be the Son of God which Paradox our Jews strongly deny and oppose it thus If say they your Jesus were a Christ or a Messias yet he could not be the Son of God as he acknowledgeth he is c. These miserable creatures neither read nor confess the Scriptures For in the second Psalm the Messias is plainly called the Son of God The Lord said unto me thou art my son And in Jeremy the same Messias is clearly exprest and called by the great Name of the Lord Jehovah They shall call him our Righteous Lord Jer. 23. 2. This also is to be observed that wicked Caiaphas in the worst act did not presume to take the Name of God into his mouth without an addition of praise and Benediction How blame-worthy yea how ungodly then are they amongst us who not only rashly and irreverently name that dreadfull Name of God but most wickedly blaspheme mock and all to bespit it If God will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain what shall become of them that blaspheme his Name and most wickedly abuse it Let us even from this ungodly Caiaphas learn 1. To give more Reverence to Gods Holy Name for the honour whereof Christ could here no longer hold his peace lest he also should seem to despise and dishonour the Sacred Name of God otherwise he would never have answered that wicked man 2. Christ did therefore answer Caiaphas that the Jews in after ages should have no ground to excuse or defend their treachery saying That Nazarene was examined by our high Priest and was adjured by the holy Name of God to tell whether he were the Messias and Son of God or no but he held his peace and could not answer a word If he had told the truth we would have believed him And for this reason Christ would hold his peace no longer Wherefore in that Christ did answer now and not before it is not to be ascribed to any power of the exorcism for what conjuration can prevail against God Here we are likewise taught freely to confess the truth when we are questioned about it Christ denyed not who he was Let us also confess who we are Moreover Christ did so frame his answer that he might both insinuate the truth and also make it his business to with-hold them from their malice who sought to murther him with the fear of future punishment The truth he confesseth in two words Thou hast said it And I am The first whereof was somewhat obscure Thou hast said But the second was clearer then the Sun The meaning then is this Thou hast said as if he had said True it is as thou say'st Or I need not answer seeing thou thy self saist it Or he doth rather refer it and send him to his own conscience Thou hast said that is why dost thou ask that which thou knowest well enough already I need not tell thee what thy own conscience dictates to thee Nevertheless I ingenuously confess that I am what thou at once askest and acknowledgest even the Messias and the Son of God who is blessed for evermore Christ doth here first take Caiaphas himself for a witness Secondly he doth freely confess it Thirdly he doth prove his confession by his ascention into heaven which was shortly to follow and by his coming again to Judgement which is not yet come to pass For who can ascend into heaven and so sit at the right hand of God in equall power with him Also who can descend from the clouds but this one Jesus He therefore without all question must needs be the Messias and the Son of God however he was abased on earth and notwithstanding he did suffer so unworthily at the hands of men Then indeed he stood bound like a Malefactor before Caiaphas who yet was is and ever will be the best Benefactor to all men but shortly after they were to see him after another manner For the Apostles who were Jews saw him afterward go up into heaven Acts 1. Stephen who also was a Jew saw him standing at the right hand of God Acts 7. We all shall see him coming out of the clouds as a Judge and justly judging his unjust Judges Luke 21. How can it then be but that he must needs be both the Messias and the Son of God Therefore he doth now warn them of this Judgement to come if happily he might convert them with fear whom he could not win or reclaim with his courtesies and innocency The meaning then is this You do here accuse me indeed for a base fellow and endeavour with might and main to cut me off and destroy me but hereafter I will not shew my self to you so weak and despicable Behold ye shall see me that I am the Son of God sitting at the right hand of the power of God equall with God equally powerfull in the glory of the Father coming in the clouds of heaven to judge both the quick and the dead though now ye look upon me as the son of a man and so wickedly accuse me as a man plotting and purposing my death This Judgement I now tell you of beforehand I warn you of this day at present Here he doth fitly compare his first and second coming together The first coming of Christ was with much reproach and scorn among unbelievers but most saving to Believers His other coming will be glorious very comfortable and joyfull to the godly but to the wicked it will be most terrible But let 's hear what good Christ did these naughty men by this confession of the truth Caiaphas askt the question and answered it himself besides he heard the truth of Christ also as also the proof of the truth or of his true confession so that he might well have been satisfied But see his carriage He rents his cloathes and brawls at Christ as if he had committed some notorious and hainous crime He hath spoken blasphemy saith he that is he hath sinned against the holy Ghost There needs no further accusation or evidence All ye that are present here in this sacred Council have heard out of his own mouth this horrible and egregious blasphemy Is it not more then too much for any man to say and make himself to be the Son of God Judge ye therefore what punishment such a man is worthy to have c. The rending of the garments was a good custom among the Jews especially in extream troubles and amazements and when any thing befell them which they much dreaded and would by no means should have come upon them Examples of this kind we have in Jud. 11.35 and 2 Sam. 1. chap. 13. 2 Chro. 5. Thus this wicked Caiaphas doth here as if he had so abhorred the blaspheming of Gods name when there was no fear of God at all in him The wretched man perceived that Christ spake this from that Text in Daniel 7. where we read that the Son of man came with the clouds of
No right attention or obedience to the Will of God without it The ear saith Aristotle is the Organ of Discipline and St. Paul saith That faith cometh by hearing Rom. 10. But there are some that be uncircumcised in heart and ears Acts 7.51 dead in the uncircumcision of their flesh Col. 2.13 The inner ear lies in the heart We must circumcise the fore skin thereof Jer. 4.4 For the true Circumcision is that of the heart Rom. 2.29 The heart is the fountain of filthiness Mat. 15.18,19,20 If this be not washed from wickedness by the washing of of regeneration we cannot be saved for it will wax gross and fat and make the ears dull of hearing Jer. 4.14 Tit. 3.5 Mat. 13.14,15 In the Levitical Law the sons of Aaron the Priests were to have the blood of the sacrifice put upon the tip of their right ear the Thumbs of their right hand and the great Toes of their right feet Lev. 8.24 Those whom Christ doth make Priests unto God 1. Pet. 2.5 Rev. 1.6 he doth cleanse and purifie from head to foot from top to Toe that he may present them to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Eph. 5.27 He will sprinkle our ears that they mey be healed of that poysonous Dectrine of Disobedience those venomous Charms of the old serpent and be unstopt to hear what the Lord shall say He will sprinkle our right thumbs that we may be ready to do the Will of our Father which is in Heaven He will sprinkle our right Toes that we may walk circumspectly not as Fools but as Wise shewing out of a good Conversation our works with meekness of Wisdom proving indeed that we are indued with knowledge Eph. 5.15 Jam. 3.13 The cleanness of our feet must shew the cleanness of our head If our feet be clean it doth imply that our hands and our head are washed John 13.10 Pure Practice cannot be without true knowledge If we receive Christ for Wisdom we must receive him also for Obedience As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him Col 2.6 Christ came to wash head hands and feet to cleanse our Infancy Youth and old Age to purifie the three essential parts of man to sanctifie us throughout in Spirit Soul and Body 1 Thes 5.23 Again 33. It is the best Guardian to the inner man The outward man is liable to many dangers but the inward is subject to many more The outward may have great assauls but the inner much greater We wrestle not with flesh and blood but with Principalities and Powers and spiritual wickedness in heavenly places or things Eph. 6.12 The War in Heaven is hotter and sharper then that on earth That on earth is with men that in Heaven is agaiust the old great red Dragon Rev. 12.7 A cut in the flesh is easily born and cured but a wounded Spirit who can bear The one lets out the blood the other poysons it the one lanceth the skin the other pierceth the heart Heart-wounds though not incurable yet are hard to be cured Most Combats of the outward man are in the day time when he can see to defend himself but the Conflicts of the inner man are in the night as well as the day and as often when that restless roaring Lion seeks to devour us 1 Pet. 5.8 Faith cannot be idle or sottishsy secure for it never wants an enemy As it is not without an enemy so it is not destitute of Refuge and Aid it hath the clefts of the Rock the open ribs of Christ to shelter and secure it self in Can. 2.14 This is the strong hold we are to flee unto the mountain and banner of safety His Banner over me was love Can. 2.4 He loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2.20 34. This Ensign of the Cross is that which terrifieth our spiritual enemies the sight of it doth conquer and chase them away But then we must hold it in our eye and in our hand look upon him whom we have pierced and beholding his sufferings suffer with him smite our breasts and return let us search and trie our ways our works our thoughts and turn to the Lord. It is reported of Constantine that in one of his battles he saw the sign of the Cross over his head in the air with this Motto In hoc signo vinces this is that which shall give thee victory Luke 23.48 Lam. 3 4◠doubtless we cannot get the Day or win the field without it Our inner man cannot ride on prosperously except this march in the Van and beat down them that hate us Nor can we keep what we have got but by this means Non minor est virtus quā quaerere parta tuerl And therefore we find it recorded of Hester that she did the commands of Mordecai after she came to the Crown like as when she was brought up with him Hest 2.7,20 35. Hester and Mordecai were two captive Jews carried away in the Captivity by Nebuchadonezer into Babylon Hester was left an Orphan of whom her kins-man Mordecai took care after the death of her Father and Mother Now these things as the Apostle saith in the like case are an Allegory and have their mystical signification Hester is as much as to say Hidden and may imply the hidden man of the heart 1 Pet. 3.4 Mordecai is bitter contrition or teaching contrition and was Guardian to Hester Whereby we are instructed that affliction or the Cross is a good Protector Tutor Fosterer and Nurse to the inner man Ego in flagello paratus sum saith the vulgar Latin Psal 38.17 the scourge is our Sehoolmaster Foolishness is bound in the heart of a Child but the rod of Correction shall drive it far from him Prov. 22.15 Thy Rod and thy staff comfort me Psal 23.4 Our light Afflictions which are but for a moment work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day verse 16. As the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ 1 Cor. 1.5 Wherefore faint not when thou art rebuked 't is for thy profit and good that thou mayst be partaker of Gods holiness Heb. 12.5,9,10 Neither must we think that this Cross and Rod is of use unto us in our Non-age or Child-hood only but that it is profitable for us in our riper years also not only whilst we are children in understanding but when we are grown in Christ when we come to the Crown as well as when we lay in captivity Too many cast off the Cross too soon and so expose themselves to the snares of the wicked one Hadassa observed and obeyed Mordecai in her Royalty as well as in her slavery and this became the safety of her self and of all the Jews Twelfthly 36. It is the best
They took Jesus but they had been better they had let him alone That is a good apprehension when the godly apprehend him by faith hope and charity whereof Paul saith I follow after if by any means I may comprehend Phil. 3. So the Spouse I held him and would not let him go Cant. 8. But this is not the apprehension spoken of here but that which the Wise man speaketh of Let us lye in wait for the Righteous let us put him to u shameful death Wisd 2. Thus he that took not the Angels but the seed of Abraham is most unworthily laid hands on by those very men whom he took by the hand He that stretcht not forth his hand of mercy to the Angels but to men when they were fallen is now taken by their hands O the wonderfull goodness of God! It was much that he should set men so high at first but it is much more that he should abase himself sollow for man at last So it was a great thing that commonly he did miraculously deliver the godly but it is far greater that he should now in love to us yield to be a captive that he might deliver us from Eternal slavery Sin death and the devil had taken us captive with great Tyranny but Christ willingly suffered himself to be taken when none of these our catch-poles had any power over him And because he was stronger than they he overcame them and set us free Therefore we may well sing I will extoll thee O Lord for thou hast lifted me up and hast not made my foes to rejoyce over me Psalm 30.1 John addeth And they bound him This was the only power of darkness to take to bind whom they could not take to understand So they did take him when his own hour was for one momentany hour for afterward there was no power of darkness could ever any more comprehend the Light When they had taken him they bound him O the horrid boldness of sinners They bound him that they might lead him away more safely For so Judas had forewarned them that they should look narrowly to him And now they think themselves safe as long as they have Christ prisoner in their own custody But certainly this taking and binding of Christ was their utter undoing A figure whereof was in Sampson and in the Ark of God Judg. 16. and 1 Sam. 5. For as the Philistins took Sampson to their own bane he killing many more of them at his death then in his life And as the same Philistins when they took the Ark of God were many wayes sorely afflicted by it so none else destroyed the Jews but he that was taken and bound by them The Philistins rejoyced when they had taken Sampson so they did when they got the Ark of God but their joy did not last long The Jews were glad when they had taken Christ but their joy was but short for a little after the Romans destroyed them Hence it is that they also now cry and pray but there is none to hear or help them And justly too For he may say to them that they manicled both his arms of Majesty and therefore he cannot now relieve them Thus the unthankfull sons of Adam lay hands on him by whose hands they were created They bind him who came to untye all men The meek Lamb all this while holds his peace and openeth not his mouth but in the bitterness of soul considereth of what continuance our time is knowing that nothing but our sin brought him into all this trouble and sorrow Isa 53. David spake of this taking of Christ long since Mine enemies compass me about they are inclosed in their own fat i.e. they are incorrigibly resolved to practice their own wickedness and not to be withheld by any perswasions or Miracles Their mouth speaketh proud things Psalm 17. We may suppose that they took him with great shouting and scoffing and reviling They have compassed my steps they set their eyes bowing to the earth that is they have determined that neither God nor his Justice no nor Heaven it self shall see or find them out They come upon me with open mouth as a Lyon greedy of his prey Behold what wrath and rage was here which cannot be exprest but by the fury of the most stout and savage Beast So in another Psalm They compassed me about like Bees and are extinct as the fire among the Thorns By which words the excessive cruelty of Christs enemies is foreshewn Psalm 118.12 For such is the fiery rage of Bees that although they can never get honey when they have lost their sting yet they will in a rage stick the same in their enemy and rather live drones than not revenge themselves Thus the Jews spit their venom on Christ never caring whether they did ever gather hony more Therefore afterward they said His blood be on us and on our children Matth. 27. Of which anon Note also that when the binding of Christ is mentioned it is spoken in the plural number It was not only one that bound him They were the sins of all men that did bind Christ So t is said in the Psalms The bonds of the wicked have robbed me Psalm 119.61 Our first Parents begun to twist these cords and we have finished them Startle here O sinner when thou hearest and seest that thy sins did so cruelly intangle and bind Christ But be not altogether dismayd for by those his bonds Christ brake ours and restored us unto true freedom So that we may merrily sing Thou hast loosed my bonds I will sacrifice to thee the sacrifice of praise Psalm 116. Learn we hence 1. To be thankfull for our deliverance 2. Let us take heed that we never more so bind Christ with our sins again 3. We also should learn constantly to suffer bonds for Christ if the case so require For fetters and shackles are now no more a reproach but an honour They are sanctified and ennobled by the sacred Body of Christ so that t is no shame but a credit to bear them for Christ as we see in the Apostles and Martyrs who had no greater badge of honour then to suffer for Christ And let not us blush to be bound for Christ who first was in bonds for us 4. Lastly Let us learn to take our selves captives and to bind our selves with the cords of Gods Precepts or rather with the bonds of Charity lest we let them take their swinge in those things that are contrary to God Let our eyes be held captive from sinfull objects our ear from idle tales our tongue from unsavoury discourse our hands from wicked works our heart from evil thoughts our understanding and judgement from erroneous and corrupt opinions c. Let this suffice in brief to be spoken of Christs surprisal And they all forsook him and fled Mar. 14.50 And there followed him a certain yong man having a linen cloath cast about his naked body and the yong
is that to us We bought and sold we paid what we promised Therefore there can be no flaw against us at the Law Look thou to it whom thou didst sell it nothing conterns us But hear O ye Heads and Rulers of the Synagogue Ye dealt either justly or unjustly with Christ If unjustly as t is plain enough that ye did then are ye Christ-killers that is such as murther your own Messias If ye did justly with him then ought ye to have comforted poor miserable Iudas and not have heaped all the guilt upon him and laid all the load on his back but ingenuously have confest that he was in no fault at all But whereas ye shift of the blame from your selves and lay it on Iudas certainly you acknowledge that he did very wickedly And if his Treason were a filthy fact doubtless your murther could not be lawfull nor just and so ye are manifestly convinced of unrighteousness and that out of your own mouth 1. Note here what wicked men will do against their conscience so they may but satisfie their lust They deny not but that it was guiltless blood that was betrayed Wherefore hence we may observe to whom the poor sheep may safely commit themselves These should have comforted his conscience that was driven into despair but they say what is that to us O tender hearted Shepheards Here we see little of that affection that was in Moses toward the people Exod. 32. And in Paul to his Brethren Rom. 9. They are indeed no Shepheards but Wolves rather seeking their own and not the good of the Lords Flock c. 2. Observe here that they who do evil to please men if the wind turn and things fall out contrary they shall be flouted and forsaken by those very men for whose favour they did it Let no man therefore at any time do evil to humour others c. What should Indas do now being terrified in conscience and finding no comfort from those men whose turn he had served against his own conscience What else I say should he do or what indeed could he do but despair Wherefore he cast down the pieces of silver in the Temple and went and hanged himself being forced so to do by that sorrow which is unto death 2 Cor. 2. and that by the righteous Judgement of God that so the wickedness which he fomented against the Head of all the Saints might fall on his own pate and that he should be his own judge and Executioner Now 1. He hanged himself to shew that he was hated of heaven and earth who would not only not reform and amend that sin of Treason but also added this horrid offence to be his own murtherer 2. He hung in the ayr died and burst a sunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out as Peter saith Act. 1. for he was not worthy of a burial Indeed he was not fit for the company either of Angels or men Therefore he could finde no place in heaven among the Angels because he betrayed the Lord of heaven and of the Angels nor ought he to be buried in the earth amongst men because when he was on earth he was a companion of Devils justly then did he perish in the ayr which is the place appointed for the Devils until the day of Judgement A figure of this untimely death we have in Achitophel who plotted the death and ruine of David 2 Sam. 17. who came to the same end as Judas here did for he hanged himself and for no other reason but because he foresaw that David would get the Kingdom in that Chushi Davids Friend was come over to Absolon not cordially but only personally So Judas saw that Christs name would not be forgotten in that the Apostles yet live to keep up the remembrance thereof and would survive that his memory should not perish As therefore Achitophels hanging himself was a sad presage that Absolon himself also should come to an ill end So Judas hanging himself portended the end and destruction of the Jews for unto this very day they hang yet between heaven and earth because in heaven they have no hope and on earth have not any setled place and their bowels are gushed out for they are scattered over the face of all the earth Now whereas it is here said that Judas brought back the 30. pieces of silver to the Priests into the Temple it is plain 1. That some of the Priests and Elders tarried in the Temple because of the Feast whilst others of the chief Priests and Elders accused Christ before Pilate For the Sacrifices of the Feast must be taken care of and if no other yet the morning Sacrifice which was the daily offering must be lookt after that nothing might be now left undone but that in both they might hold up the Service of God both by their Oblations in the Temple and by condemning Christ that grand Seducer who is indeed the Saviour of the world Hence we see how justly their Sacrifices were rejected Isa 1. Because your hands saith he are full of blood 2. Here also we may see what a fearfull thing it is to be forsaken of God For he that is deserted of God hath indeed a sense of his sin but he dares not hope for any mercy or pardon for his sin nor can he finde any comfort from men but must necessarily run into despair 3. We see also what a miserable end they come unto who are the persecutors of Christ they hang between heaven and earth They lose earthly things and cannot obtain heavenly 4. But let covetous men principally mark well this passage for here they may see what becomes of their covetousness For what profit or pleasure had this miserable Judas by all the money that he took Surely he got nothing but grief and sorrow of heart Riches are a perpetual vexation although thou get them with distracting care and fill all thy Store-houses therewith scraping them together by all means right or wrong What becomes of all at last Thou losest thy money bringest thy body to poverty and betrayest thy soul to the Devil And therefore O Christian take better heed and let not money master thee but if thou hast got it honestly use it soberly if dishonestly be careful to dispose of it to good uses or make restitution to those thou hast wronged But whence had Judas all this money And what became of it at last Doubtless the Jewish Prelates being in a confusion were forced to pick up the money again which he scattered in the Temple inasmuch as it came from them at first but when they had it they could not tell what in the world to do with it But it was the least of their thoughts to take care for the preservation of the Traitor when he had cleared Christs innocency They saw that Judas repented and recanted what he had done and returned again the earnest and contract of the bargain which he made But they keep the
Vagabonds upon the earth like Cain Gen. 4. And no doubt but ye have felt the smart of it long since how sorely this blood of Christ hath lain upon you But now 1659. years and opprest you and your Children now more than these fifteen hundred years Nor shall you ever have rest and quiet till ye be converted and turn to him and acknowledge your iniquity After Pilate had washt his hands and thought himself whiter than the snow then he gives sentence against Christ to put him to death He thought it a small matter to adjudge a poor mean man to die He thought no body would revenge his blood but he found it otherwise at last What matter is it if a godly man hath no man to take his part or none to revenge his quarrel so long as he hath God to avenge his wrong Vengeance is mine saith he I will repay Deut. 32. Thus Barabbas the Robber is let go without any punishment but innocent Jesus is whipt and judged to death even the death of the Cross The just for the unjnst So those sons of men Whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword did prevail and get the day because they stifly stood it out and held on their clamour so long till at last he was delivered to them to be crucified And so he that gives life to all bare the sentence of death for us For in the righteous Judgement and Court of God this sentence of death was due to us But Christ took it upon himself Thus I say He to whom the heavenly Father had committed all Judgement John 5. And who shall call to the Heavens from above and to the earth that he may judge his people Psalm 50. 2 Pet. 2. At whose Judgement the Powers of Heaven shall be shaken and the firmament shall pass away with fervent heat Hell shall give up its dead and every creature shall tremble he it this day set at naught and despised as the vilest fellow in the world and condemned to die But wo and alas 1. How were the hearts of his Disciples and the rest of his friends overcharged with sadness and grief when all hope of life was taken away and they heard that their faithfull Master their Lord and Helper was condemned by a most unrighteous Judgement 2. On the contrary what a frantick fit of jollity and howling exultation were these mad dogs put into when they had at last prevailed with the Judge by their importunate clamours to grant them their most abominable and horrid request which he had so often denyed them before when the wicked Judge delivered up Jesus the Saviour to the cursed and most cruel will of those who thirsted so much after his blood 3. How did the hopeless sadness of his friends and the furious mirth of his foes torture and afflict this meekest Lamb now in the midst of Wolves 1. Here we see Christians what we must have expected at Gods Judgement day even the Sentence of Eternal Death if Christ had not took pity on us and taken it upon himself 2. We see what little confidence we are to put in the World when Pilate who had hitherto so often stood in defence of Christ now to gratifie and please the Iews doth crucifie him without any other cause in the world So Herod heard Iohn willingly yet cut off his head at last Mark 6. This unrighteous Sentence Christ took and accepted of to free us from the most just Sentence of damnation and to teach us not to fear the unrighteous judgement of the World Let us alwayes remember this Judgement that we may with all our might and whole hearts give thanks to our Lord Christ who would be condemned to death for us and be delivered to the will of the wicked Iews yea he delivered himself that we might be able to stand before the Judgement of God And they took off the purple from him Mar. 15.20 and put his own cloaths on him and led him out to crucifie him And he bearing his cross went forth John 19.17 And as they came out they found a man of Cyrene Simon by name Mat. 27.32 who passed by coming out of the Countrey the father of Alexander and Rufus Mark 15.21 and they laid hold upon him Luke 23.26 him they compelled to bear his cross Mat. ibid. and they laid the cross on him that he might bear it after Iesus And there followed him a great company of people and of women which also bewailed and lamented him And Iesus turning unto them said Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your children For behold the dayes are coming in the which they shall say Blessed are the barren and the Wombs that never bare and the paps which never gave suck Then shall they begin to say to the Mountains fall on us and to the Hills cover us For if they do these things in a green Tree what shall be done in the dry Luke 23.27 Dearest Brethren and friends of God you who wait to hear the end of the saving crucifying of the blessed Lord and beloved Jesus the good God imprint in your hearts the memory of this great suffering that thereby you may not only be more strengthened in your Faith but also animated and encouraged in patience to undergo the like if need so require Amen Invocate the Lords mercy and with most fervent minds pray for all Iews Pagans Hereticks sinners and sinneresses that God the Father and Creator of all would bestow his Grace and Mercy upon all men whereby they may be converted from unbelief to the Faith and from a wicked life to godliness O thou most high God remember this so infinite Passion and be not angry with us for ever These things I thought good to premise to stir up your minds and make ye more attentive to those things which now follow We have heard first what our Lord suffered before finall sentence was past upon him We have heard secondly what that sentence was to wit that he should be crucified Now thirdly we shall hear next how that sentence was put in execution Here then let us give all attention not so much with the ears of our body as of our mind The next thing to be done is to open the Veins of the Fountain of living Waters that that precious balsam which pierceth and softeneth the hearts of all the godly may flow out After that wicked sentence was pronounced those truculent and bloody Wolves took that meekest Lamb Jesus to rend him in pieces and destroy him utterly a thing which they had long desired and now at last had obtained So that what Christ had foretold was now fulfilled to wit that the world should rejoice in his sufferings Ioh. 15. Then is the world glad when it may do what it listeth without controul when there is none to reprove it when it hath those that rebuke it under its own power they took Christ
are ye condemned All these things did those wicked men do that they might not only stain and blemish but wholly pluck up by the roots and extirpate out of the hearts of all men all the good Report Doctrine Authority Reputation and Miracles of Christ and on the contrary deeply imprint and inwardly fasten this weakness of Christ in the rude people that the memory of him might be totally blotted out as if they had said Good people ye all now see that he was a plain Deceiver for he cannot so much as save himself How much less can he do any thing for you Now therefore be no longer seduced but believe us and not him You see that he doth now hang on the Tree which could never be if he were not accursed of God For cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree And therefore he cannot trust in God nor will God deliver him Thus they thought that they had casheir'd and cancel'd all his Miracles and made them of none effect so that none would dare hereafter so much as lightly remember or make mention of them This they did most earnestly desire to do and to accomplish it they rage so inhumanely against him This kind of derision is spoken of in many Psalms Many saith he there be that say of my soul there is no help for him in his God Psalm 3.2 Again They did tear me and ceased not With hypocritical Mockers at feasts they gnashed upon me with their teeth They said Aha aha our eye hath seen it Psalm 35. It is as we would have it it liketh us well we are pleased 't is done as we desired So in Job They that are younger then I have me in derision Job 30.1 But Oye Jews you work in the fire you wash a Blackmoor you do but labour in vain in going about to suppress and extinguish the Renown and Glory of Christ For by how much the more ye curtail and lessen the Authority of Christ so much the greater will it grow You mocked him before Caiaphas Pilate Herod and now ye do the like as ye pass by stand and sit under the Cross and what O ye malicious men have ye omitted and not done that might any ways tend to darken and ecclipse his honour for ye apprehended him as a Thief ye manicled him as one condemned of some notorious villany ye spit on him and at him as if he had been a poysonous Toad ye desired the Judge to put him to death without any more ado as one that was not fit to have so much as an accusation brought against him besides ye prefer'd the egregious Thief Barabbas before him ye made him carry his own Cross ye hanged him naked in the midst of Thieves in a filthy loathsome base place at a most solemn sacred and festival time in the view of a huge multitude of people ye envyed him any Title or Badge of Honour and now ye bespatter him with all the base Reproaches and bitter revilings that ye can possibly devise and imagine But your wickedness is confounded your design is blasted you have not prevailed He is saved from his enemies and from the hands of all that hated him By how much the more you sleighted and despised him so much the more did the Father glorifie him For the Cup which you denyed him he hath obtained the Heritage of all the heathen of all Nations and people and when ye lifted him up from the earth he drew all things unto him Joh. 12. For the honour which ye thought to darken and extinguish he now sitteth at the right hand of the Father all Power in Heaven and in Earth is given to him he is made Judge both of quick and dead Note that there are five sorts of men here pointed out who then did and now still do mock and deride Christ 1. The first are They that passed by they that go by pass over or tread besides the Law and Commandments of God that walk in the way and counsell of the ungodly The light is odious and offensive to the sick and sore eyes and he that is troubled with an Ague cannot rellish or taste the sweetness of most delicate dainties 2. The Princes and Rulers who esteemed Christ no better then the vilest thing in the world they cannot indure to hear him they have tender ears soon offended quickly wounded yea they are wounded and hurt with a touch they were always bred and brought up among fawning fellows they use to be shaved with the smooth tongued Razors of flatterers and to be bolstred and propt up with the soft pillows of Parasites such as these they love cherish hug imbrace and bestow the highest preferment that may be upon them But if a righteous man come among them and admonish them exhort to Repentance and preach the Truth freely he is loathed hissed at beaten whipt imprisoned c. Nature is indeed a state or condition that hath a love to Truth written in the breasts of all men all men by Nature are convinced that Truth is a lovely thing but this state of nature and the desire of hearing the truth is too much depraved diverted and corrupted in most men They commend and speak well of the Truth they feign and profess that they have a perfect love to the Preachers of it but yet they cannot they will not they love not to hear the Truth Like Herod they love to hear John preach but at the request of a dancing Damsel they will chop off his head Mar. 6. They like the sound of a tinkling Cymbal but their head is so weak they cannot sit to hear it out Such were the Rulers of the Jews But wo be to thee O Land whose Princes are those boyes that scoffed not without punishment at the bald head of Elisha 2 Kin. 2. 3. The Priests and Pharisees who although they seemed to reverence Righteousness for they pray publiquely Tythe Mynt and Cummin c. yet none sin more licenciously nor dare any reprove their evil manners Do not they mock Christ who practise not what they preach and lay heavy burdens upon others not to be born But themselves will not touch them with one of their fingers Mar. 23. Are not they scoffers at the Divine Majesty who come from the stews and half-peny harlots and yet press with unwashed hands that is without repentance for their sins unto the service and Table of the Lord Obscene and filthy fellows dare presume to come to the Altar and stand before the Virgin-like and pure Jesus with crisped and frizled locks before the crucified one sinners before the severest Judge who not long after even presently return again to their whoredoms and adulteries Are not these mockers yea Traytors of Christ 4. The fourth sort of scoffers at Christ are the thieves These are covetous men who by hook and crook scrape up and heap to themselves the goods of the poor by usury theft fraud c. carking and caring both in getting and
Sepulchre wherein never man was yet laid Which new Sepulchre 1. Did prefigure that some new and unheard of thing was to be done to wit that he who was buried in that grave should return again to life 2. Also that Death was to be turned into a sleep especially as to the godly out of which sleep they were to rise again in due time as in a most pleasant and delicious garden Note Note that we do not read of any one Disciple that was present at the butial of Christ though t is to be believed that John was there which yet by the letter doth not appear lest it should be thought that they had carried away the body of Jesus and hid it in some other place Finally those good men rolled a great stone to the mouth of the Sepulchre 1. That the Jews might not easily offer any violence to the dead body And 2. That his Resurrection might be the more clear and eminent in that he could come forth when the Sepulchre was fast shut up Thus honour then of such a Funeral Christ suffered to be done unto him by these Honourable men that his enemies might not say none but base and worthless men did stick to this Nazarene although this was but a small Honour if compared to that wherewith he is now Honoured in all the Earth and in all the Churches not only as man but as God and man who doth no longer lie in the grave but sitteth at the right hand of God in Heaven Notwithstanding his Sepulchre is so Honourable to this very day that not only Christians but many Gentiles also come out of admiration very far to Jerusalem to see it In short the Sepulchre of Moses is not known where it is nor doth it much matter where he was buried but all know where the Sepulchre of Christ is for so it is necessary that by it we should learn both our own burial and resurrection For as the sufferings of Christ are ours so also is the burial of Christ ours For we are buried with him by baptism into death Rom. 6.4 Lastly It is said that those women of Galile observed the place where he was buried For they intended to anoint and perfume his body very carefully They did not judge it meet that so holy a body should putrifie and be eaten up of Worms For neither did they know that he was God and that he was shortly to rise again It follows in the Text. Now the next day that followed the day of the preparation Mat. 27.62 the chief Priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate saying Sir we remember that that deceiver said while he was yet alive After three dayes I will rise again Command therefore that the Sepulchre be made sure untill the third day lest his Disciples come by night and steal him away and say unto the people He is risen from the dead so the last Errour shall be vorye then the first Pilate said unto them Ye have a watch go your way make it as sure as you can So they went and made the sepulchre sure sealing the stone and setting a watch The wicked are not nor can they yet be quiet although Christ were now dead and buried They vex and trouble Pilate again and importune him to make fast the Sepulchre for they were afraid that he had not given strict charge enough Now they understood the sign of Ionas which Christ said should be given them Mat. 12. Now also they understood the destruction of the Temple which was to be raised up again in three dayes however they wrested it to another sense before when they accused Christ Therefore now they run headlong together again even on that their Sabbath when the other Jews mean while were at their devotion and prayers They can neither rest themselves nor can Pilate be at quiet for them Such great Signs were there shewed at the death of this just man that they might very well have done otherwise But these signs had the same effect upon these men as those great Miracles heretofore took upon the Aegyptians They were only thereby more hardened Well might they fear that the last errour would be worse then the first They speak true at unawares and prophesie against themselves For their mistake was worse and they did err more in that they did not repent afterward But the Faith of Believers was thereupon the more confirmed concerning the truth of the Resurrection Having therefore got leave of Pilate they make sure the Sepulchre setting a watch and not content with this they seal the stone too Thus Humane prudence strives against God but all in vain For Christ will rise again in spite of your reeth O ye Pharisees nor can the Souldiers or sealing the Sepulchte hinder it one jott All the endeavours of mans prudence are to no purpose where God hath otherwise decreed Take to you all the strength of Caesar yet shall you not be able to keep this Nazarene in the grave All the care and pains which they take about the sepulchre they take against themselves And it was Divine Providence that the Sepulchre should be made so fast For hence the truth of his Resurrection is more clearly proved Here then diligently again remember the Divine chiefdom and Power in that it doth most wisely accomplish his own by anothers work Caiaphas thought it fit that Christ should be put to death and perish but God saw it needful that Christ should be the life of the world God therefore made use of the work of wicked Caiaphas and by it accomplished his own Design Thus also it was the prudence of the Iews to set a watch upon the Sepulchre lest any should steal away the body from thence and tell the people that he was risen But it was the Wisdom of God that the Resurrection of Christ should be made most manifest to all men God therefore doth take the design of others prudence to perfect thereby and compleat his own Purpose and Design For by this strict and narrow watch the Resurrection is made much more clear and manifest then if the Iews had not so diligently guarded the Sepulchre The Conclusion of the Passion Dearest Brethren HItherto we have heard how many and how great things the Creator and Lord of the world suffered from so many and such great men who were so mad and did so cruelly rage against him that he might satisfie the Divine Justice for so many and such great and miserable punishments which were due to our sins Wherefore 1. Let us give him hearty thanks for his most liberal and bountifull love towards us 2. Let us draw nigh and approach unto this Throne of Grace with full assurance of Faith that we may find mercy in time of need 3. But above all let us take all diligent heed lest at any time like unthankfull men we forget this so great work of Mercy and Love to us But let us fasten and indelebly imprint it in our minds and keep it fast in memory to the end that those wounds that Blood that Passion that Death may alwayes be before our eyes to water our hearts continually to take away their hardness to melt and soften them and be a constant and safe conduct to us through prosperity and adversity Let us meditate upon the Passion of our Lord first that we may not be puffed up in our prosperity with vain mirth and foolish jollity secondly lest in adversity we be cast down with too great grief and swallowed up with overmuch sorrow seeing Christ hath suffered far greater things for us The All-mighty and All-sufficient God grant that this Passion of Christ may become fruitfull to us and profitable for us Let him vouchsafe to fasten it in our hearts by his Spirit that by this Passion we may rouze and stir up our selves to all that is good and comfort our selves in all our adversity and afflictions but especially in death And at present let us give all diligence that we walk and keep our selves in his fear forasmuch as we are not Redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with the precious blood of Christ Therefore 1. If hitherto we have crucified Christ let us now with the Centurion be converted and witness that Christ is the Son of God by a true and lively Faith 2. Let us return into the Houses of our hearts and with compunction cast our selves upon our couch 3. Let us wrap up pure Christ in the fine Linnen of clean cogitations and let us not suffer any dead carkass to lie in the Monument of our heart but let us present our hearts to Christ only to be inhabited by him alone 4. Let us chase away and banish hence all corruption of the World that when Christ shall return and we rise the third day that is after the first day of this Life and the other day of Rest to those Treasures of Grace which we receive here he may also bestow upon us the beatitude of our souls and the Treasures of the body of Glory that being made like unto him and fashioned after his glorious Body we may may have a most blessed entrance into the Inheritance of an Eternal Kingdom which he grant to us who Liveth and Raigneth Eternally to whom be all honour and glory of every creature now and for ever Amen Blessed be God world without end Amen FINIS
Preservative against Schism and Heresie When Bigthan and Teresh the two Chamberlains of Ahasuerus had conspired treason Est 2.21,22 and sought to lay hands on their Master the King the plot was discovered and disappointed by Mordecai who sat in the Kings gate If this Scripture as all should be spiritually applyed it will suit with our purpose in hand What the meaning of Mordecai is you have already heard Bigthan is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meat and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dare to give also Tradere to give up or betray as 't is said of Pilate Tradidit Jesum voluntati eorum Luke 23.25 He delivered Jesus to their Will Haereticus est qui dogmata veritatis corrumpit Schismaticus qui vincula unitatis disrumpit Bigthan then is one that giveth meat but that giveth or casteth the Childrens bread unto dogs and may personate the Heretick who doth pervert and corrupt the Doctrine of Truth teaching Placentia flattering Fallacies sowing Pillows to mens Elbows giving the Promises to the vile and threats to the precious ones Teresh springs from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make poor to rend tear destroy and may well signifie the Schismatick who breaketh the Vnity of the spirit Faith Truth pure Doctrine and the bond of peace By these two Traytors the King of Glory is in danger to be crucified afresh not in Heaven but in our hearts not in his person but in the faith of him Let Mordecai sit in the Kings gate Prov. 4.23 make him the Porter of the heart he will spie out the treasonous thoughts that offer to make insurrection against our true Ahasuerus our blessed head And when he hath discovered the danger reward and exalt him and hang proud Haman that makes the trouble and uproar in the soul that multiplieth Rebellion No matter what becomes of him he is but the son of Amedatha a troubler of the Law one that seeks to make that void on earth which God hath established for ever in Heaven An Agagite a proud aspiring fellow that would rule before he know how to obey climb to the top of the house before he hath passed the Portal Set Mordecai to watch him The Cross is the royal standard the Kings person is always near it very near it and is secured by it in us though not in himself Again 37. We cannot approach unto God and his altar or draw nigh unto Christ but by mortification through Christ If we would reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praeparare Disputare Arguere if we would prepare our selves to dispute reason or argue with God we must first wash and make us clean put away the evil of our doings cease to do evil learn to do well Isa 1.16,18 We must wash our hands in innocency before we can compass Gods Altar Psalm 26.6 We cannot lay our gift upon the Altar it must lie only before the Altar untill we have made reconciliation with our elder Brother first and with our younger brethren too by crucifying that enmity which is in us against them Mat. 5.23,24 Our Disobedience Malice Envy and Hatred is done away by the washing of Regeneration Tit. 3.3,5 And therefore Moses was commanded to place the Laver between the Tent of the congregation and the Altar that they might wash as they went between the one and the other Exod. 40.30 Let us keep our hands and feet clean and then we may go boldly to the Throne of Grace and find help in time of need Again 38. It is the only Seed-plot and Nursery of true peace with God and man As toward God they that sow in tears shall reap in singing Psalm 126.5,6 Sorrow is the seminary of solace Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Mat. 5.4 It causeth a diligent care and watchfulness against that which would disturb our peace 2 Cor. 7.11 Peace shall be restored to the Mourners Isa 57.18,19 Bitter Roots bear pleasant fruit sweet is the comfort of the Cross Godly sorrow is the womb of the greatest gladness Although the Travel be in pain yet the birth is with Joy that a man-child is born into the little world John 16.21 Mary signifieth bitterness she was the mother of Christ That which the mother the creature calleth Benoni the son of my grief God the Father may name Benjamin the son of his right hand 's The man of sorrows Isa 53.3 is the man of Gods right hand whom he hath made strong for himself Psalm 80.17 That mighty one upon whom the Lord hath laid help for all mankind also Psal 89 19 The days man that is able to lay his hands both on God and man and can save to the utmost Job 9.33 Hebrew 7.25 39. Christ is said to be our Peace reconciling both in himself staying the enmity but no otherways then by the Cross Eph. 2.14,15,16 Col. 1.20,21 The strength of God is in his arm and the arm of God is Christ Isa 53.1 John 12.38 This is that high hand and out-stretched arm of the Lord with which he smitteth the first born of our lusts the strength of Ham the power of that subtile and crafty one and bringeth us out of the Egyptian straits of the old nature Psalm 78.51 136.10,12 But when Christ hath smitten the first born of our lusts and destroyed the strength of our corruptions in our Egypt our old nature in his own body we must follow him as our true Moses as he that draweth us after him out of our land of bondage out of our selves and leadeth us towards the good land of peace and all the precious Promises of God even through the red sea of his sufferings by an actual and personal entering into the same passing through the same after him as our Leader and Fore-runner then shall we see Pharoah and all his host Satan and all his Temptations with our lusts and all together drowned and swallowed up therein And thus being justified by this obedient and conforming Faith we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom 5.1 Wherefore let us not stay any longer in Egypt in our fleshly nature where we cannot sacrifice unto the Lord our God seeing the first born the strength of our sins is broken and sâ—ain Psal 73.9 57. Neither let us turn our backs or start aside like a broken bow in the day of Battle seeing we have the arm of the Lord to trust unto and lay hold upon for our help in obtaining our peace Isa 27. The Creation groaneth under the bondage of corruption and would fain get into the manifestation and glorious freedom of the Sons of God Rom. 8.19,21 Let the Israel of God go seek not to bring and keep it under the bondage of Corruption Let not our lusts prevail and bear sway any longer they will separate and make a breach between God and our souls Isa 59.2 40. As our peace with God is hereby procured and preserved so is it also with men Our Lord and Saviour
a greater and more inevitable cause of mans destruction to God irresistibly subjecting him thereunto then to the Devil who can but tempt and entice him to sin having no power at first to force him to commit it Again 45. Some of you suspect me to be an Arminian that I hold Free-will and a power in man to do good And this ye think is a departing from the Faith a denying of Principles a contradiction to what I wrote against Baker a forsaking my first Love which hath made you decline my Ministry I have waited now about two years to give you satisfaction and have solicited a private Discourse but could never yet obtain it Surely that opinion is much to be suspected that is unwilling to come to trial John 3.20 But I shall not now insist much on these things The Points in question have been and are in debate already between godly and learned men from whom you may expect further satisfaction All that I have to say if only this i. e. 46. Josh 22. When Joshua had sent the Reubenites the Gadites and the half Tribe of Manasseh unto their possession which Moses had appointed them in the promised Land their lot fell on the other side of Jordan and thither they go The rest of Israel stay on this side Jordan Shortly after the devout Reubenites c. build an Altar of which the Israelites have quick intelligence and grow jealous They conclude them Rebels without further examination they arm themselves against their brethren and resolves to deal with them as with Idolaters How easie is it for good men of the same Religion to mistake one anothers intention But when the Reubenites had given an account to the Ambassadors of Israel wherefore they erected that Altar and that tho reason and end thereof was not to divide from their brethren but to preserve a Vnion with them not to separate to other Gods but to preserve an interest with their brethren on this side the River in the worship of the true God unto posterity when their intention was cleared all thoughts of Hostility were laid aside and a brotherly league and amity joyfully confirmed So my friends I hope it shall be between us 47. I know ye are zealous for God and the glory of his Truth ye are jealous of the Blood of Christ and the Grace of the Gospel lest it should be undervalued ye suspect every notion that seems to detract from the Honour of it T is good to be zealously affected alwayes in a good thing Concerning the things for which ye have me in suspition I was alwayes ready and often offered to give you a reason of my Faith according to the Scriptures 48. And whereas ye impute a contradiction in my present judgement to what I formerly declared in my book against Baker in reference to the state of man both before and after his fall I suppose ye will not find my faith or opinion in that point to be changed but improved For I still affirm it as my belief That Adam even in his innocency and much less any man since his Delinquency had no wisdom power righteousness ability holiness or any manner of good whatsoever of or from himself Iam. 1.17 but what he received originally from God and 1 Cor. 15. that he was of the earth earthy from the beginning Nor is there any now 2 Cor. 3.5 sufficient to think so much as a good thought as of himself but by that sufficiency which is of God 49. Yet I say not that the first Adam was at first made a corrupt or sinful earthy man but rather that he was of so pure a mould that although he was not constituted in or of an Heavenly Nature yet be was created in such a capacity that he might have improved that earthy state unto an Heavenly if he had taken of the Tree of Life which he might have done with free leave and licence and not tasted of the Tree of Knowledge of which he was strictly commanded not to eat Gen. 2.16,17 This Adam in his primitiue state was a pure clean unpolluted earth and the Law of God which is of an undefiled Nature circled it about like the incorruptible Heavens To this innocent state we hope to be reduced and confirmed in with an addition of Heavenly glory by Christ 1 Cor. 15.22 who will change 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the body of our Humility or our humble body Phil. 3.21 For in and by Christare all things renewed Isa 43.19 Rev. 21.5 God will give a new heart Eze. 36.26 there is the new earth I will put my Law into their inward parts and write it in their hearts Ier. 31.33 there is the new Heaven this was promised Isa 65.17 chap. 66.22 So that according to his promise we look for New Heavens and a New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness 2 Pet 3.13 50. And therefore also do I not deny but that man even after his fall had sufficient succour and supply sent him from God in the incorporate inspoken or as I may so say the incarnate Word whereby he might and still may if he will convert and turn himself to God Gen. 3.15 Verse 8. Nor was God slack concerning the promise of the Seed but hastily pursued man with it and overtook him in the cool of the day not suffering the Sun to go down upon his wrath 51. T is true God first examined the matter of fact and shewed his justice displeasure and indignation against sin in sentencing Adam to death and casting him under the curse thus he was a God that forgave him yet he took vengeance of his inventions Psalm 99.8 And as Adam was to pass under the curse and death before he received the Promise and as our Fathers died according to the Faith Heb. 11.13 before they saw the personal appearance of Christ so must we first die unto sin and live unto Righteousness before we can see or enter into the Kingdom of God John 3. Rom. 6. If we live after the flesh we shall die but if we through the Spirit of God do mortifie the flesh we shall live Rom. 8.13 Heb. 4.1 Let us therefare fear lest a promise being left of entering into his Rest any of us should seem to come short of it 52. In wrath he remembreth mercy Hab. 3.2 Now I say when God had thus strictly and narrowly sifted out the business and had executed his Justice according to the mans demerit he presently runs after him with a Promise in his hand to comfort and recover his creature which he had cast down as if he thought it long before he shewed himself a God of mercy pardoning iniquity Exod. 34.6,7 His bowels seemed to be troubled ever since he spake against him Thus he that had torn did heal he that had smitten did bind up again Jer. 31.20 Hos 6.1,2 This is He that will revive us after we have lain one day dead in sin and another
his death was a passing to the Father therefore so shall ours be also even as Christ himself said John 20. I ascend to my Father and to your Father Note 1. He doth not say that his time but his hour was come to teach us that there is a certain hour appointed to every man as it is said Job 14. The number of his moneths are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass Note 2. Secondly To shew that his suffering would not last long So he saith to the Jews Matth. 26. this is your hour q.d. I have but one hour to suffer and you but one to spend your rage Thus the Scripture calleth the whole time of this life but an hour If thou dost well know that thou hast but an hours time here that is but a very little while do not therefore begrudge thy labour And even thy effliction lasteth but an hour let it not then be tedious Psalm 37. So the prosperity of the wicked continueth but an hour Fret not thy self because of the evill doers for yet a little and he shall be no more But as the feast of the Passover was Christs hour when he would suffer and dye so forty years after at the same feast was his hour when he inflicted vengeance on the Jews For when they were assembled at the Passover the Romans besieged them and shortly after ransack'd their City We also have two hours one of Mercy another of Judgement as certainly as there is a time of mercy so certainly may we expect the hour of Judgement Briefly the Evangelist John calleth the death of Christ a going away 1. That he might shew his power and might For he could pass over all those things which yet hindred his approach to the Father Psal 107.16 as it is said of him He hath broken the gates of brass and cut the bars of iron in sunder Before his death there was no clear passage out of this world unto Heaven And this therefore is the fruit of his death he opened thereby and prepared for us a passage to the Father It is significantly said not to God but to the Father that we should not be afraid to draw nigh unto God who by Christ is now become our Father 2. Again This going away may thus be understood viz. that John would hereby give an account of the Passover it self which signifieth a passing over as if he had said This feast hath hitherto been celebrated in remembrance of those things that were done in the passing or going out of Aegypt Now there is another passing out at hand even out of the world unto the Father In the former going out Moses was Leader in this second Christ Jesus is the Captain As they followed Moses so let us follow Christ The Jewish Passover is to go out of Aegypt the Christian Passover is to go out of the world to the Father But what did Christ when he knew that the hour of his going away was at hand surely he did not forget his friends He did not leave loving them for whose sake he was going to suffer such a bitter death And why should he withdraw his love from them who are so hated and contemned by and in the world What then doth Christ do When he had loved his he loved them unto the end He did truly love them and he continued this his love to them indeed unto the end In the first clause Christ sheweth the reason why he was made man and came into the world It was not our worthiness that was any motive thereof Psal 143.2 for we were not worthy to receive so much as corporall blessings from him much less were we worthy of eternall Nor had we any merit to move him for we were altogether born in sin Neither was it our righteousness that availed any thing for who shall be justified in the sight of God But it was his boundless love his infinite charity wherewith he embraced us that allured and invited him thereto For as the Father out of his great and abundant love sent his Son so the Son out of his abundant charity undertook and performed that Embassie of the Father So saith John herein his love 1 John 4. not that we loved him but that he loved us first Most significantly doth John say having loved his own which were in the world All creatures were his by creation John 1. It is said of the wicked He came unto his own and his own received him not But by his own is here meant those whom he chose to be his from Eternity of whom it is said Thine they were John 17. and thou gavest them me He saith further which were in the world lest any should think he spake here of the Angels who also are Christs But he took not the Nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham Heb. 2. Phil. 2. He did not appear in the likeness of an Angell but was found in fashion as a man And it is said in generall having loved his own which were in the world lest any should think that he loved none but his Apostles How he loved his own may be seen by this one thing in that he came down from Heaven for their sake to say nothing of the great tokens of his love which he shewed to them when he was in earth But what meaneth that He loved them to the end It was to shew why Christ took the Cross in his way as he went back again to the Father when he might have returned without danger His love constrained him He saw that his coming down from Heaven was not sufficient unless also he made satisfaction for the sins of men So that he loved them to the end i. e. he persevered in his love 1. First in that he left not loving them even to the death the ungodliness of the Jews did not hinder him he was not disheartened when his own fled from him and denyed him leaving him all alone to suffer by himself 2. He continued his love to them in that death it self did not put an end to it Many waters could not quench it Cant 8. 3. His love to them lasted to the end that is he sheweth signs of it to them in the very last day 4. He loved them to the end that is with the highest and most perfect love than which none could be greater Greater love hath none than that a man lay down his life for his friends which Christ did do John 13. Or 5. He loved them to the end that is he gave not over till be had perfectly saved them sully overcome sin death and all the curses of the Law Now then John doth so singularly commend the love of Christ and set it forth in the beginning or entrance of his Passion and his last Supper 1. To shew that all things which followed after proceeded from nothing but the
of glory out of their minds Where ambition is Prov. 13. there even brethren fall together by the ears Proud men are ever quarrelling Never any thing so rent Christian unity in pieces like ambition when one will not yield to another The Words of Christ carry an Emphasis in them And ye ought c. to let us know that t is not so much his Counsell as his Command which must not be sleighted and that we shall incur great punishment if we obey it not Therefore he addeth I have given you an Example c. And truly a very excellent one worthy of all diligence Christ was Lord not only of men but Angels too Matth. 11. 28. to whom the Father had given to share with him in all things who had all Power in Heaven and in Earth who was one with the Father yet so he humbled himself John 14. even to the feet of fishers Who ever heard the like of any of the Kings and Princes of this world So great a price did the Son of God set upon us Let us then do the same Let us walk humbly towards one another Let us love one another If this Pattern of Christ will not work upon us nothing will do us good He must needs be obstinate and obdurate nay both blinded and desperate that is not softened with this Example of Christ Here let thy disdain proud man be confounded who art so proud thou canst not tell whether thou goest on thy head or feet thou knowest not what cloaths to wear or how to jett it out in thy gesture Doest thou not see Christ girt and going up and down among them serving with a Bason and water And who or what art thou to him Blush for shame wretched man saith he I have given you an Example I mean you Christians These things were not done and written for Turks but for us Whence comes so much pride so much loftiness so much pomp and state not only among Lay-Christians but even among the Bishops themselves the successors of the Apostles Is this to imitate Christ What Christ by all means endeavoured to prevent to wit ambition pride pomp especially in the Ministers of the Church this very thing is now grown to the height to the great prejudice and scandal of the Church c. Let us take heed then to this word of Christ I have given you an Example c. In this speech Christ is to be considered two wayes 1. As our Minister and as a gift given us of God For he did not only give him for us but he gave him also to us 2. 1 Pet. 2. Matth. 11. As our Example Thus Peter Christ hath suffered leaving us an Example And Christ himself saith Learn of me for I am meek c. So also are all Christs works and sufferings 1. They are the Ministries wherewith Christ ministred unto us they are the very gifts which he gave us For whatsoever he did and suffered he did it and suffered it for us and so he ministred unto us yea he hath given and by Faith still doth give all his works and merits to us 2. What he did and suffered are our Examples to which we ought to conform as here you expresly hear it They see but with one eye who respect Christ but only as a gift or only as an Example when his will is that we should consider him both wayes Whereas he addeth As I have done so do ye we must understand it according to our ability For there is no man that can do every way as Christ did nor doth Christ require it at our hands As a Master sets his scholar a fair Copy that he should imitate his hand to the utmost yet doth he not require or expect that he should at first essay write as well as he for he knows it cannot be This Word As I have done may be refer'd especially to those things which we have heard that Christ did when he washt their feet For herein if we diligently mark it is the office of the Apostles clearly exprest 1. They ought by Christs example to rise from the supper of Moses to the supper of Christ from knowledge to practice from meat to labour from letter to Spirit 2. They should lay by their garments cast aside whatever hindereth godliness and not be slothfull but serious in business 3. Gird themselves with a white Towel with a pure Life according to that Let your loines be girt Luke 12. 4. Gird themselves lest while they cleanse others they pollute themselves 5. They must pour water out of the pitcher into the Bason draw and pour forth the water of saving Knowledge out of the Bark of Scripture 6. Then presently wash but specially the feet first mend the heart and affections 7. Wipe with Linnen build them up whom they have washed with their own wholsome and clean conversation and what they cannot do by words let them effect with works and an exemplary Life 8. When they have so done let them retire to a private silence and look to their own salvation 1 Cor. 9. lest when they have preached to others they themselves become cast-awayes The like let other Christians do for themselves and those committed to them Now to make this his Example of more force to perswade Christ useth another Argument The servant saith he is not greater then his Lord q.d. There 's no reason why ye should be ashamed to follow my Example For what are ye but my Apostles and servants whose Lord and Master I am You are not above me And if hereafter either you or your Successors shall rise to any preferment yet ye will not then be greater or know and do more than I have done and known There is no cause therefore why you should blush at humility and charity who are but servants whereof I your Lord have not been ashamed So then Christ doth here beat down all proud and ambitious Church-men let them be either Popes or Bishops or Cardinals or Doctors c. What are they but servants And if they are servants as all will easily confess they should so do as not to climb above their Lord. How this may be let them well consider c. But I have not time now to pluck up this stinking weed Their own conscience will tell them wherein they are unlike Christ yea wherein they strive to be above Christ c. Christ doth often inculcate this saying Mat. 10. Luke 6. The servant is not greater c. But here he rehearseth it with great weight of words Verily verily I say unto you c. Every body knows that the servant is not greater than his Lord. But every word of Christ though he doth not swear it is more stedfast than Heaven and earth Luke 21. as himself saith Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away yet here he binds it with an oath First to make the deeper impression Secondly
to suffer it 2. He shewed that he feared not the Devil though he be the Prince of the world nor Death than which nothing seems more terrible Let others saith he stand in dread of the Devil and Death but let us undauntedly meet both and look them in the face without fear They shall meet with their match and find one that is too strong for them 3. Christ would have his Apostles to be present Spectators of his Passion as long as their humane frailty was able to stay and endure it that they might the better be believed Therefore John saith more than once He that saw it bare record John 19. and we know that his record c. 4. He exhorted them to get thence with him because he foresaw what danger they would be in if they tarried there any longer For if they had staid in the house till the enemy had come upon them the Apostles could have had no way of escape besides the good man of the house might have been brought into great trouble for harbouring such guests 5. He sheweth that the Apostles must pass the same way to the Father which he was to go before them 6. Lastly He would put them in mind that it was now high time to raise up their minds from earthly affections to Heavenly from corporal things to Spiritual from worldly and temporary thoughts and matters to Eternal The meaning then is sit up arise leave the Legal and typical supper for the Evangelical Yee have sat long enough already and too long serving under shadows 'T is sufficient that sin hath raigned so long as it hath It sufficeth to have been so long under the tyrannie of the Devil But now all things shall be turned topsie turvy and changed to the clean contrary Rise therefore let us be gone hence yee have sat still and heard the Word Now arise and do the work come let 's go Your feet be washt take heed you foul them not again Yee are well refresht with good meat food of Life t is time to go to Labour to do and fulfill the will of the Father Let 's go hence from the unbelieving Jews to the Gentiles from earthy Jerusalem to build the Heavenly from the City of blood to the Assembly of Saints from the material and typical temple to raise up a true Temple wherein the Father may be worshipped in Spirit and Truth Let us be gone hence from earth to Heaven The Father looks for us the Angels wait our coming all the Saints think it long ere we be come Let not the roughness of the way dishearten us our trouble and torment will be over in a moment and Eternity so long lookt for will come at last In short Christ doth here stir up and awaken not only such as lye still and sleep in their sins but those also that are lasie and idle and make no haste to forsake sin True Christianity will endure neither of these 1. Note here that Christ doth not say Let Vs arise but arise Yee For he never lay in sin he was never sluggish or idle but rather stood stedfast and constant in innocency and walked in the Wayes and all the Commandments of God But 2. In the second word he numbereth himself with the Disciples saying Let Vs go hence For although he was not like us in sin and sloth yet he was like us in penance and satisfaction he made himself so yea he went formost here and became our Pattern and President As it followeth And when they had sung an Hymn Jesus went forth and passed over the brook Cedron John 18.1 Mat. 14.26 as he was wont and his Disciples following him they went out into the Mount of Olives And Jesus saith unto them verse 27. All yee shall be offended because of me this night for it is written I will smite the Shepheard and the sheep shall be scattered But after that I am risen verse 28. I will go before you into Galilee But Peter said unto him verse 29. although all shall be offended yet will not I. And Jesus saith unto him Verily I say unto thee that this day verse 30. even in this night before the Cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice But he spake the more vehemently if I should dye with thee verse 31. Mat. 26.35 I will not deny thee in any wise Likewise also said all the Disciples Christ had often said that he would suffer for us now he makes it good voluntarily going to the place well known to the Traytor and fit for a surprisal But before he went out of the house he first sung an Hymn that he might both shew forth the goodness of God and give him thanks after meat but chiefly for that Spiritual Food the Eucharist In the Mass or Church-liturgy especially we are to say and sing thanks and praises unto God And this our Fathers of old did diligently observe and some of them composed many excellent Hymns with which I wish we could content our selves and not so giddily run after every new fangled and upstart invention in contempt of the old and ancient service Now when Christ had given thanks and sung an Hymn to God the Father for his mercies past and to come beginning his Passion with Prayer for our Example He the Light of the world went out of that unhappy and miserable City Jerusalem in the end of the day he put out the Light of that miserable people the setting Sun left them in a perpetual night of Darkness Thus was fulfilled that which was foretold by the Prophet Jeremy long since I have forsaken mine house Jer. 12.7 Mat. 23.38 I have left mine heritage Also by himself your house shall be left unto you desolate This outgoing of Christ foreshewed the desolation of the Temple and City It was now time to abolish that carnal Worship and to institute the true Worship of God which is in Spirit and Truth John 4. The wickedness of the Jews deserved that God should have forsaken them long before What therefore he had long since threatened he doth now actually declare by that his egress and departing out of their City Although they made little account then of Christs presence and suspected little loss by his going forth from them but rather heartily wished for his absence that by any means he might be taken out of their sight yet 't was not long before they were sensible with a witness that with him they lost all other good besides For it is reported that before Jerusalem was taken there was a voyce heard in the Temple Migremus hinc saying Let us be gone hence as Josephus testifieth So that afterward they cryed but there was none to hear them The world still esteems the loss of Christ the least damage but they will one day find it otherwise Whereas Christ and the Apostles went forth together it fore shewed their loss of God and the Prophets Wretched City indeed
he seem to extoll godliness But if he be a subject he is to be rebuked if an equal he is not to be born with if he be a Superiour he must not be feared We ought to obey God rather than men Christ yet hath another reason to deter Peter from his over-hasty and rash enterprize How saith he shall the Scriptures be fulfilled if thou thinkest to go this way to work and chase away the cross with thy sword Was not my Passion very often foretold especially in Psalm 22. Isa 53. So the Passion of the Elect is prophesied of Zach. 13. How then shall these Scriptures be fulfilled if we avoid the cross and passion and slip our necks out of this collar For thus it ought to be done So hath the Father decreed Thus it behooved Christ to suffer and so to enter into his glory Luke 24. So ye also through many Tribulations must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Acts 14. Therefore put up thy sword into the sheath You see here how effectually Christ instructeth Peter and in him all us to be patient In the close of this passage Luke saith that Christ took the servant healed him and restored his ear again Christ never forgets his goodness In his deepest abasement he would sometimes glance out some beams of the Godhead For it was the finger of God that did this and all other Miracles And this Token this Grace this Favour this courtesie he did shew to him that was his professed enemy that sought his death and who as Christ well knew would persist in his malice after he had this kindness shewed to him Here O Christian see here that what our Lord Jesus Christ commanded us he first did it himself here I say thou hast an Example to love thine enemy Love your enemies do good to them that hate you c. Mat. 5. Who ever fulfill'd this command more perfectly than Christ For here you see how that he cured their wounds who sought his death and did accomplish it Go and do thou likewise Hitherto we have heard how that Christ ran to meet his Adversaries And how those his Adversaries were fenced with a multitude with Power and with Arms cap-a pe But Christ had very few with him and they indeed instructed in War but not with corporal Weapons he rather disarmed them of those weapons and went out harnessed against Judas only with love and patience and against Malchus with bounty and courtesie How unequal were their weapons which party shall we close with Naturally we are inclined to that party that is most numerous and best fortified with arms and power let the quarrel be never so bad Contrariwise let the cause be never so good we stick not to it if the powers be not for it Which hath the better on 't a just cause without arms or an unjust cause with all accoutrements of War Indeed wicked men for the present seem to have the upper hand But the time will come when the Saints shall win the day however they seem yet to have the worst end of the staff although if men could rightly discern it the Saints at present have the strongest side True the ungodly wear the garland but t is by the sword rustling and clamour If this be to bear away the bell who more stout than cutters and high-way men But the godly prevail both by their cause and the truth of their cause He is the valiantest man that conquers by his cause not by his clashing The Jews overcome by their sword but Christ by his cause So Cain conquered by his sword and Abel by his sacrifice Gen. 4. It matters not whose sword but whose cause keeps the field He that would get the better of his Adversary let him be sure his cause be just Then Jesus said unto the chief Priests Luke 22.52 and Captains of the Temple and the Elders which were come to him Be ye come out as against a Thief with Swords and Staves to take me When I was daily with you in the Temple ye stretched forth no hands against me But this is your hour and the power of darkness Mat. 26.56 That the Scriptures might be fulfilled See here the power of Christ in the midst of his abasement For 1. Though they did rave and rage never so much after Judas had kissed him after he had thrown them on their back after Christ had confessed himself to be He whom they lookt for yet they could not lay hands on him that the saying of Isaias might be true Is 53.7 He was offered because he was willing Oblatus est quia ipse voluit saith the Vulg. Lat. as if it had been said whereas he was to be offered for us it was not for want of power in him to resist or from the power of them that rusht upon him but it was of his own accord 2. Observe here the great blindness of the Jews who plainly seeing that they could do nothing but what and when he pleased yet for all that they continued as wicked as before Well therefore did Isaias foretell The heart of this people is gross Isa 6. 3. See also how they thirsted after Christs blood in that they were not satisfied to send their servants and that a great many of them but their chief men must go out along with them For the Text plainly affirms that the chief Priests and Rulers of the temple and the Elders i.e. some of these went together with Judas even that very night when they should have eaten the Paschal Lamb. So forgetful were they of all Religion that they thought of nothing but killing of Christ After the literal sense they therefore went out with Judas first lest the Traytor should deceive them for they durst not trust him Secondly To back on the Traytor and make him the more bold being propt up by their presence and Authority Thirdly That the servants might be more forward and diligent to that cruelty when their Masters were present Lastly Lest if any of the common people should take part with Christ they might desist when they saw the Magistrates there See how prudent the children of this world are to promote their designs But what doth Christ do He derides their Enterprise with most pithy words Are ye come forth as against a thief q.d. What famous Warriours are ye What need had ye to make such a stir Where are your enemies Where are those thieves against whom you make such War-like preparations Were ye afraid lest I should have a great company of Believers about me ye need not so much fear it Truly I am not your enemy nor am I a thief or a robber Nor have I any of the people or arms with me so that one of you had been enough to have taken me you see I come to you of my own accord and do as it were deliver my self into your hands If this were your intention if this were your purpose why did ye not take
men laid hold on him And he left the linen cloath and fled from them naked Here we see what great cruelty was exercised in the taking of Christ at which the very pillars of Heaven shaked when they saw it For if they had not dealt so barbarously with him the Apostles would not have fled so suddenly from him Doubtless they were very unwilling to forsake their Lord but the excessive cruelty terrified and overcame them So that Christ is left alone amongst his enemies who before was guarded with his Disciples when the people honoured him Now was fulfilled that which he spake before concerning smiting the Shepheard and scattering the flock Now that was fulfilled which he spake elswhere The world shall rejoyce but ye shall be sorrowfull Surely this was a very sad and dolefull parting of the Apostles when these holy men were forc'd to forsake him for whom they had forsaken all things No doubt but they did often look back and make their moan to Heaven with weeping eyes Nor this did flight and scattering of the Disciples whom he so dearly loved a little encrease the Passion of Christ he having as it were born them thus long in his Bosom Can a Mother forget her child saith he Isa 49. though she may yet will not I forget thee Here then might Christ say as David long since in his person wailingly warbled Lover and Friend hast thou put far from me and mine acquaintance into darkness Psalm 88.18 Again My lovers and friends stand aloof from my sore they that seek my life lay snares Psalm 38. And again Reproach hath broken my heart and I am full of heaviness and I looked for some to take pitty but there was none and for comforters but I found none Psalm 69. And in Isa 63. I have trodden the Winepress alone and of the Nations there was not a man with me So in Job 19. Mine acquaintance are utterly estranged from me 1. Here then we see how true David and Paul spake when they said all men were lyars but God only was true Psal 116. Rom. 3. The Apostles promised with great vehemency that they would never be offended at Christ But Christ on the contrary had told them before that they should all be offended because of him Who was now the Lyar It is a lively picture of persecution when any is cast into bonds by the Magistrate and none will own him In a rainy day men sit alone without company Tempora si suerint nubula solus eris but when the Sun shines we have many visiters 2. By this flight of the Disciples we see what man is if God with-hold his hand It is most true what Christ saith Without me ye can do nothing Joh. 15. Again Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it Psal 127.1 So what Christ said to his Disciples at Supper Whither I go ye cannot follow me yet Joh. 13.33 3. Let the godly hence learn to call upon God from the bottom of his heart when they are in imminent danger Lord save us we perish Without his help we cannot hold out Again if we have done any good let us say Not unto us O Lord not unto us bnt unto thy name give the praise Psal 115. 4. Learn we also to take it patiently if friends forsake us in our necessity What befell Christ may also happen to us So saith the wise man Some friend is a companion at the Table and will not continue in the day of thy affliction Eccl. 6.10 5. Let us not for the fear of man forsake Christ or righteousness and truth but if it chance that we should flee being overcome with any lust or fear let us not despair but with the Apostles timely return to Christ again by repentance Let us return I say without delay lest we out-slip our time 6. But above all let us pray that we never be separated from Christ Now whereas Mark doth here annex the history of the young man on whom the enemies of Christ laid hold this was done to shew that there is no age or time exempted from the Cross so long as the Power of Darkness reigneth but all must suffer as was plain enough to be seen in those children of Bethlehem that were slain for Christ Mat. 2. as also in Joseph heretofore when he was yet but young Gen. 37. But who that young man was the text doth not express nor can any easily determine nor doth it much matter Yet Theophylact is of opinion that it was one of that house where Christ supt that night But two things Mark writeth of this young man whosoever he was 1. That the other young men endeavoured to lay hold of him It had been a shame for the ancient men to pursue and run after children They signifie therefore such boyes as were ill bred whose Parents were too indulgent to them and let them do what they listed letting loose their reins to all wickedness and never correcting or restraining them from their evil and lewd courses as here no man checkt these sawcy fellows from laying hands on this harmless young lad Such were those boys who mockt Elisha 2 King 2. though they scaped Scot-free from man yet God met with them with a witness 2. It is said of this young man that he left his linnen clothes and fled away naked chusing rather to be stript stark naked than to be apprehended by them Thus Joseph fled from his adulteress Mistris and left his cloak behinde him Gen. 39. He that would escape the hands of wicked men must leave the things of the world to the world and follow Jesus with all his heart Christians ought to leave all for the Kingdom of heaven much more their linnen raggs It follows in the Text And they led him away to Annas first for he was Father in law of Caiaphas which was the High Priest that same year Joh. 18.13 Now Caiaphas was he that gave counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people We have attentively heard how the Lord Christ was taken by wicked men whereto also he willingly yeelded himself as knowing what great good would thence arise to all men Those night-warriours could do no more but take binde and lead him away It was not their work to murther him for so the Princes had resolv'd that he should be brought to them alive And this they did 1. That none should say he was put to death unjustly Therefore they would first hear him under colour of judging him justly 2. They determined to send his whole Answer to the Roman Court But they had no purpose to release him if he had answered never so well but were fully resolv'd to put him to death For dead men cannot bite They stood in aw of him whilst he lived because he reproved their hatred The good God keep all Governours from following this example They did not presently put Christ to death at
quiet as we heard before in the house of Annas so secondly it doth as much complain of Christ that he will and must Raign The world is in bodily fear of losing its Kingdom Thus Herod was exceeding afraid when Christ was born Matth. 2. So here the Roman power is cast into a quaking fit lest it should be destroyed by Christ And thus Worldlings are still afraid that Christ will take away their Riches and Honours from them But there is no ground why these silly men should so fear it He that can give Heavenly Kingdoms will scorn those that are mortal He came not to take our earthly things from us but to give us Heavenly things with them Christ doth not deny us things terrene but teacheth us to make good use of them To Pilates Question Christ makes his answer so that he doth neither deny himself to be a King nor directly affirm it and this he did most wisely For if he had presently answered and said I am a King before he had distinguished his Kingdom from the kingdoms of men he had given Pilate occasion to revile him What then doth he reply Speakest thou this of thy self or did others tell it thee of me Which may be taken 1. By way of Admiration q.d. O Pilate what a great thing and how certain a Truth dost thou speak of which thou art altogether ignorant and unwitting Whence hadst thou it that thou shouldst call me a King whereas none can say that this Jesus is that is that I am the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Doubtless whencesoever thou hadst it whether of thy self or from others thou hast truly spoken a mighty matter if so be thou didst but understand thine own words and know what thou sayest In like manner Christ admired that noble answer of the Centurian who said Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst c. Mat. 8. 2. It may be taken as a reprehension of Pilate as if Christ had said If thou wouldst fasten this upon me from thine own jealousie then thou dost not the part of a just Judge For a Judge must not judge according to his own private surmises but as the cese is But if others have told thee these Tales of me they must prove what they say let them make it appear that I went about to raise a Rebellion But 3. Christ did thus answer especially to give an occasion to speak what follows Am I a Jew saith he q.d. How should I say this of mine own head when I am no Jew but a Gentile What do we that are Heathens know of your affairs Thine own Nation and the High Priests have delivered thee unto me and have accused thee under this Notion before me They have thus aspersed thee I neither apprehended nor accused thee What is it which thou hast done let me hear it from thine own mouth do thou tell me thy self what hast thou done to cause so many and so great men yea thine own Prelates and Clergy and all the whole Nation to hate thee Christ made no answer to this For he had done nothing to deserve their spite and spleen But all that he did was rather worthy of commendation for he did all things well he did all good things and nothing but good and all good things were created by him But he did answer to the former question and distinguish his Kingdom from the kingdom of the World to shew that he had nothing offended against Caesar My Kingdom saith he is not of this World q.d. Pilate I acknowledge and confess that I am a King and this is all that I have done This is the crime that I am accused of But understand it aright T is true I am a King yet so as that I neither usurp or diminish the power of thy Caesar or intend to pull down the Power or Dominion of any King or Prince And that thou mayest fully know my meaning 1. I am not a worldly but an Heavenly King in whose hand are the hearts of all Kings though thou dost little see it 2. My Kingdom that it is my Principality and Administration or my Kingdom that is my Laws and Statutes or my kingdom that is my officers and subjects this my kingdom is not of this world that is it is not of men but of God I am saith he made a King by him upon his holy Hill of Sion Psalm 2. 3. It is not of this World that is it is not a Temporal but a Spiritual Kingdom For the World and the desire thereof passeth away 4. It is not of this world that is it doth not consist in the things of this world as in Riches Pleasures Pomp for whatsoever is of this world is the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life but in Spiritual things as Righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 5. It is not of this world because it hath other Rights and Laws which a worldly Kingdom hath not 6. It is not of this world because it is not corporal but Spiritual 7. It is governed after another manner than the Kingdoms of this world For these are Ruled by a material Sword but my Kingdom hath no need of such a Sword The Sword of my Kingdom is the Word of God The Kingdoms of the world have Cities Towers Towns Villages Hosts Armies Ammunition but my Kingdom doth require nothing but the hearts of men The world doth rule over mens estates and persons but my Scepter swayeth only their hearts and consciences The world vaunts it with carnal power but must stoop to that which is Spiritual I care nothing at all for fleshly strength but I Triumph and Raign spiritually over sin death and hell See how lively Christ sets forth his Kingdom In the same manner almost doth Zachary speak of Christs Kingdom Behold saith he thy King cometh unto thee meek and lowly Zach. 9. Note also that he doth not say my Kingdom is not in this world For he is Lord of the world too All things were made by Christ and by him are they all governed and disposed All power is given unto him in Heaven and in earth Mat. 28. Now if the Kingdom of Christ be not of this world then it will follow that there is another world besides this And therefore 1. If thou dost not see the Promises of Christ fulfill'd in this world yet do not despair for there is another world wherein shall be made good whatsoever was not performed here 2. Whereas the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world therefore we are commanded to pray Thy Kingdom come So then Christ doth here free Pilate from all his fear And by his Example also he doth prove that he did not at all affect the Caesarean or regall power If my Kingdom were of this world saith he 1. I would not march with naked Disciples but would provide me armed men yea I would have my Counsell of War Souldiers an Army c.
if Christ had suffered nothing before this only misusage of him had been sufficient to redeem the world For we see by experience that if a little woollen cloath be clapt on a green wound it will make it fester and if it be suddenly snatcht off it puts the party to far greater pain and torment and is intolerable in comparison of the pain when it was first inflicted 2. It was no small aggravation of the pain that his most tender body being again wounded a fresh and dyed blood red all over should be exposed naked to the wind and cold with the skin all flea'd off 3. To say nothing of that confusion which doubtless was most exceeding great thus to be stript bare and naked before all his friends and foes too Most truly therefore may he say to every one of us For thy sake have I suffered reproach shame hath covered my face Psalm 69. See here O man what thou hast stood thy God in and what it cost him to save thee But hearken and I will tell thee more yet listen and thou shalt hear greater things When they had thus stript the Lord naked they make ready the Cross before his face to increase his sorrow and the floor or place is prepared and fitted where the true Lamb is to be offered for the whole world The wicked Officers then bore holes in the Cross And then presently in a mad rage they sling up Christ to the top of the Cross naked and nothing upon him but the crown of thorns O Heaven O Earth O Sea never did ye see a more sad spectacle before First They catch his left hand and with an Hammer and sharp nail of an inch thick they fasten it to the Cross so that the nail carried with it the very palm and flesh of his hand into the hole that one would think it rather soldered with the Iron than nayled With like cruelty but more cruel torture they serve his right hand The holes were made too far asunder so that his hands could not reach to them when his arms were stretched forth Besides The sinews as is usual did so contract and shrink up to assist each other that when his right hand was to be put against the hole in the cross it could not come to it by much Therefore they use other Instruments of cruelty and with cords fastened thereto they extend and rack out his arms Some bind his left hand again and hold it with all diligence that it may not slip Others stretch out his right hand till it come to the place where the nail was to be put in and then peirce and fasten it Then they torture and rack his feet with the same cruelty drive in the nail extend rack stretch him till all his joynts and Ham-strings break so that one might tell all his Nerves Veins Fibers Strings and Bones and there was not a wrinkle to be seen in all his body Thus Davids Prophetical Harp is scrued up and tuned and that fulfilled here which he prophesied They peirced my hands and my feet I may tell all my bones Psalm 22. This immaculate Lamb did not in the least bleat or open his mouth when he was led to the slaughter to be offered upon the Altar of the Cross fast bound and fastened thereunto Isa 53. Listen then O Christian and observe with all diligence Christ hitherto suffered many things but it was only in the flesh Now we come to the very extremity to the marrow and in most pain and grief of Christ Now his Nerves and Bones are tortured which is a most vehement pain in the hands and feet where the sinews and bones are so near together that they cannot be disjoyned without extream torture But this way must Christ cure our sins because there was no soundness in man from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot neither outwardly nor inwardly therefore must Christ be exposed to suffer in all parts of his body He spread forth his arms to shew that he did voluntarily and out of the highest love indure all these things He let his feet be pierced and fastened to shew that he would never stand still or give over till he had made full satisfaction for us He offered up his whole body for a burnt Offering to reconcile the Father unto us and to teach us to give up every Member unto the obedience of Christ How well then might Christ here speak and complain against the Jewish people O my people What have I done unto thee or wherein have I wearied thee I smote Aegppt with its first born for thy sake and thou in Requital hast delivered me to be scourged I fed thee with Manna in the wilderness and thou hast beaten me with Cuffs and Scourges I gave thee water of life to drink out of the Rock and thou hast given me Vineger Call to drink I smote the Kings of the Cananites for thee and thou hast smitten my head with a Reed I gave thee a royal Scepter and thou hast set a Crown of thorns upon my head I exaited and lifted thee up in great strength and thou hast hanged me on the Gibbet of the Cross What should I have done more that I have not done for thee I planted thee indeed my noblest and choicest Vineyard and thou art turned into the greatest bitterness against me c. But let us leave the Jews and come to do our own business Consider therefore O man this holy spectacle Those hands which in Wisdom founded the Heavens which were wont to loose the Prisoners to raise up the fallen and to cure all men wich their touch are now stretched out upon the Cross His feet with which he walked upon the sea whose very foot-stool is to be reverenced those feet I say which never stood in the way of sinners but ever walked in the Law of the Lord are now peirced with picked nails His purest body in which the hid treasures of all Grace are laid up and kept is stript quite naked and bare and fastened to the Tree His face that is fairer than the sons of men which did comfort all afflicted and sorrowfull Ones that face which the Angels desire to behold is now turned into the paleness of a frightfull death Sweetest Babe what was thy offence that thou shouldest be thus judged and so unmercifully dealt with What was thy hainous fact What was thy Crime What was the cause of thy sorrow 'T is I I am the cause of all thy pain and grief I did eat the sower grape and thy teeth were set on edge I wretched Creature wretch that I am do now laugh prate c. whilst thou dost lament suffer thirst c. for me I run after merry meetings and love jovial Pastimes when thou dost hang fast upon the Cross for me I anoint powder and perfume my head I paint my face adulterate my skin when thou dost hang like a Leper all to besmeared with filthy spittle
you want comfort here are ye disburdened of your sins and whatsoever separated is safely disposed of Dost thou fear like a slave to be punished for them Behold the punishment is taken away Art thou afraid to be dis-inherited as an hireling Lo here is a Thief received into Paradise Finally If thou dost thirst after and long for pregnant and full Sentences plenty and abundance of most wholesome Precepts or the very Fountain it self of all Knowledge then come hither and draw near to it here is brought to remembrance all that ever Christ taught at any time Here we are taught what to pray for what to sear what to hope for what to do what to avoid And that which thou shalt never find any where else here is a Doctor who at the same instant also infuseth what he teacheth one that rooteth out Vice and planteth Vertue that chaseth away errour sparkleth out the light of Faith inkindleth Charity and bestoweth all the gifts of Grace so that a man would wonder that so great a Treasure should lye hid under so few words and that seven drops should cause such mighty floods to flow from them But here that of David is fulfilled The Voyce of the Lord is powerfull the Voyce of the Lord is full of Majesty Psalm 29. And that of Paul The Word of God is quick and powerfull and sharper then any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow Heb. 4.12 Whosoever is of God let him hear keep honour and reverence these words of God Let the ears hear the words of him that created them let man keep those words that will preserve him let man honour those words from which mans Salvation doth arise Christ would be lifted up high in the ayr 1. that all might see and behold him He lifted up his Voyce like a Trumpet 2. that all might hear him He chose Jerusalem 3. that famous City in all the East to shew such great Mysteries in that from thence his sound might go forth into all the earth 4. and his words unto the ends of the world Psalm 19. Lastly He would suffer on the Jews Feast-day in a wide and open place without the City before such an Assembly of so many Citizens so many Forraigners before so many of so many several Tongues that the so great Mysterie of his Passion and farewell Speech might not be concealed from any of any Countrey State Language c. The Grace of God certainly is not in us nay we do very wickedly and therefore Wo be to us if either with Peter we betake us to our heels and run away from Christ or with the Jews fall a scoffing at him or with the Souldiers crucifie him and not with Mary the Virgin-Mother of God and John the Evangelist we hasten with all speed to this Sermon standing at the foot of the cross attentively listening hearkening with all diligence and let us treasure up those golden Words in a broken heart We are Christians whither shall we go but to that Master who hath the words of Life Iohn 6. By whom can we better stand to whom can we more justly cleave then to Christ our Lord and Friend hanging on the cross And if the very Heathen observe and keep those commands as religious holy and almost divine Precepts which are given in charge by parents and friends upon their death-beds how much more strictly ought we to mark and observe these last words of Christ and fasten them most deeply in our breasts For our greatest and chiefest Philosophie is To know Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. For there is perfection of Righteousness to be had there is plenty of Knowledge there is the very Truth of Wisdom there all our Riches Righteousness Merits Mercies Salvation Life and Resurrection do consist Thus much by way of Preface Now let us hear every Word by it self Of the first Word viz. Father forgive them for they know not what they do WHen the Lord Jesus became that true and only Sacrifice and when he was now about to finish the work of our Redemption and Salvation although he lay under the pressure of unutterable distress and misery yet he did not forget why and for whom he suffered such Torments even for our sakes for which cause he went out to meet his Fathers wrathfull displeasure with his prayers as not minding his own pain and punishment he sets upon the Work and Office he begins to take the work of a Priest in hand he stands in the place of a Mediator between God and man he becomes an Intercessor a Protector for us and puts himself wholly as an invincible wall to withstand the Fathers anger For he could not possibly but remember his native and inbred goodness And therefore when others did curse blaspheme and bitterly revile he doth pray and make Supplications not for himself but for others and not for others only but for his most cruel enemies and crucifiers who yet were indeed most worthy to be destroyed and devoured with fire from Heaven or that the earth should swallow them up alive Hear and see how he doth stand and pray for us and thrust himself between the revenging God and us sinners saying Father forgive them for they know not what they do The meaning Father A short prayer indeed but very pithy and full of matter containing much in it It is all one as if Christ had said O Father I am thy Son begotten out of the womb of thine own Substance before Lucifer or the morning Star Psalm 110. I am the devout religious and devoted observer of thine Honour diligently doing all thy will and performing all thy pleasures although I hang here as the Prince and chief of all notorious Malefactors and as a blasphemer and enemy of thy glorious Name yet in the midst of all these so many calamities tortures torments deaths I cannot but think upon my duty and what I am to do forgetting all the wrongs which these of the City have done to me It is my part and office to interpose and stand between thy most righteous displeasure and the hainous sins of man It lyeth on me and t is my work to piece up make whole and firm reduce bring back and Redeem mâ—… the work of our hands a broken vessel a stray-sheep a poor captive creature It is committed and given in charge to me to Reconcile both the things that are in heaven and that are in earth At thy beck and command I came forth from thee and came into the world whom thou hast appointed and made the Mediator and the Peace-maker a Priest and Intercessor And that justly too For 1. I partake of both Natures I am one God equal with thee as also with men I am a true man and therefore I am the most worthy and fittest Mediator I can lay my hand upon both I can reach and touch thee the beginning
thy Kingdom And Jesus said unto him Venily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Here we are first to take notice that the Cross of Christ was not only a torment to the condemned but as it were a Tribunal also of the Judge For it did mercifully receive one of the thieves and justly refuse the other just as it is now the Cross of Christ is to some a stumbling block but to others it doth become their salvation 1 Cor. 1. As in the beginning of the Passion we had an example both of Mercy and Judgement in Magdalen and Judas so now in the close we have another example in these two thieves whereby it was shewed before that the Passion of Christ would not be profitable to all not that it was in it self insufficient but because many refusing Grace when it was offered do yet sin with a stubborn will The first of these Thieves who blasphemed Christ it may be out of desperation and impatience as such men use to do may be a figure of all wicked wen who although they see Christ hang close by them yet they murmur and blaspheme under the Cross nor are they instructed by the example of Christ who took all things patiently But in vain do they rage and vex themselves for they are released never the sooner let them blaspheme never so long and never so much they get nothing by it but they die in their desperation without any Mercy as this Thief did The other Thief is a figure of the godly who do both patiently undergo whatever befall them imputing it to their own sins and labour what they can to reduce others to a sound and sober mind who blaspheme and repine This thief then hearing and seeing what would be done with Christ and being divinely inspired did not question that Christ thus suffered upon another account than he was to suffer for he saw Miracles wrought in Heaven and Earth and he easily conjectured that they were not wrought for any goodness or honesty of the Jews therefore he began to rebuke and blame his fellow as one that made no conscience so to blaspheme Christ And then turning about to Christ he doth beg for Grace and Mercy at his hands which petition of his was not in vain for he obtained more than he asked The Lord doth always give more than he is desired His prayer was after this manner Lord Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom q.d. The Reason why I so highly esteem thee and run with such boldness unto thee is because I see what tender compassion thou hast of thy Creatures and with what unheard of patience thou dost undergo such great sufferings But especially because I now hear thee pray for them that despitefully use thee and dost excuse their heinous sin These are not humane but spiritual and divine things Remember me therefore I dare not ask more or greater things at thy hands I am sinfull unworthy of any favour do but only think on me let me not be quite forgotten let me at least with thy dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from the table of thy Grace I desire no temporal thing in this life But when thou comest into thy Kingdom let me be remembred there c. 1. See here the wonderfull Judgements of God A Thief makes confession of Christ when all his Disciples did distrust him Therefore do not rashly condemn any though never so wicked For God can turn him in a moment of time 2. Observe here the Ingenuity and Faith of this Thief He had nothing at command but his heart and tongue Both these he presenteth to Christ that he might believe in his heart and confess with his mouth Rom. 10. He did not desire a Kingdom of which he thought himself not worthy but only that he might not be forgotten and then he did not care what he did indure And if you take good heed you may see in this Thief whatsoever is requisite in a Christian He consessed his sin he acknowledged Christs righteousness and though he were a Thief yet did he not despair of his salvation no marvel then if he obtained Justification and salvation 3. Here is also the fruit of his faith to wit Confession and Charity which he shewed to his brother when he reproved him and would have him acknowledge his sin and seek salvation in Christ Wherefore he was thought worthy to hear that truly comfortable and sweetest word Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise as if he had said The meaning My only Companion although thy great faith doth not crave the greatest things yet I am not ignorant what becometh me to give or what is fit for thee to receive I will reward that exceeding and admirable Vertue of thine with the best and choicest good For what is more wonderfull more pure than thy faith I am forgotten of all men as a dead man out of mind My Neighbours stand aloof off mine acquaintance will not own me Psalm 31. My friends are become mine enemies my Disciples forsake and flee from me Peter the stoutest of my Apostles was daunted at the voyce of one silly woman denyed and forswore me Judas whom I trusted with my self and all that I had is inticed with a little money and hath sold me The rest are scattered like stray sheep without a Shepherd destitute both of hope and faith But thou O Thief art come hither out of the lurking places of the thickets and woods and dost run to meet me with great affection more faithfull than my friends more constant then my Disciples thou dost believe hope adore confound the unthankfull rebuke the blasphemous bear witness to him that is condemned without a cause plead with thy tongue fighting for me with all the weapons thou hast Thou seest me used like a most notorious Villain and yet dost acknowledge me as the most holy Redeemer Thou seest me as thy Companion in punishment and yet dost pray to me as to the Lord in Heaven Thou seest nothing but the misery as it were of the vilest and worst of men yet thou confessest the infinite blessedness of my Kingdom in another world Surely flesh and blood hath not revealed these things unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven Mat. 16. Truly thy faith is great greater I have not found in Israel Mat. 8. Abraham believed me but 't was when I spake from heaven Gen. 15. Moses believed but I spake to him out of the midst of the fire Exod. 3. Isaiah believed but then I sat upon my Throne of Glory Isa 6. But thou believest now I am hanging on the most shamefull Cross and can hardly fetch breath as well as if I were working some extraordinary Miracle I never met with such a faith before Nicodemus and Nathaniel believed being instructed out of the Scriptures The woman of Canaan believed being perswaded thereto by clear and convincing signs Mat. 15.
to him He called his servants and gave them money to trade with Luke 19. No man ought to take this Honour to himself but he that is called of God as Aaron was Heb. 5. Let the Minister of the Church take heed and see that he be a John that is that he express the Grace of God not only in Word and Name but in deed and in Truth also Beside in this Recommendation of Christs Mother unto John Christ alluded to that Spiritual acquaintance and kindred which ought to be among Believers in the Church Nay he doth here institute and ordain this Kindred whereby every one should be a Father Mother Brother and Sister to another as Paul writeth to Timothy that he should respect the Elder men as Fathers and the Elder Women as Mothers the yonger as Sisters c. 1 Tim. 5. And as John after this recommendation of Christ could say that the Virgin Mary was his Mother so may we call her Mother inasmuch as she brought forth Christ our Brother And as John might call Peter Brother so also may we This is our Christian brotherhood and Spiritual Kindred which is our great consolation For hence we see that the Saints belong to us and we to them They acknowledge and love us let us also acknowledge and love them In conclusion it is said that John like a faithfull obedient Disciple and as one mindfull of his Masters command did take Mary from that very day for his own mother unto his own home Not that he had a setled place or any thing of his own for the Apostles left all they had Matth. 19. and what they had was common to all Act. 4. But that he took her into his own care and ministred unto her for time to come as a son to his mother He took her not to his Farm or Manour-House for he had none but to his charge which he took care to discharge by his own ministring to her so saith Augustine Of the fourth Word THree Words we have heard already which Christ uttered on the Cross the first to his Father the second to the Thief the third to his Mother and they were all very sweet and comfortable Words indeed The hour of death now approaching he expresseth the fourth Word and that with great gravity he speaks again to his Father but very moaningly and pittifully of which the Evangelists thus write And when the sixth hour was come Mar. 15.33 there was darkness over the whole land untill the ninth hour And at the ninth hour Jesus cryed with a loud voyce saying Eli Eli Lamasabachtani which is being interpreted my God my God why hast thou forsaken me And some of them that stood by when they heard it said Behold he calleth Elias There were now six hours of the day past and yet those wicked men were not satisfied with what Christ had then suffered Wherefore to reprove their ungodliness the Sun is darkened that visible Sun is much afflicted and obscured by reason of the injury done to the true Son of Righteousness and that contrary to the custom and course of Heaven forasmuch as about this time there was no Ecclipse of the Sun as Theophylact out of Jerom saith Here then the Divinity of Christ did a little discover it self and as it were threaten the Jews if they would nor cease from their wickedness But of this great Miracle of the Heaven or the Sun Dionysius the Areopagite writeth in an Epistle to Apollophanes confessing that he also with him saw that Eclipse in Heliopolis both which men were then Pagans And there he affirmeth that Apollophanes should say O good Dionysius Vicissitudines sunt divinarum rerum the course of Heaven is altered And Origen in his second Book against Celsus maketh mention of one Phlegon that wrote of the darkning of the Sun in the time of Tiberius Caesar But what is that to this Eclipse which Pliny writeth that after Caesar was slain the Sun was pale and wan a whole year about Away with all such comparisons even of the greatest Monarchs This is truly a sign that doth deserve to be written and read to be said and sung as long as the world lasteth This unusual darkness 1. Did prove Christs Divinity to whom all the Elements do homage and are ready to serve him at his pleasure 2. It shewed his Innocency for the Elements are disturbed at his death to make it known that Christ suffered innocently the Creatures give testimony to their Creator 3. The heavenly Father would make it appear by these signs that he took notice of the great evils and unworthy behaviour of men which yet he was pleased to turn to the salvation of them that should believe 4. This uncouth Darkness did portend and fore-shew that the Light of Truth was now departed from Judea and that all that denyed Christ should be left and shut up in perpetual darkness The Jews had often urged to Christ to shew them a sign from Heaven Lo here they have it but to their own undoing Now when this Darkness had continued for about three hours Christ began to to speak again yea to cry out with a loud voyce to prove the Truth of his Humanity and to shew the intensness and extremity of his pain against such Heresies as should after arise either denying the Lord to be a true man or that he did not truly suffer but only made a flourishing shew of suffering But his loud crying was a sufficient witness of his true and grievous sorrow and pain for although they were intolerable things which the Standers by did see yet Christ endured much more than what the outward eyes saw And to make it known he cryed out to fulfill that of Psalm 69. I am weary of crying my throat is dryed c. And well might he be hoarse for hoarsness proceedeth from a defect of humours in the throat and Arteries But his strength was dryed up like a Pot-sheard the humours of blood gushing out in all parts of his body But let us hear how and with what voyce he cryed out He saith Eli Eli Lama azabthani This word is taken out of Psalm 22. which Psalm in the Hebrew doth begin with those very words Christ therefore makes use of the beginning of that Psalm to shew that the whole Psalm was made to him and of him Where me may observe that Christ doth not complain of suffering but of Desertion and not of every kind of Desertion neither For they to whom he had done much good yea and his own Disciples too had deserted and left him in the midst of his enemies and persecutors And yet he doth not so much as think upon this Desertion but he doth cry out especially and complain that the Father had forsaken him which we must not so understand as if the Divinity had separated it self from the humanity of Christ but that it left that Humanity for a time to the power of his Persecutors and did not
good but this one man Why therefore hast thou forsaken me Why hast thou exposed me to so many sorrows Do I suffer for this Thief alone O thy wonderfull Love indeed to mankind Thou hast no need of the goods of any creature Thou art most absolute perfect and blessed in thy self How wonderfull therefore is thy goodness by reason whereof thou hast set forth and offered me thy Son to and for all men Psalm 22. Behold I the fairest of men thy Delight the Joy of Angel am become a worm and a very abject of worms for the Salvation of Worms I admire thy wonderfull counsell in Redeeming man I admire thy unspeakable goodness Nor do I less admite that I of my own endeavour should so lovingly so exceedingly beyond measure obey thy commands and offer up my self for unthankfull and disobedient men But so it seemed good unto thee Wherefore if there be yet any more punishment beâ—…d inflict it I willingly accept of it and bid it welcome I acknowledge thee yet to be my God It is my will that thy will be done My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Behold my heart is ready to fulfill all thy commands I am in great pain but the greatness of my love doth far exceed it Yea though thou shouldest yet forsake me more and though they should be yet more ungratefull yet I cannot be separated from the love of thee and them whom thou hast called For who shall separate me from thy Love Shall tribulation or distress But thou hast forsaken me that thou mayest not forsake me thou hast humbled me that thou mayest make me great thou hast cast me off that thou mayest receive me most honourably Thou hast forsaken me and hast left me only this that I may though without comfort flee unto and call upon thee Wherefore let thy chastened Son be pleasing to thee and willingly hear him who doth in his great exercise of affliction send up his roaring cry of charity unto thee My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 1. Now concerning this place we may observe first that this cry Why hast thou forsaken me was not fictitious or feigned but most real and true and not only of the mouth but also of the heart and all the humane force and powers For Christ at this hour had stript himself of God not by casting him away but by not perceiving and feeling him acting the part of a pure man It was truly and overmuch an Humane voyce proceeding from Humane affection so to complain why God should forsake him and why he should suffer wicked men to do so much So David I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked Psalm 73. And Jeremiah Why doth the way of the wicked prosper Jer. 12. And Habbakuk Why dost thou shew me iniquity and cause me to behold grievance for spoiling and violence are before me How long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear Hab. 1. Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously and holest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then he Hab. 1.13 Thus Christ speaks here out of Humane affection And so he did sufficiently shew his true Humanity when he prayed before in the Garden But this miserable cry doth much more clearly shew the same against such Hereticks as should after spring up denying his Humane nature Let none therefore be offended at this complaint which was truly Humane but let every one think with himself that flesh and blood did here truly hang on the cross in the form of a servant Phil. 2. These things are tryed and proved on the cross by death and the pure Humanity But after three dayes you shall see and find much other things when the new and living and chearfull Body shall rise out of the Sepulchre So then it is plain that Christ as he was girt with greatest gladness so he was also compossed with extream sorrow And as he was endowed with the highest Truth so he was beset with the deepest and lowest infirmity and as he spent his life in the greatest peace so he lived also in sorest troubles I say as Christ enjoyed the sweetness of life so he tasted the bitterness of death 2. Observe that that Desertion of Christ is the fear and dread of our conscience for sin which we commit which doth find and feel the Judgement of God and eternal Wrath and is so affected therewith as if it were perpetually forsaken and cast out from the presence of God for ever according to that of David I said in my haste I am cut off from before thine eyes Psalm 31.22 Who can but despair when Judgement is revealed There is none can stand before the Judgement of God or is able to bear it For as the too great Splendor of the Sun will dazle and darken the eyes and loud noyse make one deaf so the Judgement of God is too loud for our mind and heart to endure and too heavy for our humane strength to undergo And therefore it forceth a man to despair because there is no way open to escape as Amos saith They shall not escape he that fleeth of them shall not flee away Though they dig into Hell thence shall my hand take them Amos 9. When the Lord comes thus to Judgement all the creatures obey him and further the Judgement of God to execute all fearfull plagues upon the damned as it is in Joel The Earth shall quake the Heavens shall tremble the Suu and the Moon shall be dark Joel 2. Again In that day the Sun shall go down at noon Amos 8. That is in the day of the Lords Judgement What is more miserable then man so judged of the Lord destitute of the counsel comfort and help of all the creatures and despairing This is the Judgement that all we deserved for our sins Christ therefore the only begotten Son of God did of his meer Mercy without any of our merit cast himself into our case and took that punishment which we had deserved upon his own shoulders Here we see on one hand the common people stand reviling Christ the Priests blaspheming the Thieves cursing the Apostles denying him his Friends forsaking him the Earth moved the Sun darkened in short all horrid things and all the creatures set against him On the other hand we see God also his Adversary and so forsaking him that he cryes out why hast thou forsaken me Which of us would not have despaired in such necessity But Christ took all this upon him that he might overcome our desperation and give us also hope in the like extremity So that this was our voyce or cry who by no means were able to bear the Judgement of God but must have despaired But Christ took that Cry upon himself and overcame our despair that now we may be sure God will never forsake us no though he seem so to do as Christ in that hour seemed to be
forsaken of God in that he could perceive no consolation from him whereas he was not indeed forsaken of him but was even then the most beloved Son of God So that here we are well assured that God is never more present then when he seemeth to be farthest of In a small moment saith he for a little while have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee Isa 54. Christ therefore that he might deliver sinners put himself in the stead of all sinners yet was he no Thief Adulterer Murderer c. but he undertook the wages punishment and desert of sinners which are cold heat hunger thirst fear trembling horrour of death and Hell Desperation Death Hell it self that he might conquer hunger with hunger fear with fear horrour with horrour desperation with desperation death with death hell with hell in brief that he might conquer Satan by Satan It is the gallantest kind of Victory to kill the enemy with his own Sword Hence saith Paul Godsent his own Son in the likeness of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sin Rom. 8. So Isaiah Thou hast broken the Rod of the oppressor as in the day of Midian Isa 9. For the Midianites slew one another Judg. 7. Thus Satan was overcome by his own arms as David slew Goliah with his own Weapon 1 Sam. 17. 3. We are here taught how to behave our selves in Tribulations and Afflictions even to run to God in them all with a believing mind that he would be pleased to look on our Affliction 4. Here also we learn that we should freely follow Christ in the same way by which he entered into the Kingdom of Heaven and not grumble at our pressures forasmuch as the Disciple is not above his Master nor the servant above his Lord. But then shall we be truly blessed when we partake of the sufferings of Christ suffer adversity for his Names sake when nothing is sweet unto us but Jesus nothing harsh but to be parted from Jesus and what wise man would not rather go with the King in a mourning Habit and with his Nobles clad in blacks into a most stately Palace of pleasure and joy then to be trimmed up in gay cloaths and with the rascall sort to be shut out of doors The Vestment of Christ is dyed purple with blood and so are the garments of the Martyrs for they pressed into the celestial Joy thorow many Tribulations and the most strict Life We see how little cause we have to complain of crosses and afflictions especially if we consider that we justly suffer for our sins 5. Lastly We are by this Word instructed how to quench the burning heat of lust To the beating down of which evil there is not a more wholsome and effectual Herb to be had then to consider that the Lord Jesus was thus forsaken of all yea of his very Father exposed to so many Torments void of all comfortable Refreshments and that he being guiltless should yet endure all manner of Tortures and Adversities for other mens faults But O ye Fornicators and Adulterers how do you requite your most miserably afflicted Christ If ye cannot endure to be deprived of some momentany and petty pleasures nor taste a little of some bitter or sharp potion for your health and eternal welfare how will ye be able to hazard blood body and life too for Christ and the brethren Where do ye fasten your affections Why do ye stick so fast to the earth whose birth and blood is higher then the Heavens O ye that dwell in the Vineyards of Engedi why perish ye like the dung in Endor Ye Citizens of Paradise why wallow you in the styes of Asphaltites why tumble ye in the mire and mud of the dead Sea Take a bundle of this Myrrhe meditate upon the Passion of the Lord that ye may be healed of that loathsome lust And so much for this Word It is added in the close that Christ even in this his dolefull and miserable cry did not want such as mocked him Behold say they this man calleth for Elias 1. Jerome is of opinion that these were the Roman Souldiers who understood not the propriety of the Hebrew Tongue 2. But others think they were Hebrews who did openly deprave and wrest the words of Christ against their conscience as if he now implored the help of Elias who before had said he was the Son of God If they had not been stark blind they might have seen that by this great cry he applyed to himself that place of Scripture where all things were foretold which they then saw to be fulfilled before their eyes and for the most part were already fulfilled Of the fifth Word MEn that are desolate and forsaken use to seek ease and ayd which way soever they turn themselves So Christ at the entrance into his Passion foreseeing and considering those things which he was to suffer fell into an agony the anguish of death sometime running to God by prayer then again returning to his Disciples seeking comfort from both So now here also when he found himself forsaken of God he doth seek for some small refreshment even from men especially by a little drink for of the two the want of drink is more tedious then that of meat to those that are weary and tyred out who sometimes are resreshed with a few drops Therefore Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished John 19 28. that the Scripture might be fulfilled saith I thirst Now there was set a Vessel full of Vineger and they filled a spunge with vineger and put it upon Hysop and put it to his mouth Christ is last of all tormented in his Taste as Eve in the last place sinned in her tasting Gen. 3. For before she had tasted the forbidden fruit she had sinned by lusting after it and reaching out her hand to take it Now this thirst of Christ was partly natural and partly Mystical For 1. First he was exceeding weary and had sweat abundantly besides he hung naked on the cross exposed to Sun and Wind So that questionless he must needs be grievously athirst which doth easily appear in that he doth so pittifully express the sharpness of his thirst by a mournfull intreaty as if he had forgot all his other pains although he did not do or say this so much to quench his thirst as to fulfill the Scripture That the Scripture might be fulfilled he saith I thirst But 2. He did spiritually thirst after our Salvation his desire was to overcome the Devil and to set man at liberty though he died for 't And this thirst he was never without but now in his Passion he did discover it more then before for here it doth truly appear how earnestly he thirsted for our Salvation however all his works also everywhere do witness this very thing The meaning then of the word is as if he had said The sense Dear Brethren whereas I am yours and do extreamly
persevere in iniquity inasmuch as God did suffer his innocent Son to be so cruelly and inhumanly dealt with for others sins Daughters of Jerusalem saith he weep not for me but for your selves i.e. Learn ye by my suffering what ye have deserved If this be done to me who am guiltless and harmless and blameless what shall be done to you who are faulty and guilty The Text follows 〈◊〉 27.51 And behold the Vail of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom and the earth did quake and the Rocks rent and the graves were opened and many bodies of Saints Which slept arose and came out of the graves aster his Resurrection and went into the Holy City and appeared unto many Hitherto we have seen the weak things of Christ Now his Majesty shines forth and shews it self discovering who what and how great a one he is that now hangeth on the tree Here then consider what mighty Signs and Wonders were wrought at the death of Christ For those signes do shew the Righteousness and Innocency of Christ and withall do reprove and condemn the hard hearts of unbelievers Men would not be troubled at the death of this man but lo the Elements are much disquiered at it Flinty stones were here softened yea broken and thou heart of flesh art thou turned into a stone dost thou stand gazing on the Passion of thy Lord and art nothing afflicted or moved thereat There are some who say we should be jocund and jovial laugh and be merry at the Passion of Christ Surely it was then no time for the Inhabitants of Jerusalem to laugh when Heaven and Earth were thus disturbed and moved at the death of Christ Indeed afterwards we may well rejoyce for the saving death of Christ as that by which we are redeemed from eternal death But nevertheless the same Passion ought to affect and move us as we are men unless we should altogether become inhumane and from men be degenerated into stones to say nothing of what great joy it might be unto us if we did but consider the cause of this miserable Death even our sins which ought bitterly to be bewailed in this Passion of Christ Now all these terrible Signs which are here described were both within and without the Temple and did manifestly declare the wrath of God against the unrighteousness of the whole world for the purging where of the most High Majestie gave his only begotten Son to die And because men would not acknowledge the same therefore the Elements publish it If these saith he should hold their peace the stones would cry out Besides by the Passion of Christ and after it God intended to make a great alteration in the world Which alteration these Signs did foreshew and usher in 1. The Vail of the Temple was rent to shew that by the death of Christ the Holies of Holies are revealed that by Christ there is an open entrance for us unto God that the way to the Temple of God is made open and plain that the flaming Sword is removed from Paradise that the Wall of partition is broken down that those things that separated us from God are taken out of the way that what was hid and kept close before Ephes 3. is now made known to wit that the Gentiles should be co-heirs copartners and incorporated and become one body with the Jews Finally that all shadows and figures were now ceased and that the Truth it self was come and did shine forth Therefore the Vail of the Temple was rent So that now we may look into the Sanctuary which the Vail hindered before The Mysteries of the Kingdom of God which in the Old Testament were vailed and covered are now brought to light by Christ who came a Light into the world Henceforth therefore the Gentiles may behold the Mysterie of God that is they may acknowledge and learn the word and truth of God because the Vail is rent and the Jew is not better then the Gentile Would to God also that Vail that is upon the hearts of the Jews were spiritually rent that they might truly both hear and understand the Scripture 2 Cor 3. And that they also might acknowledge Jesus Christ Origen speaks of a twofold Vail as Paul also doth the first of which is rent already and taken away but the second yet remaineth and hideth those things which we shall see in the life to come For now we know but in part only but then we shall know perfectly 1 Cor. 13. I say the first Vail is taken away so that we may know many things of God which before were kept close from us But the second Vail yet remaineth therefore at present we cannot perfectly know the things of God In brief Moses and the Prophets are now made clear and plain but as to the Historical part the vail of the Temple is rent already Therefore the Romans might enter as also they did The High Priests of the Jews were wont to rent their garments when they heard any thing that was wicked or blasphemous This doth the Temple of God also now do renting its garment being as it were amazed and taking in great indignation the wrong and injuries offered to Christ 2. A second sign was the Earth-quake the earth abhorring as it were that such wickedness should be committed upon it and abominating the impiety of the Jews done to the Universal Creator of all things It did also foreshew that the whole Earth should be moved and shaken at the preaching of the Apostles as was foretold in Haggai I will shake the Heaven and the earth and the desire of all Nations shall come Hag. 2. 3. A third sign was the renting of the Rocks This was somewhat more then the other For we read of many earth-quakes but not of any Rocks rent before which was now done to reprehend the obstinacy and hardness of the Jews And it did foreshew either that the writings of the Prophets should be so rent at the coming of Christ that all might see what was in the inside of them Or rather it did signifie that the hard hearts of the Gentiles should be rent that they might receive the seed of Gods Word For the Word of God and his Divine Power was now about to pierce all things that were never so hard never so fast and firm 4. A fourth sign was the rising of some dead bodies This exceeded all the foregoing signs In this sign there was a special kind of Gods power seen These dead Joh. 5. heard the voyce of the Son of God when he with a loud cry gave up the ghost At this cry their graves opened that the dead which yet lived might again go out of their graves not before but after the Resurrection of Christ For he was the first born of the dead and the first fruits of them that slept Whereby was foreshewed first that the hope of our resurrection is only by the death of Christ secondly