love of Christ as the Institution of the Sacrament the washing of their feet his most loving instructions and the very Passion it self 2. On the other hand to stir us up to love Christ and be thankfull to him 3. For our Confolation that we should not think Gods love to us cometh to an end For he doth not love once only or only our Fathers but he loveth to the end for ever and ever He abideth faithfull he cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2. Dearest friends let this love of Christ satisfie us It matters not whether the world doth love or hate us so long as we are sure that Christ loveth us that we are in his heart that he regardeth us much that he careth for us c. What hurt can the hatred of the world now do us If God be for us who can be against us Rom. 8. It followeth Mat. 26.20 Mark 14,18 Luke 22.15,16,17,18 Now when the even was come he came and sat down with the twelve Apostles and saith unto them With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer For I say unto you I will not any more eat thereof untill it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God And he took the cup and gave thanks and said Take this and divide it among your selves For I say unto you I will not drink of the fruit of the Vine Mat. 26.29 till the Kingdom of God shall come when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom Here beginneth the Supper Exod. 12. In the evening of the fourteenth day of the first moneth the paschal Lamb was to be slain and eaten Christ therefore doth well begin at the figure and proceed unto the Truth First He eateth the Legal Lamb then he instituteth his new Supper and offereth himself to be eaten by those that are his And whereas the Law required to eat the Paschal Lamb standing no doubt but Christ observed it and though it be said he sate that is meant after he had eaten the legall Lamb. First then he stood with his Disciples and did eat the paschall Lamb that he might wholly fulfill the Law and bring it to an honourable end for he came not to destroy but to fulfill it When he had so done he sate down and happily then began the true Supper He had finished the former already that old one but his own which he principally intended he had not yet begun To the other a roasted Lamb was required but to this nothing but bread and wine Therefore between both Suppers he doth interpose a few words whereby he gave them to understand that he meant to abolish the Old Testament and to make a new one He exprest the great affection of his heart to them at the beginning With desire have I desired c. as if he had said My dearest Babes ye know very well that I have observed the Passover every year but never with so great a desire as I do now For now the time is come that I will give you such meat and drink as ye never yet tasted at this Jewish Festivall And I am glad that the time is come for I desire nothing more To morrow I must suffer a most bitter death therefore I must dispatch the Supper this night This is the last time I shall sup with you I shall never more eat with you on earth as now we do Hence he presently addeth Hereafter I will no more eat of it c. And henceforth I will no more drink of the fruit of the Vine in which words he plainly sheweth that he was about to suffer And a dead man doth neither eat nor drink Now lest his Disciples should be too much grieved at this uncouth speech he saith further for their comfort untill it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God And till I drink it new with you in the Kingdom of my Father Both speeches have the same sense for they have respect to the joyfull Resurrection of Christ When Christ rose from the dead the Passover was fulfilled All was imperfect till then Every one of the former Feasts were defective For till that time there was but only the shadow and Figure of the Passover as also all other things under Moses When Christ rose the true Passover began for then all things were fulfilled which belonged to the Passover And this saith he Matth. 3. shall be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God For then the Kingdom of God shall come in all Respects of which it was said before that it drew nigh As if he had said till I am dead and risen again the kingdom of God is not come But then my heavenly and spiritual Kingdom shall mightily be begun in all the world when I shall die for the sins of men and rise again for their justification Rom. 4. then I say the whole world shall plainly see and know by the Word and Spirit that the Son of God is King and raigneth over the soul and conscience which Kingdom of his is now covered with the Cross What then did he promise should be after all things were fulfilled and the Kingdom of God made manifest He promised that he would eat the Passover again with them and drink wine but new wine and after another manner than before which may be understood two wayes 1. First Of his corporall eating when he did eat of a broiled fish and Honey comb with his Disciples after his Resurrection Then he did eat with them again corporally but not as formerly It was not for any bodily necessity for a glorious body needeth not meat but fully to prove and evidence the truth of his Resurrection Christ then promised that he would eat bodily again with them after his Resurrection though as I said after another manner of which Peter speaketh we did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead Acts 10.41 2. But the better sense of the words is of the spiritual eating and drinking For after the solemnity of this Jewish Feast Christ did never more eat of the paschal Lamb. But he eateth the new Passover or Lamb with us and drinketh the new wine with us in the Kingdom of God in the Church when we with him and he with us are incorporated by Faith and receiving the Sacrament which is not for once but ever as long as the kingdom of Christ lasteth in the Church Hereby then he intimateth that the corporall eating of the Lamb should cease and that we should spiritually eat of the true Lamb. The first Lamb was not therefore commanded to be offered and eaten because it should alwayes be so done Indeed Moses said Exod. 12. this should be kept as an Ordinance for ever but he saith also throughout your Generations viz as long as this generation continueth so long as this state of things this Testament this old Testament lasteth and as long as ye continue the people of God so long
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.
who should guard me as their Generall with their Swords in this my necessity and would hazard their lives for me Or 2. If I sought a worldly Kingdom the Angels themselves would defend me from the violence of the Jews But I have no need of the help of Angels or men My own right hand is able to supply me with ayd sufficient Here the weakness of a worldly Kingdom is seen which hath no strength of it self but all from its Subjects and Officers and if these fail a King is but in an ill case But if they do list themselves under him they may prove false and betray him many wayes But the Kingdom that is from above is sufficient of it self and needs not the help of any From all this Christ concludeth that his Kingdom is not from hence as if he had said Thou mayst certainly assure thy self by this Argument that my Kingdom is not worldly or earthy What ever thou or thy Caesar hath shall be in no danger for me I covet nothing of yours I care not for all the glory and riches of the world which you so highly esteem These things were spoken to Pilate but they do as much concern us 1. For if Christs Kingdom be not from hence Why then O Christian dost thou seek after the Riches and Honours of this world 2. If the Kingdom of Christ be not of this world then Christians must expect to suffer in the world so long as they have the peace of their consciences in Christ John 16. Wonder not then that the godly meet with so much trouble in the world A good man in all his afflictions should comfort himself with this word saying My Kingdom is not from hence 3. If Christs Kingdom be not from hence they are much mistaken then who place the Kingdom of Christ in outward things and the Elements of the world The Kingdom of God saith he is within you Luke 17. Which is not so to be understood as if this lower world were not created by God or did not belong unto God as having nothing to do with it as Manichaeus was of opinion For it is certain that all the ends of the earth are his the sea is his and he made it c. Psalm 95. But however Christ put a clear difference between his Kingdom and the kingdom of the world yet the name of King did stick in Pilates stomack For he was never wont to hear in all the dubblings of honour amongst their Princes that ever any did usurp the Royal Title And he conceived that this Title ought not to be given to any without Caesars consent and approbation Therefore he saith Art thou then a King notwithstanding thy Kingdom be not of this world He stickles much at the Title King this he could not bear For he saw it would follow that if his Kingdom were not from hence it must be from somewhere else Let the Kingdom be whence it will a Kingdom it was and would be Wherefore by way of conclusion he infers upon him Art thou therefore a King The question had been better put thus where is then thy Kingdom Where is that other world thou talkst of He might perhaps have had an answer to this question that might have done him some good But he asked not after any of these things he was afraid of his own kingdom and office Christ therefore doth undauntedly answer him Thou sayst that I am a King as if he had said what need I tell thee when thou thy self sayest it Is it not enough that thou sayest it thy self which is all one as if he had plainly said I am I grant that I am a King Christ doth Emphatically repeat the name King to shew us that he did not repent him nor was he ashamed of his Celestial and Spiritnal Kingdom but had rather that by all means it should be known to Caesar himself as well as to all men For inasmuch as the salvation of us all doth depend on this Kingdom it ought not to be denyed or concealed And it is a sweet comfortable word for Christ to say that he is a King He is truly a King as it is said I have set my King c. Psalm 2. Again Thou madest him to have Dominion over the works of thy hands Psalm 8. Wherefore if thou sinnest do not presently despair for thou art not without the Kingdom of Christ till thou ceasest to be the work of God Hence saith the Wise man Though we sin we are thine Wisd 15. He will acknowledge thee for his possession if thou wilt acknowledge him to be thy Lord. But that Pilate might not further be offended at the Title of King Christ proceedeth to explain his Kingdom yet more fully as if he had said Pilate understand this business well and lay aside all suspition of a worldly Kingdom and Tyranny Thus stands the case I will not deny that my Kingdom is altogether and wholly Spiritual whether before thee or before Caesar himself Only know this that t is not my purpose to molest any with Arms or to Raign in State like other Kings but only to raise up and establish the truth of God upon earth To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I might bear witness unto the Truth I say I came for that end and was born for that cause and not to fight with the Sword but that I might teach and preach the Gospel and the Truth of God which is his power to salvation to every one that believeth Rom. 1. And as I publish the Gospel so I rule by the Gospel in the hearts of Believers over Sin Death and the Devil that for sin I might bestow Righteousness for Death Life for the Cross Joy and Heaven instead of Hell These are the Tenures or customary Holds and Priviledges of my Kingdom of which none can be partaker but he that heareth my Voyce and believeth with his heart I do not endow my followers with Riches Cities and other Fee farms Manours c. but through my Word I bestow upon them Joy Peace Life and Heaven it self My Gospel is the Scepter of my Kingdom And what prejudice are these to the Roman Emperour Would Caesar have none born would he have no man come into the world that should bear witness unto the Truth Would it be any stain to his honour if any of his Souldiers should hear his voyce that is a witness of the Truth Who would not utterly detest and abhor him that should harbour such a thought in his breast The very Name of Truth is am able yea the Nature of man it self agreeth to this that the Name of Truth is most honourable and though arrant knaves hate the thing yet never any had the face to dislike or find rault with the Name of Truth 1. And truly Christ testified the Truth with a witness For the Testimony of Truth is the confusion of falshood The world was mistaken
coena finita supper being ended but coena facta supper being made or made ready when it was set before them on the table Whence it is that almost all are of opinion he washed their feet before the institution of the Eucharist and it is very probable it was so for it becometh us to come neat and clean unto the Sacrament But by John it seems this washing was after the institution of the Sacrament For he continueth the History after the washing of their feet which should not be interrupted till Judas was cast out of fellowship If then the Sacrament was instituted afterward it would follow from the History that Judas did not take the body and blood of Christ with the rest of the Apostles which some affirm Luke 22 But the History of Luke doth not admit this where it is plainly said that Judas his admonition followed the institution of the Sacrament I list not to contend about this It is sufficient we know that Christ did wash his Disciples feet whether it was before or after the receiving of the Sacrament it matters not Let us give heed to the History it is worth our taking notice and it requireth a diligent Auditour and a desirous Spectator For 1 That which Christ did here is very beautiful and to be admired 2. The words of the Evangelist himself are most prudent for he doth not simply shew what was done but he sets it out with words of weight and gravity to make the more impression And 1. Before he proceeds to what Christ did he first nameth the Traytor that thereby we might either prize the greatness of Christs love and humility who shewed those things even to an enemy and traytor which another man would scarce disclose to a brother or a friend It is the greatest love that can be to love our enemies and do good to them that hate us 2. Or else he nameth the traytor that thereby we may see how that wretched man fell from one sin to another as being now the very reall and proper slave of Satan yea he still went on to greater sins till at last he fell into the bottomless pit John had before call'd him a thief who did use to pick his Masters purse And a little after the other Evangelists shew that he had taken money of the Jews to betray Christ But here is an aggravation of his sin in that he obstinately resolv'd with himself to accomplish this wickedness and not hearken to any courtesies or Counsell which indeed was a most devillish thing Therefore it is remarkably said that the Devil had cast it into his heart The ungodly wretch presently listened to this Charmer He scorned to hear the admonition of Christ as all wicked men do I am come in my Fathers Name saith Christ and ye receive me not John 5. if any come in his own name him ye will receive 1. Here we see that the design and purpose of the Devil is to destroy not only men but Christ himself too if he could 2. We see also who it was principally that did shed the blood of Christ even the Devil himself he could not endure to see him on the earth where his Kingdom is He was afraid he should be thrust out of his Kingdom He first made use of the Council of the Pharisees to bring about this murther and theft then the malice of the traytor lastly the hands of sinfull men But this not without Gods permission who had decreed from Eternity to redeem mankind by the blood of his innocent son 3. Observe here that the nature and work of the Devil is to inspire and suggest evil as God by his Spirit doth inspire good things into the hearts of Believers An example of the Devils suggestion we have in Ananias and Sapphira Acts 5. That wicked one is accustomed to it and knoweth how to hinder as much as may be all good 1 Thess 2. and to further all evil Gen. 3. Know therefore that all offences and sin come from the Devil and not from God as Hereticks teach The Devil I say inspired all sinners from the beginning of the world to disobey God What the Devil can do is notoriously seen in Judas and the Jews Him he instigated and drew on to betray his own Master them he enticed to destroy their own Messiah and King Let us pray then that God by his Grace would shut and keep all such diabolical insinuations out of our hearts For that wicked one will perswade us to nothing that is good After this the Evangelist mentioneth the Power and Knowledge of Christ 1. First lest any should think that Christ was not God because Judas could betray him As he was God in the beginning so he continued even when he was betrayed and crucified 2. Again He speaketh of Christs power that from the commendation of so great power and sublimity the work of his deep humility might become the more admirable and praise-worthy Thus Paul when he was about to extoll the humility and obedience of Christ he begins with his sublimity Phil. 2. Who being in the form of God c. We can never rightly prize the humiliation of Christ unless withall we consider his high estate Neither can any man so well esteem of his love till he consider upon whom and to what unworthy persons he did bestow it Now the infinite height of Christ is set forth in three words 1. The first is this Knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands or that he was Lord of all even of the Devil and wicked men and yet would as it were lay by this his power for the love he bare to men or rather would hide it and so become weak and low so weak as not to help the godly yea so low as to suffer the wicked to vent their rage upon him without restraint great humiliation indeed and great love and all this that he might succour poor helpiess man Or thus knowing that the Father had given him all things into his hands i. e. he knew that the salvation of mankind depended upon him It was at his pleasure whether man should be saved or perish He did know and indeed acknowledge that to save men was a gift given him of the Father therefore he doth manfully and couragiously set about that work And we have great consolation from these two words that the Father hath given all things to Christ and that into his hands to wit Justification forgiveness of sins Life Salvation Redemption Judgement Resurrection Kingdom c. Whereby we also are put in mind to know and give good heed to what God hath given us what he hath committed or commanded to us 2. The second word that expresseth Christs Highness is that he came out from God All creatures are from God by creation but Christ came from God by Eternal generation So that t is all one as if he had said knowing that he was
unto God without it The Apostle exhorteth us Rom. 12.1 to offer up our bodies a living sacrifice acceptable to God For it is said of Cain That he offered unto the Lord of the fruit of the ground Gen. 4.3 He brought an earthly dead liveless offering and was not accepted But Abel brought of the fat of the flock verse 4. He offered the Firstling of his fold a pure clean lively sacrifice unto which God had respect it was more excellent then his Brothers Heb. 11.4 How came this to pass The Apostle tells us it was by faith The life of faith is in death and by death that liveth when we are dead I am crucified with Christ yet I live and I live in the flesh by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 He had a life in the flesh after he was dead to the flesh Faith indeed shall cease but 't is not till the end of the second life The principal act of faith is exercised in death the death of Christ and is a conforming vertue or power unto the likeness thereof by mortification and offering up of the flesh with the affections and lusts unto death Gal. 5.24 God accepteth nothing but what is done in this faith by this faith in the Son of God John 15.5 Heb. 11.5 27. We read in 1 Sam. 15.9 That Saul spared Agag the King and the best of the spoil but that which was vile and refuse and good for nothing that he and the people utterly dastroyed Saul was an hypocritical Tyrant ambitiously aspiring to a Kingdom and got it God gave a King in his anger He that aimeth at the Scepter is not the best Saint 28. Saul was a right Machiavilian he knew the high way to the Crown When Ephraim spake trembling he exalted himself in Israel Hos 13.1 When he was mean and low in a poor condition and little in his own sight he could bow and cringe flatter fawn upon and comply with the vulgar bemoan and pitty the burdens of the poor people especially the good people of the land he could stand cap in hand to the meanest and like Absolom court them into a good conceit of his Clemency and care of their well-fare assuring them that if it were in his power to remedy it things should not be carried as they are but first he put himself into a souldiers posture 2. Sam. 15.1,2,3,4,5 Now he rode post in the right rode to be the head of the Tribes of Israel Commander in chief over the military Forces 1 Sam. 15.17 yea God himself might so far have his work to do under his proud design as to give him a Call to be King and fight his battles as is plain in the place cited which might confirm him in a good opinion of himself to undertake the Government especially if some musty Prophesies had been raked together and by a Court-Parasite particularly applyed to him 'T is as common for the highest as the meanest to be deluded and mistake or mis-use many passages of Gods Providence But now he is King he grows covetous and self-ended he falls upon the spoil and the prey of the enemy who seemed before to contemn all self-interest and advantage Sam. 15.19 His feigned and forged excuse of reserving it for Gods worship would not serve his turn How faulty then are those who do not so much as pretend any thing for Gods service but openly convert the common loss into their private gain This is that which will involve a Nation in broils and blood 29. But alas How many such Sauls hath the world seen since Sauls time who can part with that which is not worth the keeping but with-hold from God that which he requireth as his due If God call for the heart they bring him the lip and tongue only If God require spirit and Truth they offer in the mountain and at Jerusalem they put him off with complements out-side service formality and a State-Religion Dissembling Pharisees they exact and pay Tithe of Mint and Rue but neglect Judgement Mercy Faith the love of God and their Neighbour Mat. 23.23 When God commandeth the best and fattest to be given him they put him off with the leanest with the fruit of the ground If they pretend to dedicate the best unto God they intend to make their own advantage out of it They may refrain from Extortion Adultery c. but continue proud heady high-minaed covetous c. yet be very devout too fast twice in the week give a small Alms out of their superfluity and ill gotten goods pay Tithes give their Minister his due and applaud him censure all that be contrary-minded to them as prophane c. Isa 65.4,5 Luke 18.11,12 30. Those sacrifices are acceptable to God that are turned into ashes Psalm 20.3 This must be done by fire the heavenly fire of zeal and love which separateth and consumeth the gross body of flesh and turneth and reduceth all into a pure essential and spiritual body out of which ashet is made the savory salt of the heavenly nature which seasoneth all things And therefore the Lord is said to plead with all flesh by fire Isa 66.16 He hath his fire in Zion and his furnace in Jerusalem Isa 31.9 with which refining fire he doth purifie the sons of Levi that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in Righteousness Mal. 3.3 Mat. 3.12 No oblation in Righteousness but by fire 't is the fire of the Spirit that consumeth the fuel of the flesh Rom. 8.13 We must pass through water and fire before we can come into the wealthly place Psalm 66.12 Without fire we cannot subsist in the natural life much less can we perform the Actions of the spiritual life without it 31. Under the Law the daily sacrifice was not to cease Num. 28.3,4 and this Oblation was to be made by fire He that causeth this to cease is the He-goat Dan. 9.29 Dan. 8.11,12,13 The vile person Dan. 11.21,31 the Beast the Whore the false Prophet that speaketh lyes in the name of the Lord It is Anti Christ that setteth up a Religion in the world without the Cross Whosoever is zealous toward God without Self-denial Mortification and conformity to the death of Christ his zeal is not according to knowledge which will make him seek to establish his own in stead of Gods Righteousness Rom. 10.2,3 Whosoever rejecteth the Cross can be no true Christian Wherefore think it not strange concerning this fiery tryal also which is to come upon you as though some strange thing happened unto you But rejoyce rather although 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The righteous is not saved without great labour and pains hard strugling and striving sore Combats and Conflicts 1 Pet. 4.12,13,17,18 Make not that way too wide which God hath made strait All must go the narrow way who would enter into life For every one must be salted with fire and every sacrifice must be salted with salt Mar. 9.49 10. Tenthly 32.
the pestle of his Passion and in the press of the Cross that his precious blood might flow forth every way 4. The Manna tasted like Hony Christ is sweet to all that are afflicted having the same smack in the Word and Sacrament 5. Manna pleased every ones palat and relished according to his desire that did taste it In Christ and in the Sacrament every mans desire is answered The sick find health the sinner pardon the Righteous sweetness the afflicted find comfort therein 6. Manna came down from Heaven Christ and this Sacrament are given to us from Heaven That descended with a dew Christ came down with Grace and Truth 7. Manna made all men wonder and admire So this Sacrament is truly most worthy of all admiration 8. The Manna was common to all so is the Sacrament it sufficeth all as the Manna did 9. The Manna fell every day Christ is alwayes with us in the Sacrament even to the end of the world Mat. 28. 10. He that gathered much of the Manna had nothing over and so on the contrary The poorest Believer hath as much as the richest in the Sacrament c. 11. When the Israelites came into the Promised Land the Manna ceased There will be no Sacraments in the world to come We shall have no need of them then For we shall have and see Christ before us when that which is perfect is come that which is imperfect shall be done away 12. Lastly The Manna was said up in the Temple for a Memorial to Posterity The Sacrament continueth for ever in the Church for a memorial of Christ Now concerning the gathering of the Manna the Scripture saith 1. They were commanded to seek it very early in the morning and we are bid to seek the Kingdom of God before all things which is by hearing the Word of God and receiving the Sacraments 2 They gathered it every day so we should never neglect the Sacrament 3. They were to go forth of their tents so we are commanded to go out of the old life and out of all curiosity of sence lest we judge by our sight taste or touch whether the Body of Christ be there or no but we are simply to believe the Word of God 4. They were commanded to gather it not for curiosity but sufficiency so should we do in this Sacrament 5. Lastly They gathered a double proportion on the sixth day because of the Sabbath following Rom. 13. We are commanded not to sleep in this last hour but to provide for the future by the Example of that Steward in the Gospel Luke 16 1. The way to use this Manna was to beat it in a Morter The use of Manna or to grind it in a Mill and so boyl it We should consider the Mysteries of this Sacrament in every piece and fragment of it and receive them with a contrite heart seething them with the fire of divine Love and so rest satisfied with their sweetness 2. As all were not alike affected with the old Manna yea some indeed loathed it so is it now in the Sacrament c. 3. Good and bad did eat of the old Manna but to a different end for many perished in the Wilderness So good and bad receive the Sacrament but some to life others to death c. Christ is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel Luke 2. 4. Lastly The Manna stank and became nothing worth to some This Sacrament doth little good to some nay it is the condemnation of those that receive it unworthily See now how our Manna answereth in all things to that of old and how much more excellent it is then that was for it hath the Fountain of all good essentially in it self nor doth it feed the body only but specially it nourisheth the soul It giveth Eternal Life the old Manna had no such thing Let us then be thankfull and take heed we abuse not this Heavenly bread Hitherto I suppose I have made it clear how expresly the mysteries of this Sacrament were foreshewn in those two figures the Paschal Lamb and Manna Let us here add a third figure the Oblation of Melchisedeck Gen. 17. Heb. 7. of which we read in Genesis for he did most exactly typifie Christ in Name and Office It is said he was without Father without Mother without beginning without end also King of Zedek i. e. of Righteousness and Prince of Salem i. e. of Peace and Priest of the most high God Christ truly and most absolutely had all these Titles And as Melchisedeck brought bread and wine to Abraham when he came from the battel so Christ in his last Supper gave the Sacrament of bread and wine to his Disciples he ordained and instituted it especially for the comfort and refreshment of those who bicker and fight with the Devil And as Melchisedeck first of all offered bread and wine unto God and afterward fed Abraham and his company therewith So this our Sacrament is not only a refreshing of the weak and weary but also a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to be continued to the end of the world This do saith he in remembrance of me 1. Most properly is it called a Sacrifice because the true use of this Sacrament is to offer thanks and praise to God when we receive it 2. Secondly Because here that only sacrifice is represented and as it were set before our eyes even that sacrifice which Christ offered on the Cross whereby the wrath of God was stayed by his crucified Son who putteth him still in mind that he would vouchsafe to be propitious unto us for his death and Passion-sake 3. To say nothing that we by this Sacrament are also put in mind to offer our selves to God as Christ gave himself for us Thus it may fitly be called a sacrifice So then this figure doth every way answer to our Sacrament All this I have spoken the rather to affect us with the greater Faith and Devotion toward that most sacred Supper of our Lord. But enough of that To the Text again And supper being ended the Devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot Simons son John 13.2 to betray him Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God verse 3. He riseth from supper and laid aside his garments verse 4. and took a towel and girded himself After that he poureth water into a Bason verse 5. and began to wash the Disciples feet and to wipe them with the Towel wherewith he was girded Here Jesus sheweth his love to his Disciples Surely he could not hate them whose feet he washed Now we may suppose that this thing was not done quite after Supper but as they were yet at supper as may seem first in that t is said He rose from supper Secondly it is said after the washing he sate down again Thirdly t is not said
man than to have his part with Christ so not to partake with him is unavoidable damnation Beloved let 's do and suffer whatever is required of us to do and suffer lest we lose this our share with Christ To have part with Christ is to partake of his Grace Spirit and Word here and of his Glory and Kingdom hereafter This part Peter afterward denied to Simon Magus Acts 8. Thou hast no part nor lot in this word But this word of Christ may have another meaning If I wash thee not c. q.d. Why art thou afraid at my meek manner of behaviour and startlest at this kind of Ministry wilt not thou that I wash thee with water when thou must of necessity be washed with my blood except I gird my self harder yet and wash thee with greater labour and pains thou wilt have no part with me Truly if Christ had not washed his Elect with his blood neither Peter nor any man else could have had any part with him So is it still whom Christ purgeth not he is yet unclean as it was heretofore no man was clean till he was washed with the water of Purification Numb 19. Apoc. 21. And no unclean thing shall enter into the Kingdom of Christ therefore it is rightly said if I wash thee not thou hast no part with me By all this Christ sheweth what is meant by the washing of feet and why he did wash his Disciples feet before his Passion Teaching us hereby that it is his office only to purge and wash away the filth of sin which he doth by the sprinkling of his blood This washing then of the feet signifieth the whole Passion of Christ who ministred to us and washed us Where note that none is purged from sin but by Christ Also see here our laziness who hear that we shall have no part with Christ except he wash us yet we run not to him though he be present with us Doubtless Peter wholly submitted himself to Christ being terrified with this his threatning word Lord saith he not only my feet but also my hands and my head As if he had said if it be so there 's an end I have done not my will but thine be done I will no longer hinder thee from washing me Only let me never be separated from thee Lo I present my hands feet head my whole body wash me wipe me do as thou wilt I have nothing to say against it At first I did not know what it meant therefore I crave pardon I cry thee mercy c. This is that Chrysostome saith of him Peter was earnest in denying more earnest in yielding both proceeded from love 1. Here we see the nature of Faith which fully and wholly resigneth it self unto the will of God to do with us whatsoever he pleaseth Come life come death all as he will So David 2 Sam. 15.26 if he say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good to him Gen. 12. And so Abraham he fully committed himself to God following him whithersoever he led him This Resignation of self unto the will of God is a most acceptable service to him As Christ saith he that will come after me let him deny himself and follow me Matth. 16. 2. Note that besides his feet Peter offers his hands and his head to be washed Not only our affections but our works yea our very intention and purpose many times had need be cleansed David acknowledgeth himself to be filthy all over Psalm 51. Behold I was conceived in iniquities sprinkle me with Hysop c. To be short This word of Peter sheweth that we are wholly polluted in body and soul in affections works intention will and understanding So that we have very great need of Christ 3. Hence we learn what we have most need to ask of Christ even that he would cleanse us every whit who created us all that we are If we be not first purified we can never partake of the good things of Christ 4. Lastly He sheweth what we should principally offer to God for his innumerable benefits even an universal Resignation not only of our temporal goods but of our own will and reason too that with David we might say twice Psalm 108. O God my heart is ready my heart is ready Ready to deny the world for thy sake Again ready to deny my self for thee Thus Abraham not only left his Country at Gods call Gen. 12.22 but was ready to slay his son too at his command But there are too few now that imitate him Perhaps there be some that will part with a little trash but very rarely shall we find one that will strangle his own will Although Peter presented his hands and his head to be washed yet Christ washeth only his feet with which he began at first For he that is washed saith he needeth not save to wash his feet As if he had said Peter I need not wash thy hands and head these are clean enough already but thy feet can never be washt too much for they will presently be foul again See how fitly Christ turneth his speech from outward things to spiritual From washing the members of the body he passeth on to the washing of the inward parts of the soul it self which are the affections here meant by the feet As in every employment the feet tread on the ground so this our mortal life cannot continue without our affections The affections interpose themselves in all businesses so that if any shall say they need not washing and cleansing he is altogether mistaken If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves 1 John 1. and the truth is not in us He washeth our feet daily who maketh intercession for us in Heaven continually That we have need of this daily washing we acknowledge when we pray Matth 6. forgive us our trespasses c. Now Christ in saying He that is washed c. plainly sheweth that we need a two-fold washing 1. The first is when the whole body is washed the inbred pollution the other when the feet are cleansed from that dust and dirt which daily cleaveth to them Christ by his blood hath washed us both these wayes First at the Font where the whole man is washed from his inbred uncleanness his original sin This is done and that but once at the Font. Wherefore he saith He that is washed needeth not So to be washt again in Baptism Once Baptized is sufficient Only we must have a care to wash our feet often And 2. This second Baptism is not in the Font but in Podoniptro in true Repentance which purgeth our daily sins There is a second Table in which they may escape by swimming who have made Ship-wrack after the first washing This is the washing of which Isaiah speaketh Wash ye make ye clean c. Is 1. This washing of the feet by
yet because Luke hath inserted it in the Passion of our Lord we will not pass it by For it doth fairly picture out the humane nature and disposition that was in the Apostles who contended for primacy at that time when they saw such great Patterns of Humility and Modesty and when the greatest tribulation was at hand But what our Translation renders strife or contention that Luke calleth Philoniciam i. e. Love of Victory We read more then once how the Apostles contended about Primacy Matth. 18. 20. After the payment of tribute they askt Christs opinion and desired him to decide the matter which of them should be the greatest So when the sons of Zebedee sought the uppermost seat in Christs Kingdom then they strove about this thing And here in this place 1. Perhaps Judas his going from them gave the occasion For till his hatred was discovered they suspected one another and so from hence quickly fell to quarrelling every one disdaining to be inferiour to other and to be or but thought to be less faithfull to Christ 2. Their Lords own withdrawing which he spake of before to them might happily give them occasion to enquire what they should do and who should have the chief management of things when their Master was gone from them Here now as commonly it is none could well bear to submit to another and so as he thought be undervalued which is no strange thing that it should be so with the Apostles who were men and not yet confirmed by the Holy Spirit nor fully understanding the Kingdom of Christ Now Christ neither will nor can he endure by any means this Philotimie or greedy desire of Glory which is the root of Philonicie or love of Victory whence all contention ariseth For where one will rule and none submit where all will be Lords and none subjects there Christ hath no more to do What then My Disciples and Children saith he do not do thus it is very unseemly and doth not at all become you I would not have it so among you Consider I pray what think ye Do you not desire to Lord it like the world but do you see any such thing in me where got ye this thought whence came this great desire ye that are servants would ye once more be greater than me your Lord Indeed the Romans and other Gentiles go about to compass to themselves worldly glory and greatness and above all things desire to domineer and rule over others They hunt after great Titles not only to be called Kings Princes Euergetae Pater patriae and Rulers but also Benefactors and Fathers of their Country as if they did help do good and provide for all and were more like Fathers than exactors and oppressors when indeed they do generally behave themselves otherwise And ye fisher-men of Galiles will you be like these and do as the Heathen do Indeed ye are very fit for that glory such honour would well become you which the Gentiles have and so much aspire unto But if the name and profession of a Jew will not beat you off from following the Gentiles yet at least let my Example take ye off Ye see what I do For I am your Lord and Master I might command I might Lord it I might call every creature to serve me yet I forbear I abase my self so far as to serve and let you sit still I wait on you as your hired servant John 6. The Kingdom was mine and 't was offer'd to me but I would none of it I refus'd it What I might have had Angels as well as men to serve me but you see I do not so See I say and consider well how low and how abased I am I have put off the form of God wherein I was and have taken upon me the form of a servant Phil. 2. Psalm 8. I have made my self a little less than the Angels What a shame then would it be to you to grow proud under so humble a Master After this manner Christ checks the ambition of the Apostles and elswhere also he useth almost the same expressions But every where he doth smartly nip them knowing what a Tyrant Ambition would be and what mischiefs it would bring in if it were not restrain'd and kept under If ever any King or Prince might be called Euergeta a Benefactor surely never any better deserved the name then our Lord Jesus the King of Israel Pliny writing of Trajâ—n saith Thou of all men dost least esteem thy own courtesies whereas thou livest in the City as a Parent with his Children But what was that Paternal love which Trajan shewed to his Citizens in comparison of Christs charity to the Apostles and to us all But what follows Ye are they which have continued with me in my Temptations And I appoint you a Kingdom c. There is a good coherence between these and the foregoing words As he had sharply reproved them before so now he doth smooth them with Promises and stroke them with Praises yet so directeth his speech that the Apostles might well desist from their ambition q.d. Why do ye so hunt after worldly power and domination Stay a little I will promote you to Heavenly Power John 6. There are better and greater-things laid up for you than ye are aware of For ye are they that have stood it out with me when many others turned their backs upon me being offended at my approaching Passion but Judas especially Acts 1. he went to his own place but ye have not flincht at any of my Temptations those many which Satan hath raised against me these three years For this your doing be assured that I will prepare a Heavenly Kingdom for you by my Passion where ye shall raign with all power and glory as true Kings and Princes And because earthly Kings abound with all delicacies of meat but specially of drink Lo I provide so for you too that there ye may eat and drink with me at my Table as my fellow-heirs Rom. 8. Which we must not so understand as if there were eating and drinking in Heaven but Christ speaketh anagogically or as Theophylact saith Metaphorically because there is most of that in Kings Courts Lastly saith Christ lest ye should want any thing to compleat your Government whereas worldly Kings use to sit upon stately Thrones 1 King 10. and Judge others as we read of Solomon Behold I prepare this also that ye my Apostles may sit hereafter with me upon Royal Thrones and Judge all the Tribes of Israel which believe not in me If ye seek to rule over Israelites lo they shall be subjected to you What look ye for more Can ye wish or desire more Is there the like again in all the world What 's the glory of the world the kingdom of the world the delights of the world to the Glory Kingdom and delights of heaven Who then would not willingly despise the glory of the
honest men if they were but compared with this perfidious wretched Villain for what was all their Treasons to this 1. Now this Treachery of Judas was figured out in Joab who also betrayed and cut off two famous men 2 Sam. 3.20 Abner and Amasa with a kiss 2. To conclude this Treason of Judas did prefigure the crafty devises of Hereticks who indeed counterfeit themselves to be the friends of Truth but are the Betrayers of it For by flattery and fair speeches they beguil the hearts of the simple Jer. 6. They say as in the Prophet Peace Peace where there is no Peace They have Christ much in their mouth but most of all oppose the faith of him very like the Traytor Judas who are also appointed to the same condemnation Jesus therefore knowing all things that should come upon him John 18.4 went forth and said unto them Whom seek ye They answered him Jesus of Nazareth Jesus saith unto them I am he And Judas also which betrayed him stood with them Assoon then as he had said unto them I am he they went backward and fell on the ground Then asked he them again Whom seek ye And they said Jesus of Nazareth Jesus answered I have told ye that I am he if therefore ye seek me let these go their way That the saying might be fulfilled which he spake Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none All these things were thus done and written that by most manifest Arguments we might see that Christ came to the Cross willingly and of his own accord For if he had been compel'd to the Cross by humane force or fraud the world would have appeared to be more crafty and stronger than he and consequently that Christ had not been God For what kind of God is he against whom the world is able to prevail Again He had not manifested so much love if he had suffered death unwillingly and by constraint But it is most plain in that the Evangelists do every where shew that he could not be surprized by fraud or humane force till he himself pleased I say it is plain that he was both wiser and stronger than the world and so his love did thereby shine forth more clearly All which make much for our comfort For as he said before John 13.1 that knowing his hour was now come that he should now pass out of this world c. having loved his own c. So now also although he truly knew not only some things but all that should come upon him yea and knew them most perfectly too and that they were hard at hand yet did he not shrink or flee or hide himself but continued his love to us unto the end And therefore he went out to meet his enemies single by himself against many without any weapon against those that were armed that they might all see he did not fear death At other times we often read that he made an escape Joh. 8. 11. and hid himself but now he doth voluntarily meet his enemies The time which his Father had prefixed was now come In both he was our example For by his flight and hiding himself he taught us not to tempt God but by meeting his foes he instructed us readily to resign our selves to the Will of God and to obey him with all cheerfulness of mind Thus Paul sometimes fled without intreaty but at last he would not be perswaded when the Brethren earnestly intreated him with many tears to make his escape What mean you saith he to weep Acts 9. Acts 21.13 and to break my heart here he offered himself to the Will of God there he would not tempt God rashly Doing both in faith For we can do neither without the help of God We cannot avoid an imminent danger if the hand of God rescue us not neither can we resign our selves to the Will of God except the Spirit of God assist us It is also to be observed John 6. that Christ conveighed himself from them that would have made him a King and no marvel For he that exalteth himself shall be brought low Kingdoms and Empires for the most part are nothing but steep places for men to fall from and break their necks Contrariwise when they sought to crucifie him he came out to meet them For he knew that the Cross was the way to the Father Let us also learn in the hope of future happiness not to be affrighted at present and momentany evils and not so much regard what we suffer but consider that by our sufferings we are going toward our Father See how forward Christ was to suffer For he doth not only meet his Adversaries but first asks them whom they sought He might have rebuked them sharply and cast his former benefits with their ingratitude and impiety in their Teeth yea he might have destroyed them all at one beck However he doth not so but with fair words he asked them what they sought as if he knew nothing of their design This was not the time of his Judgement but of his shewing Mercy He would not be passionate but patient and overcome evil with good Therefore he speaks to them in a familiar manner Whom seek yee 1. By which word he did warn them that they should take heed what they did Saith he Whom seek ye even an innocent person and him whom ye know by his Signs and Miracles which he did Gen. 4. that he is more and greater than a man Consider well t is no small offence to seek the death of the innocent For the blood of the innocent reacheth unto Heaven But t is much more hainous to sin against God If one man sin against another the Judge shall judge him 1 Sam. 2.25 but if a man sin against God who shall entreat for him 2. By this word Whom seek ye Christ jeereth their needless preparations he mocketh at their fear Whom saith he do yee seek i. e. What need these arms Whom do you fear Is it me who have no Weapon about me or do ye seek for my Disciples who also are unarmed men He doth not tell them at first sight I am he whom ye look for though he knew their enterprize but first asketh them that he might take occasion from their answer to confute them and that all the world might see and know that such a huge multitude went out to take one single man as they themselves confess that they did seek but for one 3. He first askt his Adversaries whom they sought after before he let them lay hands on him because thereby he might yet extend and offer Grace unto them q.d. To this end was I sent that I might hold forth unto all men and bestow it too upon them And as many as have sought me with a good heart hitherto know it full well to be true Therefore if ye also seek for Grace lo here I am and ready to
teeth of the children of men are spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword Psal 57. Thou seest also the perverse mind of those men They think to be converted is to pervert they put good for evil and evil for good Lastly they lye most notoriously They accuse him for three things 1. He perverteth the Nation say they from the Law and Worship of God This they were by no means able to prove For Christ never led away or call'd any man off from the Law and Worship of God but rather put all men upon the observation of Gods Law and Service Mat. 5. where he saith I came not to destroy the Law and the Prophets c. And therefore he doth there expound the Law unto them To be turned from the Pharisaical Traditions is not to be drawn off from God or from Gods Word and Worship 2. They object against Christ that he forbad to pay Tribute to Caesar This was a manifest falshood for it is evident to all the world that Christ commanded to give unto Caesar the things that were Caesars Mat. 22. And not only so but Christ himself paid the toll-mony Mat. 17. Finally he took care by the Apostle Paul that this very thing should be given in charge to all Christians Ro. 13. 3. They charge him for saying he was the King Messias Neither did these lying men hear Christ speak any of all this For he never spake so plainly of himself although it was all very true For he was I say and is the King Messias and hath proved him self to be so for which he doth not so much deserve to be accused as commended How durst thou then O thou Jew to cry out He said that he was the Messias Why didst not thou put this in also that he was born after the same manner nature time and place as the Messias was to be born And that he preached the Kingdom of God and did work such Miracles as never any else did yea and those very Miracles which the Prophets foretold of the Messias But here their malice blinded them that they could see nothing but what made against Christ These wicked men knew that Pilate would be netled and grow impatient to hear of Treason Therefore they harp so much on this string and so often with envy inculcate the name of King For his other Names as Christ and Messias Pilate did not so much regard Christ was charged with these three things as a Transgressor of the Law of God of the Law of man and of the Law of nature 1. As a Transgressor against the Law of God as one that had taught false Doctrine and did labour to draw men off from God 2. Against the Law of man in that he moved sedition 3. Against the Law of nature as one denying Tribute to the civil Magistrate These are the Accusations which our conscience must have been charged with all and that justly too before the Judgement seat of God But Christ took them all upon him that we might for ever be freed from them Therefore 1. Be thou thankfull unto him who was unjustly accused and was contented so to be to deliver thee from a just Accusation 2. Learn thou also to bear the unjust slanders of men patiently For thou art not greater then thy Lord. And by all means do thou beware that thou accuse not Christ by murmuring against God c. Now when Pilate had heard the Accusation he went again into the Judgement Hall wherein he did the duty of a just Judge For 1. Although the Jews flockt together in great multitudes as if they would force the Judge to pass sentence yet Pilate was not daunted And t is the Wise mans Counsell that none should defire the place of a Judge unless he hath a spirit and courage enough that dares controll wicked men though never so potent and not to fear the faces of any so as to pervert Judgement for them Eccl. 7. 2. Although the Jews laid many and grievous things to the charge of Christ yet he did not suddenly give credit to them notwithstanding they were men of great power and Authority but doth first examine the cause 3. He doth ask Christ privately by himself and question him alone lest Christ should be baffled by his potent Adversaries and not suffered to answer for himself 4. He doth not threaten or rayl at him but speaks him fair and gives him very good language It becomes a Judge to be civil and courteous For he also must come before his Judge Wisd 7. 5. Lastly Of all the Accusations which the Jews brought in against him he takes notice but of one the rest he past over in silence These are the Properties of a good Judge There was nothing wanting in Pilate but Faith and the fear of God which whosoever hath not he will not long continue just and honest as we shall see anon in Pilate But what is that about which Pilate did examine Christ Art thou saith he the King of the Jews This was the crime which he enquired after because it concern'd Caesars Majesty and the publique peace and was that which might have some probability in it For about Christs time there were many mutinies and seditions among the Jews raised by Judas of Galilee and by a certain Aegyptian Prophet also by one Theudas and Caphedon as Josephus reporteth It was probable Christ might be of the same gang with those seditious persons inasmuch as he taught some new things never heard of before and the common sort of people were wonderfully taken with him Now those seditions did spring from hence viz. because the seventy weeks spoken of in Daniel 9. were now almost expired and the Messias was earnestly looked for every moment to restore the people to their former freedom and deliver them from the Roman Yoke Many therefore arrogating to themselves the honour of the Messias and promising the people liberty became thereby the Ring-leaders of such as revolted from the Roman Empire And most of the people did conjecture that Jesus was that long expected Messias For if he had not made an escape they had chosen him King John 6. Pilate therefore understanding nothing of the Spiritual Kingdom of the Messias and minding only a carnal Kingdom and Empire could not but take notice of the Title King which was fastned on him not so much out of fear for Caesar as himself Therefore demanded whether he were King of the Jews For the Wise men had called him King of the Jews Mat. 2. And the people called him King of Israel John 12. And truly so he was King of the Iews and of Israel too but not in Pilates sense But why do I say King of the Iews Christ was and is King of all Kings yea and of all people in the World 1 Tim. 6. Psalm 47. Now as in the first place the Worlds great complaint against Christ is that he will not hold his peace and let the World alone and be
the innocency of Christ Nor could they be thus asswaged but when they heard that he should be released they cryed out the more vehemently and were more impatient then before Those bloody minded men would be satisfied with nothing but his death They would have the memory of him wholly abolished Therefore they thought it not enough and could not be contented that Christ should only be chastised and scape with nothing but scourges But Christ makes no further answer to all that they charged upon him no not when Pilate questioned and chid him for it For all that they objected against him did not deserve an answer Well might he be silent who had no need to make his defence Let them go about to defend themselves saith Ambrose who are afraid to be worsted in their cause He doth not then confirm their Accusation by his silence but sleights it by not wrangling against it Pilate indeed takes it in great dudgin and disdain that he who had answered so handsomely before him in private should now say nothing before the people And therefore first he doth wonder at his patience for never in all his life before did he know any man that was accused but he would use his tongue to the utmost to plead for his life and seek by all means possible to defend himself Secondly He doth admire that seeing he was guiltless he doth not petition for his liberty and enlargement Thirdly He doth think it strange that he was no more afraid to dye He sees no cause he had to be silent but great reason why he should speak for himself because he that is convicted should stop his mouth and hold his peace and not he that is innocent and clear Here then was fulfilled that of David But I was as a deaf man and heard not and as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth I was as a man that heareth not and in whose mouth are no reproofs Psalm 38. Christ by this his Example taught us what Weapons Christians ought to fight with against Death and the deceits of the World and against the Accusations of our Adversaries to wit with innocency patience and silence In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength Isa 30. It follows Now at the Feast the Governour was wont to release unto the people a prisoner Mat. 27.15 whom they would And they had then a notable prisoner called Barabbas Which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him who had committed murther in the insurrection And the multitude crying out began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them Mar. 15.7 Pilate saith unto them ye have a custom that I should release one unto you at the Passover John 18.39 When they were gathered together he said unto them Whom will ye that I release unto you Barabbas or Jesus the King of the Jews which is called Christ For he knew that for envy they the chief Priests had delivered him Mat. 27.17 But the chief Priests and Elders stirred up the multitude and perswaded them that they should rather ask Barabbas and destroy Jesus The Governour answered and said unto them Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you And the whole multitude cryed out all at once saying away with this man and release unto us Barabbas Luk. 23.18 Pilate therefore willing to release Jesus spake again to them and said what will ye then that I shall do with Jesus whom ye call the King of the Jews And they all cryed out again Crucifie him Crucifie him He saith unto them the third time why what evil hath he done I have found no cause of death in him I will therefore chastise him and let him go And they cryed the more saying let him be crucified And they were instant with loud voyces requiring that he might be crucified and the voyces of them and of the chief Priests prevailed This custom of releasing one prisoner at the Passover arose from their deliverance out of Aegypt which was upon the day of the Passover And this custom had a great shew of piety in it but it was clean contrary to the law of God which commandeth that none but offenders should be punished Nor had the Iews any need to be put in mind of their deliverance heretofore out of Aegypt by this releasing of a prisoner For God himself had Instituted a memorable and remarkable sign of this thing to wit the Paschal Lamb and so that whole Festival But they not content with this sign which God had Instituted did institute another and that quite contrary to the Law of God Thus Hypocrites are not content with the bare Word of God but alwayes either add something of their own invention unto it or prefer it before the Word of God But again we here see a most notable passage of prudence and civil righteousness in Pilate And I heartily wish that we might have no worse and more indiscreet Magistrates Indeed we do desire good and godly Princes in a Common-wealth But if for our iniquities we do deserve none but ungodly Magistrates we wish they may be as good and as prudent as Pilate was For consider I pray 1. With what Wisdom he endeavoured to set Christ at liberty For when he could not do it by force and might because of the peoples uproar and the power and importunity of the High Priests he attempts it in a wise and judicious way proposing their own custom and offering to give them satisfaction before they desired it at his hands For by this means he hoped to have bowed the Jews and made their minds flexible to him herein so that they would have yielded and have been willing to release Christ inasmuch as he offered to confirm their custom with such readiness though he were an Heathen and thereby to shew no small favour to their Kingdom Ye have a Custom saith he c. 2. He doth very wisely propound those two and no more unto them He doth propose no other with Christ unto them but that notorious Villain Barabbas whom he knew to be a most mischievous and pestilent fellow to them all so that it could not be suspected that they would absolve him but when he had set them both before them they might be put in mind of what both of them had done Whether of the twain saith he would ye c. And he calleth Jesus the King of the Jews that so he might seem either a little to appeach their Kingdom or at least abate and mitigate their fury with some laughter and merriment and withall shew them that he was falsly accused of this crime For a Roman Viceroy would never have released one that was accused to undermine the Roman Government if but in the least he had apprehended him to be guilty The Evangelists on the contrary do describe and set forth this Thief in his colours that the malice of the Jews may appear to be the greater who would prefer
of a thorn that we can hardly endure it 1. First Then these thorns were the covetousness and riches of the Pharisees which moved them to persecute Christ The world cannot be content to scratch it self with its own thorns i. e. Riches but it must vex its Neighbour too and dishonour God either by getting them dishonestly or keeping them too niggardly 2. Secondly These thorns are our sins For because of mans sin the earth fell under this curse that it should bring forth thistles and thorns Gen. 3. So that we also as well as the souldiers did put this Crown of thorns upon the holy head of Jesus For 't was we that sinned though Christ bare the punishment of our sins See and consider this thou graceless and grateless man who dost now give up thy self to vanity and pleasure while Christ sits with a Crown of thorns on his head See I say how grievously Chrirst was afflicted for the expiating of our pride and vanity For this Crown besides the pain that it caused was contemptuous and reproachfull it was full of confusion Both which were our due as well the punishment as the eternal consusion Wherefore Christ underwent both for us O the unspeakble charity of Christ indeed towards us But on the contrary O the detestable ingratitude of us for the same 4. The souldiers put a Reed into the hands of Christ for his Kingly Scepter and this they did out of disdain to him thereby signifying that he had made himself a King and yet he had nothing to carry it out in the port of a King but such as his Scepter was such was his Kingdom even a vain empty and frail Kingdom 5. They bowed the knee before him mocking and scoffing at him in that scornfull salutation saying Hail King of the Jews Here we may much bewail the great malice of these wicked men For how could they have more basely abused the most vile and contemptible man in the world and yet for all that our Jesus doth still continue to be the true King of Israel even in spite of Pilate and his souldiers notwithstanding they had used him worse than they did I say he is still a King now they are hurried into the infernal fire to be burned everlastingly Therefore we are not ashamed to hear of those unheard of abuses of our Lord but are thereby rather strengthened and incouraged to undergo the like Now these wicked Worshippers shadowed those Hypocrites who by their outward deportment and a pish gestures feign themselves to be very godly people when their hearts are lewd and unbelieving and most remote from God 6. They smote him on the face with the palms of their hands There is nothing more cruel and more void of all compassion than a wicked man And therefore in the Psalms the Persecutors of Christ are compared to Lions Buls Dogs and Calves by reason of their petulancy and cruelty Moreover Ungodly men do always add sin unto sin as if they could never sin enough Hence saith Isaiah Wo unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity Isa 5. After they had done mocking Christ they buffet him They fall from jest to earnest from sport to spurning from words to blows for so wicked men are wont first to scoff then to strike and so to spue up and disgorge all their rage and fury against those that are made miserable Thus it befell Christ the King of all Glory and thus it befalls all those that bear his Cross after him However we know that as all scourgings and whippings so all buffetings and beatings which the godly do undergo are all sanctified in Christ And therefore he that gives blow for blow what else doth he but thrust away and cast off sanctification from him 7. They spit upon him which is the highest disdain and contempt of all Eternal God how comes it to pass that thy creature man should be so unspeakably wicked and abusive as to bespit his own Lord and Saviour Who can but tremble to hear it only Brethren consider here that wonderfull patience of Christ and his truly to be admired silence 8. They smite him on the head with a reed on that head which all the devils in hell should tremble at and all the powers of Heaven reverence and which all the Saints do worship I say that everlastingly blessed head from which all blessing is derived unto us and doth descend upon us By this smiting the prickle of the thorns did more and more pierce the crown of his sacred head whence it did still bleed and the blood gushed out afresh so that all his body neck and face were tinctur'd and dyed therewith and by reason of the execrable spittle of the souldiers which was mixed with it they made his beautifull and lovely face look most rufully and like a Leper according to the Prophesie so often already alledged Isa 53. We saw him saith he and there was no comliness that we should desire him he is despised and rejected of men and we hid our faces from him or his face was hid from us It was hid indeed because of the tumours wounds spittle and blood Therefore saith he we accounted him as a Leper and stricken and humbled of God The souldiers then did all these things unto him because the Jews had told them that he did much affect to be a King and to reign over the Jews This was the ground of all the sport which they made with the Crown Clothing Scepter and scoffing adoration See here a Spectacle never before in the world nor never heard of untill now except that afterwards some of the Martyrs suffered the like in contempt of Christ Who could have believed these things or who would have dared to preach them if they had not been written in the Gospel But because they are written we boldy believe and preach them Who can but tremble to hear these things seeing it is most certain that we must have endured them eternally I mean the worm and sting of conscience the dirision of all the creatures and a final separation from God himself if Christ had not voluntarily undergone them for us This grain of wheat was thus to be multiplied it is sown in most abominable contempt that it might sprout and grow up most wonderfully unto Glory Thus the Kingdom which was not of this world did conquer and overcome the proud world not by cruelty of battel but by humility of sufferings and patience The tremendous and fearfull power was hid and concealed awhile that the imitable patience and sufferings of him might be set forth and commended unto us Mean while what those souldiers did in greatest contempt and cruel mockery this Christ the Power and Wisdom of God did not only undertake and endure but took care that it might be done profitably and with good advantage which was mystically thus 1. The Mystical sense The Purple Robe which was a sign of royal Majesty did signifie that Christ
having overcome all enemies to wit the Devil Sin the World and Hell it self should set all mankind at liberty again Or by the Purple mantle is signified the service of love which he performed for us and to us in his Passion For Scarlet in grain is of the colour of fire which the Lord commanded should be taken for the service of his Tabernacle when it was twice dipt Exod. 28.5 to signifie our love to God and to our Neighbour whence it is that whatsoever we offer by fire and that will endure the test is well pleasing in the sight of God Now Christ out of his exceeding great love to us did drink off the cup of his Passion to the bottom Well therefore might he be clothed with a purple Robe to express this his overflowing charity to us or else it was to shew that he himself was that very self-same one signified by the red Heifer in the Law whose body was commanded to be burnt for a sin-offering without the camp and the ashes thereof to be sprickled upon the people in water Numb 19. 2. The crown of Thorns signified that the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world that is it doth not glitter with stateliness or pomp nor doth it consist of outward force and might but it is thorny and of a scarlet dye that is it is subject to sufferings and afflictions The crowns of the Kings of this world are made part of Iron part of Silver and part of Gold intimating that the Empire of this world consisteth in carnal power lustre and nobleness But Christs crown is made of Thorns thereby hinting unto us that the Kingdom of Christ doth consist and is full of Thorns and Afflictions Such a King as Christ is himself such Kings doth he make us obnoxions to all tribulations If then thou wouldst raign with Christ do not startle at or throw aside the thorny Crown for if thou art crowned here with him with thorns hereafter thou shalt be crowned with him with a crown of Glory and honour Psal 8. 2 Cor. 1. 3. The Reed in his hand signified that he had power to lay down his life and to take it up again Iohn 10. Although they thought no such thing Seeing Christs Kingdom is such a one as grows up among Thorns no marvell that the world doth so scoff and jeer at it 1 Cor. 1. For the Gospel and the preaching of the Cross is foolishness to the world When they heard say that Christ was a King but seeing him crowned with Thorns they disdained and made light of him hearing that the Gospel promiseth freedom from all evil and seeing it come along accompanied with nothing but the cross they â—…out and â—…eer at it When they hear that Christians are Kings over sin and death yet seeing that they are sick and dye as well as others they do but laugh at it Christians therefore do look like fools to the world because they hope for ayd and deliverance but for all that are at present overwhelmed with all manner of miseries Hence it was that Iobs Wife said to him Dost thou still retain thine integrity Curse God and dye Job 2. But however the cross and afflictions crush Christ he is nevertheless and will be a King with all Saints which will appear to be so one day whether the world will believe it now or no. It follows John 19.4 Pilate therefore went forth again and saith unto them Behold I bring him forth to you that you may know that I find no fault in him Then came Jesus forth wearing the Crown of Thorns and the Purple Robe and Pilate saith unto them behold the man When the chief Priests therefore and the Officers saw him they cryed out saying Crucifie him Crucifie him Pilate saith unto them take ye him and crucifie him for I find no fault in him The Jews answered him we have a law and by our law he ought to dye because he made himself the Son of God When Pilate therefore heard that saying he was the more afraid and went again into the Judgement Hall and saith unto Jesus Whence art thou But Jesus gave him no answer Then Pilate saith unto him speakest thou not unto me Knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie thee and have power to release thee Jesus answered Thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him But the Jews cryed out saying if thou let this man go thou art not Caesars friend whosoever maketh himself a King speaketh against Caesar 'T is not to be uttered what the malice of the Jews plotted against Christ how earnestly they did press and urge against him what various and several things they invented to crucifie an innocent Christ As for any thing concerning the civil Laws Christ ought to have been set at liberty inasmuch as the Judge was satisfied in his opinion and the civil Laws do appoint but one punishment for one offence But thus Christ and they that are his do speed in this world they can scarcely find civil honest Judges Christ ought to have been absolved by the Judges sentence forasmuch as he had now suffered the punishment pronounced against him But wickedness is so insatiable that it will not be satisfied when punishment is inflicted although the Judge himself doth omit nothing that might tend to Christs liberty but doth use his utmost endeavour to effect it excepting only this that in the end he doth suffer himself to be prest to do open injustice for fear of his Superiours How much had he done and stood hitherto on the behalf of Christ How many consultations had he and how did he debate the business in his behalf But all his art and skill neither could nor ought to take place for God had otherwise determined Indeed Pilate doth now openly and sharply speak to the Jews endeavouring what possibly he could to maintain what was just and honest And then he examineth Jesus in private that he might find out the truth of the mattter but all that he attempted was to no purpose Now when his servants had most miserably and most shamefully abused and made sport with Jesus he offers to shew him to the people in that pittifull pickle and deformity if thereby happily he might move them to some compassion Pilate therefore went out again but not altogether so hot and zealous to do him right as when he went out before He had not a little swerved from the right Rule of true Justice when he did but scourge innocent Jesus Now he brings him out again and sets Christ before them that ye may know said he that I find no fault at all in him He doth here again acknowledge that Christ was innocent and that it was plain injustice to proceed any further against him Nay he doth clearly confess that he had gone beyond his
like a Lyon that is greedy of his prey Psalm 17. Now the Lyon when he hath got his prey he doth carry it away presently lest it should be taken from him The Lyons whelps instantly devour that part of the prey which their Sires bring to the Dens lest the other yong Lyons should snatch it out oft heir paws And thus they dealt with Christ So do these wicked men seem to prevail for this was their hour and power of darkness Not that the wicked do truly and indeed prevail against Christ but in that he emptied himself and was made obedient even to the death of the Cross The Souldiers are here Emphatically expressed for these also mocked Christ in Pilates house and now they take the place of hangmen to lead away Christ and crucifie him for this was not a meet work for the Iews But for all that the chief Priests of the Iews ought more justly to be termed the crucifiers of Christ inasmuch as they first laid hands on him and were the cause of his death And indeed they were the true crucifiers of him So that Peter tells them Ye by wicked hands have crucified and slain Acts 2. And a little after Even Iesus whom ye have crucified hath God raised from the dead Stephen tells them the same calling them the betrayers and murtherers of Jesus that just One Acts 7. Paul saith plainly that the Jews did crucifie the Lord of Glory 1 Cor. 2. For what they did by other hands is all one as if they had done it by their own The Souldiers then took Jesus for he was now delivered into their power and not only unto their power but also to their most perverse and wicked will And because they were in earnest they now pull off the jesting garment and put his own cloaths upon him again to his greater confusion and to make the more sport with him that he might be the better known by his own cloaths forasmuch as he could hardly be known by his face it was so spit on buffeted beaten and deformed But the Crown they let alone upon his head for they would not in the least lighten or lessen his pains although this was done by Gods providence to shew that Christ who was once crowned King abideth a King for ever nor can any take away his Kingdom or pull his Crown off from him his Royal Crown Therefore it became him to clime the Cross when he was crowned that in that his Sacrifice he might at once shew himself to be both King and Priest So they led him away Thus these wicked Husbandmen cast the Son and Heir of the Father out of his Vineyard Mat. 21. Here comes in that Figure of the Goat which was to be offered for sin Levit. 16. That was to be burnt without the Camp but his blood was to be sprinkled within the City in three places The Tabernacle was to be sprinkled with it in the inside and the Sanctuary and the Altar on the outside So the Lord Jesus who was to wash away the sins of all men sprinkled his blood within the City in three places in the house of Caiaphas without Pilates Hall when he was tyed to the whipping post and in the Judgement Hall when he was crowned with Thorns Now being to be burnt through his abundant love upon the Cross he is led without the City And he is not brought forth as a Preacher of the Truth but he is cryed out upon mockt derided hissed at as a Prevaricator as a Thief as a Magician as a Seducer as a Blasphemer All they that see me saith he laugh me to scorn they shoot out the lip and shake the head Psalm 22. And again They that sit in the gate speak against me and I was the song of the drunkards Psalm 69. Thus he is led forth he that leadeth his people out of Babylon the City of the Devil and the congregation of wicked men into Jerusalem the holy Church He that took his people out of Hell to be his Inheritance is now cast out of his own Heritage He came unto his own and his own received him not He that delivered his people from the fellowship of Devils is now led forth among Thieves and Rogues He that leads his people to Triumph is now led or rather drag'd to death Thus cursed Cain leads his innocent brother into the field to kill him Gen 4. O how unlike was this out-leading of Christ unto that when hereto fore heled their Fathers out of Aegypt There it is said He brought them forth with joy and gladness but here he is led out with great anxiety and sorrow They were brought forth with silver and gold Psalm 105.37,43 but he is led forth in greatest misery and want O miserable out-leading indeed He was not so entertain'd in the City but six dayes ago for then he was desired as the Sacrificial Lamb now he is slain then they bore up his Ass now his knees falter under the burdensom Cross then he was accompanied with his Disciples now he is made a companion for Thieves and Robbers then they strawed the cross-wayes with Flowers Palm branches and garments now they force him to run through mire and dirt to go through thick and thin they drive him along rough and stony-places then the very boyes did even melt their mouths into praises saving Glory honour and praise be unto thee O Christ our King and Redeemer Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord Hosanna in the Highest but now all is full of nothing but wrong reproach derision and cursing O how unlike each other are these Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord and Away with him away with him crucifie him How unlike are these King of Israel and We have no King but Caesar How unlike are green Branches and the Cross Flowers and Thorns And that this Eduction may be made more penal to him they make him carry his own cross a thing never seen or heard of before this they compell him to carry from Pilates house out of the City whereby they might make his sin greater then the sin of those Thieves and that the sufferings of Christ might more perfectly satisfie for our sins And he went forth saith he bearing his Cross A grand Spectacle a great gazing-stock indeed but to a godly man this is a great Mysterie for here that of Isaiah was fulfilled The Government shall be upon his shoulders Isa 9. The Government of Christ is his Cross for submitting whereunto he was exalted of the Father Phil. 2. Here those Figures were fulfilled for here is Abel led forth by his brother to be kill'd Here is Isaac with the wood and Abraham with the Ram caught in the thicket Gen. 22. Here is Joseph with his party-coloured coat besmeared with blood Gen. 37. Here is Moses with his Serpent put upon the Pole Numb 21. Here is the Bunch of Grapes upon the Staff Numb 13. O how bitter
desire that the title should be altered Thus wickedness is loath to be seen when it doth wickedly but would fain palliate and cloak its naughtiness But Pilate had not respect to their infamy and disgrace but to his own safety when he set up that Title and therefore would not change it But if he did write that Title contrary to their intention yet nevertheless our Jesus Christ of Nazareth would have been King not only of the Iews but of all other people besides For he had not his Kingly Name from Pilates inscription but from the will and calling of the Father who anointed him thereunto But as those things which Christ had spoken concerning his Kingdom did still continue so spoken so what Pilate had written remained still written And truly Pilate among so many errours of fickleness and cowardize yet in this one thing he did well not to alter the Title For there could be no truer title written on the cross of Christ then this It concerns us to make good use of that title T is not enough to write it on our walls unless we write it also in our hearts Wherefore if any misery or misfortune trouble thee remember that Jesus is thy King and thine Avenger and thou shalt not want relief or comfort If thou art a sinner consider that Jesus is he who saved his people from their sins and thou wilt be incouraged against thy sins c. It follows in the Text. Then the Souldiers when they had crucified Jesus John 19.23 took his Garments and made four parts to every Souldier a part and also his coat now the coat was without seam woven from the top thorowout They said therefore among themselves Let us not rent it but cast Lots for it whose it shall be that the Scripture might be fulfilled which saith They parted my Rayment among them and for my Vesture they did cast Lots And sitting down they watched him there Mat. 27.36 These things therefore the Souldiers did When our most holy Lord was suffering on the cross the Souldiers just as hangmen use to do hale and pull his cloaths off him and because they had power given them to put him to death when he was condemned they had leave also to take his cloaths when he was dead although it may be supposed that Christs cloaths could do those Souldiers but little good so that they divided them rather out of a custom to satisfie their lusts then for any advantage they made of them Thus our Lord Jesus was so proscribed and all that he had openly set to sale as an offender and guilty person that he could not so much as dispose of his own cloaths to his dearest friends who would carefully have laid them up and kept them charily as a great Treasure But when his body was brim full of reproaches revilings and abuses he was content that the hangmen should have his cloaths for their pains All which was done 1. That the Scriptures might be fulfilled Psaâ—… 22. For David plainly foretold this that it should so be Not only the more remarkable things of Christ but also the smallest Circumstances were foretold of him in the Scriptures that by all alike we might be led into the very truth it self and be kept from errour by one as well as by another And truly it is a great Testimony to our faith that the Prophesies of all the Prophets were so clearly and plainly fulfilled in our Nazarite The Jews are never able to find out any other man in all the world in whom the whole Scripture doth so meet and agree 2. This division of Christs cloaths was to signifie and set forth a Mysterie and to shew how it would be in time to come For 1. The Garments of Christ do signifie the holy Scriptures which heady and rash Hereticks rent and tear into divers and various senses For wicked men will take nothing out of the Scripture but what will serve their turn best and are content to hold the Truth of God by parts and parcels and so the Devil will own and keep to Scripture Mat. 4. if he may be allowed to pick and chuse as he lift And whereas the Lord had more than one Garment it signifieth the many volumes of the Scriptures with which the Word of God is clad The seamless coat doth fitly set forth one intire inviolable Catholick Faith which those heretical souldiers could not rent cut and abolish yet they would cast lots for it Hereticks do not deny Faith and the Gospel but they do so play with the Scripture and darken it with such obscure words dead and dallying glosses that one can hardly find and know Christ by it Or more properly thus The four parts of Christs cloaths signifie the Church which is parted into four parts extending to the four parts of the world and yet is and ever will be but one The seamless coat which was not divided signifieth the unity of all the parts which is bound about with the girdle of Charity If this Unity be once dissolved the rent is still made wider and the Schism waxeth greater as Augustine saith But lots are cast for this coat for all men have not faith All run indeed but one receiveth the prize 1 Cor. 9. Hereticks endeavour to rend this Unity and thereby cut themselves off from the Church but yet the Unity of faith still hath and ever will be the same 2. The Garment of Christ is his humanity which is distributed and preached over the four parts of the world and is and hath been so published and divulged that wicked men are not able to conceal or hide it any longer 3. Christs cloaths are temporal goods and these also he doth freely bestow upon wicked men yea he doth suffer them to snatch them off and scrape and rake them to themselves But spirituall things he doth bequeath and give to the godly and with them he doth bestow himself also upon them 4. The Saints and good men are the Garments of Christ who cleave and keep close to Christ as 't is prophesied of them As the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man So have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel Jer. 13.11 By the parting of Christs rayment the nature and property of the world is signified and how it doth deal with the godly in this life For good men seem to lye open wholly to the will and pleasure of evil men in this world but for all that Christs coat is rent that is although the godly are derided and tossed up and down in the world yet they are not destroyed nor totally rooted out The Evangelist doth emphatically add this in the case These things therefore the souldiers did with which word he shutteth up and concludeth all that they did The Souldiers saith he did these things and what more they should do they could not well tell They had crucified his body and taken the prey but the Power of God
the Word of God they could not destroy And whom may those souldiers who did crucifie Christ and yet strove might and main who should wear his cloaths whom I say do they more properly signifie than those wicked and ungodly high Priests who were more truly souldiers than high Priests For they neglected to search interpret expound and open the Scriptures they sleighted prayer and works of piety they cast off the cure and care of souls they give themselves to nothing but to raise and foment war to maintain their great vast estates and large possessions and most superfluous wealth they shed blood and make nothing to mingle all things and stain them with war and slaughter They divide Churches and Benefices among themselves which ought to be for the maintenance of those that preach the Word and they have not every man one but some two three yea ten Benifices apeice Now they cast lots that is they chop and change fell give to their Kindred and infinite other monstrous things they do to the subversion of Laws Justice Gospel and all honesty Christ looks on all the while and saith nothing but he will not always hold his peace These things saith he hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtst that I was altogether such a one as thy self but thou art much mistaken I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Psalm 50. Let every man therefore look to it how he doth dispose the goods of the Church the cloaths of Christ c. It follows Luke 23.35 Mar. 15.29 Mat. 27.40 And the people stood beholding And they that passed by reviled on him wagging their heads and saying Ah thou that destroyest the Temple of God and buildest it in three days save thy self If thou be the Son of God come down from the Cross Likewise also the chief Priests mocking him among themselves with the Scribes and Elders of the people said He saved others himself he cannot save If he be the King of Israel let him now come down from the Cross if he be the Christ the chosen of God let him save himself that we may see and believe him He trusted in God let him deliver him now if he will have him For he said I am the Son of God Hitherto you have had Charity and Patience to hear what punishment and pain the innocent and most meek Lamb hath suffered Now you hear that after and above all that was foretold he is here set upon and assaulted in his sufferings with revilings reproaches mockings evil speakings c. for when they could no longer buffet and spit upon him they invade and vex him with their taunting tongues The world will omit nothing that may add affliction to the Elect of God for they are not of the world therefore doth the world hate them Christ had many taunts jeers and scoffs cast on him in Caiaphas's house and yet there is no end of them Here first whilst he hangs on the Cross they raise and invent a new and that so devilish a scorn of him that a greater and more bitter one could hardly be imagined First Therefore observe here who it was that did this Secondly How and wherefore they did it 1. First I say they were the chief Priests that did this 2. The Scribes 3. The Elders 4. The Souldiers 5. The Thieves 6. All the people that went by the Cross And what Inhabitant was there in Jerusalem that did not do it the Elect only and Believers excepted Is it not a great fearfull and unspeakable misery that so many men both of high and low degree should so bitterly so inhumanely so venomously so odiously mock him who never did or said any thing in the least that was ridiculous or to be laughed at but did rather both do and say all things most praise worthy and deserving the highest commendations But thus and no otherwise doth the Power of darkness do 2. See now why and wherefore they do thus inhumanely deride Christ in his greatest extremity for this mocking doth comprehend all those things of which he was accused at first both before Caiaphas and before Pilate and Herod And they were four viz. 1. He is mocked and reviled for that which they had objected against him concerning the destruction and building again of the Temple which although in Truth he did never say as they alledged yet he must hear it for they tell him of it without any pitty and now too in his greatest distress when he was at the point of death But however O ye mad Jews as ye have most hatefully upbraided him so it must and was to be done and now it is accomplisht and was so long since In three days the Temple of his body was reared up again which ye destroyed and not he What pardon then can you expect or what admission can ye look for when ye shall see the Temple of God built again within three days in the resurrection of the body 2. He is flouted at for being the Son of God as if therefore he had not been the Son of God because he was crucified But that he is so was sufficiently proved both in himself and by many thousand men whom he cured either in body or soul or both 3. They laugh at him about his being a King and concerning the Kingdom of Israel But do what ye can this is he that was and is King of Israel nor have all your scoffs and taunts detracted or abated one jot of his royal Majesty and Dignity Yet God forbid that he should have come down from the Cross to shew that he was able to make it good This is that which the devil did long for and would have been glad to see and that which Christ could easily have done if he would but he would gratifie neither you nor that wicked and subtile serpent for by his descending from the Cross the whole salvation and redemption of man had been hindred But if thou wouldst O Jew be assured by some token only that he is the King of Israel indeed consider either his former Miracles with the agreement of the Scriptures and times or else look for him on the day of his Resurrection then thou shalt see something more thou shalt then see him spring and mount out of the grave like a Conqueror which certainly is much more than if he had now come down from the Cross 4. They jeer at him for saying that he was Christ and the true Messias which is most true that he was still is and ever will be And that which he did many ways prove to be true both in your own Country and in all the world besides so that never any did or ever shall do the like From this Christ it is that we are called Christians nor are we ashamed of the name And whereas ye say that he healed and saved others you do thereby plainly confess that he is the Saviour So that out of your own mouth
turn to them Zach. 1. 3. That by thee I say they may know that I desire not the death of a sinner but that he should be converted and live Ezek. 18. 4. By thee they shall understand that as long as a man liveth there is no time too late for Repentance 5. They shall understand by thee that I pardon all offences alike both small and great few or many and that my mercies are over all my works 6. By thee they shall know what great joy there is in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth when thou shalt go before ninety and nine just persons and first enter into the kingdom of Heaven Luke 15. All these great Rewards I bestow upon thee as a recompence of thy excellent Faith Verily I say unto thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise What great piety What great pitty was in this wâ—… of the Lord How could he but dye joyfully who had so large a promise in his life 1. Sinners may learn from this Word by the Example of the Thief not to despair let none think that the bottomless Sea of mercy can be drawn dry 2. Let Christians here learn to pray not to multiply gain or to find out the old hoorded Gold of Kings not that they may joyn house to house and lay land to land but that Christ would remember them not in an earthy but in his Kingdom 3. We may learn from hence not to conclude any man either blessed or damned before the last day of his life We know not who is worthy of the hatred or love of God inasmuch as we see an Apostle damned and a Thief saved 4. But let none make the Thief an Example to defer his repentance and put it off till the last hour It is a rare thing for Grace to be given to such a one The Thief repented the same hour he was called and was saved The Lord also doth call thee to day this very day do not loyter nor linger follow the Lord lest happily with Esau thou go about weeping-cross seeking a place for repentance and find none Heb. 12. Look to it that thou abuse not this Example of mercy but rather be stirred up to a speedier approach with all thankfulness to the Throne of Grace Of the third Word NOw there stood by the Cross of Jesus John 19 25. his Mother and his Mothers Sister Mary the wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalen When Iesus therefore saw his Mother and the Disciple standing by whom he loved he saith unto his Mother Woman behold thy Son Then saith he to his Disciple behold thy Mother And from that hour that Disciple took her unto his own home The women follow Christ even to the Cross and stay with him even to the very death Mean while the Apostles shift for themselves and get them out of sight Thus God chuseth the weak things of the world to confound the mighty 1 Cor. 1. Among all the Women that followed Christ the first that is named is the Virgin-mother to whom Christ spake the third Word He had first prayed for them that crucified him and first comforted the Thief not that he did not see his Mother standing by or did not know what great trouble and sorrow she was in but that he might not seem to respect persons or particular affections It was for the sake of sinners that he came into the world and they had most need of him therefore he doth first speak to the Thief But now the third time he turneth him to his Mother that he might not seem to neglect her Now Iohn doth most sweetly describe and set down this third Word with all the circumstances thereof and doth use such words as have truly a very hidden Vertue in them and are so powerfull to resolve and melt the tears of Believers into an Heavenly sweetness that if the most obdurate and hard-hearted man in the world should with dry heart and eyes pass by the reading of this stupendious and amazing Passion of Jesus yet when he cometh to these words in which are recited the standing of that blessed Virgin by the cross of her Son the tender respect and expressions of a dying Son to his Mother his silial recommendation and the separation parting or taking leave of that most Holy Mother and that so loving and dutifull Son one of another he would not be able to refrain weeping For every word here exprest will encrease and heighten his Devotion What need else had there been to have so exactly set down and described both how and where the Virgin Mother stood For 1. The presence of friends is wont to be a refreshing to the afflicted when they are destitute and deprived of some other comforts as Solomon saith Two are better then one because they have a good reward for thair labour For if they fall the one will lift up his fellow Eccl. 4. But this presence of friends here had no such advantage It was a most sad sight both to the Mother that stood by and to the Son that was hanging on the Cross 2. What a strange and new thing is here reported that the Mother of Jesus stood by the Cross For what hast thou O Holy Virgin what hast thou to do with the Cross What fellowship hath a loathsome and despicable place with the Temple of God What agreement is there between a cursed place of butchery and a blessed Armory of Heavenly Ammunition what accord is there between the punishment of Malefactors the Mirrour of Virgin-purity But she did not stand simply by the cross but by the Cross of Jesus who was both her Father and Son at one and the same time her Bridegroom and Lord her child and her God and because he had all these Relations in him and was all these to her therefore she could not forsake him She followed her beloved Son all alone at least accompanied with a very few although the Disciples were fled and the enemies enraged She doth follow I say and see what is done when he could neither help nor comfort her any way but with tears and tender compassion When she had lost him before but for three dayes she went up and down about the Villages near Jerusalem sorrowfully seeking him amongst her Kinsfolk and Acquaintance till she had found him as it is Luke 2. But now she could no longer look for him among his Acquaintance for they all stood afar off from him Therefore she took this motherly counsell with her self and resolved in her heart thus Here will I stand and stay to see the Sentence of death executed upon my dear child I will follow him close at his heels as he goeth out of Jerusalem I will observe and look with weeping eyes whither they lead him I will see how they spoyl him I will seriously mark how they pierce his hands and feet how they fasten him to the gallows how they will toss and mount him up how they will sling and
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