latter in the same Soul The desire and purpose came from Faith The Confidence and Resolution came from the Flesh To let us see the holiest of all actions are too often mingled with Self-dependence Pride and Presumption and that all our Confidence should be in Grace and the assistances of the Eternal Spirit Prayer When O when My Gracious Redeemer wilt thou enable me so to address my Vows that I may withstand the assaults of Temptation and persevere in what I promise and intend Great are the Snares and Fears to which I am Subject being cast into a frail Body And with what may I support my self but by the ravishing thoughts of thy incomparable Sweetnesses and Compassions Pity my Infirmities Guide me with thy Grace Open mine Eyes that I may see my danger Strengthen my Heart that I may fight Valiantly and never be wanting in my Fidelity to Thee All that I am to have I owe to thy Gracious Favour and I hope for Salvation not by any proportion of my own Virtues but by the Boundless Liberalities which only do Crown all our Works SECT VII Of the Legacy of Comforts Christ left to the Faithful and his leaving Jerusalem for a Terror to Infidels PEter being silenced and the rest of the Disciples bearing no less confusion in their Hearts then in their Faces by reason of the great conflict of Indignation Shame and Sorrow which their mistrust had raised at the Sufferings of their Lord the fall of Judas and the danger of Peter The Benign Jesus resumes his Discourse and opens an admirable Treasury of Comfort revealing the abundant sufficiency of his Kingdom where he was going to r Joh. 14.2 3. prepare a place for them that they might reign with him for ever discovering himself to be the Å¿ John 14.6 Way the Truth and the Life through whom and no other we have access unto the Father Shewing the wonderful operations of Faith by which all the t John 14.12 Miracles of the Church were to be wrought Promising the Mission of another v John 14.16 Comforter which should abide with the Faithful for ever Teaching the indispensable necessity of union with him and * John 15.7 remaining in his Love to which our obedience is the way and which opens a door for our Supplications in Heaven closing all with an earnest x John 17.9 Prayer that they might for ever be precious before God that his Holy y John 17.11 Father would take them into his Tuition and protect them in the discharge of their Apostleship and z John 17 20. all others from Peril and defection who should believe on him through their word That they might live to Teach and Learn uniformly what he had taught 'em as he receiv'd it from the Father and that after a Faithful Discharge of Duties in the Preachers and Hearers of his Divine Word they might arrive to the a John 17.24 same place of Happiness and his Eternal Glory be conferr'd upon them Amen Be it so My Jesu Grant unto us Grace to Understand Diligence to Consider Care to lay up and reduce to Practise all these intimations of thy Goodness and Will And since the end of all is to unite us to thy self embrace us we Beseech Thee with the Arms of thy Mercy When Thou art present all is well when Thou art absent every thing is difficult When Thou speakest we feel Consolation when Thou art silent we have no comfort How hard and dry are our Hearts without Thee but how happy is the hour when thou call'st us to Spiritual Joys to be without thee is a grievous Hell to be in thy presence is a sweet Paradice In thee we have protection without thee all are Enemies In thee we have a Treasure and a Good above all Goods without thee we are Poor and Naked and Destitute Vouchsafe we beseech thee to dwell in our Hearts that we may live in thee for ever When Jesus had thus Taught and Pray'd for his Disciples and sung an b Mark 14.26 Hymn giving praise to the Soveraign Disposer for what was past and what was to come He went out of the unhappy City Jerusalem as the Light of the World in the close of the Day being himself made the end of the Light to that miserable People and left them in Darkness and the Shadow of Death as the c Jer. 12.7 Prophet had foretold I have forsaken my House I have left mine Herritage I have given the dearly Beloved of my Soul into the hand of her Enemies For this Egression of Christ prefigured the desolation of the Temple and the City the time being come that the Carnal Worship being Abolished the true Worship of God should Commence in d John 4.23 Spirit and in Truth And of God's thus giving them over when they had first left him and moved him thereto by their manifold provocations another e 1 Kings 9.7 8 9. Scripture saith I will cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them and this House which I have hallowed for my Name will I cast out my sight and Israel shall be a Proverb and a by-word among all people and at this House which is high every one that passeth by it shall be astonished and shall hiss and they shall say why hath the Lord done thus unto this Land and unto this House and they shall answer because they forsook the Lord their God therefore hath the Lord brought upon them all this evil O let the people of the World hear and let all the Nations of the Earth tremble Israel the Beloved of the Lord is Rejected Jerusalem once the Holy City cast out of his sight and his own house given up to be destroyed because of the Transgressions and Obstinacy of his People And can there be any hope but the same Sins will ever produce the same Judgments or that f Luke 13.3 except we repent we shall all likewise perish g Joel 2.17 Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord weep between the porch and the altar and let them say Spare thy people O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach that the heathen should rule over them Wherefore should they say among the people Where is their God And h Jonah 3.8 9. Let Man and Beast be cover'd with sackcloth and cry mightily unto God yea let them turn every one from his evil way and from the Violence that is in their hand Who can tell if God will turn and repent and receed from his fierce Anger that we perish not Prayer Merciful Father all whose Severity in respect of its Act is accidental for thou never strikest till insufferably provok'd who leadest us as dear Children by gracious Promises and never correctest us but with the Chastisement of Sons for our Amendment and the Example of others obliging us to our Duty and binding us to our Happiness by a double tye of Love and Fear Change
of a Traitor pour the full Torrent of their Insolencies upon him p Matt. 27.36 31. repeating all their former Affronts and Torments Reviling Smiting Buffeting and Spitting upon him till weary of these sad preludiums of Misery and to be more seriously cruel they pull'd off from him the Ludibrious Purple and put his q Matt. 27.31 own Raiment on him for his greater confusion before the all people that he might more readily be known by 'em his Face being so Spit upon Swell'd and Bloody that he was no longer to be known by that Only they leave him the Crown of Thorns as they thought for the greater aggravation of his Sorrows but design'd by Providence as an Emblem of his Sovereignty that Christ being once Crowned should be a King for ever nor should evermore any Enemies prevail against his Kingdom Thus was the r Matt. 21.38 39. Heir led forth of his own Vineyard by these wicked Husbandmen to be put to Death the true Sin-offering whose Figure under the Law was to be burnt Å¿ Lev. 9.11 without the Camp as a Thief a Seducer a Blasphemer and a Rebel Revil'd Abus'd and Cursed of all according to that of the Prophet t Psalm 109.22 24. I go hence like the shadow that departeth and am driven away as the Locust I was made also a reproach unto 'em and when they lookt upon me they shaked their Heads He who had delivered 'em from so great Captivities and from the Idolatries of u Exod. 16.6 Egypt and * Esra 7.6 Babylon and admitted 'em into the Borders of his Sanctuary is now forc'd by 'em out of his own Inheritance and in the company of Thieves drag'd to Slaughter O how unlike was this leading forth to that whereby he brought their Fathers out of Bondage when he suffer'd no Man to do 'em x Psalm 105.14 36 wrong and reproved even Kings for their sakes He brought them forth also with Silver and Gold there was not one feeble person among their Tribes There has past but five days since he was received into the City more desirable then the Passover it self and now he must become a Sacrifice to their detestable inconstancy Then he came riding in Triumphant manner as the Prophet had y Zec. 9.9 John 12.15 foretold of the true King of Sion now scarcely stands under the weight of miseries Then was he accompanied and adorn'd by his Disciples now they are all fled and absconded Then were the ways z John 12.13 Luke 19.36 Strowed with Flowers Palm-branches and Garments of the People but now are his Feet dasht against the Stones Then did the whole multitude that went before and followed give praise unto God with a loud voice and to him the Acclamations due to a Mighty Prince and the Son of the Eternal King saying a Mark 11.9.10 Hosanna Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord Blessed be the Kingdom of our Father David that cometh in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest but now they cry away with him away with him Crucifie him and we will have no King but Cesar And that his passage might be the more dolorous they lay upon his Shoulders a ponderous Cross to add to his pains and make the people believe he was the greatest malefactor that was to suffer that day And he b John 19.17 bearing his Cross went forth A great sight And if beheld with Piety a great Mystery in which was fulfil'd that of Isaiah where he says the c Isai 96. Government shall be upon his Shoulders for the Principality of Christ is his Cross whereby he has d Col. 2.15 overcome Hell and Death and for which God has highly e Phil. 2.9.10 11. exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name that at the Name of Jesus every Knee should bow of things in Heaven in Earth and under the Earth and that every Tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father Nevertheless how sorrowful must it be to Christ thus to depart out of that City which he had always highly favour'd and equal'd to the Heavens for Power and Riches and over which he had so lately f Luke 19.41 shed a flood of Tears in compassion of the desolation which should come upon her How grievous must it be to support with his bruised Flesh a cross of that length that it could only be drag'd by him for none would touch the g Deut. 21.23 accursed tree to assist and every shock must necessarily create to his wounded Shoulders and Head afflicted with Thorns intolerable pains Yet this was the least part of the Cross of Christ or rather he bore at the same time a greater a more grievous a Spiritual Cross his h Psal 22.14 heart being in the midst of his body like melting wax moulten in the fiery furnace of Gods wrath For the Lord i Isai 53.6 laid on him the iniquities of us all and he became a k Gal. 3.13 curse for us every one being accursed that l Deut. 21.23 hangeth on a tree that we might be deliver'd from the curse of the Law and be made the m 2 Cor. 5.21 Righteousness of God in him Prayer O wounded Love and Prince of the Afflicted thou barest our Cross with an invincible Patience and we Perfidiously shun thine tho' thine be temporal and light to us and that which thou barest for us would have crush'd us to Eternity Thou hast taught us that he that will n Matt. 10.39 save his life shall lose it and he that will lose it for thy sake shall find it grant us therefore we beseech thee a suitable resolution that we may take up our Cross and follow thee and suffer us not to sink under it nor to shrink from it That so we may carefully undergo all the Sacred Acts and Offices of true Repentance which is the Cross of Sinners in imitation of thee our dear Master who hast suffer'd for us the utmost malice of Men and left us an Example that we should fol-low thy steps SECT XXXIV Of Christ 's Prediction of the Miseries of the Jews NOW all this while there o Luke 23.27 went with him a great company of people and of Women which also bewail'd and lamented him Not but that many good Men likewise were concern'd on the sad occasion whose inward sighs accompanied the Womens Tears but the Female as the more contemptible Sex dared more freely to express their grief before the Magistrates which by the Edict of Tiberius was forbidden towards suffering Malefactors And the saying of our Saviour was fulfil'd which he had spoken p John 16.20 Verily verily I say unto you ye shall weep and lament but the World shall rejoyce The Chief Priests and their Ministers went joyfully to see him die and to fill their Eyes with the Tragick Spectacle but his Disciples follow'd
Blessings of his Calling The dismal Figure of all Apostate wretches How great an Advantage had this Miserable Disciple to know where his Master was and where he might be found if he had made a right use of it For what does the e Cant. 2.7 Bride in the Canticles desire but tell me O thou whom my Soul loveth where thou feedest and and where thou liest down But abusing his knowledge to his own destruction and so much more wicked then the rest of the People as the Serpent was by being wiser then theother Creatures and for that a more opportune instrument of Homicide to the Devil the Devil makes use of him to destroy the Celestial Man in his Body as he had made use of the Serpent to destroy the Terrestrial in his Soul But Jesus nothing surpris'd at what he fore-knew would come to pass and to give an undeniable evidence that his Death was voluntary and not caused by the Treachery of Man prevents the Betrayer and f John 18.4 offers himself to his Enemies alone against a multitude unarm'd before their Weapons plain and sincere without regard to to their Malice He had formerly g John 12.36 hid himself when they admir'd his Miracles and h John 6.15 departed from 'em privately when they would have made him a King But now he meets them notwithstanding their Hostility because the hour prefixed by the Father was come For as we are not to tempt God by inconsiderate Rashness in our affairs so are we chearfully to resign up our selves to his will and obey him with great readiness of Mind when he calls us to â—â—ffer for a good Conscience and for the Confirmation of his Truth He teaches us Submission is the way to exaltation while he expects to ascend unto the Father from the Cross and lets us learn for the Hope of future Glory to despise all present and Momentary Evils and not consider what it is we suffer but that it brings us to the Father He might justly have reprehended 'em for their Ingratitude and Impiety against so many Benefits he had conferr'd on them or destroy'd 'em with the least breath of his Displeasure as unworthy of Life who came to destroy the Lord of it But now was the time of Mercy and not of Judgment of Patience and Long Suffering and not of Anger and the greatest Evil was to be overcome of Good He asks in the most familiar though convincing manner i Joh. 18.4 Whom seek ye and what would you have Is it an Enemy or a Robber against whom you are come with these Arms or have ye heard of any Insurrection against the State or Rebellion against Caesar that ye have made this great Preparation or do ye come out against an innocent Person who sat daily with you in the k Mark 14.44 Temple teaching and ye laid no hold on him If this be your Intention you might long since have taken him there needed not this Charge and Trouble and Pains But consider what it is to destroy a harmless Man The Blood of the Guiltless l Gen. 4.10 cries from the ground to Heaven and how much more will the Blood of the Son of God They answering said m John 18.5 We seek Jesus of Nazareth And Jesus said unto them I am He. Terrified at which Sound of the Divine Voice they went n Joh. 18.6 backward and fell to the ground The fatal Omen that all shall be cast down that rise up against the Lord and his Anointed but particular Intimation of the Fall of that People whom his Miraculous Works had rendred inexcusable For if he did this in the Form of the Lamb what will he do when he comes in that of the Lion If he did this being himself to be judged what shall he do when he comes to judge the World If he did this when he was to dye what will he do when he shall Reign eternally If such were the Dew of his Sacred Word who shall be able to abide the Thunder The least Rays of Divinity are so powerful in Nature that its very Shadow cannot be seen by us without a holy Horrour and Concern Which is the Reason that even Virtue has such venerable Attractives we cannot approach it without Love and Reverence Yea the Soul of a just Man is the o Isai 57.15 Throne of God the Theatre of his Power the List of his Courses the Field of his Battles and the Palace in which he makes his Abode which is the Cause the Saints have done so many Wonders in the World the p Gen. 7.9 Dan. 6.22 Luk. 10.19 wildest Beasts changing their Natures before them and all the q Gen. 7.19.8.16.9.22.10.21 Elements though insensible seeming reasonable to obey them But the Divinity and Humanity of the Blessed Jesus did so communicate in Effects from his Nativity to the day of his Death that no great Action past but as the Sun shining through a Cloud they gave Illustration and Testimony to each other He was born a tender and crying Infant but was ador'd by the r Mat. 2.11 Wise men as a King and by the Å¿ Luk. 2.13 Angels as a God He was circumcised after the Law as a Man but had a t Luk. 2.21 Name given him which signified him to be the Saviour of the World He fled into Egypt like a distressed Child under the Conduct of Helpless Parents and as soon as he entred into the Country the u Isai 19.1 Euseb de Demonst c. 20. S. Athanas lib. de Incarnat Vrbi Idols fell down and confest his Divinity He was presented in the Temple as the Son of Man but by Simeon and Anna was * Luk. 2.32 38. own'd for the Messiah and celebrated with Divine Praises He was baptised as a Sinner by John in Jordan but the Holy Ghost descending upon him proclaim'd him the x Joh. 3.17 Beloved Son of God He was hungry in the Wilderness and tempted as a Mortal but was supported by his Divinity and the holy y Matt. 4.11 Angels came and ministred to him as supream Lord. A little before his Passion when he was to take upon him all Affronts Miseries and Exinanitions of the most despised and abject he received Testimonies from above and was wonderfully transfigur'd upon the z Matt. 17.2 2 Pet. 1.18 holy Mount And now being to be taken by rude hands they are repell'd by the Majesty of his Person and the Glory of his Presence Seeing therefore they had no Power to take him without his Permission he recovers them out of their Confusion with the same Words saying unto 'em again a John 18.7 Whom seek ye And when they said Jesus of Nazareth he answered I have told you I am he If then you are sent to take him I resign my self I am that Jesus I am your Prisoner let these go their way That the b John 18.9 Saying might be fulfilled which
combine to destroy the Heir of the m Isal 5.7 Vineyard of God and of whom the Prophets said n Psal 140.3 They had placed the Poyson of Serpents upon their Lips o Isai 5.7 I expected Justice and behold a cry p Jer. 12.8 My Heritage is unto me as a Lion in the forest it crieth out against me and therefore have I hated it For thus in the height of their wicked Imprecations they furiously persecute Christ to his Cross crying out the more q Mat. 27.22 23. Let him be crucified let him be crucified Why r Mat. 27.23 saith the Governour what evil hath he done and a Å¿ Exod. 13.21 third time declares I have found no cause of Death in him I will therefore chastise him and let him go When he saw the implacable Rage of the Jews neither to be restrained by force nor persuasion he hop'd a lesser Draught of his Blood might stop the Fury and Rapidness of their Passion and that by exposing his Body to Scourges the Roman Usage to Malefactors he might avoid the greater Evil of condemning him to Death and that when the Jews should see him so tormented they would relent in Pity and their Cruelty abate Thus he who cloaths all was despoiled of his Garments and confounded before the People who covers our Confusion and bound to a Pillar who went before them by day in a Å¿ Exod. 13.21 Pillar of a Cloud to lead â—em the way and by night in a Pillar of Fire to give them light to go by day and night that they might escape their Enemies and his Body which was the most sacred Temple of the Deity torn with vehement Stripes from unrelenting Hands till the Pavement was purpled with a Shower of holy Blood and his Person more beautiful than the Sons of Men wholly deform'd and hardly to be known according to what himself had t Mark 10.34 Luke 18.33 foretold of his being deliver'd to the Gentiles to be scourg'd and the u Isai 53.5 Prophesie of Isaiah long before his Incarnation He was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our Iniquities the Chastisement of our Peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed For if Christ had not sustain'd for us this Denudation and Confusion we could never have been cloathed with the Garment of his Righteousness or been able to have appear'd unblameable before God's Justice Seat in Heaven Behold therefore O! my Soul with devout Meditation this Portion of the Sufferings of thy wounded Jesus which was the Wonder and Astonishment of Heaven and Earth Behold with what profound Humility and Silence the great Lord of the World condescends to undergo the Punishment of Slaves Behold with what a sweet Patience this innocent Lamb yields to have his Body plow'd and furrow'd by merciless Infidels Behold him naked helpless and unpitied whilst the furious Executioner tears his Skin and tender Flesh with forked Scourges to satisfie the Cruelty of a barbarous Multitude Prayer Grant me O my God who hast laid such Severities upon thy only and beloved Son that I may never think any Austerity Mortification or Pennance too much to be undergone for that great Guilt which I have contracted by my Sins and for which it was necessary my Redeemer should thus be punished And whatsoever shall be wanting in my Sufferings for the Iniquities I have committed heal with the Stripes of this bruised Love who came to shed his Blood a Ransom for the World That owing the Cure and Salvation of my Soul to such an inestimable Remedy as that I may for ever Praise thee for thy incomparable Mercy SECT XXIX Of the Injuries done to Christ by the Roman Soldiers AFter this the Soldiers who because of the frequent Seditions and Tumults of that Nation were quartered at Jerusalem and now especially call'd together to curb the prodigious Concourse at the Feast hoping by an extraordinary and cruel Officiousness to receive a liberal Reward from the Jews whom they saw so inveterately set against him take him and use him in that inhumane manner we should hardly believe were it not faithfully Recorded They strip him and put on him a * Mat. 27.28 Scarlet or x John 19.2 Purple Robe such as their Commanders used to wear jeering him by this as Herod had done by the white and when they had platted a y Mat. 27.29 30. Crown of Thorns in stead of a Royal Diadem they put it on his Head and a Reed in his Right Hand for a Scepter All to signifie he had made himself a King but that his Kingdom was as weak and vain as those Ridiculous Emblems of his Royalty And they bow the Knee before him with a contumelious Address and mock him with a reproachful Salutation saying Hail King of the Jews And then they spit upon him and strike him with z Mat. 27.30 Reeds and their a Joh. 19.3 Hands upon his Head pressing his Temples with a thousand Punctures and forcing the Blood under the Crown of Thorns to descend upon his Cheeks and mix with his Tears and the loathsome Spittle of the People till he became truly what the Prophet had describ'd him b Isai 53.2 Without form or comeliness and to those that saw him there was no Beauty that they should desire him Prayer Whither O whither Thou great Martyr of Love shall thy Humility descend thy Piety proceed thy Compassion extend I have been proud and thou art humbled I have been wicked and thou art punished I that am a lost Man have been the Cause of all thy Weaknesses and Afflictions It is thy Love and my Iniquity which has brought thee thus low Teach me I beseech-thee to apprehend the Baseness of my Sin in proportion to the Calamities thou hast suffered for me that I may hate the Cause of thy Sufferings adore thy Mercy and imitate thy Graces For Lord what is thy Servant that thou should'st suffer one Stripe or the least Irrision for so poor a Creature And how great a Misery must it be to provoke by Sin so great a Mercy as thou hast reveal'd But thy Love is infinite and I am Dust and Ashes Let thy Holy Spirit support and sanctifie me and suffer thy self to become the Object of my present Dolours that thou mayst hereafter be the Fountain of my everlasting Joy SECT XXX Of Pilate's fourth Declaration of Christ's Innocence OUR Saviour thus c Isal 53.3 despised and rejected of Men bearing our Griefs and carrying our Sorrows Pilate thought it impossible to behold him without Pity and once more brings him forth to shew him to the People hoping so sad and miserable a Spectacle would not only draw Tears from the Eyes of the Beholders but even Showers of Blood from their Hearts and a fourth time publickly declares him innocent and that he ought no further to proceed against him d Joh. 19.4 5. saying Behold I bring him forth unto you that ye
he had z Philo. de legat ad Cajum seized on the Corban or Sacred Treasury and spent it upon an Aqueduct in the City nor could all their Petitions divert his Intentions but his Resolutions went through their a Blood to bring in the Water he thought by this act to b Mark 15.15 content the people if he consented at last that it should be as they required Nevertheless having again c John 19.13 brought forth Jesus and himself being seated in the Judgment Hall upon a high place or Tribunal made of fair d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lapidarium stone curiously wrought and for the eminence of it call'd in the Chaldean Tongue e John 19.13 Gabbatha he tries once more before Sentence if by any means he might disswade them from their intended Murther Saying unto the Jews f John 19.14 behold your King As if he had said behold the man you have brought unto me and accused under the Title of a King And what can you farther desire against him Behold he has been Buffeted Spit upon Revil'd Ridicul'd Scourg'd and Crowned with Thorns and thus stands Dejected and Derided before you Behold this Mock-King What harm can he do you What danger do you fear from such a King who is not able to help himself if he have call'd himself by that Title is he not humbled for it almost to Death If he desir'd to be or be thought such a one is he any other then what the Boys would set up and so much the worse by how much he has suffer'd What do ye decree Are ye satisfied with his punishment Will ye release him and avoid the Evil his Innocent Blood will bring upon you But Malice never wants an evil Tongue They interrupt him and without any reason cry out g John 19.15 Away with him away with him crucifie him Why says Pilate h Ibid. Shall I crucifie your King This will redound to your perpetual Disgrace if owning him for your King you shall desire him to be Crucified To which The Chief Priests answered i Ibid. we will have no King but Cesar Why speakest thou so much of a King as if we desir'd any other then the Emperor our wishes are to be free from that suspicion nor will we have this Man but Tiberius for our Lord. Alas Poor humane Nature How great is the Misfortune to which thou art subjected in this Life We never sufficiently know our own good till we have lost it and it be too late We fly from that we should seek and we seek that we should avoid and never begin to bewail our losses till they are past recovery The Jews might have possest an inestimable Treasure by the Presence and Conversation of the Son of God but choose rather to submit themselves to an intire Slavery under the Romans who had subdued their Nation whom they hated which at last they lamented among unspeakable griefs being cast into the gulf of unavoidable mischiefs by the Fury of k Joseph de bello jud Vespasian and Titus While these things were acting at the Judgment Seat l Lucius Dexter Chro. 10. Ann. Chr. 34. Claudia Procula the Wife of Pilate whether she were in part converted to Christianity or that it were by the permission of God for the farther confirmation of Christ's Innocence against all the Malicious accusations of the Jews or whether it were from the Devil to hinder if it were possible the passion of Christ whereby he should be subdued having been troubled much in her thoughts because of this Tryal for she could not repose but Jesus was in her sleep she could not speak but Jesus was on her Tongue she could not write but Jesus was under her Pen sent to her Husband a speedy Messenger saying m Matt. 27.19 Have thou nothing to do with that just Man for I have suffered many things this day in a Dream because of him But neither did this prevail and the n Matt. 27.24 tumult rather increased by how much more the Innocence of Christ appeared and Pilate was constrained to an involuntary Sentence to do as they would have it tho' against his Conscience insomuch that having call'd for Water and o Matt. 27.24 washt his hands to signifie in their own Ceremonies he disowned the Act and transferred the guilt from himself being the Minister only of the Law upon them as the Jury who would find against his Judgment he a sixth time proclaim'd the Innocence of the Holy Jesus to the confusion of the Jews and all future unbelievers saying p Matt. 27.24 I am innocent of the blood of this just person See ye to it Then answered all the People q Matt. 27.25 his blood be upon us and upon our Children A most dreadful imprecation To wish our selves accursed that we may fulfil our Malice upon another And yet how many are there who being embark'd with their Enemies care not to perish so that in dying they may glut their Eyes with the Death of those they hate An Infernal Malignity meerly Diabolical and which r Aug. l. 2. de Doctr. Christiana defiles the Devils themselves How just was it in God to involve that People and their Posterity in irreparable ruine according to their own impenitent Desires of Guilt And yet how sad is it to consider the Mercies they forfeited and the evils they incurred thereby For ſ Joseph de belio jud Hegesippus Titus Cesar Son of Flavius the Emperor about eight and thirty years after the Death of our Lord utterly overthrew Jerusalem to the ground with the slaughter of Ten Hundred Thousand by Fire and Sword besides innumerable Numbers that perish'd by Famine and Pestilence And about Sixty four years after that Destruction by Titus in the time of Adrianus Aelianus the Emperor when the Jews rebell'd under Benchocah the Pseudomessiah there were slain again by the Army of Julius Severus Five hundred thousand of the People besides what perish'd by Pestilence and Famine And that there might be a final Extirpation of the ancient City and the Words of our Saviour be fulfil'd t Matt. 24.2 That there should not be left one stone upon another which shall not be thrown down he caus'd the ruins and Foundations thereof to be digg'd up and the Stones to be broken in pieces and the ground to be left desolate Alas for Israel the chosen of God! Alas for Jerusalem the Holy City and the most Beautiful Structure in the World Alas for the Temple and Sanctuary of the Lord How are the people of God become Reprobate and his own Inheritance Deserted of him and broken with such tribulation as was v Matt. 24.21 not from the begining of the world to that time no nor ever shall be He drove Back the Waves of the * Exod. 14.22 Red Sea and suffer'd 'em to walk between two Waters as between two crystal Walls and why has he drowned 'em
Men unto me Gentiles as well as Jews to believe on me Prayer Be it so my Jesu O draw me to thy self and by the Eye of Faith let me ever behold thee as suffering for me that I may ever love thee But alas while I now seek thee I can represent to my Thoughts nothing but the Shadow and Appearance of a Body all crusted over with gore Blood I look for Limbs but find nothing but Wounds I look for the Ensigns of a glorious Redeemer I discern only a Skin all bloody fastned to a Cross between two Thieves and strugling under the Convulsions of Death But O Eternal Father that which has made thy Son thus vile and wretched in the Eyes of the World has made him most precious and acceptable in thy sight Look down we beseech thee from thy Sanctuary and thy Dwelling-place in Heaven and behold the Sacrifice which our great High-Priest and thy holy Child Jesus offers unto thee for the Sins of his Brethren and be favourable to the Multitude of our Iniquities Behold the Voice of our Brother's Blood crying unto thee for Mercy upon us Behold the Lamb who is without Blemish now bearing our Sins in his Body upon the Tree and look not upon us as we are in our selves but in the face of thine Anointed who becomes thus obedient unto Death to deliver us from the Guilt of Disobedience And let not the Scars of his Wounds ever depart from before thy Presence that thou may'st ever be mindful in all our Transgressions how great a Ransome he has paid for us and let his Blood be as the Rainbow in thy sight ever about thy Throne in Heaven that thou mayst no more destroy every living thing Behold O Creator the Humanity of thy Son and be ever merciful to the Debilities of our Nature Behold the torn Members of thy beloved and remember our Substance that we are but Dust Behold the Sufferings of the Redeemer and forgive the Sins of the Redeemed SECT XXXVIII Of the Scituation of Christ's Cross between two Thieves and the Title which Pilate affixed to it BUT it was not enough for the cruel Jews to murder the Messiah by the painfullest kind of Death unless they might stain his very Passion too by placing him in the q John 19.18 midst of two egregious Malefactours which for his greater Disgrace they had brought to suffer with him that by Strangers he might be thought to be a Partaker in their Crimes if not the worst of all by his Station between them and so it might be reported in the Neighbouring Regions That three notorious Villains were that day Crucified at Jerusalem of which the Impostor that went by the Name of Jesus was as being the chief placed in the middle whereby the Scripture was fulfilled which saith of him And he was reckoned among the r Isai 53.12 Transgressours Nevertheless there were some Reports went of the Purity of his Doctrine the Greatness of his Miracles the Sweetness of his Conversation and the Beauty of his Person above all the present view of his Sufferings and admirable Patience and Clemency towards his Crucifiers fill'd the Hearts of many with heavy Sighs and their Eyes with an Inundation of Tears And Pilate among the rest who best knew his Innocence and that for Å¿ Mat. 27.18 Envy he was deliver'd and condemn'd prick'd in his Conscience and fearing the Consequence lest he might be defam'd or accus'd to Caesar for consenting to the Death of such a wonderful Person without declaring the Cause of his Condemnation according to the Custom of the Romans towards Malefactors order'd his Accusation thus to be written and to be fastned to the top of the Cross t John 19.19 Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews that a Rumour at least might pass he was not put to death as a Prophet of the Jewish Nation or as the Son of some immortal God but as a Spreader of Sedition among the People and one who affected a Kingdom in Jewry For so they had accus'd him u Luk. 23.2 we found this Fellow perverting the Nation and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar saying that he himself is Christ a King And when Pilate sought to release him they cried out saying * John 19.12 If thou let this man go thou art not Caesar's friend Whosoever makes himself a King speaks against Caesar This was the meaning of Pilate by the Title whereby he Thought to signifie the Cause of his Condemnation But as in the Prediction of Caiaphas concerning his Death the Spirit of God had another Intention different from the Design of the High-Priest so likewise in this besides what Pilate thought as well as in the Mock-Purple the counterfeit Scepter and the bloody Diadem of Thorns which were mystical Representations of a real Kingdom there was intended him a Name and a Kingdom without end and he was signified to be the true Messiah the King both of Jews and Gentiles whose x Zech. 9.10 Psal 72.8.11 Dominion should extend from one Sea to the other and to whose Scepter the Kings of the Earth should submit their Majesty That this might be more manifest to the whole World it was directed by Providence in the y Joh. 19.20 three chief Languages in Hebrew because of the Jews who gloried in the Law in Greek because of the Wise-men and Philosophers of the Gentiles in Latine because of the Romans who then govern'd the Jews That it might be known throughout the whole World that almighty God had anointed this Jesus to be a King over all Nations and the z Dan. 7.14 Prophesie of Daniel might be fulfill'd which saith There was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed The Jews therefore envy'd him this Title lest every Tongue should confess afterwards that he was the Lord to the Glory of God the Father and desir'd Pilate that it might be a John 19.21 alter'd or abolish'd For they were now ashamed because it might be thought by Strangers this was their King who was so ignominiously put to Death But neither did b John 19.22 Pilate endeavour to alter it nor would the Divine Providence suffer it this Title being given him by the Will of God Prayer O King eternal who for the Humiliation of thy Beloved and his Obedience unto Death even the Death of the Cross has highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name That at the Name of JESUS every Knee should c Phil. 2.9 10 11. bow of things in Heaven in Earth and under the Earth and that every Tongue should confess That Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father Grant we beseech thee Conversion to Infidels to all Jews Turks and Hereticks that thy way may be known upon Earth thy
Enemies could reduce him and when they had spent all the poison of their lips that they were now reduc'd to an involuntary silence He that he might leave nothing undone which might magnifie his Mercy above all their provocations and to give an undeniable proof of his Ministery that he came to reconcile the World to God broke into this most admirable intercession for them m Luke 23.34 Father forgive them for they know not what they do O God! O Goodness O Love What Word what Speech what Voice is this He was not more sensible of the madness of the People then he was compassionate of their infirmities nor griev'd with their Malice so much as Merciful to their Sins Hitherto they had objected against his being the Messiah and now he will give them an undoubted demonstration opposing himself by Prayer to the Anger of his God Heavenly Father whose Honour I have observ'd whose Commandments I have fulfill'd and at whose Will and Pleasure I was sent into the World and being of thy substance took humane Nature to be a Pacifier Intercessor and High-Priest to make reconciliation for the Sins of the People who now hang bleeding and dying upon the Cross in the midst of so many Reproaches Torments and Griefs offering up my self to thee in Tears and Crys for the Sins of all whoever offend thee Spare thy people Good Lord spare them and wash away their Sins in my propitiatory Blood Adam transgress'd and his posterity became abominable and the whole World lies in wickedness Even thine own Inheritance which thou hast chosen out of all People and lov'd above the rest of the works of thy Hands have added this weight to the guilt of all their Sins to deny the Holy one whom thou hast sent and to spill my innocent Blood upon the Earth For how great is my Dignity which they have set at nought How infinite is thy Majesty they have despis'd in me Nevertheless tho' hitherto thou hast justly dealt with Man in shutting Heaven against his transgressions and opening Hell and sending Death into the World nor shouldst thou ever justly spare without satisfaction to thy Eternal Justice nor could all the Blood of Men make that atonement yet now behold me who am come to satisfie thee by the dignity of my Divinity joyn'd to the nature of offending Man Man's Salvation depends on me on me alone who came an exile hither from those Essential Joys I had in thy Bosom to suffer Cold and Heat Hunger and Thirst Nakedness and Weariness Watchings and Temptations Afflictions Persecutions and this cruel Death What Griefs what Torments have I not endur'd in this tender body of Flesh What Sorrow what Streights what Agonies have I not experienc'd in this frail constitution of Mortals Was there ever any grief like mine wherewith thou hast afflicted me in thy fierce anger What remains then O Father of Mercies who hast n Exod. 34.6 proclaim'd thy self Gracious Long-Suffering and abundant in Goodness and in Truth forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin but that thou should'st lay aside thine Anger Remit Pardon and Pour forth thn Grace My Blood crys not for Vengeance as o Gen. 4.10 Heb. 12.24 Abel's did against his Murderer nor do I appeal to thee now as a Judge but as to a Father I implore thy Mercy unless there shall be any who shall account it unholy and trample my Covenant under their Feet I have Pardon'd who Suffer'd and am Crucified Pardon thou those whom that thou mightest Pardon thou sentest me into the World thus to suffer Now all manner of Sinners which shall ever be in the World they are my Tormentors they are my Crucifiers as well as these Jews and Romans about me I Pray therefore for all as I Suffer for all and offer my self a ransom for all But more particularly for these my Brethren because no Sin can equal theirs that thou wouldst be pleased to be favourable to their Blindness for they know not what they do The vail of Darkness is over their Hearts and this covering of Flesh has clouded me that they cannot discern my Divinity but hereafter they will look on him whom they have pierced and mourn and the World shall acknowledge me their Crucified Lord. Is it not by thy permission that Satan has thus blinded them and hid from their understandings the Mystery of my Incarnation Destroy not therefore an ignorant Nation who are to fulfil the designs of thy Wisdom and Mercy For did they know me they would not Crucifie me and notknowing me they are subservient thy Providence After the same goodness likewise do thou ever pardon all that offend against thee ignorantly and out of Infirmity that they may return to thee and Repent and be acceptable through the Merits of this my Sacrifice which I here offer for their Ransom Let my Death overcome their Death Let my Resurrection despoil their Hell And when I return Triumphantly to thee let me also make a way for my Ransomed to pass Prayer O Bleeding Love my Dear Intercessor who hadst the Patience thus to Pray for thine Enemies among so many Torments and Deaths wherefore didst thou not Pray thy Heavenly Father that he should mitigate thy own Griefs for thou neglected'st the Beloved of God and interceededest for his rebellious Servants Thy Hands and Feet were nailed to the Cross thy tender Flesh torn with Whips thy languishing Head pierced with Thorns and all the parts of thy Body disjoynted and strugling under inexpressible pains Why would'st thou not pitty thy Sacred Body who hadst such compassion of thy Tormentors Why would'st thou not be eas'd from temporal pains who wast so desirous to have them freed from the Eternal Art thou not bound to defend the Innocent And why dost thou not defend thy self who art most eminently and undoubtedly such by the Testimonies of thy Betrayer and Judge But thou becomst an Advocate for the guilty Thou excusest a Sin which cannot be paralel'd Without being desir'd thou Prayest for the Actors and for the love of those who kill thee art content to die And why all this Gracious Lord but for my instruction that I a Sinner should have compassion towards Sinners that I who commit so many Sins my self should not only forgive such as do offend me but also excuse and Pray for them that so I may become a Son of thy Eternal Father and a true Disciple of thy Beneficent Love O fill my Heart with thy Exuberant Charity and transform me into thine own likeness Dissolve into meekness all pittiless Spirits abolish with thy Grace all Mortal Vengeances and convert with thy Clemency those Tyrannous Souls who know not what it is to Pardon when once Offended That after thy Example we may embrace our Adversaries quench their passions with Tears of Love and become acceptable to that infinite Charity wherewith thou redeemest the the Sinning World SECT XLI Of the Penitent Thief and Christ 's Mercy towards him NO sooner had the