his death was a passing to the Father therefore so shall ours be also even as Christ himself said John 20. I ascend to my Father and to your Father Note 1. He doth not say that his time but his hour was come to teach us that there is a certain hour appointed to every man as it is said Job 14. The number of his moneths are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass Note 2. Secondly To shew that his suffering would not last long So he saith to the Jews Matth. 26. this is your hour q.d. I have but one hour to suffer and you but one to spend your rage Thus the Scripture calleth the whole time of this life but an hour If thou dost well know that thou hast but an hours time here that is but a very little while do not therefore begrudge thy labour And even thy effliction lasteth but an hour let it not then be tedious Psalm 37. So the prosperity of the wicked continueth but an hour Fret not thy self because of the evill doers for yet a little and he shall be no more But as the feast of the Passover was Christs hour when he would suffer and dye so forty years after at the same feast was his hour when he inflicted vengeance on the Jews For when they were assembled at the Passover the Romans besieged them and shortly after ransack'd their City We also have two hours one of Mercy another of Judgement as certainly as there is a time of mercy so certainly may we expect the hour of Judgement Briefly the Evangelist John calleth the death of Christ a going away 1. That he might shew his power and might For he could pass over all those things which yet hindred his approach to the Father Psal 107.16 as it is said of him He hath broken the gates of brass and cut the bars of iron in sunder Before his death there was no clear passage out of this world unto Heaven And this therefore is the fruit of his death he opened thereby and prepared for us a passage to the Father It is significantly said not to God but to the Father that we should not be afraid to draw nigh unto God who by Christ is now become our Father 2. Again This going away may thus be understood viz. that John would hereby give an account of the Passover it self which signifieth a passing over as if he had said This feast hath hitherto been celebrated in remembrance of those things that were done in the passing or going out of Aegypt Now there is another passing out at hand even out of the world unto the Father In the former going out Moses was Leader in this second Christ Jesus is the Captain As they followed Moses so let us follow Christ The Jewish Passover is to go out of Aegypt the Christian Passover is to go out of the world to the Father But what did Christ when he knew that the hour of his going away was at hand surely he did not forget his friends He did not leave loving them for whose sake he was going to suffer such a bitter death And why should he withdraw his love from them who are so hated and contemned by and in the world What then doth Christ do When he had loved his he loved them unto the end He did truly love them and he continued this his love to them indeed unto the end In the first clause Christ sheweth the reason why he was made man and came into the world It was not our worthiness that was any motive thereof Psal 143.2 for we were not worthy to receive so much as corporall blessings from him much less were we worthy of eternall Nor had we any merit to move him for we were altogether born in sin Neither was it our righteousness that availed any thing for who shall be justified in the sight of God But it was his boundless love his infinite charity wherewith he embraced us that allured and invited him thereto For as the Father out of his great and abundant love sent his Son so the Son out of his abundant charity undertook and performed that Embassie of the Father So saith John herein his love 1 John 4. not that we loved him but that he loved us first Most significantly doth John say having loved his own which were in the world All creatures were his by creation John 1. It is said of the wicked He came unto his own and his own received him not But by his own is here meant those whom he chose to be his from Eternity of whom it is said Thine they were John 17. and thou gavest them me He saith further which were in the world lest any should think he spake here of the Angels who also are Christs But he took not the Nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham Heb. 2. Phil. 2. He did not appear in the likeness of an Angell but was found in fashion as a man And it is said in generall having loved his own which were in the world lest any should think that he loved none but his Apostles How he loved his own may be seen by this one thing in that he came down from Heaven for their sake to say nothing of the great tokens of his love which he shewed to them when he was in earth But what meaneth that He loved them to the end It was to shew why Christ took the Cross in his way as he went back again to the Father when he might have returned without danger His love constrained him He saw that his coming down from Heaven was not sufficient unless also he made satisfaction for the sins of men So that he loved them to the end i. e. he persevered in his love 1. First in that he left not loving them even to the death the ungodliness of the Jews did not hinder him he was not disheartened when his own fled from him and denyed him leaving him all alone to suffer by himself 2. He continued his love to them in that death it self did not put an end to it Many waters could not quench it Cant 8. 3. His love to them lasted to the end that is he sheweth signs of it to them in the very last day 4. He loved them to the end that is with the highest and most perfect love than which none could be greater Greater love hath none than that a man lay down his life for his friends which Christ did do John 13. Or 5. He loved them to the end that is he gave not over till be had perfectly saved them sully overcome sin death and all the curses of the Law Now then John doth so singularly commend the love of Christ and set it forth in the beginning or entrance of his Passion and his last Supper 1. To shew that all things which followed after proceeded from nothing but the
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
A New Commandment saith he I give you that ye love one another as I have loved you q.d. Nothing will more safely defend yee from the envy of the world nor more surely keep you in my favour than to love one another Much might be said concerning this loving each other 1. And first the errour of our present times might hereby be supprest which flattering it self with Faith alone doth altogether flee and fight against obedience to any Command Charity and good works 2. Again true Christian charity should hence be revived and restored which did heretofore so much abound in the Church c. But let it suffice us now that we go along with the meaning of Christs words 1. And first some will be ready to startle and be affrighted to hear Christ speak of or so much as mention a Command as if he meant to impose the Yoke of the Law upon them again But he allayeth his speech with this that he doth not enjoyn many as Moses did but gives only one Command And in that he calleth it a New Commandment t is a sign that he would free us from the Yoke of the Law Acts. 15. Isa 9.4 which none was able to bear and which condemned every man And therefore in Isaiah it is called The Scepter of the Exactor 2. Hereby he sheweth that the Law was not sufficient to salvation if it were there had been no need of adding any more Although the Law commanded us to love our Neighbour Matth. 22. for Christ also saith that it is one of the first Pâ—ecepts of the Law nevertheless here he calleth it a New Commandment Because 1. Matth. 5. It was renewed by him For the Pharisees had much obscured it by their Tradition For this Thou shalt hate thy enemy was foisted in by them whereas the Law saith no such thing therefore Christ rejects it 2. It is commanded more frequently and more excellently in the New Testament The Sabbath Sacrifices and Ceremonies are often mentioned in the Law but Love is every where commanded in the New Testament 3. In the New Testament it is otherwise laid down than in the Law or old Testament To them it was said Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self But to us As I have loved you which is somewhat more for Christ loved us more than himself He spared not himself that he might spare us Therefore it is a New Command because we are bid love our Neighbour more than our selves so that we should prefer nothing before him neither Honour nor Riches no nor our bodily Life as we see in Christ that he did not 4. Because it is now confirmed by greater Examples viz. of God and Christ Hence saith John Herein is Love 1 John 4.19 3.16 because he first loved us and laid down his life for us 5. It is a New Commandment because he Commands it from the heart and not from the Ceremonies of the Law and teacheth that the Law is not fulfilled by outward works but by the inward love of the heart 6. Because though all the other Precepts both ceremonial and judicial are abolished this only continued and was renewed not from the nature of the law which indeed did require it but gave no power to fulfill it but from the nature of the Gospel which giveth strength by the Spirit to fulfill all the Commandments 7. 'T is never worn out it abideth new still and never waxeth old for let us love never so much and never so long yet we are still debtors so to do 8. It is New because as that which is new is nearest to its principle or beginning so Charity uniteth and maketh us nigh unto God who is the beginning of all things 9. Because it cannot be fulfilled but by a New Spirit or in newness of Spirit not by the spirit of Bondage but by the Spirit of Liberty and Adoption which who so hath not Rom. 5. shall never fulfill this Command for by the Spirit alone is Chatity shed abroad into our hearts But mark Christ doth not speak of any kind of love There is a carnal love There is an inordinate love when we do not only love the persons and favour them but their Vices too Christ speaks not of this love nor of that which consists only in word and in tongue but of that which is in deed and in truth Therefore he saith As I have loved you Now Christ loved us 1. Ordinately because he loved our persons yet so as not to flatter our faults but sharply reproves them even in those whom he loves best 2. Effectually not in word only but in deed He loved us freely without any merit of ours 3. Yea when we were yet enemies when we were yet sinners we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Rom. 5.8,10 4. Lastly Perseveringly to the end as was said before Joh. 13. Let us learn from hence how we ought to love our neighbour But when he saith As I have loved you we must not think that he requireth a measure every way proportionable to his Love For who can so love But he would have us do our utmost and strive might and main with all our strength to imitate his Love If we cannot keep pace with him let us at least follow hard after him Psalm 63.8 and keep as close as may be As elswhere he saith not Learn of me to work Miracles c. but Learn of me because I am meek and lowly in heart So here he would not have them known to be his Disciples by any other Badge but Love Hereby shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another Christians have other Duties to perform as to Fast Pray give Alms c. But though these things be good yet a hypocrite may do them as you read Mat. 6. Christ therefore will have none owned as his Disciples by any other mark but mutuall Love Matth. 6. For Love is 1. A general Note and Sign which every one may have In the other as Fasting Prayer Alms-deeds c. A man may sometime find an excuse but in this none can excuse himself and find any shift to put it by 2. It is an infallible mark of a godly heart All other signs may fail but this will never For where Charity is there also are all other Vertues and so it is the perfect keeping of Gods Commands Rom. 13. He that loveth fulfilleth the Law 3. It is a convertible Sign As it is true that every true Christian loveth his Neighbour so it is true on the contrary that whosoever truly loveth his Neighbour is a Christian 4. Christ would have all his known by Charity and hath given them this for their Livery that others might be allured and won by the good Odour of the Faithfull and say Behold Psalm 133. how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell in unity Whence we see 1. That
in the letter and in the Law the Scribes Pharisees and Lawyers who forsook the royal Law of Love and Obedience yet were literally zealous it was by these that Christ suffered and still doth suffer There are that are called Jews and yet are of the very Synagogue of Satan Thus the Law without the spirit of life is a dead and killing letter a Ministration of Condemnation If the spiritual Jacob be not with us at Dothan we shall plot and contrive our dearest brother Joseph's death 13. But here 2 Kin. 6. we have Elisha conversing in Dothan with the sons of the Prophets who being inflamed with his presence importune him for greater inlargement Doubtless there is a time when our true Elisha Christ Jesus walketh with his Children in low legal literal and fleshly Ministrations nurseth them up with milk like babes and alloweth them Tutors and Governors in their Non age Only let us beware that we do not with the Scribes and Pharises stick to the empty letter that we ramble not to Dothan when neither old Jacob our father nor Elisha our Prophet is there let us not run after the servant when he is cast out of doors nor hearken to Moses when Christ is come for then though we make our boast of the Law yet shall we dishonour God by breaking it Rom. 2. Now we shall know if Christ be yet with us under the Law if so our hearts will be inflamed and long for greater inlargement and complain of our present straitnings whereas a meer literal and formal Christian loves his ease is content to stand at a stay will not indure to hear of removing farther then he hath already attained cries out against all notions more spiritual then his own as Delusions Dreams Enthusiasms c. But the true sons of the spiritual Prophet are still groaning after the manifestation and glorious freedom of the sons of God Rom. 8. And therefore they are ever crying out My father my father O Christ O Lord Jesus thou everlasting father I am straitned inlarge my heart that I may run the ways of thy Commandments I am straitned where I now am make room give place that I may dwell in the everlasting habitations Isa 49.20 I am content to break thorow death to come to those Mansions I am weary of this Tabernacle remove my Tent uncloth me that I may be clothed and let mortality be swallowed up of life Go with me to Jordan baptize me in that river how am I straitned till it be accomplished Mortifie the sinfull lusts and affections of my flesh crucifie my old man day by day rend his vail of flesh that with open face I may behold thy glory be changed into the same image and come to the spirits of just men made perfect and to the Spirit of the Lord where is liberty and perfect freeedom 2 Cor 3.17,18 Heb. 12.23 14. This is the nature and property of them that are taught of God and have learned and obeyed the truth as it is in Jesus But then there are some even among these Children of the Prophets the true Professors of Godliness who go along for a while undiscerned like Cain Judas the man at the marriage-feast and this man here among the sons of the Prophets they make a great shew and bustle about Religion a great stir and noyse there is about Christ crucified and subduing of their lusts they hack and hew at the tree and talk much of mortification but before they can effect it the Axflies from the helve their gifts and parts fail them and the work is at a stand And why Surely their gifts were borrowed and did not flow from their obedience to Christ and experience of his Doctrine but they pickt a notion from one a sentence from another they laid a great many good words in the memory and these they made use of in the self-will and wisdom in the lust of the flesh the pride of life vain-glory and ostentation seeming to be wise but knowing nothing as they ought to know patching up a self-conceited Righteousness thereby deluding their own souls And then they will be made to acknowledge and say Alas Lord they were borrowed Now there is no remedy for such till these fall off from a mans self and fall into Jordan the river of Judgement and Condemnation till a man deny himself and sell or lose all that he hath then the true Elisha makes the Iron to swim that he may go and finish his work Thus he that loseth his life shall save it and he that parteth with House Land Goods Father Friends Gifts Parts Indowments c. shall receive them again in this life an hundred fold Happy are they whose loss is their gain But fourthly 15. There is no ascending to the highest injoyment except we first descend into the deepest abasement It is said of Christ that he humbled himself even to the death of the Cross and for that cause God hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name Phil. 2,8,9 If we also would have a name better then that of sons and daughters if we would be called Hephtzi-bah and Beulah Isa 62.4 Ruth 3.7,9 let us do as Ruth did unto Boaz let us lie down at the feet of Christ and desire him to cast the skirt of his garment over us as one nigh of kin unto us Christ hath a two-fold garment the one of Glory and Majesty in which he walketh among the Angels and the spiritual Church He clotheth himself with Light as with a garment Psalm 104.2 His rayment is white as the Light Mat. 17.20 Rev. 1.13 His other garment is of shame and baseness With this he conversed among men upon earth He was found in fashion as a servant Phil. 2.8 In the likeness of sinfull flesh Rom. 8.3 He was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 In this humane nature of ours was his Diety clothed and hid for a season The lowest state of this humanity the very border hem or skirt of which garment that toucheth the ground was the great humiliation of Christ humbling himself to the most ignominious and shamefull death of the Cross 16. If therefore we would have Christ do the office of a kinsman to us for he is our kins-man nigh unto us flesh of our flesh and bone of bone one that is not ashamed to call us brethren who hath right to redeem us if we would have him take away our reproach of barrenness and make us fruitfull in the knowledge of himself let us lie down at his feet humble our selves to walk as he walked desire him to spread his skirt over us to conform us to his death that we may be transformed into the likeness of his Resurrection If we would have our sinfull name our name of shame blotted out if we would have our bloody issue stopped let us do as the woman in the Gospel let us press through the press of all worldly and fleshly incumbrances and
tells us Mat. 5.22 Gen. 4.6 Tit. 1.13 That whosoever is angry with his brother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rashly inconfiderately without a reason shall be in danger of Judgement Why art thou wrath and why is thy countenance fallen Indeed such may be the case that we ought to be highly displeased with our Brother and rebuke him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sharply bitterly as when he doth that which doth any ways hinder the Glory of God or the good of man Thus Christ was sorely displeased 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was wroth or had indignation against his own Disciples Mar. 10.14 Get thee behind me Satan said he to Peter a sharp rebuke when he did but unwittingly and out of his respect to his Master too speak that which savoured not of God but tended to hinder the salvation of Mankind Mat. 16.23 But there is a causless anger proceeding from the flesh causing divisions and War 1 Cor. 3.3 Jam 4.1 This cannot be quenched but by crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 When the Apostle had exhorted to be kind and tender-hearted forgiving one another he proposeth a Pattern the following whereof will lead unto the end to which we are exhorted viz. Forgiving one another as God in Christ hath freely forgiven us This he would have us imitate in God as dear Children This forgiveness is by walking in love this love must be conformable to that of Christ to us Eph. 4 32. 5.1,2 There is a gracious Promise Isa 2.4 concerning the coming of Christ that men shall beat their swords into Plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks and the Naâ—ions shall learn War no more When Christ is formed in the hearts of men and they conformed to the heart of Christ we shall see Halcyon days then shall men live in Quietness Love and Peace When the root of Jesse shall stand up for an Ensign then Ephraim shall not envy Judah and Judah shall not vex Ephraim Isaiah 11.10,13 41. Lastly In this knowledge of and conformity unto the death of Christ there is Cornucopia abundance of all things fulness of satisfaction and plenty of all good No good thing will be wanting Psalm 84.11 34.10 Si Christum discis sati est si caetera nescis Si Christum nescis nihil est si caetera discis They that enter into Gods house through this door shall be abundantly satissied with the fatness and goodness thereof Psalm 36.8 65.4 Luke 15.17 John 10.9 All things come with this knowledge of Christ Rom. 8.32 Here is the fatted Calf the paschal Lamb the feast of fat things which the Lord makes unto all people in his holy mountain Isa 25.6 Which mountain may well have respect unto Mount Calvary where our Lord was crucified as the 7th 8th 9th verses of that Chapter seem to intimate for there the Lord feasted all mankind with the riches and sweetness of his love David saith Psalm 17.15 That he should be satisfied when he did awake with Gods likeness God likeness or image is Holiness and Righteousness We must first sleep in Jesus 1 Thes 4.14 by dying with him and then awake unto Righteousness and sin not 1 Cor. 15.34 The Apostle seems to affirm that they have but little knowledge of God who continue in sin It s a great shame and a sign that men are grosly ignorant of the Grace of God and the death of Christ when they shall so audaciously affirm that there is no living without sin so long as we are in the body They deny the first Resurrection in Deed though not in Word They err concerning the Truth and seek to overthrow the faith of some who say that the Resurrection is past already 2 Tim. 2.18 For though Christ be risen as the first fruits from the dead yet the Resurrection is not compleat in the body although it be in the head There 's much of the Harvest to come in when the first fruits are gathered As there are sufferings of Christ behind Col. 1.24 so is there also a Resurrection behind We must suffer too if we will reign with him 2 Tim. 2.12 Great is the Glory that doth follow the sufferings of Christ Luke 24.26 1 Pet. 1.11 When Ruth lay dewn at the feet of Booz it was at an heap of corn and when she arose she was laden therewith Ruth 3.6,7,15 If we humble our selves in conformity to the death of Christ we shall have more then six measures of Barely we shall have an hundred fold here and inherit everlasting life Mat. 19.29 Vnto which blessed state of Rest and Glory God of his infinite Mercy bring us all through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen WHat I have more to say to you in particular my ancient Friends and Acquaintance of * And elsewhere Brinkworth may not seem so pertinent and agreeable to the Subject in hand yet I shall here insert it because I know not whether ever I shall make use of the Press any more hereafter My endeavour is to give you satisfaction concerning those things about which there hath been some disagreement in our Judgements of which I shall give you my understanding and present apprehension very briefly 42. That there is a Prescience and Prevision in the most Holy and only wise God whereby he did and doth fore-know and fore-see from all Eternity all things that are or shall be unto Eternity this I deny not But that there is such an absolute and peremptory Decree in God either according to the Supralapsarian or Sublapsarian opinion reprobating some men irrecoverably and unavoidably to Eternal damnation hating them before they were and necesstating them by vertue of such a Decree to sin after they had a Being unto this I cannot consent 43. For if God had hated any thing before it was be would never have given it a Being as the wise man saith Thou hast Mercy upon all for thou canst do all things and winkest at the sins of men because they should amend for thou lovest all the things that are and abhorrest nothing which thou hast made for never wouldst thou have made any thing if thou hast hated it Wisd 11.23,24 Nor can I believe that there is any impulsion as some say in the Decree of God as a cause or an occasion for man to sin For we must not say that it is through the Lord that we fall away or that he hath caused us to erre for he hath no need of the sinfull man Eccl. 15.11,12 44. These two Texts of those Wise men though Apocryphal prevail more with me then the contrary assertions of all others whatsoever And the Apostle James is positive and clear in this Truth Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evils neither tempteth he any man Jam. 1.13 So that to affirm there is an inherent coercion in the Decree of God necessitating men unto or towards their final Ruine is to impute
many differences of the Evangelists Whence he concludeth that it is very likely that it was not one but three women One of whom Matthew and Mark speak Matth. 26. Mar. 14. Another of whom Luke writeth Luke 7. whom also he calleth a sinner A third mentioned by John John 12. whom also he calleth Mary the sister of Lazarus Faber Stapulensis would have them to be three but doth otherwise distinguish them The first he calleth that sinner in Luke The second Mary the sister of Martha of whom mention is made in the three Evangelists Matthew Mark and Iohn The third he saith was Mary Magdalen who would have anoynted the Lord in his Sepulchre So that according to his opinion the sinner anoynted Christ a great while before his death but Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus anoynted him but a little before his Passion And he will needs have Mary Magdalen to be that woman of Galilee out of whom Christ had before cast out seven Devils as it is Mar. 16.9 Chrysostome and Theophilact suppose the three Evangelists Matthew Mark and Luke do speak of one woman and Iohn of another Ambrose is doubtful and can hardly resolve the matter and at last saith Perhaps it was not one lest the Evangelists should seem to clash c. lib. 6. super Lucam Nor can it be easily determined by any unto this day But certain it is that Matthew and Mark spoke of one and the same woman And because the anoynting which John speaks of was also at Bethany and in those very dayes before the Passover and immediately before Christs Passion it is most like that he meaneth the same woman that the other two Evangelists write of whom also he calleth by her proper Name which the other two do not Whether this Mary of Bethany anoynted Christ twice within a few dayes First his feet as Iohn faith and then his head as Matthew and Mark report and that there Iudas only but here all the Apostles murmured together let others judge This is clear that three of the Evangelists mean one and the same woman whatever may be thought of that woman that was a sinner Certain also it is that this Unction of Christ before his passion was at Bethany For Matthew and Mark name the house of Simon the Leper but John seems to intimate that it was in the house of Lazarus or Martha To which we may answer that either that Simon the Leper was the father of Lazarus and his sisters or that Mary did anoynt Christ twice both in her own house and in the house of Simon the Leper who was so call'd not that he was a Leper at that time but that he had been so and was cleansed by Christ There is yet one scruple behind in that Luke also saith Luke 7. that Christ was anointed by a sinner in Simons house whence some may suppose that it was but one woman in all the Evangelists though one may write more of her and another less as they do of other things It is not so credible that there were two Simons in whose houses Christ was twice anoynted To this may be added that Luke as well as John saith that the woman wiped the feet of Jesus with her hair which argueth that it was one and the same woman Nor doth that make against it because of the two Simons one is called a Pharisee and the other a Leper for the same man may be so called Thus nothing can yet be here certainly determined wherefore passing by these things let us come to the History it self This woman is said to bring an Alabaster box of precious oyntment or according to Mark of Spikenard very precious or as John hath it of Spikenard very costly For it was by conjecture of Spikenard and Balsam which sort of Oyl is accounted most precious if it be not adulterated But John saith expresly that this oyntment was ex nardo pistico that is certain and true and not adulterated so that the Disciples valued it at 300. pence Such kind of precious Oyntments were common among the richer sort The most precious was called the Royal Oyntment which was made up of many precious things as Spikenard Gum of the Balm tree Myrrhe Cassia Cinamon c. And t is probable that this oynment of Mary was not much inferiour to it in value Pliny agreeth hereto Lib. 13. cap. 1. Lib. 12. cap. 12. who writeth almost the same of the oyntment of Spikenard and addeth that the Spikenard of Syriae is the best and elswhere he saith that such kind of Oyntments are best kept in Alabasters Now Alabasters are Glass-vessels which Apothecaries commonly use Let us now view the beauteous mind of this woman 1. When all were busie in the house to wait on Christ a little before his Passion for they had provided him a Supper at which Martha served Mary was not idle John 12. So ought it to be in the Church none should be idle but every one strive according to his strength to serve Christ and contend who should do most for him Those that are backward should imitate those that are forward The strong should so much the more earnestly press further by how much the more eagerly others follow after them O happy house where things are so carried 2. See also with what boldness this woman cometh to Christ whom even that holy man John was afraid to touch in Jordan Mat. 3. which confidence she could no otherwayes attain to but from the goodness of Christ which she had so often seen and tryed It was not therefore rashness in this woman but strong love and exceeding great charity Mat. 6. Thus Believers though they be not yet quite free from sin dare boldly say to God Our Father which are in Heaven 3. Again This woman doth a good office to Christ nothing terrified with the threats and cursed execrations of the Pharisees nothing at all troubled at the jeers and grumblings of others only contented that Christ accepted her service Faith regards not the world so it can but please God 4. Besides She doth not bring any manner of Oyntment but the best that which was dear and a great deal of it even a whole pound as John saith John 12. Charity is of that condition it knows no bounds but the best whatsoever it hath that it liberally bestoweth on Christ Nor doth it so much take notice what or how much it poureth out but to whom and for whom 5. Moreover She doth not anoint the feet of Christ only according to John but his head too as Matthew and Mark report even ready to serve him in all things and what she commendably at first undertook if it were but one only woman every where now she doth more commendably accomplish At first she anointed only his feet now she doth at once anoint both feet and head So should we ascend from the feet of Christ to
his head that is from his Humanity to his Divinity But whereas it is said that she anointed the head also of Christ it is plain that it was no common Oyntment for such would rather have besmear'd him but some pleasant and sweet-scented Liquor or rich water as hath been said 6. Lastly She wiped the feet of Christ with her hair as if she had been drunk with love not knowing which way to do him more service but willing to do more if she could It was therefore justly said she hath done what she could Mar. 14.8 Thus this woman indeed doth fill the whole house of God with the good smell of her pious work whereby the Elect are yet refreshed and stirred up to do the like 1. Christ yet holds his peace and lets her alone yea he takes it in good part not that he was taken with such kind of pleasures nor that the thing was so much worth in it self but because it proceeded from so great faith and devotion for that is it which Christ most regardeth in our works 2. Also Christ therefore suffered himself to be anoynted because that Unction prefigured his death and burial as shall more largely appear hereafter Although Christ behaved himself most lowly all his life time yet would he honour death too which he did not suffer by any necessity but of his own accord for the health of the whole world and by which he would conquer the Devil Hence it is that when he drew near his death he was carried with triumphant pomp into Jerusalem and hence also it was that he would be anoynted with costly oyntment before his death and when he was dead would be buried in a new Tomb cut out of a Rock and be wrapt in clean linnen by a Noble man And therefore would he give more honour to his death than to his life viz. for the comfort of his people that they might know the death of the Saints is precious even when their life is in glory and that then they do most truly approach unto glory when they draw neerest unto death But this Unction of Christ doth in some sort represent the Unction of his Father wherewith he was anoynted to be a King and a Priest with the oyl of gladness above his fellows Psal 45.7 viz. with the holy Spirit and the fulness of all grace as it is Isay 11. The hairs of Gods head that is the Elect do wipe the drops of his Unction Of the fulness of Christ do all receive John 1. The Saints are truly called the hairs of Gods Head For as the hair in it self is dead yet sticketh fast to the head and adorneth it So the Saints in themselves are dead They mortifie their members upon earth and die daily Col. 3. 1 Cor. 15. that is they are alwayes ready to dye for Christ yet they cleave close to God as to their head and in him they This their Head they do also beautifie for they glorifie God in word and work and God is glorified in them 1. And from hence ariseth a twofold comfort unto us in that we know assuredly that this same Christ who was so much despised of the Jews was anoynted by God the Father and that with the most precious Oyntment of all the very smell whereof refresheth the whole world Again because we know that the drops of his Oyntment did and yet do fall upon us 2. Furthermore This History doth also shadow out the whole state of the Church The Allegory Simon the Leper in whose house these things were done who also signifieth hearing or obeying doth represent the people of the Jews who first heard the Word of God Vnto them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3.2 This people while they remained pure had a most spacious house wherein God was pleased to dwell Psal 76. viz. the Assembly of Believers for then was God known only in Jury But this people of the Jews became leprous through their unbelief and so were rejected out of that house but the house remained yea became greater For out of the Synagogue of the Jews sprang the universal Church of Believers In this house are three sorts of men Some are converted and risen from the death of sin These are set forth by Lazarus Others are fain to work hard for a livelihood who thereby also do glorifie God These are held out by Martha Some give themselves only to God and spiritual things These signified by Mary The Morality Indeed every Christian should have in himself and bear about these three persons First Lazarus by rising out of and flying from sin Secondly Martha alway exercised in good works Thirdly Mary anoynting Christ The Oyntment wherewith Christ should and would be anoynted is faith yet not any kind of faith but the best sort viz. the Christian faith This faith must be made up of Spikenard that is it must be fervent that so it may work by love it must not be adulterate by mixture of Errours It must be compleat even a full pound lest it doubt in any one Article We must anoynt both the head and feet of Christ believing his Divinity and Humanity These things we ought to perform to Christ in his own Person but yet we have not honoured whole Christ For he hath a mystical Body the Church in which he is Head and all that Believe in him are the feet The Oyntment wherewith this body must be anoynted is charity out of a pure heart and faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 Anoynt then both head and feet viz. love God and thy neighbour For charity from the heart is not enough unless there be the hairs also by which are signified outward riches not only because they do outwardly adorn but because they neither live nor give life nor deliver from death Again most commonly they are superfluous as the hair is and as the hair may be cut off without pain so should we not be troubled to part with our worldly goods for the good of our Neighbour seeing Christ bestowed himself on us Or thus the hair is a kind of dead thing so if thou hast any dead thing in thee as sin do as Daniel bids thee Break off thy sins by righteousness and thy iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor Dan. 4.27 In short this Oyntment signifieth that good savour of good works which we that believe ought to bestow on the Body of Christ the holy Church and members of Christ after the example of that woman from faith unfeigned according to that In as much as ye have done it to one of these little ones ye have done it unto me Mat. 25. Thus not only Origen but Augustine refer that Unction to the good works of Believers and it doth well agree For as that house in Bethany was filled with the smell of the Oyntment John 12. 2 Cor. 2. so the good works of the Church which is the true
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
so he might mollifie his mind and teach us to do the like The meaning is Friend wherefore art thou come q.d. I invite thee to be friends For as I foreknew what thou wouldst do so now I am ready to forgive thee and to receive thee into former favour and friendship again though thou hast thus sin'd against me Do not sleight my offer but consider what thou art attempting how wickedly thou dealest with me who have deserved no such thing at thy hands Friend wherefore art thou come Who did bring thee to me who forc'd thee hither Was it my fault Have any of mine offended thee But thou art come willingly of thy own accord The rest are commanded and compelled but thou comest and therefore thou hast the greater sin O Judas I pitty thee how doth thy destruction trouble me for whom I now suffer in vain Lo thou art the first on whom my blood hath no effect Why art thou come Surely not to my destruction but thine own because thou art come to destroy me by whom thou shouldest be saved For how can he be saved that would destroy the very Truth Righteousness and Salvation it self And these we may suppose were not spoken to Judas only but to all such as intend mischief to their Neighbours For truly he that wrongs his Neighbour doth first ruin himself Therefore Brethren let us look to it and give all diligence that we be not found false but reall friends of God and Christ As Abraham was called the friend of God James 2. and Lazarus the friend of Christ Joh. 11. And Christ doth not call his Apostles servants but Friends Joh. 15. But Judas was never the better for all Christs counsell It may be he thought that Christ spake this out of fear Therefore after he had kist him Christ cals him yet once more the last time and that with great expression of love and goodness Judas saith saith he dost thou betray the son of man with a kiss Now he doth lay open his sin and touch him to the quick he aggravateth the sin it self that so being terrified therewith he might forbear O Judas what a horrible sin dost thou commit What man durst ever do the like Dost thou only strive to out-strip all other men besides in malice and mischief Beware what thou dost Thou thinkest to cheat me with thy fawning flattery and to hide thy hatred from me But I knew long ago what thy purpose was and what bargain thou drovest with the Jews and what thou meanest by this thy treacherous kiss thou betrayest the Son of Man But consider what an hainous crime it is to destroy the innocent Consider also who and what he is whose life thou huntest after Grant it hitherto I have called my self only the son of Man but I will make thee see and know who this son of Man is Thou dost not destroy the son of man only but the Son of God too Thou betrayest them both at once Thou betrayest him that is thy Father by creation thy Lord by preservation thy Saviour by Redemption thy Brother by incarnation thy Master by instruction thy Friend by election and lastly him that will be thy Judge by a finall Retribution See how many sins thou committest at once and all by one kiss Thus thou woundest him by a shew of Love thou sheddest his blood by a seeming work of charity thou seekest his death in a way of peace what can be more odious then this horrid fact We see here how unwilling God is that any man should perish and how grievously they sin who are the occasion of others ruin and destruction As on the other side how honourably they deserve who are the means of others Salvation Jam. 5.20 Here Christ instructeth by his Example and Word By this Example he teacheth us 1. Patiently to bear with wicked men yea to bear the guil and treachery of false Friends as Christ did patiently bear the falshood of Judas for we that are servants ought not to be greater than our Lord. 2. So to love our Neighbour that we wink not at their faults as Christ here calleth Judas Friend yet withall he rebuked him for his sin By those two words which Christ here spake be would warn every man not to be like Judas lest they suffer as he did It were to be wisht that there were but one Judas in the Church of Christ We all indeed cry out against his malice but mean while we do the same things which we blame him for Judas was a covetous man and for filthy lucre he sold Christ He rob'd the poor of their Alms and gifts of charity He did not make it his business to preach Christ He was not converted at the preaching of Christ He took the Body of Christ in his sins He betrayed Christ under a colour of peace He was an hypocrite He was obstinate and impenitent c. How oft do we see these and such like things in a Church Is not he a Traytor that confesseth Christ with his mouth but denyeth him in his works Also he that doth contrary to righteousness truth charity c. for money or any other temporal advantage Likewise he that makes a shew of Love to his Neighbour but hateth him in his heart O cursed generation of Judas how many and deep roots hast thou fastened in the earth But the time will come when all the followers of Judas shall perish together with their Jewish frowardness Mean while let the godly like Christ bear and have patience with wicked men Now when Judas had kissed him no doubt but the rest run upon Jesus to lay hands upon lest the traytors sign being observed they should let him escape Therefore it follows in the Text When they which were about him saw what would follow Luke 22.49 they said unto him Lord shall we smite with the sword Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it John 18.10 and smote the high Priests servant and cut off his right ear the servants name was Malchus And Jesus answered and said Suffer ye thus far Luke 22.51 John 18.11 Mat 26.52 Then said Jesus unto Peter Put up thy sword into the sheath for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father and he shall presently give me more then twelve Legions of Angels The cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it John 18.11 Mat. 26.54 Luke 22.51 But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be And he touched his ear and healed him The Apostles understood not what Christ said at supper when he spake of buying a sword Christ meant the sword of the Spirit but they thought that he had spoken of a material sword Therefore they presently brought him two swords and now when they saw their enemies they asked whether they should fight in his defence But Peter as one hotter then the rest and flusht
They took Jesus but they had been better they had let him alone That is a good apprehension when the godly apprehend him by faith hope and charity whereof Paul saith I follow after if by any means I may comprehend Phil. 3. So the Spouse I held him and would not let him go Cant. 8. But this is not the apprehension spoken of here but that which the Wise man speaketh of Let us lye in wait for the Righteous let us put him to u shameful death Wisd 2. Thus he that took not the Angels but the seed of Abraham is most unworthily laid hands on by those very men whom he took by the hand He that stretcht not forth his hand of mercy to the Angels but to men when they were fallen is now taken by their hands O the wonderfull goodness of God! It was much that he should set men so high at first but it is much more that he should abase himself sollow for man at last So it was a great thing that commonly he did miraculously deliver the godly but it is far greater that he should now in love to us yield to be a captive that he might deliver us from Eternal slavery Sin death and the devil had taken us captive with great Tyranny but Christ willingly suffered himself to be taken when none of these our catch-poles had any power over him And because he was stronger than they he overcame them and set us free Therefore we may well sing I will extoll thee O Lord for thou hast lifted me up and hast not made my foes to rejoyce over me Psalm 30.1 John addeth And they bound him This was the only power of darkness to take to bind whom they could not take to understand So they did take him when his own hour was for one momentany hour for afterward there was no power of darkness could ever any more comprehend the Light When they had taken him they bound him O the horrid boldness of sinners They bound him that they might lead him away more safely For so Judas had forewarned them that they should look narrowly to him And now they think themselves safe as long as they have Christ prisoner in their own custody But certainly this taking and binding of Christ was their utter undoing A figure whereof was in Sampson and in the Ark of God Judg. 16. and 1 Sam. 5. For as the Philistins took Sampson to their own bane he killing many more of them at his death then in his life And as the same Philistins when they took the Ark of God were many wayes sorely afflicted by it so none else destroyed the Jews but he that was taken and bound by them The Philistins rejoyced when they had taken Sampson so they did when they got the Ark of God but their joy did not last long The Jews were glad when they had taken Christ but their joy was but short for a little after the Romans destroyed them Hence it is that they also now cry and pray but there is none to hear or help them And justly too For he may say to them that they manicled both his arms of Majesty and therefore he cannot now relieve them Thus the unthankfull sons of Adam lay hands on him by whose hands they were created They bind him who came to untye all men The meek Lamb all this while holds his peace and openeth not his mouth but in the bitterness of soul considereth of what continuance our time is knowing that nothing but our sin brought him into all this trouble and sorrow Isa 53. David spake of this taking of Christ long since Mine enemies compass me about they are inclosed in their own fat i.e. they are incorrigibly resolved to practice their own wickedness and not to be withheld by any perswasions or Miracles Their mouth speaketh proud things Psalm 17. We may suppose that they took him with great shouting and scoffing and reviling They have compassed my steps they set their eyes bowing to the earth that is they have determined that neither God nor his Justice no nor Heaven it self shall see or find them out They come upon me with open mouth as a Lyon greedy of his prey Behold what wrath and rage was here which cannot be exprest but by the fury of the most stout and savage Beast So in another Psalm They compassed me about like Bees and are extinct as the fire among the Thorns By which words the excessive cruelty of Christs enemies is foreshewn Psalm 118.12 For such is the fiery rage of Bees that although they can never get honey when they have lost their sting yet they will in a rage stick the same in their enemy and rather live drones than not revenge themselves Thus the Jews spit their venom on Christ never caring whether they did ever gather hony more Therefore afterward they said His blood be on us and on our children Matth. 27. Of which anon Note also that when the binding of Christ is mentioned it is spoken in the plural number It was not only one that bound him They were the sins of all men that did bind Christ So t is said in the Psalms The bonds of the wicked have robbed me Psalm 119.61 Our first Parents begun to twist these cords and we have finished them Startle here O sinner when thou hearest and seest that thy sins did so cruelly intangle and bind Christ But be not altogether dismayd for by those his bonds Christ brake ours and restored us unto true freedom So that we may merrily sing Thou hast loosed my bonds I will sacrifice to thee the sacrifice of praise Psalm 116. Learn we hence 1. To be thankfull for our deliverance 2. Let us take heed that we never more so bind Christ with our sins again 3. We also should learn constantly to suffer bonds for Christ if the case so require For fetters and shackles are now no more a reproach but an honour They are sanctified and ennobled by the sacred Body of Christ so that t is no shame but a credit to bear them for Christ as we see in the Apostles and Martyrs who had no greater badge of honour then to suffer for Christ And let not us blush to be bound for Christ who first was in bonds for us 4. Lastly Let us learn to take our selves captives and to bind our selves with the cords of Gods Precepts or rather with the bonds of Charity lest we let them take their swinge in those things that are contrary to God Let our eyes be held captive from sinfull objects our ear from idle tales our tongue from unsavoury discourse our hands from wicked works our heart from evil thoughts our understanding and judgement from erroneous and corrupt opinions c. Let this suffice in brief to be spoken of Christs surprisal And they all forsook him and fled Mar. 14.50 And there followed him a certain yong man having a linen cloath cast about his naked body and the yong
and had been often in captivity formerly they were strangely incensed with rage against Christ For generally this is rooted in all men that by how much the greater kindness one man doth to another so much the more hatred doth he incur if ever he be suspected to have done it from a base minde and to an ill end So was it between Haman and Ahasuerus The like was it also with Christ The people were strongly perswaded that all things which Christ did tended to no other end but to bring them into bondage again When they were thus perswaded it was easie for them to forget all Christs miracles and mercies when they heard that he would be the occasion of wasting that land which God gave to Abraham and to his Seed for a possession and that by his means all the people would be carryed into captivity To hear of losing Land and Liberty was no jesting matter to this people So that now they were most certainly assured that their rage against him was most righteous yea that they could not be too woodde angry or madly incensed against him This frantick fit of fury that devout and pious High Priest put the simple people into John therefore doth record this his counsel to his perpetual shame and infamy But let this suffice to be spoken of the impiety of these two High Priests God grant never any more such be born as these were To proceed And Simon Peter followed Jesus afar off Joh. 18.15 Mat. 26.58 and so did another Disciple unto the High Priests Palace Mat. 16. that Disciple was known to the High Priest and went in with Jesus into the Palace of the High Priest But Peter at the door without Then went out that other Disciple which was known to the High Priest and spake unto her that kept the door and brought in Peter Luk. 22.56 Then saith the Damosel that kept the door earnestly looking upon him and said unto Peter Art not thou also one of this mans Disciples But he denyed him saying woman I know him not I know not what thou saist I am not There are some of opinion that there was nothing done in the house of Annas either to Christ or Peter but that Christ was presently carryed from Annas to Caiaphas and there those things happened which are here spoken of Peter And this they labour to prove with no contemptible arguments Others think that the first business of Peter fell out in the house of Annas and that Christ was there questioned about his Doctrine and Disciples and there smote on his face These ground their opinion on the story as it is written by John But we will not here contend about this It may suffice us that these things were done and said wheresoever it was it matters not much But for orders-sake and that we may more clearly handle every particular we will imitate those that follow John and think that the first business was acted in the house of Annas Observe then that here are only two Disciples said to follow Jesus Christ went forth with all his Disciples however it came to pass that before his Passion was hardly begun there are but two named to be with him The rest were already scattered every one to his own as Christ had told them before John 15. See how forely this Temptation shook even the Pillars of the Church The sons of Zebedee Mat. 20. promised that they could drink the cup of their Lord but lo they flee from it at first sight assoon as ever they saw it about to be poured out Thomas said John 11. Let us also go and dye with him but here he is clean of another mind Likewise all the Disciples said John 16. Now we know that thou knowest all things Now we believe that thou camest out from God q.d. We need not any further admonition Christ had a little before most importunately exhorted them and often inculcated it John 15. that they would abide in him Abide in me saith he and I in you Again If any abide not in me he shall be cast forth as a branch and whither c. He had with as much earnestness prest them to love each other But here they forget all their promises and flee away from Christ and separate from one another So great is the power of Temptation Now when they were thus fled from Christ and separated one from another what could they expect but fear and flight and to find safety no where For he that departed from God forfeiteth his safety falls into perpetual dread becomes a Runnagate and can never be secure But two of them although at first they fled for fear as all the rest did yet when they thought of the love of Christ they were heartened and encouraged to follow him again But saith John it was afar off For now they were indeed sensible that what Christ said to Peter was most true Whither I go thou canst not follow me yet John 13. And here we see plainly what effect fear and love hath in man Fear turns him away love turns him again till the other get the upper hand Here fear prevailed in the Apostles But afterward the love that was shed abroad into their hearts by the holy Ghost cast out all fear so that they could boldly say Who shall separate us from the love of God Rom. 8. But who were these two that durst follow Christ more than the rest although but afar off that they might see what the issue would be They were Simon Peter and another Disciple There is no question to be made concerning Peter And all men are of the mind that the other Disciple was John Therefore he saith that he went together with Jesus into the Palace of the High Priest viz. to confirm his Gospel that we might know he did not write by hearsay from others report but what he saw with his own eyes being there present himself Therefore afterward he saith He that saw it hath born witness And that none should think it was his valour that made him dare to enter the High Priests Palace with Jesus when he was a prisoner he saith that he was known to the high Priest As if he had said I did not go in from any courage or boldness nor was it to defend or excuse Christ before the high Priest but only because I was acquainted in his house Thus he lesseneth himself to avoid pride and arrogance that he might not seem to prefer himself before Peter in courage and constancy It matters not therefore to enquire the ground of his acquaintance with the high Priest It is not much to the business in hand Nor doth any certainty thereof appear When John was gone in Peter stood without either for fear not daring to enter and come so near in sight or rather being but a poor man and a stranger he was shut out of doors Poor men must not press into Palaces there 's no entrance for such Great mens
q d. the evidence and clearness of the Fact committed needs no further accusation Do thou Justice there 's no need of any more examination Dost thou question our righteousness Dost thou think we will not do Justice Dost not see who and what we are who have brought this man bound before thee Is this all the respect thou givest to the Priests of the most High God Dost thou make no difference betwixt us and the common Rabble Do not think that we would bring one before thee that were not guilty of death Thou mayst see how strictly we keep the Law for we will not so much as come into thy house we dare not tred within thy doors Nor think thou that we have done any thing in this matter either out of envy or hatred or too precipitate without deliberation and good advice We have considered all things and finde that he doth deserve to die thou hast nothing to do but to pronounce Sentence For if he were not a malefactor c. O the hypocrisie O the lyes and malice of these men Should things be thus carryed Is this to execute Justice Is every prisoner a malefactor and guilty of death Who sees not that they distrust the goodness of their Cause Therefore 1. They go about to blind and delude the Judge with vain and empty words lest they should be put upon it to prove him a malefactor Consider well O Christian the malice of these men They would fain seem to be just and righteous even against the check of their own conscience as if they had never attempted any such thing and never went about to destroy any but a Malefactor when t is evident that they were the men that did most unjustly put all the Prophets to death 2. In this also they shew their malice in that they would have Christ cut off before he was examined or convicted nay they think him not worthy that the Judge should so much as give him audience or that he should be tryed according to any Rule of Law 3. They openly charge him as a Malefactor before the common Barr and in the face of the open Court who had healed all their sick Ask the Lepers whom he cleansed and the blind whose sight he restored c. whether he were a Malefactor c. But thus it is written They rewarded me evil for good and hatred for my love Psalm 35. Again For my love they are my Adversaries but I prayed for them Psalm 109 Christ did here truly pray even when he held his peace considering with himself our sins for which he suffered all this wrong But Pilate being now incensed and moved with some chollar at such proud and unrighteous expressions cryes out to them again Take ye him and judge him after your own Law as if he had said if he be a Malefactor as you say he is but do not prove it why then put your own Law in execution against him The Roman Laws prohibit me to condemn any man before he hath a full hearing Truly Pilate the Law of Moses did enjoyn the same too but so it is by the malice of these men that the Heathens Laws are now prefer'd before the Law of God The Jews very well know it from Exod. 23. and we also know the same from the words of Nicodemus that the Law of Moses judgeth no man untill he be first heard and convinced John 7. But see how they evade it It is not lawfull for us say they to put any man to death Well but who then I pray put Stephen to death Act. 7. What Authority put him to death Therefore they lye grosly Was not this to put Christ to death when they delivered him up to be sentenced to die and laboured with all importunity to have him put to death But they would have him put to death by the laws of Rome that so as well they as their laws might be acquitted from doing any such thing Their Law was to stone to death but the Roman Law was to crucifie This is that they would have They would not barely have Christ put to death but they would have it done with the greatest reproach shame that might be Nor did it so fall out by chance or by their consultation but that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled when he certainly foretold that he should be delivered to the Gentiles and be crucified by them Mat. 20. Christ also had said that the Son of man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the Serpent John 3.12 Again When I am lifted up I will draw all unto me Joh. 12. And again When the son of man shall be lifted up then shall ye know that I am he John 8. Now when the Jews perceived that they should miss their aym and that there was no good to be done with Pilate unless they brought some Accusation and certain proof of clear crimes against Christ They began to accuse him of many things Luke 23.2 Mar. 15.3 saying we found this fellow perverting our Nation and forbidding to give Tribute to Caesar saying that he himself is Christ a King Then Pilate entred into the Judgement Hall again and called Jesus and said unto him Art thou the King of the Jews John 18.33 Jesus answered standing before him Mat. 27.11 Sayest thou this thing of thy self or did others tell it thee of me Pilate answered am I a Jew thine own Nation and the chief Priests have delivered thee unto me what hast thou done Jesus answered my Kingdom is not of this World If my Kingdom were of this World then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now is my Kingdom not from hence Pilate therefore said unto him Art thou a King then Jesus answered thou sayest that I am a King To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the World that I might bear witness unto the Truth every one that is of the Truth heareth my voyce Pilate saith unto him what is Truth And when he had said this he went out again unto the Jews and saith unto them I find in him no fault at all And they were the more fierce saying he stirreth up the people teaching throughout all Jury beginning from Galilee to this place Luke 23.5 This was Christs first examination in Pilates Court where the Jews Accusations are first laid down Lest thou shouldst think O Pilate say they that we have nothing to lay to this mans charge hear we pray thee what just cause we have to hate and abhor him He is a seducer of the Nation the Author of all mutinies he fâ—ribids men to pay Custom and Tribute he calls himself King of the Jews which is no less then high Treason against his Imperial Majesty And is not this crime and cause enough against him What wouldst thou have more Every one of these Accusations is sufficient to condemn him Here thou seest O Christian how truly David said The
factious people for such do truly live among Lions and Scorpions But a man had need of great patience to stand it out against such Scoffers and Scorners in as much as a scoff and a jeer will many times trouble a wise man more than a cuff on the ear or a blow with a Cudgel 2. They did not only mock Christ with words but withall they put him on a gay and gaudy suit to make a laughing-stock of him This cloaths was trim'd after such a fashion that all that saw him might flock about him and that wheresoever they led Christ they might ask What fool is that 'T is a sign of infinite contempt and scorn to make such a mocking stock of any man Here then O Christian consider who it is that was so shamefully contemned and so basely scorned and all this for thy sake See what a fools coat they put upon him behold what unworthy affronts and affronting indignity is offered to the Son of God The very Elements themselves would never have put up this wrong of their Creator nor let it pass without revenge if God for our salvation had not otherwise so ordained and with-held them But neither Herod nor his Officers shall ever do any such thing to the person of Christ any more For death and hell it self hath long since forbad them so to do Christ indeed wore that white Garment of our eternal salvation though it was a sport and a jesting matter to the Jews and Herods companions For this white Rayment was a Token of his unspotted Passion and that Jesus was that Lamb of God without blemish which should gloriously take away the sins of the world John 1. Mean while let us learn so to live here even as Christ lived who had rather be despised by wicked men then to be commended by fawning Flatterers Do thou so likewise Nothing doth so corrupt the minds of men as Flattery A Parasites tongue doth more mischief than a Persecutors sword When Herod had thus mocked and abused Christ he sends him back again to Pilate He was truly the most miserable of all men who when Christ was offered to him he thrust him and shut him out of doors he had been most happy if he had kept Christ when he was freely tendred to him But the world esteems nothing more vile than Christ though there is nothing more excellent then he For in him are hid all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Col. 2. In him dwels the God-head bodily in him is eternal life which that wretched man banisht from him when he returned Christ back again unto Pilate Thus Christ is again brought back a prisoner not only a prisoner but basely abused with which abuse they having made themselves somewhat merry they spue up their rage miserably tormented him as they haled him along What heart can imagine how our meekest Saviour was tyred out with these torturing and injurious delaies and draggings We read once That he was weary of his journey John 4. How much more may we suppose was he now tyred when he could not go at liberty but was drawn along in fetters and chains by wicked men and that all the night and day without any rest allowed him He was baled and pul'd out of the Garden to Annas from him to Caiaphas And after he was vext and disquieted there all night with boxings and buffetings and spittings and other abuses assoon as it was light he was carried before the Council from the Council to Pilate from him to Herod and again in a hurly burly he was sent back from Herod to Pilate And he was hurried and posted away in all haste for they were insatiably thirsty after his blood and one pulling another thrusting him 't is to be supposed that our Lord had many a sore fall because his hands being bound he was not able to save himself See then how much he endured for his own innocency and our guilt For if we had not sinned he had not suffered and if he had not been guiltless those guilty men had not been so inraged against him He was altogether unlike them and therefore grievous to them to behold Wis 2. And by how much the more they feared he might be set at liberty by so much were they more vehemently incensed against him They were obstinately resolved to put him to a most shame full death which resolution could no way be more strengthened than by delay and doubting and nothing but affection could any way abate it And as the Lord Jesus by how much the nearer he drew to his death and greater sufferings from the beginning of his Passion and the more his Passion was prolonged so much the more meekness and patience he discovered For when he was first laid hands on he was more rigid when he hurl'd them on the ground by the Word of Truth he was less severe before Annas more mild before Pilate and upon the Cross he prayed for his Persecutors with many a tear So on the contrary by how much the greater punishments the Jews tormented him by so much the more they were imbitter'd against him The pride of them that hate thee ascendeth continually Psalm 74. ult But all this while Christ never thought of revenge but of our misery For he saw that he did not suffer these things for his own necessity but for love of us He considered our sins and out of his greatest charity willingly underwent whatsoever they imposed upon him only that he might redeem us And therefore he is more thoughtfull to destroy our sins then he is to escape his own suffering These things are well to be considered for truly it is a worthy just equal and comfortable thing for us always and in all places to give him thanks who would be so led up and down for us that he might lead us into the way and make satisfaction for our sins But see what follows Herod and Pilate were reconciled c. The ground of their quarrel was about their Power which of them should be greatest or rather because Pilate slew some Galileans which were under Herods Power and Jurisdiction Luk. 13.1 This grudge continued till Christ removed it by being sent a Prisoner up and down between them It was a most acceptable thing to Herod that Pilate should send Christ prisoner to him Now all anger was laid aside and forgotten So easily do these wicked men agree and become friends in the killing of Christ whom otherwise no Vertue no Justice could strike a League between or reconcile them Wicked men are sometimes at strife and variance among themselves But in this they all agree to persecute Christ As concerning Christ Herod and Pilate yea Jews Gentiles Turks Hereticks they are all unanimous however they differ never so much otherwise among themselves Here then that of David is fulfilled Why do the Heathenrage saith he and the people imagine a vain thing The Kings of the earth set themselves and the Princes take
all thy bruisings and of all thy confusions Thy love and my sin made thee become so weak Consider this O thou miserable sinner consider of this when thou makest provision to fulfill the lusts of the flesh Here we see how that 1. We were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold But with the precious blood of the unspotted Lamb 1 Pet. 1. 2. How Christ made satisfaction for the sins of the flesh 3. How the lost sheep is not only found but brought home again upon the shoulders of the good shepherd with great labour and toyl Wo to those miserable men that polluted their hands in the blood of the innocent And wo be to us also if we be not thankfull But there is something else to be taken notice of in this whipping of Christ for while the world is so busie about scourging of Christ God is not idle or neglecting his care in the mean time towards those that are his The Lord is wont to do his work when wicked men are active in theirs for the trouble and affliction of the godly When the Patriarchs sold their harmless brother Joseph and fulfil'd their lust upon him then did God carry on his design and accomplish his work For under that sale of him did God secretly advance Joseph to have dominion over his brethren So here When Pilate and the Jews did their business in this whipping of Christ mean while also God doth his work as fast For 1. He hath so sanctified and blessed all stripes and all afflictions by these scourgings of his Son that what afflictions soever do now befall a godly man they do him more good than hurt and help him forward in the way of holiness 2. By these stripes wherewith Christ was beaten God the Father hath so ordered it that all the scourges of a godly man shall prosper to his good 3. God hath here declared in his only begotten Son what usage his adopted and elected Children must look for in this world For if he suffered his only begotten Son to be whipt shall he not much more let his adopted Children be slasht For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth Prov. 3. And scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth What will they say to these things who live in pleasures and never think of adversity so far are they from being willing to suffer the least and lightest cross as if they went about to build another Paradise in the earth Behold saith he That which I have built I will break down and seekest thou great things for thy self Jer. 45. They whose Judgement it was not to drink of the cup have drank of it and dost thou think to escape Learn therefore O Christian from this scourging of Christ to bear the scourge of God patiently and say with David In flagella paratus sum I am ready for the Rod as the vulgar reading is Psalm 38.17 And with Paul I am ready not to be bound only but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus Act. 21. Hitherto we have heard of the whipping of Christ which indeed had been sufficient for the redemption of all mankind But all is not at an end yet the wickedness of perfidious men as well of the Jews as of the souldiers is not yet satisfied but affliction is added to the afflicted and the injuries of our King abound the pain of his manifold punishments and reproaches increase more and more Assoon as they had done whipping him Pilates souldiers who were then under the Roman pay and kept garrison at Jerusalam under the Governour because of the frequent seditions and mutinies of the Jews they begin to mock and make sport with Christ and that with such looseness and sawciness that the like was never seen or heard of before no nor were it to be believed if the Evangelists had not so punctually set down every particular We do not read that Pilate commanded these things to be done but the souldiers did it of their own accord to gratifie and curry favour with the Jews However Pilate winks at it holds his peace takes no notice of it he doth not restrain or forbid them Whence some suspect that Pilate all this while did but with a counterfeit mind defend and plead for Christ but really and indeed did conspire his death with the Jews And therefore we heard before that the Governour sent a band of Roman fouldiers to take Christ Whereas if the souldiers had done this without Pilates privity yet Pilate could not be excused who did not so much as check them or speak one word in dislike of their great malice against the innocent Wherefore O Christians seriously consider again and think upon this so great suffering but withall take notice that our sins were the cause thereof Eight jeers That Prophecy of David was here many ways fulfilled in Psal 22 39. 69. There are eight manner of jeers reckoned up which these knaves put upon Christ for which no doubt the Jews did well reward them nor would they march out to take Christ for nothing For truly Officers of an Army are but vassals to Gold That side which allows the best pay hath the justest cause But these were Tiberian and heathen Souldiers What then are ours and what do our souâ—diers do who are baptized for Christians What people under the sun are worse and less fearing God Those souldiers of Tiberius did scourge crown mock spit on and at last crucifie Christ But our souldiers whom we daily see before our eyes do no less to Christ by swearing and blaspheming the blood and wounds of Christ c. No wonder if such souldiers were always worsted not only by the Turks but also if the earth had swallowed them up alive And no question but the earth and the people therein are the worse for such kind of Blasphemies For is it not a diabolical thing that Christians know not what else to swear by but by that by which they are redeemed But of this we shall speak elsewhere Let us now consider those eight things which Christ suffered from those souldiers 1. They muster up the whole devilish band together to make the greater mockery and derision of it Surely 't is no small vexation to be jeered at by one single person alone how much more to be made a laughing stock before so many men 2. The band being called together they clothe and put on him a purple robe which was a military garment of a red colour which Commanders use to wear The military attire of other souldiers was called a Corslet or Coat of Male. This they did scoffingly to signifie thereby that he was a King Herods servants put a white robe upon Christ these clothe him in scarlet 3. They plat a Crown of Thorns and set it on his holy head for a royal Diadem Who can imagine the pain that reverend Head indured by so many prickly thorns fastned on it when we are so tormented with the prick
gore blood and rankled wounds My hands still work wickedness as if I could never sin enough whilst thy most harmless hands are fastened to the Cross for me O ingratitude worthy of all manner of punishment to be inflicted Do we return thanks after this fashion How ought this crucifying of Christ to terrifie us from sin For what hope can we have of pardon if we be not only unthankfull here but do moreover crucifie Christ again with our sins Now there may be many reasons given why Christ would be crucified For 1. Being thus set between Heaven and Earth he might shew that he was the true Mediator of God and Man 2. Because sin was first committed by eating of the fruit of the Tree therefore would he expiate sin upon the Tree 3. Because the Devil overcame man by the Tree therefore would Christ conquer him upon the Tree 4. Christ would be crucified after this manner that by the very posture and form of his crucified body we might learn what we are to expect from him He stretched out his hands to shew that the way to his Heart and tender Love was open to us He let his feet be fastened to shew that he would not go back till we were fully Redeemed He stretched out his right hand because he came to bestow good things upon us and his left hand that he might take away all evil from us He let his right foot be nailed because he came to confirm and establish the good and his left because he would suppress all evil thoughts 5. He would be crucified to shew the fruit of his sufferings by the very fashion of the cross For as the cross hath four corners so there are four principal effects and fruits of the Lords Passion The upper end which points towards Heaven signifieth that the Angelical Ruin was repaired by the Passion of Christ and that Heaven was open for us The lower end signifieth that thereby the Fathers were redeemed out of Limbo Let not this expression offend thee but attend the weightier things or from the borders of hell The right corner sheweth that the dispersed children of God were by it gathered together in the world The left horn shews that by the cross even his enemies were reconciled 6. Christ would be crucified thereby to shew of what fashion the Christian life is to be For as the cross hath those four Dimensions to wit Length Breadth Height and Depth Thereby are signified the four principal Virtues in which the Life of Christianity doth consist By the Depth is signified Faith which is laid first in the bottom of the heart as a Foundation in Gods building by the secret and hidden Call of the Divine Will Perseverance is intimated by the Length by the Height is Hope signified and by the Breadth Charity For of these may that of the Apostle be understood Ephes 3. That ye may be able to comprehend what is the length breadth height and depth c. 7. He would be crucified to teach us that our whole body should be put forth to the utmost in the service of God and that we should crucifie the flesh as Paul saith I am crucified with Christ Gal. 2. Again I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus Gal. 6. To offer up a mans self is the most acceptable service unto God Rom. 12. Thus much for the fastening of Christ to the cross which when they had so done they rear up the cross with great shoutings with most bitter railings and revilings There was a hole cut out of the Rock to fasten the foot of the cross in Into which place they do not let the cross slide gently in but they jolt it in with great violence on a sudden that they might add one more and that the greatest torture too to all his other sufferings to shake his very entrails and to widen the wounds of his hands and feet again with so great and sudden a jogg which were filled before with the bluntness of the Nails causing those full and fertile Rivolets of his blood to gush out and overflow again Thus that Spring of Paradise the Fountain of Christs blood brake out from that pleasant Garden the place of pleasure even the body of the Lord dividing it self into four parts to wit into the clefts and holes of his hands and feet Gen. 2. By its plentifull and most abundant flowing it watered the whole earth washing away the sins of all Believers Here then was fulfilled that of Christ And I saith he when I am lifted from the earth will draw all unto me John 12. Again As Moses lifted the Serpent in the Wilderness so must the son of Man be lifted up John 3. that whosoever believed in him might not perish but have everlasting life Here that figure of the Brazen Serpent was fulfilled Numb 21. Here was Christ standing before God as the true Mediator between God and man as the High Priest offering himself for us and taking up that saying in Psalm 40. Sacrifice and offering for sin thou wouldest not then said I Lo I come in the Volume of the book it is written of me that I should do thy will as if he had said inasmuch as no other Sacrifices have hitherto been able to Reconcile thee unto man Behold I thine only begotten Son do offer up my self unto thee for man And we Brethren let us stand close to our High Priest with great devotion whilest he offereth himself for us Let us lift up the eyes of our mind and look upon his Sacrifice and from the bottom of our heart let us say Holy Father look down we beseech thee from thy Sanctuary and holy Place and from the height of thy heavenly Habitation Behold this sacred Sacrifice and Oblation which our great High Priest thy Holy child Jesus offereth unto thee for the sins of his Brethren and be thou appeased for the multitude of our wickedness which we have committed Behold the blood of our brother cryeth to thee from the cross Gen. 4. Behold the spotless Lamb which was dumb before the shearers Behold he that did no sin he hath born and taken away our sins Behold Lord the face of thine Anointed thy Christ who was obedient to thee even to the death and never do thou turn thine eyes away from beholding the marks of his wounds that thou mayest never forget what great and full satisfaction thou hast received from him for our sins Look O most mercifull Father upon him that doth suffer and remember gracious Father for whom he suffereth Most meek Maker look upon the Humanity of thy beloved Off-spring and take pity on the frailty of thy feeble workmanship Have respect to the torn members of thy most tender and acceptable Progeny and remember whereof I am made and what my substance is Look upon the penance and take notice of the sufferings of God and Man and relieve the misery of thy poor creature man Consider the Torment of
good but this one man Why therefore hast thou forsaken me Why hast thou exposed me to so many sorrows Do I suffer for this Thief alone O thy wonderfull Love indeed to mankind Thou hast no need of the goods of any creature Thou art most absolute perfect and blessed in thy self How wonderfull therefore is thy goodness by reason whereof thou hast set forth and offered me thy Son to and for all men Psalm 22. Behold I the fairest of men thy Delight the Joy of Angel am become a worm and a very abject of worms for the Salvation of Worms I admire thy wonderfull counsell in Redeeming man I admire thy unspeakable goodness Nor do I less admite that I of my own endeavour should so lovingly so exceedingly beyond measure obey thy commands and offer up my self for unthankfull and disobedient men But so it seemed good unto thee Wherefore if there be yet any more punishment beâ—…d inflict it I willingly accept of it and bid it welcome I acknowledge thee yet to be my God It is my will that thy will be done My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Behold my heart is ready to fulfill all thy commands I am in great pain but the greatness of my love doth far exceed it Yea though thou shouldest yet forsake me more and though they should be yet more ungratefull yet I cannot be separated from the love of thee and them whom thou hast called For who shall separate me from thy Love Shall tribulation or distress But thou hast forsaken me that thou mayest not forsake me thou hast humbled me that thou mayest make me great thou hast cast me off that thou mayest receive me most honourably Thou hast forsaken me and hast left me only this that I may though without comfort flee unto and call upon thee Wherefore let thy chastened Son be pleasing to thee and willingly hear him who doth in his great exercise of affliction send up his roaring cry of charity unto thee My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 1. Now concerning this place we may observe first that this cry Why hast thou forsaken me was not fictitious or feigned but most real and true and not only of the mouth but also of the heart and all the humane force and powers For Christ at this hour had stript himself of God not by casting him away but by not perceiving and feeling him acting the part of a pure man It was truly and overmuch an Humane voyce proceeding from Humane affection so to complain why God should forsake him and why he should suffer wicked men to do so much So David I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked Psalm 73. And Jeremiah Why doth the way of the wicked prosper Jer. 12. And Habbakuk Why dost thou shew me iniquity and cause me to behold grievance for spoiling and violence are before me How long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear Hab. 1. Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously and holest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then he Hab. 1.13 Thus Christ speaks here out of Humane affection And so he did sufficiently shew his true Humanity when he prayed before in the Garden But this miserable cry doth much more clearly shew the same against such Hereticks as should after spring up denying his Humane nature Let none therefore be offended at this complaint which was truly Humane but let every one think with himself that flesh and blood did here truly hang on the cross in the form of a servant Phil. 2. These things are tryed and proved on the cross by death and the pure Humanity But after three dayes you shall see and find much other things when the new and living and chearfull Body shall rise out of the Sepulchre So then it is plain that Christ as he was girt with greatest gladness so he was also compossed with extream sorrow And as he was endowed with the highest Truth so he was beset with the deepest and lowest infirmity and as he spent his life in the greatest peace so he lived also in sorest troubles I say as Christ enjoyed the sweetness of life so he tasted the bitterness of death 2. Observe that that Desertion of Christ is the fear and dread of our conscience for sin which we commit which doth find and feel the Judgement of God and eternal Wrath and is so affected therewith as if it were perpetually forsaken and cast out from the presence of God for ever according to that of David I said in my haste I am cut off from before thine eyes Psalm 31.22 Who can but despair when Judgement is revealed There is none can stand before the Judgement of God or is able to bear it For as the too great Splendor of the Sun will dazle and darken the eyes and loud noyse make one deaf so the Judgement of God is too loud for our mind and heart to endure and too heavy for our humane strength to undergo And therefore it forceth a man to despair because there is no way open to escape as Amos saith They shall not escape he that fleeth of them shall not flee away Though they dig into Hell thence shall my hand take them Amos 9. When the Lord comes thus to Judgement all the creatures obey him and further the Judgement of God to execute all fearfull plagues upon the damned as it is in Joel The Earth shall quake the Heavens shall tremble the Suu and the Moon shall be dark Joel 2. Again In that day the Sun shall go down at noon Amos 8. That is in the day of the Lords Judgement What is more miserable then man so judged of the Lord destitute of the counsel comfort and help of all the creatures and despairing This is the Judgement that all we deserved for our sins Christ therefore the only begotten Son of God did of his meer Mercy without any of our merit cast himself into our case and took that punishment which we had deserved upon his own shoulders Here we see on one hand the common people stand reviling Christ the Priests blaspheming the Thieves cursing the Apostles denying him his Friends forsaking him the Earth moved the Sun darkened in short all horrid things and all the creatures set against him On the other hand we see God also his Adversary and so forsaking him that he cryes out why hast thou forsaken me Which of us would not have despaired in such necessity But Christ took all this upon him that he might overcome our desperation and give us also hope in the like extremity So that this was our voyce or cry who by no means were able to bear the Judgement of God but must have despaired But Christ took that Cry upon himself and overcame our despair that now we may be sure God will never forsake us no though he seem so to do as Christ in that hour seemed to be
thirst after your salvation as one that doth entirely love you and am now for the love-sake of you and your Salvation cast off and forsaken of God the fervency of my love doth command and compell me to search exactly and trace out if happily there be any place of pity and mercy to be found in your breasts who are obliged to me by large favours and whom I have purchased at so dear a rate Charity I say and even necessity it self do force me to beg of you and put you upon the tryal to see what thanks you will render to me for the great sorrow and pains I have undertaken and gone thorow for your sakes I do not call to you to come into the same misery with me I do not desire that you should hazard any of your blood or life I neither covet nor seek any of your Gold Silver or any precious thing that ye have got or purchased with great pains and industry Nay it is a very small matter and easie to be had that which I entreat now in my necessity at this very pinch of death is no more but what Nature hath made common to all men I thirst I cannot hide it and now I have it known I humbly entreat a little drink at your hands 1. I thirst I desire but a little cold water what less can be desired and what can more unworthily be denyed I am sore athirst I ask but so much water of you as I have shed either sweat or blood for your Salvation Nay not so much I ask but a very little of you I thirst I have not slept one wink all this night but have spent it in Toyling Tortures Travel Stripes and Wounds my blood vital humour and all my strength is quite spent and wasted My heart is like melting wax in the midst of my belly Psalm 22. My strength is dryed up like a pot-sheard my tongue cleaveth to my jawes my bones are as dry as a stick I have stretched out my hands all the day my soul is as the earth without water as the parched ground I thirst I pray not for the lengthening of my life I pray not against death the cross or any other kind of torment do but only quench my thirst this is all I beg of you Is there none among so many that will take pity on my soul and refresh it The water is not to be fetch'd with such hazard out of the Camp of the Philistins 2 Sam. 23. Nor is there such a great gulf fixed between you and me Luke 16. The distance is not so great but that ye may easily help me in this condition 2. I thirst not only in body but rather and more especially in my soul I desire thy Salvation O man more then water and thy Redemption more then my own refreshment It is for thee I say that I thirst nor do I desire only to taste of thee but to suck and swallow thee up wholly into my bowels by a full draught of Love To quench this thirst it is that I have undertaken such a journey set upon so much hardship suffered so many Tortures and that nothing may be wanting for thy Salvation I do yet thirst after a thousand more such Torments Behold now is the time that my strength should fail therefore that I may not be disappointed of my desired wishes do not O man do not this day harden thy heart but take the fire of Holy Love which may so boyl thee by its heat that thou mayest breath forth chast groans and pour our abundance of tears and with these let me be fed I crave not many things at thy hands yea I will abundantly recompence small matters I will not despise a little frozen tear nor thy meanest desire proceeding out of the poverty of thy spirit This is my evening prayer my only care next to the Love of my God is to Seek thee to Love thee to Thirst for thee 3. I thirst that ye also may be athirst with this my thirst that is as I haue loved you so ye would have fervent love one to another then which I account nothing more Sacred so that as a good Shepheard I lay down my life for you by the only impulse of Love Ioh. 10. 4. Lastly I thirst even I the head and heart do earnestly thirst after all my Members nor doth the misery of my friends a little afflict me of which I will no less upbraid the wicked than of my own when I shall come in the clouds of Heaven with Majesty and Glory saying I was athirst and ye gave me no drink for what ye have done to one of the least of these my Brethren ye have done it unto me Mat. 25. Then shalt thou quench my thirst O man if thou dost feed my hungry ones give dsink to the thirsty cloath the naked entertain strangers visite those that are sick and in prison comfort and deliver them then thou quenchest my thirst if thou givest the milk of Instruction to the ignorant to drink if thou break the bread of wholsome Doctrine to them reprove sinners forgive the Debts and wrongs of thy brethren patiently bear the frowardness and distempers of others and by pure and holy Prayers help and assist them what thou canst This is my thirst which is diffused throughout my members but contracted in me Let this be quenched without the Vineger of sorrow or Gall of bitterness Let this my great and manifold thirst admonish you and the abundant and plentifull measure of the Recompence which I shall measure out unto you O man I thirst Thus far Christ exprest himself But what did he obtain by all this You shall hear There was set saith he a vessell full of Vineger c. O insatiable Fury The wicked are never satisfied in persecuting good men They give Vineger to Christ which being squeezed out of the Spunge and dropping besides his mouth could not satisfie his thirst but offend his mouth yea it would have spoiled his taste it would have troubled and tormented all his inward parts This was the best succour and refreshment that Christ found in so great pains and punishments Never was there any so obnoxious to condemnation as not to prevail for one crum of comfort especially after Sentence of death once given and received But for the Lord that made all things there is simply nothing of piety at all left All things are carryed in extreams now because he was delivered to their will Thus the Fountain of life was dryed up who saith If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Joh. 7. He that moisteneth the earth with dew and rain and giveth drink to all he is thirsty and cannot get a drop of water Thus Christ made hard satisfaction for our Surfetting and Drunkenness So did he suffer in all his Senses that man might be compleatly redeemed But thus the world useth the godly in their necessity Now that Vineger doth fitly set forth
the bitterness and impiety of the Jews hearts For as Vineger is but degenerate Wine so the Jews had degenerated from what they were at first My noble Vine how art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me Jer. 2. Again I looked that it should bring forth grapes and it brought forth wild grapes Isa 5. It is to be admired in those ministers of the Lords death yea in that Divine Counsell by which all these things were ordered that they should do every thing so regularly and so exactly as if they had sworn to fulfill all Prophesies in him And therefore it is here said That the Scripture might be fulfilled to wit that which saith They gave me Gall for my meat and in my thirst they gave me Vineger to drink Psalm 69 Hence we learn how the world dealeth with the godly in their extremity and distress ' For at this very day Christ cryeth and complaineth in the poor and those that are destitute of the like succour and assistance I thirst but the world doth give nothing but Vineger scoff at contemn reproach revile the afflicted Therefore it follows But others said Let be let us see whether Elias will come to save him The rest should have reproved those mockers which offered Vineger to Christ when he was in that distress and did so earnestly desire a little drink But there was not one to rebuke them Nay what these do with Vineger the rest do with bitter words Both sorts wounded Christ So unequally is Christ dealt with in this world But it lasteth but an hour c. Of the sixth Word WHen Jesus therefore had received the Vineger John 19.30 he said It is finished There were many things yet to be fulfilled as Death the opening of his side his Burial the Destruction of Hell which were also foretold in the Scriptures But inasmuch as they were how about to be finished therefore he saith It is finished There was the Resurrection Ascention and sending the holy Spirit yet behind But those belong to the Conquest not to the Contest They are the Laurels not the labours of the battel Christ then by this sixt word doth exceedingly fulminate and appale the Devil which yet makes most for our Consolation The meaning is all one as if he had said The sense Thou wicked soulhunter thou dost here spread thy net in vain thou shalt catch and carry away nothing but shame and confusion Hitherto thou hast done what in thee lieth to destroy me But now and hence-forward none of all thy cheating tricks shall avail any thing against me thy thousand weapons and wiles shall not hurt me thou hast bent thy bow thou hast sown the tares of envy thou hast planted the thorne of ingratitude thou hast stirred up the fury of the people thou hast blinded the Judges encouraged the Executioners thou hast spit thy venome and done the worst thou canst The Disciple by thy instigation hath betrayed his God his Friends have despised him the Souldiers crucified him Thou hast shot all thy Darts now thy Quiver is empty Thou hast opened the pit which thou hast digged but shalt fall into it thy self Thy wickedness shall come down upon thine own pate Thou shalt not only get nothing by me but shalt also lose many millions of souls by me I will be many a thousand out of thy way thy Power shall be weakened thy Kingdom wasted Iniquity shall come to an end My Wisdom shall overcome thy malice For lo whatsoever the Father hath determined praised be God is now accomplished I have fully suffered whatever the Law and the Prophets did foretell all that is necessary and may conduce to the Salvation of man The Sacrifice is offered the Types fulfilled the shadows are fled away The Fathers command is finished The Scripture is sulfilled The power is at an end which thou hast used or rather abused over men The rage and violence of the Jews against me is at an end Righteousness it perfected it is come up to the height greater then which cannot possibly be imagined Justice and Love is compleated it is raised to the highest pitch The Sacrifice by which alone God could be pacified is now perfectly finished Finally all things are now made ready Sin is at an end Everlasting Righteousness shall now take place The Law is at an end the Gospel shall now succeed Man is now redeemed and reconciled unto God Nothing hath been omitted all things have been vigorously executed nothing could hinder or withhold me from finishing the Mysterie of mans Redemption An end is now put to thy Kingdom The Kingdom of Christ and of God shall now begin Henceforth thou shalt not be so formidable nor shalt thou have such power upon earth The people that dwell in Sion shall not fear thee O Ashur The children also shall take up Rods they shall whip and scourge thee they shall be so strengthened by Faith in me that they shall be nothing afraid of thy temptations yea they shall tear thee all to pieces and spurn thee for it is finished 1. By this Word of Christ is our Faith confirmed against all Hereticks and Antichrist himself 2. Hereby also may we Triumph over all adversity whatsoever For if we be tempted with any lust of sin if death if hell rush upon us we may say Why ragest thou thus why art thou so mad Dost not hear that Victory is at hand and that all things are finished For however we may now be sensible of those things yet they are as a Serpent without poyson as a Bee without a sting Therefore we may boldly say Death where is thy victory Thou art swallowed up c. 1 Cor. 15. 3. Whereas heretofore we were by the Law we were very uncertain whither we should go and what should become of us after this life Nay we were most sure to be hurled into Hell now by this consummation we are ascertained that we shall be received into Heaven if so be we are graffed into Christ by Faith But Christ said that all things were finished in the same sense as the Lamb is said to be slain from the beginning of the world Not that he was then manifestly slain but that Christ being once slain his death and blood was sprinkled backward and forward even to Adam and to the end of the world Thus also is our salvation finished not fully yet and indeed but in Hope Man is begun to be justified and healed But mean while being justified and healed the sin which yet remains in his flesh is not imputed to him because of Christ who being without any sin and now become one with man intercedeth for him to the Father Rom. 5. So that there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. Now after that word It is finished let not the Jews expect any other who shall do more then what Christ hath done already Of the seventh Word AS Christ was now about to
up the ghost He bowed his head First as taking his leave of the world Secondly he would thereby comfort us by letting us know that he is not cross or froward towards us First it is very significantly expressed in that it is not said that he died but that he gave up the ghost for he had power to lay down his life John 10. Secondly he is said to give up the ghost to let us know that when our souls are loosed from the flesh they should be commended to the Divine Goodness as into the hands of a most dear Father Thus innocent Abel is slain by his brother Thus is Isaac offered Gen. 4. 22. Thus Joseph escapes naked to his fathers protection being spoiled of his garment of flesh by the Adulteress Synagogue Thus our High-Priest hath finished his evening Sacrifice Thus the Life of the world died the Fountain of true Light was ecclipsed thus the Spring of all Life in whom all things live waxed dry that he might deliver them that were subject to death Thus that celestial Wedlock between the holiest soul and the purest flesh was dissolved and divorced by the sword of Death that we who were condemned might be recovered to the indissoluble Union of his Beatitude Thus the Organ of Divinity the Harp of the true David the most melodious Voyce of Jesus sunk into the silence of cruel Death Thus those Heavenly Lights of his most gracious Eyes were darkened by Death Thus that most sacred Breast of Eternal Wisdom and the Store-House of the Treasures of Grace is deprived of his life Thus he Redeemed us from our sins with so great a price a greater then which is not to be found among all the creatures in the world thus did he satisfie the Father for our disobedience with such obedience as was even unto death O how great was that grief when that most holy Soul which was Wedded and United to that most holy Body with an indissoluble bond of Love must be separated now and torn asunder by a violent death and that most holy Life die Never was there death more bitter because never was there man so sensibly sensible of it 1. Wo be to thee therefore O thou ungodly Synagogue who art more fierce and cruel then any wild beast thou hast devoured the life of Jesus who out of the Paternal Piety was sent unto thee to be thy Father and thy Husband 2. O how grievous will thy Accusation be for rending and tearing the body of Christ And wo be to thee thou ingratefull heart thou hard heart harder then any stone who dost not break and melt at the remembrance of so great a Sacrifice for the expiating thy hainous sins how strictly will that innocent blood be required at thy hands Here then O man O generation of Adam here knock thy bosom and beat thy breast consider well and think of this death The chiefest and choisest good doth here hang upon the Cross Here the Eternal Wisdom offereth it self to be seen naked Here the tree carried the Treasure and Price of the whole world O sinners here dieth the Son of God I say here the Son of the most High the King of Heaven and Lord of Earth dieth Nay he dies on the Cross like a Malefactor in the midst of Thieves in greatest misery and anguish and shame It was we O ye sons of men that brought this just One to this unjust and unworthy suffering Our sins were the cause of this his great Passion Here the word of the Sacrament is made good This is my body which is given for you This is my blood which is shed for you for the remission of sins Here now we understand what Christ meant by these sacred and holy words because all things are here seen with the eyes Here that Article of our most holy Faith hath its Foundation He suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried Think on this O man imprint these things in thy heart that thy very inward parts may be made sensible how that we men we sinners were guilty of this death We should have hung on the cross and died yea and have been eternally scorcht in Hell but that our most holy Lord stept in and said I will hang on the cross and die for all men Take me and smite me the Shepheard but let the sheep go free I will pay what I own not I will undertake other mens debt I will even all accounts I will make peace and bring all things to a good end and issue Think seriously on these things Believers Be pleased to accept this Ministry of Christ and highly prize it For this his death is your life For us thus to die is to live and escape death This weakness is our strength and fortitude These wounds and scars are our health and soundness This malediction is our benediction this cursing is our blessing This shame is our glory This cross is our celestial Court and Palace These Nayles are our Salvation Lift up your hearts O ye Faithfull lift up your hearts in consideration of these wonderfull things There was War between Christ and the Devil the field was pitched the battel set and Christ got the Victory Let us therefore give him thanks who was pleased through his infinite love with such hazard and hardship to Redeem us 1. In this expiation of Christ first we see that verified which he said before in John 10 I have power to lay down my life 2 Here we see that the works of God are against reason For who ever hearing that Christ was the son of God and seeing such great Miracles which he had done before could at all believe that God should so far wink at wicked men as to let them kill so great and so worthy a man Again who would believe that the true had then its beginning seeing him die so shamefull a death But this is the ancient and usual custom of God to promote and carry on his works by strange unlikely and contrary means It was indeed the pleasure of God to cause great and mighty boughs and limms to grow on this tree of Christ He intended to build up and quicken the Church This he did by a work disagreeable and repugnant to life and nothing of kin to it to wit the death of Christ by which he quickened and made the Church alive Hence is that of John 12. Except a grain of wheat die it bringeth forth no fruit but if it die it beareth much fruit The Edifice or building of the Church did not then indeed appear while Christ yet hanged on the cross for here you see nothing but his death and burial as at Seed-time there is no shew of Harvest But as in Summer the seed that was sown doth spring up so after the Resurrection the living Church sprouted out of the dead and dry body of Christ 3. From this Expiation of Christ we are diligently to confider what punishments we shall endure if we
keeping their wealth these deride and laugh at good men counting their life madness and their end to be without honour Wisd 2. They neither dispose nor distribute what is their own as they ought to do nor do they restore what they have unjustly and wrongfully gotten till at last they are châ—…ked with the thorns of their Riches 5. The Souldiers are a fifth sort of Mockers such as shed mans blood who are given to sport and pleasures wrathfull and voluptuous frolick and 〈◊〉 in the cloaths of Christ to wit temporal prosperity but yet crucifie him that is they lose their eternal salvation persecute good men and warm themselves with the spoiles of the godly But while they riot it out in sport and pastime and spend their dayes in wealth in a moment they go down to the grave Iob 21.13 The whole world is full of this kind of men who mock and deride Christ We must not therefore lay all the blame upon the Jews only Here also we may observe that in this mocking of Christ there are five kinds of temptations hinted out to us which usually set upon the godly especially at their death 1. As Christ was fastened to the cross and hung naked upon it in the sight of all men so the first temptation when we are a dying is that the shame of all our life will be seen and made manifest to all the creatures 2. As Christ was not â—…ed by one or two or many only but by all both great and small high and low so the second temptation of a dying man is that all the creatures will laugh at the whole Scene and story of our Life 3. As they nodded their heads at Christ and endeavoured to over throw all that he had spoken so the third temptation of the godly is when they are terrified with the most powerfull sayings of the Holy Scripture such as these We must give an account of every idle word Mat. 12. And God heareth not sinners c. Joh. 9. 4. As it was said to Christ Let God deliver him if he will have him so the fourth temptation of the godly is when they are tempted to question the will and pleasure of their good God For there is a great Emphasis in the word HIM Let him deliver Him say they if he will have him Who doubts but that God doth know how and is able and willing to save For God is a God of salvation Psal 68.20 But whether or no he would save Him this is that which the Devil would make doubtfull especially if a man live among wicked men as Christ died among thieves It is a great temptation when the Devil shall make a man that professeth the Gospel to doubt that although he believeth that Christ is Our Righteousness yet to question whether he will be His Righteousness 5. Lastly As it was said to Christ If thou be the Son of God save thy self c. So the greatest temptation of dying men is Predestination Wherefore that we may overcome these temptations we must be dumb and deaf to all after the Example of Christ who replyed not a word to these railings and reproaches Thus those three children Dan. 3. said We are not carefull to answer thee in this matter when that wicked King said Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands God is able say they to deliver us Thus men ought to commit all the business to God and cast all their care on him whether they be predestinated or not Do not pry into the Majesty of God lest thou be crushed with his Glory Hence saith Isaiah In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength Isa 30.15 And Jeremy It is good that a man should both hope quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord Lam. 3.26 Therefore turn the deaf ear to all these Temptations especially to that Temptation of Predestination Give glory to God glorifie Him and he will glorifie thee and be not over-thoughtfull of Predestination Now follow the Seven last Words of Christ Here beginneth the fourth Part of the Passion of our Lord. HItherto it hath been shewed what Christ suffered Let us now bear the close of all and how he finished his Passion And here let us give all attention For as godly Parents when they are at the point of death do at that last hour especially inculcate and press upon their children those things which are most necessary and profitable for them that they may take the deeper impression and stick the faster in their minds For the last words are thought to come next from the heart and fit closest to the mind So our most loving Christ call him either Father or Brother when he lay upon his hard death-bed of the Cross and was ready to yield up the ghost He doth first set his house in order make his Will ordain Laws for his Family discharge all Debts appoint his co-Heirs distribute and dispose of all his Treasure And therefore they that fear to be dis-inherited let them presently learn and understand what the commands of their dying Saviour are lest they never know them let them not despise him lest he reject and pass them by Prov. 1. But let them hear and obey him faithfully quickly submit to him out of hand and not forget the Grace and Favour of the Testator I say let them hear the instruction of Christ their Father as the Wise man saith Let them hear not the dotings of a crazy man but heavenly Oracles Not the voyce of a man only but of God himself Let them give ear to the very Truth which can neither deceive nor be deceived Let them hearken to those things which they will never repent the hearing of For that Fountain of Wisdom the Heavenly Organ and Instrument Christ being now about to leave the World and to go hence to the Father through that rough and craggy way of the cross did first salute his elect ones with the most pregnant and pithy speech of all that ever he made to them and what ever he had taught them before he doth now make repetition of and sums it all up together in a most effectual Epilogue or after-speech which though it be comprehended in very few words either because his immense and extream Dolours disabled him or because our dulness discouraged him yet was it by much the most pleasant and profitable speech of all and pronounced with that gravity that nothing which any man could desire was omitted or left out If you look for stability and Fortitude he roareth like a terrible Lyon If you love to hear a more broken complaint a more sobbing and dolefull commiseration and a clear sign of sorrow here is the lamentation as it were of Dragons and the mourning of Ostriges If you would rather have a pleasant Melody he doth sweetly warble it out like a Swan that is about to dye If you seek for tenderness of love no mother so mild so gentle so indulgent If
you want comfort here are ye disburdened of your sins and whatsoever separated is safely disposed of Dost thou fear like a slave to be punished for them Behold the punishment is taken away Art thou afraid to be dis-inherited as an hireling Lo here is a Thief received into Paradise Finally If thou dost thirst after and long for pregnant and full Sentences plenty and abundance of most wholesome Precepts or the very Fountain it self of all Knowledge then come hither and draw near to it here is brought to remembrance all that ever Christ taught at any time Here we are taught what to pray for what to sear what to hope for what to do what to avoid And that which thou shalt never find any where else here is a Doctor who at the same instant also infuseth what he teacheth one that rooteth out Vice and planteth Vertue that chaseth away errour sparkleth out the light of Faith inkindleth Charity and bestoweth all the gifts of Grace so that a man would wonder that so great a Treasure should lye hid under so few words and that seven drops should cause such mighty floods to flow from them But here that of David is fulfilled The Voyce of the Lord is powerfull the Voyce of the Lord is full of Majesty Psalm 29. And that of Paul The Word of God is quick and powerfull and sharper then any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow Heb. 4.12 Whosoever is of God let him hear keep honour and reverence these words of God Let the ears hear the words of him that created them let man keep those words that will preserve him let man honour those words from which mans Salvation doth arise Christ would be lifted up high in the ayr 1. that all might see and behold him He lifted up his Voyce like a Trumpet 2. that all might hear him He chose Jerusalem 3. that famous City in all the East to shew such great Mysteries in that from thence his sound might go forth into all the earth 4. and his words unto the ends of the world Psalm 19. Lastly He would suffer on the Jews Feast-day in a wide and open place without the City before such an Assembly of so many Citizens so many Forraigners before so many of so many several Tongues that the so great Mysterie of his Passion and farewell Speech might not be concealed from any of any Countrey State Language c. The Grace of God certainly is not in us nay we do very wickedly and therefore Wo be to us if either with Peter we betake us to our heels and run away from Christ or with the Jews fall a scoffing at him or with the Souldiers crucifie him and not with Mary the Virgin-Mother of God and John the Evangelist we hasten with all speed to this Sermon standing at the foot of the cross attentively listening hearkening with all diligence and let us treasure up those golden Words in a broken heart We are Christians whither shall we go but to that Master who hath the words of Life Iohn 6. By whom can we better stand to whom can we more justly cleave then to Christ our Lord and Friend hanging on the cross And if the very Heathen observe and keep those commands as religious holy and almost divine Precepts which are given in charge by parents and friends upon their death-beds how much more strictly ought we to mark and observe these last words of Christ and fasten them most deeply in our breasts For our greatest and chiefest Philosophie is To know Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. For there is perfection of Righteousness to be had there is plenty of Knowledge there is the very Truth of Wisdom there all our Riches Righteousness Merits Mercies Salvation Life and Resurrection do consist Thus much by way of Preface Now let us hear every Word by it self Of the first Word viz. Father forgive them for they know not what they do WHen the Lord Jesus became that true and only Sacrifice and when he was now about to finish the work of our Redemption and Salvation although he lay under the pressure of unutterable distress and misery yet he did not forget why and for whom he suffered such Torments even for our sakes for which cause he went out to meet his Fathers wrathfull displeasure with his prayers as not minding his own pain and punishment he sets upon the Work and Office he begins to take the work of a Priest in hand he stands in the place of a Mediator between God and man he becomes an Intercessor a Protector for us and puts himself wholly as an invincible wall to withstand the Fathers anger For he could not possibly but remember his native and inbred goodness And therefore when others did curse blaspheme and bitterly revile he doth pray and make Supplications not for himself but for others and not for others only but for his most cruel enemies and crucifiers who yet were indeed most worthy to be destroyed and devoured with fire from Heaven or that the earth should swallow them up alive Hear and see how he doth stand and pray for us and thrust himself between the revenging God and us sinners saying Father forgive them for they know not what they do The meaning Father A short prayer indeed but very pithy and full of matter containing much in it It is all one as if Christ had said O Father I am thy Son begotten out of the womb of thine own Substance before Lucifer or the morning Star Psalm 110. I am the devout religious and devoted observer of thine Honour diligently doing all thy will and performing all thy pleasures although I hang here as the Prince and chief of all notorious Malefactors and as a blasphemer and enemy of thy glorious Name yet in the midst of all these so many calamities tortures torments deaths I cannot but think upon my duty and what I am to do forgetting all the wrongs which these of the City have done to me It is my part and office to interpose and stand between thy most righteous displeasure and the hainous sins of man It lyeth on me and t is my work to piece up make whole and firm reduce bring back and Redeem mâ—… the work of our hands a broken vessel a stray-sheep a poor captive creature It is committed and given in charge to me to Reconcile both the things that are in heaven and that are in earth At thy beck and command I came forth from thee and came into the world whom thou hast appointed and made the Mediator and the Peace-maker a Priest and Intercessor And that justly too For 1. I partake of both Natures I am one God equal with thee as also with men I am a true man and therefore I am the most worthy and fittest Mediator I can lay my hand upon both I can reach and touch thee the beginning