q d. the evidence and clearness of the Fact committed needs no further accusation Do thou Justice there 's no need of any more examination Dost thou question our righteousness Dost thou think we will not do Justice Dost not see who and what we are who have brought this man bound before thee Is this all the respect thou givest to the Priests of the most High God Dost thou make no difference betwixt us and the common Rabble Do not think that we would bring one before thee that were not guilty of death Thou mayst see how strictly we keep the Law for we will not so much as come into thy house we dare not tred within thy doors Nor think thou that we have done any thing in this matter either out of envy or hatred or too precipitate without deliberation and good advice We have considered all things and finde that he doth deserve to die thou hast nothing to do but to pronounce Sentence For if he were not a malefactor c. O the hypocrisie O the lyes and malice of these men Should things be thus carryed Is this to execute Justice Is every prisoner a malefactor and guilty of death Who sees not that they distrust the goodness of their Cause Therefore 1. They go about to blind and delude the Judge with vain and empty words lest they should be put upon it to prove him a malefactor Consider well O Christian the malice of these men They would fain seem to be just and righteous even against the check of their own conscience as if they had never attempted any such thing and never went about to destroy any but a Malefactor when t is evident that they were the men that did most unjustly put all the Prophets to death 2. In this also they shew their malice in that they would have Christ cut off before he was examined or convicted nay they think him not worthy that the Judge should so much as give him audience or that he should be tryed according to any Rule of Law 3. They openly charge him as a Malefactor before the common Barr and in the face of the open Court who had healed all their sick Ask the Lepers whom he cleansed and the blind whose sight he restored c. whether he were a Malefactor c. But thus it is written They rewarded me evil for good and hatred for my love Psalm 35. Again For my love they are my Adversaries but I prayed for them Psalm 109 Christ did here truly pray even when he held his peace considering with himself our sins for which he suffered all this wrong But Pilate being now incensed and moved with some chollar at such proud and unrighteous expressions cryes out to them again Take ye him and judge him after your own Law as if he had said if he be a Malefactor as you say he is but do not prove it why then put your own Law in execution against him The Roman Laws prohibit me to condemn any man before he hath a full hearing Truly Pilate the Law of Moses did enjoyn the same too but so it is by the malice of these men that the Heathens Laws are now prefer'd before the Law of God The Jews very well know it from Exod. 23. and we also know the same from the words of Nicodemus that the Law of Moses judgeth no man untill he be first heard and convinced John 7. But see how they evade it It is not lawfull for us say they to put any man to death Well but who then I pray put Stephen to death Act. 7. What Authority put him to death Therefore they lye grosly Was not this to put Christ to death when they delivered him up to be sentenced to die and laboured with all importunity to have him put to death But they would have him put to death by the laws of Rome that so as well they as their laws might be acquitted from doing any such thing Their Law was to stone to death but the Roman Law was to crucifie This is that they would have They would not barely have Christ put to death but they would have it done with the greatest reproach shame that might be Nor did it so fall out by chance or by their consultation but that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled when he certainly foretold that he should be delivered to the Gentiles and be crucified by them Mat. 20. Christ also had said that the Son of man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the Serpent John 3.12 Again When I am lifted up I will draw all unto me Joh. 12. And again When the son of man shall be lifted up then shall ye know that I am he John 8. Now when the Jews perceived that they should miss their aym and that there was no good to be done with Pilate unless they brought some Accusation and certain proof of clear crimes against Christ They began to accuse him of many things Luke 23.2 Mar. 15.3 saying we found this fellow perverting our Nation and forbidding to give Tribute to Caesar saying that he himself is Christ a King Then Pilate entred into the Judgement Hall again and called Jesus and said unto him Art thou the King of the Jews John 18.33 Jesus answered standing before him Mat. 27.11 Sayest thou this thing of thy self or did others tell it thee of me Pilate answered am I a Jew thine own Nation and the chief Priests have delivered thee unto me what hast thou done Jesus answered my Kingdom is not of this World If my Kingdom were of this World then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now is my Kingdom not from hence Pilate therefore said unto him Art thou a King then Jesus answered thou sayest that I am a King To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the World that I might bear witness unto the Truth every one that is of the Truth heareth my voyce Pilate saith unto him what is Truth And when he had said this he went out again unto the Jews and saith unto them I find in him no fault at all And they were the more fierce saying he stirreth up the people teaching throughout all Jury beginning from Galilee to this place Luke 23.5 This was Christs first examination in Pilates Court where the Jews Accusations are first laid down Lest thou shouldst think O Pilate say they that we have nothing to lay to this mans charge hear we pray thee what just cause we have to hate and abhor him He is a seducer of the Nation the Author of all mutinies he fâ—ribids men to pay Custom and Tribute he calls himself King of the Jews which is no less then high Treason against his Imperial Majesty And is not this crime and cause enough against him What wouldst thou have more Every one of these Accusations is sufficient to condemn him Here thou seest O Christian how truly David said The
who should guard me as their Generall with their Swords in this my necessity and would hazard their lives for me Or 2. If I sought a worldly Kingdom the Angels themselves would defend me from the violence of the Jews But I have no need of the help of Angels or men My own right hand is able to supply me with ayd sufficient Here the weakness of a worldly Kingdom is seen which hath no strength of it self but all from its Subjects and Officers and if these fail a King is but in an ill case But if they do list themselves under him they may prove false and betray him many wayes But the Kingdom that is from above is sufficient of it self and needs not the help of any From all this Christ concludeth that his Kingdom is not from hence as if he had said Thou mayst certainly assure thy self by this Argument that my Kingdom is not worldly or earthy What ever thou or thy Caesar hath shall be in no danger for me I covet nothing of yours I care not for all the glory and riches of the world which you so highly esteem These things were spoken to Pilate but they do as much concern us 1. For if Christs Kingdom be not from hence Why then O Christian dost thou seek after the Riches and Honours of this world 2. If the Kingdom of Christ be not of this world then Christians must expect to suffer in the world so long as they have the peace of their consciences in Christ John 16. Wonder not then that the godly meet with so much trouble in the world A good man in all his afflictions should comfort himself with this word saying My Kingdom is not from hence 3. If Christs Kingdom be not from hence they are much mistaken then who place the Kingdom of Christ in outward things and the Elements of the world The Kingdom of God saith he is within you Luke 17. Which is not so to be understood as if this lower world were not created by God or did not belong unto God as having nothing to do with it as Manichaeus was of opinion For it is certain that all the ends of the earth are his the sea is his and he made it c. Psalm 95. But however Christ put a clear difference between his Kingdom and the kingdom of the world yet the name of King did stick in Pilates stomack For he was never wont to hear in all the dubblings of honour amongst their Princes that ever any did usurp the Royal Title And he conceived that this Title ought not to be given to any without Caesars consent and approbation Therefore he saith Art thou then a King notwithstanding thy Kingdom be not of this world He stickles much at the Title King this he could not bear For he saw it would follow that if his Kingdom were not from hence it must be from somewhere else Let the Kingdom be whence it will a Kingdom it was and would be Wherefore by way of conclusion he infers upon him Art thou therefore a King The question had been better put thus where is then thy Kingdom Where is that other world thou talkst of He might perhaps have had an answer to this question that might have done him some good But he asked not after any of these things he was afraid of his own kingdom and office Christ therefore doth undauntedly answer him Thou sayst that I am a King as if he had said what need I tell thee when thou thy self sayest it Is it not enough that thou sayest it thy self which is all one as if he had plainly said I am I grant that I am a King Christ doth Emphatically repeat the name King to shew us that he did not repent him nor was he ashamed of his Celestial and Spiritnal Kingdom but had rather that by all means it should be known to Caesar himself as well as to all men For inasmuch as the salvation of us all doth depend on this Kingdom it ought not to be denyed or concealed And it is a sweet comfortable word for Christ to say that he is a King He is truly a King as it is said I have set my King c. Psalm 2. Again Thou madest him to have Dominion over the works of thy hands Psalm 8. Wherefore if thou sinnest do not presently despair for thou art not without the Kingdom of Christ till thou ceasest to be the work of God Hence saith the Wise man Though we sin we are thine Wisd 15. He will acknowledge thee for his possession if thou wilt acknowledge him to be thy Lord. But that Pilate might not further be offended at the Title of King Christ proceedeth to explain his Kingdom yet more fully as if he had said Pilate understand this business well and lay aside all suspition of a worldly Kingdom and Tyranny Thus stands the case I will not deny that my Kingdom is altogether and wholly Spiritual whether before thee or before Caesar himself Only know this that t is not my purpose to molest any with Arms or to Raign in State like other Kings but only to raise up and establish the truth of God upon earth To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I might bear witness unto the Truth I say I came for that end and was born for that cause and not to fight with the Sword but that I might teach and preach the Gospel and the Truth of God which is his power to salvation to every one that believeth Rom. 1. And as I publish the Gospel so I rule by the Gospel in the hearts of Believers over Sin Death and the Devil that for sin I might bestow Righteousness for Death Life for the Cross Joy and Heaven instead of Hell These are the Tenures or customary Holds and Priviledges of my Kingdom of which none can be partaker but he that heareth my Voyce and believeth with his heart I do not endow my followers with Riches Cities and other Fee farms Manours c. but through my Word I bestow upon them Joy Peace Life and Heaven it self My Gospel is the Scepter of my Kingdom And what prejudice are these to the Roman Emperour Would Caesar have none born would he have no man come into the world that should bear witness unto the Truth Would it be any stain to his honour if any of his Souldiers should hear his voyce that is a witness of the Truth Who would not utterly detest and abhor him that should harbour such a thought in his breast The very Name of Truth is am able yea the Nature of man it self agreeth to this that the Name of Truth is most honourable and though arrant knaves hate the thing yet never any had the face to dislike or find rault with the Name of Truth 1. And truly Christ testified the Truth with a witness For the Testimony of Truth is the confusion of falshood The world was mistaken
in the use of Temporal things For those things which were given only to be used in these the world place their love and confidence Christ by reproving this falsity bare witness to the Truth 2. The Jews erred in a wrong understanding of the Law The Gentiles were deceived by their Idolatry 3. Christ in reprehending bearing down both their errors did bear witness to the Truth Well then might he say that therefore he came to that end was he born For this cause saith he I became man for this purpose am I now here that errour iniquity may be destroyed that truth and righteousness may raign This I do and this I will do it is and ever shall be my business to beat down keep under and crush the Devil that God alone may be exalted and Raign If thou therefore art a child of Truth if thou dost love the Truth if thou desirest nothing but the Truth thou wilt hear my Voyce with joy and gladness For I am Truth it self and can speak and teach nothing but the Truth Which thing we that are Christians and are of the Truth do not only believe it but are also the thing it self The Voyce of Christ is Truth which abideth for ever yea though Moses Jupiter Mahomet Hereticks and Antichrist die nay Tyberius and Pilate too yet this liveth for ever Therefore every one that is of the Truth heareth my Voyce Hereby teaching us who they be that belong to his Kingdom He doth not say every one that truly is or hath truly a being for the Devil and wicked men have truly a being but he saith he that is of the Truth A lye is that which is not or is not manifest Adam is not the World is not He then that is of Adam of man or of the World is of a lye He is of the truth that loveth the constant truth that seeketh the everlasting Good that thirsteth after Righteousness and eternal Life This is he that heareth my Voyce this is he that belongeth to my Kingdom and one that subjecteth himself to my Government Christ therefore is no Lord and King to those who covet Riches aspire to the Honours of this world and hunt after pleasures Nor is he their King who are mutinous and raise seditions but he is their King who thirst for Righteousness earnestly breath after the Celestial Joy and willingly hear and obey the Truth From all which it is plain and evident that Christ had not at all offended against Caesar When Christ had given so high a commendation of the truth Pilate being somewhat moved and taken therewith and as an Ethnick to whom such things were somewhat uncouth he asked Jesus what was Truth An excellent question indeed if it had proceeded from his heart and that he had been in earnest For what is more profitable and pleasant to search after then the truth All the world invocateth the truth as we read 1 Esdras 4. Yea wicked men themselves though they be lyars and false yet will press others to speak the truth and would not be cheated and deceived Much more beautifull is truth in spirituall things But Pilate did not ask this question heartily but as it were scornfully and disdainfully as if he had said Dost thou broach any other truth then what your High Priests and our Priests teach Thou hast said enough and more then enough there 's no need of any more at this time I came not hither to hear a Sermon There are other matters in hand We have more Irons in the fire Wicked men loath nothing more then the Word of God and those things that tend to their good and salvation here they stand upon thorns and think long ere they be at liberty 1. Pilate should have been warmed and encouraged by Christs Word But he was no more moved then if he had offered Gold or most Orient Pearls to a blind man he was as blind as a beetle the Sun was darkness to him He whose understanding is darkened cannot discern the splendor of Truth which darts the rays of its lustre into the minds of the godly Pilate indeed was not worthy to hear an answer to his question He heard enough if he would have believed it 2. But Christ would no longer linger out his Passion And what need was there to enquire what was truth Lo Christ that stood there present was and is the Truth Whatever Idolatrous Priests trifle about Vertue or the Jewish High Priests teach concerning fleshly righteousness they are all but lyes nothing but Christ and the Gospel only is Truth and what follows and is drawn by consequence from the Gospel But Pilate having not received an answer to his mind went out to the Jews again He supposed that the Laws of Caesar would have served his turn and that he needed no other knowledge of the truth Secondly He perceived that this did not much concern the case in hand Thirdly He saw the Jews were in haste and t was no time to talk any longer with Christ For the Jews were afraid lest Christ should mollifie the mind of the Judge with his words which they knew were very efficacious and penetrating Lastly He had now learned by experience that there was nothing in Christ whereby he might defend himself if he were put to death and complaint thereof should be made to Caesar against him for his unjust punishment for the Prince of all just men and the King of Righteousness had put on Righteousness for a Brest-plate and true Judgement for an Helmet and equity for an invincible Bâ—…kler that no man could by any means catch him in his words Therefore he who first went forth that he might hear some Accusation against him doth now go out to excuse Jesus before his Accusers I find saith he no fault in this man Here we find again a civil Righteousness in Pilate For 1. Although there were rich and potent men on one hand from whom he might hope for gain or fear some loss but Christ was all alone a poor man quite cast off by all his friends from whom he saw no ground to expect any advantage or fear any detriment yet he takes Christs part against the Jews which is the duty of a Righteous judge though such be rare to be found Whence it is that the Princes of the Jews are so often reproved for not judging the cause of the Fatherless Isa 1. Therefore Moses would have such Judges that hated covetousness Exod. 23. For bribes will make men blind Hence it is that Judges are so often call'd upon to fear the Lord Be instructed ye that judge the earth serve the Lord in fear Psalm 2. 2. Pilate doth not only take his part and stand for Christ but he doth clearly confound his Adversaries by proclaiming him guiltless and that after he had throughly examined the whole business although they had bound him as a Felon and one that deserved to die 3. He doth plainly prove them lyers
hold his tongue but reproves him that smote him or rather courteously admonished him If I have spoken evil saith he bear witness of the evil Christ might have said How else should I answer thou base parasite What should I say or do more Wouldst thou have me fall down and kiss the toe of thy grand Idol this high Priest and call him the light of the world I answered to what he askt me what wouldst have more thou naughty man Thus I say and more sharply might Christ have rounded up this vise varlet But for our pattern he answers him very mildly and that with a forked argument which might have pinnioned and bound this fellow hand and foot Christs meaning is thus either I have spoken well or ill this thou thy self must confess If evil thou oughtest to shew wherein But if well thou shouldest not beat me contrary to Law and Equity Christ said not this out of anger or passion Nor did this contradict what he said at another time of turning the other cheek Matth. 5. For if you rightly consider that word you will find that Christ did fully and perfectly follow his own doctrine For that great command of patience is to be observed not so much in the bodily ostentation as in a hearty preparation and readiness to suffer and is thus to be understood If any man injure reproach or wrong thee thou shouldst be so far from rendring evil for evil or to revenge thy self that thou shouldst sooner and more readily suffer more wrong and pass by greater injuries This is to turn the other cheek to the smiter In this sense is Christs word to be taken Did he revenge himself In no wise Did he revile again No by no means Peter saith When he was reviled he reviled not again 1 Pet. 2. Thou hearest his defence but not his recrimination thou hearest his advice but not his reproach If I have spoken well why smitest thou me I will not strike thee again I will not avenge my self on thee but I warn thee that thou repent lest worse things befall thee from God Thou beatest me on whom thou wast not able to lay thy band Thou beatest me now whom thou didst admire before John 7. Thou beatest me who art no Judge Thou beatest and misusest me who never wronged thee in all my life Thou gettest nothing by this thy misusage of me but thy own condemnation Christ then did here shew his gentleness three waies First in that he avengeth not himself when he might easily have done it Secondly not being angry Thirdly in that he did admonish instruct and repay good for evil to him Here then in the first place our rashness is reproved who are ever greedy of revenge even for the smallest wrongs done to us Forgetting what is written The wayes of them that remember injuries tend to death Eccl. 10. Again Forgive thy Neighbour the hurt that he hath done unto thee so shall thy sins also be forgiven when thou prayest Eccl. 28.2 First then let us learn to bear wrongs patiently inasmuch as we are not the first nor they only who have been sufferers Secondly learn we to be silent in sufferings lest we murmur against God And whereas Christ took all things patiently besides this blow there is reason for it First he held not his peace now because that servant should not think that the Truth was to be smothered by outward persecution Secondly that he might think that it was lawfull for him and such as he was to do what they list to the poor Thirdly That he might not think that Princes were not to be reproved by the Word of God whereas the Word of God spares none for it is judge of all alike By this therefore he would teach us to bear our cross patiently yet so as that we conceal not what may tend to the salvation of our persecutors As also that we should never approve of an unjust cause though we suffer in bearing witness against it but to be instant in season and out of season and rebuke them that offer violence and be alwayes ready nevertheless to bear what our enemies shall inflict on us What hath hitherto been spoken concerning that blow and Christs answer was plainly foretold by Isaiah I hid not my face saith he from shame and spitting Isa 50. Again I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair Again I have set my face like a flint and I know that I shall not be ashamed c. So Micah chap. 5.1 They shall smite the Judge of Israel with a Rod upon the cheek Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high Priest John 18.24 Mat. 26.57 John 18.18 where the Scribes and the Elders were assembled And the servants and Officers stood there who had made a fire of coals for it was cold and they warmed themselves and Peter stood with them and warmed himself And another maid saw him Mat. 26.71 and said unto them that were there This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth They said therefore unto him John 18.25 Art not thou also one of his Disciples And another said Luke 22.58 thou art also of them And again he denyed with an oath Mat. 26.72 saying Luke 22.58 Man I am not I do not know the man Mat. ibid. And after a little while Luke 22 58. about the space of an hour after Luke 22.59 came unto him they that stood by saying Surely thou also art one of them for thou art a Galilean Mar. 14 70. John 18.26 and thy speech bewrayeth thee One of the servants of the High Priests being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off saith did I not see thee in the garden with him Then began he to curse and to swear Matth. 26.74 saying I know not this man of whom ye speak Mar. 14.71 And immediatly while he yet spake the Cock crew Luke 22 60. And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter And Peter remembred the word of the Lord Jesus how he had said unto him Before the Cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice Mar. 14.30 And he went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26.75 Christ is led bound to Annas from him he is carried prisoner to Caiaphas Among that sort of people the Trurb is ever in bonds For none dare say any thing to them but what they like and love to hear The wickedness of Annas is seen in that he did not release Christ after he had made a sufficient and full answer but suffered him to be manicled yea and bound him over to a greater and more potent Adversary Mark saith expresly chap. 14.53 that in the house of Caiaphas the chief Priests and the Elders and the Scribes were assembled earnestly expecting every moment when Christ should be brought prisoner before them This was the ground of their meeting that very Night when they should have thought of eating the Paschal Lamb in remembrance of their deliverance from
3.20 Every one that doth evil hateth the Light The Pharisees could not endure that their righteousness should be condemned and they counted for sinners The Scribes could not bear it to be thought ignorant of the Law As Abel and Joseph were hated of their own brethren for no other cause but because one was righteous and accepted of God and the other better beloved of his Father than the rest so happened it also unto Christ No doubt but they made a fair pretence for this their hatred and malice even a zeal for Gods Law upon which ground Moses commanded that the false Prophets should be killed Deut. 13.5 This they often charged Christ with before but they neither did nor could they prove it yet as if he had been already convicted of that crime they resolve to put him to death because they would be taken for such as sought Gods glory more then others But O wicked Princes seed of Canaan and not of Juda What spirit taught ye to seek the glory of God by killing his only Son For your consultation is not against the Son of Ieseph but against the Son of the great God Your design was to take Jesus of Nazareth by craft and to slay him and it prospered But whom else have you taken and slain but your own Messias that true and great Prophet the Saviour of Israel the King of glory the Prince of life and the best Shepherd whom God of his infinite mercy sent to ye lost sheep Iacob foresaw this your counsel long ago and hated it Simeon saith he Gen. 49.5 and Levi have warlike weapons of wickedness O my soul enter not thou into their secret cursed be their anger for it was fierce Since that ye have had the like consultations more then once against the Apostles of Christ Acts 4.5,6 until the righteous God able to endure you no longer gave you to be destroyed by the Romans But you will say What moved those wretched men to such horrid counsels 1. It was the very Judgement of God by which as they well deserved they were long since given up to a reprobate sense to do those things against Christ which the hand and counsel of the Lord had determined For they were vessels of dishonour 2 Tim. 2.20 2. The Devil himself put them on who from their first taking the business in hand did so much the more rage by how much he saw the glory of God shine forth more brightly 3. There were besides these two other of the worst Counsellors of all Ambition and Covetousness They were afraid they should lose their glory and their gain There are no evils that these mischiefs will not hurry men into as may be seen in Chorah Dathan and Abiron in Absolon in Nebuehodonoser Cyrus Iudas the traytor and in all tyrants and wicked men Thus the sons of men naturally desire great things as glory and riches but herein they are mistaken in that they seek neither true glory nor the true riches nay they seek not those temporal things so as they ought For they that eagerly hunt after honour and wealth do not find them but they that despise them If thou cover true glory seek not the glory of men if thou covet the true riches distribute and spend the false riches upon the poor Mat. 26.5 But they said not on the feast day lest there be an uproar among the people By the feast day they meant that great Sabbath which fell out in the feast of the Passover of this they would have great regard not for the feast sake it self but lest there should be an uproar among the people They did not fear God but the rude rabble And they that durst not eat leavened bread although there was no cause why they should abstain from it yet were not afraid to pollute the feast day by committing murther on it As were the Priests such was the people But here is set down the nature of hypocrites who indeed do many good things but it is only that they may be seen of men and they forbear to do evil but no further then they are afraid to be punished by men They have no respect at all to God Psalm 14. there is no fear of God before their eyes saith the Psalmist Whence we may see Observat 1. That those wicked men were truly the vessels of Gods wrath For as when God will outwardly punish any Nation he giveth them wicked Princes and Magistrates for the peoples sins God setteth up an hypocrite to rule over them So when he will blind a Nation for their ingratitude he suffereth and sendeth evil Pastors such as these were who did spiritually and temporally yea eternally destroy the people Observat 2. Here we may also see that the counsel of God is not hindered but furthered rather by contrary designs For God had determined to glorifie Christ and to exalt him above-every creature Contrarily the Pharisees did endeavour to deprive Christ of his Kingdom and to root his Doctrine out of the hearts of Believers But by how much the more they strove against the counsel of God with their wicked endeavours by so much the more they promoted it for by death Christ entered into his Kingdom and Glory The same was heretofore in Iacobs sons toward their brother Ioseph Briefly 〈◊〉 37. â—…v 21.30 〈◊〉 14.27 there is no strength nor wisdom nor counsel against the Lord. What God hath decreed no man can disanull Hitherto we have heard what the wicked Jews thought on their part In the next place let us hear what good was done on the other part Mat. 26.6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon the Leper there came unto him a woman having an Alabaster box of very precious Oyntment and poured it on his head as he sat at meat How happy are we Christians who have the benefit of the whole passion of Christ For as that very bloody Council of the Pharisees fell out for our good so is it for our advantage that that precious Oyntment was poured on the head of Christ In the Council of the Jews there Christ had his enemies on the contrary here are his friends and those that minister unto him Those did dishonour and intend evil against him This woman doth honour and do him good Thus even thus doth the Divine Wisdom ever order it that where we have enemies there also shall we find some friends as Paul saith 2 Cor. 6. Now concerning this History there hath alway been a great dispute among the Antients whether this anoynting be the same with that which John speaketh of John 12. or with that whereof Luke writeth Luke 7. The general opinion is that it is but one woman of which Matthew in chap. 26. and Mark in chap. 14. and Luke chap. 7. and John in his twelfth chapter do write Origen is of another mind in Hom 35. upon Matthew where he alledgeth
he seem to extoll godliness But if he be a subject he is to be rebuked if an equal he is not to be born with if he be a Superiour he must not be feared We ought to obey God rather than men Christ yet hath another reason to deter Peter from his over-hasty and rash enterprize How saith he shall the Scriptures be fulfilled if thou thinkest to go this way to work and chase away the cross with thy sword Was not my Passion very often foretold especially in Psalm 22. Isa 53. So the Passion of the Elect is prophesied of Zach. 13. How then shall these Scriptures be fulfilled if we avoid the cross and passion and slip our necks out of this collar For thus it ought to be done So hath the Father decreed Thus it behooved Christ to suffer and so to enter into his glory Luke 24. So ye also through many Tribulations must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Acts 14. Therefore put up thy sword into the sheath You see here how effectually Christ instructeth Peter and in him all us to be patient In the close of this passage Luke saith that Christ took the servant healed him and restored his ear again Christ never forgets his goodness In his deepest abasement he would sometimes glance out some beams of the Godhead For it was the finger of God that did this and all other Miracles And this Token this Grace this Favour this courtesie he did shew to him that was his professed enemy that sought his death and who as Christ well knew would persist in his malice after he had this kindness shewed to him Here O Christian see here that what our Lord Jesus Christ commanded us he first did it himself here I say thou hast an Example to love thine enemy Love your enemies do good to them that hate you c. Mat. 5. Who ever fulfill'd this command more perfectly than Christ For here you see how that he cured their wounds who sought his death and did accomplish it Go and do thou likewise Hitherto we have heard how that Christ ran to meet his Adversaries And how those his Adversaries were fenced with a multitude with Power and with Arms cap-a pe But Christ had very few with him and they indeed instructed in War but not with corporal Weapons he rather disarmed them of those weapons and went out harnessed against Judas only with love and patience and against Malchus with bounty and courtesie How unequal were their weapons which party shall we close with Naturally we are inclined to that party that is most numerous and best fortified with arms and power let the quarrel be never so bad Contrariwise let the cause be never so good we stick not to it if the powers be not for it Which hath the better on 't a just cause without arms or an unjust cause with all accoutrements of War Indeed wicked men for the present seem to have the upper hand But the time will come when the Saints shall win the day however they seem yet to have the worst end of the staff although if men could rightly discern it the Saints at present have the strongest side True the ungodly wear the garland but t is by the sword rustling and clamour If this be to bear away the bell who more stout than cutters and high-way men But the godly prevail both by their cause and the truth of their cause He is the valiantest man that conquers by his cause not by his clashing The Jews overcome by their sword but Christ by his cause So Cain conquered by his sword and Abel by his sacrifice Gen. 4. It matters not whose sword but whose cause keeps the field He that would get the better of his Adversary let him be sure his cause be just Then Jesus said unto the chief Priests Luke 22.52 and Captains of the Temple and the Elders which were come to him Be ye come out as against a Thief with Swords and Staves to take me When I was daily with you in the Temple ye stretched forth no hands against me But this is your hour and the power of darkness Mat. 26.56 That the Scriptures might be fulfilled See here the power of Christ in the midst of his abasement For 1. Though they did rave and rage never so much after Judas had kissed him after he had thrown them on their back after Christ had confessed himself to be He whom they lookt for yet they could not lay hands on him that the saying of Isaias might be true Is 53.7 He was offered because he was willing Oblatus est quia ipse voluit saith the Vulg. Lat. as if it had been said whereas he was to be offered for us it was not for want of power in him to resist or from the power of them that rusht upon him but it was of his own accord 2. Observe here the great blindness of the Jews who plainly seeing that they could do nothing but what and when he pleased yet for all that they continued as wicked as before Well therefore did Isaias foretell The heart of this people is gross Isa 6. 3. See also how they thirsted after Christs blood in that they were not satisfied to send their servants and that a great many of them but their chief men must go out along with them For the Text plainly affirms that the chief Priests and Rulers of the temple and the Elders i.e. some of these went together with Judas even that very night when they should have eaten the Paschal Lamb. So forgetful were they of all Religion that they thought of nothing but killing of Christ After the literal sense they therefore went out with Judas first lest the Traytor should deceive them for they durst not trust him Secondly To back on the Traytor and make him the more bold being propt up by their presence and Authority Thirdly That the servants might be more forward and diligent to that cruelty when their Masters were present Lastly Lest if any of the common people should take part with Christ they might desist when they saw the Magistrates there See how prudent the children of this world are to promote their designs But what doth Christ do He derides their Enterprise with most pithy words Are ye come forth as against a thief q.d. What famous Warriours are ye What need had ye to make such a stir Where are your enemies Where are those thieves against whom you make such War-like preparations Were ye afraid lest I should have a great company of Believers about me ye need not so much fear it Truly I am not your enemy nor am I a thief or a robber Nor have I any of the people or arms with me so that one of you had been enough to have taken me you see I come to you of my own accord and do as it were deliver my self into your hands If this were your intention if this were your purpose why did ye not take
that so from every bodies charge they might patch up a just accusation against him Caiaphas his Counsel was enough to stir up the people but it was not sufficient to regulate the Office of a Pagan Judge Yet Caiaphas would not have it spoken of him that he oppressed the innocent and therefore had tyrannically put Christ to death Wherefore he laid his plot so that because they could find no just cause yet at least they should seek out some fair pretence to destroy Christ For he knew that the first thing that would be enquired into about the death of the man would be for what cause he suffered and what his crime was that made him deserve to die and if no just reason were given for it the power would be accused of Tyranny This Caiaphas knew well enough therefore he doth first hunt after a sufficient ground to kill Christ The next way to obtain this is by Evidences Testimonies prove the crime and the crime makes lyable to death Thus innocent Naboth was hated by King Ahab to the very death 1 King 21. but that he might rid him out of the way there must be good ground for that and to bring this about there were false witnesses suborned and so sentence of death was pronounced against the innocent The same did some ungodly men attempt against Daniel whom truth it self miraculously delivered from his false witnesses Dan. 6. So Saint Steven was stoned to death by false witnesses Act. 7. The like proceedings were there in the judging of Christ See what righteous Judgement and what a holy Council was here Christ was now in hold bound buffered and many wayes abused by the servants and yet no man knows why or wherefore he was accused Wicked men use to condemn before they know the crime Thus Saul cut off the Priests of the Lord before he heard them or before they were convinced by any 1 Sam. 22. So Jehoiakim slew Vrijah the Prophet Jer. 26. Ungodly men say as they did Jer. 18. Come let us smite him with the tongue and let us regard none of his sayings Thus Satan hurryeth the hearts of wicked men with a spirit of giddiness But these men exceed and do more For they labour all they can to find out false witness against Christ knowing they could find no true evidence And all this they do in the night of the Passover when they should have eaten the Lamb. Mean while they accuse Christ as a transgressour of the Law whereas but of late he had eaten his Lamb with great devotion But those wicked men did most notoriously neglect the Law and greedily thirst after innocent blood In this Council there was nothing but wrath envy hatred and violence raigned All the cry was kill slay destroy crucifie c. This is that Council of which the holy Patriarch Jacob of old spake saying Simeon and Levi are Instruments of cruelty O my soul enter thou not into their secret cursed be their anger for it was fierce c. Gen. 49. In this Council was fulfilled that which David in the person of Christ foretold long since in many of his Psalms They gaped upon me as a ramping and roaring Lyon Psalm 22. Again They that seek my hurt speak mischievous things and imagine deceits all the day long Psalm 38. Again They have sharpened their tongues like a Serpent Adders poyson is under their lips Psalm 140. Their throat is an open sepulchre c. Psalm 5. False witness did rise up they laid to my charge things that I knew not Psalm 35. They opened their mouth wide against me and said Aha Aha our eye hath seen it ver 21. This thou hast seen keep not silence O Lord be not far from me False witnesses are risen up against me and such as breath out cruelty Psal 27. See how many things David prophesied of this Council Their rage was nothing humane but altogether hellish and devilish for they did not rave to satisfie their rage but rather to kindle and inflame themselves more yet Therefore they let nothing slip that may encrease their fury But what good did they get by forging false witness against Christ For however many false witnesses came yet no full proof could be made of any charge For what one witnessed for a truth the next varied from him so their witness did not agree just as it was in the story of Susana And no wonder for when Testimonies are false in themselves they can never agree together Here then the great and unblemishable innocency of Christ was cleared and fully proved to all men as one whom so many false witnesses were not able to accuse falsly and so many enemies that took their oaths against him could not find so much as the shadow of any cause against him First then let Christians here learn so to live that their enemies may not be able to speak ill of them Secondly but let Bishops and Ministers be here taught by this Example that they behave themselves blamelesly Finally That Christs innocency may yet shine more brightly two false witnesses arise this was their proper name by which they wree called inasmuch as they did not rightly relate the words or meaning of Christ These stand up and are confidently perswaded that they shall bring in just ground enough to make away with Christ O desperate knaves how durst ye lye so against the very Truth yea against God himself to curry favour with a wicked man Is this your keeping the Law which commandeth that none should bear false witness against his Neighbour Go to speak on we will hear what ye have to say We say they did hear him say that he could destroy the Temple of God c. Here they tell a lye at first they speak false not only as base fellows but as per jur'd Rogues Our Lord Christ never spake those your words how then could you hear them from him But thus indeed he did say Destroy this Temple and in three dayes I will raise it up And that we may know of what Temple he spake John saith He spake this of the Temple of his Body John 2. The Jews Temple was built with hands but Christs Temple that is his Body was built without the workmanship of man How do these words of Christ agree with the Testimony of these Villains Christ speaks of his Body which not he but the Jews would destroy he would only raise up the same again But these witnesses speak of the Temple of stone which was built in the dayes of Esdras and Zorobabel which Temple also Christ highly honoured as Haggai prophesied chap. 2. The dissolution and destruction of this Temple belonged to Titus the Emperour and the Romans Why do ye not hale him before your Tribunals and produce your witnesses against him who did indeed destroy your Temple Could ye find no claw at Christ but your Temple Thus did ye afterward to Saint Stephen Act. 6. But what 's become of your Temple now We
Counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed Psalm 2. The Gentiles did rage indeed like bruit beasts for they knew not what they did The people to wit the Jews imagined vanity They laid their heads together as it is written Psalm 109. They compassed me about with words of hatred the Kings that is Pilate and Herod Hence the Apostles composed their mournfull prayer Of a truth Lord say they against thy holy child Jesus both Herod and Pontius Pilate with Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together c. Acts 4. To this may be added that of the Psalmist They are confederate against thee the Tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelites of Moab and the Hagarens Gebal and Ammon c. Psalm 83. They are like Sampsons foxes their tails be tyed together and like the scales of the Leviathan sticking so close together that no air can come between them Job 41. So when it comes to persecution of the godly and to propagate ungodliness now wicked men are easily reconciled and made friends But all this while Christ is not set at liberty but compel'd to the Cross and die he must Thus Tyrants for the most part now adays are quickly quiet one with another after they have robbed and spoiled and plundred and utterly undone the poor and not one amongst them all will restore or help the poor man to that which is his right Concerning this peace of the wicked David saith I was envious at the wicked when I saw the prosperity of sinners Psalm 73. But a little after he saith Thou didst set them in slippery places thou castest them down into destruction How are they brought into desolation as in a moment They are utterly consumed with terrors As a dream when one awaketh so shalt thou make their image to vanish out of the City Psalm 73. All this was fulfilled in these two men for both of them were banished It follows And Pilate when he had called together the chief Priests and the Rulers and the people said unto them Luk. 23.13 Ye have brought this man unto me as one that perverteth the people and Behold I have examined him before you and I have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him No nor yet Herod for I sent you to him and lo nothing worthy of death is done unto him I will therefore chastise him and release him And when Jesus was accused of the chief Priests and Elders Mat. 27.12 Mar. 15.3 he answered nothing Then saith Pilate unto him answerest thou nothing Behold how many things they witness against thee But he answered him to never a word insomuch that the Governour marvelled greatly Christ is now brought back again from Herod to Pilate but so as without doubt many godly men wept to see how miserably he was led along We use to say when innocent men suffer Thieves and Robbers should be thus dealt with not honest and just men But the Lord Christ was neither Thief nor Robber and yet he endured all this and was so tossed to and fro from one to another and with such disgrace too that it would have made one shed many a tear to see the veryest Rascal in the world so used Paul an Apostle of this Jesus was tost and tumbled up and down in the same manner For as the Lord Jesus had his Annas's Caiaphas's Pilates Herods so Paul had his Annanias's Felix's Festus's Agrippa's c. Why should the Scholler speed better then his Master And let it not repent thee Brother of the Cross be not thou ashamed of it for thy Lord and mine did never blush at it Holy truths can no otherways be brought to light Good men must look for no other usage Pilate and Herod have no better entertainment in their houses Innocency Humility Simplicity the Spirit Knowledge c. are nothing worth in their market they make but a piff of these Thou must be their Mocking-stock and make them fools sports yea though thou wert as good as Elias unless thou will say and do as they please that is to say and do the filthiest and basest wickedness in the world Satan knows his time and advantage and can tell well enough how and when to make wicked men friends but so as that their reconciliation shall be thy ruine and destruction But Pilate who was a little honester than the Jews and Herod that he may seem not to wrong any man doth once more call together the chief of the Jews and leaves no stone unturned but useth all means possible to set Jesus at liberty and release him safe and sound Ye have brought this man to me saith he and have accused him of many things and I have examined him as strictly and as narrowly as possibly I can to sift out the truth and sound the business to the very bottom to bring things to light I have taken him aside and asked him alone and examined him in private and now I have questioned him in your presence before your own faces and yet I cannot hear or understand any thing but that he is wrong'd exceedingly and all that I can do for my life and heart I can find no cause of death in him And if ye will not believe me behold Herod also his own Lord under whose jurisdiction he is doth think and say the same he is of one mind and opinion with me in this matter For he under whose power he is hath sent him back again without punishment which he would never have done if he had found him faulty What therefore will ye do seeing according to the truth of the business there is nothing to be found in this man worthy of reprehension or wherefore he should be put to death Will you use violence to him and kill him contrary to all Law and Reason Doth your Law teach you to serve men so Surely Solon Lycurgus Minos and the Roman Tables allow no such thing much less command it The chiefest Law of Lycurgus was that no man should be punished before he was convicted and condemned Nor did ever any Law-maker allow of so notorious a wickedness as to cut off and destroy the innocent How much less ought you to do any such thing who go under the name of Religion and are professors of the most holy Law Let me desire you therefore to hearken to my advice which I suppose may somewhat pacifie you I will chastise and scourge him after the manner of the Romans that it may not be said you have bound him and brought him before me without a cause but I neither can nor will I put him to death because I find no such fault in him See here Pilate doth again bear witness of Christs innocency against the impiety of the Jews that by the righteous Judgement of God their damnation might be the greater You shall shortly see the Sun and the Heavens the Earth and the stones testifie against them and proclaim
thy Kingdom And Jesus said unto him Venily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Here we are first to take notice that the Cross of Christ was not only a torment to the condemned but as it were a Tribunal also of the Judge For it did mercifully receive one of the thieves and justly refuse the other just as it is now the Cross of Christ is to some a stumbling block but to others it doth become their salvation 1 Cor. 1. As in the beginning of the Passion we had an example both of Mercy and Judgement in Magdalen and Judas so now in the close we have another example in these two thieves whereby it was shewed before that the Passion of Christ would not be profitable to all not that it was in it self insufficient but because many refusing Grace when it was offered do yet sin with a stubborn will The first of these Thieves who blasphemed Christ it may be out of desperation and impatience as such men use to do may be a figure of all wicked wen who although they see Christ hang close by them yet they murmur and blaspheme under the Cross nor are they instructed by the example of Christ who took all things patiently But in vain do they rage and vex themselves for they are released never the sooner let them blaspheme never so long and never so much they get nothing by it but they die in their desperation without any Mercy as this Thief did The other Thief is a figure of the godly who do both patiently undergo whatever befall them imputing it to their own sins and labour what they can to reduce others to a sound and sober mind who blaspheme and repine This thief then hearing and seeing what would be done with Christ and being divinely inspired did not question that Christ thus suffered upon another account than he was to suffer for he saw Miracles wrought in Heaven and Earth and he easily conjectured that they were not wrought for any goodness or honesty of the Jews therefore he began to rebuke and blame his fellow as one that made no conscience so to blaspheme Christ And then turning about to Christ he doth beg for Grace and Mercy at his hands which petition of his was not in vain for he obtained more than he asked The Lord doth always give more than he is desired His prayer was after this manner Lord Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom q.d. The Reason why I so highly esteem thee and run with such boldness unto thee is because I see what tender compassion thou hast of thy Creatures and with what unheard of patience thou dost undergo such great sufferings But especially because I now hear thee pray for them that despitefully use thee and dost excuse their heinous sin These are not humane but spiritual and divine things Remember me therefore I dare not ask more or greater things at thy hands I am sinfull unworthy of any favour do but only think on me let me not be quite forgotten let me at least with thy dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from the table of thy Grace I desire no temporal thing in this life But when thou comest into thy Kingdom let me be remembred there c. 1. See here the wonderfull Judgements of God A Thief makes confession of Christ when all his Disciples did distrust him Therefore do not rashly condemn any though never so wicked For God can turn him in a moment of time 2. Observe here the Ingenuity and Faith of this Thief He had nothing at command but his heart and tongue Both these he presenteth to Christ that he might believe in his heart and confess with his mouth Rom. 10. He did not desire a Kingdom of which he thought himself not worthy but only that he might not be forgotten and then he did not care what he did indure And if you take good heed you may see in this Thief whatsoever is requisite in a Christian He consessed his sin he acknowledged Christs righteousness and though he were a Thief yet did he not despair of his salvation no marvel then if he obtained Justification and salvation 3. Here is also the fruit of his faith to wit Confession and Charity which he shewed to his brother when he reproved him and would have him acknowledge his sin and seek salvation in Christ Wherefore he was thought worthy to hear that truly comfortable and sweetest word Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise as if he had said The meaning My only Companion although thy great faith doth not crave the greatest things yet I am not ignorant what becometh me to give or what is fit for thee to receive I will reward that exceeding and admirable Vertue of thine with the best and choicest good For what is more wonderfull more pure than thy faith I am forgotten of all men as a dead man out of mind My Neighbours stand aloof off mine acquaintance will not own me Psalm 31. My friends are become mine enemies my Disciples forsake and flee from me Peter the stoutest of my Apostles was daunted at the voyce of one silly woman denyed and forswore me Judas whom I trusted with my self and all that I had is inticed with a little money and hath sold me The rest are scattered like stray sheep without a Shepherd destitute both of hope and faith But thou O Thief art come hither out of the lurking places of the thickets and woods and dost run to meet me with great affection more faithfull than my friends more constant then my Disciples thou dost believe hope adore confound the unthankfull rebuke the blasphemous bear witness to him that is condemned without a cause plead with thy tongue fighting for me with all the weapons thou hast Thou seest me used like a most notorious Villain and yet dost acknowledge me as the most holy Redeemer Thou seest me as thy Companion in punishment and yet dost pray to me as to the Lord in Heaven Thou seest nothing but the misery as it were of the vilest and worst of men yet thou confessest the infinite blessedness of my Kingdom in another world Surely flesh and blood hath not revealed these things unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven Mat. 16. Truly thy faith is great greater I have not found in Israel Mat. 8. Abraham believed me but 't was when I spake from heaven Gen. 15. Moses believed but I spake to him out of the midst of the fire Exod. 3. Isaiah believed but then I sat upon my Throne of Glory Isa 6. But thou believest now I am hanging on the most shamefull Cross and can hardly fetch breath as well as if I were working some extraordinary Miracle I never met with such a faith before Nicodemus and Nathaniel believed being instructed out of the Scriptures The woman of Canaan believed being perswaded thereto by clear and convincing signs Mat. 15.