7. in the form of a Servant and in maâ—y other respects as will appear hâ—reafter in the History of his life The sufferings of Jesus Christ fully satisfied vindiâ—tive justice and the active obedience of Jesus Chriâ—t did fully satisfie rewarding jâ—stice every act of Jesuâ— Chriâ—t was pure perfect and meritorious Gâ—d saith in him I am well pleased Mat. 3.17 Every act of Jesus Christ his obedience either active or passive was pure and without sin Heb. 4.15 and 1 Pet. 2.22 who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously Heb. 7.26 holy harmless undefiled Every act of Jesus Christ his obedience either active or passive was perfect Heb. 2.10 the Captain of our Salvation perfect Heb. 5.9 and being made perfect he became Author of Salvation to all that obey him Every act of Jesus Christ his obedience either active or passive was meritorious Rom. 5.18 19. as by the offence of one Judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to justification of life for as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Eph. 1.11 14. In whom also we have obtained an Inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will ver 14. which is the earnest of our Inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory This meritorious eminency of the obedience of Jesus Christ springeth from the eminency of his person being God-man The Law never had such a person subject unto it never did nor could any other perform such obedience as this glorious person performed never were or could be such acts of obedience both active and passive performed as were performed by Jesus Christ because he is a publick person by Office he is our Mediator and Surety every act that he did was acted by virtue of his Office in which Office he was from his first Incarnation as it is testified by the Angel Math. 1.21 Thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sin Luk. 2.11 unto you is born this day a Saviour in the City of David which is Christ the Lord all that Jesus Christ did and suffered were acts of his Office If Adam a meer man had performed pure and perfect obedience it should have been meritorious how much more eminently meritorious are all the acts of the obedience of Jesus Christ One consideration more I shall add to illustrate the wonderful sufferings of Jesus Christ by shewing that they do infinitely exceed all the sufferings of man either the sufferings of the Elect in this life or the sufferings of the damned in Hell Jesus Christ suffered as a publick person the punishment of all our sin was laid upon him Isa 57.6 he laid upon him the iniquities of us all he had no sin of his own to suffer for but he was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 and all our sins were nailed to the cross of Jesus Christ all the punishment due unto the sin of all Gods Elect was laid upon him The sufferings of Christ were of value sufficient to satisfie justice for all sin though in the application thereof unto us by the new Covenant only the Elect doe receive and partake of the benefit thereof Sufferings of infinite value were necessary to redeem one Soul and sufferings of Infinite value are enough to redeem all the world yea many worlds Our greatest sufferings alass are of small value we merit nothing but hell by our deepest sufferings our sufferings at best are spotted and stained with sin and our sufferings are but personal not publick Ezek. 18.4 the Soul that sinneth it shall dye we suffer for our sins not for the sins of others The sufferings of Gods people are not penal but medicinal so much as may serve to purge out sin and no more Isai 27.9 and alas a little serves the turn through the mercy of Jesus Christ and through the operation of the Spirit The sufferings of Christ are penal he suffered the whole weight of the curse till the Infinite vindictive justice of God was satisfied O the Infinite weight of the sufferings of Jesus Christ yea the damned in hell suffer the vindictive wrath of God but alas they are finite and can bear but drops at once they can never satisfie justice and besides they suffer every one only for his own sin But Jesus Christ suffered the whole weight of Gods wrath due to all sin and all this at once O the unconceivable depth of the sufferings of Jesus Christ and O the Infinite value of them Cap 2. The History of the wonderfull Conception of Jesus Christ and the sad afflictions and sufferings that attended the same LOrd help me with humble Reverence to handle the holy History of the holy life sufferings and death of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ In the first and last periods of the life of Jesus Christ in the world his sufferings and passive obedience were most conspicuous in the intermediate periods of his life his active obedience to the Law of God was most conspicuous as will afterwards appear in the History thereof Though the conception of Jesus Christ was exceeding glorious above the dignity of any man that ever was born of a woman yet was the morning of his life black and tempestuous very dark according to the Prophesy Isai 53.2 as a tender plant as a Root out of a dry ground this I shall open in four particulars 1. His Conception was wonderful and Divine and this appeareth in sundry respects 1. In respect of the Angel whom God sent to be his Messenger to manage and transact this glorious and divine work Luk. 26.27 the Angel Gabriel was sent from God the time of the coming of this Angelical Messenger from God is expressed to be in the sixth Moneth after John Baptist his conception which consideration will be of some use afterward the place he came to was a City in Galilee of the Gentiles named Nazareth a place of little expectation Joh. 1.46 Can any good thing come out of Nazareth this is the place of the first springing of that glorious branch Jesus Christ which is marked by Mathew Math. 2.23 as the fulfilling of the Prophesies viz. those Prophesies where Jesus Christ is called the Branch from which word that city had its Name The person to whom the Angel came was a Virgin espoused lately unto Joseph both of them of the house of David and the next and proper heirs of the crown of David this God knew though the world took no notice of it The Virgins Name was Mary 2. This Conception was wonderful in respect of the heavenly Salutation which the Angel expressed unto Mary haile thou that
received from his wife put them upon that Dilemma to necessitate them to choose Jesus or to prefer Barrabas before him which he thought the vilest of Pagans would not do for though they had so spoken before yet he had not as yet granted their choice Barrabas was not delivered to them till at the last as we shall see for in such order Mathew doth relate them And it appâ—areth that Pilate urged his Arguments over and over for so he doth inculcate that point sundry times when they cryed out crucifie him crucifie him Pilate answered why what evil hath he done and thus Pilate argued to the last When the Priests perswaded the people to ask Barrabas Pilate answered what shall I do with Iesus they say crucify him Pilate saith again why what evil hath he done which they had nothing to reply unto him but will and violence the reurging of those points seem to be the Effect of the message that Pilates wise had sent unto him Yet again before he would doe the wicked Fact he had one device more wherby he hoped either to appease their minds or if not to assert his own innocency and to testifie against them He calleth for water in their sight and washeth his hands with a protestation of his innocency in this horrid fact of shedding the blood of such an innocent person But alas Pilate why then did you doe the deed This is but a poor excuse to you though a convinsing Argument to them that the Judge should so stedfastly protest the innocency of Jesus Christ whom they out of envy persecuted to the death They still are in fear that Pilate would shrink from the work and not finish that which they hoped they had entangled him to doe And because they saw that he was so deeply affected with the guilt of the innocent blood of Jesus they endavoured to ease his mind as much as in them lay of that terror fear Therefore they doe in a most dreadfull manner take the guilt of his blood upon themselves and thereby as much as in them lay to acquit Pilate to uphold his recoiling heart to the work till he had done it and to shew their confidence in the case and harden Pilates heart they involve their Children in the guilt of his blood Why did they so did not their Fathers cavill against God for setting their childrens teeth on edge when their Fathers had eaten sower grapes Ezek. 18.2 3 4. But mad envy pride and passion are cruel bloudy confident though shut up in blindness and violent ignorance It is the saddest curse that ever parents since the fall of Adam brought upon their Children it lyeth upon them to this day Thus all the politick devices that this witty ingenious man could devise did them no good but much hurt putting them upon horrid sins and violence almost to Rebellion and Arms. Lastly Pilate shutteth up and finisheth this sad Court with four Acts not of justice but of foul injustice and cruelty 1. He delivereth to them Barrabas not acted till now an act abominable to God to justifie the wicked as Prov. 17.15 2. He passeth Sentence of Condemnation to the Cross upon Jesus Christ another most abominable act Prov. 17.15 3. He scourgeth Jesus Christ the second time for this scourging was at and upon his condemnation Math. 27.26 Mar. 15.15 His former scourging was when Herod sent him back to Pilate Pilate told the Jews he would scourge him and release him Luk. 23.16 22. And he did so Ioh. 19.1 but did not release him And now again upon his Condemnation he scourges him upon his sore wounded back Psal 129.3 Now the plowers made deep and long their furrows on his back 4. He delivered him into their hands to crucifie him Ioh. 19.16 Math. 27.26 Mar. 15.15 Yea which is to be marvelled at he delivered him not to justice but to their will Luk. 23.25 whose wills how evill they were Pilate saw So endeth the sadest Court that ever was held in this World many sons of glory have been condemned in many Courts in this world But the Lord of glory was never condemned in any Court save in this Court of Pilate and in the Council of the Jews Great many instructions are h re but I pass them all this only note the many and admirable evidâ—nces of the innocency of this blessed Lamb of God do shine in the faces both of Jews and Gentiles and all the world Never was there such an innocent person condemned Before I finish this sad Chapter here remaineth another cruel act to increase the sufferings of our Lord Jesus which I cannot fully say was an act of Pilate yet it was done by his permission and by his Souldiers and he committed them to their will and therefore he must give an account of it before Jesus Christ his judge and ours at the last day 1. It is the fourth act of mockery done unto our Lord Jesus The first act of mockery was done unto him by the Jews after the Council had condemned him and committed him to a guard to be kept till morning they spent the remainder of the night in mocking of him Luk. 22.63 64 65. Math. 26.67 68. Mark 14.65 2. The second act of mockery done unto our Lord Jesus was by Herod and his men of war Luk. 27.11 3. The third act of mockery was done unto him by Pilate and his guard in the pretorium where he scourged him and his people mocked him more cruelly then before Ioh. 19.1.2 3 4 5. 4. The fourth act of mockery is now done unto him after Pilate had condemned him before they led them away to be crucified Math. 27.28 29 30 31. Then the Souldiers of the Governour took Iesus into the common Hall and gathered unto him the whole band of Souldiers And they stripped him and put on him a scarlet Robe And when they had platted a Crown of Thorns they put it upon his head and a Reed in his right hand and they bowed the knee before him and mocked him saying Hail King of the Jews And they spit upon him and took the Reed and smote him on the head And after they had mocked him they took the Robe off from him and put his own raiment on him and led him away and crucified him where see 1. The persons by whom this was done the Souldiers of the Governour or the Governours Guard they called unto them the whole band Jesus is now in the rude pagan Souldiers hands according as himself had foretold it would be Mat. 21.61 2. The place where it was done in the common Hall where all sorts of spectators resorted they made him a publick spectacle 1 Cor. 4.9 3. the time when this was after his condemnation before they led him away Math. 27.31 there was an interim to get the Cross and all things ready and they filled the interim with cruel mockings and thus the time was delayed until the beginning of the sixth hour The very
confuted themselves they could fix and fasten nothing there was no need of an answer and in such case it is best to keep silence 2. He held his peace to fullfill the Scriptures Isa 53.7 He was oppressed and afflicted yet opened he not his mouth He is brought as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth 3. He held his peace because though he was perfectly innocent himself of all they accused him of yet some or other of his Elect might be at some time or other guilty of such evills as they falsly imputed to him in whose room and stead he stood and suffered 4. He held his peace because he was willing to dye for his Elect to expiate the sins of Gods Elect. Sect. 4. The third Act of the Council MAth 26.63 64. But Iesus held his peace And the high Priest answered and said unto him I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ the Son of God Jesus saith unto him thou hast said nenevertheless I say unto you Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of Power and coming in the clouds of heaven Mark 14.61 62. Again the high Priest asked him and said unto him Art thou the Christ the son of the Blessed And Jesus said I am and ye shall see the son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven Here see 1. The high Priest and Council finding and perceiving plainly that they could find no just matter against him nor any colour or appearance thereof they invented another way to pick an appearance of matter against him which might seem to be of weight in the eyes of the Jews though it would be of no consideration among the Romans and that was by an open and solemn putting Jesus to answer whether he was the Messias or no. For 1. If he denied it or would not confess it that would much ease and advantage them in putting him to Death because they had found something of that point against him 2. If he should confess it that he is Christ the Messiah they were resolved to make that the crime for which they would condemn him Mark relateth only the bare question art thou the Christ the Son of the blessed Mathew relates the question more fervent for if this device had failed they had no appearance of a cause to condemn him Therefore to make sure work the high Priest saith I adjure by the living God answer plainly and catagorically to this question art thou Christ or Messiah the Son of the living God where 1. See what the Jews saith then was touching the Messiah whom they then looked for viz. that he was to be such a man as also is the Son of God God and man in one person which is the same Faith that now the Gentile Churches believe according to the Scriptures and the same point is manifest by Peters answer unto Christ according to the Faith of the Church of the Jews Math. 16.16 in that famous Confession of Peter Thou art Christ the Son of the living God 2. Vnto this question of the high Priest and Council Jesus Christ answereth two things 1. He maketh a plain clear and direct answer Mark 14.62 I am he Math. 26 64. Thou hast said it it is as thou hast said 2. He proveth it by the consequent viz. the two next acts and dispensations of Christ which they shall see viz. 1. From hence forward you shall see Christ the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power that is you shall see the mighty power of Gospel grace of Christ Jesus in the conversion both of Jews and Gentiles and so going on until the last and final conversion of the Jews which we hope for at this day 2. The next and last act of Jesus Christ in this world you shall see him coming in the Clouds of Heaven viz. in power and great glory to judge the World Sect. 5. The fourth act of the Council WHen Jesus Christ had made this clear confession that he is Christ the Messiah then they thus proceeded Math. 26.65 66. Then the high Priâ—st rent his clothes saying He hath spoken blasphemy what further need have we of witnesses behold now ye have heard his blasphemy What think ye They answered and said He is guilty of death Mar. 14.63 64. Then the high Priest rent his clothes and said What need we any further witnesses Ye have heard the Blasphemy what think ye And they all condemned him to be guilty of death 1. The high Priest rent his garment it may be the rest did the same though it be not expressed 2. He saith he hath blasphemed viz. by confessing that he is Christ the Messiah 3. You the judges the whole Court have heard his blasphemy 4. We need no further witnesses to find matter against him to condemn him to dy this that we have heard is matter sufficient 5. They all expressed themselves to be of the same mind and opinion 6. The high Priest put it to the Vote what think you 7. They all passed their Vote and so the sentence of condemnation was pronounced against our Lord Jesus for confessing that he is Christ the Son of the living God And no other cause or appearance of a cause could theâ— find against him saving this only a blessed cause wherein Christ himself was the first Gospel Martyr John Baptist was martyred for his faithful discharging the office of a Prophet in telling Herod of his sins But Jesus Christ was condemned to dye meerly purely for this his confession and for nothing else no not so much as pretended All this was done in the night the blackest work of darkness that ever was done in this world They began their clandestine night Court about midnight they pursued their work in the manner above related until about the second crowing of the Cocks about that time they condemned him Sect. 6. The fifth act of the Council VVHen they had done this wicked deed in condemning our Lord Jesus to dye it being deep in the night They committed their condemned Prisoner unto a company of men to keep him fast and safe until the morning and then adjourned the Court till the morning And so this dark Sessions of this Court was ended It cometh now to be considered how they used him this latter part of the night until the morning when the Council met again if any bowels of mercy had moved in them they should have given him some refreshing and opportunity to take some rest but they were mercyless unto him who is the spring of all mercy to us they used him cruelly which usage is set forth 1. By the actors a company of men that were charged with the safe keeping of him till the morning they are called Luk. 22.63 a chosen company fitted for the purpose that they could confide in spirited like
which was so great an offence to God that they never had a Scepter since unto this day but there is a day of grace coming when the Scepter shall be restored and David whom now they renounced shall be their King I pass by all instructions So much for the fifth act of Pilate the sixth followeth Joh. 19.7 8 9 10 11 12. pt The Jews answered him We have a law and by our law he ought to dye because he made himself the Son of God When Pilate therefore heard that saying he was the more afraid And went again into the judgement-Hall and saith unto Jesus Whence art thou but Jesus gave him no answer Then saith Pilate unto him Speakest thou not unto me knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie thee and have power to release thee Iesus answered Thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him here see 1. The occasion that moved Pilate to enquire into the divinity or divine na of Iesus Christ viz. Pilates frequent urging the innocency of Iesus and oft saying when they said crucifie him Pilate oft would say why what hath be done what law hath he broken what shall he be condemned for an innocent person ought to be released c. 2. This forced the Iews again as formerly they had done to urge their own law which though it be not a Romane Law yet by the Authority of that law he ought to dye Now whether Pilate asked them what that Law was or whether they produced it unasked it is not very material seeing the Holy Ghost is silent in it but they produce the effect of the law ver 7. we have a law and by that Law be ought to dye because he made himself the Son of God This plea they formerly used in the second act of Pilate and now again more fully and this is evidently at another time attended with other circumstances This law of blaspemy is the only law that they had to plead against him for saying he is the Son of God which is one of the greatest and most glorious Truths in the world For this they condemned Iesus in their Council and this they plead before Pilate he ought to dy for saying he is the Son of God Iesus Christ was the first Martyr that dyed for this Truth 3. When Pilate heard that word that he said I am the Son of God this word startled the pagans heart and he was more afraid He clearly saw his innocency and that they persecuted him out of envy now if this innocent person should be the Son of God how should I dare to put him to death The Iews hearts were hard their Consciences seared as hard as Rock stones But Pilate a pagan was more afraid he was afraid before but now more afraid what was he afraid of before sure he feared the guilt of innocent blood To condemn an innocent man to dye is an abomination to God an horrible sin and this he was afraid of before but now he is more afraid if this innocent person be the Son of God his very heart twittered and shrunk about it 4. Therefore Pilate taketh Iesus again into the Pretorium being industrious to find out the matter and that which passed in the Pretorium is in these particulars First Pilate asked Jesus Whence art thou viz not of what Nation or Country for he knew him to be a Jew of Galilee but of what Original art thou art thou the Son of God 2dly Iesus Christ is silent and answered not he was not silent in testifying to his Kingly and Prophetical Offices before Pontius Pilate 1 Tim. 6.13 why then was he silent to testify to his divine nature the reason is 1 Cor. 2.8 had the Princes of of the World known they would not have crucifyed the Lord of glory now Iesus Christ his purpose was to dye Neither yet did Iesus Christ lead Pilate into sin though in this point he did not stop and prevent him enough was said and done to have stopped him were it but in the clearness of his innocency But it was not effectual 3. Pilate was moved offended huffed because he would not answer him nor respect him but neglect him therefore he speaks big to him what do you not know who I am I have power to crucifie thee or to release thee He thought to scare him with such vapouring words But alas what are his great vaporing words to Jesus Christ or to his Saints The world miss their mark when they think by such means to prevail against Jesus Christ 4. Vnto this high vapouring of Pilate Jesus Christ answereth two things First Thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above viz. Not from Caesar so much as he might understand it but from the God of Israel whom thou neither knowest nor professest to serve Secondly For this cause the Jews who delivered me to thee have the greater sin because they know God and profess to serve him and they know the promises touching me and yet they persecute me Thou sinnest but they are the greater sinners And herein Jesus Christ testified of his divinity before Pilate only it was but subobscurely so much as in his divine wisdome he saw fitting Quest. Why did not Pilate deliver him seeing he vapoured so much of his power so to doe Answ We shall in this history see the Reasons thereof So much for what passed between Jesus and Pilate in the Pretorium Now see what followed in the beginning of v. 12. Pilate did not only suppress his disgust and displeasure at the silence of Jesus but took patiently his reproof for his sin in persecuting him Yea and not only so but from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him Quest How did Pilate seek to release him Answ By humane policies and Tricks he had no better nor higher principles to act by And this will be very observable that all his humane policy and devices were not only ineffectual to his end but drew forth the Jews to an horrible increase of their sins as we shall see in the particulars Yea and he entrapped himself also Great observations of Instruction lye before us all the way But I pass on One of Pilates politick devices was to catch them in a necessity to deliver Jesus by their own consent wherein see 1. Pilate considered that he must either by publick Articles or by custom deliver unto the people one prisoner whom they should chuse at the Feast of the Passover and the people began to call upon him for the performance of it Mar. 15.8 The multitude began to cry aloud that he would doe as ever he had done he took therefore that opportunity to offer unto them to remit unto them Jesus Mar. 15.9.10 Will you that I release unto you the King of the Iews for he knew that for
their father if not by their own virtues also Mar. 15.21 4. Symon doth practice a Gospel rule in this act Gal. 6.2 Bear one anothers burden and so fullfill the law of Christ Heb. 13.13 Let us go forth unto him without the Camp bearing his reproach Sect. 2. SO much for their Rigor now followeth the gracious deportment of Jesus Christ in his going to Golgotha Luk. 23.27 28 29 30 31. And there followed him a great Company of people and of women which also bewailed and lamented him But Jesus turning to them said Ye daughters of Ierusalem weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your children For behold the dayes are coming in which they shall say Blessed are the barren and the womb that never bare and the paps that never gave suck Then shall they begin to say to the mountains fall on us and to the hills cover us for if they doe these things in a green tree what shall be done in a dry So soon as ever he was eased of that cruel and heavy burden of his cross by the assistance of Symon he presâ—ntly falls into holy discourse expressing the tender Compassions of his heart over Ierusalem and the falling dying perishing Church and Church-state of the Jews In which discourse 1. See the occasion of his discourse There were a great multitude following him among them there were mourning women who lamented for him and over him for his death approaching v. 27. As it was the manner of the Jews Ier. 9 17 18 19. Call for mourning women skillfull in mourning that our eyes may run down with tears c. Though Jesus did not call for any mourners to follow him yet there were such as followed him as dangerous as the times were to appâ—ar to be a lover and a believer in him By this mourning of these Jesus took occasion to discourse 2. See the manner of his entrance upon his discourse v. 28. Jesus turned to them and said Daughters of Ierusalem Where we see what a kind look Jesus gave unto these mourners that followed him We see also what an holy compellation he giveth them Ye Daughters of Ierusalem that is ye children of the Church 3. See the matter of his speech unto them and to all the Auditory in four Particulars 1. Weep not for me that is not only for me it is a not comparative viz. not so much or not only for me for I shall tell you of another object of your weeping and lamentation He doth not forbid them weeping for him much less doth he check or blame them for it but he informeth them of another object to weep for besides him You now weep because of my death this day but I tell you of that which shall be the effect and punishment of that which is done this day in putting me to death Jerusalem shall smart for what they doe this day and when that day of vengeance is come there will be other matter of weeping then yet you see 2. Weep for your selves and for your children weep both for the present Generation and for the rising Generations Look not only on present things but consider what your present actions do portend and threaten to bring upon you And did you but consider what punishment Calamityes and miseryes this dayes act will bring upon Ierusalem you would then see that there is great cause to weep for your selves and for your children as well as for me 3. Jesus Christ gives them a Reason why they should weep for themselves and for their Children viz. because of those terrible days that are coming upon them which are described First By that usual note of attention Behold shewing the certainty of such calamityes coming on them and the terribleness thereof in both these respects those dayes will be remarkable Behold 2dly Those dayes are described by the terrible effects thereof which prove them to be a just matter of mourning and weeping for your selves and for your children Those terrible effects of the calamity of those dayes are two v. 29 30. 1. They shall bless the barrâ—n woman womb dry breasts it was a reproach in Israel to be barren Gen. 30.23 Luk. 1.25 but now they shall count them happy that have no children to see and feel these bitter calamityes the words imply that it is a curse and misery to have Children to be sufferers of these calamityes which is an Argument to prove that these calamityes will be great yea exceeding great the consideration whereof doth shew that you have cause to weep for your selves and for your Children as well as for me 2. The second Effect will be that they shall be in such desperation that they shall wish the mountains to fall on them and the hills to cover them which is a Scripture expression of desperation Rev. 6.15 16 17. desperation is one of hell Torments Such terrible dayes are coming on you and your Children which should cause you to weep for your selves and for your Children as well as for me And all this Jesus Christ doth foretel them with an heart more bleeding with compassion over them his dying Church then over his own dying body now bleeding with Furrows on his back and thorny wounds on his head and therefore exhorts them to add this ditty unto their present mournings for him 4. He gives a demonstrative reason that such at least if not far worse calamityes shall surely come upon them viz. because they add unto all their wrath provoking sins this last and greatest in putting to death so unjustly so cruelly the Lord of glory the Son of God mightily proved so to be by many miracles done among them their own King Saviour Messiah Which sins do ripen them for wrath as dry wood is fitted and prepared for the fire This reason is communicated with deep and elegant wisdome so as that the Enemies could not easily interpret it or apply it so as to stop them in their way or hinder them from putting him to death because that was the work which Jesus Christ did willingly expose himself unto being that upon which the salvation of Gods Elect dependeth Thus Jesus Christ expresseth this reasoning if they execute these crueltyes upon me an innocent person as unmeet for such punishments as green wood for the fire Then what shal befal them who are by this sin added to their many other sins fully ripe for wrath as dry wood is fitted for the fire He doth not say how hot the fire shall be but he saith what shall be done to the dry to shew that their misery shall be unexpressible yea unconceivable Sect. 3. Their arriving at Golgotha and setting up the Cross JOh. 19.17 18 19 20 21 22. And he bearing his Cross went forth into a place called the place of a scull which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha Where they crucified him and two other with him on either side one and Jesus in the midst And Pilate wrote a Title and put it
such liquor ready Whether it was in favour or rigour and terror it is not said but sure they did nothing in favour to Jesus Christ and Christ doth bitterly complain of it Psal 69.21 as we shall afterwards see 2. The time that this act of death was done unto our Lord Jesus in giving him the cup of death was at the beginning of the sixth hour Mark 15.25 saith it was the third hour but that maketh no difficulty it is easily reconciled for at the end of the third hour the sixth hour began and that lasted till the ninth hour so the Jews they divided the time of the day And that Mark so intended appeareth because at this very instant when they give the cup of death unto Jesus Christ the Sun blushed and hid his face under a black vaile of darkness as being ashamed to look upon this abominable act that these wicked men were about and the exact time of the beginning of this darkness is expressly said to be at the beginning of the sixth hour Math. 27 45. Mark 15.33 This darkening of the Sun was a divine and miraculous Testimony from God against this wicked fast which one would think might have terrified them from proceeding but seared Consciences feel nothing This darkness was not an Ecclipse of the Sun by the interposition of the Moon because it was the middle of the Moneth and the Moon was about the Full. Again it was not a natural Ecclipse because this darkness lasted three hours which never any natural Ecclipse did or can do Besides Ecclipses are unperceivable at the beginning and end but this darkness began as it seemeth to me in its height and so continued at the same height from the beginning to the end When they began and gave Jesus Christ the Cup of death it grew suddenly dark and about the time that Jesus Christ dyed it was light again both the periods of the darkness were eminently observable It was not a total darkness as night is by the absence of the Sun for it is said Joh. 29.20 many did read the supersciption upon the Cross of Iesus Christ Also Iesus saw his mother and the Disciple whom Iesus loved standing by her Joh. 19.26 and Iesus saw the Souldiers dividing his garments and casting lots on his vesture as the Prophesy intimateth Psal 22.18 It was an extraordinary and amazing darkness to reprehend their violent cruel and bloody act which they were doing in laying hands upon the spotless Lamb of God it was the hour and power of darkness wherein the Prince of darkness had got down the Lord of glory under his mercyless hands It was an universal darkness for if the body of the Sun be darkened the Moon and Stars that receive their light therefrom must needs be also in a like proportion darkned obscured Some holy Divines say that this darkning of the sun was a visible sign of Gods desertion and hiding his face from Jesus Christ all the time of his suffering upon the Cross 3. The wicked Murderers are undaunted they goe on with their work they had in hand they strip off his garments and crucifie him naked unless they had so much modesty as to cover shame for all the Evangelists put the parting of his garments at or about the beginning of the time of his hanging oâ— the Cross If they had his garments he was naked putting upon him as much indignity shame as they could 4. They lifted him up on high that they might fasten him to the cross This was typified by lifting up the brazen serpent in the wilderness as Jesus Christ himself testifieth Ioh. 3.14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up Ioh. 8.28 When ye have lifted up the Son of man then shall ye know that I am he Ioh. 12.32 33. I when I am lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me This he said signifiing what death he should die By his so dying he was made conspicuous to all the world and he draweth all his Elect effectually and a great part of the world visibly to follow him Isai 45.22 Look unto me all ends of the earth and be saved 5. They first nailed his two hands upon the stretch unto the two wings of the â—ross Psal 22.6 His hands are said to be pierced first before his feet 6. When his hands were nailed they let him drop and hang with the whole weight of his body upon his pierced hands nailed to the tree Yea not only so but they pulled and stretched him they struck all his bones and joynts out of joint viz. his Wrists Elbows shoulder-bladâ—s Hips Knees Ancles Psal 22.14 17. All my bones are out of joynt I may tell all my bones they look and stare upon me They start out of place upon the wrack These things are said in the Prophesy and done in the history and so are many thing more besides these now named 7. When they had wracked his body into that stretch then they nailed his feet Psal 22.6 His feet are said to be pierced and nailed after his hands in that wracking and tormenting stretch 8. Thus he is nailed unto and hanged upon a tree that is the wood of a tree 1. Pet. 2.24 And so he was made a curse for us Gal. 3.12 For it is written cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree 9. They set a Watch and Guard about him Mat. 27.36 Sitting down they watched him there He that had the charge of that was a Centurion with his band of Souldiers whose Charge was to keep peace and order It was a prudent point of the Romane Goverment and might be done by such as were not accessary to the sin in putting Jesus Christ to death And we shall hear further of this Centurion hereafter Sect. 5. Where we shall consider what our Lord Jesus Christ did as he was hanging on the Cross viz. 1. He forgave his Persecutors 2. He took loving and tender care for his widdow mother 3. He took tender care for the Salvation of the penitent Thief 4. The rest of the 3. hours from the 6t to the 9th hour he spent silently in his most bitter agonies at the 9th hour he spake four words then dyed We shall also take notice of the behaviour of the Jews all this time which to see and hear was no small part of the sufferings of Jesus Christ Luk. 23.34 And Jesus said Father forgive them they know not what they doe This is recorded as the first word that Jesus Christ spake upon the Cross All the time they were abusing wracking and tormenting him he was silent as a Lamb And when he spake these were his words when they had done the worst they could against him he forgave them and prayed his father to forgive them Where we have to consider 1. His own act of forgiving them is implyed in an eminency in his applying himself to his Father to pardon them
As Jesus Christ hath taught us to forgive our Brother yea our enemies so he himself doth practice at this eminent time 2. He prayes the Father to forgive them which he could not have done unless he himself â—ad forgiven them for their offence was against both Father and son and therefore both must concur in the pardon 3. He urges the Father with a charitable and compassionate reason because alas they are in a Temptation and know not what they do 4. The Lord doth herein with divine wisdome distinguish viz that there be two sorts among his persecutors Some we have cause to fear did know what they did as appears Math. 21.38 this is the heir come let us kill him and the inheritance shall be ours Such as so acted are not within the compass of Iesus Christ his pardon and prayer But the generality of the people acted even as they were led 1 Cor. 12.2 and they did like those that followed Absolom in the simplicity of their hearts now such as those Jesus Christ doth pitty pardon and pray for The chief Priests Council did know or might have known that he was Christ the Son of the living God for besides all the proofs that he gave of it in his life and Ministry by doctrine and fulfilling Prophesies and abundance of miracles yet they raged against him and resolved to kill him and when they could find no cause against him they put him upon it to confess whether he was the Son of God or no he did plainly witness a good confession that he is the Messiah and for that confession only and for no other cause saving their own envy they did condemn him to dye and rested not till they had accomplished it These things being so it is hard for us to say that these are of the number of those that knew not what they did But the people for the most part were over perswaded by them in their ignorance acted Pilate also was ignorant of his Diety though he believed with an historical faith that he was the King of the Jews and had he known his Deity he would not have crucifyed him 1 Cor. 2.8 So that Jesus Christ hath opened a dore of pardon to his persecutors The Centurion that had the command of the watch that day and how many more God knows did that very day receive benefit of this pardon and prayer of Jesus Christ The second act of Jesus Christ upon the Cross he doth with tender love and care provide for his widow mother Joh. 19.25 26 27. Now there stood by the Cross of Jesus his mother and his mothers sister Mary the wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the Disciple standing by whom he loved he saith unto his mother Woman behold thy Son Then saith he to the Disciple Behold thy mother And from that hour that Disciple took her unto his own home Where see 1. The title he giveth his mother woman which he was wont to do upon occasion formerly Ioh. 2.4 which he doth not shewing any strangeness or disregard of her grief whose heart was now pierced as with a sword but he did it 1. To take her heart off from all carnal confidence in her fleshly interest in Jesus Christ to put her to consider that her paps are more blessed by her interest of saith in Jesus Christ then in giving him suck Luk. 11.27.28 2. To instruct her and us that though there be use of natural Relations in this life yet it is not so in heaven Math. 22.30 We shall there be as the Angels are Spiritual weanings from creature confidences are no hurt unto or hindrances of right natural affections 2. He directs his mother to chuse an adopted son in his room who is now departing that he may be unto her in the stead of her natural Son to doe all offices of a Son unto her He saith to her Behold thy son intimating to her John that was standing by her 3. He instructeth and chargeth John to doe all offices of a good Son unto her saying to him Behold thy mother 4. This charge is set on because Jesus Christ did thus dignifie him out of special favour and love The Disciple whom be loved And therefore he might confide in him in committing such a trust and charge unto him 5. The effect of this act of Iesus Christ was from that hour he took her into his own Family which proveth that she was a widdow and had not a family of her own now her Son was gone When Ioseph died or what became of her after this nothing is said The third act of Iesus Christ upon the Cross he taketh a mercifull care of the penitent Thief Luk. 23.39 40 41 42 43. And one of the Malefactors which were hanged railed on him saying if thou be Christ save thy self and us But the other answering rebuked him saying dost thou not fear God seeing thou art in the same condemnaion And we indeed justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds but this man hath done nothing amiss And he said unto Iesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdome And Iesus said unto him verily I say unto thee To day shall thou be with me in Paradice Where see among the Mockers Revilers Railers against Iesus Christ on the cross one of the Theeves did as he heard others doe though he was hanging on his cross under the hand of justice and Execution Mathew and Mark impute this to both the Melefactors because what one in a company doth is in usual custome imputed to all unless they bear witness against it And whether at first or by the way both of them might be accessary we cannot say but Luke is particular in this history shewing that one of them was a true penitent Where 1. we see what his ill words are that are recorded viz. if thou be the Christ save thy self and us wherein he vents his unbelief and hardness of heart in way of reproach This he doth when he was dying yea a shamefull death and that justly yet so ill minded is he against Iesus Christ 2. His fellow thief rebuked him whereby he cleared himself from participation with him in his sin which silence in such a case doth involve men in In which Rebuke see 1. Dost thou not fear God The words of thy mouth shew that the fear of God is not in thine heart therefore speak not so wickedly 2. He giveth a reason of this Rebuke and exhortation because we are condemned to dye as he is we are in the same condemnation They are executing death upon us and dost thou now vent the vileness of thine heart against him that is dying with us 3. Here is the aggravation of this Reason 1. We are justly put to death our sin deserves it 2. This man whom you revile hath done nothing amiss he is unjustly condemned and will you add Revilings 3. This penitent thief maketh his believing
which never yet had any man been buryed there they did at present lay up the body the approaching of the Sabbath permitting them to do no more they rowled a great stone to the dore of the Vault which shut it close up And so they departed Lo here we find the dead body of Jesus Christ separated from his Soul laid up among those that are gone down to the pit under the power of death and the grave in the very bottom of his humiliation His Soul was in his Fathers bosome in Paradice far out of the reach of the Enemy though in a suffering condition because in a state of seperation from his body there was he pleading and interceding for the Church The good women observed diligently where he was buryed purposing after the Sabbath to perfect his embalming for which purpose they brought and prepared sweet Spices Luk. 2â— 56 and 24.1 Mark 16.1 Surely they meant to have emboweled the Corps and to have filled the body with sweet Spices c. for so was the manner of embalming of dead bodyes they did not understand nor believe nor expect his Resurrection though he had often foretold it But here behold the wonderful Providence of God for ever to be admired that by reason of the shortness of the time to the beginning of the Sabbath which prohibited them from doing any more at present unto the body and the interposition of the Sabbath prevented them all that day But they intended after the Sabbath to have perfected his embalming for which purpose the godly women came very early and brought their Spices And when they came there he was risen before they came Here also we may behold and admire at the power of the Cross of Christ according to that word of Ioh. 12.32 and I when I am lifted up will draw all men unto me one would have thought in reason that these timorous noble Professors would now have been more timorous then ever they had been But behold the contrary for now they are more bold then ever they were Again one in reason would have thought that the Centurion and all that were on the guard with him and all the spectators would now have no regard or good perswasion towards Jesus Christ whom they had conquered and kissed But behold the contrary the sovereign grace of Jesus Christ is poured forth from the Cross and draweth hearts to believe and this power of grace is exercised by the sweet savour of the Cross of Christ unto this day yea and will be so to the worlds end Sect. 3. The sufferings of Christ after he was dead and buryed AS the first part of the sufferings of Christ was before he was born so the last part of his sufferings was after he was dead and buryed he lay in the grave as Jonas in the whales belly in a suffering condition until his Resurrection After the Incarnation and birth of Jesus Christ the whole conspiracy of Devils and wicked men was to kill him and to conquer him by death to remove him out of their way after they had conquered and killed him by death all their conspiracy was to keep him dead to seal him up in his grave that he should not rise again we may see what the Jews by Satans instigation no doubt did this way Math. 27.62 ad 67. where see the time of this act the morning after the preparation or celebration of the Passover which was upon the very Sabbath day yea though it was an high day Ioh. 19.31 being the morrow after the Passover They pretended to be very zealous for the Sabbrth to pick up matter against Christ when he did good works of charity upon the Sabbath day But now they can go to Pilate and transact their envyous business against Christ upon this high Sabbath day The actors of this business were the chief Priests and Pharisâ—es who pretended to be most zealous for the Sabbath but here we may see their hypocrisy What did they upon this Sabbath they came to Pilate and first see the term they give to Christ that deceiver or impostor we see here that his blood and death could not quench their rancor of heart against him They inform Pilate that he had said that he would rise again the third day which they desired to prevent using this Argument to perswade Pilate to assist them least his Disciples should come in the night and steal away his body and then tell the people that he was risen again according as he hath said he would do And the Effect of that would be worst of all our last error would be worse then the first if we let him rise again it will make us more odious to the people then our putting him to death hath done Pilate impowereth them to make his grave as fast and sure as they can or desire to do by a watch or any other means Whereupon they went upon the same Sabbath day they set a watch strong enough you may be sure at the grave and sealed up the great stone that lay upon the graves mouth and now let him rise if he can But herein we may behold the admirable wisdome of God and folly of man that the very way which they took to prevent his Resurrection was a means to make his Resurrection most evident and manifest unto all the Watchmen were witnesses of it Though they did afterwards corrupt them with large money to make a foolish lye which is current among the Jews unto this day and hereby their last error is indeed as bad if not worse then the first When Jesus Christ breathed out his blessed Soul into his Fathers bosome it waâ— in a state of separation from his body and that was a state of suffering He went into Heaven into Paradice into his Fathers bosome in a seperate in a suffering Estate O how welcome was that blessed suffering Soul hypostatically united to the Deity when he came in Heaven This blessed Soul was not long in this seperate state about forty hours though part of three dayes and three nights God suffered not his holy body hypostatically united to the Deity that lay dead in the grave to see the least touch of corruption Yet hereby he sanctified this seperate state of the Soul from the body unto and for his Elect whose bodyes do see corruption and whose duration and abiding in that seperatâ— estate is of a far longer continuance even until the day of Resurrection and last Judgement But Jesus Christ hath made it to be unto us an entrance into glory The Soul of Jesus Christ presented himself before the holy Tribunal of divine Justice where he pleaded his full satisfaction that he had made unto all the demands of the holy Law both by his active and passive obedience He saith I have fulfilled all Righteousness I have suffered and finished the sufferings of the punishment of loss I have suffered the punishment of sense unto the uttermost ever until it forced a separation betwixt my body and Soul and brought me into the state of death and behold here I stand before the Tribunal of Justice in a state of seperation of Soul from my body and thus have I answered the Law and finished the work of Redemption I have purchased a pardon I have purchased the Inheritance the Kingdome that by the right hand of divine power I may gather in all Gods Elect whose salvation I have undertaken that I may manage the world for the glory of God and that I may subdue all their Enemies And now O Father glorifie me with thy self and these thine Elect with me for my sake that they may behold my glory for which I appeal unto mercy Likewise also our appearance in Heaven when we dye must be before the Tribunal of Justice but we appear in the Name of Jesus Christ we are converted united unto him we are members of his mystical body cloathed with his Righteousness and for his sake we are accepted pardoned and welcomed to glory so far as we are capable in that seperate estate And for this we appeal unto mercy Now Jesus Christ took out a pardon now he took possession of his purchased Inheritance according to the capacity of his seperate estate Now he took the keys of hell and death now was he ready to tread down all Enemies Hell Devil Sin Death and Grave by his triumphant Resurrection But these meditations do appertain unto the Exaltation of Jesus Christ him God hath exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give Repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins Amen FINIS