papistes haue inuented betwixt a bodie glorified and a bodie not glorified for a glorified body remaines a true body the glorifying of it takes not away the nature nor the natural properties of a bodie and therefore it cannot bee at one time in manie places but onelie in one place neither can it bee in one and the selfe same place with another bodie Next others thinke That when the body of the Lord went in at the doore the body of the doore was rarified and yeelded and gaue place to the Lords body that it might enter in when it had gone in it returned to its own estate was thickned made solide as of before euen as when the Lord was walking on the sea the sea was thickned made hard solide vnder His feet y t it might beare Him aboue therafter again incontinent it returned to its own nature This opinion is more tollerable than the former because it stands well enough with the Omnipotent power of God where as y e former sentence of the Papists cannot stand with His omnipotency because it includes a manifest contradiction Thirdly some thinke That whē the Lord was entring in the dore opened to Him and after He was come in the dore incontinent most speedily closed again This opiniō semes to be most probable wee read in sundrie places the like to haue bene done as in the 5. Chapter of the Actes the Angell of the Lorde opens the doores of the Prison where the Apostles were and shuts them againe And in the 12. Chapter of the Actes when the Angell brings Peter out of prison the yron gate opened vnto them of the owne accorde And likewise in the 16. Chapter of the Actes When Paul and Silas beeing in prison prayed and sung Psalmes to God all the doores of the prison opened and euery mans bands were loosed in the which places yee see When the Lord deliuered His seruants whether by the ministerie of His Angels or without their ministerie the doores were opened But in no place of Scripture we reade of the rarifying of a bodie and much lesse any thing of that vaine opinion of the Papists That two bodies may be in one place at one time and therefore this last opinion seemes to be most likely But in this point wee insist not Only one thing we marke out of this place that the LORDS comming is very sudden and vnlooked for how so euer it be that the LORD comes vnto men vvhether it bee in mercie as Hee vses to come to His ovvne vvhether it be injustice to the vvicked His comming is euer sudden and vvithout their expectation and therefore we should not be so carefull curiously to enquire about the particular comming of the LORD as vve should be carefull to prepare our selues that vvee may bee readie vvaiting for His glorious appearing that vvhen euer Hee comes Hee may finde vs with oyle in our lampes readie to enter in with Him Watch sayes the LORD for yee knowe neither the day nor the houre when the Sonne of man will come Now to end shortly Hauing spoken already of the circumstances of the meeting of the disciples as also of the marueilous appearing of the Lord to them it followes last that we speake of His saluting of them when He comes in amongst the mids of them He is not silent but He salutes them sayes Peace be vnto you This was His cōmon salutation which they were acquainted with no question He vttered it with such a homely familiar voyce that they might easily haue known that it was He none other y t appeared spake vnto them for Hee vvent about by all meanes possible to remooue all doubting out of their heartes that so they might haue a full assurance of His Resurrection and yet for all this very hardly could they bee perswaded that it was He and therefore Marke sayes He reprooued them for their vnbeliefe hardnesse of heart because they beleeued not them which had seene him beeing risen vp againe For such is the infidelity dulnes of our hearts that al the meanes that GOD vses is litle enough to make vs to beleeue Now when the LORD sayes to His disciples Peace be vnto you wee must not thinke that this was a bare and simple vvishing and desiring of peace vnto them without any further effect No wee must not thinke so This word was powerfull this wishing of peace behooued to bee effectuall in their soules because it proceeded from Him who is the fountaine and author of all peace and who Himselfe is our peace as the Apostle sayes Ephes 2.14.17 And when the Lord who is peace Himselfe comes to preach peace How can it be possible except the heartes of men be harder than the flint or adamant but that preaching of peace must be effectuall in their soules The Lord in this wishing of peace is not like man the most that a man can doe is to wish peace and to desire peace to others No man albeit He were neuer so holy can doe more hee cannot giue his peace that he wishes he cannot make his peace effectuall But Christ when Hee wishes peace Hee giues and communicates that same peace He workes that same peace in their heartes and therefore when Hee is departing out of the world comforting His disciples Hee sayes Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the world giues giue I vnto you Ioh. 14.27 He sayes not only I leaue peace with you but I giue you my peace and that not as men in the world who can doe no more but wish I make my peace effectuall by giuing you peace The Lord make euery one of vs partakers of this peace that wee may euer haue matter of rejoycing in IESVS To whome with the Father and Holie Spirit be all praise and honour for euermore AMEN THE XLI LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 37 But they were abashed and afraide supposing that they had seene a spirit verse 38 Then hee saide vnto them Why are yee troubled and wherefore doe doubtes arise in your heartes verse 39 Beholde mine handes and my feete for it is I my selfe handle mee and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as yee see mee haue verse 40 And when hee had thus spoken hee shewed them his handes and feete verse 41 And while they yet beleeued not for joye and wondered c. IOHN CHAP. XX. verse 20 And when hee had thus saide hee shewed vnto them his handes and his side Then were the Disciples gladde when they had seene the Lord.
and feele sensibly vvith mine hand a body then shall I beleeue otherwise no Papist will cause me beleeue that I eate CHRIST really and bodily with my mouth no more than the disciples would beleeue that CHRIST was a body till they felt Him and sawe Him I will be of the Faith of the disciples Beleeue them who will I shall neuer beleeue them by the grace of GOD. Let mee see a bodie not the roundnesse and whitenesse of the bread and let me feele this that CHRIST let His disciples feele if thou vvilt not let mee feele that I will neuer beleeue thee holde thee content and I am not bound to beleeue thee yea more if I beleeued thee I vvere faire in the wrong I should sinne against the LORD and against the trueth of His body Why If I beleeue thee neither seeing nor feeling such a thing then I should beleeue the body of Christ to be vnuisible and vntractable and to beleeue that is to beleeue the body of CHRIST to bee no bodie That bodie that is not seene nor handled is not a body these properties beeing taken avvay from a bodie there remaines no bodie yea sight and feeling are such vnseparable accidents of the bodie that the verie glorified bodie cannot be vvithout them The Papists cast vnto vs a friuolous distinction betwixt the glorified body of CHRIST and His vnglorified bodie No the verie glorified bodie is as vvell visible and tractable as an vnglorified bodie The godlie in the latter daye shall see whether it be visible or not Goe thy way with thy bodily presence thou debarrest thy selfe from that presence that the godlie shall see one daye to their consolation Furthermore Brethren There is another thing to be marked I see IESVS CHRIST after His glorious Resurrection to haue kept the markes of the wounds Hee shewes His handes and His wounded hands Hee shewes them His feete and His wounded feet He shewed His side to Thomas when he would not beleeue made him to put his handes in His side Yee woulde maruell that Christ rising vp in glorie shoulde haue kept the markes of infirmitie When the Lord rose it became Him to shake off all infirmitie and the markes of His woundes are a part of infirmitie See ye not howe it hath pleased the Lorde to humble Himselfe for our cause to the ende that vvee should beleeue Not onelie rose Hee and appeared vnto them but also after He rose Hee keepes the marks of His vvoundes that no vvayes they shoulde doubt but fullie beleeue that it vvas Hee and none other It is a vvonderfull thing to see the humilitie of Christ for our cause as all His life vvas but an humbling of Himselfe so after His Resurrection for thine exaltation vvhen Hee should haue gone to glorie Hee abides fourtie dayes to cause His Disciples beleeue Art not thou who art dust and ashes bound to humble thy selfe for Him seeing that Hee who is so glorious humbled Himselfe so low for thee Now whether the Lord keepe these markes or no or vvhether vve shall see Him come vvith them or no in that great day I vvill not be curious but this I knowe the fresh memorie of the vvoundes and of the Crosse shall neuer vanishe out of the hearts of the Elect and in the Heauen thou shalt remember a thousande times better than in the earth vvhen thou shalt see Him as Hee is when thou shalt beholde Him vvhom thou hast pearced thorowe thou shalt mourne sayes the Prophete Zacharie There is the remembring of the vvoundes And as that Crosse shall neuer goe out of the eye of the Father for it is as present now before the eye of the Father as it was that houre that He was crucified So vvhen thou shalt come to Heauen alwayes thou shalt haue a memorie of the Crosse And in this respect He is called an euerlasting Sacrifice and an euerlasting Priest And as the sight of that Crosse pacifies the vvrath of GOD vvere it out of the eye of the Father the flame of His vvrath vvoulde deuoure and consume thee for the pacifying of the vvrath standes in the sight of the Crosse So the joye and peace of thy conscience in Heauen shall stande in an euerlasting remembrance of the Crosse and His bloodie vvoundes There are two groundes of our Eternall joye and peace in Heauen First our joye and peace standes in the sight of that present glorie of Christ in Heauen Next after the sight of that glorie they stand on a remembrance of His by-gone Crosse These shall bee the two pillars of the euerlasting joye and happinesse vvhich the Sainctes shall haue in Heauen So Hee shall stand in as good stead to thee in the Heauen as Hee did in the earth Learne to seeke Him to embrace Him and to bee homelie with Him for in Him standes thy joye euerlastinglie and euer thou bee happie thou must bee vvith Him Now this for Christs part Hitherto hath Hee taught them by the senses and thinges sensible But looke vvhat this vvorkes in them It is saide That for joye they coulde not beleeue and they fell out in a wondring There is the effect that it vvrought There is something heere vvrought to vvit a joye and a vvondering Yet the thing that they shoulde haue is not as yet vvrought that is Faith for joye and wondring by appearance stayes their faith So harde a matter is it to cause a man to beleeue It is an easie thing to thee who knowest not what Faith is to saye I beleeue but when thou art put to the proofe thou wilt finde howe harde a thing it is to cause thee to beleeue There is as great contrarietie betwixt our nature and faith in Christ as is betwixt water and fire And if thou beleeuest there must bee as great chaunge in thy nature as to change water into fire and fire into water Nature must bee turned into grace But howe comes it to passe that joye and wondering shoulde staye Faith Consider it That which one would faine haue comming to passe yee knowe hee cannot easilie beleeue it when one telles him that it is come to passe And that which least wee woulde haue comming to passe we most easilie beleeue that it hath come to passe A man that feares euill will credite an euill report readilie but hee that earnestlie wishes a good thing will not so soone credite a good report hee will thinke it almoste impossible But yet when a man heares tell of a thing which hee would faine haue comming to passe although hee beleeue it not yet the heart will leape for joye This was the disposition of the Apostles The thing that fainest they would haue cōming to passe was a sight of IESVS And if thou were acquainted with Christ as these men were if Hee were taken out of thy sight thou wouldest gette no pleasure till that thou sawest Him as PAVL sayes I desire to be dissolued and to bee with CHRIST Hee had such a thirst to
that as those things befell to Him of necessitie so of necessitie those things behooued to be preached to the world So He instructes them in these two necessities Then Hee comes on in the second part of His preaching and giues direction to them to be preachers and witnesses to the worlde of all these thinges promising againe to them that Spirit which He had promised them before His Passion and that they should haue the greater securitie He giues them commandement not to depart out of Ierusalem vntill they were endued with vertue out of Heauen this is the effect To come to the first part When they heard Him speake with a voyce familiar wherewith they had beene acquainted and that homely salutation Peace bee vnto you yet they would not knowe Him when they had seene His hands and feete yet they beleeued not that it was He when they had handled Him and felt Him yet they beleeued Him not for all this they were rauished with joy yet they beleeued not The Lorde will not leaue them in this vnbeliefe but He will let them vnderstand that it was He He teaches them by the sight of a bodily action Hee askes if they had aâ—y meâ—t They present to Him A piece of rosted fish and that was all the delicate they gaue Him and with it A piece of hony combe Hee takes and eates in their sight Hee eates the piece of the rosted fish and the hony combe Not that the Lord after His Resurrection had any need to eate any of their meat Hee who nowe vvas immortall after His Resurrection that was glorious and that vvas full of God and had all the powers of His soule filled with God What needed He their piece of fish or their hony combe to eate So it was not for any need He had that Hee eated but that He eated in their sight that they should beleeue that the Lord was a body a Spirit eates not neither drinkes The Lord therefore shewes them that He vvas no Spirit In doing this Brethren no question He humbled Himselfe beeing now immortall and glorious and full of God Was not this a humbling of Him an immortall bodie to take that mortall bread It is a wonderfull thing to see how Iesus Christ humbled Himselfe ay whilst He vvas yet still in this vvorld Beeing sayes Paul Philip in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God He made Himselfe of no reputation taking on Him the shape of a seruant That is the nature of man in the nature of man became obedient to the Father for vs to the death to a vile death euen to the death of the Crosse a foule deâ—th and a sore death Then vvhen after He vvas once â—â—ade and risen againe â—nd should haue entred to His glory and haue passed to Heauen immâ—diately after His Resurrection to sit at the right hande of that Majestie Hee would not immediatly doe so but did deferre and delay it the space of fourtie dayes and all this time humbling Himselfe it was a small thing that when He was mortall to humble Himselfe but when He was immortall that Hee should haue continued so long humbling Himselfe for the cause of man it is a wonder amongst all the partes of His humiliation this is one part that He ate this mortall food And thou when thou shalt be glorified thou shalt not bee so farre humbled as to eate any food of this world thou shalt not be so farre humbled as IESVS CHRIST was humbled Was this Brethren for the Apostles cause only Was it for Peters cause Iohn Iames and the rests cause No Paul sayes All is yours speaking to the Church whether it be Paul or Apollo or Cephas or thinges present or things to come or life or death all is yours and ye are Christes and Christ is Gods 1. Epist to the Corinthians the 3. Chapter and the 21. and 22. verses So all the Apostles themselues were for the Churches cause I speake to you Paul Iohn Iames c. were for your cause and all this homelinesse of Christ with them was for your cause as they were for your cause so seeing the LORD hath so farre and so many wayes humbled Himselfe consider if wee haue not great cause to meete Him or not If any will bowe so lowe as to take thee by the hand wilt thou not put out thine hande againe and meete Him and thinke ye that this humbling of the LORD of glorie hath taken an ende it endes not so long as this Ministerie continues Know yee what this Ministerie and this preaching is It is but an humbling of GOD from Heauen and that for thy cause looke what Paul sayes in the 2. Epistle to the Corinthians the 5. Chapter and the 20. verse We are Ambassadours for Christ as though GOD did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs stead that ye be reconciled to God There ye see that by this Ministerie GOD humbles Himselfe to pray thee to be reconciled with Him is not this an humbling of God euen that He should pray thee to be reconciled with Him He becomes a suter and solister for thy cause sayes the Apostle We pray you that yâ— should be reconciled to Him what is it to God to humble Himselfe if not this when He beseeches and requests vs by His Messengers and Ambassadours that wee bee reconciled to Him This exceeding humbling of the LORD as it lets vs see His loue vnspeakable towardes vs so it requires a meeting on our partes as wee would eschew fearfull judgements If the first humbling of GOD when He humbled Himselfe in our nature will not mooue thee to make Him a meeting it shall bring on a judgement If the second wherein He humbled Himselfe after His Resurrection so many wayes will not mooue thee it shall double thy judgement if the third humbling of Him now in the Ministerie will not mooue thee if thou contemnest the word and the Ministerie it shall triple the judgement albeit thou werest the King of the world O that judgement and wrath that shall bee heaped vpon thee thou shalt be thrust downe and plunged in Hel to be tormented for euermore Can GOD humble Himselfe for nothing No either shall it be for passing mercie or els for a passing judgement to thee for euer more Then Brethren yee shall marke in this place and I shall onely touch it by the way The Lord after His glorious Resurrection eated the meate they gaue Him Hereof it followes That after His glorious Resurrection Hee kept these naturall powers as eating and drinking if Hee kept them not how could Hee eate at this time if there was not a power attractiue in His stomacke how could the meat goe ouer to His stomacke This I speake to let you see when we shall rise be glorified and see our Lord vvhen this humbled bodie shall be translated to the likenesse of His glorious body as vvee shall keepe the same
confirmed To goe forwarde with the proposition of the argument vvhen He sayes It behoued all these things to come to passe He propones it not simply but whilst He telles it He secretly rebukes them Heard ye not of this before Are not these the words which I spake to you while I was yet with you Why haue ye novv forgote them seeing not long since I tolde you them I finde in the disciples of Christ a very great ignorance at the first Thinke ye that any of them knew one word of this notwithstanding they vvere foretolde in Moses in the Prophets and in the Psalmes No not a worde then vvith this ignorance I see a great forgetfulnesse albeit they knew not should they not haue remembred what their Lorde saide to them before His Passion and yet when they see Him suffer and see His Resurrection this cannot waken their memorie to say My Lord tolde me this therefore I will beleeue in them thou mayest see thy nature howe ignorant and forgetfull thou art by nature let thee ly still albeit thou werest Peter or Paul or the best of them let thee sleeepe on thou shalt die sleeping if these disciples had not beene wakened they had died this is the great and speciall mercie of God that He shewes to His own He wil let them fall in a slumber ly a while in ignorance but incontinently He will come giue them a putte with sharpnesse mercie waken them Thou who refusest sharpnes O that sharpe wakening that shall abide thee Therefore assoone as the Minister of God cries vnto thee O Catiue sleepest thou death and damnation abides thee if thou wakenest not but if thou wilt waken in time thou shalt finde mercy pray vnto the Lord that thou mayest be wakened for if thou wakenest not in time heauie shall the judgement be that shall ouertake thee wofull shall thy wakening be and the dolour that shall come on thee as the paine of a woman in trauell Our men for all our crying will not bee wakened but if they continue sleeping they shall goe to Hell Nowe to come to the assumption These things are written of mee that I should die and rise againe and no doubt when Hee telles this to them He falles out in a discourse of the Scriptures alleadging testimonies out of Moses the Prophets the Psalmes as the words following declare But to proceed Is the Lord content to alleadge the Scriptures simply Does He no more Marke it well as Hee alleadges and opened the Scriptures vnto them So Hee opens their minde and vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures Would ye haue an effectuall preaching there is an effectuall preaching when these two goe together when the Scriptures are opened and the Lord puts in His hande and opens the heart and the dead soule that is sleeping to vnderstand that piece of Scripture which is opened Would yee haue the difference betweene the preaching of Christe and the preaching of His seruants all their preaching is nothing in respect of His Moses the Prophets and all the Apostles are nothing to Him when He preached that same LORD that spake had power in His owne hande and made His owne Spirite to open the heart neuer a preacher had that that the Lord Iesus had He had His owne Spirit to giue vnto His owne when Hee spake His owne word the preachers haue not that Spirit to giue but referres it vnto the Lord 1. Cor. 13.5.6.7 Paul sayes to the Corinthians who esteemed much of Paul O vaine men Paul is nothing he only plants Apollos is nothing he wateres but it is God that giues the increase if he blessed not the labour of Paul or of any other preacher all were lost labour if the Lord giue not His Spirit with the word man teaches in vaine In the 16. of the Actes verse 14. When Paul is preaching we read not that any are conuerted for all his preaching but only one woman Lydia happie Lydia When Paul preached it is not said that Paul opened her heart but that the Lorde opened her heart Paul deliuered the doctrine but the Lorde and not Paul had the Spirite to giue vvith the preaching therefore vvhen yee heare and come to heare euer crie Lorde open mine heart No creature no Minister none Angell yea all the Angels of Heauen will not open the heart of a sinner Crie for that Spirite that He would open thine heart that thou mayest feede vpon that food of life Nowe consider at what time it is that the mindes of the disciples are opened to vnderstand It was euen when Hee is exponing the Scriptures then their mindes are opened and at none other time to let you see in despite of the worlde that there is none opening of the heart none illumination of the Spirit but by this word by the hearing and by the reading of this worde Away with these fantasticke reuelations of the Anabaptistes awaye with the Pope and the crue of His shauelings who affirme that the Spirit will be effectuall at the preaching of his vnwritten verities at the dreames and fantasies of men which is not only not found in the Scripture but also is altogether contrarie and repugnant to the Scripture I pronounce let them heare albeit it were a thousand yeere the Spirite of Iesus shall abhorre that trash and peltrie Set me vp the Pope to preach these vanities to thee I denounce thy minde shall not be opened that Spirit shal neuer come to open the mindes neither of them who preach nor yet their mindes who heare them Goe vnto Rome sit and heare and lend thine eare to a flattering societie of their Clergie heare them on thy soule shall the more be blinded the more thou hearest the Spirit of Christ will only accompanie His owne word Looke what is our nature in the Disciples of CHRIST knowest thou it not their mindes were blinded sound sleeping while the Lord opened them They knew not what Moyses said or what the Prophets spake of Christ while the Lord opened their vnderstanding Nothing in nature but euill nothing but blindnesse in the mind Away with the Papist and his freewill fye on thee that thinkest thy selfe better than thou art fye on thee that knowest not thy naturall blindnesse and deadnesse thou wilt come and speake of thy Free-will and of the light of thy minde thou wilt saye that thou hast a Free-will to encline to heauenly things be not deceiued with the conceite of this engine naturall quicknesse Indeede in humane thinges a man will haue a great quicknesse and sharpnesse but bring him to the Scriptures of God to Moyses to the Prophets Apostles he is as blind as a Moldewarpe as fond as a foole the greater naturall wit and quicknesse that thou hast a sore thing the greater excecation and foolishnesse in spirituall things speake to the naturall man of the Scripture of all the fooles in this world he is the greatest the more
determinate prouidence of God in a manner of necessitie so that in respect of this prouidence they coulde not otherwise haue bene We haue heard before that there was a necessitie of Christes death resurrection that there was a necessitie of preaching now here we see that there is a necessitie of sending of Ministers to preach the Gospel for there is no faithfull Minister but he must haue his commission of Him God must make choose of him separate him frō the common sort of men as Paul sayes of himselfe He was called to be an Apostle put apart to preach the Gospel of God Rom. 1.1 So must it be with all faithfull Pastors It is true indeede some wil preach whō y e Lord hath not sent some wil run vnsent some wil preach to get honor vantage or preferment to themselues but these are not faithfull Pastours but all faithfull Pastours must of necessitie be sent of y e Lord receiue their cōmission frō Him Now if this be true y t nothing concerning Christ or His Gospel or the Ministers y t preach it falles out without y e determinate prouidence counsel of God it is as true that none heares y e Gospel preached without y e same prouidence The speciall prouidence of God is no lesse extended to the hearer than to y e Preacher of y e Gospel so that the hearer as well as the Preacher is bound to glorifie God in His gracious prouidence in y e riches of His grace Many oftentimes thinke that it is by conjecture y t men come to y e Church heares the word preached but y e faithfull man that hath felt the power of this word in quickening His soule raising it frō death to life is assured y t the Lord had a special prouidence care in making Him to heare y t word at such a time to his great comfort But it would be marked that albeit all y e Preachers of the Gospel be sent by God yet all are not sent after one manner there is a great difference amongst them for some are sent immediatly of the Lord Himselfe without the ministerie of men as were the Prophets of olde and here the Apostles None of these were sent by mens ministerie but it was only the Lorde Himselfe who sent them according to the good pleasure of His will some are sent mediately by the ministerie of men as are the ordinarie Pastours and Ministers in the Church this daye who albeit they bee sent by God yet the Lord vses the ministerie of men in sending of them Nowe these men whom the Lord employes in this piece of seruice to call and send others should not bee rash nor lay handes suddenly on any man but they ought to be verie carefull to take good heede vnto the Lords will and consider and trie narrowly whether it be the Lords will to call such and such persons to the Ministerie that so they may haue a good conscience that they haue sought to conforme themselues to Gods will When Christ sent His Apostles He sent them according to the will of GOD the Father 1 Cor. 1.1 So whomsoeuer men call and send they must call and send them according to the will of God the Father and the Sonne But yee will say Howe shall men knowe these men whome the Lorde thinkes meete to be sent How shall they know whether it be the Lordes will to choose such and such men to His Ministerie I answere The LORD hath set downe sufficient markes and tokens in the Scripture whereby wee may know them whome the Lord would haue vs to send He hath stamped them with gifts beyond the common sort of men If yee would know what these gifts and graces are wherewith the Lord endues them read 1. Timoth. 3 c. Tit. 1.6 In the which places ye will see what properties the Spirit of God requires to be in a faithfull Pastor Indeed I grant there are some of the properties rekoned out there by the Apostle that are common to other true Christians with the Pastour As to be temperate wise holy righteous and such other but there are some other that properly belong to a Pastour As that hee bee apt to teach that he be able to exhort with wholesome doctrine and conuince the gainesayers that hee haue skill to guide and rule the Church of God Let them who haue power to call Ministers take heed vnto these properties that they call not men to this High calling vpon a priuate affection which vice and corruption hath beene too common in all ages but that they call them whom the Lord hath stamped with these graces and pointed out as meete to vndertake this charge that they may haue the better conscience in their proceeding Yet before we leaue this it would be considered who these were whom the Lord sendes were they wise men were they such who constantly auouched Him professed His Name Were they such men as deserued much at His hand Were they such as were meete and sufficient for such a glorious calling No certainely For who is sufficient for these things sayes the Apostle 2. Cor. 2 16. Wee are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues 2. Cor. 3.5 What manner of men are they then Euen these who before His death and suffering were offended in Him who were ashamed of Him and fled away euen these who after His Resurrection were so hard to beleeue that He was risen againe from the dead for all the paines that the Lord tooke vpon them men altogether vnmeete and vnsufficient for such an high and glorious calling men who by nature were fraughted with such stuffe as was directly repugnant to such a worthie calling and yet for all this the Lord castes them not off but sends them to preach saluation to the world He made them of darknesse to be light to shine to the rest of the world for sayes Paul God who commanded light to shine out of darknesse is He that hath shined in our heartes 2. Cor 4 6. Our hearts are darke by nature yet the Lord by shining in them brings light out of darknesse for as the Lord in the first creation commanded light to come out of darknesse so dayly in the new creation and regeneration and namely when Hee sets a man in His Ministerie He makes light to shine out of darknesse We haue a notable example of this in the Apostle Paul he had bene before a blasphemer and a persecuter an oppressour yet such was the mercy fauour of God toward Him that for all this He not only beautifies him with that common grace to be a Christian and to get an assurance of the Remission of his owne sinnes but also countes him faithfull to place him in His Ministerie to preach Repentance and Remission of sinnes to others The world thinkes it an easie thing to make a man a Minister but if wee consider what stuffe is in man
Pastours vvho before vvere called themselues But to goe forward When He hath charged them to goe out to preach the Gospell because it was a very weightie and painfull charge therefore He encourages and strengthenes them the more willingly to vndertake it First by bestowing vpon them the Holy Spirit and His graces Next by arming them with power and authoritie To come to the first it is said When Hee had saide this Hee breathed on them and saide vnto them Receiue the Holy Ghost In giuing to them the Holy Spirit He vses an outward and visible signe Hee breathes vpon them for this breathing vpon them was not the sending and giuing of the Holy Spirit it selfe but it was an outward signe and Sacrament to represent to signifie and assure them of the giuing of the Holy Spirit the outward breathing vpon them was a signe of the inward breathing of the Holy Spirit vpon their soules and a signe verie fit and conuenient to expresse the thing signified for the wind serues very well to represent the Holy Spirit and is vsed for that same purpose by the Lorde Himselfe Ioh. 3 8. Thâ— wind blâ—wes where it listeth c. But it would be marked that the Lord vses not only the bare and naked signe No that could haue profited them very litle but to the signe He joynes words telling the meaning of it He sayes Receiue the Holy Ghost For the Lorde in all Sacraments vses commonly to joyne the word to the Sacrament As in Baptisme and the Lords Supper to the end that not only Hee may declare and open vp the meaning of the signe but also to worke and confirme Faith in mens heartes that so the Sacrament may be powerfull and effectuall in them for the outward signe alone is not able to worke Faith in the soule but it is the word chiefly that workes Faith the worde is the life of the Sacrament and therefore except the word be joyned with the outward signe it cannot bee a true and effectuall Sacrament Nowe it is to be considered that this breathing of the Lord vpon His Apostles was not a thing that Hee would haue to bee kept ordinarily in His Church but it is an extraordinarie signe vsed extraordinarily by the Lorde in the sending out of extraordinarie men the Apostles to an extraordinary calling whereby the Lord at that time endued them with extraordinarie graces necessarie for that great calling And therefore foolish and damnable is the practise of the Pope his Cardinalls and his Bishops which they vse in sending out their shauelings into the world for when they admit them with their vile and stinking mouths they breath vpon them and say Receiue the Holy Ghost filthily abusing this action of the Lord as if it lay in their hands with their breathing to giue the Holy Spirit whereas the Lord hath reserued this power to Himselfe alone and communicates it not to any man they are but counterfaiters of such things as the Lord will not haue to bee counterfeited for this His action in all pointes was extraordinarie and therefore ought not to be vsed ordinarily but I leaue them to their owne vanitie A question may bee heere mooued How agrees this doing of Christ on His Disciples and giuing them the Holy Ghost recorded here by Iohn with the wordes that we heard before out of the Gospell of Luke where the Lord sayes Beholde I doe send the promise of my Father vpon you but tarie in Ierusalem vntill ye be endued with power from on high Which wordes importe that at this fift appearing to His Disciples which is one with this that John recordes He gaue them not the Holy Ghost but only promised to send Hâ—m to them I answere Both these places agree well enough together for in Luke the Lord promised to send His Spirit with His graces in a full measure vpon them which promise indeed hee performed on the daye of the Pentecosts when they beeing gathered together there appeared vnto them clouen tongues like fiâ—e and sate vpon each one of them and they were all miraculously filled with the Holy Ghost Act. 2.1 But the Lord heere only giues them the Holy Ghost and His graces in a small measure to be as it were a beginning of that full accomplishment which they were to receiue in the daye of the Pentecoste for wee may not thinke that the Holie Spirit and all His graces were giuen fully and compleetely to the Apostles at one time No but they were giuen piece and piece by degrees for first they got the fruites of the Spirit when the Lorde was conuersant with them in the flesh in the dayes of His infirmitie Next after He rose from the death they receiued them in a greater measure as we may see in this place of Iohn and last after the Lordes ascension Hee powred downe in abundance His Spirit with all His graces according as He had promised to them Luke 24.49 and was long before foretolde by Ioel Chap. 2. verse 28. But why would Hee not giue them the Holy Spirit and His graces in a full measure at the first Because there behooued to be a certaine proportion and correspondence betweene the Head and the members the Lord Iesus was their Head they were members of His body so long as He was not fully glorified Himselfe it was no reason that they should haue receiued the fulnesse of grace but when He was fully glorified He filled them abundantly with grace Ephes 4.10 The Lord now glorified in the Heauens hath store and abundance of grace to giue to His Church but our heartes are not prepared to receiue grace wee offend Him continually with our sinnes and grieue His Holy Spirit for this is the last age of the world wherein sinne aboundes and thâ—refore that vve are not so skant of grace the fault is not in the Lorde there is no scarcitie nor want of grace with Him but the fault is in our selues who entertaine sinne in our heartes whereby wee banish grace out of them and makes the Spirit who should be our Comforter to be a witnesse against vs in that great day of the Lord. Now after that the Lord hath encouraged His Apostles by giuing them His Holy Spirit and His graces in the words following to make them the more willing He armes them with power and auâ—hoâ—itie before He send them out He sayes Whosoeuer siâ—nes ye remit thâ—y are remitted vnto them and whosoeuer sinnes ye retaine they are reteined As if Hee had said to them I will not send you out powerlesse with a fectlesse worde in your mouth but to the end ye may the better discharge your commission I enarme you with power I will giue you power to binde and loose to forgiue sinnes and retaine sinnes The Lord sendes none out to his warfare till first Hee furnish them with weapons and armour But what weapons are they Euen spirituall weapons Paul sayes The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through
beleeue There are two sortes of contumacie and stubburnesse in sinne and vnbeliefe the one is conditionall and such vvas the vnbeliefe of Thomas the other sort is absolute vvithout any condition vvhen in no case vpon no cause nor vvarrand vvill beleeue and of this sort vvas the sinne and vnbeliefe of the Priestes and the Pharises for vvhen the souldiers that vvere appointed to keepe and guarde the sepulchre came in to the towne and tolde them that IESVS CHRIST vvas risen out of the graue not only did they not beleeue but also they stroue to keepe themselues in such vnbeliefe and hardnes of heart that in no cace nor condition they vvould suffer themselues to bee reformed so they deteined the vvord of GOD into vnrighteousnesse There is a great difference betweene these two sortes of vnbeliefe The first sort may obtaine mercie Thomas obteined mercie the LORD pardoned his vnbeliefe The other sort verie hardly can obtaine mercie the Priestes and the Pharises found no mercie their vnbeliefe vvas laide to their charge the LORD forgaue them not but as they remained in vnbeliefe so they perished in their infidelitie The LORD saue vs from this cursed sinne of vnbeliefe and infidelitie and namely from this absolute vnbeliefe that in no cace vvill suffer reformation for through processe of time it brings on this sinne against y e Holy Ghost which neuer will be forgiuen neither in this world nor in y e world to come Now last ere I leaue these words of Thomas we may see what is y e grouÌ„d fountaine of this vnbeliefe obstinacie and pride of Thomas the grouÌ„d of all was he leaned too much to his grosse bodily senses to his seeing feeling handling he makes his eyes his hand to be y e ground of his faith Thomas indeede failed not in this that he desired to see y e Lord with his eyes to handle him with his hands for ye heard before how y e Lord by y e sight of the eyes y e feeling of Him with their hands perswaded y e Apostles of the certaintie of His ResurrectioÌ„ Luke 24.39 likewise we see that y e Lord hauing regarde to y e infirmitie of His owne pitying the weaknesse of their faith dayly in y e Sacrament teaches them by y e outward senses as by the seeing tasting handling of y e Elements But herein Thomas sailed that he addicted tied himselfe so to his senses to his sight to his handling that he affirmed professed plainly except he saw him with his eyes handled him with his hands he would neuer beleeue that y e Lord was risen againe from the death notwithstanding of the witnessing of so many so godly so faithfull persons who euery one after another testified of the Lords Resurrection Then marke it Bâ—ethren It is not vnlawfull for a man to desire to see the Lorde euen with his bodily eyes No that desire is lawfull and acceptable to God for all the Sainctes that euer haue beene since the beginning of the world desired to see our LORD face to face Manie Kings and Prophets haue desired to see Him and yet sawe Him not Luke Chapter 10. verses 23.24 Abraham the father of the faithfull desiâ—ed to see Him and olde Simeon who got a reuelation that hee should not depart while he saw the LORD earnestly waited and thirsted for to see Him Luke 2 25. So that it is a lawfull and acceptable thing to desire to see the Lord. But in desiring to see Him we must beware that our faith be not so tied to the outward senses that we refuse altogether to beleeue except wee see the Lorde with our eyes and handle Him with our hands No I say more thou must be so farre from tying thy Faith to the outward senses that thou must not tie it to the very inward feeling of the soule thou must not say except I ay feele I will no wise beleeue for albeit that at all times thou haue not a feeling findest not grace into thy soule albeit thou findest not the Holy Spirite who is the earnest pennie of thy saluation to be presently working within thee and sealing vp thine adoption yet thou art obliged to relie and depend vpon the bare word and naked promise of God and so to seale in thy soule that the Lord is true for he hath made a verie small progresse in Faith that will not trust in GOD and depend vpon His naked worde except ay hee haue some feeling of grace of joy of comfort and of the Holy Ghost The Sainctes of God many times vvhen they had no feeling depended vpon the worde of promise and waited vpon the accomplishment of it Job when he felt not the Lords fauour but conceiued that the Lord was angrie with him he sayes Although thou slayest me yet will I trust in thee Iob 13.15 And Abraham when hee saw none appearance that the Lords promise concerning his seed could be performed yet it is said of him That aboue Hope hee beleeued vnder Hope Rom. 4.18 Likewise Dauid vvhen he vvas in great danger of his enemies and sawe litle appearance of deliuerie still trusted in God and depended vpon His promise for he sayes I will reioyce in God because of His word I trust in God and will not feare what flesh can doe vnto me Psal 56.4 It may be that the Lord exercise thee with the conscience of sinne and with the terrours of His vvrath in such sort that thou findest no sense of grace nor of His fauour yet in this case despare not but by the example of the Sainctes learne to depend vpon the worde and promise of God till thou findest the performance of it to the comfort of thy soule Now to goe forwarde and to end shortly After that the Euangelist hath set downe after this manner as ye haue heard the historie of the incredulitie of Thomas hee comes to another appearing of the Lorde after His Resurrection which is the sixt in number for of fiue wee haue heard alreadie and this appearing seemes chiefly to bee for Thomas cause The time of this appearing is noted It was eight dayes after that is from that day in the which Thomas had plainely professed that hee would neuer beleeue that the Lord was risen except that both hee sawe Him and felt Him and His wounds and it was the eight day likewise after the Lords Resurrection for the former fiue appearings of the Lord whereof we haue alreadie spoken were al vpon the first day in the which the Lord rose from the dead So ye see that Thomas the space of whole eight dayes interueening remained in incredulitie vnbeliefe This example of Thomas le ts vs see what is the disposition of the soule of a man after he hath committed a sinne against the Majestie of God after he hath once sinned he is wrapped vp in a senslesse securitie hee sleepes sound in his sinne there is a vale casten ouer the
eyes of his soule that he cannot see sinne in its own colour hee cannot consider the way wherein hee is walking nor the judgement which he is drawing on his own head Whereupon it falles out that he proceedes from sinne to sinne and either hee falles ouer againe in that same sinne which before hee hath committed or in some other sinne Wee haue a proofe of this in the person of Peter for after that once he had denied his Master hee slept in a senslesse securitie he made litle account of the great sinne hee had committed whereupon it came to passe that soone after he falles ouer againe in the same sinne of denying of the Lord and alitle after being demanded he denies Him the third time and if he had bene oftener demanded no doubt but he would haue denied Him oftener if the Lorde had not looked vpon him fauourably The like also wee see in Dauid albeit otherwise a man after Gods owne heart after that he had committed that foule adultery with Bathsheba the wife of Vriah hee is twitched with a griefe or remorse but lyes still sleeping securely in sinne and so from adulterie with Bathsheba hee falles in abhominable murther of Vriah her husband and after this hee continued for a long season as it were benummed and without a sense of his sinne or feare of judgement and as all sortes of sinne leaue some senslessenesse and induration in the heart so chiefly stubburnesse and contumacie in not beleeuing the knowne trueth of God brings greatest senselessenesse and induration An example of this Paul lets vs see in the Gentiles who followed not that light that the Lord had left in nature and which the Lord shew to them in the workes of His creation that they might glorifie God but repined against it and therefore sayes the Apostle As they regarded not to acknowledge God euen so God deliuered them vp vnto a reprobate minde to doe those thinges which were not conuenient Rom. 1.28 Because they would not glorifie God as became them to doe there was such a dimnesse in their eyes such senslessenesse and blindnesse ouertooke them that they regarded not to doe the thinges that were most vnnaturall They past all feeling and gaue themselues ouer vnto wantonnesse to worke all vncleannesse euen with greedines Eph. 4.19 And they had their consciences burned as it were with an hote iron 1. Timoth. 4.2 It is a dangerous thing once to fall in sinne for if the Lord leaue thee to thy selfe thou shalt neuer stay while thou râ—nne headlong to destruction Therefore pray continually that the Lord would looke fauourably vpon thee and that He would lay holde on thee that thou fall not away from Him and if thou haue fallen that Hee would put out His hand and draw thee to Him againe that thou mayest returne and be saued Thus for the time of the sixt appearing of the Lord now He appeares after y e same maner that He had appeared to the Disciples before For the Disciples beeing within and Thomas with them Iesus came the doores beeing shut and stood in the middes Of this manner of appearing we haue spoken at length before therefore we will speake no more of it When He is come in among them He vses that same forme of salutation which He vsed before for He said Peace be vnto you We passe by this salutation also because wee haue spoken of it already No question it was a very effectuall powerfull salutation because Hee that wished peace vnto them was the author of peace Only one thing I shall marke and so I shall ende I see there is nothing that is able to waken the soule of a sinner that is lying sleeping in sinne and wrapped vp in a senslâ—sse securitie but only the gracious presence of the Lord Iesus What was it that wakened Peter when he had thrise denied his Master It is said The Lord turned backe and looked vpon Peter whereupon immediatly his heart smote him and hee went out and wept bitterly Luke 22.61 62. How was Dauid wakened when he had long lien in his sinne without any remorse How but by the fauour of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God who pitied Him and sent His Prophet Nathan vnto him for this yee must vnderstand that all the Prophets which spake of olde to the Fathers were sent immediatly by Iesus Christ and spake by His Spirit 1. Pet. 1.11 and 3.19 And what was it that wakened Thomas out of his securitie What mooued him that was so obstinate in his incredulitie to beleeue What but the gracious presence of Christ for except that mercie of God in Iesus Christ waken vs out of securitie all the Iudgements of God that euer He hath powred out vpon any from the beginning will not mooue vs the most fearfull and terrible examples of His wrath vpoÌ„ others will not waken vs. Iudas lets vs see the proofe of this in his Epistle when he tells that they who turned the grace of God into wantonnes were not mooued to absteine from sinne by the example of that fearfull and terrible Iudgement of God which ouertooke Sodome and Gomorrhe and the cities about them but that they likewise notwithstanding of these great Iudgements continued in the like sinnes and defiled the flesh Iude 7 8. Then seeing we are naturally sleeping in sinne and none outward thing in the worlde no judgement neither temporall nor spirituall seazing on vs in neuer so high a measure can bee able to waken vs. Let vs pray earnestly that the LORD would preuent vs with His owne gracious presence that wee sleepe not while death oppresse vs. The Lord make euery one of vs to finde this presence of the LORD Iesus To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all praise and honour for euermore AMEN THE XLVII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 27 After said He to Thomas Put thy finger here and see Mine hands and put foorth thine hande and put it into my side and be not faithlesse but faithfull verse 28 Then Thomas saide vnto Him Thou art my Lord and my God verse 29 Iesus saide vnto him Thomas because thou hast seene me thou beleeuest blessed are they that haue not seene and haue beleeued verse 30 And many other signes also did Iesus in the presence of His Disciples which are not written in this booke verse 31 But these thinges are written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is that Christ that Sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue life through His Name AFTER that we had spoken at length Well beloued in Christ of the first fiue appearings of the Lord after His Resurrection wee beganne the last day to speake of this sixt appearing the occasion whereof was premitted by y e Euangelist John to wit the absence of Thomas from the rest of the Apostles when the Lord appeared vnto them and his great incredulitie when they tolde him for notwithstanding that many faithfull witnesses
testified vnto him that the Lord was risen and had appeared vnto them that they sawe Him with their eyes heard Him with their eares and handled Him with their hands yet such was the incredulitie of Thomas that he professed plainly that in no cace he would beleeue except hee saw in His hands the print of the nailes and put his finger in the print of the nailes and put his hande into His side To remedie this incredulitie of Thomas the Lord appeares now the sixt time eight dayes after His former appearings when His disciples were met together and Thomas with them Iesus came the doores beeing shut and stood in the middes of them and saluted them after the accustomed manner saying vnto them Peace be vnto you Now in these words which we haue presently read we haue the Lordes conference with Thomas first Next in the last wordes of the Chapter the Euangelist meetes mens curiositie affirming albeit all things that Iesus did were not written in this Gospell yet it was not vnperfect because all things were written that were necessarie to life and saluation In the conference that the Lord hath with Thomas Hee meetes him not roughly and rigorously as his incredulitie had justly deserued but with lenitie and meekenesse Hee endeuoureth to make him to beleeue by granting him his desire Thomas had plainly professed that except hee sawe the print of the nailes and put his hande into His side hee would not beleeue therefore the Lord sayes nowe Thomas Put thy finger heere and see Mine handes and put foorth thine hande and put it in My side and bee no more faithlesse but faithfull See the gentlenesse of the LORD and howe louingly Hee speakes to him Thomas was not onely incredulous but also he was stubburne obstinate proud and arrogant hee counted others fooles that beleeued hee professed that in no cace hee would beleeue without seeing and feeling of the LORDES wounds Now the LORD grantes this to Thomas which he desired albeit hee was vnworthie of it yea the LORD inuites him and louingly bids him put his hande in the print of the nailes and in His side for the LORD speakes not this in bitternesse and tauntingly to Thomas for the wordes that He subjoynes Be not faithlesse but faithfull testifie that Hee spake of loue and in lenitie to Thomas to make him to beleeue It is true indeede the wordes containe a sort of reproofe and rebuking of Thomas for his incredulitie but this reproofe is so tempered and seasoned vvith such lenitie and meeknesse that scarcâ—ly can it bee perceiued and taken vp This dealing of the LORD with Thomas le ts vs see how great is the mercie gentlenesse and long suffering of the LORD IESVS towards sinners whose sinnes deserue nothing but wrath judgement such is His mercie and meeknesse towards sinners that to the end Hee might please vs Paul sayes Rom. 15.3 Hee would not please Himselfe He suffered shame ignominie for vs He suffâ—red dolour paines for vs He died for vs and after Hee rose He spared no trauell to make the Apostles belâ—eue sundrie times did He appeare to them now He appeares for Thomas cause albeit he had runne very far in the course of infidelitie stubburnesse yet He striues by granting him his desiâ—e to perswade him and make him to beleeue The Lords gentlenesse and long suffering is very great towardes all men euen the verie reprobate themselues who refuse the riches of His bountifulnesse and patience and long suffering not knowing that the bount fulnesse of GOD leadeth them to repentance Rom Châ—pter 2 verse 4. For as Paul sayes Hee suffereth with long patience the vessells of wrath prepared for destruction Rom. Chapter 9. verse 22. But it is greater towardes his owne in whome Hee sees some sponke of grace to bee for albeit Hee finde it to be very small and heauily oppressed and smoothered downe by the corruption of our flesh and of our cankred nature yet He endeuoures to cherish and intertaine it for Hee breakes not the brused reed my quench the smooking flaxe Esay 42.3 Matth. 12.20 But Brethren it serues for no purpose to speake of this gentlenesse and bountifulnesse of the Lord except wee haue a sense and feeling of it in our owne soules and except we taste how sweete and bountifull the Lord is for no wordes can expresse it no wordes can perswade a man of it except he finde the proofe and sense of it in his owne soule The Lorde worke a feeling of it in euery one of our hearts that we may speake of it with the greater assurance perswasion But there may be a question mooued heere The desire of Thomas seemes to be vnlawfull and vnreasonable why then should the Lord haue granted it to him How standes this with His Iustice How agrees this with that vnchangeable Nature of GOD in Christ To this I answere That Thomas failed not in this that he desired to see the Lord for that is the desire of all the Sainctes but in this he failed as we heard before that he tied his faith so precisely to his outwarde senses to seeing and handling that hee professed that no wise he would beleeue except hee saw the Lord and felt Him yet no question he had in the meane time some spirituall desire to see the Lord and hee had a true and sincere loue towards the Lord. This louing dealing of the Lord with Thomas teaches vs this comfortable lesson The Lord markes not narrowly the infirmities and wants that are in His owne Hee lookes not narrowly to the weaknesse of their Faith to the imperfections wants of their prayers and requests for their prayers are full of wants and imperfections but Hee passes by their imperfections Hee ouersees their infirmities and misknowes the corruption wherein their Faith their prayers and desires are inuolâ—ed and ouercled and Hee hath a regard to their Faith albeit they haue it in neuer so small a measure for the Lord knowes the meaning of His owne Spirit euen then when He is wrestling into vs against an inumerable number of our infirmities sinnes and corruptions Happie is that soule that hath a sponke of true Faith for the Lord will regarde it and ouersee many infirmities and imperfections in him Thus farre of the Lords speech to Thomas Now followes the answere of Thomas vnto the Lord Thomas meetes Him with a notable confession Thou art my Lord and my God The Text makes no particular mention vvhether or not Thomas put his finger in the print of His vvounds and his hand in His side when the Lord bade him If so hee did and vvould none otherwise beleeue then surely hee hath beene very hard of heart impudent and obstinate vvho vvould not beleeue when he saw the Lord with his eyes and heard Him speaking to him But it is more probable and I am of that judgement that so soone as Thomas sawe the Lord and heard Him speaking that he was ashamed of his incredulitie
thou wilt and as long as thou wilt neuer shalt thou get any other true miracle from God except only this miraculous and wonderfull effect that the Gospell workes in bringing foorth in our heartes this true and justifying Faith in renewing vs and in beginning that life eternall in our soules for the faithfull finde by experience that this Gospell of Christ is the power of God vnto saluation to them that beleeue If thou be not content with this marueilous effect but wilt goe on to seeke outwaâ—d signes and miracles thou declarest plainely to the worlde that thou neuer didst finde this powerfull effect of the Gospell into thy soule and if thou findest not this powerfull effect to bee wrought into thy soule by the preaching of the word and by the miracles that were wrought by the Lord Iesus and His Apostles thou wilt neuer beleeue albeit thou sawest ten thousand new miracles wrought before thine eyes Now we tolde you before that both the worde and doctrine and likewise the miracles were written by the speciall will direction of Christ but there is a difference betweene their writting for all the doctrine of Christ that is necessarie to life and saluation in substance not so much as a sentence excepted is set downe in write the Holy Spirit He omitted nothing But all the miracles that the Lord wrought are not set downe in write for it was necessarie for our Faith that y e substance of the whole doctrine should be set down in write but it was not necessary for our Faith that all y e miracles which He wrought should be writteÌ„ Our Faith required the one but our Faith required not the other for the Lord in writting and registrating of His word and miracles had not respect vnto the curiositie of vaine man which is vnsatiable and can neuer be satisfied but Hee had regarde to the Faith and Saluation of man and therefore Hee set downe these things in write which were sufficient and necessarie for Faith and Saluation Our Faith and Saluation was the rule and measure of the Lords reuelation and not the curiositie of vaine man Now if all things are written that are necessarie to life and Saluation then thou who is not content with these thinges but seekest other thinges and claimes vnto vnwritten verities which are the fantasies of mens braine and cry for new miracles What can any man thinke that that thou art doing but seeking something aboue and beyond eternall Life and Saluation thou seekest but fantasies that thine owne head conceiteth Indeede vaine Papist if thine vnderstanding were capable and if thy faith were able to comprehend all these thinges all the doctrine and miracles that are written in the Olde and New Testament thou wouldest haue some shew of reason to require more to clame to vnwritten verities and to desire moe miracles and I would the more willingly giue thee leaue to require them But seeing such is the weaknesse and infirmitie of thy Faith and vnderstanding that thou art not able to comprehend these same things that are written which farre surpasses the capacitie and vnderstanding of man why shouldest thou miserable wretch deuise other thinges to thy selfe Why goest thou about to clout and clamp to the word of God which so long as we liue in this worlde we are not able fully to attaine to the dreames and fantasies which thou hast forged in thine owne braine Now to end shortly The Euangelist in setting downe the ende wherefore these miracles were left in write which is that we might beleeue in Christ and get life through Him lets vs see what are the things that chiefly we ought to beleeue of Christ These things sayes he are written that yee might beleeue that Christ is that Sonne of God These wordes comprehend summarily the substance of all these things that are necessarie to be beleeued of Iesus we must beleeue in Iesus euen that Iesus who was borne of the Virgine Marie who walked in Iudea and was conuersant among the Jewes And what must we beleeue of Him These words tell vs we must beleeue two thinges of Him First that Hee is That Christ Next that Hee is That Sonne of God The first respecteth His office the next respecteth His person By reason of His office Hee is called That Christ because He is annointed of God the Father to bee our King Priest and Prophet for these three sortes of persons Kings Priestes and Prophets vsed to bee annointed in the Olde Testament In respect of His person wee must beleeue that He is That Sonne of God for as Christ is GOD and the Sonne of GOD properly Hee is a person euen the second person of the Trinitie The nature of man that Hee assumed makes not vp a part of His person but was only assumed to the diuine person and was so straitly conjoyned and vnited to the person of the Sonne that whole Christ GOD and man is called but one person Now looke what benefit we receiue by beleeuing these things of Iesus He sayes In beleuing we haue life through His Name How comes this that Faith in Iesus we get life First we flie as it were mount aboue while wee come vnto CHRIST and take holde of Him For where the Carioun is thither will the Eagles resort Next when wee haue honoured Him so that wee count nothing of our selues while we rest in Him by Faith then through our Faith as a conduit He conuoyes life into our soules and that not an euanishing life but Eternall life and this life is the life of God So this life thâ—t we liue here by Faith flowes first from the Sonne of God and from Iesus as He is God then it comes to vs from the Sonne of God as He is Christ and annointed our King Priest and Prophet for first as He was annointed to be our Priest by His death and sacrifice vpon the Crosse Hee merited life vnto vs thereafter as Hee was annointed to be our King and Prophet Hee applies powerfully and effectually vnto vs the benefites which as our Priest Hee merited vnto vs by His death for as He is our Prophet He applies them to vs by His teaching as He is our King He appliets them to vs by working powerfully and effectually into vs by His Spirit Now we see what we ought to beleeue of Iesus what gaine we receiue by this Faith the gaine is very great but the meanes to come by it lyes not in our hands wee are not able by our owne free will or by the strength of Nature to beleeue flesh and blood cannot teach vs this Faith for as it is true which Paul sayes No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost 1. Cor. Chapter 12. verse 3. So none can beleeue that Iesus is that Christ and that Sonne of GOD but by the same Holy Ghost as the LORDE Himselfe tolde Peter after that Hee had confessed that Hee was the CHRIST the Sonne of the
liuing GOD for Hee sayes vnto him Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Iona for neither flesh nor blood hath reueiled that vnto thee but my Father which is in Heauen Matth. Chapter 16. verse 17. And therefore we must craue continually of the LORD that Hee would vouchsafe His Spirite on vs to worke Faith in our soules that beleeuing in IESVS CHRIST wee may get life and Saluation through Him To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all honour and praise for euermore AMEN THE XLVIII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XXI AFter these thinges Jesus shewed Himselfe againe to His Disciples at the sea of Tiberias and thus shewed He Himselfe verse 2 There were together Simon Peter and Thomas which is called Didymus and Nathanael of Cana in Galile and the sonnes of Zebedeus and two other of His disciples verse 3 Simon Peter saide vnto Him I goe a fishing They saide vnto him Wee also will goe with thee They went their way and entred into a shippe straightway and that night caught they nothing verse 4 But when the morning was nowe come Iesus stood on the shore neuerthelesse the Disciples knew not that it was Jesus verse 5 Iesus then saide vnto them Sirs haue yee any meate They answered Him No. verse 6 Then Hee saide vnto them Cast out the net on the right side of the ship and ye shall finde So they cast out and they were not able at all to draw it for the multitude of fishes verse 7 Therefore saide the Disciple whome Iesus loued vnto Peter It is the Lord. When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord hee girded his coate to him for he was naked and cast himselfe into the sea WEE continue as yet Brethren Beloued in Christ in the Historie of Christs appearings after His Resurrection whereof this which we haue set downe in the beginning of the 21. Chapter of Iohn is the seuenth if wee reckone precisely all the particular appearings whereof any mention is made in the Gospel But if we count only the appearings vnto His Apostles assembled together this is the third in number as the Euangelist himselfe hereafter telles In the first two appearings He manifested Himselfe vnto the eleuen beeing assembled together in an house the doores beeing closed only Thomas was absent in the first appearing nowe heere Hee appeares only vnto seuen beeing together not in an house but without at the fishing As concerning the particular time of this appearing what day it was from the first daye of His Resurrection or howe many dayes it was from His last appearing vnto them it is not particularly set downe and therefore we will passe by it but the Euangelist markes particularly the place of this appearing for he sayes Iesus shewed Himselfe againe at the sea of Tiberias which sea is otherwise called the sea of Gennesareth for according to the accustomable forme of speaking among the Iewes a lake is called the Sea Before wee come to the rest of the circumstances of this appearing it is expedient that we answere to a question that may bee mooued It may bee asked What is the cause that the Lord appeared so oft times vnto His Disciples and so many wayes Had it not bene enough that He had appeared to them once or twise What needed there any moe appearings To this answere There are many great and weightie causes wherefore the Lord so oft times appeared and first because Faith in the Resurrection from the dead is a thing very hardly and with great difficultie is obtained for among all the Articles of Faith there is none more contrarie to Nature none appeares to be more vncredible therefore the Lord that He might assure them that He was risen and that they who are in Him one day shall rise againe Hee appeared so oft times after His Resurrection Next Hee appeared so ofâ— to His Disciples because they were to be the first witnesses of His Resurrection to the worlde and therefore they needed oft times to see the Lorde to haue heard to haue handled Him and beene conuersant with Him they needed all sortes of helpes to their Faith that they might haue full assurance themselues that the Lorde was risen to the ende that with the greater assurance and with a full perswasion as the Apostle speakes of himselfe 1. Thess 1.5 They might testifie of that Resurrection both by viue voyce and by writting vnto others euen to the comming of the Lord Himselfe indeede so it came to passe for because Hee appeared and reueiled Himselfe so oft times to them therefore they had exceeding great libertie and boldnesse both in their speaking and writting for the frequent seeing of Him hearing of Him speaking and conuersing with Him made them to haue a full perswasion and this full perswasion made them to haue great libertie freedome for he that hath not a full perswasion in his owne heart should not take vpon him to be a witnesse and preacher of the graces and benefites of God to others neither will he euer be able to speake of them with freedome to mooue others to beleeue Thirdly He appeared so oft vnto His Apostles not for their causâ— only but for our cause also who should liue in the ages to come Hee had respect vnto the weaknesse of our Faith for euery particular appearing of Christ serues to helpe and further something our Faith our Faith degree by degree is helped by euery one of them and all His appearings beeing joyned together are a sure and stedfast ground to our Faith to repose vpon they serue to consummate our Faith and to bring it to a full perfection for when wee heare or reade that our Lord appeared at any time to His Disciples wee should thinke and settle this in our minde that when Hee appeared vnto them Hee appeared vnto vs when they saw Him we saw Him when vvee reade that the Lord appeared vnto Peter I should thinke that He appeared vnto mee vvhen Iohn and the rest of the Apostles sawe Him vvith their eyes I should so esteeme that I sawe Him vvith mine eyes and whensoeuer they sawe Him I should lay my count that I saw Him for vvhen that Peter sayes That with his eyes he saw His Maiestie 2. Pet. 1.16 hee pointes out Christ as it were with his finger to bee seene with mine eyes When Paul sayes That the Lord was seene of him after His Resurrection 1. Cor. 15.8 hee pointes out the Lord to be seene by me When Iohn sayes Wee declare vnto you that which wee haue heard which we haue seene with these our eyes which we haue looked vpon these handes of ours haue handled of that worde of life 1. Ioh. 1.1 hee sets the Lord as it were before my face that I may see Him with mine eyes I may heare Him with mine eares and may handle Him vvith mine handes To the end that my ioy may be full as he speakes there verse 4. And therefore thou
who art a faithfull Christian hast cause to rejoyce that the LORD so oft times appeared to His Disciples for it was for thy cause for the helping and confirming of thy weake Faith that Hee appeared so oft that so thy joye may bee the more full Now I goe forward vnto the circumstance of the persons to vvhom the Lord appeared There vvere seuen of the Disciples gathered together for hee sayes There were together Simon Peter and Thomas who was called Didimus and Nathanael of Cana in Galilie and the two sonnes of Zebedeus and two other Disciples No question it vvas not by fortune or chance or rashly that so manie of the Disciples met together at this time but it vvas by the determinate counsell and prouidence of GOD that they vvere assembled together to the ende that hee might manifâ—st and exhibite himselfe vnto them beeing assembled together When the Lord hath a purpose to communicate his graces and benefites in a great measure hee vses commonlie to call together a number of his owne in one place that hee may communicate his graces the more liberally vnto them beeing assembled together for he giues not his great graces nor vouchsafeth not his glorious presence so much to priuate persons alone as hee does to a companie of the Sainctes assembled together it is to them chiefelie that hee manifestes himselfe When the Lord was purposed to bestowe the holie Spirite what does hee hee gathers the whole number of the Apostles together in one place vpon the daye of the Pentecoste and then hee sendes vpon them all the holie Spirite in the forme of fierie and clouen tongues as wee reade in the seconde Chapter of the Actes and the thirde verse Our owne experience may bee a sufficient proofe vnto vs of this for when finde we the Spirit of God to worke moste powerfullie and the graces of God moste aboundantlie to bee bestowed vpon vs not when wee are our selfe alone but when we are assembled together with y e Saincts to exercise the meanes of grace to heare the worde to offer vp our prayers together vnto God and to be partakers of the SacrameÌ„ts And therefore if thou wouldest haue the Spirite of GOD present with thee and looke for anie grace despise not the fellowship contemne not the assemblie of the Lordes Sainctes Now amongst the rest that are here counted out we see Thomas is reckoned to be one The first time that the Lord appeared to his Disciples assembled together the doore beeing shut THOMAS was not present but the seconde time that the LORD appeared vnto them hee vvas present vvith them Now in this thirde appearing of the Lord to his Disciples he is also present vvith them This example of THOMAS letteth vs see that a man vvho is gone astraye and hath wandred out of the way after that once the Lord mercifully takes him by the hand and sets him in the way of grace that he will be carefull constantly to walke into that way with the rest of the faithfull who are walking in that way he will be loath to separate himselfe from their societie after that once the Lord beginnes freely to giue grace He ceases neuer to heape grace vpon grace while grace be crowned with glorie for it is true that the Apostle sayes That Hee who hath begunne the good worke in vs will performe it vnto the day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 And our Sauiour sayes To euery man that hath it shall be giuen and he shall haue abundance So happie is the man in whom the Lord hath once begunne to worke for He will neuer leaue him while He performe His worke in him Now when they are met together what is their exercise They goe to the fishing the occasion of this exercise comes of Peter hee purposed to separate himselfe from the rest and therefore hee sayes vnto them J goe a fishing The rest cannot bee content to sunder from him but they offer their companie to him and they say We also will goe with thee What made Thomas and the rest of the Disciples so vnwillingly to sunder from Peter and what made euery one of them so desirous to enjoye the companie of another Was this by chance or fortoun No but it was by the speciall prouidence of GOD that same prouidence that before gathered them together now keepes and retaines them together in such sort that albeit some of them were of purpose to haue sundred themselues from the rest yet the rest will not sunder from them The Lord will keepe them together that Hee may communicate vnto them such grace as Hee would not bestowe vpon them beeing sundered one from another He shewes Himselfe He vouchsafes His presence in them to their exceeding joy and comfort beeing now together whereas if they had bene separated if Peter had gone one way Thomas another and the rest the third it is not likely that the Lord would haue manifested Himselfe vnto them But how is this that the Disciples of the Lord who were ordained and appointed by the Lorde Himselfe to an higher calling to the Apostleship to be witnesses and preachers to the world of these things which they saw and heard of Him goe to the fishing Might they leaue that high calling and take themselues to so base and contemptible an exercise I answere that heerein they doe nothing amisse for albeit they were appointed and designed by the Lord to be Apostles yet in effect they were not as yet Apostles they had not entered to that calling neither were they meete for it vntill the time that they were endued with power from on high and before they had receiued the Holy Spirit in the forme of firie and clouen tongues in the day of the Pentecoste And further what fault was it albeit they had entred to their office of the Apostleship that they should bee exercised in an honest and lawfull occupation and should worke with their handes as we read of the Apostle Paul vvho in sundrie places professes that he laboured with his owne hands for his liuing Read 1. Cor. 4.12 1. Thess 2.9 2 Thess 3.8 Now when they agree to remaine together They went their way and entred into a ship straightway and they goe to take fish and to seeke bodily food for themselues but the Lord in the meane time is calling them to a better thing euen to see the Lord and to enjoy His gracious presence which was a great deale better than all their fishing and all that they could haue gained by that exercise and Peter after that once he knew that it was the LORD which spake to them counted more of His presence than of all the huge and great number of fishes that were inclosed within the nette for hee leaues them all after that once he knew that it was the Lord that spake and shewed Himselfe present vnto them yea he castes himselfe into the Sea and hazardes his life to the end he may come speedily and soone vnto the Lord.
them with the confession of their owne want thereafter He giues them the blessing Cast out the net on the right side of the shâ—p and theÌ„ He promises them a good successe for He sayes Ye shall find But what needed y â— Lord to bid theÌ„ cast out the nets that they might get fishes Might not the Lord haue giuen them fish enough without their trauell labour Might He not by His omnipotent power haue coÌ„manded the fish to haue inclosed theÌ„selues within the nets Yes no doubt without their trauell labour He might haue filled the ship abouÌ„dantly with fish yet it was His pleasure good will y t they should worke labour take paines vpon theÌ„ first before He gâ—ue them any blessing He would not blesse theÌ„ with a good successe except they laboured Further ye may see here how great pleasure and liking the Lord has to see men painful in their calling for albeit they had bin molested troubled all the night with labouring yet the Lord will haue theÌ„ to cast out their net again in the morning to the end y t He might giue a blessing to their trauels Indeed it is true that Hee desires not our labour as if it could staÌ„d Him in any stead He giues not a successe to it as if it merited any thing at His hands for Hee giues successe increase only for His own names sake and for His Christs sake without any merit of ours for if He had not respect to Himselfe His Christ if we tooke neuer so great paines we would find but a sober successe Many find by experience y t without Him if they would paine themselues from morning till euening they can find no successe Yea when the Lord withdrawes His blessing the children of God themselues finde the proofe of this Peter and the rest of the Disciples who were with him toyled and pained themselues all the night without anie successe or profite Then the cause chiefely why the Lord requires our trauell and labour is because it is an ordinarie meane appointed by Him whereby we should finde and receiue His blessing and it is a part of our seruice and duety that the Lord has appointed to vs. For when with a simple and vpright heart wee are labouring in our calling wee are seruing the Lord. Therefore Paul charges the seruants to bee obedient to their masters with singlenesse of heart as vnto Christ meaning that in their seruice done to their masters they serue not so much men as Christ Ephes 6.5 Now the Disciples obeyed this commandement of the Lord for they cast out the net and they were not able to draw it for the multitude of â—ishes This their obedience is very commendable albeit they had bene troubled and wearied all the night and had caught nothing yet at the request of a stranger a man whom they knew not whom they supposed to be no more but a common man readilie they yeeld obedience cast out the net And this their readinesse testifies that they had exceeding great patience constaÌ„cie in enduring of trauell notwithstanding of all their labour paines preceeding What was the cause of this their patience Euen partlie because their long labouring and paines that they had taken without any successe had humbled and tamed them if they got no fish they got a better benefite they were somewhat mortified and learned patience partly because they had an hope of a good successe that the Lord should blesse them at the last therefore patientlie they endure in labouring for we see commonly that hope of vantage will sustaine a man and cause him to endure much trouble labour And this hope if it bee in the Lord who neuer leaues His owne makes the patience and enduring of labour to gette a good successe So long as thou liuest cast hope neuer off if it vvere no more but because by it thou gloâ—ifiest God for by faith and hope to obtain all good things which are necessary either to soule or bodie from the handes of the Father of lightes from whome all good things descend we glorifie Him in the multitude of His mercy By the example of the Disciples let vs learne that when we haue troubled and pained our selues very long and find but sober successe of our trauels at least to be humbled and mortified and to continue constantly in labouring waiting patiently for y e Lords blessing for as y e dâ—sciples in the end found a better successe than they could haue looked for They founde the net to bee filled with such a multitude of fishes y t they were not able to draw it so shall we find in th' end y t our patient waiting for y e Lords blessing shal not be fruiâ—lesse and without successe Nowe to goe forwarde They knewe not the Lord when at His command they cast the nette into the Sea but nowe when they see such a marueâ—lous draught of fishes inclosed within their nets they beginne to conceiue that it was the Lord that spake to them The first man who discernes Him is IOHN who describes himselfe heere to bee the Disciple whome the Lord loued and commonlie he describes himselfe in the Gospell by this stile and that because hee found the loue of God spred abroade in his heart by His Holy Spirit in an exceeding great measure IOHN saide vnto PETER It is the LORD The thing that makes IOHN to knowe that it was the Lord that spake was the extraordinarie and marueilous successe that they found in their trauels for in that successe hee sawe and considered not onelie an exceeding great power but also a wonderfull bountifulnesse and liberalitie whereupon hee gathers that it was the Lord that spake vnto them and commanded them to cast out the nette and directed them in their labour and made them to gette such successe Learne then heere by IOHNS example when the Lorde bestowes His benefites and graces on thee and when thou seest His workes by His workes and benefites to ascende to God the giuer of them and in them to acknowledge Him and His essentiall properties His power His bountifulnesse His mercie His prouidence c. For if wee weigh rightlie and deepelie consider the benefites and workes of God in them wee will finde as it were a seale of the majestie of God of His power of His mercie of His liberalitie and bountifulnesse which should mooue vs to lift vp our eyes to Heauen to beholde the Lord who is the worker and giuer of all that so with chearefulnesse and pleasure wee may glorifie Him for this is our greatest happinesse and felicitie to glorifie the majestie of our God in all thinges There are manie who when as they see the wonderous workes of God and daylie receiue benefites of Him they so rest vpon the outwarde workes and benefites that they neuer ascende to God the author and giuer of them to see Him and to glorifie Him But miserable are they who so does what euer
right side of the shippe we shew you their obedience albeit they knew Him not thought that He had bene a stranger yet vpon hope of a good successe they cast out the net We haue heard what successe the Lord gaue to this their obedience the net was so filled with fishes that they were not able to drawe it And last we haue heard how Iohn knew Him first and tolde Peter and how Peter vpon a feruent zeale to meete with the Lord casts Himselfe into the Sea and hazardes his life Nowe this day by Gods grace we shall follow out the rest of the Historie of this appearing of Christ as namely how the Disciples did meete vvith the Lord and how when they came to the land miraculously they saw fishes laide on hote coales and what was the Lords conference and dealing with them and vvhat vvas the behauiour of Peter and the rest of the Disciples But to come to the wordes when Peter had cast himselfe into the Sea and came to the Lord what doe the rest of the Disciples Are they altogether carelesse Haue they not also a desire to meete vvith the Lord Yes they haue a desire and they came to the Lord albeit not so soone as Peter For they came by ship for they were not far from land but about two hundreth cubits Albeit they came not all so soone as Peter yet at the last they al come to y e Lord as vvell as Peter for they vvere not destitute of grace no more than Peter as zeale caried Peter to y e Lord so Faith knowledge brings and leades the rest to the Lord Peters zeale mooued him to come more speedily suddenly hastily to the Lord but their Faith and knowledge brought Iohn the rest also to the Lord for such is the force of Faith that albeit it haue not ay such feruent zeale accompanying it as vvas the zeale of Peter yet at last it will leade conuey a man vnto Christ Striue aboue all thinges to haue Faith and seeke it dayly of the Lord for if thou haue Faith in Christ not only shalt thou get a comfortable sight of Him heere in thy soule but also thou shalt see Him hereafter face to face by the contrarie if thou want Faith if thou haue it not in some measure thou shalt neuer get a sight of God to thy comfort for as the Apostle sayes Without holinessâ— no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 If thou be not holy thou shâ—lt never see Heaven so say I Without Faith thou shalt neuer sâ—e God if thou haue not Faith thou shalâ— neuer come to Heauen Mocke Faith and holinessâ— as ye please the Lord sh◠〈◊〉 â—sie this one day vvithout Faith holinesse the gates of Heauen shal be closed vpon thee thou shalt neuer get no portion of life nor glory Nowe vvhile the Disciples are comming to the Lord They are drawing the net with the fishes Compare this doing of theirs vvith the doing of Peter ye vvill see both doe vvell albeit the manner be diuerse Peter left the net all y e fishes behind swimmed out hastily speedily to meet y e Lord Iohn the rest drawing after them the net full of fishes come to y e Lord both doe vvell both their doings are commendable for zeale so caried Peter y t not only he cared not for y e net the fishes but also he hazarded his life that hee might come to y e Lord Iohn the rest of y e Disciples as they knew y e Lord Himselfe so they esteeme highly of that benefite vvhich the Lord powerfully louingly had bestowed vpoÌ„ them as a pledge of His fauour therfore they were not carelesse of the benefite they misregarded it not but they thought it meet to carrie it with them for His cause who had vouchsafed it on them so both y e one the other are worthy of praise hereof we may learne this lesson The actions of y e Children of God wherein they are exercised according to y e gift that y e Lord hath distributed to euery one albeit they be very farre different one from another yet they are all in some sort good worthy of their owne praise because euery one of them helpes another for as it is with the giftes faculties so it is with the actions operations proceeding from them Now the gifts faculties are diuerse yet all are for the well of the body euery one of them supplies the want of another yea euen y e meanest gifts helpe the greatest the gift of the foot helpes the gift of the hand and of the eye Euen so the actions and operations slowing from the gifts serue for the well and commoditie of the whole body euery one of them supplies the want and inlake that is in another the least may helpe the greatest in some thing that it wants Ye see a proofe of this heere in the actions doings of the Apostles Peter left the net the fishes and all behinde him that hee might corâ—e hastily vnto the Lord the thing that inâ—aâ—ed in him the rest supplied they bring the bâ—nefite with them the fishes that the Lord had sent them Again albeit that Iohn y e rest brought y â— fishes with them that y e Loâ—d gaue thâ—m as a pledge of â—is loue yet they were somewhat sloâ—e they â—aâ—eâ— not as Peter did to come to the â—ord now Petâ—r helpeâ— them in this waâ—â— for by hiâ— zeale and forwardnesse he stirred them vâ—â—â— prouoked them to a godly eâ—ulat on Wee must not incontinently despise and reject the particular actions of euery one of the children of God because they are not perfect in all respects for the Lord will not bestow all gifts at once to euery faithfull man but wee should consider all the actions of all the children of GOD gathered together as it were in a masse and one heape and so because euery one helpes and supplies the want of another to the well of the whole we shall finde a perfection Now when by ship drawing the net with the fishes after them they come to land What falles out What finde they They find a miraculous worke for it is said As soone then as they were come to land they saw hoat coales and fish laide thereon and bread Where euer they came they sawe miracles when they were on the Sea they found a miraculous multitude of fishes inclosed in the net when they come to the lande they found another miracle a fire and all furniture for their dinner extraordinarily prepared without the hand of man No question these things were done by the extraordinarie working and dispensation of GOD to the end that not only they might assuredly know that the Lord was risen againe but likewise that when they considered His marueilous and extraordinarie power they might be perswaded that He who rose from the dead was not only man but also God for
these His vvonderous workes bare witnesse that the Godhead dwelt in Him bodily Iohn sayes We saw His glorie as the glory of the only begotten Sonne of God Ioh. 1.14 How saw we this glorie How discerned he it Euen by these many other such wondrous works indeed it had done them litle good to haue knowen that Christ was risen againe except they had beene assured that He who rose vvas God the Sonne of God if they had not knowen this the knowledge of His Resurrection had not bene steadable to Saluation Nowe it vvould bee marked that he sayes when they come to land They saw fish laide on the coales and bread This was for their sustentation So the Lord manifested not only His power in the miracle but likewise His loue in feeding of them to the end that they should not rest coÌ„tent themselues with marueiling at His power but that vpon thâ— consideration of His gâ—eat loue they should be mooued to loue Him againe intierely to put their trust in Him Indeede vve ought to vvonder at the gloriousnesse of the person the Lord and at His extraordinarie and maruellous power for He is as the Prophet Esay 9.6 calles Him Wonderfull but vve should so maruell at His power that in y e meane time vve endâ—uoure to haue a sense of His loue that vve may loue Him againe put our trust in Him for without the sense of His loue our maruelling vvondering at Him vvill doe vs litle good Now let vs come to the Lords conference vvith the Disciples Iesus saide vnto them Bring of the fishes which yee haue nowe caught The Lord breakes off first the conference for they carried such a reuerence to the Lord that they vvould not presume once to speake for as the presence of the Lord vvorketh Faith and loue in the soule so it vvorkes feare and reuerence of His Majestie if thou vvantest feare and reuerence to His Majestie thou neuer foundest His presence in thy soule Now vvhen Hee bids them Bring of the fishes which they had caught He demands an accompt of the benefite vvhich He had bestowed on them and so Hee shewes that it vvas not His vvill that rashly vnaduisedly they should haue cast away the benefite vvherewith He had blessed them albeit it vvas but an earthly blessing and hereby vve may see that the fact of Iohn and the other Disciples vvas vvorthie of praise vvho left not the fishes behind them but drew the net full of fishes to the land Againe it is worthie to be marked that he ascribeth the taking of the fishes which Hee had enclosed in the net and freely giuen them to their trauels labours for He sayes Bring of the fâ—shes which ye haue now caught This forme of speaking lets vs see how well the Lord likes how highly He counts of the labours which His own Children vndertake at His coÌ„mandement for albeit we be altogether vnprofitable seruants when we haue done all that we can do Luke 17.10 and all our labours be not steadable to Him nor profitable in theÌ„â—elues yet such is His loue fauour towards His own that both He commends them as profitable seruants allowes of their workes as steadable and this He does to the end He may encourage vs as His children not to wearie but to goe forward in well doing for it is necessarie that we be exercised in well doing go forward in good works for God hath ordained that we should walke in them Ephes 2.10 that without them it is vnpossible to attaine vnto eternalâ— life In like maner when freely He crownes His grace into vs Hee calles that crowne a reward as if we had dâ—serued it by our labours for the Lorde vses to deale with vs as a louing father deales vvith His Children the father will make much of his sonne allure him promise him an hyre to moue him to do that thing that he is obliged to do of duty so the Lord dates and allures vs and calles the thing which Hee giues vs freelie an hyre and rewarde to the ende that Hee may encourage vs to goe forwardes in vvell-doing Likewise in that perfect forme of prayer vvhich the Lord hath taught vs Hee calles that bread which Hee biddes vs craue from GOD our bread as though GOD vvere indebted to giue it vnto vs and as if vve had a right vnto it vvhich neuerthelesse vve craue from God as appertaining to Him not to vs yet He teaches vs to call it our bread albeit vve haue no right to it to testifie His fatherly loue fauour towardes vs. When the Papists heare any thing ascribed to our laboures vvhen they heare a rewarde named in the Scriptures then incontinent they conclude That vvee merite it at GODS hand But they deceaue themselues for as the Lord ascribes heere the taking of the fishe vvhich vvas His benefite and blessing vnto their laboures vvhich they vndertooke at His commandement So after this same manner and no otherwise Hee vses to call that a rewarde vvhich Hee giues vs freelie to the ende Hee may encourage vs vvith the greater pleasure to doe His vvill Nowe let vs come to the obedience to this coÌ„mandement of the Lord. As soone as Peter heares the Lord bidding them bring of the fishes which they had caught incontinent hee stepped foorth and drewe the nette to land full of great fishes an hundreth fiftâ—e and three Hee is verie readie to obeye Before vvhen first hee vnderstoode that it vvas the LORDE hee vvas carried vvith such a feruent zeale to meete vvith the LORDE that hee left the nette fishes and all behinde him Nowe vvhen hee heares the LORD commanding to bring the fishes there is none of them so bent and readie to obeye Which lettes vs see that vvhen PETER left all and cast himselfe into the Sea to meete the LORDE hee despised not neither misregarded the benefite of the fishes vvhich the LORDE gaue the DISCIPLES So learne in this example of PETER vvhat is the disposition and behauiour of a sanctified and holie person for a season hee vvill bee rauished and as it vvere transported aboue all the pleasures and outwarde comfortes of the vvorlde and he vvill bee so sette vpon the meditation and thinking of those thinges vvhich are spirituall and to enjoye the presence of the LORD that scarcelie vvill hee once so much as haue any thought of them because he countes himselfe to be a Citizen of the Kingdome of Heauen Againe when hee knowes that it is the Lords will that he should be exercised the time of his pilgrimage heere in some earthly calling hee is content to returne backe againe and to put his hand to worke exercising him in his owne calling yet in the meane time when his hande is working his heart is in Heauen where his treasure is when he is exercised in his calling his conuersation is aboue and as Paul speakes of him Hee vses the world as though hee
vsed it not 1. Cor. 7.31 That is When he is exercised in worldly things he hath not his heart fixed on the world for that is the right vsing of the world for that man that hath his heart fixed on the world when he is occupied in a worldly calling he abuses the world If euer in all thine actions thine heart bee glewed to the vvorlde and thine affections teddered to the earth if thou haue no pleasure to thinke of Heauen and heauenly thinges thou mayest take that for a sure token that as yet thou art not called to the participation of grace Nowe when Peter drawes the net with an hundreth fiftie and three great fishes in it the Euangelist markes that Albeit they were so many yet was not the nette broken No question as the taking of so many fishes the hote coales fish laide thereon with bread was effectuate as ye heard by the secret extraordinarie miraculous prouidence of God so was this also and all was to this end that the Disciples might see that the Godhead dwelt in Him bodily and that the Godhead which before the Passion was obscured and kept the selfe close did nowe vtter the selfe gloriously When Peter hath drawen the net vvith the fish to the land The Lord saide vnto them Come and dine In the former doings ye haue heard Hee vttered His Godhead now heere by His familiar and accustomed forme of doing He makes it manifest that Hee vvas man also Yee haue heard before that by the actions of eating and drinking He prooued that Hee was not a Spirit but a man Luke 24.39 And as Hee is carefull to enforme their mindes and by these actions to perswade them that He is both God and man so likewise He hath a care of their bodies and of the sustentation of this temporall life He knew that by their long painfull trauell they were both wearied and hungrie and had great need of refreshment the Lord had a care of this and Hee feedes them as it were with His owne hand so that at one time both their soules and their bodies are fedde by Him and this should be thy care that when thou findest that the Lord feedes thy body and hath a care of this temporall life that thou also striue to finde that the Lord feedes thy soule hath a care to bring thee vnto eternall life And indeede if thou receiuest these temporall benefites which serue for the sustentation of thy body with thankesgiuing and prayer thou wilt finde that when the Lord feedes thy body He feedes also thy soule Now the Euangelist markes by the way interrupting the Historie That none of the Disciples durst aske Him Who art thou seeing they knew that Hâ—e was the Lord. No question the Euangelists sets downe these wordes partly to let vs see what great reuerence they caried to the Lord while they sate at table with Him and partly to let vs see how full and sure perswasion they had that it was the Lord for he telles the cause why they durst not aske Him who He was because They knewe that He was the Lord and it had bene too great boldnesse and impudencie in them to haue asked that at the Lord which they knewe well enough and the Lord had reueiled Himselfe to them sufficiently before and now also By this behauiour of the Disciples wee may marke what is the nature of Faith and the force and effect of it in the regenerate man it is not vnreuerent but thinkes reuerently of the Lord whome it apprehends it is not impudent and shamelesse but humble and shamefast it is not immoderate it passes not measure but it is moderate and conteines the selfe within bounds and measure that is it is not euermore curiously seeking many and new reuelations but it is content with that measure that the Lord hath reueiled By the contrarie looke to the nature of infidelitie it is euer vnreuerent toward GOD impudent and immoderate it is neuer content with that measure of reuelations which the Lord hath giuen but it is euer curiously out of measure seeking new reuelations and what if it were for any good end what if it were to learne and grow better then it were somewhat more excusable but it is all to this ende that either it may tempt the Majestie of God or els to satisfie the immoderate and vnsatiable curiositie wee may see the example of these fruites of infidelitie in sundrie persons as in the Iewes who as Dauid sayes oft times tempted the Lord in the Wildernesse by their infidelitie but chiefly in the Scribes and Pharises they euer tempted the LORD for albeit both by His Word and doctrine and also by His diuine workes and miracles Hee had sufficiently reueiled Himselfe vnto them and albeit also they had beene conuicted in their conscience that Hee was the Messias yet notwithstanding of all this they continue still in tempting of Him and they say Master we desire to see a signe of thee Matth. Chapter 12. verse 38. But the LORD answered them An euill and adulierous generation seekes a signe but no signe shall be giuen to it but the signe of the Prophet Ionah The Papists this day are very like the Scribes and Pharises they cannot be content with that measure of reuelation which the LORD hath giuen vs in the Scriptures and namely in the Newe Testament wherein the Mysterie of CHRIST and the doctrine of Saluation is fully and clearly set downe a clearer reuelation than is there set downe shall we neuer finde vntill the LORD come in the cloudes to judge the world they cannot be content with all the Miracles which wee reade wrought in the Olde and Newe Testaments by the Prophets by the Lord Himselfe and the Apostles but they are euer seeking for new and extraordinarie reuelations they are seeking vnwritten verities which may be calâ—ed vanities they are euer seeking newe miracles and such other toyes and dreames they can neuer bee content But wee may answere them as the LORD answered the Pharises They shall get no moe signes nor reuelations than they haue gotten alreadie they are too bold and impudent after that the LORD hath sufficiently reueiled Himselfe to sâ—eke for new reuelations This their doing testifies sufficiently that they haue no Faith for faith is reuerent shamefast and moderate keeping the selfe within the bounds of Gods reueiled will but by the contrarie it beares witnesse of their infidelitie for this impudencie and immoderate seeking of newe miracles and reuelations are fruites of infidelitie But a question may bee mooued vpon these wordes When hee sayes And none of the Disciples durst aske Him Who art thou seeing they knew that Hee was the LORD Is it vnlawfull for vs to seeke increase and growth of knowledge Yea are we not commanded to seeke it dayly Sayes not the LORD Seeke and ye shall finde aske and it shall bee giuen you knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you Luke Chapter 11. verse 9. Yea is
I should doe would doe Well if the Lord seeke a confession of thee He will pricke thee till He get a sad confession of thee Now it may be asked What ned this confession once twise thrise to be repeated What needed Peter thrise to say I loue thee I answere what needed Pâ—ter to denie Him thrise Now certainly that threefold deniall requires this threefold confession if hee had denied Him but once it might haue bene Hee would haue asked but once if thou goest downe to Hell by degrees wilt thou leape vp to Heauen without any degrees at an instant No no looke by how many degrees thou hast gone down from God toward Hell by as many degrees must thou approach to Him againe for when thou hast committed a great sinne thou canst not repent enough for it albeit thou shouldest weepe and mourne many dayes and yeeres all is too litle Many a time must thou coÌ„fesse thy sinne which if thou doest thou shalt both thereby glorifie God and also obtaine a fuller assurance of the remission of thy sinnes for the more thou repentest the more thou coÌ„fessest thy sinnes thou wilt get the fuller perswasion greater assurance that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Now I go forward The Lord meetes Peter againe when he hath professed that he loued Him Hee sayes Fâ—ede my Lambes againe Feede my sheepe the third time Feed my sheepe Peter seeing thou hast confessed that thou louest me here I absolute thee the Lord sayes in effect I restore thee to thine office againe be thou an Apostle be thou a feeder of my sheepe be a Pastor to me this is the principall purpose so that y e loue of Iesus restores a sinner it is this loue that restores thee to the roome thou hast beene in But I insist not heere in this answere to Peter ye see how the Lord will haue thy faith thy loue to be manifested No y e coÌ„fession of faith of loue must be manifested in actioÌ„ according to the calling the Lord hath placed euery one into hath the Lord called thee to be a king Hee wil say vnto thee feed my people as thou wouldest loue me the Lord grant y e Kings may take heed to this especially our King y t as he professes a loue to Christ so he wold feed His people the Lord giue him this coÌ„sideration art thou a Minister sayest thou louest the Lord well the Lord will say to thee againe feede my lambes I neede none of thy feeding thy loue and well doing cannot extend the selfe to me but do good to others who carie my Image for my cause A profane maÌ„ or womaÌ„ w t a shameles face wil say I loue God the greatest knaue of them all wil say so but if it manifest not in an actioÌ„ thou art but a lyar thou louest Him not faith loue must euer vtter theÌ„selues in good actioÌ„s hast y u gotteÌ„ a heart hands feet do some good otherwise if y u dost neuer a good deed thy profession of faith loue is but vain Look 1. Ioh. 2.4 He that sayes I know God keepes not His commandements he is a lyar the trueth is not in him If a maÌ„ sayes I loue God hates his neighbour he is a lyar so y t he shal be punished not only because he did no good but because he was a lyar there are many lying Protestants in this Land they will protest they loue God but when it comes to the trial the world sees y t they haue only a shew of religioÌ„ not y e power therof there is anotâ—er thing here yet to be marked vntil Peter had professed he loued Christ He bids him not feed His lambs but looke how the one followes the other therefore it must follow y t feeding of the lambes of the Lord must come of the loue of y e Lord. If Peter had said I loue thee not Christ could not theÌ„ haue said to him feed my lambes theÌ„ the lessoÌ„ is cleare a maÌ„ caÌ„not be a Pastor a feeder of the sheepe of Christ except he loue Christ No there is none in any calling y t can do any good deed except y e welspring of loue be in his heart if y t be not he shall neuer do any good deed all shal be sinne thou mayest well flatter thy sâ—lfe others may flatter thee say all is well but if loue be not how faire glansing so euer thy worke be God couÌ„nts not of it No King in his calling shall euer doe a good deed except he do it for loue he beares to y e Lord therefore seeing a Pastor should learne all other folke to do their dutie yea y e King himselfe how much more is that loue required to be in him if hee would do rightly sincerely earnestly as for his feeding it is more poysoning than fâ—eding if he haue not loue to Christ the Pastor is not worth a penny y t striues not to get a sense of y t loue of Christ in his heart Theâ—e are so many difficulties impediments cast in to a Pastor wheÌ„ he is about to discharge his duty which he can neuer be able to ouercome except he both loue y e Lord be sensible of the Lords loue towards him the life of a Pastor is a thornie lâ—fe and the more faithfull y e man be y e moe vexatioÌ„s troubles will he vnderly what is his life but a coÌ„tinuall tâ—ouble with whoÌ„ hath he to do with a flock for a Pastor a flock are relatiue what a flock some are so dull that teach he neuer so much carefulâ—y they remaine rude and vncapable many of this towne are guiltie of this and if there bee any capable they are so vaine so wanton light headed y t they vanish away in their own cogitatioÌ„s againe some are so infirm y t euery thing almost is a stuÌ„bling block suppose y t meÌ„ giue no offeÌ„ce yet wil they tak offeÌ„ce some so malicious indured that the more the Pastor cry the more endure they their heartes and rejects all wholesome admonition some will be sitting vp before the Pastor and mocking him when hee is preaching and when the Pastor hath done all the pointes of his calling faithfully he needes not to looke for any thing but vnthankfull meeting in the end No the more faithfull a man be in his calling the moe tentations shall hee bee subject to to make him the more weake and feeble If ye would have the proofe of this looke 1. Cor. 4.9 What are we sayes Paul God hath set vs vp to be a mocking stocke a â—azing to the world to the Angels and to men what are we the ofscouring of the world that is sweeped out to be cast to the backe-side Then what held him vp and what held vp Peter and the rest of the Apostles and Martyres What but the loue of Iesus if they had not
asked here Seeing the Lord recommends vnto Peter only His chosen to bee fed instructed by him should th'Apostles haue care of any other to feed and instruct except of th'Elect onelie Let it bee that these Elect at the first hand bee like wolues and tygers yet the care of them onelie in this place is recommended vnto Peter and the rest by the Lorde I answere Albeit the Lorde recommende chiefelie the care of th'Elect yet He excludes not the reprobate for it is the Lordes vvill that foode should bee offered to them also for the Pastor cannot know who are Elect or Reprobate therfore it is his duety to compt all to be elected to feed all he must not be rash in judgemeÌ„t No man should be so bold as to presume to giue out sentence who are chosen or who are reprobate for the LORD knoweth who are His 2. Timoth. 2.19 Therefore let him stay vntill the Lord discerne who are elect let the Pastor count all to be Lambes and endeauoure to feede all yet his labours shall only be fruitfull in the Elect for there is neuer one that is not chosen that shall bee tamed by the word all the preachings in the world will not tame a reprobate but he shall euer be a Wolfe indeede a reprobate may for a season take on a sheepe skinne that is hee may play the hyprocrite and may seeme outwardly to some to be godly but truely and in effect he will neuer haue true Faith nor godlinesse Now last this would not be passed by that the Lord bids Peter feed His not another mans sheepe but His owne sheepe that is them whome He hath redeemed and ransomed with His owne blood This word containes an argument wherefore the sheepe should be fed to wit because they are the Lords ransomed with His owne blood And more than that this vvord admonishes the Pastor that hee count not the slocke to be his owne but the Lords and that hee feede it not to himselfe to vse the slocke for his owne gaine and aduantage Iohn Baptist sayes Hee that hath the bride is the bridegroome but the friend of the bridegroome reioyces greatly because of the bridegroomes voyce Ioh. 3.29 By these words Iohn signifies that he wooed not the Church to himselfe but to the Lord who is the bridegroome And Paul sayes to the Coâ—inthians I am iealous ouer you with godly iealousie for I haue prepared you for one husband to present you as a pure virgine to Christ 2. Cor. 11.2 For it is the most abhominable and detestable sacriledge that can bee to spoyle Christ the bridegroome of the Church His bride to take from Him His flocke which Hee hath redeemed with such a precious and glorious ransome euen the blood of God Acts 20.28 Seeing then that the Lord hath committed to Pastors the Church which is His owne Spouse and His Flocke which He hath redeemed with no lesse price than His own blood the LORD giue Pastours grace to be carefull in feeding of them with that food of life furnished vnto them by the LORD Iesâ—s To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirit bee all praise and honour for euer AMEN THE LI. LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST IOHN CHAP. XXI verse 18 Verely verely I say vnto thee When thou wast yong thou girdedst thy selfe and walkest whither thou wouldest but when thou shalt be olde thou shalt stretch out thine hands and another shall gird thee and leade thee whither thou wouldest not verse 19 And this spake Hee signifying by what death hee should glorifie God And when He had said thus He said to him Follow Me. THE last day beloued Brethren we heard how the Lord in this third appearing vnto His Disciples after His Resurrection when He dined with them fedde them and giuing them meat out of His owne hande hee entered in conference with Peter especially the ende of the conference Hee had with Peter was to restore Peter to that dignitie of the Apostleship from which hâ—e had fallen and whereof hee had made himselfe vnworthie through his apostasie and threefolde deniall of his Lord and Master Hee askes him one thing thrise Simon the sonne of Iona louest thou Me Peter answeres and giues a threefold confession Lord thou knowest that I loue thee The LORD answeres againe and giues a threefold absolution and pronounces the sentence of his restoring againe three times Fâ—â—de then sayes the Lord My Lambes feede My sheepe This Hee does to confirme him the better in his restoring for when a man hath made a foule defection froÌ„ God his heart is not easily perswaded of grace againe it will not be at one or two sentences it will not be a promise at one time that will giue him an assurance of the fauour of God againe therefore to giue Peter the greater assurance of grace Hee triples ouer the sentence and giues him three times that commission to feede His lambes and sheepe The last day Brethren as the Lord gaue the grace we opened the meaning of these words and last of these words My Lambes my sheepe now only thus farre I adde for your consolation ye see all this loue that Peter confesses toward the Lord Himselfe Hee turnes it ouer vpon His Lambes His Sheepe and flocke in a word vpon His Church Marke it The Pastor or Minister will no sooner professe loue to his Lord that placed him in that roome but as soone the Lord will send him to the flocke people if thou loue me the Lord will say loue my people the Lord will place His people in His own roome looke what loue any will beare to Him He will haue it declared and vttered to His Saints more He does it three times so oft as Peter professes loue so oft He sends him to y e people look how oft the Pastor professes loue to Christ as oft He will send him to y e people if he say I loue thee then He will answere feede my Lambes if He will say a thousand times He wil answere feede my flocke manifest it vpon them that carie mine Image This shewes the wonderfull loue that God beares to His Elect He will haue all that dutie that is due to Him to be translated vpon His Church so that whosoeuer doe not their dutie to y e Church I â—ffirme I say professe as they will they haue no loue to Christ thou mayest stand vp and bable vaunt of thy loue to Christ but I say there is no such loue in thine heart as thou professest with thy mouth If thou sâ—yest thou louest God doest not thy dutie to man thou art a lyar 1. Joh. 4.18 To goe forward to this Text When He hath restored him to the office of Apostleship which by his deniall justly he had lost Hee giues him the office with a knot as we speak He forewarnes him in the entrie that hee shall get no rest in it and when he hath done all what shall be his
Peter and the rest got the victory notwithstanding of feare and dread thou wilt giue mee the victory vvith Peter This aduertises vs thus farre Neuer man suffered martyrdome by his owne strength And if Peter had beene giuen ouer to his owne strength hee vvoulde not haue suffered more than Judas And if Steuen had not bene sustained with the sight of Heauen to haue holden vp his heart hee vvoulde not haue suffered the death Paul teaches vs Philip. chap. 1. vers 29. As faith is the gift of God so it is the gift of God to suffer affliction It is giuen to you saies he to suffer And therfore he saies to Timothie 2. Epist chap. 1. vers 8. Be partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel But howe By your owne strength No but by the power of God And therfore whosoeuer would haue this strength let him beg it of the Lord. Whensoeuer it shall please God to say Goe to the stake then euer say Lord giue me strength I shall suffer Therefore as night day we should be vpon this resolution to suffer for Christ so should we night day be earnest in prayer and if thou findest the power of God by prayer to bee conueyed to thine heart thou needest not to feare for that power will prop it vp vphold it in th' extremity of death martyrdome So euer be in prayer saying Lord giue me strenth and if thou get once a piece of this power thou shalt wonder at it Now Iohn in the next verse he joynes y e meaning of these words of the Lords to Peter lest any mā reading or hearing should doubt of the meaning This spake hee sayes Iohn signifying by what death hee should glorifie God Hee meanes that hee shoulde die a violent death hee should not get leaue to die his owne naturall death in peace but that hee should die violently vpon the scaffolde The Papistes vpon these wordes gather That Peter was crucified that y e Lord meant y t he should be hanged but the words beare no such thing Thou shalt stretch out thine hands What necessity is there here to import crucifying or hanging more than heading or any one death more than another What death it was it is not certaine it is farre better not to meddle with it than to beleeue mens fables Only the words of y e Lord import y t he died violently But what death soeuer it was it is not much to edification Yet this is not to bee passed by but wel to be marked That whē He is speaking of his death He sayes not after this māner He signified what death he should die no but by what death he should glorify God a thing more worthy of marking He stiles defines y e death martyrdome of Peter to be a glorifying of his God Brethren the death of all the godlie and Saincts whatsoeuer kinde of death it bee whether it bee in peace their owne naturall death or a violent death whatsoeuer kind of death it bee it may bee defined after this manner to bee a glorifying of God And blessed are they that die in the LORD Blessed are they that die in faith in the LORD IESVS that is as PAVL sayes sleepes in Him 1. Thessal chap. 4. vers 14. So I saye The death of euerie godlie man and woman glorifies their God Yet we must vnderstand That the death of these who suffer martyrdome and seales vp the trueth of Christ with their blood that death especiallie gettes this praise and this stile That it glorifies GOD after a speciall manner Marke it well Martyrdome properly is called The glorifying of God because in it especially is the matter of the glorie of God Aboue all other deathes of men in the worlde in the death of the Sonne of God Iesus Christ was greatest matter of the glorifying of His Father and therefore aboue all other deathes the death and crosse of Christ gettes this stile of the glorifying of GOD Joh. Chap. 12. vers 28. When the LORDE has striuen vvith the feare of death looke howe Hee considers vvith Himselfe Lord glorifie thine owne Name that is Bee thou glorified in my death Next after Christs death the death of the Martyres serues most for the glorie of God and therefore next after Christes death the death of the Martyres brookes this stile Therefore ye see in this place Iohn speaking of the martyrdome of Peter calles it The glorifying of GOD. And Paul to the Philippians speaking of his death sayes that the Lord should be magnified in his death Philip. chap. 1. vers 20. And all to this end To encourage vs chearefullie to go to death for Christs sake What knowes anie of vs but wee may bee charged with martyrdome whether it be Minister or anie of the flocke And I affirme to you that if the Lord call any of you to die for the Gospell if ye denie Him Hee will denie you These are His owne wordes Matth. 10.33 Therefore seeing euerie one of vs if wee bee Christians are bound to suffer No not a Minister onelie but the soberest of you all lad and lasse Wee haue this encouragement to suffer Martyrdome that our death shall glorifie God after a singular manner It is no matter vvhat become of thee if thou gettest that honour to glorifie God for bee assured if thou doe so thou shalt be partaker of His glorie When the conference is done the Lord appearantly rises vp for the time of this conference they were sitting together And the Lord sayes to Peter Followe thou mee The meaning is this as though He would say Well Peter I haue forewarned and enarmed thee against this death in tokē of this follow thou me for he giues him this as an vndoubted signe of his crosse death y t was to come No Brethrē they that will follow the Lord must take vp his crosse and followe Him And therefore bids Hee Peter follow Him Well these wordes are hard to flesh and blood But here is the great comfort We haue Christ to follow He goes before vs When we goe to the crosse to martyrdome Hee goes before vs. To goe to death vvithout Christ going before vs of all thinges it is most terrible and fearefull But to goe to death following Christ there is great matter of consolation for vvhen Hee is before vs and if vvee followe vvith His crosse vpon our backes vvee shall finde that the death of Christ has taken away the bitternesse of death Whosoeuer shall followe Christ shall neuer taste the bitternesse of death But if thou bearest thine owne crosse thou diest for thine owne sinne as a Malefactor a Thiefe a Murtherer c. Woe is thee for the ende of that death is th'extremitie of Hell It stands not onely in a shamefull ignominious and comfortlesse departure and in the sundring of the soule from the bodie it ends not there but thereafter y e soule must be thrust into Hel to be tormēted for euer But whē we
haue Christ going before vs bearing our crosse suffering for our sins theÌ„ we following Him bearing His crosse Hee dying first takes away the bitternesse of death and makes our death an entrie to life euerlasting There is a comfort that Peter gettes in death so that death is made sweet to him and a port to life euerlasting Brethren ye must vnderstand That Christ goes before vs not onelie in His death but in His Resurrection and life for at this time Hee vvas risen So PETER followes Him in His Resurrection There is a double comfort Wee followe IESVS CHRIST not onelie in His death but also in His Resurrection to raise vs to life againe for it is by vertue of that life of IESVS CHRIST that vvee rise to life after our death Whereto intendes all this Euen to encourage vs to suffer Martyredome and seale the Gospell with our blood if it shall please the Lord to call vs and happie art thou if the Lord shall honour thee so that Hee will haue thee to beare His Crosse to suffer as an innocent who for a thousand of thine own sinnes art worthy of an ignominious death desperate departure for if He goe before thee if He beare thy Crosse the bitternesse of death is taken from thee because the guiltinesse of thy sinne is forgiuen Now the Lord furnish vs strength courage that we shame not His cause if it shall please Him to call vs to suffer for the Name of Iesus To whome with the Father and Holie Spirit be all praise and glorie for euer AMEN THE LII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XXI verse 20 Then Peter turned about and saw the Disciple whom Iesus loued following which had also leaned on His brest at supper and had saide Lord which is he that betrayeth thee verse 21 When Peter therefore saw him he said to Iesus Lord what shall this man doe verse 22 Iesus said vnto Him If I will that he tarie till J come what is it to thee follow thou Me. verse 23 Then went this word abroad among the brethren that this disciple should not die Yet Iesus saide to him he shall not die but if I will that he tarie till J come what is it to thee verse 24 This is that disciple which testifieth of these things and wrote those things and we know that his testimonie is true verse 25 Now there are also many other things which Jesus did the which if they should be written euery one I suppose the world could not containe the bookes that should be written Amen WEE haue heard Brethren that after the Lord had restored Peter to the dignitie of the Apostle shippe from the which hee had fallen by his threefold deniall of his Master in the Hall of the High Priest he addes to his absolution restitution a premonition and forewarning forewarning him that in the end of his Apostleship when he should become an old man he should close vp and seale his Apostleship with his blood When thou wast young sayes the Lord to Peter thou girdedst thy selfe thou knittedst thy clothes when thou wast wont to goe any way and wentedst whither thou pleasedst but when thou shalt be olde thou shalt not get credence to gird thy selfe to put thy girdle about thee but thou shalt stretch out thine hands and another shall giâ—d thee with cordes and chaines and shall lead thee away not where it shall please thee but where it shall please him he shall lead thee to the death We heard Iohn opened vp the meaning of these words and told vs that Christ thereby signified that Peter should glorifie God by a violent death and thereafter to encourage him the Lord goes before him bids Peter follow Him signifying thereby that His death had taken away the bitternesse of death and that by vertue of His Resurrection he should liue againe Now in the wordes that we haue read in the first place we haue set downe a new conference betweene the Lord and Peter for while they are in the waye the Lorde going before and Peter following there they fall againe in a new conference and Peter as he was ay too rash albeit very zealous so here rashly he demandes a curious question and it is about Iohn the writter of this Gospell the question is What should Iohn doe What shall this man doe Shall he not follow the Lord The Lord had not bidden him follow Him it might haue contented Peter well enough that the Lord had kept silence of Iohn and he to haue done the thing that the Lord bade him Nowe Brethren ere I come to the question yee must marke the occasions of this curiositie of Peter I perceiue the first occasion that brings Peter to this question is this When they are going together Peter lookes ouer his shoulder and turnes him about and turnes his eye from the Lord and looked to Iohn that apparantly followed a farâ—e off vpon which followes this curiositie and this learnes vs this lesson If the Lord bid thee followe Him in any calling what euer it be as Hee bade Peter followe Him to the death that was his calling for a man followes God in his calling all lawfull callings are but a following of the LORD learne here to be wiser than Peter hold thine eye constantly vpon Him thine heart vpon Him in thy calling followe Him foot for foot tread thou in the same footsteps so farre as He shall giue the grace decline not neither to the right hand nor to the left as to thine eye looke that it be neuer drawne froÌ„ Him looke not ouer thy shoulder to see what is behind thee but look constantly on the Lord for if thou doe this thou loses y e sight of Him that of need force shall make thee to settle backe in thy calling Peter but once turning goes one foot backward falles back froÌ„ y t course wherin he should haue walked Paul Philip. 3.14 considered this well in that race he ranne to be partaker of ResurrectioÌ„ life euerlasting he sayes I neuer looke behind me I neuer looke ouer my shoulder to see what is behind but mine eye is euer vpon the marke to get the price of the high calling of God Seeing then we haue taken vp a course to walke in to that life Iesus Christ beeing the forerunner and breaking vp the Heauen holde thine eye continually vpon the forerunner follow Him in thine own calling and see that thine eye goe neuer off Him It is the felicitie of the creature to follow Him and thou must follow the Lord in thine owne calling there is the first occasioÌ„ VpoÌ„ this followes another for piece piece he comes to his curiosity turning himselfe about looking to John Whom the Lord loued who was very familiar with the Lord apparantly hath vsed the Lord more homely than any of the rest for he was the man which leaned on Iesus brest at supper for wheÌ„ y e Lord
curiositie First hee forgets his owne calling Secondly hee is too curious in his brothers calling Lastly hee does an injurie to Christ makes an eruption vpon Christes office to spoyle Him of His authoritie and power to call all and thinke ye not albeit the Lord now adayes as Hee did Peter then but He lookes with an angrie eye vpon curious men This rebuke is registrated to rebuke thee if thou be giuen to curiositie But it would bee marked that albeit the Lord be angrie with Peter yet neuerthelesse He forgets not His mercie When He found him to linger in his course the Lord leaues him not but He puts out His hand and takes holde of him therefore He sayes Follow thou me This is the mercie of the Lord towards His owne that when He rebukes them He leaues them not there but He will put out His hand and pull them in againe to Him No neuer one of vs would goe forward except by a new grace pulled vs forward except the Lord led vs by the hand there could not be such a thing as a man could be saued There is such a stumbling and wauering in our nature therefore Paul saide I striue by all meanes to attaine to the Resurrection of the dead Yea rather sayes he I am comprehended of Christ Jesus Phil. 3.11 12. Therefore ay cry for grace after grace otherwise thou canst not goe one foot right forwarde much lesse perseuere to the end Ye will aske a question Should neuer one of vs be carefull of our brother in his calling Humanitie required that Peter should bee carefull of John is this the thing the Lord reprooues and forbids I answere there is a great difference betweene carefulnesse and curiositie it is not carefulnesse Hee findes fault with Woe to him that cares for himselfe only for why should not euery one of vs be helping one another be carefull to bring forward the stragling body But it is curiositie that the Lord reprooues Then the lesson is this shortly Take heede that by thy doing men should be very wise thou hinderest not thy selfe more by thy curiositie when thou enterest into the affaires of thy brother than thou profitest him by thy care when thou beginnest to care for him beware thou fall not in curiositie passe neuer the bounds of thy calling for there is none that hath a calling but it is joyned with care of his brother the higher calling the greater care The Kings calling requires a great care of others in the Policie Such like the Ministers calling is joyned vvith a care for the people not to feed himself but to feed the people It is joyned with a speciall and wonderfull care so that night and day his eye should not bee off his flocke Yet men should beware that their care turne not to curiositie Curiositie is very dangerous A curious man has no loue to thee for he takes pleasure in the hurt euill that falles to thee and it is his meat drinke hee feedes vpon the euill report of others Iohn subjoynes that when the Disciples hearde of these words of Christ they giue them a strange glosse They say Iohn should not die A faire glosse a faire commentarie Iohn sayes This was not the meaning of the Lord He spake not such a thing He saide not to him hee should not die and that was not His minde Hee tolde not whether hee should liue or die But Hee saide If I will hee tarrie till I come what is that to thee Yee see howe readie men are to misconstrue and peruert the one-folde meaning of the LORD If the Disciples vvho heard His owne liuelie voyce vvere so readie to giue a false and a lying glosse to His vvorde vvhich they hearde Him speake I pray you vvhat maruell is it albeit men daylie misconstrue the vvritten vvorde of GOD and neuer leaue off to father lies vpon the Scriptures Yee vvonder at the Papistes I vvonder not Looke the whole Scriptures these Traitors conclude euer a lye vpon the trueth Looke the Rhemish newe Testament and the rest of their vvrittes I vvonder not at them but I vvonder at this Considering this grossenesse of ignorance and the propension of men naturallie to misconstrue GODS Worde and Will that there is so much as one to open the trueth and to vnderstand the right meaning of the vvorde The cause of this misconstruing is not of the Scripture as if it vvere doubtsome harde obscure or as a nose of vvaxe as they blaspheme but the fault is partlie in the blindnesse of the minde of man and partlie in the peruersitie and frowardnesse of the vvill and malice of the heart for it falles out that either such is the blindnesse of man by nature they knowe not the minde of the LORDE or else if they knowe His minde yet vvillinglie they desire not to knowe it but to remaine ignorant for it is true that the Apostle PETER sayes They that are vnlearned and vnstable wreast the SCRIPTVRES to their owne destruction 2 Pet. Chap. 3. vers 16. And PAVL sayes Jf our GOSPELL bee hidden it is hidden to them who perishes whose eyes the god of this world hath blinded 2. Cor. 4.34 Againe we may perceiue that a lye ran speedily abroad and was easily receiued got soone place in the hearts of th'Apostles wherof we may learn that the multitude commonly drinkes in lyes vanities fables and Heresies very suddenly because naturally they are very bent thereunto Yet this errour remained not long vvith th'Apostles for after that according to the Lordes promise extraordinarily in the day of the PENTECOSTE they vvere illuminated and after the Holie Spirite vvas giuen them vvho called all thinges to remembrance which the Lord had spoken vnto them when Hee was present with them and gaue them the true meaning and vnderstanding of all these thinges as CHRIST sayes Joh. chap. 14. vers 26. This lye concerning IOHN euanished then all the Disciples knewe the LORDES meaning when Hee spake these wordes to Peter of Iohn If I will that hee tarrie till I come what is that to thee But the Papishe Kirke and that Antichristian Kingdome this day makes it plaine enough vnto vs howe bent men are by nature to receiue maintaine and entertaine lyes and vanities for in that Kingdome not onelie is this fable of IOHN retained but also an hudge multitude of lyes and of the vanities and fantasies of the braine of man which were deuised by the GENTILES are allowed and receiued for almoste all the Religion of the Papistes like a Beggers cloake is clouted and patched together partlie of the fables and superstitions of the GENTILES and partlie of the Rites and Ceremonies of the Iewes vvhich vvere abolished by the comming of CHRIST If anie vvould knowe what fables they maintaine and giue out concerning Iohn let them reade their golden Legende Nowe in the last two verses of this Euangell the Apostle concludes his GOSPELL and in the conclusion hee telles vs vvho
Father the Sonne and the Holy Spirit Indeed it is true that God was knowne in the Trinitie of persons in some sorte by the Fathers who liued vnder the Old Testament before Christs manifestation in the fleshe but the knowledge which they had was obscure and confused in respect of that knowledge which IESVS brought into the worlde at His comming but chiefely this distinct knowledge of the three persons of the Godhead was manifested after Christes Resurrection from the dead and His Glorification for Christ glorified is chiefely the image of the vnuisible God and the brightnesse of His glorie and the engrauen forme of His person And from Christ glorified especially proceedes th' effectuall operation of the Holy Spirit in the soules of His Elect. All tendes to this To let you see that the cleare and distinct knowledge of the Godhead in the Trinitie of the persons proceeded chiefely from the Kingdome of Christ and from His glory Nowe to this God one in essence in three persons The Father the Sonne and the Holie Spirit be all praise honour and glorie for euermore Amen THE LIV. LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVIII verse 20 Teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commanded you and loe I am with you alway vntill the ende of the world Amen MARKE CHAP. XVI verse 16 He that shall beleeue and bee baptized shall bee saued but hee that will not beleeue shall bee damned verse 17 And these tokens shall follow them that beleeue In my Name they shall cast out deuils and shall speake with new tongues verse 18 And shall take away serpentes and if they shall drinke anie deadlie thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay their handes on the sicke and they shall recouer THE last daye Welbeloued Brethren in Christ we began to speake of the nine appearings of the Lord to the Disciples as it is set downe by Matthew and Marke Hee appeared to them in a Mountaine of Galilie vvhere Hee had appointed them to meete Him Wee hearde vvhat vvas the Disciples behauiour The sight of that glorious Majestie made them to fall downe and worship Him yet in the meane time some of them doubted and therefore the LORDE to confirme them drawes neare vnto them and enters into communication with them and in His communing first Hee telles what power and authoritie was giuen Him both in Heauen and earth to the ende Hee might mooue them the more willinglie and chearefullie to vndertake the office of the Apostleship Then when Hee has layed downe this power as a ground of their office and Ministerie Hee sendes them out in the worlde charging them first to goe to all Nations Next to preach to euery creature And thirdly To baptize in the Name and authority of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Spirit Nowe in these wordes first Hee telles them what doctrine they shoulde teach to the worlde then hee makes them a threefolde promise The first is of life and saluation to then that beleeue and are baptised The seconde is a promise of th'extraordinarie and miraculous giftes of the Holie Spirite The thirde is a promise of His owne glorious and powerfull presence with them in discharging of their calling that not for a season but to continue to th' ende of the vvorlde Then in the first wordes which vve haue read He telles them what they should teach not al things not euery thing that they pleased themselues but He sayes Teach them to obserue all thinges whatsoeuer J haue commanded you So Hee restraines the doctrine that they should teach vnto the world vnto that doctrine which Hee Himselfe first had taught them In the 14. Chapter of John vers 26. after Hee has first promised the Holie Spirit to teach His Apostles all thinges then Hee telles vvhat Hee meanes by All these thinges which His Spirite should teach and Hee boundes them and restraines them to that doctrine which Hee Himselfe had taught them before For sayes Hee hee shall bring all thinges to your remembrance which I haue tolde you Euen so here Hee restraines the preaching of th'Apostles to these thinges vvhich Hee Himselfe had taught them So marke this lesson The doctrine of Iesus Christ which Hee deliuered the time that Hee liued in the vvorlde and had His conuersation among men is the grounde the rule and the measure of all true doctrine The Spirit of the Lord Iesus vvhome Hee left behinde Him to bee His vicegerent in th' earth kept preciselie this rule Hee taught not so much as one sentence in substance but that vvhich CHRIST had taught before Th'Apostles vvhome Hee sent out into the worlde declined not one jote from this rule for they taught the vvorlde nothing but that vvhich the Holie Spirite had furnished and suggested vnto them before and that Spirite taught them nothing but that vvhich IESVS had taught them before So that the doctrine of the H. Spirit th'Apostles come all wholly from Iesus as th' only doctor teacher of His Kirke of whom the Father said in His baptisme trāsfiguratiō Heare him So it should be w t ministers and Teachers of the Church to the end of the world they should make Christes doctrine to bee the rule of all their doctrine they should teach nothing but that which Christ teached before them the faithfull Ministers of Christ in all ages haue striuen to doe so they confirmed all their doctrine so farre as they could to the doctrine of Christ Indeede it is true through processe of time corrupt men entred in the Church who respected not God nor His glory nor the well and saluation of men but their owne honour their owne lusts and their bellie who taught the world not the doctrine of Christ the way of life but their own fantasies dreames and traditions Wee may see this lamentable experience this day in the kingdome of the Antichrist What teaches the Pope and his Clergie to the world Not the word of God Not the doctrine of Christ Not that doctrine which the Holy Spirit furnished to the Apostles not that vvhich the Apostles haue left in register this day they make not that to be the rule of their preaching but they teach their owne vanities deuised by themselues they teach mens traditions they teach vnwritten verities as they call them vvhich are for the moste parte altogether repugnant to the doctrine of Christ The Lord saue vs from their doctrine vvherewith they poyson the world and bring men to perdition Now as the Pastors are obliged to teach nothing but the doctrine of Christ so are the people bound to heare and receiue none other doctrine but the doctrine of Christ and for this cause they shoulde pray earnestly for the Holy Spirit who is promised to His owne to illuminate their mindes and to giue them the gift of discretion to discerne spirits as also they should be diligently exercised in reading and considering the Olde and New Testament the writtings of the
hee can contemne Baptisme And if a man contemne Baptisme let him boast of his faith as hee pleases that contempt is a sure token that he had neuer faith neither shall he get eternall life So Baptisme in some respect is necessarie to saluation that is it must not be contemned or neglected for if a man contemne or neglect it he cannot get saluation but it is not simplie and absolutelie necessary to saluation that is incase a man contemne it not nor neglect it he may be saued without it It is the contempt and not the want of it that hurtes man for a man may bee ingraffed in Christ by Faith and may bee saued by Christ vvithout the seale of Baptisme for the grace of God is not so bound and tyed to th' ordinarie meanes and outwarde helpes but that the Lord may vvorke without them when and where Hee pleases And the Lord Iesus as apparantly importes no lesse in these vvordes than that Baptisme is not absolutelie necessarie to saluation for vvhen after the promise He settes downe the cause of damnation Hee speakes not a vvorde of Baptisme for Hee sayes onelie Hee that beleeues not shall bee damned of sette purpose He leaues out Baptisme And if it had beene absolutelie necessarie to saluation no question Hee vvoulde not haue misknowne it and passed it by Now last marke the meaning of these wordes Hee that beleeues not This negation and vvant of faith comprehendes first all sinne vvhatsoeuer against the morall Law whether it be originall sinne wherein we are conceiued and borne or actuall sinne proceeding from originall sinne for if we haue not Faith in the Lord Iesus all these sinnes whatsoeuer will be laid to our charge will bring vs to damnation Next this negation and want of Faith comprehends that infidelitie rebellion stubburnesse whereby men disdainfully refuse reject that grace which the Lord offers freely in Iesus Christ to sinners this sinne of infidelitie of all sinnes is the greatest most detestable and therefore procures most speedie fearfull heauie judgement and therefore Christ sayes He that beleeues not is condemned alreadie Joh. 3 18. These wordes importr that there is no delay of judgement to him who disdainfully rejects grace but the judgement is present and alreadie past against him and hee giues a reason taken from that rebellion and repining against the Majestie of the only begotten Sonne of God hee is condemned alreadie sayes he Because hee hath not beleeued in the Name of that only begotten Sonne of God The Lord saue vs from this cursed sinne of infidelitie for where it is all other sinnes are laid to mens charge it drawes out most speedily most fearfull judgements Now it followes that we speake of the second promise to them that beleeue These tokens shall follow them that beleeue in my Name they shall cast out deuills and shall speake with new tongues and shall take away serpents and if they shall drinke any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay their hands on the sicke and they shall recouer The former promise was of life eternall to them who beleeue this promise is of the gift of working miracles He promises that the Holy Spirit should giue to them that beleeue a power gift to worke miracles We may not thinke that this power is common to all that euery particular Christian who beleeues should haue this gift neither must we thinke that it should be extended to all times and ages But this promise is to be restrained to a certaine number of particular persons on whome it shall please the Lord to bestowe this gift of working of miracles and it is to be restrained bounded within a certaine time it must bee restrained to that first age and infancie of the Church to the first time that the Gospell beganne to be preached for then it was expedient and necessarie that the Gospell which was vnknowne and not heard of before to the world should be confirmed by miracles and therefore we ought not to looke for new miracles in this age wherein we liue because the Gospell is alreadie sufficiently confirmed by the miracles wrought in that first age of the Church by Christ and His Apostles and them that immediatly succeeded The Papistes indeede bragge much of miracles that are dayly wrought in their Church but their miracles are such as Christ foretold that false Christs and false Apostles should worke and that the Antichrist should worke at his comming Matth. 24.24 And they are these which Paul calles lying signes and wonders which notwithstanding hee sayes are effectuall in them who perish because they receiued not the loue of the trueth Now yee see here there is a promise of sundrie great and excellent things to be wrought by some of the faithfull in the first age of the Church as namely casting out of Deuils of speaking with newe tongues taking away serpents the drinking of deadly and poysonable things without harme the healing of sicke folkes by laying on of their hands wherein I purpose not particularly to insist but onely to marke some thinges generally for our edification Consider first the order of these promises which the Lord makes to them which beleeue First Hee promises life Saluation thereafter He promises working of miracles the promise of life is a promise of the greatest miracle that euer was wrought in the world as for other miracles they are but workes signes and tokens of that life Saluation that was to be wrought which farre surpasses all other miracles The Lord Himselfe testifies vnto vs that all the miracles which were wrought in the first age of the Church were counted but like as many fignes and tokens of life and Saluation to be wrought by Him When He sayes Matth. 9.6 That ye may know that the Sonne of man hath authoritie on earth to forgiue sinnes I will restore to health this man that is sicke of the Palsey then He sayes to the sicke man Arise take vp thy bed and goe to thine house Where He lets vs see that the miracle of bodily health was a signe token of a greater grace miracle euē of Remissiō of sins life euerlasting Whereupō we marke this lesson That Faith is neuer vvithout some miracle it hath euer one miracle or other following vpon it Indeede it hath not alwayes with it such miracles as were wrought in the first age of the Church as casting out of deuils healing of diseases yet it neuer vvants that greatest miracle of all the miracle of Regeneration of life and Saluation vvhich Christ Himselfe lets vs see is more to be marueiled at than all the miracles heere promised for vvhen the seuentie disciples who were sent out with power to worke miracles returned rejoycing that they had wrought such great things that they had cast out deuils and healed diseases He said vnto them Albeit I haue giuen you power to cast out deuils to tread on serpents and
these thinges and none other thinges So that if they teach not these thinges but their owne dreames and fantasies they haue nothing adoe vvith this promise for if they keepe not the condition vvhat vvarrant can they haue to looke for the promise Nowe howe farre the Papistes are from keeping this condition from teaching the doctrine of Christ onelie it is more than manifest and they are blind that sees it not for in stead of the doctrine of the Gospell they teach their owne traditions dreames and fantasies They haue banished the Spirite of Trueth and haue bewitched the vvorlde vvith their lyes and vanities Therefore seeing the felicitie and happinesse both of Pastor and people standes in this To finde the Lordes presence with them in this pilgrimage the Lord grant that both Pastor and people may striue carefullie to holde fast the doctrine of the Gospell and that they may conforme their liues thereunto that so vvith confidence they may claime to this promise of the presence of Christ To whome with the Father and the Holie Spirit bee all praise and honour for euermore AMEN THE LV. LECTVRE OF THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST MARKE CHAP. XXVI verse 19 So after the Lord had spoken vnto them hee was receiued into heauen and sate at the right hand of God LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 50 Afterward hee led them out into Bethania and lift vp his handes and blessed them verse 51 And it came to passe that as hee blessed them hee departed from them and was carried vp into heauen verse 52 And they worshipped him and returned to Hierusalem with great ioye ACTS CHAP. I. verse 6 When they therefore were come together they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome to Israel verse 7 And hee saide vnto them It is for you to knowe the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power verse 8 Bu yee shall receiue power of the holie Ghost when hee shall come on you and ye shall bee witnesses vnto mee both in Hierusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and vnto the vttermost partes of the earth verse 9 And when he had spoken these things while they beheld he was taken vp for a cloude tooke him vp out of their sight verse 10 And while they looked stedfastlie toward heauen as hee went behold two men stood by them in white apparell BELOVED BRETHREN IN CHRIST vvee haue alreadie insisted at length in the Historie of the LORDES Resurrection vvherein vvee shewed you how often Hee appeared to His owne and especiallie to His Apostles to the ende that not onelie they themselues might bee more fullie perswaded of His Resurrection but also vvith the greater confidence and libertie they might speake therof to others In His last appearing to His Apostles vvee sawe Hee gaue them a commission and charge To goe out to the vvorlde to preach the Gospell and to baptize In the Name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost but He willes them to teach nothing else but onelie these things all these things which He had taught them before And to th' end He might the more easily moue them willingly and chearfully to vndertake discharge this calling first He sets down His vnspeakable incomprehensible power wherupoÌ„ is is grounded shewing them that al power in heaueÌ„ in earth was giuen vnto him Next He subjoynes a threefold promise of blessing to them in the discharging of their Ministery The first is a promise of life saluation to them who beleeue are baptized The second is a promise of th'extraordinary miraculous gifts of the H. Spirite The third is a promise of His own powerfull presence to continue with them vnto th' end of the world vpon condition That they faithfully discharge their calling teach these things all these things onlie these things which the Lord had taught no other Now it rests that we speak of the History of His Ascension to Heauen which we haue briefelie and in fewe vvordes in th'Euangelistes for Matthew and Iohn makes no mention of it Marke touches it shortlie in his Gospell Luke also speakes something of it in his Gospell but hee insistes in it more largely in setting downe the Circumstances of it in the first Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles In the words which wee haue presently read we will see how the LORD leades His Disciples out to Bethania we will see what conference communication is betwixt the Lord and them we will shew how He blessed them we will see the manner of His Ascension what was the behauiour of the Apostles while Hee was ascending to Heauen and looked stedfastly to the Heauen as He went vp Then to come to the words Luke sayes He led them out into Bethania This was the place from the which the Lord ascended vp to the Heauen and therefore of set purpose He leades them out of Ierusalem to this place They come not to this place by fortune or chance they come not there of their owne accorde or vpon any foresight that they themselues had No but they were ledde out of Jerusalem to see that glorious Ascension of Christ and to be partakers of His grace But who led them out It is saide The Lord ledde them out none comes to grace by aime none comes to the place vvhere grace is in dealing by fortune or chance No it is the Lord which leades them as then the Lord ledde His Apostles as it were by the hande to Bethania to see His glorie and to be made partakers of grace so it is alwayes by the LORDS secret and powerfull prouidence that any man comes to the place vvhere the LORD distributes His grace for sayes CHRIST No man can come to mee except that Father who hath sent mee draw him Ioh. Chapter 6. verse 44. Therefore if thou findest at any time by this Ministerie grace to bee communicated into thy soule in His Church ascribe neuer the praise of it to thy selfe or to thy trauell but giue the praise and honour of all to the LORD IESVS vvho had a care of thee and by His gracious prouidence bâ—ought thee there But vvho are these vvhom the Lord leades out Not all they vvho heard Him vvho knew Him vvho had conuersed vvith Him but it is only His Disciples vvhome the Lord ledde out these only vvhome He vsed most familiarly vvhom Hee loued most tenderly and vvho in a manner vvere His domestiques The number of them vvhome the LORD chooses and leades out to grace at any time is not great they are but few in respect of the multitude vvhome the Lord passes by but especially at this time it was the LORDES pleasure to choose but a few to be eye-witnesses of His glorious AsceÌ„sioÌ„ for it was y e Lords will that His AscensioÌ„ should rather be manifested made known to the world by hearing than by seeing for y e Lord prefers likes better of that
of y e sending of y e H. Ghost imports y t although it was not loÌ„g time before made vnto theÌ„ yet they thought not of it nor remeÌ„bred it not as it became theÌ„ So y t in theÌ„ we may see what is our naturall disposition concerning spirituall things we are very careles to thinke of theÌ„ yea for y e most part we are altogether forgetfull of theÌ„ If a promise were made to vs of great earthly benefits so carnall earthly are our hearts we wold think on it day night but albeit the promises of HeaueÌ„ly things be ofteÌ„ renewed to vs hardly caÌ„ we think of theÌ„ or remeÌ„ber theÌ„ Thirdly in this answere He puts theÌ„ in mind of their office calling to y e Apostleship Ye shal be witnesses saies He to me both in IerusaleÌ„ in all Iudea in Samaria vnto the vttermost parts of the earth as if He had said vnto them Inquire not curiously of the things which belong not to you but looke to your calling the office which I haue chosen you to And He sets down what is their calling Ye must be witnesses And to whom Both to Iew Gentile And in what order First begin at IerusaleÌ„ Iudea then goe to Samaria to the rest of the world It is the Lords wil that meÌ„ so carefully atteÌ„d first vpon y e calling that y e Lord has set them into this life to bee faithfull painfull in it y t in it they may honour their Lord next vpon y e promise of grace saluation y t is promised in the life to come that they take no leasure nor spare no time vpon th'inquiring of curious questions Of this answere of the Lords we may learn this lesson the Lord deals very meekly gently with his own their curiosity wilfull ignorance deserued a more sharp rough meeting but the Lord meets theÌ„ not as they deserued for albeit that eueÌ„ now he was to leaue y e world ascend to his Father to enter into glory yet he staies a while with theÌ„ with the Spiâ—it of meeknes wonderful patieÌ„ce he teaches instructs theÌ„ who were so grosse carnal minded That which the Lord did at this time to his Apostles that same thing does he dayly to his owne in whom he has once begun to worke he wil not breake the bruised reed nor queÌ„ch the smoaking flax he wil not put out grace if it were neuer in so smal a measure but he wil cherish nourish it that it may come to perfectioÌ„ that y e litle sparke may grow to a fire flame Albeit we be rude earthly minded and take no pleasure in spiritual things yet the Lord continues with great lenitie and wonderful patience by his Ministery to teach instruct vs. Now to go forward to His Ascension Before He ascends He blesses His disciples Luke saies He lifted vp his haÌ„ds blessed theÌ„ What meanes this that the Lord lifted vp His hands to Heauen Euen this that he conueyed drew grace powerfully out of heaueÌ„ to his disciples Before He ascended to HeaueÌ„ He drewe downe grace out of Heauen to remaine with His Apostles whom Hee left behinde Him in the earth vvhen Hee ascended according to that which before His Passion He saide to them Peace J leaue you my peace I giue you Ioh. Chap. 14. vers 27. Nowe vvhen Hee liftes vp His handes vvhat sorte of blessing giues He them Was it a common sorte of blessing Was it such a blessing as one giues to another No but He giues them the blessing of God He giues theÌ„ an effectuall blessing And if vvee consider vvho this vvas that blessed them vvee may see that of necessitie it behooued this blessing to bee effectuall for Hee vvas not onelie a Priest but a King also Indeede as a Priest Hee blessed them for it vvas the Priestes office publickelie to blesse the people as a Priest likewise lifted Hee vp His handes in â—lessing of them for this vvas a Rite and Ceremonie vvhich the Priestes vvere accustomed to vse in their blessing but as a King Hee giues them effectuallie that blessing vvhich as a Priest Hee vvished vnto them for Hee vvas nowe to sit downe in the Throne of His Kingdome and therefore that blessing vvhich as a Priest Hee vvished vnto them Hee vvorkes it effectually in them by His infinite power as Hee is a king Men may vvish vvell one to another men may vvishe peace and blessing sincerely and from their heartes to others but it lyes not in their hands to effectuate to bring to passe that thing which they wish but it is proper to God only to Iesus His Sonne to make the blessing effectual One thing here wold be marked wel for our comfort to wit that Christ hath left a singular blessing to the Ministery of the Gospel for as before we heard that the Lord made a sweet and comfortable promise to this Ministery eueÌ„ that He would be alway with them vnto the end of the world Mat. 28.20 EueÌ„ so now we see here that y e Lord at His departure out of y e world leaues a special blessing to y e same Ministry yea such a blessing as is not left to any other calling in the world no not to the calling of a King for y e calling of a King al other callings whatsoeuer receiues their blessing only in this blessing which Christ giues to His Ministerie for except men in all callings by this Ministerie be brought to th' obedience of Christ to sanctification they are accursed if we looke to th' experience which y e faithful find in their soules we wil find that y t blessing which the Lord left to His Ministery at that time is effectuall this day for they finde it to be effectuall to worke faith repentance joy tranquillitie of conscience they find it to be as th'Apostl calles it The ministerie of the Spirit the ministerie of righteousnes 2. Cor. 3.8 9 if there were no more to testifie vnto vs the effectualnes of this blessing this were sufficieÌ„t that we see it hath continued so long in the world notwithstanding of all aduersarie power opposition made thereto for seeing this Ministery is so weak base coÌ„temptible in it selfe how had it bin possible y t it could haue coÌ„tinued endured so loÌ„g in the world against the fury craft assaults of Sathan against the malice hatred persecution of men against the oppositioÌ„ practises of the mightie great wise men of the world except that this blessing which at His departure He left with it had bin effectual if it had not bin effectuall it had soone euanished had bin rooted out Now come to the AscensioÌ„ it selfe it is set down partly by Marke partly by Luke in his EuaÌ„gel in the History of th' Acts of th'Apostles in these circumstaÌ„ces first Luke sayes
As He blessed them He departed froÌ„ them He went alitle froÌ„ them Next He was taken vp Tdirdly He was receiued in a cloud Fourthly being receiued in y t cloud His Apostles beholding Him the cloud toâ—ke Him out of their sight Fiftly being taken out of their sight by the cloud He was caried vp into heauen If we weigh coÌ„sider wel all these circumstaÌ„ces we wil see that th'AscensioÌ„ of our Lord was not only exceeding glorious but also very sensible visible for while He stood in the mids of them He depaâ—ted separated Himselfe a space from them to the end that they all might the better see Him ascending thereafter He was taken vp piece piece degree by degree so that sensibly piece piece they might haue followed Him with their eyes then as they are thus beholding a cloude interueenes takes Him out of their sight After this they see His person no more but they see y t cloud wherein He was receiued to be caried vp into heaueÌ„ al these circumstaÌ„ces were very sensiible for now He goes not froÌ„ them on a suddainty He conueyes not Himselfe out of their sight in a momeÌ„t as He did w t the two Disciples w t whom He sate at table in Emmaus no question the Lord of set purpose would haue His AscensioÌ„ to be so sensible to the end y t the disciples who saw it the whole form of it so clearly might haue a setled assuraÌ„ce ful perswasion in their hearts to the end y t w t the greater euidency liberty freedom they might preach proclaime it to the world for the ful perswasion of the heart made theÌ„ bold confideÌ„t in preaching as Paul saies Seeing we haue such trust we vse great boldnes of speech y t so y e world hearing theÌ„ speak w t such euidency freedome boldnes of the Lords AsceÌ„sion seeing theÌ„ paint out so vinely sensibly the whole forme processe y t therein was vsed might without any doubt fully beleeue y t the Lord was ascended to heaueÌ„ so the Lord had a regard respect vnto His Kirk in all the faithful y t shuld liue in th'ages to come yea euen of vs who liue this day wheÌ„ so sensibly visibly in the preseÌ„ce of His Apostles He asceÌ„ded into heaueÌ„ The Lord made not His Apostles eye witnesses of His Ascension so much for their own cause as for the Kirkes cause which by their Ministery was to be gathered together to be broght to th' obedience of Iesus so when y u coÌ„siderâ—st y t sensible forme progresse y t the Lord vsed in His Ascension for thy cause it is thy duty to praise glorifie His Majesty for it Now after the Lord is caried vp to heauen what followes was there no higher degree of glory Yes for Marke sayes After He was receiued into heauen He sate at the right hand of God After He had past throgh al the visible HeaueÌ„s He was set at the right hand of His Father in the highest Heauens farre aboue all principalitie and power and might and domination and euery name that is named not in this world only but also in that which is to come so that all things were made subiect vnder His feete Ephes 1.20 21. this the Father had spoken of Him before when He said Sit thou at my right hand vntill I make thine enemies thy footstoole Psal 110.1 To sit at the right hand of God is to obtaine y t highest degree of glory in the heauens as Mediator to haue equal power glory w t the Father to haue power ouer all creatures to doe w t them as He pleases to haue all things vnder His feete to be declared to be y e head of y e Kirk that person by whoÌ„ the Father immediatly guides gouernes all things for as He is y e Sonne of God equall with y e Father He was glorified with that glory which Hee had with the Father before the foundations of the world were laid according as He prayed before His Passion Joh. 17.5 as He is man He is exalted aboue euery creature in such sort that by y e hand of Christ the man God gouernes all things in heauen in earth so we see that y e Lord by degrees passed froÌ„ glory to glory now He is in such incomprehensiblâ— glory as this mortal eye of man caÌ„not be able to pierce into Indeed the disciples saw His glorious AscensioÌ„ but they could not be able to see that highnes sublimity of glory whereunto He was exalted wheÌ„ He sate at the right hand of y e Father SteueÌ„ saw the heaueÌ„ opened the Sonne of man standing at the right hand of God Acts 7.55 but how sober meane a portioÌ„ of His glory was y t which He saw in respâ—ct of y e fulnes of glory y t He had theÌ„ in y e heaueÌ„s but albeit we be not able w t our bodily eyes to pierce behold y e greatnes of y t glory whereinto He is exalted yet this is our coÌ„fort y t we find sensibly by experience in our own soules y t Iesus is sitting in his Kingdome w t exceeding glory power by these comfortable effects motions y t He workes within vs. Th'Apostles albeit they saw Him not sitting at y e right hand of God in glory yet in y t same momeÌ„t y t He sate down in His throne of glory they found in their own hearts his kingly power that dominioÌ„ y t He hath ouer al creatures for what meaned y t exceeding joy y t they had after that He was taken out of their sight wheÌ„ they were returning to Jerusalem eueÌ„ this that Christ was entred in His kingdome that His kingdome power was effectuall into their soules what meanes these spiritual motions which are raised vp in the hearts of the godly this sadnes for sinne this vnspeakable joy this peace traÌ„quillity of coÌ„science this loue to God desire to see Him euen this y t the Lord Iesus is come into His Kingdome is now reigning in y e heaueÌ„s y t He hath established this Kingdome in our soules For the Kingdome of God sayes Paul is righteousnes peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 therefore wheÌ„ y u findest any spiritual motioÌ„ in thy soule take it for a sure argument of Christs sitting at the right hand of God in His kingdome Now hauing spokeÌ„ of Christs Ascension let vs see what was the Apostles behauiour wheÌ„ they saw the Lord thus asceÌ„d whâ—t did they It is said that they worshipped Him next that they looked stedfastly toward heauen what moued theÌ„ to worship Him no question the sight of a wonderfull glory Majestie in Iesus because at this time they saw Him in an higher glory majesty than euer they did before therfore of necessity their worshipping of Him at this time
from the hope of the glorious returning of the Lord Iesus againe to Iudge the world There is nothing that furnishes such joy to the faithfull soule as this hope does Indeed it is true the Lord giues vs other grounds of consolation while we are heere namely He giues vs His Spirit to counsel guide vs through al the difficulties of our pilgrimage the joy that the faithfull finde in His presence is very great He giues vs Faith also to coÌ„fort vs whereby in some measure presently we feele the presence of Christ His spirituall graces in our soules but except with y e Spirit Faith we had a hope y t the Lord Iesus should returne againe in His own time in glory we could not haue solide joy consolatioÌ„ for if in this life only we hoped in Christ had no hope y t He would returne againe in glory raise our mortall bodies froÌ„ y e dead theÌ„ as y e Apostle saies of all men we were most miserable 1. Cor. 15.19 why shuld not y e hope of this returning coÌ„fort our soules make them to rejoyce for at His returning we look hope for y e glorifying of these our bodies for eternall life Paul sayes That froÌ„ the heauens we look for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like vnto His glorious body Philip. 3.20.21 And when it shal be made manifest we shal be made like Him for we shall see Him as He is 1 Joh. 3.2 Yea we haue greater cause of joy comfort of the hope of His returning againe thaÌ„ all y e Apostles had of y e sight of His ascending to heauen in their preseÌ„ce for y e ascension of y e Lord albeit it was very glorious coÌ„fortable to theÌ„ yet it chaÌ„ged not their bodies nor made theÌ„ like His glorious body but His glorious returning again froÌ„ the heauens shall change both their bodies our vile corruptible bodies and make them conformable to His glorious body Now happie is y e man who earnestly lookes waits for the blessed glorious coÌ„ming againe of the Lord to judgement for y t hope shall comfort vphold him in all his troubles distresses Now come to y t disciples part we haue suÌ„dry things expressed what they doe y e first is after y e Angels reproued them for their standing gazing to y e heauens it is said They returned to Jerusalem with great ioy They take well with the reproofe they stay no longer gazing there but according to y e Lords directioÌ„ they go to Jerusalem to waite for y t Spirit which He promised to them they obey y e Lords coÌ„mandemeÌ„t they obey with great joy But what made them so to rejoyce This joy proceeded partly from y e sight of His glorious ascensioÌ„ into heaueÌ„ which they saw with their eyes partly froÌ„ y t which they heard by y e Angels of His glorious returning descending again out of y e heauens yet all this which both they saw heard would not haue wroght so great a joy in theÌ„ except y e Lord Iesus who was sitting in y e heauens at y e right hand of y e Father had bin effectuall in them had powerfully wroght this joy in their soules for this joy that y e holy Spirit works in y e hearts of y e Lords Elect is a sure argumeÌ„t infallible demoÌ„stratioÌ„ y t y e Lord Iesus is reigning in y e heaueÌ„s for the Kingdome of God is righteousnes ioy peace in the holy Ghâ—st Rom. 14.17 Now if ye will coÌ„pare this joy which at this time they had with all the joy y t euer they had before yea euen when y e Lord Iesus was walking with them in the flesh they enjoyed His bodily presence ye shal find y t this joy surpassed by many degrees all their preceeding joy whereby we may learne this lesson that neither y e bodily presence of y e Lord Iesus augments or perfectes y e joy of y e soule neither His bodily abseÌ„ce stayes or hinders any wise y t joy but y t all this joy which y e faithfull find proceedes from the effectual preseÌ„ce powerful operatioÌ„ of y e holy Spirit in the soule The grosse carnal Papists think they caÌ„not haue mater of rejoycing except in y e Lords Supper they haue y e body of Christ bodily locally present that is except y t with y e mouth of the body they eat deuoure swallow vp the very body flesh of Iesus Christ except that after that same manner they drinke His blood but vaine Papist thou deceiuest thy selfe for neither does the bodily presence furnish joy neither does the bodily abseÌ„ce hinder joy but all true joy that the soule finds proceedes from the effectuall presence operatioÌ„ of the Spirit Yet to speak something further of this purpose It would be narrowly considered what could be the cause ground of this joy of the Disciples for if we looke to it by the outward appearance they had litle matter or cause of rejoycing at this time when the Lord is gone froÌ„ them Indeede when the Lord Iesus was with them when He led them out into Bethania any man might thinke they had matter of rejoycing to follow such a gracious guide but now when He hath left the earth ascended to heauen left them behind Him what matter could they haue of so great joy in their returning to Jerusalem I answere notwithstanding they wanted now the bodily presence of Christ yet they wanted not matter of great joy for in stead of His bodily presence the Lord gaue them Faith Hope Faith apprehending taking holde of the Lord Iesus sitting in the heauens in glorie at the right hand of the Father Hope waiting constantly for His blessed glorious returning againe in the appointed time to Iudgement This Faith Hope that the Lord giues vs in this pilgrimage recompenses sufficiently the bodily absence of the Lord Iesus from vs if wee haue Faith Hope we haue euermore matter of rejoycing where Faith Hope is they bring euer with them patience joy euen in the mids of all afflictioÌ„s The Apostle Paul declares this by his own experience For the Gospels sake sayes he I suffer these things but I am not ashamed for I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that hee is able to keepe that which I haue coÌ„mitted to him against that day 2. Tim. 1.12 There he lets vs see what made him to bee so patient vnder afflictions to wit the sense of the power of Christ which hee founde in his soule by faith by the which power hee was perswaded that Christ was able to keepe in the heauens that life which hee had committed vnto him and the hope that hee had of His glorious returning in that great day wherin the Lord should render
Christ and will make them take vp and lift the crosse on their shoulders and to goe to the Hall of the High Priest and to come to the fire but there it leaueth them for they will not put their hande to the fire and in ende this humane courage will leaue thee in the mire for thou wilt neither die nor put thine head vnder y e axe therfore if thou find boldnes in thee look whether it be throw y e spirit of Iesus Christ or of manly courage whether it be spiritual or humane and if it be of man thou shalt fal and if it be of God thou shalt know it He who is strong in Iesus Christ he is strong in infirmitie he who hath greatest faith in Iesus Christ he hath greatest sense sight of his own weaknes when he finds Christ liuing in him he will find himselfe dying in himselfe if thou find thy selfe nothing thou hast strength in God if thou take a conceite of thy selfe boast of thy power thou hast no power in Iesus Christ Our Lord said to Paul My grace may suffice thee only for my power is made perfect thorow weakenesse The Martyrs haue confessed in y e houre of death that they had no strength in themselues but that they were strong in Christ if thou haue strength of thy selfe not of Christ it shall leaue thee in the end Now when Peter hath tempted God God meeteth him tempts him againe he commeth in who is y e instrument that the Lord vseth to tempt him with euen she that would gratifie him to let him in he bought his comming in too deare with the deniall of his Master And she saith Art not thou also one of this mans disciples First marke this well ye wil thinke this to be a light temptation Who is the instrument that temptes him who but a sillie damsell if it had bene a man of war or a man it had bin thought he had had some occasion to fall back And what sâ—ies she to him not boastingly Art thou one of this seducers seruants but in simplicitie gentlenes Art thou one of this mans disciples So whether we looke to the tempter or to the temptation it is very light therfore the greater is his fall and shame thou gettest a foule shame who for a light temptation fallest abacke Beholde howe the Lord will humble the vaine and proude confidence of man Peter was too proude the Lord will raise vp the silliest of all His creatures to tempt that man that is proude All this naturall boldnes is nothing but weaknes Hee will not encounter it with a great strength but with a sillie instrument that man may see that his own streÌ„gth is nothing Beside the fall of the proude man there is shame with it that shall pearce the heart more than the hurt that it should be smitten to the dirt with such an instrument He will not raise vp a champioÌ„ against theÌ„ nor He will not enter Himself with theÌ„ but He will stir vp a thing of nothing to beat downe carnall courage She saies Art thou a disciple of this mans He saies I am not Is this he that bragges and saies I will not leaue thee Lord though al should leaue thee is this he that denies his master By this example we haue a liuely image of the vaine pride and strength of man The Lord will cause a girle to cast thee downe it both yea the very shaking of a leafe shall make thee tremble and vaine fantasies and imaginations shall terrifie thee although there were nothing out with thee for whosoeuer hath a confidence in himselfe the Lord shall cast such terrours into his heart as shall ouer-throw him The terroures of his minde though all the worlde should let him be shall trouble him and cast him downe so that he shall get no rest Therefore be neuer strong in the power of man for if thou hadst all the worlde yet the basest thing in the worlde shall cast thee downe But he or she that would take vp the crosse of Iesus Christ should striue to bee strong in God and care not howe weake thou art in thy selfe for that strength of God will hold thee vp Paul saies to Timothie Bee partaker of my affliction by the power of God and ground thine afflictions vpoÌ„ this power for it is y e strength which will holde thee vp this is the thing that will beare vp the crosse thorow all temptations manfully to the end In the next vers the Euangelist telleth where Peter is standing and setteth down the place a certaine occasion of his temptation He is standing with a companie of the seruantes and officers of the Priestes and Pharises who had made a fire of Coles for it was colde they warmed themselues And then the Maiden commeth vnto him hee was gone in too farre for it is not good to enter ouer farre into the houses of wicked men neither is it good for thee to warme thy selfe in the companie of wicked men nor yet to bee at their table it were farre better for thee to abide the cold for if thou accompanie thy selfe with them take pleasure at their fire side then a tempter shall come vnto thee either a Damsell or a Boy And therefore let euery man woman beware and as they woulde bee free from temptation so let them eschewe euill companie Hee is well worthie to bee tempted who knoweth his owne weaknes yet will not tarrie out of the companie of the wicked And it is Gods just judgement that our men make Apostasie and come home foule Apostates and Atheistes who will not tarrie out of FRANCE and SPAINE vvhere all is full of temptation It were better to sit at home and serue the LORD for it is harde to knowe if euer thou shalt get grace to take vp thy selfe as PETER did The rest of the Euangelistes say that PETER had scarce said that when as the Cocke crew euen as the Lord had fore-tolde him but hee getteth the vvarning that hee had made defection Nowe after sinne there commeth commonly an induration and blindnesse and in sinning the conscience sleepeth yea it sleepeth so sound that vvhen it getteth aduertisement it cannot bee vvakened but the third time it vvas vvakned for PETER denied his Master once twise yea thrise but at length hee vvakeneth and yet not so much for the crowing of the Cocke as for the looke of his Master vvhereof LVKE maketh mention CHAP. XXII VERS 61. And PAVL saieth When the heart shall bee turned vnto the LORD the vaile is taken away 2. COR. CHAP. III. VERS 16. This is my lesson When a man committeth sinne the conscience vvill bee asleepe and vvill not bee vvakened and this falleth not out in the vvicked onelie but also in the godlie Yee reade of DAVID after he had committed adulterie his conscience sleepeth still and after the adulterie hee falleth out in murther and yet
might giue out the sentence Yet there is some accusation heere that he is an euill doer Is that sufficient vvhen a man is deliuered to the Iudge to say This man is an euill man No hee must qualifie it in particular wherein he is euill and hath failed if they had found anie they woulde not haue passed by it in their owne judgement seate they coulde get nothing to say against Him Nowe when they came to the judgement of Pilate and striuing to accuse Him they can saye nothing but in generall This is an euill man Then this I marke thorow this whole processe that the Lord will alwayes haue these two thinges to bee seene manifestly First the innocencie of Christ for looke the whole processe yea when He is slaine dead vpon the Crosse His very enemies themselues are constrained to testifie that He is an innocent man as the Centurion did The next is the wrongfull dealing of the Iewes against their consciences Now Brethren as it was in this matter of Iesus Christ so it hath beene since in all the Martyrs The Lord hath made both the innocencie of the Martyrs to appeare clearly and also He hath made the crueltie and tyrannie of their enemies to appeare Reade the bookes of the Martyrs and yee shall finde these two So Brethren it is well for them that will suffer for a good cause and chiefely for the cause of Iesus Christ yea although it were but in this That the Lord will haue their innocencie appearing What and if all the worlde condemne thee so the Lord Iesus justifie thee for albeit thou die yet thine innocencie dieth neuer And this is our comfort indeede that albeit this bodie shoulde bee burnt yet the daye shall come that our innocencie shall appeare for at the glorious comming of the Lord Iesus thou and thine innocencie shall stand vp to shame the Tyrants of the world Thus for their answere Pilate sayes againe Yee haue a lawe take and iudge Him after your lawe Albeit Pilate seeme to speake these thinges tauntingly to mocke the Iewes speaking one thing and thinking another to represse their pride yet the Text following testifies that he spake it in earnestnesse as he would say Before that I should condemne any man this way without an accusation for your pleasure I had rather renounce of my right and permit judgement to you condemne and doe as ye will Well then it is to be marked I see here that ere Pilate had judged the Lord wrangously he had rather haue giuen ouer his right and the judgement of Capitall crimes and well had it bene for Pilate if he had stood to this sentence and it had bene better that he had giuen ouer his right that the Romanes had albeit that hee should haue immediatly beene taken and hanged by the Emperour for it Alas the miserable man lost himselfe by the malitiousnesse of the Iewes yet albeit he be an Ethnicke hee is a man of better conscience than the Jewes were The light of a naturall conscience in this Pilate surpasses all the knowledge of the Iewes And the Lord at this time did set vp that light of Pilates on a Skaffolde as a lanterne and light to condemne these Iewes that had no cōscience The very words of Pilate are a lanterne to let the Iewes see that they had no conscience God in his wisdome from time to time vses to doe so Hee will make the Paganes to stand vp like light to shame the professours of the Gospell whose conscience is as it were burnt vp with a hote irone Is it not a great shame to thee when the Lord will raise him vp to be a light vnto thee who should bee a light to him and as in this worlde Hee will make men without God to stand before the Professours in this world to shame them So in the world to come He will raise them vp to shame and to condemne them Sodome and Gomorrha shall rise vp to the judgement of many in this age who professe Christ Yee shall see howe Pilate although he was a very euill man yet hee pities the Lord Iesus wil not for their importunity cōsent to his death They say It is not lawfull for vs to put any man to death They require not that power to bee giuen them that the Romanes had for fourtie yeere before the destruction of the towne and Temple of Ierusalem they lost all authoritie to judge on Capitall crimes they spake truely And heere they would appeare to gratifie Pilate when they would acknowledge him to judge in capitall crimes but in effect they take the power of a judge from Pilate when vpon their sentence onely without accusation triall or verdict they will haue him to condemne Christ But better had it beene a thousand times for Pilate that they had taken that power to themselues for they inuolued the man in their guiltinesse by condemning Christ Iesus And I say more it had bene better for the Priestes that they had taken the whole judgement vnto themselues because that blood of Pilate lies vpon them This is a true thing the moc thou drawest to communicate with thy sinne thy damnation shall be the greater It were better for the Princes of this worlde who are like as many slaues to the Pope the Emperour the King of Spaine c. to renounce all the right they haue of judgement to the Pope when he and his crue haue condemned on innocent of Heresie to execute him rather than to be the Popes Burrio It had bene better for Sigismundus the Emperour that hee had resigned all authoritie to the Pope in burning Iohn Husse and Ierome of La Prage than breaking promise and oath to haue executed the Popes malice vpon them it had beene better he had neuer seene that councell and one daye the Princes of the earth shall curse the time that euer they were executers to the Pope And it were good for the Pope also that hee inuolued not these Princes in the same guiltinesse for their blood lies vpon him Would God their eyes could bee opened to see that deceiuer To returne againe It is not they that must condemne the Lord no but it must be Pilate hee must doe all that they may bee cleane and when the Lord is slaine are they cleane no Brethren let Pilate condemne Him and put Him to execution yet the Priestes and the Iewes are greater murtherers of Iesus Christ than Pilate was indeed Pilate hath his part in that woefull action woe vnto him that euer he medled with it and now hee findeth that hee hath his part therein But those High Priests those Iewes are the greatest murtherers of Iesus Christ Ye know the Papistes vse to say when a man is put to death It is not we y t slay the man it is the ciuill sword of the secular power Who burnt Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prage but the Emperour The Pope is holy and his handes are cleane and these sinnes
hands of Pilate by any delation or poinct of inditement against Iesus whether treason against Caesar or blasphemie against GOD they come more roundly to the matter and come to the accusation of Pilate lay treason against him If thou let this man goe say they thou art not Caesars friend This is the greatest temptation that euer Pilate got hee had no God but Caesar he sought for no honour but in this world he saw no life but this life therefore hearing treason laide to his charge hee begins to faint faile and then quickly hee enters into judgement and commeth out and bringeth out Iesus and commeth to his tribunall in a place called the Pauement an open place and there sitteth downe to giue judgement against the innocent yet hee hath a doubt in conscience yea when hee is running to pronounce sentence of damnation hee sayes Behold your King to moue them yet to suffer the innocent to escape but hee preuailes not for once getting Him vnder Priestes and people beginne to shout in the eare of the miserable man so that hee could not heare his conscience crying Iesus is innocent yet for all this yet he hath a doubt stirre in his conscience and sayes Shall I crucifie your King They answere We haue no King but Cesar Woe to them that made such change and they finde it in experience Now brethren Iohn in his Gospel Chap. 19. verse 16 he subjoynes that Pilate deliuered Iesus in the hands of the men of warre to be crucified that they receiued Him and led Him to the place of execution But Matthew as ye heard read reportes of some things that interueened there are three thinges in speciall as he recordes that passed before the leading of Iesus to the place of execution The first thing Pilate by a ceremonie of washing his handes cleanses him of the innocent blood and as hee disburthens himselfe so he burthenes the Iewes as guiltie of the most innocent blood that euer was or shall be shed And they are more glad to take on the burthen than he is to lay it ouer on them for with their own tongue they bound the blood of the innocent on their owne backe saying His blood be on vs and on our children The second thing that Matthew rehearses is after that he hath exonered himselfe as he thought a vaine thought he was neuer quite of it nor neuer shall be when he thinkes he is exonered then he goes quickly to worke then hee begins to serue the foule and cruell appetite of the Iewes hee lets loose Barabbas a foule murtherer Then as Luke markes hee giues out the sentence of condemnation against the innocent then hee takes Him and scourges Him the second time and lastly hee puts Him in the handes of the Burrio this is the second thing yet there is one third thing when they get Him they lead Him not incontinâ—nt out of the Portes to that filthie place of execution but to satisfie the malitiousnesse of their heartes they led Him to the common Hall againe and there mis-vse the Lord of glorie When all this was done they leade Him out to the place of execution Wee shall speake of these thinges according to the rehearsall of Matthew As for the first Matthew sayes that When Pilate sawe that hee could preuaile nothing at their handes but that more tumult was made hee cries for water and washes his handes and makes a protestation I am innocent of the blood of this Iust man And as he protests that he is cleane hee turnes it ouer vpon the Iewes saying See yee to it ye shall giue an account for this dayes worke it shall be the dearest worke that euer ye wrought They say Let His blood be on vs and on our children First wee shall marke somewhat on the part of Pilate Secondly on the part of the High Priestes and the rest of the Iewes The Historie is very plaine This miserable man Pilate hath fought on a reasonable space yea a long time for the Lord Iesus Christ against the obstinacie of the Jewes at the last when he is charged as guiltie of treason when hee sees hee cannot preuaile and findes him so straited with so great incommodities he is compelled to yeelde and hee thinkes that this necessitie should excuse him for his part well eneugh Brethren this is the lesson Men commonly and especially such as Pilate was men without God naturall men that see not another life that see not another world they will striue and they will striue wonderfully through the instinct of nature to keep a good coÌ„science but at the last if they be importunately straited with great incommoditie and feare of dangers they will yeeld and giue ouer Alas nature and all the benefites thereof is but a weake ground at the last they will yeelde and that good conscience that they contended to keepe they bid farewell and at the last they will yeelde to a mischiefe and when they haue done they will thinke that necessitie wherewith they were straited that importunitie of men that compelled them will excuse them for their doing sufficiently they will thinke that albeit they put to their hand to doe the most wicked action in the world that that necessitie will disburthen them This is the judgement of naturall men But this is as true What euer hee or shee be that perseueres not to the end shall neuer get the crowne Take the sentence Albeit thou hast begunne well if thou goâ—st not on to the end thou shalt nor get the crowne of glorie and the Lord shall neuer account of thy former well doing more than if thou hadst neuer done a good action Indeede I grant that necessity which is without the coÌ„sent forces compelles men against their wils As for example When our bodies mooued with externall force and violence without consent or voluntarie mouing of the members thereof hurteth another I say that necessitie excuseth a man but as for that necessitie which for feare of inconueniences and great dangers to followe makes a man consent to an euill action it excuseth not Some will say I was sore straitted and I behooued to doe or die I stroue so long as I might and I sawe I could not escape if I had not done it But I say that kinde of necessitie and comâ—ulsion thâ—t drawes on an euill action vpon thy conscience shal neuâ—r excuse thee albeit all the Kingâ— of y e world should threaten thee terrifie thee with the feare of torture if thou once consentest all that shall neuer excuse thee No if we once consent to an euill action which may hurt the conscience wee should rather suffer to be beheaded or hanged die ten thousand deathes The Lord of life can and will giue thee life if thou diest in his feare but miserable shall that life bee that thou shalt liue when thou hast done against the Lord and a good conscience Pilate calleth for water and washeth his
hands then marke what hee sayes I am innocent of the blood of this iust man See yee to it Well is this out of his owne mouth both the speaking and doing of Pilate testifieth that Iesus was innocent he confesseth that he was going to condemne an innocent man so I see that the conscience of the innocencie of Christ neuer leaues Pilate I doubt not but hee would gladly haue wanted it It is a maruell that during all the time of the suffering of Iesus Christ the Lord will haue the innocencie of His deare Sonne to appeare in the beginning in the mids and in the ending thereof All the time of His accusation Pilate preaches His innocencie when it commeth to condemnation the Iudge both by word and deed testifies that He was innocent it is not a common person that protestes this but the Iudge himselfe then againe looke to the end of this worke when Iesus is lifted on the crosse then the Father froÌ„ the heauen testifies that He was innocent then the Centurion with the burrio the men of warre seeing the wonders are compelled to say this is the Sonne of God and the people seeing this goe home thumping on their breasts say alas so they had cause so the innocencie of Iesus Christ is declared all this whole time out of the mouth of the Iudge himselfe of many others What meanes all this No doubt but y e Father herein had respect to y e honour of His Son for indeede the most honourable death is to die as an innocent and if thou wouldest die honourably die not as a guiltie person but die innocently And this was to aggreadge Pilates damnation and the damnation of the Iewes But brethren there is another cause that pertaines more to vs and serues more to our comfort euen that we should haue faith in this Mediatour the Lord Iesus for except He had died as an innocent I would neuer lay my sinne on Him the thing that makes mee to beleeue that Hee hath made satisfaction is because He suffered innocently and had no sinne in Himselfe Heb. 7.26 and as Peter sayes Hee bare our sinnnes because I am perswaded He bare my sinnes vpon Him I beleeue in Him so this redounds to the comforte of the members of the Church of God Yet I see more here Pilate he hath not only the coÌ„science of the innocencie of Iesus but this same very coÌ„science it makes him to turne to the Iewes to summond them before that terrible tribunall See yee to it sayes he I tell you ye will giue an account of this dayes worke so this is a citation of the Jewes before that terrible tribunall and they haue found it and shall finde it No Brethren take heede thou shalt neuer want summonding let Kings and them who are in authoritie cease to summound thee let thine owne conscience neuer speake a worde to thee nor charge thee the Lord shall not let thee bee without a citation if thy conscience will not waken thee He will waken the conscience of a Turke or a Pagane and he shall charge thee to appeare before that terrible Tribunall Thou thinkest when thou sleepest and thy conscience accuses thee not that all is well no the Lord shall raise vp the conscience of a Pagane to summound thee and I say to thee albeit thou thinkest thou art at rest when thy coÌ„science is sleeping wilt spend thy time thou wilt eat drinke be merrie take thy pastime yet it is one of the most heauiest judgements y t euer God laid on any then wheÌ„ He hath raised the conscience of another man to warne thee it is a sore warning that if thou sleepe on and repent not thou shalt be wakened that thou shalt not get leasure to say God be mercifull to mee This world knowes not what it is doing Yet marke further Notwithstanding all this conscience of y e innocencie of Iesus Alas I sâ—e not this that his owne conscience accuses him or sayes to him Woe to thee Pilate thou art going an euill way thou wilt make thy selfe guiltie of that innocent blood that will burthen thee euerlastingly his conscience is busier to accuse the Iewes as himselfe hee shoulde not bee so busie to accuse the Iewes as himselfe for if his conscience had accused himselfe sharply had he euer said Thus I am cleane of the blood of this just innocent one By the contrary it had vrged out another confession sentence There is nothing but damnation for me for the coÌ„demning of the innocent What should haue bene the cause of this He vvas buâ— a silly naturall man his conscieÌ„ce was wrong informed concerning that thing hee thought himselfe well enough seeing he had striâ—eÌ„ so long yeelded thorow necessity All this sluggishnes of his conscieÌ„ce came of a wrong information he knew no better The more thou knowest the better informed conscieÌ„ce thou hast Striue ay to get knowledge Alas that blindnes that man lyes in by nature that makes thee think that sin is no sin that is deceit Striue ay to get a cleare mind a well informed conscience whereof thou should excuse thee and whereof to accuse thee Get this out of the word of God which is the only rule of our life of all our actioÌ„s from that light that comes from Heauen for the light of nature will beguile thee and it will say that thou art blessed when the malediction of God is vpon thee and it wil say Thou doest well when thou doest euill Therefore get that light that comes from Heauen to make thee to see This for Pilates part Now let vs come to the part of the Iewes Their part is far worse This is a great deformitie vvhen these vvho haue the Oracles of God are warned by Turkes and Paganes This is to turne the vp-side of the vvorlde downe Looke howe readie Pilate is to laye off the burthen from himselfe vpon the Iewes as readie are they to laye it both vpon their owne backes and vpon their posteritie If this exoneration of himselfe vvhen hee disburthens himselfe of the blood of Iesus testifies that hee had a conscience of His blood that vvas innocent It must followe if the Iewes vvere readie to take on this burthen then they had no sight of His innocencie neither vvere they touched therewith in conscience and therefore like blinded bodies seeing nothing vvith an imprecation they translate the burthen from Pilate and laye it vpon themselues Ignorance is euer temerarious the blinder the bodie is the more rashly vvill it endanger it selfe A blind bodie vvithout knowledge will run it selfe speedily without remorse into Hell and will take on such a burthen that it shall neuer bee able to laye it off againe What meanes all this running so speedilie in vvicked courses but that men vvant conscience and their owne corruption hath blindfolded them Is there anie man that hath light that will run on to their death to
superstition that moued them they were to celebrate the Passâ—ouer and this was the day of their preparation they were preparing them by crucifying the innocent the Lorde of glorie Was this an holy preparation This was the Fryday and the morne was the Paâ—che Iohn sayes that was an high day or a great Sabbath because they kept two holy dayes together both their owne ordinarie Sabbath and the extraordinarie Passeouer and this they did contrarie to the ordinance of GOD for they should haue celebrated the Passeouer on Thurseday as the LORD did for He celebrated it that night that He was betrayed by Iudas and led away captiue by the Iewes So they did cast in the two Holy dayes together according to their custome for when y e Passeouer fell to bee on Thurseday they vsed to delay it vntill the Satterday which was their Sabbath day lest y t if these feasts which are so neare other had bene both kept the people should haue wearied and if Christ the other had not bene taken downe thaâ— y t Holy exercise wold haue bin defiled So they thought if they had bin taken down from the crosse and put away they had bene holy eneugh And vpon that same pretence when they were to accuse Christ they would not enter in the common Hall lest they should haue beene polluted They were Hypocrites they polluted the world and defiled the earth that they tread on A polluted body who hath no sanctification in Christ there is nothing that he touches meat or drinke yea the earth he walkes on but he defiles all yet these foule Hypocrites thought that if Iesus who sanctifies the Sabbath and sanctifies the heart had beene taken away they had beene holie eneugh An Hypocrite is a foule body defiles all that he handles All his religion is outward standing in bodily exercises and when he hath polluted all yea the very earth he treades on he will say Handle not touch not taste not that will pollute thee Coloss 2.21 There is his religion When the foule body defiles the aire the earth the Heauen hee bids thee touch it not lest it defile thee when he defiles all that he touches Nowe they get the request granted them and gets a commandement of Pilate and so The men of warre came forward and brake the legges of the one first and then they came to the other and brake his also They brake both their legges with great paine and torment Now will ye see these 2 thieues they are like in their death both are crucified in end both their thighes are brokeÌ„ yet for al this the one of them is a vessell of glorie and he had a promise of glorie and an assurance of it in his heart the other had none So Brethren take heede though the death of the wicked and the godlie bee alike yet they are not alike in condition Iudge not of mens estate by the outwarde miserie measure not Heauen and Hell by the outwarde death The Elect and the wicked will be oft times alike in death and oft times the Elect will die in the greatest torments Who suffered more painefull deathes than the Martyres did Beware that thou say as the Papistes who are enemies to Christ say They teach albeit that in Iesus Christ thy sinne be forgiuen yet the paine is not forgiuen and they say that the paine that the godly suffer in death is a satisfaction for sinne They say that the paine of the penitent thiefe was the punishment of his sinne but they lie and the Lord shall justifie it The Elect suffer no paine for sinne torment them as they will burne them scalde them all is but a mercifull chastisement and death to them is a faire port to Heauen He makes darknesse to be light to His owne Well this for the execution of the two thieues They come to the Lord to see whether He was dead or not they are not rash they finde Him dead they finde no sponke of life in Him therefore they offer not to breake His thighes See how the word and prouidence of God takes effect The Lord had said One bone of Him should not be broken and therefore to preueene the breaking the Lord miraculously tooke the Spirit from His Sonne His death was miraculous as ye heard before by the strength of nature He might haue liued longer as that great and mightie voyce which he vttered last testifies and so His sudden death was a meane to performe the Lordes ordinance Hee would vse this as the ordinarie meane to execute the eternall decree of the Father It is a follie to thee to say thou wilt depend on the prouidence of God and in the meane time to leaue off meanes for by so doing thou temptest God who as He hath ordained the ende so He hath also ordained the meanes to the end As for example If thou wouldest goe to Heauen thou must vse the meanes the hearing of the word c. Yet many will contemne the meanes and yet bragge they are assured to come to Heauen they will contemne the preaching which is the instrument that God vses But I say to thee thou deceiuest thy selfe for I denounce if thou werest an Emperour thou shalt neuer see Heauen nor life who contemnest that meane and instrument which the Lord hath ordained to bee vsed to bring thee to Heauen which is the preaching of His trueth Now Brethren ye see here the testimonie of the death of Christ giuen by the buâ—rioes they preach His death as though they had said Marke all people This Iesus whom we haue crucified is dead and therefore in token that this is true wee will not breake His bones after that comes another burrio a man of warre and giues the last witnesse Hee smites Him with a speare so that out of the wound gushed out blood and water As though the knaue had said I shall let you see that Hee is dead that there is no life in Him and so hee smites Him to the heart with a speare The Lord would haue the death of the Lord testified sundrie wayes for thy comfort for the most shamefull thing that euer was is death except it be sanctified it is the greatest miserie that can come to man if thou gettest no remedie against it for that death of the body is a port to that death euerlasting It is no childrens play to haue the soule dislodged No it was an ignominie to the Lord of glorie to be holden vnder the bands of death and to be tread vnder the feete of death yet the Father will haue His death testified sundrie wayes First Hee will haue it testified with a cry when He cried with a loude voyce Father into thine hands I commend my Spirit Next Hee will haue the burrioes to testifie His death and then He will haue a speare thrust to His heart to testifie His death besides the testimonie that all the creatures gaue of His death Is this for nothing No for suppose
the Lord Iesus had bene crucified taunted and scorned and suffered all the ignominie that euer could haue bene and yet had bene taken downe quicke and the nailes loosed gotten His wounds healed thou hadst not beene sâ—uâ—d thy saluation had not beene wrought Our sinnes had neuer bene forgiuen vs for without shedding of blood and death there had bene no remission of sinnes except I know beside all the paine the Lord suffered that He suffered the death also I would neuer beleeue to get life to be saued Now to end in a word Looke to the witnesses the burrioes they were euill witnesses for themselues but good witnesses for vs for their witnessing testifies to our wâ—ll that the Lord was dead and so these burrioes haue done a notable good worke to vs but not to themselues because they were His enemies It is as tâ—ue this day as it was that day there is and shall be witnesses preaching the death of CHRIST crying That CHRIST died for the redemption of the vvorlde and teaching saluation by CHRIST to others and others shall gette good by them yet they shall gette no good themselues Why Because they are enemies to the Crosse of CHRIST An enemie to His death can preach His death vvell enough All Preachers of the death of IESVS CHRIST ought to take heede to this That vvhen they preach to others as the Apostle saieth they be not reprobate themselues Woe to the man who preaches saluation to others if in the meane time hee bee a reprobate himselfe I must bee as carefull for mine owne saluation as for the saluation of others And therefore if thou speakest of the death of CHRIST to thy Neighbour striue to bee assured that thou thy selfe art partaker of that saluation through IESVS To vvhome vvith the Father and the Holie Spirite bee all Honour Praise and Glorie for euermore Amen THE XXIV LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST IOHN CHAP. XIX verse 34 But one of the Souldiours with a Speare pearced his side and foorthwith came there out blood and water verse 35 And hee that sawe it bare recorde and his recorde is true and hee knoweth that hee saieth true that yee might beleeue it verse 36 For these thinges were done that the Scripture should bee fulfilled Not a bone of him shall bee broken verse 37 And againe another Scripture saieth They shall see him whome they haue thrust thorow THE last day beloued Brethren in Christ we entered into the History of the taking of the Lord from the Crosse before Hee was buried The taking of Him from the Crosse it came by a request The Iewes His enemies made request to Pilate the Romane deputy and Iudge for the time The summe of the request was that the thies of the crucified men might bee broken and so they might bee taken from the Crosse Pilate the Iudge yeelded to the request gaue commandement to the souldiers to the burreo to execute slay them that afterward they might be buried The souldiers came first to the one thief broke his thies theÌ„ they came to the other thief broke his thies also and last they came to Iesus and finding Him already dead and to haue giuen vp â—he spirit they would not breake His legges Yet to put the matter out of doubt one of the souldiers came with a speare and pearced the Lords side thorow y e heart out of the wound there gushâ—d blood and water Nowe Brethren this day as the Lord shall giue vs grace we shal follow out this History and we shall speake of three things First of the effusion gushing out of the blood the water out of the side of the Lord. Then we shâ—ll speake of that graue testimonie that Iohn the writer of this Gospel gaue to the History narration that the bones of the Lord were not broken and that His side was pearced and that thereafter the bloode and the water gushed out Last we shall speake of the end wherfore these things came to passe There was not one bone of Him brokeÌ„ His side was pearced to the end that the word of the Lord long time spoken of before might be accoÌ„plished And he brings in two Scriptures the one coÌ„cerning that His bones shuld not be brokeÌ„ the other coÌ„cerning the pearcing of His side with the speare Now come to y e first of these heads I leaue the vaine dreame of the papistes for all their religion is but dreames fantasies I passe their dreame coÌ„cerning this souldier y t pierced the side of the Lord with a speare how they say y t the Griek worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a speare was the name of the man that pearced Christes side and how they saye that this man was a Centurion an olde Captaine who was blind after he had pearced the Lords side hee washed his eyes with the blood that issued out got his sight theâ—eafter in an instant was conuerted became a Christian man and a Martyre and this is he whom they worship and whose bones are kept as a relict and he is called Sainct Longimus I leaue the spirit of vanities fie on them they fill the hearts of the people of God with such vanities and therefore shame and confusion shall come vpoÌ„ them in the end Now Brethren to speake of that which is more profitable Of the gushing out of the blood and water out of the side of the Lord. IOHN saies that one of the souldiours with a speare pearced his side and foorthwith came there out blood and water No doubt this effusion of the blood and water in a part was naturall and ordinarie for they who haue skill in the things which concerne the bodie of man and knowe the Anatomie they knowe that the heart of man is a receptacle of bloode and in the heart is the cleannest and finest blood The vitall blood is fined in the heart of man and the bloode there is finer than in the rest of the bodie Yee heare commonlie that the heart blood is the finest blood and moste precious Ye know likewise that there is a fliece which compasseth and goes about the heart which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in it there is some liquor and water wherewith the heat in the heart is cooled and refreshed Then to come to the purpose The Lord being pearced thorow the sidâ— and in thorow the heart it was no wonder that that bloode in the heart and that water in the fliece should haue gushed out especiallie seeing that Hee had but newlie giuen vp the ghoste and Hee was yet warme so that this blood and this water coulde not bee yet much altered by reason of the shortnesse of time But Brethren when I weigh this matter more deepelie and consider that this bloode and this vvater gushes out in such aboundance and so distinctlie that the one is so seuered from the other that they who stoode beside might discerne verie
the pointes of his Iustice it behoued Him to suffer all the points of Iustice vnder the earthly judge Pontius Pilate in His condemnation in His taking from the crosse in His burial this was all to the intent that thou mightest be fully freed from all the points of the Iustice of GOD for whatsoeuer thing He either did or suffered it was for thy cause There is another thing here that would not be passed by There is no question but it comes of the Prouidence of God that this body is neither reaued away by violence nor stollen away by slight but the taking away comes of a speciall request◠no question this matter was so dispensed that the death of Iesus should bee made notable and come to the eares of Pilate and all other men the death was to be made notable to the world likewise the buriall was to be made notable to the end that His glorious resurrection might be made knowne to the world These are the two pillars of our Faith the death of Christ and His resurrection these are the two points that the deuill and the Heretiques haue from time to time striuen to hew and cut downe that they should not appeare to the world because they are the chiefe pillars of our Faith but honour glory be to the Lord who of His grace hath kept these pillars constantly in His Church in despite of the deuill all his instrumēts Now the God of Heauen grant vs grace to take holde on His death and glorious resurrection that through His death and resurrection we may bee raised from death to newnesse of life here that hereafter wee may reigne in glory with Him To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirite bee all honour praise and glorie world without end AMEN THE XXVI LECTVRE OF THE BVRIALL OF CHRIST MARKE CHAP. XV. verse 44 And Pilate marueiled if hee were alreadie dead and called vnto him the Centurion and asked of him whether hee had beene any while dead verse 45 And when hee know the trueth of the Centurion hee gaue the bodie to Ioseph verse 46 Who bought a linnen cloth and tooke him downe and wrapped him in the linnen cloth c. IOHN CHAP. XIX verse 38 And after these things Ioseph of Arimathea who was a disciple of Iesus but secretly for feare of the Iewes besought Pilate that hee might take downe the body of Iesus And Pilate gaue him licence Hee came then and tooke Iesus bodie verse 39 And there came also Nicodemus who first came to Iesus by night and brought of myrrhe and aloes mingled together about an hundreth pound verse 40 Then tooke they the bodie of Iesus and wrapped it in linnen clothes with the odours as the manner of the Iewes is to burie THE last day welbeloued in Iesus Christ wee entered into the History of the Buriall of the Lord Iesus and wee hearde that the Buriall came by a request made to Pilate the Romane Deputie for the time The request maker was one IOSEPH Hee is set down and described by all the foure EVANGELISTES in all his properties Hee was a man of ARIMATHEA a Towne in IVRIE Hee vvas a rich man and also an honourable and graue Counseller Then as concerning the qualities of his person Hee was a good and an vpright man who liued vprightlie in the worlde and yet hee had a further respect than vnto this life for he waited constantlie for the Kingdome of God And therefore when Christ came into the worlde and tooke vpon Him that great office of the Mediator betwixt GOD and man hee enters into His schoole and became His Disciple howbeit for feare of the IEVVES hee durst not manifest himselfe but lurked secretlie for a time euen to this time that it came to the Buriall of the bodie of Iesus and then hee shewes himselfe to bee a Disciple of Christ In that Councell which was against the Lorde hee vvas a Counseller but hee vvoulde neither giue counsell nor consent to the condemning and slaying of CHRIST Thus much yee hearde before concerning this man and his properties Then wee hearde howe hee goes forwarde boldlie to Pilate to seeke the Lordes bodie Hee lurked before so long as Iesus was in the worlde working such wonders as neuer man wrought speaking with such a grace as neuer man spake with But nowe when Hee is dead hee comes out boldlie and goes to Pilate and hee manifestes himselfe To let vs see that IESVS in His death had greater force to drawe the soules of men vnto Him than Hee had in His life for from that death there came so sweete and sensible a smell to the soules of sinners that it drewe the soules of sinners vnto Him Namelie the heart of this man IOSEPH So that hee comes out boldlie as saide is and hee goes to PILATE and requestes him to giue him the bodie of IESVS to bee buried Thus farre vvee hearde the last daye Nowe this daye wee haue PILATES answere to IOSEPHS request PILATE wonders that He was dead so soone and for the more certaintie hee calles a Centurion and askes him if Hee was dead alreadie The Centurion affirmes that Hee was dead alreadie PILATE grantes the request After this we come to the maner of His Buriall Wee shall goe forward as time shall suffer God shall giue vs grace Pilate wonders that hee was so soone dead This wondering of Pilate no question imports that the death of Iesus was extraordinary It was not after the common fashion of men y t were crucified for men who were crucified they vsed to hing long on the Crosse before they yeelded the spirit dayes nights and in end ere they yeelded the spirite the life was taken from them by violence They were broken on the Crosse So Pilate hearing that the Lorde was so soone dead hee wondered as at an extraordinarie thing There are sundrie thinges that testifie that death of Iesus to haue beene extraordinary as first That mighty and loude voyce crying which the Lord vttered on the Crosse immediately before He yeelded the spirit for who will giue a loud crie at the yeelding of his spirit for at the poinct of death when nature failes it is a rare thing to finde a man to haue a voyce or a word Next The yeelding of His spirit so suddenly whē by the power of nature He might haue liued longer Last This wondering of Pilate testifies That His death was extraordinarie that there was a power in Iesus which controlled nature When nature would haue kept life the diuine power puts it out In a word This wondering testifies That the death of Iesus was the death of God the death of a man but God in the man glorious and blessed for euermore Now it is said Pilate vnderstood of the Centurion that Iesus was dead when hee granted the request of Ioseph and gaue the bodie to him to bee buried First I see Pilate is a good Iustitier the Romane Iustice was