Christ that thou mayest haue a continuall remorse for in the bitternesse of sinne is the sweetnesse of joy Nowe to make an ende and shortly to examine this fall of Peters Certainely there are many faults in this fall First he is caried away with a vaine confidence of flesh and blood he will take vp his crosse and follow the Lord albeit that the Lord aduertised him that hee was not able and then the doore was shut vpon him to aduertise him and put him in minde yet he would not stay then when he is let in alas he denies his Lord once he denies Him twise thrise till the LORD did staye him I dare not say but all this time Peter caried a good heart towards his Lord a spunke of faith a spunke of loue in the heart albeit his faith loue were choked it was suppressed with infirmities of the flesh namely with feare then when he is entered in and come vnto the fire side if that faith and loue was suppressed before with his nature then it was farre more suppressed this litle spunke of loue in the man was smoothered there falles such a weight of infirmitie on it that it was pressed downe vnder the burthen of corruption and vnder securitie if thou be sleeping in securitie albeit thou haue a spunke of loue it will be smoothered and this is most true that this spunke of loue was so smoothered yea I say more it was pressed that except the Lord had looked ouer his shoulder with the eye of his mercie and wakened that spunke of loue it had died out In Peter we haue a cleare example of the weaknesse of the godly men into this life albeit we haue faith and loue yet in the example of Peter we see that the spunke of grace will be choaked with corruption infirmitie and then will ye come to God Peter is one of the chiefe examples of the mercie of God in Iesus Christ Paul to Timothie countes that he was one of the greatest examples of mercie in the world but if yee looke to the sinne of Peter ye will finde that it was greater than the sinne of Paul for Paul did all of ignorance and so if Paul as hee sayes was made an example of the mercie of God to sinners surely this example of Peter ought much more to bee an example to all sinners let no sinner that lookes to him despaire of mercie how burthened so euer hee be with sinne for that same Iesus Christ who was mercifull to Peter hath store of mercie for all them that it pleaseth him mercifully to looke vpon To Him therefore with the Father and holy Spirit be all honour and glorie AMEN THE FIFT LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XVIII verse 28 Then led they IESVS from Caiaphas into the common Hall Now it was morning and they themselues went not into the common Hall lest they should bee defiled but that they might eate the Passeouer verse 29 Pilate then went out vnto them and said What accusation bring you against this man verse 30 They answered and said vnto him If he were not an euill doer we would not haue deliuered him vnto thee verse 31 Then saide Pilate vnto them Take yee him and judge him after your owne Lawe Then the Iewes saide vnto him It is not lawfull for vs to put anie man to death verse 32 It was that the word of IESVS might be fulfilled which he spake signifying what death he should die IN the eighteenth and nineteenth Chapters of this Gospell Brethren is contained the History of the Passion of the Lord Iesus Christ and it is diuided in these parts The first is the suffering of the Lord in the Garden The next is the suffering of the Lord vnder the High Priest Caiaphas the Ecclesiâ—sticall Iudge The third is the suffering of the Lord vnder Pontius Pilate the Ciuill and Romane Magistrate The fourth is the suffering of the Lord in the place of Execution The last in the sepulchre Wee haue spoken of y e first part of His suffering in the Garden besides the inward coÌ„flict He had with y e wrath of His Father for y e sins of y e elect which Hee did beare vpon Him The Lord is taken like a thiefe or vagabond and bound led to Hierusalem We heard also the suffering of the Lord in y e Hall of the High Priest whose name was Caiaphas When the High Priests Elders are set down in couÌ„cell He is brought in before them and being brought they haue not a word to say against Him howbeit they bound Him brought Him to judgemeÌ„t This was an vnformall dealing therfore the hie priest demands of Him His doctrine of His disciples to catch a word out of His mouth wherupoÌ„ he might make his accusatioÌ„ wheÌ„ they preuaile not this way the rest of the EuaÌ„gelists note that they begin to suborne false witnes but they get no vantage that way neither for they caÌ„not agree together TheÌ„ the hie priest begins in wrath to adjure Him to tell him whether he be that Christ or no The Lord denies it not but saies Thou hast said it He giues him a faire testimony of this after this Hee saies Yee shall see the sonne of man sitting at the right haÌ„d of the power of God come in the clouds of heaueÌ„ Then the high priest rent his clothes as though He had blasphemed said What haue we more need of witnes behold now ye heard His blasphemy what think ye Then he the rest of the councell coÌ„cluded y t the Lord was worthy of death so the couÌ„cel departed In the meane time the Lord is kept still in the Hall of the hie priest the officers are al about Him working all kind of injury against Him y e rebukes y t shuld haue befalleÌ„ to vs are laide on Him as the prophet said of Him Psal 69.10 Some spitted on Him some put a vaile on His face smote Him saying in scorn Prophesie Christ who it is that striketh thee nothing in the Lord but patieÌ„ce He spake nothing He made no more resistaÌ„ce than a silly laÌ„be before the shearer wheÌ„ it is begun to become light in the morning the Priests Elders begin to sit down in councell the hie priest asked of Him the same again whether he was that Christ or no He answereth If I should tell you ye will not belieue mee what auailes it to speak to an indured heart He testifies again Thou hast said it he giues an argumeÌ„t of this hereafter shall the son of man sit at the right haÌ„d of the power of God Then the hie priest and the Elders the second time concludes Him to be worthie of death adjudges Him to die theÌ„ the councell arises the first thing they doe they lead Him to Pontius Pilate the Romane deputie to the judgemeÌ„t Hall to him to execute y t sentence they had
of His owne goods Howsoeuer they esteemed of Him yet Hee vvas innocent Next they doe Him shame in stripping Him and setting Him naked vpon the Crosse in the sight of all the worlde And last of all they despite Him and contemne Him in taking His garmentes and parting them in His owne presence vvhere He Himselfe might behold it So they did Him vvrong shame and despite But Brethren as in all other circumstances conjoyned with the Passion I looke not so much to men as to the Lord So heere I looke not so much to these executioners in parting of these garments as to that Heauēly Iudge His Father to His justice in this matter for whatsoeuer bee their part and howe vnjust soeuer they bee that Heauenly Father is just and that burthen of our sinne vvhich Iesus Christ tooke vpon Him deserued all this as suretie for vs Hee demerited all this Nowe to examine more narrowly euerie one of these to wit the wrong shame and despite wee shall see howe justly all is done if yee will looke to His Father and first consider the wrong done vnto Him in taking His cloathes Hee was wearied of His garments because Hee was cledde with our sinne Nowe woulde to GOD that wee could feele in mercy this weight of sinne which our Mediator did beare vpon His backe for vs for then wee woulde not runne on so wantonly as wee doe And it telles vs this That a sinner that is not in Iesus Christ vvho hath not put off sinne but yet beares the burthen of sinne hath no right to weare so much as a moste vile garment yea though it were but a bratte of a sacke to hide his shame from the sight of the worlde let bee Golde Siluer or precious rayment and if it shall fall out at any time that hee be reaued and spoyled of his cloathes let him take it to bee of the just judgement of GOD whatsoeuer bee mans part therein And though the Thieues bereaue him yet the GOD of Heauen is just in punishing of him whatsoeuer part man hath in the action Yet it telles vs more for I tell you still that this judgement of Iesus Christ is the image and figure of the latter judgement for such processe as is vsed heere shall bee vsed in the latter judgement Then I saye it telles vs that in that latter daye a reprobate and sinner vvho shall not bee founde in Iesus Christ shall bee depriued and spoyled of all the creatures made for the vse and ornament of man and there shall neuer a one of them bee left him neither shall hee haue so much a foot-breadth of earth or the meanest commoditie in the worlde yea albeit hee were a king let him haue possessions kingdomes and the whole earth now but then there shall not bee any thing in this worlde that hee shall possesse at that daye but shame in the Hell for euermore Where by the contrary they who shall bee founde in Iesus Christ shall not onelie bee cladde with incorruption and glory in Christ but also shall be put in possession of a newe Heauen and newe Earth to reigne with their Head and Lord Iesus Christ for euermore Yee see then what happinesse it is to bee founde in Iesus Christ at that Great daye O the misery of him vvho shall bee founde out of Him Nowe to come to that shame which Hee suffers on the Crosse The Father thorowe His nakednesse heerein also is just Hee vvas cledde on the Crosse with our sinnes It telles vs this that among all the punishmentes of sinne this is one to wit nakednesse to set the body naked in the sight of the worlde Yee reade in Esay 3.17 where the sinfull women are threatned for their pride that the Lord IEHOVAH shall make naked and discouer their secret parts to the world But to speake of the latter day beside all the rest of the punishments of the reprobate the nakednesse of their carcases shal be a punishment they shall rise with foule bodies whereas the Elect shall rise with glorified bodies and the reprobate shall stand vp in the sight of all men Angels with naked bodies that their shame may be seene they shall crie to hide their shame on the mountaines to couer them and on the hilles to fall on them Now last to speake of that despite that Hee suffered They parte His garmentes before Him in despite of Him They goe not to a backside to deale them Looke to Gods dealing heere this is a just thing with God that hee who is a sinner and who in contempt and despite of God hath sinned that he be contemned againe and suffer despite openlie And Christ among all other punishmēts bare this punishment of contempt vpon the Crosse Then if contempt be done vnto thee who art a sinner not in Iesus Christ not cledde with His justice in respect of God it is due justice if thy goods be taken and pulled from thee before thine eyes if thy sonnes bee slaine in despite of thee or thy virgins destored thy selfe looking on take it for the just judgement of God In the latter daye beside all the punishmentes that shall fall vpon a reprobate despite shall be done to them If it were but this that the persons whome they disdained contemned and spitted vpon shall bee glorified in despite of them So to ende this This teaches vs howe good a thing it is to bee in Iesus Christ and howe blessed that bodie shall bee vvho is founde in Him And as for thee who art out of Iesus Christ woe shall be to thee suppose thou were an Emperour Nowe to goe forwarde After the Hang-man and after their despite followes the part of the people vvho gazed on Him they beginne and wagge their heads Dauid foretelles of that in the 22. Psalme vers 7. They had mee in derision and made a mowe and nodde their heads and they said Is this the man who saide hee would destroy the glorious Temple of Hierusalem and builde it after in three dayes Come downe from the Crosse and saue thy selfe They mistooke the LORD for the LORD vnderstood of the Temple of His bodie which after three dayes by His glorious resurrection hee should reedifie and builde vp againe so the opprobrie that they cast vp to Him is this He was wount to say He would cast downe the Temple and builde it vp againe in three dayes But this is a thing impossible and their ground they take from His present infirme estate that inhabilitie He was in on the Crosse So they gather of that Seeing He could not free Himselfe that the other was impossible Before I marke or obserue any thing on this place I shall followe out the scoffing rayling and mocking of others After the people came in the Princes of the people as High Priestes Scribes Pharises Elders and Rulers and they raile on Him saying This man tooke on Him the Name of CHRIST let vs see if He can saue Himselfe As
Christ I goe to the second testimonie Zacharie 12.10 prophecies that the Iewes that pierced thorovv Christ should see Him and vvhen they see Him they should vveepe for Him as for their only begotten sonne It is a prophecie of the repentance of the Jewes vvho had crucified Christ pierced Him thorovv a promise of their repentance for that vvofull deede they did This same thing came to passe in the 2. of the Acts vvhen Peter in his preaching laide to their charge that wicked deede that they had crucified the Lord of glorie had put hand into the Lord of life at his preaching their hearts were pricked pierced thorow with bitternesse they demand of Peter the rest What shall they doe to be safe it is said three thousand of them repented beleeued at that one preaching The words wold be marked How is this that They pierced Iesus They pierced Him first with their sins it was the Jewes sins chiefly that procured the death of Christ Next they pierced Him when they persecuted Him when they crucified Him blasphemed Him and rayled on Him hanging on the crosse last they pierced Him when by the speare in the handes of a souldier they thrust Him thorow and pierced His side And who is this that pierced Him It was not so much the Ethnicke man that did this as the Iewes for whose sinnes Hee came to die for they were the occasion of all this wickednes If we will marke narrowly and will weigh narrowly this matter aright we will see great wickednesse malice and vnthankfulnesse to haue bene in this people The Lord came to die for them And who are these that slay Him Euen these for whome He came to die Was not this a mischieuous deede Who will not abhorre and detest such a villanie and malice Alas should I who am a sinner when an innocent man comes to die for my sinnes slay that man and be a burrio to Him Lord saue mee from such wickednesse and let neuer mine hands be a slayer of that man and yet this was the malice of the vngratefull Iewes Againe will ye consider the wonderfull loue that Christ caried to this people when they deserued nothing at His hands but death He dies for them when they were His enemies He shed His blood sor them thereafter when they executed Him and crucified Him beholde His wonderfull loue Hee brings them to repentance His mercie ouercomes their malice so that in them ye see that which is said to be verified Where sinne aboundes grace and mercie superabounds ROM 5.20 There is no comparison betweene the loue of Iesus and the sinnes of men Albeit thy sinnes were neuer so great and hainous yet the loue mercie of Christ will compasse them and goe round about them all so that no sinner hath occasion to despare of mercie and of grace I doubt not there is none of vs all but we will condemne the Jewes and will finde fault with the malice of this people but looke to thy selfe whilst as thou condemnest them that thou disfigure thine owne face and condemne thine owne selfe Are there none in this land that haue put hand in Iesus that died for them as surely as euer the Iewes did Who dare cleanse themselues Thou darest not say but thou hast pierced the Lord either one way or other There is not a sinne that thou committest but therewith thou hast pierced the Lord. Hast thou opponed thy selfe to the Trueth and persecuted the Gospell then thou hast pierced Christ Hast thou persecuted the Church of Christ and troubled His members on the earth thou hast pierced the Lord for Hee cries out Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee 〈◊〉 Hast thou beene giuen ouer to thy lustes and led a wicked life I say if thou bee in any of these rankes if thou gaine standest His Trueth persecutest Him in His members or by thy euill life Protest as thou wilt thou hast pierced Him as well as the Iewes and thou shalt bee as guiltie of His death as they were and as Pilate Herode Iudas and Caiaphas were challenged for His death so shalt thou except the Lord of His mercie grant thee grace to repent The Lord giue euery one of vs grace in time to repent IOH. REVEL 1.7 drawes this Scripture to the second comming of Christ in the cloudes for hee sayes They shall see Him whom they haue pierced and all the Tribes of the earth shall mourne before Him Of the which wee may gather that in the latter daye the very Elect when they shall rise and see the Lord when they shall see these handes and these seete and that side which by their sinnes they haue pierced thorow their first meeting shall bee with bitter mourning they shall mourne as a man will doe for His onely begotten sonne but immediatly that weeping shall be turned into joy and the Lord shall wipe away all teares from their eyes so that they shall neuer mourne nor sorrow any more but they shall be with the Lord and rejoyce with a solide joy for euer more Now I come to the buriall of that blessed body As the downe taking from the crosse came by a request so this buriall also comes by request But who requests for His buriall Not the Iewes that requested for His downe taking but good Ioseph of Arâ—mathea requests for the buriall The Iewes requested not for any loue they bare to Him but Joseph that worthy disciple of Christ requests vpon loue Then the thinges that we shall speake of the buriall this day are these First by the conference of the foure Euangelists wee haue a faire description of this man Ioseph Next we haue especially in the Gospell of Luke how boldly he comes to Pilate thirdly we haue the suite it selfe then the good and humane answere that he receiues out of the mouth of Pilate Then looke how this man is pointed out First he is described by his name his name is Ioseph Next hee is described by his countrey he vvas of Arimathea a tovvne in Iudea Thirdly he vvas described from his substance Hee was a rich and wealthie man and vvhat more What matter of all outvvard things of our birth of the place of it or all the riches and substance in the vvorld if there be no more Fourthly he is described from his office He was a wise and graue Senator and apparantly hee was in that Councell of the IEVVES which was called SANEDRIM yea apparantly he was on PILATES couÌ„sell because he was a wise and potent man But all these are outwarde thinges therefore the Spirit afterward paints him out by his inward qualities for if thou haue no good properties I will not giue a pennie for all thy calling thy substance and all outwarde thinges Hee is painted out in these qualities which concerne this life his behauior toward meÌ„ he is called a good vpright maÌ„ in his life But what helpe all these ciuill and morall vertues
Woe to vs if Hee saye once Goe not to EDINBVRGH Woe is them and woe to that Towne where the Lorde forbiddes His Messengers to goe Beware of this that the Lorde saye not to His Messenger Goe to the North or South but goe not to EDINBVRGH for then shall wrath and destruction light vpon it What confusion and destruction lighted vpon Hierusalem after that the Lord had once turned His backe vpon it Yet sayes the Lorde Bid them goe to Galile and there they shall seeme They beleeued not others who tolde them of mee but there I shall speake vnto them mine owne selfe This is the great mercie of the LORDE towardes His Disciples vpon whome the LORDE shoulde neuer haue looked if Hee had respected their infidelitie but albeit they were vnfaithfull yet Hee remained faithfull and mercifull for Hee coulde not denie Himselfe but where there sinnes abounded there His grace surmounted aboue them all for as the APOSTLE sayes Where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more Now al the world was full of sinne when Christ came yet grace superabounded Now this was a meeke dealing with them that they shoulde see mercie aboue their sinnes to this ende that they shoulde by experience teach others for hee that feeles both miserie and mercie is the best teacher in in the worlde So beeing to sende them to teach others Hee lets them finde grace to superabounde PAVL Roman 5.20 sayes Where sinne abounded there grace superabounded Reade the first Epistle to Timothie Chap. 1. vers 13. there the Apostle sayes J was a blasphemer and an euill liuer and a persecuter this was his miserie and if the LORDE had neuer looked to him hee had neuer beene an Apostle nor a Christian man But what sayes hee thereafter The grace of the LORDE IESVS superabounded and for as high and weightie as my sinne was yet His mercie was greater and it weighed it downe So then yee see the LORDE cares for them that lye in miserie to tell them of it I tell you this daye yee are lying in miserie and Hee is carefull that the Preacher haue a sense both of miserie and of mercie to tell of the wrath of GOD which is manifest from the Heauen vpon all impenitent sinners And if thou wilt repent thee I assure thee though thou vvere the greatest sinner that euer was thou shalt haue mercie and therefore if thou hast gone long on in sinne yet euen for GODS cause at last take vp thy selfe and I promise thee exceeding mercie in that bloodie Sacrifice of our LORDE and SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST who hath died both for thee and mee and all penitent sinners To Him therefore with the Father and Holie Spirit bee all Honour and Glorie for euermore AMEN THE XXXVI LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVIII verse 11 Nowe when they were gone beholde some of the watch came into the Citie and shewed vnto the High Priestes all the thinges that were done verse 12 And they gathered them together with the Elders and tooke counsell and gaue large money vnto the Souldiours verse 13 Saying Saye His Disciples came by night and stole him awaye while wee slept verse 14 And if this matter come before the Gouernour to bee hearde we will perswade him and so vse the matter that yee shall not neede to care verse 15 So they tooke the money and did as they were taught and this saying is noysed among the Iewes vnto this day MARKE CHAP. XVI verse 12 After that hee appeared vnto two of them in another forme as they walked and went into the countrey LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 13 And beholde two of them went that same daye to a towne which was from Hierusalem about threescore furlonges called EMMAVS verse 14 And they talked together of all these thinges that were done verse 15 And it came to passe as they communed together and reasoned that Iesus himselfe drewe neare and went with them verse 16 But their eyes were holden that they could not know him WEE hearde hitherto in the Historie of the Resurrection of IESVS CHRIST Beloued in Him of sundrie vvitnesses of His Resurrection First Angels and next vvomen Namelie MARIE MAGDALENE vvas the first that gotte the sight of Him after His Resurrection and after her other vvomen gotte a sight of Him also and a direction to His Disciples to assure them that Hee vvas risen againe Nowe in this TEXT vvhich vvee haue read out of the Gospell of MATTHEVV vve haue a piece of Historie of another sorte of vvitnesses that testified of the Resurrection of IESVS euen of the men of vvarre who were sent out to watch the graue they came not to the Disciples but to the High Priestes and tâ—ey testifie vnto them of the Resurrection of IESVS Then in the Historie vvritten by MARKE and LVKE vvee returne to the true vvitnesses to vvit two of them that vvere His Disciples Hee meetes with them as they vvere journeying from Ierusalem to Emaus and thereafter these two tell the rest that the Lord vvas risen Now to goe thorow these two pieces of Historie shortly as God shall giue the grace and as time shall permit When the vvomen that had met with Iesus had returned Some of the souldiours that had watched the graue returnes home to Ierusalem to tell the things that had fallen out but they came not to the place where the Apostles vvere but to the place where the High Priests vvere from whome they vvere sent and they tell the Lord was risen The Historie is plaine these witnesses are the souldiours that vvatched the graue they haue not such a commission as the other witnesses had they are not sent by CHRIST nor by His Angels but runne of their owne accorde but yet they runne by the speciall prouidence of GOD No doubt His prouidence directed them to the High Priestes and not so much to instruct them for they vvere hardened as to let them see that they vvere disappointed of their expectation They obtained of Pilate to let men goe out and to keepe Him in the graue and to haue smoothered His Resurrection that it had neuer come to light and yet the LORD sendes these same men to Ierusalem as witnesses of that resurrection that they would haue smoothered as if they had bene sent out by the High Priestes to this ende that they should be witnesses they could testifie no better of it the LORD turnes it about so that they could doe no better if the High Priests had hired and waged them to be witnesses of His Resurrection It is a vaine thing to striue with GOD and to hide that thing that Hee will haue brought to light for hide it as thou vvilt in despite of thee He shall bring it to light to thy shame that Hee may bee glorified Novve to speake what they testified they testified the same thing that the vvomen had testified they testified the trueth they testified All that was done that IESVS vvas risen yet there is a great
he hath a speciall warrand from the Iudge otherwise hee cannot haue a good conscience in his intimation then how shall the Pastour knowe Gods sentence pronounced in Heauen that hee may haue a good conscience in his proceeding To this I answere It is true indeede the Pastour hath none extraordinarie reuelation of that sentence vvhich is past in Heauen but all the warrand that the Pastour hath is ordinary wrought by the Spirit accompanying His own word vvhich He left in vvrite vnto vs and the Pastour gets this vvarrand out of the vvord by the applying of the generall sentences of the vvorde to particular persons according as they finde their disposition and behauiour and by this meanes gets such a sufficient warrand out of the vvorde as his conscience may rest vpon As for example to speake first of the sentence of the Remission of sinnes Before the Pastour absolue a man and remit his sinnes he lookes first to the generall sentences set downe in the worde that may be his warrand as namely that sentence which the LORD Himselfe vtters Ioh. 3.13 Whosoeuer beleeues in the Sonne of God shall not perish but haue euerlasting life Nowe to Faith in Christ joyne Repentance for the Gospell joynes Repentance and Remission of sinnes together Luke 24.47 and sayes Whosoeuer beleeues and repents shall be safe To this generall proposition the Pastour will assume particularly This sinner repents and beleeues whereupon he concludes declaring the sentence that is alreadie past of Him in the Heauen therefore this sinner hath his sinnes forgiuen him and he shall be saued Againe before the Pastour binde a man and retaine his sinnes hee lookes to this generall sentence of the worde Hee that beleeues not and repents not is alreadie condemned Ioh. 3.18 Then he assumes particularly But this sinner beleeues not neither repents whereupon hee concludes the declaration of the sentence which is alreadie past in Heauen Therefore this sinner is condemned and is bound in Heauen The Lord worke in our heartes true repentance and Faith in the Lorde Iesus that not only wee may heare the voyce of the Pastour absoluing vs but likewise our owne consciences may assure vs of the Remission of our sinnes through the mercie of God in Iesus Christ To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirit bee all praise and honour for euermore AMEN THE XLVI LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST IHON CHAP. XX. verse 24 But Thomas one of the twelue called Didimus was not with them when Iesus came verse 25 The other Disciples therefore saide vnto him Wee haue seene the Lord but hee saide vnto them Except I see in His handes the print of the nayles and put my finger into the print of the nayles and put mine hand into His side I will not beleeue it verse 26 And eight dayes after againe His Disciples were within and Thomas with them Then came Iesus when the doores were shut and stood in the middes and saide Peace be vnto you WEE haue heard hitherto Welbeloued in Christ of fiue sundrie appearings of our Lord after His Resurrection The first was to Marie Magdalene The second was to other women The third was to two Disciples as they were going from Jerusalem to Emmaus The fourth was to Simon Peter The fift was to the eleuen assembled together in one place In this fift appearance the Lord hath a Sermon to His Disciples wherein first He lets them see the necessitie that He should suffer and rise againe and that these thinges behooued to be preached to the world and thereafter giues them a direction to goe out to preach Repentance and Remission of sinnes to the worlde in His Name and to the end He may encourage them the more willingly to vndertake this charge Hee promises to giue them the Holy Spirit with His graces y t was promised before for their further assurance He enters them presently in some measure in possession of the Spirit for Iohn sayes Hee breathed vpon them and saide vnto them Receiue the Holy Ghost and then Hee enarmes them with authoritie and power to forgiue and retaine sinnes And Hee sayes Whosoâ—uer sinâ—es ye remit they are remitted vnto them and whosoeuer sinnes ye retaine thâ—y are retained Now in the words that we haue presently read out of the Gospell of Iohn wee haue set downe a particular Hâ—storie concerning Thomas and his incredulitie this Thomas is he who is also called Didymus we read of him first that he was called and receiued to be one of the twelue Apostles Matth. 10 3. Next we â—ead that hee was offended that the Lord purposed to returne againe to Iudea beeing requestâ—d by Martha and Marie to come to Lazâ—rus their brother and that he burst out in words full of anger aâ—d iâ—dâ—gnation saying Let vs goe also that we may die with Lazarus Ioh 11.16 And last wee haue in this place set downe the Historie not only of his great incredulitie but also of his stubburnesse and wilfulnesse therein for neither did hee beleeue neither had hee a will or purpose to beleeue Of this doing of Thomas we may learne that by nature there was no difference betweene y e Apostles of the Lord Iesus other men albeit moste vile most vnworthie but grace made the difference they were as incredulous as stubburne as hard hearted as any other by nature while it pleased God of His mercie to open their heâ—rtes to make them to bâ—leeue And therefore the Lord Iesus when He calles them to be Apostles and ordaines them to preach the exceeding gâ—eatnesse of His mercy to others He makes them to stand for eâ—samples of that same mercie that they preach to others that they might y e more easily perswade others make them to come to seeke mercie in Iesus This was the ende why the Apostle Paul sayes The Lord shewed mercy on him who was a mâ—serable wreth and had called him to bee an Apost Iesus Christ saies he shâ—wed on me all long suffeâ—ing vnto the ensample of them which shall in time to come beleeue in Him vnto eternall life 1 Tim. 1.16 Thus much concerning the person of Thomas we come next to the Historie of his incredulitie first to the occasion of it the rest of y e Apostles Disciples who were assembled together in one to whom the Lord Iesus had manifested Himselfe declares preaches to Thomas y e ResurrectioÌ„ of Christ y e cause of their preaching thereof to him was because Thomas was absent when the Lord appeared to the rest What was the cause of his absence it is vncertaine neither will we curiously inquire what it was It may be that after Christ His Master was apprehended he kept himselfe close lurked secretly for feare of danger through the malice of the Iewes and durst not manifest himselfe so soone as the rest or it may be that he was entangled with his owne priuate affaires at that time when the rest met together and were speaking of
testified vnto him that the Lord was risen and had appeared vnto them that they sawe Him with their eyes heard Him with their eares and handled Him with their hands yet such was the incredulitie of Thomas that he professed plainly that in no cace he would beleeue except hee saw in His hands the print of the nailes and put his finger in the print of the nailes and put his hande into His side To remedie this incredulitie of Thomas the Lord appeares now the sixt time eight dayes after His former appearings when His disciples were met together and Thomas with them Iesus came the doores beeing shut and stood in the middes of them and saluted them after the accustomed manner saying vnto them Peace be vnto you Now in these words which we haue presently read we haue the Lordes conference with Thomas first Next in the last wordes of the Chapter the Euangelist meetes mens curiositie affirming albeit all things that Iesus did were not written in this Gospell yet it was not vnperfect because all things were written that were necessarie to life and saluation In the conference that the Lord hath with Thomas Hee meetes him not roughly and rigorously as his incredulitie had justly deserued but with lenitie and meekenesse Hee endeuoureth to make him to beleeue by granting him his desire Thomas had plainly professed that except hee sawe the print of the nailes and put his hande into His side hee would not beleeue therefore the Lord sayes nowe Thomas Put thy finger heere and see Mine handes and put foorth thine hande and put it in My side and bee no more faithlesse but faithfull See the gentlenesse of the LORD and howe louingly Hee speakes to him Thomas was not onely incredulous but also he was stubburne obstinate proud and arrogant hee counted others fooles that beleeued hee professed that in no cace hee would beleeue without seeing and feeling of the LORDES wounds Now the LORD grantes this to Thomas which he desired albeit hee was vnworthie of it yea the LORD inuites him and louingly bids him put his hande in the print of the nailes and in His side for the LORD speakes not this in bitternesse and tauntingly to Thomas for the wordes that He subjoynes Be not faithlesse but faithfull testifie that Hee spake of loue and in lenitie to Thomas to make him to beleeue It is true indeede the wordes containe a sort of reproofe and rebuking of Thomas for his incredulitie but this reproofe is so tempered and seasoned vvith such lenitie and meeknesse that scarcâ—ly can it bee perceiued and taken vp This dealing of the LORD with Thomas le ts vs see how great is the mercie gentlenesse and long suffering of the LORD IESVS towards sinners whose sinnes deserue nothing but wrath judgement such is His mercie and meeknesse towards sinners that to the end Hee might please vs Paul sayes Rom. 15.3 Hee would not please Himselfe He suffered shame ignominie for vs He suffâ—red dolour paines for vs He died for vs and after Hee rose He spared no trauell to make the Apostles belâ—eue sundrie times did He appeare to them now He appeares for Thomas cause albeit he had runne very far in the course of infidelitie stubburnesse yet He striues by granting him his desiâ—e to perswade him and make him to beleeue The Lords gentlenesse and long suffering is very great towardes all men euen the verie reprobate themselues who refuse the riches of His bountifulnesse and patience and long suffering not knowing that the bount fulnesse of GOD leadeth them to repentance Rom Châ—pter 2 verse 4. For as Paul sayes Hee suffereth with long patience the vessells of wrath prepared for destruction Rom. Chapter 9. verse 22. But it is greater towardes his owne in whome Hee sees some sponke of grace to bee for albeit Hee finde it to be very small and heauily oppressed and smoothered downe by the corruption of our flesh and of our cankred nature yet He endeuoures to cherish and intertaine it for Hee breakes not the brused reed my quench the smooking flaxe Esay 42.3 Matth. 12.20 But Brethren it serues for no purpose to speake of this gentlenesse and bountifulnesse of the Lord except wee haue a sense and feeling of it in our owne soules and except we taste how sweete and bountifull the Lord is for no wordes can expresse it no wordes can perswade a man of it except he finde the proofe and sense of it in his owne soule The Lorde worke a feeling of it in euery one of our hearts that we may speake of it with the greater assurance perswasion But there may be a question mooued heere The desire of Thomas seemes to be vnlawfull and vnreasonable why then should the Lord haue granted it to him How standes this with His Iustice How agrees this with that vnchangeable Nature of GOD in Christ To this I answere That Thomas failed not in this that he desired to see the Lord for that is the desire of all the Sainctes but in this he failed as we heard before that he tied his faith so precisely to his outwarde senses to seeing and handling that hee professed that no wise he would beleeue except hee saw the Lord and felt Him yet no question he had in the meane time some spirituall desire to see the Lord and hee had a true and sincere loue towards the Lord. This louing dealing of the Lord with Thomas teaches vs this comfortable lesson The Lord markes not narrowly the infirmities and wants that are in His owne Hee lookes not narrowly to the weaknesse of their Faith to the imperfections wants of their prayers and requests for their prayers are full of wants and imperfections but Hee passes by their imperfections Hee ouersees their infirmities and misknowes the corruption wherein their Faith their prayers and desires are inuolâ—ed and ouercled and Hee hath a regard to their Faith albeit they haue it in neuer so small a measure for the Lord knowes the meaning of His owne Spirit euen then when He is wrestling into vs against an inumerable number of our infirmities sinnes and corruptions Happie is that soule that hath a sponke of true Faith for the Lord will regarde it and ouersee many infirmities and imperfections in him Thus farre of the Lords speech to Thomas Now followes the answere of Thomas vnto the Lord Thomas meetes Him with a notable confession Thou art my Lord and my God The Text makes no particular mention vvhether or not Thomas put his finger in the print of His vvounds and his hand in His side when the Lord bade him If so hee did and vvould none otherwise beleeue then surely hee hath beene very hard of heart impudent and obstinate vvho vvould not beleeue when he saw the Lord with his eyes and heard Him speaking to him But it is more probable and I am of that judgement that so soone as Thomas sawe the Lord and heard Him speaking that he was ashamed of his incredulitie
one gets the conscience of their merite and feeles that they deserue death ten wants it It is a pitie to see how many dies without sense like dogges and then if it fall so that one get the conscience of sinne in the houre of death it falles out ofttimes that they get not the sense of mercie It may bee that thou get the sense of sinne and be stricken with a feare but with a desperate feare for with the sense and feeling of sinne if there bee not also a sense of mercie there is nothing but terrour and a seruile feare So thou shalt die like a vile slaue in damnation So the conscience of this thiefes merite makes him to feare God no doubt hee hath had a sweet sense of the mercy of God in Iesus Christ But who made this difference It was the Lord It was a happie thing for this thiefe to be crucified with IESVS CHRIST for all this slowed out of the Crosse of IESVS CHRIST Therefore take vp the lesson Thinke not that in the houre of death thou shalt bee twitched as thou shouldest either with the feeling of thy sinne and miserie or yet of mercie except that thou sweetely turne thee to the Crosse of CHRIST and say LORD I feele neither sense of my merite and what my sinnes deserues nor of mercie LORD therefore giue mee it then the sweetnesse of that sense shall swallow vp that paine No comfort in death but in IESVS CHRIST except thine eyes be set on that Crosse Woe is to thee and woe to thee againe and better for thee if thou hadst neuer come in the world Thou and I sayes hee suffer iustly This confession witnesses the inward conuersion to IESVS CHRIST for when the heart of a sinner is turned to IESVS CHRIST it will taste a such sweetnesse that the creature will not care by that it bee shamed so it can get that LORD in whome it feeles such a sweetnesse glorified it is a sure token that these shamelesse sinners these men who will not shame themselues in the sight of the worlde but will stand in their pointes of honour with GOD these miserable soules these bloodie murtherers these adulterers tasted neuer of that mercie in IESVS CHRIST If thou wouldest haue thy sinnes hid from the eyes of GOD that terrible Iudge then open them to the world that the LORD may be glorified and if thou hidest thy sinnes the LORD shall rippe vp thy brest in that great daye and let all the world see the most hid and secret corner of thine heart to thy shame and confusion Nowe come to the thirde argument of reproofe and it is taken from the innocencie of Iesus This is an innocent and iust man Fearest thou not GOD to raile on the innocent if He were guiltie as thou and I am thy railing were more tollerable but howe canst thou raile on this just man The lesson is Iust ones who suffer innocently should not be railed vpon the LORD keepe our mouthes from railing on them if thy conscience tell thee of their innocency reuile them not a man who suffers may be innocent two manner of wayes for either hee is innocent in himselfe and not guiltie of that for which hee suffers or els if hee bee a malefactour and guiltie he may be innocent through Faith and repentance through the blood of Iesus Christ as this thiefe was innocent in Christ Now if a man be innocent of that crime for which hee suffers raile not on him on paine of thy life and if thou findest him innocent in the blood of Iesus Christ and findest him to haue true and vnfained repentance in Him albeit he bee neuer so wicked let him die and suffer these paines hee should suffer for repentance should not exeeme and free him from ciuile punishment but beware thou raile on him surely thy mouth should be stopped to raile out on him God forbid that an euill word be spoken out against him as a reprobate whom the LORD Iesus countes innocent in His blood for this railing testifies that thou counts that man as a reprobate and that is too sore a judgement thou takes to thee I see heere further the LORD neuer leaues His Sonne without a testimonie of His innocencie Pilate euer on testified His innocencie before hee condemned Him and said once twise thrise I finde nothing worthie of death in Him No Pilate was neuer brought to say that Christ was guiltie suppose he condemned Him but euer preached and proclaimed His innocencie Then when Hee is comming to suffer the poore women followes and testifies and now the poore penitent thiefe testifies the innocencie of Christ and lastly the men of warre were compelled to say Of a trueth this is the Sonne of God And if ye consider well yee shall see two thinges very contrarie that of all men that suffered He was both the most just and the most vnjust He was innocent in Himselfe and Hee was guiltie in vs and this for our consolation for this lets vs seee how meete a Mediatour He was for vs my Sauiour must be innocent in Himselfe Heb. 7.26 and He must bee guiltie in me Thus farre this thiefe hath vttered that inward repentance in rebuking the other for his blasphemie and sinne and in confessing his sinnes before the other thiefe and those that stood by now followes the third effect he turnes him to the Lord and in all humilitie seeking remission grace and life and sayes Lord remember me when thou commest to thy Kingdome Prayer should follow vpon confession of sinnes but marke the word hee calls Him Lord albeit he saw Him hanging on the tree there like a vile slaue yet he acknowledges Him to be a King when he ascribeth a Kingdome to Him albeit he sees Him hanging there like a slaue yet he askes life of Him albeit he saw Him in weaknesse in torment and at the point of death All these things are marueilous and ye shall see them the more marueilous if ye will consider well the person of him who prayes what a man before this time he was and then what is his estate present and last the person of Him to whom he directs his Prayer This his conuersion was marueilous if this man had beene trained vp in the schoole of Christ any space of time it had beene lesse marueilous but beeing trained vp in a denne of thieues where hee had lost all kinde of equitie and naturalitie where hee had liued like a beast like a lyon liuing by cutting of throates theft and by the bloode of men this man to be turned from such an foule heart to get faith and seeke mercie so suddenly in a moment such sudden mutation is more than marueilous aad wonderfull Then will yee looke to his present estate if he had bene free in the body without paine so that he had gotten leasure and licence to looke thorow that body to His Kingdome and to that eternall Life then this doing had beene lesse marueilous
but beeing nailed quicke on the Crosse in such extreame paine that might haue occupied and exercised all his senses and when he is looking and waiting for the hand of the hangman to breake him quicke on the Crosse to this man to haue driuen his senses and to haue set them on a better life from that hell hee was in to that heauenly Life it was more than wonderfull and I say it was as wonderfull as if he had leapt out of the lowest hell to the highest heauen Then come to the person of him to whome he prayes if hee had seene Iesus Christ standing before him like a glorious King it had beene lesse to haue beene wondered at but hee is hanging in that shamefull death and in greater shame than he for they railed not on him as they did on Christ which no question was more grieuous than all torments as if Hee had beene a reprobate from GOD So if he had seene Him in glorie it had bene no maruell but to seeke life in a man who was dying ignominiously and who was hanging in a worse estate than Himselfe and to haue pierced thorow and seene thorow such a cloud of ignominie such a faire Life and glorie I say it was more than wonderfull Further if he had seene Him before and bene familiar with Him heard Him teach and had seene His wonders as the Apostles did it had not bene much to maruell at but this beeing the first meeting the first acquaintance and neuer to haue spoken with Him before they met in an ignominious Crosse together then to seeke in such a death such a life in such ignominie such glorie it is a thing more than marueilous Came anie of the Iewes then and prayed vnto Him Yea came anie of the Apostles Came anie of His Disciples Came either Peter or Iohn or Matthew No all were offended with Him I saye of this man to the glorie of God that hee shamed all that stood by hee shamed the Apostles and made them to cast downe their faces And I saye hee shames all men and women who will not beleeue when they see Him not crucified as hee sawe but glorified nowe in the Heauens sitting at the right hande of that Majestie shame shall light on thee and this Thiefe shall bee sette vp in glorie to testifie against thee and to condemne thee 1. COR. 1.27 Paul saies GOD will raise vp thinges naughtie to shame thinges high in the worlde and to humble the pride of the fleshe If euer this was practised it is practised in this Thiefe Therefore in time learne thy lesson at this Thiefe for if hee doe thee no good hee shall doe thee euill and this same preaching shall doe thee euill if it doe thee no good The LORD raised him vp vpon a Gallowes to bee a Teacher of Faith and Repentance of Hope of Patience of Loue and of all graces and thinke no shame to learne at him for if thou thinkest shame of the Thiefe to bee thy master hee shall giue out a testimonie to aggreadge thy damnation and hee shall saye I went to teach the Infideles on the Crosse with Thee and they hearde it and beleeued not Lord let their damnation bee aggreadged All this that I speake tendes to this That hee who glories maye glorie in the Lord And they who woulde maruell let them maruell at the Lord. I speake not these thinges that yee shoulde wonder at the Thiefe that sillie creature But all this is That yee shoulde wonder at Iesus Christ who wrought such a wonder at this time and shewed such a power when Hee was weakened It is a wonder to shewe such power in His humiliation and such mercy on such a vile sinner who was not worthie that the earth shoulde beare him let bee to dwell in Heauen Wonder at Him who is so mercifull and gracious to poore sinners To Him therefore bee praise for euermore AMEN THE XVIII LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST LVKE CHAP. XXIII verse 43 Then Iesus said vnto him Verely J say vnto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise IOHN CHAP. XIX verse 25 Then stood by the crosse of Iesus his mother and his mothers sister Marie the wife of Cleopas and Marie Magdalene verse 26 And when Iesus saw his mother and the disciples standing by whome he loued He said vnto his mother woman beholde thy sonne verse 27 Then said He to the disciple behold thy mother and from that houre the disciple tooke her home vnto him WEE heard the last day Beloued in Iesus of the repentance of one of the Thieues that hung on the Crosse with Christ in a moment wonderfully hee begins to be penitent for all his misdeedes and former life and hee vtters his penitencie and the displeasure that was in his heart for sinne in sundry effectes First hee rebukes bitterlie that blasphemie that the other Thiefe speakes out against the Lord and saies Fearest thou not God seeing thou art in the same damnation Thou and I suffer justly for we haue demerited all this but this man pointing out Christ hath done nothing amisse When hee hath thus rebuked the Thiefe hee turnes him about to Iesus Christ who hung in the middest and hee directs his prayer to Him and saies Lord remember mee when thou commest to thy Kingdome The other the blasphemer would faine haue liued in the vvorlde And therefore because hee sawe that IESVS had no power to giue him this earthlie life therefore hee blasphemeth CHRIST in His face But the penitent Thiefe seekes not this present life but desires that hee may gette entrie in to that Heauenly Kingdome The last day I spake concerning the petition of the penitent Thiefe I repeate nothing Onely wonder not at the Thiefe or at such an earnest repentance in him suddenly bâ—â— wonder at Iesus Christ vvho in such vveaknesse hanging so shamefully vpon the Crosse yet vttered such mercie and such infinite power yea one of the moste miserable catiues that euer was in the vvorlde I goe forwarde and first I shall shewe you of the answere that the Lord giues to the penitent Thiefe and then I shall come to the earnest recommendation that Iesus made of His Mother MARIE vnto IOHN The Lord answeres him Verily I say vnto thee this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise The answere containes a promise and the thing that the Lord promises is Thou shalt bee vvith mee thou seekest to bee vvith mee in my Kingdome thou shalt bee vvith mee and thou shalt bee a subject vvith mee and more a follower and vvhereas thou werest a vile Thiefe I shall make thee a glorious King in the Heauen And when shall this bee Without delay it shall not be to morrowe or other morrowe but this same day immediately thou shalt bee transported to that vnspeakeable glorie And where shall this bee It shall bee in Paradise Thou shalt not goe to Purgatorie but into Celestiâ—ll Paradise Of this worde Paradise wee reade in sundrie
Wherin stands y e knowledge of the resurrection of Christ It is not eneugh to know it only The knowledge stands in a feâ—ling of the force of the glorious resurrection in thine heart and thou shalt feele the olde canker of sinne mortified and thee to bee quickned with a new life to liue to God And likewise wherein stands the knowledge of His suffering It stands of the feeling in thine heart of the mortification of sinne Thou must feele a regeneration in thee or else thou feelest nothing and thy soule shall get no life howbeit thou knewest all the Bible All this knowledge of Christ is but a dreame without a feeling and thou art but sleeping except thou findest a vertue proceeding from His suffering to thy soule to reforme it But to speake of that feeling-knowledge of Iesus Christ vvho died for our sinnes Howe shalt thou find and feele in thine heart that Hee suffâ—red anguishe for thy sinnes not onely in bodie but also in soule I thinke there shoulde bee no bodie but they should bee meditating on an answere I shall tell you how I and thou and euerie one of vs shall feele that curse and malediction that Iesus suffered and that was layde on Him for our sinnes If I finde in my soule in some measure that wrath for my sinnes which Iesus felt in full measure Lord saue vs from that measure if I taste and get a proouing of that bitter cuppe of the wrath of God that Iesus dranke the dregges of and all for my sinnes if I taste of it and put it to my mouth vvhen I feele this vvaye and taste I vvill begin and reason If I finde my sinnes and the burthen thereof so heauie that I can scarcely beare one sinne among a thousand yea though it were but an euill thought If I finde the burthen of my sinnes so heauie who am but a man O howe heauie must all the sinnes of the Elect bee that Iesus bare on His backe Looke how I come to His feeling from the other Then I vvill saye O howe heauie vvere the sinnes that IESVS bare on His backe And then I shall saye If once I can but taste one droppe of that wrath that followes my sinnes and findes it to bee so bitter Let them taste of that cuppe vvho will they neuer tasted of so bitter a thing Then vvill I saye O howe bitter vvas that full cuppe of vvrath vvhereof IESVS dranke out the dregges and all seeing one droppe of it is so bitter in my soule There vvee come in some measure to the feeling of that bitter vvrath that IESVS felt Beholde the dealing of GOD vvith His owne for although He loued them neuer so vvell yet Hee vvill let them feele the burthen of their owne sinnes in some measure He vvill tye the burthen of them on their owne backes whilest they grone and peach and He will touch them with the sense of wrath from heauen and that to let them vnderstand howe sadde and heauie a wrath it was that Iesus suffered for our redemption And when wee feele anie burthen for sinne let vs runne to meditate on the sore burthen of IESVS CHRIST or else thy sicknesse and thy trouble is not sanctified to thee if thou feelest not that Iesus Christ hath borne the burthen of thy sinne Well Brethren this is a vvay vvhereby vvee come to the feeling knowledge of the paine that CHRIST suffered and this is bitter But there is a sweeter manner If I feele that sweete mercie of GOD in mine heart and that peace of conscience in my soule I will beginne and reason with my selfe after this manner This mercie that I taste of this peace of conscience that I haue this joy and gladnesse that I taste it behooued to proceede out of the malediction and out of the wrath that lighted on my Mediator it had beene vnpossible for mee to taste of mercie if my Redeemer had not drunken out that full cuppe of wrath And I saye indeede to thee if the Lord Iesus Christ had not drunken out that cuppe of the wrath of God there had neuer beene such a thing as any joy or any piece of conscience in this worlde nor in the worlde to come if it had not beene ransomed with the precious blood of Iesus Christ there is not one droppe of grace peace or joy but that which is bought and which the blood of Iesus Christ hath payed for Alas if the world could vnderstand howe deare one drop of grace is No ere one drop of grace came it behoued the Lord to be taken put in the winepresse of Hell tread on tramped on with the feete of the wrath of God for this Iustice of God who was offended should neuer haue suffered one droppe of grace to come if it had not beene satisfied by the blood of the mediatour Now to ende this purpose I know perfectly that all this speech of the Crosse is but foolishnesse to the wise of the world These wise Heades who compasse the Worlde with wisdome all is but foolishnesse to them It is foolishnesse to them who perish as Paul sayes 2. Cor. 4.4 If thou findest the Crosse of Iesus but foolishnesse take thee a doome thou shalt perish all the world shall not saue thee againe by the contrary sayes Paul The speech of the Crosse is the wisdome of God the power of God to them who are saued All is but foolishnesse in respect of the Crosse all the strength might of the world things vnder Heauen is but weaknesse in respect of Iesus Christ and His strength If thou countest the speech of the Crosse to be power vvisdome assure thy selfe thou hast an earnest pennie that thou shalt get life blessed is that soule that delites to heare of y e Crosse of Christ counts it to be the povver wisdome of God which shines wonderfully in this base Crosse y e wisdome of GOD shined neuer so in the creation of the Heauens and of the worlde as in the vile and abject Crosse of IESVS CHRIST The power of GOD shined not so much in creating thee of nothing as it shines in thy redemption The more foolishe that this meane is that the LORD vses in redemption to wit a sillie Crosse the more base it appeares to bee the greater is the glorie of the wisedome of GOD who wrought such a great worke of redemption thorow such base meanes I say the more infirme that this meane is for what is more infirme than a sillie poore man or a vile Crosse the power of GOD appeares y e greater who hath wrought such a glorious worke out of such a base meane And I saye if thy redemption had beene wrought with a glorie as the Iewes and the Gentiles imagined if GOD had yeelded to their fantasie and wrought our redemption by a glorious meane that glorie of GOD had beene obscured and the meane had gotten all the glorie But it hath pleased the LORD
and how farre his nature is repugnant to that calling wee will thinke that of all things in the world it is most hard and most painefull It is an hard thing indeede to bring a man out of nature and make him a Christian but it is farre harder to make a man a teacher of Christians and a disposer of the treasures of grace and of the secrets of God Nowe when I beginne to consider what should haue mooued the Lord to haue chosen such persons and so vnmeete for such an high calling I thinke this chiefly hath beene it that when the Apostles went out to preach Repentance and Remission of sinnes to others and to exhort all persons howe grieuouslie so euer they had sinned to come and to seeke mercie in Christ they might propone themselues as examples of the superaboundant mercie of God and that they in their Ministerie might declare and make manifest the gentlenesse and long suffering of God towardes all men euen the greatest sinners in the worlde and that by the proofe and experience that they found in their owne person of the mercie of God in calling them and placing them in that high calling who before vvere so miserable wretches and so vpon their owne experience they might the more easily perswade euen the most miserable sinners to seeke for mercie and grace in Christ When Paul preaches Where sinne aboundes there grace and mercie superaboundes if hee had not found this by experience and had not stoode for example hereof hee would not so easily haue perswaded sinners of the exceeding greatnesse of the mercie of God But to goe forward Because this direction that He giues them and this Ministerie He calles them to was very painfull and troublesome and so they might haue taken hardly with it therefore in the words following the Lord goes about to encourage them to vndertake it and to discharge it chearfully the Argument is of great force Beholde sayes He I will send the promise of my Father vpon you that is I will send vnto you the Holy Spirit Himselfe with Him His extraordinarie giftes and graces as the gift of prophecie of working of miracles of tongues and such other that ye may bee the more able to discharge this calling and to performe the worke I send you for Hee calles this the promise of His Father because the Father long before by His Prophetes promised at the comming of the Messias to send His Spirite in great abundance vpon them that beleeue Yee may read this promise in sundrie places of the Olde Testament but chiefly in the 2. Chapter of the prophecie of Ioel and the 28. verse In the last dayes I will powre out my Spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie your olde men shall dreame dreames and your young men shall see visions and also vpon the seruants and vpon the maides will I powre my Spirit c. And of the accomplishment of this promise ye may read in the 2. Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles Out of this place wee may marke first That the things which the Father promised of olde to His Church the Sonne in the appointed time accomplished them the Father promised of olde the Spirit and His graces the Sonne in the fulnesse of time sendes the Spirit and His graces and giues them to His Church and for this cause the Spirit and His giftes that is giuen to euery faithfull man is called the measure of the gife of Christ Ephes Chapter 4. verse 7. And thereafter in that same Chapter ver 11. the Apostle sayes That Christ to the end He might fill all things Hee gaue some to bee Apostles some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastours and Teachers that is He gaue all sorts of gifts vnto His Church that He might fulfill the promise of His Father and all these giftes and graces that we see are now in the Church from whome came they but only from the Lord Iesus This leadeâ— vs to an higher ground that the Sonne hath receiued of the Father all graces and all the giftes of the Holy Spirit together with the Holy Spirit Himselfe the Father hath giuen all first to the Sonne and not to vs for the Father loues the Sonne and hath giuen all thinges into His hand Ioh. 3.35 And In Him are hid all the treasures of wisdome knowledge Coloss Chapter 2. verse 3. Yet there is an higher cause of this to wit that the Sonne only hath merited the Holy Spirit with the fulnesse of all His graces No man euer merited any of them for who can merite them but hee who first receiued them The Lord Iesus receiued them first wee haue none but as He giues vs Hee merited and purchased them to vs with no lesse price than with the ransome of His owne blood Now wouldest thou know how all these graces that the Lord hath boughâ— with such a deare price are communicated to thee and made thine I will tell thee Not by any merite of thine own for thou couldest merite nothing at the Lordes handes but Hell and damnation but it is of the free grace and liberalitie of the Father and the Sonne that they are made thine it is of this grace that out of His fulnesse we receiue grace for grace When the Apostle Coloss Chapter 2. verse 9. hath saide In Him dwelles all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily thereafter he subjoynes And ye are compleete in Him as if hee had saide All this fulnesse is made yours of free grace whilst as by Faith yee take holde of Him Consider the wonderfull bountifulnesse and liberalitie of the Sonne to thee who giues thee these graces freely that Hee bought so dearely and purchased with such a worthie price Yee know sayes the Apostle the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that He beeing rich for your sakes became poore that ye through His pouertie might be made rich 2. Cor. 8.9 Now ere I go forward I marke another lesson that the Spirit of God pointes out clearely in these words for our instruction for when the Lord sayes I will send you the promise of my Father vpon you that is the Holy Spirit with His graces He lets vs see that without His Spirit His presence and assistance a Minister cannot be able to doe any thing well in His calling but that in the discharge of euery part of His calling hee must bee assisted by the Spirit The Apostle Paul when hee is telling what good successe his preaching had among the Gentiles he takes not the praise thereof to himselfe but he ascribes all to the presence of Christ by His Spirit I dare not sayes he speake of any thing which Christe hath not wrought by mee to make the Gentiles obedient in word and deede Rom. 15.18 It is not with a Minister as it is with a man in the ciuile policie No there is a great difference for in the ciuile policie a man by his naturall giftes by his wisdome
LECTVRES VPON THE HISTORY OF THE PASSION RESVRRECTION AND ASCENSION OF OVR LORD IESVS CHRIST Beginning at the eighteenth Chapter of the Gospell according to S. IOHN and from the 16. verse of the 19. Chapter thereof containing a perfect Harmonie of all the foure Euangelists for the better vnderstanding of all the Circumstances of the LORDS death and Resurrection PREACHED BY THAT reuerend and faithfull seruant of God M r. ROBERT ROLLOCKE sometime Minister of the Euangell of IESVS CHRIST and Rector of the Colledge of EDINBVRGH EDINBVRGH Printed by ANDRO HART ANNO 1616. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL THEIR MOST LOVING FREIND IN THE LORD MASTER WILLIAM SCOT OF ELI Grace in this life and Euerlasting Glorie in the life to come RIght worshipfull albeit that the true knowledge of Christ crucified of all other be the most worthie and excellent albeit that in him be the only and full matter of mans gloriation yet few there be who striue to know him as they should and to make him the matter of their reioycing For to speake nothing of the Gentiles who count the preaching of Christ crucified to be foolishnesse or of the Iewes who count it a stumbling blocke 1. Cor. 1 23. or of the Turkes who will not acknowledge him to be their Redeemer euen they who haue bene baptized in Christ professe outwardly his word true doctrine if they remaine in nature be not preuēted by the spirit of adoption whereby they may see their owne miserie their sinnes the terrours of the wrath of God for sinne in the meane time that they professe Christ they in heart scorne the Crosse of Christ his woundes and his blood they account the knowledge thereof of litle value yea they will preferre to it the knowledge of any thing here beneath and they will seeke the matter of their gloriatiō not in it but either in themselues or els into the creatures of God which in themselues are but transitorious shadowes The naturall man will neuer thinke that he can finde greater things in Christ crucified than he will finde if he obtaine the obiect which most he desires likes and longs for The ambitious man will not thinke that he can get greater honour than to be called the sonne of a King or Emperour he will not refuse with Moses to be called the sonne of Pharaoes daughter that he may be called the sonne of God Heb. 11.24 The sensuall man cannot thinke that he can find any greater pleasure than in his sinfull lust he will neuer chuse rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God than to enioy the pleasures of sinne The couetous man can neuer thinke that any greater happines can be than here on earth to haue gold siluer and treasures he will neuer with Moses esteeme the rebuke of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt Only that man whom God preuents by his Spirit and calles effectually frō the kingdome of darknes to the kingdome of light wil account duely of the Crosse of Christ will say with the Apostle God forbid that I should reioyce but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ Gal. 6.14 and I decreed not to know any thing saue Iesus Christ him crucified 1. Cor. 2.2 that man will call it the supereminent knowledge of Iesus Christ Philip. 3.8 he only will make Christ crucified to be the matter of his gloriation for he will see that God in him as in a store-house hath placed all treasures that in him dwells the fulnesse of the Godhead bodely Col. 2.9 he will thirst to be woompled in the wounds of Iesus and washed in the blood of Iesus yea that man will see that God hath manifested in Christ our Sauiour and in his death and resurrection his glorious properties more clearly than in the worke of our creation or any other of his workes whatsouer for he is called the brightnesse of the glorie the engraued forme of the person of the Father the Image of the inuisible God Heb. 1.3 and that man will see that there is nothing which the soule of man inlakes stands in neede of or can desire but he will finde it in Christ. Wouldst thou see the glorious properties of God consider first his power albeit in the worke of creation his power appeared to be incomprehensible omnipotent when by his word he formed all things of nothing called these things that are not and made them to be yet in the worke of the Redemptiō he manifested greater power for notwithstanding Sathan the power of darknesse the sinnes of the Elect which Iesus bare death and the graue were against him yet powerfully he raised Iesus from death Eph. 1.19 there is a great power and whereas in the Creation he formed to Adam a spous out of his owne ribbe in the Redemption he formed the Church of God out of the blood of Christ there he gaue life in commanding that to be which was not here he giues life not by life but by death by the death euen of his owne Sonne Albeit in the worke of Creation great and more than wonderfull doth his wisdome appeare in making this glorious and beautifull fabricke in making all things euen contraries to agree in such an harmonie yet in the worke of Redemption God by finding out a way which no creature neither man nor Angell could inuent how that iustice and mercie could stand together hath shewed greater wisdome his wisdome is such that the Angels admires and desires to looke in it 1. Pet. 1.22 Albeit great anger wrath did the Lord vtter many times against sinners as in the olde world by the Flood and on Sodome Gomorrhe by raining from heauen brimstone and fire he destroyed man woman young olde rich and poore without exception yet more clearely was his anger against sinne seene when for the sinnes of the Elect he spared not his own wel beloued Son on whō they were laid but made his wrath so fearfully to pursue him that he cried My soule is very heauie euē vnto the death Marc. 14.34 and My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matt. 27.46 And albeit great loue did the Lord shew toward men gaue many testimonies therof in giuing them life breath all things Act. 17.25 in making his sun to shine on them his raine to fal on them giuing them fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with food gladnesse Act. 14.17 yet neuer such loue shewed he as when he sent the Son of God to be the Sonne of man that the sonnes of mē might be made the sonnes of God againe and when he made him to die that men might liue Herein sayes Ioh. 4.10 is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his Sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes here only is an incontrollable testimonie of an undoubted loue and if ye will duly consider all the rest of Gods glorious properties ye shall
anie further to let vs see how wittingly and willingly how joyfullie and gladly and howe patiently hee offereth himselfe vnto death for our sinnes Now he hath no sooner spoken this one worde I am he which is a gentle worde but assoone they start backwardes and fall to the grounde whereby the Lord woulde testifie vnto them that they had no power to take his life from him as hee said before himselfe he had both his life and his death in his owne handes all the power in heauen and in earth was not able to cause him to die if he had pleased to haue liued But to come to this Text When hee hath strucken them to the ground they leaue not off but when they are risen they are as bent as they were before It is a marueilous thing for if it had beene his will hee might not onely haue strucken them to the grounde but hee might haue strucken them thorow the earth into hell yet he letteth them rise againe but they are all senselesse of that diuine power wherewith they are strucken The Lord beginneth the speach and he saith Whom seeke ye They answere not knowing him IESVS of Nazareth He replieth againe I said vnto you that I am hee hee denieth not himselfe but in a manner prouoketh them to dispatch that businesse which they were about yet he entereth into a condition with them Take not these that are with mee stirre not my Disciples he giueth them a charge that they stirre them not and indeed none of that whole companie had anie power to lift vp their hand against them The words are plaine ye may easily perceiue the note that riseth of this It is a marueilous thing that a naked and a simple man who was baser than the King of Glorie was in the earth a man naked without armour hee is standing before them who are like as many Tyrants or tygers and yet none of them had power to lay handes vpon him till hee giue them power and more hee will not let them stirre him till hee make a condition with them That they handle not his disciples He imponeth lawes vnto them and without this law that they meddle not with his Disciples he will not yeelde himselfe vnto them So Brethren this is to let you see first that diuine power which was in the Lord Iesus Beholde it for it is a comfortable thing for Christians to knowe that diuine power that is in Iesus Christ for although hee neuer touched one of them yet that diuine power did so binde fast their hands and so restrained that pride of their heartes that they had no power once to moue against him Next behold a miserable senselessenesse in them for it is a wonderfull thing that they cannot perceiue nor feele this power that was in him If they had had anie sight of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily would they not haue ceassed from such a wicked enterprise Brethren it is an hard matter for any man or woman once to bee giuen ouer vnto a reprobate sense and to be strucken with blindnesse and hardnesse of heart And if God in his just judgement giue thee to blindnesse and hardnesse of soule albeit hee woulde make judgement after judgement to ceasse vpon thee and albeit he would strike thee and beate thee vpon thy backe thou wilt not bee the better but thou wilt get vp againe like a drunken man and if thou bee once giuen ouer to thine owne selfe it is as sure a thing as is in the worlde that except the Lord let thee see with his power a sight of mercy thou shalt euer become worse and worse and except the face of Iesus shine into thy soule all afflictions shall harden thee like yron that is often strucken vpon and the greater the afflictions bee except that mercy shine into thine heart thou wilt bee the more indured Paul saieth When the heart is conuerted to the Lord the vaile is taken away 2. Corinth 3.16 Without conuersion of the heart to the face of IESVS that that mercifull face may shine into the heart all the thinges in the world will not be able to mollifie thine heart Therefore whensoeuer the Lord afflicteth thee pray for mercy that as the power striketh thee so the mercie may be powerfull to conuert thee Yea crie aye for the mercy or else the power shall worke a further induration in thee and make thee worse To goe forward Yee see how carefull He is of his disciples men would thinke that He being so hard straited so neare the death should haue forgotten his Disciples for this is our fashion but the Lord doeth not so And Brethren this is a true note and token of a true Shepheard hee will forget himselfe and his life and hee will remember his flocke and when he is adying hee will be carefull of his flocke and when the Wolfe is worrying him yet hee will doe what lyeth in him that his flocke and euery sheepe thereof may escape and he will giue his life for the safetie of his flocke This is a good pastor So wee see the viue image of a faithfull Pastor in the Lord Iesus he will giue his life for his sheepe as hee saith himselfe Hee is but an hyreling that will not for the loue of his sheepe laye downe his life And this is the thing that I note chiefely here When the Lord becommeth weake in himselfe thorow infirmitie yea voluntarie infirmitie hee needed not to bee infirme what need had the God of glorie to bee infirme hee suffereth himselfe to bee bound till he become infirme In the meane time he is strong and powerfull in his Disciples to their safetie for although these that were in the Garden would neuer so faine yet they could not gette their hands laide vpon his Disciples The Lord Iesus when he was hanging vpon the Crosse the Iewes scorned him and tauntinglie saide vnto him Thou who sauedst others come downe and saue thy selfe meaning he could not saue himself because he was crucified as if he had no power but they are deceiued for that same houre that the Lord was vpon the Crosse and that same verie time that thorowe infirmitie he died and when he was hanging dead vpon the Crosse that power went out from him that kept his Dâ—sciples and all the faithfull in the worlde For except that the Lord had kept them then when he was hanging dead they had beene a preye to the Deuill For this is our nature and infirmitie wee cannot stand a moment in this world except it be by the power of Iesus Christ Well then Brethren if Christ Iesus crucified and crucified as the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 13.4 thorow infirmitie and so weake in himselfe in his humane nature had so great a power to saue his Church what shall wee say then What a power is that which proceedeth from Iesus Christ glorified and commeth downe nowe from the Heauen and who liueth nowe as the Apostle sayeth there by the
power of GOD and liueth nowe in glorie at the right hande of the Father How great a power must this bee that proceedeth out from Christ glorified Alas if the worlde saw this if the blinde men saw the thousand part of that terrible power that commeth from Iesus Christ glorified thinke ye that for all the world they durst confederate with the King of Spaine the Pope and his power and enterprise anie thing against Christ and his Church but alas this blindnesse and induration letteth them not see nor feele but in the ende they shall feele it if the Lord in mercie conuert them not to their euerlasting shame confusion Well to goe forward IOHN to this purpose alleadgeth an olde prophecie which was prophecied before of Iesus Christ long before hee came into the world and this is the prophecie Of them which thou gauest me haue I lost none Nowe Iohn draweth this prophecie to the preseruation of Christes disciples at this time because the disciples that were concredite vnto him escaped at this time Marke Brethren It is true indeed that the prophecie properly is to be vnderstood not so much of a safetie in this life presently as of a spirituall safetie to life euerlasting this is the meaning Yet it hath pleased the Spirit of God to apply this prophecie to this bodily preseruation the cause is this At this time the bodily safetie of his disciples importeth that spirituall safetie the life to come as by the contrarie the indangering of the present life indangered the life to come If the disciples had bene taken at this time to haue suffered with their Master they had all reuolted and denied their Master Wee may see the proofe of this in Peter and so they had hazarded not onely this life but also the life to come because that the disciples were as yet but children in Iesus Christ and were not strengthened enough with the power of Christ and woe is to that soule that will denie Iesus Christ and chiefly in death There is not one who will suffer their litle finger only to be burnt for the cause of Christ except he be strengthened with the power of Iesus Christ and there is not one that will now suffer affliction but they who are guarded with the power of God and therefore yee see heere Gods mercie towardes his disciples This is the mercifull dealing of God with his owne hee will neuer let one of his owne bee tempted but hee will giue them power to beare out the temptation and Hee will neuer suffer them to be tempted till He giue them abilitie and when Hee hath giuen them strength then the LORD will lay on the burthen It is a wonderfull thing the heauier the burthen be that the Lord layes on his owne the greater strength Hee giues them to sustaine it The world hath wondered at the Martyres of God who had so great comfort in the time of their burning in the fire and how in suffering they would sing Psalmes vnto their latter breath The world wondereth at this The heauier that the death hath bene the greater hath the power of God bene and the greater hath the life of Iesus beene in the Martyres And these disciples whom he spared now when He saw that they were ripe Spared He them then No no what was the whole lifetime of the disciples after that Christ departed out of this world but a perpetuall suffering till the life was taken from them they died all by persecution and then by the lossing of this life they got life euerlasting in dying they died not but in dying they entered into a more glorious life So this is that mercifull power of God It appeares that in this countrey there is litle ripenesse because of this litle suffering and therefore the Lord hath dealt mercifully with vs and in great mercie hath holden mens handes off vs therefore wee should pray if it shall please him to bring any to the triall to suffer for his glorious Names sake Lord I am not able to behold the sight of the fire much lesse to suffer the crueltie of the fire therefore if thou wilt haue mee to suffer giue me strength whereby I may bee able to suffer Now I goe to Peters part he setteth downe his action certainly it is worth nothing albeit it seemeth to bee verie zealous What doeth hee hee hath a sword about him he seeing them rush on his Master shevveth his manhood And he striketh the seruant of the high Priest whose name was Malchus and he cut off his right eare The rest of the Euangelists Mat 26. Marke 14. Luke 22 speake of some thing that was done before this When the Lord was communing vvith them that tooke Him then comes the traitour Iudas to the Lord and cryes Rabbi Rabbi Master Master with that he kisseth Him now this was a signe that hee had giuen vnto his companie that that man whome hee should kisse was the man that they should take Now what doth the Lord He makes no signe of anger and there is none of vs but wee thinke that He should haue vttered great anger to the traitour fie on thee traitour for of all men he is most detestable but the Lord in mildnes meeknes of Spirit for all this whole time He takes purpose to suffer patiently as Esay sayeth Hee was as a Lambe before the shearer as a sheepe led to the slaughter openeth not his mouth He sayes friend betrayest thou the Sonne of man with a kisse He assayeth if the conscience will bee brought to remorse There is a wonderfull patience of God to the most vile sinner whē he hath giuen them a signe the whole companie russhed vpon Him Then the disciples said Master shal we defend thee by the sword but Peter not staying vpō an answere he was hardie striketh off the eare of Malchus the high Priests seruant Nowe Brethren albeit that this Malchus the high Priests seruant deserued that not only his eare should be cut off but also that the head the life should be taken from him for he was in a very euill action indeed he was cled with authority but with an euill authoritie if thou hadst the authoritie of all the kings in the world it wil neuer excuse thee before God if thou shouldest get a subscriptiō to do euil against an innocent man the Lord shall not alow thee but His judgmēt shal ouertake thee whether Peter did this of zeale for no doubt he loued his Master exceeding well he would haue had his Master out of his hands yet for all this the Lordes owne wordes testifie that this fact of Peter is to be condemned If ye will examine the zeale it is a very preposterous and vnskilfull zeale the zeale is nothing worth if a man go beyond the boundes of his calling What was Peter but a priuate man this cōpany being sent by the Magistrats superior power Peter ought not
for the first incident There is another thing that falles out whereof wee read in the 23 Chapter Luke as He goes to the place of execution it is said that the multitude followed Him This multitude was not onely of the Iewes but also of all Nations who resorted to Hierusalem at the time of the Passeouer Nowe this multitude followed to see what should become of Him as men who are inclined to see wonders Sâ—e on what minde thou followest a man to death these spectacles are spectacles of thy miserie they followe to see the fashion but surely this following of Christ and this going of Christ to His suffering with such a multitude learneth vs a lesson it pleased the Father that Iesus Christ should suffer an open shame He would not haue Him stollen down or secretly executed in the night He would haue Him accused publikly before the great Iudge who represented Cesars person Then as Hee went out He would haue all the worlde to see Him and then Hee would haue Him mounted vp and nailed vpon the Crosse in the face of the world in a worde the Father would haue the Sonne who became suretie for vs to die and not onely to die but also to be pined and not onely pined but also to bee pined shamefully There is not a sinne in the worlde let wanton men take their pastime in sinne albeit it were done neuer so secretly goe to thy chamber doe it doe it in the night goe to holes and most secret places and commit wickednesse but the end thereof how secret so euer it was shall bee with open shame I denounce against secret sinnes against God thy secret sinnes shall bring an open shame to thee if thou haue not recourse to the shame of Iesus either of necessitie thou must suffer in thy person eternally and drinke out the full cuppe of the wrath of God or els thou must haue recourse to the shame of Iesus Christ and this is our comfort that wee haue Wilt thou first of all repent thee an impenitent man will neuer get the cloake of Christs righteousnesse to couer his shame and turne and beleeue in Iesus Christ Wilt thou haue recourse to Him and loure vnder His Passion I promise thee that thou shalt neuer come to an open shame it my bee that men come to an open shame for sinne in this worlde but in the worlde to come I promise thee thou shalt not suffer any shame in that daye thy sinnes shall not come to the light neither man nor Angell shall see them But if thou haue not recourse to Iesus thou shalt bee rooâ—ed out like a thiefe out of a hoale before millions of millions of Angels and before all the worlde and the secrets of thine heart shall bee reueiled and heapes of the wrath of God shall bee powred on thy miserable head Hell stands not only in paine but in shame and confusion thou shalt goe downe to Hell with a fearefull shoute from the sight of this world at that judgement Now to come to these women amongst the rest there followes Him certaine women out of Hierusalem there is a great difference betweene them and the multitude women oft times shames men The souldiers pities Him not their pleasure is in His miserie wee see not heere that any of the multitude mournes but it is saide that the women of Hierusalem that followed Him wept for Him This was done of the Father to testifie His innocencie the Father at all times will haue the innocencie of His Sonne witnessed during the time of His accusation the Iudge preached His innocency as he was giuing out the senteÌ„ce against Him he both by deed in washing of his hands word testifies His innocencie And now whilst He goes out Hee makes these women to bewaile Him No question all this was done by the Lords prouidence Iesus the innocent Hee was lamented for Wilt thou bee innocent like to Him thou shalt not want bewailing ye see this if he be a thiefe and hee bee penitent and haue recourse to Iesus and seeke to be innocent with that innocencie of Iesus Christ men will pitie him but especially in that great daye if thou appearest innocent in the innocencie of Iesus Christ thou shalt get such pittying of God and of all the Angels that thou shalt neuer die but shalt be receiued to glorie and if thou appearest before Him without this innocencie thou shalt not be bewailed none shall pitie thee neither God nor Angell but thou shalt goe to destruction and when thou art going to Hell thy father nor thy mother shall not weepe nor lament for it but shall rejoyce approue Gods judgement Yee see then howe good a thing it is to be innocent in the innocencie of Iesus Christ albeit wee be not innocent but guiltie in ourselues When Christ heares the lamentation and mourning of the women Hee lookes ouer His shoulder And beholding them He standes and speakes Daughters of Hierusalem weepe not for mee but for your selues and for your children and He giues the reason wherefore they should weepe so because of that fearce terrible judgement which should ouer-take Hierusalem and all for this innoceÌ„t blood and for the refusall of that innocent One For beholde the dayes will come saies Hee when men will say Blessed are the barren and the wombes that neuer bare and the pappes that neuer gaue sucke Then shall they begin to say to the mountaines Fall on vs and to the hilles Couer vs. And vnâ—er the destruction of Hierusalem Hee vnderstands adumbrates that terrible judgement wrath in the latter day that great destruction that remaines for the wicked He confirmes this judgemeÌ„t which He threatens by an argument taken from the greatest to the smallest If they doe so to a griene tree what shall they doe to a withered what shall they doe to you By the greene tree Hee meanes Himselfe who in Himselfe was freshe sappie greene and fruitfull albeit for vs Hee was like a drie tree because Hee was guiltie for vs. And by the drie tree Hee meanes vs who are vnfruitfull in our selues and meete for nothing but for confusion to be casten into the fire Marke heere shortly of this It is the sense of misery that makes any bodie to weepe No doubt when one weepes sore the heart hath a sense of misery and this sense is either of a mans owne misery or for a sympathie of the miserie of another They who haue a sense of the miserie of others they will mourne I see fewe of this sort in these dayes There are few now that will weepe for the misery of another All sympathie is out of the world and the pleasure of men is in the pleasure of others Indeede I thinke that Iesus condemned not this compassion Certainely compassion vpon the estate of another is good Away with a pittilesse heart for it hath not felt the mercie of God and bowels of His compassion But this is
who was the disposer of this whole worke There was nothing done but that which GOD the Father had decreed to bee done and vvhat Hee does concerning His Sonne Hee does it moste justlie for IESVS became suretie for the sinnes of the vvorlde and Hee bare the burthen not onelie of murther and theft but of all the sinnes of the Elect. And as He goes out with the two Thieues Hee bare the burthen of one of them and relieued him of his sinnes and the one of them that same night supped with Him in Paradise Therefore saye I vvhatsoeuer was the part of the Jewes or of the Souldioures yet the doing of the FATHER to the SONNE was moste just And when wee reade of this let vs blesse the FATHER of IESVS CHRIST for wee haue good cause so to doe For in this justice Hee shewes great mercie towardes vs and if Hee had not done this woefull and miserable had the estate of man beene Now I come to the place which in Hebrew is called GOLGOTHA that is a place of dead mens skulles or braine pannes This place was without the portes of the Towne of Hierusalem And no question Iesus like an vnworthie reprobate was carried out of the portes of Hierusalem to suffer and this was figured vnder the Lawe The beastes that were to be offered were carried out of the campes of the people and there vvere burnt and afterwardes their blood was carried into the Sanctuarie to bee a typicall propitiation for the sinnes of the people and the people were sprinkled therewith Euen so IESVS CHRIST that eternall Sacrifice was carried out like an out-cast out of the portes of the Towne to suffer that ignominious death that when Hee had suffered Hee might enter in with His precious blood into that Heauenlie Sanctuarie for the sinnes of the world by that eternall propitiation HEBR. CHAP. XIII VERS 11. and 12. Concerning the name of the place wherefore it is so called there is great controuersie and doubting Some thinke that it was so named because the skull or braine panne of ADAM was delued vp out of that same place where the Crosse was set and vvhere IESVS suffered But I count this but a vaine fable of the vain Papists for their Legēds are full of such like fables And again some thinke that it was so named because in this place were vsed to bee casten heapes of skulles and dead mens bones to bee kept which vse may bee seene in sundrie partes and this is more likely And last others thinke that it was so named in respect of the figure shape of the place It was a round knoll like a mans head rising vp and round at the height also it was high that these who were executed might be a spectacle to the people to be wondred at and therefore in respect of the shape it was called Caluarie that is the skull of a dead man and those who haue resorted to those parts they report this day that the same place is a round knolle like a dead mans skull where the Lord Iesus was crucified beside Ierusalem But how euer it be this is most certaine that this place was shamefull and ignominious and the innocent is conueyed to that place where the murtherers vsed to bee execute No doubt it was vile and stinked yet it hindred not that sweete sauour to ascend to the Father through His death and the more ignominious that the death was the glorie and triumph was the greater and the more stinking that the place was the more sweetly sauoured Hee to the Father His sacrifice had a most sweet smell in the nosthirles of the Father This is the thing that I marke I see that these Iewes who persecuted the Lord of glorie to the death cannot bee satisfied and the hatred against the innocent is endlesse They are not content that He die a shamefull death but they will haue Him to die a shamefull death in a shamefull place and they will haue Him conuoyed and led out like a thiefe No brethren the hatred of the worlde against the children of the light hath none ende they hated the Lord first The Lord Iesus is the light of the world and euer from that day the children of darknesse shall neuer cease to hate the children of light assoone so euer as a man shall professe that he appertaines to Iesus Christ at that same moment the worlde and the children of darknesse shall beginne to hate them and to persecute them As the rage of the Iewes was vnquencheable against Christ so it was after His passion and ascension against all Christians Brethren in this matter we must passe aboue the malice of the Iewes and behold the counsell of God and see that all this doing comes from Heauen for the Father doth it albeit He vse the ministerie of these Hangmen I see this He layes on shame vpon His owne Sonne and not only shame but He heapes shame vpon shame vpon Him He will first haue Him shamed in respect of the death of the Crosse then Hee will haue the world to gaze vpon Him and next in respect of the two thieues that were ledde out with Him and then in respect of the place Hee will haue Him to suffer shame in all things in presence of the world So that one would wonder that the Father would pursue the Sonne with such extremitie of wrath it is no small thing to take on the burthen of sinne O sinfull soule runne vnder sinne as thou wilt yet one day thou shalt find it the heauiest burthen that euer was If the suretie suffered such a paine and such a burthen what shall become of thee If thou by thy selfe shalt vndertake such an heauie burthē of wrath for thy sins But Brethren the thing that appertaines to vs concerning the place of execution is this All this processe judgement is a type of that great terrible judgement of the world in that Great day ye shall see that visible judgement to bee like this judgement that was holden on Iesus He suffers like a reprobate and is judged and that same thing that Iesus suffered temporally when the great Iudge shall sit the reprobate shall suffer eternally Then take heede It is a terrible thing to fal into the hands of that liuing God who is a consuming fire Looke to it as yee will for whosoeuer hee be that shall not bee saued in Iesus in that day beside all the shame that they shall beare the verie place wherein they shall suffer shall adde something to their shame As their soule and bodie shall bee ignominious so the place shall be stinking the very place shall heape shame after shame let Hell bee where it will it is the most shamefull and ignominious place that euer was and thou shalt bee shamed and shent whosoeuer shall bee casten into it And by the contrarie in that Great daye of Iudgement they who shall bee saued in this IESVS as they shall be glorious manie wayes so
yet it will be a weake voyce because the strength of nature failes Yet Iesus all the day before vttered not so shrill a voyce So it must follow that naturall strength was not failed in Iesus Christ and that by the strength of nature hee might haue liued long for the other two liued long and were not dead till they came and brake their legges Iesus died against nature neither was hee broken as they were What followes of this Iesus Christ in that same moment that he yeelded the spirit hee had a power aboue nature and a diuine power against nature which puts out the life and if he had power against nature to put out his life hee vttered before the Iewes that they had no power to put out his life and that hee had a power to keepe his life if it had pleased him And that is it which he saies None takes my life from mee but I laye it downe and I take it vp againe Yee will heare that when worde came to Pilate that IESVS was dead hee wondered and all the world wondered at this yeelding vp of the spirit And by this the Lord would shewe that hee was not a common man hee would shewe that he was God either to keepe his life or to put it out at his pleasure Hee saies Father into thine handes I commende my spirite These wordes are farre from this My God my God why hast c. for those words proceeded of great sadnesse mixed with confidence but of no joye but these wordes Father into thine handes c. as they proceeded of confidence so they proceeded of a wonderfull joye No doubt at this time hee feeles that sweete hande of the Father dealing with him moste sweetelie not as the reprobate Alas the hande of the Lorde in justice striking the soule of the reprobate looses it from the bodie with the sense of extreame wrath But the Lord feeles the hande of the Father loosing his soule from the bodie with sweetnesse And all they who die in CHRIST will feele the Father loosing the soule with sweetnesse as these last wordes vtter Looke to the Martyres they neuer vtter the first voyce My God my God c. No but the second Father into thine handes I commende my spirite because they find joye in torment Steuen the first Martyr vttered the second voyce ACTS CHAP. VII VERS 59. And the rest of the Martyres followed him which testifies plainelie that this was a voyce of joye that IESVS vttered But marke the wordes of CHRIST yee see that euerie man and vvoman beside the bodie they haue a spirite and more beautifull and farre more precious of substance than the bodie and yet it lodges in an house of claye and in an earthlie Tabernacle Next there will bee a separation of the soule and the bodie Thou thinkest euer to liue but whether thou wilt or thou wilt not thy soule shall bee separate from the bodie and then the bodie shall die Shall thy soule die No if thou bee in CHRIST the Father shall take thy soule Nowe againe Brethren see how carefull the Lord is of his soule at the poinct of death If Iesus who had no sinne is so carefull of his soule I pray thee who art a sinfull bodie how carefull shouldest thou bee thereof It must liue either in Heauen or in Hell if the Lord cryed so loude that the earth quaked again till the Temple rent asunder wilt not thou a sinfull creature bee carefull of thy soule A man should haue care of the soule at all times but chiefly at the houre of the separation for at that time the Deuill is busie to deuour thee and the golfe of Hell to swallowe thee vp Then looke how carefull thou shouldest be in following the example of Iesus to recommend the soule into the handes of the Father and looke how carefull thou art to render the soule into the handes of the Father the Father shall be as carefull to loose the soule if thou bee in Iesus Christ to conuoy it with Him to rest for euermore in His blessed bosome The LORD giue vs grace to commende our soules into the hands of that faithfull keeper in the houre of death and that wee maye finde Him readie to receiue and conuoye them with Him to that euerlasting rest purchased to vs through Christ To whom with the Father and the blessed Spirit be praise for euermore AMEN THE XXII LECTVRE OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST MATTH CHAP. XXVII verse 50 Then Jesus cryed againe with a loud voyce and yeelded vp the ghost verse 51 And beholde the vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine from the top to the bottome and the earth did quake and the stones were clouen verse 52 And the graues did open themselues and many bodies of the Saincts which slept arose verse 53 And came out of the graues after his resurrection and went into the holie Citie and appeared vnto manie verse 54 When the Centurion and they that were with him watching Iesus saw the earthquake and the things that were done they feared greatly saying Truely this was the Sonne of God MARKE CHAP. XV. verse 37 And Iesus cryed with a loude voyce and gaue vp the ghost verse 38 And the vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine from the top to the bottome verse 39 Now when the Centurion who stood ouer against him saw that he thus crying gaue vp the ghost he said Truely this man was the Son of God LVKE CHAP. XXIII verse 46 And Iesus cryed with a loude voyce and saide Father into thine handes I commende my spirite And when hee had thus said hee gaue vp the ghost verse 47 Now when the Centurion sawe what was done hee glorified God saying Of a suretie this man was just verse 48 And all the people that came together to that sight beholding the things that were done smote their breasts and returned IOHN CHAP. XIX verse 30 Now when Iesus had receiued of the vineger hee said It is finished and bowed his head and gaue vp the ghost WEE heard the last daye vvelbeloued Brethren the sundrie voyces and speaches vvhich Iesus Christ vvhilest Hee hung quicke on the Crosse and vvas nayled thorow handes and feete vttered in the audience of the vvhole people The first two voyces vvere the voyces of pittie and mercie The one of mercie to one of the Thieues that vvas crucified vvith Him Verily saies the Lord this day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradise The other of pittie to His owne Mother vvho stood by looking on Him when as Hee hung vpon the Crosse in extreame paine recommending her to IOHN His welbeloued Disciple Other two voyces were voyces of sadnesse and heauinesse of heart The one an heauie complaint to His Father My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee The other proceeding from an extreame drought that came of that sense of wrath and paine which Hee felt during the time that Hee hung vpon the Crosse I thirst The last two
eyes of his soule that he cannot see sinne in its own colour hee cannot consider the way wherein hee is walking nor the judgement which he is drawing on his own head Whereupon it falles out that he proceedes from sinne to sinne and either hee falles ouer againe in that same sinne which before hee hath committed or in some other sinne Wee haue a proofe of this in the person of Peter for after that once he had denied his Master hee slept in a senslesse securitie he made litle account of the great sinne hee had committed whereupon it came to passe that soone after he falles ouer againe in the same sinne of denying of the Lord and alitle after being demanded he denies Him the third time and if he had bene oftener demanded no doubt but he would haue denied Him oftener if the Lorde had not looked vpon him fauourably The like also wee see in Dauid albeit otherwise a man after Gods owne heart after that he had committed that foule adultery with Bathsheba the wife of Vriah hee is twitched with a griefe or remorse but lyes still sleeping securely in sinne and so from adulterie with Bathsheba hee falles in abhominable murther of Vriah her husband and after this hee continued for a long season as it were benummed and without a sense of his sinne or feare of judgement and as all sortes of sinne leaue some senslessenesse and induration in the heart so chiefly stubburnesse and contumacie in not beleeuing the knowne trueth of God brings greatest senselessenesse and induration An example of this Paul lets vs see in the Gentiles who followed not that light that the Lord had left in nature and which the Lord shew to them in the workes of His creation that they might glorifie God but repined against it and therefore sayes the Apostle As they regarded not to acknowledge God euen so God deliuered them vp vnto a reprobate minde to doe those thinges which were not conuenient Rom. 1.28 Because they would not glorifie God as became them to doe there was such a dimnesse in their eyes such senslessenesse and blindnesse ouertooke them that they regarded not to doe the thinges that were most vnnaturall They past all feeling and gaue themselues ouer vnto wantonnesse to worke all vncleannesse euen with greedines Eph. 4.19 And they had their consciences burned as it were with an hote iron 1. Timoth. 4.2 It is a dangerous thing once to fall in sinne for if the Lord leaue thee to thy selfe thou shalt neuer stay while thou râ—nne headlong to destruction Therefore pray continually that the Lord would looke fauourably vpon thee and that He would lay holde on thee that thou fall not away from Him and if thou haue fallen that Hee would put out His hand and draw thee to Him againe that thou mayest returne and be saued Thus for the time of the sixt appearing of the Lord now He appeares after y e same maner that He had appeared to the Disciples before For the Disciples beeing within and Thomas with them Iesus came the doores beeing shut and stood in the middes Of this manner of appearing we haue spoken at length before therefore we will speake no more of it When He is come in among them He vses that same forme of salutation which He vsed before for He said Peace be vnto you We passe by this salutation also because wee haue spoken of it already No question it was a very effectuall powerfull salutation because Hee that wished peace vnto them was the author of peace Only one thing I shall marke and so I shall ende I see there is nothing that is able to waken the soule of a sinner that is lying sleeping in sinne and wrapped vp in a senslâ—sse securitie but only the gracious presence of the Lord Iesus What was it that wakened Peter when he had thrise denied his Master It is said The Lord turned backe and looked vpon Peter whereupon immediatly his heart smote him and hee went out and wept bitterly Luke 22.61 62. How was Dauid wakened when he had long lien in his sinne without any remorse How but by the fauour of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God who pitied Him and sent His Prophet Nathan vnto him for this yee must vnderstand that all the Prophets which spake of olde to the Fathers were sent immediatly by Iesus Christ and spake by His Spirit 1. Pet. 1.11 and 3.19 And what was it that wakened Thomas out of his securitie What mooued him that was so obstinate in his incredulitie to beleeue What but the gracious presence of Christ for except that mercie of God in Iesus Christ waken vs out of securitie all the Iudgements of God that euer He hath powred out vpon any from the beginning will not mooue vs the most fearfull and terrible examples of His wrath vpoÌ„ others will not waken vs. Iudas lets vs see the proofe of this in his Epistle when he tells that they who turned the grace of God into wantonnes were not mooued to absteine from sinne by the example of that fearfull and terrible Iudgement of God which ouertooke Sodome and Gomorrhe and the cities about them but that they likewise notwithstanding of these great Iudgements continued in the like sinnes and defiled the flesh Iude 7 8. Then seeing we are naturally sleeping in sinne and none outward thing in the worlde no judgement neither temporall nor spirituall seazing on vs in neuer so high a measure can bee able to waken vs. Let vs pray earnestly that the LORD would preuent vs with His owne gracious presence that wee sleepe not while death oppresse vs. The Lord make euery one of vs to finde this presence of the LORD Iesus To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all praise and honour for euermore AMEN THE XLVII LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST LVKE CHAP. XXIIII verse 27 After said He to Thomas Put thy finger here and see Mine hands and put foorth thine hande and put it into my side and be not faithlesse but faithfull verse 28 Then Thomas saide vnto Him Thou art my Lord and my God verse 29 Iesus saide vnto him Thomas because thou hast seene me thou beleeuest blessed are they that haue not seene and haue beleeued verse 30 And many other signes also did Iesus in the presence of His Disciples which are not written in this booke verse 31 But these thinges are written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is that Christ that Sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue life through His Name AFTER that we had spoken at length Well beloued in Christ of the first fiue appearings of the Lord after His Resurrection wee beganne the last day to speake of this sixt appearing the occasion whereof was premitted by y e Euangelist John to wit the absence of Thomas from the rest of the Apostles when the Lord appeared vnto them and his great incredulitie when they tolde him for notwithstanding that many faithfull witnesses
faith y t coms by hearing thoÌ„ of that faith y t proceeds of seeing for He sayes to Thomas Because thou hast seene mee thou beleeuest but blessed are these that haue not seene and haue beleeued Joh. 20.29 Marke a manifest difference betwixt y e suffering crucifying of the Lord His Resurrection Ascension When y e Lord was crucified al sort of people beheld Him there were gathered a great multitude not of the Iewes only but also of the GeÌ„tiles out of many natioÌ„s for it was a solemne time the time of y e Passâ—ouer but there were not so many y t beheld His Resurrection nor Ascension for it was His pleasure to manifest Himself after His Resurrection to a small number of His own familiars namely His disciples Apostles likewise it was His pleasure to make choise but of a few of that same sort to be eye-witnesses of His glorious AsceÌ„sion for He wold haue His glory to be made manifest to y e world rather by the preaching of y e Gospel than by the sight of the eyes Of this difference we learne this lesson for our instruction That the shame ignominy of Christ is offred to be seene of all sorts of meÌ„ but His glory is manifested only to a small number euen to those who are saued by His bloode The shame ignominy of Christ in His meÌ„bers is laid to th' eyes of all sorts of men there are none who sees not how vile contemptible the faithfull are vnder the crosse but the glory of the faithfull is seene but of a few eueÌ„ only of those who are ordained to be partakers of that same glory For albeit saies Iohn that now we are the sons of God yet it is not made manifest what we shall be 1. Epist 3.2 And as th'Apostle Paul saies of y â— Iewes Jf they had known the Lord of glory they would not haue crucified him 1. Cor. 2.8 So say we of the wicked of the world If they knew that glory of the children of God they would not so contemne them despise persecute theÌ„ The place y t He leades theÌ„ to is said to be Bethania and Act. 1.12 it is said They returned to JerusaleÌ„ from the mount that is called the mount of Oliues neare vnto which mouÌ„t was Bethania both were neare to Ierusalem about 15. furlonges or a Sabbath dayes journey about 2. miles Ioh. 11.18 The Lord of set purpose chose this place to manifest His glory wherin before He suffred ignominy It was in this place that He wrastled with the feare of death finding the terrours of the wrath of God ceazing on His soule when He said his soule was heauie vnto the death It was in this place that the bande of men of warre came and tooke him It was in this place that they bound him and led him away to that shamefull death of the crosse Therefore in this place the Lord makes a shew of His glory in this same place He addresses Himself to triumph from this same place ascends He to His Heauenly Throne Marke the lesson in a worde The Lord of necessitie must be glorified in that same place where before He was dishonored He must be honoured either in mercy by y e conuersion of a sinner who has despised Him or els by the executing of judgemeÌ„t pouring forth of vengeance vpon th'obstinate stubborne contemners But to goe forward to the coÌ„ference coÌ„munication that was betwixt the Lord His Apostles alittle before He asceÌ„ded to HeaueÌ„ This coÌ„fereÌ„ce is set down Act. 1.6 For after the disciples were come together to the mount of Oliues they asked him Lord wilt thou at this time restore the kingdome of Israel Th' occasion of this their question is not set down here but it is likely that the Lord at this time has bin speaking something of that Heauenly Kingdome that vpon His speach they haue taken occasion to aske this question of th' earthly kingdome In demanding of this question they faile many wayes First they faile in curiosity being too curious as the Lordes answere imports Next they faile in this that as yet they thinke y t He should haue bene an earthly king that His kingdome should bee of this world Thirdly they faile in this that they desired to reign triuÌ„ph before they had foughten sufficiently ended their warfare This might seeme strange that they profited so litle in so long time hauing such faire occasion Their ignorance cannot be excused for by the space of 3. yeeres more they were coÌ„uersant with the Lord hearing Him preach saw Him worke miracles after His resurrectioÌ„ sundry times He appeared to them spake to theÌ„ in this same time they saw in Him a majesty they saw Him clad inuested with HeaueÌ„ly glory yet for all this they are earthly minded and think of nothing but of an earthly kingdome In this example of y e disciples we may perceiue how dull we are by nature vncapable of spirituall HeaueÌ„ly things All th' outward meanes of y e worlde will not profit vs if there be no more albeit we heard al HeaueÌ„ly spirituall things neuer so loÌ„g albeit we saw all things neuer so loÌ„g we will neuer be a haire the better except y t wee be taught of God except our minds be illuminate our hearts be opened by the H. Spirit Therfore when we vse th' outward meanes we should pray coÌ„tinually y t the Lord wold send His H. Spirit to instruct vs inwardly and to joyne His blessing with them Now to come to the Lords answere first He reproues them for their curiosity he said vnto them Jt is not for you to know the times the seasons He giues them a good reason because the Father has put them in his owne power Men in all ages haue bin too curious to inquire the things which belong not vnto them Th'Apostles here began curiously to inquire of the time of the restoring of the kingdome to Israel euer since men haue coÌ„tinued curiously to inquire the times seasons namely the particular time of the Lordes coÌ„ming to judgement But the Lord here snibs represses this curiosity in th'apostles for what had they adoe to search out the things y t the Lord kept secret to Himselfe It is not y e Lords will that men at any time should be curious to inquire the particular times which He keepes close to Himself namely the particular diet period of Christs coÌ„ming to judgement for of that day houre knowes no maÌ„ no not th'Angels which are in heaueÌ„ Mark 13.32 Next in the answere He calles them to remembrance of y t promise which He made to theÌ„ before of y e sending of y e H. Spirit induing them with power froÌ„ an high But saies He yee shall receiue power of the holie Ghost when he shall come on you This putting them in remeÌ„brance