destroyed those that came to apprehend him as he drave them backwards and felled them to the ground John 18.6 to rid himselfe out of the hands of his enemies as he might have done Mat. 26.53 But besides when he came to his answer he doth not so much as plead for himselfe When he doth not so much as plead for himselfe either before the high Priest Mat. 26.63 or afterwards before Pilate Mat. 27 12 14. but as it was foretold of him by the Prophet Isaiah 53.7 stood as a sheepe before the shearer dumbe and opened not his mouth And lastly when he was nailed to the Crosse And breathes out his Soule into his Fathers bosome while his life was yet whole in him he voluntatarily breathed out his Soule into the bosome of his Father as it is evident both in that he was dead a good space before the two theeves that were crucified with him whereas by reason of the strength of the naturall constitution of his body he might have subsisted under those torments longer thē they And besides by yeelding up his life when it was yet whole in him as it evidently appeared by that lowd cry which he uttered at the very instant of his death as is testified Mark 15.37 39. Luk. 23.46 All which are undeniable evidences of our Saviours voluntary resigning up and laying down his life by the wil of his Father for his peoples sins The third and last circumstance in our Saviours Passion which the Evangelists lay down before us is that without which the rest had been of little worth that his sufferings were both reall and sufficient And for the former of these That Christs Sufferings were reall is cleared that they were reall and not feigned appeares evidently by the whole narration of our Saviours buffeting scourging and crucifying at last and by his death which followed thereupon By the souldiers who found him dead and therefore forbare to breake his legs By the wound which they gave him in his side By the Centurions Certificate to Pilate of his death By his buriall The truth whereof is sufficiently testified sundry wayes First the Souldiers forbare to breake our Saviours legs because they saw apparently that he was already dead Iohn 19.30.33 Secondly it appears by the wound which the Souldiers gave him in his side which pierced his very heart as appeared by the water which issued out of the wound Thirdly by the Certificate which was given in to Pilate by the Centurion that he had bin a good while dead Marke 15.44 45. Fourthly by the buriall of his body by Ioseph of Arimathea Mat. 27.60 together with the preparations which the women made to embalme it Luke 23.56 And Lastly by the watch which the chiefe Priests and Pharisees set about his grave to prevent the stealing away of his body by his Disciples Mat. 27.66 It is true That they were sufficient that those divers torments and death at last yea the most cruell painfull and accursed of all deaths the death of the Crosse which our blessed Saviour endured in his body were but a part of that debt Appeares not only by his death part of the punishment of sinne which we ought unto God for sinne and which as our surety he tooke upon him to satisfie for us For the death outward paines of the body were neitheral nor the greatest part of that curse which was brought upon man by sinne The heaviest weight of the wrath of God lay upon his soul So that it was needfull But besides by his suffering in Soule that the Soul of Christ also should beare the wrath of God and be made an offering for our sin as was foretold Isa 53.10 The Evangelists therefore are very carefull to set before us the pangs and anguish of our Saviours Soule So great that himselfe professeth his Soul was heavy to the death That it caused him to sweat great drops of blood the agonies whereof were such that himselfe professed that his Soul was heavy to the death Mat. 26.38 and the violence thereof so great that he did sweat great drops of blood which fell from him to the ground Luke 22.44 So that we cannot conceive that a person of so incomparable fortitude as our Saviour was could have so deep an impression made upon his Soule by any other thing then by the sense of his Fathers wrath wherewith he wrestled in that conflict God withholding from him at that time And to cry out upon the Crosse My God my God c. the comfort of his favour as himselfe implies when he cries out in the anguish of his Spirit upon the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27.46 That such speeches and such effects could proceed from no other cause then the sense of his Fathers wrath So that he might truly say that work of our Redemption was finished and the debt fully paied cannot be denied In what manner or measure he felt it is too much vanity and curiosity to enquire It is enough unto us that it was so much as God accepted in full satisfaction for our debt which also our Saviour himselfe seems to imply in the words uttered immediately before his death It is finished Iohn 19.30 He meanes both his Sufferings and the price of our Redemption This work of mans Redemption discovers 1. Gods unconceiveable love to man This great and glorious work of God in Redeeming and Reconciling himselfe to the world by the blood of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ discovers unto us in the first place such a measure of Gods unspeakable and unconceivable love to man as passeth all knowledge to use the Apostles phrase Eph. 3.19 Secondly 2. His wonderfull Wisdome it gives an evidence of his wonderfull and infinite wisdome in devising and finding out a meanes by which that holy God who will by no meanes pardon the guilty Exod. 34.7 might yet without any empeachment unto his Justice at all pardon sinnes yea more then that might admit men into an holy Communion fellowship with himself being before enemies and by sinne wholly separated from him by joyning God and man together in the person of his Sonne who assuming unto himself our nature 3. His mighty Power thereby came Emanuel God with us Mat. 1.23 Thirdly herein God manifests his wonderfull power not only in spoyling Principalities and Powers and triumphing over them Col. 2.15 but besides in conquering death by dying and leading captivity captive by becomming a Captive unto those whom he subdued wholly and triumphed over in his Crosse Fourthly 4. His infinite Justice God made known his Justice and Holinesse in the hatred of sinne when he spared not his owne Sonne when he became our surety and tooke our sinnes upon him but would bruise him and put him to griefe when he made his Soule an offering for sinne though himselfe had done no violence neither was any deceit found in his mouth
things all of them excellent and perfect in their kind so that the heavens and earth are full of his riches Psal 104.24 25. Fourthly Power we cannot but acknowledge his infinite power vvho by his vvord alone created the vast bodies of the heavens and the earth and the hoast of them by the breath of his mouth Psal 33.6.9 Fiftly Majesty vve cannot but admire his incomprehensible majesty manifested in that magnificent palace of Heaven vvhich he hath prepared and furnished for himselfe vvhence he sends forth that glorious creature the light and makes it his covering as he doth the clouds his chariots Ps 104.2 3. Perfection In the sixth place his infinite perfection is manifested in imparting to the creature all those severall perfections that vve find in them vvhich must needs therefore be in a far more eminent degree in him that gave them Lastly Wisdome his unconceiveable wisdome is fully evidenced in the infinite variety wonderfull order mutuall correspondence and usefull serviceableness of all those creatures that he hath made one to another Psal 104.24 Next to the Work of Creation are Gods acts of Government and Administration of all that he hath made All which appeare likewise in his works of administration or providence wherein we may again take notice of all those glorious Attributes that we have formerly mentioned especially of his wonderfull power and faithfulnesse in supporting by his own hand all that he created by his Word So that they continue to this day according to his Ordinance Psal 119.90 91. propagated in their kinds which we must esteeme no other then a continued Creation Psal 104.30 provided for by his care Psal 145.15 16. and Psal 147.8 9. directed by his wisdome and power to doe whatsoever he commands Iob 37.12 Psal 148.8 So that the creatures severall motions and operations even of those which are carryed according to the course of nature are to be looked upon as so many acts of God in and by them in whom they move and have their beeing Acts 17.28 ordered by him according to his Will and that even the smallest amongst them and in their most inconsiderable motions even to the Sparrowes lighting to the ground Mat. 10.29 These Acts of Gods Providence are most clearely and especially manifested in ordering and disposing of the affaires Especially in ordering the affaires of men and wayes of the sonnes of Men whose courses of life and works if we compare with Gods dispensations towards them we shall easily be able to discover his perfect Justice Discovering his Justice and Holinesse in rewarding men according to their deeds and Holinesse in rewarding every man according to his deeds his mercy and faithfulnesse towards his servants notwithstanding their manifold failings which either God graciously passeth by Ps 130.10 11. or corrects only in mercy His faithfulnes and mercy towards his own as Psal 89.32 22. and faithfulnesse Psal 119.75 turning even their chastisements and afflictions to their good Psal 119.771 His exact Justice upon the wicked whom he puts away like drosse Psal 119 119. His Patience towards the wicked His incredible patience and long suffering even towards the vessells of wrath fitted to destruction Rom. 9.22 continuing unto them the common blessings of this life Mat. 5.45 although fatting them thereby to the day of slaughter that when they have filled up the measure of their iniquities the wrath of God may come upon them to the uttermost 1 Thes 2.16 His faithfulnesse and truth in fulfilling his word not only in his promises of mercy to his owne servants as it is testified His Faithfulnes and Truth in fulfilling his Word Josh 21.45 but withall in executing his judgments threatned 2 Kings 9.36 of which there failes not one word as that wicked King testifies 2 Kings 10.10 His Power in raising and casting down whom he will His power in raising up and pulling downe at his pleasure Psal 113.7 Luk. 1.52 His wisdome in preventing and overthrowing the devices of the crafty Iob 5.12 13. His Wisdome in preventing wicked mens policies taken in their own snares causing their own tongues to fall upon themselves Ps 64.8 and bringing about all their counsels to concur to the execution of his will even in those wayes by those meanes by which they labour most to oppose it as it evidently appeared in the cursed practises of the Iewes and Pilate against our Saviour Christ Act. 4.27 28. For the discovering and observing of those glorious Attributes of God in those works of his Providence we must of necessity make a diligent enquiry into every kind of them particularly and distinctly All which that we may discover we must search into his workes particularly as indeed the workes of God are sought out of all that have pleasure therein Psal 111.2 as well that we may yeeld unto God his due honour as that we may from the consideration of those works gather grounds of comfort and instruction to our selves Above all the rest into that glorious work of our Redemption But above all the rest of these great works which God hath wrought we must be most carefull in searching throughly into that glorious and never sufficiently admired mysterie of mans Redemption by Jesus Christ which the very Angels themselves desire to search into 1 Pet. 1.12 In whose comming into the world by the will and appointment of his Father and taking unto himselfe the nature of Man his abasement in that Nature not only to the forme of a servant but besides to the very death of the Crosse his Triumphing therein over Satan death and hell manifested to the world by his glorious Resurrection from the dead Wherein his unsearchable wisdome unconceiveable love exact justice almighty power and faithfulnesse are more clearly discovered then in all the rest The unsearchable wisdome unspeakeable yea unconceiveable love and mercy exact Justice Almightie Power and stedfast Faithfulnesse and Truth of the holy Lord are more clearly discovered unto us then they are in all the rest of the works which he hath wrought And for that cause the History wherein these things are recorded is above all others most fully and exactly penned and the truth thereof most faithfully attested by foure severall witnesses and those without all exception and consequently it is to be most carefully studied and throughly searched into by us What the maine scope of the Evangelists is in penning that History of the Birth Life The maine scope aimed at in the penning that history is that we might beleeve that Jesus is the Sonne of God Death and Resurrection of our Blessed Saviour hath been intimated already namely to work our hearts to beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God that beleeving we might have eternall life Iohn 20.32 And to this purpose they in the first place beginne with the description of our Saviours person and therein they set out unto us his two distinct Natures
Isa 53.9 10. Lastly 5. His faithfulnesse Truth Gods faithfulnes and truth evidently appeared in fulfilling and making good his gracious Promises in the fulnesse of time whereby he had engaged himselfe both to our first Parents in Paradise and to the Patriarchs and Prophets in succeeding ages so that nothing hath failed of all that he had promised The serious consideration of these particulars laid all together The serious consideration of these particulars ought to fill our hearts and by heedfull meditation laid home to our hearts cannot but furnish us with variety of most usefull and profitable instructions which ought to raise up our hearts to an astonishing admiration of those glorious Attributes 1. With admiration and excellencies shining out so clearely unto us in this wonderfull worke 2. With Gods love Next it cannot but fill them with the love of him who so farre abounded in his love to us that he gave his own Son to be a propitiation for our sins 3. With a faithfull dependence on him 1 Iohn 4.9 10. Thirdly it is an effectuall meanes to establish our hearts in a firme dependence upon that God who having freely given us his Sonne cannot but together with him give us all things Rom. 8.32 Fourthly 4. With his feare it must needs possesse our hearts with an awfull and reverend feare of that justice of that righteous and holy God who makes it so evidently appeare that he will by no meanes cleare the guilty Exodus 34.7 seeing he spared not his own Sonne though innocent in himselfe yet when he tooke only our sinnes upon him and became a surety for us he punished sinne in him to the utmost This consideration should be a more effectuall meanes to move us to passe the time of our dwelling here in feare hating the very garments spotted with the flesh Iud. 23. then the casting off of the Jewes sometimes Gods ancient and only people the casting of the Apostate Angels into hell the drowning of the whole world by the Flood and consuming of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes see 2 Pet. 2.4 5 6. 5. And teach us to deny our selves Lastly there cannot be a more effectuall meanes to move us to deny our selves for him and for the service of his Church then such a pattern laid before us in the example of our blessed Saviour which himselfe urgeth to that purpose Marke 20.44 45. and the Apostle most effectually Phil. 2 5 6 7. Hitherto we have considered the maine scope at which the Scriptures aime Besides the generall work of Creation and Redemption in recording Gods workes unto us namely the setting out and advancing the glory of him that wrought them that by bringing our hearts to a reverend feare of that glorious and dreadfull Name The Lord our God as he is stiled Deut. 28.58 filling them with an holy rejoycing in him and establishing them in a firme dependence on him we might further our own salvation For which purpose we have laid before us only those generall workes of Creation and Providence We are to consider divers particular acts of Providence especially in the Redemption of the world by Jesus Christ It will not be an unprofitable work in the next place to take a surview of some particular acts of Providence wherein we shall easily discover those glorious Eminencies of God in some Examples one of them in some more whereof we shall give a few instances which will shew us the way how to make the like observation in the rest That history of saving Noah and his family in the Arke Noahs preservation in the deluge Lots deliverance in Sodom Manifest Gods faithfulnesse and mercy to his servants when the rest of the world were overwhelmed and swept away in the generall deluge and the delivering of Lot and his family out of the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah are strong evidences of Gods faithfulnesse and mercy to his owne servants as both Moses Gen. 19.29 and the Apostle 2 Pet. 2.5.7 9. make use of them to that purpose In delivering of the Children of Israel His wonders in bringing his people out of Aegypt out of that heavy bondage under which they had been long held by the Egyptians by such strange wonders with a strong hand an outstretched arme as David calls it Psal 136.12 slaying great and mighty Kings Psal 136.18 and giving his people possession of their lands and in the land of Canaan Planting them in Canaan possessed by Giants to whom the children of Israel being compared seemed but as grashoppers Num. 13.33 Notwithstanding their Cities walked up to heaven Deut. 1.28 And generally the plucking down of the mighty from their seats Luke 1.52 and raising up of the poore out of the dust to set them with Princes Discover his Power and Soveraignty Ps 113.7 8. discovers his infinite Power absolute Soveraignty by which is both inabled and hath right to doe whatsoever he pleaseth in heaven and earth Psal 135.6 and none can stay his hand or challenge him for what he doth Dan. 4.35 His preserving and advancing Abraham and his posterity The blessings of God upon Abraham and his posterity whom he so mightily encreased in a strange Country in riches in honours that he was esteemed as a mighty Prince by those amongst whom he dwelt Gen. 23.6 preserved among strangers shadowing them under his own wings rebuking even Kings as Pharaoh Gen. 12.17 and Abimelech Gen. 20.3 for their sakes Psal 105.14 Are evidences of his truth and Al-sufficiency His taking the wise in their craftiness And turning the counsels of men to serve his own ends evidently declare both Gods All-sufficiency and faithfulnesse in making good his Word Gen. 12.2 3. His taking of wise men in their craftinesse Iob. 5.13 causing their own tongues to fall upon them Psal 64.8 as he did Hamans Hest 6.9 10. and chap. 9 10. argue his Power Wisdome and Justice The making use of the malice of Iosephs brethren to bring him into Aegypt both for his owne advancement Argue his wisdome and goodnesse and for the preservation of Iacobs family Gen. 45.5 Psal 105.17 set out both his Wisdome and Goodnesse as Ioseph observes Gen. 30.20 and generally the histories of the particular acts of divine Providence are but instances of the wonderfull effects of those glorious Excellencies in God whereof one or more of them are minifested unto us thereby Now that we may the better discover that God is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his workes as David testifies Psal 145.17 seeing that all righteousnesse consists in the just proportioning of all dispensations to the wayes and workes of men whether they be good or evill we must carefully compare the wayes in which men walke with the wayes in which God walkes towards them whereby we shall easily and plainly discover the justice of God as well in rewarding the righteous In comparing the waies of men with